Inevitability
2016-02-23, 03:51 AM
Oh god what have I done.
Welcome to Junkyard Stadium! It is in this hallowed pile of miscellaneous parts that we will hold a competition of Practical Optimization with three components. The catch? Competitors may not use the third item in their builds!
Goal: Create a build that showcases the selected ingredients while steering clear of the Forbidden Ingredient.
This competition has two Necessary Components and one Forbidden Component. This round's components are...
Necessary: From Unearthed Arcana (mostly)... Racial Paragon Classes!
Necessary: From lots of sources... Spellcasting!
Forbidden: From lots of sources... All non-paragon base classes!
I know what you're thinking. "No base classes? But Dire_Stirge, how will we create rules-legal builds?" Well, that's where those racial paragon classes are for! Most builds will probably want to take their first few levels in one, but I can think of at least one way to delay taking them until mid-levels.
The spellcasting requirement is just there to encourage creative thinking while also letting people showcase prestige classes with standalone casting (another thing I feel is undervalued in optimization).
Note that anything 'casting-like' such as psionics, meldshaping, or shadow magic, still counts as 'spellcasting' for the purpose of this contest.
Basically, this competition will focus on originality and working under restraints over power and versatility.
Round-Specific FAQ
If I somehow qualify for more than one paragon class, can I take levels in both?
Yes, except if you qualify through form-altering magic (whatever they meant by that). For example, when playing a Human Paragon, killing yourself and Reincarnating as an elf won't let you take Elf Paragon levels.
Do NPC classes count as base classes?
Yes they do.
What counts as 'spellcasting' for the purpose of the contest?
Psionics, shadowcasting, truenaming, incarnum, pact magic, and all other such alternative magic systems all count. If a racial paragon class grants you an unspecified level of spellcasting advancement, you can apply it to any of those subsystems.
Contestants:
The rules are as follows:
Creation: 32 point-buy is the presumed creation method. You may assume that you will have enough exp to reach ECL 20, and that the occasional bit of crafting, use of spells with exp components, or the like won't prevent you from doing so. However, LA buyoff is an alternate rule which is not in play.
Workshop: Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon Magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see below. Web-exclusive 3.0 or 3.5 materials by WotC are expressly allowed, but take care to verify that an updated version did not appear in print elsewhere as this may cause an Elegance deduction at the judges' discretion. If you use web material, please link it. Dragon Magazine Compendium is allowed, as are Oriental Adventures and the Dragonlance Campaign Setting. Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt and fractional saves are not allowed, as they create a different playing field.
Speculation: Please don't post or speculate on possible builds until after the reveal in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.
Disputes: Any scoring disputes should be sent to the Chair via PM. Valid disputes include RAW misreadings, arithmetic errors, things missed that are present in the entry, and inconsistently applied criteria. Invalid disputes include disagreements on matters of opinion, a judge not catching something not explicitly presented in the entry, and the like. Invalid disputes will be responded to via PM by the Chair, but valid disputes will be posted in-thread for the judge to review. When disputing, please indicate the judge the dispute is intended for and provide a quote of the disputed comment or comments. Note: the Chair may edit or paraphrase any disputes in presenting them to the judges.
Leadership is banned: We're creating one thing, not all of the things. If your entry includes a prestige class or ACF that grants Leadership or a Leadership-like ability as a bonus feat, the feat should be ignored and is not eligible to be traded away for another feat or ACF through any means.
Presentation: You will need to present a write-up of your build at at least one of the following points: 5th level, 10th level, 15th, 20th, and a "sweet spot" that you feel is the high point of the build, as well as presenting a fully-fleshed out 20-level build in the table below. Please give a rundown of the build's abilities and playability throughout its life. Builds will be posted anonymously, in order to avoid the potential of bias towards a particular competitor. For this reason, please don't put your name in the build as I'm likely to miss it when reviewing the entries. Also for this reason, PLEASE do not include any material that may or may not offend any potential viewers/judges/competitors OR break forum rules. Any builds which violate forum rules WILL be withheld from posting.
Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, please use the following table for their entry.NAME OF ENTRY
Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features
1st
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
2nd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
3rd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
4th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
5th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
6th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
7th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
8th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
9th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
10th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
11th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
12th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
13th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
14th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
15th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
16th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
17th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
18th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
19th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
20th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
Code immediately below (spoiler).
Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features
1st
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
2nd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
3rd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
4th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
5th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
6th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
7th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
8th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
9th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
10th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
11th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
12th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
13th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
14th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
15th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
16th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
17th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
18th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
19th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
20th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
For entries with spellcasting, use the following table for Spells per day and Spells Known. (Spells Known only if necessary, i.e. Sorcerer or Bard, but not Wizard or Warmage)Spells per Day/Spells Known
Spells per Day/Spells Known
Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2nd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3rd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
7th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
9th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
14th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
15th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
16th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
17th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
18th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
19th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
20th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Code immediately below (spoiler)Spells per Day/Spells Known
Spells per Day/Spells Known
Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2nd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3rd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
7th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
9th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
14th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
15th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
16th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
17th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
18th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
19th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
20th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
For other systems (Psionics, ToB, Incarnum, etc.) keep track of PP/maneuvers/essentia separately, preferably in a nice neat list.
Judges:
Scoring: Each judge is required to provide the criteria by which they are judging the builds. By "criteria," we mean a simple explanation of what the judge is looking for in each of the below categories and what kind of scoring we can expect. If a judge deems a build to be illegal, they may provide a 0 in Elegance but may not refuse to judge any build presented by the Chairman.
The Categories: Judging will be based on the following criteria, with each build rated from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Power, Elegance, Use of Components.
Originality: Is the build unique? Does it deviate from the obvious? Does it forge its own path, or does it fall back on common, established optimization tricks? Some judges score entries for the quality of their concept & backstory as well, though not all do. Providing at least some backstory is heavily encouraged, as it helps the judges figure out who the entry is. Note that the purpose of this category is not to penalize entries that independently came up with the same idea as another entry, but rather to reward entries that explore underutilized and non-obvious areas of optimization, so, judges, try not to base your judging in this category too heavily on what other builds are doing. Multiple entries using the same element may certainly be evidence that the element is unoriginal, but you shouldn't impose anything like a "-1 for each other build using the same class" penalty.
Power: Power level is up to you. Cheese is acceptable, but should be kept to a sane level unless you're showcasing a new TO build you've discovered. In the words of one of my predecessors, a little cheddar can be nice, but avoid the mature Gruyere unless you're making a cheese fondue.
Elegance: This category was formerly titled "Build Stability." Here, we're essentially measuring how skillfully you put your build together and how you balanced flavor with power. We're cooking here - if your dish doesn't taste good, it doesn't matter how well-presented it is. Use of flaws is an automatic loss of one point per flaw in this category. Other things that will cause lost points here are excessive multiclassing (meaning any multiclassing that results in an xp penalty), and classes that don't fit the concept - using Cloistered Cleric in a front-line melee fighter, for example, may lose you points. Rule adherence and legality of sources is scored under this category; additionally, reliance on a questionable, controversial, or ambiguous ruling can and should result in a deduction. Neither the number of sources nor their relative obscurity should be penalized--contestants should feel free to use any books they like. Dipping should not be penalized unless it results in a multiclass xp penalty; if the system won't penalize it, neither should judges.
Use of Components: Was the Forbidden Component avoided? Were the Necessary Components showcased, or simply used because they were necessary?
Disputes: Any scoring disputes will be posted by the Chairman in-thread after reviewing them privately. Valid disputes include RAW misreadings, arithmetic errors, things missed that are present in the entry, and inconsistently applied criteria. Invalid disputes include disagreements on matters of opinion, a judge not catching something not explicitly presented in the entry, and the like. Invalid disputes will be responded to via PM by the Chair, but valid disputes should be responded to by each individual judge. Judges are obligated to respond to disputes to ensure that everyone gets a fair shake. A judge's scores will only be recognized if they have recognized all disputes. In the absence of any other judges, the entries will be judged by the chairman.
Completion Time:
Contestants will have until 11:59 PM GMT Saturday March 12th to create their builds and PM them to the chairman.
Builds will then be posted simultaneously to avoid copying.
Judges will have until 11:59 PM GMT Saturday March 26th to judge the builds and submit their scores. If no judges have scored by that point, only the scores of the first judge to submit will be counted.
As the precedent has been set from Episode 2, should all prospective judges have posted their rulings in a neat, timely fashion and all disputes have been settled satisfactorily (to either judges, contestants, or the Chairperson), the judging period may end prematurely to give way to a new episode. No reason to keep working on a finished building and avoid moving onto the next one.
So who wants to sign up as a contestant and who wants to sign up as a judge? Looking for as many contestants and judges as feel like playing! We will award 1st through 3rd places, as well as a shout-out for honorable mention. The honorable mention prize is given to the most daring or unexpected build that doesn't gain a medal. Contestants are invited to vote for honorable mention via PM. Everyone else can vote in-thread. Ready? Steady? Get to the junkyard and start building!
Previous Competitions:
Episode 1: Shadowdancer + Sneak Attack - Rogue (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?337864-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-I)
Episode 2: Healing Spells + Ruby Knight Vindicator - Cleric (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?342896-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-II)
Episode 3: Dragon Type + Mystic Theurge - Kobold (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?347412-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-III-Dragons-Theurges-Kobolds)
Episode 4: Book of Exalted Deeds + Undead Type - Completes Books (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?355278-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-IV-BoED-Undead-Type-Completes)
Episode 5: Dread Witch + Reaping Mauler - Fighter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?360271-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-V-Dread-Witch-Reaping-Mauler-Fighter)
Episode 6: Wonderworker + the Profession Skill - Factotum (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?369604-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-VI-Wonderworker-Profession-Skill-Factotum)
Episode 7: Metamagic Feats + Level Adjustment - Metamagic-Reducers! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?374504-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-VII-Metamagic-Feats-LA-Metamagic-Reducers!)
Episode 8: Pounce + Small Size - Barbarian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?388151-Junkyard-Wars-VIII-Pounce-Small-Size-Barbarian)
Episode 9: Earth Dreamer + Ordained Champion - Cleric (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?395791-Junkyard-Wars-IX-Earth-Dreamer-Ordained-Champion-Cleric)
Episode 10: Meldshaping + Natural Attacks - Totemist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?403880-Junkyard-Wars-X-Meldshaping-Natural-Attacks-Totemist)
Episode 11: Magical Darkness + Improved Familiar - Wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?409650-Junkyard-Wars-XI-Magical-Darkness-Improved-Familiar-Wizard)
Episode 12: Dragonmark Heirs + Touchstones - Martial Weapons (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?430214-Junkyard-Wars-XII-Dragonmark-Heirs-Touchstones-Martial-Weapons)
Episode 13: Mulhorandi Divine Minion + Monk - Any Other Wildshaping (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?465901-Junkyard-Wars-XIII-Mulhorandi-Divine-Minion-Monk-Any-Other-Wildshaping)
Welcome to Junkyard Stadium! It is in this hallowed pile of miscellaneous parts that we will hold a competition of Practical Optimization with three components. The catch? Competitors may not use the third item in their builds!
Goal: Create a build that showcases the selected ingredients while steering clear of the Forbidden Ingredient.
This competition has two Necessary Components and one Forbidden Component. This round's components are...
Necessary: From Unearthed Arcana (mostly)... Racial Paragon Classes!
Necessary: From lots of sources... Spellcasting!
Forbidden: From lots of sources... All non-paragon base classes!
I know what you're thinking. "No base classes? But Dire_Stirge, how will we create rules-legal builds?" Well, that's where those racial paragon classes are for! Most builds will probably want to take their first few levels in one, but I can think of at least one way to delay taking them until mid-levels.
The spellcasting requirement is just there to encourage creative thinking while also letting people showcase prestige classes with standalone casting (another thing I feel is undervalued in optimization).
Note that anything 'casting-like' such as psionics, meldshaping, or shadow magic, still counts as 'spellcasting' for the purpose of this contest.
Basically, this competition will focus on originality and working under restraints over power and versatility.
Round-Specific FAQ
If I somehow qualify for more than one paragon class, can I take levels in both?
Yes, except if you qualify through form-altering magic (whatever they meant by that). For example, when playing a Human Paragon, killing yourself and Reincarnating as an elf won't let you take Elf Paragon levels.
Do NPC classes count as base classes?
Yes they do.
What counts as 'spellcasting' for the purpose of the contest?
Psionics, shadowcasting, truenaming, incarnum, pact magic, and all other such alternative magic systems all count. If a racial paragon class grants you an unspecified level of spellcasting advancement, you can apply it to any of those subsystems.
Contestants:
The rules are as follows:
Creation: 32 point-buy is the presumed creation method. You may assume that you will have enough exp to reach ECL 20, and that the occasional bit of crafting, use of spells with exp components, or the like won't prevent you from doing so. However, LA buyoff is an alternate rule which is not in play.
Workshop: Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon Magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see below. Web-exclusive 3.0 or 3.5 materials by WotC are expressly allowed, but take care to verify that an updated version did not appear in print elsewhere as this may cause an Elegance deduction at the judges' discretion. If you use web material, please link it. Dragon Magazine Compendium is allowed, as are Oriental Adventures and the Dragonlance Campaign Setting. Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt and fractional saves are not allowed, as they create a different playing field.
Speculation: Please don't post or speculate on possible builds until after the reveal in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.
Disputes: Any scoring disputes should be sent to the Chair via PM. Valid disputes include RAW misreadings, arithmetic errors, things missed that are present in the entry, and inconsistently applied criteria. Invalid disputes include disagreements on matters of opinion, a judge not catching something not explicitly presented in the entry, and the like. Invalid disputes will be responded to via PM by the Chair, but valid disputes will be posted in-thread for the judge to review. When disputing, please indicate the judge the dispute is intended for and provide a quote of the disputed comment or comments. Note: the Chair may edit or paraphrase any disputes in presenting them to the judges.
Leadership is banned: We're creating one thing, not all of the things. If your entry includes a prestige class or ACF that grants Leadership or a Leadership-like ability as a bonus feat, the feat should be ignored and is not eligible to be traded away for another feat or ACF through any means.
Presentation: You will need to present a write-up of your build at at least one of the following points: 5th level, 10th level, 15th, 20th, and a "sweet spot" that you feel is the high point of the build, as well as presenting a fully-fleshed out 20-level build in the table below. Please give a rundown of the build's abilities and playability throughout its life. Builds will be posted anonymously, in order to avoid the potential of bias towards a particular competitor. For this reason, please don't put your name in the build as I'm likely to miss it when reviewing the entries. Also for this reason, PLEASE do not include any material that may or may not offend any potential viewers/judges/competitors OR break forum rules. Any builds which violate forum rules WILL be withheld from posting.
Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, please use the following table for their entry.NAME OF ENTRY
Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features
1st
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
2nd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
3rd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
4th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
5th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
6th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
7th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
8th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
9th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
10th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
11th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
12th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
13th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
14th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
15th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
16th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
17th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
18th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
19th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
20th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
Code immediately below (spoiler).
Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features
1st
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
2nd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
3rd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
4th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
5th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
6th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
7th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
8th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
9th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
10th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
11th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
12th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
13th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
14th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
15th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
16th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
17th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
18th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
19th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
20th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities
For entries with spellcasting, use the following table for Spells per day and Spells Known. (Spells Known only if necessary, i.e. Sorcerer or Bard, but not Wizard or Warmage)Spells per Day/Spells Known
Spells per Day/Spells Known
Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2nd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3rd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
7th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
9th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
14th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
15th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
16th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
17th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
18th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
19th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
20th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Code immediately below (spoiler)Spells per Day/Spells Known
Spells per Day/Spells Known
Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2nd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
3rd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
4th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
5th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
7th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
8th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
9th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
10th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
11th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
12th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
13th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
14th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
15th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
16th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
17th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
18th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
19th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
20th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
For other systems (Psionics, ToB, Incarnum, etc.) keep track of PP/maneuvers/essentia separately, preferably in a nice neat list.
Judges:
Scoring: Each judge is required to provide the criteria by which they are judging the builds. By "criteria," we mean a simple explanation of what the judge is looking for in each of the below categories and what kind of scoring we can expect. If a judge deems a build to be illegal, they may provide a 0 in Elegance but may not refuse to judge any build presented by the Chairman.
The Categories: Judging will be based on the following criteria, with each build rated from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Power, Elegance, Use of Components.
Originality: Is the build unique? Does it deviate from the obvious? Does it forge its own path, or does it fall back on common, established optimization tricks? Some judges score entries for the quality of their concept & backstory as well, though not all do. Providing at least some backstory is heavily encouraged, as it helps the judges figure out who the entry is. Note that the purpose of this category is not to penalize entries that independently came up with the same idea as another entry, but rather to reward entries that explore underutilized and non-obvious areas of optimization, so, judges, try not to base your judging in this category too heavily on what other builds are doing. Multiple entries using the same element may certainly be evidence that the element is unoriginal, but you shouldn't impose anything like a "-1 for each other build using the same class" penalty.
Power: Power level is up to you. Cheese is acceptable, but should be kept to a sane level unless you're showcasing a new TO build you've discovered. In the words of one of my predecessors, a little cheddar can be nice, but avoid the mature Gruyere unless you're making a cheese fondue.
Elegance: This category was formerly titled "Build Stability." Here, we're essentially measuring how skillfully you put your build together and how you balanced flavor with power. We're cooking here - if your dish doesn't taste good, it doesn't matter how well-presented it is. Use of flaws is an automatic loss of one point per flaw in this category. Other things that will cause lost points here are excessive multiclassing (meaning any multiclassing that results in an xp penalty), and classes that don't fit the concept - using Cloistered Cleric in a front-line melee fighter, for example, may lose you points. Rule adherence and legality of sources is scored under this category; additionally, reliance on a questionable, controversial, or ambiguous ruling can and should result in a deduction. Neither the number of sources nor their relative obscurity should be penalized--contestants should feel free to use any books they like. Dipping should not be penalized unless it results in a multiclass xp penalty; if the system won't penalize it, neither should judges.
Use of Components: Was the Forbidden Component avoided? Were the Necessary Components showcased, or simply used because they were necessary?
Disputes: Any scoring disputes will be posted by the Chairman in-thread after reviewing them privately. Valid disputes include RAW misreadings, arithmetic errors, things missed that are present in the entry, and inconsistently applied criteria. Invalid disputes include disagreements on matters of opinion, a judge not catching something not explicitly presented in the entry, and the like. Invalid disputes will be responded to via PM by the Chair, but valid disputes should be responded to by each individual judge. Judges are obligated to respond to disputes to ensure that everyone gets a fair shake. A judge's scores will only be recognized if they have recognized all disputes. In the absence of any other judges, the entries will be judged by the chairman.
Completion Time:
Contestants will have until 11:59 PM GMT Saturday March 12th to create their builds and PM them to the chairman.
Builds will then be posted simultaneously to avoid copying.
Judges will have until 11:59 PM GMT Saturday March 26th to judge the builds and submit their scores. If no judges have scored by that point, only the scores of the first judge to submit will be counted.
As the precedent has been set from Episode 2, should all prospective judges have posted their rulings in a neat, timely fashion and all disputes have been settled satisfactorily (to either judges, contestants, or the Chairperson), the judging period may end prematurely to give way to a new episode. No reason to keep working on a finished building and avoid moving onto the next one.
So who wants to sign up as a contestant and who wants to sign up as a judge? Looking for as many contestants and judges as feel like playing! We will award 1st through 3rd places, as well as a shout-out for honorable mention. The honorable mention prize is given to the most daring or unexpected build that doesn't gain a medal. Contestants are invited to vote for honorable mention via PM. Everyone else can vote in-thread. Ready? Steady? Get to the junkyard and start building!
Previous Competitions:
Episode 1: Shadowdancer + Sneak Attack - Rogue (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?337864-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-I)
Episode 2: Healing Spells + Ruby Knight Vindicator - Cleric (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?342896-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-II)
Episode 3: Dragon Type + Mystic Theurge - Kobold (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?347412-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-III-Dragons-Theurges-Kobolds)
Episode 4: Book of Exalted Deeds + Undead Type - Completes Books (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?355278-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-IV-BoED-Undead-Type-Completes)
Episode 5: Dread Witch + Reaping Mauler - Fighter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?360271-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-V-Dread-Witch-Reaping-Mauler-Fighter)
Episode 6: Wonderworker + the Profession Skill - Factotum (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?369604-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-VI-Wonderworker-Profession-Skill-Factotum)
Episode 7: Metamagic Feats + Level Adjustment - Metamagic-Reducers! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?374504-Junkyard-Wars-in-the-Playground-VII-Metamagic-Feats-LA-Metamagic-Reducers!)
Episode 8: Pounce + Small Size - Barbarian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?388151-Junkyard-Wars-VIII-Pounce-Small-Size-Barbarian)
Episode 9: Earth Dreamer + Ordained Champion - Cleric (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?395791-Junkyard-Wars-IX-Earth-Dreamer-Ordained-Champion-Cleric)
Episode 10: Meldshaping + Natural Attacks - Totemist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?403880-Junkyard-Wars-X-Meldshaping-Natural-Attacks-Totemist)
Episode 11: Magical Darkness + Improved Familiar - Wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?409650-Junkyard-Wars-XI-Magical-Darkness-Improved-Familiar-Wizard)
Episode 12: Dragonmark Heirs + Touchstones - Martial Weapons (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?430214-Junkyard-Wars-XII-Dragonmark-Heirs-Touchstones-Martial-Weapons)
Episode 13: Mulhorandi Divine Minion + Monk - Any Other Wildshaping (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?465901-Junkyard-Wars-XIII-Mulhorandi-Divine-Minion-Monk-Any-Other-Wildshaping)