Iron Chef Optimisation Challenge in the Playground LXXIX

[Heliomance]

A dimly-lit library. Rows of bookshelves line the walls, and as the camera slowly pans over them, we see that they are filled with gaming books. From the original brown-cover D&D manuals to the newest fifth edition supplements, we are given a brief but breathtaking history of over four decades of gaming in visual form.

A pair of feet, clad in Converse, appear. The camera pans back to reveal the Chairwoman as she strides out into Optimization Stadium. Slowly, she looks around at the battleground. Rapidly, we are shown shots of the gaming materials here assembled: books, miniatures, maps, dice. The Chairwoman reaches down and picks up a twenty-sided die. She rolls it, then turns to the camera... and smiles.

The camera pulls back from the smile to reveal... the Iron Gamers. Row upon row they stand, clad in the uniform of their trade: t-shirts with fantasy images, buttons with obscure quotes from novels and movies, dice bags at the ready. The shot dissolves into flames and the logo:


Iron Gamer

A montage of the contestants plays, with summaries of their optimization triumphs and achievements. Interspersed are brief interviews. Finally, though, the introductions are over. The contestants stand arrayed before the Chairwoman.

Chairwoman: We unveil the ingredient!

Tense music plays as the pedestal containing the mystery ingredient rises from below. Stacked neatly on the pedestal are copies of the Player's Guide to Faerun.

Chairwoman: This month's theme is... Black Blood Hunter! ALLEZ OPTIMISER!


-----------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome, contestants, judges, and guests to Iron Chef LXIX. Here in Optimisation Colosseum, contestants will endeavour to create an optimized and flavourful character using a specified D&D3.5 prestige class as a "Secret Ingredient".

Contestants: You will need to present a full 20-level build for your entry. Also required is a rundown of how your build works at lower levels, to demonstrate that it is a functional character that could be played from 1-20 in a real game. Traditionally contestants give "snapshots" of tactics and abilities at levels 5, 10, 15, and 20, as well as a "sweet spot" of their choosing that represents what they believe to be the high point of the build. The purpose of these snapshots is not just to showcase your use of the SI, it is to demonstrate that your character is playable at every level. For this reason, it's still worth giving a snapshot before you have entered the SI.

Menu: The "special ingredient" can be drawn from any legal source. Originally, the plan was to mostly use Core and Completes, but that was a long time ago, and we've started running out of interesting classes to use if we restrict ourselves to those.

32 point-buy is the presumed creation method, but we have generally allowed other levels of point-buy.
If you do use a different point-buy, please make your case for its necessity in your entry. Keep in mind that for using exceptionally large or small point-buys may warrant deductions in elegance and/or power.

Kitchen: 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 Elegance 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. Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt or Generic Classes are not allowed, as they create a different playing field. Also, item familiars are forbidden because I hate 'em. Please refrain from using Taint unless it's necessary for the Secret Ingredient.
NB: Official Errata and 3.5 updates to 3.0 content are considered valid regardless of whether their sources would otherwise be legal. This includes the 3.5 update of Oriental Adventures given in Dragon Magazine, and the 3.5 updates of Dragonlance Campaign Setting content given in later third party Dragonlance books.

Cooking Time: Contestants will have until 09:59 GMT on Sunday, July 17th, 2016 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairwoman, Heliomance. Please put the name of your build in the subject line of your PM. Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying. Judges will have until 09:59 GMT on Sunday, July 31st, 2016 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.

Judging: Judging will be based on the following criteria, with each build rated on a scale from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Power, Elegance, Use of Secret Ingredient.

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 could bear a little elaboration. It basically measures how skillfully you put your build together, and whether you sacrificed flavor for 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 considered in poor taste, and judges are asked to take a dim view of this option, taking it into account while grading. Other things that will cause penalties here are excessive multi-classing, and classes that don't fit the concept - using Cloistered Cleric in a front-line melee fighter, for example, will lose you points.Please note the following change: a legal source's relative obscurity should not be considered as penalizing Elegance, excepting the aforementioned issues with Unearthed Arcana. Using too many sources may result in a penalty to Elegance at the judges' discretion, but a book's relative obscurity may not. In that same vein, drawing solely from the Core 3 (and the d20 SRD) should not be punished for lacking Originality.
Presentation: 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!

Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, I'd like everyone to try to 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.
Speculation: Please don't post or speculate on possible builds until the "reveal," in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.

Leadership is banned; we're producing a meal, not a seven-course banquet for a hundred diners. 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.

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 honourable mention. The honourable mention prize is given to the most daring or unexpected build. Judges, contestants and guests alike are invited to vote for honourable mention via PM. If there are no votes, Honourable Mention will go to the chairwoman's favourite build.

The Builds

Past Competitions

Iron Chef I: Entropomancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142470)
Iron Chef II: Psibond Agent (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146583)
Iron Chef III: Cancer Mage (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148584)
Iron Chef IV: Stonelord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150595)
Iron Chef V: War Chanter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152543)
Iron Chef VI: Master of Masks (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156876)
Iron Chef VII: Green Star Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158633)
Iron Chef VIII: Pyrokineticist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160266)
Iron Chef IX: Animal Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162702)
Iron Chef X: Mythic Exemplar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164381)
Iron Chef XI: Blade Bravo (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166539)
Iron Chef XII: War Mind (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9426386)
Iron Chef XIII: Vigilante (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172233)
Iron Chef XIV: Seeker of the Song (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174434)
Iron Chef XV: Drunken Master (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176049)
Iron Chef XVI: Assassin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178202)
Iron Chef XVII: Ardent Dilettante (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182492)
Iron Chef XVIII: Unseelie Dark Hunter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186097)
Iron Chef XIX: Dread Pirate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190607)
Iron Chef XX: Incandescent Champion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10976416)
Iron Chef XXI: Ghostwalker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198921)
Iron Chef XXII: Dervish (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206576)
Iron Chef XXIII: Divine Crusader (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210071)
Iron Chef XXIV: Tactical Soldier (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214198)
Iron Chef XXV: Scion of Tem-Et-Nu (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217441)
Iron Chef XXVI: Shadowdancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220956)
Iron Chef XXVII: Mindbender (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224008)
Iron Chef XXVIII: Cryokineticist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227304)
Iron Chef XXIX: Consecrated Harrier (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229688)
Iron Chef XXX: Initiate of Pistis Sophia (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233346)
Iron Chef XXXI: Shadow Sentinel (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236908)
Iron Chef XXXII: Temple Raider of Olidammara (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239786)
Iron Chef XXXIII: Drow Judicator (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243052)
Iron Chef XXXIV: Dragon Disciple (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246072)
Iron Chef XXXV: Death Delver (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249542)
Iron Chef XXXVI: Acolyte of the Skin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252923)
Iron Chef XXXVII: Justiciar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13865473)
Iron Chef XXXVIII: Hand of the Winged Master (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255215)
Iron Chef XXXIX: Renegade Mastermaker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260333)
Iron Chef XL: Nightsong Infiltrator (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263173)
Iron Chef XLI: Geomancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266709)
Iron Chef XLII: Shadowblade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270196)
Iron Chef XLIII: Bladesinger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274122)
Iron Chef XLIV: Urban Soul (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=279116)
Iron Chef XLV: Talon of Tiamat (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15216595)
Iron Chef XLVI: Cipher Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287314)
Iron Chef XLVII: Cold Iron Warrior (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291294)
Iron Chef XLVIII: Shadow Sun Ninja (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297327)
Iron Chef XLIX: Thrall to Orcus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=302487)
Iron Chef L: Corrupt Avenger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=307823)
Iron Chef LI: Black Flame Zealot (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312773)
Iron Chef LII: Anointed Knight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=317934)
Iron Chef LIII: Zerth Cenobite (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325164)
Iron Chef LIV: Osteomancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330890)
Iron Chef LV: Mountebank (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?336373-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LV)
Iron Chef LVI: Dwarven Defender (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?342807-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LVI)
Iron Chef LVII: Darkrunner (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?349040-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LVII)
Iron Chef LVIII: Spellsword (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?357412-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LVIII)
Iron Chef LIX: Fleet Runner of Ehlonna (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?364667-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LIX)
Iron Chef LX: Lasher (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?371835-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LX)
Iron Chef LX(II): Acolyte of the Ego (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?372145-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LX)
Iron Chef LXII: Dungeon Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?376810-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXII)
Iron Cheff LXIII: Witchborn Binder (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?382632-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXIII)
Iron Chef LXIV: Slime Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?387166-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXIV)
Iron Chef LXV: Thunder Guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?394981-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXV)
Iron Chef LXVI: Dwarven Chanter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?400810-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXVI)
Irogn Chef LXVII: Gnome Giant Slayer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?406613-Irogn-Chef-Optimisatiogn-Challegnge-ign-the-Playgrougnd-LXVII)
Iron Chef LXIX: Fang of Lolth (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?412530-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXVIII)
Iron Chef LXIX: Shiba Protector (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?420165-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXIX)
Iron Chef LXX: Order of the Bow Initiate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?425634-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXX)
Iron Chef LXXI: Silver Key (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?431484-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXI)
Iron Chef LXXII: Spellfire Channeler (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?439020-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXII)
Iron Chef LXXIII: Flux Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?448596-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXIII)
Iron Chef LXXIV: Crinti Shadow Marauder (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?458711-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXIV)
Iron Chef LXXV: Thief of Life (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?472831-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXV)
Iron Chef LXXVI: Legacy Champion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?477153-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXVI)
Iron Chef LXXVII: Great Rift Skyguard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?482249-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXVII)
Iron Chef LXVIII: Risen Martyr (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?487560-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXVIII)

[Heliomance]

FAQ:
Q: What's this even about?
A: I'm glad you asked, actually... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15415117&postcount=1)

Q: Is Dragon Compendium Allowed?
A: Yes (as well as its Errata), but individual issues of Dragon Magazine are not.

Q: What about 3.0 materials?
A: 3.0 materials, whether online or in printed form, are allowed unless they've been officially updated to a 3.5 edition.

Q: Are Dragonlance, Ravenloft, Planescape, Dark Sun, or Kingdoms of Kalamar allowable sources?
A: The Dragonlance Campaign Setting is allowed, but the subsequent books for Dragonlance are considered 3rd party, and are therefore not eligible, despite the "WotC approved" status of those books. The same holds for Oriental Adventures (1st party) and the subsequent Rokugan books (3rd party). Materials from Ravenloft, Planescape, Dark Sun, and Kingdoms of Kalamar are considered 3rd party for purposes of this contest, and are therefore not allowed.

Q: What about online sources in general?
A: If the online source is a) published by WotC, and b) not replaced by an updated version at a later time, it is eligible. Use it, link it.

Q: Where's the line drawn with "acceptable/unacceptable" for Unearthed Arcana? This will likely vary a bit from Chairman to Chairman. Item Familiars and Gestalt have always been verboten, since before IC migrated to GitP; don't expect that to change. Flaws have similarly always been noted as warranting a deduction; while I am Chairman, I'm extending that to Traits, though they warrant 1/2 the penalty in Elegance that a Flaw would because they're roughly 1/2 as useful. Alternate spell systems, alternate skill systems and alternate crafting rules all create an uneven playing field, and as such, will be disallowed for as long as I am Chairman. In a similar vein, LA buyoff and fractional BAB are also disallowed. Bloodlines and the Retraining options presented in the PHB2 are ripe for abuse, and will be strongly discouraged as long as I am Chairman. Note that judges are allowed to look askance at any use of Unearthed Arcana not specifically mentioned above, at their discretion, and otherwise penalize Elegance according to their preference.

Q: What, exactly, does the ban on Leadership mean?
A: As folks have started to try to work around the edges of this one, I'm forced to spell it out more plainly. No Leadership, Draconic Cohort, or Feats that grant a similar ability are allowed EXCEPT Wild Cohort while Heliomance is chairman. Any PrC you choose with Leadership or a Leadership-analog has that ability entirely ignored for this contest, as it may neither be used nor traded away via any means whatsoever.

Q: What's the minimum score in a category?
A: Assuming an entry is legal, the minimum score in any category is 1. If a judge is convinced that an entry is mechanically illegal by the RAW, the judge may give the build a score of 0 in Elegance, and proceed to judge the entry as if the offending material was not included. Failing to meet a special requirement for a prestige class does not merit a 0, but may qualify for a penalty, at the judge's discretion. Because this contest focuses on Player Characters, an entry that is not technically allowed for a PC, but is viable as an NPC, counts as a legal entry, but may receive a minimum score at the judges' discretion.

Q: Creatures and templates with no listed LA are playable, right?
A: No. No listed LA is equivalent to LA: -. It is not suitable for PCs. If you use it, expect judges to look extremely disfavourably on it.

Q: So what's the deal with equipment, anyway?
A: There is no official policy on how much equipment you should list. Historically, judges have frowned upon "item dependent" builds, but unfortunately the definition of that has been applied to mean anything from builds that don't function if you remove one very specific item, to builds that so much as mention a particular weapon. Builds that don't list gear should be assumed to buy useful generics - items to boost their primary stats, cloaks of resistance, appropriate magical weapons and armour, and so forth. If a build would find particular items useful, they should be listed, but experience suggests that the more generic you keep them, the more favourably judges are likely to look upon them, as a build being shut down because the Thundering Bagpipes of Urist McTrumpetbritches were unavailable is considered a weakness. Similarly, requiring items in order to be able to qualify for things tends to be frowned upon.

Q: Do you have any other rules and guidelines on how to judge?
A: We do, actually, designed to try and avoid unpleasantness we've encountered in past contests. The things we've come up with to avoid repeating this are given below.

One Mistake, One Penalty

Judges are only allowed to penalise once for a given mistake. If someone messes up their skills and doesn't qualify for a PrC, ding them as hard as you like. Once. In one category. You don't then get to declare that because they didn't qualify for that PrC, they don't get those levels, and thus don't qualify for anything else. If Ranger is a common ingredient, ding them for Originality. Once. Don't also take off points for Two-Weapon-Fighting being a common ingredient.

Non-exhaustive list of examples:

Skills

Allowed:

Giving a penalty for miscalculating the number of skill points gained
Giving a penalty for not having enough ranks to meet a prerequisite
Increasing the harshness of a skill miscalculation penalty if it affects critical skills including prereqs


Not allowed:

Giving separate penalties for miscalculating skill points and for non-qualification where the non-qualification is solely caused by the miscalculation



Prereqs

Allowed:

Giving a penalty for not meeting prereqs
Scaling the penalty depending on how important the item that the build failed to qualify for is
Giving minimum score in UotSI for not qualifying for the SI
(Trial, may be disallowed later)Not giving credit for (note: not the same as penalising for) tactics using feats or classes other than the SI that were not qualified for (but see below)


Not Allowed:

"Cascading" failures to qualify - declaring that because a build doesn't qualify for a feat, for example, it also doesn't qualify for anything using that feat as a prereq
Treating a build as having fewer levels than it does because of FtQ for classes



Other general things that are no longer allowed:

Penalising because someone has chosen to build a tribute to an existing creative work
Deciding that a backstory has not met a fluff prerequisite well enough, or because its method of meeting it is "unrealistic". You may penalise if a fluff prereq is not addressed at all, but not for how well it is addressed.


Note that these are protections, not licenses. Deliberately taking a feat that you know you don't qualify for hoping to just suck up the judging penalty for a feat that you couldn't normally take is not okay, and may lead to your build being disqualified.

Q: Do you have any contest house rules or clarifications to ambiguous rules?
A: Some that have come up in previous contests and needed answers to:

All creatures are proficient with any natural weapons they may have or acquire.
Bonus feats that are granted even if you do not meet the prerequisites do not require you to meet the prerequisites in order to use.
Able Learner's benefit applies to the level you take it.

[Sian]

I know i was the one suggesting it but ... eww ... This is going to be interesting :smallcool:

[Amechra]

Man, if Dragon Magazine wasn't banned, I'd know exactly what to build.

[WhamBamSam]

Oh dear. Alright then, let's see what we can do with this class.

Question: The wording on Vile Natural Attack is pretty vague. Does the vile damage apply to all natural attacks or just the one that you use to qualify? Does the wording on Improved Vile Natural Attack (which points more toward the damage being added to every natural attack) change anything?

[Amechra]

Mein gott...

Alright, I actually have to enter this round.

[Sian]

I got a very good idea, but its so blindingly obvious that it might be a touch to much so ...

[Deadline]

I may have an idea for this. Tentatively cooking.

[MisterKaws]

Hmm... I have an idea, but I'll only have five days to do it.

I think I might be able to submit for once after so much stalking.

[daremetoidareyo]

What are we doing for lycanthropy and its additional HD? Do we add them into the 20 level build as if they are class levels? Is advancing the animal by size category (therefor HD and size category) a valid option?

[GnomishPride]

I've got an idea... this ingredient certainly is easier to work with than the last one. :smalltongue:

[Venger]

are we understood to have some "free" LA/RHD for the purpose of qualification, or buyoff permitted?

[Thurbane]

Nice, very nice.

Been looking forward to a "monstrous" PrC for a while. :smallsmile:

I'll try to get something submitted...

[Troacctid]

are we understood to have some "free" LA/RHD for the purpose of qualification, or buyoff permitted?
Well, since everyone is going to have +2 LA, you can at least rest assured that you won't lose any power points that everyone else hasn't also lost. (I mean, assuming nobody has any form of lycanthropy with a lower LA.)

[Thurbane]

I would imagine RHD and LA get counted against levels as normal, and contestants can choose to buy or or not buy off LA as they see fit (since LA buy-off normally entails a judging penalty).

[Troacctid]

My preferred way to deal with LA buyoff, since most tables don't use it, is to build as if it's not allowed, and then include an adaptation section detailing what you would do with the extra levels.

[MisterKaws]

Welp, I'm preeeeetty sure I got a build stub ready to go, but I guess It'll take some time to format the thing.

I'm still surprised, both at my creativity, and at the fact that FR actually had a method to make this... whatever I just created... fit in the lore.

[Inevitability]

Will try to get a build in.

[Heliomance]

Oh dear. Alright then, let's see what we can do with this class.

Question: The wording on Vile Natural Attack is pretty vague. Does the vile damage apply to all natural attacks or just the one that you use to qualify? Does the wording on Improved Vile Natural Attack (which points more toward the damage being added to every natural attack) change anything?

Hrm, that is irritatingly vague, isn't it? I think I'll say that the feat applies to all natural attacks that do 1d8 or more damage, and Improved Vile Natural Attack applies to all natural attacks.

[Amechra]

Well, since everyone is going to have +2 LA, you can at least rest assured that you won't lose any power points that everyone else hasn't also lost. (I mean, assuming nobody has any form of lycanthropy with a lower LA.)

Well, there is the Weresheep Flaw from Dragon #330...

Let me guess, that's what everyone was building.

[MisterKaws]

Well, there is the Weresheep Flaw from Dragon #330...

Let me guess, that's what everyone was building.

That's Dragon Magazine, though.

[Amphetryon]

Hmm. Obvious first concept. Working on it.

[Amechra]

That's Dragon Magazine, though.

Hence the ellipsis.

[MisterKaws]

Hence the ellipsis.

Sorry, I have a mental block towards irony, sarcasm and most of the other common forms of subliminal communication.

[WhamBamSam]

It's actually sort of surprising just how many things from Dragon Magazine I'd like to be able to use this round. Usually I'm not so tempted by banned material.

[Amechra]

It's actually sort of surprising just how many things from Dragon Magazine I'd like to be able to use this round. Usually I'm not so tempted by banned material.

Being a Weresheep would be even funnier given that you have to be a Malarite.

EDIT: Oh, and Chairlady, does entomanthropy (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040621a) count as lycanthropy for the purposes of the secret ingredient?

[Heliomance]

Being a Weresheep would be even funnier given that you have to be a Malarite.

EDIT: Oh, and Chairlady, does entomanthropy (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040621a) count as lycanthropy for the purposes of the secret ingredient?

Sure, why not

[Amechra]

Excellent - broadening choices is always good.

[The Viscount]

Well, since everyone is going to have +2 LA, you can at least rest assured that you won't lose any power points that everyone else hasn't also lost. (I mean, assuming nobody has any form of lycanthropy with a lower LA.)

While this is true, I am thinking that it limits all of us to less class based levels, so we will see a lower diversity in our builds, especially in getting that 1d8 Natural Attack.

[Amechra]

While this is true, I am thinking that it limits all of us to less class based levels, so we will see a lower diversity in our builds, especially in getting that 1d8 Natural Attack.

So everyone is taking levels in BLANKED FOR SECURITY REASONS?

Also, I just lost the file I was working on. Grumble grumble grumble.

[MisterKaws]

So everyone is taking levels in BLANKED FOR SECURITY REASONS?

Also, I just lost the file I was working on. Grumble grumble grumble.

Not everyone, but yes, most will adopt that approach.

[Sian]

How would basing off animals with 1 or ½HD work?

[Troacctid]

How would basing off animals with 1 or ½HD work?
I did some research into this point a while back. AFAICT, the fractional HD essentially doesn't count, because fractions always round down, so for the purpose of all level-dependent stuff, it's just zero. This includes XP calculations, ECL, skill rank caps, etc. There are some odd dysfunctions that might crop up here and there, but in general, by RAW, you can more or less treat it the same as a funnier-looking version of zero.

1 HD is easy. You get a single racial hit die. No sweat.

[WhamBamSam]

Well, I have several profoundly silly ideas for using various features of this class. Now to see if they'll congeal into an actual build.

[MisterKaws]

How would basing off animals with 1 or ½HD work?

The partial HD doesn't count, sunce it rounds out, as Troacctid already pointed out.

To expand on his point on the 1HD, just take a look at the Lycanthrope/Entomanothrope descriptions and you'll notice that their racial HD are never the first HDs(you need either another RHD or one class level before taking them), so you can't use the 1HD rule to replace them.

[Inevitability]

All the lycanthropes in the SRD seem to have one humanoid HD. Can we exchange it for a class level or are we forced to have one if playing a natural lycanthrope?

[Sian]

Would there be bonus points if submitting a Tibbit (fluff alternate name is catwere) werecat? :smallcool:

[MisterKaws]

All the lycanthropes in the SRD seem to have one humanoid HD. Can we exchange it for a class level or are we forced to have one if playing a natural lycanthrope?

Yes, and I believe Werewolf Lord has Fighter levels.


stuff

I think we should really stop with all the speculations. It didn't hit my build ideas in the least up to this point, but it might have already been a hit to someone's ideas, and we can't have that.

[Sian]

... well, given that Tibbits can't become Lycanthropes (they're Monstrous Humanoids; only Humanoids and Giants can become Lycans), i thought my joke was obvious enough :smalltongue:

[MisterKaws]

... well, given that Tibbits can't become Lycanthropes (they're Monstrous Humanoids; only Humanoids and Giants can become Lycans), i thought my joke was obvious enough :smalltongue:

This is D&D. Humanoid type is easy enough to get; Giant even more so.

[The Viscount]

All the lycanthropes in the SRD seem to have one humanoid HD. Can we exchange it for a class level or are we forced to have one if playing a natural lycanthrope?

The lycanthropes presented actually each have 1 level in warrior, it's just buried in the description; so when making a lycanthrope you just add the animal HD on to your class granted HD.

[Amechra]

Rebuilding my entry... and I will win the best use of secret ingredient prize fo sho.

[MisterKaws]

So, about Entomanothropes and Improved Hybrid Form.

Entomanothropes get special attacks from the Base Vermin in Hybrid Form, but not from the Base Creature, which is the opposite of how it works with Lycanthropes. As such, should we just assume Improved Hybrid Form works the other way around with it, enabling Base Creature Special Attacks?

[Amphetryon]

I might be getting a little paranoid worrying about how much of our scores will be dependent on which lycanthropic animal form we choose.

[WhamBamSam]

I've literally made a half-dozen stubs trying to showcase one trick. As of yet, I'm not 100% happy with any of them. It doesn't help that there's something I'd really like to stick into the build that I pretty much can't on account of the lycanthrope level adjustment.

[Zaq]

What a strange ingredient. It requires LA (and, I believe, RHD, though I wouldn't be surprised if someone found a workaround for that), but it offers flexibility in what form that LA takes.

I agree with Amphetryon's worry that the base lycan form is likely to have more effect on the final product than the SI itself will, since you don't really make any choices with the SI, and most of the SI's abilities are difficult to showcase. They're not as relentlessly passive as most of Risen Martyr's abilities were, not by a long shot, but most of them are still nothing that really makes me sit up and take notice.

I'm not likely to participate this round (I generally consider myself to be allergic to LA and RHD), but it'll be interesting to see where the actual entries do and do not overlap, particularly as far as the base form is concerned.

[Deadline]

I've literally made a half-dozen stubs trying to showcase one trick. As of yet, I'm not 100% happy with any of them. It doesn't help that there's something I'd really like to stick into the build that I pretty much can't on account of the lycanthrope level adjustment.

Yeah, I just had to rework my idea yet again because of those issues. I'll make it work though.

[WhamBamSam]

I'd say the issue is more that the class features are inherently connected to what your lycanthrope variety is. That's literally the entire point of Improved Hybrid Form, but even less overt features, like Animal Aspect, Faster Change, and Quick Change can't help but have something to do with it, and it could very well impact use of Improved Vile Natural Attack as well.

I've got my build basically finalized. Just dithering over a few final choices. I'm pretty happy with it, though it does kinda bother me just how much I prefer it with LA buyoff. Also Fractional BAB, so long as I'm whining about variant rules.

[The Viscount]

I hear you there. Oh what I could do if I could only buy off this LA. I agree that the choice of which animal for your template will likely affect your build and how it is judged, but I see it as a part of the ingredient to be optimized just like entry class choice.
Oh well, my build is close to finalized.

[Sian]

The toughest bit is by far, to qualify for Vile Natural Attack in time to take the full class ... at CL6 you have to take at most 1 level where you aren't gaining a BAB, and at CL9 its to late (due to LA+2) to finish BBH. And that's not even accounting for the need to actually have a 1d8 natural weapon

[Troacctid]

Eh, there are ways to delay feats if you really need to.

[WhamBamSam]

Well after spending the day doing no other productive work my build is done except for fluff and sources. It's one of the stupider things I've ever made for Iron Chef.

[MisterKaws]

Well after spending the day doing no other productive work my build is done except for fluff and sources. It's one of the stupider things I've ever made for Iron Chef.

I don't really think there's anyone doing a non-silly build this round, so don't worry.

[Thurbane]

I had an idea, but the Vile Natural Attack reqs blew it out of the water.

Looking forward to the reveal to see what people came up with.

[Deadline]

I don't really think there's anyone doing a non-silly build this round, so don't worry.

What do you mean this round? :smalltongue:

[MisterKaws]

What do you mean this round? :smalltongue:

Hey! There are serious builds in this competition too.

[Sian]

Hey! There are serious builds in this competition too.

And its known to snow while its Summer. :smalltongue:

[MisterKaws]

And its known to snow while its Summer. :smalltongue:

You're being rude towards all the penguins who go to the ice beaches to snowbath in the summer.

[Inevitability]

And its known to snow while its Summer. :smalltongue:

In some places, it is...

[KrimsonNekros]

Think I've got a solid build, just need to finish figuring feats.

[galan]

I might even submit a build, I have an idea that could maybe work. I am a complete novice in this competition, so I will probably do something horribly wrong without realizing it :smallredface:

[MisterKaws]

I might even submit a build, I have an idea that could maybe work. I am a complete novice in this competition, so I will probably do something horribly wrong without realizing it :smallredface:

Well, the Assassin round(one of the biggest) had a cat in the top five, so I don't think you should worry too much.

[The Viscount]

I might even submit a build, I have an idea that could maybe work. I am a complete novice in this competition, so I will probably do something horribly wrong without realizing it :smallredface:

Don't worry; we've had newcomers do very well in Iron Chef before, some have even taken first.

I'm definitely not going to do well with the nonsense I'm cooking, though.

[daremetoidareyo]

Speaking of nonsense, do weremaggots grow into wereflies?

Also, entomothropes: vermin desk reference in Sig.

[MisterKaws]

I'm definitely not going to do well with the nonsense I'm cooking, though.

Not worse than me, that's for sure. I'll be happy if I get an 8.

[Deadline]

Not worse than me, that's for sure. I'll be happy if I get an 8.

Great, we're all cooking the same dish. Well, maybe I can angle for enough points to hit my often visited 4th place position! :smalltongue:

[Amphetryon]

Had to redo my entire concept because of [REDACTED]. Nothing like cramming at the 11th hour!

[Amphetryon]

The toughest bit is by far, to qualify for Vile Natural Attack in time to take the full class ... at CL6 you have to take at most 1 level where you aren't gaining a BAB, and at CL9 its to late (due to LA+2) to finish BBH. And that's not even accounting for the need to actually have a 1d8 natural weapon

Are your calculations factoring in the HD of whatever lycanthrope/entomothrope you're choosing? Because I'm running into a real wall with that impacting BAB.

[Zaq]

Are your calculations factoring in the HD of whatever lycanthrope/entomothrope you're choosing? Because I'm running into a real wall with that impacting BAB.

I'm not planning on entering, but is that really going to be . . .

[checks]

. . . Why the hell don't Animal HD give full BAB? That seems arbitrary and pointless to me.

Yet another reason that I try to shun anything involving LA/RHD. It's a headache from start to finish. Sincere best of luck to all the entrants, and godspeed to the judges.

[Amphetryon]

I'm not planning on entering, but is that really going to be . . .

[checks]

. . . Why the hell don't Animal HD give full BAB? That seems arbitrary and pointless to me.

Yet another reason that I try to shun anything involving LA/RHD. It's a headache from start to finish. Sincere best of luck to all the entrants, and godspeed to the judges.

Quite so, good sir. Quite so.

[Inevitability]

Why the hell don't Animal HD give full BAB? That seems arbitrary and pointless to me.

Welcome to the wonderful world of WotC, where 'arbitrary and pointless' is par for the course.

[The Viscount]

I'm rapidly beginning to understand why the sample one pictured is so furiously strangling some poor guy. He's just confused and looking for answers.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/c6/e0/d2/c6e0d2e85c309ea70c2ca556fdfa123f.jpg

"Why is this so difficult?!"
"I don't know man, I'm just a commoner! I don't have any ranks in Knowledge!"

[Deadline]

. . . Why the hell don't Animal HD give full BAB? That seems arbitrary and pointless to me.

Wait, they don't?

*checks*

KHAAAAAN! (http://www.khaaan.com/)

[Heliomance]

Apologies to those trying to send me things - my inbox is now clear again.

[Thurbane]

I wonder how many entries will try using **************** instead of ***********, and if judges will rule it to be RAW legal?

[MisterKaws]

I wonder how many entries will try using **************** instead of ***********, and if judges will rule it to be RAW legal?

The chairwoman allowed it, so there is no need to have judges discuss on that.

[d20familiar]

The chairwoman allowed it, so there is no need to have judges discuss on that.

The thing Thurbane mentioned hasn't been discussed in this thread openly as far as I remember. Some of the contestants though may have asked the chairwoman via PM about it. Note the quantity of *'s — it does matter :smallwink:

[Sian]

hmm... maybe i should get around to crafting my idea instead of procrastinating.

[daremetoidareyo]

The thing Thurbane mentioned hasn't been discussed in this thread openly as far as I remember. Some of the contestants though may have asked the chairwoman via PM about it. Note the quantity of *'s — it does matter :smallwink:

If you're thinkin what I'm thinkin, then we're both thinkin the same thing. I just assumed the judges would either be cool or hate it and I rolled the die.

[MisterKaws]

The thing Thurbane mentioned hasn't been discussed in this thread openly as far as I remember. Some of the contestants though may have asked the chairwoman via PM about it. Note the quantity of *'s — it does matter :smallwink:

Oh. The second one had the right count for what I was thinking about, so I assumed it was just the thing on bugs, because I'm too damn lazy to count that many *'s in the first one.

I have no clue whatsoever, though.

[Zaq]

Another PSA from someone who is not entering: remember that your animal must be a carnivore or an omnivore, which does shut out a few of the more humorous animal choices.

[The Viscount]

All those years of watching animal planet may indeed pay off for the chefs.

[MisterKaws]

Another PSA from someone who is not entering: remember that your animal must be a carnivore or an omnivore, which does shut out a few of the more humorous animal choices.

There goes my backup were-horse idea.

I guess I'll have to stick to the abomination that is my primary build, then...

[Inevitability]

All those years of watching animal planet may indeed pay off for the chefs.

Maybe if WotC had ever released stats for a pistol shrimp I'd have submitted a build. Entomanothropic halfling... away!

[WhamBamSam]

Another PSA from someone who is not entering: remember that your animal must be a carnivore or an omnivore, which does shut out a few of the more humorous animal choices.I've made that mistake before.

Well, my build is in. Nothing to do now but await the just punishment for my transgression.

[Deadline]

I've made that mistake before.

Well, my build is in. Nothing to do now but await the just punishment for my transgression.

I'm scrambling to finish my build here over the next couple of days before Sunday. I figured out how to work around the animal HD BAB issue, and I made sure my choice of animal was allowed. Now here's hoping the judges find my dish choices tasty.

[MisterKaws]

I'm scrambling to finish my build here over the next couple of days before Sunday. I figured out how to work around the animal HD BAB issue, and I made sure my choice of animal was allowed. Now here's hoping the judges find my dish choices tasty.

That was honestly one of the common problems that didn't affect me at all for some reason. Could do better if it wasn't for the mandatory worshiped deity, though.

[Thurbane]

Another PSA from someone who is not entering: remember that your animal must be a carnivore or an omnivore, which does shut out a few of the more humorous animal choices.

This is a very good point. One of the online lycanthropy handbooks for 3.X lists creatures such as camels, which are blatantly herbivores.

[Darrin]

This is a very good point. One of the online lycanthropy handbooks for 3.X lists creatures such as camels, which are blatantly herbivores.

I will likely be judging (got a few interesting ideas, but not enough "zing" to go full build). Schedule has been a bit of a fustercluck this month, but Scout Camp is over (at least the first one). If I do judge, I am going to be lenient on the omnivore/herbivore issue. Mostly because I think werecows are highly amusing. (So if you're doing a werecow, please amuse me.)

Edit: just googled pistol shrimp. Wow. Very classy, Malacostraca, very classy.

[MisterKaws]

All those years of watching animal planet may indeed pay off for the chefs.

I wouldn't say so. There are some animals that, albeit extremely similar to their real world counterparts, have really wonky abilities, and I don't think animal planet would have any info on how they're supposed to use that.

[Thurbane]

Damn - I just thought of a build and a way to get around the Vile Natural Attack issues that were holding me back, but I doubt I'll have anywhere near enough time to get a build written up and formatted. :smallfrown:

[MisterKaws]

Damn - I just thought of a build and a way to get around the Vile Natural Attack issues that were holding me back, but I doubt I'll have anywhere near enough time to get a build written up and formatted. :smallfrown:

Well, unless you have stuff to do on the weekend, you could try to cram it all before the deadline, kinda like what I'm gonna do, since I don't really have free time any other days...

[Sian]

Heliomance, remind me, is it 10am GMT (13½ hour from now), or is it 10am BST (British Summer Time) (12½ hours from now)?

I'm going to need to fix my skills, make a resource list, and read it over at least once before I'm finished ... under 'nice to have' would be giving my background another pass with the creative muscles, since while its competent I'd really like it to be slightly better... although given my track record for backgrounds its already way better than average (not sure I'd go as far as to call it my best Background, but its certainly up in that area), and were actually surprisingly easy to write.

[MisterKaws]

10-ish hours? well, I guess I can manage. Just finished the tables, now I just gotta make some 4/5 walls of text and send the thing.

I can't wait to be thoroughly crushed by the judges.

[daremetoidareyo]

10-ish hours? well, I guess I can manage. Just finished the tables, now I just gotta make some 4/5 walls of text and send the thing.

I can't wait to be thoroughly crushed by the judges.

You won't be as thoroughly crushed as the soft and supple fondue I turned in.

[Heliomance]

Heliomance, remind me, is it 10am GMT (13½ hour from now), or is it 10am BST (British Summer Time) (12½ hours from now)?

I'm going to need to fix my skills, make a resource list, and read it over at least once before I'm finished ... under 'nice to have' would be giving my background another pass with the creative muscles, since while its competent I'd really like it to be slightly better... although given my track record for backgrounds its already way better than average (not sure I'd go as far as to call it my best Background, but its certainly up in that area), and were actually surprisingly easy to write.

Judging from my recent performance, it's probably actually some time on Tuesday :P

OP says GMT, though, so GMT it is.

[WhamBamSam]

You won't be as thoroughly crushed as the soft and supple fondue I turned in.I think we're all just pouring cheese over everything this round.

Philosophical Question: If everyone is the wacky lycanthrope this round, is anyone?

[MisterKaws]

I think we're all just pouring cheese over everything this round.

Philosophical Question: If everyone is the wacky lycanthrope this round, is anyone?

Mine is already wackier than most, so... yeah.

I've already checked every nook and cranny of the thing for mistakes, and I'm pretty sure I fixed it all. Turned out to be far bigger than originally planned, even though I only had four and a half hours to finish what I had on me, which was pretty much just a table with the build.

I guess I'll just send it and hope for the worstbest.

[Deadline]

Well, my dish is in. Here's hoping that no one else did the same thing as I did. There's been quite a bit of talk of odd entries, so it's probably very possible. Good luck to all my fellow chefs!

[MisterKaws]

Well, my dish is in. Here's hoping that no one else did the same thing as I did. There's been quite a bit of talk of odd entries, so it's probably very possible. Good luck to all my fellow chefs!

Most competitors are going for the "oddest entry" spot, so we could all be doing the exact same build.

Then again, I doubt anyone else would be mad enough to submit this piece of trash, so I guess my build is not the same as yours.

Edit: So it seems we have seveneight competitors... or did someone send a ninja entry?

[Sian]

I think completely similar Race/Class Distribution between two different builds have been done a handful of times, don't think it have ever happened that they also had the exact same feats

[galan]

I did submit an entry in the end, and I kinda hoped to earn points on the "weird entry" front before seeing all those comments :P

[The Viscount]

Most competitors are going for the "oddest entry" spot, so we could all be doing the exact same build.

Then again, I doubt anyone else would be mad enough to submit this piece of trash, so I guess my build is not the same as yours.

Edit: So it seems we have seveneight competitors... or did someone send a ninja entry?

I doubt we're going to get a same build if we're all going odd. Remember, choosing which lycanthrope will probably keep builds from being exactly the same, and I doubt two chefs have the same idea of "oddest." Now if two chefs went for power I have a good idea of what build they'll use, and there's a decent chance there will be overlap.


If you didn't count me in that eight, then I'm your ninja; I submitted my build hellishly late/early in my time zone.

[WhamBamSam]

I doubt we're going to get a same build if we're all going odd. Remember, choosing which lycanthrope will probably keep builds from being exactly the same, and I doubt two chefs have the same idea of "oddest." Now if two chefs went for power I have a good idea of what build they'll use, and there's a decent chance there will be overlap.


If you didn't count me in that eight, then I'm your ninja; I submitted my build hellishly late/early in my time zone.Well, there was one specific thing that jumped out at me about this class, but I did a whole lot of tinkering with it before settling on my final build. I'll be shocked if my submission is entirely unoriginal, but I wouldn't be surprised to see some similarities crop up.

At any rate, I'm looking forward to the hot mess that's about to spill forth.

[MisterKaws]

I doubt we're going to get a same build if we're all going odd. Remember, choosing which lycanthrope will probably keep builds from being exactly the same, and I doubt two chefs have the same idea of "oddest." Now if two chefs went for power I have a good idea of what build they'll use, and there's a decent chance there will be overlap.


If you didn't count me in that eight, then I'm your ninja; I submitted my build hellishly late/early in my time zone.

Not really. I counted everyone who had mentioned entering and looked confident about their build's state(the ones who weren't might have just given up).

Aaaaaand I just noticed that I forgot to count myself in, so make it nine.

[Deadline]

So, any word from the Chair on when we can see dem builds? I'm really curious to see all these "odd" builds. :smallbiggrin:

[MisterKaws]

So, any word from the Chair on when we can see dem builds? I'm really curious to see all these "odd" builds. :smallbiggrin:

Well, since it seems she wasn't joking about it, I guess Tomorrow?

[Sian]

Well ... I've gone to waiting for them by munching popcorn, watching a live-feed from Cleveland :smallcool:

[daremetoidareyo]

Well ... I've gone to waiting for them by munching popcorn, watching a live-feed from Cleveland :smallcool:

Let's crowdsource a build while we wait. One suggestion at a time.

[MisterKaws]

Let's crowdsource a build while we wait. One suggestion at a time.

I'd suggest stuff, but the very first think that came to mind was something that pretty much points out my build, and I'm afraid that the trend might continue, so I'll just refrain from even trying to speculate on builds for Lycanthropes.

[The Viscount]

I'll start

Were-Thatdamncrab using entomanthrope.

[Troacctid]

I'll start

Were-Thatdamncrab using entomanthrope.

No dice—monstrous crabs were updated to 3.5 in Stormwrack, so the 3.0 version is not allowed under contest rules.

[MisterKaws]

No dice—monstrous crabs were updated to 3.5 in Stormwrack, so the 3.0 version is not allowed under contest rules.

One - the old version is 3.5, and two - they're still pretty solid even after the (well-deserved) nerf in Stormwrack.

[daremetoidareyo]

I'll start

Were-Thatdamncrab using entomanthrope.

Base creature: Vril from DOTU p.123 + errata (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20070504a)

[Heliomance]

Judging from my recent performance, it's probably actually some time on Tuesday :P

OP says GMT, though, so GMT it is.

Well I wasn't actually intending that to be prophetic, but ho hum.

Here come the builds!

[Heliomance]

I'm sure I used to find coming up with witty lines about the entries easier.


A young orphan is discovered and taken in by a shifter tribe. It doesn’t take long for them to discover that the baby was a precocious changeling. Raised communally along with the shifter young after the tribal elders held meetings about how to shape the young creature, Melgriff the Druid Sage postulated that perhaps the lycanthropes and dopplegangers shared a common ancestor, and that this orphan was a possible prodigal son returned. And so, under the tutelage of a shifter tribe and doted upon by the Druid elder, a changeling orphan is raised as a shifter. But the child wasn’t well respected by the other young shifter peers, where they called the changeling “werehuman,” as a referential nickname to the long and boring story the leaders droned on with; all about the possible shared shapechanging ancestor between animal shifters and ‘humanoid shifters’. The bullying and black sheep status affected the young changeling, making him quite wrathful, violent, and studious in equal measure.

At some point, the changeling decided that the only way to restore shifters and changelings together was to infect everyone with lycanthropy. This would equalize all of the warring factions of most of the world. This idea came to the young changeling in a dream by a prophet named Malar; a God on a foreign world who advocates for the lycanthropes. Towards this end, the young changeling decided to take his studies in druidic rights, which went poorly, with most of the secrets being squandered with changeling using them to escalate violent interactions with his peer group. During these studies, though, he travelled with a group that interfaced weekly with a dragonmarked halfling in rural missionary outpost of house Jorasco. Hearing of the great schools of healing and the library of afflictions back in the capital, the young changeling plied the missionary, Anthrop, with tons of questions. He learned how the dragon marks were necessary for entry into the schools there. He learned of how the library of afflictions had acquired the Church of Silver Flame’s experiments on lycanthropes. And the changeling did what came naturally. He killed Anthrop, meticulously flayed the dragon mark off of the halfling, and grafted it to himself using the meagre skills he learned as a druid’s apprentice. Maybe because the dragon mark was associated with healing, or maybe because the changeling was a talented shapeshifter, or maybe both, but the orphan headed to Khorvaire to learn about how to reverse-exterminate lycanthropes by infecting the maximum number of humanoids with lycanthropy.



http://imgur.com/gallery/nxWSJHV/new

Lycanthrocalypse the Werehuman
Changeling Druidic Avenger 1/Ape Totem Whirling Frenzy Barbarian 3/Fighter 1/Warblade 1/Nosomatic Chirugen 3/Bloodclaw Master 1/Weretouched Master 5/Black Blood Hunter 5

Neutral Evil.
STR: 14 DEX: 15 CON: 14 INT: 14 WIS: 12 CHA: 10
Stat bonuses all go to strength




Level
Class
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Skills
Feat
Class Features


1
Voice of the City (Cs) Druidic Avenger (UA)
0
2
0
2
24: Heal 4, Knowledge Nature 4, Survival 4, Handle Animal 4, Spot 4, Listen 4
racial emulation (RoE), Elder evil: willing deformity (HoH)
Nature sense, Voice of the city, Fast Movement, Rage, spellcasting


2
Whirling Frenzy Ape Totem Barbarian 1 (UA)
1
4
0
2
6: Knowledge Nature 5, Heal 5, Jump 2

Whirling Frenzy, Climb Speed


3
Whirling Frenzy Ape Totem Barbarian 2
2
5
0
2
6: Heal 6, Jump 6
least dragon mark: Healing (ECS)
Plus 2 bonus on intimidate


4
Whirling Frenzy Ape Totem Barbarian 3
3
5
1
3
6: Heal 7, Jump 7, Survival 7
power attack,
Power Attack as a Bonus Feat


5
Hit and Run (DotU) Fighter 1
4
7
1
3
4: Heal 8, Survival 8
Elder Evil: deformity teeth (HoH), Two Weapon Fighting
Bonus Feat, Gain +2 initiative and DEX to damage against flat-footed enemies


6
Warblade 1 (ToB)
5
9
1
3
6: Jump 9, Martial Lore 2, Knowledge Local 2
extra rage (CW)
Battle clarity (Reflex saves), weapon aptitude, Maneuvers


7
Nosomatic Chirugen 1 (Drnmark)
5
11
1
5
Heal 10, Gather information 2

Heir's mark, nosomatic chirurgy, pestilential touch, spellcasting


8
Nosomatic Chirugen 2
6
12
1
6
4: Jump 11

Plague bearer, spellcasting


9
Nosomatic Chirugen 3
7
12
2
6
4: Heal 12, gather information 4
Improved natural attack (ECS)
Isolate pathogen, spellcasting


10
BloodClaw Master 1 (ToB)
7
14
4
6
4: Balance 4
Elder Evil: deformity tongue (HoH)
Shifting 1/day, claws of the beast


11
weretouched master 1 (ECS)
7
16
6
6
4: Jump 14, Balance 5

Weretouched I: Bear


12
weretouched master 2
8
17
7
6
4: Jump 15, Survival 11
vile natural attack (EE), shifter multiattack (ECS)
Wild empathy, bonus shifter feat


13
weretouched master 3
9
17
7
7
4: Jump 16, Balance 8

Weretouched II


14
weretouched master 4
10
18
8
7
4: Heal 14
extra shifter trait: longtooth (ECS)
Frightful shifting, bonus shifter feat


15
weretouched master 5
10
18
8
7
4: Jump 18, Intimidate 2
longtooth elite (RoE), Elder Evil: deformity, tall (HoH)
Alternate form


16
Black blood hunter 1 (PGTF)
10
20
10
7
6: Knowledge Nature 11

Greater curse of lycanthropy, lycanthropic spell, wild items


17
Black blood hunter 2
11
21
11
7
6: Jump 20, Intimidate 6

Animal aspect 1/day, wild empathy


18
Black blood hunter 3
12
21
11
7
6: Jump 21, Survival 16
ability focus (MM): Greater Curse of Lycanthropy
Improved hybrid form


19
Black blood hunter 4
13
22
12
7
6: Jump 22, Heal 16, Spot 5

Animal aspect 2/day, improved vile natural attack 1d4


20
Black blood hunter 5
13
22
12
7
6: Jump 23, Spot 10
Elder Evil: deformity skin (HoH)
Improved damage reduction (+Y/silver)



Druid Spells


Level
0Lvl
1st
2nd


1
3
1



2
3
1



3
3
1



4
3
1



5
3
1



6
3
1



7
4
2



8
4
2
1


9
5
3
2


10
5
3
2


11
5
3
2


12
5
3
2


13
5
3
2


14
5
3
2


15
5
3
2


16
5
3
2


17
5
3
2


18
5
3
2


19
5
3
2


20
5
3
2


Possible Sweet Spells:
0 level: Preserve Organ (BOVD) Must be cast every day.

1st level: Magic Fang, Instant of Power (Forge of War), Climbing Tree (complete mage), Extract Drug (BOVD), Spider Hand (BOVD), Winged Watcher (CS), Extended Shifting (RoE)

2nd Level: Blood Frenzy (SpC), jaws of the moray (StormWrack), Leap into Animal (MoE)

Maneuvers @Level 6: Tiger Claw: wolf fang strike, rabid wolf strike, claw at the moon,
Stance: Iron Heart: punishing stance

Maneuvers @ level 10: Death From Above

Level 5: Is Druidic Avenger Rage stackable with a whirling frenzy? The answer to this question doesn’t really matter. The question we need to answer is can a changeling with racial emulation emulate a halfling of the house Jorasco convincingly enough to have a dragonmark. The answer is yes: I think, if you graft the dragonmark to yourself…and preserve it from rotting using daily castings of the zero level BOVD Spell “preserve organ.” This effectively eats up one of your 0 level spell slots in perpetuity. Climbing Tree spell pairs well tactically with your 20’ climb speed. Ape Totem barbarian grants whirling frenzy and power attack pre-req. Hit and Run Fighter helps with Death From Above when you get it. Altogether, you have +8 bonus to intimidate.
Lycanthrocalypse worships Malar, an aspect of a god from another realm who viciously provides for lycanthropes. Malar has elder evil level goals and influence as a foreign god. This grants a vile feat and new vile feat every 5 levels. (Elder Evils page 10). If this displeases you, just make your elder evil Zargon. This provides you with your first natural attack with willing deformity teeth granting a bite attack as a secondary or primary weapon.

Level 10: Things got weird. Didn’t they? A level of war blade provides you with three Tiger Claw maneuvers as pre-reqs for later. Impersonating a halfling with a dragon mark, enough to go into nosomatic chirugen. This prestige class plays with your heal skill but offers exactly what you need to take advantage of black blood hunter’s greater curse of lycanthropy. This class also lifts you up 3 druid caster levels and lifts the caster level of your dragonmark. Mostly though, isolate pathogen allows you to use any disease (including magical diseases) that you have personally diagnosed and successfully treated with the Heal skill. This allows you to use your plague bearer ability to infect subjects with a disease such as…lycanthropy. All you need to do if find a true lycanthrope who has infected a humanoid, up to and including yourself. So cure as many types of afflicted lycanthropy as you can, because when it comes time to become a vector, you may want some diversity. At level 9, you take improved natural attack which counts as a shifter feat!

Bloodclaw master grants you one more tiger claw maneuver. But it also grants the Lycanthrocalypse the final thing it needs to be a shifter: the ability to be treated as a razor claw, and the ability to shift, which is treated as a racial ability which can be swung by liberal usage of racial emulation and the shifter sidebar. Now Extended Shifting is an appropriate druid spell. Blood Claw master also offers tiger claws: two 1d4 natural attacks. Tongue Deformity grants blind sense.

Extra rage is a placeholder. You may need to take improved unarmed strike to activate Complete Arcane’s p.73 touch spell rules to deliver a bite attack that discharges the plaguebearer ability in order to activate black blood hunter’s greater curse DC scaling. Apparently this was covered by the FAQ and you can opt to make a normal attack roll.

Spells: Blood frenzy grants an extra rage. Jaws of the moray is more useful for when you get black blood hunter levels.

Level 15: 5 levels of weretouched master grants you a hybrid form to interact with black blood hunter’s class features that require an animal pinned hybrid form. We are choosing bear because the bear offers improved grab and a +16 bonus to strength. Your Claw attacks from bloodclaw master go up to 1d6 and your strength bonus from shifting increases to +4. With Improved natural attack that brings your claws up to 1d8. Extra shifter trait makes you almost officially a shifter completely, seeing as how now you can now shift into long tooth. Longtooth elite gives your bite attack the ability to make constitution damage, which will make greater curse of lycanthropy be really interesting. Tall Deformity now grants you an addition 5 feet of reach with your bites and claws.

Level 20: You qualify for black blood hunter, which accepts “any lycanthrope” and you can assume the animal form or hybrid form related to your lycanthrope heritage from weretouched master. That plus racial emulation helps. Your patron is your elder evil: Malar.

Greater curse of lycanthropy is transferred through bite attacks from your plague bearer ability. According to the SRD, Curse of lycanthropy has a flat fort save of 15. Each black blood hunter level adds 1 to the DC. Ability focus adds another 2. Longtooth elite drains constitution to drop that fort save.

Animal Aspect appears to stack with your ability to use your shifting ability into a hybrid form granting you a strength of 45…or 49-53 when raging.

At this level, you can begin wholesale flaying the dragon marked halflings and grafting their dragonmarks to a shifter training program to afflict as many folks with lycanthropy as possible.


Races of Eberron (RoE)
Unearthed Arcana (UA)
Cityscape (Cs)
Eberron Campaign Setting (ECS)
Heroes of Horror (HoH)
Tome of Battle (ToB)
Dragonmarked (Drnmark)
Complete Warrior (CW)
Players guide to Faerun (PGTF)
Book of Vile darkness (BOVD)
Magic of Eberron (MoE)
Complete Scoundrel (CS)

[Heliomance]

...Were-cryptoclidus? Buh?



Tocke of Nessus
CE Lesser Tiefling Werecryptoclidus Half-Imp Transition Class 1/Ranger 1/Fighter 2/Wizard 1/Black Blood Hunter 10
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/03273/Surgeon_s-photo_3273486b.jpg
The Waves of ChangeA roiling mass of flesh twists its way through space at unbelievable speed. Even when it reconciles momentarily into a solid form to strike, it twists the eyes as they struggle to conceive of this strange amalgam of man, sea beast, and hellish other. Kicking and clawing at your companions the abomination writhes across the battlefield toward you, even drawing one victim into the horrid flow, caught upon a barb on its tail. Then the beast is before you, its serpentine neck lunging out to bite. Fangs dig in deep into your flesh and seem to burn with something more than pain. Your best efforts to wrest yourself free from the jaws to no avail, and suddenly, you are a part of the horror as well, carried away upon a river of black blood in which you must surely drown.

For all the pretensions of the Nine Hells, dear old Dad was nothing more than a petty beaurocrat. Even his dalliances manage to be boring transactional affairs, which is no mean feat when you consider that he has to transform into some larger form to mate with a human. Mom wanted a nicer familiar and ended up getting very familiar indeed. A few months later out I came. I never liked the city where I grew up much, but at least out on the street there was a bit of living to do. Not much. A dip of a toe into the water. But even that can create a few ripples, and ripples can bring new things swimming around to make more.

Adventuring gave me the excuse I needed to get out of that stinking cesspit. They sent a few of us out to discover the cause of some disappearances that had been happening around some nameless lake. And discover it we did. A great serpentine neck rose out of the water and gulped down our cleric. We did manage to get him out eventually, but between the beast turning into an orc when we killed it and the time he’d spent in digestive acid, it wasn’t pretty and I sustained a bite myself in the meantime. I suspect that had he survived he’d have tried to get me to treat the bite, but I doubt I’d have bothered even if I knew. I like change. Change is life. The flow from one state of being to another. The prey being consumed by the predator until the predator itself returns to the earth to nourish it. The flow is unceasing, and lycanthropes are that flow made flesh.

The Malarites understand the world better than city folk ever will. Only fools talk of law and order. There is a hierarchy to the world, but it is anything but orderly. There are small ripples and larger waves. They collide with one another and are distorted or consumed. We make what waves we can and swim over and through the waves of others and to presume the order of mortal or immortal law is simply to be caught in another’s wake. I do not swim with the current. I am the current. I bring the waves of malice and of death, and my prey are borne upon them. Buffeted and rolled, thrashed and eroded, until they are ultimately drawn away with the tide, that it might feed upon their strength and continue on. The black blood ever flows.

The PredatorAbility Scores32 Point Buy: 18 Str, 12 Dex, 12 Con, 10 Int, 14 Wis, 8 Cha
After Adjustments for Lesser Tiefling: 18 Str, 14 Dex, 12 Con, 12 Int, 14 Wis, 6 Cha
After Adjustments for Half-Fiend Transition Class 1*: 20 Str, 14 Dex, 14 Con, 12 Int, 14 Wis, 6 Cha
After Adjustments for Werecryptoclidus: 28 Str, 20 Dex, 20 Con, 12 Int, 16 Wis, 6 Cha
All Stat increases go to Str

*The Half-Imp variant of Half-Fiend has +2 Dex and -2 Str relative to the standard Half-Fiend, so your DM may rule that the first level of the transition class increases Dex rather than Str.
Build Table


ECL
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Shapeshifter Ranger 1
+1
+2
+2
+0
Knowledge (Arcana) 1cc, Spot 4, Listen 4, Survival 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Jump 4, Tumble 4, Swim 2
1: Magic in the Blood
Ranger 1: Track
Favored Enemy (Arcanists), Wild Empathy, Fast Movement, Skilled City Dweller (Trade Ride For Tumble)


2nd
Half-Fiend (Imp*) 1
-
-
-
-
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 4, Listen 4, Survival 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Jump 4, Tumble 4, Swim 2
-
Str +2, Con +2, Natural Armor +1, Sting Attack, Poison Immunity, Resistances (Acid 5, Cold 5, Electricity 5, Fire 5), Spell Resistance (Lesser), Invisibility 3/day



3rd
Hit-and-Run Fighter 1
+2
+4
+2
+0
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 4, Listen 4, Survival 4.5cc, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Jump 5, Tumble 5, Swim 2
Fighter 1: Improved Unarmed Strike
Hit-and-Run Tactics, Skilled City Dweller (Trade Ride For Tumble)


4th
Fighter 2
+3
+5
+2
+0
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 4, Listen 4, Survival 5cc, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2
3: Barbed Stinger
Fighter 2: Improved Grapple
Desecrate 3/day


9th
Afflicted Werecryptoclidus (3 HD/2LA)
+5
+8
+5
+1
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 5, Listen 5, Survival 5, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 7
6: Vile Natural Attack
Lycanthrope: Iron Will
Str +8, Dex +6, Con +6, Wis +2, Alternate Form, DR 5/Silver, Lycanthropic Empathy, Low-Light Vision, Scent, Unholy Blight 3/day


10th
Martial Evoker 1
+5
+8
+5
+3
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 5, Listen 5, Survival 6cc, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 8
Martial Wizard 1: Power Attack
Summon Familiar (Octopus), Evocation Specialist (Ban Enchantment and Illusion), Poison 3/day


11th
Black Blood Hunter 1
+5
+10
+7
+3
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 6, Listen 5, Survival 6, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 11
-
Lycanthropic Spell, Wild Items


12th
Black Blood Hunter 2
+6
+11
+8
+3
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 7, Listen 7, Survival 7, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 12
9: Multigrab
Animal Aspect 1/day, Wild Empathy


13th
Black Blood Hunter 3
+7
+11
+8
+4
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 8, Listen 8, Survival 9, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 13
-
Improved Hybrid Form


14th
Black Blood Hunter 4
+8
+12
+9
+4
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 10, Listen 9, Survival 10, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 14
-
Animal Aspect 2/day, Improved Vile Natural Attack 1d4


15th
Black Blood Hunter 5
+8
+12
+9
+4
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 11, Listen 11, Survival 11, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 15
12: Greater Multigrab
Improved Damage Reduction (DR 10/Silver)


16th
Black Blood Hunter 6
+9
+13
+10
+5
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 12, Listen 12, Survival 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 16
-
Animal Aspect 3/day, Faster Change, Unhallow 3/day, Unholy Aura 3/day


17th
Black Blood Hunter 7
+10
+13
+10
+5
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 14, Listen 13, Survival 14, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 17
-
-


18th
Black Blood Hunter 8
+11
+14
+11
+5
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 15, Listen 15, Survival 15, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 18
15: Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Desecrate)**
Animal Aspect 4/day, Improved Vile Natural Attack 1d6


19th
Black Blood Hunter 9
+11
+14
+11
+6
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 16, Listen 16, Survival 17, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 19
-
Quick Change


20th
Black Blood Hunter 10
+12
+15
+12
+6
Knowledge (Arcana) 1, Spot 18, Listen 18, Survival 18, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Jump 6, Tumble 6, Swim 2, Control Shape 19
-
Animal Aspect 5/day, Improved Damage Reduction (DR 10/Magic and Silver)

*The Half-Imp variant of Half-Fiend has +2 Dex and -2 Str relative to the standard Half-Fiend, so your DM may rule that the first level of the transition class increases Dex rather than Str. The sting attack is not an issue, however, as the transition class puts both the claws and bite at the first level, so the replacing of those natural attacks with a sting will clearly occur at first level.
**If your DM says that PrCs not in Complete Warrior or Complete Arcane lose PrC benefits if they no longer qualify and you can’t get a hold of a Monk’s Belt, then take Improved Natural Attack (Sting) here to have a 1d8 natural attack in humanoid form. This only becomes particularly important when you get Faster Change/Quick Change, so you don’t really need to worry about qualifying when out of hybrid or animal form before then.

Spells

ECL
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


10th
3+1
1+1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-

Bonus spells are specialist slots for being a Evocation Specialist. This does not include bonus spells for a high Int score, which will provide at least one 1st level slot.

Typical spells prepared will generally be all Blood Winds at earlier levels. Once Quick Change comes online, his generalist slots will be switched over to some combination of Babau Slime and Fist of Stone.
The Food ChainECL 4Even before being afflicted with lycanthropy we’ve got some racial weirdness going on. A little splash of the Half-Fiend template combines well with vile damage (more on that later), but even one level of the template class grants the outsider type, which disqualifies us from contracting lycanthropy. This is something of a conundrum, but there are a few ways it can be resolved. One would be to delay the level of the template class until after contracting lycanthropy, but we’re going to opt for a different, and admittedly slightly cheesier route. In addition to the template class, there’s a different web article which contains a Tiefling to Half-Fiend transition class. In many respects it gives more for its first point of LA, but it doesn’t give the outsider type. That’s because it expects you to already have +1 LA and the outsider type, but by being a lesser tiefling we get around both of those inconveniences. But wait, there’s more! In yet another pair of web articles, WotC provided us with some variant versions of the Half-Fiend template. Some of them change up the natural attacks that the template gives you, and since the usual claw/claw/bite is redundant with lycanthropy, that’s a good thing. Our choice of fiendish parent is the little imp. This might seem counterintuitive for a grappler build at first blush, but it gives us a sting attack, which we then stick Improved Grab onto with the Barbed Stinger feat. Aside from that we’re working with a not terribly unusual grappling setup, with two Fighter levels to pick up Improved Grapple, and three levels of full BAB to ensure that we can meet that requirement and take Vile Natural Attack on time. And with that, we’re ready to contract lycanthropy.
ECL 10The cryptoclidus is a sort of plesiosaur dinosaur. In more practical D&D terms, it’s the lowest RHD large carnivorous or omnivorous animal at 3 HD and has solid stat boosts, Improved Grab on its Bite attack, and Swallow Whole. As a large lycanthrope Tocke has a 1d8 bite attack in hybrid form (his animal form bite is also 1d8, and his sting should scale up to 1d8 in hybrid form as well). From there we just need Power Attack to qualify for the SI. Enter Feat Wizard, which also helps out grappling despite not boosting BAB by way of a +3 bonus from an octopus familiar. With that, we’ve met all of Black Blood Hunter’s entry requirements just in time to be able to complete it pre-epic. Beyond that, lycanthropy grants scent to help with tracking, and the numbers and size to really get grappling going (just in time for Freedom of Movement, but let’s focus on the positives here). We’ve got Improved Grab through Barbed Stinger in hybrid form and through the cryptoclidus’ bite in animal form.
ECL 15Improved Hybrid Form means that we now have Improved Grab on both our bite and sting in hybrid form and that we get to eat people grabbed by our bite. We’ve also picked up Multigrab and Greater Multigrab, so keeping one enemy held in our mouth and another on our sting has no downside besides removing those attacks from our full attack routine (and with Blood Wind, it might actually be possible to attack with them anyway). A few Blood Wind slots also make it easier to cope with not being able to move and full attack.
ECL 20Quick Change is finally here to remind us how silly things can sometimes get if you’re allowed to do them as a free action. In his medium humanoid form, Tocke occupies one square. In large sized hybrid or animal form, he occupies four. Assuming you can choose which of your squares you shrink into when returning to humanoid form and which new three squares you expand into when assuming hybrid or animal form (and it seems you can, up to restrictions on occupied squares and needing to squeeze in tight spaces, as the only rule that seems to relate to such things is on page 122 of the Rules Compendium relating to polymorph, where it says that “The spellcaster can freely designate the assumed form's minor physical qualities, such as hair color and skin color, within the normal ranges for a creature of that kind. The assumed form's significant physical qualities, such as height, weight, and gender, are also under the spellcaster's control, but they must fall within the norms for the assumed form's kind”) then you can use Quick Change to move around with no limit beyond the number of free actions you’re allowed. This movement may or may not provoke attacks of opportunity, but it’s probably not a huge problem if it does. Now Tocke can move in, split his full attack up among his enemies however he likes (he can move around between attacks as a series of free actions after all), then move away, dragging one or two of them along with him in his mouth and/or sting (they’ve been pulled into his space by Improved Grab and so shouldn’t inhibit his choice of which squares he can expand or shrink into). He has a mouth in all forms, so he needn’t worry about dropping his dinner, and has his sting in humanoid and hybrid forms, so he needn’t worry about dropping an enemy held there until he wants to. When he does, he assumes animal form where he would ordinarily assume hybrid form, loses his sting and leaves them there as he continues off on his way to some secluded spot where he can eat the victim held in his mouth. If he’s had some time to prepare his hunting grounds, then the area his enemies are dragged through will be dotted with Unhallow effects from his Half-Fiend SLA, which can be tied to things like Dispel Magic to strip their buffs away, or Dimensional Anchor to keep them from teleporting back from wherever they finally get dropped off. He will then proceed to swallow and digest the enemy in his mouth at a safe distance. He may be prevented assuming humanoid form with a certain mass of creatures in his stomach, which would prevent him from making additional passes while digesting, so ask your DM about that, but either way, his first pass should cause some havoc. The Unhallow SLA is also handy for getting rid of Hallowed grounds where vile damage could be healed. Another thing that’s useful in that regard is the Desecrate SLA which can be used to dispel any Consecrates that enemies might put up and can do so as a swift action thanks to Quicken SLA, and can do so thrice in a day thanks to Magic in the Blood. All this adds up to a considerable capacity for fighting enemies by attrition.
UoSIPrerequisites: Lycanthropy comes with scent, which is nice for tracking. Using a large base animal allows for Quick Change shenanigans and gets a 1d8 natural weapon to qualify for Vile Natural Attack without needing Improved Natural Attack or to be a Battle Dancer. Power Attack is something of a dead feat, but it’s at least picked up as a bonus feat on a class level which nets us a few other nice things. Jump is mostly left alone after reaching the required 6 ranks, but it does provide a synergy bonus, which along with our large Dex and a Masterwork item gets us over the hump to trivialize a DC 15 tumble check to avoid AoOs (which is something we might as well be able to do in absence of pounce). Similarly, with only one rank above the required 4, Knowledge (Nature) grants a synergy bonus to tracking in relevant environs. More is done with Survival and Control Shape, the former being the skill that we use for tracking, and the latter being critical for lycanthropes in general, and especially so for Tocke. In order to repeatedly use Quick Change, he needs to be sure not to fail a check to reassume humanoid form. To that end, he needs to be able to make a DC 25 Control Shape check (to voluntarily assume humanoid form on the night of the full moon) on a roll of 1. With 19 ranks, a +3 Wis modifier after the lycanthrope stat adjustment and a +2 from a Masterwork item (or +4 Wis item I guess, but any Malarite cult worth its “survival of the fittest” creed should have worked out how to make masterwork items of Control Shape by now), we get to the +24 we need to make that happen.
Wild Items: Definitely nice to have. Along with all the other things that magic items can do for you, repeated use of Quick Change also gives us a reason to actually use Wilding Clasps rather than just putting the items on after assuming hybrid form. See the equipment section for more on items.
Lycanthropic Spell: Tocke has one level of Wizard casting which allows him to use spells like Blood Wind (during the period of his career where he can’t move and full attack), Babau Slime (nice for a grappler, maybe look into getting a Lesser Rod of Violate Spell to tie it in with your vile damage schtick), and Fist of Stone (an extra natural attack). It also gives him access to wands of higher level Wizard spells (Fearsome Grapple and Violate Balor Nimbus for his grappling shtick, various Dispels to deal with Freedom of Movement, maybe even Animate Dead in conjunction with his Desecrate SLA, ect), which can come in handy.
Wild Empathy: Low Cha hurts, but at least we get one point back as it stacks with Tocke’s Ranger level.
Greater Curse of Lycanthropy: Nope. Even with LA buyoff being a natural lycanthrope just isn’t in the cards with the extra LA from Half-Imp 1.
Animal Aspect: Might come in handy if enemies start getting cute and try readying actions to try freeing themselves from your grapple when you switch into humanoid form, as it mitigates the amount by which your grapple checks are reduced.
Improved Hybrid Form: Grants Improved Grab on bite attacks and Swallow Whole while in hybrid form.
Improved Vile Natural Attack: Unarmed Strikes allow for iterative attacks and don’t interfere with other natural weapons. Quick Change movement also favors attrition style combat which makes vile damage more valuable and Unhallow and Desecrate SLAs help to make it harder to heal the vile damage that you inflict.
Improved Damage Reduction: Since the threshold for cutting one’s way out of a creature’s stomach is a set number rather than a proportion of the creature’s health, DR makes it harder for swallowed creatures to escape, especially as the need to use a light slashing or piercing weapon makes it less likely that said weapon will also be both magic and silver.
Faster Change: More of a prelude to the main event than anything, but I imagine there’ll be situations where it comes in handy being able to change forms and make an Improved Grab attack in the same round.
Quick Change: The star of the show. Using a large lycanthrope form makes it possible to use Quick Change for free movement in and out of combat, which synergizes nicely with Tocke’s grappling tricks, vile damage, and Unhallow SLA.
AdaptationAs noted in the build table, if your DM rules that all PrCs require you to qualify at all times and you can’t get a hold of a Monk’s Belt (which you’ll want anyway), take Improved Natural Attack (Sting) in place of Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Desecrate) to have a 1d8 natural attack while in humanoid form to ensure that you can still use Faster Change/Quick Change.

If LA buyoff is available, the levels are already timed up so that you can buy off the Half-Fiend LA just before contracting lycanthropy. Ask your DM whether that means that you’re buying off lycanthrope LA as if you were a LA+2 or a LA+3 with the first point bought off early (and consequently whether you ultimately get to buy off all the LA or end up stuck with the last point of it). With the levels themselves I’d go for Totemist 2, with either the third Totemist level or Psychic Warrior 1 with Psycarnum Infusion as the bonus feat and Grip of Iron as a power known, depending on whether multiclass penalties are being enforced and your personal tastes with regard to dipping. Girallon Arms are the best grapple boost you can get, even with a few points of BAB lost, and Psycarnum Infusion can either top them off or fill up the Kraken Mantle alongside them. Additionally totem binds like Threefold Mask of the Chimera or Displacer Mantle can add a few more natural attacks to your routine without overlapping. More important than the class features themselves though is the fact that at 18 HD you have a sufficient CL on your Half-Fiend SLAs to qualify for Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Unhallow). Quicken Spell-Like Ability lacks the verbiage from Quicken Spell restricting it to spells with a casting time of less than one full-round action, so even something like Unhallow, with its 24 hour casting time is fair game. Quickened Unhallow has myriad uses, each more hilarious than the last. That Hallow spell the enemy spent 24 hours putting up while you ground down their forces? Gone. That Freedom of Movement spell they put up when they knew they were facing a grappler? Go ahead and drop a 40 ft radius effect that hits everyone not of your alignment with a targeted Dispel Magic. Facing tactical teleportation that makes it harder to separate your enemies and escape from them? Use it as a mass Dimensional Anchor. Quickening also means you can Unhallow three areas a day during downtime, which means enemies that you drag off on your own hunting grounds or even in a fight you’re willing to go nova for away from home are in for an unpleasant gauntlet of dispels.

Some argue that SLAs default to standard actions unless their casting time is less than that, in accordance with a statement to that effect in the Rules Compendium. This is contradictory to what the SRD says on the topic, and hence, I believe, wrong. But if your DM rules that you can Unhallow things as a standard action, then go ahead and do just that. See if you can rejigger some skill points to meet the Knowledge (The Planes) prereq (if your animal HD count as RHD, then they arguably get it as an Imp class skill per the rules for Half-Fiendish variety), and take Planar Touchstone (Catalogues of Enlightenment: Inquisition) in place of Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Desecrate), since dispelling Unhallows to deal with Freedom of Movement will come up more often than Desecrates to deal with Consecrate, even if you would hypothetically be able to do the desecration as a swift action. This is also worth considering if you can use LA buyoff and get Quickened Unhallow.

If your DM says that you can’t maintain a hold with just your mouth without a bite attack, then dedicate yourself to an Elder Evil (the Leviathan or Father Llymic might be thematically fitting, or Atropus’ desecration effect or Ragnorra’s anti-healing sign for vile damage synergy), and take Willing Deformity and Deformity (Teeth) to have a bite attack in humanoid form. If you’re finding the Knowledge (The Planes) ranks for Planar Touchstone, you can even use your Elder Evil worship to actually get some use out of Power Attack by qualifying for Beloved of Demons, which can get you some DR/good to overlap nicely with your DR/silver.

If fractional BAB is in effect, switch from Ranger to Swift and Deadly Hunter Urban Companion Druid. That’ll get you another octopus for an additional+ +3 to grapple checks and Wis to AC in exchange for a few skill points and needing to pick a less useful favored enemy. Requires an alignment of NE instead of CE.

While being an Evoker is better for most of Tocke’s career (as Blood Wind is his most important spell), Transmutation spells are more useful with his main trick once it’s online and Transmutation is a more thematically appropriate school. Consider choosing Transmutation as your specialization instead of Evocation especially if using Tocke in a high level game.
EquipmentYou’ll want a Wilding Clasp on a Masterwork item of Control Shape or +4 Periapt of Wisdom to ensure success on Quick Changes back into humanoid form during the full moon. That’s the only time you need a check above 20, so you might consider switching the clasp to some other item 30 days out of the month or trying to find a way to rent the clasp out or something.

You have a lot of natural weapons, but the bite and sting are the most important. Strike the balance that seems right to you between Amulet of Mighty Fists and Necklace of Natural Attacks spending as with any natural weapon blender.

For your armor setup, I’d go with either a Monk’s Belt and enhanced Bracers of Armor and if you really feel like splurging, a suit of Wild Full Plate (which will meld into your form and hence not inconvenience you despite your non-proficiency). In the latter case, focus on non-flat enhancements to the bracers to avoid overlap as much as possible.

You’re a grappler so any boost to Str or to grapple checks is a given.

You’re also a grappler who can sort of dispel via your Unhallow SLA, so some Inquisition Domain Draughts, Dispelling Cords and the like might not go amiss.

You can use wands of Wizard and Ranger spells, so make use of that where applicable.

The FodderThings used in the build proper are bolded. Other things only come up in adaptation or equipment sections.
Cityscape Web Enhancement (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a): Skilled-City Dweller, Urban Companion
Complete Divine: Inquisition Domain
Complete Mage: Arcane Hunter
Drow of the Underdark: Hit-and-Run Tactics
Elder Evils: Vile Natural Attack, Dedication to an Elder Evil
Exemplars of Evil: Beloved of Demons
Heroes of Horror: Willing Deformity, Deformity (Teeth)
Magic Item Compendium: Dispelling Cord, Domain Draught, Wilding Clasp
Magic of Incarnum: Totemist, Soulmelds, Psycarnum Infusion
Monster Manual II: Cryptoclidus
More (Half-)Fiendish Variety Web Enhancement (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/eo/20070209a): Half-Imp
Planar Handbook: Planar Touchstone, Catalogues of Enlightenment
Player’s Guide to Faerun: Black Blood Hunter, Lesser Tiefling, Magic in the Blood
Rules Compendium: Rules
Savage Species: Amulet of Natural Attacks
Serpent Kingdoms: Barbed Stinger, Multigrab, Greater Multigrab
Spell Compendium: Spells
Stormwrack: Octopus Familiar
Transition Classes Web Article (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040319a): Tiefling/Half-Fiend Transition Class
Everything else should be in the SRD.

[Heliomance]

At least I know what a leopard is


Shamir, Malar's Claw
Chaotic Evil Natural-Were-Leopard Human Favoured Soul 1/Natural Lycanthrope LA 3/Leopard RHD 3/Fighter 2/Black Blood Hunter 4/Assassin 1/Black Blood Hunter 6

Portrait
http://www.matlabas.co.za/assegaai/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/KNP_LeopardHiding.jpg

Background
Shamir was born to the were-leopard clan, somewhere far from civilization. Chosen one of Malar, The Beastlord, he was taught to be a hunter in the woods - a hunter of men.

At the beginning, he was cruel, and excessively violent - the spilling blood of travellers walking through his woods reminded him of Malar's might, and he was quite the devotee. His mentor, though, a much older were-leopard, swayed him from the path of priesthood, showing him how Malar's will would be served oh so much better in the battlefield.

Under his mentor's advice, he left his woods, causing death and destruction wherever he went, learning how to fight and kill on his own. What he lacked in formal training, he had in physical supriority, and his natural excellency in hiding and moving unseen. In those times, he became a much greater fighter - all for the glory of Malar, who Shamir believed is always watching (and judging) him.

Eventually, Shamir was exposed to the most fanatic group of The Stalker - the black blood hunters, those who would not only murder in his name, but turture and spread his domain through vile acts. Under their guidance and help, he could start walking in this path - the path of a lone killer, meeting with his fellow lycanthropes only in sacred times, when they would meet and hunt together.

In one of the rural towns he visited, Shamir almost killed a member of an assassin group. Curious, he agreed to spare the man in order to meet them. Shamir was impressed by their advanced training, and joined them for a while - killing their targets instead of choosing at random, all in order to perfect his skills. But the assassin life wasn't for him - getting orders made the killinfg boring, unimportant. Is it really a hunt, if it is done for a lump of gold?
Disappointed, he left them, killing some of the assassin to ask for forgiveness from his god. Infuriated, the leaders of the group tried to arrange his death - but found out he was as good as them in hiding, and the predator often became prey. Still moving from place to place, Shamir never stayed in one place for long - and wherever he goes, great evil comes with him. The population of afflicted were-leopards sky-rocketed in his path, Shamir favourite "recruiting" method in order to strengthen his god.

Hopefully, he would be stopped by some great party of adventurers - because if he won't be, many more would suffer from his hands.

Extra Ingredients
variant used: fractional bab/saves
No LA buyoff required!


Ability Scores
base:
str 13 dex 16 con 14 int 12 wis 11 cha 12
level ups:
+1 str at ECL 7
+1 wisdom at ECL 11
+1 dex at ECL 15, 19


The Recipe



Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Favoured Soul
+0
+2
+2
+2
jump 4, survival 4, knowledge (nature) 4, hide 2 CC, move silently 1 CC
darkstalker, apprentice (woodsman) (human)
Spellcasting


2nd
were-leopard LA
--
--
--
--
--
iron will, alertness, weapon finesse
Curse of Lycanthropy, Alternate Form, Damage Reduction 10/silver (hybrid or animal form), leopard empathy, low-light vision, scent, +2 wisdom, +6 str & +8 dex & +4 con (hybrid or animal form), leopard skills


3rd
were-leopard LA
--
--
--
--
--




4th
were-leopard LA
--
--
--
--
--




5th
leopard RHD
+1
+3
+3
+2
hide +3 (5), move silently +1 (2)




6th
leopard RHD
+2
+3
+3
+3
hide +1 (6), move silently +3 (5)
improved natural weapon (bite)



7th
leopard RHD
+3
+4
+4
+3
move silently +2 (7), jump +2 (6)




8th
fighter
+4
+4
+4
+4
disguise 2 CC
improved initiative (fighter)
bonus feat


9th
fighter
+5
+5
+4
+4
disguise 4 CC
vile natural attack, power attack (fighter)
bonus feat


10th
black blood hunter
+5
+5
+5
+4
hide +3 (9), move silently +3 (10)

Greater curse of lycanthropy, lycanthropic spell, wild items


11th
black blood hunter
+6
+6
+5
+5
hide +3 (12), move silently +3 (13)

Animal aspect 1/day, wild empathy


12th
black blood hunter
+7
+6
+6
+5
hide +3 (15), move silently +2 (15), climb 1
multiattack
Improved hybrid form


13th
black blood hunter
+8
+7
+6
+5
hide +1 (16), move silently +1 (16), climb +4 (5)

Animal aspect 2/day, improved vile natural attack 1d4


14th
assassin
+8
+7
+7
+6
hide +1 (17), move silently +1 (17), spot 4

Sneak attack +1d6, death attack, poison use, spells


15th
black blood hunter
+9
+7
+7
+6
hide +1 (18), move silently +1 (18), spot +4 (8)
Arterial Strike
Improved damage reduction (+5/silver)


16th
black blood hunter
+10
+8
+8
+6
hide +1 (19), move silently +1 (19), spot +4 (12)

Animal aspect 3/day, faster change


17th
black blood hunter
+11
+8
+8
+7
hide +1 (20), move silently +1 (20), listen 4




18th
black blood hunter
+11
+9
+9
+7
hide +1 (21), move silently +1 (21), listen +4 (8)
Improved Multiattack
Animal aspect 4/day, improved vile natural attack 1d6


19th
black blood hunter
+12
+9
+9
+7
hide +1 (22), move silently +1 (22), listen +4 (12)

Quick change


20th
black blood hunter
+13
+10
+10
+8
hide +1 (23), move silently +1 (23), listen +2 (14), spot +2 (14)

Animal aspect 5/day, improved damage reduction (magic and silver)




Spells

Favoured Soul Spells per Day


Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


1st
5
4
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-



Favoured Soul Spells Known


Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


1st
4
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-




Assassin Spells per Day


Level
1st
2nd
3rd
4th


1st
1
-
-
-




Assassin Spells Known


Level
1st
2nd
3rd
4th


1st
2
-
-
-



Favoured Soul spell picked
0th: detect magic, guidance, light, cure minor wounds
1st: lesser vigor, blood wind, blessed aim
Assassin spell picked
disguise self, obscuring mist


breakdown

The basic idea is a lone attacker, striking from a hiding spot and running away. The reason those small attacks are useful is the vile damage (and later, the bleeding damage) done with every attack - vile damage can only be healed under a Consecrate or Hallow spell, which even in the best case scenario (there is a cleric, and a prepered said spell in advance) it's annoying to cast because of the material components. More often, the enemy won't have access to those spells, and each attack will chip away a small amount of health, un-healable. This makes Shamir dangerous in the long run, especially when his enemies are on the move, and thus exposed to those attacks.

How can Shamir attack with his natural weapons without being attacked back? the spell blood wind allowes Shamir to use his natural weapons at range. Given a good hiding spot, he could easily full attack once or twice from a distance before he needs to run. If he has a bad hiding spot however, he can simply attack once and in the same round run away - and when he has access to bleeding damage, his enemies will have to choose between running after him or stopping the bleeding.

While he might seem like a one trick pony, Shamir can fight in melee as well, and his limited spellcasting abilities give him some extra utility - though not enough to be considered a spellcaster for the party role. Shamir will probably work best as an antagonist, but with the right party members he could work together with other hit-and-run characters, each one attacking from a different side to cause complete chaos in the enemy ranks

ECL 7
Sadly, with the combination of LA and RHD, the lowest level Shamir starts at is 7. With only 3 bad RHD and single level in favoured soul, Shamir is not very strong at this point - but his considerable damage reduction will help him survive with his low HP count, and in hybrid form he has good AC and a nice full attack with 3 natural weapons and a good to-hit. At this point Shamir is a squishy melee type, and with 24 dex he could sneak about as well as many rogues.
Using blessed aim, he could probably be a decent shot, but archery is sub-par even with the many archery feats, of which Shamir has none.

ECL 10
The first power-jump hits excatly at level 10. What a level! lycanthropic spell allowes his main combat trick, blood wind to full attack and then run away, and 'wild items' lets him finally enjoy his magic items in hybrid and animal form. At this point he should probably get a couple of memento magica 1s, at 1.5K each they let him cast blood wind more times each day, and therefor make more hit-and-run attacks. If those are not available for some reason, he could just as well get a wand of blood wind - cheap as well, but less efficient. Lesser rod of extand is also a viable item, giving 2 rounds of full attacking for a single slot - but it might require more planning, as Shamir really doesn't want to let his foes a chance at attacking him back.


ECL 15
A second power-jump, with many more options added. On the offensive side, 1d4 vile damage is neat, and makes the un-healable vile part pretty considerable and much more annoying. Sneak attack and more importantly arteriel strike gives some additional damage, but the bleeding part brings a problem to Shamir's foes - should they try and catch him, or stop the bleeding?
On the defensive side, Animal aspect is a useful panic-button that makes Shamir ok in melee, or able to survive a bit longer than usual. Obscuring mist as well, can save him from enemies if things go wrong
Outside combat, disguise self has amazing utility.
All in all, Shamir has some bigger numbers and some extra options. While he is no match to many characters/monster in stright-up combat, he never really NEEDS to, and can hit-and-run his way to victory.

ECL 20
At this point, Shamir is getting a bit stale. While a does get new abilities, most of them are just improvements over what he already have - more reliable, maybe, but little is truly new. More vile damage is very nice (but far from world shaking), and more uses of animal aspects allow Shamir to take more risks, as his panic-button getting much more available. The biggest benefit is quick change - which give Shamir much more verstility, the ability to move from shape to shape as the turn goes on and gain the benefit of every one of them. Very useful, if a bit late. At this point Shamir is relying on his hide bonus combined with darkstalker, as he is declining in raw power compared to most opponents.

[Heliomance]

I've seen too much anime to not know where this is going


Disclaimer:This build contains tentacles and genocide. Read at your own discretion.

Ellkuth, the Elf-Slayer

Race: Necropolitan Were-Argent Spider Human Heritage'd Tauric Anthropomorphic Giant Octopus-Squid
Build Stub: LA 5, RHD 5, Monk 1, Barbarian 1, Black-Blooded Hunter 8
Multiclass Penalty: No. Thanks RHD.
Languages: Common, Elf(Know thy enemy)
Alignment:LG->CE
Ability Scores: Point Buy(32)
STR: 16 DEX: 14 CON: 8 INT: 14 WIS: 16 CHA: 8
After modifiers:
STR: 20 DEX: 20 CON: -- INT: 12 WIS: 22 CHA: 4
Transformed:
STR: 14 DEX: 26 CON: -- INT: 12 WIS: 22 CHA: 4

Increases go to Strength.

One day, a Malar cultist thought: "What if we created a replica of the sacred beast? I'm sure our Lord would be overjoyed." - The 'Sacred Beast' was none other than the Elf-Eater, Ityak-Ortheel.

The cultist told his companions about the idea, and soon it was widespread among the cult. Thus began the "Project Tentacles", codenamed Ellkuth, or Elf-Slayer in a long-lost elven language.

"Why would they just so suddenly start making a new creature?" you say? Do Chaotic Evil Furry-loving crazy dudes with rapist tendencies need a reason to create a tentacle monstrosity, other than "Why Not?"

'Nuff said.

The creature was based off one of the Human cultists, who proudly volunteered to the task. After countless tests with Transmutation magic, a creature was made - made nearly entirely out of tentacles, yet somehow keeping a human's basic anatomy and organism functions.

There was a problem, though: the creature could not move out of water, and thus could not efficiently commit jolly genocide and rape to any Elves - other than the aquatic ones, of course.

Then they had an idea: "Since it still has human genes, let it make an offspring with one of our shapeshifters." Thus, they called the one they thought was most suitable - a rare Lycanthrope variant, created by the temporary alliance between Lloth and Malar, and one of the rarest of its kind - a Were-Argent Spider woman. Just having the 'thing' change shape whenever it needed to walk was inconvenient, and constantly using its Squid rocket propellers was even worse, so they instead found a Lycanthropic lineage that would give it a more convenient way of movement - teleporting around.

The newborn was born with the same body as its arguably disgusting father, with a face only a crazy were-spider mother could love. It was taken away and raised as a good child - they needed to have it as mad as they could, and making it slowly fall from its innocence was a perfect way of doing that.

As the creepy child grew, it was taught how to fight with its natural weapons, but over anything else, it was taught how to flee. The child's health was extremely fragile, and it looked like it could die at any moment. They had to do something about that; a dead experiment would be useless, after all.

They though: "Wouldn't it be better if we just make it dead, so it can't be killed?" It was a stroke of genius, at least in their minds. Thus, they took him to an experienced Corpsecrafter, and had him go through the Ritual of Circumigration, after making sure that it 'understood' that it was just a necessary pain, and nothing more than a treatment for his 'illness' - life.

After dealing with the 'issue', it was time to truly turn the disturbingly innocent monstrosity into a weapon suited for genocide. They made use of its "good child" attitude, and took it to a master of the Bear Claw style, all while slowly corrupting its behavior, keeping only the discipline needed to properly learn.

However, that only lasted until it learned the basics. The cultists got impatient, and broke it down at once, unleashing a feral beast that was dormant inside that childish mind. They didn't dislike it, though. In fact, it was just perfect: a beast that cared for nothing else than its instincts was a perfect weapon for them.

Thus was born the tentacle monstrosity, Ellkuth.



Complete Champion(Spirit Bear Totem)
Libris Mortis(Necropolitan)
Monster Manual(Giant Octopus/Squid/MWF)
Monster Manual II(Tauric Creature) Update (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20030718a)
Player's Handbook(Barbarian/Monk/TWF)
Player's Handbook II(Decisive Strike)
Races of Destiny(Human Heritage)
Savage Species(Anthropomorphic Creature)
Unearthed Arcana(It's just for Combat Styles, so please lower your pitchforks)

Web Archives:


Web Enhancements - Cityscape: Urban Class Features(Ferocity)-Link (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a)
Psionic Bestiary - Argent Spider(Title)-Link (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20030725a)
Random Encounters - What's Bugging You?:Entomanothropy Runs Wild(Entomanothrope)-Link (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040621a)




Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
LA









2nd
LA









3rd
LA









4th
LA









5th
LA









6th
Monstrous Humanoid
+1
+2
+2
+2
Knowledge(Nature) 4/2. Jump 2/2, Survival 2/2, Swim 4, Hide 2, Survival 2/2, +4 Racial Hide, +10 Racial Escape Artist, +8 Racial Swim, +8 Racial Climb, +10 Racial Jump, +8 Racial Spot

Human Heritage
Two Bites(1d6), Six Tentacles(1d3), Arms Attack, Constriction(2d6+6), Improved Grab(Auto-Bite on Arms-Grab, any size), Low-Light Vision, Jet 240ft, Ink Cloud(10ft air, 20ft water), Natural Armor +3



7th
Monstrous Humanoid
+2
+3
+3
+3
Knowledge(Nature) 5/2, Hide 4





8th
Monstrous Humanoid
+3
+3
+3
+3
Knowledge(Nature) 6/2, Swim 5, Hide 5

Improved Natural Attack(Bite 1d8)



9th
Monstrous Humanoid
+4
+4
+4
+4
Knowledge(Nature) 7/2, Hide 7





10th
Monstrous Humanoid
+5
+4
+4
+4
Knowledge(Nature) 8/2, Hide 8





11th
Entomanothrope(Were-Argent Spider, Tiny)
+5
+6
+6
+4
I won't even bother

Weapon Finesse
Darkvision 60ft, Natural Armor +5, Alternate Form, Entomanothropic Command, Entomanothropic Immunities, Dimension Slide, Poison(1d2 CON)



(11-1)th

Necropolitan

+5
+4
+4
+4
Remove the skills I didn't even bother to add.

Remove Weapon Finesse
HD Increase(d12), Resist Control, Turn Resistance, Unnatural Resilience, Undead Traits


11th
Monk 1
+5
+6
+6
+6

Jump 6

Vile Natural Attack(Bite), Power Attack(B)
Unarmed Strike(1d6), Decisive Strike


12th
Barbarian 1
+6
+8
+6
+6
Survival 6


Ferocity 1/day, Spirit Bear Totem


13th
Black-Blooded Hunter 1
+6
+10
+8
+6
Hide 11, Move Silently 2


Greater curse of lycanthropy, lycanthropic spell, wild items



14th
Black-Blooded Hunter 2
+7
+11
+9
+6
Hide 12, Move Silently 6

Multiweapon Fighting

Animal aspect 1/day, wild empathy



15th
Black-Blooded Hunter 3
+8
+11
+9
+7

Hide 13, Move Silently 10


Improved hybrid form



16th
Black-Blooded Hunter 4
+9
+12
+10
+7
Hide 14, Move Silently 14


Animal aspect 2/day, improved vile natural attack 1d4



17th
Black-Blooded Hunter 5
+9
+12
+10
+7
Hide 15, Move Silently 15, Listen 3

Improved Multiweapon Fighting

Improved damage reduction (+5/silver)



18th
Black-Blooded Hunter 6
+10
+13
+11
+8
Hide 16, Move Silently 16, Listen 6


Animal aspect 3/day, faster change



19th
Black-Blooded Hunter 7
+11
+13
+11
+8
Hide 17, Move Silently 17, Listen 9





20th
Black-Blooded Hunter 8
+12
+14
+12
+8
Hide 18, Move Silently 18, Listen 12

Greater Multiweapon Fighting

Animal aspect 4/day, improved vile natural attack 1d6





As you might have already noticed, this thing has a base ECL 10, so no matter what I do, I cannot present you an ECL 5 breakpoint. Thus, in order to keep the usual four-breakpoints standard, I decided to use the following breakpoints: 10, 14, 17, 20.

At this point, Ellkuth is really fragile - with nearly the same HP as a 10-con Bard. It does, however, have a ton of imunities, which should do the trick for the time being. It's base AC with no items or armor is 20, Touch 15, which is kinda close to the average CR 10 BAB(+13), and can easily be further improved with the help of items and/or friendly Wizards.

His specialty, though, lies in running away. Many people might already know this, but the Squid/Octopus's Jet ability works even when out of water by RAW, and they even went out of their way to specify that the Anthropomorphic versions can only use those in the water. I'm still using a normal Squid's Jet, though, since that's from the Tauric template, with no limits, and it's just generally faster. Added to the rocket jet, it can also use Dimension Slide, so that brings it to a total of 270ft/round, which can only really be matched by flying dragons, and even then, Rocket Spider can still enter really small places, so it can outmaneuver them. To add to all that, the thing has an obnoxiously high Hide modifier, so it can use that as a last resort. Granted, it won't work against many foes, but it will surely help out in the future.

There's also the nearly ridiculous amount of natural attacks - six tentacles, two bites, one 'arms' attack, which also triggers a bite attack on a successful grab. Out of those nine attacks, seven can trigger Improved Grab on creatures of any size, and six out of those seven have Spiked Chain-like Reach. Even with all of those attacks, it still has Constrict, which further improves its damage, so it's not lacking in that aspect either.


There's a lot of changes since the last level. The HP should now be at least somewhat usable, albeit still fragile, but it should do for now. The base AC, considering no items, has gone up to 26, touch 21, at the cost of not being able to wear normal armor. Improved Vile Natural Attack, the class's best feature, has yet to kick in, but we can make do without too much Vile damage for now. It also has Ferocity as a "last resort" kind of buff.

With MWF active, we can now ditch the Any-size Improved Grab Arms attack in exchange for ten extra Unarmed Strikes from the squid's tentacles, while either doing the same for the Octopus tentacles(getting one iterative from the top right hand...I guess?), or keeping them for whatever.

The average number of attacks should be: 2 Bites + 10 Unarmed + 6 Tentacles/(2 Unarmed+5 Tentacles)/7 Unarmed/Dunno, mix it up?, which averages to 18.5 attacks per round. I think that should be enough to have iterative probability play a huge role here: at this point, Ellkuth is pretty much guaranteed to roll a critical hit, but also guaranteed to roll a natural 1.

It won't go biting anyone in Hybrid Form, though. Not like we want to spread Lloth-approved Blink Dogs around...

Quick note on Decisive Strike: I thought it'd be really counter-intuitive to get a -2 penalty for a bonus attack, just to lose two bite attacks in the process so I just ignored it and went for the variant, which can be useful along with some of the stuff in the Wishlist.


At last, Improved Vile Natural Attack, the entire reason I built this thing. This is arguably the most useful ability in the entire class, at least in my opinion. This class's best ability is giving bonus damage of a really nasty type to each natural weapon, so I built a creature with a chaingun of 'em.

Just ditch the Tentacles and the innate Improved Grab attacks for most situations - the punches are just too good right now.

Usual attack routine: 2 bites + 32 Unarmed


This is the epitome of all that I've developed until now. At this point, iterative probability isn't even something you can deny: this thing will hit more than the average number of attacks a normal PC has, even when Power-Attacking for full, but it will also miss just as many - at least as long as there are no Luck or Fate-domain Clerics in the party.

I don't have much to explain about this. 1d6 Vile damage for each natural attack, with an expected routine of 2 bites + 48 Unarmed Strikes, and that's considering that the Mouthpick Gauntlet didn't get accepted at this point(see The Wishlist).

I'm a bit sad that I didn't manage to get all the ten levels, but I thought showcasing the best part of it was more important than getting a nearly-useless free feat(at least for this build, but there might be someone who manages to showcase it) or a completely useless DR upgrade - no Lycanthrope-hunter worth their salt will use nonmagical Silver weapons, and if they do, it's just not going to hit, and even if it does, it'll just tickle a bit.

I'm making this solely to discuss about some rules that could make you consider my build completely illegal, and why I think it's legal.

First, Tauric Creature:

Tauric Creature states that the base creature has to have at least four legs, and while some may consider that Squids don't have any legs, their smaller tentacles are usually called legs, even though they function as both arms and legs, so I think it's legal.

Also, the Tauric Creature should keep the bite attack by RAW, since the template states that only attacks that disappear with the head should be removed, and the beak is not on the head. I could argue how it should also get All-Around Vision because the Squid eyes also stay, but I don't want to thread in that territory.

One last thing: Tauric specifies that the base saves are the higher for each, so Good/Good/Good. Wasn't Monstrous Humanoid HD supposed to be bad?

Second, Human Heritage:

Now, this feat does cite examples of races that should be allowed to take it, but it also does say that any human-descended races should be allowed to use it.

The thing is, this feat doesn't cite obviously human-descended races like Kalashtar and Shifter, so it's nothing more than a guideline. This feat has fluff-only requirements, which means that any race that has "descended from humans" in its fluff is allowed to take this, no matter how ridiculous it might be.

Well, let's take a look at the small amount of fluff there is for Anthropomorphic Animals:



Anthropomorphic animals, sometimes called anthropomorphs, are animals with humanoid characteristics—or perhaps humanoids with animal characteristics.


That's roughly half of the entire fluff, but that's the only part that matters for us. Even though it is a template given to Animal-type creatures, it was pointed out by the developers themselves that the template could just as well be based off humans who got turned into animal-like creatures. This is why I think it's legal, but it's a fluff dependent feat, so the only one who could argue about this is a DM, and any DM who allows players to use this thing should have no problems with allowing this feat.

In short, I'm using a feat that is entirely based off DM fiat for approval - much like everything else in this game.

Third, Multiweapon Fighting:

This one is really short, and I bet it has already been discussed, but I couldn't find anything about it.

The thing is, I/G-MWF were never updated to 3.5, but since they specifically mention that they are completely interchangeable with TWF, I just considered the 3.5 Player's Handbook TWF as an errata to the 3.0 MWF chain of feats.


This is just going to be a list of nice items and spells that could really improve this build's efficiency. I'm going to exclude obvious things, like Monk-boosting equipment, and stat boosters. Wishlist items were not considered when listing ingredients, since they don't belong to the main dish, serving only as side dishes, or addons, as you may wish to call them.


Mouthpick(LoM) Gauntlets: This is silly, but it's theoretically legal, so it could be worth it once level 16 kicks in. It counts as an Unarmed Strike too.

Ring of Feather Falling: This ring enables vertical movement when using the Rocket Squid/Spider tactic, thus allowing a rudimentary form of flight, along with Dimension Slide. This is also why I chose a teleporting creature instead of a flying one - because the Rocket Squid tactics wouldn't have that many opportunities to be used otherwise.

Multi-handed weapons: These are variant weapons from SS, made for creatures with more than two arms. They could be really funny to use along with a Bite of the Werebear spell, for their 4 1/2 Str to damage. Ellkuth can still TWF with them, too. I wonder how the hell Power Attack interacts with eight-handing a weapon, though.

Fuse Arms: A lotta arms=a lotta strength. Interacts really well with Power Attack and Decisive Strike, even more so with a two-handed quarterstaff.

Girallon's Blessing/Arms of Plenty: Both interact really well with MWF, and also with Fuse Arms.

Any enlarging: Grapple everything.

Re-rolling stuff: As I said, IP has a really strong influence on this build, so re-rolls are always appreciated.

One last thing: It'd be really nice if the Ritual of Circumigration could be executed by a Corpsecrafter Dread Necromancer on a Desecrated Evil Altar, for all those sweet bonuses, but things aren't always that simple, so I only considered that to be the case in the fluff, and excluded it from the rest of the build.

[Heliomance]

Duke of Weselton.
Weaseltown!


"Wee" Sal the Weasel
Bakemono (Natural) Were-weasel
RHD= 0
LA= +3
(Wildshape) Ranger 1/(Fox Spirit Totem) Barbarian 1/Totemist 2/(Wolf Totem) Barbarian +1/(WS) Ranger +1/Black Blood Hunter 3/Bear Warrior 1/Black Blood Hunter +7




Stat
Start
Racial Bonus
Lycanthrope
1st (Humanoid/Hybrid/Weasel)
4th (Humanoid/Hybrid/Weasel)
8th (Humanoid/Hybrid/Weasel)
12th (Humanoid/Hybrid/Weasel)
16th (Humanoid/Hybrid/Weasel)


STR
16
+4
--
20/12/12
21/13/13
22/14/14
23/15/15
24/16/16


CON
16
+2
--
18/18
18/18
18/18
18/18
18/18


DEX
14
--
--
14/18
14/18
14/18
14/18
14/18


INT
14
-8
--
6/6/6
6/6/6
6/6/6
6/6/6
6/6/6


WIS
8
--
+2
10/10/10
10/10/10
10/10/10
10/10/10
10/10/10


CHA
8
-4
--
4/4/4
4/4/4
4/4/4
4/4/4
4/4/4







Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


3rd
Were-weasel RHD & LA
--
--
--
--
Racial Bonuses: Balance +8; Climb +8; Move Silently +4
Iron Will; Weapon Finesse
+8 NA (Humanoid/hybrid); Curse of Lycanthropy; Alternate Form; DR 10/silver; Lycanthropic Empathy; Low Light Vision; Scent


4th
(Wildshape) Ranger 1
+1
+2
+2
+0

3 Jump
3 K: nature
2 SL: Common
4 Survival
4 Tumble

1st: Power Attack; B: Track
Fast Movement; Favored Enemy: Human; Wild Empathy


5th
(Spirit Totem: Fox/Wolf Totem) Barbarian 1
+2
+4
+2
+0

(-) Jump 3
(-) K: nature 3
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 5
1 Tumble 5

--
Illiteracy; Rage 1/day; +4 Hide/Move Silently


6th
Totemist 1
+2
+6
+4
+0

(-) Jump 3
1 K: nature 4
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 6
(-) Tumble 5

3rd: Extra Rage
Wild Empathy; Illiteracy; Soulmelds (2); Essentia (1); Binds (0)


7th
Totemist 2
+3
+7
+5
+0

(-) Jump 3
(-) K: nature 4
(-) SL: Common
(-) Survival 6
2 Tumble 7

--
Totem Chakra Bind (+1 Capacity); Soulmelds (3); Essentia (2); Binds (1)


8th
(Spirit Totem: Fox/Wolf Totem) Barbarian 2
+4
+8
+5
+0

(-) Jump 3
(-) K: nature 4
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 7
1 Tumble 8

B: Improved Trip
--


9th
(Wildshape) Ranger 2
+5
+9
+6
+0

3 Jump 6
(-) K: nature 4
(-) SL: Common
(-) Survival 7
1 Tumble 9

6th: Vile Natural Attack
--


10th
Black Blood Hunter 1
+5
+11
+8
+0

(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 4
(-) SL: Common
(-) Survival 7
2 Tumble 10

--
Greater Curse of Lycanthropy; Lycanthropic Spell; Wild Items


11th
Black Blood Hunter 2
+6/1
+12
+9
+0

(-) Jump 6
1 K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 8
(-) Tumble 10

--
Animal Aspect 1/day; Wild Empathy


12th
Black Blood Hunter 3
+7/2
+12
+9
+1

(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
2 Survival 10
(-) Tumble 10

9th: Underfoot Combat
Improved Hybrid Form


13th
Bear Warrior 1
+8/3
+14
+9
+1

(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
2 Survival 12
(-) Tumble 10

--
Bear Form (black)


14th
Black Blood Hunter 4
+9/4
+15
+10
+1

(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
2 Survival 14
(-) Tumble 10

--
Animal Aspect 2/day; Improved Vile Natural Attack 1d4


15th
Black Blood Hunter 5
+9/4
+15
+10
+1

1 Hide 1
(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 15
(-) Tumble 10

12th: Confound the Big Folk
Improved Damage Reduction (+5/silver)


16th
Black Blood Hunter 6
+10/5
+16
+11
+2

1 Hide 2
(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 16
(-) Tumble 10

--
Animal Aspect 3/day; Faster Change


17th
Black Blood Hunter 7
+11/6/1
+16
+11
+2

1 Hide 3
(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 17
(-) Tumble 10

--
--


18th
Black Blood Hunter 8
+12/7/2
+17
+12
+2

1 Hide 4
(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 18
(-) Tumble 10

15th: Favored Power Attack
Animal Aspect 4/day; Improved Vile Natural Attack 1d6


19th
Black Blood Hunter 9
+12/7/2
+17
+12
+3

1 Hide 5
(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 19
(-) Tumble 10

--
Quick Change


20th
Black Blood Hunter 10
+13/8/3
+18
+13
+3

1 Hide 6
(-) Jump 6
(-) K: nature 5
(-) SL: Common
1 Survival 20
(-) Tumble 10

--
Animal Aspect 5/day; Improved Damage Reduction (Magic and Silver)





Typical Soulmelds:
Crown: Threefold Mask of the Chimera (Bound to Totem)
Feet: Dread Carapace
Hands: Kruthik Claws

Out of combat, Sal can use Track (via Ranger) and Scent (via Lycanthropy) to be a tracker. Ranks in survival are kept maxed out for most levels (damn you, LA!) Neither Hide nor Move Silently have any ranks for most of the build, but a racial bonus to MS (via weasel) plus a size bonus to Hide (Tiny in animal form; Small in humanoid or hybrid forms) plus the bonus from Spirit Totem Fox (via Barbarian) plus a bonus from Kruthik Claws adds up to being a pretty decent scout.

In combat is where things get...weird.
Threefold Mask of the Chimera gives two bite attacks (and one gore.) Sal has a bite attack (and two claws) in all three forms (humanoid, animal, and hybrid.) As an animal, he can bite and Attach (see: weasel) with each jaw. Once all three are Attached, Sal shifts his essentia to Dread Carapce and uses Power Attack to its fullest capability. The penalties to attack are ignored with no attack roll; bite damage just happens.
Along with that bite damage, comes the Curse of Lycanthropy if the target is a valid one (see Note below). If the curse is passed on (a better likelihood once Black Blood Hunter levels get tacked on), the foe becomes an afflicted lycanthrope. Once Sal deals enough damage, his foe must make a Control Shape check or involuntarily change into animal form. That change should very muchly be in Sal's favor for the rest of the fight!

At ECL 12 (9 HD), some interesting things start to happen. Improved Hybrid Form allows Sal to Attach in hybrid form (Small creature). This allows him to bite for 1d8, instead of 1d3 as a weasel, which sets off Vile Natural Attack.
Also, he gains the feat Underfoot Combat, so his Tiny form can move into the space of most enemies without provoking AoOs. (No more having to rely on Hide/Move Silently and/or 5' steps!) He can do the same to Large or larger enemies while in Small hybrid form. The soft cover may very well be apprieciated.

Just one level later (ECL 13, 10 HD), Sal ends up with a bear form when he rages. Here's the weird part. If Sal begins a rage while in animal form and becomes a bear, he loses the Attach ability because it is an (Ex) ability from a natural (racial) source. If, however, he beings the rage from hybrid form and becomes a bear, he'd keep the Attach ability as it's an (Ex) ability granted from a class feature (Improved Hybrid Form).
He'd then be a Medium black bear with Attach (and still a possibly three bites) with a smaller die of damage for his natural bite, but larger damage from his soulmeld bites (due to being a larger size). The added strength from being in bear form is a lovely boon.
Once Improved Vile Natural Attack starts being added on to all of those bites (as per the Chair's ruling in-thread), Sal becomes quite the evil little varmit!

Now, think about this fun bit. A Tiny weasel slips into an enemy's space (via Underfoot Combat) and bites and Attaches. On the following round, he uses Confound the Big Folk's Unsteady Footing ability to trip his enemy (without the foe's size bonus), then uses a free action to change to hybid form and another free action to start a rage and become a bear, and then follows with an attack (via Improved Trip) for two more bite attacks as a full-round action (from Threefold Mask of the Chimera) and each Attaches to deal bear-strength damage with full Power Attack, full Dread Carapace damage, and Improved Vile Natural Attack damage each round.


Curse of Lycanthropy states:


Curse of Lycanthropy (Su)

Any humanoid or giant hit by a natural lycanthrope’s bite attack in animal or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy. If the victim’s size is not within one size category of the lycanthrope the victim cannot contract lycanthropy from that lycanthrope.

(Emphasis mine.)
The Lycanthropy template states under "Size and Type":


This animal can be any predator, scavenger, or omnivore whose size is within one size category of the base creature’s size


Which brings up something of an odd conundrum. When Sal is a weasel and bites a Small humanoid, we have no problem. But if Sal is in hybrid form (Small) and bites a Medium sized humanoid, we seem to run into an issue. The victim, in this case, is within one size catagory of the lycanthrope, so all qualifies the attack for all parameters of the Curse of Lycanthropy ability. But since the victim is not within one size catagory of a weasel (Tiny), it doesn't qualify to become a Were-weasel, as per the Lycanthropy template. Likewise, the problem creeps up when Sil, in bear form (Medium), bites a Large giant.

The interesting thing to note, I think, is that, by RAW, lycanthropy is never stated to be of single-animal nature. In other words, nowhere is it ever stated that were-wolf bites make other were-wolves. Or that were-bear bites make other were-bears. Just that they spread lycanthropy. By RAW, it's entirely possible for a were-weasel to turn a humanoid or a giant into a were-boar or a were-crocodile.

The question that remains, then, is... If Sal turns into a bear and bites a troll and that troll fails the saving throw against Curse of Lycanthropy, who gets to decide which animal that troll becomes? The troll? Sal? A random roll of the dice? Have the editors at WotC vowed to make themselves available to pick for you each time this issue comes up (since they're the folks who made this problem in the first place)?




Oriental Adventures -- Bakemono race (p.146)
Unearthed Arcana -- Wildshape Ranger ACF; Wolf Totem Barbarian ACF
Complete Champion -- Spirit Totem (Fox) Barbarian ACF
Magic of Incarnum -- Totemist class
Complete Warrior -- Extra Rage feat; Bear Warrior class, Favored Power Attack feat
Elder Evils -- Vile Natural Attack feat
Races of the Wild -- Underfoot Combat feat; Confound the Big Folk feat

[Heliomance]

We all know frogs go "pop" in the microwave...



Gorblurp the Insatiable
http://orig13.deviantart.net/f160/f/2013/241/7/7/virbulo_by_faxtar-d6k9ic3.jpg
Image Source: Matthew Starbuck(Faxtar) (http://faxtar.deviantart.com/art/Virbulo-396833043)


Background
I'll have the Roasted Stuffed Whole Tom Tallfellow, Pineapple-Honey-Gazed Smoked Sam, Southern Shire Cornbread Dressing, Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Baked Brown-Sugar Beans, Spiced-Raisin Applesauce, and Lemon Iced Tea. Yes, that will do for the first course. - Gorblurp the Insatiable at the Devouring of Rosemary Shire

Gorblurp is a terrifying tale told at many Halfling hearths. It's said that he was once a man whose appetite was nearly equal to that of even the most hearty Halfling. He was a wanderer known to frequent the numerous eateries in Rosemary Shire, never quite able to sate his hunger, and always eager to try newer and increasingly exotic cuisine. It didn't take long for his appetites to take a turn to grim gastronomy. He began to wonder about these small folk. Would they make as fine a meal as they, well, made? He found one of the shirefolk fishing alone by the river, and decided to try what he found to be the sweetest of meats. Whilst savoring his meal by that babbling brook, Gorblurp had at last found the taste he craved. But wanted more, always more. And so he stalked his new favorite prey, picking off one here, two there, slowly escalating in frequency. The townsfolk didn't suspect him until too late. Some of them fled for their lives, but he hunted them down. The few that remained banded together to defend themselves, but they were too few, and Gorblurp's appetite too great. In one night of malicious mastication, Gorblurp ate the last of Rosemary Shire out of house and home.


Build
Gorblurp
CE (Human)Natural Were Dire Toad Ranger 1/Sorcerer 1/Warshaper 3/Black Blood Hunter 8



Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Ranger 1
+1
+2
+2
+0
Hide 4, Jump 4, Knowledge(Nature) 4, Listen 4, Spot 4, Survival 4, Swim 4
Power Attack, Improved Unarmed Strike, Track
1st Favored Enemy(Halflings), Wild Empathy


8th (5 HD)
Lycanthrope Template (Were Dire Toad)
+4
+6
+6
+4
Jump 8, Survival(cc) 8
Gape of the Serpent, Iron WillB, Weapon Finesse(Bite)B
+2 Natural Armor (+3 in Hybrid or Animal form), Iron Will, Weapon Finesse(Bite), Bite Attack (1d4), Tongue(10ft. Reach), Poison(1d6 Con damage initial and secondary), Swallow Whole, Curse of Lycanthropy, DR 10/Silver, Lycanthropic Empathy, Low-Light Vision, Scent


9th (6 HD)
Warshaper 1
+4
+8
+6
+4
Jump 10, Survival(cc) 8.5
Improved Natural Attack(Bite)
Morphic Weapons


10th (7 HD)
Sorcerer 1
+4
+8
+6
+6
Knowledge(Nature)(cc) 5, Survival(cc) 9

Spellcasting, Summon Familiar


11th (8HD)
Warshaper 2
+5
+9
+7
+7
Jump 11, Survival(cc) 10

Morphic Body


12th (9HD)
Warshaper 3
+6
+9
+7
+7
Jump 12, Survival(cc) 11
Vile Natural Attack
Morphic Reach


13th (10HD)
Black Blood Hunter 1
+6
+11
+9
+7
Jump 13, Knowledge(Nature) 6, Listen 5, Spot 5, Survival 12

Greater Curse of Lycanthropy, Lycanthropic Spell, Wild Items


14th (11HD)
Black Blood Hunter 2
+7
+10
+7
+7
Jump 14, Knowledge(Nature) 7, Listen 6, Spot 6, Survival 13

Animal Aspect 1/day, Wild Empathy


15th (12HD)
Black Blood Hunter 3
+8
+11
+7
+7
Jump 15, Knowledge(Nature) 8, Listen 7, Spot 7, Survival 14
Improved Grapple
Improved Hybrid Form


16th (13HD)
Black Blood Hunter 4
+9
+11
+8
+8
Jump 16, Knowledge(Nature) 9, Listen 8, Spot 8, Survival 15

Animal Aspect 2/day, Improved Vile Natural Attack (1d4)


17th (14HD)
Black Blood Hunter 5
+9
+13
+8
+8
Jump 17, Knowledge(Nature) 10, Listen 9, Spot 9, Survival 16

Improved DR (15/Silver)


18th (15HD)
Black Blood Hunter 6
+10
+14
+8
+8
Jump 18, Listen 10, Spot 10, Survival 18
Shape Soulmeld(Girallon Arms)
Animal Aspect 3/day, Faster Change


19th (16HD)
Black Blood Hunter 7
+11
+14
+9
+9
Jump 19, Listen 11, Spot 12, Survival 19




20th (17HD)
Black Blood Hunter 8
+12
+15
+9
+9
Jump 20, Listen 13, Spot 13, Survival 20

Animal Aspect 4/day, Improved Vile Natural Attack (1d6)




Ability Scores

Starting Ability Scores (including racial adjustments):
Str - 16
Dex - 14 (18 in hybrid or animal form)
Con - 14 (18 in hybrid or animal form)
Int - 10
Wis - 14
Cha - 12

Final Ability Scores:
Str - 20 (All level adjustments go here)
Dex - 14 (18 in hybrid or animal form)
Con - 14 (18 in hybrid or animal form)
Int - 10
Wis - 14
Cha - 12


Spells per day/Spells Known

At 10th level, Gorblurp takes a level of Sorcerer. With his Charisma of 12, this lets him cast 5 0-level spells per day and 4 1st-level spells per day. He knows the following spells:

0-Level:
Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation, Read Magic

1st Level:
Enlarge Person
Hoard Gullet


Breakpoints

Level 8

Being a natural Lycanthrope, Gorblurp really tastes life starting at 8th level. Before that he still resembles his 8th level self, but let's start the sample here. At this point Gorblurp is already an expert in the gastronomical delights that Halflings can provide. He can track them to their underground homes, raid their simple larders, and feast upon the rather, er, "short" long pork. In his animal form he is already capable of devouring a small creature whole, and can, given an extra round, choke down a medium sized portion should the opportunity arise (thanks to Gape of the Serpent). His lycanthropic DR comes in handy when dealing with swallowed prey, as dealing the requisite amount of damage to cut their way out is made extremely difficult by having to get through the DR.

Level 15, "Sweet Spot"

At this point, Gorblurp's main trick is fully online. He can now Swallow Whole creatures while in Hybrid form (thanks to Improved Hybrid Form). He'll start of any fight he knows is coming by casting Hoard Gullet (which lasts for an hour/CL) and Enlarge Person (minute/CL) on himself before wading into combat and immediately trying to swallow an opponent whole. If multiple likely targets for swallowing present themselves, he'll happily swallow the first one into his Hoard Gullet for eating later (and if they try to cut their way out, then they suffer the fate of the contents of a ruptured bag of holding - they are lost forever), then swallow another for immediate satisfaction. After that he'll use his Morphic Weapons and Morphic Reach to lay into his opponents, or his Bite to spread his poison around. If his DM allows a liberal interpretation of Warshaper, then Gorblurp has N natural weapons, and thus plenty of attacks to deliver. If a very strict reading of the ability is used, then he only uses it to enhance his bite (in order to continue to qualify for Vile Natural Attack), and thus only uses his bite and Unarmed Strikes to attack. His DR makes him capable of front-lining for a few rounds if needs be, but his skills are better spent on his rather unique form of battlefield control (swallowing foes to take them out of the fight), and then skirmishing to assist his party. Thanks to Lycanthropic spell, Gorblurp can still use these tactics prior to level 15 while in Animal form.

Level 20

At the height of Gorblurp's might, these last few levels make him better at everything he does. His DR increases again, making it very difficult for anything that doesn't overcome his DR to cut their way out until the end of the fight when they can be focused on. He gets a slight boost to his grappling ability with the Girallon Arms soulmeld, and with a liberal reading of Morphic Weapons, Improved Vile Natural Attack renders him able to put some serious hurt on.


Sources

Player's Handbook (Ranger, Sorcerer, Enlarge Person, Improved Grapple, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Power Attack, Track, Weapon Finesse)
Complete Warrior (Warshaper)
Monster Manual (Lycanthrope, Improved Natural Attack)
Monster Manual II (Dire Toad)
Player's Guide to Faerun (SI)
Savage Species (Gape of the Serpent)
Dragon Magic (Hoard Gullet)
Magic of Incarnum (Shape Soulmeld)
Book of Vile Darkness (Vile Natural Attack)

[Heliomance]

Character names! They go in the subject line of your PM! *fistshake*



-- Tomothy Darkpaw the Neutral Evil Strongheart Halfling Werecat Rogue 3 / Totemist 2 / Incarnate 2 / Warshaper 2 / Black Blood Hunter 9 --

http://i.imgur.com/yg1WnQ3.jpg


Waterdeep, Sword Coast, 1458 DR
In the tavern 'The Dancing Cat'

"Gather 'round kits, and let me tell you a true story" the elderly Tom of the Tibbit community spoke warmly, and all the young Tibbit kittens of the city crowded around the pillow, that he was sitting on.

"It is often said, specially to other races that our race was created from some uncertain evolution from wizard familiars several hundred years back, but that the small amount of us and our preference to staying unnoticed, made it so we're largely unspoken of in the annals of time..." the Tom said while looking at the young kittens whom all nodded agreeing that that was the story that they had been told by their queens.

"And that story" the Tom continued looking surprisingly severely at the kittens "is what we want them to keep believing and, if at all possible help along, the reason being that the truth would see us chased out of our dens and out of the cities, if not killed out of fear."

"The Story of our race begins about 100 years ago, when a young petty thief Halfling through a number of accidents, caused the death of a high ranking Priest of Malar. Thereby causing, by sheer coincidence due to being at the wrong place at the right time, to scuttle a Malarite plot."

"Malar was of cause quite peeved by the fact, and when the gods were banished to walk the realms, he found the young thief and cursed him to become a werecat, an as inconsequential animal as Malar thought that he should have been. This through, broke the Halflings mind and he saw it as a direct order from a deity and a blessing as it made him even better at skulking along without anyone noticing him. Hence it was his holy duty to spread it far and wide, traveling from Luskan to Luiren, from Chult to Thay, infecting people and litters with his Lycanthropy, having a special preference for Halflings such as himself" All the kittens gasped, with wide eyes and their heir puffed out.

"But not all of those infected was equally as willing to follow Malar, and one young Werecat, who happened to be the thief's grandnephew, whom had been bitten as a child, grew up to join the Selûnites and started tracking him down, and after many years he managed to put him down, and with the help of his goddess managed to petition the gods to transmorph their curse into becoming Tibbits. Over the years most of us have become more and more inclined to follow Sharess, with the blessing of Selûne, but the nephew is still heading the Selûnite Tibbits and I will do so till the end of my days."



Ability
Base
Racial
Total(Base)
-
Werecat
Morphic Body
Total(Animal/Hybrid)


Strength
15
-2
13
---

+4
17


Dexterity
16
+2
18
---
+4

22


Constitution
16

16
---

+4
20


Intelligence
12

12
---


18


Wisdom
8
+2
10
---


10


Charisma
8

8
---


8


All ability score increases is to be placed in Dexterity




Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Wilderness Rogue 1
+0
+0
+2
+0
Balance +4 (4), Climb +4 (4), Hide +4 (4), Jump +2 (2) Knowledge (Nature) +2 (2) Listen +4 (4), Move Silently +4 (4), Spot +4 (4), Tumble +4 (4), Use Magic Device +4 (4)
Power Attack, CravenB
Sneak Attack 1d6, Trapfinding


--
Level Adjustment 1
+0
+0
+2
+0





--
Level Adjustment 2
+0
+0
+2
+0

Weapon FinesseB, Iron WillB
Low-Light Vision, Scent, DR 5/Silver


2nd
Totemist 1
+0
+2
+4
+0
Survival +5 (5)

Wild Empathy,


3rd
Totemist 2
+1
+3
+5
+0
Control Shape +2 (2), Knowledge (Nature) +2 (4) Survival +1 (6)
Multiattack
Chakra Bind (Totem)


4th
Incarnate 1
+1
+5
+5
+2
Control Shape +3 (5)

Aura, Detect Good


5th
Incarnate 2
+2
+6
+5
+3
Control Shape +3 (8)

Chakra Bind (Crown)


6th
Wilderness Rogue 2
+3
+6
+6
+3
Balance +1 (5) Climb +1 (5), Control Shape +1 (9), Hide +2 (6), Listen +1 (5), Move Silently +1 (5), Spot +1 (5), Tumble +1 (5)
Open Least Chakra (Hands)
Evasion


7th
Wilderness Rogue 3
+4
+7
+6
+4
Control Shape +1 (10), Hide +2 (8), Listen +1 (6), Move Silently +2 (7), Spot +1 (6), Tumble +2 (7)

Sneak Attack 2d6, Penetrating Strike


8th
Warshaper 1
+4
+9
+6
+4
Control Shape +1 (11) Jump +2 (4)

Morphic Immunities, Morphic Weapons


9th
Warshaper 2
+5
+10
+6
+4
Control Shape +1 (12) Jump +2 (6)
Vile Natural Attack
Morphic Body


10th
Black Blood Hunter 1
+5
+12
+8
+4
Control Shape +1 (13) Hide +1 (9), Move Silently +2 (9), Tumble +1 (8)

Greater Curse of Lycanthropy, Lycanthropic Spells, Wild Items


11th
Black Blood Hunter 2
+6
+13
+9
+4
Control Shape +1 (14) Hide +2 (11), Move Silently +1 (10), Tumble +1 (9)

Animal Aspect 1/day, Wild Empathy


12th
Black Blood Hunter 3
+7
+13
+9
+5
Control Shape +1 (15) Hide +1 (12), Move Silently +2 (12), Tumble +1 (10)
Underfoot Combat
Improved Hybrid Form


13th
Black Blood Hunter 4
+8
+14
+10
+5
Control Shape +1 (16) Hide +2 (14), Move Silently +2 (14)

Animal Aspect 2/day, Improved Vile Attack 1d4


14th
Black Blood Hunter 5
+8
+14
+10
+5
Control Shape +1 (17) Hide +2 (16), Move Silently +2 (16)

Improved Damage Reduction +5/Silver


15th
Black Blood Hunter 6
+9
+15
+11
+6
Control Shape +1 (18) Hide +2 (18), Move Silently +2 (18)
Confound the Big Folk
Animal Aspect 3/day, Faster Change


16th
Black Blood Hunter 7
+10
+15
+11
+6
Control Shape +1 (19) Hide +1 (19), Listen +1 (7) Move Silently +1 (19), Spot +1 (7)




17th
Black Blood Hunter 8
+11
+16
+12
+6
Control Shape +1 (20) Hide +1 (20), Listen +1 (8), Move Silently +1 (20), Spot +1 (8)

Animal Aspect 4/day, Improved Vile Attack 1d6


18th
Black Blood Hunter 9
+11
+16
+12
+7
Control Shape +1 (21) Hide +1 (21), Listen +1 (9) Move Silently +1 (21), Spot +1 (9)
Giantbane
Quick Change






Level
Soulmelds
Essentia
Chakra Binds


2nd
2
1
0


3rd
3
2
1


4th
5
3
1


5th
6
4
2


6th
6
4
3



My Default Soulmelds would be:


Slot
Type
Meld


Crown
Bound
Crystal Helm


Hands
Bound
Sphinx Claws


Totem
Bound
Heart of Fire


Arms
Shaped
Bloodwar Gauntlets


Soul
Shaped
Incarnate Avatar


Feet
Shaped
Worg Pelt




There is no Racial Hit dice from the base animal as Cats only have ½HD, and as you always round down, that counts as a fancy-looking 0.

Qualification for Vile Natural attack is done by binding Threefold Mask of the Chimera, Ankheg Breastplate or Brass Mane to Totem, and use Morphic Weapons to count as if I were 1 size Larger.



Level 3rd:
Tomothy at this point is a competent Rogue who between Hybrid form, Sneak attack, Weapon finesse (all Natural weapons count as light unless explicitly stated otherwise, all light weapons can be finessed, unless explicitly stated otherwise), Multiattack and Binding Lamia Belt to his Totem (up until level 8 where Morphic weapons is enabled), is able to have an attack routine, against SA-able opponents, of +7/+7/+5/+5/+5 of 2 times 1d3+1d6+4 (2 Claws from Hybrid, being primary weapons) 1d4+1d6+3 (Bite from Hybrid), and 2 times of 1d3+1d6+3 (2 claws from Lamia Belt). In addition to this fairly impressive attack routine, the Cat form is quite innocuous, and together with his Skill points he's an effective sneak and scout.

Only weak part is that his Health is less than impressive, through that is partially negated by the Damage reduction and his fairly strong AC and that he would have some consistency issues changing his forms

Level 8th:
At this point, we gain Open Least Chakra (Hands) which are used to gain access to Pounce (via Sphinx Claws) which make it much more likely to get the number of attacks that Tomothy have access to (helped by Morphic Weapons, which gives him a even higher amount of natural weapons). From Incarnate, Tomothy gain access to bound Crystal Helm (able to fight incorporal enemies, or similar), Bloodwar Gauntlets which is simply a +1 Morale Attack, and Incarnate Avatar which is a lot of additional melee damage which gains a much from having several weapons.
At the same point the soulmeld choices from Totemist changes slightly with Heart of Fire replacing Lamia Belt in the totem slot, giving Tomothy a handful of 1d4's on all natural attacks, and Worg Pelt which boosts his stealth capability. It is also at this time that, due to Morphic weapons giving him all the natural attacks he might like to have, that fighting in animal form becomes a semi-viable option, as the base dice from weapons is a very small part while the better size modifier from being Tiny makes Tomothy hit more often. Many individually somewhat unimpressive attacks wins the day due to stacking dices and bonuses on top of them.

Meanwhile the additional Rogue levels gives Tomothy Evasion, which together and his reflex saves should make it possible to dodge a number of magical attacks, and Penetrating Strike, which makes Sneak Attack (and hence Craven) viable to a lot more enemies.

Level 13th:
Warshaper 2 gives us Mophic Body which raises our damage (slightly), and our Constitution (and hence Fortitude Saves and Health Points), and from here on out it is Black Blood Hunter. Greater Curse of Lycanthropy fits nicely with the fluffy side of being on a mission to infect as many as possible. Wild Items make popping back and forth between forms much more viable. Animal Aspect is useful in the few cases where its preferable to stay in Halfling form, while Wild Empathy stacks with Totemist.

Improved Hybrid Form doesn't give anything as cat doesn't have any Special attacks which Hybrid form can gain anything from. As per Chair ruling, Improved Vile Natural Attack adds a bonus to all natural weapons instead of only weapons that give 1d8 or better, which again fits nicely with Morphic Weapons.

Finally the Feat gained from Lvl 12 is Underfoot Combat which makes it much easier to get into opponent tiles which make it harder to be targeted, and gives Tomothy soft Cover, which in turn makes it possible to hide (as I'm not longer 'in plain sight'), even from the creature whose square he's hiding in.

Level 18th:
More Animal Aspects which, while not quite needed is potentially nice to have qua the same reason as mentioned in the previous listed level, an higher DR /Silver makes Tomothy even more resistant to regular damage and Improved Vile Natural Attack is even more damage. Finally from the class ability front, speeding up the Change, first to Move actions and later on to Free actions also make it easier to change form as need be.

On the feat front, Tomothy gains Confound the Big Folk, from which the important parts are Knee Striker (which enable Sneak Attack and hence Carven) and to a certain extent Underfoot Defense, in the case of having multiple enemies at the same time, which can't be fled from. Furthermore, at the last level Tomothy gains Giantbane, which gives him the ability to Climb Aboard, which makes it easier to stay in contact with the opponent so he can't flee from Knee Striker.




Source
Material Used


Book of Vile Darkness
Vile Natural Attack


Complete Warrior
Giantbane, Warshaper


Dungeonscape
Penetrating Strike


Monster Manual
Lycanthrope, Cat, Multiattack


Forgotten Realms - Campaign Setting
Strongheart Halfing


Forgotten Realms - Champions of Ruin
Craven


Forgotten Realms - Players Guide to Faerun
Black Blood Hunter


Magic of Incarnum
Totemist, Incarnate, Open Least Chakra


Races of the Wild
Underfoot Combat, Confound the Big Folk


Unearthed Arcana
Wilderness Rogue

[Heliomance]

Feed chickan to your serval so it can an grow



https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/3OL-QIbvS4pGNeMsozWin_BtlBDhuppjA1DFCnJtWeuQhkxraNFgR9 Gos_-4G-XeV9b9Ou4B8Ph678_57AMlHaWFzHL_w8OLk78ws7X3nGMAjPe1 IeFfFWlQJjhXGuWqEq7k5aY
The Hellcat
CE Natural Were-Serval Silverbrow Human Duskblade 1/Swashbuckler 4/Black Blood Hunter 3/Swordsage 1/Black Blood Hunter 10

Stats
Str 14
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 16 (increases here)
Wis 8 (10 with Lycanthrope Template)
Cha 12

Stats in Hybrid/Animal Form
Str 16
Dex 20
Con 16
Int 16
Wis 10
Cha 12
Build


Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Duskblade 1
+1
+2
+0
+2
Concentration 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Sense Motive 4, Survival 4, Tumble 4
Apprentice (Woodsman), Shape Soulmeld (Dragon Tail)
Arcane Attunement, Armored Mage (Light), Skilled City Dweller


2nd
Serval 1
+1
+4
+2
+2
Jump 5
Iron Will (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Lycanthrope traits, +4 on Balance, Climb, Hide and Move Silently, +8 on Jump and Listen, use Dex for Jump


3rd
Swashbuckler 1
+2
+6
+2
+2
Balance 3, Bluff 1, Diplomacy 1, Jump 6, Tumble 4, Survival 5
Power Attack
Weapon Finesse


4th
Swashbuckler 2
+3
+7
+2
+2
Balance 5, Bluff 2, Diplomacy 2, Survival 6, Tumble 6

Grace +1


5th
Swashbuckler 3
+4
+7
+3
+3
Bluff 5, Diplomacy 4, Tumble 8

Insightful Strike


6th
Swashbuckler 4
+5
+8
+3
+3
Bluff 9, Diplomacy 6, Tumble 9
Vile Natural Attack
Seduction


7th
Black Blood Hunter 1
+5
+10
+5
+3
Bluff 10 (2), Hide 1, Jump 10

Greater Curse of Lycanthropy, Lycanthropic Spell, Wild Items


8th
Black Blood Hunter 2
+6/+1
+11
+6
+3
Bluff 11(2), Hide 3, Jump 11, Move Silently 3

Animal Aspect 1/day, Wild Empathy


9th
Black Blood Hunter 3
+7/+2
+11
+6
+4
Bluff 12(2), Hide 7, Jump 12, Move Silently 6
Earth Bloodline
Improved Hybrid Form


10th
Swordsage 1
+7/+2
+11
+8
+6
Hide 11, Jump 13, Move Silently 11
(B)Weapon Focus
Quick to Act +1, Discipline Focus: Weapon Focus (Tiger Claw)


11th
Black Blood Hunter 4
+8/+3
+12
+9
+6
Bluff 13(2), Hide 14, Move Silently 14

Animal Aspect 2/day, Improved Vile Natural Attack 1d4


12th
Black Blood Hunter 5
+8/+3
+12
+9
+6
Bluff 15 (4), Hide 15, Jump 15, Move Silently 15
Martial Stance (Dance of the Spider)
Improved Damage Reduction 15/Silver


13th
Black Blood Hunter 6l
+9/+4
+13
+10
+7
Bluff 16 (2), Hide 16, Jump 16, Move Silently 16, Survival 9

Animal Aspect 3/day, Faster Change


14th
Black Blood Hunter 7
+10/+5
+13
+10
+7
Bluff 17 (2), Hide 17, Jump 17, Move Silently 17, Survival 12

:(


15th
Black Blood Hunter 8
+11/+6/+1
+14
+11
+7
Bluff 18(2), Hide 18, Jump 18, Move Silently 18, Survival 15
Martial Study (Death From Above)
Animal Aspect 4/day, Improved Vile Natural Attack 1d6


16th
Black Blood Hunter 9
+11/+6/+1
+14
+11
+8
Bluff 19(2), Hide 19, Jump 19, Move Silently 19, Survival 19

Quick Change


17th
Black Blood Hunter 10
+12/+7/+2
+15
+12
+8
Bluff 20(2), Hide 20, Jump 20, Move Silently 20, Spot 2, Twisted Charge

Animal Aspect 5/day, Improved Damage Reduction 15/silver and magic


18th
Natural Lycanthrope LA 1









19th
Natural Lycanthrope LA 2









20th
Natural Lycanthrope LA 3










Spells
Spells per Day


Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


1st-20th
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-



Spells Known


Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th


1st-20th
5
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-



Spells Known
0: Acid Splash, Disrupt Undead, Ray of Frost, Touch of Fatigue
1st: Ray of Enfeeblement, True Strike, Enlarge Person (with Earth Bloodline at 9)

Maneuvers
1st: Distracting Ember, Sudden Leap
2nd: Cloak of Deception, Shadow Jaunt
3rd: Soaring Raptor Strike, Shadow Garrote
4th: Death from Above (at 15)
Stances: Assassin’s Stance, Dance of the Spider (at 12)
Backstory
Dastan, High Priest of Lathander, let out a satisfied sigh as he laid back in his bed, head still floating slightly from the wine and from the night’s activities. Delilah curled up beside him, positively purring with contentment.

“Oh lover, that was positively sinful.”

“Hush, Delilah, don’t spoil the moment. Lathander is present at every birth, how could he look down on the act that leads to such birth?”

“But aren’t the high priests supposed to be celibate?” Her tone was innocent, but her coquettish gaze from beneath her heavy lashes was anything but.

“No need to worry yourself about the little rules and traditions of the priesthood. I know what is and isn’t allowed for the high priest.” Dastan knew the code for the high priesthood well, and celibacy was very clearly a requirement. But even the most dedicated man could not have resisted when propositioned by such a woman. She had seduced him, after all. If anything, this was just a moment of weakness, like being unable to defend oneself when attacked by thieves. Yes, just like that. He was the victim here, led astray by this girl from outside of town. He could use this as an opportunity to lead her to the right path, perhaps? But that would be a process, surely requiring much time and frank discussion.

“Dastan?”

“Hm? Sorry, sweetness.”

“You’re a hundred miles away, and I want you right here with me. Aren’t I enough to keep your attention?”
She shifted so that he might appreciate the view that should command such attention. Oh yes, Dastan would have to meet with Delilah many times to cure her of her ways.

---
It was two weeks before he saw Delilah again, and she was as ravenous for him as if she had been away for months. The scratches on his back still stung when she returned from her next trip a few days later.

He asked where she went and what she did that she disappeared so suddenly and returned so unexpectedly. She smiled her smile and said he would value her quite so much if she weren’t so mysterious and her time so rare. He laughed at that and was forming another question when she quickly deflected the conversation to Dastan’s favorite subject: gossip from the town.

“You must have heard that the smith’s wife is stepping out on him.” She said in that breathy whisper of hers.

“What?! No I’ve heard nothing of the sort. He would knock the lights out of any man who talked to her too long at the market. Now if it’s cheating going on, you need look no further than the tanner’s wife. And who can blame her? What woman would stay with a man who stunk like that from his work?”

“The tanner’s wife? How can you be so sure?”

“Well I heard it straight from her confessions. And you wouldn’t believe the sorts of things that they got up to…” Dastan stumbled as he remembered such things were told in the confidence he would guard them.

“Dastan you naughty thing!” Delilah shrieked in mock horror. “My innocent ears are already burning while you talk about such things!”

“Well then I’ll stop talking and give you something else to think about.”

---

Delilah left after a blissful night, and was gone for some time. After a while Dastan began to ache for her. Then he realized he was simply aching. He looked at the scratches on his back that still were troubling him. After some twisting in the mirror he saw them, long shallow gashes on his back and sides like he had just survived wrestling a tiger. He inexpertly applied salve to it, too embarrassed to ask for anyone’s help on the matter.

He tried to distract himself by going about the town and speaking with those he met, including the tanner’s wife. The rumors of her being unfaithful were still running around, and there was beginning to be talk her lover was involving her in something more extreme. He needed to talk with her.
She looked guilty and hurried when she came to the door to answer him, asking him to come back another time. He heard a voice from the other room, too quiet to make anything out but the tone, sultry and impatient. The tanner’s wife blushed, apologized quickly and shut the door. Dastan couldn’t help but chuckle to himself as he walked away. For a moment he was struck on how similar it had sounded to Delilah. No, it really didn’t, he told himself after thinking it over. You’re just missing her.

After a few more days Delilah returned, and Dastan was joyed to see her, though with a twinge of regret as he had decided it was time to break it off.

“Delilah I have cherished our time together more than anything, but I can’t keep denying it anymore. I am a man of the cloth, and my duty is to administer to the people. I couldn’t take you as a wife, and you deserve a man who can give you all of himself.”

She turned away from him, trembling soundlessly.

“Delilah, please don’t cry. Look at me.”

She only shook all the more, until at last she could not keep silent and erupted. Into peals of cruel laughter.

She whirled to him, her face contorted in a mask of demoniacal glee.

“Cry? Over you, Dastan? You self-righteous, pompous hypocrite! You think you can just end this? I am the greatest pleasure you have ever known in your wretched life! You’re going to turn your back on all this for the good of the people, because you’re such a good and holy man? You’re selling me a bigger lie than I ever told you.”

“What? I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t little man, because you’re stupid. You never meant anything to me, and you never will. I was just seeing if I could wrap you around my finger hard enough that you would break your precious holy code. And you did! You did again and again, and as eagerly as I have ever seen. You were a trifling pastime, Dastan. You were a game I bet on, and I won. I’m done with you. Now it’s time to finish you.” As she spoke the last line her body twisted and grew, sprouting fur and fangs until she stood revealed before him as a lycanthrope. She stepped toward him, slavering and reaching with her clawed hand

“Please!” screamed Dastan, falling to his knees. “Please don’t kill me! I’m a good man, I promise!”

“You were never a good man, Dastan. But you’ve got it wrong once again. I’m not going to kill you. I’m going to undo you.” The words were twisted and mangled by her toothy muzzle as she cut short his protests with a single vicious swipe, clawing shallow gashes into his face that burned like she had set him on fire. Then she stood him up, and shoved him out the door into the crowded market street. He fell to his hands and knees, and picked himself up in time to see her resume human form and tear her clothes before running into the street after him, wailing at the top of her lungs.

“Help! Please somebody help! Save me!”

The townspeople quickly gathered around and calmed her down enough to get her story out, punctuated as it was by wracking sobs.

“It’s Dastan… He … He and the tanner’s wife had taken me to his house where they were going to…do things to me. They said they were going to sacrifice me to Loviatar in some horrible ritual after they finished with each other. Oh god the things they…did to each other, and they were happy doing it! Look if you don’t believe me, look at him he’s covered with the marks from their perversions!”

The townspeople seized Dastan and saw the mark on his face. They pulled his robe up over his body to reveal his back covered with gashes, all raw and bloody as if acquired seconds ago. At this they quickly became a mob. They seized the tanner’s wife and found her similarly marked. She and Dastan tried to explain, stumbling over themselves and each other as they protested that Delilah was behind this, and that she had done it. She had seduced them and brought them to this. As he spoke he realized how it all sounded, how innocent she seemed and how this was all his fault.

Delilah fled in tears and the mob was upon them. Dastan was pilloried until his trial, when the townsfolk found him guilty of taking another man’s wife, of abandoning his code, and of practicing forbidden worship. He was sentenced to die, and he did not object. Dastan was led to the gallows a broken man. He had nothing left to live for. As they fit the noose around his neck he looked up at the crowd one last time. Movement in the far alley caught his eye. A lithe, long necked cat crept from the shadows to sit patiently at the edge of the crowd, and the last thing Dastan saw was the wicked, self-satisfied gleam in its eyes.
ECL 5
Welcome to the rough and tumble life of the Hellcat. At 2HD you’re going to have to watch yourself. Duskblade makes for a strong opening argument, utility SLAS and two easily usable offensive spells. These are always nice, but will have a greater punch at these low levels. Feats are all tied up in terms of qualifying, but they can still help you out. Dragon tail deals 1d8 damage (you see where I’m going here) and you don’t need any essentia for it, so there’s little reason not to keep it shaped all the time. It doesn’t quite function exactly like a natural weapon, so talk with your DM about that strength bonus not turning into half when you use it as a secondary attack.

Now let’s talk Serval and Natural Lycanthrope. As per the entry, animal can’t be your first HD, so we’re applying it second even though this is a case of natural lycanthropy. Serval has many neat advantages. It’s small, so if you need stealth you can always shrink down for the bonus, but your hybrid stays medium. Because of the way feats break down, weapon finesse is a bonus feat, so yay free! Racial Bonus on sneaking helps, but the real interesting one is Jump. With a +8 bonus you’ll move around more easily. I’m assuming the ability to use Dex instead of Str on jump also applies, which pumps it even higher (which will come back later). Serval has the natural “stealth” like ability of being an unassuming cat, not abnormal to find wandering the wilderness or near towns, and cats staring at things isn’t out of the ordinary at all. Plus people won’t necessarily try to hunt them like wolves to protect livestock, so bonus. As a serval you can pounce, which is always fun, and the faster speed means you can charge and jump a good distance. Humorously, Dragon tail deals the same damage in any size, but I’d stick to medium shapes for most combat. At this point DR 10/silver will help more than you might think, but don’t lean on it too much.

Apprentice Woodsman is mostly here for skills, but it has a cute extra benefit which works with the class. It allows you to track whenever the DC is 20 or lower, which means you have Track for most situations, but also means you can use your Scent ability from Lycanthrope to track things by scent, which provides lower DCs in most cases. Whenever tracking do both to give yourself an extra chance to catch things.
ECL 10
Now that we actually have some more levels under the belt we can talk more fun tactics. At 7HD the difference is mattering less, but you still shouldn’t be reckless. You can talk about trading this Weapon Finesse away if you like, but I didn’t need to so I left it. In hybrid form your dex is high enough that you can probably afford do use power attack a bit, but don’t feel obligated (remember it can apply to nat attacks but not other light weapons). Vile Natural Attack is taken at the first opportunity, using the Dragon Tail, so you are qualified in any form.

Swashbuckler has a few neat tricks, and you harvest most of the good stuff in your 4 level foray. Full BA helps you qualify, different skills helps prepare you for the SI and your life in it. Grace won’t win the game, but it’s always on and it’s free so enjoy it. Insightful strike is the stronger argument, enjoy Int to damage with all finesse-able weapons (including nat attacks) with your strength mod. Seduce is the other reason we’re here, to provide the Hellcat’s modus operandi. Seduce uses bluff and some adult activities to extract information from people, the more you win by the less naughty you have to be (but having fun doesn’t interfere). Most importantly, it has flat DCs so if you juice your mod, you get the result, no argument.

Now that that’s done, welcome to the SI. We’ll be stopping in for a few levels, but at this point we only have the one. First your DC for curse of lycanthropy goes up, which we have to be natural to reap the benefit for. Wild items makes your life much easier, this way your gear doesn’t melt into your form when you change shape provided you attach the clasps, but little more spending is way better than not having access. The real bonus right now is Lycanthropic spell, meaning you can cast in hybrid (your default combat form from now on) or animal (making sneaking easier) forms. Remember when casting in animal it seems as if you’re just a cat meowing and batting at a fly, so you don’t look conspicuous.
ECL 15(Sweet Spot)
More levels in the SI, with a brief stopover in swordsage. We take up to 3 in the SI first for those sweet special attacks. We’ll first pickup wild empathy, which may not seem great, but you can use it to gather a group of cats to blend into when you need to disappear. Animal Aspect is I think best used for the big bonus to Dex when you have to do something Dex related (including jumps and some combat) in humanoid form, but it would increase your strength or con if you wanted to as well.

Now the main event: special attacks. Pounce, Improved Grab, and Rake are the three you get, and they’re all good. Pounce is as we all know pretty much necessary for most melee builds, and this one is no exception. Improved Grab triggers on your bite, and like most is for 1+ size category smaller. That’s where Earth Bloodline comes in! By adding enlarge person to your duskblade list, you can now make yourself large (cast it after changing to hybrid form) so you can grab medium foes and bring up your rakes.

Remember that the damage for those goes up just like your claws to d4 in hybrid form, d6 when Large. They’re for more damage when pouncing mostly, so don’t feel compelled to keep the grapple up in subsequent rounds. However if it’s the type of foe who would really be inconvenienced by the grapple and you can hold (like many spellcasters who aren’t prepared) then keep a hold and on subsequent rounds make 1 grapple check to deal bite damage, and follow up with the rakes. Remember, rakes still are natural attacks, so add Int to damage there, too.

Let’s take a break from the SI to discuss swordsage. I put the level here because I thought having natural attacks was a good pause point, but you can move it earlier and later, it doesn’t really alter the build. Swordsage’s maneuvers are the main interest here, but +1 to init and attack with tiger claw weapons (including your claws!) is always helpful.
As for the maneuvers, Distracting Ember flanks an enemy for you to use sneak attack on, Sudden Leap with your very high jump mod means you’re flying across the battlefield, Shadow Jaunt is straight up teleport when places are hard to reach with jumps, Cloak of Deception gives greater invisibility for quick sneaking and applying sneak attack, and Shadow Garrote is for when you want to smack someone from a distance. On an amusing note, you can execute maneuvers as a cat, so you can shadow garrote someone while hiding out or hanging out as a small cat (No one suspects the cat). Move quick once you do, since they’ll see the shadow flying off you. I’m pretty sure you can apply SA to the garrote itself.

Soaring Raptor Strike and Death from Above are similar. For both you make a jump check to deal bonus damage. Soaring Raptor needs an opponent larger than you and uses jump vs their AC, and Death from Above works on any, is jump check vs dc 20, and the opponent is flatfooted, so sneak attack. Use Soaring Raptor as a cat, and use Death from Above whenever you want (as soon as you get it at ECL 18)

As for stances, you have two to use, dance of the spider (always on spider climb) and assassin’s stance (always on 2d6 SA). They’re pretty straightforward, use the first for mobility and sneaking, use the second when it’s time to fight, it’ll make a full pounce a real damage dealer, and give you all the more reason to be stealthy.

Once out of swordsage we pick up higher DR, which still helps cushion in combat. This brings up another reason you would want to grapple. Your enemy might have a big ol’ silver greatsword in his bag, but that can only pierce your DR if he can use it! In a grapple everyone’s restricted to lights (and even then at a penalty except for you) and if your foe isn’t prepared they could very easily be trying to damage you with regular armor spikes or a dagger, which just won’t cut through DR 15/silver. Obviously it doesn’t apply to everybody, but you’d be surprised how many enemies aren’t prepared.

Improved Vile Natural Attack now is online, which (I hope) will bring this build together in a way that makes my madness make sense. As our chair has gracefully ruled, this vile damage applies to all natural attacks. That means the tail, claws, bite, and the rakes, because yes rakes are natural attacks. Much like precision damage, you want it to apply in as many vehicles as you can, so a full pounce becomes all the more devastating. You can now alter your combat strategy to more harassment, winnowing down health or light skirmishes, breaking off if it gets too heavy for you. The harder it is for your enemy to access consecrate or hallow, the longer you can make this process.
Vile damage on a rake has one more use, if you bear with me. While you’re using your seduce ability from swashbuckler and learning secrets, you’ll more likely than not engage in some… adult activities. If being locked in the passionate embrace of another isn’t grappling I don’t know what is. In seriousness, just start a grapple check if your DM says you need it, just start with the regular version, with a touch attack. Your enemy will be (ahem) unarmed, so they don’t threaten anyway. Anyway, once “grappling” make a quick shift to hybrid form, and hit your opponent with the rakes (you should hit against their unarmored AC) and pass them off as you just getting a little too enthusiastic. Your enemy is marked now if you want to shame them like in the story, or you could make several visits to shave off health, or if you’re confident, make several rakes in one session. Who knows, you might kill them then and there. The faster you can change the better this strategy becomes, so it’s a good thing the SI speeds that up.
ECL 20
Wrapping up the SI, Faster Change and then Quick Change make it very easy to switch forms, especially in combat, so use that at every opportunity. More vile damage on all your natural attacks mean you’re that much meaner and hit and run tactics become that much more viable.

Finally, your DR is now 15/magic and silver, which means enemies pretty much have to explicitly plan to go after you for them to do real damage when fighting you in a grapple, so use it to your every advantage.

At this point your DC for curse of Lycanthropy is a beefy 25, so you can spread it much more easily and cause a lot of havoc.

Sources
Serval: Sandstorm
Duskblade: Players Handbook II
Swashbuckler: Complete Warrior
Silverbrow Human, Dragon Tail: Dragon Magic
Shape Soulmeld: Magic of Incarnum
Apprentice: Dungeon Masters Guide II
Swordsage, Martial Study, Martial Stance, Maneuvers: Tome of Battle
Vile Natural Attack: Elder Evils
Seduction: Dead Levels II (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x)
Earth Bloodline: Dragon Compendium
All else: srd

[Heliomance]

False advertising - I'm not seeing any way he can use those tails to fly.



Tails

http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/sonic/images/6/60/Tails_SatAM.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/180?cb=20140808194418

Chaotic Evil Silverblood Human Were-Nifern
Barbarian 1 / Hexblade 4 / Cleric (Malar) 1 / Black Blood Hunter 10

Starting Abilities: STR 18, DEX 10, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 10, CHA 12
All lvl increases to STR
Lycanthropy WIS +2
Were-Nifern Adjustment: STR +6, DEX +4, CON +4
Final Abilities: STR 28, DEX 14, CON 18, INT 10, WIS 12, CHA 12



Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features



1st
Barbarian 1
+1
+2
+0
+0
Survival 4(4), Jump 4(4), Know(Nature) 2(4), Intimidate 4(4)
Multiattack, Dragon Tail, Willing Deformity(E)
Lion Totem(pounce), illiteracy, rage 1/day


2nd
Nifern Animal HD 1
+1
+4
+2
+0
Survival 5(1), Jump 4.5(1), Know(Nature)2, Intimidate 4
Track(B), Iron Will(B)



3rd
Nifern Animal HD 2
+2
+5
+3
+0
Survival 6(1), Jump 5(1), Know(Nature)2, Intimidate 4
Power Attack



4th
Level Adjustment 1
+2
+5
+3
+0
Survival 6, Jump 5, Know(Nature)2, Intimidate 4




5th
Level Adjustment 2
+2
+5
+3
+0
Survival 6, Jump 5, Know(Nature)2, Intimidate 4

Curse of Lycanthrope, Alternate Form, Damage Reduction 10/silver, Lycanthropic Empathy, Low-Light Vision, Scent



6th
Hexblade 1
+3
+5
+3
+2
Survival 6, Jump 6(2), Know(Nature)2, Intimidate 4

Hexblade's curse 1/day


7th
Hexblade 2
+4
+5
+3
+3
Survival 7(2), Jump 6, Know(Nature)2, Intimidate 4
Abominable Form(E)
Arcane resistance


8th
Hexblade 3
+5
+6
+4
+3
Survival 8(2), Jump 6, Know(Nature)2, Intimidate 4
Vile Natural Attack
Mettle


9th
Hexblade 4
+6
+6
+4
+4
Survival 9(2), Jump 6, Know(Nature)2, Intimidate 4

Dark Companion


10th
Cleric 1
+6
+8
+4
+6
Survival 9, Jump 6, Know(Nature)4(2), Intimidate 4
Strength Devotion(D)
Rebuke Undead, Animal domain


11th
Black Blood Hunter 1
+6
+10
+6
+6
Survival 10(1), Jump 7(1), Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 6(2)
Shape Soulmeld (Dragon Tail)
Greater curse of lycanthropy, lycanthropic spell, wild items


12th
Black Blood Hunter 2
+7
+11
+7
+6
Survival 11(1), Jump 8(1), Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 8(2)
Deformity(tall)(E)
Animal Aspect 1/day, wild empathy


13th
Black Blood Hunter 3
+8
+11
+7
+7
Survival 12(1), Jump 8, Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 9(1), Never outnumbered(2)

Improved hybrid form


14th
Black Blood Hunter 4
+9
+12
+8
+7
Survival 13(1), Jump 8, Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 12(3), Never outnumbered
Power Lunge
Animal Aspect 2/day, improved vile natural attack 1d4


15th
Black Blood Hunter 5
+9
+12
+8
+7
Survival 14(1), Jump 8, Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 15(3), Never outnumbered

Improved DR (+5/silver)


16th
Black Blood Hunter 6
+10
+13
+9
+8
Survival 16(2), Jump 8, Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 17(2), Never outnumbered

Animal Aspect 3/day, faster change


17th
Black Blood Hunter 7
+11
+13
+9
+8
Survival 18(2), Jump 9(1), Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 18(1), Never outnumbered
Bind Vestige, Deformity(skin)(E)



18th
Black Blood Hunter 8
+12
+14
+10
+8
Survival 19(1), Jump 11(2), Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 19(1), Never outnumbered

Animal Aspect 4/day, improved vile natural attack 1d6


19th
Black Blood Hunter 9
+12
+14
+10
+9
Survival 20(1), Jump 13(2), Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 20(1), Never outnumbered

Quick change


20th
Black Blood Hunter 10
+13
+15
+11
+9
Survival 21(1), Jump 15(2), Know(Nature)4, Intimidate 21(1), Never outnumbered
Improved Binding
Animal Aspect 4/day, improved DR (magic & silver)






Hexblade Spells per Day


Level
1st



9th-20th
0




Hexblade Spell list
1 - Detect Magic, Karmic Aura



Cleric Spells per Day


Level
0lvl
1st



10th-20th
3
1+1






Your standard Pounce Barbarian, but he is a were-Nifern which has 2 claws (1d6), bite (1d8), and sting (1d4 + poison(DC13 paralysis 1d10 round, 1d4 STR secondary)) which hit more often due to multiattack. He has an additional tail due to his draconic heritage and a bonus to intimidation from serving Zargon the Elder Evil.



He's picked up some levels in Hexblade to help shore up his resists, get the required BAB, and get a dark companion which help make his poison sting a little less unreliable. He also can gain a slam attack and increases the damage of all other natural weapons using Strength Devotion. He also gets an abominable form from serving Zargon which shake any creature with less HD and again helps his poison land more often.



He gets a third tail composed of incarnum and starts to get the fun SI abilities. He does some nice vile damage with his 7 natural attacks and usually stays in hybrid form which better displays his abominable form and still get his poison sting in that form. Power Lunge lets his charge damage increase to 2x STR rather than 1/2 STR on each attack at the cost of taking an attack of opportunity which could be partialy or fully mitigated with his +5ft reach from deformity(tall) and his improved DR. If he choses to use intimidate it now effect everyone within 10ft rather than just a single enemy he threatens.



He gets more vile damage on his attacks, improves his DR to magic, and gets another point of natural AC to stack with the 2 from lycanthropy. He can also now bind Focalor and stack Aura of Sadness with his other debuffs to make his sting and curse of lycanthropy land more often.



Greater curse of Lycanthropy - use debuffs and take all levels of SI so it afflicts more often.
Lycanthropic spell - only have a few spells per day, but while fighting in full animal from before Improved hybrid is available can self heal without changing forms.
Wild items - getting item effects in all forms is nice.
Animal aspect - truthfuly I see little use in this feature as he's spending most of his time in pure animal or hybrid form.
Wild empathy - I can have a little influence over all those foes I turned with my greater curse of lycanthropy.
Improved hybrid form - I can now stay in hybrid form most of the time and still get my sting attack, bonus to track, blindsight and hold breath abilities
Improved Vile natural attack - However you read this (applying to all natural attacks or only ones 1d8 +) I have 7 attacks per round (2 claws, bite, 3 tails, slam) which benefit from this extra, hard to heal damage
Improved DR - taking less damage is always good especialy when drawing attacks of opportunity on charges.
faster/quick change - great for those times when I'm tracking a foe and have to switch from sight to blindsight/scent or vise versa.




Complete Champion - Strength Devotion
Complete Scoundrel - Never outnumbered
Complete Warrior- Hexblade
Dragon Magic - Shape soulmeld(dragon tail)
Elder Evils - Serving and elder evil and vile feats
Ghostwalk - Power Lunge
Player's Handbook 2 - Dark companion
Races of the Dragon - Dragon tail
Serpent Kingdoms - Nifern
Tome of Magic - Bind Vestige, Improved Binding
Unearth Arcana - Lion Totem barbarian

[Heliomance]

And that appears to be everyone. Bigger round than we've had for a while - hopefully it doesn't scare off our judges!

[Thurbane]

So...the build I was tinkering with was Quasi-Lycanthrope Human Battle Dancer 4/Crusader 5/Black Blood Hunter 10. Using Able Learner, Apprentice (woodsman) and Knowledge Devotion to meet the skill reqs; and using the Battle Dancer's unarmed strike to qualify for Vile Natural Attack (although I'm not 100% sure that works by RAW?).

Other than that, it would have been a pretty bog standard Leap Attack build, with secondary focus on skills. Charisma focused to fuel AC bonus and Crusader abilities.

It really didn't make much use of the SI, to be honest...

...well done to all who got an entry in! http://www.giantitp.com/forums/images/sand/icons/icon_thumbsup.png

[Inevitability]

I briefly considered a were-horned lizard who somehow got damage-dealing blood (Monster of Legend seemed the easiest way) and could spray it infinite times per round at no harm to himself. However, it'd leave me only a few levels to use in the build, so I eventually just abandoned the concept.

[Sian]

tried getting a Dire Weasel+Souleater to work, but failed.

Bit surprised only 2 Warshapers ... guess Vizzini was strong

[Amphetryon]

EDIT: [redacted] to avoid influencing any judges.

[Thurbane]

Just out of curiosity (as I don't see any in the entries, unless I'm missing something) - would Quasilycanthrope (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a) actually satisfy the reqs for BBH?

My argument for the affirmative would be as follows:


Size and Type: The base creature's type does not change, but the creature gains the shapechanger subtype. The lycanthrope takes a few characteristics of some type of carnivorous or omnivorous creature of the animal type (referred to hereafter as the base animal).

[MisterKaws]

Welp, my count was spot-on, exactly nine weirdos builds.

I can guess nearly half of the competitors, though. Won't that be a problem for the judges?

[Deadline]

Welp, my count was spot-on, exactly nine weirdos builds.

I can guess nearly half of the competitors, though. Won't that be a problem for the judges?

Unlikely, and you'd be surprised at how many of your guesses might be wrong. Some of us will change up our submission template rather drastically every once in a while just to keep you on your toes. I've actually done it with two different submissions in the same round before. When you also add in the fact that we've shared submission templates around, it can sometimes be quite difficult to guess which entries belong to which chef.

At any rate, I'm delighted to see such remarkable variation, and to see that each one appears to be unique in its "weird" factor. Looks like plenty of delicious entries to read. Do we have any judges who have volunteered to step up? I think there was some rumbling to that effect earlier in the thread.

[Darrin]

I can guess nearly half of the competitors, though. Won't that be a problem for the judges?

I don't think so. Even when I think I have identified a chef, after the reveal I find that about half the time I guessed wrong. Even though my scoring criteria is more subjective, I like to think I give everybody the benefit of the doubt.

Also, I find it helps if I just tell myself that WhamBamSam submitted all the builds. That way, there's no favoritism, right?

My best idea was a were-cheetah using wild shape, Cheetah's Speed, Drunken Master, and Roof-Jumper to charge 100x, using Death From Above for 600ish-d6 damage. Only works once per hour. This was similar to my Zahnik Bhoom build. However... it works largely without Black Blood Hunter, and I couldn't really see how the secret ingredient improved it.

Another idea involved a were-bison and some Trample tricks. But the damage was very underwhelming. Still... Stampede (Ex) might have some interesting possibilities, but I hadn't quite worked out how to manage the random direction.


Do we have any judges who have volunteered to step up?

In a strange break from tradition, I have started judging before the actual judging deadline expires. I do not have an ECD to be vaguely noncommittal about yet.

I don't see any herbivores... so I am disappointed. I haven't quite decided how I feel about quasilycanthropes (haven't gotten to that build yet).

[Sian]

I was looking at making a Fleshraker, but vizzinied myself out of it...

[daremetoidareyo]

I kept on trying to find a way to pimp out entomothrope.
My three main contenders were

ectoplasmic vermin from ghostwalk: Made of ectoplasm. But I couldn't figure out how to use that. They aren't ghosts per se so i couldn't put ghost feats onto them. I wound up with spit venom, deadly spittle, and improved spit used to generate a 30' cone of ectoplasmic contact poison...which I couldn't figure out how to use for anything...except ghost hunting.

hoard scarab from the dragonomicon: that burrow ability is amazing

leechwalker from MM2: blood drinking ability.

[Deadline]

I kept on trying to find a way to pimp out entomothrope.

I feel you. I had a couple of ideas for something like a "King of the Ettercaps" and a "Were-phase spider" type deal, but neither of them really went anywhere interesting. That Hoard Scarab idea is neat, but the whole "destroyed by any effect that would cure a disease" thing seems problematic.

[daremetoidareyo]

I feel you. I had a couple of ideas for something like a "King of the Ettercaps" and a "Were-phase spider" type deal, but neither of them really went anywhere interesting. That Hoard Scarab idea is neat, but the whole "destroyed by any effect that would cure a disease" thing seems problematic.

I was thinking divine counterspell cleric and caster level boosting shenanigans...

[Deadline]

I was thinking divine counterspell cleric and caster level boosting shenanigans...

That's surprisingly difficult to squeeze in with all the other things you need for this SI and still have room left over for the SI. It looks like several chefs ran into that issue this round. It's a surprisingly strict set of entry requirements, even if you limit yourself to low RHD animals. The fact that Animal HD only give medium BAB certainly gave me fits.

The dishes look pretty great so far, although honestly it feels like this ingredient is like a fish fillet filled with bones. Even if we think we've gotten them all, one is likely to get through and lodge in the judges throat. Still, I have to applaud my fellow chefs, the creativity alone that is on display this round is pretty fantastic. :smallbiggrin:

[MisterKaws]

That's surprisingly difficult to squeeze in with all the other things you need for this SI and still have room left over for the SI. It looks like several chefs ran into that issue this round. It's a surprisingly strict set of entry requirements, even if you limit yourself to low RHD animals. The fact that Animal HD only give medium BAB certainly gave me fits.

Though in exchange, we do get a lot more freedom of choice and customization with this ingredient than we would get with Risen Martyr or something like that. I think that's why there are so many entries too. I was waiting for a long time for an ingredient that had so much customization to enter the contest for my first time, and I was really upset that Legacy Champion - the one thing that triggered my creativity - came at such a bad time. At least I managed to squeeze the time this round, even though college is just as bad right now.

[Heliomance]

Tails has asked to withdraw on grounds of using 3.0 lycanthropy rather than 3.5. Personally I'm of the opinion that going to the effort of entering a build deserves feedback even if the build is illegal.

[Thurbane]

Tails has asked to withdraw on grounds of using 3.0 lycanthropy rather than 3.5. Personally I'm of the opinion that going to the effort of entering a build deserves feedback even if the build is illegal.

I'd concur - a lot of work has gone into that build.

Sure, the judges are likely to ding it for using the wrong edition lycanthrope rules, but I personally feel it's still a worthy entry.

[Sian]

... wait, the lycanthrope rules are significantly different between 3 and 3.5? ... how?

[MisterKaws]

... wait, the lycanthrope rules are significantly different between 3 and 3.5? ... how?

From what I'm seeing, 3.5's got an increased LA, because balance.

I'd say keep it, though. As long as that's the only mistake, it can still get quite a nice score.

I'll discuss more about it after the round is over, because any more could influence the judges.

[The Viscount]

Tweaked LA and same DR for natural and afflicted, from what I can see.

I agree that Tails should be able to stay.

[Amphetryon]

Is it my imagination, or have folks been announcing which build isn't theirs?

[daremetoidareyo]

Is it my imagination, or have folks been announcing which build isn't theirs?

They can self advocate in the thread and sabotage themselves versus PM if they have nerves after reading how RAW compliant the rest of the entries are.

[Darrin]

From what I'm seeing, 3.5's got an increased LA, because balance.


Tails still has LA +2, so it's the equivalent of an afflicted lycanthrope. So that would mean Black Blood Hunter requires 8 ranks in Control Shape, but I don't really see that as a serious flaw. (I got the gold last round with an "illegal" build. It happens.) It might make a difference if my initial scoring winds up tied with another build and I'm looking for a tie-breaker. I'd say keep the build in as-is, and I'll score it with the benefit of the doubt.

[MisterKaws]

Is it my imagination, or have folks been announcing which build isn't theirs?

Pretty much. There's enough builds here to still hide their identities, even if it did nearly confirm my guess on that build's owner.

[WhamBamSam]

I had thought all my ideas were too close to my actual build to post, but it turns out I did have something that was unrelated and no one else did it.

Strongheart Halfling Were-Tiny Viper Pouncebarian 1/Battle Dancer 4 with Improved Natural Attack (Unarmed Strike) can take Vile Natural Attack as an Elder Evil feat at its 5th HD (ECL 7 or 8 with the 1/4 HD of the tiny viper rounding down). In fact any 5 levels of full BAB that can meet the skill requirements should work with Power Attack and Improved Natural Attack (Unarmed Strike) at 1st level and Superior Unarmed Strike at 3rd.

I couldn't really think of what to actually do with the early entry besides full attack with some poison and vile damage though, and even Afflicted Lycanthrope LA prevents it from reaching 16 BAB because Black Blood Hunter has medium BAB for some ungodly reason, so I didn't bother pursuing the idea.

I had one other trick that I considered as well, but decided to save it for a different ingredient.

[Troacctid]

From what I'm seeing, 3.5's got an increased LA, because balance.

I'd say keep it, though. As long as that's the only mistake, it can still get quite a nice score.

I'll discuss more about it after the round is over, because any more could influence the judges.
LA wasn't a thing in 3.0. You just weren't supposed to play monsters.

I believe the alternate form ability worked differently under 3.0 rules. Also, the damage reduction was higher. Probably some other differences too. You can find the 3.0 version here (http://www.dragon.ee/30srd/monsters_templates.htm).

[MisterKaws]

LA wasn't a thing in 3.0. You just weren't supposed to play monsters.

I believe the alternate form ability worked differently under 3.0 rules. Also, the damage reduction was higher. Probably some other differences too. You can find the 3.0 version here (http://www.dragon.ee/30srd/monsters_templates.htm).

I'm comparing them, and his lycanthrope just looks like a normal were-nifern with -1 buyoff.

[Thurbane]

Just out of curiosity (as I don't see any in the entries, unless I'm missing something) - would Quasilycanthrope (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a) actually satisfy the reqs for BBH?

My argument for the affirmative would be as follows:


Size and Type: The base creature's type does not change, but the creature gains the shapechanger subtype. The lycanthrope takes a few characteristics of some type of carnivorous or omnivorous creature of the animal type (referred to hereafter as the base animal).

Any thoughts? Would quasilycanthropehave been a legal entry?

[Troacctid]

Any thoughts? Would quasilycanthropehave been a legal entry?
Quasilycanthropes are not actually lycanthropes.

When a latent quasilycanthrope is exposed to the curse of lycanthropy and fails its saving throw (see the Lycanthrope entry in the Monster Manual), it does not become an actual lycanthrope; instead, its quasilycanthrope abilities emerge.

[MisterKaws]

Any thoughts? Would quasilycanthropehave been a legal entry?

Well, even if they have "Quasi" on their names, they still have "Lycanthrope".

You'd be hammered into pieces for not qualifying to use a good chunk of the class features, though.

[Thurbane]

Yeah, that's pretty much what I figured - either it would be legal, but unable to use a bunch of BBH features; or ruled entirely unable to meet reqs for the SI.

I was trying to weigh up only having LA +1 as an upside - but since I had to eat 4 level of Battle Dancer to qualify for Vile Natural Attack without losing BAB, that only left 5 levels to play with (if I wanted to complete BBH).

All in all, aside from not having the time IRL to format an entry, I wasn't overly happy with the build...

[The Viscount]

While our judges look over the builds, what does everyone think of Fang of Sseth as an ingredient? Entry isn't too hard, and it offers some abilities to work with. It's more playable than some of our other ingredients, but I think it's still difficult enough to be interesting.

[Sian]

While our judges look over the builds, what does everyone think of Fang of Sseth as an ingredient? Entry isn't too hard, and it offers some abilities to work with. It's more playable than some of our other ingredients, but I think it's still difficult enough to be interesting.

Obscure Setting book, when we have recently have had a lot of setting-specific classes ... I'm inclined to say no thanks :p

[MisterKaws]

While our judges look over the builds, what does everyone think of Fang of Sseth as an ingredient? Entry isn't too hard, and it offers some abilities to work with. It's more playable than some of our other ingredients, but I think it's still difficult enough to be interesting.

I think it's kinda too bland, and we did get two really bland classes in a row before this round, both of which had nearly no entries, so I don't really think it's a good idea.

[Thurbane]

While our judges look over the builds, what does everyone think of Fang of Sseth as an ingredient? Entry isn't too hard, and it offers some abilities to work with. It's more playable than some of our other ingredients, but I think it's still difficult enough to be interesting.

Peronally - I'd love to see this as an ingredient. As with BBH, I'm not normally a huge fan of FR specific PrCs, but I do love "monstrous" PrCs. Although I see you can enter as a stock standard human, though...

However, as it has a few similarities in theme to BBH, maybe wait a few rounds first.

I'm just gonna throw Dragon Samurai (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20030906c) out there again, since I don't think anyone can actually make a dish out of it that wouldn't be better off without it - a true challenge! :smallbiggrin:

[Amphetryon]

I don't think Fang of Sseth is bland - to my way of thinking, the current ingredient is less innately flavorful than the FoSs - but that 8th level ability is a poorly-worded nightmare.

[Thurbane]

I don't think Fang of Sseth is bland - to my way of thinking, the current ingredient is less innately flavorful than the FoSs - but that 8th level ability is a poorly-worded nightmare.

Hmm, hadn't noticed that.

Way it's worded, it would seem to be a one-shot ability, that lasts 8 hours and then it's gone.

If you were to rule it as a 1/day ability, it's a bit overpowered. It's like Darkstalker + HiPS on steroids.

Although, you would be ECL 15 by the time it came online, so maybe it's reasonable as a 1/day deal.

[MisterKaws]

I don't think Fang of Sseth is bland - to my way of thinking, the current ingredient is less innately flavorful than the FoSs - but that 8th level ability is a poorly-worded nightmare.

I say it's bland in that there's not a lot of space for customization. Just like Risen Martyr(peaceful guy who's immune to everything) and Great Rift Skyguard(Crazy Skydiving Dwarf), Fang of Sseth has only one path to take: sneak-attacking snake-dude. Of course, there are plenty of ways to optimize Sneak Attack, and even more ways to optimize Poison Use(I'm looking at you, Mr. Muschi), they will all come down to really the same thing. Actually, in mentioning that build, I just recalled that there were three or four rounds where the SI was pretty much just a different flavored version of this class. I think it could be interesting to see how people would come up with something original to do this one, but I'm afraid that it would cause people to flee, and turn it into another five-person round.

I think that for now, we should try and get something in a middle ground, not as customizable as this mess, but also not something with a complete lack of customization potential.

[WhamBamSam]

While our judges look over the builds, what does everyone think of Fang of Sseth as an ingredient? Entry isn't too hard, and it offers some abilities to work with. It's more playable than some of our other ingredients, but I think it's still difficult enough to be interesting.


Obscure Setting book, when we have recently have had a lot of setting-specific classes ... I'm inclined to say no thanks :pIf we were to go for another setting-specific PrC, I'd rather see Bayushi Deceiver. There's nothing all that wrong with Fang of Sseth apart from Enhanced Ranged Attacks and Serpent Shape not really jiving together, but nor is there anything all that right with it apart from the super invisibility which I read as an at-will SLA that you just have after experiencing the dream.

I'll take this opportunity to echo my standard refrain of Beast Heart Adept, Elocater, and Rage Mage and add Oozemaster, Eye of Gruumsh, Defiant, and Doomlord.

[daremetoidareyo]

Peronally - I'd love to see this as an ingredient. As with BBH, I'm not normally a huge fan of FR specific PrCs, but I do love "monstrous" PrCs. Although I see you can enter as a stock standard human, though...

However, as it has a few similarities in theme to BBH, maybe wait a few rounds first.

I'm just gonna throw Dragon Samurai (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20030906c) out there again, since I don't think anyone can actually make a dish out of it that wouldn't be better off without it - a true challenge! :smallbiggrin:

Anyone wanna sidebet for highest breathweapon damage?

[WhamBamSam]

I'd be down for Dragon Samurai, though how worthwhile the class ends up being depends largely on certain rules clarifications.

[MisterKaws]

Anyone wanna sidebet for highest breathweapon damage?

It's a 1/day nova with no metabreath compatibility; I'd be surprised if someone managed to scavenge something good out of that trash.

[WhamBamSam]

It's a 1/day nova with no metabreath compatibility; I'd be surprised if someone managed to scavenge something good out of that trash.I'd prefer to avoid speculation, but there's at least one workaround to each of those issues, possibly more depending on rules interpretations.

[Inevitability]

I'm still hoping for Yathrinshee. I suppose it'd be cruel even by IC standards, though...

[MisterKaws]

I'd prefer to avoid speculation, but there's at least one workaround to each of those issues, possibly more depending on rules interpretations.

I do know most of them from my time optimizing Karcerers and DFA's, but still, doing most of them is just asking for an elegance penalty.


I'm still hoping for Yathrinshee. I suppose it'd be cruel even by IC standards, though...

That class is reasonably good, though. You can still get 8th-level spells with no cheese, and even more if you don't mind triggering a lactose-intolerant judge.

[WhamBamSam]

I do know most of them from my time optimizing Karcerers and DFA's, but still, doing most of them is just asking for an elegance penalty.The workaround to the 1/day issue that I'm certain works isn't inelegant at all in and of itself, though it might lead me to do other, less elegant things. Metabreath workarounds are inherently a bit cheesy, but they're also pretty much a permanent fixture of all DFA optimization.

[The Viscount]

If we were to go for another setting-specific PrC, I'd rather see Bayushi Deceiver. There's nothing all that wrong with Fang of Sseth apart from Enhanced Ranged Attacks and Serpent Shape not really jiving together, but nor is there anything all that right with it apart from the super invisibility which I read as an at-will SLA that you just have after experiencing the dream.

I'll take this opportunity to echo my standard refrain of Beast Heart Adept, Elocater, and Rage Mage and add Oozemaster, Eye of Gruumsh, Defiant, and Doomlord.

I'm not saying Fang of Sseth has to be the next ingredient, just putting it out there. I'd readily cook with any and all of the above ingredients listed here.

Dragon Shaman is horrid, but I'd want to find something to do with it.

On the subject of Yathrinshee, I would rather we not have that. It's too close to true necromancer, and it's not going to allow almost any variety in the build (5 levels divine class, 3 levels arcane class, 10 levels SI, 2 LA, race locked), and the notable class features (threnody and curse of the revenancer) need to be clarified to work, and the latter of which brings the class down enormously without a DM gift.

[Thurbane]

Yikes - Yathrinshee has so many reqs!

Still, I have a a (very inelgant) build in mind I could put in for it. :smallwink:

[WhamBamSam]

I'm not saying Fang of Sseth has to be the next ingredient, just putting it out there. I'd readily cook with any and all of the above ingredients listed here.

Dragon Shaman is horrid, but I'd want to find something to do with it.Fair enough. I could see it being an okay round at some point, though MisterKaws might be right about it being too confining for a particularly diverse round.

I actually think that Dragon Samurai might not be that bad depending on certain rules interpretations.


On the subject of Yathrinshee, I would rather we not have that. It's too close to true necromancer, and it's not going to allow almost any variety in the build (5 levels divine class, 3 levels arcane class, 10 levels SI, 2 LA, race locked), and the notable class features (threnody and curse of the revenancer) need to be clarified to work, and the latter of which brings the class down enormously without a DM gift.Well, we'd all use some LA+0 Drow variety (there are, what, five?) and be messing around with early entry shenanigans (which are actually less questionable than usual for Yathrinshee due to the way the casting prereqs work). I'm not terribly enthused about it either, but it wouldn't be so bad as all that.

Threnody is indeed somewhat poorly written, and I'd want some clarification with regard to Curse of the Revenancer, though I don't see what's so crippling about it on its face.

[Bucky]

Given the prerequisites, Yathrinshee looks to me like there's one obvious build that's just too good not to use at least 16/20 ECL of.

[Sian]

I kinda hope that the next dish is simple and flexible... the last many SI's have been very strict prerequsites in theme and/or style

[Heliomance]

I'm thinking next round I might give you an actually decent PrC to play with. I know! Madness! What am I thinking?!

[Thurbane]

I kinda hope that the next dish is simple and flexible... the last many SI's have been very strict prerequsites in theme and/or style

That's a good point, too.

On the plus side, Dragon Samurai reqs are pretty easy (BAB +5, Knowledge [arcana] 2 ranks)! :P

[MisterKaws]

I'm thinking next round I might give you an actually decent PrC to play with. I know! Madness! What am I thinking?!

It had to come to this, sooner or later.

Remember, in 500 or so rounds, we will have no choice but to do Ur Priest...

[Inevitability]

It had to come to this, sooner or later.

Remember, in 500 or so rounds, we will have no choice but to do Ur Priest...

In 500 or so rounds, we'll be either old or dead. Probably dead. :smalltongue:

And yes, I did the math.

[MisterKaws]

In 500 or so rounds, we'll be either old or dead. Probably dead. :smalltongue:

And yes, I did the math.

I'd be on my 60s, so I'll be patiently waiting for it.

[Zaq]

I'm sure that Dragon Samurai will curse these halls someday, but I'm not looking forward to that day. I hardly need to say why, of course. (It's SO BLAND. You can't do ANYTHING INTERESTING AT ALL with it. And the rules are a nightmare that are just begging for inconsistent interpretations.)

It's been a while since we've had a weird Tome of Magic SI. Are most of the remaining ones either too good or too narrow to be interesting? I know a lot of them fail as SIs because there's not enough different ways of entering them (or not enough ways of doing unique things once you've entered), but I do generally like seeing what we come up with.

There's a handful of possible ingredients in the 3.0 "guidebook to" collection. Masters of the Wild, in particular, has some weird ones; I'd love to see Bane of Infidels, though the fact that it requires Leadership as a prereq makes it effectively off-limits. King/Queen of the Wild has a little bit of variety to it. Tamer of Beasts would require some adjudication (given that Animal Friendship isn't a spell anymore), but it's kind of crazy just because I've never seen a class offer 3/10 casting advancement before.

[Deadline]

I'm sure that Dragon Samurai will curse these halls someday, but I'm not looking forward to that day. I hardly need to say why, of course. (It's SO BLAND. You can't do ANYTHING INTERESTING AT ALL with it. And the rules are a nightmare that are just begging for inconsistent interpretations.)

Don't you remember the Cipher Adept round? That's about as bland an ingredient as you can get, and I've never quite seen such variety in the dishes. It was amazing.

[Troacctid]

Tamer of Beasts was revised for 3.5 in Complete Adventurer and renamed Beastmaster.

[Sian]

... Do we actually have any announced judges?

[erok0809]

... Do we actually have any announced judges?

Darrin said he'd begun judging not too long after the builds were posted.

[daremetoidareyo]

My votes are for elocator and or thrall of juiblex. I don't even have anything planned.

[MisterKaws]

My votes are for elocator and or thrall of juiblex. I don't even have anything planned.

Elocator would make for a great SI to work with, but Thrall of Jubilex is just too versatile by itself, and we can't have that on a SI.

[daremetoidareyo]

arcane duelist then (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20030224a)?

[Troacctid]

Swiftblade is way cooler than Arcane Duelist.

[Inevitability]

Swiftblade is way cooler than Arcane Duelist.

Well duh, that's why we can't pick it. :smalltongue:

[MisterKaws]

Well duh, that's why we can't pick it. :smalltongue:

Heliomance did say we'd have a decent class for the next round...

[Sian]

Heliomance did say we'd have a decent class for the next round...

Decent ≠ Good

[MisterKaws]

Decent ≠ Good

Can you please stop crushing my dreams?

[Sian]

Can you please stop crushing my dreams?

Sure ... as soon as there's no more dreams to crush :smalltongue:

[Inevitability]

Sure ... as soon as there's no more dreams to crush :smalltongue:

Drop a Sphere of Annihilation in a Well of Many Worlds, watch as the multiverse (including Dal Quor/Plane of Dreams) is slowly annihilated.

Six seconds before everything ends, use Time Hop, just to see where you end up.

[Amphetryon]

Drop a Sphere of Annihilation in a Well of Many Worlds, watch as the multiverse (including Dal Quor/Plane of Dreams) is slowly annihilated.

Six seconds before everything ends, use Time Hop, just to see where you end up.

Are you trying to make an Epic Zerth Cenobite?

[The Viscount]

Sure ... as soon as there's no more dreams to crush :smalltongue:

So am I to take that as a vote for a round where we have to use both Nightmare Spinner and Dread Witch?

You know, now that I've said it, that seems like it might work, right? They both have a similar features, and both are nice but not great.

[Sian]

So am I to take that as a vote for a round where we have to use both Nightmare Spinner and Dread Witch?

You know, now that I've said it, that seems like it might work, right? They both have a similar features, and both are nice but not great.

Dread Witch is probably the better of the two, but gaining Spirit Chill from Nightmare Spinner gives a bit more kick to Dread Witch

[Inevitability]

So am I to take that as a vote for a round where we have to use both Nightmare Spinner and Dread Witch?

You know, now that I've said it, that seems like it might work, right? They both have a similar features, and both are nice but not great.

I'd be open for having to use two 5-level classes rather than one 10-level class, as long as the prerequisites don't get too harsh.

[Sian]

If they thematically and mechanically fits well enough together ... I think one (or two?) of the Junkyards used dart boards for picking 5lvl classes, and that didn't go overly well.

[WhamBamSam]

If they thematically and mechanically fits well enough together ... I think one (or two?) of the Junkyards used dart boards for picking 5lvl classes, and that didn't go overly well.The one that I presided over (Ordained Champion/Earth Dreamer) was a pair of classes that I thought did fit together, and people still didn't like it.

I think if people want pairs of 5 level classes, someone should try starting up Junkyard Wars again.

[Sian]

Ordained Champion/Earth Dreamer was by far the least glaring of the two bites at that apple, I give you that. But I'll probably agree that it would be better suited to either a restarted Junkyards, or perhaps a new variant without the "Don't Use".

That said, even if most/all of the low-hanging fruits have been picked I would really love if someone was willing to pick up Zinc Saucier as i really miss building that kind of builds, and frankly consider them better suited for my building skills ... Villainous competition is nice, don't get me wrong, but Its far to heavily grounded in making a strong fluff piece for my taste, and other than that we don't really have any variants going atm.

[Zaq]

So am I to take that as a vote for a round where we have to use both Nightmare Spinner and Dread Witch?

You know, now that I've said it, that seems like it might work, right? They both have a similar features, and both are nice but not great.

I played a character once in an actual game who was meant to be a Sorc/Dread Witch/Nightmare Spinner, but the game fell apart before I could actually take the Nightmare Spinner levels. Theoretically, it's not that bad; you do lose 2 caster levels, which sucks hardcore (especially because the classes encourage you to be CHA-based), but they're still nearly full casting classes with semi-interesting features and tolerable prereqs. The two classes don't actually have a whole ton of synergy (especially considering that NS's immunity to fear prevents you from using DW's Absorb Fear, unless you're scaring yourself through Greater Master of Terror, not that that's worthwhile), but in a game that's sufficiently of low power to have you not be completely ruined by losing 2 CL, they're flavorful enough that they're likely to be fun, especially if your GM takes the generous reading of Greater Master of Terror (by which I mean that it breaks general mind-affecting immunity, with regard to fear, in addition to specific fear immunity).

Neither is a great class, make no mistake, but they're fun classes even if they aren't top-tier in terms of sheer effectiveness.

[Thurbane]

...if anyone is looking for another competion while we wait for the judging etc., the New Villainous Competition is up: Villainous Competition XIV: The Thing That Should Not Be (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?496091) :smallbiggrin:

http://i68.tinypic.com/2e16pmv.jpg

[Darrin]

Darrin said he'd begun judging not too long after the builds were posted.

So... Here's the thing. I got one entry done, then was busy making sure 14 cub scouts didn't do anything really dangerous for four days, two days making sure work could live without me, and now I'm on vacation with family for two weeks. I thought I'd get more judging done somewhere in there, but that didn't happen. Access to the Internet is mostly available, but the family tends to get annoyed if I huddle over a computer for several hours rather than be sociable. I'll do what I can for the next two weeks, but it will be sporadic. I'll give an update towards the end of the week, but if some other judge wants to weigh in, please do so.

If you all want to start the next round on schedule, I have no objection.

[daremetoidareyo]

So... Here's the thing. I got one entry done, then was busy making sure 14 cub scouts didn't do anything really dangerous for four days, two days making sure work could live without me, and now I'm on vacation with family for two weeks. I thought I'd get more judging done somewhere in there, but that didn't happen. Access to the Internet is mostly available, but the family tends to get annoyed if I huddle over a computer for several hours rather than be sociable. I'll do what I can for the next two weeks, but it will be sporadic. I'll give an update towards the end of the week, but if some other judge wants to weigh in, please do so.

If you all want to start the next round on schedule, I have no objection.

Live your life to the fullest on your vacation. If that includes making the entrants wait, so be it. Vacations are special and so is family time and both yield such significant downstream rewards as compared to iron chef judging punctuality.

At least that's how I see it.

[MisterKaws]

So... Here's the thing. I got one entry done, then was busy making sure 14 cub scouts didn't do anything really dangerous for four days, two days making sure work could live without me, and now I'm on vacation with family for two weeks. I thought I'd get more judging done somewhere in there, but that didn't happen. Access to the Internet is mostly available, but the family tends to get annoyed if I huddle over a computer for several hours rather than be sociable. I'll do what I can for the next two weeks, but it will be sporadic. I'll give an update towards the end of the week, but if some other judge wants to weigh in, please do so.

If you all want to start the next round on schedule, I have no objection.

It's not like we'd expect punctual judging after so many late ones. Just enjoy your vacation; the competitors can wait.

[Sian]

So, Heliomance ... How do the contest proceed from now? stuff it in the fridge until Darrin finish judging at his RL-dependent pace, or start another one that doesn't end until the regular 2 weeks AND the judging for this is done?

[Thurbane]

I'd say give it a bit longer for Darrin and/or to see if a new judge volunteers before the next comp.

[Deadline]

I'd say give it a bit longer for Darrin and/or to see if a new judge volunteers before the next comp.

Agreed. Part of me wonders if the reason we are having worse judging turnout on these is because we roll to the next without finishing the one we're on. Maybe more folks would step up to judge if they knew that the next ingredient wouldn't be coming out until the current one is judged?

It's probably more likely that this time of year has lots of competing priorities for people, but I'm frankly surprised that we haven't seen more new judges. It's time consuming, sure, but it's not really any harder than cooking a dish. Give it a try, most of the Chefs don't bite! :smallbiggrin:

[Heliomance]

Agreed. Part of me wonders if the reason we are having worse judging turnout on these is because we roll to the next without finishing the one we're on. Maybe more folks would step up to judge if they knew that the next ingredient wouldn't be coming out until the current one is judged?

It's probably more likely that this time of year has lots of competing priorities for people, but I'm frankly surprised that we haven't seen more new judges. It's time consuming, sure, but it's not really any harder than cooking a dish. Give it a try, most of the Chefs don't bite! :smallbiggrin:

I don't remember the last time we rolled to the next one without waiting for the judging. Waiting for the judge has been the standard for quite a long time now.

[Deadline]

I don't remember the last time we rolled to the next one without waiting for the judging. Waiting for the judge has been the standard for quite a long time now.

Ah, my mistake then. I must be confusing it with the spinoffs (Junkyard Wars and the like). *sigh* Looks like senility is starting early for me.

On the bright side, I've already got a nice shaded porch where I can sit and yell at the neighborhood kids. It's even within reach of my garden hose too. Losing my mind never looked so good. :smallwink:

[KrimsonNekros]

Ah, my mistake then. I must be confusing it with the spinoffs (Junkyard Wars and the like). *sigh* Looks like senility is starting early for me.

On the bright side, I've already got a nice shaded porch where I can sit and yell at the neighborhood kids. It's even within reach of my garden hose too. Losing my mind never looked so good. :smallwink:

please Deadline everyone know that crotchety old men chase kids off their lawn with a cane.

[MisterKaws]

please Deadline everyone know that crotchety old men chase kids off their lawn with a cane.

Lazy old men use ranged weaponry.

[Sian]

Lazy old men use ranged weaponry.

A cane is a ranged weapon, if you're going Bloodstorm blade ... or are willing to eat the penalty for improvised weapon use

[Thurbane]

A cane is a ranged weapon, if you're going Bloodstorm blade ... or are willing to eat the penalty for improvised weapon use

Clubs have a range increment. :smallwink:

[Heliomance]

How goes the judging?

[Darrin]

How goes the judging?

Working on 2/9. I'm still on vacation, haven't had much of a chance to be judgemental (outside of dealing with family members). When I get back to Cleveland... I'd say I hope to have things wrapped up around Wednesdayish.

[Sian]

Wednesday'ish as in the 17th?

[Darrin]

Wednesday'ish as in the 17th?

Yeah, sorry. Forgot it was Tuesday.

[MisterKaws]

Yeah, sorry. Forgot it was Tuesday.

I'm glad I didn't get hyped for tomorrow.

[Sian]

Any progress update Darrin?

[MisterKaws]

I'm glad I didn't get hyped for today either.

Jokes aside, I think the builds proved to be longer than Darrin thought, or something came up and he couldn't judge them all on time. Not like one or two days will make much of a difference to any of us at this point, though.

[Darrin]

Jokes aside, I think the builds proved to be longer than Darrin thought, or something came up and he couldn't judge them all on time. Not like one or two days will make much of a difference to any of us at this point, though.

I'm at 4/9. Getting back up to speed after vacation took me longer than I thought. At my current pace... I'm trying to hit Friday.

[Deadline]

I'm at 4/9. Getting back up to speed after vacation took me longer than I thought. At my current pace... I'm trying to hit Friday.

Thanks for the update Darrin, I appreciate it and eagerly await your scores!

[Darrin]

I'm at 6/9, so the end here might be in sight. Maybe tomorrow, but more likely Sunday.

[MisterKaws]

So... Monday?

Maybe not?

[Darrin]

So... Monday?

Pretty much.

My most sincere apologies that it took me so long. Thank you all for being so understanding, well beyond the limits of reasonable patience and good manners.

Lycanthropolypse: 12.5

Originality: 5

Wha... I don't even... Huh. Yes, I'd say things got weird.


Power: 2

My main concern is you spend most of your career trying to emulate being a lycanthrope, when most other lycanthropes get the template early on and thus benefit from all the advantages (particularly the damage reduction) much earlier in their careers. The bulk of your power comes from Weretouched Master, notably the bear form's +16 bonus to Strength, so I'm presuming you either are not aware of the errata that nerfed this or are deliberately ignoring it. The other issue with the errata is it made some significant changes to Alternate Form:



At 5th level, a weretouched master can, as a swift action, assume the animal form related to his lycanthrope heritage (the same animal selected at 1st level). By spending two daily uses of his shifting ability, the weretouched can transform into animal form as if using the polymorph spell on himself, except that the duration is a number of rounds equal to the duration of the weretouched master’s shifting. The weretouched master doesn’t gain any of the normal benefits granted by shifting while this ability is active, and the weretouched master can’t use this ability at the same time that he is shifting. Only the specific animal form indicated for the lycanthrope heritage (see below) can be assumed.


Emphasis added to bolded portions. If we follow this errata, then you don't get a hybrid form, and you don't get an animal form, either, since you need two daily uses for shifting and you only have one. Fortunately for you, whoever wrote this errata was an idiot, and thus we're just going to ignore it and use Weretouched Master as it appears in the original text. This still leaves us with a few questions about Alternate Form, or more specifically: how many times can you use it, and how long does it last? The text says, "Instead of using his normal shifting ability, he can shift into animal form..." so my initial thought was it only lasts as many rounds as your normal shifting would. However, the exact wording is "instead of", so Alternate Form is replacing your shifting, and is not just another use of your shifting ability. There's no duration listed for Alternate Form, so we go to the default Monster Manual entry, and that doesn't list a duration either. You can only shift 1/day as per Bloodclaw Master 1, but it lasts however long you like.

Your signature "trick" appears to be stacking Animal Aspect with the ability score increases from Weretouched Master's Alternate Form. However, this doesn't work by RAW, as Animal Aspect can only be used in humanoid form, and Alternate Form switches into either your animal or hybrid form. If you do manage to convince the DM to let this stack (maybe by activating Animal Aspect, shifting in to hybrid form, and ignoring the "while in humanoid form" wording), then the 45ish Str makes you an undoubtedly impressive beatstick. Outside of combat, you've got some minor utility, but not a lot: jumping, foraging, healing, some minor druid casting, a few basic Tiger Claw maneuvers, and blindsense 30'. While these are certainly useful at lower levels, their "oomph" fades quite a bit at the higher levels.


Elegance: 2

Qualifying issues... boy howdy! Racial Emulation lets you count as a Shifter to get into Weretouched Master, but where's your shifter feat? Hmmm... I'm not sure if Improved Natural Attack qualifies, as it has the [general] tag but not the tag. However, ECS page 55 says "A shifter may select Improved Natural Attack as a shifter feat." Huh. Ok, works for me. You do get Shifter Multiattack later... this is kinda iffy, as you don't have the longtooth or razorclaw trait, although I suppose that's what Bloodclaw Master 1 is for. Text for BCM1 and razorclaw... hmm, close enough I suppose.

Dragonmark issues: While Racial Emulation may allow you to count as a halfling, Least Dragonmark has an additonal requirement: "Member of appropriate dragonmarked race and house." (Emphasis added.) You are not a member of House Jorasco. And yes, I can see that you've got something in your backstory about killing a dragonmarked halfling and grafting the flesh onto your body... but even if you had something like the Graft Flesh feat, I don't see anything in the text that would allow a dragonmark to function when transferred to a new creature. In fact, this would disagree with what we know about dragonmarks being linked to specific bloodlines. But there is a larger qualification issue here: Racial Emulation can only emulate one race at a time. If you switch to halfling to use your dragonmark, you are no longer a shifter and most of your shifter/Weretouched Master abilities go away. Likewise, while you're a shifter/Weretouched Master, you can't use your dragonmark/Nosomatic Chirurgeon abilities.

Finally, even if we assume a copacetic DM handwaves away the shifter/halfling/dragonmark stuff, there's the larger question of whether you qualify as a lycanthrope. You've put a considerable amount of effort into emulating everything a lycanthrope can do, except for the damage reduction. If we go by strict RAW, nowhere does Weretouched Master say it grants you the lycanthrope template. Normally, this might be something of a catastrophic flaw, except THIS particular judge has already ruled on whether shifters count as lycanthropes in a previous round: Shoshon in Legacy Champion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20550427&postcount=321). Here's the relevant text:



There's an issue here over whether a shifter counts as a "natural" lycanthrope. But since shifters are supposed to be descended from humanoid/lycanthrope hybrids, I consider it a moot point: they count as natural lycanthropes because DUH.


So as far as this judge goes, I think I have to allow it. There's also the issue of mixing Eberron with Forgotten Realms material, but I'm willing to treat that as more of a "fluff" issue. The most glaring problem is still the dragonmark thing, as I would consider that a pretty tough sell. There's also the issue of whether the DM will allow the original Weretouched Master text or insist upon the errata. All in all, the build relies on a lot of very questionable rules interpretations that could severely handicap the build if they don't go your way.


Use of Secret Ingredient: 3.5

What I like here is because you don't have the actual lycanthrope template and thus have very limited access to your animal/hybrid forms, Black Blood Hunter helps you quite a bit more than a templated lycanthrope. Unlike a typical lycanthrope, your bite attack and ability to infect the curse of lycanthropy is present in your humanoid form. Your claws are also present, so all three of your natural weapons benefits from Improved Vile Natural Attack. Your best "trick" is stacking the Str bonus from Animal Aspect with the Str bonus from Weretouched Master. However, you spent so much effort getting into BBH that you're only able to get five levels of the Secret Ingredient, and while this undoubtedly shows how clever you were to figure out such an unusual entry method, I'm not sure the payoff was worth the effort.


Tocke of Nessus: 18

Originality: 5

Apparently kitchen sinks were a bit of a thing this round... I'm not entirely sure this half-imp transition class thingy works the way you say it does, but even so, quite clever.


Power: 4

You're a grappler? Yes! Are you good at it? Yes! And you've got something to counter freedom of movement? Yes! Well, then... excellent, top notch work! You weren't the only entry to make use of blood wind, nor were you the only entry to use Swallow Whole, but you were the only one to combine them. Really not sure what that would look like... Yoshi maybe? However, one problem with the swallowing: "Crytopclidus can swallow a grabbed opponent that is at least two size categories smaller than itself" (emphasis added). In animal/hybrid form, this means the largest creature you can swallow is small-sized, which limits its usefulness. Casting enlarge person (you still count as a humanoid) might help there. Even so, just maintaining a hold gets you bite damage + vile damage, and you can hold two opponents at once (bite and stinger). Improved Multigrab + Hit-and-Run Fighter is a clever combo. In addition to providing a counter to freedom of movement, your SLAs add some interesting flavor, as well as a means to get rid of consecrates and hallows thrown up to counter your vile damage.

Outside of combat, you've got Survival/Tracking maxed out along with Spot/Listen, so you're an excellent tracker and spotter. On top of the SLAs, the wizard level adds a dash of spellcasting and spell-trigger items.


Elegance: 4.5

I'm not quite sold that a non-outsider tiefling without the LA +1 can go right into the half-fiend transition class. It seems to me you should be paying for that LA +1 beforehand... but then again, lesser planetouched should be able to explore their fiendish half if they want to, and tiefling should never have been given LA +1 in the first place. So I'm going to let it slide.

Now then... Swallowing Whole as a large dinosaur and then shifting to a medium-sized human... what happens to the creature(s) you swallowed? Hmm... I was going to say, I don't want to think about it, but Gorblurp provides us with an interesting answer: hoard gullet.

The only other thing I'm still kinda iffy on is repeatedly spamming Quick Change to essentially get free movement. However, when this came up in a discussion in another thread, I was the one that argued the RAW says the spellcaster/creature using polymorph has control over the "physical qualities" of the new form, which includes height and length, so I can't really argue against this. That being said... free movement might be one of the least controversial applications of changing size as a free action.

All that being said... that's some pretty impressive ruleswankery you got there.


Use of Secret Ingredient: 4.5

You've got all 10 levels and a detailed description of how you're using everything in the SI. What really takes the cake here is abusing Quick Change... and, as you are no doubt aware, you just barely scratched the surface of what that could do.



Shamir: 12

Originality: 3.5

The elements that stand out here are Leopard, Favored Soul, and Assassin. However, they aren't very strong flavors.


Power: 3

Your main trick focuses around ambush tactics, using blood wind to deal vile/bleeding damage to your opponents from a distance, and then running away. The first part of that strategy works well enough, as you're an excellent sneaker and scout, but damage-wise you're quite a bit towards the, "Boy, this is going to take awhile" end of things. Hit-and-Run Fighter or Craven might have helped here. The second part is the running away, and while the leopard isn't exactly a slouch in this area, I don't see much in this build that enhances that natural speed. There may also be some concern over how Pounce works with blood wind, as an obstinate DM might rule that you have to move into melee range of your opponent for your attack to count as a charge, rather than stopping from some distance away to launch your ranged attacks. I think the rules are more-or-less on your side of things, but the RAW isn't crystal clear.

I like the inclusion of Assassin, as it gives you a nice little jab of additional flavor, and I also somewhat like that your character didn't stick with it because it didn't agree with his temperament or ethos. However, I was hoping to see Assassin earlier in the build, and with more sneak-attack related abilities than Arterial Strike. I'm very tempted to say I would have preferred Craven in that slot instead, but the bleeding damage pairs up well with your vile damage. Then again, bleeding damage + vile damage + Craven might have been better than Improved Multiattack or Improved Initiative.

Outside of combat, you've got a somewhat decent skill package, but you don't appear to be doing much outside of sneaking and scouting.


Elegance: 2

Fractional BAB is not allowed under the Iron Chef rules, as per the Iron Chef FAQ. This means your BAB should be one point lower... but even with fractional BAB, it's not high enough to take Improved Natural Attack at 6th level (requires BAB +4). Without the 1d8 bite, you don't qualify for Vile Natural Attack. (Some of the other entries used soulmelds to qualify, but that doesn't really fit your theme here.) There's another qualification issue with Survival, which needs 6 ranks to get into Black Blood Hunter, but you've only got 4. Even so, a copacetic DM could be persuaded to handwave these issues. The rest of your build works well enough together, and could make an interesting and memorable antagonist if not a PC.


Use of Secret Ingredient: 3.5

You have all 10 levels, and you're using all of the class abilities as they should be. However, I don't really see anything here being used beyond what it was intended for.



Ellkuth: 14

Originality: 5

Yeah, that's swinging for the fences. Over two parking lots and a barricade. Through an open window. And into someone's kitchen sink.


Power: 4.5

I'm having a hard time determining exactly how many attacks you get (see Elegence below), but if you get even half of those... I'm not sure how to calculate the damage, but I'm guessing in the hundreds somewhere. So that's pretty darned impressive. But if that wasn't absurd enough... you can Jet (Ex) 240' around the battlefield. The text says "backwards" but hey, there's no facing in D&D, so you can declare backwards to be wherever you like. But that's not all the kooky movement you can do, as you've also got dimension slide up to 30' as a free action. All I can really say here is: impressive!


Elegance: 2.5

Gah... where do I even start? So... tauric template. Looks ok, although I think there are some consequences to using squid as the animal. If you're going to use a squid as the "quadraped" half of tauric, then four of those tentacles need to be "legs". Presumably, that means when you're out of the water, you're standing on them, and they aren't available to attack. Second, your bottom half retains all of the templates and subtypes, so you're still an Aquatic creature, which means you can't breath air unless you also have Amphibious. On land, you're going to suffocate... at which point, you're undead (Necropolitan), so you don't care. Actually, I'm kind of surprised you didn't load up your squid-half with more templates, as those don't count towards your LA (Woodling, Draconic, Mineral Warrior, Lolth-Touched, and Chameleon spring to mind). Sadly, I don't see any templates that add more tentacles without changing your type. You want to keep the beak from the squid... sure, why not?

Entomanothrope... I'm looking for a size restriction on the vermin, but I can't find any, so it looks legit. You can turn into a tiny-sized or small-sized argent spider. Huh. Hybrid form is medium-sized. There may be a problem with Alternate Form, though, since it specifies "a bipedal hybrid form with two humanoid (or giant) arms and legs". This may override whatever you've done with your tauric form, as you're now a biped with exactly two arms and two legs. Multi-Weapon Fighting becomes TWF. So that may be problematic.

Necropolitan... the text on this is vague, which annoys me. It says you lose a level or 1 HD. I'm not sure which level you're losing here... I thought this might disqualify you from entering Black Blood Hunter, but the text also says you do not recalculate BAB, saves, or skill points. So yes, you really should bother to list your skill points just before Necropolitan, because you do get to keep them.

Multi-Weapon Fighting... I'm well aware of the discrepancy between the Improved/Greater versions and the TWF analogs. Technically these feats were updated in the 3.5 SRD, but they kept the same BAB/Dex requirements, which is stupid but whatever. Dex doesn't seem to be a problem, and you meet the BAB prereq for Improved MWF, but not for Greater MWF. As a "capstone" feat at ECL 20, I don't see why anyone would begrudge you this, so I'd say you can ignore the BAB prereq here. Actually, my main problem with Multi-Weapon Fighting is I'm not sure you have three or more hands, as tentacles are not hands. The wording on anthropomorphic animals is vague... it says, "All anthropomorphic animals have humanoid arms and hands", but does not specify if there are only two, or if all available appendages become arms/hands. Under attacks, it says, "An anthropomorphic animal has the natural attacks of the base creature, but it can also use weapons if it did not have hands already." Your anthropomorphic octopus-man loses two tentacles that are supposed to be come legs, which leaves him with six tentacle attacks and a bite. It's not clear how many of those tentacles have hands, but at least two... and based on the vague wording, yeah, okay, the rest of your octopus-arms can have hands. But your lower half has squid "arms", four of which are "legs". The six remaining are still "arms" but do not have hands, so I don't think they can wield weapons by RAW. Unlike the anthropomorphic template, the tauric template doesn't change anything about your lower appendages.

Improved [S]Natural Attack Unarmed Strike... this is problematic, because even if we assume that all your tentacles count as "hands", you only have a single unarmed strike. Having extra hands does not grant you more unarmed strikes. They can wield weapons, yes, but only one of those weapons can be an unarmed strike. The rest are either still "tentacle" attacks, or may be wielding weapons... maybe gauntlets, let's say, or the tentacle-equivalent. I've been involved with discussions about this before, which boils down to how many "striking surfaces" count as an unarmed strike. I realize that this is an unsettled argument, so you might be able to convince a DM to allow multiple unarmed strikes for multiple striking surfaces, but you could also find yourself on the receiving end of a "single unarmed strike" ruling.

There's some alignment shenanigans that don't line up. Monks need to be lawful, but your very next level is Barbarian, which can't be lawful. Entomanothropes don't suffer the same alignment issues as afflicted lycanthropes (since vermin generally aren't smart enough to have alignments), so you can be any alignment you like, but you've got "LG->CE" listed under your build stub, but no mention of when or how that shift takes place. That's going to be difficult to sell to some DMs.

Lastly... there's a qualification issue with entering Black Blood Hunter. As an afflicted entomanothrope, you need 8 ranks in Control Shape to qualify, same as an afflicted lycanthrope. This can be fixed by rejiggering some skill points around, so I'm not that concerned about it, but it could be annoying when every time you take damage in combat you're forced to shift into a tiny-sized spider. [Edit: I had assumed you were using LA+2 for an afflicted (acquired) entomanothrope. If you're a natural (inherited) entomanothrope, then the LA should be +3, as per the lycanthropy rules in the MM... however, since the RAW on the Entomanothrope page says "LA +2", it could be argued that this is the LA for both afflicted and natural entomanothropes. So I'm going to say the RAW here is on your side.]


Use of Secret Ingredient: 2

It's not clear to me what you're using in Black Blood Hunter other than Improved Vile Natural Attack. You don't have all 10 levels, but then I'm puzzled why you took even 8, if all you wanted was essentially just +3.5 damage to all your attacks. There are much more effective methods to get bonus damage. You don't specify if you're spending most of your time in humanoid form, hybrid form, or vermin form. I'm assuming humanoid, as that's where you get all of your attacks. Hybrid is problematic, as it explicitly gives you a bidedal form with two arms/legs by RAW, and vermin form could be either small or tiny, but you only get a bite attack there. No mention of Animal Aspect or Improved Hybrid Form.



Wee Sal: 17

Originality: 5

A three-headed weasel. Ok, that's something I haven't seen before. And he can turn into a three-headed bear. Huh. Bakemono??? I'm not sure I've ever seen that as a PC race before.


Power: 4

I love the concept of this build. All three bites in bear form, with Power Attack and Dread Carapace maxxed out... looks like 28 bonus damage per bite in hybrid form (41 against your favored enemy), plus 1d6 vile damage... if all three hit, should be about 94.5 on average. However, your opponent is unlikely to just sit there and let you chew on him... which means I have to delve into the horrific hellscape of impenetrable obfuscation known as the grappling rules... ugh. Ok, after digging around a bit... it's not clear to me if your opponent can start the grapple, establish a hold, and then, if he has any remaining attacks, roll for a pin on the same turn or wait until next turn. Once your opponent establishes the pin, this supposedly allows him to remove you... but the pinning rules don't mention anything about "remove three-headed weasel and/or bear" as an option, so is that another attack action, or do you just release each other from the grapple as a free action? Does rolling once to "pin your opponent" count for all currently attached heads, or does each head have to be removed separately? However, that's not the biggest problem here... assuming all those grappling headaches are worked out and both you and the DM are in agreement on who has to roll what... I think the biggest weakness of your build is you're not really all that good at grappling to begin with, which seems kinda important if you're trying to avoid getting pinned. At your best, in your raging hybrid/bear form, your grapple check gets up to +20ish, but that's pretty iffy against equivalent-CR antagonists, particularly those punching above your weight class. I was also going to say, I don't see anything in here about how you're going to deal with freedom of movement, which seems kinda like a big "Get Out of Three-Headed Weasel Evisceration For Free" card, but after reading the spell description, it looks like it only auto-succeeds on grapple checks to escape a pin rather than establish one.

Outside of combat... you're pretty thin there, as your only skill you keep up with is Survival, and I don't really consider tracking to be an important party role.


Elegance: 4

I must confess that I'm so enamored with the idea of a three-headed weasel eviscerating his enemies that I'm not sure how capable I can poke holes in your rulesmongering. However, one issue I can disagree with: your claim that you can change your opponents into were-weasels mid-combat, using further damage to force a Control Shape check. As per the "Lycanthropy as an Affliction" rules (MM p. 178), a newly-afflicted lycanthrope does not make a Control Shape check due to damage until they have gone through their first episode, on the first night of the next full moon. Even if you bit them during a full moon, you'd have to wait until the next full moon for your victim to undergo their first episode. If you want to bite them after that, sure, they have to make a Control Shape check, but it would still be at least one night later at the earliest. Mechanics-wise, everything else looks pretty solidly presented (if I politely ignore the heaping pile of gobbledygook about grappling).

I don't think I'm quite so upset about the other problems you bring up with the Lycanthropy rules. Yes, the "size" thing is dysfunctional, but most DMs will handwave this away, probably by ingoring the size of the hybrid form and only allowing infection within one size category of the base animal, or allowing the infection to proceed and just deal with the consequences of a medium-sized human turning into a tiny-sized weasel. The other issue, about whether your particular animal form is random or determined by whim... I think that falls under "common sense", and the designers never bothered to clarify this because it seemed obvious to them that were-wolves spawn were-wolves, were-sharks spawn were-sharks, and were-sponges spawn were-sponges, or whatever. The real question here is "lycanthropy" a single pathogen that can spread to multiple genotypes, or does each particular animal genotype have an individualized pathogen that only generates similar were-creatures? Possibly not... perhaps a were-wolf infects a human with wolf-ness, but when he bites an octopus, he infects the octopus with human-ness? That might explain the wide variety of lycanthropes while still considering it a single pathogen (but it also begs the question... why did the octopus get human-ness instead of wolf-ness? Why not a half-octupus/half-wolf?). Not that this really has anything to do with your Elegance score, but you felt strongly enough to include it in your entry, so I thought I'd at least respond.


Use of Secret Ingredient: 4

You have all 10 levels, and make use of most of your class abilities. Using hybrid form to get Attach (Ex) on a medium-sized bear is pretty darned clever. My only disappointment was, outside of switching to a larger-sized form, there doesn't seem to be much in the SI to help with grappling.



Gorblurp: 14.5

Originality: 4

Swallow Whole! Excellent concept! The rest is Ranger, Warshaper, and a dash of Sorcerer. It never occurred to me that you could use hoard gullet that way!


Power: 3.5

This build is a terror to behold... against halflings. Against anything larger than that, you may have some trouble. For medium or large creatures, you've still got Gape of the Serpent, but the larger sizes are going to have better grapple checks. Fortunately, you've got both Improved Grapple and Girallon Arms to help you out there. Getting both hoard gullet and enlarge person up and running could mean a pretty slow start to combat, and you don't really have the caster level to keep them up for very long. Fairy dust could help here (100 GP, Complete Mage), doubling the duration of transmutation spells. Combining Swallow Whole with hoard gullet is a clever idea, but it also brings up so many questions! Do creatures still take bludgeoning/acid damage while they are inside you? (Probably not.) Can they teleport out, or do they need to plane shift? (The latter, most likely.) Do all living/breathing creatures die after 10 minutes due to suffocation? (Yep.) Does rupturing the bag do any damage to your internal organs? (Doesn't say so...) Can you swallow something sharp to deliberately rupture the bag? (What, can't wait 10 minutes?)

Against anything huge or larger... he looks more like a skirmisher/harasser (unless you manage to convince a DM you have an infinite number of morphic weapons). Morphic Reach and Poison make non-swallowing combat a little more interesting. Outside of combat, you've got Survial and are a decent spotter, but otherwise a bit thin in the skill department.


Elegance: 4

I don't have too much to say here. There are two rules areas where you might run into some trouble: First, the spell description for hoard gullet only allows you to swallow objects, not creatures, but I'm so enamored with the idea of stuffing creatures into a hoard gullet that I'm going to ignore the argument against it. Second, the infinite morphic weapons... there's no easy way to resolve that issue. Personally, I'm of the opinion that you can pick any one natural weapon you want that doesn't exist in your current form, but only one new natural weapon at a time. If the DM allows an infinite number... well, then, swallowing things during your full attack routine is pretty much going to be an afterthought. You don't mention your familiar... octopus for the grapple bonus? Or toad to show amphibian solidarity? For a little more variety, maybe consider some Ranger/Sorcerer ACFs?


Use of Secret Ingredient: 3

You miss the last two levels of the SI, so no Quick Change, although changing forms doesn't really appear to be a focus of the build. Mostly what you appear to be using from the SI is Lycanthropic Spell and Improved Hybrid Form, but there are some heavy opportunity costs after that. Sticking around for Improved Vile Natural Attack only adds +1 damage on average, which isn't so impressive. You aren't advancing your caster level (so hoard gullet lasts longer) or increasing your size (to swallow larger creatures). I guess I'm looking for something in the SI that made you much better at swallowing or grappling, but there wasn't much there.



Tomothy Darkpaw: 14

Originality: 3.5

Dagnabbit... you had me thinking this was a Tibbit build, but it's just a strongheart halfling. Totemist was predictable enough, but Incarnate on top of that wasn't. Warshaper seems really obvious, but only one other entry used it.


Power: 3.5

I love Confound the Big Folk, but it comes in a little late... still, housecat tearing apart larger opponents from inside their own square is several flavors of awesomesauce. Damage output actually looks pretty decent, even in tiny form, mostly due to Craven and Penetrating Strike. However, I was hoping to see some Dex bonus to damage (Hit-and-Run Fighter or maybe Shadow Blade). BAB is not so impressive, barely better than a wizard, but you make up for it somewhat with Weapon Finesse and natural weapons. I'm not sure Incarnate 2 works all that well here... it looks like mostly it's here for the damage bonus from Incarnate Avatar, but getting it up to +8 would suck up all your essentia.

Outside of combat, you're a decent skillmonkey, although but not much of a trapfinder. Excellent sneaker, but no Darkstalker. Your soulmelds give you some additional flexibility (you have access to all the Totemist and Incarnate soulmelds), but not much essentia to go around.


Elegance: 3.5

I've got an issue with your Strength in animal form... I think you should have a penalty there, bringing it down by -8, as per the cat entry in the MM. However, the text for Lycanthrope is not entirely clear here, as it only mentions "improve". The only example I can find of a lycanthrope with a Str less than 10 is the werecat in Lost Empires of Faerun, which is based on the small-sized lynx (Races of Faerun). There's a -4 Str adjustment when the werecat (or should it be werelynx?) is in hybrid or animal form. So... it looks like your Str should be 9 instead of 17. This creates something of a problem, as you no longer qualify for Power Attack in hybrid/animal form, which is a prerequisite for Black Blood Hunter. However, I have a hard time imagining a prestige class punishing a lycanthrope for switching into his animal/hybrid form, so enforcing this qualification issue would be ludicrous. There's also this text from the lycanthrope entry: "It's possible that a lycanthrope cannot meet the prerequisites for all its feats when in humanoid form. If this occurs, the lycanthrope still has the feats, but cannot use them when in humanoid form." The text doesn't mention hybrid or animal form, but I don't see any problem with treating Power Attack the same way: you still have the feat in hybrid/animal form, so you still qualify for BBH, but you can't use it.

Outside of that, the rest of the build appears to work well with your theme.


Use of Secret Ingredient: 3.5

You're using most of the SI, but not quite all of it. However, I'm not sure there's a strong argument that this SI offers more than, say, more levels of Totemist. I'm also a little disappointed that you didn't explore a little more with Quick Change... I think being able to switch your size back and forth as a free action might lead to some interesting interactions with Underfoot Combat/Confound the Big Folk/Giantbane.



Hellcat: 15

Originality: 4

Catgirl with a dragon tail. Not the only cat, but the only serval, which I think counts as an unusual animal pick. Wait, why did you take Swashbuckler 4? Oh... "Seduction", duh. Huh. I hadn't noticed the fixed DCs before... so that's a bit of a surprise. Duskblade might be a little unusual, but it feels like you didn't take enough for it to feel really distinctive.


Power: 3.5

I can't quite wrap my head around this... Dex-based build, Swordsage dip, Shadow Hand stances... but no Shadow Blade? As much as I like Death From Above, I think I would have preferred Dex bonus on damage. For damage output, you're relying on Improved Vile Natural Attack and Sneak Attack, but 3d6 is only an average of 10.5 bonus damage per hit. A 6th level fighter with a two-handed weapon dumping -6 into Power Attack is doing more damage without resorting to Leap Attack or additional multipliers. Intuitive Attack helps, but it's only +3 and harder to leverage in the same way as a Strength bonus, so from a pure damage standpoint I find this build to be a little underpowered.

I think where you really excel in this category is your stealth skills and ambush tactics: you're good at sneaking, and your Swordsage maneuvers make it easy to get away quickly. Being able to whittle away at your opponent with difficult-to-heal Vile damage at more or less your leisure... that's pretty darned cool, and although it would probably drive the rest of the party bonkers, that might be fun to play.

Outside of combat, Bluff is already pretty useful for social engineering, but throw in Seduction and that opens up a lot of different possibilities. I also like that, since it uses fixed DCs, any DM that gets squeemish about roleplaying the more, uh, "adultish" aspects of it can quickly cut to "Make a Bluff check" and move on to something else.


Elegance: 3.5

Ok, I don't quite agree that Dragon Tail's damage is the same regardless of your size. Natural weapons granted via soulmelds should adjust damage according to the creature's size, but the actual text varies from soulmeld to soulmeld. There are some other sticking points with Dragon Tail, as it doesn't identify whether this attack is actually a natural weapon, and it's not clear if you can use it as a secondary attack. However, in the absense of clear RAW here, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.

I have some issues with your maneuver/stance selections. By RAW, your first stance should be a 1st level stance, regardless of what level you begin play as a Swordsage. Also, you can't take Sudden Leap until you have at least one other Tiger Claw maneuver. However, I love the idea of a cat executing maneuvers like Shadow Garrote and Soaring Raptor. That's pure awesomesauce.


Use of Secret Ingredient: 4

All ten levels, and you're using every class ability. You even came up with an interesting use for Wild Empathy, recruiting local cats to help you blend into the local fauna. My only disappointment here is you didn't find anything in the SI that helps you be more seductive.



Tails: 14.5

Originality: 4

The stand-out here is nifern, which shows some clever book-diving on your part. Hexblade was also an interesting choice. Overall theme looks like a natural attacks brawler with some debuffing on the side.


Power: 3.5

Your wheelhouse is melee, and you wind up with seven natural attacks (claw/claw/bite/sting/tail/tail/slam). However, nifern is not quite the physical powerhouse of some other lycanthropic forms, so damage appears to be a bit underwhelming, even with the ruling on Improved Vile Natural Attack applying to all natural weapons. But "appears" may be misleading, as there are some odd interactions with your feat selections that have me wondering how much melee damage this build can do. In particular, I'm not entirely sure how to parse Power Lunge and Strength Devotion. Power Lunge gives you "double your normal Strength modifier" when any of your attacks hit during a charge... and although you suggest it just replaces the x1.5/x0.5 Str modifiers with x2.0/x2.0, I'm not sure if that's the correct interpretation. Looking around the boards, I don't see much consensus on how exactly Power Lunge works. Some people think it just replaces your normal Str multiplier (x2.0 primary/x2.0 secondary), some people think it doubles your existing Str multiplier (x3.0 primary/x1.0 secondary), and some people think it's a separate damage bonus on top of your existing Str bonus (x3.5 primary/x2.5 secondary). With a +9 Str bonus... that last method would be pretty darned nifty (+31.5 primary/+22.5 secondary). Even with just the x2.0/x2.0 as you suggest, getting +18 on your secondary natural attacks is pretty darned nifty for damage output. And then we have Strength Devotion, which looks pretty straight-forward until you get to this sentence: "If you already have a natural weapon, use whichever damage value is higher." It's not clear if "natural weapon" here refers to just the slam or to all your other natural weapons. It could be argued it's the latter, in which case all your natural weapons could get 1d10 or 2d6 as their base damage, because that's the highest value on the table based on your character level. The +2 circumstance bonus to "that weapon" also doesn't specify if this is the slam or your other natural weapon(s), so... do you get that bonus on all your "other" natural weapons or just the slam? My ruling here would be the increased damage and +2 circumstance bonus only apply to the slam attack, but if you can convince your DM to rule otherwise, a winner is you.

Your signature move, however, doesn't really rely on Strength bonus or damage dice: the poison from your stinger is a paralysis attack in a game where "helpless" usually means "dead". The Fort save starts out DC 13 but eventually climbs up to DC 21, but you've got Dark Companion for -2 on saves, a possible shaken effect from either Abominable Form or demoralize/Never Outnumbered, and eventually Focalor's Aura of Sadness for an additional -2, so the effective save winds up around DC 25ish, maybe higher with some +Con equipment or spell effects. While this is a pretty devastating save-or-lose, there are a lot of creature types that are immune to either poison or paralysis (undead, constructs, plants, elementals, oozes, and dragons), and the effectiveness of poison tends to fade in the higher levels as immunity becomes more easily available.

Outside of combat... you've got Survival/Tracking, Jumping, and Intimidate. Also, a smattering of 1st-level spells, some minor vestiges, and blindsight 60'. I don't really consider "Tracker" to be much of a role (it only tells you things that are either obvious or useless), so I don't see a lot here to contribute outside of combat.


Elegance: 3

There's some qualification issues here with the LA +2, which would normally be for afflicted lycranthropy. As the chair mentioned, I understand you were using the 3.0 template. I don't see this as a particularly serious problem, as someone who wanted to use this build would just need to shift 8 skill points into Control Shape to make it legal. As far as losing a level for LA +3... I'm not sure that would work here without losing something. For the purposes of scoring, I'm just going to assume you are an afflicted lycanthrope and handwave the Control Shape thing as an honest mistake. The biggest problem I see here is your character worships an Elder Evil, but is also a cleric of Malar. However, as far as I can determine, there is no rule that explicitly forbids a cleric worshipping a deity from swearing service to an Elder Evil. After reading up on Malar, it looks like he has a history of plotting to usurp power from other deities by allying himself with various ne'er-do-wells: Lolth, Bane, and Loviatar. So why not an alliance with Zargon?

As far as the rest of the build goes, you've got a dash of arcane spells, a dash of divine spells, and a dash of binding, but they work well to enhance your primary flavors.


Use of Secret Ingredient: 4

You use pretty much everything except Animal Aspect, and even there I have a hard time imagining you don't run into situations where switching to human form would be advisable. What stands out here is how BBH really enhances your hybrid form, particularly getting that stinger attack. Overall, the SI makes a good job of making your nifern more powerful and interesting, but I don't see you leveraging the SI abilities beyond what they were intended to do.

[Darrin]

Scores After One (extremely slow) Judge


EntryPlaceJudge #1 (Me)Total

Tocke of Nessus (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014310&postcount=117)Gold1818

Wee Sal (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014320&postcount=120)Silver1717

Hellcat (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014329&postcount=123)Bronze1515

Gorblurp (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014322&postcount=121)Fourth (tied)14.514.5

Tails (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014330&postcount=124)Fourth (tied)14.514.5

Tomothy Darkpaw (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014327&postcount=122)Fifth (tied)1414

Ellkuth (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014315&postcount=119)Fifth (tied)1414

Lycanthropolypse (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014309&postcount=116)Sixth12.512.5

Shamir (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014312&postcount=118)Seventh1212

[daremetoidareyo]

Darrin: you're amazing. Thanks for judging so thoroughly

[Deadline]

Awesome Darrin, thanks a bunch! I'm going to read through the judging more thoroughly today, but I'm pretty sure I don't have any disputes for you on my entry, all criticism is well-earned there.

[The Viscount]

Awesome possum we got scores! Can we set a quick deadline on the response period and wrap this up, Chair?

[Thurbane]

While we're waiting for the wrap-up and next comp, a shameless plug: entries are up over at the Villainous Competition, and as always, we appreciate any judging we can get!

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?496091-Villainous-Competition-XIV-The-Thing-That-Should-Not-Be/page2

[Heliomance]

Only two posts in my inbox!


I won't say that I didn't expect it to turn out like that, but let's get to the important stuff:


Gah... where do I even start? So... tauric template. Looks ok, although I think there are some consequences to using squid as the animal. If you're going to use a squid as the "quadraped" half of tauric, then four of those tentacles need to be "legs". Presumably, that means when you're out of the water, you're standing on them, and they aren't available to attack. Second, your bottom half retains all of the templates and subtypes, so you're still an Aquatic creature, which means you can't breath air unless you also have Amphibious. On land, you're going to suffocate... at which point, you're undead (Necropolitan), so you don't care. Actually, I'm kind of surprised you didn't load up your squid-half with more templates, as those don't count towards your LA (Woodling, Draconic, Mineral Warrior, Lolth-Touched, and Chameleon spring to mind). Sadly, I don't see any templates that add more tentacles without changing your type. You want to keep the beak from the squid... sure, why not?

I wanted to avoid doing the whole "I have 999 free templates" thing. The tentacle monster has enough cheese even without it.

Also, Ellkuth doesn't stand like a normal quadruped. He has literally land speed: Nope, so he's always 'standing' in some weird position. Even if you consider him to be standing, changing which 'arms' are considered legs should be a Free Action, just like releasing your grip on anything, or two(eight?)-handing anything.


Entomanothrope... I'm looking for a size restriction on the vermin, but I can't find any, so it looks legit. You can turn into a tiny-sized or small-sized argent spider. Huh. Hybrid form is medium-sized.

Actually, only a Small-sized Argent Spider. The text specifically disregards the creature's original size:

Entomanothropes can assume vermin forms one size smaller
than the base creature size, regardless of the normal size of the vermin type.


There may be a problem with Alternate Form, though, since it specifies "a bipedal hybrid form with two humanoid (or giant) arms and legs". This may override whatever you've done with your tauric form, as you're now a biped with exactly two arms and two legs. Multi-Weapon Fighting becomes TWF. So that may be problematic.

I hate Wizards and their assumption that every Humanoid/Giant-type creature is going to have Humanoid shape, even though you can easily have Were-cockroach Half-Troll Prismatic Dragons.

Doesn't matter much, though, since the Attacks section specifically mentions keeping all attacks other than the bite:


An entomanothrope in hybrid form uses the base creature's attacks and the base vermin's bite attack (or other primary natural weapon if the vermin form lacks a bite attack).

Keeping all attacks means keeping all 'arms'.


Necropolitan... the text on this is vague, which annoys me. It says you lose a level or 1 HD. I'm not sure which level you're losing here... I thought this might disqualify you from entering Black Blood Hunter, but the text also says you do not recalculate BAB, saves, or skill points. So yes, you really should bother to list your skill points just before Necropolitan, because you do get to keep them.

Actually, the HD loss is from the Ritual of Circumigration, not the template, so you still treat it just as if the creature had been raised, so you lose all the bonuses from the HD. Also, the last HD before that was from the spider, and I really wanted to get rid of that, so...


Multi-Weapon Fighting... I'm well aware of the discrepancy between the Improved/Greater versions and the TWF analogs. Technically these feats were updated in the 3.5 SRD, but they kept the same BAB/Dex requirements, which is stupid but whatever. Dex doesn't seem to be a problem, and you meet the BAB prereq for Improved MWF, but not for Greater MWF. As a "capstone" feat at ECL 20, I don't see why anyone would begrudge you this, so I'd say you can ignore the BAB prereq here.

First: the current HTML-SRD is not official WotC content as far as I know, just WotC-endorsed content, like Dragon Magazine and the Dragonlance stuff.

Second: MWF specifically mentions being interchangeable with TWF, and the old versions of TWF had the same requirements, so I used TWF requirements(+11 BAB). Even if that was not the case, I could have legally taken G-TWF and it would have evolved to G-MWF automatically.


Actually, my main problem with Multi-Weapon Fighting is I'm not sure you have three or more hands, as tentacles are not hands. The wording on anthropomorphic animals is vague... it says, "All anthropomorphic animals have humanoid arms and hands", but does not specify if there are only two, or if all available appendages become arms/hands. Under attacks, it says, "An anthropomorphic animal has the natural attacks of the base creature, but it can also use weapons if it did not have hands already." Your anthropomorphic octopus-man loses two tentacles that are supposed to be come legs, which leaves him with six tentacle attacks and a bite. It's not clear how many of those tentacles have hands, but at least two... and based on the vague wording, yeah, okay, the rest of your octopus-arms can have hands. But your lower half has squid "arms", four of which are "legs". The six remaining are still "arms" but do not have hands, so I don't think they can wield weapons by RAW. Unlike the anthropomorphic template, the tauric template doesn't change anything about your lower appendages.

I really should have listed Gloves of Man.


Improved Natural Attack... this is problematic, because even if we assume that all your tentacles count as "hands", you only have a single unarmed strike. Having extra hands does not grant you more unarmed strikes. They can wield weapons, yes, but only one of those weapons can be an unarmed strike. The rest are either still "tentacle" attacks, or may be wielding weapons... maybe gauntlets, let's say, or the tentacle-equivalent. I've been involved with discussions about this before, which boils down to how many "striking surfaces" count as an unarmed strike. I realize that this is an unsettled argument, so you might be able to convince a DM to allow multiple unarmed strikes for multiple striking surfaces, but you could also find yourself on the receiving end of a "single unarmed strike" ruling.

Actually, INA is linked to the Bite attack...


There's some alignment shenanigans that don't line up. Monks need to be lawful, but your very next level is Barbarian, which can't be lawful. Entomanothropes don't suffer the same alignment issues as afflicted lycanthropes (since vermin generally aren't smart enough to have alignments), so you can be any alignment you like, but you've got "LG->CE" listed under your build stub, but no mention of when or how that shift takes place. That's going to be difficult to sell to some DMs.

It's on the fluff section. I really should have have listed it on the "Alignment" section.

Well, this is how it goes:

LG(Start)->LN(Circumigration)->LE(Monk)->CE(Barbarian)


Lastly... there's a qualification issue with entering Black Blood Hunter. As an afflicted entomanothrope, you need 8 ranks in Control Shape to qualify, same as an afflicted lycanthrope. This can be fixed by rejiggering some skill points around, so I'm not that concerned about it, but it could be annoying when every time you take damage in combat you're forced to shift into a Small-sized spider.

Actually, the template is Inherited. 'Tis all in the fluff.


It's not clear to me what you're using in Black Blood Hunter other than Improved Vile Natural Attack. You don't have all 10 levels, but then I'm puzzled why you took even 8, if all you wanted was essentially just +3.5 damage to all your attacks. There are much more effective methods to get bonus damage. You don't specify if you're spending most of your time in humanoid form, hybrid form, or vermin form. I'm assuming humanoid, as that's where you get all of your attacks. Hybrid is problematic, as it explicitly gives you a bidedal form with two arms/legs by RAW, and vermin form could be either small or tiny, but you only get a bite attack there. No mention of Animal Aspect or Improved Hybrid Form.

Lots of stuff previously explained, so I'll just add to what I already said:

IVNA is really the only feature you can showcase without either cheese(Quick Change) or very specific usage(IDR). I wanted to build this to mainly deal a lot of the nastiest type of damage in 3.5. My focus was building a mundane who could seal the Tarrasque or any of the Abominations in less than one minute of slapping them to death. I still get it that I didn't really use anything other than the bonus damage, but well, not like they really had any utility besides those presented by the other competitors.

Hybrid form is nearly the same as the base form, considering what I already explained. It pretty much depends on whether you'd want a higher AC or higher damage. Small Form is mostly used for stealth purposes, with the rather ridiculous(for an unoptimized skill) Hide bonuses.

Still, the average Originality score was rather high this round, unsurprisingly.


Thanks for judging, not really as much of a dispute than a general comment on what you said.


However, I was hoping to see some Dex bonus to damage (Hit-and-Run Fighter or maybe Shadow Blade).

Hit'n'Run fighter would have been nice, but decided that between losing bound Crystal Helm (making me unable to handle Incorporal enemies), and the additional essensia, concerns about already being rather dippy, and the obvious rebuttal of Hit'n'Run being presented (even if not enforced) as a Drow specialty, it was a evenish question of Swings and roundabouts.

Shadow Blade would be another feat on an already feat-staved build, and Natural weapon aren't considered discipline weapons for Shadow hand so it would do nothing.


BAB is not so impressive, barely better than a wizard, but you make up for it somewhat with Weapon Finesse and natural weapons.

Given that Natural weapons doesn't get multiple attacks the same way as regular weapons, it's no big loss of primarily getting the attack bonuses from other places (such as being Weapon Finesse, tiny or Bloodwar Gauntlets) including an indirect from making your opponent flat-footed via Confound the big folk. Furthermore, gear choice could easily be tailored into looking for additional Attack bonus.


I'm not sure Incarnate 2 works all that well here... it looks like mostly it's here for the damage bonus from Incarnate Avatar, but getting it up to +8 would suck up all your essentia.

The primary focus was on getting access to [Force] ... Also, unless my opponent is resistant to fire, its worth more to dump the Essentia into Heart of Fire than Incarnate Avatar, but its a nice flexibility to be able to pick between the two


Elegance 'rant'

Well, given that even if reducing my strength would make me unable to use power attack, It would frankly be unlikely to be used as Natural weapons are Light hence doesn't get the bonuses (just reread Power attack, it explicitly says natural attacks still work), but even then it would be unlikely to be used as it would be 1for1, and i gain more from hitting that much more often than i would be to get +1 damage from each attack, qua the many additional bonuses to my damage (vile damage, sneak attack, Craven) ... Power Attack is a feat tax and not much more, unless i run into a enemy with specially weak AC

[Darrin]

I wanted to avoid doing the whole "I have 999 free templates" thing. The tentacle monster has enough cheese even without it.


This is probably only applicable to just when I'm judging... but I like to reward audacity. If you know you're going to go to Cloud Cuckoo Land levels of Cheese, then throttle those afterburners up to Ludicrous Speed.



Also, Ellkuth doesn't stand like a normal quadruped. He has literally land speed: Nope, so he's always 'standing' in some weird position. Even if you consider him to be standing, changing which 'arms' are considered legs should be a Free Action, just like releasing your grip on anything, or two(eight?)-handing anything.


I understand that the tauric creature keeps the "arms" attack. Whether you use two, four, or all ten appendages to stand isn't all that important, and regardless of however many appendages are used to remain "standing", the "arms" attack is still present. But nothing in the tauric template, and nothing in the text of Multi-Weapon Fighting allows those "arms" to be considered "hands" or attack individually. That's what was confusing me.

If I wanted to be pedantic about RAW, MWF specifies "hands", so "tentacles" or "arms" is not sufficient. I'm much looser about RAW, though, so if you were at my table, I'd probably allow it, but I'd probably say you need to specify how many of your squid tentacles you're standing on, and to my mind, "tauric" implies to me that the bottom half of the creature is vaguely quadrapedish, hence I'd probably say four. However, the tauric template does not limit itself to quadrupeds, so presumably you might get away with standing on two "legs". Actually, I'd let you use all ten, but then I'd insist you are attacking from a prone position and give you a -4 attack penalty.

Even assuming we agree on how many legs you need to stand, nothing in the MWF text says your lower-half appendages can attack individually or wield weapons. The text mentions primary hand and "off hands". I concede that the six tentacles from your top half are all considered hands, so you've got one primary hand and five off hands on the top half. Natural weapons cannot by definition be offhand attacks: they are either primary or secondary attacks by RAW. Your lower-half tentacles are still considered an "arms" secondary attack, but that's collectively, not individually. And I have no problem with that, regardless of whether there are six or eight or ten of them that you're not currently standing on.



Actually, INA is linked to the Bite attack...


Sorry, that was a mistake on my part. I was supposed to type "Improved Unarmed Strike" and got confused. What I meant was, adding Improved Unarmed Strike does not cause your lower-half appendages to be considered "hands" or allow them to attack individually. There's a larger (unresolvable) argument here about whether IUS represents a single abstract striking surface, or multiple striking surface. But regardless of where you stand on that argument, having IUS does not endow all your appendages with the ability to attack individually, nor does it give you any number of "off hand" attacks that you didn't have previously.



Actually, only a Small-sized Argent Spider. The text specifically disregards the creature's original size:


Ah. My understanding was you could assume the original vermin's size (tiny), as well as one size smaller than the base humanoid (small). The use of the word "can" implied to me that there was a choice involved. Regardless of what size the vermin for is, this wasn't part of your elegance score, that was just me trying to figure out what sizes were available.



I hate Wizards and their assumption that every Humanoid/Giant-type creature is going to have Humanoid shape, even though you can easily have Were-cockroach Half-Troll Prismatic Dragons.

Doesn't matter much, though, since the Attacks section specifically mentions keeping all attacks other than the bite:

An entomanothrope in hybrid form uses the base creature's attacks and the base vermin's bite attack (or other primary natural weapon if the vermin form lacks a bite attack). Keeping all attacks means keeping all 'arms'.


I understand you keep the "arms" attack. But I still don't see anything that says that single "arms" attack becomes ten off-hand unarmed strikes.



Actually, the HD loss is from the Ritual of Circumigration, not the template, so you still treat it just as if the creature had been raised, so you lose all the bonuses from the HD. Also, the last HD before that was from the spider, and I really wanted to get rid of that, so...


Losing the spider HD is what confused me, because... are you no longer an entomanothrope if you lose that level? Do you lose access to your vermin form? Ultimately I decided it just meant, "Ok, you lose some HP but you keep everything else."



First: the current HTML-SRD is not official WotC content as far as I know, just WotC-endorsed content, like Dragon Magazine and the Dragonlance stuff.


The 3.5 SRD released on the WotC website (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20/article/srd35) as RTF files includes the Divine section. I'm not sure how much more "official" you can get beyond that.



Second: MWF specifically mentions being interchangeable with TWF, and the old versions of TWF had the same requirements, so I used TWF requirements(+11 BAB). Even if that was not the case, I could have legally taken G-TWF and it would have evolved to G-MWF automatically.


I conceded that Greater MWF was legal. But not all DMs are as flexible as I am.



I really should have listed Gloves of Man.


Yes, that would work for MWF, but holy mackerel... expensive! 42K per pair.

Actually... I think I've got a solution for the "arms can't attack individually" problem:


https://img0.etsystatic.com/065/0/6548059/il_fullxfull.759100888_okna.jpg


Tentacles can wear gauntlets. And gauntlets, which are treated as unarmed strikes, can be offhand weapons. I'd probably insist you still have to stand on at least two "legs" to be considered "standing", but that gives you 8 of your 10 unarmed strikes (or 10 out of 10 if you want to attack from prone).



It's on the fluff section. I really should have have listed it on the "Alignment" section.


My point was this is going to be hard to justify to most DMs. The point still stands.



Actually, the template is Inherited. 'Tis all in the fluff.


I was going by the text from the Entomanothrope page:



"Entomanothrope" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or giant (referred to as the base creature). Entomanothropy as an affliction works exactly as the lycanthropy affliction does, except that the entomanothrope never runs the danger of assuming the alignment of the vermin type (as vermin really have no moral or ethical sense). Entomathropy can be cured in the same way as lycanthropy.


The template doesn't specify it's inherited, just that it's an affliction, so I assumed the default is it's an acquired template. There's no mention of "natural" entomanothropes, so I assumed it works the same way as lycanthropy: afflicted is LA +2, inherited is LA +3.

But yes, you did say in the fluff that Ellkuth was born that way. As per the lycanthropy template, a natural entomanothrope should be LA +3, not LA +2.

However... the RAW is on your side here. Score Change: +0.5 Elegance.



Still, the average Originality score was rather high this round, unsurprisingly.


That's probably an artifact of my scoring method. I start around "3" and look for things that surprise me. With the blind submission format, I don't really believe in penalizing someone for using elements that appear in other entries.



IVNA is really the only feature you can showcase without either cheese(Quick Change) or very specific usage(IDR). I wanted to build this to mainly deal a lot of the nastiest type of damage in 3.5. My focus was building a mundane who could seal the Tarrasque or any of the Abominations in less than one minute of slapping them to death. I still get it that I didn't really use anything other than the bonus damage, but well, not like they really had any utility besides those presented by the other competitors.


If you wanted to do a metric buttload of vile damage, then yes, this would be a very effective way to do that. But with all that many attacks, you're already dealing a stupendous amount of damage, enough so that whether or not it's vile becomes something of a moot point. Yes, vile damage is difficult to heal... particularly more so when you're already dead.

Going from 1d4 vile damage to 1d6 vile damage might be more easily done via feats (Vile Ki Strike or Vile Martial Strike) or magic items (Vile weapon property or Vile Weapon Ring).

Use of SI Score stands.

[Darrin]

Hit'n'Run fighter would have been nice, but decided that between losing bound Crystal Helm (making me unable to handle Incorporal enemies), and the additional essensia, concerns about already being rather dippy, and the obvious rebuttal of Hit'n'Run being presented (even if not enforced) as a Drow specialty, it was a evenish question of Swings and roundabouts.


This probably only applies when I'm judging, but dipping usually doesn't bother me. That and with LA and Racial HD sucking up so many levels, there was barely any room left for anything except dips.



Shadow Blade would be another feat on an already feat-staved build, and Natural weapon aren't considered discipline weapons for Shadow hand so it would do nothing.


For some reason I thought "claw" counted, but that's Tiger Claw, not Shadow Hand. So... not a very helpful comment on my part.



Elegance 'rant'


I apologize if it sounded like a rant. Mostly it was me trying to figure out if you still qualified for BBH without Power Attack. My conclusion was that yes, you should. BBH should be open to all lycanthropes, even those with smaller animal forms that can't use Power Attack.

Having a lower Strength score or not being able to use Power Attack didn't factor into your scoring, because the bulk of your damage has very little to do with your Strength bonus or Power Attack.

Your Power and Elegance scores were largely because I felt in those categories, your build was above average, but not exceptionally so.

Scoring Stands.

[Sian]

Sooo... unless Heliomance have gotten more disputes in the meantime, any chance that we can get a rapid deadline, so we can get cooking on the next one?

[Troacctid]

Patience. We've hardly had any time for disputes.

[MisterKaws]

I think just closing it up by Thursday or Friday if no other disputes show up should be fine.

[Heliomance]

Well, since I've not had any more messages appear in my inbox overnight, I'm going to call it there.



Entry
Chef
Place
Judge #1 (Darrin)
Total



Tocke of Nessus (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014310&postcount=117)
WhamBamSam
Gold
18
18



Wee Sal (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014320&postcount=120)
Macabaret
Silver
17
17



Hellcat (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014329&postcount=123)
The Viscount
Bronze
15
15



Gorblurp (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014322&postcount=121)
Deadline
4=
14.5
14.5



Tails (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014330&postcount=124)
Darkcouch
4=
14.5
14.5



Tomothy Darkpaw (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014327&postcount=122)
Sian
6=
14
14



Ellkuth (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014315&postcount=119)
MisterKaws
6=
14
14



Lycanthropolypse (link)
daremetoidareyo
(http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014309&postcount=116)8
12.5
12.5



Shamir (link) (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=21014312&postcount=118)
galan
9
12
12




Congratulations to WhamBamSam, Macabaret, and The Viscount! Who's ready for an actually good ingredient for number 80?

[Sian]

Looking forward to getting moving again


This probably only applies when I'm judging, but dipping usually doesn't bother me. That and with LA and Racial HD sucking up so many levels, there was barely any room left for anything except dips.

Oh I personally agree, but I'm all to aware that there is a number of (semi-)regular judges that hate dipping with a vengeance, so i try to steer clear of it.

[WhamBamSam]

Woo! Congratulations to Macabaret, and The Viscount and thanks for judging Darrin. Good thing we were all trying to out-weird each other. I don't think Tocke would have gone over very well in an ordinary round.

I can't believe I missed needing to be two size categories larger for Swallow Whole. Enlarge Person probably doesn't actually help, as Alternate Form probably counts as a magical size increase with which it doesn't stack. Ah well.

[Darrin]

Congratulations to Darrin, Macabaret, and The Viscount! Who's ready for an actually good ingredient for number 80?

I respectfully decline all accolades on account of WhamBamSam actually earning first place. I think this is your second gold?

Congratulations to all the contestants, and again, thank you for being so patient with the long, long, long wait.


I can't believe I missed needing to be two size categories larger for Swallow Whole. Enlarge Person probably doesn't actually help, as Alternate Form probably counts as a magical size increase with which it doesn't stack. Ah well.

The default entry in the MM is "one size smaller" unless the text mentions otherwise, and for some reason the cryptoclidus mentions otherwise.

I was kinda hoping for a more definitive "Swallow Whole" build that could take nearly any size, but I don't think we've seen something like that yet. Maybe the next ingredient... lots of different forms out there with Swallow Whole.

[Deadline]

*sigh* hello 4th place, my old friend. We've been paired together so long that in some states, they'd consider us married. :smalltongue:

Congrats to all contestants. And thanks to Darrin for judging. I'm really glad you like Gorblurp and his Swallow Whole schtick (including the Hoard Gullet). He initially started life as a Cave Tyrannosaurus, but while it would have meant more power and the ability to swallow even larger foes, that would have left me even less of the SI to work with.

[Heliomance]

I respectfully decline all accolades on account of WhamBamSam actually earning first place. I think this is your second gold?

Yes, that's what I said. Not sure what you're talking about.

>_>

<_<

>_>

[WhamBamSam]

I respectfully decline all accolades on account of WhamBamSam actually earning first place. I think this is your second gold?Third, actually. I tied you for gold two rounds ago in Great Rift Skyguard for my second.


The default entry in the MM is "one size smaller" unless the text mentions otherwise, and for some reason the cryptoclidus mentions otherwise.

I was kinda hoping for a more definitive "Swallow Whole" build that could take nearly any size, but I don't think we've seen something like that yet. Maybe the next ingredient... lots of different forms out there with Swallow Whole.If I'd noticed that, I probably would have dropped Quicken SLA and jammed Gape of the Serpent in instead. It would have given me the ability to swallow medium creatures as part of being able to swallow creatures up to my own size, and wouldn't even have required extra time, as only creatures of equal size are called out as being more time-consuming by the feat, rather than "creatures that would ordinarily be too large to swallow" or somesuch.

My personal favorite Swallow Whole creature is a 24 HD Magical Beast, which is hard to assume without going for a full-bore caster build. Swallow Whole is an inordinately difficult thing to optimize from the player's side of the screen.

[MisterKaws]

Hmm... Sixth place, not so bad for my first time.

Still, I'm surprised that Amechra didn't enter. She sounded so eager to compete in this round.

And I got at least one of my guesses right. Nobody else would be so willing to dive into a sea of cheese, myself excluded(kinda? At least I didn't go for the Tauric LA bypass trick).

[The Viscount]

Congrats everyone!

I had lots of fun this round, and I'm very glad I decided to go oddball instead of power, since this was a great round of everyone getting strange.

Couple notes for Darrin, if he cares about after the fact notes that I didn't think were big enough to warrant a dispute: I'm not sure what the mentions of a +3 from intuitive attack are referring to, did you perhaps mean the +5 bonus from weapon finesse in hybrid/animal form?
I avoided Shadow Blade for the simple reason that I felt it would divert attention from the class focus, and it would put my other forms at a disadvantage. Shadow Blade is annoyingly limited to Shadow Hand weapons, I couldn't justify natural weapons counting as unarmed strikes, and I wanted there to be free shifting between all the forms without the big loss when switching to animal form.