Iron Chef Optimization Challenge: E6 Appetizer Edition (IV)

[Zaq]

Interest? Check.
Clean PM inbox? Check.
Ingredient? Check.
Free time? Eh, we can't have everything.

Awright, chums. Let's do this. LEEEEEEEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOY—!


Welcome to the reborn Iron Chef Optimization Challenge E6 Appetizer Edition! This owes a heavy debt to our myriad hard-working Chairpersons of the main Iron Chef Optimization Challenge, along with a special debt to Amechra, who pioneered and chaired the first three rounds of the E6 Appetizer Edition six freaking years ago (wow, I feel way older than I expected to feel right now). I'm going to be shamelessly borrowing a hell of a lot of the format, but I do ask that everyone nonetheless read the rules, as there may be some elements that you don't expect.

The form of this challenge is to take a particular D&D 3.5 base class (our "secret ingredient," or SI) and turn it into a functional E6 (https://esix.pbworks.com/f/E6v041.pdf) build, which must feature the SI as heavily as possible. (The only hard rule about this is that you must take at least one level in the SI, though judges are encouraged to look favorably on builds that take all or almost all of their levels in said SI.) Your final build submission should consist of your 6 regular levels and your first 10 epic bonus feats, though providing a snapshot at earlier points through the progression is heartily encouraged. Entries are to be PM'd to the Chair (that would be me!), and they will be posted anonymously; our volunteer judges will then grade each build on a 1-5 point scale in four categories: Originality, Power, Elegance, and Use of the Secret Ingredient. The builds with the highest three scores will be awarded medals, with the Honorable Mention award going to the non-medaling build that the Chair likes best (and/or that receives the most votes for HM in this thread). And then we all have cake!*

*Note: You must provide your own cake.

This is basically like the regular Iron Chef, and let's be brutally honest with ourselves here: this isn't a gargantuan community, and we basically all know what we're talking about at this point. Make the builds, send 'em in, post some scores, and have fun. If you've got questions, lemme know. Still, let's lay out a few rules!

Cooking Time: Builds must be submitted via PM to the Chair by 11:59 PM GMT - 7 on Thursday, December 07, 2017 (6:59 AM GMT on Friday, December 08). The reveal shall be on Friday, December 08. Judging is then expected (*cough*) to take no more than two weeks: judges will have until 11:59 PM GMT - 7 on Thursday, December 21st, 2017 to submit judgments.

Kitchen: Almost all first-party 3.5 sources are legal. Dragon Magazine is disallowed, but Dragon Compendium (and its errata) is allowed. Online material from the WotC website is legal except for unupdated 3.0 psionics, which are banned. (If you use online material, please provide a link to the source.) Unearthed Arcana is legal for paragon classes, alternate races, and alternate class features, but not for fractional BAB/saves, item familiars, generic classes, prestigious character classes, gestalt, bloodlines, LA buyoff, or similar rule variants. We will borrow the existing standard for traits and flaws; they are legal, but traits warrant a –0.5 point penalty in Elegance, and flaws warrant a –1 point penalty in Elegance. Leadership is banned, as is any other feat or class feature that gives you something equivalent. (Familiars and improved familiars are fine, Wild Cohort is fine, psicrystals and elemental envoys are fine, animal companions are fine, but Thrallherd is not fine, for example.) Official errata is considered to be in play. Judges are not to penalize for the use of a large number of sources, nor are they to penalize for using an "obscure" source in one's build. Judges may, however, penalize for using a source without listing it, so please provide a list of sources! It is up to the discretion of each judge whether it is inelegant to "cross setting lines" (by using, for example, Forgotten Realms and Eberron material in the same build). Pathfinder is not allowed. Unupdated 3.0 material is allowed, and the general-purpose 3.0-to-3.5 skill updates (Wilderness Lore and Intuit Direction become Survival, Read Lips becomes Sense Motive, etc.) should be used when appropriate. If 3.0 material has been updated to 3.5, use the 3.5 version instead. If you have questions about anything in this paragraph (or hell, in this ruleset), feel free to ask the Chair.

Character Creation: 32 point buy is assumed. For the purposes of this contest, Level Adjustment greater than +0 is banned. (This may be revised at a later point, but I don't feel that the E6 LA rules are conducive to fun in the context of this contest. If you have a major problem with this, I'm happy to discuss that after the first round, but I want to try at least one round without it to see how confining it is.) No more than two entries per chef per contest, please; if you submit two builds and somehow are so overcome with inspiration for a third that you can't help yourself, PM me and tell me which two you care about the most.

Speculation: Please do not post any form of speculation before the reveal. Just don't do it, guys. It's not cool.

E6: Here's how E6 works for the purposes of this contest. Build your character normally for the first six levels. After you reach level 6, you stop gaining levels and start gaining bonus feats every time you would gain 5,000 XP. Since we aren't actually tracking XP, you'll basically list your first ten epic bonus feats in the order that you take them, and we think of them as being kind of like levels. We will not use the LA-equals-reduced-point-buy rules, instead preferring to just ban races with LA (at least for now). We will not use the "capstone feats"; all feats that you take must be normal legal 3.5 feats, not homebrew E6 ones. You may not use the Epic feats from the Epic Level Handbook, though if for some reason there are non-Epic feats from the ELH that you qualify for, you may take those. (I don't think there are any, but I'm sure someone will prove me wrong.) It is up to the discretion of each judge whether this is a "hard E6" (magic above 3rd level spells is simply beyond mortal reach, items that have a listed CL above 6th are just plain not available, etc.) or a "soft E6" (if you can somehow get the magic on your character, it's yours, regardless of level), though I honestly don't expect it to come up. Don't go crazy with making assumptions about items and we probably won't have to find out.

Presentation: Here's a table for you to use. List your epic bonus feats (in clear order) after the table. If you find a clever way of formatting that that isn't annoying and that doesn't break anything, have fun; if it's portable, I may steal it for the next round. When sending your build or any disputes to the Chair, clearly include your build's name in the subject of the PM, and please present your build exactly as you want the Chair to copy and paste it into the thread.

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

Code for the table:

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


Contest houserules: Nearly the same as the main contest's rules here: all creatures are proficient with natural weapons they have or may acquire, bonus feats that are explicitly granted without meeting prereqs are usable even without those prereqs, and feats that affect which skills are class skills for you and/or how you spend your skill points (Able Learner, Martial Study, Truename Training, Apprentice, etc.) apply immediately at the level at which you take them (even though you normally spend skill points before taking a feat).

Judging guidelines: As with the main contest, we will follow the "One Mistake, One Penalty" guideline. I'm going to directly copy and paste this from the main thread, and hopefully the original author won't mind too much:
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.

Other bits and bobs: If there's something major and relevant I haven't mentioned, assume that the way I handle it will probably be the same as the main contest unless stated otherwise or unless doing so would be an obviously absurd result. If you've got questions, I'll give you answers.

This round's secret ingredient: The KNIGHT, from PHB2! Allez Optimizer!

Here are the builds, for quick and easy reference:
1: Sir Svarak Steelskin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=22647163&postcount=30) [SILVER]
2: Sir Meowx-Aww-Lots (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=22647167&postcount=31) [HM]
3: Guardian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=22647173&postcount=32) [GOLD]
4: Sir Markum (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=22647175&postcount=33) [BRONZE]
5: Izzik Temple-Guard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=22647177&postcount=34)

[bean illus]

6 levels and what else? 10 feats for levels 7-16?
I'll take a look and see if i get an idea.

[Venger]

Oh boy.

So just to be clear:

You cook something that feels like a knight either through 6 levels of knight or something else that what, "feels" like a knight, or replicates its abilities through mimicry like junkyard war?

[Zaq]

Treat the SI here the same way as the SI in the base contest. You don’t HAVE to take all 6 levels if it’ll help the build to ease off of it, but there’s a good chance that doing so will cost you in UoSI. The only reason I mentioned a rule about requiring levels in the SI was because some jokester in the Monk round submitted a build with no Monk levels and ended up with an awkward disqualification.

[Inevitability]

Definitely gonna try and get a build in.

[Thurbane]

I'll try to get an entry in, but if I don't, should be able to judge.

[ATHATH]

Fortunately for me, I recently read the Knight Handbook and really liked a character concept that was touched on in it.

Since this is an E6 contest, it'll likely be much easier for me to motivate myself into actually writing up a proper statblock for my character, so that's nice.

[Zaq]

First build's in already! That's half the fun of the E6 Appetizer Edition, though—it's usually much easier to put together 6 levels and a handful of feats than 20 levels, so there's a much lower barrier to entry. (You're significantly less likely to need to balance atop a Jenga-tower of prereqs, for example.) I foresee good things coming out of this.

[jdizzlean]

i will just observe this round, and vote on HM :)

[Zaq]

Right now we don't have enough builds submitted to run a proper contest. I won't start panicking until we get closer to the wire, but to be honest, I was expecting more to come in over the weekend (especially since this is a long weekend for many people in the United States). Everyone just working down to the buzzer this time?

[jdizzlean]

all of these comps seem to be in purgatory.

I don't think it's just a holidays issue, although that could be a factor :/

assuming you have at least 3 entries, why not just publish them, it might take awhile for this and JYW to build up some steam like IC and VC

[ATHATH]

I'm working on my entry still.

[Demidos]

Considering writing up a build --

Question: What is wealth by level? Assuming a 16th level wealth by level seems insane, but a 6th level wealth by level is fairly small for someone of such renown that they are 10 "levels" past the level cap.

[Zaq]

Considering writing up a build --

Question: What is wealth by level? Assuming a 16th level wealth by level seems insane, but a 6th level wealth by level is fairly small for someone of such renown that they are 10 "levels" past the level cap.

Just like in the main contest, how to handle items is up to the discretion of each judge. Historically, the safest bet is to minimize the build's reliance on magic gear (unless you can craft/create it yourself) and only list magic gear as sort of a sidebar thing (if at all), but if you feel like you can show off the build better by displaying a full load of items, you're welcome to take that risk. I'm not going to tell the judges how to treat that.

[Zaq]

We still don’t have enough builds. I’ve decided to extend the deadline by a week to compensate.

What’s going on, folks? Not interested in the contest? Not interested in the ingredient? Something else?

[Inevitability]

We still don’t have enough builds. I’ve decided to extend the deadline by a week to compensate.

What’s going on, folks? Not interested in the contest? Not interested in the ingredient? Something else?

I'm interested, and I submitted a build. I'd even have sent another one if time permitted it.

[Thurbane]

I've got too much other stuff going on (DMing prep work, work stuff, personal commitments) to get an entry into any of the open comps at the moments, but I'm certainly happy to put my hand up as a judge.

[jdizzlean]

i just want to see how this works (by seeing other folks submissions) before i attempt to tackle one myself.
never messed w/ any of these types of things in games before

[Deadline]

I'm working up a build. Quick question, does E6 modify the normal feat progression for levels 1-6? I'm away from the E6 materials at the moment and am going to need this info in order to plan my feats.

[Zaq]

Nope, levels 1-6 are handled basically normally. LA races are handled differently, but since I’ve chosen to ban races above LA 0 for this competition, that shouldn’t come up.

[Deadline]

Nope, levels 1-6 are handled basically normally. LA races are handled differently, but since I’ve chosen to ban races above LA 0 for this competition, that shouldn’t come up.

Excellent, thanks!

[Jormengand]

So I've submitted something. It's new! It's inspired! It's really dumb! But it's something.

[Zaq]

So, like, I've got two builds submitted right now. I'm hoping that I'll get a flurry of last-minute entries that will make the issue moot, but if tomorrow dawns and I've still only got two submissions, would everyone prefer that I post them and have a teeny little two-entry round, or would everyone prefer that I hang onto them until we get at least one more entrant?

[Deadline]

So, like, I've got two builds submitted right now. I'm hoping that I'll get a flurry of last-minute entries that will make the issue moot, but if tomorrow dawns and I've still only got two submissions, would everyone prefer that I post them and have a teeny little two-entry round, or would everyone prefer that I hang onto them until we get at least one more entrant?

Egads! I misread the OP and thought we had until Dec. 21! I'll have time in the morning to finish it, assuming you can wait.

[Zaq]

The whole point of this is to have fun. If such an entry is promised, I believe that we'll have more fun by waiting for your last-minute entry than by being super strict about calling "PENCILS DOWN" at the buzzer. This might be different if we had entrant crawling out of the woodwork (and also routinely submitting builds a full day or more late), but I'm totally willing to be chill when considering our actual situation on the ground.

That said, thank you for making it clear to me that I need to separate the "cooking time" and "judging time" lines in the main post. I can totally see how it's easy to make that mistake.

[ATHATH]

Unfortunately, I will NOT be able to submit a valid build, since I recently realized that the combo that the build is built around doesn't work properly.

[daremetoidareyo]

I'm totally going to try to squeeze one in before Deadline!

[Deadline]

Alright, entry is in. Thanks for waiting!

[Zaq]

Alright boys and girls, pencils down for real this time. Nothing like a ticking clock to motivate you, huh? Here comes the reveal!

[Zaq]

Do one thing, and do it well. Really well.



Sir Svarak Steelskin, the Invincible Law

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/bd/e0/88/bde0888cb200e10bdbc993f7b9f25c25--dragonborn-kobold.jpg

And the Prophet stayed with the Justicemaker for a day and a night, and was embraced by Him, and clad in His mantle, and fed with His blood, and taught His words. And the Prophet returned to the heathens below, and taught them the words, and brought them Law.

TN -> LG Dragonborn Neanderthal Bear Totem Whirling Frenzy Barbarian 1/Knight 5.

Base array:

STR: 16
DEX: 12
CON: 16
INT: 10
WIS: 8
CHA: 14

Post-racial modifiers:

STR: 18
DEX: 8
CON: 20
INT: 8
WIS: 8
CHA: 14

Post-ability increases:

STR: 19
DEX: 8
CON: 20
INT: 8
WIS: 8
CHA: 14



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


1st
Barbarian 1
+1
+2
+0
+0
Intimidate 4, Literacy 2, Ride 4, Survival 2
ToughnessB, Roll With It*
Bear Totem (Toughness), Draconic Aspect (Wings), Illiteracy, Whirling Frenzy 1/day


2nd
Knight 1
+2
+2
+0
+2
Intimidate 5, Ride 5
-
Fighting Challenge +1, Knight's Challenge, Knight's Code


3rd
Knight 2
+3
+2
+0
+3
Intimidate 6, Ride 6
Mounted CombatB, Roll With It
Shield Block +1


4th
Knight 3
+4
+3
+1
+3
Intimidate 7, Ride 7
-
Bulwark of Defense


5th
Knight 4
+5
+3
+1
+4
Intimidate 8, Ride 8
-
Armor Mastery (Medium), Test of Mettle


6th
Knight 5
+6/+1
+3
+1
+4
Intimidate 9, Ride 9
Iron WillB, Roll With It
Vigilant Defender


*Svarak's original feat is Heroic Destiny, which he replaces with Roll With It after undergoing the Rite of Rebirth.

Svarak's ten epic feats are all Roll With It.

From where did the Prophet come? The people of the Frozen Lands do not agree on that. Some state he traveled here from a distant realm: others maintain that Bahamut personally created him here.

The truth is that he was once a regular neanderthal reaver, living off hunt and plunder. Perhaps by chance, perhaps by some destiny then fulfilled, Bahamut chose him to bring his religion to the scattered tribes of the Frozen Lands.

With a ritual the Platinum Dragon taught him, Svarak abandoned his old humanoid body for an even more intimidating winged draconic shape, and set out to convert the heathens and teach them Bahamut's ways.

There can be no peace without law.

Such was the first commandment of Bahamut, and so Svarak unified the tribes by besting their chiefs. His legendary endurance and resilience allowed him to win battles simply by outlasting his foes. False idols burned and evil priests fled where he went.

There can be no law without scripture.

Such was the second commandment of Bahamut, and so Svarak found his mind opened to writing: a revolutionary concept that proved to be the key to advancing stagnant neanderthal culture. He shared this invention freely, though not all mastered it.

There can be no scripture without wisdom.

Such was the third commandment of Bahamut, and so Svarak lived according to the principles of honor and fairness. He did not mistreat those he ruled over, refused to ambush his adversaries, and applied the law uniformly.

Follow these commandments, and you shall be invincible.

And Svarak, being a dutiful and obedient follower of Bahamut, was indeed given this promised power. His resilience, already legendary, swelled to incredible levels, and his followers regularly beheld their leader be struck by hundreds of arrows, get blasted by powerful magic, or be torn into by cruel claws without as much as a scratch. Even as the goliath he unified the realm with grew old and died, he remained vigorous, unassailed by time itself.

Svarak, Invincible Law, lived to the age of five-hundred and twenty-six years before dying. During the centuries of his rule, uncountable neanderthal tribes had been unified into a strong empire dedicated to Bahamut, and on the day of his death thousands of loyal followers wept. No king who came after him approached his magnificence and glory, so let it be know.

Bahamut be praised.

Level 1:
Svarak is a fairly typical barbarian, albeit one with an overabundance of constitution. Enjoy twenty hit points and high damage as you demolish encounter after encounter, while applying Heroic Destiny's bonus to important rolls. Outside of combat, Svarak can contribute with his survival skills and ability to intimidate others.

Level 1.5:

Somewhere before reaching level 2, Svarak has a change of heart, begins worshipping Bahamut, and undergoes the Rite of Rebirth. His alignment shifts to Lawful Good (Whirling Frenzy, unlike Rage, doesn't care), and he exchanges his mostly useless racial traits for a sweet pair of wings.

Because he no longer qualifies for Heroic Spirit after losing Human Blood (which is a neanderthal racial trait after all), Svarak swaps the feat out for Roll With It, making him even bulkier.

Also, Svarak loses his neanderthal illiteracy! As he already bought off the barbarian illiteracy he can now read and write both common and draconic.

Level 2:

Svarak's first level in Knight is quite featureless. He does, however, gain the ability to challenge foes for a minor boost in damage, which is nice at least.

Level 3:

Free Mounted Combat (I'm not saying you should buy a cool frostfell mount, but you should), another iteration of Roll With It, and the near-useless Shield Block.

Level 4:

Bulwark of Defense, a class feature that single-handedly stops enemy advances, is quite welcome. Nothing else of note though.

Level 5:

Test of Mettle is awesome: it forces foes to attack our heavily armored, damage-resistant self rather than the squishy wizard ten feet over. It can be used four times per day: once per encounter.

Level 6:

Another iteration of Roll With It (DR is starting to add up), Iron Will to patch up our second-weakest save, and Vigilant Defender to stop these pesky rogues from tumbling out of reach. A creature with 18 dexterity and the obligatory 5 ranks of Tumble still only has a 50% chance to get past us without getting hit in the progress.

Furthermore, Svarak can now fly for short distances. This ability is greatly strengthened by his high constitution modifier, allowing for up to half a minute of continuous flight.

Finally, Svarak gains a second attack. This is either a nice source of extra damage, or, if your party has DPR covered, a second trip attempt per turn.

Epic levels:

That's right: all epic feats are Roll With It! Combined, they increase Svarak's DR to the incredible height of 26/-, which combined with Test of Mettle may cause many fights to end without any damage taken by the party at all. If Svarak does get hurt, 75 HP should see him through for a while.

Svarak's own offensive abilities are somewhat behind those of a damage-dealer, but by efficiently and safely tanking hits he can keep most of an encounter focused on him while the party picks off their foes one by one.

Svarak has 75 hit points. A 6th-level barbarian with 16 constitution would have 63, an equally-leveled fighter 56. Meanwhile, something like a rogue with 12 constitution has a mere 30 HP.

Svarak also has DR 26/-. To put this into perspective, I randomly selected a number of CR 8 MM monsters and analyzed their ability to damage Svarak should they be affected by his Test of Mettle.

Athach: maximum morningstar damage 26 (3d6+8), which is fully nullified. A PA-enhanced attack that rolls well can damage Svarak, but is extremely unlikely to deal more than single-digit damage.

Dark Naga: bite attack insufficient to deal damage or deliver poison. Spells can harm Svarak, but no single spell deals more than half his HP on average, making death unlikely.

Destrachan: claws are incapable of dealing damage, even strongest ability hitting for max damage won't reduce Svarak's HP by more than half.

Dire Tiger: strongest attack deals at most 16 damage, which is easily resisted. Bite attack can still damage on a crit; claws are harmless even then.

Efreeti: 1d6 rider fire damage can damage Svarak, regular attacks are too weak. Scorching Ray and Wall of Fire can deal damage but are no true danger.

Giant Octopus: attacks are powerless even on crits. Improved Grab might be a threat, but is arguably negated as well.

Gray Render: attacks boosted heavily with PA might deal single-digit damage. Otherwise no threat.

Seven-Headed Pyrohydra: bite attacks are powerless, but fire jets can significantly damage or even kill Svarak. However, this monster is notoriously overpowered and in my opinion the fact that this build has a better-than-even chance of survival is admirable enough.

Juvenile Green Dragon: Attacks are incapable of dealing damage. Breath Weapon can harm but not significantly injure Svarak. 1st-level sorcerer spells, if used right, may cause temporary inconvenience or minor harm, although flight and high saving throws render most typical strategies ineffective (including, but not limited to, Fengut, Grease, Wall of Smoke and Blockade).

Ogre Mage: attacks are only dangerous on crits, Cone of Cold (usable 1/day) can deal significant damage but will on average remove about a third of Svarak's health, and is altogether incapable of slaying him outright.

Treant: both Trample and Slam attacks are incapable of harming Svarak unless Power Attack or critical hits boost damage.

Young Adult Red Dragon Skeleton: the tail slap is theoretically capable of dealing a single point of damage. Outside of that, only crits are threatening.

Enemies with high Will saves and lots of mobility or ranged attacks are dangerous to Svarak, as they can evade Test of Mettle and attack allies behind him.

Foes with AoE effects can attack Svarak's allies even when under the effect of Test of Mettle. Note that if Svarak has the room to fly into the right position, this advantage of theirs disappears.

Reflex-based save-or-suck spells like Bands of Steel are also problematic, but fortunately rare.

No gear is required for this build. However, should your DM let you pick and choose, try to get stuff that increases DR, such as adamantine armor.

If you want to focus on damage, a greatsword is the obvious choice. For more defensive characters I suggest a guisarme: it has both reach (large Defensive Bulwark-area!) and trip capability. Incidentally, this also is a good defense against uberchargers: with a guisarme you can trip them before they get you within their reach and leave them prone and damaged in difficult terrain. On your next turn, 5 ft-step closer and unleash a full attack.

Originality: Neanderthal is a very underused race, and I believe Svarak's uber-defensive strategy is quite nonconventional as well. Last of all, this is a barbarian without Spirit Lion Totem.

Power: Decent damage output (two attacks per round, 19 strength, full martial proficiency), a smattering of out-of-combat abilities (intimidate, ride, flight, survival), and insane defensive abilities.

Consider this: Svarak has DR 26/-, +8 Fortitude, +5 Will, and over 70 hit points, as well as the ability to draw in enemy fire and complicate their movement. That's as crazy a defensive powerhouse you can get without templates.

Elegance: Yes, that's a barbarian dip. Sue me. No multiclass penalties, cross-setting material, or illegal feat choices, though: I took special care to make sure my level 1 Roll With It is legal at the time I pick it.

UoSI: 5/6ths of Svarak's levels are in the SI, its special abilities are heavily relied upon, and the overall build is in line with the 'feel' of the class.

Anything not listed is from the PHB.

Frostburn: Neanderthal
PHB II: Knight (duh)
Races of Destiny: Heroic Destiny
Races of the Dragon: Dragonborn
Savage Species: Roll With It
Unearthed Arcana: Totem Barbarian, Whirling Frenzy

[Zaq]

I feel like I should have seen this one coming, but cats are pretty stealthy.



Sir Meowx-Aww-Lots
LN Tibbit Cloistered Cleric 1/Knight 5

https://cdn77.sadanduseless.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/catshop-napoleon.jpg

Str. 12-2=10
Dex 14+2=16
Con 12
Int 10
Wis 11
Cha 17

Add 1 to charisma at level 4.



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


1st
Cloistered Cleric (UA)
+0
+2
+0
+2
Handle Humanoid 4, spellcraft 4, Ride 2cc, k. Religion 4, k. nobility 4, Hide 2cc.
Lightning Reflexes (b), Flop (Web) (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd%2Ffools%2F20030401c)
Aura, Turn Undead, Lore, Knowledge Domain, Cat domain (Web) (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd%2Ffools%2F20030401c), Drow domain


2nd
Knight
+1
+2
+0
+4
Handle humanoid 5, ride 3

Fighting challenge +1, knight's challenge, knight's code


3rd
Knight
+2
+2
+0
+5
Handle humanoid 6, ride 4
Mounted Combat (b), Prone Attack
(Complete Warrior p.103)
Mounted Combat, shield block +1


4th
Knight
+3
+3
+1
+5
Handle humanoid 7, ride 5

Bulwark of defense


5th
Knight
+4
+3
+1
+6
Handle humanoid 8, ride 6

Armor mastery (medium), test of mettle


6th
Knight
+5
+3
+1
+6
Handle Humanoid 9, ride 7
Ride by attack (b), Improved Flop (Web) (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd%2Ffools%2F20030401c)
Bonus feat, vigilant defender


1: Combat reflexes
2: interspecies grace (Web) (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd%2Ffools%2F20030401c)
3: Writhe (Web) (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd%2Ffools%2F20030401c)
4: Spirited Charge
5: Wild Cohort (web) (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a): Serval (sandstorm p.195)
6:Practiced Spellcaster (Complete Divine p.82)
7:extend spell
8:persistent spell (Complete Arcane p.81)
9:Divine Metamagic (Complete Divine p.80)
10:Skill Focus (Handle Humanoid)

Spells:
Domain: Cat's Grace
0: Guidance, Detect Magic, Summon Holy Symbol (complete champion)
1: Unseen Servant, Blood Wind (Spell Compendium), Protective Interposition (Forge of War p.115), Peacebond (cityscape)

Sir Meowx Aww Lots is a lazy tibbit knight who uses a combination of bloodwind, flop, and fighting challenges to direct his primary opponents, usually Drow that come to the surface world, towards their own demise. Spend almost all adventuring time as a housecat. He can flop in a sidecar saddle and still be able to attack on a charge, while prone. Get a mouthpick weapon with reach as soon as possible to make everything about this awesome knight of justice to destroy his nemesis. Unseen servants can drag him on a tiny sledge. Bulwark of defense works well with combat reflexes and a reach weapon. Handle humanoid can be used to move humanoid opponents around the field. Tibbits can speak feline, so theoretically, he doesn't need to use handle animal to get his cohort to obey. The entire point of this build is to spend as much time as possible lying down. Prone attack facilitates this. If you read the RAW of prone attack divorced from context, it's amazing. You don't take ANY penalties for attacking while prone and your opponent gains no bonuses to their attack...which is weird because being prone affects your AC, not your opponent's attack roll.

https://rlv.zcache.com/cat_riding_a_tiger_bandana-r35c3543948e441bebc8a1523026ca46f_z21f3_324.jpg?rl vnet=1

[Zaq]

Pretty sure that my 4e group would make this guy an honorary member (at least) of the Unsleeping Telepathic Defenders Club. Which is actually a thing. It's weird.



http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2010/242/5/a/hero_knight_by_rusty001-d2xnzwg.jpg

Guardian, LG Warforged Knight 6



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


1st
Knight 1
+1
+0
+0
+2
Intimidate 4, Ride 4
Adamantine Body
Fighting Challenge +1, Knight's Challenge, Knight's Code


2nd
Knight 2
+2
+0
+0
+3
Intimidate 5, Ride 5
Mounted CombatB
Mounted Combat, Shield Block


3rd
Knight 3
+3
+1
+1
+3
Intimidate 6, Ride 6
Constant Guardian
Bulwark of Defense


4th
Knight 4
+4
+1
+1
+4
Intimidate 7, Ride 7

Armor Mastery(Medium), Test of Mettle


5th
Knight 5
+5
+1
+1
+4
Intimidate 8, Ride 8
Spirited ChargeB
Bonus Feat, Vigilant Defender


6th
Knight 6
+6
+2
+2
+5
Intimidate 9, Ride 9
Dutiful Guardian
Shield Ally


Epic Feats:
Shape Soulmeld(Shedu Crown)
Open Least Chakra(Crown)
Mindsight
Martial Study(Shield Block)
Martial Stance(Martial Spirit)
Imperious Command
Stone Power
Bonus Essentia
Shape Soulmeld(Brass Mane)
Martial Stance(Iron Guard's Glare)

Stats:
Str - 16
Dex - 10
Con - 12 (14)
Int - 10
Wis - 12 (10)
Cha - 16 (14)


Backstory:
"From the moment I first awoke, I have known my purpose. I am the shield that turns aside the blade, the wall that holds back the tide. Know that if you seek to harm my charges, you will find your ambitions shattered upon my resolve. Sheathe your blades and flee, lest your thirst for violence lead you unto ruin!"

Near the end of the last war, Wilhelm d'Cannith found himself experimenting with modifications to the warforged creation process. One of his more promising ideas involved repurposing many of the methods used to create Shield Guardians. The warforged resulting from this experimentation were assigned to generals and important military officials as aides and bodyguards. Guardian is one such warforged.

When the war ended, Guardian's purpose did not. He quickly found himself in jobs where he was called upon to guard or defend a wide variety of people. Guardian is fond of gifting a little shield necklace to those he protects to mark them as his charges.

Play Style:
Unless he needs to mount up and punch a hole in the enemy line so his allies can get through, Guardian rarely strays far from those he defends. He needs to be nearby to utilize most of his defensive abilities. Constant Guardian and Dutiful Guardian let him protect adjacent allies by giving AC boosts and stepping in to take a hit if needed. The Shield Ally capstone lets him take additional hits for the team. Once he's in position to tank for the group, he activates Stone Power and Martial Spirit Stance.

The rest of his abilities help him to spot threats, or try to stop fights before they start. Where possible, he prefers to intimidate a potential foe into retreat, so that no one needs to get hurt.


Monster Manual 3 - Warforged
Drow of the Underdark - Constant Guardian, Dutiful Guardian, Imperious Command
Magic of Incarnum - Shape Soulmeld, Open Least Chakra, Bonus Essentia
Tome of Battle - Martial Study, Martial Stance, Stone Power
Lords of Madness - Mindsight

[Zaq]

"So I sez to the guy, that's no sandworm, that's my mount!"


Sir Markum of the order of the White Sand

In most respects, the order of the White Sand is much like any other knightly order. They protect their chosen domain from invaders, bandits and other problem. They behave chivalrously to a fault (much to the enjoyment of more pragmatic fighters) and rescue any and all damsels in distress they happen to encounter.
What sets them apart form other knightly orders re two things: their chosen terrain and their chosen mounts.

The order of the White Sand calls a vast desert its home, and rather than the warhorses favoured by others, they’ve domesticated a particularly vicious breed of Ashworm for their members to use. Though these creatures bear their knights willingly enough, they don’t tend to understand the finer points of chivalrous behaviour like a normal warhorse might. This has led to many incidents over the years, including one that led to the order being banned from tournaments for over a decade after a knight’s mount decided the other horses would make for a nice snack.

Their mounts’ more pragmatic behaviour means that the Order of the White Sand also loses the fewest amount of knights to what the orders call ‘unchivalrous behaviour’ and what more pragmatic warriors call ‘having a friend shank a stupid knight waiting for me to get up’, as the Ashworms generally don’t share their masters patience with prone enemies.

Sir Markum is a prime example of his order’s members. Proud, chivalrous, a great fighter, and willing to excuse any uncouth behaviour by his mount.





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


1st
Knight 1
+1
+0
+0
+2
ride 4, handle animal 4, intimidate 4
Power attack, improved bull rush
fighting challenge +1, knight's challenge, knight's code


2nd
Knight 2
+2
+0
+0
+3
ride 5, intimidate 5, handle animal 5
Mounted combat(bonus)
Shield block +1


3rd
knight 3
+3
+1
+1
+3
ride 6, intimidate 6, diplomacy 1/2
ride-by attack
bulwark of defense


4th
knight 4
+4
+1
+1
+4
ride 7, intimidate 7, diplomacy 1
-
Armor mastery(medium), test of mettle


5th
Crusader 1
+5
+3
+1
+4
ride 8, intimidate 8, diplomacy 4
-
furious counterstrike, steely resolve


6th
Ashworm Dragoon 1
+6
+5
+1
+4
ride 9, intimidate 9, handle animal 6
Shocktrooper
Ashworm mount, saddle bonus

Feats:

Spirited Charge
Cleave
Weapon focus(lance)
Short haft
extra granted maneuver
tremendous charge
martial study(burning blade)
trample
cavalry charger
great cleave

Race: human


Ability
Score


STR
18


DEX
10


CON
14


INT
10


WIS
8


CHA
14


Initator:
One level of Crusader gives this build access to 5 maneuvers and 1 stance. These can be of 1st or 2nd level as the crusader has an effective initiator level of 3 when the level of crusader is taken.
Stance:Iron guard's glare
Maneuvers:

Crusader's Strike
Leading the attack
Battle Leader's Charge
Mountain Hammer
Charging Minotaur



Build details
This build has a number of tricks up its sleeves. It can charge for a lot of damage, and most of that will be online after getting the first extra feat. The level of crusader provides some options for aiding your allies by healing through Crusader's strike, while forcing enemies to focus on you through the iron guard's glare stance, which penalizes attacks that aren't used against you by enemies that you threaten.

The sweet spot for this build lies after the fourth epic feat. Short haft allows you to change the reach property of your lance when you need to, which works nicely with managing the area covered by your martial stance.
Past the sweet spot the additional feats add incremental increases in (charge)damage as well as a bit of extra versatility.

At level 6, a charge at full power attack will do about 67 damage on average, or 97 damage when using the battle leader's charge maneuver. At max level, using all available tricks and maneuvers, the average damage goes up to 138 on average, using Battle leader's charge, burning brand, full power attack and cavalry charger's bonus damage from ride checks.

[Zaq]

I believe that the word we're looking for here is "Falsenamer."



Izzik Temple-Guard
Izzik is a Knight of the Temple of the Sacred Word, whose job is to defend acolytes, friends of the temple, and even the temple itself should it come under attack - though this seems unlikely, given its size and the fact that it's underwater. More likely, Izzik must spread the word and defeat the enemies of the faith by empowering its allies to victory.

Knight is terrible. No, seriously, I'm pretty sure that the base attack, bonus, will saves, hit dice and proficiencies are just better than everything else you get. Let's mess with that.

Specifically, the way I intend to mess with that is that a d12 hit die, full BAB and decent proficiencies isn't exactly bad when you tape some useful actions to it. And as far as I can tell, the three types of actions I can take to it are a bit of psionics, a bit more martial initiation, and a fair deal of truespeak. So essentially we're playing a truenamer with a knight's chassis, which sounds like a great idea and I don't know why no-one's tried it before. Oh wait.

The other thing I considered is Test of Mettle+attacker takes damage, and I suggest getting hold of some attacker takes damage items if you can (though amulets of the silver tongue may be more helpful for the cost). Unfortunately, the only abilities I could find with attacker takes damage were either spells, Holocaust Cloak (which requires too high an IL), Reversed Greater Energy Negation (which is too high level to get via a feat at all) and Robilar's Gambit (which requires too much BAB). I suspect there may be a way to cheat and get it as a bonus feat, but that's not easy. However, I am going for the next best thing: test of mettle and being nearly impossible to hit. With an AC of 20 in the nude and no reason not to use armour and a shield, you can have a great deal of fun taunting people into trying to attack you and then watching them all miss. You end up playing tank and buffbot and a little crowd control. Finally, Fire Riposte remains in the build as an artifact of trying to make the attacker takes damage build, because 14 damage as an immediate action is no joke.

We recommend using a reach weapon so you threaten adjacent squares. Maybe take a diminutive one so you can wield it in one hand because let's face it, you weren't trying to hit into any of those squares, only make them difficult terrain.Muckdweller (SK) Knight 4/Paladin 2

Starting ability scores are 10/14/12/15/10/16 which become 4/20/12/15/8/14 after racial adjustments and 4/20/12/16/8/14 after levelling.

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


1st
Knight 1
+1
+1
+5
+1
Autohypnosis +3, Decipher Script +3, Disable Device +3, Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +3, Open Lock +6, Truespeak +6, Tumble +6
Truespeak Training
Fighting Challenge +1, Knight's Challenge, Knight's Code


2nd
Knight 2
+2
+1
+5
+2
Autohypnosis +3, Decipher Script +3, Disable Device +3, Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (Arcana) +3, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +3, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +3, Open Lock +6, Truespeak +7, Tumble +6
Mounted CombatB
Shield Block +1


3rd
Knight 3
+3
+2
+6
+2
Autohypnosis +3, Decipher Script +3, Disable Device +3, Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (Arcana) +3, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +3, Knowledge (Local) +3, Knowledge (Nature) +3, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +3, Open Lock +6, Truespeak +8, Tumble +6
Minor Utterance of the Evolving Mind (Universal Aptitude)
Bulwark of Defence


4th
Knight 4
+4
+2
+6
+3
Autohypnosis +3, Decipher Script +4, Disable Device +4, Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (Arcana) +4, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +4, Knowledge (Local) +4, Knowledge (Nature) +4, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +4, Open Lock +6, Truespeak +10, Tumble +6
-
Medium Armour Mastery, Test of Mettle


5th
Knight 4/Paladin 1
+5
+4
+6
+3
Autohypnosis +3, Decipher Script +4, Diplomacy +5, Disable Device +4, Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (Arcana) +4, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +4, Knowledge (Local) +4, Knowledge (Nature) +4, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +4, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Open Lock +6, Truespeak +11, Tumble +6
-
Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/day


6th
Knight 4/Paladin 2
+6
+7
+8
+5
Autohypnosis +3, Decipher Script +4, Diplomacy +9, Disable Device +4, Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (Arcana) +4, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +4, Knowledge (Local) +4, Knowledge (Nature) +4, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +4, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Open Lock +6, Truespeak +12, Tumble +6
Minor Utterance of the Evolving Mind (Inertia Surge)
Divine Grace, Lay on Hands


Epic
Knight 4/Paladin 2
+6
+7
+8
+5
Autohypnosis +3, Decipher Script +4, Diplomacy +11, Disable Device +6, Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (Arcana) +4, Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) +4, Knowledge (Local) +4, Knowledge (Nature) +4, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +4, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Open Lock +6, Truespeak +17, Tumble +6
Utterance of the Evolving Mind (Hidden Truth), Utterance of the Evolving Mind (Lesser Word of Nurturing), Skill Focus (Truespeak), Mortalbane, Martial Study (Cloak of Deception), Martial Stance (Child of Shadow), Martial Study (Fire Riposte), Improved Initiative, Hidden Talent (Psionic Grease), Focused Skill User (Diplomacy, Disable Device, Truespeak)
-
So here's the thing.

You are generally some combination of tank (Like, dude, you have 45 hit points, AC 31ish and concealment, you'll live), and healbot (Yes okay I suppose I'll lesser word of nuturing you) and buffbot (+5 to all skills from universal aptitude, freedom of movement in a world where that generally speaking doesn't exist) and skillmonkey (I did mention +5 to all skills from universal aptitude, yes? Don't worry, you get another +10 to knowledge from hidden truth) and a little crowd control (hey, grease never goes out of style, and no-save can't move out of the square you're in is pretty funny if you have nothing better to do than trade actions).So your tactics are pretty situation-dependent.

Is there a combat? Great, now work out which of shoving damage at stuff's face with mortalbane reversed lesser word of nurturing (that's a mouthful!), healing people with the normal person (fast healing in combat is bad but ranged stabilise in combat is good; it's a toss-up), getting rid of movement debuffs with inertia surge, adding a movement debuff with reversed inertia surge, grease because grease is good, or perhaps even the +5/-5 to skills from normal/reversed universal aptitude (I don't know that the reversed version will ever be used, but maybe?) is the best use of your action. Usually, grease is, but that's very limited in number of uses, so you might start damaging things. Your swift action should of course be used to taunt as much as possible, and your next swift action is hopefully eaten by Fire Riposte.

If there's not a combat, your next question is usually "Does another party member do this thing better than me?" If you're trying to outdo the wizard on knowledge (arcana) you might have a bad day, but give him the +15 bonus instead and watch the cogs whir. If, on the other hand, no-one but you knows the king from a pitchfork, shove the +15 to knowledge on yourself and make the nobility and royalty check. The +5 to all skills except for knowledge (and bluff, but ehh) is less impressive, but +16 diplomacy or +11 disable device isn't exactly the worst you could have at level 6 - in fact, you're not likely to find a rogue with better than +9 decipher script about. So I like to think you're okay at skills.

Outside of combat and skills, well, there's not a great deal, but tiny size is possibly useful, at least. And if you can't find any applicable skill, you're probably not trying hard enough.Core, Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle, Expanded Psionics Handbook and Complete Psionics.

[Zaq]

And that's the lot of them! Get judging, folks! I'll go update the OP with links to the builds.

[ATHATH]

May I say what my (failed) idea was, or do you want to wait until after the judging for that?

[Zaq]

If it’s substantially similar to anything the chefs have served up, it’s probably best to wait. If it’s wildly different, I don’t see the harm—the coulda-shoulda-woulda lamentations of those whose builds never came together are kind of a time-honored tradition, no?

[Thurbane]

Nice entries. I'm currently working on judging for Villainous Competition, but hope to have to get to this as well.

[ATHATH]

Okay, so the basic premise of my build was to combine the Hengeyokai (sparrow) race, the Underfoot Combat feat (qualified for by taking the Favored Contact feat and being in sparrow form when leveling up (and with its benefits only received while in sparrow form)), Challenge of Mettle, and some way to immobilize (as in, stop them from moving from their square, not necessarily keep them from taking any actions) my enemies (either Reversed Inertia Surge (gained either from feats or from a Truenamer dip), Imperious Command, or something else).

The basic combat strategy was going to be to start the battle in sparrow form, immobilize someone, move into their space, activate Underfoot Combat, then activate Test of Mettle.

Unfortunately, I ran into issues regarding required actions- Underfoot Combat requires you to use Combat Expertise, fight defensively, or take the total defense action (thus (normally) requiring at least a standard action in order to be used), I (normally) need to use my move action to actually get into my opponent's space (unless I'm already close enough to 5 ft. step into their space), I need to use a swift action in order to activate Test of Mettle, and Imperious Command and Reversed Inertia Surge both (normally) require a standard action (or a swift action if you have an ability that lets you demoralize as a swift action or the Quicken Utterance feat) and (normally) last only one round.

I suppose that it would be possible to use the Extend Utterance feat to be able to immobilize someone for longer than 1 round or just use test of Mettle WITHOUT being in someone's space/immobilizing someone on the first turn of combat (why didn't I think of that while brainstorming?)... But it's too late to submit a build(,) now, isn't it?

[ATHATH]

So, new and revised combat plan:

Turn 1:
Start of battle: You should always be in sparrow-form.
Standard action: Activate a buff or something, I dunno.
Move action: Fly into the center of a group of enemies.
Swift action: Use Test of Mettle.
OOC action: Hope and pray that you don't get insta-gibbed while you're (sort of/kinda/not really) twice as "vulnerable" to single-target attacks than you "should" be.

Turn 2+:
Move action: Move into an enemy's space.
Standard action: Perform an action that activates Underfoot Combat.
Swift action: Use Quickened Reversed Inertia Surge on your "host". If you think that your host will last at least a few more turns, you can use an Extended Quickened Reversed Inertia Surge instead so that you can use Test of Mettle again next turn.

The final build would probably look something like Knight 4/Truenamer 1 (saves me 3 feats or so(,) and I don't really need Full BAB anyway for much anyway)/Marshal 1 (for CHA to Truenaming). That should make me CHA-SAD, with STR and DEX as dump stats (since they're replaced while I'm in sparrow-form), INT and CON as secondary stats, and WIS as another dump stat (since I don't use it for much, anyway).

The Pierce Magical Concealment feat+Ring of Blinking combo might be an interesting addition/thing to spend resources and such on later into my build, since my chance to redirect attacks to my "host" technically isn't a miss chance and thus should stack with "normal" miss chances (if I'm interpreting that right). Evasion tank, goooooo!

Actually, since I don't really care about actually hitting anything with my attacks, I think that just the Ring of Blinking by itself should do just fine. Too bad that it isn't available in E6... Wait, can those special dwarves that can make magic items "early" make rings?

I might be able to write the build up over the weekend, if you want. I won't be able to enter the contest with it, of course, but if you guys want to see it out of curiosity, I can make it.

[WhamBamSam]

I've just emerged from taking way too long to judge the main competition, but I'm a little disappointed I wasn't able to get in on this one. I've thought basically since the Shadowsmith round of Iron Chef that Knight 3/Full BAB 2/Shadowsmith 1 with Favored Mystery (Carpet of Shadow) a bunch of times to make the Bulwark of Defense squares cost 20' of movement would be a fun little E6 build. I toyed with difficult terrain shenanigans briefly in that IC round, but none of them really held up past low levels. Not sure what else I'd have done beyond usual Spirited Charge stuff, but I think it could have worked out pretty well.

[remetagross]

I toyed with the idea of maximising the DC of Test of Mettle through Vow of Nonviolence and Ability Focus, ensuring that people could not stop but breaking their weapons on my skin with Vow of Piece. But the build couldn't do much past that, and basically Test of Mettle would have been the only Knighty thing that build would have used.

[Deadline]

Any word on judges for this comp?

[Thurbane]

Any word on judges for this comp?

I'm not going to get to this judging before I complete the latest VC judging; and I doubt that will be done before Christmas.

[Deadline]

I'm not going to get to this judging before I complete the latest VC judging; and I doubt that will be done before Christmas.

Ok, thanks for the update Thurbane!

[Zaq]

I just got back from my own holiday travels over the weekend, so I’m not about to give anyone too hard a time, but any word from our judges?

[jdizzlean]

t'bane posted in VC that some RL crap came up and he wasn't sure when, or if, he'd get to judging anytime soon. which of course means this is even further out

I could judge, but I'm still unsure how exactly e6 is supposed to function, however i'm on night shift for a few months, which means i have 8-10 hours to kill every night....

so i'll take a look at the submissions again, and do a judging.

stay tuned..

[jdizzlean]

Yay nightshift.

The Knight E6:

Sir Svarak

Originality- The tendencies of a Barbarian would seem to clash with that of the Knight. Sure you aren’t a raging lunatic, but barbarian’s tend to hit things until their dead (and then hit them some more) and a Knight only hits things until they fall over and stop fighting. Expending all 13 feat choices on one thing is probably a little out there, so you get points for that. It seems like the only real reason you took barbarian was to gain Toughness, and therefor qualify for Roll with It. Score 3.5

Power- DR 26/- generally means you just stand there and laugh when someone hits you. It does take you awhile to get up to this godlike power level, but you do get there. I conjure thoughts of the Black Knight of Holy Grail fame “tis just a flesh wound!” well, without the wound.. The only downside is this only comes into play against physical damage. Magical damage bypasses your DR, so you still have to be able to close with a caster. Wings and the Jump bonus help with that, but your Knight’s Code blocks you from attacking them unaware. Lots of HP’s are always good, and a decent AC bulk that up in the meantime. Score: 4

Elegance- The barbarian/Neanderthal combination is elegant and thematic. Fluffwise, I wish you’d expanded on just WHY Bahamut chose you out of the masses of all the cavemen of the world to be his champion. You are a dragon, and a human for the purposes of race, but I’m not sure that qualifies you to live 500+ years, but that’s not important as you aren’t trying to add age category cheese. You are a one trick pony, having focused entirely upon DR with all your choices. Sure you do that extremely well, but you are limited. Score 4

Use of SI- You take 5 of 6 levels of the SI. You find a way for the classes abilities to work into your concept and it does mesh with your choices overall. Simultaneously I award your audacity and penalize your conceptual challenges. Aside from a massive hit point pool, you’ve done nothing to offset your weakness to magical damage. Score 3.75

Total Score: 15.25


Sir Meowx

Originality- A cat, as a Knight protector, pulled on a sled by an unseen servant. This is the epitome of hilarity, I applaud you sir. Score 5.

Power- A STR of only 10 means no help to attack or damage in melee, leaving you less effective as a front line fighter, further reduced by 8 when in cat form. Likewise, a low CON is further a detriment as you can’t soak as much damage. The inability to cast spells (verbal or somatic) in cat form also make you more vulnerable while you are lounging about, trying not to do anything. You didn’t take any feats to get around this limitation. You spend a lot of your feats increasing your very limited spellcasting to make it last longer and do more, but you’re not taking extra slots or spells known, which means you’re only getting 1 encounter, or a partial encounter out of your main tactics that are derived from your cleric level (interposition, blood wind, holy symbol). Score 2.5

Elegance- Cloistered Cleric’s forgo more martial training in the effort to be more knowledgeable. The knight is a martial class, so this seems like a mishmash of classes. A source list would be nice, you do list your feats/spells, but nothing else. Having to google all the other pieces of your build is a headache. Without having read just what Handle Humanoid is, I figured it was so that you as a cat can have a humanoid as your mount and then you can teach it tricks. (but you don’t state this) However Handle Humanoid only affects those with INT’s of 1 or 2, meaning that most of your opponents will be unaffected by your attempts to handle them. Plus, I think of Handle Humanoid the same as Handle Animal, where it’s essentially to teach “tricks” to an animal or train it in some fashion. Using this as a means of battlefield control seems a far stretch, especially if the targets are hostile towards you already. While I like to stretch alignment as much as anyone, Tibbets specifically state that they have a strong tendency towards chaos, which would conflict with the Knights requirement towards Lawful. Peacebond directly violates the Knight’s Code by not allowing your enemy to ready himself for battle. Extend Spell only works on your 0th lvl spells. Persist Spell uses up a slot 6 levels higher, of which you don’t have. Score 1

Use of SI- At first glance, it seems like the SI and your fluff work really well together. But when you dig into how everything interacts it really doesn’t. I think this build is a case where you could’ve, and probably should’ve, spent a few extra levels in something else, and took less levels in the SI, and come out far more on top of it than you are. Score 2.5

Total Score: 10.5


Guardian

Originality- Straight Warforged Knight. The flavor comes into play once you start picking your feats, but other then that it’s a little cookie cutter. Score 3.5

Power- All of your feat choices are chosen to better assist your party. Living Construct Traits help to offset a few things in combat that might otherwise be an issue. The only glaring weakness I see is that you have no means to repair yourself as you can’t be healed by normal means for damage taken. Mindsight is particularly beneficial in combat to help fight against magic users, assuming they’re within range. Score 4

Elegance- Everything functions as listed, I even learned a few things from this build! Score 5

Use of SI- Full 6/6 levels, and every other choice made is done to augment them and the abilities you gain from the SI. Score 5
Total Score: 17.5



Sir Markum

Originality- You’ve taken Knight and made it into a Mounted Beast. However the level in Crusader seems to clash horribly with the level in Ashworm Dragoon. One is focused on mounted combat, and the other is not. Perhaps this is done to give you more options, but you’ve effectively cut out a chunk of the build depending on which you are attempting at any given time, which makes this a bit muddled. Score 3.

Power- You can charge the living daylights out of something, provided you can catch it, or prevent it from flying away. Your maneuvers and stances help the rest of the party out, but you can’t use them if you’re on that giant worm.. You’ve got two paths in your build, but you don’t focus on either one, which makes each weaker then it could be. Score 3.5

Elegance- Not. One. Single. Source. Listed. My googlefu isn’t strong enough to find everything you have listed. Frowny face for you.

What’s your alignment?

Your build details states that Iron Guard’s Glare forces opponents to attack you, but the stance merely gives them an attack penalty for not targeting you, nothing more. You took extra granted maneuver, but don’t list what it is. Asherati would’ve made more sense as a race then human. The only reason to go human was for the extra feat, which allows you to take Ashworm Dragoon on top of Crusader, but Dragoon could’ve been used to greater effect if you can dive under the sand with your mount. Trample states it grants a hoof attack, which a Ashworm doesn’t have, but I’d probably allow it at my table. Poison is generally considered to be an underhanded thing to do, and as such is dishonorable, which goes against your Knight’s Code. You could go through the ritual a Paladin does to defang your worm of it’s stinger, but you pretty explicitly state that it’s ok with you that your mount doesn’t follow your code of Honor, and that you just look the other way.. Cavalry Charger requires a BAB of +7, which you don’t have. Score 1

Use of SI- 4 of 6 levels, but not taking the other two isn’t particularly damning. It might’ve been a better idea to take an additional level in the SI OR focus solely on an extra lvl in either of the other two classes as I think that would be a more fluid character. As it is, you essentially have two dips that counter each other. You seem to focus entirely on charging damage to the detriment of all else, despite the complications already listed. I don’t see how this build couldn’t have simply been accomplished with a fighter or other martial class for the first 4 levels instead. Score 3.

Total Score: 10.5


Izzik

Originality- Is Muckdweller the flavor of the month? It seems to be cropping up more and more. Either way, tiny underwater character is really not particularly any more special then human in the context of this particular SI, so no positive or negative either way. Score 3

Power- Elegance issues aside, you’re pretty hard to hit, but chances are the things trying to hit you are pretty much your size or close enough anyways, which sort of helps to whittle down your advantage. Being a skill granting monkey sure helps out your other party members (if you have any) but I’m not convinced it’s that drastic of an advantage all around. Score 3

[/u]Elegance[/u]- I don’t know what you were looking at when you calculated your skill points, but you have 57 points spent in skills when you should only have 16 at level 1.. This alone makes it almost impossible to judge your entry based on whether or not you meet the req’s for Minor Utterance at the time you first take it, especially since you take it, and the greater version of it multiple times throughout the build.

Your saves are also strangely incorrect. A level 4 Knight has saves of 1/1/4, but you have 2/6/3 listed on your build, etc.

You list no alignment. You also suffer from not listing all your sources.

I don’t particularly see the point of taking Paladin levels at all, (beyond the bonus to your saves) what are you gaining from it, and how are you using it specifically?

You take Mortalbane, but don’t list what you’re applying it to..

Hidden Talent has to be taken at level 1, which means you can’t take it as a feat so much later into the build as you are. Score 1

Use of SI- 4 of 6 levels, but no particular apparent synergy with paladin. You veer off into psionics (illegally), Initiator maneuvers, and some truenaming (which frankly makes no sense to me). Score 2.5

Total Score: 9.5


Hopefully this helps bring some closure to this round so this comp can move on. If there are disputes, I'll entertain 1 dispute and 1 rebuttal per entry, but I think I've been pretty fair, all things considered.

[ATHATH]

jdizzlean, I strongly disagree with your assessment of Sir Meowx.

In the Elegance section alone:

Handle Humanoid comes from the Fabulous Cats! article, and does NOT need to be used on a Humanoid with an INT score of 1 or 2: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fools/20030401c

Also, I'm pretty sure that Sir Meowx is just using Handle Humanoid as an extra trick in battles against Humanoids that only costs a few skill points, not his main battle plan (I think he's using the Flop feat chain and charging as his main battle plan, although I could be wrong).

The "conflict between Cloistered Cleric and Knight" thing is a stretch. Not only should the default fluff of classes not matter too much (remember that fluff is mutable), even if you WERE using the default fluff of classes, the class combination is ridiculously easy to justify: Sir Meowx was a priest that had studied matters of faith, tactics, philosophy, and manipulation in his temple before volunteering/being conscripted to go on a crusade.

The alignment ruling is, to be blunt, bull!@#$. Tibbits aren't CN outsiders; they just have a strong TENDENCY to be Chaotic (Neutral). Heck, even if they WERE CN outsiders with an "always CN" note on their statblock, I'd still not penalize the build for that; exceptions exist even in "always X" alignment entries, and PCs (and DM-created villains, for that matter) are MEANT to be exceptional.

I believe that Extend Spell is just intended to be used to qualify for Persist Spell, which CAN be applied to your 1st and 0th level spells if you use the Divine Metamagic feat, which the build DOES have. Seriously, jdizzlean, this is one of the best-known CoDzilla tricks in the book; I'm quite honestly surprised that you don't know of it.

[jdizzlean]

jdizzlean, I strongly disagree with your assessment of Sir Meowx.

In the Elegance section alone:

Handle Humanoid comes from the Fabulous Cats! article, and does NOT need to be used on a Humanoid with an INT score of 1 or 2: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fools/20030401c

you are correct, i read a different source originally as I can't access Wiz at work, I went around that and looked up the article on scribbed just now. HOWEVER:
"
Handle Humanoid is the cat's version of Handle Animal..use skill to have humanoid obey commands or perform tricks IT KNOWS (examples listed have squat to do w/ bfc). can also be used to teach new tricks.

"Push" a humanoid, at a DC of 25 you can get a humanoid to perform a task or trick it doesns't know as a full round action.

So yes, meowx can use it on other humanoids, but not to the extent he's alluding to as a means of BFC, as clearly this is not how the skill is meant to be used.


Also, I'm pretty sure that Sir Meowx is just using Handle Humanoid as an extra trick in battles against Humanoids that only costs a few skill points, not his main battle plan (I think he's using the Flop feat chain and charging as his main battle plan, although I could be wrong).


Sir Meowx: Handle humanoid can be used to move humanoid opponents around the field.

The "conflict between Cloistered Cleric and Knight" thing is a stretch. Not only should the default fluff of classes not matter too much (remember that fluff is mutable), even if you WERE using the default fluff of classes, the class combination is ridiculously easy to justify: Sir Meowx was a priest that had studied matters of faith, tactics, philosophy, and manipulation in his temple before volunteering/being conscripted to go on a crusade.

this is possible, but not explained in the entry. It wasn't really a factor in the score, more of an observation.

The alignment ruling is, to be blunt, bull!@#$. Tibbits aren't CN outsiders; they just have a strong TENDENCY to be Chaotic (Neutral). Heck, even if they WERE CN outsiders with an "always CN" note on their statblock, I'd still not penalize the build for that; exceptions exist even in "always X" alignment entries, and PCs (and DM-created villains, for that matter) are MEANT to be exceptional.

likewise I tend to ignore alignment unless it's specifically stated as a pre-req for something, this was also more of an observation of stretching things for the concept of the build.

I believe that Extend Spell is just intended to be used to qualify for Persist Spell, which CAN be applied to your 1st and 0th level spells if you use the Divine Metamagic feat, which the build DOES have. Seriously, jdizzlean, this is one of the best-known CoDzilla tricks in the book; I'm quite honestly surprised that you don't know of it.

That aside (it was penalized in power, not elegance), it's an excessive use of feats for a known exploit for very little return, especially considering the stated uses for spells, of which at least 1 is a direct violation of the knight's code.

Since I'm not sure this is a dispute from the creator as it wasn't posted in the normal fashion, I can't change the scoring at this time...

[Zaq]

Here's a quick-hit dispute before I turn in for the night.


Thanks for judging jdizzlean! I have a minor quibble with one of your observations under power:


Power- All of your feat choices are chosen to better assist your party. Living Construct Traits help to offset a few things in combat that might otherwise be an issue. The only glaring weakness I see is that you have no means to repair yourself as you can’t be healed by normal means for damage taken. Mindsight is particularly beneficial in combat to help fight against magic users, assuming they’re within range. Score 4

The bolded part isn't entirely accurate. Unless they go through the Warforged Juggernaught prestige class, warforged can benefit from Conjuration(Healing) spells at half effectiveness, so he can heal that way (admittedly with the aid of the party cleric, so not by himself). He can also benefit from his Martial Spirit Stance (which heals damage every time he attacks). Lastly, Craft(Repair) checks can be made untrained, so Guardian can spend time in the evening repairing himself with skill checks as well (even though he isn't very good at it, but some masterwork repair tools will get him repairing more often than not). So he has a couple of ways to heal himself (Martial Spirit and Craft(Repair) checks). And with Stone Power, DR from Adamantine Body, and a D12 hit die, he's got a large pile of hitpoints behind a handful of ablative hp each round.

Thanks again for judging!

[ATHATH]

I am not the person who submitted Sir Meowx, if you were wondering.

[jdizzlean]

Guardian


The bolded part isn't entirely accurate. Unless they go through the Warforged Juggernaught prestige class, warforged can benefit from Conjuration(Healing) spells at half effectiveness, so he can heal that way (admittedly with the aid of the party cleric, so not by himself). He can also benefit from his Martial Spirit Stance (which heals damage every time he attacks). Lastly, Craft(Repair) checks can be made untrained, so Guardian can spend time in the evening repairing himself with skill checks as well (even though he isn't very good at it, but some masterwork repair tools will get him repairing more often than not). So he has a couple of ways to heal himself (Martial Spirit and Craft(Repair) checks). And with Stone Power, DR from Adamantine Body, and a D12 hit die, he's got a large pile of hitpoints behind a handful of ablative hp each round.

I misread Martial Spirit the first time not catching that it can affect you as well. It's not a lot, but it is some healing (assuming you hit!). Craft checks can't be made in battle, so I stand pretty firm on that point, 1/2 healing is some healing, but probably not the best use of the limited pool your healer might have at any given time, we'll call that one a wash as well. Stone Power does grant "some" temporary HP, but only for 1 turn, and only after you get to attack (and at a pretty hefty penalty to your attack at this level). A surprise round, or if you happen to be neutralized somehow would likewise stop that. Score adjusted + .25

Power 4.25

new total score 17.75

[Zaq]

More disputes!


Hey Zaq,

Below are a couple of disputes on the judging of my entry, and one correction of a major oversight by myself.

First of all, thank you for judging, Jdizzlean. Before I get to my disputes let me first apologize for not including my sources and rectify that oversight. I don't expect less of a point reduction for only now correcting it, but at least it's now available.


PHB: feats: Power atack, cleave, great cleave, improved bull rush, weapon focus, mounted combat, spirited charge, ride-by attack, trample
PHB2: Knight class, feats: short haft
ToB: Crusader class, feats: martial study, extra granted maneuver
Sandstorm; Ashworm dragoon PrC
Complete warrior: Calavalry charger, shock trooper
dragonlance campaign setting: tremendous charge



I've got two disputes for the elegance section. First, the 'extra granted maneuver' feat does not give an additional maneuver known as you seem to think. It only interacts with the crusaders maneuver recovery mechanic. Furthermore, Cavalry charger, as listed in my copy of CW, only requires a BaB of +6, not of +7 as you stated.

You also state that it is not possible to use maneuvers while mounted. This surprised me as I hand't seen this restriction mentioned before. A bit of looking around on the web suggested that this is more of a contentious issue with no clear answer than I thought. Could you clarify your position a bit more on this and why you think it works the way you've ruled it? Based on my own interpretation I'd say using a charge maneuver might not be allowed based on RAW, as your mount is the one doing the charging, but I've seen no reason to think the other maneuvers would be restricted(note that ToB says that you need to be able to move to initiate maneuvers. Since it doesn't quantify this movement I see no reason why being mounted would remove this requriement).

Lastly, I did point out how Iron guard's glare (tries to) forces opponents to attack me in my write-up.

Thanks for your time (both to Jdizzlean for judging and Zaq for running this).

[jdizzlean]

I've got two disputes for the elegance section. First, the 'extra granted maneuver' feat does not give an additional maneuver known as you seem to think. It only interacts with the crusaders maneuver recovery mechanic. Furthermore, Cavalry charger, as listed in my copy of CW, only requires a BaB of +6, not of +7 as you stated.

You also state that it is not possible to use maneuvers while mounted. This surprised me as I hand't seen this restriction mentioned before. A bit of looking around on the web suggested that this is more of a contentious issue with no clear answer than I thought. Could you clarify your position a bit more on this and why you think it works the way you've ruled it? Based on my own interpretation I'd say using a charge maneuver might not be allowed based on RAW, as your mount is the one doing the charging, but I've seen no reason to think the other maneuvers would be restricted(note that ToB says that you need to be able to move to initiate maneuvers. Since it doesn't quantify this movement I see no reason why being mounted would remove this requirement).

Lastly, I did point out how Iron guard's glare (tries to) forces opponents to attack me in my write-up.


Sorry, I think it's a relatively well known (or at least getting there) notion that ToB gives me the brain pain. Good thing there are disputes :) Moving on, you are correct, it simply allows you to ready 1 you already know, not learn another one.

I couldn't find the Cavalry charger feat listed anywhere except on an index, and the index had it at BAB +7, CW does indeed have it at +6, thus illustrating the no sources issue. (of which you've remedied).

My reasoning on maneuvers not working while mounted is that YOU are the one who knows the maneuver, not your mount. Additionally, how are you in a stance while mounted? Plus, maneuvers are intended for martial/melee characters. Plus, look at the key skills for each discipline: DW = Tumble, DS = Intimidate, DM = Concentration, IH = Balance, SS = Sense Motive, SH = Hide, SD = Balance (in fact it states specifically in the text that you have to be in contact w/ the ground for the maneuvers to function), TC = Jump, WR = Diplomacy. None of them list RIDE as the key skill, so RAW/RAI leads me to believe that you are not intended to execute maneuvers from a mount.

Lastly, Iron Guard simply gives a penalty, it doesn't force an opponent to attack you, or attempt to force. All it does is make it harder for the enemies to hit your allies instead of you. the word "force" is what i'm having an issue with.

Due to having to judge based off the information in the original submission, I can't take your source list now as a change in score (but I do appreciate it). I still ascertain that Crusader and Dragoon clash due to my reasoning better spelled out above.

Score adjusted to 2

New Total Score 11.5

[Zaq]

Extra Granted Maneuver doesn't have anything to do with how many maneuvers you can ready. It has to do with how fast you gain (and also therefore how fast you refresh) the maneuvers you already have readied.

Who else is judging? Thurbane, is your hat still in the ring?

[jdizzlean]

Extra Granted Maneuver doesn't have anything to do with how many maneuvers you can ready. It has to do with how fast you gain (and also therefore how fast you refresh) the maneuvers you already have ?

that's what i meant, sorry, I'm white.

[Zaq]

Another dispute! A reminder, folks: if you PM me with builds, build updates, or disputes, please put the name of your build in the PM title.


Where to begin?

I have no idea what your actual objection to Muckdweller is. The idea that anything that would want to hit me is suddenly going to be scaled down to my size seems to have been made up on the spot, especially since I can force people to want to hit me. Truespeak +6 means that my truespeak bonus is +6, not that I put 6 ranks in it at level 1. My non-variant paladin is, unsurprisingly, Lawful Good. I'm ever so sorry for not making that obvious. Mortalbane isn't like weapon focus: you can apply it to any SLAs (like utterances) that you can use. Obviously, the paladin synergy is forcing people to attack you, and then using the paladin levels to have the saves not to die. Further, as I mentioned, the whole point is that knight is such a bad class that the best thing to do with it is own that d12 hit die and armour proficiency and graft on as many active abilities as possible onto the very passive knight and paladin chassis.

[jdizzlean]

Izzik

I don't have anything against Muckdweller (as I stated). I just don't think it's overly original when applied to this SI, which is why you weren't penalized, nor awarded for it. (as I stated).

I didn't say that everything that wants to hit you is magically shrunk to your size, I said that as a tiny underwater temple guard, chances are pretty good that what is trying to hit you is also probably tiny or close to it as well, thus negating your huge advantage of being tiny. this may be an assumption on my part, sure, but you're assuming you'll only face much larger opponents, it's a wash.

Truespeak is a skill... you list 6 ranks in the skills category of your character sheet.. you don't list it under class features (or explain it anywhere in your OP), since it's listed as a skill, it has to be judged as a skill, and as such, it reflects to many points spent. Utterance of the Evolving Mind requires 9 ranks in the Truespeak skill (the minor version requires 6), not "what my bonus is to truespeak". Which further means that if you never took skill ranks in it, you don't qualify to take the feat in the first place. (let alone multiple times)
The truename training grants you the ability to take the skill as a class feature yes, but it specifically also states that it doesn't grant you the ability to learn and know truenames, only the ability to say them aloud.

I will eat crow on Mortalbane, I read that incorrectly, it does in fact apply to EACH SLA, however you still didn't list a source for it as it's found in the BoVD. If you were using a different source, again, you only list books, not what you got from each one...

as for Paladin, you spent 2 levels for the sole benefit of of adding +2 to your saves. Seems like there could probably have been better uses for 1/3 of your class levels..

all that said, you are still illegal on skill points, still have the wrong saves, still enter psionics illegally with Hidden Talent, still can't qualify for multiple feats due to said skill point issues.

Score unchanged.

[DEMON]

Who else is judging? Thurbane, is your hat still in the ring?

Short on judges, are we?

I can give it a try.

[Zaq]

Much appreciated, DEMON!

[daremetoidareyo]

Much appreciated, DEMON!

That's how they get ya.

[DEMON]

Sir Svarak
Originality: 4
Neanderthal is a pretty underused race and while going for a barbarian dip with Whirling Frenzy ACF on a melee based character build is a bit overused, forgoing spirit lion totem’s pounce for bear totem’s toughness, of all things, deserves a handful of originality points, so I’ll roll with it (pun intended).

Power: 4
One might say you’re hard to kill. Immense damage reduction, more than respectable pool of HP and decent fortitude and reflex saves. Other than that, our offensive output, relies mostly on the 19 (effectively 18) in strength and your intimidation skill.

Elegance: 2,75
The build is mostly rules legal and the single barbarian dip isn’t too much to worry about, but the diagonal alignment shift rubs me the wrong way. Also, you’re spending 2 skill points per Knight level, while only having 8 INT.

Use of SI: 4,25
5/6 levels are in the ingredient and you’re relying on its abilities. I like this approach quite a lot.

TOTAL: 15

Sir Meowx-Aww-Lot
Originality: 4,5
So you’re a cat. And you’re lying in a sleigh pulled by unseen servants or your serval pet. The only “unoriginal” part for me is the cloistered cleric dip (a strictly superior variant for a 1-2 level dip into this class), other than that, we’re close to perfection.

Power: 2,75
This is really hard to judge in a reasonable way. You’ve got the DMM persist option going for you and the insanity that is the catplomacy. On the other hand, you can’t cast in cat form and your strength is nigh nonexistent.

Elegance: 3,5
Everything is rules legal, as far as I can tell, even if totally out the wazoo. And cats are kinda elegant creatures.

Use of SI: 4,25
5/6 levels are in the ingredient and you are relying on at least some of its abilities.

TOTAL: 15

Guardian
Originality: 3,5
Being a Warforged is not too uncommon for a melee character, but I do like the extremely “bodyguardish” approach to the build, with a touch of mounted combat through Knight’s bonus feats.

Power: 4,25
You’ve got the charisma to pull of your class’ abilities and intimidate and the overall approach can and should benefit your more vulnerable “charges”. Thanks to Stone Power and Martial Spirit, you should have the means to withstand the punishment you’re supposed to draw towards yourself.

Elegance: 4
My only minor complaint is with the incarnum bits being somewhat out of place with the rest of the build, but otherwise, it’s a neat package. As far as I can tell, everything is also rules legal.

Use of SI: 5
6/6 SI and the class abilities are very much relied upon or used as stepping stones for the build. Can’t get any better than this in my book.

TOTAL: 16,75

Sir Markum
Originality: 3,75
Ashworm mount. I like. As far as mounts go, one’s not exactly tripping over these creatures, so yay for originality. Ubercharging, mounted or not, is pretty much on the other side of the spectrum. Still, Ashworm mount!

Power: 4,5
Well, pretty much everything charge related is in there, with the martial maneuvers providing some variability. And you’ve got enough charisma for the knight’s thingies.

Elegance: 4,25
Both crusader and AD are reasonable and fitting additions to the knight base and the aim of the build is pretty straightforward. All the things listed are rules legal.
The only thing that might cause someone to raise an eyebrow is the whole “looking the other way while my Ashworm does its thing”, as it might be against the knights CoC. But that’s mostly a fluff thing and the build does not seem to be actually relying on this in any major way.

Use of SI: 3,25
4/6 SI isn’t necessarily bad, but not exactly great. Also, most of the class’ abilities do not seem as relevant parts of the build, whose shtick is mostly feat-fueled.

TOTAL: 15,75

Izzik Temple-Guard
Originality: 4,5
A muckdweller knight. A truenaming muckdweller knight. Originality wise, I put this right there with a cat on a sleigh.

Power: 2,25
Next to no strength and no reach, but that’s no problem for you, because you’re really focusing on… truenaming. In combat, you got several options (a few times per day, likely). I’ll cover fire riposte and psionic grease in the elegance section. Great AC, though. Out of combat, you’re a decent skill monkey, I’ll grant you that.

Elegance: 2
The whole mash of truenaming, psionics and martial maneuvers is kind of a mess, but for all the wrong reasons. Taking Hidden Talent as an epic feat is illegal, it’s a 1st level only feat. This also invalidates Focused Skill User feat. Likewise, Fire Riposte requires one other Desert Wind maneuver as pre-req, which you do not have, as is thus also illegal.

Use of SI: 2,5
Only 4/6 levels in SI (I do not penalize for this) and you yourself admit you’re pretty much working around the class, fully relying on abilities vastly different from its usual shtick.

TOTAL: 11,75

[DEMON]

Well Thurbane posted earlier today that he won't be able to do his judging in the Villainous Competition, I fear this extends to this one as well (as he intended to judge here after he's done with the VC).

Are you waiting for any more judges, Zaq, or are you going to announce the final scores?

Looks like there were no disputes in the 2 days since I posted my ratings, so people are either okay with those ratings, or are not paying attention to this thread anymore.

The latter would be a shame, since I really like the E6 cooking series and hope it's going to continue.

[daremetoidareyo]

Well Thurbane posted earlier today that he won't be able to do his judging in the Villainous Competition, I fear this extends to this one as well (as he intended to judge here after he's done with the VC).

Are you waiting for any more judges, Zaq, or are you going to announce the final scores?

Looks like there were no disputes in the 2 days since I posted my ratings, so people are either okay with those ratings, or are not paying attention to this thread anymore.

The latter would be a shame, since I really like the E6 cooking series and hope it's going to continue.

No disputes here demon. well done. I ain't changing alignment or nothing.

[Zaq]

If there are no disputes between now and when I get home from work (minimum 8-9 hours from now), I’ll wrap things up and make the next thread.

[Zaq]

Alrighty then. As promised, our chef reveal and our final table*! Did everyone bring their own cake, like I said?



Build
Score from jdizzlean
Score from DEMON
Total score
Chef


[Sir] Guardian
17.75
16.75
34.5
Deadline


Sir Svarak Steelskin
15.25
15
30.25
Inevitability


Sir Markum
11.5
15.75
27.25
Randuir


Sir Meowx-Aww-Lots
10.5
15
25.5
daremetoidareyo


[Sir] Izzik Temple-Guard
9.5
11.75
21.25
Jormengand



Well done to all of our chefs, and thanks to our judges for their time and effort! I think I'm going to have to take the obvious HM bait and give Honorable Mention to Sir Meowx-Aww-Lots. The new thread is here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?548763-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-V)). Thanks for being part of this, everyone!

*It's a janky table because I hate making tables and don't know how to do them. If someone wants to format this better and put in, like, lines and stuff, please feel free.

[Jormengand]

It's a janky table because I hate making tables and don't know how to do them. If someone wants to format this better and put in, like, lines and stuff, please feel free.



Build
Score from jdizzlean
Score from DEMON
Total score
Chef


[Sir] Guardian
17.75
16.75
34.5
Deadline


Sir Svarak Steelskin
15.25
15
30.25
Inevitability


Sir Markum
11.5
15.75
27.25
Randuir


Sir Meowx-Aww-Lots
10.5
15
25.5
daremetoidareyo


[Sir] Izzik Temple-Guard
9.5
11.75
21.25
Jormengand