Iron Chef Optimization Challenge: E6 Appetizer Edition (Round VIII)

[Zaq]

Welcome back to the Iron Chef Optimization Challenge E6 Appetizer Edition! This one's gonna be really fun. I doubt too many people are expecting it.

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. (HM may not always be awarded, particularly if the number of builds is very small.) 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 4:59 PM GMT - 8 on Thursday, May 03, 2018 (12:59 AM GMT on Friday, May 04). The reveal shall be on the first evening the Chair has free following the cooking deadline, which is hoped to be that evening or the immediately subsequent one. Judging is then expected (*cough*) to take no more than two weeks, so we'll put the judging deadline at approximately two weeks after that, with adjustments as necessary. (You can do the math yourselves; I don't want to put two dates here and confuse people.) Notice that this is slightly earlier in the day than previous deadlines; the goal is to have the deadline be around the time the Chair gets off of work on that particular day, thereby allowing him to post the builds without having to stay up super late or wait until the next day.

Kitchen: Let's break this one down a bit.

ALLOWED: Almost all D&D 3.5 material published by WotC: Core, Completes, monster books, Races Of books, alternate power source books (Expanded Psionics Handbook, Magic of Incarnum, Tome of Battle, Tome of Magic, etc.), Spell Compendium, Book of Exalted Deeds, Book of Vile Darkness, Eberron material, Forgotten Realms material, and other WotC-published 3.5 material. (This list is NOT exhaustive and there are many other legal books that I did not mention by name!)

ALLOWED: Material from the 3.5 archives of the Wizards of the Coast website (including, but not limited to, the Mind's Eye articles). If you use it, link it.

ALLOWED: Official errata from WotC. If you're relying on this in a material fashion, it's a good idea to link it and to discuss it.

NOT ALLOWED: Unofficial errata, including "class fixes" (regardless of the source, including from the original author if not published in a WotC book) or fan-created content.

ALLOWED: Unupdated WotC-published 3.0 material (e.g., Sword and Fist, Masters of the Wild, etc.) except for 3.0 psionics. No 3.0 psionics allowed. If you are using 3.0 material, use the general-purpose skill updates (Wilderness Lore becomes Survival, Innuendo becomes Bluff, etc.) and the general-purpose rules updates (spells with a casting time of "1 action" become "1 standard action," etc.) when appropriate.

NOT ALLOWED: 3.0 material for which a direct 3.5 update exists. Use the updated material instead.

ALLOWED: Dragon Compendium and its errata (http://paizo.com/download/dragon/compendium/DragonCompendiumVolumeIErrata.pdf).

NOT ALLOWED: Content from Dragon Magazine and/or Dungeon Magazine unless said content appears in an otherwise allowed source.

ALLOWED: Oriental Adventures, including the 3.5 update to Oriental Adventures from Dragon Magazine #318. This is a specific exception to the "no Dragon" rule!

NOT ALLOWED: Pathfinder content, regardless of whether it is "D&D 3.5 OGL" or not. If it didn't come from WotC, we don't want it.

ALLOWED: From Unearthed Arcana: racial paragon classes, alternate class features/variant classes, spelltouched feats, and variant races. (Traits and flaws are technically legal, but traits warrant a -0.5 point penalty in Elegance, and flaws warrant a -1 penalty in Elegance.)

NOT ALLOWED: Other Unearthed Arcana content, including (but not limited to) bloodlines, LA buyoff, fractional BAB/saves, alternate casting systems, alternate skill systems, item familiars, prestigious character classes, generic classes, gestalt, etc.

NOT ALLOWED: Leadership, regardless of source. Game elements functionally equivalent to Leadership (including, but not limited to, Dragon Cohort, Undead Leadership, and Thrallherd) are similarly banned. (Familiars, Improved Familiar, animal companions, Wild Cohort, psicrystals, elemental envoys, and similar game elements are allowed, and they are not considered to be "Leadership." If the difference isn't obvious, feel free to contact the Chair with specific questions.)

NOT ALLOWED: Third-party content, homebrew, or other non-WotC content.

NOT ALLOWED: Epic feats from the Epic Level Handbook. Just because you're "epic" in E6 after 6th level doesn't mean that you're that kind of epic.

NOT ALLOWED: Any race or template with a level adjustment other than +0. (Or any other source of LA other than a race or template, if any such things exist.)

NOT ALLOWED: For our judges: penalizing solely based on legal sources used, regardless of whether those sources are plentiful, sparse, common, obscure, or something in between. If the material is legal, then it doesn't matter how many or how few books it came out of.

ALLOWED: Also for our judges: penalizing for using a source (other than material in Core; don't be vindictive about genuinely obvious stuff) that isn't listed in the build writeup. The chef may choose to present the sources in-line with the text, in a consolidated source list, or somewhere else, but if the source is listed (and is otherwise legal), it counts. If the source is not listed, you may choose to penalize for that.

If you have questions about anything in this section (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.) 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. This means NOT posting any of the following or anything substantially similar: what you think is going to be common, significant elements of your planned build or of other potential builds, or anything else that could directly influence someone else's build choices for good or for ill. (It's acceptable to ask for rules clarifications as appropriate, but try to avoid tipping your hand too much.) Speculation is bad because it can discourage people from posting builds and can also "taint the judging pool" when it comes to Originality, so please just try to be aware of how other people might react to your speculation.

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.
If you're using a picture, cite the source and follow any relevant citation rules. Because we have had issues with this in the past, when listing your skills, please make it very clear how many ranks you have at each level. There are multiple ways to do this and we do not wish to cramp anyone's individual style by dictating exactly how this must look, but make sure that somewhere in your entry there's an explanation of how many actual skill ranks you have. It's still fine to list total skill bonuses, if that's your style, but don't only list bonuses.

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: The minimum score in a category is 1, and the maximum is 5. Judges are expected to be fair, consistent, and open-minded, and they are expected to make a good-faith effort to engage with any reasonable disputes that arise, especially when RAW is in question. That said, contestants are asked to not dispute more than necessary; let's do everything in good faith and really only dispute when a judge is being inconsistent, being unfair, or is otherwise grossly misinterpreting a build.
Judges may not penalize Originality solely because a build is a tribute or homage to an existing creative work (in or out of D&D canon; note that this is not the same thing as penalizing Originality for using well-known optimization tactics), nor may judges penalize based solely on sources used (whether those sources are plentiful, sparse, common, obscure, or something in between, you should judge the build elements and how they work together rather than what book or what books they came out of, as long as those books are legal for this contest and are cited in the entry).
As with the main contest, we will follow the "One Mistake, One Penalty" guideline, and it is very important that the judges adhere to it. 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
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 SHUGENJA, from Complete Divine! Allez Optimizer!

The Builds:



Name
Race/Alignment
Stub
Score from Randuir
Chef


O-Pare (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23046775&postcount=71)
NG Dragonborn Warforged
Air Shugenja 6
15.5
daremetoidareyo


Spirit of Fire (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23046779&postcount=72)
LE Lesser Fire Genasi
Fire Shugenja 6
14.5
thorr-kan


Nazzy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23046781&postcount=73)
CN Kenku
Air Shugenja 5 / Seeker of the Misty Isle 1
14
jdizzlean


Huang Lu She (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23046783&postcount=74)
LN Forestlord Half-Elf
Air Shugenja 5 / Divine Oracle 1
12
thorr-kan






Round 4: Knight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?542333-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(IV))
Round 5: Ninja (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?548763-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-V))
Round 6: Racial Paragon Classes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?551174-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-VI))
Round 7: Hexblade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?553767-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-VII))

Round 1: Divine Mind (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?197000-Iron-Chef-Appetizer-Edition!-(e6))
Round 2: Monk (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?201548-Iron-Chef-Appetizer-Edition!-(e6)-II)
Round 3: Marshal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?235221-Iron-Chef-Appetizer-Edition-(E6)-III)

[Zaq]

The complaint with Hexblade was that its abilities were all 1/day and that there wasn't enough magic. "How can we do anything with just a single 1st level spell per day and maybe a curse or two?" was a common unstated refrain running through the Hexblade entries and the Hexblade discussion. Well, here you go: a full caster.

If you're wondering why a full caster is bad enough to be a Secret Ingredient, I recommend reading the way that the Shugenja chooses spells very, very carefully. This ingredient has a much higher power baseline than some of the others I've given you, but that doesn't mean that you'll necessarily have as much magic as you want. (And remember the other limitations that come with having the chassis of a full caster.) Now remember that your competitors have the same amount of magic, and it's your job to stand out from the pack and differentiate yourself from the other Shugenjas next to you. You'll be wise not to forget about a single one of the judging categories: Originality counts just as much as Power and Elegance, and those count just as much as UoSI.

I can't wait to see what you come up with!

[Zombulian]

Oooof I would love to make a Shugenja but I will definitely not have the time. Looking to judge this round I s'pose.

[Luccan]

It's not so much that Shugenja sucks. It's that it sucks for a full caster. I might give this one a go; it'll be my first Iron Chef entry.

[DeTess]

Oh, you gotta love the thorough editing on these books. "A shugenja casts divine spells (the same type of spells available to clerics and druids), which are drawn from the shugenja spell list (page XX)." That's not me removing the page number, that's just a placeholder they forgot to update.

Edit: I also love their example of the sense elements ability, which can be summarized as 'this ability as neat, but as you can see in this example, it's also useless.'

Anyway, If I don't cook, I'll judge. we'll see which one it'll be.

[Long_shanks]

Say what?

A shugenja casts divine spells (the same type of spells available to clerics and druids), which are drawn from the shugenja spell list (page 144). He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).

That's... confusing, to say the least.

I'll try to whip up something for it. If not, I'll try my hand at judging.

[daremetoidareyo]

Lol. You can sense earth but it's blocked if shielded by 3 feet of earth.

[Dr_Dinosaur]

Lol. You can sense earth but it's blocked if shielded by 3 feet of earth.

Working as intended. You sense there’s at least three feet of earth there

[WhamBamSam]

I have some thoughts on this which I may or may not actually get around to.

[DeTess]

Say what?

A shugenja casts divine spells (the same type of spells available to clerics and druids), which are drawn from the shugenja spell list (page 144). He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).

That's... confusing, to say the least.


I had to read it twice, but it does make sense if you read it like this:

A shugenja casts divine spells (the same type of spells available to clerics and druids), which are drawn from the shugenja spell list (page 144). He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must

So, the reference to wizards and clerics refers to preparing ahead of time. It's a weird way to say it though, as they could also have made the comparison with sorcerers or divine souls (also in that book), which don't have to prepare spells.

[Long_shanks]

I had to read it twice, but it does make sense if you read it like this:

A shugenja casts divine spells (the same type of spells available to clerics and druids), which are drawn from the shugenja spell list (page 144). He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must

So, the reference to wizards and clerics refers to preparing ahead of time. It's a weird way to say it though, as they could also have made the comparison with sorcerers or divine souls (also in that book), which don't have to prepare spells.

I know, but still that's horrific writing. It's just needlessly ambiguous, as if we needed that any more in DnD.

[Luccan]

Speaking of confusing writing, does the order a shugenja chooses have to reflect their chosen element (with the exception of ineffable mystery)? That seems particularly relevant to the challenge.

[Zaq]

Speaking of confusing writing, does the order a shugenja chooses have to reflect their chosen element (with the exception of ineffable mystery)? That seems particularly relevant to the challenge.

It's a little ambiguous—we've got text saying that "the spell dictated by his order often belongs to that element as well" and "a shugenja's choice of specialized element is sometimes determined by the shugenja order in which he studies," which indicates that it's optional, but then the text about the Order of the Ineffable Mystery says that if you belong to that order, you "can specialize in any of the four elements," indirectly implying that belonging to other orders prevents you from choosing your specialty. It's entirely possible that the "sometimes" and "often" bits are simply a fudge factor to account for the anomalous Order of the Ineffable Mystery.

The example given for Kitsu Mari says (my emphasis) "at 1st level, for example, the shugenja Kitsu Mari must know at least three 0-level water spells—one water spell determined by his order and two additional water spells, plus two other 0-level spells of any element. He also knows one 1st-level water spell from his order, one additional 1st-level water spell, and one 1st level spell of any element." Now, examples aren't always binding, but this example text seems to imply that Kitsu Mari's choice of specializing in water forced him to pick a water-based order, as it doesn't mention that Kitsu Mari actually chose a water-based order to go with his water specialty. It just treats it as a foregone conclusion—KM is specialized in water, and therefore he obviously has a water-based order as well. There's a reasonably strong implication there. The question is if we have enough text to go beyond "implication" and hit "rules."

Does anyone care to set forth a particular rules argument one way or the other? If there's no agreement, I know which way I'll choose to rule, but I'm willing to hear arguments for or against the concept of your order hard-demanding a specific elemental specialization by RAW before I make a binding ruling.

[Luccan]

It's a little ambiguous—we've got text saying that "the spell dictated by his order often belongs to that element as well" and "a shugenja's choice of specialized element is sometimes determined by the shugenja order in which he studies," which indicates that it's optional, but then the text about the Order of the Ineffable Mystery says that if you belong to that order, you "can specialize in any of the four elements," indirectly implying that belonging to other orders prevents you from choosing your specialty. It's entirely possible that the "sometimes" and "often" bits are simply a fudge factor to account for the anomalous Order of the Ineffable Mystery.

The example given for Kitsu Mari says (my emphasis) "at 1st level, for example, the shugenja Kitsu Mari must know at least three 0-level water spells—one water spell determined by his order and two additional water spells, plus two other 0-level spells of any element. He also knows one 1st-level water spell from his order, one additional 1st-level water spell, and one 1st level spell of any element." Now, examples aren't always binding, but this example text seems to imply that Kitsu Mari's choice of specializing in water forced him to pick a water-based order, as it doesn't mention that Kitsu Mari actually chose a water-based order to go with his water specialty. It just treats it as a foregone conclusion—KM is specialized in water, and therefore he obviously has a water-based order as well. There's a reasonably strong implication there. The question is if we have enough text to go beyond "implication" and hit "rules."

Does anyone care to set forth a particular rules argument one way or the other? If there's no agreement, I know which way I'll choose to rule, but I'm willing to hear arguments for or against the concept of your order hard-demanding a specific elemental specialization by RAW before I make a binding ruling.

I'd like to point out, I asked for a ruling for this Iron Chef specifically. I've seen arguments for both: when I first heard of shugenja, the only handbook I found assumed you didn't have to pick a matching order and element (but you couldn't get spells of your opposite element even if they were in your order. So you could be fire and pick a water order, but if it had a spell from the regular water list, you couldn't have it). When I more recently started a thread with that question (roughly 6 months ago), however, I was informed that in the Legend of the 5 Rings rpg (where shugenja originally comes from) you had to have an order that matched your element (barring Ineffable Mystery). So the closest rules argument I've seen relies on rules from another game.

[Peat]

I tried googling this but only really found Luccan's thread.

Imo, I would suggest the spell example to merely be using the most background friendly and the "sometimes" the most specific thing about whether it's allowed. But then, this is my first time ever even considering this, and its daunting enough even without, so I would say that right...

[daremetoidareyo]

I tried googling this but only really found Luccan's thread.

Imo, I would suggest the spell example to merely be using the most background friendly and the "sometimes" the most specific thing about whether it's allowed. But then, this is my first time ever even considering this, and its daunting enough even without, so I would say that right...

Don't be daunted. Get in there!

[Ulfsarkar]

Long time lurker first poster, going to see what i can come up with.

[Thurbane]

I doubt I'll get a build in, but time permitting, I will do my best to judge.

[Zaq]

I tried googling this but only really found Luccan's thread.

Imo, I would suggest the spell example to merely be using the most background friendly and the "sometimes" the most specific thing about whether it's allowed. But then, this is my first time ever even considering this, and its daunting enough even without, so I would say that right...



Long time lurker first poster, going to see what i can come up with.

Welcome, welcome, welcome! I can't wait to see what you each come up with.

My best advice for this whole contest is to never talk yourself out of things. Even if it doesn't go as planned, it'll almost certainly be more satisfying than the "safe" build you submitted instead, or the perfect build you just couldn't put together in time. (It's possible to be deeply flawed and still do very well indeed, so don't be scared!)

Oh, and always double-check your prereqs. On everything. Trust me.

Anyways folks, let's talk about elements and orders. After some really deep parsing of the rules, it seems to me that the devs intended for your order and your element to be linked. However, while that's really heavily implied in several different places, it's not hard-coded as an actual rule.

However! What is hard-coded is that half of your spells per spell level (all the time, at every character level, including into Epic) must be of your favored element. Which means that if your order spell is not of your favored element, you'd better pick your other spells extremely carefully to make sure that you are meeting the "half at all times" criterion. For example, at level 1, you've got "o+1+1" spells known, representing your order spell, one favored-element spell, and one "other" spell. If your order spell isn't of your preferred element, your "other" spell had better be of your preferred element. Because if you have two nonpreferred spells (one order, one "other") and only one spell of your preferred element, then you're breaking the "half at all times" stricture (1 is not 1/2 of 3), and that's against the rules that are actually written down and not simply implied. 1st level is not the only level at which this is potentially relevant, and it's important to remember that the prohibition against learning opposed spells still applies to your order as well.

Why yes, I did make Shugenja an ingredient for a reason.

So yeah. Your order and your favored element do not have to be linked, but you are nonetheless beholden to the "half your spells of each spell level must always be from your favored element" rule at all times. Clear as mud?

[Luccan]

-snip-

Appreciate the clarification. I shall get to work asap.

[ATHATH]

How does the Shugenja's spells known restriction affect Sanctified and Corrupt spells (assuming that you pick(ed) up the Arcane Preparation feat or the like in order to gain the ability to cast them)?

[jdizzlean]

It's not so much that Shugenja sucks. It's that it sucks for a full caster..


once upon a time, i attempted a full IC build based off shugenga. ( I thought it was awesome, the judge not so much) I'm not thrilled to revisit it, I'll judge this round :)

[Zaq]

How does the Shugenja's spells known restriction affect Sanctified and Corrupt spells (assuming that you pick(ed) up the Arcane Preparation feat or the like in order to gain the ability to cast them)?

If you find a way to learn them, I’d say they count as being not of your preferred element but also not of your banned element. You’ve still gotta follow the “1/2 at all times” rule.

[ATHATH]

If you find a way to learn them, I’d say they count as being not of your preferred element but also not of your banned element. You’ve still gotta follow the “1/2 at all times” rule.
And that "1/2 at all times rule" still applies to level 4+ spells that you learn through feats and such (Cerebrosis, Necrotic Cyst, etc.), right?

[Zaq]

And that "1/2 at all times rule" still applies to level 4+ spells that you learn through feats and such (Cerebrosis, Necrotic Cyst, etc.), right?

Yes, I’d say so. Shugenja spell knowledge is really obnoxiously limited.

[Falontani]

I can't find anything to do with this sort of (redacted) and the inspiration to do that is not there in the slightest. I hope I'll be motivated to even judge this one

[AvatarVecna]

Started reading the Shugenja, had to stop and immediately start researching as soon as I reread the first class feature. I have no idea if it's even possible to abuse that, but god willing I'm gonna try.

[Zaq]

Started reading the Shugenja, had to stop and immediately start researching as soon as I reread the first class feature. I have no idea if it's even possible to abuse that, but god willing I'm gonna try.

I cannot wait to see what attempts you and your peers make to optimize Sense Elements.

You know, also known as "the feature so bad that even the example admits that it's useless."

[The Viscount]

In regards to the elemental focus requiring half of all spells known to be of the element, are we sure that it works how we've said?
In the text, the first time it comes up is in the sentence "Half of the spells a shugenja knows must be of his chosen element, as indicated on Table 1–4." So would we not just follow the table for determining how many spells we need?
The example given with Kitsu-Mari does mention three water spells, but because Kitsu-Mari has a water order it's difficult to parse why that third spell has to be water.
It's not the strongest argument, but saying that for example at level 1 you would need 3 spells of your element would also be the only example I know of in WotC rounding up for halves instead of down.

Not relating to the rules, but fire shugenjas get the roughest deal. They only have one order instead of two like the others, and their order is all just spells they already have. What gives?

[thorr-kan]

If a shugenja spell shows an element of All, does that could for or against your element for your spells known qualifications?

[Zaq]

If a shugenja spell shows an element of All, does that could for or against your element for your spells known qualifications?

I believe that there may be text about this in CDiv, so if so, I reserve the right to change this when I get home and see it. That said, I believe that it should count as being of your favored element.

[lylsyly]

I cannot wait to see what attempts you and your peers make to optimize Sense Elements.

You know, also known as "the feature so bad that even the example admits that it's useless."

You are really having fun picking these aren't you ;D

[Doctor Awkward]

Not that it matters for this particular competition, but folks should be aware that the Spells per Day on the class table on page 11 is wrong.

The columns for 8th and 9th level spells both needed to be shifted down by two rows. So you do not get 8th level spells at level 14, but rather level 16, and no 9th level spells until level 18, just like sorcerer. And they never get six 9th level spells per day, as the table would otherwise indicate.

The table on the next page has the appropriate spell progression at the proper levels.

[Doctor Awkward]

Also, for what it's worth, based on my reading of the class, there is nothing in the RAW that requires you to choose an order which specializes in your Elemental Focus.

[daremetoidareyo]

Also, for what it's worth, based on my reading of the class, there is nothing in the RAW that requires you to choose an order which specializes in your Elemental Focus.

Especially considering that one of the orders specializes in the element of void.

[Falontani]

Not that it matters for this particular competition, but folks should be aware that the Spells per Day on the class table on page 11 is wrong.

The columns for 8th and 9th level spells both needed to be shifted down by two rows. So you do not get 8th level spells at level 14, but rather level 16, and no 9th level spells until level 18, just like sorcerer. And they never get six 9th level spells per day, as the table would otherwise indicate.

The table on the next page has the appropriate spell progression at the proper levels.

if this matters in this competition then whoever is using them probably won anyways

[jdizzlean]

I have been asked not to, so I will step down from judging

[ATHATH]

Can I move (or BE moved) while concentrating on Sense Elements? Can I concentrate on Sense Elements indefinitely?

[Falontani]

inspiration... has apparently struck.

Scratch that, the idea was terrible and didn't work.

[daremetoidareyo]

Can I move (or BE moved) while concentrating on Sense Elements? Can I concentrate on Sense Elements indefinitely?

By the wording it looks like a full round action to begin concentrating as well as to be maintaining your concentration. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm

You can take a 5-foot step in around that you use a full action in, although uses of the ability in rounds subsequent to the first are limited only to the elements that you have sensed in the first round. A strict reading of the text would imply that you can move those five footsteps but you don't detect any new elements in any round after the first.

[Zaq]

Fewer than 72 hours remain. How's everyone doing?

[ATHATH]

Fewer than 72 hours remain. How's everyone doing?
I think I might be able to get something (or multiple somethings, depending on how this works out) in in time.

[Luccan]

Doubtful I'll have anything to submit. I've become much busier with school.

[ATHATH]

Do we need to include ability scores for our builds?

[Zaq]

Yes, your ability scores should be given as part of the dish. We assume 32 PB.

I don’t have any entries yet, guys. Are we all really cutting it that close, or am I going to need to extend this? I would have thought that this one would be easier than Hexblade, but here we are.

[ATHATH]

Yes, your ability scores should be given as part of the dish. We assume 32 PB.

I don’t have any entries yet, guys. Are we all really cutting it that close, or am I going to need to extend this? I would have thought that this one would be easier than Hexblade, but here we are.
Ah, !@#$. Well, I'll go and edit my builds then.

I'm almost done with my 5 builds, but an extension would be greatly appreciated.

[Zaq]

Erm, well, you’re only supposed to submit a maximum of two per contest. Were you going for one per element? I admit that that’s crazy ambitious and fairly impressive, but it’s also technically against the rules. This is awkward.

I mean, the purpose is to have fun, so I’m willing to take a straw poll about relaxing that rule if you’ve already put in all that work, but we also want to be respectful of the other chefs and of the judges. I would start trying to pick your two favorites.

[ATHATH]

Erm, well, you’re only supposed to submit a maximum of two per contest. Were you going for one per element? I admit that that’s crazy ambitious and fairly impressive, but it’s also technically against the rules. This is awkward.

I mean, the purpose is to have fun, so I’m willing to take a straw poll about relaxing that rule if you’ve already put in all that work, but we also want to be respectful of the other chefs and of the judges. I would start trying to pick your two favorites.
Yeah, it was one for each element. The gimmick was that it was going to be the same "base" character for each build (same race, name, and stats, but not the same alignment (I wanted to have one "extreme" alignment for each character)), but each build was going to be a different direction that that character's life could have gone in.

I guess I can trim it down to just two, though.

[DeTess]

Yeah, it was one for each element. The gimmick was that it was going to be the same "base" character for each build (same race, name, and stats, but not the same alignment (I wanted to have one "extreme" alignment for each character)), but each build was going to be a different direction that that character's life could have gone in.

I guess I can trim it down to just two, though.

I don't know how much they diverge, but if they go off the same stub with some variations, I wouldn't mind too much dealing with it as a judge. I'd probably be judging it mostly as a single build though(depending on presentation, I might judge it as 5, with the power and possibly elegance categories being the differing factors).

If they vary wildly (like: level 1 is the same, and everything else is different), then it might be a bit too much.

Anyway, I won't get a build in. I looked around, but the fact that the Shugenja has sorcerer progression killed most of the interesting things I thought up.

[death390]

i always love to see these builds, i can't wait to eventually see E6 IC's for Truenamer and Sha'ir. Truenamer is possibly usable at low levels, and Sha'ir from dragon compendium is just straight insane with how they "prepare" spells for the day.

[daremetoidareyo]

I'm still working on mine and would like an extension.

[Zaq]

Extension granted. Have another week, folks. I want more chefs than we had with Hexblade, if possible! I’ll go update the OP.

[daremetoidareyo]

Thank you kind chairperson

[lylsyly]

You mean I have to wait another week to learn how to turn a SUCKY caster into something that doesn't?

Okay, where is the Rolling on the Floor button?


​Seriously, I can't wait to see this one.

[ATHATH]

Thank you kind chairperson
I also thank you, kind chairperson.

[Zaq]

Second verse, same as the first: under 72 hours remain. What's everyone's status looking like?

[Zaq]

Okay folks, talk to me. We’ve got under 12 hours to the extended deadline, and I have a lone, solitary Shugenja in my inbox. What gives? I know that it’s still a Secret Ingredient, but I thought that this would have been easier to work with than friggin’ Hexblade. Did I pick a poor SI, or are we victims of bad timing, or what?

I’m hopeful that I’ll get the traditional flurry of last-minute entries over the course of the day, so maybe everything will be fine. But if that doesn’t happen, what went wrong, and what can we do to prevent it from going wrong again?

[jdizzlean]

i had a previous bad experience w/ shugenga, so that's my reasoning for not building.

[daremetoidareyo]

All of the cool spells for shugenja are in OA. Both of them. The delayed spell progression means you need six shugenja levels for third level spells. Metamagic is a full round action. Shugenjas are just as poorly designed as sorcerers and they don't have the splat support of sorcerers.

[WhamBamSam]

Okay folks, talk to me. We’ve got under 12 hours to the extended deadline, and I have a lone, solitary Shugenja in my inbox. What gives? I know that it’s still a Secret Ingredient, but I thought that this would have been easier to work with than friggin’ Hexblade. Did I pick a poor SI, or are we victims of bad timing, or what?

I’m hopeful that I’ll get the traditional flurry of last-minute entries over the course of the day, so maybe everything will be fine. But if that doesn’t happen, what went wrong, and what can we do to prevent it from going wrong again?Mostly timing. IC and VC were both awaiting judgments during the last one, whereas now I'm trying to work on a second IC build and a VC build with the time that I have allotted to these competitions.

Being a spontaneous full caster also makes Shugenja more work than most ingredients because you need to make and justify a lot of Spells Known choices.

[Luccan]

Okay folks, talk to me. We’ve got under 12 hours to the extended deadline, and I have a lone, solitary Shugenja in my inbox. What gives? I know that it’s still a Secret Ingredient, but I thought that this would have been easier to work with than friggin’ Hexblade. Did I pick a poor SI, or are we victims of bad timing, or what?

I’m hopeful that I’ll get the traditional flurry of last-minute entries over the course of the day, so maybe everything will be fine. But if that doesn’t happen, what went wrong, and what can we do to prevent it from going wrong again?

College. I wouldn't have the time to finish building and submit for at least another week.

[thorr-kan]

If I had more familiarity with Magic of Incarnum, Tome of Battle, and Oriental Adventures, I think something very interesting could have been crafted. Alas, inspiration struck too late for me to use it.

[Zaq]

I have entries from two chefs. This, um, isn’t enough. I don’t want to just give up, but I don’t think I can in good faith have a reveal with this few dishes. Who’s still working? Is another day going to be enough to get even one more dish in?

[Zombulian]

I have entries from two chefs. This, um, isn’t enough. I don’t want to just give up, but I don’t think I can in good faith have a reveal with this few dishes. Who’s still working? Is another day going to be enough to get even one more dish in?

I had the inkling of an idea but I don't have the time to put it together. Sorry man.

[jdizzlean]

I have entries from two chefs. This, um, isn’t enough. I don’t want to just give up, but I don’t think I can in good faith have a reveal with this few dishes. Who’s still working? Is another day going to be enough to get even one more dish in?



depending on how my day goes tomorrow, i will attempt to get one done and in, it's possible, but depends on what's going on..

[Zaq]

I mean to be honest, I’m gonna get home super late tomorrow anyway, so it’ll be a couple days at the least before I can post a proper reveal.

I guess we’ll just play the Song of Time once more. Three more days, folks. Don’t let me down, I beg you!

[jdizzlean]

I have only the fluff to still write, which I will not be able to get to until tmw. I'll get this in to you in the next 24 hours however.

[Long_shanks]

Between work and a complete lack of inspiration, I have absolutely nothing for the Shugenja. I should have more time come next month, but for now I have to pass on this round.

[Ulfsarkar]

I had discarded 2 ideas for builds but I will see if I can marshal up a 3rd.
How would caster levels above 6 work if one was able to find a way to do so?

[Zaq]

Okay everyone. I don't think I can squeeze any more blood from this stone, so I'm just gonna post the smallest round ever.

I had originally planned to post the assembled builds in a very specific order to go along with my little comments, but we'll just have to improvise. Incoming reveal!

[Zaq]

EARTH! (By which I mean Air!)



O-Pare the Wyrmforged


http://www.thechosenprime.com/assets/images/bandai/chogokin%20tamashii/mecha%20godzilla/bctm-mechgodzilla-01_thumbnail.jpg


NG Dragonborn Warforged Shugenja 6



Humanoid [living construct][dragonblood]
Str:8
Con: 12
Dex: 10
Int: 16
Wis: 13
Cha: 14
Living construct traits
Wings aspect

At level 4, +1 Wisdom

Background
Bahamut hasn’t been the same since he dealt with the whole Krynn fiasco. There is something about tiamat’s behavior on that plane that really upset him: the theft of the metallic dragon eggs and the foul rituals used to make the draconians. Under one of his many names, Bahamut set up contingency plans on all the other prime material planes where he had influence. From this point on, a radical shift away from draconic focus Can be observed in the subsequent invention of the dragonborn. The modification of humanoids to become draconically affiliated smacks of hypocrisy to tiamat, who sees it as entirely the same as Dragon egg modification for prime material plane foot soldiers. Bahamuts emphasis on consent to the transformation do little to convince her of the difference between dragonborn and draconian, but such arguments are typically reserved for the divine Dragon listserve.

In a funny little cluster of planes, the humanoids figured out how to create entirely new artificially constructed lifeforms. Bahamut chose on of these “warforged” and offered them a mission: protect the metallic dragon eggs from being stolen and/or altered...

Significantly a better investment than spending divine power on humanoids, the warforged come armored, and built to withstand the ravages of time far beyond the years of the humanoid races, Superior to even the longest lifespanned humanoids, warforged have none of the deplorable trademark of equal parts haughtiness and frailty that elves exhibit. Further, robots don't look like wyrmling dragon food, unlike the fleshy humanoid servants of bahamut.

So….one of the current chosen protectors for eberron is an adamantine plated warforged shugenja. Something about the draconic transformation of the warforged broke something in the warforged: his first dream occurred in his bahamut egg. He hasn't stopped dreaming since...

The dragonborn modified its mission to include protections against any transformation/attack of dragon or egg, be it metallic or chromatic, as the robot sincerely believes that the evil of chromatic dragons is not entirely inherent, but a product of indoctrination paired with amazing heritable draconic power. That power, reasons the warforged, is the major corrupting influence of Dragon spiritual alignment. The appearance of spawn of tiamat in eberron complicates the shugenjas mission, as the “vector” seems entirely “divine blessing” from tiamat.

The warforged has committed himself to opposing the actions of the draconic Chamber affiliation in Khorvaire, seeing its rise and the appearance of tiamat spawn as related, particularly with the focus of the chamber being to meddle in the affairs of the lesser races. Towards this end he has begun reaching out to the so-called rogue dragons to make them aware of his mission. Later, he can maintain one way contact with them through the dreamspace. Often delivering Intel about the plotting of the chamber against them. In return, they are his roster of wyrmling foster parents when he does interfere with Dragon wyrmlicide.

The warforged has a simple plan. Find imperiled Dragon eggs and wyrmlings and deliver them to safety and draconic tutors if possible. Secondary mission: ascertain the process that creates spawn of tiamat and interrupt it to preserve Dragon blood corruption. However, if he finds dragonspawn clutches, he guarantees a safe hatching and connections to compatible Dragon overseers.

Neutral good and nearly exalted in his compassion, the warforged is patient and brave in facing persistent treachery from the wyrmling charges that he often has to treck alongside for hundreds of miles to deliver them to safety.



Level
Class
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Skills
Feats
Class features


1
Shugenja
0
0
0
2
k. arcana 4, k. psionics 2, k. planes 2, spellcraft 4, concentration 4, handle animal 2, diplomacy 4, craft rune 4,
Adamantine Body (Eberron Campaign Setting, p. 50)
Elemental focus, sense elements, spells


2
Shugenja
1
0
0
3
k. arcana 5, concentration 5, diplomacy 5, craft rune 5, handle animal 2.5, k. psionics 3, k. planes 3

Elemental Recognition (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x)


3
Shugenja
1
1
1
3
k. arcana 6, diplomacy 6, craft rune 6, handle animal 3, k. planes 6
Dream Scion (Secrets of Sarlona, p. 116)



4
Shugenja
2
1
1
4
k. arcana 7, diplomacy 7, craft rune 7, handle animal 3.5, k. planes 7, spellcraft 5




5
Shugenja
2
1
1
4
k. arcana 8, diplomacy 8, craft rune 8, handle animal 4, k. planes 8, k. nature 2




6
Shugenja
3
2
2
5
k. arcana 9, diplomacy 9, craft rune 9, k. planes 9, k. nature 5,
Dragon Trainer (Races of the Dragon, p. 98)





Epic Feats1: Dream of Instinct (Secrets of Sarlona, p. 116)
2: Dream of Contact (Secrets of Sarlona, p. 115)
3: Glyph Scriber (Dragon Compendium p.148):
4: Dream of Insight (Secrets of Sarlona, p. 115)
5: Dreamtelling (Heroes of Horror, p. 122)
6: Shield Proficiency
7: Craft Rune Circle (Races of Stone, p. 137)
8: Combat Casting
9: Shielded Casting (Races of Stone, p. 144)
10: Favored in Guild ( Dungeon Master's Guide II, p. 227): Scholastic: knowledge planes

Glyphs:
Ik: Polymorph. Targets its victim with a baleful polymorph spell that turns the victim into an earthworm for 1 round per caster level. A Fortitude save negates the effect.
Weirkan: The stoner. This glyph turns the toucher or passer to stone for 1 round per 2 caster levels. A successful Fortitude save negates the effect.
Ez: Magicbane. This glyph drains charges from any wand possessed by the toucher or passer, 1 charge per caster level. It causes uncharged items: such as magical weapons and potions, to be unable to function for 1 round per level of caster. The item appears to be a mundane object of the relevant type. The magic is merely suppressed, not destroyed. For example, a bag of holding is a normal sack for the duration, but once this effect ends the contents within it can be retrieved as normal. The target of this glyph is allowed a Will save to negate the effect Wands lose their power automatically.

Spells: (from left to right as you gain levels)
0th: guidance (order, air), ghost sound (air), detect magic (all), know direction (air), create water (other), daze (air), read magic (all), light (other)
1st: detect snares and pits (order, air), speak with animals (other), expeditious retreat (air), silent image (air) feather fall (air)
2nd: detect thoughts (order, air), minor image (air), silence (air)
3rd: clairvoyance/clairaudience (order, air), glyph of warding (all)

Guild: Knowledge Domain Affiliation (Complete Champion p.36)
Rank 1, affiliation Score 4-12: Student: Choose a Knowledge skill in which you have at least 1 rank. Unchangeably and Henceforth Gain a +2 bonus on checks with that skill: Knowledge planes

Rank 5 Affiliation Score 30: Scholar: Once per day, negate a single ability of an enemy creature that you’ve discovered using a successful Knowledge check. This effect lasts for 1 minute and is a supernatural ability. The creature can attempt a Fortitude save (DC 10 + your character level + your Int modifier) to negate this effect.

A look under the hood.
The first thing you see when you look at the shugenja is that it only has two class features total: a single first level ability and a byzantine vancian spellcasting system. As far as that magic is concerned, Shugenjae(?) cast divine spells, so armor doesn’t affect them negatively at all. Shugenja get no armor proficiency feats. Unfortunately, you can’t just take heavy armor proficiency and be done with it, that feat has a pre-requisite: medium armor proficiency; which has a pre-requisite; light armor proficiency. Rather than deal with all of that feat bloat, why not just be a warforged and take the adamantine body feat? We’ll pick up a shield later to get our AC into the 20s. At sixth level, we get flight. “A dragonborn can’t fly while carrying a medium or heavy load or while fatigued or exhausted.” This didn’t mention heavy armor like so many other PC races with flight like raptorans. This dragonborn can fly in it’s adamantine plating however, sweet. With flight, the longspear becomes helpful in that you can dive attack from reach.

While we’re at it, let’s look at the weapon proficiencies to see what we get: Simple weapons and a shortsword. Yuck. Seriously, just be a cleric…

Interesting simple weapons: blowgun (DMG p.145), grapple firing crossbow (Song and silence p.52), knife crossbow bayonet (complete scoundrel p.109), close fighting blade (Races of the Wild p.166), longspear, heavy aspergilium (Races of Faerun p.91)

Interesting short sword: knee blade (complete scoundrel p.109)

Interesting ammunition: eggshell grenades (OA p.78), alchemist’s mineral acid (Underdark p.67) > Delver’s slime (Savage Species p.46) > stonebreaker acid (A&EG p.35)

So let’s pick up a crossbow, a longspear, and a kneeblade.

Sense elements is terrible. You need to hit spellcraft DCs in the 30s to get actually useful results, which is really tough on and E6 build. We’ll put skill points in spellcraft, but we aren’t gonna focus on this one too much. D

One last thing you see when you look at the shugenja is the hidden third class feature, obtained at level 2! found here: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x


Elemental Recognition (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a shugenja can identify creatures with an elemental subtype during an encounter from any distance. The shugenja gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (the planes) checks to identify such creature types, but gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge on pg. 78 of the Player's Handbook. Moreover, the shugenja can make these Knowledge (the planes) checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each shugenja level the character takes after 2nd level.

At any distance? From ANY Distance? Any Distance.

Little known fact: Most dragons have an elemental subtype. Go check that out in the Monster Manuals. Red and Gold are [Fire]. The only one that shugenja can’t mess with is the [cold] subtype, which leaves silver dragons, which are plenty capable, and white dragons which are plenty weak.

Anyways, this warforged can walk around pinging out any dragon orphans or abandoned eggs, and take them in. At any distance. I don’t know how to square the fact that knowledge arcana is what governs identifying dragon related hooplah, whereas the class ability harps on using knowledge (planes), but it doesn’t matter: you got dragondar. Just dump the skill points into both knowledges and let the game master decide. Join the knowledge domain affiliation to get a +2 to your k. Planes or k. Arcana check, and then take the favored in guild feat to get another +2 to that check. If you make it to rank 5 in your domain, you can shut off the powers of creatures that you identify, and, if you can sense them from far away, you can take 20 on that check after the course of an hour of study. Or during your sleep if you use this ability with dream of insight.

Once we get the baby dragon eggs to safety, we got to rear them, That’s what a responsible nannybot would do. So the dragon trainer feat becomes necessary. There is no way to get 3rd level spells and the handle animal skill onto a warforged shugenja in only 6 levels, so we need a way to boost that check.

This is where the dreamtouched feats come in once again. We’re already in Eberron: it’s naturally elegant. We get three things from dreamtouched feats,

* +10 to any skill after blowing a full round action, and blowing full-round actions is basically the shugenja’s natural habitat anyway, now we can at least hit a +14 to our handle animal check to rear those dragonkin
* the ability to identify dragons at any distance in your warforged sleep Draco scanning! We can also use that to power our sense elements ability, if for some dogforsaken reason that becomes necessary.
* The ability to contact identified dragons that you’ve spoken to before in their dreams.

The first dreamtouched feat is dream scion. 1-2 times a day, the player can enter a dreamtouched state- ”a condition of conscious dreaming that focuses the world around you even as it reveals your own inner self.” This grants +2 to int, wis, and cha, for a few rounds and unlocks the rest of the dreamtouched feats.

The cool thing about that description is that it legitimizes the use of the dreamtelling feat from heroes of horror to make knowledge (planes) checks as a way to get free augury spells out of going into a dreamtouched state by reading the psychic dream energy of his environment and sitting around thinking about it. Further, if the elemental recognition feature is used to detect a dragon wyrmling with an elemental subtype really far away, the warforged can use knowledge planes check as a survival check to follow tracks while in a dreamtouched state.

Here’s the text of the dreamtelling feat so you don’t have to crack open heroes of horror:

Dreamtelling (Heroes of Horror, p. 122) [General] You can use your Knowledge (the planes) skill to interpret your dreams or the dreams of others, thus gleaning useful information and insights.

Benefit You can interpret the basic symbolism of a dream to figure out what sorts of concerns or fears are likely to have inspired it.
Dream Being Interpreted ---- Knowledge (the planes) DC.
Features obvious symbolism ---- 10.
Involves cultural details or concepts with which you are not very familiar ---- 15.
Represents memories of past events with which you are not familiar ---- 20.
Both the previous conditions are true ---- 25.

Attempting to garner insight into future events, or events occurring elsewhere, by reading the prophetic images of a dream adds +10 to +20 to the base DC, depending on how obscure the omens are. The DM must decide if a dream contains prophetic imagery; a sufficiently high roll might glean some information even if the dream was not overtly oracular. Making the DC required to interpret a dream grants information comparable to an augury spell (see page 202 of the Player's Handbook). Exceeding the required check by 10 or more offers information comparable to a divination spell (see page 224 of the Player's Handbook). Exceeding the required check by 20 or more offers information comparable to a commune spell (see page 211 of the Player's Handbook). Even if your result was not high enough to enable you to read prophetic images, the result might be sufficient to interpret basic symbols and events. Thus, a check result of 18 is insufficient to foretell the future but still grants some information about cultural details or concepts. You can use this feat to determine what effect injuries received in a dreamscape are likely to have on you once you return (DC 15), or whether an item or location was created by the dreamer or brought in from outside (DC 20); see Chapter 3 for information on adventuring within dreamscapes. Finally, this feat allows Knowledge (the planes) to function in place of Survival when used within a dreamscape. This skill can be used to retrace your steps and return to a known person's dream, or to attempt to track a creature across the dreamscape. Action: Dreamtelling requires careful analysis of bizarre images and events. If you are trying to interpret your own dream, you must cogitate on it for a number of minutes equal to 30 minus your Intelligence modifi er. If you wish to analyze someone else's dream, that person must fi rst describe it to you in great detail, adding an additional 10+1d10 minutes to the process.

Try Again: No. The check represents your ability to interpret that particular dream. You can attempt to interpret other dreams the same individual has later, but you get only one attempt per dream. Similarly, you have only one attempt to determine whether an item is native to a particular dream. Special Most campaigns are not set up to interact with the dream world. Hence, this feat is only available if the DM specifically states that he or she has decided to allow it in his or her campaign.

Once you rescue eggs and wyrmlings, you have to protect them. That’s where the glyph of warding spell and the glyph scriber feats come in. You can set up all sorts of wards, but most importantly, you can turn people into worms or statues. An earth shugenja could Stone shape these statues, in fact that build is probably better than this one. But we're an air shugenja, so we are going to buy stonebreaker acid or ditherbombs, or delver slime to destroy those statues before the unpetrify. A heavy aspergilium made of the right materials can help.

We already have the ofuda, and the glyph scriber feat, so we'll stick with the rune theme and get craft rune circle to make location based magic items. Further, due to the close relationships with dragons, this ability can be done on behalf of potential patrons or to set up home bases for released wyrms in exchange for spell prerequisites to make his personal rune circles.

In an E6 game, an AC in the 20s will serve you well. So let’s add the shield proficiency feat for some additional AC. Then, combat casting as a pre-req can get you the shielded casting feat.

Shielded Casting (Races of Stone, p. 144) [General] Prerequisite Combat Casting (PH) , Concentration 5 ranks, Shield Proficiency,

Benefit As long as you have a light shield, heavy shield, or tower shield ready, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity for casting spells in combat.

And all of that makes the best shugenja possible.

[Zaq]

FIRE! tencharacters

Spirit of Fire

A fire gensai from Calimshan, Spirit was trained by the church of Kossoth to wield fire in pursuit of the church's aims. He has embraced his fiery nature and used it to master the divine magic he channels.



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


1st
Shugenja 1
+1
+1
+1
+2
(Skill points, ability bonues, and racial bonuses, 4/level/shugenja)
Concentration (Con) +5, Iaijutsu Focus (Cha) +5, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +4, Spellcraft (Int) +4
Simple Weapon Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (short sword), Bloodline of File
Element Focus, Sense Elements (3/day)


2nd
Shugenja 2
+2
+1
+1
+3
(Skill points, ability bonues, and racial bonuses, 4/level/shugenja)
Concentration (Con) +6, Iaijutsu Focus (Cha) +5.5, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +5, Spellcraft (Int) +5
Simple Weapon Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (short sword), Bloodline of File
Element Focus, Sense Elements (3/day), Elemental Recognition


3rd
Shugenja 3
+2
+1
+1
+3
(Skill points, ability bonues, and racial bonuses, 4/level/shugenja)
Concentration (Con) +7, Iaijutsu Focus (Cha) +6, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +6, Spellcraft (Int) +6
Simple Weapon Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (short sword), Bloodline of File, Armor Proficiency (light)
Element Focus, Sense Elements (3/day), Elemental Recognition


4th
Shugenja 4
+3
+2
+2
+4
(Skill points, ability bonues, and racial bonuses, 4/level/shugenja)
Concentration (Con) +8, Iaijutsu Focus (Cha) +6.5, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +7, Spellcraft (Int) +7
Simple Weapon Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (short sword), Bloodline of File, Armor Proficiency (light)
Element Focus, Sense Elements (3/day), Elemental Recognition


5th
Shugenja 5
+3
+2
+2
+4
(Skill points, ability bonues, and racial bonuses, 4/level/shugenja)
Concentration (Con) +9, Iaijutsu Focus (Cha) +7, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +8, Spellcraft (Int) +8
Simple Weapon Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (short sword), Bloodline of File, Armor Proficiency (light)
Element Focus, Sense Elements (4/day), Elemental Recognition


6th
Shugenja 6
+4
+3
+3
+5
(Skill points, ability bonues, and racial bonuses, 4/level/shugenja)
Concentration (Con) +10, Iaijutsu Focus (Cha) +7.5, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +9, Spellcraft (Int) +9
Simple Weapon Proficiency, Martial Weapon Proficiency (short sword), Bloodline of File, Armor Proficiency (light), Fiery Burst
Element Focus, Sense Elements (4/day), Elemental Recognition


LE Lesser Planetouched (dragonblooded, fire gensai, FR Campaign Setting & Races of Faerun) Shugenja 6 (Order of the Consuming Flame)
S-12
D-12
C-12
I-10
W-12
Ch-17 (+1 at 4th level)

HP: 30 (6 +6(Con bonus) +(5*3.5) +1 (Dragontouched))
AC: 11, flat-footed 10, touch 11
Init: +1

(Skill points, ability bonues, and racial bonuses, 4/level/shugenja)
Concentration (Con) +10, Iaijutsu Focus (Cha) +7.5, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +9, Spellcraft (Int) +9, Listen (Wis) +2, Search (Int) +1, Spot (Wis) +2




Level
0th
1st
2nd
3rd


1
Order - Flare (fire)
Element - Detect Magic (all), Disrupt Undead (fire)
Other - Guidance, Resistance

Order - Burning Hands (fire)
Element - Hypnotism (fire))
Other - Shield of Faiths



2
Order - Flare (fire)
Element - Detect Magic (all), Disrupt Undead (fire), Light (fire)
Other - Guidance, Resistance

Order - Burning Hands (fire)
Element - Hypnotism (fire)
Other - Shield of Faith



3
Order - Flare (fire)
Element - Detect Magic (all), Disrupt Undead (fire), Light (fire)
Other - Guidance, Resistance

Order - Burning Hands (fire)
Element - Cause Fear (fire), Hypnotism (fire)
Other - Shield of Faith



4
Order - Flare (fire)
Element - Detect Magic (all), Disrupt Undead (fire), Light (fire)
Other - Ghost Sound, Guidance, Resistance

Order - Burning Hands (fire)
Element - Cause Fear (fire), Hypnotism (fire)
Other - Shield of Faith

Order - Produce Flame (fire)
Element - Flaming Sphere (fire)
Other - N/A



5
Order - Flare (fire)
Element - Detect Magic (all), Disrupt Undead (fire), Light (fire), Read Magic (all)
Other - Ghost Sound, Guidance, Resistance

Order - Burning Hands (fire)
Element - Cause Fear (fire), Hypnotism (fire)
Other - Shield of Faith, Silent Image

Order - Produce Flame (fire)
Element - Flaming Sphere (fire)
Other - Resist Energy (all)



6
Order - Flare (fire)
Element - Detect Magic (all), Disrupt Undead (fire), Light (fire), Read Magic (all)
Other - Ghost Sound, Guidance, Resistance

Order - Burning Hands (fire)
Element - Cause Fear (fire), Hypnotism (fire)
Other - Shield of Faith, Silent Image

Order - Produce Flame (fire)
Element - Flaming Sphere (fire)
Other - Resist Energy (all)

Order - Searing Light (fire)
Element - Fire Wings (fire)
Other - N/A





Simple Weapon Proficiency (Player's Handbook)
[General]
You understand how to use all types of simple weapons in combat (see Table 7–5: Weapons, page 116, for a list of simple weapons).
Benefit: You make attack rolls with simple weapons normally.
Normal: When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a –4 penalty on attack rolls.

Martial Weapon Proficiency (short sword)(Player's Handbook)
[General]
Choose a type of martial weapon, such as a longbow (see Table 7–5: Weapons, page 116, for a list of martial weapons). You understand how to use that type of mar*tial weapon in combat.
Use this feat to ex*pand the list of weapons with which you are proficient beyond the basic list in your class description.
Benefit: You make attack rolls with the selected weapon normally.
Normal: When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a –4 penalty on attack rolls.

Bloodline of fire (PGtF)
[Regional]
You are descended from the efreet who ruled Calimshan long ago. The blood of these fire spirits runs thick in your veins.
Prerequisite: Human (Calimshan) or planetouched (Calimshan),
Benefit: You receive a +4 bonus on saving throws against fire effects. In addition, you cast spells with the fire descriptor at +2 caster level.
Special: You may select this feat only as a 1st-level character. You may have only one regional feat.

Armor Proficiency (light) (Player's Handbook)
[General]
You are proficient with light armor (see Table 7–6: Armor and Shields, page 123).
Benefit: When you wear a type of armor with which you are proficient, the armor check penalty for that armor applies only to Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, MoveSilently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble checks.
Normal: A character who is wearing armor with which she is not proficient applies its armor check penalty to attack rolls and to all skill checks that involve moving, including Ride.

Fiery Burst (CM)
[Reserve]
You channel your magical talent into a blast of fire.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast 2nd-level spells,
Benefit: As long as you have a fire spell of 2nd level or higher available to cast, you can spend a standard action to create a 5-foot-radius burst of fire at a range of 30 feet. This burst deals 1d6 points of fire damage per level of the highest level fire spell you have available to cast. A successful Reflex save halves the damage. As a secondary benefit, you gain a +1 competence bonus to your caster level when casting fire spells.


Blistering Spell (PH2)
[Metamagic]
Your fire spells sear the flesh from your enemies' bones, leaving them wracked with pain.
Benefit: This metamagic feat can be applied only to a spell that has the fire descriptor. A blistering spell deals an extra 2 points of fire damage per level of the spell. In addition to the spell's normal effect, any creature that fails its save against a blistering spell takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls and checks until the beginning of your next turn. A blistering spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.

Fiery Spell (Sandstorm)
[Metamagic]
Your fire magic is bolstered, further scorching your enemies.
Benefit: A fiery spell deals an extra 1 point of fire damage for each die of damage the spell deals. This feat can be applied only to spells with the fire descriptor. For example, if a 9th-level wizard with this feat casts a fiery fireball, the fireball deals 9d6+9 points of damage. A fiery spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.

Healing Flames (RoF)
[Genera]
You can draw energy from open flames to heal yourself.
Prerequisite: Base Will save +3, fire genasi or tanarukk
Benefit: When you use your control flame spell-like ability, you instead may touch the flame and heal yourself a number, of hit points of damage depending upon the size of the fire. This counts as a use of your control flame ability for the day. Touching the flame causes you no harm when you use this ability, but if you enter the flame, touch more than just its edge, or remain in contact with it for more than 1 round, you take damage from the fire.

Nonlethal Substitution (fire) (CA)
[Metamagic]
You can modify an energy spell to deal nonlethal damage.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, any metamagic feat.
Benefit: Choose one type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, or fire). You can then modify any spell with the chosen descriptor to deal nonlethal damage instead of normal energy damage. The nonlethal spell works normally in all respects except the type of damage dealt—for example, a nonlethal fireball has the same range and area, but since it deals nonlethal damage instead of energy damage, it will not damage objects or set fire to combustibles in the area.
A nonlethal spell uses a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s normal level.

Searing Spell (Sandstorm)
[Metamagic]
Your fire spells are so hot that they can damage creatures that normally have resistance or immunity to fire.
Benefit: A searing spell is so hot that it ignores the resistance to fire of creatures affected by the spell, and affected creatures with immunity to fire still take half damage. This feat can be applied only to spells with the fire descriptor. Creatures with the cold subtype take double damage from a searing spell. Creatures affected by a searing spell are still entitled to whatever saving throw the spell normally allows. A searing spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.

Transdimensional Spell (CA)
[Metamagic]
You can cast spells that affect targets lurking in coexistent planes and extradimension al spaces whose entrances fall within the spell’s area.
Benefit: A transdimensional spell has its full normal effect on incorporeal creatures, creatures on the Ethereal Plane or the Plane of Shadow, and creatures within an extradimension al space in the spell’s area. Such creatures include ethereal creatures, creatures that are blinking or shadow walking, manifested ghosts, and creatures within the extradimension al space of a rope trick, portable hole, or familiar pocket (see page 106).
You must be able to perceive a creature to target it with a transdimension al spell, but you do not need to perceive a creature to catch it in the area of a burst, cone, emanation, or spread.
A transdimensional spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.
Normal: Only force spells and effects can affect ethereal creatures, and no Material Plane attack affects creatures on the Plane of Shadow or in an enclosed extradimension al space. There is a 50% chance that any spell other than a force effect fails against an incorporeal creature.

Versatile Spellcaster (RofD)
[General]
You can use two lower-level spell slots to cast a spell one level higher.
Prerequisite: Ability to spontaneously cast spells,
Benefit: You can use two spell slots of the same level to cast a spell you know that is one level higher. For example, a sorcerer with this feat can expend two 2nd-level spell slots to cast any 3rd-level spell he knows.

Dragontouched (Dragon Magic)
[General]
You have a trace of draconic power, a result of dragons in your ancestry or a spiritual connection between you and the forces of dragon kind.
Prerequisite: Cha 11.
Benefit: You gain the dragonblood subtype. You gain 1 hit point, a +1 bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks, and a +1 bonus on saving throws against paralysis and sleep effects. In addition, you can select draconic feats as if you were a sorcerer of your character level.

Accelerate Metamagic (Transdimensional Spell) (RotD)
[General]
You can apply a selected metamagic feat to your spells more quickly than normal.
Prerequisite: Dragonblood subtype, Spellcraft 4 ranks, any metamagic feat, ability to spontaneously cast 1st-level spells.
Benefit: Choose a metamagic feat you know. You can apply the selected metamagic feat to any spontaneously cast spell without increasing the casting time.
Special: You can gain Accelerate Metamagic multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new metamagic feat.
Normal: Without this feat, metamagic spells with a normal casting time of 1 standard action take a full-round action for spontaneous casters. Metamagic spells with a casting time of longer than 1 standard action take spontaneous casters an extra full-round action to cast.

Accelerate Metamagic (Searing Spell) (RotD)
[General]
You can apply a selected metamagic feat to your spells more quickly than normal.
Prerequisite: Dragonblood subtype, Spellcraft 4 ranks, any metamagic feat, ability to spontaneously cast 1st-level spells.
Benefit: Choose a metamagic feat you know. You can apply the selected metamagic feat to any spontaneously cast spell without increasing the casting time.
Special: You can gain Accelerate Metamagic multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new metamagic feat.
Normal: Without this feat, metamagic spells with a normal casting time of 1 standard action take a full-round action for spontaneous casters. Metamagic spells with a casting time of longer than 1 standard action take spontaneous casters an extra full-round action to cast.

Element Focus: See Complete Divine.


Sense Elements (Sp): See Complete Divine.


From http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x
Elemental Recognition (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a shugenja can identify creatures with an elemental subtype during an

encounter from any distance. The shugenja gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (the planes) checks to identify such creature types,

but gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge on pg. 78 of the Player's Handbook.

Moreover, the shugenja can make these Knowledge (the planes) checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each shugenja

level the character takes after 2nd level.

From FR Campaign Setting and PGtF:
Fire genasi are hot-blooded and quick to anger, proud and unafraid to take action. They are most often neutral. They appear mostly human, with one or two unusual traits reflecting their quasi-elemental nature, such as skin the color of burnt coal, red hair that waves like flames, or eyes that glow when the genasi is angry. They prefer to dress simply and elegantly, although their fashions can be more flamboyant than the most outrageous trend.
Regions: Fire genasi are most common in Calimshan, for much of that land was long ago ruled by efreet. They are also found in Chult, the Lake of Steam, and Unther, which are all lands near volcanoes.
Racial Abilities: Fire genasi have the following racial traits:
+2 Intelligence, -2 Charisma: Fire genasi have bright minds, but are impatient and quick to anger.
+1 racial bonus on saving throws against fire spells and effects. This bonus increases by +1 for every five class levels the genasi attains.
Size: Medium.
Base Speed: 30.
Darkvision up to 60 feet.
Control Flame (Sp): Fire genasi can cause a nonmagical fire within 10 feet of them to diminish to the level of coals or flare to the brightness of daylight and double the normal radius of its illumination. This ability does not change the heat output or fuel consumption of the fire source, lasts 5 minutes, and may be done once per day. They use this ability as 5th-level sorcerers.
Humanoid (planetouched): They are susceptible to spells that specifically target both humanoids or outsiders.
Automatic Languages: Common, home region. Bonus Languages: Any (except secret languages, such as Druidic).

[Zaq]

WIND! tencharacters



Nazzy

Stub/crunch

CN Kenku Shugenga (Air) 5, Seeker of Misty Isle 1
Order of Spring Zephyr

Kenku:
+2 DEX, -2 STR, 2 nat weapons 2 claws 1d3, +2 Hide/Move Silent, Low light vision, Common/Kenku
30 speed
Great Ally (Ex)- give or gain +3 when aiding another, get +4 on flanking instead of +2
Mimicry (Ex) – perfectly mimic sounds/voices/accents Bluff vs Sense Motive check

HP: 5d6+1d8+12

32 pt buy:
S10 (-2), D14(+2), C14, I12 (lvl up here), W12, C16
PICTURE:
https://img00.deviantart.net/cc87/i/2017/253/9/7/kenku_druid_by_halycon450-dbmzh5k.jpg

Build



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


1st
Shugenga 1
+0
+0
+0
+2
Bluff 1, Concentration 4, Know Religion 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 4, UMD 4
Apprenticeship
Element Focus – Air, Sense Elements, Spells


2nd
Shugenga 2
+1
+0
+0
+3
Conc 5, Know 5, SC 5, Survival 5, UMD 5
-
-


3rd
Shugenga 3
+1
+1
+1
+3
Conc 6, Know 6, SC 6, Survival 6, UMD 6
Scribe Scroll
-


4th
Shugenga 4
+2
+1
+1
+4
Conc 7, Know 7, SC 7, Survival 7, UMD 7
-
-


5th
Shugenga 5
+2
+1
+1
+4
Conc 8, Know 8, SC 8, Survival 8, UMD 8
-
-


6th
Seeker of the Misty Isle 1
+2
+3
+3
+4
Bluff 3, Conc 9, SC 9
Brew Potion
Travel Domain, +1 spellcasting

Feats:
1-Smatterings
2-Communicator
3-Force of Personality
4-Spell Focus (Illusions)
5-Steady Concentration
6-Improved Initiative
7-Iron WIll
8-Great Fortitude
9-Extend Spell
10-Sudden Extend




Spells

Bonus Spells 1 each for level 1-3 from CHA, 1 extra 1st known from apprentice feat
Spells per day
1: 0-5, 1-4
2: 0-6, 1-5
3: 0-6, 1-6
4: 0-6, 1-7, 2-4
5: 0-6, 1-7, 2-5
6: 0-6, 1-7, 2-6, 3-4
Spells Known: o+x+x (order plus element (air) + any other element except earth
1: 0-o+2+2, 1-o+1+2
2: 0-o+3+2, 1-o+1+2
3: 0-o+3+2, 1-o+2+2
4: 0-o+3+3, 1-o+2+2, 2-o+1+0
5: 0-o+4+3, 1-o+2+3, 2-o+1+1
6: 0-o+4+3, 1-o+2+3, 2-o+1+1, 3-o+1+0

Spell lists

Order spells:
0-Daze: humanoid of 4HD or less loses next action
1- Disguise Self
2-Blur: attacks miss 20% of the time
3-Invisibility: 1min/lvl or until attacks

Air Spells/Others Known:
0-Daze, Ghost Sound, Guidance, Know Direction/Create Water, Read Magic, Cure Minor Wounds
1-Expeditious Retreat, Sleep/Cause Fear, Hypnotism, Animal Friendship
2- Color Spray/Lesser Restoration
3- Haste

Travel Domain:
Granted Power- 1x/day 1 round freedom of movement
1-Longstrider: +10ft ground movement for 1hr/lvl
2-Locate Object
3-Fly: 60ft/Good for 1min/lvl, when ends, fall to ground at 60ft/round for 1d6 rounds and land safely

Apprenticeship feat: creating your own based on the examples: Since there is no listing under Spellcaster Mentor for spontaneous divine, we’ll create our own based loosely on this entry (and the requirements our build needs too  )
-retain the +2 bonus to Spellcraft checks
-change the divine caster benefit to an additional 1st lvl spell known to the other elements list (as the spontaneous arcane version)
-associated skills: Survival, UMD

Animal Friendship is listed as a Shugenga spell in OA, and links to the PHB (3.0) for the spell description. Since the spell isn’t updated in the 3.5 handbook, it’s still a legal source. In the spell text, I can have up to 12HD of creatures as animal companions in general, or up to 6HD of animals as companions if I’m adventuring at 6th lvl.
-Dire Hawk, MM2 76 or RotW 189, advanced 1HD


Background

For as long as he could remember, Nazzy always thought of himself as still a real bird. Just because he couldn’t fly didn’t mean he still didn’t love the air and all its complexities. Growing up in the village Nazzy always found himself following the Priestess around. The Priestess could shape the elements and speak to the wind too! Nazzy began doing odd jobs for the Priestess, and then after a while of showing that he was trustworthy enough, became an actual apprentice to her highness. Nazzy learned to speak to the wind, and after a while was sent out to test himself in the wild.

Nazzy learned to make friends with the other creatures of the world, and one of them, Birdy, even accompanied him on his travels. When Nazzy had to go into or near other settlements, he would hide his true appearance, and speak to the strangers in their own tongues and dialects. In this way he met a friend who was always out looking for something but could never find it. Nazzy asked to help his friend find his thing, and was sworn into some secret cult.

Nazzy and Birdy traveled the world together, they both spoke to the wind in their own ways, and after awhile, Nazzy could soar on the wind right next to his bestest friend.

Playstyle:

Scribe scroll and brew potion to give us more uses later for our limited spell pool and list. An ex-bird race infatuated with being a bird again and manipulating the air, making friends with a bird and eventually flying along side him as they adventure together. Smatterings, Communicator and Mimicry all working together. Some utility and support spells to help our friends out, we'll take our potshots with a crossbow as needed. Sudden extend to get our flying to last longer primarily, but always there for a special need. Boosting our weak saves and making sure we can get our spells off when needed.

Be a support player, not a blaster. Help your friends and Birdy out, take a backseat to the action. Birdy is trained to attack and defend just like a normal animal companion, and thus is a force multiplier.


Sources:

Comp Adventurer: Force of Personality
Comp Arcane: Communicator, Sudden Extend
Comp Divine: Shugenga, Seeker of the Misty Isle
DMG2: Apprentice Feat
MM3: Kenku
PHB: Feats
PHB 3.0: Animal Friendship spell
RoD: Smatterings
RoS: Steady Concentration

[Zaq]

WATER! (By which I mean more Air!)


Huang Lu She
(False Green Serpent)

Once upon a time, Huang was a fairly normal half-elf. His ancestors had mingled their bloodlines with those green dragons,

granting them certain powers and responsibilities. Huang was raised on tales of the forestlords' power, arcane might, and

prestige.

Huang had none of these but was determined to seize his heritage. Through diligenent research into forbidden knowledge,

Huang formulated a ritual he thought was designed to unlock his draconic heritage and sorcerous potential.

He was wrong.

Instead, the ritual brought him to the attention of a spirit of air and darkness. His draconic blood was unlocked, but a

festering darkness was placed inside his body, ravaging it in the process. And instead of arcane power, Huang found himself

bound to the spirit and channeling its divine elemental power instead.

Huang decided power was power, and set forth to make his name.



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


1st
Shugenja 1
+0
+0
+1
+4
(Skill points, ability bonuses, and racial bonuses)
Concentration (Con) +4, Diplomacy (Cha) +8, Heal (Wis) +6, Hide (Dex) +5, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +5, Knowledge (religion)

(Int) +5, Listen (Wis) +3, Move Silently (Dex) +1, Search (Int) +2, Spot (Wis) +3
Frail, Vulnerable, Mother Cyst, Dragontouched, Dragonic Heritage (green)
Element Focus, Sense Elements (3/day)


2nd
Shugenja 2
+1
+0
+1
+5
(Skill points, ability bonuses, and racial bonuses)
Concentration (Con) +4, Diplomacy (Cha) +9, Heal (Wis) +6, Hide (Dex) +6, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +6, Knowledge (religion)

(Int) +6, Listen (Wis) +3, Move Silently (Dex) +2, Search (Int) +2, Spot (Wis) +3
Frail, Vulnerable, Mother Cyst, Dragontouched, Dragonic Heritage (green)
Element Focus, Sense Elements (3/day), Elemental Recognition


3rd
Shugenja 3
+1
+1
+2
+5
(Skill points, ability bonuses, and racial bonuses)
Concentration (Con) +4, Diplomacy (Cha) +10, Heal (Wis) +6, Hide (Dex) +7, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +7, Knowledge (religion)

(Int) +10, Listen (Wis) +3, Move Silently (Dex) +3, Search (Int) +2, Spot (Wis) +3
Frail, Vulnerable, Mother Cyst, Dragontouched, Dragonic Heritage (green), Skill Focus (Knowledge (religion))
Element Focus, Sense Elements (3/day), Elemental Recognition


4th
Shugenja 4
+2
+1
+2
+6
(Skill points, ability bonuses, and racial bonuses)
Concentration (Con) +4, Diplomacy (Cha) +11, Heal (Wis) +6, Hide (Dex) +8, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +8, Knowledge (religion)

(Int) +11, Listen (Wis) +3, Move Silently (Dex) +4, Search (Int) +2, Spot (Wis) +3
Frail, Vulnerable, Mother Cyst, Dragontouched, Dragonic Heritage (green)
Element Focus, Sense Elements (3/day), Elemental Recognition


5th
Shugenja 5
+2
+1
+2
+6
(Skill points, ability bonuses, and racial bonuses)
Concentration (Con) +4, Diplomacy (Cha) +12, Heal (Wis) +6, Hide (Dex) +9, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +9, Knowledge (religion)

(Int) +12, Listen (Wis) +3, Move Silently (Dex) +5, Search (Int) +2, Spot (Wis) +3
Frail, Vulnerable, Mother Cyst, Dragontouched, Dragonic Heritage (green)
Element Focus, Sense Elements (4/day), Elemental Recognition


6th
Divine Oracle 1
+2
+1
+2
+8
(Skill points, ability bonuses, and racial bonuses)
Concentration (Con) +4, Diplomacy (Cha) +12, Heal (Wis) +6, Hide (Dex) +9, Intimidate (Cha) +5, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +10,

Knowledge (religion) (Int) +13, Listen (Wis) +3, Move Silently (Dex) +5, Search (Int) +2, Spot (Wis) +3
Frail, Vulnerable, Mother Cyst, Dragontouched, Dragonic Heritage (green)
Element Focus, Sense Elements (4/day), Elemental Recognition, Oracle Domain, Scry Bonus


LN Forestlord Half-elf (dragontouched) Shugenja 5 (Order of the All Seeing Eye)/Divine Oracle 1
S-08
D-12
C-10
I-12
W-14
Ch-19 (+1 at 4th level)

HP: 30 (6 -6(Frail) +1 (Dragontouched) +(5*3.5, 5 shugenja levels) + 12 (Dragonic Toughness)
AC: 11, flat-footed 9, touch 11 (+1 Dex, +1 Dragonic Skin, -1 Vulnerable
Init: +1

(Skill points, ability bonues, and racial bonuses, 5/level/shugenja, 3/level/divine oracle)
Concentration (Con) +4, Diplomacy (Cha) +12, Heal (Wis) +6, Hide (Dex) +9, Intimidate (Cha) +5, Knowledge (arcana) (Int) +16,

Knowledge (religion) (Int) +19, Listen (Wis) +9, Move Silently (Dex) +5, Search (Int) +8, Spot (Wis) +9




Level
0th
1st
2nd
3rd


1
Order - Guidance (air)
Element - Daze (air), Ghost Sound (air)
Other - Cure Minor Wounds, Disrupt Undead
Mother Cyst - N/A
Draconic Heritage - N/A
Order - Detect Snares and Pits (air)
Element - Sleep (air)
Other - Burning Hands
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Awareness (evil)
Draconic Heritage - N/A


2
Order - Guidance (air)
Element - Daze (air), Ghost Sound (air), Detect Magic (all)
Other - Cure Minor Wounds, Disrupt Undead
Mother Cyst - N/A
Draconic Heritage - N/A
Order - Detect Snares and Pits (air)
Element - Sleep (air)
Other - Burning Hands
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Awareness (evil)
Draconic Heritage - N/A


3
Order - Guidance (air)
Element - Daze (air), Ghost Sound (air), Detect Magic (all)
Other - Cure Minor Wounds, Disrupt Undead
Mother Cyst - N/A
Draconic Heritage - N/A
Order - Detect Snares and Pits (air)
Element - Sleep (air), Silent Image (air)
Other - Burning Hands
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Awareness (evil)
Draconic Heritage - N/A


4
Order - Guidance (air)
Element - Daze (air), Ghost Sound (air), Detect Magic (all)
Other - Cure Minor Wounds, Disrupt Undead, Light
Mother Cyst - N/A
Draconic Heritage - N/A
Order - Detect Snares and Pits (air)
Element - Sleep (air), Silent Image (air)
Other - Burning Hands
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Awareness (evil)
Draconic Heritage - N/A
Order - Detect Thoughts (air)
Element - Color Spray (air)
Other - N/A
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Cyst (evil), Necrotic Scrying (evil)
Draconic Heritage - N/A


5
Order - Guidance (air)
Element - Daze (air), Ghost Sound (air), Detect Magic (all), Ghost Sound (air)
Other - Cure Minor Wounds, Disrupt Undead, Light
Mother Cyst - N/A
Draconic Heritage - N/A
Order - Detect Snares and Pits (air)
Element - Sleep (air), Silent Image (air)
Other - Burning Hands, Expeditious Retreat (air)
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Awareness (evil)
Draconic Heritage - N/A
Order - Detect Thoughts (air)
Element - Color Spray (air)
Other - Resist Energy (all)
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Cyst (evil), Necrotic Scrying (evil)
Draconic Heritage - N/A


6
Order - Guidance (air)
Element - Daze (air), Ghost Sound (air), Detect Magic (all), Ghost Sound (air)
Other - Cure Minor Wounds, Disrupt Undead, Light
Mother Cyst - N/A
Draconic Heritage - N/A
Order - Detect Snares and Pits (air)
Element - Sleep (air), Silent Image (air)
Other - Burning Hands, Expeditious Retreat (air)
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Awareness (evil)
Draconic Heritage - Charm Person
Order - Detect Thoughts (air)
Element - Color Spray (air)
Other - Resist Energy (all)
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Cyst (evil), Necrotic Scrying (evil)
Draconic Heritage - N/A
Order - Clairaudience/Clairvoyance (air)
Element - Color Spray (air)
Other - Divination (Oracle Domain, air)
Mother Cyst - Necrotic Bloat (evil)
Draconic Heritage - Plant Growth (non-shugenja)




From Unearthed Arcana:
Frail [Flaw]
You are thin and weak of frame.
Benefit
Subtract 1 from the number of hit points you gain at each level. This flaw can reduce the number of hit points you gain to 0

(but not below).
Special
You must have a Constitution of 4 or higher to take this flaw.

Vulnerable [Flaw]
You are not good at defending yourself.
Benefit
You take a -1 penalty to Armor Class.


Simple Weapon Proficiency (Player's Handbook)
[General]
You understand how to use all types of simple weapons in combat (see Table 7–5: Weapons, page 116, for a list of simple

weapons).
Benefit: You make attack rolls with simple weapons normally.
Normal: When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a –4 penalty on attack rolls.

Martial Weapon Proficiency (short sword)(Player's Handbook)
[General]
Choose a type of martial weapon, such as a longbow (see Table 7–5: Weapons, page 116, for a list of martial weapons). You

understand how to use that type of mar*tial weapon in combat.
Use this feat to ex*pand the list of weapons with which you are proficient beyond the basic list in your class description.
Benefit: You make attack rolls with the selected weapon normally.
Normal: When using a weapon with which you are not proficient, you take a –4 penalty on attack rolls.

Mother Cyst (Libris Mortis)
[General]
You gain the ability to cast necrotic cyst spells by growing a cyst of your own.
Prerequisite: Knowledge (religion) 2 ranks, Caster level 1st,
Benefit: You grow an internal cyst of undead fl esh called a mother cyst. The cyst may be noticeable as a discolored

swelling on your skin, if desired. The mother cyst is slightly painful, but otherwise isn't harmful. The mother cyst grants

you access to a selection of cyst-related spells listed below (and described in Chapter 4 of this book). You cast these

spells like any other spell you can cast, once you host a mother cyst (if you are a caster who prepares spells, you can

prepare all necrotic cyst spells without referring to a spellbook, as if you had the Spell Mastery feat for each such spell).

Necrotic Cyst Spells: 1st--necrotic awareness; 2nd--necrotic cyst, necrotic scrying; 3rd--necrotic bloat.
Normal
A creature without this feat cannot cast necrotic cyst spells.

Dragontouched (Dragon Magic)
[General]
You have a trace of draconic power, a result of dragons in your ancestry or a spiritual connection between you and the forces

of dragon kind.
Prerequisite: Cha 11.
Benefit: You gain the dragonblood subtype. You gain 1 hit point, a +1 bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks, and a +1

bonus on saving throws against paralysis and sleep effects. In addition, you can select draconic feats as if you were a

sorcerer of your character level.

Draconic Heritage (green) (Races of the Dragon)
[Draconic]
You have a greater connection with your draconic bloodline than others of your kind.
Prerequisite: Sorcerer level 1,
Benefit: You gain the dragonblood subtype. Choose one kind of dragon from the list in the accompanying table. This is your

draconic heritage, which can only be changed by undergoing the Rite of Draconic Affi nity (see page 59). Half-dragons must

choose the same dragon kind as their dragon parent. When you declare your draconic heritage, you gain the skill indicated on

the table as a sorcerer class skill. In addition, you gain a bonus equal to the number of draconic feats you have on saving

throws against magic sleep and paralysis effects, as well as on saves against spells and abilities with a descriptor that

matches the corresponding entry in the accompanying table. (See RoDr p103).
Dragon Energy
Kind Type Skill
Green Acid Move Silently

Skill Focus (religion) (Player's Handbook)
[General]
Choose a skill, such as Move Silently. You have a special knack with that skill.
Benefit: You get a +3 bonus on all checks involving that skill.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time you take the feat, it applies to a new

skill.

Armor Proficiency (light) (Player's Handbook)
[General]
You are proficient with light armor (see Table 7–6: Armor and Shields, page 123).
Benefit: When you wear a type of armor with which you are proficient, the armor check penalty for that armor applies only to

Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, MoveSilently, Pick Pocket, and Tumble checks.
Normal: A character who is wearing armor with which she is not proficient applies its armor check penalty to attack rolls and

to all skill checks that involve moving, including Ride.

Draconic Knowledge (Dragon Magic)
[Draconic]
Your draconic blood lets you access ancient draconic knowledge.
Prerequisite: Draconic Heritage (DM) , sorcerer level 1st,
Benefit: You gain a bonus on Knowledge checks equal to the number of draconic feats you have. All Knowledge skills are class

skills for all your classes.

Draconic Senses (Dragon Magic)
[Draconic]
Your draconic blood grants you great sensory power.
Prerequisite: Cha 11, dragonblood subtype.
Benefit: You gain low-light vision and a bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks equal to the number of draconic feats you

have.
Special: If you have three or more draconic fears, you also gain darkvision out to 60 feet.
Normal: If you have four or more draconic fears, you also gain blindsense out to 20 feet.

Draconic Toughness (Races of the Dragon)
[Draconic]
Your draconic nature reinforces your body as you embrace your heritage.
Prerequisite: Draconic Heritage, sorcerer level 1st.
Benefit: When you take this feat, you gain 2 hit points for each draconic feat you have, including this one. Whenever you

take a new draconic feat, you gain 2 more hit points.

Draconic Legacy (green) (Races of the Dragon)
[Draconic]
You have realized greater arcane power through your draconic heritage.
Prerequisite: Any four draconic feats.
Benefit: Based on your draconic heritage, add the following spells to your list of spells known.
Each spell is added at the level that a spellcaster would normally gain it unless otherwise indicated.
Dragon Bonus
Kind Spells
Green 1st-charm person, 3rd-plant growth

Spontaneous Healer (Complete Divine)
[General]
Prerequisites: Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks, nonevil alignment, able to cast any cure wounds spell.
Bene?t: You can use your spellcasting ability to spontaneously cast cure spells (from your class spell list) just as a cleric

can. You may use this ability a total number of times per day equal to your Wisdom modi?er.

Extend Spell (Player's Handbook)
[Metamagic]
You can cast spells that last longer than normal.
Benefit: An extended spell lasts twice as long as normal. A spell with a duration of concentration, instantaneous, or

permanent is not affected by this feat. An extended spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual

level.

Transdimensional Spell (Complete Arcane)
[Metamagic]
You can cast spells that affect targets lurking in coexistent planes and extradimension al spaces whose entrances fall within

the spell’s area.
Benefit: A transdimensional spell has its full normal effect on incorporeal creatures, creatures on the Ethereal Plane or the

Plane of Shadow, and creatures within an extradimension al space in the spell’s area. Such creatures include ethereal

creatures, creatures that are blinking or shadow walking, manifested ghosts, and creatures within the extradimension al space

of a rope trick, portable hole, or familiar pocket (see page 106).
You must be able to perceive a creature to target it with a transdimension al spell, but you do not need to perceive a

creature to catch it in the area of a burst, cone, emanation, or spread.
A transdimensional spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.
Normal: Only force spells and effects can affect ethereal creatures, and no Material Plane attack affects creatures on the

Plane of Shadow or in an enclosed extradimension al space. There is a 50% chance that any spell other than a force effect

fails against an incorporeal creature.

Nonlethal Substitution (fire) (Complete Arcane)
[Metamagic]
You can modify an energy spell to deal nonlethal damage.
Prerequisites: Knowledge (arcana) 5 ranks, any metamagic feat.
Benefit: Choose one type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, or fire). You can then modify any spell with the chosen

descriptor to deal nonlethal damage instead of normal energy damage. The nonlethal spell works normally in all respects

except the type of damage dealt—for example, a nonlethal fireball has the same range and area, but since it deals nonlethal

damage instead of energy damage, it will not damage objects or set fire to combustibles in the area.
A nonlethal spell uses a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s normal level.

Draconic Skin(Races of the Dragon)
[Draconic]
Your skin takes on a sheen, luster, and hardness related to your draconic ancestor.
Prerequisite: Draconic Heritage, sorcerer level 1st.
Benefit: Your natural armor bonus increases by 1.

Versatile Spellcaster (Races of the Dragon)
[General]
You can use two lower-level spell slots to cast a spell one level higher.
Prerequisite: Ability to spontaneously cast spells,
Benefit: You can use two spell slots of the same level to cast a spell you know that is one level higher. For example, a

sorcerer with this feat can expend two 2nd-level spell slots to cast any 3rd-level spell he knows.


Element Focus: See Complete Divine.


Sense Elements (Sp): See Complete Divine.


From http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20070227x
Elemental Recognition (Su): Starting at 2nd level, a shugenja can identify creatures with an elemental subtype during an

encounter from any distance. The shugenja gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (the planes) checks to identify such creature types,

but gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge on pg. 78 of the Player's Handbook.

Moreover, the shugenja can make these Knowledge (the planes) checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each shugenja

level the character takes after 2nd level.

Oracle Domain: Upon adopting the divine oracle class, the character gains access to the Oracle

domain, described in Chapter 7: Domains and Spells. The character gains the granted power associated with the domain (+2

caster level for divination spells), and can choose the spells in that domain as her daily domain spells.


Scry Bonus (Su): A divine oracle adds a +1 sacred bonus to the save DC of all her divination (scrying)

spells.


+1 save vs sleep and paralysis affects (Dragontouched)
+6 save vs magic sleep and paralysis affects (Dragonic Heritage (green))
+6 save vs against spells and abilities with an acid descriptor (Dragonic Heritage (green))
darkvision 60' (Draconic Senses)
blindsense 20' (Draconic Senses)


From Dragon Magic:
Size: Medium.
Base Speed: 30.
Class Skills: Hide is a class skill for forestlord half-elves.
Dragonblood Subtype: Forestlord half-elves are of the dragonblood subtype (see page 4).
Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a forestlord half-elf is considered an elf. Forestlord half-elves, for example,

are just as vulnerable to special effects that affect elves as their elf ancestors are, and they can use magic items that are

only usable by elves. (See the Monster Manual for more information about elves, and the Dungeon Master's Guide for more on

magic items.)
Forestlord Pact: Any forestlord half-elf who attacks or otherwise attempts to harm a green dragon loses her treewalk ability

for 24 hours. During that time, the character also takes a —1 penalty on attack rolls, caster level or manifester level, and

saving throws.
Immunity: to sleep spells and similar magical effects.
Low-light Vision: A forestlord half-elf can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar

conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
Treewalk (Su): A forestlord half-elf can transport herself between trees in much the same way that dryads and druids can.

Once per day, a forestlord half-elf can enter a tree by touching it as a move action; once inside the tree, she instantly

transports to any other tree within 60 feet. The forestlord half-elf appears in a square adjacent to the second tree at the

beginning of her next turn. When a forestlord half-elf reaches 5 Hit Dice, and for every 5 HD thereafter, she gains one

additional use of this ability per day.
+1 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks: A half-elf does not have the elf’s ability to notice secret doors simply

by passing near them. Half-elves have keen senses, but not as keen as those of an elf.

[Zaq]

HEART!

Heart? Anyone make Heart? No? Damn. I guess we don't have enough Planeteers. Pollution will continue to reign unchecked until all the animals die. Shame.

I guess it makes sense because the fifth Shugenja element is Void rather than Heart. So, fittingly, Void isn't to be found. It is nothingness.

Anyway, that's all of 'em! Judging should be easy, at least, so go ahead and get to it!

[Inevitability]

I had this half-formed idea that'd exploit the Shugenja-exclusive When Two Become One spell.


Necromancy
Level: Shugenja 3 (Water),
Components: V, S, DF,
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

When you cast this spell, your spirit enters the body of your horse (which you must be riding when you cast the spell) and merges with the horse's own.
Your own body hunkers low on the horse's back and holds on tight for the duration of the spell; it is a part of the body you and your steed share, but not a particularly useful part.
As a joint creature, you and your mount share all your skills, feats, and abilities.
You make all checks, saves, and attack rolls using the better base number (yours or your horse's) and the better ability score modifier.
You retain your own Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, memory, personality, level and class, alignment, and extraordinary and supernatural abilities.
You gain your horse's Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, speed, natural armor and weapons, and extraordinary abilities.
Opponents can attack either your body or your mount's.
Your body uses the mount's Dexterity bonus to AC, not subject to the maximum Dexterity bonus for your armor type, with your own size modifier, armor bonus, and magical bonuses.
Your mount's body uses its own Dexterity bonus, size modifier, armor bonus, natural armor bonus, and any magical bonuses derived from items on your body other than armor (such as an amulet of natural armor or ring of protection).
You and your mount share a pool of hit points equal to your combined total hit points.
When an opponent hits either your body or your mount's,
the damage is subtracted from this combined pool.
Neither you nor your mount becomes disabled or dying until all these combined hit points are exhausted.
When the spell ends, you divide the hit points remaining in the pool as you choose between you and your mount.

The whole exploit would depend on a very strange reading of the last sentence, as well as the claim that while the rules say you can't heal past your maximum hit points there's nothing saying your current HP can't be higher than your maximum HP.

The idea would be to get the highest HP-animal that still counts as a 'horse' (Wild Cohort shenanigans would be involved), merge with it (creating, say, a pool of 30 horse HP and 42 shugenja HP), and when the spell ended choose to allocate 71 points of it to the shugenja and 1 to the horse.

From there, you'd heal the horse back up with something like a Draconic Aura, and do it all over again to boost your current HP to NI levels. Past that I think I had something in mind with becoming undead to get stun immunity, Reserves of Strength, and Blood Magus, but it ended up getting so ridiculously dependent on an obviously incorrect rules assumption that I decided to drop the idea.

[daremetoidareyo]

I had this half-formed idea that'd exploit the Shugenja-exclusive When Two Become One spell.


Necromancy
Level: Shugenja 3 (Water),
Components: V, S, DF,
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

When you cast this spell, your spirit enters the body of your horse (which you must be riding when you cast the spell) and merges with the horse's own.
Your own body hunkers low on the horse's back and holds on tight for the duration of the spell; it is a part of the body you and your steed share, but not a particularly useful part.
As a joint creature, you and your mount share all your skills, feats, and abilities.
You make all checks, saves, and attack rolls using the better base number (yours or your horse's) and the better ability score modifier.
You retain your own Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, memory, personality, level and class, alignment, and extraordinary and supernatural abilities.
You gain your horse's Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, speed, natural armor and weapons, and extraordinary abilities.
Opponents can attack either your body or your mount's.
Your body uses the mount's Dexterity bonus to AC, not subject to the maximum Dexterity bonus for your armor type, with your own size modifier, armor bonus, and magical bonuses.
Your mount's body uses its own Dexterity bonus, size modifier, armor bonus, natural armor bonus, and any magical bonuses derived from items on your body other than armor (such as an amulet of natural armor or ring of protection).
You and your mount share a pool of hit points equal to your combined total hit points.
When an opponent hits either your body or your mount's,
the damage is subtracted from this combined pool.
Neither you nor your mount becomes disabled or dying until all these combined hit points are exhausted.
When the spell ends, you divide the hit points remaining in the pool as you choose between you and your mount.

The whole exploit would depend on a very strange reading of the last sentence, as well as the claim that while the rules say you can't heal past your maximum hit points there's nothing saying your current HP can't be higher than your maximum HP.

The idea would be to get the highest HP-animal that still counts as a 'horse' (Wild Cohort shenanigans would be involved), merge with it (creating, say, a pool of 30 horse HP and 42 shugenja HP), and when the spell ended choose to allocate 71 points of it to the shugenja and 1 to the horse.

From there, you'd heal the horse back up with something like a Draconic Aura, and do it all over again to boost your current HP to NI levels. Past that I think I had something in mind with becoming undead to get stun immunity, Reserves of Strength, and Blood Magus, but it ended up getting so ridiculously dependent on an obviously incorrect rules assumption that I decided to drop the idea.

If you share skills and you take the create infusion feat, you can mount a larger horse with your ride skill and cast again and again...

I was looking at that spell but I couldn't find a way to get it without node store, extra spell, and versatile spellcaster hijinks seeing as how the complete Divine overwrote OA

[Thurbane]

Would a Titanic (MM2) Pony count as a horse?

Or maybe a Dungeonbred (Dungeonscape) Titanic Warhorse?

[daremetoidareyo]

Would a Titanic (MM2) Pony count as a horse?

Or maybe a Dungeonbred (Dungeonscape) Titanic Warhorse?

When I am on a desktop, I will post an optimization thread to see how optimal we can make a horse matryoshka doll using nested when two become one infusions.

[thorr-kan]

While I was looking for any expanded material for the shugenja, I found the following spells. There's just not a lot out there, is there?

Complete Divine
2 - Bewildering Substitution
2 - Bewildering Visions
2 - Interfaith Blessing
5 - Bewildering Mischance

Weapons of Legacy
3 - Revitalize Legacy, Least (All)
5 - Revitalize Legacy, Lesser (All)
9 - Revitalize Legacy, Greater (All)

ETA:
Dragon Magic
3 - Wingblast (Air)
5 - Lord of the Sky (Air)

[daremetoidareyo]

While I was looking for any expanded material for the shugenja, I found the following spells. There's just not a lot out there, is there?

Complete Divine
2 - Bewildering Substitution
2 - Bewildering Visions
2 - Interfaith Blessing
5 - Bewildering Mischance

Weapons of Legacy
3 - Revitalize Legacy, Least (All)
5 - Revitalize Legacy, Lesser (All)
9 - Revitalize Legacy, Greater (All)

There's a third level one from Dragon magic that is an air spell I forget what it's called like maybe wings of mist or some crap

[Ulfsarkar]

Now that the reveal has passed I can go in the ideas I had that didn't work out. My first was a an earth shugenja/crusader. Probably crusader 4 levels of shugenja crusader. Pick buff spells, leverage charisma synergy, the hit to BAB isn't quite has bad on a ToB class. The d6 hit die hurt however and I really wanted a 3rd crusader level which knock me down to 1st level spells. There was a case of cleric levels would do this Gish better. Favoured soul would probably do that Gish better.

The 2nd idea was an air skills money with a 1level dip in rogue for better skills access and I would grab able learner to imitate a better skill list. But beguiler or bard straight class seems like they would do concept better. My last idea was a fire blaster... Then I saw no sorching Ray and both lighning bolt and fire ball were 4th level spells.. and well that's all folks...

[DEMON]

HEART!

Heart? Anyone make Heart? No? Damn. I guess we don't have enough Planeteers. Pollution will continue to reign unchecked until all the animals die. Shame.


There is still hope! Several options even...

1. I'm sure all the contestants put their heart into those builds.

2. The judges will surely put their heart into their critiques.

3. Even if the above statements were false, we're thankful to Zaq for putting his heart (and soul) into these events.

[Falontani]

DEMONblah blah blah blah Zaq putting his heart and soul blah blah blah blah
Zaq look out! A DEMON is going to eat your heart and soul!

[DEMON]

Zaq look out! A DEMON is going to eat your heart and soul!

*The, technically :smallamused:

[thorr-kan]

There's a third level one from Dragon magic that is an air spell I forget what it's called like maybe wings of mist or some crap
I missed those! And there are TWO!

Dragon Magic
3 - Wingblast (Air)
5 - Lord of the Sky (Air)

Original post updated. Much obliged!

[Zaq]

I was honestly genuinely shocked not to see a When Two Become One build. It's so goofy (and yet so unique) that it seems like we're just crying out for it. Was that just Vizzini making everyone assume that such a thing would be common? Or is it too hard to optimize around that spell when it's your only 3rd level spell and you have relatively few unambiguous ways of getting a horse other than Wild Cohort?

[RaiKirah]

I personally found the shugenga itself so uninspiring that I didn't even get around to the spell list. I'm honestly impressed with what people came up with, as I had literally zero ideas, and these submissions were actually very interesting.

That said, I suspect that those who found Two Become One were of the opinion that to really do anything with it requires more than 6 levels. From the small amount of discussion that's happened in the separate thread on the topic there certainly seems to be interest in the spell, so maybe they simply didn't have the time.

[daremetoidareyo]

I had two builds that I was considering.

Idea 1: Stoneshape heads up basilisk

Earth shugenjas get stone shape as a third level spell. If you take totemist 2, shape soulmeld (soulspark familiar), share soulmeld, and the heads up feat from dragon compendium, as well as versatile spell caster and node store, you can access 3rd level spells with only 4 levels of shugenja.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

You shape basilisk mask to your totem chakra and share it with your soulspark familiar. This gives your soulspark a gaze attack. You then kill your soulspark and cut off its head and carry it around. You can then use your basilisk mask as a standard action by using your soulspark's corpse as the gazer. if you can find a way to quicken your stoneshape (glyph of warding queued onto petrified critters?) you can turn your opponent to stone and then shape that stone into a different thing alltogether. What happens when you unpetrify if youve been stoneshaped into a swarm of snails or something? I don't know. but it sure sounds horrific. This build only takes like 8 epic feats to complete!

Idea 2: Add spells known to the list to become awesome
There are two feats that are amazing on a shugenja. Both require being a dwarf (or changeling from forgotten realms with racial emulation) and the magical training feat from Player's guide to Faerun in order to technically be a spontaneous arcane caster:

Shield Dwarf Warder (Races of Faerun, p. 168) Prerequisite: Shield dwarf,

Benefit: You gain +1 caster level when casting a spell that creates or enhances a suit of armor or a shield. The tradition of shield dwarf warders includes the following spells at the appropriate levels: 1st--entropic shield, mage armor, shield, shield of faith; 2nd--shield other; 3rd--magic vestment; and more! Other spells gain this benefit if they target a suit of armor or shield. Additionally, any magic armor or shield you create costs 5% less gold pieces to make. The experience point cost is unaffected.

Gold Dwarf Dweomersmith (Races of Faerun, p. 163) Prerequisite: Gold dwarf,

Benefit: You gain +1 caster level when casting a spell that creates a weapon or enhances an existing one. This bonus caster level allows you to exceed the normal maximum effect allowed by a spell. The tradition of gold dwarf dweomersmiths includes the following spells at each level: 1st--bless weapon, magic stone, magic weapon, shillelagh; 2nd--flame blade, Melf's acid arrow, spiritual weapon; 3rd--flame arrow, keen edge; Other spells gain this benefit if they target a weapon. Additionally, any magic weapons you fashion cost 5% less in gold pieces to make. The experience point cost is unaffected.

The gold dwarf is better for buffing, especially with the weapon of elements line of spells, whereas the shield dwarf warder actually helps the shugenjas' terrible AC problems.

From there you can throw on one of the bloodline feats from dragon compendium: Here are the best 3 in my opinion

Earth bloodline is a great choice:
1st—Enlarge person
2nd—Shatter
3rd—Keen edge

So is air bloodline:
1st—Obscuring mist
2nd—Gust of wind
3rd—Wind wall

anarchic bloodline is solid
1st—Color spray
2nd—Tasha's hideous laughter
3rd—Rage

there are two initiate feats that a shugenja can get into with no problem.

Initiate of shar Prerequisite Able to cast 1st-level divine spells, patron deity Shar
1: Disguise self
3: crushing despair: pairs well with anarchic bloodline.

If you are a racial emulation changeling you can instead take:
initiate of gruumsh: Prerequisite ability to cast 2nd-level divine spells, Orc or half-orc, patron deity Gruumsh,
2nd Battle Line:
3rd Bloodspear: Pairs well with gold dwarf dweomersmith

Next, if you can mix realms and eberron, you can add a little more versatility with druid sect feats, although these are added to your "druid spell list" or your "ranger spell list" and may not be applicable under a strict RAW interpretation, even if you can take the feat: You probably can't collect more than one of these, so gatekeeper is the best in my opinion.

Gatekeeper initiate: Prerequisite: Ability to spontaneously cast summon nature's ally,
1st level: protection from evil.
2nd level: zone of natural purity.
3rd level: dimensional anchor.

Warden initiate: Prerequisite: Ability to spontaneously cast summon nature's ally,1st level: protection from evil.
2nd level: detect thoughts.
3rd level: displacement

Greensinger Initiate (Eberron Campaign Setting, p. 54) Prerequisite: Ability to spontaneously cast summon nature's ally,
1st level: charm person
2nd level: daze monster.
3rd level: displacement.

And thus you could have up to a bonus of up to 6 spells known at first level, 4-5 at second, and 4-5 third. But it's a lot of work to tie all of that chaos together.

[Darrin]

Idea 1: Stoneshape heads up basilisk

Earth shugenjas get stone shape as a third level spell. If you take totemist 2, shape soulmeld (soulspark familiar), share soulmeld, and the heads up feat from dragon compendium, as well as versatile spell caster and node store, you can access 3rd level spells with only 4 levels of shugenja.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

You shape basilisk mask to your totem chakra and share it with your soulspark familiar. This gives your soulspark a gaze attack. You then kill your soulspark and cut off its head and carry it around. You can then use your basilisk mask as a standard action by using your soulspark's corpse as the gazer. if you can find a way to quicken your stoneshape (glyph of warding queued onto petrified critters?) you can turn your opponent to stone and then shape that stone into a different thing alltogether. What happens when you unpetrify if youve been stoneshaped into a swarm of snails or something? I don't know. but it sure sounds horrific. This build only takes like 8 epic feats to complete!


Interesting idea, but a couple problems with this. First, soulspark "familiar" apparently doesn't count as a familiar for the purposes of the Share Soulmeld feat (which I think is complete monkeysnot, it says friggin' "familiar" in the stinkin' name). Second, soulsparks don't have a head, so you'd probably have to polymorph it first.

I think this would work with any standard animal companion or familiar, though (that has a head). Heads Up doesn't have any language about discerning whether or not the creature killed had an innate gaze ability or had it via some other (temporary) effect.

Huh... repeatedly killing your own familiar... that sounds vaguely... familiar.

[Zombulian]

I've just taken my last final of my undergrad college career and I'm graduating tomorrow. Judgements coming soon!

[daremetoidareyo]

I've just taken my last final of my undergrad college career and I'm graduating tomorrow. Judgements coming soon!

Congratulations!

[lylsyly]

What Daremetoo said. Bet your feeling pretty good about now. I know I did.

[Zaq]

I've just taken my last final of my undergrad college career and I'm graduating tomorrow. Judgements coming soon!

Marvelous! I’m happy for you! Judgments are definitely something we’re looking forward to, but of course we understand if you’re a little busy for the next few days.

Anyone else planning to judge? It’s a small round, so it shouldn’t be too hard. Relatively speaking.

[Zaq]

*tap tap*

Hello? Is this thing on?

I understand that this round was more of a bust than I was hoping for, and I do apologize for that. I’ve got a fun ingredient lined up to make it up to you. Anyone want to slap some scores on the table so we can move on?

[thorr-kan]

*tap tap*

Hello? Is this thing on?

I understand that this round was more of a bust thanI was hoping for, and I do apologize for that. I’ve got a fun ingredient lined up to make it up to you. Anyone want to slap some scores on the table so we can move on?
Should I start the betting pool for which entry will win?

[DeTess]

I've just started judging, but I've hit a small problem. I don't have access to dragon compendium and can't fin the glyph scriber feat used in the first build elsewhere. could someone give me a quick run-down of what it does?

Edit: my judging is going to be fairly minimalistic, btw, as I'm doing it during my commute, which doesn't give me the most ideal working conditions for long essays on each build.

[Thurbane]

I've just started judging, but I've hit a small problem. I don't have access to dragon compendium and can't fin the glyph scriber feat used in the first build elsewhere. could someone give me a quick run-down of what it does?

Edit: my judging is going to be fairly minimalistic, btw, as I'm doing it during my commute, which doesn't give me the most ideal working conditions for long essays on each build.

Wow, I own the Compendium and had never noticed this before; it's not in with the other feats, but in it's own section about Glyphs. It's going to be hard to recap, since the Glyphs themselves are kind of a mini-sub system.

[DeTess]

My issue with finding out how Glyphs work has been resolved thanks to some help from fellow playgrounders. I expect to complete my judging by tomorrow evening.

[DeTess]

Alright, judgings coming right up. Before I post them, I'd like to once again mention that I did these judgings while I was commuting to and from work, with fairly poor internet and several other things distracting me from this important work. What this means is that I've not checked the small details of each build too closely (ie: number of skill points at each level, right point-buy total, etc.) I believe most people can get this kind of stuff right, but if you want to submit a dispute to point out what you did wrong, I'll be happy to ding your elegance for it anyway :P


Originality
Dragonbots, fly out! (Or something like that. )
I love the fluff on this one, and dragondar is an inspired way of using a seemingly useless ability.
5/5
Power
All your spells seem to be focused on utility, as are most of your feats. This means you’ve got all the utility, but little in the way of offensive power. If you’ve got time to set up, you can mitigate this using your glyphs and rune-circles, but it’s a rare campaign in which all the enemies come to you and give you sufficient time to set up defences.
2.5/5

Elegance
Nothing to complain about here.
3/5

Use of SI
6/6 levels, inspired use of class abilities.
5/5



Originality
…something about dawg’s, and setting stuff on fire while being on fire.
3.5/5

Power
You‘ve got a nice mix of offensive and offensive spells, and your metamagic’s allow you to hurt just about everything with fire.
3.5/5

Elegance
No complaints here.
3/5

Use of SI
6 levels, no particularly surprising use of class features
4.5/5



Originality
Bird, bird, bird is the word..
You’ve got an interesting backstory, and the bird theme fits well with your chosen element
4/5

Power
Interesting set of Buffs and debuffs, which will work well with your animal companion
3.5/5

Elegance
The adaptation of the apprentice feat is mostly fine, though I do wonder about swapping in survival instead of a knowledge skill. It’s the only change from the standard spellcasting apprenticeship that seems to be less about making it work with shugenja and more about making your build work.
You have to be an elf or half-elf to be a ‘seeker of the misty ilse’
2/5

Use of SI
5/6 levels, no particularly surprising use of class features.
4/5



Originality
The ‘let’s take a lot of synergizing [type] feats’ thing has been done a couple of times in the last few editions of this competition. However, despite how disparate some of your feat choices seem, you did manage to weave a cohesive backstory out f it.
3/5

Power
You’ve got a good mix of offensive, defensive and utility spells, and you’ve got feats to keep burning hands relevant against most enemies. Your various draconic feats also give you a couple of useful always on effects and bonuses (blindsense, high knowledge checks)
3/5

Elegance
You’ve taken flaws.
You’ve also got several spells with the [evil] tag while also having a feat that requires you to be non-evil. This is definitely not impossible to balance, but is a bit of a case of conflicting flavour. As the feat only requires you to be non-evil, and not good or exalted, this has not been penalized.
2/5

Use of SI
5/6 levels, no particularly surprising use of class features.
4/5

[Zaq]

Many thanks, Randuir!

Zombulian, are you still judging? I’d love to get the new ingredient up by Monday at the latest. I hope that there won’t be too many disputes, but if there are, it would be nice to deal with them quickly. (In fact, contestants, if you DON’T have any disputes, just giving me a quick indication of that—public or private, your choice—might mean that we can get to the next round faster.)

[daremetoidareyo]

No disputes.

[Falontani]

No disputes here.

[thorr-kan]

I've got some *questions,* but nothing that I think will affect the final scores.

So, no disputes, pending any other judges stepping forward.

[Zaq]

Dispute from Nazzy:


On elegance:

Seeker of the Misty Isle does have a racial requirement of elf/half elf. HOWEVER, it also has a variant listing (adaptation) that removes the racial/deity requirement and simply lets it be inserted into any campaign. I've used that adaptation.

I used subterfuge in the background via disguise self/mimicry to gain access to the indoctrination, but it's still legal

[DeTess]

On elegance:

Seeker of the Misty Isle does have a racial requirement of elf/half elf. HOWEVER, it also has a variant listing (adaptation) that removes the racial/deity requirement and simply lets it be inserted into any campaign. I've used that adaptation.

I used subterfuge in the background via disguise self/mimicry to gain access to the indoctrination, but it's still legal

Hmmm. I think I can see your point, but that also means this is the second thing in which you used open-ended adaptation possibilities in your favor. I'm going to move your elegance score up half a point to 2.5 (new total for Nazzy: 14) for now, and if possible, I'd like to hear the Chairman's opinion on whether there's some kind of general rule on using adaptation notes in building dishes.

[daremetoidareyo]

Hmmm. I think I can see your point, but that also means this is the second thing in which you used open-ended adaptation possibilities in your favor. I'm going to move your elegance score up half a point to 2.5 (new total for Nazzy: 14) for now, and if possible, I'd like to hear the Chairman's opinion on whether there's some kind of general rule on using adaptation notes in building dishes.

From my experience in other iron chef comps, that is typically up to the judges discretion.

[Zaq]

Agreed, it’s up to the discretion of the judge or judges. You won’t generally be DQ’d out of hand for invoking an adaptation that has reasonably clear rules, but you’re basically entirely liable if a judge isn’t fond of it. Contestants who wish to use adaptations are advised to clearly state in their entry exactly what they’re doing and why it’s appropriate.

I will say that we should probably stay the hell away from Arcane Swordsage, though. Just in general. I don’t think anything good will come out of that particular quagmiric rabbit hole.

Anyway! I’m eager to move on to a more interesting round, and I’ve got just the ingredient to do the trick. I plan to be home from work in approximately sixish hours. If Zombulian or anyone else is still judging and gets that judgment in before I get home, we’ll handle those judgments appropriately; otherwise, we’ll wrap things up and dive into a better round this evening. Any major objections?

[Falontani]

Yes, 6ish hours is too long to wait, I want to start creating a dish now! (in all honesty its okay)

[DeTess]

Agreed, it’s up to the discretion of the judge or judges. You won’t generally be DQ’d out of hand for invoking an adaptation that has reasonably clear rules, but you’re basically entirely liable if a judge isn’t fond of it. Contestants who wish to use adaptations are advised to clearly state in their entry exactly what they’re doing and why it’s appropriate.

I will say that we should probably stay the hell away from Arcane Swordsage, though. Just in general. I don’t think anything good will come out of that particular quagmiric rabbit hole.


Yeah, with the mention of adaptation notes the arcane swordsage was honestly the first thing I thought about. I'll remember the thing about adaptations for future use/reference.

[Zombulian]

I still haven't even started any judging yet. I'm on my lunch break at work now and was planning to start, but I likely won't have time to finish them until late this evening.
If that's too long for you folks I understand.

[daremetoidareyo]

I still haven't even started any judging yet. I'm on my lunch break at work now and was planning to start, but I likely won't have time to finish them until late this evening.
If that's too long for you folks I understand.

I am always an advocate of more judges at the expense of waiting longer.

[Zaq]

Sorry dare, I'm overruling you this time. Save your time, Zom, and spend it on the next round. We're moving on.



Name
Race/Alignment
Stub
Score from Randuir
Chef


O-Pare (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23046775&postcount=71)
NG Dragonborn Warforged
Air Shugenja 6
15.5
daremetoidareyo


Spirit of Fire (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23046779&postcount=72)
LE Lesser Fire Genasi
Fire Shugenja 6
14.5
thorr-kan


Nazzy (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23046781&postcount=73)
CN Kenku
Air Shugenja 5 / Seeker of the Misty Isle 1
14
jdizzlean


Huang Lu She (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23046783&postcount=74)
LN Forestlord Half-Elf
Air Shugenja 5 / Divine Oracle 1
12
thorr-kan



Fun fact: None of the chefs in this round put capital letters in their names.

Anyway! Many thanks to Randuir for judging, sincere congratulations to everyone who stuck it out and got a build in, and thank you all for staying with me as I apparently chose poorly on the ingredient. I'll make it up to you next round, which is right here! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?559135-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-IX)&p=23082473#post23082473)

[thorr-kan]

Finally got some free time, so I'd like to circle back to this. Note that I'm not disputing the judging; I'm doing an after-action report for my own characters.

Thanks for judging.





Originality
…something about dawg’s, and setting stuff on fire while being on fire.
3.5/5

Power
You‘ve got a nice mix of offensive and offensive spells, and your metamagic’s allow you to hurt just about everything with fire.
3.5/5

Elegance
No complaints here.
3/5

Use of SI
6 levels, no particularly surprising use of class features
4.5/5

Honestly not the result I expected. Spirit got banged out in the closing hours of the Challenge when I was struck by inspiration.




Originality
The ‘let’s take a lot of synergizing [type] feats’ thing has been done a couple of times in the last few editions of this competition. However, despite how disparate some of your feat choices seem, you did manage to weave a cohesive backstory out f it.
3/5

Power
You’ve got a good mix of offensive, defensive and utility spells, and you’ve got feats to keep burning hands relevant against most enemies. Your various draconic feats also give you a couple of useful always on effects and bonuses (blindsense, high knowledge checks)
3/5

Elegance
You’ve taken flaws.
You’ve also got several spells with the [evil] tag while also having a feat that requires you to be non-evil. This is definitely not impossible to balance, but is a bit of a case of conflicting flavour. As the feat only requires you to be non-evil, and not good or exalted, this has not been penalized.
2/5

Use of SI
5/6 levels, no particularly surprising use of class features.
4/5

Huang, on the other hand, I spend a lot of skull sweat on. Just goes to show, what you think ain't necessarily so. That's why we have other eyes look over our work, innit?

The [evil] spell vs non-evil feat take advantage of the shugenja's not having the divine caster clause where you can't cast spells of the wrong alignment. Everybody else has it, but shugenjas don't.

I was really proud of shoving divination, a 4th level spell, into a 3rd level spell courtesy of the Oracle domain. Oh, well.