Building a Valkyrie 3.5

[AlanBruce]

Greetings! And no, not the Deities & Demigods monsters in the Norse section of that book. Those are marked as 20th level paladins and they have a Divine Rank.

I am talking about their latest incarnation in the God of War game. If you have played it, chances are you have come across these ladies, locked up in hard to find places. Walked in, hoping for a light scuffle and...

Well, that's why I was wondering if anybody has taken inspiration on those particular opponents and their fighting style and if there would be a nice 3.5 adaptation. Ideally, for one of them to match up against a party of about EL 12-16, given what they have been shown to do in game.

I had considered using the Trumpet Archon as a start up chassis, mostly due to its flight speed. But Valkyries don't cast- at least not in the way we'd see a caster in 3.5. They do rely on abilities that I would peg as (Su), but nothing close to actual casting.

However, where they truly shine is in combat. I couldn't help but thinking of ToB in their move set, particularly with a few of them doing what comes close to a Leaping Dragon Stance... with a very nasty result if you are unable to dodge.

This was an idea I had going on after I actually fought a few of them in game and thought how well could they translate to D&D? Is it doable? I am sure it is, but I was hoping to get insight from the Playground, since you guys have proven time and time again how to successfully adapt a fictional character into d&d.

This isn't for any game in particular. And I know WOTC has published the Valkyrie in Deities & Demigods, but those seem rather bland, when compared to the ones actually encountered and fought in the game, making them truly formidable and outright terrifying adversaries. So I thought it would be nice to get one built here. It doesn't have to use all the powers each one uses during their battles, but perhaps a CR scaling? depending on who it is? Since by the end of that quest line, the last one uses the abilities of all the rest, clearly intended for higher leveled PCs in a game.

As always, consider that the party that would theoretically engage this enemy would be well optimized for their level and these beings fight alone, so they should be able to give even wizards some measure of pause when fighting one without having to resort to Divine Rank.

Looking forward to your ideas!

[Thurbane]

However, where they truly shine is in combat. I couldn't help but thinking of ToB in their move set, particularly with a few of them doing what comes close to a Leaping Dragon Stance... with a very nasty result if you are unable to dodge.

Just to check: you know there's a Valkrie (11 HD large Outsider, CR 9) as a monster in the ToB?

[Ramza00]

I like the idea of the Tome of Battle Valkyrie which is a Norse Monster that is ECL 16 (11 HD+5 LA) CR 9 Monster that appears on page 156 to 158 of Tome of Battle. It also has a ML of 10 and some nice stats.

[AlanBruce]

Just to check: you know there's a Valkrie (11 HD large Outsider, CR 9) as a monster in the ToB?

I had completely glossed over the monster section in that book. My faint memory recalls a Rakshasa with initiator levels, I believe. But nothing close to a Valkyrie.

Will have to read up on the creature and see if it can perhaps be tweaked or given class levels to match what is portrayed in the game itself.

Thank you very much, and if you have any other ideas, please let us know here.

[Buufreak]

Just to check: you know there's a Valkrie (11 HD large Outsider, CR 9) as a monster in the ToB?

This would be my most likely way to handle it with ease. As the valkyries from GoW4 definitely have variance in their combat skills, being natural initiators, you can vary them with the 9 schools from ToB. Then obviously you would use Master of Nine for the big momma valkyrie.

[AlanBruce]

This would be my most likely way to handle it with ease. As the valkyries from GoW4 definitely have variance in their combat skills, being natural initiators, you can vary them with the 9 schools from ToB. Then obviously you would use Master of Nine for the big momma valkyrie.

Just had a chance to open that book after a long time...

The art for the Valkyrie there could use some work (a lot, in my opinion- I mean... goat legs?). But it pretty much fits the bill for what they have in the game, even down to immunities and their attack patterns.

Size would have to be downgraded to medium, but the fact that they actually progress as Swordsages and have a starting IL of 10th makes for great and beautiful variety. Oddly enough, there are 9 in the game you have to face and the last one would definitely be a Master of Nine.

Will have to see how the whole Meteor Swarm and Cone of Cold effects they use in game can be applied to 3.5, though. Without actually giving them such abilities as SLAs, of course.

[Frendle]

Will have to see how the whole Meteor Swarm and Cone of Cold effects they use in game can be applied to 3.5, though. Without actually giving them such abilities as SLAs, of course.

The ToB gives a very sketchy outline for an Arcane Swordsage. That might be a way to introduce spells into an initiators repertoire without rewriting their abilities too much. I wish there was a good write-up for the Arcane Swordsage somewhere. (Unless there is....)

[Buufreak]

The ToB gives a very sketchy outline for an Arcane Swordsage. That might be a way to introduce spells into an initiators repertoire without rewriting their abilities too much. I wish there was a good write-up for the Arcane Swordsage somewhere. (Unless there is....)

There's also the theurge class that combines initiator with arcane caster.