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

[Zaq]

Welcome back to the Iron Chef Optimization Challenge E6 Appetizer Edition! It's time for another one of our special "high-originality" rounds where we use an ingredient that's actually good but then make everyone work harder to stand out from the pack, so please PAY ATTENTION TO HOW WE'RE HANDLING SCORING THIS TIME!

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 as many levels as possible 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 three categories: Power, Elegance, and Use of the Secret Ingredient, and on a 1-10 point scale in Originality. 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 - 9 on Wednesday, Mar 20, 2019 (1:59 AM GMT on Thursday, Mar 21). 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—I'll do my best, anyway. Judging is then encouraged to go as quickly as possible; if multiple judges volunteer, we'll set about a two-week window, but if we only get one judge, we'll try to wrap up as soon as possible after that judge presents scores. (I will admit that the deadline time may not be an exact science, but don't hide from me and we'll probably be cool.)
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. When you're wondering if UA content is allowed, err on the side of caution and don't mess around with it.
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: Please use the table found below in the spoiler. 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; make sure that there is a clear listing somewhere of your ranks alone.

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 (except in Originality for these special high-originality rounds, where the max score in Originality is 10). 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 SORCERER, from the Player's Handbook (and the SRD)!
Allez Optimizer!

The Builds:



Name
Alignment/Race
Stub


Unis Sobek Neithson (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23790637&postcount=28)
? Desert Kobold
Sorcerer 5 / Sand Shaper 1


Thrush (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23790639&postcount=29)
? Silverbrow Human
Sorcerer 5 / Mage of the Arcane Order 1


Sir Cohnium (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23790641&postcount=30)
LN Warforged
Sorcerer 6


Klotto Rubiini Kosketti (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23790644&postcount=31)
LN Frostblood Half-Orc
Sorcerer 6


Gobta (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23790645&postcount=32)
? Goblin
Sorcerer 6


Ekaterina Morovan d'Lyrandar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23790647&postcount=33)
LE Half-Elf
Sorcerer 6


Darkblood Malrell (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23790649&postcount=34)
LG Illumian (Uurkrau)
Sorcerer 5 / Mage of the Arcane Order 1





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 8: Shugenja (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?555626-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-VIII))
Round 9: Swashbuckler (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?559135-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-IX)")
Round 10: Crusader (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?562183-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-X))
Round 11: Soulknife (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?565669-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XI))
Round 12: Factotum (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?569723-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XII))
Round 13: Prestige Classes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?572441-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XIII))
Round 14: Mountebank (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?576318-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XIV))



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]

Here's a few gentle recommendations that are intended to improve scores and make things easier for the judges. As always, THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS POST ARE NOT RULES. Judges and contestants are free to honor them or ignore them; my intent here is only to help, and NONE of what I'm saying here is required.

Recommendations:
Double-check ALL of your prereqs. Every single one. Feats, PrCs, whatever. You might even go so far as to spell out when you meet each one, but again, that's not a requirement. But one of the single biggest causes of point loss is failure to meet prereqs.
Tell the judges what's cool about your build! You spent hours or days on this (y'know, probably) and know it inside and out, but the judges are getting a whole bunch of these dishes all at once and don't know the build history of each one. You're significantly more likely to score well if you spell out exactly what makes you awesome than if you try to just let it stand on its own.
Make it easy to read! Skill tables are awful, though they're an incredibly necessary evil. Full Monster Manual-style statblocks are occasionally useful but are also insanely dense if not formatted well. Judges are very likely to miss something if you aren't careful with how you present your info. Remember that judging takes a lot of time, energy, and focus, so don't rely on the judge being willing/able to decode something in order to see what makes you interesting!
Be memorable. Remember that we're all using the same ingredient here. What makes you different?

So let's talk about this round a bit. Remember that Originality is the biggest score this time around, so you really need to strive to stand out from all the other sorcerers running around! Of course, the other three categories combined are more than Originality is worth, so don't tank everything else entirely. Think about the choices you can make to differentiate yourself.

I have a feeling that spell selection is going to more or less be the be-all and end-all, so it'll likely behoove you to really highlight exactly how you made your spell choices and exactly what you plan to do with said spells!


Everyone’s down to cook with an ingredient that’s actually not bad, right?


What is this sorcerery??!!!?

I think you need to be the ones to answer that question. Tell me, what sorcery IS this?

[DeTess]

Hmm, this one's interesting, but the sorcerer's relatively tight build constraints for the stub is something I don't really like. Not sure if I'll be in to cook, but otherwise I'll judge.

[The Kool]

If a clean presentation is all you desire for the list of feats, try the Numbered List feature.


feat1
feat2
feat3
feat4
feat5
feat6
feat7
feat8
feat9
feat10



feat1
feat2
feat3
feat4
feat5
feat6
feat7
feat8
feat9
feat10




Question about timing: Daylight Savings begins in 3 days. Does this affect the deadline at all, or is it still that same time relative to GMT?

[Zaq]

If a clean presentation is all you desire for the list of feats, try the Numbered List feature.


feat1
feat2
feat3
feat4
feat5
feat6
feat7
feat8
feat9
feat10



feat1
feat2
feat3
feat4
feat5
feat6
feat7
feat8
feat9
feat10




Question about timing: Daylight Savings begins in 3 days. Does this affect the deadline at all, or is it still that same time relative to GMT?

Oh yeah, DST. Knew I was forgetting something. (My area doesn’t observe DST, y’see.) I’ll update the OP.

[The Kool]

Oh yeah, DST. Knew I was forgetting something. (My area doesn’t observe DST, y’see.) I’ll update the OP.

DST not observed but it still causes the time relative to GMT to change? I'm slightly confused... but as long as it's right then my confusion matters not. (Unless it's wrong, in which case I'm citing what the thread says!)

[WhamBamSam]

I'll be judging this one. I should have time a week or so after the reveal.

[Zaq]

To be honest, I’ve probably got the deadline time wrong. It’s intended to be about when I get off work that day, but I do tend to get confused when converting around GMT. Realistically, though? Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but the chance that I’ll actually be free right then is extraordinarily small, so we’re not likely to need to be super precise about it.

Tell ya what, everyone—if it gets to be the day of the deadline and you think it’s gonna come down to the wire, lemme know. I don’t intend to really push out the actual deadline day as long as we have sufficient entries, but if it comes down to a question of hours, I’ll work with you. Don’t abuse the privilege, but we’re all friends here. This is, right this second at least, easier than recalculating. No biggie.

[RaiKirah]

I think I have and idea I like. Definitely gonna give this 'sorcery' thing a shot!

[daremetoidareyo]

Sweet, two entire class features

[Zaq]

Sweet, two entire class features

I thought you’d like that! I mean, one of those features is the most powerful and versatile class feature in the PHB and arguably in the game.

You also get spells!

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Spellcasting is definitely not my area of expertise. Maybe I'll judge.

[The Kool]

Spellcasting is definitely not my area of expertise. Maybe I'll judge.

Neither is it mine, but I have an idea or two. I'm probably not going to let them cook as long as some people might, one of them is almost ready... I'll stew on the feats a while at least.

[Scrollreader]

So I'm new here, and while I don't expect to win, I'm interested in the practice (and building characters is fun). Are we using the suggested E6 feats (like the one that allows a fighter 6 to act as if he was BAB +8 for feats, or the one that allows bonus skill ranks), or are we sticking to E6 with only official feats?

[The Kool]

So I'm new here, and while I don't expect to win, I'm interested in the practice (and building characters is fun). Are we using the suggested E6 feats (like the one that allows a fighter 6 to act as if he was BAB +8 for feats, or the one that allows bonus skill ranks), or are we sticking to E6 with only official feats?

Firstly, welcome welcome, I too am new and while my build isn't going to have the MOST POWAH, it should be able to hold it's own. Originality is king this round anyway, so go nuts, you might just surprise yourself.

Secondly:
We will not use the "capstone feats"; all feats that you take must be normal legal 3.5 feats, not homebrew E6 ones.

[Scrollreader]

... I swear I read that whole post twice, and still somehow missed that. Thanks!

[daremetoidareyo]

A sorcerer casts arcane spells which are drawn primarily from the sorcerer/wizard spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time, the way a wizard or a cleric must (see below).

...

A sorcerer’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A sorcerer begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of your choice. At each new sorcerer level, he gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known. (Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a sorcerer knows is not affected by his Charisma score; the numbers on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known are fixed.) These new spells can be common spells chosen from the sorcerer/wizard spell list, or they can be unusual spells that the sorcerer has gained some understanding of by study. The sorcerer can’t use this method of spell acquisition to learn spells at a faster rate, however.

Zaq, can you give some guidance on whether sorcerers can deviate from the wizard list? It's cool if you leave it to judges, i totally understand that.

[WhamBamSam]

Zaq, can you give some guidance on whether sorcerers can deviate from the wizard list? It's cool if you leave it to judges, i totally understand that.As a judge, I will treat it as analagous to homebrew spell research (read: not legal for this competition) unless it is a Sorcerer spell (there are a few printed that are non-Wizard) or you have some feature that explicitly gives you access to it, unless Zaq explicitly rules that I shouldn't do that.

[daremetoidareyo]

As a judge, I will treat it as analagous to homebrew spell research (read: not legal for this competition) unless it is a Sorcerer spell (there are a few printed that are non-Wizard) or you have some feature that explicitly gives you access to it, unless Zaq explicitly rules that I shouldn't do that.

Thanks wham

[Zaq]

I agree with Sam. Spells learned by taking sorcerer levels (or levels that advance sorcerer casting) must be sorcerer spells unless you have a game element that explicitly states otherwise.

[jdizzlean]

my build is illegal, and has been deemed unwanted.

I have 6 or so hours into it right now and will probably simply withdraw from this round rather than go with the only 1-2 other options that seem viable.

i'll post what i have thus far after the reveal

good luck to all

[Zaq]

Quick weekend bump! Deadline’s on this coming Wednesday, just as stated in the OP. Still plenty of time to put something together if you’re interested!

I’ve got a small number of entries, but I know we can get a few more before it’s all said and done.

Quick reminder to new entrants and old: please include your build name in the title of your PM (both when sending it to me and when sending in any disputes or updates), and please don’t include any extra text in the PM for me to take out. I want to just copy and paste directly when it comes time for the reveal.

If you’ve already sent me your build and you didn’t do either of these things, no worries this time—you don’t need to resend it unless you’re actually updating anything. But it’s good to keep in mind for the future! Means I’m less likely to flub the build name, less likely to attribute a build to the wrong chef, and less likely to accidentally include something in the build that shouldn’t be included.

[Maat Mons]

Deadline’s on this coming Wednesday, just as stated in the OP. Still plenty of time to put something together if you’re interested!

I’ve got a small number of entries, but I know we can get a few more before it’s all said and done.

No! Shh! More entries will severely decrease my odds of placing!

[The Kool]

I might still cook up a second entry. We'll see, if I don't have something in the works by Tuesday I'll just let it sit and move on to deciding if my idea for main ICO is worth an entry or if I should just judge it.

[Zaq]

Final day, folks! Deadline’s when I get home tonight. Which will probably be really really late (in about 16 hours, in all likelihood), but I don’t intend to add any more days at this point, so gimme your builds while you can! This will be a fun round.

[RaiKirah]

Final day, folks! Deadline’s when I get home tonight. Which will probably be really really late (in about 16 hours, in all likelihood), but I don’t intend to add any more days at this point, so gimme your builds while you can! This will be a fun round.

Crud! I'm not going to be able to get my build done tonight (nor would a couple day's extension help, as i'm going on travel tomorrow). I may post my stub after the reveal, though maybe not as there may come another opportunity to use the main trick in the future.

[Zaq]

Pencils down, everyone! Builds incoming—brace for impact!

[Zaq]

That opening quote kind of, uh, went places I wasn't immediately expecting. It's classy 'cuz it's historical!


"Unis is Sobek, green of plumage, with alert face and raised fore, the splashing one who came from the thigh and tail of the great goddess in the sunlight ... Unis has appeared as Sobek, Neith's son. Unis will eat with his mouth, Unis will urinate and Unis will copulate with his penis. Unis is lord of semen, who takes women from their husbands to the place Unis likes according to his heart's fancy."



Desert Kobold Sorcerer 5 / Sand Shaper 1 (Greater Draconic Rite of Passage)



"A god who lives on his fathers,
who feeds on his mothers...
Unas is the bull of heaven
Who rages in his heart,
Who lives on the being of every god,
Who eats their entrails
When they come, their bodies full of magic
From the Isle of Flame..."



Str: 8 (base) - 4 (race) = 4
Dex: 12 (base) + 2 (race) = 12
Con: 15 (base) + 1 (level) = 16
Int: 12 (base) = 12
Wis: 10 (base) - 2 (race) = 8
Cha: 18 (base) =18



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


1st
Sorcerer (Dragonblood)
+0
+0
+0
+2
Concentration 4, Knowledge (Nature) 2, Survival 2
Draconic Heritage (sand), Draconic Resistance
Spellcasting


2nd
Sorcerer
+1
+0
+0
+3
Concentration 5, Knowledge (Nature) 2.5, Survival 2.5

Spellcasting


3rd
Sorcerer
+1
+1
+1
+3
Concentration 6, Knowledge (Nature) 3, Survival 3
Touchstone (City of the Dead)
Spellcasting


4th
Sorcerer
+2
+1
+1
+4
Concentration 7, Knowledge (Nature) 3.5, Survival 3.5

Spellcasting


5th
Sorcerer
+2
+1
+1
+4
Concentration 8, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Survival 4

Spellcasting


6th
Sorcerer + Greater Draconic Rite of Passage
+2
+1
+1
+6
Concentration 9, Diplomacy 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Survival 4
Fiery Burst
Spellcasting


Epic Feats: Heighten Spell, Improved Initiative ... meh don't care

Concentration: 9 (ranks) + 3 (ability)
Diplomacy: 4 (ranks) + 4 (ability)
Knowledge (Nature): 4 (ranks) + 1 (ability)
Survival: 4 (ranks) - 1 (ability) +2 (racial)



"Hail, daughter of Anubis, above the hatches of heaven,
Comrade of Thoth, above the ladder's rails,
Open Unas's path, let Unas pass!"



Cantrips Known: Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Prestidigitation

1st-Level Spells Known: Bear's Endurance (Sand Shaper), Bull's Strength (Sand Shaper), Cat's Grace (Sand Shaper), Endure Elements (Sand Shaper), Mage Armor, Parching Touch (Sand Shaper), Protection From Evil, Ray Of Clumsiness, Ray Of Enfeeblement, Speak with Animals (Sand Shaper), Summon Desert Ally I (Sand Shaper).

2nd-Level Spells Known: Eagle's Splendor (Sand Shaper), Fox's Cunning (Sand Shaper), Glitterdust, Heat Metal (Sand Shaper), Owl's Wisdom (Sand Shaper), Resist Energy (Sand Shaper), Summon Desert Ally II (Sand Shaper), Summon Swarm (Sand Shaper), Web.

3rd-Level Spells Known: Control Sand (Sand Shaper), Desiccate (Sand Shaper), Dispel Magic (Sand Shaper), Dominate Animal (Sand Shaper), Haboob (Sand Shaper), Slipsand (Sand Shaper), Stinking Cloud, Summon Desert Ally III (Sand Shaper), Sunstroke (Sand Shaper), Tormenting Thirst (Sand Shaper), Wind Wall (Sand Shaper).



"If you fail to ferry Unas,
He will leap and sit on the wing of Thoth,
Then he will ferry Unas to that side!"



Sources
Quotes: Pyramid texts
Desert Kobold: Unearthed Arcana
Draconic Heritage: Races of the Dragon
Draconic Resistance: Races of the Dragon
Dragonblood Sorcerer: Races of the Dragon
Fiery Burst: Complete Mage
Greater Draconic Rite of Passage: Web enhancement
Heighten Spell: Player's Handbook
Improved Initiative: Player's Handbook
Sand Shaper: Sandstorm
Sorcerer: Player's Handbook
Touchstone: Sandstorm



"Ho, Unis! You have not gone away dead: you have gone away alive.
Sit on Osiris's chair, with your baton in your arm, and govern the living;
with your water lily scepter in you arm, and govern those
of the inaccessible places.
Your lower arms are of Atum, your upper arms of Atum, your belly of
Atum, your back of Atum, your rear of Atum, your legs of Atum, your
face of Anubis.
Horus's mounds shall serve you; Seth's mounds shall serve you."

[Zaq]

If he ends up pulling fly from the pool, does that mean that he's using the Thrush Jet? And if he pulls jump, that's the Thrush Coil, and if he pulls water breathing, it's the Thrush Marine!

…what?



Thrush, Slayer Mage

The bandits stood in a rough semicircle across the road, having taken advantage of the rough wooden buildings of the secluded desert outpost to get the drop on him. Not one of them moved, the dry wind rustling hair and banging a distant shutter closed. One by one, Thrush locked eyes with each of them as he approached. They were after the bounty, he knew it, but they underestimated him. They always did. Over his shoulder, he called softly to the priest standing in the door of the small temple (probably Fharlanghn, maybe Pelor, didn't matter). "Get three diamonds ready." He flicked the cloak back into place over his shoulder as the ruffians tossed various derisive comments in his direction.

He came to a slow stop in front of the would-be heroes, shifting his stub pipe in his teeth before reaching up to grab it and stow it in a pocket. "Now look here, boys-" he started before they cut him off.
"No, you look here! We know who you are, Thrush, and your tricks won't work on us! You're coming along, one way or another. Even if it's in a bag!"
"That's not very hospitable, there's not much air in a bag of holding."
"No you idiot, a bodybag!" They were getting riled up, but Thrush couldn't help himself. It always did amuse him when their string were so easy to tug on.
"I don't think so, fellas. I'll be going my own way now, so if you'll kindly let me through..." He knew it wouldn't be that easy. It was open desert out there, and they'd track him until he slept and get him then. He still had to give them a chance to back down at least. And so he took a step forward.

Like the catch being released on a crossbow, his step forward set everything loose. All three of the bandits reached for wands, but they only got them halfway into the air by the time Thrush gave his quick chant and a flick of the wrist. All three of them grew suddenly vacant eyes as a series of soft thumps reverberated through the street, followed by another series as they all hit the dirt. After a slight pause, Thrush glanced over his shoulder and barked a single word, snapping his fingers, causing the fourth companion who had been sneaking up behind him with a blade to fall similarly lifeless to the ground. With a sigh, he reached back into his pocket and withdrew his stub pipe and a tindertwig to light it. As he casually sauntered past the temple, he offered an apologetic amendment to the slackjawed priest:
"My mistake. Four diamonds."

Race: Silverbrow Human
Benefits: Dragonblood subtype, bonus feat, Feather Fall 1/day (2/day at level 5), and Disguise Aptitude.

8 STR
16 DEX
14 CON
14 INT
10 WIS
16 CHA (level 4 boost)



Level
Class
BaseAttack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Sorcerer 1
+0
+0
+0
+2
Kn: Arcana, Spellcraft, Concentration, Craft: Painting 4
Fell Drain, Cooperative Spell
Metamagic Specialist


2nd
Sorcerer 2
+1
+0
+0
+3
Kn: Arcana, Spellcraft, Concentration, Craft: Painting 5




3rd
Sorcerer 3
+1
+1
+1
+3
Kn: Arcana, Spellcraft, Concentration, Craft: Painting 6
Arcane Preparation



4th
Sorcerer 4
+2
+1
+1
+4
Kn: Arcana, Spellcraft, Concentration, Craft: Painting 7




5th
Sorcerer 5
+2
+1
+1
+4
Kn: Arcana, Spellcraft, Concentration, Craft: Painting 8




6th
Mage of the Arcane Order 1
+2
+1
+1
+6
Kn: Arcana, Spellcraft, Concentration, Craft: Painting 9
Arcane Thesis: Magic Missile
Guild Member, Spellpool I



Epic feats:

Practical Metamagic: Fell Drain
Invisible Spell
Twin Spell
Invisible Needle
Practical Metamagic: Twin Spell
Repeat Spell
Practical Metamagic: Repeat Spell
Sanctum Spell
Arcane Thesis: Sonic Snap
Quicken Spell


Spells known:
0: Sonic Snap, Disrupt Undead, +5
1: Magic Missile, Shield, +2
2: Deflect, Web
3: Greater Mage Armor
This build simply plays like a generic Sorcerer up until it hits level 6, then everything clicks. Let's break this down ability by ability:

Metamagic Specialist: Replacing our familiar, this will do us more good. Despite the Arcane Preparation that we will soon pick up, we will often find ourselves needing to put together a combo on the fly.
Fell Drain: We can't use it for several levels yet (starting at level 4 with Sonic Snap, then 6 with Magic Missile), but we need it later and we need a metamagic feat now, so here it is. [Prereq: none]
Cooperative Spell: Feat tax for MotAO. Still, it is a metamagic feat and does include a clause for how it affects the level of the spell it is applied to, meaning it helps our combo. [Prereq: One metamagic feat (Fell Drain). Gained as Human bonus feat.]
Arcane Preparation: This lets us more efficiently use our metamagic combos that we want to be using in combat. We know we'll need them anyway. Taken at level 3, but at level 4 we can prepare a Fell Drain Sonic Snap. [Prereq: Ability to cast arcane spells without preparation (Sorcerer)]
Mage of the Arcane Order: [Prereq: Kn: Arcana 8, Cooperative Spell, one metamagic feat (Fell Drain), able to prepare and cast 2nd level arcane spells (Arcane Preparation), guild fees]
Guild Member: More obligations and expenses than benefits, but such is the price we pay for the Spellpool.
Spellpool 1: Ah, here we go. For up to 3 levels of spells per day, we can spend a full round to bring any sorcerer/wizard spell to mind, where it lingers for a full six minutes before fading. We can do this for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells. Aside from cantrips, that's any spell we could conceivably cast. The versatility this provides us... I'm not even going to list various ways to use this, as the whole point of it here is to cover the things we haven't thought of and aren't prepared for.
Arcane Thesis: Magic Missile. Also gained at level 6, with this feat we lay the foundation for all our growing feast of metamagic goodness. With this, our Fell Drain Magic Missile is only a level 2 spell that can apply 2 negative levels to up to 4 or 5 targets. [Prereq: Kn: Arcana 9, ability to cast arcane spells]
Practical Metamagic: Fell Drain. With this, applying Fell Drain to our Magic Missile no longer increases the spell level thanks to Arcane Thesis. [Prereq: Spellcraft 8, able to spontaneously cast 3rd level arcane spells, any metamagic feat (Fell Drain), Dragonblood subtype (Silverbrow Human)]
Twin Spell: Magic Missile is a 1st level spell, +2 from Fell Drain, +4 from Twin Spell, +0 from Cooperative Spell, -3 from Arcane Thesis, -1 from Practical Metamagic. With a 3rd level slot we can apply 4 negative levels to each of 4 or 5 targets. [Prereq: Any metamagic feat]
Invisible Spell: Okay, yes, this is here to cheese the spell level lower via Arcane Thesis. But it also means he flicks his hand and people die with no apparent cause, and if you don't think that's the most awesome thing ever then good day to you sir. [Prereq: Any metamagic feat (several)]
Invisible Needle: Maximum 3d4 damage at 15ft, but spammable. As a bonus, we finally hit Caster Level 9 for our Magic Missile, maxing out at 5 missiles. [Prereq: Ability to cast 3rd level spells]
Practical Metamagic: Twin Spell. Our combo is now only a 1st level slot. Can't lie, that's pretty sweet.
Repeat Spell: A new toy! Practical FD +1, Practical Twin +3, Repeat +3, Invisible +0, Cooperative +0, Arcane Thesis -5. Not only do we hit 5 targets for 4 negative levels each, they all take 4 more (or 2 if the DM sides with the lame interpretation of the repeat not twinning) on the next turn, provided they don't move more than 30ft. And with our Web spell that shouldn't be too hard to arrange. [Prereq: Any metamagic feat (several)]
Practical Metamagic: Repeat Spell. Get that spell level back down so we get more per day. Total metamagic combo results in +1 slot level on a Thesis spell. [Prereq: as above]
Sanctum Spell: Reduce our Thesis combos to +0, finally. I considered Energy Substitution and City Magic, but this eventually won out due to applying to our daily favorite, Magic Missile. Sadly, neither of the others does. [Prereq: Any metamagic feat (several)]
Arcane Thesis: Sonic Snap. Ah, didn't think we'd take it yet again, did you? Well now an Invisible Cooperative Sanctum Twin Repeating Fell Drain Sonic Snap can drop up to 8 negative levels on a target from a cantrip slot, across 2 rounds. [Prereq: as above]
Quicken Spell: Just as icing on the cake, you can now do the above combo with a 3rd level slot as a swift action. Have a particularly tough foe? If your usual combo isn't having enough effect, pop this off and let it do it's thing. [Prereq: none]

Final combo: Sanctum +0, Invisible +0, Cooperative +0, Practical Fell Drain +1, Practical Twin +3, Practical Repeat +2, Arcane Thesis -6; total +0. Quicken Spell only really works with Sonic Snap, at +3 because of AT. Caster level 6, +2 for each Arcane Thesis spell, +1 for each Force spell. Our defensive spells get a duration boost, and our Magic Missile hits CL9, enough for all five missiles.
For a more offensive build, some of the defensive spells may be swapped out for offensive ones. In particular, Greater Mage Armor might be swapped for Fireball. In this event, Invisible Needles is much less useful to us and should be swapped for Arcane Thesis on the Fireball. This will put us down by 1 caster level and leave us 1 missile shy, so we should find a way to boost that back up. We keep disrupt undead on hand in case we have to encounter them, because our negative levels do not mix with undead. In an undead heavy campaign, consider prioritizing this spell for Arcane Thesis. The spontaneous equivalent of pearls of power are going to help us get the most use out of our third level slots.
For stats, we prioritized Cha just far enough to get a bonus spell of each level, and Dex as far as we could without being super expensive. Int 14 gets us a couple extra skills (Painting being very useful for a magic user) and extra uses of our Metamagic Specialist ability. Con 14 because we are a fragile fleshbag and like to keep all our internal organs internal. This should net us 5d4+16 HP, or 28.5 on average.
For our strategy, we like to keep our greater mage armor going, then unleash all hell in the first round. If we need to prolong the fight we can throw up a shield and wade into the fray with our invisible needles, or stay back and drop a web to keep foes contained. Even our cantrips can be effective ways to eliminate foes thanks to our sonic snap combo, so every spell slot is useful to us, not just our highest level ones. Should we ever encounter a situation we don't have the right spell for, the Spellpool has our back, and since we're a Sorcerer paying it back is easy as pi.

Alright, yeah I know metamagic reduction is nothing original or clever. But it's darn sure fun to use, and I hope I presented it in an engaging way. I originally wanted to build a Force Missile Mage but came just shy of being able to qualify. What can I say? I take great satisfaction in slaying foes with low level spells.
Mage of the Arcane Order, Arcane Preparation, Cooperative Spell, Twin Spell, Repeat Spell, Sanctum Spell: Complete Arcane
Invisible Needle: Complete Mage
Invisible Spell: CityScape
Silverbrow Human: Dragon Magic
Practical Metamagic: Races of the Dragon
Fell Drain: Libris Mortis
Metamagic Specialist, Arcane Thesis, Deflect: PHBII
Sonic Snap, Greater Mage Armor: Spell Compendium

[Zaq]

Who needs spells when you can cast fist?


Sir Cohnium
Warforged Sorcerer 6
Lawful Neutral


Before he'd even opened his eyes, he knew. Before he's seen the world, or learned anything about it, he understood. There was magic locked away inside of him.

When he finally did open his eyes, the world he saw was that of the Stonesthrow Jewelry and Precious Gem Emporium. He had been constructed as property of the SJ&PGE, at the behest of the Stonesthrow Brothers themselves, built from practices that dated back to The War. He was built as a prototype, a reimagining of the old blueprints, to function as unpaid labor for the Emporium. He spent days in the mine, extracting jewels. He spend nights in the caravan trips, guarding the merchandise. He spent business hours at the warehouse ("We sell direct to you!"), on security detail, ensuring safe, theft-free transactions for all involved.

And he spent time in the infirmary. Accidents happened; damage was done. And during those times when he stood there, immobile, letting the crafters work on his frame, he'd read. Such books and scrolls that he could find, he'd devour with vigor. Archaic tomes on the topics of spell theory, arcane lore, storage and use of magical energy, concepts of wizardry versus sorcery, the advanced mechanics of spell augmentation through the manipulation of arcane energies via introduction of components beyond the ken of typical interpretation of magical recipes and construction, and much more besides.

He understood it all -- in theory. In practice, however, he could no more draw magic from his metal frame than he could spark forth emeralds from his eyeballs.

Years passed by. And the Stonesthrow Jewelry and Precious Gem Emporium ran into legal troubles, which led to financial issues, which resulted, finally, in the dissolvement of the company. The SJ&PGE was no more. Cohn was free, beholden to no one. And so, he set off on his own personal quest: to discover just how it was that magic might be molded into metal, and more importantly, how to set it free!



First level:
Battle Sorcerer (Unearthed Arcana p.56)
Spell Shield (Dungeonscape p.13)
Stalwart Sorcerer (Complete Mage p.36)
Fifth level:
Domain Access (Complete Champion p.52)





Stat
Start
Racial Bonus
Total


Strength
14
--
14


Constitution
15
+2
17


Dexterity
14
--
14


Intelligence
14
--
14


Wisdom
10
-2
08


Charisma
12
-2
10



Increase Constitution at 4th level.





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


1st
Sorcerer 1
+0
+0
+0
+2

4 Concentration
4 Craft (Gemcutting)
2 K:arcana
2 Spellcraft
2 Use Magical Device

Adamantine Body; MWP: (Pick, heavy); MWP: (Guisarme); Weapon Focus (Guisarme)
Spell Shield


2nd
Sorcerer 2
+1
+0
+0
+3

5 Concentration
5 Craft (Gemcutting)
3 K:arcana
3 Spellcraft
2 Use Magical Device

--
--


3rd
Sorcerer 3
+2
+1
+1
+3

6 Concentration
6 Craft (Gemcutting)
3 K:arcana
3 Spellcraft
3 Use Magical Device

Wand Bonding
--


4th
Sorcerer 4
+3
+1
+1
+4

7 Concentration
7 Craft (Gemcutting)
4 K:arcana
4 Spellcraft
3 Use Magical Device

--
--


5th
Sorcerer 5
+3
+1
+1
+4

8 Concentration
8 Craft (Gemcutting)
4 K:arcana
4 Spellcraft
4 Use Magical Device

--
Domain (Artifice)


6th
Sorcerer 6
+4
+2
+2
+5

9 Concentration
9 Craft (Gemcutting)
5 K:arcana
5 Spellcraft
4 Use Magical Device


Craft Wand
--



Feats:

Cull Wand Essence
Wandstrike
Steady Concentration
Obtain Familiar
Improved Familiar
Exceptional Artisan (Craft Wand)
Extraordinary Artisan (Craft Wand)
Legendary Artisan (Craft Wand)
Craft Wondrous Item
Spell Rehearsal




Spells per Day/Spells Known


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


1st
4/3 (Detect Magic; Electric Jolt; Repair Minor Damage)
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
5/4 (Arcane Mark)
3/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
5/4
4/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
5/5 (Mending)
5/2
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
5/5
5/2+1
3/0+1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
5/6 (Mage Hand)
5/2+1
4/0+1
1/0+1
-
-
-
-
-
-







Sir Cohnium (or Cohn, to his friends) is a sorcerer that can't cast spells. At first level, he has access to 1st level spells, but can't cast them due to his low Charisma. He can cast 0th level spells, but suffers an arcane spell failure of 35% due to his Adamantine Body. This makes it hard to be a mage.

He is, however, ready to tank. The Battle and Stalwart ACFs grant him more hit points (a total of 13 at first level, right in line with fighters) and the Spell Shield ACF (which he can use twice per day) offers a chance to reduce the damage he might take (he'll need a roll of 9 or higher on a d20). Throw in Adamantine Body to up his AC (19) and give DR2/adamantine and Cohn has a good chance to survive 1st level encounters.

As for weapons, Cohn uses a Guisarme that offers good damage capability and reach. He has his racial slam for any foe that moves inside the Guisarme's threatened area. He also carries a heavy pick to complete the set (slashing, bludgeoning, and piercing).

Cohn uses Craft (gemcutting) during rest periods to repair himself (as per Eberron Campaign Setting p.46). He'll need a roll of 10 or higher on a d20 to regain hit points. (As it so happens, he can take 10 on the check, which would grant him 1 hp repaired over an 8 hour period.)



More of the same.
An extra use of Spell Shield (up to 3/day), which needs a roll now of 8 or higher.
Taking 10 on the Craft check for repairing himself now grants 2 hit points repaired each night.



Wand Bonding is an entertaining little feat. If a MagicMart is available (and gold pieces are plentiful), it will really open up Cohn's versatility with magic. If not, any wand that the DM drops into your lap can be quite handy. No wands at all? That's fine, too; you'll just have to consider this a 'set-up' feat for later.

Spell Shield is still a use for the spell slots. A roll of 7 or higher is required.
Taking 10 on the Craft check to repair himself now grants 3 hit points repaired each night.



Second level spell slots are now available. Cohn still doesn't have the requisite Charisma to learn (or cast) such spells, but, of course, still can use the slots to power Wand Bonding (if wands are available) or Spell Shield. Spell Shield will require a roll of 6 or higher to reduce damage by 10 (with a second level slot). Or a roll of 5 to reduce damage by 5 (with a first level slot).

Taking 10 on the Craft check to repair himself now grants 4 hit points repaired each night.



Spell Shield will require a roll of 5 or higher to reduce damage by 10 (with a second level slot). Or a roll of 4 to reduce damage by 5 (with a first level slot).

Taking 10 on the Craft check to repair himself now grants 9 hit points repaired each night.


The Artifice domain was chosen mostly because the fluff fits Sir Cohnium well. The bonus to Craft checks helps, of course, obviously. But the other reason to take it was to avoid the RAW-RAI debate. Do domain abilities run off of class level or cleric level? The Artifice domain doesn't worry about that.

But the real debate for Sir Cohnium is in how the granted spells apply. By a completely strict RAW reading, those spells are not added to spells known; he's just able to cast one of each level each day. This would be a specific rule that trumps the general rule of needing a specific CHA score to be able to learn or cast a spell.

Although, I can't tell you how to run your table (or how your DM will rule it), my RAI here (and how I'm offering this build) is to add the domain spells to the spells known list of a sorcerer for each spell level s/he is able to learn, as per the usual rules. This means that Sir Cohnium is still not able to cast any of these spells (Charisma is too low), but that they are added to his personal spell list and that, as such, he can use spell completion and spell trigger items based on them without resorting to a UMD check.




Spell Shield has third level slots available now which will require a roll of 5 or higher to reduce damage by 15. Or a roll of 4 to reduce damage by 10 (with a second level slot). Or a roll of 3 to reduce damage by 5 (with a first level slot).

Taking 10 on the Craft check to repair himself now grants 10 hit points repaired each night.

The Craft Wand feat will allow Cohn to craft a wand of any 0th level spell he knows. He can then expend a 0th level spell slot (as per Wand Bonding) to use the wand and "cast" the spell without worrying about his ASF. By following the rules on p.267 of the Eberron Campaign Setting, Cohn can make wands that are Warforged Components. It'll cost twice the usual price, but the Warforged Component wand can then be embedded into Cohn's body. The result? Activation of the wand can be done silently, with just a thought. It would allow Cohn to use those wands while gagged (and bound, for that matter), in a cloud of acid gas, in the midst of a Silence spell, underwater, in space, or in any other situation where he can't otherwise speak.

He can also utilize the help of party members to create wands. Remember that Cohn is the front-line fighter, not the arcanist. The party probably also has a wizard or sorcerer that will be able to provide a spell for wand creation. And there are probably other casters in the party (druid, cleric, bard, etc) that can provide a spell that also appears on the sorcerer spell list, and would thus be available for Cohn to use in wand form. Making a few such wands for use will greatly increase Cohn's versatility.

With his new third level spells slots, Cohn qualifies to enter into a dragonpact (Dragon Magic p.87) For this contest, we'll look to the Master of Magical Defense pact. (If playing in a campaign, your DM may allow you to create your own artifice themed pact.) Cohn trades away a third level spell slot (which is already accounted for on the Spell Table provided) and gains two SLAs. They're basically spells known that Cohn can actually use! And remember, these SLAs are able to supply crafting requirements!





Remember those wands Cohn can create? Now they become all the more interesting. Cohn can, on his own, make wands of 0th level (worthless from the standpoint of this feat), 1st level (through the dragonpact ability), and 3rd level (also through the dragonpact ability). A wand of a 3rd level spell can, with this feat, shoot a ray dealing 6d6 damage, which is certainly nothing to sneeze at in an E6 campaign. With Wand Bonding, Cohn can expend spell slots instead of charges to create the effect. With a wand that's a warforged component, he can do it with nothing more than a thought.

If Cohn seeks help from another sorcerer or wizard or druid in the party, they can create a wand of Giant's Wrath (Spell Compendium p.105). The spell is of interest due to its swift action casting! (If no such party member exists, the same trick can be pulled off with a beguiler or a cleric helping with a wand of Hesitate (PHB2 p.114) and it's immediate action casting.)



Ah, wands as weapons. Spend a charge (can Wand Bonding cover this?) to make an attack (melee touch) and set off the wand. Cull Wand Essense can be used here, with the ray attack automatically hitting if the melee attack hits. 1d6 for the melee attack plus 6d6 (if it's a third level wand) via CWE. Follow up that attack with a swift action wand to Cull (more) Wand Essence. That can certainly hurt an E6 foe.



Rolling a check for Spell Shield is now a thing of the past. Just take 10 and autosucceed. 'Cause when you need to avoid damage, taking the possibility (no matter how small the probability) is a very good thing.



The Monster Manuel 4, on page 30, has a Clockwork Mender that can be a familiar. The tiny construct has a repairing touch that can heal a construct (once per day). And, being that it's a familiar, Etch (our Clockwork Mender familiar in question) can use Cohn's ranks in Craft to repair its master. By taking 10 on the check, Etch can repair 6 hp worth of damage to Cohn in 8 hours of work. There's no reason that the tiny creature shouldn't be able to ride around inside of its master all day long just continually repairing damage, all without using any actions on Cohn's part.



It should be obvious why these three feats are in this build. They're listed here in alphabetical order for simplicity. Each campaign will be different. Some will have an abundance of free time, with little money to work with. Others will shower players in wealth without much chance to rest. Shuffle the order of these feats around as needed for the campaign you're in.



Eberron Campaign Setting (p.269) has the Wand Sheath, a warforged component that might very well interest Cohn. With this feat, he can now craft and install one (or two, since he has two arms.)

Also, the feat is needed for crafting eternal wands. Found on p.159 of the Magic Item Compendium, eternal wands are useful for arcane casters. They can add extra versitility to Cohn's spell usage (adding the ability to "cast" spells from bard, dread necromancer, death master, etc lists that he wasn't otherwise able to.) RAW/RAI debates get wonky when determining whether or not eternal wands can be used with Cull Wand Essense or Wandstrike or Wand Bonding and such, so consult your DM. Either way, they'll be useful tools in Cohn's belt.



Fighting a foe with SR? Cull Wand Essense not blasting through? Not to worry. Just keep trying. Again. And again. And again.... Eventually, it'll do its damage.





Adamantine Body feat: Monster Manual III p.192 (or Races of Eberron p.118 or Eberron Campaign Setting p.50)
Wand Bonding feat: City of Stormreach p.119
Cull Wand Essence: Magic of Eberron p.46
Wandstrike: Complete Arcane p.84
Obtain Familiar: Complete Arcane p.81
Exceptional/Extraordinary/Legendary Artisan: Eberron Campaign Setting p.52/53/56
Steady Concentration: Races of Stone p.144
Spell Rehearsal: Races of the Dragon p.105

[Zaq]

Orc magic is best magic! (Judges will decide if orc build is best build.)


"I was born dying.

"My mother was human, favored of Nerull. My father was some nameless orc, probably chief of her bodyguards and touched by draconic influences. And I was destined for sacrifice, the final component in a ritual to cleanse the entire realm of its filthy, human infestation. I can still feel the cold of their hatred.

"Apparently, I also inherited a tendency for melodrama from someone.

"A local band of adventures thought otherwise. They disrupted the ritual, killed the priestess, and slaughtered the orc horde. When the blood settled, all that was left was miscellaneous treasure and a squalling infant.

"My real father and his companions are not paragons of virtue, but they are men of their word. Their contract was suppression of a cult of Nerull, not killing children. Father claimed me as his reward and returned to Jasidan seminary; he is a Karuth, a priest of Wee Jas.

"Apparently, I was not a difficult baby to raise. I got into everything and was strong for my age, but I listened to what I was told and developed appropriately. I am told even then, I was a bit odd. I watched what was not there; cold never bothered me; animals avoided me. I do not know; I do not remember it.

"Childhood, while not idyllic, was enjoyable. I assisted father in his research and help out around the temple. I played with other children in the city. I was never truly accepted, but I was never an outcast. Being an orphan and half-breed always created some distance. There was also the magic. I was infused with a necromantic energy since birth. It manifested without warning and without control. That furthered any gulf between me and my playmates.

"At six, I entered the temple boarding school. Father decreed a course of study in magic and religion. He hoped for a priest or possibly a wizard for a son, but that was not to be. I never felt called to the Ruby Sorceress's clergy, not felt her divine will manifest itself to me. My studies were intriguing, but never the overwhelming obsession any successful wizard must have. Instead, there was my power, untamed and alien to my blood. But it was mine, and I would not dismiss it. My studies lent me understanding of what I was, and what I might be: a sorcerer.

"Boarding school decided, since I was a half-orc, I would receive weapons training. Somebody had to face physical enemies. Our weapons master was a taciturn old dwarf who hated all of us. But he was knowledgeable, and he was fair. We respected that. I enjoyed the training and took to it well. It helped that I excelled with warhammers, a traditional dwarven weapon. I also became enamored of the kukri. It is not Wee Jas's favored weapon, but I enjoy it's exoticness.

"Physical activity helped my focus. I finally gained some control over the necromantic energy running through me. I started manifesting small magics and aquired the nickname Spooky from my dorm mates. Puberty actually increased my control. Magery was looking more and more attainable.

"Then church politics reared its ugly head. Someone decided I would make the perfect component for their summoning ritual. I was charged with necromantic energy and tainted by my mixed blood, so it had to be my destiny, correct? How could I disagree? I was implanted with a mother cyst, and the ritual started.

"Father...disagreed. His strike team seized the renegade temple, freed the prisoners, and killed every heretic they could find.

"Father is not very demonstrative, but I know he loves me. How? He tells me so. And if there is a threat to me, he exterminates it with extreme prejudice. I could have worse role models.

"After my rescue, I turned fanatical in my studies. I pushed myself harder in my martial training. I focused my fear and anger into my magical studies. I researched and pursued divine knowledge of Death's Guardian. I was determined not to be a victim again. It has paid off. My power is harnessed, though it will never be truly tamed. I have tapped The Witch Goddess's divine presence for my magic. I am a sorcerer of some fell power, I have the blessings of Wee Jas on my magic, and I can handle myself in a common tavern brawl or a pitched battle.

"My name is Klotto Rubiini Kosketti. I am a half-orc, I serve the Ruby Sorceress, and my magic brings death to her foes. My enemies don't fare to well, either.

"I *told* you I had a penchant for melodrama."



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


1st
Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 1
+1
+1
+1
+2
(Skill ranks, 8/1st level stalwart battle sorcerer)
Intimidate/1, Knowledge (arcana)/2, Knowledge (religion)/2 (cc), Spellcraft/1
Martial Weapon Proficiency (kurki), Weapon Focus (warhammer), Martial Weapon Proficiency (warhammer), Mother Cyst, Endurance, Necormantic Bloodline, Unreactive [Flaw]
Battle Sorcerer, Stalwart Sorcerer, Divine Companion


2nd
Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 2
+1
+1
+1
+4
(Skill ranks, 2/level/stalwart battle sorcerer)
Intimidate/1, Knowledge (arcana)/3, Knowledge (religion)/2 (cc), Spellcraft/2
-
Magical Affinity (dragons)


3rd
Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 3
+3
+2
+2
+3
(Skill ranks, 2/level/stalwart battle sorcerer)
Intimidate/2, Knowledge (arcana)/4, Knowledge (religion)/2 (cc), Spellcraft/2
Corrupt Acrane Studies
-


4th
Dragonblood Sorcerer 4
+4
+2
+2
+4
(Skill ranks, 2/level/stalwart battle sorcerer)
Intimidate/2, Knowledge (arcana)/5, Knowledge (religion)/2 (cc), Spellcraft/3
-
Arcane Insight +2, Spell-like Ability (Ray of Enfeeblement)


5th
Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 5
+4
+2
+2
+4
(Skill ranks, 2/level/stalwart battle sorcerer)
Intimidate/3, Knowledge (arcana)/5, Knowledge (religion)/2 (cc), Spellcraft/4
-
Domain Access (Death Domain)


6th
Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 6
+5
+4
+4
+5
(Skill ranks, 2/level/stalwart battle sorcerer)
Intimidate/3, Knowledge (arcana)/6, Knowledge (religion)/2 (cc), Spellcraft/5
Charnel Miasma
-


Male Frostblood Half-orc Stalwart Battle Sorcerer
LN Medium humanoid (human, orc, dragonblooded)
S-12 (+2 at 1st level)
D-12
C-13
I-10 (-2 at 1st level)
W-10 (-2 at 3rd level)
Ch-16 (-2 at 1st level, +1 at 4th level)

HP: 51 (9 + (4.5 * 5(all) + 5 (Con bonus) + 12 (Stalwart Sorcerer))
AC: 15, flat-footed 10, touch 11 (+1 Dex, + 4 armor (chain shirt))
Init: -5 (+ 1 Dex, -6 Inattentive)
Damage: 1d8+1 (warhammer) or 1d4+1 (kurki)

BAB +5, +6 (warhammer)
Fort +4
Reflex +4
Will +5

Skills: (Skill points, ability bonuses, and racial bonuses, 18 (8 level 1, 2/levels 2-6))
Intimidate/6, Knowledge (arcana)/8, Knowledge (religion)/2 (cc), Spellcraft/5[/td]

Languages: Common

Spellcasting level 6; save DC 11/15 (necromancy) + Cha modifier + spell level (+1 from Corrupt Arance Studies, +4 from Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus).

Spells Per Day


Level
0
1
2
3


1st
4
3
-
-


2nd
5
4
-
-


3rd
5
5
-
-


4th
5
6
3
-


5th
5
6+dd
4+dd
-


6th
5
6+dd
4+dd
3+dd


(d=Death Domain spell)

Spells Known


Level
0
1
2
3


1st
3
1+mc+nb
-
-


2nd
4
1+mc+nb
-
-


3rd
4
1+mc+nb
-
-


4th
5
1+mc+nb
0+2mc+nb
-


5th
5
1+mc+nb+dd
0+2mc+nb+dd
-


6th
6
1+mc+nb+dd
0+2mc+nb+dd
1+mc+nb+dd


Epic
6
1+mc+nb+dd
0+2mc+nb+dd+es
1+mc+nb+dd


(mc=Mother Cyst spells, nb=Necromatic Bloodlin spells, dd=Death Domain spell, es=Extra Spell (spectral hand))

Spellbook


Level
0-level
1st-level
2nd-level
3rd-level


1st
detect magic, resistance, touch of fatigue
spirit worm, necrotic awareness (Mother Cyst), cause fear (Necromantic Bloodline)
-
-


2nd
detect magic, resistance, touch of fatigue, read magic
spirit worm, necrotic awareness (Mother Cyst), cause fear (Necromantic Bloodline)
-
-


3rd
detect magic, resistance, touch of fatigue, read magic
spirit worm, necrotic awareness (Mother Cyst), cause fear (Necromantic Bloodline)
-
-
[

4th
detect magic, resistance, touch of fatigue, read magic, prestidigitation
spirit worm, necrotic awareness (Mother Cyst), cause fear (Necromantic Bloodline)
necrotic cyst (Mother Cyst), necrotic scrying (Mother Cyst), ghoul touch (Necromantic Bloodline)
-


5th
detect magic, resistance, touch of fatigue, read magic, prestidigitation
spirit worm, necrotic awareness (Mother Cyst), cause fear (Necromantic Bloodline), cause fear (Death Domain)
necrotic cyst (Mother Cyst), necrotic scrying (Mother Cyst), ghoul touch (Necromantic Bloodline), death knell (Death Domain)
-


6th
detect magic, resistance, touch of fatigue, read magic, prestidigitation, message
spirit worm, necrotic awareness (Mother Cyst), cause fear (Necromantic Bloodline), cause fear (Death Domain)
necrotic cyst (Mother Cyst), necrotic scrying (Mother Cyst), ghoul touch (Necromantic Bloodline), death knell (Death Domain)
dispel magic, necrotic bloat (Mother Cyst), vampiric touch (Necromantic Bloodline), animate dead (Death Domain)


Epic
detect magic, resistance, touch of fatigue, read magic, prestidigitation, message
spirit worm, necrotic awareness (Mother Cyst), cause fear (Necromantic Bloodline), cause fear (Death Domain)
necrotic cyst (Mother Cyst), necrotic scrying (Mother Cyst), ghoul touch (Necromantic Bloodline), death knell (Death Domain), spectral hand (Extra Spell)
dispel magic, necrotic bloat (Mother Cyst), vampiric touch (Necromantic Bloodline), animate dead (Death Domain)




First Level
Martial Weapon Proficiency (kurki) - Battle Sorcerer bonus feat (PH)
Weapon Focus (warhammer) - Stalwart Sorcerer bonus feat (PH)
Martial Weapon Proficiency (warhammer) - Stalwart Sorcerer bonus feat (PH)
Mother Cyst- bonus for race (PH)
Necormantic Bloodline (Dragon Magazine Compendium)
Unreactive - Flaw (UA)

Third Level
Corrup Arcane Studies (Ghostwalk)

Sixth Level
Charnel Miasma (Complete Champion)

Epic 1
Kin Mastery (Dragon Magazine Compendium)

Epic 2
Dragonfire Channelling (Dragon Magic)

Epic 3
Extra Spell (spectral hand) (Complete Arcane)

Epic 4
Draconic Heritage (white) (Races of the Dragon)

Epic 5
Spell Focus (necromancy) (PH)

Epic 6
White Dragon Heritage (Dragon Magic)

Epic 7
Spell Penetration (PH)

Epic 8
Greater Spell Focus (necromancy) (PH)

Epic 9
Extra Turning (PH)

Epic 10
Death Devotion (Complete Champion)

Klotto is a gish, though not a primary melee combatant. His job is secondary melee combatant with battlefield control options. As he advances, Klotto's spell and feat selection improve his melee and battlefield control abilities while gaining some minionmancy and ranged options.

Under no circumstances should Klotto be the face of the party.

For levels 1-2, you deal damage through your weapons. Spells provide battlefield control through fatigue and con damage. Divine Companion keeps you in the fight or recovering after foes have been dispatched.

For levels 3-4, your melee abilities improve some. But your spells become harder to resist through Corrupt Arcane Studies, while Dragonblood Sorcerer gives you a ranged option with ray of enfeeblement becoming a spell-like ability. Your mother cyst now grants some scrying abilities on other cysts, so you can monitor both enemies and allies.

For levels 5-6, your melee abilities reach their peak effectiveness. The Death domain expands you spell options, gives you death touch as a melee option, and grants you animate dead. You now have disposable minions as necessary. Your spell and feat selections further expand your battlefield control options with the ability to sicken opponents.

As your epic feat selecton progresses, you gain further melee abilities include a rage with no downtime (White Dragon Heritage), the ability to inflict negative levels (Death Devotion), undead control and some blasting ability (Kin Mastery, Dragonblooded Channelling, and Extra Turning). Your magic becomes harder to resist and Extra Spell (spectral hand) gives you ranged battlefield control.

Darkvision 60 feet.
Dragonblood Subtype: Frostblood orcs are of the dragonblood subtype (see page 4).
Endurance: Frostblood orcs have Endurance as a bonus feat. If a frostblood orc would later gain Endurance as a bonus feat, he can select any other feat for which he qualifies.
Light Sensitivity: Orcs are dazzled in bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Resistance to Cold 10: Because their ancestors ingested the blood of great white dragons, all frostblood orcs are naturally resistant to damage from cold-based attacks.
Vulnerability to Fire: Frostblood orcs share the white dragon's vulnerability to fire-based attacks.

BATTLE SORCERER (Unearthed Arcana)
The battle sorcerer is no weak arcanist, hiding behind the fighters. Instead, she is a capable physical combatant who mixes magical prowess with fighting skill.
Hit Die: d8.
Base Attack Bonus: The battle sorcerer uses the base attack bonus progression of the cleric.
Class Skills: Remove Bluff from the battle sorcerer's class skill list. Add Intimidate to the battle sorcerer's class skill list.
Class Features: The battle sorcerer has all the standard sorcerer class features, except as noted below.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: At 1st level, a battle sorcerer gains proficiency with any light or one-handed martial weapon of the character's choice. She also gains proficiency with light armor.
Spellcasting: A battle sorcerer can cast sorcerer spells derived from her class levels of battle sorcerer while in light armor without the normal arcane spell failure chance.
A battle sorcerer has fewer daily spell slots than a standard sorcerer. Subtract one spell per day from each spell level on Table: The Sorcerer (to a minimum of zero spells per day). For example, a 1st-level battle sorcerer may cast four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells per day (plus bonus spells, if any).
A battle sorcerer knows fewer spells per spell level than a standard sorcerer. Subtract one spell known from each spell level on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known (to a minimum of one spell per spell level). For example, a 4th-level battle sorcerer knows five 0-level spells, two 1st-level spells, and one 2nd-level spell. When she reaches 5th level, the battle sorcerer learns one additional

STALWART SORCERER (Complete Mage)
Most sorcerers hide behind walls of steel, slinging spells at enemies safely distant. You have no patience for such
cowards and prefer to be near the front line. Your breadth of magical knowledge might not compare with those craven weaklings, but you are proud to dive into the fray alongside the fighter.
If you play a sorcerer with this alternative class feature, consider taking at least one level of fighter and selecting the armored mage alternative class feature.
Class: Sorcerer.
Level: 1st.
Special Requirement: Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank.
Replaces: Reduce by one the number of sorcerer spells known for your highest spell level (to a minimum of one).
As a 1st-level character, you have one 1st-level spell known rather than two.
When you would gain a second known spell from a higher level, apply this penalty to the new spell level but remove it
from the lower level. For example, at 5th level, you reduce your 2nd-level spells known from two to one but you gain the previously unavailable 1st-level spell (increasing your 1st-level spells known from three to four).
Benefit: You gain extra hit points equal to two times your sorcerer class level. Every time you advance a level, you gain another 2 extra hit points. (So, at 1st level you have 2 extra hit points, at 2nd level you have 4 extra hit points, and so on.)
You also gain the Martial Weapon Proficiency feat for a melee weapon of your choice, as well as Weapon Focus with
that weapon.

DIVINE COMPANION (Complete Champion)
By sacrificing a possible link to an earthly creature, you gain the ability to store arcane energy in a divine reservoir that takes the form of a spirit creature. Linked to you through your own life essence, this divine companion can then transform that energy into beneficial effects.
Level: 1st.
Replaces: This benefit replaces the summon familiar class feature.
Benefit: You can spend 100 gp to perform a ritual dedicated to the deity of your choice and summon forth a spirit creature to aid you in your adventures. This creature is both invisible and intangible, but it provides you with real benefits.
The divine companion stores arcane energy and redirects it to you according to your level and your needs. To fill this reservoir, you must cast one or more targeted spells at this creature. A spell so cast does not produce its normal effect; the companion simply absorbs the spell's energy. It can store a number of spell levels equal to your arcane caster level. You can cast spells into it at any time, but after you rest and recover your spell slots for the day, the divine companion loses any stored energy.
The divine companion exists outside reality and cannot be affected by spells, spell-like abilities, or any sort of anti-magic effect or dispel check. It cannot, however, release its arcane energy within an antimagk field or similar effect. It uses your caster level for any checks required, and when it releases arcane energy, the level of the effect created equals
the number of spell levels released.
The divine companion can release its stored spell energy in either of the following ways, at your command. You can
use each effect as often as you wish, until the companion's stored energy is depleted.
Healing (Su): As a standard action, you can order your divine companion to convert the energy it has stored into healing power. This is the equivalent of a conjuration (healing) spell. This effect heals you for ld6 points of damage per stored spell level, or as many levels as you designate (up to the maximum currently stored).
Shielding (Su): As a swift action, you can order the creature to convert the energy it has stored into protecting you. This is the equivalent of an abjuration spell that provides you with a deflection bonus to AC and a resistance bonus on
saves each equal to the number of stored spell levels, or as many levels as you designate (up to the maximum currently
stored). This effect lasts for 1 round per arcane caster level you possess.

MAGICAL AFFINITY (Dead Levels, WotC website)
Magical Affinity (Ex): Starting at 2nd level, a sorcerer can identify a certain creature type during an encounter by virtue of inheriting his magical ability from a member of that creature type. The type must include at least one creature with an arcane spell-like ability (such as dragon, magical beast, or outsider). Once this choice is made, it cannot be reversed. The sorcerer gains a +2 bonus on Knowledge (arcana) checks to identify such creature types, but he gains no insight about their special powers or vulnerabilities. See Knowledge. Moreover, the sorcerer can make these Knowledge (arcana) checks untrained. This bonus increases by +1 for each sorcerer level the character takes after 2nd level.

DRAGONBLOOD SORCERER
Arcane Insight (Ex): Each time the dragonblooded sorcerer take a substitution level he gains a +2 bonus to Knowledge (Arcana).
Spell-Like Ability: A dragonblood sorcerer who takes the 4th-level racial substitution level gains the ability to transform a sorcerer spell he knows into a spell-like ability. A spell chosen for this ability can't have a costly material component, an XP cost, or any sort of focus, and it can't be a spell of the highest level the sorcerer can cast. The chosen spell is removed from the sorcerer's list of spells known, reducing his number of known spells of that level by one, and the sorcerer loses one spell slot of that spell level - as well as one spell slot from the next higher level of spells he is able to cast. In return for those two spell slots, he gains the ability to use the chosen spell as a spell-like ability three times per day, using his sorcerer level as the caster level.

DOMAIN ACCESS (Complete Champion)
Your depth of belief allows you to channel divine power the way a cleric does. By doing so, you gain access to a single cleric domain.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: To gain this benefit, you do not learn a new 1st-level sorcerer spell and a new 2nd-level sorcerer spell at
5th level. From now on, you know one less sorcerer spell that you can cast at each subsequent level (not counting the domain spells from this alternative class feature).
Benefit : Choose one cleric domain. If you worship a specific deity, the domain you choose must be one to which your deity grants access. You gain the granted power of the chosen domain. In addition, you can cast one domain spell of each spell level available to you per day from that domain.

[Zaq]

Does he make the worg shrink? (Geddit? Because "worg" is "grow" backwards? Eh? Anyone?)



Gobta, Goblin Worg Rider


Race: Goblin


9 STR (11 base, -2 race)
16 DEX (14 base, +2 race)
14 CON
10 INT
10 WIS
16 CHA (17 base, -2 race, +1 LVL4)



Level
Class
BaseAttack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Sorcerer 1
+0
+0
+0
+2
Kn: Arcana 4, Ride 2 (CC)
Precocious Apprentice (Invisibility)
Familiar Animal Companion ACF (Wolf)


2nd
Sorcerer 2
+1
+0
+0
+3
Kn: Arcana 4, Handle Animal 1 (CC), Ride 2 (CC)




3rd
Sorcerer 3
+1
+1
+1
+3
Kn: Arcana 4, Handle Animal 1 (CC), Ride 3 (CC)
Obtain Familiar (Hawk)



4th
Sorcerer 4
+2
+1
+1
+4
Kn: Arcana 4, Handle Animal 2 (CC), Ride 3 (CC)




5th
Sorcerer 5
+2
+1
+1
+4
Kn: Arcana 4, Handle Animal 2 (CC), Ride 4 (CC)




6th
Sorcerer 6
+3
+2
+2
+5
Kn: Arcana 4, Handle Animal 3 (CC), Ride 4 (CC)
Improved Familiar (Worg)




Feats after level 6:

Companion Spellbond
Enspell Familiar
Martial Study: Shadow Jaunt
Martial Stance: Iron Guard’s Glare
Mounted Combat
Shape Soulmeld: Riding Bracers
Bonus Essentia
Shape Soulmeld: Fellmist Robe
Share Soulmeld
Martial Study: Shield Block

Spells, in order of acquisition:
0 [6/day] - Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Message, +4
1 [7/day] - Enlarge Person, Shocking Grasp, Shield, Expeditious Retreat
2 [7/day] - Invisibility, Augment Familiar
3 [4/day] - Haste
We’re a sorcerer, so we’re not getting away without some items to help us out a bit. A suggested item set with level 6 WBL follows:
- Runestaff of Enhance Familiar, Fortify Familiar, Greater Mage Armor 1/day ea. (3600 gp)
- Lesser Rod of Extend Spell (3000 gp) (To be used with the runestaff each morning.)
- Collar of Healing (5000 gp) (A bit pricey, but it helps us keep Worg alive)
- Light mithral shield (1009 gp) (No ACP, no ASF, used with Shield Block)
- Total gold remaining: 391 gp
As wealth is accrued beyond this point, it would be worthwhile to invest in some Memento Magica or upgrade the Runestaff into a true Staff, or both. Any items that buff the animal companion and the familiar are a strong investment. Scrolls, wands, potions, staffs, form doesn’t really matter to us much as long as we’re getting a few of these buffs in play. (Ideally we’d grab some Knowstones and cast them ourselves, but alas, they are not to be found outside the Forbidden Pages). If we can boost CL on any of these buffs, every point will help. If we have serious trouble finding the suggested items, Enhance Familiar should be taken in place of Haste as our spell known as a last resort. As always, AC improvements or a permanent Greater Magic Fang are both worthwhile if we can make them happen. If by some miracle we could get our hands on a rod of Quicken, it would be ten Christmases come early all at once, as it would cut our buff time in half at the start of a fight.
Level 1-2, we start strong. Already we have our mount, though it’s not Worg yet, it’s Wolf which will have to do until we hit level 6. We have our signature tactic, too (most of the time) with Invisibility. Drop that at the start of a fight that we’re worried about, and participate from safety atop Wolf’s back. Wolf will run in and deliver an attack from invisibility, then with us still invisible on his back he will use Trip potential and our Enlarge Person buff to rip out throats and tendons alike. These tactics will persist throughout our entire career, so it’s great to get started on them now. Outside of fights, we operate as a scout. OK, our skills are pathetic compared to an actual scout, or even a ranger or rogue. Realistically, it’s Wolf’s move speed, our small size, and our Invisibility spell that really come in handy, along with our cantrips for signaling the party. So, more of an early warning system, I suppose?
Level 3. Here we get Hawk as a familiar unless we’re concerned with the year-and-a-day wait between dropping it and getting Worg our improved familiar, in which case best not to. Assuming we do, this adds a new element to our tactics. We cast our touch attack spell, Hawk delivers, we stay invisible.
Level 4-5. Finally we have invisibility of our own and some consistent repeatability to it, our ability to play our game in more than one fight per day will be really enjoyable. The shield spell shows up for some added durability, too. Level 5 we pick up Augment Familiar but aren’t really using it yet.
Level 6. This is where it all comes together. We upgrade from Wolf (animal companion) to Worg (familiar), and our mount can now deliver those touch attack spells we spoke of earlier. Should a flying scout be needed, we can trade Wolf over to Hawk for a while, but we prefer Wolf for the flanking and second trip attack. Buff spells arrive in force now, especially if we can get our hands on those items we’ve been looking at. Wolf gets an upgrade too, as he passes into the next Animal Companion tier.

Companion Spellbond: Now we can include Wolf in our buffs, even when he runs over to flank!
Enspell Familiar: Remember how we had to be in the thick of combat on the back of Worg all the time? No more. Now we can hang back invisibly far away from the fight and let the Worg and the Wolf do the work. Sadly Wolf is out of range of our buffs if we elect to do this, so we’d have to cast his buffs separately. Or ride Wolf and send Worg to fight.
Shadow Jaunt: We’re able to pick this one up thanks to an initiator level of 3 just from being level 6, and it having no prereq maneuvers. While we can’t bring our friends along, it’s an excellent scouting or escape tool should we find ourselves pressed into helping directly.
Iron Guard’s Glare: A passive -4 to all attacks from adjacent enemies? Sign us up! Worg and Wolf both love to get into the thick of it.
Mounted Combat: We like Worg, and we like to keep him safe. Should we ever be riding Wolf, the same applies.
Riding Bracers: This helps us implement our various ride checks, and any handle animal checks we need to make for Wolf.
Bonus Essentia: We can shape a soulmeld, so we gain 2 essentia to double the bonus from Riding Bracers!
Fellmist Robe: Concealment against anyone not covered under IGG of 10%. Or 20% if we pull essentia away from our Riding Bracers. Definitely worth taking.
Share Soulmeld: And now the Fellmist Robe applies to Worg as well, or Wolf if we're riding him.
Shield Block: Once per fight we can intercept an incoming attack and give Worg (okay, fine, or any other adjacent ally) +5 AC against it, just in case our ride check and IGG didn’t do enough good. Stacks with the Shield spell we've shared with him, because it's not called out as a shield bonus!

We stay invisible and out of the fight so our stats don't matter as much. Worg and Wolf, on the other hand... With Enhance Familiar (all-day), Fortify Familiar (all-day), Greater Mage Armor (all-day), Shield, Augment Familiar, Enlarge Person, and flanking for good measure, we get


[B]Stats
Worg
Wolf


STR
23
16


DEX
17
14


CON
19
16


AC
31
15


HP
(half 5d4+16, avg 14)
4d8+12 (avg 30)


Attack
+13
+7


Damage
1d8+11
1d8+4


Free trip
+14
+10


Fort save
+12
+7


Ref save
+11
+6


Will save
+7
+2


They both have 10ft reach and Worg has DR 5/magic and light fortification, and 2d8 temp HP the first hour of the day. A shame he can't use his own HP, that would be 4d10+16 which is twice as much as he has. Appeal to the DM for a houserule if this sees actual play. Wolf got a stat point that he put into Con at 4HD, and a feat he used for Combat Reflexes at 3HD.
The odd point out goes into Str because it’s the only one that really benefits from one more point. Cha being at 17 drops to 15 from race, qualifying for Precocious Apprentice and later getting a +1 to give a bonus spell of each level we can cast. Con goes to 14 because we need it for our meldshaping later and it boosts Worg's HP. Dex at 16 so that we have, you know, any points leftover. Wis and Int both set to 10. We only get two points per level, so let's start with Kn: Arcana and Ride (which is sadly cross-class). We'll continue to advance Ride, but we'll put points in Handle Animal as well (which is a class skill thanks to Blood of Eberron I have discovered that this is from the Forbidden Pages, and had to drop back to the simpler Animal Companion ACF which doesn't affect skills. A shame really, I don't like using UA.).
Precocious Apprentice and our ACF start us on track right from the start. For the former, Invisibility. For the latter, a Wolf. We ride Wolf, and if we need to we make us and Wolf invisible. When Wolf attacks, we stay invisible. Our spells are used to buff Wolf and let him do the fighting, making plentiful use of the Trip ability. At level 6, we gain Worg and new tactics emerge. Now when we enter combat, both Wolf and Worg are invisible until the first attack, and after that can spread out to flank. Both get trip attempts which is incredibly helpful, and Worg being our familiar opens up that pile of buffs we’ve got now. When not buffing, we can cast one of our few touch spells through Worg, letting him deliver Shocking Grasp for us (via his bite, if the DM is feeling generous). Note that this is not a direct attack by our rider, and indirect attacks are explicitly called out as not breaking invisibility, so we get to stay invisible through all of this.
There is a halfway step between these two strategic moments, when we gain Obtain Familiar at level 3. We are not yet able to gain Worg (not having Improved Familiar or a BAB of +3 yet) but we can grab something else that will help. Any of the flying familiars are excellent choices here, favoring Hawk for combat and scouting, with Owl and Bat serving as suitable scouts under different circumstances (night or indoors, respectively). With a flying familiar, we can arrange for it to deliver our touch spells much as Worg will later on (though sadly they lack flyby attack). Once we’re riding Worg, we can even trade Wolf out for Hawk as an animal companion to focus on the scout role and switch back to focus on the combat role, though doing this too frequently may result in large rectangular or small polyhedral objects flying at our head. Where do they come from? A mystery that will never be solved.
Dancing Lights and Ghost Sound are great spells to have in the scout role because they work wonders for signalling, overtly or surreptitiously. Leveling up, we would trade out the Invisibility spell for a ring of the same if that would also affect Worg; sadly, this is not the case, but in the event of a supporting house rule we might take another spell in it’s place. The spells we have known are the ones we want to use leading into an encounter where they can benefit both rider and mount. A typical fight would engage Invisibility ASAP, Enlarge Person if there’s time left before the fight, and then Augment Familiar. In the next round, the rider will use Shield if the extra AC is needed, and retain the option to cast Shocking Grasp for some additional damage delivered via the familiar or animal companion; otherwise simply continue concentrating on Augment Familiar.
As we gain feats, the first two enable greater versatility in tactical positioning, particularly while buffed. The first one in particular has an immediate benefit for Wolf, being able to approach from a flanking position without losing Enlarge Person and Invisibility. Riding Bracers was chosen to better utilize our friends, and Shadow Jaunt was chosen for thematic reasons based on the source of inspiration (though who's gonna pass on teleportation?). If we have those already, we might as well pick up Fellmist Robe and Iron Guard's Glare, which both serve to protect our mount, complementing each other nicely. Shield Block is a bonus "oh snap" defense, playing off our shield. Sure, while we have the shield spell up it overlaps our shield's bonus, but considering the spell still increases our AC by 3 and gives a +4 to both friends, it's worth it. The shield also serves as a 'weapon' allowing us to threaten the area around us for IGG, which itself does not say that we have to be seen for the penalty to apply! So, that might get pens thrown at me (run out of dice already?), but I hold to my reading of it.
Goblin: MM1/SRD
Animal Companion ACF: UA/SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#sorcererWizard)
Precocious Apprentice, Obtain Familiar: Complete Arcane
Worg familiar: Complete Warrior option for Improved Familiar
Companion Spellbond: PHB2
Enspell Familiar: Dragon Compendium
Martial Study, Martial Stance: Tome of Battle
Shape Soulmeld, Share Soulmeld, Bonus Essentia: Magic of Incarnum
Enhance Familiar, Augment Familiar, Fortify Familiar, Greater Mage Armor: Spell Compendium
Runestaff, Memento Magica, Collar of Healing: Magic Item Compendium
Everything else: PHB/SRD

Not counting SRD, SpC, and MIC (all of which I expect), I have 6 sources. Not bad... but not as tight as it could have been.

[Zaq]

Maybe we should find a way to make filling tables easier to prevent this sort of thing from happening again.



Ekaterina Morovan d'Lyrandar, The Heart of the Storm
LE Half-Elf Sorcerer 6

Kat has always been slow to grow. A slight half-elf born to a single human mother, she always lagged behind the human friends who grew up and grew past her in the small Kharnathi village she called home. When her mother eventually passed on, Kat was left with an amulet and a few love letters she assumed were from her father. Making her way to the Tower of the Twelve, she wasn't sure what to expect, but they gave her a hearing. Because she showed a spark of arcane potential, (and unbeknownst to her, due to the influence of her father behind the scenes) a place was found for her, and she studied at a college of wizardry in Korth.

Kat has always been a slow learner. She didn't fit in with the other 'Khoravar', she was just a little elfling from a village. She didn't learn magic the same as the others, even though she was clever enough. And, finally, she didn't pass the test of Siberys. Despite the strength of her bloodline, she failed to develop a dragonmark.

Kat has always been slow to figure out people. As she stumbled into her arcane power, and without ties to her former school, she was easy to manipulate. Her father appeared, with a charm offensive, and convinced her to break her open ties to the house, to be an agent behind the scenes.

Kat has always been slow to hate. After decades of slinging spells for her father in Stormreach, she remained loyal ... Right up until she was abandoned to a tribe of Drow by her father, so he could claim an artifact she'd discovered in Xendrik.

Kat has always been slow to Heal. Something inside her broke, as she clawed her way out of a pile of corpses, left for dead by the Drow. But at that moment, a truer test than any she had ever faced, Kat suddenly broke through. As she established a new identity for herself in Stormreach, the power of her mark and her arcane power grew with each other, twined like ivy.

Kat has always been slow to forgive. It took years, but she recovered, as much as she could, and finally threw down her father. When the House came looking for his assassin, they found a Marked woman, thrumming with the power of the Storm, and capable of feats of sorcery that put others to shame. They found The Stormheart.

Kat might have been slow, but Ekaterina Morovan d'Lyrandar, The Stormheart, The Witch Queen of Xendrik, Member of the Twelve, and Viceroy at Large for House Lyrandar, is not. The power of the Storm fills her veins and marks her skin.



Kat starts out as a fairly typical sorcerer. She makes good use of her elemental substitution and spell choices with metamagic specialist. As she finishes out her 'normal' levels, she uses Born of the Three Thunders sparingly, but it can provide an incredibly potent kicker on any of her elemental spells.

Once she reaches early epic levels, Kat reaches her true power. The least mark of Storms isn't terribly impressive, at this point, but when combined with Mark of the Dauntless, now every elemental spell is dazing and knocking down foes (so long as she can metamagic) at no penalty to her. As her Mark grows in power, the Lesser Mark adds Windwall to her arsenal, but more importantly, when she takes Dragonmark Spellturning she can turn any valid spell in the world of E6 with an action point.

The remainder of her feats are spent for utility and power, such that her Born of the Three Thunder enhanced spells are at +2 caster levels, and she never lacks for useful options. Also, she can now call on her connections in House Lyrandar, trading on her fearsome reputation. Finally, as an 'Archmage', she embraces her power with Spell Thematics. Her spells materialize as bolts of lightning from her burning silver eyes, leaving afterimages in the air that resemble the twisted runes of a dragonmark. The spells she boosts are the elemental spell at each level she knows.

Str 09, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 17(18)

ACF: Metamagic Specialist (PHBII 61)

Concentration: 9 ranks, Spellcraft: 9 ranks, Knowledge: Arcana 9 ranks, Knowledge: Nature: 4 ranks, Craft: Alchemy 1 rank

Feats:
1) Still Spell
3) Elemental Substitution: Electricity (CA 79)
6) Born of the Three Thunders (CA 76)

Epic Feats:
Least Dragonmark: Storm - Gust of Wind (ECS 56, 66)
Mark of the Dauntless (Dragonmarked 142)
Lesser Dragonmark - Wind Wall (ECS 56, 66)
Dragonmark Spellturning (Dragonmarked 139)
Storm Bolt (CM 47)
Favored in House (ECS 53)
Clap of Thunder (CM 40)
Dragonmarked Adept: Binding Winds (Dragonmarked 138; Spell Compendium 27)
Eschew Components
Spell Thematics (Player's Guide to Faerun 44)

Spells Known:
0- Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Light, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Sonic Snap (Spell Compendium 195)
1- Benign Transposition (Spell Compendium 27), Charm Person, Orb of Acid, Lesser (Spell Compendium 50), Power Word: Pain (Races of the Dragon 116)
2- Glitterdust, Ice Darts (Frostburn 98)
3- Fireball


Drake Helm (Explorer's Handbook 151) & Eternal Wands/Wands are used for utility spells. (Dispel Magic, Primal Instincts are good spells for Drake Helm. Potentially Mage Armor, if ASF 0 armor isn't available. The advantage of the Drake Helm in spells is obvious, but since it's only a pair of move actions to swap them out, long term buffs are ideal for use with it, with something nearly always useful like Dispel Magic or Haste slotted for adventuring/combat once buffing is done.

[Zaq]

Aaaand here's another one where I can't help but put the name to the tune of the SpongeBob theme song…



http://orig03.deviantart.net/bbf4/f/2012/034/e/8/lore_edwin_by_enkida-d4oiuan.jpg



Darkblood Malrell


The thunderous voice broke the petrified silence reigning in his bedroom. The hulking half-giant, complete with a shaggy black beard, a generous belly and, curiously enough, an umbrella, bore its fierce look right down in his eyes. That were, at this very moment, wide open with amazement.
"What...what is this about?" finally dared to ask the young illumian. He looked with dismay at the remains of the door, pulverized when the creature had made his forceful entry.
"Ah, yeh're no goin' to make it complicated. I'm glad. That'll be nice, af'er what I've come through to get his letter to the previous lad..."
His stare suddenly relaxing, he ruffled through his many pockets before delivering a piece of parchment. Proudly putting it in the hand of the bewildered boy, he gleefully bellowed:
"Yeh're a Wizard, Malrell!
...no, wait a minute, wha' is this..."
Squinting, the barrel-shaped intruder retrieved the letter from Malrell's hand before the Illumian had had the slightest reaction. A fine line in the back of the enveloppe had caught his eyes. As he kept on writing, his expression slowly decomposed.
"Oh...no. No, no, no, no...no."
Pain could be read on his face as he put the letter back in his pocket. Malrell felt his heart sink.
"I am so very sorry. Yeh're not a Wizard, lad. Yeh're a Sorcerer."

Darkblood Malrell (these randome racial name generators come in handy) is a male Uurkrau Illumian Lawful Good Divine Sorcerer 5/Mage of the Arcane Order 1. He has picked the Domain Access Sorcerer ACF at level 5, for the Planning Domain. He has a snake familiar (+3 to Bluff), Greenscale (any wizard worth his salt must have a familiar named by a contraction of an adjective and a descriptive name). He speaks Illumian, Common, Draconic, Elven and Celestial.




Strength
Dexterity
Constitution
Intelligence
Wisdom
Charisma


8
15 ->16 at level 4
14
16
10
14







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


1st
Sorcerer 1
+0
+2
+2
+2
K: Arcana 4, Spellcraft 4, Concentration 4, Bluff 4, Craft (Alchemy) 4
Arcane Preparation(CArc p.73)
Familiar (Snake)

Luminous sigils, Glyphic resonance, Final utterance, +2 to saves vs [shadow] spells, Superior Literacy, Uur power sigil (+1 to Dex skills)



2nd

Sorcerer 2

+1
+2
+2
+3

K: Arcana 5
, Spellcraft 5, Concentration 5, Bluff 5, Craft (Alchemy) 5





Krau power sigil (+1 CL up to character level), Uur
power sigil (+2 to Dex skills), Uurkrau power word (use Dex instead of Cha for bonus spells)



3rd

Sorcerer 3

+1
+3
+3
+3

K: Arcana 6,
Spellcraft 6, Concentration 6, Bluff 6, Craft
(Alchemy) 6



Extend Spell




4th

Sorcerer 4

+2
+3
+5
+4

K: Arcana 7,
Spellcraft 7, Concentration 7, Bluff 7, Craft
(Alchemy) 7








5th

Sorcerer 5

+2
+3
+5
+4

K: Arcana 8,
Spellcraft 8, Concentration 8, Bluff 8, Craft
(Alchemy) 8



Extend Spell (bonus) -> Cooperative Spell (CArc p.76)
Domain Access ACF (CC p.52):
Planning domain (PGtF p.89)




6th
Mage of the Arcane Order 1 (CArc p.48)
+2
+3
+5
+6

K: Arcana 8,
Spellcraft 9, Concentration 9, Bluff 9 (cross-class), Craft
(Alchemy) 9


Penumbra Bloodline (DC p.103)
Guild member, Spellpool I




Epics feats:
1. Versatile Spellcaster 2. Craft Wand 3. Power in the Blood (if permissive DM) // Improved Sigil (Krau) (otherwise) 4. to 10. Extra Spell (see in "what he can do" for more details)


Spells per Day/Spells Known


Spells per day




Spells known (before Extra Spells)






Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd
4rd


1st
5
4
-
-
Read Magic, Detect Magic, Acid Splash, Prestidigitation
Ray of Enfeeblement, Mage Armor





2nd
6
5
-
-
Read Magic, Detect Magic, Acid Splash, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand
Ray of Enfeeblement, Mage Armor





3rd
6
6
-
-
Read Magic, Detect Magic,
Acid Splash
, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand
Ray of Enfeeblement, Mage Armor, Grease





4th
6
6
4
-
Read Magic, Detect Magic,
Acid Splash
, Prestidigitation,
Mage Hand,
Amanuensis (SpC p.9)
Ray of Enfeeblement, Mage Armor, Grease
Glitterdust




5th
6
6
5
-
Read Magic, Detect Magic,
Acid Splash
, Prestidigitation,
Mage Hand
, Amanuensis
Ray of Enfeeblement, Mage Armor, Grease, Enlarge Person
Glitterdust, Levitate




6th
6
6
6
4
Read Magic, Detect Magic, Light, Prestidigitation,
Mage Hand
, Amanuensis, Message
Ray of Enfeeblement, Mage Armor, Grease, Enlarge Person, Obscuring Mist (bloodline)

Glitterdust, Levitate, Darkness (bloodline)


Haste, Nondetection (bloodline)
Evard's Black Tentacles (bloodline)





So Malrell finds himself not a prestigious, hard-working, deserving researchers that sweats for every inch of his power. Instead, he turns out to be one of those arrogantly gifted, foolhardy, vain spellcasters that do not understand their own power anymore than a centipede understand its own venom. Many a time, as a little boy, he has heard the story of The Illumian That Didn't Want to Do His Homework, and of its terrible moral, where the foolish youngster is turned into a Sorcerer by his bad habits. Many a time, he has told the joke of why Sorcerers always carry an anvil when they go aventuring in dungeons (so that when they face a Beholder, they can drop it and run away faster). Unable to embrace his destiny, and desirous to harmoniously fit in in his cabal, Malrell decides to hide the terrible truth. At least he's not a Warlock. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0677.html)

What do Wizards do? They are more intelligent than charismatic. Check. They wear heavy coats and look all serious and wise. Looking back at Malrell's profile picture up there...check. They prepare spells in their spellbook, they write fancy inscriptions with magical inks, they spend hours studiously poring over ancient tomes in the library. That, Malrell can fake. These skill ranks in Bluff opportunely provided by the Sorcerer class come in handy here - especially given the average Wis score and Sense Motive ranks of your run-of-the-mill Wizard. One might argue that Marlell's fellow Wizards see him as a Wizard, so to be conservative this a lie in the range of "The bluff is believable and doesn't affect the target much". That means a +0 on the Sense Motive check of the Wizard. As soon as level 1, given 4 ranks in Bluff, a Charisma of 14, a masterwork item (maybe a particularly convincing fake spellbook) and a +3 from his familiar Greenscale, Malrell can take 10 on his Bluff check for a result of 21, thus automatically beating any Wizard with 0 ranks in Sense Motive and a Wisdom of 10.

Malrell can prepare spells (thanks to Arcane Preparation), and RAW nothing prevent a non-wizard from owning a spellbook and scribing spells with all the requisite expensive inks, etc. He also knows quite the iconic midly optimized-Wizard spells: Grease, Glitterdust, Haste... Malrell has the ranks in Spellcraft for that. He cannot Scribe Scrolls though, but that's because, as he explains it, he took the ACF from Unearthed Arcana that swaps Scribe Scroll for a [fighter] bonus feat, and he chose Improved Initiative (which is impossible to verify in-game, and is somewhat emulated by his high Dexterity score and by the Uur power sigil giving +2 to Dex-based checks, including Initiative). At level 3 and 5, he appears to be a spell level late. Another Bluff check (now reaching 23 at level 3 when taking 10) will convince most that Malrell unfortunately got level drained by a Wight/has already spent all his 2nd (or 3rd) level spells for the day. His higher number of spell slots can be explained away as coming from the Focused Specialist ACF from Complete Mage: he has barred the schools of Evocation, Illusion and Enchantment, in pure Wizard optimization tradition. The Domain Sorcerer ACF he picked at level 5 is identical to the Domain Wizard that comes from the same book, Complete Champion, with the exception that Wizards do not gain the domain granted power. Malrell will then explain the mastery of the Extend Spell feat as the feat he took for his regular 1 HD feat. And to complete the trickery, Malrell aims at entering a prestige class specifically designed for Wizards: Mage of the Arcane Order. His various disguising stunts allow him to qualify. The illusion is then complete: who would ever suspect a respectable member of the Arcane Order to secretly be a Sorcerer, of all things?

Of course, the DM could pull off a nosy NPC ("How come I've only seen you cast so many different spells while your spellbook contains many more?"). Time to use one of those skill shards from the psionic SRD: a +10 shard costs 1k and grants a one-time +10 competence bonus to any skill check. Malrell can then pull off a more elaborate lie ("I do cast them, simply not when you're around") and get past the +10 modifier granted to the opposite Sense Motive check by "the bluff is hard to believe". But there'll inevitably come a time where the lie cannot hold anymore. Well, at some point (at level 6 to be more specific), Malrell finally accepts who he really is. He embraces his shadow heritage, the source of his innate sorcery, with the Penumbra Bloodline feat. And he comes to terms with the nature of the power it brings (hence closing a longstanding character development arc that has plenty entertained both the player and the DM). That is why he next chooses Versatile Spellcaster as his first [epic] feat, Something he cannot explain away as a Wizard (since he took Domain "Wizard" at level 5, barring him from the Spontaneous Divination ACF that usually allows Wizards to take that feat). At that point (in E6 at least) however, Malrell is among the mightiest spellcasters to have walked the earth. Added to a longstanding membership of the Arcane Order, alongwith the fact that he still perfectly qualifies for the class, means his fellow Wizards do not want to lose such a precious member of the Order (or maybe they do? Plot hook arises!).


Mage of the Arcane Order requires both Cooperative Spell and any other metamagic feat, as well as the ability to prepare and cast 2nd level spells. The latter requirement is handled by the Arcane Preparation feat. The former, however, is annoying. Cooperative Spell requires a preexisting metamagic feat to be chosen. Since Arcane Preparation occupies the 1st level feat slot, Cooperative Spell must occupy the 3rd level one, but there's no room for a [metamagic] feat somewhere before; Arcane Preparation unfortunately is not such a tagged feat. There are several ways around this.

Play a Human or a Strongheart Halfling. Possible, but bland. Illumian is needed for the Uurkrau power word, allowing Malrell to get bonus spells without having to pump Cha and to emulate Improved Initiative somewhat (see above). Finally, I wanted the Penumbra Bloodline, for its useful spells that do not allow saving throws (especially Evard's Black Tentacles). Since Illumian fluff is linked to the plane of Shadow, there was some thematic mileage to get from that race here.
Use a flaw. Super inelegant, and creates and unequal playing field when compared to the other builds.
Use retraining. Malrell picks any metamagic feat at level 3, takes a level of Sorcerer as his character level 6, and chooses Cooperative Spell as his feat. He later retrains that level of Sorcerer into Mage of the Arcane Order. Possible, but quite cumbersome, and retraining a whole character level is less often accepted than retraining a single feat or some skill points.
Swap a bonus feat for any other one for which Malrell meets the prerequisites when he already has the bonus feat. That's what I went with. Malrell chooses Extend Spell at level 3. The Domain Access ACF grants him a domain's power at level 5. We choose Planning, whose granted power is to give Extend Spell as a bonus feat. Since we already have it, we swap it for Cooperative Spell. Though definitively not RAW, I feel this is the workaround that would be accepted by most GMs (some of which wouldn't, in the same time, allow flaws despite their RAW status).




Malrell can take advantage of Mage of the Arcane Order even better than a Wizard can. Here's the trick. Spellpool I allows him to cast any Sorcerer/Wizard spells of combined level 3 or lower once per day. In and of itself, this represents an immense amount of versatility for the Sorcerer, and a great way to bypass his limited selection of spells known. Besides, that requires him having a spell slot available, which costs him absolutely nothing, while a Wizard cannot similarly leave all of his spell slots open. The greater number of spell slots Malrell enjoys compared to a non-Focused Specialist Wizard means he can repay his Spellpool debt more easily.
Yes, he needs to spend a full-round action prior to casting the spell, so there's a cost in-combat. However, that is of no concern for out-of-combat spells like Rope Trick or Water Breathing. Plus, thanks to his Craft Wand feat, Malrell can craft...wands! There's that line saying "the creator must have prepared the spell to be storede (or must know the spell, in the case of a Sorcerer or Bard)"in the SRD. Now, by RAW, Malrell does not know the spell, nor has he prepared it. However, he is indeed capable of casting the requisite spell once per day of crafting, as asked by the rules. Most DMs I know would allow this. Thus, during off days, Malrell can enrol the Spellpool to help him craft wands that will greatly diversify his possibilities. Wands of Knock, of Shatter, of Arcane Lock, of Tongues, of Silent Image...many things are made available, and I'm only quoting Core spells (which will make the pill easier to swallow by the DM than if Malrell starts cranking out wands of Wraithstrike or of Wings of Cover). In case that really wont fly, well, another Extra Spell cannot go amiss.

Penumbra Bloodline grants some more diversity to Malrell in the form of spells known up to 3rd level. But there is a hidden benefit. Malrell gains spells known up to 9th level, actually. I did not write spells above 4th level because his Charisma of 14 prevents him from casting spells. In addition, Versatile Spellcaster allows him to combine spell slots to cast 4th spells, by sacrificing two 3rd level spells and casting Evard's Black Tentacles, that he knows thanks to Penumbra Bloodline. He can thus cast 4th level spells. Which means the Extra Spell feat can teach him up to new 3rd level spells.
Enter Power in the Blood. This feat, requiring that you already have a [bloodline] feat, gives you one extra spell slot, usable only to cast one of the [bloodline] spells you know. A spell slot of unspecified level. And you already know spells of up to 9th level. Yep. How do Greater Shadow Evocation or Etherealness look at level 6? Now, of course, this is quite silly, and the player shouldn't really expect the DM to let that fly. What can fly, however, is gaining extra 4th level spell slots, that can only cast Evard's Black Tentacles or metamagicked [bloodline] spells of lower level. Given that Malrell can already cast it thanks to Versatile Spellcaster, that seems more reasonable. These spell slots can, however, be sacrificed in turn for Versatile Spellcaster, either to cast something like an Extended Evard's Black Tentacles or, if Malrell has access to a Cloak of Charisma +2, Shadow Evocation, the 5th level spell of Penumbra Bloodline. In the latter case, that means Malrell can cast 5th level spells, and thus is allowed to learn new 4th level spells with Extra Spell, yummy! Otherwise Improved Sigil (Krau) linked to Evard's Black Tentacles can make it count as being of 5th level for the purpose of Extra Spell.
All these Penumbra Bloodline + Versatile Spellcaster + Power in the Blood/Improved Sigil (Krau) shenanigans allow our Sorcerer to learn and use spells of 4th level, which means he can box above his E6 category.
What spells to pick? Well, it dépends of the optimization level of the party, of the player, of the DM...here are some suggestions. Thanks to Arcane Preparation, Malrell has access to those sweet Sanctified Spells too, though the relative unavailability of Restorations in E6 makes him wary of abusing them. They coincide with the flavor of a Divine Sorcerer, too.





Epic feat
Casual build
Flavorful build
Powerful build (lol)


4th
Scry
Dark Way (SpC p.58)
Polymorph


5th
Fly
Legion of Sentinels (PHBII p.116)
Animate with the Spirit (CoV p.52)


6th
Dispel Magic
Phantom Steed
Solid Fog


7th
Shrink Item
Invisibility Sphere
Orb of Fire (SpC p.151)


8th
Wind Wall
Shadow Conjuration
Celestial Aspect (BoED p.93)


9th
Stoneskin
Control Darkness and Shadow (CoR p.29)
Celerity (PHBII p.105)


10th
Dimension Door
Enervation
Assay Spell Resistance (SpC p.17)




Malrell's moderately high Charisma means his save DCs won't be sky-high. Hence, he takes care to only learn spells that do not allow one (such as the excellent Evard's Black Tentacles, which allows pretty much Nothing, by the way) or have side effects even on a successful save (like Glitterdust). Besides, he can focus on buying a pair of Gloves of Dexterity before he needs a Cloak of Charisma +2, since he gains bonus spells from Dex, and enjoys the +1 bonus in Ref saves, AC, initiative and range touch attacks (like his Ray of Enfeeblement) more than the +1 to Bluff checks. Going from Dex 16 to Dex 18 offers an extra 4th level spell slot, though "a spellcaster must be of high enough class level to be able to cast spells of a given spell level". Most DMs will flat-out bar Malrell from gaining the extra spell slot here, unless the player is persuasive enough to argue that, after all, the Versatile Spellcaster trick etc. described above does need Malrell to be of 6th level to be pulled off. In a way, Malrell is indeed of high enough class level to initiate the trick that allows him to cast spells of 4th level. In case that does not fly, well, that means Malrell does not gain that much from that pair of Gloves of Dexterity, and he can invest these 4k into Wand crafting (if allowed) or into funnier stuff like Spellguard Rings (perfect alongwith our ever-so-useful Evard's Black Tentacles, though humble Grease or Glitterdust work here too).

Being a Domain (Planning) Sorcerer, Malrell has effectively one spell slot of each level that can only be used to cast, respectively, Deathwatch, Augury and Clauraudience/Clairvoyance. All spells that do not check for saving throws and add some welcome divination abilities. And let's not forget his high Bluff modifier, which grants him a modicum of social abilities, as well as Greenscale, a familiar with both a climb and a swim speed, and with which Malrell can speak starting from level 5, from some scouting capabilities. Also, if the wand crafting trick is deemed illegal by the DM, there's always Craft (Alchemy) for churning out useful toys such as thunderstones, silversheen and all the crazy imaginative stuff found in these kinds of lists. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?148101-3-x-Shax-s-Indispensible-Haversack-(Equipment-Handbook))

Beat that, Potter.



BoED: Book of Exalted Deeds
CArc: Complete Arcane
CC: Complete Champion
CM: Complete Mage
CoR: Champions of Ruin
DC: Dragon Compendium
PHBII: Player's Handbook II
SpC: Spell Compendium

[Zaq]

Seven's a good number of builds, I dare say! At least when I'm not judging. But hey, could be worse. Seven builds is enough to get some variety but not so much that it turns judging into an unworkable slog.

Judges, you know what to do! I'll try to slap together a table. Anyone gets one done before I do, you're awesome.

(You're all awesome anyway. Love ya, folks.)

Update: Table's in the OP! Everyone who stated their alignment was Lawful on the L-C axis. Kinda funny, huh?

[jdizzlean]

here's what I had before i went to check on the rule clarification for something else and saw LA is banned in e6. boo and hoo. The very first thing i thought of was "MAKE A DRAGON!", because for e6 that would be epic right? Not to slight any of the other builds, but i wanted to not do a dwk nor a silverbrow. so, i set about making myself a dragon. racial 1st level sorcerer casting, apply practiced spellcaster to bring it up to 4th casting because HD cap, and then apply loredrake to that, giving you a full 6th level sorcerer tied onto a dragon's chassis for all the fun and goodness.



SIR NOT APPEARING IN THIS COMPETITION


wrymling steel dragon, 4RHD/2LA
Size: Small, Speed 60/150 fly (avg)/30 swim, 1st lvl Sorc Casting, Alt Form 5/day, Acid immunity, poison resist 10, SR 16
40 ft Line of Acid, 20 ft cone of poison
Bite 1d6, 2x Claws 1d4

Alternate Form: Any Humanoid or Animal Medium or smaller in size, as polymorph but no hit points regained. Gain all (Ex) abilities of new form. Lasts until choose to change form again, or revert back to natural form.

Steel Dragon class skills:
Bluff, Craft, Conc, Diplo, Disguise, Escape, Intim, Knows, Listen, Profession, Search, Sense, Spot, UMD


Point Buy:
STR 8 DEX 14 CON 10 INT 10 WIS 14 CHA 18




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


6th

Wrmling Steel Dragon

+4

+4

+4

+4

6+INTx7

Practiced Spellcaster, Skill Knowledge - Spellcraft

Loredrake, Spells, Breath Weapon (Cone 1 CON/1 CON, Line of Acid 1d6) Alternate Form 5/day, Immune to Acid, Sleep/Paralysis, Poison Resistance 10, SR 16, Blindsense 60ft, Darkvision 120ft





Spells per Day/Spells Known includes bonus from CHA


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


6th

6/7

7/4
6/2

4/1

-
-
-
-
-
-




Spells Known:
0- Message, Prestidigitation, Read Magic +4 more
1- Charm Person, Grease, Magic Missile +1 more
2- Alter Self, Shatter
3- Fireball


Possible feats:

Invisible spell is a +0 LA metamagic feat from Cityscape (req 1 metamagic feat). It makes your spells... invisible.
Steam Magic – Storm93: no spellcraft check to use fire spells underwater
Celestial Sorcerer Heritage – PHB2 90: add protection from evil to 1st known, gain bonus to saves vs electricity/petrification equal to CS feats total
Celesital Sorcerer Aura – PHB2 90: expend spell slot to gain 20ft aura (WILL DC 10+slot+CHA) or -2 attack/checks/saves for 24 hours or until hits you
Celestial Sorcerer Lore – PHB2 90: add magic circle/evil, tongues to known spells
Draconic Aura – DragMagic 16: Senses +1 Listen, Spot, Init in 30ft aura


Skill Tricks to think about: Conceal Spellcasting, False Theurgy, Swift Concentration

Fun Items to get ahold of:
Ring of Wizardry: Doubles spell slots/day. 1st lvl: 20k, 2nd lvl 40k, but might be impossible to find in an e6 world.





Practiced Spellcaster: Spellcraft 4, Comp Divine 82


Sources:
Complete Arcane: Practiced Spellcaster p82
Dragons of Eberron: Loredrake p30
Dragons of Faerun: Steel Dragon p141
Monster Manual: True Dragons p68
Player’s Handbook: Sorcerer p51
Unearthed Arcana: Skill Knowledge p81



I was going down the rabbit hole that is alter self and alternate form when i was looking up that mentioned rule clarification and then my world came crashing down... boo, hiss, boo.

anyways, grats to all, I will have to look at all these more in depth later this week.

[DeTess]

I'll start judging, and expect to be done in a week or so barring any RL issues.

[The Kool]

Some stiff competition this time around! I think I stand a fair chance. We shall see.

[DeTess]

I'm actually already almost done, but I'll need to do another review to properly grade power (so expect me to post stuff tomorrow). That having been said, can someone explain to me how Thrush gets two negative levels off off his spells before applying metamagic? Fell drain only does a single negative level (before things like twin and repeat come into play).

[The Kool]

Randuir, WhamBamSam, and PoeticallyPsycho are our judges this round, correct?

[thorr-kan]

Cohn makes me want to dust off the idea of a sorcerer who can't cast any spells, but abuses feats and alternate class features to spam extra abilities from spell slots.

For extra fun, use Extra Familiar from Dragon Magazine. Feats get take before class features. Trade multiple familiars for multiple alternate class features. Bonus: also works for wizards!

[Zaq]

I'm actually already almost done, but I'll need to do another review to properly grade power (so expect me to post stuff tomorrow). That having been said, can someone explain to me how Thrush gets two negative levels off off his spells before applying metamagic? Fell drain only does a single negative level (before things like twin and repeat come into play).

This is pretty unusual, but I guess we have a response to this already:


That's my fault for relying on memory and skimming over the rules without properly reading them! I thought the feat did 2 negative levels. Even with only one, it should still work... just less effective than I was imagining. Ah, well.

[DeTess]

This is pretty unusual, but I guess we have a response to this already:

Thanks for passing on the response (and thanks to Thrush for the quick clarification)! It doesn't happen often that something leaves me completely stumped, as I can usually identify an error happening, but Thrushes combo had enough moving parts that I couldn't rule out missing some interaction. Posting all the scores is still on track for tomorrow, so in about 12-14 hours.

[Zombulian]

Thanks for passing on the response (and thanks to Thrush for the quick clarification)! It doesn't happen often that something leaves me completely stumped, as I can usually identify an error happening, but Thrushes combo had enough moving parts that I couldn't rule out missing some interaction. Posting all the scores is still on track for tomorrow, so in about 12-14 hours.

I was wondering the same thing but had the same assumption that I had just missed something. Glad that’s cleared up.

[DeTess]

Well then, scores coming right up. Before I do so, I'd quickly like to share my method and some overall comments.

Because of the importance of originality in this comp, and how this category is often harder to quantify than the other 3, I decided to make something of a grading rubric. The bonuses or penalties listed here are the maximum for that category, and smaller bonuses or penalties can be given.

Background and thematics
+0.5 for an interesting background
I’d like to rate this one higher, but it’s the most subjective of the bunch, so I won’t.
+0.5 for a fully thematic spell list
It’s easy to diverge of your build’s theme because you just want fly and dispel magic, for example, so this one rewards people sticking to the theme despite potential losses in power

Race choices
+0.5 for non-obvious pick
Races with no direct CHA bonuses or other sorcery important tricks, for example.
-1 for obvious super-synergistic picks
Having the dragonblooded subtype will likely get you a -0.5, things beyond that might get the full -1

Build
+3 for an unusual build direction
Just doing something that sorcerer’s usually don’t will get you a about a +1, while doing something really off the wall will get you the full +3
-1 for an obvious power-up PRC or feat picks
-2 for a synergy-feats build
That is, a build focused around stacking lots and lots of [tag] feats that increase in power the more of them you have, such as [Draconic] or [fiendish]. I'm calling this one out in particular, because for e6 it's a rather easy way to build a character, irrespective of the secret ingredient. As someone might be quick to point out, I've done this in the past as well, and it's something I believe I really should avoid doing.

Miscelanious
-2 for non-cohesiveness
[I]This one will only come into play if a build consists of disparate components, such as a barbarian, going into paladin, and then taking lots of [fiendish] feats, without attempting to get a decent justification in the background./I]

The starting score for originality is 5.5/10.

For both power and elegance, the starting score is 3/5. For power, I'll be looking at in-combat power, out-of-combat utility and ability to stay alive. Elegance is where I punish build mistakes, and occasionally praise elegant (and non-obvious) solutions to a particular problem.

I usually scale Use of Secret Ingredient of the amount of secret ingredient class elvels and how the features whre used. however, as everyone in this comeptition ahs effectively 6 levels of sorcerer casting, I'll start this one at 5/5, and apply penalties only when I believe you're doing something that could really have been done far better using another caster.


Now, for the two comments:
First of all, I've ignored any specific equipment listed for a character, unless the character was capable of making said equipment themselves. The amount of equipment and the amount of cherry-picking possible differs a lot per campaign, and not everyone provided an equipment list, so I can't judge characters on what they can do if they happen to find the right gear.

Secondly, though I know filling in the Table can be PITA, I'd still urge all contestants to do so, as it makes reading a submission far easier. And if you absolutely can’t, please use some other form of formatting, like spoiler tags, or even just bold-font section headings. I haven't penalized for this, as the only non-build related thing a judge can penalize for is the lack of a source list, but please don’t submit a build without formatting.

Now, with that out of the way, let's get to the scores!

Originality
It’s a Kobold with greater draconic rite of passage(-1 on race) and a level in Sandshaper(-0.5 for obvious power-up PRC) in a sorcerer competition. Your lack of epic feats doesn’t really give me anything else to judge your originality on either.
4/10

Power
Thanks to sand shaper you’ve got a very wide pool of spells, including both direct damage, crowd control and summons, (+1) as well as all-day damage in the form of fiery burst if you need it.(+0.5) You don’t have much in the way of utility spells, like fly or invisiblity, however(-0.5).
4/5

Elegance
Greater draconic rite of passage requires the “draconic reservoir” feat. You’ve actually got feats to spare to spend on it, but it is still an oversight (-0.5)
2.5/5

Use of SI
You effectively can cast spells as a 6th level sorcerer. Your build is focused on casting spells like a sorcerer, not hitting people with greataxes like a barbarian. Congratulations, you’re a sorcerer!
5/5



Originality
I liked the old west flavour of your background and it fits well with your build’s style(+0.5). Silver-brow human is a fairly obvious sorcerer pick (-0.5)
Sorcerer’s usually aren’t the metamagic specialists (+1), but mage of the arcane order is a pretty obvious way to increase your spell versatility by a great degree (-0.5).
6/10

Power
Your fell drain based tactics are very useful, until you run into an opponent that’s immune to it, though even in that case you can still do passable damage with your magic missiles.(+1)
You’re also unlikely to do much combat in your actual sanctum, though the feat does still help push your metamagic’d spell level lower, which I assume is the main intended benefit.
The spellpool fills in most of your utility needs.(+1)
5/5

Elegance
Your build is legal, and despite my initial misgivings arcane thesis doesn’t forbid lowering any individual metamagic’s cost into the negatives, as long as the total spell level isn’t lower than that initial level.
It should be noted that you only get 1 negative level from fell drain, not two. That oversight isn’t penalized here, but for power I used the actual numbers.
3/5

Use of SI
You’ve effectively got 6 levels of sorcerer casting, but through your feats and playstyle, you’ve basically turned your sorcerer into a wizard (-0.5).
4.5/5



Originality
Ehm…wow. You’ve made a sorcerer incapable of casting spells that nevertheless has decent use for its spell slots in the later levels(+3), with a cohesive background for why all of this is the case(+0.5). Warforged is also not exactly the first pick for sorcerer (+0.5)
9.5/10

Power
You’re tanky(+0.5), and if you have a party with casters or a magic-mart, you should eventually be able to have a fairly versatile selection of wands that you can power with your own spell slots, though it’ll take you a while to even reach the level of other sorcerers. Problems occur if you play in a game where your wand selection is far more limited, even with your own crafting.(-1)
2.5/5

Elegance
Your way of regaining access to spellcasting and use your spell slots anyway despite not being able to cast spells normally is inspired (+1)
4/5

Use of SI
This is a tricky one. On the one hand, you’re not really using the sorcerer’s main class feature. On the other hand, I can’t think of a different class that’d allow you to do what you’re doing here, so full marks.
5/5



Originality
Your background neatly weaves both your draconic and necromantic heritage together (and it was an absolute pleasure to read) (+0.5). Your spell list sticks to your chosen theme very nicely (+0.5). Bloodline feats are a fairly obvious way to get around the sorcerer’s limited spells known, however (-0.5). On the one hand, half-orcs are a fairly non-obvious choice for sorcerers, on the other hand, sneaking in the dragonblooded subtype is (+-0).
6/10

Power
Your spell list and other abilities are solid for combat(+1), but between your low amount of skills and relative lack of utility spells, you’ll not be very useful outside of combat(-0.5).
Defensively, your AC and saves are also lacking between your low DEX, CON and WIS(-0.5).
3/5

Elegance
You’ve taken a flaw (-1), and your reflex and fortitude saves are listed as being +2 higher than they should be (treated as the normal values per the sorcerer class for the power calculation, no penalty here)
2/5

Use of SI
You’re a sorcerer, and do sorcery things.
5/5



Originality
This isn’t the ingredient I’d have expected someone to try and make a supermount build on (+1.5), and goblin isn’t the first race I’d expect to be chosen as a small sorcerer, but it is very flavorful (+0.5)
7.5/10

Power
Invisibility is broken when you cast a spell targeting a foe. This remains true if your familiar delivers the spell, as you’re still the caster and you’re still targeting a foe. It retains its usual out-of-combat utility, however
Worg will die really quickly to any AoE effects or anything else that doesn’t care about AC due to its low HP, and offensively it isn’t particularly impressive, even when buffed(-1).
2/5

Elegance
Martial stance requires you to pick a stance from a discipline you already know a maneuver in. You only know shadow jaunt (Shadow hand school) when you take that feat, so you can’t pick iron guard’s glare from the devoted spirit school (-0.5).
2.5/5

Use of SI
What you’re trying to do would be done far better using almost any other caster. You need items to get all the familiar buffing spells you need(-1), and the associated skills (ride, handle animal) are not class skills(-1).
3/5



Originality
An interesting backstory that fits the build, but the rest of the build doesn’t stand out for good or ill (+0.5).
6/10

Power
You’ve got a decent crowd control and blasting list, and access to a variety of elements, even though you specialize in electricity(+1). You’ve got a bit of out-of-combat utility with charm person. Defensively the lack of mage armor or a similar way to boost your AC above 11 will get you in trouble(-1).
3/5

Elegance
Do metamagics count to fill the prerequisites for clap of thunder and storm bolt? I’ll say yes, but this can be very DM dependant. No other complaints here.
3/5

Use of SI
You’re a sorcerer, and you ensorcel stuff.
5/5



Originality
You do a pretty good job at emulating a wizard with your build (+0.5), and combined with your background (which got a good chuckle from me), you’ve got a nice build thematic going(+0.5). Illumian with the Krau sigil is a fairly obvious caster, however(-0.5), and mage of the arcane order and a bloodline feat together are pretty obvious ways of getting around the sorcerer’s limited spells known (-1).
5/10

Power
Please note that power in the blood only grants you one spell slot, and versatile spellcaster does not grant a spell-slot, merely the ability to cast a spell 1 level higher by using two lower level spell slots, so you can’t chain up past 4 (or gain extra spells of a level higher than 3). Even getting that 4th level slot is a stretch, but I’d rather not get into the ‘is minimum caster level a thing?’ debate here, so I’ll grant you that, given that you’ve invested quite a bit to get there in the first place.
All that having been said, between your normal spell allotment and your extra spells, you’ve got both decent battlefield control(+1) and utility, like fly and levitate(+0.5), and your defences are passable, but you’re definitely no tank.

dispute addition: Between improved power sigil (krau) versatile spellcaster and the bloodline 4th elvel spell, I can now see a case for the extra spell feat to be able to get you additional 4th level spells known, and you get an additional +0.5 points for power for that.
5/5

Elegance
AS far as I can tell you only get to replace a duplicate bonus feat with another bonus feat if the thing giving you that feat explicitly says you do, so you can’t use getting extend spell again from your domain to get cooperative spell.(-1)
I’d also like to note that your explanation that a reasonable DM might allow you to swap the bonus feat anyway means you’re technically violating a competition rule regarding knowingly violating RAW to make a build fit. It’s a relatively small thing in this particular case, but it is something you should very much avoid doing. I’d also like to note that your build, because of this explanation, requires a DM willing to deviate from RAW to let you qualify for the PRC, and then sticks to RAW religiously to let you get 4th level (or higher) spell slots, which seems highly unrealistic.
2/5

Use of SI
You’re a sorcerer, and despite being able to do what a wizard can to some degree, you’re not defined nor forced to do so by your build choices.
5/5


For Honorable Mention, I'm conflicted between Gobta, for taking sorcerer and turning it into a worg rider, and Klotto, for a really nicely written background.

Edit: I completely forgot to mention this! This round has been an absolute pleasure to judge for. My initial estimate of a week for judging was that I generally only go through 1 or 2 builds before getting distracted by something else, but this time around every single build was evocative and inspiring, which allowed me to keep going and go through all of them in basically one go.

[Zaq]

Thanks for a lightning-fast judgment, Randuir! Got a couple of quibbles here:


Heya Randuir, thanks for such a fast juding :smallsmile: I got a couple of remarks about the judgement you made on my guy, Darkblood Malrell.



Please note that power in the blood only grants you one spell slot, and versatile spellcaster does not grant a spell-slot, merely the ability to cast a spell 1 level higher by using two lower level spell slots, so you can’t chain up past 4 (or gain extra spells of a level higher than 3). Even getting that 4th level slot is a stretch, but I’d rather not get into the ‘is minimum caster level a thing?’ debate here, so I’ll grant you that, given that you’ve invested quite a bit to get there in the first place.

Yeah, well, you're right, this Power in the Blood thing is rather iffy. That's why unless the DM is generous, Improved Sigil (Krau) does the trick with no complicated RAW dispute attached. I mentioned Power in the Blood mainly for the fact that bam, a very permissive DM just granted you an 8th or 9th level spell slot, but in most applications, one will go with Improved Sigil (Krau). I should've made that clearer :smallsmile: No complains.



AS far as I can tell you only get to replace a duplicate bonus feat with another bonus feat if the thing giving you that feat explicitly says you do, so you can’t use getting extend spell again from your domain to get cooperative spell.(-1)
I’d also like to note that your explanation that a reasonable DM might allow you to swap the bonus feat anyway means you’re technically violating a competition rule regarding knowingly violating RAW to make a build fit. It’s a relatively small thing in this particular case, but it is something you should very much avoid doing. I’d also like to note that your build, because of this explanation, requires a DM willing to deviate from RAW to let you qualify for the PRC, and then sticks to RAW religiously to let you get 4th level (or higher) spell slots, which seems highly unrealistic.

That's entirely right, and I knew I'd get dinged in Originality no matter what. That's why I mentioned some alternate ways to go in case the DM doesn't like that. So either:
-The DM sticks to RAW and RAW only. You then take a flaw, and the Power in the Blood thing flies.
-The DM prefers to adjudicate by himself more. The feat swapping trick is then OK'd, and you ditch Power in the Blood for Improved Sigil (Krau).

What I'm saying here is that I don't fully agree that I'm violating a comp rule, since I've provided a RAW way to do the trick (flaws); and also I don't fully agree that I'm reliant on some bizarre DM that would handwave certain things and stick to RAW for others (which, I fully agree, is quite unrealistic): maybe I didn't explain in very well, but I have two fully operational routes to take, depending on whether the DM is (consistently) more or less a RAW adept. Worst comes to worst, if the DM won't agree to the feat swapping and won't let Power in the Blood work either, flaw + Improved Sigil (Krau) is still OK.

Also, don't I get some recognition for all the various ways I have devised to fool Wizards into believing Malrell is one of them? :smallsmile:

Despite what this kind of somewhat combative dispute can lead to think, I have no interest in endlessly nitpicking your judgement in multiple back and forths :smallwink: I won't press any judgement dispute back after your anwser, and once again thanks for giving your time to the comp.

[DeTess]

That's entirely right, and I knew I'd get dinged in Originality no matter what. That's why I mentioned some alternate ways to go in case the DM doesn't like that. So either:
-The DM sticks to RAW and RAW only. You then take a flaw, and the Power in the Blood thing flies.
-The DM prefers to adjudicate by himself more. The feat swapping trick is then OK'd, and you ditch Power in the Blood for Improved Sigil (Krau).

What I'm saying here is that I don't fully agree that I'm violating a comp rule, since I've provided a RAW way to do the trick (flaws); and also I don't fully agree that I'm reliant on some bizarre DM that would handwave certain things and stick to RAW for others (which, I fully agree, is quite unrealistic): maybe I didn't explain in very well, but I have two fully operational routes to take, depending on whether the DM is (consistently) more or less a RAW adept. Worst comes to worst, if the DM won't agree to the feat swapping and won't let Power in the Blood work either, flaw + Improved Sigil (Krau) is still OK.


If I believed you'd truly made a bad competition rule violation, I'd probably have taken some additional action, but I did want to point out that the way you represented the build as is wasn't quite right. If you'd done it the other way around , with a flaw and the extra feat in the table, and the 'permissive DM' option described as an alternative, I'd have had no complaint in that regard whatsoever (apart from penalizing you for using a flaw, which incidentally would have been the same penalty as I used you for your mistake, so no change to your elegance score.



Yeah, well, you're right, this Power in the Blood thing is rather iffy. That's why unless the DM is generous, Improved Sigil (Krau) does the trick with no complicated RAW dispute attached. I mentioned Power in the Blood mainly for the fact that bam, a very permissive DM just granted you an 8th or 9th level spell slot, but in most applications, one will go with Improved Sigil (Krau). I should've made that clearer No complains.


Personally, I'd try to present the main tables of the build and the feat list, and then provide a separate 'permissive DM' section to clearly separate those out. However, after reading over power sigil Krau and extra spell, it seems that you might just qualify for learning extra 4th level spells, and the addition of a couple more of those do qualify you for an additional 0.5 point for power.



Also, don't I get some recognition for all the various ways I have devised to fool Wizards into believing Malrell is one of them?

Point-wise, that's rolled into the 0.5 point background bonus, but yeah, I probably should have made a mention of that somewhere as these are the kinds of shenanigans that make a memorable character at an actual table.

Net result: Darkblood Marell power is now 5/5, with the total score being 17/25. This will be has been edited into the original judging.

[Zaq]

One more for the road:


Randuir, thanks for judging! I apologise for the formatting on my entry, and I just have a couple quick questions about scores.

For originality, I've noticed in your criteria that an unusual race is worth a half a point. Is half-elf an expected sorcerer race, or is that rolled into your pre-existing score about the backstory?

For power, did you consider the spell turning to be too limited due to power points? Or just not important enough to be notable for the power score?

Thanks again for judging!

[DeTess]

Randuir, thanks for judging! I apologise for the formatting on my entry, and I just have a couple quick questions about scores.

For originality, I've noticed in your criteria that an unusual race is worth a half a point. Is half-elf an expected sorcerer race, or is that rolled into your pre-existing score about the backstory?

For power, did you consider the spell turning to be too limited due to power points? Or just not important enough to be notable for the power score?

Thanks again for judging!

Half-elf isn't a super-unusual race in my opinion, especially because you went the Dragonmarked route. I didn't consider spell turning because the action point economy will differ lot per game, and is likely going to be pretty tight, so it's not really an ability you can depend on in my opinion. To be honest, I haven't seen it in play much myself, so my estimate that it'd be at best 1/day might be off.

[remetagross]

So, are we having another judging in preparation? :smallsmile:

[Zaq]

Since we had a couple people announce that they were judging, I’ll leave it open until at least 2 weeks after the reveal. I won’t leave it open terribly much longer than that (MAYBE a day or two if a committed judge pipes up and says that they’re nearly done), but we’ll at least go to this coming Wednesday or so.

[WhamBamSam]

My schedule isn't unfolding quite the way I thought it would, so I don't think I'll be able to judge this one.

[Zaq]

My schedule isn't unfolding quite the way I thought it would, so I don't think I'll be able to judge this one.

That is unfortunate, but 100% relatable. Totally been there.

Do we have anyone else who’s actively judging right now? If not, I can try to wrap things up tonight or tomorrow.

[The Kool]

PoeticallyPsycho was the only other one who offered that I saw.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Hmm, until Wednesday? I can probably finish up this weekend.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Okay, my procrastination has come back to bite me. Two builds left to review.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

First, a brief summary of how I’m judging. I was initially going for an in depth breakdown in each category, but that was driving me crazy so I will instead give a full breakdown for Elegance only and a summary and score for the other categories. The starting scores are 3 for Power and UotSI, 5 for Elegance, and 6 for Originality.


Originality:
There is very little provided in the way of fluff, but what there is is at least interesting. Wasn’t expecting to see a Touchstone feat. I very much was expecting to see some variation of a draconic kobold.
6.5

Power:
I’m going to assume you actually did take a level of Sand Shaper, contrary to what the table says. This level gives you quite a bit of extra versatility for the low price of a few spell slots. Fiery Burst makes up that loss by giving you an at-will damage dealing ability. The extra level of sorcerer casting certainly helps out. However, the lack of epic feats really hurts you here.
4

Elegance:
Missing epic feats –0.5
Apparently didn’t perform Draconic Rite of Passage –0.5
Table error –0.1
Total: 3.9

Use of the Secret Ingredient:
At the end of the day, the single level of Sand Shaper is a much more significant part of your build than the 5 levels of Sorcerer. The build feels like a Sand Shaper that happened to be a Sorcerer. Making up that lost level of Sorcerer with GDRP earns you some points back.
3.5


Originality:
The segment is short, but hints at a personality, backstory, and setting that are interesting enough to be worth some points. On the other hand, even I’ve heard of metamagic abuse with Arcane Thesis, and Silverbrow Humans are pretty common.
7.5

Power:
Arcane thesis, the versatility of Spell Pool, metamagic stacking, full casting… there’s more but that’s all you really need to know this build is very powerful.
5

Elegance
Huh. I was all set to ding you for Arcane Thesis having been errata’d, but on closer inspection as long as the final spell level isn’t lower than the original spell level, you can apply negatives with Cooperative Spell and Invisible Spell. Slight penalty for screwing up the negative levels. I debated adding a –0.1 penalty for only listing a few cantrips known, but they’re just cantrips so what the heck. Similarly, the flavor of Invisible Spell and the necessity of Cooperative Spell spare you penalties for cheesing Arcane Thesis. I am however very skeptical that you can use Cooperative Spell without, well, a cooperating mage.
–0.5 negative level snafu
–0.5 Cooperative Spell without partner
Total: 4

Use of the Secret Ingredient
Well, Sorcerer only has two class features, and you’re sure making heavy use of both of them!
5


Originality:
Warforged? Wands? Melee? Noncasting?! … I can honestly say I was not expecting anything about this build, and if that’s not worth full points then what would be?
10

Power:
Okay, original as the concept is, you’re going to struggle at low levels. You’re a fighter without combat feats, a spellcaster without spells, and a tank that is exceptionally hard to heal. Once you get into the higher levels and epic feats your build really starts to come online, and can produce some quite respectable DPR, which earns you some points back.
3

Elegance:
The conservative rulings on your abilities may have hurt you a bit in the power section, but they’re helping you now. I can’t find anything sketchy here.
5

Use of the Secret Ingredient:
Making good use of your ACFs, your extra spell slots, and your spells known, even if you’re not actually casting any of those spells. A slight bonus for re-acquiring a familiar, another one for going sorcerer for all 6 levels
4.5


Originality:
Dragonblooded half-orc with martial training, a mother cyst, necromantic bloodline, Corrupt Arcane Training, and a cohesive backstory that manages to pull it all together! Very nice.
8.5

Power:
You’re a competent gish, with plenty of extra spells known and other abilities from your well-chosen feats. I don’t know if Corrupt Arcane Studies was worth the nightmares costing you your spellcasting every other day on average, but between melee and turning you’ve got enough other abilities I’m prepared to call it a net zero.
4.5

Elegance:
I noticed the other judge dinged you for incorrect saves, but it looks to me like you’re including the ability modifiers. What I don’t get is how your BAB jumps from +1 to +3. You also have some errors in your feat section (the big one is missing Endurance, plus a few typos). Very minor penalties for both mistakes. Your backstory manages to gel well enough I’m forgoing any penalty for cramming so many different flavors into one character. Finally, while I allow flaws in all my campaigns (because I love using them myself, so it’s only fair), in a competition like this they create an uneven playing field.
–0.1 table error
–0.1 feat section errors
–0.5 Flaw
Total: 4.3

Use of the Secret Ingredient:
You’re certainly gotten a lot of class features out of a class notorious for lacking them, and are making pretty good use out of them. I’m tempted to inflict a slight penalty for focusing a chunk of your build on ‘racial’ abilities rather than sorcerer, but when those races are dragons and the undead (and you have Necromantic Bloodline) that seems unfair. Full points!
5


Originality:
I didn’t even know trading your familiar for an animal companion was an option. I certainly wasn’t expecting a mounted build, nor a goblin. You’ve also gotten several unexpected class features via feats. However, you haven’t provided any backstory at all.
8

Power:
Getting invisibility at first level is certainly a plus, giving you a viable method of scouting. You’ve also got a decent array of buffs for your familiar/companion. However, even with these, your companions don’t have particularly impressive damage or tankiness, and you can’t cast offensive spells without blowing your invisibility, which means the little tankiness your creatures have becomes irrelevant as your non-tanky self becomes the limiting reagent. All that said, you do have two of them plus yourself, so the sum is respectable. EDIT: Okay, shocking grasp does give you an offensive action while riding and slight boost to damage, which is worth a slight boost to the score.
4

Elegance:
While Iron Guard’s Glare doesn’t have any prerequisites, the feat Martial Stance does. You have to already have a Devoted Spirit maneuver/stance to take the feat for a Devoted Spirit stance. Aside from that everything seems to check out. It is also sketchy to use Iron Guard’s Glare while invisible, since it’s based on knowing you’re there, but since knowing you’re there doesn’t actually prevent the miss chance I’ll let that slide.
–0.5 Martial Stance
Total: 4.5

Use of the Secret Ingredient:
At first glance, this doesn’t feel much like a Sorcerer. At second glance, you’ve sunk quite a lot of feats into non-Sorcerer things as well. However, the core parts of your build are Sorcerer class features and Sorcerer spells, even re-acquiring ones you’ve traded away, so the build is more Sorcerer than it looks at first.
4


Originality:
Sticks to the theme quite nicely, and I quite like the backstory. Mechanically, you’ve got some cool stuff going on with Dragonmarked Spellturning and Born of the Three Thunders, and I wasn’t expecting Dragonmarks.
8.5

Power:
You don’t have a whole lot going on until epic levels, but even before that, you’re still a full-casting sorcerer. Born of the Three Thunders and Dauntless Mark is a solid synergy, and lets you add a very powerful rider onto almost every offensive spell you cast. Even before that, with Metamagic Specialist you can throw out BotTT spells every turn as long as you don’t move. Favored in House gives you some nice utility and roleplaying power, as well
4.5

Elegance:
Using Energy Substitution/BotTT to count as having Electricity/Sonic spells available to cast is a little sketchy, but not enough to be worth a deduction. Aside from that, everything seems to check out.
–0.5 Missing skills
Total: 4.5

Use of the Secret Ingredient:
You’re a Sorcerer who does sorcery things. Metamagic Specialist does help your build, but you don’t actually mention it at all, so slight penalty there.
4.5


Originality:
A Sorcerer pretending to be a wizard, and the antics he needed to pull it off, is funny enough to have had me chuckling while reading through the entry. While you’re not doing anything especially interesting with your spells or feats (except the higher level spell slots, which I'll cover in Power), you are actually using your skills in an interesting way.
8

Power:
You’re a Sorcerer, with all the spellcasting power that entails. Spellpool gives you versatility. And the ability to cast 4th level (and arguably up to 9th level) spells is certainly worth some points.
4.5

Elegance:
–0.5 Extend Spell
Total: 4.5

Use of the Secret Ingredient:
While you spend all your time pretending to be a different class, you do so by making good use of your own class features, including class skills. Hmm. Let’s call it full points, and call it a day.
5

[The Kool]

I invite Zaq to quote this and fill in the chef names when the contest is officially called. However, since today was the final day and both offered judges have judged, here's the rankings. All scores are out of 25 potential points.



Chef
Build
Judge 1:
Randuir
Judge 2:
PoeticallyPsycho
Average score
Final ranking


???
Sir Cohnium
21
22.5
21.75
1st


???
Thrush, Slayer Mage
18.5
21.5
20
2nd


???
Ekaterina d'Lyrandar
17
22
19.5
3rd


???
Darkblood Malrell
17
22
19.5
3rd


???
Klotto Rubiini Kosketti
16
22.3
19.15
5th


???
Gobta, Goblin Worg Rider
15
20.5
17.75
6th


???
Unis Sobek Neithson
15.5
17.65
16.575
7th



Well, er... it appears we have a tie for Bronze?

[Zaq]

Thanks for judging, PoeticallyPsyco! I’ll leave the floor open for responses for a day or so, but I’d like to move on tomorrow evening. Maybe Friday at the latest unless we get into a real argument. But I’m sincerely hoping we don’t get any real arguments!

That table will be helpful, Kool, so thanks for compiling it! Ties for medals are far from unprecedented.

If anyone has strong feelings about voting for HM, now’s a good time to air your thoughts!

[PoeticallyPsyco]

My pleasure!

[DeTess]

I'm going to toss my HM nomination on Klotto. That build had a really nicely written backstory, which just edges out the flavour of gobta, which would have been my second pick for HM.

[remetagross]

Mine goes to Gobta, for the sheer bravado it took to submit a character so remote from what the archetypal Sorcerer looks like! :smallbiggrin:

[Zaq]

Chef
Build
Judge 1:
Randuir
Judge 2:
PoeticallyPsycho
Average score
Final ranking


Macabaret
Sir Cohnium
21
22.5
21.75
1st, Gold


The Kool
Thrush, Slayer Mage
18.5
21.5
20
2nd, Silver


Scrollreader
Ekaterina d'Lyrandar
17
22
19.5
3rd, Bronze


remetagross
Darkblood Malrell
17
22
19.5
3rd, Bronze


thorr-kan
Klotto Rubiini Kosketti
16
22.3
19.15
5th


The Kool
Gobta, Goblin Worg Rider
15
20.5
17.75
6th, Honorable Mention


Maat Mons
Unis Sobek Neithson
15.5
17.65
16.575
7th



That's a wrap, folks! Thanks to both of our fabulous judges, and congrats to everyone who walked away with a medal today! HM was chosen through instant runoff popular voting (which, you know, totally works with 2 votes, for sure!), because I said so.

New thread will be up before long!

[thorr-kan]

Thanks to our judges!

Congrats to our winners!

And the moral of this story is I should stick to background writing, not stat calculations. Though in my defense, I spent a lot of time calcing and recalcing spells known and spells per day. With that many ACF, it got *brutal.*

[The Kool]

I'll take Silver and an HM!

Actually, Thrush was an afterthought. Well OK, I wanted to do a Force Missile Mage, but the earliest you can qualify is 7th, so it was just out of reach. Gobta started from a desire to have my familiar do all the fighting, then I saw that I could have a Worg familiar, then I saw that Goblins have a bonus to Ride, then I remembered the anime I've been watching (That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime), and it all kinda fell into place (also explains Shadow Jaunt, if you were wondering). The wolf part came from me looking for a good ACF since I couldn't really take advantage of my familiar until late, then saw I could get a wolf at level 1, and it just had to be done. I felt he was weak though, and wanted a more optimized build. I really should have written something for Gobta, he probably would have fared better.

[Maat Mons]

Oh, we're explaining how we arrived at our builds? I'll have a go.

I just really like Egyptian kobolds. I have a homebrew setting in the works where kobolds are Egyptians, elves are Aztecs, dwarves are Vikings, and orcs are Ancient Greeks.

There are just so many fun little ways in which the whole kobold/Egyptian thing lines up:

Sobek is an Egyptian god with a humanoid body and the head of a crocodile. Kobolds have humanoid bodies and crocodile heads.
Reptiles seem well-suited overall to desert environments. Kobolds are reptiles (and somehow have an even more deserty variant in UA).
Egypt is famous for its tombs. Tombs are associated with traps. Kobolds are the trap-masters.
Fire resistance 6+ makes a character basically invulnerable to all normal desert hazards. Kobold sorceress can easily start with fire resistance 6 at level 1.

I can't think of one single cannon D&D race with +0 LA that works better as surrogate Egyptians.

[remetagross]

Heh. How about those races from Sandstorm, the Bukhas? Though they might be more like Bedouins than Egyptians.

As for mine, I just suddenly thought about that moment in Start of Darkness where Prof. Xavier meets Young Xykon and rubs him the wrong way by stating how obviously superior Wizards are when compared to Sorcerers ^^

[thorr-kan]

Klotto is an attempt to force as many ACFs into a sorcerer as I can in 6 levels. Honestly, the Dragon Magazine flaws work better thematically; the ones for sorcerers *hurt* and were perfect for the character.

I really want to play this guy some day, but I haven't been in a 3.5 game for 10 years.