Junkyard Wars XXV: SA + SS - S

[Macabaret]

Welcome to Junkyard Stadium! It is in this hallowed pile of miscellaneous parts that we will hold a competition of Practical Optimization with three components. The catch? Competitors may not use the third item in their builds!

Goal: Create a build that showcases the selected ingredients while steering clear of the Forbidden Ingredient.

This competition has two Necessary Components and one Forbidden Component. This round's components are...


Necessary: Silverwood Arcanist (found here (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031209a))
Necessary: Share Soulmeld (from Magic of Incarnum p.41)
Forbidden: Soulcaster (from Magic of Incarnum p.142 )





Creation: 32 point-buy is the presumed creation method. You may assume that you will have enough exp to reach ECL 20, and that the occasional bit of crafting, use of spells with exp components, or the like won't prevent you from doing so. However, LA buyoff is an alternate rule which is not in play.
Workshop: Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon Magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see below. Web-exclusive 3.0 or 3.5 materials by WotC are expressly allowed, but take care to verify that an updated version did not appear in print elsewhere as this may cause an Elegance deduction at the judges' discretion. If you use web material, please link it. Dragon Magazine Compendium is allowed, as are Oriental Adventures and the Dragonlance Campaign Setting. Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt and fractional saves are not allowed, as they create a different playing field.
Speculation: Please don't post or speculate on possible builds until after the reveal in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.
Disputes: Any scoring disputes should be sent to the Chair via PM. Valid disputes include RAW misreadings, arithmetic errors, things missed that are present in the entry, and inconsistently applied criteria. Invalid disputes include disagreements on matters of opinion, a judge not catching something not explicitly presented in the entry, and the like. Invalid disputes will be responded to via PM by the Chair, but valid disputes will be posted in-thread for the judge to review. When disputing, please indicate the judge the dispute is intended for and provide a quote of the disputed comment or comments. Note: the Chair may edit or paraphrase any disputes in presenting them to the judges.
Leadership is banned: We're creating one thing, not all of the things. If your entry includes a prestige class or ACF that grants Leadership or a Leadership-like ability as a bonus feat, the feat should be ignored and is not eligible to be traded away for another feat or ACF through any means.
Presentation: You will need to present a write-up of your build at at least one of the following points: 5th level, 10th level, 15th, 20th, and a "sweet spot" that you feel is the high point of the build, as well as presenting a fully-fleshed out 20-level build in the table below. Please give a rundown of the build's abilities and playability throughout its life. Builds will be posted anonymously, in order to avoid the potential of bias towards a particular competitor. For this reason, please don't put your name in the build as I'm likely to miss it when reviewing the entries. Also for this reason, PLEASE do not include any material that may or may not offend any potential viewers/judges/competitors OR break forum rules. Any builds which violate forum rules WILL be withheld from posting.




Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, please use the following table for their entry.
NAME OF ENTRY


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


1st
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


2nd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


3rd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


4th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


5th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


6th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


7th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


8th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


9th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


10th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


11th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


12th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


13th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


14th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


15th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


16th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


17th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


18th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


19th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


20th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities



Code immediately below (spoiler).

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


1st
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


2nd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


3rd
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


4th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


5th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


6th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


7th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


8th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


9th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


10th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


11th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


12th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


13th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


14th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


15th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


16th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


17th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


18th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


19th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


20th
New Class Level
+x
+x
+x
+x
Skills
Feats
New Class Abilities


For entries with spellcasting, use the following table for Spells per day and Spells Known. (Spells Known only if necessary, i.e. Sorcerer or Bard, but not Wizard or Warmage)
Spells per Day/Spells Known


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


1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


7th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


8th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


9th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


10th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


11th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


12th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


13th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


14th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


15th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


16th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


17th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


18th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


19th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


20th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Code immediately below (spoiler)Spells per Day/Spells Known


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


1st
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


2nd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


7th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


8th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


9th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


10th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


11th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


12th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


13th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


14th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


15th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


16th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


17th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


18th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


19th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


20th
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


For other systems (Psionics, ToB, Incarnum, etc.) keep track of PP/maneuvers/essentia separately, preferably in a nice neat list.





Scoring: Each judge is required to provide the criteria by which they are judging the builds. By "criteria," we mean a simple explanation of what the judge is looking for in each of the below categories and what kind of scoring we can expect. If a judge deems a build to be illegal, they may provide a 0 in Elegance but may not refuse to judge any build presented by the Chairman.
The Categories: Judging will be based on the following criteria, with each build rated from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Power, Elegance, Use of Components.


Originality: Is the build unique? Does it deviate from the obvious? Does it forge its own path, or does it fall back on common, established optimization tricks? Some judges score entries for the quality of their concept & backstory as well, though not all do. Providing at least some backstory is heavily encouraged, as it helps the judges figure out who the entry is. Note that the purpose of this category is not to penalize entries that independently came up with the same idea as another entry, but rather to reward entries that explore underutilized and non-obvious areas of optimization, so, judges, try not to base your judging in this category too heavily on what other builds are doing. Multiple entries using the same element may certainly be evidence that the element is unoriginal, but you shouldn't impose anything like a "-1 for each other build using the same class" penalty.
Power: Power level is up to you. Cheese is acceptable, but should be kept to a sane level unless you're showcasing a new TO build you've discovered. In the words of one of my predecessors, a little cheddar can be nice, but avoid the mature Gruyere unless you're making a cheese fondue.
Elegance: This category was formerly titled "Build Stability." Here, we're essentially measuring how skillfully you put your build together and how you balanced flavor with power. We're cooking here - if your dish doesn't taste good, it doesn't matter how well-presented it is. Use of flaws is an automatic loss of one point per flaw in this category. Other things that will cause lost points here are excessive multiclassing (meaning any multiclassing that results in an xp penalty), and classes that don't fit the concept - using Cloistered Cleric in a front-line melee fighter, for example, may lose you points. Rule adherence and legality of sources is scored under this category; additionally, reliance on a questionable, controversial, or ambiguous ruling can and should result in a deduction. Neither the number of sources nor their relative obscurity should be penalized--contestants should feel free to use any books they like. Dipping should not be penalized unless it results in a multiclass xp penalty; if the system won't penalize it, neither should judges.
Use of Components: Was the Forbidden Component avoided? Were the Necessary Components showcased, or simply used because they were necessary?



Disputes: Any scoring disputes will be posted by the Chairman in-thread after reviewing them privately. Valid disputes include
RAW misreadings,
arithmetic errors,
things missed that are present in the entry,
and inconsistently applied criteria.
Invalid disputes include
disagreements on matters of opinion,
a judge not catching something not explicitly presented in the entry,
and the like.
Invalid disputes will be responded to via PM by the Chair, but valid disputes should be responded to by each individual judge. Judges are obligated to respond to disputes to ensure that everyone gets a fair shake. A judge's scores will only be recognized if they have recognized all disputes. In the absence of any other judges, the entries will be judged by the chairman.



Completion Time:

Contestants will have until 20:59 PM CDT Tuesday July 9, 2019 to create their builds and PM them to the chairman.
Builds will then be posted simultaneously to avoid copying.
Judges will have until 20:59 PM CDT Tuesday July 23, 2019 to judge the builds and submit their scores. Judging deadline is subject to extension as required.
As the precedent has been set from Episode 2, should all prospective judges have posted their rulings in a neat, timely fashion and all disputes have been settled satisfactorily (to either judges, contestants, or the Chairperson), the judging period may end prematurely to give way to a new episode. No reason to keep working on a finished building and avoid moving onto the next one.


Looking for as many contestants and judges as feel like playing! We will award 1st through 3rd places, as well as a shout-out for honorable mention. The honorable mention prize is given to the most daring or unexpected build that doesn't gain a medal. Contestants are invited to vote for honorable mention via PM. Everyone else can vote in-thread. Ready? Set? Get to the junkyard and start building!



Junkyard Wars in the Playground I: Shadowdancer + Sneak Attack - Rogue (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?337864)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground II: Healing Spells + Ruby Knight Vindicator - Cleric (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?342896)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground III: Dragons + Theurges - Kobolds (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?347412)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground IV: BoED + Undead Type - Completes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?355278)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground V: Dread Witch + Reaping Mauler - Fighter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?360271)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground VI: Wonderworker + Profession Skill - Factotum (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?369604)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground VII: Metamagic Feats + LA - Metamagic Reducers! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?374504)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground VIII: Pounce+Small Size-Barbarian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?388151)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground IX: Earth Dreamer + Ordained Champion - Cleric (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?395791)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground X: Meldshaping + Natural Attacks - Totemist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?403880)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XI: Magical Darkness + Improved Familiar - Wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?409650)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XII: Dragonmark Heirs + Touchstones - Martial Weapons (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?430214)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XIII: Mulhorandi Divine Minion + Monk - Any Other Wildshaping (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?465901)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XIV: Racial Paragon Classes + Spellcasting - Base Classes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?479427)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XV: Ruathar + Stoneblessed - Human (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?497904)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XVI: Trapsmith + Combat Trapsmith - Rogue (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?540521)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XVII: Elemental Warrior + Jaunter - Fighter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?552569)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XVIII: Argent Savant + Holy Scourge - Wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?555404)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XIX: Incarnum Blade + Exotic Weapon Master - Spiked Chain (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?562523-Junkyard-Wars-XIX-IB-EWM-SC)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XX: Xorvintaal Exarch + The Pact-Bound Adept - Sorcerer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?568541-Junkyard-Wars-XX-XE-PBA(a)-S)
Junkyard Wars in the Playground XXI: Rebuke Undead + Teamwork Benefits - [Divine] feats (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?572680-Junkyard-Wars-XXI-Halloween-Round!)
Junkyard Wars XXII: Battle Trickster + Magical Trickster - Uncanny Trickster (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?577512-Junkyard-Wars-XXII-Show-Me-Your-Skillz)
Junkyard Wars XXIII: Spellwarp Sniper + Silever Pyromancer - Energy Substitution (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?581736-Junkyard-Wars-XXIII-Ready-Aim-Fire)
Junkyard Wars XXIV: Vow of Peace + Saint - Divine casting (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?585567-Junkyard-Wars-XXIV-VoPe-S-DC)

[Macabaret]

FAQ:

Q: So to be 100% Clear: The Wild Cohort is NOT an animal companion, NOT a special mount and NOT a familiar, yeah? It is basically it's own thing from a single source that cannot be augmented by anything?

A: Although a wild cohort is a friendly animal that you ride (as per Silverwood Arcanist's prereqs) with whom you are well acquainted, it is neither a Mount, an Animal Companion, nor a Familiar. It is a Wild Cohort, and it's progression needs to be tracked separately from other 'friends'. As such, any ability that augments a particular "friend" (e.g., Natural Bond or Enhance Familiar) will not function with a Wild Cohort. Any ability that augments a non-particular "friend" (e.g., Share Soulmeld) does function with a Wild Cohort (provided all other requisites are met, of course).


Q: What is the chair's interpretation of share soulmeld? Does the cohort get

1) the base benefit of the soulmeld only
2) benefit of any essentia invested in the soulmeld
3) benefit of a bound soulmeld

A: The "friend" receives the benefit(s) of the soulmeld, in its entirety. The base benefit(s), bound chakra benefit(s), and the benefit(s) of (currently) invested essentia.



Q: Are we ruling that Share Soulmeld applies to every familiar/mount/animal companion, or only to one of them?

A: Just as a Druid/Wizard that casts Barkskin can share the spell with both her animal companion and her familiar, so too can a character with Share Soulmeld share her 'melds with all "friends" that meet the qualifications.


Q: Does every Soulmeld get shared or just one of them?

A: Each soulmeld shaped has the option of being shared. The Melder must choose for each soulmeld at the time of shaping and the choice remains until unshaped.


Q: Does an animal have to qualify (high enough Con score, etc) in order to gain benefit from a soulmeld via Share Soulmeld?

A: A "friend" does not need to maintain a high enough Constitution score to benefit from shared soulmelds. Nor does it need to have opened chakras to benefit from shared soulmelds that are bound. I'm going to rule, for this contest, that the "friend" doesn't even need to have an appropriate body slot to gain a shared soulmelds benefits. (Thus, a viper could still benefit from a shared soulmeld occupying the feet chakra.)
I will, however, rule that a "friend" under the affect of a bound shared soulmeld will not also be able to wear a magic item in the corresponding body slot.


Q: Do save DCs of soulmelds shared use the meldshaper's ability score modifier or the "friend"'s?

Use the ability modifier of the "friend".

[WhamBamSam]

Ooh. This is very neat. I have some thoughts. I'll see if I can actually get them together into something interesting.

[Falontani]

How does a wild cohort interact with abilities that add creatures to selectable animal companions? Iirc it doesn't count as an animal companion for most things, but for determining what is available as a wild cohort it did.

[Macabaret]

How does a wild cohort interact with abilities that add creatures to selectable animal companions? Iirc it doesn't count as an animal companion for most things, but for determining what is available as a wild cohort it did.

I'm not exactly sure what the scope of your question is here, so I'll say this:

The wild cohort feat (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a) gives a list of animals that can be chosen. That list is identical to a druid's choice of animal companions (except in the case of aquatic campaigns, where a druid would have more options). As you gain levels, your choices expand to larger creatures, much like a druid and her animal companion. Such advancement, in fact, uses the same list, though at a slower progression.

A wild cohort, however, is not the same thing as an animal companion. Any feats, class features, magic items, etc that are usable with, or that augment, an animal companion (specifically) will not function with/for a wild cohort. (The feat Natural Bond, for example, requires an animal companion and, as such, would not be usable with a wild cohort.)

I hope that helps. :)

[Venger]

wild. I've never even heard of this class before. in to cook.

[weckar]

I mean, I guess? Does not really feel like that forbidden ingredient limits much of anything though.

EDIT: So to be 100% Clear: The Wild Cohort is NOT an animal companion, NOT a special mount and NOT a familiar, yeah? It is basically it's own thing from a single source that cannot be augmented by anything?

[WhamBamSam]

I mean, I guess? Does not really feel like that forbidden ingredient limits much of anything though.

EDIT: So to be 100% Clear: The Wild Cohort is NOT an animal companion, NOT a special mount and NOT a familiar, yeah? It is basically it's own thing from a single source that cannot be augmented by anything?Soulcaster would be a natural way to go for an arcane caster with meldshaping in a lot of cases. It does leave things pretty open though, I agree.

The premise of the contest is that it can be augmented by Share Soulmeld once you have Silverwood Arcanist's Share Spells. Other than that, that's basically correct.

[DeTess]

I mean, I guess? Does not really feel like that forbidden ingredient limits much of anything though.

EDIT: So to be 100% Clear: The Wild Cohort is NOT an animal companion, NOT a special mount and NOT a familiar, yeah? It is basically it's own thing from a single source that cannot be augmented by anything?

I believe, but it might be good for the chairperson to weigh in on this, that the silverwood arcanist's share spells feature means that you can then also use the share soulmeld feat with the wild cohort, but that's not 100% clear (basically, the feature means you've got the prerequisites, but it's not 100% clear whether the feat can then actually be applied).

[MisterKaws]

I can immediately see two very obvious ways(which I obviously won't mention) of completely sidestepping the restriction, which would easily lead to a full power score, but a low originality. There's also another obvious way to get an easy full power score, but which would ding use of components instead. And then, of course, you could run without trying to sidestep the restriction and end with low power.

Overall feels like a weird mix of components which makes it look more like a zero-sum between originality, power and component use.

[weckar]

Soulcaster would be a natural way to go for an arcane caster with meldshaping in a lot of cases. It does leave things pretty open though, I agree.
... Would you believe I misread Soulcaster as Soulborn?

Makes total sense to me now, though.

[Darkcouch]

What is the chair's interpretation of share soulmeld? Does the cohort get

1) the base benefit of the soulmeld only
2) benefit of any essentia invested in the soulmeld
3) benefit of a bound soulmeld

[Venger]

no adjudication required, it affects your pet as you, so that's shaped, essentia, and bound.

[daremetoidareyo]

This is one of the best junkyard wars ingredients that I've seen

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Are we ruling that Share Soulmeld applies to every familiar/mount/animal companion, or only to one of them?

Incidentally, it looks like Share Soulmeld will only work on the wild cohort if you're currently riding it (and have all 5 levels in Silverwood Arcanist).

[PoeticallyPsyco]

I can immediately see two very obvious ways(which I obviously won't mention) of completely sidestepping the restriction, which would easily lead to a full power score, but a low originality. There's also another obvious way to get an easy full power score, but which would ding use of components instead. And then, of course, you could run without trying to sidestep the restriction and end with low power.

Hope my way isn't the one you're thinking of!

[MisterKaws]

Hope my way isn't the one you're thinking of!

They're the most obvious and least investment-intensive ways, but saying any more than that would be against the rules.

[Macabaret]

There have been questions asked, both in thread and out. The FAQ upthread (second post) has been updated accordingly. If there are more questions (or if I missed something), please feel free to ask.

[daremetoidareyo]

There have been questions asked, both in thread and out. The FAQ upthread (second post) has been updated accordingly. If there are more questions (or if I missed something), please feel free to ask.

Save DCs of soulmelds shared: use the companion's/cohort's ability score modifier or the meldshaper's?

[weckar]

There have been questions asked, both in thread and out. The FAQ upthread (second post) has been updated accordingly. If there are more questions (or if I missed something), please feel free to ask.

Thanks! Now, we can get to work...

[jdizzlean]

a lot on my plate right now, but in for a bookmark at the least :p

[daremetoidareyo]

That 3rd level spells prereq keeps grumping me out. On my 4th attempt now.

[RaiKirah]

Not really sure if I have an idea, but very interested regardless... We'll see if inspiration strikes!

[PoeticallyPsyco]

So now that I've gotten my cheesy, somewhat obvious, and not especially inspired build out of my system, I've got an idea I actually quite like. The first build... probably not going to see the light of day unless I come up with a really good backstory for it.

[Macabaret]

Save DCs of soulmelds shared: use the companion's/cohort's ability score modifier or the meldshaper's?

The companion's/cohort's.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

I know that in Iron Chef, 3.5 updates to 3.0 material are allowed no matter the source. For instance, the Dragon Magazine update to Oriental Adventures is allowed. Is that also the case for Junkyard Wars?

[MisterKaws]

Well, I got an answer from chairman that pretty much invalidates my idea, so I'll be volunteering to judge. July is likely going to be a very boring month for me.

[Quentinas]

Sorry a question (inherent to the silverwood arcanist) can someone take 10 on handle animal to teach a trick or a general purpose to the wild cohort?

[Macabaret]

I know that in Iron Chef, 3.5 updates to 3.0 material are allowed no matter the source. For instance, the Dragon Magazine update to Oriental Adventures is allowed. Is that also the case for Junkyard Wars?

Now, now .... let's be careful with the words "no matter the source". If a third party source has updated some 3.0 material, or if someone has homebrewed an update of their own, that would not be valid in this competition.

Updates in Dragon Magazine, on the other hand, have been allowed in IC. I can't say that I've read through them myself, so I'm not exactly sure what's there or how game breaking (if at all) it might be. But there haven't been any issues with it in Iron Chef (as far as I know), so go ahead and use the Dragon 3.0-to-3.5 updates here, too.

[Macabaret]

Sorry a question (inherent to the silverwood arcanist) can someone take 10 on handle animal to teach a trick or a general purpose to the wild cohort?

I see nothing about the Silverwood Arcanist that changes Handle Animal skill checks to teach tricks to her wild cohort. They would use the skill just as anyone else would.

As far as taking 10 on a Handle Animal check to teach tricks, I see no reason why you couldn't, so long as you are "not being threatened or distracted" for the entirety of the time that you're preforming the action.

[Macabaret]

Update: One entry is in!

This is, I think, the earliest I've ever seen an entry make it to my inbox for one of these comps. The rest of you still have about 1 week left before the deadline. I'm sure you all can't wait to ... share ... what you've built!

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Oh goody, I thought it was this weekend. Still got time to learn how to Vancian magic....

[jdizzlean]

i had the beginnings of a build, then went on vacation without emailing it to myself from work...

I'll share after i get back on the 14th

[weckar]

At this point I will just patiently wait for the reveal.

[WhamBamSam]

I'm not gonna make it without an extension. I have my main build table done, but still need to do spells and the actual write-up. Don't stop the reveal on my account unless you've got a small crop, but if an extra entry would be worth an extra 24 hours, I could make that happen.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

I am so close to being done. 5 more levels of spells to chose, one introduction and two snapshots left to write...

[weckar]

So, ummm, has there been an extension? I can't tell.

[MisterKaws]

Looks like it...

[Macabaret]

So, ummm, has there been an extension? I can't tell.

Looks like it...

Sorry for the delay, folks, real life has hit me the last couple of days.

I have entries in. But based on the amount of people that have PMed with questions and comments, and more so due to the comments here (thank you WhamBamSam and PoeticallyPsyco for the communication. I appreciate it!), I'm inclined to give it another day. Er, another day more than what's already happened, that is.

New due date: 24 hours from the timestamp of this post. If people need more time than that, let me know, I'll be flexible.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Got it in! Now I can finally close all these tabs on my browser.

[daremetoidareyo]

Got it in! Now I can finally close all these tabs on my browser.

I hear ya bruvah

[Macabaret]

Aaaaaand... pencils down.

Please refrain from adding in this thread until all of the entries are posted. Thank you.

[Macabaret]

Skorrupi the Neutral Evil Savage Drow 0/Wizard 3/Incarnate 3/Arachnomancer 5/Silverwood Arcanist 5/Windrider 4



Stat

Base

Level Up

Total



Strength

10


10



Dexterity

16


16



Constitution

15

12, 16, 20

18



Intelligence

16

4, 8

18



Wisdom

10


10



Charisma

11


11









Level

Class

Base Attack Bonus

Fort Save

Ref Save

Will Save

Skills

Feats

Class Features


1st

Combat Wizard

+0

+0

+0

+2

Ride +2, Knowledge (Nature) +4, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Climb +2, Handle Animal +2

Mounted Combat(b), Blessed of Vulkoor

Wilderness Companion, Conjuration Domain Wizard, +Acid Splash, +Mage Armor



2nd

Wizard

+1

+0

+0

+3

Ride +2.5, Knowledge (Nature) +5, Knowledge (Religion) +5, Climb +2.5, Handle Animal +2.5





3rd

Wizard

+1

+1

+1

+3

Ride +3, Knowledge (Nature) +6, Knowledge (Religion) +6, Climb +3, Handle Animal +3

Verminfriend

+Web



4th

Incarnate

+1

+3

+1

+5

Ride +3.5, Knowledge (Nature) +7, Knowledge (Religion) +7, Climb +3.5, Handle Animal +3


Soulmelds, Evil Aura, Detect Good, 1 Essentia



5th

Incarnate

+2

+4

+1

+6

Ride +4, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +3


Chakra Bind: Crown



6th

Arachnomancer

+2

+4

+3

+6

Ride +4.5, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +8, Concentration +1

Wild Cohort

+1 saves vs poison, Handle Scorpions



7th

Arachnomancer

+3

+4

+4

+6

Ride +5, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +10, Concentration +5


+2 saves vs poison, Scorpion Shape, +Stinking Cloud



8th

Arachnomancer

+4

+5

+4

+7

Ride +5.5, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +11, Concentration +11


+3 saves vs poison, Tremorsense 20 ft



9th

Arachnomancer

+5

+5

+5

+7

Ride +6, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +12, Concentration +12, Spellcraft +5

Natural spell

+4 saves vs poison, +Summon Monster IV



10th

Arachnomancer

+5

+5

+5

+7

Ride +6, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +13, Concentration +13, Spellcraft +11


+5 saves vs poison, Scorpion Shape (Tiny, Huge)



11th

Silverwood Arcanist

+5

+5

+5

+9

Ride +7, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +14, Concentration +14, Spellcraft +14


Fast Handling, Skilled Rider, +Wall of Stone



12th

Silverwood Arcanist

+6

+5

+5

+10

Ride +10, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +15, Concentration +15, Spellcraft +15

Obtain Familiar

Cohort Trick



13th

Silverwood Arcanist

+6

+6

+6

+10

Ride +13, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +16, Concentration +16, Spellcraft +16


Mounted Casting, +Acid Fog



14th

Silverwood Arcanist

+7

+6

+6

+11

Ride +16, Knowledge (Nature) +8, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +17, Concentration +17, Spellcraft +17


Cohort Trick



15th

Silverwood Arcanist

+7

+6

+6

+11

Ride +18, Knowledge (Nature) +9, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +18, Concentration +18, Spellcraft +18

Share Soulmeld

Share Spells, +Summon Monster VII



16th

Windrider

+8

+8

+6

+13

Ride +19, Knowledge (Nature) +10, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +19, Concentration +19, Spellcraft +19


Appraise Mount, Chosen Mount, Empathic Link



17th

Windrider

+9

+9

+6

+14

Ride +20, Knowledge (Nature) +11, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +20, Concentration +20, Spellcraft +20


Mount Assistance, Mount Feat



18th

Windrider

+10

+9

+7

+14

Ride +21, Knowledge (Nature) +12, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +21, Concentration +21, Spellcraft +21

Open Greater Chakra: Throat, Improved Initiative(b)

Mount Healing



19th

Windrider

+11

+10

+7

+15

Ride +22, Knowledge (Nature) +13, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +22, Concentration +22, Spellcraft +22





20th

Incarnate

+11

+10

+8

+15

Ride +23, Knowledge (Nature) +13, Knowledge (Religion) +8, Climb +4, Handle Animal +23, Concentration +23, Spellcraft +23


Expanded Soulmeld Capacity +1, Incarnum Radiance 1/day








Spells per Day



Level

0lvl

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

5th

6th

7th

8th

9th


1st

3

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-



2nd

4

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-



3rd

4

2

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-



4th*

4

2

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-



5th*

4

2

1

-

-

-

-

-

-

-



6th

4

3

2

-

-

-

-

-

-

-



7th

4

3

2

1

-

-

-

-

-

-



8th

4

3

3

2

-

-

-

-

-

-



9th

4

4

3

2

1

-

-

-

-

-



10th

4

4

3

3

2

-

-

-

-

-



11th

4

4

4

3

2

1

-

-

-

-



12th

4

4

4

3

3

2

-

-

-

-



13th

4

4

4

4

3

2

1

-

-

-



14th

4

4

4

4

3

3

2

-

-

-



15th

4

4

4

4

4

3

2

1

-

-



16th*

4

4

4

4

4

3

2

1

-

-



17th*

4

4

4

4

4

3

2

1

-

-



18th*

4

4

4

4

4

3

2

1

-

-



19th*

4

4

4

4

4

3

2

1

-

-



20th*

4

4

4

4

4

3

2

1

-

-





Spellbook (without scrolls)

0: All wizard cantrips
1: Mage Armor*, Summon Monster 1, Benign Transposition, Bloodwind, Shield, Enlarge Person, Expeditious Retreat, Nerveskitter, Fist of Stone
2: Web*, Cloud of Knives, Summon Monster 2, False Life, Mirror Image
3: Stinking Cloud*, Scorpion Tail, Mass Snake’s Swiftness, Evard’s Menacing Tentacles, Circle Against Evil
4: Summon Monster 4*, Greater Mirror Image, Fire Shield, Dimensional Anchor, Evard’s Black Tentacles
5: Wall of Stone*, Summon Monster 5, Nightstalker’s Transformation, Lesser Planar Binding, Greater Enlarge Person
6: Acid Fog*, Tenser’s Transformation, Greater Anticipate Teleportation, Greater Heroism, Superior Resistance
7: Summon Monster 7*, Bite of the Werebear, Open Lesser Chakra



Skorrupi has jumped through her hoops by this point. The hardest levels are past. Right now we have access to 2nd level spells, have a rather weak Medium Scorpion Animal Companion, and a Lesser Soulspark Familiar which does a piddly 1d6+3 damage against adjacent foes. Our biggest trick is casting Cloud of Knives, and sharing it with our animal companion to deal an impressive +6 1d6+1 twice per round as a free action for 3 rounds. Woo max of 6d6+6 or 12-42 damage… Can you tell I don’t like low levels?
Skorrupi has gotten her final level of Arachnomancer! Just an FYI, if you hadn’t noticed we used the adaption notes because Skorrupi’s an Eberron Drow who venerates Vulkoor, not lolth. That means she doesn’t get the spider domain, nor webwalking, but did get full casting instead. Skorrupi can turn into a Huge Monstrous Scorpion now, giving her some beastly melee capabilities, as well as having her ever useful Large Monstrous Scorpion (cohort) and her (still weak) Small Monstrous Scorpion Animal Companion. It sucks if they die, but they are replaceable each day. We also have 4th level spells, which are some of the powerful fun ones! Of note we have Scorpion Tail, which gives us and our animal companion an additional Sting attack dealing 2d6 damage and stunning on a failed fort save. What’s nice about this, is that natural venoms trigger whenever the attack that is attached deals damage, and a scorpion’s venom is keyed to their Sting attack (which this is) so we get another pair of hits from our venom! Also Evard’s Menacing Tentacles grants Skorrupi and her animal companion two 10 ft reach 1d8 tentacle attacks, and looks awesome. As Free actions. So Free action damages: 2 +11 1d8+6, 2 +1 1d8-1, 2 1d6+2, and a 1d6+3 for a total of 23-67 per round (if they all hit). We have trained our animal companion to ride us now, not a usual trick, but one that can be done.

(a note before you read this next part, it was a bit ranty and was written before I had even named Skorrupi, or before I had recalled that you have to write up strategies for various levels. We have our entire spellcasting by this level. So have fun with the insane rant) (ps, this is technically our level 15 write up)
Okay okay, fine. I get it. I look at things differently than a lot of people. Level 1, we traded out our familiar for an animal companion. According to Secrets of Xen’drik:

If you have an animal companion, you can add the following creatures to the list of available options: 1st level — Small or Medium monstrous scorpion; 4th level — Large monstrous scorpion; 10th level — Huge monstrous scorpion. If you have the wild empathy ability, you can treat scorpions as animals for the purpose of that ability.
So with that we have just added Small or Medium Monstrous Scorpion to the list on page 36 of the Player’s Handbook, as well as Large Monstrous Scorpion, and Huge Monstrous Scorpion (each with their own level requirements). This means that since we have an animal companion (just using half our wizard level for it’s effective level) they are added to the list. This is important because
Like a druid, you can choose more powerful animals as you increase in level. These alternative animal cohorts work like the alternative animal companions available to a druid, but they are available as cohorts later than they are available as animal companions. When selecting an alternative animal cohort, use the list of alternative animal companions on page 36 of the Player's Handbook, but treat yourself as a druid three levels lower than your character level. Yup same list.


Level 1 we have a medium monstrous scorpion animal companion (pretty lame tbh).
Level 6 we get a second medium monstrous scorpion companion (wild cohort) who becomes large at level 7, and then huge at level 13.
At level 12 we gain a familiar, which can specifically be a tiny monstrous scorpion because of Blessed of Vulkoor.
At level 10 we can become a Monstrous Scorpion of any size from Tiny-Huge for a total of 15 hours per day. Not quite 24 hours, but that is the majority of the day.
A large creature may have 1 medium creature, or 2 small creatures riding it, it’s feasible to be able to hold up to 4 tiny creatures. A huge creature may have 1 large, 2 medium, 4 small, or 8 tiny creatures riding it.


Huge Monstrous Scorpion (cohort) is being ridden by Small Monstrous Scorpion (animal companion), Tiny Monstrous Scorpion (familiar), and Tiny-Medium Monstrous Scorpion (me). A creature that is riding a creature counts as being on all squares that the mounted creature is in, so in this case we have 9 squares that we count as being in, even though we are Tiny-Medium. So we are within 5 ft of our animal companion, our cohort, and our familiar.

At level 15 we get Share Soulmeld, which is shared with our familiar, our cohort, our animal companion, and we get it too. Our soulmeld of choice? Soulspark Familiar. At the same level we get the spell Open Lesser Chakra which lasts all day. It allows us to bind our Soulspark to our Brow Chakra. This gives us 4:

Tiny Outsider (Evil, Incarnum, Native)
Hit Dice: 6d8+12 (45 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 19 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +3 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/–1
Attack: Soul blast +15 ranged (1d8+5)
Full Attack: Soul blast +15 ranged (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Soul blast
Special Qualities: Amorphous, damage reduction 5/Good, evasion
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +6
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 17
Skills: Diplomacy +5, Hide +21, Knowledge (history) +7, Listen +10, Move Silently +12, Sense Motive +10, Spot +10
Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (soul blast)
Alignment: Neutral Evil

Amorphous (Ex): A soulspark is not subject to critical hits. Creatures that flank it gain none of the normal benefits of flanking.

Soul Blast (Su): A soulspark attacks by focusing soul energy on its target as a ranged attack with a range of 5 feet. It gains a bonus on its damage roll equal to its Charisma bonus (if any). This doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity.
At 18th level we can start binding it to our Throat Chakra, giving us this:

Tiny Outsider (Evil, Incarnum, Native)
Hit Dice: 8d8+16 (52 hp)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 21 (+2 size, +5 Dex, +4 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+0
Attack: Soul blast +18 ranged (1d12+7)
Full Attack: Soul blast +18 ranged (1d12+7)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Soul blast
Special Qualities: Amorphous, damage reduction 10/Good, evasion
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 21, Con 15, Int 6, Wis 13, Cha 21
Skills: Diplomacy +7, Hide +24, Knowledge (history) +9, Listen +12, Move Silently +16, Sense Motive +12, Spot +12
Feats: Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (soul blast)
Alignment: neutral evil

Amorphous (Ex): A soulspark is not subject to critical hits. Creatures that flank it gain none of the normal benefits of flanking.

Soul Blast (Su): A soulspark attacks by focusing soul energy on its target as a ranged attack with a range of 5 feet. It gains a bonus on its damage roll equal to its Charisma bonus (if any). This doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. And finally at level 20 we get 1 more essentia to shove into the soulspark pushing it’s to hit up to +19 and it’s damage up to 1d12+8. Each of these soulsparks can be anywhere within 10 ft of our Huge Monstrous Scorpion Mount.

That is 32-76 damage per round, without using the actions of the scorpions.
And we have hardly touched our magic yet.

Spells which are fun that we will be sharing: Mage Armor, Shield, Expeditious Retreat, Cloud of Knives, Scorpion Tail, Evard’s Menacing Tentacles, Greater Mirror Image, Greater Enlarge Person, Superior Resistance, Nightstalker’s Transformation, Greater Heroism, Bite of the Werebear
Lesser spells which we can share: False Life, Nerveskitter, Fist of Stone, Fireshield.

Okay now that rant is over let us get back to sanity. Out final levels are Windrider (strange?) and a final level of Incarnate. Honestly Incarnate is only there for 1 more essentia, and Skorrupi can easily grab another level of Arachnomancer or Windrider at this level. Arachnomancer would grant us +1 BAB, +1 all saves, and up our caster level, Windrider would give our cohort 1 more feat. Alright. Windrider:
Windrider is a fun class that lets you choose your mount. Literally anything that can be ridden can be your mount. We’re riding our cohort with this one, but really you could become a tiny scorpion and ride the barbarian into combat. Our mount gets 1 bonus feat that we choose, (probably power attack if I’m being honest with myself), along with +4 HD, (our cohort is a vermin so does not get a bonus feat here, but if we ride that barbarian he gets another feat of his choice, and an ability score improvement!) +6 natural armor, (always nice) and +2 strength. This is on top of the boosts that it gets for being our wild cohort. Here, I’ll give you a simple statblock, just remember that this is unbuffed, no equipment:
Skorrupi’s Warbeast Mount
Size/Type: Huge Vermin
Hit Dice: 18d8+90 (183 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 60 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 29 (+21 Natural, -2 Size), touch 8, flat-footed 29
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+31
Attack: Claw +21 (1d8+10)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +21 (1d8+10) and Sting +16 (2d4+5)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Constrict, Improved Grab, Poison
Special Qualities: Share Spells, Empathic Link, Darkvision, Vermin Traits, Tremorsense 60 ft
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 11, Con 20, Int -, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Spot +6, Listen +2
Feats: Power Attack(b)

Soulmelds: Crystal Helm (attacks gain Force Descriptor, allowing the ability to hit incorporeal targets without penalty, +2 saves vs charm and compulsion), Wind Cloak (Deflect Arrows 1/round without needing a hand free, and DR 2 vs ranged attacks), Soulspark Familiar (you remember the rant?)

Constrict (Ex): A monstrous scorpion deals automatic claw damage on a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a monstrous scorpion must hit with a claw attack. A monstrous scorpion can use either its Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for grapple checks, whichever is better.

Poison (Ex): A monstrous scorpion has a poisonous sting. DC 24 fort save, 1d6 con damage initial and secondary.


Ah the bane of my existence.

Savage Progression Drow: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a)
Combat Wizard: UA
Wilderness Companion: UA
Domain Wizard: UA
Blessed of Vulkoor: Secrets of Sarlona
Verminfriend: Drow of the Underdark
Incarnate: Magic of Incarnum
Wild Cohort: archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a
Arachnomancer: Drow of the Underdark (check the adaption notes)
Obtain Familiar: Complete Arcane? I think?
Silverwood Arcanist: http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031209a (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031209a)
Share Soulmeld: Magic of Incarnum
Open Greater Chakra: Magic of Incarnum
Windrider: Master’s of the Wild
Warbeast: MM2
Spells: Good luck. Sorry m8.

[Macabaret]

Louis Draclaw
CN Silverbrow Human Bard 7/Totemist 2/Uncanny Trickster 3/Sublime Chord 1/Silverwood Arcanist 5/Virtuoso 2
http://bp0.blogger.com/_Y0i1xyabHTA/RhGXT-qurVI/AAAAAAAAAQM/CrIONbcUUFA/s1600/ManRidingStrangeBeast3.jpg

The Beast that RidesAbility Scores
14 Str, 10 Dex, 14 Con, 14 Int, 10 Wis, 16 Cha
Increase Cha at all opportunities

Build Table


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


1st
Bard 1
+0
+0
+2
+2
Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Ride 2cc, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 4, Listen 4, Spellcraft 4, Concentration 4
Wild Cohort, Dragonfire Inspiration
Bardic music, Bardic Knowledge, Countersong, Fascinate, Inspire Courage


2nd
Bard 2
+1
+0
+3
+3
Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Knowledge (Nature 5), Ride 2, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 5, Listen 5, Spellcraft 5, [/b]Concentration 5, Collector of Stories[/b]
-
-


3rd
Bard 3
+2
+1
+3
+3
Knowledge (Arcana) 6, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 3cc, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 6, Listen 6, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 6[/b], Collector of Stories
Obtain Familiar
Inspire Competence


4th
Totemist 1
+2
+3
+5
+3
Knowledge (Arcana) 7, Ride 3, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 6, Listen 7, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 7, Profession (Astrologer) 1, Handle Animal 2[/b], Collector of Stories
-
Wild Empathy, Illiteracy


5th
Totemist 2
+3
+4
+6
+3
Knowledge (Arcana) 8, Ride 3, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 6, Listen 8, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 8, Profession (Astrologer) 4, Handle Animal 3[/b], Collector of Stories
-
Totem Chakra Bind (+1 Capacity)


6th
Bard 4
+4
+4
+7
+4
Knowledge (Arcana) 9, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 5cc, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 6, Listen 9, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 9[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 4, Handle Animal 3, Balance 1, Collector of Stories
Share Soulmeld
-


7th
Bard 5
+4
+4
+7
+4
Knowledge (Arcana) 10, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 5, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 6, Listen 10, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 10, Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 3, Balance 2[/b], Collector of Stories, Listen to This
-
-


8th
Bard 6
+5
+5
+8
+5
Knowledge (Arcana) 11, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 5, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 8, Listen 11, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 11[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 3, Balance 3, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack
Song of the HeartB
Music of Creation ACF


9th
Bard 7
+6
+5
+8
+5
Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 5, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 10, Listen 12, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 12[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 3, Balance 4, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration
Mounted Combat
-


10th
Uncanny Trickster 1
+6
+5
+10
+5
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 8.5cc, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 10, Listen 13, Spellcraft 6, Concentration 12, Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 3, Balance 5, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge
-
Bonus Trick, Favored Trick (Dismount Attack)


11th
Sublime Chord 1
+6
+5
+10
+7
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 10cc, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 11, Listen 13, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 14[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 3, Balance 5, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge
-
Bardic Lore, Bardic Music


12th
Silverwood Arcanist 1
+6
+5
+10
+9
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 10, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 11, Listen 13, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 15[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 5 Balance 5, Intimidate 1, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge
Improved Familiar
Fast Handling, Skilled Rider (+10)


13th
Silverwood Arcanist 2
+7
+5
+10
+10
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 10, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 11, Listen 13, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 16[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 7 Balance 5, Intimidate 2, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge
-
Cohort Trick


14th
Silverwood Arcanist 3
+7
+6
+11
+10
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 10, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 11, Listen 13, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 17[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 9 Balance 5, Intimidate 3, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge
-
Mounted Casting


15th
Silverwood Arcanist 4
+8
+6
+11
+11
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 10, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 11, Listen 13, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 18[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 11 Balance 5, Intimidate 4, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge
Melodic Casting
Cohort Trick


16th
Silverwood Arcanist 5
+8
+6
+11
+11
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 10, Diplomacy 4, Perform (Sing) 11, Listen 13, Spellcraft 6, [/b]Concentration 19[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 14 Balance 5, Intimidate 4, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge
-
Share Spells


17th
Virtuoso 1
+8
+6
+11
+11
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 10, Diplomacy 5, Perform (Sing) 11, Listen 13, Spellcraft 8, Concentration 20, Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 14 Balance 5, Intimidate 4, Bluff 4, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge
-
Bardic Music, Virtuoso Performance (Persuasive Song)


18th
Uncanny Trickster 2
+9
+6
+12
+11
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 12, Diplomacy 5, Perform (Sing) 14, Listen 14, Spellcraft 8, [/b]Concentration 21[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 14, Balance 5, Intimidate 4, Bluff 8, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge, Social Recovery
Familiar Concentration
Bonus Trick, Favored Trick (Swift Concentration), +1 Level Virtuoso Features


19th
Virtuoso 2
+10
+6
+12
+12
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 18, Diplomacy 5, Perform (Sing) 17, Listen 14, Spellcraft 8, [/b]Concentration 22[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 14, Balance 5, Intimidate 4, Bluff 8, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge, Social Recovery
-
Virtuoso Performance (Sustaining Song)


20th
Uncanny Trickster 3
+11
+7
+12
+13
Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 23, Diplomacy 5, Perform (Sing) 20, Listen 14, Spellcraft 8, Concentration 23cc[/b], Profession (Astrologer) 6, Handle Animal 14, Balance 5, Intimidate 4, Bluff 8, Collector of Stories, Listen to This, Dismount Attack, Swift Concentration, Nimble Charge, Social Recovery, False Theurgy
-
Bonus Trick, Favored Trick (Nimble Charge), +1 Level of Sublime Chord Features, Song of Arcane Power



Bard Spells Per Day/Spells Known


Level
0lvl
1st
2nd
3rd


1st
2/4
-
-
-


2nd
3/5
0/2
-
-


3rd
3/6
1/3
-
-


6th
3/6
2/3
0/2
-


7th
3/6
3/4
1/3
-


8th
3/6
3/4
2/3
-


9th
3/6
3/4
2/4
0/2

*Does not count bonus spell slots for a high Cha score.

Spells Known
0th: Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Message, Detect Magic, Mending, Stick
1st: Inspirational Boost, Grease, Unseen Servant, Scholar’s Touch
2nd: Alter Self, Bonefiddle, Sonorous Hum, Lesser Celerity
3rd: Glibness

Sublime Chord Spells Per Day/Spells Known


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


11th
2/3
1/1
-
-
-
-


12th
2/4
2/2
-
-
-
-


13th
3/4
2/2
1/1
-
-
-


14th
3/4
3/3
2/2
-
-
-


15th
3/4
3/3
2/2
1/1
-
-


16th
4/4
3/4
3/3
2/2
-
-


18th
4/4
4/4
3/3
2/2
1/1
-


19th
4/4
4/4
3/4
3/3
2/2
-


20th
4/4
4/4
4/4
3/3
2/2
1/1

*Does not count bonus spell slots from a high Cha score.

Spells Known
4th: Greater Harmonize, Polymorph, Open Least Chakra, Dimension Door
5th: Greater Dispel Magic, Overland Flight, Draconic Polymorph, Fiendform
6th: Bite of the Weretiger, Greater Anticipate Teleportation, Irresistible Dance, Imbue Familiar With Spell Ability
7th: Greater Teleport, Summon Aspect of Bahamut, Kiss of Draconic Defiance
8th: Polymorph Any Object, Greater Celerity
9th: Shapechange


Song of the WildECL 6DFI progression is a little behind where a pure DFI build would have it at this point, but it’s still 2d6 with Inspirational Boost and Louis can make up for it easily with 6 natural attacks from a standard soulmeld loadout of Threefold Mask of the Chimera bound to his Totem Chakra and Claws of the Wyrm and Dragon Tail shaped all of which can be shared with his familiar from Obtain Familiar. His Wild Cohort can’t yet share spells or soulmelds but does benefit from Inspire Courage/DFI as well. Though he’s buying all his Ride ranks cross-class in anticipation of Silverwood Arcanist’s Skilled Rider bonus, having it as a Totemist class skill allows him to enjoy the full character level+3 cap.
ECL 12Squeezing all the necessary skill points is a bit of a headache, but Louis is into Sublime Chord and Silverwood Arcanist. The Open Least Chakra spell allows access to the Sphinx Claws Hand Bind which gives Louis and his (now Improved) Familiar pounce. With Dismount Attack as a Favored Trick, he can pounce as a standard action twice per encounter after making a fast dismount check (with a synergy bonus and a +10 from Skilled Rider he’s sitting at +22 meaning he can automatically succeed even with an ACP as high as 3). Since his mount is handling the moving (his Wild Cohort can be handled as a free action), he’s got a move action free which can be used to start or maintain DFI or Inspire Courage (with Song of the Heart now online) thanks to Greater Harmonize.
ECL 16Louis finishes out Silverwood Arcanist and now has the BAB for a Howler familiar, meaning he now has two large creatures that can serve as mounts and share spells and soulmelds. He’ll bounce between them by fast mounting and dismounting around his Dismount Attack pounces. He can also now cast spells while maintaining Bardic Music thanks to Melodic Casting and has a wider array of potent buffs. He can also use Summon Aspect of Bahamut to produce large, powerful minions for a duration of Concentration and can maintain concentration without much difficulty thanks to Sonorus Hum and Swift Concentration.

ECL 20With Familiar Concentration his familiar can use a shared Sonorous Hum to hold the leash on an Aspect of Bahamut without any issue while his own iteration of the Sonorous Hum and Swift Concentration as a Favored Trick give Louis the ability to hold another and a Kiss of Draconic Defiance with relative ease. He finishes out with an effective level of 10 for Inspire Courage, meaning Inspirational Boots gets him up to 4d6 DFI before items and in a position to get a bump from a Vest of Legends. Last but not least, he snags a 9th level spell for Shapechange, which can be anything from another great buff for gishing to downright world-shattering.


By Fang and ClawComplete Arcane: Obtain Familiar
Complete Mage: Melodic Casting
Complete Scoundrel: Skill Tricks, Uncanny Trickster
Complete Warrior: Howler Improved Familiar
Draconomicon: Draconic Polymorph
Dragon Magic: Dragonfire Inspiration, Draconic Soulmelds, Kiss of Draconic Defiance, Silverbrow Human, Summon Aspect of Bahamut
Eberron Campaign Setting: Music of Creation ACF, Song of the Heart
Lost Empires of Faerun: Familiar Concentration
Magic of Incarnum: Open Least Chakra, Share Soulmeld, Soulmelds, Totemist
PHB II: Lesser Celerity, Greater Celerity
Races of Destiny: Scholar’s Touch
Spell Compendium: Bite of the Weretiger, Bonefiddle, Fiendform, Greater Anticipate Teleportation, Imbue Familiar With Spell Ability, Inspirational Boost, Sonorous Hum, Stick
Web: Silverwood Arcanist (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031209a), Wild Cohort (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a)
Everything else should be in the SRD.

[Macabaret]

Dan, the four-horse man of the Rockalypse


https://i.imgur.com/MiU1ye0.jpg


Preamble: This entire build supposes that there is a DM that works with you to make it happen. Ask about fractional BAB, you’ll want it. If not, don't worry, you just need to survive 8 levels with four 3-4 HD friends and a large number of first level spells.

Race: This whole build is about exploiting share soulmeld as best as possible, and the means of doing so will go through the prestige class of chameleon, Found in races of Destiny on page 111. This prestige class has the ability to get third level spells in 3 levels, which is necessary to get into Silverwood arcanist. The prereqs for chameleon require the able learner feat, which we will discuss how to maximally exploit later. Able learner requires you to be a human, changeling, or doppleganger, so we choose human. Also, Bluff and Disguise need to be at 8 ranks by level 5, so we need a way to add them to class skills as we bounce around in Base Classes to collect animal companions. To get disguise, we are going to choose a human subrace...Silverbrow human, found in Dragon Magic on Page 6. Instead of an extra skill point, you get disguise as a perma-class skill, a +2 bonus to it, and featherfall as a spell like ability 1/day per 5 HD. You also keep that sweet sweet bonus feat. To get bluff as a permanent class skill, we are going to be a silverbrow human from one of the great 7 clans: the scorpion clan. Found in Oriental Adventures on page 10. Now you have permanent bluff and disguise skills, and you can just cross class the rest of the sense motive requirement

Abilities:
Str 10
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 16
Wis 14
Cha 10

Level 1: Brahmin: The Brahmin is an alternative shaman found in the web THE MAHASARPA CAMPAIGN enhancement of Oriental Adventures on page 7. (found here (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20011019a): ) The Shaman is a 3.0 Class from Oriental adventures that grants domains, divine Wis based spell casting, an animal companion, and unarmed strike as a bonus feat. The animal companion class feature is 3.0 and is based off the spell animal friendship, just as the druid was in 3.0 edition. The shaman is updated in dragon #318 but that update completely neglects the animal companion update part for the shaman. Why? The easiest and most likely ruling is that the shaman gets the animal companion feature of druids in 3.5. So the rest of this build presupposes that this is the path forward. The alternative is to ask if urban druid's urban companion can be affected by feats and prestige classes that help animal companions.

So to the shaman...

As far as domain choices, and the only reason that Dash is a Brahamin instead of a shaman is the access to the meditation domain (found on page 8) The Meditation domain has the granted power: Each day, you can prepare one spell as though it had the Empower Spell feat applied to it. However, this spell is at its normal level, not at two levels higher (as with the regular metamagic feat). You need not know the Empower Spell feat to use this ability.

The other domain isn’t that important, but that free empower is really nice. The spell compendium on page 4 says this: "Also, consider using the cleric domains presented in this book as shaman domains."

So we are supposing that these domains found in the spell compendium are options that are available to select. If spell compendium is not available, take the Fury domain in Oriental adventures. This domain power gives you a 1/day +4 to hit and grants access to the "weapon bless" spell, which is fun if you know who you want to kill.

WEAPON BLESS - Transmutation Components: V, S, F Casting Time: 10 minutes Range: Touch. Target: Weapon touched. Duration: Permanent until discharged. Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless, object). Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless, object)
You prepare one weapon for combat against a particular foe. While casting the spell, you write the identity of the foe on the weapon, along with spirit invocations to give the weapon
power. Although you do not need to know the exact name of the intended victim, you must still identify the creature specifically. You cannot, for example, bless a weapon for use against “a kappa,” but you can bless it for use against “the kappa who lives in Ch’i Sheng’s pond.”
The first time the blessed weapon is used against the target creature, its wielder gains a +5 enhancement bonus on the first attack roll and a +5 bonus on damage if the first attack is successful. After the first attack, or if the weapon is used against another foe before it is used against the target creature, the writings on the blade disappear and the spell effect ends.
Focus: A writing brush and ink.

Other OA domains to consider are the nature domain (rebuke animals and plants) or the war domain (weapon focus lance)

The other 1st level Shaman spells to consider are SNA 1, Attraction, Bless water, and Obscuring mist.

If Spell compendium domains are allowed, there are a few good options! The planning domain, which grants you the extend spell feat is my favorite choice and the one that this build will use. Other great options are the rune domain (grants scribe scroll), and if you get fractional BAB approved, absolutely consider getting the retribution domain. Maximum damage on a charging lance is fantastic.

I don’t suggest using SNA all that much because you have an animal companion and a cohort in addition to yourself. But if you want to slow the entire game down to nothing, the summoner domain gives you a +2 to caster level.

Feats: Able learner and wild cohort (human bonus), extend spell (planning domain), Improved unarmed strike.

Companions!
We are taking heavy horses for both the animal companion and the cohort. These horses will be obtained in the forgotten realms, and will be of the Kromlor stock. These 2,200 pound horses are found in Champions of Valor page 155. Kromlor (CR 1): As heavy horse (MM 273) except +2 Str, +2 Con.

Seeing as how they are not warhorses, Just heavy horses, we have the option of getting the warbeast template (Monster Manual 2 page 219) onto them via the handle animal skill. When we get ranks in it. And that’s the plan for these companions for now. They’re all gonna be kromlor warbeasts. The nice thing about horses is that they have hooves, which are explicitly named in the better mounted feats.

The stats for a kromlor before warbeasting are:
Spd 50, endurance, run, scent, 3HD, 2 hoof attacks (1d6), Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6

After warbeasting
Spd 60, endurance run, scent, combative mount, 4HD, 2 hoof attacks (1d6), Str 21, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6. Because you have 4HD, add a +1 to that strength score to bring it to 22.


Level 2: Wilderness companion combat wizard
Wilderness companion is a found in Unearthed arcana on page 58 Trade that familiar for another kromlor! Effective druid level = ½ wizard level. Combat Wizard is on page 59. Trade scribe scroll for mounted combat. Silverwood arcanist Prereqs: complete.

Being a specialist is an option and in my opinion for a few hours there, diviner was the best way to go here, as 1/day you can add your int bonus to a roll. Ban necromancy and be done with it, this is probably what you need to do if there is no fractional BAB available to you.

For this build however, we are an illusionist, so that we can trade away bonus spells per day for 2 illusion spells per newly gained spell level and the spell mastery feat applied to them via Unearthed arcana’s variant specialists. Ban necromancy and enchantment.

Feats: Mounted combat

Spells: master’s touch, benign transposition, weapon shift, blockade, mage armor, caltrops, fist of stone, enlarge person, disguise self, spellflower,

Level 3: Skilled city dweller totemist

Feats: share soulmeld

Soulmelds: sharing a soulmelds with all three of your kromlors is going to be fun. At first level, the totemist doesn't have any chakra binds, so we are left with choosing soulmelds with the best benefit for two out of three angry horses to share. Luckily, because we're silverbrow, we have the dragonblood subtype, so the soulmelds in dragon magic are available as option. Claws of the wyrm give your horses two 1d8 damage claw attacks on top of their hoof attacks. Found here (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20060912a&page=4)

Dragon mantle and the Phoenix soulmelds offer some energy resistances. But wormtail belt is probably you other best soulmelds to be sharing for the plusses to AC.

If you learned reduce person, you can share it with one of your horses and the riding bracers will allow them to ride another horse (but you'll need to invest in an exotic saddle, preferably master work.)

Level 4: skilled city dweller deadly hunter urban sense druid.

You ain't getting wildshape, you're here for the sweet horse. Trade that away. We are also trading ride away. Gotta get those crossclass ranks up.

Spells: spider hand from BOVD when shared, allows your horses to be able to provide another 2 to 4 medium monstrous spiders to the fight by cutting off their claws of the wyrm. Aspect of the Wolf is nice when paired with the dread carapace soulmeld. Ride of the valenar can help with your horses riding horses trick. Aquatic escape and winged watcher, when shared will help you get those horses into some nooks and crannies.

Skunk scent is a nice sickened debuff that you get 3 extra attack rolls with when shared.

Lions charge helps with all of those natural attacks.

Level 5: totemist

Share soulmeld just got better. Now you can share soulmelds on totem slots. Girallon arms for 4 claws, or maybe blink shirt to teleport around, or landshark boots for hands, or shedu crown for trample. Urban greaves for overrunning fun.

Level 6: Chameleon

Here it is, the king of casting classes. You get 2 caster levels per level and you start with 2nd level spells. This is the chassis that is going to get us up to 3rd level spells for Silverwood arcanist, and stuff is gonna get really cheesey in about 3-5 levels.

You now have access to every single base class arcane/divine spell list, including paladin and bard. Because of that, after bumping our arcane caster level in chameleon through the silverwood arcanist prestige class, we will be using geomancer’s spell versatility to do something really weird with the chameleon spell table. Can you use an arcane spell slot to cast a divine spell? Can you use your arcane spellcaster level as your divine spellcaster level?

Remember when we chose to be an illusionist instead of something better way back on level 2. Well, buddy, go read that master illusionist text again, and realize that you just got access to a new spell level and can add 2 illusion spells to your spellbook, and you get to treat them as being spell masteried. Quick Question...if you lose access to the spell level and then get it back, say by being a chameleon who goes all roguey for a day or two, do you get more mastered spells?

"Illusion Mastery (Ex)
An illusionist using this variant automatically adds two illusion spells to his spellbook every time he gains a level that grants access to a new spell level. Furthermore, any time the illusionist learns a new illusion spell, he treats that spell as if be had mastered it with the Spell Mastery feat.
An illusionist using this variant does not gain additional spells per day for being a specialist wizard."

The question becomes What is the definition of the word “NEW” in the context of spell levels.
Just imagine what will happen when you get uncanny forethought (exemplars of evil page 26) and geomancer (complete divine page 41) working together. Do spell levels in divine classes count? Asking for a friend who has an aptitude focus to choose tomorrow. It probably won’t work then. But it absolutely will when you’re a geomancer 3. Looks like bewildering substitution or know the shadows is getting on your arcane list! Even better...did you see that other ability? Leave open a spell slot, and cast any spell you know, and man, wouldn’t it be nice to use that on literally divine class you choose with chameleon? You better get yourself a filterable query table for all the spells in the game when adventuring with this combo…

Anyway, you now have access to some of the most important spells in your arsenal of hate! Heroics! Free fighter feats for you and 3 horse friends. Do those bonus fighter feats stack? Only one way to find out. Do your horses want power attack? Do they want improved over run?

You also get wings of cover! Only the greatest nope spell in the world, and you can share it with your companions.

It just gets crazier from here guys, honestly.

For this level we take the companion spellbond so that you don't have to have a crazy formation to share spells. Ask your DM if it also affects your share soulmeld ability.

Chamelion 2: When you’re told to retire this character concept.

A new feat everyday! What happens if you obtain a familiar, do you lose it after you lose the feat. (What about open minded, with its free 5 skill ranks). Let’s assume that you’re not allowed to abuse those.

We have the floating bonus feet. the first thing you want to do is craft wand of heroics. heroics grants a fighter bonus feat. Choose ride by attack as the fighter bonus feat. Cast that, as necessary, on the day where you begin crafting a Battle Bridel and/or riding boots, both of which are found in the magic item compendium on pages 151 and 121 respectively. Now for about five to six thousand gold you have ride by attack. Make an extra and sell it to the Silverwood arcanists. Heck, I’m sure it would go a long way toward silverwood arcanist recruitment if there were a crafter getting paid to produce these things. Use that money to buy materials for crafting stuff.

Just make wands of all of the spells for every class and keep spending skill points on UMD.

You can take natural bond and level up one of your companions (stupid erratta) to some extra HD. Irresistable gaze is a good option for basilisk mask, which we will talk about next level, when you have access to the spell rockburst from the druid list.

Level 8: Chamelion 3-The end of everything good and the age of cheese.

So, let’s start this level with just crafting ourselves a griffonlance of goring. Found HERE (https://www.realmshelps.net/faerun/lore/mintiper/10.shtml) We now have spirited attack. Witch is mad sweet because we have access to two spells that make lances now. Laerals silver lance (City of Splendor Water deep page 156), and ice lance (spell compendium page 119). Put these things on wands. Cuz if your horse is charging, and you have rideby attack, you can do triple damage spell-based lance attacks. Look at how stupidly convenient the wording is on laeral’s silver lance.


"This spell brings into being a shimmering, silver lancelike column of force, equivalent to a Large lance. The lance flies toward a single creature you pantomime throwing it at when you cast the spell. Its attack bonus is equal to your caster level + your Intelligence bonus or your Charisma bonus (for wizards or sorcerers, respectively) with an additional +3 enhancement bonus and a +2 bonus for charging. It deals 4d6+3 points of force damage, with a threat range of 20 and a critical multiplier of x3. In addition, the creature struck must succeed on a Fortitude save or be knocked prone by the impact. Focus: A miniature platinum lance engraved with arcane runes that costs 250 gp to construct."

That 12d6+9 points of damage bro, coming out of a 3rd level spell slot, and you get one free empower per day. (18d6+9)

Icelance (Spell Compendium, p. 119) Conjuration (Creation) Level: Druid 3, Sorcerer 3, Wizard 3, Components: V, S, AF, DF, Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Effect: One lance of ice Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: Fortitude partial Spell Resistance: Yes You clutch the quartz in your hand, focusing the energy of the spell into a sharp spear. With a thought, you send it whistling through the air at your foe. You must succeed on a normal ranged attack to strike a target with an icelance. You gain a +4 bonus on your attack roll. If you hit, the icelance deals 6d6 points of damage to the target. Half of this damage is piercing damage; the rest is cold damage. In addition, the target must make a Fortitude save or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. Regardless of the result of the attack, the icelance shatters upon its first use. Focus: A 50-gp clear quartz gemstone. Alternatively, if you are in a cold region, you can substitute 10 pounds of ice or snow for the quartz.

That’s even crazier. Your fireballs are supposed to 8d6.

But that’s just a pleasant side effect of what we really were after: if we bind the basilisk mask to our totem chakra and share it, and the Save DC against a 1 full round flesh to stone effect is based on your warmount kromlor’s stats; well…. that is 3 saves that need to be made. At full essencia, that looks like your opponent needs to pass all three DC 18 (10+3(essencia)+5 con mod) fort saves.

But Dash, why aren’t you using the basilisk mask to force a 4th fort save. The answer is so simple, Dan’s action is a readied casting of Rockburst! Found page 48 of Shining South. Opponents are dumb, crush them.

What happens if you basilisk mask your friends and then cast clearstone on them?

Clearstone (Lost Empires of Faerun page 31) Transmutation [Earth] Level: Sorcerer 3, Wizard 3, Components: V, S, M, Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Stone or stone object touched, up to 1 cu. ft./level Duration: 1 minute/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You cause a rock or section of stone to become transparent. This spell affects naturally occurring stone, ore, gemstones in the rough, and even worked stone such as a statue or tunnel wall, but not worked metals, cut gems, or fabricated stone materials such as brick or concrete. Visibility through the affected stone is perfectly clear and limited only by the available light or by objects and creatures embedded in the stone (such as a creature using meld into stone). Clearstone grants line of sight, but not line of effect, through the affected stone. This spell does not change a stone's hardness or other qualities in any way. Clearstone can be made permanent using permanency (minimum caster level 11th, 1,500 XP). Arcane Material Component: A small, flat piece of glass.

If you have the cleric list on your adventuring day, you can use the 2nd level spell stoneshape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/stoneShape.htm) to turn your opponents arms into cat faces. They turn back to flesh next round, and instead of arms they just have two little meowing cat heads attached to their torso. Actually, they'll be gross scars that look like cat faces.

What we are really trying to get to is this spell. Which is just a few levels away. So Let's go take 5 levels of silverwood arcanist.

Stone Metamorphosis (Underdark) Transmutation [Earth] Level: Cleric 4, Druid 4, Sorcerer 6, Wizard 6, Components: V, S, M, DF, Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Target: Stone object touched, up to 10 cu. ft. + 1 cu. ft./level Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No You can change an existing piece of rock to another type of rock. For instance, you can make crumblestone into granite, substantially strengthening it. (See Chapter 7 for more information on types of stone). Precious and semiprecious gems cannot be manufactured with this spell, and its effect does not change the monetary value of the affected stone object. Arcane Material Component: A grain of talc and a chip of obsidian.

Let’s check out chapter seven page 104: magimorphic rocks, there are two that we’re gonna use:

Photogenerative Rock: These rocks grow quickly when exposed to light. In each round of exposure, a photogenerative rock doubles in size until it’s sixteen times as large as it was when
unlit (4 rounds). Eliminating the light halts its growth, and each hour of darkness reverses the effect of 1 round of light. Some Underdark undead use photogenerative rock in their demesnes to stall light-bearing adventurers until the undead can ready their defenses. Photogenerative rock can also be used to seal a doorway and divert light-bearers into more trap-ridden or better-defended areas.

Photostatic Rock: Events that happen in the presence of this rock imprint upon it for a short time. One cubic foot of photostatic rock picks up impressions in a 10-foot radius and automatically relays them to anyone who touches it later. The effect is similar to that of a stone tell spell, except that the photostati property reveals only what happened within its radius in the past hour. Every additional cubic foot of photostatic rock provides 1 more hour of memory and expands the radius of sensitivity by 10 feet. A photostatic rock records only what it witnesses (treat its perspective like a burst), so it cannot record what goes on beyond a closed door.

Let’s reread flesh to stone one more time: “The subject, along with all its carried gear, turns into a mindless, inert statue. If the statue resulting from this spell is broken or damaged, the subject (if ever returned to its original state) has similar damage or deformities. The creature is not dead, but it does not seem to be alive either when viewed with spells such as deathwatch.”

I bolded Deformities. Let’s make our mounts bigger and stronger, what do ya say? Let’s basilisk mask them on a bright sunny day, and ready action stone metamorphosis them into photostatic rock. They get 1 round of light exposure and double in size. Looks like our horses are huge now. Do they get more HD? They definitely get more strength and constitution score. Which makes them better at flesh to stoning people with a basilisk mask. Repeat until you have colossal horses if you want. Then do it one more time, and then use successive castings of stone shape to turn it into 32 ugly large size horses, all of which are a single animal companion. If you take natural bond with your floating feat, you can trade a horse for a bison, use this trick, and well...that stampede damage is gonna get up there. But let’s just assume that you you’ll use this trick to get all of your animal companions up a size, which grants a +4 to constitution, which raises basilisk mask Save DCs. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm

This build was originally designed to go through the lion of Talisid Class and gain advancement on all 3 companions simultaneously, this also would have granted wildshape and advance chameleon casting. But...If you can wrangle a few extra HD for your companions by basilisk masking them into photogenerative rock and thus growing them up a size level or two, Let’s do that. It's cooler to have horses the size of tarrasques anyway.

At this level, after taking the trample feat and having used the shifting bonus feat of chameleon to craft items that grant you ride-by attack, and spirited charge, you can cast heroics to gain the benefit of the Cavalry charger feat. This means that when you charge with your horses, you can make hoof attacks against every creature that you overrun. So let’s talk about how to do that over-running.


Urskan greaves Chakra Bind (Totem) When you attempt to overrun an opponent, the target
cannot choose to avoid you. You also gain a +2 bonus on your Strength check to knock down your opponent, with an additional +1 for every point of essentia you invest in your urskan greaves.

Heavy Cavalry Teamwork Benefit (Heroes of Battle page 117)
Task Leader Prerequisite: Handle Animal 4 ranks, Ride 8 ranks, Mounted Combat, Trample.
Team Member Prerequisite: Ride 1 rank. The members' mounts need not be members of the team.
Benefit: To close their formation, the team members and their mounts first line up in adjacent squares, then move closer together so that each takes up a square half as wide as usual. For example, a Medium character mounted on a horse or other Large creature normally takes up a 10-foot square, and a team of four such characters would occupy a rectangle 40 feet wide and 10 feet deep. By contrast, if the same team had trained together and acquired this teamwork benefit, they could compress their line into a unit only 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep, making it harder for anyone they overrun to dodge between the horses' hooves.
All team members must act on the same initiative count, so some members must delay to match the initiative count of the slowest member in the team.
As long as the characters remain in a cohesive set of squares and move at least their speed every round, they gain the following benefits:
*They don't take the -4 penalty on attack rolls and to AC for squeezing (described on page 29 of the Dungeon Master's Guide).
*Opponents can't avoid overruns from team members; they must attempt to block.
*The team members' mounts count as one size category larger for purposes of resolving overruns. For example, a horse counts as a Huge creature (+8 bonus to overrun) rather than a Large creature (+4).
For the purposes of area spells and determining position on the battlefield, each Medium character on a Large mount is considered to be occupying a space 5 feet wide and 10 feet long.

Alright, let’s share this teamwork benefit with all of our companions. They count as huge and the baddies can’t avoid. They just get bigger once your photogenerative rock trick comes into play

If you have multiple heroics going, you can get power attack and improved overrun on them for another +4 to the overrun rule. If you have a wand of Heroics and multiple castings stack, get awesome blow! Then you can keep knocking your opponent under the trampling feet of the other mounts in the crowded charge. Just keep kicking them under other horses!

Or, a single shared enlarge person or animal will get that +4 instead, and they will count as gargantuan.

B) Shared Urskan greaves can get you another +4.

Or... Let’s bind the shedu crown to your totem instead, cuz then you don’t need cavalry charger to trample everything in a line, and we’ll bind the sphinx claws for all available essencia for a bonus to str. Checks.

C) Wield a lance and get triple damage with one attack. A casting of heroics on yourself for combat reflexes or use of the bonus floating feat to get it will allow you to Attack of opportunity at charging lance damage. Especially if you get the awesome blow trick up and running

Anyway, After Silverwood arcanist, Just finish up the build with geomancer and see how that works out, blending all the different arcane and divine spells together. Remember, Chameleon gets two caster levels per chameleon spellcasting level advanced. Silverwood arcanist only advances the arcane side, but as you rack up geomancer levels, your caster level will skyrocket. Remember that illusionist level, when you get up to a high enough divine level, you get more illusion spells mastered and you have the ability to swap in any spell you cast instead of them at the cost of 2 caster levels. So if you need an illusion spell on the fly, you got it, but if not, whatever casting that you're using on a given day can be swapped in rather than prepared!

With the battle blessing feat, you'll be able to swift action your standard action spells, uncannilly forethoughting them as necessary.



level
Class
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Feats
Skills
Class Features


1
shaman (OA p.23)
0
0
0
2
able learner, wild cohort (b), IUS (b)
28: Bluff 4, Concentration 4, Disguise 4, Handle Animal 2, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (nature) 2, ride 2, sense motive 2, spellcraft 4


animal companion


2
wilderness companion combat Illusionist with illusion mastery
0
0
0
4
mounted combat (b)
5: Bluff 5, Concentration 5, Decipher Script 1, Disguise 5, Handle Animal 2, Knowledge (arcana) 5, knowledge (Nature) 2, Ride 2, Sense motive 2, Spellcraft 4
fighter bonus feat, animal companion at 1/2 druid level


3
totemist
0
2
2
4
share soulmeld
7: Bluff 6, Concentration 5, Decipher Script 1, Disguise 6, Handle Animal 3, Knowledge (arcana) 5, knowledge (Nature) 3, Ride 3, Sense motive 3, Spellcraft 4, Use Magic Device 1
wild empathy, 2 soulmelds, 1 essentia


4
deadly hunter (UA p.58) druid
0
4
2
6
track
7: Bluff 7, Concentration 6, Decipher Script 1, Disguise 7, Handle Animal 5, Knowledge (arcana) 5, knowledge (Nature) 3, Ride 3, Sense motive 3, Spellcraft 4, Use Magic Device 3
favored enemy, Wis to AC as monk, fast movement as monk, urban sense, voice of the city


5
totemist
1
5
3
6

7: Bluff 8, Concentration 6, Decipher Script 1, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 5, Knowledge (arcana) 5, knowledge (Nature) 5, Ride 4, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Use Magic Device 4
totem chakra (+1 capacity)


6
chameleon
(Races of Destiny p. 111) 1
1
5
3
6
companion spellbond
7: Bluff 8, Concentration 6, Decipher Script 3, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 6, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 4, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Use Magic Device 6
1/day aptitude focus


7
chameleon 2
2
5
3
6
floating feat
7: Bluff 8, Concentration 6, Decipher Script 3, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 8, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 5, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 2, Use Magic Device 8
floating bonus feat


8
chameleon 3
3
6
4
7

7: Bluff 8, Concentration 8, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 8, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 5, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 4, Use Magic Device 10
mimic class feature 1/day


9
silverwood arcanist
3
6
4
9
Trample
5: Bluff 8, Concentration 8, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 8, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 9, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 5, Use Magic Device 10
Fast handling, skilled rider


10
silverwood arcanist
4
6
4
10

5: Bluff 8, Concentration 10, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 8, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 11, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 6, Use Magic Device 10
cohort trick


11
silverwood arcanist
4
7
5
10
mounted casting
5: Bluff 8, Concentration 11, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 9, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 13, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 7, Use Magic Device 10
mounted casting


12
silverwood arcanist
5
7
5
11
Uncanny Forethought
(Exemplars of Evil p. 26)


5: Bluff 8, Concentration 13, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 10, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 15, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 7, Use Magic Device 10
cohort trick


13
silverwood arcanist
5
7
5
11

5: Bluff 8, Concentration 16, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 10, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 16, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 7, Use Magic Device 11
share spells


14
geomancer
(Complete Divine p. 41)1
5
9
5
13

7: Bluff 8, Concentration 17, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 12, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 17, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 8, Use Magic Device 13
drift 1, spell versatility 0


15
geomancer 2
6
10
5
14
Battle Blessing ( Complete Champion, p. 55)
7: Bluff 8, Concentration 18, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 14, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 18, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 10, Use Magic Device 14
Drift 1, ley lines +1, spell versatility 1


16
geomancer 3
7
10
5
14

7: Bluff 8, Concentration 19, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 16, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 19, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 11, Use Magic Device 16
Drift 2, spell versatility 2


17
geomancer 4
8
11
6
15

7: Bluff 8, Concentration 20, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 18, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 20, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 13, Use Magic Device 17
Drift 2, spell versatility 3


18
geomancer 5
8
11
6
15
skill focus appraise, i don't care anymore, I typed too much
7: Bluff 8, Concentration 21, Decipher Script 4, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 19, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 21, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 15, Use Magic Device 19
Drift 3, spell versatility 4


19
geomancer 5
9
12
7
16

7: Bluff 8, Concentration 22, Decipher Script 6, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 20, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 22, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 16, Use Magic Device 20
Drift 3, ley lines +2, spell versatility 5


20
geomancer 7
10
12
7
16

7: Bluff 8, Concentration 22, Decipher Script 8, Disguise 8, Handle Animal 20, Knowledge (arcana) 6, knowledge (Nature) 6, Ride 22, Sense motive 4, Spellcraft 4, Survival 16, Use Magic Device 23
Drift 4, spell versatility 6



So, as you can see every part of silverwood arcanist is used here. Mounted casting, maximizing that ride crossclass bonus by using skilled city dweller to switch ride to tumble, a free animal trick that you don't even need to train to get, share spells allowing for a fourth Fort save against flesh to stone via basilisk mask/rockburst, advancing chameleon casting.

With the battle blessing feat, you can treat all of your spells as paladin spells for reduced casting time and once you get to the fourth Geomancer level, you can charge and hit with multiple laerals silver lances. This trick is called the Sir lance zealot

On the table, i put skill focus appraise as my 18th level feat, but a better option is to take shape soulmeld incarnate weapon. Use a fuse arm spell on your draconic clawed, girallion armed horses, who you've also casted girrallion arms on (that's 10 extra arms!) Cast fuse arms on them and have the horses wield their incarnate weapons. Cast weapon shift on those weapons and you got a buttload of horses wielding their own lances. This trick is called the equinate weapon.

The weakest part of the build is the 3 animal companions with 4 HD. There is no direct correlation between size and HD so photogenerative shenanigans only boost str and con. At colossal size, we're still pnly looking at 4HD +40hp.

This is where you might have to use the shugenja spell when 2 become one. Cast enlarge person on two horses, get the other two horses to ride them, then share when two become one to merge them together into 2 colossal horses with ~120 hp apiece. Do it again for one colossal mount with ~240 HP. This trick is called the mountryoshka doll.

Tree shape is fun to share with basilisk mask on. This trick shall be entitled: the petrified Forest.

As for level up ability scores, put your 4th, 8th, and 12th level powerups towards intelligence and the 16th and 20th towards wisdom.

[Macabaret]

Jackie the Jinx, and the Joker upon her sleeve
Monkey Hengeyokai Wizard 5/ Silverwood Arcanist 5/ Fatespinner 2/ Sea Witch 7

http://bit.ly/2G9PfqH
Image from https://www.deviantart.com/veravoyna/art/The-damned-pirate-Yarmilla-728471503

Jackie hails from a long line of pirates and shipwreckers. Unpredictable and cruel as the sea itself, she’s not above hexing even allies for annoying her or simply for her own amusement. Her prey have it far worse, though; with an array of buffs, debuffs, and dispels at her fingertips, she can transform her crew into a nightmare while rendering foes pathetically weak. And always, an enormous eagle sits on her shoulder. As vicious as his master, this bird has strange powers all its own, and rumor says she often transforms into a smaller shape and rides him to find prey or simply travel incognito. As her power grows so too does her cruelty, using her powers over magic, probability, and nature to waylay ships, ports, and even entire shipping lanes. Any who see her flag upon the horizon, sporting a pair of dice showing snake-eyes, know that their luck… has run out.

Jackie is a transmuter wizard, focusing on buffs, debuffs, and dispels (especially at higher levels). She’s also got a thing for luck magic, mostly represented in her class features and the occasional divination spell. However, the most interesting thing about her is her eagle cohort Joker. You see, I wanted to put a unique spin on the contest rules, and nowhere in them does it say Share Soulmeld has to be on the player. Joker and Jackie share spells. And he rides on her shoulder. Which makes her… a mount with which he can share spells. And therefore a viable candidate for sharing his own soulmelds!


Str 8, Dex 14 (16 in hybrid form), Con 14, Int 18, Wis 12 (10), Cha 8

Each increase goes into Int, resulting in a modifier increase at 9th (Int 20) and 17th (Int 22) ECL, which has been accounted for in the skill points and spells per day.

Jackie the Jinx
CE Medium Shapechanger
Monkey Hengeyokai Wizard 5/ Silverwood Arcanist 5/ Fatespinner 2/ Sea Witch 7


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


2nd
Focused Specialist Combat Wizard 1
+0
+0
+0
+2
Concentration 4, Handle Animal 2, Knowledge (arcana) 4, Knowledge (nature) 2, Profession (sailor) 3, Profession (gambler) 1, Ride 1, Spellcraft 4
Mounted Combat (B), Wild Cohort (eagle)
Fighter Bonus Feat (Mounted Combat), Focused Specialist (transmutation), Summon Familiar (bat)


3rd
Wizard 2
+1
+0
+0
+3
Concentration 5, Handle Animal 2, Knowledge (arcana) 5, Knowledge (nature) 3, Profession (sailor) 3, Profession (gambler) 1, Ride 2, Spellcraft 5

Animated Script


4th
Wizard 3
+1
+1
+1
+3
Concentration 6, Handle Animal 3, Knowledge (arcana) 5, Knowledge (nature) 4, Profession (sailor) 3, Profession (gambler) 2, Ride 2, Spellcraft 6
Spell Focus (transmutation)



5th
Wizard 4
+2
+1
+1
+4
Concentration 7, Handle Animal 3, Knowledge (arcana) 6, Knowledge (nature) 5, Profession (sailor) 4, Profession (gambler) 3, Ride 2, Spellcraft 7




6th
Domain Granted Power Wizard 5
+2
+1
+1
+4
Concentration 8, Handle Animal 3, Knowledge (arcana) 6, Knowledge (nature) 5, Profession (sailor) 4, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 3, Spellcraft 8

Domain Granted Power (Luck Domain)


7th
Silverwood Arcanist 1
+2
+1
+1
+6
Concentration 9, Handle Animal 4, Knowledge (arcana) 7, Knowledge (nature) 6, Profession (sailor) 4, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 4, Spellcraft 9
Ship’s Mage
Fast Handling, Skilled Rider


8th
Silverwood Arcanist 2
+3
+1
+1
+7
Concentration 10, Handle Animal 5, Knowledge (arcana) 8, Knowledge (nature) 7, Profession (sailor) 4, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 5, Spellcraft 10

Cohort Trick


9th
Silverwood Arcanist 3
+3
+2
+2
+7
Concentration 11, Handle Animal 6, Knowledge (arcana) 10, Knowledge (nature) 8, Profession (sailor) 4, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 6, Spellcraft 11
Mounted Casting (B)
Mounted Casting


10th
Silverwood Arcanist 4
+4
+2
+2
+8
Concentration 12, Handle Animal 7, Knowledge (arcana) 11, Knowledge (nature) 10, Profession (sailor) 4, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 7, Spellcraft 12
Extend Spell
Cohort Trick


11th
Silverwood Arcanist 5
+4
+2
+2
+8
Concentration 13, Handle Animal 8, Knowledge (arcana) 12, Knowledge (nature) 12, Profession (sailor) 4, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 8, Spellcraft 13

Share Spells


12th
Fatespinner 1
+4
+2
+2
+10
Concentration 14, Handle Animal 9, Knowledge (arcana) 13, Knowledge (nature) 12, Profession (sailor) 5, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 8.5, Spellcraft 14

Spin Fate


13th
Fatespinner 2
+5
+2
+2
+11
Concentration 15, Handle Animal 9, Knowledge (arcana) 14, Knowledge (nature) 12, Profession (sailor) 6, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 9, Spellcraft 15, Speak Language (Aquan)
Metamagic School Focus (transmutation)
Fickle Finger of Fate


14th
Sea Witch 1
+5
+4
+2
+13
Concentration 16, Handle Animal 9, Knowledge (arcana) 14, Knowledge (nature) 13, Profession (sailor) 10, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 9, Spellcraft 16, Speak Language (Aquan)

Curse of the Sea Witch 1/day


15th
Sea Witch 2
+6
+5
+2
+14
Concentration 17, Handle Animal 10, Knowledge (arcana) 14, Knowledge (nature) 13, Profession (sailor) 13, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 9, Spellcraft 17, Speak Language (Aquan)

Call Maelstrom


16th
Sea Witch 3
+6
+5
+3
+14
Concentration 18, Handle Animal 10, Knowledge (arcana) 15, Knowledge (nature) 14, Profession (sailor) 16, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 9, Spellcraft 18, Speak Language (Aquan)
Greater Spell Focus (transmutation)
Curse of the Sea Witch 2/day


17th
Sea Witch 4
+7
+6
+3
+15
Concentration 19, Handle Animal 10, Knowledge (arcana) 16, Knowledge (nature) 14, Profession (sailor) 19, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 10, Spellcraft 19, Speak Language (Aquan)

Briny Deep Summoning 1/day


18th
Sea Witch 5
+7
+6
+3
+15
Concentration 20, Handle Animal 11, Knowledge (arcana) 16, Knowledge (nature) 15, Profession (sailor) 20, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 11, Spellcraft 20, Speak Language (Aquan)

Curse of the Albatross 1/day


19th
Sea Witch 6
+8
+7
+4
+16
Concentration 21, Handle Animal 12, Knowledge (arcana) 17, Knowledge (nature) 16, Profession (sailor) 21, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 11.5, Spellcraft 21, Speak Language (Aquan)
Persistent Spell
Call Major Maelstrom


20th
Sea Witch 7
+8
+7
+4
+16
Concentration 22, Handle Animal 13, Knowledge (arcana) 18, Knowledge (nature) 17, Profession (sailor) 22, Profession (gambler) 5, Ride 12, Spellcraft 22, Speak Language (Aquan)

Curse of the Albatross 2/day




Spells per Day


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


2nd
2+3
1+3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
3+3
2+3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
3+3
2+3
1+3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
3+3
3+3
2+3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
3+3
3+3
2+3
1+3
-
-
-
-
-
-


7th
3+3
3+3
3+3
2+3
-
-
-
-
-
-


8th
3+3
4+3
3+3
2+3
1+3
-
-
-
-
-


9th
3+3
4+3
3+3
3+3
2+3
-
-
-
-
-


10th
3+3
4+3
4+3
3+3
2+3
1+3
-
-
-
-


11th
3+3
4+3
4+3
3+3
3+3
2+3
-
-
-
-


12th
3+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
3+3
2+3
0+3
-
-
-


13th
3+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
3+3
3+3
1+3
-
-
-


14th
3+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
3+3
1+3
0+3
-
-


15th
3+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
3+3
2+3
1+3
-
-


16th
3+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
2+3
1+3
0+3
-


17th
3+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
3+3
1+3
0+3
-


18th
3+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
3+3
2+3
1+3
-


19th
3+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
2+3
1+3
0+3


20th
3+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
4+3
2+3
2+3
1+3



Spells Learned


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


2nd
animate rope, enlarge person, ray of clumsiness
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


3rd
animate rope, enlarge person, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


4th
animate rope, enlarge person, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, sonic weapon
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
greater magic weapon, haste
-
-
-
-
-
-


7th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
greater magic weapon, haste, slow, dispel magic
-
-
-
-
-
-


8th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
open least chakra
-
-
-
-
-


9th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, open least chakra, summon monster IV
-
-
-
-
-


10th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, teleport
-
-
-
-


11th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
-
-
-
-


12th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
brilliant blade, control water
-
-
-


13th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
brilliant blade, control water, stone body, true seeing
-
-
-


14th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
brilliant blade, control water, stone body, true seeing
brilliant aura, ethereal jaunt
-
-


15th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
brilliant blade, control water, greater dispel magic, stone body, true seeing
brilliant aura, energy body, ethereal jaunt
-
-


16th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
brilliant blade, control water, greater dispel magic, stone body, true seeing
ability rip, brilliant aura, energy body, ethereal jaunt, spell matrix
-
-


17th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
brilliant blade, control water, greater dispel magic, stone body, true seeing
ability rip, brilliant aura, energy body, ethereal jaunt, spell matrix
-
-


18th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
brilliant blade, control water, greater dispel magic, stone body, true seeing
ability rip, brilliant aura, control weather, energy body, ethereal jaunt, spell matrix
moment of prescience
-


19th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
brilliant blade, control water, greater dispel magic, stone body, true seeing
ability rip, brilliant aura, control weather, energy body, ethereal jaunt, spell matrix
chain dispel, moment of prescience
greater spell matrix


20th
animate rope, enlarge person, nerveskitter, ray of clumsiness, ray of enfeeblement, targeting ray
glitterdust, rope trick, sonic weapon
dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, mass snake’s swiftness, slow
backlash, bestow curse, open least chakra, summon monster IV
lesser spell matrix, telekinesis, teleport
brilliant blade, control water, greater dispel magic, stone body, true seeing
ability rip, brilliant aura, control weather, elemental body, ethereal jaunt, spell matrix
chain dispel, moment of prescience
greater spell matrix, foresight, reaving dispel




Joker, (Warbeast) Eagle
N Small Animal


Jackie’s ECL
Joker’s HD
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skills
Feats
Features
Str
Dex
Con
Int
Wis
Cha


2
1d8+1
+0
+2
+2
+0
Spot 4
Shape Soulmeld (Lucky Dice), Weapon Finesse (B)
+8 racial bonus to Spot, 6 Tricks (Attack, Come, Defend, Fetch, Heel, Seek)
10
15
12
2
14
6



4
2d8+2
+1
+3
+3
+0
Spot 5

+1 Nat. Armor, 1st Bonus Trick (Assist Attack), Evasion








7
4d8+4
+3
+4
+4
+1
Spot 7
Shape Soulmeld (Adamant Pauldrons)
+3 Nat. Armor, +1 Str/Dex, 2nd Bonus Trick
11
16
13




8
4d8+4
+3
+4
+4
+1
Spot 7

3rd Bonus Trick (SA)








10
6d8+6
+4
+5
+5
+2
Spot 9
Shape Soulmeld (Sailor’s Bracers)
+5 Nat. Armor, +1 Str/Dex, 4th Bonus Trick, 5th Bonus Trick (SA)
12
17






13A
8d8+16
+6
+5
+5
+2
Spot 11

+7 Nat. Armor, +1 Str/Dex, 4th Bonus Trick, Devotion
13
18
14





13B: Warbeast Template
9d8+27
+6
+5
+5
+3
Spot 12
Share Soulmeld
+10ft Speed, Combative Mount, +1 racial bonus to Listen and Spot
16

17

16



16
11d8+33
+7
+6
+6
+3
Spot 13

+9 Nat. Armor, +1 Str/Dex, 5th Bonus Trick
17
19






19
13d8+39
+8
+7
+7
+4
Spot 15
Shape Soulmeld (Planar Ward)
+11 Nat. Armor, +1 Str/Dex, 6th Bonus Trick, Improved Evasion
18
20
18
2
16
6




ECL 2-5:

At these levels, Jackie is a Focused Specialist Transmuter, barring Evocation, Enchantment, and Illusion. Taking fighter bonus feats instead of Scribe Scroll lets her grab Mounted Combat at 1st level, alongside Wild Cohort. I chose a bat for her familiar because they have blindsight and because I like the dichotomy of having a bat on one shoulder and an eagle on the other. His name is Jeeves. Nothing too weird overall, with one exception.
Level adjustment? In a pure caster?! Allow me to elaborate. Hengeyokai are a cool race from Oriental Adventures. They can transform between their humanoid form, a specific animal form (in Jackie’s case a monkey), and a hybrid form that is basically the humanoid form with a slight benefit. She can do this a number of times per day equal to her character level (1-4 at these levels) and it lasts until she switches to a different one; while hybrid form is typically the most beneficial (+2 Dex and +4 Climb for working the rigging), her monkey form is tiny, allowing her to ride her eagle cohort (probably going to want an exotic saddle) and qualifying her for Silverwood Arcanist. NOTE: Hengeyokai were updated to 3.5 by Dragon Magazine, and the updated version has no LA. Obviously that is fantastic. Use it if you can (probably another level of Fatespinner).

Tactics-wise, you’ve got a nice mix of spells for buffing allies and debuffing enemies. Animate rope can muck up the lines of enemy ships (reducing their speed by 5ft), and when dungeoneering two casts of rope trick will get you through the night.

Jackie’s family has a long tradition of training special animals, primarily birds to spot ships for them to prey on. Joker is an eagle http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/eagle.htm her parents gifted her when she was young. Typically the family breeding program produces Magebred animals, but Joker was born with a slight talent for manipulating essentia. This quirk, along with the minor luck powers it grants, are what earned him his name.

His first feat, rather than Alertness, is Shape Soulmeld (Lucky Dice); thematic and probably the best soulmeld for a low-HD creature with no essentia pool.

Joker has had some training for acting as a pet, a guardian for young Jackie, and a ship-finding bird for her family. As such, he starts off knowing the tricks Attack, Come (which can probably even be used to call of an attacking Joker), Defend, Fetch, Heel, and Seek. The first bonus trick Jackie teaches him (at ECL 4) is Assist Attack, getting started on their role as party support/buffer/debuffer. Don’t forget that you can push Joker to accomplish any trick he doesn’t know as a standard action, though with a DC of 25 you need help to accomplish this, even taking 20. Some useful ones are Warn (alert you to anything unusual he detects), Hunt (provide food for Jackie & friends), Swim, Steal, Home (once to set the location, again to send him back there), Guard (like Defend but for places instead of people), and any others you think up and can get the DM to approve.

The gaps in Joker’s known tricks can be covered using the Ride skill, which includes things like diving into water and swimming (for stealth and/or getaways). Even with her decent Dex (monkey form has 15), though, any fancy tricks are going to be risky until we get into Silverwood Arcanist.

Be sure to expose Joker to plenty of weird situations in downtime (new spells, odd environments, summoned creatures, unusual commands, etc.) so he won’t freak out if confronted with them. Speak with animals will likely be useful for this and training.

Advanced eagles grow to medium size, which would make Joker too big to ride Jackie. However, Wild Cohort doesn’t mention the bonus HD increasing size, so I’ve stuck with eagle for Joker. If your DM disagrees, ask if you can switch to Albatross (Stormwrack pg 165-166); slightly better stats, relatively poor speed, more in line with Jackie’s luck manipulation/seafaring theme, and they remain small size.

Warbeast training has a DC of 20 and takes 2 months. Jackie can make that check by taking 10 at 12th level (ECL 13) – which is conveniently the point where the build really needs it – so the table is built with the assumption that that’s when it happens. However, if you can get it done sooner (starting with it due to backstory, taking 20, getting help from friends/family, whatever works) doing so is definitely beneficial.


ECL 6-10:

One last level of wizard, and we’re into the first selected ingredient. We take the opportunity to trade our 5th level bonus feat for the Luck Domain granted power of one reroll per day.

Now that we’re in Silverwood Arcanist, things are starting to come together. We’ve got enough uses of Alternate Form to make using Joker as a mount regularly viable. Skilled Rider and the Handle Animal synergy mean we can start pulling off some fancier tricks with more reliability (riding in combat, swimming). With Mounted Caster you can cast spells more easily, though while you can probably get away with somatic components in monkey form, you’re unlikely to be able to cast any spells that require verbal components. Keep the material components in a saddlebag on Joker.

More buffs, more debuffs, and a heavier representation for utility with teleport and dispel magic. In naval combat you should have plenty of time to set up lesser spell matrix for essentially a massively discounted Quicken Spell. Of special note is open least chakra (not actually an spell, interestingly), which when cast on Joker (hand chakra) turns Lucky Dice into an AOE for a whole day (2 with Extend Spell). If you have other feat-powered (or multiclass) meldshapers in the party, it gets even better. [I]Summon monster IV brings some more allies to the party to benefit from the AOE buffs and qualifies you for Sea Witch down the road.

Four more bonus tricks! Two new soulmelds! Better stats! Now we’re cooking with gas!

Starting with the soulmelds, Adamant Pauldrons is the first. Joker is nowhere near tanky; hopefully few enemies will be targeting him, and Evasion will help with AOE, and Mounted Combat with direct attacks (while Jackie is riding him), Adamant Pauldrons will help prevent that one lucky hit from getting through and ruining everyone’s day. While, tactically speaking, Planar Ward would probably be a wiser second choice, I find an animal with Sailor’s Bracers hilarious so they get priority (and Devotion will provide some defense against mental attacks).

On that note, see if you can’t convince your DM to let you dedicate a trick to making Joker an actually functional sailor. RAW, you could argue that Sailor’s Bracers let you make such checks whether or not you’ve been trained. I think the more compelling argument is the fluff justification that surely channeling the souls of actual sailors would give Joker the know-how to perform simple tasks like manning the helm while the captain tells him which way to steer. The other three tricks should probably be Dive, Warn, and Assist Defend.


ECL 11-15 (Sweet Spot)

Oh is this a busy couple of levels. Done with Silverwood Arcanist, into and out of Fatespinner for more luck fun, and into Sea Witch, the perfect thematic hybrid of nature magic, (bad) luck magic, and piracy. Sea Witch gets some flack for its lost caster levels, but honestly you get enough out of the class that the first one at least is worth it. In these levels we’ve gotten the ability to share spells with Joker, boost our spell DCs, force rerolls, metamagic for free 3/day, curse fools, and summon an enormous f*** you whirlpool!

And that’s just class-features. For spells we’ve got bigger and better buffs in the form of brilliant blade/aura, stone body, and energy body; more utility in the form of true seeing, greater dispel magic, telekinesis, and control water (which also stops a ship dead in the water, no save); not much in the way of debuffs, but hey that’s what class features are for, and the old ones are still just as sucky to anyone that fails their save.

But wait! We’re 15 ECL in already, and no sign of either meldshaping nor Share Soulmeld from Jackie. While astute readers (such as those who read the introduction) have probably already figured out what’s going on, if the rest of you would be so kind as to open up the next spoiler box…

And here it is, the moment you’ve all be waiting for, the twist, my unique spin on the challenge: Joker is the one with Share Soulmeld, not Jackie! They share spells via Silverwood Arcanist’s capstone (only Jackie can provide the spells, but it’s undeniable that Joker is sharing them with her), so if Joker is using her as a mount (say, perched on her arm in classic pirate pose) he can share any soulmeld he has shaped with her!

At Jackie’s ECL 13 she’s got the skills necessary to train Joker to be a Warbeast by taking 10. This has a host of useful benefits, but the most significant is that it increases his HD by 1, qualifying him for his next feat (Share Soulmeld). And so for the cost of 2 feats, Jackie has reaped the benefits of 4 feats (soon to be 5). Now that’s a solid investment! With both of them radiating a luck aura thanks to chakra-bound Lucky Dice, their allies will be getting at least 2 of the three bonuses (unfortunately, luck bonuses don’t stack, so no doubling up). Adamant Pauldrons give both of them light fortification for free (moderate if Jackie can add open lesser chakra to her spellbook, though I didn’t think that worth a spell known and a spell-slot spent each/every other day). Assuming the rules for narrative naval combat are in play, Sailor’s Bracers are a huge advantage to Jackie, and an increased chance of preventing your ship from foundering is never a bad thing.

Next to that, a bonus trick is almost insignificant. At this point you’ve already got all the best ones, but Perform can be useful for convincing city guards that you’re armored, soul-empowered, magic fate-bird is really just a well-trained, unusual-but-safe pet. Like a seeing-eye dog, but it bends probability to your will. More useful are the stat increases, which greatly boost Joker’s HP, significantly boost AC, and make him proficient in armor. You also no longer need to make a ride check to control him in battle (still need the move action, though).


ECL 16-20:

Curse an entire boat of people twice per day, as bestow curse (and there are a lot of great options for that spell). Not great as a PC, but Jackie is intended to be a villain, and this will hit both the entire party and all their support NPCs. I don’t know if a single remove curse is enough to remove it from all targets, but if so you probably want to open with the regular Curse of the Sea Witch to force them to burn through their curse-removal magic, and/or use it in combat so a lot of them will suffer at least until their mage’s turn. High level characters are likely going to be able to avoid your Maelstrom and Major Maelstrom unless they’re actually underwater. With max ranks in Profession (sailor) and Sailor’s Bracers, Jackie should be easily capable of navigating oceanic hazards and winning checks for advantage in narrative naval combat.

For spells, I wanted to avoid the notoriously broken polymorph line. Jackie nonetheless gets access to some fantastic buffs, dispels, and utility spells at these levels. Reaving dispel stands out for letting you steal opponents’ buffs. You don’t actually have any 8th level transmutation spells (I couldn’t find any that weren’t either brokenly powerful or uselessly situational for a pirate), but you can easily fill those (focused) specialist slots with Extended and Persistent spells. Speaking of which, Metamagic School Focus doesn’t stop being great. Last but not least, greater spell matrix lets you get off three 3rd level spells at once with just a little preparation (I’d recommend haste, mass snake’s swiftness, and slow).

Not actually a whole lot of new stuff happening, mostly just increasing stats. The exception is the excellent Planar Ward, which makes both Joker and Jackie immune to being mind controlled, dominated, possessed, or anything similar. This makes up for his weakest save while also eliminating one of the biggest threats in the game. At this point you’ve already got all the best tricks, so for the last bonus trick I’d recommend coming up with a custom one based on your campaign (perhaps one based on sending items to party members, for potion delivery and stuff).


Complete Adventurer – Handle Animal tricks (pg. 100-101)
Complete Arcane – Fatespinner (pg. 37), Persistent Spell (pg. 51), brilliant blade (pg. 100), reaving dispel (pg. 119)
Complete Champion – Domain Granted Power Wizard ACF
Complete Mage – Focused Specialist Wizard ACF, Metamagic School Focus (pg. 45)
Oriental Adventures – Hengeyokai (pg. 10)
Magic of Incarnum – Share Soulmeld (pg. 41), Adamant Pauldrons (pg. 54), Lucky Dice (pg. 77), Planar Ward (pg. 83), Sailor’s Bracers (pg. 84), open least chakra, open lesser chakra, & open greater chakra (pg. 103)
Miniatures Handbook – Mounted Casting (pg. 27)
Monster Manual II – Warbeast Template (pg. 219)
Players Handbook II – chain dispel
Serpent Kingdoms – ability rip
Spell Compendium – nerveskitter (pg.146), ray of clumsiness (pg. 166), targeting ray (pg. 219), sonic weapon (pg. 195), mass snake’s swiftness (pg. 193), backlash (pg. 23), lesser spell matrix (pg. 199), stone body (pg. 207), brilliant aura (pg. 39), elemental body (pg. 78), spell matrix (pg. 199), greater spell matrix (pg.199)
SRD – Combat Wizard ACF (Unearthed Arcana), Wizard, Eagle, Greater Spell Focus, Mounted Combat, Spell Focus, Weapon Finesse, Handle Animal tricks, animate rope, enlarge person, ray of enfeeblement, glitterdust, rope trick, dispel magic, greater magic weapon, haste, slow, bestow curse, summon monster IV, telekinesis, teleport, control water, greater dispel magic, true seeing, control weather, ethereal jaunt, moment of prescience, foresight
Stormwrack – Sea Witch (pg. 68), Ship’s Mage (pg. 93), narrative naval combat (pg. 25), Handle Animal tricks (pg. 84)
Web – Silverwood Arcanist http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031209a, Wild Cohort http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a

[Macabaret]

That's all of 'em, folks. If you don't see your entry here, it probably just got lost in the kerfuffle somewhere. Let me know.

Judges, you may begin. Enjoy your work. And remember, you are appreciated!

[MisterKaws]

Wow, those are pretty unique builds. At least they avoided the obvious solutions like the plague.

By the way, those were Southern Magician and Sha'ir, if someone somehow didn't realize it. You can basically just sidestep the Soulcaster restriction by going into Sapphire Hierarch instead. It's so simple it's boring.

As promised, I'll get on to judging. Might take me a while, though. Some of these have a few problems presentation-wise.

Sigh, *Opens twenty books*

[DeTess]

Heh, seems it's probably a good thing I didn't manage to find time to finish mine,as it'd have been pretty similar to Louis Draclaw. This is an interesting variety of builds, all things considered.

[jdizzlean]

Sigh, *Opens twenty books* PER ENTRY

fixed that for you :)

enjoy sir.

[weckar]

I only just realized my version would have been illegal anyway due to DragMag material I forgot came from there.

[MisterKaws]

Status update: I'm 3.5/4 entries in. Should probably be done by tomorrow.

Seems like the overall Elegance score is going to be pretty low. All four entries have quite a few easy-to-spot issues, ranging from minor annoyance to "this literally doesn't work".

[PoeticallyPsyco]

All four entries have quite a few easy-to-spot issues, ranging from minor annoyance to "this literally doesn't work".

Whoops, I think I just found mine. At least I hope so, since the one I found is relatively minor.

Also, that's fast work! I'm impressed.

[MisterKaws]

Hey, my judgings are out. Here's the criteria:


I rate each category from 1 to 5, assigning modifiers to each point of importance I notice. Generally, these will be from 0.25 to 1, up or down.
In cases where the marked modifier implies a massive flaw to the category score(for example, not taking either of the components), I reserve the right to assign an ad-hoc -2. Although to be fair, in those cases where I do add such a -2, I'll be more lenient with subsequent disputes.
Originality and Power have a starting score of 3, and can be modified up to 5 and down to 1.
Elegance and Use of Components have a starting score of 5 and can only be modified down. This is due to the fact that a lack of flaws in these categories automatically implies perfection.

This method of judging favors average scores rather than extremes. In general, if I see that a build excels so much in a category, either for good or bad, I'll give it a score of 5 or 1, respectively, and detail as much as I can as to why I am giving them such a score. This is especially true for Originality and Power, which sometimes cannot be quantified fully. For example, if someone makes the next coming of Pun-Pun. However, it may also be applied to the other two ratings, especially Elegance, whenever a build is blatantly illegal in all ways.


And here are the scores:



Wizard-Incarnate was the most expected combo for this, and in fact, one of the most optimal builds for this round would be the Wizard-Incarnate-Soulcaster/Silverwood Arcanist that is forbidden because of the round's limitation. Not only that, but Combat Wizard was rather overused this round, so I'm giving you a -0.25.
Now, Drow Arachnomancer was rather unexpected, and with a variant Deity at that! Well done, +1. I also love the image of a scorpion mounted on a scorpion mounted on another scorpion.
Windrider is a natural complement to Wild Cohort, so it isn't nothing too revolutionary. Not giving you neither a penalty not a bonus for that, but see Power and Use of Components below.
Final score: 3.75


There's a couple of problems with your build, particularly with the sources. These are:
First of all, Blessed of Vulkoor is from Secrets of Xen'drik, but you listed it in Secrets of Sarlona. Additionally, you didn't list the spells' sources, and even admitted to it. -0.5 for bad source management.
Second, you used the adaptation for Arachnomancer into a Scorpion Arachnomancer. The problem with that is that the adaptation section for prestige classes is nothing but suggestions to change the class to fit another game better, and thus they're technically illegal for this competition as far as I can tell. -0.5 for ambiguous rulings.
Besides those, your build itself is flawless as far as I can tell.
Final Score: 4

For starters, you get Wizard casting, which is good(+1)... but it is incomplete after level 15(-0.25), and Windrider doesn't actually increase your power much over Wizard, rather just maintaining it.
You also get lots of free action attacks, in addition to your actual attacks(which can be switched to movement or utility ad-hoc as well), and that's buffed by Wizard casting! +0.5.
And adding to that, your cohort is pretty strong as well, bolstered by Windrider, spells and soulmelds. Your animal companion is kind of weak, though, but that helps keep the spotlight to the real boss. Plus they're both expendable, according to Animal Companion rules(which I assume the Cohort follows, since it's based off that). +0.25
Final Score: 4.5

You get Silverwood Arcanist four levels later than the earliest(6th), and Wild Cohort five later than level 1. -0.25 for presence in lower levels.
You have 6 ranks as cross-class in Skilled Rider, so I won't ding you for that.
Now, I have a bit of a problem with how much you're using the class itself besides a bit of Skilled Rider. You use mostly buff spells, so you don't need mounted casting; rather, you could just pre-cast. You're not using Fast Handling for much. The cherry on top, though, is that you aren't really using Share Soulmeld for much other than the Soulspark machinegun, which, while powerful, makes you a bit of a one-trick-pony. -2(-1 for each) for neglect in both ingredients.
I'd have had a problem with your Wild Cohort as well, if you didn't use that Windrider finish there to upgrade it. Before it, you didn't seem to be using it for much, but since it ended rather strong, I'll let it pass.
Final Score: 2.75


That Silverbrow Human isn't turning any heads, but a Bard->Sublime Chord entry is certainly unique, especially amid a sea of Wizard entries. Not only that, but you avoided the obvious option in the form of Nature Bard in favor of a harder-to-optimize DFA Bard. +1 for that.
But then you went even further ahead and added Uncanny Trickster, and not as a PrC-breaking device, but as an actual part of your battle strategy! +0.5.
Final Score: 4.5


It seems that your Howler familiar ate your spells per day table entries from levels 6-9. You're also missing one skill point at level 3(7/8)... and then overshooting one skill point at level 5(7/6). Additionally, Intimidate is not a class skill for Silverwood Arcanist, so you overshot again at levels 12-15(5/4). -1 for bad table management.
And there's also a problem with Threefold Mask of the Chimera: it's ambiguous as to whether it allows secondary attacks in its three-head full-attack action or not. At least, it does not mention allowing them. -0.25 for the slightly ambiguous ruling.
You also forgot to mention Sublime Chord being in Complete Arcane and Virtuoso in Complete Adventurer. -0.25 for bad source management.
Final Score: 3.5

You have full Sublime Chord casting, which is basically Sorcerer+Bard. +1.
You also have a very high mobility, while also maintaining the ability to deal damage by unmount pouncing shenanigans. Your mounts can also pounce at-will and you can buff all three with your spell list, which also includes things like Polymorph and Shapechange for game-disruption. Very good, +0.5.
You have a flaw here in your Fortitude save, which is also not helped by your ability scores. You could potentially compensate here with your casting, but it is still a worry nonetheless. -0.25.
Final Score: 4.25

You took Silverwood Arcanist 6 levels after earliest, which is kind of overly late, but at least you have your Wild Cohort from the start, and took Share Soulmeld at the first opportunity(since Familiar is minimum level 3 for a Bard). -0.25 for presence in lower levels.
You otherwise made good use of Share Soulmeld to amplify your damage and get multiple full attacks in a round. You're also making active use of Fast Handling, and took a whopping 10 ranks in cross-class for Skilled Rider. I have no complaints.
Final Score: 4.75


Your build is really hard to quantify. I can't really assign points to your originality or elegance, because both of them overshoot too far(either good or bad). Silverbrow Human? Sure, that's not rare, but you made it a damn Vriscika from the Mahasarpa setting. Then you overshot with classes as well, as a Brahmin Shaman, Deadly Hunter Druid, Chameleon and Geomancer. I just can't quantify that, so you get full points.
Final Score: 5


You've seen the good. Now here's the bad.

First of all: Chameleon is explicitly forbidden from being used as a pre-requisite for anything:

You can’t use any abilities gained from your aptitude focus, ability boon, or mimic class feature abilities to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other option. You can use your bonus feat to qualify for such options, but if you change the feat, you suffer the normal drawbacks for no longer meeting a prerequisite or requirement.

You could have done this build by instead taking Sha'ir, as I mentioned before, and you'd still qualify for Geomancer cheese. Of course, I'd have dropped your Originality a fair bit, but at least you wouldn't be getting a rant for the Elegance score.

Also, while Totemist could be added to Oriental Adventures as a new class(lots of onmyou-related fiction have something similar to Totemist), Druids and Wizards are STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. Then you also added Forgotten Realms horses and templates, so not only you are violating campaign restrictions; you are also mixing two campaigns.
And then you added Spell Compendium domains to a Shaman. The Spell Compendium suggestion for adding its domains to the Shaman class list is just that - a suggestion.

You also have scattered sources all over the text, scattered spells, and lack a spells per day table.

And as a cherry on top, you're trying to give Claw and Hoof attacks to the same horse. That just doesn't work - those are the same limb.

I didn't even bother looking at your skills to confirm you didn't add the wrong number of points. It wouldn't change your Elegance score. You overshot so much I don't feel like giving you anything other than a 1 is fair.
Final Score: 1


Nice ubercharging, but the horses aside from the Wild Cohort are basically paper, and need to stay within 5ft of you for most tricks to work. +0.25 for melee presence.
You also get level 6 spells and CL 20(+0.75). But then again, you have the highly versatile Chameleon chassis and can choose a bunch of spells per day, so I'm giving you a +0.5 for versatility.
You have a problem here, though, in that most of your pets are as frail as paper, and in addition, you have very low BAB for the first half of the build. -0.5 for obvious flaws.
By the way the Battle Blessing and Master Illusionist tricks are cute, but they just don't work: class features only apply to that class unless said otherwise(like Skilled Rider), and Chameleon Spells are not Paladin spells.
Final Score: 4

You took both Wild Cohort and Share Soulmeld extremely early, so I have nothing to complain in that. You also entered Silverwood Arcanist 3 levels later than earliest, and that isn't too late. Considering you took the other components that early, I won't ding you.
You got 5 cross-class ranks in skilled rider, which is what I decided as a cut-off from getting a penalty. It's higher than the minimum 3, but not overtly so.
You described quite a few combos using your other classes in synergy with Silverwood Arcanist and Share Soulmeld, so I have no complaints in this category. Congratulations.
Final Score: 5



Harry Jackie, you're a Wizard! You and the rest of the class(-0.25). But then you went all Plus Ultra and became a pirate witch (+1).
And then you wrote a backstory? How dare you! Here's a +0.5 for being the only who even bothered.
Final Score: 4.25


You yourself admitted to not using the Dragon 318 update. Well, while it only really weakens your character, it is still breaking the rules. However, since this only gives you a demerit, I'll only ding you by -0.25.
You're also using Rokugan material(Hengeyokai) and FR(everything else) together. While it's not as egregious as the previous entry, it is still a race from another campaign. -0.5 for mixing campaigns.
You took Ride as a cross-class skill from levels 12-20(11-19) even though Skilled Rider makes it a class skill for all classes, so there's another -0.5 for bad table management.
I noticed an issue with your use of Share Soulmeld: you don't have the Share Spells ability: only the Wild Cohort does, because Share Spells is one-way only(from you to pet), so Share Soulmeld on the Eagle is technically illegal. That's another -0.25 for ambiguous ruling.
Also, your cohort can't take Shape Soulmeld at level 1. That's base HD, and backstory can't change that. There's reason to agree with it in case it is a player character, but a common eagle taking a different feat from its base is straight into DM Fiat. -0.5 for ambiguous ruling.
Final Score: 3

You got full Wizard casting, so that's a +1. And by being a Focused Specialist Transmuter, you get more spells than even a Sorcerer would. +0.25 for versatility and lasting power. You're also very strong in a sea campaign, and I rate you for what you built it for. You're a pirate witch, so I'm guessing you'd damn better be on a seafaring campaign. +0.25 for power while on sea.
But like most of the others this round, you got alarmingly low Fort and Ref saves. While your luck bonuses and re-rolls alleviate this somewhat, it is still a concern. -0.25 for obvious flaw.
Final Score: 4.25


You took Silverwood Arcanist 1 level later than earliest, your Wild Cohort at level 1, and, while rather late, made a very interesting(if dubious by RAW) use of Share Soulmeld.
But you took only three points in Skilled Rider, so I'll have to give you a -0.5 for under-performing.
Other than that, you used Mounted Casting enough, and certainly did use Share Spells. With how much you're switching forms I'd also assume Fast Handling should get to see some use as well, so no complaints here.
Final Score: 4.5

[daremetoidareyo]

No disputes here

[Falontani]

I wish I had disputes, but it's a fair assessment.

[Macabaret]

From the desk of Jackie and Joker:


Let me get the soul-crushing (to me) bit off first. I think you screwed up adding up my score; it should be 15.75 instead of 16.75.

I only have two disputes, both fairly minor. First, while Iron Chef has a rule specifically allowing Dragon Magazine content that updates 3.0 material, but Junkyard Wars doesn't mention such an exception either in the blanket ban on DM content or the note to double-check for 3.5 updates. I erred on the side of caution.

Second, the feat Share Soulmeld doesn't require a feature "Share Spells", merely a mount "with whom you can share spells", not even capitalized (and the two are undeniably sharing spells). I won't disagree that it's slightly ambiguous, but I think my case is stronger than you made it sound.

[MisterKaws]

Let me get the soul-crushing (to me) bit off first. I think you screwed up adding up my score; it should be 15.75 instead of 16.75.

Sorry, I was sleepy. :'(


I only have two disputes, both fairly minor. First, while Iron Chef has a rule specifically allowing Dragon Magazine content that updates 3.0 material, but Junkyard Wars doesn't mention such an exception either in the blanket ban on DM content or the note to double-check for 3.5 updates. I erred on the side of caution.

It doesn't explicitly mention it because I'm guessing the chairman forgot to copy the exception in:


Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon Magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see below.

I believe this is partially the chairman's fault for not copying the follow-up to this portion. I already gave you the minimum penalty for that, so I can't drop it further.


Second, the feat Share Soulmeld doesn't require a feature "Share Spells", merely a mount "with whom you can share spells", not even capitalized (and the two are undeniably sharing spells). I won't disagree that it's slightly ambiguous, but I think my case is stronger than you made it sound.

See my emphasis? The eagle can't share spells with you, because it is one-way. But seeing as the previous dispute was partially the chairman's fault, I'm lightening your penalty here. +0.25.
I like those scores, they're all integers. It's nice.

[jdizzlean]

this awesome set of notes is what i was gonna use on vacation to come up w/ an entry and then forgot to send to myself after the fact...




Sorc to malconvoker to Silverwood arcanist

Or wiz (conjurer) to malconvoker w/ rapid summoning ACF from UA

Research summon desert ally (sandstorm)
Arcane Disciple Feat

Races of Faerun called Southern Magician – 1/day per 2CL cast arcane as divine or vice versa

1 level dip for Sand Shaper (sandstorm)

War Mage (or SORC) 5, Sandshaper 10, Silverwood 5, and/or intermix mage of the arcane order w/ ss

Eclectic Learning (PHB2 – warmage) for more spells

[Macabaret]

It doesn't explicitly mention it because I'm guessing the chairman forgot to copy the exception in:

Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon Magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see below.


I believe this is partially the chairman's fault for not copying the follow-up to this portion. I already gave you the minimum penalty for that, so I can't drop it further.



I'm not one to step in as Chair and comment on judgements, so don't get used to this. But my actions have been mentioned in the judging, I will step in here, for clarity's sake.



Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon Magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see below. Web-exclusive 3.0 or 3.5 materials by WotC are expressly allowed, but take care to verify that an updated version did not appear in print elsewhere as this may cause an Elegance deduction at the judges' discretion. If you use web material, please link it. Dragon Magazine Compendium is allowed, as are Oriental Adventures and the Dragonlance Campaign Setting. Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt and fractional saves are not allowed, as they create a different playing field.


The bolded sentence sets up the basic groundrule. The "but see below" is referencing the underlined sections. Or so I believe. I didn't actually write it; I just copied it over from previous iterations of the comp.

As for the question that got us here: this may be of interest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23998031&postcount=29). I do, however, take full responsibility for not adding that to the FAQ in post #2. I can't recall now why that didn't get done.

[MisterKaws]

I'm not one to step in as Chair and comment on judgements, so don't get used to this. But my actions have been mentioned in the judging, I will step in here, for clarity's sake.



The bolded sentence sets up the basic groundrule. The "but see below" is referencing the underlined sections. Or so I believe. I didn't actually write it; I just copied it over from previous iterations of the comp.

As for the question that got us here: this may be of interest (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23998031&postcount=29). I do, however, take full responsibility for not adding that to the FAQ in post #2. I can't recall now why that didn't get done.

I think this may have been a carry-over from previous chairmen, then. This specific quoted sentence is an almost direct copy from IC(and likely an exact copy of a previous version of IC's rulings), except that it didn't include the note in Elegance that is included there.

I have no excuse for forgetting your response in the previous page, though. That's just my lazy brain not saving things I read.

[RaiKirah]

Really great entries folks, and (though I wasn't a competitor this time) thanks MisterKaws for the timely and thoughtful judgements!

I had been working on a Bear Warrior based build with Mounted Fury to be a bear riding a bear with way too many arms/appendages for melee pouncing, but couldn't really find a way to incorporate spellcasting in a way that wasn't a total throwaway

[daremetoidareyo]

Really great entries folks, and (though I wasn't a competitor this time) thanks MisterKaws for the timely and thoughtful judgements!

I had been working on a Bear Warrior based build with Mounted Fury to be a bear riding a bear with way too many arms/appendages for melee pouncing, but couldn't really find a way to incorporate spellcasting in a way that wasn't a total throwaway

Rage mage! Then your bear can cast spells, if you can get them to know them

[MisterKaws]

Really great entries folks, and (though I wasn't a competitor this time) thanks MisterKaws for the timely and thoughtful judgements!

I had been working on a Bear Warrior based build with Mounted Fury to be a bear riding a bear with way too many arms/appendages for melee pouncing, but couldn't really find a way to incorporate spellcasting in a way that wasn't a total throwaway

I think you could probably work something out with a Sorcerer using buffs only. Maybe a Rage Mage dip(the first sentence in Spell Rage doesn't require using the Spell Rage itself). Maybe Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 4/Spirit Lion Barbarian 1/Rage Mage 2/AbjChamp 1/Silverwood Arcanist 5/Bear Warrior 7(Take Surrogate Spellcasting as soon as you start going Bear). You could probably do it better with some research.

[RaiKirah]

Rage mage! Then your bear can cast spells, if you can get them to know them



I think you could probably work something out with a Sorcerer using buffs only. Maybe a Rage Mage dip(the first sentence in Spell Rage doesn't require using the Spell Rage itself). Maybe Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 4/Spirit Lion Barbarian 1/Rage Mage 2/AbjChamp 1/Silverwood Arcanist 5/Bear Warrior 7(Take Surrogate Spellcasting as soon as you start going Bear). You could probably do it better with some research.

Yeah, this was basically the route I was thinking about, but the ordering of classes was pretty awkward and you end up with pretty low-level spellcasting in a comp that's geared towards having 9s. Also really wanted to use Totem Rager, but then the lost levels become nuts.

Add in the fact that I've got some other plans for Rage Mage if it ever shows up in a comp and I let this build fall by the wayside.

[Macabaret]

...thanks MisterKaws for the timely and thoughtful judgements!


I absolutely second this notion! Such judgings were, in fact, timely enough to beat the judging deadline by more than a week. As per the OP, I'm ready to forego the rest of the judging period and begin the next round early. But I don't want to do that if someone out there is in the process of judging the builds. As such, I'll wait another day or so. If you are judging, let me know. There's no need to get your judgements posted in the next day; just let me know that you're working on it, and I'll delay the early closing of this round. If that makes any sense.

[Macabaret]

Place
Entry
Entrant
Score


1st
Louis Draclaw
WhamBamSam
17


2nd
Jackie the Jinx
PoeticallyPsyco
16


3rd (Tied)
Skorrupi
Falontani
15


3rd (Tied)
Dan
daremetoidareyo
15



Congratulations to our medalists!

[weckar]

I suppose that's what I get for not checking this thread often enough.

*Shreds judge notes*

[Macabaret]

I suppose that's what I get for not checking this thread often enough.

*Shreds judge notes*

Ack! Sorry about that. Still, there's always next time (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?593374-Junkyard-Wars-XXVI-RSL-ACF-PrCs).

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Ah, just realized I forgot to say: Good round everyone! Thanks to the usual people, namely Macabaret for all the work that goes into hosting, MisterKaws for a speedy and thorough judgement, and all my competitors for your clever ideas!