Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CIV

[The Viscount]

Welcome to Optimization Stadium, the field of combat for our storied competition. Here the contestants will be transmuting lead into gold as we showcase the overlooked, underused, weird, wild, and wonky prestige classes.

This round we turn to Races of Eberron. By unanimous vote, we all share the blame. Get in touch with your roots, because it's time for Atavist!

Welcome, contestants, judges, and guests to Iron Chef. Here in Optimization Colosseum, contestants will endeavor to create an optimized and flavorful character using a specified D&D 3.5 prestige class as a "Secret Ingredient".

Contestants: You will need to present a full 20-level build for your entry. Also required is a rundown of how your build works at lower levels, to demonstrate that it is a functional character that could be played from 1-20 in a real game. Traditionally contestants give "snapshots" of tactics and abilities at levels 5, 10, 15, and 20. The purpose of these snapshots is not just to showcase your use of the SI, it is to demonstrate that your character is playable at every level. For this reason, it's still worth giving a snapshot before you have entered the SI.

Menu: The "special ingredient" can be drawn from any legal source. Originally, the plan was to mostly use Core and Completes, but that was a long time ago, and we've started running out of interesting classes to use if we restrict ourselves to those.

32 point-buy is the presumed creation method.
If you do use a different point-buy, please make your case for its necessity in your entry. Keep in mind that for using exceptionally large or small point-buys may warrant deductions in elegance and/or power.

Kitchen: 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 Elegance 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. Here's a guide to most of what has and hasn't been updated. (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20050110x) Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt or Generic Classes are not allowed, as they create a different playing field. Also, item familiars are forbidden. Please refrain from using Taint unless it's necessary for the Secret Ingredient.
NB: Official Errata and 3.5 updates to 3.0 content are considered valid regardless of whether their sources would otherwise be legal. This includes the 3.5 update of Oriental Adventures given in Dragon Magazine, and the 3.5 updates of Dragonlance Campaign Setting content given in later third party Dragonlance books.

Cooking Time: Contestants will have until 13:59 GMT on Sunday, August 2nd, 2020 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, The Viscount. You may submit build by email if it is too large for a single PM. Please put the name of your build in the subject line of your PM. Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying. Judges will have until 13:59 GMT on August 16th, 2020 to judge the builds and submit their scores. If no judges have scored by that point, only the scores of the first judge to submit will be counted.

Judging: Judging will be based on the following criteria, with each build rated on a scale from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Power, Elegance, Use of Secret Ingredient.

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 could bear a little elaboration. It basically measures how skillfully you put your build together, and whether you sacrificed flavor for 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 considered in poor taste, and judges are asked to take a dim view of this option, taking it into account while grading. Other things that will cause penalties here are excessive multi-classing, and classes that don't fit the concept.Please note the following: a legal source's relative obscurity should not be considered as penalizing Elegance, excepting the aforementioned issues with Unearthed Arcana. Using conflicting setting material may result in a penalty to Elegance at the judges' discretion, but a book's relative obscurity may not. In that same vein, drawing solely from the Core 3 (and the d20 SRD) should not be punished for lacking Originality.
Presentation: 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!

Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, I'd like everyone to try to 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
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
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.
Speculation: Please don't post or speculate on possible builds until the "reveal," in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.

Leadership is banned; we're producing a meal, not a seven-course banquet for a hundred diners. 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.

So! Who wants to sign up as a contestant, and who wants to sign up as a judge? 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. Judges, contestants and guests alike are invited to vote for honorable mention via PM. If there are no votes, Honorable Mention will go to the chairman's favorite build.

Past Competitions

Courtesy of some wonderful volunteers, there is a handy-dandy spreadsheet guide to all previous builds here (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oyjVU5JmeCnC8YTMqDArDqE5PszHl0Ysadz630kuTGk/edit?ts=59a4835f#gid=0).

Iron Chef I: Entropomancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142470)
Iron Chef II: Psibond Agent (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146583)
Iron Chef III: Cancer Mage (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148584)
Iron Chef IV: Stonelord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150595)
Iron Chef V: War Chanter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152543)
Iron Chef VI: Master of Masks (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156876)
Iron Chef VII: Green Star Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158633)
Iron Chef VIII: Pyrokineticist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160266)
Iron Chef IX: Animal Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162702)
Iron Chef X: Mythic Exemplar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164381)
Iron Chef XI: Blade Bravo (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=166539)
Iron Chef XII: War Mind (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9426386)
Iron Chef XIII: Vigilante (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=172233)
Iron Chef XIV: Seeker of the Song (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174434)
Iron Chef XV: Drunken Master (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176049)
Iron Chef XVI: Assassin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=178202)
Iron Chef XVII: Ardent Dilettante (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182492)
Iron Chef XVIII: Unseelie Dark Hunter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=186097)
Iron Chef XIX: Dread Pirate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190607)
Iron Chef XX: Incandescent Champion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10976416)
Iron Chef XXI: Ghostwalker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198921)
Iron Chef XXII: Dervish (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206576)
Iron Chef XXIII: Divine Crusader (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210071)
Iron Chef XXIV: Tactical Soldier (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214198)
Iron Chef XXV: Scion of Tem-Et-Nu (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=217441)
Iron Chef XXVI: Shadowdancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=220956)
Iron Chef XXVII: Mindbender (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=224008)
Iron Chef XXVIII: Cryokineticist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=227304)
Iron Chef XXIX: Consecrated Harrier (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229688)
Iron Chef XXX: Initiate of Pistis Sophia (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233346)
Iron Chef XXXI: Shadow Sentinel (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=236908)
Iron Chef XXXII: Temple Raider of Olidammara (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=239786)
Iron Chef XXXIII: Drow Judicator (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243052)
Iron Chef XXXIV: Dragon Disciple (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=246072)
Iron Chef XXXV: Death Delver (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249542)
Iron Chef XXXVI: Acolyte of the Skin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252923)
Iron Chef XXXVII: Justiciar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13865473)
Iron Chef XXXVIII: Hand of the Winged Master (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255215)
Iron Chef XXXIX: Renegade Mastermaker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260333)
Iron Chef XL: Nightsong Infiltrator (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=263173)
Iron Chef XLI: Geomancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266709)
Iron Chef XLII: Shadowblade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270196)
Iron Chef XLIII: Bladesinger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=274122)
Iron Chef XLIV: Urban Soul (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=279116)
Iron Chef XLV: Talon of Tiamat (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=15216595)
Iron Chef XLVI: Cipher Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287314)
Iron Chef XLVII: Cold Iron Warrior (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=291294)
Iron Chef XLVIII: Shadow Sun Ninja (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297327)
Iron Chef XLIX: Thrall to Orcus (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=302487)
Iron Chef L: Corrupt Avenger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=307823)
Iron Chef LI: Black Flame Zealot (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312773)
Iron Chef LII: Anointed Knight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=317934)
Iron Chef LIII: Zerth Cenobite (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325164)
Iron Chef LIV: Osteomancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330890)
Iron Chef LV: Mountebank (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?336373-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LV)
Iron Chef LVI: Dwarven Defender (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?342807-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LVI)
Iron Chef LVII: Darkrunner (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?349040-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LVII)
Iron Chef LVIII: Spellsword (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?357412-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LVIII)
Iron Chef LIX: Fleet Runner of Ehlonna (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?364667-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LIX)
Iron Chef LX: Lasher (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?371835-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LX)
Iron Chef LX(II): Acolyte of the Ego (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?372145-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LX)
Iron Chef LXII: Dungeon Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?376810-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXII)
Iron Chef LXIII: Witchborn Binder (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?382632-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXIII)
Iron Chef LXIV: Slime Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?387166-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXIV)
Iron Chef LXV: Thunder Guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?394981-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXV)
Iron Chef LXVI: Dwarven Chanter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?400810-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXVI)
Irogn Chef LXVII: Gnome Giant Slayer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?406613-Irogn-Chef-Optimisatiogn-Challegnge-ign-the-Playgrougnd-LXVII)
Iron Chef LXVIII: Fang of Lolth (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?412530-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXVIII)
Iron Chef LXIX: Shiba Protector (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?420165-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXIX)
Iron Chef LXX: Order of the Bow Initiate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?425634-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXX)
Iron Chef LXXI: Silver Key (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?431484-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXI)
Iron Chef LXXII: Spellfire Channeler (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?439020-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXII)
Iron Chef LXXIII: Flux Adept (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?448596-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXIII)
Iron Chef LXXIV: Crinti Shadow Marauder (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?458711-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXIV)
Iron Chef LXXV: Thief of Life (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?472831-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXV)
Iron Chef LXXVI: Legacy Champion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?477153-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXVI)
Iron Chef LXXVII: Great Rift Skyguard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?482249-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXVII)
Iron Chef LXVIII: Risen Martyr (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?487560-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXVIII)
Iron Chef LXXIX: Black Blood Hunter (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?492923-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXIX)
Iron Chef LXXX: Master of Many Forms (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?498359-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXX)
Iron Chef LXXXI: Serene Guardian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?502666-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXI)
Iron Chef LXXXII: Elocator (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?505762-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXII)
Iron Chef LXXXIII: Winterhaunt of Iboorighu (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?510581-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXIII)
Iron Chef LXXXIV: Waverider (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?514631-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXIV)
Iron Chef LXXXV: Astral Dancer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?519296-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXV)
Iron Chef LXXXVI: Twisted Lord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?525401-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXVI)
Iron Chef LXXXVII: Shadowsmith (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?528361-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXVII)
Iron Chef LXXXVIII: Arboreal Guardian (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?533367-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXVIII)
Iron Chef LXXXIX: Thrall of Demogorgon (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?536247-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-LXXXIX)
Iron Chef XC: Bloodstorm Blade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?542380-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XC)
Iron Chef XCI: Fatemaker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?550203-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCI)
Iron Chef XCII: Eye of the Xanathar (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?556092-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCII)
Iron Chef XCIII: Hoardstealer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?560330-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCIII)
Iron Chef XCIV: Doomlord (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?564804-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCIV)
Iron Chef XCV: Gnomish Artificer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?571065-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCV)
Iron Chef XCVI: Oozemaster (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?576075-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCVI)
Iron Chef XCVII: Aerial Avenger (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?579553-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCVII)
Iron Chef XCVIII: Visionary Seeker (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?583331-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCVIII)
Iron Chef XCIX: Life Eater (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?589964-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-XCIX)
Iron Chef C: Swiftblade (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?601292-Iron-Chef-Optimisation-Challenge-in-the-Playground-C)

Iron Chef CI: Night Mask Deathbringer (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?610308-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CI)
Iron Chef CII: Blade Dancer (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?613031-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CII)
Iron Chef CIII: Psion Uncarnate (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?614461-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CIII)

[The Viscount]

FAQ:
Q: What's this even about?
A: I'm glad you asked, actually... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15415117&postcount=1)

Q: Is Dragon Compendium Allowed?
A: Yes (as well as its Errata), but individual issues of Dragon Magazine are not.

Q: What about 3.0 materials?
A: 3.0 materials, whether online or in printed form, are allowed unless they've been officially updated to a 3.5 edition.

Q: Are Dragonlance, Ravenloft, Planescape, Dark Sun, or Kingdoms of Kalamar allowable sources?
A: The Dragonlance Campaign Setting is allowed, but the subsequent books for Dragonlance are considered 3rd party, and are therefore not eligible, despite the "WotC approved" status of those books. The same holds for Oriental Adventures (1st party) and the subsequent Rokugan books (3rd party). Materials from Ravenloft, Planescape, Dark Sun, and Kingdoms of Kalamar are considered 3rd party for purposes of this contest, and are therefore not allowed.

Q: What about online sources in general?
A: If the online source is a) published by WotC, and b) not replaced by an updated version at a later time, it is eligible. Use it, link it.

Q: Where's the line drawn with "acceptable/unacceptable" for Unearthed Arcana? This will likely vary a bit from Chairman to Chairman. Item Familiars and Gestalt have always been verboten, since before IC migrated to GitP; don't expect that to change. Flaws have similarly always been noted as warranting a deduction; while I am Chairman, I'm extending that to Traits, though they warrant 1/2 the penalty in Elegance that a Flaw would because they're roughly 1/2 as useful. Alternate spell systems, alternate skill systems and alternate crafting rules all create an uneven playing field, and as such, will be disallowed for as long as I am Chairman. In a similar vein, LA buyoff and fractional BAB are also disallowed. Bloodlines and the Retraining options presented in the PHB2 are ripe for abuse, and will be strongly discouraged as long as I am Chairman. Note that judges are allowed to look askance at any use of Unearthed Arcana not specifically mentioned above, at their discretion, and otherwise penalize Elegance according to their preference.

Q: What, exactly, does the ban on Leadership mean?
A: As folks have started to try to work around the edges of this one, I'm forced to spell it out more plainly. No Leadership, Draconic Cohort, or Feats that grant a similar ability are allowed EXCEPT Wild Cohort. Any PrC you choose with Leadership or a Leadership-analog has that ability entirely ignored for this contest, as it may neither be used nor traded away via any means whatsoever.

Q: What's the minimum score in a category?
A: Assuming an entry is legal, the minimum score in any category is 1. If a judge is convinced that an entry is mechanically illegal by the RAW, the judge may give the build a score of 0 in Elegance, and proceed to judge the entry as if the offending material was not included. Failing to meet a special requirement for a prestige class does not merit a 0, but may qualify for a penalty, at the judge's discretion. Because this contest focuses on Player Characters, an entry that is not technically allowed for a PC, but is viable as an NPC, counts as a legal entry, but may receive a minimum score at the judges' discretion.

Q: Creatures and templates with no listed LA are playable, right?
A: No. No listed LA is equivalent to LA: -. It is not suitable for PCs. If you use it, expect judges to look extremely disfavorably on it.

Q: So what's the deal with equipment, anyway?
A: There is no official policy on how much equipment you should list. Historically, judges have frowned upon "item dependent" builds, but unfortunately the definition of that has been applied to mean anything from builds that don't function if you remove one very specific item, to builds that so much as mention a particular weapon. Builds that don't list gear should be assumed to buy useful generics - items to boost their primary stats, cloaks of resistance, appropriate magical weapons and armor, and so forth. If a build would find particular items useful, they should be listed, but experience suggests that the more generic you keep them, the more favorably judges are likely to look upon them, as a build being shut down because the Thundering Bagpipes of Urist McTrumpetbritches were unavailable is considered a weakness. Similarly, requiring items in order to be able to qualify for things tends to be frowned upon.

Q: Do you have any other rules and guidelines on how to judge?
A: We do, actually, designed to try and avoid unpleasantness we've encountered in past contests. The things we've come up with to avoid repeating this are given below.

One Mistake, One Penalty

Judges are only allowed to penalise once for a given mistake. If someone messes up their skills and doesn't qualify for a PrC, ding them as hard as you like. Once. In one category. You don't then get to declare that because they didn't qualify for that PrC, they don't get those levels, and thus don't qualify for anything else. If Ranger is a common ingredient, ding them for Originality. Once. Don't also take off points for Two-Weapon-Fighting being a common ingredient.

Non-exhaustive list of examples:

Skills

Allowed:

Giving a penalty for miscalculating the number of skill points gained
Giving a penalty for not having enough ranks to meet a prerequisite
Increasing the harshness of a skill miscalculation penalty if it affects critical skills including prereqs


Not allowed:

Giving separate penalties for miscalculating skill points and for non-qualification where the non-qualification is solely caused by the miscalculation



Prereqs

Allowed:

Giving a penalty for not meeting prereqs
Scaling the penalty depending on how important the item that the build failed to qualify for is
Giving minimum score in UotSI for not qualifying for the SI
Not giving credit for (note: not the same as penalising for) tactics using feats or classes other than the SI that were not qualified for (but see below)


Not Allowed:

"Cascading" failures to qualify - declaring that because a build doesn't qualify for a feat, for example, it also doesn't qualify for anything using that feat as a prereq
Treating a build as having fewer levels than it does because of FtQ for classes



Other general things that are no longer allowed:

Penalizing because someone has chosen to build a tribute to an existing creative work
Deciding that a backstory has not met a fluff prerequisite well enough, or because its method of meeting it is "unrealistic". You may penalize if a fluff prereq is not addressed at all, but not for how well it is addressed.


Note that these are protections, not licenses. Deliberately taking a feat that you know you don't qualify for hoping to just suck up the judging penalty for a feat that you couldn't normally take is not okay, and may lead to your build being disqualified.

Q: Do you have any contest house rules or clarifications to ambiguous rules?
A: Some that have come up in previous contests and needed answers to:

All creatures are proficient with any natural weapons they may have or acquire.
Bonus feats that are granted even if you do not meet the prerequisites do not require you to meet the prerequisites in order to use.
Able Learner's benefit applies to the level you take it.
Weapons from soulmelds are considered to be magic weapons.
Unarmed Swordsage grants Improved Unarmed Strike at level 1.
Not finishing Savage Progression is subject to a penalty to Elegance
One dispute per entry. Submit disputes by PM to the Chair.
Ghostwalk ghost is banned
Gold, silver, and bronze are awarded regardless of ties (e.g., 2 silvers does not preclude bronze)

Q: Can I submit more than one entry?
A: You may submit up to two entries into a given competition.

Q: What kind of action to use Defensive Insight, detect possession, and spiritual union?
A: Free actions for all 3.

Q: Does detect possession detect supernatural possession, or a creature under the effect of any supernatural effect?
A: Just possession effects.

Q: How does dismissing strike work?
A: Like this (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24619063&postcount=25)

[DeTess]

So, this is a really well designed class. It gets something new and exciting at every level, just like the monk and soulknife, two other well designed classes that it's an obvious continuation for.

/sarcasm

That capstone is really something though, and I love how it's written. "You get a minor bonus to skills that's pretty irrelevant by the time you get it... also you get to seriously mess with your action economy."

I've got an idea for this one though, let's see if I can find the time to actually work it out.

[Venger]

What an awful class. I don't think I've ever actually read it before. Tentatively down to cook.

[PhantasyPen]

Oof. I can see why this one isn't talked about.

[tterreb]

I've made a few builds with this before. Not sure if any of them are worth entering into a competition though...

[Piggy Knowles]

I have an idea I like! Hopefully it will actually make its way into a full entry, instead of getting as far as the write-up and then stalling out when it comes time to write the fluff like last week...

[WhamBamSam]

The difference between the first 9 levels of basically nothing and the capstone is whiplash inducing.

I have a few versions of an idea that I'm bouncing around. Will be cooking.

[Zaq]

I’ve looked at it before, but never deeply. Always seemed like crap.

Still pretty sure that’s true. But then I said that about the last ingredient too, and we saw how that turned out.

Not inspired yet (hardeharhar) but I’ll think about it.

[Heavenblade]

I consider NOT taking the capstone just to keep it in the level of NEEDS OP, cause this last ability is such a power boost.

[Empyreal Dragon]

I'm volunteering my services as a judge again. I've had a lot of experience with this class, so I'm excited for the dishes to be displayed

[H_H_F_F]

I've tried a few ideas, but I'm not happy with any of them. If nothing clicks in time for the deadline, I'll be happy to judge again.

[Zaq]

I thought of something stupid. Thankfully, it was too stupid and doesn't work by RAW, which is a relief, because honestly I didn't want to build that crap. I don't need ANOTHER build that relies on [REDACTED].

I remain thoroughly underwhelmed by this ingredient. Thunder guide was, at least, a bunch of moderately interesting flavor ribbons that a GM could give out for clever roleplaying, even if it was a garbage thing to spend levels on. Atavist, in contrast, is a game-changing capstone carelessly stapled to nine other levels.

Clarifications just in case:

Defensive insight is a (Su) with no listed action type, so it's a standard action (because all the gods are dead and we can't have nice things), right? Ditto detect possession. And, for that matter, ditto spiritual union...
About detect possession, the wording is sloppy. There's an extraneous "a" in there that actually changes the meaning. I believe that by RAI, the intent is "...or is under the effect of a [possession] [spell or supernatural power]," but by RAW, it seems to say "... or is under the effect of [a possession spell] or [a supernatural power]." Are we playing that straight?

[jdizzlean]

I have found a rabbit hole that, while not optimal (probably]), at least seems fun. I'm in

[H_H_F_F]

Defensive insight is a (Su) with no listed action type, so it's a standard action (because all the gods are dead and we can't have nice things), right? Ditto detect possession. And, for that matter, ditto spiritual union...

If spiritual union is a standard action I am OUT.

[Heavenblade]

Im pretty sure that if spiritual union is a standard it travels into the realm of dysfunftional rules...

[The Viscount]

Atavist, in contrast, is a game-changing capstone carelessly stapled to nine other levels.

Clarifications just in case:

Defensive insight is a (Su) with no listed action type, so it's a standard action (because all the gods are dead and we can't have nice things), right? Ditto detect possession. And, for that matter, ditto spiritual union...
About detect possession, the wording is sloppy. There's an extraneous "a" in there that actually changes the meaning. I believe that by RAI, the intent is "...or is under the effect of a [possession] [spell or supernatural power]," but by RAW, it seems to say "... or is under the effect of [a possession spell] or [a supernatural power]." Are we playing that straight?

I think of Atavist as a game-changing capstone and one pretty interesting class feature stapled to 8 other levels, but nobody else seems to be as impressed. I'd be lying if I said that it being a soulknife/monk prestige class didn't play a role in my choosing it. As funny as it would be to read spiritual union that way, I want you to actually have something for this class.

I feel like the author of this class didn't know that expending psionic focus isn't an action, it's taken as part of an action. Weird, given how many things are based on expending psionic focus

Rulings as follows:
Defensive insight is a free action.
Detect possession is free action. (I know most detect effects are standard, but you have to expend your focus for it, I'll give you this).
Spiritual union's active effect when expending your psionic focus is a free action. The skill bonus is a passive effect.
Detect possession only reveals if the target is under a possession supernatural power, not any supernatural power.

[H_H_F_F]

I'm sorry to say I may not be able to be a chef or a judge this round. One of my players spilled some water on my laptop in yesterday's session, so I may have lost everything that wasn't backed up. That's not only (a lot of) D&D stuff, but also about half the work I did this month. I really hope I can restore my files. Truly soul crushing.

Backup everything, guys. Every day.

[daremetoidareyo]

I'm sorry to say I may not be able to be a chef or a judge this round. One of my players spilled some water on my laptop in yesterday's session, so I may have lost everything that wasn't backed up. That's not only (a lot of) D&D stuff, but also about half the work I did this month. I really hope I can restore my files. Truly soul crushing.

Backup everything, guys. Every day.

Sorry to hear that. My son bricked my computer about 6 weeks ago. It's hard to format entries on mobile

[Falontani]

I'm sorry to say I may not be able to be a chef or a judge this round. One of my players spilled some water on my laptop in yesterday's session, so I may have lost everything that wasn't backed up. That's not only (a lot of) D&D stuff, but also about half the work I did this month. I really hope I can restore my files. Truly soul crushing.

Backup everything, guys. Every day.

Obviously it doesn't work for everyone, but I've been paying Google for Google Drive Premium for a while, and I keep all my dnd PDFs, as well as most of my prep work there, the only thing that I don't keep there (and would be soul crushing to lose) are the .PNG files that I usually upload to Roll20 almost immediately.

But yea, backup everything!

[daremetoidareyo]

I made a build, but it doesn't seem fun to play at all

[Zaq]

I made a build, but it doesn't seem fun to play at all

This feels like you somehow managed to violate Grod’s Law, but on a build level rather than on a game design level.

[H_H_F_F]

Laptop? Saved! Files? Salvaged and backed up!

Submissions? Maybe. Most of what I tried to do fell apart. I have 2 builds, but neither of them really uses what I wanted to use or achieves what I wanted to achieve. We'll see.

[daremetoidareyo]

This feels like you somehow managed to violate Grod’s Law, but on a build level rather than on a game design level.

Nonstop Psionic focus anxiety...

[The Viscount]

For anyone curious as to the save DC for Dismissing strike, the class is referring us to the dismissal spell (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dismissal.htm), which has a special DC. Its wording makes clear we are using this weird DC, not the standard for Su abilities.

Following the SLA rules, we default to the wizard version of a spell before the cleric version. As for the ability to use, as stated in srd, this is usually Cha for Su abilities. There's no other stats or DCs for this class, so I can't find a reason to use any other score.
So the DC is as follows:
10+5(wizard spell level)+Cha - target HD + effective caster level as described by SI.

If you're wondering what the 20% chance of sending to another plane does, for our purposes we will use table 5-7 in the DMG, roll randomly.

[H_H_F_F]

I have written... Things. Though they are OK, I am not very happy with the... Things. I had way more ambitious goals in mind.

I think I'll be a chef for this round, unless it becomes clear near the deadline that there are too many dishes and not enough judges, in which case I'll archive the... Things and just judge.

Chairman, I'd appreciate it if you could let me know where we are standing a couple of days before the deadline.

[Zaq]

Anything can happen, but to be honest, my muse just plain isn't singing on this one. I'm almost certainly out. Good luck and godspeed to those who do something with this stinker of an ingredient.

[The Viscount]

I have written... Things. Though they are OK, I am not very happy with the... Things. I had way more ambitious goals in mind.

I think I'll be a chef for this round, unless it becomes clear near the deadline that there are too many dishes and not enough judges, in which case I'll archive the... Things and just judge.

Chairman, I'd appreciate it if you could let me know where we are standing a couple of days before the deadline.

I haven't seen a round yet with too many dishes. As far as judges, one is sufficient for me. Assuming Empyreal Dragon's generous judging offer still stands, we are covered on that front, so you can go ahead and submit.

[Empyreal Dragon]

The offer still stands. Let's do this!

[Heavenblade]

Iv'e got a pretty cool build. but Im struggling with the specifics of format/feat and level distribution
hopefully Ill manage to make something during friday, since Im not studying in Fridays.

[Heavenblade]

Sorry for the double post...is there any chance for a short time bonus? my build got a lot more complicated (and fun!) than I thought, and I reaallly want to submit this round...pretty please? :smallredface:

[The Viscount]

I've currently got no submissions, so I think and extension might be helpful for everyone. My ability to post during the week is essentially nonexistant, so would we be ok with an extra week?

[DeTess]

That'd work for me. I've got a mostly finished build, but I don't think I can finish the write-up over this weekend, and I definitely should be able to fix it over the next.

[RaiKirah]

Another week would let me maybe come up with a backstory, and I wouldn't mind some more time to play with the crunch to see if I can iron out some rough spots. I'm definitely intending to get a build in though!

[The Viscount]

Then it's settled. In the interests of better competition (and because the forum is acting up), the deadline is extended 1 week until Sunday August 2nd.

[H_H_F_F]

I am basically finished, and have been for days, just need to touch up some things. I've had no time for this, mostly for nice reasons, but I can surely submit 1 dish and perhaps even 2 if we have an extra week.

[H_H_F_F]

Submitted!
(I think. I don't really know the PM system that well and I had some issues wrapping my head around the code formatting for the tables. Hopefully everything'll turn out fine.)

[The Viscount]

And that's time! Step back from your stations. Let's see what the chefs have prepared for us today!
(Please hold off on posting until I give the all clear)

[The Viscount]

Kalashtar Jones/I got them Kalashtar Jones



Kalashtar Jones, the Monkey King

Listen careful and well to the terrible tale of the miserable kalashtar Jones/
He was brave and courageous, his wrath instantaneous, he ravaged his enemies’ bones.
He walked into the plains, with naught but his brains, poor old kalashtar Jones/
And was torn tooth to nail, he couldn't prevail, so mauled he got by babones.


Yes I know it’s baboons, but when weaving the tunes, rhyming must precedence take/
And so kalashtar Jones was laid on the stones, to breathe his last breaths by the lake.
But he regained his might, cursed blood flamed alight, oh, what a terrible ache! /
With his spirit at war, he then solemnly swore, to walk in his ancestors’ wake.


He was never at rest, rushing mission to quest, searching distractions indeed/
Inside the poor blight, there was blossoming light, but self-hating - he paid it no heed.
Until one day at dawn, with a kiss from a faun, there was planted within him a seed/
One of balance of soul, of acceptance made whole, and peace with himself he achieved.


Both present and past, beast and dream coalesced, he became a lord of two thrones/
And thus ends the tale, as weaved by T. Whale, of the monkey king, kalashtar Jones.



At level 1: 16 STR, 16 DEX, 14 CON, 14 WIS, 8 INT, 8 CHA
At ECL 5 (Hybrid form assumed): 20 STR, 20 DEX, 16 CON, 16 WIS, 8 INT, 8 CHA
At ECL 20 (Hybrid form, morphic body, level to STR): 28 STR, 20 DEX, 20 CON, 16 WIS, 8 INT, 8 CHA.






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


1st
Decisive strike cobra strike monk 1
+0
+2
+2
+2
Concentration 4, climb 4, balance 4
Touch of golden ice, B: Dodge
Unarmed strike, decisive strike, AC bonus


2nd
Animal 1
+0
+4
+4
+2
Concentration 4, Climb 5, balance 4
-
+8 to climb, take 10.


3rd
LA
+0
+4
+4
+2
Concentration 4, Climb 5, balance 4
-
Lycanthropy


4th
LA
+0
+4
+4
+2
Concentration 4, Climb 5, balance 4
-
Lycanthropy


5th
Monk 2
+1
+5
+5
+3
Concentration 6, Climb 5, balance 5
Stand still, B: Mobility
evasion


6th
Psychic warrior 1
+1
+7
+5
+3
Concentration 7, Climb 5, balance 5
B: Combat reflexes
Power: expansion


7th
Psychic warrior 2
+2
+8
+5
+3
Concentration 8, Climb 5, balance 5
B: Power attack
Power: Inertial armor


8th
Atavist 1
+2
+8
+7
+5
Concentration 8, Climb 5, balance 5, tumble 3
Practiced manifester: psychic warrior
Call to mind, spiritual lineage: aggressive, unarmed strike improvement


9th
Atavist 2
+3
+8
+8
+6
Concentration 8, Climb 5, balance 5, tumble 6
-
Augmented mindlink, Defensive insight


10th
Atavist 3
+4
+9
+8
+6
Concentration 8, Climb 5, balance 5, tumble 7, autohypnosis 1
-
supportive mindlink +1


11th
Atavist 4
+5
+9
+9
+7
Concentration 8, Climb 5, balance 5, tumble 8, autohypnosis 3
Elusive target
Detect possession


12th
Atavist 5
+5
+9
+9
+7
Concentration 8, Climb 5, balance 5, tumble 9, autohypnosis 5
-
Spiritual focus


13th
Atavist 6
+6
+10
+10
+8
Concentration 8, Climb 7, balance 5, tumble 10, autohypnosis 5
-
Supportive mindlink +2


14th
Atavist 7
+7
+10
+10
+8
Concentration 8, Climb 10, balance 5, tumble 10, autohypnosis 5
Deft Opportunist
Quori Hunter


15th
Atavist 8
+8
+10
+11
+9
Concentration 8, Climb 13, balance 5, tumble 10, autohypnosis 5
-
Dismissing strike


16th
Atavist 9
+8
+11
+11
+9
Concentration 8, Climb 16, balance 5, tumble 10, autohypnosis 5
-
Personal Mindblank


17th
Atavist 10
+9
+11
+12
+10
Concentration 9, Climb 18, balance 5, tumble 10, autohypnosis 5
Sidestep
Spiritual union


18th
Warshaper 1
+9
+13
+12
+10
Concentration 9, Climb 19, balance 5, tumble 10, autohypnosis 5
-
Morphic Immunities, Morphic weapons


19th
Warshaper 2
+10
+14
+12
+10
Concentration 9, Climb 20, balance 5, tumble 10, autohypnosis 5
-
Morphic Body


20th
Warshaper 3
+11
+14
+13
+11
Concentration 9, Climb 21, balance 5, tumble 10, autohypnosis 5
Improved natural attack: unarmed strike.
Morphic reach





ECL 5: At this point in his career, kalashatar Jones gets a lot of mileage from his lycanthropy. He’s got boosted stats keeping him somewhat competitive despite his atrocious BAB, he’s got decent AC due to his natural armor, Wis, and Dex, and he’s relying on his DR quite heavily. Touch of golden Ice also helps him stay competitive despite his early lycanthropy, and stand still is already in play, though at this point it’s likely that he’d be better off using a normal AOO - which is likely to do double damage, assuming he got his decisive strike the previous round. Mobility lets him move around the battlefield despite not having tumble at this point.
He's also a very good climber and probably has a climb speed, though this is unlikely to come up outside of climbing to the top of temples to meditate.

ECL 10: 3 levels into atavist. With practiced manifester already in play, he should be able to use expansion for battles. He’ll have enough PP for extended inertial armor and 2 extended expansions next level. If it’s looking like a 6 round battle or so, he’s good to go with a normal use of expansion for now. The reach it gives him already allows him to use his signature fighting style - Hit an enemy with a decisive strike, and then hold in place or hit anyone trying to move around you. With combat reflexes and a DEX score of 20, he’s got plenty of AOOs to spare. At this point in life, the defensive insight class feature gets a lot of use, though it’ll be rendered irrelevant later on. Augmented/supportive mindlink helps the party as a whole, and unarmed damage already starts increasing, getting to a 1d8 at this point in time.

ECL 15: Almost finished with the SI. The reach and damage increase makes the monkey king’s signature tactic much more powerful, making him very hard to get by or even to get to. Deft opportunist helps a lot, and elusive target helps neutralise any enemy managing to get to him. Quori hunter is in play, making it easier to bypass DR, and so is dismissive strike.

ECL 20: Every level leading up to this point from the last snapshot is huge. Personal mindblank comes online, then spiritual union - allowing to double down on decisive strike in appropriate situations. This level also gives sidestep, allowing superior tactical options and making the use of full round actions more bearable. The levels of warshaper bring immunities, a Con bonus, better unarmed damage, a strength boost, and finally, as an appropriate build capstone, more reach – coupled with a feat to give even more damage dice. At his peak, while expanded, the monkey king has 3 reach benefits (Morphic, aggressive, expanded) and does 6d6 damage, usually doubled. He’s extremely difficult to bypass, he’s very good at resisting being shut down (Good saves, evasion, personal mindblank, morphic immunities), and he can dish out damage when he needs to - despite his trashy BAB.


He’s also an excellent climber, as a baboon should be.


The monkey king is a protector of his companions, and he’s all about battlefield control, using the synergy of his feats and his decisive strike class feature to stop enemies in their track. Atavist gives him the damage dice to do this properly, gives him the extended range he needs on top of expansion and morphic reach, and gives him the option of an extra action to make his decisive strike truly devastating. As a martial character, personal mindblank is big for him as well, and the augmented supportive mindlink helps his party members as with anyone else. Like personal mindblank, dismissive strike is especially useful to him because he’s otherwise almost completely mundane, and has no powers or spells to replicate its effect.

The only abilities he gets nothing from are call to mind and defensive insight. He will nearly always be better off with the extra reach or extra standard action. It is only of use to him before atavist level 5, and could probably still be situationally useful up to atavist level 10.

Unearthed Arcana: Cobra strike monk ACF.

Player’s handbook II: Decisive strike monk ACF.

Book of Exalted Deeds: Touch of golden ice feat.

Monster’s manual: Lycanthropy, Baboon, Improved natural attack.

Complete warrior: Warshaper class, elusive target feat.

Complete adventurer: Deft opportunist feat.

Miniature’s handbook: Sidestep feat.

Expanded psionics handbook: Psychic warrior class and powers, Stand still feat, practiced manifester feat.

Races of Eberron: Atavist class, kalashtar race.

[The Viscount]

They said you had to be crazy to enter this class.


The Iron Chef optimization challenge in the playground is proud to present...


Anidina the Mad!

A besieger! A deceiver! An out-of-the-box spiritual leader! You wanna hear about her? Then come hither, come hither!


“Her father dropped her off when she was about ten or eleven years old. He refused to elaborate on why he was leaving her with us, or on why he didn’t go to one of his people’s monasteries. Essentially, he made it clear that he was leaving, and that the child was ours to do with as we choose.

“Well, we didn’t really know what to do with her, to be honest. We gave her lessons and kept her mostly in the garden and the library. She has shown a fascination with her people’s ways and history, which we attempted to encourage, and with fighting, weaponry, and military theory, which we discouraged in absolute terms.

“She ran away with a group of adventurers when she was 15, and never came back.”

- An account by Mahaya, High priestess of Ehlonna, on Anidina’s childhood. Modern scholars believe that it is a complete fabrication, forged by one of Anidina’s followers shortly after the so-called ‘battle of the boar.’

“Harmony, I say unto you, is at the heart of everything. Disharmony is but an illusion. They call themselves atavists, the fools. Atavism assumes the past is any different than the present. Past, present, future – they are all but fractions of the dream. The dream is the only possible reality.

“And the dream is a lie.”

- Excerpt from the ‘Teachings and Misdirections of Anidina The Mad’.


“Victory! Our enemies lay dead in the sand, and we live to love another day! The battle of the boar, and the heroism of our leader Anidina, shall echo through the ages!”

A pamphlet passed around Kalashtar communities after the victory at event known as the battle of the boar. Whether or not the battle actually occurred is heatedly debated among historians.


“Is she an atavist, a true atavist? Despite everything, I am inclined to say yes. She may deny it all she wants, now, but she is a warrior at heart. She has always taken the battle to the powers of darkness. Now, instead of outright killing them, she’ll cheat and lie and subdue and dismiss – but she still uses the same tools she always had, tools of war. As insane as she may pretend to be, I think she’s an important ally of our cause, and a true champion of the light.

“I just wish she would stop talking for a single ****ing second.”

- The slayer in white, an atavist and a folk hero, giving his account of Anidina shortly before he was revealed as one of her secret agents.


“Some people, on the other hand, live in search of the truth. They are absolutely devoted to it, or so they claim. They will put truth above all else – yet they are unable to truly explain it. ‘What is truth?’ You will ask them, and they will point to an ancient library, or begin a sermon of their faith, or simply lift their bow and shoot a single arrow into the distance. Those who would attempt to define it will eventually retreat to describing the differentiation between fact and non-fact – an important differentiation, surely, but is it one that is worth devoting one’s self to, entirely? ‘Why?’ You ask, and they cannot answer.

“There is inherent truth about reality within the texts of the Talariic codex. A truth of violence, a truth of war and its unavoidable exigencies. A truth that can chain anyone to its will, lead them to the unavoidable conclusion that the cruelty of war is inevitable. It is a truth.

“I will tell you something about truth. Truth is useful, it is insightful, it is important – but it is not a good unto itself. Peace, I say unto you, is greater than the truth. As is love. We, who practice the old way, know that what some call “reality” is nothing but an aspect of the infinite dream. To choose light over darkness, love over hatred, peace over war – these are all greater than the truth, and they do not truly hinge upon it, as some would have you believe.

“You want to fight in the war? You want to be a hero of our people, a sharer of ancient truth? This day I say unto you: Do not argue with your husband, do not disprove your wife. With your words, do not convey what is true and just and fair and right. Convey only that which will benefit, convey that which is in service of the peace. Bow your head and accept what comes, for peace is greater than justice, greater than truth. Only within peace is true order, true harmony. Only peace is the way to victory. Peace is greater than the truth.

“But, from this there arises a question:

“Why should you believe me when I tell you any of that?”

- Excerpt from the ‘Teachings and Misdirections of Anidina The Mad’.



Anidina the Mad; LG kalashtar Cloistered cleric of Ehlonna 1/ fighter 2/ paladin 2/ atavist 10/ warmind 5.
Abilities: STR 14, DEX 8, CON 14, INT 14, WIS 14, CHA 15. All increases to CHA, vop increases to CHA, STR, CON, INT.





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


1st
Cloistered cleric 1
+0
+2
+0
+2
Knowledge (religion) 4, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 4, diplomacy 4.
Sacred vow, B: Knowledge devotion, B: Animal devotion, B: Plant devotion
Turn undead, spells.


2nd
Fighter 1
+1
+4
+0
+2
Knowledge (religion) 4, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 5, diplomacy 4, intimidate 2.
B: Power attack
-


3rd
fighter 2
+3
+5
+0
+2
Knowledge (religion) 4, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 6, diplomacy 4, intimidate 4.
Vow of poverty, B:improved unarmed strike
-


4th
Paladin 1
+3
+7
+0
+2
Knowledge (religion) 4, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 6, diplomacy 4, intimidate 4, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5.
B: Nymph’s kiss
Detect evil, Smite evil


5th
Paladin 2
+4
+8
+0
+2
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 4, intimidate 4, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5.
-
Lay on hands, Divine grace


6th
Atavist 1
+4
+8
+2
+4
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 8, intimidate 4, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 3.
Force of personality, B: touch of golden ice
Call to mind, unarmed strike, spiritual lineage: sociable


7th
Atavist 2
+5
+8
+3
+5
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 8, intimidate 4, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 5.
-
Augmented mind link, defensive insight.


8th
Atavist 3
+6
+9
+3
+5
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 11, intimidate 4, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 5, knowledge (psionics) 4.
B: Gift of grace
Supportive mindlink


9th
Atavist 4
+7
+9
+4
+6
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 12, intimidate 4, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 5, knowledge (psionics) 8, Knowledge (history) 2.
Divine might
Detect possession


10th
Warmind 1
+8
+11
+6
+6
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 12, intimidate 9, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 5, knowledge (psionics) 8, Knowledge (history) 2.
B: Nimbus of light
Chain of personal superiority, New power: Force screen


11th
Atavist 5
+8
+11
+6
+6
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 4, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 12, intimidate 9, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 12, knowledge (psionics) 8, Knowledge (history) 2.
-
Spiritual focus


12th
Atavist 6
+9
+12
+7
+7
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 5, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 15, intimidate 9, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 15, knowledge (psionics) 8, Knowledge (history) 2.
Ascetic knight, B: vow of purity
-


13th
Atavist 7
+10
+12
+7
+7
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 7, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 16, intimidate 9, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 16, knowledge (psionics) 8, Knowledge (history) 5.
-
Quori hunter


14th
Atavist 8
+11
+12
+8
+8
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 12, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 17, intimidate 9, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 17, knowledge (psionics) 8, Knowledge (history) 5.
B: holy radiance
Dismissing strike


15th
Warmind 2
+12
+13
+9
+8
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 12, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 17, intimidate 14, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 17, knowledge (psionics) 8, Knowledge (history) 5.
Snap kick
Chain of defensive posture, New power: Claws of the beast


16th
Warmind 3
+13
+13
+9
+9
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 12, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 8, diplomacy 17, intimidate 19, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 17, knowledge (psionics) 8, Knowledge (history) 5.
B: vow of nonviolence
Enduring body


17th
Warmind 4
+14
+14
+10
+9
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 12, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 12, diplomacy 17, intimidate 20, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 17, knowledge (psionics) 8, Knowledge (history) 5.
-
New power: Hustle


18th
Warmind 5
+15
+14
+10
+9
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 12, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 14, diplomacy 17, intimidate 21, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 17, knowledge (psionics) 10, Knowledge (history) 5.
psionic meditation, B: Vow of peace
Sweeping strike


19th
Atavist 9
+15
+15
+10
+9
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 12, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 15, diplomacy 20, intimidate 21, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 20, knowledge (psionics) 10, Knowledge (history) 5.
-
Personal mindblank


20th
Atavist 10
+16
+15
+11
+10
Knowledge (religion) 7, knowledge (nature) 4, knowledge (arcana) 4, knowledge (the planes) 12, knowledge (local) 4, knowledge (dungeoneering) 4, concentration 17, diplomacy 23, intimidate 21, knowledge (royalty and nobility) 5, sense motive 5, bluff 23, knowledge (psionics) 10, Knowledge (history) 5.
B: words of creation
Spiritual union






Level 5: Just before becoming an atavist, Anidina plays the part of a careful frontline/face/library. She utilizes her devotion feats to augment her damage, as she’s already unarmed and using VOP. Divine grace is already helpful, with decent CHA that is only going to get better. She can cast a couple of cleric spells a day, which is nice. She can get a little flight 1/day, which is very important to her because of her VOP.

Level 10: She’s a better face already, and she’s hopefully still doing decent in the fighting department. With just 1 level of manifester, force screen is picked to ensure effectiveness – it’s duration is pretty much as relevant at ML 1 as it’ll ever be, and it stacks with her VOP defences. Divine might gets plenty of uses, and should keep her damage scaling decently. She’s an important support as well at this point in time, having access to supportive mindlink as well as to share grace and 1st level cleric spells.

Level 15: 8 levels of the SI are done, and another level of warmind brings claws online. Together with Snap kick, her number of attacks significantly rises in this level. Knowledge devotion + divine might + spiritual focus should all do their part to keep her attacks pretty effective, despite no THF and no precision damage. As a face she’s doing great: she’s 1 point short of full points in bluff and diplomacy, and she has nymph’s kiss, high CHA, and all the synergies one could ask for.

Level 20: Everything comes online. Personal mindblank, spiritual union, Sweeping strike, hustle + psionic meditation – it’s all here. She should be hitting two squares 7 or 8 times a round (2 claws, 4 Unarmed BAB, 1 snap kick, 1 hustle+psionic meditatiom+spirutial union.) She manages to keep decent HP and ok defences. As a face – well, she has 28 CHA unless someone casts eagle’s splendour on her, she has synergies and bonuses, she has bluff and diplomacy maxed out and intimidation is only 2 points short.



Atavist serves Anidina the MAD quite well. A good damage die is important to her, as she attacks a lot and every bit counts. Call to mind is extremely useful to her (well, relatively to how useful it is for most). She has a LOT of knowledge skills with low to mid ranks, so +4 and a retry goes a long way. Of course, spiritual lineage is critical for her, as are spiritual focus and the passive of spiritual union – She gets to max out the most important social skills and gets bonuses to them, and a small bonus to attack and damage is more important to someone that strikes as much as she does than to most. Defensive insight is always the alternative option, until the very end when expending focus on anything besides spiritual union becomes suboptimal.

Anidina is also somewhat built around being able to offer more support surrounding the supportive mindlink ability. The idea is giving the person in front more advantages when dungeon crawling. She can pour her significant CHA bonus to the rouge’s saves as they scout ahead, and then take it back when appropriate. She can also offer very weak 1st level cleric buffing, if necessary. Detect possession need not be wasted when detect evil at will is present. While it could be seen as undermining it, my point of view is that it allows a screening stage before expending psionic focus.

Dismissing strike shows up shortly before Anidina swears a vow of nonviolence, and it gives her some serious options for cases when just doing subdual damage doesn’t fly. Mind shielding supports personal mindblank, by allowing it to be used only in confrontational situations, and not simply as a disguising factor. The capstone is used in congress with hustle and psionic meditation to replace a swift action with a standard action at the cost of 3 PP – which is useful for buffing, hitting, and pretty much everything else.

Unfortunately Quori hunter is redundant.


From the Book of Exalted Deeds: the exalted feats.

From the Complete Adventurer: the ascetic knight and force of personality feats.

From the Complete Champion: the devotion feats.

From the Complete Warrior: the divine might feat.

From the Expanded Psionics Handbook: the warmind class; the Claws of the Beast, Hustle, and Force Screen Powers; the psionic meditation feat.

From the Races of Eberron: the atavist class; the kalashtar race.

From the Tome of Battle: the snap kick feat.

From the Unearthed Arcana: the cloistered cleric class.

[The Viscount]

Gee Bill! How come your mom lets you have two epithets?


Kaisil, saint of shining onyx, the Kalashtar battery


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dd_NqpfXUAEsf_B.jpg

Backstory

Kaisil was born to rise into perfection. And it is good that this was the way, since the little kid blessed with psychic ability had a long mountain to climb. Born to a famed monk who established her urban monastery in a big city, Kaisil was one of the many children of the Homeless ascetic. She taught her children how to fight, concentrate, summon their inner forces in order to achieve perfection. Kaisil kept believing in self perfection all of his life, but eventually he understood that the urban monastery of the glowing mind would not be where he found the Answers. While his mother saw beauty and grace in being a passive receptacle of the world around her, which is why she chose the big city as a place of residence - he wanted to perfect himself by actively going against the world.
He went on and became a wandering warrior, challenging enemies in order to push himself to the edge. Eventually, his constant struggle to improve himself reached a certain ceiling. He was stuck in place, and could not get any further. Alone and frustrated, he wandered around, trying to become the ideal of order and perfection. But even his powers pushed him to travel, to connect, and to manifest that connection...they pushed him towards the understanding that perfection cannot be achieved alone.

He found himself an ally, a magical creature that agreed to help him and together they went on the journey for true perfection. He reconnected with his mother and her tradition, realizing the strength that comes with connection to who he was. Eventually, he managed to tap into true power - and decided to dedicated the rest of his life to stop people who sever the connections between peoples, to destroy all those who seek to prevent mortals from achieving perfection, by any means necessary.
He became the saint of the shining onyx, the font of infinity.


Chassis
Abilities (1st level): Str 12 Dex 16 Con 14 Int 14 Wis 14 Cha 8
Abilities(20th level): Str 12 Dex 18 Con 14 Int 14 Wis 16 Cha 8
Race: Kalashtar
Alignment: LN
Classes: Passive way kalashtar monk 3/Fighter 1/Incarnate 2/Swordsage 2/Atavist 2/Psionic fist 5/Ebon saint 5


Build advancement


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


1st
Monk (passive way)
+0
+2
+2
+2
Concentration 4, disguise 4, hide 4, move silently 4, balance 4, spot 4
combat expertise, Improved unarmed strike, City slicker
Unarmed strike, Decisive fist, Bonus feat


2nd
Monk (kalashtar sub-level)
+1
+3
+3
+3
Concentration 5, disguise 5, hide 5, move silently 5, balance 5, spot 5
Earth sense
Bonus feat, feign death


3rd
Monk
+2
+3
+3
+3
Concentration 6, disguise 6, hide 6, move silently 6, balance 6, spot 6
Earth power
still mind


4th
Fighter
+3
+5
+3
+3
Concentration 7, disguise 7, hide 7, move silently 7, balance 6, spot 6
Improved feint
Bonus feat


5th
Incarnate
+3
+7
+3
+5
Concentration 8, disguise 8, hide 8, move silently 8, balance 6, spot 6

Soulmelding, aura, detect opposition


6th
Incarnate
+4
+8
+3
+6
Concentration 8, disguise 8, hide 8, move silently 8, balance 8, spot 8
Wild cohort
Soul bind (crown)


7th
Swordsage
+4
+8
+5
+8
Concentration 10, disguise 10, hide 10, move silently 10, balance 8, spot 8
Weapon focus (Unarmed strike)
Quick to act +1, discipline focus, Maneuvers, Stances


8th
Swordsage
+5
+8
+6
+9
Concentration 11, disguise 11, hide 11, move silently 11, balance 10, spot 10

Maneuvers, Stances, AC bonus


9th
Atavist
+5
+8
+8
+11
Concentration 11, disguise 11, hide 11, move silently 11, balance 10, spot 10 , bluff 6
Wild talent
Call to mind, UAS improvement, Spiritual lineage (sociable)


10th
Atavist
+6/1
+8
+9
+12
Concentration 12, disguise 12, hide 12, move silently 12, balance 10, spot 10 , bluff 8

Augmented mind link, Defensive insight


11th
Psionic fist
+6/1
+8
+11
+14
Concentration 12, disguise 12, hide 12, move silently 12, balance 11, spot 11, bluff 12
Master dorje
Bonus feat, Monk ability progression, manifesting


12th
Psionic fist
+7/2
+8
+12
+15
Concentration 13, disguise 12, hide 12, move silently 12, balance 13, spot 13, bluff 13
Open least chakra (Brow)



13th
Psionic fist
+8/3
+9
+12
+15
Concentration 14, disguise 14, hide 14, move silently 13, balance 13, spot 13, bluff 13




14th
Psionic fist
+9/4
+9
+13
+16
Concentration 16, disguise 14, hide 14, move silently 14, balance 14, spot 14, bluff 14




15th
Psionic fist
+9/4
+9
+13
+16
Concentration 16, disguise 16, hide 16, move silently 14, balance 14, spot 14, bluff 16
Expanded knowledge: Bestow power, Psychic renewal
Bonus feat


16th
Ebon saint
+9/4
+9
+15
+18
Concentration 16, disguise 16, hide 16, move silently 14, balance 14, spot 14, bluff 16

Dire strike, Shadowfriend


17th
Ebon saint
+10/5
+9
+16
+19
Concentration 16, disguise 16, hide 16, move silently 16, balance 16, spot 16, bluff 16

Thought theft, manifesting


18th
Ebon saint
+11/6/1
+10
+16
+19
Concentration 18, disguise 18, hide 18, move silently 16, balance 16, spot 16, bluff 16
something
Mind interrogation, sneak attack +1d6


19th
Ebon saint
+12/7/2
+10
+17
+20
Concentration 18, disguise 18, hide 18, move silently 16, balance 18, spot 18, bluff 18

Steal form


20th
Ebon saint
+12/7/2
+10
+17
+20
Concentration 18, disguise 18, hide 20, move silently 20, balance 18, spot 18, bluff 18

Disappear from mind





Soulmelds
Psion’s eyes, Airstep sandals, Incarnate avatar


Power list

1 – Expansion, Call item.
2 – Strength of my enemy, Hustle, bestow power
3 – Vampiric blade, body purification
4 – psionic dimension door, energy adaptation
5 – perfect riposte

Maneuvers and stances
Stances – Child of shadow, Assassin’s stance
Maneuvers – Shadow blade technique, Cloak of deception, Distracting ember, Moment of the perfect mind, wolf fang strike, mighty throw, Sapphire nightmare blade, sudden leap



Build breakdown
Levels 1-4
At these levels you function like a regular monk guy. With high defenses, regular monk damage, etc. Nothing too special here.
Levels 5-10
Your combat style just took a bump up, becoming more powerful and you got a bunch of utility from airstep sandals and maneuvers such as distracting ember, in addition to a scouting boost from the animal companio
Levels 11-15
You just got psionics, and the capstone helps your combo complete itself with bestow power. In the midway through put your hands on every psy-war power dorje you can and fire them at will
16-20
Your combat style shifts into more infilitration and scouting, with becoming a melee psi-beast, hide and steal enemy's thoughts during battle

In general, the character keeps pretty good stealth monkey capabilities throughout the game, with more and more boosts to melee, and finally the big BOOM of the infi-power combo.


Feat explanation

Combat expertise, Improved feint – qualify for ebon saint
Wild talent – qualify for psionic fist
Master dorje – getting more out of the combo
Wild cohort – part of the combo.
Earth sense, erth power – part of the combo
Open lesser chakra – part of the combo



The combo
1. At level 6, get a wild cohort. Switch it to a Tressym (which is acquirable at druid level 1.
2. The first time the Tressym advances HD and gets feats, give it the wild talent feat (which it can get because it has higher than 3 int)
3. Now, your animal companion can use psionic focus.
4. At 12th, you get open lesser chakra, and now you can bind the psion’s eyes meld into your brow chakra and manifest mindlink at will. Augmented mindlink gives you a temporary pp whenever you make a mindlink with a psionically focused creature - like your intelligent companion who can psionically focus due to wild talent.
This gives you 1 temp pp in exchange for using an action in order to activate mindlink with your companion, useful with the dorje master feat for all level 1 dorjes, at will.
5. At 15th level, the build reaches full power. With bestow power, earth power, and the 1 free pp per 2 rounds, you can get 1 extra power point per two rounds. Spend each moment of downtime in a feign death state to be immune to sleep, if your GM actually follows sleep penalties as found in the elder evils book. Since you can still perform mental actions (like manifesting powers), you would have no problem hoarding pp while in the feign death state.
6. Your psionic fist powers and ebon saint augments both have basically unlimited usage now, as well as any psychic warrion dorje you can get your hands on.
7. Profit



Conclusion - what did we get here?
In the end of the day, Kaisil can do the following
1. he gets the AC bonus and fast movement bonuses of an 8th level monk, and an almost full bab progression of a 3/4 bab character. His Unarmed strike is that of a 10th level monk.
2. Decent infiltration skills with a high dexterity score for ok OOC utility, combined with his various ebon saint powers that help in that regard
3. with some sneak attack, debuffs from ebon saint, and maneuvers/stances, you can also function alright in the frontline when you are caught unprepared
4. You get an effectively unlimited amount of pp by using the bestow power combo and never going to sleep using feign death, so you don't return to the minimum. For example, a regular 8 hour sleep contains 4800 rounds (60 minutes per hour, 10 rounds per minute). Each cycle takes 2 rounds, so you get roughly 2400 pp per night's rest, with the ability to heal the ability damage if your tight sleep schedule starts affecting you, and thats not counting rests between battles, or just every dozen seconds in which you don't need to move/talk since going into feign death is an immediate action

Using these power points, in addition to the regular power list and to the psionics augments for dire strike, you can use the master dorje feat and your WBL in order to access every psychic warrior power in the game, practically all day long.



Build modifications and clarifications

1. if you use the more generous reading of the open chakra feat line, which lets you ge tchakra binds even if you didnt have them before, you can get rid of your second incarnate level
2. most levels can be shuffled around - one could argue that the TO build alone could be best used as a 17th level full manifester advancement with 1 level dip into incarnate and two levels into atavist. However, in this build. since It is a TO build, I ended up taking a small amount of actual atavist level, and did my best to honor the "feel" of the class while still getting maximum potential from the combo - by taking master dorje, a monk-manifesting class, and a prc that used power points for more things while still keeping in the same general area.
3. theoretically, one could take the shape soulmeld feat and ditch the entire incarnate dip in favor of more monk, swordsage, or even atavist levels. However, shape shoulmeld's medlshaper level is equal to half your character level. That means that youll need to waste one more standard action during the charging cycle in order to actively stop the mindlink so you could reactivate it next turn, to renew the temporary pp you get
4. I couldnt find any way to snag in use psionic device so the build is limited to psychic warrior powers. Like I said above, since I wanted to keep to the "spirit" (wink wink) of the prc, I didn't try too hard to find a way to get them. Psychic warrior powers at will, including many melee buffs and abilities, definetly let you play into the "psychic ascetic" role without being an "almighty psionic deity", but with a little work that could be arranged as well.

[The Viscount]

Mother, may I bond with Quori?



https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/647393639886094337/738834410174152865/15233756262252816_sm.jpg
Mother Jones
Kalashtar, NG -> LG Martial Rogue 2 / Soulknife 2 / Cloistered Cleric 1 / Squire of Legend 3 / Mystic Wanderer 2 / Atavist 10

I dreamed I saw Ma Jones last night,
Alive as you and me.
Says I, “But Ma, you’re ten years dead.”
“I never died,” said she.
“I never died,” said she.

“In Graywall City, Ma,” says I,
Her standing by my bed,
“They claimed you was a heretic.”
Says Ma, “But I ain’t dead,”
Says Ma, “But I ain’t dead.”

“The Blood of Vol, they killed you, Ma,
They stabbed you, Ma,” says I.
“Takes more than swords to kill a man,”
Says Ma, “I didn’t die.”
Says Ma, “I didn’t die.”

And standing there as big as life
And smiling with her eyes,
Says Ma, “Hey, they can knock us down,
But we will always rise,
But we will always rise.”

From the City of Towers up to Korth,
On streets and inside homes,
Wherever man stands against hate,
It’s there you’ll find Ma Jones,
It’s there you’ll find Ma Jones!

I dreamed I saw Ma Jones last night,
Alive as you and me.
Says I, “But Ma, you’re ten years dead.”
“I never died,” said she.
“I never died,” said she.
“I never died,” said she.
~Sharn folk song







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


1st
Martial Rogue 1
+0
+0
+2
+0
Knowledge (local) 4 ranks, diplomacy 4 ranks, bluff 4 ranks, sense motive 4 ranks, tumble 4 ranks, jump 4 ranks, balance 4 ranks, craft (alchemy) 3 ranks, profession (herbalist) 3 ranks, perform (dance) 2 ranks
Constant GuardianB, Sacred Vow
Bonus feat, trapfinding



2nd
Martial Rogue 2
+1
+0
+3
+0
Knowledge (local) 5 ranks (+1), diplomacy 5 ranks (+1), bluff 5 ranks (+1), sense motive 5 ranks (+1), tumble 5 ranks (+1), jump 5 ranks (+1), balance 5 ranks (+1), perform (dance) 3 ranks (+1), use magic device 1 rank
Dutiful GuardianB
Bonus feat, evasion



3rd
Cloistered Cleric 1
+1
+2
+3
+2
Knowledge (nature) 3 ranks, diplomacy 6 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 3 ranks
Vow of Poverty, War DevotionB
Turn undead, lore
AC bonus +5, endure elements


4th
Soulknife 1
+1
+2
+5
+4
Diplomacy 7 ranks (+1, cc), concentration 5 ranks
Hidden Talent (conceal thoughts)B, Weapon Focus (mind blade)B, Vow of NonviolenceP
Mind blade, Weapon Focus (mind blade), Hidden Talent
Exalted strike +1 (magic), bonus exalted feat


5th
Squire of Legend 1
+1
+2
+5
+4
Concentration 8 ranks (+3), diplomacy 8 ranks (+1), bluff 8 ranks (+3)

Least squire’s burden, paragon’s path (Reikhardt), save bonus +1
Sustenance


6th
Squire of Legend 2
+2
+2
+5
+4
Bluff 9 ranks (+1), concentration 9 ranks (+1), diplomacy 9 ranks (+1), knowledge (nobility & royalty) 4 ranks
Iron Will, Vow of PeaceP
Lesser squire’s burden
AC bonus +6, deflection +1, bonus exalted feat


7th
Squire of Legend 3
+3
+3
+6
+5
Bluff 10 ranks (+1), concentration 10 ranks (+1), diplomacy 10 ranks (+1), knowledge (nobility & royalty) 5 ranks (+1), sense motive 8 ranks (+3)

Faithful companion, greater squire’s burden, save bonus +2
Resistance +1, Charisma +2


8th
Mystic Wanderer 1
+3
+3
+8
+7
Bluff 11 ranks (+1, cc), concentration 11 ranks (+1), diplomacy 11 ranks (+1)
Nymph’s KissP
Glory of the divine, sleep
Natural armor +1, mind shielding, bonus exalted feat


9th
Mystic Wanderer 2
+4
+3
+9
+8
Bluff 12 ranks (+1, cc), concentration 12 ranks (+1), diplomacy 12 ranks (+1)
Shield of Thought
Familiar, lore of nature
AC bonus +7


10th
Atavist 1
+4
+3
+11
+10
Bluff 13 ranks (+1), concentration 13 ranks, diplomacy 13 ranks (+1), sense motive 11 ranks (+3)
Gift of DiscernmentP
Call to mind, spiritual lineage (sociable), mind blade improvement
Exalted strike +2 (good), damage reduction 5/magic, bonus exalted feat


11th
Atavist 2
+5
+3
+12
+11
Bluff 14 ranks (+1), concentration 14 ranks (+1), diplomacy 14 ranks (+1), sense motive 14 ranks (+3)

Augmented mindlink, defensive insight
Charisma +4/Dexterity +2


12th
Atavist 3
+6/+1
+4
+12
+11
Bluff 15 ranks (+1), concentration 15 ranks (+1), diplomacy 15 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 5 ranks (+2), sense motive 15 ranks (+1)
Divine Shield, Nimbus of LightP
Supportive mindlink +1
AC bonus +8, deflection +2, greater sustenance, bonus exalted feat


13th
Atavist 4
+7/+2
+4
+13
+12
Autohypnosis 2 ranks, bluff 16 ranks (+1), concentration 16 ranks (+1), diplomacy 16 ranks (+1), sense motive 16 ranks (+1)

Detect possession
Resistance +2, energy resistance 5


14th
Atavist 5
+7/+2
+4
+13
+12
Autohypnosis 4 ranks (+2), bluff 17 ranks (+1), concentration 17 ranks (+1), diplomacy 17 ranks (+1), sense motive 17 ranks (+1)
Holy RadianceP
Spiritual focus
Exalted strike +3, freedom of movement, bonus exalted feat


15th
Atavist 6
+8/+3
+5
+14
+13
Autohypnosis 6 ranks (+2), bluff 18 ranks (+1), concentration 18 ranks (+1), diplomacy 18 ranks (+1), sense motive 18 ranks (+1)
Goad
Supportive mindlink +2
AC bonus +9, Charisma +6/Dexterity +4/Constitution +2, damage reduction 5/evil


16th
Atavist 7
+9/+4
+5
+14
+13
Autohypnosis 8 ranks (+2), bluff 19 ranks (+1), concentration 19 ranks (+1), diplomacy 19 ranks (+1), sense motive 19 ranks (+1)
StigmataP
Quori hunter
Natural armor +2, bonus exalted feat


17th
Atavist 8
+10/+5
+5
+15
+14
Autohypnosis 10 ranks (+2), bluff 20 ranks (+1), concentration 20 ranks (+1), diplomacy 20 ranks (+1), sense motive 20 ranks (+1)

Dismissing strike
Exalted strike +4, resistance +3, regeneration


18th
Atavist 9
+10/+5
+6
+15
+14
Autohypnosis 12 ranks (+2), bluff 21 ranks (+1), concentration 21 ranks (+1), diplomacy 21 ranks (+1), sense motive 21 ranks (+1)
Psionic Meditation, Favored of the Companions
Personal mind blank, supportive mindlink +3
AC bonus +10, deflection +3, true seeing, bonus exalted feat

19th
Atavist 10
+11/+6/+1
+6
+16
+15
Autohypnosis 14 ranks (+2), bluff 22 ranks (+1), concentration 22 ranks (+1), diplomacy 22 ranks (+1), sense motive 22 ranks (+1)

Spiritual union
Charisma +8/Dexterity +6/Constitution +4/Wisdom +2, damage reduction 10/evil
[/tr]
20th
Soulknife 2
+12/+7/+2
+6
+17
+16
Bluff 23 ranks (+1, cc), diplomacy 23 ranks (+1, cc), sense motive 23 ranks (+1, cc)
Gift of Faith
Throw mind blade
Exalted strike +5, energy resistance 15, bonus exalted feat
[/tr]


Final skill outlay:

Bluff 23 ranks
Diplomacy 23 ranks
Sense motive 23 ranks
Concentration 22 ranks
Autohypnosis 14 ranks
Knowledge (history) 5 ranks
Knowledge (local) 5 ranks
Knowledge (nobility & royalty) 5 ranks
Balance 5 ranks
Tumble 5 ranks
Jump 5 ranks
Knowledge (nature) 3 ranks
Profession (herbalist) 3 ranks
Perform (dance) 3 ranks
Craft (alchemy) 3 ranks
Use magic device 1 rank


Class Details:
Martial Rogue ACF (fighter feats in place of sneak attack)
Cleric domains: War (swapped for War Devotion), Fate, Knowledge



Starting Stats (32 PB):
Str 8 / Dex 14 / Con 12 / Int 12 / Wis 13 / Cha 17

Boost Charisma at every 4th level.

Final Stats (including VoP bonuses and level boosts):
Str 8/Dex 20/Con 16/Int 12/Wis 15/Cha 30




Mother Jones was no stranger to the evils of man.

Before she was Ma Jones, back when she was still known only as Mary, she saw it every day. She saw it in the streets of Sharn where she was born, saw it in the overcrowded workrooms where she toiled, assembling parts for a lightning rail that she would never have the money to ride. She worked there twelve hours a day, then spent another hour gathering herbs that she would sell to the other working families near her, and still it was all she could do to support her family.

Ironically it was only after the fever struck Sharn, after her husband and her four children were taken by illness and perished, that she became known as Mother Jones. Drowning in grief, she could not bear the thought of returning to work, and soon she was homeless as well as without family. And so she wandered, penniless and without home. She was fierce and protective, determined to keep safe all those who could not defend themselves as penance for being unable to save her family. Her voice was her greatest weapon: her tongue could be sharp or it could be stirring, and she could convince soldiers to lay down their arms, convince men fighting in the street to set aside their grievances, convince slavers to set free their thralls. And when her voice failed she would place her body on the line, stepping directly in front of danger if it meant keeping another safe. She did this time and time again, and time and time again the ferocity of her faith protected her. The people called her Mother, and said that she would never die.

And so she wandered, vowing never to take up coin or weapon. She learned to manifest the mind blade that so many of her people used as a weapon, and re-shaped it into a shield, into a way to protect others. She traveled to Fairhaven, and Graywall, and Stormreach, and all the places where man gathered. She learned the truth of her heritage, the truth of the kalashtar and the Inspired, of the quori. She learned of struggles great and small. She learned many things. But always, whenever there was danger, she was there to intervene.

We miss you, Mother, though we know you still live on in our hearts. We have need of you now...



First, defenses. With bonuses from Vow of Poverty and Vow of Peace, Charisma to AC twice (once from mystic wanderer and again from Divine Shield), luminous armor and fighting defensively (further boosted by War Devotion), not to mention other defensive boons such as evasion, uncanny dodge, damage reduction, energy resistance and more, Mother Jones is almost impossible to strike down. All combined, her armor class totals out to a whopping 71:

Armor Class:
Base 10
+5 luminous armor
+14 shield (+3 light shield from Shield of Thought, further boosted by Divine Shield for another +10)
+12 exalted (Vow of Poverty/Peace)
+10 Charisma (mystic wanderer)
+5 Dexterity
+5 deflection (Vow of Poverty/Peace)
+4 natural armor (Vow of Poverty/Peace)
+6 fighting defensively (boosted by War Devotion and 5 ranks in tumble)
= AC 71


Yes, you read that correctly, Mother Jones has an AC of 71. If necessary, she can improve this even further thanks to defensive insight. Even better, enemies get a -4 penalty to their attack rolls against her as well. This means that almost nothing is hitting her except on a natural 20. Even the mighty tarrasque will struggle to breach her defenses. And those rare times that a foe does connect with her, the weapon often shatters upon impact with her skin.

Of course, what good is a ridiculous defense if you can’t convince enemies to focus on you? Luckily, Mother Jones has an easy way around this. Beginning as early as level 2, she can use Dutiful Guardian to swap places with one of her allies as an immediate action, taking blows that would be meant for them. Her squire of legend and atavist levels further allow her to protect her allies, keeping them out of harm's way and letting her step in for Reflex saves.

While she herself does not attack, she is by no means passive. She uses her mindlink to communicate with her party and be exactly where she needs to be. Any who come near her must save or be calmed as though via calm emotions. Her holy radiance burns the undead, and she can force possessing spirits to return from whence they came. Better still, she serves as a force amplifier. Her squire of legend levels allow her to trade away her action to grant an equivalent one to an ally. Combined with the atavist’s spiritual union, this effectively means she can expend her psionic focus to grant one of her allies an extra standard action. And she can more directly goad her foes into action as well: against a melee brute she can use her Goad feat to force enemies to make a DC 34 Will save or waste their attacks on her.

Beyond this she is also an effective diplomancer and party face, thanks to great social skills, mindlink, a Charisma of 30, spells and powers such as conceal thoughts and numerous feats such as Nymph’s Kiss. Furthermore she can share many of these benefits with her raven familiar, who can aid her or speak on her behalf.



ECL 1-5: (Martial rogue 2/cloistered cleric 1/soulknife 1/squire of legend 1)
Excellent skills, good defenses and Dutiful Guardian to assist allies in avoiding attacks are the name of the game in the low levels. Squire of legend gives Mother Jones the ability to grant one of her allies some additional actions as well via the Reikhardt path.

ECL 6-10: (Martial rogue 2/cloistered cleric 1/soulknife 1/squire of legend 3/mystic wanderer 2/atavist 1)
With Vow of Peace fully online, as well as further levels of squire of legend and mystic wanderer, Mother Jones’s defenses are already creeping into near-epic territories: with luminous armor, Shield of Thought and War Devotion, she now has an AC of 34, and enemies take -4 to their attack rolls against her. She also has a powerful calming aura, excellent social skills, a familiar and a pair of lore-based abilities to fully benefit from her new call to mind power. As she dedicates herself further to the spiritual lineage of the kalashtar, her alignment shifts, becoming more lawful over time as she enters atavist.

ECL 11-15: (Martial rogue 2/cloistered cleric 1/soulknife 1/squire of legend 3/mystic wanderer 2/atavist 6)
The next five levels all focus on atavist. With Shield of Thought and Divine Shield, alongside atavist progressing an enhancement bonus on her shield, Mother Jones can do something fairly unique: effectively fight with a shield despite her Vow of Poverty. Her AC hits 58 (in addition to the -4 to attacks), and she can goad melee foes into attacking her with a surprisingly high DC thanks to Vow of Nonviolence and her high Charisma. Her atavist levels allow her to expand her mindlink to further support her allies, progress the enhancement bonus on her shield and pop her focus for another +2 bonus to AC or Reflex saves when necessary (the latter of which is quite handy for when she uses her faithful ally ability).

ECL 16-20: (Martial rogue 2/cloistered cleric 1/soulknife 2/squire of legend 3/mystic wanderer 2/atavist 10)
The final levels of atavist progress the existing abilities and provide an extremely strong capstone: spiritual union gives Mother Jones a major bump to her social skills and allows her to gain a standard action by expending her psionic focus. This combines especially well with her squire of legend ability, which allows her to spend a standard action to grant a standard action to one of her allies. Her AC increases to 71 (73 with defensive insight), a number that puts her out of reach of just about every non-epic foe (and even many epic foes). She even gains access to some defensive abilities that she otherwise lacked due to her Vow, most notably mind blank. A final level of soulknife is all it takes to pick up yet another enhancement bonus to her shield, closing out the build.



Sources:
Races of Eberron (Atavist, Shield of Thought)
Book of Exalted Deeds (Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty, Vow of Nonviolence, Vow of Peace, Nymph’s Kiss, Nimbus of Light, Holy Radiance, Stigmata, Favored of the Heavens, luminous armor)
SRD (Soulknife, Hidden Talent, Psionic Meditation, conceal thoughts, martial rogue, autohypnosis)
Complete Champion (War Devotion, squire of legend)
Magic of Faerun (Mystic wanderer)
Complete Adventurer (Goad)
Complete Warrior (Divine Shield)
Drow of the Underdark (Constant Guardian, Dutiful Guardian)
Champions of Valor (Gift of Discernment, Gift of Faith)




“Pray for the dead. Fight like hell for the living.” -Mother Jones

[The Viscount]

That's our entries for this round. Judges, do your stuff!

[Zaq]

Some grade-A fluff going around, and definitely some builds I didn’t expect! Good stuff, team!

[RSGA]

I kinda wish I'd managed to get my Soulbound Weapon PsiWar build to a good point past 15, because I was expecting at least somebody else to enter it on (jokingingly) advancing both. Which is why the last five levels fell apart on me.

[WhamBamSam]

I had my table done, but didn't buckle down to write up in time. The idea was a ranged build that used Decisive Strike with Ring the Golden Bell followed by double Spiritual Union via Psicrystal Containment for double damage Soulbow Manyshots, with Atavist advancing both unarmed damage and mindblade progression.

Ability Scores
12 Str, 18 Dex, 12 Con, 8 Int, 14 Wis, 10 Cha
Increase Dex at all opportunities.

Build Table


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


1st
Mind’s Eye Soulknife 1
+0
+0
+2
+2
Concentration 4, Autohypnosis 4, Spot 4
Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus (Mind Blade)B, Hidden Talent (Offensive Precognition)B
Mind Blade


2nd
Soulknife 2
+1
+0
+3
+3
Concentration 5, Autohypnosis 5, Spot 5
-
Throw Mind Blade


3rd
Monk 1
+1
+2
+5
+5
Concentration 6, Autohypnosis 5.5, Spot 6
Dead Eye, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Stunning FistB
Unarmed Strike, AC Bonus, Decisive Strike


4th
Hit-and-Run Fighter 1
+2
+4
+5
+5
Concentration 6, Autohypnosis 6, Spot 6
Rapid Shot
Hit-and-Run Tactics


5th
Invisible Fist Kalashtar Monk 2
+3
+5
+6
+6
Concentration 8, Autohypnosis 7, Spot 6
Psicrystal AffinityB
Invisible Fist


6th
Atavist 1
+3
+5
+8
+8
Concentration 9, Autohypnosis 9, Spot 6
Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
Call to Mind, Spiritual Lineage (Sociable), Unarmed Strike/Mind Blade Improvement


7th
Atavist 2
+4
+5
+9
+9
Concentration 10, Autohypnosis 10, Spot 6, Sense Motive 1
-
Augmented Mindlink, Defensive Insight


8th
Atavist 3
+5
+6
+9
+9
Concentration 11, Autohypnosis 11, Spot 6, Sense Motive 2
-
Supportive Mindlink +1


9th
Atavist 4
+6
+6
+10
+10
Concentration 12, Autohypnosis 12, Spot 6, Sense Motive 3
Ring the Golden Bell
Detect Possession


10th
Atavist 5
+6
+6
+10
+10
Concentration 13, Autohypnosis 13, Spot 6, Sense Motive 4
-
Spiritual Focus


11th
Atavist 6
+7
+7
+11
+11
Concentration 14, Autohypnosis 14, Spot 6, Sense Motive 5
-
Supportive Mindlink +2


12th
Atavist 7
+8
+7
+11
+11
Concentration 15, Autohypnosis 15, Spot 6, Sense Motive 5, Diplomacy 1
Martial Study (Shadow Garrote)
Quori Hunter


13th
Atavist 8
+9
+7
+12
+12
Concentration 16, Autohypnosis 16, Spot 6, Sense Motive 5, Diplomacy 2
-
Dismissing Strike


14th
Atavist 9
+9
+8
+12
+12
Concentration 17, Autohypnosis 17, Spot 6, Sense Motive 5, Diplomacy 3
-
Personal Mind Blank, Supportive Mindlink +3


15th
Atavist 10
+10
+8
+13
+13
Concentration 17, Autohypnosis 18, Spot 6, Sense Motive 5, Diplomacy 5
Psicrystal Containment
Spiritual Union


16th
Soulbow 1
+10
+8
+15
+15
Concentration 19, Autohypnosis 19, Spot 6, Sense Motive 5, Diplomacy 5
ManyshotB
Mind Arrow


17th
Fighter 2
+11
+9
+15
+15
Concentration 19, Autohypnosis 19, Spot 6, Sense Motive 5, Diplomacy 5, Intimidate 1
Martial Stance (Assassin’s Stance)B
-


18th
Soulbow 2
+12
+9
+16
+16
Concentration 20, Autohypnosis 21, Spot 6, Sense Motive 5, Diplomacy 5, Intimidate 1
Craven
Mind Arrow (+1 equivalent ability)


19th
Soulbow 3
+13
+10
+16
+16
Concentration 22, Autohypnosis 22, Spot 6, Sense Motive 5, Diplomacy 5, Intimidate 1
Greater ManyshotB
Mind Arrow +1


20th
Mind’s Eye Soulknife 3
+14
+11
+16
+16
Concentration 23, Autohypnosis 23, Spot 7, Sense Motive 5, Diplomacy 5, Intimidate 1
Precise ShotB
-

[Piggy Knowles]

Once again I had a build with completed write-up but I stalled out when it came down to fluff. My idea was an idiot Crusader/Mo9 who uses the atavist capstone to spam swooping dragon strike + ballista throw or rallying strike every single turn, and gets really silly jump checks with aggressive personality. Oh, and I had a half-hearted idea to use the strategic advantage rules in Heroes of Battle to make call to mind useful? I never really developed that well though.

Here's the build, if anyone's interested:





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


1st
Unarmed Swordsage 1
+0
+0
+2
+2
Autohypnosis 1 rank (cc), balance 4 ranks, concentration 4 ranks, jump 4 ranks, knowledge (history) 4 ranks, knowledge (local) 1 rank, knowledge (nature) 1 rank, knowledge (psionics) 1 rank (cc), knowledge (the planes) 1 rank (cc) tumble 4 ranks, knowledge (local) 1 rank, knowledge (nature) 1 rank, knowledge (nobility and royalty) 1 rank, knowledge (psionics) 1 rank (cc),
Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Desert Wind Dodge
Quick to act +1, discipline focus (weapon focus)


2nd
Crusader 1
+1
+2
+2
+2
Balance 5 ranks (+1), concentration 5 ranks (+1), jump 5 ranks (+1), tumble 5 ranks (+1, cc)

Furious counterstrike, steely resolve 5


3rd
Crusader 2
+2
+3
+2
+2
Balance 6 ranks (+1), concentration 6 ranks (+1), jump 6 ranks (+1), tumble 6 ranks (+1, cc)
Adaptive Style
Indomitable soul


4th
Fighter 1
+3
+5
+2
+2
Jump 7 ranks (+1), tumble 7 ranks (+1), knowledge (religion) .5 ranks (+.5, cc)
Blind-FightB
Bonus feat


5th
Unarmed Swordsage 2
+4
+5
+3
+3
Balance 8 ranks (+2), concentration 8 ranks (+2), jump 8 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 5 ranks (+1), tumble 8 ranks (+1)

AC bonus


6th
Atavist 1
+4
+5
+5
+5
Balance 9 ranks (+1), concentration 9 ranks (+1), jump 9 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 6 ranks (+1), tumble 9 ranks (+1)
Improved Initiative
Call to mind, spiritual lineage (aggressive), unarmed strike improvement


7th
Atavist 2
+5
+5
+6
+6
Balance 10 ranks (+1), concentration 10 ranks (+1), jump 10 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 7 ranks (+1), tumble 10 ranks (+1)

Augmented mindlink, defensive insight


8th
Master of Nine 1
+5
+5
+6
+8
Balance 11 ranks (+1), concentration 11 ranks (+1), jump 11 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 10 ranks (+3), tumble 11 ranks (+1)




9th
Master of Nine 2
+6/+1
+5
+6
+9
Balance 12 ranks (+1), concentration 12 ranks (+1), jump 12 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 12 ranks (+2), knowledge (religion) 1 rank (+.5, cc), tumble 12 ranks (+1)
Extra Granted Maneuver
Dual stance


10th
Atavist 3
+7/+2
+6
+6
+9
Balance 13 ranks (+1), concentration 13 ranks (+1), jump 13 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 13 ranks (+1), tumble 13 ranks (+1)

Supportive mindlink +1


11th
Atavist 4
+8/+3
+6
+7
+10
Balance 14 ranks (+1), concentration 14 ranks (+1), jump 14 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 14 ranks (+1), tumble 14 ranks (+1)

Detect possession


12th
Atavist 5
+8/+3
+6
+7
+10
Balance 15 ranks (+1), concentration 15 ranks (+1), jump 15 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 15 ranks (+1), tumble 15 ranks (+1)
Kalashtar Mindlink
Spiritual focus


13th
Atavist 6
+9/+4
+7
+8
+11
Balance 16 ranks (+1), concentration 16 ranks (+1), jump 16 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 16 ranks (+1), tumble 16 ranks (+1)

Supportive mindlink +2


14th
Atavist 7
+10/+5
+7
+8
+11
Balance 17 ranks (+1), concentration 17 ranks (+1), jump 17 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 17 ranks (+1), tumble 17 ranks (+1)

Quori hunter


15th
Atavist 8
+11/+6/+1
+7
+9
+12
Balance 18 ranks (+1), concentration 18 ranks (+1), jump 18 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 18 ranks (+1), tumble 18 ranks (+1)
Psionic Meditation
Dismissing strike


16th
Atavist 9
+11/+6/+1
+8
+9
+12
Balance 19 ranks (+1), concentration 19 ranks (+1), jump 19 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 19 ranks (+1), tumble 19 ranks (+1)

Personal mind blank, supportive mindlink +3


17th
Atavist 10
+12/+7/+2
+8
+10
+13
Balance 20 ranks (+1), concentration 20 ranks (+1), jump 20 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 20 ranks (+1), tumble 20 ranks (+1)

Spiritual union


18th
Master of Nine 3
+13/+8/+3
+9
+11
+13
Balance 21 ranks (+1), concentration 21 ranks (+1), jump 21 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 21 ranks (+1), tumble 21 ranks (+1), Collector of Stories skill trick
Superior Unarmed Strike
Perfect form

19th
Master of Nine 4
+14/+9/+4
+9
+11
+14
Balance 22 ranks (+1), concentration 22 ranks (+1), jump 22 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 22 ranks (+1), tumble 22 ranks (+1), Extreme Leap skill trick

Counter stance
[/tr]
20th
Master of Nine 5
+14/+9/+4
+9
+11
+14
Balance 23 ranks (+1), concentration 23 ranks (+1), jump 23 ranks (+1), knowledge (history) 23 ranks (+1), tumble 23 ranks (+1), Acrobatic Backstab skill trick

Mastery of nine
[/tr]


Final skill outlay:

Balance 23 ranks
Concentration 23 ranks
Jump 23 ranks
Knowledge (history) 23 ranks
Tumble 23 ranks
Autohypnosis 1 rank
Knowledge (local) 1 rank
Knowledge (nature) 1 rank
Knowledge (psionics) 1 rank
Knowledge (religion) 1 rank
Knowledge (the planes) 1 rank
Collector of Stories skill trick
Extreme Leap skill trick
Acrobatic Backstab skill trick



Swordsage
1- Stone bones, charging minotaur, sudden leap, wolf fang strike, distracting ember, counter charge
2- Shadow jaunt
3- Soaring raptor strike, devastating throw
6- Order forged from chaos
7- Shadow blink

Crusader (8 granted maneuvers):
1- Crusader’s strike, douse the flames, leading the attack, vanguard strike
3- White raven tactics
6- Rallying strike, ballista throw
7- Swooping dragon strike

Stances:
1- Child of shadow, leading the charge, martial spirit, hunter’s sense
3- Leaping dragon stance
6- Aura of perfect order



Starting Stats (32 PB):
Str 17 / Dex 14 / Con 12 / Int 12 / Wis 13 / Cha 8

Level 4: Str +1
Level 8: Str +1
Level 12: Str +1
Level 16: Str +1
Level 20: Str +1




For whatever reason, I feel like the idiot crusader has gotten a bad rap. I often see it rolled in with clearly abusive or rules-shaky exploits like the d2 crusader, or I see people discussing it who just aren’t clear on what exactly it means to be an idiot crusader. However, on its own, there’s nothing particularly wonky or abusive about it. It doesn’t require any elaborate and dubiously legal shenanigans to access, and can be a really fun and flavorful way of playing a crusader.

For those not familiar, the idiot crusader is actually fairly simple. (If you’re already well familiar with the concept, you can skip this section.) Crusaders get a certain number of granted maneuvers every encounter (usually 2, but there are lots of ways to increase this number). These are the maneuvers they have available to them at the beginning of every encounter. Their granted maneuvers are randomly assigned from their total pool of readied maneuvers. At the end of every turn, they automatically get another of their readied maneuvers granted. If all of their readied maneuvers are granted, their maneuvers automatically refresh, and they get a new set of granted maneuvers.

The idiot crusader works within this existing mechanic, but by keeping their total number of maneuvers known as low as possible, they ensure their maneuvers refresh more quickly. (That’s where the name comes from: the ideal crusader knows as little as possible, and hence is an idiot.) The ideal is to have your total maneuvers known equal to or lower than your maneuvers granted. In that case, your maneuvers automatically refresh at the end of every single turn, letting you spam them to your heart’s content.

This is most commonly achieved in two ways, both involving multiclassing:
Reducing the pool of available maneuvers by taking them with another class. ToB states that you cannot learn a maneuver that you already know. Crusaders only have 6 total 1st-level maneuvers that they can choose from, of which they can pick 5. If you start out with levels in swordsage or warblade, you can take several of those maneuvers early. This means that they won’t have 5 legal maneuvers they can pick at 1st-level, and will have to start with a lower number of maneuvers than normal.
Assigning maneuvers known to another class. The prestige class rules in ToB state that if you have levels in multiple initiating classes before you take levels in a prestige class, you can choose to which class you assign your maneuvers known and maneuvers readied/granted. Therefore, you can assign maneuvers known to another class, but maneuvers readied/granted to crusader, increasing the total number of crusader maneuvers granted while keeping your crusader maneuvers known low.

The end result is that in exchange for the versatility of knowing many different maneuvers, you gain the ability to spam the few maneuvers that you do know. That’s really all there is to it.



ECL 1-5: (Unarmed Swordsage 2/Crusader 2/Fighter 1)
ToB classes in general tend to excel in the low levels, and you’re no exception. You’re a hyper-mobile hit-and-run fighter with a number of maneuvers and stances to benefit your mobility, including child of shadow and leading the charge to either create miss chances or increase damage as you move and attack, and maneuvers such as sudden leap or wolf fang strike to effectively pounce attack. While you aren’t a high-damage striker (yet), a lot of your maneuvers can hit multiple foes or reposition enemies, and you have some neat tricks up your sleeve like using hunter’s sense plus Blind-Fight to help track and deal with hidden foes.

ECL 6-10: (Unarmed Swordsage 2/Crusader 2/Fighter 1/Atavist 3/Master of Nine 2)
Right off the bat, you’ll jump into atavist for a couple of levels. This increases your unarmed strike damage and gives you a few useful (if not gamebreaking) abilities. The call to mind power is a nice way to turn a single rank in most knowledge skills into a fairly reliable know-it-all build, but its uses go further: as a commander you can specifically use it to receive strategic advantage in large-scale battles (Heroes of Battle p70). This requires a DC 20 check across a wide variety of knowledge skills that might potentially apply, including knowledge (history), which you particularly excel at. Call to mind all but guarantees a great start to any battles that allow for planning, allowing your party to accrue victory points well before a battle even begins. You can further assist your party with the telepathy provided by your kalashtar mindlink, which is improved by the prestige class.

You also take your first couple of levels of Master of Nine. Most of your maneuvers known will be going to swordsage, giving you soaring raptor strike (which is further improved by access to leaping dragon stance) and devastating throw to damage and reposition foes. However, you do add one maneuver to your crusader list: the incomparable white raven tactics. And with Extra Granted Maneuver, you’re up to five maneuvers known and five maneuvers granted, meaning you hit full idiot mode and can spam it every single round, manipulating when your allies act and even giving them extra turns.

ECL 11-15: (Unarmed Swordsage 2/Crusader 2/Fighter 1/Atavist 8/Master of Nine 2)
The next five levels all focus on atavist. To fully take advantage of your expanded mindlink powers to help lead your party, you’ve taken Kalashtar Mindlink, which increases the manifester level of your mindlink power and the number of uses per day. Meanwhile, in addition to keep your unarmed damage up fairly high, atavist also gives all of your attacks reach - a huge boon for any melee fighter.

ECL 16-20: (Swordsage 2/Crusader 2/Fighter 1/Atavist 10/Master of Nine 5)
With the last two levels of atavist, the build takes a major leap (no pun intended?) in power thanks to spiritual union. In addition to providing a decent bonus to the physical skills (jump in particular being much appreciated), spiritual union also allows you to expend your psionic focus to gain a standard action. Combined with Psionic Meditation, this becomes an easy way to convert a move action into a standard action every single round. (Instant Clarity was also an option, which would allow for refocusing 3/day as a swift action, but swift actions are actually more valuable for you than move actions.)

As a strike-focused Mo9, the benefits here should be obvious. And speaking of Mo9, go ahead and jump back into it for your last three levels to get some nice high level maneuvers. On your swordsage side you’ll pick up order forged from chaos and shadow blink for some excellent repositioning options. Meanwhile, as a crusader, go ahead and get rallying strike, ballista throw and the pièce de résistance: swooping dragon strike. With your aggressive personality and leaping dragon stance, you can even leap over huge creatures to strike them with this, which not only deals excellent damage but also comes with an extremely powerful save-or-lose. This brings you up to a total of 8 crusader maneuvers known… and since you have 8 maneuvers granted (2 from crusader levels, 1 from Extra Granted Maneuver and 5 from master of nine), that means you stay in full-on idiot mode, refreshing your maneuvers every single round.

What does this look like in practice? Well, it’s simple: if you’re not already in melee range, use shadow blink or sudden leap to get there. Swooping dragon strike your enemy for +10d6 damage and a tremendously difficult save versus stun (they have to save against the results of your jump check, which should have a bonus in the high 40s by this point). Then expend your psionic focus for another standard action, which you can either use for ballista throw or rallying strike, depending on whether repositioning and extra damage or party healing is more useful. With your move action, either refocus yourself or use order forged from chaos. And finally, if you didn’t need your swift to close with your enemy, close things out with white raven tactics, shuffling up one of your allies in the initiative order so that they can finish things off.

Because you’re an idiot crusader, white raven tactics/swooping dragon strike/rallying strike/ballista throw will refresh every round, meaning that you are far from the typical “one and done” style swordsage. You can spam at least two of your strongest attacks, as well as white raven tactics, every single round.



Some fun builds here! I also really love that we got two folk song entries with the surname Jones. Any relation?

EDIT: I also really really really wanted to make something work with the Dancing with Shadows feat, which is one of my favorite feats. I had a general idea of some sort of decisive strike monk that used Dancing with Shadows + Improved Combat Expertise + Power Attack + Decisive Strike for a high damage combo. The problem I kept running into was the lack of decent two-handed options, which was necessary for good enough PA returns. I could use a quarterstaff, but that meant throwing away the fact that atavist advances unarmed strike progression. I could dip into drunken master for the ability to wield improvised weapons that used my unarmed strike damage, but that required dropping decisive strike, since it requires flurry of blows. I could hope that a golden scorpion kama counted as a two-handed weapon, but that was some weird RAW territory and put me entirely reliant on certain items. In the end I just dropped the idea, though I'm still a bit sad about that one.

[H_H_F_F]

Good job everyone! I enjoyed reading the builds, and since I was not expecting to win anything, I am not upset by being completely outmatched. Nicely done!

[Empyreal Dragon]

Will be judging. Looking forward to this one

[daremetoidareyo]

I had two builds stubbed out for this.

Miss Diss
OA shaman 5/runecaster 3/atavist 4/contemplative (diabolical)/atavist.

Shaman gives ius, the ability to literally see outsiders possessing people, and an animal companion.

Runecaster let's you apply spells to runes. There's 2 third level spells that you inflict on your enemies: devils ego (turns them to outsider) and possess animal, which your AC can make use of. Then you punch them to hell.

The other was a monk/soulknife theurge.

1 decisive strike monk: IUS, monastic training, narrow mind
2 hidden talent (synchronicity) soulknife hidden talent, weapon focus (mind blade)
3 soulknife 2 ascetic psion
4 bonus feats soulknife 3 psionic weapon
5 soulknife 4
6 soul knife 5 monks spade mindblade
7 kalashtar soulknife 6
8 kalashtar monk craft psionic arms (
9 monk linked power
10 atavist 1
11 atavist 2
12 atavist 3 tashalatora
13 atavist 4
14 atavist 5
15 Monk 4 lightning fists
16 atavist 6
17 atavist 7
18 atavist 8 greater psionic weapon
19 atavist 9
20 atavist 10

Make a mindblade gauntlet that shapes you mindblade into gauntlets by giving it the aptitude property, and you can swap the monks spade with gauntlets using that, so you can have enhancements on your unarmed strikes

Linked synchronicities for focus retrieval, 5 attacks at 4d10 +4d6 +8 + 2xStr for doubled viscious enhancement and soulknife enhancement bonus, the first of which can gain an additional 8d6 in psionic weapon damage. Ascetic psion gets your focus back as a standard, so start linking them and setting them to be regain focus.

[H_H_F_F]

After reading through the entries that were not submitted, I was very impressed with the hybrid builds. I tried to make one (didn't work out), and it was significantly lesser to the ones proposed here.
I was also trying really hard to do something with 2 levels of CW occult slayer, as some sort of caster-killer. Use spiritual union to ready an attack against a spellcaster, do double damage.

Anyone else wants to share an idea they had that didn't work out?

[Falontani]

I failed again >.> Had my build mostly ready, had most everything typed up, just forgot to finish it.

Kalashtar Paladin 2/Cleric 1/Monk 2/Soulknife 1/Argent Fist 2/Atavist 10/Saint




Stat

Base

Level Up

Template

Vow

Final



Strength

8




8



Dexterity

10



+2

12



Constitution

14


+2


16



Intelligence

12




12



Wisdom

16

4, 8, 12, 16

+2

+6

28



Charisma

16


+4

+4

24










Level

Class

Base Attack Bonus

Fort Save

Ref Save

Will Save

Skills

Feats

Class Features


1st

Paladin

+1

+2

+0

+0

Concentration +4, Autohypnosis +2, Knowledge Religion +4

Sacred Vow

Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/day



2nd

Paladin

+2

+3

+0

+0

Concentration +5, Autohypnosis +2.5, Knowledge Religion +4, Sense Motive +1


Divine Grace, Lay on Hands



3rd

Cloistered Cleric

+2

+5

+0

+2

7 points

Vow of Poverty

Lore, Knowledge Domain, Wrath Domain, Exorcism Domain, Turn Undead, Endure Elements, +5 Exalted Armor



4th

Monk

+2

+7

+2

+4

5 points

Monastic Training: Atavist(b), Gift of Discernment(b), Improved Unarmed Strike(B)

Flurry of Blows, Unarmored Defense, 1d6 Unarmed Strike, Exalted Strike +1



5th

Monk

+3

+8

+3

+5

5 points

Combat Reflexes(b)

Evasion, Sustenance



6th

Soulknife

+3

+8

+5

+7

5 points

Hidden Talent: Stygian Discernment(b), Intuitive Attack(b), Weapon Focus: Mind Blade(b), Tashlatora

Mindblade, +6 Exalted Armor, +1 Deflection



7th

Argent Fist

+3

+10

+5

+9

5 points


Ascetic Knight, Ki Focus, Stunning Smite, +1 Resistance, +2 Wisdom, 1d8 Unarmed Strike



8th

Argent Fist

+4

+11

+5

+10

5 points

Touch of Golden Ice(b)

Holy Armor, Ki Strike (Silver), +1 Natural, Mind Shielding



9th

Atavist

+4

+11

+7

+12

5 points

Shield of Thought

Call to Mind, Spiritual Lineage, Mind Blade Improvement/Unarmed Strike Improvement, +7 Exalted Armor



10th

Atavist

+5

+11

+8

+13

5 points

*

Defensive Insight, Augmented Mindlink, DR 5/magic, Exalted Strike +2 (Good), 1d10 Unarmed Strike



11th

Atavist

+6

+12

+8

+13

5 points


Supportive Mindlink +1, +4 Wisdom, +2 Charisma



12th

Atavist

+7

+12

+9

+14

5 points

Shape Soulmeld: Ankheg Breastplate, *

Detect Possession, +8 Exalted Armor, +2 Deflection, Greater Sustenance, 2d6 Unarmed Strike



13th

Atavist

+7

+12

+9

+14

5 points


Spiritual Focus, +2 Resistance, +5 Universal Energy Resistance



14th

Atavist

+8

+13

+10

+15

5 points

*

Supportive Mindlink +2, Exalted Strike +3 (Good), Freedom of Movement, 2d8 Unarmed Strike



15th

Atavist

+9

+13

+10

+15

5 points

Extra Essentia

Quori Hunter, +9 Exalted Armor, +6 Wisdom, +4 Charisma, +2 Dexterity, DR 5/Evil



16th

Atavist

+10

+13

+11

+16

5 points

*

Dismissing Strike, +2 Natural, 2d10 Unarmed Strike



17th

Atavist

+10

+14

+11

+16

5 points


Personal Mind Blank, Supportive Mindlink +3, +3 Resistance, Exalted Strike +4 (Good), Regeneration



18th

Atavist

+11

+14

+12

+17

5 points

Divine Soultouch, *

Spiritual Union, +10 Exalted Armor, +3 Deflection, True Seeing



20th

Saint

+11

+14

+12

+17

-

-

Outsider, +Wis as Insight bonus to AC, Holy Power, Holy Touch, SLAs, DR 10/Evil, Fast Healing 9, Immunity to Acid, Cold, Electricity, and Petrification, Keen Vision, Protective Aura, Fire Resistance 10, +4 saves vs poison, Tongues, +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, +4 Charisma

[H_H_F_F]

Any word from our esteemed judge(s)?

Very excited!

[Empyreal Dragon]

Have some stuff going down in personal life, havent had the chance to finish judging. I'm sorry for the delay.

[H_H_F_F]

Have some stuff going down in personal life, havent had the chance to finish judging. I'm sorry for the delay.

I was just checking, you still have plenty of time I believe. Real life comes first, obviously. Wish you the best with whatever you're dealing with!

[Zaq]

Have some stuff going down in personal life, havent had the chance to finish judging. I'm sorry for the delay.

Much like how (back in the Before Times, at least) the best way to get the waiter to come to your table is to go to the restroom, the best way to trigger Important Stuff in your personal life is to volunteer to judge IC.

[Wolfem]

Sorry for the delay. Added stub and dishes to ICO Spreadsheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oyjVU5JmeCnC8YTMqDArDqE5PszHl0Ysadz630kuTGk/edit?ts=59a4835f#gid=0&range=A1065:A1068).

[H_H_F_F]

Question: if Empyreal can't judge in time, will we be starting the next round while they work, or will we wait for them to finish working so they aren't disadvantaged, time-wise, on the next round?

[The Viscount]

The judging deadline isn't hard set, it's just a guideline. We will wait to move to the next round until we have scores for this one. It's been batted about in a few rounds past, but I agree with past Chairs. If we start the new round, it's too easy to forget about the last one.

[H_H_F_F]

Any news, Empyreal? Do you think you'll be able to judge?

I hope everything is okay.

[Empyreal Dragon]

I'll be submitting judgement tommorow morning when I get off work.

[Venger]

Thanks for the update.

[H_H_F_F]

Good to know! Thank you!

[Empyreal Dragon]

Kalashtar Jones, The monkey king.15


Originality2
On the one hand, Lycanthrope is something i dont see much use from, so good on you for surprising me, netted some points right here. But on the other, a psychic warrior/monk combo is something i expected coming into this, and sad to say the commonality of it did lose you some score right here, HOWEVER the conscious decision not to tashalatora it was a solid one on your end, but unfortunately a warshaper psychic warrior chassis from your lycanthrope is a tried and true method, so Unfortunately I couldnt give a great score here. the use of an exalted feat did net you from getting 2 here, but i just didnt see much to surprise me to warrant a higher score in this category

Power3
The same praise i gave you for your choice to avoid certain selections also penalized you here. Exalted feats are notoriously poor in most cases, and touch of golden ice ceases to be effective throughout, Some way of increasing your monk progression would have been appreciated, but otherwise, this is a very solid Battlefield Control build as far as martials go, and the support capabilities do help in this regard, you're not the best martial chassis, but for what it is, its good. decisive strike was an interesting choice, but your damage output isnt great enough to take it over the edge. All around a decent but not phenomenal build in terms of strength.

Elegance5
this was the redemption right here, the little backstory fits perfectly into your entire build, the idea of chaining your curse into a pursuit of psionic enlightenment pairs nicely with the initial exalted start, the feat lineup and class entry is smooth as i could have asked for on this, altogether a solid setup from start to finish, i would have penalized for the last 3 levels of warshaper, but considering the design intent of the build, using it as a capstone for your finalized atavist setup was honestly beautiful. top notch.


UotSI[5]
Honestly.... ill keep this one simple, not only did you finish the SI, but your entire build works around it, in support of it, or building off of it, both lore and mechanically, and i very much like how it all comes together, and how you manage to make a solid use of each class feature in your build.




Anidina the Mad 16
Originality5
I'm gonna just open up with so many surprises here, i did not in any way expect a fighter/divine base for atavist, i definitely was not ready for a VoP build, and holy cow, a WARMIND with Vow of peace? now that's something interesting. Honestly this entire build was wierd for me to look upon, and that in itself got you the score you got here. your setup took me out of left field.

Power3.5
this part was very hard for me to judge, im not gonna lie to you, my initial reaction was to drop this down low just for the vow of poverty, not even gonna lie. but then i really had to look over it and.... you're missing the power of equipment for sure. you're MAD as all heck, and good gods, is this build a good support/face. but unfortunately, the MAD and VoP did hit you hard here, you made a good build to accomadate them, but the issues remain. While you get good damage for your setup thats exactly it, for your setup, And i'm afraid this did net you some hefty penalties, to match the rather substantial points you got from your great face ability. lastly, your focus on non-lethal did get you a small hit. but all in all a decent build in spite of it's drawbacks

Elegance3
while you manage to nicely hit your prerequisites, i feel the Cleric dip, the paladin dip, the fighter dip, AND doubling up on warmind and atavist just felt a little much so i docked you here, additionally, while you manage to be decent all around as a face, a support, and a halfway solid combatant, it feels like you have too much going on at once and its almost stepping in on eachothers turf, really tangling up the build.

UotSI4.5
i have little to say here, you finished the SI, used almost every ability, and whipped some very nice things out of it, however, the obsolescence of one ability in favor of a 1 level dip was the slightest penalty, i wouldnt even have considered it if not for the fact that an entire other class feature was LOST near the end of your progression.



Will need a little bit before the other two. but please await them. My judgements on the other two are.... a bit more intensive. and i need some extra time to cross reference and run math on a few details i missed on my last review of them.

[Empyreal Dragon]

Kaisil, saint of shining onyx, the Kalashtar battery 6

Originality1
I never actually expected to rate something with this but.... The infinite power point combos are a dime a dozen, This isnt really anything I've yet to see, an ebon saint Swordsage... All in all.... im not really stunned by this in any fashion. I'm sorry to say i didnt see anything particularly noteworthy in originality.


Power3
Now, on the other hand, infinite power point combos are so popular because theyre GOOD, ebon saint sword sage is GOOD, incarnum psionics are GOOD. Your build sets out to be a dorje master and stealth combatant in melee, and you do a fine job of that. But the low BAB, the minimla monk damage, and the less than sublime psychic warrior list cap you out a bit.

Elegance1
So.... based on the heavy focus on dorje use for your psionics.... i gave a small penalty for item dependence. You're missing a feat slot, and i really prefer to see a complete build in this contest. and then... monk, fighter, incarnate, swordsage, atavist, psionic fist, Ebon saint, you have SEVEN classes, most of which dont get over 2 levels, your entire build seems to be a mishmash of unrelated items that none of which see good use individually, it seems to be a mishmash of classes, there is just too much going on, and not enough of any of it to really make use of its assets.

UotSI1
Not only did you not finish the ingredient, but it almost seems like your entire build could do without it, its basically tacked on just to have it to my eyes.



Mother Jones 17.5
Originality5
I'll give you this, VoP is definitely wierd, I've said it before but it's not something i ever expect to see, the choice of soulknife instead of monk was also a nice twist on your end, good on you, and furthermore, i dont even remember the last time ive ever seen squire of legend used, and i couldnt even remember mystic wanderer until you showed it off, and a war cleric vow of peace and nonviolence? thats an interesting option.

Power:4
good golly thats a tanky lady, and unlike most uber-tanks, you can fairly reliably make sure you can intercept those hits. you are a fine addition to the defensive lineup of any party, your support capability is also incredibly lovely to see. short and simply your build has a goal, and you do it WELL while also covering your own shortcomings. Were it not for the subpar capacity of both a soulknife and VoP i would have rated this higher.

Elegance3.5So many classes got you a rather hefty hit, additionally, the lack of a complete 20 levels did offset this for me, sorry to say, more importantly, your prerequisites are all nicely in order and everything seems to synergize nicely. so i gave you a middling score.

UotSI5Short and to the point, you manage to utilize the entire SI to its fullest, making every part of your build work for it, be improved by it, or improve it, even the options you dont utilize, which you took a small penalty for, serve nicely in the dish by being replaced by other options that improve the quality as a whole.

[Empyreal Dragon]

sorry for the multi posting, that should do it as far as judgement goes. have fun

[H_H_F_F]

Thank you very much for judging, Empyreal Dragon!
No disputes from me.

[Empyreal Dragon]

I did enjoy judging them.

[Piggy Knowles]

Thanks for judging!

Kicking myself for a very silly error that I should have caught on review before submitting, but no disputes from me.

[The Viscount]

Bless you, Empyreal Dragon.

I'll give our chefs until Sunday morning for any disputes. If I don't have anything at that time I'll post reveal and the next round. If I hear back from everyone I might post it Saturday, depending on my work schedule.

[Empyreal Dragon]

Once again I apologize for the wait.

[The Viscount]

The new day is on us, so we close this round that we may move to the next.
It is time for the reveal! (I don't know how to make the table pretty)



Entry
Score
Chef
Place


Mother Jones
17.5
Piggy Knowles
Gold


Anidina the Mad
16
H_H_F_F
Silver


Kalashtar Jones, the Monkey King
15
H_H_F_F
Bronze


Kaisil, the Kalashtar Battery
6
Heavenblade
HM



Congratulations everyone! A fun round with a very difficult ingredient. Here's hoping the next can spark even more creativity.
Next round up here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?618136-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CV).

[H_H_F_F]

Thank you everyone for what has been a very enjoyable first Iron Chef for me for me! I really thought I was going to get 3rd and 4th places. I was surprised with the judging the battery received - I was expecting him to score pretty bad on elegance and UoSI, but rock everything else. Then again, that sort of build usually goes over my head anyway.

I liked both of my builds, but I definitely deserved the elegance hit on Anidina the Mad. This build went through so many revisions and was very frustrating, but I was quite proud of it until I saw Mother Jones. I just don't have the system mastery and book familiarity to pull stuff like that off, and I think Piggy Knowles definitely deserved the win for her.

Piggy, I really don't know what in this SI made both of us think both towards a cloistered cleric Paladin and towards a folk hero named Jones introduced through song, but you truly blew me out of the water - though, I have one question regarding Mother Jones: I don't think luminescent armor can stack with VoP, as it clearly states it doesn't stack with armor bonus to AC. Am I wrong?

Either way, well done to all, and huge thanks to our judge and chairman!

[Piggy Knowles]

Piggy, I really don't know what in this SI made both of us think both towards a cloistered cleric Paladin and towards a folk hero named Jones introduced through song, but you truly blew me out of the water - though, I have one question regarding Mother Jones: I don't think luminescent armor can stack with VoP, as it clearly states it doesn't stack with armor bonus to AC. Am I wrong?

Glad you liked it!

You're right about the AC bonus - I looked at the type (exalted bonus vs armor class bonus) and assumed that since they were different types they would stack, but I forgot about the clause in VoP. That reduces the final AC bonus down to 66, though luminous armor is still likely worth casting for the -4 debuff to attack rolls it provides.

As for Mother Jones, basically after riffing on various defensive builds using the Dancing with Shadows feat line (one of my all time favorite tactical feats), I came across the Shield of Thought feat, which lets you turn your mind blade into a shield. I'd been slamming into a wall trying to figure out a reason why you would ever have atavist improve your mind blade instead of your unarmed strike. Even on a soulknife base, it only increased the enhancement bonus and didn't give you any extra abilities. But turning it into a shield gave me the idea of a VoP build that uses Shield of Thought, Divine Shield and atavist to wield a shield defensively, and the gears kind of started spinning from there. I stole several bits and pieces from my attempts at a Dancing with Shadows build (such as War Devotion), including one feat that daremetoidareyou pointed out to me but that I'd never really looked at before: Dutiful Guardian, which let Ma Jones play protector in a more active capacity by literally getting her body in the way of anyone who tried to attack her allies.

I don't know how I managed to miss that my table accidentally dropped levels 19 and 20 though... Usually I try to catch silly errors like that before submitting! I swear it exists in my draft, so I don't know how it disappeared. Must have accidentally deleted it when I was fixing some formatting. The skill totals, build stubs and level write-ups all reflect the full level 20 build though.

Thanks again for judging, Empyreal, and thanks as always for hosting, Viscount!

[Wolfem]

Apologies for such a late update, work has been crazy the last couple of months. I updated the ICO Spreadsheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oyjVU5JmeCnC8YTMqDArDqE5PszHl0Ysadz630kuTGk/edit?ts=59a4835f#gid=0&range=A1065:A1068) with the judging info (looks like someone else already added the chefs to their dishes, thanks whoever did that).

[Venger]

Thanks for the update, Wolfem. We appreciate you.