Pi's E6 Appetizer Compendium

[PanosIs]

So, I like making builds, but sadly my schedule rarely lines up with the Iron Chef competitions even though I really like some of the old ingredients.

Thusly, E6 extravaganza. In this henceforth thread I shall present builds based on the Iron Chef E6 Appetizer Edition (Current round (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?619170-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XXVI))) competitions of yore. I shall try to keep by the rules of the competition itself - but I am a big fan of Dragon Mag and 2nd Party materials - so occasionally something might pop up. So, without further ado, we start with Round VII: Hexblade!




Human Bard 1 / Hexblade 5
Abilities: Str 16 Dex 12 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 8 Cha 15+1




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


1st
1d6
Bard 1
+0
+0
+2
+2
Balance 4, Bluff 4, Diplomacy 4, Intimidate 2, Perform (Dance) 4, Perform (Oratory) 4, Sense Motive 4, Sleight of Hand 4
Extra Music, Force of Personality
Bardic Knowledge, Bardic Music (5/day), Fascinate, Inspire Awe, Spellbreaker Song


2nd
1d6+1d10
Hexblade 1
+1
+0
+2
+4
Intimidate 4, Perform (Dance) 5
-
Hexblade's Curse (1/day)


3rd
1d6+2d10
Hexblade 2
+2
+0
+0
+5
Bluff 5, Intimidate 5, Perform (Dance) 6
Intimidating Strike
Arcane Resistance


4th
1d6+3d10
Hexblade 3
+3
+1
+3
+5
Diplomacy 5, Intimidate 6, Perform (Dance) 7
-
Mettle


5th
1d6+4d10
Hexblade 4
+4
+1
+3
+6
Intimidate 8, Perform (Dance) 8
-
Dark Companion, Spellcasting


6th
1d6+5d10
Hexblade 5
+5
+1
+3
+6
Sense Motive 5, Never Outnumbered
Doomspeak, Combat CastingB
Hexblade's Curse (2/day)



Epic Feats: Frightful Presence, Imperious Command, Bind Vestige, Improved Bind Vestige, Practiced Binder, Obtain Familiar, Improved Familiar, Bonded Familiar, Power Attack, Snowflake Wardance


In the early levels you start off as a somewhat competent fear-based Bard with Inspire Awe, which you should be able to pump out every encounter and Spellbreaker Song, which complements moreso thematically than mechanically. You then go into Hexblade, getting Curse and Intimidating Strike for additional debuffing power.

In the later leves you get additional debuffs through Dark Companion and Doomspeak which is a big hitter, allowing your spellcasters to land their most debilitating attacks. (At this point, between Intimidating Strike, Inspire Awe, Hexblade's Curse and Dark Companion you can inflict up to -6 on saves, with Doomspeak increasing that to -16).

In early epic, you grab Frightful Presence for yet another fear effect and Imperious Command for some crowd control in combination with mass demoralize via Never Outnumbered. The Bind Vestige chain gets you another debuffing aura through binding Focalor for his sadness (You're very edgy - but it's the price of playing a hexblade).

Finally, you round out the build with a relatively powerful familiar and some melee power with Power Attack & Snowflake Wardance.

Hit Points: 46
AC: 16
Saves: Fort +3 Ref +4 Will +9 (+6, +7, +12 where Arcane Defense applies)
Base Attack Bonus: +5
Debuff Auras: Dark Companion (-2 to saves and armor class, untyped, no save), Inspire Awe (Shaken, fear, Will negates), Aura of Sadness (-2 to attack rolls, saves and skill checks, mind-affecting, no save), Frightful Presence (Shaken, fear, Will negates)
Targetted Debuffs: Intimidating Strike (Shaken, fear, Will negates), Doomspeak (-10 to attack rolls, saves and ability checks for 1 round, untyped, Will negates)

[PanosIs]

And being able to hop around a lot is nice, so we continue with Round XII: Prestige Classes! (link (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?572441-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XIII)))





Azurin Barbarian 4 / Fist of the Forest 2
Abilities: Str 18 Dex 12 Con 15+1 Int 10 Wis 10 Cha 8




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


1st
1d12
Barbarian 1
+1
+2
+0
+0
Jump 4, Intimidate 4, Survival 4, Tumble 4
Jotunbrud, Improved Unarmed Strike, Toughness
Illiteracy, Rage (1/day)


2nd
2d12
Barbarian 2
+2
+3
+0
+0
Jump 5, Intimidate 5, Survival 5, Tumble 5
Improved Grapple
-


3rd
3d12
Barbarian 3
+3
+3
+1
+1
Jump 6, Intimidate 6, Survival 6, Tumble 6
Power Attack, Great Fortitude
--[TD]


[TD]4th
4d12
Barbarian 4
+4
+4
+1
+1
Jump 7, Intimidate 7, Survival 7, Tumble 7
-
Rage (2/day)


5th
4d12+1d10
Fist of the Forest 1
+5
+6
+3
+1
Intimidate 8, Jump 8
-
AC Bonus, Feral Trance (1/day), Fast Movement, Primal Living, Unarmed Damage (1d8)


6th
4d12+2d10
Fist of the Forest 2
+6
+7
+4
+1
Never Outnumbered
Scorpion's Grasp
Uncanny Dodge, Untamed Strike



Epic Feats: Snap Kick, Improved Natural Attack (Unarmed Damage), Power Lunge, Leap Attack, Cobalt Rage, Endurance, Steadfast Determination, Instantaneous Rage, Mad Foam Rager, Extra Rage



So, you start off as a run of the mill Barbarian (If we had Dragon Magazine we'd get City Brawler for IUS, but alas, we'll have to take the feat normally). You can use a sword or your fists to put out some punishment and you can take some as well. At level 2 you get Improved Grapple so you can start trying out your grips with a solid +16 bonus to debilitate enemies. You start having a greater measure of competence at level 5 when you get your Fist of the Forest unarmed damage increase which means your fists now hit like longswords.

True strength, however, comes at level 6 and upwards. Scorpion's Grasp is a key feat for this build, allowing you to hit and then initiate a grapple to inflict unarmed damage once again.

As your first epic feat, snap kick doubles your damage output balanced against a small penalty on your to-hit roll, INA get's you 2d6 fists and power lunge allows you to deal 2*Strength modifier damage on a charge, which applies to all attacks you make. Leap Attack and Cobalt Rage round out your offensive portfolio while you fill the rest of the epic feats with defensive tools.


Hit Points: 70
AC: 14
Saves: Fort +12 Ref +5 Will +4 (+14 +7 +10 while in Rage + Feral Trance)
Base Attack Bonus: +6
Grapple (while raging): +20
Rage-Feral-Trance-Charge +6/+6 to Hit, 2d6+28 damage per hit plus improved grab

[thorr-kan]

Nice.

Can others play too?

[PanosIs]

Nice.

Can others play too?

I mean, wasn't in the original intention - but if there are more people that want to go over the past ICs, feel free ^^

I'd be interested to see what other people come up with as well - I've already binge read all Iron Chefs and Appetizers :P

[daremetoidareyo]

I mean, wasn't in the original intention - but if there are more people that want to go over the past ICs, feel free ^^

I'd be interested to see what other people come up with as well - I've already binge read all Iron Chefs and Appetizers :P

You got any favorites?

[PanosIs]

You got any favorites?

Sure do. For the 20-level IC:


Round V: Akal Saris's Paladin / Beast Heart Adept / War Chanter
Round XXXIX: Piggy Knowles's Shadowcaster / Renegade Mastermaker
Round LXXXI: Dire_Stirge's Mouth Dart Serene Guardian
Round C: Zaq's Truenamer / Swiftblade

I'm more of a fan of E6 as a game framing but but find many of the builds there struggle a bit to fit into the six-level chassi. A few that have stuck with me from the appetizers are:


Round VI: RaiKirah's Badger Lady Bard / Gnome Paragon
Round XV: Macabaret's Ward Bonding Warforged Sorcerer \o/
Round XXV: Iris, Eye Captain Warlock (WAHT IS THIS!?)

[Gorthawar]

Great idea. I'm very much in the same boat and while I love the tinkering I struggle to fit in time to format them properly and write a coherent backstory. I enjoyed your builds and particularly liked the barbarian. Keep 'em coming.

[PanosIs]

Another day, another build, and this time something I think I'd really enjoy playing myself. Round XV: Sorcerer! (link (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?582751-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XV)))

This is a tough round as my favorite ever IC build, Sir Cohnium (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=23790641&postcount=30) was one of the contestants and I don't think I can even come close to matching the originality, so I'm going with a more classical approach to the Sorcerer.




Human Sorcerer 6
Abilities: Str 10 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 12 Wis 9 Cha 17+1




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


1st
1d4
Dragonblood Sorcerer 1
+0
+0
+0
+2
Bluff 4, Concentration 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4, Spellcraft 4
Bloodline of FireHuman, Draconic HeritageDragonblood, Draconic Power, Weapon Focus (Longsword)Stalwart Sorcerer
Arcane Insight, Stalwart


2nd
2d4
Sorcerer 2
+1
+0
+0
+3
Bluff 5, Concentration 5, Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Spellcraft 5
-
-


3rd
3d4
Sorcerer 3
+1
+1
+1
+3
Bluff 6, Concentration 6, Knowledge (Arcana) 6, Spellcraft 6
Spell Focus (Evocation)
-[TD]


[TD]4th
4d12
Dragonblood Sorcerer 4
+2
+1
+1
+4
Bluff 7, Concentration 7, Knowledge (Arcana) 7, Spellcraft 7
-
Arcane Insight


5th
5d4
Sorcerer 5
+2
+1
+1
+4
Bluff 8, Concentration 8, Knowledge (Arcana) 8, Spellcraft 8
-
-


6th
6d4
Sorcerer 6
+3
+2
+2
+5
Bluff 9, Concentration 9, Knowledge (Arcana) 9, Spellcraft 9
Fiery Burst
-



Epic Feats: Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Raging Flame), Energy Gestalt, Piercing Evocation, Arcane Thesis (Scorching Ray), Searing Spell, Sudden Maximize, Force of Personality, Empower Spell, Practical Metamagic (Empower Spell), Metamagic School Focus (Evocation)
Spells 1st Level: Ray of Flame, Grease, Kaupaer's Quickblast 2nd Level: Arcane Turmoil, Scorching Ray 3rd Level: Fireball
Dragonblooded Sorcerer Spell-Like Ability: Raging Flame 3/day
Spell Slots: 1st Level: 6 2nd Level: 5 3rd Level: 4


You start off as a relatively competent Sorcerer, having caster level 4 for your [Fire] spells, although only a single spell known, Ray of Flame, which does 2d8 damage and can set enemies on fire. You're also alright a longsword or crossbow for when spells run out. The next couple of levels are relatively tame, as you rev up for a big power up around the early epic levels. You pick up Raging Flame as a spell-like ability at 4th level, which can greatly enhance your damage if you manage to get it off before the start of the encounter, improving both your Ray of Flame burn damage as well as all your fire spells by a bit. You'll further use this SLA at higher levels.

By level 6, Fiery Blast grants you an at-will blasting option, although 3d6 damage is relatively mediocre. However, it acts as yet another CL increase for [Fire] spells with the total CL now being 11, meaning Ray of Flame does 5d8 damage, you get 3 4d6 rays with Scorching Ray and Fireball deals the maximum 10d6 damage.

This also means that you have a CL of 10 for [Fire] spells, allowing you to grab Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Raging Flame) - this means you can start any combat with the ability and follow up with a damaging spell utilitizing the buff.

Further into the epic levels, Energy Gestalt in combination with Kaupaer's Quickblast means you have easy access to a variety of debuffing effects, most notably the nauseating effect of [Acid] into [Fire] which you can pull off in a single turn. Arcane Thesis gets you the last necessary CL for your Scorching Ray and will allow you to always Empower it or make it a Searing Spell later on. You then get access to a couple of ways to pierce fire resistance in Searing Spell and Piercing Evocation, which can prove troublesome for aspiring pyromancers such as yourself. Sudden Maximize can be encounter-ending with Fireballs dealing upwards of 60 damage or 90 damage in combination with your last few feats which allow you to empower the spell without adjusting the spell level at all - although you still have to put up with being unable to move when you use metamagic this way.

Force of Personality is the one defensive feat you pick up, granting you a substantial +5 bonus on Will saves.


Hit Points: 41
AC: 12
Saves: Fort +4 Ref +4 Will +9
Base Attack Bonus: +3
Caster Level: 11 for Ray of Flame, Scorching Ray and Fireball, 10 for other Fire spells, 7 otherwise
Ray of Flame under Raging Flame: 5d8+5 ~ 28 damage plus 2d6 burn damage per round on a failed Reflex save
Empowered Scorching Ray under Raging Flame: (12d6+12)*1.5 ~ 81 damage / 126 damage with Sudden Maximize
Empowered Maximized Fireball under Raging Flame: (10d6+10)*1.5 ~ 71 damage / 105 damage with Sudden Maximize