Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXVI

[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.

Well gang, I've got egg on my face. I selected "a paradox" for my shortlist, but I didn't look at the ingredient carefully enough when I did. It would make a very poor ingredient right after Shining Blade of Heironeous. We'll get to it in time, but for now we're going with the next most popular choice. There are many restrictions for prestige classes that hurt, but our next ingredient has one that's on another level. Crack open Races of Stone and stretch out your hamstrings, this time it's Peregrine Runner

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 November 21st, 2021 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 Sunday December 5th, 2021 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. (A fillable, pre-formatted version found here (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BG0-5sq4dL9Ooh7-QfXuyHzO4rXSz-CRcj29t6BeUVE/edit#gid=0))NAME OF ENTRY


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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



Code immediately below (spoiler).

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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



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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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



For other systems (Psionics, ToB, Incarnum, etc.) keep track of PP/maneuvers/essentia separately, preferably in a nice neat list.
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). PM if you'd like to contribute to the spreadsheet for access.

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 of 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)
Iron Chef CIV: Atavist (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?615697-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CIV)
Iron Chev CV: Primeval (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?618136-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CV)
Iron Chef CVI: Disciple of Mammon (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?620730-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CVI)
Iron Chef CVII: Insidious Corruptor (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?622560-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CVII)
Iron Chef CVIII: Crimson Scourge (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?624099-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CVIII)
Iron Chef CIX: Tattooed Monk (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?626458-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CIX)
Iron Chef CX: Rage Mage (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?628809-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CX)
Iron Chef CXI: Watch Detective (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?630421-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXI)
Iron Chef CXII: Spinemeld Warrior (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?632291-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXII)
Iron Chef CXIII: Celebrant of Sharess (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?633637-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXIII)
Iron Chef CXIV: Thayan Gladiator (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?635212-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXIV)
Iron Chef CXV: Shining Blade of Heironeous (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?637097-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXV)

[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.
Please don't base your scores off the scores of another judge.


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 for the purpose of overcoming DR.
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)
Spelltouched feats are legal and can be taken just like any other feat when you meet the prerequisites and have the feat slot available.

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

[Thurbane]

Interesting ingredient - like to many classes with <redacted>, will expect to see a lot of <redacted>, and levels of <redacted>.

[Venger]

I look upon the field of this class's useful or interesting feature, and lo, it lies fallow.

In to cook.

[WhamBamSam]

The air is thin up in the mountains and the class features thinner. Hoping that I can make something out of this though.

[AvatarVecna]

"Alright, got an idea for a Goliath prestige class!"

"Lay it on me, brother."

"Okay, so they're like...living in the mountains? Well most of them are kinda earthy people, but what about the ones that explore the mountains? They're flying all over the peaks like birds of prey!"

"Sounds good. What's it called?"

"Peregrine Runner. Pretty badass, yeah?"

"Hell yeah! What it's do? Like, class features and stuff?"

"Alright, so here's my two step design process for the class features: first step...'peregrine'."

"..."

"Second step: 'running'."

"..."

"And most of it is running."

"..."

"So what do you think?"

"That sounds frickin' awesome! Simplicity in design form! It's perfect, no notes!"

"Hell yeah!"

"Hell yeah!"

[loky1109]

Interesting ingredient - like to many classes with <redacted>, will expect to see a lot of <redacted>, and levels of <redacted>.
I totally agree with this.

[H_H_F_F]

Jesus, Viscount. No rest for the wicked, huh?

Is this "a painful restriction"?

[Troacctid]

Doesn't seem all that painful to me, tbh.

[H_H_F_F]

Doesn't seem all that painful to me, tbh.

Doesn't seem like a Paradox, either, and I don't recall it being discussed many times as an ingredient, so "better late than never" doesn't seem to make sense either. Perhaps something from before my time?

Edit: well, I should've read the OP more closely. This is explicitly "a painful restricrion".

[H_H_F_F]

Hey Chair, could we get a clarification on the equivalent druid level for the falcon companion? Probably 1 to 1, but the class doesn't specify and stacking language is a bit weird.

[Beni-Kujaku]

That's not Knight of the Iron Glacier but it might as well be. I'm sitting this one out. Maybe I'll judge

[The Viscount]

Setting a level on fire for LA seemed pretty painful to me.


Hey Chair, could we get a clarification on the equivalent druid level for the falcon companion? Probably 1 to 1, but the class doesn't specify and stacking language is a bit weird.

Your peregrine runner level is your effective druid level for determining abilities for your peregrine falcon.

[Beni-Kujaku]

Setting a level on fire for LA seemed pretty painful to me.


Every Racial Emulation changelings: "I fail to see how that's my problem"

[Saintheart]

Ummmmm ... if the deadline is October 17 that's going to be a mighty tough ask for people to meet ...

[Malphegor]

I have an idea for this but it might be the most stupid thing I have ever written for a character and as such I need to figure out skills and formatting and some kind of backstory to justify it because this needs to be given to the people.

[Zaq]

thanks I hate it

[The Viscount]

Ummmmm ... if the deadline is October 17 that's going to be a mighty tough ask for people to meet ...

Ugh. Sorry about that. Real deadline is in the OP now.

[Malphegor]

Out of curiosity, are the <redacted> from UA allowed in Iron Chef? Not necessary for my idea, technically it actually makes the character weaker than much better options I’ve considered, I just stumbled on one that sounds cool and is vaguely fitting for a ‘why they do the dumb thing they devote their life to do’ fluff reason (the extra ability one’ll get at level 6 for being of a <redacted> actually won’t come into play tbh with the one I’ve picked, plus I’m not actually sure if you still get it if you multiclass out of <redacted> before that)

[Troacctid]

Every Racial Emulation changelings: "I fail to see how that's my problem"
Racial Emulation only works on humanoids. Goliaths are monstrous humanoids.

[The Viscount]

[question]

Yes, that's legal. Might want to edit your post.

[mattie_p]

I have an idea for this but it might be the most stupid thing I have ever written for a character and as such I need to figure out skills and formatting and some kind of backstory to justify it because this needs to be given to the people.

Formatting assistance can be found in a freely available google spreadsheet, link is in my signature (and in the contest post).

[Wildstag]

I know there were requests for a Halloween themed challenge, but I think the horror of actually playing something like this fits that ticket as an out-of-season Halloween PrC.

I'm really interested in seeing how people work around or with the racial prerequisite. As it's my favorite race in 3.5 (despite being less played than my second - the Hengeyokai), I'll be watching impatiently.

[Seward]

Sign me up as a contestant.

I actually did something like this once, although not with this race/prestige class, so I think it will be interesting to see how it translates.

[The Viscount]

Better late than never would have been Halloween-ish, but it was not meant to be.

I did my big scare with shining blade; this is nowhere near as scary as that.

[H_H_F_F]

While we're working on this one, does anyone feel like judging the current round of Junkyard Wars?

[loky1109]

I have idea, but I don't like it. Most likely I'll take recusal. Maybe shall judge.

[Thurbane]

I have a build stub decided, depends on IRL if I can get it done in 9 days or not.

[H_H_F_F]

I feel really lost with this one.

How is everyone else doing?

[Thurbane]

I feel really lost with this one.

How is everyone else doing?

Got a chassis, but it's all down to available time to flesh out the fluff, complete the tables etc.

[Seward]

I feel really lost with this one.

How is everyone else doing?

Mine came out better than I expected. The chasse was originally human and used more typical feats and prcs for that sort of build, but in terms of basic utility, survivability and damage output - if precision damage applies it was in shouting range of my original most of the time..just a couple levels where stuff came online a bit later which was more because of the racial LA than problematic classes.

For better or worse I think I managed to make use of all the class features too. I must admit Pathfinder has spoiled me. I repeatedly felt the lack of feats, traits to provide class skills and just the skill point consolidation frustrating (eg concentration doesn't use skill points, perception and stealth replace 4 skills, gather info is a diplomacy function). I didn't notice the lack on my original 3.5 character because she didn't also try to have a diplomatic role...and being human added a feat, a skill point and her prc's didn't cost 2 feats and provided more feat-like class features.

I was struck by how long it takes to enter this 10 lvl prc. Skill prereqs require 6 class levels and LA1 = lvl 8 for first Peregrin Runner Level. I guess that is similar to other prcs - arcane archer is the same using core classes, but again Pathfinder's approach of using class feature substitution for prc-like variants has made it seem very slow if you don't add similar flavor to your baby class progression. It's been over a decade since I seriously did a 1-20 lvl build in 3.5.

[Wildstag]

There's a thread of resources I'm thinking just HAS to be on this or some other forum site that'd really help, but as is I've still got an idea that'll be fun as a first submission. Not sure that it'll do much, but it might be worth a smile from a judge.

Edit: snip

[Seward]

Edit:<redacted>

The secret ingredient prc has race = Goliath as a requirement.

[Wildstag]

The secret ingredient prc has race = Goliath as a requirement.

Yes, that has already been taken into account when I asked my question.

P.S. It had mostly been taken into account...

[H_H_F_F]

snip

I would edit this out and PM the chair. Seward should probably edit the quote in their response as well.

This would make it very easy to tell which entry is yours, thus breaking the annonimity rule.

[Wildstag]

I would edit this out and PM the chair. Seward should probably edit the quote in their response as well.

This would make it very easy to tell which entry is yours, thus breaking the annonimity rule.

Ah yes, forgot the pm option was available.

P.S. Also disregard the whole thing, I'm dumb.

[bean illus]

I just got here, and I'm jealous.

I can't believe you folk get to optimize 20 level builds centered on slow fall 50', and +10 situational damage.

So many builds truly neeeed climb speed 40', that we're guaranteed to see a high number of entries highlighting that. I can barely wait.

Hmmm, i suddenly have an idea.
No, I'm not cooking, but i am surprised that i even have an idea.

[Zaq]

Entry's in. Not my finest work, perhaps, but I'm happy to have done anything at all with this crap. The challenge is the point!

[Seward]

So many builds truly neeeed climb speed 40', that we're guaranteed to see a high number of entries highlighting that.

May not need it. But it is useful if you have it or might let your schtick work when without it you get stymied by a wall or cliff. Yes the spell "Walk the Mountain's Path" does much of what the class features do, but it isn't an accident that my real character I based my build on used to cast that spell routinely. That fact was actually why I chose to try the challenge. Pretty much all of the class features helped at least a little and as noted earlier, it came out better than I originally expected. Not amazing but I'd be willing to play that character at the levels of party optimization I saw in organized play during Living Greyhawk.

I know two obvious approaches to this PRC, I did one. I am curious to see what others did.

[H_H_F_F]

I'm out this round. I had a joke build idea, but it's not funny or creative enough to submit, it's just sort of dumb.

Good luck folks! Can't wait to read your entries.

[Paragon]

Entry submitted
Had a lot of fun building it, hope you will have the same reading it

[loky1109]

Okay. I have an idea, that doesn't let me go. Try to do.

[Birchy]

Entry's Done. The build might not be the best, but i think i did a really good job on the writeup.

[loky1109]

Entry sent. This is one of the most absurd builds I ever done! )))

I'm looking forward to tomorrow.

[Thurbane]

Yeah, I'm outta time, might post my stub after the reveal...

Good luck to all the competitors! :smallsmile:

[mattie_p]

Tomorrow??? Just started a new job and totally lost track. I don't even have an idea.

[loky1109]

Tomorrow??? Just started a new job and totally lost track. I don't even have an idea.
Judges are always needed.

[Paragon]

Big reveal time :-D !

[H_H_F_F]

Hype. Hoping to see some real bull**** this round, kind of worried it might be boring as dirt.

[Troacctid]

I like boring. Show me a clean and elegant build that just works. Then give it just a bit of a twist, but without feeling contrived. That's my ideal entry.

[loky1109]

I like boring. Show me a clean and elegant build that just works. Then give it just a bit of a twist, but without feeling contrived. That's my ideal entry.

Can you show example?

[H_H_F_F]

I like boring. Show me a clean and elegant build that just works. Then give it just a bit of a twist, but without feeling contrived. That's my ideal entry.

Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

[Wildstag]

Despite having submitted, I gotta say I still have no real clue how to use this PrC to maximum effect. Now that submission phase is ended, I might just start a thread that'd show all the ways I could have used it that I just couldn't think of.

I'm intrigued to see what others did with the secret ingredient.

[mattie_p]

Judges are always needed.

You know what, sure. I'm down. My previous rubrics are floating around, I'll basically use that, adapted for circumstances.

[H_H_F_F]

That is supremely cool of you, Mattie_p.

[Seward]

My only comment on secret ingredient is that the whole thing would have worked better as a set of racial variant class features for Scout/Goliath. Most of the class abilities are much cooler if you get them in lvl 1-10 range rather than the level 9-19 range.

[Troacctid]

Can you show example?
Pretty much any entry that I submit, that's what I'm going for. My most recent was The Inkblot in the Tattooed Monk round, and I think before that was one of the Villainous Competitions?

[The Viscount]

Sorry gang, time got away from me. Reveal will be tomorrow, probably around 24 hours from now.

[Paragon]

Sorry gang, time got away from me. Reveal will be tomorrow, probably around 24 hours from now.

No worries, thank you for making this competition possible every month !

[AvatarVecna]

It's an unfortunate trade-off within the competition. The four judgement categories essentially boil down to "interesting, uncontroversial, powerful, iconic", and the nature of the secret ingredients means that usually you only get to pick two - maybe three on special occasions with a good bit of work. It's an optimization contest, so it naturally attracts people who are biased towards making powerful characters. And the nature of the SI tends to mean that "uncontroversial" and "iconic" are by default incompatible with powerful. When your build is locked into 10 levels of a bad class that makes for bad characters by default, it's difficult to make an uncontroversial and iconic example of that class that's also powerful, so those things go by the wayside. If there were a plethora of builds that were straightforward, iconic, and powerful for a given PrC, it wouldn't have become a secret ingredient in the first place.

[loky1109]

Cheap, fast, well done.
Select any two.

[H_H_F_F]

It's an unfortunate trade-off within the competition. The four judgement categories essentially boil down to "interesting, uncontroversial, powerful, iconic", and the nature of the secret ingredients means that usually you only get to pick two - maybe three on special occasions with a good bit of work. It's an optimization contest, so it naturally attracts people who are biased towards making powerful characters. And the nature of the SI tends to mean that "uncontroversial" and "iconic" are by default incompatible with powerful. When your build is locked into 10 levels of a bad class that makes for bad characters by default, it's difficult to make an uncontroversial and iconic example of that class that's also powerful, so those things go by the wayside. If there were a plethora of builds that were straightforward, iconic, and powerful for a given PrC, it wouldn't have become a secret ingredient in the first place.

I agree to a degree. I think this is true for most of us most of the time. I do think, however, that we often get to see entries that transcend this struggle.

I think this is also why I don't like "uncontreversial" as the default for elegance. Elegance is defined as mechanically pretty. Can a warblade 10 / tattooed monk 10 not doing anything interesting really be said to be "prettier" than an entry using elven longsword proficiency to qualify for a prc, or an enrty qualifying for half thr build with a single bonus feat?

To me, once you let "oh, that's clever" be needed for a good elegance score, things change. "Completely straightforward and uncontreversial" can only get you so far. You need to tickle my aesthetic senses in order to get better than a 4. Granted, that increases the subjectivity of the category, but I think it's worth it.

It's also why I don't approach UoSI with "how much of the SI did you use", but with "how well did you use the SI". Oh, you expectedly used everything efficiently? That's no more than good. To do great, you need to show me something I didn't realize the SI could do, or a way to overcome its issues without losing its benefits.

I still tend to agree that the metric is hard sometimes. Many of ny favourite entries as a judge never placed because I had to trash their elegance. And though I think elegance needs to include more than a lack of issues to incentevize good entries, I recognize that my definition of the "good" entry we want to encourage isn't universal.

So, overall, I think we're still allowed enough freedom within the metric to make it function. The goal, after all, isn't to get a 20. The fact that different styles of entries win on different rounds is probably a good thing, even if I'd like to see my favorites win every round.

[Seward]

When your build is locked into 10 levels of a bad class that makes for bad characters by default, it's difficult to make an uncontroversial and iconic example of that class that's also powerful, so those things go by the wayside.

I have a soft spot for taking unpopular classes or approaches and making them effective. (I did the same thing with deck design 20 years ago when I played CCGs, and do this in all sorts of computer games as well as tabletop)

In tabletop play it lets me play the character creation puzzle game without ending up with something that overshadows the party routinely, although in Organized play I usually have a little extra under the hood if a weak table gets into trouble.

Or to put it another way

"What do we have at this expected character level 12 table?"
Bard
Support/Heal cleric
Rogue/bard mutt
Heal/support cleric
A level 5 melee cause all other tables were full

My level 13 TK themed sorceress opened up a chest that had followed her around the entire convention, never opened except when camping for mundane supplies. Out of that chest of holding she dropped 13 size large greatswords, cast chain Greater Magic Weapon on them, cast Servant Horde to carry them behind me and instructed all those support dudes to buff me like an archer and to put everything the could on keeping Melee alive. And also to pray to any deity that if we encountered any bad guys that also had TK that I won initiative.

I had to be basically 90% of the offense with a character whose focus was utility-action economy stuff that normally is used to frustrate opposition and set up martials for success. Spell slots drain like water through a sieve when she has to do her own killing, although the massive party buffs did help, with 13 attacks to apply them to.

So with that...I like the idea of these challenges. Take something unpopular and try to do something good with it. I'm so rusty at 3.5 I probably wouldn't do well in a power competition anyway, but I can make something useful at a typical table with damn near anything. This secret ingredient provides only skillmonkey-type offensive perks, so it will fall behind in offense when those perks don't work. The main defensive perks are air-barrier and ambush stuff (take advantage of bad terrain and mobility plus scouting skills as an option to build on) which again means the power expectation I shot for was more like my rogueish characters than my light infantry or archer builds.

[The Viscount]

Sorry to do this again guys. Work is stupid busy right now. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

[H_H_F_F]

These things happen. Thanks for the update!

[The Viscount]

And now it's time for the reveal! (Please hold off on posting until the all clear.)

[The Viscount]

I am.... the claw!




Sly
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP. ENljGruXeAcsHaJkptRwmgHaFj%26pid%3DApi&f=1
and Screech

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP. qjAJ_hGi5rE9lv_ZIBpsYwEfDZ%26pid%3DApi&f=1

Not to scale. Unless Sly is having fun by wildshaping into a housecat.

A goliath flavored Pouncekitty approach to Peregrine Runner




Ability
Final
Racial
Base
Points
Modifier
L4,8,12
L16 20


Strength
16
+4
12
4
3
16
16


Dexterity
10
-2
12
4
0
12
12


Constitution
16
+2
14
6
3
16
17,18


Intelligence
14
+0
14
6
2
14
14


Wisdom
15
+0
15
8
2
16,17,18
18


Charisma
12
+0
12
4
1
12
12


Sum



32
12
3
2






Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
Fort Save
Ref Save
Will Save
Skill Ranks
Feats
Class Features


1st
Goliath LA
+0
+0=3
+0=0
+2
Sense Motive +2
Speak Common, Gol-Kaa, Giant, Terran
Monstrous Humanoid, Powerful Build, Mountain Movement, Acclimated


2nd
Goliath Barbarian 1
+1=1
+2=5
+0=0
+0=2
Jump+4=4, Climb+4=4,Handle Animal+4=4 Intimidate+4=4, Listen+4=4, Survival+4=4
Extra Rage (3 total/day)
Mountain Rage, Fast Movement, Illiterate (canceled next level),


3rd
Goliath Druid 1
+0=1
+2=7
+0=0
+2=4
Jump+1=5, Climb+1=5, Diplomacy+4=4

Animal Companion (Peregrine Falcon=hawk), Elemental Bond, Nature Sense, Wild Empathy


4th
Druid 2
+1=2x
+1=8
+0=0
+1=6 (wis16)
Jump+1=6, Climb+1=6, Spot+4=4
Run
Woodland Stride


5th
Druid 3
+1=3
+0=8
+1=1
+0=6
Climb+1=7 Jump+1=7 Hide+4=4

Trackless Step


6th
Druid 4
+1=4
+1=9
+0=1
+1=7
Climb+1=8 Jump+1=8 Handle Animal+1=5 Survival+1=5 Kn Nature+2=2

Resist Nature's Lure


7th
Druid 5
+0=4
+0=9
+0=1
+0=7
Climb+1=9, Jump+1=9, Kn Nature3=5, Profession (Peregrine Runner)1=1
Endurance
Wildshape 1/Day


8th
Peregrine Runner 1
+0=4
+2=11
+2=3
+0=7
Tumble 5=5, Balance 3=3

Mountain Stride, Peregrine companion


9th
Peregrine Runner 2
+1=5
+1=12
+1=4
+0=7
Balance 2=5 Sense Motive3=3 Bluff 3=3

Skirmish +1d6


10th
Druid 6
+1=6
+1=13
+1=5
+1=8
Spellcraft 4=4, Diplomacy1=5, Handle Animal 1=6
Practiced Spellcaster
Wild Shape 2/day


11th
Druid 7
+1=7
+0=13
+0=5
+0=8
Spot3=7 Listen3=7

Wildshape 3/day


12th
Druid 8
+1=9
+1=14
+0=5
+1=9
spot3=10, listen3=10

Wildshape (Large)


13th
Peregrine Runner3
+1=9
+0=13
+0=5
+1=11(wis=18)
Sense Motive2=5, Bluff2=5, Gather Information4=4
Natural Spell
Great Stamina, Slow Fall 20'


14th
Peregrine Runner4
+1=10
+1=14
+1=6
+0=10
Sense Motive2=5, Bluff2=5 Gather Information 4=4

Climb 20' Skirmish 1/1d6


15th
Peregrine Runner 5
+0=10
+0=14
+0=6
+0=10
Gather Info1=5 Intimidate2=5 Diplomacy5=10

Fast Movement Slow Fall 30'


16th
Peregrine Runner 6
+1=11
+1=15
+1=7
+1=11
Diplomacy8=18
Improved Skirmish +2/+2d6
Skirmish 1/2d6


17th
Peregrine Runner 7
+1=12
+0=15
+0=7
+0=11
hide4=8 move silent 4=8

slow fall 40'


18th
Peregrine Runner 8
+1=13
+1=16
+1=8
+0=11
hide3=11 Move Silent3=11 Spot1=11 Listen1=11

Climb 40' Skirmish 2/2d6


19th
Peregrine Runner 9
+0=13
+1=17
+1=9
+1=12
hide2=13 move silent2=13 spot2=13 listen 2=13
Improved Natural Attack (claws)
Inexhaustible Stamina, slow fall 50'


20th
Peregrine Runner 10
+1=14
+1=19 (con=18)
+1=10
+0=12
Hide2=15 Move Silent2=15 Spot2=15 Listen2=15

Skirmish 2/3d6






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


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


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


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


4th
4
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


5th
4
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


6th
5
4
3
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


7th
5
4
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
-


8th
5
4
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
-


9th
5
4
3
2
-
-
-
-
-
-


10th
5
4
4
3
-
-
-
-
-
-


11th
5
5
4
3
1
-
-
-
-
-


12th
5
5
4
4
2
-
-
-
-
-


13-20
5
5
4
4
3
-
-
-
-
-





Sly sighed as once again he lost a wrestling match. It was even more embarrassing that it was his little sister that pinned him. He knows he has the spirit of battle inside him, but his curse is that he's short - his little sister already outweighs him and he has to look up to her. His ears burn as the laughter rings, on a day that was supposed to mark him as an adult.

Unable to look at his parents, he gritted his teeth, straightened up and faced the chief.

"Lad, we need you, but not as you are. Your spirit thrives on conflict but also requires balance. Find a warm place in the flatlands and learn what it has to teach you. Return when you've found the source of your strength and the inspiration for your spirit."


Sly is a variant of a character I really played, although not as a Goliath so the Peregrine Runner was a different direction. Still, I can speak to how it plays pretty accurately in its formative years, and it seemed like a good place to start.

The design goals were - #1, it behaves like a Peregrine runner from level 1 onward, gaining abilities such a character would want before it actually takes the prestige class. This means it can fill the party face role pretty well, and is also pretty strong at the scouting role, especially outdoors. #2 it should be a solid light infantry character in combat, mobile with decent damage, especially in bursts, which makes use of the mobility and skirmish features that are most of what the PRC has to offer. As an NPC in this role, it needs to be self sufficient, able to notice ambushes and either destroy opposition with a burst of offence or, more typically, simply avoid the problem and inform somebody who can smash it flat (e.g., the party, the tribe, whatever)

The chasse for this is what I call a "pouncekitty" build. A level of barbarian because fast movement and rage stack with wildshape and help you through the baby levels. 5 then 8 levels of druid, with significant improvements in damage as Leopard and Dire Lion come on line, and significant improvements in scouting and mobility as druid spell levels become available. As a charge build, the "climb, slow fall, ignore difficult terrain" features of Peregrine runner all come into play, as a build with 5 attacks on a charge, 6 with haste/similar, skirmish is really good, as a build with blindsight, air walk, freedom of movement, (with correct spells) skirmish is easier to land even at higher levels. As a skill point hungry build (face+scout), the 6 skill points/level of the prc are also important.


Sly travels far from his homeland, trying to make friends among the little people in the hot, flat lands. He earns coin at first as a warrior - among these people even a runt like him seems powerful. To his surprise he likes travel, meeting people, seeing new things. But he asked everyone he met who seemed to have some wisdom about his problem and his riddle. Eventually a scruffy woman who was unnaturally close with her horse told him that she'd had a similar problem once, and her horse's reaction to him was a clue. "You've got a cat spirit in you. When you let the anger go in battle, you're trying to turn into it, but you don't know how. Figure that out, and you'll be a hell of a lot bigger than your sister." Another companion scoffed. "I don't think falcons follow around cats", pointing out a bird that had been following Sly for days.

While it made no sense to his companions, it did make sense to Sly. A cat spirit in his heart that thrives on stalking, close combat, the excitement of combat. A falcon in his brow, that likes to see what is over the next horizon and travel unfettered. The local farmers know of a man who can turn into animals, he helps with crops sometimes. Sly went to make his acquaintance


In these levels Sly has the rudiments of diplomacy and scouting but the synergies have yet to come and it takes a few levels to get the skills at basic levels. Sly travels with a pole arm, greatsword for closer work, club and sap for skeletons or barfights. As druid levels come in, he gets a magical edge in scouting. He can either cast speak with animals and send out his falcon, or he can spont "summon small earth elemental" with the same L1 slot and send it through a wall to return and tell him what it saw, as he speaks Terran. Beyond that Camouflage and Raptor's sight can turn him into a decent scout, and fast movement+longstrider gives him pretty good tactical mobility, which gets better as Woodland Stride comes online.

Offense at L5 is typically +7 2d8/3d6+4, +9 2d8/3d6+9 when raging, has decent fort+will saves and if underbrush is around, can hit, 5' step back into underbrush and get an AOO if his enemy wants to counterattack with a normal weapon. When raging, his reach expands further. If expecting weak opponents casting Beast gives him two effective claw attacks +6/6 d4+3 or 8/8 d6+6, and if kicking down a door or otherwise expecting a fight in the next few minutes, Bull Strength can add an edge.

Wealth in these levels will be acquiring masterwork cold iron blade, silver blunt weapon, maybe an adamantine weapon as well. Pearl of Power 1s might also be used to extend buffs as he approaches level 5. He has no real ranged capability, but mobility helps some with that. AC is low, hitpoints are decent due to initial barbarian level and high con.

His Peregrine (hawk) Screech, his animal companion will be leveling at only 1 level behind druid max(and will be at max strength for non-epic at level 19). It's not amazing for combat use but it will get to where it can harass a spellcaster or similar weak melee or do things like take out a flying mount in higher levels. Flyby attack will be a high priority - it draws an AOO but leaves the familiar out of full attack range.

Healing is done with wands of CLW and maybe an odd scroll or two as he levels for specific problems that don't happen often.


A leopard dances through the thick underbrush of the evergreens chasing a falcon that slaloms through the trees and laughs at its playful pouncing. They break through the treeline and charge toward Sly's village, the steep slope not slowing the tropical cat in the slightest, nor the cold bothering it. They go silent and slip into the shadows and sneak up on a woman doing her washing. The cat pounces and they wrestle. While the woman is still larger than the beast, it gets the better of her, then licks her in the face, while the bird investigates the bright buttons of the drying clothes.

As Sly shifts back and introduces Screech to his sister, the Chief comes up. "I see your travels were productive. Come. It is time for you to take your place as a man, we have work that's waited long enough.


Wildshape and L3 spells are a major milestone. With Greater Magic Fang active the whole time he's wildshaped, he has not only a better combat option, but his cat form is high dexterity with racial bonuses to stealth and balance, plus has enhanced senses both from the form and from long duration druid spells.

The Peregrine Runner ability to run through scree and up/down slopes is a complement to woodland stride, letting him charge safely through nearly any terrain, and if visibility is affected, spells like listening lorecall or embrace the wild can get him blindsight. The initial skirmish ability from the second level is natural here too, boosting his damage output by 5x1d6 on a charge, and the higher dex helps a bit defensively as well, both with reflex saves and with massed attacks from weak opponents. The leopard also has improved grab, and Powerful Build (explicitly not removed by 3.5 errata's wildshape) lets him use it on medium sized targets, and when raging, his cat becomes large size in addition to the strength boost.

In some ways a bit like a rogue. Decent damage against stuff that doesn't have awkward DR or immunities. Less impressive when unable to do its schtick. It has an adequate grapple for spellcasters, but not for primary melee opponents, the BAB hit from LA and all those 3/4 bab classes is too large to keep up.

24x7 full attack at L10 on a pounce charge is +12 d6+4+d6skirmish and 4x +7 d3+2+d6skirmish, bite grapple +13 Raging it is +14 d6+7+d6 4x +9 d3+4+d6 bite grapple +16. Basically like your first iterative doing ~14 dmg, and getting 4 secondary attacks with ~10 damage per hit. 54ish damage isn't amazing at L10 but it'll kill secondary targets in one action and if there are party buffs like prayer or inspire courage, 5 attacks makes them extra effective. Bulls strength or a Belt+4 boosts atk+2, damage by about 6 if all attacks hit.

Defenses are still pretty weak - ok hitpoints, middling AC. Pretty good saves, especially in animal form. Not enough money yet to fix these problems. Druidic spells have massive synergy with scouting, using spells like camouflage, raptor's sight and Embrace the Wild to goose alertness and stealth skills to very high levels compared to opposition. Also if they spot you as a normal animal for the region, they might not see you as a threat or unusual.

As skill points accumulate, synergies do as well, leaving him good at all the mobility skills and starting to build the social skill synergies that make being a diplomat easy in 3.5. A number of buffs from spell become all-day things, as his caster level rises and items like rod of extend and pearl1s start seeming inexpensive. Wilding clasps are pretty expensive but he'll use them on a couple key items - con necklace, strength belt, resistance cloak or vest, boots of haste, as such become affordable.



The dragon hovers, its freezing breath once again washing over the archer and sorceress, who curses as her spell fizzles "Will somebody kill that stupid thing!"

The dragon swats contemptuously at a bird that goes for a flyby "Sending your familiar? Desperate little Monkey. And pointless".

In the shadows, standing in the gore of the traitor who tried to run, Sly purrs to himself. Then charges. From way too far away. Right up to the dragon, with no need for a ramp. No attack of opportunity, Screech drew that tail slap. He activates Mountain Rage and swells up even larger. The dragon is actually now morsel sized. I could grab it with teeth or claws...but why bother. It'll be a corpse.


Routine, 24x7 stuff. Scouting skills, diplomacy in +15 range, most social skills in the +7ish range, move 60' At level 12 the wealth also starts coming in along with size large shapeshifting With spell support scouting skills go up to +25 with many enhanced sense options. Can also extend support to party to a limited extent depending on which sourcebooks are allowed, especially in wilderness mobility.

For that dragon scene, assuming level 15 and no buffs from party members, Greater Magic Fang (24x7) +1 and a belt of strength+6 with wilding clasp and boots haste with wilding clasp (easily affordable at this level)

Dire Lion 25 strength+6 belt strength =31, 37+huge sized if raging. All attacks are primary (unlike Leopard) and 3 chances to improve grab if you are into that (up to size large enemies, grab +28, +31 if raging+haste).

Charge with pounce/rake gets you +23x5 (26 raging+boots haste), average damage per hit is 18 (19 bite) (1d6+1d6 skirmish+10 strength+1 GMF) when raging 22/24.5 bite (nat wpns now huge, +3 str dmg). Total damage potential 24x7 is ~90hp, when using rage+haste, it is 135ish. This is respectable at L15, in line with expectation that the light infantry can hunt down and take out weaker (or weakened) opponents in one hit, or severely damage a tougher one. In one more level, he adds another 3d6 skirmish to each attack in preparation for near-epic.

Defenses are solid against magic and battlefield control (stoneskin, air walk and freedom of movement are the capstones of spellcasting, and many obstacles can simply be run around or over. Energy resistance spells when expecting trouble are also available with CL12. A vest or cloak resistance+wilding clasp is assumed, as are +4ish enhancement to dex and con. HP pool is adequate but need to be mindful to run away if badly injured to avoid rage killing me if I fall unconscious. An item that can heal me when in rage 1/day might be a good idea (I remember a helm doing CCW 1/day. Add a wilding clasp it's affordable)

If the dragon is buffed, offsetting buffs from my party probably apply. Or debuffs..dragons love shield+mage armor but their caster levels are low and a dispel on a dragon is usually an early choice. There is also a ton of item cheese that becomes affordable which can boost either rage or charge, especially if you have a friend to help you equip it after shifting. Pretty much though unless he's feeling ineffective in a party, that won't be needed for this role. In a typical campaign he'll be a quite effective light infantry with a lot of utility.

Also in these levels, ignoring fatigue from Peregrine runner class feature is nice in post-rage periods. That starts with level 13.


Sly and Screech are now well known, ranging far and wide not just for their tribes but for the little folk too. They move information and goods freely across routes nobody can watch. They specialize in infiltrating dimensionally locked locations and delivering dangerous artifacts to locations where they can be hidden or destroyed.

At this point, they mostly get more of the same. A lot more skirmish damage, but they need it. Wealth by level will be spent boosting strength, dex, con even further with inherent bonuses from books. Skills probably include a few less scouting points and a few more languages, depending on the region he serves. Diplomacy boosted into the +20 range without magical assistance, and very likely has items that boost it further. Disguise magic is likely too, as is wild armor finally and an effort to get adequate AC by spending serious money on it. If allowed to work on all attacks, possibly sacrifice AC to get Rhino Hide armor with wilding clasp instead of a +5 wild armor suit for another 2d6 per attack.

At level 20, pearl of power 3s are cheap enough to enhance all 5 limbs to +3 24x7 with one L3 spell slot and 2 rods of lesser extend. Add the BAB and inherent str+5 bonuses from books, Str raging and wildshaped is boosted to 42, improved grab grapple check is +38 (14 bab, 16 str, 8 size) and your final attack mods for a typical unbuffed-by-party but hasted, raging charge ends up at 6 attacks, +34 to hit, damage (when 5d6 precision damage is allowed size huge, raging) 7d6+19 per hit (average 261 dmg, reduced by 30 per 5pt of dmg reduction, reduced by 105 if precision isn't allowed). This character benefits greatly from party buffs that raise attack mod and damage.

One note - even without air walk, in most outdoor terrain between climb speed and slow fall, there are a lot of charge possibilities and even more "go where I can't be followed" options. He doesn't need his 10 minute/level stuff unless he's picking a fight vs a tough enemy. Wildshape is also incredible for any kind of smuggling operation, especially combined with his stealth and mobility options afforded by his druidic spellcasting.




Goliath, Goliath Barbarian (Mountain Rage), Goliath Druid (Elemental Bond) from Races of Stone.
Practiced Spellcaster from Complete Arcane
Improved Skirmish from Complete Scoundrel
Noncore spells from Spell Compendium
Wilding Clasp from Magic Item Compendium (and maybe some other things mentioned in passing)
Everything else PHB

[The Viscount]

Two heads are better than one.



Kul-Noa

https://images2.imgbox.com/04/62/gFvfbq9q_o.jpg

Hello.

It’s all right, it’s all right. The disorientation will pass in a few seconds. It’s all right, I’m not going to hurt you, nobody’s holding you here. I know this comes as a shock. Nobody’s ever figured out how to make the integration of mind and body instantaneous, so it takes a little bit of time to adjust. Look, there’s a bowl of water here, and I’ve got a little meat over here. I understand people come out of this very hungry and thirsty, please, have some.

‘People.’ Huh. I guess that’s entirely right … no, go ahead, help yourself, it’ll help while the shock wears off. Do you mind if I sit down over here? I’ll just go sit here on this rock, it’s just sometimes your balance can be affected too, and I wouldn’t want you to fall until you remember how your wings work. It’s a bit dangerous here on this peak. I’ll stay until you’re ready to fly. My name’s Kul-Noa. What’s yours? … I’m so sorry, you still have to get to that part. Please forgive my rudeness.

It'll take a little time to remember, but you and I go a long way back. In fact I think you might’ve been watching me long before I ever first saw you. I don’t think you were around during my early years, but you didn’t miss much. Goliaths – that’s me, I’m a goliath, you’ll remember it soon – normally have two names. My family wouldn’t give me a second one. Well, I mean, they did give me their name to start with, but sometime in those first years they stopped letting me use it.

See how skinny I am? Long legs, long arms? No shoulders like treetrunks? I couldn’t lift things, I could barely climb. I couldn’t fight like the other children could; every time I was picked on, I’d be on the ground afterward. I don’t remember much pain, and I only remember crying once: they’d kicked me down a slope and I was senseless for a few minutes, and it started raining. For a few seconds I just lay there, the rain was cool on my skin, and then I remembered how alone I was and it felt like the sky was crying for me, and my heart just caved in and I lay there, weeping along with the sky.

Since I couldn’t fight, I decided to learn to run.

And throw things at bullies. I’m not proud of it, everyone does awful things when they’re young, have you ever really watched a group of children “play” when they think a parent or an adult isn’t around? I repaid some of the bruises I’d gotten from fists with rocks from ten, twenty, even thirty feet away. They still ran after me when that happened, of course, but as time went on they didn’t find it quite as simple to catch me.

I don’t know if you were watching me back then, but Kal-Ath of the deep-set black eyes, who was visiting from the Long-Green valley, was. He came to me at the end of a summer. Before the week was out, he had marked me for the Horse Totem and taken me out of the black-rocked little valley where I was born.

I think it was in the Long-Green valley that you first started watching me. Maybe when I first arrived. I know that was when the hills first spoke to me, when we first came over the Pass and the high valley lay before Kal-Ath like a pale green sheet covered in tiny white flowers. I heard the stones whisper Home.

I probably frustrated Kal-Ath too. I’m still sad about that. I could run, certainly, and he made me run faster and harder, how to run on rock, built my speed and taught me tricks where my meagre strength could be replaced. But I couldn’t fight the way he perhaps had hoped. He meant me for his berserkers, but I’ve never been able to work myself into the sort of rage some of my people have. But if I frustrated Kal-Ath, I don’t think I frustrated Gol-kon, his shaman. He began to watch me the same way Kal-Ath had. By the end of the next winter, I wasn’t out with the bravos and slingers on the wrestling fields, I was in Gol-kon’s mud-and-daub hut, which smelled of aromatics and the smoke that drifted like prayers to the gods up through the hole in the roof.

It was Gol-kon who first told me I wasn’t mad. He heard the stones whispering too. And he taught me how to talk to them a little, his big, cracked-lips smile teaching me the words. I think that he wanted me to replace him. He was old, and getting older, and his teachings, though given with care and even love, were coming with the urgency of a being who knows his life is poured out like water with the last drops gathering on the urn’s rim.

Maybe I would have replaced him. I won’t know. Because the next winter, the giants came. Strong as Kal-Ath’s clan was, and strong as Gol-kon’s voice was with the mountains, it was a slaughter. The giants sacked every structure and murdered every goliath in that valley. They even burned the green fields. Gol-kon pushed me away, towards a stand of distant rocks. I watched as a giant raised his broken form and ripped it in half.

I was afraid. I ran. With all my speed, all my strength. I ran trying to leave the guilt and grief behind me. I ran into the mountains, with the stones begging me to stop. Again I tripped. And fell into a deep ravine. I lay senseless as the sky wheeled above me.

That was when you found me, you remember? You came wheeling in above me. You had a perfection of form I had never seen. Every feather, every aspect of your movement was perfection. Your eyes shone and every talon was ivoried completion. And you came, and you stayed by me, until I had managed enough strength to stand.

Do you remember the years that followed?

I do. You were with me every step of the way, my faithful friend. I began to channel the voice of the mountains into power. Not power that sought to confront in a fist, not the power that allows some of my fellow speakers to change their form into animals. Rather, channel the power in the voice of mountains into bolts that struck like lightning from long distances away.

I went after the clan of giants that had destroyed Kal-Ath’s valley. It took years, but we found them, one after another, and they died. By fire, by wind, by ice, by stone. Do you remember their whispers of fear around their bonfires? Perhaps not; I was close enough in the shadows to hear them, while you cruised the night winds high above. ‘The Shadow Of The Valleys’, they called me. Not that it mattered what they called me, because I met them with the vengeance of the mountains: lightning made from fire and ice and wind, and then was gone before they could find who had struck them.

It took years, and beautiful and fine as you are, I could see the grey in your feathers rising. When we had found and finished the last of them, we ventured off together, do you recall?

Yes. You do. I see you remember. So you must also remember the last three years, when we have walked these mountains together, simply walking and crying with joy at the sight of a deep valley below a mountain peak, feeling our souls rebirth in the pure cold of a mountain stream. You have brought me on, taught me never to tire. You have saved me and rescued me in all manner of ways.

That is why you’re feeling as you do, now. There is a particular song the mountains know. A song I long debated singing to you, for fear I should mar your perfection and lose you as a friend. But I realised, yesterday, the truth: if you do not see the world as I see it, then I am not being your friend at all. So it was I sung the song, I spoke the words. The Common word for it is ‘Awaken’. And so now I have awakened you – as you awakened me, all those long years ago. My friend and companion all these years. My peregrine falcon.

32 point buy. Goliath.
Barbarian 2/Druid 6/Spellwarp Sniper 5/Peregrine Runner 6

Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Barbarian 1 +1 +2 +0 +0 16: {+4} Jump: 4; {+2 CC} Move Silently: 1; {+2 CC} Hide: 1; {+4} Climb: 4; {+4} Handle Animal: 4; Endurance Hunter Variant (UA) : trade Rage for Favored Enemy, Archery Combat Style as Ranger. Favored Enemy: Monstrous Humanoids Horse Totem Variant: Trade Uncanny Dodge, Trap Sense for Run at 2nd level)
2nd Barbarian 2 +2 +3 +0 +0 4: {+1} Jump: 5; Move Silently: 1; {+2 CC} Hide: 2; {+1} Climb: 5; Handle Animal: 4; Point Blank Shot (from Hunter Variant.) Run (from Horse Totem.)
3rd Druid 1 +2 +5 +0 +2 4: {+2} Spellcraft: 2; {+1 CC} Jump: 5.5; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; {+1 CC} Climb: 5.5; Handle Animal: 4; Martial Study: Shadow Blade Technique Huntsman Druid: Wild Shape traded out, no armor or shield proficiency, gain Monk AC bonuses (WIS to AC), Fast Movement as Monk (+10 feet), Favored Enemy: Giants +2, Swift Tracker (as ranger), Track feat. Animal Companion: Peregrine Falcon
4th Druid 2 +3 +6 +0 +3 4: {+2} Spellcraft: 4; Jump: 5.5; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; Climb: 5.5; {+2} Concentration: 2; Handle Animal: 4; Crowd-Walker: traded out Woodland Stride, heavy debris is light debris, light debris doesn't impede movement.
5th Druid 3 +4 +6 +1 +3 4: {+2} Spellcraft: 6; Jump: 5.5; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; Climb: 5.5; {+2} Concentration: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Trackless Step
6th Druid 4 +5 +7 +1 +4 4: {+2} Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 5.5; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; Climb: 5.5; {+2} Concentration: 6; Handle Animal: 4; Martial Stance: Assassin's Stance +2d6 sneak attack from stance, Iron Constitution: traded out Resist Nature's Lure for +2 to saves vs. disease, gain Strong Stomach (nauseated becomes sickened, immune sickened).R11
7th Druid 5 +6/+1 +7 +1 +4 4: Spellcraft: 8; {+1 CC} Jump: 6; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; {+1 CC} Climb: 6; {+2} Concentration: 8; Handle Animal: 4; Favored Enemy 2: Giants +4, Favored Enemy: Humanoid (Goblinoids) +2
8th Druid 6 +7/+2 +8 +2 +5 4: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 6; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; Climb: 6; Concentration: 8; {+4} Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Movement becomes +20 feet from Huntsman Druid
9th Spellwarp Sniper 1 +7/+2 +8 +2 +7 4: Spellcraft: 8; {+4 CC} Jump: 8; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; Climb: 6; Concentration: 8; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Mobile Spellcasting Spellwarp: Instantaneous Area Spell with range grater than Touch can be warped to a ray spell requiring ranged touch attack,, Reflex save removed.
10th Spellwarp Sniper 2 +8/+3 +8 +2 +8 4: Spellcraft: 8; {+2 CC} Jump: 9; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; Climb: 6; {+2} Concentration: 10; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Sudden Raystrike +1d6
11th Spellwarp Sniper 3 +9/+4 +9 +3 +8 4: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; {+4 CC} Climb: 8; Concentration: 10; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Precise Shot
12th Spellwarp Sniper 4 +10/+5 +9 +3 +9 4: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; Move Silently: 1; Hide: 2; {+2 CC} Climb: 9; {+2} Concentration: 12; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Steady Concentration Sudden Raystrike +2d6
13th Spellwarp Sniper 5 +10/+5 +9 +3 +9 4: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; Move Silently: 1; {+2} Hide: 4; Climb: 9; {+2} Concentration: 14; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Ray Mastery: 60 foot range for sneak/sudden strike/raystrike, coup de grace with rays, Empower Spell 1/day
14th Peregrine Runner 1 +10/+5 +11 +5 +9 6: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; {+2} Move Silently: 3; {+2} Hide: 6; Climb: 9; Concentration: 14; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+2} Swift Concentration; Mountain Stride: move through dense rubble and scree at normal speed, up steep slopes and stairs; Peregrine Companion: continues advancement of animal companion if Peregrine Falcon
15th Peregrine Runner 2 +11/+6/+1 +12 +6 +9 6: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; {+2} Move Silently: 5; {+2} Hide: 8; Climb: 9; Concentration: 14; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+2} Corner Perch, Swift Concentration; Maximise Spell Skirmish +1d6
16th Peregrine Runner 3 +12/+7/+2 +13 +6 +9 6: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; {+2} Move Silently: 7; {+2} Hide: 10; Climb: 9; Concentration: 14; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+2} Extreme Leap, Corner Perch, Swift Concentration; Great Stamina: no fatigue, fatigued if exhausted, slow fall 20 feet
17th Peregrine Runner 4 +13/+8/+3 +14 +7 +9 6: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; {+2} Move Silently: 9; {+2} Hide: 12; Climb: 9; Concentration: 14; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+2} Leaping Climber, Extreme Leap, Corner Perch, Swift Concentration; Climb 20 feet, Skirmish +1d6, +1 AC
18th Peregrine Runner 5 +13/+8/+4 +14 +7 +9 6: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; {+2} Move Silently: 11; {+2} Hide: 14; Climb: 9; Concentration: 14; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+2} Speedy Ascent, Leaping Climber, Extreme Leap, Corner Perch, Swift Concentration; Split Ray Fast movement +10 feet, slow fall 30 feet.
19th Peregrine Runner 6 +14/+9/+5 +15 +8 +12 6: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; {+2} Move Silently: 13; {+2} Hide: 16; Climb: 9; Concentration: 14; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+2} Wall Jumper, Speedy Ascent, Leaping Climber, Extreme Leap, Corner Perch, Swift Concentration; Skirmish +2d6, +1 AC
20th (Last level omitted due to LA) 0: Spellcraft: 8; Jump: 9; Move Silently: 13; Hide: 16; Climb: 9; Concentration: 14; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Wall Jumper, Speedy Ascent, Leaping Climber, Extreme Leap, Corner Perch, Swift Concentration;

Abilities Initial Race / Template 4th 8th 12th 16th 20th
STR 8 4
DEX 16 -2
CON 12 2
INT 10
WIS 18 1 1 1 1
CHA 8


Level \ Abilities STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1st 12 14 14 10 18 8
2nd 12 14 14 10 18 8
3rd 12 14 14 10 18 8
4th 12 14 14 10 19 8
5th 12 14 14 10 19 8
6th 12 14 14 10 19 8
7th 12 14 14 10 19 8
8th 12 14 14 10 20 8
9th 12 14 14 10 20 8
10th 12 14 14 10 20 8
11th 12 14 14 10 20 8
12th 12 14 14 10 21 8
13th 12 14 14 10 21 8
14th 12 14 14 10 21 8
15th 12 14 14 10 21 8
16th 12 14 14 10 22 8
17th 12 14 14 10 22 8
18th 12 14 14 10 22 8
19th 12 14 14 10 22 8
20th 12 14 14 10 22 8

Level Class 0th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th extra
1st Barbarian 1
2nd Barbarian 2
3rd Druid 1 3 2
4th Druid 2 4 3
5th Druid 3 4 3 2
6th Druid 4 5 4 3
7th Druid 5 5 4 3 2
8th Druid 6 5 4 4 3
9th Spellwarp Sniper 1 6 5 4 3 2
10th Spellwarp Sniper 2 6 6 4 4 3
11th Spellwarp Sniper 3 6 6 5 4 3 2
12th Spellwarp Sniper 4 6 6 5 4 4 3
13th Spellwarp Sniper 5 6 7 5 5 4 3 1
14th Peregrine Runner 6 7 5 5 4 3 1
15th Peregrine Runner 6 7 5 5 4 3 1
16th Peregrine Runner 6 7 6 5 4 3 2
17th Peregrine Runner 6 7 6 5 4 3 2
18th Peregrine Runner 6 7 6 5 4 3 2
19th Peregrine Runner 6 7 6 5 4 3 2
20th
Levels 1 to 5:
We get along on throwing things for a few levels and use Point Blank Shot for those purposes, staying ahead of the opponent using our 40 foot land speed. We hide a lot. When we hit Druid our options get stronger. We have WIS to AC and some small spells to work with. We entangle opponents and at Druid 3 start hitting them with Splinterbolt a lot for that lovely 4d6 damage. We get our Peregrine Hawk as a companion.

Levels 5 to 10:
It's here we most behave like a Druid, though we also pick up Sneak Attack capacity and add that to the repertoire of options. We pick battlefield control spells for the most part. We don’t have Wild Shape, but we do use our Summon Nature’s Ally as our main contribution to combat. Our Animal Companion picks Sacred Vow as its 3 HD feat, which opens Vow of Poverty at its HD 6.

Levels 10 to 15:
Mobile Spellcasting comes on board, as does Spellwarp Sniper, as does the second ground speed advancement from Hunter Druid. We now play with ranged spells a lot, and when we pick up Steady Concentration, we start using them in conjunction with Mobile Spellcasting. Sudden Raystrike shows up, as does (at SS 5) the 60 foot range for sneak/sudden raystrike. Our Animal Companion takes Vow of Poverty as its HD 6 feat, which retrospectively adds a feat and gives him a raft of additional stat-raisers and other toys.

Levels 15 to 20:
Peregrine Runner amplifies some of our best abilities. We’ve got skirmish that adds to damage while moving, we have even more ground speed, we have more AC, and we can move through types of terrain that make us even more mobile as a ranged combatant. It also advances our Peregrine Runner, making it even more of an effective spotter and sideline combatant. 6th level druid spells available (and we get a few more as our WIS stat increases in the remaining levels), full Spellwarp Sniper progression so we can spellwarp fifth level spells. This is likely the sweet spot of the build, and most of the discussions below centre on that sweet spot.

Tactics:
Kul-Noa’s land speed is 30 (Goliath base) +10 (Barbarian Fast Movement) + 20 (Monk progression under Huntsman Druid Variant) +10 (Sandals of Sprinting) +10 (Peregrine Runner) = 80 feet at the end of the build. What use is running around the battlefield like a lunatic, especially with no levels in Scout? Well, Kul-Noa’s combined Sneak Attack + Skirmish from Peregrine Runner + Sudden Raystrike (a total of +6d6 on damage at ranges of 30 feet or less). Two, he has Mobile Spellcasting. This allows Kul-Noa to move up his speed and cast a spell at the same time, as a standard action. This gives Kul-Noa a simple round of move into 30 feet range, cast while within the 30 foot range, and then move back out … all as one standard action … and then use his move action to disengage further. Even on a parsimonious reading of the feat (“You only move before or after you cast the spell, nyah nyah nyah”), that still leaves us with a move into 30 foot range, cast with all the benefits, and then use our move action to get back out. (Yes, our move action. Mobile Spellcasting says you combine casting “and moving up to your speed”, it does not say it’s combining a move action and a standard action, and Mobile Spellcasting says nothing about it turning into a full-round action.) And we also pick up a +1 to attack and damage under this technique because Point Blank Shot applies to ranged touch attack spells (see p.73, Complete Arcane).

Mobile Spellcasting takes a Concentration check, DC 20+spell level. Good thing Kul-Noa has CON of +2, a Concentration modifier of +14 from his ranks, and a feat called Steady Concentration that allows him to take 10 on Concentration checks. Result: autopass DC 26 Concentration checks, i.e. all our standard action spells can be cast on the run, whether spellwarped or not. At Spellwarp Sniper 5 we only need to dip within the 60 foot range; we can saunter in from about 125 feet away, ignoring most annoying terrain on the way through, hit the target with a ray from 60 feet away, and then run back to 140 feet away, all in the space of 6 seconds. And still have a swift action in hand to point and laugh at the rogue with Spring Attack who has to get up in the opponent’s face to do anything approximating the same thing. Oh, and if we did want to cast on the defensive for some reason outside this situation, we’ll auto-pass that Concentration check too thanks to Steady Concentration.

Our rays and several of our good spells hit via ranged touch attacks. Our BAB might not be obscenely high, but going by the average monster stats of all 3.5 monsters – tabulated at the minmax forums and here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?623578-3-5-Average-Monster-Stats-UPDATED-TABLE&highlight=average+monster+AC+BAB) – his BAB alone is enough. Our BAB at level 20 is +14 and we have a DEX bonus of +2 before items, spells, etc; at CR 20, against the max touch AC on that table, we fail only on a roll of 1. Then it’s a matter of bringing the hitpoints down, which we’re kind of good at given Maximise Spell if not Split Ray helps us out there. Teleport-capable monsters will be an issue, but flying creatures, not really. A Great Wyrm Red dragon has fly 200 feet (Clumsy), so if it charges it can get us without a problem, but if it otherwise wants to stay in the air it’s down to 100 feet of movement. We can cast and still move 160 feet in a single round. Which is beyond the range of even a Line-type dragon breath at Colossal size.

Since Mobile Spellcasting is a standard action, we can ready it against an opponent. As a melee enemy gets toward strike range, even on a charge attack, we can hit him with a spell and then back off another 80 feet, which is going to keep him from touching us unless he has an insanely good speed like we do. And we can keep on doing this. If he decides to Run at us to close in, we do the same thing and pick up sneak attack, since a target at Run has no DEX bonus to AC without our feat tax Run feat.
How does Kul-Noa get his opponents into a state ready for sneak attack? Lots of different options. If the target’s Running without the Run feat (perhaps in the mistaken belief it can catch the big Goliath walking rock), it’s denied DEX bonus to AC. So too if the opponent lost Initiative. We can also prime the target by hitting it with a ray of Sandblast, which under Spellwarp Sniper becomes a no-save stun for 1 round, which denies the target its DEX bonus to AC. Or, at higher levels, use Seething Eyebane, since a blinded target has no DEX bonus to AC.

We can also strike from Hiding. Mobile Spellcasting helps us with that, too.

Since it allows us to cast and move up to our speed as a standard action, it leaves our Move action available to Hide. We’re usually making a ranged attack via the ranged touch attack rolls and therefore can access Hide under the Sniping rules. Also, Hide is opposed by Spot, and Spot checks are penalised by 1 for every 10 feet of distance in between. We have a ground speed of 80 feet by the end of the build, thus giving the enemy a -8 to his Spot check, if we just run away that distance after shooting, then apply 16 ranks in Hide, and DEX +2 to our Hide check as a move action.
But even if we forego Sneak attack conditions, we can still apply our Skirmish damage by virtue of arranging when we move. We’ll hardly ever flank in person if we can help it.

(We’re only firing once per round really, which bypasses the RAW debate about whether the sneak attack applies to the first attack roll or all of them. I think RAW you can’t do it, even if you cheese it by metamagic’ing the spell. You want extra d6s above and beyond the 6d6 of my sneak and skirmish damage, Usul, I have d6s the likes of which even God has never seen, it’s called druid casting with the Evocation list. Especially around level 18 when I pick up Split Ray and just start doubling the no-save damage I’m hitting with.)

“You don’t have much Spot or Listen”. That’s okay, the Peregrine Falcon does, and Quick Reconnoiter too. He does the spotting of the target to allow me to blast it.

Kul-Noa’s favoured spells for killing people:
Sandblast (Druid 1): No save under spellwarp, automatic stun. Welcome to DEX-denied town, population you.
Frost Breath (Druid 2): 5d4 [cold] damage max, but I like that it’s a no-save automatic dazed effect when spellwarped.
Blinding Spittle (Druid 2): Can’t warp it, but it’s a ranged touch attack anyway and works at close range, so it can be teamed up with Mobile Spellcasting to splash-and-dash. Blinded is denied DEX bonus to AC, next round you’re wearing an extra 6d6 on top of whatever else I feel like hitting you with.
Splinterbolt (Druid 2): Can’t warp it, but I can add sneak and skirmish. 4d6 base damage with an 18-20 critical hit range is a better damage dice and critical range than the best exotic melee weapon bases out there, and if I ab/use Acorn of Far Travel – which comes from the same article right down to using the same language of “forested terrain” – I add more damage and treat the projectile as a cold iron weapon.
Alicorn Lance (Druid 2): Can’t warp it, but it’s a ranged touch attack spell anyway, at close range that deals 3d6 force damage as a free action. I can set it up ahead of combat and then smoke the target when I’m already in close with another spell I’m casting.
Spark of Life (Druid 2): Reach Spell again, hi, welcome back to life Mr Skeleton, I guess now I can sneak attack you anyway.
Wracking Touch (Druid 2): Once I Reach Spell this, I can add the sneak attack damage even if you’ve still got your DEX bonus to AC.
Icelance (Druid 3): 6d6 half cold, half piercing, I can’t warp it, but it gets a +4 to hit and if you fail your Fort save, Mr Weedy Mage, you’re stunned for 1d4 rounds.
Junglerazer (Druid 3): Oh, you brought out sneak-immune plants to try and close off my 6d6 in bonus damage? That’s okay, have 1d10/level in negative energy damage, fired from 120 feet away. Bonus hilarity, it’s an Area spell and Instantaneous though it’s a Line, so I can no-save that to take away your Reflex save too.
Kelpstrand (Druid 2): Ranged touch attack, using my WIS and CL to grapple, which is not too damn bad, especially if it does grapple you … since grappling beings have no DEX bonus to AC.
Thunderous Roar (Druid 3): Sure, take your half Fort save for maximum 5d6 damage, you’re still automatically knocked prone.
Arc of Lightning (Druid 4): 11d6 electricity damage, no save under warp.
Flame Strike (Druid 4): Don’t care about your [fire] resistance, half of it is divine damage and you don’t get to save.
Blast of Sand (Druid 4): Really don’t care about your [fire] resistance because this is untyped damage.
Rusting Grasp (Druid 4): Just for the lols, let’s Reach Spell this and rust your big sword right in your hand.
Waterball (Druid 4): Sure it’s nonlethal, but you don’t get to half save against max 10d6, and maybe for the lols I’ll just walk up next to you while you’re unconscious and coup de grace you with a ray.
Call Avalanche (Druid 5): 8d6 crushing damage, bury Large or smaller creatures, start taking nonlethal damage as well. No Reflex save when spellwarped … and no Spell Resistance either.
Flaywind Burst (Druid 5): 10d6 untyped damage, no save against this when spellwarped. Fort save or take the effects of an instantaneous Windstorm.

I mentioned I get Empower Spell 1/day out of Spellwarp Sniper for the big guys, didn’t I?

Kul-Noa’s Favoured Spells For Not Killing People:
Longstrider or Snowshoes (Druid 1): +10 feet enhancement bonus to land speed.
Bite of the Wererat (Druid 2): Sure, let me have a +2 to my (not great) CON, +3 to natural armor, and +6 to my DEX (which helps all round to attack and defence). That’ll help substantially with shooting people from a distance.
Impeding Stones (Druid 1): You move at half speed, you can’t hit me as easily, you have to Concentrate to cast spells, and you have to make Reflex saves against falling prone every round. If my DM is really nice he’ll rule I can run through this stuff no problem since I can move through light debris, scree, or rubble without penalty.
Barkskin (Druid 2): I could do the Luminous Armor thing, but it’s actually bad for ranged AC.
Summon Nature’s Everything: minions are handy if for no other reason than to tie the target down while I run in and out blasting it to bits.
Animal Growth (Druid 5): How about we give that Peregrine Falcon a massive boost?
Owl’s Insight (Druid 5): Not Owl’s Wisdom. This one lasts an hour and is ambiguous about whether it grants more spells per day. But then we don’t care that much because WIS boosts our AC, so we’ll cast this anyway.


Animal Companion:
Mr Chairman’s ruling of Peregrine Runner level being effective druid level for the purposes of the peregrine falcon’s abilities gives an effective character level of 12 for the purposes of assessing the companion’s abilities, since the 6 levels in Druid stack with the 6 levels in Peregrine Runner. Kul-Noa’s animal companion was indeed a peregrine falcon, using the hawk’s stats. That seems to give us the following:

Size/Type: Tiny Animal (Hawk stats)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp) +8d8 = 9d8+0 (32 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 60 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 36 (+2 size, +6 Dex, +10 natural +7 exalted +1 deflection), touch 15, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +5
Attack:
Talons +12 melee (1d4+1) (+1 exalted bonus on attack/damage)
Full Attack:
Talons +12/+7 melee (1d4+1) (+1 exalted bonus on attack/damage)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, Link with Druid, Share Spells, Evasion, Constant Endure Elements, Sustenance (consumes no food or water),
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +12, Will +5 (NB Devotion gives Will +7 on enchantments and effects) (+1 Resistance bonus on saves)
Abilities: Str 11(+0), Dex 23(+6), Con 10(+0), Int 3 (-4), Wis 14(+2), Cha 6(-3)
Skills: Listen +5, Spot +16
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse(B), Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty, Quick Reconnoiter

Alertness and Weapon Finesse were baked in from the base creature, the other three feats are from HD increases and Exalted Feats; at effective Druid 12, the Animal Companion has 9HD, which leaves us 4 from HD increases and 1 from the Vow of Poverty progression (which only grants feats forward from 6 HD where we took it.) Ability Score increase went to INT bringing it up to 3.

(Note: Kul-Noa’s story of awakening the animal companion is meant as the end of the character progression, of course when you awaken a companion it’s an NPC, not a companion anymore. This has no mechanical benefit, it is Kul-Noa’s way of thanking his best friend through all the lonely years seeking vengeance in the mountains.)

Equipment:
Once again the desirable gear for this build is fairly generic stuff. Things that enhance DEX in particular are handy. WIS-boosters, DEX boosters, Belt of Battle maybe. And no, I didn’t take the Panther Mask to give me Run. At least I don’t have to worry about Wilding Clasps, since there’s no Wild Shape in this build. However, most useful items are:
Sandals of Sprinting: I don’t need them exactly, I’ve got Longstrider or Snowshoes which do the same or better if the DM wants to rip my Birkenstocks off me, but it’s handy to save myself the daily spell slot.
Prayer Bead (Karma): +4 to caster level, which is a nice boost to damage on some of these spells.
Metamagic Rod Extend: for stuff like Owl Insight perhaps, or any spell he’d particularly like to keep on for a while longer.
Glove of the Master Strategist: Optional. Really need for the 1/day True Strike if the DM decides to ruin our fun by putting up targets with concealment.

Rulecraft:
Dense rubble and scree = light debris?
Because WOTC loves to introduce stupid extra words when the older ones will do, it’s not entirely clear whether “dense rubble and scree” constitutes or can be taken as light or heavy debris. Dense rubble sure sounds like heavy debris to me, scree is rock fragments and seems to constitute light debris. Either Kul-Noa ignores it via Peregrine Runner, or it’s light debris, that he gets to ignore under Crowd-walker.

Favored Enemy, multiple sources?
Our barbarian and druid levels both have Favored Enemy (as ranger). I’m taking the conservative position that these sources don’t stack, hence three favoured enemies. If they did stack, likely I’d prioritise Giants.

Multiclass penalties?
None. Goliath favored class is Barbarian, and prestige classes don’t incur multiclass penalties. Also note that Goliath is the required race for Peregrine Runner, which means we’re largely stuck with LA +1.

”Lol, no Goliath Barbarian and you’re a Goliath with Barbarian levels.”
That’s because I’m being conservative about whether Horse Totem Barbarian and Goliath Barbarian are compatible. I doubt they are. Goliath Barbarian provides Mountain Rage, not rage as such. Horse Totem Barbarian is a lot more key to this than Goliath Barbarian is. Also, while Goliath Barbarian seems thematically matching, let’s remember Kul-Noa has been an utter failure at being a classic Goliath barbarian; he’s not physically strong and he can’t rage. On another note, Huntsman Druid (p.58 UA) is only an exchange of class features, not a separate class in itself, and therefore doesn’t trespass on the issue between variant classes and base classes.

”You only used 6 levels of Peregrine Runner”
What I have used is the main throughlines of the prestige class features: its Skirmish progression, its Fast Movement, its Climb speeds, and its Peregrine Falcon. These were all important assists to the levels below and enhance the main engine of the build, which is Mobile Spellcasting + Spellwarp Sniper, and a powerful animal companion is a help in many, many ways to a druid. Additional levels are useful, but 6 levels in Peregrine Runner made a completed skirmishing Spellwarp Sniper better than it was. That’s something I didn’t expect to say when I first started out on this.

“No Wild Shape on a druid! Sacrilege!”
I have 6 levels in druid, that’s maximum 2 uses of Wild Shape per day. This thing was not built as a classic Wild Shaping engine; Kul-Noa is not the sort of guy who particularly likes to close to melee, though he possibly could with fifth level spells like Bite of the Weretiger maybe.

Sources:
PHB: Druid, Barbarian, Endurance, Maximise Spell, Prayer Beads
Races of Stone: Goliath, Peregrine Runner, Steady Concentration
Complete Scoundrel: Spellwarp Sniper , Wall Jumper, Speedy Ascent, Extreme Leap, Corner Perch, Swift Concentration
Complete Adventurer: Mobile Spell-casting
Complete Arcane: Split Ray, Weaponlike Spells rules
Tome of Battle: Martial Study, Martial Stance
Cityscape: Crowd-Walker, Iron Constitution (and Strong Stomach)
Unearthed Arcana: Hunter Variant Druid (p. 58), Horse Totem Barbarian
Magic Item Compendium: Sandals of Sprinting
Ghostwalk: Glove of the Master Strategist

[The Viscount]

I wonder about the physics, but I don't want to draw the free body diagram.


Wander, the Colossus's Shadow

I hunt the giants and the other massive monsters. I hunt for the challenge, for the glory. I hunt to show myself and my people that just as we have mastered the mountains, so too do we master the large mountain-like creatures who seek to dominate us. And yet, just as a goliath never really leaves the mountain, I never really leave my quarry. Shake me off? You might as well try to shake off your own shadow.

I am Wander. I will climb you. Now come on—we're going over this way.


https://www.zeldadungeon.net/wiki/images/2/20/BotW-Rocket-Launch.gif


LN goliath
Monk 2 / Fighter 2 / Swordsage 5 / Peregrine runner 10


Abilities Initial Race / Template 4th 8th 12th 16th 20th
STR 16 +4 +1 +1 +1 +1 +1
DEX 12 -2
CON 14 +2
INT 10
WIS 16
CHA 8

HD Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Initiator Level Skills Feats Class Features
1st Monk 1 (Passive Way) 0 2 2 2 0.5 16: {+4} Climb: 4; {+4} Jump: 4; {+4} Diplomacy: 4; {+4 CC} Handle Animal: 2; B: Improved Unarmed Strike B: Combat Expertise Hammer and Piton Unarmed strike, AC bonus, flurry of blows, bonus feat
2nd Monk 2 (Passive Way) 1 3 3 3 1 4: {+1} Climb: 5; {+1} Jump: 5; Diplomacy: 4; {+1 CC} Handle Animal: 2.5; {+1} Tumble: 1; B: Improved Trip Invisible fist, bonus feat
3rd Fighter 1 2 5 3 3 1.5 2: {+1} Climb: 6; {+1} Jump: 6; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 2.5; Tumble: 1; B: Power Attack Run Bonus feat
4th Fighter 2 3 6 3 3 2 2: {+1} Climb: 7; {+1} Jump: 7; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 2.5; Tumble: 1; Improved Bull Rush Bonus feat
5th Swordsage 1 3 6 5 5 3 6: {+1} Climb: 8; {+1} Jump: 8; Diplomacy: 4; {+3 CC} Handle Animal: 4; {+1} Tumble: 2; B: Weapon Focus (all Setting Sun) Quick to act +1, discipline focus (Weapon Focus: Setting Sun), maneuvers
6th Swordsage 2 4 6 6 6 4 6: {+1} Climb: 9; {+1} Jump: 9; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+4} Tumble: 6; Endurance AC bonus
7th Peregrine Runner 1 4 8 8 6 4.5 6: {+1} Climb: 10; {+1} Jump: 10; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+2} Balance: 2; {+2} Tumble: 8; Mountain stride, peregrine companion
8th Peregrine Runner 2 5 9 9 6 5 6: {+1} Climb: 11; {+1} Jump: 11; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+2} Balance: 4; {+2} Tumble: 10; Skirmish +1d6
9th Peregrine Runner 3 6 9 9 7 5.5 6: {+1} Climb: 12; {+1} Jump: 12; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+1} Balance: 5; {+2} Tumble: 12; {+1} Sense Motive: 1; Snap Kick Great stamina, slow fall 20 ft
10th Peregrine Runner 4 7 10 10 7 6 6: {+1} Climb: 13; {+1} Jump: 13; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 13; {+3} Sense Motive: 4; Climb 20 ft, skirmish +1d6/+1 AC
11th Swordsage 3 8 11 10 7 7 6: {+1} Climb: 14; {+1} Jump: 14; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 14; {+3} Sense Motive: 7;
12th Peregrine Runner 5 8 11 10 7 7.5 6: {+1} Climb: 15; {+1} Jump: 15; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 15; {+3} Sense Motive: 10; Knockback Fast movement, slow fall 30 ft
13th Peregrine Runner 6 9 12 11 8 8 6: {+1} Climb: 16; {+1} Jump: 16; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 16; {+3} Sense Motive: 13; Skirmish +2d6/+1 AC
14th Swordsage 4 10 12 12 9 9 6: {+1} Climb: 17; {+1} Jump: 17; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 17; {+3} Sense Motive: 16; Discipline focus (insightful strike: Setting Sun)
15th Peregrine Runner 7 11 12 12 9 9.5 6: {+1} Climb: 18; {+1} Jump: 18; {+1} Diplomacy: 5; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 18; {+2} Sense Motive: 18; Shape Soulmeld: Mauling Gauntlets Slow fall 40 ft
16th Peregrine Runner 8 12 13 13 9 10 6: {+1} Climb: 19; {+1} Jump: 19; {+2} Diplomacy: 7; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 19; {+1} Sense Motive: 19; Climb 40 ft, skirmish +2d6/+2 AC
17th Swordsage 5 12 13 13 9 11 6: {+1} Climb: 20; {+1} Jump: 20; {+2} Diplomacy: 9; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 20; {+1} Sense Motive: 20; Quick to act +2
18th Peregrine Runner 9 12 13 13 10 11.5 6: {+1} Climb: 21; {+1} Jump: 21; {+2} Diplomacy: 11; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 21; {+1} Sense Motive: 21; Bonus Essentia Inexhaustible stamina, slow fall 50 ft
19th Peregrine Runner 10 13 14 14 10 12 6: {+1} Climb: 22; {+1} Jump: 22; {+2} Diplomacy: 13; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; {+1} Tumble: 22; {+1} Sense Motive: 22; Skirmish +3d6/+2 AC
20th {Level adjustment} 0: Climb: 22; Jump: 22; Diplomacy: 13; Handle Animal: 4; Balance: 5; Tumble: 22; Sense Motive: 22;

HD Class Initiator Level Maneuvers Known Maneuvers Readied Stances Known
5th Swordsage 1 3 Wolf fang strike Sudden leap Mighty throw Burning blade Flashing sun Fire riposte Total: 6 4 Step of the wind
6th Swordsage 2 4 Cloak of deception Total: 7 4 Island of blades
11th Swordsage 3 7 Comet throw Total: 8 5
14th Swordsage 4 9 Soaring throw Searing blade (replaces burning blade) Total: 9 5
17th Swordsage 5 11 Ballista throw Total: 10 6 Fiery assault

I can't lie to you: Wander's early life involves a lot of setting up and a lot of gathering of feats. Monk is the classic way to get Combat Expertise and Improved Trip relatively easily without a ton of INT. That said, even though the build needs a lot of early feats, it's not like those feats are all useless. Improved Trip and Improved Bull Rush are quite respectable early on (especially on someone with that much strength and Powerful Build) simply playing them as intended. Hammer and Piton will mostly come into play a little later since it's relatively rare to encounter Large stuff at the very beginning of the game, but if it happens, awesome!

Swordsage maneuvers are solid from the jump. Even though they're mostly chosen as setup just like the feats are, all of them work nicely on their own.


So here's where we're at. Wander is primarily designed to take advantage of three neat features from the SI: Skirmish, climb speed, and slow fall.

So let's go back to the aforementioned Hammer and Piton. You make a special touch attack to knock a peg into something big and then you climb aboard. If they want to scrape you off, you make a Climb check to resist. Otherwise, you stay in their square as they move. So first off, what helps with Climb checks? Why, a climb speed, of course! +8 and the ability to Always take 10 is great for reliably getting on and staying on your quarry. Does the clause about keeping your DEX bonus to AC while climbing override the clause in Hammer and Piton that says you lose it? I wasn't sure, so I decided to offload DEX onto WIS; thanks, swordsage! (Swordsage, not monk; who wants to be unarmored when you can be lightly armored?) Invisible fist is a great defensive option (and it's also relatively hilarious when you're onboard something big).

Okay, so Wander can spike her prey and start the world's worst piggyback ride; who cares, right? Well, let's talk about getting skirmish damage, as peregrine runner kindly deigns to provide us with. Skirmish is famously annoying to get multiple swings with because it's hard to get multiple attacks after you've taken a move action. Most people building around skirmish therefore find ways of moving as a swift action. Wander takes a slightly different approach and finds ways of moving as part of the action used to attack. Specifically, she wants to make her target move, since she gets to move with it, and then she wants to follow it up with more attacks.

Wander has two primary ways of doing this. First, Knockback, that good old goliath specialty. Is it possible to use a two-handed weapon (like, idk, a quarterstaff or whatever… or any martial weapon since we've got those fighter levels in there) while on top of someone? If so, do that, because that's funny and I don't think the rules say you can't. But if not, eh, okay, one-handed weapon it is, whatever. Power Attack turns into a free bull rush with a bonus. There's no limit on how many times you can do this per turn, which is rad. With STR, powerful build, and Improved Bull Rush on top of the bonus from Knockback itself, Wander is very good at this. She whacks someone, sends them sailing, automatically comes along thanks to Hammer and Piton, and merrily continues her full attack action, skirmishing along!

The second way of doing this is even more of a thumb in the eye of physics: Setting Sun throw maneuvers. Oh yes. This is happening. Climb aboard some poor sap, yeet him across the field, come along with the yoten foe because you're already latched on, and then follow it up with the Improved Trip free attack (because all of the throw maneuvers are trip attacks!) and with Snap Kick, both of which will get skirmish damage!

And now… slow fall. Wander can weaponize slow fall as long as she's got a wall nearby. It's best if she's got a cliff nearby too (such as might happen when running around in the mountains, as peregrine runners are kind of known for), but in a pinch, any wall will do. So let's say that Wander has thrown some schmuck over a cliff or otherwise put them in a situation where falling is gonna happen (bull rush and throw maneuvers are both good for this). Wander comes along too and stays in this poor bastard's space, because that's what Hammer and Piton says happens. Wander is capable of using slow fall on the nearby wall to treat the fall as being less distance than it really is; Wander's target has no such ability and will be taking falling damage. However, Wander never ends up leaving the target's space because nothing about slow fall says that you actually take more time (as in additional rounds) to reach the bottom! It doesn't impact your actions or anything like that. It just lets you treat the fall as shorter. So Wander and the fool she's riding both reach the bottom at the same time (Wander never leaves their space!), but only the fool she's riding takes damage!

I mentioned that any wall will do even if we start at the bottom rather than at the top. Setting Sun throws don't specify that the yeet has to be horizontal. You can absolutely hurl someone up just as easily as you can hurl them over. And then use the slow fall trick, and voila! We have successfully weaponized slow fall, a stupid passive ability that's the butt of countless jokes! Please clap.


The core trick is online by this point and it keeps progressing. The mauling gauntlets eventually provide a +6 bonus both to trip checks and to bull rush checks (i.e., Wander's main stock in trade), which is highly welcome. Additional carefully timed swordsage levels provide new and exciting new ways to hurl chumps around.

Greater slow fall distances mean more damage from weaponizing cliffs and walls. Greater skirmish damage means increased pain from doing the core trick. Discipline focus adds a nice little bump when doing Setting Sun stuff. Keep it up, Wander! You're doing great!



Sudden leap is a way of getting skirmish damage on a turn when you normally wouldn't get to move before attacking. Such as on the turn when you set up Hammer and Piton, for example.
Skirmish damage lasts for the rest of the round after you've moved, so fire riposte can be a way of getting skirmish damage off-turn if you've already moved on your turn.
Flurry of blows isn't great (the unarmored restriction really kills it), but decisive strike doesn't really work with the build either. Neither one is mission-critical, but take advantage when it's convenient, I suppose. I went with flurry of blows because if you have your armor needs taken care of somehow (bracers of armor, friendly castings of (greater) mage armor, etc.) then it can be used for additional skirmishes, but it can be safely ignored without harming the build.
So there's a bizarre trick on the WotC website (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031125a) that you can teach your peregrine companion: Flush Out. "Flush Out (DC 20): The animal moves into an area and, if it encounters any creatures, it makes noise and feints attacks toward the creature in an attempt to drive it to you. If the animal makes the creature move, there is a 50% chance that the quarry moves directly toward you. Otherwise, the quarry veers to your left or right (equal chance for each)." What determines success or failure of this move? Beats the heck out of me, but it does seem to be a way of forcing movement, which will help you get skirmish damage if you're already climbing up someone.
The falcon is also useful for scouting, keeping watch, and triggering island of blades when you don't have terrain around for step of the wind (the ally doesn't have to threaten in order for island of blades to give flanking; they simply have to be adjacent).
Diplomacy comes online relatively late, but Wander does have the ability to serve as at least a backup party face.
Step of the wind is a great way to get a bonus to trip attempts.
5 ranks in Balance means no being flat-footed when balancing.
Per PHB pg. 141, you can draw a weapon as part of a move action (once you have BAB +1 or higher). Since it takes a move action to climb aboard with Hammer and Piton, you could draw a different weapon after you've pounded in the initial spike, if desired. (This is mostly useful if your GM rules that a creature with a climb speed can wield a two-handed weapon while climbing someone.)
Using nunchaku to pound in the spike isn't necessarily mechanically beneficial, but it's legal and it's an amusing mental image.
Wolf fang strike is a low-investment way to get multiple skirmishes without setup.
Flashing sun is great with a full attack and allows for even more skirmishes.
Wander prefers hunting larger quarry, but if she's forced to hunt something her size or smaller, she'll be even more deadly with her trips and bull rushes, even if she can't do the climb-aboard trick. (Sudden leap could still be used to follow someone and make follow-up attacks.)
When leaning into the full-attack side rather than the Setting-Sun-throw side, burning/searing blade and fiery assault add damage that scales with level (it's not just the dice; it also adds your initiator level, at least for the boosts if not for the stance) that will work multiple times in one round.


Here's a list of various oddball things I couldn't fit in.
I tried to put in Dungeoncrasher, since it goes so very well indeed with goliath and Knockback, but I really didn't like putting off my main combo for an extra three levels while I made up the lost feat. You can totally throw in Dungeoncrasher if you're patient or if you have a flaw handy.
If your game ignores alignment restrictions because they're dumb, you can swap fighter 2 for barbarian 2 (wolf totem) and take Overwhelming Attack style instead of Passive Way style for your monk levels. This will give you the same net effect (since we only need Improved Trip and not Combat Expertise outside of Improved Trip), but it will also allow you to have mountain rage from the goliath barbarian racial sub level (which I'm guessing we'll see no fewer than five entries using this round).
Mauling gauntlets and Bonus Essentia can be replaced with Knock-Down and Improved Skirmish, if desired, but I didn't find those to be as supportive of the core concept.
You may have noticed that devastating throw (the level 3 Setting Sun throw) is absent; this is because it's the only throw (before tornado throw, which we can't get because it's a 9th) that requires that you move before using it. I didn't have a way of reliably doing that while already latched onto someone without getting into even stupider rules interpretations that I didn't want to mess with.



Type Thing Book Page number
Race Goliath Races of Stone 56
Class Swordsage Tome of Battle 15
Class Peregrine runner Races of Stone 116
ACF Passive Way monk Unearthed Arcana 52
Feat Hammer and Piton Dungeonscape 45
Feat Snap Kick Tome of Battle 32
Feat Knockback Races of Stone 142
Feat Shape Soulmeld: Mauling Gauntlets Magic of Incarnum 40, 78
Feat Bonus Essentia Magic of Incarnum 35
Maneuvers Various Tome of Battle 52-90
All others Various PHB/SRD
Thanks as always to mattie_p for the super helpful formatting sheet!

[The Viscount]

You have to run fast as you can if you want to stay in place.


RIDING THE WIND!

With Feng Chongkun!

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/finalfantasy/images/d/df/RoegadynM.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/185?cb=20100904013252

Abilities Scores STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
1st 20 12 16 14 10 10 4th 21 12 16 14 10 10 8th 22 12 16 14 10 10 12th 23 12 16 14 10 10 16th 24 12 16 14 10 10

Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
LA Golaith LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
1st Warblade 1 (ToB) +1 +2 +0 +0 24- Climb 4 (+4), Concentration 4 (+4) Jump 4 (+4), Dipolmancy 4 (+4), Tumble 4 (+4) Handle Aminal 2 (+4 CC) Power Attack Battle Clarity, (Reflex Saves), Weapon Apitude
2nd Scout 1 (CAd) +1 +2 +2 +0 10- Balance 5 (+5), Cilmb 5 (+1), Jump 5 (+1), Tumble 5 (+1), Concentration 5 (+2 CC) Skirmish (1d6), Trapfinding
3rd Warblade 2 +2 +3 +2 +0 6- Climb 6 (+1), Concentration 6 (+1) Jump 6 (+1), Tumble (+1), Handle Aminal (+2 CC) Leap Of The Heavens (PH2) Uncanny Dodge
4th Warblade 3 +3 +3 +3 +1 6- Climb 7 (+1), Concentration 7 (+1), Diplomancy 6 (+2), Jump 7 (+1), Tumble 7 (+1) Battle Ardor (Critical Confirmation)
5th Warblade 4 +4 +4 +3 +1 6- Climb 8 (+1), Concentration 8 (+1), Jump 8 (+1), Tumble 8 (+1) Handle Aminal 4 (+2 CC)
6th Warblade 5 +5 +4 +3 +1 6- Climb 9 (+1), Concentration 9 (+1), Diplomancy 8 (+2) Jump 9 (+1), Tumble 9 (+1) Endurance, Run
7th Peregrin Runner 1 +5 +6 +5 +1 8- Jump 10 (+1), Listen 3 (+3), Spot 3 (+3) Tumble 10 (+1) Mountain stride, Peregrine companion
8th Peregrin Runner 2 +6/1 +7 +6 +1 8- Jump 11 (+1), Listen 6 (+3), Spot 6 (+3) Tumble 11 (+1)
9th Peregrin Runner 3 +7/2 +7 +6 +2 8- Jump 12 (+1), Listen 9 (+3), Spot 9 (+3) Tumble 12 (+1) Improved Bull Rush Great stamina, Slow fall 20 ft, Skirmish (+1 AC/1D6)
10th Warblade 6 +8/3 +8 +7 +3 6- Concentration 13 (+4), Jump 13 (+1), Tumble 13, (+2) Improved Uncanny Dodge
11th Peregrin Runner 4 +9/4 +8 +7 +3 8- Jump 14 (+1), Listen 12 (+3), Spot 12 (+3), Tumble 14 (+1) Climb 20 ft.
12th Peregrin Runner 5 +9/4 +8 +7 +3 8- Jump 15 (+1), Listen 15 (+3), Spot 15 (+3), Tumble 15 (+1) Shock Trooper (CW) Fast movement, Slow fall 30 ft, Skirmish (+1 AC/2D6)
13th Warblade 7 +10/5 +8 +7 +3 6- Concentration 16 (+3), Diplomancy 9 (+1) Jump 16 (+1), Tumble 16 (+1), Battle Cunning (Damage)
14th Peregrin Runner 6 +11/6/1 +9 +8 +4 8- Diplomancy 11 (+2), Jump 17 (+1), Listen 17 (+2), Spot 17 (+2), Tumble 17 (+1)
15th Peregrin Runner 7 +12/7/2 +9 +8 +4 8- Diplomancy 15 (+4), Jump 18 (+1), Listen 18 (+1), Spot 18 (+1) Tumble 18 (+1) Improved Skirmish (CS) Slow fall 40 ft, Skirmish (+2AC/2D6)
16th Warblade 8 +13/8/3 +10 +8 +4 6- Concentration 19 (+3), Diplomancy 16 (+1), Jump 19 (+1), Tumble 19 (+1)
17th Peregrin Runner 8 +14/9/4 +11 +9 +4 8- Diplomancy 18 (+2), Jump 20 (+1), Listen 20 (+2), Spot 20 (+2), Tumble 20 (+1) Climb 40ft
18th Peregrin Runner 9 +14/9/4 +11 +9 +5 8- Climb 10 (+1) Diplomancy 21 (+3), Jump 21 (+1), Listen 21 (+1), Spot 21 (+1) Tumble 21 (+1) Adaptive Style (ToB) Inexhaustible stamina, Slow fall 50 ft, Skirmish (+2/3D6)
19th Warblade 9 +15/10/5 +11 +10 +6 6- Concentration 22 (+3), Diplomancy 22 (+1), Jump 22 (+1), Tumble 22 (+1) Improved Intiative


Level Class Initiator Level Manuvers Known Manuvers Readied Stances Known
LA LA LA LA LA LA
1st Warblade 1 (ToB) 1 Charging Minotuar, Moment Of Perfect Mind, Wolf Fang Strike 3 Punishing Stance
2nd Scout 1 (CAd) 1.5 3 3 1
3rd Warblade 2 2.5 Sudden Leap 3 1
4th Warblade 3 3.5 Battle Leader's Charge 3 1
5th Warblade 4 4.5 Wolf Fang Strike> Mountain Tombstone Strike 4 Leading The Charge
6th Warblade 5 5.5 Iron Heart Surge 4 2
7th Peregrin Runner 1 6 6 4 2
8th Peregrin Runner 2 6 6 4 2
9th Peregrin Runner 3 7 6 4 2
10th Warblade 6 8 Charging Minotuar> Death From Above 4 2
11th Peregrin Runner 3 8 6 4 2
12th Peregrin Runner 4 9 6 4 2
13th Warblade 7 10 Pouncing Charge 4 2
14th Peregrin Runner 5 10 7 4 2
15th Peregrin Runner 6 11 7 4 2
16th Warblade 8 12 Battle Leader's Charge> Dancing Mongoose 4 2
17th Peregrin Runner 7 12 7 4 2
18th Peregrin Runner 8 13 7 4 2
19th Warblade 9 14 Swooping Dragon Strike 2 2

"Feng." "Yes, Master?" "You need to stay evasive in combat. You cannot rely on raw strength." "But Master, raw strength is all I have" "Then, I can teach you no more. Wander the world, and learn from others" And so, Feng left on his journey to learn how use his strength in combat.

The main maneuvre Feng relies on is Sudden Leap, allowing him to move, attack, and then retreat as a swift action. This allows him to use skirmish two turns in a row before having to recharge his maneuvures. His Feats are Power Attack and Leap of the Heavens, which gives him a scaling damage bonus and let Feng jump from a standing start, respectively. For skills, Feng takes five ranks in Balance to avoid being caught-flat footed, Jump is useful for manoeuvres, Concentration is used for Prefect Mind, And Tumble helps Feng avoid AoOs.

Notable Maneuvres:

Prefect Mind (LV 1)- for passing important will saves
Mountain Tombstone Strike (LV 5)- Ignore any DR and Hardness.
Punishing Strike (LV 1)- Damage for AC is a good trade. Doesn't Scale, Though
Sudden Leap: Swift action move. Feng's main way of triggering skirmish.
Leading The Charge (LV4)- IL to charge damage. Simple but very useful

6-10: Feng has come across a tribe of Goliaths. Finally among members of his own race, he begins to learn their traditions, choosing to become a Peregrin Runner!

Feng adds Listen and Spot to his chosen skills to allow to him and his falcon to scout, although his low WIS doesn't make him the best a that role.
He gains an animal companion called perry who helps with scouting somewhat.
Notable Maneuvers:

IRON HEART SURGE (LV6)- Lets you not ignore, but END a spell or effect! Very useful.

Death From Above (LV 10)- This and Swooping Dragon Strike allow you attack while moving, potentiality triggering skirmish if you move far enough. If we assume that "midway" means in exact middle of the move, you need to move 20ft during this manoeuvre to trigger skirmish.

11-15: (Sweet Spot) Feng has started helping out the local lord, bringing in some favour for his tribe in the process. Maybe he'll get some fame in time...

Now it's time to get into the main trick of the build! Thanks to Pouncing Charge allowing him to Charge and Full Attack. If he combines this with heedless charge from Shock Trooper and he moves 20ft to gain the bonus from Improved Skirmish, Feng can do 2D8+6+ACx2+4D6 for each attack on a charge. Remember that shock trooper makes Feng's power attacks more accurate, helping him deal more damage. He also adds diplomancy to his repertoire of skills, improving his utility. However he is not an effective face, so if the party needs one, they should look elsewhere.

Notable Maneuvers:
Pouncing Charge:
Gain pounce for one charge. This allows Feng's main trick to work.

6-20: Feng has beaten a Master of Nine in single combat (By shoving him into the wall). With the Master's help he founds his own temple of sublime way focusing on jumping attacks, calling his style the way of the swooping falcon.

For the new tricks he learns now, Feng has Adaptive Style, allowing him to switch manoeuvres on the fly. He also picks up Improved Initiative to go first more often.

Notable Maneuvers:

Dancing Mongoose:
Allows you to move and attack twice. Handy on a skirmisher like Feng.

Swooping Dragon Strike:
Leaps over a Foe. In other words, you must move 10ft to use this maneuver, meaning you will trigger skirmish when using it for even more D6s!

The SI:
Peregrin Runner gives you three features from other classes- an animal companion, fast movement and skirmish. Most these features can replicated by Ranger (Class Feature, Spell, Feat). So what makes Peregrin Runner unique? That it requires you to be a Goliath, rewarding you for focusing on STR instead of DEX- a rather unorthodox choice for a swift hunter!

Where is Travel Domain?

There were other choices for a warblade to activate skirmish that could be accessed in-class (I.E Swift Leap) so i decided against using Travel Domain.

Skills:

The important ones are Tumble for avoiding AoO, Jump for Manuvers, Concentration for Perfect Mind and Balance to avoid being flat footed.
Everything else is preqcs and filler.

If you have LA Buy Off...

Take an extra level of Warblade for level 8 maneuvers (Most notablly Raging Mongoose) and 16/11/6/1 BAB at level 20.

Sources:

Complete Adventurer, Complete Scoundrel, Complete Warrior Tome of Battle, Player's Handbook 2.
Information on sources for individual features can be found in the build.

[The Viscount]

As easy as falling off a cliff.



Paddy, The inspiration (https://youtu.be/j8uODpt79Ak)"
"Stop, Shillelagh Time”


https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/looneytunes/images/5/5c/Gif_%2818%29.gif/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20180321030423

CG Goliath Ranger4/Swordsage1/Druid1/Peregrine Runner10/Master of Nine3

“Good girl, good girl” said Paddy, petting the head of his falcon. The latter had spotted some cliffs with a cavern towering at 200ft above the ground, where they could both rest for the night. Paddy started running towards it and he got there pretty fast. His imposing stature zooming through the mountain was bound to catch the attention of the local fauna but most of them know better than to antagonize Goliaths. He had been on the road for the better part of the day and, even if he wasn’t tired, he was hungry.

Having set up camp to rest for the night, Paddy started a fire to cook his meal when his falcon came back from his routine check and emitted a low screech.

“Hmmm a guest you say… Show me where” Paddy asked while making sure he put his meal close enough to the fire so it wouldn’t get cold. He walked over to the edge of the cavern and looked down.

“ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAR”

A huge giant shouted, trying to intimidate his target before proceeding to climb to the best of its ability.

“Let’s get this over with so we can eat in peace” he said to his falcon who nodded and took off. He watched the bird for a second before glancing down at the bulging veins on the Giant’s face, giving his all to get to the cavern as fast as possible.

“Maximum effort” he said before dropping

(To be continued… in the combo section)




Alignment : Chaotic Good
Race : Goliath
Level 1 : Improved Initiative
Level 3 : Run, Endurance (Ranger Bonus)
Level 4 : Blind-Fight (Champion of the Wild ACF)
Level 5 : Unarmed Strike (Unarmed Swordsage Bonus)
Level 6 : Adaptive Style, Track (Bonus Feat)
Level 9 : Desert Wind Dodge
Level 12 : Martial Study (Emerald Razor)
Level 15 : Improved Skirmish
Level 18 : Natural Bond

Peregrine Falcon
Level 1 : Alertness (lame, get Quick Reconnoiter if possible), Weapon Finesse (Bonus)
Level 3 : Martial Study (Lead the Attack)
Level 6 : Improved Natural Attack
Level 9 : Flyby Attack
Level 12 : Martial Study (White Raven Tactics)




Point Buy at level 20
(4 to Con, 8, 12, 16, 20 in Str)
STR 24
DEX 13
CON 18
INT 10
WIS 12
CHA 8


Watchuget
- Flavorwise : A care-free and nice to a fault mass of muscle and a very efficient delivery guy, getting messages across the mountains with ease. Always trying to see the best in people trying to resolve crises diplomatically but he can sense when things are about to turn for the worse and he becomes deadly when pushed over the edge, literally.

- Powerwise :
You get what an LA+1, ¾ BaB with close to no spellcasting can get you.
Reaching the last tier of Animal Companion abilities.
You take full advantage of skirmish since you’re guaranteed to move around A LOT.
Running and climbing (and falling) are your bread and butter but action economy is where this build really shines.
Skill tricks, wildshape and maneuvers give you a fair bit of versatility and God knows you need’em to stay relevant.

Sweet Spot
Getting your White Raven Tactics maneuver is quite the boost in power.
At this level you get 7 bab and +6 Str to hit & 1.5x Str and Skirmish to damage.
Your climb speed is the corner piece of your fighting style (see Combo section) while maneuvers and wildshape are both online.
Your falcon has 7 HD so he can initiate Leading the Attack and deal some damage thanks to Improved Natural Attack (and potentially Enrage Animal/Magic Fang buffs).
Depending on the amount of wands you can find you have interesting options as well.




Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Ranger 1 1 2 2 0 Climb (+4) 4; Diplomacy (+2 CC) 1; Handle Animal (+4) 4; Jump (+4) 4; Knowledge (Religion) (+2 CC) 1; Sense Motive (+4) 4; Tumble (+4) 4; Improved Initiative, Track (Bonus Feat) Favored Environment (Mountain), Fast Movement (Predator ACF), Trapfinding (Trap Expert ACF)
2nd Fangshield Ranger 2 2 3 3 0 Climb (+1) 5; Diplomacy (+1) 2; Handle Animal (+1) 5; Jump (+1) 5; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 5; Tumble (+1) 5;
3rd Ranger 3 3 3 3 1 Climb (+1) 6; Diplomacy 2; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 6; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 6; Tumble (+1) 6; Speedy Ascent; Run, Endurance (Ranger Bonus) Endurance
4th Fangshield Ranger 4 4 4 4 1 Climb (+1) 7; Diplomacy (+2) 4; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 7; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 7; Tumble (+1) 7; Speedy Ascent; Blind-Fight (ACF Bonus Feat) Animal Companion, Champion of the Wild (ACF)
5th Unarmed Swordsage 1 4 4 6 3 Climb (+1) 8; Diplomacy 4; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 8; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 8; Tumble (+1) 8; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Improved Unarmed Strike (Bonus Feat) Quick to Act +1, Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus)
6th Goliath Druid 1 4 4 7 4 Climb 8; Diplomacy (+2) 6; Handle Animal 5; Jump 8; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 9; Tumble (+1) 9; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Adaptive Style Animal Companion, Nature's Sense, Wild Empathy, Elemental Bond (Goliath Druid), Skilled City-Dweller (ACF), Wild Shape 1/d
7th Peregrine Runner 1 4 6 9 4 Climb (+2) 10; Diplomacy 6; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+2) 10; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 10; Tumble (+1) 10; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Mountain Stride, Peregrine Companion
8th Peregrine Runner 2 5 7 10 4 Climb (+1) 11; Diplomacy 6; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 11; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 11; Tumble (+1) 11; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Skirmish +1d6
9th Peregrine Runner 3 6 7 10 5 Climb (+1) 12; Diplomacy (+2) 8; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 12; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 12; Tumble (+1) 12; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Desert Wind Dodge Great Stamina, Slow Fall 20ft.
10th Peregrine Runner 4 7 8 11 5 Climb (+1) 13; Diplomacy 8; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 13; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 13; Tumble (+1) 13; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Climb 20ft. Skirmish +1d6/+1 AC
11th Peregrine Runner 5 7 8 11 7 Climb (+1) 14; Diplomacy (+2) 10; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 14; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 14; Tumble (+1) 14; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Fast Movement, Slow Fall 30ft.
12th Master of Nine 1 7 8 11 7 Climb (+1) 15; Diplomacy 10; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 15; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 15; Tumble (+1) 15; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Wall Jumper; Martial Study (Emerald Razor) -
13th Peregrine Runner 6 8 9 12 8 Climb (+1) 16; Diplomacy (+2) 12; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 16; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 16; Tumble (+1) 16; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Wall Jumper; Skirmish +2d6/+1 AC
14th Peregrine Runner 7 9 9 12 9 Climb (+1) 17; Diplomacy 12; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 17; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 17; Tumble (+1) 17; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Wall Jumper; Extreme Leap; Slow Fall 40ft.
15th Master of Nine 2 10 9 12 9 Climb (+1) 18; Diplomacy (+2) 14; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 18; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 18; Tumble (+1) 18; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Wall Jumper; Extreme Leap; Improved Skirmish Dual Stance
16th Peregrine Runner 8 11 10 13 9 Climb (+1) 19; Diplomacy (+2) 16; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 19; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 19; Tumble (+1) 19; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Wall Jumper; Extreme Leap; Climb 40ft., Skirmish +2d6/+2 AC
17th Peregrine Runner 9 12 11 14 9 Climb (+1) 20; Diplomacy (+2) 18; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 20; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 20; Tumble (+1) 20; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Wall Jumper; Extreme Leap; Inexhaustible Stamina, Slow Fall 50ft.
18th Master of Nine 3 12 11 14 10 Climb (+1) 21; Diplomacy (+2) 20; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 21; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 21; Tumble (+1) 21; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Wall Jumper; Extreme Leap; Natural Bond Perfect Form
19th Peregrine Runner 10 13 12 15 10 Climb (+1) 22; Diplomacy (+2) 22; Handle Animal 5; Jump (+1) 22; Knowledge (Religion) 1; Sense Motive (+1) 22; Tumble (+1) 22; Speedy Ascent; Leaping Climber; Walk the Walls; Corner Perch; Wall Jumper; Extreme Leap; Skirmish +3d6/+2 AC
20th LA




Class01
Druid 132

Selection
- Shillelagh makes your one-handed large club GARGANTUAN for 1 minute. Meaning you can cling to a wall and smack (Corner Perch lets you wield it 2-Handed in a chimney for a round).
- Impending Stone is a great debuff on climbing enemies : multiple saves potentially leading to their (literal) downfall, half movement while climbing that’s like 1/8th movement, forcing casting on the defensive and, ofc, flat-footed while balancing.
- Elemental Bound from Goliath Druid allows you to summon a small earth elemental with your spontaneous SNA. Just imagine the latter Earth Glide in the rock wall and bullrush the creature climbing away from the mountain, it’s hilarious. If your DM agrees to make it work with spells cast from wands, you can get Large Earth Elementals.
- Enrage Animal isn’t really reliable but can help a lot. Magic Fang is a good buff too.

Must have wands
- Primal Instinct/Hunter (gain Uncanny Dodge for having 2 at the same time). They’re 24h buffs that help with everything you are doing. Hunter’s Sense & Track combine nicely with it.
- Vortex of Teeth : unavoidable damage meaning yet another chance to fall.
- Longstrider for a 10ft speed enhancement bonus for 1h (better than Windstride when you can plan ahead).
- Camouflage to hide better in your favorite environment.
- Instant of Power (Forge of War) in a wand chamber in your club. immediate +4 is nice.
- Lesser Vigor is the best heal/gp.
- Blockade. A 2000 pound wooden cube deals 10d6/10ft increment (Falling object RC p52)
- Master Air for 3 rounds of 90ft fly (good) to get those pesky flyers.
- Enhanced Wildshape obviously.






Ranger chassis : full BaB, Martial Proficiency, 6+Int skills and some ACFs that give you nice things to play with. Trade Combat Style for Fast movement (Barbarian)
Goliath brings +4 to Str/+2 to Con & Powerful Build so go nuts (especially if the Goliath Greathammer is treated as martial for Goliaths and it should).
Fangshield substitution levels are fair game for Monstrous Humanoids and bring Diplomacy as a class skill + Animal Companion = to half Ranger level +2 so you can get the infamous Fleshraker (until just before you take your first Peregrine Runner level that is).
Last but not least, a substantial powerup in the form of Swordsage dip with access to 2nd level maneuvers.



A dip in Goliath Druid before entering the SI right on time. You net +1 effective AC level, 3 cantrips and 2 1st level spells (hello Shillelagh) with good Will & Fort saves and opening lots of wand options (see Must have wands).
Thanks to the Ranger’s Predator ACF, you get the wildshape class feature of a 5th level Druid meaning you can turn into an Eagle to fly/run at 400ft per round. Enhanced Wildshape opens up Fleshraker pounce/trip/poison/grapple goodness or the Desmodu Hunting Bat for flight, high dex, weapon finesse and free trip attempts on bites 5hrs/d !
Adaptive Style lets you reshuffle all your maneuvers in a single round which is a clear improvement.
You’re saying goodbye to your fleshraker to get your BFFF(alcon) from now on and she has 5 HD meaning she can initiate Leading the Attack as well as assist you in social encounters with her Diplomacy ranks (by being cute & fuzzy).
You get Slow Fall, Skirmish and a Climb speed meaning we can now start the vertical fighting craziness. See Combo section.



We continue our Peregrine Runner progression and add bits of Master of Nine here and there to cherry pick the maneuvers we want. White Raven Tactics is very very good for our action economy (see Combo section) and opens Press the Advantage which is a delightful way to trigger Desert Wind Dodge and Skirmish (even Improved Skirmish if you manage the Tumble DC 40 check you need for double 10-foot step).
The fast movement stacking with your previous one makes you run at 250ft per round. If you Initiate Wind Stride (swift) it becomes 300ft for a round (or an hour if you cast Longstrider).
Slow Fall reaching 40ft and the Tumble rule to lower the effective fall mean the Falling Object rule lets you deal 10 to 12d6 damage by landing on your target. And that is IF you don’t want to sustain any damage, suicide dives are encouraged.



Everything finally clicks together.
Your falcon has the IL and feat opening necessary to take White Raven Tactics 1/encounter.
You get Moment of Alacrity to mess with the initiative count some more ; if both you and your falcon play after the target (delaying to right after them for instance), you can have 4 turns in a row (yours + WRT + your falcon’s WRT + Moment of Alacrity) while abusing the falling action to move and deal damage for free. You unlock Shadow Noose for ranged touch attacks (options to ensure they’re flat-footed include Impeding Stones, Cloak of Deception, Camouflage+Hide) which Improved Skirmish damage can ride on if you drop 20ft while being 30ft away from your target. (See the Combo section). (Desmodu Hunting Bat form increases your chances to hit dramatically).
Your immunity to fatigue lets you do this all day





Acrobat Boots for swift activation additional move speed and +2 competence to Tumble
Chronocharm of the Fateweaver, just in case (slotless).
A dose of Fleetfoot, stacks with your Run feat : speed x6 !
Skin of Nimbleness, +10 competence to Tumble, standing up as a free action and 10-foot steps are within reach ! (slotless) (not stacking with Acrobat Boots).
A metric ton of wands can do wonders for you (see Must have wands section).
Dex, Str, Con enhancing items/tomes.




Hound
Hunter’s Sense + Primal Instinct + Nature’s Sense + Track let you track by scent the tribesmen you need to deliver your package to or avoid danger on the road.

The Prep :
1) If a situation occurs that can’t be dealt with by your (and your falcons’) diplomatic skills, you probably roll pretty high on initiative : +4 (Improved Init) +1 (Quick to Act) +5 (Primal Instinct) + Dex (the highest money can buy).

2) You run away & towards the nearest cliff (Mountain Stride makes sure you don’t slow down).
Your falcon has been scouting ahead for you so follow her lead.
If you had cast Longstrider you would run at 300ft. (if not and you need a speed boost, Wind Stride (swift) can help for a round). The Run feat lets you retain Dex to AC and Desert Wind Dodge activates so you’re harder to hit with range attacks.

3) Leaping Climber (swift) + climb speed + Goliath’s accelerated climb (double climb speed or land speed, whichever is lower) + Speedy Ascent lets you climb over 55ft (65ft after at 16th) up in one move action. Climb DC (taking 10 + 8 (racial) + ranks + Str +5 from Primal Hunter) can’t fail on natural rock walls and Jump DC is considered having a running start (+4 from Run, +8 from 50ft speed + ranks + Str +5 from Primal Hunter = minimum 5 ft.) Or you can straight up Walk the Walls (20ft horizontal converts to 5ft ascension which gives us up to 75ft up given your 300ft speed whilst running and you get style points).

4) Set yourself up in a chimney or corner-like area if possible to hide (+10 from Camouflage +2 from Favored Environment). Then it’s buff time : Adaptive Style lets you ready your maneuvers swiftly to match the kind of encounter you’d expect, use the spells you need, switch from Hunter’s Sense to Press the Advantage stance.

Stop, Shillelagh Time :
You have several options :
Option 1 : Drop (free) and catch yourself (free), who needs pounce anyway ?
From here you can initiate Mighty Throw (+4 Power Build +4 maneuver +Str) to throw your target down.
Option 2 : If you managed to find a chimney/corner, when you reach melee range (drop & catch) you can grab that GARGANTUAN club of yours (Shillelagh + Powerful Build) with 2 hands (Corner Perch) and full attack. Each hit calls for a steep (get it ?) climb check or they fall. (Of course a speed +5 large Goliath Greathammer is better but way less fun).
Option 3 : If possible, drop at least 20ft but remain 30ft away from your target letting you apply the Improved Skirmish damage to Shadow Noose. If they fail the save and get stunned, they fall. If they make it, they still might fall.
Option 4 (my favorite) : Mountain Hammer the mountain to cut off the chunk of wall they’re climbing on or better yet, try to create an avalanche (8d6 in the bury zone and from the wording, they should die if no one helps them out, but you’re a good guy so you should).
Option 5 : If enemy is flying, you can Sudden Leap (swift) + Wall Jumper (+8 from 50ft move speed +5 from Primal Hunter +2 synergy +Str +ranks) to reach & grapple them (standard) if they’re a puny caster (Powerful Build + Str). Initiate Shadow Stride (move) to get back on the wall should you fail your grapple. If it works, you’re probably too heavy for them to continue flying and you’ve got a much better chance to survive the fall than they do.
Option 6 : Cast Enhanced Wildshape (from a wand) and turn into a Desmodu Hunting Bat to harass them (free trip with every bite) until they fall.

From there it’s safe to assume they’re falling. If not, Shadow Stride to get 50ft back above them, which is further than they can probably climb (¼th speed). Repeat until they fall and then…

Drop on them. Falling Object rule states falling object deals 1d6/10ft increment and per 200 pounds. According to Races of the Stone
A typical Goliath [...] weighs between 280 and 340 pounds. Factoring in your carrying capacity in light load, we’re looking at 2d6/10ft increment here. Furthermore, with your Slow Fall ability and Tumble ranks you can reduce the damage YOU take from the fall but not the target’s.

Assuming you are prone (I can’t find any ruling on this) you can try to stand up as a free action (Tumble 35 : 1d20 +10 from possible Skin of Nimbleness +2 synergy +2 masterwork tool +ranks +Dex). If you manage it, climb (move) back up and drop (free) on your target, again. If not, you take a move action to stand up so you can draw your weapon for free.
If you don’t feel like your ranks are enough to try it, you can Shadow Stride upwards 50ft and land on them yet again (Slow Fall & Tumble covering you, you take little to no damage).
THEN you use your swift action to initiate White Raven Tactics. It’s your turn again.

Press the advantage gives you 2x 5-foot step which trigger your Skirmish ability (you can even make 2x 10-foot steps with a DC 40 Tumble check which triggers Improved Skirmish) : go to town on your target. Then your falcon initiates White Raven Tactics.It’s your turn again.

Either repeat the previous turn and use your swift to initiate Moment of Alacrity (if you both delayed your initiatives to just after your enemy’s, you will get to act again before them) to get another full round of attacks or run away if you feel this is not going to be an easy fight. Then see The Prep again.

Catch yourself before you wreck yourself
DC is wall + 20. You have a 100% success rate on Natural rock wall by level 13.
Taking 10 +8 (racial) +5 (Primal Hunter) +16 ranks +6 Str = 45
Add a Climber’s kit and a +2 to Str item, you’re looking at level 10, right when you get your climb speed !




SRD - Ranger, Druid, Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Run, Endurance, Track, Improved Unarmed Strike, Natural Bond, Masterwork Tools, Wilderness (Avalanche)
Races of the Stone - Goliath, Goliath Druid, Peregrine Runner
Complete Scoundrel - Skill Tricks, Improved Skirmish
Complete Champion - Champion of the Wild ACF
Champion of Valor - Fangshield Ranger
Unearthed Arcana - Favored Environment, Predator ACF
Tome of Battle - Swordsage, Master of Nine, Desert Wind Dodge, Adaptive Style, Martial Study & Maneuvers
Rules Compendium - Falling Object
Monster Manual II - Fleshraker, Desmodu Hunting Bat
Magic Item Compendium - Item list, Wands
Arms & Equipment Guide - Fleetfoot

[The Viscount]

I'm the type of guy that likes to roam around.


- Look! He is quick as monkey! Hey you! Get down! Don’t make us climb after you!
Some robber's last words.
http://img2.joyreactor.cc/pics/post/%D0%B3%D0%B8%D1%84%D0%BA%D0%B8-%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B3-5724544.gif
https://as1.ftcdn.net/jpg/03/15/66/62/500_F_315666267_Ld6ocedTT7sJ6SsjOG7r1JXGKYnErim2.j pg

Diving Hawk was born in desert with big love to journey. This unstoppable attraction moved him once into snowy mountains where he almost died of cold and tribe of angry taers. But he was saved by goliaths hunters. While he recovering from his injuries, he quietly became part of tribe. Half-orc and simultaneously goliath. With attraction to hiking. No wonder he embark on the path of the Peregrine Runner.


Abilities Initial Desert Half-Orc Human Paragon Stoneblessed Levels Total
STR 14 14
DEX 14 14
CON 15 2 2 2 5 26
INT 14 -2 12
WIS 14 14
CHA 8 8


NG Desert Half-Orc Half-Orc Paragon-2/Human Paragon-3/Huntsman Avenger (Druid)-1/Stoneblessed-3/Roof-Dweller Goliath Barbarian-1/Peregrine Runner-10
Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Half-Orc Paragon 1 1 2 0 0 20: {+4} Climb: 4; {+4} Craft (stoneworking): 4; {+4} Intimidate: 4; {+4} Jump: 4; {+4} Tumble: 4; Endurance, RunB Divided ancestry, Monstrous mien
2nd Human Paragon 1 1 2 0 2 5: {+2} Appraise: 2; {+1} Climb: 5; Craft (stoneworking): 4; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Jump: 5; {+1} Tumble: 5; Adaptive learning (Intimidate)
3rd Huntsman Avenger (Druid) 1 1 4 0 4 5: Appraise: 2; Climb: 5; {+1} Craft (stoneworking): 5; Intimidate: 4; Jump: 5; {+4} Spellcraft: 4; Tumble: 5; Rapid Spell, TrackB Unarmored AC, Favored enemy (Giant), Track, Fast movement, Rage 1/day
4th Human Paragon 2 2 4 0 5 5: Appraise: 2; {+1} Climb: 6; Craft (stoneworking): 5; {+2} Handle Animal: 2; Intimidate: 4; {+2} Jump: 7; Spellcraft: 4; Tumble: 5; Practiced SpellcasterB Bonus feat
5th Human Paragon 3 3 5 1 5 5: Appraise: 2; {+2} Climb: 8; Craft (stoneworking): 5; {+2} Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Jump: 8; Spellcraft: 4; Tumble: 5; Ability boost (+2) (Con)
6th Stoneblessed 1 3 7 3 7 3: Appraise: 2; Climb: 8; Craft (stoneworking): 5; {+3} Diplomacy: 3; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; Jump: 8; Spellcraft: 4; Tumble: 5; Craft Wand Goliath-bond
7th Stoneblessed 2 4 8 3 8 3: Appraise: 2; Climb: 8; Craft (stoneworking): 5; {+1} Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; Jump: 8; Spellcraft: 4; {+2} Survival: 2; Tumble: 5; Racial battle technique
8th Stoneblessed 3 5 10 4 8 3: Appraise: 2; Climb: 8; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; Jump: 8; Spellcraft: 4; {+3} Survival: 5; Tumble: 5; ToughnessB Stoneborn
9th Roof-Dweller Goliath Barbarian 1 6 12 4 8 5: Appraise: 2; {+1} Climb: 9; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Jump: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+3} Tumble: 8; Roof-Jumper, RoofwalkerB Illeteracy, Mountain rage 2/day
10th Half-Orc Paragon 2 7 13 4 8 5: Appraise: 2; Climb: 9; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; Jump: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+5} Tumble: 13; Mountain rage 3/day
11th Peregrine Runner 1 7 15 6 8 7: Appraise: 2; Climb: 9; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Jump: 10; {+3} Knowledge (nature): 3; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+1} Tumble: 14; {+2} Leaping Climber; Mountain stride, Peregrine companion
12th Peregrine Runner 2 8 16 7 8 7: Appraise: 2; {+6} Climb: 15; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Jump: 11; Knowledge (nature): 3; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; Tumble: 14; Leaping Climber; Improved Skirmish Skirmish +1d6
13th Peregrine Runner 3 9 16 7 9 7: Appraise: 2; {+1} Climb: 16; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; {+5} Jump: 16; Knowledge (nature): 3; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+1} Tumble: 15; Leaping Climber; Great stamina, Slow fall 20 ft.
14th Peregrine Runner 4 10 17 8 9 7: Appraise: 2; {+3} Balance: 3; {+1} Climb: 17; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Jump: 17; Knowledge (nature): 3; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+2} Tumble: 17; Leaping Climber; Climb 20 ft., Skirmish +1/+1d6
15th Peregrine Runner 5 10 17 8 9 7: Appraise: 2; {+1} Balance: 4; {+1} Climb: 18; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Jump: 18; {+2} Knowledge (nature): 5; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+1} Tumble: 18; {+1} Speak Language: 1; Leaping Climber; Improved Toughness Fast movement, Slow fall 30 ft.
16th Peregrine Runner 6 11 18 9 10 7: Appraise: 2; {+1} Balance: 5; {+1} Climb: 19; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+1} Hide: 1; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Jump: 19; Knowledge (nature): 5; {+1} Move Silently: 1; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+1} Tumble: 19; {+1} Speak Language: 2; Leaping Climber; Skirmish +1/+2d6
17th Peregrine Runner 7 12 18 9 10 7: Appraise: 2; Balance: 5; {+1} Climb: 20; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+1} Hide: 2; {+1} Intimidate: 5; {+1} Jump: 20; Knowledge (nature): 5; {+1} Move Silently: 2; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+1} Tumble: 20; {+1} Speak Language: 3; Leaping Climber; Slow fall 40 ft.
18th Peregrine Runner 8 13 19 10 10 7: Appraise: 2; Balance: 5; {+1} Climb: 21; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+1} Hide: 3; {+1} Intimidate: 6; {+1} Jump: 21; Knowledge (nature): 5; {+1} Move Silently: 3; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+1} Tumble: 21; {+1} Speak Language: 4; Leaping Climber; Shared Fury Climb 40 ft., Skirmish +2/+2d6
19th Peregrine Runner 9 13 19 10 11 7: Appraise: 2; Balance: 5; {+1} Climb: 22; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+1} Hide: 4; {+1} Intimidate: 7; {+1} Jump: 22; Knowledge (nature): 5; {+1} Move Silently: 4; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+1} Tumble: 22; {+1} Speak Language: 5; Leaping Climber; Inexhaustible stamina, Slow fall 50 ft.
20th Peregrine Runner 10 14 20 11 11 7: Appraise: 2; Balance: 5; {+1} Climb: 23; Craft (stoneworking): 5; Diplomacy: 4; Handle Animal: 4; {+1} Hide: 5; {+1} Intimidate: 8; {+1} Jump: 23; Knowledge (nature): 5; {+1} Move Silently: 5; Spellcraft: 4; Survival: 5; {+1} Tumble: 23; {+1} Speak Language: 6; Leaping Climber; Skirmish +2/+3d6
Ride always trades for tumble.

Level Class 0th 1st 2nd
3rd Druid-1 3 1 -
4th Human Paragon (Druid-2) 4 2 -
5th Human Paragon (Druid-3) 4 2 1


1st level: Vigor, Lesser; Wood Wose; Camouflage; Climbing Tree; Shillelagh; Winged Watcher.
2nd level: Bear's Endurance; Blood Frenzy; Earthen Grace; Rapid Climbing Tree; Share Husk.
Most of them Hawk has in self-created wands. Plus, he has club with wand chamber and Wand of Rapid Climbing Tree in it.




Hawk now in searching himself. He is exploring his ancestry and discovers his love to journey and trees. There are too few trees in the desert...

Hawk now can falling into rage and fast running. And he has favorite druidic spell - Climbing Tree. In flat lands this means huge advantage in looking into the distance. Especially in combination with Eyes of the Avoral and/or Hawkeye spells.

Diving Hawk now in the goliath's tribe. He finds surprise similarity between wilderness of orcs and goliaths and this harmony in his both natures has borne fruit. Rage that coming from orcish bloodline was reborn into something new, something better and more wild.

With Camouflage, Roof-Jumper and Mountain rage Hawk can now create devastating ambushes. With single jump onto enemy from 50 ft., he can do about 5d6 damage with club and up to 20d6 with himself. But after that he forced continue to fight on the ground.


Diving Hawk is Peregrine Runner now. He runs everywhere. Mountains, plains, forests. Doesn't matter. He is happy.

When Hawk received climb speed it changed everything. Now, after first Death from Above he just climb up and Jump down again. And again. And again.
There no trees or walls around? Hawk has his favorite spell - Climbing Tree. Or rather wand of Climbing Tree which he crated himself.
First round starting with cast Climbing Tree and climb on it with using of Leaping Climber - at the top. Second round - Rage and Death from Above five times. First time from 50 ft, follow-ups from 20 ft. First for 10d6 club damage and 20d6 falling damage, follow-ups for 6d6 + 18d6. 126d6 total.

10d6 is 1d6 - club (I know, Hawk large when rage and club do 1d8), 5d6 - Skirmish and Improved Skirmish, 4d6 - Death from Above.

Another 20d6.

For each 200 pounds of an object’s weight, the object deals 1d6 points of damage, provided it falls at least 10 feet. Distance also comes into play, adding an additional 1d6 points of damage for every 10-foot increment it falls beyond the first (to a maximum of 20d6 points of damage).
So, Diving Hawk is male half-orc. His normal weight maximum is 150+(24x12)=438 lb. When he turns large due Mountain rage reasonably assume that his weight multiplied eightfold as with Enlarge person. 438x8=3504 lb. 17 times 200 lb. Plus 50 ft. falling distance.
It should be mentioned that with at least +27 Tumble check Hawk can avoid 2d6 (DC 30) or 3d6 (DC 45) falling damage and stand as free action (DC 35) if he drops prone. Not every time, but this is unmodified skill. Some items may improve it.
Shared Fury gives Hawk's peregrine companion some battle improvement. If before it was almost entirely scouting, now it can do something useful in a fight. Plus, been large it can be used to transport some load when Hawk itself forced to use Winged Watcher spell to move across some insurmountable obstacles or drop something heavy on enemies (possibly with Share Husk).



What Where Page
Desert Half-Orc Unearthed Arcana 12
Half-Orc Paragon Unearthed Arcana 40
Human Paragon Unearthed Arcana 43
Huntsman (Druid variant) Unearthed Arcana 58
Avenger (Druid variant) Unearthed Arcana 51
Stoneblessed Races of Stone 122
Goliath Barbarian Races of Stone 150
Peregrine Runner Races of Stone 116
Roof-Dweller Barbarian Web (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) -
Skilled City-Dweller Web (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) -
Rapid Spell Complete Divine 84
Practiced Spellcaster Complete Divine 82
Roofwalker Cityscape 63
Roof-Jumper Cityscape 62
Improved Skirmish Complete Scoundrel 78
Improved Toughness Monster Manual V 205
Shared Fury Races of the Wild 152
Leaping Climber Complete Scoundrel 87
Epic skill uses SRD (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm) -
Vigor, Lesser Spell Compendium 229
Wood Wose Spell Compendium 242
Camouflage Spell Compendium 43
Climbing Tree Complete Mage 99
Winged Watcher Complete Scoundrel 106
Blood Frenzy Spell Compendium 33
Earthen Grace Spell Compendium 76
Share Husk Spell Compendium 187
Eyes of the Avoral Book of Exalted Deeds 99
Hawkeye Spell Compendium 110

[The Viscount]

A useful primer on the distinction between big cats and little cats.


The little cat that dreamed of keeping up with his adopted clan.

A goliath tribe wanders the mountains with a pet cat keeping pace with the goat herd in tow. Suddenly, a large rock beans a tribesman right in the temple, killing him instantly. The goliaths immediately take up defensive positions and identify their enemies: Frost Giants, a party of 8. They begin mobilizing their defenders when suddenly the pet cat grows to great size and launches itself in the direction of a startled giant. When it charges into the giants/ line, it tears into them, tooth and claw, using its momentum to aid it in battle as it leaps from one giant to another. The goliaths win eventually, and the cat returns to its paltry size, intent on scouting ahead of the tribe to prevent further disaster. The tribe buries 7 of their own and exile another (who broke a leg in the fight), moving on within the hour.

32 Point Buy: Strength 18, Dexterity/Constitution 14, Intelligence/Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Tibbit Racial Adjustments: Strength/Dexterity 16, Constitution 14, Intelligence/Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Level 4: Strength 17, Dexterity 16, Constitution 14, Intelligence/Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Level 7: Strength 19, Dexterity 16, Constitution 14, Intelligence/Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Level 8: Strength 20, Dexterity 16, Constitution 14, Intelligence/Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Level 11: Strength 20, Dexterity/Constitution 16, Intelligence/Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Level 12: Strength 21, Dexterity/Constitution 16, Intelligence/Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Level 15: Strength 21, Dexterity/Constitution 18, Intelligence/Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Level 16: Strength 22, Dexterity/Constitution 18, Intelligence/Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Level 19: Strength 24, Dexterity/Constitution 20, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 10, Charisma 8
Level 20: Strength 24, Dexterity/Constitution 20, Intelligence 12, Wisdom 10, Charisma 9



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


1st
Ranger 1
1
2
2
0
Craft (Stoneworking) 4; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 4; Handle Animal 4; Jump 4; Concentration 3, Swim 1
Sacred Vow
Trap Expert (replacing Track), Favored Enemy (Giant), Wild Empathy
N/A


2nd
Ranger (Fangshields Substitution Level) 2
2
3
3
0
Craft (Stoneworking) 5; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 5; Handle Animal 4; Jump 5; Concentration 3, Diplomacy 3, Swim 1
Multi-Attack
Combat Style (Multi-Attack)(Bonus Feat)
N/A


3rd
Ranger 3
3
3
3
1
Craft (Stoneworking) 5; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 6; Handle Animal 4; Jump 6; Concentration 5, Diplomacy 5, Swim 1
Vow of Poverty, Endurance
Endurance (Bonus Feat)
AC Bonus +5, Endure Elements


4th
Stoneblessed 1
3
5
3
1
Craft (Stoneworking) 6; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 7; Handle Animal 4; Jump 7; Concentration 5, Diplomacy 5, Swim 1
Nymph's Kiss (Bonus Feat)
Stonebond (Goliath)
Exalted Strike +1, bonus exalted feat


5th
Stoneblessed 2
4
6
3
1
Craft (Stoneworking) 7; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 8; Handle Animal 4; Jump 8; Concentration 5, Diplomacy 5, Swim 1
N/A
Racial Battle Technique (Goliath)
Sustenance


6th
Stoneblessed 3
5
6
4
2
Craft (Stoneworking) 8; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 9; Handle Animal 4; Jump 9; Concentration 5, Diplomacy 5, Swim 1
Toughness (Bonus Feat), Nemesis (Giant)(Bonus Feat), Run
Stoneborn (Goliath)
AC Bonus +6, Deflection +1, Bonus Exalted Feat


7th
Barbarian (Goliath Substitution Level, Spiritual Totem Alternate Class Feature (Lion)) 1
6
8
4
2
Craft (Stoneworking) 9; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 9; Handle Animal 4; Jump 9; Concentration 5, Diplomacy 5, Swim 3, Survival 2
N/A
Mountain Rage 1/day, Lion Totem Pounce
Resistance +1, Ability Score Enhancement +2 (Strength)


8th
Warshaper 1
6
10
4
2
Craft (Stoneworking) 10; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 9; Handle Animal 4; Jump 9; Concentration 5, Diplomacy 5, Swim 3, Survival 4
Nimbus of Light (Bonus Feat)
Morphic Weapons, Morphic Immunities
Natural Armor +1, Mind Shielding, Bonus Exalted Feat


9th
Warshaper 2
7
11
4
2
Craft (Stoneworking) 11; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 9; Handle Animal 4; Jump 9; Concentration 5, Diplomacy 5, Swim 3, Survival 6
Reckless Rage
Morphic Body
AC Bonus +7


10th
Warshaper 3
8
11
5
3
Craft (Stoneworking) 12; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 9; Handle Animal 4; Jump 9; Concentration 6, Diplomacy 5, Swim 3, Survival 7
Touch of Golden Ice (Bonus Feat)
Morphic Reach
Exalted Strike +2 (good), Damage reduction 5/magic, Bonus Exalted Feat


11th
Warshaper 4
9
12
5
3
Craft (Stoneworking) 13; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 9; Handle Animal 4; Jump 9; Concentration 7, Diplomacy 5, Swim 3, Survival 8
N/A
Morphic Healing
Ability Score Enhancement +4/+2 (Strength/Constitution)


12th
Peregrine Runner 1
9
14
7
3
Craft (Stoneworking) 14; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 10; Handle Animal 4; Jump 10; Concentration 7, Diplomacy 7, Swim 3, Survival 10
Sanctify Natural Attack (Bonus Feat), Power Attack
Mountain Stride, Peregrine Falcon Companion
AC Bonus +8, Deflection +2, Greater Sustenance, Bonus Exalted Feat


13th
Peregrine Runner 2
10
15
8
3
Craft (Stoneworking) 15; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 12; Handle Animal 4; Jump 12; Concentration 7, Diplomacy 7, Swim 3, Survival 12
N/A
Skirmish +1d6
Resistance +2, Energy Resistance 5


14th
Peregrine Runner 3
11
15
8
4
Craft (Stoneworking) 15; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 14; Handle Animal 4; Jump 14; Concentration 9, Diplomacy 7, Swim 3, Survival 14, Spot 1
Righteous Wrath (Bonus Feat)
Great Stamina, Slow Fall 20 feet
Exalted Strike +3, Freedom of Movement, Bonus Exalted Feat


15th
Peregrine Runner 4
12
16
9
4
Craft (Stoneworking) 15; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 14; Handle Animal 4; Jump 14; Concentration 9, Diplomacy 10, Swim 3, Survival 15, Spot 1, Move Silently 1
Extra Rage
Climb 20 feet, Skirmish +1/+1d6
AC Bonus +9, Ability Score Enhancement +6/+4/+2 (Strength, Constitution, Dexterity), Damage Reduction 5/evil


16th
Peregrine Runner 5
12
16
9
4
Craft (Stoneworking) 15; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 14; Handle Animal 4; Jump 14; Concentration 9, Diplomacy 10, Swim 3, Survival 15, Spot 1, Move Silently 8
Favored of the Companions (Bonus Feat)
Fast Movement +10 feet
Natural Armor +2, Bonus Exalted Feat


17th
Peregrine Runner 6
13
17
10
5
Craft (Stoneworking) 15; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 14; Handle Animal 4; Jump 14; Concentration 9, Diplomacy 10, Swim 3, Survival 15, Spot 8, Move Silently 8
N/A
Skirmish +1/+2d6
Exalted Strike +4, Resistance +3, Regeneration


18th
Peregrine Runner 7
14
17
10
5
Craft (Stoneworking) 15; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 14; Handle Animal 4; Jump 14; Concentration 9, Diplomacy 10, Swim 3, Survival 15, Spot 10, Move Silently 10, Listen 3
Improved Skirmish
Slow Fall 40 feet
AC Bonus +10, Deflection +3, True Seeing, Bonus Exalted Feat (N/A)


19th
Peregrine Runner 8
15
18
11
5
Craft (Stoneworking) 15; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 14; Handle Animal 4; Jump 14; Concentration 10, Diplomacy 10, Swim 3, Survival 15, Spot 10, Move Silently 10, Listen 9
N/A
Climb 40 feet, Skirmish +2/+2d6
Ability Score Enhancement +8/+6/+4/+2 (Strength, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence), Damage Reduction 10/evil


20th
Peregrine Runner 9
15
18
11
6
Craft (Stoneworking) 15; Appraise (Crossclass) 2 (=4); Climb 15; Handle Animal 4; Jump 15; Concentration 10, Diplomacy 10, Swim 5, Survival 15, Spot 10, Move Silently 10, Listen 10
N/A
Inexhaustible Stamina
Exalted Strike +5, Energy Resistance 15, Bonus Exalted Feat (N/A)





A budding ranger, León is known now as León "Blacktip" the Mouser, and though he has mostly outgrown his pest-eating days, he now serves as scout and woodsman for the tribe, ranging over their territory and sniffing out giants. When threats are found, he sizes them up and advises the tribe accordingly. He's also taken up a trade, carving fetishes for those that want one, and he hopes to soon be accepted fully as a member of the tribe and race. In battle, he uses a sling at range and a dagger in close-quarters.

In a mechanical sense, he doesn't have much to help himself in battle save for Multi-Attack (should he choose to fight in feline form) and Favored Enemy (Giant), though at this level even a hill giant is a great foe. His Vow of Poverty allows him to get by with little, and honestly the tribe doesn't know how to fit armor for such a small ally.

Now a fully recognized member of the tribe and León has outgrown his "Mouser" title and grown into "the Sneakyscout", bestowed upon him by a childhood friend. He still serves as ranger, scout, and woodsman for the tribe. In battle, he wields a dagger and runs at the foes when sling bullets prove ineffective. He is bold and proud, as only a feline could, and he frequently tops the leaderboard in skirmishes for kills and injuries scored. Shame he still loses in Stubborn Root and Drink-and-Tell...

In game terms, he's slightly tougher and a slightly better warrior, but his bab is still low and Toughness isn't really as good as Improved Toughness. He hunts giants more proficiently now, and he gains more skill points to aid in his endeavors.

Having grown into his tribal role, León sheds the "Sneakyscout" title and becomes "Fleetfoot". He detours in his path again, this time embracing his animal rage. He lunges at foes with wild abandon, and when drowning in rage he grows to be larger than the goliaths he lives with. He still scouts ahead and monitors their territory, but now he can fight in the melee with his friends and family.

Now we're getting somewhere. León hits like a bit stronger now than he does in humanoid-form, but now he looks as menacing as can be (though still without ranks in Intimidate). Mountain Rage and Pounce make up for the -8 (effectively -10) strength he suffers in feline form, reducing his strength penalty to -2 and increasing his dynamic damage (dice) significantly. The average damage of the higher natural attack die probably evens out somewhat with the static damage.

While visiting Thella-lu, the meeting place of many tribes, León met with a goliath druid and there learned the shapeshifter's secret, the path of the Warshaper. Now in battle he grows stronger, heals quicker, and leads the war-party. Sometimes, he hunts lesser giants alone, and keeps his clan as safe as he possibly can. The terror of the mountain paths, the "Giant Cat" is the fireside boogeyman of giants far and wide. He earned his "Staghunter" title shortly into his new path after killing a deer in his cat-form.

Finally, this build is shining. León stays in feline form whenever not sitting around the fire, and he uses the +4 Str/Con to great effectiveness, now stronger in feline form than in humanoid form. He doesn't suffer lasting injury, he inflicts affliction (rarely), and his rage has grown even stronger through Reckless Rage. Nimbus of Light allows him to be even more diplomatic towards allies and friends, and even good-natured strangers. The bonus to diplomacy and sense motive work in concert with his Stoneblessed bonus to the latter. He's even tougher than before, since his DR, Resistance, Natural Armor, and AC Bonus are getting pretty decent (though admittedly lagging behind his wealthy peers).

León is now "Giantbiter", the bane of giants everywhere and defender of goliaths. His reputation reaches far, and his guardianship has grown to include many tribes; in fact, he now travels quickly and many places to protect not just his tribe but also his people. Accepted by many tribe's cookfires, his presence is seen as both blessing and curse. He brings news to many tribes of goings-on among other tribes, the good and bad news. No mountain is too steep to climb and no distance too great to run. His path is now that of messenger and warden.

This cool cat is synergizing well with his PrC. Freedom of Movement aids his duties as a messenger, as a scout, and as a combatant. And with energy resistance, improved ability scores, enhanced dr, and other VoP abilities, he can make up somewhat for his deficit. He never has time for a shopping spree when he's running a country mile just to find a new fight and distressed citizen to save. He finally has Power Attack, and with Pounce and Warshaper abilities, his damage output has increased significantly since last we checked up on this Tibbit. He's a better skirmisher too! When charging an evil giant (his favorite prey), he can deal 1d8+3d6+15, and his claws deal 4d6+20. It's weak (relative to the potential of more optimized builds), but he's proud of his output on the battlefield.

The tibbit is known internationally, and giant victims pray for his presence. He does not answer, but he does chase evil and malicious giants across many lands, though he still favors the mountain paths he grew up in. In battle he still launches himself at foes, but now with the confidence (maybe overconfidence) of a hero that has never failed to save a soul in need. He rarely sleeps, and he never stops for gifts or meals, instead finding ways to help communities and families rebuild.

Yeah, by this point there's not much more to talk about. He benefits from truesight and Improved Skirmish in battle and his durability is increased somewhat with decent resistances and DR. His regeneration doesn't matter too much, especially given his Fast Healing gained a long time ago. León is a weak character, probably at best a T4. Probably lower though, since he does have Vow of Poverty...


So the way I see it, shapeshifting characters are inherently cool. Entering race-locked options through a prestige class designed to unlock those options is pretty standard. However, the build does rely on a bit of jank, namely Mountain Rage. Obviously the intent of the ability is to allow the growth of the barbarian by one size category, since it is intended for Goliaths that are already nearly large. Additionally, its text states that height "only increases by a foot or so and his mass only increases by about 30-40%".

Ultimately though, the size category of the barbarian explicitly increases to Large. A tiny Cat should grow to Large size (somehow...), due to the (Ex) quality of the ability. There is one sticking point I'd argue though, and that is the natural weapon damage die issue. Mountain Rage states "He does not gain additional benefits on weapon size and grapple checks, since he already has them from his powerful build ability". As I understand it, Powerful Build does not affect unarmed attacks, so a Goliath monk uses the medium table for unarmed strikes. Since León is using natural attacks, his claws, bites, and other natural weapons should increase in damage die to match the new size. His grapple checks would suck though...

I'd defer to judge's decisions, but I think this is just goofy enough to be simultaneously funny and functional. I mean, a feral cat can reach 12" at the shoulder, 2' in length, and 8 pounds in weight. Should the Tibbit grow in feline form, mechanically speaking it'd be large, but it's also only be 2' tall at the shoulder, 4' in length, and 11 pounds. Somehow it's also large. It's also extending its reach to 15 feet when it needs to.

Please don't ban me from future submissions for this proposal, it cracks me up just thinking about it!

Long time, first time! This is about as unoptimized as it gets. Bypassing a +1 LA with a 3 level PrC just to fulfill a goofy idea? That's so dumb it'd be accepted at tables and rejected on most forums for its mediocrity. Using that 3 level PrC to qualify for not one, but two race-locked character classes? That's just ridiculous, though it might fit a character theme. This build will serve as a fun introduction to the kinds of characters I'd submit in the future. It's dumb, relies on two very poorly worded mechanics for its combat effectiveness, and uses VoP. On the other hand, it's hilarious to type, so it's probably hilarious to read.

Enjoy my future submissions.
PHB, Races of Stone, Dragon Compendium, Champions of Valor, Book of Exalted Deeds, Complete Champion, Complete Warrior, Complete Scoundrel, Dungeonscape

[The Viscount]

There are of course, no regular Garguns.



Bear-egrines Runner




https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/869438935527481344/911990112018124831/bearegrine.jpg


That Gargun so Feral...

How Feral is he?

That Gargun so Feral that they have un-updated abilities from Dungeons & Dragons 3.0


CN Feral Gargun

Barbarian 1/Shaman 3/Peregrine Runner 3/Bear Warrior 1/Peregrine runner 7/Shaman 1




Abilities

Initial
Race / Template
4th
8th
12th
16th
20th


STR

16
+4
20
20
21
22
22


DEX
12
+2
12
12
12
12
13


CON
14
+4
19
20
20
20
20


INT
14
-2
12
12
12
12
12


WIS
14

14
14
14
14
14


CHA
8
-2
6
6
6
6
6










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


1st
Low Class (Cityscape p.59) Feral Gargun (Races of Stone p.89) HD
1
0
2
2
12: {+4} Climb: 4; {+4} Jump: 4; {+4} handle animal: 4;
Power Attack
Mountain Movement, Acclimated, Goliath Blood, 2 claw nat attacks 1d6, powerful build, darkvision


2nd
Feral Gargun HD
2
0
3
3
2: {+1} Climb: 5; {+1} Jump: 5; handle animal: 4;

Resistance to Cold 5 (Ex), +2 Natural Armor, +4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, –2 Intel- ligence, –2 Charisma


3rd
Goliath (Races of Stone p.150) Lion Totem (Unearthed Arcana p.49) Barbarian
3
2
3
3
5: {+1} Climb: 6; {+1} Balance: 1; {+1} Jump: 6; {+2 CC} Diplomacy: 1; handle animal: 4;
Run (bonus), Endurance
Run Bonus feat, mountain rage 1/day


4th
Shaman (Oriental Adventures p.22, updated Dragon #318)
3
2
3
5
5: {+2 CC} Climb: 7; Balance: 1; {+1 CC} Jump: 6.5; {+2} Diplomacy: 3; handle animal: 4;
Improved Unarmed Strike(bonus)
Unarmed strike, animal companion, Domains: Travel (OA p.88), Celerity (Spell Compendium p.4 & 271)



5th
Shaman
4
2
3
6
5: {+2 CC} Climb: 8; Balance: 1; {+2 CC} Jump: 7.5; {+1} Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 4;

Spirit sight


6th
Shaman
5
3
4
6
5: {+2 CC} Climb: 9; Balance: 1; {+3 CC} Jump: 9; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 4;
Shared Fury (Races of the Wild p.152)
Turn or rebuke undead


7th
Peregrine Runner 1 (Races of Stone p.116)
5
5
6
6
5: Climb: 9; {+1} Balance: 2; Jump: 9; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 4; {+4 CC} Spellcraft: 2;

Mountain stride, peregrine companion


8th
Peregrine Runner 2
6
6
7
6
5: Climb: 9; {+1} Balance: 3; Jump: 9; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 4; {+4 CC} Spellcraft: 4;

Skirmish +1d6


9th
Peregrine Runner 3
7
6
7
7
5: Climb: 9; Balance: 3; Jump: 9; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 4; {+3} Tumble: 3; Spellcraft: 4; {+2} Extreme Leap (CS p.86);
Practiced Spellcaster (Complete Arcane p.82)
Great stamina, slow fall 20 ft.


10th
Bear Warrior (Complete Warrior p. 16)
8
8
7
7
5: Climb: 9; Balance: 3; Jump: 9; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 4; Tumble: 3; {+5} Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; Extreme Leap (CS p.86);

Bear form (black)


11th
Peregrine Runner 4
9
9
8
7
5: {+1} Climb: 10; Balance: 3; Jump: 9; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 4; {+2} Tumble: 5; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; {+2} Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);

Climb 20 ft., skirmish +1/+1d6


12th
Peregrine Runner 5
9
9
8
7
5: {+1} Climb: 11; {+1} Balance: 4; {+1} Jump: 10; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 4; Tumble: 5; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; {+2} wall jumper, Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);
Extra Rage (Complete Warrior p.98)
Fast movement, slow fall 30 ft.


13th
Peregrine Runner 6
10
10
9
8
5: Climb: 11; {+2} Balance: 6; Jump: 10; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 4; {+1} Tumble: 6; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; {+2} twisted charge, wall jumper, Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);

Skirmish +1/+2d6


14th
Peregrine Runner 7
11
10
9
8
5: {+1} Climb: 12; Balance: 6; Jump: 10; Diplomacy: 4; {+1} handle animal: 5; {+1} Tumble: 7; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; {+2} Corner Perch (CS p.85), twisted charge, wall jumper, Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);

Slow fall 40 ft.


15th
Peregrine Runner 8
12
11
10
8
5: Climb: 12; {+1} Balance: 7; {+1} Jump: 11; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 5; {+1} Tumble: 8; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; {+2} Leaping Climber (CS p.87), Corner Perch (CS p.85), twisted charge, wall jumper, Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);
Travel Devotion (Complete Champion p.62)
Climb 40 ft., skirmish +2/+2d6


16th
Peregrine Runner 9
12
11
10
8
5: Climb: 12; {+1} Balance: 8; {+1} Jump: 12; Diplomacy: 4; {+2} handle animal: 7; {+1} Tumble: 9; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; Leaping Climber (CS p.87), Corner Perch (CS p.85), twisted charge, wall jumper, Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);

Inexhaustible stamina, slow fall 50 ft.


17th
Peregrine Runner 10
13
12
11
8
5: Climb: 12; {+1} Balance: 9; {+1} Jump: 13; Diplomacy: 4; {+2} handle animal: 9; {+1} Tumble: 10; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; Leaping Climber (CS p.87), Corner Perch (CS p.85), twisted charge, wall jumper, Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);

Skirmish +2/+3d6


18th
Shaman
13
12
11
9
5: Climb: 12; {+1} Balance: 10; {+1} Jump: 14; Diplomacy: 4; {+2} handle animal: 11; {+1} Tumble: 11; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; Leaping Climber (CS p.87), Corner Perch (CS p.85), twisted charge, wall jumper, Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);
Formation expert (Complete Warrior p. 110), Iron will (bonus)
bonus feat


19th
LA 1




0: Climb: 12; Balance: 10; Jump: 14; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 11; Tumble: 11; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; Leaping Climber (CS p.87), Corner Perch (CS p.85), twisted charge, wall jumper, Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);




20th
LA 2




0: Climb: 12; Balance: 10; Jump: 14; Diplomacy: 4; handle animal: 11; Tumble: 11; Survival: 5; Spellcraft: 4; Leaping Climber (CS p.87), Corner Perch (CS p.85), twisted charge, wall jumper, Speedy Ascent (Complete Scoundrel p.89) , Extreme Leap (CS p.86);







Once upon a time there was a feral gargun that lived in a region so remote that the entire governing rules structure of his universe shifted but seemingly forgot to affect those mountaintop regions. Then, that feral gargun, with his goliath blood, joined the peregrine runners and well, lets say that they are bear-ly compatible.



Feral Garguns get big stat boosts, 2 Racial HD, and 2 LA. More importantly, they soak up 4 levels on the class abilities chart where a chef's inspiration could just chill and take a day off and not worry about harmonizing everything. Rural folks are considered lower class according to Cityscape, so they can choose up to 3 skills from the low class skills list, but they only need one: handle animal.

After Racial HD, Goliath barbarian sub levels give you mountain rage for a +6 str and the chance to count as truely large, but apparently the way that powerful build is worded, you may also count as huge for the purposes of powerful build opposed rolls and whatnot. Did you know that there are two lion totems? Yeah, one stinks to high elysium. And....That's the one Bearegrine chooses, because you get run as a bonus feat from it.

Did you know that the shaman from OA gets an animal companion? did you know that OA's shaman was updated in dragon 318? Did you know that they forgot to update the animal companion class feature in that issue, as well as the existence of animal friendship on their spell list? So, for all intents and purposes, the OA shaman has the 3.0 animal companion class feature. The one based on the animal friendship spell, which remains on their spell list. So, Bear-egrine gets his shaman caster level worth of peregrine falcon animal companions. That's gonna be like 8 peregrine falcon animal companions all in all.



The third shaman level grants a turning pool. This will be used later to pair up with travel devotion. With three peregrine falcon animal companions, taking the peregrine runner class invokes this really cool rule:
"If a character already has a peregrine falcon animal companion from another class, the levels of that class stack with his peregrine runner class levels to determine the falcon's power and abilities according to the animal companion table on page 36 of the Player's Handbook."

So those three peregrine falcons can have shared spells, and bonus HD and all of those other cool things from page 36 of the PHB. Shared Fury allows you to share your mountain rage with your peregrine buddies, including the +6 strength and size change. That's pretty cool.

then you take bear warrior. So when you have a giant mountain rage, you can share all of that, plus another +8 STR from turning into a bear. Practiced spellcaster boosts your caster level, allowing you to get 4 more peregrin falcon allies with the animal friendship spell. Now...when you move out of 5' away from these falcons, they turn back into birds. So use all of that cool movement ability that you have to transform the birds back and forth from bird to bear. Jump super high and make the bears fall on your enemy, maybe they even had a held action to attack?


The high point! Extra rage lets us do the bear-egrine falcon trick some more. Skill tricks increase your mobility to turn the hawks into bears in a more willy nilly fashion. The birds have 4 extra HD each and you can share your spells, which aren’t great but maybe you’ll get some cool wands or something.


Not a whole lot has changed, go look at 13 HD’s spoiler.


We have skirmish, a ton of movement skill tricks, travel devotion to help turn your 8 hawks into 6HD bears with 23 STR by getting within 5’ of them while raging...and moving. And when they “fall” you can use formation expert to occupy their space and perhaps gang up on some poor unsuspecting mountain traveler.

[The Viscount]

The build can lead you to water, but it can't make you drink. No, wait, that's not right...



AQUASHED GEOGNOSIC

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/869438935527481344/911848151932080158/vector-cartoon-stick-figure-drawing-conceptual-illustration-man-looking-to-dry-well-concept-meteorology-drought-dry-177832915.jpg


Neutral Goliath
Scout 5/trapsmith 1/unseen seer 2/Erudite 1/Peregrine Runner 10




ABILITIES

Initial

Race / Template

4th
8th

12th

16th
20th



STR

16
20
21
22


23


DEX
12
10







CON
10
12


13
14



INT
16








WIS
14








CHA
8











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


1st
Scout 1 (Complete Adventurer 10)
0
0
2
0
44: {+4} Climb: 4; {+4} Craft (Trapmaking): 4; {+4 CC} Diplomacy: 2; {+4} Disable Device: 4; {+4} Hide: 4; {+4} Jump: 4; {+4} Open Lock: 4; {+4} Search: 4; {+4} Sense Motive: 4; {+4 CC} Spellcraft: 2; {+4} Spot: 4;
Criminal Background (City of Stormreach 95)
Skirmish (+1d6), trapfinding


2nd
Scout 2
1
0
3
0
11: {+1} Climb: 5; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 5; {+1 CC} Diplomacy: 2.5; {+1} Disable Device: 5; {+1 CC} Handle Animal: 0.5; {+1} Hide: 5; {+1} Jump: 5; {+1} Open Lock: 5; {+1} Search: 5; Sense Motive: 4; {+1 CC} Spellcraft: 2.5; {+1} Spot: 5;

Battle Fortitude +1, uncanny dodge


3rd
Scout 3
2
1
3
1
11: {+1} Climb: 6; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 6; {+1 CC} Diplomacy: 3; {+1} Disable Device: 6; {+2 CC} Handle Animal: 1.5; {+1} Hide: 6; {+1} Jump: 6; Open Lock: 5; {+1} Search: 6; Sense Motive: 4; {+1 CC} Spellcraft: 3; {+1} Spot: 6;
Brutal Throw (MMV 134)
Fast movement +10ft, skirmish (+1d6, +1AC), trackless step


4th
Scout 4
3
1
4
1
11: {+1} Climb: 7; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 7; {+1 CC} Diplomacy: 3.5; {+1} Disable Device: 7; {+1 CC} Handle Animal: 2; {+1} Hide: 7; {+1} Jump: 7; {+1} Knowledge (geography): 1; Open Lock: 5; {+1} Search: 7; Sense Motive: 4; {+1 CC} Spellcraft: 3.5; {+1} Spot: 7;
Endurance
Bonus Feat


5th
Scout 5
3
1
4
1
11: {+1} Climb: 8; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 8; {+1 CC} Diplomacy: 4; {+1} Disable Device: 8; {+2 CC} Handle Animal: 3; {+1} Hide: 8; {+1} Jump: 8; Knowledge (geography): 1; Open Lock: 5; {+1} Search: 8; Sense Motive: 4; {+1 CC} Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 8;

Evasion, skirmish (+2d6, +1AC)


6th
Trapsmith (Dungeonscape 53)
3
1
6
1
9: {+1 CC} Climb: 8.5; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 9; Diplomacy: 4; {+1} Disable Device: 9; {+1 CC} Handle Animal: 3.5; Hide: 8; {+1 CC} Jump: 8.5; Knowledge (geography): 1; Open Lock: 5; {+2 CC} Ride: 1; {+1} Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 9;
Run
Booby traps (simple), master disarmer, trap sense +1, Spells: Arcane Sight, Clairavoyance/clairaudience)


7th
Unseen Seer 1(Complete Mage 81)
3
1
6
3
9: {+1 CC} Climb: 9; {+1} Concentration: 1; Craft (Trapmaking): 9; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; {+1 CC} Handle Animal: 4; Hide: 8; {+1 CC} Jump: 9; {+2} Knowledge (geography): 3; {+2} Move Silently: 2; Open Lock: 5; Ride: 1; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 10;

Skirmish (+3d6, +1 AC), Spells: Haste


8th
Unseen Seer 2
4
1
6
4
9: Climb: 9; {+2} Concentration: 3; Craft (Trapmaking): 9; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; Handle Animal: 4; Hide: 8; Jump: 9; {+3} Knowledge (geography): 6; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 1; Move Silently: 2; Open Lock: 5; {+2 CC} Ride: 2; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 11;

Advanced learning: Sweet Water(Defenders of the Faith 90), Silent Spell, Spells: Stone shape, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere


9th
Peregrin Runner 1 (Races of Stone 116)
4
3
8
4
9: {+2} Balance: 2; {+1} Climb: 10; Concentration: 3; {+3} Craft (Trapmaking): 12; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; Handle Animal: 4; Hide: 8; Jump: 9; Knowledge (geography): 6; Knowledge (nature): 1; {+2} Move Silently: 4; Open Lock: 5; Ride: 2; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 12;
Improved Skirmish (Complete Scoundrel 78)
Mountain stride, peregrine companion


10th
Peregrin Runner 2
5
4
9
4
9: {+2} Balance: 4; {+1} Climb: 11; Concentration: 3; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 13; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; Handle Animal: 4; Hide: 8; Jump: 9; Knowledge (geography): 6; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 2; {+3} Move Silently: 7; Open Lock: 5; Ride: 2; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 13;

Skirmish (+4d6, +1 AC)


11th
Erudite (Complete Psionic 153)
5
4
9
6
5: Balance: 4; Climb: 11; {+2} Concentration: 5; Craft (Trapmaking): 13; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; Handle Animal: 4; Hide: 8; Jump: 9; {+3} Knowledge (geography): 9; Knowledge (nature): 2; Move Silently: 7; Open Lock: 5; Ride: 2; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; Spot: 13;
Psicrystal affinity:Friendly (+3 diplomacy), Up the Walls (XPH 49 & 52)
Psicrystal Affinity, bonus feat, Powers: Dowsing (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030523a), Create Sound, Skate (XPH 89&132), Syncronicity, Urban strider (Complete psionic 103&104)


12th
Peregrin Runner 3
6
4
9
7
9: {+1} Balance: 5; {+1} Climb: 12; Concentration: 5; {+2} Craft (Trapmaking): 15; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; Handle Animal: 4; Hide: 8; Jump: 9; Knowledge (geography): 9; {+3} Knowledge (nature): 5; {+1} Move Silently: 8; Open Lock: 5; Ride: 2; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 14;
Speed of Thought (XPH 51)
Great stamina, slow fall 20 ft.


13th
Peregrin Runner 4
7
5
10
7
9: Balance: 5; Climb: 12; Concentration: 5; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 16; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; {+1} Handle Animal: 5; Hide: 8; {+1} Jump: 10; {+2 CC} Knowledge (geography): 10; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 6; {+1} Move Silently: 9; Open Lock: 5; {+1 CC} Ride: 2.5; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 15;

Climb 20 ft., skirmish (+5d6, +2AC)


14th
Peregrin Runner 5
7
5
10
7
9: {+1} Balance: 6; Climb: 12; Concentration: 5; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 17; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; {+1} Handle Animal: 6; Hide: 8; {+1} Jump: 11; {+1 CC} Knowledge (geography): 10.5; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 7; {+1} Move Silently: 10; Open Lock: 5; {+1 CC} Ride: 3; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 16;

Fast movement, slow fall 30 ft.


15th
Peregrin Runner 6
8
6
11
8
9: {+1} Balance: 7; Climb: 12; Concentration: 5; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 18; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; {+1} Handle Animal: 7; Hide: 8; {+1} Jump: 12; {+1 CC} Knowledge (geography): 11; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 8; {+1} Move Silently: 11; Open Lock: 5; {+1 CC} Ride: 3.5; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 17;
Martial study: Shadow garrote (Tome of Battle 31 &78)
Skirmish (+6d6, +2AC)


16th
Peregrin Runner 7
9
6
11
8
9: {+1} Balance: 8; Climb: 12; Concentration: 5; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 19; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; {+1} Handle Animal: 8; Hide: 8; {+1} Jump: 13; {+1 CC} Knowledge (geography): 11.5; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 9; {+1} Move Silently: 12; Open Lock: 5; {+1 CC} Ride: 4; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 18;

Slow fall 40 ft.


17th
Peregrin Runner 8
10
7
12
8
9: {+1} Balance: 9; Climb: 12; Concentration: 5; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 20; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; {+1} Handle Animal: 9; Hide: 8; {+1} Jump: 14; {+1 CC} Knowledge (geography): 12; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 10; {+1} Move Silently: 13; Open Lock: 5; {+1 CC} Ride: 4.5; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 19;

Climb 40 ft., skirmish (6d6, +3AC)


18th
Peregrin Runner 9
10
7
12
9
9: {+1} Balance: 10; Climb: 12; Concentration: 5; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 21; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; {+1} Handle Animal: 10; Hide: 8; {+1} Jump: 15; {+1 CC} Knowledge (geography): 12.5; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 11; {+1} Move Silently: 14; Open Lock: 5; {+1 CC} Ride: 5; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 20;
Martial Stance: Child of Shadow (Tome of Battle 31 &76)
Inexhaustible stamina, slow fall 50 ft.


19th
Peregrin Runner 10
11
8
13
9
9: {+1} Balance: 11; Climb: 12; Concentration: 5; {+1} Craft (Trapmaking): 22; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; {+1} Handle Animal: 11; Hide: 8; {+1} Jump: 16; {+1 CC} Knowledge (geography): 13; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 12; {+1} Move Silently: 15; Open Lock: 5; {+1 CC} Ride: 5.5; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; {+1} Spot: 21;

Skirmish (7d6, +3AC)


20th
LA




0: Balance: 11; Climb: 12; Concentration: 5; Craft (Trapmaking): 22; Diplomacy: 4; Disable Device: 9; Handle Animal: 11; Hide: 8; Jump: 16; Knowledge (geography): 13; Knowledge (nature): 12; Move Silently: 15; Open Lock: 5; Ride: 5.5; Search: 9; Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; Spot: 21;






Sometimes, the frontier gets populated with unsavory folks trying to get by outside of the reign of a regent. And sometimes people need to get across difficult terrain with contraband goods. And sometimes you’re a 8 foot tall Goliath with no cultural reference for urban vs rural outlaws. And this makes one get a bit squirrelly when it’s time to become the inter-mountainary Goliath patrol/post man. But you know the geography well



CRIMINAL BACKGROUND
you come from a long line of pirates, outlaws, or sneak thieves. Your instincts are bent toward illicit gain and self-preservation above all else.
Benefit: Bluff, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand are all considered class skills. In addition, when observing an individual, you can make a DC 15 Sense Motive check to ascertain any criminal motives. You also gain a +4 bonus on Gather Information checks involving crime and criminals. Special: You must take this feat at 1st level.

Sweet Water (Defenders of the Faith)
Divination Level: Druid 2, Cleric 3,
Components: V, S, M,
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Long (400 ft. + 40 ft./level)
Effect: A well shaft, 10 ft. diameter, up to 100 ft. deep.
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No This spell locates a source of fresh water within 100 feet of the surface. If a water source is in range, it excavates a well shaft down to that water. Otherwise, the spell fails. Material Component: A shovel or spade.

Dowsing
Clairsentience (Wis) [Divination]
Level: Psion 1
Display: Vi, Me, Au
Manifestation Time: 1 full round
Range: Personal Effect: See text
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Power Resistance: No
Power Points: 1
You can detect the nearest water source (above or below ground) if it lies within medium range (100 feet + 10 feet/level). The power can penetrate barriers, including any amount of dirt, stone, or wood (up to the power's range), but 1 inch of common metal or a thin sheet of lead blocks it.


This is what happens when you try to optimize slow fall.


5 Levels of Scout!. It's a shame that some of the prereqs eat up feat slots during these early levels, but there are some nice things about scout. Brutal throw is there because this character is equipped to use ranged attacks best, so offsetting that Goliath Dexterity of 10 is that much better strength score. My advice is to use the atlatl from sandstorm. It's a martial weapon that straddles itself between a projectile and a thrown weapon, so if you have shortspears with weapon enhancements, you can stack with your thrown attacks. Skirmish is here, something that will be stacked upon by unseen seer and peregrine runner. Criminal background gets you that worthless open lock as a class skill. Ask if that prereq can be covered by disable device and possibly save this first level feat, thereby opening up the possibility of taken hidden talent (Dowsing) thereby bringing the whole build online sooner.


We use those skill points to get ourselves into all of these skillfull prestige classes. First, Trapsmith. The strongest arcane spell progression we can get! Trapsmiths get 2 1st level divination spells, which means that once can enter unseen seer at level 7. The trap building part of this build will be largely ignored, but it is absolutely a part of the repertoir of tricks for this character. Set a trap rapidly, go accost some badguys, and lure them with a combination of skirmish and running away as a full action to move something like 200 ft. For the most part though, trapsmith is in this build for the spells. Unseen seer adds another d6 of damage to our 2d6 of skirmish, and improved skirmish adds more to it at level 9, and it builds upon the spellcasting of the trapsmith. We obviously choose that spell level 1 haste. But the second unseen seer level allows us to add a divination spell from any list to our reportoir.

The spell in question that we add is sweet water. This is a divination spell that builds a 10' diameter rennaissance style well up to 100 feet straight down, or can it be slantwise? who knows. Divination though? This spell builds a well. As a divination spell. That knowledge geography skil that we've been pimping out should allow us to make a good guess where to cast this. The idea is going to be to cast this here spell under you and your opponents feet, falling straight down. Then we'll get to use slowfall!

Further, the trapsmith list gives you stoneshape, which should allow you to seal said wells...possibly with people inside?

Peregrine Runner starts, and we get another d6 of skirmish and peregrine falcon, with whom we can share that haste. Most parts of the build are set, there is just one more ingredient.


one level of erudite and 4 more levels of peregrine runner. The combo is complete! Erudite grants access to the dowsing power, which allows you to detect water up to 100 ft into the earth. We should be able to run up to the folks we're dealing with, sink them into a well, run up the walls of the well and skirmish on the way. syncronicity can allow you to set an action in the middle of your movement, so hopefully you have a way to access a few more pp. That psicrystal can ride your peregrin falcon and benefit from that synchronicity too. I suggest buying an exotic saddle for your hawk, and giving that psicrystal a diminutive skillful lance, and begging to switch its alertness feat for mounted combat. Being a psionicist now allows us to take psionic feats like up the walls and speed of thought, but of which use your psionic focus, which you'll probably ever spend to help on concentration checks, but otherwise would tend to hang on to. The skirmish, climb, and slowfall are all aided by this "sink them into a well and hit them while theyre down technique. This is likely the high point of the build.

If you were able to get around having to take criminal background at level 1, the erudite level is best replaced with swordsage, which frees up the next two feat options to be point blank shot and rapid shot, or any other two feats that help a goliath well digger with a preternatural sense for water with a little hawk buddy who has a psyicrystal knight riding on their back.


We finish out the SI, using every single part of it like a hot dog maker. The feat choices support gaining concealment while moving, which jives well with moving 20' per round for an extra 9d6 per attack. Shadow garrote also seems to be able to trigger skirmish, so it's a nice addition to whatever you’re currently throwing at the bad guys. Level 20 is reserved by the LA.

[The Viscount]

Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night.



https://www.thehistoriclife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/medievalmessenger-1536x960.jpg

Murray d’Civis: the Long Way Round



I was sitting around dispatch, waiting for the assignments to get doled out with a hot cup of joe in my hand. Fella at the desk tossed a few local jobs to the new guys, unmarked suckers like yours truly. Everybody’s gotta start delivering the mail somewhere. He does a good enough job, you send him down the road a ways a town over, by then he’s probably gone through enough shoe leather to put a cobbler’s kids through school.

I perked up when dispatch worked his way to my route. Usually he’d give me enough to keep me out of trouble a week or two. I’d been working for Civis a couple years, almost long enough to be trusted with something important.

At least, that’s what I’d thought at the time.

“Murray, got a triple black diamond for you,” dispatch said.

The buzz of the other guys and clanking of coffee cups died down faster than if the sender had sprung for express.

The boys made like a member of Jorasco delivering a fat baby and gave me a wide berth. I went up to dispatch with a hand out. Even if I hadn’t had one of these personally, we all knew the protocol.

“I know this is on your route so it’s an assignment and all, Murray, but I can’t force you to accept it,” he said.

He was holding a canister with the message tucked away inside, impervious to all known forms of unauthorized peeping. Those three black diamonds stood out like the ones on a playing card, just above his thumb.

“I got this, boss,” I said. I almost believed it.

“Alright, that’s it, everybody else, get outta here, customers aren’t paying you to rubberneck,” he said and waved at them to clear out. It was just him and me, then.

He cracked open the case we had for messages like this and blew out the dust. With a shaky hand, he pulled out a wand to put the whammy on me.

“Sorry about this, but it’s protocol. It’s invisible, so from what I know, that’s all right with your people, right?” he said. He really didn’t want to ask, but sometimes, folks just can’t help themselves. It’s not like he’d had much of a chance to visit goliath territory being posted up way out here a million miles from the nearest mountain.

“It’s fine. The gods know I don’t think this changes the fate they set me up with the day I was born. Long as that’s true, this ain’t any kind of blasphemy,” I said. Satisfied, he put the stencil over my brow and painted over it with white liquor that burned my eyes.

“Good luck,” he said, like it would help.


I took myself down to the armory and go see the quartermaster. He was plenty ahead of schedule, already starting on lunch even though it was only half nine.

“Hey, Murray, what can I set you up with?” he asked around a mouthful of smoked Karrn sausage.

I set down the canister on the counter a respectable distance aways from him. Client wouldn’t like it if the message inside got there with extra mustard.

He saw the diamonds on it and said something not exactly fit to print.

“You’re going out the the blighted lands, you’ll need climbing gear, right?” he asked.

The magic from the kit got its grip around me. Words came out of my mouth even though I wasn’t the one saying them. I felt like a bagpipe while it put the squeeze on me.

“It is impossible for me to respond to that question,” my mouth said.

After a little trial and error, the two of us put our heads together and I figured I could draw out an itinerary on the map strictly for my own personal use and the quartermaster would be kind enough to tell me my shoe was untied. I bent over to deal with it and by the time I stood up again, he’d assembled almost everything I’d need to do my job.

“You want me to pack you a team of dogs, too?” he joked. Apparently, the curse on me had enough of a sense of humor to avoid reminding him I couldn’t answer.

“I’ll get ‘em on the way.”



Properly outfitted, I made my way to the nearest Lyrander airport. My badge got me through the line faster than I needed, but I wasn’t complaining.

“Morning, sir. You pack your bag yourself?” the skycap asked.

“Nah, I had one of the shade hunters back at the office pack it for me. I’m going on a long trip and anything to help all this not hang so heavy helps.” He gave me a once-over to see if I was being cute and his eyes hitched up on my badge, showing I was on official Civis business.

He looked nervous and excited in equal measure. “Are you carrying anything with you where the contents are . . . unknown to you?”

The magic binding me to my mission had me dancing to its tune again. “It is impossible for me to respond to that question,” I found myself saying. I hadn’t been ready that time, so it left me winded, like I’d been slugged in the stomach.

“Oh you mean . . .” he held up three fingers, representing the black diamonds. Fortunately, the spell let me off easy and didn’t make me repeat myself.

The skycap cleared his throat and shuffled his little papers.

“Oh, ahem, yes, everything seems to be in order here, welcome aboard, sir.”

After that, it was smooth sailing, so to speak. He more or less left me alone in the dining car, but was nice enough to buy me a few drinks. I saw him talking to the other porters and whatnot on the ship, probably telling them about what I was carrying. Defeated the purpose and all, but I couldn’t bring myself to deny him the excitement he was wringing out of it. Guy like him didn’t look like he got a lot of it. Besides, if I told him to keep a lid on it, all it’d do was draw more attention, which again isn’t what the customer paid extra for.

For now, I enjoyed the hot meals and cold beers while they lasted. I knew it’d all be downhill from here.

If only I meant that literally.


The ship dropped me off at the end of the line, and I was using the term in its most exact professional context. This was as far as any Lyrander ship went, because it was as far as any Lyrander ship could go. Beyond these mountains, they couldn’t fly, because nothing could, not out here. That’s why Civis needs to send for people like me in the first place.

I rented a mule from the local vendor to carry all my goodies. I haggled with him for a little while, not because I really needed to save a few bucks, but because I knew I’d miss the company soon enough. I rode up the mountain til the air got too thin for my four-legged companion and the path grew too narrow. It wouldn’t have been right to make this beast navigate treacherous ground like this. He hadn’t signed up for it. I found the sign for the rental agency I’d used soon enough. It wasn’t like he had a lot of competition here at the actual end of the earth. It would’ve been cheaper to buy the thing with how long I’d been traveling, but I didn’t have time to figure out how to sell mules up here. It was honest work, to be sure, but it wasn’t my game.

I double checked my directions with the mule man. He reminded me none of my magic gear would work out over the ridge in the blighted realm. I unpacked my bag, pulling the stuff out of the dimension within and loaded it onto my pack wherever it’d fit.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a shade hunter handy, would you?” I asked, but my luck had unfortunately run out as the mule man shook his head.

I walked over the ridge and up the long, lonely way to the highest part of the mountain. From here, I had to climb by hand, digging in with my hands and feet when the rock was too slippery to drive a solid spike in or find purchase with an ice axe. I navigated by what narrow slice of the world I could see through my snow goggles and held my hawk close to me in my coat to keep him warm.

After longer than I’d care to count, a light stood out on the horizon. The only house out here. The recipient. I knocked on the door with my hand, nearly frozen solid. It opened.

The fella who greeted me was a merchant, and inside was some kind of smelting operation, an apprentice busying himself in the back. It was hotter than Xen’drik in the summer, but after what I’d been through, it felt better than any heaven you’d care to name.

The enchantment on my head told me without my having to ask this was indeed the man I’d been sent out here to deliver the message to.

“I have a message for you,” I said. He invited me in and shut the door after me.

I took out the canister with the message in it, spelled to only open for him and handed it over. He unscrewed the cap and tipped it into his hand. Instead of a piece of paper or a scroll, a bunch of broken pieces of clay that looked like they’d once been a cylinder fell into his open palm like a pinch of snuff.

“I’m sorry, sir. Nothing can have broken what was in that canister. I’m not just toeing the company line when I say it’s very literally impossible. I don’t know what happened,” I said.

“Please, don’t concern yourself with such things. It was sent like this intentionally, as a security measure, I should think.” After he said that, he said something else I couldn’t possibly guess how to spell, in Gol-Kaa or any other language I’ve ever come across. “T̶̓ͅH̶̘̚E̵̢̅,” he said.

The way the words the geas on me’d been squeezed out of me felt fake, not like something I’d ever say myself, this felt like just the opposite. This word, whatever it was, was realer than any word I’d ever said or ever even heard before. It made what I’d thought of as real words sound fake.

The broken pieces of pottery in the merchant’s hand made themselves whole, even out here where not even the warming charm on my socks could get itself together. The writing on it wrapped all the way around. On the side facing me, I could see it complaining about the low quality of some copper ingots the sender had received. He finished reading it and with a small nod, called the apprentice over.

“Put it with the others, if you would be so kind,” he said, and gestured to a pigeon box that went to the ceiling, filled with other scrolls, carvings, pieces of seashells, and some things even I didn’t recognize.

“And you know what’s coming as part of the triple black diamond delivery packagae. Nothing personal, sir, it’s just part of the spell,” I said.

He said nothing, but had a look of quiet serenity on his face as the magic worked its way through me one last time, knotted my hand into a fist and punched him in the mouth hard enough to knock him to the floor.

He got to his feet and wiped the blood off his nose with the edge of his long sleeve. “Thank you for stopping by, Mr. d’Civis.”

I rubbed at my knuckles, half from the suddenness of the impact, and half because I didn’t envy going back out into the cold. Then again, it was the only way to get back to the office.

Just another grueling six month trek on the job. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.



goliath LA 1/ cloistered cleric of Fharlanghn 1/ totemist 6/ peregrine runner 10/ battle trickster 2



str 16 (increases go here)
dex 14
con 14
int 14
wis 12
cha 8

after racial mods
str 18
dex 12
con 16
int 14
wis 12
cha 8





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


1st
cloistered cleric 1
+0
+2
+0
+2
climb 4, diplo 4, heal 4, jump 4, k (arcana) 4, k (geography) 4, k (religion) 4, k (planes) 4
far horizons, bonus: (travel devotion, protection devotion)
turn undead, lore


2nd
totemist 1
+0
+4
+2
+2
handle animal 4, climb 2 (5)

wild empathy, illiteracy


3rd
totemist 2
+1
+5
+3
+2
climb 2 (6), jump 4 (6)
endurance
totem chakra bind +1 capacity


4th
totemist 3
+2
+5
+3
+3
climb 2 (7), jump 2 (7), spot 2

totem’s protection


5th
totemist 4
+3
+6
+4
+3
climb 2 (8), jump 2 (8), spot 2 (4)




6th
totemist 5
+3
+6
+4
+3
climb 2 (9), jump 2 (9), spot 2 (6)
run
chakra binds (crown, feet, hands)


7th
totemist 6
+4
+7
+5
+4
listen 2, spot 4 (10)

totem chakra bind (+1 meldshaper level)


8th
peregrine runner 1
+4
+9
+7
+4
balance 5, tumble 3

mountain stride, peregrine companion


9th
peregrine runner 2
+5
+10
+8
+4
tumble 8 (11)
double chakra (totem)
skirmish +1d6


10th
peregrine runner 3
+6/+1
+11
+9
+5
listen 1 (3), spot 3 (13), tumble 2 (13), point it out,

great stamina, slow fall 20ft


11th
peregrine runner 4
+7/+2
+12
+10
+5
listen 6 (9), clarify of vision

climb 20ft, skirmish +1/+1d6


12th
peregrine runner 5
+7/+2
+12
+10
+5
listen 6 (15), spot 2 (15)
open lesser chakra (shoulder)
fast movement, slow fall 30ft


13th
peregrine runner 6
+8/+3
+13
+11
+6
bluff 4, listen 1 (16), spot 1 (16), nimble stand

skirmish +1/+2d6


14th
peregrine runner 7
+9/+4
+13
+11
+6
bluff 4 (8), listen 1 (17), spot 1 (17), back on your feet

slow fall 40ft


15th
peregrine runner 8
+10/+5
+14
+12
+6
bluff 6 (14), listen 1 (18), spot 1 (18)
multiattack
climb 40ft, skirmish +2/+2d6


16th
peregrine runner 9
+10/+5
+14
+12
+7
bluff 5 (19), diplo 1 (5), listen 1 (19), spot 1 (19)

inexhaustible stamina, slow fall 50ft


17th
peregrine runner 10
+11/+6/+1
+15
+13
+7
bluff 1 (20), diplo 5 (10), listen 1 (20), spot 1 (20)

skirmish +2/+3d6


18th
battle trickster 1
+12/+7/+2
+17
+13
+7
balance 3 (8), bluff 1 (21), listen 1 (21), spot 1 (21)
open greater chakra (waist)
bonus trick (leaping climber)


19th
battle trickster 2
+13/+8/+3
+18
+13
+7
balance 3 (11), bluff 1 (22), listen 1 (22), spot 1 (22)
bonus fighter feat (improved initiative)






You revere Fharlanghn, who provides access to the travel and protection domains. Since you are focusing on areas aside from your spellcasting, you can trade both of those for their respective domain feats: travel devotion and protection devotion. Travel devotion grants movement as a swift action, which synergizes well with the skirmish you later gain from peregrine runner. Protection devotion lets you boost the AC of you and your allies. Totemist provides a bevy of natural attacks to attack enemies. Binding melds like the landshark boots that give 4 attacks pairs well with travel devotion to make you a highly mobile attacker. Endurance lays groundwork to qualify for peregrine runner later and far horizons unlocks climb and jump, very difficult to get class skills to qualify for peregrine runner thanks to your devotion to Fharlanghn.



You have entered peregrine runner and have access to its skirmish ability now. Like any other source of precision damage, it adds per attack, which goes well with totemist, which has the ability to grant lots of natural attacks. Double chakra on your totem is available now, allowing you to bind multiple things to your totem chakra, many of which offer extra natural attacks.



Your shoulder chakra is open now, providing access to binds such as the phase cloak which boosts your climbing ability and enables ethereal movement. Another bind you may often be enjoying is the totem avatar, which bumps all your natural attacks’ damage dice up by one. Multiattack helps your attacks hit more often.



You’ve finished with peregrine runner and splashed into battle trickster, which boosts your bevy of skill tricks and offers up improved initiative to help you hit first more often. Your waist chakra is now open, offering options like the manticore belt, whose granted flyby attack alongside fly speed goes well with peregrine runner’s skirmish ability.




srd: cloistered cleric, endurance, run
mm5: multiattack
races of destiny: far horizons
magic of incarnum: totemist, double chakra, open lesser chakra, open greater chakra
complete champion: travel devotion, protection devotion
races of stone: peregrine runner, goliath
complete scoundrel: skill tricks, battle trickster

[The Viscount]

This one is the chair's non-entry, not to be judged in the contest.



https://i.redd.it/qbh9ic46zha41.jpg
The Googieman
LG Feral Gargun Soulborn 6/Peregrine Runner 10

Stats (with racial mods)
Str 16 (20)
Dex 12 (14)
Con 12 (16)
Int 14 (12)
Wis 10
Cha 14 (12, increases here)
Build


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


1st
Feral Gargun RHD 1
+1
+0
+2
+2
Climb 4, Jump 4, Spot 4
Endurance
Darkvision 60 ft, Powerful Build, Acclimated, Cold Resist 5, +2 Natural Armor, 2 Claws 1d6, Goliath Blood


2nd
Feral Gargun RHD 2
+2
+0
+3
+3
Climb 5, Jump 5, Spot 5




3rd
Soulborn 1
+3
+2
+3
+3
Climb 6, Diplomacy 1, Jump 6
Steadfast Determination
Aura, Smite Opposition 1/day


4th
Soulborn 2
+3
+3
+3
+3
Climb 7, Diplomacy 2, Jump 7

Incarnum Defense (Immunity to Fear)


5th
Soulborn 3
+5
+3
+4
+4
Climb 8, Diplomacy 3, Jump 8
Sapphire Smite
Bonus Feat


6th
Soulborn 4
+6
+4
+4
+4
Climb 9, Diplomacy 4, Jump 9
Run
Meldshaping (1 Soulmeld)


7th
Soulborn 5
+7/+2
+4
+4
+4
Handle Animal 3

Smite Opposition 2/day


8th
Soulborn 6
+8/+3
+5
+5
+5
Diplomacy 5, Handle Animal 5, Jump 10




9th
Peregrine Runner 1
+8/+3
+7
+7
+5
Balance 5, Tumble 2
Bonus Essentia
Mountain Stride, Peregrine Companion


10th
Peregrine Runner 2
+9/+4
+8
+8
+5
Tumble 9

Skirmish + 1d6


11th
Peregrine Runner 3
+10/+5
+8
+8
+6
Diplomacy 7, Tumble 14

Great Stamina, Slow Fall 20 ft


12th
Peregrine Runner 4
+11/+6/+1
+9
+9
+6
Diplomacy 14
Open Lesser Chakra (Brow)
Climb 20 ft, Skirmish +1/+1d6


13th
Peregrine Runner 5
+11/+6/+1
+9
+9
+6
Diplomacy 16, Sense Motive 5

Fast Movement, Slow Fall 30 ft


14th
Peregrine Runner 6
+12/+7/+2
+10
+10
+7
Diplomacy 17, Sense Motive 11

Skirmish +1/+2d6


15th
Peregrine Runner 7
+13/+8/+3
+10
+10
+7
Diplomacy 18, Sense Motive 17
Share Soulmeld
Slow Fall 40 ft


16th
Peregrine Runner 8
+14/+9/+4
+11
+11
+7
Diplomacy 19, Gather Information 4, Sense Motive 19

Climb 40 ft, Skirmish +2/+2d6


17th
Peregrine Runner 9
+14/+9/+4
+11
+11
+8
Diplomacy 20, Gather Information 9, Sense Motive 20

Inexhaustible Stamina, Slow Fall 50 ft


18th
Peregrine Runner 10
+15/+10/+5
+12
+12
+8
Diplomacy 21, Gather Information 14, Sense Motive 21
Improved Skirmish
Skirmish +2/+3d6


19th
LA 1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


20th
LA 2
-
-
-
-
-
-
-


Backstory
“Little Cries Too Loud, did you wash your face before dinner?”

“Ugh, moooOOOoom, why do you have to call me that?”

“That’s the honorific the chief gave you, son. It’s not my fault you haven’t achieved enough to earn a new honorific. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you’re trying to dodge the question.”

“But why do I gotta wash my face, mom? It’s dumb and wastes time, and I’m just gonna get it dirty at dinner again.”

“I’m your mother and I said so, and that should be reason enough. But if that isn’t enough for you, let me tell you about another little boy who didn’t listen to his mother. He didn’t want to take a bath, and he didn’t want to do his chores. He just wanted to run around and play all day. And when his mom tried to get him to behave, he said no and ran away. He ran into the mountains to live like an animal. And a strange thing happened to him out in the wilds. Without the rules of living in a house, he became a wild thing. His hair grew long and shaggy, like a bear’s fur. His arms stretched out from all that climbing, and scraping the rocks made his fingers into sharp claws. They call him the Googieman. He had no parents out there, and the only friend he made was a wicked bird with evil eyes and talons sharp enough to cut the air in half. He grew big and strong out there, but he also got very hungry. He didn’t have a mom out there to make him dinner, so he had to find it himself. But he’s wild, so he can’t cook it up in his house. He doesn’t have a house. He has to catch his dinner in his claws, so he’s always running around looking for something to eat. Do you know what his favorite food is?”

“What?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“His favorite food is naughty little kids. He knows that if a naughty little kid runs away and becomes wild, he’ll have to compete with them later. He knows there isn’t enough food for two wild things like him out there, so he wants to eat all those naughty kids while they’re still plump and soft. Little kids who don’t wash start to smell, and he can smell them from the next mountain range. And then he starts running. He runs so much, he never gets tired, so he can travel very far in a day. When he starts to get close, you’ll hear the screeching of his evil bird.”

A harsh cry rang out in the night. It wasn’t close, but it wasn’t that far.

“And then what mom?”

“Pretty soon you might see him, too. Then the only thing to do is to run and wash fast as you can so he loses your scent. Then he’ll run off to find something else to eat. But I’m taking too long, dinner’s going to boil over. Why don’t we–“

“Mom, what is it?”

“Look! There he is!”

They both looked out into the night, and saw a hideously ugly face. Drool dripped from pointed, filthy teeth arranged in the most sickening grin. Perched on his shoulder was an oversized falcon, its eyes radiating with malice.

“Run! Wash up before it’s too late!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaa!”

Cries Too Loud’s scream rang out through the mountains as he ran to the stream fast as his feet could carry him. The gargantuan figure halted for a breath before pulling up at his chin, sliding off the grinning face to reveal the craggy, somewhat less frightening face beneath.

“I sure did a number on him. Is he going to be all right?”

“He’ll be just fine. I think he’s learned his lesson. Thanks for stopping by on such short notice. Can I offer you something to eat before you go?”

“That’s very kind of you, but I’ve got another kid on the other side of the mountain to get to tonight. Let me know if you need me again, and I’ll come running.”

“Of course, I’m sure you’re busy. Thanks again, Googieman. I’m sure this job has to be pretty tough.”

“Someone’s got to do it. And don’t worry about me ma’m. I love my work.”
Level 5
Feral Gargun begins play with an ECL of 4, unless you’re using the monster class variant. Either way, once you finish those levels you can start with soulborn. Soulborn’s smite pulls double duty for both chaotic and evil alignments. Skills and feats are going to taxes.
Level 10
At this point you’re finished with soulborn levels. Sapphire smite’s a nice way to increase your smites per day to punish more naughty goliaths. You can be flexible with meld selection, lucky dice is a good all-rounder if you can’t think of a better pick. Steadfast determination puts your Con to good use counting for 2 saves.
Level 15
Now for the SI. At this point you can stop investing in climb, since you can hit the printed DCs all the time with your ability to take 10, allowing you to pivot to the more social skills the class gives. With your brow chakra open you can bind the fearsome mask for its gaze to inspire fear. With bonus essentia you can fully juice a meld or ability.
Level 20
Finishing the SI now. With a big climb speed and immunity to exhaustion, you can run all night and get to anywhere you need. Share soulmeld isn’t helpfully explicit its wording, but I’m presuming that you can share bound effects with your familiar as well, giving double fear gazes. Your guess is as good as mine if the effect is recalculated using your companion’s Con or whether you determine the DC for both. Improved Skirmish is a natural choice to give more punch to your attacks.
Sources
Feral Gargun: Races of Stone
Soulborn, Open Lesser Chakra, Bonus Essentia, Sapphire Smite, Share Soulmeld, soulmelds: Magic of Incarnum
Steadfast Determination: PHBII
Improved Skirmish: Complete Scoundrel

[The Viscount]

There's our entries for the round! Judges, over to you.

[Thurbane]

So, this is about as far as my entry got before I ran out of time (and enthusiasm for the build):



https://i.imgur.com/E3VC1e9.jpg
Sivakk the Swift



Male CG Desert Half-Orc Swordsage 3/Stonebelssed (goliath) 3/Peregrine Runner 10/Swordsage +4




Level
Class
Base Attack Bonus
IL
Man.
Stn.
Feats
Class Features


1st
Swordsage 1
0
1
6
1
Endurance, Run
Quick to act +1, discipline focus (weapon focus)


2nd
Swordsage 2
1
2
7
2

AC Bonus


3rd
Swordsage 3
2
3
8
2
Power Attack
-


4th
Stoneblessed 1
2
3



Stonebond


5th
Stoneblessed 2
3
4



Racial battle technique


6th
Stoneblessed 3
4
4


Strong Stomach, Toughness
Stoneborn


7th
Peregrine Runner 1
5
5



Mountain stride, peregrine companion


8th
Peregrine Runner 2
6
5



Skirmish +1d6


9th
Peregrine Runner 3
7
6


Leap Attack
Great stamina, slow fall 20 ft.


10th
Peregrine Runner 4
8
6



Climb 20 ft., skirmish +1/+1d6


11th
Peregrine Runner 5
9
7



Fast movement, slow fall 30 ft.


12th
Peregrine Runner 6
10
7


Penetrating Strike
Skirmish +1/+2d6


13th
Peregrine Runner 7
11
8



Slow fall 40 ft.


14th
Peregrine Runner 8
12
8



Climb 40 ft., skirmish +2/+2d6


15th
Peregrine Runner 9
13
9


Improved Skirmish
Inexhaustible stamina, slow fall 50 ft.


16th
Peregrine Runner 10
14
9



Skirmish +2/+3d6


17th
Swordsage 4
15
10
9
2

Discipline focus (insightful strike)


18th
Swordsage 5
15
11
10
3
Fleet of Foot
Quick to act +2


19th
Swordsage 6
16
12
11
3

-


20th
Swordsage 7
17
13
12
3

Sense magic

[H_H_F_F]

Phenomenal work everyone! I'll get to entering your submissions into the spreadsheet shortly.

My bad joke build was going to be a goliath half vampire with the blood drain ability, who realized at some point that drinking people's blood was wrong and went vegan. The wording of blood dependency makes it arguable that even immunity to fatigue won't stop you from becoming exhausted once you fail a couple of saves, so blanket immunity to exhaustion, coming incredibly late in the build, would be the only thing that'd let her function.

I intended to lean further into it by taking pain mastery, which is helped by the natural healing from half vamp. That made me consider crusader, but the stupidity of it all just wore me down at some point, and I didn't feel like wasting the judges' time.

[Malphegor]

while you’re waiting for the judges, for entertainment’s purposes… Things kinda got away from me irl so never got around to send my submission in even though I had the idea in seconds of seeing the class, sorry folks.

My idea was stupid and inelegant too anyway: undying way ex-Monk 2/Barbarian with acf 1/Peregrine runner 2/warblade 7/bloodstorm blade 6/drunken master 2.

Built around hucking the falcon at people who’d then fly back to the user’s hands as an improvised (possibly dead) weapon, which seems pretty gianty. The monk is in there mainly to represent the idea of ‘weathering all hits stoically’ being the philosophy they eventually decide this bird exemplify and though nobody condones it hucking a seemingly dead bird at people is the purest form of the Undying Way

Dumb drawing below:



https://i.ibb.co/yyL2TzG/9-A42-C413-42-B7-47-E9-9-BF3-77-D713700-F2-F.jpg

[H_H_F_F]

I've updated the spreadsheet, you're all in there. Another Viscount Pure Soulborn x / SI 10 joins the ranks. How many more will there be?

[Venger]

Someone has to love the soulborn.

[WhamBamSam]

This is the build I wanted to do, but it unfortunately doesn't work, as Broken One's Sacrifice requires you not be immune to fatigue.

Goliath Spirit Lion Horse Totem Barbarian 5/Peregrine Runner 8/Uncanny Trickster 3/Shadowdancer 3
1. Barb 1 – Expeditious Dodge
2. Barb 2 – Run
3. Barb 3 – Combat Reflexes
4. Barb 4
5. Barb 5 – Endurance
6. Peregrine Runner 1 – Mobility
7. Peregrine Runner 2
8. Peregrine Runner 3
9. Peregrine Runner 4 – Broken One’s Sacrifice
10. Shadowdancer 1
11. Peregrine Runner 5
12. Peregrine Runner 6 – Darkstalker
13. Peregrine Runner 7
14. Peregrine Runner 8
15. Shadowdancer 2 – Robilar’s Gambit
16. Uncanny Trickster 1
17. Uncanny Trickster 2
18. Uncanny Trickster 3 – Extra Rage
19. Shadowdancer 3

The idea was to use Broken One's Sacrifice with immunity to the fatigue downside to interpose with an adjacent ally while large from Mountain Rage, so that the only way to 'switch' positions (being in the ally's square and no longer any of the ones I had previously occupied) would involve moving 10 ft, triggering Skirmish on the Robilar's Gambit attack and on your coming turn if that can be said to be in the same round, an extra 10 ft of movement from Speedy Ascent twice per encounter if I'm climbing, and Shadowdancer HiPS for good measure. But, again, Broken One's Sacrifice requires that you actually suffer its downside, so no dice.

I also had this, which does work but which I didn't have the motivation to finish or write up.

Goliath Fey Bard 4/Marshal 3/Peregrine Runner 10
1. Fey Bard 1 – Skill Focus (Diplomacy)
2. Bard 2
3. Marshal 1 – Snowflake Wardance, Run
4. Marshal 2
5. Marshal 3
6. Bard 3 – Endurance
7. Bard 4
8. Peregrine Runner 1
9. PR 2 – Combat Expertise
10. PR 3
11. PR 4
12. PR 5 – Improved Disarm
13. PR 6
14. PR 7
15. PR 8 – Snatch Weapon
16. PR 9
17. PR 10
18. X 1 – Feat
19. X 2

Uses Snowflake Wardance and the Art of War Marshal Aura to add Cha to disarm checks twice with a rapier (which is already better than a 2-handed weapon wielded by a medium creature, thanks to Powerful Build), steals their weapon with Snatch Weapon (possibly at range via Whirling Blade) and then possibly just runs away.

[mattie_p]

Alrighty. I'll start working on this. Most likely will not make progress until the weekend. Not only do I have a holiday tomorrow but I'm also the host and cook.

[H_H_F_F]

Have fun, Mattie. And thanks!

[The Viscount]

Someone has to love the soulborn.

Cooking with soulborn has not made me love it any more. It might have made me love it less.

[Seward]

Uses Snowflake Wardance and the Art of War Marshal Aura to add Cha to disarm checks twice with a rapier (which is already better than a 2-handed weapon wielded by a medium creature, thanks to Powerful Build), steals their weapon with Snatch Weapon (possibly at range via Whirling Blade) and then possibly just runs away.

I kinda met that guy in one adventure. His opening move is to steal the most expensive looking weapon from a likely PC (avoiding the massively burly types if such is an option) and flee, taunting you as he runs. His minions are supposed to slow you down and string the party out, possibly opening up other theft opportunities. It is in a major city while shopping so party tends not to have mounts or willingness to fire destructive aoe effects.

Unfortunatly for him, he is usually one of those dudes who didn't correctly estimate the party's power. No matter how good he is at running, PC's have no sense of humor about losing gear and he tends to run smack into top-tier battlfield control effects or an angry party dimension doored in front of him, depending on party level. To credit his wisdom, he will surrender rather than commit suicide-by-PC when the situation becomes clear.

I do like the image of a highish lvl party's panic at losing an expensive weapon to an extremely mobile mini-giant. People burn massive resources to prevent falling under wbl.

[Wildstag]

Cooking with soulborn has not made me love it any more. It might have made me love it less.

So is it a personal challenge at this point or a joke?

[The Viscount]

So is it a personal challenge at this point or a joke?

Neither. It's a consequence of a few things. The first is that as the chair, I get to see the builds as they come in, cutting down on Vizzini. Even though my build isn't being judged, I still don't want to make my build too similar to other entries. Granted, it takes some time for me to make my build, so I don't see all the entries when I make it.
Because the build isn't judged, I can also go all out in pursuing wild concepts, even if they aren't as powerful. Soulborn gives paladin-type flavor without a restrictive code of conduct, and I thought fearsome mask with share soulmeld is a fun way to make use of the SI and pursue my concept. For similar reasons I used Feral Gargun as my race. I didn't think anybody else would use, and thought I could showcase it as a third means of qualification. I was wrong.
A third reason is that once I had the levels I needed to shape the fearsome mask, I had 2 levels left and nothing I could really think of to do with them. I was running out of time, so I decided to add more soulborn levels, since this ingredient is more of a conceptual than a mechanical showcase.

[H_H_F_F]

For similar reasons I used Feral Gargun as my race. I didn't think anybody else would use, and thought I could showcase it as a third means of qualification. I was wrong.
That was a very reasonable assumption. As far as I can tell, we've never had a Feral Gargun before this round - which isn't surprising. It could only find justification in a goliath exclusive round, and this is the only one we've done, I believe.

I wonder whether or not Dawncaller would make for a good ingredient.

[The Viscount]

It certainly isn't very good, which is fitting for a secret ingredient. Entry is quite restrictive though, and I try to pick ingredients with more avenues of entry (shining blade round aside). I could be convinced if it's what the people want.

[H_H_F_F]

Even if we do end up doing it, it probably shouldn't come soon. Give the mountain folk some time to breath.

[Venger]

what a crummy prestige class

[daremetoidareyo]

While the judge chews on these here Peregrines Runner, Does anyone want to speculate on what the next ingredient will be?

[Zaq]

Are there any appropriate psionic candidates remaining?

[Wildstag]

Are there general rules on how things change? Or what limits there are on PrC? I know Warshaper's been done, so 5-level classes aren't out...

I'd love to see Thief-Acrobat, Incarnum Blade, or Wild Plains Outrider (for a three-level PrC). Those short prcs are fun and allow for greater shenanigans by not being a full half the build.

[H_H_F_F]

Are there general rules on how things change? Or what limits there are on PrC? I know Warshaper's been done, so 5-level classes aren't out...

I'd love to see Thief-Acrobat, Incarnum Blade, or Wild Plains Outrider (for a three-level PrC). Those short prcs are fun and allow for greater shenanigans by not being a full half the build.

Warshaper hasn't been done, at least not on these forums. As far as I know, we're doing 10 level classes exclusively.

[The Viscount]

I have exactly 1 psionic class on my list. I'm a little hesitant given how last round I had a psionic ingredient, I had a grand total of 3 entries, one of which was mine.

The focus is 10 level ingredients, for a number of reasons, including that it's even harder to showcase a 5 level class. We've done dungeon lord in the past in a special round, and I've pondered doing 2 5 level classes, but that seems a bit wandering into junkyard wars territory.

Some options I was mulling over. As we reach the winter season where the nights grow longer, choose your flavor of darkness:

Unnecessarily Complicated Darkness
Baffling Concept Darkness
Obscure Darkness

[H_H_F_F]

These all sound great. I support Unnecessarily Complicated.

[Troacctid]

I like Obscure Darkness. That's the best kind of darkness.

[Thurbane]

I'll vote Obscure Darkness.

[Venger]

Obscure darkness, definitely.

[Wildstag]

Huh, thought I'd seen Warshaper in the list. Those short prcs could be fun to show off how they are used to support the other levels rather than be a pillar on its own. The issue with doing two 5-level PrCs would probably just be conflicting prereqs.

Did I see "Unnecessarily Complicated" on the list?

P.S. Ah, I think I saw Waverider and just erroneously assumed as I scrolled through the list.

[daremetoidareyo]

Baffling concept!

[Seward]

<scrubbed>

Missed the direction change in the conversation.

A 5 lvl prc might be fun, or a combo of 2 PRCs (or maybe a 5 and a 3 lvl. Ruathar Nature Warrior or HalfOrc Paragon + Outcast Champion) I'd like a thematic connection between the PRCs though.

Um. another vote for Obscuring Darkness.

[Zaq]

I’ll regret this, but put me down for baffling concept darkness. I bet that’ll produce the builds that are the most creative in an obnoxious and stupid way.

[AvatarVecna]

Obscure Darkness.

[mattie_p]

Quick update here. I'm a little over halfway done with my scoring. Going through elegance is always the toughest part for me due to the way I check. Got a mostly free weekend coming up so should have good progress.

[loky1109]

Baffling Concept Darkness

[Beni-Kujaku]

Unnecessarily complicated darkness

[H_H_F_F]

Quick update here. I'm a little over halfway done with my scoring. Going through elegance is always the toughest part for me due to the way I check. Got a mostly free weekend coming up so should have good progress.

Thanks for the update, mattie.

[Seward]

Thanks for the update, mattie.

Agreed. This is my first time and when I read earlier threads I never thought to see how long this period was. Much longer than I thought (although this period is well within normal range based on prior threads, Mattie's progress plus also holidays etc), so the waiting and suspense are more difficult than I expected.

[daremetoidareyo]

Agreed. This is my first time and when I read earlier threads I never thought to see how long this period was. Much longer than I thought (although this period is well within normal range based on prior threads, Mattie's progress plus also holidays etc), so the waiting and suspense are more difficult than I expected.

I think that’s why zaq tries to stagger the e6 round with the main comp: to eat up that anxious energy with something new

[Paragon]

How are you doing Mattie_p ?
Really eager to read your words :p (no pressure, if you happen to have an ETPosting it'd be great !)
Thanks for standing up to judge, hope I don't sound too presumptuous, i'm just impatient.

[mattie_p]

I wish I had better news, my weekend was less productive, judging wise, than I had hoped. I have tonight and tomorrow night free, however, and would like to wrap this up within about 30 hours if things go as planned.

[H_H_F_F]

Do things ever go as planned? Thanks for the update, Mattie, and good luck!

[mattie_p]

Things never seem to go to plan. Yesterday was essentially unavailable for judging due to an urgent situation at work. Tonight I have gaming group, so Friday it is. Sorry for the delay.

[Seward]

Is Mattie our only judge for this round? If not, I wonder how the others are doing?

[H_H_F_F]

I'm pretty sure mattie_p is soloing this round.

[Paragon]

Is it at all possible to get the next ingredient while mattie struggles with the unpredictable world that is ours to find the time to judge these entries ?
I mean is there a precedent ?

[H_H_F_F]

There's no precedent for that, as far as I'm aware. I'd also be against that, personally, but it's up to The Viscount.

If you feel like building something and have the time, have you considered submitting something for one of the sister competitions, or judging one?

(This isn't meant to be an arguement against your suggestion, just a genuine thought, by the way)

[The Viscount]

I don't, mostly because it would split the judges' attention if they're cooking for next round.

[mattie_p]

I apologize for the delays. As mentioned life has been unexpectedly busy. No natural disasters or anything just crazy hectic. I should be able to post results later today. Estimate in about 12 hours.

[H_H_F_F]

Thanks for the update Mattie!

[Seward]

I should be able to post results later today. Estimate in about 12 hours.

Yay! Thanks for stepping up, I'm sure it will be worth the wait. It would have been a letdown if nobody had judged our silly Goliaths and their totally OP racial PRC!

[The Viscount]

It's a PrC so cool they have to keep people from getting in.

[H_H_F_F]

I have a (very) stupid pun to join in on the fun of mocking Peregrine Runner, but it only works in Hebrew. I'm very upset.

[The Viscount]

There's bonus stupidity in English as well. The class is almost certainly named after the peregrine falcon companion you get, but the word itself has (an admittedly rarely used) meaning of roughly "traveler."

So the class is "dude who runs to get places" which just cracks me up.

[Wildstag]

Traveler or pilgrim would also work, and in Spanish, peregrino/a is the word for pilgrim. Shame there's not many ways to make a pun related to it. Or at least I can't think of any...

[H_H_F_F]

There's bonus stupidity in English as well. The class is almost certainly named after the peregrine falcon companion you get, but the word itself has (an admittedly rarely used) meaning of roughly "traveler."

So the class is "dude who runs to get places" which just cracks me up.

Oh snap.

In Hebrew, the Peregrine Falcon is called "הבז הנודד", which just means "the [~roaming/traveling/migrating~] falcon". I didn't know Peregrine meant the same thing.

[mattie_p]

I had thought to write a story about delivering the judgement, but just pretend that it's Murray D'Civis doing the delivery through many delays. Just hope that your's isn't the triple diamond.

As with all my judgements, the individual adjustments + or - are the primary source. If the sums that I offer are different from the total of the adjustments, the adjustments are correct.


UoSI: Starts at 1 and just goes upwards. More parts of the SI used gets a larger bonus.
All the rest of the categories start at 3 and float up or down as needed.

Barbarian is not unexpected. Druid - fascinating. Your build table is ... wonky. I mean like really unusual formatting. Not a fan. Interesting approach, I'm curious how you justify not simply taking more druid levels.

Originality: 2.5 Using Goliath is expected but no penalty. Goliath Barbarian gets a small ding as the favored class of the race and explicitly mentioned as a preferred means of entry (-0.5). Druid gets little out of Peregrine Runner except animal companion (+0.25). Feats don't really stand out as unique or flavorful (-0.25).

Power: 4.25 Druid spellcasting is powerful yes. Nets you a (+0.75) for 4th level casting. Pounce via wildshape nets you a (+0.5). (Everyone has skirmish so it's a net wash all around, essentially, unless you went overboard on it). BAB and Saves are about standard fare throughout. Stronger than average companion (+0.25). Pretty solid from this standpoint, don't see any real tricks or combos outside of these. Do you have a way to cast in rage? I don't think you do. It's going to be either-or, which impacts utility a bit (-0.25).

Elegance: 1.0 Your final stat boost at level 20 doesn't exist due to your +1LA (-0.25). Now you didn't use my skill table (which you don't have to!) but I re-created your skills in the table to help tabulate and error check, of which I found quite a few. Hide is cross-classed for druids, but you gave full credit (-0.25). A much bigger flaw is that Jump and Climb are likewise cross-class for druids. Simply assigning a single skill point at each level into those will net you 6.5 ranks total by level 7, the level before you take your first level of Peregrine Runner. This equates to a Failure to Qualify for the SI, in 2 pre-reqs, netting you a (-1.0). Level 14 skill assignments seem to be a duplicate of level 13, so there's no change in results (-0.25). And at Level 17 you pick up 4 ranks of Move Silent from no where (-0.25). Finally, you don't qualify for Improved Skirmish at the level you took it, as you must select your feat prior to gaining class features (see p58-59 of the PHB) (-0.25). Minimum score = 1.

Use of Secret Ingredient: 3.5 I feel you utilized mountain stride for a (+0.25). Peregrine companion is stronger than some peers giving you a (+0.75). Pounce via wildshape nets you a bonus towards your use of skirmish, as does improved skirmish (+0.75). Stamina helps you ignore the downsides of rage (+0.25). And all 10 levels were taken for a (+0.5). I wish there was more leverage of pre-req feats, pre-req skills, slowfall, and climb speed, (I mean you call out that you use air walk), none of which I really see as part of your final offering. Class skills were used all over the map, didn't really focus anywhere. Lastly I'm not really seeing why you just didn't take more druid levels. I think it's a fair question, you had the wisdom to get 7ths and could have changed your level-up stats to get 9ths. Most of your feat selection went to boost your main build, only 1 feat did anything remotely associated with this class (+0.0).


Barbarian is there, but no rage ?!? What the heck is with the druids? Spellwarp sniper. Intriguing. Let's see what you did with 6 levels of PR - looks pretty spell heavy. Feats suggest you're leaning hard into SA / Skirmish.

Originality: 3.5 Using Goliath is expected but no penalty. Goliath Barbarian gets a small ding as the favored class of the race and explicitly mentioned as a preferred means of entry (-0.5). I'll give you a small boost as you gave away mountain rage (+0.25). Druid gets little out of Peregrine Runner except animal companion (+0.25). Spellwarp Sniper is quite unexpected (+0.5).

Power: 4.75 Druid spellcasting up to 6th level spells nets you a (+1.0). Thank you for not making me investigate volley rules. Ranged touch-attack rays of up to 5th level and extra SA and raystrike helps (+0.25). One of the biggest strengths here is your mobility, it's not impossible to catch you, but opponents really need to make an effort to do so (+0.25). Your companion is slightly stronger than average, enough for a bonus (+0.25).

Elegance: 3.25 Good use of barbarian to pickup two required feats (+0.5). I have an issue with your selection of Assasin's Stance via Martial Stance at level 6. I'm aware of the reading on the boards by some individuals that you don't need to meet an initator level to select a maneuver or stance. I do not agree with this reading for the purposes of judging. As this impacts your entry into Spellwarp Sniper I'm penalizing by (-0.5). Other than that, no problem meeting pre-reqs for classes or feats (+0.25). I'm not seeing any questionable readings in your combo either (+0.25). It's kind of a side-bar for your companion, but I don't think the hit-die related ability score can go to INT, as that is constrained by the animal type to a limit of 2. Probably need Exalted Companion to do something like that (-0.25).

Use of Secret Ingredient: 3.5 So in the rest of the judgement amongst your peers, I've been trying to give credit for utilizing the run feat, but I'm going to allow fast movement to stand in here for you since you uniquely amongst your peers seem to explicitly use the stacking mechanism provided by the class feature (+0.25). Good utilization of pre-req skills (+0.25). I'll give kudos here for use/enhancement of mountain stride (+0.25). There's definitely some thought/investment into your peregrine companion, who serves a good purpose here (+0.5). Skirmish gets high marks due to your mobile spellcasting (+0.5). Class skills used to good effect (+0.25). 6 of 10 levels is barely enough for a small bonus of (+0.25). Missing uses for endurance, stamina, slow fall, and climb speeds. I have to ask why you didn't just go more druid or some PRC that advances casting. Especially having given up WS there's little in the class that nets you anything as powerful as 9th level spellcasting. You did put some thought into your schtick, and PR doesn't appear to detract too much from your casting, so a small bonus of (+0.25) is called for.


Monk - and Swordsage! Splash of Incarnum. Fighter dip to taste. What are we cooking up here? Wait, are you climbing opponents?!?

Originality: 3.75 Using Goliath is expected but no penalty. There's no penalties for monk and fighter here, pretty common when searching for bonus feats, but rare in this particular competition. Swordsage is fun but I didn't expect to see it here (+0.25). Climbing up opponents as a tactic is pretty darn rare, the Hammer and Piton feat is seldom mentioned as an optimization opportunity and I really hadn't explored it until reading this entry (+0.5).

Power: 4.0 The swordsage maneuvers will get you a boost of (+0.25), especially as they are part of your trick. I ... guess you kinda have a pseudo-pounce? (+0.5). BAB and Saves are about right for the class. Phew, that's a lot of feats to set up for this, but it does give you a lot of different options once you're in combat at set up (+0.25).

Elegance: 4.0 Like many of your peers you forgot that the +1LA of goliath means you never get your ability boost at level 20 (-0.25). Good job on qualifying for all classes on time as well as all feats (+0.5). Excellent manuever selection, was easy to read and understand, and you met all pre-reqs for those (+0.25). You do take a slight multiclass penalty towards the end of your career (-0.25). I really don't see any dubious readings in your combo - it's unique and I don't see it as a well known trick - so very neatly done to maximize the utility of this (+0.5) (There's an Optimize this Feat thread from a few years back, I'll check it out after I'm done here). With all the bonus feats you picked up via monk and fighter, I'll give you a small bonus here for eating the feats via regular slots while still pulling off your trick (+0.25).

Use of Secret Ingredient: 4.0 You did utilize your pre-req skills to some decent effects (+0.25). Neat skill trick for your companion, might be hard to get with a DC 20 and only 4 ranks but probably at some point you roll well (+0.25). Skirmish well utilized to full effect, even without improved skirmish (+0.75). Climb speed definitely used (+0.25) as well as slow fall (+0.25)! Finally, you took all 10 levels (+0.5). Didn't see efforts to use the pre-req feats, mountain stride, or stamina. So the thing is that this build really looks like it took Peregrine Runner into account from the start, rather than just being tacked on at the end of a build. Bravo (+0.5).


Backstory - a little sparse. Scout dip of 1, unusual breakpoint. Warblade, shocktrooper. I like how you called the skill "Diplomancy."

Originality: 3.25 Using Goliath is expected but no penalty. Scout isn't called for as an entry point (my guess is that it's because Races of Stone was published about 6 months before Complete Adventurer?? There's probably a Dragon or Dungeon Mag class that gets skirmish prior to this publication) but I expected it anyway due to the way skirmish stacks. I'll call this a (-0.25). I always expect to see ToB, but not a 9 level investment (+0.5).

Power: 3.75 Strong warblade maneuvers get you a (+0.5) here. You do get pounce, but not all the time, and adaptive style to recharge it is late (+0.25). It's a shame you couldn't squeeze out a BAB of +16, trading your scout level back for the final level of PR would have done that. Will save a little low but you handle that via maneuver. Between Shocktrooper and the focused skills, I think you earned a little bonus here for utility as well (+0.25). I'm not honestly sure why you took the Leap of the Heavens feat, seems like what you're using it for is built into Goliath via Mountain Movement, seems like a wasted feat (-0.25).

Elegance: 2.75 The way you entered ability scores made me reverse engineer your base scores. Please list them as-bought in the future (-0.25). At Warblade 3 you take Battle Leader's Charge but seem to lack a previously known maneuver in the White Raven discipline (-0.25). You also start accruing multi-class penalties at that level (-0.25). Warblade 4 - Mountain Tombstone Strike is a level 9 maneuver, surely you meant something different like Mountain Hammer (but you list it twice as-is) (-0.25)? Good use of warblade bonus feat to pick up a pre-req feat (+0.25). Qualified for all classes and feats without dubious readings (+0.5). You have a better skirmish then you have listed for much of your build. The bonuses stack - the way you wrote it was as if the levels stack. No penalty.

Use of Secret Ingredient: 2.75 Leveraged class pre-req skills via maneuvers (+0.25). Made motions towards your companion scouting for you gets you a minimal (+0.25). Skirmish use I think gets full marks (+0.75). Used Peregrine Runner skill points to good effect (+0.25). And you took 9/10 levels in the class (+0.25). (You probably avoided taking the last level due to the way you interpreted the stacking of skirmish. That's unfortunate for you here). No use of Endurance or Run pre-req feats, mountain stride, stamina, slow fall, or climb speed that I could see. As with your spellcasting peers, I'm having a hard time questioning why you wouldn't just invest more into Warblade or a PrC for it. You get, what, +3d6 skirmish + pouncing charge on 3 attacks? I mean, Ancient Mountain Hammer would do +12d6 on a standard action and refreshes as often. I'm not seeing a huge reason to take the class other than to enter this competition (+0.0).


Can't say I didn't expect a Ranger. Wait, how many ACFs? Swordsage, Druid dip? Master of Nine. I can't wait to see what we got under the hood.

Originality: 3.75 Using Goliath is expected but no penalty. I would certainly expect Ranger as a point of entry, not only because of the Endurance feat being granted as a bonus feat (but see elegance), but because of animal companion stacking (-0.25). And seriously, what is with all the druids? (+0.25) I didn't expect swordsage much (+0.25), and using it to leap into Master of Nine! (+0.5).

Power: 4.25 Decently powerful manuevers (+0.25). Your companion is going to be well above standard (+0.5). BAB and saves are all right, nothing fancy. I'm not sure how legal your combos are, but assuming you get a permissive DM (see elegance) there's some combat power packed in here (+0.25). Enough out of combat utility for a boost here (+0.25) via skills.

Elegance: 1.0 There are significant challenges here which impact your score. You don't get a stat boost at level 20 due to the +1LA from your race (-0.25). You have track as a bonus feat on your build but you gave it away in Trapfinder ACF (-0.25). Good use of class to pickup as a bonus feat a pre-req in Endurance (+0.25). You take a multi-class penalty, and then another one (-0.5). Here's the big one. At Level 6 (your level before Peregrine Runner) you have 8 ranks in both Climb and Jump. This falls short of the 9 ranks required to enter the class. This is, unfortunately for you, a Failure to Qualify for the the class. Because you fell short in 2 pre-reqs, you get a (-1.0). Skill trick Walk the Walls requires Climb 12, at that level you have 11 ranks (-0.25). By the way, where is your maneuver list for swordsage? Its going to spread you really thin to qualify for Master of Nine, although you can swing it. I see that you're using the reading of "most prestige classes advance IL by +1" to include prestige classes outside of ToB. I had to spend a lot of time checking possible maneuvers. You get a (-0.5) total for questionable reading as well as not actually listing your maneuvers in an orderly fashion (you used the old version of the skill table, why not use the spell/maneuver section!). You take the Ranger Wild Shape ACF to level 4, not actually picking up Wild Shape. But you expect it to stack with a singleDruid Level to get Wild Shape? (-0.25). I'm pretty sure you need something like Roof Jumper to drop on an enemy as per your combo. And it's not very elegant to give your animal companion a maneuver as a feat when you have minimal ranks in handle animal and it has an INT score of 2. There are very very many errors here as well as questionable interpretations of the RAW bordering on straight illegal. Minimum score = 1. I did almost go lower.

Use of Secret Ingredient: 4.0 Good use of pre-req skills via skill tricks (+0.25). Credit for partial stacking of fast movement + mountain stride (+0.25). Definite tactics to take advantage of your companion - including the feat selection (+0.5). A mark of excellence for skirmish utilization (+0.75). Slow fall (+0.25) and climb speed (+0.25) see some use in your dubious combo. A compliment for your utilization of the class skills and points (+0.25). And you did take all 10 levels (+0.5). Overall a decent effort here. I didn't see movement to use Endurance and Run pre-reqs, nor stamina, which were part of my rubric. So as I pointed out in elegance I don't think the trick really works without Roof Jumper, which forbids slow fall anyway. It seems you might not have known about that? Anyway, its fun to think of but doesn't really strike as using the class in a synergistic way to get a bonus here, it's not uniquely Peregrine Runner. Your score in this category is pretty decent as it is anyway.


Our first Stoneblessed! A different restriction. Lots of Paragon here. A Paramount Paragon. Am I to understand that we're doing an aerialist half-orc Peregrine Runner? Sure, why not?

Originality: 4.25 So there's limited entry into Peregrine Runner, so I did anticipate Stoneblessed, but with a 3 level investment vs +1LA it's a tradeoff I expected few to make (+0.5). Took advantage of non-goliath entry for some paragon levels, also unexpected (+0.5). Barbarian and Druid will cancel each other out in originality (+0.0). ACFs (particularly on Barbarian) and feat selection will net you another bonus (+0.25) - Wand, Improved Toughness, Roof-Jumper? Sure.

Power: 3.5 2nd Level Druid spells + unlimited wands means a lot of utility (+0.5). Not sure why you picked rapid spell when there's no way to mitigate the cost, you can only rapid on level 1 spells. I guess it's for that wand of Climbing Tree? However, I do appreciate the effort to grab Roof-Jumper (+0.25). But I really don't see how you're doing it 5 times a round? Especially as that maneuver says it counts as a charge attack? I really question the utility of Improved Toughness, surely there was something else you could have done with a feat (-0.25)? Seems kinda like a 1-trick pony, not sure what else you got if that doesn't line up properly.

Elegance: 2.0 Good use of race to nab a pre-req as a bonus feat (+0.25). No issues with stats. Skill ranks laid out ok, thanks for using my sheet. However, it didn't really save you, because you're missing languages for Stoneblessed. Stoneblessed (Goliath) has a special pre-req of being able to speak Gol-Kaa (Goliath) and Terran. With an INT score of 12, you qualify for 1 bonus languages at level 1 (which cannot be Gol-Kaa nor Terran due to race and class selection). I don't see any investment into Speak Language to earn those until Peregrine Runner 5 (not retroactive). Due to those being a pre-req for Stoneblessed which you use as an entry into Peregrine Runner, penalties are doubled (-1.0). You flat out do not qualify for Improved Skirmish at Level 12, lacking the pre-reqs (-0.25). Roof Jumper has unclear wording in the ACF but I feel like I've penalized enough here already and it's merely questionable.

Use of Secret Ingredient: 3.25 3.0 You took advantage of pre-req skills (kinda, since I guess you don't need them for the feats anyway?) (+0.25). (+0.5) for shared fury with your animal companion (and at least you mention it in your writeup!). Skirmish nets you a (+0.25), since you try to improve it with a feat, but there's no other leverage or ways to trigger it or take advantage of it. Climb speed yes, as that's like your literal tactic (+0.25). Upon review after the dispute, I'll grant there's a use for the stamina as well (+0.25). I'll give you (+0.25) for use of class skills, especially as you max a few, and also (+0.5) for using all 10 levels. I don't think you really took advantage of the pre-req feats, mountain stride, stamina, and you essentially deliberately avoid slow fall in favor of roof-jumper. This trick really relies more on falling damage plus your druid casting, very little on Peregrine Runner except for the climb speed? The skirmish is overwhelmed by the rest of the trick. I don't know if the single trick really deserves a bonus in this category (+0.0).


And our second Stoneblessed! On an ... am I reading this correctly, an "Exalted Tibbet." With warshaper, because why not? Color me intrigued.

Originality: 4.5 As with Diving Hawk, limited entry means exploring boundaries, and a 3-level Stoneblessed deserves some grace (+0.5). And on a Tibbet which I totally did not expect to see here (+0.5). I did expect Ranger (-0.25). Barb dip (-0.25). Warshaper is always fun and I see you made the most of your base race here (+0.5). And ... Vow of Poverty. Yes I'll give you a bonus here (but see power) (+0.5).

Power: 3.0 Vow of Poverty is going to be a ding here (-0.5), sorry, but you probably know how it goes. Warshaper is a nice boost here because you're almost never in your basic shape (+0.5). You didn't even take your last 2 bonus exalted feats? Couldn't find something useful like exalted companion (-0.25)? You do have pounce for a (+0.5). But being in cat form is a detriment regardless of what else you got going on (-0.25).

Elegance: 1.75 You seem to be missing a +2 CON bonus from Stoneblessed, and are missing half (+4) of your STR bonus from VoP as well as your last 2 bonus feats (-0.5). I believe you erred with Diplomacy at level 3, cross-classed at that level. Likewise you omit skill points from 15, 19, and 20 (6 total ranks missing) (-0.25). Stoneblessed (Goliath) has a special pre-req of being able to speak Gol-Kaa (Goliath) and Terran. With an INT score of 10, you don't qualify for bonus languages at level 1, nor do I see any investment into Speak Language to earn those. Due to those being a pre-req for Stoneblessed which you use as an entry into Peregrine Runner, penalties are doubled (-1.0). Qualified for all feats on schedule (+0.25). Good use of Ranger to get a free pre-req feat (+0.25). Tibbit transformation is based upon Polymorph which changes the type/subtype of the target, it is unclear how this interacts with Mountain Rage. I'll allow it due to rule of cool + warshaper shenanigans.

Use of Secret Ingredient: 2.25 You did further enhance the pre-req skills (+0.25). I'll give full marks for skirmish due to pounce and improved skirmish (+0.75). 9/10 levels gets a (+0.25) on my current rubric. But there's little else used from the class. No leverage of pre-req feats, no use of mountain stride. Your companion is literally ignored in your writeup - at least take exalted companion with one of your bonus feats you didn't use?!?. Stamina, slow fall, climb speed unused. I really question your use of class skill points - lots of points into Craft (Stonework) that don't really see a use. The way that you constructed this, confining yourself to cat form with VoP, you really need a source of bonus damage that you can access. Skirmish is a way to do it, I guess, but your whole construction is kind of in spite of Peregrine Runner, not because of it. I'm not seeing a strong synergy with the rest of the build (+0.0).


The painful restriction wasn't painful enough for you? Some people are never happy. OA Shaman doesn't pop up much. Bear Warrior? Want to see how this plays out.

Originality: 4.75 A Feral Gargun! I vaugely remember reading about this, then seeing that it had 2 racial hit dice and +2LA so decided I would probably never use it, and promptly forgot about it. Take a (+1.0) for your efforts. Barbarian - like half the entries used this (-0.25). Shaman though - I always forget about their animal companion - nice find (+0.5). And I really did not expect a sprinting bear + bear companion(s) (+0.5).

Power: 4.25 So I was really hoping you could have like 8 peregrine bears falling from the sky at all times. Sorry. 2nd Level spells plus turn undead merits a small bonus (+0.5). Stronger than average companion due to the way it stacks (+0.25) (even if you only have one). Plus having it turn into a bear is an extra thing (+0.25). Extremely creative use of your companion here. Turns plus a devotion feat plus skirmish is pure goodness (+0.25). I think you had formation expert here for your multiple bears? Not going to penalize as it seems like double-dipping if I did.

Elegance: 2.75 You're missing a +2 DEX from your race apparently? You have it on your table, but it didn't sum correctly due to the way you manually entered them. You also don't get a stat boost at level 20 due to your LA (-0.25) (These kinda cancel each other out so only 1 penalty). Low Class background is definitely a way to get handle animal as a class skill but is also a non-standard skill system that creates an uneven playing field (-0.25). Qualified for all classes and feats on-time (+0.5). Good use of lion totem to get a bonus pre-req feat (+0.25). I am aware of what the Shaman offers, as well as the wording of the official 3.5 update in Dragon 318. However, you seem to be omitting the general 3.5 update from 3.0 (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20030718a), that specifically deletes the animal friendship spell (-0.5) and significantly impacts your trick. I'm going to have to rule it falls as a normal Druid Companion in 3.5.

Use of Secret Ingredient: 3.75 You were able to leverage your skill pre-reqs adequately (+0.25). Despite the issues with having multiple companions, I feel you definitely maximized the utility of the peregrine companion (+0.75). Skirmish gets good marks due to travel devotion plus turns to power it (+0.5). Good use of skills IMO (+0.25). And you took all 10 levels (+0.5). I don't really see utilization of the two entrance feats, mountain stride, stamina, slow fall, or climb speed which prevents a maximal score. So there's definitely some synergy going on, it doesn't seem like you would or could have invested further in Shaman, so honestly PR doesn't feel like an afterthought for this build. I feel like had everything panned out this entry would have utilized their companion the most. Regardless, there's still a lot that PR offers that I feel you might have struggled to find elsewhere. Take a (+0.5) for your efforts.


I'm surprised it took until our 9th entry to see a significant investment in Scout. Vizzini was strong. Trapsmith - curious. Unseen Seer.... Erudite? A psionic Runner? What the blazes are you doing?

Originality: 4.5 Goliath race is +/- 0. Pretty standard fare. Despite the dearth of scouts in entries, I did expect to see it more (-0.25). Trapsmith though ... and Unseen Seer (+1.0). Erudite Dip + some odd feats (+0.5). So yeah, what the hell are you doing? I'll give a few extra bonus points for absurd uses of spells and powers (+0.25). Digging a well and making them fall into it. Hah! Extremely creative.

Power: 4.0 First, off, 2nd level spells gets you a small bonus, even off a small list (+0.5). Companion is baseline. BAB a bit low (-0.25) but I don't think you're relying on that. Brutal throw is online for some time, offering a nice boost throughout on top of your skirmish (+0.25). Skirmish is better than baseline due to all the scout levels (+ US) (+0.25). So I guess somewhere around level 8 or so your trick comes online? You can just open a no-save no-SR hole underneath people assuming there's water underneath? That's ... a pretty nice trick and deserves a boost here all of it's own (+0.25). There's some thought into every feat, nothing really gives you a huge boost but they all are building in the same general direction.

Elegance: 3.75 +1 LA means no stat bonus at 20 (-0.25). Qualified for all classes and Feats (+0.5). Nice use of scout to pickup one of the pre-req feats (Endurance) (+0.25). You do start taking multi-class penalties at level 11 (-0.25). I did check and Trapsmiths do get 2 divination spells at level 1, I guess you chose both as your spells known, because you got only 2. Good use of Scout to gain a pre-req feat (+0.25). I also appreciate leveraging the Goliath strength bonus in Brutal Throw and the neat use of a feat (Criminal Background) to bring thing combo online, as well as offering alternatives for a generous DM (+0.25).

Use of Secret Ingredient: 3.5 I guess you kinda use Run for your traps that you set? (+0.25). You at least make motions at using your companion via making it a mount (+0.25). I'm going to give you full marks for skirmish due to stacking with scout, improved skirmish, and a way of activation (digging a well to fall into) (+0.75). Slow fall is your featured flavor for the ingredient so I'd be remiss in overlooking it (+0.25). Class skill points go to good use (+0.25). And you took all 10 levels for (+0.5). No significant use of pre-req skills, mountain stride, stamina, climb speed (you have walk the walls that basically invalidates that). There's definitely some synergies going on between the rest of your build and this. You do sacrifice 3rd levels spells by dropping trapsmith / US but it's not like you're giving up 9th level spells, you got what you needed from the classes. Nice effort, calling this a (+0.25) bonus.


Cloistered Cleric dip but without Knowledge Devotion, hmm. Incarnum is potentially expected everywhere but 6 levels of totemist, not so much. Battle Trickster you say? Show me more. Long Way Round - Dr. Who Reference?

Originality: 4.25 Goliath is standard (+0.0). The only cloistered cleric dip of the lot (+0.25). Significant totemist investment gets a bonus (+0.5). And Battle Trickster is very much a rare breed in these competitions (+0.5). There's definitely some unique characteristics of this build when compared to your peergroup. Story was probably the best of the bunch, in my opinion.

Power: 3.75 Totemist is fun, offering a lot of flexibility and extra natural attacks. You didn't hold back in enhancing those via feats either (+0.5). Travel devotion + turns offers a way to activate your otherwise average skirmish damage on every attack (+0.25). BAB is acceptable, will save a little low with no real mitigation strategy but not terrible. There's very little else in your writeup other than the soulmelds, and basically every feat went towards that anyway.

Elegance: 2.5 You didn't seem to err in skill ranks (that I could see anyway) despite not using my spreadsheet to help. Good on you for that (+0.25). You ... seem to be missing 2 points of Strength? Goliaths have a +4 Mod not a +2 (-0.25). You take multi-class penalties starting at ECL 4 that never go away (-0.25). The Double Chakra feat requires a meldshaper level of 9. You take it at level 9 when you have only a meldshaper level of 6 (See p50 of MoI), and in fact, never attain a ML of 9 (-0.25). The Open Greater Chakra feat requires a CON of 17, you have 16 (-0.25). I was tempted to penalize for mixing Greyhawk with Eberron but you just use an Eberron-esque story, don't explicitly pull feats or anything from it while adhering to a Greyhawk deity. I do appreciate the effort you made to get the pre-req skills as actual class skills in a neat fashion (+0.25).

Use of Secret Ingredient: 2.5 You utilized the pre-req skills of Climb and Jump via skill tricks as well as via soulmelds (+0.25). I'll give you partial credit for skirmish as you did have a means for setting it up via travel devotion (+0.5). Class Skills are used for decent effect (+0.25). And you did take all 10 levels of the class (+0.5). I don't see strong utilization of pre-req feats, mountain stride, your peregrine companion, stamina, slow fall, or climb speed, which hurts your overall score in this category. It feels to me that Peregine Runner is here for the sake of the competition, there's no real unique synergies that the class offers when compared to the rest of your build. Skirmish you can get from anywhere, why did it have to be Peregrine Runner? As a result I'm not offering a bonus here (+0.0).


This submission by the chair will not be scored but my commentary will reflect a similar standard as if I were judging this for real.

"A Feral Gargun took six levels of Soulborn." At the time of this writing, and according to Google, "No results found." Also, without quotes, "It looks like there aren't many great matches for your search." So since Google is zero help, let's see here, for the first time, how an Incarnum Paladin synergizes with Peregrine Runner.

Originality: N/A As with the Bear-egrines Runner - a "painful restriction" wasn't painful enough - huh? And a significant investment in Soulborn is never expected. Much less have it as the only base class. But it tickles every class skill you will need (including diplomacy due to your alignment!), so no problem in this specific judging category. I do appreciate the feat selection as well.

Power: You were going for flavor over power here, IMO. So if I were judging this would be on the lower side. Shame you couldn't eke out a 16 BAB. Saves are ok. The single soulmeld you do have pulls double duty due to sharing it with your hawk, which is a plus.

Elegance: So, significantly, thank you for pointing out your lawful good-ness, so I can give you credit for appropriate skill ranks at each level. No problems with feat selection. You only have the single base class and the secret ingredient is handled in UoSI. I'm giving you credit for remembering that you don't get a stat boost at level 20 even though it isn't explicitly spelled out, you also don't take credit for a stat boost at 20 that you don't get (due to LA). All in all, this was the single entry on my hand-written notes that didn't have something in red ink for elegance. Take that for what it's worth.

Use of Secret Ingredient: You did, in fact, leverage endurance into something that took advantage of your natural CON bonus which is a plus. I would give you credit for advancing diplomacy which was a pre-req skill. I agree with your reading on share soulmeld, although you only have 1 available so you kinda tied your hands there, but that significantly improves your companion. Improved skirmish is late to the party but present. Story-wise, I see a use for inexhaustible stamina, and I appreciate the research into climb DCs to justify not taking more ranks. And you did use the class skills and skill ranks in a constructive manner. Solid effort here. Plus all 10 levels of the class.

(edit 1: answering dispute from Diving Hawk)

[daremetoidareyo]

Compliments to the judge. No disputes here

[Zaq]

Thanks, mattie_p! I have no disputes. Looks eminently fair overall.

[Venger]

Looks good. No disputes.

[The Viscount]

Thank you very much, mattie_p!

Chefs, in the interests of keeping things moving, you have 48 hours to submit disputes, if any.

[Wildstag]

Not a dispute, but I would like to say that for Leon, I don't think Exalted Companion would affect the build, since the PrC states "this ability functions like a druid's animal companion, except that the peregrine runner doesn't get a choice of animal". If it dies, I replace it with another Hawk (Peregrine Falcon) companion, no choice in replacement. I'd even argue this doesn't allow for replacing the companion with a Celestial companion, since that's a replacement that isn't "strictly" a Peregrine Falcon. A feat with no (perceived) potential benefit is the same as no feat.

That being said, I did consider a synergy with the animal companion as a class feature (which is missing from my build entirely) in hindsight: as a hawk of 9th level, the peregrine falcon companion would be strong enough to carry the Tibbit in cat form within its light load, thus enabling it to become a bomber. It'd be a fun way to run the character at the table at least, with the bird just dropping the cat onto unsuspecting giants at the end of a dive. In this way, it could also help significantly with mobility, since flight is far better than walking, especially when a valley can add a LOT of hiking time. Alas for such afterthoughts...

I gotta say, I'm not entirely certain what can actually be done with the PrC's primary gimmicks. Most class options I can recall that fatigue the user after use also eventually give fatigue/exhaustion immunity. I withheld this kinda thread during judging, because I figured it would affect the scoring, but I think now would be a reasonable time for a thread intent on gathering every ability that buffs while leaving player character fatigued/exhausted afterwards. I tried finding such a list but to no avail.

P.S. I did want to say regarding Diving Hawk that the calculations for weight don't technically work as written. The line "reasonably assume that his weight multiplied eightfold as with Enlarge person." is not in line with Mountain Rage's own text (which I comically pointed out in Leon's description actually).

Per that ability, you only gain 30-40% body mass, so his enlarged weight would be at most 613.2 pounds (I'm assuming WotC uses mass and weight interchangeably here).

P.P.S. Wow, I really did do a dumb irt the languages. Not even my myth-weavers sheet accounted for the issue, so I just forgot to cover that entirely.

[Seward]

I was Sly and Screech (I was thinking Tweety and Sylvester on names)

No disputes. I botched prereq skills and got clobbered in elegance and deserved it. In my defense I cooked in less than 24 hours and had the skill points to fix most of it (by not investing in hide/spot silent and spending those cross-class ranks on climb and jump) as I'd forgotten that when I played this basic character her stealth was almost entirely out of spells and wildshape small/high dex animal forms. If I hadn't been so crazy busy this month I would have done better there...and probably done better with formatting as well. If I cook again I'll do my best to give it more time and improve. In hindsight tossing the scouting aspect and simply relying on druid utility to do that when needed would have freed up skill points to meet prereqs and provided a bigger push to diplomatic skills. Might have even scored slightly above 3 if I'd just done the skills correctly, although I likely still would have forgotten the final stat bump and might have missed improved skirmish so 2.5 is probably most likely if I'd cooked longer.

As for why more Peregrin runner instead of more druid - roleplay primarily, same as my original character. My guy wasn't a CodZilla, he was a guy who wanted to turn into a cat and expore/run around/pounce on prey. It's fair that some druid spells simulate the entire PRC, but for him it was about having almost the same capabilities 24x7 (climb and slow fall as a 24x7 weaker form of air walk, both of which still let him charge/pounce). I could probably have elaborated more on the use of the bird - I played a different character with a bird companion (rogue-type) and found it pretty useful as a durable scout (with speak-animals) and as a "draw AOO guy" which is actually important for a pounce-build without reach. It can also flank if you want it to be that close to the bad guy, and if opponent isn't size small or smaller, so it can share space with its zero reach. All that said, 3.5 is fair for secret ingredient use. I couldn't push the diplomatic angle beyond being adequate in that role, had uses for mobility aspects when buffing wasn't an option, as a rage-build appreciated the anti-fatigue aspects when they came and pushed the skirmish angle pretty hard, which would be the primary reason to go into this class instead of moving down something like nature's warrior washaper+shock trooper line of advancement. I actually appreciated the goliath alternate druid and barbarian abilities too, although not to a LA+1 level if it hadn't been required for the Prc.

I knew I wasn't going to score high on originality (it's a wildshape pounce build designed to get a lot of skirmish attacks) and was hoping to score decently in power and ingredient, which I did. I wish I hadn't tanked elegance quite so badly but that's my own fault. I'm especially embarrassed about improved skirmish, I really wanted it by ecl16 but the only way in hindsight to do it would have been to delay the 8th druid level to ecl16, which ugh. Taking a power hit either in 12-15 range or 16-18 range either way

[H_H_F_F]

Guys, I know it's not as critical at this point, but let's chill with the breaking of anonymity for a hot minute. Disputes need to be submitted in PM form to the chair, and all non-dispute thoughts and commentary waits until after the reveal.

[The Viscount]

Thank you for the reminder, H_H_F_F.
Speaking of disputes, here's one.


Mattie, as always I'm very glad to see your judging! Thanks for that.


Not sure why you picked rapid spell when there's no way to mitigate the cost, you can only rapid on level 1 spells. I guess it's for that wand of Climbing Tree?
Yes, you are right. Without rapid spell I can't cast Climbing Tree and climb on it in one round. And this is critical. If I start my round at the tree's base, I'll not get Skirmish bonus damage. I need 10/20 ft relocation, not just movement, so I need start on the tree top.


But I really don't see how you're doing it 5 times a round? Especially as that maneuver says it counts as a charge attack?


Death from Above: You do substantial damage if you deliberately leap down to attack a foe beneath you. You must drop at least 20 feet. You must roll to hit; this qualifies as a charge attack, with all relevant bonuses and penalties.
I'll appeal to bad wording, I know, but there is nothing like "it is full-round action" or "it is standard action", it is only drop. Drop is free action. Yes, it qualifies as a charge attack, but I read this as "it qualifies as a charge attack for purpose of bonuses and penalties" and nothing about increasing action cost. So I can drop (1st), climb 20 ft, drop (2nd), climb 20 ft, drop (3rd), climb 20 ft, drop (4th), climb 20 ft, drop (5th). Five times.


I really question the utility of Improved Toughness, surely there was something else you could have done with a feat (-0.25)? Seems kinda like a 1-trick pony, not sure what else you got if that doesn't line up properly.
Yeah. Kinda like. I did it in one day. It doesn't apologize me, but this is explanation.


However, it didn't really save you, because you're missing languages for Stoneblessed. Stoneblessed (Goliath) has a special pre-req of being able to speak Gol-Kaa (Goliath) and Terran.
It's bad. ((( My bad.


Due to those being a pre-req for Stoneblessed which you use as an entry into Peregrine Runner, penalties are doubled (-1.0).
I think this is double penalty for one mistake.


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


You flat out do not qualify for Improved Skirmish at Level 12, lacking the pre-reqs (-0.25).
I've had take it on 18th. This is what happens when do something in the last moment.


I don't think you really took advantage of the pre-req feats, mountain stride, stamina, and you essentially deliberately avoid slow fall in favor of roof-jumper.
Actually I use stamina. I'm rager and simultaneously caster. Sometimes I need to end my rage to cast some spells or use wands. And my Inexhaustible stamina is very helpful in this cases.

[mattie_p]

Hello again, Diving Hawk. It was truly entertaining to read your entry. You have some commentary which I do understand your desire to express, but I'm going to focus my response on the meat of your disputes. I see essentially 3 areas of dispute.



But I really don't see how you're doing it 5 times a round? Especially as that maneuver says it counts as a charge attack?
Death from Above: You do substantial damage if you deliberately leap down to attack a foe beneath you. You must drop at least 20 feet. You must roll to hit; this qualifies as a charge attack, with all relevant bonuses and penalties. I'll appeal to bad wording, I know, but there is nothing like "it is full-round action" or "it is standard action", it is only drop. Drop is free action. Yes, it qualifies as a charge attack, but I read this as "it qualifies as a charge attack for purpose of bonuses and penalties" and nothing about increasing action cost. So I can drop (1st), climb 20 ft, drop (2nd), climb 20 ft, drop (3rd), climb 20 ft, drop (4th), climb 20 ft, drop (5th). Five times.

I think I better understand your argument. So the drop itself is a free action, but you still make an attack roll meaning there's an attack action going on somewhere in there. I'm not convinced. There's a couple things against you, though. The wording of the feat itself in the benefit section is a strike.


Benefit: The Roof-Jumper feat enables the use of the following tactical maneuvers. You cannot benefit from more than one maneuver in the same round.

Emphasis mine. Now I can already see a counter-argument forming that it's the same maneuver. Here I'm going to refer to the Spring-Attack feat.


Benefit
When using the attack action with a melee weapon, you can move both before and after the attack, provided that your total distance moved is not greater than your speed.

With this feat, one is allowed to move before and after the attack. Without it, the normal condition applies. It's only after reading this dispute that I truly appreciate how Spring Attack might actually be useful for an attacker essentially bouncing up and down, but there it is. If you had somehow nabbed this feat I bet I would have given it to you for the hilarity. For this portion, score stands.





Due to those being a pre-req for Stoneblessed which you use as an entry into Peregrine Runner, penalties are doubled (-1.0).
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 I think this is double penalty for one mistake.

I'll refer you to another quote from the same portion of the Chair's FAQ:


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

My standard elegance penalty is 0.25 per infraction. There were two prereqs missed, Speak Language (Gol-Kaa) and Speak Language (Terran). I am permitted to increase the penalty if it affects critical skills including prereqs, and I am also expressly permitted to scale the penalty depending on how important the item is for the build. I determined that for each prereq that affected entry into Peregrine Runner, penalties would be doubled. Score stands.





I don't think you really took advantage of the pre-req feats, mountain stride, stamina, and you essentially deliberately avoid slow fall in favor of roof-jumper.Actually I use stamina. I'm rager and simultaneously caster. Sometimes I need to end my rage to cast some spells or use wands. And my Inexhaustible stamina is very helpful in this cases.

It would probably be helpful to actually mention such in your writeup next time. I sympathize with the time crunch, I experienced much the same. I'll extend a little leniency here and award (+0.25) is UoSI. Scores already updated above. Note this does not change final order, assuming that I am the only judge this round.

[Venger]

Chart



Dish
Score
Place
Chef


Sly and Screech
11.25
8th



Kul-Noa
15.0
3rd



Wander
15.75
1st



Feng Chongkun
12.5
6th



Paddy
13
5th



Diving Hawk
13
5th



Leon
11.5
7th



Bear-egrines Runner
15.5
2nd



Aquashed Geognosic
15.75
1st



Murray d'Civis
14
4th

[The Viscount]

It's time for the reveal!



Dish
Score
Place
Chef


Sly and Screech
11.25
8th
Seward


Kul-Noa
15.0
3rd
Saintheart


Wander
15.75
1st
Zaq


Feng Chongkun
12.5
6th
Birchy


Paddy
13
5th
Paragon


Diving Hawk
13
5th
loky1109


Leon
11.5
7th
Wildstag


Bear-egrines Runner
15.5
2nd
daremetoidareyou


Aquashed Geognosic
15.75
1st
daremetoidareyou


Murray d'Civis
14
4th
Venger



Congratulations to everyone for an excellent showing with a difficult ingredient!
New round up shortly.

[Venger]

congratulations to our medalists. this was a fun round

[H_H_F_F]

Well deserved medals all around. The top scoring builds track very well with the ones that made the strongest impressions of me - it seems we have similar taste, mattie_p. Thanks for judging!

Congratulations to the medalists (including Dare, with a very impressive double medal!) As well as to all other entrants. Thank you all for participating, and thank you as always to our steadfast chair, The Viscount!

See you all next round!

[Wildstag]

I'll just say, and I mean no offense to anyone else, but not finishing last for a first submission is at least mildly validating. Kinda surprised there weren't more janky stoneblessed entrants.

[Wolfem]

Updated Judge Scoring and Chef's to their dishes in the Iron Chef Optimization (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oyjVU5JmeCnC8YTMqDArDqE5PszHl0Ysadz630kuTGk/edit#gid=0&range=A1213:A1223) spreadsheet.

[H_H_F_F]

I was just about to get to that. Thanks, Wolfem!

[Zaq]

Fully expected to be an also-ran this time around (since there were several features from the SI that I just flat out ignored), but I'm pleasantly surprised!

I'm really happy to be sharing the medal with dare's Aquashed build. That build made me smile and I'm very glad that it won.

I also notice that both of us in the top spot managed to find some kind of stupid way to weaponize slow fall! Clearly the takeaway is that slow fall is very powerful.

Good job to everyone who got something in! It was really hard to make this one feel special since the ingredient is almost entirely shown up by just a scout (let alone a Swift Hunter build), so kudos to everyone who even bothered!