Iron Chef E6 Appetizer Edition, Round XXXVI

[Zaq]

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/647393639886094337/853704182153871380/rsz_transparent_version.png

Welcome back to the Iron Chef Optimization Challenge E6 Appetizer Edition! Time for another game element that isn't a class.

The form of this challenge is to take a particular D&D 3.5 game element (our "secret ingredient," or SI) and turn it into a functional E6 (https://esix.pbworks.com/f/E6v041.pdf) build, which must feature the SI as heavily as possible. (The only hard rule about this is that you must take at least one level—where applicable—in the SI, though judges are encouraged to look favorably on builds that take as many levels as possible in said SI or that otherwise use it as heavily as possible.) Your final build submission should consist of your 6 regular levels and your first 10 epic bonus feats, though providing a snapshot at earlier points through the progression is heartily encouraged. Entries are to be PM'd to the Chair (that would be me!), and they will be posted anonymously; our volunteer judges will then grade each build on a 1-5 point scale in four categories: Originality, Power, Elegance, and Use of the Secret Ingredient. The builds with the highest three scores will be awarded medals, with the Honorable Mention award going to the non-medaling build that the Chair likes best and/or that receives the most votes for HM in this thread. (HM may not always be awarded, particularly if the number of builds is very small.) And then we all have cake!*

*Note: You must provide your own cake.

This is basically like the regular Iron Chef, and let's be brutally honest with ourselves here: this isn't a gargantuan community, and we basically all know what we're talking about at this point. Make the builds, send 'em in, post some scores, and have fun. If you've got questions, lemme know. Still, let's lay out a few rules!

Cooking Time: Builds must be submitted via PM to the Chair by 4:59 PM GMT - 9 on Monday, Dec 13, 2021 (1:59 AM GMT on Tuesday, Dec 14). The reveal shall be on the first evening the Chair has free following the cooking deadline, which is hoped to be that evening or the immediately subsequent one—I'll do my best, anyway. Judging is then encouraged to go as quickly as possible; if multiple judges volunteer, we'll set about a two-week window, but if we only get one judge, we'll try to wrap up as soon as possible after that judge presents scores. (I will admit that the deadline time may not be an exact science, but don't hide from me and we'll probably be cool.)
Kitchen: Let's break this one down a bit.



ALLOWED: Almost all D&D 3.5 material published by WotC: Core, Completes, monster books, Races Of books, alternate power source books (Expanded Psionics Handbook, Magic of Incarnum, Tome of Battle, Tome of Magic, etc.), Spell Compendium, Book of Exalted Deeds, Book of Vile Darkness, Eberron material, Forgotten Realms material, and other WotC-published 3.5 material. (This list is NOT exhaustive and there are many other legal books that I did not mention by name!)
ALLOWED: Material from the 3.5 archives of the Wizards of the Coast website (including, but not limited to, the Mind's Eye articles). If you use it, link it.
ALLOWED: Official errata from WotC. If you're relying on this in a material fashion, it's a good idea to link it and to discuss it.
NOT ALLOWED: Unofficial errata, including "class fixes" (regardless of the source, including from the original author if not published in a WotC book) or fan-created content.
ALLOWED: Unupdated WotC-published 3.0 material (e.g., Sword and Fist, Masters of the Wild, etc.) except for 3.0 psionics. No 3.0 psionics allowed. If you are using 3.0 material, use the general-purpose skill updates (Wilderness Lore becomes Survival, Innuendo becomes Bluff, etc.) and the general-purpose rules updates (spells with a casting time of "1 action" become "1 standard action," etc.) when appropriate.
NOT ALLOWED: 3.0 material for which a direct 3.5 update exists. Use the updated material instead.
ALLOWED: Dragon Compendium and its errata (http://paizo.com/download/dragon/compendium/DragonCompendiumVolumeIErrata.pdf).
NOT ALLOWED: Content from Dragon Magazine and/or Dungeon Magazine unless said content appears in an otherwise allowed source.
ALLOWED: Oriental Adventures, including the 3.5 update to Oriental Adventures from Dragon Magazine #318. This is a specific exception to the "no Dragon" rule!
NOT ALLOWED: Pathfinder content, regardless of whether it is "D&D 3.5 OGL" or not. If it didn't come from WotC, we don't want it.
ALLOWED: From Unearthed Arcana: racial paragon classes, alternate class features/variant classes, spelltouched feats, and variant races. (Traits and flaws are technically legal, but traits warrant a -0.5 point penalty in Elegance, and flaws warrant a -1 penalty in Elegance.)
NOT ALLOWED: Other Unearthed Arcana content, including (but not limited to) bloodlines, LA buyoff, fractional BAB/saves, alternate casting systems, alternate skill systems, item familiars, prestigious character classes, generic classes, gestalt, etc. When you're wondering if UA content is allowed, err on the side of caution and don't mess around with it.
NOT ALLOWED: Leadership, regardless of source. Game elements functionally equivalent to Leadership (including, but not limited to, Dragon Cohort, Undead Leadership, and Thrallherd) are similarly banned. (Familiars, Improved Familiar, animal companions, Wild Cohort, psicrystals, elemental envoys, and similar game elements are allowed, and they are not considered to be "Leadership." If the difference isn't obvious, feel free to contact the Chair with specific questions.)
NOT ALLOWED: Third-party content, homebrew, or other non-WotC content.
NOT ALLOWED: Epic feats from the Epic Level Handbook. Just because you're "epic" in E6 after 6th level doesn't mean that you're that kind of epic.
NOT ALLOWED: Any race or template with a level adjustment other than +0. (Or any other source of LA other than a race or template, if any such things exist.) However, as a specific exception for round 26, see below.
NOT ALLOWED: For our judges: penalizing solely based on legal sources used, regardless of whether those sources are plentiful, sparse, common, obscure, or something in between. If the material is legal, then it doesn't matter how many or how few books it came out of.
ALLOWED: Also for our judges: penalizing for using a source (other than material in Core; don't be vindictive about genuinely obvious stuff) that isn't listed in the build writeup. The chef may choose to present the sources in-line with the text, in a consolidated source list, or somewhere else, but if the source is listed (and is otherwise legal), it counts. If the source is not listed, you may choose to penalize for that.

If you have questions about anything in this section (or hell, in this ruleset), feel free to ask the Chair.

Character Creation: 32 point buy is assumed. For the purposes of this contest, Level Adjustment greater than +0 is banned. (This may be revised at a later point, but I don't feel that the E6 LA rules are conducive to fun in the context of this contest.) No more than two entries per chef per contest, please; if you submit two builds and somehow are so overcome with inspiration for a third that you can't help yourself, PM me and tell me which two you care about the most.
Highlighted because of past issues: It is not enough for your build to end with a level adjustment of +0. You must be +0 from start to finish. No using ANY build elements with a level adjustment above +0, even if they then get mitigated or reduced somehow. However, note that a special exception is in place for round 26...
Speculation: Please do not post any form of speculation before the reveal. Just don't do it, guys. It's not cool. This means NOT posting any of the following or anything substantially similar: what you think is going to be common, significant elements of your planned build or of other potential builds, or anything else that could directly influence someone else's build choices for good or for ill. (It's acceptable to ask for rules clarifications as appropriate, but try to avoid tipping your hand too much.) Speculation is bad because it can discourage people from posting builds and can also "taint the judging pool" when it comes to Originality, so please just try to be aware of how other people might react to your speculation.
E6: Here's how E6 works for the purposes of this contest. Build your character normally for the first six levels. After you reach level 6, you stop gaining levels and start gaining bonus feats every time you would gain 5,000 XP. Since we aren't actually tracking XP, you'll basically list your first ten epic bonus feats in the order that you take them, and we think of them as being kind of like levels. We will not use the LA-equals-reduced-point-buy rules, instead preferring to just ban races with LA, at least for now. We will not use the "capstone feats"; all feats that you take must be normal legal 3.5 feats, not homebrew E6 ones. You may not use the Epic feats from the Epic Level Handbook, though if for some reason there are non-Epic feats from the ELH that you qualify for, you may take those. (I don't think there are any, but I'm sure someone will prove me wrong.) It is up to the discretion of each judge whether this is a "hard E6" (magic above 3rd level spells is simply beyond mortal reach, items that have a listed CL above 6th are just plain not available, etc.) or a "soft E6" (if you can somehow get the magic on your character, it's yours, regardless of level), though I honestly don't expect it to come up. Don't go crazy with making assumptions about items and we probably won't have to find out.
Presentation: Please use the table found below in the spoiler. List your epic bonus feats (in clear order) after the table. If you find a clever way of formatting that that isn't annoying and that doesn't break anything, have fun; if it's portable, I may steal it for the next round. When sending your build or any disputes to the Chair, clearly include your build's name in the subject of the PM, and please present your build exactly as you want the Chair to copy and paste it into the thread.
If you're using a picture, cite the source and follow any relevant citation rules. Because we have had issues with this in the past, when listing your skills, please make it very clear how many ranks you have at each level. There are multiple ways to do this and we do not wish to cramp anyone's individual style by dictating exactly how this must look, but make sure that somewhere in your entry there's an explanation of how many actual skill ranks you have. It's still fine to list total skill bonuses, if that's your style, but don't only list bonuses; make sure that there is a clear listing somewhere of your ranks alone. You are allowed, but not required, to use this extremely spiffy tool (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BG0-5sq4dL9Ooh7-QfXuyHzO4rXSz-CRcj29t6BeUVE/edit#gid=401538143) that mattie_p cooked up (thanks, mattie_p!).

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Code for the table:

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Contest houserules: Nearly the same as the main contest's rules here: all creatures are proficient with natural weapons they have or may acquire, bonus feats that are explicitly granted without meeting prereqs are usable even without those prereqs, and feats that affect which skills are class skills for you and/or how you spend your skill points (Able Learner, Martial Study, Truename Training, Apprentice, etc.) apply immediately at the level at which you take them (even though you normally spend skill points before taking a feat). When taking Open Minded as an epic feat, any skill that has ever been a class skill for you (including through your class, your race, your feats, or similar game elements, though please don't muck around with retroactively making something stop being a class skill for some stupid reason) is a class skill when determining how the 5 granted skill points may be spent. All usual rules about HD-related skill caps apply. When taking Open Minded as a non-epic feat, treat it as normal; the class skills of the class you took at the level you gained Open Minded (plus race, feats, etc.) are your class skills for those skill points, similar to if Open Minded's skill points came straight from your class.
Judging guidelines: The minimum score in a category is 1, and the maximum is 5 (except in high-Originality rounds, wherein the maximum in Originality is 10). Judges are expected to be fair, consistent, and open-minded, and they are expected to make a good-faith effort to engage with any reasonable disputes that arise, especially when RAW is in question. That said, contestants are asked to not dispute more than necessary; let's do everything in good faith and really only dispute when a judge is being inconsistent, being unfair, or is otherwise grossly misinterpreting a build.
Judges may not penalize Originality solely because a build is a tribute or homage to an existing creative work (in or out of D&D canon; note that this is not the same thing as penalizing Originality for using well-known optimization tactics), nor may judges penalize based solely on sources used (whether those sources are plentiful, sparse, common, obscure, or something in between, you should judge the build elements and how they work together rather than what book or what books they came out of, as long as those books are legal for this contest and are cited in the entry).
As with the main contest, we will follow the "One Mistake, One Penalty" guideline, and it is very important that the judges adhere to it. I'm going to directly copy and paste this from the main thread, and hopefully the original author won't mind too much:
Judges are only allowed to penalise once for a given mistake. If someone messes up their skills and doesn't qualify for a PrC, ding them as hard as you like. Once. In one category. You don't then get to declare that because they didn't qualify for that PrC, they don't get those levels, and thus don't qualify for anything else. If Ranger is a common ingredient, ding them for Originality. Once. Don't also take off points for Two-Weapon-Fighting being a common ingredient.

Non-exhaustive list of examples:

Skills
Allowed:

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


Not allowed:

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



Prereqs
Allowed:

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


Not Allowed:

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



Other general things that are no longer allowed:

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


Note that these are protections, not licenses. Deliberately taking a feat that you know you don't qualify for hoping to just suck up the judging penalty for a feat that you couldn't normally take is not okay, and may lead to your build being disqualified.
Dispute guidelines (NEW, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION): Disputing is long, annoying, and emotional. It's also sometimes necessary, but it's often not actually something that makes everyone have more fun. Let's go into a little more detail here.
Do NOT dispute to make an argument that goes fundamentally beyond what's in your write-up. It is the responsibility of the chef to make sure that the write-up is complete and contains their best arguments for what the build does and why it's awesome. If you didn't explain your tactics well or didn't spell out something that a judge misses, just do better next time. Don't drag it out after the fact.
Do NOT dispute just to be clever or witty or cheeky. Please. We're all adults here and so I assume you know what that means. Don't treat the build as a setup and your oh-so-clever dispute as the punchline. It's not as funny as it is in your head. Trust me. I've been down that road.
Do NOT dispute just to say "oh yeah, my bad, I missed that" or some equivalent. If you're not directly challenging the judge, save the commentary until after the reveal. I 100% get that the urge to respond to commentary is very strong, but type it out and sit on it for a while if you've gotta.
Do NOT dispute just to try to wheedle more points out of the judge. Note that this is different from saying that the judge is being truly unfair or is being truly wrong by black-and-white RAW. A dispute is NOT the place to try to scrape together a few last quarter-points. If you didn't put it in your write-up, that's on you. This also means that a dispute is really not the place to have long back-and-forth tit-for-tat arguments. That's a surefire way to get people grumpy. It's a contest on a D&D board, guys, not the results of a federal election.
Do NOT dispute to tear down another build. That's just plain not cool. If you entered the contest, it's not on you to judge the other builds.
DO dispute if the judge is being blatantly biased by giving you a substantially different ruling on a build element compared to another chef who used the same build element in nearly the same way. (Note that position in a build may affect if you're using that element in "nearly the same way" or not.) Please reserve this for the truly blatant examples. I mean it. Remember, it's the contestant's responsibility to make their best argument in the original write-up.
DO dispute if the judge is actively going against the contest rules. Note that there are relatively few ways in which a judge can go against contest rules (we intentionally give very wide discretion to our judges), but examples include truly breaking One Mistake One Penalty, penalizing just because of number of sources of (legal) material, and so on.
DO dispute if the judge is clearly ignoring unambiguous RAW. Note that this is for unambiguous RAW; if the RAW is shady and you're making an argument that isn't completely clear and that it wouldn't be strange for a GM to frown on, the judge has every right to frown on it as well. (You generally know when you're indulging in shady RAW. Be mature about this.) But if the judge is saying you didn't hit a prereq that you clearly did hit (and included in your write-up!), saying you can't do something that the plain text of the ability says you can do, or anything like that, by all means, call 'em out.
Do NOT dispute if the judge doesn't agree with your interpretation of ambiguous RAW. Yes, this is a retread of the previous bullet point; this is that important. If you're relying on ambiguous RAW, it's on you to lay out clearly why it should work the way you want it to work. Again, be mature and act in good faith: you really know when you're pushing things like this. If they don't like it, they don't like it. Move on.


Disputing is a privilege, not a right. In the Chair's sole discretion, disputes that do not meet these guidelines and/or that do not seem to be offered in good faith may be suppressed. The Chair reserves the right to choose to post all, some, or none of a dispute if appropriate.


Other bits and bobs: If there's something major and relevant I haven't mentioned, assume that the way I handle it will probably be the same as the main contest unless stated otherwise or unless doing so would be an obviously absurd result. If you've got questions, I'll give you answers.




This round's secret ingredient:
SKILL TRICKS, from Complete Scoundrel!



Allez Optimizer!




The Builds:
Name Alignment / Race Class Levels Chef H_H_F_F Total Place
Ballista Joe (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308867&postcount=38) LE Neraph Rogue 2/Monk 2/Fighter 1/Assassin 1 Korahir 13.90 13.90 1st
Blank (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308869&postcount=40) NE Ghostwise Halfling Marshal 5/Uncanny Trickster 1 daremetoidareyo 13.65 13.65 2nd
Luke T'Hare (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308872&postcount=42) CE Hare Hengeyokai Spellthief 3/Binder 3 MinimanMidget 12.85 12.85 3rd
Whip Dancer (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308874&postcount=43) HN Human Factotum 1/Barbarian 1/Binder 3/Chameleon 1 loky1109 11.75 11.75 4th
Mr. Winthrop (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308875&postcount=44) NE Human Factotum 5/Mindbender 1 Venger 9.95 9.95 5th
Cyan (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308871&postcount=41) ?? Human Warblade 1/Factorum 5 Birchy 8.80 8.80 6th
Bane (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308868&postcount=39) NN Changeling Rogue 3/Spellthief 1/Wizard 1/Spymaster 1 mattie_p 8.60 8.60 7th


Round 4: Knight (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?542333-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(IV))
Round 5: Ninja (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?548763-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-V))
Round 6: Racial Paragon Classes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?551174-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-VI))
Round 7: Hexblade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?553767-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-VII))
Round 8: Shugenja (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?555626-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-VIII))
Round 9: Swashbuckler (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?559135-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-IX)")
Round 10: Crusader (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?562183-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-X))
Round 11: Soulknife (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?565669-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XI))
Round 12: Factotum (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?569723-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XII))
Round 13: Prestige Classes (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?572441-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XIII))
Round 14: Mountebank (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?576318-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XIV))
Round 15: Sorcerer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?582751-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XV))
Round 16: Dragon Shaman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?585121-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XVI))
Round 17: Lurk (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?588149-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XVII))
Round 18: Paladin (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?591516-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XVIII))
Round 19: Scout (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?595369-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XIX))
Round 20: Incarnate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?599279-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XX))
Round 21: Shadowcaster (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?602325-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XXI))
Round 22: Dragonmarks (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?606051-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XXII))
Round 23: Fighter (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?611114-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XXIII))
Round 24: Pets (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?615226-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XXIV))
Round 25: Warlock (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?617510-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XXV)&p=24666502)
Round 26: Monsters (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?619170-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Edition-(Round-XXVI))
Round 27: Ardent (exhibition round) (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?622593-Iron-Chef-E6-Appetizer-Edition-Round-XXVII)
Round 28: Rogue (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?623937-Iron-Chef-E6-Appetizer-Edition-Round-XXVIII)
Round 29: Signature Spells (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?627038-Iron-Chef-E6-Appetizer-Edition-Round-XXIX)
Round 30: Any Prior Ingredient (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?628860-Iron-Chef-E6-Appetizer-Edition-Round-XXX)
Round 31: Ranger (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?631229-Iron-Chef-E6-Appetizer-Edition-Round-XXXI)
Round 32: Tanking (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?632897-Iron-Chef-E6-Appetizer-Edition-Round-XXXII)
Round 33: Psychic Warrior (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?634208-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Round-XXXIII)
Round 34: Flight (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?635332-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-E6-Appetizer-Round-XXXIV)
Round 35: Binder (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?637382-Iron-Chef-E6-Appetizer-Edition-Round-XXXV)


Round 1: Divine Mind (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?197000-Iron-Chef-Appetizer-Edition!-(e6))
Round 2: Monk (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?201548-Iron-Chef-Appetizer-Edition!-(e6)-II)
Round 3: Marshal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?235221-Iron-Chef-Appetizer-Edition-(E6)-III)

[Zaq]

Here's a few gentle recommendations that are intended to improve scores and make things easier for the judges. As always, THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THIS POST ARE NOT RULES. Judges and contestants are free to honor them or ignore them; my intent here is only to help, and NONE of what I'm saying here is required. (That said, did you see the new dispute guidelines? Those ARE rules, so please go read them. And I'm even going to be better about enforcing them this time.)

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

So maybe your way of showing off the SI will be to gather more skill tricks than anyone else. Maybe your way will be setting yourself up to use a wide variety. Maybe your way will be showing off one specific one that takes your build to new heights. Maybe you're a combination of them! But gather 'em, show 'em off, and get tricky up in here. Good luck, team!

[H_H_F_F]

Interesting ingredient. I might cook for this if I come up with something interesting. Looking forward to seeing what eveyone comes up with!

[daremetoidareyo]

Do you need to meet the prerequisites of a skill trick when you take a feat that allows you to immediately learn two new skill tricks?

[Zaq]

Yes, nothing says you don't.

[MinimanMidget]

My first thought was "oh cool, skill tricks!". Then I read through all the skill tricks and went "oof, guess I'll plan on judging this round". Having let it sit in the back of my brain for a few hours...I have an idea. Not sure if it'll pan out, but I'm going to try building something.

[AsuraKyoko]

Well, this will be an interesting thing to try out, I'll give it a go, though I don't have any ideas to start with, so I don't know if I'm going to actually be able to complete an entry. Will be interesting to see what people come up with, though.

[thorr-kan]

Are there any other source of skill tricks besides Complete Scoundrel?

[daremetoidareyo]

Are there any other source of skill tricks besides Complete Scoundrel?

None that are within the allowed sources of the comp. I think that there's a dragmag with a few extras that are actually good.

[Zarvistic]

Yes, nothing says you don't.
Just to be clear, this simply means learning the trick is ok, but still not be able to use it unless prereqs are met?

[Zaq]

Got a question about the adaptation to magical trickster to make it psionic. That adaptation is not canon for the sake of this contest.


Just to be clear, this simply means learning the trick is ok, but still not be able to use it unless prereqs are met?

Let's go to the text.

From Complete Scoundrel, pp. 82-3:


You can learn any skill trick, as long as you meet the prerequisite and can afford to expend 2 skill points. If you later no longer meet the prerequisite for a skill trick, you can’t use it again until you once more qualify.

You can’t learn more than one skill trick at any given level, and your total skill tricks cannot exceed one-half your character level (rounded up). Certain feats and prestige class features allow a character to exceed these limits.

So as I see it, the feats will let you learn more tricks than you're allowed to have, but nothing in this text says that you can ignore the "as long as you meet the prerequisite" clause. I recommend against trying to do that.

[daremetoidareyo]

I am disliking this ingredient.

[MinimanMidget]

I am disliking this ingredient.

Yeah, all of my ideas are failing to be possible either because of 6 being not enough levels or the bloody [redacted]. I still want to get something in, but it's not going well.

[AsuraKyoko]

My ideas are all turning out to have the SI as a side part at best, honestly. I'm having a hard time making the SI feel important for the build, as opposed to just kinda useful. I still have a couple of ideas to try, but I don't know if any of them will work.

[Venger]

Oh, great; I love skill tricks. In Iron chef classic, I like to use them when the secret ingredient has a crummy list of class skills. Count me in as a chef.

[Birchy]

Hmmm... Would OA's Samurai fall under "Has not been updated to 3.5e clause" ? Or does CW's Samurai count as an update despite being very different?

[daremetoidareyo]

Hmmm... Would OA's Samurai fall under "Has not been updated to 3.5e clause" ? Or does CW's Samurai count as an update despite being very different?

OA samurai sometimes gets docked by judges, and if you use both, you def get judge docked.

[loky1109]

Hmmm... Would OA's Samurai fall under "Has not been updated to 3.5e clause" ? Or does CW's Samurai count as an update despite being very different?

He updated in Dr#318.


ALLOWED: Oriental Adventures, including the 3.5 update to Oriental Adventures from Dragon Magazine #318. This is a specific exception to the "no Dragon" rule!

[Zaq]

Real talk, team: we don't have enough entries right now! Who's still cooking (or interested in cooking), and how long an extension would it take to get some dishes plated up?

[mattie_p]

I just finished judging regular IC (except for possible disputes), have not even started if I were to enter this. Could maybe have something by Friday ish? Although if my judging was any indication.....

But if not by Friday then probably not at all, as I have visitors coming in town that day.

[H_H_F_F]

I've had a few ideas but none really took flight. I'll reread some stuff tomorrow and see if inspiration strikes, but unless that happens I'm out of this round.

[Venger]

I could probably get something in by Friday as well if not earlier.

[MinimanMidget]

I'll aim to have something in by Friday, and may the judge(s) have mercy on my soul.

[Birchy]

I've finished my build. I will also consider another build.

Good Luck to Everyone!

[AsuraKyoko]

I'll see if I can squeeze something out by Friday, but I don't know if I'll be able to, since it's crunch time (again) at work.

[AsuraKyoko]

One of the tricky things about the SI is that some of the cool build-around Skill Tricks require, like, 12 ranks in skills, which is kinda disappointing...

[loky1109]

I have an idea.

[loky1109]

And... It sent.

[mattie_p]

I had a couple ideas that went nowhere. And then I maybe had a decent idea but there's no time to construct it. Don't wait for me, will not have anything today.

[AsuraKyoko]

I, unfortunately, have not had time to finish anything, mostly due to work being intense enough that I did not have the mental energy to work on it.

[Zaq]

Understandable. I'm willing to wait another day or two if anyone's still cooking!

[H_H_F_F]

I've got nothing, unfortunately. Good luck, everyone!

[Venger]

Dish submitted. This was a lot of fun.

[daremetoidareyo]

Prepare thyselves, daremeto has slipped an entry into the entry pile

[mattie_p]

You know what, maybe I will have time. Gimme a few hours and let's see what happens

[mattie_p]

... and sent. Probably the fastest I ever prepared an entry. May I get what I deserve.

[Quentinas]

Can you wait one more day? Today my problems in real life ended so I'm trying to do the build fast

[Zaq]

"…or are you just happy to see me?"



Ballista Joe



Race: Neraph (Planar Handbook p.12)
Classes: Rogue 2/Monk 2/Fighter 1/Assassin 1 (DMG p. 180)
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Given Name: Cado
Housename: Lost Mountain (exiled)
Alias: "Ballista Joe"


Sadly, there are no pictures of Neraphim carrying a ballista.


Attributes




Base
Character level increase
Final


Strength
11
-
11


Dexterity
17
+1 (4th level)
18


Constitution
10
-
10


Intelligence
14
-
14


Wisdom
12
-
12


Charisma
12
-
12




Table



Level
Class
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Rogue (Mimic: Exemplars of Evil p.21)
+0
+0
+2
+0
Sleight of Hand 4, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Disguise 4, Balance 4, Tumble 4, Bluff 4, Escape Artist 4, Climb 4, Jump 4
Quick Draw
Sneak Attack 1d6, Disguise Self 1/day


2nd
Monk (Sleeping Tiger: Unearthed Arcana p. 52)
+0
+2
+4
+2
Sleight of Hand 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Disguise 4, Balance 5, Tumble 5, Bluff 4, Escape Artist 4, Climb 4, Jump 4
Weapon Finesse(B)
Flurry of blows, Unarmed Strike


3rd
Monk (Sleeping Tiger, Invisible Fist: Exemplars of Evil p.21)
+1
+3
+5
+3
Sleight of Hand 5, Hide 6, Move Silently 6, Disguise 4, Balance 6, Tumble 6, Bluff 4, Escape Artist 4, Climb 4, Jump 4, Skill Trick: Hidden Blade
Point Blank Shot, Improved Initiative (B)
Invisible Fist


4th
Fighter (Thug: Unearthed Arcana p. 51, Sneak Attack variant: Unearthed Arcana p. 58, Hit and Run Tactics: Drow of the Underdark p. 58)
+2
+5
+5
+3
Sleight of Hand 7, Hide 6, Move Silently 6, Disguise 4, Balance 6, Tumble 6, Bluff 4, Escape Artist 4, Climb 5, Jump 5, Skill Trick: Nimble Charge
-
Sneak Attack 2d6, Hit and Run Tactics


5th
Rogue
+3
+5
+6
+3
Sleight of Hand 8, Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Disguise 5, Balance 6, Tumble 6, Bluff 6, Escape Artist 6, Climb 5, Jump 5
-
Evasion


6th
Assassin
+3
+5
+8
+3
Sleight of Hand 9, Hide 9, Move Silently 9, Disguise 6, Balance 6, Tumble 6, Bluff 6, Escape Artist 6, Climb 5, Jump 5, Skill Trick: Sudden Draw
Precise Shot
Sneak Attack 3d6, death attack, poison use, spells




Epic Feats:
1: Weapon Focus (Heavy Crossbow)
2: Deadeye (Dragon Compendium p. 95)
3: Craven (Champions of Ruin p. 17)
4: Weapon Focus (Dagger)
5: Weapon Focus (Shuriken)
6: Crossbow Sniper (Player's Handbook II p. 77)
7: Darkstalker (Lords of Madness p. 179)
8: Fade into Violence (Player's Handbook II p. 79)
9: Combat Reflexes
10: Shadow Heritage (Planar Handbook p. 42)


Spells per day including bonus spells


Level
0lvl
1st


1st
-
-


2nd
-
-


3rd
-
-


4th
-
-


5th
-
-


6th
-
1



Spells known
Level 1: Secret Weapon (Cityscape p. 68), Sniper's Shot (Complete adventurer p. 138)


Skill Trick Hidden Blade (Hidden Ballista in our case)
Ballista Joe's main trick relies on the skill trick Hidden Blade. Hidden Blade doesn't specify what kind of weapon is drawn. The spell Secret Weapon allows Joe to hide any weapon on his body with a +10 bonus on the sleight of hand check. Joe chose to hide a ballista which is according to the Dungeon master's guide p. 100 a "huge heavy crossbow". Therefor it is a weapon which can be hidden on Joe's body for 10 minutes by casting secret weapon. A huge heavy crossbow weighs 32 lb. (quadruple weight of a medium sized one). Joe's carrying capacity for a light load is 38 lb. Since a ballista is a heavy crossbow, Deadeye and Crossbow Sniper can be applied. When Joe approaches his mark he seems to be completely unarmed and unarmored. As soon as Joe is within 30 ft. of his mark, he draws the ballista as a move action thereby triggering Hidden Blade turning his mark flatfooted which enables Sneak Attack damage (+3d6) + Hit an Run fighter bonus to damage (Dexterity as competence bonus) + Deadeye (untyped Dexterity to damage) + Crossbow Sniper (1/2 Dexterity on damage) + Point Blank Shot (+1) + Craven (+6). As a standard action Joe fires his ballista for 3d8+3d6+2.5*Dex+7 damage. The -4 to hit from wielding a huge weapon hurts Joe's chance to hit but it is still d20+ Dexterity (BAB + Point Blank Shot cancel the penalty from wielding a huge weapon out) versus flatfooted AC. If in no hurry Joe could even use a death attack. Joe probably smeared poison on the ballista bolt for good measure. Of course all of this works with a regular heavy crossbow too as well as shuriken and daggers for a less "dramatic" approach.

Skill Trick Sudden Blade
Sudden Blade requires Joe threatening squares which is why the monk's unarmed strike comes in handy. Thereby Joe always threatens despite not carrying a weapon. When an enemy triggers an attack of opportunity Joe draws a concealed weapon (mostly a dagger) and stabs the now flatfooted opponent triggering sneak attack + craven and hit and run tactics.

Skill Trick Nimble Charge
Neraphim camouflage works on charge attacks which most often are hindered by difficult terrain. Nimble charge is one way to help secure a charge.


All the rest
When Ballista Joe isn't doing Ballista Joe things, he is a very capable assassin. Some ranks in disguise + Disguise self, full ranks in hide + move silently with Darkstalker and a decent Bluff check is a solid chassis for infiltration. Shuriken and daggers can easily be hidden on his body. Even fully unarmed Joe can still use his unarmed strikes and charge people with neraphim camouflage or simly win initiative. Neraphim also get +2 natural armor which is very welcome when Joe cannot wear armor on a mission.

[Zaq]

"To thine own self be true" hits different for someone like this.


Bane never knew who they were going to be. Yeah, sure, for now, he was Tom the apprentice baker, but next week? Who knows? She might be Sue, the new maid hired to help keep up the Royal Palace in Korth. Or perhaps he would be Jacob, the bean-selling merchant in Flamekeep. Or perhaps Jaime, a pan-handler in Thronehold who was missing a finger.

As an agent of the Aurum, they were utilized best in as a deep cover spy and assassin. Once the job was complete, it was like Tom, Sue, Jacob, and Jaime never existed. And perhaps they never did. Or perhaps they live on, in the mind of a spy named Bane.

True Neutral Changeling Rogue 3 / Spellthief 1 / Wizard 1 / Spymaster 1

Stat array: Str 8, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 9, Cha 12. Stat boost at level 4 goes to DEX.

Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Changeling Rogue 1 (Races of Eberron 122) 0 +0 +2 +0 52: {+4} Balance: 4; {+4} Bluff: 4; {+4} Decipher Script: 4; {+4} Diplomacy: 4; {+4} Disguise: 4; {+4} Forgery: 4; {+4} Gather Information: 4; {+4} Hide: 4; {+2 CC} Know (Arcana): 1; {+2} Know (Local): 2; {+4} Sense Motive: 4; {+4} Sleight of Hand: 4; {+4} Tumble: 4; {+4} Use Magic Device: 4; Skill Focus (Bluff) Sneak Attack +1d6, Social Intuition
2nd Rogue 2 1 +0 +3 +0 11: {+1} Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 5; Decipher Script: 4; {+1} Diplomacy: 5; {+1} Disguise: 5; {+1} Forgery: 5; {+1} Gather Information: 5; {+1} Hide: 5; Know (Arcana): 1; Know (Local): 2; {+1} Sense Motive: 5; {+1} Sleight of Hand: 5; Tumble: 4; Use Magic Device: 4; {+2} Assume Quirk; Spell Reflection (Complete Mage p35)
3rd Spellthief 1 (Complete Adventurer p13-20) 1 +0 +3 +2 9: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 6; Decipher Script: 4; Diplomacy: 5; Disguise: 5; Forgery: 5; {+1} Gather Information: 6; {+1} Hide: 6; Know (Arcana): 1; {+2} Know (Local): 4; Sense Motive: 5; Sleight of Hand: 5; {+2} Tumble: 6; {+2} Use Magic Device: 6; Assume Quirk; Weapon Finesse Sneak Attack +1d6 (+2d6 total), Steal Spell (0 or 1st), Trapfinding
4th Wizard 1 1 +0 +3 +4 5: Balance: 5; Bluff: 6; {+1} Decipher Script: 5; Diplomacy: 5; Disguise: 5; Forgery: 5; Gather Information: 6; Hide: 6; Know (Arcana): 1; Know (Local): 4; Sense Motive: 5; Sleight of Hand: 5; {+2} Spellcraft: 2; Tumble: 6; Use Magic Device: 6; {+2} Second Impression, Assume Quirk; Improved Initiative (bonus) Wizard of Sun and Moon (Dungeonscape p14), Combat Wizard (Unearthed Arcana p59)
5th Changeling Rogue 3 (RoE p122) 2 +1 +4 +5 13: Balance: 5; {+2} Bluff: 8; Decipher Script: 5; {+1} Diplomacy: 6; {+3} Disguise: 8; Forgery: 5; {+1} Gather Information: 7; Hide: 6; Know (Arcana): 1; Know (Local): 4; {+1} Sense Motive: 6; {+1} Sleight of Hand: 6; Spellcraft: 2; {+2} Tumble: 8; {+2} Use Magic Device: 8; Second Impression, Assume Quirk; Sneak Attack +2d6, (+3d6 total), Minor Lore
6th Spymaster 1 (Complete Adventurer p76-79) 2 +1 +6 +5 11: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 9; Decipher Script: 5; {+1} Diplomacy: 7; Disguise: 8; Forgery: 5; {+2} Gather Information: 9; Hide: 6; Know (Arcana): 1; Know (Local): 4; {+2} Sense Motive: 8; {+3} Sleight of Hand: 9; Spellcraft: 2; {+1} Tumble: 9; {+1} Use Magic Device: 9; Second Impression, Assume Quirk; Persona Immersion (RoE p110) Cover Identity, Undetectable Alignment

Epic Feats Details
Open Minded (CAdv p111) 5: Balance: 5; Bluff: 9; Decipher Script: 5; Diplomacy: 7; {+2} Disguise: 10; Forgery: 5; Gather Information: 9; Hide: 6; Know (Arcana): 1; Know (Local): 4; Sense Motive: 8; Sleight of Hand: 9; {+3} Spellcraft: 5; Tumble: 9; Use Magic Device: 9; Second Impression, Assume Quirk;
Practiced Spellcaster - Wizard (Complete Divine p82)
Sweet Talker (C Sc p81) Social Recovery, Timely Misdirection
Master Pickpocket (City of Stormreach p95)
Quick Change (RoE 110)
Disturbing Visage (RoE 117)
Fade Into Violence (Player's Handbook 2 p79)
Combat Expertise
Improved Feint
Tumbling Feint (PHB2 P84)

Bane is a rogue with a magical bent. As a Changeling, they take the substitute level at level 1, allowing them numerous benefits. Primary for them are the ability to take 10 on Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate, and Sense Motive. 4 of these 5 are going to be highly utilized in their long term role taking on personas and infiltrating wherever they need to go. They learned early in their career that their facade goes a long way to determine what others think of them, so Skill Focus (Bluff) covers a pre-req and helps with Bluff skill which goes a long way for Bane. Spell Reflection helps them avoid targeted spells. With their high dex (and later, magical abilities to enhance AC) they should be able to take advantange of a poor person's spell turning periodically. Their first skill trick Assume Quirk definitely helps if they have to take the role of a real living being. A Level of spellthief adds a sneak attack die and the ability to steal spells when sneak attacking. Taking weapon finesse is a no-brainer for a more skillful character like Bane.

At level 4 Bane takes a level of wizard. They trade their wizard feats for fighter feats and improved initiative. Also they trade their familiar (which might act as a give-away) for the ability to prepare two extra spells in a single slot. This flexibility is useful for an infiltrator like Bane. Bane doesn't need the conceal spellcasting trick, since Races of Stone p133 allows anyone to do it, skill trick or not. The skill trick Second Impression gives them another opportunity for their disguise to succeed if it somehow fails the first time. Another level of Rogue adds a third sneak attack die, and gives them the skills they need to become a Spymaster. This offers quite a few skills that are useful for Bane, as well as offering undetectable alignment, and the ability to establish a cover persona easily (aided by forgery skills and disguise). The persona immersion feat is extremely useful in E6, namely because on a successful will save it acts not only as a mind-blank but presents a false image to the caster.

Epic time! Open minded nets us a few more skills. In E6 where feats are cheap as dirt, Bane is willing to sacrifice a feat to gain a few more skill ranks. Practiced spellcaster is a huge boost for the otherwise low-level casting abilities available to Bane, mostly offering boosts to duration. Sweet Talker allows Bane (who already knows two Interaction skill tricks) to immediately learn two more. Their normal skill trick limit would be 3 in E6, this raises it to four. They pick up Social Recovery (allowing bluff to sub in for diplomacy) and Timely Misdirection for feinting. Master Pickpocket takes advantage of their sleight of hand ranks, dex, and maybe they can wand a boost or something, if the mission calls for theft instead of death. Quick Change gives them a boost in their ability to quickly morph and walk away if things go downhill or the mission is completed.

Disturbing Visage takes quick change one step further, allowing them to utilize their bluff of 23+ (take 10, 9 ranks, +1 CHA, +3 skill focus) in-combat. Fade into Violence is pretty underhanded in a group, but whatever it takes to survive. Last three feats are a chain to set up combat feinting, 3d6 of sneak attack is too useful to not use whenever possible. If Bane is missing a flank buddy or can't hide this could be crucial in a pinch, and it takes advantage of the tumble ranks Bane already has to avoid AoOs.

Useful spells for Bane include various abjurations (Protection from Evil, Shield), Mage Armor, various divinations to include Insightful feint (SpC) , charm person, dead end (SpC), and expeditious retreat. Dead end tends to be the "Moon" spell for indoor use, expedition retreat tends to be the sun spell.

Bane uses a lot of bluff to cover for quite a few things as a backup. Bluff can cover diplomacy, disguise, and feinting. Remember that although skill tricks are once per encounter, lots of different scenarios can be an encounter including social interactions. It's unclear if, for example, a massive banquet is a single encounter or numerous encounters. Talk to your DM and determine what works best at your table. Obviously for these purposes Bane would like a banquet to be multiple encounters (one per room, perhaps). I did look for a way to forcibly end or start encounters but failed. Maybe it's out there somewhere.

All skill tricks are from Complete Scoundrel. Sources otherwise sourced within the text or come from SRD/PHB.

[Zaq]

Stretching the meaning of "Listen" as far as it'll go.


BLANK



NE Ghostwise Halfling (Races of Faerun, p. 74)
Marshal 5 (Miniatures Handbook p.11) /Uncanny Trickster 1(Complete Scoundrel p.67)

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/869438935527481344/922340495257128980/zzzzzzzzzzz.png



Abilities

Initial
Race
4th


STR

10
8



DEX

10
12



CON

12
12



INT

15
15



WIS

10
10



CHA

17
17
18




BACKGROUND:
Blank had an illumian best friend named Jo. They survived the spider woman harem together by jumping out a window. They stowed away on her majesties flagship in a barrel. The two of them snuck into the glamoured forest and accidentally kidnapped the toadstool prince. They were the best of friends and companions for a couple of years. Their escapades came to a horrendous halt one evening when they were beset upon by gnoll bandits. Tho they tried their best to escape the situation, ultimately, Jo was struck down, exploding into a haunting garbled final utterance as the illumian words poured from their body. Blank remembered that sound, all of it. Bringing the news of Jo's death to his parents, one of whom was a high ranking illumian general. Because of his excellent retelling of the illumian's final words, Blank had honored the family of Jo. He was awarded an honorary rank in the illumian army. Since that time, Blank has consistently muttered those dying sounds of his best friend many times a day. In some small way, it is all that Blank has left of his friend and confidant. And Blank, well, Blank is doing his best to honor his miscreant son-of-a-general buddy.




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


1st
Marshal
0
2
0
2
24: {+4} Bluff: 4; {+4} Handle Animal: 4; {+4} Knowledge (something): 4; {+4} Listen: 4; {+4} Ride/Tumble: 4; {+4} Spot: 4;
Hidden Talent (XPH p.67) Synesthete, Skill Focus (diplomacy)
Motivate Dexterity, Skil focus (diplomacy)


2nd
Marshal
1
3
0
3
6: {+1} Bluff: 5; Handle Animal: 4; {+1} Knowledge (something): 5; {+1} Listen: 5; Ride/Tumble: 4; {+1} Spot: 5; {+2} Listen to This;

Major Aura (motivate attack)


3rd
Marshal
2
3
1
3
8: {+1} Bluff: 6; {+1} Handle Animal: 5; Knowledge (something): 5; {+1} Listen: 6; {+1} Ride/Tumble: 5; {+1} Spot: 6; {+1} Survival : 1; {+2} Collector of stories, point it out, Listen to This;
Cool Head (Comp Scoundrel p.75)
Master of opportunity minor aura (bonus to AC vs. AOO)


4th
Marshal
3
4
1
4
6: {+1} Bluff: 7; {+1} Handle Animal: 6; Knowledge (something): 5; Listen: 6; Ride/Tumble: 5; {+1} Spot: 7; {+1} Survival : 2; {+2 CC} Concentrate: 1; Collector of stories, point it out, Listen to This;


grant move action 1/day


5th
Marshal
3
4
1
4
6: {+1} Bluff: 8; {+1} Handle Animal: 7; Knowledge (something): 5; Listen: 6; {+1} Perform (talkin): 1; Ride/Tumble: 5; {+1} Spot: 8; Survival : 2; Concentrate: 1; {+2} Group Fake out, Collector of stories, point it out, Listen to This;

Major Aura (Motivate Urgency), Minor Aura: Master of Tactics


6th
Uncanny Trickster
3
4
3
4
12: {+1} Bluff: 9; {+1} Handle Animal: 8; {+3} Knowledge (something): 8; Listen: 6; Perform (talkin): 1; {+4} Ride/Tumble: 9; {+1} Spot: 9; Survival : 2; Concentrate: 1; {+2} Timely Misdirection, Group Fake out, Collector of stories, point it out, Listen to This;
Martial Study (leading the attack)
Bonus trick, favorite trick (Listen to this)



languages: common, halfling, drow sign language, hammertalk (dragonlance Campaign setting)




Epic Feats


Darkspeech (Elder Evils p.12)


Omniscent whispers (Unearthed Arcana p.94)


Goad (Complete Adventurer p.109)


Dark Whispers (Elder Evils p.12)


Dilate aura (FC2 p.83)


Martial Stance (bolstering voice)


Martial Stance (Leading the Charge)


Kiai Shout (complete Warrior 102)


Heavy armor optimization (races of stone 141)


Deflective armor (Races of Stone 137)



Skill trick: Listen to This

This build is centered around a single skill trick and then built out. As a ghostwise halfling, Blank can Speak without Sound, communicating telepathically with any creature within 20 feet, just as if speaking to him or her. The halfling can only speak and listen to one person at a time, and he must share a common language with the other person or creature he speaks to telepathically, or the telepathic link fails.

Which is a pretty cool way to use listen to this to affect a single person.

I chose some weird languages because they seemed fun. long distance tunnel hammer talk? yes sign us up. Convert sound energy to sight energy with drow sign language? yeah, that's gonna be a big heck yes.

Listen to this allows you to "describe that sound any time up to 1 hour later with such clarity that any individuals hearing the description are treated as if they had heard the sound themselves." it has no listed action cost and as per Complete Scoundrel page 84: Each skill trick’s description specifies what sort of action, if any, is required. So this is a free action situation!

The synesthete hidden talent allows Blank to hear light when blinded, which is a temporary state when you know how to tie a handkerchief around your eyes. But it allows you to hear true daylight. Which you can then use to kill a vampire if you expose them to that sound for two rounds. I'm sure there's a ton more light-based ways to use the listen to this skill trick, but that's that conjecture best saved for a 20 level build. "Please, don't hit me with a color spray, cus then i might tell you how it made me feel"

Marshal offers heavy armor proficiency, so it is suggested that you wear big armor while you talk all the smack to come. The final two feats add to that.

Marshal auras affect all allies within range that can hear you. Which means you can use one aura, swift action change that aura, and then hit your allies with a combined double aura by using listen to this next round alongside the new aura. In fact, you can stack as many sound based boons as you possibly can to circumvent some of the ridiculous limitations on the marshal class. Particularly when you begin the ability to 1/day grant move actions: it effectively becomes 1/encounter. Which is nice. And then, when you have the uncanny trickster level it goes up to 2/encounter. The minor auras chosen are a boost to initiative and dex rolls, a boost to AC against AOOS, and a bonus to flanking damage. All of these pair quite nicely with the spare move actions. Typically, Blank will start with motivate dexterity up, that's +4 initiative and dex checks, like the tumble skill. The AC bonus against AOOs allows your strike force to get into flanking position for +4 damage.

And then uncanny trickster allows a second use of listen to this per encounter, allowing on the third round of combat to stack all of your auras simultaneously. "Remember what i said last round? Well, all of that plus some more!"

The major auras chosen add +1 to attack rolls and +5 to movement speed. Again, nicely pairing with Blanks ability to make for some highly mobile buddies.

In between encounters you can just re-up your sound based shenanigans 1/minute, effectively allowing you to go marshal nova in ways unseen previously in the history of marshaldom. With this mobility enhancing schtick, it makes sense to nab the bluff based feinting skill tricks to completely negate AOOs for your friends by pulling a timely misdirection group fake out. And considering that it is based on bluff, well, that's just more listen to this fodder.

Darkspeech offers the ability to create hiveminds, to afflict beings with fear or charm effects if evil. And it is all based on being heard, so you can use the listen to this skill trick to avoid additional ability damage. Dark whispers grow that ability into putting the staggered condition on enemies. Omniscient whispers allows for you to tap into a commune spell at the cost of being exhausted, but again, it is sound based, so you can possibly use it to exhaust others or grant them a commune spell effects. I'm not sure how that one gets ruled by your GM, but it represents the continued bond of Blank's long lost friend Jo. Paired with the ghostwise ability, you can do all of this silently.

And then there's goad, which is a terrible feat, but it's a move action to use and you'll be having spare move actions at level 4. But talking is a free action thereafter, so you could use listen to this to regoad.

Maybe you want to stack some fear effects? Well you're in luck because kiai shout has entered the chat. Dilate aura makes your marshal auras reach out 120 feat.

And then there's white raven stances, both of which are moderated by sound, so with leading the charge (+3 to attack rolls while charging) and bolstering voice (+2 to will saves/+4 against feat), you can add those aural effects into your oral allocution of listening to this.

And yes, you need to pass a listen check to use these abilities and stack them. But listen checks have their DC dropped by modifiers, and if you're the one saying it, your probably gonna hear it.

Lastly, heroes of battle page 77, and our backstor provide our hivemind swarm monsters a little extra bonus (+2 morale bonus to attack rolls) in the form of a feral commander aura. If that feels cheesy, the mobile commander aura from the same page adds a +5 morale bonus to the speed of your allies and all you have to do is be Chaotic Evil. Judging by the recognition point system, Blank should be commander level 3 by the time they get to level 6.

In all, so long as you don't get deafened, you should be able to use any of these funky abilities to turn your team into a monstrous fighting team.

Variations.
Adding ineluctable echo onto a creature that doesn't need to sleep will allow this build to sacrifice the ghostwise racial ability for the ability to constantly remind yourself what wail of the banshee sounds like every hour.

Wild cohort is a good choice for a feat on this guy, but i figured they could just like...buy horses.

[Zaq]

A man of honor and of the art of the sword.




https://i.ibb.co/47mMHck/samurai-warrior-2-small-shutterstock-1576329613-768x520.jpg

Anyway, when I looked at the Skill Tricks, I thought a Samurai build using Never Outnumbered would be cool. So i looked at the Samurai classes. Then i looked at Factorum. And... Inspiration as Ki? Arcane Dilettante as magic sword techniques? Opportunistic Piety for a blessing from the spirts? Iajustu focus as a class skill!!? Yeah. So here you go!

Abilities Initial Race / Template 4th
STR 14 0 0
DEX 12 0 0
CON 14 0 0
INT 14 0 0
WIS 10 0 0
CHA 15 0 1


Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Warblade (ToB) +1 +2 +0 +0 Intimdate 4, Jump 4, Balance 4, Concentration 4, Knowldege (Arcana) 2, (Nature) 2, (Religion) 2 Exoctic Weapon Proficancy (Katana), Martail Stance (Iron Guard's Glare) Battle Claity, Weapon Apitude
2nd Factorum 1 (DS) +1 +2 +2 +0 Jump 5, Iajutsu Focus 5 (OA), Balance 5, Knowldege (Arcana) 4, (Nature) 4, (Religion) 4 Inspiration, Cunning Insight, Cunning Knowledge, Trapfinding
3rd FCT 2 +2 +2 +3 +0 Intimdate 6, Iajutsu Focus 6, Jump 6, Concentration 6, Knowldege (Arcana) 5, (Nature) 5, (Religion) 5, Skill Trick Quick Draw, Collector of Stories Arcane dilettante (1 spell)
4th FCT 3 +3 +3 +3 +1 Intimdate 7, Iajutsu Focus 7, Jump 7, Concentration 7, Knowledge (Arcana) 7, (Nature) 7, (Religion) 6 Brains Over Brawn, Cunning Defense
5th FCT 4 +4 +3 +3 +1 Intimdate 8, Iajutsu Focus 8, Jump 8, Concentration 8, Knowledge (Arcana) 8, (Nature) 8, (Nobality and Royality) 1, (Religion) 8 Arcane Dilettante (2 spells), Cunning Strike
6th FCT 5 +4 +3 +4 +1 Intimdate 9, Iajutsu Focus 9, Jump 9, Concenctration 9, Knowledge (Arcana) 8, (Nature) 8, (Religion) 8 Skill Trick Imperous Command (DotU), Never Outnumberd Opportunistic Piety
Epic Feats
Sudden Recovery
Knowlegde Devotion (CC)
Martail Study (Sudden Leap)
Martail Study (Burning Brand)
Steady Concentration (RoS)
Improved Initiative
Law Devotion (CC)
Frightful Presence (DRA)
Skill Focus (Iajutsu Focus)
Skill Focus (Intimdate)

Level IL/CL Manuvers Stances Inspiration Spells [B]
1st 1/0 (3)- Moment of Perfect Mind, Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Wolf Fang Strike (1)- Punishing Stance, Iron Guard's Glare
2nd 1/0 2
3rd 2/2 3 (1) Flex Slot
4th 2/3 3
5th 3/4 3 (2) Bladeweave, Wraith Strike, Heart of Air
6th/Epic 3/5 Sudden Leap, Burning Brand 4

We start off as a human Warblade (Let's call him Cyan) for the skill points, bonus feat and Manuvers. The skill tricks look they could make a cool samurai, so for his starting weapons we take a Katana (Masterwork Bastard Sword) and a Wakizashi (Masterwork Short Sword), giving him a pair of Daisho (Matched Swords) for use in combat. In combat, his main method of fighting will be to use iron guard's glare for lockdown, and attacking with his katana. We also gain Int to Reflex save because of battle clarity.


Feats:
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (EWP):
Allows us to attack one-handed with a Bastard Sword. Or use a Gnomish Quickrazor later.
(Remember, Weapon Aptitude lets us change our EWP if we have an hour of free time)

Manuvers:
As a Warblade, recover after taking a swift action+standard action/attacking, or the encounter ends.
Each Manoeuvre is 1/Recovery.

Moment of Perfect Mind (Boost):
Take a Concentration check instead of a will saving throw. Helps our weak will save drastically when it matters

Sapphire Nightmare Blade (Strike):
Attack. Your target counts as Flat-Footed if they fail a concentration check.You also 1D6 extra damage. (No Dex Bonus to AC, Vulnerable to sneak attack and Iajustu) (1d10+3 Damage) Combo piece for later.

Wolf Fang Strike (Strike)
Attack with two weapons, with a -2 penalty to each attack roll.
(Same as TWF) (1d10+3 and 1d6+3 Damage over both attacks) Bonus attacks mean more damage, and it can be used to it's full effectiveness without needing to draw a weapon.

Cyan is now a Factorum. This gives him a pool of 3 inspiration points (IP), which refresh at the end of each encounter, and some class features to use them with:

Cunning Insight: +Int (Competence) to attack roll, damage roll or saving throw. 1 IP

Cunning Knowledge: +Factorum level (Untyped) to any skill. 1 IP

Arcane Dilettante: Cast a spell from the Sorc/Wiz Spell lists. 1/day, 1 IP
(These Count As Spell-Like Abilities)

These features can help us in combat by giving us situational bonuses. (Such as using Cunning Knowledge for more Iajustu Focus Die) Personally i would use Arcane Dilettante's first level slot for situational (For example, using magic weapon to overcome DR/magic)

We also gain Collector of Stories to help us identify monsters. Now we know what we can our alchemist's fire on! (Other than trolls, of course)

And now our first combo:

Thanks to the quick draw feat, we can draw our Short Sword when using Sapphire Nightmare Blade. This makes it scale based on our Iajustu Focus check. We have 6 ranks of Iajustu Focus meaning if we take ten*, Sapphire Nightmare Blade deals 4d6+3 damage. (For Now) And since Warblades can take a move action when they recover manuvers, we can use that action to shethe our Short Sword, letting us do this any time we use Sapphire Nightmare Blade.

Also, remember we don't suffer the penalty for 2 weapon-fighting as we only attack with 1 weapon.

(*Yes, I know cyan can't do that)

Also, we get Trapfinding.

We now get the centre of the build: The
Never Outnumberd+Imperious Command Combo. This let's Cyan Cower (Can't Move), Then Shaken (-2 to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks and ability checks) multiple foes for 1 round each, helping him control the battlefield with a hard stare.

He can also apply his Int bonus to STR, DEX based skill checks and AC thanks to Brains Over Brawn and Cunning Defence (1 IP), and can use his IP to add damage to Sapphire Night Blade by using Cunning Strike. He can also use Opportunistic Piety to heal a party member for 14HP 3/day, allowing him protect downed party members. (He can also Turn Undead using this, but we don't care about this now)

For his 2nd Level spell, try Bladeweave to daze opponents for one combat, and Wraithstrike to make melee attacks target touch AC

Sapphire Nightmare Blade Damage:
(If a ten is rolled)
5D6+3

Sudden Recovery:
One extra manuver 1/day. Can be used for more wolf fang strikes or dealing with will saves.

Knowledge Devotion:
Collector of Stories gives a +5 to knowledge checks to identify a monster. If we roll a ten, this is a +2 bonus to damage. We also pumped Knowledge (Arcana, Nature, Religion) with our spare skill points. Cyan knows your weak point!

Martial Study:
Cyan takes this feat twice, taking Sudden Leap and Burning Brand.

Sudden Leap lets Cyan move as a swift action, greatly increasing the amount of the battlefield he can control. Also, Cyan can use the Heart of Air spell from Complete Mage to give himself a +23 to jump checks (9 ranks, +4 from STR+INT mods, +10 from the spell), allowing for fast movement with only a swift action.

Burning Brand allows Cyan to increase our threatened radius to 10ft for one turn. This also helps with controlling the battlefield, as well.

As both of these manuvers benefit from being used often, Sudden Recovery works well with them.

Steady Concentration:
Taking 10 a Concentration check gives a 20 (10, +8 Skill Points, +2 CON MOD) which makes sure we pass will saves and inflict flat-footed with Sapphire Nightmare Blade.

Improved Initiative:
Going first is really helpful for any controller or lockdown build, as it make sure you can prevent foe from acting NOW

Law Devotion:
+3 bonus to BAB or AC 1/day. You could argue that because Opportunistic Piety gives you turns, you could fuel it with that. I'll leave that up to the judges, though.

Frightful Presence:
When Cyan attacks, lower level foes must take a DC 16 will save or be shaken for 1d6+3 Rounds. However, if a foe succeeds on the will save they become immune. This can weaken Cyan's foes, making them easier for the rest of party to take out.

Skill Focus (Iajutsu Focus),:
Gives Cyan a +3 to Iajutsu Focus,
making sapphire nightmare blade deal 7D6+3 damage
(If a ten is rolled)

Skill Focus (Intimidate):
Improves the chance that Cyan's Demoraliztion attempts go off.

[Zaq]

Lopunny used Fake Out! Skarmory flinched!


Luke T'Hare
Chaotic Evil Hare Hengeyokai Spellthief 3/Binder 3


https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/217609913885523968/921416226775896114/bugs.PNG

Although my homage pales in comparison to the original, watching some classic Bugs Bunny vs Elmer Fudd is still a far better introduction to this build than anything I could write.



Abilities Initial Race / Template Level 4 Total
Str 10 10 (+0)
Dex 16 +2 18 (+6)
Con 14 14 (+2)
Int 14 14 (+2)
Wis 8 -2 6 (-2)
Cha 15 +1 16 (+3)




Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Spellthief +0 +0 +0 +2 Bluff (+4) 4; Hide (+4) 4; Move Silently (+4) 4; Disguise (+4) 4; Sleight of Hand (+4) 4; Tumble (+4) 4; Escape Artist (+4) 4; Balance (+4) 4; City Slicker Sneak attack +1d6, steal spell (0 or 1st), trapfinding
2nd Binder +0 +2 +0 +4 Bluff (+1) 5; Hide 4; Intimidate (+2) 2; Move Silently 4; Disguise (+1) 5; Sleight of Hand 4; Tumble 4; Escape Artist 4; Balance 4; Soul binding (1 vestige)
3rd Binder +1 +3 +0 +5 Bluff (+1) 6; Hide 4; Intimidate (+2) 4; Move Silently 4; Disguise (+1) 6; Sleight of Hand 4; Tumble 4; Escape Artist 4; Balance 4; Combat Expertise Pact augmentation (1 ability), suppress sign
4th Spellthief +2 +3 +0 +6 Bluff (+1) 7; Hide (+2) 6; Intimidate 4; Move Silently (+1) 5; Disguise (+1) 7; Sleight of Hand (+3) 7; Tumble 4; Escape Artist 4; Balance 4; Detect magic, spellgrace +1, steal spell effect
5th Binder +3 +3 +1 +6 Bluff (+1) 8; Hide 6; Intimidate 4; Move Silently 5; Disguise (+1) 8; Sleight of Hand 7; Tumble 4; Escape Artist 4; Balance 4; Group Fake-Out
6th Spellthief +4 +4 +2 +6 Bluff (+1) 9; Hide 6; Intimidate 4; Move Silently (+1) 6; Disguise (+1) 9; Sleight of Hand (+2) 9; Tumble 4; Escape Artist (+1) 5; Balance 4; Timely Misdirection Improved Binding Steal energy resistance 10

Epic Feats
Improved Feint
Martial Study (shadow jaunt)
Martial Stance (child of shadow)
Shadow Blade
Sweet Talker (Assume Quirk, Second Impression)
Darkstalker
Shape Soulmeld (necrocarnum touch)
Skill Focus (Bluff)
Force of Personality
Master Pickpocket



Level 1:
Like a lot of characters, Luke's best bet at this point is to grab a crossbow and shoot people with it. Whenever possible he should make use of Sneak Attack, and even steal spell if he can.

Level 2:
Binding Leraje doesn't fundamentally change Luke's strategy, but it does improve it quite nicely. Naberius is an option for more socially-oriented days.

Level 3:
It's always tough to decide where to put pact augmentation, but personally, I'm a big fan of the saving throw bonus.

Level 4:
I love steal spell effect, and I think it's an ability a lot of people underestimate. It's worth noting that at level 6 Luke will be able to steal spell effects with a caster level of up to 6, which in an E6 environment should be as much as he needs.

Level 5:
Luke learns his first skill trick, but he doesn't have much use for it yet. Don't worry, we're getting there. In the meantime, 2nd-level vestiges become available, but even the best of them (Malphas) is of questionable value compared to the 1st-level choices.

Level 6:
Another spellthief level, but weirdly, the big ticket item here is Improved Binding. Luke now has access to Paimon, his go-to vestige and basically the whole reason he went down the binding path in the first place. Almost all of Paimon's abilities are useful. In particular, +4 Dex is very nice, boosting Luke's Dex to 22 (+6). Weapon Finesse means he's finally competent in melee, abd the Tumble bonus helps too. Dance of Death isn't especially useful just yet, but it's nice to have, and it's going to get better soon. Whirlwind Attack is nice to have as a freebie for the rare situation where it's actually useful.

Improved Feint: It took a long time to get here, but we made it. This is where the build comes online. Luke's main trick, which he will use on his first turn in almost every combat, goes like this. First, he uses a move action to feint, using Group Fake-Out to affect as many enemies as he'll be able to run past with his 40-ft of movement. Then he uses Dance of Death (which is a standard action) to attack them, allowing him to start each combat by stealing spells and spell effects from all enemies. Note that while Dance of Death provokes opportunity attacks, Timely Misdirection will prevent them. Although it's strictly a 1/encounter combo, it allows Luke to start each fight with a mass debuff that does some damage and hopefully gives him some free buffs and spells.

So, there's an elephant in the room - the volley rule. Now, personally, I think the volley rule is stupid, but sadly that doesn't seem to prevent it from existing.


A form of attack that enables an attacker to make multiple attacks during an action other than a full-round action, such as the Manyshot feat (standard action) or a quickened scorching ray (swift action), allows precision damage to be applied only to the first attack in the group.

However! The spellthief says:


A spellthief who hits an opponent with a successful sneak attack can choose to forgo dealing 1d6 points of sneak attack damage and instead [...]

Spellthief abilities require "a successful sneak attack", but the volley rule doesn't actually prevent that. It only prevents you from applying precision damage to multiple attacks. So Luke can't deal sneak attack damage to everyone he hits with Dance of Death, which will definitely be inconvenient at times, but he should be able to steal spells and spell effects from them.

Martial Study: Short-range, unlimited (out of combat) teleportation is famously useful, but it's mostly a pre-req for...

Martial Stance: Concealment is nice to have, but still, this is just a pre-req for...

Shadow Blade: You knew it was coming, but Dex to damage is just way too nice not to get.

Sweet Talker: Like Bugs Bunny or Brer Rabbit before him, Luke is a master of disguise, and all too ready to back up his disguises with outrageous lies. Assume Quirk helps him fool observers who should know better, while Second Impression lets him Bluff his way out of a failed Disguise.

Darkstalker: Another feat you saw coming a mile away, it's the feat that stops people from seeing you coming a mile away.

Shape Soulmeld, Skill Focus: These are just big boosts to all of Luke's favourite skills (except Disguise, but what can you do).

Force of Personality: Charisma to Will saves turns a penalty into a bonus, for a net +5.

Master Pickpocket: I saved this one for last, because it's a little dodgy, but it's also way too fun not to include. Free action pickpocketing leads to some hilarious nonsense, even if the DM puts some sensible limits on how many times you can try it in a turn. At a -10 penalty, we're still looking at a +11 total. For Luke specifically, though, there's some extra fun: when he uses Dance of Death, he can pickpocket every enemy as he runs past and attacks them. This really exemplifies the core idea here - Luke tricks his enemies into looking the other way, then runs around stabbing all of them, siphoning their magic, and nicking their stuff.




Hit Dice: 3d6+3d8 (38.5 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+6 Dex), touch 16, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+4
Attack: Shortsword +10 melee (1d6+6)
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +10
Skills: Bluff +15 (+19 when feinting), Hide +12, Intimidate +9, Move Silently +12, Disguise +12 (+14 when acting in character), Sleight of Hand +21, Tumble +10, Escape Artist +10, Balance +10




Hare Hengeyokai: Oriental Adventures, Dragon 318
Spellthief, Force of Personality: Complete Adventurer
City Slicker: Races of Destiny
Binder, Improved Binding, Leraje, Naberius, Paimon: Tome of Magic
Sweet Talker, Group Fake-Out, Timely Misdirection, Assume Quirk, Second Impression
Martial Study, Martial Stance, Shadow Blade, shadow jaunt, child of shadow: Tome of Battle
Darkstalker: Lords of Madness
Shape Soulmeld, necrocarnum touch: Magic of Incarnum
Master Pickpocket: City of Stormreach, pg. 95
Everything else: SRD content

[Zaq]

When I hear "whip dancer" I imagine a Castlevania-themed DDR (hey, they're both owned by Konami, it could happen) and I would pay so much money for a DDR that's all Castlevania tunes.


Sorry, I have no story.

But we can look at character path via his classes and feats.
First level looks like... Errand boy, maybe in some crime. Smart enough to survive and to be able to go out.
Second to fifth levels looks like... Somebody who hides. In some wild tribe. Firstly he try to be big and strong... young. But... he can't. In other hand he can draw the attention of tribe shaman or found way to pact magic himself. He is smart.
Sixth and epics. He returned to his hometown, but as a different person. And even if he has been known by somebody from his past, he can strike back very hard.


HN Human Factotum-1/Lion Totem Ferocity Barbarian-1/Binder-3/Chameleon-1

Abilities Initial 4th Paimon Total
STR 8 8
DEX 15 1 4 20
CON 10 10
INT 18 18
WIS 8 8
CHA 14 14
Level Class BAB Fort Reflex Will Skills New Tricks Feats Class Features
1st Factotum-1 0 0 2 0 44: {+2} Balance: 2; {+4} Bluff: 4; {+1} Concentration: 1; {+4} Disguise: 4; {+1} Handle Animal: 1; {+4} Intimidate: 4; {+4} Iaijutsu Focus: 4; {+4} Ride: 4; {+4} Spellcraft: 4; {+4} Sense Motive: 4; {+4} Sleight of Hand: 4; {+4} Tumble: 4; {+4} Use Rope: 4; Able Learner, Font of Inspiration (Human) Inspiration, cunning insight, cunning knowledge, trapfinding
2nd Lion Totem Ferocity Barbarian-1 1 2 2 0 9: {+1} Balance: 3; {+1} Bluff: 5; Concentration: 1; {+1} Disguise: 5; Handle Animal: 1; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 4; {+1} Ride: 5; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; {+1} Sleight of Hand: 5; {+1} Tumble: 5; {+1} Use Rope: 5; Dismount Attack Pounce, illiteracy, ferocity 1/day
3rd Binder-1 1 4 2 2 7: Balance: 3; Bluff: 5; Concentration: 1; {+1} Disguise: 6; {+1} Handle Animal: 2; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 4; {+1} Ride: 6; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; {+1} Sleight of Hand: 6; {+1} Tumble: 6; Use Rope: 5; Whip Climber EWP (Whip) Soul binding (1 vestige)
4th Binder-2 2 5 2 3 7: Balance: 3; Bluff: 5; Concentration: 1; {+1} Disguise: 7; Handle Animal: 2; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Iaijutsu Focus: 5; {+2} Jump: 2; {+1} Ride: 7; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; {+1} Sleight of Hand: 7; {+1} Tumble: 7; Use Rope: 5; Pact augmentation (1 ability), suppress sign
5th Binder-3 3 5 3 3 7: Balance: 3; {+3} Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; {+1} Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 2; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 5; Jump: 2; {+1} Ride: 8; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; {+1} Sleight of Hand: 8; {+1} Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5;
6th Chameleon-1 3 5 3 3 9: {+2} Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; {+3} Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; {+1} Iaijutsu Focus: 6; Jump: 2; {+1} Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Conceal Spellcasting Improved Binding, Weapon Finesse (Paimon), Whirlwind Attack (Paimon) Aptitude focus 1/day (+2)
E1 - 0: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 6; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Quick Draw
E2 - 0: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 6; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Hidden Blade, Sudden Draw Sure Hand
E3 - 0: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 6; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Skill Focus (Ride)
E4 - 0: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 6; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Flick of the Wrist
E5 - 0: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 6; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Skill Focus (Iaijutsu Focus)
E6 - 5: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; {+3} Iaijutsu Focus: 9; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Nimble Charge Open Minded
E7 - 0: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 9; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Twisted Charge, Nimble Stand Freerunner
E8 - 0: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 9; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Wild Cohort
E9 - 0: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 9; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Polar Chill
E10 - 0: Balance: 5; Bluff: 8; Concentration: 1; Disguise: 8; Handle Animal: 5; Intimidate: 4; Iaijutsu Focus: 9; Jump: 2; Ride: 9; Spellcraft: 4; Sense Motive: 4; Sleight of Hand: 8; Tumble: 8; Use Rope: 5; Luck Devotion



It's always Paimon. No other vestiges. Before him... Maybe I use others, but Paimon always was my lighthouse, the goal I was going to.


1) Pounce let me do full attack with charge and using Whirlwind Attack is full attack action.

2) Dismount Attack let me do charge with single standard. So I have move action to use Hidden Blade trick.

3) Whirlwind Attack is "one melee attack at your full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach" so Iaijutsu Focus damage should apply to damage for all enemies.



Yes, whip isn't light weapon, but it can be easily hidden on the body, for example wrapped around torso. I saw this in one episode of Xena. Gabrielle carried Xena's whip in a prison in this way. ;)


Whirlwind Attack is "one melee attack at your full base attack bonus against each opponent within reach" and "whip is treated as a melee weapon with 15-foot reach".


I gain "the benefit of the Weapon Finesse feat when you wield such weapons (the rapier and short sword)". I easily can wield short sword and whip simultaneously (and Draw sword as free action due Quick Draw). So I can apply benefit of the Weapon Finesse feat to the Whip.


Polar Chill has some bad wording, but all looks like it forces all in the area to balance and be flat-footed.


This feat is good for all who rolls damage with full hand of dices. I do. Up to +5d6 from Iaijutsu Focus and base damage. All this may checks many times every round.


There is good alternative to whip in Sword and Fist - Whip Dagger. It is the same Whip, but with 1d6 lethal damage that doesn't stop by NatAC and Armor. It doesn't update to 3.5 and for Whip-like weapon it is bad - we can't use it as it is. But update isn't big deal.


Mainly I use "+1 insight bonus on attack rolls" option. Even with Weapon Finesse I have only +3 BAB.


Another Iaijutsu Whirlwind combo. Work only with a light weapon, but I can have many short swords in my waistband.


In general I select Arcane Focus. Favorite spells are: Invisibility (1st level for Telflammar Shadowlord), True Strike (1st; Whirlwind Attack is single attack!), Enlarge Person (1st; it's always good for Whirlwind Attacker), Grease (1st; of course I use it, some flat-footed enemies isn't bad), Glitterdust (2nd; blind all in 10-ft.-radius is good option, too), Mount (1st; until E8, when I take heavy horse via Wild Cohort), Absorb Weapon (1st for Assassin; with Enlarge Person I can hide a Whip! Draw it as free action thanks to Quick Draw, feint as free, and use Whirlwind Attack), Crabwalk (1st for Bard; +4 for attack with charge is good, especially with Whirlwind Pounce), Whirling Blade (2nd; another way to apply Iaijutsu Focus damage to many enemies in one single action).


Hidden Blade for Iaijutsu Focus build? Yes, please.


Nimble Charge and Twisted Charge for pouncer? Of course I took it!


This skill trick isn't somу cornerstone, but it can be very useful to conceal some spell.


Main. It looks cool! And I anyway took a Whip.


It's one of the main trick I builded around. And it'll be shame if it'll not work. So lets look.
9 (ranks) + 5 (Dex) + 3 (Skill Focus) + 2 (Synergy) = +19
Yes! I can Fast dismount with natural 1!


Add Int mod (+4) to an attack roll, damage roll, or saving throw three times in every battle? Yes, I'll use this.


I don't like it because it prevents using Iaijutsu Focus, but in some cases it can work as a last resort.


All spells are from PHB and Spell Compendium.
Factotum from Dungeonscape.
Binder from Tome of Magic. Improved Binding, too.
Chameleon from Races of Destiny as well as Able Learner.
Open Minded from Complete Adventurer.
Flick of the Wrist from Complete Warrior.
All skill tricks and feats Sure Hand and Freerunner from Complete Scoundrel.
Luck Devotion and Lion Totem barbarian variant from Complete Champion.
Polar Chill from Unearthed Arcana.
Telflammar Shadowlord from Unapproachable East.
Assassin from DMG.
Quick Draw, Skill Focus, Weapon Finesse, Whirlwind Attack, Exotic Weapon Proficiency, and Barbarian from PHB.
Iaijutsu Focus from Oriental Adventures.
Wild Cohort, Font of Inspiration, and Ferocity founded on the Wizards of the Coast website (links below). Wild Cohort (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20031118a)
Font of Inspiration (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606)
Ferocity (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a)

[Zaq]

Why is she wearing… okay, I guess rich people just are like that.



https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/647393639886094337/921819802174128218/Mr_Winthrop_small.jpg

Mr. Winthrop

“All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.”


I do hope they’ve replaced that dour old fellow they had answering the door last winter. The contessa’s thoughts announced her presence before her knock.

Winthrop drew the door open before her fist made contact, putting the perfectly coiffed young thing off balance, if only for a moment.

“How’d you know I was here, then?” she said and hid her flusterment behind a fan that clacked open just a moment too late.

“Your man’s light, miss.” Winthrop nodded back toward the carriage she’d arrived in where the lantern swing in the coachman’s hand, still guttering even in this rain as he made his way toward the stables.

“Oh, all right. You can take my hat.” She doffed the great thing of fur and ribbon and he accepted it like a medal.

“Your coat, miss?” he asked.

“Careful, old man, it bites,” she said none too soon as the thing nearly took off his finger.

Brat barely keeps me alive, the coat complained in a way its mistress wouldn’t hear.

Let the plum ripen, young one. What kind of servant would I be if I let you go hungry? Behave and I’ll see you’re rewarded.

If it understood, it didn’t argue and let itself be hung up in the cloakroom with much less lively garments.

“If you’ll join the others in the parlor, please, young miss,” Winthrop said with a smile.

“And why should I do a thing like that? I haven’t even been told why I’ve been called all the way across creation to this dreadful old place. If it’s all the same to you, I’ll just wait right—“

Obstinate brat. Go into the parlor and drink your sherry like a good girl.

And like that, the contessa changed her mind. Or rather, someone changed it for her.

“Is there sherry?” she asked pleasantly.

“Capital idea. I’ll bring some in right away,” Winthrop said.

The contessa took her seat among her extended family. With some judicious positioning, Winthrop had been able to arrange the largest set of matching chairs in a semicircle facing the fireplace. He knew he’d never heard the end of it if someone had to hear this kind of announcement perched on a steamer trunk.

The contessa put a hand to her heart when she saw Deneith’s man standing with his back to the fire.

He spoke the words his kind were known for. They hit their mark surer than any spell.

“You’re probably wondering why I’ve gathered you here today,” the warden invoked.

Winthrop placed a glass in the contessa’s hand and filled it before she wilted in the remaining empty chair, managing not to spill a drop.

“How dare you?” she spat.

“You see, to an untrained observer, your grandfather’s passing seemed a perfectly natural occurrence,” the warden said.

“And who says otherwise?” the contessa shot back.

Who indeed. Winthrop refreshed the warden’s glass from behind, unthanked.

“My sources determined he had traces of dream lily in his blood the night he was killed,” the warden said.

And so what if it did? The contessa’s uncle stood up. “What of it, man? As any schoolboy knows, dream lily can’t kill! Not if the old goat gulped down a whole ruddy barrel full!”

“You are, of course right, sir. However, that same schoolboy knows dream lily comes from Xen’drik, and you were in Xen’drik recently, were you not?”

So what? Lots of people were in Xen’drik then. He’s got no right to talk to you like that, does he? And in your family home.

“Now, see here,” he said, gripping his stick in his fist so hard his knuckles blanched. A spark of fire bloomed from its tip.

“Patience, sir, please. As I was saying, the old man was put to sleep by the dream lily, perhaps even his own doing, but he wasn’t killed by it. He was dispatched something of these precise dimensions.” The warden opened a locket on his neck and a stream of enchanted sand poured its way into his hand and took the shape of a skewer.

“Looks familiar, does it not, Lady d’Cannith?”

You’ve never seen that before in your life, have you? “I’m quite sure I don’t know what you’re talking about!” the contessa’s great-aunt said with an indignant gasp.

The warden conjured a magnificent lady’s hat in his hand.

“Yours,” he said. “Don’t bother to argue. Now does anything look like it’s missing?”

There was a small hole in a silk flower near the center. The warden reached into his lapel and took out a hatpin smeared with dried blood.

“You are the one responsible for this, Lady.”

Preposterous. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!” He deserved it. “You didn’t know him! Didn’t know what he was like!”

“Aha! There it is,” the warden said, like he’d done anything. He slid a ring off his pinky finger and it tumbled to the floor beneath Lady d’Cannith’s feet. The gem squirmed forth from the prongs holding it in place like a blob of oil. With a blast of black light that snuffed the fire in the hearth, Lady d’Cannith was held in a perfect, enormous sphere of shimmering, black glass. It slowly sank into the carpet, leaving no trace of itself. No one moved or spoke, though they certainly had a flurry of thoughts about the events of the evening, too quick to sort out.

“Is she…” the contessa’s uncle grasped for the words and crept over to the fireplace to discreetly relight it.

“She is no longer your concern.” The warden spirited the sand back into his locket and handed the hat to Winthrop who dutifully put it away in the cloakroom.

The family’s thoughts were characterized by relief while he was briefly out of the room. None of them were under any further suspicion, according to the warden’s thoughts. Now was as good a time as any.

Winthrop took a coat and hat and a few other things from the dearly departed old man’s vault in a waterproof valise and headed out the door.

He got as far as the lightning rail station before he heard any noteworthy thoughts.

It can’t be, can it?, he heard echo from the capacious mind of the warden.

“Pardon me, sir, but don’t I know you from somewhere?” the warden asked. He ducked under the awning by the platform to stay dry by Winthrop’s side.

Winthrop smiled his glamered smile from behind a face that wasn’t his own.

“Oh, dear, I should hope not. I’ve not done anything wrong, have I, good sir Deneith?” Winthrop said with an exaggerated sniffle.

Perhaps not. “No, old man. Nothing more than being out in this rain,” he said with a good natured laugh.

Winthrop reached into his valise, bespelled to look like a shabby carpetbag. His fingertips, poking out of his threadbare gloves brushed against the pilfered riches of the murder the warden had just “solved.”

“Oh, please, sir Deneith, take this. Least an old junk man like myself can offer to an upholder of the law such as yourself. Keep yourself warm while you’re out looking for your man. You’ll catch your death out here.”

Winthrop handed over a cloak with fine, ivory clasps that looked almost like teeth.

“Why, that’s most generous of you.” The warden took it and put it on, already relaxing with the living warmth of the thing.

Mm, thank you, sir. May I have him now?

Winthrop continued making small talk with the warden while he pacified the thing with his mind.

Wait until he’s asleep in his cabin, then no one will take him away from you, beast.

The thing slithered with discontent in the rain, hopefully deniable as a sudden breeze.

Uhm?

Winthrop nodded gamely along as the warden caught him up on the exploits of his latest case, making sure to look impressed.

Once he gets in that big, square cave, he’s going to get in a smaller square cave and lie down a while. Do it then.

Uh. Uh huh.

The train arrived and the warden got aboard. He even held the door.

“Coming aboard, old timer?” he asked with a smile.

Winthrop shook his head. “I’m on the next one. Have a safe journey, friend,” he said and waved goodbye.



NE human factotum 5/mindbender 1



str 15
dex 10
con 12
int 16
wis 10
cha 14 (increase at 4)





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


1st
factotum 1
+0
+0
+2
+0
balance 4, bluff 4, diplo 4, disguise 4, forgery 1, iaijutsu focus 4, intimidate 4, k (arcana) 3, lucid dreaming 1, sense motive 3, sleight of hand 4, umd 4
font of inspiration 1, font of inspiration 2
inspiration, cunning insight, cunning knowledge, trapfinding


2nd
factotum 2
+1
+0
+3
+0
balance 1 (5), bluff 1 (5), diplo 1 (5), disguise 1 (5), iaijutsu focus 1 (5), intimidate 1 (5), k (arcana) 2 (5), collector of stories

arcane dilettante (1 spell)


3rd
factotum 3
+2
+1
+3
+1
bluff 1 (6), diplo 1 (6), disguise 1 (6), iaijutsu focus 1 (6), intimidate 1 (6), k (religion) 1, tumble 4
obtain familiar (raven)
brains over brawn, cunning defense


4th
factotum 4
+3
+1
+4
+1
bluff 1 (7), diplo 1 (7), disguise 1 (7), iaijutsu focus 1 (7), intimidate 1 (7), k (planes) 1, tumble 1 (5), umd 3 (7)

arcane dilettante (2 spells)


5th
factotum 5
+3
+1
+4
+1
autohypnosis 5, iaijutsu focus 1 (8), intimidate 1 (8), umd 1 (8), never outnumbered

opportunistic piety


6th
mindbender 1
+3
+3
+4
+3
bluff 1 (8), diplo 1 (8), intimidate 1 (8), k (local), second impression
mindsight
telepathy

[tr]



imperious command
knowledge devotion
exotic weapon proficiency (gnomish quickrazor)
font of inspiration 3
combat expertise
improved trip
knock-down
fey heritage
fey power
fey presence


Factotum offers an unparalleled breadth of skills and you avail yourself of them quite well. Stock up on social goodies like bluff and disguise, as well as combat staples like iaijutsu focus and tumble.

Font of inspiration allows you to use inspiration more often. Knowledge devotion grants you bonuses to attack and damage against many types of enemies. Your first skill trick, collector of stories helps it hit harder and more often.

Your familiar has all the same skills as you do. Ravens can notably fly, talk, and use items, so you can have it do things with wands among other things, using your ranks in umd.

Arcane dilettante allows you to cast sorcerer/wizard spells, most notably charm person, which provides entry into mindbender. Mindbender grants telepathy, useful to communicate with any creature which has a language, whether you and it share that language or not. Mindsight allows you to pinpoint non-mindless creatures within 100 feet and know their types and intelligence scores. With this, enemies shouldn’t get the drop on you.

Never outnumbered, your second skill trick, allows you to demoralize groups of enemies at once to quickly turn the tide of a battle. It synergizes nicely with your first epic feat, imperious command, which allows you to neutralize enemies by making them cower. Exotic weapon proficiency with the gnomish quickrazor is there for classic iaijutsu focus synergy, allowing you to draw it as a free action to make use of iaijutsu focus more often.

Combat expertise and improved trip allow you more options in melee with your check being improved by brains over brawn. This can also combine with knock-down to keep enemies in one place.

Finally, the fey line gives you a bonus against enchantment effects, boosts the efficacy of your own, which mindbender certainly appreciates. Most notably, fey presence grants disguise self, deep slumber, and charm monster, not normally available to e6 characters as slas usable 1/day. These can end encounters and turn enemies to allies.

Your final skill trick, second impression, lets you remake a blown disguise, even against large groups, which pulls its weight in social situations.



dungeonscape: factotum
complete arcane: mindbender
complete scoundrel: skill tricks
drow of the underdark: imperious command
complete champion: knowledge devotion
srd: exotic weapon proficiency, combat expertise, improved trip, knock-down, human
web enhancement (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070606) : font of inspiration
complete mage: fey heritage, fey power, fey presence
lords of madness: mindsight
portrait: Jack Kirby
epitaph: “Watership Down”

[Zaq]

That's all of them! Seven tricksters for your judging pleasure! Who wants to step up and be an instant authority figure who holds the fate of these seven in their very hands?

[mattie_p]

Glad to see these! So I had an idea which I don't really see duplicated so I have little problem talking about it now as a failed attempt.

Wiz 5 / Magical Trickster 1.

With this build I believe I could have obtained 6 skill tricks in E6. Magical Trickster adds a trick, and the two feats that give free skill tricks would have given one each. Early feats would have been involved with getting as class skills whatever I would need for the skill tricks. Problem was that even in E6, with feats being relatively easy, I could barely justify spending a feat on a single skill trick. And then I was having a hard time justifying which skill tricks were relevant for this character - being that they could, yenno, just cast a butt load of spells. Anyway, I'll check them all out in detail when I get the chance.

[loky1109]

I think about Some caster 3/Magical trickster 3, but... I don't know what do with tricks.

[Quentinas]

Oh well I had two builds in mind one was this
CN Iai Elf Battle dancer 1/Fighter 4 /Battletrickster 1


Stat
Point buy

Strength 158

Dexterity 158

Constitution 14 6

Intelligence 14 6

Wisdom 8 0

Charisma 12 4

4th level point to dexterity so after level 4 and racial adjustment this is the array
Strength 15
Dexterity 18
Constitution 12
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 8
Charisma 12


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


1st
Battledancer 1
+1
+0
+2
+0
iaijutsu focus 4, Sleight of hand 4, Balance 4, Escape artist 4, Tumble 4 ,Bluff 2 (cc)
Aereni focus (iaijutsu focus) , Improved unarmed strike,
AC bonus, unarmed strike


2nd
Thug fighter 1
+2
+2
+2
+0
iaijutsu focus 5, Sleight of hand 5, Bluff 5, Escape artist 4.5 (cc), Balance 4, Tumble 4

Sneak attack +1d6


3rd
Thug fighter 2
+3
+3
+2
+0
iaijutsu focus 6, Sleight of hand 6, Bluff 6, Escape artist 6 (cc), Balance 4, Tumble 4
Quick draw



4th
Thug fighter 3
+4
+3
+3
+1
iaijutsu focus 7, Sleight of hand 7, Bluff 7, Escape artist 6 (cc), Balance 4.5 (cc), Tumble 4, Skill trick Hidden blade

Sneak attack 2d6


5th
Thug fighter 4
+5
+4
+3
+1
iaijutsu focus 8, Sleight of hand 8, Bluff 8, Escape artist 6 (cc), Balance 5 (cc), Tumble 4, Skill trick :Hidden blade, Group fake out




6th
Battle trickster 1
+6
+6
+3
+1
iaijutsu focus 9, Sleight of hand 8, Bluff 9, Escape artist 6 (cc), Balance 5 (cc), Tumble 8, Skill trick :Hidden blade, Group fake out, Sudden draw
Weapon finesse
Bonus trick

cc= cross classed
1° Open minded +3 to escape artist +1 to tumble +1 to sleight of hand
2° Sure hand :Skill tricks learned: Escape attack and Easy escape
3° Flick of the wrist
4° Combat expertise
5° Improved feint
6° Improved trip
7° Knock down
8° Skill focus (iajutsu focus)
9° Skill focus (bluff)
10° Skill focus (sleight of hand)


Iai start in a strange manner as we take a level of battledancer , mainly for skills and for the feat , but he will not use the unarmored AC , as his charisma is too low. Even the first feat that is taken doesn’t work so well with the battledancer, as Aereni focus permit us to use Iaijutsu focus as class skill , and that skill is used when drwaing a weapon so the unarmored strike doesn’t help so much. Most of the skills Iai has are around dexterity , so it will be the most important stat, while iaijutsu focus and bluff are around charisma , not so high sadly. Still the skills can be useful, for example sleight of hand can give us more money , that will be used later. In level 2 we enter our second class, the fighter but with two variants, the first is the Thug that give us more skill points and an expanded skill list, while the second is the sneak attack fighter , which replace the bonus feat with the sneak attack like a rogue. Why not using the rogue? Because we want to have a full BAB so the rogue would not be useful, and the sneak attack work well with iaijutsu focus. At level 3 Iai take a feat that is the most important for him, Quick draw, while for the skills there is a focus around Iajutsu focus, sleight of hand, bluff and escape artist for now
In these two levels we gain the SI! The first trick that is obtained is hidden blade, that let us combine iaijutsu focus and sneak attack in an easy way, so for now the iajutsu focus check will be done in the first round of combat and in a second round with this trick , while the second trick, group fake out, for now it will be less useful but it will be useful later. For the skills we dumped escape artist in these levels as we didn’t have enough skill points considering that we needed to spend two skill points to learn the tricks , but we boosted balance to 5 to don’t being flatfooted while balancing but is more a secondary skills that , useful but not necessary,In these levels the second dice of sneak attack is gained so our damage in the first round is quite high considering Iajutsu focus that scale fast (1d6 each 5 point from 14 so with our +12 there will be probably 2 or 3 d6 from iajutsu focus , sometimes even 4).
Last level and last class we enter, as the battle trickster is used , for this we wanted only full BAB classes even if the rogue could have been useful But why we wanted the battle trickster? First , it help with the skill list for tumble as the thug didn’t have tumble, and second because it give us a skill trick that isn’t considered in the limit for the skill tricks , and this is quite important as with the first two epic feats we cover other 2 skill trick. But let’s proceed in order. The battle trickster doesn’t have sleight of hand so in this level isn’t boosted and the other skills are not so interesting, which means that except for the 2 skill point in iaijutsu focus and bluff the rest of the skill points is free , so 4 in tumble, while for the feat weapon finesse is used as our dexterity now is quite high. Then the first epic feats help covering the missing skill points, 3 in escape artist , 1 in tumble , 1 in sleight of hand, and if we have to attribute a class for this disposition there is the first level of Iai that has each one of these skills, the battledancer. Then as we have 2+ 1 trick learned, and two of them are of manipulation (sudden draw and hidden blade that was learned with the battle trickster) so the feat sure hand can be used to gain other 2 skill trick without expending skill point, and it even increase the limit of our skill trick of 1 so now we have 4+1 skill trick , two more than the average character. These skill trick are : Hidden blade , Group fake out, Sudden draw, Easy Escape and Escape attack. The first two are already explained, the third is another way to apply iajutsu focus and sneak attack , while the last two are taken because in the range of CR 6-8 there are many monster that work with grapples or that are quite strong in grapple so why not having a defense against them (easy escape) and doing damage at the same time (escape attack) maybe even using iajutsu focus thanks to quick draw? The third epic feat, flick of the wrist, is useful , as it like an additional use of hidden blade, except that it doesn’t say that the weapon must be hidden so it can be used easily, but the concept remain the same draw and strike a flatfooted enemy.
Now that we finished our skill points and learned more tricks is time to empower them, so these feats will be used for feinting, tactic that we started with group fake out, and that means using improved feint and combat expertise. Improved feint will be the backup option for when the trick will be used but as our bluff modifier is lower than sleight of hand this tactic is not the main tactic as it will be more difficult to be used
Now that we gained combat expertise we can finally use the improved unarmed strike we obtained from the battledancer for something , first we need improved trip and then Knock down can be taken and then the sudden draw trick can be used as the enemy will probably provoke an attack of opportunity to get up. Even when we used the trick doing a trip attempt is useful and doing 10 or more damage is quite easy considering the sneak attack and the iajutsu focus Iai has.
As many of our trick work using skills the last three feats are used to boost these skills, except for escape artist as for that there is easy escape that help. So after these three feats it finished , and our iajutsu focus will do each time at least 2d6 .
There are some points that are quite important for Iai for example
Weapon of choice :Sickle and dagger. Each one a light weapon for flick of the wrist and weapon finesse, the first it will be the main weapon as it can be dropped if we fail a trip attempt, while the second is used to gain a bonus in sleight of hand . There will be multiple weapons, so probably only one of them will be magical , while the other if possible in different materials
Preferred tactic: It depend on the situation but at the end of each round he will drop (free action) his weapon so that he can draw another one the next turn .In the first round if initiative is won he will not use any skill trick or flick of the wrist and attack to do iajutsu focus in the following round it will be a combination of flick of the wrist , sudden draw after an enemy was tripped, and hidden blade to catch the opponent flatfooted. Then if the enemy didn’t die he will pass at feinting. If there are multiple enemies (especially three) Group fake out will be used and in the next round the full attack will be used against the other enemies against which the feint was successful
Why two tricks about escape artist? In an E6 environment freedom of movement and similar spell aren’t usable so escape artist is necessary as most enemies are problematic without it so boosting it and doing damage through the escape is quite useful
Why tumble? Even if the move action could be used by hidden blade or feinting there will be occasion where I have to move through enemies (for example an enemy with reach) so in these round it could be quite an help having a +13 to tumble
Outside combat? There isn’t so much that can be done outside combat, mainly using sleight of hand and destroying items with iajutsu focus , while in social situations there is bluff that can be quite useful
Defensive equipment? A light armor that would work with the AC and a shield without penalty , dual wielding isn’t interesting for this build
Hitpoints 8+5d10+6=41
To hit +10 (using weapon finesse)
Average damage (using a sickle)1d6+2+5d6 (iaijutsu focus considering a 11 on the dice) +2d6 (sneak attack) = 30
Skills : Sleight of hand +18 (9 ranks +4 dexterity+2 synergy +3 skill focus) Iaijutsu focus +16 (9 ranks +3 aereni focus + 3 skill focus +1 charisma) Bluff +13 (9 ranks +3 skill focus +1 charisma) Tumble +13 (9 ranks + 4 dexterity) Escape artist +13 (9 ranks +4 dexterity) Balance +11 (5 ranks + 4 dexterity+2 synergy)
From Player handbook :Weapon finesse, fighter, quick draw, combat expertise, improved feint, improved trip, improved unarmed strike, skill focus, elf race
From Dragon compendium : Battledancer
From Unearthed arcana:Thug variant and sneak attack fighter variant
From Complete Warrior :Flick of the wrist
From Oriental Adventure:Iaijutsu focus
From Player guide to Eberron: Aereni focus
From Sword and Fist:Knock down
From Complete Adventurer: Open minded
From Complete Scoundrel :Battle trickster, skill tricks, Sure hand


While the other one was something that could be done only with the ardent , and it was an elan ardent 3 /Magical Psionical trickster 3 To enter in the prestige class at level 4 I was thinking to use the Scion of the twelve (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070620) increase in manifester level to learn a level 3 power while being a level 3 ardent so to enter in the psionical trickster. Probably the tricks that would have been used would be never outnumber , collector of stories and i don't know what else I didn't finished that build

To do a spellcaster 3 /Magical trickster 3 was necessary being able to cast 3rd level spells at level 3 so how would you have done that Loky (possibily without using flaws) ?

[daremetoidareyo]

Oh well I had two builds in mind one was this
CN Iai Elf Battle dancer 1/Fighter 4 /Battletrickster 1


Stat
Point buy

Strength 158

Dexterity 158

Constitution 14 6

Intelligence 14 6

Wisdom 8 0

Charisma 12 4

4th level point to dexterity so after level 4 and racial adjustment this is the array
Strength 15
Dexterity 18
Constitution 12
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 8
Charisma 12


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


1st
Battledancer 1
+1
+0
+2
+0
iaijutsu focus 4, Sleight of hand 4, Balance 4, Escape artist 4, Tumble 4 ,Bluff 2 (cc)
Aereni focus (iaijutsu focus) , Improved unarmed strike,
AC bonus, unarmed strike


2nd
Thug fighter 1
+2
+2
+2
+0
iaijutsu focus 5, Sleight of hand 5, Bluff 5, Escape artist 4.5 (cc), Balance 4, Tumble 4

Sneak attack +1d6


3rd
Thug fighter 2
+3
+3
+2
+0
iaijutsu focus 6, Sleight of hand 6, Bluff 6, Escape artist 6 (cc), Balance 4, Tumble 4
Quick draw



4th
Thug fighter 3
+4
+3
+3
+1
iaijutsu focus 7, Sleight of hand 7, Bluff 7, Escape artist 6 (cc), Balance 4.5 (cc), Tumble 4, Skill trick Hidden blade

Sneak attack 2d6


5th
Thug fighter 4
+5
+4
+3
+1
iaijutsu focus 8, Sleight of hand 8, Bluff 8, Escape artist 6 (cc), Balance 5 (cc), Tumble 4, Skill trick :Hidden blade, Group fake out




6th
Battle trickster 1
+6
+6
+3
+1
iaijutsu focus 9, Sleight of hand 8, Bluff 9, Escape artist 6 (cc), Balance 5 (cc), Tumble 8, Skill trick :Hidden blade, Group fake out, Sudden draw
Weapon finesse
Bonus trick

cc= cross classed
1° Open minded +3 to escape artist +1 to tumble +1 to sleight of hand
2° Sure hand :Skill tricks learned: Escape attack and Easy escape
3° Flick of the wrist
4° Combat expertise
5° Improved feint
6° Improved trip
7° Knock down
8° Skill focus (iajutsu focus)
9° Skill focus (bluff)
10° Skill focus (sleight of hand)


Iai start in a strange manner as we take a level of battledancer , mainly for skills and for the feat , but he will not use the unarmored AC , as his charisma is too low. Even the first feat that is taken doesn’t work so well with the battledancer, as Aereni focus permit us to use Iaijutsu focus as class skill , and that skill is used when drwaing a weapon so the unarmored strike doesn’t help so much. Most of the skills Iai has are around dexterity , so it will be the most important stat, while iaijutsu focus and bluff are around charisma , not so high sadly. Still the skills can be useful, for example sleight of hand can give us more money , that will be used later. In level 2 we enter our second class, the fighter but with two variants, the first is the Thug that give us more skill points and an expanded skill list, while the second is the sneak attack fighter , which replace the bonus feat with the sneak attack like a rogue. Why not using the rogue? Because we want to have a full BAB so the rogue would not be useful, and the sneak attack work well with iaijutsu focus. At level 3 Iai take a feat that is the most important for him, Quick draw, while for the skills there is a focus around Iajutsu focus, sleight of hand, bluff and escape artist for now
In these two levels we gain the SI! The first trick that is obtained is hidden blade, that let us combine iaijutsu focus and sneak attack in an easy way, so for now the iajutsu focus check will be done in the first round of combat and in a second round with this trick , while the second trick, group fake out, for now it will be less useful but it will be useful later. For the skills we dumped escape artist in these levels as we didn’t have enough skill points considering that we needed to spend two skill points to learn the tricks , but we boosted balance to 5 to don’t being flatfooted while balancing but is more a secondary skills that , useful but not necessary,In these levels the second dice of sneak attack is gained so our damage in the first round is quite high considering Iajutsu focus that scale fast (1d6 each 5 point from 14 so with our +12 there will be probably 2 or 3 d6 from iajutsu focus , sometimes even 4).
Last level and last class we enter, as the battle trickster is used , for this we wanted only full BAB classes even if the rogue could have been useful But why we wanted the battle trickster? First , it help with the skill list for tumble as the thug didn’t have tumble, and second because it give us a skill trick that isn’t considered in the limit for the skill tricks , and this is quite important as with the first two epic feats we cover other 2 skill trick. But let’s proceed in order. The battle trickster doesn’t have sleight of hand so in this level isn’t boosted and the other skills are not so interesting, which means that except for the 2 skill point in iaijutsu focus and bluff the rest of the skill points is free , so 4 in tumble, while for the feat weapon finesse is used as our dexterity now is quite high. Then the first epic feats help covering the missing skill points, 3 in escape artist , 1 in tumble , 1 in sleight of hand, and if we have to attribute a class for this disposition there is the first level of Iai that has each one of these skills, the battledancer. Then as we have 2+ 1 trick learned, and two of them are of manipulation (sudden draw and hidden blade that was learned with the battle trickster) so the feat sure hand can be used to gain other 2 skill trick without expending skill point, and it even increase the limit of our skill trick of 1 so now we have 4+1 skill trick , two more than the average character. These skill trick are : Hidden blade , Group fake out, Sudden draw, Easy Escape and Escape attack. The first two are already explained, the third is another way to apply iajutsu focus and sneak attack , while the last two are taken because in the range of CR 6-8 there are many monster that work with grapples or that are quite strong in grapple so why not having a defense against them (easy escape) and doing damage at the same time (escape attack) maybe even using iajutsu focus thanks to quick draw? The third epic feat, flick of the wrist, is useful , as it like an additional use of hidden blade, except that it doesn’t say that the weapon must be hidden so it can be used easily, but the concept remain the same draw and strike a flatfooted enemy.
Now that we finished our skill points and learned more tricks is time to empower them, so these feats will be used for feinting, tactic that we started with group fake out, and that means using improved feint and combat expertise. Improved feint will be the backup option for when the trick will be used but as our bluff modifier is lower than sleight of hand this tactic is not the main tactic as it will be more difficult to be used
Now that we gained combat expertise we can finally use the improved unarmed strike we obtained from the battledancer for something , first we need improved trip and then Knock down can be taken and then the sudden draw trick can be used as the enemy will probably provoke an attack of opportunity to get up. Even when we used the trick doing a trip attempt is useful and doing 10 or more damage is quite easy considering the sneak attack and the iajutsu focus Iai has.
As many of our trick work using skills the last three feats are used to boost these skills, except for escape artist as for that there is easy escape that help. So after these three feats it finished , and our iajutsu focus will do each time at least 2d6 .
There are some points that are quite important for Iai for example
Weapon of choice :Sickle and dagger. Each one a light weapon for flick of the wrist and weapon finesse, the first it will be the main weapon as it can be dropped if we fail a trip attempt, while the second is used to gain a bonus in sleight of hand . There will be multiple weapons, so probably only one of them will be magical , while the other if possible in different materials
Preferred tactic: It depend on the situation but at the end of each round he will drop (free action) his weapon so that he can draw another one the next turn .In the first round if initiative is won he will not use any skill trick or flick of the wrist and attack to do iajutsu focus in the following round it will be a combination of flick of the wrist , sudden draw after an enemy was tripped, and hidden blade to catch the opponent flatfooted. Then if the enemy didn’t die he will pass at feinting. If there are multiple enemies (especially three) Group fake out will be used and in the next round the full attack will be used against the other enemies against which the feint was successful
Why two tricks about escape artist? In an E6 environment freedom of movement and similar spell aren’t usable so escape artist is necessary as most enemies are problematic without it so boosting it and doing damage through the escape is quite useful
Why tumble? Even if the move action could be used by hidden blade or feinting there will be occasion where I have to move through enemies (for example an enemy with reach) so in these round it could be quite an help having a +13 to tumble
Outside combat? There isn’t so much that can be done outside combat, mainly using sleight of hand and destroying items with iajutsu focus , while in social situations there is bluff that can be quite useful
Defensive equipment? A light armor that would work with the AC and a shield without penalty , dual wielding isn’t interesting for this build
Hitpoints 8+5d10+6=41
To hit +10 (using weapon finesse)
Average damage (using a sickle)1d6+2+5d6 (iaijutsu focus considering a 11 on the dice) +2d6 (sneak attack) = 30
Skills : Sleight of hand +18 (9 ranks +4 dexterity+2 synergy +3 skill focus) Iaijutsu focus +16 (9 ranks +3 aereni focus + 3 skill focus +1 charisma) Bluff +13 (9 ranks +3 skill focus +1 charisma) Tumble +13 (9 ranks + 4 dexterity) Escape artist +13 (9 ranks +4 dexterity) Balance +11 (5 ranks + 4 dexterity+2 synergy)
From Player handbook :Weapon finesse, fighter, quick draw, combat expertise, improved feint, improved trip, improved unarmed strike, skill focus, elf race
From Dragon compendium : Battledancer
From Unearthed arcana:Thug variant and sneak attack fighter variant
From Complete Warrior :Flick of the wrist
From Oriental Adventure:Iaijutsu focus
From Player guide to Eberron: Aereni focus
From Sword and Fist:Knock down
From Complete Adventurer: Open minded
From Complete Scoundrel :Battle trickster, skill tricks, Sure hand


While the other one was something that could be done only with the ardent , and it was an elan ardent 3 /Magical Psionical trickster 3 To enter in the prestige class at level 4 I was thinking to use the Scion of the twelve (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frcc/20070620) increase in manifester level to learn a level 3 power while being a level 3 ardent so to enter in the psionical trickster. Probably the tricks that would have been used would be never outnumber , collector of stories and i don't know what else I didn't finished that build

I like that ardent idea.

[loky1109]

To do a spellcaster 3 /Magical trickster 3 was necessary being able to cast 3rd level spells at level 3 so how would you have done that Loky (possibily without using flaws) ?
Cleric 3 with Versatile Spellcaster and one of skill trick feats.
If need, human and Heighten spell.

[loky1109]

I'm reading previous serieses now and... I could do my entry more better. )))
I saw cool tricks!

[loky1109]

Do we have any judge?

[Zaq]

Hey team. Been a crazy couple of weeks, hasn't it? It has for me, at least.

Do we have anyone interested in judging?

[loky1109]

Hey team. Been a crazy couple of weeks, hasn't it? It has for me, at least.

Do we have anyone interested in judging?

H_H_F_F said me he can, but only after submitting IC entry.

[H_H_F_F]

Indeed. Life has been a bit hectic, and it seems like it'll be that way for a little while - and I still haven't submitted my entry. If no one else steps up, I'll try my best to get it done within a reasonable timeframe.

[H_H_F_F]

Right. I'll be taking a look at these tomorrow, and should have time to start working on judgements the day after.

[Zaq]

(Is this a duplicate? Can't tell if it posted or not.)

Excellent. Thank you, H_H_F_F!

[H_H_F_F]

I've managed to start judging, but I'm surprisingly busy lately, and a lot of my free time has to go elsewhere. I'll try my best to finish judging within a reasonable amount of time, but I can't make big promises unfortunately.

Anyone looking for a creative outlet in the meantime should note that Iron Chef is awaiting judgement and the Villainous Competition is open for submissions.

[MicHag]

Since there is no discussion going on, i hope it's no problem if i intrude just to say i always look at this topic and it's my favorite recurring topic of the site. I only entered once, but i bet there are a lot of people who find these builds very interesting and are just lurking like me.
I believe people play lower levels far more than level 20 campaigns. Personally i never went beyond level 13 in a pen-and-paper-game. So i find this topic much more interesting than any of the topics regarding level 20 builds.

Anway, keep up the good work!

[H_H_F_F]

Update: I'm sorry to say I haven't made a lot of advancement. I hope to be done with the lion's share of the work this coming weekend, though.

[Zaq]

Since there is no discussion going on, i hope it's no problem if i intrude just to say i always look at this topic and it's my favorite recurring topic of the site. I only entered once, but i bet there are a lot of people who find these builds very interesting and are just lurking like me.
I believe people play lower levels far more than level 20 campaigns. Personally i never went beyond level 13 in a pen-and-paper-game. So i find this topic much more interesting than any of the topics regarding level 20 builds.

Anway, keep up the good work!

I'm so glad you enjoy it! That means a lot to me (and I'm sure to the rest of us!) to hear that. I hope you--and any other potentially hesitant folks out there--choose to join us again, since everyone is welcome!


Update: I'm sorry to say I haven't made a lot of advancement. I hope to be done with the lion's share of the work this coming weekend, though.

No worries, H_H_F_F! I appreciate the update.

Anyone feel like lobbying for and/or speculating on the next ingredient?

[AsuraKyoko]

I'm so glad you enjoy it! That means a lot to me (and I'm sure to the rest of us!) to hear that. I hope you--and any other potentially hesitant folks out there--choose to join us again, since everyone is welcome!

I just want to agree, here! This contest is fun, and it's bite-sized enough that it's easy to dip your toes in and try it out.


Anyone feel like lobbying for and/or speculating on the next ingredient?

Hmm, perhaps Wilder could make for an interesting round. With very limited powers known, it could make for a variety of builds.

[loky1109]

Maybe LA round?
Or, if we talk about psy - erudite.
Upd: Fun (maybe?) idea come to me right now: awaken animals (vermins, undead) round.

[daremetoidareyo]

Bard. Can’t spell sE6uce without it

[H_H_F_F]

I'm really sorry for how long this is taking, guys. All my productivity has to go other places right now. Every time I think I got some time and quiet, there's another commitment I have to take care of.

I haven't given up on you.

[loky1109]

All right, H_H_F_F, I think we can wait.
As I see there are three ongoing competitions now, and some delaying can be pertinent.

[Zaq]

Hey, how's everyone doing?

[H_H_F_F]

Finally finished a big project today. Should be able to finish judging soon. Sorry again for the very long delay.

[daremetoidareyo]

Bumpi tup folks

[H_H_F_F]

Barring any (more) surprises, I'll be done Wednesday evening at the latest. Probably around noon for the Americans here.

[H_H_F_F]

I am approaching the end of my work. It's been a long day - I'll try my best to get it done before I collapse. See you in a few hours, I hope.

[H_H_F_F]

Judgement is here!

Well, guys, first thing first – a thousand apologies for the wait. Sincerely. Life has been chaotic, and my energy fluctuated pretty weirdly. I couldn't prioritize this as much as I had wanted too, and I'm really sorry for how long it's been. The fact that I only started working after you guys have been looking for judges for a while only exacerbated the problem. So, again, apologies.

Second thing second: well done! Plenty of interesting entries with diverse approaches. I couldn't figure out something inspiring with this ingredient, so I'm glad you guys (And gals. And nonbinary pals. I feel like my brain processes "guys" as if it was gender neutral, but I guess it isn't really, is it? Oh god this diatribe is way too long to keep the reading flowing we're going back in right now) did.

I hope you guys (oh for the love of God, not again) will be happy with my judgement. If you want to table a dispute, I'll remind you all to read Zaq's rules for disputing before you do. Personally, I feel like they're a tad too strict, but they are the rules for this competition, and they should be followed.

Anyway, here are your entries!

Part 1

Originality:

I always penalize a complete lack of fluff. You don't need to be a good writer – just give me something, guys. I also always penalize craven (and pretty harshly), but I guess I'll drop the severity to a normal penalty since E6 makes it less of an obvious choice.

Rogues were expected in a skill trick focused round, your other base classes are fine. Assassin was nice – I guess it's very easy to enter in E6 and is pretty frontloaded, it just never really occurred to me. Neat. You have a lot of classes, which ends up pretty dippy, but they all flow well together and make sense. The addition of mimic rogue, specifically, works very well thematically with the assassin angle and is a good thought.

Neraphim… they mostly show up as the easiest form of being an outsider, but you're there mainly for their camouflage + nimble charge. So, not rare enough to really make me raise my eyebrows, but you're using it in a creative way I hadn't seen before.

Your main idea (a ballista hidden on your person) is very creative and fun, and tremendously helps you in this category. This round is all about effective and innovative use of skill tricks, and you certainly did that. Crossbow sniping is also a fun and uncommon way to approach things, though I feel it would be more rewarded by a race with a Dex bonus. If you're adding an ability to your damage multiple times, you better work it.

Overall, this is an original idea using some commonplace ingredients. Well done.

Score: 4.1 points.


Power:

Interesting category. You're not going for anything ground-shaking here, but you do manage to squeeze out a nice amount of power from such a strange build. E6 makes assassination a very valid approach once you get your hands on darkstalker, and you have the numbers to pull it off fine. Your death attack might work here and there, but your damage is the main selling point, and it's pretty darn good. You have the skills to back up your approach, which is very important.

However, there are a couple of aspects in this build which underperform in this category.

Your charge, for example, is nice in principle – but you're wearing light or no armor and have 10 Con and mostly low HD. Flanking in melee here and there is one thing, but you shouldn't be charging anyone if you can avoid it. Darkstalker comes on far too late, and you have almost no options for more direct or prolonged combat. You can only use secret weapon once per day, which is pretty much the definition of being a nova – a lot of your resources are diverted towards getting that sneak attack + deadeye + crossbow sniper damage, and that's a once per day move. Once that's done, it becomes significantly harder to employ all of your damage at once, and your numbers become much more meh.

Overall, you've got 1 good thing going on, and a lot of weak spots. You're still a highly mobile character with 3d6 sneak attack and craven, but that's not enough to make this a truly strong category for you.

Score: 2.95 points.

Elegance:

Craven isn't as inelegant on an actual full sneak attack build, so you dodged that particular bullet. You fully list your sources in a convenient manner, you avoid multiclass penalties, and your skill math is correct – though I'd appreciate you calling out cross class skills in the future (this isn't a penalty.)

Needing to threaten for sudden draw is a good catch, and monk is a good solution. Speaking of attention to the fine print, I like that despite Str being your obvious dump stat, you remembered to take encumbrance into account.

As for resource management and synergy: on the one hand, you're doing very well. You squeeze in a full 3d6 of sneak attack, which is what your main trick is based on. You have some MADness, but not enough to distract you from full Dex investment, which is fully utilized. You get evasion and invisible fist on the same build, and you have the numbers to make both of them count. Dead eye makes the more useful part of crossbow sniper a dead feat for you, but they also synergize by stacking damage. Overall, things mesh well here.

On the other hand, you throw your epic feats around like they're trash. Fade into violence is extremely situational for you, combat reflexes will almost never come into use, especially since sudden draw, the thing that makes AoOs interesting for you, can't be used multiple times – not only is it a skill trick, it also uses your immediate action. Shadow heritage is fine, but it does feel like it's just tacked on because you've completely run out of ideas for stuff to do with your feats by that point. Darkstalker comes about very late for a dedicated sneak, but you had the time to take both WF (dagger) and WF (shuriken)? You're primarily a crossbow user while out of melee, and daggers can be thrown. Bloated, wasteful, inefficient, superfluous.

Rules wise, I have two big issues. I thought I had 3, but DC's errata took care of one of them. We'll discuss the simpler one first: you can't give up the same class feature multiple times for different ACFs. Thug fighter and sneak attack fighter are explicitly called out as an exception to this rule, but that doesn’t let you give up an armor proficiency that you don't have for hit-and-run fighter.

Issue 2 has to do with your eponymous weapon. Now, there's a rules case to be made that projectile weapons that require two hands to use aren't 2 handed weapons, or 1 handed weapons, or light weapons – which would make it possible to use one of whichever size you'd like: anyone can just grab a colossal longbow and start firing. Now, I completely disagree with this reading, but if that's the reading you're going with, you should've found a way to carry and use a colossal heavy crossbow, since the attack bonus to damage ratio is obviously far better at that size.

However, I don't think that's the case you're making. I think you chose to use a ballista, and not just a generic "improperly sized crossbow", because a ballista can explicitly be used by non-huge creatures.

Thing is, you cut of the sentence describing the ballista. If a ballista was "essentially a huge heavy crossbow, usable by a medium creature with a -4 penalty and needs two rounds to load" you would've been golden. But that's not what a ballista is. A ballista is "essentially a huge heavy crossbow fixed in place." This stipulation isn't just flavor. This is a siege engine, and it cannot be fired by someone carrying it. RAW, it can't be used even by a huge creature carrying it, let alone a medium one. This stipulation is RAW, RAI and common freaking sense all holding hands and singing kumbaya. You have more of a RAW case to make for just straight up firing a colossal crossbow than you do for firing a ballista like that, and as I've mentioned, I find that case to be stupid.

Now, what you do is still completely achievable with a heavy crossbow. You're giving up 8 damage for a +4 to attack rolls – which is actually better for you, mathematically, when attacking anyone above AC 9 unless they're immune to your precision damage. Or above AC 11, if we assume no hit-and-run tactics. So, mostly, no harm done power-wise (hence no penalty back there) but your full schtick doesn’t work, and you've just lost around 78.4% of what made you awesome.

Score: 2.1 points.


UoSI:

Good stuff. Hidden blade with secret weapon is what makes your build notable, even if it doesn't fully work. It's what you're about, and I don't know that there's a way to do what you do without this skill trick. It's fun, and you built Joe to have use of that trick by being an assassin with disguise self.

Sudden draw has less effort behind it, but it works just fine with your hefty sneak attack damage.

Nimble charge is a harder sell for me. I just don't see it as worthwhile to you to be charging. You can handle yourself in melee if you need to, but that's why you have invisible fist and quick draw – let them come to you. While I do recognize the effort to make it better with your racial pick, and you're getting credit for it here, it still feels like you knew you probably needed a third skill trick to do well here, and you just tacked this one on.

Overall, you use one skill trick exceptionally and creatively, and it truly defines the way your build plays. You're also built to make use of 2 others, though your mileage may vary. Well done.

Score: 4.75 points.


Total score: 13.9 points.A very cool build, with a very cool concept and a very cool application I really wish would work.
Originality:

The short fluff is nice and gets the point across. Mechanically, you're not doing anything innovative for a spy chassis, but spies aren't super common – even if somewhat more expected in such a skillful round – and spymaster is nice, even if rogues were expected.

I was looking forward to seeing the weird tricks this build pulls with its unique class structure, but I didn't see anything really requiring that specific combination. As is, it’s just 2 expected classes and one less so, so no bonus here. More on that in elegance.

The focus on feinting fully comes into light at the very last moment, and isn't truly supported by the rest of your build, but it's still a nice touch, I guess.

Overall, this build is pretty straightforward in achieving a less-expected set of goals.

Score: 2.85 points.


Power:

3d6 SA is good stuff, but with 1 hit per round at most no one is shaking in their boots. Luckily, it's backed up by your face skills and spy abilities. Speaking of which, 12 Cha hurts you. You're a full face with full ranks in UMD. I think you could've managed this build with a lower Int score.

I like spymaster, though I mainly like it for deep cover, which I think is a fascinating ability. In E6, a level is nice as well, but it leaves you somewhat underwhelming as a combatant. Wizard spellcasting helps, but outside of social situations you don't do too well. Social situations are your focus though, and you're given credit accordingly.

Your epic feats lean heavier into your changeling heritage, and then covering some weaknesses with feinting, which is… well, it's feinting. It's not great, and we'll talk about your particular synergies with it (or lack thereof) in elegance and UoSI.

Overall, this is a good face and a spy, and a half-decent sneak attacker. Some casting helps edge out an average score here.

Score: 3 points.


Elegance:

Well, you fully list your sources and provide useful information on how the build is played. You don’t suffer from multiclass penalties, but boy is your class structure messy. Jumping around that much in an E6 build is an achievement by itself, and I'm finding it hard to fully justify. Strong "this could've been a rogue 5" energy. Is it more powerful than rogue 5? Probably, but just because "wizards good". The wizard dip very much feels like you don't fully know what to do with this level, so you went for some more flexibility. Which, fine. But if a build goes on such a loop to get 3d6 SA while only spending 4 levels on it, I really want the "why" to be stronger than that.

It's still a mostly focused build, so it's not a total mess or anything, but it's not really an elegant chassis, IMO.

Let's talk about your feinting, and specifically the interaction between tumbling feint and improved feint. Your angle here seems to be something like tumble+attack (no SA), survive until next round, feint (very likely successfully, granted) and attack (yes SA). It's okay if you absolutely have to, but any serious melee opponent would absolutely trash you if you went for that strategy, and any non-melee opponent will have the time to safely get away before you actually get to apply SA. Tumble + Standard action feint would actually be a better deal against such opponents – you'd get to hit them with SA on an opportunity attack when they move away, or move and SA if they avoid provoking. So we've got a heavy investment into this strategy here, but the feats just don't really work with each other, and it's unclear when and against what you use this strategy. It mostly feels like you didn't really know what to do with your feats (evidenced by open minded) and wanted to invest in this strategy to justify timely misdirection, which was your only sensible option given how Sweet Talker works – but more on that in UoSI.

Finally, How are you getting disguise to 10 ranks? I see nothing in your build allowing this. Just… weird. Weird and bad. Am I missing something? Please table a dispute if you've featured some way to break the 9 rank ceiling.

Overall, despite being purposeful and almost completely legal RAW and RAI, this is a messy build with some counter-synergic tendencies and one significant rules issue.

Score: 1.75 points.


UoSI:

Here's the thing: skill tricks are a very hard SI. They're hard not because they're bad – in fact, many of them are excellent. They're hard mainly because they were always meant as a side dish, they're a little something to throw on top of your existing capabilities. Treating them as a main dish, as the focus of the build, is far more challenging.

If we look at your build, and remove the skill tricks, it plays basically the same way. It's slightly less effective, but it's absolutely playable, and plays the same. Even if you used your skill tricks well, they'd still be a hard sell as essential – and you don't.

I know saying you don't use your tricks well is harsh, but here's the thing: I'd say only one of them is really useful to you, and even that one isn't really "optimized". Timely misdirection just isn't – feinting-then-provoking will basically never happen to you anyway, with your tumble ranks and using your move action to feint by the end of the build/using feint after having moved already with tumbling feint.

Social recovery isn't either – your bluff modifier is 1 higher than your diplomacy (+3 skill focus, +2 for more ranks, -4 for less synergies when compared), and you can take 10 on diplomacy – which would mean you'd need to roll a natural 20 on the bluff check if you failed your diplomacy check by 1, and would never be able to salvage a worse failure. Sure, it can happen, but it's so improbable it's not worth noting – it only happens at exactly DC 23, and even then, it has a 5% chance to work. You're very likely to never once get any use out of this skill trick even in a fully social campaign going all the way to 10 epic feats.

Second/ impression is somewhat better, as you don't suffer the -10 on the check and can't take 10 on disguise – but your disguise modifier is significantly better than your bluff modifier, which still means second impression isn't that helpful. Unlike social recovery, it's not quite at "virtually useless" territory, but it's bad when compared to how most entries taking it would use it.

Now, assume quirk is a great skill trick. It's extremely useful for spies, and it's complemented by your racial pick generating a good disguise check, and by your persona immersion helping cover up for its main weakness – but again, it’s just "good because I'm a spy", it's not at the center of anything you do, and it doesn't work with your cover identity – so, again, counter-synergy with elements of your build.

Listen, I think I get how this happened. On my first read of the entry, these seemed to work very well. It just made sense – you're a spy, you're a face, so obviously the spy-face skill tricks work for you, right? It's only when really looking at the numbers behind the curtain that I started to see how truly suboptimal they were.

Overall, you've failed to put skill tricks at the core of your build (a very hard task) and even then, only one of your skill tricks doesn't have below-average usefulness. Sorry, bud.

Score: 1 point.


Total score: 8.6 points. Sorry, pal. I did not expect to give Bane such a low score, but the fine details were simply not there. Better luck next time!
Originality:

Yeah, okay.

Between a base of ghostwise halfling and marshal, I can't say you're not off to a good start. The three Trickster classes were of course predictable, as you probably realized, but the base is very good.

Now, your choice of skill trick to focus on is unconventional, and your optimization path is ridiculous. Some of these things will be… discussed… in other categories, but here they work wonders for you.

Overall, this was not the stub I would've expected from this round, the skill tricks aren't the ones I would've expected to see, and even if I was presented with the full build, I wouldn't have been able to figure it out at first read without an explanation. Very good stuff.

Score: 4.75 points.


Power:

Before any shenanigans start happening, this build starts out at a very modest power level. You're slightly MAD, you're using 5 levels of marshal, and you have a hard time actually doing anything outside of supporting, which you do fine and not much more than that.

As for the trick: between the limited use of synesthete and the 1 hour cap on the trick, it's less versatile than it appears to be. It also remains inherently situational for your entire career. However, it has to be given credit here. It changes everything. When it works, it has a far higher impact than one would expect, and could really turn an encounter around. It's usefulness is limited inly by your creativity and attention as a player. Even if it doesn't truly turn this build into a monster, it's good stuff. We'll talk much more about it in the next section – there are a couple of things I just had to nope, so you don't get credit for them here, but mostly we can treat the build as working in this category and massacre you in the next.

Score: 2.5 points.


Elegance:

A clarification on elegance
as a rule, there are two ways to address the rules of the game for these contests: you could assume a reasonable DM, or you could assume RAW reigns supreme. When I judge, you can't assume both. Meaning, if you rely on RAW that's clearly unintended and wouldn't fly at an actual table, you can't dispute stupid RAW on RAI grounds or reasonable DM grounds. Live by the RAW, die by the RAW.

Before we get into the thick of it: regarding the action economy. You didn't mention the sentence preceding the one you quoted:
Performing a skill trick is either part of another action or an action in itself. The "if any" references this. There is no clear rule here, so you don't overrule RAI with as solid of a RAW reading as you think. I'm not saying it doesn't work full stop, but you do get a penalty here.

Let's talk.

We both know that you expected to run into issues here. Cheese is always interesting in this category: it can bring you up or down, based on how clever it is and how solid it is. The cheese here relies on very ambiguous wording, which means you're off to a rocky start. This isn't a case where I have to go "yeah, it's freaking ridiculous and of course it wasn't intended, but that's pretty much the only way to make sense of the rules here." You're doing a lot of leg work with the interpretation, and I'd say there are other valid interpretations which would completely null your trick. This is all to say, the base idea is a wash here – very clever, but shaky. Now we need to examine the actual implementations, because some of them just don't fly.


Whenever you make a successful Listen check to hear a noise, you can describe that sound any time up to 1 hour later with such clarity that any individuals hearing the description are treated as if they had heard the sound themselves.

This trick is particularly useful if you overhear a conversation but don't understand the language spoken, since it allows you to repeat it verbatim to an ally who might be able to translate.
I'm mentioning this because we're abusing RAW. No DM would ever rule it that way, but RAW, this feat only works if you made a listen check. So, any time you were not told to make a listen check, you're screwed. Can use this trick when eavesdropping on a conversation, but not when sitting in plain sight and listening to one. You could try to insist to make a voluntary non-reactive listen check, but it's not super clear that you can – and even if you could, your hearing the sun trick is out. No listen check could ever catch that thing – you have around a 49,081,364,829 penalty to the check. Live by RAW, die by RAW, remember?

Other than that issue, a lot of your specific stunts are shaky unto themselves, independent of the general shakiness of your interpretation of the skill trick:

Your claim that you can basically cast spells that were cast at you as long as they have strong sensory input, I don't find convincing at all. You can make an enemy hear a color spray. Not everyone that has heard (or even seen) a color spray is subjected to its effects. Compare that to the much stronger case you have for darkspeech, which obviously works (except for the listen check issue), or vampires and sunlight – hearing the sun instead of seeing it or feeling its heat is still being exposed to it. You're lacking two layers of necessary language on color spray – it has to effect anyone who sees it, and it has to use ambiguous enough terms so that hearing it would work too.

Marshal Auras and white raven stances can affect only those who hear you, but that's a modification, not a baseline. The baseline is they work while you project an aura or take a stance, which are distinct actions completely separate to hearing you. It's not just a sound.

Outside of our main discussion, I like how focused and streamlined your build is, though the last two feats feel like you just ran out of ideas. Still, they rely on a feat you took for a different purpose to work, so that's good.

You're also getting a penalty for knowledge (something.) You have 8 ranks in this skill, I'd like to know what it is. You've put so much work into this build, don't get lazy on me.

Finally, you're getting penalized for taking omniscient whispers in the context of E6. The prereq is extremely unlikely.

Overall, you had a very clever idea, but you constantly try to have your cake and eat it too in regards to RAW and common sense, and some of what you attempt to do verges on appealing to the rule of cool. You're lucky that you mostly covered your bases in regards to legality outside of your trick, and that your build is focused, clever, streamlined and has a simple layout – this could've easily been a 1 if you wouldn't have.

Score: 1.4 points.


UoSI:

Alrighty, can't complain here. You completely centered your build on a skill trick, stretching it from one of the most situational tricks out there to a swiss-army-knife of optimization, almost guaranteed to be used twice a combat. Your particular action economy makes your other tricks not too far fetched, even if you don't actually optimize any of them. But with 4 skill tricks getting okayish use and 1 blowing the expectations out of the water, you're guaranteed a great score here.
Score: 5 points.


Total score: 13.65 points. It's rare for an entry to have me frown on it so hard in elegance but manage to score so well in other categories. Well done.

[H_H_F_F]

Part 2

Originality:

I penalize entries with a complete lack of fluff.

Bad category for you, unfortunately. You get a boost for your cool flavor and your commitment to a theme, but this is still a factorum (expected in this round) warblade (never surprising) human (you know) using never outnumbered + imperious command, knowledge devotion + collector of stories (maybe doesn't work, as you probably know, but still extremely common and accepted by me) and baseline maneuvers, especially expected in the context of Iaijutsu, which is itself quite common. Your epic feats don't do anything interesting or unexpected in the context of fear-tactics Iaijutsu warrior. Some of the feats are weird choices, but not in an interesting way – they just feel suboptimal for no real reason. I just don't see anything innovative here, regrettably.

You're getting a boost for dedication to a theme.

Overall, I'm sorry to say that this build is built from very expected components to achieve a very expected goal in a very expected way.

Score: 1.1 points.


Power:

Imperious command + never outnumbered is your main source of power, and we all know it's pretty good. Your Cha isn't insane by any means, and you don't pull off any skill enhancing tricks, which means skill focus (intimidate) comes a bit late. You should still manage to get it to work a lot of the time, and attacking the round after activates your aura – which can compound with the second round shaken status to induce fright (you didn't call this out – you probably should). This is good stuff.

Iaijutsu focus + sapphire nightmare blade does okay damage. When using a quickrazor, it can be used more often, but sheating a shortsword is certainly a possibility as well. You can reliably use SNB against many oponnents with steady concentration. This gives you pretty good damage, especially if everything comes together – having inspiration for sneak attack, being in a punishing stance, and knowledge devotion working well. A few things need to line up in order for this to work, but it's cool when it does. You're also half a knowledge monkey, which can be helpful and deserves mentioning here.

Here's the issue, though – this pretty much sums up the extent of your abilities. Your inspiration from factorum is sidelined, with only 4 points (no font of inspiration?) and +2 Int. You don't get second level maneuvers (Wall of Blades? Emerald Razor? Mountain Hammer?), which could have been easy by changing the priorities on a few feats and reallocating levels – which would've also netted you 6 more skill points and saved you another 6 which you wasted on cross class stuff. You also could've just gotten 2nd level maneuvers with your feats.

You're MAD as all hell, which explains your very low utility from your factorum features, but it also means you're just not a very strong combatant. Before knowledge devotion comes along, your to-hit is rough and it never becomes good. Your damage is kept good through Iaijutsu, and with fear tactics you can usually achieve things – but you're still a melee character wearing medium armor with a +1 dex. Your AC is just not good, and your hitpoints have a hard time making that ok.

Bladeweave is an excellent spell, but it's mind -affecting and your DC is trash, which makes it nigh-unusable. Wraithstrike is always nice, but you don’t have a way to really put some punch into it, a-la power attack. It's one touch attack a day – there are better things to do with second level spells.

Important nore: either I'm not following you on warblade refreshment, or you're misunderstanding the rules. Just to make sure: we both agree that there's no way for you to use NSB two turns in a row, right? Turn 1: quickdraw, sapphire nightmare blade, sheathe. Round 2: quickdraw, swift action to refresh, standard attack, sheathe. This process does not let you apply Iaijutsu on the second round. If you agree, all is well. If you disagree, and believe that you can refresh your maneuvers without performing a standard melee attack, re-read the rules on warblade maneuver refreshments. If you still disagree, dispute – if you actually featured some way to Iaijutsu every turn, there's half a point worth of power waiting for you here.

Overall, the options this build uses are staple options for a reason – but you have some weaknesses, and despite your best efforts your survivability against enemies which are immune to fear is doubtful.

Score: 3.75 points.


Elegance:

I don't know what your alignment is. I can imagine it's L-something, given your feats and your inspiration, but I'd like it called out. That's a slap on the wrist from me. Another one is sourcing things somewhat sporadically – You let us know Warblade is ToB, but you don't mention that for the initiator feats, and you don't source the skill tricks. I'm only giving you a slap on the wrist here, because you did mostly source everything and what you didn't is obvious, at least to me.

As a human, you don't suffer from multiclass penalties, but your level layout and feat layout seems thoughtless. You also don't really utilize factorum – it's most of your class levels, and you mainly use it to get class skills. That is to say, this build lacks focus: its maneuvers aren't truly complemented by Iaijutsu focus, its factorum class abilities are underutilized, and it does little that is interesting with the action economy around intimidation tactics. Nothing in the build truly enhances anything else, and it is hard to not feel like it should've been something like human paragon 1/ Warblade 5 or the like.

Your first level stance choice is illegal. Iron guard's glare is a devoted spirit stance. The martial stance feat says:
When you gain this feat, you can select any stance from a discipline in which you already know at least one maneuver.

I'm unhappy with "situational flex" being your best when it comes to your first level spell slot. You should be casting 1 of these every day from level 3 to the end of your career – you should've given me some staple options, hopefully clever ones that work well with what you do.

I'm not sympathetic to the case that you could fuel law devotion, which takes 3 turn attempts, with opportunistic piety. Even if I was, that'd use 3 of your inspiration points, again raising the question of why you're even in this class. Not a penalty, just a note.

Overall: A careless approach to build resources and no real synergy hurts you here, and even a single feat you flat out can't qualify for carries a hefty penalty from me.

Score: 1.8 points.


UoSI:

Not much to talk about here. 2 tried and true methods to enhance the effectiveness of strong feats with strong skill tricks. Never outnumbered has a stronger case for being at the center of your build and not just giving numbers, but I'd say more effort still goes towards Iaijutsu focus than your skill tricks. The fact that you take skill focus for that before intimidate shows that you see it the same way.

This is a good use of 2 skill tricks, but you haven't really made an effort to optimize them in any real way, and you didn't even take a point in every relevant knowledge skill for good measure, which you easily could. Only having two is also disappointing, on a skill trick based round. I'm not penalizing you for the unoriginal choices here, as you were already punished for those, so this isn't a 1 – but it's still not great.

Score: 2.15 points.


Total score: 8.8 points. Your downfall here was letting a theme guide you towards something that didn't have any interesting optimization paths for you, on top of being mechanically boring. I know you can do better than that.
Originality:

Now, does a picture of Buggs Bunny count as fluff? Only if your build is Buggs Bunny, but you're unclear on whether you're him or just similar to him. We're going to call it a yes here, but try to either commit to the bit or write something down next time.

Our first of two back-to-back Paimon binders trying to damage multiple oponnents with standard actions. Clearly, this means that was an unoriginal idea.

More seriously though, spellthief binder is a cool and unexpected approach, even if using Paimon is pretty obvious once that's set up. Hare Hengeyokai is nice – you had a strong thematic reason to take it, and a +dex race makes sense for your build.

The focus on feinting is a welcome surprise – it's absolutely core to your build and your tactics, which isn't very common. Sleight of hand cheese is less welcome and less of a surprise, but you keep it mild and you keep it late, so I won't be harsh here.

Overall, while nothing here is mind blowing, this is a fun and quirky build going in a direction I didn't see coming. And none of it is purely for originality's sake – almost everything has a purpose. Well done!

Score: 4.25 points.


Power:

You're serviceable from level 2, thanks to binding Leraje. You're not great by any means, but you do fine. At later levels, being able to steal spells and such from most casters you meet is nice to have as a bonus on top of the base of your power – binding 3rd level vestiges, which have some excellent options. Paimon is obviously good for you, and that's where your focus is – but you do have a lot of flexibility outside of that, which is nice.

Shadow blade is a nice addition in power with Paimon backing you up. It did make me wish you'd go for gloom razor – it's a cool feat and the options all seemed like they'd work for you, but it'd mean a heavier investment which I get that you wanted to avoid.

The main issue here is... hard to define. You just don't DO much. Your damage is low, you don't have any reliable debuffs, you're not a real skill monkey. This issue is clear from level 1, and it stays the same throughout your career. Let's imagine a bog-standard encounter for you – and for your sake, we'll imagine it happening after shadow blade is online. Luke, bound to Paimon, and his party of epic adventurers have to kill a hill giant terrorizing the nearby villages. Or a hydra. Or a couple of 6th level human warriors. Or a big zombie. Or a spectre. Or an umber hulk. What do you do? What CAN you do? In the absolute majority of encounters, you're likely to be far less effective than a completely unoptimized fighter with weapon focus, specialization, and toughness. You need an encounter to be custom-made for you to really have an impact.

Your dance of death does semi-decent damage once you have shadow blade, but it's hardly impressive when not applied to a bunch of spellcasters or to pre-buffed enemies. Against a large group of pre-buffed enemies, it's a real gamechanger – but that's not a common occurrence as a pc. This guy would actually be way scarier as a villain, I'd say. So, situationally awesome, mostly meh. We'll talk more about it in elegance.

You're good enough on the defensive side to handle yourself in melee. Other than melee… you can be a fine spy when you need to, even if you're missing some of the skills to really take that task.

Overall, this build has a lot of flexibility by the virtue of being a binder, but your focus is too limited to do well in this category.

Score: 1.75 points.


Elegance:

I'm sorry, I don’t buy it. I applaud the effort, but no. You can't give up damage you can't do. You don't do a sneak attack if you can't sneak attack. You can't use ambush feats on someone you aren't sneak attacking, you can't harm undead with dragonfire strike, and you can't give up your non-existent sneak attack damage that you can't do to instead steal a spell. It was noted in power that this strategy was very limited anyway, and here the time has come to call it virtually illegal. You made enough of a case for me to consider it possible to give you credit in other categories (unlike "I can make infinite wishes for being a samurai 20, and you can't double penalize so a 5 in power please"). However, in this category the full precision damage is applied to your score.

Spellthief and binder make enough sense to me together to not see much of an issue with the way you dance around their levels. Aside from that – your build is streamlined, clean, synergic and focused. I like that a lot in this category, even if the actual impact hurt you in the last one. It did feel like you tapered off towards the end of the build with the last couple of epic feats, but even then you picked impactful options that were carefully suited to the strengths of the build.

You forgot to type in "complete scoundrel" in your sources list, after listing everything from there. It's minor enough for me to give it a pass this time, but watch your step – could cost you a fraction of a point, getting sloppy like that.

Overall, this build would've scored very high here if it wasn't for a severe rules issue at its very heart, costing it dearly here. It's still got enough strengths to pull out alright.

Score: 2.75 points.


UoSI:

So, even though I don't think it fully works, the improved feint + group fakeout + timely misdirection + dance of death schtick is clever. You combine two skill tricks with an ability you could do all day, but very likely only once per encounter, and you combine them well. Unlike a lot of multi-enemy melee tricks, it works well even against enemies which are organized and tactical, which is good, as that would be expected from many enemies with access to the magic you wish to still. There are rules issues, but this is very well done. Your build is centered on this tactic, to achieve something that wouldn't be achievable without at least one of this tricks, while the other could be replaced with pretty intense investment – perhaps too intense for E6.

You further back up this tactic by investing in a very high feint score. You're more likely to succeed than to fail even against a martial enemy with full BaB, full ranks in sense motive, and a positive wis modifier. That's impressive.

Your two other skill tricks sadly feel more like an afterthought, but they utilize the skills you have and do so well. Second impression covers up well for your disguise failing, and gives your skill focus another place to shine, and assume quirk is pretty basic when you use disguise mainly to look like other real people. That's good enough.

Overall, this is very well done.

Score: 4.6 points.


Total score: 12.85 points. You dodged around the wording just well enough to only get hit in elegance and not be given a 0 there or have your trick ignored. If I would've found your case even slightly more bunk than I did, you'd be screwed. Bold move, and a nice entry.
Originality:

Our second of the Paimon Binders trying to do some standard action shenanigans. Let's see if you can claim more success on that front, or completely perish.

As you know by this point, I penalize a complete lack of fluff. I'm going to consider your short description as fluff this time, but please make sure you give me something real next time. Could have done the same thing, just in a narrator's perspective, not a chef's one.

Factorums, like rogues, were expected in this round. Pounce-barbarians are always expected, even if less obviously so for E6, normally, especially when you're not going for whirling frenzy. What you are going for with it is unique and clever. The dismount-whirlwind charge will be discussed more thoroughly in a bit, but it is creative for sure. Whip itself deserves acclaim by its own – it's very none standard, and you have a valid reason to use it.

Binder, again, was something I didn't really see coming, and a chameleon dip is something I really should've seen coming, but didn't. It also gives you more of a justification to be human besides just going for default power, and that's nice.

Overall, you've used a couple of commonplace ingredients here to create something that's quite unique. Well done.

Score: 4 points.


Power:

Decent. This would be better if it worked, but it just doesn't, and I unfortunately don't see any way to dance around that. This build was built to handle large groups of enemies, but without the rules to back that approach up, it fails to impress. More on that in elegance.

Even with only 1 factorum level, cunning insight with 18 int is a good resource to have, and I sort of wish you'd take font of inspiration another time or two. Still, 3 inspiration is a decent amount. Paimon helps make up for your MADness, and you have Iaijutsu for when you really need to deal damage.

Unfortunately, you can't really enjoy the flexibility binder has to offer. You're not just focused on Paimon – you have stuff that you don't qualify for without him. I like that focus, but you'd have an easier time in this category if you could afford to unbind him here and there.

On the other hand, you do have a versatile set of skills that help you accomplish more than one task, while being able to focus on the skills that are core to your mission. There are advantages to playing an 18 Int human, I suppose.

Overall, while being alright and able to manage itself in more than 1 situation, this build unfortunately fails to accomplish anything more than that.

Score: 2.5 points.


Elegance:

Well, let's look at some of the stuff you pull of here, one by one:

Pounce + Dismount attack works. The wording in dismount attack makes it so, even if it probably wasn't intended that way. "Attack as if you had charged" gives a lot of leeway.

Pounce + Whirlwind Attack also works. I never thought of that, whirlwind sort of felt like its own full-round action, and it isn't – it's a modified full attack action. Nice find, very clever.

"One melee attack" arguement does not work. At all. It says one attack against each, not one attack against all. If I give one cookie to each child, I'm giving out more than 1 cookie. Unless there's only one child there. Or no children, which would lead to an error. Or half a child, though I don't think you can have half a child – half a child's body is not the same as half a child. Saying something is a child points to a certain immeasurable and unreducible essence, in my opinion. I don't think personhood could be treated as a quantitative quality.

Where was I?

Right. So, whirlwind lets you attack each opponent once, not attack once against all opponents. This isn't something I'm at all willing to acknowledge. So you don't apply Iaijutsu focus more than once. Unambiguous, in my opinion, and really strikes at the heart of your build.

Hidden blade + whip – come on. Live by the RAW, die by the RAW. I'm not letting it fly in the same build that uses Paimon's blades on a whip. Speaking of which – genius level move. Unquestionable RAW, no way to argue with it. It's not that impactful – you have the feats to spare, if you really needed to – but it's brilliant.

Polar chill is a double ping from me. The wording gives balance checks for running or charging, not for anything else. In addition, it's a spelltouched feat for which you're extremely unlikely to qualify in E6.

Flick of the wrist is less impressive to me, as it doesn't work with the whip which is your whole thing. It also would only work for one enemy, because of the once per round restriction – but that's not a penalty here, because I'm not going to continually penalize you for the rolling issue with whirlwind attack not being one roll. Same for hidden blade, true strike, etc.

You take 3 more skill tricks than you're legally allowed to. Did you somehow miss the fact that they're limited? Did I miss some justification? At level 6 you deserve 3. Sure hand and freerunner pump it up to 5. You have 8. None of this is legal.

As for less concrete discussion – I like that you point out spells, but I think the 1st level invisi-shadowlord thing is cheap and just cheesy while not being fun or clever. I thought your build lost focus when approaching its end, even though the picks were still made with care and attention, and make sense for the things you do (or think you're doing).

Overall, this was a clever attempt to make something interesting, that aside from having a disfunction at its very heart was also plagued with minor and major rules issues and controversies.

Score: 1.65 points. Could've been worse, you made up for a lot with your cleverness.


UoSI:

So, even though it fails to fully work, you certainly get valiant attempt credit here fot hidden blade and dismount attack. Your trick has two points of failure, with whirlwind not actually being a single attack and with whips not being concealable weapons. However, if it did work, it'd be very clever, and fully justify both hidden blade and dismount attack. So valiant attempt effort for these two, certainly.

As for the others… you have no reason to look for conceal spellcasting besides it being generally useful (which, it isn't, but we'll let that slide for now). Whip climber is cool and thematic, but you don't have any ranks in climb, your Str is low and you kept use rope to the bare minimum. In other words, you've put 0 effort into it besides taking it and holding a whip, and you haven't developed any interesting ways of using it.

Sudden draw works well for Iaijutsu builds. It gives you everything you need, and you don't use your swift actions so spending the immediate one should be fine. However – you just don't have the free hand to use it. One of your hands is holding your whip, the other is holding a Paimon blade. I guess you could drop your sword at the end of your turn? There's use there, but it's far more situational than it would be for similar builds with an open hand. If you did that, however, you'd have issues with threatening. You could drop the whip... but that's bad.

Twisted charge and nimble charge… hmm. I guess that if you win initiative, you could charge on foot, your mount could move next to you, and you could fast mount and fast dismount for a dismount attack the following turn. I don't see many uses for this outside of that scenario, but it does work. Valiant attempt credit here as well – actually, more like 2/3 credit, given that these tricks help you to whirlwind a bunch of foes even if we don’t assume you need them all flatfooted. They'd often be necessary for normal charging, unlike dismount which only makes sense in the context of Iaijutsu. Would've been better if you expanded on their use to you a bit more – this is the SI, this is the place to speak up.

Nimble stand has 0 effort behind it.

So, for the purpose of this category, we'll treat you as having hidden blade, dismount attack, sudden draw, nimble charge and twisted charge. You could only take 5 tricks, and if you had to pick five you'd probably pick those. Quantity has a quality of its own, and besides that you have put real effort into some of these feats, and have a place for most of them.

Overall, this build makes better than decent use out of some of its tricks, and has made a real attempt to put a few of them at the core of the build's tactics, which I applaud.

Score: 3.6 points.


Total score: 11.75 points. Very good effort. Being less generous to yourself with rules interpretation would do you better next time.
Originality:

As for the class baseline: factorums were expected in this contest, much like rogues, but qualifying for mindbender with one wasn’t really. The spellcasting advancement is wasted on you, of course – you're there for mindsight. Mechanically, this isn't something that connects in any real way to the rest of your build, I feel, but it was a good thought. Thematically – well, I think your fluff oversells what the build is actually capable of doing by a long shot, but it's still good stuff.

Speaking of your fluff: it's very well written, and gave a good idea of who the character was. I'm assuming there were references there that I didn't catch, but it was nice.

The skill tricks you've chosen to focus on aren't very interesting, to say the least. Collector of stories for knowledge devo and never outnumbered with imperious command are very well known, and very often used. You're also a human, and a tripper, which, you know. So, bad stuff here.

You're getting a boost for some unexpected feats.

Overall, a mixed bag. Dodged a 1 by virtue of the mindbender dip, the fluff I liked, and some weird paths in epic levels.

Score: 1.75 points.


Power:

Good category. You're competent in melee, you have a pretty diverse set of options, and a unique anti-surprise tool that helps the whole party. I also agree with fey presence being more than meets the eye in E6 – in fact, I've used it myself here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?628860-Iron-Chef-E6-Appetizer-Edition-Round-XXX&p=25019203&viewfull=1#post25019203).

UMD is good, raven is good with UMD. Lots of inspiration is good. You're pretty vulnerable defensively, but that's not too bad. Fear tactics are useful. Improved trip + Knockdown is a strong combination, and you have the int+str to back it up.

Overall, straightforward but competent and versatile. Well done.

Score: 4.15 points.


Elegance:

I've said it before, I'll say it again: simplicity does not equal elegance, not when I judge. I want to see synergy, I want to see cleverness. And, well… Those are mostly not here. The build is straightforward as far as level layout goes, but it just goes on adding more abilities with no real rhyme or reason. No tactic synergizes with the others, not really. It's like 4 different builds in one, and they work completely separately.

You claim that mindbender appreciates the boost to your enchantments, but… no. Mindbender only gives you telepathy. Not sure what you're talking about, unless you're just referencing the general vibe.

You don't give me a list of often used spells, which is something I think is important to reference. That's a penalty. In general, I find your playtips a bit lackluster. Not enough for a real penalty, but a slap on the wrist for sure.

Not sourcing the quickrazor is a penalty. You didn't source it, and you didn't call it "quickrazor, gnome", which could have reduced the penalty to a slap on the wrist.

Speaking of, nomish quickrazor proficiency is a bad pick for you, in my opinion. You don't attack more than once, anyway – if you can catch someone flat-footed, you can draw a dagger and attack, most of the time. You don't have the means to reliably flat-foot people to really justify the quickrazor pick.

Overall, a straightforward build that shows little synergy between its different parts and has a couple of issues.

Score: 2.05 points.


UoSI:

This is… surprisingly weak, to me. You could certainly pump intimidate more than you did. It's hard to fail here completely with a pick like never outnumbered + imperious command, but this could certainly have been better. You don't really make enough attacks to really justify the collector of stories pick. It's good, of course, but is it core to the build? I wouldn't say so. Second impression is pretty bunk, given your access to and stated use of disguise spell. Like, it's nice to have, but it's not as likely to be a gamechanger as it would've been for someone with more reliable bluff.

You have 3 tricks, and none of them come close to feeling like they're what's at the heart of your build. You put more effort into tripping than to any of these. You've put more effort into SLAs than into any of these. It's not terrible, because you've picked tricks that are very easy and obvious to optimize – but even then, it's not as good as it would've been on someone who attacked more or had less competition for their standard action.

Score: 2 points.


Total score: 9.95 points. Loved the creative fluff, love it more when there's creative crunch to accompany it. Better luck next time!

It is done. It is finally done. Come for me, spirits. I'm no longer afraid.

Thank you everyone for participating, and for your very stretched patience. I'm sorry if there are editing issues here - did my best to catch them, but I'm doing my final read-over when I'm very tired.

[loky1109]

H_H_F_F, thank you for judging!

As always I very like to read your judging! So well written, so well argued, so well understandable!

[MinimanMidget]

Thank you for a thorough and really well thought out set of judgements. No disputes from me, and no reason at all to apologise - anyone who's judged before knows how hard it can be to find time to get it done. I'm just grateful no-one had to withdraw in order for us to get a judge.

[loky1109]

And we have a table!

Name Alignment / Race Class Levels H_H_F_F Total Place
Ballista Joe (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308867&postcount=38) LE Neraph Rogue 2/Monk 2/Fighter 1/Assassin 1 13.90 13.90 1st
Blank (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308869&postcount=40) NE Ghostwise Halfling Marshal 5/Uncanny Trickster 1 13.65 13.65 2nd
Luke T'Hare (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308872&postcount=42) CE Hare Hengeyokai Spellthief 3/Binder 3 12.85 12.85 3rd
Whip Dancer (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308874&postcount=43) HN Human Factotum 1/Barbarian 1/Binder 3/Chameleon 1 11.75 11.75 4th
Mr. Winthrop (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308875&postcount=44) NE Human Factotum 5/Mindbender 1 9.95 9.95 5th
Cyan (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308871&postcount=41) ?? Human Warblade 1/Factorum 5 8.80 8.80 6th
Bane (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308868&postcount=39) NN Changeling Rogue 3/Spellthief 1/Wizard 1/Spymaster 1 8.60 8.60 7th

[Korahir]

Thanks for judging. No disputes.

[daremetoidareyo]

No disputes

[Venger]

No disputes here either.

[loky1109]

I thought to write dispute, but all my disagreement fell apart when I was looking them closer.

[Zaq]

Thanks very much for judging, H_H_F_F! I'd like to move onto the next round tomorrow or Sunday, ideally.

[loky1109]

I'll be honest, folks. It was very tough round with very hard SI.

[H_H_F_F]

I'll be honest, folks. It was very tough round with very hard SI.

Agreed. Too hard for me, for sure. Couldn't figure anything out.

[Zaq]

That's a wrap, team!

Name Alignment / Race Class Levels Chef H_H_F_F Total Place
Ballista Joe (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308867&postcount=38) LE Neraph Rogue 2/Monk 2/Fighter 1/Assassin 1 Korahir 13.90 13.90 1st
Blank (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308869&postcount=40) NE Ghostwise Halfling Marshal 5/Uncanny Trickster 1 daremetoidareyo 13.65 13.65 2nd
Luke T'Hare (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308872&postcount=42) CE Hare Hengeyokai Spellthief 3/Binder 3 MinimanMidget 12.85 12.85 3rd
Whip Dancer (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308874&postcount=43) HN Human Factotum 1/Barbarian 1/Binder 3/Chameleon 1 loky1109 11.75 11.75 4th
Mr. Winthrop (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308875&postcount=44) NE Human Factotum 5/Mindbender 1 Venger 9.95 9.95 5th
Cyan (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308871&postcount=41) ?? Human Warblade 1/Factorum 5 Birchy 8.80 8.80 6th
Bane (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25308868&postcount=39) NN Changeling Rogue 3/Spellthief 1/Wizard 1/Spymaster 1 mattie_p 8.60 8.60 7th

Congrats to our medalists Korahir, daremetoidareyo, and MinimanMidget! Many thanks to H_H_F_F for judging, and shout-out to loky1109 for putting together this table for me.

New round shortly!

[loky1109]

About mine.

It was last minute entry. You can see it in luck of fluff.
Sure Hand and Freerunner played a bad joke with me. I was sure all three this feats gives its free skill trick totally free. No counting in ST level limitation.
Whirlwind as a single attack... I was sure about this, too. But I was wrong, as I see now.

[Zaq]

New round! (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?643149-Iron-Chef-E6-Appetizer-Edition-Round-XXXVII)

[daremetoidareyo]

I didn’t want to dispute because why prolong things? And also the judgment was mad fair, rewarding that with no disputes seems honorable.

I did want to expound on Blank a bit tho.

Vampires text has language about being “exposed to sunlight”. I think exposure to the aural sound of sunlight works in that case. It’s wierd that it works, but it’s kind of a cool trick to build a story around

I think listen checks can be requested by players. We just tend to hand wave them a bit. So much so that you don’t roll when your character is speaking; it is presumed that they hear themself. If it’s necessary to put on earmuffs to hear yourself, thereby proccing a listen check, it seems like something this build would do.

[H_H_F_F]

Blank was awesome, Dare.

Agreed on vampires, as I said in my judgement. The issues are "vampire slayer" being too specific for a significant power increase on the merit of that part of your trick alone, and RAW the sun being too far to notice with a listen check.

Earplugs are a good response to the "unpromptes listen check" question. Hadn't considered that.

Note that I of course would never do this to an actual player at the table trying to use listen to this as intended. RAW nonsense (as awesome as it may be) on your side is the only reason for the RAW nonsense on mine.