Monster Mash VI: Mysterious Monster Magic [Archive]

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Beni-Kujaku

2022-11-20, 06:16 PM

Monster Mash #6

This competition is for monstrous adventurers, in part to experiment with the possibilities they offer and in part to make use of the revised level adjustments which Inevitability and Debatra have spent five years assigning.
Adventurers designed for this contest must be of a monstrous race. For the purpose of this contest, “monstrous race” excludes all races designed for PC use, unless their level adjustment has been increased by one or more templates. “Monstrous race” is a somewhat vague category, by necessity. No simple set of rules can exclude every single PC race without also excluding some genuine monsters. Entries which flout this rule with borderline-monstrous races risk a penalty to their Monstrosity score.

For the purpose of this competition, all races use the modified level adjustments listed in the LA Assignment Archive (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?624825). Races with a -0 level adjustment are treated as if they had a +0 level adjustment. Monsters not rated at the time an entry is submitted and who haven't had an official level adjustment may not be used. You are allowed to play monsters not rated in the LA assignment thread only if they got an official level adjustment.
Some races' level adjustments include asterisks. These monsters have traits which render them unsuitable for PC use, such as a wight’s spawn creation, a dryad’s tree dependency, or a genie’s wishes; check the linked posts in the archive. For the purpose of this contest, those races do not possess those traits. In cases where it's unclear which traits are removed, please contact the chair for clarification.

Round Theme: Mysterious Monster Magic

Because if you're going to have the most unique race at the table, why not have the most unique class too? And what better class than the ones representing the alternative magic systems of D&D.

The monster character must have at least one level in one of the four following classes: Psion, Warlock, Incarnate, Binder

To note: Alternative ways to gain abilities similar to that of the class do not qualify. Bind Vestige, Shape Soulmeld and racial manifesting must be supplemented by an actual class level.

Contestants
You will need to present a full build for your entry, from its first level to level 20. Also required is a rundown of how your build works at lower levels, to demonstrate that it is a functional character that could be played in a real game.
Traditionally participants in similar competitions give "snapshots" of tactics and abilities at levels 5, 10, 15, and 20. Depending on the monstrous race chosen, your character may be unavailable at lower levels; in that case, instead give snapshots at various levels where it is playable. These snapshots should be roughly evenly distributed among what levels it is available at.

32 point-buy is the presumed creation method.
If you do use a different point-buy, please make your case for its necessity in your entry. Keep in mind that for using exceptionally large or small point-buys may warrant deductions in elegance and/or power.
If the monster you're cooking with has no intelligence, or an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, consider the intelligence as 3 (-8 racial modifier). It still retains any immunity to mind-affecting abilities it may have.

Competitors will be free to use any official 1st party (WotC) 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon Compendium is allowed, but Dragon magazine is disallowed. Unearthed Arcana is allowed. Unupdated 3.0 materials, as well as web exclusives by WotC are expressly allowed, but take care to verify that an updated version did not appear in print elsewhere, as this may cause an Elegance deduction at the judges' discretion.
Official Errata and 3.5 updates to 3.0 content are considered valid regardless of whether their sources would otherwise be legal. This includes the 3.5 update of Oriental Adventures given in Dragon Magazine, and the 3.5 updates of Dragonlance Campaign Setting content given in later third party Dragonlance books.
Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt or Generic Classes are not allowed, as they create a different playing field. Item Familiars and Taint are also banned from the competition.

Specific bans:

Any material that grants you leadership without you specifically taking it should be ignored and may not be traded away for another feat or ACF. Any variant of Leadership, such as Undead Leadership and Dragon Cohort are likewise banned. Wild Cohort and Obtain Familiar are allowed. If you are not sure if a specific feat violates the 'no leadership' rule, err on the side of caution, or ask me.
However, Leadership may be taken to qualify for another feat or class (such as the Great Captain feat or Legendary Leader prestige class), though a character still doesn't get its usual benefit in those cases. This is to allow characters to access unproblematic material that'd otherwise be made unavailable because of the Leadership ban.

Because this contest involves creating a build up to level 20, no race with a base ECL higher than 20 is allowed.
The Dragonlance Campaign Setting is allowed, but the subsequent books for Dragonlance are considered 3rd party, and are therefore not eligible, despite the "WotC approved" status of those books. The same holds for Oriental Adventures (1st party) and the subsequent Rokugan books (3rd party).
The Illithid Savant and Beholder Mage prestige classes are specifically banned due to their extreme potential for abuse.

Judging
Judging will be based on the following criteria, with each build rated on a scale from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Power, Elegance, and Monstrosity.
Scores of zero may be applied in cases of exceptional misconduct (plagiarism earns a 0 in Originality, failure to meet prerequisites earns a 0 in Elegance, non-monstrous races earn a 0 in Monstrosity, etc); otherwise, all entries should receive at least one full point in each category.
Originality: Is it unexpected or novel?
Power: Can it do what the concept asks of it? Is this a powerfully-built character?
Elegance: Is it mechanically straighforward or “pretty”?
Monstrosity: Is the monstrous character’s race used?

Elegance and Monstrosity demand further elaboration.
Elegance measures how skillfully you put your build together, and whether you sacrificed flavor for power. Use of flaws is considered in poor taste, and judges are asked to take a dim view of this option, taking it into account while grading. Other things that will cause penalties here are excessive multi-classing, and classes that don't fit the concept.
A legal source's relative obscurity should not be considered as penalizing Elegance, excepting the aforementioned issues with Unearthed Arcana. Using conflicting setting material may result in a penalty to Elegance at the judges' discretion, but a book's relative obscurity may not. In that same vein, drawing solely from the Core 3 (and the d20 SRD) should not be punished for lacking Originality.
Monstrosity measures how necessary the entry’s monster race was to the submission. We want to build monstrous adventurers here, not standard Iron Chef builds with a few racial hit dice at the start. Builds which could not function without the monstrous features of their race earn high Monstrosity scores, while builds which could work on any PC race with no changes will take Monstrosity penalties. Builds using non-monstrous races will also take penalties to Monstrosity. For rounds with specific restrictions on the monster race, this category will also include making good use of the mandatory component.

Presentation
Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, I'd like everyone to try to use the following table for their entry.

NAME OF ENTRY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Code immediately below (spoiler).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Spells per Day/Spells Known

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alternatively, you may use this spreadsheet created by (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BG0-5sq4dL9Ooh7-QfXuyHzO4rXSz-CRcj29t6BeUVE/edit?usp=sharing) mattie_p (https://forums.giantitp.com/member.php?66256-mattie_p).
For other systems (Psionics, ToB, Incarnum, etc.) keep track of PP/maneuvers/essentia separately, preferably in a nice neat list or table.

Speculation
Please don’t post or speculate on possible builds until the reveal, in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.
Once builds are revealed, please do not comment on errors or rules issues on entries unless you are a judge. If you have such a comment, wait until the final reveal to post it.

Deadlines

Contestants will have until 23:59 GMT Sunday 18th of December to create their builds and PM them to the chair. Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying. Judges will have until 23:59 GMT Sunday 1st of January 2023 to judge the builds and submit their scores. If no judges have scored by that point, only the scores of the first judge to submit will be counted. Deadlines are subject to extension as/if required.

Submission
To standardize Entries, please use this format when sending it in:
PM: Beni-Kujaku
Subject: Monster Mash #, Name of your Entry
For Revisions and disputes, do the same thing. It makes it easier for me finding the entries in my mailbox.

More questions? Either ask in the thread or PM me with Monster Mash Questions in the header. Please use PMs for any questions relating to a specific build to avoid violating rules against speculation.

Houserules/Clarifications
D&D 3.5 is far from a perfect system, and inflated level adjustments are far from the only example of this. Many rules are ambiguous, absent, or just badly-written. I make no claim to fixing the system, but feel some “house rules” are in order:

Bonus feats that are granted even if you do not meet the prerequisites do not require you to meet the prerequisites in order to use.
All creatures are proficient with any natural weapons they may have or acquire.
Monsters with racial hit dice may gain an additional hit die instead of taking a character level. This functions as advancing a monster this way would under other circumstances. You cannot advance any monster beyond the maximum number of racial hit dice noted in its Advancement entry. You can advance that way before, after, or in-between taking actual class levels.
The DC of a monster's supernatural ability is 10+1/2 number of Hit Dice+mod. This includes class levels.
Able Learner's benefit applies to the level you take it.
Weapons from soulmelds are considered to be magic weapons.
Unarmed Swordsage grants Improved Unarmed Strike at level 1.
Spelltouched feats are legal and can be taken just like any other feat when you meet the prerequisites and have the feat slot available.
Possessing innate spellcasting from your race is treated as a spellcasting class for the purposes of prestige classes which provide new spells per day, an increase in caster level, and spells known (if applicable) as if you had gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level.

If you have trouble finding a monster with particular abilities, you might want to check the Searchable Monster Abilities Spreadsheet (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QrhdyI_42mru5Wn7d_GYBMFEL-2hqc-Q/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=114473817632993756813&rtpof=true&sd=true).

Previous Competitions:
MM1: Back to Basics (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?632644-Monster-Mash-Monstrous-Adventurer-Competition)
MM2: Scary Monsters (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?644846-Monster-Mash-II-Scary-Monsters!)
MM3: Keep your monsters close, and your enemies closer (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?646125-Monster-Mash-III-Keep-your-monsters-close)
MM4: Monsters in the darkness (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?648212-Monster-Mash-IV-Monsters-in-the-Darkness#post25531590)
MM5: Crawling Monsters (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?650003-Monster-Mash-V-Crawling-Monsters/)

And now, time to get mashing!

Beni-Kujaku

2022-11-20, 06:21 PM

Q&A for this round:

-

Bonus power points:

1: Blue, Dromite, Elan, Maenad, Xeph
2: Psionic Duergar, Psionic Githyanki, Psionic Githzerai, Phrenic Creature
3: Psionic Thri-Kreen

Psion manifesting:

7: Unbodied
11: Psionic Mind Flayer
12: Average Cranium Rat Swarm*

Varies: Ectoplasmic Dragon (starting Young), Obsidian Dragon (starting Young)

Incarnum
6: Chrysalis Spinner (Nikolas) (https://web.archive.org/web/20090604145254/http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/articles/ChrysalisSpinner2.zip)*

Didn't find any monster for warlock and binder (since we haven't done Tome of Magic yet)

Tohron

2022-11-21, 01:07 PM

I'm looking at Cranium Rat Swarms on Realmshelps (listed source is Fiend Folio) and they seem to cast as Sorcerers, not Psions.

Beni-Kujaku

2022-11-21, 02:17 PM

I'm looking at Cranium Rat Swarms on Realmshelps (listed source is Fiend Folio) and they seem to cast as Sorcerers, not Psions.

Fiend Folio has a sidebar titled "Cranium Rats and the Psionic Handbook":
"If you’re using the Psionics Handbook, an average or greater cranium rat pack should manifest powers as a psion rather than cast spells as a wizard. Since Intelligence is their best ability, they typically choose Metacreativity as their primary discipline. They gain the Combat Manifestation feat instead of Combat Casting, Power Penetration and Greater Power Penetration instead of the Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration feats, and Psionic Focus (Metacreativity) and Greater Psionic Focus (Metacreativity) instead of the Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus feats."

This sidebar makes little sense considering the rats don't cast as a wizard in the first place, and Psions manifest using intelligence even if they're not shapers, but the sidebar should still be relevant and the cranium rats should cast as psions if you play with psionics.

Thurbane

2022-11-21, 02:28 PM

There's only two monsters with innate Warlock-type abilities that I'm aware of, and neither have been rated in the LA threads:

Aspect of Chernobog (EtCR) has 5d6 eldritch blast, plus beshadowed blast, frightful blast, hideous blow and eldritch chain.
Ethereal Defiler (MM5) has an eldritch blast-like ability of 6d6, and it's favored class is warlock. It can also use an ability which is basically identical to hideous blow.

Tzardok

2022-11-21, 03:11 PM

and Psions manifest using intelligence even if they're not shapers,

That is because it is a 3.0 book. In 3.0 psionics, psions use different abilities depending on what discipline they specialize in:

Psychokinesis: Strength
Psychoportation: Dexterity
Psychometabolism: Constitution
Metacreativity: Intelligence
Clairvoyance: Wisdom
Telepathy: Charisma

loky1109

2022-11-21, 03:32 PM

Didn't find any monster for warlock and binder (since we haven't done Tome of Magic yet)[/SPOILER]

Tome of Magic will not help anyway. There are one monster in D&D 3.5 who has ability called Soul Binding - Corpse Gatherer from Monster Manual 2 and this of course is very different Soul Binding.

Paragon

2022-11-21, 04:04 PM

Metastachydium

2022-11-21, 04:56 PM

Sadly none of them have a listed LA 😔

Ethereal defiler comes with a listed LA of +4 (it's not in the statblock, but rather in the "Ethgereal Defilers with Class Levels" section of the text – an innovation of the later books I'm not particularly fond of).

loky1109

2022-11-22, 03:18 PM

Okay, I have one silly idea.

Frostmoon

2022-11-23, 02:04 AM

Ah, looking in Magic of Incarnum, there are actually two more creatures with innate soulbinding capabilities: the totem giant and the incarnum dragon, both of which were actually given LA by WotC. Totem giants get an LA of +4 and 13HD, while the dragon's LA depends on age: wyrmlings get +2, Very Young gets +3, Young +4, and Juvenile +5.

While there are a few things that give essentia pools within MoI, they either lack LA (necrocarnum zombies, soulfused golems, soulsparks) or are regular player races (azurin, dusklings).

Beni-Kujaku

2022-11-23, 02:26 AM

Ah, looking in Magic of Incarnum, there are actually two more creatures with innate soulbinding capabilities: the totem giant and the incarnum dragon, both of which were actually given LA by WotC. Totem giants get an LA of +4 and 13HD, while the dragon's LA depends on age: wyrmlings get +2, Very Young gets +3, Young +4, and Juvenile +5.

Yeah‚ I didn't include non-reassigned creatures. Otherwise‚ I suspect there would be many more manifesting monster. Still‚ good find!

(Although you didn't quite use the right wording. Soulbinding is the ability to bind vestiges to yourself. The ability to use incarnum and soulmelds is called Meldshaping)

Thurbane

2022-11-23, 02:30 AM

Frostmoon

2022-11-23, 03:00 AM

(Although you didn't quite use the right wording. Soulbinding is the ability to bind vestiges to yourself. The ability to use incarnum and soulmelds is called Meldshaping)

Whoops. Yeah, Incarnum kind of goes over my head. XD That's actually why I was looking through MoI in the first place.

Beni-Kujaku

2022-11-23, 03:31 AM

Question for the chair: and I'm sorry if this is in the OP somewhere and I missed it.

Does this comp allow PrCs to advance innate casting, or does the character need at least one level in the base class for the PrC to advance it? I've seen it argued both ways, so I'd be interested on the ruling.

For a random example, can a Rakshasa with no Sorcerer class levels take a PrC and have it advance their 7th level Sorcerer casting, or would they need at least 1 actual Sorcerer class level before a PrC could advance anything?

It was in the OP, and yes you can.

In the Houserules/Clarification spoiler: "Possessing innate spellcasting from your race is treated as a spellcasting class for the purposes of prestige classes which provide new spells per day, an increase in caster level, and spells known (if applicable) as if you had gained a level in a spellcasting class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level."

loky1109

2022-12-03, 03:22 PM

Okay! I'm done. Entry sent.
I dream we will have entries for all four suggested classes.

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-08, 11:26 AM

The deadline is slowly approaching‚ how is everyone doing?

loky1109

2022-12-08, 01:34 PM

The deadline is slowly approaching‚ how is everyone doing?
You know about mine, but maybe I'll have some updates.

Thurbane

2022-12-08, 04:49 PM

Got the bare bones of an idea, we'll see how it plays out time-wise.

Frostmoon

2022-12-08, 08:30 PM

I have the full build done (though I'll want to go and give it a nice look-over to make sure everything's right), but I still need to actually input the tables and write the fluff and explanations. Should be doable. :3

Inevitability

2022-12-09, 06:38 AM

Didn't have inspiration for this one, I might judge ig.

loky1109

2022-12-09, 08:38 AM

Maybe we have somebody to judge our other competitions? VC and JW are awaiting for a long time.

Inevitability

2022-12-09, 08:48 AM

Maybe we have somebody to judge our other competitions? VC and JW are awaiting for a long time.

I'm in both and I already gave up a competition to judge it, otherwise I'd volunteer.

Thurbane

2022-12-09, 06:14 PM

Yeah, really hard to find judges here at the moment.

Which I understand, it's a significant investment of time and effort...

Frostmoon

2022-12-09, 09:22 PM

I don't necessarily trust myself as a judge yet, nor do I think I have the time available right now, sorry.

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-15, 02:54 AM

Three days to the deadline, I still haven't got either of your entries, Frostmoon and Thurbane. Do you need an extension?

Thurbane

2022-12-15, 03:35 AM

Crazy time of year for me...won't be getting an entry in.

Might post a stub after the reveal.

Tusen

2022-12-15, 04:51 AM

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-15, 06:11 AM

I'm having issue finding time as well, along with my general lack of knowledge regarding the secret ingredient beyond stereotypical warlock stuff.
However, I have a question regarding the rules: Are we allowed to advance our monster HD (obviously with it counting towards our levels, like normal HD though) and if we get to a point where a size transition occurs in the monster manual (such as wolves with more HD being large), does that happen to the PC? Or is it more like druid animal companion where they don't get the size increase?

As mentioned in the OP‚ you can advance by RHD at any moment‚ as long as such an advancement is mentioned in the monster's entry. You can gain a size category this way‚ and do gain the usual benefits (+8 Str‚ -2 Dex‚ +4 Con‚ +2 natural armor if the monster goes from Medium to Large).

Frostmoon

2022-12-18, 03:26 PM

And the thing I built is in. Perhaps next time I'll actually get in my entry before the day its due. XD

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-18, 06:08 PM

And the thing I built is in. Perhaps next time I'll actually get in my entry before the day its due. XD

Congrats on making it! And now, the reveal (one hour early, but it's late in my timezone and I want to do it before going to bed)! Don't post until I have finished.

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-18, 06:14 PM

Sometimes, you just need more synonyms to accurately describe something. Speck, Mite, Mote, Jot, Bit, Minim... But you could search through the whole english language and still not find anything even remotely similar to a Ghost Ecto Fragment with tentacles.

Qarzvhvkz, the
Ghost Half-Illithid Minim Warlock 3 / Psychic Rogue 2 / Urban Savant 7 / Paragnostic Apostle 3 (+5 LA)

Ever wanted to see an Exalted, spectral, tentacled blob of ectoplasm prowling around cities in search of people to zap? No? Too bad.

DUDE
DUUUUDE
YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED
So, look, you know that grave-robbing job I got? I know you were all against it, especially since we were going through temples, but, like, I did it anyways. I need the money.
Okay, so, I was digging through the graves and accidentally awakened some Undead critters. Not surprising, right? Kind of typical for a graverobbing gig. I was prepared, had some holy water hooked up and ready to go, and I honestly did pretty well for myself! The zombies were a piece of cake, and I even took down a few allips (ewwww).
But then there was a lich.
A.
Lich.
I had to run, Oliver. I had to run, and the only place I could go was this temple of Lliira. Now, Lliira's totally a party girl, so like she's totally not super stuck-up or anything, but she's still Good, and, well…I was just grave-robbing. (I know it's contradictory!! I know! I don't bloody well care right now!) But, anyways, here I was, some stupid merc grave-robber running from some STUPID OLD DEAD MAGE GUY in this FREAKING CHAOTIC GOOD TEMPLE! My brain wasn't thinking clearly! In my fear, I reached down to grab some…I dunno, pretty glowing thing right at the statue. Yeah, yeah, super dumb, but I saw shiny and thought, "hey, maybe it's a useful weapon???"
Oh, Oliver. It wasn't a weapon. It was alive.
It was the freaking ugliest thing I had ever seen! It was so ugly I puked. It was, like, smaller than the size of my fingernail (no, I don't know why I thought something that size would be a good weapon; I really, really don't), it had these stupid MIND FLAYER TENTACLES attached in random places, and I think I passed my hand through it by accident, or something. I don't even think it had a face, dude. Or a body. Just some weird white stuff that I really, really regret ever trying to figure out.
Oh, and by the way: there's still a lich.
I totally passed out at that point, dude. I dunno what sort of fight went down, but I'm kind of glad I didn't see it: ugly dead dudes versus uglier abominations just isn't my sort of thing. Aaaanyways, when I woke up, I was in the streets, hanging out with the PARAGNOSTIC ASSEMBLY FOR SOME REASON(?!), and guess what? That stupid thing was still there! Somehow! And the local elf-guy was speaking to it, or replying to it I guess, acting like it was communicating with them. I tried to start getting up and leaving when Mr. Elf had his back turned, but then BOOM! There were all these…I dunno…things in my head. Not images, not words, but some other sensation I've never felt before, and I never want to feel again. I got this idea that lich was some old temple Cleric who eventually rebelled against his god, became a Ur-priest, and then lichified himself, but I don't even know how to explain how I know that. I just…do, now. I even learned some…other stuff, stuff I don't think I can ever mention in polite society.
And I think it's all that monstrosity's fault. I think it…"talked" to me, Oliver. Told me knowledge it's gathered, knowledge that I, a mere roguish dwarf, should never, ever have. I ran the hell away after this. Ran with my tail between my legs and my eyes full of hot tears.
…so. You know what I'm going to do now, Oliver? Now that I've been humiliated, seen crying through the streets?
I'm going to go find that stupid monstrosity, and JOIN FORCES WITH IT!
….
…what?
It's better than grave-robbing.

RACE: Ghost Half-Illithid Minim (Ecto Fragment)
TYPE: Aberration -> Undead
SIZE: Fine
ALIGNMENT: Chaotic Good
DEITY: Lliira, or a different CG god with some minor refluffing
WHY: Why not? :3

Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class/Racial Features
1st Warlock 1 0 0 0 2 Concentration 2 (+2), Knowledge: Arcana 4 (+4), Knowledge: Religion 4 (+4), [I]Knowledge: Nature 1 (+1) Favoured Brain Sense, Ectoplasmic Form, Finger of Fire, Half-Illithid Tentacles, Spell Resistance, Telepathy, Detect Thoughts, Incorporeal Traits, Undead Traits, Manifestation, Telekinesis, Horrific Appearance, Turn Resistance, Eldritch Blast (1d6)
2nd Warlock 2 1 0 0 3 Concentration 2, Arcana 5 (+1), Religion 4, Nature 2 (+1) N/A Detect Magic
3rd Warlock 3 2 1 1 3 Concentration 2, Arcana 5, Religion 5 (+1), Nature 2, Knowledge: History 1 (+1) Sacred Vow Damage Reduction 1/Cold Iron, Eldritch Blast (2d6), Suggestion
4th Psychic Rogue 1 2 1 3 3 Concentration 2, Arcana 5, Religion 5, Nature 2, History 2 (+1), Knowledge: Local 5 (+5) N/A DEX +1, Sneak Attack (1d6), Trapfinding
5th Psychic Rogue 2 3 1 4 3 Concentration 2, Arcana 5, Religion 5, Nature 2, History 2, Knowledge: Dungeoneering 2 (+2), Local 8 (+3) N/A Evasion, Levitate
6th Urban Savant 1 3 1 6 5 Concentration 8 (+6), Arcana 5, Religion 5, Nature 2, History 2, Dungeoneering 2, Local 8, Knowledge: Planes 1 (+1), Knowledge: Psionics 1 (+1) Vow of Poverty, Nymph's Kiss Urban Savvy (Strengths), AC Bonus (+6), Endure Elements, Exalted Strike (+1), Sustenance, Deflection (+1)
7th Urban Savant 2 4 1 7 6 Concentration 8, Arcana 10 (+5), Religion 6 (+1), Nature 2, History 2, Dungeoneering 2, Local 10 (+2), Planes 1, Psionics 1 N/A Urban Empathy, Eldritch Blast (3d6), Charm Monster, Resistance, Ability Score Improvement (CHA +2)
8th Urban Savant 3 4 2 7 6 Concentration 8, Arcana 11 (+1), Religion 11 (+5), Nature 2, History 2, Dungeoneering 3 (+1), Local 11 (+1), Planes 1, Psionics 1 Exalted Spell Resistance DEX +1, Continuing Education (+1), Natural Armor (+1), Mind Shielding
9th Urban Savant 4 5 2 8 7 Concentration 8, Arcana 12 (+1), Religion 12 (+1), Nature 2, History 2, Dungeoneering 8 (+5), Local 12 (+1), Planes 1, Psionics 1 Craven Urban Savvy (Weakness), Eldritch Blast (4d6), AC Bonus (+7)
10th Urban Savant 5 5 2 8 7 Concentration 8, Arcana 13 (+1), Religion 13 (+1), Nature 2, History 2, Dungeoneering 13 (+5), Local 13 (+1), Planes 1, Psionics 1 Sacred Strike Eyes of the City, Exalted Strike (+2), Damage Reduction (10/Magic)
11th Urban Savant 6 6 3 9 8 Concentration 8, Arcana 14 (+1), Religion 14 (+1), Nature 7 (+5), History 2, Dungeoneering 14 (+1), Local 14 (+1), Planes 1, Psionics 1 N/A Continuing Education (+2), Eldritch Blast (5d6), Ability Score Enhancement (CHA +2, INT +2)
12th Urban Savant 7 6 3 9 8 Concentration 8, Arcana 15 (+1), Religion 15 (+1), Nature 10 (+3), History 2, Dungeoneering 15 (+1), Local 15 (+1), Planes 3 (+2), Psionics 1 Knowledge Devotion (Knowledge: Local), Nimbus of Light INT +1, Urban Savvy (Methods), Greater Sustenance, AC Bonus (+8), Deflection Bonus (+2)
13th Paragnostic Apostle 1 6 3 9 10 Concentration 8, Arcana 16 (+1), Religion 16 (+1), Nature 10, History 2, Dungeoneering 16 (+1), Local 16 (+1), Planes 4 (+1), Psionics 1, Escape Artist 1 (+1) N/A Lore, Knowledge is Power (Backhanded Attack), Eldritch Blast (6d6), Energy Resistance (5), Resistance (+2)
14th Paragnostic Apostle 2 7 3 9 11 Concentration 8, Arcana 17 (+1), Religion 17 (+1), Nature 10, History 2, Dungeoneering 17 (+1), Local 17 (+1), Planes 5 (+1), Psionics 3 (+2), Escape Artist 1 Lliira's Blessing Knowledge is Power (Accurate Retort), Freedom of Movement, Exalted Strike (+3)
15th Paragnostic Apostle 3 7 4 10 11 Concentration 8, Arcana 18 (+1), Religion 18 (+1), Nature 10, History 4 (+2), Dungeoneering 18 (+1), Local 18 (+1), Planes 5, Psionics 5 (+2), Escape Artist 1 Psionic Shot Knowledge is Power (Discern Weakness: Aberrations), AC Bonus (+9), Ability Score Improvement (CHA +2, INT +2, DEX +2)
16th LA +1 - - - - - - -
17th LA +2 - - - - - - -
18th LA +3 - - - - - - -
19th LA +4 - - - - - - -
20th LA +5 - - - - - - -

Bold = new ranks
Italics = cross-class skill

Level Invocations Gained Powers Gained Power Points
1st Entropic Warding N/A 0
2nd Coccoon of Refuse N/A 0
3rd N/A N/A 0
4th N/A Sense Link 0
5th N/A Control Light 2
6th Otherwordly Whispers N/A 2
7th N/A N/A 2
8th Beshadowed Blast N/A 2
9th N/A N/A 2
10th Flee the Scene N/A 2
11th N/A N/A 3
12th Eldritch Chain N/A 3
13th Walk Unseen N/A 3
14th N/A N/A 3
15th Chilling Tentacles N/A 4
16th (LA 1) - - -
17th (LA 2) - - -
18th (LA 3) - - -
19th (LA 4) - - -
20th (LA 5) - -

ORIGINAL STATS
STR: 8
DEX: 14
CON: 8
INT: 14
WIS: 12
CHA: 18

RACIAL STATS (MINIM + HALF-ILLITHID)
STR: 0
DEX: 16
CON: 8
INT: 12
WIS: 10
CHA: 22

GHOST STATS
STR: -
DEX: 16
CON: -
INT: 12
WIS: 10
CHA: 26

END STATS
STR: -
DEX: 20
CON: -
INT: 17
WIS: 10
CHA: 32

-DEX was increased at levels 4 and 8
-INT was increased at level 12
-The Vow of Poverty ability increases raised CHA (+6), INT (+4), and DEX (+2)

Wha - an Ecto Fragment?! Why?
Why not? :3

But they're useless!
Well…only kind of useless. ;3

Yes, in many, many ways, the ecto fragments are not good player characters. They're confusingly written (are they blind or not? They get Spot as a skill and Darkvision, but so do creatures that are explicitly blind!), they have no legs or arms or appendages or even really any body slots, and they're miniscule as hell. Even their main attack is weak and pitiful!
This obviously isn't good at all, but the Ecto Fragments do actually have a few things going for them:
1. They're "miniscule as hell" – "fine" is a very rare size to start with, and certainly one with some nice advantages!
2. They have a 60ft Perfect flight speed.
3. They have a pileup of weird immunities.
4. They have Brain Sense, a.k.a. something akin to freaking Mind Sight.

Now, there's some hoops we have to get through to be an effective ecto fragment. First, are classes. We have some issues here, of course:
-No attacks and no hands/mouth means no martial classes
-No body slots (they're a blob) means no Incarnum stuff
-No ability to make verbal sounds means no spellcasting (Silent Spell is a horrible feat tax)
-No ability to speak also happens to cut out Truenaming, of all things
-The stats are pretty awful, so going pure skill monkey is a bad idea
-Binding's technically doable, but not that great an idea with the bad stats and no weapons

That leaves us with two main paths: Invocations and Psionics. (And Marshal, I guess.) Given the comp's theme, Warlock is the clear winner here, since CHA is much higher then INT. However, if anyone feels like playing an Ecto Fragment after this, know that Wilder is a definite possibility!

Now that we have the class, we have to actually make this thing function. TEMPLATES TO THE RESCUE!

Ghosts are cool. Incoporealness is cool. Incoporealness is near-necessary when you're a thing that CAN'T SEE WALLS. While Umbral grants incorporealness at a lower cost, the whole "needing to feed on STR" thing is pretty bad when you lack natural attacks, so Ghost it is.

Moreover, Ghost gives us some useful abilities! Telekinesis is awesome and Horrific Appearance is just plain accurate, while the CHA boost is certainly useful. The whole "come back when destroyed" helps with the most annoying part of being an Ecto Fragment, allowing us to return after being hit with Dismiss Ectoplasm. Finally, this gives us undead immunities.

The second* template here is the lovely Half-Illithid. It's been used twice before in this comp, both on -0 creatures. Qarzvhvkz here just continues that trend, because apparently -0s need H-I to function. Or something. We're bucking the main use of it, though: with the other two entries, the template was there for the grappling benefits.

We're here for the telepathy.

First: telepathy doesn't actually say anything about us needing a language. Go look at the SRD entry: only the target needs a language! Indeed, the HI version of the ability doesn't change that bit, either. It's arguable, but there's nothing in RAW saying that a speech-less character cannot use telepathy to communicate.

Second: while Mindbender is the normal way of getting Telepathy, Mindbender actually conflicts with VoP. I chose to have a bunch of piled up benefits over Dark Invocations and a useless Least, but there's validity to either option.

The template does have a few other benefits, too: Mind Blast is a useful stun cone, ability boosts are very helpful, and the Spell-Likes, other than the unusuable Suggestion, will all come in handy. The big tentacles are basically unsuable on a fine creature, so we're just going to ignore those, sadly.

*This template was applied first, but it was the second template I decided upon.

-Mind-Affecting
-Critical Hits (which makes Quazvhvkz immune to precision damage, too)
-Poison
-Sleep
-Paralysis
-Stunning
-Polymorphing
-Disease
-Death effects
-Nonlethal damage
-Ability Drain
-Energy Drain
-Fatigue and Exhaustion
-Ability damage to Con, Str, and Dex
-Anything that requires a Fort save (unless it's harmless and/or works on objects)
-Suffocation/starvation and similar
-Anything non-magical
-Being tripped or grappled
-Falling damage
-Weight-triggered traps
-Negative Energy (can heal instead)
-Massive damage
-Raise Dead and Reincarnate
+
-50% miss chance against all non-force/positive/negative/ghost touch magical attacks
-10+HD spell resistance
-+4 turn resistance
-Entropic Warding has a +20% miss chance

lol

Alright! We're off to a curious start, certainly. Quarzvhvkz is basically a hard to hit (their Touch AC is 38), accurate (+14 total attack bonus!) blaster; they can even fulfill a scouting role with their Telepathy, Brain Sense, Sense Link, Detect Thoughts, Detect Magic, Trapfinding, and extremely miniscule size. Entropic Warding, one of their Invocations, should up their extreme defense*, while Summon Swarm is a super-fun, ultra-chaotic summon spam option. (Seriously, at-will summon spamming is already incredible, but at-will swarm spamming?! My goodness.) Control Light and Levitate are useful utility spells(ish things), too!

During these levels, Quarzvhvkz dips into Psychic Rogue, a useful online class that's exactly what it sounds like. These levels are mostly a setup for later parts, but the bonus skill points, aforementioned powers and Trapfinding, and occasional bonus sneak attack damage are all nice benefits, and definitely worth the loss of Eldritch Blast damage.

*That was the general consensus I saw in forum discussions. If this doesn't match the GM's ruling, then Quarzhvkz will take Summon Swarm, Otherworldly Whispers, and Cocoon of Refuse in that order.

Quarzvhvkz is now a better blaster/scout! Vow of Poverty gives them better accuracy, better defense, and better stats, while its bonus feats boost their spell resistance, skill points, sneak attack damage, and some saving throws. Beshadowed Blast's Blinding debuff allows for Quarz to score with sneak attacks more often, allowing for Craven's nice damage boost to kick in. Otherworldly Whispers combines well with Urban Adept, allowing for Urban Savvy to work more often. (Also, they'll be relaying info from Knowledge checks through Telepathy.) Flee the Scene and Charm Monster are quite useful spell-likes, being useful both in and out of combat. (Flee the Scene is especially great as a scout. :D)

Quarzvhvkz is now an even better blaster/scout! Yeahhh, they never really change in their role. XD Anyways: look at that pretty +23 total attack bonus! This is a caster, so remember that their BAB sucks. XD Accurate Retort even boosts the attack bonus on their rays, and Discern Weakness should do the same against Aberrations (their enemy of choice).

Knowledge Devotion and Urban Savvy (Methods) pair excellently together, allowing for Quarz to just continuously pump up their damage against a good few different foes. Psionic Shot allows for a straight damage boost against a single target; while Quarz really doesn't have that many power points, PS should still be of occasional use against bosses or otherwise annoying foes.

While Quarzhvkz doesn't get any Dark Invocations due to level adjustment (so, no free healing), they do get some nice spell-likes in these levels. Eldritch Chain is really quite good (even if it does run into the volley rule, so it won't be useful all the time), and Walk Unseen is, well, invisibility, and Quarz is a scout. XD Finally, Chilling Tentacles caps off their invocations, giving them a nice mass crowd control with damage on top.

Oh, and don't forget about their defense! Quarzhvkz has a Touch AC of 41, and that's on-top of all of their in-built immunities! Plus, they've gained some energy resistance and a permanent Freedom of Movement effect from Vow of Poverty.

Book of Exalted Deeds: Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty, Nymph's Kiss, Exalted Spell Resistance, Sacred Strike, Nimbus of Light
Cityscape: Cocoon of Refuse, Favoured, Urban Savant
Complete Arcane: Warlock, Entropic Warding, Beshadowed Blast, Flee the Scene, Eldritch Chain, Walk Unseen, Chilling Tentacles
Complete Champion: Knowledge Devotion, Paragnostic Apostle
Complete Mage: Otherworldly Whispers
Lords of Madness: Craven
Mind's Eye // Psionic Bestiary // Ecto Fragments (https://web.archive.org/web/20161031215555/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20030725b): Ecto Fragments
Mind's Eye // Psychic Rogue (https://web.archive.org/web/20161031221931/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040723b): Psychic Rogue
Player's Guide to Faerun: Lliira's Blessing
Psionic Handbook (3.0): Finger of Fire (accessible via D20 Modern)*
Underdark: Half-Illithid

*Finger of Fire is apparently from the original 3.0 Psionics Handbook, but I could only actually find it through the D20 Modern SRD. Still, since this is a power the Minim Ecto Fragment automatically receives, it should be completely legal – it was in an official WotC web article, after all.

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-18, 06:16 PM

Sometimes, being a pure incarnation of Evil and Law doesn't mean you can't be a champion of Good.

https://64.media.tumblr.com/cd3440f737e710d5e8a139568a8cf32a/tumblr_inline_ovv9t9WVu31robfbt_500.png

I... am... I... am... ... Who?... Can... not... remember... Such... slow... mind... I... remember... the... Vow!.. I... was... knight?.. No!... Paladin!... Human... I... am... not... human... now... What... I... am?... Hands... look... distorted... What... Stop!... I... know... Lemur... least... devil... I... am... damned...

No!... I... remember... my... Vow!... Fight!... Against!... Evil!!! I... Will... Fight!...

NG Past Life Lemur Incarnate 16

Abilities Initial Race 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th (ASI) 7th (VoP) 11th (VoP) 15th (VoP) 19th (VoP) Total
STR 8 0 8
DEX 14 0 2 16
CON 18 0 4 2 2 2 2 30
INT 8 -8 (min 3) 2 2 2 9
WIS 16 0 2 2 20
CHA 8 -6 2
ECL Class BAB Fort Refl Will Skills Feats Class Features VoP Features
1st Outsider 1 1 2 2 2 16: {+2 CC} Jump: 1; {+2 CC} Knowledge (history): 1; {+2 CC} Knowledge (local): 1; {+2 CC} Knowledge (nature): 1; {+2 CC} Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; {+2 CC} Knowledge (religion): 1; {+4 CC} Sense Motive: 2; Sacred Vow (1) Damage reduction 5/good or silver, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire and poison, mindless, resistance to acid 10 and cold 10, see in darkness
2nd Outsider 2 2 3 3 3 4: {+2 CC} Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 1; Sense Motive: 2; {+2 CC} Tumble: 1;
3rd Past Life (Paladin) - - - - 0: Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 1; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; - +2 insight bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks, smite evil 1/day
4th Incarnate 1 2 5 3 5 1: {+1} Concentration: 1; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 1; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; Ordered Chaos (3) Aura, detect opposition
5th Incarnate 2 3 6 3 6 1: {+1} Concentration: 2; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 1; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; Chakra bind (crown)
6th Incarnate 3 3 6 4 6 1: {+1} Concentration: 3; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 1; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; Expanded soulmeld capacity +1, incarnum radiance 1/day
7th Incarnate 4 4 7 4 7 2: {+1} Concentration: 4; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; {+1} Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 1; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; Vow of Poverty (6), Nymph’s Kiss (E) Chakra binds (feet, hands) AC bonus +6, endure elements, exalted strike +1 (magic), deflection +1, sustenance, bonus exalted feat
8th Incarnate 5 4 7 4 7 2: {+1} Concentration: 5; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 1; {+1} Knowledge (the planes): 1; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; Rapid meldshaping 1/day Resistance +1, ability score enhancement +2
9th Incarnate 6 5 8 5 8 2: {+1} Concentration: 6; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 1; {+1} Knowledge (the planes): 2; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; Intuitive Attack (E) Natural armor +1, mind shielding, bonus exalted feat
10th Incarnate 7 5 8 5 8 2: {+1} Concentration: 7; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 1; {+1} Knowledge (the planes): 3; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; Bonus Essentia (9) Share incarnum radiance AC bonus +7
11th Incarnate 8 6 9 5 9 2: {+1} Concentration: 8; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; {+1} Knowledge (religion): 2; Knowledge (the planes): 3; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; Sanctify Natural Attack (E) Incarnum radiance 2/day Exalted strike +2 (good), damage reduction 5/magic, bonus exalted feat
12th Incarnate 9 6 9 6 9 2: {+1} Concentration: 9; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 2; {+1} Knowledge (the planes): 4; Sense Motive: 2; Tumble: 1; Chakra binds (arms, brow, shoulders) Ability score enhancement +4/+2
13th Incarnate 10 7 10 6 10 2: {+1} Concentration: 10; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 2; Knowledge (the planes): 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+1 CC} Speak Language: 0.5; Tumble: 1; Sapphire Smite (12), Ranged Smite Evil (E) AC bonus +8, deflection +2, greater sustenance, bonus exalted feat
14th Incarnate 11 7 10 6 10 2: {+1} Concentration: 11; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 2; Knowledge (the planes): 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+1 CC} Speak Language: 1; Tumble: 1; Rapid meldshaping 2/day Resistance +2, energy resistance 5
15th Incarnate 12 8 11 7 11 2: {+1} Concentration: 12; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 2; Knowledge (the planes): 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+1 CC} Speak Language: 1.5; Tumble: 1; Nimbus of Light (E) Exalted strike +3, freedom of movement, bonus exalted feat
16th Incarnate 13 8 11 7 11 2: {+1} Concentration: 13; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 2; Knowledge (the planes): 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+1 CC} Speak Language: 2; Tumble: 1; Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (15) Incarnum radiance 3/day AC bonus +9, ability score enhancement +6/+4/+2, damage reduction 5/evil
17th Incarnate 14 9 12 7 12 2: {+1} Concentration: 14; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 2; Knowledge (the planes): 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+1 CC} Speak Language: 2.5; Tumble: 1; Lliira's Blessing (E) Chakra binds (throat, waist) Natural armor +2, bonus exalted feat
18th Incarnate 15 9 12 8 12 2: {+1} Concentration: 15; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 2; Knowledge (the planes): 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+1 CC} Speak Language: 3; Tumble: 1; Expanded soulmeld capacity +2 Exalted strike +4, resistance +3, regeneration
19th Incarnate 16 10 13 8 13 2: {+1} Concentration: 16; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 2; Knowledge (the planes): 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+1 CC} Speak Language: 3.5; Tumble: 1; Heart of Incarnum (18), Touch of Golden Ice (E) Chakra bind (heart) AC bonus +10, deflection +3, true seeing, bonus exalted feat
20th Outsider 3 11 13 8 13 5: {+4 CC} Concentration: 18; Escape Artist: 1; Jump: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (history): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (nobility and royalty): 1; Knowledge (religion): 2; Knowledge (the planes): 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+1 CC} Speak Language: 4; Tumble: 1; Ability score enhancement +8/+6/+4/+2, damage reduction 10/evil

Known Languages: Common, Infernal, Celestial, Draconic, and Abyssal.
ECL Class Soulmelds Shaped Soulmelds (Chakra bind, essentia) and Feats (Chakra) Essentia Pool/Soulmelds Essentia Capacity Chakra Binds
4th Incarnate 1 2 Enigma Helm (Crown), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 1) 1/1 0
5th Incarnate 2 3 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 1), Enigma Helm (Crown), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 1) 2/1 1 (crown)
6th Incarnate 3 3 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms), Enigma Helm (Crown), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 3) 3/3 1
7th Incarnate 4 4 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 1), Enigma Helm (Crown), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 3) 4/3 1 (feet, hands)
8th Incarnate 5 4 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 2), Enigma Helm (Crown), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 3) 5/3 1
9th Incarnate 6 4 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Hands), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 3), Strongheart Vest (Heart, 3) 6/3 2
10th Incarnate 7 5 Adamant Pauldrons (Shoulders), Bloodwar Gauntlets (Hands, 3), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 3), Strongheart Vest (Heart, 3) 9/3 2
11th Incarnate 8 5 Adamant Pauldrons (Shoulders), Bloodwar Gauntlets (Hands, 3), Impulse Boots (Feet, 1), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 3), Strongheart Vest (Heart, 3) 10/3 2
12th Incarnate 9 5 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 4), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 4), Planar Chasuble (Brow), Strongheart Vest (Heart, 3) 11/4 2 (arms, brow, shoulders)
13th Incarnate 10 6 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 4), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 4), Planar Chasuble (Brow), Strongheart Vest (Heart), Wind Cloak (Shoulders, 4), Sapphire Smite (1) 13/4 3
14th Incarnate 11 6 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 4), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 4), Planar Chasuble (Brow), Strongheart Vest (Heart), Wind Cloak (Shoulders, 4), Sapphire Smite (2) 14/4 3
15th Incarnate 12 6 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 4), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 4), Planar Chasuble (Brow), Strongheart Vest (Heart), Wind Cloak (Shoulders, 4), Sapphire Smite (3) 15/4 3
16th Incarnate 13 7 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 4), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 5 (ESC)*), Planar Chasuble (Brow), Sighting Gloves (Hands), Strongheart Vest (Waist), Wind Cloak (Shoulders, 4), Sapphire Smite (3) 16/4 3
17th Incarnate 14 7 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 4), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 5 (ESC)*), Planar Chasuble (Brow), Sighting Gloves (Hands), Strongheart Vest (Waist, 1), Wind Cloak (Shoulders, 4), Sapphire Smite (3) 17/4 4 (throat, waist)
18th Incarnate 15 7 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 4), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 7 (ESC)*), Planar Chasuble (Brow), Sighting Gloves (Hands), Strongheart Vest (Waist), Wind Cloak (Shoulders, 4), Sapphire Smite (4) 19/6 4
19th Incarnate 16 8 Bloodwar Gauntlets (Arms, 6), Impulse Boots (Feet), Incarnate Avatar (Soul, 7 (ESC)*), Planar Chasuble (Brow), Sighting Gloves (Hands), Strongheart Vest (Heart), Vitality Belt (Waist), Wind Cloak (Shoulders, 4), Sapphire Smite (4) 21/6 4 (heart)
*- ESC is Expanded Soulmeld Capacity.

Such lawfulness... for this... small mind... But... all this... discipline... is malign... Right urges... for... wrong actions!... How familiar... If Law... leads to... Evil... I need... to find Chaos... inside my soul!... And make... very soul... into weapon!

Here we start. Two Outsider HD, +1 LA, two Incarnate levels. Sacred Vow is just a prereq, but Ordered Chaos part of the main combo. Let's look. My alignment is NG to be a Good Incarnate. But, also I am a Lemur, Devil with Evil and Lawful subtypes.

Evil Subtype: A subtype usually applied only to outsiders native to the evil-aligned Outer Planes. Evil outsiders are also called fiends. Most creatures that have this subtype also have evil alignments; however, if their alignments change, they still retain the subtype. Any effect that depends on alignment affects a creature with this subtype as if the creature has an evil alignment, no matter what its alignment actually is. The creature also suffers effects according to its actual alignment. A creature with the evil subtype overcomes damage reduction as if its natural weapons and any weapons it wields were evil-aligned (see Damage Reduction, above).
Same language for Lawful Subtype. This makes me effectively Evil Incarnate and Lawful Incarnate simultaneously with Good Incarnate.
And Ordered Chaos has similar wording:

Spells and effects that are keyed to alignment affect you as if you were chaotic, as well as your actual alignment.
So I am Incarnate of all four alignments. Incarnate has two main abilities which works great in this case: Incarnum radiance and Incarnate Avatar soulmeld. There are also Incarnate Weapon and Planar Chasuble soulmelds, but Incarnate Weapon doesn't work with VoP and Planar Chasuble's alignment-based part doesn't need me very much.
Incarnate Avatar is always shaped and always has the maximum possible amount of the Essentia. It gives me +3 insight bonus on ranged and melee attack rolls and to AC and +6 on melee damage rolls now. Later it became +7 and +14 respectively.
Enigma Helm with me until I get Mind shielding via VoP. I don't want to be revealed as Good and Chaotic while I'm in the Baator.
Bloodwar Gauntlets is just extra damage. Lemur as a mindless creature has immunity to moral effects, but my point is I could ignore an immunity if it was to my benefit.

I remembering... some things... I remembered the Kiss... A beautiful nymph... Don't remember name... Around... There is Hell... How did I get here?... I was a paladin... I remember!... What happened?... Can't remember... All around is... Evil... Even partially myself... I refused... to use any items I found... only rocks and sling... I made of... my own skin...

Incarnate 9 with VoP. Intuitive Attack and Sanctify Natural Attack. Available chakra binds to feet, hands, arms, brow, and shoulders.
Planar Chasuble from now is always bound to Brow - it gives me +1 to all my four Incarnum radiance's options. Now I have +3 to AC and melee attack rolls, +6 on melee damage rolls, and +30 to base land speed. At the apex it will be +5, +10, and +50 respectively. All bonuses are unnamed and stacks with everything.
Impulse Boots gives me evasion.
Defending potential of Strongheart Vest is obvious.
I remember now, I wasn't a true paladin actually... I was a holy liberator... Yes, firstly I was a paladin, but... I found codex... doesn't make for me things it should. Codex should help. For me... it hindered me. I found myself in the way of Lliira. Freedom became my ultimate goal, freedom for all. That's why I'm here, in the Baator, now. I want to destroy the Hell system from the inside... I voluntarily made this sacrifice... Foolish harvester devil thought he tricked me by buying my soul for... don't remember what I wished, it's not important... but in fact he is one who was tricked!... My mission... My mission actually isn't easy. It's almost impossible, but I should! Should do it!

Incarnate 16 and one more HD. Simple. Some smite improvements: Sapphire Smite and Ranged Smite Evil. These feats give me extra uses, extra damage and ability to smite with my sling. Heart of Incarnum gives 21 more hp. Lliira's Blessing, Nimbus of Light and Touch of Golden Ice are just minor exalted bonus feats.
Vitality Belt for the case of acute shortage hp.
Wind Cloak against ranged attackers.
Sighting Gloves for the case I want attack somebody from range myself.

I had in mind option to take Past Life (Ranger) with Evil outsiders favored enemy instead of Past Life (Paladin) and Nemesis and Azure Enmity instead Sapphire Smite and Ranged Smite Evil. But... Past Life (Paladin Holy Liberator) does more for the story.
I had same reason when selected Intelligence as second VoP-improved stat and Wisdom as third - storyline. Strength and Dexterity could be more optimal choices.

Type Name Book Page
Race Lemur MM 1 57
Race Past Life DMG 2 159
Class Incarnate Magic of Incarnum 20
Feat Sacred Vow Book of Exalted Deeds 45
Feat Ordered Chaos Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss 86
Feat Vow of Poverty Book of Exalted Deeds 48
Feat Nymph’s Kiss Book of Exalted Deeds 44
Feat Intuitive Attack Book of Exalted Deeds 44
Feat Bonus Essentia Magic of Incarnum 35
Feat Sanctify Natural Attack Book of Exalted Deeds 46
Feat Sapphire Smite Magic of Incarnum 40
Feat Ranged Smite Evil Book of Exalted Deeds 44
Feat Nimbus of Light Book of Exalted Deeds 44
Feat Expanded Soulmeld Capacity Magic of Incarnum 38
Feat Lliira's Blessing Player's Guide to Faerun 176
Feat Heart of Incarnum Magic of Incarnum 38
Feat Touch of Golden Ice Book of Exalted Deeds 47
Soulmelds All Magic of Incarnum 54-94

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-18, 06:20 PM

Considering the original thread gave different ratings based on the reading of the psicrystal advancement and still never gave an LA above +0, I see no reason that competitors should not be allowed the most permissive reading: A sentient psicrystal is its own master and advances with its own level in psionic classes.

Part 1/2

https://i0.wp.com/qualiacomputing.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/bsj0p7j1yl821.jpg

It was a promising experiment. To make psionic power for unlimited presence into psicrystal. "Looking" through it, delicate manipulation through it, using all known powers through it. Well... The experiment was successful... Partially. Unlimited presence - check, yeah, without any other options, because the original body was destroyed. Using powers... Well, check, but almost all powers and other skills were forgotten or lost while transferring. Only the nucleus of the personality remains.
It's a good psicrystal have no endocrine glands and a living brain. I can at least think about all this happening without panic and hysteria. In the face of overwhelming odds, I'm left with only one option, I'm gonna have to psionics the **** out of this.

TN Crysmal Crystal Psicrystal Personal Construct Shaper 11/Constructor 9
Abilities Initial Race/Template ASI Int Adj. Total
STR 8 -10 1
DEX 12 4 16
CON 8 - -
INT 18 -4 5 11 30
WIS 16 16
CHA 10 10
Level Int
1st 14
2nd 15
3rd 15
4th 17
5th 17
6th 18
7th 19
8th 20
9th 21
10th 22
11th 22
12th 24
13th 24
14th 25
15th 25
16th 27
17th 27
18th 28
19th 28
20th 30

Level Class BAB Fort Reflex Will Skills Feats Class Features & Special
1st Psion (Shaper) 1 0 0 0 2 16: {+4} Bluff: 4; {+4} Concentration: 4; {B} Listen: 4; {B} Move Silently: 4; {B} Search: 4; {+4} Psicraft: 4; {B} Spot: 4; {+4} Use Psionic Device: 4; Alertness (B), Psicrystal Affinity (1), Improved Psicrystal (Single-minded, Coward) (B) Alertness, bonus feat, construct traits, discipline, hardness 8, improved evasion, personality (Hostile, Nimble, Single-minded), self-propulsion, share powers, sighted, telepathic link
2nd Psion 2 1 0 0 3 4: {+1} Bluff: 5; {+1} Concentration: 5; Listen: 4; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 5; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 5; Deliver touch powers
3rd Psion 3 1 1 1 3 4: {+1} Bluff: 6; {+1} Concentration: 6; Listen: 4; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 6; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 6; Psicrystal Containment (3)
4th Psion 4 2 1 1 4 5: {+1} Bluff: 7; {+1} Concentration: 7; {+1} Knowledge (psionics): 1; Listen: 4; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 7; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 7; Telepathic speech
5th Psion 5 2 1 1 4 5: {+1} Bluff: 8; {+1} Concentration: 8; {+1} Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (psionics): 1; Listen: 4; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 8; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 8; Personal Construct
6th Psion 6 3 2 2 5 6: {+1} Bluff: 9; {+1} Concentration: 9; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (psionics): 1; {+2 CC} Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 9; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 9; Improved Psicrystal (Hero, Resolved) (6) Personality (Hero)
7th Psion 7 3 2 2 5 6: {+1} Bluff: 10; {+1} Concentration: 10; Knowledge (arcana): 1; {+1} Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (psionics): 1; {+1} Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 10; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 10; Flight
8th Psion 8 4 2 2 6 7: {+1} Bluff: 11; {+1} Concentration: 11; Knowledge (arcana): 1; {+1} Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; {+1} Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (psionics): 1; {+1} Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 11; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 11;
9th Psion 9 4 3 3 6 7: {+1} Bluff: 12; {+1} Concentration: 12; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; {+1} Knowledge (psionics): 2; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 12; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 12; {+2} Listen to This; Improved Psicrystal (Sympathetic, Sneaky) (9) Power resistance, personality (Sympathetic)
10th Psion 10 5 3 3 7 8: {+1} Bluff: 13; {+1} Concentration: 13; {+2 CC} Diplomacy: 1; {+2 CC} Hide: 1; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (psionics): 2; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 13; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 13; Listen to This; Boost Construct (B) Bonus feat, sight link
11th Psion 11 5 3 3 7 8: {+1} Bluff: 14; {+1} Concentration: 14; {+2 CC} Diplomacy: 2; {+2 CC} Hide: 2; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (psionics): 2; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 14; Spot: 4; {+1} Use Psionic Device: 14; Listen to This;
12th Constructor 1 6 3 3 9 11: {+1} Bluff: 15; {+1} Concentration: 15; {+2 CC} Diplomacy: 3; {+2 CC} Hide: 3; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; {+1} Knowledge (psionics): 3; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 15; {+1} Spot: 5; {+2 CC} Use Psionic Device: 15; Listen to This; Extend Power (12) Advanced construction, channel power
13th Constructor 2 7 3 3 10 11: {+1} Bluff: 16; {+1} Concentration: 16; {+2 CC} Diplomacy: 4; {+2 CC} Hide: 4; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; {+1} Knowledge (psionics): 4; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 16; {+1} Spot: 6; {+2 CC} Use Psionic Device: 16; Listen to This; Ecto protection 1
14th Constructor 3 7 4 4 10 11: {+1} Bluff: 17; {+1} Concentration: 17; {+2 CC} Diplomacy: 5; {+2 CC} Hide: 5; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; {+1} Knowledge (psionics): 5; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 17; {+1} Spot: 7; {+2 CC} Use Psionic Device: 17; Listen to This; Combat construction
15th Constructor 4 8 4 4 11 11: {+1} Bluff: 18; {+1} Concentration: 18; Diplomacy: 5; {+2 CC} Hide: 6; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; {+1} Knowledge (psionics): 6; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; Move Silently: 4; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 18; {+1} Spot: 8; {+2 CC} Use Psionic Device: 18; {+2} Social Recovery, Listen to This; Empowered Psicrystal (15) Boost construct, ecto protection 2, hardened crystal, energized crystal, discipline focus
16th Constructor 5 8 4 4 11 12: {+1} Bluff: 19; {+1} Concentration: 19; Diplomacy: 5; {+2 CC} Hide: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (psionics): 6; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; {+2 CC} Move Silently: 5; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 19; {+1} Spot: 9; {+2 CC} Use Psionic Device: 19; {+2} Swift Concentration, Social Recovery, Listen to This; Extended construction
17th Constructor 6 9 5 5 12 12: {+1} Bluff: 20; {+1} Concentration: 20; Diplomacy: 5; {+3 CC} Hide: 8.5; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; Knowledge (psionics): 6; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; {+3 CC} Move Silently: 6.5; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 20; {+1} Spot: 10; {+2 CC} Use Psionic Device: 20; Swift Concentration, Social Recovery, Listen to This; Ecto protection 3
18th Constructor 7 9 5 5 12 13: {+1} Bluff: 21; {+1} Concentration: 21; Diplomacy: 5; {+3 CC} Hide: 10; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; {+1} Knowledge (psionics): 7; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; {+3 CC} Move Silently: 8; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 21; {+1} Spot: 11; {+2 CC} Use Psionic Device: 21; Swift Concentration, Social Recovery, Listen to This; Psionic Meditation (18) Psicrystal power (Teleport, Psionic Greater), utility construct
19th Constructor 8 10 5 5 13 13: {+1} Bluff: 22; {+1} Concentration: 22; Diplomacy: 5; {+2 CC} Hide: 11; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; {+1} Knowledge (psionics): 8; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; {+4 CC} Move Silently: 10; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 22; {+1} Spot: 12; {+2 CC} Use Psionic Device: 22; Swift Concentration, Social Recovery, Listen to This; Boost construct, ecto protection 4
20th Constructor 9 10 6 6 13 14: {+1} Bluff: 23; {+1} Concentration: 23; Diplomacy: 5; {+2 CC} Hide: 12; Knowledge (arcana): 1; Knowledge (dungeoneing): 1; Knowledge (local): 1; Knowledge (nature): 1; {+2} Knowledge (psionics): 10; Knowledge (religion): 1; Knowledge (the planes): 1; Listen: 5; {+4 CC} Move Silently: 12; Search: 4; {+1} Psicraft: 23; {+1} Spot: 13; {+2 CC} Use Psionic Device: 23; Swift Concentration, Social Recovery, Listen to This; Enhanced construction
{B} - it's "free" skill ranks.

A psicrystal has the same skill ranks as its owner, except that it has a minimum of 4 ranks each in Spot, Listen, Move Silently, and Search. (Even if its owner has no ranks in these skills, a psicrystal has 4 ranks in each.) A psicrystal uses its own ability modifiers on skill checks.
HD Int/NatAC Adj. Feats Special
1st 0 Hidden Talent (Astral Construct) (1) Alertness, construct traits, discipline, hardness 8, improved evasion, personality (Liar, Coward), self-propulsion, share powers, sighted, telepathic link
2nd 1 Deliver touch powers
3rd 1 Boost Construct (3)
4th 2 Telepathic speech
5th 2
6th 3 Ectopic Form (Astral Aquan) (6) Personality (Resolved)
7th 4 Flight
8th 4
9th 5 Ectopic Form (Anathemic Carapace) (9) Power resistance, personality (Sneaky)
10th 6 Sight link
11th 6
12th 7 Channel power
13th 7
14th 8
15th 8 Hardened crystal, energized crystal, discipline focus
16th 9
17th 9
18th 10 Psicrystal power (Recall Death)
19th 10
20th 11

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-18, 06:21 PM

Seriously, how can a rock have more personality(ies) than me?

Part 2/2

Level Class New Powers (Level) Maximum Power Level PP
1st Shaper 1 Astral Construct (1st), Inertial Armor (1st), Vigor (1st) 1st 2+1
2nd Shaper 2 Synesthete (1st), Crystal Shard (1st) 1st 6+2
3rd Shaper 3 Psionic Repair Damage (2nd), Share Pain (2nd) 2nd 11+3
4th Shaper 4 Feat Leech (2nd), Control Sound (2nd) 2nd 17+6
5th Shaper 5 Dispel Psionics (3rd), Ectoplasmic Cocoon (3rd) 3rd 25+7
6th Shaper 6 Channel the Psychic Dragon (1st), Ecto Protection (1st) 3rd 35+12
7th Shaper 7 Psychic Reformation (4th), Divination, Psionic (4th) 4th 46+14
8th Shaper 8 Shadow Eft (4th), Freedom of Movement, Psionic (4th) 4th 58+20
9th Shaper 9 Major Creation, Psionic (5th), Cranial Deluge (5th) 5th 72+22
10th Shaper 10 Plane Shift, Psionic (5th), Detain Ectoplasm (5th) 5th 88+30
11th Shaper 11 Temporal Acceleration (6th) 6th 106+33
12th Shaper 11 - 6th 106+38
13th Shaper 12 Crystallize (6th), Inconstant Location (6th) 6th 126+42
14th Shaper 13 Planar Champion (7th) 7th 147+45
15th Shaper 14 Decerebrate (7th), Moment of Prescience, Psionic (7th) 7th 170+49
16th Shaper 15 Bend Reality (8th) 8th 195+60
17th Shaper 16 Recall Death (8th), Teleport, Psionic Greater (8th) 8th 221+64
18th Shaper 17 True Creation (9th) 9th 250+76+15
19th Shaper 18 Reality Revision (9th), Genesis (9th) 9th 280+81+15
20th Shaper 19 Fabricate, Greater Psionic (6th) 9th 311+95+15
Powers' sources: Channel the Psychic Dragon is from Dragon Magic; Shadow Eft, Cranial Deluge, Detain Ectoplasm, Inconstant Location, and Planar Champion are from Complete Psionic; all others are from Expanded Psionics Handbook.
Psion Level Construct Level Personal Construct Abilities
5th 3rd One ability from Menu A (Fly)
6th 3rd One ability from Menu A (Fly)
7th 4th One ability from Menu B (Fly, Improved Slam Attack)
8th 4th One ability from Menu B (Fly, Improved Slam Attack)
9th 5th One ability from Menu B (Fly, Improved Slam Attack)
10th 5th Two abilities from Menu B (Improved Fly, Pounce)
11th 6th Two abilities from Menu B (Improved Fly, Pounce)
13th 6th Two abilities from Menu B (Improved Fly, Pounce)
14th 7th Two abilities from Menu C (Concussion, Improved Fly, Pounce)
15th 7th Three abilities from Menu C (Concussion, Improved Fly, Pounce, Constrict)
16th 8th Three abilities from Menu C (Concussion, Improved Fly, Pounce, Constrict)
17th 8th Three abilities from Menu C (Concussion, Improved Fly, Pounce, Constrict)
18th 9th Three abilities from Menu C (Concussion, Improved Fly, Pounce, Constrict)
19th 9th Four abilities from Menu C (Concussion, Improved Fly, Pounce, Constrict, Armor Spikes, Power Attack, Muscle)
20th 9th Four abilities from Menu C (Concussion, Improved Fly, Pounce, Constrict, Armor Spikes, Power Attack, Muscle)

What version of Psicrystal (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24079593&postcount=355) should I use if I want build something with it?

"Psicrystal abilities are based on the owner’s levels in psionic classes. Levels from other classes do not count toward the owner’s level for purposes of psicrystal abilities."

A free psicrystal is its own owner and gains abilities depending on its own psionic levels.
And at this moment I knew... ahem... wrong quote!
Well, you see, I'm simultaneously psion and his own psicrystal. Plus nothing prevents me from taking Psicrystal Affinity to get another psicrystal (and as a prerequisite of course).
I didn't want to go very cheesy, for example I had an idea I could contain in myself two psionic focuses with Psicrystal Containment feat (because I am also psicrystal), or I have virtual HDs from my psions' levels to get to epic by 11th level. But I clearly want to utilize the fact I'm psicrystal!
First, psicrystal's special, all these Construct traits, Hardness, Improved Evasion, Self-Propulsion, Flight, Telepathic Speech, Power Resistance, etc.
Second, Intelligence and Natural Armor Adjustments. Free Int for psion? Take two!
Third, personalities. I'm a psicrystal myself and I have another psicrystal. This means I already have two personalities and nothing prevents them from being different.
Fourth, Improved Psicrystal feat. It gives me double benefit, because I have two psicrystals. Two more personalities and +1 to effective owner level for both me and my psicrystal. Cool! Plus with these feats I could reach epic effective owner level and get another +2 to Int/NAC Adjustments and Psicrystal Power special ability! More about this later.

Rainbow is a kinda regular Shaper with unusual body shape and set of low level psicrystal special abilities. Four personalities give +2 bonus on Initiative and +3 bonus on Concentration, Hide and Bluff checks. Psicrystal Containment doesn't work on its full strength now, but at least can help with Personal Construct. Fly (and later Improved Fly) is the most often useful ability from Menu A.
Being made of crysmal crystal he has one more personality - Hostile. It's +2 moral bonus to attack rolls. I'm not sure if it works for creature with construct traits, but maybe yes. If so it is a good bonus for Crystal Shard during early levels. If not, it isn't a big deal. Plus, crysmal nature later will give me 2 extra PP via energized crystal special.

My power selection is more or less obvious. Astral Construct, Inertial Armor and Vigor are my bread and butter for all 20 levels. Crystal Shard is very useful damage power even with CPsi nerf. Synesthete let me see far than 40ft. radius. Control Sound let me "speak" in any language I know (I think it are Common, Draconic, and Gith), not only Common if I need. Psionic Repair Damage, Share Pain, Dispel Psionics, and Ectoplasmic Cocoon also are obvious choices. Feat Leech works great with my own psicrystal. If I want I could temporarily get the Boost Construct feat. It'll became even more useful later, with Ectopic Form feats.
Four more personalities give me +2 to Fortitude and Will and +3 to Sense Motive and Move Silently. Boost Construct is useful itself, plus it lets me enter the Constructor prestige class at 12th level. With it and Feat Leech I could create Astral Construct with up to three* Menu C abilities or with just two via Personal Construct ACF.
There are no restrictions on use several Boost Construct at once, only restriction is impossibility to take one feat more than once, which I got around due Feat Leech.
Listen to This is another way to speak something not in Common.

Powers. Channel the Psychic Dragon is just very flexible and this means useful power. Yes, it is kinda situational, but for many different situations including cases when I need Sonic resistance. Ecto Protection is a prerequisite. Usefulness of Psychic Reformation, Divination, Freedom of Movement, Major Creation and Plane Shift needs no introduction. Temporal Acceleration if I need to enter a fight right now. Cranial Deluge great damage dealing power even with its limitations. Detain Ectoplasm is possible to use with my own Astral Construct (at a cost of 1 PP) if I really need +1 ML. Shadow Eft is another summoning power to overcome Astral Construct number's limitation.
Here we are! Constructor. It's a very cool prestige class for any Astral Construct user. Two more boosts, free ecto protection, extended duration and increased numbers of constructs! Yeah, it costs one ML (two if I'd take 10th level, but I didn't. If I need quick reinforcement I have Personal Construct and Temporal Acceleration), two my and three psicrystal's feats, but it is worth this price.

Extended construction has good synergy with Extend Power while I have psicrystal with its own psi focus. Up to five boosts give me the capability to create very cool constructs for any possible situation. Anathemic Carapace + Enhanced construction + Temporal Acceleration* is three 17d6 bombs.
It isn't clear how it works with the creation of another Construct.

If you shape another astral construct, any previous construct dissipates.
Does "construct dissipates" mean "construct is destroyed"? If yes, well, I don't need Temporal Acceleration and can use Personal Construct to detonate all this Anathemic Carapaces with a swift action.
Empowered Psicrystal feat. First of all, chair said it's legal:

Unupdated 3.0 is allowed, and the Psicrystal works similarly enough that I don't see anything preventing the feat from working as it did, so I see no reason why you wouldn't be able to take it.
Second, what does this feat give me? A lot! I selected Hardened Crystal, Energized Crystal, and Discipline Focus abilities.
Hardened Crystal with the cost of 1 PP gives me hardness up to 38 for a day. Or up to 25 for my psicrystal. Of course it's always on for us both.
Energized Crystal makes me Cognizance Crystal (I don't understand why Cognizance Crystals were renamed from Crystal Capacitors, while they actually are the same thing) with 31 (with +2 from crysmal crystal) PP storage and my psicrystal became Cognizance Crystal with 17 PP storage.
And Discipline Focus. One less PP for every Metacreativity power is cool! With this ability and Detain Ectoplasm I could create three 9th level constructs at 20th level.

Couple of words about Psicrystal power. This special ability gives me several benefits. First of all it gives 15 PP to me and my psicrystal. This gives my psicrystal not only the ability to manifest Recall Death once, but also finally to manifest Astral Construct to create another single 9th-level construct for my advantage. Or many 1st level constructs to utilize Detain Ectoplasm. It is possible to use Psychic Reformation and change Greater Teleport from my power known because now I anyway have it from Psicrystal power, but... I don't see 8th level powers useful for me. Maybe I'd take Ectoplasmic Cocoon, Mass, or if I somehow find Blithen's Calling power (https://web.archive.org/web/20161031215637/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20040123d), I substitute Greater Teleport for Greater Fabricate and take Blithen's Calling at 20th level. Adult dragon is adult dragon.

6th+ level powers are, you know, powerful. Not all for me, as I said, there is nothing to select from at 8th level. But otherwise I have good power known. Crystallize, Decerebrate, Recall Death if I want to see somebody dead. Bend Reality and Reality Revision to organize reality according to my preferences (mostly to create Items and get Inherent bonuses). Genesis, Greater Fabricate, and True Creation to make the place I call home. Greater Teleport and Inconstant Location for tactical and global mobility. Planar Champion is the third summoning option. Moment of Prescience if I really really really want to succeed in some check, for example when I'll make interior of my demiplane via Greater Fabricate.

If it is possible to buy, I want several Ioun Stones: Scarlet and Blue Sphere, Pink and Green Sphere for me and my psicrystal - it let him manifest Astral Construct earlier, Rainbow (found in XPH, p. 160), Dusty Rose Prism, Deep Red Sphere, and all Dull Grays I could find.
Also I maybe want oils of Greater magic weapon +5. Why? I myself, my psicrystal, and my ioun stones are actually stones. This means we are sling ammunition and GMW should work on us. +5 means +10 hardness and +50 hp (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicWeapons.htm). Yeah, DM (or judge) could say GMW doesn't work on psicrystal. Well, no is no, but it should work at least for Ioun Stones.

Type Name Book Page
Race Psicrystal Expanded Psionics Handbook 21, 207
Race Epic Psicrystal progression Expanded Psionics Handbook 33 or SRD (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/psionicClassProgressions.htm)
Race Crysmal Crystal Not Quite 101 Uses for a Crysmal link (https://web.archive.org/web/20200314182849/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20011229a)
Class Psion Expanded Psionics Handbook 19
Class variant Personal Construct Expanded Classes, Part Three link (https://web.archive.org/web/20210729134110/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070411a)
Prestige Class Constructor Constructor link (https://web.archive.org/web/20161031215639/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20040625b)
Feat Alertness PHB 89
Feat Psicrystal Affinity Expanded Psionics Handbook 49
Feat Improved Psicrystal Expanded Psionics Handbook 47
Feat Psicrystal Containment Expanded Psionics Handbook 49
Feat Psionic Meditation Expanded Psionics Handbook 50
Feat Boost Construct Expanded Psionics Handbook 43
Feat Extend Power Expanded Psionics Handbook 46
Feat Empowered Psicrystal The Pet Rock link (https://web.archive.org/web/20161101074942/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20020322a)
Feat Hidden Talent Expanded Psionics Handbook 67
Feat Ectopic Form (Astral Aquan) Complete Psionic 52
Feat Ectopic Form (Anathemic Carapace) Complete Psionic 51
Epic Feat Psicrystal Power Expanded Psionics Handbook 34
Skill Trick Swift Concentration Complete Scoundrel 90
Skill Trick Social Recovery Complete Scoundrel 89
Skill Trick Listen to This Complete Scoundrel 87

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-18, 06:29 PM

Itsy Blasty Spider fired an eldritch blast
Given by eldritch beasts right from a scary past
But her opponent lived, though was in intense pain
And itsy blasty spider started blasting again

https://angrygolem-games.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Aranea.jpg
"Itsy Blasty Spidey”

CN Aranea Sorcerer 1/Warlock 1/Binder 1/Anima Mage 9/Hellfire Warlock 3

Alignment : Chaotic Neutral
Race : Aranea
Level 3 : Extend Spell
Level 5 : Mortalbane
Level 8 : Improved Binding
Level 11 : Improved Familiar
Level 14 : Maximize SLA (Hellfire Blast)
Level 17 : Quicken SLA (Hellfire Blast)
Level 20 : Extra Invocation (Eldritch Chain)

Point Buy at level 1
STR 8
DEX 15 +4
CON 14 +4
INT 10 +4 (Infernal & Abyssal as an extra languages)
WIS 8 +2
CHA 18 +4

Level 4 in Dex, rest in Cha

Taril rests in a nice little cavern next to a densely populated settlement. The hills surrounding her lair are brimming with life but the hunters relentless thirst for blood forced her to intervene many times to dispute their take.
Taril noticed some scouting troops accompanying the hunter and they were of no use when taking down their game so she surmised they were here for her. Sure enough, after a bitter fight for food, she noticed the group had vanished. Being sure they were following her, she led them astray in the mountains before transforming in an Asabi to dig her way back home.
This meant WAR.
So far she had been kind enough to poison or otherwise incapacitate those that would defy her but trying to hit her where she lived ? Two can play this game. She started transforming in her humanoid form, pretending to be a halfling and going undercover in the settlement. After a few months she made her way up the section in charge of hunting her. She distracted them for a while and by leading them off course she managed to get her hunting grounds back. After a while as Taril thought everything was back the way it should be, some adventurers came to town. Her first tactics was to try and intimidate them out of a fight
A lot of unknown variables and magic she was very unfamiliar with led Taril to fall back to her lair and study them before attempting anything. Sure enough, the more she spied upon them the more dumbstruck she became ; they seemed to have endless supplies of magic !

She set out to spy on them and understand those dark secrets. The first one seemed to have harnessed some kind of power coursing to his blood which wasn’t so different from how she usually operated even though it had a more… ancient feeling to it.
What really struck a nerve was the second one’s powers ; she couldn’t, for the life of her, figure out how he gained his powers until, one day, she saw him draw some kind of diagram and communicate with an illusory figure !
Setting up a trap for them she ended up capturing the both of them and while keeping one paralyzed she extracted the knowledge from both of them until she could replicate it herself. Having disposed of the bodies, nothing could stop her now.

Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st LA +1
2nd LA +2
3rd Aranea 1 1 2 0 2 Concentration (+4) 4; Intimidate (+4 CC) 2; Know (Planes) (+4 CC) 2; Spellcraft (+4 CC) 2; Extend Spell, Iron Will (Aranea Bonus) Poison, Spells, Web
4th Aranea 2 2 3 0 3 Concentration (+1) 5; Intimidate (+1 CC) 2.5; Know (Planes) (+1 CC) 2.5; Spellcraft (+1 CC) 2.5; -
5th Aranea 3 3 3 1 3 Concentration (+1) 6; Intimidate (+1 CC) 3; Know (Planes) (+1 CC) 3; Spellcraft (+1 CC) 3; Mortalbane -
6th Sorcerer 1 3 3 1 5 Concentration (+1) 7; Intimidate 3; Know (Planes) 3; Spellcraft (+3) 6; Summon Familiar
7th Warlock 1 3 3 1 7 Concentration (+1) 8; Intimidate (+1) 4; Know (Planes) (+1) 4; Spellcraft (+1) 7; Eldricth Blast 1d6, Invocation (Least)
8th Binder 1 3 5 1 9 Concentration (+1) 9; Intimidate (+1) 5; Know (Planes) (+1) 5; Spellcraft (+1) 8; Improved Binding Soul Binding (1 Vestige)
9th Anima Mage 1 3 5 1 11 Concentration (+1) 10; Intimidate (+1) 6; Know (Planes) (+1) 6; Spellcraft (+1) 9; Soul Binding +1
10th Anima Mage 2 4 5 1 12 Concentration (+1) 11; Intimidate (+1) 7; Know (Planes) (+1) 7; Spellcraft (+1) 10; Exploit Vestige, Soul Binding +2
11th Anima Mage 3 4 6 2 12 Concentration (+1) 12; Intimidate (+1) 8; Know (Planes) (+1) 8; Spellcraft (+1) 11; Improved Familiar Soul Binding +3, Vestigial Awareness
12th Anima Mage 4 5 6 2 13 Concentration (+1) 13; Intimidate (+1) 9; Know (Planes) (+1) 9; Spellcraft (+1) 12; Soul Binding +4
13th Anima Mage 5 5 6 2 13 Concentration (+1) 14; Intimidate (+1) 10; Know (Planes) (+1) 10; Spellcraft (+1) 13; Soul Binding +5, Vestige Metamagic (1/day)
14th Anima Mage 6 6 7 3 14 Concentration (+1) 15; Intimidate (+1) 11; Know (Planes) (+1) 11; Spellcraft (+1) 14; Maximize SLA (Eldritch Blast) Soul Binding +6
15th Anima Mage 7 6 7 3 14 Concentration (+1) 16; Intimidate (+1) 12; Know (Planes) (+1) 12; Spellcraft (+1) 15; Soul Binding +7 (2 Vestiges), Vestige Metamagic (2/day)
16th Hellfire Warlock 1 7 7 3 16 Concentration (+1) 17; Intimidate (+1) 13; Know (Planes) (+1) 13; Spellcraft (+1) 16; Hellfire Blast +2d6
17th Hellfire Warlock 2 8 7 3 17 Concentration (+1) 18; Intimidate (+1) 14; Know (Planes) (+1) 14; Spellcraft (+1) 17; Quicken SLA (Eldritch Blast) Hellfire Blast +4d6, Hellfire Infusion, Fire Resistance 10
18th Hellfire Warlock 3 9 8 4 17 Concentration (+1) 19; Intimidate (+1) 15; Know (Planes) (+1) 15; Spellcraft (+1) 18; Hellfire Blast +6d6
19th Anima Mage 8 10 8 4 18 Concentration (+1) 20; Intimidate (+1) 16; Know (Planes) (+1) 16; Spellcraft (+1) 19; Soul Binding +8
20th Anima Mage 9 10 9 5 18 Concentration (+1) 21; Intimidate (+1) 17; Know (Planes) (+1) 17; Spellcraft (+1) 20; Extra Invocation (Eldritch Chain) Soul Binding +9, Vestige Metamagic (3/day)

Level Class Class Class 0th 1st 2nd Invocations Binding Eldritch Blast
1st LA 1 LA 1 LA 1 LA 1 LA 1 LA 1 LA 1 LA 1 LA 1
2nd LA 2 LA 2 LA 2 LA 2 LA 2 LA 2 LA 2 LA 2 LA 2
3rd - - Sorcerer 1 "5
Detect Magic
Daze
Caltrops
Prestidigitation" "3
Grease
Reduce Person" - - - -
4th - - Sorcerer 2 "6
Ghost Sound" 4 - - - -
5th - - Sorcerer 3 6 "5
Silent Image" - - - -
6th - - Sorcerer 4 "6
Touch of Fatigue" 6 "3
Alter Self" - - -
7th Warlock 1 - - - - - Beguiling Influence (Least) - 1d6
8th - Binder 1 - - - - - 2nd
9th Warlock 2 Binder 2 - - - - Eldritch Spear (Least) -
10th Warlock 3 Binder 3 - - - - - 3rd 2d6
11th Warlock 4 Binder 4 - - - - Baleful Utterance (Least) -
12th Warlock 5 Binder 5 - - - - - 4th 3d6
13th Warlock 6 Binder 6 - - - - "Fell Flight (Lesser)
Trade Eldritch Spear for Eldritch Chain" -
14th Warlock 7 Binder 7 - - - - - - 4d6
15th Warlock 8 Binder 8 - - - - "Walk Unseen (Lesser)
Trade Baleful Utterance for Hellrime Blast" 5th
16th Warlock 9 - - - - - - - 7d6
17th Warlock 10 - - - - - "Flee the Scene (Lesser)
Trade X for Y" - 9d6
18th Warlock 11 - - - - - "Vitriolitic Blast (Greater)
Trade Beguiling Influence for Chilling Tentacles" - 12d6
19th Warlock 12 Binder 9 - - - - - - -
20th Warlock 13 Binder 10 - - - - "Nightmares Made Real (Greater)
Trade Eldritch Chain for Painless Slumber of Ages
Extra Invocation (Eldritch Chain)" 6th -

You start off as a Monstrous Spider with sorcerous powers that can change into humanoid form at will, not bad !
Web, poison and spells are enough to make you a threat at these levels. Even if you have only 3HD at ECL 5, your racial +4 to Con (18 total) is enough to make up the difference with a regular sorcerer HPwise.
As said in the description :
An aranea avoids physical combat and uses its webs and spells when it can. In a battle, it tries to immobilize or distract the most aggressive opponents first. Araneas often subdue opponents for ransom.
The modus operandi is pretty simple ; you pile up control spells on top of your Web ability until the target is ripe for the taking. Daze is a SoL for humanoids but otherwise if you manage a Web/Grease/Caltrop combo, your target is pretty much done for. Your poison is there to paralyze them and keep them as such every day until the ransom is paid.
Having 18 Con means the save DCs for you Special Attacks are respectively Fort DC15 for your poison and Escape Artist DC15 (or Str 19) for the Web.
Spells, on the other hand, step up from DC 12 + spell level to DC 16 + spell level so even your cantrips are a threat to most creatures at this ECL.
Last but not least, we make our regular humanoid form Small to combine it with Reduce Person to get +2 to Hit & AC and the +8 to Hide bonus total.
Extend Spell is a metamagic feat (Anima Mage prereq) that can be used by your Sorcerer spells like Reduce Person. Grease will remain a lifelong friend setting up easier range touch attacks. Iron Will announces your sky-high Will save to come and Mortalbane is there because it has no prereq even though we’ll only be using it later.

Your sole 2nd level spell is Alter Self. It is a usually good pick but it’s even better for you since you have the Magical Beast type in your natural form and the Humanoid type when you change shape giving you a bigger list to pick up from. (see Notes section). You also get the summon familiar ability which is going to be the flavorful Hairy Spider of course.
Next, your first levels of Warlock and Binder come online.
They’re both “at-will” classes helping with the low number of spells on your sorcerer side.
High dexterity is key for your Eldritch Blast, Initiative, discretion skills and AC. BaB is a bit below average with all the multiclassing but your Dex is here to pick up the slack.

- Naeberius’ fame precedes him. Disguise Self is very useful for a Spider passing up as humanoid and the lack of skill points (which is a constant among the classes of this build) welcomes the ability to pick 4 skills you can use untrained. Open Lock, Sleight of Hand, Tumble and UMD are great candidates (Dex and Cha based).
The real winner though is the Silver Tongue ability. Taking 10 under any circumstances with your Beguiling Influence completes your High Cha/Max rank Intimidate combo ( making you a really good, if forceful, diplomancer without a heavy investment in it. Intimidated targets are treated as friendly and you could very well trick them into a relaxing experience if they just laid down, closed their eyes and accepted a spell from you (willingly fail a will save) so you can take them out easily. The ability to command them (remember this is “SU” as in “no Sr for U”) and make them approach in a webbed caltroped greased area is pretty much a game ender.
- Leraje is another pretty good vestige as she gives you the Precise Shot feat to fire into melee without that pesky -4 to hit and the Ricochet ability which makes your EB a bit better. Especially so if you use the Eldritch Spear blast shape that lets you hit 2 adjacent targets from 250ft away ! The +4 to Hide complements the +4 from being Small (in humanoid form) and the +5 from Dex making you a solid ambusher too !
- Dahlver-Nar has some nice immunities (confusion, insanity madness + Wis damage/drain) and also a great AoE control ability (to reposition most likely) +2 NA and the ability to share the damage you take with a (un)willing target.
Now Improved Binding is a real boon here since it lets you bind up to 3rd level vestiges at level 10 such as Paimon ; +4 Dex, +4 to Tumble (Dex based) and Perform (Cha based) + use untrained and Uncanny Dodge fit this build like a glove.
Anima Mage allows you to discard useless abilities of the vestige you chose to bind in exchange for an extra spell slot.
It goes without saying that we’re increasing the warlock side via Anima Mage, not the Sorcerer one.

Eldritch Blast reaches 2d6 but Mortalbane is here 5/d to double that on living creatures that aren’t outsiders (and we have the Know (the Planes) ranks to tell if they are !).
Invocation-wise, Beguiling Influence is good for social encounters and Eldritch Spear gives us an edge from far away to damage opponents before the fight really begins.

Our first feat goes to our familiar, we can now trade them for a bunch of really fun sidekicks such as Quasits (invisible, poisonous, small, shapeshifter, we have so much in common !).

Our Soulbinding reaches 8th level meaning we can bind 2 Vestiges, at the time one of which is going to be Naeberius starting next level (no spoil).
- Astaroth is a fine vestige allowing you to get any creation item feat you qualify for (Wondrous Item, Magic Arms and Armor, …) letting you have access to stuff and possibly virtually increase your WBL on your down time. But that’s not all ! In social situations, his +4 to Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidate adds up to 43 (+6 Beguiling Influence, +7 Cha, +16 ranks and take 10 from Naeberius when you can bind both) to the latter ! And if this wasn’t enough you can use Suggestion as the spell at will ! (It’s Su so no SR !). You mostly win social encounters the most domineering way.
- Dantalion has some use to, mostly from being able to awe your enemies into letting you get away and close-range dimension door away. Read Thoughts is situationally good even though a wizard can easily reach 24 Int by now, Bardic Knowledge is meh and +8 on Know (the Planes) (+ any Know checks Naeberius can grant you) is always welcomed.

Eldritch Blast reaches 4d6 (6d6 with Mortalbane) and 3/d this is a flat 24 (36) damage.
Invocations start to get really good ; unlimited flight, unlimited invisibility and an at-will shatter that we can use for a while before trading it for the necessary Hellrime Blast. Now trading Eldritch Spear for Eldritch Chain make is so our Maximized Chained Mortalbane Hellrime Blast can deal 36 damage (then 18) to up to 3 targets for a single standard action and they all have to make a Fort DC21 or eat a -4 Dex penalty (making them easier to touch next time). Things are starting to pick up.
Anima Mage now grants a welcome +2 to Initiative and the ability to extend our sorcerer spells for free 2/d.

It took some time but we’re finally at the capstone and what a goodie. Binding Zceryll (https://web.archive.org/web/20211001135258/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd%2Ffrcc%2F20070718) gives us the pseudonatural template (DR10/magic, SR 25, Acid/Elec Resistance (10) and a weird change form ability), 100ft Telepathy + Mindsight (sure, why not), the equivalent of a permanent mind blank spell, a 200ft dazing ray touch attack (we like those) and the ability to Summon Monster I to V with that very same pseudonatural template at will. The possibilities are endless ; having minions do your dirty work for you is always pleasant but you also have access to Aid, Charm Person or Cure Moderate Wound spells at will (Hound Archon, Black Abishai and Leskylor) among other stuff. This is downright borked.
For completion purposes I should mention you get access to Vanus too. The Fear Aura is really cool and adding the Demoralize option of Intimidate, you can get your target panicked pretty quickly (though I would advise getting Never Outnumbered skill trick and the Imperious Command feat if you’re going that route).

This is when it all gets good.
You enter Hellfire Warlock netting you the hellfire blast ability as well as +6d6 on your EB progression finishing at 12d6 at level 20 (14d6 with Mortalbane). The damage isn’t fire so no problem on the energy resistance side. Regarding SR, your CL being on the low side, you can use Vitriolic Blast to downright bypass it (and add 2d6 of damage to it while you’re at it). Since order of operation always go the way you want it to when no specific order is mentioned, a
Maximized Mortalbane Vitriolic Chained Hellfire Blast deals 96 damage to up to 3 creatures since Hellfire Blast specifies
If your blast hits multiple targets (for example, the eldritch chain or eldritch cone blast shape invocations), each target takes the extra damage.
Oh but wait, Quicken SLA is online now. Admittedly you can’t Vitriolic nor Chain them (although Ricochet from Leraje isn’t out of the question) but you can double Hellfire Blast 3/d for a 96 + 74 for that one guy you really want dead. If your target lives to melee attack you, you can inflict one more Hellfire Blast upon them as an immediate action, that’ll show’em you’re not to be messed with.
The ability damage you take from it is quickly negated by Naeberius’ Fast Healing ability so go nuts.
Fire resistance (10) complements the acid and electricity one from the pseudonatural template (see above) and Hellfire Infusion allows you to use the wands you crafted when you bound Astaroth with metamagic feats without even having them.
Meanwhile, invocations reach the Greater level. You get Flee the Scene (read : at will dimension door + major image which are 2 really strong spells) for survivability, Vitriolic Blast to bypass SR, Chilling Tentacles and Nightmares Made Real to add to the penultimate Web/Grease/Caltrop/Chilling Tentacle/Nightmares Made Real combo ; no one is getting out of there (if you manage to set it up that is).
Finally, you trade Eldritch Chain away just to get it back through Extra Invocation so as to get an extra greater invocation; Painless Slumber for Ages. The Aranea likes to paralyze its targets, what’s better than to be able to do it at will ?
Worth noting, you have +20 on your Will saves (which is what a Druid or Cleric usually gets) for when that SR 25 fails you.

Alter Form
You’re limited to 4HD forms since your Sorcerer CL is 4.
Humanoid
If you make the argument that the Racial Trait : Slight Build https://web.archive.org/web/20211108054344/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a from Kobolds is a “physical quality” which doesn’t seem far fetched, it means you can be treated as a Fine creature with Reduce Person (+3 Hit & AC, +12 Hide).
Tren (+8 NA, swim 40ft, 2 claws, 1 bite, Multiattack, +4 to Hide)
Asabi (+2 NA, speed 50ft, burrow 20ft)

Magical Beast
Blood Ape (Large size, Climb 30ft, +3 NA)
Lith (+8 NA, 2 claws, 1 bite, 1 gore, speed 40ft, +8 Hide in rocky terrains)

Improved Familiar
Quasit : your soulmate. He can do most of the things you do and his poison completes yours to paralyze your target.
Stirge : Is another good way to keep your target from playing hero
Beguiler (ShS) : Continuous True Seeing is handy
Starsnake (ShS) : Charm/Hold Person at will and Charm Monster 3/d is a good addition to your tactics.

Warlock can trade invocation as part of the invocation progression as per RAW.
At any level when a warlock learns a new invocation, he can also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade.

Order of operation : Vitriolic Blast & Hellfire Blast are not two essences so you can definitely do one then the other without a problem

If you manage to get a Ring of Invisibility, which shouldn’t be too difficult even though you can’t actually craft it yourself sadly, you can trade Walk Unseen to keep Beguiling Influence.

SRD/LA Assignment Thread - Aranea, Spells
Complete Arcana - Warlock
Book of Vile Darkness - Mortalbane
Fiendish Codex II : Tyrants of the Nine Hells - Hellfire Warlock
Tome of Magic : Binder, Anima Mage, Improved Binding, Vestiges (+Web Enhancement)
Manual of the Planes (+ Web enhancement) : Pseudonatural Template.
Cityscape Web Enhancement - Astaroth
Monster of Faerun - Asabi (15), Hairy Spider (79)
Drow of the Underdark - Imperious Command (option)
MMII - Blood Ape (32)
Serpent Kingdom - Tren - (87)
Underdark - Lith (93), Phaelock (97)
Web Enhancement - Zceryll (https://web.archive.org/web/20211001135258/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd%2Ffrcc%2F20070718), Vanus (https://web.archive.org/web/20200831001850/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dd/20060407a)

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-18, 06:31 PM

And here they all are! Only four entries again, but all made with all the love and dedication they deserve. Enjoy!

Thurbane

2022-12-18, 07:43 PM

Congrats to all the entrants.

My idea was innate casting plus Binder 1 + Improved Binder then Anima Mage 10. 9th level spells, 11th level Binding.

Vaguely similar to Itsy Blasty Spidey, although I feel that mine would have been quite basic basic and underdeveloped in comparison.

Frostmoon

2022-12-18, 08:26 PM

Congrats to everyone as well! I'm really pleased to see that all four classes made it in. :D Everyone's builds are so fun and creative, too. :3 Oh, and Benji-Kujaku, I love your little comments above each build. I love how they're witty, personalized responses to each of the characters! :D

Good luck to everyone!! :D

loky1109

2022-12-19, 12:34 PM

Table.

Name Alignment / Race Class Levels Chef Total Place
Qarzvhvkz (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659946&postcount=32) CG Ghost Half-Illithid Minim Warlock 3/Psychic Rogue 2/Urban Savant 7/Paragnostic Apostle 3
One Who Awakening (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659948&postcount=33) NG Past Life Lemur Incarnate 16
Rainbow (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659953&postcount=34), part 2 (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659955&postcount=35) TN Crysmal Crystal Psicrystal Personal Construct Shaper 11/Constructor 9
Itsy Blasty Spidey (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659964&postcount=36) CN Aranea Sorcerer 1/Warlock 1/Binder 1/Anima Mage 9/Hellfire Warlock 3

Inevitability

2022-12-20, 08:22 AM

Will judge, expect criteria in the coming days (or today if I feel like it).

Inevitability

2022-12-20, 03:54 PM

Judging criteria!

Originality:
Ignoring the four possible ingredients, how creative and unexpected is your class choice? Up to 2 points to be gained here.
What about your feats, spells, skills, and other build elements? Up to 1 point here.
Finally, what's your overall build doing? Tried and true strats like ubercharging or stealthy sneak attacks get you zero points, something known but unconventional like diplomancy or grappling gets half a point, and a truly novel approach gets the full 1 point.

I'm not giving any points for race, that's monstrosity's job.

Power:
Your build will be compared to an approximate benchmark of someone who took the same kind of classes you did.
Assuming optimal conditions, how good are you in combat? Can you contribute meaningfully against a single big high-HP high-fortitude enemy? What about a mobile caster? What about a mob of small guys? For each of those I can answer 'yes' to, you get half a point, for a total 1.5 points.
How do you stack up defensively? Do you have to fear getting full attacked, either type of save-or-die, or battlefield control? 1 point initially, reduced by 0.5 for each 'yes'.
Up to 1 point if you cover one of the five big out-of-combat roles (face, healer, trapfinder, scout, utility caster). If you can contribute to multiple of these, or have enough random bops and bits I can't sort in one category (crafting, knowledge skills, lore), that's another 0.5 points.

NOTE: for full points, 'face' requires multiple modes of social interaction or one mode of social interaction plus some kind of lie detection, 'healer' requires the ability to heal most out of ability damage/drain, damage, curses, death, or enchantments, 'trapfinder' requires the ability to both detect and disable traps, and 'scout' requires both keen senses and some ability to not be detected.

Elegance:
A lack of multiclass XP penalties earns you 1 point.
Will the rules allow your build? Are you using blatantly RAW-illegal tricks, do you fail to meet a prerequisite? Do you overspend skill ranks, or take two skill tricks at the same level? 1 point for a fully legal build.
Will the DM allow your build? Do you interpret some questionable rules in a way not everyone agrees with? Do you use notorious cheese that most tables just ban? This is where 1d43 scorpion whips, fueling divine metamagic with Rebuke Vermin, and sacrifice rules go. 1 point for a build that doesn't result in thrown books.
Will the game allow your build? Can you safely assume you'll be able to join those three organizations whose membership you have to juggle? Will you reliably be able to get bitten by a were-shark at level 7 exactly? Are you a LG character, with no ranks in bluff, who has to join the Zhentarim? Do you need to spend a trickle of wealth on consumables essential to your strategy? Alignment shifts, age advancements, and other mechanically straightforward but narratively questionable tools will also show up here. 1 point for a build we can actually play.

Monstrosity:
To what extent is your round-to-round presence in the party monstrous-feeling? Do you use a special ability that a normal humanoid would be hard-pressed to get? Are you really big? Really small? Can I, using a humanoid and those levels you spent on RHD/LA, basically replicate your build? Up to 2 points here.
Up to 1 point for the interaction between your monster race and your class (especially the four ingredients). Are you a binder who's separately also a succubus, or do you bind naberius to combine good diplomacy with Charm SLAs?
Do you use the monster for anything else than its raw statblock? Do you qualify for Brand of the Nine Hells using a devil, or sneak your way into Rapidstrike with a weird typing? Up to 1 point here.

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-20, 04:22 PM

Thank you very much Inevitability!

In the mean time, do you all have ideas for the next theme? I may have one or two of my own, but I'd like to see what you can come up with.

Inevitability

2022-12-21, 10:20 AM

Judgements!

Originality (2.75): Paragnostic Apostle sees reasonably common use, and makes some sense as one of those arcane PrCs that are warlock-friendly. Psychic rogue is rarely seen even as a dip, and I don't think I've ever seen a build with urban savant. +1.5

Your feats aren't exactly unconventional for an exalted sneak attacker in a monstrous competition, though I guess I never saw Lliira's Blessing and am surprised to note Psionic Shot. Your points still aren't as high as they could have been, because those feats do relatively little for you. +0.25

I'm not seeing a lot that sets you apart from the typical warlock tactics-wise.

Power (3.75):
Your offensive modes are a weird little mix of low-DC stuns, SLAs, horrific appearance, telekinesis and a respectable Eldritch Chain or Beshadowed Blast (plus good BFC that's way too late to the party), though none synergize particularly well. You're better at turning knowledge checks into damage than most, thanks to Urban Savant, but your modifier doesn't seem high enough to reliably pick up the +2d6 damage bonus. Given that you're giving up items, I'm still somewhat skeptical about how this compares to another rogue or warlock, who deals more damage to brutes and casters (though it has a harder time getting to the latter). Then again, your multi-target damage potential is probably better than theirs. +0.75

Between VoP and incorporeal undeath, you're pretty hard to hurt. No complaint on the defensive side of things, though I do question putting Lliara's Blessing on an incorporeal creature. +1

Out of combat, you're a scout without Darkstalker or perceptive skills (but with pseudo-mindsight), a loremaster, a face restricted to certain creature types, and a trapfinder without search or the ability to actually manipulate found traps. It's a weird mishmash of things, and it feels to me like you'll commonly struggle to do a complete job at the role you're serving, but it's enough for +1.

Elegance (1.5):
Unfortunately, you take a multiclass XP penalty during your 4th level, where your level breakdown is warlock 3/psirogue 1.

Psionic Shot requires Point-Blank Shot, which you seem to lack. Craven explicitly doesn't work with the undead immunity to fear, which is a major issue that significantly affects your build.

The alternate entry requirement for the Urban Savant is explicitly at the DM's discretion, so a minor penalty here. There's also the issue where a minim has no manipulators to speak of, but warlock invocations have a somatic component. How are you produicng that? +0.25

While ghosts can be Good, that doesn't automatically mean they can be Exalted Good, and there's quite some text that suggests the two are at odds. A more glaring problem is the conflict between Vow of Poverty and the Paragnostic Assembly's membership fees, which should realistically bar you from the final few levels of your build. +0.25

Monstrosity (3.25):
I can't help but feel you leave a lot of your monstrous components untouched, taking Fine size from here, telepathy from there, incorporeality from elsewhere yet... This build could definitely have been very similar as a half-illithid ghost, or a ghostly minim, which is a bad sign when evaluating how much you use your monstrous abilities! Your combat strategies, too, mostly seem to be 'float through a wall and snipe someone', which isn't mundane, but... i don't know, I just can't give max points for something that's still just mostly a warlock with bonuses. +1.5

I can't deny that this build gets more out of being a warlock than most else... but at the same time, if you deliberately play something without limbs or mouthparts, I'm not super impressed by the observation that warlock is doing more for you than wizard or fighter would. There's no real part where your monster skillset directly improves your blasting, apart maybe from incorporeal sniping. The attack bonus is nice, but you're making touch attacks, so its utility is limited. +0.75

No real out-of-the-box uses of your base creature.

Quick note: a lemur is a Madagascaran primate, the singular of 'lemures' is 'lemure'.

Originality (2):
I feel really bad about the zero for class originality, but when you are presented with a handful of classes to build around, investing fully into one of them is simply not original.

Vow of Poverty into Lliara's blessing, again. The incarnum feats aren't that surprising given the round, but Sapphire Smite came out of the left field and Ordered Chaos wasn't expected either. +0.5

Exploiting incarnate wording by counting as multiple alignments isn't a completely new trick, but it's nice to see. Your actual combat strategy is simple moving+hitting. +0.5

Power (2):
I'm not sure why we're topping off 16 levels of incarnate with another outsider RHD: wouldn't we rather get extra Rapid Meldshaping or more essentia? Anyway, the past life + sapphire smite trick gives a nice source of bonus damage that normal incarnates will lack, and you get a lot of passive bonuses from the incarnum radiances. That said, how are you dealing that damage? You allude to ranged weapons, but VoP means most are out, and your melee options seem to be two claws that you can't reliably full attack with. There's a really rough situation here where you secured a bunch of passive boosts and then traded away your ability to actually make use of it. +0.5

Defensively, you're a VoPer that has big bonuses to AC, good saves, evasion, energy resistances, poison immunity... Your mobility is lacking, though, so BFC still screws you over. +0.5

What are you doing out of combat? You have some scattered ranks in knowledge skills, but not enough to matter, you have a few bops of sense motive, the theoretical ability to shape something with out-of-combat use? Yeah, I'm not seeing it.

Elegance (3.5):
No multiclass XP penalties. +1

Ranged Smite Evil specifically requires the smite evil class ability, which is not where you get your smites from. +0.5

The argument that you can suppress mind-affecting immunity when desired is highly suspect, especially when we're talking about soulmeld bonuses and not spells. It seems contrary to RAI, at least. +0.5

Similarly to the prior entry, you're trying to combine Exalted goodness with being a kind of creature that is explicitly Evil to 'allow to exist'. As I stated before, I'm not going to come after people for Good devils or ghosts, but Exalted really does imply an ideological commitment beyond 'does more good than evil on the net'. Similarly, if you go through a bunch of hoops to count as Evil and then take Touch of Golden Ice... what do you think happens? +0.5

Monstrosity (2.5):
How do you distinguish yourself from a human incarnate in round-to-round combat? The answer: not really. You bind some soulmelds, you run up to something, you whack it, you fit in full attacks where you can... Being a lemure gives you a little DR and a few immunities, but that's it: you aren't actually using these unless they happen to be useful.

You do, however, exploit the alignment subtypes to greatly boost the power of incarnate, while gaining immunity to some attack modes you otherwise lack. +1

Using lemure as the cheapest possible way to get two alignment subtypes is a use I can appreciate, though your use is almost understated compared to the other things you can do with being an [Evil]. +0.5

This doesn't really impact the rating, but when assigning +0 to the psicrystal I wasn't doing so with the assumption that a psicrystal would be able to get the intelligence adjustments. Ah well, that's on past me for not being clearer.

Originality (2.5):
Constructor is one of the better psion PrCs, so I'm not that surprised to see it in a round where psions are one of the four allowed paths (and the most supported one to boot). +0.5

Your powers are pretty standard fare for a construct-focused psion, but the feats include some novelty. +0.5

Spamming astral constructs is not particularly novel as far as psion strategies go, but the psicrystal shenanigans prevent me from assigning zero points. +0.5

Power (4.5):
So obviously, you're a nearly-full manifester with a souped-up construct pal (or two!) and some psicrystal-based shenanigans. That'll probably be enough to outperform the default level 20 psion anywhere it matters. +1.5

Construct type, hardness 38, vigor+share pain? I guess a Disintegrate might mess you up, not a lot else that screws you over. +1

Utility-wise, you offer taxicab services with Plane Shift and Greater Teleport, a ton of random skills, major creation, . It's not that much more impressive than a full manifester would normally be, but enough for a full point. +1

Elegance (3):
No multiclass XP penalties. +1

Yeah, I'm not buying the bit where being treated as your own master for basic functionality purposes lets you get double use out of psicrystal feats. You already acknowledge that would be 'cheesy' for things like psicrystal containment: if you extend that logic you should understand why I'm not looking up it much more favorably when you're using it in slightly less broken contexts. +0.5

Using crysmal crystal is a cute find, but many DMs will (rightfully) push back against the implication that PCs can have bodies made out of exotic material. The GMW trick is similarly questionable and relies on the assumption that a creature can be ammunition.

You can't really use gear, and your ability to manipulate objects tends to be limited to creating an entire astral construct for the job (which is hard on power points at low levels, and hard for interfering with your other running constructs later on). +0.5

Monstrosity (4)
You're a psicrystal, and this is obvious in much of what you do, but at some point your psionics begins to overshadow everything else. When you're manifesting Genesis and Reality Revision, it takes effort to still feel monstrous, and that effort is lacking here. +1

Why would a psion want to be a psicrystal specifically? Well, casters love small sizes, defensive bonuses, flight... The tricks you pull really help as well. +1

Do you use a psicrystal for more than the base stats? Uh, yes. +1

Originality (3.5):
Rating the classes is weird. On the one hand, I said I wouldn't count warlock or binder, but their combination definitely wasn't something I expected. Similarly, while Anima Mage makes sense for binder/sorcerers, and Hellfire Warlock is probably the best warlock PrC, I don't see the two on the same build a lot. Ultimately, I can't really go lower than +1.5 here.

A moderately standard set of warlock feats, with Extend Spell, Improved Familiar, and Improved Binding shaking things up just enough for half points here. +0.5

Hellfire Warlocks that dip for Naberius aren't exactly uncommon, but you commit to the binder theme more fully with Anima Mage and get some utility from sorcerer spells. +0.5

Power (3.25):
You make use of tons of little binder/warlock synergies in what really does feel like a tight and well-thought out progression. Your damage output is considerable with the SLA feats and hellfire warlock, and when that doesn't work you have summoned goons or the vestige-granted save-or-suck of choice. My only criticism is how much of this comes online late, so I won't grant a truly perfect score. +1

...on the defensive side, I'm a bit more sceptical: your HP is low even with eventual out-of-combat healing (note that because you have even HP, your maximum HP drops significantly when you fire off a hellfire blast), and your reflex save is on the bad side of mediocre. Even if you put up a summoned beastie or chilling tentacle wall between you and the bruisers, your energy resistance might not be enough to absorb a dragon breath. +0.5

Out of combat, you have a solid intimidate stat, but really exploiting it requires you to bind a typically suboptimal vestige. You can craft, but you're pretty reliant on external sources of spells (summoned monsters help a little, but not all that much). You suggest you can serve as a scout, but Flee the Scene really doesn't help much with that: ideally a scout doesn't put the monsters on high alert. +0.75

Elegance (3.25):
No multiclass penalties. +1

I'm impressed by the boldness it takes to argue that you can trade a least invocation for a greater invocation and then quote a piece of text that says "he can also replace an invocation he already knows with another invocation of the same or a lower grade". That's not how it works.

Taking Infernal as a bonus language is kind of important for the build, but can you actually do it as an aranea? I'm inclined to say 'no', and would have preferred to see you take two ranks in Speak Language. A minor penalty. +0.75

I think there's an awkward spot around level 7-9 where everyone else is getting mid-level spells while you have to jump around between 2d6 eldritch blast, 2nd-level vestiges, webs, and Alter Self. It's notably a low point in the build, to the point where I'd argue it interferes with your playability. 2d6 damage per round (with the occasional 4d6) just isn't enough to pretend you're meaningfully contributing to the party's damage output. +0.5

Monstrosity (2.5):
The core of your character is pretty clearly the binder/warlock dual progression combo. Aranea isn't useless for that, but I'm skeptical it does more for you than five sorcerer levels would. Maybe if you'd worked Iron Will into some prereq, I'd see it differently. At least at low levels your webs and shapechanging will still be a big part of what you're doing. +0.5

A big charisma boost for warlock and binder abilities, some okay abilities for the awkward early levels, and a climb speed so you can attack from the walls. It's meager, but at least your aranea chassis is doing something with your classses. +0.5

You use the magical beast typing to get more out of Alter Self, but I'm not seeing much other than that. +0.5

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-21, 11:56 AM

Thank you for your quick judgement, Inevitability. Everyone, you can send me your disputes if you have some!

I'm not sure if it's supposed to be my role, but regarding One Who Awakening's judgement, it is stated in the opening post that mindless creatures are considered to have -8 Int and still keep their immunity to mind-affecting effects (in Sources and General Rules). If the ding was mostly about lowering said mind-affecting immunity, then ignore what I just said.

Inevitability

2022-12-21, 12:01 PM

Frostmoon

2022-12-21, 05:03 PM

Thank you for judging, Inevitability!! :3

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-22, 05:04 PM

Here is a dispute for you, Inevitability:

Thank you, Inevitability, for judging this comp! :D I really appreciate how quick and thorough you were. That said, I do have a few objections to make.

First, I don't think the Paragnostic Assembly and Vow of Poverty actually conflict.

A more glaring problem is the conflict between Vow of Poverty and the Paragnostic Assembly's membership fees, which should realistically bar you from the final few levels of your build. Let us look at the text for VoP.

The majority of her share of party treasure (or the profits from the sale thereof) should be donated to the needy, either directly (equipping rescued captives with gear taken from their fallen captors) or indirectly (making a large donation to a temple noted for its work among the poor).
This means that money does flow through my possession, with the requirement that I get rid of it and donate it (either directly or indirectly) to those in need. The Paragnostic Assembly holds classes, it has open archives, it's hardly a secretive organization, and it uses its gathered funds to build and maintain libraries and archives; would this not count as an indirect donation to the needy?

Second, I have some issues with my monstrosity score.

So on the one hand, you're incorporeal and really small, and you're in a fine position to make use of movement through walls. Those aren't things any random character can do. On the other hand... for a build with three monstrous components, they appear only sparsely! Ecto fragments do little more than contributing size and pseudomindsight, half-illithid gives some SLAs and telepathy, and ghost gives you undeath and incorporeality. Apart from ghost, I feel like most of this could be replaced with a more traditional PC, which is not a good sign! +1 for the sheer commitment to making a minim work, and the round-to-round relevance of being a ghost, but only barely.
Ignoring the pileup of immunities and SLAs and the whole Ghost-incoporeal thing, the monstrous abilities Qarzhvkz relies on are:
-60ft perfect flight
-permanent Telepathy
-pseudo-Mindsight
-fine size
If you were to build a Sparrow Hengeyokai Warlock/Mindbender with the Mindsight feat, you'd have grabbed 3 out of 4 of those characteristics -- but you'd still be missing 60ft perfect flight. 60ft perfect flight is better than the Sparrow's (50ft Average), it's better than the Warlock's (flight=land, good maneuverability), and it's better than the spell, Fly (60ft good). 60ft perfect flight is always useful as a warlock and as a scout(ish thing), and because it's perfect, I can avoid being knocked prone (and thus falling a huge distance) or similar. MOREOVER, this build is completely ignoring the side benefits, like the massive immunity and SLA pileup, and it cuts into getting Paragnostic Apostle and Urban Savant abilities (Mindbender takes a bit to come access).

Third is, well, another issue with monstrosity.

There's no real part where your monster skillset directly improves your blasting, apart maybe from incorporeal sniping. +0.5
My being a minim actually does help here! Minim are very, very smol (fine-sized!!), which contributes a heck ton to my accuracy! Fine size adds a straight +8 to my total attack bonus, which on a low-BAB character (Warlock and Psychic Rogue are 3/4 BAB, Urban Savant and Paragnostic Apostle are 1/2 BAB) is huge. The size basically makes up for the BAB I've lost with my prestige classes~

Thank you again for judging! Everything else here is pretty firmly correct (some of those Elegance penalties...I am a fool). :3

Paragon

2022-12-22, 05:19 PM

Thank you very much Inevitability!

In the mean time, do you all have ideas for the next theme? I may have one or two of my own, but I'd like to see what you can come up with.

What about Monster with no defined form ? Oozes, Ghosts, Plants can all qualify and that would be exotic if a bit challenging

Thurbane

2022-12-22, 05:53 PM

'Look Ma, no hands!"

Paragon

2022-12-22, 06:08 PM

'Look Ma, no hands!"

Pretty sure we've done that 2 competitions ago

Thurbane

2022-12-22, 06:59 PM

Pretty sure we've done that 2 competitions ago

Well, that's what I get for not paying attention. :smallredface:

Frostmoon

2022-12-22, 07:13 PM

Well, that's what I get for not paying attention. :smallredface:

I mean, we could go full-on "look Ma, no limbs!!", as Monster Mash 5 required 4+ legs. :3

Hmmm...we could also try a comp focused down on even a single type (like oozes), subtype (like undead), or even vague creature category (HOW TO MAKE GOBLINOIDS WORK IN 3X). Limiting down the general options would allow for a better idea of the base power level everyone's working with, a la Iron Chef.

loky1109

2022-12-23, 04:55 AM

Swim? Fly? Planar?

Inevitability

2022-12-23, 05:51 AM

For the next competition, I mostly felt like this one was a little unfocused by allowing four very distinct classes. I'd still be interested in a template round (half-dragon especially), and I'm still interested in competitions focusing on a material ('rock monsters' covers constructs, elementals, monstrous humanoids, magical beasts, and more) or elemental subtypes.

Here is a dispute for you, Inevitability:

Thank you, Inevitability, for judging this comp! :D I really appreciate how quick and thorough you were. That said, I do have a few objections to make.

First, I don't think the Paragnostic Assembly and Vow of Poverty actually conflict.
Let us look at the text for VoP.

This means that money does flow through my possession, with the requirement that I get rid of it and donate it (either directly or indirectly) to those in need. The Paragnostic Assembly holds classes, it has open archives, it's hardly a secretive organization, and it uses its gathered funds to build and maintain libraries and archives; would this not count as an indirect donation to the needy?

Second, I have some issues with my monstrosity score.

Ignoring the pileup of immunities and SLAs and the whole Ghost-incoporeal thing, the monstrous abilities Qarzhvkz relies on are:
-60ft perfect flight
-permanent Telepathy
-pseudo-Mindsight
-fine size
If you were to build a Sparrow Hengeyokai Warlock/Mindbender with the Mindsight feat, you'd have grabbed 3 out of 4 of those characteristics -- but you'd still be missing 60ft perfect flight. 60ft perfect flight is better than the Sparrow's (50ft Average), it's better than the Warlock's (flight=land, good maneuverability), and it's better than the spell, Fly (60ft good). 60ft perfect flight is always useful as a warlock and as a scout(ish thing), and because it's perfect, I can avoid being knocked prone (and thus falling a huge distance) or similar. MOREOVER, this build is completely ignoring the side benefits, like the massive immunity and SLA pileup, and it cuts into getting Paragnostic Apostle and Urban Savant abilities (Mindbender takes a bit to come access).

Third is, well, another issue with monstrosity.

My being a minim actually does help here! Minim are very, very smol (fine-sized!!), which contributes a heck ton to my accuracy! Fine size adds a straight +8 to my total attack bonus, which on a low-BAB character (Warlock and Psychic Rogue are 3/4 BAB, Urban Savant and Paragnostic Apostle are 1/2 BAB) is huge. The size basically makes up for the BAB I've lost with my prestige classes~

Thank you again for judging! Everything else here is pretty firmly correct (some of those Elegance penalties...I am a fool). :3

1. I think the given examples in VoP make clear that not every charitable organization qualifies. Realistically, if you're a poor metropolitan commoner who can barely read, funding to the public library is only going to help you so much. The paragnostic assembly is notably not a Good organization, they're just kinda neutral. Charitable neutral, perhaps, but certainly not going to start a soup kitchen any time soon. Still, I'll cut the penalty you got for this (0.5) in half, so you get +0.25.

2. Fair points: I'm upping the rating here by +0.5. I still think that even if the monstrous component isn't pointless, it's still redundant: you could definitely have dropped either minim or half-illithid and ended up with a very similar character. Besides, your round-to-round actions mostly come down to class abilities.

3. I know that +8 to hit isn't nothing, but you're making touch attacks: the warlock has many problems but accuracy isn't one of those. At low levels I guess it matters, but at low levels you're a ghost: not a lot of monsters that can deal with that! You deny people their armor bonuses, dexterity bonuses, perhaps more... still, I guess +8 matters, so have +0.25.

loky1109

2022-12-23, 08:13 AM

It looks like I have no disputes.

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-23, 02:30 PM

Thank you everyone for your input. You suggested themes about body shape, elemental-themed monsters and template based restriction, and I had in mind some sort of Christmas-themed round. Hence, I suggest the following restrictions:

- Ghosts of Monsters Past: The monster character must be incorporeal, or have the ability to turn incorporeal

- Monsters through the snow: The monster character must have the Cold subtype, or have the Water subtype and be able to deal cold damage.

- For unto us a monster is born: The monster character must be an Unholy Scion, with the mother being an identical version of the same monster with no class levels and without the Unholy Scion template. If you really want another template, so be it, but I feel like this is the best occasion for a very unique and layered template like Unholy Scion.

Tell me which one you prefer, and I'll probably start the new round on Christmas, since there doesn't seem to be any more dispute.

Frostmoon

2022-12-23, 04:01 PM

Oooh, interesting. :D I think I like the Cold subtype one best here (it's the most...winter-y, I guess? XD), though I'd love to see the Unholy Scion round later (working with a single monster/template helps unify the competition). :3

Inevitability

2022-12-23, 04:02 PM

loky1109

2022-12-23, 04:36 PM

Monsters through the snow is good theme for Frostburn that isn't covered by LA thread. Sadness. (

Ghosts of Monsters Past... I don't know, it isn't my favorite subtype.

Vote for For unto us a monster is born.

Upd: And updated table.

Name Alignment / Race Class Levels Chef Inevitability Total Place
Qarzvhvkz (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659946&postcount=32) CG Ghost Half-Illithid Minim Warlock 3/Psychic Rogue 2/Urban Savant 7/Paragnostic Apostle 3 11.25 11.25 3rd
One Who Awakening (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659948&postcount=33) NG Past Life Lemur Incarnate 16 10.00 10.00 4th
Rainbow (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659953&postcount=34), part 2 (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659955&postcount=35) TN Crysmal Crystal Psicrystal Personal Construct Shaper 11/Constructor 9 14.00 14.00 1st
Itsy Blasty Spidey (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659964&postcount=36) CN Aranea Sorcerer 1/Warlock 1/Binder 1/Anima Mage 9/Hellfire Warlock 3 12.50 12.50 2nd

Beni-Kujaku

2022-12-25, 04:28 AM

And here's the reveal!

Name Alignment / Race Class Levels Chef Inevitability Judge 2 Judge 3 Total Place
Qarzvhvkz (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659946&postcount=32) CG Ghost Half-Illithid Minim Warlock 3/Psychic Rogue 2/Urban Savant 7/Paragnostic Apostle 3 Frostmoon 11.25 11.25 3rd
One Who Awakening (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659948&postcount=33) NG Past Life Lemur Incarnate 16 loky1109 10,00 10,00 4th
Rainbow (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659953&postcount=34), part 2 (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659955&postcount=35) TN Crysmal Crystal Psicrystal Personal Construct Shaper 11/Constructor 9 loky1109 14 14 1st
Itsy Blasty Spidey (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25659964&postcount=36) CN Aranea Sorcerer 1/Warlock 1/Binder 1/Anima Mage 9/Hellfire Warlock 3 Paragon 12.5 12.5 2nd

Congratulations to our judge, and to all entrants, especially loky1109!

With two votes against one, our next theme will be Monsters through the Snow, that will be expanded to include any monster built to be able and centered around dealing cold damage, to adress loky's reasonable concern about the low number of options. The next thread will be posted later today, and to all a very merry Christmas!!

loky1109

2022-12-25, 07:28 AM

I made entries for three rounds and now I have three Golds. Cool! )

My congratulations to all entrants and my gratitude to Inevitability!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Frostmoon

2022-12-25, 04:56 PM

And I'm somehow going two-for-two. XD I'll happily take Bronze!! And congrats to loky1109 and Paragon for their medals, too! I really enjoyed loky's creativity especially (I had been genuinely contemplating a Psion psicrystal, too. XD).

Anyways, mannnnn, I made a lot of silly mistakes this time. On the one hand, this build was definitely easier than any Sorcerer one. (Sorcerer builds mean a nightmarish amount of spell picking, which just takes foreevvvvvveeerrrr. Doesn't stop them from being my favourite class, though. ;3) But gods, had I just thought a few things through a bit more...that silly XP penalty particularly annoys me, 'cause I could've just fixed it by alternating my levels! Nyaghhh. Whatevs. XD

OH MAN
So first: Warlocks invocations have somatic components. What. I never knew that. O_O So, by RAW, Ecto Fragments can't be a Warlock, and of course this affects other creatures, too.

See, what I noticed immediately with this round was how the classes (allegedly) worked with monsters as a whole. Binder kind of works the way most classes work with monsters, so I kind of just ignored it because of that. But then there's Incarnate (and Incarnum in general), which is decidedly monster-unfriendly: many monsters have reduced or minimal body slots, and Incarnum works off it. And then, on the opposite of the equation, there's Psion and Warlock. Prior to this massive wakeup call, I thought that both systems basically allowed for creatures without vocals and body parts to be able to 'cast'. As such, my idea was to work on the opposite end from where we usually begin: instead of going with a strong, interesting creature and figuring out what synergizes well with it, I wanted to build on an objectively weak, wonky creature and make it work.

Of course, I was wrong about how Warlock invocations work, and as such, my build actually fails by RAW. Welp.

Sooooo, if Warlock fails, then what actually works?
1. Marshal. I...don't do this. There's no synergy here.
2. Psionics. As I said in my writeup, Wilder is hardly a bad choice for this critter.
3. Precision damage. Yes, I said that most straight rogue type wouldn't be great, but that's because I was working off of the assumption that the minim would need some outside way of gaining reliable damage (a la the Warlock's eldritch blast). But I was also wrong about that.

See, all Ecto Fragments actually do have a reliable base attack, one I had actually written off as completely useless: they all get at-will Psi-likes. For the smallest among us, those are silly 3.0 at-will cantrips. But you know Finger of Fire, the one a Minim gets? It's a ranged attack roll.

As such, I think I'll rebuild Qarzvhvkz on a full psychic rogue base. Psychic rogues get sneak attack, which will work off of FoF, and they get a lot of different utility abilities and powers that help with Quarz's general "I-have-Mindsight-so-lemme-scout" role. Plus, while most arcane PrCs with telepathy access either come online too late or conflict with Vow of Poverty, I remember there being some Psionic or Rogueish PrCs that have the ability.

Maybe I'll eventually submit in the revised Minim, some time waaay off in the future. 'til then, I'll just work on 'em in the background, alongside my way-too-numerous NPC class builds.

Also, fun little note: Quarzhvkz's name was built from a random letter generator. XD