Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXVIII

[The Viscount]

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

When someone is wronged, the scales are unbalanced. The injury calls to be paid back in kind. Things will not rest until made even. The numbers don't lie. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFoC3TR5rzI) Crack open Champions of Ruin and nurse your grudges, this round we're cooking with Vengeance Knight!

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

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

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

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

Kitchen: Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see Elegance below. Web-exclusive 3.0 or 3.5 materials by WotC are expressly allowed, but take care to verify that an updated version did not appear in print elsewhere, as this may cause an Elegance deduction at the judges' discretion. Here's a guide to most of what has and hasn't been updated. (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20050110x) Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt or Generic Classes are not allowed, as they create a different playing field. Also, item familiars are forbidden. Please refrain from using Taint unless it's necessary for the Secret Ingredient.
NB: Official Errata and 3.5 updates to 3.0 content are considered valid regardless of whether their sources would otherwise be legal. This includes the 3.5 update of Oriental Adventures given in Dragon Magazine, and the 3.5 updates of Dragonlance Campaign Setting content given in later third party Dragonlance books.

Cooking Time: Contestants will have until 13:59 GMT on Sunday, September 10th, 2023 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, The Viscount. You may submit build by email if it is too large for a single PM. Please put the name of your build in the subject line of your PM. Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying. Judges will have until 13:59 GMT on Sunday, September 24th, 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.

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

Power level is up to you. Cheese is acceptable, but should be kept to a sane level unless you're showcasing a new TO build you've discovered. In the words of one of my predecessors, a little cheddar can be nice, but avoid the mature Gruyere unless you're making a cheese fondue.
Elegance could bear a little elaboration. It basically measures how skillfully you put your build together, and whether you sacrificed flavor for power. We're cooking here - if your dish doesn't taste good, it doesn't matter how well-presented it is. Use of flaws is considered in poor taste, and judges are asked to take a dim view of this option, taking it into account while grading. Other things that will cause penalties here are excessive multi-classing, and classes that don't fit the concept. Please note the following: a legal source's relative obscurity should not be considered as penalizing Elegance, excepting the aforementioned issues with Unearthed Arcana. Using conflicting setting material may result in a penalty to Elegance at the judges' discretion, but a book's relative obscurity may not. In that same vein, drawing solely from the Core 3 (and the d20 SRD) should not be punished for lacking Originality.
Presentation: Builds will be posted anonymously, in order to avoid the potential of bias towards a particular competitor. For this reason, please don't put your name in the build, as I'm likely to miss it when reviewing the entries!

Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, I'd like everyone to try to use the following table for their entry. (A fillable, pre-formatted version found here (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BG0-5sq4dL9Ooh7-QfXuyHzO4rXSz-CRcj29t6BeUVE/edit#gid=0))NAME OF ENTRY


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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



Code immediately below (spoiler).

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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



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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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



For other systems (Psionics, ToB, Incarnum, etc.) keep track of PP/maneuvers/essentia separately, preferably in a nice neat list.
Speculation: Please don't post or speculate on possible builds until the "reveal," in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.

Leadership is banned; we're producing a meal, not a seven-course banquet for a hundred diners. If your entry includes a prestige class or ACF that grants Leadership or a Leadership-like ability as a bonus feat, the feat should be ignored and is not eligible to be traded away for another feat or ACF through any means. If your entry includes a prestige class that requires Leadership, you still need to qualify, but the feat should thereafter be ignored.

So! Who wants to sign up as a contestant, and who wants to sign up as a judge? Looking for as many contestants and judges as feel like playing!

We will award 1st through 3rd places, as well as a shout-out for honorable mention. The honorable mention prize is given to the most daring or unexpected build. Judges, contestants and guests alike are invited to vote for honorable mention via post in the thread or PM. If there are no votes, Honorable Mention will go to the chairman's favorite build.

Past Competitions

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

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

Iron Chef CI: Night Mask Deathbringer (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?610308-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CI)
Iron Chef CII: Blade Dancer (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?613031-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CII)
Iron Chef CIII: Psion Uncarnate (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?614461-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CIII)
Iron Chef CIV: Atavist (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?615697-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CIV)
Iron Chev CV: Primeval (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?618136-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CV)
Iron Chef CVI: Disciple of Mammon (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?620730-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CVI)
Iron Chef CVII: Insidious Corruptor (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?622560-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CVII)
Iron Chef CVIII: Crimson Scourge (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?624099-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CVIII)
Iron Chef CIX: Tattooed Monk (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?626458-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CIX)
Iron Chef CX: Rage Mage (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?628809-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CX)
Iron Chef CXI: Watch Detective (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?630421-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXI)
Iron Chef CXII: Spinemeld Warrior (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?632291-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXII)
Iron Chef CXIII: Celebrant of Sharess (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?633637-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXIII)
Iron Chef CXIV: Thayan Gladiator (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?635212-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXIV)
Iron Chef CXV: Shining Blade of Heironeous (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?637097-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXV)
Iron Chef CXVI: Peregrine Runner (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?638522-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXVI)
Iron Chef CXVII: Imaskari Vengeance Taker (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?640260-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXVII)
Iron Chef CXVII: Siren (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?641848-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXVIII)
Iron Chef CXIX: Arcane Duelist (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?645786-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXIX)
Iron Chef CXX: Berserk (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?646933-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXX)
Iron Chef CXXI: Dragon Descendant (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?648507-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXXI)
Iron Chef CXXII: Cerebrex (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?650262-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXXII)
Iron Chef CXXIII: Defiant (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?651923-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXXIII)
Iron Chef CXXIV: Beast Heart Adept (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?652714-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXXIV)
Iron Chef CXXV: Shadowspy (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?654631-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXXV)
Iron Chef CXXVI: Ballisteer (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?655924-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXXVI)
Iron Chef CXXVII: Umbral Disciple (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?656764-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXXVII)

[The Viscount]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One Mistake, One Penalty

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

Non-exhaustive list of examples:

Skills

Allowed:

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


Not allowed:

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



Prereqs

Allowed:

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


Not Allowed:

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



Other general things that are no longer allowed:

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


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

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

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

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

Q: Can I make edits or revisions to my submission?
A: As long as it is before the dishes have been posted in the reveal, you are welcome to revise or make edits to your entry. Please do so by sending a new PM with the changes incorporated.

Q: What is the chair's stance on builds with an "adaptation/variants" section?
A: If chefs have adaptations or variations on the build they want to present, they are strongly encouraged to put them together in a single section in the entry writeup. If you have a large enough variation, consider something like this linked build (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25514412&postcount=108) which presents two similar concepts to be judged separately.
In a build where major adaptations or variants are presented that would alter the score, judges are free to score the entry based only on the "central" or "main" build.

[The Viscount]

I've added the latest discussed rules change to the FAQ. If something's unclear or people want to discuss it further I'm happy to do so in thread or PM.

[Frostmoon]

...so. My brother and I have brainstormed something utterly horrific. I suppose I'm in to cook.

[quetzalcoatl5]

I've got an idea! I'm down to cook!

I mean, "woof" when it comes to the class, but I have some thoughts on how to play to its strengths!

[H_H_F_F]

This is so bad.

[Inevitability]

The holy trifecta: a suboptimal fighting style, a focus on reactive abilities, and bad prerequisites!

...but I do have an idea. In to cook.

[FactualArcher]

Interested in cooking. We'll see if I have time and my idea is workable.

[remetagross]

This class is awful. How many more "bog-standard knight with a local theme" classes does this game has to offer?

Good luck to all!

[Goldlizard]

I’m going to throw my hat in the ring here- let’s get cooking

[The Viscount]

This class is awful. How many more "bog-standard knight with a local theme" classes does this game has to offer?


Depending on how strictly you apply those criteria, as many as 5 fit the bill on my list.

[Inevitability]

Build is in: let's hope it's got some merit. I've got a bit of an idea for a second submission too.

[Goldlizard]

While I’m cooking- “use of special ingredient” means we get penalized for not taking max ranks in the secret ingredient, right?

[remetagross]

It depends on each juge, but it often is the case.

[Inevitability]

While I’m cooking- “use of special ingredient” means we get penalized for not taking max ranks in the secret ingredient, right?

Depends on the judge!

Some people will explicitly deduct for not taking all levels, others mostly care whether your build is doing something that its levels in the SI are essential for. So if the fourth-level feature is essential to your build and you don't take anything beyond that, you could still do quite well.

A few rounds ago (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?652714-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-in-the-Playground-CXXIV), the silver medalist (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25681921&postcount=41) took only two levels in the secret ingredient. That's the most drastic example I can think of, but it shows well that using a SI and using all of the SI aren't synonymous.

In general, I'd aim to get as many levels of the SI as your build can handle, though.

[Paragon]

Entry sent, can't wait to see what horrors this SI has inspired

[loky1109]

Okay. I eventually have a really silly idea.

[FactualArcher]

My entry is in. I'm excited to see what everyone's cooked up.

[Venger]

What an ingredient. I'll try to come up with something.

[remetagross]

I have an extremely goofy tactics in mind to put to good use one of the crappiest features of the class. But I can't for the life of me find a RAW way of doing what I want to do.

[loky1109]

I have an extremely goofy tactics in mind to put to good use one of the crappiest features of the class. But I can't for the life of me find a RAW way of doing what I want to do.

I think I know what are you talking about. )))
Or no.

[loky1109]

Entry sent.

[Gruftzwerg]

I can I ask for a 48h extension maybe? I'm very short on time this weekend...

[The Viscount]

You got it.
New deadline 13:59 GMT on Tuesday September 12th.

[quetzalcoatl5]

Thank you! I was about to ask the same!

[Frostmoon]

Mine's now in, and a good few hours before the deadline at that. I'll continue to hand these in earlier each time!!! I will!!!

[loky1109]

Interesting, how many entries will be?

[Paragon]

I'm counting around 8 or 9. Might be more !

[Gruftzwerg]

I would request another 2~3h. Trying to finish a 2nd build. The inspiration hit me late and hard the night...

edit: finished and sent in, sorry for the lil delay

[Paragon]

Now let's hope Viscount has a free windows to post soon :)

[quetzalcoatl5]

Almost done with mine. SHould be in by 1pm Eastern.

EDIT: Submitted! Sorry for the delay. My daughter and I both have Covid and it really had us out this weekend.

[loky1109]

Almost done with mine. SHould be in by 1pm Eastern.

EDIT: Submitted! Sorry for the delay. My daughter and I both have Covid and it really had us out this weekend.

Get healthy.

[quetzalcoatl5]

Get healthy.
Thank you! Fortunately it seems fairly mild for both of us, although we were both pretty drained. My daughter is having trouble sleeping but that's pretty par for the course with a 6 month old.

[The Viscount]

Thank you! Fortunately it seems fairly mild for both of us, although we were both pretty drained. My daughter is having trouble sleeping but that's pretty par for the course with a 6 month old.

Good to hear that you were able to manage working on what's important: Iron Chef.

Joking aside, hope you get well soon.

And with that, it's time for the reveal! (Please hold off on posting until I give the all clear.)

[The Viscount]

I heard battles are won in the mind, but I didn't think about it this way.



Syg the Brutally Honest

https://neural.love/cdn/ai-photostock/1ed7b9f7-9078-6748-ae5b-af51c3fe62a5/3.jpg?Expires=1696118399&Signature=slZt~rSMILEME9Oprq5uh1XWCScPOjac9HhyZsxQ gtZEBw2d901pKtzbVIT6C9ZsHwqBiAnyIXLxrdek07q1DjubLI Y1gzacuNd4HEtM-nmXOg3YyfUId0JRGVcj3bRVsez9qUTM9SORNZ4WG8Ac7YNApoJ XN80MKVGGrN5kGqApMDBpAqLNxoS-FV1so7Go8t~smD1qrlHdzIFseIWEIeHxVa3sfwKPhRoXEZQEct dmdA1T0GP6WQNSaj2dd-vNA58yMO7OLOU-hIq363W88lD4y07zTJfqWykjx6FREokkSNGd8Yx-41zzTk0NqOPwcjnTVt2Ozb6P4KV6kKjMHg__&Key-Pair-Id=K2RFTOXRBNSROX

NE Synad Savant 1 / Resolute Fighter 2 / Savant +1 / War Mind 6 / Vengeance Knight 10

Myenid the Ponderous, spiritual leader of War Minds For Cosmic Wholeness, swallowed.

The applicant before him had been doing so well. She'd performed admirably in the Test of Cleaving Limb From Body, which evaluated martial prowess and endurance. She'd aced the Test of Cleaving Lie From Truth, barely blinking before quickly identifying which of the examinators was speaking falsely.

And then it had been time for the Test of Cleaving Dark From Light, and he had asked her a single, simple question, a moral query of such stunning simplicity that he'd formulated a dozen adequate answers in the time he'd been silently sitting here.

Why is it foolish to seek vengeance against a man?

And she had... okay, rewind, think carefully about her exact words, maybe there was something in there, some kernel of actual spiritual understanding.

Well... the way I see it, if you wanna take vengeance against a guy, he must've really screwed you over, huh? So of course your first impulse is going to be to head over to his house and bash in his skull and throw his body up into a tree. But small-minded impulses like that are exactly what we should try to overcome!

Rather, ask yourself whether it was -really- just this guy. Didn't he have help? Were his friends supporting him, or will they obstruct your revenge if given the chance? Who sharpened his blade, who poured his drink, who pays for his work? Does he have a family to come home to, to support and embolden him? No man is an island! Are you really just going to kill this one guy and leave his entire support network untouched? Hell, one is probably gonna try and avenge -him- if you do that, and you'll be right back where you started!

Seeking vengeance against one man is foolish because -tons- of people were involved in whatever you're mad about, and they're all equally responsible and deserve your vengeance in equal measure! You gotta think about it structurally!

No. Nothing there, just pure, base, pointless spite, and not a single shred of understanding of how cartoonishly wrong it was. An easy fail, then. Myenid opened his mouth...

...and quickly closed it again. Wait a second, let's think about this. This woman would want to know why she'd failed, and he was going to assume that "because your moral superstructure is horrifying on a fundamental level" was not an answer she'd like. And you'd have to be pretty stupid to make an enemy of a proven swordsmaster right after she gave you a speech about killing anyone who remotely slights you. He was old, he was prepared to die for his ideals, but the monastery? Everyone else there? How many of them would perish, before that armor-clad monster would at last succumb?

With a conflicted, heavy heart, Myenid forced his mouth to open again and mumble that she'd passed, and was now a formal member of the school to the day she died.

The acolyte before him, face a stone mask up until that moment, broke into a wide smile, jumped to her feet, and ran off into the courtyard, armor and sheath clanking together as she ran her victory lap.

Myenid prayed that this'd all turn out well.

ECL 1: 17str/12dex/13con/12int/14wis/8cha
All increases in strength for a final 22 strength.
Languages spoken: Common, Synad, Undercommon



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


1st
Savant 1
+0
+0
+0
+2
Concentration +4 (4), Intimidate +4 (4), Knowledge (History) +2 (2), Knowledge (Psionics) +4 (4), Open Lock +1 (1), Ride +4 (4), Search +4 (4), Sense Motive +4 (4), Spellcraft +1 (1)
Inquisitor
Academic Lore, Skill Assistance (Ride) Trapfinding


2nd
Fighter 1
+1
+2
+0
+2
Concentration 4, Intimidate +1 (5), Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 4, Open Lock 1, Ride +1 (5), Search +1cc (4.5), Sense Motive 4, Spellcraft 1
Weapon Focus (Longsword)
Bonus Feat


3rd
Fighter 2
+2
+3
+0
+2
Concentration 4, Intimidate +1 (6), Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 4, Open Lock 1, Ride +1 (6), Search +1cc (5), Sense Motive 4, Spellcraft 1
Favored in Guild (Religious)
Resolute


4th
Savant 2
+3
+3
+0
+3
Concentration 4, Intimidate +1 (7), Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) +3 (7+1), Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (6), Sense Motive +2 (6), Spellcraft 1
Primary Contact (Knowledge (Psionics))
Talent Lore


5th
War Mind 1
+4
+5
+2
+3
Concentration +3 (7), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search 6, Sense Motive 6, Spellcraft 1
-
Chain of Personal Superiority +2, Manifesting


6th
War Mind 2
+5
+6
+3
+3
Autohypnosis +1 (1), Concentration +2 (9), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search 6, Sense Motive 6, Spellcraft 1
Heavy Armor Optimization
Chain of Defensive Posture +2


7th
War Mind 3
+6
+6
+3
+4
Autohypnosis +2 (3), Concentration +1 (10), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search 6, Sense Motive 6, Spellcraft 1
-
Enduring Body DR 1/-


8th
War Mind 4
+7
+7
+4
+4
Autohypnosis +2 (5), Concentration +1 (11), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search 6, Sense Motive 6, Spellcraft 1
-
-


9th
War Mind 5
+8
+7
+4
+4
Autohypnosis +2 (7), Concentration +1 (12), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search 6, Sense Motive 6, Spellcraft 1
Deflective Armor
Sweeping Strike


10th
War Mind 6
+9
+8
+5
+5
Autohypnosis +2 (9), Concentration +1 (13), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search 6, Sense Motive 6, Spellcraft 1
-
Enduring Body DR 2/-


11th
Vengeance Knight 1
+10
+10
+5
+5
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration 13, Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +3 (9), Sense Motive 6, Spellcraft 1
-
Armor Training, Bringer of Vengeance +1


12th
Vengeance Knight 2
+11
+11
+5
+5
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration +2 (15), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (10), Sense Motive 6, Spellcraft 1
Martial Study (Diamond Mind) (Moment of Perfect Mind), Improved Shield Bash
Counterstrike +1, Improved Shield Bash


13th
Vengeance Knight 3
+12
+11
+6
+6
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration +1 (16), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (11), Sense Motive +1 (7), Spellcraft 1
Shield Specialization (Heavy)
Bonus Feat


14th
Vengeance Knight 4
+13
+12
+6
+6
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration +1 (17), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (12), Sense Motive +1 (8), Spellcraft 1
-
Arcane Backlash 1d6


15th
Vengeance Knight 5
+14
+12
+6
+6
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration +1 (18), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (13), Sense Motive +1 (9), Spellcraft 1
Shield Ward
Bringer of Vengeance +2


16th
Vengeance Knight 6
+15
+13
+7
+7
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration +1 (19), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (14), Sense Motive +1 (10), Spellcraft 1
-
Improved Armor Training


17th
Vengeance Knight 7
+16
+13
+7
+7
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration +1 (20), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (15), Sense Motive +1 (11), Spellcraft 1
-
Arcane Backlash 2d6


18th
Vengeance Knight 8
+17
+14
+7
+7
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration +1 (21), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (16), Sense Motive +1 (12), Spellcraft 1
Shield Sling
Counterstrike +2


19th
Vengeance Knight 9
+18
+14
+8
+8
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration +1 (22), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (17), Sense Motive +1 (13), Spellcraft 1
Greater Heavy Armor Optimization
Bonus Feat, Bringer of Vengeance +3


20th
Vengeance Knight 10
+19
+15
+8
+8
Autohypnosis 9, Concentration +1 (23), Intimidate 7, Knowledge (History) 2, Knowledge (Psionics) 8, Open Lock 1, Ride 6, Search +1 (18), Sense Motive +1 (14), Spellcraft 1
-
Arcane Backlash 3d6, Superior Armor Training



Power points:
ECL 1-4: 3
ECL 5: 3 + 2 + 1 = 6
ECL 6: 3 + 5 + 2 = 10
ECL 7: 3 + 9 + 3 = 15
ECL 8: 3 + 14 + 4 = 21
ECL 9: 3 + 20 + 5 = 28
ECL 10+: 3 + 28 + 6 = 37

Powers known by level:
5: Expansion
6: Call Item
8: Psionic Lion's Charge
10: Telekinetic Boomerang

Q: So, what is this?
A: A vengeance knight! A warrior who derives tons of benefits from wearing armor and using a shield, makes use of the vengeance knight's unique skill list, and shores up the class's obvious weaknesses in one synergistic package.

Q: What's up with those classes?
A: War Mind was picked because Sweeping Strike has a ton of synergy with vengeance knight. I really wanted to get 3rd-level powers, which required going Primary Contact to get an extra level of war mind in there, but the way that feat is read it doesn't permanently increase your skill cap so I had to figure out a way to take a feat at my 4th HD. Dragonborn was out for alignment reasons, Desert Wind Dodge didn't appeal, and marshal doesn't synergize particularly well with our build, so Savant was the obvious path to take. At that point, I still needed a class that got me weapon focus as a bonus feat, full BAB, and heavy armor proficiency, which pretty much forced me into fighter, especially when I realized I could take Resolute with my second level.

Q: That's cool, but do you think you maybe... forgot something? Something kind of big? Something that should really be in your build?
A: I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about.

Q: Iron Will! It's a prerequisite for the SECRET INGREDIENT, and you didn't take it anywhere! And I'm asking this as part of an expository Q&A section you wrote, so clearly you didn't simply forget, but where is it?
A: Ohhh, that. We don't need it.

Q: You very much do.
A: That's not a question! And no, we don't, we're a synad. Synads get +2 to Will because of their Threefold Mind ability, so why would we bother taking a feat that does the exact same?

Q: Replicating the effect of a feat exactly does not automatically qualify you for anything that requires that feat.
A: Still not a question. Anyway, check Masters of the Wild, page 20, 'virtual feats' header.

Q: "If a character has a class feature or special ability that exactly duplicates the effects of a feat, then he or she can use that “virtual feat” as a prerequisite for other feats, as well as prestige classes, and so forth..." wait WHAT?
A: Pretty obscure, huh? Anyway, Threefold Mind (+2 to Will) exactly duplicates the effect of Iron Will (+2 to Will), and so we can use it to qualify for anything that requires Iron Will. Remember that next time you're building an incantatrix!

Q: Why not just use the Otyugh Hole?
A: If I ever submit a build where I use that cheesy garbage you can safely assume the old me is dead and this account is now being operated by some manner of perfidious inheritor.

Level 5
We can do a little bit of everything at this level. We've got solid melee accuracy and to-hit (Weapon Focus makes up for the one lost point of BAB), we already have some manifesting thanks to war mind early entry (and three racial PP to stretch it for longer), we can activate Chain of Personal Superiority to get a strength/constitution bonus 3/day, and we can roll with +16 to Sense Motive thanks to Inquisitor, making us the party interrogator and giving us a very clear role in social encounters. Academic Lore will fall off later, but currently it means we essentially have +3 to arbitrary knowledges (with another +2 from Synad if needed).

We have Trapfinding and Search, but no Disable Device. Fortunately, disabling traps is rarely as hard as finding them: just roll a barrel into the trigger, plug the arrow/spear exit holes with thick resin, improvise a bridge over a pit, or point out where the party caster should aim her Dispel. It's a little bit make-do, but should serve well enough.

Our Will save is very good compared to other martials. Being a Synad gives us +2, Favored in Guild adds +2 to resist compulsions that'd make us act against our faith, 1/day Synad can add another +2 after we find out we barely fail, and Resolute lets us reassign half our BAB to Will to get another +2 when absolutely needed.

The last feature worth explaining is Skill Assistance. I picked Ride because it's one of those skills where when someone needs it, everyone needs it, and sharing our ranks puts a lot of important checks in reach of untrained PCs. It's a bit awkward positioning-wise, but if four horses ride in a square formation, you can extend a bonus to three other riders. And hey, you don't want anyone in the party fumble that DC 5 guide-with-knees or stay-in-saddle check and waste a full turn of actions; now even the 6-dex dragonborn cleric is safe.

Level 10
War Mind has been finished! We pick up a ton of power points (if we'd gone straight psiwar, we would have about the same number at this point), another nice free-action 3/day boost, DR 2/-, and the powerful Sweeping Strike, which doubles our damage output if any foes are adjacent to others. War Mind levels boosted our lacking Reflex, and with Heavy Armor Optimization and Deflective Armor, we now get +9 AC out of full plate (before enhancement bonuses) which applies to our touch AC in full.

Our powers are pretty standard; Expansion because it's amazing, Psionic Lion's Charge to deal damage on turns we need to move (it's also a good candidate to dump a bunch of extra PP on), Call Item offers a ton of on-demand utility (I'd like a vial of trollbane, I'd like some masterwork lockpicks, I'd like a rowboat), and Telekinetic Boomerang to have a slightly better ranged backup option (don't worry, we'll put it to work soon enough).

Level 15
Sweeping Strike interacts hilariously with Bringer of Vengeance and Counterstrike. Because a sweeping strike is still a single attack and has a single attack (and presumably damage) roll, if we target two enemies, and either is our vengeance target or damaged us last turn, the relevant bonus essentially applies to both. If your target of vengeance is standing next to a guy who attacked you last turn, and you sweeping strike them, that's going to be +5 to hit and damage against both, rather than a portion of that against one.

Improved Shield Bash and Shield Specialization are bonus feats, and with them we take Shield Ward, so our Touch AC is now equal to our normal AC and we get a big bonus on checks to resist tripping/grappling/bull rushing/disarming/overrunning as well (especially if we find a magic shield). Tremble in fear, poor-BAB wizards!

Moment of Perfect Mind lets us keep advancing Concentration even as we head into a class that doesn't grant it, and more notably lets us auto-succeed a Will save once per encounter (1d20+19 should typically be enough, but you can always blow your psionic focus to take 15 if needed). Combined with Resolute, we should ideally never fail a Will save again... which gives Arcane Backlash lots of chances to trigger (our Fortitude was pretty good already, and needs no further boosts, and reflex saves rarely do worse than HP damage are almost never single-target anyway).

Level 20
Sweeping Strike is pretty cool, but it relies on foes clustering. What if they're all scattered over the battlefield? You could just Psionic Lion's Charge over to one, but maybe multiple enemies demand attention. In that case, manifest Telekinetic Boomerang and full attack by throwing your shield, to get four instances of damage / trip attempts and still end up with the shield back in your hand. If you've already manifested the power, this is a good option after shrugging off a spell with Resolute; +10 BAB and +1 dex isn't anything to write home about, but for ranged touch attacks it's more than sufficient, and tripping two foes while you get back on your feet (or tripping one and repositioning) is better than nothing. The shield has a pretty impressive 100 ft. range, too, so we can use it to foil escape attempts. And remember: if we trip a flying creature, it immediately crashes and takes a ton of damage; quite useful, as lots of flight-granting effects don't work for heavily armored characters, so we need some way to bring fliers down to our level.

Armor Training has been a bit underutilized so far, but now we have the third-tier benefit, it shines. The vengeance knight capstone reduces ACP by -5, and then (Greater) Heavy Armor Optimization reduces it by another 3. The ACP of a Masterwork suit of Mountain Plate is -8... so we fully negate it, which means we can wear this insanely powerful armor without actually needing proficiency and get +12 AC (which also applies to touch) out of it. Its speed reduction is even greater than that of full plate, but Armor Training helps with that little problem as well, and even lets us don the armor faster. And if we really need help getting across the battlefield, horses are cheap and dragging a bunch of horses with you is actually pretty historically accurate to knights.

Concentration is up to +24 (39 if we take 15), Search is now enough to find any simple trap even if we're hastily searching and roll a 1 (if we have the time to take 20, even the hardest traps should be trivial to locate), and Sense Motive is a respectable +26 if you make use of Inquisitor (+29 against your target). Those aren't common skills to see on a full BAB warrior, and it's only thanks to vengeance knight granting them in-class that we can use them so well. Remember to use Search to check captured foes for hidden weapons, too!

Where a normal warrior would fold to will-targeting effects, we shrug them off and hurt the caster in return. Where a normal warrior would collapse to a Maximized Shivering Touch, we parry it with our shield and keep fighting. And where combat ends and the fighter goes quiet, we start detecting traps, lies, and secret doors for the benefit of the party, while summoning up any random item someone might need. And all throughout it, we maintain the pure flavor of Vengeance Knight: a heavily-armored warrior who can't be bargained with, can't be reasoned with, and will let nothing stop her to reach her target and enact vengeance.


Synad - Complete Psionic
Savant - Dragon Compendium
Resolute ACF - Complete Champion
War Mind - Expanded Psionics Handbook
Vengeance Knight - Champions of Ruin

Inquisitor - Expanded Psionics Handbook
Favored in Guild - Cityscape
Primary Contact - Cityscape
Heavy Armor Optimization - Races of Stone
Deflective Armor - Races of Stone
Martial Study - Tome of Battle
Shield Specialization - Player's Handbook II
Shield Ward - Player's Handbook II
Shield Sling - Player's Handbook II
Greater Heavy Armor Optimization - Races of Stone

Expansion - Expanded Psionics Handbook
Psionic Lion's Charge - Expanded Psionics Handbook
Call Item - online (https://web.archive.org/web/20030905230147/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030829a)
Telekinetic Boomerang - Races of the Wild

[The Viscount]

A powerful demonstration about the shortest distance between two points.



Nicos, the Hedgehog
https://assets.mycast.io/characters/54131_normal.jpg?1536808567


Alignment : NE
Race : Lesser, Gray Dwarf
Level 1 : Magic in the Blood, WF (Spiked Shield) (Fighter Bonus)
Level 3 : Iron Will, Skill Focus (Intimidate) (Zhentarim Bonus)
Level 4 : Power Attack (Fighter Bonus)
Level 5 : WF (Shadow Hand Weapons)
Level 6 : WF (Spiked Armor)
Level 8 : Improved Shield Bash (Vengeance Knight Bonus)
Level 9 : Improved Bull Rush, Blood-Spiked Charger (Vengeance Knight Bonus)
Level 12 : Knockback
Level 15 : Shock Trooper, Shield Charge (Vengeance Knight Bonus)
Level 18 : Mage Slayer


Point Buy at level 1
STR 18
DEX 10
CON 16 +2
INT 12
WIS 8
CHA 8 -4

All level increases in Str



The Zhentarim and the Knights of the Shield have joined hands with a specific goal in mind; expanding their influence underground.
They’ve recruited the best among the dwellers of the underdark to fashion elite soldiers to enforce their ruthless “mercantile tactics”. Nicos, aka the Hedgehog, is among the best knights they have.
Most of the time his reputation precedes him, and simple intimidation tactics are enough to scare the lost lambs back into the ranks. As for those that do put up a fight, they’re a good occasion for Nicos to earn his reputation…
Tales of a spiked ball of stone bouncing from one victim to another, smashing them into the embrace of Mother Earth are traveling fast in the Underdark, so fast that the joint venture of the two obscure guilds is closer than ever to its final goal.
The sudden rise in power of the two organizations reveals the ambition of the Shield Council members as well as the greed of the Chosen of Bane. Dissension starts to show, in small matters at first but ends up creating political feuds among the alliance.

Nicos being a Vengeance Knight as well as a Zhentarim soldier will have to side with one of them or ascend to being the one to reforge the alliance with his hand of steel.


LevelClassBase Attack BonusFort SaveReflex SaveWill SaveSkillsFeatsClass Features
1stFighter 11200Intimidate (+2) 2; Know (Religion) (+2 CC) 1; Ride (+4) 4; Sense Motive (+4 CC) 2; Magic in the Blood, Weapon Focus (Spiked Shield) (Fighter Bonus)Bonus Feat
2ndFighter 22300Balance (+2 CC) 1; Intimidate (+1) 3; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Dungeon Crasher ACF
3rdZhentarim Soldier 33311Balance (+2 CC) 2; Intimidate (+1) 4; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Iron Will, Skill Focus (Intimidate)Bonus Feat
4thFighter 44411Balance (+2 CC) 3; Intimidate (+1) 5; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Power Attack (Fighter Bonus)Bonus Feat
5thSwordsage 14433Balance (+3) 6; Concentration (+1) 1; Intimidate (+3) 8; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Weapon Focus (Shadow Hand)Quick to Act +1, Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus)
6thCrusader 15633Balance (+3) 9; Concentration (+1) 2; Intimidate (+1) 9; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Weapon Focus (Spiked Armor)Furious Counterstrike, Steely Resolve
7thVengeance Knight 16833Balance (+2 CC) 10; Concentration 2; Intimidate (+1) 10; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Armor Training, Bringer of Vengeance +1
8thVengeance Knight 27933Balance (+2 CC) 11; Concentration 2; Intimidate (+1) 11; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Improved Shield Bash (Vengeance Knight Bonus)Counterstrike +1, Improved Shield Bash
9thVengeance Knight 38944Balance (+2 CC) 12; Concentration 2; Intimidate (+1) 12; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Improved Bull Rush, Blood-Spiked Charger (Vengeance Knight Bonus)Bonus Feat
10thVengeance Knight 491044Balance (+2 CC) 13; Concentration 2; Intimidate (+1) 13; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Arcane Backlash 1d6
11thVengeance Knight 5101044Balance 13; Concentration (+2 CC) 3; Intimidate (+1) 14; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Bringer of Vengeance +2
12thVengeance Knight 6111155Balance 13; Concentration (+2 CC) 4; Intimidate (+1) 15; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; KnockbackImproved Armor Training
13thVengeance Knight 7121155Balance 13; Concentration (+2 CC) 5; Intimidate (+1) 16; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Arcane Backlash 2d6
14thVengeance Knight 8131255Balance 13; Concentration (+2 CC) 6; Intimidate (+1) 17; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Counterstrike +2
15thVengeance Knight 9141266Balance 13; Concentration (+2 CC) 7; Intimidate (+1) 18; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Shock Trooper, Shield Charge (Vengeance Knight Bonus)Bonus Feat, Bringer of Vengeance +3
16thDeepstone Sentinel 1141466Balance 13; Concentration (+2) 9; Intimidate (+1) 19; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Mountain Fortress Stance, Passwall
17thDeepstone Sentinel 2151566Balance 13; Concentration (+2) 11; Intimidate (+1) 20; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Crashing Mountain Juggernaut
18thCrusader 2161666Balance 13; Concentration 11; Intimidate (+1) 21; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Spellcraft (+4 CC) 2; Mage SlayerIndomitable Will
19thCrusader 3171677Balance 13; Concentration (+4) 15; Intimidate (+1) 22; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Spellcraft 2; Zealous Surge
20thVengeance Knight 10181677Balance 13; Concentration (+2 CC) 16; Intimidate (+1) 23; Know (Religion) 1; Ride 4; Sense Motive 2; Spellcraft 2; Arcane Backlash 3d6, Superior Armor Training



Level 1 – 5
Gray Dwarf, even the lesser version, comes with a lot of goodies.
The SI here needs us to be:
Evil (check)
Able to manage Heavy Armor (check)
Have the Con to take a beating (check)
Have strong resilience vs spells (check)
Furthermore, the Enlarge Person (3/d thanks to Magic in the Blood) gives us an edge in fights.
Our first levels are straight Fighter in heavy armor, probably packing Dwarven armor (A&EG) or even a Thaalud Stone (Anauroch) if we can afford it. The default Sword & Board with a Heavy shield (Martial Weapon) and a short sword (light weapon). Most of the time the short sword stays in the shield sheath (RoS) and comes out when you use Wolf Fang Strike for instance.
A detour by the Zhentarim guild to get Skill Focus (Intimidate) which balances out our tanked charisma.
Dungeon Crasher ACF is really cool for 4d6 + 2xStr, especially when we are Large. With the SI being all about numbers, we have a bunch with multiple Weapon Foci and Power Attack.
Swordsage brings up some nice options since our IL is 3 we get to pick goodies like Mountain Hammer and Action Before Thought while also meeting our Weapon Focus (any sword) prereq with the Discipline Focus.
Charging Minotaur makes our Dungeon Crasher overdrive at 6d6 + 3xStr (close enough to the next level of the ability). Finally, Enlarge Person and the Stonefoot Stance can help us with the bull rushing if allowed to be activated after having moved and before attacking during the charge action (which is RAW approved).
Level 5 – 10
A dip in Crusader to pick up Charging Minotaur (yes, it’s that good) and Mountain Hammer again.
Most importantly, Battle Leader’s Charge strike and Leading the Charge stance combine very well for the charging heavy armored tank feeling we have going on. Sudden Leap (Swordsage) is a swift action useful to set up the actual charge.
Shield block is yet another reason to carry a shield (not even the best one yet).
Furious Counterstrike and the Steely Resolve pool will synergize well with the Counterstrike ability from the SI.
Speaking of which, we enter Vengeance Knight, lowering the armor penalty (making Thaalud Stone Armor cozier).
Improved Shield Slam is very useful for the combo that comes online at this level:
Blood-Spiked Charger is ON (thanks to Vengeance Knight’s Bonus Feat)!
We can charge into the air in a ball of spikes to smash the heathen our order (Knights of the Shield) deemed worthy of our wrath, smacking him hard with both the shield and the armor spikes without even losing our Shield AC.
Improved Bull Rush benefits our Enlarge Person/Charging Minotaur/Dungeon Crasher tactic.
Finally, Arcane Backlash shows up. Gray Dwarf gives us a racial +2 to saves vs spells and SLAs.
Fort is covered, the two problematic saves are addressed by two maneuvers. Our Concentration skill isn’t very high for now but simply because it’s Con-based, we gain a significant chance to save; numbers don’t lie.
Level 10 – 15
Full Vengeance Knight section, we pump Bringer of Vengeance, Armor training, Arcane Backlash and Counterstrike; nothing new under the sun but all our tactics get better numbers. Worth mentioning is the increasing Concentration skill that makes our saves much better, allowing Arcane Backlash to trigger more often.
Otoh, we get Knockback, Shock Trooper and Shield Charge for feats and that is gold!
If When you charge as a Large person, drop your sword and take the shield two-handed (raw ok since a heavy spiked shield counts as a one-handed weapon). As a ball rising into the air, you can tank your AC instead of your BAB which means you probably hit. As you do, you trigger Knockback which unleashes the bullrush/Dungeon Crasher combo (and adds twice the PA penalty as a bonus to the bullrush while you’re at it). You can also redirect the actual bullrush making the “smashing into a wall” technique much easier (or even into his allies).
And since you charged with a shield, you get a free trip attempt thanks to Shield Charge (which benefits from you being bigger).
Meanwhile, our Intimidation skill increases steadily picking up the slack from our charisma.
Level 15 – 20
Entering Deepstone Sentinel for 2 levels.
Mountain Fortress Stance is a great improvement over Stonefoot Stance; we can now add some crowd control effect over our standard “move over there” and “fall right here” tactics. Enemies cannot 5-foot step away from you or charge anyone. What’s more if they eat their AoO and move out, they have to make a DC10 Balance check or fall prone. Passwall 2/d can have its niche uses (pun intended), especially so since we spend most our time underground, but the golden goose here is Crashing Mountain Juggernaut.
See the problem with charging build is they get to do it once per enemy and while it’s viable against mobs of mooks, it’s lacking against a BBEG. The stance solves this by letting you come in like a wrecking (spiked) ball on your target while they’re adjacent to you, triggering all the usual tactics (Shock Trooper, Blood-Spiked Charger, Knockback and Dungeon Crasher).
What’s more, we improve our Mountain Hammer to the Elder version which is pretty cool to picture ; smashing a target for an extra 6d6, sending them into a wall for another 2d6 + 2xStr.
Speaking of maneuvers, we’re finishing with Crusader levels to capitalize on our high(ish) IL. We improve Battle (+10 dmg) into War Leader’s Charge (+35 dmg) and numbers don’t lie.
Finally, the real goal was to get the Perfect Order stance which allows us to net an 11 on any d20 roll, once per round. Saves come to mind to benefit from Arcane Backlash almost certainly, Bullrushing/tripping can use it too not to mention attacks.
Crusader also offers a chance to reroll a save, 1/d which is yet another Arcane Backlash safe guard.
Finally, Mage Slayer adds another great type of CC ; the you’d-better-not-cast-in-my-10ft-reach kind. They can eat Arcane Backlash and an AoO if they try any funny business on you. (The -4 to CL is insignificant at these levels since our SLA’s CL is 2xClass Levels)
The optimal situation is :
You Intimidate the specific target you’ve been tasked with handling (Large, max ranks, Skill Focus), they refuse arrest, cast a damaging (AoE for instance) arcane spell that you save against.
Then you charge them with all you’ve got (Counterstrike, Furious Counterstrike, Bringer of Vengeance all add up), hit them with your two-handed shield (and maybe your spiked armor), smashing them into a wall, switching your stance to make the terrain difficult and to be able to charge again next round.



- Thaalud Stone armor is the best you can get. It fits the Stone Dragon thing we’ve got going on with Deepstone Sentinel.
- Adding the Valorous (Unapproachable East) enhancement to your spiked shield can deal a lot of damage since you’re always charging and adding 2xStr to damage.



- Battle/War Leader’s Charge/Charging Minotaur/Crushing Mountain Juggernaut all use a charge during the “full round action” which triggers Shock Trooper, Blood-Spiked Charger, Knockback (which means Dungeon Crasher) so you can have your cake and eat it too.

- The DMG p33 has a sidebar about using different key abilities for some skills in specific situations. I’m thinking a Large heavy spiked armor Dwarf continuously smashing enemies into a pulp should grant an Intimidate Str-based check but that’s just me.

- The SI is integrated fully in the build (as shown in Level 1 - 5) and 3 free feats do a lot for us, with actual class features to boot. The ToB feeling complements the mechanics pretty well but can’t carry all the weight by themselves.

- Vengeance Knight, Zhentarim Soldier, Thaalud Stone armor, the Valorous weapon enhancement and the Lesser Gray Dwarf race are all from Faerûn which gives me a very satisfactory feeling. Thought I’d share it.

- Qualifying as Large or larger for Knockback with the Enlarge Person SLA seems very okay to me. Of course you can only use the feat while you are indeed large but that can happen enough times in a day (and for [2xLevel-4] min) that it’s useful. If you have a pedantic DM, just have it Permanencied.



SRD – Feats
Anauroch – Thaalud Stone armor
Player’s Guide to Faerun – Magic in the Blood, Lesser Gray Dwarf
Champion of Ruin – Knight of Vengeance, Zhentarim Soldier
Lords of Darkness – Knights of the Shield (Organization)
Tome of Battle – Swordsage, Crusader, Deepstone Sentinel, maneuvers
Races of Stone – Knockback
Complete Warrior – Shock Trooper, Shield Charge
PHBII – Blood-Spiked Charger
Dungeonscape - Dungeon Crasher
Complete Arcana - Mage Slayer

[The Viscount]

If you don't cut loose yourself, he'll do it for you.



Lo-Kag “Loosefoot” Gathakanathi
Heretic pactmaker. Deniable mercenary. Professional dancer.

NE Goliath Wolf Totem Barbarian 2 / Binder 4 / Knight of the Sacred Seal 3 / Vengeance Knight 10


"No child of mine is going to become a DANCER!" thundered Vimak Boarbreaker Gathakanathi. His lithoderm-speckled hands roughly grasped Lo-Kag by the shoulders and shook the boy about, while fury that rivalled the fiercest thunderstorms crashed through his eyes. Two sets of plate armor - the most prized product of their tribe's trade with dwarvenkind - noisily clanked together, but father and son ignored the clamor both.

"But dad..." began Lo-Kag, before thinking better of it. They'd been here too many times to count; what use was there in rehashing the conversation all over again?

"No buts! A proud goliath of our tribe, dancing. Like some kind of elf, or worse, a- a, one of those, uh, a bundle of sticks!"

"What?" that bit was new. Lo-Kag eyed his sputtering father uncomprehendingly.

"A... a fairy! Those feys! Don't think I haven't seen you sneak outside on moonlit nights, staring down into the valley, watching them dance their silly dances. That's how you got those ideas, wasn't it?"

"...the dryads of the mountain pines?"

"Exactly!" confirmed Vimak, clearly a bit embarrassed at forgetting the correct word, and eager to rush on to avoid showing so. "You must know, son, that it's only because of us, proud defenders of the passes, that they get to engage in all that frivolity. We, alike the proud mother-wolf guarding her cubs, are burdened with a glorious purpose, which..."

Ah, it was time for the glorious purpose speech again. They were going to be here for a while.

---------------------------------------

"And now he's actually got the shaman on his side, too! They've actually been running divinations on how much I'm wearing the armor each day, and if it doesn't add up he makes me stand guard all night; all so I won't sneak off and practice dancing! I don't even get to take it off while sleeping!"

The mutilated man, limbs replaced with sword-blades, face stretched across the side of his dented head continued his whirling dance, hopping from one leg to another, to an arm, to a leg again. Dark lines of upturned earth cut through the loose dirt beneath him, forming a complex sign that somehow remained undisturbed by his acrobatics.

Paimon did not speak often; his voice was garbled and unsteady, his attention too occupied by his complex dances. But for an instant, he paused, turned towards Lo-Kag, and remarked:

"Kid, I got half my body replaced by sheets of steel; you think that stopped me from dancing everyone under the table? Bulk isn't what matters: you just gotta know how to carry the momentum."

"How?" muttered Lo-Kag helplessly. But the vestige spoke no more, lost in its own dance, twirling and twirling ever faster before disappearing from view entirely. A gust of wind blew the seal away while Lo-Kag slowly, experimentally, flexed his fingers and toes, shifted his weight from one foot to another with unusual yet familiar ease. He raked his mind for strange new influences, found none: a good pact, then.

With Paimon, they somehow always were.

---------------------------------------

Lo-Kag was nervous.

In a way, this was very natural. Lo-Kag was performing in front of dozens and dozens of the city's most important nobles. Poorer men and women (or, at any rate, drunker ones) might have accepted mediocrity, but a man whose time is worth hundreds of gold pieces per hour tends to get quite upset when he feels he's getting ripped off. The show was going smoothly, but Lo-Kag found it hard to assume his fellow dancers were not at least a little anxious as well. The troupe needed the money; he wasn't the only runaway of their number.

On the other hand, his fellow dancers presumably weren't plotting an assassination.

Lady Patricia Morgenstern, guildmistress of something-or-another, patroness of the arts, highly-paying customer of the information-broking Knights of the Shield. Well, that last thing only until quite recently, when she'd decided to sell out her contacts and get the corrupt guard to funnel her investments back to her.

The dance ended, a polite round of applause echoed through the hall, and Lo-Kag waited for the rest of his troupe to step offstage before following them. The attendants' gazes were wandering again, their interest in the dancers gone once they'd ceased to be entertaining. Lo-Kag feigned some issue with his shoe (which, to be fair, was hardly nonexistent - the troupe's outfits maxed out several sizes below his) and stooped behind a table, out of sight of the guests.

Twelve seconds passed while the guests chattered on.

The table was flung aside, sending multicolored cocktails and impeccably prepared cuts of meat to splatter against the wall. An elaborately carved wooden leg barely failed to brain anyone, then hit a pillar and shattered to pieces.

Charging out from behind was a nine-foot-tall warrior, armored head to toe in clanking plate steel, brandishing a long flexible sword that looked suspiciously like the belt worn by the lead dancer in the performance just now. Two guards, too slow to react, he barreled past, but two others stepped between him and his target, halberds outstretched.

Don't hesitate. Don't halt. Carry the momentum...

Lo-Kag dropped into a ball, rolling along the ground rather than crashing crudely into it. The guards' halberds, unprepared for the maneuver, missed by a mile. Lo-Kag extended his legs, bounded out of the head roll, and resumed his charge - now with no one between him and the guildmistress.

A slash of the sword, and his target fell. Two more, and the onrushing guards found themselves tumbling towards the floor. Several guests fled in a frenzy, others took cover behind tables and curtains. Lo-Kag leapt out of the window, caught hold of the upper frame, and swung himself up and out of sight without apparent issue - a single pathetic crossbow bolt bounced harmlessly off of his greaves.

By the time the guards had picked themselves up, secured the scene, and sent a patrol to the roof, Lo-Kag had already escaped along an impeccably planned route. Within minutes, the goliath was rushing out the gate on the fastest horse in town, assured of a well-filled purse for his efforts.

Vengeance had been taken.

---------------------------------------

Hundreds of armored goliaths, clad in shining armor and brandishing dwarvencraft weapons, clashed with the dragonspawn horde. Squat redspawn belched fire, hordes of whitespawn flapped down from narrow ridges, and a fearsome bluespawn godslayer was engaged in melee with three or four warriors at once. Shield walls and pike hedges held the dragonspawn at bay as units of gargantuan barbarians smashed into their flanks, dwarven clerics rushed to heal where they were needed most. The defenders were winning - at terrible cost, but still.

But not all defenders were. Surrounded by foes, back to a cliffside, bodies of his comrades at his feet, there fought Vimak Gathakanathi, axe in hand. With the last of his strengths, he raised his axe once more - to slay one foe, just one more foe, surely he could do that - only to watch, in bafflement, as a spinning shadow emerged from the enemies' ranks.

Unimpeded by the layers of metal plate that enveloped his body, tall and proud and strong, wielding a whiplike sword that slashed at throats and twisted around legs, bounding, no, dancing across the battlefield, was his son, a trail of bodies in his wake.

"Greetings, father!" bellowed Lo-Kag. There was joy in that voice - more than Vimak had ever heard before. The whip-sword flashed again, two more spawn fell to their feet, one didn't try to get up again. A whitespawn dove down, serrated knife outstretched, but Lo-Kag parried with his shield - inscribed with some strange curling symbol, Vimak saw. "I have returned from the humans, who taught me much and paid me much!"

"My... my son! I..."

"You what?" was the mock-puzzled response. "You're surprised?"

"I... yes, well, I-"

"To see me dance so well, father? Or see me fight so well?"

"I... that doesn't matter! Just... keep going like that and we might be able to get back to the main force! Watch out for tha-"

The sword spun again, smashed into an iceskidder's side, buried itself three inches deep with a sickening tearing noise. Seconds later, Lo-Kag's armored body twisted round once more and pulled it out of the wound.

"I have a request, father."

"We don't have time for that!"

"Tell me you can see this, and what it means. Tell me you were wrong about what I chose to spend my time on."

"...fine! I was wrong! Your stupid, flashy, fey movements are what's keeping us alive right now! You're the greatest dancer that the goliath people have ever known! Now get me-"

"Oh, father dear." grinned Lo-Kag, greatest dancer the goliath people had ever known. "I'm glad your final words are so kind."

And at once, the armored giant took a step away, nimbly clambered up the cliff, crushed a stray stoneglider beneath his gauntlet, and disappeared over the rim, never to be seen again by any of his tribe.

Point-buy: 14 str, 14 dex, 12 con, 12 int, 10 wis, 16 cha
Racial modifiers: 18 str, 12 dex, 14 con, 12 int, 10 wis, 16 cha
All ASIs in strength.
Paimon gives +4 dexterity.
Rage gives +6 strength, +4 constitution.
Final stats while raging: 28 str, 16 dex, 18 con, 12 int, 10 wis, 16 cha

Languages: Common, Gol-Kaa, Giant

Note: Barbarian and Vengeance Knight both make use of the Skilled City-Dweller ACF.
Barbarian swaps Ride for Tumble and Survival for Sense Motive
Vengeance Knight swaps Ride for Tumble.



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


2nd
Goliath Barbarian 1
+1
+2
+0
+0
Climb 4, Jump 4, Intimidate 4, Sense Motive 4, Tumble 4
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Spinning Sword), Roofwalker
Illiteracy, Mountain Rage 1/day


3rd
Wolf Totem Barbarian 2
+2
+3
+0
+0
Climb +1 (5), Jump +1 (5), Intimidate +1 (5), Sense Motive +1 (5), Tumble +1 (5),
Improved Trip
-


4th
Binder 1
+2
+5
+0
+2
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (6), Knowledge (Arcana) +1 (1), Sense Motive +1 (6), Tumble 5
Extra Rage
Soul Binding (1 vestige)


5th
Binder 2
+3
+6
+0
+3
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (7), Knowledge (Arcana) +1 (2), Sense Motive +1 (7), Tumble 5
-
Pact Augmentation (1 vestige), Suppress Sign


6th
Binder 3
+4
+6
+1
+3
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (8), Knowledge (Arcana) +1 (3), Sense Motive +1 (8), Tumble 5
-
-


7th
Binder 4
+5
+7
+1
+4
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (9), Knowledge (Arcana) +2 (5), Sense Motive 8, Tumble 5
Weapon Focus (Spinning Sword), Improved Binding
-


8th
Knight of the Sacred Seal 1
+6/+1
+9
+1
+4
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (10), Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Sense Motive +2 (10), Tumble 5
-
Aligned Strike, Patron Vestige (Paimon)


9th
Knight of the Sacred Seal 2
+7/+2
+10
+1
+4
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (11), Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride +2 (2), Sense Motive 10, Tumble 5
-
Soul Binding (2 vestiges), Vestige's Protection


10th
Knight of the Sacred Seal 3
+8/+3
+10
+2
+5
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate 11, Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride +2 (4), Sense Motive +1 (11), Tumble 5
Iron Will
Vestige's Protection Aura


11th
Vengeance Knight 1
+9/+4
+12
+2
+5
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate 11, Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive 11, Tumble +3 (8)
-
Armor training, Bringer of Vengeance +1


12th
Vengeance Knight 2
+10/+5
+13
+2
+5
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate 11, Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive 11, Tumble +3 (11)
Improved Shield Bash
Counterstrike +1


13th
Vengeance Knight 3
+11/+6/+1
+13
+3
+6
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate 11, Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive 11, Tumble +3 (14)
Knock-Down, Shield Charge
Fighter Bonus Feat


14th
Vengeance Knight 4
+12/+7/+2
+14
+3
+6
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (12), Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive +1 (12), Tumble +1 (15)
-
Arcane Backlash 1d6


15th
Vengeance Knight 5
+13/+8/+3
+14
+3
+6
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (13), Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive +1 (13), Tumble +1 (16)
-
Bringer of Vengeance +2


16th
Vengeance Knight 6
+14/+9/+4
+15
+4
+7
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (14), Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive +1 (14), Tumble +1 (17)
Combat Reflexes
Improved Armor Training


17th
Vengeance Knight 7
+15/+10/+5
+15
+4
+7
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (15), Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive +1 (15), Tumble +1 (18)
-
Arcane Backlash 2d6


18th
Vengeance Knight 8
+16/+11/+6/+1
+16
+4
+7
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (16), Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive +1 (16), Tumble +1 (19)
-
Counterstrike +2


19th
Vengeance Knight 9
+17/+12/+7/+2
+16
+5
+8
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate +1 (17), Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive +1 (17), Tumble +1 (20)
Hardened Criminal (Tumble), Shield Slam
Bonus Feat, Bringer of Vengeance +3


20th
Vengeance Knight 10
+18/+13/+8/+3
+17
+5
+8
Climb 5, Jump 5, Intimidate 17, Knowledge (Arcana) 5, Ride 4, Sense Motive +1 (18), Tumble +2 (22)
-
Arcane Backlash 3d6, Superior Armor Training



ECL 5
It's hard to go wrong with goliath barbarian at these levels. Bump yourself up to Large size and 24 strength 3/day and go for a defensive crowd-control strategy using the one-handed reach spinning sword and a heavy shield. With 20 ft. reach and a 10 ft. square, and the near-guaranteed AoOs should keep your damage output higher than a 'normal' two-handed warrior can expect at this point. Protect your allies, beat face, and enjoy solid AC.

Binding is a little bit anemic at this point, but even first-level vestiges contribute a lot to out-of-combat utility. So, for that matter, do your skills: solid intimidate and sense motive combined with mobility and a little knowledge means you'll have something to attempt in nearly any situation. Remember that Intimidate has a size-based modifier and is thus augmented by powerful build, and that goliaths have a racial +2 to sense motive! And speaking of racial goliath skills, you can bring that huge strength to bear with your accelerated climbing and automatic running jumps, so when the terrain gets a little rough you'll have an easy time going about still. Free Roofwalker (Fast Movement doesn't work in heavy armor) helps in that department as well, giving us bonuses to resist fall damage and exploit elevation differences that should be useful in mountains and cities both.

(I didn't take Spirit Lion totem because we're already taking a differently-flavored totem's abilities, and besides this build has plenty of ways to move and make multiple attacks without resorting to charges)

ECL 10
Our intimidate ranks give us Improved Binding and thus let us bind Paimon. It's a match made in heaven, and so we immediately head into Knight of the Sacred Seal. Paimon gives us +4 dexterity (nice with our future Combat Reflexes) and uncanny dodge, plus a +4 tumble bonus (we're up to +12 before ACP, enough to slide into a flanking position with some regularity). Furthermore, Paimon gives us two abilities that let us attack large numbers of foes once - Dance of Death and Whirlwind Attack. KotSS itself grants evil-aligned attacks and bursts of charisma to AC and reflex, nicely shoring up our weakest saving throw and touch AC both.

We also get a second vestige! Typically, we'll combine Paimon with Savnok, who lets us summon a suit of +2 light fortification full plate (great if we're infiltrating places that armor is not allowed in, especially when you realize that spinning swords grant a hefty bonus on sleight of hand checks to disguise them as innocuous belts). Savnok also gives DR 3/piercing and a 20 ft. move action teleportation ability that we can chain into Dance of Death, letting us move 50 foot in a turn, knock most of our enemy forces prone, and set up shop in their midst.

Good alternative choices are Andras (who lets us summon a horse that benefits from our KotSS protection and gives a big bonus on ride checks, making fast/mount dismount a good option once we start reducing ACP), Malphas (who grants a great disposable scout in the form of a raven or dove) and Andromalius (who can cast Locate Object and See Invisibility at-will, grants a big bonus on sense motive, and gives us 2d6 sneak attack to reward our tumbling shenanigans).

ECL 15
In the SI: it took us a while to get all the requirements (we only got heavy armor proficiency upon entering KotSS, Weapon Focus was our ECL 7 feat, Iron Will our ECL 10), but we really do make good use of them all. Weapon Focus's been doing double duty in qualifying us for a different PrC before this one, Iron Will is going to show up again later, and Intimidate and Sense Motive are both skills that we enjoy double-digit bonuses to thanks to various racial traits and good investment.

Our core strategy is simple: use Dance of Death (and on later turns, Whirlwind Attack) to get a bunch of attacks boosted by your insane strength, Bringer of Vengeance, and Counterstrike, trivially hit the 10 damage for Knock-Down to engage, then make high-strength large-size trip attempts to knock the entire battlefield prone. Next turn, tripped foes will find themselves forced to spend a move action standing up and then another to move over to anyone they can actually hit (your reach lets you safely hit even Huge creatures without getting in their reach)... at which point you take your AoO, make another hit, get a free trip, and then get another free attack from Improved Trip. Combat Reflexes will come online next level and make all this even easier, but versus singular foes you're already at near-max potential (and against horde battles, Whirlwind Attack is actually pretty decent in itself!).

(As the above implies, we presumably can't use Improved Trip with Paimon's attack modes. However, the feat is still giving us +4 to any trip attempts we might choose to make, in addition to granting extra attacks on AoOs like normal and acting as a knock-down prerequisite, so we're getting plenty of use out of it even in fights where we whirlwind every round)

A core contradiction of Vengeance Knight is that it reduces ACP with Armor Training, but only offers two bad skills (and a single use of Ride) that are actually subject to this penalty. We use Skilled-City Dweller to grab Tumble and invest in it heavily, granting us a much more concrete benefit (between savnok-guaranteed masterwork and the -1 from armor training, full plate is down to a mere -4 ACP, and once we find/buy a masterwork heavy shield we can use it without penalty). Forging full plate, or adjusting it to fit a given character, is actually quite a pain by RAW (seriously, reread the entry), so being able to summon perfectly fitting suit at-will gives us a very solid bottom line.

With vestige-derived scouting ability (thanks, Malphas!), we should be able to reliably locate our targets out of combat, then use Dance of Death / charge / Move Ally to get near them once a fight starts. Two of the skills that Bringer of Vengeance boosts are heavily invested by us - not bad for a class with 2 + int skill points. Note that Sense Motive is explicitly called out as a skill that you can use your own modifier for even when the raven is the one making the observation!

We're somewhat more prone to getting use out of Counterstrike than most Vengeance Knights: not only does our fighting style provoke a few AoOs at times (don't worry, we have more than enough HP and battlefield control to take those hits) but we also funnel foes towards us, ensuring that if anyone on our side needs to get hurt, it's going to be the character who can turn that into a damage boost. On top of that, our sheer amount of attacks per round improves the benefit of all these static boosts.

Lastly, Arcane Backlash should trigger reasonably often, as we have insane Fortitude and a Will save (while raging, which is always) that wouldn't be out of place on a wizard, plus the battlefield presence and mobility to be a threat to self-interested and tactical mages both. It's still not a good class feature, but at least we're getting as much out of it as possible.

ECL 20
Improved armor training has reduced our ACP all the way down to zero while we're wearing masterwork full plate and carrying a heavy shield. Iron Will returns to qualify us for Hardened Criminal, rendering us immune to intimidation attempts and granting us the ability to take 10 on Tumble. We can now reliably (roll of 10, +22 ranks, +3 modifier, +2 synergy, +4 paimon = 41) make the DC 40 tumble DC to take a 10 ft. step and still full attack, or the DC 41 check to engage in accelerated tumbling through three enemies without provoking AoOs. Furthermore, the speed penalty of heavy armor is halved; this is something we're likely to use better than the average vengeance knight, because Dance of Death and Tumble both care about our speed a lot.

By this time, we should have pretty reliable access to a magic suit of armor better than what savnok can grant us, so that vestige is mostly relegated to infiltration missions. Our new default summon is Andromalius for sneak attack and utility reasons.

We also pick up Shield Slam, which lets us make a single shield attack as a full-round or charge action and force a whopping DC 28 saving throw vs daze against the foe hit (and if it was a charge, we're still getting a free trip attempt thanks to Shield Charge).


Goliath, Goliath Barbarian: RoS
Barbarian: PHB
Binder, Knight of the Sacred Seal: ToM
Vengeance Knight: CoR
Skilled City-Dweller, Roofwalker barbarian: Cityscape Web Enhancement (https://web.archive.org/web/20160612142357/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a)

Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Improved Trip, Weapon Focus, Iron Will, Combat Reflexes, Improved Shield Bash: PHB
Extra Rage, Shield Charge, Shield Slam: CWar
Knock-Down: S&F
Improved Binding: ToM
Roofwalker: CS
Hardened Criminal: City of Stormreach

Spinning Sword: SoS
Tumble Expanded Skill Usage: OA

[The Viscount]

It ain't Iron Chef without Unseelie Fey.


LE Winter Unseelie Fey Neanderthal
Seasonal ability is Winter Chill. Wings and vision aren’t central to the build. For the writeup, I’ll be assuming no/useless wings and low light vision, though if the fey gets to choose, wings are obviously better.

Ranger 2/Knight 4/ Rogue 2/Warrior Skald 1/Vengeance Knight 10/Warrior Skald +1


Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Ranger 1 1 2 2 0 Ride 4, Concentration 4, Sense Motive 2 (CC), Survival 4, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Spot 4 Track (B), Power Attack Wild Empathy, Favored Enemy (Humans)
2nd Ranger 2 2 3 3 0 Ride 5 (+1), Concentration 5 (+1), Sense Motive 2, Survival 5 (+1), Hide 5 (+1), Move Silently 5 (+1), Spot 5 (+1), Search 1 (+1) Two Weapon Fighting (B)
3rd Knight 1 3 3 3 2 Ride 5, Concentration 6 (+1) CC, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 5, Search 1, Intimidate 1 (+1) Iron Will Fighting Challenge +1, Knight's Challenge, Knight's Code
4th Knight 2 4 3 3 3 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 5, Search 1, Intimidate 4 (+3) Mounted Combat (B) Shield Block +1
5th Knight 3 5 4 4 3 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 5, Search 1, Intimidate 7 (+3) Bulwark of Defense
6th Knight 4 6 4 4 4 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 5, Search 1, Intimidate 8 (+1), Never Outnumbered Parrying Shield Medium Armor Mastery, Test of Mettle
7th Drow Adventurer Rogue 1 6 4 6 4 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 5, Search 1, Intimidate 8, Perform (Poetry) 9 (+9), Never Outnumbered Weapon Focus (Longsword) (B) Poison Use
8th Aventurer Rogue 2 7 4 7 4 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 5, Search 1, Intimidate 8, Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 9 (+9), Never Outnumbered Cleave (B) Evasion
9th Warrior Skald 1 8 6 9 4 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 5, Search 1, Intimidate 10 (+1), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12 (+3), Never Outnumbered Doomspeak Bardic Music
10th Vengeance Knight 1 9 8 9 4 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 5, Search 1, Intimidate 13 (+3), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered Armor training, Bringer of Vengeance +1
11th Vengeance Knight 2 10 9 9 4 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 7 (+2), Search 1, Intimidate 14 (+1), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered Improved Shield Bash (B) Counterstrike +1
12th Vengeance Knight 3 11 9 10 5 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 9 (+2), Search 1, Intimidate 15 (+1), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered Extra Music, Improved Cold Endurance (B)
13th Vengeance Knight 4 12 10 10 5 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 11 (+2), Search 1, Intimidate 16 (+1), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered Arcane Backlash 1d6
14th Vengeance Knight 5 13 10 10 5 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 13 (+2), Search 1, Intimidate 17 (+1), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered Bringer of Vengeance +2
15th Vengeance Knight 6 14 11 11 6 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 15 (+2), Search 1, Intimidate 18 (+1), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered Snowflake Wardance Improved Armor Training
16th Vengeance Knight 7 15 11 11 6 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 17 (+2), Search 1, Intimidate 19 (+1), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered Arcane Backlash 2d6
17th Vengeance Knight 8 16 12 11 6 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 19 (+2), Search 1, Intimidate 20 (+1), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered Counterstrike +2
18th Vengeance Knight 9 17 12 12 7 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 21 (+2), Search 1, Intimidate 21 (+1), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered Extra Music x2, Improved Toughness (B) Bringer of Vengeance +3
19th Vengeance Knight 10 18 13 12 7 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 22 (+1), Search 1, Intimidate 21, Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 12, Never Outnumbered, Clarity of Vision Superior Armor Training
20th Warrior Skald 2 19 14 13 7 Ride 5, Concentration 6, Sense Motive 2, Survival 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 23 (+1) CC, Search 1, Intimidate 23 (+2), Perform (Poetry) 9, Perform (Dance) 13 (+1), Never Outnumbered, Clarity of Vision Words of Rejeuvenation

Lorrish heaved a sigh of relief as he reached the doors of his hideout. Surely, the Knights of the Shield couldn’t find him here, and besides, his guards would protect him. He knocked and gave the password, but as his guards pulled open the door, he heard footsteps behind him. Trembling, he turned around. Behind him was the person he least wanted to see. Clad in blue, semi translucent armor, was Renir Straffsdottir, the top warrior of the Knight’s of the Shield. As he stood, frozen by fear, she assumed a dancer’s position, shield above her head, and sword pointed at his heart. He froze as guards rushed past him and towards her. Renir smiled as her swords and shield flashed, knocking down guard after guard. Lorrish could only stand, paralyzed by fear, as his last guard fell and Renir walked towards him. Renir slashed at him as he tried to draw his rapier. Before he could parry, her sword cut into his heart, and he felt death’s cold fingers embrace him. As Lorrish bled out, he heard Renir recite. “Those who earn the ire of my master find their way to hell faster.”

Renir watched her target fall. The fighting had been too easy. I never should have come south, she thought. The people here are weak. I haven’t had a real fight in ages. If I wasn’t bound by my oaths, I would be going home already. Behind her, Renir heard movement. A row of armored men filed into the alleyway. At their head was an armored figure carrying a massive halberd. “Renir Straffsdottir!” they shouted “You are accused of murder. Come with us. If you resist, we will be forced to strike you down.”
“Bring your arrows and your steel.” Renir replied. “But soon, my blades you shall feel.”
The watchmen charged, and Renir smiled as she began the dance of death again. Within ten seconds, five watchmen were dead by Renir’s feet and the rest were running. Cowards, she thought. They run before the fight is finished.
Renir pointed her sword at the leader of the watch. “Face me, coward!” she yelled. “Or do your oaths forbid you to go forward?”
Barbarians, she thought again. They run before I can make a proper challenge, forcing me to use slant rhymes. Still, these weak willed lowlanders never manage to resist even my half challenges.
The leader was much more skilled than their soldiers, and they managed to parry Renir first hits, even landing a cut on her shoulder. Still, her quick attacks slowly forced them back. The halberd of the guard kept Renir at bay, but she was able to dodge closer, forcing the guard to leap back. As they did, they swung their halberd in, and Renir parried with her longsword made of Stygian Ice. She met the blow, but the force of the parry shattered her sword, and the halberd bit into her shoulder, leaving a deep gash. Renir screamed and fell to one knee, hanging her head. The halberdier held their halberd to her neck.
“Pray that a merciful god finds your soul, murderer.” they recited.
As the halberdier prepared to deliver the final blow. With her injured, but still functional, right arm, she batted the shaft of the halberd away, and with her left, she slammed the razored shield just under the helmet of the guard. As the guard toppled over, dead, Renir recited the traditional litany to a worthy enemy. “You fought well, before your fall. Now your soul flies to Thrym’s hall.”
Alone in the alleyway, Renir walked away. That fight was worthy of my skills, she thought. Perhaps I didn’t make a mistake coming here.

Renir starts off life as a ranger with a weird stat spread. At first level, she wields a greatsword/greataxe, and then switches to longsword/shortsword at second. Neanderthal helps her scouting abilities, and unseelie fey lets her debuff her opponents in melee. At third level, Knight starts to allow Renir to use her charisma. She starts with several uses of Knight’s challenge, which helps her in melee. 4th and 5th level don’t change Renir’s tactics much, though Bulwark of defense at fifth does make her better at area control.
6th level brings Renir Test of Mettle, a key piece of her main combo. Winter chill makes it more effective, giving Renir a real ability to lock down her enemies. Never Outnumbered isn’t super useful in combat, but out of combat it helps Renir deal with mooks to help get to her main target. 7th and 8th level are mostly there to fill out pre-reqs, but Cleave, Poison Use, and Weapon Focus do help Renir’s offense a little. 9th level finishes the combo by adding Warrior Skald and Doomspeak to Renir’s repertoire. Doomspeak+Winter Chill+Test of Mettle makes it extremely hard for enemies to run away from Renir. At this level, she can only do the move once per day, but it is extremely effective. Without magic items, the DC for Doomspeak is 24 and the base DC for Test of Mettle is 17. Winter’s Chill and magic items both potentially make the DCs a lot more impressive. 10th level is when Renir starts the SI. First level brings us Bringer of Vengeance, helping us track down and find specific targets. The lockdown combo works well with this because once Renir has a target, she can make them fight her. Her tactics until 20th are defined by this combo, and as long as Renir is in combat with the person she is tracking, she’ll start fights with move action to get adjacent, then Doomspeak with her standard and Test of Mettle with her swift. After that, she melees her opponent.

With her main trick on line, Vengeance Knight mostly makes Renir better at fighting her opponent. Improved Shield Bash allows her to duel wield a longsword and razored heavy shield, at -4, but increasing her defense, and Counterstrike helps her when facing a single foe in a duel. At 12th, Extra Music lets her use her Doomspeak in most every fight, and possibly even have some uses left to inspire courage. Improved Cold Endurance is mostly there for flavor, but it does let Renir safely wear Blue Ice full plate and wield Stygian Ice weapons, both from Frostburn. Blue Ice is basically Mithral, but made of ice, and Stygian Ice has a chance of doing wisdom damage on a hit, as well as doing extra cold damage. The weapons tend to break quickly, but it is a quick damage increase for Renir. At 13th Renir gets Arcane Backlash, which improves her offense against spellcasters. 14th upgrades Bringer of Vengeance, which helps even more with her lockdown combo. 15th brings Snowflake Wardance, allowing Renir to use her charisma for attacking as well. A razored shield is important here because it allows her to use Snowflake Wardance with it. Improved Armor Training isn’t super powerful, but it does let Renir wear her Blue Ice full plate almost all the time.
More Vengeance Knight for Renir, and little changes in her overall tactics. 16th level improves Arcane Backlash and 17th level improves Counterstrike, helping her damage numbers a little.18th level brings improved Toughness and more Extra Music, allowing both Doomspeak and Snowflake wardance in pretty much all battles, as well as shoring up her defenses. Improved Bringer of Vengeance is also nice for Renir, meaning she gets +5 to hit and damage against her foe after the fight starts. 19th brings the end of Vengeance Knight, and superior Armor Training which allows Renir to sleep in her ice armor and move with no armor check penalty, which is rather entertaining, if not particularly strong. 20th brings more Warrior Skald which gives more bardic music, specifically the ability to remove the fatigue caused by Snowflake Wardance, with Words of Rejuvenation.

Champions of Ruin- Vengeance Knight, Doomspeak,
Drow of the Underdark- Razored Shield, Drow Rogue ACF
Frostburn- Snowflake Wardance, Blue Ice, Stygian Ice, Neanderthal, Improved Cold Endurance
Lords of Madness- Parrying Shield
Races of Faerun-Warrior Skald
PHBII- Knight
Unearthed Arcana- Adventurer Rogue Variant
Dragon Compendium- Unseelie Fey
Complete Adventurer-Extra Music
PHB-other stuff

[The Viscount]

Forget what you heard about Banner being weak.



https://i.imgur.com/UBTNAWM.jpg
The Bannerman
LE Synad Divine Mind 5 – Marshal 2 - Dragon Shaman 1 – Hexblade 2 - Vengeance Knight 10

They say the armies of the Vengeful are strongest at one point. He stands among them, tall and proud, his heavy armour standing out in formation like a war banner. Three minds, working as one – the Inspired, sending divine power surging through his allies’ minds; the Captain, coordinating and motivating with orders and commands; and the Draconic, empowering the soldiers with the fearsome powers of the dragons.
Many have tried to fell the Bannerman, they say. Wizards flinging fearsome spells, only to fall in agony. Archers shooting him, only to find the wind shield-battered out of their lungs. Warriors swinging their blades against him, only to be hit back harder. Vengeance is quick and painful.

also he jumps a lot

Vengeance Knight is a miserably reactive class. The bulk of its power, such that it is, depends on the enemy thinking the Vengaboy’s worth hitting with weapons and direct target spells. These either cause immediate backlash – Arcane Backlash – or enable retaliation – Counterstrike. Unfortunately, the Knight’s a sword-and-boarder in 3.5, and one who spent several levels on retaliatory abilities rather than being an immediate threat. Why bother going after a bad fighter?
My answer is to make the Vengeance Knight’s mere existence too irritating to allow. The fifth party member – the support character.

The Bannerman is a many-layered auramancer, filling allies with a wide range of annoying and problematic buffs all at once. He is a passive linchpin for the party. Divine Mind, Marshal, and Dragon Shaman auras make sure that everyone around the Knight goes earlier, hits harder, breaches spell resistance more, moves faster, and suffers less damage – without the Knight raising a finger. He can spend his actions scaring and dazing and disrupting his foes. When enemies do try to take him down, his saves have been built up and he’s ready to counterattack, using his shield to daze and support.

STR 14
Dex 10
Con 10
Int 12
Wis 10, final 11
Cha 18, final 22

Stat advancements: Wis, Cha, Cha, Cha, Cha



Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats and Tricks Class Features
1st Divine Mind 1 0 2 0 2 Autohypnosis 4, Climb 4, Jump 4 Wild Talent (class bonus feat), Iron Will Mantle (Guardian), Psychic Aura 5 ft.
2nd Divine Mind 2 1 3 0 3 Autohypnosis 5 (+1), Climb 5 (+1), Jump 5 (+1)
3rd Divine Mind 3 2 3 1 3 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 5, Jump 6 (+1), Ride 2 (+2) Weapon Focus: Longsword Psychic Aura 10 ft.
4th Divine Mind 4 3 4 1 4 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 5, Jump 7 (+1), Ride 4 (+2) Divine Grace
5th Divine Mind 5 3 4 1 4 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6 (+1), Jump 8 (+1), Knowledge (Religion) 1 (+1) Psychic Aura 15 ft.
6th Marshal 1 3 6 1 6 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 5 (+5), Jump 8, Knowledge (Religion) 1 Skill Focus: Diplomacy (class bonus), Dilate Aura Minor aura (Determined Caster)
7th Marshal 2 4 7 1 7 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 5, Jump 8, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Sense Motive 5 (+5) Major aura +1 (Motivate Urgency)
8th Dragon Shaman 1 4 9 1 9 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 5, Jump 8, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 3 (+3), Sense Motive 5 Totem Dragon (Blue), Draconic Aura (Energy Shield, Vigor, Dragon Magic Swiftness)
9th Hexblade 1 5 9 1 11 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 8 (+3), Jump 8, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 3, Sense Motive 5 Power Attack Hexblade's Curse 1/day
10th Hexblade 2 6 9 1 12 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 11 (+3), Jump 8, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 3, Sense Motive 5 Arcane Resistance
11th Vengeance Knight 1 7 11 1 12 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 12 (+1), Jump 8, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 3, Sense Motive 5, Spot 2 (+2) Armor Training, Bringer of Vengeance +1
12th Vengeance Knight 2 8 12 1 12 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 13 (+1), Jump 8, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 3, Sense Motive 5, Spot 4 (+2) Improved Shield Bash (class bonus) + Leap Attack Counterstrike +1
13th Vengeance Knight 3 9 12 2 13 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 14 (+1), Jump 8, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 4 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Spot 5 (+1) Shield Charge (bonus)
14th Vengeance Knight 4 10 13 2 13 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 15 (+1), Jump 9 (+1), Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 5 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Spot 5 Arcane Backlash 1d6
15th Vengeance Knight 5 11 13 2 13 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 16 (+1), Jump 10 (+1), Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 5, Sense Motive 6 (+1), Spot 5 Double Draconic Aura Bringer of Vengeance +2
16th Vengeance Knight 6 12 14 3 14 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 17 (+1), Jump 10, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 6 (+1), Sense Motive 6, Spot 6 (+1) Improved Armor Training
17th Vengeance Knight 7 13 14 3 14 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 18 (+1), Jump 10, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 5, Sense Motive 6, Spot 6 Extreme Leap (Skill Trick) Arcane Backlash 2d6
18th Vengeance Knight 8 14 15 3 14 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 18, Jump 10, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 6 (+1), Sense Motive 6, Spot 6 Imperious Command, Never Outnumbered (Skill Trick) Counterstrike +2
19th Vengeance Knight 9 15 15 4 15 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 6, Intimidate 19 (+1), Jump 10, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 7 (+1), Sense Motive 7 (+1), Spot 6 Shield Slam (bonus) Bringer of Vengeance +3
20th Vengeance Knight 10 16 16 4 15 Autohypnosis 5, Climb 7 (+1), Intimidate 20 (+1), Jump 10, Knowledge (Religion) 1, Search 7, Sense Motive 7, Spot 7 (+1) Arcane Backlash 3d6, Superior Armor Training


Power Points:
Level 1: 5
Level 2: 6
Level 3: 7
Level 4: 8
Level 5+: 9

Powers Known: Thicken Skin (level 5)


The Bannerman is a bog-standard Wisdom dump stat Divine Mind, with just enough Wisdom by level 5 to use his single psionic power. Divine Mind is, for once, very useful here. By that level, he has a 15 foot radius aura, choosing between one of four useful buffs: attack and damage, AC, initiative and listen/spot, and, from his Guardian mantle, DR. Guardian is a very good mantle, giving a support power that will trigger Vengeance Knight’s Counterstrike – the Bannerman can take melee damage in an ally’s place. Meanwhile, Divine Grace, combined with the Bannerman’s high Cha, makes for someone who can make tough saves.

Synad is an odd race that has a lot going for it. It boosts Will saves, helpful for Arcane Backlash in the long run. It can boost most important rolls once per day, generally good. It can make any purely mental action, including manifesting Thicken Skin, a swift action once per day – at least useful. The bonus power points can mostly go into boosting knowledge checks if necessary, but if the Bannerman can find one, a deep crystal weapon would be greatly appreciated. Mostly, though, Synad has Favored Class: Any without being human. There will be no multiclass penalties.

Speaking of multiclassing, this level block goes wild.
Marshal gives two more auras. The minor aura, tied to Cha and increasing as the Bannerman levels, provides vital support to spellcasters, helping the Bannerman’s friends breach spell resistance and making him a continuous threat/irritant. The major aura is the most useful of the lot when only a +1 boost is possible: a 5 foot movement speed increase is enough to break parity.

Dragon Shaman makes the Bannerman even more passively useful, adding his choice of three auras. Energy Shield can vengefully chip away at enemies who attack, Vigor can give his team an edge in health, and Dragon Magic’s Swiftness boosts climbing and jumping – both things that the Bannerman will eventually be able to do comfortably in armor.

Hexblade, finally, adds more support capability without eating the Bannerman’s standard actions. The Cha-dependent curse is a free action, and again makes the Bannerman a nuisance. Meanwhile, Arcane Resistance is a second Divine Grace as far as is important. Those Arcane Backlash saves will be very good.

At this point, the Bannerman is good at standing near his friends and making them fight better, with Dilate Aura making Divine Mind’s aura range less embarrassing and allowing the Bannerman to move around. He can also hit things.

He gets better at hitting things.

Leap Attack works well with mobility-enabling Armor Training and the Swiftness aura. Double Draconic Aura lets him use two Dragon Shaman auras at once, making Swiftness attractive and making him ever more of a linchpin for his party. Shield Charge builds on Vengeance Knight’s Improved Shield Bash to make his strikes more versatile.

Finally, everything finishes.

Imperious Command rewards the Bannerman for having a target for vengeance, and with Never Outnumbered, intimidating the target (with that nice bonus) works against a bunch of their friends too. Synergy! Shield Slam makes the Bannerman more disruptive and flows well with Armor Training-enabled Leap Attacks, all Vengeance Knight powers kick in fully, and in the end, this support fighter supports all the better through the power of revenge.

The Bannerman is prepared to take advantage of the whole ingredient.
*Armor Training: Armor check skills, Leap Attack, Extreme Leap, and Climb/Jump support from Dragon Shaman’s Swiftness aura.
*Bringer of Vengeance: Skill investment (especially Intimidate) + Imperious Command + Never Outnumbered
*Counterstrike: In addition to being irritating enough to be worth shooting, the Bannerman can use the Guardian mantle ability to actively take damage an ally would have taken, activating this bonus.
*Improved Shield Bash + Bonus Feats: used for shield family feats, which blend well with Leap Attack
*Arcane Backlash: Saves have been heavily boosted – Divine Grace plus Arcane Resistance, Synad’s Will boost and Oracle – on top of the Bannerman being enough of a linchpin to try to single-target remove.

Champions of Ruin: Vengeance Knight
Complete Adventurer – Leap Attack
Complete Psionic – Synad, Divine Mind,
Complete Scoundrel – Extreme Leap, Never Outnumbered
Complete Warrior – Hexblade, Shield Charge, Shield Slam
Drow of the Underdark – Imperious Command
Dragon Magic – Swiftness aura, Double Draconic Aura
Fiendish Codex II – Dilate Aura
Miniatures Handbook – Marshal
PHB 2 – Dragon Shaman
SRD – All other material

[The Viscount]

In your dreams.



https://i.giphy.com/media/pZGPxotTsnNz46xNQc/giphy.webp

Robert was born in a knight's family with a long history and many generations of illustrious knights. He was an heir and his destiny was to become a knight. But... he was born with a gift. Gift of sorcery. It would be a great dishonor for Robert and for all his family if it were known. He was a lucky boy, a gift began to awaken in him when he was about nine, he already understood his destiny and was able to dominate his magic. Nobody discovered his big secret. Even his father. During the day, he trained hard to be a knight, during the night he studied his gift and seeked most concealed ways to use it.

It wasn't a surprise for him when the knight whose squire he was in his youth invited him to join a secret society. With his training and iron will he always expected something like this.

NE Human Divine Companion Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 10/Vengeance Knight 10

Abilities Initial ASI Total
STR 14 14
DEX 10 10
CON 14 14
INT 14 14
WIS 12 12
CHA 15 5 20

Level Class BAB Fort Reflex Will Skills Feats Class Features
1st Divine Companion Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 1 0 0 0 2 20: {+4} Intimidate: 4; {+4} Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+4 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 2; {+4 CC} Ride: 2; {+4 CC} Sense Motive: 2; Armor Proficiency (Medium)1, Armor Proficiency (Heavy)H, Martial Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Shield)BS, Martial Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword)SS, Weapon Focus (Bastard Sword)SS Armored spellcasting (light), divine companion, martial weapon proficiency (2), weapon focus
2nd Sorcerer 2 1 0 0 3 5: {+2} Concentration: 2; {+1} Intimidate: 5; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 2.5; {+1 CC} Ride: 2.5; Sense Motive: 2;
3rd Sorcerer 3 2 1 1 3 5: {+2} Concentration: 4; {+1} Intimidate: 6; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 3; {+1 CC} Ride: 3; Sense Motive: 2; Power Attack3
4th Sorcerer 4 3 1 1 4 5: {+2} Concentration: 6; {+1} Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 3.5; {+1 CC} Ride: 3.5; Sense Motive: 2;
5th Sorcerer 5 3 1 1 4 5: {+2} Concentration: 8; {+1} Intimidate: 8; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 4; {+1 CC} Ride: 4; Sense Motive: 2;
6th Sorcerer 6 4 2 2 5 5: {+1} Concentration: 9; {+1} Intimidate: 9; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 4.5; Ride: 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+2} Spellcraft: 2; Iron Will6
7th Sorcerer 7 5 2 2 5 5: {+1} Concentration: 10; {+1} Intimidate: 10; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 5; Ride: 4; Sense Motive: 2; {+2} Spellcraft: 4;
8th Vengeance Knight 1 6 4 2 5 5: Concentration: 10; Intimidate: 10; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+2 CC} Knowledge (the planes): 1; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 5.5; Ride: 4; {+2} Sense Motive: 4; Spellcraft: 4; Armor training, bringer of vengeance +1
9th Vengeance Knight 2 7 5 2 5 5: Concentration: 10; Intimidate: 10; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+2 CC} Knowledge (the planes): 2; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 6; Ride: 4; {+2} Sense Motive: 6; Spellcraft: 4; Dreamtelling9, Improved Shield BashVK Counterstrike +1, Improved Shield Bash
10th Vengeance Knight 3 8 5 3 6 5: Concentration: 10; {+1} Intimidate: 11; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+2 CC} Knowledge (the planes): 3; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 6.5; Ride: 4; {+1} Sense Motive: 7; Spellcraft: 4; Martial Study (Bonecrusher)VK Bonus feat
11th Vengeance Knight 4 9 6 3 6 5: Concentration: 10; {+3} Intimidate: 14; Knowledge (arcana): 4; Knowledge (the planes): 3; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 7; Ride: 4; {+1} Sense Motive: 8; Spellcraft: 4; Arcane backlash 1d6
12th Vengeance Knight 5 10 6 3 6 5: Concentration: 10; {+1} Intimidate: 15; Knowledge (arcana): 4; Knowledge (the planes): 3; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 7.5; {+1} Ride: 5; {+2} Sense Motive: 10; Spellcraft: 4; Oneiromancy12 Bringer of vengeance +2
13th Vengeance Knight 6 11 7 4 7 5: Concentration: 10; {+1} Intimidate: 16; Knowledge (arcana): 4; Knowledge (the planes): 3; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 8; {+1} Ride: 6; {+2} Sense Motive: 12; Spellcraft: 4; Improved armor training
14th Vengeance Knight 7 12 7 4 7 5: Concentration: 10; {+1} Intimidate: 17; Knowledge (arcana): 4; Knowledge (the planes): 3; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 8.5; {+1} Ride: 7; {+2} Sense Motive: 14; Spellcraft: 4; Arcane backlash 2d6
15th Vengeance Knight 8 13 8 4 7 5: Concentration: 10; {+1} Intimidate: 18; Knowledge (arcana): 4; Knowledge (the planes): 3; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 9; {+1} Ride: 8; {+2} Sense Motive: 16; Spellcraft: 4; Improved Oneiromancy15 Counterstrike +2
16th Vengeance Knight 9 14 8 5 8 5: Concentration: 10; {+1} Intimidate: 19; Knowledge (arcana): 4; Knowledge (the planes): 3; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 9.5; {+1} Ride: 9; {+2} Sense Motive: 18; Spellcraft: 4; GoadVK Bonus feat, bringer of vengeance +3
17th Sorcerer 8 15 8 5 9 5: {+1} Concentration: 11; {+1} Intimidate: 20; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+2 CC} Knowledge (the planes): 4; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 10; Ride: 9; Sense Motive: 18; Spellcraft: 4;
18th Sorcerer 9 16 9 6 9 5: {+1} Concentration: 12; {+1} Intimidate: 21; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+2 CC} Knowledge (the planes): 5; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 10.5; Ride: 9; Sense Motive: 18; Spellcraft: 4; Stone Power18
19th Vengeance Knight 10 16 10 6 9 5: Concentration: 12; {+1} Intimidate: 22; Knowledge (arcana): 4; Knowledge (the planes): 5; {+1 CC} Lucid Dreaming: 11; Ride: 9; {+3} Sense Motive: 21; Spellcraft: 4; Arcane backlash 3d6, superior armor training
20th Sorcerer 10 17 10 6 10 5: Concentration: 12; {+1} Intimidate: 23; Knowledge (arcana): 4; {+4 CC} Knowledge (the planes): 7; Lucid Dreaming: 11; Ride: 9; Sense Motive: 21; Spellcraft: 4;

Spells per Day
Level Class 0th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st Sorcerer 1 4 2+1
2nd Sorcerer 2 5 3+1
3rd Sorcerer 3 5 4+1
4th Sorcerer 4 5 5+1 2+1
5th Sorcerer 5 5 5+1 3+1
6th Sorcerer 6 5 5+1 4+1 2+1
7th Sorcerer 7 5 5+1 5+1 3+1
18th Sorcerer 8 5 5+1 5+1 4+1 2+1
19th Sorcerer 9 5 5+1 5+1 5+1 3+1
20th Sorcerer 10 5 5+2 5+1 5+1 4+1 2+1

Spell Known
Level Class 0th 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
1st Sorcerer 1 3 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Ghost Sound) 1 (True Strike)
2nd Sorcerer 2 4 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound) 1 (True Strike)
3rd Sorcerer 3 4 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound) 1 (True Strike)
4th Sorcerer 4 5 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand) 2 (Power Word Pain, True Strike) 1 (Whispercast)
5th Sorcerer 5 5 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Mage Hand) 3 (Power Word Fatigue, Power Word Pain, True Strike) 1 (Whispercast)
6th Sorcerer 6 6 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Launch Item, Mage Hand) 3 (Power Word Fatigue, Power Word Pain, True Strike) 1 (Whispercast) 1 (Suggestion)
7th Sorcerer 7 6 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Launch Item, Mage Hand) 4 (Fist of Stone, Power Word Fatigue, Power Word Pain, True Strike) 2 (Price of Loyalty, Whispercast) 1 (Suggestion)
18th Sorcerer 8 7 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Launch Item, Mage Hand, Silent Portal) 4 (Fist of Stone, Power Word Fatigue, Power Word Pain, True Strike) 2 (Price of Loyalty, Whispercast) 1 (Suggestion) 1 (Dream Walk)
19th Sorcerer 9 7 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Launch Item, Mage Hand, Silent Portal) 4 (Fist of Stone, Power Word Fatigue, Power Word Pain, True Strike) 3 (Fearsome Grapple, Price of Loyalty, Whispercast) 2 (Suggestion, Warcry) 1 (Dream Walk)
20th Sorcerer 10 8 (Amanuensis, Caltrops, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Launch Item, Mage Hand, Message, Silent Portal) 4 (Fist of Stone, Power Word Fatigue, Power Word Pain, True Strike) 3 (Fearsome Grapple, Price of Loyalty, Whispercast) 2 (Suggestion, Warcry) 1 (Dream Walk) 1 (Greater Dimension Door)
Dream Walk from Heroes of Horror.
Price of Loyalty from Player's Guide to Eberron.
Whispercast from Lords of Madness.
Warcry from Book of Exalted Deeds.
All other spells are from PHB and Spell Compendium.

Robert looks like a regular well trained knight in heavy armor and with his favorite bastard sword. Nothing very special if you don't know where to look. But if you know...
Most Robert's spells have only verbal components and no visual manifestations. If the honored knight said it was a short prayer... Well, you may not believe him, but you'll be at risk of acquaintance with his sword in the duel.
Only issue could be Power Word Pain, but Robert used it only when he planned to kill he enemy and all witnesses.
BAB, Alignment, Skills and Feats are solved problems.
Proficiency with heavy armor isn't an issue, either.
What about Proficiency with heavy shields? Well... I have Martial Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Shield), thanks to the Battle Sorcerer variant. What? What do you mean "Shield Proficiency"? No, no, no. There is a very specific requirement: Proficiency with heavy shields. The single way to get proficiency with specific heavy shields only I found is Martial Weapon Proficiency. It's done.
Let me tell you about my main idea. I read a description of Superior armor training and my eyes caught on "You can now sleep in your armor without penalty." Okay... Without penalty. Without Armor Check Penalty? Without movement penalty (as it is called in Improved armor training)? Without any penalty actually. Yes, it's another level of Chaotic Evil Soulborn reading idea. Power Attack penalty, Stone Power penalty, Two-Weapon Fighting penalty (sword and shield bash), charge AC penalty, fighting defensively penalty, penalty for using a weapon with which you are not proficient (Bastard Sword in one hand), different combat modifiers penalty... All these penalties don't exist for Robert while he sleeps. How can he fight while sleeping? Dream Walk + Lucid Dreaming. Add sleep poison (Pseudodragon's poison for example) if you need. Robert just dreamt his victim, beat him with subdual damage (no -4 attack penalty, yes), when throw him into Dreamheart and kills him there.
Of course he could not fight the enemy, but Charm him with Price of Loyalty or Suggestion spells.

In addition, there is synergy between Vengeance Knight's Counterstrike and Robert's Goad and Stone Power feats.
One more Sorcerer level one more good spell. Greater Dimension Door greatly increases mobility.

Type Name Book Page
Race Human PHB 12
Class Sorcerer PHB 51
Prestige Class Vengeance Knight Champions of Ruin 67
Class variant Divine Companion Complete Champion 51
Class variant Stalwart Sorcerer Complete Mage 36
Class variant Battle Sorcerer Unearthed Arcana 56
Feat Armor Proficiency (Medium) PHB 89
Feat Armor Proficiency (Heavy) PHB 89
Feat Martial Weapon Proficiency PHB 97
Feat Weapon Focus PHB 102
Feat Power Attack PHB 98
Feat Iron Will PHB 97
Feat Dreamtelling Heroes of Horror 122
Feat Improved Shield Bash PHB 96
Feat Matrial Study Tome of Battle 31
Feat Oneiromancy Heroes of Horror 123
Feat Improved Oneiromancy Heroes of Horror 123
Feat Goad Miniatures Handbook 26
Feat Stone Power Tome of Battle 32
Skill Lucid Dreaming Manual of the Planes 203
Maneuver Bonecrusher Tome of Battle 81

[The Viscount]

The rules usually say to avoid spam, but I think this time we can make an exception.



Sir Spamalot


“The Kraken stirs. And ten billion sushi dinners cry out for vengeance.” -- Terry Pratchett


https://imageupload.io/ib/bqQClLNNZQHMy4k_1694259572.webp


Alignment : LN
Race : Amphibious Anthropomorphic Squid (LA1)
Level 2 : Multiattack
Level 4 : Alertness
Level 5 : Combat Expertise (Monk Bonus), Improved Unarmed Strike (Monk Bonus)
Level 7 : Karmic Strike, Dodge (Fighter Bonus)
Level 8 : Weapon Focus (Saber) (Fighter Bonus)
Level 10 : Iron Will, Combat Reflexes (Monk Bonus)
Level 12 : Improved Shield Bash (Vengeance Knight Bonus)
Level 13 : Improved Trip, Two-Weapon Fighting (Vengeance Knight Bonus)
Level 16 : Knock-Down
Level 18 : Mobility (Vengeance Knight Bonus)
Level 19: Elusive Target

32 Point Buy at level 1
STR 16 +8
DEX 14 +6
CON 16 -2
INT 14
WIS 8 +4
CHA 8 -4

All level increases in Str



In the vast world of Faerun, where various species coexist, there was a unique anthropomorphic squid named Octavius. Born in the depths of the Great Sea, Octavius possessed an insatiable curiosity about the world above the waves. He longed to explore the lands beyond his watery home and discover the wonders they held.

As Octavius grew older, he developed a deep admiration for the chivalry and valor of the knights who protected the realms. Inspired by their noble deeds and boundless courage, he yearned to become a knight himself. However, Octavius knew that his squid-like form would pose a significant challenge in realizing his dream.

Undeterred by the obstacles ahead, Octavius embarked on a journey to the surface, seeking guidance from the Knights of the Shield organization whose emissaries he had encountered on the coast at times. He traveled through treacherous currents and perilous storms, facing countless dangers along the way. But Octavius's determination and resilience carried him through, and he eventually arrived at the doorstep of the Knights of the Shield’s headquarters.

Initially met with skepticism and surprise due to his unconventional appearance, Octavius persisted, demonstrating his unwavering dedication and unwavering desire to serve as a knight. Impressed by his perseverance, the Knights of the Shield agreed to train him, recognizing the potential within the squid.

Octavius underwent rigorous training, adapting his natural abilities to the art of combat. He learned to wield a saber and a shield, designed specifically to accommodate his unique physiology. His agility and dexterity in the water proved to be an asset, allowing him to outmaneuver opponents both on land and in the sea.

Throughout his training, Octavius embraced the knightly virtues of retribution, loyalty, and vengeance. Despite facing skepticism and prejudice from some who doubted his capabilities, Octavius remained steadfast, proving time and again that courage knows no boundaries.

As he honed his skills, Octavius emerged as a formidable warrior, ready to defend the order’s interests against any threat and by any means necessary. The Knights of the Shield recognized his exceptional dedication and martial qualities, accepting Octavius into their ranks as the first anthropomorphic squid knight in the organization's long history.

Now, Octavius stands tall as a symbol of resilience and vengeance, embodying the spirit of the Knights in his service to his patron.



LevelClassBase Attack BonusFort SaveReflex SaveWill SaveSkillsFeatsClass Features

1stLA +1

2ndAnthrosquid 11022Intimidate (+4 CC) 2; Ride (+4 CC) 2; Search (+4 CC) 2; Spot (+4) 4MultiattackDarkvision 60ft, jet, ink cloud, improved grab, constrict, amphibious, natural armor +6

3rdAnthrosquid 22033 Intimidate (+1 CC) 2.5; Ride (+1 CC) 2.5; Search (+1 CC) 2.5; Spot (+1) 5

4thAnthrosquid 33133Intimidate (+1 CC) 3; Ride (+1 CC) 3; Search (+1 CC) 3; Spot (+1) 6Alertness

5thMonk 13355Intimidate 3; Ride 3; Search 3; Sense Motive (+6) 6; Spot 6Combat Expertise (Monk Bonus) Improved Unarmed Strike (Monk Bonus)Bonus Feat (Passive Way ACF), Decisive Strike, Unarmed Strike

6thCrusader 14555Intimidate (+3) 6; Ride (+1) 4; Search (+2 CC) 4; Sense Motive 6; Spot 6Furious Counterstrike, Steely Resolve 5, maneuvers/stance (see below)

7thFighter 15755Intimidate (+3) 9; Ride (+1) 5; Search 4; Sense Motive 6; Spot 6Karmic Strike, Dodge (Fighter Bonus)Bonus Feat

8thFighter 26855Intimidate (+1) 10; Ride (+1) 6; Search 4; Sense Motive 6; Spot 6, Never OutnumberedWeapon Focus (Saber)Bonus Feat

9thDevoted Defender 171075Intimidate 10; Ride 6; Search 4; Sense Motive (+4) 10; Spot 6; Never OutnumberedArmor Class Bonus, Harm's Way

10thMonk 281186Intimidate 10; Ride 6; Search 4; Sense Motive (+2) 12; Spot (+4) 10; Never OutnumberedIron Will, Combat Reflexes (Monk Bonus)Bonus Feat, Invisible Fist ACF

11thVengeance Knight 191386Intimidate (+3) 13; Ride 6; Search 4; Sense Motive (+1) 13; Spot 10; Never OutnumberedArmor Training, Bringer of Vengeance +1

12thVengeance Knight 2101486Intimidate (+1) 14; Ride 6; Search 4; Sense Motive (+1) 14; Spot (+2) 12; Never OutnumberedImproved Shield Bash (Vengeance Knight Bonus)Counterstrike +1, Improved Shield Bash

13thVengeance Knight 3111497Intimidate (+1) 15; Ride 6; Search 4; Sense Motive (+1) 15; Spot (+2) 14; Never OutnumberedImproved Trip, Two-Weapon Fighting (Vengeance Knight Bonus)Bonus Feat

14thVengeance Knight 4121597Intimidate (+1) 16; Ride 6; Search 4; Sense Motive (+1) 16; Spot (+2) 16; Never Outnumbered Arcane Backlash 1d6

15thVengeance Knight 5131597Intimidate (+1) 17; Ride 6; Search (+1) 5; Sense Motive (+1) 17; Spot (+1) 17; Never OutnumberedBringer of Vengeance +2

16thVengeance Knight 61416108Intimidate (+1) 18; Ride 6; Search (+1) 6; Sense Motive (+1) 18; Spot (+1) 18; Never OutnumberedKnock-DownImproved Armor Training

17thVengeance Knight 71516108Intimidate (+1) 19; Ride 6; Search (+1) 7; Sense Motive (+1) 19; Spot (+1) 19; Never OutnumberedArcane Backlash 2d6

18thVengeance Knight 81617108Intimidate (+1) 20; Ride 6; Search (+1) 8; Sense Motive (+1) 20; Spot (+1) 20; Never OutnumberedMobility (Vengeance Knight Bonus)Counterstrike +2

19thVengeance Knight 91717119Intimidate (+1) 21; Ride 6; Search (+1) 9; Sense Motive (+1) 21; Spot (+1) 21; Never OutnumberedElusive TargetBonus Feat, Bringer of Vengeance +3

20thVengeance Knight 101818119Intimidate (+1) 22; Ride 6; Search (+1) 10; Sense Motive (+1) 22; Spot (+1) 22; Never Outnumbered Arcane Backlash 3d6, Superior Armor Training


Crusader 1 : Crusader’s Strike, Shield Block, Mountain Hammer, Stone Bones, Charging Minotaur. Martial Spirit Stance




3 RHD of anthropomorphic squid make you a formidable foe in a fair fight early game. You have feet to walk, hands to wield weapons, and 8 free tentacles and a bite to beat your enemies silly (or 6-7 if you do choose to use a weapon). Especially considering the high ability bonuses on a full BAB chassis, we can clobber most enemies given the chance to make a full attack -- and opportunity we should have. The giant squid tentacle attack (see MM or SRD) has double the normal reach of the base creature, so we should have 20 feet of reach with these attacks (or 30 if the DM is generous and grants us exactly what the table shows, since it isn't actually called out as having reach anywhere). Additionally, each of these tentacle attacks allows us to use improved grab to initiate a grapple if we'd like with a +8 bonus from size and racial modifiers -- and potentially constrict (if the DM allows us to retain those special attacks as per the anthropomorphic animal template, as they don't necessarily depend on a "nonhumanoid shape"). If we do retain those, and there is a body of water nearby, we can attempt to drag our enemy into the depths, granting us a huge environmental advantage in terms of movement, attack modes, and, eventually, breathing.

Monk offers a lot of utility -- in and out of combat. We get Improved Unarmed Strike, allowing us to make all 8 tentacle attacks and our bite while still using an IUS to kick opponents in the face; eventually, we will prefer to use a weapon, but for now this extra attack is free real estate. We also get access to Combat Expertise, allowing us to pump our defenses in a dire situation, all good saves, and Decisive Strike (PHbII ACF). The last of these options could be very useful if we face an enemy with sufficient DR to make it difficult to make headway with our tentacle attacks, especially since it doubles our AOO damage, letting us make more use of our huge tentacle reach and high str score. Lastly, it opens up Sense Motive, giving us a little social encounter utility.

Crusader as a 5th level choice is a known trick to get quick access to 2nd level maneuvers, but it also lends itself to a uniquely powerful strength of this build -- particularly at low levels. Martial Spirit, our chosen stance, heals us for 2hp per strike, and that can add up to as much as 20hp per full attack at level 5 if we hit with all our tentacles, our bite, and our unarmed strike. At 6th level, we also heal off of attacks made via Karmic Strike, which is very notable when combined with the crusader's Steely Resolve and Furious Counterstrike. Since we can divert up to 5 damage from a strike into our delayed damage pool, buff ourselves, strike back, and heal for 2, we can negate a significant amount of incoming damage before it ever actually touches our actual health pool. It is limited to one AOO per turn... for now. Although full attacking is probably going to be our most efficient option in most encounters, we also get access to a suite of maneuvers for niche or even out-of-combat situations.

Shield Block is a potent addition since we do plan to pursue a sword-and-board playstyle and doesn't interfere with our full attacks. Mountain Hammer allows us to deal with high-DR enemies and high-hardness objects, and Stone Bones allows us to periodically become a high-DR enemy in the appropriate situations. Crusader's Strike gives us the opportunity to attempt to heal an ally more than our Martial Spirit would allow if their health is in dire straights, and, in the right situation, and in consideration of our size and strength, Charging Minotaur allows us to create those dire situations for enemies in precarious terrain.


A level in fighter, in addition to granting heavy armor proficiency and potentially raising our AC with the addition of powerful gear (see equipment), allows us to take Dodge and qualify for Karmic Strike, granting all the benefits referenced in the last section and making us a very effective tank should enemies direct their attacks against us. A second level in fighter also grants us weapon focus (saber), which we needed to qualify for Devoted Defender, and the Never Outnumbered skill trick, allowing us to demoralize enemies around us in an AOE should the situation call for it.

This unique class grants us a number of benefits. First and simplest, it grants us a +1 dodge bonus to AC that stacks with our Dodge feat, natural armor, and other AC-boosting gear. It also allows us to trade places with a targeted ally (a nonaction, as there is no listed economy cost) to force enemies to attack us in lieu of our most valuable ally (probably a caster) in what is probably the most effective aggro-like mechanic in 3.5, giving us the opportunity to both provide unparalleled survivability for our party members and to create triggers for our Karmic Strike and take advantage of our furious counterstrike, martial spirit, and, later, our Vengeance Knight counterstrike ability. We wear heavy armor for a reason. It will also allow us to create opportunities to use our Arcane Backlash ability in specific situations (i.e., when an enemy attempts to target our most valuable ally with a single-target spell that both uses an attack roll and allows a save).

A level in monk thereafter grants us Combat Reflexes (as we abandon the Passive Way fighting school as per UA rules), letting us trigger Karmic Strike for as many times as we have AOOs -- a whopping 5 times/round. We also take the Invisible Fist ACF in lieu of evasion. This allows us to essentially access a form of invisibility for one round, usable once every three rounds, that doesn't dissipate when we attack. While invisibility offers all sorts of out-of-combat utility by itself, it also allows us to benefit from a miss chance when we trade places with our ally, and to deny our enemies their dexterity bonus to their AC when we attack with all our tentacles and weapons.


As we have now acquired potent tools to meet the prerequisites of the SI and capitalize on its strengths, we begin taking levels of Vengeance Knight. Immediately, we are more free to use heavy armor than before. As noted above, our build creates more opportunities to use Counterstrike--during both our turn and that of our foe. Improved Shield Bash comes online, and we take Two-Weapon Fighting at the next level to capitalize on it effectively using a spiked light shield (reducing the penalties to main and off-hand weapon attacks to -2 and -2 respectively, as light shields count as light weapons). This brings our total number of attacks up to 11 -- 6 tentacles, a bite, 3 saber strikes, and one shield bash, retaining the benefit of our shield bonus to AC throughout. We can potentially make 1 more if we ditch the sword and shield and make only unarmed strikes, but we lose out on the bonus to our AC and any mundane or magical enhancements to our weapon and shield, so it is almost decidedly not worth it at this point. With all these attacks, we also begin to capitalize on them more with Improved Trip and, much more notably, Knock-Down.

While most reasonable DMs probably would not allow you to trip a prone opponent, if there are sufficient opponents near us-- and with 20-30 feet of reach, there almost certainly will be often enough -- the addition of these two feats both allows us to debuff enemies and effectively double the amount of attacks we can potentially make (as we attack, deal 10 damage, trip them, and make the free Improved Trip attack for each iterative and natural attack we have). Of course, there's no guarantee we will hit, deal 10 damage, or succeed on our opposed check to trip them, but with our size, strength, and BAB, the odds are in our favor. That means that, counting all 11 attacks referenced above, all 5 karmic strikes (or more if we boosted our dex with items), and assuming we give Improved Trip attacks from each of them, we could be making as many as 32 attacks each round and healing 64hp by the end of them, tanking some of the damage to maintain our furious counterstrike as appropriate. We also have fairly respectable saves -- particular fortitude -- for our Arcane Backlash.

Outside of combat, we have three of the four Bringer of Vengeance skills at max rank and have begun raising the fourth with what spare ranks we have, allowing us to function effectively in our capacity for the Knights of the Shield.


The last levels of the build bring more of the same. Bringer of Vengeance and Counterstrike continue to increase our lethality, we get half movement penalty off from our heavy armor and can even sleep in it without being fatigued. Mobility finds its use, compensating for the Karmic Strike penalty to our AC, and opens up Elusive Target, an awesome tactical feat for us.

Negating Power Attack is simply great for our durability -- numbers don’t lie, remember. Redirecting enemy attacks onto their allies is also potent, and gives us the opportunity to use our Devoted Defender swaps to use it more often than enemies might want us to. The last maneuver is also really synergistic since our high AC and counterstrike abilities encourage us to provoke enemy AOOs all the time. If they hit us, we hit them back, heal, and probably trip them; if they miss us, we trip them, hit them on the ground thanks to Improved Trip, and heal anyway.

We round out the build by taking all 10 level of Vengeance Knight, leaving us eligible for epic progression into Epic Vengeance Knight if such a thing exists in-setting, and becoming a very potent martial force to be reckoned with. The Knights of the Shield have never been more... shielded.



- We will want to acquire the best heavy armor available to capitalize on our heavy armor training. Mechanus Gear (PH) and Thaalud Stone Plate (Anauroch) offer unparalleled base armor bonuses, Dendritic Armor (RoF) hedges against sundering, and, if you have a skilled mechanic in the party (read: someone with high ranks in disable device and spellcraft), the Clockwork Armor (https://web.archive.org/web/20151101213859/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070212a) (Web) makes you a very efficient killing machine since the bonuses are circumstantial, so they stack with your +6 stat enhancing items. However, to best capitalize on the armor-check-reducing training we acquire, we will probably want to defer to the Mechanus gear armor. It avoids the risks inherent in the Clockwork armor, and, unlike the Thaalud stone plate and Dentritic armor, the Mechanus gear can be made from mithral, reducing the ACP by 3 and increasing the max dex bonus from 0 to 2, making it a match for the Thaalud stone plate in terms of flat AC. We also bring the armor check penalty from -10 to -2. To take this a step further, we can add the Nimbleness enhancement to reduce the ACP to 0 and increase the max dex bonus again by a further 2, almost using all our dex bonus. However, if mithral is unavailable in setting, Thaalud stone plate would probably be a preferable option -- and, one would imagine, a heavier suit of armor to carry around which may be enticing to the more masochistic Vengeance Knights who take the line "you always wear the heaviest armor available to you" literally. Personally, I would read it as "most protective," but perhaps others prefer Vengeance Knights to be more like hermit crabs, seeking out the physically heaviest armor their carrying capacity can bear. In the absence of any of these options, full plate's ACP is almost entirely negated by our class features as well.

- Saber (FRCS) is a better version of the Longsword since it has the same stats, is Piercing and Slashing (overcoming the DR more often) and gives you a bonus while mounted (which you have the ranks to do).

- A Necklace of Natural Weapons (SS) would get enormous mileage here given our abundance of natural attacks. This is by no means necessary for the build, however, as the tentacles still have a decent attack bonus with Multiattack and our high BAB and str, and still trigger our martial spirit.

- As always, useful generics and stat-boosting items are helpful, particularly for strength, dex, and con -- presumably in that order. Items that cover our will save, such as Exalted armor (BoED), cloaks/vests of resistance, or something similar, would also be useful, as are the other general standard Necessary Items. We'll also want to enhance our saber and spiked light shield to a point commensurate with the level of play.



CoR – Vengeance Knight
CSc - Never Outnumbered
CWar – Elusive Target, Karmic Strike
EE - Invisible Fist
FRCS - Saber
MM - Multiattack
PHb - Alertness, Monk, Fighter, Improved Unarmed Strike, Combat Expertise, Improved Trip, Weapon Focus, Iron Will, Combat Reflexes, Improved Shield Bash, Two-Weapon Fighting, Mobility,
PHbII – Decisive Strike
SSp – Anthropomorphic Squid, Giant
SaF – Knock-Down, Devoted Defender
ToB – Crusader, maneuvers
UA – Passive Way

[The Viscount]

I was really hoping we'd get one of these.



Duke DA’arkSkar Demençia R’avengeshade Way
the da'ark nite rises

Lawful Good Dark Creature Skarn Noble 3 / Knight 4 / Spinemeld Warrior 2 / Vengeance Knight 10 / + 1 LA
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/197201898699227136/1150655036335063060/Daaaarkniss.jpg
look aty my RUSTY BLOODY spikeysb arent they so COOL<
and tis is my SONG (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqv_LUStxDw)

hai there! My nyam is Duke Da'arkskarrr Demençia Ravengeeeway and i Have dakr nblack armor (that's how i got my naem) with lots of cool sharp s[pikes and a rough growly voice like a desiccating carcass and a lot of people tell me i looik like bAtman (if u don't know wh0 that is get da Hell out of here!!!). Im a playbaoy noble and a shasdowy daAark creatures but i'[m also a staunch pacifist exalted by only the Coolest of gods. I enter the room and no wthat spellcaster is unconcious!!! i taunyt the enemy and he attacksa111!! THose who attack me shall suffre the worst of conqseuences and be destroyed by my totallky awesome blade form hELL and Da'ark elf shie;ld!! iHav eall these prettyy rings that I gota from being a cool spikey noble with exTra army spikkes and I can find LKL THE ITEMS I WILL EVERNBEED AND IDENTIFY EACH AND EVERY SPELL THAAT COMES BY SO TAKE THAT YOU WIMPYT SILLY SPEL,LCASTERS. IM COOLER. I WEAR THE HEAVIEST IN THE ARMOR IN THE Woolrd (because I akm a Noble with armh sspikes) and it boosts my agility stat and so I'm the FASTEST ARMOR HEAVY DUDE EVER. OKAy. (You stupidd posers don't come close!! That Chaluud stone armor has nothing on teh Clockwork Armor!!! E[pescially since its super steampunkgothikk and experimantal!!) but remem,ber!! I am GUD so i Dont kill!! but ALos I took a super ocool ritual to make me E[vil] and now i am All grim and adark and basdass and BETTE ERTHAN YOU. OOH HOOOH I CAN FIND EVEYTRHING OUT ABOUT YUOU AND SCATRE YOU AND RUN FASYT IN MY ARMORAS AND Im A BETTER SPELL DETECTIVER THAN WIZRADS AND IS SHOULD BE HIRED FOR YOUR PARTUYB BUT AI WOULDNEVER ACCEPT U BECAUSE I AMK BETTER.

TYPE: Humanoid [Reptilian] [Extraplanar] [Evil]
SIZE: Medium
ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good
LANGUAGES: Common, Abyssal, Infernal
(LAND) SPEED: 30 + 10 + 5
HIT DICE: 3d8 + 12d10 + 4d12

BASE STATS
STR: 10
DEX: 16
CON: 14
INT: 14
WIS: 10
CHA: 14

MODIFIED STATS (Racial)
STR: 12
DEX: 14
CON: 14
INT: 14
WIS: 10
CHA: 14

FINAL STATS
STR: 12
DEX: 18
CON: 14
INT: 14
WIS: 10
CHA: 14

*DEX just gets increased at all possible levels.

ECL Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class / Racial Features
- LA +1 (Dark Creature) - - - - - - Natural Weapon (Spines), +2 Racial Bonus on Climb and Intimidate, +8 bonus to Hide and +6 to Move Silently, Speed +10, Darkvision 60ft, Hide in Plain Sight, Resistance to Cold 10, Superior Lowlight Vision
2nd Noble 1 0 0 2 2 Gather Information 4 (+4), Sense Motive 4 (+4), Ride 4 (+4), Spellcraft 4 (+4), Intimidate 4 (+4), Hide 2 (+4) Force of Personality Bonus Class Skill: Spellcraft, Favour (+1)
3rd Knight 1 1 0 2 4 Gather Information 5 (+2), Sense Motive 4, Ride 4, Spellcraft 5 (+2), Intimidate 4, Hide 2 Fighting Challenge (+1), Knight's Challenge, Knight's Code
4th Noble 2 1 0 3 5 Gather Information 6 (+1), Sense Motive 4, Ride 4, Spellcraft 6 (+1), Intimidate 6 (+2), Hide 3 (+2) Cerulean Reflexes Inspire Confidence (1/day)
5th Knight 2 2 0 3 6 Gather Information 7 (+2), Sense Motive 4, Ride 4, Spellcraft 7 (+2), Intimidate 6, Hide 3 Mounted Combat* Shield Block (+1)
6th Noble 3 3 1 3 6 Gather Information 8 (+1), Sense Motive 5 (+1), Ride 5 (+1), Spellcraft 8 (+1), Intimidate 6, Hide 4 (+2) Favour (+2)
7th Knight 3 4 2 4 6 Gather Information 9 (+2), Sense Motive 5, Ride 5, Spellcraft 9 (+2), Intimidate 6, Hide 4 Weapon Focus: Straightblade Bulwark of Defense
8th Knight 4 5 2 4 7 Gather Information 10 (+2), Sense Motive 5, Ride 5, Spellcraft 9 (+2), Intimidate 6, Hide 4 Armory Mastery (Medium), Test of Mettle
9th Spinemeld Warrior 1 6 4 4 7 Gather Information 11 (+2), Sense Motive 5, Ride 5, Spellcraft 11 (+2), Intimidate 6, Hide 4 Two-Weapon Fighting* Twin Spine Fighting
10th Spinemeld Warrior 2 7 5 4 9 Gather Information 12 (+2), Sense Motive 5, Ride 5, Spellcraft 12 (+2), Intimidate 6, Hide 4 Iron Will** Noble Familiarity, Spine Enhancement
11th Vengeance Knight 1 8 7 4 9 Gather Information 13 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Ride 5, Spellcraft 13 (+2), Intimidate 7 (+1), Hide 4 Armor Training, Bringer of Vengeance (+1)
12th Vengeance Knight 2 9 8 4 9 Gather Information 14 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Ride 5, Spellcraft 14 (+2), Intimidate 8 (+1), Hide 4 Improved Shield Bash* Counterstrike (+1)
13th Vengeance Knight 3 10 8 5 10 Gather Information 15 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Ride 5, Spellcraft 15 (+2), Intimidate 9 (+1), Hide 4 Sacred Vow, Subduing Strike***
14th Vengeance Knight 4 11 9 5 10 Gather Information 16 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Ride 5, Spellcraft 16 (+2), Intimidate 10 (+1), Hide 4 Arcane Backlash (1d6)
15th Vengeance Knight 5 12 9 5 10 Gather Information 17 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Ride 6 (+1), Spellcraft 17 (+2), Intimidate 10, Hide 4 Bringer of Vengeance (+2)
16th Vengeance Knight 6 13 10 6 11 Gather Information 18 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Ride 7 (+1), Spellcraft 18 (+2), Intimidate 10, Hide 4 Vow of Non-Violence Improved Armor Training
17th Vengeance Knight 7 14 10 6 11 Gather Information 19 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Ride 8 (+1), Spellcraft 19 (+2), Intimidate 10, Hide 4 Arcane Backlash (2d6)
18th Vengeance Knight 8 15 11 6 11 Gather Information 20 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Ride 9 (+1), Spellcraft 20 (+2), Intimidate 10, Hide 4 Counterstrike (+2)
19th Vengeance Knight 9 16 11 7 12 Gather Information 21 (+1), Sense Motive 5, Ride 10 (+1), Spellcraft 21 (+2), Intimidate 10, Hide 4 Vow of Peace, Weapon Finesse*** Bringer of Vengeance (+3)
20th Vengeance Knight 10 17 12 7 12 Gather Information 22 (+1), Sense Motive 6 (+1), Ride 10, Spellcraft 22 (+2), Intimidate 10, Hide 4 Arcane Backlash (3d6), Superior Armour Training
Italics refers to cross-class skills.
* = bonus feats directly given by a class
** = Iron Will's Will bonus isn't listed in my Will Save section, since I assumed that, much like how people check for skill ranks, you'd just want the basic bonus here.
*** = Vengeance Knight bonus feat chosen from the fighter bonus feat list.

These are the items Darkstkar needs, in order of importance:
-Clockwork Armor
-As many Rings of Spell-Battle as possible
-A (good-for-its-level) Straightblade
-A (good-for-its-level) Razored Light Shield

The main way he'll gather items is through Spinemeld Warrior's "Noble Familiarity", an ability that lets us use a Gather Information check to snag (almost) whatever items we want. His secondary way of gathering items is through, out of all things, the Noble's Favour ability. The Knights of the Shield (the faction the Vengeance Knights belong to) are based in Baldur's Gate, a city with a pretty decent amount of nobles hanging around. Drakeskar will be spending much of his downtime begging nobles for favours and chatting with magic item sellers in order to get as many of the above items as possible.

This is a pretty standard way to use Spinemeld Warrior, of course; we literally just saw it used in the previous Iron Chef for the exact same purpose. The real question then becomes why - why is Drkaskaar an item gatherer? So that he can facilitate his Vengeance, of course! Vengeance Knight expects a lot of very weird things out of its characters, and I, having gotten attached to a silly bit of flavour text, decided that the best way to gather my revenge was with the copious help of items.

Anything else can kind of just be assumed (such as save boosters).

This is the thing that started this whole mess. No, I'm not kidding. Instead of trying to think through ways of doing more reactive damage, or really trying to break down each of the mechanics of the class so that I could understand it, I instead fixated on one tiny bit of flavour text: "as a vengeance knight, you always wear the heaviest armor available to you". What is the heaviest armour in first-party 3x? Well, I had thought it to be the Thaluud Stone Armor, an obscure piece hiding away in Anauroch the Empire of Shade, but as it turns out, the heaviest armour is likely actually the Clockwork Armor, from an equally obscure online article.

The Clockwork armor weighs 250 pounds (only 70 of which affect encumbrance), gives the wearer a +4 bonus to DEX and STR, increases their base land speed by 5ft, provides a +8 armor bonus to AC, and has no listed armor check penalties or maximum DEX bonus (as long as the wearer can consistently make either a Spellcraft or a Craft check). Moreover, the armor gains bonus AC equal to the character's Deflection and DEX modifiers. While the lack of armor check and speed penalties goes against Armor Training's ACP reduction, the idea of being a speedy DEX-focused character (that can even hide in plain sight!!!) wearing the heaviest possible armor is super funny to me; also, the reduction in penalties to sleeping in armor and trying to put it on solo should still apply, so it's not like D'aaarkniss is getting nothing out of Armor Training.

Oh, and if we can get Armor Spikes on it, that's even better. They add extra weight and extra edginess!!!

Rings of spellbattle (alternatively spelled as "spell-battle") are just really cool. They're one of the best ways of redirecting spells to the player, hence why Dakrskra wants them (and as many of them as possible, too, since their 1/day use limit is tough). While his Knight abilities (Fighting Challenge, Test of Mettle) can work as decent-enough taunts, these rings allow him to specifically redirect only save-based spells, allowing him to easily make use of Arcane Backlash. With Subduing Strike, Daorknstar never has to worry about the double health bar issues of non-lethal (since he just does non-lethal damage anyways) that Arcane Backlash otherwise invites.

Well, Vengeance Knight requires Weapon Focus, so Derksker needed something fitting; what could be better than a short sword from Hell? The Razored aspect of the Light Shield is so that it matches the aesthetic. XD Darrkniss has two shield abilities (Shield Block, Improved Shield Bash), Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, and Subduing Strike, allowing him to be a pacifistic TWF DEX-based sword-n-board. It's dumb, and certainly not the most optimized style around, but I think it's funny, so.

-Noble is…not great. No listed starting wealth (despite being about nobility), little fighting capability, and a barely mechanized class feature does not a good class make. However, said barely mechanized class feature lets Darkdude begin his item hunt right at the start, allowing for early ring hoarding. Moreover, the skill list actually has both Gather Information and all of Vengeance Knight's prereqs, all while letting us grab Spellcraft early so as to avoid Paragnostic Assembly shenanigans. Finally, Noble's two good saves is a nice perk, especially since he'll need his saves to be as good as possible.

-Knight is better. I mean, it has functional class features!! Yay!! The heavy armor proficiency is a necessity for Vengeance Knight (and for the Clockwork Armor, for that matter), and full BAB is always good for a martial. The most important part of the Knight class, however, is its ability to taunt people; indeed, D'aaarkskar stays in long enough to grab both Fighting Challenge and Test of Mettle, two abilities that will help him trigger Vengeance Knight's reactive features.

-Dark Creature is mostly here for flavour. There was an extra level hanging around after the classes had been put together, so Da'ark became Dark and all was well and good. XD So, Dark Creature is mostly a nice little grab-bag of goodies for Mr. Drakstar, giving him Hide in Plain Sight (and actually boosting his Hide to a reasonable amount), lowlight and darkvision, basic cold resistance, and the [Extraplanar] subtype (it helps him feel cool).

-Force of Personality lets Daa'ark be as unwise as he seems (and a bit less MAD), and Cerulean Refluxes both turns him blue (an important part of incarnum) and helps boost his lowest save.

-And so Darkscar becomes a Spinemeld Warrior! And he's doing it for the most typical possible reason: item-gathering. Noble Familiarity is actually mechanically defined, allowing it to be more than just a floating piece of DM fiat. Darkskaaar should now be safe to gather all of his rings, his special blades, and his ultra-special Clockwork Armor. (Favours are a nice back-up now.) Two Weapon Fighting is an amusing bonus feat here, and should function okay enough with his later grab of Improved Shield Bash.

-At ECL 10, Darkska'ar will have to take the Ritual of Alignment to gain the [Evil] subtype. To do this, he must pass a Will 20 check. Thankfully, ECL 10 is exactly when he gains Noble Familiarity, and that plus his favour-begging has hopefully landed him enough Will-boosters to give him an automatic pass here. Now, if one takes a look at either Fiendish Codex 1's Ordered Chaos feat or at the SRD's description of alignment subtypes, both happily mention "effects" affecting the affected character as if they had both their actual alignment and the alignment of the alignment subtype. "Effects" is not a defined term, thus making these things infamously messy. Is using an alignment subtype to bypass class alignment restrictions worthy of an Elegance penalty? Almost certainly. However, I'd rather tank a penalty than lose the funniness of being an Exalted Vengeance Knight, so here we go.

-The only feat choice this level set is Iron Will, a direct prereq. XD Yay?

-WE HAVE BECOME VENGEANCE! And by "we", I really just mean Daa,rk and his fellow competitors. He now wants revenge!! Revenge against the people who…killed his parents when he was a child! In front of a theatre! Totally original! Yeah!!

-Armor Training is what inspired the Clockwork Armor grab, but they actually interact kind of oddly. (Whoops.) The Clockwork Armor actually has no listed armor check penalty for characters with heavy armor proficiency, so that whole section of Armor Training is completely ignoreable here. I'm honestly unsure whether heavy armor as a category reduces speed or whether particular armors have attached speed reduction, but at least Armor Training eases the former (alongside Dark Creature's +10 speed boost and the Clockwork Armor's very own +5 speed boost). Finally, I'm pretty certain Armor Training will help with sleeping in armor or trying to don it alone, so it's guaranteed to do something, at least.

-Bringer of Vengeance…exists. Piddly bonuses are bonuses nonetheless.

-Counterstrike is piddly as well, but it plays quite nicely with his Knightly taunting abilities.

-Improved Shield Bash! Now he can truly dual-wield a blade and a shield together! Why not, at this point?

-Sacred Vow and Subduing Strike begin at this ECL 13. SV isn't of that much use in itself (Skardark is not the most diplomatic of characters), but Subduing Strike is excellllent here. Not only can D'ark fight enemies without worrying about his Knight's Code, but since Arcane Backlash is non-lethal, he now sticks entirely to that type of damage, never having to worry about the dual health bar problems non-lethal is wont to trigger. He's officially declared himself a badass pacifist, and he has the feats to prove it.

-Arcane Backlash comes in at ECL 14, and it's important! Dar'kniss has taunts to goad enemies into fighting him, Rings of Spellbattle to redirect save-type spells, enough Spellcraft to identify most spells, and weapons that do non-lethal damage automatically, all of which nicely synergize with this little ability. Extra damage is extra damage, and our Duke friend is more than happy to show up, play with his rings, and suddenly do random damage to people. It's great.

-Everything finishes up in Vengeance Knight here; it's all just improvements of the earlier abilities.

-What actually matters here is Daaaarkstar's feat selection: he's Vow of Peaceing!! Vow of Nonviolence is kind of useless on this build, but VoPeace is pretty fun! Now anyone who tries to attack him has to worry about not just his Vengeance Knight abilities, and not just his aura of Calm Emotions, but also the sudden risk of their weapons shattering! He's officially an annoying enemy by this point, able to continuously taunt and redirect attacks to himself all while both getting buffs for being hit AND destroying enemy weapons. It's a bit party unfriendly, but Da'ark's probably a loner anyways, so that's fine.

-Weapon Finesse is just helpful. The Clockwork Armor almost wants a DEX fighter, so that's what he is. Boring, but clean.

Book of Exalted Deeds - Sacred Vow, Subduing Strike, Vow of Non-Violence, Vow of Peace
Champions of Ruin - Vengeance Knight
Clockwork Wonders: the Clockwork Armor (https://web.archive.org/web/20150921133314/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070212a) - Clockwork Armor
Complete Adventurer - Force of Personality
Complete Champion - Paragnostic Assembly
Dragonlance Campaign Setting - Noble
Magic Item Compendium - Rings of Spell-Battle
Magic of Incarnum - Cerulean Reflexes, Skarn, Spinemeld Warrior
Planar Handbook - Straightblade
Player's Handbook 2 - Knight
Savage Species - Ritual of Alignment
Tome of Magic - Dark Creature
Underdark - Razored Shield

My Immortal (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6829556/2/My-Immortal) - flavour inspiration
Batman - flavour inspiration

[The Viscount]

He can still ram.



RAMMUS
the Blood-Spiked Charger


Cobra Strike Monk 1 / Psychic Warrior 2 / Totemist 2 / Warblade 1 / Drunken Master 2 / Fighter 2 / Vengeance Knight 10


Race: Human
Alignment: Lawful - Neutral

STR: 18 (mainstat)
DEX: 14
CON: 14
INT: 12
WIS: 8
CHA: 8

Rammus grows up in a monk monastery as many other children of poor families. He is very motivated with the monk training since he intends to later help his family when his training ended and he maybe can earn some money with the results of his training. But he struggles with the foresight (Wisdom) that is part of the training. Due to that he intends to adjust his further training (class lvl) to make up for his shortcomings. He meditates a lot and feels that there is kinda something to discover and unlock, but he is still unsure what it is (Phychic Warrior & Totemist).
The Knights of the Shield are a local organization that impress Rammus a lot. But it is hard to draw their attentions and thus Rammus intends to improve himself so far to be recognized by em. But this may be long road to travel...

(h) = human bonus feat
(m) = monk bonus feat
(P) = psychic warrior bonus feat
(f) = fighter bonus feat


LVL
Class
BAB
For
Ref
Wil
Skills
* = cross class
Feats
Class Features


1st
Monk
ACF: (Cobra Strike)
Unearthed Arcana

+0
+2
+2
+2
Balance: 4
Concentration: 4
Intimidate*: 2
Jump: 4
Ride*: 2
Sense Motive: 4
Tumble: 4
Iron Will

(h) Greater Fortitude

(m) Dodge
Unarmed Strike 1d6

Flurry (-2)

Bonus Feat


2nd
Psychic Warrior (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psychicWarrior.htm)
+0
+4
+2
+2
Concentration: 5
Jump: 5
Ride: 4
(p) Power Attack
Bonus Feat

Power:
Expansion


3rd
Totemist
Magic of Incarnum
+0
+6
+4
+2
Concentration: 6
Tumble*: 5
Weapon Focus (Spiked Shield)
Soulmelds:
Basilisk Mask
Wormtail Belt


4th
Totemist
+1
+7
+5
+2
Concentration: 7
Tumble*: 6

Totem Chakra Bind
(+1 capacity)

Greater Raptor Mask
(bound to Totem)


5th
Warblade
Tome of Battle
+2
+9
+5
+2
Balance: 5
Concentration: 8
Intimidate: 4
Tumble: 8

Battle Clarity (Reflex saves)

Weapon Aptitude

Stance:
Leading the Charge

Maneuvers:
Moment of Perfect Mind
Action Before Thought
Battle Leader's Charge


6th
Drunken Master
Complete Warrior
+2
+11
+7
+2
Concentration*: 9
Jump: 8
Tumble: 9
Cleave
Drink Like a Demon

Improvised Weapons


7th
Drunken Master
+3
+12
+8
+2
Balance: 6
Concentration*: 10
Jump: 10
Tumble: 10

Stagger


8th
Psychic Warrior
+4
+13
+8
+2
Concentration: 11
Jump: 11
Tumble*: 11
Weapon Focus (Armor Spikes)
Power:
Adrenalin Boost


9th
Fighter
+5
+15
+8
+2
Intimidate: 6
Jump: 12
Ride: 5
(f) Shield Specialization
(heavy shield)
PHB II
Bonus Feat


10th
Vengeance Knight
+6
+17
+8
+2
Concentration*: 13

Armor Training

Bringer of Vengeance +1


11th
Vengeance Knight
+7
+18
+8
+2
Concentration*: 14
Tumble*: 12
(v) Improved Shield Bash
Improved Shield Bash

Counterstrike +1


12th
Vengeance Knight
+8
+18
+9
+3
Concentration*: 15
Jump*: 13
Blood Spiked Charger
PHB II

(v) Agile Shield Fighter
PHB II
Bonus Feat


13th
Vengeance Knight
+9
+19
+9
+3
Concentration*: 16
Tumble*: 13

Arcane Backlash 1d6


14th
Vengeance Knight
+10
+19
+9
+3
Concentration: 17
Jump*: 14

Bringer of Vengeance +2


15th
Vengeance Knight
+11
+20
+10
+4
Concentration*: 18
Tumble*: 14
Greater Cleave
Improved Armor Training


16th
Vengeance Knight
+12
+20
+10
+4
Concentration*: 19
Jump*: 15

Arcane Backlash 2d6


17th
Vengeance Knight
+13
+21
+10
+4
Concentration*: 20
Tumble*: 15

Counterstrike +2


18th
Vengeance Knight
+14
+21
+11
+5
Concentration*: 21
Tumble*: 16
Heavy Armor Specialization
Races of Stone

(v) Deflective Armor
Races of Stone
Bringer of Vengeance +3

Bonus Feat


19th
Fighter
+15
+22
+11
+5
Concentration*: 22
Jump: 16
Ride: 6
(f) Shield Ward
PHB II
Bonus Feat


20th
Vengeance Knight
+16
+23
+11
+5
Concentration*: 23
Jump: 17

Arcane Backlash 3d6

Superior Armor Training




Shaped Soulmelds: (2 essentia max)

Basilisk Mask (shaped to Face)
Gives Low Light vision by default and +30ft darkvision per point essentia invested.

Wormtail Belt (shaped to Waist)
Gives +2 Natural Armor and an additional +1 per essentia invested.

Greater Raptor Mask (Bound to Totem)
Gives Evasion (without any armor restrictions).

Powers:
We will barely use em since they are situational and we sole have a single power point.

Expansion
We can only maintain it for a single round, but can be situational useful.

Adrenalin Boost
Again only 1 round duration. While it the upside here is that it is a swift action.


1-5
Rammus starts out as simple monk who lacks the foresight that most monks usually have. Thus he quickly realizes that he is much better advised to wear armor and use shields in combat (Psychic Warrior). The heavier the better. While Rammus lacks foresight, that doesn't mean that he lack reactions too. Thus he tries to improve his evasiveness like all monks do. But compared to them he is wearing heavy armor while doing that (Totemist: Evasion).
He also tries to make up for the shortcomings of the human sight and develops a technique to see with low light and in the dark (Basilisk Mask). We further improve our defenses by increasing our Natural Armor (Wormtail Belt).
Rammus also takes a liking on rushing (charge) into combat (Leading the Charge & Battle Leader's Charge).
Finally he acknowledges the threat that magic users present on the battlefield. Thus he always tries to be focused and concentrates on any possible magical threats (Moment of Perfect Time & Action Before Thought).
The other feats and stuff is in preparation for later (feat taxes).

6-10
On his journeys Rammus encounters a group of Drunken Masters in a tavern and tags along with em for a while. During this time his drinking ability improve and he knows no equal who can hold up with him. Occasionally this can be handy to start a fight (if we have the time before it starts) since he always feels much stronger with booze than without... But it ain't a hard addiction (the build doesn't rely on it). Being drunk while fighting did bring him insight in how to abuse his evasiveness while charging into combat (Stagger).
This type of movement also allows him to fluently Cleave through his enemies.

Finally he gets recognizes by the Knights of the Shield and gets the opportunity to become a Vengeance Knight. This encourages Rammus to focus even harder on his combat training to showcase his worth. (Note that Weapon Aptitude will be used on one of the Weapon Focus feats to enter the SI)

11-15
Rammus notices a shift in combat style. Lately he sole makes use of his spiked shield to bash and occasionally uses his armor-spikes to attack (Blood-Spiked Charger + Agile Shield Fighter). He becomes more and more used to wearing his armor like a 2nd skin.
Greater Cleave helps against larger number of enemies.

16-20
Rammus has finally perfected the use of his heavy armor (specialization). This enables him to deflect even touch attacks with his armor and shied (Deflective Armor + Shield Ward)





I wanted to build an unconventional Ubercharger with the SI that doesn't rely on dumping his AC with Shock Trooper, but instead tries to maintain a high defensive along raising his dmg.

Stagger allows to charge outta any position and thus allows to charge every turn. Blood Spiked Charger combined with Agile Shield Fighter adds 2x STR bonus to your regular dmg. Since we don't use any other weapon, we can use our heavy spiked shield as 2h weapon for a total STR bonus of x3.5. The Armor Spikes total at x2.5 STR bonus. Add some overall charge multipliers (Vengeance Weapon; option to fly for Dive Attacks with piercing/slashing weapon = x3 charge multiplier) and you should be able to (Greater) Cleave trough your enemies without relying on Power Attack to much (if at all).
Our charge stance and maneuver adds to our charge dmg (which can also profit from overall charge multipliers) to ensure a kill on almost every blow.

The heavy armor training of the SI allows to hit easier hit the tumble DC while charging (for Stagger). The main attack of the build is a charging (Imp.) Shield Bash attack with a Spiked Shield (and Armor Spikes as offhand attack).
We have 2 maneuvers to cover our 2 weak save rolls (Reflex and Will). This will ensure that we will profit from Arcane Backlash more often.
Finally we increase our Touch AC with our Heavy Armor and Shield which imho fits the concept of the SI very well (since most attack roll based spells tend to have no save, this doesn't overshadow the Arcane Backlash ability but accompanies it very well imho. This should encourage the caster to use less attack roll based spells and more save based spells.).
Counterstrike gets the short end of the stick in this build, since we try to be tanky and avoid most damage.
Bringer of Vengeance is a nice to have damage boost, but doesn't see much more use sadly due to the very limited skillpoints of this build.



Here some recommended magic items to improve the build.

Adamantine Full Plate +5 + Armor Spikes
Armor Spikes +5 + Valorous

Mithral Heavy Spiked Shield:
as shield: + 5 + Bashing
as weapon: +5 + Valorous
Bashing (DMG) increases dmg by 2 size categories to 2d6.
Valorous (Unapproachable East) doubles the entire charge damage.

Buckler +5 + Empyreal
Empyreal: Book of Exalted Deeds
Since we already have a higher AC bonus, we can trade the entire Enhancement bonus into (+5) sacred bonus to saves.

Cloak of Resistance +5 (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#cloakofResistance)
+5 resistance bonus to saves. Combines with the Buckler, we can get up to +10 to saves.

Phonis Cloak (MIC) or Wings of Flying (DMG)
Get either one to get the option to fly. Enables diving charge attacks for another damage multiplier (totaling to x3 with the valorous weapon). The former has perfect maneuverability but is limited to our ground movement speed, the other has a fixed speed of 60ft and only good maneuverability.

[The Viscount]

They are knights of the shield, after all.



Braum
the Shieldbearer


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


Psychic Warrior 2 / Fighter 2 / Lion Spirit Barbarian 1 / Warblade 1 / Vengeance Knight 10 / Bloodstorm Blade 4


Race: Human
Alignment: C-N

Braum did grow up in a major city. Without the job the best thing you can do is to join the local guards. They offer good combat training in various arts for anyone willing to defend his hometown. Braum has always been impressed by the heavy armor knights and their heavy shields. They seem like impenetrable fortresses in his eyes. Inspired by this, he intends to become a heavy armored knight who defends his home.

* = cross class skill and thus only half ranks per skill point
(p) = psychic warrior bonus feat
(h) = human bonus feat
(f) = fighter bonus feat
(v) = Vengeance Knight



LVL
Class
BAB
For
Ref
Wil
Skills
Feats
Class Features


1st
Psychic Warrior (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/classes/psychicWarrior.htm)
+0
+2
+0
+0
Balance*: 2
Concentration: 4
Intimidate*: 2
Ride: 4
Sense Motive*: 2
Heavy Armor Specialization
Races of Stone

(p) Deflective Armor
Races of Stone

(h) Parrying Shield
Lords of Madness
Bonus Feat


2nd
Psychic Warrior
+1
+3
+0
+0
Concentration: 5
Jump: 4
(p) Weapon Focus (Longsword)
Bonus Feat


3rd
Fighter
+2
+5
+0
+0
Intimidate: 6
Jump: 5
Iron Will

(f) Combat Expertise
Bonus Feat


4th
Fighter
+3
+6
+0
+0
Intimidate: 7
Jump: 7
Ride: 6
(f) Improved Unarmed Strike
Bonus Feat


5th
Barbarian

ACF: Lion Spirit
(Pounce)
Complete Champion

ACF: Whirling Frenzy
(Unearthed Arcana)
+4
+8
+0
+0
Intimidate: 8
Jump: 8
Ride: 8
Swim: 3

Pounce

Whirling Frenzy


6th
Warblade

Tome of Battle
+5
+10
+0
+0
Balance: 8
Intimidate: 9
Improved Trip
Battle Clarity (Reflex saves)

Weapon Aptitude

Stance:
Punishing Stance

Maneuvers:
Wall of Blades
Moment of Perfect Mind
Action Before Thought


7th
Vengeance Knight
+6
+12
+0
+0
Concentration*: 7
Intimidate: 10

Armor Training

Bringer of Vengeance +1


8th
Vengeance Knight
+7
+13
+0
+0
Concentration*: 9
Intimidate: 11
(v) Improved Shield Bash
Improved Shield Bash

Counterstrike +1


9th
Vengeance Knight
+8
+13
+1
+1
Concentration*: 11
Intimidate: 12
Curling Wave Strike
Stormwrack


(v) Shield Charge
Compete Warrior
Bonus Feat


10th
Vengeance Knight
+9
+14
+1
+1
Concentration*: 13
Intimidate: 13

Arcane backlash 1d6


11th
Vengeance Knight
+10
+14
+1
+1
Concentration*: 14
Intimidate: 14
Ride: 10

Bringer of Vengeance +2


12th
Vengeance Knight
+11
+15
+2
+2
Concentration*: 15
Intimidate: 15
Ride: 12
Shield Slam
Compete Warrior
Improved Armor Training


13th
Vengeance Knight
+12
+15
+2
+2
Concentration*: 16
Intimidate: 16
Ride: 14

Arcane Backlash 2d6


14th
Vengeance Knight
+13
+16
+2
+2
Concentration*: 17
Intimidate: 17
Ride: 16

Counterstrike +2


15th
Vengeance Knight
+14
+16
+3
+3
Concentration*: 18
Intimidate: 18
Ride: 18
Point Blank Shot
Bonus Feat

Bringer of Vengeance +3


16th
Vengeance Knight
+15
+17
+3
+3
Concentration*: 19
Intimidate: 19
Jump: 9
Ride: 19

Arcane Backlash 3d6

Superior Armor Training


17th
Bloodstorm Blade

Tome of Battle
+16
+19
+3
+3
Balance: 10
Concentration*: 20
Intimidate: 20
Ride*: 20

Returning Attacks

Throw Anything

Weapon Aptitude


18th
Bloodstrom Blade
+17
+20
+3
+3
Balance: 12
Concentration*: 21
Intimidate: 21
Ride*: 21
Sand Snare
Sandstrom
Martial Throw

Thunderous Throw


19th
Bloodstorm Blade
+18
+20
+4
+4
Balance: 14
Concentration*: 22
Intimidate: 22
Ride*: 22
Pebble Underfoot

Dragon Compendium
Bonus Fighter Feat


20th
Bloodstorm Blade
+19
+21
+4
+4
Balance: 16
Concentration*: 23
Intimidate: 23
Ride*: 23

Lightning Ricochet



Psionic Powers:
Not much going on here with a single power point. Take Adrenalin Boost and Expansion. Both nice to have for the build. It's just the 1 round duration that hurts.


1-5
Braum can use his heavy armor and shield like no other. He is almost untouchable in his armor (touch AC). And if the situation really calls for it (1/day) he can be a really ferocious fighter (Whirling Frenzy).

6-10
While Braum started as sword fighter, he more and more prioritizes his shield for his attacks (Imp Shield Bash). He becomes so good at its use that he can trip multiple enemies at once (Shield Charge + Curling Wave Strike).
He also realizes that he is very prone to some magic types (Reflex and Will) and thus develops special defensive techniques against it (maneuvers).

11-15
Braum's shield hits so hard that it can leave his foes dazed for a brief moment (Shield Slam).

16-20
Braum becomes a master of the shield. He learns to throw his shield from afar and trip his enemies before they can even reach him. He further develops techniques to easier trip bigger foes (Pebble Underfoot). He even learns dirty fighting styles that use his surroundings to make it harder for his foes to stand up (Sand Snare).

I hope you enjoyed this silly concept. Braum is inspired by the League of Legends character by the same name. Charge around the battlefied and throw your shield into your enemies face. Heavy battlefield control combined with a very tanky base that can even annoy most caster encounters that you will see in a regular game. Add the commonly expected magical gear and you should be an unstopable force on the battlefield.

[The Viscount]

No! My way!


Clunk

LE Deep Imaskari Factotum 3/Sneak Attack Fighter 1/Psychic Warrior 4/Vengeance Knight 10/Rogue 1/Psychic Rogue 1

Clunk had a different name, once - back before hard times pushed him into a life of crime. Back then, he was an apprentice to a legendary knight. So, when he was forced to be nothing more than a petty thief, he couldn't set aside his love of swords, shields, and heavy armor. Hence, of course, the nickname he picked up in the thieves' guild. But Clunk was every bit as stubborn as he was clever. With time, he would find out how to make it work. He would wear the memory of his old master and take up a mighty blade, and he would find a way to stay silent as the night.

This build may not be the strongest. It may not be the most synergistic. It's certainly not the most optimal use of the class. What is does do, however, is it highlights a neat thing that Vengeance Knight enables bizarrely well: a dexterity-dumping rogue. The impressive ACP reduction allows a character to use full plate with no armor check penalty. Revolving around sword-and-board feats sets up for Agile Shield Fighter to bypass the heavy Dex requirements of TWF. Bringer of Vengeance and Counterstrike are both reasonably solid for a single-target sneak-attacker. Thanks to Assassin's Stance, the class can even use its two bonus feats to provide some sneak attack itself.

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

Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Factotum 1 0 0 2 0 44: {+4} Balance: 4; {+4} Bluff: 4; {+4} Diplomacy: 4; {+4} Hide: 4; {+4} Intimidate: 4; {+4} Move SIlently: 4; {+4} Ride: 4; {+4} Search: 4; {+4} Sense Motive: 4; {+4} Spot: 4; {+4} Tumble: 4; Able Learner Inspiration, Cunning Insight, Cunning Knowledge, Trapfinding
2nd Factotum 2 1 0 3 0 11: {+1} Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 5; {+1} Diplomacy: 5; {+1} Hide: 5; {+1} Intimidate: 5; {+1} Knowledge (Nobility): 1; {+1} Move SIlently: 5; Ride: 4; {+1} Search: 5; {+1} Sense Motive: 5; {+1} Spot: 5; {+1} Tumble: 5; Arcane Dilletante (1 Spell)
3rd Factotum 3 2 1 3 1 11: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 6; {+1} Diplomacy: 6; {+1} Hide: 6; {+1} Intimidate: 6; {+3} Knowledge (Nobility): 4; {+1} Move SIlently: 6; Ride: 4; {+1} Search: 6; Sense Motive: 5; {+1} Spot: 6; {+1} Tumble: 6; Shield Specialization (Heavy) Brains Over Brawn, Cunning Defense
4th Sneak Attack Fighter 1 3 3 3 1 7: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 7; {+1} Diplomacy: 7; {+1} Disable Device: 1; {+1} Hide: 7; {+1} Intimidate: 7; {+1} Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 7; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 5; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; +1d6 Sneak Attack
5th Psychic Warrior 1 3 5 3 1 7: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 8; {+1} Diplomacy: 8; {+1} Disable Device: 2; {+1} Hide: 8; {+1} Intimidate: 8; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 8; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 5; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 1; Weapon Focus (Longsword) Manifesting, Bonus Feat
6th Psychic Warrior 2 4 6 3 1 7: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 9; {+1} Diplomacy: 9; {+1} Disable Device: 3; {+1} Hide: 9; {+1} Intimidate: 9; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 9; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 5; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 2; Iron Will, Shield Ward Bonus Feat
7th Psychic Warrior 3 5 6 4 2 7: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 10; {+1} Diplomacy: 10; {+1} Disable Device: 4; {+1} Hide: 10; {+1} Intimidate: 10; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 10; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 5; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 3;
8th Vengeance Knight 1 6 8 4 2 7: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 11; {+1} Diplomacy: 11; {+1} Disable Device: 5; {+1} Hide: 11; {+1} Intimidate: 11; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 11; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 5; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 4; Armor Training, Bringer of Vengeance +1
9th Vengeance Knight 2 7 9 4 2 7: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 12; {+1} Diplomacy: 12; {+1} Disable Device: 6; {+1} Hide: 12; {+1} Intimidate: 12; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 12; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 5; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 5; Improved Shield Bash, Agile Shield Fighter Counterstrike +1, Improved Shield Bash
10th Vengeance Knight 3 8 9 5 3 7: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 13; {+1} Diplomacy: 13; {+1} Disable Device: 7; {+1} Hide: 13; {+1} Intimidate: 13; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 13; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 5; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 6; Martial Study (Cloak of Deception) Bonus Feat
11th Vengeance Knight 4 9 10 5 3 7: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 14; {+1} Diplomacy: 14; {+1} Disable Device: 8; {+1} Hide: 14; {+1} Intimidate: 14; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 14; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 5; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 7; Arcane Backlash 1d6
12th Vengeance Knight 5 10 10 5 3 8: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 15; {+1} Diplomacy: 15; {+1} Disable Device: 9; {+1} Hide: 15; {+1} Intimidate: 15; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 15; Ride: 4; Search: 6; {+1} Sense Motive: 6; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 8; Martial Stance (Assassin's Stance) Bringer of Vengeance +2
13th Vengeance Knight 6 11 11 6 4 8: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 16; {+1} Diplomacy: 16; {+1} Disable Device: 10; {+1} Hide: 16; {+1} Intimidate: 16; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 16; Ride: 4; Search: 6; {+1} Sense Motive: 7; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 9; Improved Armor Training
14th Vengeance Knight 7 12 11 6 4 8: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 17; {+1} Diplomacy: 17; {+1} Disable Device: 11; {+1} Hide: 17; {+1} Intimidate: 17; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 17; Ride: 4; Search: 6; {+1} Sense Motive: 8; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 10; Arcane Backlash 2d6
15th Vengeance Knight 8 13 12 6 4 8: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 18; {+1} Diplomacy: 18; {+1} Disable Device: 12; {+1} Hide: 18; {+1} Intimidate: 18; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 18; Ride: 4; Search: 6; {+1} Sense Motive: 9; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 11; Vengeful Surge Counterstrike +2
16th Vengeance Knight 9 14 12 7 5 8: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 19; {+1} Diplomacy: 19; {+1} Disable Device: 13; {+1} Hide: 19; {+1} Intimidate: 19; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 19; Ride: 4; Search: 6; {+1} Sense Motive: 10; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 12; Heavy Armor Optimization Bonus Feat, Bringer of Vengeance +3
17th Vengeance Knight 10 15 13 7 5 8: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 20; {+1} Diplomacy: 20; {+1} Disable Device: 14; {+1} Hide: 20; {+1} Intimidate: 20; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 20; Ride: 4; Search: 6; {+1} Sense Motive: 11; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 13; Arcane Backlash 3d6, Superior Armor Training
18th Psychic Warrior 4 16 14 7 5 8: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 21; {+1} Diplomacy: 21; {+1} Disable Device: 15; {+1} Hide: 21; {+1} Intimidate: 21; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 21; Ride: 4; Search: 6; {+1} Sense Motive: 12; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 14; Deflective Armor
19th Rogue 1 16 14 9 5 14: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 22; {+1} Diplomacy: 22; {+1} Disable Device: 16; {+1} Hide: 22; {+1} Intimidate: 22; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 22; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 12; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+8} Use Magic Device: 22; +2d6 Sneak Attack
20th Psychic Rogue 1 16 14 11 5 14: Balance: 5; {+1} Bluff: 23; {+7} Concentration: 7; {+1} Diplomacy: 23; {+1} Disable Device: 17; {+1} Hide: 23; {+1} Intimidate: 23; Knowledge (Nobility): 5; {+1} Move SIlently: 23; Ride: 4; Search: 6; Sense Motive: 12; Spot: 6; Tumble: 6; {+1} Use Magic Device: 23; +3d6 Sneak Attack

1st Level Powers: Expansion, Compression, Chameleon
2nd Level Powers: Hustle

Level 5
Clunk is a mildly psionic, tougher-than-average Factotum. He can do the Factotum thing as well as any other, with tons of Int to fuel Brains over Brawn. He's pretty sneaky, and the first level of Psychic Warrior can pick up either Compression to be sneakier or Expansion to be tougher. Noteworthy is that Clunk is best off going sword-and-board right now, and he can use a heavy shield without any ACP thanks to his feat choices. His AC is low for now, so the shield will help him out.

Level 10
Vengeance Knight is online! Clunk is taking full advantage of every feat he's getting from it, and now he has Agile Shield Fighter, AKA TWF without the Dex requirement. Better yet, because he's got two one-handed weapons, he's putting his full Str mod behind BOTH of them. He's also just grabbed Cloak of Deception by this point to guarantee more sneak attacks and help out his defenses. He's a sneaky tank and a tanky sneak, rocking way more hit points than you'd expect from a guy who turns invisible and a decent touch AC thanks to Shield Ward.

Level 15
More of the same, here. He's getting bigger bonuses against dedicated targets, Improved Armor Training means he can probably get away with wearing Mithral full plate, and Vengeful Surge is both the most flavorful feat choice possible and a nice boost to both TWF damage and to the damage from Arcane Backlash. While Backlash isn't putting in a ton of work here, it's a good way to discourage spellcasters from going after poor 'ol Clunk. He can still make some use of it if any caster types expect him to have a Rogue's Fort save.

Level 20
After a bit of a lull, Vengeance Knight's capstone kicks in and lets this rogue wear just about any heavy armor he can get his hands on. No ACPs for Adamantine Full Plate, and minimal ACP for even the most ridiculous armors in Races of Stone. Deflective Armor keeps his touch AC sky-high, and two quick Roguish dips keep Sneak Attack damage relevant. The final level of Psychic Warrior gives Hustle, which never goes out of fashion.

There's a number of things in this build that can be modified if you have a tolerant enough GM (or if you like more cliché tricks). The first is, of course, the question of freeing up one or more early feats, whether by playing a human, using flaws, or by using the Otyugh Hole to grab that pesky Iron Will. This could let you swap out the Psychic Warrior levels for Cleric, pick up Knowledge Devotion, and put Psychic Rogue at 18th to qualify for Deflective Armor. Second, if you ever plan on using this build, ask your GM if you can substitute the Vengeance Knight's Improved Shield Bash with a different shield-based feat if you already have ISB. With this change, you could take Improved Shield Bash at 3rd level, Agile Shield Fighter at 5th, Weapon Focus at 6th, and then Shield Specialization and Shield Ward at 9th so that you can get into your main fighting style a lot earlier.

If built with a higher point buy, Clunk would do best with some extra Charisma. With a few more points and a magic item or two, the build could grab Never Outnumbered and Imperious Command to do some crowd control with the aid of Vengeance Knight's boosts to Intimidate.

Dungeonscape: Factotum
Fiendish Codex II: Vengeful Surge
PHBII: Shield Specialization, Shield Ward, Agile Shield Fighter
Races of Destiny: Able Learner
Races of Stone: Heavy Armor Optimization, Deflective Armor
Tome of Battle: Martial Study, Martial Stance
Underdark: Deep Imaskari
Web Content: Psychic Rogue

[The Viscount]

The taller the pedestal, the harder the impact.


Officer Chip McDaniels
A Watchman In Need Of Watching Closely

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1002625027860090920/1151185161887678567/caseaiken_a_cop_in_riot_gear_with_baton_and_riot_s hield_bb10ecce-ebc6-49a9-adab-321afeb00ecf.png?width=976&height=976

Initially Lawful Good Desert Half-Orc Paladin 11

Finishes as Neutral Evil Desert Half-Orc Fallen Paladin 1, Blackguard 10, Fighter 1, Vengeance Knight 8

I grew up in a small town, idolizing the police officers who patrolled our streets. My father was a cop, and he instilled in me a deep sense of duty and responsibility from a young age. There were a lot of people out there looking to prey on the weak and I longed to join the ranks of the people responsible for locking them up. I always knew I wanted to be a cop, just like him.

After graduating from the police academy, I joined the force with unbridled enthusiasm. Over the years, I climbed the ranks and earned my promotions. I was seen as a model officer, and for a while, I believed I was doing the right thing. The things I saw, man. Each night my will was put to the test, but fortunately I was made of stern stuff, body and spirit.

One fateful night, my life took a dark turn. We received a call about a disturbance at a local bar. I arrived at the scene, my heart pounding with adrenaline. Inside, I encountered a situation that pushed me to my limits. A group of rowdy patrons had been causing trouble, and I lost control. In a fit of rage, I lashed out at the closest punk. I hit him so hard that I broke his arm. He was screaming and our eyes met. I could see it. He wasnÂ’t part of this. He was an innocent civilian, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. I lost it. I told myself that I couldnÂ’t have been wrong. He had to be part of this. He had to be. I hit him again, half heartedly at first. The passion for my duty draining away from me. I hit him again. This time more robotically. Again. He was unconscious. His eyes were swelling up. Again. His jaw was dislodged. Again. I knew that I was a good cop. I just knew that I was the good guy. This loser was one of them. The bad guys. I hit him again and again until there was just a crumpled human form lying at my feet. I had lost control. I had tarnished the badge in a fit of rage. Even worse, the incident was caught on camera, and my actions were broadcast all over the news.

The fallout was swift and brutal. I was disgraced, suspended from the force, and charged with assault. My dreams of being a respected cop were shattered, and I was left with a tarnished reputation. With my law enforcement career in ruins, I found myself at a crossroads.

Desperate to find a way to make a living, I decided to become a bounty hunter. It was a dark and dangerous profession, but it provided me with an outlet for my anger and aggression. I tracked down fugitives and brought them to justice, often resorting to brutal methods that crossed ethical lines.

But my lust for power and control only grew. I found myself drawn to a corrupt department that turned a blind eye to my methods. They saw my brutality as an asset, not a liability. I was empowered with new purpose and clarity. They outfitted me with the best gear. Hell, they even assigned me a K-9 officer, Thunder, to help me run down the worthless punks. With my handy Longsword grade baton and my tactical shield, I was a pro at disabling threats, especially if they were pinned down by Thunder. I became a part of a system that preyed upon potential threats before they could become strong enough to make good, using excessive force and intimidation to maintain control over the streets.

I wish I could say that there was a turning point, that I saw the error of my ways and redeemed myself, but that would be a lie. I spiraled deeper into corruption and violence, becoming a symbol of everything wrong with the system I had once sworn to protect.

My life as a dirty cop was a dark and twisted journey that led me further away from the ideals I had once held dear and on a path of vengeance at a world that offered a different bill of goods than the one I was sold. I became a monster, a symbol of the very injustice I had once vowed to fight against. In the end, I never really paid the price for my actions. Sure, I was scarred and bitter, but I retired on a full pension. I mean, who cares if the scars I left on the lives of others would never fully heal. TheyÂ’re weak.


Abilities Initial Race / Template 4th 8th 12th 16th 20th
STR 18
DEX 8 1
CON 14 2
INT 12 -2
WIS 10 1 1 1 1
CHA 16

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

Level Class Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Reflex Save Will Save Skills Feats Class Features
1st Paladin (Holy Warrior) 1 2 0 0 8: {+2} Knowledge (Religion): 2; {+2 CC} Hide: 1; {+4} Ride: 4; Iron Will Aura of good, detect evil, smite evil 1/day
2nd Paladin (Holy Warrior) 2 3 0 0 2: {+1} Knowledge (Religion): 3; Hide: 1; {+1} Ride: 5; Divine grace, lay on hands
3rd Paladin (Holy Warrior) 3 3 1 1 2: {+1} Knowledge (Religion): 4; Hide: 1; {+1} Ride: 6; Power Attack Aura of courage, divine health
4th Paladin (Holy Warrior) 4 4 1 1 2: {+1} Knowledge (Religion): 5; Hide: 1; {+1} Sense Motive: 1; Ride: 6; Bonus Feat: Extra Smiting Smite Evil 3/day, Turn undead
5th Paladin (Holy Warrior) 5 4 1 1 2: {+1} Knowledge (Religion): 6; Hide: 1; {+1} Sense Motive: 2; Ride: 6; Smite evil 4/day, charging smite (alternate class feature)
6th Paladin (Holy Warrior) 6/1 5 2 2 2: {+1} Knowledge (Religion): 7; Hide: 1; {+1} Sense Motive: 3; Ride: 6; Cleave Remove disease 1/week
7th Paladin (Holy Warrior) 7/2 5 2 2 2: {+1} Knowledge (Religion): 8; Hide: 1; {+1} Sense Motive: 4; Ride: 6;
8th Paladin (Holy Warrior) 8/3 6 2 2 2: {+1} Knowledge (Religion): 9; Hide: 1; {+1} Sense Motive: 5; Ride: 6; Bonus Feat: Divine Might
9th Paladin (Holy Warrior) 9/4 6 3 3 2: Knowledge (Religion): 9; Hide: 1; {+1} Sense Motive: 6; {+1} Ride: 7; Improved Sunder Remove disease 2/week
10th Paladin (Holy Warrior) 10/5 7 3 3 2: {+2} Diplomacy: 2; Knowledge (Religion): 9; Hide: 1; Sense Motive: 6; Ride: 7; Smite evil 5/day
11th Paladin (Holy Warrior) 11/6/1 7 3 3 2: {+2} Diplomacy: 4; Knowledge (Religion): 9; Hide: 1; Sense Motive: 6; Ride: 7;
Alt. 1st Fallen Paladin 1 2 0 0 8: {+2} Knowledge (Religion): 2; {+2 CC} Hide: 1; {+4} Ride: 4; Iron Will Smite good 1/day (Fallen Paladin 1)
Alt. 2nd Blackguard 2 4 0 0 2: {+1} Knowledge (Religion): 3; Hide: 1; {+1} Ride: 5; Aura of evil, detect good, poison use
Alt. 3rd Blackguard 3 5 0 0 2: {+1} Knowledge (Religion): 4; Hide: 1; {+1} Ride: 6; Power Attack Dark blessing, smite good 2/day
Alt. 4th Blackguard 4 5 1 1 2: {+1} Intimidate: 1; Knowledge (Religion): 4; Hide: 1; {+1} Ride: 7; Command undead, aura of despair
Alt. 5th Blackguard 5 6 1 1 2: {+1} Intimidate: 2; Knowledge (Religion): 4; Hide: 1; {+1} Sense Motive: 1; Ride: 7; Sneak attack +1d6
Alt. 6th Blackguard 6/1 6 1 1 2: {+1} Intimidate: 3; Knowledge (Religion): 4; Hide: 1; Sense Motive: 1; {+1} Ride: 8; Cleave Fiendish servant, smite good 3/day
Alt. 7th Blackguard 7/2 7 2 2 2: {+1} Intimidate: 4; Knowledge (Religion): 4; Hide: 1; Sense Motive: 1; {+1} Ride: 9;
Alt. 8th Blackguard 8/3 7 2 2 2: {+1} Intimidate: 5; Knowledge (Religion): 4; Hide: 1; Sense Motive: 1; {+1} Ride: 10; Sneak attack +2d6
Alt. 9th Blackguard 9/4 8 2 2 2: Intimidate: 5; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+2 CC} Hide: 2; Sense Motive: 1; Ride: 10; Improved Sunder
Alt. 10th Blackguard 10/5 8 3 3 2: Intimidate: 5; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+2 CC} Hide: 3; Sense Motive: 1; Ride: 10;
Alt. 11th Blackguard 11/6/1 9 3 3 2: Intimidate: 5; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+2 CC} Hide: 4; Sense Motive: 1; Ride: 10; Sneak attack +3d6, smite good 4/day
12th Fighter 12/7/2 11 3 3 2: Intimidate: 5; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+2 CC} Hide: 5; Sense Motive: 1; Ride: 10; Travel Devotion, Bonus Feat: Weapon Focus(Longsword)
13th Vengeance Knight 13/8/3 13 3 3 2: Intimidate: 5; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+1} Spot: 1; Hide: 5; {+1} Sense Motive: 2; Ride: 10; Armor training, bringer of vengeance +1
14th Vengeance Knight 14/9/4 14 3 3 2: Intimidate: 5; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+1} Spot: 2; Hide: 5; {+1} Sense Motive: 3; Ride: 10; Bonus Feat: Improved Shield Bash Counterstrike +1, Improved Shield Bash
15th Vengeance Knight 15/10/5 14 4 4 2: {+1} Intimidate: 6; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+1} Spot: 3; Hide: 5; Sense Motive: 3; Ride: 10; Shield Specialization, Bonus Feat: Agile Shield Fighter Bonus feat
16th Vengeance Knight 16/11/6/1 15 4 4 2: {+1} Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (Religion): 4; Spot: 3; Hide: 5; {+1} Sense Motive: 4; Ride: 10; Arcane backlash 1d6
17th Vengeance Knight 17/12/7/2 15 4 4 2: {+1} Intimidate: 8; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+1} Spot: 4; Hide: 5; Sense Motive: 4; Ride: 10; Bringer of vengeance +2
18th Vengeance Knight 18/13/8/3 16 5 5 2: {+1} Intimidate: 9; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+1} Spot: 5; Hide: 5; Sense Motive: 4; Ride: 10; Craven Improved armor training
19th Vengeance Knight 19/14/9/4 16 5 5 2: Intimidate: 9; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+1} Spot: 6; Hide: 5; {+1} Sense Motive: 5; Ride: 10; Arcane backlash 2d6
20th Vengeance Knight 20/15/10/5 17 5 5 2: Intimidate: 9; Knowledge (Religion): 4; {+1} Spot: 7; Hide: 5; {+1} Sense Motive: 6; Ride: 10; Counterstrike +2


Fiendish Companion Dog
Thunder is Chip's Fiendish Companion. His base stats are just those of a German Shepherd, so a big domestic dog, but then he scales with character level. He comes in with +2 Bonus HD, +1 strength, +1 natural armor, and an Intelligence of 6. As for abilities, he has Empathic link, improved evasion, share saving throws, and share spells.

For Chip's 13th-15th level, that benefit increases to +4 HD, +3 Natural Armor, +2 Strength, and an Intelligence of 7. He can also Speak with blackguard.

When Chip gets to 16th-18th level, Thunder goes up to +6 HD, +5 Natural Armor, +3 Strength, and an Intelligence of 8, plus the Blood bond ability.
Finally, for Chip's 19th-20th level, those benefits to Thunder go up to +8 HD, +7 Natural Armor, +4 Strength, and an Intelligence of 9 (making him almost as Smart as Chip himself), plus Spell resistance!





To make it as a cop, you gotta be sure of yourself.
So as a Paladin on a darker path, the first 11 levels are going to be a straight martial progression. Chip isn't a leader, nor very bright, so he's not going to practice any kind of magic at this point. He's a Holy Warrior who charges in headlong to smash problems wide open. And, frankly, since this isn't the main thrust of the build, it makes for less book keeping at this phase of it.



The only thing required for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing, fortunately, I'm a doer.
We're coming up on the end of his Paladin arc. With Improved Sunder, Cleave, and Power Attack (plus Extra Smiting and Divine Might which he won't be able to keep when he falls), this is a martial build meant to hit hard. A player running him should be trigger happy with his attacks, using even the smallest amount of evil detected to justify violence.



I think back on that night. I used to be so good at spotting when people were the bad guys. Now, barely anyone has any good in their heart and those are the people I really hate.
Now we're in it! This is a straight forward beat stick of a build! With the trade of his Paladin levels for Blackguard levels, he picks up spellcasting, though the only improvement from here out will be from getting his wisdom score high enough at Level 16 to cast his 4th level spells. Chip still isn't a big thinker and definitely not the leader of his squad. He's not going to be the type to build out spellcasting options and instead is going to focus on being a guy who hits good, literally and figuratively. Still, Divine Sacrifice and Corrupt Weapon are a good start to bolstering his prowess with magic and the Blackguard list could be worse for a fighter type. He's got a fiendish servant that is a hellish German Shepherd to be a flanking buddy. Travel Devotion acts as an outlet for his Rebuke/Command Undead ability and gets around the need to full attack to get the most out of his damage.



The only lives that matter here are wearing badges. Everyone else needs to be locked up and have the key tossed.
This guy matures like mediocre wine. His saves are better than "ok" due to his Dark Blessing ability, good Con Score, and Iron Will feat. Between all that he should be able to trigger Arcane Backlash with some regularity. While Counterstrike and Bringer of Vengeance aren't showstoppers, they aren't bad features at all. With Agile Shield Fighter, he can do some pretty good full attacks and if they qualify for Sneak Attack then Craven will make the damage skyrocket!





Well the Vengeance Knight is not the kind of thing an optimizer would go for. It's basically lateral to a Fighter, which is fine, but unexciting. If it progressed spellcasting at all this wouldn't be that bad. Those abilities it gets are not bad, frankly. Counterstrike is pretty dang similar to a Crusader's Furious Counterstrike and Bringer of Vengeance is almost a straight upgrade to Favored Enemy, counting for both attack and damage, but unfortunately doesn't qualify for feat or prestige classes with it. Improved Shield Bash can be used to build towards an iterative full attacker, too.

So what if as a secret ingredient, this is more the garnish that brings a dish together?

Arcane Backlash isn't that huge, but it's free damage when you make a save. What about as part of a Dark Paladin build? Hey, Blackguard 10 is always fun when you can make that trade off work, but the question is always "what's next?" and this may not be the best option, but it certainly keeps the character good at what they do. Unfortunately, Blackguard is feat intensive with no overlap, so an extra level of... something... was required to get all the requisite feat (without being human), so Fighter was as good and thematic as anything. 8 levels of the Secret Ingredient is the topping that this dish was missing, solidifying Chip as a Thug on a power trip!



Race:
Desert Half-Orc - UA

Classes:
Paladin - PHB
Holy Warrior Paladin ACF - Complete Champion
Charging Smite Paladin ACF - PHB2
Blackguard - DMG
Fighter - PHB
Bringer of Vengeance - Champions of Ruin

Feat
Weapon Focus, Iron Will, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Cleave, Improved Shield Bash - PHB
Divine Might, Extra Smiting - Complete Warrior
Shield Specialization, Agile Shield Fighter - PHB2
Travel Devotion - Complete Champion
Craven - Champions of Ruin

[The Viscount]

And the Chair's non-entry! (Don't judge this one)


https://www.wopc.co.uk/images/boxes/suicide-king.jpg
Siegmar, He of the Hidden Fraternity
LE Underfolk Knight 5/Thayan Knight 5/Vengeance Knight 10

Stats
Str 16
Dex 10 (Increases here)
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 10
Cha 16

Build


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


1st
Knight 1
+1
+0
+0
+2
Intimidate 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 2(4), Ride 4
Mercantile Background
Fighting Challenge +1, Knight’s Challenge, Knight’s Code


2nd
Knight 2
+2
+0
+0
+2
Intimidate 5, Knowledge (Local Thay/Thay Local) 1(2)
(B)Mounted Combat
Mounted Combat, Shield Block +1


3rd
Knight 3
+3
+1
+1
+3
Intimidate 6, Knowledge (Local Thay/Thay Local) 2(2)
Weapon Focus (longsword)
Bulwark of Defense


4th
Knight 4
+4
+1
+1
+4
Intimidate 7, Sense Motive 1(2)

Armor Mastery (Medium), Test of Mettle


5th
Knight 5
+5
+1
+1
+4
Intimidate 8, Sense Motive 2(2)
(B) Iron Will
Bonus Feat, Vigilant Defender


6th
Thayan Knight 1
+6/+1
+3
+1
+4
Intimidate 9, Knowledge (the planes) 1(2)
Willing Deformity
Horrors of Thay (+2 fear, +1 charm), Zulkir’s Favor


7th
Thayan Knight 2
+7/+2
+4
+1
+4
Intimidate 10, Knowledge (the planes) 2(2)

Zulkir’s Defender


8th
Thayan Knight 3
+8/+3
+4
+2
+5
Intimidate 11, Knowledge (the planes) 3(2)
(B)Combat Reflexes
Fighter Feat


9th
Thayan Knight 4
+9/+4
+5
+2
+5
Intimidate 12, Knowledge (the planes) 4(2)
Deformity (Tall)
Horrors of Thay (+4 fear, +2 charm), Final Stand


10th
Thayan Knight 5
+10/+5
+5
+2
+5
Intimidate 13, Knowledge (the planes) 5(2)

Zulkir’s Champion


11th
Vengeance Knight 1
+11/+6/+1
+7
+2
+5
Intimidate 14, Knowledge (the planes) 6(2)

Armor Training, Bringer of Vengeance +1, Skilled City Dweller (Ride to Tumble)


12th
Vengeance Knight 2
+12/+7/+2
+8
+2
+5
Intimidate 15, Knowledge (the planes) 7(2)
(B)Improved Shield Bash, Evil Brand
Counterstrike +1, Improved Shield Bash


13th
Vengeance Knight 3
+13/+8/+3
+8
+3
+6
Intimidate 16, Knowledge (the planes) 8(2)
(B)Martial Study (Mountain Hammer)
Bonus Feat


14th
Vengeance Knight 4
+14/+9/+4
+9
+3
+6
Intimidate 17, Knowledge (the planes) 9(2)

Arcane Backlash 1d6


15th
Vengeance Knight 5
+15/+10/+5
+9
+3
+6
Intimidate 18, Tumble 2
Hellsworn(Hell’s Fury)
Bringer of Vengeance +2


16th
Vengeance Knight 6
+16/+11/+6/+1
+10
+4
+7
Intimidate 19, Tumble 4

Improved Armor Training


17th
Vengeance Knight 7
+17/+12/+7/+2
+10
+4
+7
Intimidate 20, Tumble 6

Arcane Backlash 2d6


18th
Vengeance Knight 8
+18/+13/+8/+3
+11
+4
+7
Intimidate 21, Tumble 8
Deformity (Madness)
Counterstrike +2


19th
Vengeance Knight 9
+19/+14/+9/+4
+11
+5
+8
Intimidate 22, Tumble 10
(B)Martial Stance (Roots of the Mountain)
Bonus Feat, Bringer of Vengeance +3


20th
Vengeance Knight 10
+20/+15/+10/+5
+12
+5
+8
Intimidate 23, Tumble 12

Arcane Backlash 3d6, Superior Armor Training



Backstory
“Bro, it’s the perfect plan!”

“I don’t know, dude”

“No, bro you just don’t get it. Here, let me explain it again.”

“Dude, you already explained it; I don’t see what –”

“It’s like this. I became a knight in the service of the baron. I work for him, and in exchange I get that bank.”

“O…K”

“All I needed was a little seed money to demonstrate my dedication to the cause. He’s not interested in fair-weather friends after all. That first level bonus cash was all I needed.”

“Where did you get that again?”

“From my (cough) parents’ background. Anyway, then I also pledged my service to Mammon.”

“Doesn’t that violate something to be pledged to both, dude?”

“No, bro! That’s the beauty of it. My actual service to Mammon doesn’t begin until after I die. I’m lawful evil, and with all the acts of obeisance I’m doing I was going to the Nine Hells anyway. This way I’m choosing where I’m going. I’m getting a head start on my afterlife. It’s about that grindset.”

“I don’t see how –”

“And then I pledged service as a knight to the Red Wizards of Thay. Double my returns just like that! And then I went on to become a Vengeance Knight working for the Knights of the Shield as well. Triple returns! And the best part is that I could use Knight and Thayan Knight to learn what feats I needed to enter.”

“Wait triple? What about your service to Mammon, dude?”

“Mammon’s giving me power and valuable training experience, bro.”

“Oh yeah, guess I shouldn’t expect the Lord of Greed to be paying you with gold.”

“Gold? Nah, bro, nah. Gold’s a fool’s game. Gold’s a river, and everybody’s panning there.”

“Dude what the hell? You were talking about getting sick bank? Where’s the money?”

“It’s better than money, bro. Art objects are where it’s at, man.”

“Is that what these tiny canvases are? Dude, they’re so ugly!”

“You’re not getting it, bro! I don’t care about how they look; they’re valuable. I can liquidate them really quick if I need to buy something.”

“How much are they worth?”

“The value’s only determined when I sell them, bro! That’s the way the market works.”

“Wait, so you’re serving four different masters. That’s gotta violate one of those vows of servitude.”

“I checked the fine print on everything. Thayan Knight is the only one that puts that oath of fealty in explicit terms up at the top. And you still don’t get it, bro. I’m not serving four different masters. I’m networking in four different organizations at the same time!”

“But don’t they have conflicting goals sometimes?”

“You gotta stop focusing on the negative, bro. You’ll never get to all the opportunities like that. Now pass me that letter and let’s see what new venture I have.”

“You OK dude? Your face went real gray there.”

“Newest instructions from the Knights of the Shield. They caught wind that there’s an agent of the Red Wizards nosing about, so now I’m tasked with killing him to avenge their honor or whatever. Failure to comply will result in death.”

“Oh, dude, sounds rough. Do you know who the agent is?”

“Of course, bro. It’s me.”

Playtips:
I don’t really have much of substance for you. This is predominantly a gag build. Through vigilant defender and roots of the mountain, enemies trying to tumble through threatened squares are doing so against a DC increased by 5, and with a -10 penalty. Because bulwark of defense makes your threatened squares difficult terrain, tumble is the only way to move without provoking an AoO, and they can’t take regular 5-foot steps. Combined with extended reach from Deformity (Tall) you can give people a hard time if they want to approach you. Remember you’re free to keep 5 foot-stepping away to keep them in the goldilocks zone. If you want to invest more heavily in boosting AC you get tower shields from Thayan Knight, though you unfortunately cannot bash with tower shields.

Two notes on qualifying for Thayan Knight:

Firstly, it requires Human. I’ve gone with Underfolk (for the bit) which is Humanoid (Human). Races of Destiny doesn’t lay this out in the best way, but on the sidebar on page 150, it talks about how this type and subtype qualifies for feats and prestige classes that require human.

Secondly, as printed in Complete Warrior, it requires 2 ranks in Knowledge (local Thay). This isn’t how Knowledge (local) works in 3.5, but it was in 3.0 when Thayan Knight was first printed in Lords of Darkness. They neglected to update this aspect in the reprint, though they have written it as (local Thay) in the prerequisites and (Thay local) in the class skills. I have marked my skills to respect these restrictions, though in a sensible game it should all just be Knowledge (local).

Sources
Underfolk: Races of Destiny
Knight: Player’s Handbook II
Thayan Knight: Complete Warrior
Mercantile Background: Player’s Guide to Faerun
Willing Deformity: Heroes of Horror
Deformity (Madness), Evil Brand, Hellsworn: Elder Evils
Martial Study, Martial Stance, Mountain Hammer, Roots of the Mountain: Tome of Battle
Iron Will, Weapon Focus: PHB
Skilled City Dweller: Urban class features acf (http://web.archive.org/web/20160612142357/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a)

[The Viscount]

Our contestants for the round! Judges, over to you!

[Paragon]

Nice entries everyone !
Didn't expect the Sleeping beauty trick haha

[H_H_F_F]

Nice work, friends!

Is... is someone back from the abyss? I've been burned before, so I'm hesitant now - but it seems so real...

EDIT: Just realized, I can comment on the chair's non-entry without waiting for the reveal!


Secondly, as printed in Complete Warrior, it requires 2 ranks in Knowledge (local Thay). This isn’t how Knowledge (local) works in 3.5, but it was in 3.0 when Thayan Knight was first printed in Lords of Darkness. They neglected to update this aspect in the reprint, though they have written it as (local Thay) in the prerequisites and (Thay local) in the class skills. I have marked my skills to respect these restrictions, though in a sensible game it should all just be Knowledge (local).

Well, Viscount, unfortunately if you wanted yo play a sensible game, you should've played in Eberron. For real.

Page 9 of the FRCS says that the forgotten realms do not have the knowledge (local) skill "per se", only region-specific knowledge. 3.5's player's guide to Faerun reaffirms that.

Now, do these books at all try to integrate that into the wider system? Do they say if knowledge (the great dale) qualifies one for stuff that requires knowledge (local), or how does identifying humanoids work? Don't make me laugh. You don't need to read the skill in order to change it, you know. You think you remember the general vibe, and that must be enough.

So, good job on sticking to (Thay), it's the rules-correct choice. Shame this round's ingredient comes from the bad setting, but what you gonna do? Yes, the Forgotten Realms are an inferior setting in virtually every way, and yes, I will die on this hill.

[remetagross]

Wow, well done mates, it's a really nice batch. I'm amazed so many contestants found something to salvage in this mess of a class. Special shout-out to the knighest knight of all knights from our chair :D

My idea didn't pan out as wanted. The thing it did which actually required Vengeance Knight was Focused Transmuter Wizard 1/Crusader 4. The idea was to spam Feather Fall on yourself only as a swift action, and since it's a Will negates (harmless) spell, you'd be entitled to make a save against it. You'd then deal 3d6 damage to yourself as per Arcane backlash. This would ensure your delayed damage pool from Crusader 10 was filled for Furious counterstrike +2 when needed.

The other idea was to use a dwarven buckler-axe and make full attacks on a charge with that and a sword. Triggering both Shield Charge (since you hit with a buckler) and High Sword Low Axe (since it's also an axe). Tack Knockdown on top, and you get three free trip attempts at the same time. That would have made good use of the Weapon focus (sword) prereq as well as the Improved Shield Bash bonus feat. But the feat and ability requirements to make all this work were a headache.

[Inevitability]

Great round! I quite like some of the tricks used here. Also happy to see someone use Thayan Knight, even if it's just a chair entry: I came across it while building and thought it was remarkably similar in prereqs and flavor, with a tiny bit of mechanical synergy on top. Pleasantly surprised to see nobody use Cleric or Swordsage dips as a source of Weapon Focus!

I had this idea to dual-wield light shields and go Snow Tiger Berserker to attack with both on a charge and get shield charge from both, but it left the sword-only weapon focus an awkward dangling bit. The visual of someone who fights with two shields and actually benefits from it was quite amusing, though.

The most ridiculous idea I had while building was probably to use Menacing Brute (so Iron Will and Intimidate ranks were doing double-duty) for basic fear synergy and Resourceful Search. The latter ability lets you find 'nonmagical items of your choice' while in an urban location. Simply state you are looking for "My vengeance target's right sock", roll the DC 10 check with the vengeance knight bonus, and somehow 'find' the item within 1d4x10 minutes, at which point you presumably are in the same room as your target. You ideally now get to cut out all the stupid fights against people you don't get a Bringer of Vengeance bonus against. I might've worked in Mark of Finding stuff and Master Inquisitve (free Iron Will at level 2) and gone for a sort of brutal detective vibe.

But does the core trick even count as 'using Search against your target'? Probably not, which is why I didn't end up going with it.

Using the oddball list of skills that VK boosts (or removes penalties from) was in general a bit of a build goal of mine, which took me all the way to things as obscure as Vigilant Sentinel of Aerenal (can use Sense Motive to read people's thoughts) or Dread Tyranny cleric (add your strength modifier to intimidate checks). I even considered going Master Thrower using that one ability that lets you make Sleight of Hand checks to render foes flat-footed against your attacks, but I couldn't find any throwable swords to make it work. Maybe I should've just gone Throw Anything on that one, but I feel like I'd have trouble justifying why I was using a sword at that point.

[Gruftzwerg]

Great round! I quite like some of the tricks used here. Also happy to see someone use Thayan Knight, even if it's just a chair entry: I came across it while building and thought it was remarkably similar in prereqs and flavor, with a tiny bit of mechanical synergy on top. Pleasantly surprised to see nobody use Cleric or Swordsage dips as a source of Weapon Focus!

I had this idea to dual-wield light shields and go Snow Tiger Berserker to attack with both on a charge and get shield charge from both, but it left the sword-only weapon focus an awkward dangling bit. The visual of someone who fights with two shields and actually benefits from it was quite amusing, though.


I was playing with the idea to dip into Swordsage for Weapon Focus until I reminded myself of a debate that SS don't get the feat but sole the ability. And the prc requires the feat by strict RAW. Thus I wanted to avoid any debates with the judges..^^

And regarding TWF...
I also wanted to make a TWF Shield build...
... the problem is just the TWF needs a high DEX score and heavy armor limits your DEX modifier. Imho this is to much of a waste of ability score points since you need DEX 19 for the entire TWF chain (IMHO it is a all or nothing for the twf feat chain). This leaves you with a medicore STR score and Weapon Finesse doesn't help due to the max DEX modifier limit.. In the end it will cost you up to 5~15% chance to hit. TWF already has the short end of the stick and with heavy armor it only gets worse..

[loky1109]

Table!

Name Alignment / Race Class Levels Chef Judge 1 Total Place
Syg (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867570&postcount=35) NE Synad Savant 2/Resolute Fighter 2/War Mind 6/Vengeance Knight 10
Nicos (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867572&postcount=36) NE Lesser Gray Dwarf Dungeon Crasher Zhentarim Soldier Fighter 4/Swordsage 1/Crusader 3/Vengeance Knight 10/Deepstone Sentinel 2
Lo-Kag (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867575&postcount=37) NE Goliath Skilled City-Dweller Roofwalker Wolf Totem Goliath Barbarian 2/Binder 4/Knight of the Sacred Seal 3/Skilled City-Dweller Vengeance Knight 10
Renir (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867576&postcount=38) LE Unseelie Fey Neanderthal Ranger 2/Knight 4/Drow Adventurer Rogue 2/Warrior Skald 2/Vengeance Knight 10
The Bannerman (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867578&postcount=39) LE Synad Divine Mind 5/Marshal 2/Dragon Shaman 1/Hexblade 2/Vengeance Knight 10
Robert of Elms (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867580&postcount=40) NE Human Divine Companion Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 10/Vengeance Knight 10
Sir Spamalot (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867581&postcount=41) LN Amphibious Anthropomorphic Squid Decisive Strike Passive Way Invisible Fist Monk 2/Crusader 1/Fighter 2/Devoted Defender 1/Vengeance Knight 10
Duke DA’arkSkar Demençia R’avengeshade Way (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867584&postcount=42) LG Dark Skarn Noble 3/Knight 4/Spinemeld Warrior 2/Vengeance Knight 10
Rammus (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867586&postcount=43) LN Human Cobra Strike Monk 1/Psychic Warrior 2/Totemist 2/Warblade 1/Drunken Master 2/Fighter 2/Vengeance Knight 10
Braum (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867589&postcount=44) CN Human Psychic Warrior 2/Fighter 2/Lion Spirit Totem Whirling Frenzy Barbarian 1/Warblade 1/Vengeance Knight 10/Bloodstorm Blade 4
Clunk (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867592&postcount=45) LE Deep Imaskari Factotum 3/Sneak Attack Fighter 1/Psychic Warrior 4/Vengeance Knight 10/Rogue 1/Psychic Rogue 1
Chip McDaniels (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867595&postcount=46) LG->NE Desert Half-Orc Holy Warrior Charging Smite Paladin 11->Fallen Paladin 1/Blackguard 10/Fighter 1/Vengeance Knight 8
Siegmar (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867600&postcount=47) LE Underfolk Knight 5/Thayan Knight 5/Vengeance Knight 10 The Viscount N/A N/A N/A

[loky1109]

This leaves you with a medicore STR score and Weapon Finesse doesn't help due to the max DEX modifier limit..
Actually DEX modifier are limited only for AC, it works fully for other purposes.

[Inevitability]

I also wanted to make a TWF Shield build...
... the problem is just the TWF needs a high DEX score and heavy armor limits your DEX modifier. Imho this is to much of a waste of ability score points since you need DEX 19 for the entire TWF chain (IMHO it is a all or nothing for the twf feat chain). This leaves you with a medicore STR score and Weapon Finesse doesn't help due to the max DEX modifier limit.. In the end it will cost you up to 5~15% chance to hit. TWF already has the short end of the stick and with heavy armor it only gets worse..

Yeah, I found myself looking at Diopsid for some stubs (they get to ignore dexterity requirements for any two-weapon feat and armor training makes it so you can wield a shield in your lower pair of hands without penalty) but then I saw that for some reason, they get -4 dexterity while wearing heavy armor.

On top of the -2 dexterity innate to the race, I didn't feel like I could justify it. Something a bit pointless about equipping heavy armor if all its bonuses get artificially reduced by 2. Maybe it would've been worth it together with some shapechanging type effect, but I was dreading the 'why did you not just take more levels of caster' question.

[remetagross]

Nice ideas, Inevitability! Your Resourceful Search idea is hilarious :smallbiggrin: I had the same TWF conundrum as you guys. I fiddled around Diopsids as well, but their Dex penalty when wearing armor heavier than medium was too much of a letdown to me. It would have been very antithematic. And Rangers lose their prerequisite-less TWF with medium or heavy armor as well. This means that using an Expanded character (for the size bonus to trip) required having Dex 15 before being Expanded to still qualify for TWF...ugh.

I had another idea, but it does not have anything to do with the SI. I've looked pretty hard for ways to forcefully equip an unwilling foe with an armour. The resulting penalties are both disastrous and almost impossible to get rid of in combat, since your equipped gear follows you whatever you do. Apart from RAW-dubious applications of a Linked Power Call Armor Manifesting weapon, I'm still looking for a spell out there with a range of "you" that makes an armour appear on your shoulders...and then a bit of Spellguard of Silverymoon could do the trick.

[Inevitability]

I had another idea, but it does not have anything to do with the SI. I've looked pretty hard for ways to forcefully equip an unwilling foe with an armour. The resulting penalties are both disastrous and almost impossible to get rid of in combat, since your equipped gear follows you whatever you do. Apart from RAW-dubious applications of a Linked Power Call Armor Manifesting weapon, I'm still looking for a spell out there with a range of "you" that makes an armour appear on your shoulders...and then a bit of Spellguard of Silverymoon could do the trick.

Shaper of Form can turn armor into heavier variants but the restrictions on weight, shape, cost and material mean you can't just turn someone's clothes into full plate, let alone equip a monster not wearing anything at all.

Turning a chain shirt into scale mail should mess with some armored caster types, and you could turn certain heavy armors into exotic ones, I guess?


edit: Wait, at level 6 you can just turn any object into any magic item you can see, so have a buddy wearing full plate and you should be able to use this ability on the enemy's armor. It's on slightly shakier RAW-ground than using Like Begets like, though.

[Gruftzwerg]

Actually DEX modifier are limited only for AC, it works fully for other purposes.

Oh, seems I was misremembering that rule..
Well.. I guess I never tried to play a character with higher DEX modifier than his armor allows before...^^
Maybe that could have solves some problems.
But imho there are very few TWF builds that really work and are justifiable. Dunno if it would have paid of for the SI somehow.

[Prime32]

Had some ideas for this but nothing I was really happy with.
I went looking for sources of non-specific bonus damage (as opposed to bonus weapon damage) in order to boost the power of Arcane Backlash. Ended up with the Vengeful Surge feat, levels in ardent (for offensive prescience) and knight, and depending on race possibly the 1st level gnome incarnate RSL.

If gnome then maybe dual-wielding tortoise blades, but I wasn't sure whether those count as swords and/or shield bashes. Also considered a warforged with Adamantine Body (which lines up perfectly with Vengeance Knight's ACP reduction), but ran into the +0 max Dex conundrum.

[Paragon]

I noticed that Factotum could cast in armor without any ASF and wanted to combine it with the Knight class but couldn't hit a spot where I was happy about it.

I considered Spellthief 7 for Absorb spell but the build wasn't doing anything else even though this was fun.

I'm pretty sure one of them uses Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus) from Swordsage (for the SI or another prereq I think). According to the Virtual Feat rule (MotW p20 or S&F p5)
If a character has a class feature or special ability that exactly duplicates the effects of a feat, then he or she can use that “virtual feat” as a prerequisite for other feats, as well as prestige classes, and so forth.

That's a slam dunk to me.

[Doctor Despair]

Had some ideas for this but nothing I was really happy with.
I went looking for sources of non-specific bonus damage (as opposed to bonus weapon damage) in order to boost the power of Arcane Backlash.

Knowledge Devotion should work for that iirc

[Frostmoon]

Ah, given the discussion about TWF, I got curious as to whether we had anyone with the feat. As it turns out, we do: both Sir Spamalot and Duke Darkskar grab it, with the former getting it as one of Vengy's bonus fighter feats and the latter through Spinemeld Warrior (of all things). Renir also virtually grabs it through Ranger, but Ranger's version only works in light armor, so.

The builds this round were just so clever...!!! Lots of really cool usages of all the different abilities here, many of which I never would have put together myself. We've got some genuine 3x nonsense, two joke builds, one dude determined to be annoying, multiple very rare base classes, a lot of strange and unique synergies, and tons of edgy silliness to behold. I think one of my personal favourites is Clunk's whole "look at me, I'm a DEX-dumping rogue-type!!!" because, yeah, Vengeance Knight really is a surprisingly good way to play a heavy armor rogue, isn't it? :D This was a very good round from all of us.

[Paragon]

Would you care to put that in-depth analysis in the form of a judgment? :-D

[Frostmoon]

Would you care to put that in-depth analysis in the form of a judgment? :-D

I'm a contestant this round, so I doubt that would be the best option, sorry. D: Plus, my brother's also a contestant (and I know which one is his), so it would be a major conflict of interest even had I not entered.

I am glad you think that my analysis was in-depth, though. :3 Every competition, we get to see the chefs give it their all, cooking with weird ingredients or odd prompts or strange monsters. It leaves me blown away at the sheer creativity you all have, and I like to be able to let everyone know that. I'm so happy that these competitions run (even if they give me anxiety, lol).

[The Viscount]

Nice work, friends!

Is... is someone back from the abyss? I've been burned before, so I'm hesitant now - but it seems so real...

EDIT: Just realized, I can comment on the chair's non-entry without waiting for the reveal!



Well, Viscount, unfortunately if you wanted yo play a sensible game, you should've played in Eberron. For real.

Page 9 of the FRCS says that the forgotten realms do not have the knowledge (local) skill "per se", only region-specific knowledge. 3.5's player's guide to Faerun reaffirms that.

Now, do these books at all try to integrate that into the wider system? Do they say if knowledge (the great dale) qualifies one for stuff that requires knowledge (local), or how does identifying humanoids work? Don't make me laugh. You don't need to read the skill in order to change it, you know. You think you remember the general vibe, and that must be enough.

So, good job on sticking to (Thay), it's the rules-correct choice. Shame this round's ingredient comes from the bad setting, but what you gonna do?


Oh believe me I would far prefer to deal with Eberron than I would with Faerun. Not to fret, though. We still have a few ingredients from Eberron on the list. Slightly more than we do Faerun ingredients, by a quick count.


Faerun unfortunately got more support, so we're more likely to deal with it. I find it fascinating that in their sidebar they say you should have no difficulty adapting it to other settings, then don't bother to say how to change the skills in such a setting (change it to requiring Knowledge local 2? Give Knowledge local as a class skill? Nix both?) because they either don't care or are burger-eating fools.



We've got some genuine 3x nonsense, two joke builds, one dude determined to be annoying, multiple very rare base classes, a lot of strange and unique synergies, and tons of edgy silliness to behold.

Someone used Savant! And it wasn't even me!

[Frostmoon]

Someone used Savant! And it wasn't even me!
We got:
-Savant
-Divine Mind
-Dragon Shaman
-Noble
-Psychic Rogue
-and 3 separate Knights!

[The Viscount]

I'm not familiar with the term 3x nonsense, what does it mean in the context of the builds presented?

[remetagross]

Don't know it either.

But hat's off to this build for having wrung out the most possible amount juice from the otherwise infuriatingly bland class feature.

[Frostmoon]

Ah, sorry about this. First of all, I can see that I wasn't clear when I said "3x" - I'm not referring to "3 x (times)" something, but "3.x", the edition we're in. Second, it's not a common slang phrase or anything, it's just a quirk of my own. I was talking about the "sleep to get no penalties" trick since I find these utterly goofy, completely unintended gimmicks as very evocative of 3x as a whole.

[The Viscount]

Ah, that makes sense. Those kinds of builds are always a good time. I had a ton of fun with a maliciously generous reading of the rules back in Waverider.

[remetagross]

Yeah, the Waverider round immediately came to mind upon reading another "no penalties" trick.

[Goldlizard]

I was in the process of making a Warforged Juggernaut styled after Inevitables- that or a Ghost Orzhov/style- I just couldn't fit in the class levels to make them relevant

[Doctor Despair]

I was in the process of making a Warforged Juggernaut styled after Inevitables- that or a Ghost Orzhov/style- I just couldn't fit in the class levels to make them relevant

Warforged

Barbarian 1 / Archivist 4 / Landforged Walker 5 / Warforged Juggernaut 2 / Vengeance Knight 8

Live in Kelp Angler form with Enhance Wildshape from level 10 and get: improved grab, blindsight 100 and low-light vision, camouflage (+10 hide), immunity to cold/bludgeoning/poison/sleep/paralysis/stunning/polymorphing/crits/mind-affecting, some racial bonuses to move silently and swim, fire resistance 20, and regen/acid 4.

Then, at level 12, you're immune to nonlethal -- only acid can damage you.

Use the Vengeance Knight features to follow your targets endlessly and beat them to death with your tendrils.

[Paragon]

Just to ask, has there been a volunteer for judging this round in anyone's aquaintances ?

Also, Junkyard Wars has a new judging system when no such pure soul can be found, maybe we should consider the same thing here ?

[remetagross]

I haven't seen any judge come forward.

What's that new system?

[H_H_F_F]

I tend to think the judging system is good, and that despite difficulties, we should keep it.

I've floated the idea for the Villainous Competition (currently accepting entries!) of forming a "Judge's Handbook", to make life easier for new judges, and perhaps to normalize a less in-depth and wordy judgement style (though I realize I'm certainly not one to talk).

[Paragon]

I haven't seen any judge come forward.

What's that new system?

*NEW*
In the event that no suitable judge is found in a reasonable time, we will trial the alternate method:

Each contestant picks their three favourite entries that they did not submit. They will rank the three in order from first to third, and this will be submitted privately to The Chair.
Entries that are not rated by a contestant are presumed to rated at 4th place.
The score of each entry is averaged, and competition winners will be decided with the lowest number taking first place, second-lowest taking second and so forth.


I tend to think the judging system is good, and that despite difficulties, we should keep it.

I've floated the idea for the Villainous Competition (currently accepting entries!) of forming a "Judge's Handbook", to make life easier for new judges, and perhaps to normalize a less in-depth and wordy judgement style (though I realize I'm certainly not one to talk).

I'm thinking that at least half the fun is discovering what everybody cooked up. The judging is really a tossed coin depending on the judge and while it's great to have your work recognized, it might even be better with more opinions on it. And faster too

[loky1109]

For me it's bad option. Reading the judgment from the judge is a big part of fun.
I'd better wait extra month.

[Inevitability]

I too have a strong preference for judge-made judgements. Not every competition needs to have a judge present right away (though obviously it'd be nice): we can just wait for a week or two and see if anyone can make time.

[Paragon]

Maybe I misspoke, this judging method is a backup method. Nothing would change after some time has passed.
If everyone would pick a duration they feel should be the limit to have judges manifest and render judgement (as it is written in the actual competition).

If people feel "infinity and beyond" is the answer then so be it.

[H_H_F_F]

If people feel "infinity and beyond" is the answer then so be it.

That's kind of where I'm at, honestly.

I also think that I generally wash my floor less than I would have if I didn't have a vacuum cleaner.

[Paragon]

That's kind of where I'm at, honestly.

I also think that I generally wash my floor less than I would have if I didn't have a vacuum cleaner.

Haha I'm sure that's true

But we're a community so Inevitability, you and me have our stances, I'm interested in hearing the rest of the contestants/spectators

[H_H_F_F]

Haha I'm sure that's true

But we're a community so Inevitability, you and me have our stances, I'm interested in hearing the rest of the contestants/spectators

Oh, for sure. We also have a chair that I think should make his stance known at some point.

I just thought I should give some explanation to my stance that it'd be damaging to the comp and reduce the amount of judgement we'd get, even granted that it's formally "just in case".

[H_H_F_F]

This round's entries have been registered to the ICO spreadsheet.

[Paragon]

Thanks for the energy you out into this sheet. This is how I realized this comp was still alive and I decided to join. I remember my first entry, a persistomancer shaman into Sacred Fist. Good times

We're still looking for a generous soul to bestow judgement over our entries. Thanks in advance to whomever volunteers

[H_H_F_F]

This is how I realized this comp was still alive and I decided to join.


I mean, you joined right before I took that responsibility, so you owe your thanks to Wolfem, really.

That being said: could you elaborate on that story? I'm trying to figure out how one would find the spreadsheet before finding the ongoing threads.

[Paragon]

That being said: could you elaborate on that story? I'm trying to figure out how one would find the spreadsheet before finding the ongoing threads.

IIRC, I was trying out a PrC I wanted to play, I think it was Spellfire Channeler and then I found a link to GitP (which I knew for being an old forum that stored great data) and I read the builds and saw links to other comps and the link to the spreadsheet!
Going through the latter I realized the last one was very very close to the present and that's how I finally found the ongoing one (Tattooed Monk I think) and voilà

[Inevitability]

This totally isn't me bumping the thread for a judge, but I decided to foray into homebrew and made an attempt (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?660332-Vengeance-Knight-Fix-PEACH&p=25874801#post25874801) at fixing this awful, awful class: I figured I might as well pitch it to the handful of people who've actually built vengeance knights in the past decade.

Also if anyone wants to judge that'd be really swell: Viscount, are we currently doing the thing where judges get more influence when choosing the next round's secret ingredient?

[The Viscount]

This totally isn't me bumping the thread for a judge, but I decided to foray into homebrew and made an attempt (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?660332-Vengeance-Knight-Fix-PEACH&p=25874801#post25874801) at fixing this awful, awful class: I figured I might as well pitch it to the handful of people who've actually built vengeance knights in the past decade.

Also if anyone wants to judge that'd be really swell: Viscount, are we currently doing the thing where judges get more influence when choosing the next round's secret ingredient?

I don't remember when we did that, but I'm certainly not opposed to the idea. I might judge this round, but it might take another couple weeks.

[H_H_F_F]

I don't remember when we did that, but I'm certainly not opposed to the idea.

It's a sister competitions thing. I'm not sure which one of started it. Might be me on the VC, but maybe I just copied someone else.

As for judging: chair judging kind of breaks the process a little bit. I sure hope we can find someone else!

[Paragon]

As for judging: chair judging kind of breaks the process a little bit. I sure hope we can find someone else!

Why does it break the process ?
Also "the process" is in very rough health imho. Not being able to have a timeline on judging is more of a wishful prayer than a process. I mean it ends up working most of the time but it's blind faith rather than a robust process to think it's still operational. (Again imho).
Change is not always bad :-D

[H_H_F_F]

Why does it break the process ?
Also "the process" is in very rough health imho. Not being able to have a timeline on judging is more of a wishful prayer than a process. I mean it ends up working most of the time but it's blind faith rather than a robust process to think it's still operational. (Again imho).
Change is not always bad :-D

Chair judgement isn't anonymous. The whole "PM to the chair, one big reveal, PM disputes" is meant to preserve anonymity - to safeguard from feeling like someone has something against you. Chair judging removes that, and opens the door for people feeling slighted, which could lead to a lot of hostility. Check out the Green Star Adept round.

[Paragon]

Chair judgement isn't anonymous. The whole "PM to the chair, one big reveal, PM disputes" is meant to preserve anonymity - to safeguard from feeling like someone has something against you. Chair judging removes that, and opens the door for people feeling slighted, which could lead to a lot of hostility. Check out the Green Star Adept round.

You could tell which were my entries and most of other people's too. I'm still very grateful you took the time to judge last round.
A perfect process doesn't exist and that means sometimes things get out of hand (I'm going to check that Greenstar Adept round when I have the time to do so).

[H_H_F_F]

You could tell which were my entries and most of other people's too. I'm still very grateful you took the time to judge last round.
A perfect process doesn't exist and that means sometimes things get out of hand (I'm going to check that Greenstar Adept round when I have the time to do so).

Sure, but there's a difference between being very sure and between knowing. I feel like a lot of the procedure is here for a reason.

That being said, I definitely agree there's no perfect process, and chair judging is far from being a crisis point from the competition. I hope we can find someone else, since I think that'd be better - but I'm not saying "the Viscount can't judge."

[Korahir]

I will judge this round, if you'll have me. I think the last time I judged was Imaskari Vengeance Taker. I will probably adapt my criteria to fit this ingredient better and repost it here once I am done.

Please be patient. I am currently busy as hell in RL but I will try to finish my judging in a reasonable time while still holding up my self imposed standards.

[Inevitability]

I will judge this round, if you'll have me. I think the last time I judged was Imaskari Vengeance Taker. I will probably adapt my criteria to fit this ingredient better and repost it here once I am done.

Please be patient. I am currently busy as hell in RL but I will try to finish my judging in a reasonable time while still holding up my self imposed standards.

Thank you so much! Best of luck with judging, better to do things well than to do them fast.

[H_H_F_F]

Thank you, Korahir!

[The Viscount]

I will judge this round, if you'll have me. I think the last time I judged was Imaskari Vengeance Taker. I will probably adapt my criteria to fit this ingredient better and repost it here once I am done.

Please be patient. I am currently busy as hell in RL but I will try to finish my judging in a reasonable time while still holding up my self imposed standards.

We are honored by your sacrifice. I'm sure you'll make an excellent judge for this round.

[quetzalcoatl5]

Thank you for judging!

[Korahir]

As promised here is my adapted criteria. Judging progress: One build done, one thoroughly read and researched, all others read.



Originality
The only metric that is purely subjective and not at all scaled. If your build blows me away, it’s a 5. If I saw it coming from a mile away it is a 1. interesting combinations of feats, spells, races, skills, etc. increase the score. Known cheese or expected entries tend to decrease the score.

Power
starting score 3

Split in 4 level ranges:
For every 5 levels a bonus ranging from +0,25 to +0,5 for being above the curve of what I expect of a Vengeance Knight build or a penalty ranging from -0,25 to -0,5 for being below the curve of what I expect of a Vengeance Knight build is given.
What do I expect from a Vengeance Knight build? What is the curve?
I’ll compare your builds to a typical Tier 4 or Tier 5 build.
Bonus of +0,25: at a certain level range your build compares to a typical Tier 3 class (i.e. Warblade, Crusader, Bard, etc.)
Bonus of +0,5 at a certain level range your build compares to a typical Tier 2 or above class (i.e. Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid, Psion etc.)
Penalty of -0,25: at a certain level range your build fails to outshine a typical Tier 4 or 5 build.
Penalty of -0,5: at a certain level range your build fails to outshine a typical Tier 6 build


Elegance
starting score 3. Elegance is set to 1 if a build is illegal.
Here is a list of all the things I check for calculation errors:
• 32 point buy
• BAB
• Saves
• Skill ranks
• Prereqs for all feats, classes, maneuvers, etc.
• Spells known, daily spells
• Power points and powers know
• Any other special system (binding, incarnum, maneuvers, etc.)

minor penalty – 0,25 examples:
• Missing a prerequisite because I disagree on RAW interpretation
• Item dependency
• calculation error regarding the list above
penalty – 0,5 examples:
• Missing a prerequisite but can be fixed without hauling over the whole build
• Otyugh hole for Iron Will
major penalty – 1 examples:
• Missing a prerequisite which cannot be fixed at all or only with major efforts
• major or multiple calculation error regarding the list above

bonus: +0,25 up to +2: classes, feats, skill ranks, spells are chosen in a meaningful, creative order.


UotSI
Starting score: qualified=3, not qualified 1
Bonus points or penalties are possible for the following:
• Entry level
• finishing the SI
• the general necessity of Vengeance Knight for the build
• armor training
• improved armor training
• superior armor training
• bringer of vengeance
• counterstrike
• bonus feats
• arcane backlash
• class skills
• prerequisites used

[Paragon]

That is very precise

[H_H_F_F]

While we await Korahir's judgement (thanks again, by the way! Hope things are moving along well) - are we at all interested in a spooky ingredient for this year? I'm kind of dreading that, given how truly spooky October 2021 was... But 'tis the season, you know.

[The Viscount]

While we await Korahir's judgement (thanks again, by the way! Hope things are moving along well) - are we at all interested in a spooky ingredient for this year? I'm kind of dreading that, given how truly spooky October 2021 was... But 'tis the season, you know.

I honestly don't think I have anything the same level of frightening as the October 2021 ingredient.

[Paragon]

Hey there Korahir, how is judgment going ?

[loky1109]

I honestly don't think I have anything the same level of frightening as the October 2021 ingredient.
Red Avenger?

[Paragon]

Has Unbound Scroll or other Eberron specific PrCs such as Blades of Orien been done already?

[WhamBamSam]

Thrall of Etlab is still floating around, and I think Viscount has said that Demonologist is on the list as far as spooky goes.

[The Viscount]

Has Unbound Scroll or other Eberron specific PrCs such as Blades of Orien been done already?

We have done an Eberron specific PrC in silver key. I doubt we'd do unbound scroll or blade of orien since those are good.


Thrall of Etlab is still floating around, and I think Viscount has said that Demonologist is on the list as far as spooky goes.

Those, to me, both hit the sweet spot of jankiness to be considered as ingredients.

[Korahir]

Update: I have notes on all builds but sadly nothing more. So 1 entry judged, 11 fully researched. It may take two more weekends to finish everything up although I hope to make more progress this week(end).

[Paragon]

Update: I have notes on all builds but sadly nothing more. So 1 entry judged, 11 fully researched. It may take two more weekends to finish everything up although I hope to make more progress this week(end).

Thanks for the update. Good luck for the rest !

[Korahir]

Another update: things are going slow. 3 of 11 finished and just bits and pieces of the rest due to illness in the family last weekend which gave me time with my mobile phone but not my books.

[Paragon]

Another update: things are going slow. 3 of 11 finished and just bits and pieces of the rest due to illness in the family last weekend which gave me time with my mobile phone but not my books.

Thanks for the update, lookiing forward to read your judgment

[H_H_F_F]

While we're waiting for judgements (thanks again, Korahir!) would anyone be interested in judging this round of the Villainous Competition? It's a fun one, and there aren't too many entries, but we don't have any judges as of yet. Any takers? Also FYI, I'm physically fine (if exhausted), as are most (unfortunately not all) of my loved ones. Hoping for better days to come.

Edit: also, I updated the spreadsheet with Inevitability's current name. If anyone else here changed usernames and would like me to fix the record, holler at me.

[Korahir]

Update: Finally I found some time: only 2 builds left to judge. I hope be finished with them before November.

[The Viscount]

I have full faith in you.

[Korahir]

I have full faith in you.
Thank you. It is done ;)


Originality
The only metric that is purely subjective and not at all scaled. If your build blows me away, it’s a 5. If I saw it coming from a mile away it is a 1. interesting combinations of feats, spells, races, skills, etc. increase the score. Known cheese or expected entries tend to decrease the score.

Power
starting score 3
Split in 4 level ranges:
For every 5 levels a bonus ranging from +0,25 to +0,5 for being above the curve of what I expect of a Vengeance Knight build or a penalty ranging from -0,25 to -0,5 for being below the curve of what I expect of a Vengeance Knight build is given.
What do I expect from a Vengeance Knight build? What is the curve?
I’ll compare your builds to a typical Tier 4 or Tier 5 build.
Bonus of +0,25: at a certain level range your build compares to a typical Tier 3 class (i.e. Warblade, Crusader, Bard, etc.)
Bonus of +0,5 at a certain level range your build compares to a typical Tier 2 or above class (i.e. Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, Druid, Psion etc.)
Penalty of -0,25: at a certain level range your build fails to outshine a typical Tier 4 or 5 build.
Penalty of -0,5: at a certain level range your build fails to outshine a typical Tier 6 build

Elegance
starting score 3. Elegance is set to 1 if a build is illegal.
Here is a list of all the things I check for calculation errors:
• 32 point buy
• BAB
• Saves
• Skill ranks
• Prereqs for all feats, classes, maneuvers, etc.
• Spells known, daily spells
• Power points and powers know
• Any other special system (binding, incarnum, maneuvers, etc.)

minor penalty – 0,25 examples:
• Missing a prerequisite because I disagree on RAW interpretation
• Item dependency
• calculation error regarding the list above
penalty – 0,5:
• Missing a prerequisite but can be fixed without hauling over the whole build
• Otyugh hole for Iron Will
major penalty – 1: i.e.:
• Missing a prerequisite which cannot be fixed at all or only with major efforts
• major or multiple calculation error regarding the list above

bonus: +0,25 up to +2: classes, feats, skill ranks, spells are chosen in a meaningful, creative order.


UotSI
Starting score: qualified=3, not qualified 1
Bonus points or penalties are possible for the following:
• Entry level
• finishing the SI
• the general necessity of Vengeance Knight for the build
• armor training
• improved armor training
• superior armor training
• bringer of vengeance
• counterstrike
• bonus feats
• arcane backlash
• class skills
• prerequisites used

 
Syg the Brutally Honest – 14,50

Originality: 4
Synad was not expected. War Mind was on my list of possible combinations. Still some very unusual choices: resolute fighter, inquisitor feat and the omission of shield slam surprised me and the build overall impressed me more and more.

Power: 3,25
Level 1-5: Syg is on par with what I would expect a typical Tier 4 build can do. Attack bonus, damage, AC and some interesting skills supported by a feat. A surprisingly high will saving throw and an expected low reflex saving throw. Solid. +0,00
Level 6-10: War Mind is better than a Tier 4 build. 37 Power points and excess to 3rd level powers, BAB +9, Sweeping Strike and much much more. I’ll be brief, this is Tier 3: +0,25
Level 11-20: I’ll judge them together. Vengeance Knight just isn’t a powerhouse class. The build squeezes enough out of the class to keep the build on par with Tier 4 builds and that I really like some of the combinations on display but from a pure Power perspective a bonus would be to generous. +0,00

Elegance: 3,25
Point buy correct
BAB correct
Saves correct
Skill ranks correct
Power points correct
Prereqs: correct

Feats:
• Inquisitor Wis 13
• Weapon Focus BAB +1, proficiency with weapon
• Favored: None
• Primary Contact: Favored
• Heavy armor optimization: Armor proficiency (heavy), BAB +4
• Deflective Armor: Heavy armor optimization
• Martial Study: none Moment of Perfect Mind: none
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Shield specialization (heavy): Proficiency with shields
• Shield ward: Shield specialization, Proficiency with shields
• Shield Sling: Improved Shield Bash, Shield specialization, Proficiency with shields, BAB +9
• Greater Heavy Armor Optimization: Heavy armor optimization, Armor proficiency (heavy), BAB +8
Classes:
War Mind:
Alignment: Nonchaotic
Knowledge (history) 2, Knowledge (psionics) 8
Power Point reserve at least 1 power point
Fluff: instruction by another war mind

Vengeance Knight:
Alignment: LE, LN or NE
BAB: +5
Intimidate 6 ranks, Ride 4 ranks, Sense Motive 2 ranks
Iron Will
Weapon Focus (any sword)
Proficiency with heavy armor and heavy shields


Primary contact is nothing new but it doesn’t have to be. Is it used well? I have to say at first I didn’t fully grasp the need for 3rd level psionic powers but rereading your entry and researching it, the choice grew on me. You yourself address the issue of getting a feat at 4th level and I think you made an elegant choice with savant. +0,25

“We have Trapfinding and Search, but no Disable Device. Fortunately, disabling traps is rarely as hard as finding them: just roll a barrel into the trigger, plug the arrow/spear exit holes with thick resin, improvise a bridge over a pit, or point out where the party caster should aim her Dispel. It's a little bit make-do, but should serve well enough.”
TIL that, this is even in the rules. I checked Disable Device for examples given and learned that the SRD even lists some of the stuff you mention as possible alternatives to Disable Device. Nice to know and maybe biased but have a bonus for something obvious in the rules I missed before. +0,25
I think the Shield Sling and Telekinetic Boomerang combo is very fitting and well executed as is the sweeping strike counterstrike + bringer of vengeance combo. +0,25


“Q: "If a character has a class feature or special ability that exactly duplicates the effects of a feat, then he or she can use that “virtual feat” as a prerequisite for other feats, as well as prestige classes, and so forth..." wait WHAT?
A: Pretty obscure, huh? Anyway, Threefold Mind (+2 to Will) exactly duplicates the effect of Iron Will (+2 to Will), and so we can use it to qualify for anything that requires Iron Will. Remember that next time you're building an incantatrix!”
I did look for the thread where this came up but didn’t find it and didn’t want to spend too much time on that detail. I remember reading this virtual feats paragraph and thinking to myself: “cheeky, but no”. Master of the Wild is a 3.0 book and by the rules of this contest, it is a legal source. The Virtual feats paragraph has never been updated, therefor, I fully acknowledge the argument you make. I still disagree on RAW for the simple fact that there is a whole new section in the 3.5 PHB called feats and any omission of older rules therein I consider deliberate (despite WOTC lack of editorial checks on later publications). Instead of setting your UotSI starting score to 1 I only impose this Elegance penalty because you made the choice conscious, and I guess are fully aware that this could lead to RAW discussions. -0,25
Resolute fighter: While it is on theme, I think the build would be better with the extra feat. Move Shield specialization up to ECL 3 and take shield ward at ECL 13. That leaves room for another Martial Study (Action before thought). I think this is a missed opportunity to cover a weakness. You would also gain more out of your shield earlier at the cost of a bonus to will saving throws that comes at a prize. -0,25


UotSI: 4
Starting score: 3
See Elegance for comment on Iron Will and Three Fold Mind.
Entry level: Latest possible entry while still finishing the SI: -0,25
Finishing the SI: done +0,00
the general necessity of Vengeance Knight for the build: I had my doubts but in the details Vengeance Knight seems indeed the perfect fit for all the small thing Syg does: ranks in Search and Sense Motive, Using a shield in battle, relying on armor and converting it into touch AC, etc. +0,75
Armor training: using only the superior version with greater heavy armor optimization for mountain plate is fine. +0,00
Bringer of vengeance: Inquisitor feat: Regaining Psionic focus requires a DC 20 Concentration check, which at early levels is quite the number for Syg. So the +16 Sense Motive is maybe a little exaggerated but I like that you invested a feat to use a skill which benefits from bringer of vengeance. +0,25
Arcane Backlash: will saving throw gets a lot of attention, Fort saving throw is decent, Reflex is better than expected because of War mind but still a weak spot. There is no way to force an enemy to cast on you, yet, the will saving throw might surprise some. +0,25
Bonus feats: See Elegance. I think you missed an opportunity here to get Shield Ward earlier. +0,00

 
Nicos the Hedgehog – 10,75

Originality: 2
Some form of dwarf was expected. Lesser gray dwarf was not my immediate first thought though. The whole Dungeoncrasher, Shock Trooper, Shield Charge thing is pretty much exactly what I would expect.

Power: 3,5
ECL 1-5: Nicos in on par with a Tier 4 build but spikes at level 5 because of the swordsage dip which I took account for in the next level range. +0,00
Level 6-10: The Crusader dip and the maneuvers from swordsage are enough to elevate the build into tier 3: +0,25
Level 11-15: Sadly Vengeance Knight is not a powerhouse and the feat Knockback, Shock Trooper and Shield Charge are great but available to every (large) PC. +0,00
Level 16-20:. 2 more maneuvers = more power: +0,25

I am not a fan of Bloodspiked Charger because of the feat tax involved. It is a fighting style that’s on theme so I won’t hand out a penalty just want to mention that it is pretty underwhelming in my opinion. +0,00

Elegance: 2
Point buy correct
BAB correct
Saves correct
Skill ranks correct
Prereqs:
Knockback:

Qualifying as Large or larger for Knockback with the Enlarge Person SLA seems very okay to me. Of course you can only use the feat while you are indeed large but that can happen enough times in a day (and for [2xLevel-4] min) that it’s useful. If you have a pedantic DM, just have it Permanencied
Seems like I would be a pedantic DM. My problem stems from the following: during the level up process (p. 58 Player's handbook) you have to choose a feat. 'Advancing a Level: When your character’s XP total reaches at least the minimum XP needed for a new character level (see Table 3–2), he or she “goes up a level.”' Now there is the problem of how would you time your temporary buff to be active exactly at the time you get enough XP. Your solution seems to be "permanency" but if I interpret that in your favor, you mean to permanency "enlarge person" the spell not enlarge person the SLA of duergar since that would be impossible. Relying on a permanencied spell to qualify for a feat is something every PC can do and is liked item dependency to me. Let's argue in your favor further and just say you can take the feat the way you intend to. I am not that sure I am sold on a feat I can only use while buffed especially at level 12 where dispel magic and antimagic field tend to be in the arsenal of foes. All in all: disagree on RAW or item dependeny -0,25

also meeting our Weapon Focus (any sword) prereq with the Discipline Focus.
Discipline Focus explicitly reads: “gain the benefit of the weapon focus feat”, which does not mean you get the feat itself. If it would only be this, I have issues with, I would have just ruled in your favor and imposed no penalty. Moreover though, you cannot choose Shadow Hand as your Discipline Focus because you do not have a Shadow Hand maneuver known, because in your write up you never mention which maneuvers you chose for Swordsage. Stone Dragon has the Greatsword among its discipline weapons. Why didn’t you choose it? -0,25

all other correct:

Feats:
• Magic in the blood: none
• Weapon Focus BAB +1, proficiency with weapon
• Iron will: None
• Skill Focus: None
• Power Attack: Str 13
• Improved Bull rush: Power Attack, Str 13
• Blood-Spiked Charger: Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Spiked shield and spiked armor), Str 13, BAB +6, Prof. with spiked shield and spiked armor
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Shock Trooper: Power Attack, Improved Bull rush, BAB +6
• Shield Charge: Improved Shield Bash, BAB +3
• Mage Slayer: BAB +3, Spellcraft 2 ranks
Classes:
Vengeance Knight: See UoTSI
Deepstone Sentinel:
Race: dwarf
BAB: +10
Balance 13 ranks
Feats: Power Attack or Stone Power
Maneuvers: Must know at least 2 Stone Dragon maneuvers and one Stone Dragon Stance


Maneuvers:
As a judge I expect some kind of overview of all maneuvers known because it was a major pain to puzzle out the maneuvers and stances per level. It took me half an hour to sift through the following. That is not the reason for the penalty. The reason is simply that I can only judge what you have written down and in two cases (see spoiler) the missing maneuvers known matter. -0,5

Swordsage 1: 6 Maneuvers 1 Stance known; only 4 maneuvers and 1 stance found in the write up:
Mountain Hammer: IL 1 none
Action Before Thought: IL 3 none
Charging Minotaur: IL 1 none
Stonefoot Stance: (stance) IL 1 none
Sudden Leap: IL 1 One Tiger Claw Maneuver
Missing two known: one must be Shadow Hand as prerequisite for Discipline focus and one must be Tiger Claw as a prerequisite for Sudden Leap

Crusader 1: 4 maneuvers known 1 stance known;
Battle Leader’s Charge: IL 3 One White Raven Maneuver: I don’t see another White Raven Maneuver. I only see a With Raven Stance. A stance does not qualify as a maneuver regarding prerequisites.
TOB p. 43: A stance is not a maneuver, but a specific fighting method that you maintain from round to round.
Leading the Charge: (stance) IL 1 none
Charging Minotaur (again): IL 1 none
Missing two known: one of which must be White Raven
Deepstone Sentinel:
Elder Mountain Hammer: IL 9 Two Stone Dragon Maneuvers
Crusader 3:
War Leaders Charge: IL 11 Two White Raven Maneuvers




UotSI: 3,25
Starting score: 3
Weapon Focus (any sword): see Elegance

Entry level is almost earliest possible and all 10 levels taken. +0,25
the general necessity of Vengeance Knight for the build: Vengeance Knight has a very unique skill list and I think it is rather unfortunate you invest in Balance and Intimidate rather than some other more interesting choices like Search, Gather information, etc. +0,00
The approach of the build seems to be: here is an ubercharger with Vengeance Knight. My problem is: I see a lot of ubercharger and very little Vengeance Knight.. +0,00
Armor training: Balance is the only skill that really matters for Nicos. Other than the obvious use of running around with otherwise crippling armor like Thaalud Stone Armor I don’t see enough to warrant a bonus. +0,00

Full Vengeance Knight section, we pump Bringer of Vengeance, Armor training, Arcane Backlash and Counterstrike; nothing new under the sun but all our tactics get better numbers. Worth mentioning is the increasing Concentration skill that makes our saves much better, allowing Arcane Backlash to trigger more often.
This is just too little use of class features for my taste to warrant a bonus. +0,00


Lo-Kag “Loosefoot” Gathakanathi – 15,50

Originality: 5
Binder and Knight of the Sacred Seal surprised me and choosing Paimon dropped my jaw slightly because I didn’t see that one at all. Full marks for a rather entertaining story on top.

Power: 3,25
ECL 1-5:. the build is despite the +1 LA on par with a solid built Fighter. +0,00
Level 6-10: progressing pact making enough to increase the versatility of the build while also keeping enough melee prowess: +0,25
Level 11-20: I’ll repeat mysef: Vengeance Knight just isn’t a powerhouse class. The build squeezes enough out of the class to keep the build on par with Tier 4 builds and the build works at every level but there just isn’t enough versatility or combat prowess to award a bonus. +0,00

Elegance: 3,75
Point buy correct
BAB correct
Saves correct
Skill ranks correct

Prereqs: correct
Feats:
• Exotic Weapon Prof: BAB +1
• Roofwalker: Barbarian
• Improved Trip: Wolf totem
• Extra rage: Rage or frenzy ability
• Weapon Focus BAB +1, proficiency with weapon
• Improved Binding: Intimidate 4 ranks, soul binding
• Iron will: None
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Knock-down: BAB +2, STR 15, Improved Trip
• Shield Charge: Improved Shield Bash, BAB +3
• Combat Reflexes: none
• Shield Slam: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Charge, BAB +6
• Hardened Criminal: Iron Will

Cross realm material: Hardened Criminal is tied to the Bilge rats and City of Stormreach. Vengeance Knight to Faerun. Might be an issue for some games but I don’t think it is worth a penalty. +0,00

Skilled City dweller: Ride for tumble: it is a little weird since ride is a prerequisite for Vengeance Knight, but I do like its usage in the build because I didn’t see that solution right away and neither did many other chefs. +0,25
Spinning sword is a very nice niche weapon to use in this build +0,25
At first reading, I just couldn’t wrap my head around Paimon and Vengeance Knight. I always thought of it the wrong way though: initially I thought Tumble prevents counterstrike interactions. Now I think: The build offers a choice: either use tumble and avoid a nasty attack or don’t use tumble and embrace possible counterstrike damage. +0,25

UotSI: 3,5
Starting score: 3
Entry level: latest possible -0,25
the general necessity of Vengeance Knight for the build: Shield Slam and Shield Charge (which are obvious followups to Improved Shield Bash) are sidenotes to the build and clearly overshadowed by the rest of the build. Not a penalty, just a sidenote: +0,00
Armor training: greatly used for its interaction with tumble: +0,25

With vestige-derived scouting ability (thanks, Malphas!), we should be able to reliably locate our targets out of combat, then use Dance of Death / charge / Move Ally to get near them once a fight starts. Two of the skills that Bringer of Vengeance boosts are heavily invested by us - not bad for a class with 2 + int skill points. Note that Sense Motive is explicitly called out as a skill that you can use your own modifier for even when the raven is the one making the observation!. +0,25
Counterstrike: Dance of death +0,25

Lastly, Arcane Backlash should trigger reasonably often, as we have insane Fortitude and a Will save (while raging, which is always) that wouldn't be out of place on a wizard, plus the battlefield presence and mobility to be a threat to self-interested and tactical mages both. It's still not a good class feature, but at least we're getting as much out of it as possible.
That is pretty much what I would expect of an entry +0,00


Renir – 10,25

Originality: 3,75
Neanderthal and Warrior Skald peaked my interest immediately. I expected Knight and Unseelie Fey is never not expected.

Power: 2,75
ECL 1-5: Ranger + Knight is worse than a straight fighter but I give you the benefit of the doubt here. +0,00
Level 6-10: Rogue does nothing to increase your power and Warrior Skald is nice addition but nothing spectacular either: +0,00
Level 11-20: Vengeance Knight kicks in and I assume Snowflake Wardance is a power spike. Still Tier 4 though. +0,00
Multiclass penalties by level 6 until level 20. That’s a lot of lost XP. -0,25

Elegance: 1
Your entry does not contain the attributes of Renir. Race + template racial modifiers on attributes end up with -2 Int +2 Cha. Probably Cha is maxed out an Int must be 12 or higher. I don’t feel like puzzling out more.
I really thought long and hard what to do and then decided to set Elegance at 1 and impose no other penalties following the one mistake one penalty rule and spare myself a lot of checking Prereqs where that omission would matter.

UotSI: 2,75
Starting score: 3
Entry level: Latest possible entry while still finishing the SI: -0,25
Finishing the SI: done +0,00
the general necessity of Vengeance Knight for the build: frankly I don’t see it. Might be an issue due to missing attributes.
Armor training, Bringer of vengeance, Counterstrike, Bonus feats, Arcane Backlash:
All these features help the build in doing minor things better but don’t get enough attention for a bonus. +0,00


 
The Bannerman – 14,5

Originality: 5
Divine Mind, Marshal (2 levels!!) and Dragon Shaman. The general concept of the build (5th party member. I like it a lot.

Power: 2,50
ECL 1-5:. Divine Mind really sucks. It is strongly considered at the bottom of Tier 5, some even say 6. -0,25
Level 6-10: more of the same but different: Marshal is awful and so is Dragon Shaman. When the best class you have going for you is Hexblade…. -0,25
Level 11-20: Vengeance Knight does literally nothing to elevate your power above anything but stay around Tier 5. +0,00


Elegance: 3
Point buy correct
BAB correct
Saves correct
Skill ranks correct (I would really appreciate if you would carry over all skills you previously invested ranks (i.e. ride) in in future competitions. Makes the life of a judge so much easier!)
Power Points correct.
Prereqs: correct


Feats:
• Wild Talent: Divine Mind
• Iron will: None
• Weapon Focus BAB +1, proficiency with weapon
• Skill Focus: Marshal
• Dilate Aura: Aura ability
• Power Attack: Str 13
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Leap Attack: Power Attack (PH) , Jump 8 ranks,
• Shield Charge: Improved Shield Bash, BAB +3
• Double Draconic Aura: Character Level 12th, ability to project two different draconic aura
• Imperious Command: Intimidate 8 ranks, CHA 15,
• Shield Slam: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Charge, BAB +6
Classes:
• Vengeance Knight:
• Alignment: LE, LN or NE
• BAB: +5
• Intimidate 6 ranks, Ride 4 ranks, Sense Motive 2 ranks
• Iron Will
• Weapon Focus (any sword)
• Proficiency with heavy armor and heavy shields




UotSI: 4
Starting score: 3
Entry level: Latest possible entry while still finishing the SI: -0,25
Finishing the SI: done +0,00

*Armor Training: Armor check skills, Leap Attack, Extreme Leap, and Climb/Jump support from Dragon Shaman’s Swiftness aura.
*Bringer of Vengeance: Skill investment (especially Intimidate) + Imperious Command + Never Outnumbered
*Counterstrike: In addition to being irritating enough to be worth shooting, the Bannerman can use the Guardian mantle ability to actively take damage an ally would have taken, activating this bonus.
*Improved Shield Bash + Bonus Feats: used for shield family feats, which blend well with Leap Attack
*Arcane Backlash: Saves have been heavily boosted – Divine Grace plus Arcane Resistance, Synad’s Will boost and Oracle – on top of the Bannerman being enough of a linchpin to try to single-target remove.

Agree with all of the above: +1,25


 
Sir Spamalot - 13,50

Originality: 3,00
I guess numbers (attacks) for a numbers ingredient, but it is well known cheese. Devoted Defender is a nice find. Mashes rather well with Vengeance Knight.

Power: 4,00
ECL 1-5:. Anthrosquid is just stupidly powerful at low levels. +0,50
Level 6-10: Maneuvers, versatility offered by monk and anthrosquid carrying over: +0,25
Level 11-15: 11 attacks is a very impressive number but not much more than Sir Spamalot already had. +0,00
Level 16- 20: Knockdown is a very fine tool to have on 11 attacks +0,25


Elegance: 3
Multiclass issue with monk:

A monk who gains a new class or (if already multiclass) raises another class by a level may never again raise her monk level, though she retains all her monk abilities.
Easily fixable. -0,25
Weapon Focus (Saber) is a great use of the wording in the prerequisite of Vengeance Knight +0,25
Point buy correct
BAB correct
Saves correct
Skill ranks correct
Maneuvers and Stances correct
Prereqs: correct


Feats:
• Multiattack: three or more natural attacks
• Alertness: none
• Combat Expertise: Monk
• Dodge: Dex 13
• Karmic Strike: Dodge, Dex 13
• Weapon Focus BAB +1, proficiency with weapon
• Iron will: None
• Combat Reflexes: Monk
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Improved Trip: Combat Expertise, Int 13
• Two Weapon fighting: Dex 15
• Knock-down: BAB +2, STR 15, Improved Trip
• Mobility: Dodge, Dex 13
• Elusive target: Dodge, Mobility, BAB +6
Classes:
• Devoted Defender:
• Weapon Focus (any melee), Alertness
• Search 4, Sense Motive 4, Spot 4
• BAB: +5

• Vengeance Knight:
• Alignment: LE, LN or NE
• BAB: +5
• Intimidate 6 ranks, Ride 4 ranks, Sense Motive 2 ranks
• Iron Will
• Weapon Focus (any sword)
• Proficiency with heavy armor and heavy shields




UotSI: 3,50
Starting score: 3
Entry level: Latest possible entry while still finishing the SI: -0,25
Finishing the SI: done +0,00
Armor training, Bonus feats, Arcane Backlash, Bringer of Vengeance: used in a way I would expect and nothing more. +0,00
Counterstrike: Harm’s way, Karmic strike combination. Beautifully done. +0,50
Bringer of Vengeance and Skills: +0,25 [dispute]


Robert of Elms – 12,50

Originality: 4,00
Battle/Stalwart Sorcerer was unexpected and a very nice angle. Dreamtelling is always a surprise when it comes up.

Power: 3,50
ECL 1-5:. While usually Sorcerer is a no brain above Tier 3 class, the very unique no somatic components spell selection and the reduced spell per day did let me settle for the smaller bonus: +0,25
Level 6-10: same as above: +0,25
Level 11-20: See Elegance for why you don’t get a bonus here +0,00


Elegance: 2,25
Let’s get the big one out of the way: no, your reading of Superior armor training is not another case of CE Soulborn. At least not the discussions I am aware of. Soulborn reads: “You gain immunity to any penalty, damage, or drain to your Strength.” You see the word any in there? Here is what you wrote:

"You can now sleep in your armor without penalty." Okay... Without penalty. Without Armor Check Penalty? Without movement penalty (as it is called in Improved armor training)? Without any penalty actually. Yes, it's another level of Chaotic Evil Soulborn reading idea.
You just added the word any before the word penalty. That changes the meaning of the sentence completely. Disagree on RAW in a major and significant way: -0,50
Martial weapon proficiency (Heavy Shield): I am not sure what you try to achieve here other than not using a shield which you specifically get a bonus feat for. Or are you using a shield and ignore the armor check penalty with Vengeance Knight? I am confused. +0,00

Point buy correct
BAB at level 18 and 19 incorrect although overall correct: -0,25
Saves correct
Skill ranks correct
Spells known and slots correct
Prereqs: correct


Feats:
• Armor Proficiency (Medium): Armor Proficiency (light)
• Armor Proficiency (Heavy): Armor Proficiency (Medium): Armor Proficiency (light)
• Martial Weapon Proficiency (Heavy Shield): Battle Sorcerer
• Martial Weapon Proficiency (Bastard Sword): Stalwart Sorcerer
• Weapon Focus (Bastard Sword): Stalwart Sorcerer
• Power Attack: Str 13
• Iron will: None
• Dream Telling: None
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Oneiromancy: Dreamtelling (HH) , ability to cast spells of any sort
• Martial Study: none
• Improved Oneiromancy: Oneiromancy (HH) , Dreamcasting, spellcaster
• Goad: CHA 13, base attack bonus +1,
• Stone Power: STR 13, one Stone Dragon maneuver

Classes:
• Vengeance Knight:
• Alignment: LE, LN or NE
• BAB: +5
• Intimidate 6 ranks, Ride 4 ranks, Sense Motive 2 ranks
• Iron Will
• Weapon Focus (any sword)
• Proficiency with heavy armor and heavy shields



UotSI: 2,75
Starting score: 3
Entry level: Relatively early while still finishing the SI: +0,00
You went all in on superior armor training and ignored the rest of the class. [Dispute] Counterstrike Goad interaction: -0,25

 
Duke DA’arkSkar Demençia R’avengeshade Way – 8,25

Originality: 4,00
Noble is a very unusual choice and so is Spinemeld Warrior. Dark Template and Exalted feats together are very unusual as well.


Power: 1
Starting Score 3
ECL 1-5:. Noble and Knight are awful classes on their own. All meshed together is close to completely dysfunctional before I even account your feat choice. DEX is your go to stat but no Weapon finesse in sight. BAB is +2; Str 12; inspire confidence only works for your allies. Payoff for all that seems to be: You get to hunt a magic item. -0,50
Level 6-10: more of the same: I’ll talk about the items in Elegance. -0,50
Level 11-20: If it takes 19 levels to get Weapon finesse, don’t understand why you picked so many feats before it. -1


Elegance: 1
Starting Score 3
I have issues with your reading of RAW. Let’s start with the alignment switch:

Savage Species p. 148: In all cases, success acquires the desired subtype (or makes the desired change) and changes the character’s alignment to match the subtype. Succeeding by 5 or more accomplishes the ritual without changing the character’s alignment.
You either don’t qualify for Vengeance Knight since you are still LG and have the evil subtype or you don’t qualify for the Exalted feats since you are LE and cannot be exalted anymore. Let’s also not forget that you die if you don’t roll well enough and that the ritual costs 56k GP. WBL is lower. -1
Let’s talk about Clockwork armor (by the way costs another 27,250 gp):

The hydraulics are frozen solid by any cold-based attack if the wearer's saving throw fails; requiring the wearer to remove the armor and thaw it (this can also be done more quickly if the wearer is willing to be the target of a fire-based spell that does at least as much damage as the cold-based attack did). Cold-based attacks aren’t exactly rare.

Finally, the clockwork armor can be attacked directly, as it has gears and controls that a bludgeoning weapon can warp or jolt out of alignment, a slashing weapon can sever, or a piercing weapon can jam. The suit is treated as an object with base AC 5 that gets the wearer's Dexterity modifier to AC and the wearer's deflection bonus to AC. It has hardness 10 and 100 hp. After 50 hp of damage accrue, the armor may suffer breakdowns; the wearer must make a Reflex save equal to 10 + the damage inflicted by a blow to prevent this. Details of each breakdown are left to the DM but should primarily include partial paralysis (like frozen armor, but affecting only arms or legs), and/or repetitive arm motion (eliminating the wearer's Dex bonus) or leg motion (forcing the wearer to move at base speed each round). Fixing these conditions requires a successful DC 30 Disable Device check and a full-round action by someone outside the armor. That is also a major concern. Ignoring hardness and dealing 50 damage with a spell is also not unlikely at some point. I am pretty sure you will be locked up in your suit quite often. -0,25
IMHO the Dark Template is actively bad for you. +1 LA for a movement bonus and Darkvision? Hide and move silently bonus for non-existing ranks (4 ranks in Hide really don’t count). -0,50
Exalted feats:
You not only have to be LG, you have to be exalted to take them. How you manage that as a Vengeance Knight with an [Evil] alignment subtype I have no idea. I also don’t think that Vow of Peace works in any meaningful way with the class features offered by Knight of Vengeance. -0,25
Since all my prereq checking cannot lower your score anymore and it is tedious work, I spare myself that and continue with the next category.

UotSI: 2,25
Starting score: 3
Since I already did penalize you in Elegance for the alignment shenanigans, I won’t set your Starting score to 1.
Entry level: Latest possible entry while still finishing the SI: -0,25
Finishing the SI: done +0,00
Armor training: I just don’t get it: the whole build is about clockwork armor and armor training does nothing for you unless you sleep in it? -0,25
Bonus feats, Bringer of Vengeance, Counterstrike: Your build choices don’t matter for these bonuses. -0,5
Arcane Backlash: Item dependency but at least you get something out of it. +0,25

 
Rammus Blood Spiked Charger - 11

Originality: 2,75
The only surprising element is Drunken Master. The more defensive Ubercharger angle I expected since Vengeance Knight supports this kind of build (armor training, counterstrike).

Power: 2,75
ECL 1-5:. BAB +0 at level 3, BAB+2 at level 5 is not a great start for an Ubercharger. A single Power Point doesn’t help either. After thinking about it for a while I think you overvalued Evasion and Stagger. The totemist levels seem really unnecessary to me once you realize that Stagger isn’t as great as you think it is (see Elegance). -0,25
Level 6-10: +6 BAB by level 10. Let’s call it a redemption arc? Everything comes together better in this level range. Do you outclass a typical fighter? No. Not yet. +0,00
Level 11- 20: It is a good feeling when the SI level range actually makes me feel like the build works now. Bloodspiked Charger is the centerpiece, and all the defensive feats work well together. Still, Rammus is nowhere near Tier 3 and wouldn’t outclass a mere Fighter 20. +0,00

Elegance: 3
Qualifying for Vengeance Knight:
(Note that Weapon Aptitude will be used on one of the Weapon Focus feats to enter the SI) . This is one reason why I think Bloodspiked Charger is a bad feat: double Weapon focus required. Weapon aptitude has no listed duration, is a RAW mess in my opinion and I give you the benefit of the doubt and because Bloodspiked Charger and Weapon Aptitude is a nice combination. I could see a lot of DMs not allow it though, which led me to the decision no bonus no penalty. +0,00

Skill ranks: Not sure what happened because it isn’t a consistent mistakem, but your ranks are messed up: At first level: 28 ranks spent but you only have 24 (monk: 4, human +1, Int 12 +1). At level 3 and 4 you spent 3 ranks, but you could have spent 6 ranks (totemist 4 ranks, +1 human, +12 int)? The mess continues with Vengeance Knight: Jump is a class skill you spend ranks as if it is not. -0,5

Stagger allows to charge outta any position and thus allows to charge every turn.
That is incorrect.

This ability has two beneficial aspects: First, the charge need not be in a straight line, even though the character can still move up to twice his speed. Second, if a drunken master makes a DC 15 Tumble check before beginning a charge, his movement through threatened squares provokes no attacks of opportunity. This does not mean you can charge out of any position you merely need not to run in a straight line. You still have to move at least 10 ft.:


Movement During a Charge
You must move before your attack, not after. You must move at least 10 feet (2 squares) and may move up to double your speed directly toward the designated opponent. -0,25

Point buy correct
BAB correct:
Saves correct
Maneuvers and stances: Battle Leader’s Charge requires one White Raven maneuver as a prerequisite. You don’t have one. You have one Stance.
TOB p. 43: A stance is not a maneuver, but a specific fighting method that you maintain from round to round. -0,25
Soulmelds: correct

Prereqs:


Feats:
• Iron will: none
• Dodge: Monk
• Great Fortitude: none [you actually wrote greater, but I think this is just a typo]
• Power Attack: Str 13
• Weapon Focus BAB +1, proficiency with weapon
• Cleave: Power Attack (PH) , STR 13,
• Shield specialization (heavy): Proficiency with shields
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Blood Spiked Charger: Power Attack (PH) , Weapon Focus (PH) (spiked armor) , Weapon Focus (PH) (spiked shield) , STR 13, base attack bonus +6, Proficiency with spiked armor and spiked shields,
• Agile Shield Fighter: Improved Shield Bash (PH) , Shield Specialization (PH2) , Proficiency with shields,
• Shield ward: Shield specialization, Proficiency with shields
• Great (not greater) Cleave: Cleave (PH) , Power Attack (PH) , STR 13, base attack bonus +4
• Heavy armor specialization: It is called Heavy armor optimization: Armor Proficiency (heavy), BAB +4
• Deflective Armor: Heavy Armor Optimization

Classes:
• Drunken Master:
• Skills: Tumble 8 ranks
• Feats: Dodge , Great Fortitude , Improved Unarmed Strike (or monk's unarmed strike ability)
•
• Special: Flurry of blows ability; evasion ability; must be chosen by existing drunken masters and survive a night of revelry among them without being incarcerated, poisoned, or extraordinarily embarrassed.
•
•
•
• Vengeance Knight:
• Alignment: LE, LN or NE
• BAB: +5
• Intimidate 6 ranks, Ride 4 ranks, Sense Motive 2 ranks
• Iron Will
• Weapon Focus (any sword)
• Proficiency with heavy armor and heavy shields




UotSI: 2,5
Starting score: 3
Entry level: almost latest possible entry while still finishing the SI: -0,25
Finishing the SI: done +0,00
Armor training: you get enough out of it but nothing spectacular. +0,00
Bringer of vengeance and Counterstrike: not used at all. -0,25
Arcane Backlash: if you use your maneuver to cover your Will save, at level 20 you roll 1d20 +4 (+ any magic item bonus). That is abysmal. +0,00
Skills: Spending all ranks on cross class skills except Jump really tells you how much you don’t want to be a Vengeance Knight. +0,00

 
Braum – 9,5

Originality: 2
This pretty much covers my list of expected classes and feats.

Power: 3
ECL 1-5: If Braum had more than 1 Power point this would clearly be above 5 levels of fighter. As written, I just cannot see it really outshine a solid Tier 4. +0,00
Level 6-10: Warblade is Tier 3 but a single dip followed by Vengeance Knight is not enough for a bonus. +0,00
Level 11- 15: More Vengeance Knight means still no bonus. +0,00
Level 16- 20: Bloodstorm blade is a definite upgrade to any build but the simple omission of Power Attack baffles me and it really hurts the damage output Braum should have. Sand snare and Pebble Underfoot also baffle me. +0,00

Elegance: 2,25
Heavy armor specialization: It is called Heavy armor optimization: it requires Armor Proficiency (heavy) and BAB +4. Impossible to have at level 1. Start as Barbarian 1, Psychic Warrior 2, Fighter 2 and you should be able to switch the feats around to keep all of them. -0,25
Curling wave strike: Improved Trip (PH) , DEX 13: Braum does not have Dex 13 -0,25
Blood Storm Blade: requires 1 Iron heart strike. You only have 1 Iron heart counter. -0,25
Point buy correct
BAB correct:
Saves correct
Skills
Maneuvers and stances: correct

Prereqs:


Feats:
• Parrying Shield: Shield proficiency.
• Deflective Armor: Heavy Armor Optimization
• Weapon Focus BAB +1, proficiency with weapon
• Iron will: none
• Combat Expertise: Int 13
• Improved Unarmed Strike: none
• Improved Trip: Combat Expertise (PH) , INT 13,
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Shield Charge: Improved Shield Bash, BAB +3
• Shield Slam: Improved Shield Bash, Shield Charge, BAB +6
• Point Blan Shot: none
• Sand Snare: Combat Expertise (PH) , Improved Trip (PH)
• Pebble underfoot: Improved Trip (PH) ,




UotSI: 1,25
Starting score: 1
Alignment: CN. Vengeance Knight only allows LN, LE or NE.
Entry level: almost earliest possible: +0,25
Finishing the SI: done +0,00
All together: There is very little to extract from your write up. Braum is a tribute build that happens to be a Vengeance Knight by chance more than necessity. +0,00

 
Clunk - 11

Originality: 3,50
The Sneak Attack build angle surprised me and Factotum was not on my shortlist of classes to expect.
Deep Imaskari is a specific choice of race, which I am not sure, why you used it. There is no logical follow up in the build. +2 Int – 2 Dex seems to be everything that counts.

This build may not be the strongest. It may not be the most synergistic. It's certainly not the most optimal use of the class. What is does do, however, is it highlights a neat thing that Vengeance Knight enables bizarrely well: a dexterity-dumping rogue. The impressive ACP reduction allows a character to use full plate with no armor check penalty. Revolving around sword-and-board feats sets up for Agile Shield Fighter to bypass the heavy Dex requirements of TWF. Bringer of Vengeance and Counterstrike are both reasonably solid for a single-target sneak-attacker. Thanks to Assassin's Stance, the class can even use its two bonus feats to provide some sneak attack itself. I am not sure why it is necessary to dump Dexterity? Why not just leave it at 10 or 12?

Power: 1,25
ECL 1-5: Dexterity 6 is awful. Until level 3 Hide and Move silently, Balance and Tumble are close to unusable because of that. AC, Reflex Saves, Initiative all suffer from it. Factotum 3 followed by Sneak Attack Fighter and Psychic Warrior would be fine, if the abilities would correspond with it. I am still baffled by your choice of race. Human would be SO much better! What spell do you plan to use with Arcane Dilettante? -0,50
Level 6-10: Psychic Warrior with barely enough Wisdom to use Powers. A single Power point at level 6 (none at five), 3 at level 7. Feat choices which are on theme but don’t do anything regarding overall Power of the build. -0,50
Level 11 - 20: I am sorry nothing changes here: Sneak attack goes from 1d6 to 3d6 at level 12, to 4d6 at level 19 and to 5d6 at level 20. A rogue would do the same sneak attack damage while surely rocking the Craven feat at level 9. You end up with BAB +16, Strength 17 (why increase it at level 20?), and 4d6 Sneak attack which you probably can use some time? I see no guaranteed mechanic other than once per day Cloak of Deception. I wish I could say something positive but this combination of classes and abilities just does not work. -0,50
Multiclass penalties from level 4 onwards: -0,25

Elegance: 2,75

Point buy correct
BAB correct
Saves correct
Skill ranks correct
Maneuvers and Stances correct
Prereqs:
Able learner: requires Human or Doppelganger. Clunk is neither. Deep Imaskari has no human subtype or a class feature to emulate Human as a race. -0,25



Feats:
• Shield specialization, Proficiency with shields
• Weapon Focus BAB +1, proficiency with weapon
• Iron will: None
• Shield ward: Shield specialization, Proficiency with shields
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Agile Shield Fighter: Improved Shield Bash, Shield specialization, Proficiency with shields
• Martial Study: none (Cloak of Deception also none)
• Martial Stance: one martial maneuver (Assassin’s Stance: one shadow hand maneuver)
• Vengeful Surge: Iron Will
• Heavy armor optimization: Armor proficiency (heavy), BAB +4
• Deflective Armor: Heavy armor optimization

Classes:
• Vengeance Knight:
• Alignment: LE, LN or NE
• BAB: +5
• Intimidate 6 ranks, Ride 4 ranks, Sense Motive 2 ranks
• Iron Will
• Weapon Focus (any sword)
• Proficiency with heavy armor and heavy shields



UotSI: 3,5
Starting score: 3
Entry level: at level 8. right in the middle: +0,00
Finishing the SI: done +0,00
Oh I wish your build was more powerful because I do like the angle a lot. Vengeful Surge is a perfect fit for Vengeance Knight, Agile Shield fighter with Sneak Attack (and if you had Craven somewhere in there) would be a great. Your skill ranks proof that the premise could work for Vengeance Knight. +0,50


Officer Chip McDaniels – 10,75


Originality: 4
Very unique angle, which I like a lot. Desert Half-Orc again is quite the oddball choice. Again I already can not fathom why you didn’t just go for a human or any other race with a bonus feat (bonus feat needed to enter Vengeance Knight).


Power: 2,75
ECL 1-11: Paladin and Blackguard both are solid enough. Cleave and Improved Sunder are not great feats but everything else works well together. +0,00
Level 12 - 20: Solid feat choices and a fighting style that works.
Ability scores: why did you increase Wisdom 4 times? Why increase Dexterity once at level 20? Using the Initial array of 16/8/14/12/14/14 would have allowed you to increase Strength to 21 while only losing 2 points of Charisma that actually don’t do that much for you. -0,25

Elegance: 3
Point buy correct
BAB correct
Saves correct
Skill ranks correct
Maneuvers and Stances correct
Prereqs:



Feats:
• Power Attack: Str 13
• Cleave: Power Attack, Str 13
• Improved Sunder: Power Attack, Str 13
• Weapon Focus BAB +1, proficiency with weapon
• Travel Devotion: none
• Improved Shield Bash: Vengeance Knight
• Shield specialization, Proficiency with shields
• Agile Shield Fighter: Improved Shield Bash, Shield specialization, Proficiency with shields
• Craven: 2d6 Sneak Attack class feature, cannot be immune to fear




UotSI: 1
Starting score: 1
Missing 6 ranks of Intimidate (only 5 ranks at level 12)
Entry level: very late: -0,25
Finishing the SI: only 8 levels taken -0,25
While you make use of some class features nothing would elevate your score above 1 anymore.


Honorable Mention goes to Officer Chip McDaniels.

[loky1109]

Thank you Korahir!

Table!
# Name Alignment / Race Class Levels Chef Judge 1 Judge 2 Judge 3 Total Place
1 Syg (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867570&postcount=35) NE Synad Savant 2/Resolute Fighter 2/War Mind 6/Vengeance Knight 10 14.50 14.50 2nd
2 Nicos (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867572&postcount=36) NE Lesser Gray Dwarf Dungeon Crasher Zhentarim Soldier Fighter 4/Swordsage 1/Crusader 3/Vengeance Knight 10/Deepstone Sentinel 2 10.75 10.75 7th
3 Lo-Kag (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867575&postcount=37) NE Goliath Skilled City-Dweller Roofwalker Wolf Totem Goliath Barbarian 2/Binder 4/Knight of the Sacred Seal 3/Skilled City-Dweller Vengeance Knight 10 15.50 15.50 1st
4 Renir (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867576&postcount=38) LE Unseelie Fey Neanderthal Ranger 2/Knight 4/Drow Adventurer Rogue 2/Warrior Skald 2/Vengeance Knight 10 10.25 10.25 8th
5 The Bannerman (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867578&postcount=39) LE Synad Divine Mind 5/Marshal 2/Dragon Shaman 1/Hexblade 2/Vengeance Knight 10 14.00 14.00 3rd
6 Robert of Elms (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867580&postcount=40) NE Human Divine Companion Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 10/Vengeance Knight 10 12.25 12.25 5th
7 Sir Spamalot (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867581&postcount=41) LN Amphibious Anthropomorphic Squid Decisive Strike Passive Way Invisible Fist Monk 2/Crusader 1/Fighter 2/Devoted Defender 1/Vengeance Knight 10 13.25 13.25 4th
8 Duke DA’arkSkar Demençia R’avengeshade Way (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867584&postcount=42) LG Dark Skarn Noble 3/Knight 4/Spinemeld Warrior 2/Vengeance Knight 10 8.25 8.25 10th
9 Rammus (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867586&postcount=43) LN Human Cobra Strike Monk 1/Psychic Warrior 2/Totemist 2/Warblade 1/Drunken Master 2/Fighter 2/Vengeance Knight 10 11.00 11.00 6th
10 Braum (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867589&postcount=44) CN Human Psychic Warrior 2/Fighter 2/Lion Spirit Totem Whirling Frenzy Barbarian 1/Warblade 1/Vengeance Knight 10/Bloodstorm Blade 4 9.50 9.50 9th
11 Clunk (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867592&postcount=45) LE Deep Imaskari Factotum 3/Sneak Attack Fighter 1/Psychic Warrior 4/Vengeance Knight 10/Rogue 1/Psychic Rogue 1 11.00 11.00 6th
12 Chip McDaniels (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867595&postcount=46) LG->NE Desert Half-Orc Holy Warrior Charging Smite Paladin 11->Fallen Paladin 1/Blackguard 10/Fighter 1/Vengeance Knight 8 10.75 10.75 7th
13 Siegmar (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867600&postcount=47) LE Underfolk Knight 5/Thayan Knight 5/Vengeance Knight 10 The Viscount N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

[Inevitability]

Thanks a bunch for judging, Korahir!

[The Viscount]

Thank you very much for judging Korahir!

Chefs, you have the next 48 hours for any disputes you may have.

I have two disputes here


I'd like to thank Korahir for putting the time and effort in to judge all twelve of these things.

I just have one quibble - with Power starting at 3, and with two -0.25 penalties the only modifiers, my Power score should be 2.5.


Hi there! Thank you for judging! A few quick disputes if you would hear me out:

1. You mention that Devoted Defender is a rare sight -- shouldn't that be worth something in originality?

2. Based on your system, the power analysis seems fair -- although I'd dispute that the higher power at ECL 1-5 is all due to anthrosquid. The Karmic Strike synergies in there are very potent at low levels.

3. With elegance... we should have caught the monk mistake. However, I think you are overlooking elegance inherent to the build -- it's meant to be super synergistic and share many prereqs on the build path. Note how Karmic Strike's prereqs lead into Devoted Defender which leads into Vengeance Knight, allowing for fewer "wasted" general feat selections. Is that not a creative order of selecting feats and prcs? Additionally, how Harm's Way triggers Karmic Strike and Counterstrike triggering Martial Spirit... surely that synergy is worth something? I'm also not sure where Elusive Target should be mentioned, but Cause Overreach's synergy with the whole build and Knockdown seemed very synergistic as well... Maybe that part would be accounted for in Use of the SI. Just felt a little underscored here.

4. Use of the SI isn't originality, and it seems like Sir Spamalot is being penalized a little here. We leaned into Vengeance Knight's strengths and themes intentionally -- being surprising, here, should be a penalty, not a bonus, no? We max'd all of our Vengeance Knight skills to keep them relevant and took never ountumbered to highlight intimidate, and also emphasized Bringer of Vengeance. Armor training was used to capitalize on our high dex score and gear selection. You noted counterstrike -- but you overlooked how Arcane Backlash also synergizes with Harm's Way, as we can force enemy touch attack spells onto us, and we have decent saves and explicitly saved WBL for gear to boost them. We used the bonus feats to lean into the strengths -- we didn't take Improved Initiative or some other generic power feats, and we didn't lean into some alternative strategy unrelated to Vengeance Knight's prereqs or class features, as we leaned into the shield and used Elusive Target to lean into the AOO-tanking synergy with Counterstrike.

Again, thank you for judging, and I am eager to hear what you think on these matters.

[quetzalcoatl5]

Thank you for judging! When I see them all laid out in one post it really is a daunting amount of builds to look over!

[Korahir]

Thank you very much for judging Korahir!

Chefs, you have the next 48 hours for any disputes you may have.

I have two disputes here

Bannerman: Fixed. Total should be 14,50.

Squidman:+0,25 overall
Regarding Originality:
Anthro Squid docked you points you gained again with Devoted Defender.
Regarding Power:
You have the highest Power score of all entries. I don't see a reason to elevate it higher.
Regarding Elegance:
I probably should have elobarted more in this category. The harm's way - kharmic strike - counterstrike - martial spirit line you got points for in UotSI. Elusive Target I did consider giving you a bonus for but decided against it because Cause Overreach is another way for you to trip which you do better on the offensive and Negating Power Attack is a nice to have addition to tankyness. Most importantly I did feel that I gave you a lot of credit in Power and was therefor more hesitant in Elegance.
UotSI:
I agree that I didn't give you enough credit for you skill selection and Bringer of Vengeance interaction which I did give other builds who have the same investment: +0,25
I didn't overlook the interaction of Arcane Backlash and Harm's Way. I just feel you oversell it. Touch spells often don't allow a saving throw and your saving throws are decent but not overly impressive. I mostly ignore gear selection because it is very DM dependent if you get what you want. The way armor training is used I really do not see anything special.

Scores have been updated in the original post.

[The Viscount]

Thank you for the quick response!

Here are 3 more


Korahir asked why I boosted wisdom 4 times with my ability score improvements and that was so Chip had a high enough score to cast his Blackguard spells without requiring a stat boosting item. Blackguards are frustratingly MAD (which is my problem for picking that as the basis of the build) and I erred towards being able to use all of their abilities (spells, smites, Dark Blessing for saves) and also just HATE completely dumping a stat.


Mortified that I missed a rank in Intimidate. Definitely got mixed up somewhere there, either thinking it was 5 required or that I had gotten to 6.



Resolute fighter: While it is on theme, I think the build would be better with the extra feat. Move Shield specialization up to ECL 3 and take shield ward at ECL 13. That leaves room for another Martial Study (Action before thought). I think this is a missed opportunity to cover a weakness. You would also gain more out of your shield earlier at the cost of a bonus to will saving throws that comes at a prize. -0,25

What am I being penalized here for? It doesn't really seem to correspond to anything on your judging rubric. All other builds got points added and subtracted in elegance for like, quantifiable mechanical errors; this just seems a 'I would have built this differently' penalty. No other build seems to have gotten hit with something like this.

Regardless, I'll happily defend my choice to focus on Will over Reflex.
-Failing a reflex save hurts you, failing a fort save kills you, failing a will save kills everybody. It's got the most dangerous effects attached at any point after Resurrection comes online, and I want our meager +10 base to have more backing it up than a 1/battle MoPM. Resolute is a meager +2 when we get it, but blossoms into a +9 at level 20; I'd consider the option to get that on any Will save a lot better than the choice to get a slightly bigger bonus on a single Reflex save.

(also note that Resolute persists until your next turn ends, while the maneuver applies to a single save, so Resolute is a lot stronger in battles with many foes)

-We have other ways around our poor reflex. I could mention our tower shield proficiency here, but we actually have a better way to create total cover as a standard action: Call Item! There's no size limit and the created items persist for 2 rounds after we let go, so there's nothing stopping us from dropping a carriage in front of us if we need something to hide behind. It's even shareable with our allies!

-As for the 'you could have gotten shield ward earlier' thing... did we need to? We've got Deflective Armor from level 9 on, we've got an Insight bonus to AC from war mind, so at ECL 14 we're looking at a touch AC in the mid 20s? Compared to +7 BAB low-dex low-strength wizards? If touch AC was a glaring weakness of ours then sure, I'd agree with getting Shield Ward as early as possible, but that's just plainly not the case! Shoring up our +8 Will is miles more important than anything else we could be doing, and Resolute does it very well.


Thanks, Korahir!


You just added the word any before the word penalty. That changes the meaning of the sentence completely.
Yes, I added "any". But I don't think it changes the meaning. It already was broad unspecified penalty. Word "any" doesn't change this. My "any" isn't addition to rules, it's interpretation. Is it questionable? Yes. But it'd be questionable even if "any" was in RAW as questionable as CE Soulborn is.
I see why penalty is here, I'd myself put more - I don't believe in CE Soulborn at all. I just disagree with a reason. It or don't work at all with "any" or without, or works doesn't matter there is "any" or isn't.


Martial weapon proficiency (Heavy Shield): I am not sure what you try to achieve here other than not using a shield which you specifically get a bonus feat for. Or are you using a shield and ignore the armor check penalty with Vengeance Knight? I am confused. +0,00
Second. I ignore ACP with Vengeance Knight from the first level. Yes, I need masterwork Heavy shield, but I don't think it is too item dependency. )

And about Martial weapon proficiency (Heavy Shield)... I saw this as very elegant, interesting and new way to enter SI. As all concept of enter via Battle Stalwart Sorcerer is. It gives me free WF with sword and free weapon proficiency with heavy shield. I don't know, maybe you already include this in the Originality, but I think this decision deserves more love. And points. I understand how Binder has 5 points (in Originality), but in my eyes straight Full caster into Vengeance Knight not much more expected.


You went all in on superior armor training and ignored the rest of the class. -0,5
It's not true.

How about:

In addition, there is synergy between Vengeance Knight's Counterstrike and Robert's Goad and Stone Power feats.
which feats are taken via VK bonus feats.

[Korahir]

To Chip:
I know why you needed 14 Wisdom. My suggestion was to start with 14 Wisdom and lower Charisma to 14 and Strength to 16 and increase Strength at every opportunity.

To Syg:
I think I didn't make myself very clear: It is not a matter of Reflex or Will. It is matter of having another feat over a bonus to a Will save which is already pretty decent (Wisdom 14, Synad +2, Base Bonus decent thanks to Savant). Arcane Backlash only matters after ECL 14. You have Resolute fighter at level 3. My suggestions you didn't like but hey it's a feat: there is a myriad of options that are better than boosting your Will save imho. "also note that Resolute persists until your next turn ends" it lasts until your next action not until your next turn ends. Resolute is a fine ACF but I still would prefer afeat for your build.
Also you are not the only one to suffer a penalty of this kind. Check out Duke DA’arkSkar Demençia R’avengeshade Way. There are two penalties in Elegance which can be considered similar (Clockwork armor and Dark Template).

To Robert: +0,25
It might be a language problem. We both are not native speakers (at least I am sure I am not and I think you are neither) but the "without penalty" clearly to me is connected to "the sleeping in armor" which hints at the RAI that you don't get fatigued when sleeping in that armor. Dragonscale Husk has the same wording. Adding the word any in between changes the meaning for me to what you read in it. Am I wrong when regarding only RAW? Maybe. Let's summon Gruftzwerg and Crake and read up on a 12 page thread about that, huh? (No offense meant to both of them. More as a nod of respect for the tenacity both show).

The Weapon Focus reading I did credit you for in Originality. Maybe it is a fault of mine that I always expect casters of any kind to be in a round but I can understand your angle. Still I was more surprised by the Binder and especially Paimon.
About Goad: I didn't write anything about it and it is synergistic with counterstrike. Although I consider it a horrible feat I should have credited you for it. Penalty reduced to -0,25.

[The Viscount]

It's time for the reveal!

# Name Alignment / Race Class Levels Chef Judge 1 Total Place
1 Syg (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867570&postcount=35) NE Synad Savant 2/Resolute Fighter 2/War Mind 6/Vengeance Knight 10 Inevitability 14.50 14.50 2nd
2 Nicos (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867572&postcount=36) NE Lesser Gray Dwarf Dungeon Crasher Zhentarim Soldier Fighter 4/Swordsage 1/Crusader 3/Vengeance Knight 10/Deepstone Sentinel 2 Paragon 10.75 10.75 6th
3 Lo-Kag (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867575&postcount=37) NE Goliath Skilled City-Dweller Roofwalker Wolf Totem Goliath Barbarian 2/Binder 4/Knight of the Sacred Seal 3/Skilled City-Dweller Vengeance Knight 10 Inevitability 15.50 15.50 1st
4 Renir (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867576&postcount=38) LE Unseelie Fey Neanderthal Ranger 2/Knight 4/Drow Adventurer Rogue 2/Warrior Skald 2/Vengeance Knight 10 FactualArcher 10.25 10.25 7th
5 The Bannerman (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867578&postcount=39) LE Synad Divine Mind 5/Marshal 2/Dragon Shaman 1/Hexblade 2/Vengeance Knight 10 Defeated Victor 14.50 14.50 2nd
6 Robert of Elms (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867580&postcount=40) NE Human Divine Companion Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 10/Vengeance Knight 10 loky1109 12.50 12.50 4th
7 Sir Spamalot (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867581&postcount=41) LN Amphibious Anthropomorphic Squid Decisive Strike Passive Way Invisible Fist Monk 2/Crusader 1/Fighter 2/Devoted Defender 1/Vengeance Knight 10 Doctor Despair 13.50 13.50 3rd
8 Duke DA’arkSkar Demençia R’avengeshade Way (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867584&postcount=42) LG Dark Skarn Noble 3/Knight 4/Spinemeld Warrior 2/Vengeance Knight 10 Frostmoon 8.25 8.25 9th
9 Rammus (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867586&postcount=43) LN Human Cobra Strike Monk 1/Psychic Warrior 2/Totemist 2/Warblade 1/Drunken Master 2/Fighter 2/Vengeance Knight 10 Gruftzwerg 11.00 11.00 5th
10 Braum (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867589&postcount=44) CN Human Psychic Warrior 2/Fighter 2/Lion Spirit Totem Whirling Frenzy Barbarian 1/Warblade 1/Vengeance Knight 10/Bloodstorm Blade 4 Gruftzwerg 9.50 9.50 8th
11 Clunk (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867592&postcount=45) LE Deep Imaskari Factotum 3/Sneak Attack Fighter 1/Psychic Warrior 4/Vengeance Knight 10/Rogue 1/Psychic Rogue 1 Phoenix Duck 11.00 11.00 5th
12 Chip McDaniels (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867595&postcount=46) LG->NE Desert Half-Orc Holy Warrior Charging Smite Paladin 11->Fallen Paladin 1/Blackguard 10/Fighter 1/Vengeance Knight 8 quetzalcoatl5 10.75 10.75 6th
13 Siegmar (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25867600&postcount=47) LE Underfolk Knight 5/Thayan Knight 5/Vengeance Knight 10 The Viscount N/A N/A N/A

Congratulations to everyone for an excellent round! Special thanks once again to Korahir for judging.
New round will be up shortly.

[Inevitability]

Congratulations to all contestants!

[Defeated Victor]

Silver. Not at all what I expected, but happy to get it - I'll break my silence at last. Congratulations to Inevitability and Doctor Despair for their medals, quetzalcoatl5 for HM, and everyone for entering.

I'll just say Divine Mind is awful to cook with. Marshal is a great one or two level dip with a very powerful first level aura, is a situational four level class, and is a mess for twenty. Dragon Shaman isn't great, but at least gives good stuff right at the start. Hexblade has full BAB and immediate abilities. A Divine Mind without ACFs spends the first four or so levels of their miserable life wishing they could outmatch a Warrior, running around with an aura of Range=No and a single psionic mantle ability to make up for not having full BAB. It takes four levels to have an ability worth anything, and that's (very good) passive protection. Five and a feat got me an aura of range and power vaguely competitive with the lower end of its aura-bearing peers.

[loky1109]

Congratulations for all contestants and for medalists!

Thanks, Viscount

Korahir, thank you for your judge work one more time. Your judging is thoughtful and detailed, but there are several mistakes I see.
Don’t take it as a claim.
1) Clunk

Able learner: requires Human or Doppelganger. Clunk is neither. Deep Imaskari has no human subtype or a class feature to emulate Human as a race. -0,25
Actually they have.
Underdark, p. 9, second paragraph of description.

Thousands years of isolation combined with purposeful magical modifications have transformed these deep Imasakari into a human subrace adapted to life underground.

2) Nicos and Rammus.

TOB p. 43: A stance is not a maneuver, but a specific fighting method that you maintain from round to round.
It's true, but ToB, p. 44

In addition to meeting the class and level requirements before you can learn a maneuver, you must meet a certain set of requirements to be able to choose that maneuver as one you know. Stances are considered maneuvers for the purpose of meeting a prerequisite to learn a new maneuver.

Upd: Viscount, there should be two 6th places, not two 7th.

[The Viscount]

Upd: Viscount, there should be two 6th places, not two 7th.

Right you are!

Fixed the table.

[Korahir]

Congratulations for all contestants and for medalists!

Thanks, Viscount

Korahir, thank you for your judge work one more time. Your judging is thoughtful and detailed, but there are several mistakes I see.
Don’t take it as a claim.
1) Clunk

Actually they have.
Underdark, p. 9, second paragraph of description.


2) Nicos and Rammus.

It's true, but ToB, p. 44


Upd: Viscount, there should be two 6th places, not two 7th.

Thakns Loky for pointing these things out. I did never notice the clause about Stances. Nice to know. About Deep Imaskari you are wrong though: compare there racial traits to those of Aventi and Azurin. Both Azurin and Aventi have the human subtype mentioned or written out Humanoid (Human) listedd among their racial traits. Deep Imaskari do not have such text in the racial traits. Therefor the descriptive text you quote is irrelevant. It is just their history and background.

[loky1109]

Thakns Loky for pointing these things out. I did never notice the clause about Stances. Nice to know. About Deep Imaskari you are wrong though: compare there racial traits to those of Aventi and Azurin. Both Azurin and Aventi have the human subtype mentioned or written out Humanoid (Human) listedd among their racial traits. Deep Imaskari do not have such text in the racial traits. Therefor the descriptive text you quote is irrelevant. It is just their history and background.

I don't agree. Yes, it'd be clear if there is Humanoid (Human) somewhere in racial traits, but it has bad racial traits format. Without type listed at all. We even can't be sure if it is humanoid if don't look at description. But if we take strict RAW you are right.