A Bizarre Character (3.5 help)

[Sutrahariel]

This idea, thanks to one of my bizarre players, is one of the most interesting ideas I have heard recently. She wants to play as Ivy from Soul Caliber. This sounds simple, but in addition to this she wants to be able to have maximum range with the Ivy Blade (Valentine), and also be able to restrict her opponent as much as possible.

Bassically its this:

I. She wants the character to be as close to the Character as possible in terms of moves and abilities.
II. She wants a sword that can shift from sword to chain quickly.
III. She wants to grapple with said blade.
IV. She wants to fill the rogues slot that is currently missing.

I don't exactly need an entire build, just ideas and maybe a layout for the said weapon.

Example video of Ivy: here

[term1nally s1ck]

A Morphing weapon is maybe the best choice..I can't come up with a way to make the range larger though

[Sutrahariel]

true, I was thinking of that as well. I was also thinking about making the weapon a ancestral relic/item familiar. I was also thinking of making Ivy a (insert roguish class here)/Kensai so that she would have the sword be as strong as possible.

The Ivy blade itself would start out as a masterwork Adamantine shortsword at lv. 1 (every player gets a nice and shiny item) and would progress slowly into the godliness of its future self. I'll put down its possible stats in a sec.

Any ideas for the classes? maybe a scout? I'm not exactly good with rogue/warrior type builds so I'm confused

[Zaq]

Check out the Assassin Whip in the MIC. It's more whip than sword, but it's a good place to start, if you ask me.

Anyway, nine times out of ten, when you want to copy a fighting-type character from somewhere, Tome of Battle makes it easiest. I can see Ivy using some Setting Sun (Swordsage) or maybe Iron Heart (Warblade) moves. Of course, I haven't played Soul Calibur since 2, so take that as you will.

[Pharaoh's Fist]

Use a Spiked Chain and fluff it as a sword that is also a whip.

[term1nally s1ck]

I can never figure out how to mix Kensai and Ancestral Weapons, because the weapons can gain bonuses you would already be able to put there with kensai, wasting a few levels.

Yeah, I agree with ToB too, the maneuvers let you copy a fighting style better than anything else in 3.5

[Krazddndfreek]

I'd go with the spiked chain idea probably and take either swordsage for the setting sun maneuvers or maybe even some of the other disciplines that people have homebrewed here on the boards.

Scout is the complete opposite of Ivy's fighting style. Ivy strikes opponents from afar, minimizing her own movement, while scouts need to move around to get optimal damage. Not a good idea if you ask me.

[Sutrahariel]

Just an idea, I was only half considering kensai anywho. That is true about TOB, but I really wish I could just make a normal character for once. But thus is the problem with specific fighting styles...meh >.<

I was thinking about using the item familiar feat though, and maybe get the potential +x Morphing Skillful Shortsword to have the lesser power to have improved grapple w/ +10 to it. Maybe It could be possible to do one of the moves in which her sword splits apart and peppers the oppent in shards. Maybe morph into a set of shuriken? I dunno.

Lets see...what abilities from TOB actually look like they would fit Ivy? I don't have the book on me so yea

[Prime32]

Just an idea, I was only half considering kensai anywho. That is true about TOB, but I really wish I could just make a normal character for once. But thus is the problem with specific fighting styles...meh >.<

Normal? ToB was based on Soul Calibur.

I was thinking about using the item familiar feat though, and maybe get the potential +x Morphing Skillful Shortsword to have the lesser power to have improved grapple w/ +10 to it.

You need to take a standard action to switch a morphing weapon between its forms. Think for a second - both of Valentine's forms deal equal damage, except one has 5ft reach and the other has 10ft reach. So why not just use a spiked chain or kusari-gama, which threatens out to both 5ft and 10ft? Include a wand chamber with a wand of stretch weapon for all those hard to reach places. The feycraft weapon template (DMG2) lets you wield a light weapon as if you had the Weapon Finesse feat at the cost of dealing damage as a weapon of one size smaller - you could combine that with Shadow Blade to get Dex to both attack and damage, though Ivy seems decently strong so it might not fit.

Maybe It could be possible to do one of the moves in which her sword splits apart and peppers the oppent in shards. Maybe morph into a set of shuriken? I dunno.

You're overcomplicating things. Just treat that as a single attack using a specified manouver. Maybe shadow garotte or something from that chain.

Lets see...what abilities from TOB actually look like they would fit Ivy? I don't have the book on me so yea

I would go with swordsage, possibly with some rogue levels. Setting Sun covers throws.


Feats I would take:
Combat Reflexes
Hold the Line
Improved Trip (can be activated by Setting Sun strikes)
Shadow Blade

[Eldariel]

Swordsage or Swordsage/Warblade seems just right. Swordsage is more skillmonkey, but if going for actual Grapple-checks, you want the Warblade BAB in there. And yeah, slight Rogue-dip for SA and skills could very well be worthwhile.

[Shyftir]

A friend of mine is doing this with a rapier/chainwhip morphing weapon.

In whip form: reach and 1d4 19-20/x2 slashing (as well as normal whip traits)

In rapier form, standard stats.

The character is straight swashbuckler. Put some skill points into weapon crafting in order to justify her specially made weapon. Plus a gnome helped her.

[Prime32]

Does Ivy use sustained grapples though, or does she just grab enemies, squeeze a little, then throw them away? If it's the latter you don't need any grappling focus, just use Setting Sun manouvers.

As another idea, there's the tentacle whip symbiont from the Eberron Campaign Setting - it's a living whip which can be wielded or attack on its own, and you can channel touch spells through it.

There's a druid spell which lets you entangle people by striking them with a quarterstaff - maybe that could be adapted to Valentine?

[Keld Denar]

Nobody has mentioned the Spinning Sword from Secrets of Sarlona? Its a 1handed reach weapon that is essentially EXACTLY like Ivy's sword. It can attack adacent and at reach, just like a spiked chain. You can hold it with both hands and PA with it. Since it shares so many similarities with the Spiked Chain, you could probably gain all the benefits of Shadow Blade and similar abilities. There are some cool Desert Wind maneuvers that temporarily increase your reach and allow you to strike really hard.

As far as the grappling thing goes, well, you could try with the Scorpion's Grasp feat from Sandstorm. You'd need Improved Unarmed Strike and Improved Grapple, but it would allow you to start a grapple with anyone you hit with the weapon. Unfortunately, you'd have to drop it immediately when you start the grapple due to the rules of Scorpion's Grasp. If you made your Spinning Sword feycraft, it would be light, allowing you to keep it in your hand and continue to make attacks with it while in the grapple, although this would drop your damage die down to 1d6 from 1d8 and you couldn't wield it with both hands any more if you wanted to. The neat thing would be that when you start a grapple, you move into someone elses square. Since your Spinning Sword has 10' reach, you'd kinda fly into their square, which is kinda useful.

Regardless, you probably won't be terribly good at grappling, due to likely being dex based, having medium or lower bab, and not choosing to utilize size buffs, so grappling would be a particularly potent option, however humorous.

[Wings of Peace]

Just a thought but she could have alot of fun if she's doing reach by doing a trip-lock fighter set-up.

Combat Reflexes and Knock-Down alone will do her well. Add in Improved Trip and things like Karmic Strike and Robilar's Gambit and she's going to be a beast in combat.

[Prime32]

Just a thought but she could have alot of fun if she's doing reach by doing a trip-lock fighter set-up.

Combat Reflexes and Knock-Down alone will do her well. Add in Improved Trip and things like Karmic Strike and Robilar's Gambit and she's going to be a beast in combat.

Knock-Down is pretty cheesy. Stand Still on the other hand...

[Wings of Peace]

I could have said Knock-Down and Thicket of Blades