[3.5] Of Metal and Wood

[Agent_0042]

Hey folks. For a campaign of mine, I'm working on a quintet of NPCs based on the Wu Xing. All of them will be gestalts, with some maneuver-using class on one side and an altered Wu Jen with the appropriate element on the other. Fire will be a Firedancer, water will be a Tide Walker, and earth will be an Earthshaker modified to have a maneuver progression.

The other two are where I'm drawing blanks. Metal, I suppose, could fall back to being something like a Warblade or Martial Samurai, though I'd rather a metal-as-an-element-themed class than a weapon-themed one. For wood, I am absolutely unable to find anything appropriate. I'm reluctant to start homebrewing, because my custom-content-plate is full already, so does anyone have any suggestions for appropriate (preferably non-casting) base classes?

[Greenish]

Druids. The wood one is pretty obvious, and then there's a variant somewhere (check crystal keep) that's metal themed.

[Edit]: Ah, non-casting. Hmm…

[Heliomance]

Disciple of Dispater, though it isn't a maneuver user.
Also, you're missing Heart.

*flees*

[Temotei]

Hey folks. For a campaign of mine, I'm working on a quintet of NPCs based on the Wu Xing. All of them will be gestalts, with some maneuver-using class on one side and an altered Wu Jen with the appropriate element on the other. Fire will be a Firedancer, water will be a Tide Walker, and earth will be an Earthshaker modified to have a maneuver progression.

The other two are where I'm drawing blanks. Metal, I suppose, could fall back to being something like a Warblade or Martial Samurai, though I'd rather a metal-as-an-element-themed class than a weapon-themed one. For wood, I am absolutely unable to find anything appropriate. I'm reluctant to start homebrewing, because my custom-content-plate is full already, so does anyone have any suggestions for appropriate (preferably non-casting) base classes?

Sweet. Tell me how the earthshaker works out, will you please?

[Agent_0042]

Disciple of Dispater, though it isn't a maneuver user.
Also, you're missing Heart.

*flees*

Base classes, por favor. And in the Wu Xing, Heart is Fire.

Sweet. Tell me how the earthshaker works out, will you please?

Heh, my game is probably not the best one to check for balance, but I'll gladly do so.

Incidentally, were you to decide to add a maneuver progression in (let's say crusader progression, four disciplines including Stone Dragon, an appropriate recovery mechanic), what would you drop? I'm thinking the Special Abilities for sure, and probably the Earth Sense feats and Rock Weapon.

[Jarian]

Perhaps a Wildshape Ranger for wood?

[Kantolin]

Wu Jen? I mean, they're built to use the elements as such.

Missed non-casting. Carry on.

[Gerrtt]

How about throwing some fist of the forest levels onto an unarmed swordsage for wood?