Iaijutsu Factotum and Shrinking

[CycloneJoker]

I was wondering if there was an easy way to shrink a Gnome by at least on size for a time period looking at all day, or an easy way to do it enough to be effective in multiple encounters a day as a factotum, so that I could use Confound the Big Ones, or whatever it's called, to use Iaijutsu Focus and murder them dead. Does anyone know a way to do this effectively?

[AslanCross]

Depending on how long the intervals between your encounters are, reduce person should be sufficient.

[TroubleBrewing]

I just recently lost all of my bookmarks (blue screen o' death. argh.), so I can't provide a link to the build, but I recall reading a particularly nasty build called "I May Be Tiny, But You're Dead" somewhere on the WotC forums. Try Google-fu, see what happens. It was a hilarious concept made manifest by psionics.

[Darrin]

I was wondering if there was an easy way to shrink a Gnome by at least on size for a time period looking at all day, or an easy way to do it enough to be effective in multiple encounters a day as a factotum, so that I could use Confound the Big Ones, or whatever it's called, to use Iaijutsu Focus and murder them dead. Does anyone know a way to do this effectively?

First, start with I May Be Tiny, But You're Dead. You can probably find a few reworkings if you poke around a bit.

There are several ways to get smaller. Lords of Madness has a Ring of Reduction (20000 GP). Reduce person + Permanency. Compression psionic power. Polymorph shenanigans. Phylactery of Change (11200 GP, A&EG). Kobold + Slight Build. There's also a spell in Eberron called return to nature that instantaneously (and permanently) reduces a giant's size by one step, so start with a half-giant and cast it multiple times until you get the size you want. Hengeyokai Sparrow also have access to fine-size with no LA at ECL 1 (+6 Dex bonus, +8 Size bonus means your ranged/weapon finesse attacks have +14 to hit... at level 1).

Confound the Big Folk has one of the most infuriating prereqs, 10 ranks of Tumble and Underfoot Combat, which also requires 10 ranks of Tumble. Since 10 isn't a multiple of 3, it's difficult to qualify for this feat before 12th level. However, if you use Favored and Primary Contact (from Cityscape), you can qualify at 9th level. But only do this if you can retrain those two feats later (or use Psychic Reformation/Dark Chaos Shuffle).

I assume you're using a Gnome Quickrazor for drawing/sheathing as a free action?

[Yuki Akuma]

There are Iaijutsu Factotums who don't use quickrazors?

Are they in the same parties as the Druids who don't take Natural Spell and the melee Bards who don't take Snowflake Wardance?

[Curmudgeon]

There are several ways to get smaller. ... Kobold + Slight Build.

That one doesn't work. Slight Build lets you be considered a size smaller for opposed checks, which isn't enough to qualify for feats that require a specific size difference such as Confound the Big Ones.

[CycloneJoker]

I'm thinking I'm going to go with Ring of Reduction. Also, one more question: what is the Psychic Reformation shuffle? I was only aware of the Embrace/Shun shuffle. Thanks for all the input.

[Curmudgeon]

Also, one more question: what is the Psychic Reformation shuffle?

Psychic Reformation is a power that also allows you to replace (among other things) feats. However, you can only revise feat choices you made (not feats granted without choice) and you must maintain prerequisites. I've used it for a character that needed Blind-Fight as a PrC entry requirement, then later (after that PrC) took a level of Cleric with the Darkness domain, which grants Blind-Fight. Psychic Reformation let me change that earlier Blind-Fight feat choice for something else to avoid having a duplicate feat.

The Dark Chaos shuffle is the more powerful, more expensive, more chaotic option.

[Kansaschaser]

There are Iaijutsu Factotums who don't use quickrazors?

Are they in the same parties as the Druids who don't take Natural Spell and the melee Bards who don't take Snowflake Wardance?

Hehe, I'm playing a Bard without Snowflake Wardance and he will eventually become a melee based Bard once I hit 11th level. (I don't even know where Snowflake Wardance is from.)

I helped a friend of mine build a Shapechanger Druid and he doesn't have Natural Spell.

Both of us are the most powerful characters so far in the campaign.

As for the small size, I would say the easiest way would be to use permanency on reduce person.

[Yuki Akuma]

Snowflake Wardance is in Frostburn. It lets you add Charisma to damage with one-handed and light slashing weapons.

[Kansaschaser]

Snowflake Wardance is in Frostburn. It lets you add Charisma to damage with one-handed and light slashing weapons.

Oh, well that probably wouldn't work for me since I will be weilding colossal weapons or 15 medium weapons. (don't ask how)

[Boci]

Snowflake Wardance is in Frostburn. It lets you add Charisma to damage with one-handed and light slashing weapons.

To hit, not damage.

[Yuki Akuma]

To hit, not damage.

Oh, right, the "to damage" was something else.

[Endarire]

How do Factotums get proficiency with Quickrazors?

[Boci]

How do Factotums get proficiency with Quickrazors?

Spend a feat or be a gnome and use the ruling in the back of Complete Warrior that allows you to swap racial proficiency with a hooked hammer for a quick razor.

[Akal Saris]

Or take a level in master of masks.

On a sidenote, I never considered the sparrow hengeyoki or heard of return to nature. Both sounds like nifty ideas if you don't want to be a murderous gnome.

[Urpriest]

Or take a level in master of masks.

On a sidenote, I never considered the sparrow hengeyoki or heard of return to nature. Both sounds like nifty ideas if you don't want to be a murderous gnome.

Though I'm not sure you could use a quickrazor as a sparrow hengeyokai, unfortunately. Unless it was a mouthpick quickrazor, but that just sounds awkward. Still, the feat's also good for sneak attack.

[Psyren]

Both of us are the most powerful characters so far in the campaign.

A druid without Natural Spell... is still a druid.

Oh, right, the "to damage" was something else.

Something else?