Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XLI

[OMG PONIES]

Yeesh, how have I lost so much cooking time already? I need to get cracking, especially because there is one particular fly currently all up in my ointment.

[Piggy Knowles]

Build submitted! I'm anxious to see what everyone else has up their sleeves...

[Kazyan]

Oh wow, a hilarious synergy I wasn't even working towards! *giggles and keeps building*

[Venger]

Build submitted! I'm anxious to see what everyone else has up their sleeves...

I hope we don't have a repeat of last contest

[Seer_of_Heart]

I hope we don't have a repeat of last contest

What do you mean?

[Amechra]

I'm still working on my build.

And I think I might have time for a second...

[Piggy Knowles]

What do you mean?

Last competition, both Venger and I submitted factotum/combat trapsmiths that used the Shadow Striker feat...

[Seer_of_Heart]

Last competition, both Venger and I submitted factotum/combat trapsmiths that used the Shadow Striker feat...

Ahh, I'm considering making 3 builds actually . Though I'm afraid 2 of them probably will have others that are close to them

[Piggy Knowles]

Yeah, that's the big risk you run when you submit multiple builds - there's always a greater chance you'll be hammered in originality. Still, if you've got a couple of strong ideas, it can be worth it.

I usually have way more ideas than I know what to do with, but it usually takes me at least a week to work out all the kinks in a build, write the story, and attempt to encapsulate it all in a way that will make sense to potential judges. As such, I've never managed more than two builds personally. Not sure if I'll have a second entry this go round, though - I have some other ideas kicking around, but they all have pretty big flaws currently.

[Vaz]

redacted

Ahh good shout, popping my IC cherry, forgot about that

[Kelb_Panthera]

-snip-

That may be letting on more than is appropriate. The judges may be able to accurately guess which submission is yours.

' Just sayin'.

[Seer_of_Heart]

even guessing on the loose post you made Vaz that sounds like it may be very close to the build that I thought no one else would build something even remotely close to. well darn :(

[Vaz]

I built like I cook in real life tbh. # open door, empty cupboard, pick up random stuff and throw in a blender, taste test and add seasoning to make vaguely edible.

If I' m honest I know nowt all about any sort of Caster building outside of 'hey wizard guy stop him moving, hey cleric, give me healing, hey druid, stop stealing all my kills and stopping enemies from moving... ooh healing, ta chuck'

[Seer_of_Heart]

If I' m honest I know nowt all about any sort of Caster building outside of 'hey wizard guy stop him moving, hey cleric, give me healing, hey druid, stop stealing all my kills and stopping enemies from moving... ooh healing, ta chuck'

You sound like the opposite of me, I started looking at optimization from a caster class standpoint and I'm barely starting to understand melee optimization.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Last competition, both Venger and I submitted factotum/combat trapsmiths that used the Shadow Striker feat...

That's nothing - for Shadow Sentinel, I was one of 2 Duskblade 5/Abjurant Champion 5/Shadow Sentinel 10. If not for the fact that I pulled a Str-focus and he pulled a Dex-focus....

[Vaz]

You sound like the opposite of me, I started looking at optimization from a caster class standpoint and I'm barely starting to understand melee optimization.

Hnnh! Melee is dead easy. Stay alive long enough to stop the Caster dying then get healed. Or, go all out Glass Cannon damage with your 1/encounter ability usually, then run around avoiding anything slightly more dangerous than a doormouse with toothache. Just make sure you hit hard enough first.

[Kazyan]

Submitted. I hope my approach is unique, if not the level makeup. Bouncing around another idea, but probably won't find the time.

[Piggy Knowles]

Oh, goodness, I just got an insanely cool idea for another build. It's got one stumbling block that isn't necessarily a gamebreaker, but if I can power past it, I think I can come up with a second build that will put my first to shame.

This is going to drive me crazy trying to figure out a way to make this work!

[Gotterdammerung]

I am working on my submission as we speak but I wanted to help clear up some of the confusion about Spell Versatility. Geomancer is my favorite prestige class so I am really excited about this round. Being my favorite class, I have studied it a long time and read just about everything about it.

Spell Versatility at first glance can be a confusing ability but upon close inspection it is actually quite clear what it does and does not do.

Firstly, Spell versatility only applies at the time of casting. This is important because it removes a lot of the possible misuses. You can not for instance, use your charisma to calculate bonus spells for high ability scores for your cleric spells because bonus spells from high ability scores are not calculated at the time of casting. Their are other examples but I think this aspect has been clearly discussed so let's move on.


Secondly, spell versatility only affects the parameters of spells from the geomancers CLASSES. This is very important because it immediately eliminates misuses derived from feats and spell effects. For instance, you can not use divine metamagic to apply metamagics to arcane spells through spell versatility because this particular spell parameter comes from a feat and not a class. Likewise, a sorcerer/cleric/geomancer could not choose cleric spells when casting arcane flourish because this spellcasting parameter comes from the effect of a spell not from a class.
(NOTE- it is important to note that some abilities in the game actually change the parameters of a class. These abilities are viable candidates for Spell Versatility because the final parameters come directly from the class. The abilities in question directly change how the class works but the end result is still coming from the class. An example of this would be racial substitution levels. Another loose example would be if a feat directly changed or added to the parameters of a class. I can not give a direct example in this area because listing a direct example of what does work would fall under the "discussing builds" clause. But I can give a fake example- The feat Turkeyleg, says that henceforth I use strength to set the save DC's for my wizard spells. In this fake example a geomancer with the Turkeyleg feat could use Str to calculate the DC's of all of his casting classes. )

So what we are left with- any spellcasting parameter directly from a class mechanic or a class ability that applies at the time of casting is applicable for the use of Spell Versatility.

Now go read Spell versatility again with these points in mind and you will see that the grammar is there to back these interpretations up.

Allez optimizers. (Or wateva it is amph says)

[Vaz]

Just finishing up formatting and I see this answer pop up... ' Aaarrrghhh!' says I then I realise it is of no consequence. Thank lordy!

[Muggins]

The formatting is a rather horrid task. Makes for huge, virtually illegible tables I find.

[A_S]

...and done. My very first entry! I feel so grown up now.

[8wGremlin]

...and done. My very first entry! I feel so grown up now.

Mine too... wow.. I could go on and do more and more and more....

[Venger]

That's nothing - for Shadow Sentinel, I was one of 2 Duskblade 5/Abjurant Champion 5/Shadow Sentinel 10. If not for the fact that I pulled a Str-focus and he pulled a Dex-focus....

plus due to entry reqs, both of us (like everyone else) were illumians.

[Gotterdammerung]

Woohoo, first entry done. I don't think I will have time for a second but I can sure try. Good Luck everyone. Can't wait.

[OMG PONIES]

Yeesh, don't know if I'll finish this one by the deadline.

[Gotterdammerung]

Yeesh, don't know if I'll finish this one by the deadline.

You can do it Ponies!

[Kuulvheysoon]

Yeesh, don't know if I'll finish this one by the deadline.

I know exactly what you mean.

[Piggy Knowles]

So, my second build is more or less worked out, but I've been having so much fun crafting it, I haven't even started on the write-up. I hope I have time to put it together, because I think it's a way cooler option than my first...

[Kuulvheysoon]

...and we're in.

Thank the gods - I wasn't quite sure I'd finish. Surprisingly enough, the fluff was one of the hardest bits this time. Once I got a better idea of what I was working towards, though, it was surprisingly fun.