[3.5] Building KoF characters.

[Yael]

I want to play the ''primary caster'' role in an incoming party, however, I want to play a kind of ''gishish primary caster.''

I though about melding a monk and a wizard (we're doing gestalt, so no problem), we have space for two flaws; I though about being a grey elf, getting Keen Intellect, Kung-fu Genius and Carmendine Monk for 1st level feats, eliminating MADness from monk's abilities. Yesterday I though about using spells to ''emulate'' Kyo Kusanagi's abilities from the KoF series.

The Monk/Wizard could do it pretty fine. Going at the front line with self-buffing and ranged options with spells. Or just blast from the backlines, with a better BAB and saves.

So, the point of the thread is; which build could you se for Kyo, and, which build could you use for any other KoF character?

EDIT: Forgot to say that we're starting level 5, so I'm actually taking faerie misteries initiate at 1st level and Carmendine Monk at 3rd...

[Juntao112]

Unarmed Swordsage with Desert Wind maneuvers.

[Yael]

If I do that, where's the use of the wizard's casting?

MAD goes up with Swordsage's Wis ARMORED AC bonus.

Don't like that, however I though about taking Swordsage on the first place.

[Juntao112]

At what point does Kyo use wizardly abilities? He hasn't even graduated high school!

[Yael]

Neither he was an elf.

What I'm trying to do is to build a primary caster (not PA cuz' no PP party). And it would be fun to be more versatile without depending on my limited spell list (at lower levels and with not enough money to copy new spells).

[Deth Muncher]

The point Juntao seems to be making is that it isn't necessary to have any casting in this, since ToB grants crazy spell-like things anyway. Why cast a finite number of Fireballs per day when you can use the maneuver that lets you shoot a 6d6 fireball every encounter (or more, if you can recover it).

Tome of Battle was basically made for people who wanted to do martial artists with crazy powers. And this is coming from someone who loves King of Fighters as well as playing casters in D&D (I'm almost always a Sorceror).

Now, I do understand that that isn't really what you want to go for, so let's look at some alternatives which are a little more fitting with your desires to be an actual gish instead of a class which does it all in one. Now, as someone who used to main Kyo, it seems like most of his moves are involving punching and/or kicking things while setting people on fire, or occasionally both at the same time.

Before I go any further here, I'm going to link you to a few things. First, there's the Monk Handbook from the Minmax Boards. I really suggest you go look at it - for example, taking Kung Fu Genius, or Carmendine Monk, like it suggests, allows you to be a little less Multi Ability Dependent, which as a multiclass you're going to want to not be at all costs. Secondly, please heed the warning - Monk is a six level class. Period. There are ways to increase your Monk level for other purposes, like the Monk's Belt - even with Wizard instead of Sorceror, if you're doing every other level you're not going to have Fireball (or, y'know, good utility spells like Haste) before like level 8 or something, which is just bad news. I'll post more in a bit, but first, please take a look at that handbook, since it almost certainly contains ideas for what you need, and is very objective in what is good and isn't good to look at in the Monk class.

[Psyren]

I agree that Kyo is fine as a Desert Wind Unarmed Swordsage; if you absolutely must have magic in there, go for Ascetic Mage Sorcerer/Monk/Enlightened Fist instead and load him up with fire magic. You could even combine the two by using JPM instead of EF.

There are too many characters to try and build the rest here. I think Goenitz would do well as a LE Monk/Cleric/Sacred Fist, especially if you tweaked the Sacred Flames ability to be wind instead, and made it slashing or force damage instead of fire.

[Waker]

(not PA cuz' no PP party)

I have no idea what that means. Anyways, since several others have already suggested ToB, have you considered Psionics? You could go Monk/Psychic Warrior//Psion. For the Psions speciality, you might consider Psychokinesis, Psychometabolism or Psychoportation. Tashalatora Monk on one side will give you the bonuses to unarmed damage and other physical goodies while the Psion side can give you access to the higher-powered abilities. Kung-Fu Genius is still on the table if you want it.

[Frosty]

How do we stat Mai Shiranui? She also uses Desert Fire to be sure, but is Fans a favored weapon?

[Fouredged Sword]

Don't forget the fairy mysteries feat to get rid of a need for con. Then get knowledge devotion for int based bonuses to hit and damage. Swashbuckler 3 can fold int into melee attack damage (unarmed strikes can be finessed)

I would recommend

Wizard 20 // Monk 1 / Swashbuckler 3 / swordsage X

Get Kung Fu genius and you are int / dex dependant, and can ignore strength, con, wis, and cha.

Shadowblade is a consideration. I think unarmed strikes are a shadow hand weapon. You can get Int and Dex to damage with Dex to hit

And Hay, elves can get +2dex, +2in, -2Str, -2Con!

[DMVerdandi]

King of Smack for freeman