Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXIX

[The Viscount]

Not to be confused with their purple counterpart, Kazya of Mauve.

Kazra of Maure
CG Human Barbarian 2/Battle Dancer 1/Fighter 2/Duskblade 1/Arcane Duelist 4/Legacy Champion 10

Spoiler: The Build

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Ability Scores
32 Point-Buy: 16 Str, 13 Dex, 14 Con, 13 Int, 8 Wis, 14 Cha
Increase Str at all opportunities and prioritize Str and Cha for item bonuses.

Build Table

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Barbarian 1	1	2	0	0	24: {+4} Swim: 4; {+4} Intimidate: 4; {+4} Jump: 4; {+4 CC} Knowledge (Local): 2; {+4} Listen: 4; {+4} Tumble: 4;	Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Flindbar), Dodge	Spirit Lion Totem, Whirling Frenzy, Illiteracy, Skilled City-Dweller (Ride for Tumble)
2nd	Barbarian 2	2	3	0	0	6: Swim: 4; {+2 CC} Knowledge (History): 1; {+1} Intimidate: 5; {+1} Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; {+1} Listen: 5; {+1} Tumble: 5;	Improved TripB	Wolf Totem
3rd	Battle Dancer 1	3	3	2	0	6: Swim: 4; Knowledge (History): 1; Intimidate: 5; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; {+5} Perform (Dance): 5; {+1} Tumble: 6;	Combat Expertise, Improved Unarmed StrikeB	Skilled City-Dweller (Ride for Tumble)
4th	Fighter 1	4	5	2	0	4: {+2} Swim: 6; Knowledge (History): 1; {+1} Intimidate: 6; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; {+1} Tumble: 7;	Improved DisarmB	Skilled City-Dweller (Ride for Tumble)
5th	Fighter 2	5	6	2	0	4: {+1} Swim: 7; Knowledge (History): 1; {+2} Intimidate: 8; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; {+1} Tumble: 8;	Weapon Focus (Flindbar)B	-
6th	Duskblade 1	6	8	2	2	4: Swim: 7; {+4} Knowledge (History): 5; Intimidate: 8; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 8;	Mobility	Arcane Attunement, Armored Mage (Light)
7th	Arcane Duelist 1	6	8	4	4	6: {+5} Balance: 5; Swim: 7; Knowledge (History): 5; Intimidate: 8; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; {+1} Tumble: 9;	-	Chosen Weapon, Enchant Chosen Weapon +1
8th	Arcane Duelist 2	7	8	5	5	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; Knowledge (History): 5; {+3} Intimidate: 11; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; {+2} Tumble: 11; {+1} Spellcraft: 1;	-	Apparent Defense
9th	Arcane Duelist 3	7	9	5	5	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; {+4} Gather Information: 4; Knowledge (History): 5; {+1} Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; {+1} Tumble: 12; Spellcraft: 1;	Elusive Target	Dexterous Attack
10th	Arcane Duelist 4	8	9	6	6	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; {+4} Gather Information: 8; Knowledge (History): 5; {+1} Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; {+1} Tumble: 13; Spellcraft: 1;	Least Legacy (Bullybasher's Gauntlets*)B	Enchant Chosen Weapon +2
11th	Legacy Champion 1	8	9	6	8	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; Gather Information: 8; Knowledge (History): 5; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; {+2 CC} Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+2} Use Magic Device: 2; {+2} Twisted Charge;	Lesser LegacyB	Reduced Ritual Cost (Lesser), Bond of Lore
12th	Legacy Champion 2	9	9	6	9	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; Gather Information: 8; Knowledge (History): 5; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+4} Use Magic Device: 6; {+2} Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge;	Improved Critical (Flindbar)	Replace Legacy Ability (Least: Sturdy Grip for Speed Enhancement), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Blur
13th	Legacy Champion 3	10	10	7	9	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; Gather Information: 8; Knowledge (History): 5; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+6} Use Magic Device: 12; Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge;	-	Extra Legacy Ability Use (Least: Cheat Death), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Enchant Chosen Weapon +3
14th	Legacy Champion 4	11	10	7	10	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; Gather Information: 8; Knowledge (History): 5; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+4} Use Magic Device: 16; {+2} Listen to This, Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge;	Channel LegacyB	+1 Level of Arcane Duelist, False Keenness
15th	Legacy Champion 5	11	10	7	10	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; {+2} Gather Information: 10; Knowledge (History): 5; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+2} Use Magic Device: 18; {+2} Never Outnumbered, Listen to This, Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge;	Staggering Blow, Combat ReflexesB	Replace Legacy Ability (Lesser: Rough and Tumble for Weapon Enhancement (Reflexive)), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Enchant Chosen Weapon +4
16th	Legacy Champion 6	12	11	8	11	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; {+5} Gather Information: 15; Knowledge (History): 5; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+1} Use Magic Device: 19; Never Outnumbered, Listen to This, Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge;	-	Extra Legacy Ability Use (Lesser: Haste**), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Mirror Image
17th	Legacy Champion 7	13	11	8	11	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; {+4} Gather Information: 19; {+1} Knowledge (History): 6; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+1} Use Magic Device: 20; Never Outnumbered, Listen to This, Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge;	Greater LegacyB	Reduced Ritual Cost (Greater)
18th	Legacy Champion 8	14	11	8	12	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; {+2} Gather Information: 21; {+3} Knowledge (History): 9; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+1} Use Magic Device: 21; Never Outnumbered, Listen to This, Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge;	Defensive Throw, Transfer LegacyB	+1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Flurry of Swords
19th	Legacy Champion 9	14	12	9	12	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; {+1} Gather Information: 22; {+4} Knowledge (History): 13; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+1} Use Magic Device: 22; Never Outnumbered, Listen to This, Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge;	-	Extra Legacy Ability Use (Greater: Haste**), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, (11)
20th	Legacy Champion 10	15	12	9	13	6: Balance: 5; Swim: 7; {+1} Gather Information: 23; {+4} Knowledge (History): 17; Intimidate: 13; Jump: 5; Knowledge (Local): 2; Listen: 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Tumble: 14; Spellcraft: 1; {+1} Use Magic Device: 23; Never Outnumbered, Listen to This, Nimble Charge, Twisted Charge;	-	Replace Legacy Ability (Greater: Lightning Punch for Haste), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist (12)

*It is, as a general rule, always better to found your own Legacy if you can, but the Bullybasher’s Gauntlets are easy for Kazra to qualify for and work well enough for her tactics. Assuming the Bullybasher’s Gauntlets, skill point costs should come out of Swim first, followed by excess ranks beyond prerequisite requirements in Knowledge (History) or ranks in Gather Information.
**At the time that the extra ability use is obtained, the Bullybasher’s Gauntlets do not have a Lesser Legacy Ability with uses/day. Kazra eventually acquires Haste, a Menu D Lesser Ability, by trading out a Greater Ability, so it may count as a Lesser Ability, Greater Ability, or both for the purpose of the Legacy Champion increased use abilities. Ask your DM.

Kazra gets 3 cantrips and 2 1st level Duskblade spells, plus bonus 1st slots (likely one, as Int beyond 13 is not a priority for her).

Spoiler: Level Snapshots

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Spoiler: Level 6

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The Streets of Maure
“The House of Maure caters to all appetites.” The man with glittering blue eyes and pointed teeth often said that when he stepped out of the earthen floor to see Kazra’s mother. The hulking flind who would always be there at the same time, arriving on the back of a dire bat which, like its rider, had a menacing air as if it were not entirely of the material, would grumble it as he paced the foyer, hand on the strange flail at his belt that so fascinated Kazra, and never looking at any of the women with anything more than the suspicion of a feral beast. All appetites, and yet Kazra grew up hungry. She learned early that when the princes of the House of Maure spoke of catering to appetites, that the City of Maure was the menu.

Yet that seemed not to completely be the case for her. Once, out alone at night when she should not have been, she was spotted by a reveling group of ghouls who leered at her and seemed about to approach when one of the great bats flew overhead, glowing with a faint green light. It let out a cry and the ghouls turned away from Kazra to seek their indulgence elsewhere, allowing her to run home as quickly as her feet would take her.

The next time the man came to see her mother, the flind did not solely grumble to himself as usual, but took a smaller version of the strange flail at his belt and tossed it at Kazra’s feet, inclining his maned head toward the door. Picking up the weapon and trying to work out how to hold it, she followed him outside on trembling legs.

***

Getting into Arcane Duelist on time is non-trivial, but it’s going to be necessary, and with a Duskblade dip for the arcane requirement, Battle Dancer for Perform, and Fighter for a few extra feats, Kazra gets what she needs with enough room left over for Wolf Tripper Pouncebarian to fill out 6 levels of full BAB. Kazra fights with a flindbar, which boasts a respectable 19-20 crit range and grants her a free disarm attempt whenever she threatens.

Spoiler: Level 10

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Knock Them Down
Kazra rolled her cart up to the table where a half-dozen rowdy soldiers seemingly just returned from a successful marauding sat laughing and carrying on a genuinely revolting conversation as they passed the last of the man-steak that the last server had brought them around the horn. She presented the Aasimar Roast in all its decadent obscenity and underwent the formality of asking if they wanted it.

“Eeya Yeenoghu!” exclaimed a gnoll. “This is the one I was telling you about. It’s so good!”

“A little taste of heaven,” chimed in a sinister looking Azurin with meat juices in his beard and the sleeves of his wizard’s robes rolled up from across the table.

“Yeah, basically” agreed the gnoll. “Come on, you guys have got to try this!”

“I dunno,” mused the ghoul who was closest to Kazra, “I’m not sure that’s even the tastiest looking thing that just came to the table.” He looked at her as though she were a piece of meat. The heavy metal gloves that she wore to do her grisly, unpleasant job clenched around the handle of the cart for a moment, but pretending to ignore the comment she made to move toward the gnoll to serve the meat. As she went, the ghoul turned in his chair and swiped a claw at her. She shifted her hips such that his reach extended just beyond his limit, causing his chair to topple and leaving him splayed out before her. She delivered a reflexive kick which nearly severed the undead’s neck from his body.

“Prince of Beasts, I can’t take you anywhere.” The gnoll sounded exasperated, but the rest of the group were rising to their feet and drawing weapons. Moving quickly, Kazra rushed the wizard, crushing his jaw with a gauntleted fist. The gnoll and another ghast – heavily perfumed to mask her scent for the special occasion – bore down on her from either side but she danced away from the gnoll’s jaws so that they closed around the ghast instead. The ghast cried out in pain as the gnoll retched in revulsion.

The manager was running up at the sound of the commotion to bring Kazra her flindbar, but the group had clearly lost the will to fight. Kazra appreciated the manager’s consideration, however, and hoped against hope that his good word would be enough to save her job. She relaxed back into her best server’s smile. “I’m terribly sorry about that. Please take these complementary restoratives,” she handed a cure potion to the mage and inflict potions to the two undead, “and this as a palate cleanser so that it doesn’t spoil your meal.” She handed another vial to the gnoll before returning to serving up the roast to the table’s communal plate.

***

Kazra has entered the SI. Apparent Defense stacks with Battle Dancer’s AC bonus to shore up her defenses somewhat, especially alongside Elusive Target, which grants her the ability to neutralize enemy Power Attack bonuses and punish opponents who miss on AoOs or try to flank her. Flat enhancements like Chosen Weapon provides and Dexterous Attack’s high potential bonus to attack rolls are good for disarming, but poor BAB is not. Fortunately, with her bond now established with a Legacy Item, the groundwork is laid for Kazra to enter Legacy Champion, which will largely solve this problem.

Spoiler: Level 15

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Call Them Out
Kazra raised her flindbar high in a gauntleted fist to a roar from the throng arrayed before her. She was nervous but drew in a slow, steadying breath and began to speak in the clearest voice that she could muster.

“The House of Maure say that they cater to all appetites,” she paused for the smattering of jeers from the crowd, “but how many of you know the feeling of going to bed hungry? Who feels that the Maure family has offered the splendors of this city to you?” More sounds of agreement. She was feeling increasingly confident. “The princes and princesses of Maure have more in common with a Gnoman Imperial senator, a dragon in Greathorard or Thrand, a Mind Flayer of Xoriat, than they do with the common people of this city, and the city’s bounties are distributed accordingly. In the same way, the common people of this city have more in common with those who face the House of Maure’s victims abroad than they do those who rule over them, especially when the marauders that the Maures raise – often literally – come home, still hungry.” The crowd was with her. She had only to bring it home. “It’s time for a new government in this city. One that will be responsive to the needs of its people!”

***

Legacy Champion improves BAB progression back to average while continuing to progress Arcane Duelist features. False Keenness and Improved Critical are now online, giving significantly more opportunities to trigger a threat, and Dexterous Attack makes confirming easy. With Staggering Blow and the flindbar’s free disarm attempt, Kazra’s crits are consequential even with Dexterous Attack cutting into her damage output. Blur improves her defensive capabilities and hence value derived from Elusive Target’s Cause Overreach.

Spoiler: Level 20

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Build Them Up
The gates were shaking. Weapons, some that Kazra had taken from members of the city watch herself were brandished out from various members of the mob as she overlooked them from the rampart that she and a few others in the vanguard had scaled. Further ahead, she could see the abyssal bats bearing the otherworldly flinds of the royal guard flying out from the keep. At their head and flying directly towards her was one she recognized, the old captain who had taught her the flindbar all those years ago. His fur was greyed with age and parted in places by the battle scars that crisscrossed his visage and arms. As he approached, he looked at her and grunted.

“I’m sorry that it’s come to this,” Kazra said.

“Are you? Then you’re more of a fool than I thought,” the old gnoll replied. “I taught you the flail because my prince willed it so. If you take up arms against the House of Maure, then my only command is that of the Destroyer.” He began to sway in the saddle in a strange war dance, his riding cloak rippling around him. He bellowed a battle cry “Eeya! Eeya! Yeenoghu!” and leapt from the saddle towards her, swinging his flindbar down towards Kazra’s head.

But her head was not where it appeared to be. More blows came as the captain landed beside her, but similarly failed to find purchase as she danced around the old gnoll with such preternatural alacrity that half a dozen of her surrounded him. “Kill and know blessings beyond your dreams. The House of Maure caters to all appetites.” She sighed. “But those dreams and appetites are only for the few, and we are many.”

***

While Kazra may have gotten to this point without ever actually using the Bullybasher’s Gauntlets as a weapon over her trusty flindbar outside of the Least Ritual that requires it, the fact that it is one means that she can use a traded Lesser Legacy ability to get the Reflex +1 enhancement and hence Combat Reflexes feat, allowing her to squeeze qualification for Defensive Throw. When an enemy targeted by her Dodge feat misses her, including due to Blur, Mirror Image, or the auto-miss from Elusive Target’s Diverting Defense, she can spend an AoO to make a free trip against them (potentially in addition to the free trip attempt from Cause Overreach). Kazra has also hit the Flurry of Swords capstone, and in fact further progressed the SI for two more levels with Legacy Champion, granting an additional double as the count is ‘per 3 levels of Arcane Duelist.’ The doubles crit at the same high rate that Kazra does and can make use of Staggering Blow and the free disarm attempts from the flindbar when they do.

Spoiler: Non-SRD Sources

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Cityscape Web-Enhancement: Skilled City-Dweller
Complete Champion: Spirit Lion Totem
Complete Scoundrel: Skill Tricks
Complete Warrior: Defensive Throw, Elusive Target
Dragon Compendium: Battle Dancer, Staggering Blow
Magic Weapons Web Archive: Reflex enhancement
Monster Manual III (Also Web): Flindbar
Player’s Handbook II: Duskblade
Weapons of Legacy: Legacy Champion, Bullybasher’s Gauntlets, Legacy Abilities, Legacy Feats

[The Viscount]

When bae come out of the clearing looking like a snicker-snack.

Ratna Darpana
LN Naga Clan Human Kshatriya 2/Fighter 2/Duskblade 1/Knight Protector 3/Arcane Duelist 2/Legacy Champion 10


’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought.

Spoiler

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Ability Scores
16 Str, 14 Dex, 14 Con, 12 Int, 8 Wis, 14 Cha
Increase Str at all opportunities.

Build Table

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Kshatriya 1	1	2	0	2	16: {+4} Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+2} Intimidate: 2; {+4} Jump: 4; {+2 CC} Perform (Dance): 1; {+4} Tumble: 4;	Power Attack, Dodge	Ancestral Daisho, Skilled City-Dweller (Ride for Tumble)
2nd	Kshatriya 2	2	3	0	3	4: Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+2} Intimidate: 4; {+1} Jump: 5; Perform (Dance): 1; {+1} Tumble: 5;	CleaveB	-
3rd	Fighter 1	3	5	0	3	4: Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+1} Diplomacy: 1; {+2} Intimidate: 6; Jump: 5; Perform (Dance): 1; {+1} Ride: 1; Tumble: 5;	Martial Study (Leading the Attack), Great CleaveB	-
4th	Fighter 2	4	6	0	3	4: Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; Diplomacy: 1; Intimidate: 6; Jump: 5; {+4} Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; Tumble: 5;	Mounted CombatB	-
5th	Duskblade 1	5	8	0	5	4: Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; Diplomacy: 1; Intimidate: 6; Jump: 5; {+2} Knowledge (History): 2; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2} Tumble: 7;	-	Arcane Attunement, Armored Mage (Light), Skilled City-Dweller (Ride for Tumble)
6th	Knight Protector 1	6	8	0	7	4: Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; Diplomacy: 1; {+1} Intimidate: 7; Jump: 5; {+2} Knowledge (History): 4; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+1} Tumble: 8;	Mobility	Defensive Stance +2, Shining Beacon, Skilled City-Dweller (Ride for Tumble)
7th	Knight Protector 2	7	8	0	8	4: Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; Diplomacy: 1; {+2} Intimidate: 9; Jump: 5; {+1} Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+1} Tumble: 9;	Iron WillB	Best Effort +2
8th	Knight Protector 3	8	9	1	8	4: Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+2} Diplomacy: 3; {+1} Intimidate: 10; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+1} Tumble: 10;	-	Supreme Cleave
9th	Arcane Duelist 1	8	9	3	10	6: {+5} Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; Diplomacy: 3; Intimidate: 10; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+1} Tumble: 11;	Weapon Focus (Scimitar)	Chosen Weapon, Enchant Chosen Weapon +1
10th	Arcane Duelist 2	9	9	4	11	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+3} Diplomacy: 6; {+2} Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+1} Tumble: 12;	Least Legacy (Wargird's Armor*)B	Apparent Defense
11th	Legacy Champion 1	9	9	4	13	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; Diplomacy: 6; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 13; {+4} Use Magic Device: 4;	Lesser Legacy (Wargird's Armor)B	Reduced Ritual Cost (Lesser), Bond of Lore
12th	Legacy Champion 2	10	9	4	14	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; Diplomacy: 6; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 14; {+4} Use Magic Device: 8;	Improved Critical (Scimitar)	Replace Legacy Abilty (Least: Fast Movement for Armor Enhancement + 1 (Death Ward)), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Dexterous Attack
13th	Legacy Champion 3	11	10	5	14	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; Diplomacy: 6; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 15; {+4} Use Magic Device: 12;	-	Extra Legacy Ability Use (Least: Warrior's Surge), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Enchant Chosen Weapon +2
14th	Legacy Champion 4	12	10	5	15	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; Diplomacy: 6; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 16; {+4} Use Magic Device: 16;	Channel LegacyB	+1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Blur
15th	Legacy Champion 5	12	10	5	15	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+2} Diplomacy: 8; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 17; {+2} Use Magic Device: 18;	Martial Study (White Raven Tactics)	Replace Legacy Ability (Lesser: Awakened Spirit for Armor Enhancement +1 (Displacement)), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Enchant Chosen Weapon +3
16th	Legacy Champion 6	13	11	6	16	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+3} Diplomacy: 11; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 18; {+1} Use Magic Device: 19;	-	Extra Legacy Ability Use (Lesser: Haste), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, False Keenness
17th	Legacy Champion 7	14	11	6	16	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+3} Diplomacy: 14; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 19; {+1} Use Magic Device: 20;	Greater Legacy (Wargird's Armor)	Reduced Ritual Cost (Greater)
18th	Legacy Champion 8	15	11	6	17	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+3} Diplomacy: 17; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 20; {+1} Use Magic Device: 21;	Martial Stance (Press the Advantage), Transfer LegacyB	+1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Enchant Chosen Weapon +4
19th	Legacy Champion 9	15	12	7	17	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+3} Diplomacy: 20; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 21; {+1} Use Magic Device: 22;	-	Extra Legacy Ability Use (Greater: Stoneskin**), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Mirror Image
20th	Legacy Champion 10	16	12	7	18	6: Balance: 5; Craft (Armorsmithing): 4; {+3} Diplomacy: 23; Intimidate: 12; Jump: 5; Knowledge (History): 5; Perform (Dance): 5; Ride: 1; {+2 CC} Tumble: 22; {+1} Use Magic Device: 23;	-	Replace Legacy Ability (Greater: Resistance to Cold for Skill Enhancement +15 (Tumble)), +1 Level of Arcane Duelist, Flurry of Swords

*It is, as a general rule, always better to found your own Legacy if possible, but the Wargird’s Armor is actually a pretty good fit for Ratna.
**Ratna does not have the Stoneskin Legacy ability at the time he gains Extra Legacy Ability Use (Greater), but per the language of Legacy Champion, he gets the extra use automatically as soon as he gains the ability.

Ratna has three cantrips and two 1st level Duskblade spells, plus bonus 1st level spells from a high Int score, likely one as Int above 12 is not a priority.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

Spoiler

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Spoiler: Level 5

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We’ve got to put some work in to get into the build’s various necessary PrCs, which have BAB reqs, a lot of feat taxes, slightly annoying skills, and even the need for 1st level spells. The Kshatriya variant on the OA Samurai is essentially the same, except its Ancestral Daisho is an Ancestral Tulwar, that is, a scimitar instead of a bastard sword, which is preferable for crit fishing. Similarly, the Naga Clan is just the Dragon Clan, so it makes Knowledge (History) always a class skill, which will make it easier to get the necessary ranks to enter Legacy Champion later on. A bonus feat from Kshatriya and two more from Fighter levels cover feat taxes for entry into Knight Protector, the Darksong Knight ACF covers the Perform prereq for Arcane Duelist, and a Duskblade dip nabs arcane 1sts while maintaining BAB. Martial Study (Leading the Attack) sets us up for more White Raven stuff later on and adds Diplomacy as a class skill for later levels where those will be somewhat limited.

Zooming back out a bit from the individual levels, what we’re actually looking at is a pretty straightforward Power Attacking, Cleaving Fighter, which is hardly the worst thing to be at low levels. Leading the Attack is also nice at these levels, as you don’t have an iterative attack to give up anyhow and it’ll really help your allies hit things.

Spoiler: Level 10

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Three levels of Knight Protector nabs Supreme Cleave and one more feat at 6th level to pay the last feat tax for Arcane Duelist, and we’re into the SI. Chosen Weapon stacks a bonus on top of whatever Ancestral Tulwar is at, at least up to the +10 total maximum. Apparent Defense, unlike many similar abilities, has no stipulation about what kind of armor you need to be wearing, which is handy, as we’re forming a bond with the Wargird’s Armor, which is a breastplate – albeit one which is treated as light for the purpose of movement and can therefore be tumbled in – to set up for Legacy Champion.

Spoiler: Level 15

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Two levels is about what we want to be taking in a poor BAB class on a martial build, but Legacy Champion allows us to continue progressing Arcane Duelist features on a significantly preferable medium BAB chassis. The penalty to damage from Dexterous Attack to increase attack rolls is less than the bonus to damage for taking an equivalent attack penalty from a two-handed Power Attack, which means that at least some use of it will be useful for optimizing damage output. Additionally, Cleave attacks are made at the same attack bonus, which means they retain the benefit from Dexterous Attack without the downside, and possibly leave open the possibility to further buff the attack roll by funneling damage into Dexterous Attack again. Arcane Duelist’s Blur and Legacy Champion swapping Displacement and Blur onto the Wargird’s Armor improve survivability on the front lines.

Spoiler: Level 20

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We finish out with 16 BAB for a 4th iterative and now have False Keenness in concert with Improved Critical and a scimitar’s base threat range of 18-20 mean we’re in business as a crit fisher. Ancestral Tulwar ensures that we can make the blade in question Vorpal, so potentially even without bonus damage from Power Attack and tanking damage by turning Dexterous Attack up as high as it will go, we can auto-kill enemies by beheading them, then start Cleaving. To ensure that we can get full attacks off and that there will actually something to Cleave into even with Supreme Cleave, we want to stretch 5-ft steps as far as possible. To that end, we have Press the Advantage, which turns a single 5-ft step into two, and +15 to Tumble from a Greater Legacy ability, trivializing the DC 40 check, which, per Oriental Adventures, lets us turn a 5-ft step into a 10-ft step, meaning every 5-ft step makes for 20 ft of movement which doesn’t provoke Attacks of Opportunity. Flurry of Swords duplicates should be able to kill with Vorpal as well, despite only dealing non-lethal damage.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Spoiler

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Champions of Valor: Darksong Knight ACF
Cityscape Web-Enhancement: Skilled City-Dweller
Complete Warrior: Knight Protector
Magic Item Compendium: Death Ward and Displacement enhancements
Oriental Adventures/Mahasarpa Web Enhancement: Kshatriya, Naga Clan Human, Use of Tumble check to make a 10-ft step. OA itself also makes mention of regional variants to Ancestral Daisho, including the tulwar and kris.
Player’s Handbook II: Duskblade
Tome of Battle: Martial Study, Martial Stance, Maneuvers
Weapons of Legacy: Legacy Champion, Wargird’s Armor, Legacy Abilities, Legacy Feats
Web: Arcane Duelist
Everything else is SRD. The poem is "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll.

[The Viscount]

Do not confuse genteel with gentle.

Contessa Raven Darkbloom

Spoiler: backstory

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Spoiler: Dearest Sergeant Glint

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I hope this letter finds you well, sir. It is with great regret I must notify you of your superior, Councilman Gossamer’s, conduct unbecoming of a gentleman of his stature.

Without dredging up undue prurient detail, I have it on good authority he was seen publicly in the company of a lady other than his wife, Lady Gossamer. It is on her Ladyship’s behalf that I am regrettably forced to demand satisfaction for this affront to her honor, good name, and that of her family.

I have been appointed by her as her second and she informs me you have traditionally handled such matters for the councilman personally. It is my ardent hope that we can come to an arrangement that satisfies both parties without undue loss of life or limb. My proposition is thus:

The councilman will resign his post before the new moon. He has only attained his current position at the indulgence of her Ladyship’s family connections, and this latest affront has moved him comfortably out of their good graces. To avoid further damage to the family name, he need not specify the true reason behind this. He may perhaps tell the rest of the council he wishes to see the world and travel. He is welcome to make free use of any of the country homes west of Ravens Bluff and may freely while away the remainder of his nigh-eternal life with whomsoever he chooses so long as word of it does not return here and her Ladyship is never obliged to lay eyes upon him again.

If these terms are agreeable, please send word to me at your earliest convenience and we can have the whole unpleasant matter done with.

Very respectfully,

Contessa Raven Darkbloom

Spoiler: Dear Contessa Darkbloom

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It seems you are familiar with my master’s reputation, as well as his history. Consequently, I am sure you know I am quite unable to legitimize these scurrilous rumors on his behalf. I am unsure where you obtain your intelligence on his behavior, but I have no option but to decline your ridiculous proposition.

Given the nature of this accusation, the councilman’s honor dictates this be settled by a match to the death. As the challenged party, the choice of weapon is his. Given his preference on such matters in the past, I suggest you inform her Ladyship she ought to avail herself of an elven courtblade immediately, as it seems the one in the main house is spoken for.

After a brief perusal of the councilman’s social calendar, I believe he is free for a period of one hour beginning at noon a tenday before the new moon. I trust this whole affair should not take any longer.

As far as witnesses and attending go, I believe the councilman’s staff should expect invitations forthwith to the greens of the main house, as should any members of the charity boards her Ladyship currently serves. Cucumber sandwiches and shandies as light refreshment should prove agreeable to all parties involved, I trust. Should any of these details require further amendment, please notify me as to their correction.

Regards,

Sergeant Jonathan Glint

Spoiler: Dearest Sergeant Glint

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I regret that we are unable to resolve this matter peacefully on the behalf of our betters. I will ensure her Ladyship is armed accordingly. I advise you set your affairs in order quickly, sergeant, as it will soon be known to all that you serve a scoundrel.

Respectfully,

Contessa Raven Darkbloom

Spoiler: My Dear Raven

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It is with great sadness I must inform you of the passing of my beloved. He died as he lived, dueling. I am told I performed quite capably against him. Since I am currently in mourning, regrettably, I cannot visit your home for a social call, but if you should find yourself in the vicinity of the main Gossamer home, please consider yourself welcome there indefinitely.

I am acutely aware the circumstances I find myself in due to the chance of my birth are unfortunately far from universal. Though I know no woman of truer character, your finances do not reflect your “nobility” of spirit. Enclosed, you will find ample monies to fund your travel, should you choose to visit me.

Fondly,

Dowager Gossamer

Spoiler: My Dear Dowager Gossamer

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Though I was rather intimately familiar with the circumstances of your husband’s demise, your news of it saddens me anew. Truly, I wish there had been another path for him set by the fates, but alas, it is not so.

Your kindness is greatly appreciated. Depending on the vicissitudes of the winds, I may find myself in your company before this letter reaches you. If it should herald my arrival and any of your friends find themselves in circumstances requiring a second, please let them know I am always available.

Warmest regards,

Contessa Raven Darkbloom

Spoiler: stub

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LE changeling changeling rogue 2/human paragon 3/assassin4/master of masks 1/arcane duelist 10

Spoiler: abilities

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str 14
dex 14
con 14
int 14 (increases here, ends at 21) starting languages: common, elven, halfling
wis 10
cha 14

Spoiler: table

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	changeling rogue 1	+0	+0	+2	+0	balance 4, bluff 4, disguise 4, hide 4, intimidate 4, listen 4, ms 4, perform (acting) 4, sleight of hand 4, spot 4, tumble 4, umd 4	racial emulation	sneak attack +1d6, social intuition
2nd	changeling rogue 2	+1	+0	+3	+0	balance 1 (5), bluff 1 (5), disguise 1 (5), hide 1 (5), intimidate 1 (5), listen 1 (5), perform (acting) 1 (5), spot 1 (5), tumble 1 (5), umd 1 (5), second impression		evasion
3rd	human paragon 1	+1	+0	+3	+2	bluff 1 (6), disguise 1 (6), hide 1 (6), ms 1 (6), perform (acting) 1 (6), speak language (infernal)	dodge	adaptive learning (ms/move silently)
4th	human paragon 2	+2	+0	+3	+3	bluff 1 (7), disguise 1 (7), hide 1 (7), lucid dreaming 1, ms 1 (7), perform (acting) 1 (7)		bonus feat (mobility)
5th	human paragon 3	+3	+1	+4	+3	autohypnosis 1, bluff 1 (8), disguise 1 (8), hide 1 (8), ms 1 (8), perform (acting) 1 (8), umd 1 (6)		ability boost +2 (int)
6th	assassin 1	+3	+1	+6	+3	tumble 4 (9), umd 3 (9)	craven	sneak attack +2d6, death attack, poison use, spells
7th	assassin 2	+4	+1	+7	+3	bluff 1 (9), diplo 4, tumble 1 1 (10), umd 1 (10)		+1 save against poison, uncanny dodge
8th	assassin 3	+5	+2	+7	+4	bluff 2 (11), diplo 4 (8), tumble 1 (11), umd 1 (11)		sneak attack +3d6
9th	assassin 4	+6/+1	+2	+8	+4	bluff 1 (12), diplo 1 (9), sleight of hand 4, tumble 1 (12), umd 1 (12)	darkstalker	+2 save against poison
10th	master of masks 1	+6/+1	+2	+10	+6	sleight of hand 8 (12)		persona masks (gladiator, faceless)
11th	arcane duelist 1	+6/+1	+2	+12	+8	intimidate 1 (6), ms 5 (13), mosquito’s bite		chosen weapon, enchant chosen weapon +1
12th	arcane duelist 2	+7/+2	+2	+13	+9	intimidate 6 (12), never outnumbered	staggering strike	apparent defense
13th	arcane duelist 3	+7/+2	+3	+13	+10	intimidate 2 (8), ms 3 (16), tumble 1 (13), acrobatic backstab		dexterous attack
14th	arcane duelist 4	+8/+3	+3	+14	+11	intimidate 8 (16)		enchant chosen weapon +2
15th	arcane duelist 5	+8/+3	+3	+14	+11	hide 8 (16)	martial study (cloak of deception)	blur
16th	arcane duelist 6	+9/+4	+4	+15	+12	hide 3 (19), intimidate 1 (17), ms 3 (19), assume quirk		enchant chosen weapon +3
17th	arcane duelist 7	+9/+4	+4	+15	+12	hide 1 (20), intimidate 3 (20), ms 1 (20), sm 1 back on your feet		false keenness
18th	arcane duelist 8	+10/+5	+4	+16	+13	hide 1 (21), intimidate 1 (21), ms 1 (21), sm 4 (5), nimble stand	martial stance: child of shadow	enchant chosen weapon +4
19th	arcane duelist 9	+10/+5	+5	+16	+13	hide 1 (22), intimidate 1 (22) ms 1 (22), sm 6 (11)		mirror image
20th	arcane duelist 10	+11/+6/+1	+5	+17	+14	hide 1 (23), intimidate 1 (23), ms 1 (23), sm 6 (17)		flurry of swords

Spoiler: playtips

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Spoiler: lvl 5

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You’re off to the races starting out with changeling rogue. It allows you to take 10 on a variety of social skills alongside other benefits and gives an amazing 10 points a level and provides evasion.

Racial emulation lets you qualify for the human only human paragon and roll your own skill list, letting you pay all your taxes and use the points left over for fun trained only things. Its bonus feat goes to mobility for arcane duelist and it boosts your intelligence to provide more skills. Adaptive learning makes move silently a class skill forevermore from now on, allowing you to keep up skulking and dole out precision damage even once you enter arcane duelist, which does not normally provide it.

Second impression is up to help bolster your disguise skills in addition to your bonus from changeling’s minor change shape ability. You can use it to do cool things like impersonate someone well enough to fool their friends and families to prove your bona fides as a master of masks, or, say, take their place in a duel to eliminate someone to secure your status as an assassin.

Skulk around, dole out sneak attacks, and prepare for your next block of levels.

Spoiler: lvl 10

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You have entered assassin by performing your first kill specifically to join the assassins. Craven is up to boost your damage, and you have obtained spells to enter arcane duelist through assassin’s native casting. Additionally, it provides use magic device, which you invest in to use wands, scrolls, etc, from other lists to supplement your abilities, since this is one of your primary class features, as rogue before it.

Darkstalker is a tax for all stealthful types and will help you land sneak and death attacks more consistently. Uncanny dodge shores up your defensive ability and poison use lets you make your attacks more dangerous.

Master of masks, a fun and flavorful class from iron chefs past is here providing nondetection through its faceless mask, always appreciated by an infiltrating assassin and stealth type. It also grants the gladiator mask, which confers proficiency with all exotic weapons. You can use this to bring obscure exciting weapons with large damage potential such as the fullblade or goliath greathammer to bear and benefit from arcane duelist’s signature dexterous attack ability.

Spoiler: lvl 15

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Now that you’re in the secret ingredient, your skill choices pivot slightly. It’s not as broad as your prior classes, so one way to make use of this is to spend the points on useful skill tricks. Mosquito’s bite allows you to strike without your opponents knowing you’ve hit, never outnumbered lets you demoralize multiple foes, and acrobatic backstab lets you deal precision damage even more often. Staggering strike lets you debuff opponents in a way that’s very difficult to resist, and martial study with a shadow hand maneuver lets you treat hide as a class skill from now on, so you reinvest points to bring yourself back up to level and continue to max it from this point.

Spoiler: lvl 20

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You’re finishing the secret ingredient now and have taken child of shadow, beefing up your stealth and allowing you to dole out precision damage more consistently. You have your capstone flurry of swords and can use it in conjunction with the most damaging weapons you can get your hands on to use it to the maximum potential. Once your opponent is unconscious, cdg with your precision damage to finish them off.

Spoiler: optional: equipment

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This build is in no way reliant on specific equipment to function, but if possible, the morphing enhancement for your weapon lets it change into any form and is a flavorful thematic choice for a changeling

Spoiler: sources

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races of eberron: changeling rogue, changeling, racial emulation
lords of madness: darkstalker
complete adventurer: staggering strike
srd: dodge, mobility, human paragon, assassin
champions of ruin: craven
complete scoundrel: master of masks, skill tricks
tome of battle: martial study, martial stance

[The Viscount]

[Looking at full name] "How about I call you Whitefeather?"

"Ooh, this winged dude looks interesting! Pragorus has had far too easy of a time in duels as of late, but this looks promising."

"Don't get too excited. From what I hear, the armor spikes are just for show. He doesn't actually use them.

"Say, doesn't he look a bit too stern to be a… Wait, is he Praying? I've said it before, and I'll say it again: no religion and politics in my game, please."

"apparently, that's why he's here to begin with. Fighting on behalf of the Church of Azuth. They seem to think it's more reasonable to try and solve disputes this way, to minimize bloodshed. Not that I know why someone would volunteer to that crappy job."

"Well, he's probably going to lose pretty much when the rou-"

"Oh, gods"

"Oh, no"

"Oh, sweet divines"

"Oh, but why with the intestines though? Come on!"

"I thought he was supposed to be a holy man"

"Well, he just made Pragorus a whole lot holier than he was before."

"… You're dead to me."

Aerdrim "Whitefeather" Treth

Spoiler: stub

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LG male Raptoran [RoTW p.68] Monk 2, Paladin 4, Psychic Warrior 1, Dervish [CW p.25] 1, Arcane Duelist 10, Blade Dancer [OA p.37] 1, Warblade [ToB p.20] 1.
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 8, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 17. All increases go to Cha.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Passive Way Monk 1	0	2	2	2	Balance 4, Jump 4, Perform (Dance) 4, Tumble 4	Travel Devotion [CC p.62], Combat Expertise (b)	Unarmed Strike, Flurry of Blows
2nd	Cobra Strike Monk 2	1	3	3	3	Balance 5, Jump 5, Perform (Dance) 5, Tumble 5	Mobility (b)	Invisible FIst [EoE p.21]
3rd	Skilled City Dweller Paladin 1	2	5	3	3	Balance 5, Concentration 1, Jump 5, Perform (Dance) 5, Tumble 6	Power Attack	Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil
4th	Paladin 2	3	6	3	3	Balance 5, Concentration 2, Jump 5, Perform (Dance) 5, Tumble 7	-	DIvine Grace, Lay on Hands
5th	Paladin 3	4	6	4	4	Balance 5, Concentration 3, Jump 5, Perform (Dance) 5, Tumble 8	-	Aura of Courage, Divine Health
6th	Paladin 4	5	7	4	4	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 5, Perform (Dance) 5, Tumble 9	Sword of the Arcane Order [CoV p.34]	Turn Undead, Spells
7th	Soulbound Weapon Psychic Warrior 1	5	9	4	4	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 5, Perform (Dance) 5, Tumble 9, Twisted Charge	Expeditious Dodge [RoTW p.150] (b), Weapon Focus: Scimitar (b)	Power known: call weaponry
8th	Dervish 1	6	9	6	6	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 5, Perform (Dance) 9, Tumble 9, Twisted Charge	-	AC Bonus, Slashing Blades, Movement Mastery, Dervish Dance
9th	Arcane Duelist 1	6	9	8	8	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 5, Perform (Dance) 12, Tumble 10, Twisted Charge	Unorthodox Flurry (Scimitar) [DC p.109]	Chosen Weapon, Enchant Chosen Weapon
10th	Arcane Duelist 2	7	9	9	9	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 6, Perform (Dance) 13, Tumble 12, Twisted Charge	-	Apparent Defense
11th	Arcane Duelist 3	7	10	9	9	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 9, Perform (Dance) 14, Tumble 12, Twisted Charge	-	Dexterous Attack
12th	Arcane Duelist 4	8	10	10	10	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 12, Perform (Dance) 15, Tumble 12, Twisted Charge	Spring Attack	-
13th	Blade Dancer 1	9	10	12	10	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 12, Perform (Dance) 16, Tumble 13, Twisted Charge	-	Acrobatics +10, Leap of the Clouds, Fast movement
14th	Arcane Duelist 5	9	10	12	10	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 12, Perform (Dance) 17, Tumble 16, Twisted Charge	-	Blur
15th	Arcane Duelist 6	10	11	13	11	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 13, Perform (Dance) 18, Tumble 18, Twisted Charge	Improved Critical (Scimitar)	-
16th	Arcane Duelist 7	10	11	13	11	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 15, Perform (Dance) 19, Tumble 19, Twisted Charge	-	False Keenness
17th	Warblade 1	11	13	13	11	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 18, Perform (Dance) 19, Tumble 20, Twisted Charge	-	Battle Clarity, Weapon Aptitude, Maneuvers
18th	Arcane Duelist 8	12	13	14	12	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 19, Perform (Dance) 21, Tumble 21, Twisted Charge	Divine Might [CW p.106]	-
19th	Arcane Duelist 9	12	14	14	12	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 21, Perform (Dance) 22, Tumble 22, Twisted Charge	-	Mirror Image
20th	Arcane Duelist 10	13	14	15	13	Balance 5, Concentration 4, Jump 23, Perform (Dance) 23, Tumble 23, Twisted Charge	-	Flurry of Swords

Maneuvers [ToB p.86,88]: Claw at the Moon, Blood in the Water Stance, Dancing Mongoose, Pouncing Charge.

Spoiler: Thoughts

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Aerdrim is a raptoran monk of the church of Azuth. He tries out a couple of different styles before figuring out that he actually wants to join the swords of the high one and be a paladin, and after some more experimenting ends up as the duel champion of the church. Let's look at what he actually does.

Aerdrim qualifies for the SI by being able to cast wizard spells as a Sword of the Arcane order. It's not a lot, but it's enough. While the versatility offered by this option is nice to have, though, Aerdrim's spell slot is usually spent on a very significant spell: Bless Weapon. Getting a wand for it would be great (it's cheap and accessible), but he can use it as a nova even without one. Bless weapon is generally great, but auto-confirming crits makes it very, very good on an arcane duelist, and is one of the reasons paladin makes such a good entry into the SI. By the end of his career, Aerdrim should threaten on 12-20 with a scimitar or a falchion (weapon aptitude), so being able to auto-confirm is huge. The chair said, on the question of whether False Keenness blocks Bless Weapon:

It does not, because false keenness is an extraordinary ability, thus it is not magical

. This is of course why Aerdrim can't just rely on WBL for keen, and goes for the improved critical feat. Keen would ruin Bless Weapon for him.

But besides false keenness, why does the SI work for Aerdrim?

Well, Aerdrim suffers somewhat from what is often called "flurry of misses". With his lowish BaB even before entering the SI and his MADness, he's already having a hard time hitting. Adding the -2 from unorthodox flurry (which he can put on a scimitar due to the "Slashing Blades" ability from Dervish), and dexterous attack starts looking really tempting, even once you factor in the increased enchantment bonus from enchant chosen weapon. Without it, he can't really afford to power attack with his (held in two hands) scimitar all that often. With it, he can make sure he hits, and once he reaches the optimum threshold for to-hit, he can fully take the rest of the damage penalty and simply pour it into power attack for free damage. Neat. If it ever goes overboard against a very low-AC enemy, and the optimal choice becomes maxing out PA even before maxing out dexterous attack, he can consider moving some damage points to AC by combining it with combat expertise.

Apparent defense is of course useful for the obvious Cha synergy, and together with blur and mirror image it helps shore up Aerdrim's defenses. From his earliest levels, he has the feats and resources to try his best to keep safe (travel devotion, tumble, mobility, invisible fist, expeditious dodge) but he's still flying around with 8 con. It's simple math, really: the less hp he has, the more use he squeezes from the anti-damage defenses of the SI. Aerdrim can't afford a high Con, so the defenses are a blessing.

But we're not here to talk about SLAs or dexterous attack, or even false keenness. We're here to talk about the capstone.

So, the flurry of swords. Ideally, you want to be full attacking, all the time, critting left and right while using dexterous attack to its fullest and still being impactful. As we've seen, auto-confirmed crits on a 12-20 weapon which gains damage from dexterous attack instead of losing it is already done, but how do we full attack as often and as forcefully as possible? Aerdrim can approach this task in several ways:

The first is, as probably expected, the pounce. Aerdrim does this with his pouncing charge maneuver from 160 ft away, but he has some extra stank on top: raptoran's diving charge. Double damage on charge attacks, and the only stipulation is that you have to wield a piercing weapon. Not attack with, not use, wield. Well, easy. Wear armor spikes. If you have a DM that claims that armor spikes aren't wielded, grab a foot-bow – it's a martial weapon for you as a raptoran anyway, so you might even use it here and there. Pounce with all your pals, full attacking and doing double damage even before critting. Nice.

Second, once per day, Aerdrim can dance. Dervish already lets him unorthodox flurry with a weapon you can TF with, and lets him combine movement mastery with blade dancer's acrobatics to be a tumbling fool, but it also grants him dervish dance, which is great. Like his charge, this option greatly enjoys the fact that he has an 80 ft. fly speed and a 60 ft. land speed due to blade dancer. While dancing, he can use dancing mongoose to bring him up to 5 attacks per round – 3 of which are at his highest to-hit. Nice.

When not dancing, it'll often be very prudent to use his swift action to SHMOOVE. Again, 80 ft fly speed means and travel devotion. Can be used offensively, defensively, whatever. It lets you full attack when you need to. With plenty of turn undead uses, he can run it often enough to be fine even once he's spent his Dervish dance.

Speaking of turn undead: Aerdrim's last feat is Divine Might. Divine Might can eat through your turn undead uses really badly, but when your full attack is multiplied by up to 7 more attackers and is extremely likely to crit (auto confirmed by all of the copies) that extra damage is about 10 times as effective as it would otherwise be. Same goes for his 1/day smite.

I'm not sure whether crits by his duplicates count for Blood in the water, but if they do: LOL. Assuming 5 duplicates, a dancing-dervish-mongoose attack should crit 13 or 14 times in one round thanks to Bless weapon. That's a huge boost.

Well, that's it for the SI. Aerdrim effectively uses every piece of the pie, and has made significant investment to optimize and support every part of it save the SLAs, which I'd say he gets better-than-average use for. The SI is greatly supported by his dips in warblade and especially dervish, with blade dancer enhancing everything he does through doubling his movement speed and greatly enhancing his skills. The fact that both of his other prcs require dodge and mobility, similar skills, and one requires spellcasting is a boon in my view.

My only regrets are not having 60 point buy and getting 0 use out of my call weaponry power because I have no power points.

[The Viscount]

The Chairman's for fun non-entry. (Don't judge this one!)

The Green Knight
LN Star Elf Crusader 10/Arcane Duelist 10

Stats

Spoiler

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Str 14
Dex 14
Con 16 (14)
Int 10
Wis 10
Cha 14 (16)

Backstory

Spoiler

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Near summer’s end as sweltering day was giving way to warm evening, The Green Knight rode into town. His mount was a massive elk that looked like a creature from the deepest forest of an age long gone. He took his place in the center of the square, where he issued his challenge. He invited any and all of the warriors to test their might.
“Defeat me and claim all that is mine as your prize. Lose and forfeit your life. I permit you the first strike, but know that I will strike back at you with everything I have.” Then he set the whetstone against his mighty axe and waited. There was a long pause as the people stood dumbfounded. It was some time before a veteran cavalryman approached, horse in tow, lance slung over his shoulder.
“Your challenge is truly given in good faith?”
“There are no tricks here, sirrah. You may strike first, but you must then weather my response.”
“I accept!”
“Then you may strike when ready.”
The cavalryman could barely conceal his grin as he walked his horse away. Then he mounted and spurred his horse to full gallop. The Green Knight stood placid, his face beatific even as the cavalryman bore down on him, lance shattering with the sheer force of his strike. The Green Knight fell to one knee, blood dripping from his chest. The cavalryman dismounted to examine his handiwork and claim his reward.
The Green Knight rose faster than he had crumpled, hands already on his axe. Suddenly there were many more of him, shifting and merging, splitting and striking. The cavalryman was beaten down under a hail of blows, and with each strike the Green Knight stood taller, his pained expression easing, his grip becoming stronger. At the end of it there was one Green Knight again, and his opponent was no longer.
“A valiant attempt. His strength should be honored. Unfortunately, it was not enough.”
He cleaned his axe and slung the body of the cavalryman over his shoulder. He unbridled the horse and set it free to the forest, where he soon followed.
They say he sought further glory elsewhere. What is certain is that the next time he rode into town none answered his challenge.

Build

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Crusader 1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Balance 4, Intimidate 4, Perform 2(4), Tumble 4	Magical Training (as Sorcerer, spells known: Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost)	Furious Counterstrike, Steely Resolve 5, Skilled City Dweller (Ride to Tumble)
2nd	Crusader 2	+2	+3	+0	+0	Balance 5, Intimidate 5, Perform 2.5 (1), Tumble 5		Indomitable Soul
3rd	Crusader 3	+3	+3	+1	+1	Intimidate 6, Jump 1, Perform 3 (1), Tumble 6	Snowcasting	Zealous Surge
4th	Crusader 4	+4	+4	+1	+1	Intimidate 7, Jump 2, Perform 3.5(1), Tumble 7		Steely Resolve 10
5th	Crusader 5	+5	+4	+1	+1	Intimidate 8, Jump 3, Perform 4 (1), Tumble 8
6th	Crusader 6	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2	Intimidate 9, Jump 4, Perform 4.5 (1), Tumble 9	Midnight Dodge	Smite 1/day
7th	Crusader 7	+7/+2	+5	+2	+2	Intimidate 10, Jump 5, Perform 5 (1), Tumble 10
8th	Crusader 8	+8/+3	+6	+2	+2	Intimidate 11, Diplomacy 2, Tumble 11		Steely Resolve 15
9th	Crusader 9	+9/+4	+6	+3	+3	Intimidate 12, Diplomacy 4, Tumble 12	Mobility
10th	Crusader 10	+10/+5	+7	+3	+3	Intimidate 13, Diplomacy 6, Tumble 13	(B) Die Hard	Die Hard
11th	Arcane Duelist 1	+10/+5	+7	+5	+5	Intimidate 14, Sense Motive 2, Tumble 14		Chosen Weapon, Enchant Chosen Weapon +1
12th	Arcane Duelist 2	+11/+6/+1	+7	+6	+6	Intimidate 15, Sense Motive 4, Tumble 15	Power Attack	Apparent Defense
13th	Arcane Duelist 3	+11/+6/+1	+8	+6	+6	Intimidate 16, Sense Movie 7		Dexterous Attack
14th	Arcane Duelist 4	+12/+7/+2	+8	+7	+7	Intimidate 17, Sense Motive 10		Enchant Chosen Weapon +2
15th	Arcane Duelist 5	+12/+7/+2	+8	+7	+7	Intimidate 18, Sense Motive 13	Sapphire Smite	Blur
16th	Arcane Duelist 6	+13/+8/+3	+9	+8	+8	Intimidate 19, Sense Motive 16		Enchant Chosen Weapon +3
17th	Arcane Duelist 7	+13/+8/+3	+9	+8	+8	Intimidate 20, Sense Motive 19		False Keenness
18th	Arcane Duelist 8	+14/+9/+4	+9	+9	+9	Intimidate 21, Sense Motive 21, Tumble 16	Stone Power	Enchant Chosen Weapon +4
19th	Arcane Duelist 9	+14/+9/+4	+10	+9	+9	Intimidate 22, Sense Motive 22, Tumble 18		Mirror Image
20th	Arcane Duelist 10	+15/+10/+5	+10	+10	+10	Intimidate 23, Sense Motive 23, Tumble 20		Flurry of Swords

Maneuvers:

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1st: Crusader’s Strike, Charging Minotaur, Douse the Flames, Stone Bones, Vanguard Strike
2nd: Mountain Hammer, Tactical Strike
3rd: Revitalizing Strike, White Raven Tactics
4th: Bonesplitting Strike, Divine Surge, White Raven Strike
5th: Elder Mountain Hammer
Stances: Martial Spirit, Bolstering Voice, Thicket of Blades

Level 5

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In an original rough concept for a build I was going to make a cowboy duelist, but I couldn’t find a good mechanic for wielding a big iron as a melee weapon, so I went with my second concept of the Green Knight. Star elf fulfills criteria for magical training and helps add an element of otherworldly fey to the build. To qualify for the SI, I’m using snowcasting along with ray of frost to cast it as a 1st level spell. Use prestidigitation to make snow with the “chill” function. You don’t advance it, but the SI doesn’t advance so it doesn’t matter!
I never buy vanilla Dodge when I can. Midnight Dodge becomes a little better later. Crusader is fairly straightforward. Deal damage, heal damage, survive stuff. I focused on less white raven maneuvers because that doesn’t seem sporting to bring in other characters to a duel.

Level 10

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The extra levels give the feats we need to take the SI, and also provide more good maneuvers. Die Hard and Steely Resolve combined with healing mean you can avoid dying, then get back to normal before the delayed damage kicks in.

Level 15

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I’m not going to lie to you. This class is wretched. We all know it. Let’s salvage what we can. Power Attack with a two-hander like a greataxe combined with Dexterous Attack lets you finesse your attack and damage, or just go to +15 damage for free. Sapphire Smite means you can choose having Dodge be +2, 2 more smites, or one of each. I’d recommend 2 more smites.

Level 20

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Throw flurry of swords down when you’re in Martial Spirit and heal for all the strikes you and your copies execute for a lot of healing. Stone Power introduces another penalty you can set for temp hp to survive even more damage, which you can finesse to your liking.

Sources

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Star Elf: Unapproachable East
Crusader, maneuvers, Stone Power: Tome of Battle
Magical Training: Player’s Guide to Faerun
Snowcasting: Frostburn
Midnight Dodge, Sapphire Smite: Magic of Incarnum
Mobility, Power Attack, Die Hard: Player’s Handbook

[The Viscount]

Behold our entrants for the round!
Judges, do your stuff!

[Venger]

Nice looking round. Several methods of entry I hadn't expected. Good luck, everyone.

[Gruftzwerg]

Nice looking round. Several methods of entry I hadn't expected. Good luck, everyone.

I have the same thoughts after a first glance on the builds. Need to find some time for a deeper analysis.

I also wish everyone gl and hf to the judges (12 entries if I did count right..^^).

[Thurbane]

Congrats to all entrants.

As far as I got with my stub was Hexblade 4/Crusader 3/Arcane Duelist 10/Crusader +3.

[Seward]

Lots of interesting entries. I'm going to have my work cut out for me, both in just looking up all the stuff that is new to me and also getting into the head of the chef to see how it fits together to judge it fairly. On the plus side once I'm on the other side of it I'll probably be over any "new judge" jitters.

[The Viscount]

I have faith in you.

[RSGA]

The idea I had, but just couldn't figure out how to properly finish was going to be some shade of Swashbuckler 3/Duskblade X/Arcane Duelist 10. When I ran out of time, the main gimmicks were going to be getting Shielded Casting to make the occasional True Strike easier to pull off (and potentially other non-channeled spells too if I took enough Duskblade), and of course getting as many sources of damage adds to offset Arcane Duelist's tricks as I could.

An earlier version of the build was Swashbuckler 3/Fighter 2/Duskblade 2 to make up for eating two feats in Tomb-Touched Soul and Tomb-Born Vitality as a joke about how the ingredient's nature will just slow down battles.

[H_H_F_F]

I have an unsubmitted build I'll post when I'm back home. I had excellent reasons not to post it, but I think it's a good build.

[daremetoidareyo]

I saw some really clever and well researched stuff this round. And I also saw a few builds that were things I considered but didn’t want to build, if that makes sense. So it’s really cool to see how someone put those together. And of course, there’s the entries that you didn’t expect at all: which are a joy all on their own

[WhamBamSam]

Builds that I considered, but ended up preferring the ones I went with.

Longtooth Shifter Duskblade 3/Fighter 2/Abjurant Champ 5/Arcane Duelist 10 - Longtooth Elite/Great Bite build, attempting to use frequent crits to deal Con damage. Ultimately just didn't feel impressive enough

Dragonwrought Kobold Battle Dancer 1/Full BAB 4/Soul Eater 1/Sorcerer 1/Arcane Duelist - Didn't really hash this out, since it's pretty cheesy, but a kobold can gain a level of Sorcerer, increase their effective level of casting with the Greater Draconic Rite, and then still have an effective level of casting after taking a negative level from high-fiving a Wight - like those that can rise from victims of a Soul Eater's attack - with which to qualify for things. The build itself would have been a pretty straightforward Soul Eater blender build, using either Barbarian or Sphinx Claws for Pounce and maybe working in Roundabout Kick along with multiplying negative levels to get value out of crit-fishing.

[Seward]

Me today "Yay, I figured out 3 of these builds enough to score them tentatively!"

adds up the total - 12.....
looks at hours free next week - less on most days than today ....

Ok, I'm fast, but it'll still be a while, especially working out the originality cross-indexing 12 builds, then double checking my consistency in other areas between builds to make sure I didn't score something strangely in an early build compared to a similar build at the end of the stack.

Still been fun so far. Even got some chores done between each build so I could pretend I was being productive today.

[Zaq]

One down, significant progress made on one other.

I'll keep you all updated, but I know better than to try to extrapolate an endpoint right now.

[H_H_F_F]

Okay, let me walk you through my thoughts here:

"Hmm… So, no synergy for a roof jumper build here, shame. Oh? Identical natural weapons count as one favored weapon? Well, what can I make with an anthro-pus that's interesting?

"Well, I need spellcasting, and blood wind would be fun with that, right? But I need more. A ride-on effect for crits. What's a good ride on effect on crits?

"Oh, I know! We've just had a round with one! Thayan Gladiator could work here for sure, it's just a 3 level dip. Great! All I need now is to figure out a way to increase the critical threat on the octopus arms…

"God damn it.

"I'm just making Yan Korlat's Blender again, aren't I?"

So, I gave up this direction at this point, but it kept bugging me. It had all those interesting little synergies – Getting the proficiency, weapon focus, and blood wind from a single level of sorcerer. jumping out of trouble when provoking with the swift action spell with the psionic feat, having exactly enough levels to get 7 arms done (1 free for casting blood wind, interacting with the world, and for holding behind the back in formal duels. You can also just… grab a Kukri, if the situation calls for it). Lots of anti-synergies as well (Cha penalty, ugh), but it just completed itself in my head, so I thought "what the hell, just post it as a fun exhibition after the reveal". It's not fully detailed enough for an official entry, but I've noted the important non-SI class abilities and all the feats/ skill points are there.

Yan Korlat deserves the credit for the big play here. This is just a variation on what she already did. A blender, but it blends a bit more.

A blenderer.

The Blenderer

Anthropomorphic Giant Octopus 2/ Stalwart Sorcerer 1/ Ardent 4/ Thayan Gladiator 3/ Arcane Duelist 10.

Point buy: 17, 9, 10, 10, 14, 15. Post racial: 19, 15, 8, 10, 18, 11. All advancements go to Str.

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	RHD 1	1	0	2	2	Perform (dance) 2 [cc], Tumble 2 [cc]	Tughness	6 Tentacle Arms
2nd	RHD 2	2	0	3	3	Perform (dance) 2, Tumble 3 [cc]	-
3rd	Stalwart [CM p.36] Sorcerer 1	2	0	3	5	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 2, Tumble 3.5 [cc]	Dodge, Martial Weapon Proficiency: Kukri (b), Weapon Focus (Kukri) [b], Alertness [b]	Raven Familiar, Spell known: blood wind
4th	Ardent [CPsi p.5] 1	2	0	3	7	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 2, Psicraft 1, Tumble 4 [cc]		Physical Power Mantle, Magic mantle (UMD)
5th	Ardent 2	3	0	3	8	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 2, Psicraft 3, Tumble 4		Mental Power mantle
6th	Ardent 3	4	1	4	8	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 2, Psicraft 4, Tumble 4.5 [cc]	Practiced Manifester [CPsi p.57]	Power Known: Graft Weapon
7th	Ardent 4	5	1	4	9	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 2.5 [cc], Psicraft 4, Tumble 5 [cc]
8th	Thayan Gladiator [CoR p.63] 1	6	3	4	9	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 3 [cc], Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 1
9th	Thayan Gladiator 2	7	4	4	9	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 4 [cc], Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 1	Mobility, Improved Critical: Kukri (b)
10th	Thayan Gladiator 3	8	4	5	10	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5 [cc], Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 1		STUNNING CRITICAL
11th	Arcane Duelist 1	8	4	7	12	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 3
12th	Arcane Duelist 2	9	4	8	13	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 5	Multiweapon Fighting [MM p.304]
13th	Arcane Duelist 3	9	5	8	13	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 7
14th	Arcane Duelist 4	10	5	9	14	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 9
15th	Arcane Duelist 5	10	5	9	14	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 11	Improved Multiweapon Fighting [SS p.36]
16th	Arcane Duelist 6	11	6	10	15	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 13
17th	Arcane Duelist 7	11	6	10	15	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 15
18th	Arcane Duelist 8	12	6	11	16	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 17	Psionic Sidestep
19th	Arcane Duelist 9	12	7	11	16	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 19
20th	Arcane Duelist 10	13	7	12	17	Knowledge (arcana) 1, Perform (dance) 5, Psicraft 4, Tumble 5, UMD 21

My big selling point here is that I need to hit and to crit more than I need to actually do damage, though damage does get done. So, I'm all about Dexterous Attack and False Keenness. I apply the enchantment bonus to 7 weapons all at once, and I can full attack from melee or from afar thanks to blood wind. Familiar with umd (class skill from magic mantle) is sweet.

With flurry of swords up, I can make up to 112 natural weapon attacks in a round, +24 main-hand kukri attacks if necessary. I threaten crits on 12 and up, which means on every round, the enemy is extremely likely to get a natural 1 on the save against the stun, even if their fort save succeeds on a 2.

I'd say this is pretty good.

[daremetoidareyo]

My undeveloped build used Quarterstaff chosen weapons, enchanting both sides with the chosen weapon feature to make them worth thousands to feed an ancestral daisho and ancestral relic. A wblmancer

[Seward]

With flurry of swords up, I can make up to 112 natural weapon attacks in a round, +24 main-hand kukri attacks if necessary. I threaten crits on 12 and up, which means on every round, the enemy is extremely likely to get a natural 1 on the save against the stun, even if their fort save succeeds on a 2.

I'd say this is pretty good.

Yeah, although the way I score offensive power, you only get that for 1/20 of your time playing. Not that 6 attacks at level 1 with 19 starting is exactly terrible or anything......

[H_H_F_F]

Yeah, although the way I score offensive power, you only get that for 1/20 of your time playing. Not that 6 attacks at level 1 with 19 starting is exactly terrible or anything......

Makes sense. I guess that if I were to submit this build, I'd expect either a good power score for the trick or a boost in UotSI.

I'd say that power-wise, it's the mid levels that are hard on this build. Blood wind and plenty of natural attacks carries the early game, and a good pick of powers could keep you relevant for another moment or two. Pick up a simple two handed weapon to up the damage output, and try to keep your distance when you can afford it.

But once you commit to the bit until level 10 when you get to stun-spam, it's not great. I'd say it's pretty good from level 10 onward, with a huge boost from the duplicates as a capstone of course.

[Zaq]

Three builds judged. Note that I judge in an order that I choose, and that order isn't just first-to-last.

I don't think I'm being the nice judge this time, but I'm never the nice judge. That said, with only three builds down, I've written roughly 4,950 words, so approximately 1,650 words per build. So at least no one can accuse me of not paying attention to your build!

[Seward]

I'm working on my 6th entry but it is all unformatted rough drafts. I've gone through all 12 to get originality metrics because it was start of bugging me to not have a rough cut for that. But when they're all done I'll need to audit all of them, spell check, format etc and based on my Iron Chef submissions, that'll take some time. Also how much time I can spend each day is uncertain so I'm trying to get ahead while I have time.

Should meet the deadline without issue. Maybe I'll be early, maybe not.

[H_H_F_F]

Thanks for the updates, guys!

By the way, the Villainous Competition, still has no judgement. If any of our fine folks here would like to remedy that while we're waiting for judgement here, I'd be eternally thankful.

[loky1109]

Table incoming!

Name	Alignment / Race	Class Levels	Chef	Judge 1	Judge 2	Total	Place
Friar Tack the MAD	CG Azurin	Cloistered Azurin Cleric 1/Holy Warrior Paladin 4/Duskblade 1/Hellreaver 4/Arcane Duelist 10
Sek	TN Warforged	Warforged Artificer 8/Duskblade 1/Arcane Duelist 10/Warblade 1
Bonerang	NG Illuminian	Stalwart Sorcerer 1/Fighter 2/Cloistered Cleric 1/Warblade 1/Bloodstorm Blade 4/Arcane Duelist 10/Master Thrower 1
Asura Kris	LG Human	Soulbound Weapon Psychic Warrior 2/Duskblade 1/Fighter 2/Warblade 1/Dervish 3/Blade Dancer 1/Arcane Duelist 10
The Bat of House Orien	NE Human Unseelie Fey	Celestial Slayer Ranger 2/Duskblade 1/Dirty Fighter Thug Darksong Knight 3/Arcane Duelist 10/Telflammar Shadowlord 4
The Clawless Scorpion	CG Human	Warblade 3/Duskblade 1/Fighter 4/Samurai 1/Harmonious Paladin of Freedom 1/Lasher 3/Arcane Duelist 4/War Chanter 3
Azumi	CN Wood Elf	Arcane Hunter Ranger 1/Fighter 2/Duskblade 1/Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian 1/Revenant Blade 5/Arcane Duelist 10
Gnarrrf	CG Jungle Kobold	Dread Necromancer 1/Invisible Fist Cobra Strike Monk 2/Crusader 1/Unarmed Swordsage 1/Fighter 1/Shou Disciple 2/Kensai 2/Arcane Duelist 10
Kazra of Maure	CG Human	Spirit Lion Totem Whirling Frenzy Wolf Totem Barbarian 2/Battle Dancer 1/Fighter 2/Duskblade 1/Arcane Duelist 4/Legacy Champion 10
Ratna Darpana	LN Naga Clan Human	Kshatriya 2/Fighter 2/Duskblade 1/Knight Protector 3/Arcane Duelist 2/Legacy Champion 10
Contessa Raven Darkbloom	LE Changeling	Changeling Rogue 2/Human Paragon 3/Assassin4/Master of Masks 1/Arcane Duelist 10
Whitefeather	LG Raptoran	Passive Way Cobra Strike Monk 2/Paladin 4/Soulbound Weapon Psychic Warrior 1/Dervish 1/Arcane Duelist 10/Blade Dancer 1/Warblade 1
TBD	TBD	TBD					N/A Chairman's non-entry

[H_H_F_F]

Thanks for the table, Loky!

[Seward]

10 entries in. These last few got me into rules areas I've never even heard discussed, much less played, so that was interesting. A lot of looking things up and internet searches but it came clear eventually.

Dentist tomorrow so I probably won't finish the rough cut till Friday. Might be done over the weekend at some point, I expect a couple days to polish everything and double-check that I'm not doing things now that I wouldn't have done when I started this process (and the reverse) when scoring things. But it depends on some social things that may eat a lot of time, or might fizzle based on weather, how tired vs enthusiastic folks are on the actual days, etc.

[WeaselGuy]

I haven't entered one of these in quite a while, but I shockingly had a rough draft for the Arcane Duelist sitting on my hard drive, and I'd like to share it with y'all.

CG Lesser Drow Swashbuckler 1/Darksong Knight (Fighter) 2/Battle Dancer 4/Suel Arcanamach 3/Arcane Duelist 10

She doesn't have much in the way of casting, Suel Arcanamach gives her a handful of buff spells, and the ability to Extend the spells she casts on herself. Only limited access to any spell of the abjuration, divination, illusion, and transmutation schools on the sorcerer/wizard spell list. I was trying to eek out a 4th level, in order to access Haste, but that would mean dropping a level of either Swashbuckler (losing my Weapon Finesse), Battle Dancer (losing the bonus move speed which automatically activates Expeditious Dodge), or the last level of Arcane Duelist (kinda counterintuitive considering it's the Secret Ingredient).

Feat order is Apprentice (Martial Artist), Expeditious Dodge, Mobility, Iron Will (in retrospect, I could Otyugh Hole this one, and then use the feat on Weapon Finesse in order to pick up that 4th level of Arcanamach. Hmmm...), Combat Casting, Versatile Combatant, Point Blank Shot, Shot on the Run, and finally Xaniqos School. She'd be twirling around the battlefield with a rapier and a hand crossbow.

Anywho, carry on! Lots of super neat builds here, best of luck to all Chefs!

[WhamBamSam]

I was trying to eek out a 4th level, in order to access Haste, but that would mean dropping a level of either Swashbuckler (losing my Weapon Finesse), Battle Dancer (losing the bonus move speed which automatically activates Expeditious Dodge), or the last level of Arcane Duelist (kinda counterintuitive considering it's the Secret Ingredient).

You can get fast movement from a level of Barbarian or WS Ranger, which would allow you to cut down to one level of Battle Dancer.

[Seward]

Allright, rough cut of all entries is done and I've finalized my scores.

Just a few teasers before I format all this (which might take 1-2 days).

To me, a "3" is like getting a "C" grade.

Most scores were between 3-4, inclusive. Lowest score was 2, highest was 5.

The only 5 score got a 2 in another category. Scores below 3 were somewhat more common than scores higher than 4.

Elegance had the highest average score and the highest minimum score. You all are decent at building coherent builds, both story and mechanically, and minimizing errors unless you did it on purpose (like taking flaws). That said only one build had no negative elements associated with elegance (table variation, UA use, illegal sources, illegal feats, use of flaws or similar). However it only got a middling Elegance score overall.

Overall, everybody would have scored between a C and a B if this was a classroom, figuring in all elements. You all had strong points and weak points (or if not, were only slightly above average everywhere). I don't know if that makes me a tough judge or not, but I went to a college where a B was a pretty solid accomplishment (and I was once very proud of squeaking by with D+ in a math class required for my major that I still to this day don't really understand)

For a first judging attempt of this complexity, I'm reasonably happy with how I approached scoring, with these outcomes. I see now though that I'd have to adjust several of my metrics based on the number of chefs and on just how different they all were.

Congratulations on a lot of builds that took me to very obscure and dark places in the ruleset, and provided a lot of entertainment along the way as I figured out what the heck you-all were up to.

And as always, I'll take disputes cheerfully when the time comes. I may not agree with your argument, but I'll explain my ruling.