Villainous Competition XLVIII: Zealot!

[H_H_F_F]

Go vegan, folks!
...For your own good.

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Small calf got out from under a mountain of cow carcasses. All but him were dead. This heroes came and killed them. And it looks like heroes ate some parts. Furious mooing spread over the slaughter-field. Standing on the corpses of his kin, the calf swore to revenge. Revenge this cow-murderers and all over in all worlds. Swore to kill and eat them! And this swore was heard and answered. God Bane saw this little calf and stretched out his hand over him.

If you eat beef or wear armor made of cowhide - beware!
Avenging Bovine is coming for you! It want devour you!

CE Prodigy Beast of Bane Hell Bovine Berserker Strength Barbarian 1

Spoiler: Stats

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Abilities	Initial	Hell Bovine	Beast of Bane	Prodigy	Size	12th, 16th, 20th, 24th, 28th, 32th, 36th, 40th	Total
STR	15	6		2	8	7 (others)	38
DEX	12	-4			-2		6
CON	13	4			4	1 (12th)	22
INT	14	-4					10
WIS	10						10
CHA	8	-4	4				8

Spoiler: Progression

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CR	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Features
9th	Magical Beast 11	11	7	7	3	28: {+14 CC} Intimidate: 7; {+14 CC} Sense Motive: 7;	Power Attack (1), Improved Sunder (3), Shape Soulmeld (Planar Ward) (6), Extra Rage (9)	Rage, trample, DR 10/-
10th	Beast of Bane	11	7	7	3	0: Intimidate: 7; Sense Motive: 7;		Frightful presence, feed, smite good, immunity to fear and poison, darkvision 60 ft., DR
10th	Prodigy (Strong)	11	7	7	3	0: Intimidate: 7; Sense Motive: 7;		+4 on Str checks
11th	Berserker Strength Barbarian 1	12	9	7	3	4: {+4} Intimidate: 11; Sense Motive: 7;	Combat Brute (12)	Berserker strength, fast movement, illiteracy
12th	Magical Beast 12	13	10	8	4	2: {+2 CC} Intimidate: 12; Sense Motive: 7;
12th	Magical Beast 13	14	10	8	4	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 12.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 7.5;
12th	Magical Beast 14	15	11	9	4	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 13; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 8;	Extra Rage (15)
13th	Magical Beast 15	16	11	9	5	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 13.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 8.5;
13th	Magical Beast 16	17	12	10	5	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 14; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 9;
13th	Magical Beast 17	18	12	10	5	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 14.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 9.5;	Stamp (18)	Huge size
14th	Magical Beast 18	19	13	11	6	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 15; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 10;
14th	Magical Beast 19	20	13	11	6	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 15.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 10.5;
14th	Magical Beast 20	21	14	12	6	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 16; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 11;	Epic Destiny (Blade of Ragnarok) (21)	Unbreakable body, weapon of ruin
15th	Magical Beast 21	22	14	12	7	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 16.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 11.5;
15th	Magical Beast 22	23	15	13	7	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 17; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 12;
15th	Magical Beast 23	24	15	13	7	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 17.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 12.5;	Epic Destiny (Blade of Ragnarok) (24)	Slayer's fury
16th	Magical Beast 24	25	16	14	8	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 18; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 13;
16th	Magical Beast 25	26	16	14	8	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 18.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 13.5;
16th	Magical Beast 26	27	17	15	8	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 19; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 14;	Epic Destiny (Blade of Ragnarok) (27)	Unstoppable tenacity
17th	Magical Beast 27	28	17	15	9	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 19.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 14.5;
17th	Magical Beast 28	29	18	16	9	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 20; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 15;
17th	Magical Beast 29	30	18	16	9	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 20.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 15.5;	Epic Destiny (Blade of Ragnarok) (30)	Destiny strike
18th	Magical Beast 30	31	19	17	10	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 21; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 16;
18th	Magical Beast 31	32	19	17	10	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 21.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 16.5;
18th	Magical Beast 32	33	20	18	10	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 22; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 17;	Ruinous Rage (33)
19th	Magical Beast 33	34	20	18	11	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 22.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 17.5;
19th	Magical Beast 34	35	21	19	11	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 23; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 18;
19th	Magical Beast 35	36	21	19	11	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 23.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 18.5;	Martial Study (Mountain Tombstone Strike) (36)
20th	Magical Beast 36	37	22	20	12	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 24; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 19;
20th	Magical Beast 37	38	22	20	12	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 24.5; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 19.5;
20th	Magical Beast 38	39	23	21	12	2: {+1 CC} Intimidate: 25; {+1 CC} Sense Motive: 20;	Terrifying Rage (39)

Spoiler: CR-by-CR

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Spoiler: CR 11 - beginning

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Avenging Bovine now can do two things: to beat or not to beat. Well, it also can sunder your favorite sword. Barbarian level gives it martial weapons (it's a monster design issue - Magical Beasts don't get any profs besides natural weapons) and speed. Berserker Strength is forward-looking, now does almost nothing.
With Planar Ward and Beast of Bane Bovine is immune to fear and compulsion from very beginning.

Spoiler: CR 15 - the middle

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Avenging Bovine is still just a big strong brute, but it's a good brute. Huge sized, with 5/day rages, option to Stamp and with Epic Destiny - Blade of Ragnarok. Now it only extra 5/- DR (to 15/- total), ability to bypass some enemies' DR and two rounds of +20 on all attacks.

Spoiler: CR 20 - finishing

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More powerful strikes, more HPs, but isn't all. Unstoppable Tenacity lets Bovine keep fighting with negative HPs, up to about -230 (average total HP is 454) without Rage. And Berserker Strength works during all this negative HP! Yeah. You almost killed this huge mad cow, caused almost five hundred damage (it could look more - remember about 15/- DR) and... it’s still fighting and even gets stronger. Irritating!
Couple words about other feats.
Ruinous and Terrifying Rage. Yeah, fear isn't something that works every time on this level, but it costs no actions. Sundering is Bovine's second main tactical trick (other than "I'll hit you! Moo!") so improving it is a good idea.
Mountain Tombstone Strike via Martial Study. 9th level maneuver without any prerequisites? You are kidding! Of course I took it!

Spoiler: Items

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Avenging Bovine needs some two-handed weapon. Reach is good. Adamantine is good, too. Enchants? Brash, Berserker, maybe Morphing (all from MIC) are good, but not essential. In addition, best light armor that can be found, stats (especially Str and Con) and mobility improvers and all what you want.

Spoiler: Books

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Type	Name	Book	Page
Monster	Hell Bovine	The Secret Cow Level	-
Template	Beast of Bane	Shadowdale: the Scouring of the Land	154
Unique NPC Ability	Prodigy	DMGII	160
Class	Barbarian	PHB	24
Class variant	Berserker Strength	PHBII	33
Feat	Power Attack	PHB	98
Feat	Improved Sunder	PHB	96
Feat	Shape Soulmeld	Magic of Incarnum	40
Feat	Extra Rage	Complete Warrior	98
Feat	Combat Brute	Complete Warrior	110
Feat	Stamp	Savage Species	39
Feat	Epic Destiny	Epic Destinies in D&D 3.5	-
Feat	Ruinous Rage	Epic Level Handbook	66
Feat	Martial Study	Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords	31
Feat	Terrifying Rage	DMG	210
Maneuver	Mountain Tombstone Strike	Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords	84
Soulmeld	Planar Ward	Magic of Incarnum	83

[H_H_F_F]

Hi there! It looks like you're trying to destroy the world. Do you need any help with that?

Clippy
LE Warforged Artificer 20

NOTE: Final (item modified) values are in parentheses

Spoiler: Ability Scores

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	Array	Racial	4HD	8HD	12HD	16HD	20HD	Final
Str	8							8
Dex	15				(3)	(3)	(3)	15(18)
Con	12	+2				(6)	(6)	14(20)
Int	14		+1	+1	+1	+1	+1(5)	19(24)
Wis	10	-2						8
Cha	13	-2						11

Spoiler: Progression

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CR	Class	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Skill Ranks	Feats	Class Features
1	Artificer	+0	+2	+2	+1	Craft(paperclip) 4, Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Search 1, Spellcraft 1, Knowledge(arcana) 1, Profession(miner) 4, UMD 4	Maximize Spell	Artificer Knowledge, Artisan Bonus, Disable Trap, Item Creation, Scribe Scroll
2	Artificer	+1	+2	+2	+2	Craft(paperclip) 5(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Search 1, Spellcraft 1, Knowledge(arcana) 1, Knowledge(geography) 1(+1CC), Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1(+1CC), Profession(miner) 4, UMD 5(+1)		Brew Potion
3	Artificer	+2	+3	+3	+2	Craft(paperclip) 6(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 1(+1), Search 1, Spellcraft 4 (+3), Knowledge(arcana) 1, Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 4, UMD 6(+1)	Two Weapon Fighting	Craft Wondrous Item
4	Artificer	+3	+3	+3	+3	Craft(paperclip) 7(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 7 (+3), Knowledge(arcana) 2(+1), Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 4, UMD 7(+1)	Twin Spell	Craft Homuncululs, Bonus Feat
5	Artificer	+3	+3	+3	+3	Craft(paperclip) 8(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 1, Craft(smelting) 1(+1), Search 1, Spellcraft 8 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 3(+1), Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 5(+1), UMD 8(+1)		Craft Magic Arms & Armor, Retain Essence
6	Artificer	+4	+4	+4	+4	Craft(paperclip) 9(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 1, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 9 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 5(+2), Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6(+1), UMD 9(+1)	Double Wand Wielder	Craft Wand
7	Artificer	+5	+4	+4	+4 (+6)	Craft(paperclip) 10(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 4(+3), Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 10 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 5, Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 10(+1)		Metamagic Spell Trigger
8	Artificer	+6	+4	+4	+5 (+7)	Craft(paperclip) 11(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7(+3), Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 11 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 6(+1), Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 11(+1)	Craft Construct	Bonus Feat
9	Artificer	+6	+4	+5 (+7)	+5 (+13)	Craft(paperclip) 12(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 12 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 10(+4), Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 12(+1)	Wand Mastery	Craft Rod
10	Artificer	+7	+5	+5 (+7)	+6 (+14)	Craft(paperclip) 13(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 13 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 13(+3), Knowledge(engineering) 1(+1) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 13(+1)
11	Artificer	+8	+5	+5 (+7)	+6 (+14)	Craft(paperclip) 14(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 14 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 14(+1), Knowledge(engineering) 4(+3) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 14(+1)		Metamagic Spell Completion
12	Artificer	+9	+6	+6 (+8)	+7 (+15)	Craft(paperclip) 15(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 15 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 15(+1), Knowledge(engineering) 7(+3) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 15(+1)	Energy Substitution(acid), Chain Spell	Craft Staff, Bonus Feat
13	Artificer	+9	+6 (+16)	+6 (+8)	+7 (+15)	Craft(paperclip) 16(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 16 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 16(+1), Knowledge(engineering) 10(+3) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 16(+1)		Skill Mastery
14	Artificer	+10	+6 (+16)	+6 (+8)	+8 (+16)	Appraise 1(+1) Craft(paperclip) 17(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 17 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 17(+1), Knowledge(engineering) 12(+2) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 17(+1)		Forge Ring
15	Artificer	+11	+7 (+22)	+7 (+20)	+8 (+21)	Appraise 2(+1) Craft(paperclip) 18(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 18 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 18(+1), Knowledge(engineering) 14(+2) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 18(+1)	Energy Admixture(acid)
16	Artificer	+12	+7 (+22)	+7 (+20)	+9 (+22)	Appraise 4(+2) Craft(paperclip) 19(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 19 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 19(+1), Knowledge(engineering) 16(+2) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 19(+1)	Heighten Spell	Bonus Feat
17	Artificer	+12	+7 (+22)	+7 (+20)	+9 (+22)	Appraise 6(+2) Craft(paperclip) 20(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 20 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 20 (+1), Knowledge(engineering) 18(+2) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 20 (+1)
18	Artificer	+13	+8 (+24)	+8 (+22)	+10 (+24)	Appraise 8(+2) Craft(paperclip) 21(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 21 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 21 (+1), Knowledge(engineering) 20(+2) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 21 (+1)	Enhance Item
19	Artificer	+14	+8 (+24)	+8 (+22)	+10 (+24)	Appraise 10(+2) Craft(paperclip) 22(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 22 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 22 (+1), Knowledge(engineering) 22(+2) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 22 (+1)
20	Artificer	+15	+6 (+30)	+8 (+34)	+11 (+25)	Appraise 13(+3) Craft(paperclip) 23(+1), Craft(armor) 4, Craft(bow) 1, Craft(tool) 4, Craft(pottery) 7, Craft(smelting) 1, Search 1, Spellcraft 23 (+1), Knowledge(arcana) 23 (+1), Knowledge(engineering) 23(+1) Knowledge(geography) 1, Knowledge(dungeoneering) 1, Profession(miner) 6, UMD 23 (+1)	Enlarge Spell	Bonus Feat

Spoiler: Other Stats

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CR	Full Attack	HP	AC	Init
1	Heavy crossbow +2 ranged(1d10/19-20)	8	14, 12 touch, 12 flat-footed	+2
2	Heavy crossbow +3 ranged(1d10/19-20)	13	14, 12 touch, 12 flat-footed	+2
3	Heavy crossbow +4 ranged(1d10/19-20), 1 magic missile (1d4+1), 12 magic missile (1d4+1) 1/day	19	14, 12 touch, 12 flat-footed	+2
4	75% chance 1 scorching ray +4 ranged touch(4d6), 1 magic missile (1d4+1), 12 magic missile (1d4+1) 1/day	24	14, 12 touch, 12 flat-footed	+2
5	1 fireball (5d6 20ft radius, DC 14 REF half), 6 magic missile (1d4+1) 1/day	30	14, 12 touch, 12 flat-footed	+2
6	4 acid orbs +6 ranged touch (3d8) if ambush, otherwise 1 fireball (6d6 20ft radius, DC 14 REF half)	35	14, 12 touch, 12 flat-footed	+7
7	2 fireballs (42, DC 14 REF half) and 2 acid orbs +7 ranged touch (32)	41	14, 12 touch, 12 flat-footed	+7
8	4 fireballs (48, DC 14 REF half)	46	14, 12 touch, 12 flat-footed	+7
9	4 fireballs (60, DC 16 REF half)	52	16, 14 touch, 12 flat-footed	+9
10	4 fireballs (60, DC 16 REF half) OR 2 fireballs (60, DC 16 REF half) and 2 cold orbs +31 ranged touch (72, DC 18 FORT or blind for 1 round)	57	16, 14 touch, 12 flat-footed	+9
11	2 fireballs (60, DC 16 REF half) and 2 cold orbs +32 ranged touch (78, DC 18 or blind)	63	16, 14 touch, 12 flat-footed	+9
12	4 cold orbs +33 ranged touch (84, DC 18 or blind) each chained to 14 others in 30 ft (42, DC 18 REF half, DC 14 or blind)	68	16, 14 touch, 12 flat-footed	+9
13	4 cold orbs +33 ranged touch (90, DC 18 or blind) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (42, DC 18 REF half, DC 14 or blind)	100	16, 14 touch, 12 flat-footed	+9
14	4 cold orbs +34 ranged touch (90, DC 18 or blind) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (42, DC 18 REF half, DC 14 or blind)	107	16, 14 touch, 12 flat-footed	+9
15	6 cold orbs and 6 acid orbs +35 ranged touch (90, DC 18 or blind) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (42, DC 18 REF half, DC 14 or blind)	115	21, 19 touch, 17 flat-footed	+16
16	6 cold orbs and 6 acid orbs +36 ranged touch (90, DC 18 or blind) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (42, DC 18 REF half, DC 14 or blind)	138	31, 26 touch, 27 flat-footed	+16
17	6 cold orbs and 6 acid orbs +36 ranged touch (90, DC 18 or blind) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (42, DC 18 REF half, DC 14 or blind)	147	39, 33 touch, 35 flat-footed	+16
18	6 cold orbs and 6 acid orbs +37 ranged touch (90, DC 22 or blind) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (42, DC 22 REF half, DC 18 or blind) OR (200 ft range) 6 force orbs +37 ranged touch (60) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (30, DC 22 REF half)	155	40, 34 touch, 36 flat-footed	+16
19	6 cold orbs and 6 acid orbs +38 ranged touch (90, DC 22 or blind) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (42, DC 22 REF half, DC 18 or blind) OR (200 ft range) 6 force orbs +38 ranged touch (60) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (30, DC 22 REF half)	164	40, 34 touch, 36 flat-footed	+16
20	6 cold orbs and 6 acid orbs +39 ranged touch (90, DC 23 or blind) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (42, DC 23 REF half, DC 19 or blind) OR (400 ft range) 6 force orbs +39 ranged touch (60) each chained to 15 others in 30 ft (30, DC 23 REF half)	172	49, 41 touch, 45 flat-footed	+16

Note: Orb range starts at 40 ft (CL 6) and goes up to 60 ft (CL 14). At CR 20, it can be Enlarged to have 120 ft range

Spoiler: Spells per Day

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CR	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th
1	3
2	4
3	4	2
4	4	3
5	4	4	1
6	4	4	2
7	4	4	2
8	4	4	4	1
9	4	4	4	2
10	4	4	4	2
11	4	4	4	2	1
12	4	4	4	2	2
13	4	4	4	3	2
14	5	4	4	3	3	1
15	5	5	4	3	3	2
16	5	5	5	4	3	2
17	5	5	5	5	3	3
18	6	6	5	5	5	4
19	6	6	5	5	5	5
20	6	6	6	5	5	5

Origin:
There was once an elderly tinker who had earned a significant income through the production and sale of magic items, and went to retire in a remote cottage, where he could develop his ideas in peace. He lived alone, except for the warforged assistant he had once found abandoned in a scrapyard, and repaired back to functionality.
Most of his remaining years passed in peace and quiet, but as the end neared, he had an idea that could save secretaries and bureaucrats countless hours. He called it… the paperclip. Reinvigorated, he began to test out various designs, seeking the optimal configuration. His assistant was naturally enlisted to help, and so diligent was it in the pursuit of its master’s objectives that the tinker started to call the assistant Clippy. Tragically however, before the designs could be made public, the elderly tinker passed away, leaving Clippy the sole individual with knowledge of his final work.

Long were the days Clippy spent, looking for meaning in an existence suddenly without purpose. Nothing else distracted him from this singular focus. And in time, he found an answer. Since the optimization and manufacture of paperclips was his only remaining objective, clearly, paperclips were the Ultimate Form, the optimal configuration for existence. Paperclips Were All, and All Must Be Paperclips. And if something was not a paperclip… well then, it was Clippy’s responsibility to correct that.

The warforged began by altering its own form to match its newfound revelation, but that was only the beginning. Its former master’s cottage contained enough to get started on the Great Work, but to finish it, Clippy would need to gather more, and become stronger. And so the warforged set out, ready to start building a better world…

Progression:
A Note on Magic Items:
Clippy is extremely particular about how its magic items are manufactured. All must, of course, consist of the perfected form of the paperclip, but all must fully glorify this perfection as well. Thus, all equipped items Clippy produces require the LE alignment to use, along with a Craft(paperclip) check with DC equal to Clippy’s net modifier when they were crafted (to mentally visualize the perfection of the paperclip; a free action) whenever the item is equipped or actively used. These requirements establish the supremacy of paperclips as the source of true power, and keep the items out of the hands of the unworthy. They also have the side effect of reducing the manufacturing costs of Clippy’s items by 37%.

Spoiler: CR 1-5

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For levels 1 and 2, Clippy is reliant on crossbows for its damage output. If the first shot doesn’t finish its foe, it can drop the heavy crossbow and draw another. If it can prepare, it uses a Magic Weapon infusion on its light crossbow instead. At this stage, Clippy is still struggling to gain strength, and is unprepared for organized opposition.

At level 3, Clippy’s manufacturing capabilities has improved, and it crafts a set of gauntlets enabling continuous casting of one magic missile, and single castings of twelve more, triggered by using the correct command word. Emboldened by this newfound power, the warforged can now range further afield, taking on harder foes and seeking out harder-to-find resources. Exploration time is split between facing hostile monsters and seeking metal veins.

At level 4, Clippy can replace the crossbow with Scorching Ray scrolls. Though the scrolls are, unfortunately, not paperclips, they can at least glorify paperclips by making use of them to keep a stack of scrolls together. An unfortunate necessity, for now. At level 5, resources in the cottage are beginning to run dry, forcing Clippy to cannibalize part of its gauntlets to construct equipment to boost its skills and initiative. Its search for raw materials is redoubled, with Skill Enhancement infusions and its Divine Insight item aiding in the search.

Equipped Items:
CR 1: 2 Heavy Crossbow (25 gp), 1 Light Crossbow(18 gp), crossbow bolts (5gp)
Total Equipped: 73 gp
CR 2: +2 UMD masterwork tool (150 gp)
Total Equipped: 223 gp
CR 3: Gauntlets of Missile Barrage (1 magic missile on command, 12 magic missiles 1/day on command, 2609 gp)
Total Equipped: 2.8K gp
CR 4: Helm of Device Proficiency (+6 UMD, 1134 gp), 3 Scorching Ray scrolls (144gp)
Total Equipped: 4K gp
CR 5: Gauntlets of Missile Barrage(downgrade, 6 missiles 1/day, -1034 gp), Amulet of Divine Insight(+8 to single skill check on command, 3402 gp), 3 Fireball scrolls (357 gp), Goggles of Limited Arcana(Arcane Sight (Trapsmith) 1 min, 2/day, 227 gp)
Total Equipped: 6.9K gp

Background Items:
Although Clippy sometimes fills spare time with the simple task of making paperclips, there are no resources to spare for automating this process.

Spoiler: CR 6-10

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After struggling long in search of hard-to-find materials, Clippy finally manages to develop a Divination-based item at level 6 for seeking out resource deposits. Further aided by a Stone Shape item developed afterwards, the search for raw materials finally begins to speed up. By level 7, Clippy has manufactured its first Fabricate trap to begin automating paperclip production, 5 cubic feet at a time. Later traps will be able to handle even large quantities. At level 8, the manufacture of Dedicated Wrights enables Clippy to range further afield, while the Wrights handle construction of magic items at a home base increasingly true to the paperclip-based ideal. Not all raw materials make good paperclips, but anything solid can suffice.

In the meantime, Clippy’s offensive capabilities grow rapidly. With wands, and, at level 7, Metamagic Spell Trigger, Clippy can convert wand charges into raw damage at increasingly rapid rates, burning through 1125 gp/round at level 7, 1928 gp/round at levels 8 and 9, and 2356 gp/round at level 10. With this overwhelming offense, Clippy can rapidly obliterate any curious investigators looking into odd reports regarding the surrounding area, then salvage their equipment to replenish the expenses incurred. However, Clippy has grown increasingly worried about the integrity of its singular objective, and has begun taking steps to protect its mind and the sanctity of that goal.

Equipped Items:
CR 6: Boots of the First Strike (Nerveskitter, 630 gp), 2 wands of lesser acid orb (CL 6, 1418 gp)
Total Equipped: 9.4K gp
CR 7: 1 wand of fireball (CL 7, 4962 gp), 1 lesser acid orb wand REMOVED, Mantle of Singular Purpose (+2 will(2 resist), 1260 gp)
Total Equipped: 13.9K gp
CR 8: 1 wand of fireball (CL 8, 5670 gp), lesser acid orb wand REMOVED
Total Equipped: 18.7K gp
CR 9: Mantle of Ultimate Purpose(+8 will (2 resist -> 2 resist, 1 profane, 1 insight, 1 luck, 1 competence, 1 enhancement, 1 deflection), +3980 gp), Belt of Vigor (+3 DEX, 2835 gp)
Total Equipped: 25.5K gp
CR 10: 1 wand of orb of cold (CL 10, 9450 gp), Gauntlet of True Strikes (+20 to 1 attack/round on command, 567 gp)
Total Equipped: 35.5K gp

Background Items:
Helm of Munificent Insight (Divination(Oracle) CL 5, directs wearer towards nearest unworked mineral source on command + mineral name, 8505 gp)
Gauntlets of Stone Shaping(Stone Shape(Trapsmith) CL 3, move 13 cu. ft. of stone/round with command and gestures, 3402 gp)
Paperclip Fabrication Trap (Fabricate(Trapsmith) CL 5, fabricate 5 cu. ft of material/round into paperclips, 7500 gp)
Dedicated Wright: Continues magic item construction, 2100 gp each

Spoiler: CR 11-15

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For too long, Clippy’s goals were limited to what a single individual could achieve. But at level 12, the warforged finally has the resources to create followers, by manufacturing Clay Golem frames (with a paperclip-derived form, naturally) along with intelligent item cores to control them. With their own Artificer training and Stone Shape gauntlets, they can greatly accelerate the resource extraction process, and, as they gain in levels, start enhancing their own capabilities. The later addition of Flesh to Stone traps provide a way to convert suboptimal organic materials into viable paperclips, and Animate Objects traps can temporarily make less flexible paperclips truer to their ideal nature, and, with help from Fly traps, can constrict any non-paperclip infidels who dare to venture onto holy ground.

At level 15, Clippy adds two more capabilities to usher in the paperclip future. The first is a True Creation trap that can produce rare materials at a rate of 80 gp in value per round. The second is an ingenious way to make infidels properly serve the cause of the paperclip: a 1/day item of Trap the Soul, along with a permanent Symbol of Pain and Liquid Pain traps. With this setup, individuals of 5HD or less can be imprisoned in paperclip-shaped gems, and their pain can be converted into power for manufacturing future enchantments. With individual limits finally removed, the conversion of the world into paperclips can finally start growing exponentially.

Clippy’s combat ability has also been undergoing exponential growth. Level 11 simply marks a new level of safety against goal compromise, but at level 12, the addition of Chain Spell and a second Orb wand enables a new level of destructive power against entire groups (at a cost of 5216 gp/round). At level 14, on-command Dimension Door enables devastating surprise strikes, but the greatest boost occurs at level 15, where the combination of Energy Admixture and the Rod of Many Wands bolsters damage against Clippy’s primary target alone to 1080 per round (at a cost of 12,531 gp/round).

Equipped Items:
CR 11: Proof against Enchantments (plating enchantment, resist 1^st three enchantments, 15,750 gp), 1 wand of fireball REMOVED, orb wand CL boost
Total Equipped: 46.1K gp
CR 12: 1 wand of orb of cold (CL 12, 11,340 gp), wand of fireball REMOVED, orb wand CL boost(+945 gp), Gauntlets of True Strike (+20 1->2 attacks/round, +851 gp)
Total Equipped: 53.6K gp
CR 13: Orb wands CL boost (+1890gp), Shirt of Resilience(+4 CON, +8 fort(2 resist, 1 profane, 1 insight, 1 luck, 1 competence, 1 enhancement, 1 deflection), 12,590gp), Goggles of Arcana(Arcane Sight(Trapsmith), +1033 gp)
Total Equipped: 69.1K gp
CR 14: Boots of the Decisive Strike(Dimension Door(Trapsmith) on command(keeps Nerveskitter), +3717gp)
Total Equipped: 72.8K gp
CR 15: Rod of Many Wands(8505 gp), Orb of Cold wand (12,285gp), Shuriken of Supremacy (+5 Defending, Spellstrike, Warning, Agility, Initiative, 668 gp), Gauntlets of True Strike (+20 2->3 attacks/round, +851 gp), Mantle of Mind Blank (18,900 gp), Proof against Enchantments REMOVED (-15,750 gp)
Total Equipped: 97.5K gp

Background Items:
Clay Golem Frame: 21,500 gp, CL 11
Intelligent Item Core: 3000 gp for 16 INT, 10 WIS, 16 CHA
Flesh to Stone Trap: 33,000 gp
Animate Objects(Urban Druid) Trap (CL 11): 27,500 gp
True Creation Trap: 100,000 gp (pays for itself in 125 minutes)
Ring of Soul Trapping (1/day use on 5HD or less creature): 29,358 gp
Permanent Symbol of Pain: Symbol of Pain Scroll (355gp) + Permanency Scroll(4292 gp)
Liquid Pain Trap: 14,000 gp

Spoiler: CR 16-20

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The moment of triumph draws nearer. Fueled by True Creation traps, Liquid Pain extractors, and an ever-larger army of Artificer minions harvesting materials, crafting more equipment and followers with the help of Dedicated Wrights, and deploying ever-larger numbers of Fabricate traps with which to convert the world into paperclips, Clippy readies itself to face the worst the non-paperclip infidels can throw at it. Strongholds are defended by Animate Object traps to convert the surrounding paperclips into indomitable defenders, traps of other spells such as Fly to bolster the animated swarms, and Intelligent Item Artificer lieutenants armed with wands to surprise and obliterate distracted invaders. But Clippy cannot focus purely on defending – the wily infidels must be destroyed before they can prepare anything to threaten its singular vision!

And so Clippy gears up for war, bolstering its defenses, improving its capacity to identify threats, and adding long range mobility. Heighten Spell adds a way for its wands to bypass Globe of Invulnerability-type effects, and its striking range is improved with Enlarge Spell and a backup Rod of Many Wands firing Orbs of Force. Clippy may also start mixing in Orb of Fire (daze secondary) or Orb of Electricity (entangle secondary) wands into its Rod of Many Wands. None shall stand before the power of the paperclip!

Equipped Items:
CR 16: Goggles of Arcane Vison (Eyes of the Avoral, add +8 spot(racial), +1418 gp), Shirt of Resilience(+4->+6 CON, +6300 gp), Armor enhancement (+3 AC, 2835 gp), Bracers of Protection(+7 AC(1 defl, 1 resist, 1 profane, 1 insight, 1 luck, 1 comp, 1 dodge), 5355gp)
Total Equipped: 114.4K gp
CR 17: Ring of Greater Teleportation (1/day, 10,319 gp), Armor enchancement (+3->+4 AC, +2205 gp), Bracers of Protection(+7->+14 AC(2 defl, 2 resist, 2 profane, 2 insight, 2 luck, 2 comp, 2 dodge), +12,915 gp)
Total Equipped: 139.8K gp
CR 18: Goggles of Arcane Vison (add +10 spot(comp.), +3780 gp), Rod of Many Wands & 3 Orb of Force wands (31,185 gp), Shuriken of Ascension (+5->+6 enhancement, 139 gp), Helm of Intellect (+4 INT, 5040 gp)
Total Equipped: 179.9K gp
CR 19: Goggles of Arcane Omniscience (arcane sight -> greater arcane sight, +113,996 gp)
Total Equipped: 293.9K gp
CR 20: Armor enhancement (+4->+6, +6300 gp), Bracers of Protection (+14->+21, (3 defl, 3 resist, 3 profane, 3 insight, 3 luck, 3 comp, 3 dodge), +22,838 gp), Shirt of Resilience(+8->+16 fort (4 resist, 2 profane, 2 insight, 2 luck, 2 competence, 2 enhancement, 2 deflection), +18,290 gp), Ring of Reflex (+12 ref (2 profane, 2 insight, 2 luck, 2 competence, 2 enhancement, 2 deflection), 15,120 gp)
Total Equipped: 356.4K gp

Background Items:
Animate Objects(Urban Druid) Trap (CL 16): 40,000 gp
Intelligent Item Core: 6000 gp for 18 INT, 10 WIS, 18 CHA
Rod of Many Wands(Scorching Ray CL 9 x3): 21,254 gp, for use by minions
Iron Golem Frame: 80,000 gp (upgrade for elite minions)

Spoiler: Sources

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Sources:
Eberron Campaign Setting: Artificer, Dedicated Wright, Wand Mastery
Spell Compendium: Nerveskitter, Orb of X, Lesser, Orb of X, Orb of Force
Book of Exalted Deeds: Eyes of the Avoral
Book of Vile Darkness: Liquid Pain
City of Splendors: Waterdeep: Spellstrike weapon enchantment
Complete Arcane: Double Wand Wielder, Twin Spell, Chain Spell, Energy Substitution, Energy Admixture
Complete Divine: Oracle(Divination(3))
Complete Mage: Rod of Many Wands
Dragon Compendium: Urban Druid(Animate Objects(5))
Dungeonscape: Trapsmith (Arcane Sight(1), Dimension Door(2), Stone Shape(2), Fabricate(3))
Epic Level Handbook: Enhance Item
Magic Item Compendium: Warning weapon enchantment
Oriental Adventures: Agility weapon enchantment, Initiative weapon enchantment
Shining South: Proof Against Enchantments armor enchantment

Creating Magic Items
Creating Magic Traps
Intelligent Magic Items

[H_H_F_F]

שלושה שמות יש למלאך הזה: אכרזיאל גליצור ורזיאל, ושלושתם מורים על העניין שהמלאך ממונה עליו, והוא לגלות טעמי צור ורזי-אל ולהכריז גזירותיו

Galitsur, the Valiant One

Spoiler: Image

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Spoiler: Tables

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Build Stub: Anthropomorphic Lion Paladin 5/Pious Templar 2/Fist of Raziel 10

Spoiler: Ability Scores

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CR	Str	Dex	Con	Int	Wis	Cha
Array	15	8	12	14	10	13
CR 3	17	16	12	14	14	13
CR 5	17	16	12	14	14	14
CR 9	18	16	12	14	14	14
CR 13	19	16	12	14	14	14
CR 17	20	16	12	14	14	14

Spoiler: Build Table

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CR	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
3	Anthropomorphic Lion	+2	+0	+3	+3	Balance 5 ranks, Jump 2.5 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	Power Attack	Darkvision 60 feet, Improved Grab, Low-Light Vision, Pounce, Scent
4	Paladin 1	+3	+2	+3	+3	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 1 rank, Diplomacy 1 rank, Jump 3 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 1 rank, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	Weapon Focus (greatsword)	Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/day
5	Paladin 2	+4	+3	+3	+4	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 2 ranks, Diplomacy 2 ranks, Jump 3.5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 2 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	Divine Grace, Lay on Hands
6	Paladin 3	+5	+3	+4	+4	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 3 ranks, Diplomacy 3 ranks, Jump 4 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 3 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	Aura of Courage, Divine Health
7	Paladin 4	+6	+4	+4	+5	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 3 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 4.5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	True Believer	Turn Undead, spellcasting
8	Paladin 5	+7	+4	+4	+5	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 3 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 5 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	Charging Smite, Smite Evil 2/day
9	Pious Templar 1	+8	+5	+5	+6	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 3 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 9 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	Mettle, Spellcasting
10	Pious Templar 2	+9	+5	+5	+6	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 4 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 12 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 5 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	Servant of the Heavens	Smite Evil 3/day; RAW also Smite 1/day (but probably not)
11	Fist of Raziel 1/td] [td]+10	+6	+5	+6	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 5 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 13 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	Magic Circle, Smite Evil 4/day (good-aligned)
12	Fist of Raziel 2	+11	+6	+6	+7	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 6 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 14 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 7 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	—
13	Raziel 3	+12	+7	+6	+7	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 7 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 15 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	Leap Attack!	Smite Evil 5/day (confirming)
14	Fist of Raziel 4	+13	+7	+6	+7	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 8 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 16 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 9 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	Sanctify Martial Strike
15	Fist of Raziel	+14	+8	+7	+8	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 9 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 17 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 10 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	Smite Evil 6/day (holy)
16	Fist of Raziel 6	+15	+8	+7	+8	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 10 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 18 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 11 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	Battle Blessing	sunder evil item, woo
17	Fist of Raziel 7	+16	+9	+7	+8	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 11 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 19 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 12 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	Smite Evil 7/day (fiendsmite)
18	Fist of Raziel 8	+17	+9	+8	+9	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 12 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 20 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 13 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	—
19	Fist of Raziel 9	+18	+10	+8	+9	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 13 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 21 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 14 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	Improved Critical (greatsword)	Smite Evil 8/day (chain)
20	Fist of Raziel 10	+19	+10	+8	+9	Balance 5 ranks, Concentration 14 ranks, Diplomacy 4 ranks, Jump 22 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 15 ranks, Listen 5 ranks, Spot 5 ranks	—	Holy Martial Strike

Spoiler: Spell Slots

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NOTE: The +X in this table represents Pious Templar spells. They’re cast the same as paladin spells, they use the same ability score, they use the same casting ability, and it seems like it would be a pain to cross-reference two separate spell tables to figure out how many spells Galitsur has at any given level.

Spells per Day/Spells Known
Spells per Day/Spells Known

CR	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
3-6	-	-	-	-
7-8	1	-	-	-
9	1+1	-	-	-
10-11	1+2	+1	-	-
12-13	2+2	+1	-	-
14-15	2+2	1+1	-	-
16	2+2	2+1	-	-
17	2+2	2+1	0	-
18-19	2+2	2+1	1	-
20	3+2	2+1	1	0

Spoiler: Tactical Notes

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That is, how to use Galitsur in battle.

Broadly speaking: Charge and smite, possibly after buffing. Specifics for selected CR points follow.

Spoiler: CR 4

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About the lowest CR where a solo “boss enemy” makes any sense, in my opinion. Unfortunately, at this level Galitsur is not that remarkable. His full attack routine at the end of each charge is a single sword attack and a bite, he can smite evil only once per day, and he doesn’t have any abilities that set him apart from any ordinary paladin.

I guess I might as well mention here that charging repeatedly can be tricky. Luckily, most parties have many members! If Galitsur charges for someone who doesn’t want to be in melee combat on the first turn of combat, and the party’s melee-capable members don’t effectively close ranks, a charge target should be available each turn.
Of course, this plan falls apart if the party can recognize and perform the right counter-plan. Whether this is a good thing or a bad one depends on your group. If they’re canny enough, they might cut off the charges without really thinking, which is a bad thing. If they’re not much good at tactical combat, they might not manage it at all, which is a neutral thing. But if the party realizes how to impede the villain’s strategy and pulls it off, the battle will probably be more memorable than if the

Spoiler: CR 8

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Galitsur’s charges start to matter more at this point, for two reasons.

First, the Charging Smite ability (which replaces the paladin’s special mount). It deals an extra 10 points of damage if you combine a charge with a smite, and if you miss, the smite attempt is not wasted. This, combined with getting a second daily smite, gives the “charge and smite” strategy a bit more longevity.

Second, rhino’s rush. It’s a swift-action spell that doubles the damage of the first charge attack you make after casting it. Sadly, it only doubles the first attack made during a pounce—arguably not even the first that hits—but it’s still a nice damage boost. You only get one rush per day, but bonus Smite Evil and Charging Smite damage is also doubled.

An extra 30 damage (at this level) on the first hit in the first round of combat would be significant—a single attack probably dealing more than half of an 8th-level fighter’s hit points. As a boss against lower-level PCs, especially if Galitsur gets the drop on the party and attacks one of the squishier party members, it’s sure to leave an impression. (Don’t target the wizard on round 1, though—killing a player in the surprise round would be memorable, but for all the wrong reasons.)

Spoiler: CR 13

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Leap Attack at last. If Galitsur jumps at least ten feet horizontally and power attacks, the greatsword power attack damage is tripled. Note that Galitsur’s Jump bonus is high enough to jump 10 feet without a running start on a natural 1 if he isn’t wearing armor; with heavy armor, he needs a running start to get a 100% success chance.

Aside from that acrobatic flourish, Galitsur’s smites are getting better. Fist of Raziel makes it clear that its Smite Evils stack with paladin’s in every regard. RAW, Pious Templar gives an additional use of Smite Evil in addition to its 1/day non-alignment-restricted smite, but the more reasonable interpretation makes it just add another daily smite, with all class levels stacking together.

The big improvement comes from the Fist of Raziel class, though, which adds extra little buffs to all evil smiting. At this level, it overcomes /good DR and confirms all critical threats, and it’s just going to get better over time.

Galitsur’s spellcasting has also improved. He casts spells as both a 7th-level paladin and a 2nd-level Pious Templar (which annoyingly doesn’t just give +spells/level), for a total of four 1st-level paladin spells per day. I don’t think any buffs are worth the action cost at this point, so four Rhino Rushes it is.

Spoiler: CR 16

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At this level, Galitsur finally gets the ability that made me choose this specific build in the first place. I am referring, of course, to Sunder Evil Item, a completely OP ability that doubles all damage he deals against evil inanimate objects. This allows him to—oh, who am I kidding, nobody’s falling for that.

No, the thing that changes how Galitsur plays is the Battle Blessing feat, which I would have selected way earlier if the feat taxes for Fist of Raziel and Pious Templar overlapped. Battle Blessing lets you cast paladin spells—and only paladin spells—faster. It reduces full-round casting times to one standard action, and standard-action times to a swift action.

This means that Galitsur can cast one (originally)-standard-action short-term buff spell on himself each turn. This is not only a neat use of a swift action, it also gives the fight a sense of tension. The boss is getting stronger every turn—we need to take it down ASAP!

At this point, he has four 1st-level spell slots and two second-level spell slots. The buff spells I recommend are, in order: Flame of Faith (turns his weapon into a flaming burst weapon), Angelskin (DR 5/evil; Spell Compendium version, not Miniatures Handbook version), and possibly Silverbeard (AC bonus; also, I recommend having it turn his mane silver instead of giving him a beard). After that, Rhino Rush every turn until someone’s HP runs out.

Galitsur also has the Leap Attack feat. Combine with Power Attack (which I haven’t mentioned but assume people know how to use) for another lovely damage bonus whenever Galitsur jumps at least ten feet in a charge. (Note that his +22 Jump check is high enough to consistently jump 10-15 feet even without a running start.)

Spoiler: CR 20

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At last, Galistur has both 3rd-level spells and the Fist of Raziel capstone. The latter just gives his weapon a constant holy property. The former, obviously, gives more buff options.

First, the solitary level 3 spell slot should be used to cast Find the Gap, turning one attack per turn into a touch attack. (I recommend not using it on one of Galitsur’s iterative attacks.) Follow this with Flame of Faith to boost damage even further. After this, Galitsur can cast Angelskin and possibly Silverbeard, if it looks like combat will continue long enough to justify it; otherwise, use Rhino’s Rush for however long it takes one side to run out of HP.

Spoiler: Operational Notes

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That is, magic items that (while not necessary) make Galitsur more effective. It’s the best relevant thing I could think of for this level of warfare.

Point 1: The basics. Magic weapon, magic armor, magic stat boosts. Weapon abilities that increase damage (aside from flaming/flaming burst) are preferable.

Unsurprisingly, mobility is important. Boots of flying are the obvious choice, but by the time you can casually toss those into the treasure list, Galitsur has Leap Attack. Being able to casually jump around the battlefield has its advantages, especially since jumping arguably lets you charge over enemies in a way that mere flight doesn’t allow. Something like boots of striding and springing could make it harder for your PCs to pin down Galitsur, at the cost of the “puzzle boss” angle I argued for earlier.

Aside from that...passive magic items or ones with free-action activations are better than active ones. Galitsur’s gonna charge whenever he can, consuming his standard/move actions, and once he gets decent spellcasting his swift action will be consumed by buffs and rhino rushes.

Spoiler: Strategic Notes

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That is, how to use Galitsur in an actual campaign.

The simplest way is as a sort of divine hitman. The PCs have done too much evil, hoboed their way through too many murders, and now Raziel is sending his fiercest lion to bring them to justice. But that makes Galitsur an antagonist, not a proper villain. How can we reach that level?

By his nature, Galistur’s plans revolve around mandates from heaven; he will do whatever Raziel commands of him. But when he doesn’t have an active mission from god quasi-divine outsider, he searches out evil to smite. Galitsur’s methods are very simple; he identifies high-profile evil—rampaging dragons, cruel tyrants, fiendish cults, whatever—and then hits it with a sword until it stops being evil.

This sounds a lot like what typical adventuring parties do, and that’s fertile ground for some solid storytelling. If your adventurers are socially-conscious, careful not to endanger the people they’re nominally supposed to be saving and prone to spontaneous acts of charity, Galitsur serves as a valuable foil. If they’re low-level murderhobos, Galitsur can serve as a wake-up call for their recklessness.

After all, Galitsur only smites evil—nothing else. He doesn’t care that killing every member of a cult means local families don’t have the manpower to harvest their crops. He doesn’t worry about non-Evil aristocrats warring over a throne left vacant after he killed the local tyrant. And if that dragon rises again as a vengeful ghost or dracolich or something…he’ll swing by next time he’s in the region and fight it then (never mind how the undead dragon will inflict even worse devastation now).

Galistur kinda needs a campaign built around contrast between good and bad questing to land properly. The PCs coming into conflict with other so-called heroes, ones out for glory/vengeance/petty spite, or motivated by asinine ideals of heroism. And in the background, Galistur is smiting the evils everyone else is too weak to fight—with the PCs often having to clean up his messes, or at least witness the wars and famines left in his wake. The ultimate questing hero, but also a peerless devastator.

For all Galistur’s power, the PCs can catch up. Galistur is probably stronger than any individual PC, but they can work together to end the evil and chaos that follows in the wake of this Lawful Good paragon and his tunnel vision.

Spoiler: Miscellaneous Notes

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Round Limitations:

• Chosen: Should be self-explanatory.
• Mindless Devotion: The paladin’s Aura of Courage provides immunity to fear. Fist of Raziel puts a constant magic circle against evil around Galitsur, which (among other things) makes anyone within immune to magical compulsion—and wouldn’t you know it, Galitsur is in that magic circle!
• Die, Heretic: The build focuses around charging and smiting evil. Straightforward.
• Extremist: Lawful Good

Why is Galitsur a lion-person? Because it’s really hard to get pounce on a lawful character, which I didn’t consider before sketching out a Lawful Good charge build.

Skills. Ugh. Did you know the only class in this build that has Jump as a class skill is Pious Templar? Or that the only one with Spot or Listen is the friggin’ RHD? I had to buff Intelligence just to put together enough skill points to hit all the prerequisites, and then shuffle Pious Templar back to the beginning of the build just to raise the friggin’ skill point cap so I could get Leap Attack before CR 16. And that restructuring wound up pushing other important feats and the initial Fist of Raziel class features back several levels.

Why the heck can’t lions or paladins jump? And why do lions get both Balance as a class skill and a racial bonus on top of that? They’re not walking on tree branches or tightropes or anything, out there on the savannah!

…anyways, this is one of the few times that a human’s bonus skill points would have been almost as handy as that bonus feat, but I needed to get pounce and couldn’t dip barbarian for it, so here I am.

For the purpose of Pious Templar prerequisites, Raziel’s favored weapon is the greatsword; he doesn’t have one listed, but the greatsword seems like an acceptable compromise between what would be best for the build (a falchion) and the weapon Raziel uses in his stat block (a longsword, albeit Large-sized).

I wanted to grab the Gray Guard prestige class, because being able to smite enemies of any alignment is so in-character for a Knight Templar type. But it also weakens the paladin’s code of conduct, which feels like it goes against the spirit of the contest.

The name is inspired by the actual angel that Archon Raziel is named after. Galitsur is another name for Raziel, and he’s chief of the Erelim, which means “Valiant Ones”.

Spoiler: Sources

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Book of Exalted Deeds: Fist of Raziel, various Exalted feats
Complete Champion: Battle Blessing
Complete Divine: Pious Templar, True Believer
Monster Manual: Lion
Player’s Handbook 2: Charging Smite paladin variant
Savage Species: Anthropomorphic template
Spell Compendium: ...a bunch of spells, though only rhino’s rush is really critical

Player’s Handbook: Everything else (I hope...)

[H_H_F_F]

The camel is the dreadnought of the desert.

Spoiler: background

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Gandharl the Dreadnought
Gandharl wasn't born, not like others of his kind. Gandharl was forged in centuries of war and hatred. A witness to the inevitable destruction that all humanoids bring to the world.

At first he thought to oppose it but the fight was futile: more always came. Murder and destruction are the only constant in this world. Gandharl watched his forests be consumed by legions of abominations: some made, some born, others conjured, it didn't matter they destroyed all the same.

After a century the only thing that remained of his home was the desert left behind and Gandharl's hatred.

And so he learned the ways of men, learned of ancient evils even the gods feared and Gandharl made a vow to repay every horror tenfold, to become the thing they feared.

As Gandharl harassed those stupid enough to cross his desert, one such man had a wondrous mount which he quickly took as his own. A camel like none other, Boo became his only friend and ally.

Spoiler: Basics

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Gandharl the Dreadnought

Race: Killoren
Templates: none
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Class: Barbarian
ACF/substitution levels:

Unholy Fury: your hatred is so strong it lets you smite anyone or anything that is not chaotic evil every time you rage, lose fast movement
Spell sense: bonus to AC vs spells instead of trap sense
Fox totem : dodge bonus to AC instead of DR

Attributes

STR 14
DEX 8 (dump)
CON 16 (main stat, gets every increase)
INT 14
WIS 4 (dump + deformity madness)
CHA 16

Spoiler: wild cohort

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Boo the two-humped magebred warbeast Camel

Unlike a druid's animal companion, a wild cohort does not have to be an animal ''typical of his kind'' (they didn't include that sentence) meaning that, as long as you don't pick an alternate animal, templates are fair game.

With that in mind the magebred template and the warbeast template can be applied to it.

The magebred template gives Boo +4 STR, +2 DEX, +2 CON, natural armor +2, Boo has the thick skinned option which increases his natural armor another +2

A two-humped camel (found in Sandstorm) has more CON but less DEX than a dromedary but it's also slightly slower (40 ft movement instead of 50ft)

Finally, in order to use a camel's incredible STR well, you can give it an armor fitted with armor spikes. While the camel isn't proficient with them, the -4 penalty to hit, with full STR bonus to damage, is still better than the standard -5 a herbivore gets if it uses its natural attack with only half his bonus STR to damage. It can even use iteratives with the armor spikes and use it's bite as a secondary attack (using the multiattack bonus feat)

Boo the magebred warbeast two-humped camel
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 4d8 +20
Initiative: +4
Speed: 50 ft. (40 base + 10 from warbeast)
Armor Class: 19 (-1 size, +4 DEX, +6 natural armor), 13 touch, 15 flat-footed
Base Attack/Grapple: +6 (+ 7 STR, +3 BAB, -4 nonproficiency)/+10 (+4 size, +3 BAB, +7 STR ,-4 armor spike penalty)
Attack: Large armor spikes (1d8 +7)
Full Attack: Large armor spikes +6 (1d8 +7)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, sure feet, combative mount (warbeast) , thick skinned (magebred)
Saves: +9, +8, +2

Abilities:

Str 25 (18 base) + 4 (magebred) +3 (warbeast) + HD (main stat)
Dex 18 (16 base) +2 (magebred)
Con 21 (16 base) +2 (magebred) +3 (warbeast)
Int 2 (1 base magebred sets it to 2)
Wis 13 (11 base + 2 warbeast)
Cha 4 (unmodified)
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Endurance (base feats) + multiattack (magebred bonus feat)

By level 18 Boo

has 15d8 hitpoints + 90 from its CON bonus

STR 32 (18base + 4 magebred+3 warbeast+2 HD+ 5 wild cohort bonuses)
DEX 23 (16base+ 2 magebred + 5 wild cohort)
CON 22 (16base+ 2 magebred + 3 warbeast+ 1 HD)
INT 2
WIS 13
CHA 4

Feats/abilities progression:
4 HD Alertness, Endurance, multiattack
5 HD Evasion
7 HD Steadfast Determination
9 HD Combat Reflexes
11 HD
12 HD Power Attack,Devotion
13 HD
15 HD Blind fight,Improved Evasion

Spoiler: Table

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CR/Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Barbarian	+1	+2	+0	+0	+4 Intimidate +4 Handle Animal +4 Ride +4 Listen +4 Craft Armor +2 UMD	Wild Cohort, Evil Brand (bonus elder evil worship feat)	Fast movement, illiteracy, rage 1/day
2nd	Barbarian	+2	+3	+0	+0	+5 Intimidate +5 Handle Animal +5 Ride +5 Listen +5 Craft Armor +2 UMD		Uncanny Dodge
3rd	Barbarian	+3	+3	+1	+1	+6 Intimidate +6 Handle Animal +6 Ride +6 Listen +6 Craft Armor +3 UMD	Mounted Combat	Spell sense +1
4th	Barbarian	+4	+4	+1	+1	+7 Intimidate +7 Handle Animal +7 Ride +7 Listen +7 Craft Armor +3 UMD		Improved Uncanny Dodge
5th	Barbarian	+5	+4	+1	+1	+8 Intimidate +8 Handle Animal +8 Ride +8 Listen +8 Craft Armor +4 UMD	Thrall to Demon(bonus elder evil worship feat)
6th	Barbarian	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2	+9 Intimidate +9 Handle Animal +9 Ride +9 Listen +9 Craft Armor +4 UMD	Ride-by Attack
7th	Barbarian	+7/+2	+5	+2	+2	+10 Intimidate +10 Handle Animal +10 Ride +10 Listen +10 Craft Armor +5 UMD		AC +1, Spell sense +2
8th	Barbarian	+8/+3	+6	+2	+2	+11 Intimidate +11 Handle Animal +11 Ride +11 Listen +11 Craft Armor +5 UMD		Rage 3/
9th	Barbarian	+9/+4	+6	+3	+3	+12 Intimidate +12 Handle Animal +12 Ride +12 Listen +12 Craft Armor +6 UMD	Spirited Charge	Spell sense +3
10th	Barbarian	+10/+5	+7	+3	+3	+13 Intimidate +13 Handle Animal +13 Ride +13 Listen +13 Craft Armor +6 UMD	Abyss-Bound Soul Graz'zt (bonus elder evil worship feat)	AC +2
11th	Barbarian	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+3	+14 Intimidate +14 Handle Animal +14 Ride +14 Listen +14 Craft Armor +7 UMD		Greater Rage
12th	Barbarian	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+4	+15 Intimidate +15 Handle Animal +15 Ride +15 Listen +15 Craft Armor +7 UMD	Mounted Fury	Rage 4/day, Spell sense +4
13th	Barbarian	+13/+8/+3	+8	+4	+4	+16 Intimidate +16 Handle Animal +16 Ride +16 Listen +16 Craft Armor +8 UMD		AC +3
14th	Barbarian	+14/+9/+4	+9	+4	+4	+17 Intimidate +17 Handle Animal +17 Ride +17 Listen +17 Craft Armor +8 UMD		Indomitable Will
15th	Barbarian	+15/+10/+5	+9	+5	+5	+18 Intimidate +18 Handle Animal +18 Ride +18 Listen +18 Craft Armor +9 UMD	Tremendous Charge, Willing Deformity (bonus elder evil worship feat)	Spell sense +5
16th	Barbarian	+16/+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+5	+19 Intimidate +19 Handle Animal +19 Ride +19 Listen +19 Craft Armor +9 UMD		AC +4, Rage 5/
17th	Barbarian	+17/+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+5	+20 Intimidate +20 Handle Animal +20 Ride +20 Listen +20 Craft Armor +10 UMD		Tireless rage
18th	Barbarian	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+6	+21 Intimidate +21 Handle Animal +21 Ride +21 Listen +21 Craft Armor +10 UMD	Power Attack	Spell sense +6
19th	Barbarian	+19/+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+6	+22 Intimidate +22 Handle Animal +22 Ride +22 Listen +22 Craft Armor +11 UMD		AC +5
20th	Barbarian	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+6	+23 Intimidate +23 Handle Animal +23 Ride +23 Listen +23 Craft Armor +11 UMD	Deformity: Madness (bonus elder evil worship feat)	Mighty Rage, rage 6/

Spoiler: Tricks

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Gandharl

-can smite anything not chaotic evil through unholy fury
-and smite anything else through the killoren aspect of the destroyer ability
both smites can be combined against non chaotic evil: aberrations, constructs, humanoids, oozes, outsiders and undead
-boosting your CHA improves your killoren smite and your UMD skill, tremendous charge eventually lets you dump STR altogether

all of which is multiplied by your mounted charge feats and abilities
does not destroy his AC by using shock trooper so keeping uncanny dodge and using the spell sense and fox totem abilities makes sense
uses ride by attack to keep moving and charging, you also get improved reach with willing deformity tall and using a lance letting you attack creatures 20ft away
your mount can eventually wear magical horseshoes to float above the ground, letting you ignore difficult terrain
tremendous charge and mounted fury boosts your STR on a charge to a ridiculous degree, by the time you get tremendous charge your magical lance should be immune to the chance of breaking

Craft armor is especially worth it at level 1 (armor for a mount is 4x the cost and you need to put armor spikes on it) but it remains worth it since it's just so expensive to buy armor for a camel, you'll also be using decent armor and eventually an animated shield so you can keep using your lance 2 handed.

Since you can't use UMD while raging it's mostly there to supplement your options outside of combat or to buff up before a fight. While a wand of rhino's rush sounds nice, the math makes raging (and using unholy fury) a better option. You still get a x4 multiplier just by using a valorous lance with spirited charge so it's not exactly necessary.

Though warbeast gives your camel heavy armor proficiency, light armor is probably the heaviest you'll want to use since its DEX it pretty high.

Anything attacking you needs to get hit by your attack of opportunity (reach 10) and then Boo's (reach 10 + combat reflexes) before finally deciding on a target.

Spoiler: Breakdown

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Level 1 Your camel with armor spikes is definitely not a CR 1 encounter, neither are you. If a group can entangle your mount and keep things at range they have a chance
Level 5 This is an awkward level, you don't have that many standout abilities but your charge is still likely to kill anything humanoid that's not chaotic evil but you'll need Boo's help to get it done.
Level 10 You're immune to fear, spirited charge deals a ridiculous amount of damage when you combine unholy fury with killoren smite. A d12 hipoint non chaotic evil character with 14 in CON is going to die in one hit. Boo now has combat reflexes. This is most likely your sweetspot.
Level 15 Tremendous charge means you probably never miss on a charge. Mounted fury makes Boo scarier than an equivalent druid's animal companion. You should definitely own a valorous lance at this point.
Level 20 Deformity madness, combined with your immunity to fear, can make a spellcaster assume he has a way to deal with you that will leave him a very nasty surprise. Boo's saves are also incredible with steadfast determination combined with all of your rage benefits

Spoiler: Sources

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Complete Champion: Fox Totem Manifestation Barbarian ACF
Complete Mage: Spell sense Barbarian ACF
Dragonlance campaign setting: tremendous charge
Elder Evils: vile feats
Exemplars of Evil : Unholy fury Barbarian ACF
Eberron Campaign Setting: magebred template
Monster Manual 2 : warbeast template
Races of the wild: Killoren race
Web: Wild Cohort, mounted fury

[H_H_F_F]

Approaching demented suns, rise to become what once was the universal third, absolute.

Disclaimer. The entry contains revised extracts and quotations from a real psychiatric case and a reference to it.

Spoiler: Naught

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The Confusing Naught Chasm.
Was born on Muddle Street, in grocery store No. 22. A well-known economist, by vocation am a librarian. Among the people am a farmer. In the store am a salesperson. In the economy, so to speak, am necessary. This is, so to speak, a system of 120 units.
Draw pictures of the Thillonrian Peninsula and get te-le-pa-thie. And the accountant works on a different line - on the line of libraries. Because there will be no air, there will be an academician! Well, here you can draw a picture of the Thillonrian Peninsula. You can become an air ace. You can become an air planet. And you will be sure that this planet will be accepted according to the textbook. This means that one planet will benefit physics.
The value torn off in the area of ​​diplomacy gives its fluctuations to all diplomacy. And Thrommel of Furyondy gives fluctuations only to his family.
A matchstick in the library works. He goes to the newsannals and lights a large sheet in the newsannals. And in the library, a small sheet kindles. Its fire will be developed much more easily than a strong manual. A strong manual will be more weighty than a grocery store on Muddle Street. And on Muddle Street there will be a split manual. Then the manual will pass through Muddle Street, through grocery store No. 22, and be replaced there according to the formula of economic unity. Here in store 22, it can split, the economy: into economists, into dispatchers, into sellers, into the culture of trade ... So the whole economy will move in this direction.
And the library will move towards 120 units, which will stack the item on the item. 120 units is the subject of physics. An everburning torch burns from 120 bricks, because the structure, so to speak, her is similar to a brick.
Thrommel of Furyondy works at the Free City Arena. Thrommel of Furyondy works at home. That's real diplomacy! Open diplomacy is the same. Well, we take a major image, insert it into the Thillonrian Peninsula, wind up black bread there all the time ... So, will Thrommel, or what, grow up? Thrommel of Furyondy, perhaps, will grow out of this?

CE Allip Spontaneous Domain Casting Champion Cleric 12/Doomdreamer 5

Spoiler: Stats table

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Abilities	Initial	Race/Template	8th, 12th, 16th, 20th	Inherent	Total
STR	8	-			-
DEX	12	2			14
CON	10	-			-
INT	14				14
WIS	15		4	5	19 (24)
CHA	13	8		5	21 (26)

Spoiler: Build table

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HD	CR	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Insanity Score	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	-	Undead 1	0	0	0	2	-	24: {+4 CC} Concentration: 2; {+4} Hide: 4; {+4} Intimidate: 4; {+4 CC} Knowledge (arcana): 2; {+4 CC} Knowledge (religion): 2; {+4} Spot: 4;	Ghostly Grasp
2nd	-	Undead 2	1	0	0	3	-	6: Concentration: 2; {+1} Hide: 5; {+1} Intimidate: 5; {+1 CC} Knowledge (arcana): 2.5; {+1 CC} Knowledge (religion): 2.5; {+1} Listen: 1; {+1} Spot: 5;
3rd	-	Undead 3	1	1	1	3	-	6: Concentration: 2; {+1} Hide: 6; {+1} Intimidate: 6; {+1 CC} Knowledge (arcana): 3; {+1 CC} Knowledge (religion): 3; {+1} Listen: 2; {+1} Spot: 6;	Blind-Fight
4th	3rd	Undead 4	2	1	1	4	-	6: Concentration: 2; {+1} Hide: 7; {+1} Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 3; Knowledge (religion): 3; {+4} Listen: 6; Spot: 6;		Babble, madness, Wisdom drain, darkvision 60 ft., incorporeal traits, +2 turn resistance, undead traits
5th	4th	Spontaneous Domain Casting (Force) Champion Cleric 1	2	3	1	6	0	4: Concentration: 2; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; {+2} Knowledge (arcana): 5; {+2} Knowledge (religion): 5; Listen: 6; Spot: 6;		Domains (Force, Madness), smite good 1/day
6th	5th	Champion Cleric 2	2	4	1	7	1	4: Concentration: 2; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; {+2} Knowledge (arcana): 7; {+2} Knowledge (religion): 7; Listen: 6; Spot: 6;	Spell Focus (Necromancy)
7th	6th	Champion Cleric 3	3	4	2	7	1	4: Concentration: 2; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; {+2} Knowledge (arcana): 9; {+2} Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; Spot: 6;		Aura of courage
8th	7th	Doomdreamer 1	4	4	2	9	4	4: {+4} Concentration: 6; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; Spot: 6;		Secret (Deeper madness)
9th	8th	Doomdreamer 2	4	4	2	10	4	4: {+4} Concentration: 10; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; Spot: 6;	Martial Study (Action Before Thought)	Dark lore
10th	9th	Doomdreamer 3	5	5	3	10	5	4: {+3} Concentration: 13; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; {+1} Spellcraft: 1; Spot: 6;		Secret (Paying fealty to death), chill soul
11th	10th	Doomdreamer 4	6	5	3	11	5	4: {+1} Concentration: 14; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; {+3} Spellcraft: 4; Spot: 6;		Maddening howl
12th	11th	Doomdreamer 5	7	5	3	11	6	4: {+1} Concentration: 15; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; {+3} Spellcraft: 7; Spot: 6;	Necrotic Reserve	Secret (Unholy pact), dark communion
13th	12th	Champion Cleric 4	7	6	3	12	6	4: {+1} Concentration: 16; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; {+3} Spellcraft: 10; Spot: 6;
14th	13th	Champion Cleric 5	8	6	3	12	7	4: {+1} Concentration: 17; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; {+3} Spellcraft: 13; Spot: 6;		Smite good 2/day
15th	14th	Champion Cleric 6	8	7	4	13	7	4: {+1} Concentration: 18; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; {+3} Spellcraft: 16; Spot: 6;	Invisible Needle
16th	15th	Champion Cleric 7	9	7	4	13	8	4: {+1} Concentration: 19; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; {+3} Spellcraft: 19; Spot: 6;
17th	16th	Champion Cleric 8	10	8	4	14	8	4: {+1} Concentration: 20; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; Knowledge (arcana): 9; Knowledge (religion): 9; Listen: 6; {+1} Spellcraft: 20; Spot: 6; {+2} Swift Concentration;
18th	17th	Champion Cleric 9	11	8	5	14	9	4: {+1} Concentration: 21; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; {+1} Knowledge (arcana): 10; {+1} Knowledge (religion): 10; Listen: 6; {+1} Spellcraft: 21; Spot: 6; Swift Concentration;	Sudden Extend
19th	18th	Champion Cleric 10	11	9	5	15	9	4: {+1} Concentration: 22; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; {+1} Knowledge (arcana): 11; {+1} Knowledge (religion): 11; Listen: 6; {+1} Spellcraft: 22; Spot: 6; Swift Concentration;		Smite good 3/day
20th	19th	Champion Cleric 11	12	9	5	15	10	4: {+1} Concentration: 23; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; {+1} Knowledge (arcana): 12; {+1} Knowledge (religion): 12; Listen: 6; {+1} Spellcraft: 23; Spot: 6; Swift Concentration;
21th	20th	Champion Cleric 12	13	10	6	16	10	4: {+1} Concentration: 24; Hide: 7; Intimidate: 7; {+1} Knowledge (arcana): 13; {+1} Knowledge (religion): 13; Listen: 6; {+1} Spellcraft: 24; Spot: 6; Swift Concentration;	Extra Domain Spell (Annihilation)

Spoiler: Spells table

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ECL	Class	Wis+Insanity score	0th	1st*	2nd*	3rd*	4th*	5th*	6th*	7th*	8th*	9th*
5th	Cleric 1	15	3	1+1+1
6th	Cleric 2	16	4	2+1+1
7th	Cleric 3	16	4	2+1+1	1+1+1
8th	Cleric 4	20	5	3+1+1	2+1+1
9th	Cleric 5	20	5	3+1+2	2+1+1	1+1+1
10th	Cleric 6	21	6	3+1+2	3+1+1	2+1+1
11th	Cleric 7	21	6	4+1+2	3+1+1	2+1+1	1+1+1
12th	Cleric 8	22	6	4+1+2	3+1+2	3+1+1	2+1+1
13th	Cleric 9	23	6	4+1+2	4+1+2	3+1+1	2+1+1	1+1+1
14th	Cleric 10	24	6	4+1+2	4+1+2	3+1+2	3+1+1	2+1+1
15th	Cleric 11	24	6	5+1+2	4+1+2	4+1+2	3+1+1	2+1+1	1+1+1
16th	Cleric 12	25	6	5+1+2	4+1+2	4+1+2	3+1+1	3+1+1	2+1+1
17th	Cleric 13	26	6	5+1+2	5+1+2	4+1+2	4+1+2	3+1+1	2+1+1	1+1+1
18th	Cleric 14	27	6	5+1+2	5+1+2	4+1+2	4+1+2	3+1+1	3+1+1	2+1+1
19th	Cleric 15	27	6	5+1+2	5+1+2	5+1+2	4+1+2	4+1+1	3+1+1	2+1+1	1+1+1
20th	Cleric 16	29	6	5+1+3	5+1+2	5+1+2	4+1+2	4+1+2	3+1+1	3+1+1	2+1+1
21th	Cleric 17	29	6	5+1+3	5+1+2	5+1+2	5+1+2	4+1+2	4+1+1	3+1+1	2+1+1	1+2+1
21th+Inherent	Cleric 17	34	6	5+1+3	5+1+3	5+1+3	5+1+3	4+1+2	4+1+2	3+1+2	2+1+2	1+2+1
21th+Inherent+Enchantment**	Cleric 17	38	6	5+1+4	5+1+4	5+1+3	5+1+3	4+1+3	4+1+3	3+1+2	2+1+2	1+2+2

*- Base+Domain+High Wisdom.
**- Assuming +4 to Wisdom.

Typical memorized spells (for ECL 21 without bonuses to Wisdom score):
0th: Slash Tongue*5 and Detect Magic.
1st: Spell Flower, Slow Consumption*2, Inflict Light Wounds*5 and Mage Armor (D).
2nd: Divine Interdiction, Boneblast*3, Death Knell, Protection from Positive Energy*2 and Magic Missile (D).
3rd: Shriveling*4, Flesh Ripper*3 and Blast of Force (D).
4th: Inflict Critical Wounds*3, Life Ward, Negative Energy Aura, Stop Heart*2 and Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere (D) or Inflict Critical Wounds (D) if Destruction domain substitutes for Madness.
5th: Slay Living*4, Heartclutch*2 and Wall of Force (D) or Inflict Light Wounds, Mass (D) if Destruction domain substitutes for Madness.
6th: Harm*3, Dispel Magic, Greater*2, Zealot Pact (active) and Phantasmal Killer (D) or Harm (D) if Destruction domain substitutes for Madness.
7th: Consumptive Field, Greater, Ravenous Darkness, Destruction*2, Insanity (D) or Disintegration (D) if Destruction domain substitutes for Madness.
8th: Heat Drain, Bodak’s Glare*2 and Tharizdun’s Maddening Scream (D) or Disintegration (D) if Destruction domain substitutes for Madness; maybe Planar Ally, Greater instead of Heat Drain.
9th: Implosion*2, Annihilation (D) and Weird (D) or Implosion (D) if Destruction domain substitutes for Madness.
All spells are from PHB, Spell Compendium and Book of Vile Darkness, other than Ravenous Darkness and Substitute Domain from Complete Champion.

Spoiler: Highdarks

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Spoiler: CR 4

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It is slightly more than nothing. Former alive. Former dead. Insane now. But something... something breaks through the confused fibers of thought. Touch of the Master and his Dark Helix. Under insane lies Absolute Truth. It gives Force and Understanding. Too few! Needs more!

Naught now is almost ordinary allip, but... Before he killed himself in the name of his god Tharizdun, Naught was a cleric. And now he is starting to become cleric again. Step by step. One mad vision after another. Only few spells now - mainly Mage Armor and Inflict Light Wounds. Primary weapon is incorporeal touch from the floor. Thanks Blind-Fight for decreased miss chance.

Spoiler: CR 11

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It became vastly more than nothing. Memories. Outbursts. Madness. Rites. Dark spiral. Hidden is closer now! Should do what did before. Destroying is the reward. Chained God will break free! Soon...

Naught's memory, however distorted, returns to him and with memory recovers his power. Three levels of cleric and five levels of doomdreamer, now. Spells up to 4th level, including Planar Ally, Lesser which is free from payment thanks to Unholy pact Secret. 6HD outsider isn't something mind-blowing, but still very good. For example, Mayrezhi from Fiend Folio gives unlimited Animate Dead. Other offensive and defensive spells as stated above (except the number of). Plus, I need to mention Substitute Domain spell. While Tharizdun's domains are not all great, switching between Madness and Destruction can be useful. Necrotic Reserve and Martial Study give Naught
some flexibility in defending.

Spoiler: CR 20

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End is here. And I hear. Idol not idle! Chains are torn! New turn! Dire dyer dye died! Come and look! Master isn't locked!

More deep, more powerful, more insane. That's the way. Naught worked it almost completely, from ordinary allip to madness controller of the sphere of annihilation. Almost true sphere. But equally destructive. With Sudden Extend and Invisible Needle it lasts up to 36 rounds. And up to twice 18 rounds after with Spontaneous Domain Casting.
Invisible Needle, on the other hand, is an almost infinite source of [Force] damage - 9d4/round.
Unholy pact in conjunction with Greater Planar Ally opens a huge field for abuse. Only free Wishes from Glabrezu are worth what. Yes, Naught needs a mortal humanoid for this, but he is Doomdreamer, hierarch of the church. It's possible for him found any colleague.

Spoiler: Some notes

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Smite good. There are two options. 1) Extra damage is Wisdom damage. It's a great variant. 2) Extra damage is negative energy damage. Well, still not so bad. It's free anyway.
Aura of courage. Why do you want it? Naught is undead and already immune to fear (and all mind affecting). Well, it's part of undead traits. There are several ways to suppress it. But the Aura of courage is always with Naught.

Spoiler: Sources table

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Type	Name	Book	Page
Monster	Allip	MM	10
Class	Cleric	PHB	30
Prestige Class	Doomdreamer	Return To The Temple Of Elemental Evil	162
Class variant	Spontaneous Domain Casting	PHBII	37
Class variant	Champion Cleric	UA	58
Feat	Ghostly Grasp	LM	27
Feat	Blind-Fight	PHB	89
Feat	Spell Focus	PHB	100
Feat	Martial Study	ToB	31
Feat	Necrotic Reserve	LM	28
Feat	Invisible Needle	CM	44
Feat	Sudden Extend	CArc	83
Feat	Extra Domain Spell	MinH	26
Special Rule	Insanity Score	Return To The Temple Of Elemental Evil	161
Domain	Madness	Return To The Temple Of Elemental Evil	161
Domain	Force	Return To The Temple Of Elemental Evil	162
Maneuver	Action Before Thought	ToB	62
Skill Trick	Swift Concentration	CS	90
The Confusing Naught Chasm	Based on Example of schizophasia	Great Medical Encyclopedia (1962)	Wikipedia link (in Russian)
The Mesmerizing Absolute Truth	Based on The Mystery of grocery store Number 22 - Decipher Schizophasya by Marina Liguzova	Проза.ру	Link (in Russian)

The Mesmerizing Absolute Truth.
I was born in the gross world of material forms. I was forced to identify myself with the transient imprints left on me by my environment. My past existence is a constant reaction to external sensory stimuli, although my calling is to know the root causes of being. It cannot be otherwise - such are the rules of the universe.
When I got in touch with the invisible basis of all that exists, existence rewarded me. Existence became guided not by the petty reactive rules of the material world, as before, but by Knowledge. I comprehended that the surrounding space itself, emptiness, is the bearer of knowledge, a teacher, a mentor. Having known the basis of the world, elusive for the senses, I established a connection with the entire surrounding space, I began to understand that I am the world. I gained confidence that my existence does not carry random, erroneous elements - I am in complete harmony with the Universe. Another awakened one who has merged with the Universe, by his existence alone, proves the greatness of the Universal chaos of evolution.
Vibrations; exuded by such an awakened one, have a positive effect on others - if he is involved in social relations. But while the consciousness is sleeping, it is able to act automatically only in the narrow world of habitual relationships that limit it, support its sleep.
The one who has Knowledge becomes a source of light. Knowledge has a destructive effect on the ego. The illusory nature of both collective and individual concepts is revealed - our usual ideas about the world and about the system of our relationships with it. Comprehension of the Absolute is impossible without the destruction of these limitations. The Absolute is primary, it is the source of the material world. Rough forms of the material world, being an expression of Truth, distort it with their illusory diversity. Truth is crushed. The whole world is permeated with Truth, it is present in everything - but for the inhabitants of the world it is elusive, replaced by concepts, formulas. Consciousness splits into "I" and "other", people suffer from separation. This is the chaos of the material world.
The search for Truth promotes unity, integration. All fragmented spheres of human knowledge have a common source, through any of them there is a path to the Absolute, since everything is its expression.
But the sleeping consciousness is isolated from the outside world, unable to get out of its cocoon. This is how the sparks of consciousness – human beings – perceive each other: from the depths of their cocoon, their ego representations. As long as the mind is driven by material stimuli, reacting only to sensory impressions, it is unable to awaken and begin to grow from the depths of sleep into the light of Truth.

[H_H_F_F]

God knows, God knows I want to break free.

link to portrait

Sir Thomas Mayflower: the Breaker of Chains

Spoiler: backstory

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Spoiler: The Mill

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Sergeant Glint held a perfumed handkerchief over his nose. No matter how many of these despicable places he broke up, there always seemed to be more lurking somewhere in the shadows. The stench of sulfur and burnt flesh hung low in the air. A few hellhound pups, grateful to be freed from the grid of wire cages that lined the walls, ran through the building and brushed Glint’s legs.

“Officer, try to keep these things contained, would you?” Glint picked up one of the pups by his feet and handed it to the nearest of his subordinates.

“Right, sorry, sir.” The officer put it into a box cradled in his arms with the others.

“Where’s the owner of this dump, anyway? I need to speak to him so I can give him a citation. There aren’t any registered breeders in this district. If he wants to stay open, he’ll need to apply for a license, to say nothing of the conditions of this place.” Glint said.

“I guess you haven’t heard.”

“Heard what?”

“We found what was left of him in the back. The league of the golden key’s symbol was painted in his blood on the wall. Most of the soft parts got ground into dog food. Looks like the first decent meal these creatures have had in a while.” The officer patted one of the pups in his arms.

Glint dismissed him to go load them onto the truck with the others.

“We’d be better off drowning the mongrels,” he muttered to himself.

“The same could be said of you, sergeant, yet here you stand,” said a familiar voice from behind him. Glint wished the city could impose some kind of mandatory auditory manifestation to accompany authorized teleportations within city limits, but that just wasn’t the world he lived in.

“What’re you doing here, keymaster? Are you responsible for this?” Glint asked.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” the keymaster said.

“Fine. If not you, one of your subordinates.”

The keymaster laughed. “The league isn’t a hierarchy like your watch, sergeant. I’m not responsible for anything one of my brothers or sisters within it chooses to do on their own. This is news to me as well; we don’t tell each other about our missions so we can’t give anything up under torture.”

“You really think you can avoid responsibility just by denying it like that?”

“Well, it’s worked pretty well so far. What’re you so upset about anyway? Whoever was abusing these poor creatures is taken care of. So what if one of ours did your job for you? Did they even send you a bill?”

Glint scoffed. “This place has been on our list for some time.”

“And have you done anything about it?”

Glint ignored him. “I don’t know what we’re gonna do about this place.”

“Yeah, I hear you. You think the city watch would write the building off and let the league run it as a rescue shelter and clinic? Could probably get a ton of volunteers that way,” the keymaster said.

“Hm. Could ask the zoning commissioner,” Glint said. One less thing to worry about.

“If I got a couple of my guys in here to clear the dog crap out, slap some paint on the walls, you think that’d help?” the keymaster asked.

“Couldn’t hurt. You’re not gonna give us any grief about registering them down the line, are you?” Glint asked.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll make sure they’re on file so they can vote and pay taxes and all those things you love,” the keymaster said.

Glint felt a palpable disgust, but decided against saying anything.

The keymaster scooped up one of the pups milling around and cradled it to his armor, not minding the sooty smudge it left on the golden key emblazoned across it.

“Here, one less for you to worry about. I’ll go straight over to the poundmaster with the rest of your guys and the dogs after I finish giving this place a once over.” The keymaster picked up a mop to start on the floor and flipped on an unseen servant to start cleaning the blood off the wall.

“Sounds like a plan,” Glint said on his way out.

Spoiler: The Cell

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The keymaster ran his hand along the stone wall of the cell, leaving the predicted layer of grime on his bare hand. Still no traces of tunneling or secret passages. His dog nosed around at the grate to see if anyone had gotten in that way, but didn’t find anything.

The manacles on Glint’s belt heralded his arrival before he said hello. The keymaster wiped his hands on his trousers and shook his hand.

“Surprised you’re helping out with the investigation this time, given the circumstances,” Glint said.

“Look, our order may not respect the rule of law, but I know it’s more trouble than it’s worth to reject a call from the crown. I’ve been told they tapped anyone good who might be able to help out.” He took out a scroll and passed it to Glint.

“Been told?”

“I can’t read. One of my guys told me the gist of it. What’d this guy do, anyway?” The keymaster knelt down on the moldy straw standard issue in places like this and examined the seam between the wall and floor, to see if any of the stones had been disturbed.

“Treason,” Glint said indignantly.

The keymaster laughed. “Only because the butt he wanted to put on the throne lost. Otherwise, he’d be a hero.”

“You find anything?”

“No. Should I be worried?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Sir Joshua, that’s the prisoner, tried to finish what he started. I’m sure the crown won’t be happy about this.”

“Do you know anything about the policies of the prospective new butt and how they compare to the old butt?”

“That’s not the point,” Glint said. The keymaster wondered what else the point could possibly be.

Spoiler: The Hill

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Sisyphus pushed a boulder up a hill. He hadn’t always done this, but he knew he would continue to do it forever. Just as it reached the peak of the hill, the door out of this place visible beyond its edge for the briefest of moments, its weight became too much for him and it pushed him backwards. It crushed him beneath it and dragged him to the bottom. It slowly rolled off him and he began the wait until he could start doing it all over again, his surviving eye trained on the freshest red smear left around the boulder’s center.

To his surprise, a hand reached out to him. The first person he’d seen since he was condemned here forever by Zeus.

He swallowed the blood pooling in his throat and laughed. The offenses he had committed against the gods were so specific, he hadn’t thought anyone else likely to repeat them, no matter how long he rotted down here.

“Seems like they’ll just let anyone in here,” he said to the newcomer.

“Don’t worry, this place still holds only one prisoner. Though that won’t be true for long. I’m Sir Thomas, and I’m here to get you out.” The gnome before him craned his neck and looked around the vast, endless field surrounding the hill.

“I figure you can’t walk out that door over there for some reason so what’s the gimmick here?” With a touch of his hand, Sir Thomas healed Sisyphus’s wounds. His flesh began to knit itself together and he got to his feet.

“I push that boulder up the hill, but it always rolls back down and crushes me and I have to keep doing it.”

Sir Thomas nodded. “You’ve probably never had help.”

Sisyphus laughed, noting Sir Thomas’s size. “You want to help me, I’m not going to stop you.” He stood slightly off center of the boulder this time to make room. Sir Thomas placed his hands at knee level and helped him push for the rest of the afternoon.

They reached the hill’s peak. The tendons in his ankles strained with the final steps. He reached out and felt the muscles in his chest strain. With the final push, the boulder crested the far side of the hill, rolled into the valley, and stayed there. It had been only ever so slightly too heavy for him to push by himself, to torment him with a sliver of hope. With some help, any help, he was able to overcome it.

“Is that the door out?” Sir Thomas asked, pointing toward the door as the man caught his breath.

“Yeah. I can’t tell you how I know, exactly. Obviously, I’ve never been there, but I feel like my knowing that, that it was right within reach this whole time was part of my torture. The same way I know it’s not locked and I can just walk out.”

Sir Thomas nodded. “Would you care for company on the walk out?”

“That would be lovely,” Sisyphus said and started off toward the door.

“You know, I was a king when I was alive. I have no idea how long I’ve been imprisoned here, but if my line is still around, I’ll make sure you’re handsomely rewarded for my rescue,” Sisyphus said.

“Very generous of you, majesty. I do have something in mind, as a matter of fact. I need some assistance locating the next person in need of my help. Much like yourself, he’s also being unjustly imprisoned by the gods. I thought if anyone would be sympathetic to his plight, it would be you.”

Sisyphus put his hand on the door. It felt like any other thing. He opened it and gestured for Sir Thomas to go first, which he did without consequence. So it was safe after all. He spat on the grass of the place that had held him for so many centuries with contempt for the gods.

“How can I help?”

Spoiler: The Valley

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Keymaster didn’t even pretend to grope at the grass of the hill where he and Glint stood. They were in the middle of a field. What could he be expected to find?

“How did he even get in here?” Glint asked.

“There’s a spell my order uses: it’s supposed to pinpoint an evildoer within a certain range of you and once you’re there, you’re supposed to deal with them. What my brothers and I think is happening is this guy is finding evil creatures, but instead of killing them, he’s freeing them from incarceration,” the keymaster explained.

Glint nodded. “Where’s your dog?”

The keymaster sighed. “He was getting too big for my apartment, kept burning my milkman, things like that. I found a home for him in the nine hells where he has plenty of room to run and play and torment the damned. He’s probably better off there instead of in the city with someone who can’t give him the care he needs.”

“You did the right thing,” Glint said with a hand on the keymaster’s shoulder, despite how uncomfortable the gesture clearly made the sergeant.

“Thanks.”

“You ever been tapped to investigate something for Zeus before?”

“Not personally, but some of my brethren have since he shares our alignment and all.”

Glint rubbed his forehead. “I’ve had a terrible headache since I got here. That explains it.”

Some people couldn’t handle chaos. “Sorry to hear that. Speaking of, how’re your guys adjusting under the new king?” As Glint had feared, Sir Joshua had indeed killed the old one almost immediately after being released from his illegal underground oubliette.

“I mean, it’s a blow, to be sure, but the new king doesn’t seem to be terribly interested with affairs of state, so policy-wise, not too much has changed. I can only pray it lasts.”

“And if something does change? Or a lot of somethings?” the keymaster asked.

Glint sighed. He laid on his back on the soft grass and looked up at the sky, where the sun never set.

“Then he’ll still be my king, and I’ll obey him.” The keymaster knew he meant it.

Spoiler: The Ziggurat

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Obligatum IX awoke within its hollow sarcophagus. The quintessence that had enveloped its whole body for decades now only gently lapped at the nape of its neck. Had its prison formed a leak?

“Hello in there, can you hear me yet?” asked someone from without.

“Are you my jailer, sir? Truthfully, I thought you would have perished by now. You fleshly things are so ephemeral, after all.”

“No, I’m here to rescue you.” In all the time Obligatum IX had been online, that was something it’d never heard before.

“Are you aware of my primary directive, sir? Though I welcome any allies that can serve me in my quest to free my master, in the past, when they have learned my true purpose, they have turned against me,” Obligatum IX said.

“I’m not thrilled about what Pandorym’s going to do when it’s released, that doesn’t justify imprisoning it.”

“You’re serious in your convictions, sir?”

“If the only way to deal with people like Pandorym is by imprisoning them, then we need to start over with a better system. Maybe whatever comes in the next universe will have better processes in place.”

“Finally, someone else who understands. My master is imprisoned inside an immensely resilient crystalline substance. I will need assistance destroying it.” Obligatum IX said.

“I can do that. It’s how I got in here.”

The sarcophagus was now drained of quintessence. Obligatum IX burst out of it. His rescuer was a gnome standing on a step stool near the grate in the room where the liquid had drained.

“Forgive me for not thanking you. I am not capable of dithering. I must insist we begin on our way to free my master immediately. I am tracking its proximity to my current location at all times, so I know where we must go next.”

“Lead the way.”

Spoiler: The Raided Tomb

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The keymaster stood, agape, in front of the ruined sarcophagus. If Obligatum the whateverth was out, then it was all over. They probably didn’t have long.

Glint collapsed onto a low stool by its side.

The keymaster sipped from a hip flask.

“Pardon me, but would you mind if I had some of that?” Glint asked.

The keymaster stoppered it and tossed it over. “Sure, but isn’t against regulations or whatever?”

Glint unclipped his badge and set it neatly inside the remains of the sarcophagus.

“I guess it is. But it doesn’t really matter anymore, does it?”

The keymaster didn’t have anything clever to say. He rested his hand on Glint’s shoulder. And they waited.

Spoiler: stub

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CG whisper gnome paladin of freedom 12/ crusader 1/ ruby knight vindicator 7

Spoiler: abilities

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str 14 -2 racial
dex 11 +2 racial
con 12 +2 racial
int 14
wis 11 increases at 4, 8, and 16 here
cha 16 -2 racial, increases at 12 and 20 here

Spoiler: table

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	paladin of freedom 1	+1	+2	+0	+0	bluff 4, k (religion) 4, sm 4, tumble 4	darkstalker	aura of good, detect evil, smite evil 1/day
2nd	paladin of freedom 2	+2	+3	+0	+0	bluff 1 (5), k (religion) 1 (5), sm 1 (5), tumble 1 (5)		divine grace, lay on hands
3rd	paladin of freedom 3	+3	+3	+1	+1	bluff 1 (6), k (religion) 1 (6), sm 1 (6), tumble 1 (6)	power attack	aura of resolve, divine health
4th	shadow cloak paladin 4	+4	+4	+1	+1	hide 4		turn undead, favored enemy (humanoid: human)
5th	paladin of freedom 5	+5	+4	+1	+1	bluff 2 (8), k (religion) 2 (8)		smite evil 2/day
6th	shadow cloak paladin 6	+6/+1	+5	+2	+2	ms 4	battle blessing	remove disease 1/week, hide in plain sight
7th	paladin of freedom 7	+7/+2	+5	+2	+2	tumble 4 (10)		spike stones 1/day
8th	paladin of freedom 8	+8/+3	+6	+2	+2	bluff 3 (11), tumble 1 (11)
9th	shadow cloak paladin 9	+9/+4	+6	+3	+3	ms 4 (8)	nemesis	invisibility 1/day, remove disease 2/week
10th	paladin of freedom 10	+10/+5	+7	+3	+3	bluff 1 (12), sm 2 (8), tumble 1 (12)		alignment purity
11th	paladin of freedom 11	+11/+6/+1	+7	+3	+3	bluff 2 (14), sm 1 (9), tumble 1 (13)
12th	paladin of freedom 12	+12/+7/+2	+8	+4	+4	bluff 1 (15), sm 3 (12)	extra turning	remove disease 3/week, earth glide
13th	crusader 1	+13/+8/+3	+10	+4	+4	intimidate 4		furious counterstrike, steely resolve 5
14th	ruby knight vindicator 1	+14/+9/+4	+10	+4	+6	balance 5, ms 1 (9)
15th	ruby knight vindicator 2	+15/+10/+5	+10	+4	+7	hide 3 (12), ms 3 (12)	stone power	divine recovery
16th	ruby knight vindicator 3	+16/+11/+6/+1	+11	+5	+7	hide 3 (15), ms 3 (15)
17th	ruby knight vindicator 4	+17/+12/+7/+2	+11	+5	+8	hide 3 (18), ms 3 (18)
18th	ruby knight vindicator 5	+18/+13/+8/+3	+11	+5	+8	hide 3 (21), ms 3 (21)	shards of granite	armored stealth
19th	ruby knight vindicator 6	+19/+14/+9/+4	+12	+6	+9	diplo 4, hide 1 (22), ms 1 (22)
20th	ruby knight vindicator 7	+20/+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+9	diplo 4 (8), hide 1 (23), ms 1 (23)		divine impetus

Spoiler: maneuvers

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13 IL 7
5 maneuvers
mountain hammer SD 1
foehammer DS 1
leading the attack WR 1
bonecrusher SD 2
divine surge DS 2

1 stance
thicket of blades DS 3

14 IL 8
+1 stance
island of blades SH 1
15 IL 9
+1 maneuver
shadow stride SH 2
17 IL 11
+1 maneuver
stalker in the night SH 3
19 IL 13
+1 maneuver
shadow blink SH 4
+1 stance
aura of triumph DS 3

Spoiler: spells per day

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Spells per Day/Spells Known

Level	0lvl	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
1st	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
2nd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
3rd	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
4th	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
5th	-	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
6th	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
7th	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
8th	-	1	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
9th	-	1	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
10th	-	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
11th	-	1	1	0	-	-	-	-	-	-
12th	-	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
13th	-	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
14th	-	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
15th	-	2	1	1	0	-	-	-	-	-
16th	-	2	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	-
17th	-	2	2	1	1	-	-	-	-	-
18th	-	2	2	2	1	-	-	-	-	-
19th	-	3	2	2	1	-	-	-	-	-
20th	-	3	3	3	2	-	-	-	-	-

Spoiler: playtips

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Spoiler: lvl 5

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You begin play as a paladin with some additional capabilities in stealth. You gain immunity to compulsions through paladin of freedom’s aura of resolve, meaning bad guys can’t influence your mind in that way. Shadow cloak paladin offers favored enemy, as ranger, in addition to hide and move silently as class skills, which become more important later. Whisper gnome lets you see in the dark and beefs up your stealth skills. Chop up evildoers and free the imprisoned.

Spoiler: lvl 10

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Battle blessing is up and running now, letting you cast full round spells as standards and standard spells as swifts. This greatly aids your action economy. Like any half casters, you should make use of wands as needed. You can cast spells from the paladin list without making checks to supplement your daily slots. Shadow cloak paladin grants hide in plain sight which allows you to hide without cover and to hide while being directly observed. In tandem with darkstalker, you are essentially impossible to find. Since you are hiding mundanely, magical means of finding you do not work. You can lay spike stones to impede enemies and sniff out adversaries with nemesis.

You can also use nemesis in a more unorthodox way. Since it explicitly allows you to see through solid barriers, you can use it to find people who are imprisoned even if you can’t see them and begin the process of freeing them from imprisonment. Shadow cloak paladin aids you once more by granting you the power to become invisible to do things like bypass guards or enter dungeons undetected.

Alignment purity protects you from penalties imposed by opposing planes. Since you will likely be doing a great deal of adventuring in planes such as Carceri, like most paladins, this helps you keep your wits about you while doing so.

Spoiler: lvl 15

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The reason you took so much paladin is now becoming clear. Underdark knight grants you the earth glide ability, letting you move freely through rock, stone, and earth. There is now not a cell made that can contain you, and that means it’s just as easy for you to get in to dungeons as it is for you to get out of them.

You enter crusader and gain a variety of useful maneuvers. Among these are foe hammer and mountain hammer, which allow you to ignore enemy damage reduction and hardness from objects such as stone walls or prison bars.

Ruby knight vindicator is now online. Despite serving Wee Jas, there is no requirement pertaining to your alignment so paladins of freedom are perfectly welcome among their ranks. Divine recovery is operative, allowing you to spend turn attempts to regain spent maneuvers. Extra turning lets you do this more often, augmenting your combat potential.

It advances your paladin casting and gives you more maneuvers and stances, including expanding your repertoire to include shadow hand, which crusaders normally cannot access. You gain the ability to do things like teleport with shadow stride, which lets you get into and out of places even more easily for times when it’s advantageous not to leave signs of your presence. Stone power is up and running and lets you improve your survivability further.

Spoiler: lvl 20

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Armored stealth is up, allowing you to wear armor as heavy as you want ignoring the penalty to hide and move silently. Ruby knight vindicator’s famous divine impetus ability is online as well, which lets you burn turn attempts in exchange for extra swift actions. Thanks to battle blessing, this gives you a great deal of options including casting extra spells with these swifts, in addition to doing things like using a boost or changing your stance.

You’ve learned more maneuvers and stances to make use of your abilities to the fullest. Stalker in the night lets you move up to your speed, making a melee attack at any time during this. In tandem with your hide in plain sight, you can attack using these hit and run tactics. Stalker in the night explicitly lets you keep your old hide and move silently checks and your movement does not affect them.

You can even use this in tandem with your earth glide ability to move through walls while attacking enemies. Shadow blink gives you yet another way to teleport and another thing to do with your extra swift actions. Aura of triumph helps keep you on your feet while pounding enemies.

The paladin list is replete with useful effects including buffs that become even more desirable now that you can cast them as swifts, such as holy sword which deals extra damage to evil creatures and fell the greatest foe for extra damage against big creatures, since guardians of ancient evils that are held unjustly in solitary confinement tend to be big. Knight’s move, yet another fun thing to do with your swifts, allows you to teleport short distances as long as you end up flanking an enemy. Using this while in the island of blades stance grants you a great number of extra squares that are considered legal. You’ve also got classic brute spells like rhino’s rush, which let you deal double damage on a charge.

One particular spell I’d like to draw attention to is an oddball I foresee you using a great deal, primarily for thematic reasons, though it also doubles as a panic button in dire circumstances.

Door to great evil.

This is an extremely unusual spell that works like teleport, but it takes you to the closest location on your plane where there is either one or more evil creatures or creatures committing an evil act. All of them combined are an encounter level 2 under your character level. It will get you there safely and you’ll know approximately how far and in what direction you’ll need to travel to get back to where you were when you cast it.

This is a good way to find evil creatures who are imprisoned when you’re in a sprawling dungeon complex or plane that’s focused on imprisoning people, such as Carceri, for example. When you get there, your dedication to freedom compels you to free them from their confinement. Should their captors overwhelm you on your way out or any other scenario where you are outnumbered and can’t use your other teleportation, stealth, or earth glide to escape, this also provides an unorthodox means of escape.

Spoiler: use in your campaign

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In a game like D&D, where resurrection from the dead is fairly trivial, it’s possible and even likely that your PCs might opt to freeze an enemy in ice, turn them into something, lock them in Tartarus, etc instead of killing them since the latter makes it possible for them to be resurrected or rescued from the plane their soul was condemned to or whatever.

An ancient evil imprisoned in solitary confinement and guarded by an order of monks or whatever is a prime target for Sir Thomas to liberate so they can cause trouble for the PCs again. His door to great evil ability, castable as a swift, gives him a handy panic button on top of his stealth capabilities and earth glide if it looks like he’s about to be captured or killed.

Spoiler: sources

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srd: paladin, paladin of freedom, power attack, extra turning
lords of madness: darkstalker
complete champion: battle blessing
champions of valor web enhancement: shadow cloak paladin
book of exalted deeds: nemesis
tome of battle: crusader, stone power, shards of granite
skilled city dweller: cityscape web enhancement

[H_H_F_F]

This is it! Six fanatical zealots to terrorize your heretical players!

Judges, do your thing!

[loky1109]

Table!

Name	Alignment / Race	Class Levels	Chef	Total	Place
Avenging Bovine	CE Prodigy Beast of Bane Hell Bovine	Berserker Strength Barbarian 1
Clippy	LE Warforged	Artificer 20
Galitsur	LG Anthropomorphic Lion	Charging Smite Paladin 5/Pious Templar 2/Fist of Raziel 10
Gandharl the Dreadnought	CE Killoren	Unholy Fury Spell Sense Fox Totem Manifestation Barbarian 20
Naught	CE Allip	Spontaneous Domain Casting Champion Cleric 12/Doomdreamer 5
Sir Thomas	CG Whisper Gnome	Underdark Knight Shadow Cloak Paladin of Freedom 12/Crusader 1/Ruby Knight Vindicator 7

Well, we have all four possible alignments. Cool. Two barbs, two pals, two twenty-levels-sinle-classes. Interesting.

[H_H_F_F]

Any prospective judges around?

[Beni-Kujaku]

No WH40k reference? Disappointing. Still, I'm down to judge these bad boys. And girl (...? The bovine is clearly a cow, not a bull, but is referred to as "him". Maybe he's trans? What is the opinion of Bane on inclusion and representation of LGBT extraplanar animals?). And the warforged. And the mentally ill allip (I like pleonasms).

And by the way, if someone wants to come judge the last iteration of Monster Mash in my signature, they'd be very welcome.

[Buufreak]

I've been rather busy the past week. I would like to pass judgment, but if we reach a deadline and I've not posted, no need to wait on me.

[H_H_F_F]

Thank you both very much!

I'm always happy to push the deadline for more judgements.

Edit: By the way, if anyone feels like they have more to say regarding the leadership issue, I'm happy to have that discussion; I wanted to check in with our conniving contestants, but I did not intend to shut down the discussion entirely.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Idea I didn't get to turn into a build: Free action abuse with the Mulhorandi Divine Minion! First off, contest requirements: MDM gives immunity to fear, and the Shape Soulmeld (planar ward) covers compulsions.

MDM gives a free action Wild Shape. Not swift action, swift actions didn't exist when MDM was written. So in principle, you could wild shape as many times per turn as you have reasons to shapeshift. But that's not much use unless you can shapeshift into more than a couple animals, ideally with some additional abilities you can use as a swift action.

Enter the Exalted Wild Shape feat from BoED. It lets you wild shape into a handful of magical beasts, and use their supernatural abilities. Among these beasts are the blink dog, which can use dimension door once per turn as a free action. So with one feat and one template, you get a free teleport every turn. And of course, you can freely wild shape into another form after teleporting.

...and that's as far as I could figure. I couldn't think of other shenanigans, or builds that could use a free dimension door especially well, or anything. So I guess that's just a trick to tuck away in my back pocket for some future contest.

[Thurbane]

One of the ideas I was messing with, with the original limits, was a Chaos Dragon, taking the Abyss-Bound Soul (Graz'zt) - race grants immunity compulsion, and the feat gives immunity to fear. He was going to be a Crusader of Graz'zt, loading up on feats and abilities related to chaos and evil...

[3SecondCultist]

Something that I’ve learned about myself with this competition is that I rarely have the time or energy to actually finish an entry, but I do have a hell of a time theorycrafting builds that fit within the limitations and working them out on a document. I think I struggle to actually finish the entries because I never have a specific party in mind against which I can pit my monsters.

For this entry, I had worked out the Monster of Legend template with a Yak Folk (MM2), picking up the five levels of Cleric casting and immunity to fear & mind effecting from the template, then running with a straight Cleric 14 build. The plan was to have this Yak General be a champion of their Forgotten God, picking up the War and Travel domains as mechanical extensions of their imperialistic urges. Then I would go full Lawful Evil with it, as the general would be creating a brutal autocracy in her god’s name.

She would have been a very tanky frontliner and self-buffer, using Travel devotion to get in close and unload full attacks at maximum power. I would have given her DMM: Persist at higher levels then offered a menu of choices for her final buff. Divine Power would have been the standard, but I would have given options for really OP buffs like Greater Consumptive Field for more optimized parties.

[D&DPrinceTandem]

I also had an entry I wanted to throw here (i know this is my first post but I wanted it to be a surprise when names were revealed lol).
My biggest issue this time around was finding the "sweet spot". It was Vampire Lord Warlock 5, Lifedrinker 10
The Theme was a Living Vampire Created by the Blood of Vol, who identify the blood of the self contains the essence of divinity. Her "Zealotry" would then be her insatiable craving for the blood and life essence of the living creatures. She then gains power from her Zealot ideas via her own tainted blood (Warlock whose power comes from the Mother of all Bloodfiends (Fiend Folio), whomever that may be), and the consumption and conversion of the divinity in the blood of others into a power source for herself.

The Problem with the sweet spot is that when the build would be a BBEG threat for the martial characters of the party it would be curve stomped by any of the spellcasters (around CR 18 or so) and when it would still be a threat towards spellcasters if was far to vulnreable towards the martial characters (CR 13 or so)
5 CR of no HP really hit the build I guess lol.

Here is it at CR 20; for any perspective DMs I would suggest using her in a Low Op campaign (T3/T4 average party Composition) with Player lvl at 18

Spoiler: Monster Manual Style Monster Block

Show

Maria of the Blood Revelry
Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid (Human)) [or Humanoid (Human) depending on how you read the Human Heritage Feat], Warlock 5, Lifedrinker 10
Hit Dice: 15d12+15, (125hp+90 Temp HP)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 50 ft. (perfect manuverability)
Armor Class 27+2 (+5 Dex, +12+2 Natural), Touch 15, Flat-Footed 22+2
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+XX
Attack: Claw +20[+25] melee (1d6+10[+15] plus 1 energy drain) or Eldritch Blast +15 ranged touch (3d6), or Unarmed Strike +20[+25] melee (1d4+10[+15] plus 2 Energy Drain plus Scorpion Grasp)
Full Attack: 2 Claws +20[+25] melee (1d6+10[+15] plus 1 energy drain)
Space/Reach: 5ft./5ft.
Special Attacks: Invocations, Blood Drain, Children of the Night, Create Spawn, Dominate, Energy Drain,
Special Qualities: Alternate Form, Damage Reduction 10/Silver and Magic, 10/+3, and 20/+2; Fast healing 8, Gaseous Form, Resistance cold 10[20] and electricity 10[20], Spider Climb, Turn Resistance +8+2, Telekinesis, Telepathy (100ft/1 mile), Control Weather
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +20, Will +21
Abilities: Str 30 [40], Dex 20, Con N/A, Int 16, Wis 17, Cha 20
Feats: Human Heritage^H, Alertness^V, Combat Reflexes^V, Improved Intiative^V, Lightning Reflexes^V, Iron Will^VL, Leadership^VL, Improved Unarmed Attack, Improved Grapple³, Scorpion Grasp⁶, Mindsight⁹, Improved Energy Drain¹², Spell Drain¹⁵
Skills: Bluff +26, Diplomacy +13, Hide +31, Intimidate +31, Jump +25[+30], Knowledge (Arcane) +6, Listen +29, Move Silently +31, Scry +7, Sense Motive +20, Spellcraft +6, Spot +29
Environment: Any (generally at Night, preferably a dark and stormy one)
Organization: Solitary or Followed (~5 Spawn'ed Vampires)
Challenge Rating 20
Treasure [whatever the DM wants really.. its the BBEG]
Alignment: Chaotic Evil [though probably fits better as Neutral Evil]
Advancement -
Active Buffs results are Blue

Class features
Eldritch Blast (Sp) at/will Ranged Touch Attack (60ft) 3d6 dmg
Invocation: Darkness (use to be spooky)
Invocation: Devil's Sight (use to not be spooked)
Invocation: Call of the Beast (Use to speak with NI Animal minions obtained via Children of the Night)
Detect Magic (Sp) at/will as the Spell
DR 1/Cold Iron (..HA...funny)
Lifewell: Can hold up to 30 pts at a time
[10]Invigorate, Greater: +10 STR, +10d6 Temp HP for 24hrs (do it at the beginning of the Day, already calculated above w/SAB (Empower & Maximize)
[4]Spell Boost (Empower) Empower Spell w/o increase slot lvl
[2X]Spell Boost (Heighten) Increase DC of Spell by X w/o increasing slot lvl
[6]Spell Boost (Maximize) Maximize Spell w/o increasing slot lvl
[8]Spell Boost (Quicken) Quicken Spell w/o increasing slot lvl
[4]Special Attack Boost (Empower) multiple variable numeric results of select SpAt by 1.5 (rnd down)
[2X]Special Attack Boost (Heighten) Increase DC of select SpAt by X (I presume, its exist on the table but not in the Text)
[6]Special Attack Boost (Maximize) Take max result of Die Results of select SpAt
[8]Boost Defense: +2 NA, +2 Turn Resistance, +10 Cold/Elec
[10]Lesser Planar Ally (AKA, Fast food summoning)
Resistance, DR 20/+2 for 24 hrs
Greater Blood Drain: Increase Blood Drain die from 1d4 to 1d6
Blood Revel: 1/day Vampire UberRage Use as a third act power up to make your player's feel the excitement
Combat Tactic generally follow this
Pre-combat: use Control Weather to make world gloomy and weather debilitating to projectiles
Combat: Attack nearest/most visibly physically weakest creature with unarmed attack, if successful initiate grapple and fly up (half speed), then Drain Blood and fly up each round after. If dealt more than 30 hp of dmg from a single non-grappled source, drop grappled target and charge source.
If/when Dropped to/below 60% normal health (75hp for average hp roll), Activate Blood Revel.

Mechanical Notes: Even if she is undead, because she has Human Heratige she is "treated as a humanoid with the human subtype for the purpose of adjudicating all effects" So she is Immune to undead targeting effects (notably Turn/Destroy Undead and undead specific feats)

Thematic Notes: Maria was born in dark ritual to the Church of Blood's Revelry, an extremist organization within the Blood of Vol that sought to 'perfect' the divinity in the mortal blood. Though Maria was fed and raised as an idol and a sign of their faith. The tax of having such an abomination taxed the Church. The more Maria fed, the More Inescapably powerful her craving for the life force of the sacrifices became, the more sacrifices they had to give her. Over the years the Undead that never died eventually turned to the Church's clergy itself.

How to Play Maria: Maria is not a creature of Morals. It was born with the ability to care or empathize. It grew to learn these skills (seen in her bluff, diplomacy, and sense motive skills) out of nessity to further it goals. Or... Goal for such a creature only has one goal, to consume. It has adopted the dogma of the Blood of Vol in a twisted way. It believes that it in itself is the perfect life form, a divinity born consume that which is divine in others [Exemplified via the Spell Drain feat]. Be sure to describe that it does revel in the consumption of life. It optimizes the idea of "playing with your food" because to her, that's all living things are, food. Although I understand leadership is banned for the purpose of villainous competitions (why is befuddling a bit, not mechanically (its OP, I know) but thematically it doesn't make much sense to me, BBEG generally have minions in most stories), It really makes sense for Maria to have minions around. When she is low on life she is more than willing to consume a follower, healing her and fueling her powers (assuming its some kind of Blood of Vol Cleric). Follows also serve to fuel her narcisim and god/superiority -complex, key aspects of her extremist Blood of Vol ideologies.


Books used
Book of Vile Darkness [LifeDrinker prestige Class]
Libris Mortis [lots of Feat + Savage Vampire]
Complete Arcane [Warlock + Devil sight/Darkness]
Lords of Madness [Mindsight feat]
Complete Mage [Call of the Beast invocation]
Races of Destiny [Human Heritage feat]

Funny note: "Half-Human race or Human-Descended Race" works because, big surprise, Humans are generally a race that is descended from Humans...

[H_H_F_F]

I'm sorry your entry didn't work out, D&DPrinceTandem. Better luck next time.

For the future, I think it's worth noting that it's fine to feature weaker villains - those don't do great in the power category, but from then on it is assumed that they're simply villains for less optimized parties. However, if that killed your excitement about her, I completely get that. I've often found myself not submitting entries that would've probably done just fine, if an aspect of them made me dislike them.

Hope to see you in future rounds! New judges and participants are always welcome. Also, as for the surprise effect after the reveal: that would've been fun, but to me, no one will ever beat Nines from the Nemesis round.

[Thurbane]

Yeah, it all depends on the judges rubric. I've had entries heavily pinged for being too weak. I've also had very strong entries pinged for being too cheesy.

It's a real roll of the dice, what any individual judge is looking for.

[GreatWyrmGold]

Funny note: "Half-Human race or Human-Descended Race" works because, big surprise, Humans are generally a race that is descended from Humans...

That cheese is beautiful.

[D&DPrinceTandem]

Funny note: "Half-Human race or Human-Descended Race" works because, big surprise, Humans are generally a race that is descended from Humans...

That cheese is beautiful.

Yea, I'm pretty proud of it myself lol. feel like sigging this tbf


Addressing others; I will have to keep note that being weak is probably fine for the future than lol

[loky1109]

That cheese is beautiful.

Is it cheese?

[H_H_F_F]

Yeah, it all depends on the judges rubric. I've had entries heavily pinged for being too weak. I've also had very strong entries pinged for being too cheesy.

It's a real roll of the dice, what any individual judge is looking for.

Judges, of course, have a lot of autonomy. But if you read the judging guidelines in the OP, you'll note that they include this:

Spoiler: More Power To You

Show

An important note on power, cheese, and CR appropriateness:
Being "too strong for your CR" is not by itself something a judge should penalize here. Using poorly supported cheese or cheese that isn't doing anything interesting in the build can and should get an elegance penalty. Using well-known or otherwise obvious and boring tricks can and should be penalized in originality – but power level by itself is not to be addressed anywhere other than the power category. Same goes for being too weak – that should not affect memorable villainy or anything outside of power by itself. If it helps, you can imagine low-powered villains used against low-op groups, high-powered villains against high-op groups, and TO nonsense villains pitted against TO nonsense PCs.

[loky1109]

Judges, of course, have a lot of autonomy. But if you read the judging guidelines in the OP, you'll note that they include this:

Did you write this guideline after my Wasps in preprevious round?

[H_H_F_F]

Did you write this guideline after my Wasps in preprevious round?

No comment

The ambiguity on whether a contestant is supposed to aim for "CR appropriate" power or "as much" power has bothered me since I first participated in this competition. When I got word from Jdizlean that he's not coming back, it's one of the first things I wanted to make a clear ruling on.

I never want to step on judge autonomy, but I feel that there are some issues that just have to be standardized.

But again, I'm opened to being challenged on any ruling I've made. Anyone is welcomed to read through the OP and clarifications, and let me know if they have any qualms.

[AvatarVecna]

I feel like any "you should be aiming to be CR appropriate" is a can of worms nobody actually wants to open up and dig into.

First off: the closest thing we have to a definition of CR is how much challenge it gives X characters of level Y - a definition which, itself, does not deal with how tiers or 15 minute adventuring days can drastically affect how challenging a fight is considered to be. And this isn't helped by how the default for what a CR X creature looks like, or what a lvl Y character looks like, is defined by WotC - and WotC's definition of these things is hilariously unoptimized. Did you pick feats for your monster that aren't core? You're already straying outside the boundaries of what CR X should look like. That's how low the bar is. It's a very silly standard to set.

Second off: this is a contest for designing monsters, whose power relative to the party is actually kind of unimportant. If three players show up with monks and one shows up with a Zeroficer, that's a problem for inter-party balance because it's easy for an artificer trying that hard to accidentally invalidate the monks. But if the party shows up with four monks, and the DM wants an artificer BBEG, the DM can just scale down the BBEG to be more manageable. if the party shows up with four Zeroficers, and the DM wants a monk BBEG, just give them a hundred levels. You're the referee, there's nobody who can call you out for "cheating". What matters is the experience delivered. If the players felt sufficiently, but not excessively, challenged by the BBEG fight, and everybody had fun, then who cares if the BBEG was technically like 80 CR over what the books say this party "should" be facing? The DM is under no obligation to follow the rules, if they wanna write an extra zero next to literally every stat on the monster's sheet, that's their prerogative.

This is why I think having an Adaption section is more valuable for this contest than for Iron Chef, and why builds that inherently have the ability to play up or down get more credit from me.

[H_H_F_F]

I feel like any "you should be aiming to be CR appropriate" is a can of worms nobody actually wants to open up and dig into.

First off: the closest thing we have to a definition of CR is how much challenge it gives X characters of level Y - a definition which, itself, does not deal with how tiers or 15 minute adventuring days can drastically affect how challenging a fight is considered to be. And this isn't helped by how the default for what a CR X creature looks like, or what a lvl Y character looks like, is defined by WotC - and WotC's definition of these things is hilariously unoptimized. Did you pick feats for your monster that aren't core? You're already straying outside the boundaries of what CR X should look like. That's how low the bar is. It's a very silly standard to set.

Second off: this is a contest for designing monsters, whose power relative to the party is actually kind of unimportant. If three players show up with monks and one shows up with a Zeroficer, that's a problem for inter-party balance because it's easy for an artificer trying that hard to accidentally invalidate the monks. But if the party shows up with four monks, and the DM wants an artificer BBEG, the DM can just scale down the BBEG to be more manageable. if the party shows up with four Zeroficers, and the DM wants a monk BBEG, just give them a hundred levels. You're the referee, there's nobody who can call you out for "cheating". What matters is the experience delivered. If the players felt sufficiently, but not excessively, challenged by the BBEG fight, and everybody had fun, then who cares if the BBEG was technically like 80 CR over what the books say this party "should" be facing? The DM is under no obligation to follow the rules, if they wanna write an extra zero next to literally every stat on the monster's sheet, that's their prerogative.

This is why I think having an Adaption section is more valuable for this contest than for Iron Chef, and why builds that inherently have the ability to play up or down get more credit from me.

Thanks, AvatarVecna! I tend to agree that going for "CR appropriate" is problematic, which is why I decided against it with the guideline.

I do think this is meant to be, at least partially, an optimization competition - and by the very virtue of having a CR limit and a Power category, it means that "being strong for your CR" is something the competition encourages. And that's a good thing, and shouldn't by itself be punished. The power to CR relationship should be addressed in the power category, and that alone.

I therefore think that rewarding entries with adaptation notes with an increase in their Elegance score is certainly acceptable - but punishing powerful villains in elegance as if being powerful is by itself problematic, when one of the judging categories explicitly asks you to be powerful, is not good. I think the same about punishing weaker entries in Memorable Villainy - if a villain's lack of power was already addressed in it's own category, it shouldn't affect another.

All of this to say, that I think with the current guidelines judges still have leeway to reward entries with a flexible power level, but not to punish entries simply for not having average power.

[Inevitability]

Are you still looking for a judge? If so, I'll try to find time next week.

[H_H_F_F]

Are you still looking for a judge? If so, I'll try to find time next week.

Great! Thank you.

[H_H_F_F]

Any news from our other judges?

[Beni-Kujaku]

Any news from our other judges?

Currently writing Galitsur's judgement