Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXVI

[The Viscount]

Weapon properties and weapon properties and weapon properties

Middle Aged LG Kalashtar Psion 3/Monk 2/Soulknife 2/Soulbow 1/Balisteer 4/Soulbow +1/Balisteer +6/ Soulbow +1

Spoiler: Point Buy

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Str 7 Dex 13 Con 12 Int 14 Wis 18(+1 every four levels) Cha 12

Spoiler: Backstory+Spotlights

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Elithkhad grew up in a monastery in Adar, raised by Psion parents. They taught him to manifest at a very young age, and his psicrystal Otari was a friend to him from his teenage years. As he reached adulthood, however, Elithkhad grew restless. Urged on by his spirit and by Otari, he joined a monastery high in the mountains where monks trained to blend the power of their mind and body.

Spoiler: Levels 1-5

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Elithkhad begins his career as a traditional telepath, albeit one with a lower than normal intelligence. In combat, he manifests charms. Outside of combat, he’s a solid face and his Psicrystal plus Sense Link makes him a decent scout. Once Elithkhad gets a level in monk, his AC rockets up. With his great wisdom, Force Screen, Inertial Armor, and Dodge, his AC is significantly over 20 and he can fight in melee using Stunning Fists and Psychic Scimitar. His damage is fairly low, but over time he will wear down opponents. Otari is a Hero/Resolved Psicrystal, which helps his already fairly high saves.

Elithkhad trained for almost twenty years at the monastery, practicing with both his fists and his powers. One day, a troop of Soulbows traveled through the monastery, heading towards the border to fight Riedra. Elithkhad was curious, and Otari urged him to follow them. He did, but the Soulbows sent him back to the monastery as soon as they noticed him following them. Before he was brought back, however, he saw a book filled with the techniques used to manifest a Soulbow. He didn’t get a chance to read it, but he memorized the pages using the techniques he learned at the monastery. Over the next few years, Elithkhad learned to manifest first a permanent mind blade, and then the arrows that were a Soulbow’s calling card. On his own, he began to develop new techniques unknown to other Soulbows.

Spoiler: Levels 6-10

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At these levels Elithkhad learns to wield a Mind Blade and then soul arrows. The blade gives him another melee option, but his main weapon is mind arrows. He’ll generally open a fight with a volley bolstered with Psionic Shot. The damage isn’t great, but at tenth level he can boost his accuracy with Invisible Shot. Before combat he uses Chameleon to help his Psicrystal scout more effectively. Throw Anything lets him start with a greatsword or other large weapon and throw it for a slight damage boost. Psionic Sidestep isn’t terribly useful yet, but it’s going to be more helpful later.

Once Elithkhad had mastered the basics of his unique style, he left the monastery to fight the Inspired on Khorvaire with just Otari by his side. The two of them learned to fight in sync while mastering more of the techniques of a Soulbow. Elithkhad soon discovered more techniques unknown to Soulbows, making his arrows ethereal and imbuing them with mental force. He soon became a known enemy of the Inspired, who sent assassin after assassin to try to kill him. He began to hone his defense as well as offense and was able to avoid each and every attempt.

Spoiler: Levels 11-15

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The pieces of Elithkar’s build are starting to fall into place. His offense is still fairly limited, but Energy Shot lets him make up some ground. Defensively, though, Elithkar shines. With Dancing Shadows, Combat Expertise and several defensive powers, his AC most rounds is over 30 and his attacks are barely affected. His mind arrow enhancement is generally Lucky, which allows him to reroll each attack, greatly increasing his hitting odds. He can also deal with ethereal foes well, due to his class abilities.

Elithkhad eventually decided to go on the offensive against the assassins and their leaders. Otari stealthily followed the enemies back to their homes, while Elithkhad followed her, firing arrows that cut through human Inspired and Quori spirit alike. Soon he mastered the ability to fire ethereal shots, allowing his arrows to skip through the Astral Plane and emerge under the armor of his targets. As time went on, the Inspired came to call him the Dancing Shadow, and his name was feared throughout Riedra. His most feared exploit was the killing of an Inspired general staying in a palace in Riedra from an inn four blocks away. No one at the inn saw him do more than glance towards the palace, but the pattern of wounds in the general’s body matched his techniques exactly.

Spoiler: Levels 16-20

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Elithkhad picks up three cool tricks here. The first is the combination of Improved Psionic Sidestep and Elusive Target. When Elithkhad fires an arrow in melee, he can move up to ten feet, hopefully into a flanking position. This activates the Diverting Defense ability of Elusive Target, hopefully causing one of his foes to hit the other. The other two combinations both rely on Phased Shot. The first is used when Otari is ahead, scouting. With Sense Link, Elithkhad can see what she sees, thus aiming his Phased Shots at foes potentially hundreds of feet away. With Swift Concentration, he can take a full attack while Concentrating. The third trick relies on the fact that Phase Shot denies the target dex and dodge bonuses if the balisteer fires from “a concealed position”. With Concealing Amorpha, any position Elithkhad fires from is concealed, giving him a massive boost to his accuracy. Defensively, Elithkhad is as solid as ever. His AC with Intertial Armor, Force Screen, Defensive Precognition, his Wisdom, Combat Expertise and his tumble enhanced defensive fighting is well over 40, and with the addition of a few magic items, it could easily reach 50.

Spoiler: Build Table

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Level

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Telepath 1	0	0	0	2	Diplomacy 4, Gather Information 4, Concentration 4, Bluff 4	Dodge. Psicrystal Affinity (B)	Discipline (Telepath)
2nd	Telepath 2	1	0	0	3	Diplomacy +1 (5), Gather Information +1 (5), Concentration +1 (5), Bluff +1 (5)	-	-
3rd	Kalashtar Telepath 3	1	1	1	3	Diplomacy +1 (6), Gather Information +1 (6), Concentration +1 (6), Bluff +1 (6)	Mobility	Compound Psicrystal, Mindlink +1 Day
4th	Kalashtar Monk 1	2	3	3	5	Tumble +6 (6)	Point Blank Shot, Improved Unarmed Strike (B), Stunning Fist (B)	Unarmed Strike, Psychic Insight
5th	Kalashtar Monk 2	3	4	4	6	Autohypnosis +1 (1), Perform Dance +5 (5)	Psionic Shot (B)	Evasion
6th	Soulknife 1	1	4	6	8	Autohypnosis +5 (6), Concentration +1 (7)	Weapon Focus Mindblade (B)	Mind Blade, Align Mind Blade
7th	Soulknife 2	2	4	7	9	Autohypnosis +3 (9), Concentration +1 (8) Hide +1 (1), Move Silently +1 (1)	-	Throw Mind Blade
8th	Soulbow 1	3	4	9	11	Concentration +3 (11), Hide +1 (2), Move Silently +1 (2), Autohypnosis +1 (10)	Zen Archery (B*)	Mind Arrows
9th	Balisteer 1	3	4	11	11	Concentration +1 (12), Autohypnosis +1 (11), Swift Concentration	Path of Shadows, Psionic Sidestep (B), Throw Anything (B)	-
10th	Balisteer 2	4	4	12	11	Concentration +1 (13), Autohypnosis +1 (12), Spot +2 (2)	-	Invisible Shot
11th	Balisteer 3	5	5	12	12	Concentration +1 (14), Autohypnosis +1 (13), Spot +2 (4)	-	Ethereal Shot
12th	Balisteer 4	6	5	12	12	Concentration +1 (15), Autohypnosis +1 (14), Spot +2 (6)	Dancing with Shadows	Energy Shot
13th	Soulbow 2	7	5	13	13	Concentration +1 (16), Autohypnosis +1 (15), Hide +2 (4), Move Silently +2 (4)	-	Mind Arrow Enhancement +1
14th	Balisteer 5	7	5	13	13	Concentration +1 (17), Autohypnosis +1 (16), Spot +2 (8)	-	Incorporeal Shot
15th	Balisteer 6	8	6	14	14	Concentration +1 (18), Autohypnosis +1 (17), Spot +2 (10)	Combat Expertise, Pinpoint Shot (B)	-
16th	Balisteer 7	9	6	14	14	Concentration +1 (19), Autohypnosis +1 (18), Spot +2 (12)	-	Explosive Shot
17th	Balisteer 8	10	6	14	14	Concentration +1 (20), Autohypnosis +1 (19), Clarity of Vision	Improved Psionic Sidestep (B)	-
18th	Balisteer 9	10	7	15	15	Concentration +1 (21), Autohypnosis +1 (20), Spot +2 (14)	Elusive Target	Phased Shot
19th	Balisteer 10	11	7	15	15	Concentration +1 (22), Autohypnosis +1 (21), Spot +2 (16)	-	Infused Shot
20th	Soulbow 3	12	8	15	15	Concentration +1 (23), Autohypnosis +1 (22), Hide +2 (6), Move Silently +2 (6)	Precise Shot (B)	Mind Arrow +1

Spoiler: PP per Day and Powers Known

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Level	PP per Day (Psion/ Psywar)	Powers Learned
1st	4/0	Inertial Armor, Psionic Charm, Sense Link
2nd	10/0	Force Screen, Offensive Prescience
3rd	17/0	Psychic Scimitar
4th	18/0
5th	19/0
6th	20/0
7th	21/0
8th	22/0
9th	22/3
10th	22/8	Chameleon*
11th	22/13	Extend Range
12th	22/19
13th	22/20
14th	22/25	Defensive Precognition
15th	22/33	Moment of Insight
16th	22/41
17th	22/49	Concealing Amorpha
18th	22/57	Hustle
19th	22/65
20th	22/66

*Powers learned before tenth are psion powers. Powers learned later are psychic warrior powers

Spoiler: Source List

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Monk, Dodge, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Combat Expertise, Stunning Fist, Precise Shot and skills other than Autohypnosis from PHB.
Soulknife, Psion, Psionic Shot, and Autohypnosis are from the EPH, as well as powers not credited to a different source.
Soulbow, Extend Range, and Moment of Insight are from Complete Psionic.
Elusive Target and Zen Archery are from Complete Warrior
Psychic Scimitar is from Sandstorm
Kalashtar is from Eberron Campaign Setting
Kalashtar substitution levels, Dancing with Shadows, and Path of Shadows are from Races of Eberron.
Balisteer and related material is from the Mind’s Eye articles

[The Viscount]

It does in fact have to be like this.

Son’Har, the killer whale
ECHOOO, EChoo, echo

CN Anthropomorphic Whale3/Psywar4BloodstormBlade4/Ballisteer 9

Spoiler: Overview

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Feat Summary
Alignment : CN
Race : Anthropomorphic Whale
Level 1 : Martial Study (Steely Wind)
Level 3 : Point Blank Shot
Level 4 : Dodge (Psywar)
Level 5 : Martial Stance (Punishing Stance) (Psywar)
Level 6 : Power Attack, Throw Anything (Bloodstorm)
Level 8 : Mobility (Bloodstorm)
Level 9 : Psionic Shot
Level 12 : Martial Study (Shadow Stride), Psionic Sidestep (Ballisteer Bonus), Throw Anything (Ballisteer Bonus)
Level 15 : Martial Stance (Shadow Hand)
Level 17 : Pinpoint Shot (Ballisteer)
Level 18 : Far Shot
Level 19 : Improved Psionic Sidestep (Ballisteer)

Point Buy
Point Buy at level 1
STR 18 +8
DEX 10 +4
CON 16 +4
INT 10
WIS 10 +4
CHA 8

All level increases in Str

Spoiler: The Story

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In a sea water-filled classroom, a bunch of humanoid whale-looking youngsters are singing to one another resulting in a very loud mess.

“Quiet down children quiet down” asked the teacher

As per usual, the latter had to repeat the order ever so louder until his “voice” overwhelmed the rest and only then would his pupils let him speak.

“There we go, he exhaled, at last we can hear ourselves speak.” He took a moment to appreciate this rare relief before continuing. “Do any of you know, how is it that us, whale tribesmen, can see with our voices ?

The question hit a nerve, like it did every year he asked it ; they had no clue ! Seeing was the same as holding one’s breath or swimming, it was so obvious that it begged no further questioning.

“Well let me tell you about the almighty powers of soundwaves, he begun, you emit them everytime you sing, as naturally as you swim and they travel to the astonishing speed of 1500m.s-1 and come back to you with equal velocity should they encounter some obstacle along the way, giving your brain a code he will interpret to give you a full three dimensional modelization of your environment !”

The students were quiet, letting the meaning of how their teacher sink in.

Son’Har chuckled as she remembered this particular class and how much it changed her life. As this thought emerged, she immediately cast it aside and grabbed the massive sword coming right at her, with bits and pieces of something that appeared to be within "her environment".

Spoiler: Build

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Anthropomorphic Whale 1	1	0	2	2	Balance (+4) 4; Tumble (+4 CC) 2;	Martial Study (Steely Strike)	Blindsight 60ft, Hold Breath
2nd	Anthropomorphic Whale 2	2	0	3	3	Balance (+1) 5; Tumble (+1 CC) 2.5;		-
3rd	Anthropomorphic Whale 3	3	1	3	3	Balance (+1) 6; Tumble (+1 CC) 3;	Point Blank Shot	-
4th	Psychic Warrior 1	3	3	3	3	Balance (+1) 7; Concentration (+1) 1; Tumble 3;	Dodge (Psywar Bonus)	Bonus Feat
5th	Psychic Warrior 2	4	4	3	3	Balance (+1) 8; Concentration (+1) 2; Tumble 3;	Martial Stance (Punishing Stance) (Psywar Bonus)	Bonus Feat
6th	Bloodstorm Blade 1	5	6	3	3	Balance 8; Concentration (+1) 3; Tumble (+3) 6;	Power Attack, Throw Anything (Bloodstorm Blade Bonus)	Returning Attacks, Throw Anything, Weapon Aptitude
7th	Bloodstorm Blade 2	6	7	3	3	Balance 8; Concentration (+3) 6; Tumble (+1) 7;		Martial Throw, Thunderous Throw
8th	Bloodstorm Blade 3	7	7	4	4	Balance 8; Concentration (+3) 9; Tumble (+1) 8;	Mobility (Bloodstorm Blade Bonus)	Bonus Fighter Feat
9th	Bloodstorm Blade 4	8	8	4	4	Balance 8; Concentration (+3) 12; Tumble (+1) 9;	Psionic Shot	Lightening Ricochet
10th	Psychic Warrior 3	9	8	5	5	Balance (+1) 9; Concentration (+1) 13; Tumble 9;		-
11th	Psychic Warrior 4	10	9	5	5	Balance (+1) 10; Concentration (+1) 14; Tumble 9;		-
12th	Balisteer 1	10	9	7	5	Balance 10; Concentration 14; Tumble (+2) 11;	Martial Study (Shadow Stride), Psionic Sidestep (Ballisteer Bonus), Throw Anything (Ballisteer Bonus)	Psionic Sidestep, Throw Anything
13th	Balisteer 2	11	9	8	5	Balance 10; Concentration 14; Tumble (+2) 13;		Invisible Shot
14th	Balisteer 3	12	10	8	6	Balance 10; Concentration 14; Tumble (+2) 15;		Ethereal Shot
15th	Balisteer 4	13	10	9	6	Balance 10; Concentration 14; Tumble (+2) 17;	Martial Stance (Assassin's Stance)	Energy Shot
16th	Balisteer 5	13	10	9	6	Balance 10; Concentration 14; Tumble (+2) 19;		Incorporeal Shot
17th	Balisteer 6	14	11	10	7	Balance (+1) 11; Concentration 14; Tumble (+1) 20;	Pinpoint Shot (Ballisteer Bonus)	Pinpoint Shot
18th	Balisteer 7	15	11	10	7	Balance (+1) 12; Concentration 14; Tumble (+1) 21;	Far Shot	Explosive Shot
19th	Balisteer 8	16	11	11	7	Balance (+1) 13; Concentration 14; Tumble (+1) 22;	Improved Psionic Sidestep (Ballisteer Bonus)	Improved Psionic Sidestep
20th	Balisteer 9	16	12	11	8	Balance (+1) 14; Concentration 14; Tumble (+1) 23;		Phased Shot

Spoiler: Power Progression

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Level	Class	ML	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total PP
1st
2nd
3rd
4th	Psywar 1	1	Expansion				1
5th	Psywar 2	2	Extend Range				3
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th	Psywar 3	3	Call Weaponry				17
11th	Psywar 4	4		Targeted Mind			24
12th		5					31
13th	Psywar 5	6		Hustle			29
14th	Psywar 6	7		Strength of my Enemy			34
15th		8					43
16th	Psywar 7	9			Psionic Weapon		52
17th	Psywar 8	10			Keen Edge, Psionic		61
18th		11					70
19th	Psywar 9	12			Mental Barrier		79
20th	Psywar 10	13				Dimension Door, Psionic	92

Spoiler: Maneuvers

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Steely Wind (ECL 1) and Punishing Stance (ECL 5), Shadow Stride (ECL 12) Assassin’s Stance (ECL 15)

Spoiler: Level Breakdown

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Spoiler: Level 1 – 5

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Son’Har starts with pretty good advantages ; she is Large, has 26 Str, 20 Con, Blindsight 60ft, 40ft swim speed (can hold her breath for 4 minutes too!) and +9 NA at first level.
Even though her tail slaps for 1d4 damage, the +12 that follows one-shots pretty much any level-appropriate encounter.
Martial Study grants her an Iron Heart Maneuver maneuver and Balance as a permanent class skill much needed for later and since she is quite the agile whale, she also picks cross-class ranks in tumble (Have you ever seen a whale doing funambulism ?)
Psywar comes into play with Expansion 1/d (to Huge ty very much) but mostly for the martial proficiencies allowing Son’Har to play with a size-appropriate Greatsword. That’s a sight to behold.

Spoiler: Level 5 – 10

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Entering Bloodstorm Blade.
Son’Har is going to spend 4 levels here for several reasons :
1. Being able to Throw Anything (read : a large Greatsword) and have it come back to her is a pretty good deal, especially with Power Attack since you can treat your ranged attack as though they were melee ones (for a swift action). With Bloodstorm 4, she even gets to throw her greatsword multiple times since it bounces back immediately to her with 1-½ times her Str bonus on every hit to boot.
2. It has Tumble as a class skill, twice the skill points per level and a Bonus Fighter Feat
The second power she learned is Extend Range letting her throw her greatsword up to a 100ft away for a -8 to hit. Being able to hit someone reliably 40 ft away and, in the same full attack, an adjacent enemy is pretty strong. If she expends her psionic focus to trigger Psionic Shot we’re looking at 3d6 (large greatsword)+2d6(Psionic Shot) +1d6(Punishing Stance)+13 (1-½ Str) damage before Power Attack, not too shabby.
Now Son’Har only needs to be able to manifest 2nd level powers to enter the SI.

Spoiler: Level 10 – 15

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After her 2 more levels in Psywar, Son’Har enters Ballisteer.
Psionic Sidestep is a bit underwhelming because you can’t 5-foot step in a round you had ANY movement at all meaning you could very well just 5-foot step to have the same benefits… The very niche uses I found are :
- When you can’t indeed 5-foot step then Psionic Sidestep becomes useful : difficult terrain or darkness are instances where it comes in handy and should Son’Har ever be in those kinds of situation, she can either manifest a power non-defensively to provoke or simply throw her weapon (as she likes to do) because ranged attacks made while threatened provoke too. The strategy will be worth it even more when Improved Psionic Sidestep kicks in.
- When you need an extra 5ft of movement you can avoid using you Tumble skill to avoid taking AoOs and enjoy the bonus from Psionic Sidestep

Shadow Stride (like Steely Strike) is once per encounter but outside of that, the ability to teleport 50ft at wil, as an (Ex) ability is pretty darn useful.
Invisible Shot is hilarious (at least to me). Imagining an anthropomorphic whale throwing a large greatsword that turns invisible until it hits its intended target… is the reason these competitions exist in the first place.
I’m pretty sure “denies the target the ability to deflect the attack through normal means” means "denied its Dexterity bonus” which will trigger Assassin’s Stance if within 30ft (which incidentally is in Point Blank Shot range as well) for an extra 2d6+1 damage. And since it’s “per shot” as long as Son’Har has enough PP, she can use it on every throw of her greatsword.
Same goes for Energy Shot, available on every iterative attack, for up to 4d4 for now.

Spoiler: Level 15 – 20

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Improved Psionic Step makes the previous strategy even more effective. When Son’Har throws her sword, she can make a 10ft move to reposition and still full-attack melee or range. If Son’Har miscalculated, she still has a panic button : Mental Barrier. +4 deflection bonus as an immediate action stacking with the psionic sidestep bonuses as well as the Dodge and Mobility ones for a total of +13 to AC means she’s probably ok (let us not forget her +9 NA either).
Explosive Shot has been ruled to only work on the damage from Energy Shot which is a pity but at least your thrown sword has splash damage now and she hits BAB 16 which means 4 attacks !
This is where things get extra fun. As Son’Har’s first 2nd level power she picked Targeted Mind which enables her to do the following, pretty funny tactic.
1. Use her Blindsight to negates displacement and blur effects while selecting her target whom will then be ingrained so deeply in her mind, she will know where she is within the 500+ft radius of her even though line of sight is broken
2. She Shadow Strides/Dimension Doors (augmented as a move action) away to cover. The latter option can make her end up inside a building of sorts.
3. She manifests Extend Range as a swift action and ends her turn, leaving the enemy wondering what’s happening
4. Next turn she rains Hell upon her target, from behind closed wall/doors/whatever with Phase Shots. Since the target has no Dex nor Armor boni, she pour her (big) heart’s content into Power Attacking the target until it’s dead.
Between Throw Anything, Far Shot and augmented Extend Range, she can throw up to 80ft per range increment and Targeted Mind lasts for 13 rounds and, as the Fuggees would say, here I come, you can’t hide.

Spoiler: Power Selection

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Expansion (EPH) : Son’Har can get back to whale-size (Gargantuan) for 7PP. Sadly her greatsword only stays gargantuan if she holds it.
Extend Range (CPsi) : Throw Anything gives Son’Har a 10ft range. Fat shot makes it 20ft and with this power and for 9 PP it becomes 80ft range increment ; that’s a light crossbow range ! (up to 400ft).
Call Weaponry (EPH) : Fail safe in case you threw your weapon and the enemy had readied an action to prevent it from coming back to you. Or even worse, catch it.

Targeted Mind (Web) : This makes Phase Shot great as described in the snapshot 15-20
Hustle : It can be Pounce but more generally is gold when it comes to tactical positioning.
Strength of my Enemy : You rain down attacks and are Str SAD. Need more convincing ?

Psionic Weapon (Web) : Mindfeeder (see Notes & Discussions) feeds the voracious PP consumption of Ballisteer. Lucky is a staple, especially to avoid rolling a 1 or 2 on Phase Shot, and Collision is yet another good choice. Note that you get melee weapon enhancement with this build when others have only access to ranged ones.
Keen Edge, Psionic (EPH) : Makes your greatsword 17-20 or your Falchion 15-20. Adding Mindfeeder via Psionic Weapon power is really good (see above)
Mental Barrier (EPH) : immediate action +4 deflection to AC is a good panic button to have.

Dimension Door, Psionic (EPH) : If you cast Hustle as a swift and then augment Dimension Door, you can teleport as a swift action.

Spoiler: Notes & Discussions

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- Psionic Weapon weapon abilities choice. The power itself references an outdated source (PsH) so Viscount told me to update it to EPH and I agreed. Keep in mind the Magic Item Compendium self promotes itself as the primary source on item and enhancements but it's among the many things debated in these forums.

- We don’t need more than 14 Concentration since Psionic Focus is DC20 and we can only manifest powers up to 4th level. We got 1d20 (min 1), 5 Con and 14 ranks. Otoh, Tumbling can be very useful (oh and more than 5 ranks in balance means we’re in the very closed circle of “not being flat-footed in Grease spells”, horrayyy)

Spoiler: Sources

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SRD - Feats
Expanded Psionic Handbook - Psychic Warrior, Psionic Shot,
Web - Psionic Sidestep, Improved Psionic Sidestep, Pinpoint Shot, Powers, Ballisteer
Psionic Handbook - Weapon abilities mentioned in the Psionic Weapon Power
Savage Species - Anthropomorphic Whale
Tome of Battle - Maneuvers, Bloodstorm Blade

[The Viscount]

Everyone loves a good revenge story

"Gosh, that spear's big. Like a weaver's rod."

"Well, it's a big… person? Seems fitting."

"Do you think he's dead?"

Goliath groaned, and heard two gasps.

"Well, not quite, apparently. I'm going to go get help."

Goliath opened his eyes. He was laying on the hard ground, staring up at a sky of unfamiliar starts. All around him was dark ash, as far as the eye could see. A figure was rushing towards the horizon, while another man was standing over him. There was something wrong with him.

He had horns.

Goliath sat up with a jump, his head spinning. "Hades! I'm in Hades." Memories exploded into his head in a flash, and he roared with anger. "The son of Yishai! He tricked me. A sling. Deception!" His hand reached up to his throat. "He cut off my head…"

The man put a small hand on his shoulder. "Relax, buddy. You're alive. You're not in Hades, you're still in the prime material plane. Black Ash Plain, to be exact. Breathe. Who are you?"

The strangers words made no sense. Goliath clasped onto the one part that did. "I am Goliath, son of Rapha, of Gath." He blinked. "He killed me."

"Brother, I've seen goliaths. You're not a goliath. You're bigger, for a start."

Goliath stared at the insane being. "What in the name of the great and powerful Dagon do you mean, a Goliath? I am Goli- wait, what do you mean by "a"? What do I mean by- gods, what language am I speaking? I need to lay down."

The horned figure paled as Goliath thumped back on the ground, a cloud of ash rising around him. "Woah, brother. I know what my ancestry is, but we're not into the whole demon worship thing around here, so keep that **** in your head."

Goliath couldn't even attempt to wrap his head around those statements. "I'm dead," he decided. It didn't make sense, really, but nothing else did either. The stars weren't right, the air wasn't right, the language wasn't right. Goli, I have a feeling we're not in Pleshet anymore. "The son of Yishai killed me. Shot a sling stone right under my helmet and cut off my head."

"Oof. Sounds painful. I empathize. Well, someone must've brought you back, huh? Lucky you. I wonder why they didn't stick around."

Goliath stared. "Surely, such things aren't possible."

"What, resurrections? Happens all the time. You've got a second chance at life, buddy. You should figure out what you want to do with it. Hopefully less demon-worship involved."

A group of people was approaching them now, from where the other figure first went. Some of them were tiny, others as big as Goliath was. He looked around, trying to adjust to this mad new reality. A second chance. Despite everything, despite nothing making sense, he had a second chance. How would he use it? What would be his fate? His destiny?

Goliath was a true warrior. There was only one answer. His fist clenched. "I'm going to get the little goat-****er back."

Goliath of Gath

TN Anthropomorphic Baleen Whale Rogue 1/ Psychic Warrior 1/ Ardent 4/ Ballisteer 6/ Legacy Champion 5.

Spoiler: Tables

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Abilities	Point buy	Anthrowhale
STR	16	24
DEX	9	13
CON	14	18
INT	10	10
WIS	17	21
CHA	8	8

All HD advancements go to Wis.

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Monstrous Humanoid 1	1	0	2	2	Psicraft 2, Spot 4	Point Blank Shot	Large size, +9 Natural Armor
2nd	Monstrous Humanoid 2	2	0	3	3	Psicraft 2.5, Spot 5	-	Tail slap (1d4 + 1.5 Str)
3rd	Monstrous Humanoid 3	3	1	3	3	Psicraft 3, Spot 6	Dodge	Hold Breath (144 rounds), low light vision, Darkvision (60), blindsight (120)
4th	Psychic Warrior 1	3	3	3	3	Concentration 2, Psicraft 3, Spot 6	Psionic Shot [B]	-
5th	Poison Use Wilderness Martial Rogue 1	3	3	5	3	Concentration 2, Psicraft 3, Spot 6, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Mobility [B]	Poison Use
6th	Ardent 1	3	3	5	5	Concentration 2, Knowledge (History) 1, Psicraft 4, Spot 6, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Practiced Manifester (Ardent)	Primary mantles: Deception, Fate
7th	Ballisteer 1	3	3	7	5	Concentration 2, Knowledge (History) 1, Psicraft 4, Spot 8, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Psionic Sidestep [B], Throw Anything [B]	-
8th	Ballisteer 2	4	3	8	5	Concentration 2, Knowledge (History) 2, Psicraft 4, Spot 8, Survival 2, Tumble 6	-	Invisible Shot
9th	Ballisteer 3	5	4	8	6	Concentration 2, Knowledge (History) 3, Psicraft 4, Spot 8, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Zen Archery	Ethereal Shot
10th	Ardent 2	6	4	8	7	Concentration 2, Knowledge (History) 5, Psicraft 4, Spot 8, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Least Legacy (Sling of the Dire Wind) [B]	Secondary Mantle: The Planes
11th	Legacy Champion 1	6	4	8	9	Concentration 2, Knowledge (History) 9, Psicraft 4, Spot 8, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Lesser Legacy (Sling of the Dire Wind) [B]	Reduced ritual cost (lesser), bond of lore
12th	Legacy Champion 2	7	4	8	10	Concentration 2, Knowledge (History) 10, Psicraft 4, Spot 11, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Expanded Knowledge: Metamorphosis	Replace legacy ability (Stunning Stone -> Extend Power), Energy Shot
13th	Legacy Champion 3	8	5	9	10	Concentration 2, Knowledge (History) 10, Psicraft 4, Spot 15, Survival 2, Tumble 6	-	Extra Legacy Ability Use (extend power), Incorporeral Shot
14th	Legacy Champion 4	9	5	9	11	Concentration 4, Knowledge (History) 10, Psicraft 4, Spot 17, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Pinpoint Shot [B], Channel Legacy (Gust of Wind) [B]	-
15th	Legacy Champion 5	9	5	9	11	Concentration 7, Knowledge (History) 10, Psicraft 4, Spot 18, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Hand Crossbow Focus	Replace legacy ability (Wind Wall-> Aptitude Weapon), Explosive Shot
16th	Ballisteer 4 [8]	10	5	10	11	Concentration 8, Knowledge (History) 10, Psicraft 4, Spot 19, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Improved Psionic Sidestep [B]	-
17th	Ballisteer 5 [9]	10	5	10	11	Concentration 9, Knowledge (History) 10, Psicraft 4, Spot 20, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Greater Legacy (Sling of the Dire Wind) [B]	Phased Shot
18th	Ballisteer 6 [10]	11	6	11	12	Concentration 10, Knowledge (History) 10, Psicraft 4, Spot 21, Survival 2, Tumble 6	Tap Mantle: Creation	Infused Shot
19th	Ardent 3	12	7	12	12	Concentration 12, Knowledge (History) 10, Psicraft 4, Spot 21, Survival 2, Tumble 6	-	-
20th	Ardent 4	13	7	12	13	Concentration 14, Knowledge (History) 10, Psicraft 4, Spot 21, Survival 2, Tumble 6	-	-

Level	ML (Psychic Warrior/Ardent)	PP (assuming no items)	New Powers
4th	1/0	[0+3]=3	Psychic Warrior: Extend Range
5th	1/0	[0+3]=3	-
6th	1/5	[0+3+2+15]=20	Ardent: Offensive Precognition, Clairvoyant Sense
7th	2/6	[1+6+2+18]=27	-
8th	3/7	[3+9+2+21]=35	Psychic Warrior: Expansion
9th	4/8	[5+12+2+24]=43	Psychic Warrior: Defensive Precognition
10th	4/9	[5+12+6+27]=50	Ardent: Plane Shift, Psionic
11th	4/9	[5+12+6+27]=50	-
12th	5/10	[7+17+6+35]=65	Ardent: Metamorphosis
13th	6/11	[11+21+6+38]=76	Psychic Warrior: Hustle
14th	7/12	[15+24+6+42]=87	Psychic Warrior: Perfect Archery
15th	8/13	[19+28+6+45]=98	-
16th	9/14	[23+31+6+49]=109	Psychic Warrior: Strength of my Enemy
17th	10/15	[27+35+6+52]=120	Psychic Warrior: Vampiric Blade
18th	11/16	[35+38+6+56]=135	-
19th	11/17	[35+38+11+59]=143	Ardent: Bend Reality
20th	11/18	[35+44+17+72]=168	Ardent: True Creation

Spoiler: Levels 1-5

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Goliath starts the game strong. Anthrowhales have 3 racial HD, which can be very harsh later on, but they make for a powerful start of the game. Large size, Great ability scores, natural weapon attack, blindsight, 9 natural armor – what's not to like? This is one of the strongest melees a third level character could be, even with the less-than-awesome feats.

First level of psychic warrior gives weapon and armor proficiencies, and gives Goliath some good ranged options to complement his melee-heavy chassis so far. Between extend range and psionic shot, he just became a serious threat from afar as well as at melee. He'll mostly be using thrown weapons, or a sling if he really needs some distance, so he can utilize his extremely high Strength score.

Level 5 is replace-everything rogue. Poison use is very nice to have on a ranged character, and will be further supported by the end of the build, but if you believe that it's only accessible to drow – so be it. Beyond that, rogue gives us the last bonus feat we need to qualify for the SI, 8 skill points we desperately need (all in-class, thanks to wilderness rogue) and hand crossbow proficiency, which would normally take a feat. Not that Goliath will be shooting a hand crossbow any time soon, but he's fascinated by the little contraption and can enjoy toying with it by the campfire and training with it while shooting at trees. This alone makes rogue better for us than fighter, even if we were to ignore the skill ranks. Fun is important too, you know.

Spoiler: Levels 6-10

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Things start picking up speed. An ardent dip at 6 with practiced manifester is a classic for easy access to third level powers. Goliath can't go for those, however, since he needs second level powers to qualify for Ballisteer, and Offensive Precognition is just too darn good to give up. I don't know if you've noticed, but Goliath's to-hit has been suffering ever since we started taking class levels. It's still fine at melee, but range is starting to look decisively less awesome. Offensive Precognition helps address that, and it's an option that can stay relevant all the way to 20, as long as one manages to keep their ML decently high. This level also grants Goliath the deception and fate mantles' granted powers (deception is great throughout the campaign, IMO) and significantly increases his PP – thanks to bonus points from (his awesome) WIS bonus relying on ML and not on class levels.

Next comes the SI. Ballisteer does a lot for Goliath, but I'm not going to pretend it's starting to pay off immediately. Throw anything is helpful given that we rely on thrown weapons and slings, and psionic sidestep is a cute defensive maneuver, in the extremely likely event Goliath (plate armor and all) fails a tumble check, but this level isn't all that impressive.

The next couple of levels are much better. Our poor BaB starts advancing again, invisible shot helps further with that, and ethereal shot certainly helps since we don't want to waste wbl on special ammunition or weapon enhancement (it's also going to become much more important immediately).

Advancing both our Psychic warrior ML and our Ardent ML helps keep PP up through bonus points, and Goliath can certainly afford to use them liberally on invisible shot. I hope someone made a build advancing 10 different classes on top of crazy mental attributes for an ungodly amount of PP, but I couldn't think of anything interesting to do with that. Defensive precognition and the classic EXPANSION join the party, just at the moment that EXPANSION can be given a decent duration. EXPANSIONcan make Goliath huge size, and it comes just in time: Zen Archery shows up at level 9, and is a game changer. Goliath's ranged attacks just got as good as his melee, and they don't decrease when he loses dex as he EXPANDS. Remember: thrown weapon damage explicitly doesn't increase, but sling damage does, since any sling we hold automatically grows to our new size, and projectiles deal damage in accordance with the size of the weapon that launched them. Which means it's time for level 10, and introducing a couple of very important equipment pieces.

Our last level this bracket is another dip into ardent. Ballisteer has quietly helped Goliath's ardent ML, bringing up to 9 at this level – just one level behind. That opens up fifth level powers, and Goliath picks Plane Shift from his new mantle. I don't need to explain why Plane Shift is awesome, but I do need to mention one unique thing it opens up: far more guaranteed access to Elemental Loadstones [sic]. They've been Goliath's favorite sling ammunition for a while now: they do 2d6 damage from a medium size sling, and as that sling increases to huge size with EXPANSION, they do 4d6 damage. They're very heavy at 50 lbs a piece, but we have a 1400 lbs carrying capacity. They have a shorter range increment, but we have a power for that making it an easy fix. They're also expensive at 200 gp a pop (even if I do think that it's ridiculous that a tiny 50 lbs stone is going to be "destroyed" on a hit) which means that we have to use them sparingly. Plane shift helps us get to the source, and makes them far more accessible.

The second thing Ardent does for Goliath is have K. History back on the menu as a class skill, which means we're ready to qualify for Legacy Champion next level. In order to do that, we also need to perform a ritual to bond with a Weapon of Legacy. Our weapon of choice is Sling of the Dire wind. We have the 2 points in survival necessary, thanks to wilderness rogue. The price is heavy, but we're ready to take it on: losing 6 hp is nothing to us with 18 Con, -1 to hit is much easier to swallow since Zen Archery, invisible shot and Offensive Precognition came on, and Will is by far our strongest saving throw. In return, we get a +2 sling that counts as adamantine, with the ****ty 11 DC stunning throw thrice a day and the situationally cute Gust of Wind once a day. Binding ourselves to a legacy weapon and a specific type of non-magical ammunition is very restricting, which makes ethereal shot far more necessary – we don't have ways to just solve issues like that with WBL.

What makes all these issues worth it is the one aspect of the sling I hadn't mentioned yet: pebble to boulder. Pebble to boulder makes bullets Goliath throws from the sling deal damage as if we were two sizes larger than we are. When the sling adapts to Goliath's EXPANDED size, that makes it deal colossal damage. With a normal bullet, that's a respectable 3d6. With a loadstone, when we need it and are in the right range, it's 8d6.

The final thing level 10 does for Goliath is increasing BaB to six, giving him a second iterative. That's nice for melee and all, but it doesn't help him in his path towards being the greatest slinger, unfortunately. Loading a sling is a move action, which makes full attacks with it impossible to pull off.

Spoiler: Levels 11-15

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Well, easy to follow. This build has switched classes quite a bit until now, but all these levels are Legacy Champion 1-5, nice and easy. I know that Legacy Champion can sometimes induce an eyeroll by now, but do note that this isn't some easy way to escape a half BaB SI or something: I'm using Legacy Champion here for its own merits, with precisely as many levels as I need, while advancing the SI.

Level 11 is yawn inducing, with the sling becoming giant bane. Wow. Level 12 is the real deal: it gives Goliath energy shot for when he really needs to pile on the damage, it lets him replace the trashy stunning strike with a "Metapsionic, Lesser" option from menu A, and it's a feat level. The metapsionic option we choose is a free extend power 3/day, which is awesome for our augment-dependent buffs, especially for EXPANSION. Pebble to boulder itself also increases from 2 virtual size increases to 3. Note that unlike, say, greater mighty wallop, the "effective size increase" of pebble to boulder isn't capped at colossal, so Goliath's damage keeps increasing. The feat we take is expanded knowledge, as an ardent. Metamorphosis is obviously awesome, and makes for a huge power and flexibility boost for Goliath, who's only two levels behind on ML, and will stay that way. There are more useful forms than we can count, but of note is the humble Treant. It has hands, and it's huge, so goliath can become gargantuan when he EXPANDS as one – pushing the damage to being 2 over colossal, in that case. Obviously, we're not counting on being metamorphized, and Goliath is fully operational as his normal self, but it's a nice option to have. Overall, this level is a huge power boost.

Level 13 brings forth incorporeal shot, which is awesome for the same reason ethereal shot was for us – Goliath's locked into a specific weapon-ammunition combo to be at full capacity, and that combo doesn't natively include a way to hit incorporeal enemies. This level also brings forth another free use of extend power, and hustle – a generally awesome power that Goliath can also use to load his sling.

Level 14 gives goliath access to the perfect archery power, to avoid AoOs for ranged attacks. Sometimes he'll be able to get away by killing the foe threatening him with, but if he doesn't loading still incurs them, so it's good that he's a freaking tank with great AC and psionic sidestep. Channel legacy will usually be better than gust of wind, and pinpoint shot is tremendously supported by having blindsight and a great spot check – finding an enemy hiding behind non-full cover is effortless, and pinpoint shot means shooting them is effortless too. Sacrificing a full round action is far less of a big deal for Goliath than for most archers, as he's not really reliant on full attacks and can load by using hustle.

Level 15 brings explosive shot, which is nice against groups of mooks – Goliath hasn't had real tools for those so far, save from metamorphosis forms more suited to the challenge. It's also perhaps the "sweet spot" of the build, or at the very least one of them. See, Goliath has been toying with a hand crossbow since level 5, and has just taken the hand crossbow focus feat, allowing him to load a hand crossbow as a free action and giving him a +1 to-hit with a hand-crossbow, equivalent to the weapon focus feat. This level of Legacy Champion also gives goliath the option to replace a lesser ability. He immediately replaces wind wall without ever using it, for the "weapon enhancement" ability from Menu D, which lets him pick a +1 special ability to add to his sling. Goliath chooses aptitude weapon.

Now, I've seen it argued before that an aptitude sling can be used with the rapid reload feat to reload as a free action. I vehemently disagree. Rapid reload isn't a feat that "affects the use of a particular type of weapon", and even if it was, you'd have to fiat that it has the effect it does on a light crossbow, and not a heavy one. It's a mess. Hand crossbow focus, on the other hand, is exactly the type of feat aptitude works with. It's a feat that affects the use of a particular type of weapon, in a well-defined and non-ambiguous way. It's explicitly equivalent of weapon focus, for crying out loud.

That means that level 15 lets Goliath load the Sling of the Dire Wind as a free action. He can make full attacks, and his damage output is enormously increased. He still provokes when loading, so it's good he has psionic sidestep to help him avoid that – but other than that, he's golden.

Spoiler: Levels 16-20

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Leaving Legacy champion behind once we got what we came for, we're going back into the SI for a BIG level. Strength of my enemy is an awesome power, and sling is the only ranged weapon fit to fully utilize it - adapting for changing Strength scores with ease. Improved psionic sidestep is another important defensive asset for provokes-when-loading Goliath. It's also the level that brings Psychic Warrior ML to 9 – the ML necessary EXPAND 2 size categories without giving up duration (3 hours, with the free extend from the sling). At this same level, we get another virtual size category with pebble to boulder. So that's 2 more increases of our base damage – Gargantuan +4 sizes in Goliath's natural form, or sometimes Colossal +4 sizes if we happened to be able to prepare with a metamorphosis – going for MMII's sun giant now, rather than treant, for the better strength score.

Level 17 lets Goliath pull off a phase shot. Hey, remember which second level power he qualified for Ballisteer with? That's right, it's clairvoyant sense. With a pumped spot check, and darkvision. And we also have blindsight, mind you. Goliath has the tools it takes to figure out where someone is on the other side of a wall, and sling an elemental loadstone straight to their head. This level also brings our last psychic warrior power, the third level power vampiric blade. It lets Goliath lifesteal half the damage he does, but it's considered a bad power because it only applies to the base damage of the weapon, which as we all know always sucks. Hah. Hah.

Level 18. We get Forcefull Strike from the sling, which combined with improved psionic sidestep, should make sure we avoid taking AoOs for loading the sling by keeping everyone away. It's also the last level of Ballisteer, brings forward infused shot. Infused shot doubles the base damage of the ammo. DOUBLES. DOUBLES. Only the base damage, but for Colossal/Gargantuan+4 sizes on a 2d6 base damage, that's the absolute majority of the damage Goliath does – and he does a LOT of damage. It also finally gives Goliath a third iterative. That's a capstone if I've ever seen one.

But we still have 2 levels to go, thankfully, so we can round Goliath up. Done with Ballisteer, we're going back to Ardent, after having taken tap mantle last level. Both levels increase our BaB, thankfully, and each beings forward a new power. Level 19 is Bend Reality from the deception mantle. If you want to round out your character, and Metamorphosis wasn't enough, here's your solution. It's the "anything" button, and though it does cost some xp it's one of the best powers there is, period. Level 20 takes true creation, through the mantle we tapped. It's yet another "play god" power, but for Goliath it has even more usefulness than for most: he can make poisons to use, and if at any point you can't find loadstones by planeshifting, and you can't buy them either – just make 'em.

Level 20 also brings us our final base damage increase from Pebble to Boulder. We ended up with base damage 4 size categories higher than a colossal greatsword (5 if metamorphed). If my math is right, that should be 16d6/18d6 for a loadstone, and 10d6/12d6 for a normal bullet. As a cherry on top of that damage, we always get to add our changing strength (strength of my enemy, metamorphosis) because we're using a sling. The enormous base damage is doubled every time due to the SI capstone, and the SI lets us get attack targets we wouldn't otherwise be able to fight, and it also helps us deal with provoking when loading. We have Zen archery to be able to shoot without suffering from the decreased dex of being gargantuan, with a wis of 26 before any items. Combined with a +1 from hand crossbow focus, Sling of the Dire Wind being +5 to hit, the SI's invisible shot (and phase shot), and ML 18 offensive precognition, we're equipped to hit our full attacks, even despite our to-hit challenges. Not needing to take any power attack penalties or the like really helps. If we ever run into issues with range – the only remaining meaningful threat to our to-hit – we have the trusty extend range to double our increment, and double it again, and again if necessary.

Spoiler: Sources

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Spoiler: Race, Classes and ACFs

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Anthropomorphic Baleen Whale: Savage Species, pages 215 (rules for anthro-animals) and 217 (the line for baleen whale).

Ardent: Complete psionic, page 6.

Legacy Champion: Weapons of Legacy, page 19.

Rogue and Psychic warrior are in the SRD. The wilderness and martial ACFs for rogue are in the SRD.

The poison use ACF is in Drow of the Underdark, page 58.

Spoiler: feats

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Practiced Manifester: Complete Psionic, page 57.

Zen Archery: Complete Warrior, page 106.

Channel Legacy, Least/Lessr/Greater Legacy: Weapons of Legacy, pages 13-15.

Hand Crossbow Focus: Frow of the Underdark, page 50.

Tap Mantle: Complete Psionic, page 58.

All other feats either come from the SI or are found in the SRD.

Spoiler: Mantles and Powers

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Ardent mantles (Creation, Deception, Fate, the Planes): Complete Psionic, pages 67, 68, 71.

Extend range: Complete Psionic, page 89.

Perfect Archery: Complete Psionic, page 93.

The rest of the powers used are in the SRD.

Spoiler: Special equipment and legacy abilities

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Sling of the Dire Wind: Weapons of Legacy, page 150.

Metapsionic (Lesser) Legacy Ability: Weapons of Legacy, page 190. Extend power is in the SRD.

Weapon Enhancement Legacy Ability: Weapons of Legacy, page 195. Aptitude weapon is in Tome of Battle, page 148.

Elemental Loadstone: Planar Handbook, page 76.

[The Viscount]

Chaka will rock you

Boomerang sound

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior

Rookies... We taught them, but they didn't even understand truisms... And here again...
- What happened here? - lieutenant asked.
- Three soldiers... They stayed and smoked. Single boomerang came from the dark. Two... died instantly - they were made into chopsticks like they’d been pounding on sticks all day. Third alive somehow. He talked about some flash. He recoiled back by instinct, but it wasn't enough, his wounds are severe, sir!
- It's this short partisan again, sarge.
- I think so. Damn halfling! - sergeant cursed, - We should move on, sir.
- Yes, but how many more soldiers will we lose? - officer sighed.
- Those who remain forever remembered: you can not stand close together while you are on the Talenta plains!

CE Strongheart Halfling Binder 5/Skilled City-Dweller Fighter 4/Ballisteer 10/Master Thrower 1

Spoiler: Stats

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Abilities	Initial	Strongheart Halfling	ASI	Total
STR	14	-2		12
DEX	15	2	5	22
CON	14			14
INT	14			14
WIS	14			14
CHA	8			8

Spoiler: Levels

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Level	Class	BAB	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Binder 1	0	2	0	2	16: {+4} Bluff: 4; {+4} Concentration: 4; {+4} Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; {+4} Sense Motive: 4;	Talenta Warrior (1), Point Blank Shot (SH)	Soul binding (1 vestige)
2nd	Skilled City-Dweller Fighter 1	1	4	0	2	4: Bluff: 4; Concentration: 4; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; {+2} Jump: 2; Sense Motive: 4; {+2} Tumble: 2;	Dodge (F)	Bonus feat
3rd	Binder 2	2	5	0	3	4: {+1} Bluff: 5; {+1} Concentration: 5; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 2; {+2} Sense Motive: 6; Tumble: 2;	Mobility (3)	Pact augmentation (1 ability), suppress sign
4th	Fighter 2	3	6	0	3	4: Bluff: 5; Concentration: 5; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; {+2} Jump: 4; Sense Motive: 6; {+2} Tumble: 4;	Weapon Focus (Talenta boomerang) (F)	Bonus feat
5th	Binder 3	4	6	1	3	4: {+1} Bluff: 6; {+1} Concentration: 6; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 4; {+2} Sense Motive: 8; Tumble: 4;
6th	Fighter 3	5	6	2	4	4: Bluff: 6; Concentration: 6; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; {+2} Jump: 6; Sense Motive: 8; {+2} Tumble: 6;	Boomerang Ricochet (6)
7th	Binder 4	6	7	2	5	4: {+1} Bluff: 7; {+1} Concentration: 7; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 6; {+2} Sense Motive: 10; Tumble: 6;	Improved Binding (Bi)	Bonus feat
8th	Fighter 4	7	8	2	5	4: Bluff: 7; Concentration: 7; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; {+2} Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; {+2} Tumble: 8;	Boomerang Daze (F)	Bonus feat
9th	Binder 5	7	8	2	5	4: {+3} Bluff: 10; {+1} Concentration: 8; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; Tumble: 8;	Psionic Shot (9)	Pact augmentation (2 abilities)
10th	Ballisteer 1	7	8	4	5	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 1; Bluff: 10; {+1} Concentration: 9; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; {+2 CC} Sleight of Hand: 1; Tumble: 8;	Throw Anything (Ba), Psionic Sidestep (Ba)	Psionic Sidestep, Throw Anything
11th	Ballisteer 2	8	8	5	5	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 2; Bluff: 10; {+1} Concentration: 10; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; {+2 CC} Sleight of Hand: 2; Tumble: 8;		Invisible shot
12th	Ballisteer 3	9	9	5	6	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 3; Bluff: 10; {+1} Concentration: 11; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; {+2 CC} Sleight of Hand: 3; Tumble: 8;	Greater Psionic Shot (12)	Ethereal shot
13th	Ballisteer 4	10	9	6	6	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 4; Bluff: 10; {+1} Concentration: 12; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; {+2 CC} Sleight of Hand: 4; Tumble: 8;		Energy shot
14th	Ballisteer 5	10	9	6	6	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 5; Bluff: 10; {+1} Concentration: 13; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; Sleight of Hand: 4; {+2} Tumble: 10;		Incorporeal shot
15th	Ballisteer 6	11	10	7	7	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 6; Bluff: 10; {+1} Concentration: 14; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; Sleight of Hand: 4; {+2} Tumble: 12;	Psionic Meditation (15), Pinpoint Shot (Ba), Precise Shot (V)	Pinpoint Shot
16th	Master Thrower 1	12	10	9	7	6: Autohypnosis: 6; {+5} Bluff: 15; {+1} Concentration: 15; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; Sleight of Hand: 4; Tumble: 12;	Quick Draw (MT)	Quick Draw, thrown weapon trick (two with one blow)
17th	Ballisteer 7	13	10	9	7	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 7; Bluff: 15; {+1} Concentration: 16; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; Sleight of Hand: 4; {+2} Tumble: 14;		Explosive shot
18th	Ballisteer 8	14	10	10	7	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 8; Bluff: 15; {+1} Concentration: 17; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; Sleight of Hand: 4; {+2} Tumble: 16;	Far Shot (18), Improved Psionic Sidestep (Ba)	Improved Psionic Sidestep
19th	Ballisteer 9	14	11	10	8	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 9; Bluff: 15; Concentration: 17; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; Sleight of Hand: 4; {+3} Tumble: 19;		Phased shot
20th	Ballisteer 10	15	11	11	8	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 10; Bluff: 15; Concentration: 17; Craft (weaponsmithing): 4; Jump: 8; Sense Motive: 10; Sleight of Hand: 4; {+3} Tumble: 22;		Infused shot

SH - Strongheart Halfling bonus feat, F - Fighter bonus feat, Bi - Binder bonus feat, Ba - Ballisteer bonus feat, MT - Master Thrower bonus feat, V - feat granted by Vestige.

Spoiler: Psionics

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Level	Class	New Powers (Level)	Maximum Power Level	PP
9th	Ballisteer 1	-	-	0+1
10th	Ballisteer 2	Chameleon (1)	1st	1+2
11th	Ballisteer 3	Extend Range (1)	1st	3+3
12th	Ballisteer 4	-	1st	5+4
13th	Ballisteer 5	Compression (1)	1st	7+5
14th	Ballisteer 6	Darkvision, Psionic (2)	2nd	11+6
15th	Ballisteer 7	-	2nd	15+7
17th	Ballisteer 9	Burst (1)	2nd	19+8
19th	Ballisteer 10	Body Adjustment (2)	2nd	23+9
20th	Ballisteer 11	-	2nd	27+10

Spoiler: Level by level

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Spoiler: ECL 5

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For now I throw my boomerangs quite well, also I have a variety of 1st and 2nd level vestiges to bind. Leraje is favorite, but it isn't mandatory.

Spoiler: ECL 10

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I enter Ballisteer through Improved Binding feat and Arete vestige. It lets me manifest several 2nd-level powers. At this level I could hit two targets with one boomerang throw and daze both targets. Psionic Shot gives good additional damage. AoO could be a problem now - boomerang has only a 30 ft range. Yes, it's good for throwing weapons, but it still isn't so much. Psionic Sidestep helps with it.

Spoiler: ECL 15

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At this level I become able to manifest a 2nd-level power via Ballisteer itself and don't need to bind Arete any more. I return to Leraje. Also I have improvements for Psionic Shot: its Greater version and Psionic Meditation which lets me use it every turn. Plus I have four useful powers now: Chameleon and Compression for better hiding (yes, it isn't my best talent), Extend Range talks for himself (plus, more range - more Spot penalty), and Darkvision plus to Leraje's Low-Light Vision (you know, darkness also gives some penalties for Spot).
Also I get several "Shot" abilities from SI. They are useful, but too situational. If I'll meet Incorporeal or Ethereal foe - they will come in handy, if not - not. Only Energy Shot is useful every time.

Spoiler: ECL 17 (sweet spot)

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Now is time for the main trick explanation. At this level I have the Boomerang Ricochet feat, the Two with One Blow thrown weapon trick, and Ricochet granted ability of the Leraje vestige.

You can hurl a Talenta boomerang in such a way that it ricochets off one target to strike a second target of your choice. If your initial attack hits, you immediately make a second attack roll at a -2 penalty against any target adjacent to the original target.

If a master thrower with this ability uses a thrown weapon to attack two opponents adjacent to each other, she may take a –4 penalty on the attack roll and attempt to hit both opponents at once. The attack may hit either, both, or neither opponent depending on the roll and the Armor Class of each opponent.

As a standard action, you can make a single ranged attack against two adjacent targets. Make a single attack roll and apply that result to the Armor Class of both targets. Any hit you score deals damage to the target normally.

I use Ricochet as a standard action and apply Two with One Blow to this attack. Single throw became two attacks against two targets - four attack total. If all attacks hit each ricochets via Boomerang Ricochet feat. I have eight attacks with one standard action. And all these attacks are made by a single weapon. This means multiple applying Greater Psionic Shot damage and Explosive Shot damage.

In addition I get Burst power for the case of retreating.

Spoiler: ECL 20

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Far shot, Phased and Infused shot abilities, more levels let me use Energy and Explosive Shots better. All this moves as it should be. Nothing changes dramatically, but improvements are good and useful.

Spoiler: Worthy of mention

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While I really need to bind Arete until 15th level and Leraje after most days, but as Binder I have other options. Best of them is Astaroth. This vestige gives me any item creation feat I want (with prerequisite up to 5th caster level). This is difficult to overestimate even with my limited power selection. At least I could craft enough Cognizance Crystals. Or ask somebody for help to meet item power/spell prerequisites.

Spoiler: Boomerang I want

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Having Astaroth I theoretically could make my own weapon more easily than regular fighters. If I manage to find casters' help I want this: +5 Distance Returning Collision Boomerang of True Aim. Distance and Returning are obvious choices. I really need to hit every time because my throws are too pricey to miss. That's why +5 is here. Plus this is +5 damage which will multiply with every of my multiple hits. This is also true for Collision. Weapon of True Aim is another story. This enchantment has synergy with the Pinpoint Shot feat. Pinpoint Shot lets me "ignore the cover bonus of a target," but cover itself is still there, so True Aim works. Free +1 AB over and above maximum +5 is good for my build. Plus rerolling concealment miss chance could be actual for throwing at maximum distance (with Far Shot, Distance and Extend Range) at night.

Spoiler: Alternative

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Inevitability, I read your guidelines and after seeing this paragraph:

1 point for your race: humans and strongheart halflings get 0 points, anything well-supported or obviously suited for the secret ingredient gets 0.5, and more obscure or unexpected things get 1.

I decided to change my race, but... next ten-minute I found a Mad Max Feral kid gif (you can see it at the beginning of the entry) and changing race stopped being an option. But I really don't want a penalty in originality and I made for you an alternative Chaka, with a different race. It should demonstrate that Strongheart Halfling wasn't taken forcibly, but for the style only.

CE Hadozee Binder 5/Skilled City-Dweller Fighter 4/Ballisteer 10/Master Thrower 1

Spoiler: Stats

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Abilities	Initial	Hadozee	ASI	Total
STR	12			12
DEX	15	2	5	22
CON	14			14
INT	14			14
WIS	14			14
CHA	10	-2		8

Spoiler: Levels

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Level	Class	Feats
1st	Binder 1	Point Blank Shot (1), Dodge (H)
2nd	Skilled City-Dweller Fighter 1	Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Talenta boomerang) (F)
3rd	Binder 2	Mobility (3)
4th	Fighter 2	Weapon Focus (Talenta boomerang) (F)
5th	Binder 3
6th	Fighter 3	Boomerang Ricochet (6)
7th	Binder 4	Improved Binding (Bi)
8th	Fighter 4	Far Shot (F)
9th	Binder 5	Psionic Shot (9)
10th	Ballisteer 1	Throw Anything (Ba), Psionic Sidestep (Ba)
11th	Ballisteer 2
12th	Ballisteer 3	Greater Psionic Shot (12)
13th	Ballisteer 4
14th	Ballisteer 5
15th	Ballisteer 6	Psionic Meditation (15), Pinpoint Shot (Ba), Precise Shot (V)
16th	Master Thrower 1	Quick Draw (MT)
17th	Ballisteer 7
18th	Ballisteer 8	Boomerang Daze (18), Improved Psionic Sidestep (Ba)
19th	Ballisteer 9
20th	Ballisteer 10

There still are some differences: halfling's +1 AB and AC size bonuses and +1 AB for thrown weapons, but also better hadozee's speed with Gliding option and better damage dice. It looks like tie.

Spoiler: Sources

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Type	Name	Book	Page
Race	Strongheart Halfling	Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting	18
Race	Hadozee*	Stormwrack	41, 151
Class	Binder	Tome of Magic	9
Class	Fighter	PHB	37
Prestige Class	Ballisteer	The Mind's Eye	link
Prestige Class	Master Thrower	Complete Warrior	58
Class variant	Skilled City-Dweller	Cityscape, WE	link
Feat	Talenta Warrior	Races of Eberron	112
Feat	Point Blank Shot	PHB	98
Feat	Dodge	PHB	93
Feat	Mobility	PHB	98
Feat	Weapon Focus	PHB	102
Feat	Boomerang Ricochet	Races of Eberron	112
Feat	Improved Binding	Tome of Magic	74
Feat	Boomerang Daze	Races of Eberron	112
Feat	Psionic Shot	Expanded Psionics Handbook	50
Feat	Throw Anything	Complete Warrior	105
Feat	Psionic Sidestep	Expanding Your Mind	link
Feat	Greater Psionic Shot	Expanded Psionics Handbook	47
Feat	Psionic Meditation	Expanded Psionics Handbook	50
Feat	Pinpoint Shot	Expanding Your Mind	link
Feat	Precise Shot	PHB	98
Feat	Quick Draw	PHB	98
Feat	Far Shot	PHB	94
Feat	Improved Psionic Sidestep	Expanding Your Mind	link
Feat	Exotic Weapon Proficiency*	PHB	94
Vestige	Arete	The Mind's Eye	link
Vestige	Astaroth	Cityscape, WE	link
Vestige	Leraje	Tome of Magic	38
Powers	All	Expanded Psionics Handbook and Complete Psionic	Varies
Weapon Enchantment	Distance	DMG	224
Weapon Enchantment	Returning	DMG	225
Weapon Enchantment	Collision	Magic Item Compendium	31
Weapon Enchantment	True Aim	Oakheart Lodge	link
Weapon	Talenta Boomerang	Eberron Campaign Setting	119

* - Ingredients needed for alternative.

[The Viscount]

The censor prevents me from discussing the reference any further

Lord save me, thinks I, that must be the harpooneer, the infernal head-peddler. But I lay perfectly still, and resolved not to say a word till spoken to. Holding a
light in one hand, and that identical- REST OF THE STORY IS UNAVAILABLE DUE TO CONCERNS FOR GETTING A 0 IN ORIGINALITY FOR PLAIGARISM

Spoiler: Thar She Blows!

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Queequeg, CG male Stony Azurin.
Str 19 (17), Con 16 (12), Dex 13 (13), Int 6 (8), Wis 14 (16), Cha 6 (8). All increases to Str.

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features / New Powers
1st	Psychic Warrior 1	0	2	0	0	Concentration 2, Tumble 2	Point Blank Shot, Psionic Shot, Weapon Focus (Harpoon), Midnight Dodge	Soulbond Weapon (Harpoon), Skilled City Dweller (Ride->Tumble) / Call Weaponry
2nd	Psychic Warrior 2	1	3	0	0	Concentration 2, Tumble 3	-	Precognition, Offensive
3rd	Psychic Warrior 3	2	3	1	1	Concentration 2, Tumble 4	EWP (harpoon)	Adrenaline Boost
4th	Psychic Warrior 4	3	4	1	1	Concentration 2, Tumble 5	-	Wall Walker
5th	Psychic Warrior 5	3	4	1	1	Concentration 2, Tumble 6	Mobility	Hustle
6th	Ballisteer 1	3	4	3	1	Concentration 3, Tumble 6	Brutal Throw, Psionic Sidestep, Throw Anything	-
7th	Ballisteer 2	4	4	4	1	Concentration 4, Tumble 6	-	Invisible Shot / Disonnant touch
8th	Ballisteer 3	5	5	4	2	Concentration 5, Tumble 6	-	Ethereal Shot / Telekinetic Boomerang
9th	Ballisteer 4	6	5	5	2	Concentration 5, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 0.5	Shape Soulmeld: Mauling Gauntlets	Energy Shot
10th	Ballisteer 5	6	5	5	2	Concentration 5, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 1	-	Incorporeal Shot / Empathic Transfer, Hostile
11th	Ballisteer 6	7	6	6	3	Concentration 5, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 1.5	Pinpoint Shot	Dimension Slide
12th	Ballisteer 7	8	6	6	3	Concentration 5, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 2	Precise Shot	Explosive Shot
13th	Ballisteer 8	9	6	7	3	Concentration 5, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 2.5	Improved Psionic Sidestep	Immovabillity
14th	Ballisteer 9	9	7	7	4	Concentration 5, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 3	-	Phase Shot / Open Chakra, Psionic
15th	Totemist 1	9	9	9	4	Concentration 5, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 4	Mindsight	Wild Empathy
16th	Master Thrower 1	10	9	11	4	Concentration 7, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 4	Quick Draw	Two with one blow
17th	Psychic Warrior 6	11	10	12	5	Concentration 8, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 4	-	Freedom of Movement, Psionic
18th	Psychic Warrior 7	12	10	12	5	Concentration 9, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 4	Azure Talent	Psychokinetic Weapon
19th	Psychic Warrior 8	13	11	12	5	Concentration 10, Tumble 6, sleight of hand 4	Psycarnum Infusion	Dimension Door, Psionic

Spoiler: Zen and the art of whaling

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So, Queequeg is meant to be a competent weapon warrior/thrower with a unique trick: using a harpoon to lock down targets above and beyond the expected capability of the weapon to do such. I should note that the chair ruled all ballisteer abilities mentioning ammo to work with thrown weapons as well. Let's review.

Queequeg starts his career as a Psychic warrior stony azurin. Mineral warrior is an extremely powerful template early on; DR 8/adamantine is wild at these levels, and the Strength, constitution and NA are all appreciated too. With a high Strength score, Queequeg is a very capable fighter, with a mean trick up his sleeve: a harpoon. At these very early levels, that's normally not his soulbond weapon, but just a normal harpoon. It should be noted though, that a harpoon is perhaps the best-suited thrown weapon to use a soulbound weapon. Soulbound weapons disappear in a couple of rounds if they leave your hands, and a harpoon is probably the only thrown weapon that you still hold after having thrown it.

The harpoon is a thrown weapon from stormwrack, comprised of a broad bladed spear and 30 ft of chain. If an opponent is hit with a harpoon, they need to make a DC 10+damage dealt reflex saving throw, or the harpoon lodges into them, reducing them to half-speed and not letting them charge or run on top of making spellcasting a bitch to do. If you throw it at an enemy within 30 feet, you can control the chain with an opposed Str check, not allowing the enemy to get further than thirty feet from you. The only way to remove the harpoon is pulling it from the wound, which requires two free hands and a full round action. RAW, no one else can help a harpooned creature, and no appendage but hands can take care of the issue. Removing it also causes the creature to take the harpoon's damage again, unless they happen to be trained at heal and make a DC 15 check. Pretty mean.

Queequeg can throw his harpoon as a psionic shot, meaning the reflex save DC is significantly higher than expected of a first level character, and pulling it out doubles the effective damage of the feat. It's also a weapon that makes most sense to use within 30 ft – Point-blank shot's range. The only shame is not being able to take EWP at this level, as it requires a +1 BAB. Instead, Queequeg takes midnight dodge, which is twice as effective as normal dodge due to his preexisting essentia pool. Nothing goes to waste – Queequeg starts out with 4 feats, and they're all immediately effective. He can still use his power for none-soulbound weapons, offering him some nice versatility. There are some very cheesy things that call weaponry can do, but I'm not really relying on those.

Queequeg's next feat is EWP, obviously, which makes the harpoon a much more reliable option. By this point he's taken two more powers. Adrenaline boost is notable for increasing his Strength for the opposed harpoon check. Wall walker, at level 4, allows for superior harpooning position to really lock down enemies – you can make the 30-ft rope far more restrictive by getting some vertical, and that can mean an opponent often can't reach Queequeg (who's on the wall), nor his friends (who are more than thirty feet away, when vertical is included). Cool! Queequeg is meant to be a slippery foe, staying close but just out of reach, using thrown weapons and the occasional harpoon throw as his go-to. Hustle comes next, significantly increasing Queequeg's mobility.

Speaking of mobility, that's his fifth level bonus feat, opening up the SI. Balisteer starts out with throw anything and brutal throw, significantly expanding Queequeg's capabilities. It's also the level in which he reaches ML 6, which allows him to give a summoned harpoon a special weapon quality. That opens up a lot of options if he knows in advance which kind of foe he'll be facing, but one that is very worth noting is binding from the Arms and Equipment guide. A harpoon is about locking enemies down, and binding can stick an enemy who'd usually be able to easily get away. Another is power-storing (SRD), which could be particularly useful with his next power, disonnant touch – reducing the enemy's strength just when they need it to get out of range.

Telekinetic boomerang isn't useful for harpooning, but it is for general throwing. Which is good, because with throw anything, invisible shot, ethereal shot, and a coming iterative attack, general throwing is what Queequeg does best.

Level 9 is a big level. The aforementioned iterative is here, sure, but so are energy shot and shape soulmeld. Mauling gauntlets give Queequeg a +2 to Strength checks, and he has 2 points of essentia to divert there (one from race, one from midnight dodge) for a further +4. Given that unlike most Strength checks, size doesn’t help here, and that Queequeg already has +5 Str before items, he should now be easily able to lock down the absolute majority of opponents, with a total of +11 before items and before powers. Energy shot isn't just "more damage" for Queequeg, too. Sure, it can be, if wasted on a normal thrown weapon – but with his harpoon, it means both a higher reflex save DC and the same damage on the way out if the enemy pulls the harpoon out – potentially doubling the damage output per PP.

Level 10 is a good point to talk about both incorporeal shot and ethereal shot, and a big huge difference between the wording on them and the wording on ghost touch weapons and similar abilities. Ghost touch says "A ghost touch weapon deals damage normally against incorporeal creatures." What happens if you shoot a ghost with a ghost-touch harpoon? Well, kind of unclear, isn't it? There's a case to be made that it functions normally, sure, but it's not the strongest case.

Ballisteer abilities, however, say something quite more potent. "It affects incorporeal targets normally". Not much wiggle room there – the harpoon sticks into incorporeal targets. And most of those are going to be TRASH at strength checks, so they're not going anywhere.

The power taken at level 10 is hostile empathetic transfer, which is quite nasty – and if Queequeg wants, he can call a power-storing harpoon, and load it with the transfer. That's the reason for a direct damage power on a build that so far focused on buffing and utility.

At this point in the build, however, I sort of have to acknowledge a problem. The harpoon is written with some very specific language that I've been relying on – no one else can help the harpooned creature, has to have hands, you take the entirety of initial damage upon pulling out the harpoon, etc. However, one place where its language isn't super restrictive is getting away from the harpooner: sure, it can't get further away than thirty feet from you without winning a strength check – but there's nothing saying you get to do anything to stay in place. Since RAW doesn't say "your place" or "your space", it opens up a spot for DM interpretation. And a very reasonable interpretation for, say, harpooning a wyvern, is that you can certainly prevent it from ripping the chain from your hands by winning the strength check – but there's nothing stopping it from flying up and taking you with it. Sure, Queequeg can be as heavy as a male Azurin can be, and you can beg the DM to let you roll a strength check to prevent that, but you don't have the means to fully stop the option.

That changes at level 13. If Queequeg really needs to restrict a foe's movement, he can throw a harpoon at them, and then use Immovability. That forces anyone trying to make him move by any means to roll an opposed Strength check – and Queequeg is not only a beast at those, but gets a +20 from the power. It's a heavy price to pay, but when you need to stop a dragon from flying away, it's there.

Level 14, however, is the 9th level of Ballisteer, and it's when things are about to get nasty. Phase shot is fascinating. Imagine throwing a harpoon at someone leaning on a 10 foot thick wall, from 20 ft away. They're going to be completely stuck. Now imagine if you could do that to anyone standing, by simply being 30 ft underneath them.

Well, you can. Because Queequeg is a mineral warrior, and one thing I hadn't mentioned yet, is that those have a burrow speed. He can burrow underground, and throw energy-shot harpoons at enemies, holding them in place through the astral freaking plain. Nothing they can do to stop it, and they can't even pull him up with a spell or anything, cause he can just chill underground, immovable.

There are three main issues with this tactic.

One, phase shot has a 10% chance of losing the weapon. That's no biggy with ammunition, but is terrifying for someone relying on thrown weaponry. Two, Queequeg needs a way to figure out where the enemy is – and three, even if he did, phase shot still explicitly gives them total concealment if you shoot through total cover.

Well, problem uno is already dealt with. No risk to Queequeg's WBL – he throws his soulbound weapon, so it's no biggy if it's lost in the astral plane. Third issue is also already dealt with by soulbound weapon: Queequeg can make the harpoon a seeking weapon (SRD, possibly on top of binding/ power storing) to ignore miss-chance. The second issue is solved within one level.

You see, Queequeg's first chosen 4th level power is open chakra. It's a cute power, with 24 hours of duration – it's basically a whole bunch of class features, at the cost of a few PP. Better, cause you can use it on others, too. So, at level 15, Queequeg dips totemist. That means another point of essentia to put in his mauling gauntlets, and two more soulmelds. One of them will be changing, utilizing the enormous flexibility offered by totemist. Common options for Queequeg are dread carapace for when he needs to burrow QUICK, blink shirt cause it's awesome, Kraken Mantle for water stuff, and sphinx claws for another +1 to Strength checks.

The other is always Shedu crown.

Shedu crown makes Queequeg immune to bullrushing (very good for him, as we recall he doesn't want to be moved) but it's also permanently bound to his psychically opened crown chakra, giving him telepathy. And wouldn't you know it, 15 is a feat level, which means mindsight. An enemy is walking around, and then an energy-fused harpoons emerges from the freaking earth, not letting them move an inch as they're being held by a rope that's in the astral freaking plane. If they're lucky enough to have hands, and for two of those to be free, they can decide to waste a full round action to take the whole pile of damage again.

Next, Queequeg goes into master thrower, qualifying with a prereq and a bonus feat. Quick Draw is late to the party, but still a nice addition – even if telekinetic boomerang is usually far better. The big thing here is two with one blow, allowing Queequeg to stick to enemies with the same harpoon. That's incredibly efficient. On top of that, it doubles energy shot's damage potential again and then doubles it again. See, I didn't mention explosive shot when we got it – but now, if you make an energy shot, it hits to oponnents, and then each of them takes the explosive shot damage from the other person getting hit. And if they want to move, they need to take the energy shot damage again by pulling the harpoon out.

Back to psychic warrior for the last three levels. Freedom of movement is always good, but it's hilarious when combined with immovability – you can move, but no one else can move you. Psychokinetic weapon as a passive source of damage is good for someone who occasionally needs to spend entire turns concentrating on a power underground to ruin monsters' lives. It’s also the level in which ML 16 opens up +3 weapon enhancements. That's a lot of flexibility, including summoning huge elementals (DMG II, the "elemental power" enhancements). It also allows for a binding, seeking, power storing harpoon if that's really necessary, but most of the time just seeking will do fine. Queequeg takes Azure talent, assigning a fourth essentia point to mauling gauntlets.

The last level is some more utility through dimension door, an increase to +2 bonus for the soulbound harpoon, and psycarnum infusion – combined with Azure talent for out of combat (and once per combat, sensibly) access to 10 bonus pp for one turn, ostensibly very significantly expanding the amount of times per day Queequeg can use his tricks and buff himself up.

Spoiler: Storage

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Complete Adventurer: Brutal Throw.

Complete Warrior: Master Thrower.

Lords of Madness: Mindsight.

Magic of Incarnum: Azurin, totemist, soulmelds, feats (Shape Soulmeld, Midnight Dodge, Azure Talent, Psycarnum infusion), open chakra power.

Player's Guide to Eberron: Disonnant touch.

Stormwrack: Harpoon.

Underdark: Mineral Warrior template.

Everything else can be found in the SRD. All powers not mentioned above are from Complete Psionic and the SRD.

[The Viscount]

There's so many whales I can't stop laughing

Lewis Z

Anthropomorphic Baleen Whale 3/Barbarian 1/Psychic Warrior 4/Hulking Hurler 1/Ballisteer 10/Psychic Warrior +1

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Spoiler: Stats

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Str 16 +8 24
Con 14 +4 18
Dex 14 +4 18
Int 12 -- 12
Wis 14 +4 18
Cha 08 -- 08

All level increases to Strength.

Spoiler: Build Table

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
3th	RHD 3	+3	+1	+3	+3	4 Autohypnosis (2) 6 Listen (6) 6 Spot (6) 2 ST: Listen To This	1st: Power Attack; 3rd: Dodge	--
4th	(Skilled City Dweller) (Bear Totem) Barbarian 1	+4	+3	+3	+3	- Autohypnosis (2) 1 Listen (7) - Spot (6) 4 Tumble (4) - ST: Listen To This	--	Improved Grab; Rage 1/day
5th	(Skilled City Dweller) Psychic Warrior 1	+4	+5	+3	+3	1 Autohypnosis (3) - Listen (7) - Spot (6) 2 Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	B: Weapon Focus (Trident)	--
6th	(SCD) Psychic Warrior 2	+5	+6	+3	+3	1 Autohypnosis (4) 2 Concentration (2) - Listen (7) - Spot (6) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	6th: Point Blank Shot; B: Psionic Shot	--
7th	(SCD) Psychic Warrior 3	+6/1	+6	+4	+4	1 Autohypnosis (5) 2 Concentration (4) - Listen (7) - Spot (6) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	--	--
8th	(SCD) Psychic Warrior 4	+7/2	+7	+4	+4	1 Autohypnosis (6) 2 Concentration (6) - Listen (7) - Spot (6) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	--	--
9th	Hulking Hurler 1	+8/3	+7	+6	+4	- Autohypnosis (6) - Concentration (6) - Listen (7) 3 Psicraft (1.5) - Spot (6) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	9th: Mobility	Catch Weapon; Really Throw Anything
10th	Ballisteer 1	+8/3	+7	+8	+4	1 Autohypnosis (7) 1 Concentration (7) - Listen (7) 1 Psicraft (2) - Spot (6) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	B: Psionic Sidestep; B: Throw Anything	--
11th	Ballisteer 2	+9/4	+7	+9	+4	1 Autohypnosis (8) 1 Concentration (8) - Listen (7) 1 Psicraft (2.5) - Spot (6) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	--	Invisible Shot
12th	Ballisteer 3	+10/5	+8	+8	+5	1 Autohypnosis (9) 1 Concentration (9) - Listen (7) 1 Psicraft (3) - Spot (6) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	12th: Fell Shot	Ethereal Shot
13th	Ballisteer 4	+11/6/1	+8	+9	+5	1 Autohypnosis (10) 1 Concentration (10) - Listen (7) 1 Psicraft (3.5) - Spot (6) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	--	Energy Shot
14th	Ballisteer 5	+11/6/1	+8	+9	+5	1 Autohypnosis (11) 1 Concentration (11) - Listen (7) 1 Psicraft (4) - Spot (6) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	--	Incorporeal Shot
15th	Ballisteer 6	+12/7/2	+9	+10	+6	1 Autohypnosis (12) 1 Concentration (12) - Listen (7) - Psicraft (4) 1 Spot (7) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	15th: Far Shot; B: Pinpoint Shot	--
16th	Ballisteer 7	+13/8/3	+9	+10	+6	1 Autohypnosis (13) 1 Concentration (13) - Listen (7) - Psicraft (4) 1 Spot (8) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	--	Explosive Shot
17th	Ballisteer 8	+14/9/4	+9	+11	+6	1 Autohypnosis (14) 1 Concentration (14) - Listen (7) - Psicraft (4) 1 Spot (9) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	B: Improved Psionic Sidestep	--
18th	Ballisteer 9	+14/9/4	+10	+11	+7	1 Autohypnosis (15) 1 Concentration (15) - Listen (7) - Psicraft (4) 1 Spot (10) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	18th: Psionic Meditation	Phased Shot
19th	Ballisteer 10	+15/10/5	+10	+12	+7	1 Autohypnosis (16) 1 Concentration (16) - Listen (7) - Psicraft (4) 1 Spot (11) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	--	Infused Shot
20th	(SCD) Psychic Warrior 5	+15/10/5	+10	+12	+7	2 Autohypnosis (18) 1 Concentration (17) - Listen (7) - Psicraft (4) - Spot (11) - Tumble (6) - ST: Listen To This	B: Practiced Manifester	--

Spoiler: Powers

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Powers Known

Level	Power Points Per Day	Powers Known
1st	--	--
2nd	--	--
3rd	--	--
4th	--	--
5th	0+2	Expansion
6th	1+4	Grip Of Iron
7th	3+6	Extend Range (Complete Psionic)
8th	5+8	Strength Of My Enemy
9th	5+8	--
10th	7+10	--
11th	11+12	Perfect Archery (Races of Stone)
12th	15+14	Prowess
13th	19+16	--
14th	23+18	Telekinetic Boomerang (Races of the Wild)
15th	27+20	Dimension Slide
16th	35+22	--
17th	43+24	Evade Burst
18th	51+26	Steadfast Perception
19th	59+28	--
20th	67+38	Freedom of Movement, Psionic

Spoiler: Levels 1-5

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Anthro-Whale is a large creature (neccessary for pre-reqs of the build) with absolutely perfect stat adjustments for a psy-warrior.
Barbarian is there for the bear totem's improved grab ability, which will come in useful later in the build. For now though, the play is to be a large creature power attacking with reach to draw smaller creatures into a grapple just to give them a fun little (re: crushing) hug.
Psychic Warrior, at this point, offers Expansion... which can be huge! (Haha, see what I did there?) Weapon Focus is a pre-req, and, I mean, trident 'cause, ya know, whale!

Spoiler: Levels 6-10

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Most of these levels are still fulfilling pre-reqs for later levels (Mobility, for example). Point Blank Shot and Psionic Shot, however, also add versitility to fighting styles. Add in both Grip of Iron and Extend Range as powers known and fighting can be either melee or ranged, with the Strength and Dexterity to make either function.
Strength Of My Enemy serves as a 2nd level power pre-req and is also a fun little add-on for a large, strong character.

But it's the dip into Hulking Hurler that makes this build so much fun. The Really Throw Anything ability opens up opportunity to throw things that aren't otherwise classed as weapons, so long as they can be lifted as a light load. A large bipedal creature with a Strength of 26 (24 plus 1 at 4th level, plus 1 at 8th) can lift 612 lbs as a light load. (If, theoretically, that large creature had been Expansioned to Huge, light load would be up to 1224 lbs.) (Player's Handbook p.162)
When used as an improvised weapon, a 600 lbs object deals 6d6 damage. (Something weighing 1200 lbs would deal 9d6 damage.) Even more if the improvised weapon in question is sharp. (Complete Warrior p.159)

So... a melee attack against an enemy of up to one size catagory smaller triggers improved grab for a free grapple attack. If successful, that enemy can then be thrown via Really Throw Anything as an improvised weapon. Oh, yes... let the fun ensue!

Spoiler: Levels 11-19

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This is all Ballisteer, which is why we're here in the first place. Let's go over it level by level:

• 11th: Invisible Shot: oddly, there is no listed duration. If you miss your target and the weapon/ammo is recoverable, is it still Invisible? The party Rogue, once thrown, might find some benefit to this!
• 12th: Ethereal Shot: see Invisible Shot above.
  Fell Shot feat: What's better than ranged attacks? Ranged touch attacks! For when you absolutely must hit your target.
• 13th: Energy Shot: More damage, what's not to like?
• 14th: Incorporeal Shot: see Invisible Shot above.
  Telekinetic Boomerang: throw a house on someone and get your house back! Repeat as needed. ("Throw the fish away... and it comes back to me." --Lew Zealand--)
• 15th: Pinpoint Shot feat: hit things behind cover.
  Far Shot feat: hit things farther away.
• 16th: Explosive Shot: big thing goes boom! Mwah-ha-ha!
• 17th: Evade Burst power: for when the big things goes boom close by.
• 18th: Phased Shot: for every time you feel the need to throw a wall through a wall. Also useful for capturing an enemy inside a doorless cage.
• 19th: Infused Shot: Uhmm... double the damage of a thrown house?! Ouch.

Spoiler: Levels 20

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Rounds out the build with some more PP and a higher ML.

Spoiler: Resource List

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• Anthropomorphic Baleen Whale: Savage Species
• Skill Tricks: Complete Scoundrel
• Psychic Warrior; Psionic Shot feat; Fell Shot feat; Psionic Meditation feat: Expanded Psionic Handbook
• Hulking Hurler: Complete Warrior
• Bear Totem Barbarian ACF: Complete Champion
• Skilled City Dweller ACF: Cityscape
• Practiced Manifester feat: Complete Psionic

[The Viscount]

Ah, Dvati. Every time you see one you ask "wait how do I do that with Dvati?"

I looked at this round SI and thought. Its capstone ability - Infused Shot. It doesn't worth level if I'd use a thrown dagger or even a thrown greatsword. I need something with big base damage. I saw two ways. First is boooring and too unoriginal - Greater Mighty Wallop. Second is better - "I want to backstab him with the ballista"... Well, actually I much prefer Heavy Trebuchet, but sometimes I could use Scorpion, or Ballista, or Mangonel.



First thing first. Where did I get the Trebuchet? Well...

Siege engines are large weapons, structures, and machines that armies use to lay siege to a castle, fortified town, or other kind of fortress.

You call a weapon “from thin air” into your waiting hand (actually, it is a real weapon hailing from another location in space and time). You don’t have to see or know of a weapon to call it—in fact, you can’t call a specific weapon; you just specify the kind (longsword, shortbow, warhammer, or some other).

Siege engines are weapons and Call Weaponry gives me a weapon. Easy.

But there is another difficulty with Siege engines - they are too slow. Aiming and loading of Heavy Trebuchet takes 30 full-round actions. It's too much for one person in most cases. Well, I need more persons - that's why I'm dvati. Also very helpful are Fission, Anticipatory Strike, and Temporal Acceleration powers. First give me another two pairs of hands - it's four persons in the squad now. Second and third give more full-round actions in one round. Also I should mention Time Hop power. If it works well, the target is stationary for all time I need.

Two more very useful powers are Extend Range - obvious and Expansion. Let’s dwell on this in more detail.
Expansion could increase my size to Huge. Look at Siege engines description:

All statistics for the siege engines in this chapter assume they are designed for Medium creatures. Adjust as appropriate for siege engines designed for smaller or larger creatures.

Large or larger creatures load a catapult in half the given time

This means I have an option to increase base Heavy Trebuchet damage to 28d6 (add two sizes) or increase it to 14d8 and accelerate loading to "only" 12 full-round actions. If we talk about Heavy Ballista it will be 10d8 base damage with only 4 full-round actions to reload. Plus, all my three comrades could aid me aim and give +8 or +12 to AB (depends on whether Fission doubles count as twins or not), which covers -4 non proficiency penalty in spades.

Ballisteer's Invisible, Ethereal, and Incorporeal shot abilities could be used for "zeroing" of Mangonels, Trebuchets and Scorpions without disturbing targets.
Also there is synergy with Phase Shot.

Once a catapult successfully hits the target square, all subsequent shots automatically hit the same square with no attack roll needed, until the catapult is aimed at a different square.

If I don't need to make attack rolls I couldn't roll a natural "1" or "2" and miss.

At 20th ECL Poroc brothers have a broad variety of combat options with significant damage potential.
From 12d8 every two rounds with about +15 AB with Light Ballista for almost free (I need only 1 PP for 19 minutes of Call Weaponry and 9 pp for 190 minutes of Expansion and 3 PP for 19 minutes of Animal Affinity to compensate for Dex decreasing from Expansion).
To 56d6 every six rounds with Heavy Trebuchet. It will cost me an additional 13 PP for 19 rounds of Fission and 19 PP for 3 rounds of Temporal Acceleration (six extra full-round actions) if I'm in a hurry.
And this is excluding Psionic Shot and Ballister's Energy and Explosive shots.

At earlier levels most were in the same vein.
At 16th ECL I have Fission, Expansion and Animal Affinity and are already capable of making good damage.
Before these powers I highly likely don't use Trebuchets, unless a successful combination of circumstances happens, but with Ardent powers you couldn't call me useless.

LE Dvati Ardent 9/Ballisteer 10

Spoiler: Boring Tables

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Spoiler: Abilities

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Abilities	Initial	4th, 8th, 12th, 16th	Total
STR	12		12
DEX	14		14
CON	14		14
INT	14		14
WIS	16	4	20
CHA	8		8

Spoiler: Build

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LevelLA+1	Class	BAB	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Ardent 1	0	0	0	2	16: {+4} Concentration: 4; {+4} Profession (siege engineer): 4; {+4} Psicraft: 4; {+4 CC} Tumble: 2;	Dodge1	Assume psionic mantles (Justice, Time)
2nd	Ardent 2	1	0	0	3	4: {+1} Concentration: 5; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 5; {+1} Psicraft: 5; {+1 CC} Tumble: 2.5;		Assume psionic mantle (Guardian)
3rd	Ardent 3	2	1	1	3	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 1; {+1} Concentration: 6; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 6; Psicraft: 5; {+1 CC} Tumble: 3;	Mobility3
4th	Ardent 4	3	1	1	4	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 2; {+1} Concentration: 7; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 7; Psicraft: 5; {+1 CC} Tumble: 3.5;
5th	Ardent 5	3	1	1	4	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 3; {+1} Concentration: 8; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 8; Psicraft: 5; {+1 CC} Tumble: 4;		Assume psionic mantle (Knowledge)
6th	Ardent 6	4	2	2	5	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 4; {+1} Concentration: 9; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 9; Psicraft: 5; {+1 CC} Tumble: 4.5;	Point Blank Shot6
7th	Ardent 7	5	2	2	5	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 5; {+1} Concentration: 10; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 10; Psicraft: 5; {+1 CC} Tumble: 5;
8th	Ardent 8	6	2	2	6	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 6; {+1} Concentration: 11; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 11; Psicraft: 5; {+1 CC} Tumble: 5.5;		Change primary mantle (Justice to Guardian)
9th	Ardent 9	6	3	3	6	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 7; {+1} Concentration: 12; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 12; Psicraft: 5; {+1 CC} Tumble: 6;	Psionic Shot9
10th	Ballisteer 1	6	3	5	6	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 8; {+1} Concentration: 13; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 13; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 7;		Psionic Sidestep, Throw Anything
11th	Ballisteer 2	7	3	6	6	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 9; {+1} Concentration: 14; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 14; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 8;		Invisible shot
12th	Ballisteer 3	8	4	6	7	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 10; {+1} Concentration: 15; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 15; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 9;	Expert Siege Engineer12	Ethereal shot
13th	Ballisteer 4	9	4	7	7	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 11; {+1} Concentration: 16; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 16; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 10;		Energy shot
14th	Ballisteer 5	9	4	7	7	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 12; {+1} Concentration: 17; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 17; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 11;		Incorporeal shot
15th	Ballisteer 6	10	5	8	8	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 13; {+1} Concentration: 18; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 18; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 12;	Expanded Knowledge (Fission)15	Pinpoint Shot
16th	Ballisteer 7	11	5	8	8	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 14; {+1} Concentration: 19; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 19; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 13;		Explosive shot
17th	Ballisteer 8	12	5	9	8	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 15; {+1} Concentration: 20; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 20; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 14;		Improved Psionic Sidestep
18th	Ballisteer 9	12	6	9	9	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 16; {+1} Concentration: 21; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 21; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 15;	Expanded Knowledge (Temporal Acceleration)18	Phased shot
19th	Ballisteer 10	13	6	10	9	4: {+1} Autohypnosis: 17; {+1} Concentration: 22; {+1} Profession (siege engineer): 22; Psicraft: 5; {+1} Tumble: 16;		Infused shot

Spoiler: Psionic

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Level	Class	New Powers	PP
1st	Ardent 1	Call Weaponry (1), Deceleration (1)	2+1 (3)
2nd	Ardent 2	Deaden Blow (1)	6+3 (9)
3rd	Ardent 3	Incite Bravery (2)	11+4 (15)
4th	Ardent 4	Damp Power (2)	17+6 (23)
5th	Ardent 5	Time Hop (3)	25+7 (32)
6th	Ardent 6	Dispel Psionics (3)	35+9 (44)
7th	Ardent 7	Detect Remote Viewing (4)	46+10 56
8th	Ardent 8	Wall of Ectoplasm (4)	58+16 (74)
9th	Ardent 9	Anticipatory Strike (5)	72+18 (90)
10th	Ballisteer 1	-	72+18+0+2 (92)
11th	Ballisteer 2	Extend Range (1)	72+18+1+4 (95)
12th	Ballisteer 3	Inertial Armor (1)	72+18+3+6 (99)
13th	Ballisteer 4	-	72+18+5+8 (103)
14th	Ballisteer 5	Expansion (1)	72+18+7+10 (107)
15th	Ballisteer 6	Animal Affinity (2), Fission (7, feat)	72+18+11+12 (113)
16th	Ballisteer 7	-	72+22+15+17 (126)
17th	Ballisteer 8	Ethereal Volley (2)	72+22+19+20 (133)
18th	Ballisteer 9	Stygian Erasure (2), Temporal Acceleration (6, feat)	72+22+23+22 (139)
19th	Ballisteer 10	-	72+22+27+25 (146)

Spoiler: Books

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Type	Name	Book
Race	Dvati	Dragon Compendium
Class	Ardent	Complete Psionic
Prestige Class	Ballisteer	SI
Feat	Dodge	PHB
Feat	Mobility	PHB
Feat	Point Blank Shot	PHB
Feat	Psionic Shot	Expanded Psionics Handbook
Feat	Expert Siege Engineer	Heroes of Battle
Feat	Expanded Knowledge	Expanded Psionics Handbook
Powers	All	Complete Psionic & Expanded Psionics Handbook
Siege Engines	All	Heroes of Battle

[The Viscount]

Children throw. A true warrior hurls.

Ponee Tutrix - Psionic Ghost Control Unit

Neutral Goliath
Psychic warrior 6 / fighter 1/ ballisteer 10/ hulking hurler 1/bear spiritual totem barbarian 1

Spoiler: Designer’s note

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This build is inspired by the question: What is the funniest thing I can do with the abilities of the ballisteer?

Brainstorming: Round 1
To use the totality of the class features, we need a big funny ranged projectile weapon. Footbow? Blow gun? crossbow winch?

Trebuchet?

Yes.

Trebuchet. How do we guarantee access to a trebuchet?

Soulbound psychic warrior.

Counter argument: so what, you got big damage dice and colossal weapon that you need to get a staff of 12 to get working?.

Rebuttal:
Using ethereal and incorporeal shot, I can trebuchet all of the ghosts and ethereal filchers off the face of the planet, harming no one. Evil clerics will pay you handsomely to exorcise their manor’s without disturbing anything, from a large distance away.
Phase shot is hilarious to imagine when the result isn’t an exploding arrow, but instead a massive meteor of shot material delivered at high velocity from the astral plane. “Oh, no. THe bandits made it back to their woodland fortress! What ever can I do, other than explode them all from a distance?

—------------
Brainstorming: Round 2
I noticed that the energy shot and explosive shot do not need to be a projectile weapon. Any ranged weapon can work with those abilities.

What is the best ranged weapon, that isn’t a trebuchet, to use with this power.

Spear spikards? Eldritch blasts? Flasks of oil?

Picked-up opponents that you throw at other opponents?

Picked-up opponents that you throw at other opponents.

Using feats?

Nope. Using obscure archived online content resources and….grappling rules. Also, hulking hurler’s superior ability called “really throw anything.” This ability is unlike the feat “throw anything”, where the designers tried to hit the brakes on what you can do with it. .

Counter argument: So what, you threw a dude for 2d6 damage against him and another opponent and you get to tack on some extra d4s for damage.

Rebuttal:
The dude I throw will explode. Does he insta-die? Is it a horrific spray of guts and psychic energies? Is it a dragonball z style crater-leaving explosion? Who cares, cuz both are cool.

Brainstorm 3
Those ideas are mutually exclusive.

Tie them together with a clever name.

Spoiler: Abilities

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Abilities	Initial	Race	4th	8th	12th	16th	20th
STR	17	+4= 21	21	22	22	22	22
DEX	15	-2 = 13	13	13	13	13	13
CON	10	+2 = 12	12	12	12	12	12
INT	11	11	11	11	12	12	12
WIS	14	14	15	15	15	16	16
CHA	8	8	8	8	8	8	8

Spoiler: Table

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features	PP
1st	Skilled city dwellin' Soulbound weapon psychic warrior	0	2	0	0	8: {+2} Tumble: 2; {+2} Concentration: 2; {+2} Profession (Siege Engineer): 2; {+2} Search: 2;	Dodge, Point Blank shot, Weapon Focus (trebuchet)	Soulbound weapon (trebuchet), bonus feat, call weapon	0
2nd	Psychic warrior	1	3	0	0	2: {+1} Tumble: 3; {+1} Concentration: 3; Profession (Siege Engineer): 2; Search: 2;		expansion	1
3rd	Psychic warrior	2	3	1	1	2: {+1} Tumble: 4; {+1} Concentration: 4; Profession (Siege Engineer): 2; Search: 2;	mobility	grip of iron	3
4th	Psychic warrior	3	4	1	1	2: {+1} Tumble: 5; {+1} Concentration: 5; Profession (Siege Engineer): 2; Search: 2;		dimension swap	5
5th	Psychic warrior	3	4	1	1	2: {+1} Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 6; Profession (Siege Engineer): 2; Search: 2;	Psionic Shot	Bonus feat, dissolving weapon	7
6th	Fighter	4	6	1	1	2: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 7; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 3; Search: 2;	Power Attack, Weapon Focus (thrown weapon)	Bonus feat, tower shield proficiency	7
7th	Ballisteer 1	4	6	3	1	2: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 8; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 4; Search: 2;	Psionic Sidestep, Throw anything	psionic sidestep, throw anything	11
8th	Ballisteer 2	5	6	4	1	2: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 9; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 5; Search: 2;		invisible shot, dimension slide	15
9th	Hulking Hurler	6	6	6	1	2: Tumble: 6; Concentration: 9; {+2} Profession (Siege Engineer): 7; Search: 2;	Expert Siege Engineer, Snatch arrows, Throw anything	Catch weapon, really throw anything	15
10th	Ballisteer 3	7	7	6	2	2: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 10; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 8; Search: 2;		ethereal shot Telekinetic boomerang CPsi, 103	19
11th	Ballisteer 4	8	7	7	2	2: Tumble: 6; Concentration: 10; {+2} Profession (Siege Engineer): 10; Search: 2;		energy shot	23
12th	Bear spiritual totem Goliath Barbarian	9	9	7	2	5: Tumble: 6; Concentration: 10; Profession (Siege Engineer): 10; Search: 2; {+1} listen: 1; {+4} survival: 4;	Owlbear berzerker	improved grab, Mountain rage	23
13th	Ballisteer 5	9	9	7	2	3: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 11; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 11; Search: 2; listen: 1; survival: 4; {+1} Use Rope: 1;		incorporeal shot Escape Detection	27
14th	Ballisteer 6	10	10	8	3	3: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 12; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 12; Search: 2; listen: 1; survival: 4; {+1} Use Rope: 2;	pinpoint shot	pinpoint shot psychokinetic weapon CPsi, 96	35
15th	Ballisteer 7	11	10	8	3	3: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 13; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 13; Search: 2; listen: 1; survival: 4; {+1} Use Rope: 3;	improved grapple	explosive shot	43
16th	Ballisteer 8	12	10	9	3	3: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 14; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 14; Search: 2; listen: 1; survival: 4; {+1} Use Rope: 4;	improved psionic sidestep	improved psionic sidestep Living Arrow CPsi, 92	51
17th	Ballisteer 9	12	11	9	4	3: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 15; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 15; Search: 2; listen: 1; survival: 4; {+1} Use Rope: 5;		phased shot Empower Weapon (CPsi, 85)	59
18th	Ballisteer 10	13	11	10	4	3: Tumble: 6; {+1} Concentration: 16; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 16; Search: 2; listen: 1; survival: 4; {+1} Use Rope: 6;	empower supernatural ability	infused shot	67
19th	Psychic warrior	14	12	11	5	3: {+1} Tumble: 7; {+1} Concentration: 17; {+1} Profession (Siege Engineer): 17; Search: 2; listen: 1; survival: 4; Use Rope: 6;		personal Mindblank	79
20th	LA+1

Level Breakdown

Spoiler: snapshots

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Level 5 Snapshot:
You’re a goliath psychic warrior with skilled city dweller trading the ride skill for tumble and the ability to summon a trebuchet for a single power point. For Melee, break out a greatsword. You have expansion in there to make your size even bigger. Carry some sort of high damage touch attack ranged weapon to use point blank shot or psionic shot. The iron grip power is relevant later in the game, but it’s an immediate action power for grappling, so you may find utility for it here. Dimension swap lends some utility to team work situations. Dissolving weapon doesn’t specify that it only applies to melee weapons, so enjoy throwing acidic trebuchet shots.

Level 10 Snapshot
A level of fighter grants a bonus feat that helps fulfill the prerequisites for hulking hurler. Ballisteer then begins providing interesting ranged weapon supplementation. Invisible shot allows you to turn your trebuchet ammunition invisible, which doesn’t help much. But nothing is stopping you from using a bow to hurt people without any ability to trace that damage to you. Ethereal shot however, allows us to start our ethereal creature pest eradication service. It hurts nothing in a town if you trebuchet every square of it with explosive ethereal ammunition. Setting up the impressive short ranged damage trick of this build is the hulking hurler. Not only can we now snatch arrows aimed at us, but we can really throw anything as an improvised ranged weapon.

Level 15 Snapshot: High point of the build.
At level 15, all of the build is together in a cohesive piece. Our business of carpet bombing ghosts at great cost and no collateral damage is well underway with our trebuchet skills. But the final tools for the covert death attack ability of ballisteer is unlocked.

According to the Rules of the Game online article found here: https://web.archive.org/web/20071113...d/rg/20050315a

Toss Your Foe: Make an opposed grapple check as a melee attack. If you succeed, you can literally pick up your foe (provided you can lift your foe's weight). Make a Strength check; if your result is at least 10, you toss your foe 5 feet. For every 5 points your Strength check result exceeds 10, you toss your foe another 5 feet, to a maximum of 25 feet.

I can throw my opponent. Can I throw him as a weapon?
Hulking Hurler gives us a compatible answer that allows us to throw our opponents, so long as we pin an opponent and make large DC strength check.

Really Throw Anything (Ex): A hulking hurler gains the Throw Anything feat (described in Chapter 3 of this book) as a bonus feat. However, since a hulking hurler depends on brute strength more than skill, he can throw anything (not just weapons) he can lift as a light load. If the item is an improvised weapon, he takes a —2 penalty on his attack roll instead of the normal —4. Use the rules in Chapter 4 of this book to determine the amount of damage the thrown weapon does. The range increment of a thrown weapon or improvised weapon wielded by a hulking hurler is 10 feet + 5 feet per size category the hulking hurler is beyond Large (this is a modification of the Throw Anything feat).

Ballisteer has two abilities that work on any ranged weapon, not just a projectile ranged weapon: Energy shot and Explosive shot. If I pin an opponent through grappling, I can toss them as a melee attack with some bonus fiddly rules, and If “really throw anything” lives up its name, that opponent is now an improvised weapon.

Which means we can infuse that person with psychic energies to deal damage against other opponents (+ point blank shot). Which means, that, at level 15, we can make our ranged weapon explode on a hit.

Explosive Shot: The ballisteer can now make his Energy Shots explode with a 10-ft.-radius burst with the expenditure of 2 additional power points. This ability is applied as the attack is made, but the cost must be paid before the attack roll. Explosive shots that miss their target do not explode and the energy dissipates harmlessly. Creatures other than the initial target in the affected area may attempt a Reflex save (DC 20) for half damage.

What does it mean by explode? The weapon is consumed in the process of exploding, right? Right?

Towards this goal we get ourselves into a level of barbarian, not for the rage, but for the access to the owlbear berzerker feat, (+4 on grapple checks) as well as improved grab. So we can hit with a two handed sword, improved grab, grapple. Pin them on round 2 and throw them at other bad guys as a sacrificial exploding improvised weapon to hurt his buddies.

Level 20 Snapshot
Tutrix can now phase shot, double damage trebuchet blasts anywhere he can get a clairvoyant sensor to within 1500 feet. Truly terrifying. Imagine being raided from the astral plane by someone you couldnt see approaching up until 5 minutes before the attack. And even if you have a counter offensive, the siege engineer is a giant who can throw an opponent so hard that they explode, no saving throw, no nothing. You just have to hope he misses his target.

A number of psionic powers augment the siege engineer. He can grow to gargantuan size. He can manifest psychokinetic weapon on his trebuchet, quite possibly removing the need for it to have a crew entirely, because again, there isn’t an explicit prohibition on the power limiting it to melee weapons. Empower weapon has some hilarious implications for putting powers into your allies if you wield them as improvised ranged weapons, Allowing you to touch them to manifest powers while you rage. More simply, you could just deck yourself out in weapons with powers stored in them. This allows you to manifest while raging. Living arrow seems appropriate to put onto this character, as we can still use bows like a normie. And if you miss with your opponent as a weapon, (or hell, if you hit) telekinetic boomerang is hilarious.

[The Viscount]

The Greater Redoubt is surprisingly poorly guarded.

Gregor Redbane of the Lesser Redoubt




Lawful Neutral Human Warblade 2 / Psychic Warrior 4 / Bloodstorm Blade 4 / Ballisteer 10

Spoiler: Background

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In the time long past the extinguishing of the Sun, mankind huddles together in great structures for protection while being watched by Eldritch abominations waiting to lay waste to the last survivors. Gregor Redbane was a warrior born and raised in the Lesser Redoubt, a city that had stood strong for centuries against the horrors of The Night Land. But now, the defenses were crumbling, and the abhumans were pressing closer every day.

Gregor had never been one to shy away from battle, but he knew that brute strength alone would not be enough to save his city, however skilled he might be with the terrifying Diskos. (Warblade 1,2) He and the other defenders had to master their brain elements, learning to use their minds to fight as well as their bodies. It was a difficult and often painful process, but they had no choice. (Psychic Warrior 1-4)

Occasionally, they would venture out into the Night Land, risking their lives to repel the abhuman attackers and protect their people’s dwindling connection to the Earth Current that had sustained them through the millenia. They knew that they could not win the war, but they hoped to buy time for the people of the Lesser Redoubt to find a way to escape to the Last Redoubt, the only place of safety left in the world. Desperation led Gregor to become increasingly skilled and using his psionic abilities extended to enhance his weapons, becoming a master of throwing and directing his Diskos (Bloodstorm Blade 1-4) and charging it with psionic energy (Ballisteer 1-10). Ever an excellent student in the blending of arm and mind, Gregor would constantly train to learn new applications of his mental force. He was a talented warrior learning to break the laws of physics in order to win battles in an unwinnable war.

Lady Mirdath had been gathering information about the Last Redoubt with her powerful brain element. She had made contact with someone in the ancient structure who confirmed that its own connection to the Earth Current has remained strong and that they had continued to thrive. It was the only hope for Gregor’s people. The people of the Lesser Redoubt had heard tales of its vast size and impregnable defenses, and they clung to the hope that they could make it there in time.

Gregor Redbane was not a man given to despair, but sometimes the weight of their situation threatened to crush him. He saw the fear in the eyes of his fellow defenders, and he felt it too. But he knew that they could not give up, not now. Even as the walls began to crack, they had to fight until the bitter end, for the sake of their city and for the hope of a better future in the Last Redoubt.

Spoiler: Abilities

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Initial Stats
STR 16
DEX 12
CON 14
INT 12
WIS 14
CHA 10

ASIs
4: Strength
8: Strength
12: Strength
16: Strength
20: Wisdom

Spoiler: Ability Breakdown

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Abilities	Initial	Race / Template	4th	8th	12th	16th	20th
STR	16		1	1	1	1
DEX	12
CON	14
INT	12
WIS	14						1
CHA	10

Spoiler: Ability Progression

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Level \ Abilities	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
1st	16	12	14	12	14	10
2nd	16	12	14	12	14	10
3rd	16	12	14	12	14	10
4th	17	12	14	12	14	10
5th	17	12	14	12	14	10
6th	17	12	14	12	14	10
7th	17	12	14	12	14	10
8th	18	12	14	12	14	10
9th	18	12	14	12	14	10
10th	18	12	14	12	14	10
11th	18	12	14	12	14	10
12th	19	12	14	12	14	10
13th	19	12	14	12	14	10
14th	19	12	14	12	14	10
15th	19	12	14	12	14	10
16th	20	12	14	12	14	10
17th	20	12	14	12	14	10
18th	20	12	14	12	14	10
19th	20	12	14	12	14	10
20th	20	12	14	12	15	10

Spoiler: Build Table

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Warblade	1	2	0	0	Balance x 4, Tumble x 4, Concentration x 4, Martial Lore x 4, Intimidate x 4, Spot x 4	Dodge (Level 1), Power Attack (Human Bonus Feat)	Battle clarity (Reflex saves), weapon aptitude
2nd	Psychic Warrior	1	4	0	0	Tumble x 1, Autohypnosis x 5	Mobility (Psychic Warrior Bonus Feat)
3rd	Psychic Warrior	2	5	1	1	Concentration x 2, Tumble x 1, Knowledge (Psionics) x 3	Brutal Throw (Level 3)	Mantle: Freedom
4th	Psychic Warrior	3	5	1	1	Knowledge (Psionics) x 3
5th	Psychic Warrior	4	6	1	1	Concentration x 1, Tumble x 2, Knowledge (Psionics) x 1
6th	Warblade	5	7	1	1	Balance x 4, Intimidate x 1, Diplomacy x 1	Point Blank Shot (Level 6)	Uncanny dodge
7th	Bloodstorm Blade	6/1	9	1	1	Spot x 6	Throw Anything (Warblade Bonus Feat)	Returning attacks
8th	Bloodstorm Blade	7/2	10	1	1	Balance x 2, Concentration x 1, Intimidate x 1, Spot x 2		Martial throw, thunderous throw
9th	Ballisteer	7/2	10	3	1	Spot x 2, Autohypnosis x 2	Psionic Shot (Level 9), Throw Anything (Ballisteer Bonus Feat), Psionic Sidestep (Ballisteer Bonus Feat)
10th	Ballisteer	8/3	10	4	1	Spot x 2, Autohypnosis x 2		Invisible Shot
11th	Ballisteer	9/4	11	4	2	Spot x 2, Autohypnosis x 2		Ethereal Shot
12th	Ballisteer	10/5	11	5	2	Spot x 2, Autohypnosis x 2	Vital Recovery (Level 12)	Energy Shot
13th	Ballisteer	10/5	11	5	2	Spot x 2, Autohypnosis x 1, Knowledge (Psionics) x 1		Incorporeal Shot
14th	Bloodstorm Blade	11/6/1	11	6	3	Balance x 2, Concentration x 1, Intimidate x 1, Spot x 2	Power Throw (Warblade Bonus Feat)
15th	Bloodstorm Blade	12/7/2	12	6	3	Balance x 2, Concentration x 1, Intimidate x 1, Spot x 2	Psionic Mediation (Level 15)	Lightning ricochet
16th	Ballisteer	13/8/3	13	7	4	Knowledge (Psionics) x 4	Pinpoint Shot (Ballisteer Bonus Feat)
17th	Ballisteer	14/9/4	13	7	4	Balance x 4		Explosive Shot
18th	Ballisteer	15/10/5	13	8	4	Autohypnosis x 4	Ironheart Aura (Level 18), Improved Psionic Sidestep (Ballisteer Bonus Feat)
19th	Ballisteer	15/10/5	14	8	5	Spot x 4		Phase Shot
20th	Ballisteer	16/11/6/1	14	9	5	Concentation x 2, Knowledge (Psionics) x 2		Infused Shot

Spoiler: Psionic Powers

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Effective Character Level	Psychic Warrior Level	Manifesting Power List	Power Points Per Day	Powers Known	Maximum Power Level Known	Bonus Power Points from Wisdom Modifier
2nd	1st	Psychic Warrior	0	1	1	1
3rd	2nd	Psychic Warrior	1	2	1	2
4th	3rd	Psychic Warrior	3	3	1	3
5th	4th	Psychic Warrior	5	4	2	4
10th	5th	Psychic Warrior	7	5	2	6
11th	6th	Psychic Warrior	11	6	2	7
13th	7th	Psychic Warrior	15	7	3	9
16th	8th	Psychic Warrior	19	8	3	10
18th	9th	Psychic Warrior	23	9	3	12
19th	10th	Psychic Warrior	27	10	4	13

Powers Known
Deflection Field (2), Expansion (3), Vigor (4), Hustle (8), Darkvision, Psionic (9), Strength of My Enemy (11), Fly, Psionic (12), Keen Edge, Psionic (16), True Venom Weapon (18), Weapon of Energy (19)

Spoiler: Maneuvers

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Level	Class	Initiator Level	Maneuvers Known	Maneuvers Readied	Stances Known
1st	Warblade	1	3	3	1
2nd	Warblade	4	4	3	1

Maneuvers Known (ECL)
Steel Wind (1), Steely Strike (1), Moment of Perfect Mind (1), Iron Heart Surge (6)

Stances Known (ECL)
Punishing Stance (1)

Spoiler: Equipment

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This build obviously loves magic weapons and can use a good variety of armors, but nothing is “required” for the build to work. He wants a big two hander that he can huck at foes to take advantage of the unique class features and then everything else would be gravy. A flaming weapon or a Sun Blade would really nail a Diskos, but that is more to fulfill the lore of the setting rather than being mechanically required. Just assume that he gets the standard stat boosting items for Strength, Wisdom, and Constitution (in that order), along with magic weapons and armor, and whatever “neat” items would be good to have on hand like a Figurine of Wondrous Power or whatever.

SNAPSHOTS

Spoiler: ECL 5

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“I truly believe that I can get us through this. Just get me in front of him and we can end this.” - Gregor
“You aren’t ready. Now raise your guard!” - Goddrick Oncekilled, Man at Arms of the Lesser Redoubt
Opening with Warblade makes the character a durable combatant from the get go and then immediately going into Psychic Warrior pretty much sets the overall tone of the character. Everything after level 2 just better defines the range of abilities that the character has, so level 5 marks a solid snapshot of the base abilities the character will wield over the course of the game. Hell, Gregor can even begin using thrown weapons as his ranged option, so everything after will feel like an evolution.

Spoiler: ECL 10

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“You aren’t dealing with the average warrior anymore. There will be legends spoken about me.” - Gregor
By the time we’re at level 10, Gregor is able to do all of his tricks, even if there’s room to grow. This is a melee guy who effectively gets super reach. He’s got extra tricks from what a pure martial character would have and is competitive with their damage output, via buff powers, though definitely not the best in any category.

Spoiler: ECL 15

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“Finally! Finally those Abhuman monstrosities will fear me! We move at dawn!” - Gregor
Bloodstorm Blade 4 is the best stuff from that class. This is frankly the sweet spot for the build as you get every “type” of action sequence possible. Do you want a crazy frenzy of a ricochetting great axe? Well… here you go! It’s a dope figure to roleplay. Full attacks with a thrown great sword and psionic enhancements makes Gregor pretty solid, especially since this lets Gregor recharge a spent maneuver. He’s not doing particularly new things from previous levels, but this is where it all comes together, like Goku mastering Kaio-ken.

Spoiler: ECL 20

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“I was hoping for a challenge, but I’ll settle for a workout. I’m to meet with the Lady Mirdath tomorrow, so if you avoid the face, I swear I’ll let you live.” - Gregor
This is a fun level, with those hucked greatsword attacks getting equal amounts of psionic damage tacked on. It’s nothing fancy. He’s just better at the same basic thing he’s been doing since level 2. He should be something akin to One Punch Man, a Shonen style hero who longs for a real challenge, or a great end point for a Vegeta style character that leaned more evil.

Spoiler: Design Notes

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Psychic Warrior was the obvious entry point and trying to make a bruiser version of the Ballisteer led me to work in the Bloodstorm Blade. It’s very feat intensive and definitely trades out higher level powers in exchange for a broader spread of tricks. By the late game, this class will be using full round attacks more than maneuvers, and despite the secret ingredient and the almost required entry class both being ¾ BAB, Gregor gets the 4th iterative by the end. He’ll be powering up with his psionic powers, such as expansion to become large sized, dealing 6d6 plus 1.5 x his augmented strength mod, before taking on the Balisteer abilities to boost damage and deal splash damage in an area of effect. I think it would be fun to play.

Spoiler: Sources

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Players Handbook
Complete Warrior
Tome of Battle: Book of Nine Swords
Complete Psionics
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Wizards of the Coast Minds Eye Articles

[The Viscount]

Bowister, if you will.

Gailan Harcael of the Sunwhispers




Chaotic Good Elf Cloistered Cleric 1 / Psychic Warrior 7 / Paladin of Freedom 2 / Ballisteer 10

Spoiler: Our Tale

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I always loved plants.

It was clear to me from my youth that I wished to learn everything there was to know about the untamed world. It led me to pledge myself to a monastery in the service of Ehlonna, cultivating the gardens and making notes about the heritable traits of our bred crops. These were the happy years of my life. (Cloistered Cleric 1)

The ground beneath us betrayed us. From up out of the realm below, the Underdark, they came. Twisted Dwarves with fierce powers emanating from their very minds. They captured everyone of my monastic order and dragged us deep below. There were a lot of screams in those days. They experimented on us. Tortured us. Then finally they sacrificed us.

Each night they would come with a monster that they were bartering with, a creature of tentacles, an Illithid! The cursed mind flayer would strike a group of us and pick one to claim. The Duergar would then take the chosen and offer them in exchange for whatever relations they had forged with the monsters. Our numbers dwindled from hundreds to a scant few when it came my time. After countless exposure to their blasts, I suddenly understood the energies striking me and I saw an opening. (Trading Knowledge Domain for Devotion) I resisted the effects of the attack but feigned weakness. When the Duergar came for me, I surprised them, stole their weapons, and freed my comrades. (Psychic Warrior 1) With the swiftness of Ehlonna, we fled into the darkness. (Trading Travel Domain for Travel Devotion)

Years passed. With each battle, I came to understand the mental tricks of our enemies better and better. Though I had not cared for archery in my youth, my shot grew ever surer. (Psychic Warrior 2 - 5)

Though I prayed to Ehlonna every day, I could feel my faith slipping. I had become bitter and hard in my many battles with the Illithids and their allies, but then Ehlonna appeared to me. We were being rapidly advanced upon by superior numbers, but then the rocks above gave out and fell, crushing them. The chamber we were in filled with light so bright that I had to look away, but slowly I came to realize that I was seeing the moonlight from the night sky far above. The moonlight! My eyes had become so accustomed to the darkness that I couldn’t even tolerate the moon. I knew in this moment that I was destined to live out my days in the darkness, but that the warmth of the sun awaited me in the next life. My faith rekindled, in that moment I vowed to free all those that the Duergar and Illithid would imprison. I would lead the bravest among my order and forge a knighthood dedicated to Freedom! (Paladin of Freedom 1-2, ELf Substitution Level 1)

With our purpose newly defined, we forged a new method of fighting, combining the mental techniques we had learned from our foes, our faith, and the deadliness of our arrows. We became a reminder to all that lurked below that no matter how hushed, there would always be a whisper of the Sun! (Ballisteer 1-10, Psychic Warrior 6-7)

Spoiler: Abilities

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Initial Stats
STR 10
DEX 14
CON 14
INT 12
WIS 16
CHA 10

ASIs
4: Wisdom
8: Wisdom
12: Wisdom
16: Wisdom
20: Wisdom

Spoiler: Ability Breakdown

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Abilities	Initial	Race / Template	4th	8th	12th	16th	20th
STR	10
DEX	12	2
CON	16	-2
INT	12
WIS	16		1	1	1	1	1
CHA	10

Spoiler: Ability Progression

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Level \ Abilities	STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
1st	10	14	14	12	16	10
2nd	10	14	14	12	16	10
3rd	10	14	14	12	16	10
4th	10	14	14	12	17	10
5th	10	14	14	12	17	10
6th	10	14	14	12	17	10
7th	10	14	14	12	17	10
8th	10	14	14	12	18	10
9th	10	14	14	12	18	10
10th	10	14	14	12	18	10
11th	10	14	14	12	18	10
12th	10	14	14	12	19	10
13th	10	14	14	12	19	10
14th	10	14	14	12	19	10
15th	10	14	14	12	19	10
16th	10	14	14	12	20	10
17th	10	14	14	12	20	10
18th	10	14	14	12	20	10
19th	10	14	14	12	20	10
20th	10	14	14	12	21	10

Spoiler: Build Table

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Reflex Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	(Cloistered) Cleric	0	2	0	2	28 Ranks (4x(6 Ranks for Cleric, 1 for Int Bonus)	Dodge (1-st Level Feat), Travel Devotion (Domain Exchange), Knowledge Devotion (Domain Exchange)	Rebuke or command plant creatures, Plant Domain, Spellcasting (Cleric Level 1), Turn Undead
2nd	Psychic Warrior	0	4	0	2	3 (2 ranks for Psychic Warrior, 1 for Int Bonus): Tumble 3	Mobility (Psychic Warrior Bonus Feat)
3rd	Psychic Warrior	1	5	0	2	3 (2 ranks for Psychic Warrior, 1 for Int Bonus): Tumble 3	Point Blank Shot (Level 3)	Mantle: Freedom (ACF)
4th	Psychic Warrior	2	5	1	3	3 (2 ranks for Psychic Warrior, 1 for Int Bonus): Concentration 3
5th	Psychic Warrior	3	6	1	3	3 (2 ranks for Psychic Warrior, 1 for Int Bonus): Concentration 3
6th	Psychic Warrior	3	6	1	3	3 (2 ranks for Psychic Warrior, 1 for Int Bonus): Tumble 2, Autohypnosis 1	Psionic Shot (Level 6), Precise Shot (Psychic Warrior Bonus Feat)
7th	Paladin (of Freedom?) (Elf Paladin Variant)	4	8	1	3	3 (2 ranks for Paladin, 1 for Int Bonus): Sense Motive 3		Smite Evil, Aura of Good, Detect Evil
8th	Paladin (of Freedom?) (Elf Paladin Variant)	5	9	1	3	3 (2 ranks for Paladin, 1 for Int Bonus): Sense Motive 2, Knowledge (religion) 1		Divine Grace, Lay on Hands
9th	Ballisteer	5	9	3	3	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Spot 3	Zen Archer (Level 9), Throw Anything (Ballisteer Bonus Feat), Psionic Sidestep (Ballisteer Bonus Feat)
10th	Ballisteer	6/1	9	4	3	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Spot 3		Invisible Shot
11th	Ballisteer	7/2	10	4	4	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Spot 3		Ethereal Shot
12th	Ballisteer	8/3	10	5	4	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Autohypnosis 3	Serenity (Level 12)	Energy Shot
13th	Ballisteer	8/3	10	5	4	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Autohypnosis 3		Incorporeal Shot
14th	Ballisteer	9/4	11	6	5	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Autohypnosis 3	Pinpoint Shot (Ballisteer Bonus Feat)
15th	Ballisteer	10/5	11	6	5	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Autohypnosis 3	Psionic Mediation (Level 15)	Explosive Shot
16th	Ballisteer	11/6/1	11	7	5	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Concentra 3	Improved Psionic Sidestep (Ballisteer Bonus Feat)
17th	Ballisteer	11/6/1	12	7	6	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Concentra 3		Phase Shot
18th	Ballisteer	12/7/2	12	8	6	3 (2 ranks for Ballisteer, 1 for Int Bonus): Spot 3	Animal Devotion (Level 18)	Infused Shot
19th	Psychic Warrior	13/8/3	13	9	7	3 (2 ranks for Psychic Warrior, 1 for Int Bonus): Knowledge (psionics) 3	Greater Psionic Shot (Psychic Warrior Bonus Feat)
20th	Psychic Warrior	14/9/4	13	9	7	3 (2 ranks for Psychic Warrior, 1 for Int Bonus): Tumble 3

Spoiler: Spellcasting

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Level	Class	0th	1st
1st	Cleric	3	1+1

Bonus Spell Slots: 1 first level slot (ECL1-15), 2 first level slots (ECL 16-20)

Spoiler: Psionic Powers

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Effective Character Level	Psychic Warrior Level	Manifesting Class List	Power Points Per Day	Powers Known	Maximum Power Level Known	Bonus Power Points from Wisdom Modifier
2nd	1st	Psychic Warrior	0	1	1	1
3rd	2nd	Psychic Warrior	1	2	1	3
4th	3rd	Psychic Warrior	3	3	1	4
5th	4th	Psychic Warrior	5	4	2	6
6th	5th	Psychic Warrior	7	5	2	7
10th	6th	Psychic Warrior	11	6	2	14
11th	7th	Psychic Warrior	15	7	3	16
13th	8th	Psychic Warrior	19	8	3	20
14th	9th	Psychic Warrior	23	9	3	22
16th	10th	Psychic Warrior	27	10	4	32
17th	11th	Psychic Warrior	35	11	4	35
19th	12th	Psychic Warrior	43	12	4	40
20th	13th	Psychic Warrior	51	13	5	42

Powers Known
Deflection Field (2), Dimension Hop (3), Vigor (4), Hustle (5), Darkvision, Psionic (6), Thought Shield (10), Fly, Psionic (11), Keen Edge, Psionic (13), Evade Burst (14), Weapon of Energy (16), Dimension Door, Psionic (17), Inertial Barrier (19), Catapsi (20)

Spoiler: Equipment

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From level 2 on, the goal for Gailan would be to get the best bow and heaviest armor available. This build isn’t dramatically reliant on any magic items to make work. Obviously, stat boosting items and magical weapons and armor will improve the character, and he wouldn’t say “no” to nightsticks, but none of that is required for Gailan to feel like his concept is fulfilled.

Snapshots

Spoiler: ECL 5

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Ehlonna granted me a love for that which grows above, but here in the darkness I have learned to hate the chains of those who fester below.
At fifth level, Gailan has the foundation of the overall build established. The character has a mixture of divine magic, psionic powers, and a burgeoning martial prowess. Coming from a scholarly monastic tradition, his greatest contribution to the party is the breath of his magical and psionic tricks, though many of those tricks (such as his Travel devotion feat) can go a long way to making his combat abilities solid enough. 2 pools of Turning (Undead and Plants) makes up for the abysmal charisma score, allowing a good amount of uses of Travel Devotion making Gailan a solid skirmisher. Knowledge Devotion has been hugely useful in keeping up on damage output up until this point and it will continues to contribute, but it won’t noticeably improve except for with Psionic foes (though the narrative certainly supports this with the bulk of their enemies being Duergar and Illithids).

Spoiler: ECL 10

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Though we continue our fight in this eternal night, those I lead carry the message that there is a light above and that such wonders are birthed on the land from it. It is a message of hope for the hopeless. A cry to lead those who have been wronged to rise up.
At tenth level, the build is definitely online. While it will grow in power and options, the fundamental flavor of the character is defined at level 9 with the first level of the Ballisteer prestige class. With Zen Archer, the martial aspect of the character is fully crystalized and the Paladin levels express a fusion of the various aspects of the character, moving them away from a ragtag freedom fighter and into a liberating Knight, wielding an arsenal of weapons in the name of his Goddess, even if the real benefit of those levels are yet to be apparent. We’re just shy of the sweet spot, but this is definitely the character the player is here for. Envisioning the Ballisteer levels as sort of a liberating order of archers, it gives a sort of Robin Hood vibe. And Gailan at this point is going to have a lot of trick shot style abilities, blending his combat abilities with his supernatural ones seamlessly.

Spoiler: ECL 15

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We have fought for so long that giving up now would be impossible. Do your worst! With Ehlonna’s blessings protecting and empowering both my body and my mind, even death will not stop me from seeing this war to the end.
We are thoroughly in the range of the sweet spot at level fifteen! Serenity transforms the more thematic levels that the Paladin of Freedom levels had been up until this point into a potent boost, particularly with saves and massively boosted pool of Turn uses to fuel Travel Devotion. At this point, the Turn pool is big enough that we’ll be looking for an additional use. While Gailan won’t be outpacing a two handed greatsword wielder in damage, he’s going to be pretty durable and self sufficient, able to contribute meaningfully in battle and often have the right tools to overcome obstacles.

Spoiler: ECL 20

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It’s hard to remember the chirping of the birds and the taste of sweet fruit, but I will lay my life down that you all may step into that paradise and experience its wonder. Go. I will distract them and buy you time.
The last few levels of this build cement areas that Gailan was already good at. Animal Devotion adds options beyond pure combat enhancements, though it also helps with damage on a magical compound bow or if melee is required. It would have been flashier earlier, but it’s not unwelcome. Otherwise, there’s not much that changes. Gailan just barely squeezes into 5th level Psychic Warrior powers, but has a reasonably large Power Point pool, making him similar to a ranged, psionic version of a Duskblade, but with better utility and a little tankier.

Spoiler: Design Notes

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The second I read the article featuring the secret ingredient, I envisioned a Zen Archer. Even after playing around with other approaches, I couldn’t shake the idea of a Wis SAD character archer. It’s a build that always has some new thing each level and lots of fun lower power tricks to use. Fundamentally, the Ballisteer is a ranged focus for the Psychic Warrior and doesn’t dramatically change anything about how one plays. It just gives some interesting specifics. Adding levels of Paladin and throwing in Serenity helped to make the Ballisteer feel more like a special order of psychic archers!

Spoiler: Sources

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Players Handbook
Unearthed Arcana
Complete Psionics
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Complete Warrior
Complete Adventurer
Complete Champion

[The Viscount]

And here's our contestants for the round! Judges, over to you!

[H_H_F_F]

Boys, BOYS!

Very proud of y'all. Worth the wait.

Going to sleep now, I'll articulate thoughts on an HM tomorrow.

[Frostmoon]

...gotta admit, I was not expecting four(?!) separate whales.

EDIT: Ahem, three whales and one...whaler...? Sure. Why not. XD

[Paragon]

I feel I've read one build 5 times over x)

I even read the second entry I wanted to build done better than it would have.
Originality is dead for me x)

[loky1109]

Table.

Name	Alignment / Race	Class Levels	Chef	Judge 1	Total	Place
Elithkhad the Dancing Shsadow	LG Kalashtar	Kalashtar Telepath 3/Kalashtar Monk 2/Soulknife 2/Soulbow 3/Balisteer 10
Son'Har	CN Anthropomorphic Baleen Whale	Psychic Warrior 4/Bloodstorm Blade 4/Ballisteer 9
Goliath of Gath	TN Anthropomorphic Baleen Whale	Psychic Warrior 1/Poison Use Wilderness Martial Rogue 1/Ardent 4/Ballisteer 6/Legacy Champion 5
Chaka	CE Strongheart Halfling	Binder 5/Skilled City-Dweller Fighter 4/Ballisteer 10/Master Thrower 1
Queequeg	CG Mineral Warrior Azurin	Soulbond Weapon Skilled City Dweller Psychic Warrior 8/Ballisteer 9/Totemist 1/Master Thrower 1
Lewis Z	CG Anthropomorphic Baleen Whale	Skilled City Dweller Bear Totem Barbarian 1/Skilled City Dweller Psychic Warrior 5/Hulking Hurler 1/Ballisteer 10
Poroc brothers	LE Dvati	Ardent 9/Ballisteer 10
Ponee Tutrix	TN Goliath	Soulbond Weapon Skilled City Dweller Psychic Warrior 6/Fighter 1/Ballisteer 10/Hulking Hurler 1/Bear Spiritual Totem Goliath Barbarian 1
Gregor Redbane	LN Human	Warblade 2/Mantled Warrior Psychic Warrior 4/Bloodstorm Blade 4/Ballisteer 10
Gailan Harcael	CG Elf	Cloistered Cleric 1/Mantled Warrior Psychic Warrior 7/Elf Paladin of Freedom 2/Ballisteer 10

[Paragon]

Thanks for the table Loky. I've grown accustomed to it so much that it doesn't feel like the reveal is done until I see it formatted in your table ^^

Did we have a judge for this comp ? Inevitability maybe ?

[loky1109]

Thanks for the table Loky. I've grown accustomed to it so much that it doesn't feel like the reveal is done until I see it formatted in your table ^^

Thanks to mattie_p for his tables' template.

[H_H_F_F]

So, obvious shout-out to the Two Trick Pony, for combining two tricks that we saw repeated elsewhere in the same build - but my HM goes to Chaka, for qualifying in a way that really tickled me, while actually wanting to be a binder regardless. Also, I just like the name. CHAKA! Say it to the tune of "FLOCKA!" from Hard in Da Paint.

I really liked reading your builds. Very well done by everyone, I think. I believe I can make an educated guess as to who built what, even considering the new guys. Looking forward to seeing if I was right, and to reading the judgements of course!


[EDIT]All entries have been registered to the ICO sheet.[/EDIT]

[Inevitability]

Did we have a judge for this comp ? Inevitability maybe ?

I am currently working on judging, 3/10 done. (why are there three whales am I being pranked)

A question to our chair. Chaka's build post contains a build as well as a fully fleshed-out variant with a message directly targeted at me. Which of these should I treat as the final build? Or, if Chaka's creator has no second entry, I will judge both. Until this is resolved, I will work on judging the other entries.

If Chaka's creator has an opinion on the matter, they can share it with the chair via PM.

[H_H_F_F]

I am currently working on judging, 3/10 done. (why are there three whales am I being pranked)

Swift! Thanks, Inevitability.

[quetzalcoatl5]

...gotta admit, I was not expecting four(?!) separate whales.

EDIT: Ahem, three whales and one...whaler...? Sure. Why not. XD

Would you say... "Something must be in the water?"

...


I'll see myself out.

[Wildstag]

Kinda surprised one of them isn't a Darfellan.

[The Viscount]

I am currently working on judging, 3/10 done. (why are there three whales am I being pranked)

A question to our chair. Chaka's build post contains a build as well as a fully fleshed-out variant with a message directly targeted at me. Which of these should I treat as the final build? Or, if Chaka's creator has no second entry, I will judge both. Until this is resolved, I will work on judging the other entries.

If Chaka's creator has an opinion on the matter, they can share it with the chair via PM.

I wonder if seeing Ballisteer primed people subconsciously to think of baleen. Either way Vizzini is crowned as secret winner this round.

Unless I hear anything from the chef, I would say to judge based on the variant build. [EDIT: The chef has weighed in and agreed.]

Kinda surprised one of them isn't a Darfellan.

That would require people to remember Darfellan exists, and then navigate the minefield of whether or not they have the aquatic subtype.

[daremetoidareyo]

No one wanted a whale, they wanted size increases. Darfellan doesn’t deliver on that front

[H_H_F_F]

Do we have anyone other than Inevitability lurking in the shadows and considering judging these whales ballisteers?

[Inevitability]

Do we have anyone other than Inevitability lurking in the shadows and considering judging these whales ballisteers?

Any judge who shares in my suffering will receive my eternal admiration and a free coupon for Future Build Comp Advice.

[TerrickTerran]

Just looking at a couple of these characters made my head hurt. Good luck to anyone who agrees to judge as well.

[Wildstag]

That would require people to remember Darfellan exists, and then navigate the minefield of whether or not they have the aquatic subtype.

Not to derail the thread further, but there's a debate around that? The table shows them having the Humanoid (aquatic) type. Is there a similar argument about PC Domovoi having the (fire) subtype?

[Venger]

Not to derail the thread further, but there's a debate around that? The table shows them having the Humanoid (aquatic) type. Is there a similar argument about PC Domovoi having the (fire) subtype?

While that's true, and in practice it's harmless to let them have it in actual play, tables are considered secondary sources (the old "text trumps table" credo). In darfellan's writeup as a race on page 37, it is omitted. Clearly an oversight, but I believe that's what the Viscount is talking about.

[Analytica]

I would love to see an actual play by play battle now between the whaler and the whales, see what happens!