-
Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Welcome to Optimization Stadium, the field of combat for our storied competition. Here the contestants will be transmuting lead into gold as we showcase the overlooked, underused, weird, wild, and wonky prestige classes.
The Drow have a lot of baggage. There's a whole host of monsters that arise from failing Lolth's many tests of her faithful. There are many prestige classes for them, but as we've seen in many prior rounds, they're often quite poor. Then we get to this class. It says it's about one thing, but some of the features indicate something of a confusing set of priorities. This round, crack open Drow of the Underdark and wonder whether this can be twisted into a tortured Oppenheimer reference, this round we're cooking with Kinslayer!
Welcome, contestants, judges, and guests to Iron Chef. Here in Optimization Colosseum, contestants will endeavor to create an optimized and flavorful character using a specified D&D 3.5 prestige class as a "Secret Ingredient".
Contestants: You will need to present a full 20-level build for your entry. Also required is a rundown of how your build works at lower levels, to demonstrate that it is a functional character that could be played from 1-20 in a real game. Traditionally contestants give "snapshots" of tactics and abilities at levels 5, 10, 15, and 20. The purpose of these snapshots is not just to showcase your use of the SI, it is to demonstrate that your character is playable at every level. For this reason, it's still worth giving a snapshot before you have entered the SI.
Menu: The "special ingredient" can be drawn from any legal source. Originally, the plan was to mostly use Core and Completes, but that was a long time ago, and we've started running out of interesting classes to use if we restrict ourselves to those.
32 point-buy is the presumed creation method.
If you do use a different point-buy, please make your case for its necessity in your entry. Keep in mind that for using exceptionally large or small point-buys may warrant deductions in elegance and/or power.
Kitchen: Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see Elegance below. Web-exclusive 3.0 or 3.5 materials by WotC are expressly allowed, but take care to verify that an updated version did not appear in print elsewhere, as this may cause an Elegance deduction at the judges' discretion. Here's a guide to most of what has and hasn't been updated. Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt or Generic Classes are not allowed, as they create a different playing field. Also, item familiars are forbidden. Please refrain from using Taint unless it's necessary for the Secret Ingredient (subject to a penalty in Elegance proportional to the degree of cheesiness of the Taint usage).
NB: Official Errata and 3.5 updates to 3.0 content are considered valid regardless of whether their sources would otherwise be legal. This includes the 3.5 update of Oriental Adventures given in Dragon Magazine, and the 3.5 updates of Dragonlance Campaign Setting content given in later third party Dragonlance books.
Cooking Time: Contestants will have until 13:59 GMT on Sunday, May 12th, 2024 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, The Viscount. You may submit build by email if it is too large for a single PM. Please put the name of your build in the subject line of your PM. Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying. Judges will have until 13:59 GMT on Sunday, May 26th, 2024 to judge the builds and submit their scores. If no judges have scored by that point, only the scores of the first judge to submit will be counted.
Judging: Judging will be based on the following criteria, with each build rated on a scale from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Power, Elegance, Use of Secret Ingredient.
Power level is up to you. Cheese is acceptable, but should be kept to a sane level unless you're showcasing a new TO build you've discovered. In the words of one of my predecessors, a little cheddar can be nice, but avoid the mature Gruyere unless you're making a cheese fondue.
Elegance could bear a little elaboration. It basically measures how skillfully you put your build together, and whether you sacrificed flavor for power. We're cooking here - if your dish doesn't taste good, it doesn't matter how well-presented it is. Use of flaws is considered in poor taste, and judges are asked to take a dim view of this option, taking it into account while grading. Other things that will cause penalties here are excessive multi-classing, and classes that don't fit the concept. Please note the following: a legal source's relative obscurity should not be considered as penalizing Elegance, excepting the aforementioned issues with Unearthed Arcana. Using conflicting setting material may result in a penalty to Elegance at the judges' discretion, but a book's relative obscurity may not. In that same vein, drawing solely from the Core 3 (and the d20 SRD) should not be punished for lacking Originality.
Presentation: Builds will be posted anonymously, in order to avoid the potential of bias towards a particular competitor. For this reason, please don't put your name in the build, as I'm likely to miss it when reviewing the entries!
Spoiler
Show
NAME OF ENTRY
Level |
Class |
Base Attack Bonus |
Fort Save |
Ref Save |
Will Save |
Skills |
Feats |
Class Features |
1st |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
2nd |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
3rd |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
4th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
5th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
6th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
7th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
8th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
9th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
10th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
11th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
12th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
13th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
14th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
15th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
16th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
17th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
18th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
19th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
20th |
New Class Level |
+x |
+x |
+x |
+x |
Skills |
Feats |
New Class Abilities |
Code immediately below (spoiler).
Spoiler
Show
[table="class: head alt1 alt2"]
[tr]
[th][B]Level[/B][/th]
[th][B]Class[/B][/th]
[th][B]Base Attack Bonus[/B][/th]
[th][B]Fort Save[/B][/th]
[th][B]Ref Save[/B][/th]
[th][B]Will Save[/B][/th]
[th][B]Skills[/B][/th]
[th][B]Feats[/B][/th]
[th][B]Class Features[/B][/th]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]1st[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]2nd[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]3rd[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]4th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]5th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]6th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]7th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]8th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]9th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]10th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]11th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]12th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]13th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]14th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]15th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]16th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]17th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]18th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]19th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]20th[/td]
[td]New Class Level[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]+x[/td]
[td]Skills[/td]
[td]Feats[/td]
[td]New Class Abilities[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
For entries with spellcasting, use the following table for Spells per day and Spells Known. (Spells Known only if necessary, i.e. Sorcerer or Bard, but not Wizard or Warmage)
Spoiler
Show
Spells per Day/Spells Known
Level |
0lvl |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
7th |
8th |
9th |
1st |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2nd |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
3rd |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
5th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
6th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
7th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
8th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
9th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
10th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
11th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
12th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
13th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
14th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
15th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
16th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
17th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
18th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
19th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
20th |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Code immediately below (spoiler)
Spoiler
Show
[B]Spells per Day/Spells Known[/B]
[table="class:head alt1 alt2"]
[tr]
[th][B]Level[/B][/th]
[th][B]0lvl[/B][/th]
[th][B]1st[/B][/th]
[th][B]2nd[/B][/th]
[th][B]3rd[/B][/th]
[th][B]4th[/B][/th]
[th][B]5th[/B][/th]
[th][B]6th[/B][/th]
[th][B]7th[/B][/th]
[th][B]8th[/B][/th]
[th][B]9th[/B][/th]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]1st[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]2nd[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]3rd[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]4th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]5th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]6th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]7th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]8th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]9th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]10th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]11th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]12th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]13th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]14th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]15th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]16th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]17th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]18th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]19th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]20th[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[td]-[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
For other systems (Psionics, ToB, Incarnum, etc.) keep track of PP/maneuvers/essentia separately, preferably in a nice neat list.
Speculation: Please don't post or speculate on possible builds until the "reveal," in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.
Leadership is banned; we're producing a meal, not a seven-course banquet for a hundred diners. If your entry includes a prestige class or ACF that grants Leadership or a Leadership-like ability as a bonus feat, the feat should be ignored and is not eligible to be traded away for another feat or ACF through any means. If your entry includes a prestige class that requires Leadership, you still need to qualify, but the feat should thereafter be ignored.
So! Who wants to sign up as a contestant, and who wants to sign up as a judge? Looking for as many contestants and judges as feel like playing!
We will award 1st through 3rd places, as well as a shout-out for honorable mention. The honorable mention prize is given to the most daring or unexpected build. Judges, contestants and guests alike are invited to vote for honorable mention via post in the thread or PM. If there are no votes, Honorable Mention will go to the chairman's favorite build.
Past Competitions
Courtesy of some wonderful volunteers, there is a handy-dandy spreadsheet guide to all previous builds here. PM if you'd like to contribute to the spreadsheet for access.
Spoiler: The First Hundred
Show
Iron Chef CI: Night Mask Deathbringer
Iron Chef CII: Blade Dancer
Iron Chef CIII: Psion Uncarnate
Iron Chef CIV: Atavist
Iron Chev CV: Primeval
Iron Chef CVI: Disciple of Mammon
Iron Chef CVII: Insidious Corruptor
Iron Chef CVIII: Crimson Scourge
Iron Chef CIX: Tattooed Monk
Iron Chef CX: Rage Mage
Iron Chef CXI: Watch Detective
Iron Chef CXII: Spinemeld Warrior
Iron Chef CXIII: Celebrant of Sharess
Iron Chef CXIV: Thayan Gladiator
Iron Chef CXV: Shining Blade of Heironeous
Iron Chef CXVI: Peregrine Runner
Iron Chef CXVII: Imaskari Vengeance Taker
Iron Chef CXVII: Siren
Iron Chef CXIX: Arcane Duelist
Iron Chef CXX: Berserk
Iron Chef CXXI: Dragon Descendant
Iron Chef CXXII: Cerebrex
Iron Chef CXXIII: Defiant
Iron Chef CXXIV: Beast Heart Adept
Iron Chef CXXV: Shadowspy
Iron Chef CXXVI: Ballisteer
Iron Chef CXXVII: Umbral Disciple
Iron Chef CXXVIII: Vengeance Knight
Iron Chef CXXIX: Demonologist
Iron Chef CXXX: Divine Agent
Iron Chef CXXXI: Cyre Scout
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
FAQ:
Q: What's this even about?
A: I'm glad you asked, actually...
Q: Is Dragon Compendium Allowed?
A: Yes (as well as its Errata), but individual issues of Dragon Magazine are not.
Q: What about 3.0 materials?
A: 3.0 materials, whether online or in printed form, are allowed unless they've been officially updated to a 3.5 edition.
Q: Are Dragonlance, Ravenloft, Planescape, Dark Sun, or Kingdoms of Kalamar allowable sources?
A: The Dragonlance Campaign Setting is allowed, but the subsequent books for Dragonlance are considered 3rd party, and are therefore not eligible, despite the "WotC approved" status of those books. The same holds for Oriental Adventures (1st party) and the subsequent Rokugan books (3rd party). Materials from Ravenloft, Planescape, Dark Sun, and Kingdoms of Kalamar are considered 3rd party for purposes of this contest, and are therefore not allowed.
Q: What about online sources in general?
A: If the online source is a) published by WotC, and b) not replaced by an updated version at a later time, it is eligible. Use it, link it.
Q: Where's the line drawn with "acceptable/unacceptable" for Unearthed Arcana?
A: A few specific things are explicitly acceptable. The elemental/environmental races, spelltouched feats, variant character classes, specialist wizard variants, whirling frenzy, aspect of nature, and racial paragon classes are legal. Item Familiars and Gestalt have always been verboten, since before IC migrated to GitP; don't expect that to change. Flaws have similarly always been noted as warranting a deduction; I'm extending that to Traits, though they warrant 1/2 the penalty in Elegance that a Flaw would because they're roughly 1/2 as useful. Alternate spell systems, alternate skill systems and alternate crafting rules all create an uneven playing field, and as such, will be disallowed for as long as I am Chairman. In a similar vein, LA buyoff and fractional BAB are also disallowed. Bloodlines and the Retraining options presented in the PHB2 are ripe for abuse, and will be strongly discouraged as long as I am Chairman. Note that judges are allowed to look askance at any use of Unearthed Arcana not specifically mentioned above, at their discretion, and otherwise penalize Elegance according to their preference.
Q: What, exactly, does the ban on Leadership mean?
A: As folks have started to try to work around the edges of this one, I'm forced to spell it out more plainly. No Leadership, Draconic Cohort, or Feats that grant a similar ability are allowed EXCEPT Wild Cohort. Any PrC you choose with Leadership or a Leadership-analog has that ability entirely ignored for this contest, as it may neither be used nor traded away via any means whatsoever.
Q: What's the minimum score in a category?
A: Assuming an entry is legal, the minimum score in any category is 1. If a judge is convinced that an entry is mechanically illegal by the RAW, the judge may give the build a score of 0 in Elegance, and proceed to judge the entry as if the offending material was not included. Failing to meet a special requirement for a prestige class does not merit a 0, but may qualify for a penalty, at the judge's discretion. Because this contest focuses on Player Characters, an entry that is not technically allowed for a PC, but is viable as an NPC, counts as a legal entry, but may receive a minimum score at the judges' discretion.
Q: Creatures and templates with no listed LA are playable, right?
A: No. No listed LA is equivalent to LA: -. It is not suitable for PCs. If you use it, expect judges to look extremely disfavorably on it.
Q: So what's the deal with equipment, anyway?
A: There is no official policy on how much equipment you should list. Historically, judges have frowned upon "item dependent" builds, but unfortunately the definition of that has been applied to mean anything from builds that don't function if you remove one very specific item, to builds that so much as mention a particular weapon. Builds that don't list gear should be assumed to buy useful generics - items to boost their primary stats, cloaks of resistance, appropriate magical weapons and armor, and so forth. If a build would find particular items useful, they should be listed, but experience suggests that the more generic you keep them, the more favorably judges are likely to look upon them, as a build being shut down because the Thundering Bagpipes of Urist McTrumpetbritches were unavailable is considered a weakness. Similarly, requiring items in order to be able to qualify for things tends to be frowned upon.
Q: Do you have any other rules and guidelines on how to judge?
A: We do, actually, designed to try and avoid unpleasantness we've encountered in past contests. The things we've come up with to avoid repeating this are given below.
Spoiler
Show
One Mistake, One Penalty
Spoiler: What does this mean?
Show
Judges are only allowed to penalise once for a given mistake. If someone messes up their skills and doesn't qualify for a PrC, ding them as hard as you like. Once. In one category. You don't then get to declare that because they didn't qualify for that PrC, they don't get those levels, and thus don't qualify for anything else. If Ranger is a common ingredient, ding them for Originality. Once. Don't also take off points for Two-Weapon-Fighting being a common ingredient.
Non-exhaustive list of examples:
Skills
Allowed:
- Giving a penalty for miscalculating the number of skill points gained
- Giving a penalty for not having enough ranks to meet a prerequisite
- Increasing the harshness of a skill miscalculation penalty if it affects critical skills including prereqs
Not allowed:
- Giving separate penalties for miscalculating skill points and for non-qualification where the non-qualification is solely caused by the miscalculation
Prereqs
Allowed:
- Giving a penalty for not meeting prereqs
- Scaling the penalty depending on how important the item that the build failed to qualify for is
- Giving minimum score in UotSI for not qualifying for the SI
- Not giving credit for (note: not the same as penalising for) tactics using feats or classes other than the SI that were not qualified for (but see below)
Not Allowed:
- "Cascading" failures to qualify - declaring that because a build doesn't qualify for a feat, for example, it also doesn't qualify for anything using that feat as a prereq
- Treating a build as having fewer levels than it does because of FtQ for classes
Other general things that are no longer allowed:
- Penalizing because someone has chosen to build a tribute to an existing creative work
- Deciding that a backstory has not met a fluff prerequisite well enough, or because its method of meeting it is "unrealistic". You may penalize if a fluff prereq is not addressed at all, but not for how well it is addressed.
- Please don't base your scores off the scores of another judge.
Note that these are
protections, not
licenses. Deliberately taking a feat that you know you don't qualify for hoping to just suck up the judging penalty for a feat that you couldn't normally take is not okay, and may lead to your build being disqualified.
Q: Do you have any contest house rules or clarifications to ambiguous rules?
A: Some that have come up in previous contests and needed answers to:
- All creatures are proficient with any natural weapons they may have or acquire.
- Bonus feats that are granted even if you do not meet the prerequisites do not require you to meet the prerequisites in order to use.
- Able Learner's benefit applies to the level you take it.
- Weapons from soulmelds are considered to be magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming DR.
- Unarmed Swordsage grants Improved Unarmed Strike at level 1.
- Not finishing Savage Progression is subject to a penalty to Elegance
- One dispute per entry. Submit disputes by PM to the Chair.
- Ghostwalk ghost is banned
- Gold, silver, and bronze are awarded regardless of ties (e.g., 2 silvers does not preclude bronze)
- Spelltouched feats are legal and can be taken just like any other feat when you meet the prerequisites and have the feat slot available.
- The Variant Classes in Unearthed Arcana are considered ACFs.
Q: Can I submit more than one entry?
A: You may submit up to two entries into a given competition.
Q: Can I make edits or revisions to my submission?
A: As long as it is before the dishes have been posted in the reveal, you are welcome to revise or make edits to your entry. Please do so by sending a new PM with the changes incorporated.
Q: What is the chair's stance on builds with an "adaptation/variants" section?
A: If chefs have adaptations or variations on the build they want to present, they are strongly encouraged to put them together in a single section in the entry writeup. If you have a large enough variation, consider something like this linked build which presents two similar concepts to be judged separately.
In a build where major adaptations or variants are presented that would alter the score, judges are free to score the entry based only on the "central" or "main" build.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
The Viscount
This round, crack open Drow of the Underdark and wonder whether this can be twisted into a tortured Oppenheimer reference, this round we're cooking with Kinslayer!
Now I have become Death, destroyer of... elves?
(probably in to cook)
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
I might be in to cook on this one. Got to figure out if that bundle of almost features is worth four mediocre feats.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
I have a question about Vow of Vengeance feat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Vow of Vengeance
Choose one creature type or subtype from those given on Table 3–14: Ranger Favored Enemies, PH 47. You gain a +2 profane bonus on damage rolls against these creatures, as well as a +4 profane bonus on rolls to confirm critical threats against them.
To fulfill your vow, you must kill at least one creature of the selected type each month. When facing these creatures, you cannot retreat and you must fight until you or all the creatures of your chosen foe are killed. You can take prisoners, but they must die within 1 week of capture.
If I select Humanoid (elf) must I fight every drow I see?
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
loky1109
I have a question about Vow of Vengeance feat.
If I select Humanoid (elf) must I fight every drow I see?
I think it depends on your interpretation of "when facing." If you take the strictest possible, literal interpretation (physically facing towards the creature) then yes. However, if you interpret it as facing them in combat, which seems more reasonable to me, you only have to fight 1 a month.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
loky1109
I have a question about Vow of Vengeance feat.
If I select Humanoid (elf) must I fight every drow I see?
With how Drow society works that's very likely the safe option anyways.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AMFV
With how Drow society works that's very likely the safe option anyways.
Killing every and each drow he/she meets doesn't look safe option for drow.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
loky1109
Killing every and each drow he/she meets doesn't look safe option for drow.
Sometimes, mirrors are your worst enemies. No looking glass shall stand in her way!
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
If we're going the silly RAW way, I'd just like to point out the facing rules were removed from the game...
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
loky1109
Killing every and each drow he/she meets doesn't look safe option for drow.
Jokes aside, I would say that it is intended to mean "facing in combat". So that means that if you are fighting another Drow you can't take mercy on them. Which fits with the character concept overall. Also there is the "Renegade Drow" possibility.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
loky1109
I have a question about Vow of Vengeance feat.
If I select Humanoid (elf) must I fight every drow I see?
For Vow of Vengeance, treat "facing" to mean "begin combat where your enemies include."
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
AMFV
Jokes aside, I would say that it is intended to mean "facing in combat". So that means that if you are fighting another Drow you can't take mercy on them. Which fits with the character concept overall. Also there is the "Renegade Drow" possibility.
Don't know. My first reading this feat was: you see it, you should kill it. And this reading doesn't fit the class concept.
It looks like PrC intend was VoV (elves), but author forgot that drow are elves, too.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
The Viscount
For Vow of Vengeance, treat "facing" to mean "begin combat where your opponent includes."
...on the enemy side, I assume?
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Inevitability
...on the enemy side, I assume?
"Opponents" are generally on the enemy side, yes.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
I've got an idea - it's not very good, but I may get it submitted!
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Hi; I might need a few more days, could I request an extension?
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Absolutely. I was about to ask where people were myself.
The new deadline is May 12th (OP updated)
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
The Viscount
Absolutely. I was about to ask where people were myself.
The new deadline is May 12th (OP updated)
I've got my entry mostly finished and should have it submitted later this week. The build part's done just need to write everything up. I'm pretty excited with how it turned out considering the fact that the Kinslayer is a little spread out.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
I'm a latecomer, but this will be my first Iron Chef, so I'm excited.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Always great to see new faces in Iron Chef!
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Entry sent ! Pretty happy with the result :) impatient to see what you guys have cooked
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Entry sent. Let's see how this goes.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
It's very hard SI in my opinion. I made one entry with interesting trick and thought about second, but... I found myself with just bigger numbers, no true combos.
Want to see what other contestants made.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
loky1109
It's very hard SI in my opinion. I made one entry with interesting trick and thought about second, but... I found myself with just bigger numbers, no true combos.
Want to see what other contestants made.
I ended up feeling pretty good with what I submitted, but making kinslayer feel like it was actually pulling its weight in the build was really hard.
There's just a really awkward mix of okay features that are so niche you can't find reliable use for them, grossly underpowered features, and okay stuff that you could be getting elsewhere without having to waste four bad feats.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Entry is in! I'm very happy with how it turned out, it wound up synergizing a lot better than I was originally expecting it would. I'll be excited to see if anybody else thought of the same gimmick as I did!
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
I'm not going to be able to get my build together and submitted. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else came up with!
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RaiKirah
I'm not going to be able to get my build together and submitted. Looking forward to seeing what everyone else came up with!
Could we interest you in some judging then ? :-D
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Is it time for the reveal?
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground CXXXII
Apologies, Sunday got away from me, and I was busy with work earlier today. Now, it is time for the reveal (please hold off on posting until I give the all clear).