Glad to have you aboard! And while I'm hesitant to set a time limit on somebody their first time, I think it might be best if we finish by the 25th, as originally intended? That seems like plenty of time, at least IMO.
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Glad to have you aboard! And while I'm hesitant to set a time limit on somebody their first time, I think it might be best if we finish by the 25th, as originally intended? That seems like plenty of time, at least IMO.
Would you need a second judge? I've never judged before either, but I wouldn't mind doing it.
Anybody who wants to is free to try their hand at judging. More judges will just mean a better sample of opinions are collected.
4 days to go...
Hey guys, sorry but I'm going to have to step down as a judge. I don't have the time to formulate adequate evaluations of your builds. While they all look fascinating, I'm just not sure I would be able to do them any justice.
If it helps, Dire_Stirge PM'd me their criteria for review recently, in case anything was really far off. It was very well-put together, and I told them as much; hopefully, they'll have scores before the 25th. Regardless, I'll extend the official ending deadline if I have to, if only to make sure that a single full round of disputes are dealt with in full.
Villainous Competition: So evil we scared away the judges. :smallbiggrin:
And with how many entries there are, it's not like the lack of judges is due to a lack of general interest...
The courts are empty; all the rules lawyers are here.
I think the people who normally would be judges are already in the competition.
I think I should be done judging in a few days, but perhaps extend the deadline? There are a lot of submissions.
Look upon my judgement, ye optimizers, and despair!
Spoiler: Judging criteriaAll categories start with a 3, with points being added or subtracted based on a number of questions. The maximum change is given after a question.
Spoiler: Originality-Up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted depending on whether the race was expected.
-Up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted depending on whether the chosen classes were expected.
-Depending on whether anyone else came up with the same idea and tactics, 0.5 points can be added or subtracted.
-If the combination of race and class is surprising (even if the individual items were not) another 0.25 points can be added or subtracted.
-Up to 0.25 points can be added or subtracted, depending on whether the build has unique and surprising fluff.
Spoiler: Build elegance-A build illegal in a way that is explicitly forbidden in the first post (gestalt, LA buyoff, illegal type) will receive an automatic 1 here.
-Depending on the amount of questionable interpretations, alternate rule systems, or cross-setting material, up to 0.5 points may be added or subtracted.
-Depending on whether the levels are taken in a logical order and make sense in-character, up to 0.5 points may be added or subtracted.
-Each 'dip' (defined as taking 1 or 2 levels in a class with more than 5 levels) incurs a 0.25 point penalty. Keeping a build free of dips will result in a 0.25 point bonus.
-A build that fails to qualify for any feats, prestige classes, ACF's, or other material takes a 0.25 point penalty per bit of illegal material. If you qualify for everything you take, you get a 0.5 point bonus.
-Using more than one template, or not finishing a template progression, will incur a 0.25 point penalty per extra template or unfinished progression.
Spoiler: Competence and Power-Up to a 0.75 point bonus or penalty can be awarded based on whether the build is good at what it chooses to do.
-If you need items, grafts, or other material to fulfill a prerequisite or perform a certain trick, 0.25 points per item needed will be subtracted. If you keep your build free of mandatory items, you gain a 0.5 point bonus.
-If the build has any obvious weaknesses (such as a melee build with no way to effectively fight at range), it will take up to a 0.5 point penalty. A build that lacks those obvious weaknesses will get a 0.25 point bonus.
-Depending on the build's versatility, up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted.
Spoiler: Memorable villainy-Up to 1 point can be added or subtracted based on how memorable the villain generally is. This is partly determined by his tactics and abilities, but also by personality and fluff.
-Up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted based on how well I see this build performing as a villain (rather than a minion or random encounter). If the players say 'oh crap' the moment you finish describing a villain, chances are he'll/she'll score well here.
-Up to 0.5 points can be added or subtracted based on how easy it will be for a DM to use this villain. Things such as various adaption ideas and easily mutable fluff will help here, but the need for a very specific setting or certain other assumptions about a campaign's world will cause point loss.
Spoiler: Surcease of Sorrow (14.5)Spoiler: Originality (4.75)You have managed to turn about all my expectations around. Instead of a physically powerful beast that roams the wilderness, you presented an urban invisible killer who frequently makes use of magic.
I can't say I expected an Invisible Stalker (or any elementals at all), so the high score here should be no surprise. (+0.5) The same goes for your classes (+0.5). It goes without saying that this is an unique combination. (+0.25)
Your fluff is simple, but gets the point across; this creature is mysterious, it is murderous, and most simply consider it 'a thing that happens'. (+0.25) Your tactics are very different from most other submissions'. The one that comes closest is the Black Eye, but even compared to that build the differences are large enough to warrant a bonus here. (+0.25)
Spoiler: Build Elegance (3.25)You avoid cross-setting material, as well as any alternate rule systems, so nothing but praise there. I do, however, question the legality of letting Divine Agent's extra domain apply to Divine Crusader (both classes have text that says otherwise). (+0)
Prerequisites-wise, the build is fine. You qualify for everything you take. (+0.5)
I have to ask; why the sorcerer levels? They are barely mentioned in the fluff, no justification is given for them, and they give the build nothing but a single required feat. They just... sit there. Leaving a prestige class one level before finishing it isn't doing you good either. (+0) Oh, and let's not forget the 1-level dip you took as a result of leaving said prestige class. (-0.25)
Spoiler: Competence and Power (4)The scary thing about this villain is his tenaciousness. Sure, his first attempt to kill someone might fail, but he can try again... and again... and again... all the while being nearly impossible to detect. Even when his spells don't work, he still can CDG people with his slams. (+0.75)
Something I am worried about, though, is the lack of flexibility. You are able to cast exactly twenty-five spells, and most are only useable in very specific situations. (-0.25) In addition, immunity to mind-affecting effects completely screws this build over. You don't have any spells capable of removing it on your limited spell lists, leaving melee combat as your only means of killing people. As a single spell can ruin your entire strategy, I was actually inclined to rate this even lower, but ultimately decided against it because most people you fight will not have any particular resistances to your spells and you still keep your slams. (+0)
Gear is obviously not an issue. (+0.5)
Spoiler: Memorable Villainy (2.5)Given this villain works from the shadows and is nearly undetectable, it might take a long time for people to find out what they are researching is actually a creature. However, when they do, I can easily imagine the surprise. At the same time, I think his greatest asset (being impossible to detect) will also be its greatest weakness. After all, there is a fine line between being an interesting and mysterious foe cloaked in shadows and being a boring plot device no one knows anything about. (-0)
I feel like Surcease will have trouble fulfilling the villain role. The truth is, you can give a silent invisible blob of sentient air all the class levels you want, PC's will keep seeing it as a force of nature with about as much personality as the average strawberry. Sure, you can try to change this view, but how? Surcease doesn't seem like the type to do dramatic speeches to me. (-0.25)
Adaption of this villain will be difficult. The use of the Shadow Weave ties this to a single setting, and on top of that you require a deity with two specific domains and an evil alignment. Your adaption suggestions and the fact that he isn't tied to a single location do prevent a bottom score, though. (-0.25)
Spoiler: Project D.U.M.B.A.S.S (12.25)Spoiler: Originality (4)Horse-sized magic-eating spider? There you go, enjoy your rating. (+0.5) However, rogue was expected for this competition and you aren't the only one with a little swordsage dip. (+0.25) This class/race combination I didn't exactly see coming either. (+0.25)
As far as tactics go, you aren't the only melee build. However, what happens once you get close enough is interesting enough to warrant a positive score here. (+0.25)
Your fluff is kinda lackluster. 'Magical Experiment' can be used to justify near anything, but that doesn't mean you should do so. (-0.25)
Spoiler: Build Elegance (3)You keep your build free of alternate rules or cross-setting material, and if something was open to abuse (quick leap) you chose to go by the conservative rulings, which is nice. (+0.5) You meet all required prerequisites. (+0.5)
Those dips though... Why? (-0.75) Fluff on why you picked those classes doesn't go any further than 'a wizard did it', and changing a creature's alignment two steps to meet some prerequisites isn't making this better either. (-0.25)
Only a single template, so no penalties there. (+0)
Spoiler: Competence and Power (2.75)You get eleven attacks per round, each of them with a large damage bonus. In addition, every caster who gets within your reach will suffer. However, I doubt your ability to actually get close enough to anyone. There's the glaring weakness (which you admitted yourself) of not being able to fight effectively at range. (-0.5) Sure, your destructive potential if you catch someone in melee should not be ignored, but it becomes so easily to avoid that I really can't rate this higher. (+0) Gear is not required. (+0.5)
Versatility is another issue. You have a few maneuvers, but beyond those there is very little you can do. (-0.25)
Spoiler: Memorable Villainy (2.5)What little we get to learn about Dumbie himself, rather than about how he even came into existence, is that he is a remorseless killer who likes to toy with his prey, which is pretty generic as far as monster personalities go. His abilities are more interesting, and I am sure players will dread him, but he just isn't that interesting. He looks weird and has unique abilities, that is all. People might remember him, but not for any reason but his appearance and the fact he ate the mage's spells. (-0.25)
The problem is that this isn't really what I see a villain doing. This thing is powerful, it eats magic, and it probably hates the people who created it, but beyond that you give us nothing. It has no way to influence a large area. It has no ways of escaping from a battle, so the first encounter with it will probably be the final. It's not a villain, let alone a memorable one. It is a freaky spider that the players will dismiss as yet another random encounter. (-0.5)
The lack of setting-specific material certainly helps when it comes to adapting this villain, and so do your suggestions for changing him. All things considered, I'm confident this could fit in most campaigns I've ever played in. (+0.25)
Spoiler: The Creeper (12.5)Spoiler: Originality (2.5)Daelkyr Halfblood is an easy way to get one of the allowed types, so no bonus points there. (+0) Of your classes, only Impure Prince managed to surprise me.(-0.25) Using Daelkyr Halfblood to enter Impure Prince is a pretty common trick, so in the end I see myself unable to give a high score here. (+0)
No one else did anything with symbionts or grafts (nor did I expect them to), but your tactics are similar to most builds'. Only your maneuver use truly sets this build apart. (+0)
Your fluff is generic, with only the novelty of a Halfblood hunting aberrations rather than serving them standing out, and even that part seems greatly inspired by Impure Prince's fluff. (-0.25)
Spoiler: Build Elegance (3.5)While you technically use cross-setting material (Serpent Kingdoms is FR material, but you use it together with Eberron), Barbed Stinger is easy enough to refluff that I'm not going to penalize you for it. However, you seem to assume that having a tentacle whip qualifies you for Barbed Stinger, while I am of the opinion the symbiont's wording does not allow this. (+0.5)
The dip in swordsage somewhat hurts your score, (-0.25) as does leaving a class and returning to it a few levels later... twice (!). (-0.25)
I won't penaltize you double for taking barbed stinger, so don't worry there. (+0.5)
Spoiler: Competence and Power (3.75)19 BAB, a handful of maneuvers, several additional attacks from symbionts and Crippling Strike make you a good melee build. However, I question your combat abilities against an enemy who is neither a mark nor a favored enemy, seeing a large part of your build is tailored towards fighting such creatures. (+0.25) Your symbionts and graft do not count as dependency on items, as you can create them yourself. (+0.5)
I must question your lack of ranged options, though. Truth is that many monsters (and that includes a large number of aberrations) can fly, and not being able to do so yourself is a large disadvantage. At least jumping and grappling can help you out at lower attitudes... (-0.25)
Your companion can serve as a scout, you are competent in various forms of combat, you pick up a few skills that are always nice to have, you have a couple of loyal bits of aberration flesh with their own tricks stuck to you, and if it comes to it can cast a handful of spells from a pretty large list. There is nothing wrong with this build as far as versatility is concerned. (+0.25)
Spoiler: Memorable Villainy (2.75)I am pretty sure that this guy will be remembered by the players, with him being a freaky mutated pseudohuman who grafts body parts onto himself and all. We don't get to learn anything about his personality, which is a pity, and his backstory is pretty generic, so you get no points for those. (+0)
I do have trouble seeing this build as a villain. Yes, he is a predator, and yes he might decide to hunt down a PC, but he won't be a villain. He'll be a random encounter. Sure, the DM might decide to give him a larger role in an overarching plot, but when he does so it is no longer this submission he is using, but his own adaption of it. (-0.25)
While tied to Eberron, this villain can be used in several distinctive ways. I'd say his adaptability is about average. (+0)
Spoiler: Demonbear (10.5)Spoiler: Originality (4)It's a... bear. A mutated Lawful plant bear. That's worth half a point. (+0.5) The classes were somewhat less original, with Ranger, Fighter and Rogue all being somewhat expected. Jaunter was a nice surprise, though. (+0) Combining those obviously scores high on originality. (+0.25)
As far as tactics go, yours are certainly exotic. Killing people is something all builds do, but killing people in their dreams? Definitely worth a few points. (+0.5)
A few sentences of fluff aren't enough, though. This is a fascinating concept; I want to learn a lot more about it, not merely a line or two dedicated to describing its immediate goals! (-0.25)
Spoiler: Build Elegance (1)You did... less than great here. Three dips? (-0.75) Several templates? (-0.5) The faulty assumption that unconsciousness equals a journey to the plane of dreams? Using Astral Tracking to track plane shifting? Taking feats linked to variant rules? And then there's the problem the whole plane of dream is more-or-less a variant rule... (-0.5)
Another issue is leaving a class and returning to it later, which I really don't like. Still, I'll throw you a bone here and not penalize you further. (+0)
Also, you seem to be taking more ranks in Knowledge (the planes) than allowed to. On top of all this, you say you applied your templates in the order Axiomatic>Greenbound>Spellwarped while that wouldn't be possible due to type changes. (-0.25)
No points were deducted for this (nor would that have mattered) but your build summary is incorrect. It neglected to mention the two additional levels in factotum you took after finishing jaunter. Oh, and leaving open a feat slot is just laziness. Really, try to avoid such things.
Spoiler: Competence and Power (2.75)You seem to be assuming that you can grapple foes frequently and reliably. However, you are still only medium-sized, your BAB barely beats a 20th-level wizard's, and even an unoptimized fighter could still easily out-wrestle you with ease. Oh, and having only fifteen HD by CR 20 will mean that one round of full attacks should easily be able to end you. By the way, did I mention that your tactics are based on a faulty reading of the rules? (-0.5)
When a spell like Freedom of Movement or Fly keeps your foe out of your claws, I doubt you can win a direct battle, though. (-0.25)
Your versatility is decent. Your spell-likes make you hard to pin down, a high Hide and Move Silently allow for scouting, and you are very good when it comes to tracking people down. Still, you are more-or-less stuck with the same tactics all the time. (+0)
No items are needed. That's positive, at the very least. (+0.5)
Spoiler: Memorable Villainy (2.75)We get to learn this bear is searching for the people who descend from the spirits that it is made out of, and that it kills people by attacking them in their dreams. That's about it. As is the issue with so many submissions, you give us no story, just a monster that kills people. (-0.25)
It will be hard to present this thing as a villain. Except for the rumors of 'demon bears' nothing even hints at this thing's existence, and it can't speak or transmit ideas either. Then again, Teleport should let it encounter the PC's several times before the final confrontation, so there is at least the opportunity for an antagonistic relationship to form. (+0)
This villain isn't tied to any setting, but he does require the existence of a specific plane and would function best in forested terrain. (+0)
Spoiler: The Hunter (12.25)Spoiler: Originality (3)In any other competition, humans would be the single one most predictable race. But now? Now it is one of the least predictable, by virtue of being of a banned type. I'm not really sure what to rate it, so I'll go with no change in points. (+0) I did see druid, and by extension Hierophant, coming, though, (-0.25) and the race/class combination was not what I consider original thing either. (-0.25)
There aren't really any other builds built around turning twenty people into giant beasts and wrecking havoc, nor are there any druids or humans. (+0.5)
The fluff is interesting, but nothing special. (+0)
Spoiler: Build Elegance (1)Yeah, I'm sorry. That whole thing about 'humans are no humanoids'? Not going to accept it. We know the sample characters are wrong because they directly contradict RAW. If they do not contradict RAW (which according to you doesn't exist on the matter) they can't be wrong and are in fact the best possible source of information we have.
Spoiler: Competence and Power (5)What we have here is a full-on druidzilla. 19th-level casting, natural spell, buffed animal companion... Yeah, this build is going to give the PC's nightmares. (+0.75) And it's more than just raw power, you also have plenty of flexibility. (+0.5) Oh, and you are item-independent, of course. (+0.25)
I can't see any big weaknesses here, or at the very least not any commonly encountered ones. Even in an AMF you will still have a giant rabid wolf defending you. (+0.5)
Spoiler: Memorable Villainy (3.25)The story you have created around this druid and his brother is interesting, though it does have a few holes in it. (If twenty-one random places can grant ultimate power when all visited, at the very least put some guardians at each! A detection system is not a good reason to not do so.) Then again, a horde of animals isn't the most memorable thing, even when they are completely tearing apart the party. (+0)
This build will definitely be a good villain. With his destructive potential and the way you created him, he should be able to fight the PC's off several times before a final confrontation, and there's nothing PC's hate more than the villain who already beat them several times. The lack of personality might be an issue, though. (+0)
Adapting this build should be easy enough. There are no setting-specific feats (unless you count Feral Animal Companion), the campaign world in the fluff is vague enough, and while it does require the campaign to be built around it; well, that's part of being a villain. (+0.25)
Spoiler: Snowscale (10.75)Spoiler: Originality (3.5)When it comes to ultimate predators, dragons are to be expected. (-0,25) Psion is a surprising enough choice, though, (+0.5) and outside of gem dragons I've never seen the two combined before. (+0.25)
Your tactics are pretty standard (spam augmented powers) but your overall character isn't something I'm seeing anywhere else. Still, some builds are definitely similar. (+0)
Your fluff covers the basics, but it does leave some depth to be desired. (+0)
Spoiler: Elegance (3)You seem to avoid questionable rulings. (+0.5) No dips either. (+0.25)
I would like a reason for the psion levels, though. It isn't exactly a natural class choice for a recently orphaned white dragon, and you don't mention it anywhere. (-0.25)
I question taking three feats with your three dragon HD, as well as your high number of skill points. You should only get one per level! (-0.5)
Spoiler: Power (1)I'm sorry, no points here. You know why.
Spoiler: Elegance (3.25)This build is a killer, I agree. If the PC's walk away alive from Snowscale, they will remember her, and if they are too strong she can always flee. However, 6 intelligence doesn't leave much for tactics, nor is Snowscale fully fleshed out. You're lucky to get a bonus here. (+0.25)
I can't help but feel this villain is not that different from the average psion henchmen. She has powerful abilities, sure, and she may want revenge, but she is still a wyrmling with very limited goals. In addition, the way she is built she'll probably just ambush the PC's, leaving little time to establish herself. (+0)
Adapting Snowscale will be easy. She isn't tied to any setting or area, and you even suggest some out-of-game ways to introduce her. Great job here! (+0.5)
Spoiler: The Blue Devil of Enfaire Hills (18)Spoiler: Originality (4.25)A phasm? (+0.5) Totemist I kind of saw coming, but umbral disciple and warshaper? (+0.25) Combining those two is deserving of a point increase, as could be expected. (+0.25)
The Hunter kind of has the same tactics (become something powerful, go to town), as does project D.U.M.B.A.S.S (use Craven and tons of attacks) but your build is unique enough to warrant additional points here. (+0.25)
The fluff gives some much-needed depth to the Devil. It isn't very original, though. (+0)
Spoiler: Build Elegance (4.25)No cross-setting material or alternate rulings here, though interpreting Morphic Body as applying only to your alternate forms is unusual at best. (+0.25)
I can't help but consider it somewhat unusual to first take an incarnum-related prestige class before taking an incarnum-using base class. Otherwise your level progression is fine. (+0.25)
No dips! I can't believe this is actually the only build (not counting Snowscale) without them. (+0.25)
You qualify for everything you take. (+0.5)
Spoiler: Competence and Power (5)I pity the adventuring party that has to deal with you charging into their midsts. You are stealthy, strong, can easily escape combat, and have a lot of possible forms, each with their own useful abilities. Oh, and soulmelds, of course. Both when it comes to stalking your foes, then picking them of one by one (+0.75) and versatility (+0.5) do you excel.
Furthermore, you do not need items to qualify for anything (+0.5) and neither do you have obvious weaknesses. While True Seeing and the like do somewhat hamper your tactics, they by no means make you powerless. (+0.25)
Spoiler: Memorable Villainy (4.5)This monster is very, very, interestingly made. It provides the PC's with a tangible foe while allowing the monster to remain one step ahead of them at all times. It might take some time to figure out the Pit Fiend, Dire Tiger, and Giant Eagle who attacked them were all the same creature, but when it does I expect lots of surprise and amazement. When the players finally kill it after days, maybe weeks of investigation and tracking, I am sure it will be an epic occasion. (+1)
As far as villainous goals go, however, you seem to be lacking. The monster just wants to be at the top of the food chain and eat things. That doesn't scream 'villain' to me. Then again, with it being hard to find and kill, I think it might annoy the players enough for them to forget about such things. (+0)
Your adaption ideas are great, and the monster isn't tied to any specific settings either. Good job! (+0.5)
Spoiler: The Black Eye (14.5)Spoiler: Originality (3.75)Killoren is one of the more common ways to get one of the allowed types and is a pretty predictable choice for a 'predator' type, so no bonus points there. (-0.25) Warlocks and sorcerers? Those are something else. (+0.25) Combining the race and classes was slightly predictable, but not very much. (+0)
Your modus operandi (endless Suggestions to make people kill each other) is quite unique and somewhat creepy too. (+0.5)
The fluff certainly shows us your style, but it leaves much to be desired when it comes to essential information. Where is this being from? What are its goals, other than causing chaos and destruction? Why is it harassing a poor little village? (+0)
Spoiler: Build Elegance (2.75)The built is kept free of alternate rule systems and the like. (+0.5) However, this bonus is cancelled out by the two dips you took. (-0.5) I question the order in which you take levels, especially not taking the dual-progression class as soon as possible. It just looks unnatural to me. (+0)
You qualify for all your feats. However, if I'm not mistaken you do not actually have enough ranks in Diplomacy to qualify for Mindbender by the time you enter it. (-0.25)
Spoiler: Competence and Power (4.5)You get a fair bit of sorcerer casting, a handful of invocations, and all things considered you are a surprisingly potent villain. You are good at what you choose to do (making people go mad and kill each other), and you are very hard to catch (have you ever seen a PC check the wall for monsters?). (+0.5) Immunity to Mind-Affecting effects is annoying, but hardly a problem to you. (+0.25) Gear isn't needed anywhere. (+0.5)
You are quite versatile, though you do not come close to what some other builds could do. (+0.25)
Spoiler: Memorable Villainy (3.5)The way you describe it, this is a great villain for a mystery, in which the PC's slowly uncover clues regarding their foe's identity, eventually ending with his downfall in a dramatic battle. I still think it'd have been better if you added some backstory, though. However, the danger here is that the Eye won't get the opportunity to show his story to the PC's, leaving them to wonder what exactly they killed. Even so, I am confident this build will be a good villain. (+0)
This is definitely a villain build. Subtlety, long-term plans, mystery surrounding it... That just screams villain to me. (+0.25)
As long as you are within 50 miles of a mountain, this build can be used anywhere. That is some great adaptability. (+0.25)
Cool! I'm gonna give it a day or so, then post what disputes I've got. Deadline is extended for however long it takes to get a full cycle of disputes processed. Sound good?
Current intention is to post all received disputes by midnight tonight (GMT time). If you haven't already sent my your disputes (assuming you have any), please do so soon, or risk the current judgement standing unopposed.
Time for disputes!
Spoiler: DisputesQuote:
Originally Posted by Snowscale
Quote:
Originally Posted by Surcease of Sorrow
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Creeper
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Hunter
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Black Eye
I'm very busy at the moment, so I won't be able to review the disputes until tomorrow. I'm sorry!
Better late than never, I guess.
Spoiler: SnowscaleFirstly, I want to apologize for being rude. I should have been more patient and respectful.
Secondly, I am afraid rating a build on 'what it is meant to do' isn't something I'll be doing any time soon, especially not if 'what the build is meant to do' is not made clear to me until said build has already been judged. While you have made a reasonable case, I fear people changing their builds based on what I judged in future competitions. Only allowing such a retcon in this case, however, seems unfair to those people. Similarily, saying that this build actually uses item X after I have already judged is a no-go too.
Please know that while I really, really would like to help you out here, I simply see it the submitter's duty to check his build and make sure everything is working as intended, rather than something the judge does and subsequently is retconned. Especially something as big as your primary stat.
Spoiler: Surcease of SorrowI agree that Surcease's main schtick is creating a mystery. No objections there. However, I do consider (and I am sure you agree here) the main appeal of mysteries is solving them. The way Surcease is built, he makes it really hard to solve the mystery. Every murder mystery has clues, witnesses, many possible culprits and the slow gathering of information. However, both See Invisibility and True Seeing require close proximity, Scrying will not actually show Surcease if he's invisible, and unless people go out of their way to protect themselves he leaves no clues either.
I will not give you bonus points in Memorable Villainy. An epidemic isn't a memorable villain any more than a force of nature is. People won't stop to think about how it holds a mirror when they think nothing is there to hold it up.
You do make good points regarding Surcease's vulnerability to Mind Blanking and his slam's strength. After all, Surcease will certainly have no trouble hiding somewhere and waiting until his prey sleeps. The score for his vulnerability to MB has been adjusted upwards, as has his overall ability to do what he chooses to do.
Spoiler: The CreeperYou make some very good points here. I completely missed the tongueworm part and have corrected my remark.
I am not fully convinced by your tactics when confronted with flight (and again, retroactively adding something to your build is not encouraged) but the tactics as given do eliminate several ways of ranged combat (a dragon continuously flying by and breathing fire, for example) so I have increased the rating slightly.
You mention that this build is geared towards fighting the PC's, but I still wonder if you are able to target humanoids exclusively. How about the druid's animal companion? How about the killoren or muckdweller who has joined the party? How about the wizard's summoned critters? Still, you deserve a slight bonus here.
Spoiler: The HunterVery well. An anonymous source who shall remain anonymous, is not to be revealed, and also won't be named pointed out to me that in the ranger's Favored Enemy ability human is listed as Humanoid (human). Is that proof enough?
Spoiler: The Black EyeWhen I think of predators, I think of nature. Killoren, who are basically humanoid manifestations of nature, are one of the few LA-less races that are allowed for this competition, and have at least a single aspect dedicated to being predator-like (Hunter) were definitely a race I expected to see at least once. No change.
I disagree that adding a backstory would make this build worse. You could just put it in a spoiler block apart from the main story so that we can first speculate on the Eye's intentions before learning them, but intentionally leaving out something I consider an essential part of a villain isn't going to buy you points. 'Deliberate mystery' is fine from the PC point of view, but not from the DM point of view.
I didn't intend to call you lazy, and I apologize if I did.
You do not take Eldritch Theurge as soon as possible. When you take your 5rd level in Earth Dreamer you have already met all requirements, and if you took those skill ranks earlier on you'd be able to qualify even sooner.
In your build table you say you put two skill points in diplomacy at first level (putting you at 1 rank), two points at 3rd level (suddenly putting you at 3 ranks?) and two points at 5th level (putting you at 4 ranks). The jump to 3 ranks at 3rd level is something I don't get.
I've reviewed your build, and Mind-Affecting effects are indeed not as big as part of the build as I thought they were. Score increased.
looks good to me. thanks for the update.
since he's our only judge, shall we reveal soon, chairman?
Gotta give some time for disputes first, of course.
If I don't receive any disputes within the next few hours, I'm calling it here. I won't have much time once my IRL game gets started, though. Since we're in the final stages here, how about I post some ideas for the next competition, and we get voting started?
1) Hyde From The Doctor
There's a monster on the loose; he's been altering his own body through means too vile to mention, and now he's on the prowl.
Contest Goal: Design an optimized and flavorful person with self-altered biology.
Limitations: No offensive AoE effects (spells, powers, etc.).Must be a result of "altered biology", whether through grafts, demonic pacts, self-buffing, or what have you.
2) Mad, Am I? I'll Show You Mad!
A genius inventor with too much time and too little sanity has decided to conquer and/or destroy the world as we know it.
Contest Goal: Design an optimized and flavorful insane inventor-type BBEG. This option will bring with it an increased WBL and a scaling XP pool for item-crafting purposes; the ability to optimize your gear should be important for this one.
Limitations: Build should focus on item creation and use, at the expense of personal power.
3) Requiescat In Pace
An assassin is loose in the urban jungle, and is killing off countless people while barely leaving a trace of his passing; can anybody stop them, before the whole city resides in the morgue?
Contest Goal: Design an optimized and flavorful assassination-focused BBEG, with both the motivation and capability of murdering off an entire city...
Limitations: ...without the use of high-levelmagiceffects: builds are forbidden from being capable of implementing (whether personally or through items) effects more powerful than 6th level spells/powers/what have you. Having methods of going undetected, methods of disposing of bodies, and methods of preventing resurrection are useful, but not strictly required; YMMV from judge to judge on leaving such things out, though.
And...vote!
Sounds good to me. Of those options I vote number 3. it sounds like the most fun.
My vote's for the third option.
I'm voting 2.
3 seems really close to a few other contests we've had (including this one!) and could run into Gazebo Jones territory. #2: I'd think we'd have a gaggle of Artificers. If we would restrict that component, maybe... #1: sounds interesting. I'm liking the flavor.
My vote is for 1.
My vote is for option 1.
I've voted for Hyde before; I'm voting for Hyde again.
#1.
I have a bit of an idea for 2, so 2 it is.