Unarmed Challenge Test 1

[DueceEsMachine]

Okay - so beginning post - I'll go back into the original recruitment thread and find the details of the arena that was laid out and get couple other details hammered out. Just making the Thread for the moment.

Arena specifications

Spoiler

Show

* The ground is hard and unyielding. The surface is even and immune to damage. Skill DCs for Tumble, Balance and Jump are unchanged.
* The arena is 200 feet by 200 feet by 60 feet in size (40x40x12 squares). Its walls and ceiling are perfectly smooth and immune to damage. The Climb DC is 70 for the walls and 100 for the ceiling.
* The arena is well-lit.
* All magic and psionic effects are suppressed in the arena. Supernatural and spell-like effects or spells cannot be used, not even ones that function in a regular antimagic field.

Duece ( Goddyknock Bimpledens ) vs. Master Rahl ( Joshua Balukar )

[Master_Rahl22]

Initiative - (1d20+4)[23]

How far apart are we at the start? I think that's the only potential detail that's left out.

[DueceEsMachine]

Well, you're going to go first, but since you have reach I'd prefer to start inside of it.

But in all seriousness? Probably 15 ft apart, and you're going to win initiative, since my modifier is a +2, but here goes.
Initiative (1d20+2)[19]

Spoiler

Show

I'll just tell you now, I've got no clue about the ToB stuff, so you're going to have to just do your thing. I trust you to be honest about it.

Man I really need to get that book...

[Master_Rahl22]

What does DR of "5/byeshk" mean?

Yes you do need to get ToB. It's a great book. Steely Resolve is a Crusader ability that lets them delay damage up to the listed amount, and take it the next turn instead of when they receive it. Furious Counterstrike goes along with that, and says that they get bonuses to attack and damage based on how much damage they currently have delayed. Since Joshua is only a level 1 Crusader, he can only delay 5 damage per turn and if he is currently delaying any, he gains +1 to attacks and damage.

Joshua Balukar, Turn 1

Swift: Enter stance Thicket of Blades. A stance is something that I can stay in until I'm unconscious or choose to end it or switch to another one. This stance says that any opponent I threaten provokes AoO for leaving threatened squares no matter how they do it. Tumbling, 5ft step, withdraw all still provoke an attack from me. This plus reach means that to hit me, you'll have to eat an attack.
Move: Move to 10ft away from Goddyknock
Standard: Initiate Insightful Strike. I make a normal attack, but replace my damage with a Concentration check.
Attack - (1d20+10)[19]
Damage - (1d20+15)[35]

End of turn.

Stats:

Spoiler

Show

HP: 71/71
AC: 12, FF: 10, Touch: 12
Active Stance:
Thicket of Blades
Maneuvers Granted: (1d5)[1] (1d4)[3]
1 - Crusader's Strike
2 - Bonecrusher
3 - Mountain Hammer
4 - Foehammer
5 - Revitalizing Strike

[DueceEsMachine]

Holy Cow! Replace your damage with a concentration check? Wow. Just wow. I'll put up a fight, but I think it will be a one-sided endeavor.
Fortunately, that attack doesn't hit, but sheesh.
Dr 5/byeshk is just damage reduction versus a special material for eberron. It slips past since it is (ex). I thought it would do me some good, but against damaging hits like that, I don't think it will.

Just so you know - his Ac against anyone medium sized or larger is actually a 31, thanks to the dodge bonus vs. giants and titan fighting, so yeah.
I'll make my charge forward, dropping my AC to 29, provoking your attack of opportunity, and hopefully you'll miss, and I'll hit. Also, let's get my knowledge devotion roll out of the way.
knowledge Devotion - (1d20+15)[16]
Attack Roll - (1d20+11)[25]
Damage - (1d4)[2]
Edit:
Wow. This just gets worse. Well, knowledge devotion gives me +2 to hit and damage for the rest of the encounter, so 27 to hit, and 4 points of damage.
I'll be honest - I was really hoping for something more than a natural one on that roll.
Edit 2 : Meh. I forgot that I get a +5 to my knowledge check, but it does me no good anyways. so no harm there.
End of Turn

[Master_Rahl22]

Actually it was a hit. You were flat-footed since you hadn't acted yet, and the bonus you get vs giants is a Dodge bonus, which you lose when you don't have Dex to AC, so your AC for that attack was 17. Wow, Titan Fighting makes Gnomes pretty attractive to play. Here I was thinking you jumped through all those hoops just to get more Con.

Attack of Opportunity, using it to Trip. It looks like your Touch AC is 25 since all you lose there is the armor bonus.
Attack vs touch AC - (1d20+10)[21]
Opposed Strength check - (1d20+11)[12] (+3 Str, +4 Improved Trip, Jotunbrud means I can act like Large for tripping and grappling)
If tripped:
Attack - (1d20+10)[25] vs your normal AC -4 for being prone
Damage - (2d6+3)[9]

Also, assuming you're not tripped, you can't charge 5 feet, you have to move at least 10.

Joshua Balukar, Turn 2

Swift: Change stance to Punishing Stance. I gain 1d6 extra damage on all attacks, and take -2 AC.
Standard: Initiate Death From Above strike. If I make a DC20 Jump check, you are considered flat-footed for the attack and I deal an extra 4d6 damage. If I fail the jump check, I can still make an attack with no bonuses or penalties.
Jump - (1d20+18)[22]
Attack vs FF AC - (1d20+10)[30]
Damage - (7d6+3)[30]

End of turn.

Stats:

Spoiler

Show

HP: 67/71
AC: 10, FF: 8, Touch: 10 (-2 to all from Punishing Stance)
Active Stance:
Punishing Stance
Maneuvers Granted: (1d3)[1]
1 - Crusader's Strike
2 - Bonecrusher
3 - Mountain Hammer
4 - Foehammer
5 - Revitalizing Strike

[Master_Rahl22]

Crit Confirm - (1d20+10)[22] still vs FF AC
Extra Damage - (2d6+3)[9]

[DueceEsMachine]

You know what? I can see the writing on the wall - While my planning against any non-ToB class would have worked very well, I can see quite clearly that I am outclassed, and with such a well-done character, I have no problem admitting defeat.

If I thought I would have a chance, I would keep going, but as it stands I don't see that it is a possibility.

Well done sir. This round goes to you.

[Master_Rahl22]

Well I certainly appreciate the compliments, I only have 2 more tricks for hitting FF/Touch AC, and then I either need to spend a Full Round action to recover 2 of them or a Swift action to recover the worst of them. However, I can replace my AC with a Sense Motive check or an attack roll by spending an Immediate action, and I do have unlimited healing from Crusader maneuvers, assuming I can hit with them.

Assuming you'd still like to concede, I have a few other ideas that either don't involve ToB or involve only small dips or feats from it. Do you want to make some new characters and try again, cause to be honest my favorite part of this was building the character.

[DueceEsMachine]

Unlimited healing? wow. Yeah, you're welcome for the compliments, as I feel they are quite deserved. I enjoy making characters, and if I am so very thoroughly outclassed (hehe...), maybe it will help me improve my optimization-fu. So, Yes, I would be happy to continue with some different characters.

since you have some in mind that you would like to try, why don't you set down the design guidelines you'd like to use, and we'll go from there?

[Master_Rahl22]

It's not so much optimization fu as it is using higher tier classes. All of the ToB classes are Tier 3, below Sorcerer, Favored Soul, and Psion and above Rogue, Fighter (dungeoncrasher), Barb, and Monk. Any given level of optimization will lead to a better character if you use ToB instead of only the core melee classes, cause core melee sucks.

The other ideas I had were within the same design criteria as the original contest, no items, no (Su), etc. I'll see what I can come up with tonight, although I doubt I'll finish it.