Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XX

[Cartigan]

Is it really that bad? I almost want to find this book just to see...

The class doesn't get full BAB but it is a melee guy.
It's first ability uses essentia to augment its damage - except essentia investment is capped absurdly low. Without an ability that lets you expand it, you can get like 4 (or 6, I forget) at CL 17-20.
The next ability is a fear effect that instead of based on HD or even class level, is based on essentia investment (with the usual 10 +Cha).
You finally get the ability to increase your essentia investment into an ability at level 3 I think it is, at which point you can add your Cha mod to the essentia limit. Which would be ok except it's 1/day...
Then there is a ray that does 1d8 per essentia. I think the earliest you can get this ability is like 15..
Then there is a damaging aura, that I suppose has potential. If not for the essentia limit and saving throw. I suppose you could dazzle Orcs with it.
The capstone ability basically gives you gaseous form where you can invest essentia and use your aura and it lasts Charisma rounds. Did I mention you can't end it prematurely?

You also get fast healing at 2nd or something of essentia investment, class rounds a day. I suppose that's sort of ok.

[Xodion]

The class doesn't get full BAB but it is a melee guy.

That doesn't scare me, I play melee rogues more than everything else put together

It's first ability uses essentia to augment its damage - except essentia investment is capped absurdly low. Without an ability that lets you expand it, you can get like 4 (or 6, I forget) at CL 17-20.
The next ability is a fear effect that instead of based on HD or even class level, is based on essentia investment (with the usual 10 +Cha).
You finally get the ability to increase your essentia investment into an ability at level 3 I think it is, at which point you can add your Cha mod to the essentia limit. Which would be ok except it's 1/day...
Then there is a ray that does 1d8 per essentia. I think the earliest you can get this ability is like 15..
Then there is a damaging aura, that I suppose has potential. If not for the essentia limit and saving throw. I suppose you could dazzle Orcs with it.
The capstone ability basically gives you gaseous form where you can invest essentia and use your aura and it lasts Charisma rounds. Did I mention you can't end it prematurely?

You also get fast healing at 2nd or something of essentia investment, class rounds a day. I suppose that's sort of ok.

Sounds like it's about choosing what you want, rather than doing everything at once. Can you rearrange your essentia at any point, or only when you level?

...I'm actually getting quite interested now. I'll see if I can find someone who owns it.

[Cartigan]

That doesn't scare me, I play melee rogues more than everything else put together

Melee rogues can do this thing called "putting out lots of damage."
Would you play a melee Rogue where you didn't get Sneak Attack?

And I don't think it was very clear on how essentia is invested. I want to say at the start of the day.

[Xodion]

Melee rogues can do this thing called "putting out lots of damage."
Would you play a melee Rogue where you didn't get Sneak Attack?

And I don't think it was very clear on how essentia is invested. I want to say at the start of the day.

Putting out lots of damage is the point of melee classes, though, so yes, if I was replacing it with some other damage output. Basically, I'm not bothered about full BAB in a melee class, it's nice but not essential.

Every day would sound about right, anything less frequent and you would struggle. I won't go on, as I think I'm in danger of speculation, but I might give this one a try if I can find a copy of the book from someone

[dextercorvia]

You may reinvest essentia every round as a swift action into all receptacles except incarnum feats.

[Cartigan]

Putting out lots of damage is the point of melee classes, though, so yes, if I was replacing it with some other damage output.

Which is the problem. This class doesn't get any notable damage booster. All abilities are significantly hampered by essentia investment restrictions.

I think I'll scrap what I have and go with something else.

[Xodion]

You may reinvest essentia every round as a swift action into all receptacles except incarnum feats.

Thanks for the info

Which is the problem. This class doesn't get any notable damage booster. All abilities are significantly hampered by essentia investment restrictions.

I guess that's why it's in Iron Chef! It might be fun one day to try something already very powerful and see just how far people can take it (Dervish or FB, for example), but that might just be my inner powergaming- and melee-loving voice talking

[BluesEclipse]

You know what? Count me in. I'm a fan of Incarnum, so I'll see what I can do with my collection of books(mind you, I don't have nearly as many as I'd like - in particular, no Tome of Battle) to make a viable build here.

[dextercorvia]

My guess is Cartigan has something pretty awesome up his sleeve, and is just trying to discourage the competetion. ;)

I have something that I'm cooking.

[Cartigan]

My guess is Cartigan has something pretty awesome up his sleeve, and is just trying to discourage the competetion. ;)

If I only I would tell myself what it was...

[OMG PONIES]

Sonofacrap. I now have a build idea that I think is pretty stellar, yet here I am as one of two judges. Oh well.

[Xodion]

Looks like we've managed to drum up some interest after all, hooray!

I would like to enter now, and though I don't have any ideas yet I can usually do something with melee classes . Also, with more time to make the build (is that deadline Easter Saturday?), I should be able to avoid my silly spelling mistakes from last time. Serves me right for rushing, and writing it all up in Notepad

[dextercorvia]

Sonofacrap. I now have a build idea that I think is pretty stellar, yet here I am as one of two judges. Oh well.

Which means we'll have to beat your idea to score any points in power, eh?

[OMG PONIES]

Which means we'll have to beat your idea to score any points in power, eh?

No, no, it just means that I'll be secretly rooting for one build while simultaneously docking it in originality.

[Amechra]

Out of curiosity, after this competition is done, would anyone be amenable to an Alternate Rules and Restrictions contest? You know, something like: "Magic Rating replaces caster level; all the stuff that boosts cl doesn't affect Magic Rating (which is sorta like magical BAB; look in your copy of Unearthed Arcana today!). Build an effective character with a magic rating between 10 and 15." Or something.

I'm just thinking that an optimization contest where the fundamental assumptions of the system are changed (or assumptions not so fundamental) could be awesome.

Ideas:
Build an e6 party (It's more like snack foods than a meal in this case)
Using the injury system (some classes gain usefulness, some lose usefulness)

Of course, like Leadership is banned here, and Landlord is banned in the vehicle contest, some other feats will have to be banned; for example, NO ONE CAN TAKE STEADFAST DETERMINATION IF THE COMPETITION IS BASED OFF OF THE INJURY SYSTEM. Otherwise, anyone with a decent Fort save becomes immune to mundane damage, among other things.

Anyone game for this?

[Thurbane]

Just want to say that I'm really happy with this SI, mainly because I found a beautiful synergy...

Mmmm... synergy.

Also, would something like this be useful? (You can use this if you like; I'm just going to put the minimum possible essentia pool at a given level, based off of entry at 7th level):

Spoiler

Show

{table=head]Level|Essentia Pool|Typical Essentia Investment
1|

1

|
2|

1

|
3|

1

|
4|

1

|
5|

1

|
6|

1

|
7|

2

|
8|

3

|
9|

4

|
10|

4

|
11|

5

|
12|

6

|
13|

7

|
14|

7

|
15|

8

|
16|

9

|
17|

9

|
18|

9

|
19|

9

|
20|

9

|[/table]

I've gotten points of for being unspecific, and this will speed up the whole look-through for the judges

Hey - I'm still very sketchy on MoI rules. Does the table above represent a characters essentia pool, regardless of class or race?

[Zaq]

Hey - I'm still very sketchy on MoI rules. Does the table above represent a characters essentia pool, regardless of class or race?

It's just an example. You're supposed to replace the numbers with what your actual pool is.

[Akal Saris]

Man, I'd like to enter this one, but I really suck at incarnum stuff Ah well, maybe if some time opens up unexpectedly I'll have time to read through MoI again.

[Zaq]

Man, I'd like to enter this one, but I really suck at incarnum stuff Ah well, maybe if some time opens up unexpectedly I'll have time to read through MoI again.

So does this class.

(You should totally join us!)

[Amechra]

NO!!! I can't possibly compete against Akal! He is as a deity in this competition!

I swear, your suck will probably be better than my skill (surprisingly, Incarnum is one of the few subsystems that give me a good "feel", the others being the psionic focus, invocations, ToB, and a couple of homebrew systems here and there (Xenotheurgy and Arcane-Divine-Martial Rotes being being big ones). Oh, and Binding. All other systems just feel kind of bleh to me.)

[true_shinken]

Btw, did OMG Ponies tie with Akal Saris for the overall number of gold trophies last contest?

[Amechra]

Please don't remind me; I have effectively until tomorrow to make my contestant...

[dextercorvia]

@Amechra -- I've thought before that an E6 contest would be fun, but I couldn't figure out how to do the Secret Ingredient. Concept, feat chain, ....

[true_shinken]

@Amechra -- I've thought before that an E6 contest would be fun, but I couldn't figure out how to do the Secret Ingredient. Concept, feat chain, ....

An E6 contest with a prestige class secret ingredient would be fun. Qualify as early as possible and try to make a build function around one single level. Extra points if you manage more than one level.

[Xodion]

An E6 contest with a prestige class secret ingredient would be fun. Qualify as early as possible and try to make a build function around one single level. Extra points if you manage more than one level.

Found an article about E6 - just to make sure I'm looking at the same thing, it's the rules about advancing normally to level 6, then taking tons of feats instead of levels, right? It looks really cool, and I love taking lots of feats!

[OMG PONIES]

Btw, did OMG Ponies tie with Akal Saris for the overall number of gold trophies last contest?

. I didn't want to sound like a jerk by pointing it out myself. Akal Saris and myself are both tied at 4 for most Iron Chef gold medals (at least, here on GiTP). Akal, I don't know if this gives you a reason to compete this round...

[true_shinken]

. I didn't want to sound like a jerk by pointing it out myself. Akal Saris and myself are both tied at 4 for most Iron Chef gold medals (at least, here on GiTP). Akal, I don't know if this gives you a reason to compete this round...

Oh, it would be a lot more climatic to have a tie-breaker when both are competing!

[kestrel404]

I'm willing to be a judge for this one.

@OMG_PONIES, if you really want to compete we can probably find another judge.

[Derjuin]

If it isn't too late to be a contestant, I'd like to give this a try

[true_shinken]

If it isn't too late to be a contestant, I'd like to give this a try

It's never too late!

Well, until the reveal, that is.