Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI

[ThiagoMartell]

I'll happily offer trophies again, should someone come forward. Hunter Killer disappeared, and I've yet to find another willing artist for Iron Chef Optimization Challenge.

Have you tried starting a thread in the Arts & Crafts forum?

[Kuulvheysoon]

I'll happily offer trophies again, should someone come forward. Hunter Killer disappeared, and I've yet to find another willing artist for Iron Chef Optimization Challenge.

Well, I just got a tablet for an (early) birthday present, so I'll see if I can produce anything that I'm alright with posting. How far behind are we?

[Venger]

Well, I just got a tablet for an (early) birthday present, so I'll see if I can produce anything that I'm alright with posting. How far behind are we?

well happy birthday, then.
The last contest that had trophies was Scion of Tem-Et-Nu, so that makes it 9 (10 if you count acolyte too) (there were trophies for cryokineticist, but not for the ones before it up to scion, nor after it)

it would be pretty awesome if you'd make trophies, all of us who've won stuff since shadowdancer would certainly appreciate it.

[T.G. Oskar]

Everyone have their Klingon pain sticks ready?

What? I thought it was shotos, but now you tell me it's bat'leth initiation?

Speaking of which: bat'leth-shaped dual lightsabers. If I were to see one, I'd call it the Mastermune.

And...I'm probably saying "yes" to judging, because I'm bored. As you may know, I usually tend to deliver (and usually announce how many judgings I've got with time, allowing for pretty nice estimations). As usual, I never reveal my judging criteria, but if you see some of my earlier acts, you may get an idea of how I judge. Or see any of my posts.

Well, I can say part of my judging criteria, actually:

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Expect a long read.

[GreenSerpent]

I'm really quite worried now *shivers*

[Venger]

build submitted.

oh, man, for something I'd been expecting for so long, this build was way harder than anything I've done in IC yet (except pistis sophia. that darn class)

I hope I do well, I really enjoyed writing the backstory this time.

[Amphetryon]

Now it's time for the reveal! Please refrain from posting in this thread until I give the all-clear. Thanks.

LIST OF BUILDS SUBMITTED:

Bloody Hands Butcher: Human Barbarian 2/Hexblade 4/Suel Arcanamach 4/AotS 10

Captain Wyrmbeard the Damned: Human Dragonfire Adept 10/AotS 10

Ash'okk Lar: Skarn Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/AotS 10/Thrall of Juiblex 4

The Sacred Demon: Lesser Aasimar Sorcerer 5/Malconvoker 5/AotS 10

Eshpaunsuud Zhirvaush: Half-Fey Illumian Swordsage 4/Spellthief 6/AotS 10

Reykja Skjar: Domovoi Fey Savant 4/Jaunter 4/AotS 10

Luc: Stonehunter Gnome Bard 1/Gnome Paragon 3/AotS 10/Fiend of Corruption 6

Baby the Bearbarian: Voidmind Half-Vampire Goliath Spellthief 3/Barbarian 2/AotS 9

The Rag and Bone Man: Human Dread Necromancer 4/AotS 10/Pale Master 6

Mother Morrigna: Human Savage Bard 4/AotS 10/Ur-Priest 2/Mystic Theurge 4

[Amphetryon]

You've got something on your, uh, well, everywhere, really.

The Bloody Hands Butcher

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The Background

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He walks like an animal. Growls like an animal. Devours the young and weak like an animal. Butchers entire cities like......well, that's just not natural. - Lardarus, Druid of the Elderwood Circle.

What can be said of the Bloody Hands Butcher, what hasn't already been said? No-one knows where he came from, and no-one knows where hence he has departed to.
One day, he simply tore down the city gates of Newtown, slaughtered the local guard, hunted down the Court Mage and flayed his skin into a shawl, and then left. Next, he hit Summerhill, and the small village of Commoners had no chance. Even the children were not spared, their bodies tossed into the river like trash. The Bloody Hands Butcher eventually gained his grisly name from the bloody hand prints that are always left in plain sight at places he attacks, like on the town sign or on the door of the town hall.
Government-funded divinations can only reveal that he "Looks for what once griefed him, for who once bested and shamed him." Master Inquisitives have revealed that he wields the same greatsword once wielded by the famous Mage-Knight, Sir Michael Simmons.
The story makes sense, as Sir Michael was unceremoniously abandoned in the middle of battle by nearly his entire regiment of knights after they released they were outnumbered 10-to-1. Sir Michael was a good fighter, but he was never brilliant at choosing his fights.
While it's easy to think that Sir Michael made a deal with the devils to gain revenge, what people forget is that the enemy side were a band of marauders notorious for three things - a love of bloodshed, graverobbing, and dealing with just about anything foul hat can offer them power.
So that is where the facts end, and the ideas take over. Was he a man driven mad by the horrors of war? A punishment from the gods? A demon in mortal form?

All I know is, he's out to get us all, and has a good chance of succeeding.

The Build

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CE Human Barbarian* 2/Hexblade** 4/Suel Arcanamach 4/Acolyte of the Skin 10
*Skilled City-Dweller ACF and Spiritual Totem (Lion) ACF
**Dark Companion ACF

{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Barbarian 1|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+0

|Intimidate 4, Jump 4, Listen 4, Survival 4, Tumble 4|Able Learner, Power Attack|Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Rage 1/day

2nd|Barbarian 2|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+0

|Intimidate 5, Jump 5, Listen 5, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Uncanny Dodge

3rd|Hexblade 1|

+3

|

+3

|

+0

|

+2

|Concentration 3, Intimidate 5, Jump 5, Listen 5, Survival 5, Tumble 5|Iron Will|Hexblade's Curse 1/day

4th|Hexblade 2|

+4

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Concentration 4, Intimidate 5, Jump 5, Listen 5, Spellcraft 1, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Arcane Resistance

5th|Hexblade 3|

+5

|

+4

|

+1

|

+3

|Concentration 4, Intimidate 5, Jump 5, Listen 5, Spellcraft 4, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Mettle

6th|Hexblade 4|

+6

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Concentration 4, Intimidate 7, Jump 5, Listen 5, Spellcraft 5, Survival 5, Tumble 5|Combat Casting|Dark Companion

7th|Suel Arcanamach 1|

+6/+1

|

+4

|

+3

|

+6

|Concentration 6, Intimidate 8, Jump 5, Listen 5, Spellcraft 5, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Ignore Spell Failure Chance 5%, Tenacious Spells

8th|Suel Arcanamach 2|

+7/+2

|

+4

|

+4

|

+7

|Concentration 6, Intimidate 11, Jump 5, Listen 5, Spellcraft 5, Survival 5, Tumble 5, Never Outnumbered (Skill Trick)|---|Dispelling Strike 1/day

9th|Suel Arcanamach 3|

+8/+3

|

+5

|

+4

|

+7

|Concentration 6, Intimidate 11, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 5, Listen 5, Spellcraft 5, Survival 5, Tumble 5|Improved Bull Rush|Extended Spellstrength

10th|Suel Arcanamach 4|

+9/+4

|

+5

|

+5

|

+8

|Concentration 8, Intimidate 13, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 5, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Ignore Spell Failure Chance 10%

11th|Acolyte of the Skin 1|

+9/+4

|

+7

|

+5

|

+10

|Concentration 10, Intimidate 14, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 5, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Wear Fiend, Poison 1/day

12th|Acolyte of the Skin 2|

+10/+5

|

+8

|

+5

|

+11

|Concentration 11, Intimidate 15, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 6, Survival 5, Tumble 5|Shock Trooper|Flame Resistant

13th|Acolyte of the Skin 3|

+11/+6/+1

|

+8

|

+6

|

+11

|Concentration 12, Intimidate 16, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 6, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Fiendish Glare

14th|Acolyte of the Skin 4|

+12/+7/+2

|

+9

|

+6

|

+12

|Concentration 13, Intimidate 17, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 7, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|---

15th|Acolyte of the Skin 5|

+12/+7/+2

|

+9

|

+6

|

+12

|Concentration 14, Intimidate 18, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 8, Survival 5, Tumble 5|Arcane Strike|Skin Adaptation, Poison 2/day

16th|Acolyte of the Skin 6|

+13/+8/+3

|

+10

|

+7

|9

+13

|Concentration 15, Intimidate 19, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 9, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Cold Resistant

17th|Acolyte of the Skin 7|

+14/+9/+4

|

+10

|

+7

|

+13

|Concentration 16, Intimidate 20, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 10, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Glare of the Pit

18th|Acolyte of the Skin 8|

+15/+10/+5

|

+11

|

+7

|

+14

|Concentration 17, Intimidate 21, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 11, Survival 5, Tumble 5|Imperious Command|---

19th|Acolyte of the Skin 9|

+15/+10/+5

|

+11

|

+8

|

+14

|Concentration 18, Intimidate 22, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 12, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Summon Fiend

20th|Acolyte of the Skin 10|

+16/+11/+6/+1

|

+12

|

+8

|

+15

|Concentration 19, Intimidate 23, Jump 5, Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Spellcraft 13, Survival 5, Tumble 5|---|Fiendish Symbiosis[/table]

Spells

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Hexblade Spells:
Spell list of Disguise Self and Expeditious Retreat. Yeah. Best to stick with the wands.

Suel Arcanamach Spells
Spells per Day
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

7th|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th-11th|2|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2th-13th|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th-15th|3|3|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th-17th|3|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th-19th|4|3|3|2|0|-|-|-|-|-

20th|4|4|3|2|1|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

Spell List
1st - Enlarge Person, Benign Transposition, Blade of Blood, Nerveskitter
2nd - Wraithstrike, Alter Self, Whirling Blade, Animalistic Power
3rd - Haste, Greater Mage Armor, Greater Magic Weapon
4th - Greater Mirror Image, Bite of the Werewolf
5th - Draconic Polymorph, Cloudkill

The listed spells here offer (I hope) a dash of all the best things - Battlefield Control, Self-Buffs and general WOW spells like Draconic Polymorph.

Build Notes/Level Breakdown

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The Bloody Hands Butcher is a Gish-esque build that gains 5th level spells and 4 iterative attacks by 20th level, which isn't bad if I do say so myself. As well as charging into people and thwacking them with magic .

1st and 2nd level - You're a Barbarian. Hit things. Kill things. Have fun.
3rd to 6th level - You're a Barbarian.....WITH MAGIC. Don't necessarily use your Curse on the first turn, but wait until you see the guy who needs the most cursing and smack him with a Curse while he still thinks you're just a Thwack-Thwack Savage. At 6th level, you get your glorious Dark Companion, who you simply move to the gribbliest mook before cutting them to giblets.
7th to 10th level - You're a Barbarian......WITH MORE MAGIC! MORE! This is where things accelerate - You gain Never Outnumbered and actually consider using Intimidate in battle, you get access to lovely spells such as Wraithstrike and co., ASF reduction, dispelling strikes and EXTENDED SPELLSTRENGTH. YAY.
11th level onwards - More magic! MORE MAGIC! MOOOOORE! MAAAGIC! The Acolyte of the Skin class abilities nicely compliment your gishing and debuffing skills, with Poison's Con debuff, Fiendish Glare stunning your enemies. Natural Armor and Cold Resistances are also nice, so are the eye-rays, and the summon-able fiend is just cool. Then you become so evil and demon-skin-y that you become evil to THE MAX/an Outsider, and that's just awesome.

Ability Scores

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Original Scores
STR - 16
DEX - 12
CON - 12
INT - 10
WIS - 10
CHA - 16

Score Increases per Level
4th - +1 Str
8th - +1 Cha
12th - +1 Str
16th - +1 Cha
20th - +1 Cha

Magic Items

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The Bloody Hands Butcher wants stuff that boosts Charisma, Strength and Constitution, so a Belt of Magnificience (or individual stat boosters) would be nice. Fearsome enhancements for a good set of armour is cheap enough and suitable for this build, and any old two-hander is cool. But if I had to state key items, then it would be that Belt. But you don't REALLY need it, so no worries.

Sources Used

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Core, Complete Arcane, Complete Champion, Complete Warrior, Drow of the Underdark, Player's Guide to Faerun, Player's Handbook II, Races of Destiny, Spell Compendium.

[Amphetryon]

Some liberties were taken with "permission to come aboard."

Captain Wyrmbeard the Damned

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.
We entangle and char and in flame and ignite.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We burn up the city, we're really a fright.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.

We're rascals and scoundrels, we're villians and knaves.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
We're demons and black sheep, we're really bad eggs.
Drink up me 'earties, yo ho.
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life eternal.

River Drake (ECL 5)

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A Rashemi youth, Wyrmbeard was always more fascinated by dragons then the traditional spirits of his country. In particular he revered the great aquatic dragons of green and black hues, who would lay under the water and ambush passing ships, bringing great wealth to their submerged hordes.

Finding out everything he could about them Wyrmbeard began the path of the Dragonfire Adept, learning to move about as easily underwater as he could on land. He began to pray upon the river traffic, burning ships from below and accumulating his treasures under the most treacherous undertows.

Wyrmbeard can move both on land and underwater, with aquatic adaptation giving him a swim speed and a good swim check. His breath weapon works both in the air and while submerged, making him good at attacking ships from below. He can breath both fire and cold allowing him to harm most foes, and do additional damage to those vulnerable. His breath can also entangle his foes if they take any damage at all, making him effective at locking down. This gets even more extreme when combined with his slowing breath, making it difficult for his enemies to move at all. If he is working with other bandits he can make them temporarily immune to his blasts, making him a good team player.

He usually carries around a few flasks of oil to soak people before setting them on fire. Oil is cheap, and is a ranged touch attack which makes hitting easier. Whenever he throws oil at somebody he triggers his frightful presence making his foes shaken and further debuffing them. This sets them up to then be intimidated further.

While he isn't that great of a sailor yet, he is great at destroying ships. Ships are composed of multiple sections. When sections take fire damage they risk catching on fire. The roll to resist catching on fire is a straight d20 roll. If a breath weapon is used on them, the DC that the ship has to roll against is the breath weapons reflex dc. Before items Wyrmbeard has a DC 16 breath weapon giving each section an 80 percent chance of catching on fire whenever it takes fire damage from Wyrmbeard's breath. Wyrmbeard can breath on three or more 10 by 10 sections at once.

If using entangling exhalation, Wyrmbeard's breath continues to damage for 1d4 rounds, so even if the section doesn't catch on fire at first, it will eventually. Once a section is on fire it takes 2d6 fire damage a round, burning all creatures on the section and may spread to separate sections. Thanks to aquatic adaptation Wyrmbeard's breath burns even under water letting him burn ships apart from below.

But Wyrmbard is good at more then sinking ships. He is also good at looting. His appraise modifier is +10, which, if he takes 10, lets him appraise the value of every single possible item in existence. He also can reliably identify most spells as they are cast, and make difficult knowledge planes and geography checks, helping him navigate. By taking 10 he is able to reliably use all functions of a Dimensional Sextant to find the nearest planar portals, letting him not only pirate ships in native Faerun, but all the prime material and other planes connected to the astral.

Acolyte-Reaver of Ashardalon (ECL 15)

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In his studies of the planar dragons, Wyrmbeard heard the story of Ashardalon, the great Red Dragon who replaced his own heart with the heart of a Balor. Through doing so Ashardalon not only extended his life but augmented his own abilities with unnatural demonic power.

For years Wyrmbeard sought out the secrets of Ashardalon, plundering temples throughout the infinite layers of the Abyss and the endless prime material. In time he gained the secrets, but the rituals only worked for true dragons, not a pretender like himself. The power of Ashardalon was denied to him.

There was another way. The disciples of Ashardalon had records of a lesser ritual, said to be a less powerful derivative, where a mortal might gain a fraction of a true demonic hybrid. Instead of replacing the heart, the lesser ritual replaced the skin. It would have to do. Finding a willing demon took only time and the proper application of will. As Wyrmbeard donned the flesh, he continued his path of metamorphosis, now part human, part dragon, and part demon. All this to become the perfect interplanar pirate.

How does Acolyte of the Skin make him a better pirate? To start with Profession Sailor is a class skill. Before wearing a demon skin Wyrmbeard was more of a swimmer then a sailor, but to get the best ships you need a ship of your own. As an Acolyte he makes a damn good captain with full ranks in profession Sailor.

His new demonskin specifically increases natural armor, improving his Dragonfire Adept scales. Furthermore it grants him resistance to fire and cold. While 10 resistance might not seem like much, it actually is quite important for Wyrmbeard. Any resistance to fire gives complete immunity to lava. Letting him swim the lava seas of the plane of fire preying upon the wealthy Ifriit. Cold resistance also helps Wyrmbeard survive in freezing water and elemental seas of cold. His new 120 foot Darkvision helps him see in light-less planes and in the murky depths of countless oceans.

Acolyte of the Skin also continues the progression of Wyrmbeards breath weapon and invocations, giving him new spell like abilities to use and letting his breath do more damage. One of his best new invocations is Frightful Presence. Whenever he attacks an enemy or breaths upon them he can cast Frightful Presence as a swift action. This gives him a 30 foot save vs fear aura that is not HD dependent. When he uses it he is effecting all enemies within 30 feet with a spell, which then triggers his Dreadful Wrath frightful presence. Every single breath attack now comes with two will saves vs fear. (although the second can only effect a target once per day)

Of course before combat even begins, he likes to terrify the entire enemy force with a fiendish glare, making all enemies within 100 feet shaken no save, with a will save or be stunned. This is especially effective is the enemy has any low level crew members who are more effected by the stun. Combining these together he can push his enemies all the way to panicked without even breaking out Imperious Command and his +27 intimidate score before items.

Glare of the Pit can be used as a backup attack, for when Wyrmbeard wants to attack enemies outside of his breath weapon range. Wyrmbeard summons his personal Babau as a private scout whenever he arrives in a new plane of existence. The Babau teleports around the plane looking for large settlements or shipments to rob, before reporting the information back to Wyrmbeard.

In time Wyrmbeard fully merged with his demonskin. While martial weapon proficiency and no longer needing to eat or drink can be nice, Wyrmbeard's use of being an outsider goes further. Wyrmbeard has murdered and pillaged and betrayed his way across the planes. His soul was doomed to the Abyss. Now he doesn't have a soul.

As far as the twice a day poison? Wyrmbeard finds it better then whipping for keeping morale high.

Lastly, Wyrmbeard is now a Scourge of the (Planar) Seas. Whenever a captain sees his flag flying Wyrmbeard gets to make a free intimidate check against them. If Wyrmbeard succeeds the captain is frightened for 1d6x10 minutes and tries to get away. This is a perfect opening for Glare + Frightful Presence x2.

Many of his best Acolyte abilities only function once or twice a day. Wyrmbeard has a way around that however. From the Babau he learned the secrets of the Trickery Devotion, letting him make a semi-real duplicate of himself once a day, essentially doubling the uses of all his Acolyte abilities. The duplicate also lets him captain his ship and breath on the enemy ship at the same time.

With a spellcraft check of +20 or more Wyrmbeard can identify any spell that has already been cast, and can identify most spells that he has to make a saving throw against including ones that aren't immediately apparent such as Scry. His knowledge of the planes is at +20 or more, letting him make even the most difficult of planar knowledge checks, which should include the majority of things he encounters as he ravages the planes. A Profession Sailor of +19 or more lets him overcome nearly every possible obstacle. Lastly Wyrmbeard's spot score is high enough to spot invisible Astral Cords as they move through the Astral Plane.

Scourge of the Layers (ECL 20)

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His metamorphosis complete, Wyrmbeard has resumed his quest to gain draconic power. Learning draconic secrets from the corpses and libraries of his enemies. He is now the most powerful pirate in the multiverse. Why is he the most powerful pirate?

Chilling Fog. Chilling Fog is an invocation that produces a Solid Fog that also does cold damage. Wyrmbeard can cast it at will, although he can only have one active at a time. What is so great about Solid Fog? Any ship in an area of Solid Fog has its speed reduced to five feet a round (Stormwrack 29) Wyrmbeard can cast it as often as he wants. Now nobody can escape. While they are stuck in the fog Wyrmbeard is free to breath on them and terrify them again and again.

It gets better. Thanks to void sense Wyrmbeard can see through the fog with his blind sense. Wyrmbeard can also move through the fog if he wishes, his resistance to cold protects him from the majority of the damage the fog causes.

Wyrmbeard also has innate flight, and can use his wings to knock over and knock back his opponents, pushing them off ships into seas, lava lakes, pools of acid bottomless pits or what not. Even other flying creatures are vulnerable to Wyrmbeard. If they use wings or a similar means of propulsion, Wyrmbeard's entangling breath can tie them up, making them unable to flap and meet their minimum forward speeds.

Wyrmbeard has increased his skills, letting him identify all spells as they are cast upon him, and all spells that have already been cast. He is a sailor without peer, and damn terrifying. He is also a master of languages, knowing Rashemi, Common, Draconic, Abyssal, Planar Cant, Ignan, Aquan, Auran, Terran, and Sylvan. No matter the plane, his enemies will understand him when he demands surrender.

Lastly he knows the secrets of thunder breath, letting him breath pure sound, ripping apart hulls, walls, the ground, and any creatures that were previously resistant to him. Few creatures are immune to sonic, and sonic does full damage to objects.

Sailing, Equipment, and Sources

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Sailing the Conventional Seas

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At the start of any ship to ship combat, the two captains roll opposed profession sailor checks. The captain who wins has advantage, and gets to react to his opponents moves. Advantage can switch later. Grappling, ramming, shearing and gaining advantage are all opposed profession sailor checks.

Ships can be either targeted as a whole, or specific sections. If a single hull section is destroyed the ship loses speed and risks sinking. The profession check to avoid sinking is 14 +4 for each destroyed section. As mentioned above Wyrmbeard can set multiple sections on fire, burning through hulls, crew and rigging, quickly sinking ships.

At ECL 15 he has +17 before equipment on profession sailor checks which is enough to negate most hazards and win most opposed rolls. He can keep a ship with four destroyed hull sections still floating. At higher levels he can survive more.

Wyrmbeard is also a decent navigator, able to hit the DC 17 checks to navigate the open ocean on a clear day and the DC 15 checks to navigate to distant yet familiar ports.

When pirating in lakes or oceans Wyrmbeards vessel of choice is a Pinnace (Stormwrack P. 101, 4,500 gp) It is one of the fastest ships available, with a small crew compliment, a 30 ton cargo hold and able to function at sea and near shore. If Wyrmbeard has raided Eberron through the Plane of Shadow he tries to get his Pinnace's made out of Soarwood (double speed) or Livewood(Living).

Sailing the Skies and Planes

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Sometimes there is loot not located in the seas themselves. That's why Wyrmbeard like his ships to fly. It also helps if the ships can navigate between planes without the aid of portals or color pools. Two good ships to use are below:

Elven Wingship (Stormwrack 100) with a Flying Stronghold enchantment (Stronghold Builder's Guide 48) able to fly through the air at wind x 40 foot speed. It has three weapon mounts and thirty tons of cargo space. Cost: 55,000. If Wyrmbeard is able to reach the planes of Eberron through their connection in the Shadow Plane, or otherwise had knowledge and access to Soarwood (Eberron Campaign Setting 127) he might make a Soarwood version instead. Costing 175,000 and moving at double speed.

Living Astral Ship (Planar Handbook 73). The Living Astral Ship is a construct controlled mentally by the pilot. It travels through the Astral Plane at a speed equal to its pilots intelligence x10. In gravity it has a 40 foot (clumsy) fly speed. It isn't normally for sale, and could be the goal of an adventure or an act of piracy. As it is a creature, it is a valid target for Endure Exposure.

Usually when traveling between planes Captain Wyrmbeard uses a Dimensional Sextant (Manual of the Planes 22) to locate the nearest portal to his intended destination with a DC 20 Knowledge the planes check. After he plunders a few Githyanki Astral Skiffs he will invest in more reliable planar transportation and get a Planar Helm (Stormwrack 134 62,520). The Planar Helm lets him cast planar navigation twice a day, moving him, his ship and his crew to navigable water in another plane of existence.

One of the main areas of interplanar trade and transportation is the Astral Plane. Mages stretch their silver cords between worlds, astral caravans cross the planes, and the Githyanki in their skiffs and flying their red dragons hunt for prey.

Creatures can fly through the Astral Plane at a speed of 10x Intelligence Score. Before items Wyrmbeard has a fly speed of 140, after items it can get as high as 200. If that isn't enough speed Wyrmbeard takes Mushroom Powder(Vile Darkness 43) to increase his speed to 220. He can easily resist the addiction effects.

At that speed Wyrmbeard can out fly most creatures and ships, including the standard Astral Skiff that the Githyanki use (120 fly). Astral Caravans only have an apparent speed of 40 feet. If he can, Wyrmbeard will steal a Githyanki Silver Sword and sever cords for fun.

Githyanki will likely be some of his main adversaries. Many of them ride Red Dragons who they are allied with. Wyrmbeard's Dragonkin ability makes him immune to the frightful presence of dragons. His cold breath lets him do additional damage to red dragons. As his breath weapon is a supernatural ability, it ignores the spell resistance of both Red Dragons and Githyanki.

Equipment Options

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Dimensional Sextant, Manual of the Planes-22, 21,600gp
Admiral's Bicorn, Stormwrack-131 51,000gp
Magnificent Captain's Coat, Stormwrack - 133, 11,000gp
Draught of Metabreath Magic, Draconomicon 83 variable
Draught of Metallic Metabreath, Draconomicon 83, 2,100gp
Mithril Twilight +1 Chain Shirt, Magic Item Compendium 15, 5,100 gp
Dragon Spirit Cincture, Magic Item Compendium 95, 2,000 gp
Also usual enhancement items, tomes and saving throw items.

Total Intimidate: 23 ranks, +2 synergy, +6 Beguiling Influence, +5 Admiral's Bicorn, +2 Morale, +8 Charisma, +2 Masterwork Hook Hand of Intimidate = +48 Intimidate

Total Profession Sailor: 23 Ranks, +5 Admiral's Bicorn, +2 Morale, +5 Magnificent Captain's Cloak, +2 Masterwork Pegleg of Sailing, -1 Wisdom =+36 Sailor

Knowledge Planes: 23 Ranks, +2 Morale, +2 Masterwork Travel Guide, +5 Intelligence = +32 Knowledge Planes

Sources:

Spoiler

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Dragonfire Adept - Dragon Magic 24
Dragonfire Adept Invocations - Dragon Magic 77
Dragonfire Adept and Prestige Classes - Dragon Magic 24
Able Learner -Races of Destiny 150
Dreadful Wrath - Player's Guide to Faerun 38
Entangling Exhalation - Races of the Dragon 101
Imperious Command - Drow of the Underdark 50
Extra Invocation - Complete Arcane 79
Scourge of the Seas - Stormwrack 93
Trickery Devotion - Complete Champion 63

Captain's Log

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Captain Brimstone the Demon Drake
Human Dragonfire Adept/Acolyte of the Skin
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Dragonfire Adept 1|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Bluff 4 K. The Planes 4, K. Geography 4 Intimidate 4 Spellcraft 4 Appraise 4 Profession Sailor 2 Swim 2|Able Learner, Dreadful Wrath|Breath Weapon 1d6, Dragontouched, Aquatic Adaptation

2nd|Dragonfire Adept 2|

+1

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Bluff 5 K. The Planes 5, K. Geography 5 Intimidate 5 Spellcraft 5 Appraise 5 Profession Sailor 2.5 Swim 2.5||Frost Breath, Scales +2

3rd|Dragonfire Adept 3|

+1

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Speak Language: Draconic, K. The Planes 6, K. Geography 6 Intimidate 6 Spellcraft 6 Appraise 6 Profession Sailor 3 Swim 3|Entangling Exhalation|Breath Weapon 2d6, Endure Exposure

4th|Dragonfire Adept 4|

+2

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Speak Language: Abyssal, K. The Planes 7, K. Geography 7 Intimidate 7 Spellcraft 7 Appraise 7 Profession Sailor 3.5 Swim 3.5||Dragonkin

5th|Dragonfire Adept 5|

+2

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Speak Language: Planar Cant, K. The Planes 8, K. Geography 8 Intimidate 8 Spellcraft 8 Appraise 8 Profession Sailor 4 Swim 4||Breath Weapon 3d6, Slow Breath

6th|Acolyte of the Skin 1|

+2

|

+6

|

+1

|

+6

|Intimidate 9, Spellcraft 9, K. Planes 9, Profession Sailor 6|Imperious Command|Wear Fiend, Poison 1/day

7th|Acolyte of the Skin 2|

+3

|

+7

|

+1

|

+7

|Intimidate 10, Spellcraft 10, K. Planes 10, Profession Sailor 8||Flame Resistant, Frightful Presence

8th|Acolyte of the Skin 3|

+4

|

+7

|

+2

|

+7

|Intimidate 11, Spellcraft 11, K. Planes 11, Profession Sailor 10||Fiendish Glare

9th|Acolyte of the Skin 4|

+5

|

+8

|

+2

|

+8

|Intimidate 12, Spellcraft 12, K. Planes 12, Profession Sailor 12|Extra Invocation:Beguiling Influence|Breath Weapon +4d6

10th|Acolyte of the Skin 5|

+5

|

+8

|

+2

|

+8

|Intimidate 13, Spellcraft 13, K. Planes 13, Profession Sailor 13, Swim 5||Skin Adaptation, Poison 2/Day

11th|Acolyte of the Skin 6|

+6

|

+9

|

+3

|

+9

|Intimidate 14, Spellcraft 14, K. Planes 14, Profession Sailor 14, Swim 6||Cold Resistant, Void Sense

12th|Acolyte of the Skin 7|

+7

|

+9

|

+3

|

+9

|Intimidate 15, Spellcraft 15, K. Planes 15, Profession Sailor 15, Swim 7|Scourge of the Seas|Glare of the Pit

13th|Acolyte of the Skin 8|

+8

|

+10

|

+3

|

+10

|Intimidate 16, Spellcraft 16, K. Planes 16, Profession Sailor 16, Swim 8||Breath Weapon +5d6

14th|Acolyte of the Skin 9|

+8

|

+10

|

+4

|

+10

|Speak Language: Ignan Intimidate 17, Spellcraft 17, K. Planes 17, Profession Sailor 17||Summon Fiend

15th|Acolyte of the Skin 10|

+9

|

+11

|

+4

|

+11

|Intimidate 18, Spellcraft 18, K. Planes 18, Profession Sailor 18, Swim 9|Trickery Devotion|Fiendish Symbiosis

16th|Dragonfire Adept 6|

+10

|

+12

|

+5

|

+12

|Speak Language Aquan, Intimidate 19, Spellcraft 19, K. Planes 19, Profession Sailor 19, Spot 2 ||DR 2/Magic, Chilling Fog, Breath Weapon +6d6

17th|Dragonfire Adept 7|

+10

|

+12

|

+5

|

+13

|Speak Language Infernal, Intimidate 20, Spellcraft 20, K. Planes 20, Profession Sailor 20, Spot 4||

18th|Dragonfire Adept 8|

+11

|

+13

|

+5

|

+13

|Speak Language Auran, Intimidate 21, Spellcraft 21, K. Planes 21, Profession Sailor 21, Spot 6|Extra Invocation: Draconic Flight|Scales +3, Wingstorm

19th|Dragonfire Adept 9|

+11

|

+13

|

+6

|

+13

|Speak Language Terran, Intimidate 22, Spellcraft 22, K. Planes 22, Profession Sailor 22, Spot 8||Breath Weapon 7d6

20th|Dragonfire Adept 10|

+12

|

+14

|

+6

|

+14

|Speak Language Sylvan, Intimidate 23, Spellcraft 23, K. Planes 23, Profession Sailor 23, Spot 10||Breath Weapon Range Doubles, Thunder Breath[/table]
Strength 8
Dexterity 14 +2 Inherent(Class) = 16
Con 16 +4 Level, +6 Enhancement, +2 Inherent(Class) = 28
Intelligence 14 +6 Enhancement = 20
Wisdom 8
Charisma 16 +6 Enhancement +1 Level +3 Inherent = 26

[Amphetryon]

Look out! It's a. . . what the. . . .?

"Fearmonger" Ash'okk Lar



Build Overview and Stats:

Spoiler

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Final Build:
CE Skarn Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 10/Thrall of Juiblex 4

Un-adjusted Stat Scores:
STR 16, DEX 8, CON 14, INT 13, WIS 13, CHA 14

Adjusted for Skarn Stats:
STR 18, DEX 6, CON 14, INT 13, WIS 13, CHA 14

Level-up Stat bonuses are applied as follows:

4th: CHA
8th: WIS
12th: INT
16th: STR
20th: STR

Build Breakdown:

Spoiler

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ASH'OKK LAR
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features
1st|Fighter 1|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+0

|Intimidate 4 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 4 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks|Power Attack (fighter bonus), Keeper of Forbidden Lore|Bonus Feat
2nd|Fighter 2|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+0

|Escape Artist 0.5 ranks, Intimidate 5 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 5 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks|Improved Bull Rush (fighter bonus)|Bonus Feat
3rd|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 1|

+3

|

+5

|

+0

|

+0

|Escape Artist 1 rank, Intimidate 6 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 6 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks|Willing Deformity|Aura of Evil, detect good, smite good 1/day
4th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 2|

+4

|

+6

|

+0

|

+0

|Escape Artist 1.5 ranks, Intimidate 7 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 7 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks||Divine Grace, Deadly Touch
5th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 3|

+5

|

+6

|

+1

|

+1

|Escape Artist 2 ranks, Intimidate 8 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 8 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks||Debilitating aura, Divine Health
6th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4|

+6

|

+7

|

+1

|

+1

|Escape Artist 2.5 ranks, Intimidate 9 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 9 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks|Practised Spellcaster (Paladin)|Rebuke Undead
7th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 1|

+6

|

+9

|

+1

|

+3

|Escape Artist 3 ranks, Intimidate 10 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 10 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks||Wear Fiend (demonic), poison 1/day
8th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 2|

+7

|

+10

|

+1

|

+4

|Escape Artist 3.5 ranks, Intimidate 11 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 11 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks||Flame Resistant, +1 spellcasting level
9th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 3|

+8

|

+10

|

+2

|

+4

|Escape Artist 4 ranks, Intimidate 12 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 12 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks|Shock Trooper|Fiendish Glare
10th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 4|

+9

|

+11

|

+2

|

+5

|Escape Artist 4.5 ranks, Intimidate 13 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 13 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks||+1 spellcasting level
11th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 5|

+9

|

+11

|

+2

|

+5

|Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 14 ranks, Knowledge (planes) 14 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks||Skin Adaptation, poison 2/day
12th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 6|

+10

|

+12

|

+3

|

+6

|Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 15 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 1 rank, Knowledge (planes) 15 ranks, Spellcraft 5 ranks|Imperious Command|Cold Resistance, +1 spellcasting level
13th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 7|

+11

|

+12

|

+3

|

+6

|Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 16 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 2 rank, Knowledge (planes) 16 ranks, Spellcraft 6 ranks||Glare of the Pit
14th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 8|

+12

|

+13

|

+3

|

+7

|Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 17 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 3 rank, Knowledge (planes) 17 ranks, Spellcraft 7 ranks||+1 spellcasting level
15th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 9|

+12

|

+13

|

+4

|

+7

|Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 18 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 4 rank, Knowledge (planes) 18 ranks, Spellcraft 8 ranks|Thrall to Demon|Summon fiend (babau)
16th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 10|

+13

|

+14

|

+4

|

+8

|Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 19 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 rank, Knowledge (planes) 19 ranks, Spellcraft 9 ranks||Fiendish Symbiosis, +1 spellcasting level
17th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 10/Thrall of Juiblex 1|

+14

|

+16

|

+6

|

+10

|Disguise 1 rank, Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 20 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 rank, Knowledge (planes) 20 ranks, Spellcraft 10 ranks||Sickening Slime
18th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 10/Thrall of Juiblex 2|

+15

|

+17

|

+7

|

+11

|Disguise 2 ranks, Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 21 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 rank, Knowledge (planes) 21 ranks, Spellcraft 11 ranks|Frightful Presence|Corrosive Slime
19th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 10/Thrall of Juiblex 3|

+16

|

+17

|

+7

|

+11

|Disguise 3 ranks, Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 22 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 rank, Knowledge (planes) 22 ranks, Spellcraft 12 ranks||Summon Ooze
20th|Fighter 2/Paladin of Slaughter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 10/Thrall of Juiblex 4|

+17

|

+18

|

+8

|

+12

|Disguise 4 ranks, Escape Artist 5 ranks, Intimidate 23 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 5 rank, Knowledge (planes) 23 ranks, Spellcraft 13 ranks||Contagion, Alter Self[/table]

In addition as part of his Paladin of Slaughter training at level 3 he would have been thrown into a Otyugh Hole. The bonus feat he would gain from this would be Skill Focus (Intimidate).

Spells:

Spoiler

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Paladin of Slaughter Spells per day (includes bonus spells for base WIS of 14)
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th
1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
2nd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
4th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
5th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
6th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
7th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
8th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
9th|-|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
10th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
11th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
12th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
13th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
14th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
15th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
16th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
17th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
18th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
19th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
20th|-|2|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

Typical Spells Prepared (at level 20, assuming bonus spells from WIS of 14):

1st:Protection from Good, Divine Favour
2nd:Undetectable Alignment

Tactics

Spoiler

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5th level:
At 5th level Ash'okk is a fairly standard melee combatant for his level. Charge in, Power Attack the enemies with weakest armour, and use a two-handed weapon. His Divine Grace feature helps bump up his poor Ref and Will saves slightly. His Deadly Touch ability is mildly useful, but is only much use to finish off the already dying. The majority of his damage at these levels will come from Power Attacking.

10th level:
At 10th level Ash'okk has gained some very minor Paladin of Slaughter spellcasting, which he can use to protect himself from Good. This is very minor though, and his low Will saves mean he’s very vulnerable to domination. As a good point however he now has some minor resistance to fire, can use his Fiendish Gaze to try and stun troublesome opponents. His tactics remain primarily the same – charge, full attack, and use his Deadly Touch to kill opponents who he has disabled. Shock Trooper has given his damage output a hefty boost though, and his high HP means that he can afford to take a few hits.

15th level:
At 15th level Ash'okk has almost completed his merging with the skin, and as such has nearly all the abilities it grants. Imperious Command is now available for him to Demoralize strong opponents and render them cowering, Shock Trooper with his high BAB allows him to deal large amounts of damage on a charge or full attack, and he should now be able to cast Undetectable Alignment to prevent him from being detected by Paladins. He can also now use Glare of the Pit to soften up strong enemies before he charges them, and his Summon Fiend ability can summon a Babau to flank his opponents and Sneak Attack them.

20th level:
At 20th level Ash'okk’s full power has been unlocked. He has become an Outsider, and the Alter Self ability of Thrall of Juiblex allows him to mimic the appearance of other beings to disguise himself. His Sickening Slime also provides a potential small debuff – but his major advantages now are his Alter Self ability in conjunction with the Outsider type, his Frightful Presence (allowing him to demoralize weaker enemies when he attacks or charges, in combination with Imperious Command to render them cowering), and his high BAB in combination with Shock Trooper. If necessary he can also use his Summon Ooze ability as a secondary flanker or a distraction. This allows him to charge a powerful enemy with Shock Trooper, activate Frightful Presence and demoralize weaker enemies around him easily.

Background

Spoiler

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Background:
A somewhat “loose cannon” mercenary, Ash’okk was born a Skarn amongst a village of humans. Growing up he quickly took to the sword, slaughtering three bandits when his village was attacked at the age of 18. At the urging of his parents he enlisted in the cohort of a paladin from a far-off land, Sir Rekton the Valorous, but was dismissed after three missions (to rescue a maiden from kobolds, to stop an army of lizardmen from conglomerating, and to negotiate for the lives of some hostages a group of bandits had taken) for excessive violence and cruelty.

Cast out from the mercenary company, over fifty miles from his home, and bereft of his armour and weapons he wandered. Near dead from exhaustion he dropped to the ground, willing to give up and die… and fell into the ruins of a buried house. Landing face-first in a patch of green slime, he howled as it ate away his face, scarring it permanently – but he lived, and managed to pull himself out of the house. Only to look up and to see a black-shrouded figure, sword drawn staring down at him, muttering eldritch words that rang a bell. The words of the Detect Good spell… no, wait. The words of the Detect Good spell reversed?

Upon assessing he was not a threat the figure dragged him through the scrub to his camp, where he demanded to know why Ash’okk had defiled the holy symbol of his lord by falling into it. Upon some discussion he ascertained it was an accident, and explained himself as a Paladin of Slaughter in the service of the Faceless Lord Juiblex. He was learning how to bind the skin of a demon over his own to allow him to service his Lord better. Upon inquiring about the benefits Juiblex granted to his worshippers he gave a great and terrible smile, and the Paladin agreed to teach him… after he survived a week in an Otyugh Hole filled with slimes and jellies.

He survived. Upon completion of the week he emerged, heart filled with hatred and arm slashed with the symbol of the Faceless Lord, ready to serve as a Paladin of Juiblex – and ready to work his way into the service of his Lord by becoming one of his most fervent worshippers.

As a side note:

Spoiler

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As a side note, this guy at level 20 would be really creepy. A spiked, slime-oozing scarred madman with demonic skin and horns running at you screaming madly?

[Amphetryon]

Good for an evil cause, or Evil for a good cause?

The Sacred Demon
The Build

Spoiler

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Point Buy: 8/12/14/12/10/18
Final Array (level 1): 8/12/14/12/12/20
Final Array (Final): 8/14/16/12/12/24

Lesser Aasimar Sorcerer/Malconvoker/Acolyte of the Skin

{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Sorcerer 1|

+0

|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|Bluff 4, Knowledge: The Planes 4, Speak Language: Infernal 2, Concentration 2|Spell Focus: Conjuration|Divine Companion, +1 Casting

2nd|Sorcerer 2|

+1

|

+0

|

+0

|

+3

|Bluff 5, Knowledge: The Planes 5, Concentration 3||+1 Casting

3rd|Sorcerer 3|

+1

|

+1

|

+1

|

+3

|Bluff 6, Knowledge: The Planes 6, Concentration 4|Augment Summoning|+1 Casting

4th|Sorcerer 4|

+2

|

+1

|

+1

|

+4

|Bluff 7, Knowledge: The Planes 7, Concentration 5||+1 Casting

5th|Sorcerer 5|

+2

|

+1

|

+1

|

+4

|Bluff 8, Knowledge: The Planes 8, Concentration 6||+1 Casting

6th|Malconvoker 1|

+2

|

+1

|

+1

|

+6

|Bluff 9, Knowledge: The Planes 9, Concentration 7|Celestial Bloodline|Deceptive Summoning, Unrestricted Conjuration

7th|Malconvoker 2|

+3

|

+1

|

+1

|

+7

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 9, Concentration 8, Spellcraft 1||Planar Binding, +1 Casting

8th|Acolyte of the Skin 1|

+3

|

+3

|

+1

|

+9

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 9, Concentration 9, Spellcraft 2, Intimidate 2||Wear Fiend, poison 1/day

9th|Acolyte of the Skin 2|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+10

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 9, Concentration 9, Spellcraft 3, Intimidate 4|Empower Spell-like Ability|Flame resistant, +1 Casting

10th|Acolyte of the Skin 3|

+5

|

+4

|

+2

|

+10

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 9, Concentration 9, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 5||Fiendish Glare

11th|Acolyte of the Skin 4|

+6

|

+5

|

+2

|

+11

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 10, Concentration 10, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 6||+1 Casting

12th|Acolyte of the Skin 5|

+6

|

+5

|

+2

|

+11

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 11, Concentration 11, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 7|Practiced Spellcaster|Skin adaptation, poison 2/day

13th|Acolyte of the Skin 6|

+7

|

+6

|

+3

|

+12

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 12, Concentration 12, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 8||Cold Resistant, +1 Casting

14th|Acolyte of the Skin 7|

+8

|

+6

|

+3

|

+12

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 13, Concentration 13, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 9||Glare of the pit

15th|Acolyte of the Skin 8|

+9

|

+7

|

+3

|

+13

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 14, Concentration 14, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 10|Maximize Spell-like ability (Poison)|+1 Casting

16th|Acolyte of the Skin 9|

+9

|

+7

|

+4

|

+13

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 15, Concentration 15, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 11||Summon fiend

17th|Acolyte of the Skin 10|

+10

|

+8

|

+4

|

+14

|Bluff 10, Knowledge: The Planes 16, Concentration 16, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 12||Fiendish symbiosis, +1 Casting

18th|Malconvoker 3|

+10

|

+9

|

+5

|

+14

|Bluff 13+3, Knowledge: The Planes 16, Concentration 16, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 12|Extend Supernatural Ability (Fiendish Glare), Skill focus (Bluff)|Skill focus (Bluff), +1 Casting

19th|Malconvoker 4|

+11

|

+9

|

+5

|

+15

|Bluff 16+3, Knowledge: The Planes 16, Concentration 16, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 12||Deceptive Summons (Fury), +1 Casting

20th|Malconvoker 5|

+11

|

+9

|

+5

|

+15

|Bluff 17+3, Knowledge: The Planes 16, Concentration 16, Spellcraft 4, Intimidate 13||Fiendish Legion, +1 Casting[/table]

Spoiler

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Spells per day
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|5|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|6|6|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|6|7|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|6|8|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|6|8|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|6|8|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|6|8|6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|6|8|7|4|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|6|8|8|5|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|6|8|8|5|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|6|8|8|6|4|-|-|-|-|-

12th|6|8|8|6|4|-|-|-|-|-

13th|6|8|8|7|5|-|-|-|-|-

14th|6|8|8|7|5|-|-|-|-|-

15th|6|8|8|7|6|4|-|-|-|-

16th|6|8|8|8|6|4|-|-|-|-

17th|6|8|8|8|7|5|-|-|-|-

18th|6|8|8|8|7|6|4|-|-|-

19th|6|8|8|8|7|7|5|-|-|-

20th|6|8|8|8|7|7|6|4|-|-[/table]

The above accounts for bonus spells from having a high Charisma score, and assumes all level-up points are put into Charisma.


Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|5|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|6|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|6|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|7|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|8|5|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|8|5|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|8|6|4|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|8|6|4|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|9|6|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-

12th|9|6|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-

13th|9|6|5|4|3|-|-|-|-|-

14th|9|6|5|4|3|-|-|-|-|-

15th|10|6|5|4|3|3|-|-|-|-

16th|10|6|5|4|3|3|-|-|-|-

17th|10|6|6|5|4|4|-|-|-|-

18th|10|6|6|5|4|4|2|-|-|-

19th|10|6|6|5|5|4|3|2|-|-

20th|10|6|6|5|5|4|3|2|-|-[/table]

The above includes bonus spells known from Malconvoker and the Celestial Heritage feat.

The Story

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What you are reading now, I promise, is a true tale. It may not be an exciting one, but it sheds some light on that mysterious figure, simultaneously a hero and a monster, who we’ve taken to calling The Sacred Demon.

I remember vividly the day that my searching paid off; it was an ordinary spring afternoon, and my journey had brought me to a desert that I won’t be naming, at the request of the man. I walked through the sparse wasteland, despite the obvious warning signs of a coming sandstorm. I’d like to say that it struck without warning, but it was my own hubris that kept me out of shelter when it arrived, and it was a powerful sandstorm. I was nearly buried in that desert, with nothing to show for having nearly lost my life, until a strange robed man shouted for me to follow him. I did as he asked (not that I had any other choice), and he pulled me into a hole which he procured from nowhere. In the blink of an eye, I was no longer in the desert, instead in an almost disturbingly calm void, with nothing but the other person to be seen. “A-are you...?” I choked out, fighting past the fear I was feeling.

“I can’t pretend to know for certain what you were going to ask me,” he began after I failed to finish my question, “but I do believe that this should be enough to let you know, no?” He lowered his hood, and I saw the face of the man who had saved me. Thinking back, I wish I hadn’t. I want to preface my description by saying this man almost single-handedly disproves physiognomy, for if he were as depraved as his appearance would lead one to believe, there would be no question as to whether or not he was a benefit to our world. His face was as if he was wearing a mask, almost; the left half was beautiful, almost too much so, with horribly pale skin that looked as though it had never seen sunlight and, while the right half was a disgusting red, covered in scars, burns, and grotesque growths. Separating them was something that I can’t even begin to describe; it was as though either side of his face was its own plane, and between them was a thing border of absolutely nothing. Some time later, he put his hood back up, and I found myself painfully aware of the fact that I had been staring at him. I tried to stammer out an apology, but he stopped me. “I’m quite aware of the fact that I’m an abomination of nature at the moment... it’s a sordid story, one that I believe you came to hear.” I told him that yes, I had come to learn the true story of how he had come to be, and he informed me that he would answer any questions I had to the best of his ability, with a warning that he’d lived a tortured life far longer than many mortals and that his memory was, as a consequence, a bit warped at times.

So I began, as was logical, at the beginning. How had his life started? He told me that he was once a nearly ordinary magician, having inherited an innate magical potency from his father, who was descended from Archons. I asked who his father was, but he just shook his head and refused to answer, saying that he did not wish to tarnish his father’s name by forging a public connection between them. He apologized profusely for going back on his word, but I assured him that I understood, and he agreed to continue. He further explained that, with such a heritage, he was all but born to be a hero. “When most people do something good, they get a ‘warm fuzzy feeling’, but when I do otherwise, I feel as though my soul is being torn from me,” I remember him saying. He told me tales of heroic deeds he had performed, but he seemed terribly distant as he did so, as though he were relating a tale he had studied extensively for the sole purpose of knowing.

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For the first five levels of your career, you’re a pretty standard sorcerer, although your charisma is pretty painful for whoever’s on the receiving end of your spells. Between the charisma and the spell focus, and conjuration spell you cast that requires a save will have a DC of 15 plus the spell level. Granted, there’s not too many of them that are that good, but the option’s there. You’ve also got a good bluff skill for when you need to get people to believe you, and stuff.

Why the Divine Companion feature instead of some other ACF? It’s largely for flavor; fluff it as being able to give up your own innate spellcasting power to channel the divine power to which you are connected by heritage. The healing and defensive augmentation you can get from it isn’t overwhelmingly amazing, but it can be good to have as a backup option.

“But no matter what I did, I never felt as though I was living up to my birthright. Every act of heroism I performed eased the emptiness I felt less and less. My father explained that all beings of heavenly descent suffer in such a way, because their true duty is to fight the Fiendish armies of the Nine Hells.” Under the hood, I saw the man’s right eye glow with infernal hatred, and he began to writhe in agony. After a few moments, in which I tried desperately to aid him, he recovered, though he was thoroughly exhausted. “This is where I began my journey to where I am now. It isn’t a pleasant story. If you want, you can leave now, and forget this all happened.” Having spent four years tracking him down, of course, I refused his offer, and he continued his story. He told me of how, one day some months after that conversation with his father, he found a curious book in his possession. It described how one could manipulate fiends into fighting their own kind, turning the forces of evil against themselves, and went into great depths on the matter and a discussion on the morality of such actions. He read the book from cover to cover, and did so endlessly for weeks. He came to the conclusion that such a process would be his contribution to the war against the Hells, and he began the process of utilizing the magics he had studied, summoning a demon by the name of Ta’ligul.

“I believe I can take over from here,” a truly horrid voice from under his hood said. It burned into my mind, and what he said remains there to this day; I can recall it effortlessly. “Yes, he called on me, expecting to be able to bind me to his will effortlessly. I’ll admit, he had a knack for such magics, but I was much more powerful than he anticipated, not that he knew his spell had failed. Instead of showing my hand at that moment, I began a plan to corrupt him. I explained to him how his form reeked of celestial taint, that no demon would willingly serve him. Of course, if he were to hide his origin, he could do as he wished, and bend them to his will. I just happened to know a procedure to do just that.” The voice described with glee the tortuous process that he subjected the young mage to, something that I will take to my grave, lest another person have it haunt their dreams (or even worse, attempt such a procedure). When the ritual had finished, the demon and the angel-spawn shared the same body. For years, Ta’ligul gave him access to powers that would strike down any vile man that stood before him, either by destroying his body or by by destroying his soul. The man’s attitude did not survive unscathed, however; his heart slowly hardened to the suffering of those around him, and he began to use force to make sure his will was enacted. As he relied more and more on what Ta’ligul gave him access to, he neglected his own magical prowess equally so.

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Eventually, you set out on the path of a Malconvoker. The placement of these levels are pretty fluid (go see the adaptation section for a bit more detail), but the first few levels get you the ability to summon those demons without going evil, and with Augment Summoning they’re pretty decent. Summoning is a decent thing for you to do, but unless you move the other Malconvoker levels up, you’re going to want to keep it as a bonus thing, rather than focus on it as your main shtick. It’s about at this point that you start taking your Acolyte of the Skin levels, too. What do you get from it?

• Poison as an SLA. 1d10 Con damage, with a fairly potent save. Lots of things are immune, but it’s a serious hit on anything that isn’t (especially with the meta-SLA feats you take).
• Small bonus to Dexterity and Constitution, as well as natural armor; not unwelcome.
• Slight fire resistance and cold resistance. This and the above are a bit underwhelming, but they’re not bad.
• Fiendish Glare. This and Poison are probably the best things you get from this PrC: anybody in range gets shaken, no save. The stunning, with a pretty massive DC, is icing on the cake, but unlikely to last long unless you’ve weakened the targets beforehand. A shame it’s only once a day.
• Glare of the Pit. 8d6 twice is pretty underwhelming when you pick it up, but never look a gift horse in the mouth.
• Summon Fiend is a decent ability that unfortunately doesn’t benefit from your Malconvoker abilities. The limited choice of fiend (that is, no choice) bites, though.
• Fiendish Symbiosis: become an outsider, and get some decent DR.

Finish off your malconvoker levels, and that’s pretty much that.

“By the time I realized that he was influencing my actions, I was in far too deep,” the man said, in his original voice. “And it took me far too long as it was. Why did I not realize what was happening until I was the recipient of human sacrifices, seeking dark powers of their own?”

“Because you are weak,” the voice answered. The man merely sighed and continued his tale. At this point, most people who will be reading this account will know the story, but not the reason behind it. Ta’ligul seized control of the man’s body for great periods of time, and committed the horrible acts for which The Sacred Demon was known. For years, the foul creature used his powers, combined the those of the man, to spread havoc throughout the realm, resting only when the body was ready to collapse from the injuries it had sustained. It was in these moments that the man began to formulate a way to regain control of his body, to atone for his sins. He studied and schemed, despite the fact that his body was far past the point where mortal men would have died several times over, and eventually managed to finish the spell that he had begun nearly a century earlier.

“But, as you can see, it didn’t work,” both entities said at the same time. “The fact that our bodies were bound to each other interracted oddly with the spell, causing us to become the creature you see before us.” The horrible voice echoed with glee, while the man spoke with a reserved sorrow; their combination was unnerving. “For the majority of the time, the body is torn between us, unable to do anything meaningful... occasionally, however, one of us will slip up, and the other manages to seize control.”

“As I did, when I rescued you from the sandstorm,” the man said. We spoke for some time after that, though that conversation contains nothing of interest to the public. After what seemed like days, the man finally informed me that the sandstorm was over, that I could leave. I gathered the notes I had taken and left the poor, pitiable soul to his tortured existence, with several promises regarding the publication of my findings. Before anybody reads these notes and decides to ask me for the man’s location, I must warn you that he insisted I not reveal it to anybody, no matter their reason for wanting to know, and I fully intend to respect his wishes. A long overdue final wish for a man whose spirit died a lifetime ago.

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And, that’s The Sacred Demon. If I had to pick a point at which he’s best, I’d say around level 10 or so; you haven’t lost enough caster levels to be hindered, and you’ve also picked of Fiendish Glare and Poison. Your tactics stay pretty much the same throughout the build: be a caster, focus on conjurations (and, when possible, augment your abilities with summons). As you pick up the better AotS abilities, you want to focus on them a bit more. Poison can be useful for taking out a single enemy, especially if you use your sorcerer spells to deliver it and get out. Fiendish glare debuffs pretty much anybody around you, and can stack well with other fear effects if you want to go that route. You end up with a caster level of 18, and seventh level spells, with a few assorted goodies. You’re not as powerful as somebody who went straight caster, but the abilities you pick up from AotS can help fill the gap somewhat.

Adaptation

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If your DM allows Dragon Magazine, check out Aligned Spellcaster or School Mastery from Dragon #357. School Mastery bumps up the Dexterity and Wisdom of anything you summon, which isn’t much of a boost, but is something. Aligned Spellcaster, however, is quite tasty. If your DM is willing to ignore the non-good requirement of Acolyte of the Skin, be Neutral Good and take it; it makes all of your non-[Evil] spells [Good], gives you +1 caster level to [Good] spells, and gives you an extra +1 if you cast the spell on an Evil-subtype creature (that is, most of what you summon). It bumps your caster level up to a full 20 if you’re casting buffs on your evil summons. If you can’t get that, then consider either Chaotic Neutral or Lawful Neutral; have either a demonic or diabolic skin and summon the other group exclusively. You get the same boost then, and it adds an extra interesting bit of conflict on the Law/Chaos axis as your skin manipulates you into aiding their side of the Blood War. Regardless, these both require you to give up your familiar, which means you also give up Divine Companion.

Fractional BAB and Saves helps you out a bit, if your DM does that; you’ll lose a bit of your Will save, but it’s already pretty massive, and instead gain a point of BAB, a point of Fortitude, and a point of Reflex. Not exactly the most helpful, but extra BAB for landing those touch attacks is always nice, and you’re unlikely to fail a Will save.

If you want to, you could very easily move the last three Malconvoker levels to before the Acolyte of the Skin levels. This helps you get into the demon summoning shtick quicker, and makes it more effective as well. It also helps you get your bluff checks higher a bit sooner, which is good because you definitely don’t want to fail those, and delays the slight drop-off in power from Acolyte of the Skin. Alternately, you could put all of the Malconvoker levels at the back end of the build, letting you delay Spell Focus and Augment Summoning. Honestly, you could put the AotS and Malconvoker levels in almost any configuration to suit you; I picked the presented configuration for fluff reasons. If you want to pick up some more Malconvoker abilities, you can drop out of AotS earlier and finish Malconvoker instead. In this case, you’d either take AotS to 4 or 5 (I’d suggest five, for the extra use of Poison and Skin Adaptation). This gets you a better caster level in the end, but I feel as though you lose out on flavor by doing this. Your choice.

If you want, Fiendish Summoning Specialist from the Planar Handbook can get you some extra Evil things to summon, and raises the point that you can customize your summon-lists anyway; try to work with your DM to get you some evil things to summon. Infernal Sorcerer Heritage from PHB II boosts your caster level when you summon your evil dudes; take it after you start Acolyte of the Skin and say that the skin’s Fiendish presence has affected you. If your DM considers the Bluff check you make as a Malconvoker to be a “Charisma checks made to resolve the effects of planar binding and similar spells,” then Demon Mastery from Fiendish Codex I gives you a +2, and even if he doesn’t it still boosts your caster level by one.
On an entirely different note, Craft Contingent Spell, with the trigger of “when I fail a bluff check against a creature I summoned” can help you get some protection. You can’t use it to dismiss them or anything, unless you find an AoE banishment, but even a Protection from Evil could make all the difference. Lastly, Ability Focus in either Poison or Fiendish Glare boosts the DC, if you want them to be a bit tougher; your high Charisma makes them quite potent already, however. The Supernatural Ability-boosting feats from Tome of Magic (Empower, Widen) can be useful if you want to make Fiendish Glare or Glare of the Pit more potent.

If your DM is particularly awesome, see if you can’t use the rules to designing your own spell to make a Sorcerer spell out of a Bard spell... Glibness in particular. Cast it before you start summoning and you’re all but guaranteed to trick the fiends successfully, plus it gives you a nice bluff check for interacting with normal people. Glibness is a Bard 3 spell, meaning your typical Bard gets it at 7th level; with that logic, it would fit into the Sorcerer/Wizard spell list as a 4th level spell. Unfortunately, you don’t get it until 11th level, but it’s still a wonderful help. If you’re already making your own spells, though... perhaps you could talk your DM into allowing an intimidate version of Glibness. Unless you take a bunch of other feats to make demoralizing better (note that there is potential for stacking with Fiendish Glare, which makes all foes shaken, no save), it won’t get much use there, but it’s always a possibility, and also gives you a boost in interaction with other people.

[Amphetryon]

This one speaks for itself. No one else would dare.

Foreword: Assumptions and Sources

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The presented build works under the following conditions:

- The Godsblood Spelltheft feat is available, such as by playing in the Forgotten Realms.
- The DM, for any player who uses this build, has a reasonable interpretation of how Anyspell works in the context of Godsblood Spelltheft.
- Pandorym, the Elder Evil, exists.
- Vile characters are allowed.
- The following sources beyond Core are allowed:
Complete Arcane
Book of Vile Darkness
Elder Evils
Fiend Folio
Races of Destiny
Tome of Battle - The Book of Nine Swords
Complete Adventurer
Web Enhancement
Complete Scoundrel
Champions of Ruin
Drow of the Underdark
- Reasonable Tome of Battle Errata is used. Specifically, Swordsages do not get extra skill points at first level, and Searing Blade is a swift action initiation.

With all that in mind, onto the build.

---

Faint Sign (DC 45 Knowledge [Arcana or The Planes]): The lettering of scrolls discolors slightly. Fey become more docile, recieving a -2 penalty on Will saves.

Moderate Sign (DC 35 Knowledge [Arcana or The Planes]): Character must make a spellcraft check (DC 15) to cast any spell involving runes, symbols, or any form of written language--such as Illusory Script, Smybol of Pain, and Explosive Runes. Scrolls spontaneously change some of their symbols to Illumian sigils, requiring a Spellcraft check (DC 15) to activate. Any summoning spell used to summon a fey or evil outsider is cast a -2 caster level. Evil outsiders appear scarred.

Strong Sign (DC 25 Knowledge [Arcana or The Planes]): All fey are automatically and continuously shaken, if they are not immune to fear. All spells of 3rd level or lower require a spellcraft check (DC 15) to cast, as do spell-like abilities of 2nd level or lower. Spells from the Compulsion subschool automatically fail. Any summoning spell used to summon a fey or evil outsider is cast a -4 caster level. Evil outsiders appear flayed, and fey appear scarred around their wings, if they have any.

Overwhelming Sign (DC 20 Knowledge [Arcana or The Planes]): 0th through 2nd level spells and spell-like abilities automatically fail. Attempts to control spheres of annihilation and abberant spheres automatically fail. Evil outsiders appear flayed, and recieve a -2 penalty to existing natural armor. Any winged creature recieves scars around the base of the wings, and cannot fly without extreme pain. Any form of written language changes into an Illumian translation within minutes, rendering scrolls and any rune or symbol spells ineffective.

Hypothesized Power Sigil created for the events of the FOURTH. Constructed by the Geometer Drakegloom, reproduced with permission.

Collected information on Eshpaunsuud Zhirvaush, including excertps from the Common Translation of the Diary of Words of Union, 4|12|45|20 in Illumian passage notation natively used.

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Much is known about the Ex-Illumian Eshpaunsuud Zhirvaush (Common translation: Expunged Avarice). Eshpaunsuud is not his cabal name--it is an Illumianization of the Common word "expunged", presumably taken for its additional harshness in Common, and forced upon Zhirvaush for his violations of the ways of existence, after his SECOND. His rejection is a boon to whichever cabal he may have belonged to, and they should be thankful that their identity has not been uncovered.

Zhirvaush has continually set his sights higher during his rise. Like any Illumian, he desires mastery and talent, but it has been suggested by scholars that his behavior is explained by a feeling of inadequacy--he finds his place as a mere humanoid too limiting. In a multiverse of beings too terrible to ever hope to overcome, his place is one descended from humanity--and according to except, he regards it as one of the most pitiful sapients possible. Possessed of no inbuilt useful tools, landbound, hardy intelligent, sparsely structured, and doomed to die in the span of a century. And yet, Zhirvaush's dark psyche inherits and twists two traits of the archetypal race he is connected to after the FIRST: destiny and ambition.

Simply put, Zhirvaush craves power through changing his physical body. On one inferior end of life, there is humanity, and on the other, superior end, there are abominations and gods. He has found a vile way to get to the other side: union of the fragile flesh with constructions of ever-greater power.

It could be considered that Zhirvaush was, long ago, a human. The Ritual of Words Made Flesh was the first step in his ascension, empowering humanity to become the Illumians. The FIRST.

Zhirvaush has "devoted" himself to Pandoyrm, an Elder Evil. He desires to help Pandorym's mind locate the body and find out how to merge with it, yes, but he plans that it will not be Pandorym that performs the merger. What is the method of entering the body? How powerful is it? And most importantly, what can he do to possess it himself? This would usher in the FOURTH, and cannot be allowed to occur.

He has already completed the entire transformation of the THIRD, through the ancient Ritual of Bonding, acquired through fiends from the Far Realms. It seems that his craftiness will not allow us to simply write off the posbility of the FOURTH. If anyone will be able to discover its method, it will be Zhirvaush.

The path to power has, indeed, been change. Subsumption of other beings.

The FIRST has long since occured: The Ritual of Words Made Flesh.
The SECOND occured before expulsion from his cabal: The Ritual of Excision.
The THIRD transpired late in Zhirvaush's advancement, before we become aware of the danger: The Ritual of Bonding.
The FOURTH, an unknown Ritual, will allow Zhirvaush to combine with Pandorym's Body. He will become an Elder Evil in his own right, if he not stopped.

Here are the excerpts, providing an overview of the SECOND.

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12|45 I am slighted. It pains me to know I am but mortal. The multiverse owes itself to me to solve its mistake.

13|45 All needs to become MINE. It needs to. [Note: Text also contains frustrations of the day; omitted for bevity.]

14|45 The cabal does not understand the need. I want power, ergo I deserve it. Yet this pitiful body is my vessel, by some arbitrary convolution of what the forces of creation thought were "good".

15|45 My SECOND after my FIRST. [Note: The capitalized words are difficult to translate to Common; they are part of the "emphatic multitordinal" system of implicit designations in Illumian, and beyond the scope of this text.] My body must change, and I have not stopped studying how to do so.

16|45 Stole supplies. They're mine now. I am now in the Shaubon outskirts, in search of Sylvan secrets at the border of the cave. What do fey have that makes them immortal? It is MINE, the power shall be MINE. This body must be improved.

1|46 The fey regard me as a "bad seed". I'll rip their heads off, the ---[Note: Vitriol and misogyny omitted to avoid triggering.]

2|46 I deserve to fly by existence of desire. So why can't I?

3|46 Entering the cavern. I'll kill them later.

4|46 The Underdark is greater for my meager sigils' existence. I was pointed to the site of what I need--a gloura's den--by a drow. He had to die, for safety reasons. Trivia: drow coinage is chamfered.

5|46 Cannot flind the gloura anywhere. I need it's secrets, yet the universe does not give the creature to me. I want to rip its head off now.

6|46 Finally got a glipse of the thing, but it flew off. It'll take days to let it come back. Rip its wings off, too.

7|46 DUH

8|46 It finally came back. I'm preparing.

9|46 [Note: Illegible. Illumian is hard enough to read without blood splatters.]

10|46 Trivia: the base of the wings is a sensitive area among gloura. I had no idea that they could scream that loudly, and I'm currently running down a group of goody-two-shoes drow that want to punish me. Trivia: Goody-two-shoes drow exist.

11|46 I have no idea how to use this knife.

12|46 [Note: shaky writing.] Groan how do my ribs feel so misaligned

13|46 I think the muscles are beginning to merge, though the skin on my back isn't going to be pretty ever again. It matters not. I am impressed with myself that I made it work, but the serendipity deserved to be MINE anyway. And so shall this power.

14|46 Returned to the cabal. Need to sleep and heal.

15|46 Have been getting aggressive looks and admonishments, but am able to divert criticisms with a wave of the hand. Success.

16|46 Something about an “abomination against reality”. I do not care. So my cabal name is now Eshpaunsuud, hmm? It doesn’t matter; I have completed my SECOND. At this point, I can fly my way to another cabal, or perhaps a neighboring city. I am excitied to consider the prospect of a THIRD. Power shall be MINE. I deserve to possess everything in the world.

Record of abilities displayed, compiled by Diviner Teriat, reproduced with permission.

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Eshpaunsuud Zhirvaush is a unique creature that does not behave like a human or any other simple race; however, studying his rise in power suggests an appropriate model of a Half-Fey Illumian Swordsage 4/Spellthief 6/Acolyte of the Skin 10, using LA buyoff.

Ability Scores at 1st level, after adjustments:
STR 8
DEX 18
CON 12
INT 14
WIS 14
CHA 18

Every four levels, Dexterity increases by one.

Eshpaunsuud Zhirvaush
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

--|Level Adjustment|

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--

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--

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--|Level Adjustment|

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--

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--

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--

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1st|Swordsage 1|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|

+2

|Knowledge (The Planes) 2, Concentration 4, Intimidate 4, Use Magic Device 2, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 2|Shadow Blade|Quick to act +1, Discipline Focus (Weapon Focus) [Shadow Hand]

2nd|Spellthief 1|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|

+4

|Knowledge (The Planes) 2.5, Concentration 5, Intimidate 5, Use Magic Device 5, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 4||Sneak attack +1d6, steal spell (0 or 1st), trapfinding

3rd|Spellthief 2|

+1

|

+0

|

+2

|

+5

|Knowledge (The Planes) 3, Concentration 6, Intimidate 5, Use Magic Device 6, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 6, Spellcraft 1|Weapon Finesse|Detect magic, spellgrace +1, steal spell effect

4th|Spellthief 3|

+2

|

+1

|

+3

|

+5

|Knowledge (The Planes) 3.5, Concentration 7, Intimidate 5, Use Magic Device 7, Hide 7, Move Silently 7, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 7, Spellcraft 1||Steal energy resistance 10

5th|Spellthief 4|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|

+6

|Knowledge (The Planes) 4, Concentration 8, Intimidate 6, Use Magic Device 8, Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 8, Spellcraft 1||Steal spell (2nd)

6th|Spellthief 5|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|

+6

|Knowledge (The Planes) 4.5, Concentration 9, Intimidate 7, Use Magic Device 9, Hide 9, Move Silently 9, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 9, Spellcraft 1|Godsblood Spelltheft (Spell Domain)|Sneak attack +2d6, steal spell-like ability

--|LA Buyoff||||

7th|Spellthief 6|

+4

|

+2

|

+4

|

+7

|Knowledge (The Planes) 5, Concentration 10, Intimidate 8, Use Magic Device 10, Hide 10, Move Silently 10, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 10, Spellcraft 1||Steal spell (3rd)

8th|Swordsage 2|

+5

|

+2

|

+5

|

+8

|Knowledge (The Planes) 5.5, Concentration 11, Intimidate 8, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 10, Hide 11, Move Silently 11, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 11, Spellcraft 1||AC Bonus

9th|Swordsage 3|

+6/+1

|

+3

|

+5

|

+8

|Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Concentration 12, Intimidate 10, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 10, Hide 12, Move Silently 12, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1|Craven, Willing Deformity*, Abominable Form*|

--|LA Buyoff

10th|Swordsage 4|

+7/+2

|

+3

|

+6

|

+9

|Knowledge (The Planes) 6, Concentration 13, Intimidate 13, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 11, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1||Discipline Focus (Insightful Strike) [Desert Wind]

11th|Acolyte of the Skin 1|

+7/+2

|

+5

|

+6

|

+11

|Knowledge (The Planes) 7, Concentration 14, Intimidate 14, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 11.5, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1||Wear Fiend, poison 1/day

12th|Acolyte of the Skin 2|

+8/+3

|

+6

|

+6

|

+12

|Knowledge (The Planes) 8, Concentration 15, Intimidate 15, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 12, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1|Imperious Command|Flame Resistant

13th|Acolyte of the Skin 3|

+9/+4

|

+6

|

+7

|

+12

|Knowledge (The Planes) 10, Concentration 16, Intimidate 16, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 12, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1||Fiendish Glare

14th|Acolyte of the Skin 4|

+10/+5

|

+7

|

+7

|

+13

|Knowledge (The Planes) 12, Concentration 17, Intimidate 17, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 12, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1||

15th|Acolyte of the Skin 5|

+10/+5

|

+7

|

+7

|

+13

|Knowledge (The Planes) 14, Concentration 18, Intimidate 18, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 12, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1|Mortalbane (Poison)|Skin Adaptation, poison 2/day

16th|Acolyte of the Skin 6|

+11/+6/+1

|

+8

|

+8

|

+14

|Knowledge (The Planes) 16, Concentration 19, Intimidate 19, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 12, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1||Cold Resistant

17th|Acolyte of the Skin 7|

+12/+7/+2

|

+8

|

+8

|

+14

|Knowledge (The Planes) 18, Concentration 20, Intimidate 20, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 12, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1||Glare of the Pit

18th|Acolyte of the Skin 8|

+13/+8/+3

|

+9

|

+8

|

+15

|Knowledge (The Planes) 20, Concentration 21, Intimidate 21, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 12, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1|Deformity (Tall)|

19th|Acolyte of the Skin 9|

+13/+8/+3

|

+9

|

+9

|

+15

|Knowledge (The Planes) 22, Concentration 22, Intimidate 22, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 12, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 12, Spellcraft 1||Summon fiend

20th|Acolyte of the Skin 10|

+14/+9/+4

|

+10

|

+9

|

+16

|Knowledge (The Planes) 23, Concentration 23, Intimidate 23, Skill Trick - Never Outnumbered, Use Magic Device 13, Hide 13, Move Silently 13, Knowledge (Nature) 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 13, Spellcraft 1||Fiendish Symbiosis[/table]

*This is an approximate level for when these feats are acquired. These two are the only ones this build needs, so to assuage DM headaches, they're placed where they're the easiest to swallow. Zhirvaush could acquire them later, with minimal adjustments.

Spells per day (+ Bonus Spells, discounting enhancement bonuses)
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|-|0(+2)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|-|0(+2)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|-|1(+2)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|-|1(+2)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|-|1(+2)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|-|1(+2)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|-|1(+2)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|-|1(+2)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|-|1(+2)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|-|1(+2)|0(+1)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|-|1(+2)|0(+1)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|-|1(+2)|0(+1)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|-|1(+2)|0(+1)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|-|1(+2)|1(+1)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|-|1(+2)|1(+1)|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|-|1(+2)|1(+1)|0(+1)|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|-|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|-|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|-|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|-|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|-|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|-|4|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|-|4|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|-|4|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

Suggested Spells Known:
1st - Shield, Silent Image, Golemstrike, Truestrike
2nd - Wraithstrike, Invisibility, Heroics
3rd - Haste, Alter Self

Maneuvers
{table=head]Level|Known|Readied|Stances
1st - 7th|6|4|1
8th|7|4|2
9th|8|5|2
10th|9|5|2
[/table]

Maneuvers Known:
Distracting Ember
Sapphire Nightmare Blade
Shadow Blade Technique
Burning Blade
Moment of Perfect Mind
Mighty Throw
(Stance) Island of Blades
(Level 8) Mind Over body
(Level 8 Stance) Assassin's Stance
(Level 9) Flashing Sun
(Level 10) Searing Blade** - replaces Burning Blade (Level 10) Burning Brand

"8|48 I feel the sharp ache of the gloura's wings still merging with my tendons. The roots snake into the muscle fibers. The clarity of immortality makes the discomfort welcome. I command all." (ECL 5 = 3 HD + 2 LA)

Spoiler

Show

Zhirvaush has to be careful at low levels, armed only with a dagger and the secrets of the paths of shadow and flame. His avarice shows nonetheless, as he can steal spells and spell effects. Sneak Attack is enhanced by Shadow Blade/Burning Blade, and made reliable with Distracting Ember/Sapphire Nightmare Blade/Mighty Throw. Krau hasn't done much yet, but Vaul is bringing his UMD mod to +12 and Intimidate up to +11. Zhirvaush can't use wands reliably yet, and Intimidate isn't doing a lot besides netting him a bonus after Duel of Wills, but they're helpful.

"10|53 While I scoured the libraries for more information on this beautiful ritual that is MINE, I found something almost too good to be true. A being of semi-infinite power, cleft in twain, leaving mind and body separate. It seeks nothing else but to reunite itselves. The body seems to be some sort of construct, locked in a mostly-extraplanar space.

I cannot ignore this. I hereby ally myself with this 'Pandorym'. I will help it find its body, but not for its sake. The body is MINE. I shall become one with it, Pandorym shall be in awe, and my power shall dominate all that exists. MINE." (ECL 10 = 9HD + LA 1)

Spoiler

Show

A lot of things happen, so let's take this slow.

Steal energy resistance 10 is one of Zhirvaush's most important features; right now he's using it to say 'nyeh' to the reason Desert Wind is considered the worst discipline, but it will do more later. Zhirvaush, can now fulfill a requirement for the Acolyte: By theiving a 3rd-level spell, casting Anyspell -> Summon Monster II with it, and summoning a Kaorti, he makes peaceful contact with an evil outsider. He can keep interrogating Kaorti, provided he has a source of 3rd-level spells to steal and the Summon Monster II scroll with him. It should not be difficult to get a scroll or piece of writing. His Sneak Attack capabilities have increased to 4d6+9 extra damage, thanks to Assassin’s Stance and Craven, and he’s more difficult to hit with that AC bonus. Flashing Sun and Mind Over Body increase offensive and defensive capabilities, too.

One of his most important traits turns on at about level 9. As he increases his Knowledge (Arcana) modifier and scours the libraries, he has a decent chance of hitting the DC 30 Knowledge (Arcana) check to know about Pandorym’s Existence and its goal. This becomes a lot easier with buffing, but which buffs to take are left as a short exercise. See the above quote for Zhirvaush’s reaction. He gets two feats for his devotion, per the rules in Elder Evils. Willing Deformity chains to Abominable Form, and now everything with fewer HD than him is making a Will save (DC 19) or be shaken as soon as they see him. He may or may not get a bonus deformity feat at levels 10, 15, and 20 hereafter—the Elder Evils text doesn’t say so explicitly—but they are omitted for the sake of fairness. If Zhirvaush is allowed to get them, his Abominable Form save DCs will go up and up as he levels. This only lasts for one round, unfortunately, but everyone gets Amulets of Health. Finally, the skill trick Never Outnumbered allows Zhirvaush to attempt to demoralize an entire group of enemies, and when combined with Abominable Form, he can scatter enemies for a round.

Finally, Zhirvaush’s Half-Fey SLAs let him do a little debuffing (for Sneak Attack) and party facing on the side. He’s horrible, but he can force friends.

"2|59 The THIRD has finally come. I regret the pain, but it is nothing compared to what I shall do with the rewards. I already feel to have greater capacity in all I do, and all I claim as MINE." (ECL 15)

Spoiler

Show

The other LA is bought off. Insightful Strike in Desert Wind lets you use Flashing Sun with impunity, and...hmmm? Fine, fine. The good stuff. Zhirvaush performs the ritual shortly after gaining an Abominable Form, qualifying via Half-Fey SLAs or Krau’s increase to his Spellthief caster level. Acolyte of the Skin is sparse on features, but Zhirvaush can autopilot: his new Searing Blade boost scales with level, as does Craven and his Half-Fey SLAs. (Dominate Person and Mass Suggestion say what?) But the features it does grant are nice and cooperative.

Wear Fiend - Dex bonus on a rogue-type character? Yes, please. If +2 AC isn’t a tasty enough treat, Zhirvaush can also whip out his trusty Wand of No Light and blanket the enemies in darkness. Due to a quirk of the cantrip, his shiny new darkvision is functional in the area of darkness it creates, and rogues like being able to stab people in the dark. It's debatable as to whether he needs to UMD this; the spellthief doesn't have cantrip slots, so it’s unclear if one is allowed to have 0th-level spells known. If they’re not, his +18 UMD mod makes the problem go away 95% of the time, and it’s certain if a masterwork tool/Cloak of Charisma is available.
Poison - This is a touch ability and he’s good at denying people their Dex bonuses. Do I have to explain? Anyway, his caster level is increased by 2 thanks to Krau, which is finally getting use, so it pierces SR more easily. It is also viable for Mortalbane†, and if 1d10+2d6 Con damage doesn't sound particularly “ouch”, I’m not sure what does.
†If rules dodginess is allowed, Maximize Spell-like Ability can be used in the place of Mortalbane. He has CL 10, so Zhirvaush could maximize it if it's considered level 3 from the Druid list, bringing it to 10 Con damage every time--consistency is nice. However, the base save DC is 14, implying that it's the level 4 version of the spell, so Mortalbane is much less questionable.
Flame Resistant - If setting oneself on fire and being unaffected doesn't grant a circumstance bonus to Intimidate, nothing will. Look below to see why that matters. It also prevents the rogue-type from having to deal with being grappled.
Fiendish Glare - Another way to deny people their Dex bonuses, which works en masse and scales by level. Throw it on the pile. The top, please. It also creates a fear effect that lasts for the entire encounter, no save, which ramps up the effectiveness of using Never Outnumbered or Abominable Form. If either one of them works, everyone is frightened, which is basically a win condition—and Never Outnumbered will often work, with a mod of +29 at 15th level, on top of whatever setting himself on fire will grant. Even without it, he can conceivably use Invisibility, scout ahead, Fiendish Glare a room full of whatever, then turn visible and let Abominable Form kick in.
Skin Adaptation - More health is especially welcome on a build with a racial penalty, but it's also granting another round on Abominable Form, and a +1 on Diamond Mind saves. Not bad. Between natural armor, the two Diamond Mind saves, and increasing dexterity score for an already Dex-based character, Acolyte of the Skin has provided welcome defenses. Zhirvaush is just not that easy to hit anymore. Even if he doesn’t have a Mind Over Body prepared and gets hit with a fort save, Vaulkrau comes to the rescue.
Spellcasting Progression - If he didn't have this, he wouldn't pick up Wraithstrike or Invisibility. These are good things.
Intimidate as a Class Skill - This is something you don't see every day on a caster, and Zhirvaush pumps it. Imperious Command is the only reason he needs, but his other fear effects already mentioned are dripping with icing.

"1|21 The THIRD has drawn to its closure. I feel at one with the beings I spawn; I have grown into monstrous power and visage. My mind is incredible, and the burning desire grows. I understand.

2|21 I have not stopped searching. I have scoured tomes of nigh every plane of existence, amassing knowledge. The possibilities narrow to but a point, and the site of the body of Pandorym is limited to but a few locations. The FOURTH draws nigh. I see my signs, and am constucting one of the requisite sigils to subsume. I have never needed leisure, and continue to make progress, hindered only by the need to sleep.

3|21 I no longer need to sleep." (ECL 20)

Spoiler

Show

More SLAs from Half-Fey. There’s a free feat slot, so Zhirvaush fills it with one that gives him reach and +2 to Abominable Form saves. His remaining Acolyte abilities function as follows:
Cold Resistant - Well, they can't all be winners.
Glare of the Pit – This is one of the best abilites. Fire damage is considered suboptimal because of the many monsters that have resistance…which Zhirvaush just stole, because he’s a spellthief, so it doesn't count anymore. Further, the fact that there are two rays means that he gets sneak attack damage for each individually. In Assassin's Stance, he could hit someone for 24d6+30 damage at the level he gets this ability. On average, this is 114 damage, about equal to Disintegrate's average of 119 at this level--but Glare of the Pit doesn't allow a save.
Summon Fiend – Zhirvaush can crib some acid and electricity resistance and that See Invisibility or Darkness when needed. He and a Babau make great flanking buddies when they both get Sneak Attack damage, too. It has darkvision, so it will be right at home when No Light kicks in. Finally, if he has acquired a Crown of the White Raven, he can Heroics up a shiny new White Raven Tactics to give that Babau more mileage, if his party members are twiddling their thumbs.
Fiendish Symbiosis - Bog-standard Alter Self hijinxs are nonetheless appealing when he can snap into a Xill, get three off-hand natural attacks, earn 6d6+32 Sneak Attack/Searing Blade bonuses with all of them, and then have +4 to demoralizing due to large size. A Fanged Ring for Improved Unarmed Strike debatably lets this become four off-handers. Zhirvaush makes sure to use this when all other Acolyte class features have been used up, as they turn off when Alter Self happens.
Spellcasting Progression – Hi, this is Haste, maybe you’ve heard about why I’m useful? Giving you and the Babau extra attacks, right?

Confirmed equipment. Zhirvaush’s hoarding of power and possessions suggest that this is only a fraction of what he owns.

Spoiler

Show

It is suggested to get these:
- Wand of No Light
- Summon Monster II scroll
- Shadow Hand Desert Wind Dagger. The attack bonuses that can be stacked here are wild.
- Anklets of Translocation, or any other method of free movement for the purposes of Flashing Sunning something to death.
- Attribute increasers: Dex, Con, Cha, Wis, in order of importance.
- Crown of the White Raven (Douse the Flames)
- (Eternal) Wand of Heroics, if viable
- Golf bag of wands
- Masterwork Tool of UMD
- Fanged Ring
- Other standard equipment to taste.

In conclusion, if Eshpaunsuud Zhirvaush is stopped, we must carefully note the multitude of factors that can result in a being such as him, and not allow them to occur, in their small variations.

Spoiler

Show

The build works with a Synad—psionic focus and an extra swift action are nice on an initiator. Humans are dandy, too. Replacing Half-Fey with Phrenic isn’t a bad idea, though it makes the fluff squirm. Tweaking the ratio of Spellthief and Swordsage levels won’t hurt if you do it right, nor will taking only a single level in the Half-Fey savage progression.

If it is expected that you will have access to a cleric/druid and their Periapt of Wisdom +2, feel free to dump Wis and stick the points in something else. Borrow it when you need to Anyspell to hit the Wisdom requirement, and give it back afterward.

And finally, don't take the "signs" text in the beginning of this long-winded build as anything important. It's hypothetical metafluff.

[Amphetryon]

Escape doesn't necessarily mean freedom.

Reykja Skjar
“It’s not that I don’t know where the power comes from, it’s just that I don’t care anymore.”
Prologue

Spoiler

Show

The fires were consuming the body now. Flames such as these, fed by tomes and manuscripts, didn’t burn hot enough to render the bones to ash, but the meat would crisp, then cook, then chare.
As smoke billowed from the library, the nearby peasant gazed in shock. What was the house spirit doing? Why was it not putting out the flames?
Riding into the distance fled a small figure, no higher than 2 feet tall, easily small enough in stature to ride the faithful hound beneath him. Tears coursed down his face, and his tiny fist clenched a piece of charred paper. Over and over he sobbed to himself as he fled his old home.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry. It was a mistake. I’m sorry...”

The Build
CN Domovoi
Fey Racial HD 2/Savant 4/Jaunter 4/Acolyte of the Skin 10
LA Buy off rules used

Spoiler

Show

Stats
{table=head]Ability|Point Buy|Racial|4|8|9*|12|13*|16|20
STR|8|6|6|6|6|6|6|6|6
DEX|12|16|16|16|18|18|18|18|18
CON|16|18|18|18|18|18|20|20|20
INT|10|14|14|14|14|14|14|14|14
WIS|8|14|14|14|14|14|14|14|14
CHA|18|24|25|26|26|27|27|28|29
[/table]

* Acolyte of the Skin Ability Bonus
Travel Power Uses
{table=head]Level|[/b]|Number of Uses
7th|4
8th|5
9th|6
19th|7
20th|8
[/table]


Arcane Spells per day
{table=head]Level|[/b]|1st|2nd
10th|1|-

11th|1|-

12th|1|-

13th|1|-

14th|2|-

15th|2|-

16th|2|-

17th|2|-

18th|2|1

19th|2|1

20th|2|1
[/table]

Arcane Spells Known
{table=head]Level|[/b]|Spells
9th|Grease, Unseen Servant
11th|Alarm, Identify
13th|Comprehend Languages, Mount
15th|Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall
17th|Alter Self, Glitterdust
[/table]
Reykja
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Fey Racial Hit Dice|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|

+2

|Balance 4, Escape Artist 4, Handle Animal 0 (.0), Hide 4, Know (The Planes) 0, Listen 4, Move Silently 4, Ride 4 (2), Spot 4, Tumble 4|Wild Cohort*|Spell-Like Abilities, Immunity to fire, low-light vision, Slippery, Vulnerability to Cold

2nd|Fey Racial Hit Dice|

+1

|

+0

|

+3

|

+3

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 5, Handle Animal 1 (.5), Hide 5, Know (The Planes) 0, Listen 5, Move Silently 5, Ride 4 (2), Spot 5, Tumble 5 ||

3rd|Savant|

+1

|

+0

|

+3

|

+5

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 6, Handle Animal 1 (.5), Hide 6, Know (The Planes) 6, Listen 5, Move Silently 5, Ride 4 (2), Spot 5, Tumble 5|Dodge|Academic Lore, Skill Assistance (5 Feet) [Hide], Trapfinding

4th|Savant|

+2

|

+0

|

+3

|

+6

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 7, Handle Animal 3 (2.5), Hide 7, Know (The Planes) 7, Listen 5, Move Silently 5, Ride 7 (5), Spot 5, Tumble 5|Mobility**|Talent Lore**

5th|Savant|

+3

|

+1

|

+4

|

+6

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 8, Handle Animal 7 (6.5), Hide 8, Know (The Planes) 8, Listen 5, Move Silently 5, Ride 8 (6), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Sneak Attack +1d6

6th|Savant|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|

+7

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 9, Handle Animal 9 (8.5), Hide 9, Know (The Planes) 9, Listen 5, Move Silently 7, Ride 9 (7), Spot 5, Tumble 5|Spring Attack|Skill Assistance (10 Feet) [Balance]

7th|Jaunter|

+4

|

+1

|

+6

|

+7

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 10, Handle Animal 10 (9), Hide 10, Know (The Planes) 10, Listen 5, Move Silently 8, Ride 10 (7.5), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Travel Power, Benign Transposition

8th|Jaunter|

+5

|

+2

|

+7

|

+8

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 11 (9.5), Hide 11, Know (The Planes) 11, Listen 5, Move Silently 9, Ride 11 (8), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Baleful Transposition, Fast Movement

9th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+5

|

+4

|

+7

|

+10

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 12 (10), Hide 11.5, Know (The Planes) 12, Listen 5, Move Silently 9, Ride 12 (8.5), Spot 5, Tumble 5|Darkstalker|Wear Fiend (Devil), Poison 1/Day

10th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+6

|

+5

|

+7

|

+11

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 13 (10.5), Hide 12, Know (The Planes) 13, Listen 5, Move Silently 9, Ride 13 (9), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Flame Resistant

11th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+7

|

+5

|

+8

|

+12

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 14 (11), Hide 12, Know (The Planes) 14, Listen 5, Move Silently 10 (9.5), Ride 14 (9.5), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Fiendish Glare

12th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+8

|

+6

|

+8

|

+13

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 15 (11.5), Hide 12, Know (The Planes) 15, Listen 5, Move Silently 11 (10), Ride 15 (10), Spot 5, Tumble 5|Bind Vestige|

13th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+8

|

+6

|

+8

|

+13

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 16 (12), Hide 12, Know (The Planes) 16, Listen 5, Move Silently 13 (11), Ride 15 (10), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Skin Adaption, Poison 2/Day

14th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+9

|

+7

|

+9

|

+14

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 17 (12.5), Hide 12, Know (The Planes) 17, Listen 5, Move Silently 15 (12), Ride 15 (10), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Cold Resistant

15th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+10

|

+7

|

+9

|

+14

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 18 (13), Hide 12, Know (The Planes) 18, Listen 5, Move Silently 17 (13), Ride 15 (10), Spot 5, Tumble 5|Improved Bind Vestige|Glare of the Pit

16th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+11

|

+8

|

+9

|

+15

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 19 (13.5), Hide 12, Know (The Planes) 19, Listen 5, Move Silently 19 (14), Ride 15 (10), Spot 5, Tumble 5||

17th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+11

|

+8

|

+10

|

+16

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 20 (14), Hide 12, Know (The Planes) 20, Listen 5, Move Silently 20 (15), Ride 17 (11), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Summon Fiend (Chain Devil)

18th|Acolyte of the Skin|

+12

|

+9

|

+10

|

+17

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 21 (14.5), Hide 12, Know (The Planes) 21, Listen 5, Move Silently 20 (15), Ride 19 (12), Spot 5, Tumble 5|Accurate Jaunt|Fiendish Symbiosis

19th|Jaunter|

+13

|

+9

|

+10

|

+17

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 22 (15), Hide 16, Know (The Planes) 22, Listen 5, Move Silently 20 (15), Ride 19 (12), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Dimension Door, Teleport

20th|Jaunter|

+14

|

+9

|

+11

|

+17

|Balance 5, Escape Artist 11, Handle Animal 22 (15), Hide 21, Know (The Planes) 23, Listen 5, Move Silently 20 (15), Ride 19 (12), Spot 5, Tumble 5||Freedom of Movement, Plane Shift
[/table]
*Wild Cohort is a Riding Dog
**Talent Lore grants a Bonus Feat
Brackets indicate total bonus for skills with Cross-Class ranks involved.

The Tale

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Purple fires burn in the eternal night, souls squeal with in fear and pain. This is your domain, and nought can stop the malice that guides your body and the temporary construct that is perceived as your flesh. To you, this is a place of rest, your version of tranquillity. But work awaits, to drag you to the mortal plane that you might laugh and talk and whisper, giving trinkets to souls wearing short lived mockeries of blood and bone, in return twisting their true selves just a little at a time, enough to make them step upon the path, enough to make them grab the spiritual dagger in their hearts and twist and push them in further by their own hands.
That was, of course, until one of the arrogant wretches harnesses power is should not possess and traps you in a loathsome tome. A book to a finite mortal mind is a wondrous thing, a source of knowledge gleaned, of wondrous adventures and amazing possibilities. To a being such as this it is an imposition most annoying.
Time beats on a steady rhythm, or at least so it is perceived. Memories fade, and prison cells can be corroded and broken. In a vast hall of scripts and vellum, it is an easy thing to be just another title on a shelf, awaiting one to open the door.
The learned scholar wouldn’t do of course, he would be to knowledgeable, he would see the danger and to a chest of Cold Iron the book would be banished to languish for another tedious millennia. But what’s this? A spirit it would seem, a guardian to save the flammable pieces of flotsam. One not learned in the ways of knowledge, a bored youth with only a hound by his side.
It took a few years of whispering. The little spirit learnt some the older librarian’s skills as he languished in the great hall, but never did he read the trove of knowledge around him. Eventually he took up the ancient tome, drawn by a curiosity he could not explain.
The plan unravelled after that. The elderly scholar came upon the house spirit, just as his will had bent enough to free the trapped entity of malice. After a brief struggle, fire ensued, and the prison at last started to crumble.
Until the blasted spirit, maintaining both some fascination with the burning tome whilst horror at the transpired events shook its mind, saved some pages and fled into the night.
The reshaping of the prison caused pain, but that was not an unwelcome sensation for the perennially bored. It would take some time to corrupt the spirit after the shock it had experienced, but words of temptation could be formed...
It has been years now. The little spirit is more Devil than anything else now. But it hasn’t bent its will. It lusts after power for power’s sake, and has travelled far, mastering many such powers.
Still, it is but a matter of time, surely...

The Tricks

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Pyrotechnics + Produce Flame/Flaming Sphere – Available from the very beginning as Racial Spell-Like Abilities (Pyro and Produce at will, Flaming 3/day), Reykja has create a temporary cloud of concealing smoke either on himself or nearby. The flame producing powers explicitly cause flammable materials to catch fire, allow clouds to be formed 100+ feet away using the Sphere, then utilized as a moving cloud source, providing cover for subterfuges/escapes/ambushes/cover/etc.
Teleport + Wild Cohort + Summon Fiend - Keeping the Cohort at a distance allows Reykja to teleport in or out of situations when required. It can also be used with allies to allow them an effective Pounce, as Reykja rides forward, then swaps out an ally with himself or the amount without using any actions and performing a full attack. This later expands when the Acolyte levels grant him an additional ally in the form of a Chain Devil for further options.
Poison + Spring Attack and/or Teleport – The Acolyte’s Constitution Poison attack can be delivered via Spring attack, avoiding unfortunate attack of opportunities, then either teleporting to escape, teleporting in a melee ally to Full Attack the poisoned individual or, best of all, swap the poisoned person from any nearby clerics or other means of neutralizing the poison.
Damage Reduction Good and Neutral Alignment – Using, having DR/Good comes with unfortunate other vulnerabilities. Like Smite Evil. Or Holy Word. Not so Reykja.
[b]Cold Resistance vs Cold Vulnerability[b] – Alas, poor Domovoi suffer an intense dislike of the cold. Thankfully Acolyte provides some measure of protection against such attacks.
Fiendish Glare+ Pyrotechnics –Unlike normal means of causing a target to be shaken (Such as the usual Intimidate focus builds) Fiendish Glare explicitly works without line of sight, allowing Reykja to utilize it even whilst concealed by his racial spell like abilities.
Alter Self + Outsider type – Assume glorious Outsider forms!

Career Explanation and Level Snapshots

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Reykja’s primary purpose is tactical debuffing, using his concealment, teleport and various abilities to misplace enemies while others do the damage.
Level Five - Fey Hit Dice and early Savant. From the very beginning Reykja starts employing his Smoke Screen tactics, using his Riding Cohort, Flaming Sphere and flammable items to move and hide wherever he desires. Using his Skill Assist ability, he is also able to lend his Hiding ability to any nearby allies as required.
Recommended Equipment: Flash Powder to befuddle those with high Spot checks.
Level Ten - Fey Hit Dice, Savant, early Jaunter and early Acolyte. Skill Assist increases, allowing Reykja to give the crucial 5 ranks of Balance to allies in danger of being flat footed from balance issues. The Jaunter levels kick in, allowing the teleport high jinks, which can be combined with the first use of the Poison Acolyte ability to devastate Fortitude poor foes (such as Rogues or spellcasters).
Recommended Equipment: Wing Grafts. Fly in the air and teleport non-flyers for damage hilarity.
Note: These are the levels were the LA Buy Off hits (8 and 11)
Level Fifteen - Fey Hit Dice, Savant, early Jaunter and Acolyte.

Level Twenty - Complete.

Notes

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Domovoi LA – The Domovoi entry states multiple LA’s for the race. I went with the LA +2 given in the character section, based on it being the closest thing to “Text trumps tables” available. If that was disallowed obviously the final two level of Jaunter wouldn’t eventuate.
Skills - You’ll note a number of skills are not carried out to their maximum possible level. This was a balancing act between different Class skills, skill points and actual game needs. Specifically:
• Escape Artist: This is maxed up until teleports are readily available. As a small, low strength character, this is primary intended for low level Grapple escapes.
• Ride: This is made as high as the skill needs to be, the majority of uses are not particularly high DC (5, 15 and 20). With a high Dexterity and a bonus for Wild Cohort, this can be ignored at higher levels.
• Handle animal: Similar situation to Ride, alleviated even more by a large Charisma score.
MADness – The Spell Like abilities run off Charisma, Savant want Intelligence, Constitution is wanted for health, Dexterity aids a number of the skills. Charisma gets boosted as required, the Savant spells are selected based on utility and don’t require a high DC, Race and Acolyte levels boost Dex and Con as required.
Caster Level Requirement – The Racial Spell Like Ability has a Caster Level equal to HD, allowing the build to qualify when it does for Acolyte of the skin.
Wild Cohort – Whilst being leadership-esque, it is explicitly allowed as per the competition FAQ.
Trapsense – Achieves nothing. If the DM allows, I would swap this with an Alternate Class Feature from the Rogue list (Probably Feign Death or Mimic).

Build Sources

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Sources
{table=head]Source|Item
Complete Arcane|Acolyte of the Skin
Dragon Compendium|Flash Powder, Savant
Expedition to Demonweb Pits|Jaunter
Frostburn|Domovoi
Players Handbook|Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
Tome of Magic|Bind Vestige, Improved Bind Vestige
Unearthed Arcana|Accurate Jaunt, Level Buy Off
Web http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x...20031118a|Wild Cohort
[/table]

[Amphetryon]

Rumor has it his cousin was born in a crossfire hurricane.

Luc
Stonehunter Gnome Bard 1/Gnome Paragon 3/Acolyte of the Skin 10/Fiend of Corruption 6
"Let's make a deal..."

Please allow me to introduce myself:

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I'm a man of wealth and taste. But it wasn't always that way, see? My parents, good little worker gnomes that they were, they scrimped and saved just to send me to the Bardic College for one semester. My ma, she had dreams of me becoming the best violinist in all the land...bless her naive little soul. My pa? His dream was for me to do what he had never done and master the Shadow Craft. The Stonehunters think illusions are frivolous, but Pa was a "pureblood" as he liked to say, and Ma was the one with a little dragon in her. He spoke of grand gnomish illusionists and the power they wielded freely. While either of those could have been fine, at college I discovered the lute. My time was sunk into plunking away on its strings, but my parents would have none of it. "The devil's music," they called it; if only they knew.

During one semester break, we were playing a gig in a local tavern. Afterwards, our drummer Mal said he wanted to show us a spell he had just picked up. We headed out back, and watched as he poured his energy into a summoning spell. He called forth a lemure, which sprang forth to attack us. Most of my bandmates ran, but I just pulled out my lute and played a solo. Something in my music soothed the mindless beast, and it sat peacefully before me.

A short time later, a few other minor devils would come to call, asking to hear the man who played their music. I would string together furious riffs on the higher frets, and sometimes I even tuned my strings lower than usual to get the infernally heavy sound they liked out of the thicker strings. Eventually, one came to me unlike the others--in a tailored suit, he smiled and suggested that we make a deal. He could get me a contract as a full-time musician, playing the music I loved, if I just signed on the dotted line. Of course, I didn't take the time to read anything...

If I had, I would have noticed that the clause where the devil decided to "get some skin in the game" was more than just a figure of speech. Instead, inch by inch, he slowly lifted off my skin and replaced it with his own. Whenever I tried to scream, he would just click his tongue, wag his finger at me, and say "Play the pain." I poured my fury into my sound, and my music became more fearsome than ever. Over time, it changed me so much that my family and former bandmates can now hardly recognize me.

You see, what I play is the devil's music, for I am he. I see you sitting there, listening to my song and longing for the sort of fame I have. Do you want to know a secret? I can give it to you. In fact, I can give you whatever you want, and I can give it to you now. I must take the stage now, but after this set we can sit down and talk business. You can trust me, I'm not like all the others; I only want what's best for you...

The Build:

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{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Gnome Bard 1|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|

+2

|Bluff 4, Disguise 4, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 4, Perform (Strings) 4, Sense Motive 4, UMD 4|Dragonfire Inspiration|Bardic music, bardic knowledge, counter fear, fascinate, Inspire Courage +1

2nd|Gnome Paragon 1|

+0

|

+2

|

+2

|

+4

|Bluff 5, Disguise 4.5, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 5, Perform (Strings) 5, Sense Motive 4.5, UMD 4||Illusion aptitude, keen senses

3rd|Gnome Paragon 2|

+1

|

+3

|

+2

|

+5

|Bluff 6, Disguise 5, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 6, Sense Motive 5, UMD 4|Devil's Favor|Mirror Image 1/day

4th|Gnome Paragon 3|

+2

|

+3

|

+3

|

+5

|Bluff 7, Disguise 5.5, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 5.5, UMD 4||Ability boost (CHA +2)

5th|Acolyte of the Skin 1|

+2

|

+5

|

+3

|

+7

|Bluff 7.5, Disguise 6, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 6, UMD 4||Wear fiend, poison 1/day

6th|Acolyte of the Skin 2|

+3

|

+6

|

+3

|

+8

|Bluff 8, Disguise 6.5, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 6.5, UMD 4|Devil's Sight|Flame Resistant

7th|Acolyte of the Skin 3|

+4

|

+6

|

+4

|

+8

|Bluff 8.5, Disguise 7, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 7, UMD 4||Fiendish Glare

8th|Acolyte of the Skin 4|

+5

|

+7

|

+4

|

+9

|Bluff 9, Disguise 7.5, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 7.5, UMD 4||

9th|Acolyte of the Skin 5|

+5

|

+7

|

+4

|

+9

|Bluff 9.5, Disguise 8, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 8, UMD 4|Extend Supernatural Ability|Skin Adaptation, poison 2/day

10th|Acolyte of the Skin 6|

+6/+1

|

+8

|

+5

|

+10

|Bluff 10, Disguise 8.5, Intimidate 2, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 8.5, UMD 4||Cold Resistant

11th|Acolyte of the Skin 7|

+7/+2

|

+8

|

+5

|

+10

|Bluff 10, Disguise 9, Intimidate 3, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 9, UMD 4||Glare of the Pit

12th|Acolyte of the Skin 8|

+8/+3

|

+9

|

+5

|

+11

|Bluff 10, Disguise 9.5, Intimidate 4, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 9.5, UMD 4|Empower Supernatural Ability|

13th|Acolyte of the Skin 9|

+8/+3

|

+9

|

+6

|

+11

|Bluff 10, Disguise 10, Intimidate 5, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 10, UMD 4||Summon Fiend

14th|Acolyte of the Skin 10|

+9/+4

|

+10

|

+6

|

+12

|Bluff 10, Disguise 10, Intimidate 8, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 7, Sense Motive 10, UMD 4||Fiendish Symbiosis

15th|Fiend of Corruption 1|

+9/+4

|

+12

|

+8

|

+14

|Bluff 11, Disguise 10, Intimidate 8, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 8, Sense Motive 10, UMD 4|Imperious Command|Alternate Form, Fiend's Favor

16th|Fiend of Corruption 2|

+10/+5

|

+13

|

+9

|

+15

|Bluff 12, Disguise 11, Intimidate 8, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 8, Sense Motive 11, UMD 4||Suggestion, Mind Shielding

17th|Fiend of Corruption 3|

+11/+6/+1

|

+13

|

+9

|

+15

|Bluff 13, Disguise 12, Intimidate 8, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 8, Sense Motive 12, UMD 4||Mark of Justice

18th|Fiend of Corruption 4|

+12/+7/+2

|

+14

|

+10

|

+16

|Bluff 14, Disguise 13, Intimidate 8, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 8, Sense Motive 13, UMD 4|Devil's Flesh|Fiendish Graft, Major Creation

19th|Fiend of Corruption 5|

+12/+7/+2

|

+14

|

+10

|

+16

|Bluff 15, Disguise 14, Intimidate 8, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 8, Sense Motive 14, UMD 4||Geas, temptation

20th|Fiend of Corruption 6|

+13/+8/+3

|

+15

|

+11

|

+17

|Bluff 16, Disguise 15, Intimidate 8, Know: planes 6, Perform (Strings) 8, Sense Motive 15, UMD 4||Grant wish, Soul bargain[/table]

Spells per day/Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|3|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|3|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|3|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|3|3|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|3|3|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|3|3|2|0|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|3|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|3|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|3|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|3|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|3|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|3|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|3|3|3|1|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

Sample Spells Known:
{table=head]Level|Spells
0|Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation
1st|Charm Person, Improvisation, Silent Image
2nd|Detect Thoughts, Invisibility, Glitterdust
3rd|Glibness[/table]

{table=head]Attribute|Points|Base|Racial|Class|Levels|Total|Mo d
STR|0|8|-2|0|0|6|-2
DEX|4|12|0|2|0|14|+2
CON|3|11|2|2|0|15|+2
INT|4|12|0|0|0|12|+1
WIS|8|15|0|0|0|15|+2
CHA|13|17|0|2|5|23|+6[/table]

Tactics/Highlights:

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• Levels 1-5: At these levels, you'll see the most use as an archer bard, tacking on +3d6 fire damage to allies' attacks with the right items. Wear fiend will boost your DEX for both an offensive and defensive edge. Your bevy of racial SLAs, spells, and the ever-useful Mirror Image from Gnome Paragon go a long way to enhance your staying power. Thanks to Gnome Paragon's odd boost to your caster level for Illusion spells, you count as having a CL of 6 by 4th level, which allows us to hop into the Secret Ingredient one level early. It might not seem like a big deal, but this is crucial later as it allows us to finish Fiend of Corruption, snagging two 9th-level spells as class features.
• Levels 6-10: Our secret ingredient comes online a little more in these levels. Devil's Sight combined with your keen gnomish senses allows you to serve as a passable scout, but here is where you become a name to be feared. Extend Su Ability and Fiendish Glare partner nicely for individual lockdown, and you can use your few ranks in Intimidate to escalate the fear further if you'd like. However, at this stage of the game most things will be low enough on HP that they'll be stunned for some time.
• Levels 11-15: Level 15 is the first real sweet spot here. Our fear trick becomes even more potent with the inclusion of Imperious Command, we snag our highest-level bard spells, we pick up DR 10, AND our huge nova power is fully online. As icing on the cake, we start changing form to any humanoids we like--look for natural attacks, alternate movement modes, or Ex abilities. Fiend's Favor is supposed to be used for foolish mortals, but nothing's stopping us from using it on ourselves, either. Extend Supernatural Ability can be even more useful here than on Fiendish Glare, as it allows the bonus we hand out to last for 2 days. This means that we can actually boost 2 abilities at a time (one on even days, one on odd days) and keep both going. It's a judgement call whether you want to be greedy and use this on yourself, hand it out to a party member, or use it as a bargaining chip with foolish mortals.
• Levels 16-20: This cake has way more icing, which is great because that's everyone's favorite part of cake. Suggestion, Geas, and Mind Shielding are normal icing, but from there on out it just gets silly. Hand out Fiendish Grafts to yourself and party members (Granted, only once a month) for fun bonuses like...+4 untyped STR bonus (Clawed Arm), Wings, Natural Attacks...Heck, you can even hand out Fiendish Skins of your own. After all, nothing says Acolyte of the Skin more than having your own "Acolytes of MY Skin:. Major Creation and Geas are limited only by your imagination, but the last two are big hitters. Soul bargain allows us to maintain our own collection of souls which can be used as currency with other devils, boost CL checks to defeat SR by +10, or power diabolic engines. However, the real reason we came is for Wish. Sure, you still have to pay the XP cost, and you'll have to get a mortal party member to make the actual wish, but you are an Acolyte of the Skin. Who can cast two 9th level spells (Wish 1/day, soul bind effectively at will). Suddenly, half casting doesn't seem so bad .

The Perks of Being an Acolyte of the Skin:

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• Wear Fiend: Natural armor combines with light armor and a DEX bonus to allow you to cast spells without risking arcane spell failure while remaining decently protected. If you're in a bind for additional DEX (whether for defense or landing your ranged touch attack for Glare of the Pit), you can use your Fiend's Favor ability to add a stacking +3 to your DEX, but there are consequences once that wears off so I'd only advise it if you have some downtime coming up. Devil's Flesh bumps up the natural armor bonus you receive, while Devil's Sight extends your darkvision and gives you limited blindsense as well for spotting invisible creatures which you can then peg with Glitterdust.
• Poison: This DC is aided by a decent CHA score (which itself is raised by Gnome Paragon and can be raised further via Fiend's Favor, but see the caveat above). Once you have a fiend to flank with, it'll be easier to land this touch attack, or you can always burn your Inspire Courage (though we have better uses for it...see below).
• Flame Resistant: If you get an artificer to make you a wand of fireball you can go to town dropping AoE effects around yourself without getting burnt up as quickly. Still, this is more for effect, as I picture Luc walking into a burning building to save those trapped inside without getting burnt. He's wiling to save them, but first they just need to sign on the dotted line.
• Fiendish Glare: As we learned last round, the Rules Compendium states that the worst stage of fear lasts until all fear effects end. 10 minutes of cowering via Imperious Command means that an enemy is out of the battle entirely. Fearsome Armor (DotU) allows us to glare as a standard action followed by demoralizing as a move action, so we can use 6 seconds to lock down the DM's BBEG for 10 minutes. Granted, the ability also combines standalone with Extend Supernatural Ability. Not only can we up the duration to 20 minutes if we're going to be sticking around for a while, but the feat would also double the duration of the ability's built-in stunning effect for those who are out of demoralizing range. The DC is CHA-based, which is excellent for us, and could mean stunning a foe for 2-20 rounds.
• Skin Adaptation: More natural armor and darkvision means more of a boost from our Devil-Touched feats (one of which this ability gives us the CON score we need to qualify for).
• Cold Resistant: Grab yet another wand or a caster, and you can wade around inside of Kelgore's Grave Mist without fear. By itself it's a decent spell, but if your party starts slapping Fell Frighten or Fell Drain on it, that's even more reason NOT to take cold damage.
• Glare of the Pit: Two ranged touch rays for 8d6 fire damage is decent, but sounds more like the Wink of the Pit than a glare. For this reason, we took Empower Supernatural Ability. Though it's only 1/day, so is this ability! Now you're handing out a more respectable 12d6 per ray, or you can buddy them up on someone for a total of 24d6. Since bards lack blasting oomph without specialization, this is a tremendous help. Here is where our 1/day Inspire Courage actually comes in handy. Coupled with a Badge of Valor and a Masterwork Mandolin, we're churning out an extra +3d6 fire damage per ray. That makes each ray sizzle with 11d6 fire damage, but Empower Supernatural Ability kicks in after that. Voila--32d6 fire damage. While it's a nova power, it's a darn good one. If your reading is that Empower Su Ability kicks in before Dragonfire Inspiration, we're still dishing out 30d6. If your reading is that these rays don't count as weaponlike spells and thus can't benefit from Dragonfire Inspiration, drop it from the build in favor of Boost Spell-Like Ability, and lose Inspire Courage for Inspire Awe.
• Summon Fiend: we stayed away from any summon spells on this build because our low caster level meant a low duration. No longer! You get a pretty decent melee devil for an hour, which buffs up one area in which Luc is lacking. You can still flank to drop poison more easily on your targets.
• Fiendish Symbiosis: Ah yes, becoming an outsider. We have DR/good, which seems like it goes without saying that we're evil outsiders now. However, ask your DM. If not, you can shell out the coin for the Ritual of Alignment found in Savage Species. Congratulations, your little gnome now qualifies for the delicious "Fiend of..." PrCs in the Fiend Folio! The usual suspect is Fiend of Possession, but we're taking a different route here. Due to our abundance of Su and Sp abilities with limited uses per day, we continue that by snagging Fiend of Corruption. Our bard and Gnome Paragon levels gave us the class skills that we needed, and we slide in to pick up some higher-level abilities than most bards or devils can ever dream of.

Adaptation:

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• Flaws: If your DM is cheese-tolerant, you can also snag Assume Supernatural Ability instead of Imperious Command. It's really dealer's choice at this point, but I liked the lockdown ability too much to give it up. If flaws were in play, we could bump Devil's Favor to 1st level, Devil's Sight to 3rd, Extend Supernatural Ability to 9th, Devil's Flesh to 12th, and pop Assume Supernatural Ability in at 18th. The second flaw should be used to rearrange some things to pick up Boost SLA as soon as possible, since it's a +2 a few times per day to each of your SLAs.
• LA Buyoff: My two favorite templates once again fight for consideration--half-fey and phrenic both provide the right kind of stat bonuses (especially half-fey!) and a heaping spoonful of spell-like or psi-like abilities.

Sources Used:

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• PHB (Bard, spells)
• Races of Stone (gnome bard substitution)
• Dragon Magic (stonehunter gnome, Dragonfire Inspiration)
• Unearthed Arcana (Gnome Paragon)
• Complete Arcane (Acolyte of the Skin)
• Drow of the Underdark (Imperious Command, Fearsome Armor)
• Fiend Folio (Fiend of Corruption)
• Tome of Magic (Empower Supernatural Ability, Extend Supernatural Ability)
• Fiendish Codex II (Devil's Favor, Devil's Sight, Devil's Flesh)

Inquiry:

If an entry has a caster level of 5 for only some of her spells (for example due to domain choices or feats), does she qualify for the Secret Ingredient, or must she maintain a caster level of 5 for all spells she is capable of casting?

The requirement says "Caster level 5th," which reads as different than "able to cast 3rd level spells." That means if you count as a 5th level caster for any spell, you qualify for the AotS; it doesn't go back and check against other spells, as the pre-req has already been met.

Please include the above in a "notes" section of your build if the information describes the character's situation.

[Amphetryon]

"How do you become an Acolyte of the Skin?" 'Grin and bear it.'

Baby, the "Bear"-knuckled Barbarian

Build:

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Voidmind Creature Goliath Half-Vampire Spellthief 3/Barbarian, Bear Totem (Goliath Racial Sub-level) 2/AotS 9

Stats:

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Str 16, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 16

Goliath
Str +4, Con +2, Dex -2

Half-Vampire
Str +2, Dex +2, Cha +2

Levels
Cha +1, Str +1, Str +1

Tome of Leadership and Influence
Cha +1

Voidmind Creature
Str +4, Con +4, Dex +2, Int +2, Cha -2

Acolyte of the Skin
+2 Dex, +2 Con

Totals
Str 28, Con 24, Dex 14, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 18

Storyline:

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Beginning

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There are those that fight for money. Some fight for the challenge. Others fight for their freedom. Still others fight for glory. Or honor. Or because they’re masochists, I guess.

I fought for blood!

Well, and because of the whole being a slave thing, sure. Whatever. But mostly for the blood.

I was taken at a fairly young age. Old enough to think I was a man. Young enough (and stupid enough) to get myself captured. I guess the stupid never really goes away.

I “worked” for The Grande Menagerie. Also known by those who work there as “The Pit”. Its part circus, part zoo, part gladiatorial arena. Folk, beasties, and things from the far stretches of the world are brought there to be put on display. And, of course, to be pitted against each other in the arena. Because who doesn’t crave the sight of blood?

Not me, that’s for sure.

My first contest was against a crowd favorite. I wasn’t expected to survive. So they billed me as a vile and evil monster. But it didn’t work. I had the charms to woo over the crowd. Soon enough, they were chanting for me to win. And by some miracle of luck, I did.

In those early days, things weren’t so bad. You’d have hardly known that most of us were slaves. Winners of contests were rewarded with lavish dinners, all sorts of exotic foods from all over the continent–and beyond. Those who won tournaments gained greater prizes. Some got rings, others medallions. I once won a book. (Yeah, yeah, I know. Ooohhhh... a book! Quit laughing. It was a great read. The kind of thing that can really draw you in, hold your attention.)

Anyway, things were all right. Until a few fights broke out in the ‘barracks’. A few ‘gladiators’ died without an audience (or, more to the point, the admission fees they pay), and things tightened up pretty quickly. After that, it didn’t take much to be reminded that your freedom was not your own in the Pit. You were a slave, and that was made clear.

And then there was that thing with the guard.....

Middle

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I woke up, startled. I couldn’t tell if it was day or night. I was in the new cell. I hadn’t been here long, really. It still seemed strange to wake up to. My former cell had been larger, more cozy, warmer. Not that I mind the cold, really.

As I said, I woke up startled. There was a man standing outside my cell, looking in at me through the bars. It was a long walk down the hallway to this cell, and I had no idea how long he had been standing there. That unnerved me.

He was immaculately dressed. Nice suit. Perfectly tended hair. A goatee just so. It was as though he took the time to put every last individual hair in just the right place. Flecks of salt coloring dotted his pepper-hair. He stood, an arm’s length plus away from the bars of my cell, weight evenly balanced across his frame. He could have been a fighter with that stance, but somehow I doubted that he was. He was still, quiet. He didn’t fidget. He just stood perfectly still, watching me.

I leapt to my feet.

His lips curled in a slow, methodical smile. “Good afternoon.”

I was exhausted. I was hungry. I hadn’t eaten in awhile. And I hadn’t fed in days.

I looked into his eyes, meeting his gaze.

He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. There’ll be none of that. It won’t work on me. After the way you treated your last...handler...cautions have been taken.”

My last ‘handler’, as he put it, was a human. Tasty creatures, those humans. How could I resist, really? He’d looked into my eyes. I couldn’t convince him to let me out, but he was easily persuaded to reach in through the bars. The blood flowed from his wrist in a torrent. And I hadn’t had a real feeding since.

Oh, you ignorant will say, ‘Blood is blood.’ Its not! Locked away in this damp little cage, I’ve had no contact with another soul in weeks! Sure, the rats come when I call. Have you ever tasted rodent blood? Tried to live on it? Settle your need with the meager drops they provide? It’s torment, I tell you! Torture!

And now I could smell ‘good’ blood just a few short steps away.

But I could also sense...something else. Magic? Yes. It was there, coating this man, covering him, containing him. Binding him.

“I have been instructed not to touch you. Or to let you touch me.”

I curled my fingers around the bars of my cage. He was just too far to reach, and he knew it. “Do you always do what you’re told?”

“That depends entirely on who’s doing the telling.” His jaw clenched. His eyes, an image of calm, couldn’t hide the seething roil of anger within him. He drew in a long, slow breath. Then let it out again steadily. The angry storm behind his eyes calmed, abated, but didn’t disappear completely.

“I will be your new handler from now on. You have been exiled down to this space, away from your...co-workers. It is a precaution that the Boss feels is necessary since you’ve shown an inability to control your...addiction. Seeing as you require such extra attention, I have been assigned to you on a one-to-one basis. My name is not one to be spoken, or even known, so you may call me C.”

I was barely listening. His words washed past my ears, some caught, some not. But the scent of him filled me. I could taste the hint blood across my tongue. The smell of it filled my head. White-knuckled, I clenched the bars. I tried to hold the hunger back, control the need, but it was futile. Snarling, I lurched forward, lunging against the bars, reaching out through them. My fingers clawed at the air, violently seeking to grasp the one thing that could sate my burning desire.

He never flinched. Never moved. He simply stood there and waited. Waited for me to calm down, for the rage to subside, for the fatigue to overtake me.

“As I said, I have been instructed not to let you touch me.” He barely blinked. Just a flicker of his eyelids. There was a soft POP, barely audible, and I wasn’t alone in my cell.

It was small, red, hovering in the air on leathery wings. It was alive. I could smell the blood.

I had it in my grasp, teeth digging into its flesh before C had voiced his words. “Calm yourself, imp. Relax. It’ll all be over soon.”

I drank. I fed. I reveled in the flow of blood through my mouth. I ravished that form, drinking from its flesh. I sucked every last drop from it. As I let the limp body drop from my fingers, I heard C’s footsteps echoing away into the darkness. His voice carried back to me across the stone floor.

“You’re scheduled for the arena tomorrow. Be ready to fight!”

At my feet, the lifeless corpse melted into a sickening goo, then dissolved away into nothingness....

More Middle

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C escorted me to a room I’d never seen before. It looked like some strange lab.

“There has been contact made between this facility and the Tentacled Trio. You have been chosen as their test subject. I won’t bore you with the details, but it all seems quite profitable for both sides. It does, however, toss the proverbial unicorn horn into the clockworks of our plans. I have been instructed to bring you here and prepare you for their experiment. I’m to return you to your cell immediately afterward. Which is why we’ve arrived so early.”

As he spoke, he led me to a long slab of a table and motioned for me to crawl onto it. He set about fastening several clamps around my wrists, my ankles, my thighs, my waist, my neck–all binding me to the table.

“We have plans?”

“Yes. But now our timetable has accelerated. We must begin tonight, in order to prepare you.”

I tried to move, testing the bindings. They held firm.

“Wait! Did you say ‘experiment’?”

“Yes,” he said. “And trust me, you won’t want to be awake when they get here.”

He pulled a box from his robes and opened it slowly. I noticed that he kept the opening pointed away from himself – and right at me, instead. Dozens, if not hundreds, of tiny little red...uhmm...things...crawled out of the box, leaping from it. They were bright red, about the size of my fingernail, with little barbed horny spikes that stuck out all over their bodies. They landed, one after the next, on my body, spreading out across me, an army sweeping out across the landscape of my flesh. I have to admit, it kinda tickled.

“What you are about to experience will be difficult for you to endure. Do, please, try to look upon this Ritual as the Blessing that it is.” As the last of the little buggers lept from his box, C moved around to stand at the head of the table, hovering over my head. His voice issued forth in that low, dramatic whisper of his that demanded so much awe and reverence. “With this Ritual, I induct thee to the pathway of Ascension, bonding you to the greatest of Hordes!”

With an unmatched precision of unity, each of those little red buggers bit me. They gnawed through my skin, burrowing underneath, chewing at my flesh. I tensed, flinched. But the bonds pinning me to the table held. My body was on fire, burning from the inside, a new height of pain found with each bite of those tiny teeth. I strained against the pain, flexing against my bonds. And still they held, though I cannot image how.

I never heard my scream. Which doesn’t mean that I wasn’t. Screaming, I mean. C stood over me, one hand extended out over my face, a rose dangling from his fingers. His lips were moving, chanting, but I couldn’t hear him any more than I could my own scream. Or the chewing sounds from under my skin. The bubble of silence consumed it all.

I don’t know how long it lasted. Probably a minute or so. It felt like eternity. When the pain finally receded, I just lay there. I was exhausted, my body devoid of energy, my mind wrapped in a haze cloud of numbness. All I could do was stare at the ceiling.

I heard the door open. Ever the diplomat, C made his polite exit. And then I saw them, the Trio, when they stepped next to the table to look down on me.

I have fought in the Pit for years, battled every kind of beastie from here to the Frozen Hills. Only once have I ever seen anything that looked like these three. After a hard-won fight, years ago, back when we still ‘earned’ rewards for our wins, I was offered a special dinner. Cala-something. Squid bits. Squiggly tentacles on a plate. I thought it was kinda weird, really. But I was hungry, and I devoured every last one of them.

As these three leaned lower, their faces squiggling toward me, I could only think one thing: Seafood has an awfully wicked way of taking vengeance!

End

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It had been months since C had come around. It wasn’t needed anymore. I did exactly as I was instructed to do. Walk from my cell to the arena and (should I win) back to my cell again. No escort needed. Just those three god-awful voices in my head.

If only they had heard of harmony.

The worst part of all was the hunger. C wasn’t coming around to feed me those delicious imps anymore. The rats would come when I called, but the Trio of Voices wouldn’t let me partake. They thought it disgusting, apparently. It turned their delicate stomachs. Unfortunately, their stomachs outranked mine. There wasn’t anything I could do about it.

To top it all off, the arena held nothing to slake my thirsts. They had taken to pitting me up against bloodless enemies. They build them, apparently, just for me. To keep me weak. Men made out of metal or stone or whatever they could find. Literally out of whatever happened to be lying around. I once fought a shambling pile of rotting hay and hedge clippings. Just a big old mound of the stuff. I could only imagine the day when they sent me out against a walking pile of my own steaming....

Well. Needless to say, it wasn’t a pleasant time in my life. And through it all, those annoyingly self-righteous Voices, a constant flow in my mind, ever bickering, bantering, driving me insane.

I’m not proud to have to admit this, but....there was a time when I tried to fall to an opponent in the Pit. I tried to just stop, let them win, beat me to a lifeless pulp. Just to end the torment, to silence the madness. But those three, the Lords of my madness, wouldn’t let me stop. They made my body fight, tugged me around like a puppet. And I was powerless to stop it.

And then, finally, one day.... One blessed day....

I was brought out of my cell, as usual. Compelled to the back rooms of the Grande Menagerie. I met up with my Puppeteers, the same as I always did. They each took their turns, inspecting me. Admirers of their own work, no doubt. They tried to psych me up, but as usual, it didn’t work. My mind they owned, my body was theirs to work. But my emotions, they couldn’t touch.

C and the Boss came by then. C wouldn’t look at me, wouldn’t even acknowledge I was there. The Boss and the Trio exchanged forced pleasantries. It all seemed like just another day. Until the Boss spoke.

“I have some business I need to attend to in my office. Once the fight begins, C, do please escort these three gentlemen to their private booth. Make sure they arrive safely.”

“As you so instruct, Sir. I will make sure they get to their booth unharmed.” C made his polite bowing motion to the Boss, but he was all ready out the door.

When the fight began, it was the same as it always was. The Trio, clearly not fighters in their own right, bickering and arguing in my head about strategies. One wanted me to press the offensive. Another demanded that I hold to my defense. And the third was perfectly content to nibble popcorn and force my eyes into the stands, focusing on the scantily clad wenches serving frosted ale and pretzels. It all made me sluggish and slow.

And then I heard it. The most glorious sound in all the world.

Silence.

I looked up to the Trio’s booth just in time to catch a glimpse of an immaculately tailored suit slipping out the door, leaving behind a threesome of bodies, slumped forward, unmoving. I could smell their blood from the Pit.

With my tentacles now working for me, instead of in opposition to me, the fight was over fairly quickly. I dropped my foe like a ton of bricks. (Which, incidentally, it was.)

C was waiting for me in the back room. An imp was waiting there with him, knees knocking together, its whole body quivering. I sunk my teeth in with vigor and drank.

“You’re free of the Squid Squad. And you’re welcome. In light of their sudden demise, I have been instructed to take on the duties of your handler once again. I have also been instructed to escort you back to your cell after your duel. I was, however, not given instruction as to when that must occur. You also may find it interesting to know that I was never instructed to lock the office door behind me when I left.”

For all the time he’d spent running a gladiatorial pit, you’d think the Boss would have learned something about defending himself. Instead, he relied on two things. First, his ring that he expected would let him wiggle out of my grasp. And second, his guards coming when he called. But he never had the chance to cry out. And that ring? Pleeeeaaase! That little thing can’t stop the likes of me.

When I met back up with C, he gave me that polite little bow of his. The stench of that magical cage around him was gone. He was unbound, as free as I was. Together, we walked out, throught the doors of the Grande Menagerie and into the world beyond. Neither of us ever looked back.

The Build:

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Baby the "Bear"-knuckled Barbarian
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skill Ranks|Feats|Class Features

1st|Goliath (LA+1)|

--

|

--

|

--

|

--

|--|--|Powerful Build, Mountain Movement, Acclimated

2nd|Half-Vampire (LA+1of2)|

--

|

--

|

--

|

--

|--|Improved Initiative|NA+2, Slam Attack, Blood Drain, Charm Gaze, Children of the Night, Blood Dependency, DR5/silver or magic, Fast Healing, R:cold5, R:electricity5

3rd|Half-Vampire (LA+2of2)|

--

|

--

|

--

|

--

|--|--|--

4th|Spellthief1|

+0

|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|K:Arcana4, Tumble4, UMD4, Spot4, Listen4, Climb4|1st: Improved Unarmed Strike|Sneak Attack 1D6, Steal Spell, Trapfinding

5th|Barbarian, Bear Totem (Goliath Racial Subsitution)1|

+1

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Climb5, Listen5, Intimidate2|B: Toughness|Mountain Rage

6th|Barbarian, Bear Totem2|

+2

|

+3

|

+0

|

+2

|K:Arcana5, Listen6, Intimidate3|2nd: Knowledge Devotion, B: Improved Grapple|--

7th|Spellthief2|

+3

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|K:Planes6|--|Detect Magic, Spellgrace+1, Steal Spell Effect

8th|Spellthief3|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+3

|K:Planes7, K:Arcana7, Tumble7|--|Steal Energy Resistance 10

9th|Voidmind Creature (LA+1of3)|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+3

|--|Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude|NA+4(stacks), Tentacle Attack, Cone of Slime, Constrict, Improved Grab (tentacle only), Sentient Tentacle, DR5/magic, Immunities (acid, mind-affecting, ability damage/drain, energy drain), Mind Flayer Host, SR10+HD

10th|Voidmind Creature (LA+2of3)|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+3

|--|--|--

11th|Voidmind Creature (LA+3of3)|

+4

|

+4

|

+1

|

+3

|--|--|--

12th|Acolyte of the Skin1|

+4

|

+6

|

+1

|

+5

|K:Arcana8, K:Planes8|3rd: Stunning Fist|Wear Fiend, Poison

13th|Acolyte of the Skin2|

+5

|

+6

|

+1

|

+5

|K:Arcana9, K:Planes9|--|Flame Resistant

14th|Acolyte of the Skin3|

+6

|

+6

|

+2

|

+5

|K:Planes10, Intimidate4|--|Fiendish glare

15th|Acolyte of the Skin4|

+6

|

+7

|

+2

|

+6

|K:Arcana10, Inimidate5|4th: Choke Hold|--

16th|Acolyte of the Skin5|

+6

|

+7

|

+2

|

+6

|K:Planes11, Intimidate6|--|Skin adaptation, poison (2/day)

17th|Acolyte of the Skin6|

+7

|

+8

|

+3

|

+7

|K:Arcana11, Intimidate7|--|Cold Resistant

18th|Acolyte of the Skin7|

+8

|

+8

|

+3

|

+7

|K:Planes12, Intimidate8|5th: Scorpion's Grasp|Glare of the Pit

19th|Acolyte of the Skin8|

+9

|

+9

|

+3

|

+8

|K:Arcana12, Intimidate9|--|--

20th|Acolyte of the Skin9|

+9

|

+9

|

+4

|

+8

|K:Planes13, Intimidate10|--|Summon Fiend[/table]

Spells:

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Spells per day/Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

13th|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

14th|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

15th|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

16th|1/2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

17th|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

18th|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

19th|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

20th|2/3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-[/table]

Tactics of the Build:

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ECL 1-5:

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At this point, Baby is just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill Goliath Half-Vampire Barbarian Spellthief. Soooo cliche. He's a "bear"-knuckled fighter. What he lacks in hit dice at this ECL, he makes up for in CON modifier and the free Toughness feat. He'll land a lot of punches (due mainly to his strength). Some DMs will let him punch twice (on off-hand attack), some won't. Either way, he follows up with a natural attack (slam). When his Improved Initiative feat gives him the chance to catch an opponent flat-footed, Baby goes for the grapple (no AoO). Another grapple check later, and he's draining CON. Take my advice, do NOT piss this guy off. Inciting his rage will only make him a bigger problem for you!

ECL 6-11:

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Baby picks up Improved Grapple here and becomes a bear hugger. Lots of half-nelsons and bitten necks. Knowledge Devotion puts Knowledge:The Planes on his class skill list. Coupled with his ranks in Knowledge:Arcana, the Devotion helps him fight those bloodless automatons in the Pit. But what really makes this point of his life shine, is his defense against that bane of grapplers: Freedom of Movement. At ECL 8, (with the Tome he won and a level increase to Cha) Baby has what it takes to use 'steal spell effect' to undo a FoM granted by an item, for example, a ring. Going Voidmind offers up a slew of useful things for a grappler. And if the Tentacled Trio has gone further, implanting not only the template, but a few grafts as well, then Baby's a force to be reckoned with.

ECL 12-20

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Acolyte of the Skin offers some interest to Baby. Most of all, of course, it starts him on a path to worthiness in the eyes of C. A new skin offers some Dex (nice for the Combat Reflexes feat), natural armor (helpful for those melee folk), and darkvision (which is, of course, good for anyone to have). Poison is a SLA easily applied by a grappler. Once Baby learns how to cast that Fiendish Glare, he starts landing sneak attacks on stunned victims. Which, of course, also makes them all the easier to pin (and keep pinned) for his vampric bite. Glare of the Pit offers him a ranged attack to sneak with to disable spell effects before closing in. Otherwise, he can use his Spellthief ability to lower his enemy's resistance to fire before scorching him with a look. And, at ECL 20, Baby gains the ability to summon a fiend once per day. A sneak attack flanker, you ask? No. Something to exploit for SLAs and abilities? Nope. Those fiends mean one simple thing to Baby. Food! No more relying on those disgusting rats for blood.

Shopping List:

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Tome of Leadership and Influence +1
Any (optional) combination of...
Grabbing Tentacle (Illithid Graft)
Grasping Mandibles (Illithid Graft)
Extracting Tentacle (Illithid Graft)
Grappling Tentacle (Fiend Graft)
...depending on how the illithids feel about spending their money on your grafts. And on whether C has the opportunity.

If your character isn't locked in a cell, however, standard grapple equipment applies. Anything that grants strength bonuses, gives Improved Grab, increases size, etc.

Adaptations:

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This build could just as easily be: Half-Giant Half-Vampire Voidmind creature Spellthief PsyWarrior. You'd be exchanging Toughness, Mountain Rage, and some strength for Stomp, a free feat, and psionics.

Another option would be to make a human with 5 levels of spellthief (for the Detect Magic SLA at caster level 5) with the Jotunbred feat (if you're in Faerun) and the vampire fangs graft (Libris Mortis).

Question: Can a half-vampire get vampire fangs grafted on and do 1d4 Con damage AND 1d4 Con drain on a successful pin?
If your DM says yes, then feel free to suck...and suck some more!

Sources:

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Goliath (Races of Stone)
Half-Vampire (Libris Mortis)
Bear Totem Barbarian ACF (UA/SRD)
Barbarian (PH/SRD)
Barbarian Racial Sub-level, Goliath (Races of Stone)
Spellthief (Complete Adventurer)
Voidmind Creature Template (MM III)
Acolyte of the Skin (Complete Arcane)
Knowledge Devotion (Complete Champion)
Choke Hold (OA)
Scorpion's Grasp (Sandstorm)
Grabbing Tentacle (Underdark)
Extracting Tentacle (Underdark)
Grasping Mandibles (Fiend Folio)
Grappling Tentacle (Fiend Folio)

[Amphetryon]

When they talk about 'skin and bones,' they're usually more metaphorical.

Class Breakdown

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NE Human Dread Necromancer 4/Acolyte of the Skin 4/ Pale Master 2/ Acolyte of the Skin 10/ Pale Master 6

Abilities

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starting scores:
Str 14
Dex 10
Con 14
Int 10
Wis 14
Cha 16


+2 inherent dex (acolyte)
+2 inherent con (acolyte)
+4 inherent str (pale master)
level boosts go to cha

Finishing scores (w/o items, tomes, wishes, etc. naked as it were)

Str 18
Dex 12
Con 16
Int 10
Wis 14
Cha 21

Backstory

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As the sun set, the windows to the corner rag and bone shop shuttered. The door clicked shut and the bolt slid into place.

The proprietor was a shriveled, nondescript little man, who had been, on more than one occasion, been mistaken for one of the preserved mummies (both real and fake) that dotted the shelves of the store. He was busy making preparations.

Of all the things that had passed through his hands over the years, his keen eye could now distinguish with the barest of glances whether what he held in his hand from a prospective seller was trash or treasure.

He had easily bought a hundred supposed "keys to another world." He sometimes kept them on rings and sold them as a set. They'd never worked, of course, he hadn't expected them to, and the wealthy few who deigned to visit his shop knew nothing about the history of the pieces they bought, throwing their money airily onto the counter, as if to flaunt to him how little it meant to someone so privileged.

But none like this.

He had knew from the moment he saw the box in the hand of that little urchin that had to stand on tiptoe to get his attention from just under the counter that it was truly something special and that he absolutely would have it.

Common though the youth appeared, he did seem to have some small inkling of the box's worth. The paltry sum offered wasn't enough to stop him from threatening to cut out this middleman and sell the box directly to one of the bored nobles about town.

Without either another thought or another word, he found the lapel of the urchin's greasy brown coat clutched in his hand. Something in the box was calling out to him, letting him know that if he let it go now, never again with their two paths cross. He tried to pry the box from the tiny fingers that clenched it tightly, but was unsuccessful. The boy kicked him off and began fleeing to the exit.

If asked, the shopkeeper could not say where he found the energy or the speed that possessed him next, only that he knew he must have that box. Not to sell it, no. This was one of those few objects that only one finely trained in the arcane arts through years of study, as he himself was, could ever appreciate. Before he could even feel the rough wood scraping his fingers, he saw a spear from the display behind the counter sailing through the air and pinning the boy to the wall.

He ran over towards the door and locked it up tight. The youth's body slumped and blood ran out the sleeve of his coat, dribbling into his palm, making the box slick. It tumbled to the floor with the softest of thuds that nonetheless carried throughout the shop.This was how he found himself in his present situation.

He peered out the windows to make sure no one had seen him. Not that it was likely, the shop was hardly well-visited. After seeing no one, he went to claim his prize. He had a rag from the pile handy to wipe off the box, but upon lifting it from the floor, he found not a drop of blood on it, nor on the floor or coming from the boy's veins. When he turned his gaze to the limp form still pinned to the wall, it was as desiccated as though it was dug from some far away pyramid a thousand years ago. He touched what had once been a hand and was unsurprised when it crumbled to dust before him.

He examined the box more carefully and saw that it looked even more pristine than before. It shone with a glossy black malevolence that let him know it was not only taking credit for what had just transpired.

It was reveling in it.

He pushed his weathered pince-nez up on his nose and examined what looked like script on the side of the box. It was almost invisible before, but after what was doubtless its feeding, it was bright as fire.

He set it down on the counter and got out a book to begin translating it before it could fade away:

Anoint me with blood drawn by claw, fang, or knife
And away I will take you from this dreary life.

He recognized the couplet, having bought a book on it many years ago. He began to break into a smile. He knew just what would come out of this box, and just what it was expecting. It would be most impolite of him not to play the role fate had assigned him.

Walking up the stairs to the seldom-used top room of the shop, often referred to in angry mutters as the damp room, he felt a strange sense of calm.

The creatures that made these boxes, horrible monsters from a far-away realm, would appear and lure those without sufficient mortal character to their doom. They would only come when called, of course, but the methods of calling were sometimes less than what one would call obvious.

They were supposed to be terrifying to look upon. All the books he had been able to accumulate on them over the years had shown no pictures of them. It was a crime and a sin alike to make an image of them, or to call them by their true names, lest they be summoned. Even the tomes that he had acquired through less legitimate means had their forbidden illustrations torn out or redacted.

The most complete copy he had managed to attain had been traded to him by a cenobite of Afflux in exchange for some equipment that he wasn't sure was intended for recreational use or torture. It was always hard to tell with those who followed Afflux. It was from him that he had learned how exactly one was to summon one of the foul creatures within its pages if he had ever been so inclined. The man trading him the book had no arcane inclination, so had little use for it, but thought it might be something to nudge the shopkeeper a little closer to Afflux's side.

He had never truly forgotten that encounter, yet he had never thought it would ever reenter his life, or that he would ever actually see the plain, black box that was drawn in exquisite detail below the jagged edge where whatever it summoned doubtless stood.

The damp room was cluttered with garbage and gewgaws galore, holy and unholy weapons alike jammed into umbrella cases, the floor covered with a patina of dust. He kept sweeping until he found what he needed. A plain silver circle inlaid into the floor. It had come with the shop, and though its purpose had been plain enough, he had never before possessed the time, resources and inclination to use it. Though the thing downstairs was now little more than a pile of ash, and had only been a street rat to begin with, it wouldn't be long before he was missed. When traveling with an object of such value, it was customary to let others know where you were going. He was sure he would hear people beating down the door any second now.

An out from this dreary life sounded like exactly what he needed. There was nothing for him here. There never truly had been.

He remembered the instructions from the book and stripped, laying his clothes in the center of the circle. A pristine box of silver razors and knives lay before him, an offer of submission to the monster that would come before him to do as he wished. He made a slice across the wrinkled flesh of his palm and knelt on the floor before the circle, the box cupped in his hand, drinking his blood as fast as he could ooze it out.

He spoke the unutterable name of the devil three times and winced as a flash of white, heatless fire sprang from the ground within the confines of the circle, immolating the clothes that had once lain on his back.

Who dares to summon me? You know we are called upon for but one reason

The shopkeeper nodded meekly, peeking at the thing in front of him out of the corner of his eye. It looked disappointingly like a man, and was naked too with a head covered almost entirely in chains, flowing down its shoulders like the hair of an angel.

You wish to be relieved of your life, little one?

He nodded again, not wishing to give himself away.

The devil in front of him laughed with a rattling of metal.

I cannot say I blame you. Who would not be unsatisfied with this paltry existence? Spiriting you away would be more a blessing than a curse.

A chain slithered down from the devil's neck and wound its way down his leg, picking up one of the razors that lay in the circle with him.

Shall we begin?

The shopkeeper could not help grinning.

You certainly are eager, mortal. You must have been damned long before you ever came to me.

The devil beckoned him with a crooked chain and he crawled into the circle, waiting for the devil to transfer the razor to his hand to begin his ritual scarification.

He did not jolt when he heard the devil scream.

His nostrils flared as he smelled the burning flesh and he came at once to his feet as the devil reeled in pain, trying to peel the razor from its fingers, succeeding only in getting its other hand burned as well, the melted flesh fusing them together around the razor in a useless lump.

The shopkeeper had drawn another from the box and looked down at the devil. Now that he was no longer kneeling, he saw it was no taller than he.

"You were right about me being unsatisfied with my life," he said as he took the devil's chin and tilted its head back, "I think I'll take yours."

The devil hissed some antediluvian curse at him as blood bubbled from his throat and he slumped down into the circle.

Books on leather working had not escaped his collection, and it was a relatively simple process to remove the devil's skin. When he slid his hands into the hollow gloves that lay before him, the blood felt scorching hot on his skin, and he saw that wherever the red interior of his devil suit touched, his own mortal skin was being eaten away. He forced his arms in with a scream and from that point, the skin seemed to have a mind of its own, slithering around him and stitching itself invisibly shut in the back. Though it spoke not a word to him, he could tell that there was no going back.

It was just as well. He could hear the folk from the streets trying to break down his door downstairs. Haze and magic drifted up from the circle where the meaty lump that had once been the devil now lay. He gave it a contemptuous kick and found that some scraps of his charred clothing had stuck to its form. Let them think him dead. Let them think that he tinkered with forces he did not understand and paid the ultimate price. Let them think him a foolish old man who had got what was coming to him.

He saw his new reflection in the edge of the razor and saw little difference. He supposed that covered with chains, one devil looked much the same as any other. He stepped into the circle without another thought and felt himself fading away just as the door to the attic broke through. He gave the townsfolk a fey little wave on his way out, and felt his hellbound heart skip a beat.

Someone was calling out for an end to their dreary little life. He shut the razor with a click and a smile.

It would be terribly rude of him not to oblige.

The Rag and Bone Man

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{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Dread Necromancer 1|

+0

|

+0

|

+0

|

+2

|Concentration 2, Know(religion) 4, Know (planes) 4, UMD 4|Apprentice (Spellcaster) (bonus spell: spirit worm), Tomb-tainted soul|Charnel touch, rebuke undead

2nd|Dread Necromancer 2|

+1

|

+0

|

+0

|

+3

|Know (religion) 1 (5), Know (planes) 1 (5), UMD 1 (5)||Lich body DR 2

3rd|Dread Necromancer 3|

+1

|

+1

|

+1

|

+3

|Know (religion) 1 (6), Know (planes) 1 (6), UMD 1 (6)|Spell Thematics|Negative energy burst 1/day

4th|Dread Necromancer 4|

+2

|

+1

|

+1

|

+4

|Know (religion) 1 (7), Spellcraft 1, UMD 1 (7)||Advanced learning (Escalating Enfeeblement), mental bastion +2

5th|Acolyte of the Skin 1|

+2

|

+3

|

+1

|

+6

|Know (arcana) 2, UMD 1 (8)||Wear fiend (Chain Devil) +1 natural armor, +2 inherent dex, dark vision 60ft, poison 1/day

6th|Acolyte of the Skin 2|

+3

|

+4

|

+1

|

+7

|Spellcraft 3 (4)| Practiced Spellcaster|Flame Resistant

7th|Acolyte of the Skin 3|

+4

|

+4

|

+2

|

+7

|Concentration 3 (5)||Fiendish Glare

8th|Acolyte of the Skin 4|

+5

|

+5

|

+2

|

+8

|Concentration 1 (6), Know (religion) 1 (8)||

9th|Pale Master 1|

+5

|

+5

|

+2

|

+10

|Concentration 1 (7), Know (religion) 1 (9), Know (planes) 1 (7)| Skill Focus (Knowledge: Religion)|

10th|Pale Master 2|

+6/+1

|

+5

|

+2

|

+11

|Know (religion) 2 (11), Know (planes) 1 (8)|| Animate Dead

11th|Acolyte of the Skin 5|

+6/+1

|

+5

|

+2

|

+11

|Know (arcana) 1 (6), Know (planes) 2 (10)||Skin Adaptation: natural armor +2, +2 inherent con, dark vision 120ft, poison 2/day

12th|Acolyte of the Skin 6|

+7/+2

|

+6

|

+3

|

+12

|Concentration 3 (10)| Sickening Grasp|Cold resistant 10

13th|Acolyte of the Skin 7|

+8/+3

|

+6

|

+3

|

+12

|Concentration 3 (13)||Glare of the pit

14th|Acolyte of the Skin 8|

+9/+4

|

+7

|

+3

|

+13

|Concentration 2 (15), Know (planes) 1 (12)||

15th|Acolyte of the Skin 9|

+9/+4

|

+7

|

+4

|

+13

|Know (arcana) 1 (7), Know (planes) 3 (15)| Versatile Spellcaster|Summon fiend

16th|Acolyte of the Skin 10|

+10/+5

|

+8

|

+4

|

+14

|Know (arcana) 3 (10)||Fiendish symbiosis, DR 10/good

17th|Pale Master 3|

+10/+5

|

+9

|

+5

|

+14

|Know (religion) 2 (13), Know (arcana) 1 (11)||Darkvision +60ft (180ft)

18th|Pale Master 4|

+11/+6/+1

|

+9

|

+5

|

+15

|Know (arcana) 2 (13), Know (religion) 1 (14)| Arcane Disciple (Deathbound Domain)|Undead armor affinity (10%)

19th|Pale Master 5|

+11/+6/+1

|

+9

|

+5

|

+15

|Know (arcana) 2 (15), Know (religion) 1 (15)||Control undead, deathless vigor (+4 to fort saves unless it affects objects)

20th|Pale Master 6|

+12/+7/+2

|

+10

|

+6

|

+16

|Know (arcana) 1 (16), Know (religion) 2 (17)||Undead graft, paralyzing touch[/table]

Spells

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Spells per day/Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|-|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|-|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|-|5|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|-|6|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|-|6|3|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|-|6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|-|6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|-|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|-|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|-|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|-|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|-|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-

13th|-|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-|-

14th|-|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-

15th|-|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-|-

16th|-|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-|-

17th|-|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-|-

18th|-|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-|-

19th|-|6|6|6|6|6|4|-|-|-

20th|-|6|6|6|6|6|5|3|-|-[/table]

Level Breakdown

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Level 5:

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Congratulations! You're already in Acolyte of the Skin!

Qualifying for the secret ingredient is something of a triviality. Qualifying with this particular class and qualifying early is something else. Apprentice Spellcaster gives planes as a class skill for the 1st 5 levels, along with an extra 2 points at 1st, which is long enough to get points for acolyte. It also gives another 1st lvl spell known, which is nice for someone with a limited list like a dread necromancer. I chose spirit worm from the spell compendium, since it's a sor/wiz 1 necro, but you can choose any you feel is appropriate.

Spell thematics (I suggest a body theme: meat, bones, blood, skin, etc. For example, a ray of enfeeblement could wither your enemy's muscles, or blindness could cause blood to seep from their eyes) allows 1 spell at each level to be cast at +1 CL. For this build, the specific spell chosen is not particularly important, and is a matter of personal taste. Whatever you pick though, you will be casting that spell at arcane CL 5 at level 4, providing early entry into the secret ingredient.

"Caster Level 5th" reads to me as distinct from "able to cast 5th level spells." If you are able to cast any single spell as a 5th level caster - which +1 CL to a single spell may allow you to do - you qualify; the Prestige Class doesn't go back and check other spells, because you've already met the pre-reqs.

Tomb-tainted soul is mandatory as a dread necromancer and can be a real life saver at low levels. Not having to spend money on healing potions or wands is nice, as is healing yourself for free. Dread necromancers can be ok healers if you can "corrupt" the rest of the party into taking tomb-tainted soul as well, which with this character could take place with his devilish influence tricking them into "making a deal" with him in the form of taking the feat (lose the good alignment and you will be able to be healed by my diabolic power)

While Apprentice stops giving you a skill as a class skill after level 5, planes is now a class skill for the SI, and UMD checks are sort of low, plus you are cha based. Wands of all kinds are useful, as are rune staves for later on in the game. It gives you more versatility when fighting something immune to fort saves (undead, constructs) and is handy to save on spell slots.

Dread necro gives you focus primarily on Cha, which the save for acolyte's fiendish glare is keyed off of, making it less MAD.

Enjoy being ahead of the curve for the moment, already being in a prc, having a little dr, bottomless healing, an initiative check and armor that sucks a little less than normal, and you can see in the dark and use a 4th level spell as a SLA 1/day, all at level 5! Pretty spiffy for a build with 10 levels of acolyte of the skin in it.

Remember, dread necromancers can cast in any light armor without ASF, so get a mithral breastplate when you can. Pale master helps if you want undead armor, but that comes later.

Level 10

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Practiced spell caster comes online to help make up for the CLs that acolyte loses. As far as CL goes, you're only behind 3 at level 10 and you've got a whole bunch of cool new abilities.

You're (kind of) fireproof now, so that's cool, it saves you from resist energy from wands a little, so that's nice.

Fiendish glare is online earlier than it's supposed to be, so you have a chance to use it on some enemies that aren't immune to fear before those start becoming common.

You're a dread necromancer, and, like delicious french fries, fear is best served with more fear. Many of your spells can induce fear in your enemies, and fiendish glare gives enemies the shaken condition for 10 minutes regardless of whether they make the save. If you can layer more fear onto them, you can have them frightened and panicked in relatively short order since Heroes of horror reminds us that if two effects that induce fear affect a character, then the worst one applies for the duration of both of them.

(Ex. you hit someone with cause fear and they fail, thus are frightened. if you hit them with doom as well and they fail, they are now panicked for the duration of doom, which is much longer, even if cause fear's time limit runs out)

This can be quite potent when layering effects on the same target. If they make the save, who cares? you've got fear spells as 1sts and in combination with this, you can severely hinder any boss who's vulnerable to fear when you get this at 7 (when most of them still are)

It would be unforgivably dishonest to call SF(knowledge religion) anything but a painful feat tax, but it does fit thematically for this character if nothing else and provides entry into the ignored-in-the-same-way-as-acolyte pale master.

Your casting is delayed, and dread necro gets animate dead as a 4th since they're arcane casters, meaning you normally wouldn't get the spell until level 12, but you can ignore that entirely thanks to pale master and get it as a SLA 1/day at 10. not having to pay for them is a handy bonus, and besides, if you're having to animate dead more than 1/day, your DM is sending you a not-so-subtle signal that he doesn't want you to be a necromancer.

While the pale master dip does technically delay the completion of acolyte by 2, the rag and bone man entered 1 early, so he's only behind by one. More importantly, it serves to give him something that he really does need around this level, some undead minions to cover his flank.

Level 15

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Have you lost weight? No, your skin just fits better. You're getting closer to one another, finding common interests, telling each other stories about your respective childhoods, and going on long walks on the beach together (by yourself?)

This gives you a couple of cool things, including a few extra hp from that con boost, which is great, since you've got 6+ 3d6s from DN, 10d8 from acolyte, and 6d4 from pale master (why not d12s? it keeps talking about how undeady you are) for a total of around 124hp at the end, which isn't horrible. You can see in the dark longer, which can be a very real asset when fighting other monsters with dark vision (almost all of them only have it out to 60 feet. if you see them before they see you, you get a surprise round. very important for the sneak in your party)

While slinging poison around is less impressive now than it was at level 5, it's still kind of cool, plus it's free, so it's another trick in your bag of tricks. Chain devils (as you know firsthand) are also a real pain to do combat with, so summoning one for an entire hour is pretty awesome, and while it's not a huge obstacle for an average lvl 15 character, it wouldn't make a fight easier

Sickening grasp, a reserve feat, allows you to make a touch attack against any living foe and sicken them for a number of rounds equal to the highest lvl necromancy spell you have available. As a dread necro, you'll get a ton of use out of this. The save DC isn't given, but it would be reasonable to extrapolate it follows the normal formula of 10+cha mod + highest lvl of necro spell you have available.

this is a great way to debuff enemies without using up your spell slots, and it stacks with fear to get their numbers way down. also, since it's not a spell, you don't need to touch defensively or provoke AoOs.

you also are resistant to cold now, which is not as common as fire, but still a welcome contribution

glare of the pit is a pretty excellent way to go nova and obliterate things which are either huge walls of HP that you've debuffed somewhat with con draining things like your poison ability or enervation. it's not especially hard to remember IC or OOC which monsters are fire resistant/immune, most of those are actually on fire or use it as an attack, so as long as you don't go around zapping balors and fire elementals, you should be able to hurt at least 1 monster really badly 1/day. the damage isn't great on an absolute scale, but it does allow you to break the cap of 1d6/lvl that the game (mostly) adheres to when it comes to direct damage spells, so that's certainly something.

since you don't get as many high lvl slots as a straight caster, versatile spell caster helps you by pooling 2 lower ones to get 1 higher one (2 1s for a 2, 2 2s for a 3, etc) but you can only do this one layer at a time (no pooling 2 1s for a 2, then using that 2 and another 2 for a 3) so it helps when you're out of enervations or dispel magics and can't think of anything useful to do with your 3rds.

finishing the class is just around the corner. believe me, delaying for 1 level for free animate dead is worth it. you already get it late, no sense getting it later.

level 20

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Here it is. You're a real fiend now, sporting the outsider type like a boss. I hope you picked up a wand of alter self earlier. It's kind of cool when you're a humanoid to get movement speeds, but you get all kinds of excellent weird forms, like the xill, voor, and xorn, along with the mephitis, which are like mini-elementals. it's a better way to pick up mobility (the speeds they give are more varied and better than humanoids') and while they may not be the best combat forms, they do provide utility, something the dread necro list on its own is a bit short on.

speaking of fleshing out (pardon the pun) your spell list, arcane disciple from the death bound domain comes online at 18 due to your subservience to afflux. you may not know it, but when you torture and kill, you're revering him wherever you are. the spells that you get are pretty nice, and you have a good starting wisdom. it requires minimal investment to boost it another 3 points because the death bound domain's spells mostly are either buffs or do not allow saves, so as long as you get to cast all 7 when you have the spell levels for it, you're just fine.

Pale master lets you ignore some ASF for undead armor, but all the undead armor that's keyed off real armor is kind of terrible, and the other things, like the ghost shroud, don't impose it in the first place. you can wear it if you want to be scarier, but a mithral breast plate (or chain shirt) would provide much the same effect for a lot less money.

having control undead as a SLA also saves you some spells, and deathless vigor is just an awesome ability, giving you +4 to all fort saves that don't affect objects. after skinning yourself and wearing a devil, the only taboo more extreme that has not yet been explored is the pale master's signature ability of the undead arm (and its +4 str bonus to boot) whether you want it to be a patchwork frankenstein monster arm on your devil body or a nasty skeleton arm flopping around inside a glove of flesh (my personal preference) is a matter of taste. this class (acolyte) and this character is all about breaking taboos, and pale master is the one thing that would not feel anticlimactic after becoming a real bona fide fiend.

Sources

Spoiler

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CLASSES
complete arcane- acolyte of the skin
Heroes of horror- dread necromancer
libris mortis- pale master

FEATS
DMG2- apprentice spellcaster
complete divine- arcane disciple, practiced spell caster
complete mage- sickening grasp
core- skill focus
libris mortis-tomb-tainted soul
player's guide to faerun- spell thematics
races of the dragon- versatile spell caster
spell compendium- death bound domain

[Amphetryon]

"Mother do you think she's dangerous?" - Pink Floyd

Mother Morrigna was squatting before the fire, nude from the waist up. In her scarred and gnarled hands she was working a thin flensing knife across the skin of a hare.

Tana stepped closer, her heart pounding. "Mother Morrigna," she said, dropping to her knees. "I have brought you a gift." She beckoned to her servant, who led forward a small calf white from head to toe.

Mother Morrigna smiled, revealing crooked yellow teeth. "Ooooh," she rasped in delight. Her fingers brushed against the calf, who came forward to her happily. "What a pretty thing this is! The Great Mother will love him for sure." She put aside her knife. "Come closer, child. Such a gift deserves a favor. What can Mother Morrigna do for you?"

Tana bowed her head. "My husband and I - we have been trying for two years now to bear children, but my womb does not quicken. I was told..."

Mother Morrigna reached forward and grasped Tana lightly by the arm. Her hand, rather than being rough, was almost oily. "It's all right, child," she said. "Say no more. Send your servant away and spend the night by my fire. I promise you by the Great Mother, you'll have a wee babe on your teat 'ere the year passes."

Tana never remembered much else that happened that night. All of it came in odd flashes. She remembered Mother Morrigna chanting over a set of skin drums, remembered the thick smoke from the fires, remembered seeing Mother Morrigna dance upon a circle of strange symbols. When she woke, the fire had gone cold and there was no sign of Mother Morrigna or her wolf-warriors.

Tana's husband questioned her about the loss of their prized calf, but it was all worth it when Tana's belly began to swell. However strange Mother Morrigna's arts were, they clearly worked. Tana was overjoyed, as was her husband.

And then came the birthing, and Tana shuddered to see the fell creature that had been growing in her womb...

MOTHER MORRIGNA

CE Human, Savage Bard 4/Acolyte of the Skin 10/Ur-Priest 2/Mystic Theurge 4

Build Details:

Spoiler

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MOTHER MORRIGNA
{table=head]Level|Class|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Skills|Feats|Class Features

1st|Savage Bard 1|

+0

|

+2

|

+0

|

+2

|Know (the planes) 4 ranks, know (religion) 4 ranks, know (arcana) 4 ranks, spellcraft 4 ranks, bluff 4 ranks, concentration 4 ranks, perform (drums) 4 ranks, survival 4 ranks, balance 4 ranks|Evil Brand, Iron Will, Thrall to Demon^B|Bardic music, bardic knowledge, countersong, fascinate, inspire courage +1, illiterate

2nd|Savage Bard 2|

+1

|

+3

|

+0

|

+3

|Know (the planes) 5 ranks, know (religion) 5 ranks, know (arcana) 5 ranks, spellcraft 5 ranks, bluff 5 ranks, concentration 5 ranks, perform (drums) 5 ranks, survival 5 ranks, balance 5 ranks||

3rd|Savage Bard 3|

+2

|

+3

|

+1

|

+3

|Know (the planes) 6 ranks, know (religion) 6 ranks, bluff 6 ranks, spellcraft 6 ranks, perform (drums) 6 ranks, intimidate 2 ranks|Abyss-Bound Soul|Inspire competence

4th|Savage Bard 4|

+3

|

+4

|

+1

|

+4

|Know (the planes) 7 ranks, know (religion) 7 ranks, know (arcana) 6 ranks, spellcraft 7 ranks, perform (drums) 7 ranks, intimidate 3 ranks, survival 7 ranks||

5th|Acolyte of the Skin 1|

+3

|

+6

|

+1

|

+6

|Know (the planes) 8 ranks, know (religion) 8 ranks, spellcraft 8 ranks, intimidate 4 ranks|Dark Speech^B|Wear fiend, poison 1/day

6th|Acolyte of the Skin 2|

+4

|

+7

|

+1

|

+7

|Know (the planes) 9 ranks, perform (drums) 8 ranks, intimidate 6 ranks|Spell Focus (Evil)|Flame resistant

7th|Acolyte of the Skin 3|

+5

|

+7

|

+2

|

+7

|Know (the planes) 10 ranks, know (religion) 8.5 ranks, intimidate 9 ranks||Fiendish glare

8th|Ur-Priest 1|

+5

|

+7

|

+2

|

+9

|Know (the planes) 11 ranks, know (religion) 9.5 ranks, intimidate 10 ranks, concentration 6 ranks||

9th|Ur-Priest 2|

+6/+1

|

+7

|

+2

|

+10

|Know (the planes) 12 ranks, know (religion) 10.5 ranks, intimidate 11 ranks, concentration 7 ranks|Doomspeak|Rebuke Undead

10th|Acolyte of the Skin 4|

+7/+2

|

+8

|

+2

|

+11

|Know (the planes) 13 ranks, know (religion) 11 ranks, intimidate 13 ranks, concentration 8 ranks|Insane Defiance^B|

11th|Acolyte of the Skin 5|

+7/+2

|

+8

|

+2

|

+11

|Know (the planes) 14 ranks, know (religion) 12 ranks, intimidate 14 ranks, concentration 9 ranks||Skin adaptation, poison 2/day

12th|Acolyte of the Skin 6|

+8/+3

|

+9

|

+3

|

+12

|Know (the planes) 15 ranks, know (religion) 13, intimidate 15 ranks, concentration 10 ranks|Imperious Command|Cold resistant

13th|Acolyte of the Skin 7|

+9/+4

|

+9

|

+3

|

+12

|Know (the planes) 16 ranks, know (religion) 14 ranks, intimidate 16 ranks, concentration 11 ranks||Glare of the pit

14th|Acolyte of the Skin 8|

+10/+5

|

+10

|

+3

|

+13

|Know (the planes) 17 ranks, know (religion) 15 ranks, intimidate 17 ranks, concentration 12 ranks||

15th|Acolyte of the Skin 9|

+10/+5

|

+10

|

+4

|

+13

|Know (the planes) 18 ranks, know (religion) 16 ranks, intimidate 18 ranks, concentration 13 ranks|Quicken Spell, Apostate^B|Summon fiend

16th|Acolyte of the Skin 10|

+11/+6/+1

|

+11

|

+4

|

+14

|Know (the planes) 19 ranks, know (religion) 17 ranks, intimidate 19 ranks, concentration 14 ranks||Fiendish symbiosis

17th|Mystic Theurge 1|

+11/+6/+1

|

+11

|

+4

|

+16

|Know (the planes) 20 ranks, know (religion) 18 ranks, intimidate 20 ranks||

18th|Mystic Theurge 2|

+12/+7/+2

|

+11

|

+4

|

+17

|Know (the planes) 21 ranks, know (religion) 19 ranks, intimidate 21 ranks|Divine Metamagic (Quicken Spell)|

19th|Mystic Theurge 3|

+12/+7/+2

|

+12

|

+5

|

+17

|Know (the planes) 22 ranks, know (religion) 20 ranks, intimidate 22 ranks||

20th|Mystic Theurge 4|

+13/+8/+3

|

+12

|

+5

|

+18

|Know (the planes) 23 ranks, know (religion) 21 ranks, intimidate 23 ranks|Harvester of Souls^B|[/table]

^BBonus Vile feat granted by dedication to Ragnorra, Mother of Monsters (see Elder Evils, p10).

Stats:

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Str 8/Dex 10/Con 12/Int 14/Wis 16/Cha 16

LEVELS BOOSTS:
4: +1 Int
8: +1 Wis
12: +1 Wis
16: +1 Wis
20: +1 Wis

Spells:

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Bard Spells per day/Spells Known
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th

1st|2 / 4|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|3 / 5|0 / 2|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|3 / 6|1 / 3|-|-|-|-|-

4th|3 / 6|2 / 3|0 / 2|-|-|-|-

5th|3 / 6|2 / 3|0 / 2|-|-|-|-

6th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

7th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

8th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

9th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

10th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

11th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

12th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

13th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

14th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

15th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

16th|3 / 6|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-|-

17th|3 / 6|3 / 4|2 / 3|-|-|-|-

18th|3 / 6|3 / 4|2 / 4|0 / 2|-|-|-

19th|3 / 6|3 / 4|3 / 4|1 / 3|-|-|-

20th|3 / 6|3 / 4|3 / 4|2 / 3|-|-|-[/table]

Bard Spells Known:
0- Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation, Summon Instrument, Lullaby, Ghost Sound, Mending
1- Charm Person, Swift Invisibility, Beastland Ferocity, Improvisation
2- Alter Self, Mesmerizing Glare, Summon Swarm, Suggestion
3- Charm Monster, Major Image, Haste

Ur-Priest Spells per day
{table=head]Level|0lvl|1st|2nd|3rd|4th|5th|6th|7th|8th|9th

1st|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

2nd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

3rd|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

4th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

5th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

6th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

7th|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

8th|4|2|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

9th|5|3|0|-|-|-|-|-|-|-

10th|5|3|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-

11th|5|3|1|0|-|-|-|-|-|-

12th|6|3|2|1|0|-|-|-|-|-

13th|6|3|2|1|0|-|-|-|-|-

14th|6|3|3|2|1|0|-|-|-|-

15th|6|3|3|2|1|0|-|-|-|-

16th|6|3|3|3|2|1|0|-|-|-

17th|6|4|3|3|3|2|1|0|-|-

18th|6|4|4|3|3|3|2|1|0|-

19th|6|5|4|4|4|4|3|2|1|0

20th|6|5|5|4|4|4|4|3|2|1[/table]

Build Notes:

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Mother Morrigna is of the old blood, a priestess of the great lifeforce that far precedes the gods and goddesses. Her worship is reserved for Ragnorra, the Great Mother of Monsters, that primeval source of life eternally corrupted. Believing that lust and fertility are the strongest forces known to man, Mother Morrigna has joined a pact with the Succubus Queen Malcanthet to spread a new, twisted kind of life across the realm just as Ragnorra would do.

Having bound her soul to the Succubus Queen, Mother Morrigna has learned to wear the skin of her succubi servants, much as she would wear the hides of those animals she skins daily for her tribe. Malcanthet grants her a boost to her caster level through the Abyss-Bound Soul feat, allowing Mother Morrigna to perform the Ritual of Bonding and become an Acolyte of the Skin at a lower level than most.

By binding succubi to her skin, Mother Morrigna grows ever stronger. The fiendish skin protects her, makes her more powerful. In addition to the ability boosts and fiendish resistances, it gives her the ability to wither living things with a touch (poison as an SLA), grants her the evil eye (fiendish glare and glare of the pit), lets her call more demonic allies (summon fiend), and allows her shapechanging magics to have even greater effect (fiendish symbiosis).

Though she cannot read or write, Mother Morrigna carries on the oral tradition of her tribe, with millenia of history in the form of stories. She worships no gods, only the primeval force that is Ragnorra, and yet she wields great divine power. She knows words of dark power, and though they cost her lifeforce, she can heal it away with restoration spells. When women come to her seeking love or fertility charms, she aids them, enchanting their paramours and calling succubi and unholy scions through planar ally to make matches and fill wombs. Through her deft hands, the twisted life grows and spreads. Soon this world will be a fit place for Ragnorra. Soon...

Explanations and Adaptations:

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Mother Morrigna uses the Abyss-Bound Soul feat (tied to Malcanthet) to boost her caster level to CL 5 on all enchantment spells, allowing her to qualify for Acolyte of the Skin by level 4. If your DM decides this is not acceptable, simply take another level of Savage Bard, and reduce Mystic Theurge by a level. This will delay some class features and reduce your total number of high level spells per day, but will still leave an effective and powerful character.

The bonus feats for dedicating her soul to an Elder Evil have all been restricted to the feats listed on the table on page 11 of Elder Evils in this build. However, one could argue that they actually allow the selection of any Vile feat. If that is the case, there are several excellent options in the Book of Vile Darkness and Exemplars of Evil. Some interesting choices are Verminfriend and some of the BoVD deformities.

Sources:

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Information on Ragnorra, as well the rules for dedicating yourself to an Elder Evil and the various bonus feats, are all found in Elder Evils.

Savage Bard is a variant bard class found in the SRD and Unearthed Arcana.

Spell Focus (Evil), Ur-Priest and Divine Metamagic are all available in Complete Divine.

Expanded information on the Abyss-Bound Soul feat can be found in Fiendish Codex I. Doomspeak is from Champions of Ruin. Imperious Command is from Drow of the Underdark.

All other feats and classes are found in the PHB or DMG.

[Amphetryon]

I believe that's the last of them. On your marks, get set, JUDGE!

I'd like to apologize to The Rag and Bone Man's author, who specified that the submission contains a typo which I was unable to spot (not enough ranks, methinks). If you notice it, know that the author knew it was there and tried to have it fixed.

I'd also like to apologize to Baby's author - and the rest of you - for that horrible pun I included.

[The Dark Fiddler]

Spoilers: my build is the one that uses at least one level of Acolyte of the Skin.*

Anyway, looks like some good competition; a Rolling Stones reference is always a good sign.

*Has anybody ever entered a build that didn't use a single level of the secret ingredient? I wonder if such a thing could somehow make a good showing, despite the obvious flaw...

[Piggy Knowles]

Definitely some interesting things here! Can't wait to read them all in detail... Thus far I've only read over the build stubs.

I really wanted to put together something involving Thayan Slaver, but I couldn't quite get it to come together. I also considered Cloistered Cleric/AotS 10/Nar Demonbinder 5, but I didn't have a great story to go along with it, and ran out of time.

[Amphetryon]

Personally, I was very surprised that everyone managed to talk themselves out of Fleshwarper.

[mattie_p]

*Has anybody ever entered a build that didn't use a single level of the secret ingredient? I wonder if such a thing could somehow make a good showing, despite the obvious flaw...

That's what the Zinc Saucier competition is all about. Feel free to enter.

[ThiagoMartell]

Man, I was completely mixed up in my dates, I thought I still had time to submit
Guess I'll judge, then

[Kazyan]

What on earth would Fleshwarper bring to an Acolyte of the Skin, besides interesting fluff? Because it looks like everyone did that without help.

[eggs]

Bleh. I got stuck trying to deal with the Spellthief SLA-recharge trick's level cap.

But these look interesting. I'm seeing the alignment knots people were talking about.

EDIT:
One of the build ideas I was juggling around was going to abuse Assume Supernatural Ability and that graft-demon to throw the Acolyte of the Skin's abilities on everybody; I imagine Fleshwarper would be used for the same kind of deal.

[Venger]

Personally, I was very surprised that everyone managed to talk themselves out of Fleshwarper.

back before this IC, i'd been making a build with acolyte and fleshwarper, and some other stuff, and as I was combing for grafts, I found that acolyte's fiendish skin was one of the fiendish grafts in FF, so fleshwarper could just make it by itself, no acolyte required. I figure the other contestants came to a similar conclusion that a class that can just make the SI's identifying feature (and more besides) on its own probably isn't the best to highlight its strengths.

I'm surprised no one used blood magus.

Man, I was completely mixed up in my dates, I thought I still had time to submit
Guess I'll judge, then

bad luck! what would your guy/gal have looked like?

What on earth would Fleshwarper bring to an Acolyte of the Skin, besides interesting fluff? Because it looks like everyone did that without help.

Here's fleshwarper fluff certainly would have been fun, but it's certainly got more to offer than that. a little too much, which is exactly the problem

[dantiesilva]

I was making a fleshwarper...i stopped because I thought everyone would do it. And what would it give you...Demonic grafts for one. Power boost to abilities. The possibilities were endless and with Deformities. Dam I curse myself.

My other was a Cancer mage, which again really no one. Though I do like many of the builds must say competitors good job, I just wish i put my fleshwarper in.

[ThiagoMartell]

bad luck! what would your guy/gal have looked like?

Well, my idea was a Killoren Crusader/Paladin/Arcanamach/Acolyte using From Smite to Song and Song of the White Raven for Inspire Courage optimization.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I hate to be "that guy," but maybe I can save the judges some time by provoking a response.

Is it my imagination, or does Luc fail to explain where he got the evil subtype to qualify for fiend of corruption? Unless of course AotS was erratta'd to give the evil subtype with its fiendish apotheosis?

I ask because I really liked the build and I might want to use it in a future game.

[rot42]

I got as far as "those fiendish symbionts from the Fiend Folio could fulfill the peaceful contact requirement", but no build really ever gelled. Just as well, as nothing could compare to Captain Wyrmbeard's masterwork pegleg of sailing.