Junkyard Wars X: Meldshaping + Natural Attacks - Totemist

[WhamBamSam]

just background to go ... i always hate writing background since i can never get my ideas from ideas and onto paper.

Just to clarify through ... GMT = UTC? ... that is, are we going after UTC or current british time, which have just changed from GMT to British Summer Time

question is if i have 3½ or 4½ hour to go

GMT means the thing that comes up when I google GMT, which yes, seems to be UTC. From my own egocentric perspective, the reveal will be at 8:00 EST, roughly 4 hours from the time of this post.

[Inevitability]

Submitted my build! I hope it's well-received... first time participating in an optimization contest here.

Also, is the short message above each submission chosen by the chairman or submitted by the builder? In the second case, I'd like to have the title of my PM (or any similar sentence) there. Thanks in advance.

[Sian]

eh ... when i first sat down and staring at the paper for a few seconds, it uncharacteristicly just flowed out with no problem ... probably mean that its no better than usual, but i'm better at getting there.

running a quick spellcheck (and table-check) to see that no numbers or anything got misplaced and then i'll send

[Sian]

GMT means the thing that comes up when I google GMT, which yes, seems to be UTC. From my own egocentric perspective, the reveal will be at 8:00 EST, roughly 4 hours from the time of this post.

Could i then please request that in future competitions that you use UTC instead of GMT?

GMT is the time zone, while UTC is the (default) Time Standard, its a small but important difference.

[dysprosium]

Submitted my build! I hope it's well-received... first time participating in an optimization contest here.

Also, is the short message above each submission chosen by the chairman or submitted by the builder? In the second case, I'd like to have the title of my PM (or any similar sentence) there. Thanks in advance.

When I Chaired the Zinc Saucier rounds, I picked the witticisms that went before the entry. I think this is the norm for these things. But I have been known to use the suggestions of the contestants if they had something or something better than I could come up with.

eh ... when i first sat down and staring at the paper for a few seconds, it uncharacteristicly just flowed out with no problem ... probably mean that its no better than usual, but i'm better at getting there.

running a quick spellcheck (and table-check) to see that no numbers or anything got misplaced and then i'll send

If you can get yours in it looks like there will be a good crop for this round.

[WhamBamSam]

Time for the reveal! Please refrain from posting until I give the all-clear.

[WhamBamSam]

Squidly old chum!

Squid-boy Sam
Lawful Evil Mummified Creature Anthropomorphic Giant Squid
RHD 3/LA 1/Monk 2/Umbral Disciple 1/Mummified Creature LA+4/Umbral Disciple +9

Spoiler: Backstory

Show

Once upon a time, in a far off land you may never have heard of, a deliveryman loaded onto the back of his wagon several vials filled to their stoppers with a glowing pink slime. He accepted payment from the Headmaster of the Guild For a Better Humanity and set off on his route. His wagon made it all of twenty yards before a blind man stumbled out onto the cobblestones in front of the horses and the deliveryman was forced to swerve to avoid him. The resulting crash shattered the vials he was transporting and the glowing pink slime splattered all over the blind man.

But this is not his story.

One of those vials, cracked and leaking its strange pink liquid, tumbled through a grate and down into the sewer below. There, it showered its goo over the slow-moving forms of four small turtles, all of whom would eventually develop a super-human craving for something called pizza.

But this is not their story, either.

For our story, we must follow the remaining goo, flowing down the sewer tunnels until it drained out into the sea. Small blobs of pink goo drifted down and down, sinking further and further, until, finally, they burst against the flesh of a squid that was simply minding his own business.

As painfully agonizing as the physical transformation that resulted was, this squid was left with a mind scarred and haunted. For here, in the pink-tinged murkiness of the ocean's depths, he finally saw clearly: the air-breathers had taken far too much liberty in polluting his realm!

His attacks on sailors and fishermen thereafter would eventually draw the attentions of the Submerged Subversives. The S.S., and their desires to both protect the world beneath the waves and exact vengence on those who would threaten it, took in this squid-boy as an ally.

So great will their respect for him be, that even after he breaths his last, opperatives of the S.S. will vow to return his remains to the sea.

Deep in the darkest depths of the ocean, where light itself fears to wander, the Cult of Yeathan will find that corpse. And soon after, they will bring back from the Void the warrior that will bring about the destructive end to the War of Air and Water!

Or so the legends say....

Spoiler: Stats

Show

Stat	Start	Race	ECL 5	Mummy	ECL 13	ECL 17
Str	14	22	23	31	32	33
Con	15	13	13	--	--	--
Dex	10	18	18	18	18	18
Int	14	14	14	10	10	10
Wis	8	12	12	16	16	16
Cha	16	12	12	16	16	16

Spoiler: Build Table

Show

Effective Class Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
4th	RHD 3 (+1 LA)	+3	+1	+3	+3	Concentration 3(6); Hide 3(6); Listen 6(6); Spot 6(6)	1st: Multigrab; 3rd: Azure Toughness	Constrict; Improved Grab; Ink Cloud; Jet
5th	Monk 1	+3	+3	+5	+5	Concentration 4(1); Hide 7(3); Listen 7(1); Move Silently 1(1); Spot 6	B: Improved Unarmed Strike; B: Improved Grapple	Flurry of Blows
6th	Monk 2	+4	+4	+6	+6	Concentration 4; Hide 8(1); K:A 2(2); Listen 8(1); Move Silently 3(2); Spot 6	B: Combat Reflexes	Evasion
7th	Umbral Disciple 1	+4	+4	+8	+8	Concentration 4; Hide 9(1); K:A 2; Listen 9(1); Move Silently 9(6); Spot 6	6th: Greater Multigrab	Sept Knowledge; Step of the Bodiless; Essentia Pool: 1
8th-11th	Mummified Creature Template	+4	+4	+8	+8	--	--	Despair; Mummy Rot
12th	Umbral Disciple 2	+5	+4	+9	+9	Concentration 4; Hide 10(1); K:A 2; Listen 10(1); Move Silently 10(1); Spot 9(3)	--	Sneak Attack +1d6
13th	Umbral Disciple 3	+6/1	+5	+9	+9	Balance 1(1); Concentration 4; Hide 11(1); K:A 2; Listen 11(1); Move Silently 11(1); Spot 11(2)	--	Embrace of Shadow; Essentia Pool: 2
14th	Umbral Disciple 4	+7/2	+5	+10	+10	Balance 3(2); Concentration 4; Hide 12(1); K:A 2; Listen 12(1); Move Silently 12(1); Spot 12(1)	9th: Craven	--
15th	Umbral Disciple 5	+7/2	+5	+10	+10	Balance 5(2); Concentration 4; Hide 13(1); K:A 2; Listen 13(1); Move Silently 13(1); Spot 13(1)	--	Sneak Attack +2d6; Essentia Pool: 3
16th	Umbral Disciple 6	+8/3	+6	+11	+11	Balance 5; Concentration 4; Hide 14(1); K:A 2; Listen 14(1); Move Silently 14(1); Spot 14(1); Tumble 2(2)	--	--
17th	Umbral Disciple 7	+9/4	+6	+11	+11	Balance 5; Concentration 4; Hide 15(1); K:A 2; Listen 15(1); Move Silently 15(1); Spot 15(1); Tumble 4(2)	12th: Large And In Charge	Sight of the Eyeless; Essentia Pool: 4
18th	Umbral Disciple 8	+10/5	+6	+12	+12	Balance 5; Concentration 4; Hide 16(1); K:A 2; Listen 16(1); Move Silently 16(1); Spot 16(1); Tumble 6(2)	--	Sneak Attack +3d6; Essentia Pool: 5
19th	Umbral Disciple 9	+10/5	+7	+12	+12	Balance 5; Concentration 5(1); Hide 17(1); K:A 3(1); Listen 17(1); Move Silently 17(1); Spot 17(1); Tumble 6	--	Soulchilling Strike; Essentia Pool: 6
20th	Umbral Disciple 10	+11/6/1	+7	+13	+13	Balance 6; Concentration 5; Hide 18(1); K:A 5(2); Listen 18(1); Move Silently 18(1); Spot 18(1); Tumble 6	15th: Rending Constriction	Kiss of the Shadows; Essentia Pool: 7

Spoiler: ECL 4

Show

With three racial hit dice and one LA, this is the start for the character. It should be noted, however, that it would not be at all difficult to create a racial progression class that would allow the character to start off at level one instead.

Racially, the AGS offers eight tentacle attacks as primary weapons and a secondary bite. As a large creature, it has 10' reach, but its tentacles can reach out further.

Spoiler: Note

Show

Savage Species doesn't quite cover this. It could be that the 30' reach a squid has with its tentacles stays the same upon anthromorphing. It could be that its tentacles' reach is reduced to 25' with the drop from Huge to Large. More likely, however, is that the tentacles have double the squid's natural reach and would, thus, be 20'. Each DM may see that differently, but either way you slice it, an AGS has good distance with its natural attacks.

Also note that the AGS has Improved Grab (improved in this build by Multigrab) with its tentacle attacks that specifically works on a creature of any size. Add in a +4 racial bonus to grapple checks and the Constrict ability and those tentacle attacks can get rather nasty.

The downside of all of this, of course, is being an aquatic creature that can only hold its breath out of water for twice as long as a human under water. Though there are spells/items to work around this restriction, this character is probably confined mostly to underwater campaigns (for now).

Azure Toughness (taken with the 3rd HD) is, as we all know, a sad, sad feat. A few hit points, whoo-hoo. But it may just keep you alive someday. And, really, the important aspect here is that it grants one point of essentia. Feel free to change this feat out with any incarnum feat you might prefer.

Spoiler: ECL 5-7

Show

Did somebody say Improved Grapple? Monk-tastic! Improved Unarmed Strike grants a different option for an attack routine by adding in a kick or a head-butt or whathaveyou. Flurry of Blows can add another attack, too. All for the price of accuracy. (There are times, actually, when it will be worth it.)

Combat Reflexes is always a lovely feat for a dextrous creature with reach. Evasion is nice for everyone, though moreso for creatures with concealment (more on that later).

Remember that point of essentia from before? Enter the Umbral Disciple! Granted, at first level, UD is not going to strike terror into the hearts of, well, anyone. But another point of essentia here means more hit points....
The 6th HD feat investment of Greater Multigrab makes the tentacle attacks a bit nastier.

Spoiler: ECL 8-11

Show

So how does the Mummifeid Creature template change this character?

• Undead type -- Now it won't breath air on land just as easily as it doesn't breath underwater. This opens up campaign options to everywhere! But it comes at the cost of Con being a non-ability. (A moment of silence for the loss of Azure Toughness, please.) Fortunately, Umbral Disciple 1 grants essentia, so once taken, it self-qualifies.
• Hit Dice -- MC is one of the few undead templates that specifically states "Change all current and future HD to d12." That makes the Umbral Disciple class far more appealing to a martial-type character.
• Speed -- Reduce land speed to 20'. Swim speed, however, remains unchanged at 80'.
• Natural Armor -- A slight bump over AGS.
• Attacks -- Gain a slam attack. Note these two quotes, however.
  

  The number of attacks a creature can make with its natural weapons depends on the type of the attack -- generally, a creature can make one bite attack, one attack per claw or tentacle, one gore attack, one sting attack, or one slam attack (although Large creatures with arms or armlike limbs can make a slam attack with each arm.)

  All anthropomorphic animals have humanoid arms and hands.

  It seems, then, that a Mummified Creature Antropomorphic Giant Squid, being a Large creature with two arms, would gain two slam attacks.
• Special Attacks
  
  1. Despair -- Remember when I said before that there are times when it's worth the price of accuracy to use flurry of blows?
  2. Mummy Rot -- Applied with every natural attack. (Insert maniacal laughter here.)
• Special Qualities
  
  1. Damage Reduction -- Who's going to complain about having this?
  2. Vulnerability to Fire -- This may be the reason you stay underwater. How often does a wizard expend enough resources to be able to effectively cast [Fire] spells underwater?
• Abilites -- A Strength bump helps out any grappler. The Intelligence hit only drops skill ranks for future levels and isn't much of an issue in this build. The Wisdom increase helps AC thanks to monk. And the Charisma increase betters the save DC of the Special Attacks.

Spoiler: ECL 12-20

Show

Embrace of Shadow + 2 Essentia + ranks in Hide and Move Silently (even for a Large creature) + Dex = Fairly sneaky creature

Fairly Sneaky Creature + Despair = The ability to get close to an enemy before the Despair effect.

Despair + Sneak Attack + Craven + 3 Unarmed Strikes + Flurry of Blows + 8 tentacle attacks (+Rending Constriction) + 2 slam attacks + 1 bite = Ouch.

Combat Reflexes + Dex + Large And In Charge + reach (+Kiss of the Shadows) = Melee safety.

Sight of the Eyeless + Essentia + Ink Cloud = Fun times.

Soulchilling Strike + Essentia = Easier time grappling.

Spoiler: Book List

Show

Savage Species -- Anthropomorphic Giant Squid p.214 (see p.217; Monster Manual p.281); Multigrab feat p.37; Greater Multigrab feat p.35; Rending Constriction feat p.39
Magic of Incarnum -- Azure Toughness feat p.35; Umbral Disciple p.158
Libris Mortis -- Mummified Creature Template p.110
Champions of Ruin -- Craven feat p.(??)
Draconomicon -- Large And In Charge feat p.71

[WhamBamSam]

The fury of the immortal soul.

Thom Merrin, the power-hungry.

Spoiler: Backstory

Show

Thom Merrin was once a warrior in a Barbarian tribe of the forests. He spent the first thirty years of his life learning the ways of the warrior. But, as he saw his friends die around him, he began seeking something more, a way to achieve immortality. Hearing rumors of a clan of immortal warriors deep in the mountains, Thom journeyed for weeks and weeks before he found them. An enclave of Elans hidden in the highest peaks of the tallest mountains. Once there, he refused to leave until they agreed to perform the transformation, changing him into one of them.

Finding that he had lost many of his skills in his rebirth, Thom immediately fell back to his old routines. Mastering the same techniques he had once possessed, he began to realize that their power was not enough. The ways of a simple mundane warrior were simply inferior to his new-found power, as an immortal being. He saw even common weapons as being beneath him, inferior to his evolved status. So once again, Thom set out to find a new way to fight.

And, thus began his discovery of Soulmelds. Using his innate abilities as weapons against his enemies had a certain draw to Thom. It was perfect, in his mind. A natural evolution. As he had evolved beyond the normal path of man, so too should his powers. They should stem from that newfound immortality, unique (or so he believed) unto him.

Spoiler: Build Overview

Show

Race: Elan (Expanded Psionics Handbook, page 10)
Alignment: Chaotic Evil (Relevant)
Class Levels: Spirit Lion Totem Barbarian 1/Soulborn 8/ Fighter 1/Soulborn 10

Spoiler: Statblock

Show

Stats

Stat	Base Stat	Racial Modifer	Levelup Modifier	Total Stat
Strength	18	0	+4	22
Dexterity	12	0	0	12
Constitution	14	0	+1	15
Intelligence	10	0	0	10
Wisdom	12	0	0	12
Charisma	8	-2	0	6

Final Base Natural Attacks:
Claws (x2) (1d8+STR)
Fists (x1) (1d6+1/2 STR)
Slam (x2) (1d6+1/2 STR)
Tail (x1) (2d8+1.5x STR)

Soulmelds: (4)
Claws of the Wyrm (http://archive.wizards.com/default.a...060912a&page=4)
Dragon Tail (http://archive.wizards.com/default.a...060912a&page=4)
Astral Vambraces (http://archive.wizards.com/default.a.../psm/20060217a)
Thunderstep Boots (Magic of Incarnum, Page 90)
Chakra Binds: (3)
Arms: Claws of the Wyrm
Hands: Astral Vambraces
Feet:
Crown:
Brow:
Shoulders:
Throat:
Waist: Dragon Tail

Feats:
First Level: Improved Unarmed Strike (Player’s Handbook, page 96)
Third Level: Shape Soulmeld (Dragon Tail) (Magic of Incarnum)
Incarnum Bonus Feat: Cobalt Charge (Magic of Incarnum)
Sixth Level: Multiattack (Monster Manual, page 304)
Incarnum Bonus Feat: Azure Toughness (Magic of Incarnum)
Ninth Level: Improved Multiattack (Draconomicon, page 70)
Fighter Bonus Feat: Power Attack (Player’s Handbook, page 98)
Twelfth Level: Rapidstrike (Draconomicon, page 73)
Incarnum Bonus Feat: Cobalt Power (Magic of Incarnum)
Fifteenth Level: Improved Rapidstrike (Claws) (Draconomicon, page 70)
Eighteenth Level: Improved Rapidstrike (Slam) ((Draconomicon, page 70)

Let’s start with an explanation of my choices for the mechanics behind the build. Because, they need explaining

I needed all twenty levels to get full BAB for use with Improved Rapidstrike/Power Attack. I also needed to meet the criteria FOR Improved Rapidstrike. After two hours of digging, I found exactly one LA+0 race which was one of the five types which are allowed to take Rapidstrike (aberration, dragon, elemental, magical beast, plant). And that was the Elan. I’ve never used it before now, and barring a Rapidstrike build I doubt I ever would again. Chaotic Evil is because Incarnum Defense prevents your strength from ever being dropped, and Chaotic Good was comparatively much worse. It does limit the options for Smite Opposition in most campaigns, but I still felt it was the superior choice. The build could easily switch, though, if you're playing with a good-aligned party.

Feat selection is pretty simple. Improved Unarmed Strike is necessary so that you can get Multiattack at sixth level (Unarmed Strike+2 Claws from CotW). Shape Soulmeld gets you an additional natural attack end-game. And a pretty good one at that. You can't even use it before you can shape a Soulmeld, though, so taking IUS first makes sense. Improved Multiattack follows. You dip Fighter to get Power Attack (which is amazing, and works with natural attacks). And then Rapidstrike, followed by two Improved Rapid Strike, for the pair of Claws and then the pair of Slams. The Bonus Incarnum Feats are good because they give you extra Essentia. And, because one of them further boosts Power Attack. Which is one of the only ways you do damage with this build.

As for Soulmelds. Soulborns don’t get that many. Even so, I stopped the progression at level 18. I didn’t need the 2 Essentia or extra Soulmeld that you get from taking the last two levels. Power Attack and Pounce were more valuable than the last two levels of Soulborn, and the classes I dipped into still granted full BAB. Which was important. I stuck the Barbarian level first, because Pounce is really good. And Fighter went in at 10, because I wanted Power Attack for the level 10 explanation.

This build has, I think, done the most possible to achieve damage using only Soulmelds and the Natural Attacks granted by them.

Spoiler: Build Specifics

Show

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Barbarian (Spirit Lion Totem) 1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Jump +4, Climb +4, Listen +4, Survival +4	Shape Soulmeld (Dragon Tail)	Illiteracy, Rage 1/day, Pounce (Ex)
2nd	Soulborn 1	+2	+4	+0	+0	Spellcraft +1, Heal +1	No new feats	Aura, Smite Opposition 1/day
3rd	Soulborn 2	+3	+5	+0	+0	Spellcraft +2, Heal +2	Improved Unarmed Strike	Incarnum defense
4th	Soulborn 3	+4	+5	+1	+1	Spellcraft +3, Heal +3	Cobalt Charge	Bonus Incarnum Feat (Cobalt Charge)
5th	Soulborn 4	+5	+6	+1	+1	Spellcraft +4, Heal +4	No new Feats	No new Class Features
6th	Soulborn 5	+6/+1	+6	+1	+1	Spellcraft +5, Heal +5	Multiattack	Smite Opposition 2/day
7th	Soulborn 6	+7/+2	+7	+2	+2	Spellcraft +6, Heal +6	No new Feats	No new Class Features
8th	Soulborn 7	+8/+3	+7	+2	+2	Spellcraft +7, Heal +7	Azure Toughness	Incarnum Bonus Feat (Azure Toughness)
9th	Soulborn 8	+9/+4	+8	+2	+2	Spellcraft +8, Heal +8	Improved Multiattack	No new Class Features
10th	Fighter 1	+10/+5	+10	+2	+2	Jump +5, Climb +5	Power Attack	Fighter Bonus Feat (Power Attack)
11th	Soulborn 9	+11/+6/+1	+10	+3	+3	Spellcraft +9, Heal +9	No new Feats	Share Incarnum Defense 1/day
12th	Soulborn 10	+12/+7/+2	+11	+3	+3	Spellcraft +10, Heal +10	Rapidstrike	Smite Opposition 3/day
13th	Soulborn 11	+13/+8/+3	+11	+3	+3	Spellcraft +11, Heal +11	Cobalt Power	Incarnum Bonus Feat (Cobalt Power)
14th	Soulborn 12	+14/+9/+4	+12	+4	+4	Spellcraft +12, Heal +12	No new Feats	No new Class Abilities
15th	Soulborn 13	+15/+10/+5	+12	+4	+4	Spellcraft +13, Heal +13	Improved Rapidstrike (Slams)	Share Incarnum Defense 2/day
16th	Soulborn 14	+16/+11/+6/+1	+13	+4	+4	Spellcraft +14, Heal +14	No new Feats	No new Class Abilities
17th	Soulborn 15	+17/+12/+7/+2	+13	+5	+5	Spellcraft +15, Heal +15	No new feats	Smite Opposition 4/day
18th	Soulborn 16	+18/+13/+8/+3	+14	+5	+5	Spellcraft +16, Heal +16	Improved Rapidstrike (Claws)	No new Class Abilities
19th	Soulborn 17	+19/+14/+9/+4	+14	+5	+5	Spellcraft +17, Heal +17	No new Feats	Share Incarnum Defense 3/day
20th	Soulborn 18	+20/+15/+10/+5	+15	+6	+6	Spellcraft +18, Heal +18	No new Feats	No new Class Abilities

Spoiler: Meldshaping Breakdown

Show

Meldshaping

Level	Maximum Soulmelds	Essentia Pool	Chakra Binds	Additional benefits from Soulborn
1st	0	0	0
2nd	0	0	0
3rd	0	0	0
4th	0	0	0
5th	1	1	0	+1 Essentia from IBF
6th	1	1	0
7th	1	2	0
8th	1	3	0	+1 Essentia from IBF
9th	1	3	0
10th	2	4	1	Crown/Feet/Hands Chakra
11th	2	5	1
12th	2	5	1
13th	2	6	1	+1 Essentia from IBF
14th	3	7	1
15th	3	7	1
16th	3	8	2	Arms/Brow/Shoulders Chakras
17th	3	8	2
18th	4	9	2
19th	4	10	2
20th	4	11	2	Throat/Waist Chakras

Spoiler: Snapshots

Show

Level 5:
At level 5, you have one Soulmeld active and Pounce. It should be Dragon Tail, in my opinion. Right now, you don’t have access to iterative attacks. Dragon Tail can’t be bound to a Chakra yet, but it still does 1d8 damage, and you can’t be disarmed. The only disadvantage is that you can’t use it for attacks of opportunity. You’re stuck using Unarmed Strikes for that. They’re not great, but that’s not really what this character is built for. The reason we took the feat to get Dragon Tail at first level is specifically so we have a weapon better than your fists for the early levels.

Like I said, you should shape the Dragon Tail. Put your sole point of Essentia into the Dragon Tail Soulmeld. +1 hit/damage is the best you can get.

Level 10:
Here, you have Power Attack. And Claws. And Multiattack. You should be at four, maybe five attacks right now, depending on how you read Multiattack. If you have the Tail as your primary attack at +10 BAB, then you have all the secondary natural attacks run at -2 from there. So I believe that looks like 10/8/8/8. Tail/Claw/Claw/Fist. Either way, the build is MUCH stronger now. Power Attack helps a lot, with all of these attacks. It’s worth dipping Fighter to get it.

You have two Soulmelds, and four Essentia. Shape Claws of the Wyrm, then bind them to your Hands Chakra. Shape Dragon Tail as well. You’re only allowed to add up to two essential to any one Soulmeld or Feat at level ten, so put two points into Claws of the Wyrm, and then two more into Dragon Tail. The reason we're not shaping Astral Vambraces is that at this point is that you can put Essentia into Claws to boost their damage, making them the superior choice.

Level 15:
And now, we get access to our third Soulmeld. As well as Improved Rapid Strike. You should create the Dragon Tail, Claws of the Wyrm, and Astral Vambraces soulmelds. Bind Astral Vambraces to your Hands Chakra. Your full-attack routine becomes 15/10/5/15/15/15/15/15 (Slams/Slams/Slams/Slams/Claws/Claws/Tail/Fist). Every one of those hits is eligible for Power Attack. And four of them come from the Slams. When you craft Astral Vambraces, you can choose one power to augment their abilities. The best choice is Improved Natural Attack.

Now, as for Essentia. Put three points into Cobalt Power, three points into Claws of the Wyrm, and the one point into Dragon Tail. Investing Essentia into Astral Vambraces can be useful, if you need better than DR 2/Magic. When you’re out adventuring, it’s probably best to keep them there. But for raw power, put the three in Claws of the Wyrm.

Level 18:
This is the point I would say the build really starts to work. You get your second IRS feat, giving you an additional three attacks. Again, you can apply Power Attack to each of your natural attacks. Level 18 also grants you two further points of Essentia, and an additional Soulmeld. At this point, shape Thunderstep Boots in addition to the previous three Soulmelds. You should bind that to the second Chakra slot. It adds Stun on every Charge. Which is just awesome. If anyone is keeping track, your full attack is 18/13/8/3/18/18/13/8/3/18/18/18. That’s 5 Claws, 5 Slams, a Tail and a Fist.

18th level also grants an essential capacity of 4 in each Soulmeld. With a capacity of nine essential you can put four into Cobalt Power, four into Thunderstep Boots (when combat starts; keep them in Astral Vambraces during travel), and the last point into Claws of the Wyrm. It’s better than Dragon Tail.

Level 20:
Level 20 doesn’t really add all that much to the build. You get two more points of Essentia, and another Chakra Slot. Fill the Chakra slot with Dragon Tail to increase its damage, add the Essentia to Claws of the Wyrm. And you’re done.

Spoiler: Sources

Show

Complete Champion
Draconomicon
Magic of Incarnum
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Player’s Handbook
Monster Manual
Several web resources, linked earlier

[WhamBamSam]

An In-tarasquing little fellow.

Skurduk, Apostle of the Devourer


Build: NE Desert Kobold Spiritual Lion Totem Barbarian 1/Incarnate 19
Abilities (level 1): Str 14; Dex 14; Con 14; Int 12; Wis 8; Cha 8
Abilities (level 20): Str 14; Dex 14; Con 19; Int 12; Wis 8; Cha 8

Spoiler: Story

Show

Spoiler: Level 1

Show

"I obey, Elder."


"Look at the lion."

The voice was one Skurduk had heard many times before. It was a voice that told a tale of pain, loss, and anger, followed by victory through persistence. In short; it was the voice of someone who knew the world; a voice befitting off the elderly kobold talking to him.

"Look at the lion," the voice repeated. "See how it runs. See how it catches up on its prey. See how it strikes. See how it kills. And most importantly, see how it eats."

Skurduk looked at the predator, now starting to feed on the dead animal. He observed the beast's blood-covered head, its strong legs, its clawed paws. But he did not understand. Why had he been brought here? Why did he need to see this?

The old kobold looked at Skurduk's puzzled face and sighed. "Young one," his voice sounded. "Why do you think our tribe reveres the lion? Do you not see? Let me tell you."

"Far from here," the kobold went on after a moment of silence, "used to lie a land of heretics. They viewed lions as nothing more than vermin, and formed heavily armed groups that set out to kill as many lions as possible. Why? Because every few weeks, they lost a sheep or two to these creatures. This folly, however, would be their downfall."

"I saw this all with my own eyes, a powerless witness to their evil. They kept killing lions, and their herds of sheep grew and grew. Once grassy valleys became arid deserts, the grass torn away by thousands and thousands of sheep. Eventually, the heretics left for new places to defile. I watched them leave, and that was when the gods send me a sign."

"The heretics had left behind their old and wounded sheep to die, too lazy to give them any purpose but starving. One of those sheep slowly walked towards one of the last bits of plantlife still present, ready to destroy that, too. But then, out of nowhere, a lion appeared and killed it."

"Then I understood. Civilization is the bane of balance, and destruction the force that will restore it. Lions are the symbols of destruction, and through them, we shall restore balance."

The kobold nodded, finally grasping the elder's message.

-------------------------------------

Skurduk breathed deeply. This was the day he would come of age. Nothing would stop him. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. He repeated the word until it became a concept with its own meaning.

The kobold entered the crude stone circle, briefly nodding to the warriors surrounding it. He waited.

Two kobolds, a dwarf in chains between them, arrived. They unceremoniously dropped their prisoner to the ground and tossed Skurduk a knife.

Skurduk exhaled. This was it. He could do this. Only dimly aware of the kobolds chanting his name, the dwarf's hateful gaze, and the burning sun's rays, he raised the knife.

A few moments, there was silence. Nothing but him, his prey, and the knife. Then the image of a dead lion, several arrows sticking out of it, appeared to Skurduk. He did not know why, but it enraged him.

With a wordless roar, the kobold tossed the weapon aside. The dwarf's expression changed to surprise, then to fear a moment later.

"Lions don't use knives." Skurduk whispered a moment before his first murder.

Drops of blood fell from his claws, evaporating when they hit the ground. The audience cheered, but Skurduk didn't listen.

-------------------------------------

How did he end up here? In this hated city, slave to a pair of heretical humans? His memories were unclear, blurry, and stained with blood. A group of mounted men had attacked their camp, killed most warriors and taken a few prisoner. Skurduk was sold in slavery, a fate he considered worse than death. The kobold cursed in his native tongue, drawing the interest of a few others in the slave quarters.

Anger...

Did he just hear something? None of the others seemed to have, though. Skurduk raised his head in incomprehension.

Death...

There it was again! Now others seemed to be hearing something, too. What Skurduk didn't notice was that this 'something' was the far-away sound of screaming people.

More screaming, this time audible to Skurduk, too. It was getting closer. But why? What was going on?

Now there was the sound of crushing stone, too. Was something attacking the town? But what? And wh...

FRENZY...

The word thundered through the air, and Skurduk could not believe no one else paid attention to it. It was filled with an emotion beyond mere anger, or even beyond hate. This was no simple mood, it was a state of mind, and Skurduk felt the cold emotions of a being born to destroy.

To him, it felt like seeing a long-lost friend again. This emotion, this pure emotion had sounded in the elder's story, too. It had sounded in the cheers of those who saw him become an adult. It had even sounded in his victim's final screams.

The sound of screams was really close now, and a few of the prisoners were now banging the door in despair, begging to be let out. Their cries were silenced when the roof collapsed.


Crawling out from under a few large slabs of rock, Skurduk looked in amazement. What used to be a large house was now a pile of rubble. From what he could make out through the omnipresent dust clouds, more buildings close by were devastated. From the far east, sounds of battle sounded, mixed in with those of more buildings being crushed. From time to time, the wrathful emotion would resonate from that direction.

The kobold, panicked and helpless, ran. He ran for the only thing familiar to him; the voice. He ran until his short exhausted legs could not carry him anymore, then crawled further. He had entered a still-intact part of town some time ago.

Skurduk crawled further. Everything but turning back. Everything but slavery. Everything bu...

HATE...

Almost instinctually, the kobold rolled to his side. As he did, a giant body came crashing to the buildings to his right, destroying most of them in the process. If Skurduk was more educated, he would know he was facing the Tarrasque itself, but he wasn't. While the monster struggled to stand up, an elf jumped down from the city wall and tapped the beast's forehead with a glowing hand. It looked in bewilderment, as if not believing it was truly beaten. Then, it shuddered, gasped, and with a heart-piercing cry, died.

REVENGE...

Skurduk had not been around to see all this happen. At the first opportunity, the kobold had squeezed himself through a crack in the now-destroyed city wall. This final word, however, did reach him. The message resonated in his very soul, awakening something deep within.

Skurduk did not care. He kept going forward until he reached a small cave, hid there, and idly thanked the giant monster for freeing him.

It was the first of his many prayers to it.

Spoiler: Level 5

Show

"The Devourer freed me, saved me, allowed me to escape. Why should I not repay him?"

Skurduk had regained his freedom, but he was not the same kobold anymore. Something inside him had changed, for better or worse. The kobold found his dreams haunted by images of the grotesque monster that attacked the city, jumbled together with the Elder's lessons. What did it all mean?

At the same time, the kobold found himself developing a strange power. Evil-looking gauntlets made of a material resembling the great creature's hide, formed around his claws, guiding and strengthening them. A semisolid version of the beast's own carapace appeared on his back. Skurduk, whose contact with magic had been limited to his Elder's limited spells and the occasional caravan driver with arcane abilities, was equally frightened and excited by this power.

The second emotion slowly started to prevail. As it did, the kobold's dreams became less incoherent. Now, he was constantly hearing the last message the beast had uttered.

Revenge.


Three months later, half a dozen of guards who assisted in bringing down the Tarrasque were dead, their throats brutally torn out.

Spoiler: Level 10

Show

"Destruction is the path, and I am the tool that will carve it."

Skurduk's campaign of violence continued. All who opposed him were ruthlessly mown down. And as his anger grew, so did his powers. He gained the ability to reinforce his body, manifest his hate as burning flames, and guard himself from spells. Still, the kobold was not content, and neither was his invisible master.

Skurduk himself realized more and more how foolish the humans had been. To slay such a force of nature... did they not realize how this would disrupt the balance of nature? His thoughts moved from exacting revenge to finding a way to return this being, which he silently referred to as 'The Devourer'.

Spoiler: Level 15

Show

"Devourer, greatest of all! Grant us strength! Grant us courage! Grant us anger! And most of all; grant us hate!"

Skurduk has started to assemble a small cult dedicated to the Devourer and ensuring his return. Several of his followers have displayed the ability to use Incarnum, which Skurduk has discovered to be the name of his powers.

The kobold's philosophy has shifted, though. Rather than a mere few cities, he is becoming increasingly convinced that civilization, as a whole, disrupts the delicate balance between all that lives. He is directing his cultists to attack farms, mines, and ships, hoping to destroy cities by removing their resources. Skurduk dreams of leading a great army that leaves nothing but smoking ruins in it's wake, but such things are still far removed from him.

Skurduk's individual strength keeps improving. He can now cause his steps to rumble with thunder and energy, dealing heavy damage to all who are foolish enough to stand in his way.

Spoiler: Level 20

Show

"Equality through destruction."

At the peak of his power, Skurduk has a large cult under his command. No longer content with shaping Incarnum in a rigid, predictable way, he can now consume the rough energy itself to strenghten his own body.

The kobold is certain his wishes will be fulfilled soon, but for now he has bigger issues. Groups of so-called 'heroes' seek to slay him now that his continual attacks have caused ruler to place a bounty on his head. The kobold's story is far from ending, but what this ending will be? Only time will tell!

Spoiler: Build

Show

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Barbarian 1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Tumble 4, Craft (trapmaking) 4, Survival 2, Listen 2, Move Silently 2, Hide 2	Dragon Tail	Spiritual Lion Totem, Illiteracy, Rage 1/day
2nd	Incarnate 1	+1	+4	+0	+2	Craft (trapmaking) 5, Concentration 2	-	Aura, Detect Opposition, Meldshaping
3rd	Incarnate 2	+2	+5	+0	+3	Concentration 5	Shape Soulmeld (Dread Carapace)	Chakra Bind (Crown)
4th	Incarnate 3	+2	+5	+1	+3	Spellcraft 3	-	Expanded Soulmeld capacity +1, Incarnum Radiance (Evil) 1/day
5th	Incarnate 4	+3	+6	+1	+4	Craft (trapmaking) 6, Concentration 6, Spellcraft 4	-	Chakra Binds (feet, hands)
6th	Incarnate 5	+3	+6	+1	+4	Concentration 7, Knowledge (arcana) 2	Multiattack	Rapid Meldshaping 1/day
7th	Incarnate 6	+4	+7	+2	+5	Concentration 9, Knowledge (arcana) 3	-	-
8th	Incarnate 7	+4	+7	+2	+5	Concentration 11, Spellcraft 5	-	Share Incarnum Radiance
9th	Incarnate 8	+5	+8	+2	+6	Concentration 12, Craft (trapmaking) 8	Improved Multiattack	Incarnum Radiance 2/day
10th	Incarnate 9	+5	+8	+3	+6	Concentration 13, Knowledge (arcana) 5	-	Chakra Binds (arms, brow, shoulders)
11th	Incarnate 10	+6/+1	+9	+3	+7	Concentration 14, Knowledge (arcana) 7	-	-
12th	Incarnate 11	+6/+1	+9	+3	+7	Concentration 15, Spellcraft 7	Shape Soulmeld (Thunderstep Boots)	Rapid Meldshaping 2/day
13th	Incarnate 12	+7/+2	+10	+4	+8	Concentration 16, Spellcraft 8, Knowledge (arcana) 8	-	-
14th	Incarnate 13	+7/+2	+10	+4	+8	Concentration 17, Craft (trapmaking) 9, Spellcraft 9	-	Incarnum Radiance 3/day
15th	Incarnate 14	+8/+3	+11	+4	+9	Concentration 18, Knowledge (arcana) 10	Shape Soulmeld (Urskan Greaves)	Chakra Binds (throat, waist)
16th	Incarnate 15	+8/+3	+11	+5	+9	Concentration 19, Craft (trapmaking) 10, Spellcraft 10,	-	Expanded Soulmeld Capacity +2
17th	Incarnate 16	+9/+4	+12	+5	+10	Concentration 20, Knowledge (arcana) 11	-	Chakra Bind (heart)
18th	Incarnate 17	+9/+4	+12	+5	+10	Knowledge (arcana) 12, Craft (trapmaking) 11, Spellcraft 11	Cobalt Charge	Rapid Meldshaping 3/day, Share Incarnum Radiance (no fatigue)
19th	Incarnate 18	+10/+5	+13	+6	+11	Knowledge (arcana) 13, Craft (trapmaking) 12, Spellcraft 12	-	Incarnum Radiance 4/day
20th	Incarnate 19	+10/+5	+13	+6	+11	Knowledge (arcana) 14, Craft (trapmaking) 13, Spellcraft 13	-	Chakra Bind (soul)

Spoiler: Meldshaping

Show

Level	Soulmelds	Essentia	Chakra Binds
1st	-	-	-
2nd	2	1	0
3rd	3	2	1
4th	3	3	1
5th	4	4	1
6th	4	5	1
7th	4	6	2
8th	5	7	2
9th	5	8	2
10th	5	9	2
11th	6	10	3
12th	6	11	3
13th	7	12	3
14th	7	13	3
15th	7	14	4
16th	7	16	4
17th	8	18	4
18th	8	20	4
19th	8	22	5
20th	9	24	5

Spoiler: Level 1

Show

No incarnum yet! Instead, you start out as a barbarian. Before you say it, yes, this level is mainly there for Pounce. Skilled City-Dweller is used to exchange Ride for Tumble.

Skurduk is quite combat-ready here. He has all of his natural attacks from level 1 on, can use all at the end of a charge, and has a decent attack bonus. AC and HP aren't shabby either. All of this is improved when going into rage, and I recommend doing so as often as possible.

All things considered, this is a pretty typical natural weapon-based build.

Spoiler: Level 5

Show

Skurduk has picked up some actual meldshaping. This opens up some pretty cool options. Such as? Well, how about charging 200 feet, then full attacking your target into a bloody smear? Or maybe you feel more like using Dread Carapace to apply what amounts to 'Power Attack, but better' to all your attacks? Of course, you can always use Incarnum Radiance to add some extra damage to all your attacks...

Spoiler: Level 10

Show

Multiattack and Improved Multiattack. Boring, but effective. You will now hit often, hit hard, and hit quickly. Overall, I think this is the least interesting (albeit necessary) part of the build.

Spoiler: Level 15

Show

Ah, Thunderstep Boots and Urskan Greaves. Also known as: a handful of 1d4's per charge attack, and a chance to stun on each blow. Oh, and if you face anything immune to stunning, you can opt to gain more damage or more speed instead. Did I mention I love this level?

Spoiler: Level 20

Show

We finish off with some quite good options. Permanent flight? Permanent True Seeing? 1/week Gate? Even though your natural weapons do not improve, there is a lot to look forward to here.

Spoiler: Alignment

Show

Alignment is a tricky thing. Incarnates can lose almost all of their powers if they don't exactly fit in one of the four tiny boxes, so we better make sure Skurduk is NE.

I think it should be clear he is evil. If not, please consider the following:

Skurduk is attacking people, innocent people who have never done anything wrong, over a bunch of livestock. He doesn't even want the livestock, he'll kill it after killing its owners.
As for the Law/Chaos part... that's a tricky one. I personally think fair arguments could be made for both LE (doing evil things for a cause, racial tendencies) and CE (tearing down civilization, encouraging wanton destruction). In the end, I am assuming it kind of balances out to NE.

Spoiler: Items

Show

Boost Strength and Constitution. Everything that helps with natural attacks (Necklace of Natural Weapons) or charging (Valorous weapons) is helpful here. Everything that improves speed is too; while we can boost or speed ourselves, it is a lot better to keep that feet chakra free.Finally, it would be neat to gain a Ring of Regeneration, if only because of the 'ROWR IMMA TARRASQUE' factor.

Spoiler: Sources

Show

Monster Manual: Kobold, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack
Unearthed Arcana: Desert Kobold variant.
Complete Champion: Spiritual Lion Totem variant.
Cityscape Web Enhancement: Skilled City-dweller variant.
Dragon Tail: Races of the Dragon.

Everything else is either from MoI or the PHB.

[WhamBamSam]

Remember kids, only you can prevent bad bear puns. I bear-ly managed it. Wait, crap.

Billows the Beardragon
NG Silverbrow Human Sorcerer 5/Good Incarnate 2/Sentinel of Bharrai 3/Soulcaster 10
"I pity the fool who starts a forest fire."


Image credit first_daughter on deviantart (except for the hat…that bad boy was all me & MS Paint)

Spoiler: The Story

Show

Campers need to learn respect. The guy who had the job before me thought he could teach it to them through cartoons, slogans, and lectures...but I know better. Sometimes you just have to smack them upside the head. Repeatedly. I don't relish the task, but it's the only way some people will learn. Smokey seemed to think that every human was just a forgetful idiot who didn't realize they could burn down the entire Marthwood. Not me.

You see, I still have a human half--somewhere. And that half? It's selfish, greedy, disobedient, and destructive. It's best for everyone to keep that half under wraps. Instead, I let out my dragon half--noble, selfless, and strong. Humans don't forget they're about to set a fire; they just don't care. Some of them do it on purpose. That's what happened to me, you see--when I was a teenager, a careless game with flame wound up claiming a large swatch of the Marth. The members of my family not killed in the blaze were displaced, and I was exiled.

But the old me is dead, and the new me seeks to atone for my sins. This stupid hat is my nun's habit, and this job is my penance. You see, only I can prevent forest fires. So please, snuff out the torch so I don't have to snuff out you.

Spoiler: The Build

Show

Stats

Stat	Points Spent	Base	Race	Levels	Spells & Vows	Polar Bear Form (lvls 10+)	Total	Mod
STR	2	10	0	0	6 (Fist of Stone)	17	33	11
DEX	2	10	0	0	0	3	13	1
CON	10	16	0	0	2 (Vow)	3	21	5
INT	6	14	0	0	6 (Vow)	0	20	5
WIS	4	12	0	0	4 (Vow)	0	16	3
CHA	8	15	0	5	8 (Vow)	0	28	9

Levels

Level	Class	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Skills	Feats	Class Features (Vow Features)
1	Dragonblood Sorcerer 1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Concentration 4, Know: Arcana 4, Know: nature 2 (cc), Spellcraft 4	Sacred Vow, Dragon Heritage, Dragon Tail	Arcane Insight +2, Draconic Heritage (+2 perfection bonus to Diplomacy)
2	Dragonblood Sorcerer 2	+1	+0	+0	+3	Concentration 5, Know: Arcana 5, Know: nature 2.5 (cc), Spellcraft 5	-	-
3	Dragonblood Sorcerer 3	+1	+1	+1	+3	Concentration 6, Know: Arcana 6, Know: nature 3 (cc), Spellcraft 6	Vow of Poverty	(+5 Exalted AC, Endure Elements)
4	Dragonblood Sorcerer 4	+2	+1	+1	+4	Concentration 7, Know: Arcana 7, Know: nature 3.5 (cc), Spellcraft 7	Intuitive Attack	Arcane Insight +4, Spell-Like Ability: Blood Wind 3/day (+1 exalted strike to atk/dmg)
5	Dragonblood Domain Sorcerer 5	+2	+1	+1	+4	Concentration 7, Know: Arcana 7, Know: nature 7.5, Spellcraft 7	-	Domain Access: Animal, Speak w/ Animals 1/day, (Sustenance)
6	Incarnate 1	+2	+3	+1	+6	Concentration 8, Know: Arcana 8, Know: nature 8 (cc), Spellcraft 8	Draconic Claw, Vow of Obedience	Aura of Good, Detect Evil, (+6 Exalted AC, +1 Deflection to AC)
7	Incarnate 2	+3	+4	+1	+7	Concentration 10, Know: Arcana 9, Know: nature 8, Spellcraft 9	-	Chakra bind: crown, (+1 resistance to saves, +2 CHA)
8	Sentinel of Bharrai 1	+3	+4	+1	+9	Concentration 11, Know: Arcana 11, Know: nature 8, Spellcraft 10, Survival 1	Nymph's Kiss, Track (B)	Nature-friendly spells, Track, Swap Spell-Like Ability: Wraithstrike 3/day (+1 natural armor bonus, mind shielding)
9	Sentinel of Bharrai 2	+4	+4	+1	+10	Concentration 12, Know: Arcana 12, Know: nature 8, Spellcraft 12, Survival 4	Incarnum Spellshaping	Fire Resistance 10, (+7 Exalted AC)
10	Sentinel of Bharrai 3	+4	+5	+2	+10	Concentration 13, Know: Arcana 13, Know: nature 8, Spellcraft 13, Survival 8	Subduing Strike	Bear Shape, Quickened Call Lightning 1/day, 3/day (DR 5/magic, +2 exalted strike to atk/dmg)
11	Soulcaster 1	+4	+5	+2	+12	Concentration 14, Know: Arcana 14, Know: nature 8, Spellcraft 14, Survival 9.5 (cc)	-	Arcane Investment 1 (+ 4 CHA, +2 INT)
12	Soulcaster 2	+5	+5	+2	+13	Concentration 15, Know: Arcana 15, Know: nature 8, Spellcraft 15, Survival 11 (cc)	Arcane Strike, Sanctify Natural Attack	(Greater Sustenance, +8 Exalted AC, +2 Deflection to AC)
13	Soulcaster 3	+5	+6	+3	+13	Concentration 16, Know: Arcana 16, Know: nature 8.5 (cc), Spellcraft 16, Survival 12 (cc)	-	Chakra binds: crown/feet/hands (Resist 5 acid/cold/fire/electric/sonic, +2 resistance to saves)
14	Soulcaster 4	+6/+1	+6	+3	+14	Concentration 17, Know: Arcana 17, Know: nature 9 (cc), Spellcraft 17, Survival 13 (cc)	Touch of Golden Ice	(Freedom of Movement, +3 exalted strike to atk/dmg)
15	Soulcaster 5	+6/+1	+6	+3	+14	Concentration 18, Know: Arcana 18, Know: nature 9.5 (cc), Spellcraft 18, Survival 14.5 (cc)	Extend Spell	(DR 5/evil, +9 Exalted AC, +6 CHA, +4 INT, +2 WIS)
16	Soulcaster 6	+7/+2	+7	+4	+15	Concentration 19, Know: Arcana 19, Know: nature 10 (cc), Spellcraft 19, Survival 16 (cc)	Nimbus of Light	(+2 natural armor bonus)
17	Soulcaster 7	+7/+2	+7	+4	+15	Concentration 20, Know: Arcana 20, Know: nature 10.5 (cc), Spellcraft 20, Survival 17.5 (cc)	-	Arcane Investment 2 (Faster healing, +4 exalted strike to atk/dmg, +3 resistance to saves)
18	Soulcaster 8	+8/+3	+7	+4	+16	Concentration 21, Know: Arcana 21, Know: nature 11 (cc), Spellcraft 21, Survival 19 (cc)	Persistent Spell, Holy Radiance	Swap Spell-Like Ability: Open Lesser Chakra 3/day, Chakra binds: arms/brow/shoulders, Swap Spell-Like Ability: Freezing Fog 3/day (True Seeing, +10 Exalted AC, +3 Deflection to AC)
19	Soulcaster 9	+8/+3	+8	+5	+16	Concentration 22, Know: Arcana 22, Know: nature 11.5 (cc), Spellcraft 22, Survival 21 (cc)	-	(DR 10/evil, +8 CHA, +6 INT, +4 WIS, +2 CON)
20	Soulcaster 10	+9/+4	+8	+5	+17	Concentration 23, Know: Arcana 23, Know: nature 12 (cc), Spellcraft 23, Survival 23 (cc)	Stigmata	Magical Distillation, (Resist 15 acid/cold/fire/electric/sonic, +5 exalted strike to atk/dmg)

Spellcasting

Level	Level 0	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5	Level 6	Level 7	Level 8	Level 9	Spells Known
1	5	3									Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Calm Animals (d), Blood Wind
2	6	4									Mage Hand
3	6	5									Fist of Stone
4	6	5	2								Acid Splash, Hold Animal (d)
5	6	5	3								Critical Strike, Wraithstrike
6	6	5	3
7	6	5	3
8	6	6	4	2							Resistance, Dominate Animal (d)
9	6	6	5	3							Detect Incarnum, Wings of Cover, Dispel Magic
10	6	6	5	4	3						Ghost Sound, Summon Nature's Ally IV (d)
11	6	6	5	5	4						Bladeweave, Evard's Menacing Tentacles, Gutsnake
12	6	6	5	5	5	3					Ray of Frost, Commune with Nature (d)
13	6	6	5	5	6	4					Suffer the Flesh, Ferocity of Sanguine Rage, Wings of Flurry, Bite of the Weretiger
14	6	6	5	5	6	5	3				Antilife Shell (d)
15	6	6	5	5	6	6	4				Shadow Conjuration, Draconic Polymorph, Antimagic Field
16	6	6	5	5	6	6	5	3			Animal Shapes (d)
17	6	6	5	5	6	6	6	4			Shadow Evocation, Freezing Fog, Open Lesser Chakra
18	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	2		Summon Nature's Ally VIII (d)
19	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	3		Spell Turning, Moment of Prescience
20	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	4	3	Shapechange (d)

Meldshaping

Level	Soulmelds	Essentia	Chakra Binds	Sample Soulmelds
1	0	0	0
2	0	0	0
3	0	0	0
4	0	0	0
5	0	0	0
6	2	1	0	Lucky Dice, Crystal Helm
7	3	2	1	Airstep Sandals, Crystal Helm bound to crown
8	3	2	1
9	3	2	1
10	3	2	1
11	3	3	1
12	4	4	1	Bluesteel Bracers
13	4	5	1
14	4	6	2	Astral Vambraces bound to hands
15	5	7	2	Strongheart Vest
16	5	8	2
17	5	9	2
18	6	10	3	Charming Veil bound to brow
19	6	11	3
20	6	12	3

Spoiler: Design Notes

Show

Tactics by Level

• 1-5: On the offensive front, Fist of Stone is your bread & butter. The bonus to STR makes your attack bonus relevant (along with your vow's Exalted Strike and Lucky Dice), and the slam is your first natural attack. Dragon Tail gives you a second attack and Critical Strike gives you Improved Critical with both. However, the big two are Wraithstrike & Blood Wind (which you eventually convert into a SLA) to make your natural attacks as touch attacks with a 20-ft range. On the defensive front, your Vow gives some AC and Lucky Dice can give a bit of defense. On utility, you've got some skill with Arcane Insight and Lucky Dice. Prestidigitation & Mage Hand are awesome as usual, and you've got the whole natural world at your beckon call with your domain access at 5th level.
• 6-10: Our natural attack routine adds two claws via Draconic Claw, but the real fun is that you basically get Quicken Claw attack whenever you cast a spell as a standard action. Wraithstrike is now your SLA, but the real star of the show comes on in Bear Shape! Claws and a bite are great, but you also get sick boosts to STR as well as Improved Grab with your claws. On defense, you've got Fire Resistance and DR...but we're really here to talk about Wings of Cover! One of my favorite "NO" buttons in D&D, it can save your hide a ton. You've also Dispel Magic for when you just want to make spells go away. In utility Nymph's Kiss plus your nice CHA makes you a backup face, and you get the ability to Track. You also open access to Incarnum spells, Airstep Sandals gives you flight, Dominate Animal lets you minionmance 1/day, and 1/day Summon NA can be used to call up a bevy of animals.
• 11-15: Offensively, you get Arcane Strike--necessary for any true gish build (which you are). Speaking of offense, Bladeweave lets you add a save or suck effect to your attack routine, Gutsnake gives you a tentacle (err, kinda), Ferocity of Sanguine Rage gives a damage boost to your natural attacks, Bite of the Weretiger gives you the natural attack feats we didn't have room for like Multiattack, and you get an awesome AoE in Wings of Flurry. Bluesteel Bracers gives you some combat bonuses, and Astral Vambraces come in to give you 2 slams instead of 1. Defensively, Touch of Golden Ice should dissuade eveil from touching you, Freedom of Movement is always handy, you get more energy resistance, and Strongheart Vest comes onboard to mitigate ability damage (more on that later)! Utility is there too, though, between Extend Spell, the infinite variety of spells like Shadow Conjuration & Draconic Polymorph, and your ability to be "in tune with the wild" from a 1/day Commune w/ Nature. *deep breath*
• 16-20: Persistent Spell. Don't get me wrong, offense gets Freezing Fog for control & another SNA for allies, Defense has Moment of Prescience, True Seeing, more resistances, & Spell Turning, and Utility gets Moment of Prescience Open Lesser Chakra for our friends who took Shape Soulmeld, Shadow Evocation for even more variety, Shapechange for more shapes, Moment of Prescience, Charming Veil for read thoughts 1/round, & Animal Shapes to share the shapeshifting with our friends...but Persistent Spell. Most of your low-level gems like Bladeweave, Wraithstrike, Critical Strike, and the list goes on can all be persisted. So do it already and enjoy the buffs. Your leftover slots? You'll find a use for them, even if it's just powering Arcane Strike all day long.

UoSI

• Meldshaping: Soulcaster gives us the odd ability to turn spells into essentia (usually a bad trade) or invest essentia into spells (usually not worth it), but more importantly it provides the dual-progression necessary to keep arcane casting and meldshaping going. Not only that, but its easy requirements allow us to enter with only a splash into incarnate. In exchange, we slow our progression of chakra binds and give up access to the greater chakras and the incarnate-only ones. Luckily, none of those options are as game-breakingly awesome as 9th level spells, so it's an easy exchange. By the end of the day, we've got 9th level sorcerer spells and the meldshaping progression of a 12th-level incarnate, which ain't half bad. Some of the uses are pretty straightforward (like Lucky Dice to gain a steady stream of minor bonuses), but we're here for the tricks. Crystal Helm adds the Force descriptor to your natural attacks, which is basically like getting Ghost Strike on all of your natural attacks for free. Speaking of those, the online article cited in our sources contains the psionic soulmeld Astral Vambraces...which can be bound to a chakra for TWO free Slam attacks! At that point, feel free to swap out Fist of Stone's paltry one slam. The same article provides Charming Veil, a soulmeld that is underrated and can give you the ability to read thoughts every round! Coming back to the MoI melds, everyone loves Strongheart Vest for their Hellfire Warlocks...but we can also use it to power Stigmata's ability to heal allies and Suffer The Flesh's CL boost. A Persistent Suffer the Flesh cast with 4 full essentia in Strongheart Vest can bring your CL up to a full 20, and then you can reallocate your essentia while the spell continues all day. OR...you could fuel Stigmata. At 20th level, that 4 essentia turns into 160 HP of healing spread between 4 allies or 4 new saves against a disease that's wracking the party. You can also "save" uses if less than 4 allies need healing for up to an hour. Stigmata says you can't restore the CON damage you take, but Strongheart Vest doesn't restore anything; it just lessens it. Granted, you can always take MORE CON damage with either trick and just mitigate it with Strongheart Vest...but who actually takes CON damage these days? Granted, this is not well received by all DMs, so tread lightly.
• Natural Attacks: Your routine involves 2 claws, a bite, your dragon tail, 2 slams from Astral Vambraces, a tentacle (sorta) from Gutsnake, and 2 tentacles from Evard's Menacing Tentacles. You may look unnatural, but they're all natural attacks. The way Bear Shape is worded, it's essentially at-will persistent polymorph with a small set number of forms to choose. Based on the way polymorph is worded:
  

  You retain all supernatural and spell-like special attacks and qualities of your normal form, except for those requiring a body part that the new form does not have (such as a mouth for a breath weapon or eyes for a gaze attack). You keep all extraordinary special attacks and qualities derived from class levels, but you lose any from your normal form that are not derived from class levels. If the new form is capable of speech, you can communicate normally. You retain any spellcasting ability you had in your original form, but the new form must be able to speak intelligibly (that is, speak a language) to use verbal components and must have limbs capable of fine manipulation to use somatic or material components.

  You get to keep everything derived from class levels, essentially, including your spellcasting and meldshaping. So Bear Form first, then buff up to your heart's content. Since one of your natural attacks (your tail) derives from a feat, I'm guessing it's an Ex special attack not derived from class levels, but check w/ your DM. The picture above retained it because it's awesome. No mater whether you get one more natural attack, Multiattack, Power Attack, & Blindfight are grabbed from Bite of the Weretiger, and you can make all of these at range w/ Blood Wind...but the real boosts are persistent. You can make them all Force descriptor w/ Crystal Helm, touch attacks w/ Wraithstrike, doubled crit range w/ Critical Strike, boosted damage w/ Ferocity of Sanguine Rage, but you can also pick one person damaged each round to save vs. daze from the awesome Bladeweave spell. There are little boosts here and there like the extra damage against evil from Sanctify Natural Attack and the ability to inflict a ravage via Touch of Golden Ice (which deals Dex damage to evil targets, making them easier to hit each time), but just having Force attacks delivered against Touch AC with a doubled crit range and +10 extra damage on each with the choice to make someone save against dazing 1/round against enemies within 20 ft should be a good start. For the times that you're buffing or casting some other standard action spell, you can still get in on the fun with a swift claw attack. Since it's a natural weapon, that swift action will benefit from all of the above as well.

Gear: No need. Vow of Poverty all day.

Adaptation:

• Bear's Cant Cast Spells!: If your DM thinks bear paws can't perform the "fine manipulation" required for spellcasting, try Surrogate Spellcasting in place of Arcane Strike. Found in Savage Species, it allows you to cast in bear form by RAW even if your DM is more restrictive.
• Fractional BAB & Saves: If this rule is in place, BAB rises to +10/+5 and saves switch to +9/+6/+12.
• Flaws: If these are allowed, taking Bind Vestige (Amon) and Practiced Binder allow you to snag darkvision and a ram attack to add to your routine of natural attacks.
• Multiclass Penalties: No need to fret! Silverbrow Humans, like their non-dragonblooded counterparts, can have any class as their favored class so our incarnate dip won't come back to bite us when the rest of the party levels. We'll be right there with them.
• Ugh, Vow of Poverty?: If your DM doesn't care for Exalted business, switch up the build to a Dragonblood Sorcerer 4/Incarnate 2/Soulcaster 2/Fatespinner 4. Losing the Domain Access sorcerer (which we just needed to make Know: nature a class skill for Sentinel of Bharrai) gives us back some more spells known, so we can actually pick up Open Greater Chakra as a 9th-level spell and utilize soulmelds a bit more. Items give you the ability to snag runestaves to add some spells known (essentially) as well as the always fun Necklace of Natural Attacks. In terms of feats, everything moves up a bit; Incarnum Spellshaping at 3rd, Extend Spell at 6th, Arcane Strike at 9th, and Persistent Spell at 12th free up our 15th & 18th level feats. You can snag Bind Vestige & Practiced Binder as above, Multiattack & its improved version to boost attack bonuses, Improved Natural Attack to edge up damage a little, or anything else you'd like. I guess that's the Iron Chef version of "season to taste."

Sources Used

• PHB (Sorcerer, Extend Spell, Animal Domain, spells)
• Dragon Magic (Silverbrow Human, spells)
• Races of the Dragon (dragonblood sorcerer, Draconic Claw, Dragon Heritage, Dragon Tail)
• Magic of Incarnum (incarnate, Soulcaster, Incarnum Spellshaping, incarnum spells, melds)
• http://web.archive.org/web/20131013074007/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20060217a (Astral Vambraces, Charming Veil)
• Book of Exalted Deeds (Sentinel of Bharrai, exalted feats)
• Complete Champion (Domain Access ACF)
• Complete Warrior (Arcane Strike)
• Spell Compendium (spells)
• Magic of Eberron (Suffer the Flesh)
• PHB II (more spells)
• I don't know if I missed any (spells)

[WhamBamSam]

There's something fishy about this. Better look for clues.

Elh!ana the female NE Draconic Darfellan Barbarian 1 / Incarnate 18

Spoiler: Background

Show

Elh!ana swam towards the habour as she had heard whisperings that a hidden village of Aquatic elves regularly sent a trader there, and she intended to try and capture him next time he got there, to *persuade* him to tell where the village were. There she would hopefully find solid enough proof that they worked under the Sahuagins to get the landbound races to accept the fact and start helping with her purge of the seas.

Not that she, if she were honest with herself, believed that such proof would be just lying around, as the Sahuagins were far to cunning and sneaky for that, but she knew that they ruled all of the undersea, and sooner or later she would find it. While she didn't have anything but pity towards Aquatic Elves or Mermaids or any of the other Humanoid races of the sea, she knew that they were vassals under the Sahuagins, hence they were just as guilty towards the Sahuagin raid on her hometown a few years ago after that they had a Kua-Toa cleric kill the Bronze Dragon that had protected the settlement for centuries.

All of the Sahuagins and their vassal races had to die for that transgression, may the souls of the dragon and her ancestors protect her from pulling her down towards their evils.

Spoiler: Stats

Show

Ability	Base	Race	Template	Total
Strength:	16	+2	+2	20
Dexterity:	16	-2		14
Constitution:	16		+2	18
Intelligence:	8			8
Wisdom:	10			10
Charisma:	8		+2	10

First 3 Ability Modifiers in Strength, last in Constitution.

Spoiler: Build Table

Show

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Barbarian 1	+1	+2	+0	+0	Listen 4, Survival 4, Swim 4	Dragon Tail	Lion Totem (Pounce), Illiteracy, Favored Enemy [Humanoid (Aquatic)]
2nd	Incarnate 1	+1	+4	+0	+2	Craft (Taxidermy) 1		Aura, Detect Opposition
3rd	Incarnate 2	+2	+5	+0	+3	Craft (Taxidermy) 2	Multiattack	Chakra Bind (Crown)
4th	Incarnate 3	+2	+5	+1	+3	Craft (Taxidermy) 3		Expanded Soulmeld Capacity +1, Incarnum Radience 1/day
5th	Incarnate 4	+3	+6	+1	+4	Craft (Taxidermy) 4		Chakra Bind (Feets, Hands)
6th	Incarnate 5	+3	+6	+1	+4	Craft (Taxidermy) 5	Cobolt Charge	Rapid Meldshaping 1/day
7th	Incarnate 6	+4	+7	+2	+5	Craft (Taxidermy) 6
8th	Incarnate 7	+4	+7	+2	+5	Craft (Taxidermy) 7		Share Incarnum Radiance
9th	Incarnate 8	+5	+8	+2	+6	Craft (Taxidermy) 8	Shape Soulmeld (Thunderstep Boots)	Incarnum Radiance 2/day
10th	Incarnate 9	+5	+8	+3	+6	Craft (Taxidermy) 9		Chakra Binds (Arms, Brow, Shoulders)
11th	Incarnate 10	+6	+9	+3	+7	Craft (Taxidermy) 10
12th	Incarnate 11	+6	+9	+3	+7	Craft (Taxidermy) 11	Improved Multiattack	Rapid Meldshaping 2/day
13th	Incarnate 12	+7	+10	+4	+8	Craft (Taxidermy) 12
14th	Incarnate 13	+7	+10	+4	+8	Craft (Taxidermy) 3		Incarum Radiance 3/day
15th	Incarnate 14	+8	+11	+4	+9	Craft (Taxidermy) 14	Expanded Soulmeld Capacity	Chakra Binds (Throat, Waist)
16th	Incarnate 15	+8	+11	+5	+9	Craft (Taxidermy) 15		Expanded Soulmeld Capacity +2
17th	Incarnate 16	+9	+12	+5	+10	Craft (Taxidermy) 16		Chakra Bind (Heart)
18th	Incarnate 17	+9	+12	+5	+10	Craft (Taxidermy) 17	Bonus Essentia	Rapid Meldshaping 3/day, Share Incarum Radiance (no Fatigue)
19th	Incarnate 18	+10	+13	+6	+11	Craft (Taxidermy) 18		Incarum Radiance 4/day

Spoiler: Meldshaping

Show

Level	Soulmelds	Essentia	Chakra Binds
2nd	2	1	0
3rd	3	2	1
4th	3	3	1
5th	4	4	1
6th	4	5	1
7th	4	6	2
8th	5	7	2
9th	5	8	2
10th	5	9	2
11th	6	10	3
12th	6	11	3
13th	6	12	3
14th	7	13	3
15th	7	14	4
16th	7	16	4
17th	8	18	4
18th	8	20	4
19th	8	22	5

Default Binds

Soulmeld	type	Placement	Effect
Crystal Helm	Bound	Crown	+2 Will against Charm/compulsion (+1 Deflection AC/Essentia) : Melee attacks gain [Force] descriptor
Thunderstep Boots	Bound	Feet	1d4 Sonic Damage on each attack when charging (+1d4/Essentia) : Stun damaged creatures for 1 turn (Fort Negates)
Astral Vambraces	Bound	Hands	DR2/magic (+2/Essentia) : two Slam Attacks, 1d6 damage
Bloodwar Gauntlets	Shaped	Arms	+1 on Attack Rolls (+1 Morale Damage/Essentia)
Keeneye Lenses	Bound	Brow	+4 Insight bonus to Spot (+2/Essentia) : Continuous 'See Invisiblility'
Pauldrons of Health	Bound	Shoulders	Immune to Disease, sickened and nauseated (+1 Fort Save/Essentia) : Immune to Energy Drain
Vitality Belt	Shaped	Waist	+4 on Constitution checks and Constitution based Skill checks (+Meldshaper Level HP/Essentia)
Spellward Shirt	Shaped	Heart	Spell Resistence 5 (+4/Essentia)
Incarnate Avatar	Shaped	Soul	(+2 Melee Damage/Essentia)

Spoiler: Character Notes

Show

Elh!ana's available Natural Weapons is:

Bite (1d6) (default primary weapon)
Slam (1d6) x2
Claw (1d3) x2
Tail (1d6)

Got a total of 25 Essentia to move around, although 4 of them would likely be tied up in Cobolt Charge, leaving 21 to go, which when i have a maxinum of 7 in each soulmeld would leave me able to boost 3 of them to max, most often (that is, combat) being Incarnate Avatar, Thunderstep Boots and Bloodwar Gauntlets, leaving me with a combat ability as this:

Pounce with all 6 of my natural weapons (or 7 if i'm willing to eat an AOO from a nonproficient unarmed strike) at a ToHit of +10 (BAB) + 1 (Bloodwar Gauntlets) + 7 (Strength) + 2 (Charge) + 4(Cobolt Charge) = +24, before items, with main damage comming from Thunderstep boots and Incarnate Avatar, ending up with maxxed at dealing dice + 8d4 (Thunderstep) + 14 (Incarnate Avatar) + 7 (Bloodwar Gauntlets) + 4 (Cobolt Charge) + 8 (Incarnum Radiance) = d+8d4+33), and either .5 or 1.5 strength depending on if its primary or secondary, on each attack with all of them equally likely to hit due to Improved Multiattack

Spoiler: Sources

Show

Source	Material Used
Complete Champion	Spiritual Totem (Barbarian ACF)
Draconomicon	Improved Multiattack
Magic of Incarnum	Incarnate, Bonus Essentia, Cobolt Charge, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity, Shape Soulmeld
Monster Manual	Multiattack
Psionics of Incarnum	Astral Vambraces
Races of the Dragon	Draconic Template, Dragon Tail
Stromwreck	Darfellan
Unearthed Arcana	Crafty Hunter (Barbarian ACF)

[WhamBamSam]

The blade must be a part of your arm. Can you drop part of your arm?

LN 6 incarnate/4 psywar/ 10 soul manifester/
STR 14 DEX 10 CON 16(+4) INT 12 WIS 15(+1) CHA 10

Spoiler: Backstory

Show

“Body, Mind and Soul. I am superior.”

The highway had been desolate for weeks. Markus and his group of bandits had once robbed a merchant a week but the war had prevented anything from getting in or out of the cities. The men were almost starving now. They would have to pack up and leave, maybe to become mercenaries in a neighbouring army... Rain had begun to soak the dirt road, and the wind began to howl through the trees.

One of the scouts scurried up to Markus. “Boss, single person on the road. Doesn’t look like he has any weapons. Bag of holding on his back, might have some goodies. No armour either. Might be a mage. Its a risk.”

“Doesn’t matter. Either we try or we starve. Move the men into place.”

By the time everyone was in place for the ambush a man stepped into view, dressed in simple robes and carrying nothing but a bag. He walked quickly but seemed bored. As the man passed by Markus’ hiding place, Markus could swear he felt the man look at him. Suddenly the traveller stopped. “I can tell that none of you are worth the trouble. Don’t bother. The few coins in my bag are not worth your limbs.”

Markus hesitated, but decided to go through with the ambush anyways. He sounded the attack. The first man to charge was sidestepped, and a slash too quick to be seen took his sword hand off. The traveller threw off his cloak to reveal a humanoid radiating with purple and blue energy. His most prominent feature was that his right arm ended just above the elbow, instead giving way to a long blade that replaced his limb. “You may continue to bore me. Or you can spend your last few moments bleeding into the dirt. Your choice.” Markus called off the attack. There was no point in having everyone die over a few coins. “Excellent choice. Take these and leave this area. Stop assaulting the people who walk this road. Otherwise I will return with stern words, boring as you are.” He took a satchel filled with gold and dropped it on the ground and left as soon as he came.

Master Lee had always been different from the other monks. Rather than training every day to learn to channel ki inwards and become more whole beings, Master Lee’s pure discipline and strength of will shone outwards. Gifted with both psionics and incarnum, Lee quickly outgrew his monastery and left to challenge himself. As part of this challenge, Lee vowed to never use a weapon that was not borne of his own talents. With every battle he grew more attuned to his powers. Eventually he could blur the line between psionics and incarnum, able to swap his energies back and forth at will. Lee tore through any opposition in his path, turning aside blades and mages alike on his path to perfection. Even dragons, demons and aberrations could not stand against him. Rumour has it that he once wrestled a red wyrm from its mountain home and threw it to its death after removing its wings. Lee will walk his path until he is either satisfied or until he has been defeated.

Spoiler: Build table

Show

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	PsyWar 1	+0	+2	+0	+0	4 concentration, 4 autohypnosis, 4 knowledge(psionics)	Psicrystal Affinity, Azure Talent	-
2nd	PsyWar 2	+1	+3	+0	+0	5 concentration, 5 autohypnosis, 5 knowledge(psionics)	Psycarnum Infusion	-
3rd	Incarnate 1	+1	+5	+0	+2	6 concentration, 5 autohypnosis, 5 knowledge(psionics), 1 knowledge(arcana), 1 spellcraft	Multiattack	Aura, detect opposition
4th	Incarnate 2	+2	+6	+0	+3	7 concentration, 5 autohypnosis, 5 knowledge(psionics), 2 knowledge(arcana), 2 spellcraft	-	Chakra bind(crown)
5th	Incarnate 3	+2	+6	+1	+3	8 concentration, 5 autohypnosis, 5 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft	-	Expanded Soulmeld Capacity
6th	PsyWar 3	+3	+6	+2	+4	9 concentration, 6 autohypnosis, 6 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft	Psionic Meditation	-
7th	PsyWar 4	+4	+7	+2	+4	9 concentration, 6 autohypnosis, 8 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft	-	-
8th	Soul Manifester 1	+4	+7	+2	+6	9 concentration, 6 autohypnosis, 8 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 3 psicraft	-	Psionic Investment 1
9th	Soul Manifester 2	+5	+4	+2	+7	11 concentration, 6 autohypnosis, 8 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 4 psicraft	Practiced Manifester	-
10th	Soul Manifester 3	+5	+5	+3	+7	13 concentration, 6 autohypnosis, 8 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 5 psicraft	-	Chakra binds (crown, feet, hands)
11th	Soul Manifester 4	+6	+5	+3	+8	14 concentration, 8 autohypnosis, 8 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 5 psicraft	-	-
12th	Soul Manifester 5	+6	+5	+3	+8	15 concentration, 10 autohypnosis, 8 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 5 psicraft	Shape soulmeld(Totem Avatar)	-
13th	Soul Manifester 6	+7	+5	+4	+9	16 concentration, 10 autohypnosis, 8 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 5 psicraft, 1 tumble	-	-
14th	Soul Manifester 7	+7	+5	+4	+9	17 concentration, 12 autohypnosis, 8 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 5 psicraft, 1 tumble	-	Psionic Investment 2
15th	Soul Manifester 8	+8	+5	+4	+10	18 concentration, 12 autohypnosis, 10 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 5 psicraft, 1 tumble	Expanded Knowledge(schism)	Chakra binds (arms, brow, shoulders)
16th	Soul Manifester 9	+8	+6	+5	+10	19 concentration, 14 autohypnosis, 10 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 5 psicraft, 1 tumble	-	-
17th	Soul Manifester 10	+9	+6	+5	+11	20 concentration, 16 autohypnosis, 10 knowledge(psionics), 3 knowledge(arcana), 3 spellcraft, 5 psicraft, 1 tumble	-	Psionic Distillation
18th	Incarnate 4	+10	+7	+5	+12	20 concentration, 16 autohypnosis, 10 knowledge(psionics), 5 knowledge(arcana), 4 spellcraft, 5 psicraft, 1 tumble	Double Bind(arms)	-
19th	Incarnate 5	+10	+7	+5	+12	20 concentration, 16 autohypnosis, 10 knowledge(psionics), 7 knowledge(arcana), 5 spellcraft, 5 psicraft, 1 tumble	-	Rapid Meldshaping 1/day
20th	Incarnate 6	+11	+8	+6	+13	20 concentration, 16 autohypnosis, 10 knowledge(psionics), 8 knowledge(arcana), 7 spellcraft, 5 psicraft, 1 tumble	-	-

Spoiler: Breakdown

Show

1-5
2 psywar/3 incarnate

Master Lee starts off as a standard Psychic Warrior for the larger health at first level. Kalashtar is the chosen race, because a bonus power point a level helps PsyWars greatly. He takes one more level, and takes a Psicrystal, Azure Talent, and Psycarnum Infusion as feats. At level 3 we start the meldshaping progression, going 3 levels into Incarnate to qualify for Soul Manifester, and also to get Expanded Soulmeld Capacity for all of our soulmelds. At this level we use Incarnum Weapon and act more like a bruiser with Expansion, with some other utility granted from Incarnate to get by. We also grab Psychic Meditation at level 6. This becomes important later on in the build. Psycrystal Containment is also an option here.

5-10
4 psywar/3 incarnate/3 soul manifester
We go back into PsyWay for 2 more levels to get access to level 2 powers, and thus Soul Manifester. Even though it has a D4 HD, bad BaB and 2 skill points a level, the power list and soulmelds make up for it. We can boost our to-hit with soulmelds like Incarnum Weapon and Incarnate Avatar, while taking utility soulmelds like Airstep Sandals. We also get the hands, feet and crown chakras. Natural weapons come from PsyWar, but this is also the level where we get the main trick of the build. Using Graft Weapon with Incarnum Weapon provides an easily enhanceable attack that counts as both natural and manufactured, meaning it benefits from Multiattack and can also make iteratives.

At level 6 we pick Multiattack, qualifying for it with Astral Vambraces and Bite of the Wolf. At level 9 we take Practiced Manifester.

11-15
4 psyway/3 incarnate/8 soul manifester/
Not much to say here. We just keep on trucking, picking up more soulmelds and powers at every level. We get the arms, brow and shoulder chakras, all useful for a gish. Feat wise, Shape Soulmeld(Totem Avatar) is taken to get more bang for our buck out of the newly acquired shoulders chakras. We also grab expanded knowledge(schism) to punch the action economy in its face, since now we can manifest our lower level powers with it, and even shuffle around our essentia with that extra action. Another trick is using Psycarnum Infusion during our regular turn, say if we need a bunch of AC from Crystal Helm right now, but also need to full attack.

16-20
4 psyway/6 incarnate/10 soul manifester/
On the last leg of the race now, and we finish off Soul Manifester, and go back into Incarnate to grab more binds and essentia, as well as Rapid Meldshaping. For our last feat we grab Double Bind(arms), so that we can keep the stun on hit from Incarnate Weapon on, while still retaining the fly speed from Astral Vambraces. If for some reason we really need essentia we can burn powerpoints for it with the capstone of Soul Manifester.

We finish off with 11 BaB, 14th level manifesting(18 ML), 16th level meldshaping (19 essentia) and a very large amount of versatility. We can shape 8 soulmelds(with a 5 essentia capacity), bind 4, and use Psycarnum Infusion to blow one of our 2 psionic focuses for those binds that don’t constantly need essentia, on top of our great power list. In emergencies we can use rapid meldshaping to grab a soulmeld that we don’t currently have shaped.

Spoiler: Powers/Essentia

Show

All buffs active: Expansion, Bite of the Wolf, Inertial Armour, Strength of my enemy, graft weapon, open chakra(if we feel the need)
1 bite (Bite of the wolf) 3d8+4
1 grafted weapons (Graft weapon, Incarnate Weapon) 4d6+12 longsword
-Incarnate weapon is the primary and makes the iterative attacks
1 slam (astral vambraces)
Saves
10/5/14
Powers: 14 known, 100 PP
1-
Expansion
Bite of the Wolf
Inertial armour
Vigor
2-
Hustle
Strength of my enemy
Damp Power
Detect Hostile Intent
3-
Graft Weapon
Dimension Slide
4-
Open Chakra (!)(opens waist/throat)
Energy Adaptation
Steadfast Perception
Schism(b)
5-
Perfect Riposte


Soulmelds used: 19 essentia, 8 shaped, 4 bound
Lightning Gauntlets- (hands) 2 essentia- electrocute fools. Prime candidate for psycarnum infusion

Vitality Belt 5 essentia- Get health so we don’t die!
Totem Avatar (shoulders) +16 hp - Get bigger arms! Also get NA.
Incarnum Weapon(Arms) 3 essentia- Hit people with your sword-arm! Stun them!
Incarnate Avatar 5 essentia- channel the LAW! get that sweet, sweet to hit that we need.
Astral Vambraces(Arms)- fly, punch people
Crystal Helm(Crown) - punch ghosts, don’t give a hell. Also get deflection AC
Spellward Shirt 5 essentia - get spell resistance, punch mages

Spoiler: Adaptations/FAQ

Show

Weapons? In my natural-attacks-focused Junkyard Wars? Well yeah, since Graft Weapon makes them count as natural, why not? This was another one that I asked the chair.

For the purpose of the 'no Totemist' clause, does that mean we can't use Totemist soulmelds? For example, if I were to take shape soulmeld(girallons arms), would it be illegal? Secondly, are weapons that count as both manufactured and natural fair game? For example, PsyWar's Graft Weapon power.

Totemist Soulmelds through Shape Soulmeld (or just appearing on another meldshapers list) are fair game, as are weapons that count as both manufactured and natural. It's just levels in the Totemist base class that are forbidden.

Alternate Builds:
4 psywar/3 incarnate/8 soul manifester/5 legacy champion
This was what I originally had to do, but I had a really hard time justifying it. It was overall a much more powerful build, gaining level 6 powers, better BaB and better HP.

5 psywar/5 incarnate/10 soul manifester/
6 psywar/4 incarnate/10 soul manifester
3 incarnate/4 psywar/10 soul manifester/3 incarnum blade
This group was mediocre all the way through.

You don't have that many natural weapons
My original build idea didn't pan out how I liked. This contest was actually quite difficult, as most attacking soulmelds come from Totemist, and PsyWar only really gets Claws of the Beast and a few others. Getting 2 more levels in PsyWar would give us Form of Doom, giving 4 extra attacks. I also tried to not step on King of Smack's toes, hence no Claws of the Beast.

Isn’t Azure Talent + Psycarnum Infusion an infinite PP abuse trick?
Not quite. It needs Midnight Augmentation and a Torc of Power Preservation to work. I specifically avoided this trick, but the difference between this build and the Psycarnum Warrior is that we can actually use Psycarnum Infusion for things that aren’t fondue. It can still be used to preserve a large number of power points though.

Spoiler: Sources

Show

Magic of Incarnum- lots of stuff
EPH- psywar, most powers
Complete Psionics- a few powers
http://archive.wizards.com/default.a.../psm/20060217a - Soul Manifester
Multiattack -core

[WhamBamSam]

Screw the Totemist! I have...

Jennah, The Blue Eyed Raptor

On the Hunt

Spoiler

Show

The party continued their pursuit of the escaped cultists through the thick woodlands. Jennah lead the way, her bright blue eyes glistening in the fading sunlight. Her party was trying to keep up but she was going full speed in her megaraptor form. Jennah could smell the fear emanating from her prey as she closed in. Earlier reconnaissance determined that there was more territory to cover but it seems that the cultists were slowing either due to fatigue or a vain attempt at bravery. They were so easy for her to track. They will probably be so easy to kill. Jennah felt connected to the primal forces of nature and of the hunt. As she neared where the cultists were attempting to hide, Jennah showcased her bravado, let out a roar and it felt good. At least her party should know where they ended up. And of course instilling a little more fear into her prey was exhilarating.

The cultists believed they were prepared for what was chasing them. They soon found out how wrong they were. The first one did not even get a chance to draw his weapon before her talons ripped through his flesh. The leader watched one by one as his subordinates fell to this beast. There was nothing he nor his Elder God could do. He was sure that this blue eyed beast looked like it was wearing some kind of translucent helmet, and flashed a smile before it leapt up—no, it flew through the air!—landing talons on his torso. Jennah pinned him to the ground and he could not move. He began to tremble as he watched one of those wicked claws inching closer to his eye.

“Good job, Jennah!” came a voice approaching. Sounds of clanging metal armor could be heard along with the approach.
“You certainly seem to have everything under control,” an elderly man panted and leaned on his staff.
“Now it’s time for some answers,” another voice said. It addressed the pinned cultist, “Let us know what we want to know or your fate is the same as your friends there.”
Jennah added a little pressure to her talon against the cultist’s soft flesh. She was smiling now.

Basics

Spoiler

Show

NG female azurin Wild Shape Ranger 5/Incarnate 2/Bear Totem Barbarian 2/Nature's Warrior 1/Primeval 10
32 point buy

Level	Abilities	Primeval Form (megaraptor)
1	Str 16, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
4	Str 16, Dex 12, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
8	Str 16, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
11	Str 16, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10	Str +10, Dex +4, Con +10, NA +6 Str 26, Dex 16, Con 28
12 (includes regression 1)	Str 17, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 9	Str 27, Dex 17, Con 30
13 (feral power 1)	Str 17, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 9	Str +12, Dex +6, Con +12, NA +8 Str 29, Dex 19, Con 32
15 (regression 2)	Str 18, Dex 14, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 8	Str 30, Dex 19, Con 32
16 (includes feral power 2)	Str 18, Dex 14, Con 22, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 8	Str +14, Dex +6, Con +14, NA +10 Str 32, Dex 20, Con 36
18 (regression 3)	Str 19, Dex 15, Con 23, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 7	Str 33, Dex 21, Con 37
19 (feral power 3)	Str 19, Dex 15, Con 23, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 7	Str +16, Dex +6, Con +14, NA +14 Str 35, Dex 21, Con 37
20	Str 19, Dex 15, Con 24, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 7	Str 35, Dex 21, Con 38

The Primevel prestige class modifies ability scores one way or another nearly every level. Hopefully this chart will help the readers fully realize Jennah’s true potential.

Build

Spoiler

Show

Level	Class	BAB	Fort	Ref	Will	Skills	Feats	Class Features	Essentia
1st	Wild Shape Ranger 1	+1	+2	+2	+0	Handle Animal 4, Jump 4, Knowledge (nature) 4, Listen 4, Spot 4, Survival 4	Azure Enmity, Self Sufficient, Track (B)	fast movement, first favored enemy, wild empathy	2
2nd	Wild Shape Ranger 2	+2	+3	+3	+0	Handle Animal +1, Jump +1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1, Survival +1			2
3rd	Wild Shape Ranger 3	+3	+3	+3	+1	Jump +1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1, Survival +1, Swim 1	Endurance (B), Power Attack		2
4th	Wild Shape Ranger 4	+4	+4	+4	+1	Jump +1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1, Survival +1, Swim +1		distracting attack acf	2
5th	Wild Shape Ranger 5	+5	+4	+4	+1	Jump +1, Knowledge (nature) +1, Listen +1, Spot +1, Survival +1, Swim +1		second favored enemy, wild shape (1/day)	2
6th	Incarnate 1	+5	+6	+4	+3	Concentration 1, Knowledge (planes) 1	Azure Wild Shape	aura, detect opposition	4
7th	Incarnate 2	+6	+7	+4	+4	Concentration +1, Knowledge (planes) +1		chakra bind (crown [crystal helm])	5
8th	Bear Totem Barbarian 1	+7	+9	+4	+4	Jump +1, Listen +1, Survival +1, Swim +1	Toughness (B)	rage (1/day)	5
9th	Bear Totem Barbarian 2	+8	+10	+4	+4	Jump +1, Listen +1, Survival +1, Swim +1	Extra Wild Shape, Improved Grapple (B)		5
10th	Nature’s Warrior 1	+9	+12	+4	+4	Listen +1, Survival +1		nature’s armament (grizzly claws), wilding	5
11th	Primeval 1	+10	+14	+4	+4	Listen +1, Survival +1		animal empathy, primeval form (1/day)	5
12th	Primeval 2	+11	+15	+4	+4	Survival +1	Steadfast Determination	low light vision, regression 1	5
13th	Primeval 3	+12	+15	+5	+5	Survival +1		feral power 1	5
14th	Primeval 4	+13	+16	+5	+5	Survival +1		primeval form (2/day)	5
15th	Primeval 5	+14	+16	+5	+5	Survival +1	Cobalt Power	regression 2, scent	6
16th	Primeval 6	+15	+17	+6	+6	Survival +1		feral power 2	6
17th	Primeval 7	+16	+17	+6	+6	Survival +1		primeval form (3/day)	6
18th	Primeval 8	+17	+18	+6	+6	Survival +1	Cobalt Rage	fast movement, regression 3	7
19th	Primeval 9	+18	+18	+7	+7	Survival +1		feral power 3	7
20th	Primeval 10	+19	+19	+7	+7	Survival +1		primeval form (4/day), primeval shapechanger	7

Skill Ranks at Level 20: Concentraion 2, Handle Animal 5, Jump 10, Knowledge (nature) 8, Knowledge (planes) 2, Listen 12, Spot 8, Survival 21, Swim 5

Typical Soulmelds shaped: airstep sandals, bluesteel bracers, crystal helm (bound to crown chakra)

Typical Ranger Spells prepared
1: jump or longstrider or magic fang (depending on what to expect for the adventuring day)

Junkyard Showcase

Spoiler

Show

Meldshaping Subsystem!: To me this categoty incorporates all of the facets introduced in the Magic of Incarnum book, which includes races, classes, feats, essentia and soulmelds. Jennah is an azurin, one of the races introduced in that book. As such, she starts with one point of essentia. She gains another a first level with the Azure Enmity feat. Before her entry into the Incarnum class, it is this feat that gets the most use of those essentia points. Over the course of the build she gains more essentia through the incarnum feats that she gains: Azure Wild Shape, Cobalt Power, and Cobalt Rage. She takes two levels of the Incarnate class that gives her access to both soulmelds and the crown chakra bind as well as increasing her essentia pool. She may not have oodles of essentia dripping everywhere but she makes it count during her career. For her crown chakra bind, Jennah forms the crystal helm everyday and does not look back. Giving her the ability to affect incorporeal creatures with her natural weapons without fear of miss chances is something that every natural attack build would like to have. Airstep sandals help with flight and mobility and helps save the wild shapes for having to turn into flying forms. Bluesteel bracers provide the initiative boost that any pounce/charger would like to have. If Jennah is more likely to go first, she is then more likely to neutralize an enemy before it gets to act. Her incarnum feats and soulmelds are also insight bonuses so they stack with the enhancement bonuses of magic items.
Natural Attacks!: With all of the choices available for creating a natural attack build, Jennah utilizes the Wild Shape Ranger going into Primeval route. So once the wild shape ability comes online at Level 5, Jennah can take a form of any small or medium animal and make use of its natural attacks. At this time her favorite forms are leopard and the deinonychus (or if Monster Manual III is on the table, the fleshraker dinosaur). Five natural attacks and pounce start the basics for the rest of her combat career. The dip into Nature’s Warrior provides two important keys here as well. First Jennah gains another wild shape use per day thanks to the wilding class feature. Secondly she gets an untyped bonus to damage while using natural weapons thanks to the nature’s armament class feature. And the natural attacks just keep getting stronger from there. The Primeval class gives Jennah the primeval form for which she picks the megaraptor, which is basically a larger deinonychus. But the better part of the primeval form is that the animal’s physical stats (minus ten or eleven as the case may be) are added to the character when in that form. The class features even increase these ability scores over the course of the class itself so that by the end of the build, Jennah’s base physical stats in her megaraptor form are just brutal. And of course since WBL is a thing, these can be increased by so much more. Even better is the clause at how wild shape uses can be used to fuel the primeval form. Jennah does not have to worry about the fifteen minute adventuring day. She will be able to wreak havoc in her megaraptor form as needed.
No Totemist!: Of course Jennah does not have any Totemist levels in the build, nor are they even necessary for Jennah to be successful. Note: The Chairman had given permission to use Totemist soulmelds in the designers’ builds. This designer believe that this build takes the original challenge and turns it up a notch by not using those soulmelds. Consider the fact that Totemist soulmelds are what help fuel the inherent natural attack fury of Totemist characters. Jennah does not rely on these.
Putting It All Together: While she is effective early on as a deinonychus, Jennah is absolutely menacing as a megaraptor armed with her array of soulmelds. As a pouncing creature, she can get all of her natural attacks in every round with very high damage potential—high Strength score, Power Attack (supplemented Cobalt Power), grizzly claws nature’s armament, and if necessary raging. So while some other builds may have more natural attacks, Jennah’s build maximizes the five natural attacks she has. Her most glaring weaknesses come from lower Reflex and Will saves. Thankfully the feat Steadfast Determination can alleviate the Will save problem. Jennah has a monstrous Constitution score to complement her Strength. Her bonus even when not in megaraptor form should more than compensate for the Will save. Incarnate levels also helped in this regard. The bound crystal helm also provdes a bonus against compulsions and charms. Her Dexterity increases should be able to help with the Reflex saves. Since most save or suck spells target either Fortitude or Will, Jennah should be able to shrug off most of these effects.

Design Notes

Spoiler

Show

So what does Jennah do?: It is fairly obvious that Jennah is a melee character, with a strong durable terrifying form. She has almost full BAB and can fuel Power Attack (and Cobalt Power) as necessary given her great strength later on in the build. In the earliest parts of her career though, she can put the “standard” out of combat skills of the Ranger class to use but only tracking stays strong for the entire build. She is neither a skill monkey nor party face, but then again she doesn’t have to be. By using different soulmelds, Jennah can help with other outside of combat skills but at best she would just be aiding another rather than taking the lead. The distracting attack Ranger alternate class feature makes her very [insert sneak attack character type] friendly. From an optimizing standpoint, it also makes sense since the animal companion class feature will not be built upon by any of the other parts of the build.
The qualification of the Primeval class: Most of its benefits have been explained already but it should be noted that the prerequisites are just plain brutal with three terribad feats: Endurance, Self Sufficient and Toughness. Thankfully through the build itself, Jennah does not have to spend her precious feat slots on two of the three of them. Endurance is a Ranger bonus feat and Toughness was gained as a bonus from the Bear Totem Barbarian.
Speaking of Bear Totem Barbarian . . . : I know what you are asking. What self respecting Barbarian does not get the Spirit Lion Totem Pouncebarian class feature? My answer is the one that does not need it. Jennah gains pounce first from her wild shape and later her primeval form. Plus with the Wild Shape Ranger variant she gets the fast movement that she loses from the Bear Totem Barbarian levels. Rage once per day is not stellar on its own, but combined with Cobalt Rage fueled as necessary, it can provide a more “nova attack form” that could be needed to survive a grueling encounter. Her first level helped pay for a feat tax. Her second level gave her the Improved Grapple feat and even though she is not necessarily a grappling build, it adds another aspect to her combat repertoire. Imagine Jennah pinning down an enemy spellcaster with her large taloned feet, with the deadly claw tapping on her prey while her jaws close in . . .
Alternate Takes: Even though this particular contest forbade the use of the Totemist class, one could replace the Incarnate class levels with Totemist and get just about the same power level and use. For different feat choices, consider this. Cobalt Rage and Coblat Power do come late in the build so these can be replaced with Martial Study feats to accentuate her killing power. At Level 15 and Level 18 she has an initiator level of 7.5 and 9 respectively which could allow her to choose stronger maneuvers for the late game. Tiger Claw would make the most sense for her from both an optimization and thematic standpoint. I wanted to be able to fit Improved Natural Attack (talon) somewhere in the build but one of the disadvantages of this build is that it is feat starved.
And when she’s epic . . . : Once Jennah reaches her tenth level of Primeval, her type changes to magical beast. This type change gives her access to the Rapidstrike feat chain. It allows a second attack with paired natural weapons. And megaraptors do have those large talons.
But dinosaurs are not allowed in my campaign!: First of all let me say that not allowing dinosaurs is a crime, plain and simple. Lots of fantasy worlds can find or make room for the mighy thunder lizards. They’re even core! But for a more serious solution, the dire lion fills in very nicely for the megaraptor form in every way and does not take away from the flavor of the build as written.

Sources

Spoiler

Show

Complete Divine: Extra Wild Shape
Complete Warrior: Nature's Warrior prestige class
Frostburn: Primeval prestige class
Magic of Incarnum: anything incarnum
Player's Handbook II: distracting attack Ranger alternate class feature, Steadfast Determination feat
Unearthed Arcana: Bear Totem Barbarian and Wildshape Ranger alternate classes

[WhamBamSam]

I think that's everyone. Happy judging!

[WeaselGuy]

Well, now I wish I had taken a little more time to toss in my "nah, this one is too obvious, it will be expected" build, consisting of a Skarn Spinemeld Warrior... oh well. The entries look awesome, I look forward to seeing how well the judges receive them! Best of luck to all entrants.

[ben-zayb]

Just a question to satisfy my curiosity on whether I should have joined:
Would a mookmancer character utilizing natural attacks from familiars/psicrystals with share soulmeld and necrocarnate zombies be a legal contender for this contest?

[Seerow]

Well now I am glad I did not compete. The build I was contemplating was nearly identical to Master Lee (though I love the adaptation of using Legacy Champion for the last 5 levels)

[Deadasadoor]

Wow... Colour me surprised that we only had one psionic character. I thought it would be a natural choice since psionics and incarnum go together like bread and butter.

I managed to get my build in on time and tried to get a second in, but ran out of steam. I should have entered that one as well. It was a shifter barbarian 3/incarnate 5/frostrager 5/fist of the forest 3/3 weretouched master, but I had troubles filling out the last levels since incarnum only has a few classes that advance it. Another problem was a "too many things" dilemma, meaning it was hard to place the levels in where the abilities gained were still relevant.
It would've hit like a truck, using Incarnate Avatar and Dread Carapace on top of the feat that shifter barbarians can use to increase their natural attacks by two sizes, meaning 8d8+2*STR rends. Add another rend coming from a bound girallon arms, it would have spelled doom for whatever was on the receiving end of a pounce.

[OMG PONIES]

Just a question to satisfy my curiosity on whether I should have joined:
Would a mookmancer character utilizing natural attacks from familiars/psicrystals with share soulmeld and necrocarnate zombies be a legal contender for this contest?

I think as long as you stayed away from verboten things like Leadership, so what you proposed sounds legit.

Wow... Colour me surprised that we only had one psionic character. I thought it would be a natural choice since psionics and incarnum go together like bread and butter.

My second build that didn't come together in time was looking like a Tiefling Incarnate 7/Psychic Warrior 7/Flayerspawn Psychic 5. The basic fluff was going to be an evil incarnate who thought that devils just weren't evil enough and took up with mind flayers to destroy folks' souls and minds. The racial sublevel for incarnate was going to give us the telepathy to snag Mindsight, which feels very mind-flayery. Also, her ability to see in magical darkness was going to be applied to some kind of psionic darkness or other, but I ran out of time.

[Kesnit]

I wish I had gotten mine in. I just could not get everything put together in time.

I was working on a Cleric (of Saint Cuthbert) 4/Incarnate 10/Sapphire Hierarch 6, using unarmed strikes.

[WhamBamSam]

Just a question to satisfy my curiosity on whether I should have joined:
Would a mookmancer character utilizing natural attacks from familiars/psicrystals with share soulmeld and necrocarnate zombies be a legal contender for this contest?

I'd say that would have been a legal entry. It'd have been more or less up to the judges' discretion as to how good a use of the natural attacks component that was, but it shouldn't be a FtQ in my opinion.

Note however, that psicrystals neither qualify you for, nor benefit from Share Soulmeld, at least under normal conditions.

My second build that didn't come together in time was looking like a Tiefling Incarnate 7/Psychic Warrior 7/Flayerspawn Psychic 5. The basic fluff was going to be an evil incarnate who thought that devils just weren't evil enough and took up with mind flayers to destroy folks' souls and minds. The racial sublevel for incarnate was going to give us the telepathy to snag Mindsight, which feels very mind-flayery. Also, her ability to see in magical darkness was going to be applied to some kind of psionic darkness or other, but I ran out of time.

From here in the chair's chair I was playing around with using a Changeling with Racial Emulation to snag the Tiefling Incarnate sub-levels by emulating a Lesser Tiefling and the dragonblood subtype for Draconic Soulmelds by emulating a dragonblooded subrace of whoever he needed to pass among at the moment. It would take a 2-4 level detour into Warshaper somewhere along the line as well, so long as the Changeling cheese was out in force. I wasn't quite sure where to go with it though. I thought about using Racial Emulation to undergo the Draconic Rite of Passage for Blood Wind (3/day with Draconic Resevoir), and see if I could get a good ranged build out of it with things like the Sighting Gloves combined with bonuses to melee attack rolls. I didn't really play around enough with the See In Darkness thing though. I think I got too excited by Mindsight. Maybe something like Changeling Rogue 1/Tiefling Incarnate 9/Warshaper 2/Chameleon 8, with Dual Chakra to get both the Dragon Claws and Sighting Gloves shaped. There must be some good magical darkness ability to pick up through Chameleon casting (along with all manner of good natural attack spells). Can See In Darkness penetrate Net of Shadows? That'd be pretty sweet.

Speaking of Blood Wind throwers, I've been playing around with Osteomancer in such a build, basically since it was made the SI in Iron Chef, since Blood Wind lets them fling all their bone spurs (gauntlets from both/all arms as well as the armor spikes) at once and allows claws which would otherwise be competing for the same hand with the bone spurs be used along with them. Seeing as Toughness is a prereq for Osteomancer, its basically impossible to not at least try including some Incarnum in such a build. Silverbrow Human Bard 4/Incarnate 2/Osteomancer 4/Soulcaster 1/Sublime Chord 2/Soulcaster +7 for a version that hits 9th level spells and is very Incarnum-happy. Get some DFI optimization in there for dragonblood subtype and "lots of attacks" synergy.

[Deadasadoor]

Wait... woah! We didn't have any warshapers. I guess everyone was too concerned with originality penalties. Most people don't qualify, but it's still a surprise that nobody went for it.

[Inevitability]

Thought I'd share my original idea. I was thinking about using a Totem Giant, then expand from there, but I got stuck when I couldn't find a way to continue progressing Totemist meldshaping without having to take a level in Totemist.

Another idea I briefly played around with was a Dustform+That One Construct Template in MoI.

[kaffalidjmah]

Well, now I wish I had taken a little more time to toss in my "nah, this one is too obvious, it will be expected" build, consisting of a Skarn Spinemeld Warrior... oh well. The entries look awesome, I look forward to seeing how well the judges receive them! Best of luck to all entrants.

that was my build before my computer going crash XD monk 2/fighter 2/incarnate 6/spinemeld warrior 10, using the mauling gauntlet for added damage, yours?

[Sian]

Wait... woah! We didn't have any warshapers. I guess everyone was too concerned with originality penalties. Most people don't qualify, but it's still a surprise that nobody went for it.

did consider a Draconic Longtooth Shifter to go into it but declined as i thought the build i made were more interesting

[WeaselGuy]

that was my build before my computer going crash XD monk 2/fighter 2/incarnate 6/spinemeld warrior 10, using the mauling gauntlet for added damage, yours?

I'll have to check my computer when I get back to my room, I don't have the spreadsheet here at work, but I'm pretty sure I had monk 4/incarnate 6/spinemeld 10, built as a knock-down lock-down melee bfc...

edit: It was actually a LG Skarn Monk 2 (with the level 1 racial substitution)/Soulborn 4/Dervish 4/Spinemeld Warrior 10. Midnight Dodge, Stunning Fist, Combat Expertise, Mobility, Sapphire Fist, Weapon Focus (Spines), Improved Natural Attack, Spring Attack, Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Greater Two Weapon Fighting, and an undetermined feat at level 18. 19 BAB, 15/11/11 Fort/Ref/Will, 9 Essentia, and one Chakra Bind (Arms). I never got around to doing his skills or his fluff though.

[JyP]

a lot of different builds there

well, on my side I had a Tiny Deep Dragon Wyrmling RHD 6 / LA +4 / Umbral Disciple 10 (a pest I use as an Alien), but it covered level 10 to 20 only. More usable as a monster than a PC, so I tried to downgrade with a Pseudodragon morphing into Deep Dragon over levels, but it was too much of a hassle.

[Deadline]

I just couldn't bring something together right. I steered clear of psionics, because the (somewhat TO) trick I thought about using had been given to me by Piggy for the E6 PVP arena that PONIES was running and it wouldn't have been right to use it here. The build I actually had a skeleton for (no skills, fluff, or breakpoint writeup) was a NE Tibbit Incarnate 17/Warshaper 3 that focused on Underfoot Combat, Morphic Reach, and abusing Morphic Weapons to rack up big numbers with all the soulmelds that add bonus damage. That one didn't feel very original, because I'd used the Morphic Weapons bit on my entry for Urban Soul in Iron Chef (it was on a Changeling there).

*sigh* Maybe I can get the ball rolling on the next competition.

[sakuuya]

These all look great, guys. I'll get right to judging.

[Sian]

do we have any judges on it, and how are their deliberation going?