Iron Chef Optimization Challenge: E6 Appetizer Edition (Round V)

[Zaq]

Entry the second!

Spoiler: Ability Scores

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Race: Anthropomorphic Bat
Before racial modifiers:
Str: 14
Dex: 16
Con: 12
Int: 10
Wis: 16
Cha: 8

After racial modifiers + increase from level
Str: 10
Dex: 16
Con: 12
Int: 10
Wis: 22
Cha: 7

Level 4 ability increase: Charisma

Spoiler: Build

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Ninja 1	+0	+0	+2	+0	Knowledge (Religion) 4, Autohypnosis 4, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Spot 4, Listen 4	Apprentice (Knowledge [Religion], Autohypnosis)	Ki power, sudden strike +1d6, trapfinding
2nd	Ninja 2	+1	+1	+3	+1	Knowledge (Religion) 5, Autohypnosis 5, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Spot 5, Listen 5	-	Ghost Step (Invisible)
3rd	Ninja 3	+2	+1	+3	+1	Knowledge (Religion) 6, Autohypnosis 6, Hide 6, Move Silently 6, Spot 6, Listen 6	Point-Blank Shot	Posion use, sudden strike +2d6
4th	Ninja 4	+3	+1	+4	+1	Knowledge (Religion) 7, Autohypnosis 7, Hide 7, Move Silently 7, Spot 7, Listen 7	-	Great leap
5th	Ninja 5	+3	+1	+4	+1	Knowledge (Religion) 8, Autohypnosis 8, Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Spot 8, Listen 8	-	Sudden Strike +3d6
6th	Ninja 6	+4	+2	+5	+2	Knowledge Religion 8, Autohypnosis 9, Hide 9, Move Silently 9, Spot 9, Listen 9	Precise Shot	Acrobatics +2, ki dodge

Spoiler: Epic Feats

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1: Zen Archer
2: Fell Conspiracy
3: Mindsight
4: Enduring Ki
5: Expanded Ki Pool
6: Rapid Shot
7: Darkstalker
8: Woodland Archer
9: Able Sniper
10: Flyby Attack

Spoiler: Backstory

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The Watanabe Clan has a great legacy and long history as one of the few primarily good-aligned Ninja clans. They were founded when Hitachi Watanabe realized that as a Bat, he had a natural gifting for the Ninja arts, and that he could use his keen senses and wings to protect people during the night while others slept. They've always used their power and training to protect the weak and innocent. They were also powerful, having used their reputation of protecting the helpless to gather many great ninjas and having many great nations indebted to their protection. This power was their undoing. Other ninja clans were greatly jealous and afraid of the Watanabe Clan, so they hired an assassin. One who claimed to be able to sneak into the Watanabe compound and kill them all. He was promised an exorbant amount of money if he could complete this task. Known only by his choice of attire, the Red Cloak.

Biru Watanabe and his human caretaker Alphonse was the only survivor of the Watanabe clan. As soon as the clan had realilzed that they were being slaughtered by one of the most powerful ninja they had encountered, they urged Alphonse to take Biru far away and hope that they could escape. Biru, now an orphan, was taught by Alphonse in the way of the ninja. They were always on the move, but Biru was a Watanabe through and through, he could not just let innocents suffer. So as they moved from village to village, rumors began to spread of a dark winged creature who protected the helpless. Biru grew up, finding that many had started to take up his example. Another orphan, a raptoran who used his wings to save travelers from bandits. A cleric of Eilistraee who had somehow found out that Biru was the one responsible for saving her father. She taught him a ritual that she had learned, one that had originally been used by an evil cult but had applications for the kind of work that Biru was attempting. For Biru's ambition was to recreate the Watanabes by finding those willing to save others, and those who would be able to help him get justice for the murder of his family.

Spoiler: Playstyle

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Biru is intended to be a ninja who is quite effective at killing ninjas, relying on his large Ki Pool to allow him to abuse invisibility (especially with enduring Ki, which lets him go invisible for two rounds in a row and isn't broken by attacking). He can fly, has a high wisdom and has blind sense, allowing him a decent amount of complementarity with his ninja abilities. His spot and listen are at +10 at level one, making him quite effective at finding hiding creatures.

At first level, he has 7 uses of Ki power thanks to his 22 Wisdom, which means that he should be able to get off sudden strike quite reliably assuming an average number of encounters a day. His high spot and listen, as well as flight make him great at scouting out good ambush locations, as well as a good party scout in general. Autohypnosis lets him feel more batmanny by letting him shrug off fear and resist death.

By sixth level, precise shot comes online and lets him operate more effectively in a party by singling out foes and bringing them down with a shortbow.

The epic feats are very important for the build, as they let him start using his high wisdom for attacks, and he picks of Fell Conspiracy for telepathy which enables Mindsight shenangigans. Once Mindsight is online, he can perform his duty of finding hidden creatures, especially assassins and ninja, and being better at their job than they are. Enduring Ki and Expanded Ki Pool mean that he can be invisible for twenty-four rounds a day, which is enough that he can actually afford to use his ki for other purposes when necessary. Darkstalker lets him out hide most things, making him extremely hard to find when he's hiding. Woodland Archer and Able Sniper help complement his ranged attacks, giving him better options in combat. Flyby attack lets him hit and run while invisible, meaning that it's hard to even guess where he is going to be.

Spoiler: Sources

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Complete Adventurer: Ninja
Complete Warrior: Zen Archer
Complete Scoundrel: Enduring Ki, Expanded Ki Pool
Exemplars of Evil: Fell Conspiracy
Lords of Madness: Mindsight, Darkstalker
Races of the Wild: Able Sniper, Woodland Archer
Dungeon Master's Guide II: Apprentice
Monster Manual: Flyby Attack

[Zaq]

Entry the third!

Belle Bubbles Bloom

Spoiler: Background

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Strange, isn't it? How such a tiny weapon can do so much harm. Of course, if you don't know when and where to throw it, it barely scratch the skin. Fortunately, I do… as you sure know, I've always had a knack for thrown weapons... and the poison helps, too, I guess.
Remember when I was just a poor girl walking the streets of this town, begging, stealing things for you? I remember everything. Everything you put me, and others like me, through. You became wealthier, we remained beggars.
When I got caught by the old man, I thought it was it. I thought I'd see the rest of the days through a small jail window. I was mistaken, he saw something in me - a talent. He took me to a strange place, a monastery he called it, though it was more like a training camp.
You wouldn't believe the things they had there, like this one training dummy, really improved my leg work and mobility after a month of training.
Anyways, once I got through the basics, I was given a choice - further focus on punching people in the face, or focus more on invisibility and hitting where it hurts the most. I chose the latter and paid off nicely, as you can see. I became a new... employee of our fair lord, doing what the... more official authorities aren't suitable for.
So, you see, I volunteered for this mission. Getting rid of a crime lord in my home town, the one I have personal history with, was an opportunity of a lifetime. So here I am and here you are. And one of us is soon to be dead…

Spoiler: Build

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Stub
LN Strongheart Halfling Rogue 1 / Monk 2 / Ninja 3

ACFs
Rogue: Halfling Rogue substitution level 1, Mimic
Monk: Halfling Monk subsititution level 1, 2, Invisible Fist

Ability Scores
STR: 8 - 2 = 6 (-2)
DEX: 15 + 2 = 17 + 1 (@ level 4) = 18 (+4)
CON: 12 (+1)
INT: 12 (+1)
WIS: 18 (+4)
CHA: 8 (-1)

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Rogue 1	+0	+0	+2	+0	Disable Device: 2, Hide: 4, Listen: 4, Move Silently: 4, Open Lock: 4, Search: 4, Sleigh of Hand: 4, Spot: 4, Know: Local: 4, Know: The Planes: 1 (2 points)	Point Blank Shot, Precise ShotB	Ranged Sneak Attack +1d6, Mimic
2nd	Monk 1	+0	+2	+4	+2	Know: Arcana: 1, Know: Religion 5, Move Silently: +1	Stunning FistB	Bonus feat, Skimrish, Unarmed Strike
3rd	Monk 2	+1	+3	+5	+3	Hide: +2, Move Silently: +1, Listen: +2, Spot: +2	Knowledge Devotion, MobilityB	Bonus feat, Invisible Fist
4th	Ninja 1	+1	+3	+7	+3	Hide: +1, Move Silently: +1, Listen: +1, Spot: +1, Search: +2, Know: The Planes: +1		Ki power, Sudden Strike +1d6, Trapfinding
5th	Ninja 2	+2	+3	+8	+3	Hide: +1, Move Silently: +1, Listen: +1, Spot: +1, Search: +2, Know: The Planes: +1		Ghost Step (invisible)
6th	Ninja 3	+3	+4	+8	+4	Hide: +1, Move Silently: +1, Listen: +1, Spot: +1, Search: +1, Know: The Planes: +2	Two-Weapon Fighting	Sudden Strike +2d6, Poison Use

Epic Feats
Darkstalker
Martial Study (Cloak of Deception)
Far Shot
Neraph Throw
Weapon Finesse
Improved Initiative
Yondalla's Sense
Enduring Ki
Expanded Ki Pool
Martial Study (Shadow Jaunt)

Spoiler: Playstyle

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Basically, you throw pointy things (i.e. shuriken) at people and/or punch them in the face for negligible damage, then add a couple d6s of sneak attack, sudden strike and skirmish (thanks to the Training Dummy of the Master you can take 10ft steps and still full attack), while mostly invisible during your turns. For shuriken, the bonus damage is +5d6 (+2d6 Sneak Attack (thanks to an extra +1d6 from the Halfling substitution level), +1d6 Skirmish, +2d6 Sudden Strike) +1 (Point Blank Shot) and whatever bonus damage you can squeeze from Knowledge Devotion. For melee attacks, we're down to +3d6 (no melee Sneak Attack) + possibly Knowledge Devotion.

With 18 DEX, Improved Initiative and Yondalla's Sense (and 18 WIS) you should be able to catch most opponents flatfooted in the first round. Then you follow up with Invisible Fist next round, Cloak of Deception afterwards and 2 rounds of Sudden Step, before using Invisible Fist again. In case of prolonged combat, you'll have to rely on rounds of Sudden Step (you have a total of 9 uses if my math is correct) while Invisible Fist recharges.

There's also Neraph Throw and Stunning Fist (3 uses in total) to help with qualifying for precision damage when need be.

Against opponents immune to precision damage, you’re really not contributing much, but oh well.

Out of combat, you got the usual scouting skills (hide, move silently, listen, spot), trapfinding and a couple of knowledges (mostly just for fueling Knowledge Devotion).

PS: This build could probably use a level of Sneak Attack + Hit and Run Tactics Fighter instead of Ninja 3, but that would cost another level of the secret ingredient, so I opted against it (also, skills are tight past the 1st level).

Spoiler: Sources

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SRD: Rogue, Monk, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Far Shot, Two Weapon Fighting, Weapon Finesse, Improved Initiative
CAd: Ninja
CC: Knowledge Devotion
CSco: Expanded Ki Pool, Enduring Ki
RotW: Halfling substitution levels, Yondalla’s Sense
EoE: Invisible Fist, Mimic
PlH: Neraph Throw
ToB: Martial Study, Cloak of Deception, Shadow Jaunt
LoM: Darkstalker
A&EG: Training Dummy of the Master

[Zaq]

Entry the fourth! (Side comment: This build did not include the name in the title of its PM! Shame! Shaaaame!)

Flustern Undsack
NE Ninja4/Incarnate2

Spoiler: Sexy Image

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Spoiler: Ability Scores

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Ability	Points	Score	Racial Modifier	Lvl 4 Bonus	Final Score
Str	4	12	-2	-	10 (+0)
Dex	10	16	+2	+1	19 (+4)
Con	6	14	+2	-	16 (+3)
Int	6	14	-	-	14 (+2)
Wis	6	14	-	-	14 (+2)
Cha	0	8	-2	-	6 (-2)

Spoiler: Build Table

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Ninja 1	+0	+0	+2	+0	Balance +4 Bluff +4 Disquise +4 Hide +4 Jump +4 Move Silently +4 Sleight of Hand +4 Tumble +4	Weapon Finesse	Ki Power, Sudden Strike +1d6, Trapfinding
2nd	Ninja 2	+1	+0	+3	+0	Balance +5 Bluff +5 Disquise +5 Hide +5 Jump +5 Move Silently +5 Sleight of Hand +5 Tumble +5	-	Ghost Step (Invisible)
3rd	Ninja 3	+2	+1	+3	+1	Bluff +6 Craft (Poisonmaking) +1 Disable Device +1 Hide +6 Move Silently +6 Open Lock +1 Search +1 Tumble +6	Expanded Ki Pool	Sudden Strike +2d6, Poison Use
4th	Ninja 4	+3	+1	+4	+1	Bluff +7 Escape Artist +1 Hide +7 Listen +1 Move Silently +7 Search +2 Spot +1 Tumble +7	-	Great Leap
5th	Gnome Incarnate 1	+3	+3	+4	+3	Bluff +8 (crossclass) Skill Trick: Timely Misdirection	-	Aura, Racial Defense
6th	Gnome Incarnate 2	+4	+4	+4	+4	Skill Trick: Group Fake-Out Skill Trick: Second Impression	Bonus Essentia	Chakra Bind (Crown), Detect Thoughts

Epic Bonus Feats
1. Combat Expertise
2. Mobility
3. Spring Attack
4. Cobalt Expertise - (MoI)
5. Midnight Dodge (Acts like Dodge for Prerequisites) - (MoI)
6. Indigo Strike - (MoI)
7. Open Least Chakra (Feet) - (MoI)
8. Craven - (CoR)
9. Low Blow - (RoF)
10. Quicker than the Eye – (S&S)
(Expanded Ki Pool = CS; Bonus Essentia = MoI)

Spoiler: Gnome Incarnate Racial Substitution Levels

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Level 1 - Racial Defense (Su): A gnome incarnate serves on the front line of defense for his village or town. He relies on the knowledge of the souls within him to guide him in battling his people’s most dangerous foes. A gnome incarnate gains an insight bonus on damage rolls made against kobolds, goblinoids, and giants equal to one-half the number of soulmelds he has shaped. If at least one other gnome ally is within 30 feet and visible to the incarnate, this insight bonus instead equals the number of soulmelds shaped. This benefit replaces the standard incarnate’s detect opposition class feature gained at 1st level.
Level 2 - Detect Thoughts (Sp): A gnome incarnate recognizes that foreknowledge of an enemy’s plans makes the best tool for battle. As long as a soulmeld is bound to his crown chakra, he can use detect thoughts once per day. The save DC is equal to 12 + his Cha modifier, and his caster level is equal to his meldshaper level. This benefit does not replace any class feature.

Spoiler: Fluff

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Flustern Undsack 'is' you typical Whisper Gnome. He's a creature of stealth and suspicion. "Few members of other races can match a Whisper Gnome's powers of stealth", and so the path of a Ninja is a natural career choice for them. With the general distrust and scorn from most of the other 'goodly' races, it's no wonder that Flustern strayed down the path of morality and embraced his evil and vicious nature.

Going into combat is an adrenaline rush of fun. He'll stand toe-to-toe with nearly any humanoid combatant thanks to his remarkable defenses from Ninja, Soulmelds, and Feats, and with a flourish strike without warning. Flustern takes special pleasure in flaunting his skill with Finesse-able weapons when the chance presents itself. When stalking a foe, Flustern seems to disappear into thin air and strike from the shadows. Rushing at an opponent, striking a crippling blow, and running past them to strike another. He believes that each worthy foe he kills adds to his power, and who's to say he's wrong, the power of his soulmelds have to come from somewhere...

Spoiler: Crunch

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Flustern's final stats looks something like this (Soulmelds offer a some variance)
HP: 5d6 +24, average of 42
AC: 17 unbuffed, up to 25 with Combat Expertise, Cobalt Expertise, and Indigo Dodge, typically 23
Essentia: 7
Sudden Strike: +2d6+10(Craven and Indigo Strike)
Additional ways to trigger Sudden Strike: Low Blow, Quicker than the Eye, Group Fake-out
Ki Powers/day: 7

Spoiler: Skill modifiers

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Balance +11
Bluff +10
Craft(poisonmaking) +4
Disable Device +3
Disguise +5
Escape Artist +5
Hide +19
Jump +7
Listen +5
Move Silently +15
Open Lock +5
Search +4
Sleight of Hand +15
Spot +5
Tumble +13

Whisper Gnome: Low-Light Vision, Darkvision(60ft.), Speed 30 ft., small size, ability and skill modifiers, racial bonus for attacking goblinoids and kobolds, dodge bonus vs giants, 1/day SLA: Silence.

Soulmelds usually shaped
Impulse Boots bound to Feet Chakra: Uncanny Dodge and Evasion.
Necrocarnum Touch: +4 profane bonus on Sleight of Hand checks and Bluff checks to feint.
Dissolving Spittle (2 Essentia invested): +3d6 acid damage, ranged touch attack (Sudden Strike can apply for another 2d6+10)
Other soulmelds will be used when the situation calls for it.

Spoiler: Sources and descriptions of feats and skill tricks

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Spoiler: Non-Player Handbooks Feats

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Spoiler: Expanded Ki Pool

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3 extra daily uses of Ki Powers

Spoiler: Low Blow

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As a full-round action, you can enter an area occupied by an opponent who is at least one size category larger than you. You can then make a single melee attack at your highest attack bonus against this creature, who is considered flat-footed against the attack. After your attack, you return to the 5-foot square from which you entered the opponent's square. Using this feat provokes attacks of opportunity.

Spoiler: Quicker than the Eye

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While under direct observation, you can
make a Bluff check as a move-equivalent action, opposed by the Spot checks of any observers. If you succeed, your misdirection makes them look elsewhere while you take a partial action. If your partial action is an attack against someone who failed the opposed check, that opponent is denied a Dexterity bonus to AC.

Spoiler: Craven

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You take a -2 penalty on saving throws against fear effects. However, when making a sneak attack, you deal an extra 1 point of damage per character level.

Spoiler: Bonus Essentia

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You gain 1 point of essentia. If you are capable of shaping soulmelds, you instead gain 2 points of essentia.

Spoiler: Colbolt Expertise

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Once per day, you can invest essentia into this feat. You gain an insight bonus on attack rolls, skill checks, or ability checks made to succeed on a disarm attack, a feint in combat, or a trip attack equal to the invested essentia. You also gain an insight bonus equal to the invested essentia to AC when using Combat Expertise (up to a maximum value equal to the penalty accepted on the attack roll). Once the amount of essentia invested is chosen, it cannot be altered and remains invested for 24 hours.
You gain 1 point of essentia.

Spoiler: Indigo Strike

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Once per day, you can invest essentia into this feat. You gain an insight bonus on damage rolls made when delivering attacks with the skirmish, sneak attack, or sudden strike class feature equal to twice the invested essentia. Once the amount of essentia invested is chosen, it cannot be altered and remains invested for 24 hours.
If you have more than one of the listed class features, the bonus applies only once on any given attack.
You gain 1 point of essentia.

Spoiler: Midnight Dodge

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Once per day, you can invest essentia in this feat. During your turn, you designate an opponent and receive a dodge bonus to Armor Class equal to the invested essentia against attacks from that opponent. You can select a new opponent on each of your turns.
You gain 1 point of essentia.
Special: Midnight Dodge can be used in place of the
Dodge feat to qualify for a feat, prestige class, or other special ability.

Spoiler: Open Least Chakra

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When this feat is selected, choose one of the following chakras: crown, feet, or hands. You can now bind a soulmeld or a magic item to that chakra.
In addition, you gain a minor benefit from this newfound chakra, depending on the chakra chosen:
Feet: +1 insight bonus on Balance and Move Silently checks.

Spoiler: Skill Tricks

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Spoiler: Group Fake-Out

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You can use Bluff to feint in combat (PH 68) against more than one opponent. Make one Bluff check opposed by separate Sense Motive checks for each opponent. For each opponent after the first that you wish to affect, you take a cumulative –2 penalty on your Bluff check.

Spoiler: Second Impression

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If an observer sees through your disguise with a successful Spot check, you can (as an immediate action) attempt a Bluff check to convince him that he’s mistaken. Use the observer’s Spot check result as the DC for your Bluff check; if you succeed, the observer ignores the evidence of his own senses in favor of what your disguise attempts to show.
You must be aware of the observer’s discovery in order to use this trick; for example, you can’t use it against someone viewing you secretly, nor can you use it against someone who sees through your disguise but keeps that information secret. When in doubt, the DM should allow a character to use this trick if she has any reason to fear that her cover has been blown.
You can use this trick only once per day, but its effect extends to all viewers within 30 feet of you. For example, you could attempt it against an entire patrol of guards confronting you just as effectively as against a single person.
This trick doesn’t let you maintain a disguise that has been defeated by other means; for example, if your disguise self spell is penetrated by a true seeing spell, Second Impression won’t help.

Spoiler: Timely Misdirection

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If you succeed on a Bluff check to feint in combat (PH 68), your opponent can’t make any attacks of opportunity against you until the start of its next turn. This effect is in addition to the normal benefits of a successful feint.

Spoiler: Sources

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CA: Complete Adventurer
CS: Complete Scoundral
MoI: Magic of Incarnum
CoR: Champions of Ruin
RoS: Races of Stone
PH: Player's Handbook
RoF: Races of Faerun
S&S: Song and Silence

[Zaq]

Entry the fifth!

Helter Kari

"From the shadows, comes what looks like a sparring dummy. It shambles over to our bard and disappears! A few seconds later, I tell you, this is true. The dummy is lying on the ground and the bard stabs himself in the heart with his own kukri. As he drops to his knees, pooling in his own blood, and then...and then he cuts off his own tongue. I never seen anything like it in my life, and I’ve seen a lot. Anyways, a shimmery blue broad appears, steps from the bard to the barbarian, and then he axes off his own feet in a single swipe! I didn’t see what happened next because I was running here. Yeah, I stopped at the pub first for my nerves, but you would too.” -Deputy Fujikama of the Undercity Haven First Responders Gang

LE Human Ghost (Ghostwalk p.163)
Ninja 3/ Binder 1/Eidolon 2

STR 8 INT 10
DEX 8 WIS 17
CON 8 CHA 18

Level up bonus added to WIS

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Ninja	+0	+0	+2	+0	Hide 4, move silently 4, craft (shellcraft), 4, disable device 4, search 4, intimidate (cc) 2, Tumble	Iron Will, Live My Nightmare (Unearthed Arcana p.94)	Ki power, sudden strike +1d6, trapfinding
2nd	Ninja	+1	+0	+3	+0	Hide 5, move silently 5, craft (shellcraft) 5, disable device 5, search 5, intimidate (cc) 2.5, Tumble 5		Ghost step (invisible)
3rd	Ninja	+2	+1	+3	+1	Hide 6, move silently 6, craft (shellcraft) 6, disable device 6, search 6, intimidate (cc) 3, Tumble 6	Improved Initiative	Sudden strike +2d6, poison use
4th	Binder (Tome of Magic p.9)	+2	+3	+3	+3	Intimidate 6		Soul Binding
5th	Eidolon (Ghostwalk p.16)	+3	+3	+3	+5	Intimidate 8, hide 7	Ghost Ride (Ghostwalk p.33)	Bonus Ghost feat, Free Multiclassing
6th	Eidolon	+4	+3	+3	+6	Intimidate 9, hide 9	Corpse Malevolence (Ghostwalk p.29), Minor Malevolence (p.37)	Bonus Ghost Feat

Epic Feats
1. Malevolence (Ghostwalk p.36)
2. Death Blow (Complete Adventurer p.106)
3. Expanded Possession: Monstrous Humanoid (Ghostwalk p.31)
4. Expanded Possession: Dragon
5. Snatch Trophy (Champions of Ruin p.22)
6. Bloodsoaked Intimidate (Champions of Ruin p.17)
7. Ability Focus (Monster Manual V p.204)
8. Expanded Possession: Abberation
9. Sudden Ability Focus (Tome of Magic p.74)
10. Expanded Possession: Animal


“I mentored alongside Helter Kari. She was a precocious young ninjitsu student, training day in and day out. Her ki was so powerful and raw. She had her demons about her, though. She claimed to have been midwifed by a nighthag who sought to enslave her and whatever happened in her childhood motivated her. By night, to pay for her mentorship, she toiled in an old gnome’s puppetshop. She always said that she was afraid to sleep.” -Mori Mori, Captain of the ninja spyguard of Everbright

“She just kept looking for ways to hide from what she called, “her reckoning.” She studied all sorts of abstruse texts and spoke to some of the creepiest mercenaries, always asking about ways to “hide from the darkness itself.” -Shinjo Kakita, librarian of Everbright school of religious devotion

“It was coming after her. A hulking being of pure black. Not black, like you can’t see through it black, but black that burnt your eyes to attempt to comprehend as a color. She used her ability to ghost step, as we had all been trained, but she really spend everything that she had in her fright. I’m telling you, I saw her step in between the worlds. Her body, her dead body laid there, but her ki itself, it..it stepped into the inbetween.

The inbetween is what she called the place where her witches drew their powers. If you think of reality as a cloth, the area between the threads is where the powerful entities of witchcraft can install themselves, like a porridge stain. Anyway, I watched her soul melt into the inbetween. I doubt we’ll ever see her again” -Marcus Waltz, ninja scout of shinobi academy, former classmate of Helter.

Machinations of Death

Spoiler

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Helter Kari's first three levels are in ninja. This nets her +2d6 sudden strike and ghost step. She has craft (shellcraft) (ghostwalk p.27) ranks to make herself manikins (ghostwalk p.54) at a DC 20 craft check, and each of them have 50 hp apiece and can be used as possession vehicles. She learned this art from a gnome from the city of manifest. In her backstory. It just so happens to be really convenient when she eventually becomes a ghost. If you play with flexible ghost advancement (ghostwalk p.12), you can start play as a ghost. If you can swing it, why not just be gruesomely disfigured by death and get a +10 to intimidate checks. Just stay in your manikin.

You have the spell touched feat, live my nightmare, which makes any divination effect targeting her automatically send a phantasmal killer at the diviner. Iron will because she has an iron will and improved initiative to get them before they get you.

At level four, Helter picks up a level of binder. Bind Naberius for the faster ability healing.

Here, Helter needs to die. Ghostwalk to the otherside. She gets flight and the incorporeal subtype and the outsider type and +4 to hide checks.

Finish up with some eidolon levels. Go path of the dominator, and get ghost ride and malevolence and corpse malevolence. Now you can possess people. Death blow will allow you to possess someone, then force them to coup de gras themselves as a standard action. Snatch trophy lets you disfigure their tongue if they are a caster. When you coup de gras, you automatically crit and you add your sudden strike damage to it. After possessing people and forcing them to kill themselves and free action mangle themselves, you can make swift action intimidate checks.

Expand the number of creature types that you can possess, and up the save DC against possession with ability focus and sudden ability focus. Heal the charisma damage from possessions with naberius bound to you for the ability healing.

Watch as the DM sends oodles of spirit shamans and barbarians with ghost touch items at your party all of a sudden. You can possess them all, or a corpse, or a dragon, or a bugbear, or a mindflayer and fight them with their own allies and the corpses of the own dead allies.

Ghoststep allows an approach for possession to be invisible. Anyone who attempts to detect you gets a face full of phantasmal deathbeast. This ninja makes you stab yourself to death, what could be better for setting you up. Carry a ghost touch weapon with a X4 multiplier, drop it as a free action, possess your nemesis, and pick it up with a move action. Then coup de gras your nemesis and move on.

[Zaq]

Entry the [checks notes—almost lost track there] sixth!

Khal Krotu

Lawful Good
Illumian (Races of Destiny p.54)
Ninja 1 (Complete Adventurer p. 5)
Decisive strike (PHB2 p.51) monk 1
Ninja 2
Ninja 3
hit and run (DotU 58) sneak attack (UA p.58) fighter 1
Avenger Web 1

Stats
str 10
dex 15
con 10
int 16
wis 16
cha 8

At level 4, increase Dex to 16.

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Ninja 1	+0	+0	+2	+0	disguise 4, hide 4, move silently 4, disable device 4, Balance 4, Tumble 4, Escape artist 4, listen 4, sense motive 4	Sacred Strike (BOED p. 45)	Ki power, sudden strike +1d6, trapfinding, AC bonus, Illumian Racial Traits. Vaul Sigil
2nd	Decisive strike (PHB2 p.51) monk 1	+0	+2	+4	+2	hide 5, move silently 5, perform (dance) 5	Ascetic Stalker (Complete Scoundrel p.79)	Bonus Feat, Decisive Strike, AC bonus (doesn't stack), Unarmed strike, Illumian Uur Sigil. Power word VaulUur.
3rd	Ninja 2	+1	+2	+5	+2	hide 6, move silently 6, escape artist 6, tumble 6, disable device 6, balance 5	Martial Study: Shadow Blade Technique (TOB p.78)	Ghost step (invisible)
4th	Ninja 3	+2	+3	+5	+3	hide 7, move silently 7, escape artist 7, tumble 7, disable device 7, balance 7, Skill Trick 2	Nimble Charge (Com Scoundrel, p. 87)	Sudden strike +2d6, poison use
5th	hit and run (DotU 58) sneak attack (UA p.58) fighter 1	+3	+5	+5	+3	hide 8, move silently 8, Skill Trick 2	Shrouded Dance (complete Scoundrel p.89)	+2 initiative, dex to damage against flat footed opponents
6th	Avenger	+3	+5	+7	+3	hide 9, move silently 9, Skill Trick 2, escape artist 8, umd 1	Escape Attack (Complete Scoundrel p.86), Persistent Attacker (Complete Scoundrel, p. 80)	Sneak attack +1d6, death attack, poison use, spells

Epic Feats
1. Precise Strike (Dragon Compendium p.105)
2. Throat Punch (Complete Scoundrel, p. 81)
3. Enduring Ki (Complete Scoundrel, p. 77)
4. Extend Supernatural Ability (Tome of Magic, p. 73)
5. Intuitive Attack (Book of Exalted Deeds, p. 44)
6. Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike)
7. Head Shot (Complete Scoundrel, p. 77)
8. Extend Supernatural Ability
9. Combat reflexes
10. Mortifying Attack (Champions of Ruin, p. 20)

Spells
Obscuring mist
Ghost sound

Backstory
Illumians are born into Cabals, where they are raised semi-communally and pushed to become experts in the things that they do best. Khal was born into a chain cabal, where he was pushed to become a holy assassin of those who threaten the cabal. He honed and honed his techniques for infiltration and escape and became a special "man on the outside" avenger of the chain cabal. Eventually, a frost mage of significant power named FreezeYa destroyed most of the cabal, orphaning the young illumian in a way. He sought refuge amongst an order of old but good monks who steered him away from some of the obeisance to the needs of the cabal and towards working for the higher exalted powers. None of it really clicked until he fell down the mountain on a training expedition and took a nasty knock to the head.

Now he is devoted to both good and law, with a skill set representing utter annihilation of life. So now he seeks to protect others against powerful threats. His long term goals is to set up his own monastery cabal to train other orphan illumians in how to protect and serve the cause of good.

The Build.
You know what’s weird about ninja? It’s like the only base class that doesn’t grant profession as a class skill.

Level 1
At level 1, we take our first level of ninja. We get wis to AC, 4 points of ki power, and sudden strike, the lesser cousin to sneak attack. The first RAWjutsu that the illumian learns is found in the tome of Complete adventurer on page 8.

SUDDEN STRIKE AND SNEAK ATTACK
For the purpose of qualifying for feats, prestige classes, and similar options that require a minimum number of sneak attack extra damage dice, treat the ninja’s sudden strike ability as the equivalent of sneak attack.

This means that we may apply feats that pertain to sneak attack to our sudden strikes. Considering the holy goodness of the character, they learn Sacred Strike (Book of Exalted Deeds, p. 45). The text of this will be important later, so here it is:

Sacred Strike (Book of Exalted Deeds, p. 45) Exalted
Prerequisite: Sneak attack class ability
Benefit When you use your sneak attack ability against an evil creature, roll d8s for your sneak attack dice (instead of d6s) and your sneak attack damage is considered good-aligned for purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

If we sacred strike the evil that plagues the fiefdom, we roll d8s instead of d6s.

We are an illumian (Races of Destiny p.51), and as such, we have our first sigil. Choose Uur to get a +1 bonus on initiative and dexterity skill checks.

Level 2
At level 2, we use our lawful nature and study the way of doublefisted unarmed combat and take a level of monk. We trade away flurry of misses for Decisive Strike from PHB2 p.51.

DECISIVE STRIKE Flurry of blows ... in practice it can lead to a flurry of misses.
Level: 1st. Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain flurry of blows (or any later improvements to that class feature).
Benefit: As a full-round action, make one attack with an unarmed strike or a special monk weapon, using your highest base attack bonus but taking a –2 penalty on this attack roll. If the attack hits, it deals double damage (as does any other attack you make before the start of your next turn). If you use this strike to deliver a stunning attack, increase the save DC to resist the stun by 2. This is an extraordinary ability.

At second level, we also advance our rawjutsu and take the Ascetic Stalker feat from Complete Scoundrel p.73 as a bonus feat. We need not concern ourselves with the prerequisites because it is a bonus feat and the feat specifically says that we can do this.

Ascetic Stalker Complete Scoundrel p.73
Prerequisite: Ki power, ki strike (magic).
Benefit: Your monk and ninja levels stack for the purpose of determining the size of your ki pool. For example, a 4th-level monk/2nd-level ninja with this feat could use her ki powers a number of times equal to 3 (half the sum of her monk and ninja levels) + her Wisdom bonus (if any). Your monk and ninja levels also stack for the purpose of determining your unarmed strike damage, as well as your ki strike class feature. In addition, you can multiclass freely between the monk and ninja classes. You must still remain lawful in order to continue advancing as a monk. You still face the normal XP penalties for having multiple classes more than one level apart.
Special: A monk can select Ascetic Stalker as a bonus feat at 1st, 2nd, or 6th level instead of one of the other feats indicated for those levels.

Level 3: Time to get some base attack bonus
At level 3, we take our second level of ninja and gain ghost step to use that ki pool on. As a swift action we can turn invisible for a round.

At this level, we take the martial study feat found in TOB p.31 to learn the shadow blade technique TOB p. 78 from the shadow hand school. This feat allows you to roll 2d20 for an attack roll, as if you have advantage, once per encounter. This will be helpful later.

As an illumian we also get our second sigil: Vaul. This ameliorates our charisma penalty on checks, and it increases our dex check bonus from Uur by another +1. It also forms a word, Vauluur, which reads the following

Illumian Words (Su): Each combination of two power sigils' names makes an Illumian word of great power, and thus grants extra abilities to a character who possesses those two power sigils.
Vauluur: The illumian may expend a spell slot (but not a prepared spell) as a swift action to add 1d6 per spell level to her unarmed strike damage rolls and her sneak attack damage rolls. This effect lasts until the beginning of her next turn, and she may use it twice per day.

Remember, we treat sudden strike as sneak attack. And we use monk’s unarmed strike sometimes. This nets us a plus 2d6 damage on a sudden fist strike if we expend a first level spell slot. Don’t worry, we are only a few levels away from getting those slots.

Level 4: Ninja 3!
This is the level where you get +2d6 sudden strike and poison use. It is also the level where your ki pool expands to 4 and your unarmed strike becomes a d8. We apply our stat bonus to dexterity. You probably can’t use poison and still be exalted, but maybe if you find a sleep poison or something? At this level, the nimble charge skill trick has been taken, so that you can run across a ridge and slap your opponent with some lethal damage.

Level 5: Stealthy Hit and Run
At level 5, we take the sneak attack fighter Variant from Unearthed Arcana (p.58.) This allows us to trade away bonus fighter feats for sneak attack damage as a rogue. Having a sneak attack like this will be important later. We also trade away our heavy armor proficiency and tower shield proficiencies for the hit and run tactics variant from Drow of the Underdark p.58. This gives us another +2 on initiative checks (up to d20 + Dex +2 +2) as well as “when attacking a flat-footed opponent within 30 feet, you can add your Dexterity bonus (if any) as a competence bonus on weapon damage rolls.” Which is pretty sweet with sudden-strike-synergy. This brings our precision damage bonus to +3d6. Further, remember when we took 5 ranks in perform (dance) as a monk? That was a pre-requisite for the shrouded dance skill trick, which is taken at this level instead of using the fighter’s abysmal number of skill ranks on cross class skills. This allows a move action DC 20 hide check to gain concealment for a round.

Level 6: Assassin time!
Just kidding. We are an exalted lawful good ninja monk. We can’t be an assassin. They are evil and they make you kill someone just to join them. At level 6, we take a level in Avenger. Now we have that one spell slot that gives us +1d6 unarmed damage AND +1d6 sneak attack damage if we don’t want to use one of the two spells that we can learn. We have a death attack now! And if you do the death attack with a shadow blade technique you get to roll 2d20 to see if it hits.

If we spend our spell slot on the illumian power word, we have +5d6 sneak attack. This allows us to qualify for the persistent attacker feat (Complete Scoundrel, p. 80). The great thing about this feat is that if we are sneak attacking/sudden striking an opponent, we only have to subtract d6s. But if that opponent is evil, we don’t roll d6s, we roll d8s. This means that we can attack an opponent that we flank, not who is necessarily flat footed and the next round, no matter the condition of our opponent, we can stack our sudden strike and sneak attack damage, and we get to keep all of the damage from our first persistent attack strike! So if I’m attacking an evil orc while flanking, but he still has dex to AC, on round one my sneak attack deals 1d8 +1d6 (monk unarmed strike damage + vauluur) + 3d8 (fighter d8 + avenger d8+vauluur d8) +str (if any). On round two, we can use decisive strike, and gain (1d8+1d6 +4d8)x2, for an average second round hit of about 30 hp damage. Go read decisive strike again. It doubles your damage. We can use the trick again on round 2, subtracting persistent attacker 4d6 from our sneak attack damage that contains no d6s. If we use a swift action to go invisible for a round, we don’t have to worry about reprisal too much.

You may be thinking that the RAW is being read too closely, to which you should consider the wording on other ambush feats, which contain language about removing a number of dice, not specifically d6s. Maiming strike (Exemplars of Evil, p. 25) and Precise Strike (Dragon Compendium p.105) both refer a number of dice, not d6s. Roll a profession (RAWyer) check.

Plus we have death strike! We can kill those baddies on round 3 after hiding, approaching through ghoststep, and then blam! Dead.

The reason we are using the spell slots to power our racial ability is because the spell list for the avenger is trash compared to that of the assassin. TRASH. Obscuring mist is ok. Learn that one. If you can find a way to quicken it with a rod, get truestrike as your other avenger spell known. If you don’t think that your DM is going to handing out metamagic rods of quicken in an E6 game, get ghost sound instead. If you have DM permission to research assassin spells, shadow double is nice in the place of truesrike or ghost sound.

Lastly, we spend 2 points on the skill trick, escape attack, which makes an opponent flat footed against a swift action attack when you escape from a grapple. This pairs with all of the sudden strike optimization pretty well.

Epic Feats
Precise Strike (Dragon Compendium p.105)

Benefit When making an attack that would qualify as a sneak attack, you may take away any number of dice from your sneak attack damage and add a +2 circumstance bonus on your attack roll for each die reduction you make. You may convert as many of your dice from your sneak attack damage as you wish in this manner. However, if you make more than one sneak attack during a round and are using this feat, you must convert the same number of dice for each one.

Now you can actually hit on round two and do double damage! You don’t need to convert more than 2 d8s to make sure that you hit, but if you have a tough opponent, you keep persistent attacking them, and you keep hitting them. This alleviates your terrible BAB.


Throat Punch (Complete Scoundrel, p. 81)
Now you can roll your profession RAWyer check and subtract dice that can’t when punching bad guys in the throat. This is helpful against casters and talkers.

Enduring Ki (Complete Scoundrel, p. 77)
Now you can swift action ghost step for 2 rounds instead of 1.

Extend Supernatural Ability (Tome of Magic, p. 73)

Once per day, you can extend a supernatural ability that has a duration. When you use an extended supernatural ability, it lasts twice as long as normal. A supernatural ability that has a duration of concentration, that happens instantaneously, or that permanently affects a target is not affected by this feat. You must declare the use of this feat before you use the ability. Extending a supernatural ability does not require a separate action. Special This feat can be taken multiple times. Each time it is taken, you can extend a supernatural ability one additional time per day. You cannot extend a particular use of a supernatural ability more than once.

Now you can ghost step for 4 rounds. Or you can apply it to your vauluur sigil and get that bonus for two rounds. Do you want to death attack or deal two rounds of massive damage?

Intuitive Attack (Book of Exalted Deeds, p. 44)
Benefit With a simple weapon of your size or a natural weapon, you may use your Wisdom modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls.
Now you can have +3 to hit. Instead of +0.

Weapon focus (unarmed strike)
Just a prereq, but it also helps with your terrible BAB.

Head Shot (Complete Scoundrel, p. 77)

Your successful sneak attack with a bludgeoning weapon for which you have selected Weapon Focus leaves your foe confused for 1 round. A successful Will save (DC 10 + the number of extra damage dice normally dealt by your sneak attack + your Dex modifier) negates this effect. If you use this feat a second time on a target before 1 round has elapsed, the effect of the first use expires. Using this feat reduces your sneak attack damage by 5d6. Special You must be able to reach your foe's head to use this feat with a melee attack.

Subtract the d6s from your d8s to have a 50% chance of your opponents killing your opponents for you.

Extend supernatural ability again

Combat reflexes
Now if those confused opponents move through squares you threaten on round 2, you can decisive strike them.

Mortifying Attack (Champions of Ruin, p. 20)

Prerequisite Death attack class feature,
All creatures within 30 feet that witness you make a successful death attack must succeed on a Will save (DC equal to death attack damage dealt) or be shaken for 2d4 rounds. Any creature you consider your ally is unaffected. In addition, creatures that fail the save are so horrified by the attack that they lose their Dexterity bonus to Armor Class for 1 round. The target of the death attack must also make the saving throw if it survives. This extraordinary ability is a fear effect.

Make them flatfooted when you kill your opponent and smash them.

To sum up:
This illumian uses his enduring ki and extends it using extend supernatural ability to remain invisible for 4 rounds. The first three rounds he uses to decide you is getting this upcoming death attack. Then, he attacks you with his fists while setting up a flanking, flat footed situation, being invisible helps a great deal with that. As a swift action after moving into place to attack from 5’ feet away, he activates his sigil word to add more sneak attack dice to his attack to set up having the pre-requisites to use persistent attack. Then he initiates shadow blade technique maneuver to deliver the death attack, allowing him to get the equivalent of two attack rolls to choose the better of to hit with.

One of 3 things happen next:

1: If the target dies (Fort save DC 14), great! Intelligence boosting gear increases the save DC. It also boosts the number of spell slots that can be burned for the vauluur effect. If you have mortifying attack feat, all opponents within 30’ have to make a will save (DC equals damage done with the attack) or become flat footed. The victim also has to make that mortifying attack saving throw or be flat footed next round. Who gets an attack next?

2: If you are good aligned and you survive, tough break. A good aligned failed death attack victim takes a few extra d6’s of damage on the surprise round against an invisible opponent.

3: If you are evil, he can use d8s instead of d6s. This allows him to use the persistent attack and the head shot feat without subtracting any dice from damage. Persistent attack and headshot specifically tell you to subtract sneak attack d6s. You don’t roll d6s. Persistent attack guarantees that your next attack on this opponent is a sneak attack/sudden strike. Head shot causes a will save (10+5+dex) leaving the target confused for a round. If they move out of your threaten zone while confused, you can combat reflexes AOO them.

If you make it to round 2.

On that next attack, you can repeat the persistent attack headshot routine. As a swift action, you can activate an extended use of your vauluur power word using extend supernatural ability so that you can use if for two rounds to go with your use of the full round action of decisive strike to double your damage. You can repeat with persistent attack, head shot, or throat punch (if a caster) on this as well. If you suspect that this opponent has a very high ac, use precise strike and remove a few d8s to give yourself the ability to land a hit. If they are flatfooted, you get dex added to this damage twice: thats +6. If you hit with the decisive strike and the opponent moves out of your threat range, combat reflexes allows you to use AOOs to do double damage attacks.

You kill the one opponent you have to kill that day* and you go home to recharge all that ki and supernatural ability training.

Look, let’s be honest here. Ninja only has 3 good class levels and they are the first three. Enduring ki and extend supernatural ability augment the ghost step ability to 4 rounds of invisibility. Not the invisibility spell. Totally invisible, even when attacking invisibility. Sudden strike is maximized as much as possible by pairing it with sneak attack and a means of using a costless persistent attacker feat. There are a few creature types and a few abilities that are not sneak/sudden attackable by this character.


[spoiler =Artist rendition of the likeness of the illumian]

[/spoiler]

*Void where prohibited, such as in cases of undead (but he can use positoxins!), oozes, plants, and constructs.

[Zaq]

Entry the seventh!

Ondrej, the Blue-Eyed Death
NE Azurin Ninja 5/Incarnate 1

Spoiler: Introduction

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Vaclav smiled to himself as he poured out a small drink at his desk. The week had been profitable indeed. Far more profitable than the little customs inspector currently digging through his files would ever know, given that he was checking the set of ledgers that showed nothing at all amiss. The little man had been digging for days and had nothing to show for it.

The merchant tipped his head to swig the last of the spirit, and when his arm came back down he was startled to find the inspector standing in the office door. Had he left a window open? Fog seemed to be swirling in the doorway where the man stood. There was something different about him... he wasn't wearing the spectacles that he'd been using all along to read through the books, and his eyes!

Looking into those brilliant blue eyes, Vaclav remembered hearing a rumor that the local lord had retained some sort of assassin, one whose gaze froze the life out of law-breakers, and he paled.

The inspector smiled.

Spoiler: Background

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Ondrej knew from a very young age that he was meant to be a killer. Raised in a band of assassins, he learned the art of stealth and a sudden, immediate death early. But it took him quite some time to realize what even the other killers around him recognized early - while most in the ninja band killed because they were hired to, or for some other gain, he killed for the joy of it. Soon enough, he realized the truth of his heritage, that he was born to embody Evil, and was quite pleased to discover this opened paths that no other ninja in his troupe could walk.

Taking the opportunity to learn a trade other than assassination proved surprisingly helpful to his primary interest - a ninja is most effective when no one realizes what he is until it is too late, and acting as a bean-counter gives him a surprising degree of access to people who are rich enough that people will pay to have them killed. Even those who have heard the rumors about a mysterious assassin usually fail to consider him a threat right up to the moment they find themselves dying.

Spoiler: Build

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STR 10
DEX 16
CON 15 (level 4 bump will go here)
INT 12
WIS 14
CHA 10

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Ninja	+0	+0	+2	+0	Tumble 4, Bluff 4, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Jump 4, Spot 4, Listen 4	Combat Expertise, [Azurin] Improved Feint	Ki Power, Sudden Strike +1d6, Trapfinding
2nd	Incarnate	+0	+2	+2	+2	Bluff 5(cc), Tumble 5(cc), Profession (Accountant) 1		Aura, Detect Opposition
3rd	Ninja	+1	+2	+3	+2	Tumble 6, Bluff 6, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Jump 5, Spot 5, Listen 5	Shape Soulmeld (Lamia Belt)	Ghost Step (invisible)
4th	Ninja	+2	+3	+3	+3	Tumble 7, Bluff 7, Hide 6, Move Silently 6, Jump 6, Spot 6, Listen 6		Sudden Strike +2d6, Poison Use
5th	Ninja	+3	+3	+4	+3	Tumble 8, Bluff 8, Hide 7, Move Silently 7, Jump 7, Spot 7, Listen 7		Great Leap
6th	Ninja	+3	+3	+4	+3	Tumble 9, Bluff 9, Hide 8, Move Silently 8, Jump 8, Spot 8, Listen 8	Improved Diversion	Suddent Strike +3d6, AC Bonus +1

Epic Feats
Shape Soulmeld (Dissolving Spittle)
Skill Focus:Bluff
Tumbling Feint
Midnight Dodge
Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (Lamia Belt)
Mobility
Martial Study (Tiger Claw): Claw at the Moon
Martial Study (Tiger Claw): Sudden Leap
Indigo Strike
Martial Study (Shadow Hand): Shadow Jaunt

Typical Combat Soulmelds
Lamia Belt (always after level 3 feat)
Dissolving Spittle (always after epic feat 1)
Fellmist Robe
Lightning Gauntlets

Spoiler: Tactics

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Levels 1-3
Early on, Ondrej depends on his skills to get the drop on opponents and attempts to kill them as rapidly as possible by using Improved Feint to bring Sudden Strike into play. His level of Incarnate sets him back in BAB, but more than compensates by giving him the touch-attack sources that will be his primary attack modes for the rest of his career. Another major piece of his routine comes in with the level 3 feat, giving him an out-of-class soulmeld that boosts his Bluff check substantially. The Lamia Belt will typically be kept maxed out in essentia to keep this bonus high. When feints fail, Ghost Step will fill the gap and keep the pressure on.

Level 4-6
These levels give Ondrej more of what he already has - increased Sudden Strike damage and skills, poison to make his initial strike that much more damaging - but the primary change in tactics comes with his level 6 feat. Improved Diversion adds an important alternative to a feint when dealing with non-humanoid (or especially unintelligent) opponents. Ondrej can use the momentary distraction to move away (Tumbling if necessary) and hide as a move action; thanks to his Fellmist Robe he will essentially always have concealment available once he's out of melee range. Where possible, he'll use Great Leap to gain an advantage, moving to higher ground or across difficult terrain.

When dealing with enemies who simply aren't vulnerable to Sudden Strike, Ondrej pumps his essentia into the damage output of his soulmelds instead.

Epic Feats
The first feat completes the Diversion-and-snipe trick by giving Ondrej a ranged touch weapon to go with his melee touch. From there, he continues to improve both the feint- and the escape-and-hide tactics until he starts to hit the point of diminishing returns. Moving on to another type of martial arts, he begins to pick up Martial Study feats in order to make full use of Great Leap at every opportunity.

Spoiler: Sources

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PHB, PHBII, Magic of Incarnum, TOB:Book of Nine Swords, Complete Adventurer

[Zaq]

Entry the eighth!

Shadow



When darkness falls, death is not far behind

Spoiler: Build stub

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CN Whisper gnome Ninja 5 / Warlock 1

Spoiler: Backstory

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Most are afraid of the dark; a few embrace it.
Too small, too weak. Invisible to the eyes of the big folks. He survived in the streets, stealing what he could, never stepping on any toes for too long. His talents were quickly recognized and utilized by a secret organization of mystic killers, the Ninja. Shadow learned eagerly, and pushed his studies way beyond what the Ninja intended. He entered pacts with dark beings; some even say the Plane of Shadow itself took him under it's wing. Having learned what he needed, he disappeared; his newfound talents would finally lead him to wealth and a comfortable life. So far, even the Ninja haven't been able to find him...

Spoiler: Statistics

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32 point-buy
Str 8 (0)
Dex 16 (10)
Con 12 (4)
Int 14 (6)
Wis 15 (8)
Cha 12 (4)

With modifiers
Str 6 (-2 racial)
Dex 18 (+2 racial)
Con 14 (+2 racial)
Int 14
Wis 16 (+1 at level 4)
Cha 10 (-2 racial)

Spoiler: Class levels

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Ninja	+0	+0	+2	+0	Hide 4, Move silently 4, Craft (poison) 4, Sleight of hand 4, Tumble 4, Balance 4, Jump 4, Open lock 4	Darkstalker	Ki power, Sudden strike +1d6, Trapfinding
2nd	Ninja	+1	+0	+3	+0	Hide 5, Move silently 5, Craft (poison) 5, Sleight of hand 5, Tumble 5, Balance 5, Jump 5, Open lock 5		Ghost step (invisible)
3rd	Warlock	+1	+0	+3	+2	Hide 6 (cc), Craft (poison) 6, jump 6	At home in the deep	Eldritch blast 1d6, Invocation (Darkness)
4th	Ninja	+2	+1	+3	+3	Hide 7, Move silently 7, Craft (poison) 7, Sleight of hand 6, Tumble 6, Balance 6, Open lock 6		Sudden strike +2d6, Poison use
5th	Ninja	+3	+1	+4	+3	Hide 8, Move silently 8, Craft (poison) 8, Sleight of hand 7, Tumble 7, Balance 7, Jump 6, Open lock 7	Instinctive darkness	Great leap
6th	Ninja	+3	+1	+4	+3	Hide 9, Move silently 9, Craft (poison) 9, Sleight of hand 8, Tumble 8, Balance 8, Jump 7, Open lock 8		Sudden strike +3d6, AC bonus +1

Epic feats
1- Blend into shadows
2- Point blank shot
3- Quick draw
4- Martial study (Cloak of Deception)
5- Mortalbane
6- Martial stance (Child of shadows)
7- Shadow blade
8- Intensify darkness
9- Shape soulmeld (Impulse boots)
10- Open least chakra, feet (Impulse boots)

Spoiler: Build breakdown

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Whisper gnome won't win the originality contest, but fits the needs of this build really well : small size, bonus to hide and a few useful SLA for the sneaky type (silence 1/day chief among them).
First two level: Pretty much a run of the mill skillmonkey at first level, Shadow won't see much combat at this point. Darkstalker taken right away for use at later levels. At second level, he can use Ghost step 5/day to get out of sticky situations or to get a qucik quick with sudden strike.
Third level: The key to the build. One level of warlock to gain Eldritch blast, which will be Shadow's main weapon, and the Darkness invocation.
Fourth level +: Ninja all the way from level 4 to 6. Darkvision and Darkness as an SLA are necessary to gain access to those tasty Drow of the underdark feats. At home in the deep allows to see in magical darkness (at the level he can use Darkness at will as an SLA), giving Shadow a great tactical advantage. Instinctive darkness means he can use Darkness as a swift action, and he can even use his Darkness invocation to basically gain hide in plain sight with Blend into Shadows, again as a swift action. Later, even Daylight is only a roadblock with Intensify darkness.
Shadow works best when he can remain unseen, triggering sudden strike with every attack he makes. He has to remain in close range (EB only has a 30ft range, and thrown daggers omly a 10ft range increment). The idea is to have multiple Darkness active at once on many trinkets and daggers (which is not hard to do as the invocation lasts for 10 minutes) and using quick draw to drop those items around the battlefield as he moves, then using his swift action at the end of his turn to hide (be it with Blend in the shadows, Ghost step, or the Cloak of deception maneuver). Point-blank shot helps to land hits both with EB dagger throws, Shadow blade helps with damage output with daggers, Mortalbane does the same with EB. The investment in the daggers is necessary to be able to combat creature with Spell resistance, which would be almost unaffected by a CL1 EB. They also serve as poison-delivery mechanism (I would have loved to apply poisons to Eldritch blasts but I didn't find a way to do so). Last two feats helps to keep you alive if an enemy manages somehow to get the drop on Shadow (Uncanny dodge) and Evasion is great to slip unscathed from the randomly thrown fireballs those frustrated wizard are going to throw your way.
So, stealth, movement (using his solid Tmble, Balance and Jump skills), and one solid attack per round. Shadow is patient and won't take undue risks, and he knows he can just slip away unnoticed pretty easily if combat doesn't go his way, probably with some of the belongings of the enemy.

Spoiler: Final numbers

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AC: 19 (+4 dex, +3 wis, +1 AC bonus, +1 size)
HP: 6+5d6+12 = avg 35 hp
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +8 (Evasion), Will +6 (+2 with a point in Ki pool)
Attacks: Eldritch blast, ranged touch attack +9 1d6+1 (+3d6 sudden strike, +2d6 mortalbane 5/day)
Daggers, ranged attack +9 1d3+5 (+3d6 sudden strike)
Key skills: Hide +21, move silently +18, craft (poison) +11, Sleight of hand +12, Tumble +14, Balance +15, Jump +13, Open lock +12

Spoiler: Weaknesses

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Fortitude saves. Not much to say about that one.
Ennemies immune to crits and sneak attack. Biggest drawback. If you can't land sudden strike, then the damage output is severely hampered. I juggled with the idea of investing in UMD and have him use Grave strike and Golem strike wands, but it would have needed a couple of feat to boost his UMD bonus high enough, so I discarded it. Still, you can always drop Quick draw and Point blank shot to get Skill focus and Magical aptitude if a specific game features a lot of crit immune creatures.
Enemies that can see in magical darkness. Fortunately, those are few and far in between.
Creatures with both high DR and SR. EB wouldn't work reliably and the daggers would do pitiful damage.
Teamwork. Darkness is not fun for enemies, and allies. However, if the other party members grab a way to see in magical darkness (At home in the deep feat, Ebon eyes spell, Devil's sight invocation, and I'm sure there are other ones), then the party might become almost unstoppable in E6.

Spoiler: Items

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Shadow functions pretty well without items, but still can gain from a few:
- Dex enhancer and items that boost Hide and Move silently: pretty self-explanatory
- Chasuble of fell power: More base damage for EB
- Belt of battle: the build is pretty intensive of swift actions

Spoiler: Sources

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Book of Vile Darkness : Mortalbane (p. 49)
Complete Arcane : Warlock (p. 5)
Drow of the Underdark : At home in the deep (p. 47), Blend into shadows (p. 47), Instinctive darkness (p. 50), Intensify darkness (p. 50), Master of poisons (p. 51)
Lords of Madness : Darkstalker (p. 179)
Magic of Incarnum : Impulse boots (p. 71), Shape soulmeld (p. 40) , Open least chakra (p. 39)
Tome of Battle : Martial study (p. 31), Martial stance (p. 31), Shadow blade (p. 32), Cloak of deception (p. 76), Child of shadow (p. 76)
Races of stone : Whisper gnome (p. 94)

[Zaq]

Entry the ninth!

Shinda Suzume



Race: Hengeyokai Sparrow
Build Stub: Ninja 2/HnR Fighter 2/Totemist 2
Multiclass Penalty: No.
Languages: Common, Hengeyokai
Alignment: NE
Ability Scores:

Ability	Human	Hybrid	Sparrow	Racial	(Points)
Strength	9	9	1		(1)
Dexterity	17	19	23	+2 (Hybrid only)	(13)
Constitution	14	14	10		(6)
Intelligence	10	10	10		(2)
Wisdom	14	14	14	-2	(10)
Charisma	8	8	8		(0)

Ability Score Increase (4th): Constitution +1

Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Ninja 1	+0	+0	+2	+0	DisableDevice 4, Listen 4, Hide 4, MoveSilently 4, Search 4, Spot 4	Point Blank Shot	Ki Power, Sudden Strike 1d6, Trapfinding
2nd	Ninja 2	+1	+0	+3	+0	DisableDevice 5, Listen 5, Hide 5, MoveSilently 5, Search 5, Spot 5		Ghost Step (Invisible)
3rd	Fighter 1	+2	+2	+3	+0	Craft:Weaponsmith 2(+2), DisableDevice 5, Listen 5, Hide 5, MoveSilently 5, Search 5, Spot 5	Hand Crossbow Focus, Dead Eye	Hit-and-Run ACF
4th	Fighter 2	+3	+3	+3	+0	Craft:Weaponsmith 4(+2), DisableDevice 5, Listen 5, Hide 5, MoveSilently 5, Search 5, Spot 5	Crossbow Sniper	Hit-and-Run ACF
5th	Totemist 1	+3	+5	+5	+0	Craft:Weaponsmith 4, DisableDevice 5, Listen 7(+2), Hide 5, MoveSilently 5, Search 5, Spot 7(+2)		Wild Empathy
6th	Totemist 2	+4	+6	+6	+0	Craft:Weaponsmith 4, DisableDevice 5, Listen 9(+2), Hide 5, MoveSilently 5, Search 5, Spot 9(+2)	Multi-Weapon Fighting	Totem Chakra

Additional Feats:
1. Rapid Shot
2. Cobalt Strike
3. Precise Shot
4. Expanded Ki Pool
5. Martial Stalker
6. Weapon Specialization (Hand Crossbow)

Spoiler: Fluff

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There was a quiet knock at Master Momochi's door. Sliding it open, he said, "Ah, Shinda-kun. Please, come in and sit down."

Shinda said, "Yes, Momochi-san." He bowed politely, stepped into the room, and sat down on the mat in front of Momochi. "Is this about the Fuku job?"

Momochi regarded Shinda with a wooden smile. "Actually, I wanted to discuss your performance review, but since you mentioned it... we can start with the Fuku job."

"Yes! Well... it did get a little messy, but it all worked out in the end. No survivors, everything according to Guild policy."

Momochi's wooden smile disappeared. "About that... you were aware, I am sure, that the Fuku job was a hostage situation?"

Shinda blinked. "Oh? Sure! Well, it started out that way, but... well, once the weapons come out, you're never really sure which way the arrows are going to fly. So, you know... Employee Handbook covers that pretty well. Kill everybody, no witnesses."

Momochi asked, "Including the hostages?"

Shinda nodded. "Well, once the fighting broke out, it was hard to tell who was who. So... I figured, just shoot everybody, let the healer monks sort it out later."

"And this strategy of yours..." said Momochi, pausing to collect his thoughts.

"Kill absolutely everything that moves with a crossbow?" finished Shinda.

"Yes, that one. This is the same strategy you employed with the General Tataki job last month?"

Shinda nodded, smiling. "Yes, same strategy! Kill everybody, no witnesses."

Momochi took a deep breath. "Do I need to remind you that the whole purpose of the General Tataki job was to infiltrate his fortress and gather military intelligence? What use is military intelligence if the general is dead?"

Shinda thought about this for a moment. "Well... it's important to know if the general is dead. That's important military information."

Momochi continued, "And what about the Umajiri job?"

"Same strategy. Shoot everything with a crossbow."

"That was a blackmail job. How are we supposed to blackmail someone who's dead?"

Shinda blinked. "Well... isn't there a spell for that? Raise dead, or resurrection? Sounds more like a shugenja problem than a crossbow problem."

Momochi stared at Shinda, unable to collect his thoughts for a few moments. "So..." he began, "This strategy of yours. Shoot absolutely everything that moves with a crossbow. You use this for every single mission?"

Shinda nodded. "Yes. Absolutely. 22 successful missions in a row. I mean, if it's working, why change it?"

Momochi noticed that several crossbows were already hanging from Shinda's belt. He cleared his throat. "And so... you approach everything this same way... such as... performance reviews?"

Shinda blinked. "I hadn't thought about it, but now that you mention it..."

Momochi smiled. "No need! I think we're done here. I will let the other masters know that I spoke with you about this. Good work! Just carry on the way you have been. Have a pleasant day."

Spoiler: Level Breakdowns

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Level 1: When it comes to sneaking and spying, Shinda is the consummate fly-(sparrow?)-on-the-wall. In sparrow form, Shinda has a +24 bonus on Hide checks (+16 size, +8 Dex). Also, anti-ninja defenses, such as high walls and nightingale floors? Shinda just flies right over them. He can sneak into any castle, hide up in the rafters or eaves, and use his Listen and Spot skills to gather invaluable information for blackmail, court intrigue, or battle strategy. If forced to fight in human or hybrid form, Shinda uses smokebombs and eggshell grenades to provide concealment, using his Listen/Spot skills to pinpoint his opponent, and attacking from range when possible.

Level 2: Ghost Step allows Shinda to go from nearly invisible to actually invisible. He can use this 3/day, making him a little more dangerous when in human or hybrid form. He can also use it as the ultimate escape plan: turn invisible as a swift action, shift into sparrow form as a standard action, then fly up to 50' away and hide as a move action.

Level 3: Shinda forgoes further advancement as a Ninja to progress his crossbow skills as a Fighter, using the Hit-and-Run Tactics ACF from Drow of the Underdark. This also allows him to take both Hand Crossbow Focus and Dead Eye. Dead Eye allows him to add his Dex bonus on damage against all targets within 30', and the Hit-and-Run ACF doubles this against flat-footed targets within 30': +6 damage in human form or +8 damage in hybrid form.

Level 4: With another level of Fighter, Shinda picks up Crossbow Sniper. This extends the range of his Sudden Strike out to 60', and adds 1/2 his Dex bonus on damage out to any range. Within 30' against flat-footed opponents, he gets x2.5 his Dex bonus on damage: +7 in human form, +10 in hybrid form.

Level 5: Totemist soulmelds add some additional utility to Shinda's repertoire. He can shape Kruthik Claws to buff his sneak skills (+6 to Hide/Move Silently), Yrthak Mask for buffing Listen, or Wormtail Belt for a Natural Armor bonus that stacks with his other AC bonuses regardless of which form he is in.

Level 6: Who's got four opposable thumbs, a pair of wings, and a bunch of teeny-tiny crossbows? Shinda does! With Girallon Arms shaped to his Totem Chakra, he is now armed and dangerous even in sparrow form. He can wield four fine-sized hand crossbows, which only deal 1 damage per hit, but against flat-footed opponents with 30', he can add x2.5 his Dex bonus to damage on top of Sudden Strike for an average of 19.5 damage per hit. (Q: How does he reload? A: He's got two feet that aren't standing on anything.) He's also got a nekkid AC of 29 (+8 size, +6 Dex, +2 Wis, +3 NA). Once he adds Rapid Shot on top of Multi-Weapon Fighting, he gets five attacks per turn, and if they all hit he does a minimum of 85 damage. For the rest of his feats, Shinda takes Cobalt Strike to push his damage up to 20+ per hit, Precise Shot to get rid of that pesky penalty for firing into melee, Expanded Ki Pool for more rounds of invisiblilty, and then Martial Stalker for another Ki point per day and Weapon Specialization: Hand Crossbow. After that, maybe some Bonus Essentia or Open Least Chakra to open up his crown/hands/feet chakras.

Spoiler: Complications

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There are at least two "problem areas" that may require some finagling with the DM. First, it's not entirely clear what the physiological implications of adding four arms while in sparrow form might be. The flavor text for the Girallon Arms soulmeld mentions that these "spirit arms mirror the movements of your real arms", but a sparrow's "arms" are its wings. The descriptive text says the arms are "quite real - and quite sharp", but doesn't mention if they can wield weapons or if they are capable of completely independent motion. This last point should only be a concern if you're trying to fire at more than two targets. If the arms mirror each other, then pointing one arm at a single target should point the other arms at the same target. Using claws to wield a crossbow shouldn't be a problem, as most creatures in the Monster Manuals with claws can wield weapons, but if your DM throws a stink about this, you can enchant your crossbows with the Opposable property from Masters of the Wild.

The second problem appears on page 20 of Magic of Incarnum: "Your maximum number of simultaneously shaped soulmelds is equal to your Constitution score –10, or the number indicated in your class table, whichever is less." When in sparrow form, Shinda's Constitution is only 10. So... it's not clear that he can maintain his Girallon Arms soulmeld. However... I've been through MoI several times, and I can't find any rules text that actually states what happens if a meldshaper's Constitution drops below the number of soulmelds he currently has shaped. Page 49 says, "Once shaped, a soulmeld remains in effect until the character chooses to unshape it (typically to shape a new soulmeld in its place). A soulmeld can remain shaped for a day, a month, a year, or even a character’s entire life." On the next page under "Unshaping a Soulmeld", the text says, "Generally speaking, a soulmeld remains shaped until the meldshaper chooses to unshape it in favor of another soulmeld. Sometimes, however, a soulmeld is designed to unshape as part of its function." There are other ways to unshape a soulmeld, such as acquiring a negative level (page 52), getting hit with certain spells, various creature abilities, and you may lose access to a bind or chakra by changing forms, but there is no text in the book that says your soulmelds unshape if your Constitution drops to 10 or lower. So your best argument here is, "There's no rule that says dropping your Con score unshapes a soulmeld." The number of soulmelds you can shape appears to only be enforced when the soulmelds are shaped, which you can do in human form. Once they are shaped, they are supposed to stay with you until something unshapes them. The rules for changing forms even states that while a soulmeld binding might become unbound if your new form doesn't have the correct chakra, the soulmeld itself is still considered shaped until you unshape it and re-bind it (page 170).

That being said, if the DM rules that a sparrow with Con 10 can't maintain any soulmelds, then here's a few work-arounds for that. You get an ability score increase at 4th level, so you can ask if you can increase your sparrow's Con score to 11. As per the text in Oriental Adventures, hengeyokai's natural form is that of an animal. They change into human and hybrid forms via their own magical abilities, but their original form is an animal. Another work-around is a Con-boosting item that you can wear while in sparrow form. This may require adding a Wilding Clasp to an Amulet of Health +2, or putting on a Con-boosting amulet/belt/etc. while in sparrow form. If you want a much more hardcore solution, you could go Necropolitan (Libris Mortis p. 114) and take the Undead Meldshaper feat.

Spoiler: Sources

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Complete Scoundrel: Expanded Ki Pool, Martial Stalker
Dragon Compendium: Dead Eye
Drow of the Underdark: Hit-and-Run Fighter, Hand Crossbow Focus
Magic of Incarnum: Totemist, Girallon Arms Soulmeld, Cobalt Strike
Monster Manual: Multi-Weapon Fighting
Oriental Adventures: Hengeyokai Sparrow
Player's Handbook II: Crossbow Sniper

[Zaq]

Entry the tenth!

Talon
Anthropomorphic Screech Owl, Ninja 6

Spoiler: Picture

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Spoiler: Stats

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Str – 10 (+0) (2 pts)
Dex – 16 (+3) (6 pts)
Con – 14 (+2) (6 pts)
Int – 14 (+2) (6 pts)
Wis – 21 (+5) (6 pts) (+1 @ lvl 4)
Cha – 12 (+1) (6 pts)

Spoiler: Build Table & Epic Bonus Feats

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Ninja 1	+0	+0	+2	+0	Balance: 4 Bluff: 4 Climb: 4 Jump: 4 Listen: 4 Move Silently: 4 Spot: 4 Tumble: 4	Weapon Finesse (Talons)* Hidden Talent (Chameleon) - (XPH), Wis to AC	Ki Power, Sudden Strike +1d6, Trapfinding
2nd	Ninja 2	+1	+0	+3	+0	Balance: 5 Bluff: 5 Climb: 5 Jump: 5 Listen: 5 Move Silently: 5 Spot: 5 Tumble: 5	-	Ghost Step (Invisible)
3rd	Ninja 3	+2	+1	+3	+1	Bluff: 6 Craft (Poisonmaking): 1 Disable Device: 1 Listen: 6 Move Silently: 6 Open Lock: 1 Sleight of Hand: 1 Spot: 6	Air Heritage - (PlH)	Sudden Strike +2d6, Poison Use
4th	Ninja 4	+3	+1	+4	+1	Bluff: 7 Search: 1 Sense Motive: 5 Spot: 7	-	Great Leap
5th	New Class Level	+3	+1	+4	+1	Bluff: 8 Hide: 7	-	Sudden Strike +3d6, AC +1
6th	Ninja 6	+4	+2	+5	+2	Hide: 8 Listen: 7 Move Silently: 7 Spot: 8 Skill Tricks: Wall Jumper Group Fake-Out	Expanded Ki Pool (CS)	Acrobatics +2, Ki Dodge

Spoiler: Important Skill modifier totals

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Balance +12
Bluff +9
Climb +10
Hide +11
Jump +14
Listen +24
Move Silently +26
Sense Motive +10
Sleight of Hand +6
Spot +21
Tumble +12

Epic Bonus Feats
Mobility - (PH)
Expeditious Dodge - (RotW)
Flyby Attack - (MM)
Great Flyby Attack - (SS)
Improved Flyby Attack - (SS)
Hover - (MM)
Winged Warrior - (RotW)
Diving Charge - (RotW)
Agile Athlete - (RotW)
Quick Reconnoiter – (CAdv)

Spoiler: Some Fluff for fun

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Talon isn't sure where he came from exactly. He's not like most other humanoid creatures he's encountered, he's much more aware of his surroundings. The faintest whisper around the corner, the slightest twitch in the shadows, it's all crystal clear to his senses. He's also been hard pressed to find those rare individuals that can hear him as he comes swooping in like the wings of death.

Talon likes to be mobile about the battlefield. Constantly flying to and fro, swooping in to attack the enemy without warning and leaving again in a flash. His talons raking through a line of foes like butter. If that's not a reliable option, he can certainly hold his own up close. He can make dust clouds to conceal his movements and make it impossible to attack him at range. When the enemy gets close, they see him standing calmly with his wings wrapped about him. As they approach to strike his wings unfurl and from the feathers come the knives, striking before the target can react. Talon can disappear in an instant becoming completely invisible before he strikes. If his enemy seems particularly ferocious and there's a chance of actually landing a hit, Talon can displace his form, making it shift and waver and more difficult to land a strike.

If his perceptions and silent stalking skills weren't dangerous enough, he has another skill he can't quite explain. Just by thinking about it, Talon can camouflage himself and his attire to blend in nearly seamlessly with his surroundings. Going unnoticed by even the most cunning of predator, or prey. Oftentimes the only way anyone can even know he's struck, is by finding a signature shuriken by the bodies. A shuriken shaped in the form of an owl's feather. A feather of Talon...

Spoiler: Racial Modifiers & some Combat Stats

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Racial Modifiers
Anthropomorphic Screech Owl (SS)(DMG; alternative familiar)
Size: Small
Speed: 20ft., Fly: 20ft.(40ft with Air Heritage) (Poor)
Talons: (1d4 dmg)
Racial Skill Bonus: Listen +12, Move Silently +16, Spot +8
Ability Score Modifiers: Dex +2, Wis +6, Cha -2
Natural Armor: +1
Bonus Feat: Weapon Finesse (*Talons only)
Darkvision: 60ft.

Basic Combat Stats
HP: 5d6+18 (Avg. 36)
Initiative: +5
Attack: Talons +8, Ranged +8
AC: 21, Touch: 20, Flat-Footed 18: 10+1(size)+1(NA)+3(Dex)+6(Ninja AC+WIS)
(+2 Dodge AC if moved 40ft.+) (+4 vs. AoO)
Fort: +4, Ref: +8, Will: +7
Sudden Strike +3d6 dmg
+2d6 dmg on Diving Charge
Ki Powers 11/day

Spoiler: Feat Descriptions/Skill Tricks

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Spoiler: Hidden Talent

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Gain a 1st level Power known, and 2 Power Points in which to manifest this power.

Spoiler: Air Heritage

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Your fly speed increases by 30ft. (up to your normal maximum), +2 bonus on Balance and Jump checks

Spoiler: Expanded Ki Pool

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Gain 3 extra uses of Ki powers.

Spoiler: Mobility

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+4 Dodge bonus against AoO

Spoiler: Expeditious Dodge

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If you move 40ft or more in a single turn, you gain +2 dodge bonus to AC. Can replace Dodge as a Prerequisite.

Spoiler: Flyby Attack

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When flying, can take a standard action at any point during your move action.

Spoiler: Great Flyby Attack

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Full-round Action. When flying, you can move up to your fly speed in a straight line and attack a number of targets equal to your dexterity bonus.
Make only one attack and damage roll to apply to all targets.

Spoiler: Improved Flyby Attack

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When using Flyby Attack, you incur no AoO for moving through squares threatened by your target.

Spoiler: Hover

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When flying, you can halt any forward motion and hover in place as a move action. Then can fly in any direction at half speed regardless of maneuverability.
As a full-round action, can make a full-attack with all limbs/appendages except wings.

Spoiler: Winged Warrior

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Tactical Feat: Enables the use of three tactical maneuvers.
Dustup: To use this maneuver, you must be standing in, or flying no more than 10 feet above, an area with a lot of loose debris. If you flap your wings hard as a move action, the draft creates a hemispherical cloud with a radius of 20 feet. Clear vision within the cloud is limited to 10 feet. Creatures 11 to 20 feet away have concealment. At over 20 feet, creatures have total concealment. Those caught in the cloud must succeed on a Concentration check (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level) to cast a spell.
Flying Leap: To use this maneuver, you must move a distance greater than your base land speed during the round. If you do, you gain a +4 bonus on Jump, Balance, and Climb checks because your wings give you lift and stabilize you.
Shroud of Feathers: To use this maneuver, you must spend a move action to pull your wings around your body. You cannot be flying during this maneuver. You can then attempt to feint in combat (as described in the Bluff skill description, page 68 of the Player's Handbook) as part of your attack, suddenly spreading your wings to reveal your weapon just as it's about to land a blow. The shroud of feathers maneuver works on a given foe only once per combat.

Spoiler: Diving Charge

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When charging while flying, if you move at least 30ft,
and descend at least 10ft, you gain a bonus to your damage roll based on your fly speed.(Not distance moved) 30ft or less = +1d6, 31ft-90ft = +2d6, 90ft+ = +3d6

Spoiler: Agile Athlete

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Use Dex modifier on Climb and Jump checks

Spoiler: Quick Reconnoiter

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You can make one Spot and Listen check each round as a free action. Gain +2 on Initiative

Spoiler: Skill Trick: Group Fake-out

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You can use Bluff to feint in combat against more than one opponent. Make one Bluff check opposed by separate Sense Motive checks for each opponent. For each opponent after the first that you wish to affect, you take a cumulative –2 penalty on your Bluff check.

Spoiler: Skill Trick: Wall Jumper

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If you have succeeded on a Climb check to ascend or descend a wall during this or your previous turn, you can leap horizontally from that wall as if you had a running start.

Spoiler: Psionic Power: Chameleon

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Cost: 1PP, 10min/lvl; Your skin and equipment take on the color and texture of nearby objects, including floors and walls. You receive a +10 enhancement bonus on Hide checks.

Spoiler: Sources

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Dungeon Master’s Guide (DMG)
Player’s Handbook (PH)
Monster Manual (MM)
Complete Adventurer (CAdv)
Complete Scoundrel (CS)
Savage Species (SS)
Planar Handbook (PlH)
Expanded Psionics Handbook (XPH)
Complete Psionics (CP)

[Zaq]

Entry the eleventh! (Note: This entry also did not include its name in its PM title! Shame! Shaaaame!)

Tellian d’Thuranni
The ghost in the darkness.

Spoiler: The Build

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Level	Class	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	Barbarian	+1	+2	+0	+0	Jump +4, Listen +4, Bluff +2, Hide +2, Move Silently +2	Least Dragonmark of Shadow (Darkness)	Fast Movement, Illiteracy, Whirling Frenzy
2nd	Ninja	+1	+2	+2	+0	Jump +1, Listen +1, Hide +3, Move Silently +2		Ki Power, Sudden Strike (+1d6), Trapfinding
3rd	Ninja	+2	+2	+3	+0	Jump +1, Listen +1, Hide +1, Move Silently +2, Tumble +2	Quicken Dragonmark	Ghost Step (Invisibility)
4th	Ninja	+3	+3	+3	+1	Jump +1, Listen +1, Hide +1, Move Silently +1, Tumble +3		Sudden Strike (+2d6), Poison Use
5th	Ninja	+4	+3	+4	+1	Jump +1, Listen +1, Hide +1, Move Silently +1, Tumble +3		Great Leap
6th	Shadow Hunter	+5	+5	+6	+1	Jump +1, Listen +1, Hide +1, Move Silently +1, Tumble +1, Extreme Leap	Lesser Dragonmark of Shadow (Shadow Conjuration)	Heir’s Mark, Improved Darkness
Epic	1						Dragonmark Adept (Blindsight)
Epic	2						Unlock Dragonmark
Epic	3						Heroic Spirit
Epic	4						Heroic Focus
Epic	5						Dragonmark Prodigy (Insightful Feign)
Epic	6						Dodge
Epic	7						Mobility
Epic	8						Spring Attack
Epic	9						Martial Study: Cloak of Deception
Epic	10						Expanded Ki Pool

Spoiler: Sources

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] Eberron Campaign Setting: Least Dragonmark of Shadow, Lesser Dragonmark of Shadow, Heroic Spirit
Magic of Eberron: Heroic Focus
Dragonmarked: Shadow Hunter, Quicken Dragonmark, Dragonmark Adept, Dragonmark Prodigy
Player’s Handbook: Barbarian, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack
Complete Adventurer: Ninja
Complete Scoundrel: Expanded Ki Pool, Extreme Leap
Tome of Battle: Martial Study
Unearthed Arcana: Whirling Frenzy

Spoiler: First Level

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Tellian d’Thuranni was not always of Thuranni. At a the young age of 84 Tellian began work as a bandit. He excelled in quickly flanking a target, hitting them while their back was turned and then getting out of the way. It wasn’t a good life, but it was a profitable one. That changed when he manifested his mark. News spread that a dragonmarked elf was working as a bandit, and that this bandit was particularly bloodthirsty. House Phiarlan began hunting Tellian. Tellian learned that the bounty on his head rose dramatically and he decided it was time to seek stronger allies. He sought out House Thuranni who after learning who he was quickly married him into the house, and began training as an agent.

Spoiler: Sixth Level

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At 6th level Tellian’s training is complete, and his mastery of his mark has grown dramatically. He has the ability to turn invisible several times each day as well as using the darkness of his mark to effectively blind targets and make several sudden strikes in rapid succession. At this point he is a trusted member of House Thuranni, doing missions often alone that others couldn’t do with a partner.

Spoiler: Epic

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By the end of Tellian’s career he could become invisible a seemingly infinite number of times per day, could ignore the very darkness that he seemed to use almost at will, and would fight more akin to a ghost than the barbarian he started as.

Spoiler: Combat

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Making use of Blindsight and the mark of shadow you can set up situations that normal targets will be unable to see allowing you to get your Sudden Strike off as much as you please. I added in cloak of shadow because it seemed very in line for a ninja to use. Great Leap allowing us to always jump as if we had a running start combined with Extreme Leap and Spring Attack quickly allows you to use cat and mouse tactics whenever you fight. For Shadow Conjuration I’d employ the use of Obscuring Snow to quickly make it so that even if enemies can quickly leave the darkness you will hardly ever need to fight an up front battle. Adding in the ninja’s exceptional skills you should be able to perceive even those that hide from you without the employment of your blindsight. With Unlock Dragonmark you can spend your considerable action points to activate your dragonmark powers, and make use of dragonmark powers you don’t normally have access to, like Invisibility. While the Tellian has access to all martial weapons and a handful of exotic weapons, I suggest using a reach weapon to fight, a guisarme should work well, although in darkness any weapon should work. In a typical fight Tellian will poison several weapons using his Poison Use, prepare himself for combat using his dragonmarks, using quicken dragonmark where necessary. Once preparation is complete he’d enter into his whirling frenzy and fight with hit and run tactics. You should be able to make two good hits each round, more if you have access to haste or a speed item. I would invest in magic items that allow him to overcome obstacles that could be challenging. The whole idea would not work in a normal campaign as fairly soon nearly everyone will have access to something that would effectively ruin his abilities and it is heavily feat reliant.

Spoiler: Equipment

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I did not know whether to put any equipment in or not, after asking it seems that there is no real requirement to enter them in, but to not be reliant on the equipment. So with that said I’ll just say what kinds of equipment would be good. Equipment that enhances maneuverability is the best, as is anything that makes his shtick resistant to magic that would spoil his abilities. Several items in the Dragonmarked book would be useful in adding to his already large number of abilities. And as always adding in versatility to shore up anything that he couldn’t do (like flight) will harm the build in no way.

Spoiler: Author Comments

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This is the first time I’m entering any of these competitions. I don’t care if I win or lose, although I’d love to win that is not why I’m here. That said please be fair in your judging, but kind in your words.

[Zaq]

Eleven! Eleven entries! Ah ah aaaaaaah!

You've got your work cut out for you, judges. In more ways than one. We've certainly got some entries here. Good job, everyone who entered! I'm going to go update the first page with links and then get some shuteye.

[Thurbane]

My build would have been Ninja 1/Cloistered Cleric 5 (with Able Learner) to do Ninja-ish things with spells.

Congrats to everyone who got an entry in.

[DeTess]

11 entries... and somehow none of them took their 6th level in swordsage, whihc seemed like the ridiculously obvious thing to do to me (and the reason why I didn't submit a build of my own, as I couldn't think of something else that wouldn't lose to much ninja-ness).

Ah well, I'm going to try judging here, bu it's going to take me a while to get it done. What's the expected deadline for judging?

[remetagross]

I would have made a Kobold Ninja 6 using the web enhancement for gaining Slight Build for extra skill bonuses, Hidden Talent for Psionic Minor Creation, and firing three poisoned darts a round with a Fukimi-bari. But I wasn't doing anything useful with either Trapfinding or Great Leap and that annoyed me.

Congrats to all that did make it to the submission :)

[MinimanMidget]

I was working on a Neraph Ninja (disappointed not to see one in the running), but couldn't come up with a good way to capitalise on a high Jump check and charging that denies Dex to AC. Leap Attacking was just not going to work out for him.

[Jormengand]

I was going to mess with some of the exalted feats, odd wordings and a few of the ninja class features in a way that I'll keep in a box for next time I have a chance to do something equivalent.

[PrismCat21]

11 entries... and somehow none of them took their 6th level in swordsage, whihc seemed like the ridiculously obvious thing to do to me (and the reason why I didn't submit a build of my own, as I couldn't think of something else that wouldn't lose to much ninja-ness).

I believe this competition requires at least one level in the secret ingredient to qualify to even enter.
So even if your did enter that way, it wouldn't have mattered.

I was working on a Neraph Ninja (disappointed not to see one in the running), but couldn't come up with a good way to capitalise on a high Jump check and charging that denies Dex to AC. Leap Attacking was just not going to work out for him.

I wrote one out, but ultimately decided on something else I felt more giddy about :P
It was aggravating working it out though.

[Lapak]

I believe this competition requires at least one level in the secret ingredient to qualify to even enter.
So even if your did enter that way, it wouldn't have mattered.

I think Randuir meant taking Swordsage 1 as their sixth character level, not taking a 6th level of swordsage.

[DeTess]

I think Randuir meant taking Swordsage 1 as their sixth character level, not taking a 6th level of swordsage.

Yeah that was what I meant. My build would have either been ninja 5/swordsage 1, or ninja 4/swordsage 2. Maybe with one other class mixed in if I found something interesting that it could add. Hmmm, can you do telflamar shadowlord in 6 levels with a ninja base?

No, apparently you can't.

[RaiKirah]

Reading through all these submissions made me realize some things I had missed. Aw well, not going to get better without trying.

Really impressive stuff all around! Looking forward to judging!!

[PrismCat21]

Yeah that was what I meant.

My bad. :/ Completely misunderstood

[Zombulian]

I wish I had had time to get my build formatted in time for submission. I never expected it to win but it would've been a fun one.
Anthro-Baleen Whale 3/Ninja 3 for Sudden Strike + Echolocation shenanigans.

[PrismCat21]

-snip-

Please, no judging or critiquing of builds from the sidelines. That is the Judges' job only, in their official capacity.

Deleting it, so as to not influence any Judges, would be appreciated.

[WhamBamSam]

Some things I considered.

1. Strongheart Halfling Ninja 3/Cloistered Cleric 3 - Basically the only thing I could come up with to make the DC required to produce Black Lotus Extract with Psionic Minor Creation was Guidance of the Avatar. The rest of the build would have been a pretty standard Zen Archer with Yondalla's Sense, with either some sort of Psycarnum shenanigans or Greater Psionic Shot to take advantage of having Psionic focus.

2. Something Ninja 4/Totemist 2 - Uses Great Leap to shore up the Jump check for the Landshark Boots Totem bind, and doubles up on the things I'm doing to get enemies flat-footed to get Planar Touchstone (Oxyrhynicus) attacks with Quick Drawn Poisoned Weapons.

3. Silverbrow Human or Glimmerskin Halfling Ninja 4/Swordsage 1/Something 1 - Uses Great Leap to assist with Tiger Claw maneuvers. Psionic Minor Creation produces Elemental Rime with its more modest craft DC, which deals a bit of Dex damage and renders its victim vulnerable to fire damage, such as the damage from Dragonfire Strike and Desert Wind maneuvers.

Anyway, 11 entries is probably too much for me to judge in any reasonable amount of time, especially with the main competition likely coming back soon, but I will say that I like a lot of what people were able to do with a pretty terrible ingredient.

[remetagross]

Some things I considered.

1. Strongheart Halfling Ninja 3/Cloistered Cleric 3 - Basically the only thing I could come up with to make the DC required to produce Black Lotus Extract with Psionic Minor Creation was Guidance of the Avatar.

About that I considered the lesser Draconic Rite of Passage combined with Draconic Reservoir to gain, 3/day, that level 1 spell from Eberron that gives you +5 to a Craft check. I still needed masterwork tools and a +5 competence bonus item though, so that was pretty inelegant.

[WhamBamSam]

About that I considered the lesser Draconic Rite of Passage combined with Draconic Reservoir to gain, 3/day, that level 1 spell from Eberron that gives you +5 to a Craft check. I still needed masterwork tools and a +5 competence bonus item though, so that was pretty inelegant.

I thought about Magecraft as well, but thought that the 'full day of work' clause might be an issue, and I too needed more bonuses. I guess dipping Truenamer 1 for Universal Aptitude leaves Ninja less overshadowed than making half your build Cleric, but I didn't think of that.

[Lapak]

With so many entries, we do still have some folks left who are judging, right?

[DEMON]

With so many entries, we do still have some folks left who are judging, right?

Randuir and jdizzlean, I believe. Not sure if anyone else is willing to step up to the challenge given the number of entries.

[jdizzlean]

i'm still in :)

[DeTess]

I'm still in as well. I plan to be done around wednesday or thursday.