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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grey McBannert
I've never felt like I was fighting the SI as much as now. Most of the time, finding synergy with halfway decent classes, or even GOOD classes is possible. Not here. No synergy, no easy exploits, no casting/manifesting/maneuvers/soulmelds/binding/mystery progression, NOTHING. I actually like Frostburnless than I did before this challenge.
And lo did the Iron Chef claim another soul.
__________________
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Ding, You've Got Trophies!
Spoiler
Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist but you have ceased to live. - Samuel Clemens
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
I might have figured out a way to use this beast. I'll know soon. If not, then I might just sit back and watch instead of judging (Since we seem to have a lot now).
__________________ "What is Sanity? Madness put to good use. What is our waking life? A dream controlled."
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
ugh I am really feeling the clock on this second entry. Good news is I made it work well enough to justify entering it and it is a pretty cool looking character. Bad News is the clock is ticking and of course it couldn't be a simple character so there is still butt loads of stuff to fill out. I wish I knew this computer voodoo that filled out your charts for you
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gotterdammerung
ugh I am really feeling the clock on this second entry. Good news is I made it work well enough to justify entering it and it is a pretty cool looking character. Bad News is the clock is ticking and of course it couldn't be a simple character so there is still butt loads of stuff to fill out. I wish I knew this computer voodoo that filled out your charts for you
Those numbers, in order, refer to fields in the spreadsheet referencing to following: Level, Class, Base Attack Bonus, Fort Save, Ref Save, Will Save, Skills, Feats, Class Features.
I made a chart with each level entry going across then used 20 lines like this underneath to concatenate the information into a single line with the appropriate BBCode to format it, then copy/pasted it here.
Those numbers, in order, refer to fields in the spreadsheet referencing to following: Level, Class, Base Attack Bonus, Fort Save, Ref Save, Will Save, Skills, Feats, Class Features.
I made a chart with each level entry going across then used 20 lines like this underneath to concatenate the information into a single line with the appropriate BBCode to format it, then copy/pasted it here.
I really really tried to understand what you just said... but sadly no... no I'm more lost now.
Those numbers, in order, refer to fields in the spreadsheet referencing to following: Level, Class, Base Attack Bonus, Fort Save, Ref Save, Will Save, Skills, Feats, Class Features.
I made a chart with each level entry going across then used 20 lines like this underneath to concatenate the information into a single line with the appropriate BBCode to format it, then copy/pasted it here.
The thing I love about Excel is when people much more versed than myself can point out simple, elegant solutions to replace my awful guerilla tactics. This whole time, I've been typing up the table in Excel with semicolons wherever I intend to have final commas. Then, I save it as a comma delimited file and open in Word. Two quick "find & replace"s change my commas to |s and my semicolons to commas.
But concatenating is just so much simpler. Bless you, Jeriah.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
YES!
Just finished the second entry, and not a moment too soon. I have something to do tonight and would not have had time to work on it tomorrow before the deadline.
It was a bastard of a challenge for sure but I have to say now that it was over I had a lot of fun. I really can't believe I squeezed 2 pretty cool builds out of such a horribly designed PrC.
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
I've been back and forth over mine so many times and finally decided not to submit...It works totally in spite of Cyro instead of with it, and I'm so busy with a recruit thread in pbp forum that I can't get my head round what I need to change to make it happen.
And I used to love Frostburn too.....
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
I think I'm in the same boat as FyreByrd. My build works in spite of Cryo and does nothing particularly great with it. It could be a good deal stronger without it too. I probably will not submit.
Damn you and your evil prestige-class-pickery, Amphetryon! That's two contests in a row that have stumped me until the last few days, leaving no time to finish an entry!
__________________ "What is Sanity? Madness put to good use. What is our waking life? A dream controlled."
-George Santayana
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
Deadline in 2 minutes!!
I wonder how long it will be until the BIG REVEAL!
(excited)
I wonder how many entries there ended up being. I know there were at least 3 but I am hoping for more. I don't like the idea of automatically placing simply due to lack of contestants.
*Edit: Apparently, it took 2 minutes to type this message... deadline is now.
Last edited by Gotterdammerung : 01-13-2012 at 06:59 PM.
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
The old man down the road. . . .
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Man Winter
“In the Icewind Dale, a man who does not know the tale of “Old Man Winter” is either new to the region, or has cabbage for ears. In this world, there are powers beyond mortal men. One hundred feet tall, He is one such power. An elemental force whose appearance signals the final breaths of a man, Old Man Winter descends upon the unfortunate.
He summons the storms of the North and rides them down from the heavens. The blizzard is his breath and the ice his skin. He plucks away the lives of men who are foolish enough to tempt his domain. Beware the storms. Beware the Storms.”-Geirham, the Beard; Ten Towns Storyteller-
Some believe the stories to be false, others believe them embellished, and even fewer still claim to have witnessed the legend first hand. Regardless of what men believe, a tracker who can predict the weather gets paid thrice wages. –Ogalard Speart, guide and tracker-
Old Man Winter
(Wulgraf, King of Bones)
Spoiler
Character Information
Spoiler
Race: Human (Illuskan)
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Age: 18 levels 1-5; 22 levels 6-10; 25 levels 11-15; 30 levels 16-20
Height: 8 foot
Weight: 370 lbs.
Eyes: Sky Blue
Hair: Coarse Grey/White Hair and Beard (Long Full Beard). Above average white body hair (abnormally thick for a human but not quite as rampant as a beasts fur).
Languages: Illuskan, Giant, Common.
Attributes
Spoiler
Str 14+ 4 inherent+ 6 enhancement=24
Dex 10
Con 14+6 enhancement= 20
Int 12
Wis 12
Cha 16 + 5 level + 5 inherent+ 6 enhancement= 32
At this point in the story our hero has no name. He was born out of the arrogant tinkering of a wizard’s laboratory. Bred from slave stock and infused unnaturally with the blood of an obscure primitive giant, the Yeti, he was forced to spend his early years in servitude as a brutish guard. It was during this time that he developed his unusual powers of the mind. Through will alone, he learned to increase his fighting prowess. During these early years his abilities focused on purely offensive and defensive capabilities. Nothing else seemed important.
5th level
Spoiler
At this level, our hero resonates an aura of energy damage that does around 2d6 damage no save, this damage can increase or decrease depending on the element chosen. His to hit and damage are comparable to other 5th level melees. His AC is decent.
His master seemed very pleased with his work on the surface. But in reality, his rapidly growing power actually threatened his master. The wizard had never been strong in the enchanting arts and therefore chose to breed week willed, strong bodied stock and then manipulate them through fear. And while his creation did not show any signs of rebellion, he had a bit too much intelligence and a bit to strong of a presence about him.
The master did not feel secure keeping his creation around much longer, so he decided to sell him to an acquaintance. Word was sent and a few short months later, a caravan arrived to purchase him. He spent the next period in his life guarding the trade caravans of his master, as they snaked their way throughout Faerun. Again, seeking only to fulfill his role, our hero shaped his capabilities to the job at hand, learning new powers of perception and even more ferocious combat capabilities. He even earned a nickname. The traders called him “Bigman”, for obvious reasons. The merchant grew very fond of his purchase and even began to outfit him with magical accoutrements so that he could more effectively do his job.
10th level
Spoiler
Due to expansion and magic items, our grapple check has sky rocketed at this point. Bigman is around a +39 grapple check at 10th level. Also his class ability elude touch allows him to counter the low touch AC from his size and poor dex. Elude touch allows his touch AC to easily keep up with his regular AC. On top of that, due to quick recovery, he can use his wild surge more freely with less fear of repercussion. This means higher augmented powers (13th manifester lvl when surging). This directly translates into higher AC, saves, to hit as well as 25 Power Resistance (assuming transparency that is just as good as 25 SR at 10th level). It also activates his class ability Surging Euphoria for a small boost to hit, damage and saves. His Touchsight automatically allows him to spot anything within 100 feet at this point. And his energy emanation now allows 4d6 damage no save to everything within 5 feet. Also, damp power is now not only a useful defensive tool for Bigman, but it also allows him to protect his allies in the caravan. Typically, his powers of perception allow him to spot an ambush early, this usually allows him and his allies some time to prepare. Bigman does not just rely on grapple, he has a magic melee weapon and power attack and plenty of to hit and damage. He will use whichever he feels is best for the given scenario.
Life flew by and Bigman had lived through countless raids, ambushes, and burglar attempts on his caravan. He had truly lived the life of a traveler. By this time he had visited nearly every establishment worth trading in. However, these experiences were hollow to him, viewed through the lens of slavery. He was like a street urchin staring at pretty things behind a shop window. These emotions sat heavy on his mind as the caravan was making its most recent journey from Luskan to Ten Towns. The North always calmed his mind. Home was a very foreign concept to him but every time he saw the tips of the spine of the world, he always felt a sense of return.
Perhaps it was this daydreaming state of mind that caused him to fail in his duties, or perhaps it can be attributed to the skill of the assailant. But whatever the reason, the beasts set upon the camp like a fog. One second, all was quiet, the next … screams. The caravan had rounded the corner of the spine of the world and was well on the way to Ten Towns when wild beastly giants covered in white fur from head to toe savagely tore into the caravan. They went straight for the pack animals, turned over carts and broke wagon wheels. Then they savagely squeezed the life out of one guardsman after another. Bigman hastily prepared for combat but just as suddenly as it had started, the giants fled. The destruction left in their wake was irreparable. Immovable wagons and dead horses littered the caravan. The entire camp was unsettled. In the distance, strange beastly wails haunted the survivors.
They had lost half the camp in the first raid, and half again died from exposure that following night. Dawn brought a somber sense of dread. The remaining survivors had no hierarchy, no protocol, only a sense of pragmatism. Everything of superficial value was abandoned. Everything of utilitarian value was salvaged. Now down to 6 men, they began the journey on foot to Ten Towns, all the while hoping and praying that the corpses and treasures they left behind would occupy the mysterious predators. After an hour of travel, all hearts fell as the horizon mocked them with brewing clouds and howling winds. Each man resolved himself to the icy death of a snow storm.
The smell of blood and shadowy masses haunted Bigman’s dreams. He lived in the between, dead and alive, floating in the currents of something stronger than himself, something other-worldly. Time was strange. Consciousness was fleeting. And so it was for 3 days. When the fever finally broke he came back to the world of the living. He was weak and confused. He tried to sit up, but forceful hands pushed him back down. They were warm soft hands. He followed those hands to arms and those arms to a body and that body to a face. He should have been afraid, but something was right. There was no aggression in this apelike creatures face. She was tender. Her fangs held no bite. Her sky blue eyes held no hate. And so he gave in to her. He let her nourish him back to health.
In the next year Bigman came to know the truth behind his heritage. He learned that it was his Yeti blood that gave the Yeti raiders cause to save him from the snowstorm. He renounced his slave name and was renamed Wulgraf. He took a place in the tribe and participated in many raids. At first the Yeti were suspicious of his human taint and lack of fur. But his battle prowess and enthusiasm were overwhelming. Each day he became more and more like his kin. He no longer needed to bundle himself in the furs of many other animals to bare the biting cold. Instead, He began to revere the cold of the mountains. And it was clear to everyone that the Spirit of the mountain had blessed him.
15th level
Spoiler
This is an exciting level. Our secret ingredient is up and running, and it fits in wonderfully with both the story and our pre-existing abilities. While glacial ray and bolt of cold are not by themselves incredible, they help to secure the admiration of his yeti brethren and they provide back up ranged capabilities in a pinch. Cold adaption has come online and not only provides some defense against the common Cold oriented attacks of this climate, but it also again helps to win the approval of his kin. Frozen fist and weapon afrost further boost his status as “Spirit Blessed” and while he prefers Frozen fist before wading into some caravan guards, both provide useful options. Frozen fist also synergizes well with expansion finalizing at 2d6+ str bludgeoning and 1d8 cold damage per attack. And given his location, frostfell creature insight gets plenty of use during the day to day natural encounters of his hostile new homeland. It also helps when sparring with his Yeti brethren allowing him to fall higher in the tribes hierarchy.
Also, quick recovery and enervation endurance now allow him to all but ignore the downside of psychic enervation. This allows him to work with an 18 manifester lvl (from lvl 14 on including practiced manifester and an orange prism ioun stone and +3 wild surge) when casting his powers. This translates into these results from fully augmented buffs:
Energy emanation- 6d6 energy damage/ round no save to everything within 5 feet.
Power Resistance (works as SR using magic/psionics transparency)- PR30
Precognition, Defensive- +6 to AC and Saves (insight bonus) as a swift action
Precognition, Offensive- +6 insight bonus to attack rolls as a swift action
Touchsight- Automatically see things within 120 feet.
Expansion- huge size as a swift action for 18 minutes instead of 18 rounds.
These buffs do not have to be fully augmented but he has enough power points to get them all up and rarely has cause for more than 2 fights a day.
While he may seem buff heavy, many of his crucial buffs are action efficient. And given his roll of hunter and not hunted he usually has plenty of time to fully buff. However in extemporaneous circumstances where time is scarce, he can function adequately on a smaller buff set, picking and choosing his buffs carefully and utilizing his ability to buff as a swift. In times where many battles are expected in one day, he can choke back on the power of his buffs to extend his uses per day.
His grapple is now at +41. His to hit and damage are still doing just fine.
Wulgraf is not a team player per se. He usually prefers that his brethren allow him to attack from one side on his own. This allows him to be completely destructive without worrying about hurting an ally.
After 5 years of living with the Yeti, Wulgraf’s commanding presence and his above Yeti intelligence naturally pushed him to the top of the tribe Hierarchy. He has now taken his place as King of the Bone Tribe. He plans the raids and is generally responsible for the welfare of his kin. He has influenced the tribe in many ways. They originally only raided caravans for food and scrimshaw. He has taught them the value of other objects. While they are slow to learn and downright stubborn on the issue, He insists that they strip the raided caravans down and store up these spoils. He has influenced them to follow the weather more closely and usually tries to plan his raids around eminent snowstorms, recreating the devastating combination that almost led to his demise 5 years ago. He also has introduced the idea of letting victims live to spread fear to other caravans. This has led to many easy battles. The hint of a snowstorm now brings a paralyzing fear to caravans of the north and fearful camps are especially easy to overrun. His tribe reveres him as other-worldly and he still has many years before anyone will be brave enough to challenge his lead. He occasionally dresses as a barbarian tribesman and visits Ten Towns to purchase things he can not find in the wild. While there he finds it pleasing to visit local taverns and listen to bards tell stories of “Old Man Winter” the giant spirit of cold who brings blizzards down on wayward merchant caravans.
Level 20
Spoiler
Only one thing has changed on our psionic side. We now have dispel psionics. With transparency this can be used to dispel troublesome magical effects during combat. Our modifier is +20.
Cold walk- helps with mountain travel.
Fear no cold- further helps to thwart the biting cold of the north.
Greater weapon afrost- wewt more damage to weapon afrost and Frozen Fist
Wall of Ice- is useful as an opener to a raid. It helps to separate the caravans forces, further preventing them from obtaining any substantial defensive response.
Bone Chill- This is a wonderful addition to the mythos of Old Man Winter. When King Wulgraf lets loose this blast of cold, it is very devastating. Due to his high charisma the DC is respectable. The damage on the ability is not bad. And the best part is the secondary death effect works even on creatures immune to cold. This further reinforces his decision to stand solo on raids.
Our final grapple check is now at +47 and freedom of movement can be dispelled.
Raid strategy:
Spoiler
For a typical raid, Wulgraf monitors the progress of the caravan from the mountains. He chooses a good location to strike and moves his tribe in place. Wulgraf is not as skilled at hiding as his Yeti kin so he usually finds a location with total cover in a flanking position to his main force and lays in wait. When the caravan approaches his forces spring into action and sprint in to damage the wagons and hurt the pack animals. He puts the finishing touches on his buffs with a swift action expansion and separates the caravan’s forces with an ice wall. He then moves up to confront the most powerful of the caravans forces as his kin seek to kill the weak and retreat. Once the caravan has been severely crippled, he bellows a roar as a signal for an all-retreat. His forces then monitor the status of the crippled caravan for the next few days. Sometimes they seize an opportunity and make a second attack. Other times they allow survivors to make it back to civilization. Either way, they return to the wagons and being the long process of ferrying anything useful back into their mountain caves.
Bone Tribe:
Spoiler
The Bone Tribe gets its name from their fascination with the Scrimshaw (whittled fishbone trinkets and statues) they often steal from caravans coming out of Ten Towns. They braid these trinkets into their fur and decorate their caves with them.
The Frost Giants and the Northern Barbarian tribes have a understood peace treaty with the Bone Tribe. The Frost Giants understand that King Wulgraf is not ambitious. As long they do not encroach upon his mountain home and as long as they do not interfere with his hunt, they are free to do what they want with the rest of the world. The Bone Tribe respects the barbarian tribes of the North for their strength. A raid on them is costly and therefore undesirable.
Why Cryokineticist?
Spoiler
The main reason is for the story. But even though it is a vastly inferior prestige class, it still lends quite a bit of synergy to Wulgraf’s combat style, Frozen fist gives him melee damage for his fists allowing for a source of real damage after a successful grapple as per the grapple rules. If fighting with a real weapon is more advantageous in a situation, weapon afrost adds to damage. Icewall helps strategically in his chosen lifestyle. Bolt of cold and Glacial Ray are wonderful fluff as well as back up ranged damage in a pinch. Cold walk helps him navigate treacherous mountain terrain with ease. Cold Adaption and Fear no Cold allow him to exist as a native in these hostile climates. Frostfell creature insight is not often handy for bandit raids but is very useful in the day to day conflicts with native creatures of the cold. Bone chill is a perfect match fluffwise and with his wilder synergizing charisma it actually has a good save supporting it.
Why Wilder?
Spoiler
Again, it fit the story better. The “Background” Section of the Wilder from the Expanded Psionics Handbook talks about the self-taught nature of wilder’s and the stunted social growth. This really fit in with the story of a slave. Wulgraf’s abilities just awakened naturally. But it also was a more appropriate mechanical choice. Wild surge allowed for some recovery of lost manifester lvls as well as free power points for augmenting. It has a medium BAB and therefore lines up better for the future melee prestige class. Its Elude touch class ability helped to overcome the dismal touch associated with exceptionally large grapplers. And although wilder gets an abysmally low number of powers known, I felt that going overchannel style psion would overwhelm the secret ingredient instead of synergizing with it. And Wulgraf did not really need that many powers to round out his theme. So in short, Wilder just fit perfectly.
Troubleshooting Weaknesses:
Spoiler
Creatures immune to cold
Wulgraf can use the sonic version of energy emanation instead of cold, emulating the howling wind of the mountains. His grapples are still deadly, the cold damage from Frozen fist is gone but the 2d6+ str bludgeoning damage is not. Bone chill will not do damage but creatures immune to cold must still make the fort save or die IF they fail their reflex save regardless of their immunities. If the immunity is from a spell, dispel psionics can remove it if needed.
Creatures immune to grappling
Dispel Psionics can remove freedom of movement and similar effects. Wulgraf can switch to melee weapon with ease. Energy emanation eats away at opponents round by round. Treated as Gargantuan size for grapples due to expansion and Jotunbrud, this allows Wulgraf to grapple Colossal+ size monsters.
Magic Damage
High Power Resistance + damp power+ good touch AC from Elude Touch makes most direct damage spells completely ineffective against Wulgraf.
Magic insta-kill combos
Wulgraf has little defense against the high level great wizard death combos, however, his location offers solid protection from these arcane horrors. Very few seriously deadly batman wizards travel as guards for caravans, and even fewer casually roam the mountain caves of the Spine of the World.
Yeti Army
Wulgraf’s yeti tribe is merely in place for the story. He stands alone in combat and his yetis are just background noise. They are not meant to be leadership in disguise or to be taken that way. If a villain or a party were to happen across Wulgraf and his yeti raiders, they would most certainly fight Wulgraf only.
The Wild Surge, Psychic Enervation, Quick Recovery, Enervation Endurance combination:
Spoiler
Wild surge allows a wilder to raise his manifester level by a certain amount anytime he casts a power. This extra manifester level also provide power point to spend on augmenting the power on a 1 to 1 ratio of manifester boost to free power points. These boosts are listed in the class block and eventually caps for Wulgraf at +3 manifester level when Wild Surge is used.
Psychic Enervation provides the downside to using Wild Surge. Anytime a wilder uses wild surge there is a chance he will become overwhelmed by the process. The chance is 5% per manifester lvl boosted by Wild Surge. So anytime Wulgraf uses Wild surge he has to roll a % chance to see if he succumbs to Psychic Enervation. The penalty for psychic enervation is a loss of power points equal to Wulgraf's wilder lvl and the dazed status until the end of his next turn.
Quick Recovery allows Wulgraf a will save to remove the stun and daze status effects on any round where he starts his turn stunned or dazed. Wulgraf can now use this feat to recover and salvage his next turn from a psychic enervation mishap. The DC for this save to remove this daze actually becomes higher the more charisma Wulgraf has, BUT his will save is very good and it scales evenly with the DC to remove Psychic Enervations Daze effect.
Enervation endurance reduces the loss of power points from a psychic enervation to 1/2 wilder lvl.
With the combo in full swing, Wulgraf has a 15% chance to have a psychic enervation mishap anytime he uses Wild surge to gain his +3 manifester lvl and free power points. If he fails this % chance, he might lose some remaining actions in this turn, but he will almost certainly salvage his next turn. He now only loses 5 power points from a mishap instead of 10. Given the unlikeliness of a mishap and the free 3 power points per use of wild surge, This combo comes out on top to give Wulgraf great power point economy while putting on his buff set.
In Your Game
Spoiler
Wulgraf can be introduced into your game as a villain or NPC very easily. But he can also be a fun character to play. His background story offers some roleplay fuel for faction based roleplaying campaigns.
His theme can also be enhanced easily by custom home brew material to give him a more personal feel. You can build a yeti giant bloodline easily using the guidelines on page 31 of the Unearthed Arcana. Or you can create a custom yeti influenced version of the Half-Giant template in the Expanded Psionics Handbook. Or you could expand upon the idea of bloodline feats by making Jotunbrud the start of a feat chain.
Magic Items Used and Magic Items Recommended:
Spoiler
Used-
Spoiler
Cloak of charisma +6
+5 charisma Tome
+4 strength Tome
+6 belt of Giant Strength
Melee Weapon with Enhancements Gloves of Titan's Grip
Recommended-
Spoiler
Vest of Resistance +5
Light armor with enhancements
Items for AC
Useful Magic items you find yourself re-buying on every character
Etc etc.
Sources:
Spoiler
Player’s Handbook
Expanded Psionics Handbook
Frostburn
Lords of Madness
Complete Psionics
Races of Faerun
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Racial Features:
- Fey type
- Small size. +1 bonus to Armor Class, +1 bonus on attack rolls, +4 bonus on Hide checks, –4 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and - carrying limits 3/4 those of Medium characters.
- A pixie’s base land speed is 20 feet. It also has a fly speed of 60 feet (good).
- Low-light vision.
- Skills: Pixies have a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Search, and Spot checks.
- +1 natural armor bonus.
- Spell-like abilities: 1/day lesser confusion (DC20), dancing lights, detect chaos, detect good, detect evil, detect law, detect thoughts (DC21), dispel magic, entangle (DC20), permanent image (DC25)
- Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/cold iron, greater invisibility, spell resistance equal to 15 + class levels.
- Languages known = Common, Sylvan and all 3 Bonus Languages: Elven, Gnome, Halfling.
Manifester level and Powers
Spoiler
Powers
points/day
known
max level
lvl5
2+4
1
1st
lvl6
6+4
2
1st
lvl7
11+4
2
1st
lvl8
17+9
3
2nd
lvl9
25+9
3
2nd
lvl10+
35+13
4
3th
suggested powers:
1 - Bolt (create 2d4 arrows +1 with +1 augment per 3 power points)
2 - Energy Emanation (1d6+1 cold damage within 5 feet centered around you for rounds/lvl)
2 - conceiling amorpha (grants conceilment 1min/lvl)
3 - Energy Burst (5d6+5 cold damage within 40feet)
Level Breakdown...
Spoiler
Level 1-10
Spoiler
Calipso was never such a playfull character. He never enjoyed the childish games his friend appear to enjoy. His used his Invisibility to escape the turmoil around his head. His innate gift of an evolved mind drives him more and more to contenplate in calm and quiet places. He discovers his psionic talents, and decides to investigate. He trains his mind to use his psionic powers, but this draws the attention of his peers. To excape their prying eyes, he escapes and seeks his spot, higher and higher on the mountain. At last, he meditates so high, that his friends don't bother anymore to disturb him. The snow and cold make it not a nice place to be, and that's when he got his alias 'Calipso'. He didn't bother at all, untill disaster struck...
In game terms...
At low levels, the invisibility and DR10 should be enough to keep him alive. He then takes levels of Wilder to make good use of his Cha and qualify for the SI. At mid levels, this build lacks in raw power, that's why a ranged attacker with hit and run tactics.
Wilder Class features:
- Wild Surge / Psychic Enervation: rarely used in this build as the Cryokineticist has no manifester levels to augment. I wish it did.
- Elude Touch: due to high CHA, the touch AC = AC. Since you stay at range, this means that rays hit you less often.
- Surging Euforia: see wild surge above.
Level 11-20
Spoiler
An avelange! His quick wings could not bring him to complete safety and he gets trapped under the snow. How he realises that with no friends around, there is noone to rescue him. But interestingly, he doesn't really suffer from the cold. In fact, it seems that he manages to harnass the power of the cold, and use it for his own. Lacking real strenght, it takes some time to free himself but at last he climbs out of his snowy prison. This left a lasting impression, as he abandons his lonely hermitage, choosing back for the social life. With his new found cold powers, he protects his comrades from intruders with impressive display of cold. He erects walls of ice, and bursts out in freezing cold when surrounded by enemies. But his normal way of fighting would be to use his invisibility and flight, to pelt down arrows upon his foes. In game terms...
So, what class feature can we use?
- glacial ray and Bolt of Colt: Ranged touch attacks? Yup, We have the dexterity to do that.
- cold resistance: this feature comes up twice and all it there is to it is the resistance.
- melee weapon enhancement: You sheet your melee weapon in cold, giving it the frost attribute.
Spoiler
Races of the Wild p166 mentions Elvencraft Bows to be used as melee weapons, so arguably, you could apply the Weapon Afrost ability to the Footbow. The pixie has no STR bonus, but it would apply up to 2d6 frost damage. Just picture a pixie with a footbow... Some feats enhance his ranged capacity: Psionic shot adds 2d6 and Fell shot makes ranged attacks into ranged touch attacks.
To quote:
Quote:
Magical enhancements to an elvencraft bow only affect its
use as a bow. Enhancements to the melee capabilities of the
weapon must be added separately.
But that doens't matter as the Cryokineticist does not specify which part of the weapon is sheated, we can thus choose to sheat the melee weapon (the Elvencraft Footbow) with the afrost ability for the bow, not for the melee capability
At 4th level, as a move action,
the cryokineticist can cause a melee weapon he wields to
become sheathed in a layer of intense cold, granting the
weapon the frost special ability.
- frostfell creature insight: situational, not elaborated on in this build.
- cold walk: paying to walk the air, but leave traces? Ouch that's totally not what we are trying to do. We're flying undetected!
- Wall of ice: usefull to block when on the retreat with a wall or trap a creature under a hemisphere.
- Bone Chill: The capstone feature! Hope that they fail twice and die.
Items needed:
Spoiler
- cha tomes
- +6 Belt of Giant Strenght (36000gp)
- Elvencraft Footbow (+0str)
- High dex light armor: i.e. Leafweave leather (light armor +2AC, max +7dex)
Chef's notes
Spoiler
I really had no idea how to use the SI, except that a 30' area of immeadiate death after 2 failed saves is appealing. But the DC is set in stone, although it can be enhanced by raising Charisma. The Pixie has a nice CHA score, and also brings the way to deliver the attack. With greater invisibility and flight, it can pop up anywhere, release it's blast and fly away. If needed, it can pelt arrows and cold rays from above thanks to the high dexterity as well. Drop an ice wall to block the exit before or after you fly in. And to enter the SI, I choose Wilder for the CHA and saves synergy.
A routine:
- buff with cold emanation = 1d6+1 cold damage
- fly in with greater invisibility and use bone chill = 9d6+21
- follow up with quicken energy burtst 5d6+5 cold damage
--------------------------------------------------
it tallies up to 15d6+27 = 80 cold damage on average in a 30feet radius.
(Note that cold resistance or even immunity will negate the damage, but on 2 failed saves, it will not prevent the immediate death, at least not as written.)
Note: Against mooks, you can make things interesting: create a permant image (DC25) to lure them togheter, and use entangle (DC21) to keep them there. Then blast them for fun times.
To make the Bone Chill a bit more effective, high CHA contributes:
Total Cha:
point buy 18
racial: +6
levels: +5
item: +6
tomes: +5
-----------------
total cha: 40
Base DC = 15 + 15 = DC 30
Ability Focus = DC +2
--------------------------
Total DC = 32 Fort save.
If SR is breached, then some creatures will have a real chance not saving twice against this DC.
Note: It seems that power resistance is easier to overcome than spell resistance using feats. While the spell penetration feat line gives +2 to +4 bonus, the power resistance feat line gives +4 to +8 bonus. Too bad we are not using manifester levels. AAAARRGGggg....
PS: I admit that this build lacks in power and suffers from a way to overcome cold resistance. Anyway, now I know I'll never ever play a cryokineticist. Ever.
Sources:(probably SRD if not mentioned)
Spoiler
-Races of the Wild: Elvencraft Bow, Footbow, Leafweave leather
-Complete Psionic: Energy Emanation, Psionic Mastery
-Expanded Psionic Handbook: Wilder, Energy Burst, Bolt, Conceiling Amorpha
-Frostburn: Cryokineticist
-Monster Manual: Pixie, Ability Focus
__________________
Star Metallurgist of the Roy Fanclub
Who made my awesome Dwarf Hexblade avatar, you ask? BRC did!
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
Ice like a mirror. . . .
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Antipode
The Antipode, where two worlds meet
This land where flame and frost do meet,
There elemental heart doth beat.
Here born of ice and fire am I,
Entering in, you now must die.
The Story
Spoiler
Far in the north where ice never melts and the sun rises but half the year a mountain grew from the earth, spitting fire and smoke with every growing inch. Long were the spirits of the cold and the spirits of the heat embattled with one another for the dominance of their element. With the passing eons, the volcano fell dormant, and the spirits of the land fell into an uneasy truce, a truce destined to be shattered by mortal hands in search of wealth.
No one survived to tell what happened. All that is known is that mortal hands broke the truce and provoked the fire spirits into awakening the mountain once more. The wanton destruction slaughtered the adventurers and many of the spirits on both sides. The blood of the mortals mixed with the remnants of the destroyed spirits, and a new being stepped forth, the antipode.
The mixing of ice and fire has given rise to a new guardian, this half mortal touched of the fey now lives secluded on this forgotten mountain guarding it against all who encroach upon it, the powers of its spirit ancestors coursing through it.
I came up with the character concept and thought "Hey! I bet I could do it!" Then, I set about trying to make it happen. I spent less time trying to make this a super powerful build and more time trying to find small ways to expand on the theme, selecting feats and abilities to fit.
Note that I did not assign the ability score increases from levels. They will go into either Dexterity of Charisma, depending on how the game goes. Since both are about equally important, I just left them out of the build.
1st - 5th levels
Spoiler
The first few levels of this build represent the character's basic personality and growth towards becoming the guardian of the land.
The three levels of paladin reflect the character's dedication to protecting its home and maintaining the law of nature undefiled by mortal races. However, being a fey, especially one dominated by opposing elements, the character is still a bit capricious by nature. It took the Harmonious Knight substitution level to represent that it is more likely to sing inspirations than to be looking everywhere for evil. Losing out on detect evil also fits thematically, as a guardian doesn't really care about alignment so much as whether or not the enemy is trespassing.
I selected Ardent and used the standard chicanery to stretch Ardent as far as possible, grabbing the second level power of choice (energy emanation) on the first level. I had originally intended only the one level of Ardent, but the Guardian mantle seemed to fit the character too well to simply pass it by, particularly since it gave access to damp power.
Play at these levels is rather straightforward. The character is a paladin with a few, limited psionic powers to increase potency. Because of later levels and magic items I found, I decided to go with a "whip" theme for the Antipode.
Feats
Hidden Talent grants 2 additional power points and psychic whip (See below)
Practiced Manifester at 3rd for high level power selections.
Mantles and Powers
1st level - Psychic whip is a wonderful weapon-like power which functions as a whip with a reach of Close and doesn't have non-proficiency penalties. It doesn't last all day, but it does have some nice uses.
3rd level - The Antipode's elemental powers begin to awake as it takes the first level of Ardent, taking the Water and Fire mantles. While psionically focused, the Antipode receives +1 fire damage on melee attacks and a swim speed. It takes control object (water) from the Water mantle to control the ice around it and energy emanation (fire) from the Fire mantle to summon the fire of the mountain (and qualify for Cryokineticist).
Damp power, acquired at 5th level via the Guardian mantle, is the opposite of Maximize Spell for any powers/spells cast against the Antipode. This grants it some defense against enemy casters in addition to the divine grace from its paladin levels.
6th-10th levels
Spoiler
At 6th level, the ancestry of the Antipode breaks through, and it begins taking levels in both Cryokineticist and Pyrokineticist.
The Antipode gains access to the glacial ray and fire whip psi-like powers, allowing it to throw around its fire and ice abilities at will. It also begins to develop its resistances to both cold and fire damage, can sheath its fists with energy, and gains Bolt of Cold.
Feats
The 6th level feat, Ordered Chaos, is the key to this whole build, treating a Lawful character as Chaotic when beneficial, granting immunity to Axiomatic and Anarchic weapons as well as [law] and [chaos] spells that affect the opposite alignment. It also allows the Antipode to qualify for Pyrokineticist.
At 9th level, it picks up Imperious Command and the skill trick Never Outnumbered. While it's never wonderful at Intimidation, it has enough of a modifier to to cower its enemies, threatening them with death for defiling the land.
11th-15th levels
Spoiler
These levels offer more of the same, progressing along the theme of the character. The Antipode picks up two more levels of Cryokineticist and three more levels of Pyrokineticist.
Bolt of Fire is added to our offensive repertoire, as are weapon afrost and weapon aflame, both of which may be added to a weapon of choice (jut not its frozen fist). Weapon aflame can be added to the fire lash, but weapon afrost requires a melee weapon. Unfortunately, as a ranged touch attack, the fire lash doesn't count. However, that's why the Antipode has a water whip by this level (see equipment below). The Antipode also gains nimbus, allowing it to wreath its body in flame and boosting its Cha.
Feats
By this point, the Antipode has a number of abilities which rely on psionic focus, so I added a bit of Psionic Meditation to the mix.
Water Devotion was added, because it fits the theme of the Antipode summoning the elements to its aid. Having a friendly water elemental in battle definitely helps.
16th to 20th levels
Spoiler
Here we diverge from the previous ten levels only slightly. The volcano has gone dormant once more, and the elements tip in favor of frost. As such, the Antipode takes but one level of Pyromancer and four levels of Cryomancer.
Because of our location, the Cold Walk ability should always function; however, Fire Walk can work anywhere. Both abilities equate to a limited "flight" mechanism, granting the Antipode better mobility in its environs.
Its cold resistance continues to increase, as does its cold damage. The "capstone" of this build ends at Wall of Ice, allowing the Antipode to reshape the frozen lands of its home in its defense.
Feats
Fire Devotion is the final feat the Antipode acquires, allowing it to further delve into its elemental roots.
The Equipment
Spoiler
The Antipode relies mostly on its abilities granted from Cryo and Pyrokineticist for damage, but it could definitely use a few items.
Obviously, anything that increases its Charisma is good for its saves, and all stat boosters are useful.
The Water Whip found in the Magic Item Compendium is perfect for this build. It not only fits with the whip theme, but it also fits the ice/fire theme by having both a fire and a water elemental bound within it and being able to switch between fire and ice damage. We add the Skillful enhancement (+2) to it so that we don't have to worry about wasting a feat for proficiency. This whip also lets the Antipode utilize its weapon afrost and aflame abilities.
The Belt of Battle is practically necessary for the Antipode, because so many of his abilities are based on using up move actions.
Finally, a pair of Horizon Goggles are invaluable for extending the range of the Antipode's attack options by 50%. They affect the glacial ray, fire lash, the bolt of cold and fire, and the psychic whip power.
The only other item the Antipode needs is a water flask and a source of water for the Water Devotion feat, but since it can create ice and then melt it, all it needs is the flask.
Though there are other items the Antipode could use to be stronger, there isn't really anything more it needs to be effective. The strength of the Antipode is that it has a number of options that it can use at will without need to rely on anything but its own mind.
Adaptation
Spoiler
If using opposing elements doesn't appeal to you, the quickest, easiest adaptation is to switch Pyrokineticist with the Mind's Eye Cryokineticist, which is exactly the Pyrokineticist but with a cold focus instead of fire. This changes the focus from Ice and Fire to exclusively Ice and could arguably strengthen the build.
And finally: Antipode - n.
1. a reference to the antipodal points, the diametrically opposite points on a sphere.
2. In chemistry, one of two stereoisomers that are mirror images of each other that are non-superposable (not identical).
__________________
Star Metallurgist of the Roy Fanclub
Who made my awesome Dwarf Hexblade avatar, you ask? BRC did!
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
Chilled alphabet soup, anyone?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SGACSPD
The Smashing Good Architect of the Curb-Stomping Platinum Dragon
Every resource should be used in the battle against the spawn of Tiamat. A true martial artist is not restricted in his use of weapons, a spear, a fist, a staircase, all of them can be used to combat the forces of evil. The Smashing Good Architect of the Curb Stomping Platinum Dragon is such a martial artist. He not only uses his spear to defeat his foes, but also the environment around him. But sometimes, the laws of narrative contrivence just let you down. You are ready to shove the villain out a window, and there is no window there! You are about to smack an Ogre against a wall, but it was made out of cheap drywall!
What's a hero to do?
Manifest a wall.
The Smashing Good Architect of the Curb-Stomping Platinum Dragon (SGACSPD) believes that both destruction and tactical improvisational architecture are essential tools in the war against the Dragonspawn of Tiamat. And when fighting evil, it is best to do so like Fonzie. Fonzie is cool.
Be cool Hunny Bunny.
Be like the SCACSPD.
The Table of Curb-Stomping:
Spoiler
The Smashing Good Architect of the Curb-stomping Platinum Dragon
Practiced Manifester: Ardent, B. Weapon Focus Ranseur
Conflict Mantle, Elements Mantle
7th
Fighter 6
+6
+5
+2
+4
Tumble 9, Jump 9
Dungeoncrasher II
8th
Cyrokineticist 1
+6
+7
+4
+4
Jump 10, Craft. Ice Mason 3
Glacial Ray
9th
Cyrokineticist 2
+7
+8
+5
+4
Jump 11, Craft. Ice Mason 6
Knockback
Cold Adaptation, Frozen Fist
10th
Cyrokineticist 3
+8
+8
+5
+5
Jump 12, Craft. Ice Mason 9
Bolt of Cold
11th
Cyrokineticist 4
+9
+9
+6
+5
Jump 13, Craft. Ice Mason 12
Weapon Afrost
12th
Cyrokineticist 5
+9
+9
+6
+5
Jump 14, Craft. Ice Mason 15
Shocktrooper
Frostfell Creature Insight
13th
Cyrokineticist 6
+10
+10
+7
+6
Jump 15,Craft Ice Mason 16
Cold Walk
14th
Cyrokineticist 7
+11
+10
+7
+6
Jump 17, Craft Ice Mason 17,
Fear No Cold
15th
Cyrokineticist 8
+12
+11
+8
+6
Jump 18, Craft Ice Mason 18, Tumble 10
Imp. Trip
Greater Weapon Afrost
16th
Cyrokineticist 9
+12
+11
+8
+7
Jump 19, Craft Ice Mason 19, K. Arcana 1
Wall of Ice
17th
Cyrokineticist 10
+13
+12
+9
+7
Jump 20, Craft Ice Mason 20, K. Geography 1
Bone Chill
18th
Ardent 2
+14
+12
+9
+8
Craft Ice Mason 21, Autohypnosis 3
Hover
Creation Mantle
19th
Ardent 3
+15
+13
+10
+8
Craft Ice Mason 22, Tumble 11
20th
Ardent 4
+16
+13
+10
+9
Craft Ice Mason 23, Autohypnosis 6
Cityskilled Dungeoncrasher Fighter
Ardent with Substitute Powers
Conflict Mantle (WF Ranseur)
Mantle Substitution, Expansion (replace Metaphysical Weapon)
Elements Mantle (Multiple)
Mantle Substitution, Energy Emanation (replace Control Air)
Craniums and Barriers (ECL 7)
Spoiler
Once Man and Giant.
Now Dragon and Man.
Evil is Hated.
The way is Fated.
Your skull meets wall.
The SCACSPD is focused on one thing, and one thing alone, smashing evil people against solid objects repeatedly. Between his lingering Jotenbrud, and his natural ability to expand the SCACSPD counts as a huge sized creature for the purposes of Bull Rushes and similar abilities. Between that and his very specialized training, very few enemies will be able to resist his bull rushes. Whenever he smacks someone against the wall, they take 8d6 + 3x strength mod damage. The SCACSPD also has the option of bull rushing people off cliffs, out of windows, and if there is no wall available into the floor (when attacking from above). His Energy Emenation doesn't seem so useful, but it will pave his way to his path of power... the Cyrokineticist.
If he can afford a Brute Ring, he can also bull rush people into walls from 30 feet away.
Frozen Justice (ECL 16)
Spoiler
Wretched Wally Warlock wants were worrisome,
When wintry wreathed Warrior wrought wrath,
& Wasted Wally Warlock.
The SCACSPD has finally reached his own personal capstone. The main limitation of dungeoncrashing is that there often isn't a convenient wall. Now however the SCACSPD can construct walls whenever (and pretty much wherever) he wants. Although Walls of Ice have relatively low hit points, they do cover a wide area, and their two main dimensions are adjustable subject to their caps. While they must be anchored, nothing says that they cannot be anchored to another wall. The best two things about Walls of Ice is that they provide cover, and you can bull rush people into them. With this the SCACSPD actually becomes a bit of a battlefield control character. Given a good minute he can make a solidly fortified position for optimal evil curb-stomping.
But Wall of Ice isn't the only thing the SCACSPD gets from Cyrokinetist:
Glacial Ray - Free Ice Cubes at will for refreshing beverages.
Frozen Fist - The SCACSPD can punch adjacent enemies with his Frozen Fist while using his Ranseur as a reach weapon.
Bolt of Cold - For when you really have to hit someone over there.
Weapon Afrost - More damage on the Ranseur!
Fear No Cold - Take less damage, go outside without a coat.
Cold Walk - The SCACSPD can deliberately enter freefall to gain distance, and then use Cold Walk to catch himself before taking falling damage.
But what good is Weapon Afrost if SCACSPD never uses his weapon???
But now he does!
With Knockback the SCACSPD gets a free bull rush whenever he successfully power attacks.
His new usual attack routine is to...
Manifest Lion's Charge through a Dorje.
Dive down on an enemy.
Full attack power attack them with the Ranseur for Double Damage (Triple damage if Valorous)
For each successful power attack he bull rushes them into the ground or wall for an additional 8d6 +3x strength mod damage.
He can even activate Brutal Surge to get in an extra bull rush!
This works even better when fighting groups of enemies.
Shock trooper lets him bull rush people diagonally, and whenever he bull rushes an enemy against another enemy he gets a free trip attack on both of them.
If he succeeds at his trip attack (he is effectively huge sized) then he gets a free attack on each of them from Improved Trip.
He then power attacks with the free attack to get a free bull rush...
To then bull rush both enemies against the wall for bonus damage.
Cool like Fonzie (ECL 20)
Spoiler
The SCACSPD can make Ice Fortresses. What more flavor do you need?
There are four things that the SCACSPD has picked up since his own personal capstone:
Bone Chill
Increased Ardent Manifesting
Creation Mantle
Hover
The SCACSPD never really focused on charisma, instead relying on his inherent coolness to pull him through. Because of this the DC on Bone Chill isn't that high. But thats okay, because it isn't a fort save negate ability, it is a fort save for half ability. So in any situation where he wants to put down an area of effect, most people are going to get hurt, how many people run around with Mettle anyway? And if they do take some damage, there is a chance they might flat out die as well. The best part of bone chill is that this isn't a death effect, so it can kill many more people then it could otherwise.
Increased Ardent Manifesting gives the SCACSPD a new mantle, some new powers, and a Manifester Level of 8, letting him cast 4th level powers. This also lets him spend 7 more power points when manifesting expansion, letting him expand up to huge sized. Thanks to his Jotanbrud this means he is treated as Gargantuan size instead. Very few things resist your bull rushes when you are gargantuan size. The only creature he would have trouble bull rushing in the Monster Manual is the Tarrasque... but at the same time, it isn't impossible. (Buffs from party members would help here)
The Creation Mantle gives SCACSPD access to his new favorite power, Psionic Fabricate. With Psionic Fabricate, and his skill as an Ice Mason the SCACSPD can build buildings out of Ice. Ice is a valid building material for building stronghold walls amongst other things. While SCACSPD usually prefers to work with natural ice, he can in a pinch work with his own manifested walls of ice. Normally Fabricate requires a nonmagical material component that is to be crafted into the finished product. The psionic version does not have a material component requirement however. Which means that SCACSPD can use Fabricate on his manifested walls of ice to recraft them into different shapes to suit his need for the coming battle. While the duration of 9 minutes for Ice Wall sounds quite short, that is a full 90 rounds in which SCACSPD can shape the walls to his liking and then bull rush people into them.
And lastly the SCACSPD learns how to Hover. In addition to granting more flying options Hover lets the SCACSPD kick up enormous clouds of debris. These clouds have a 60 foot radius, and all sight is concealed beyond 25 feet. If you cannot see a target, you cannot cast spells on them. True Seeing doesn't see through the cloud, and most alternate sensing methods are not long range enough. As hovering only takes a move action, it can be used as a readied action. A good readied action for this is "If someone casts a spell on me, I beat my wings". The readied action goes off before the triggering action does, blocking the spell. Of course this doesn't do any good against were-dolphin wizards, but truly they are the bane of us all.
Other Tactics
Spoiler
SCACSPD wears a pair of Steadfast Boots. Among other things, these boots allow you to always be readied vs a charge, even without spending an action. If anyone charges SCACSPD first they have to worry about getting past his reach, if they avoid the AOO they then he gets an attack against them with his readied weapon. Against a charge his Ranseur does double damage. He likes to power attack when making this attack, so he gets a free bull rush attack. Most people trying to charge the SCACSPD have to deal with an attack of opportunity, a readied attack, and get bull rushed back negating their own attack.
Statistics and Powers
Spoiler
Dragonborn Human with the Wings Aspect
Before Mods
Str 16
Dex 14
Con 14
int 14
Wis 12
Cha 8
After Mods:
Str 16
Dex 12
Con 16
Int 14
Wis 12
Cha 8
After Leveling:
Str 18
Dex 12
Con 16
Int 14
Wis 14
Cha 8
After Enhancement:
Str 24
Dex 18
Con 22
Int 20
Wis 20
Cha 14
After Inherent:
Str 28
Dex 18
Con 22
Int 20
Wis 20
Cha 14
Equipment:
Belt of Magnificence: Miniature's Handbook Valorous Ghost Touch Brutal Surge Ranseur with a Wand Chamber
Dorje of Psionic Lion's Charge - Expanded Psionics Handbook
Dorje of Expansion - Expanded Psionics Handbook
Cognizance Crystal - Expanded Psionics Handbook
Valorous - Unapproachable East
Brutal Surge - Magic Item Compendium
Wand Chamber - Dungeonscape
Steadfast Boots - Magic Item Compendium
2 Brute Rings - Magic Item Compendium
Strength Manual
Sources:
Jotanbrud - Races of Faerun
Dragonborn - Races of the Dragon
City Skilled Fighter - http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a
Dungeoncrasher Fighter - Dungeonscape
Ardent - Complete Psion
Practiced Manifester - Complete Psion
Mantle Substitution - http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20070629a
Knockback - Races of Stone
Shocktrooper - Complete Warrior
Hover - Monster Manual
Notes:
Ardent's base what powers they can pick based on their manifester level. Practiced Manifester then lets SCACSPD learn a second level power as a first level Ardent. With the Mantle Substitution Powers I tried to put them into Mantles that seemed to fit, Energy Emanation with Elements, and Expansion with Conflict. The Substitution Power option seems ideally made to let Ardents use powers from other supplements.
Dragonborn count as dragons and as their base race, which means that SCACSPD still counts as human, letting him take Jotanbrud at first level. He does not however keep his bonus feat or extra skills, so they were not added to the table.
__________________
Star Metallurgist of the Roy Fanclub
Who made my awesome Dwarf Hexblade avatar, you ask? BRC did!
Bjorn’s early life showed him to be a consummate pyromaniac. Ever since the lightning strike had caused half of Ogursthurd to burn down to the ground, he spent his childhood stealing coals from the hearth and sneaking off to find something to light up. His fascination soon grew to obsession. When Bjorn thinks back on his life, it is clear this obsession is what unlocked the powers of his mind. And he remembers the overwhelming joy the first time he willed fire into existence with his mind only. The power to call flames into being was perhaps too much power for a little boy. He lacked restraint and after charring Gandir’s best milking cow, he was chased out of Ogursthurd with spear and pitchfork alike. The town eventually came to blame him for every single fire in its history. While Bjorn never apologized for his reckless behavior, the next few years living on his own eradicated his childlike curiosity. It was luck alone that brought him to the Ruby Shell Knights, a sell sword group based out of Sembia. The knights found him wandering the wilderness. They admired his drive to live. They were impressed to find he had been on his own for many years of his childhood. They took him on as a servant. In exchange Bjorn was educated and taught a better way to live. Soon he was a full grown man and had earned a position in the ranks of the Ruby Shell Knights. His time with the knights had left him with a wise head and a deep respect for protocol. His life was now meticulously ordered. But he still felt a reckless glee creep up from inside himself when he watched someone burn.
Even though the knights tried to teach him the art of close combat, Bjorn never quite took to it. It was cause for some ridicule in the early years of manhood. But after a few successful missions, the Knights came to respect his destructive abilities. Bjorn was left to train his prowess as he saw fit. And so he did. He felt a deep sense of responsibility to not just maintain but also improve and strengthen his worth to the group. He rabidly devoured books on magical theory and tried to better understand the nature of his mind magic. He studied the nature of fire in relation to the other elements looking for a way to make his fires burn hotter. This fervor led to an interesting break through. Bjorn began to realize that the power of fire came from its heat. And the power of cold came from its lack of heat. He had a new fascination. He now considered himself a heat mage. When he burned his enemies he thought of it as giving them too much heat. And when he froze his enemies stiff he thought of it as robbing them of their heat. He felt he had transcended the ignorance of other elemental mages. He had met ice mages and fire mages. But he was something greater. And he savored every time one of these ignorant elemental mages were unfortunate enough to stand against him.
I chose to explain lvl 20 as the sweet spot. The other levels are perfectly playable as Bjorn keeps his manifester lvl scaling all the way until 17th lvl. This allows him to fulfill the role of blaster throughout his career. His powers from the energy mantle allow him to easily switch from one energy type to the next as needed so immunities are rarely a problem. However, Bjorn is a very complex character with many, many options in and out of combat. It would take a very long time to list out everything he can do at 5, 10 and 15. And I will barely have enough time to completely and accurately list out all the options he has at lvl 20 much less have time for explaining the other levels.
Level 20 Breakdown
Spoiler
Vision
Spoiler
Bjorn has touchsight power which is a very strong vision buff. It single handedly solves almost every vision problem.
Movement
Spoiler
a little weak in this department but he does have a normal land speed and a 20 ft fly speed average from his bound Astral Vambraces. They allow him to choose a power of the A list for astral constructs. He picks the fly speed.
Healing
Spoiler
Feiry discorporation allows him to have a chance to cheat death and Mend wounds can provide large amounts of healing to himself and/or allies.
Nuking Damage
Spoiler
Bjorn has many nuking options. They can all be augmented up to large amounts of d6’s. His manifester lvl is 17 at this point. He has a wall, line, cone, ray, a power that drops 3 10ft radius spreads, and a power that does fire damage to anything adjacent to him. The line, ray, and cone can be sonic, fire, cold, electricity, or acid damage. The others must be fire damage. His 2 primary elements (cold and fire) both add +1 damage per dice. Also, Psychic Focus with 5 essentia will add a +6 damage bonus to all these powers. This bonus damage applies to everyone hit by the power. Energy Manipulation can be used as an immediate action to add 5 dice of damage to any psionic or magical damaging effect. Essentially, If an anti-magic stops the effect and it does damage in terms of dice, then Energy manipulation can add or take away 5 dice. This power is especially powerful when used on Energy Barrage, as it causes 3 10ft radius bursts of 11d6+11 (11d6+17 if Psychic Focus is up) damage reflex DC 29 for half. These radiuses can be overlapped therefore this makes it one of his strongest offensive choices. It’s worth noting that it is very RISKY to use energy manipulation with his Energy Barrage IF he is planning on using his Fire Eater Combo discussed later, as it will greatly surpass his own fire resistance. Frostfell creature insight adds to damage and to hit of powers manifested versus cold subtype creatures as well as melee and ranged attacks.
Melee
Spoiler
Although weak In this category, Bjorn has a few tricks available. He can use incarnum radiance as a free action to gain a +5 to hit for 11 rounds. Combined with a magic weapon he rises from a pitiful attack to a +19 to hit in a pinch. He can use weapon afrost in conjuction with Energy Manipulation to grant +6d6 cold damage to his melee weapon. For flavor his weapon of choice is a everburning torch that burns with a blue flame used as a masterwork enchanted club. He generally tries to avoid having to try his luck in melee.
Skill Monkey
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Bjorn is a knowledge Monkey. He can expend his psionic focus to give himself a +5 bonus to a knowledge check even if it is an untrained knowledge. If it fails he can spend a minute to cast Call to Mind for another save at a +5 bonus and expend his psionic focus again for another 5 again. Bjorn smiles nice and wide anytime the GM says, “Does anyone have Knowledge (X)?” He also has Psychometry which allows him to mine an area for information. His Mage’s Spectacles allow him to fabricate a good Decipher script, spellcraft, and use magic device when needed and it allows him to use these untrained. It is also worth noting that with ranks, ability mod, and synergy Bjorn has a +19 Autohypnosis check. Autohypnosis is a useful skill that does many different things. Bjorn also dabbles in alchemy but mostly as a means of studying the mundane side of heat.
Defense
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Bjorn has high, high Hit Points. Also, Impulse boots gives Bjorn Uncanny Dodge and Evasion if needed. He has ER 10 Cold. He has the option of gaining high ER 40 fire. He can use energy adaption to gain ER 30 to another element if needed. Feiry Discorporation allows him a chance to cheat death. Cold adaption gives us a wonderful +4 more to our saves versus cold.
These kinds of defenses are nice considering his weak save is reflex. These defenses take all the risk away from having a low reflex. His fort is very nice due to his CON centric classes and his will is very, very good from the entire class base will save bumps and his WIS centric classes (+25 fort, +15 ref, +34 will with magic items).
Astral Vambraces also provides us with DR 2/magic which can be enhanced up to DR 12/magic if needed. Energy Manipulation can be augmented to an immediate action to reduce the damage of a damaging effect by 5 dice.
Combos:
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Fire Eater
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Flame Cincture+ Fire damage
Early on Cincture just acts as fire resistance but now at 20th it is bound to Bjorn’s waist chakra. Bjorn uses his expanded soulmeld capacity feat to give himself ER 40, however, all the fire damage Bjorn blocks with this ER in one round can be released as a devastating blast to one target within 60 ft as a swift action (reflex DC 28 for half).
Bjorn often tries to coax the enemy into providing the fire damage for this trick, but he is more than happy to provide the fire damage himself if his enemy is not capable of fire damage or is too prepared to fall for his trick. He loves to stand in his Psionic Firewalls, Arc his energy current fire damage back to himself as a secondary target, and/or drop all 3 blasts from his energy barrage on himself, charring everything in a 10 foot radius and ramping up his stored Cincture damage. Standing in a firewall and laying all blasts from Energy Barrage on himself gives him 78 to 157 stored fire damage in his flame cincture ready for use as a swift action next round as well as a large amount of fire damage for anyone moderately near him. Energy Manipulation can add in a good bit more if tacked on to Fire Wall. Possibly the best part about this combo is its potential for synergy with allies. Any ally capable of doing fire damage can feed Bjorn’s Flame Cincture. An example would be a Swordsage member of the Ruby Shell Knights using Wyrm’s Flame to simultaneously immolate his enemies while fueling Bjorn’s Flame Cincture.
Cloak of the Fire Dragon
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Mantle of Flames+ Energy Emanation
This combo can provide a severe deterrent to melee’s without fire immunity or high resistance. If overwhelmed with melee’s, Bjorn can put 5 essentia into Mantle of flames. This equates to a flame shield like effect that does 6d6 fire each time a non-reach weapon hits Bjorn. Meanwhile Energy Emanation will do 5d6+5 fire damage to creatures adjacent to Bjorn every round (5d6+11 damage if Psychic Focus has 5 essentia in it). Energy Manipulation can make this combo even more deadly by adding 5d6 damage to Energy emanation bringing the damage up to 10d6+10 fire (10d6+16 if Psychic Focus has 5 essentia in it). Fire wall can be tacked onto this combo as well if formed into a small ring emanating inward. A fully enhanced firewall will do 6d6+12 fire damage to creatures within 20 ft but outside 10 feet, 7d6+13 to creatures within 10 feet, and 7d6+30 fire damage to any creature who passes through the wall. This combo literally creates a circle of death around Bjorn within 2 rounds. Melee’s won’t live very long standing adjacent to and attacking Bjorn without some serious fire resistance or immunity.
Feed the mind, Fuel the Soul
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Psionic Meditation + Psicarnum Infusion
By expending our psychic focus we can treat one of our soulmelds as if it was at maximum essentia. This is generally only usable once per combat early on because it takes a full round to refocus. Psionic meditation lets us refocus for only a move action.
This makes Psicarnum Infusion much more viable and allows us to recover our focus on any round where moving is not needed. This lets us bring more Soulmelds into play in combat.
Tactics
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Vs Fire immunity
R
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elies on his defenses while cycling through elements until one is found that can cause damage.
Vs Cold Immunity
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See Above (Fire Immunity)
Vs Melee
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Cloak of the Fire Dragon Combo is a good start. But there close proximity to Bjorn sets them up perfectly for Flame Eater combo as well.
Vs Magic
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Bjorn attempts to overwhelm with damage.
Vs magic/psionic immunity or high SR
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(with souldmeld-magic transparency)
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If it has a reasonable AC Bjorn will move action weapon afrost or frozen fist, then immediate action energy manipulation to add 5d6 to the damage of the ability. Then go in to melee. During these scenarios he will take more of a healing role to support allies. And go for the lucky shots for extra damage when no one needs healing.
(Without soulmeld-magic transparency)
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Uses his Fire eater combo and nukes with Flame Cincture.
Appearance
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Thanks to Soulmelds with blue fire and blue color schemes, and Cryokineticist giving us Icicle spiked hands and/or ice rimed weapons, Bjorn looks like a beast of cold (a ruse that he uses to mislead his enemies). He goes one step further and wears body paint to give his skin a light blue/silver sheen.
Why Cryomancer?
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Bjorn originally went into cryomancer to better understand the other side. He had spent most of his career focusing on fire, but now he chose to delve deep into cold to balance out his understanding of heat. But his abilities from cryomancer help greatly as bait. They help to give him a cold mage like appearance. This serves to draw in fire damage from enemies. They see a man with blue bracers, fists of ice, a belt of blue fire, and a cloak of blue flames throwing around icy death and generally decide to burn the crap out of him.
This is definitely a mistake on their part.
Also energy manipulation can cause some of his cryokineticist abilities to become more valuable. Frozen fist becomes 1d6 blunt + 1d8+5d6 cold damage. Weapon afrost becomes 6d6 cold damage. Glacial Ray does becomes 1d12+5d6 cold damage. Bolt of cold becomes 8d6 cold damage.
Magic Items Used
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Con, wis item
Con, wis book
Crystal mask of mind armor
Vest of resistance +5
Orange Prism Ioun Stone
Everburning Torch (Blue colored flame)
Magic Items Recommended
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Torc of power preservation could be nice.
Amulet of Incarnum Shielding also useful
An Incarnum Focus would be a very good buy. Incarnum belt would add 5 more fire resistance and therefore lots of damage to the Fire Eater Combo.
Using Mages spectacles to gain UMD opens up scrolls, wands, staffs, and other similar magic items as possible purchases.
Other typical purchases will most likely help Bjorn as well.
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
I wish I would have been able to complete my entry before the deadline. I'll finish it up and post it anyway, but it's disappointing that I'll be out of the running.
__________________ "What is Sanity? Madness put to good use. What is our waking life? A dream controlled."
-George Santayana
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Last edited by Hunter Killer : 01-13-2012 at 08:01 PM.
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
Old Man Winter:
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Originality: You went with human (-.25), but at least it was a variant human who fit the SI quite well (+.25). You also ended up going with perhaps the most commonly seen “ice/snow” themed winter character in Old Man Winter (-.5), you also use Jotunbrud (-.5) which was used by other competitors. Wilder was also an expected entry (-.5). 1.5
Power: You chose powers that complimented your chosen combat style (+.5), and you have a huge grapple modifier (+.5). Other than that however, you can’t really do much (-.5). 3.5
Elegance: You have a long, and well written backstory that addresses your character’s choices (+.5), you lay out everything clearly, including ideal strategies, tips, tricks, and site your sources (+.5). You also address the question of “Why?” honestly and include a section on troubleshooting (+.5). 4.5
Use of Secret Ingredient: And here is where it looks like most people won’t do that well. I’m going to be a bit lenient on this one, but in the case of a grappler in particular, you might have been much better off with any (or even no) other class (-.5). That said, you use the fluff well, and I wasn’t expecting wonders with this SI (+.5). 3.0
Total: 12.5
Calipso the Icicle:
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Originality: I was definitely not expecting a Pixie (+.5). Wilder however, was very much expected (-.5). What I was absolutely not expecting was a ranged combatant (+1.0). 4.0
Power: In perhaps one of the most unusual turn of events I’ve seen, using LA doesn’t actually hurt you very much here. Arguably, it is in fact better than your PrC. Small size and flight are always great, especially for a ranged combatant (+.5). As with Old Man Winter, you chose powers that compliment your style as well (+.5). Better than I was expecting for this PrC. 4.0
Elegance: While your build itself is pretty clean, you don’t have much in the way of backstory (-.25) and didn’t proofread everything (-.25). Other than that, standard fare. 2.5
Use of Secret Ingredient: Very little of your overall power comes from Cryokineticist other than Bone Chill, which doesn’t come online until level 20 (-1.0). Moreover, given your CG alignment, you don't technically qualify for the class, as it requires "Any Lawful" (-.5). Note this is not a full-point deduction as alignment issues with this sort of PrC (as opposed to Ur-Priest, where it is obvious) are debatable. On the whole, this build works despite rather than because of Cryokineticist. 1.5
Total: 12.0
The Antipode:
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Originality: Like Old Man Winter, I was expecting someone to try the “Fire and Ice” route (-.5). I recommend the Robert Frost poem of the same name incidentally. That said, you went Paladin, which I was not at all expecting (+1.0), but then Ardent, which I was (-.5). I did very much like the Water Whip though, and I hadn’t seen it before (+.25). 3.25
Power: Imperious Command and Never Outnumbered will help the character out, and factoring in your Water Whip and Devotion feats, this character won’t be too bad (+.5). On the whole, this character is decidedly “meh” on the power scale. 3.5
Elegance: Like Calipso, you went a bit a light on backstory (-.25) and didn’t use all 10 levels (-.25). Your build is simple and you explain it well. I would have liked more, but it was good (+.5). The also showed dedication to the theme with Fire Devotion and Water Devotion (+.25). 3.25
Use of Secret Ingredient: Your build is more or less built around the idea of Fire and Ice, so you use the Cryokineticist relatively well despite it’s flaws, of which there are many (+.5). The end result is a balanced, thematic character. Well done. 3.5
Total: 13.5
The Smashing Good Architect of the Curb-Stomping Platinum Dragon:
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Originality: You also went human (-.25), but unfortunately also forgot that to take Jotenbrud you need to be from Damara or Illusk, which is not addressed anywhere either in backstory or in build (-.5). That said, I was not expecting someone using Wall of Ice to help with Bull Rushes. Unfortunately, that was also the shtick of Old Lob (using Wall of Stone) in the Stonelord IC (-1.0). You also went Ardent (-.5). .75
Power: Despite the Originality problems, your character does more or less what it is meant to do: Bull Rush and hurt things (+.5). This is also probably the most damaging of the builds presented (+1.0). However, your character is not great outside his one shtick (-.5). 4.0
Elegance: You have the least background of any build presented (-.5). You do a fairly good job of explaining things (+.25), but that said, you don’t really cover much, presenting only 3 levels (-.5). 2.25
Use of Secret Ingredient: You make good use of a number of the Cryokineticists tricks (+.5), but the tricks used are compliments to your build, rather than its focus (-.5). 3.0
Total: 10.0
Bjorn Doragoniru
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Originality: You too went Fire and Ice (-.5), but Incarnum was utterly unexpected (+1.0). You also have a number of very unique combos and can do things no other submitted build can (+.75). You also went human however (-.25), as well as Ardent (-.5) 3.5
Power: Bjorn is in my mind the most versatile of the builds presented (+1.0), has a large number of tricks up it’s sleeve, and has counters to boot (+.5). Great job on this one. 4.5
Elegance: You have a solid backstory (+.25), though it could have been longer, and you have numerous sections to fully address all concerns (+.5). Your progression continually strengthens the build as well (+.5). 4.25
Use of Secret Ingredient: Here’s where you lose points. This build doesn’t incorporate the full SI (-.5), and while your build supports Ardent, the SI itself was utterly vestigial and could have been better replaced by anything else (-1.0). 1.5
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
I might judge later, but I'm surprised we didn't see any Psychic Warriors around, with their compensatory feat progression and decent low level powers.
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Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge In The Playground #XXVIII
