Results 151 to 180 of 277
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2012-08-27, 09:06 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Bellona
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
Sorry for what? My two builds were the only two that DID have Darkstalker, and it was a close enough round that the boost I got for it may have been what boosted my two builds into the top 3!
Just went back and perused Captain Four Fingers... that's a hell of a build! I always think Avenging Executioner needs more love.Optimization Showcase in the Playground
Former projects:
Shadowcaster Handbook
Archer Build Compendium
Iron Chef Awards!
Spoiler
GOLD
IC LXXVI: Talos
IC LXXV: Alphonse Louise Constant
IC XLIX: Babalon, Queen of Bones
IC XLV: Dead Mists
IC XL: Lycus Blackbeak
IC XXXIX: AM-1468
IC XXXV: Parsifal the Fool
IC XXX: Jal Filius
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2012-08-27, 09:00 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2009
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
<--"that one guy" .
Hey now, I actually liked the Fiendbinder. It's not the worst PrC you can pick, but it's far from the best, too.
Eh, I tinkered with it hoping that the Originality boost could outweigh the Elegance hit. However, once I realized it would also mean a deduction in Use of the Secret Ingredient if I was judging it myself, the costs started to outweigh the rewards.
Yeah, CL boosts seem like the easiest way in. My second potential build used a human chassis with three class levels to enter the Secret Ingredient.
Whoops, I read that backwards. Good on you, then. Some things (like Imperious Command on a fear build or Mindsight on a telepathy build) are such obvious power grabs that they might as well be prerequisites, but on stealth builds Darkstalker is a prerequisite of the other sort: a feat tax that the build quickly becomes weak without.
Aw shucks, thanks! When I found Avenging Executioner I knew that had to be the way I build it. The fluff is awesome, and the mechanics can make you very dangerous to everything that's not immune to fear. I've been dying to play him in a campaign, but the only pirate campaigns I can find are low-level, so he'd wind up being a strange bird: a DEX-based charger without his main tricks online.
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2012-08-27, 09:24 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2011
- Location
- Texas
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
lol. Good on you, I really enjoyed captain four-fingers. I think he would be a ton of fun in a nautical themed game.
Hey now, I actually liked the Fiendbinder. It's not the worst PrC you can pick, but it's far from the best, too.I've got a new fantasy TTRPG about running your own fencing school in a 3 musketeers pastiche setting. Book coming soon.
Check out my NEW sci-fi TTRPG about first contact. Cool alien races, murderous AIs, and more. New expansion featuring rules for ships! New book here NOW!
Iron Chef Medals!
Amazing Princess Mononoke avatar by Dispozition
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2012-08-27, 09:51 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
When I was working on my original idea, I started by trying to keep everything class-wise out of the same book and went NE Human Warlock 6 / Mindbender 7 /Acolyte 7 who Dominated and Eternal Charmed the original fiend into giving up its own skin, but as I was putting it all together it just didn't have the right 'feel' to me.
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2012-08-28, 06:04 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2009
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
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2012-08-28, 01:34 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Location
- Utah
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
Me too. For the five minutes that I spent trying to come up with an idea for this round of the competition, the only thing I thought of was using Factotum 5 or Warlock 5 to get the CL prereq, but then dipping an alternate caster progression PrC and advancing it with AotS.
You can call me Draz.
Trophies:
Spoiler
Also of note:
- Winning Entry of Gestalt Build Challenge IV
- 3rd Place in Iron Chef XI (Blade Bravo)
- Judge of Iron Chef XXIII (Divine Champion)
I have a number of ongoing projects that I manically jump between to spend my free time ... so don't be surprised when I post a lot about something for a few days, then burn out and abandon it.
... yes, I need to be tested for ADHD.
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2012-08-28, 05:32 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2011
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2012-08-29, 12:21 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2009
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
Time for an update, guys!
Four out of ten builds have been judged, and I'm seeing a tendency over here. I wish the next batch of builds breaks it.
I must say, I am quite satisfied with at least two builds. One more than the other, of course, but both are equally good. No, I don't know who made them, but I suspect they're vets in the competition: on the other hand, if they're newbs, optimization has some promise.
That said, here's the low-down on the size of the document:
Pages: 15
Words: 9,311
Characters (without spaces): 43,571 (close to the thread limit!)Retooler of D&D 3.5 (and 5e/Next) content. See here for more.
Now with a comprehensive guide for 3.5 Paladin players porting to Pathfinder. Also available for 5th Edition
On Lawful Good:
T.G. Oskar profile by Specter.
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2012-08-29, 06:32 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2009
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
It's been a bit, GitP. If you're reading this, you're either digging through old stuff, or I've posted for the first time in forever.
If you want to stay in touch, reach out to me on twitter (same username).
The best answer is always to ask your DM.
Unless you're the DM, in which case you should talk to your players.
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2012-08-29, 06:38 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2011
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
On a side point, I actually enjoyed my first Iron Chef!
Seeing as I've got some spare time, I think I'm going to end up finding some obscure prestige class and practising Iron Chefing on it! Best get in some practise!
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2012-08-29, 06:41 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
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2012-08-29, 06:47 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2011
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
I'm suddenly very worried... (please don't be Frenzied Berserker, please don't be Frenzied Berserker...)
*rummaging through books* I have a sudden urge to try out Iron Chefing a Black Flame Zealot.
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2012-08-29, 06:55 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2009
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
As did I. It was kinda tough to get right (and the formatting was a huge pain to mess with), but it was certainly enjoyable. I think I may be back for the next one, ingredient pending.
Hmm... what're the requirements for ingredients? 10 level prestige classes on the so-so level of power?It's been a bit, GitP. If you're reading this, you're either digging through old stuff, or I've posted for the first time in forever.
If you want to stay in touch, reach out to me on twitter (same username).
The best answer is always to ask your DM.
Unless you're the DM, in which case you should talk to your players.
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2012-08-29, 07:01 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2011
- Location
- Minnesnowta
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
For some reason I have the terrified idea that he's thinking of either Dwarven Defender or Arcane Archer. Actually, both of those could be neat...."scribble scribble".
There is the moral of all human tales;
'Tis but the same rehearsal of the past.
First freedom and then Glory - when that fails,
Wealth, vice, corruption - barbarism at last.
And History, with all her volumes vast,
Hath but one page...
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2012-08-29, 07:09 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2011
- Location
- Texas
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
nah, frenzied berserker's actually really powerful.
10 levels and so-so on the power is about it. we've had a few that're more on the high side of average like assassin. "not that obscure" makes me afraid it's a core thing too. I really hope it's not duelist. That would make me sad.I've got a new fantasy TTRPG about running your own fencing school in a 3 musketeers pastiche setting. Book coming soon.
Check out my NEW sci-fi TTRPG about first contact. Cool alien races, murderous AIs, and more. New expansion featuring rules for ships! New book here NOW!
Iron Chef Medals!
Amazing Princess Mononoke avatar by Dispozition
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2012-08-29, 07:19 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2011
- Location
- Minnesnowta
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
I'd actually love Duelist. It was the first PrC I ever took in 3.5. Duelist and I go way back .
There is the moral of all human tales;
'Tis but the same rehearsal of the past.
First freedom and then Glory - when that fails,
Wealth, vice, corruption - barbarism at last.
And History, with all her volumes vast,
Hath but one page...
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2012-08-29, 07:22 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2011
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2012-08-29, 08:00 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
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2012-08-29, 08:06 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2011
- Location
- Texas
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
I've got a new fantasy TTRPG about running your own fencing school in a 3 musketeers pastiche setting. Book coming soon.
Check out my NEW sci-fi TTRPG about first contact. Cool alien races, murderous AIs, and more. New expansion featuring rules for ships! New book here NOW!
Iron Chef Medals!
Amazing Princess Mononoke avatar by Dispozition
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2012-08-29, 08:59 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2009
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
"No Anti-Magic field ever stopped a pouncing Barbarians Great Club"
Spoilered Stuff!
Spoiler
Favourite Threads!
Random
Spoiler
I appear to be a pixie. I knew I overflowed with natural charisma
Nooo! I have fallen to being a mere halfling! Guess I'll....umm.....throw things....and bemoan my favored class.....
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2012-08-29, 10:30 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2007
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
Glad to see that Ash'okk Lar used Thrall of Jubilex! One of my favorite odd little PrCs :)
I was planning to enter a character based on Sparky Sparky Boom Man from Avatar...
The build was Cleric 5/Ocular Adept 8/Acolyte of the Skin 7....The idea would be to optimize Ocular Spell, Acolyte's two eye-based attacks, and ocular adept to shoot off eye beams at opponents every round. Sadly, RL got in the way :(Handbooks: (Hosted on the new MixMax forums)
[3.5] The Poison Handbook
[3.5] (New) Master of Shrouds Handbook
[3.5 Base Class] Healer's Handbook
Trophies!Spoiler
Thanks to Strategos and Jumilk for the awesome Iron Chef trophies!
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2012-08-29, 10:35 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2011
- Location
- Texas
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
yep, 10 in 8 days is pretty impressive. a couple of us had been wanting to do 2 builds.
I was ultimately put off by the dark fiddler and ponies's discussion of what they were going to do. ponies' comment about "using all the parts of the buffalo" made me think they were going to do what I was (initially) going to do.
since other people had discussed their hypotheticals (that weren't similar to the entered dishes) I figured I might as well do the same.
Spoiler
I had figured I would go for a Buffalo Bill motif, but instead of woman skin, it would be succubus skin. He would pose as a demon hunter and when it came time to "dispose of the remains," he'd take his prize and stitch a suit out of her to be a beautiful lady like Ted Levine. I figured I'd call him something like Fiendish Frank, what the watch detectives call him, like the FBI called Gumb Buffalo Bill, but instead of skinning his humps, he'd be, well, you know.
I was going to go Ranger 5/ acolyte 10/ mortal hunter 5 in order to take advantage of the outsider type that the SI offers. mortal hunter is outsider only, and, like acolyte, is centered around wearing the skins of your enemies to gain power. Plus, as an outsider, you can legitimately from a mechanical and in-game perspective, look down on the mortal monsters and characters in the game.I've got a new fantasy TTRPG about running your own fencing school in a 3 musketeers pastiche setting. Book coming soon.
Check out my NEW sci-fi TTRPG about first contact. Cool alien races, murderous AIs, and more. New expansion featuring rules for ships! New book here NOW!
Iron Chef Medals!
Amazing Princess Mononoke avatar by Dispozition
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2012-08-30, 01:51 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Location
- Utah
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
You can call me Draz.
Trophies:
Spoiler
Also of note:
- Winning Entry of Gestalt Build Challenge IV
- 3rd Place in Iron Chef XI (Blade Bravo)
- Judge of Iron Chef XXIII (Divine Champion)
I have a number of ongoing projects that I manically jump between to spend my free time ... so don't be surprised when I post a lot about something for a few days, then burn out and abandon it.
... yes, I need to be tested for ADHD.
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2012-08-30, 06:01 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jun 2009
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
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2012-08-30, 02:25 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2009
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
It's been a bit, GitP. If you're reading this, you're either digging through old stuff, or I've posted for the first time in forever.
If you want to stay in touch, reach out to me on twitter (same username).
The best answer is always to ask your DM.
Unless you're the DM, in which case you should talk to your players.
-
2012-08-30, 04:20 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2011
- Location
- Texas
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
No, I haven't heard of them, I'll have to check them out. Would you recommend them? Like I said, at least the basic chassis for the idea came from Ed Gein, the guy who every tv/movie serial killer (including "Silence of the Lambs"'s Buffalo Bill) is modeled off of
Well, that's awfully nice of you. I'm really having a devil of a time trying to figure out which one is yours this time around. I'm sure it'll make sense after the reveal. heehee, I'll keep that in mind. If it ever seems like I'm making some kind of obscure pop culture reference (can't really claim myself to be "clever" rather defeats the purpose) OTOH, assume it's intentional, especially in Iron Chef, All of my entries have been loosely based off of something:
Shadowdancer: Claire was Kraehe (Claire) from "Princess Tutu," Pumpkinhead was essentially supposed to be a tongue in cheek Mowgli type character
consecrated harrier: Shere Khan Singh was a mashup of Shere Khan from the jungle book and Khan Noonien Singh from Star Trek 2, with the destruction of the jungle standing in for the destruction of his planet.
initiate of pistis sophia: Shui Cho was Omi from xiaolin showdown, because when building a straight monk, that was the first place I reached for flavor, especially with all the water themed feats/ACFs I took
shadow sentinel: $ (or Sue as he was called) was basically an excuse to make as many references to johnny cash songs/lyrics as I could in the span of one backstory. I had intended for his character's name to be "$" as in cash, with that symbol being his Illumian sigil after his rebirth after moving to the plane of shadow. It was probably easily missed in the table, and his human name before his reincarnation as an illumian, Sue, stuck. This was fitting, given the source material, so I can't complain.
temple raider of olidammara: Ted was a mashup of several different Keanu Reeves characters, namely ted from bill and ted, johnny mnemonic, and of course neo. I think this was the one I was surprised most by how poorly I did with the numbers.
drow judicator: I honestly had RL come up when I was planning to write this. my initial intention with anansi had been to have him and a group of other drow escape from their mindflayer captors and to have him try to establish a separatist movement in the underdark, using the Judgement ability on the flayers for their slave-taking. Ultimately, I was unable to finish in time and had to settle for rewriting the 60s spider-man theme song. I still thought it was fun, but I could have done better with more time.
dragon disciple: this was another mashup, this time with Ivan Drago from Rocky 4 and Draco Malfoy from harry potter, so he had the over-the-top training montages from the film administered by his controlling overbearing father from the book. he's able to kill his opponent in the ring (in the form of wizard duel) by eating lightning and crapping thunder
death delver: this is the only character I've entered in Iron chef that's not based on anything. I got the name from Lovecraft's "reanimator" but it's all original content otherwise (with proper recognition to burlew for all the fine eberron material that served as the backdrop. I was especially proud with the end result.
mindbender also wasn't based on anything. I had a ton of fun with monty, but his backstory was probably too long. The only one longer I've seen is probably little starry eyes back from green star adept.
Oh, that's okay, I just read too much into it. you and ponies worrying about the same idea, I figured it would be the most obvious (to me of course) entry fluffwise about skinning things and wearing the skin, which led me to buffalo bill. I'm sure it wasn't
that's very kind of you. I'm a little let down also, and had initially wanted to do 2 entries, bill and my other idea, but since we had a truncated cooking period, I just didn't have enough time to cook 2 dishes between having 8 days and having to move back for school, i had to choose one, I picked the one that I thought was less likely to be done by another chef, figuring that at least one of you was going to do bill, and maybe others too. unfortunately, I was wrong, and I am a little bummed, but that's the luck of the draw when playing this sort of prisoner's dilemma/psychological chicken thing every iron chef.
I kind of would like to stat him up and show him to people. If the judges aren't averse, I'd be happy to post him over the weekend. it'd give people something to look at until judgings are posted on thursday.
thanks for the encouragement, guys, I really appreciate it. best of luck to both of you.I've got a new fantasy TTRPG about running your own fencing school in a 3 musketeers pastiche setting. Book coming soon.
Check out my NEW sci-fi TTRPG about first contact. Cool alien races, murderous AIs, and more. New expansion featuring rules for ships! New book here NOW!
Iron Chef Medals!
Amazing Princess Mononoke avatar by Dispozition
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2012-08-30, 04:53 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Location
- Utah
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
You can call me Draz.
Trophies:
Spoiler
Also of note:
- Winning Entry of Gestalt Build Challenge IV
- 3rd Place in Iron Chef XI (Blade Bravo)
- Judge of Iron Chef XXIII (Divine Champion)
I have a number of ongoing projects that I manically jump between to spend my free time ... so don't be surprised when I post a lot about something for a few days, then burn out and abandon it.
... yes, I need to be tested for ADHD.
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2012-08-31, 11:41 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2009
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
Alright, so a week will expire next Sunday, and 6 builds have been finally judged. Unlike most people here, I will mention that there's some builds I don't like, others that I do, and others which are nice but could have been better. Those I don't like I won't give them the "well, at least I couldn't have done anything with it", because while I didn't, the fact that some effort led to the Nar Demonbinder build means it CAN be used cleverly. I don't want to sound rude, but I have to be frank; don't expect mercy from me.
On the other hand, those builds I like I'll definitely praise, because they're exemplary works. The tendency I was seeing has broken, something I can't mention until I deliver my full judgment, which I find it's good, but I noticed that Acolyte of the Skin, so far, works well with spellcasting classes that bring a lot of low-level spells with a lot of utility, instead of going for the high-level spells with a lot of power.
Now, for those I feel a bit disappointed with but are nonetheless good enough: I might sound harsh, but take note of what I mention. It's not advice on how to build for IC, but it's good advice on how to take the build and make it a bit better. There are very nice things within those builds that hold an inch of promise, and a bit of polish can make them great builds.
To my fortune, this will be a long weekend. I still have to work tomorrow (*grumble*) and I have some things to do Saturday night and all Sunday (sharing with my niece and running D&D for my pals, respectively), so I'll see what I can wring on those two days. That said, Monday is entirely free, so I expect at the very least a better update on when I can finish by early Monday. Worry not; the most I can take is a week and a half. It's just that making patches for Final Fantasy Tactics can be so addictive...
P.S.: Silly me, where are my manners!? Here's the rundown on the judgment so far...
Pages: 22
Words: 14,549
Characters (without spaces): 68,007 (hooray, a two-parter post!)Last edited by T.G. Oskar; 2012-08-31 at 11:43 PM.
Retooler of D&D 3.5 (and 5e/Next) content. See here for more.
Now with a comprehensive guide for 3.5 Paladin players porting to Pathfinder. Also available for 5th Edition
On Lawful Good:
T.G. Oskar profile by Specter.
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2012-09-02, 12:07 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2009
- Gender
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
8 judgments so far, so soon you'll see my results. That said, I promised I'd deliver some data after 8 judgings were done, and I'm a man of my word.
The tendency I saw finally repeated, so I must mention it as a cause of concern: Acolyte of the Skin is not meant for martial characters. There's at least three people who attempted it, and got bad results out of it. Those who got GOOD results, though, got good mileage out of their spellcasting.
Be forewarned: there's one of you guys so far who's just .5 points out of a perfect score. The build was amazing, and I take my hat off to whomever made it. There's another that delivered such an interesting trick that made me appreciate being a judge a bit more, as you get to learn a lot from it.
Oh, and there's three builds so far that got a 1 on Elegance. You'll feel that I delivered nothing more than vitriol for them, but I tried to hold my reins on the caustic stuff: politeness more than anything, but I saw that there were a few who somehow thought they could wing the arcane CL 5th requirement, getting a CL of 4th and 2nd respectively, another with a CL that doesn't exist (and I'm still breaking my head on how he qualified, though I have my suspicions), and another with a CL that doesn't exist either. I feel like I made a mistake or something, but the CL requirement is stringent enough. The one that I have my suspicions on still doesn't get off the hook that easily, tho.
Finally, the tally of content thus far. Will I break my earlier records of content? We shall see once I deliver:
Pages: 29
Words: 19,059
Characters (without spaces): 88,904Retooler of D&D 3.5 (and 5e/Next) content. See here for more.
Now with a comprehensive guide for 3.5 Paladin players porting to Pathfinder. Also available for 5th Edition
On Lawful Good:
T.G. Oskar profile by Specter.
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2012-09-02, 12:45 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2009
Re: Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXXVI
"No Anti-Magic field ever stopped a pouncing Barbarians Great Club"
Spoilered Stuff!
Spoiler
Favourite Threads!
Random
Spoiler
I appear to be a pixie. I knew I overflowed with natural charisma
Nooo! I have fallen to being a mere halfling! Guess I'll....umm.....throw things....and bemoan my favored class.....