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And now for the Grand Unveiling!!! Before we get started, I'd just like to say that all of these are amazing pieces of work and 10x better than anything I could come up with. But, there can only be one winner.
(Note: My witty comments may not be up to snuff today. Bear with me. )
"I know the truth." "Nope, I lied." "I know. I found out the real story." "Sorry, that's a lie, too. Keep digging."
Quote:
Originally Posted by {REDACTED}
Fluff
Spoiler
Genriyon is your typical elven aristocratic gentleman in the great elven empire of Fyrinn. No one knew him growing up, and details of his early life are a little bit vague (but very believable), but there can be little doubt that he has led a typical priveleged life in some obscure corner of the empire.
By day, he dallies with painting, sculpting, and the ladies. In the evening, he is a consistent attendent at the various parties and functions of high society. He is moderately involved in politics, merchandise, and gossip. He is no mighty warrior or mage, though he has demonstrated in various works of theater that he does know how to handle the rare elven courtblade proficiently.
If there is an area in which he excels or occasionally attracts notice, it is in the aforementioned theater: though he shows no signs of formal bardic training, his performances leave warriors weeping and pampered pets without appetite. There is nothing really surprising about this; every dilettante finds his accidental talent somewhere, as the saying goes in Fyrinn court.
One night, Genriyon breaks from his usual routine and invites the Chancellor to a private interview at his mansion the next day. When the Chancellor shows up, after exchanging pleasantries and goblets of fine wine, Genriyon gets down to business.
“I am not Genriyon,” he says.
The Chancellor is still waiting for the punch line, but he dutifully records this first line on his parchment.
“I never have been. Probably everything you think you know about me is a lie. I am an imposter to the core. All these years, I have upheld this role just to make a mockery of your despicable elven manners and customs and superiority. Just to prove it could be done … by anyone.”
“Then … who are you?” the confused Chancellor inquires.
“Here is a diary that should make that clear … after you manage to pick the lock,” Genriyon says, handing the other a tome. “Now, I reveal my secrets only because you will never see me again anyway after I have passed on, so I must be going. Goodbye.”
“You mean, you are expecting to die soon, and this is a deathbed revelation of secrets?”
“Die soon? Ah, yes. Let's go with that theory.”
And with that, Genriyon vanishes. The baffled Chancellor retrieves his gem of seeing and attempts to locate the other, but to no avail.
Genriyon is never heard from again … at least, by that name and guise. But the diary, when cracked and unveiled, has the following tale to tell.
Spoiler
This story covers Levels 12-18.
Gan the changeling was the most expensive assassin in Nureth, the crime-riddled metropolis that feeds nearby Fyrinn's economy on the sweat and blood of its lower classes. Assassins, and jobs for them, were both a-plenty; but few assassins had the resume that Gan had, and therefore could charge the expenses she demanded.
Gan hadn't grown up as a ruffian in the streets like most of the thieves' guild recruits, nor grown up an aristocrat like most of the guild bosses. Being a changeling, she had been brought up by a cruel cleric of a dark god in another city. He intended to use her racial talents to make her his personal agent of death. But one night, his abusive style of leadership had been too much for young Gan, and she managed to leave his jugular wide open as she escaped and stowed away to Nureth.
Gan alone had managed to infiltrate the guild of Kukuar, the paranoid mob boss, and win his trust over the course of four years. She attempted to poison him on numerous occasions, but never with the intention of actually succeeding; each time his usual paranoid routines succeeded in catching the poison attempt (and another cupbearer was hauled off to the mortuary), Gan merely reveled in the poison making him more paranoid. Occasionally she would frame a rival for these deeds, but normally she just let the mystery lie.
Twice, Kukuar had sent her to serve his rivals as a double agent. Normally a double agent position under Kukuar meant death within the week. Both times, Gan avoided this fate by winning her new master's trust in less than a day, then delivering their heads to Kukuar within four days. He could hardly punish her (by execution) for doing such a spectacular job.
But in the end, Kukuar slipped, and Gan slipped—slipped a knife into his momentarily unprotected back, that is.
Being an assassin inevitably breeds enemies. Gan once was set upon by a bounty hunter who was famous for rooting out and finishing off shapeshifters. His shifter's sorrow sword didn't seem to bother her too much, though, and she left him in a shallow watery grave.
This prompted an investigation by Nureth's most clever detective. One night he managed to turn a true seeing gaze on Gan, and found that she was not a changeling at all, but …
Spoiler
This story covers Levels 9-11.
Waris was a half-orc maiden, ugly as sin. But she always hid her face beneath a mask. She said the masks were a representation of her hope that others could look past her physical appearance and appreciate her for who she was. She had a number of masks she would wear during her tavern work, but the most common were a delicate angelic face, and a happy, stately face of fine copper.
She drifted from tavern to tavern, always applying for jobs as a bouncer, but always getting hired as a barmaid instead. She wasn't particularly famous, unless you happened to follow the winners of “Nureth's ugliest barmaid” contests.
Ugly as she was, though, everyone seemed to like her. When a drunk groped her (which was often), it was generally about twelve seconds before a champion volunteered to defend Waris' honor, and another barroom brawl was born.
Which generally led, eventually, to Waris getting fired, and heading off to another tavern to apply as a bouncer.
All in all, it's hard to say whether things in Waris' life were going the way she wanted them to.
She never talked about her past. And nobody really asked. Which was a rather successful cover for someone who didn't want anyone to find out that they had once been …
Spoiler
This story covers Levels 5-8.
Captain Binklewink, Terror of the Seas!
The coast of Fyrinn trembled at the mention of this masked halfling! Trembled!
Unfortunately, all this melodrama wasn't a front to hide a pirate's secret, kind interior. The terror Binklewink might dress in a clownish mask and turn every combat into an overly showy series of quips, but that didn't change the fact that he left gore and mayhem in his wake. He and his crew lived fully by the motto, “We pillage, we plunder, we rifle and loot. Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!”
Why does he wear the mask? Well, pirates wear eye patches all the time anyway, right? It's probably the same sort of thing. Besides, if you start asking too much about it, he might switch to The Black Mask and slip into your quarters tonight. So just shut up and leave port while you still can, ok?
Captain Binklewink, rather large and burly for a halfling, made no secret of his goal (well, his other goal, besides getting filthy rich): revenge against the merchant lord Count Finik, a courtier of Fyrinn. Apparently the Count had once insulted Binklewink's favorite brand of rum. Or something like that.
Don't ask so many questions, ok? You don't want a visit from The Black Mask, do you?
Spoiler
This story covers Levels 1-4.
Jereth's first memories were of the catacombs beneath the opera house. But he figured he had ended up there the same way as all of the other orphans: abandoned by his ragtag, lowlife human mother.
It was something of a tradition in Fyrinn, really. The elves had started using “providing the opera house with performers” as a euphamism for visiting the brothels in the human caravans as they passed through Fyrinn on their nomadic routes.
And like all the other members of this orphaned community, Jereth sang for his sustenance. He vaudeville'd for his vittles. Begging in the streets or pandering to the audience from the stage, it really made no difference.
Of course there were actual elves in the opera house, too. Like Zelin … beautiful Zelin. Once, Jereth had managed to land a lead part, with Zelin as the other lead in the production.
The Tale of the Silver Partridge. About a human woman and an elven lord who fell in love at a masquerade ball, where they couldn't tell each others' race. And though the gender roles were reversed, the bond of love was just as strong in Jereth's heart as it was in this classic opera piece.
Apparently not Zelin's heart, though. Her exquisite singing won her attention from the wealthy Count Finik, and a month after the production ended, Zelin was gone from the opera house for good.
Jereth was shattered. But he hadn't worked so hard to develop his dancing, his singing, his costumes, his fencing, his role-playing for nothing. One night, under cover of a mask stolen from the props room, he, too, left the opera house, in search of his fortune.
Crunch
(Do not read until you have read the fluff! It will spoil the ending!)
(6/day) Absorb Weapon, Darkness, Swift Invisibility, Spider Climb
(6/day) Amorphous Form, Magic Circle against Good, Spider Poison, Wraithstrike
(5/day) Glibness, Modify Memory, Poison
Power Discussion
The focus of the build was to get as close as possible to full spellcasting, of a sort. Of course Assassin spellcasting isn't on the same tier as Wizard spellcasting by a long shot, but I still think 9/10 spellcasting is a pretty strong finish for a Master of Masks build.
Melee damage output is significant. An elven courtblade (via Gladiator mask) allows 2H-Power Attacking while still adding INT to damage via Insightful Strike; a rare combo. With 1d6 Sneak Attack, Craven, three iterative attacks, and (best of all) a Wraithstrike spell, you might be dealing respectable damage at high levels, even with a class as noncombatitive as Master of Masks. Of course this works best against an unsuspecting victim; the build's strongest fighting method is definitely to use its social skills to "be friends" until it sees an opportune moment to attack.
Once Wraithstrike spells have run out, it may be better to switch to the Assassin mask and use a non-exotic weapon. A Rapier can still Power Attack and benefit from Insightful Strike at the same time, though it can't double your Power Attack output.
The Angel, Archmage, Lord, and Jester masks might be somewhat weak, but don't forget them; they are useful contingency abilities to have on hand. Everyone likes easy Flight a few times per day, for example. And of course they're integral parts of the various personas that Jereth has adopted over the course of his career. (The fluff only lists the most persistent personas; of course he has adopted dozens more for short periods of time.) It was nice being able to pick Assassin spells without worrying about ones that are already covered by these Masks (Nondetection, Undetectable Alignment, Feather Fall, etc.)
And of course Jereth also has all the basic building blocks of a standard Fear build at high levels: an awesome Intimidate check, Imperious Command, Never Outnumbered, and he can buy Fearsome armor.
Oh yeah, and the whole build is a Half-Elf. Haven't seen too many of those; and I've never seen Half-Elf Paragon get used. (I thought it would be cool to use a race that, because of racial restrictions, couldn't be a Chameleon ... but I guess with the Human Heritage feat, I failed on that score. Oh well.) It's interesting to see how many good ways there are to try to use Charisma-based skills (and boost them all with items and Half-Elf Paragon). Also, Combat Panache is a nice, medium-power feat that I've never seen used before, thanks to its skill prerequisites. But it fits Jereth like a glove.
Shen the Masked Dragon
Sources: Complete Scoundrel, Champions of Valor web-enhancement, Races of the Dragon, Dragon Magic, Complete Mage, Spell Compendium
5th-level
Spoiler
Silverbrow Human [Zhentarim Soldier, Thug] Fighter 3/Sorcerer 2
Abilities (32-point buy): Str 15 (16 at 4th), Dex 14, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 14
Base Attack Bonus: +4
Feats: Able Learner (level 1), Combat Expertise (human bonus), Draconic Heritage: battle dragon (level 3), Improved Trip (Fighter 2), Skill Focus: Intimidate (Zhentarim Fighter 3),
Skills: 42 points. Bluff 8, Concentration 7, Disguise 8, Intimidate 5, Perform (acting) 8, Tumble 5, Speak Language 1.
Languages Known: Common is default, plus two from Intelligence, plus one from Speak Language. Could be Common, Chondatan, Draconic and Drow Sign Language.
Spells Known: instant diversion, shield
Relevant gear: wand of heroics, eternal wand of mage armor, heavy flail
Fluff: Shen is a zhentarim legbreaker and bodyguard. He goes around doing the zhents bidding in big cities and more often than not questions his employers, but he longed for life on stage; Shen always wanted to be an actor and took acting classes from an unspecting men at a tavern, a men that at times gave him tips and clues about people in need and had him as somewhat of a spy among the zhents. After a few adventures, sometimes even thwarting his own employers schemes, Shen felt something awaken at him. A new power coarsing through his veins – the power of a dragon. Shen later discovered he was a rare breed indeed, having not one but two different dragon ancestors upon his family tree.
His newfound draconic power was used to supplement his melee ability, making him a threatening presence in the battlefield.
Crunch: Shen uses both the Zhentarim subtitution levels and the Thug alternate class features to get his skill points and complements them with feats. He has pretty decent Bluff and Disguise checks, allowing him to double as party face. On combat, Shen can trip or disarm quite efficiently. He lacks power attack, but makes up for it with the defensive power shield, mage armor and instant diversion give him. If there is a need for extra damage, he can use his wand of heroics to get Power Attack. This way, Shen acts as a support character – tripping enemies for the damage dealers to attack, staying between toughs and the like. He has good Tumble and as such can maneuver quite effectively in the battlefield. Between his social skills, defensive spells and combat feats, he is a very well-rounded character.
10th-level
Spoiler
Human Fighter 3/Sorcerer 2/Master of Masks 5
Ability Boosts- Str +1 at 8th
New Feats- Power Attack (6th), Combat Reflexes (9th)
Base Attack Bonus- +6
Fluff: Shen’s mysterious mentor disappears, leaving the would-be actor to his fate. Incorporating his roles into his fighting ability, Shen continues to fight the zhents from within, masquerading himself differently to suit every mission. He uses a lot of different weapons, each outfitted with a different wand within it, gratly confusing his opponents.
New Known Spells: enlarge person, wings of cover
New Gear: persona masks, tigerskull club, 2 broadblade shortswords, spiked chain, dragonsplit, gloves of dexterity +2, wand of mighty wallop (in tigerskull club’s wandchamber), wand of wraithstrike (on spiked chain), vest of defense, 4 least crystals of return
Crunch: At this point, Shen gets his masks. His goal is still to provide support for other characters and he can still achieve the party-face or secondary skill-monky role quite well thanks to Able Learner and the jester, assassin and lord masks. Shen can use the always popular spiked chain with his gladiator mask to help control the battlefield, now more easily since he deals more damage with Power Attack. His more important characteristic, though, is his arsenal of weapons with dungeon chambers. He has mighty wallop on the tigerskull club, for solid damage; a pair of broadblade shortswords for his own defense, one with benign transposition and the other with true strike, allowing him to sub for a companion that is low in HP and to get the trop on tricky opponents that abuse concealment. If he needs to fly, he can always give up the benefit of the gladiator mask for the archangel mask – he still keeps his old heavy flail on him for cases such as this.
His defense is better than ever. With wings of cover, he can negate one hit a round, greatly increasing his durability.
Spoiler
15th-level Human Fighter 3/Sorcerer 2/Master of Masks 10
New Feats: Versatile Spellcaster (12th), Practiced Spellcaster: sorcerer (15th)
Base Attack Bonus: +9
New Known Spells: blade of blood, wraithstrike, ferocity of sanguine rage
New Gear: boots of speed, wand of greater magic weapon
At this level, Shen greatly increases his damage potential with blade of blood and ferocity of sanguine rage. He uses the archmage mask while casting ferocity - an effective caster level of 12, for +6 damage. With wraithstrike as a spell known and Versatile Spellcaster, Shen can cast it as much as he wants it, meaning he can Power Attack with abandon.
20th-level
Spoiler
Human Fighter 3/Sorcerer 2/Master of Masks 10/Abjurant Champion 5
New Feat: Arcane Strike
Base Attack Bonus: +14
New Known Spells: 1- nerveskitter, 2- see invisibility, glitterdust, web, 3- haste, greater mighty wallop, greater magic weapon, 4- ruin delver’s fortune, wings of flurry, enervation, 5- draconic might, shadow evocation
New Gear: eternal wand of primal instinct, wand of heart of water, wand of detect thoughts
Now more of a gish than ever, Shen can use his wands for more specialized effects, such as heart of water. With draconic might on, Shen becomes quite the powerhouse and he can burn lower level spells with Arcane Strike and Abjurant Champion’s ability, giving him even more versatility. With the archmage mask, Shen has a total caster level of 20, meaning +10 damage from ferocity of sanguine rage. Since he can change masks as an immediate action, he can even start the turn with archmage on, cast a spell (like a 20d6 wings of flurry) and change to gladiator mask so he can take advantage of attacks of opportunity with a spiked chain.
The Masquerade was a brutal fighter brought up in lawless lands where only the strong survive. As a young man he was captured by more “civilised” people and forced to fight in a gladiatorial arena. Here he impressed the locals and developed a great lust, not only for blood but also for the spectacle of performing. He attempted to branch out into every performing job he could, but his focused managed to settle on acting. His natural talent for acting shone forth and melded with his bloodlust, he re-enters the arena and mixes bloodletting with performance making every fight a new show for the audience to enjoy, he has become “The Masquerade of the Arena”
Human
Lion Sprit Totem Barbarian 6
Bard 4
Master of Masks 10
Masks (Assassin, High Priest, Gladiator, Angel, Faceless, Archmage and Dragon)
The Masquerades fighting style usually starts off with him performing to the audience and using his bardic magic to make him more prepared for the upcoming fight, when the gates are opened he dons the Gladiator mask and charges attempting to trip his opponent with his long spiked chain. If his opponent goes down easily he switches mask to the assassin and draws a new weapon to deliver a finishing stab. If his opponent poses more of a threat he may switch masks to dragon to test a different defence or to Angel to fly out of reach and cast more bardic spells. His various masks allow him to exploit the weakness of many opponents in the arena, whether he would charge recklessly in or wait on the sidelines blasting with his Archmage magic.
Do you think my face looks good? I made it myself.
(Now so massive, it needs two posts!!!)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seera
Seera d’Cannith, defrauded heir
The dream is ever the same. Jumping from one roof to another, the fresh wind of Sharn winter in the face and her mother’s lullaby still in mind: “Once was Merrith d’Cannith, strong in mind and strong in spirit; then his son and heir Beris, our sweet home was his; Assia Bearan came the next, then Merrith, then Wilex; Argonnensis was grandfather, Aldous Bearan is your father… then there’s Seera, our sweet heart, we will never be apart.”
That evening Seera were really pissed off: “Mom, you have to cut it!” moaned “I’m sixteen now, I don’t need no silly lullaby animore!”
Seera saw the pain on her face: Maelian d’Cannith wasn’t good in lying, nor in pretendine. Suddenly, Seera tried to add something, but her mother stopped her: “You’re right, my dear.” She woke up from her bed and added “You grew up so sudden and…” Maelian stopped, then stepped out, hiding a tear from her daughter.
Seera was upset, but her excitation was too great to be disturbed by that strange feeling – remorse? – that heavied her chest. She waited all day, boiling in anticipation to try her father’s new tricks.
He found her some night ago trying to climb on house roof. Instead of the stern reproof she was waiting, her father lectured her on the ultimate folly of climbing and swinging on the wall of a palace floating half a mile from the ground. “Sharn is a beautiful city, my dear, but it’s floating on your doom if you don’t prepare properly.”
She looked at him, puzzled. Aldous shook his head: “I’ll give you something to avoid my beloved daughter and only heir to become a questionable art form on city lower levels.”
And he did. She had now a pair of gloves, a pair of boots and a amulet. “To climb better, to keep you there and to save you in event of fall” were the words of her father.
The night was cloudy and thin rain started to fall, anticipating a stormy night. But she was too excited to give up her first excursion with her new toys.
…
“This stuff is amazing” roared her, in delight, defying the hard rain and the rollino thunder. Steady on a flying buttress despite the rain, she dominated the area around Cannith palace. Amazing.
In the platform several feet down, a group of figures was approaching her house. Two large ‘forged and a red robed man. “Uncle Merrix!” shouted her, but the heavy rain covered her words. “Uncle Merr…” He will never listen to her. “He’s going home. I know a shortcut.”
She did, indeed, and rushing from spires and towers, swinging with no fail thank to her magical gear. She arrived in front of her house just when her uncle, Merrix d’Cannith, was entering. She rushed even more, took a great jump and landed on her home’s roof.
“He will meet mom and dad at the diner’s room” guessed, and cautously sneaked in that direction. “I could make a surprise entrance. Maybe from the window”.
And she came to the main window, to make her plan happen. She was about to burst in – no worry for the heavy macical defences: they were set to not harm any family member – but… There was something wrong. Her father, His Carlmness, was… “shouting?”
Yes, shouting at uncle Merrix: “You can’t do that, ‘Forged are people, not constructs! I will never, ever, ever back you in this. And, for the gods’ sake and for the sake of our ancestors, I shall oppose you with any mean.” His wife, on his side, nodded, and so did, with proud, Adamant, their loyal warforged bodyguard
Uncle Merrix grinned at him: “So, this is your final word, Aldous?” His father flaming eyes were clear enough “So be it.” He was about to live the room, but half out, he turned at Aldous and said: “There’s just a minor inconvenience. I’m not gonna do it… it is already done.”
Nonchalant, he lifted a strange dragonshard, carved by runes of power, and pointed it towards Adamant. His eyes suddenly became dark and, in a moment, he turned towards an astonished Aldous.
Adamant was a large, adamantine warforged, crafted with great skill to be strong, utterly strong, and perfected with layers of magic. When his left punch hitted Aldous Bearan d’Cannith, he flyed away like a puppet. This was so wrong, so umpredictable, so… horrific.
Seera standed still, this couldn’t be possibile, this… Her mother, instead, was a quick and skilled wizard. With hate in her eyes, she desperately starter to pronounce power words, rushing to… Adamant was quick. Too damn quick. It was his pride: “Big and quick, lil’ Seera. To protect you all, and you at most, my beloved lil master.” Every time he said so, he lifted her up, with hands so soft that it seemed impossibile they were adamantine.
He was doing the same with her mother, now. It seemed the same, at least, and Seera for a moment, hoped he was about to embrice her, to save her from Merrix betrayal. Then her spine broke, with a sound snap, and her motionless body fell on ground.
“Nooo” she shouted, and a lightning flashed. Merrix saw her, smiled her and said: “Dispatch her, Adamant.”
She saw the warforged monster stepped towards her, through a veil of tears. She shook her head. But the vision didn’t go away. Her father still dead, her mother still dead. She looked at his uncle, void on her eyes. Then she lean on her back and fall.
“Umpfh… she did it by herself.” That side of Cannith palace was the most eyecatching: a proud construction standing a pitfall.
…
Seera wasn’t planning, she just throw herself down, a sudden act of pure despair. But her father was, in effect, smarter than her. Half away the falling, her medallion started to glow. And her fall speed decreased: she was, now, a slow plume floating and gently descending.
The lower layers of Sharn were a dump. A dump of material, a dump of people. When she touched the ground,, she was surrounded by strange humanoids. Goblins, hobgoblins, a towering minotaur, a couple of gargoyles.
They were looking at each other, a pack of wolves decidine who’s gonna give the first bite. Then another lightning, and her dragonmark, the mark of making carved oh her right cheek, glowed in response.
Silence.
Then, a green goblin stepped towards and, cerimoniously, asked: “Do the high Maker Princess need this servant’s help?” Then, aiding her to stand, he whispered: “Come with me, fast.”
She followed him, empty in spirit, not opposing any resistence. She never know what really happened, what she told him, what he did.
The only sure thing was that, at the sunrise she was fighting the sleep on a caravan, her boots, gloves and medallion lost. She was going on.
Fairhaven.
Spoiler
Seera d’Cannith, Rogue 1.
Abilities: (on 32 point buy) Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 16
Skills. Bluff 7 (4 ranks), Craft (any 2) 7 (4 ranks), Disable Devices 7 (4 ranks), Disguise 7 (4 ranks), Hide 6 (4 ranks), Move silently 6 (4 ranks), Perfora (acting) 7 (4 ranks), Search 4 (4 ranks), UMD 7 (4 ranks), [8 points free to assign]
Feats: Able Learner, Least Dragonmark Class Features: Sneak attack +1d6, Trapfinding.
Nothing much to say: Seera is a runaway defrauded heir. Nothing better than a rogue.
Skill selection has been carefully pondered. Bluff, Disguise and Perfora (act) are mandatory, since MoM has them as prerequisites. Hide+Move silently and Dis. Dev+Search give her a role: ambusher and trap disabler. While not mandatory, this skills would reveal itself very useful. UMD maxed is mandatory too, because of the further advancement. Since the build will soon leave to no regrets the rogue advancement, Able Lerner is mandatory too, to relieve the too painful skill point investment in cross class skills.
Least Dragonmark and the entire dragonmark chain is not core for this build and one can probably find something more optimal. But Seera is a dragonmarked heir (no, not the PrC, the role :p ) and her dragonmark is strongly story-related, so I strongly suggest to keep it in every adaptation.
Fairhaven, port of freedom and, in effect, a fair haven for most people, and for Seera too. Her dragonmark announced her far in advance of her arrival. Her natural destination was Aundair’s outpost of house Cannith. A suspicious baron Jorlanna d’Cannith received her. After less than a hour after, having heard her story, she welcomed her, with commotion, she gave her a place in the house and assigned her to a master crafter, for her proper training.
Since that day, however, baron Jorlanna ordered her to wear a mask: her dragonmark, unusually placed, would be too much revealing. And Lord Merrix, now baron of House Cannith himself, wuold find her out.
To anyone, she was now Beria, unfortunate, disfigured daughter of a l lost cyran side of the family.
Spoiler
Rogue 1, Artificer 4
Abilities: (on 32 point buy) Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 17(+1)
Skills. Bluff 11 (8 ranks), Craft (any 2) 9 (6 ranks), Disable Devices 7 (4 ranks), Disguise 11 (8 ranks), Hide 10 (8 ranks), Move silently 10 (8 ranks), Perform (acting) 11 (8 ranks), Search 8 (8 ranks), UMD 11 (8 ranks) [8 points free to assign]
Feats: Able Learner, Least Dragonmark, Favored in house (Legendary Artisan). Class Features: Sneak attack +1d6, Trapfinding; Infusions (4,3) Craft Reserve, Artificer Knowledge, Artisan Bonus, Disable Traps, Item Creation, Scribe Scroll, Brew Potions, Craft Woundrous Items, Craft homunculus, bonus feat: Legendary Artisan.
Now it’s easier to understand previous skill selection and the usefulness of Able Learner: without it, it would have been impossible to max the three skill prerequisites for MoM, Hide+Move silently, trap search and destroy and UMD.
Favored in house feat would help Seera, since it would be soon really useful.
Use your craft reserve to build a costumized item: a mask that grants you a bonus on UOM. The mechanics is simple: start to work on it, then stop when the craft reserve is exausted, the start again by reaching new level, then stop. Using almost all Seera’s craft reserve would allow you to build a mask of UOM +7 (200 XP total, multiplied 25 = 5.000, that object would have a base price of 4.900). Since it has no spell prereq, it has no UMD check involved.
It would be counted since level six.
Key equipment: rogue’s tools, Talenta Sharrash weapon (reach, two handed, 1d10 19-20 x4, exotic), a Chainmail, a small collection of scrolls, maybe a wand.
As time went by, Seera became a good artificer. Never leaving the quarterhouse, never letting anyone come too close, never doing anytihng else than crafting – yes, a harsh life, but with good outcome in terms of work.
Then, her 18th birthday.
She intended to keep it secret, to let the day pass by, as any other day. But…
She managed to keep just one memory from her former life. Her ring, the family ring, her one and only heirloom. Her father said her to treasure it, because “he will disclose you the secrets our family trades from generations”. With all lost and uncle Merrix owning all, it seemed now a empty promise.
But that day, that only day, her ring glowed and shed heat. She was alone on her lab, so she didn’t retain the yell and threw away the ring.
The inside was faintly glowing, showing some carefully carved words: “Prove your descendance, have the heirloom”.
She stood still. Then, understanding flow on her like a river destroying a dig. Her mind immediately came back at her mother’s lullaby, her eyes shed bittersweet tears and her mouth started to move by itself: “Once was Merrith d’Cannith, strong in mind and strong in spirit; then his son and heir Beris, our sweet home was his; Assia Bearan came the next, then Merrith, then Wilex; Argonnensis was grandfather, Aldous Bearan is your father… then there’s Seera, our sweet heart, we will never be apart.”.
Nothing happened.
Still in deep commotion, she grinned: “This is so… unpoethic.”
And then tried again: “Merrith, Beris, Assia Bearan, Merrith, Wilex, Argonnensis, Aldous Bearan.”
Suddenly, the stone on the ring – a metalline-like diagram she always thought to simbolize a schema – grew in size, becoming a huge, brilliant schema. She came to it with awe. She started to examine it, still crying.
“It is a… a schema. A project… instructions to craft… masks?”
Spoiler
Rogue 1, Artificer 6, Master of Masks 3
Abilities: (on 32 point buy) Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 18(+2)
Skills. Bluff 11 (8 ranks), Craft (any 2) 9 (6 ranks), Disable Devices 12 (9 ranks), Disguise 11 (8 ranks), Hide 15 (13 ranks), Move silently 15 (13 ranks), Perform (acting) 11 (8 ranks), Search 13 (13 ranks), UMD 26 (13 ranks) Added: Spellcraft 13 (10 ranks) [17 points free to assign]
Feats: Able Learner, Least Dragonmark, Favored in house (Legendary Artisan), Extraordinary Artisan, Lesser Dragonmark. Class Features: Sneak attack +1d6, Trapfinding; Infusions (4, 4 ,3) Craft Reserve, Artificer Knowledge, Artisan Bonus, Disable Traps, Item Creation, Scribe Scroll, Brew Potions, Craft Woundrous Items, Craft homunculus, bonus feat: Legendary Artisan, Craft Magic Arms and Armors, Retain Essence, Metamagic Spell Trigger; Persona Masks (4), +1 Spellcasting, Mask Specialist.
Seera enters the Master of Masks PrC at level 6. Since it would be useful to take track of what she can craft, she advance this way: MoM 1, Art. 5, MoM 2, Art 6, MoM 3. Basicly, any time she gets a new persona mask, she advance a level in artificer. Why?
As you may have already notice, persona masks are magic items. As the text clearly states, they’re also crafted by you. Artificer+MoM= craft better masks.
Also mind that, with Retain Essence, from 7th level on, you may choose to pay XP cost of crafting items by expending 25 times the price in gold, since you salvage XP from items (read note below)
Let’s see persona mask belonging to Seera level by level:
6th: Gladiator Mask and Assassin Mask.
7th crafted improvements:
Gladiator Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, any time it is donned, the wearer can choose to activate it’s power (use activation): a Divine Favor spell (Cost: 787,5, 48 XP).
Assassin Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, any time the wearer strikes a construct (use activate) the mask activate an effect identical to Golem Strike spell. (Cost: 787,5, 48 XP).
8th: Demon maask
9th crafted improvements
Gladiator Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, any time it is donned, the wearer can choose to activate it’s power (use activation): a Divine Favor spell. Once a day, while donning the mask (use activate), the wearer can call a greater might and activate on himself a Divine Power effect (Cost 2.205, 133 XP)
Assassin Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, any time the wearer strikes a construct (use activate) the mask activate an effect identical to Golem Strike spell, or, striking a un dead, an effect identical to Grave Strike spell (Cost: 787,5, 36 XP).
(Note that 450 more gold coins are expended, since the total XP expended exceded the craft reserve).
10th: Faceless mask.
Favoured in houwe could help you, now, since asking other artificer to help you could reduce XP cost and then improve her equipment. Since its use is strongly discretionary, it is not counted as granted in this build.
Key equipment: Seera now can afford a magic weapon, a magic armor (suggested a Mithril Full Plate +1) and a small arsenal of scrolls and wands.
[i]A year later, more or less, her researches stopped. The schema was incomplete. She went straight to Jorlanna. This research was too promising to stop in a cul-de-sac and the schema suggested how to know more. It was a hard way, through. It leaded to Xen’drik.
Spoiler
Rogue 1, Artificer 8, Master of Masks 6
Abilities: (on 32 point buy) Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 17(+1), Wis 10, Cha 18(+2)
Skills. Bluff 12 (8 ranks), Craft (any 2) 9 (6 ranks), Disable Devices 17 (14 ranks), Disguise 12 (8 ranks), Hide 20 (18 ranks), Move silently 20 (18 ranks), Perform (acting) 12 (8 ranks), Search 18 (18 ranks), UMD 31 (18 ranks) Spellcraft 18 (15 ranks) [25 points free to assign]
Feats: Able Learner, Least Dragonmark, Favored in house (Legendary Artisan), Extraordinary Artisan, Lesser Dragonmark, Two Weapon Fighter, Double Wand Wielder. (Wand Mastery) Class Features: Sneak attack +1d6, Trapfinding; Infusions (4, 4, 4, 1) Craft Reserve, Artificer Knowledge, Artisan Bonus, Disable Traps, Item Creation, Scribe Scroll, Brew Potions, Craft Woundrous Items, Craft homunculus, bonus feat: Legendary Artisan, Craft Magic Arms and Armors, Retain Essence, Metamagic Spell Trigger, Craft Wand, bonus feat: Wand Mastery; Persona Masks (5), +2 Spellcasting, Mask Specialist, Many Faces (2 move), Hidden Mask.
You should be familiar with the mechanics, by now.
11th level improvement
Faceless Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, once in a day, where donning this mask (use activation), the wearer can choose to activate an effect identical of Polymorph spell (Cost: 2940, 177 XP). [23 XP of craft reserve free to use]
13th: Dragon mask
15th level improvement
Gladiator Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, any time it is donned, the wearer can choose to activate it’s power (use activation): a Divine Favor spell. Once a day, while donning the mask (use activate), the wearer can call a greater might and activate on himself a Divine Power effect. Similarly, once a day, in conjunction or indipendently by the previous power, the wearer can activate an effect identical to Righteous Might spell (Cost 2.362.5, 142 XP)
Assassin Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, any time the wearer strikes a construct (use activate) the mask activate an effect identical to Golem Strike spell, or, striking a un dead, an effect identical to Grave Strike spell. Moreover, once a day, while donning the mask (use activate), the wearer can activate an effect identical to Nightstalker Transformation spell. (Cost 2.362.5, 142 XP)
(Note that 850 more gold coins are expended, since the total XP expended exceded the craft reserve).
At 14th level, the real power comes in. With Many Faces class ability Seera can switch to one mask to another as a move action. If you’ve paid attention, most of the improved masks effects are activable once donned, so switch to one another counts to activate them. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the key ability of this build: breaking action economy.
Let’s try an example: Seera wears Assassin mask, leaving Gladiator mask in one hand. Then, at the first round of a battle, she wears as a standard action the Gladiator mask, activating Divine Favor, Divine Power and Righteous Might. Then, as a move action, she shifts to Assassin mask, activating Nightstalker Transformation too. If she’s smart, she weared Faceless mask too, in advance, since Polymorph has a 10 min/level duration.
So, now she’s a huge War Troll, to hit as a fighter, a huge bonus to Strenght, Constitution and Natural Armor, with a +6d6 sneak attack.
Key equipment: add Sizing to your weapon, since you’ve become a shapechanger, then buy all the scrolls, wands and maybe staves you can afford. Strongly consider Eternal Wands and minor schemas. Have fun with belt of battle, particularily useful, since with a single charge you can take a extra move action to switch a mask.
What happened in Xen’drik, noone knows. Dwellers of Cannith Fairhaven’s house can only tell that when Beria came back from the expedition… well, she looked different. A huge, intricate Mark of Making spreading on her entire face and down her neck was the minor change. She was strong, confident, scarred and her grey eyes loomed deeply. After a swift parley with baron Jorlanna, she left the house, to not been seen ever again.
…
Sharn, the city of towers. Mightly crafted to express the undying will of mortal beings to reach the sky, floating and moaning and living. One of the most important place of power of this chaotic city is Cannith palace, the home residence of baron Merrix d’Cannith. In front of that huge, outstanding palace, the tiny masked woman seemed insignificant. She passed the main door, plainly ignoring the old man telling her that “Lady… Cannith, mark bearer, wha… hey, please, you can’t… this is not acceptable. This is a private house, please stop and…”
She was home, HER home. She walked the hall straight to the library. The door opened two steps before his coming. “The old bastard didn’t even bothered to change magical protection” grunted her, to the astonished old man. He was left behind bablling, while she walked through a long corridor to the main office – his father’s office – and, finally, to the presence of Merrix d’Cannith, Adamant, a couple of stone golem and a Deneir bodyguard.
Merrix arched an eyebrow and asked: “So… lady, who the heck are you? How did you maneged to… But, first of all, what do you want?”
Seera trembled. Then undid her Faceless mask. Her huge Mark of Making was now visibile, encompassing her deep, enraged gray eyes. A very uncommon trait on Cannith house, that grey eyes were only seen on Merrix brother.
“I am Seera d’Cannith, daugther of Maelian and” she paused “Aldous Bearan d’Cannith. I am here to have my house back, toh ave my title back, toh ave my heirloom back. And to drop you death, uncle Merrix.”
He smiled, heartly amused: “Yes, my dear, for sure.” He hitted with a lazy look the two golems, the bodyguard and the void-eyed warforged and asked: “Would you all mind to dispatch her?”
The constructs and the human were about to come towards her, when she wore the mask again.
Abruptly, she started to… change. After less than a couple of seconds, she were a huge, terrific angelic figure. She spoke with a deep, strong voice: “This is the form of an angel. The angel of revenge calling for your doom.”
Spoiler
Rogue 1, Artificer 9, Master of Masks 10
Abilities: (on 32 point buy) Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 19(+3), Wis 10, Cha 18(+2)
Skills. No more rated.
Feats: Able Learner, Least Dragonmark, Favored in house (Legendary Artisan), Extraordinary Artisan, Lesser Dragonmark, Two Weapon Fighter, Double Wand Wielder. (Wand Mastery), Greater Dragonmark Class Features: Sneak attack +1d6, Trapfinding; Infusions (4, 4, 4, 4, 2) Craft Reserve, Artificer Knowledge, Artisan Bonus, Disable Traps, Item Creation, Scribe Scroll, Brew Potions, Craft Woundrous Items, Craft homunculus, bonus feat: Legendary Artisan, Craft Magic Arms and Armors, Retain Essence, Metamagic Spell Trigger, Craft Wand, bonus feat: Wand Mastery, Craft Rod; Persona Masks (5), +4 Spellcasting, Mask Specialist, Many Faces (2 move), Hidden Mask, Many Faces (3 swift), Many Faces (4 immediate).
Welcome to the thin air.
16th: Angel mask
17th level improvement
*Faceless Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, once in a day, where donning this mask (use activation), the wearer can choose to activate an effect identical of Polymorph spell, or, once in a day, identical to Shapechange spell (Cost: 14.179, 850 XP).
(Note that additional 13.750 gold pieces are needed, because the XP cost exceded the Craft Reserve.)
18th: Archmage
19th level improvement
Dragon Mask in addiction to it’s standard power, three times per day, as a swift action (like the spell) when using the mask’s breath weapon, the wearer can cast Breath Weapon Substitution. Moreover, as a swift action, the wearer can cast Stunning Breath, any time per day. (Cost 4725, 284 XP, converted in 7.100 gp cost).
20th level improvement
Gladiator Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, any time it is donned, the wearer can choose to activate it’s power (use activation): a Divine Favor spell. Once a day, while donning the mask (use activate), the wearer can call a greater might and activate on himself a Divine Power effect. Similarly, once a day, in conjunction or indipendently by the previous power, the wearer can activate an effect identical to Righteous Might spell. Finally, by donning the mask (use activation), the wearer can activate on himself up to five times straight the effect of the Eroics spell, any time per day. (Note that no more than five heroics spells can be active at the same time by the use of this object)** (Cost 19.687,5, 1181,25 XP, interely paid with addictional 29.531,25 gp).
Archmage mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, twice in a day, where donning this mask (use activation), the wearer can choose to activate an effect identical to an Antimagic Field spell (Cost 13.860, 832 XP, interely paid with additional 20.790 gp).
*Shapechange on Faceless mask is the only time in which Favored in house really comes into account. To craft an object that uses Shapechange, the Seera has to find some way to cast it, since her spellcaster level does not suffice. The easiest way would be to find another artificer to work for her, but it would a spellcaster that casts the spell everyday for the duration of the crafting would be enough. It would be thinkable even obtain a schema of Shapechange (price above 6th is not rated, but since it works with spells too and since the costi s spell lever x spellcaster level x 400 it would cost 61.200 gp, totally affordable.
**This is not RAW, but imagining an average DM judging this build, I can’t imagine him/her to read a possible infinite heroics loop and throw some book, laugh, spit on me, ban me forever from the table and so on.
At this time, the mask of UMD shoud be unpractical to wear and bring around. Salvage the XP spent to craft it and spend them to craft a, say, pair of gloves, or ring, or circlet of UMD would be more practical.
Now, look at Archmage mask and think what you can do with it. Got it? Automatic fail of any harmful spell cast on you, twice a day, since you can switch to it as an immediate action. Add shapechange, polymorph, the well known cleric buffs, a fair amount of sneak attack and a other miscellanea.
And, by the way, this is the sweet spot.
Key equipment: In fact, Seera works well by herself. Choosing her equipment is a task as is a task to choose a general 20th level character’s. The only thing that comes to mind is a metamagic rod of extend spell and a metamagic rod of extend spell, lesser, to make some infusion to stand more.
Masks:
Spoiler
Archmage mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, twice in a day, where donning this mask (use activation), the wearer can choose to activate an effect identical to an Antimagic Field spell
Assassin Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, any time the wearer strikes a construct (use activate) the mask activate an effect identical to Golem Strike spell, or, striking a un dead, an effect identical to Grave Strike spell. Moreover, once a day, while donning the mask (use activate), the wearer can activate an effect identical to Nightstalker Transformation spell.
Dragon Mask in addiction to it’s standard power, three times per day, as a swift action (like the spell) when using the mask’s breath weapon, the wearer can cast Breath Weapon Substitution. Moreover, as a swift action, the wearer can cast Stunning Breath, any time per day.
Faceless Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, once in a day, where donning this mask (use activation), the wearer can choose to activate an effect identical of Polymorph spell, or, once in a day, identical to Shapechange spell
Gladiator Mask: in addiction to it’s standard power, any time it is donned, the wearer can choose to activate it’s power (use activation): a Divine Favor spell. Once a day, while donning the mask (use activate), the wearer can call a greater might and activate on himself a Divine Power effect. Similarly, once a day, in conjunction or indipendently by the previous power, the wearer can activate an effect identical to Righteous Might spell. Finally, by donning the mask (use activation), the wearer can activate on himself up to five times straight the effect of the Eroics spell, any time per day. (Note that no more than five heroics spells can be active at the same time by the use of this object)
Mechanical notes:
Spoiler
Since it is not stated that the quicker switching mask method suppress the slower, one can argue that a level 10 Master of Mask can switch masks as a move action, a swift action and a immediate action. So, doing it 3 times per round, and since wearing a mask is a standard action, to a total of 4.
Taking count of the infinite loop of buffing this would cause is istinctive and I see no logical argument against doing a task that requires a blink of eyes (immediate action) in a longer time (move). You can read the example made under level 15, just imagine an automatic buff in one round.
But even not letting it work this way, which seems totally legal, nevertheless Seera has a good leverage on action economy: potentially one buff a round as an immediate action.
A caster level of 13 for infusions is not outstanding, but good, and probably the best use of +4 caster level. Just to be clear and sure, artificer has a caster level (“They function just like spells and follow all the rules for spells”, you read in Eberron Campaign Settings handbook) and here and there there are other referrals to caster level.
The most obscure mechanic could be the use retain essence to not pay XP cost for items. Retain essence allows to destroy a magic item and “suck” the XP spent to craft it, storing them in artificer’s Craft Reserve. So, to say, destroy an item worth 1.000 Gp would grant the artificer 1.000/25 XP, so 40. In this way, the artificer can pay XP cost to craft items in gold, with a multiplier of 25.
Use of Legendary and Extraordinary Artisan feats optimize the whole crafting thing, to your satisfaction.
Improvements of masks are made by the rules of DMG. The masks are magic items, crafted by the Master of Masks (so you read in the PrC description). This means that its can be improved by the standard rules.
I’ve considered the masks ever an appropriate body slot, since there is a strong tie between the taste of the mask and the power granted. While linked on a mask that works only for the crafter, I’ve counted the 30% discount of “particular race or class”.
For powers added, the “discount” rule for similar abilities applies, stacking with Extraordinary Artisan.
This is not a big deal, however, even for the XP: since the Seera can salvage XP, the only practical impact on this build would be on the budget and, since I’m not going to add all the equipment, it will require only few mathematics and budget adjustments to compensate.
Cheese:
Spoiler
Choosing mask properties has been done with flavour in mind, not power. In fact, the spell selection, with the exception of polymorph and shapechange, would result not optimal. Since the MoM has the ability to switch masks as an immediate acition, the list of situational spells to save the day (wings of cover? time stop?) or to buff yourself, or to blast enemies (gate 2 level up via mask specialist?) are countless. You can also notice that only a minimal part of her budget has been used. This leaves every user the chanche to personalize this build.
Roquefort:
Spoiler
If you want to carve absolute power from a suboptimal PrC, you need a bit of rulelawing. Since persona masks are magic items crafted by the Master of Masks and the PrC text doesn’t explicitly say that it is not impossible (a stern RAW reading, totally against RAI, so be warned), it is possible to apply normal rules of creating magical items to persona masks. Even the possibility to add powers to an existing magic item, maybe with a multiplier of 1.5 for “several, different abilities”. Combine Assassin and Gladiator could make you cry to joy, to a laughable +50 gp cost. And then keep other mask free to use with the main combo.
I refer this possibilità only for completeness’ sake, please don’t use it: I’ve been hit by headache already, just figuring out all the possible implications (what alignment would you show, for example?)
ToB implementations:
Spoiler
Both Gladiator and Assassin persona masks would be excellent items to hold some maneuver or stance. Assassin’s stance and White Raven Tactics comes to mind first, but you can search deep into ToB to more fun. Please note, however, that heroics can be used to obtain Martial Study and Martial Stance.
Human LG Ninja 3/Monk 4/Apostle of Peace 4/Master of Masks 9
Monk Variants used: Decisive Strike (PH2); Holy Strike (CCh)
Languages: Common, Celestial, Sylvan, Undercommon
Keiji Mutoh's family was rich, and, being rich, was reviled by their village. Though they strived to do right in the community, jealousy overcame the villagers, and they stormed the manse, burning it to the ground. Keiji barely survived, and stumbled from the village to the twin dojos at the foot of the mountains. He was accepted as a student in both, but swore an oath to never let money come between himself and others again. Some think his vows force him to be little more than a spy, forgetting that spies have many tricks....
Base Stats:
Ability
Stat
End Stat
STR
8
8
DEX
14
16
CON
12
16
INT
13
13
WIS
17
28
CHA
12
20
Wisdom gets the level increases.
Level
Class
BAB
Fort
Ref
Will
Feats
Skills
Features
Spells: 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
Ninja 1
+0
+1
+4
+3
Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty, Nymph's Kiss
Bluff 4, Concentration 4, Diplomacy 2, Disguise 4, G. Info 1, Hide 4, Move Silently 4, Perform (Act) 2, Speak Language 2
Aura of Good, Trapfinding, Ki Power (+2 Will), Sudden Strike +1d6, WIS to AC, +4 Exalted bonus to AC
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2
Ninja 2
+1
+1
+5
+3
Intuitive Attack
Bluff 5, Concentration 5, Disguise 5, G. Info 4, Hide 5, Move Silently 5, Perform (Act) 2.5
Persona Mask (Assassin), Exalted Strike +5, Energy Resistance 15
6
7
6
5
5
5
3
2
1
*Note:
Spoiler
Master of Masks requires the use of two (2) sets of one hundred (100) GP materials to make the initial masks on time. This will require begging the materials off of party members (see BoED page 30), or else falling into a loop where XP is expended, and the masks become unavailable, freeing the XP, which is expended, etc. Subsequent masks can be made through the XP expenditure outlined on page 30 of the BoED. Because the masks are of no use to other Masters of Mask, and because no ranks in Craft are required to create them, they would seem to be without material value after their initial creation materials are used. This should mean it is acceptable to be a VoP Master of Masks. Otherwise, wait until 40+ XP are surplus to requirements and use them.
Non-SRD Feats: Monastic Training (Eberron Campaign Setting p57), Serpent Strike (Sandstorm p53), Ascetic Stalker (Complete Scoundrel p73), Fists of Iron (Complete Warrior p99), Superior Unarmed Strike (Tome of Battle p33), Avenging Strike (Tome of Battle p28), Exalted Turning (Book of Exalted Deeds p42), Intuitive Attack (BoED p44), Nimbus of Light (BoED p44), Nymph's Kiss (BoED p44), Sacred Strike (BoED p45), Sacred Vow (BoED p45), Subduing Strike (BoED p46), Touch of Golden Ice (BoED p47), Vow of Abstinence (BoED p47), Vow of Chastity (BoED p47), Vow of Nonviolence (BoED p47), Vow of Peace (BoED p48), Vow of Obedience (BoED p48), Vow of Poverty (BoED p48). In addition, the rules on voluntary poverty are in the BoED, pp29-31.
Spell List Highlights: From PHb or BoED.
Spoiler
0: Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Guidance, Mending, Purify Food and Drink, Read Magic, Resistance;
1st: Bless, Command, Comprehend Languages, Cure Light Wounds, Detect Evil, Detect Undead, Divine Inspiration, Endure Elements, Entropic Shield, Eyes of the Avoral, Obscuring Mist, Protection from Evil, Ray of Hope, Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith, Twilight Luck, Vision of Heaven;
2nd: Aid, Augury, Ayailla's Radiant Burst, Bear's Endurance, Calm Emotions, Consecrate, Delay Poison, Eagle's Splendor,Enthrall, Glorious Raiment, Make Whole, Owl's Wisdom, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy, Lesser Restoration, Shield Other, Silence, Yoke of Mercy, Zone of Truth;
3rd: Blessed Sight, Brilliant Emanation, Celestial Aspect, Dispel Magic, Hammer of Righteousness,Invisibility Purge, Magic Circle against Evil, Magic Vestment, Meld into Stone, Path of the Exalted, Phieran's Resolve, Prayer, Protection from Energy, Remove Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse, Remove Disease, Water Walk, Wind Wall;
4th: Air Walk, Lesser Aspect of the Deity, Blood of the Martyr, Control Water, Cure Critical Wounds, Death Ward, Divination, Freedom of Movement, Good Hope, Imbue with Spell Ability, Greater Luminous Armor, Neutralize Poison, Lesser Planar Ally, Restoration, Spell Immunity, Sunmantle, Tongues;
6th: Aspect of the Deity, Banishment, Mass Bear's Endurance, Celestial Blood, Mass Cure Moderate Wounds, Greater Dispel Magic, Mass Eagle's Splendor, Exalted Raiment, Geas/Quest, Heal, Mass Owl's Wisdom, Planar Ally, Storm of Shards, Valiant Steed, Wind Walk, Word of Recall;
7th: Channel Celestial, Constricting Chains, Control Weather, Cry of Ysgard, Ethereal Jaunt, Phoenix Fire, Rain of Embers, Regenerate, Repulsion, Greater Restoration, Resurrection, Greater Scrying, Shield of the Archons;
Early levels are rough, especially for a character who has forsworn earthly possessions. Keiji spends his early days as a sneak, working reconnaisance for the ninjas who took him in, and their sister monastary. His focus on staying out of sight allows him to use Sudden Strike and, therefore, approach reasonable damage thresholds when he needs to fight. The early grab for Intuitive Attack is vital to making him a more SAD character, while Subduing Strike pairs naturally with his Vow of Nonviolence. Decisive Strike gives him a better damaging option than Flurry of Blows, so he learns to do that instead. His AC, Evasion, and Saves are more than adequate in the early going. His Simple Weapon is a Dagger, to help deal with those opponents with mobility options he can't easily match. Poison Use is limited to Oil of Taggit, Drow Poison, and the Ravages in the Book of Exalted Deeds according to p34 of that volume, but he uses the advantage of safe Poison Use as best he can.
Salad and Breadsticks: (Levels 6 - 10)
Spoiler
With Superior Unarmed Strike and Sacred Strike, his Unarmed Subdual Damage manages to stay relevant until spells come online. Bless and Obscuring Mist are among the best options for Keiji from his 1st level choices. Owl's Wisdom, Yoke of Mercy, and Calm Emotions are solid choices for influencing the battlefield from the 2nd level list, with Dispel Magic, Wind Wall, and Hammer of Righteousness as go-to choices at 3rd. Turn Undead and a second Sacred bonus to attacks give him other toys to play with, while Pacifying Touch can end fights before they start.
Main Course: (Levels 11 - 15)
Spoiler
Master of Masks' Archmage opens up the ability to Fly, a bit behind his allies' ability to do so but not painfully so, thanks to the buffs he could cast previously. With the High Priest, Apostle of Peace's Caster level - which powers his main spell list - gets a small boost. This is especially useful for the Dispels and limited damaging spells available. Serpent Fang and Avenging Strike make his Unarmed Strikes more powerful and more flexible. With a 4th level spell slot opened up, Lesser Planar Ally comes online, while 5th gets you Plane Shift, and Geas/Quest is available at 6th. Creating the Lord mask starts to make Diplomancy really abusable. Couple it with Pacifying Touch and the Calm Emotions ability, and fights stop before they can start.
Decadent Dessert Menu: (Level 16 - 20)
Spoiler
Touch of Golden Ice allows Keiji to double up on Ravages with his Unarmed Strikes. Cry of Ysgard gets Keiji four CR 9 followers for up to a year, each of whom has their own animal companion. It's as if Keiji got a limited Leadership without the feat. Greater Planar Ally is as worthwhile as ever. Keiji's Vow of Poverty also gives him Regeneration. Overcoming the moral quandaries of donning the Assassin Mask boosts Sudden Strike/Sneak Attack to a respectable 6d8 for circumstances where both apply, and since his Alignment is not changed, merely concealed, this is a viable choice. Even Paladins get Undetectable Alignment, after all. By the end, Keiji's AC is 43, having kept up with or surpassed the AC of those he travels with a while back, yet maintaining viability through support casting and maximizing his Unarmed Strike as much as possible.
Sides and Garnishes: (Suggested flaws and traits)
Spoiler
Traits: Aggressive gets more chances to go first, at a meager AC cost. Keiji's AC is high enough that this is a natural choice. Because Apostle of Peace casts off such a limited list, and caster level is low throughout the build, Spellgifted is an even better fit.
Flaws: Shaky is practically without cost for Keiji, who uses buff spells and melee attacks all but exclusively. Vulnerable is a good choice for the same reason that Aggressive is, and the great early REF save makes Poor Reflexes an acceptable alternative.
If Flaws are used, Versatile Unarmed Strike and Telling Blow further increase the early game viability of Keiji's tactics.
"Do I have something on my face?" "No, but that's kind of the point..."
(More 2 part madness)
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Faceless
Robert Smith... that name was discarded long ago.
Before The Faceless, there was a boy. A human child, not 11 winters of age. A boy with bright blue eyes. Not the iris, but what is normally the white. The priest called it a blessing, and he could not have been more wrong.
Living on the outskirts of a large town, Robert (Robbie) was constantly tormented by the others. The "normals", they called themselves.
"You think you're better than us?"
"Let's see how 'blessed' you are!"
A litany of taunts, whirling through the mind, throughout the day. Even at home, Robbie was dismissed.
"You'll never amount to anything."
"How do you expect to get a job lazing around!"
He was never taught to read or write, his father dismissing both as "luxuries".
His sole refuge was outside, in the wilderness. Living nearby an elven encampment, Robbie picked up some useful knowledge about the wilderness. This did not particularly help his status with the others, nor at home. ("Knife-ears lover!") Even the elves didn't really accept him, treating him as an infant. Robert did have some talents though, and rapidly picked up what he was taught of the wilds.
The real trouble started when he was 14. A series of escalating "pranks" began. Starting with a knife in his front door through an incomprehensible note, continuing with a group beating, and ending with being stuffed into a sack and wrestled into a cave, unconscious.
Robert awoke groggily. The bruises he could feel covering his body weren't particularly helped by the irregular rock beneath him, nor his lack of clothing. He opened his eyes... and saw nothing. Wherever he was, it was pitch black. "Bastards!" he quietly cursed, then stopped, listening carefully. Hearing nothing but dripping water, he rose to his feet, stumbling slightly in the process. A cautious test to the left, to the right... sharp rocks awaited. Gathering his will, he focused for a minute, then began to cautiously step across the stones. That was about when the tripwire caught him.
Tumbling facefirst onto the jagged mess on the floor, his face was lacerated. Cuts across the forehead, mangled cheekbones, a broken nose, and a slashed upper lip. The yell of pain echoed through the cave, but he still heard no response. Getting to his feet in agony, Robert again focused. Gradually, a shell hardened over his face, dulling the pain. As he opened his eyes, futilely, he was suddenly shocked. He could SEE again. And several feet ahead of him was another tripwire, and a wall. The imagination of his tormenters never ended, it seemed.
Seeing despite the blackness, Robert had little difficult navigating out of the caves, given some time. As he emerged into sunlight, he looked down at his hands... and saw them coated with tiny purple scales. He checked his feet: unscathed. He grinned slightly. Taking a stout branch as protection, he walked back into town, to confront his abductors.
Several terrified boys beaten up later, a few useful items scavenged, and a classical peasant mob formed, complete with pitchforks and torches, and chased him out of town. Robert left gladly. They had paid.
Robert Smith:
Spoiler
CN Male Azurin Totemist 1
Medium Humanoid (Human, Incarnum)
HD 1d8+2
HP 10
Init +2
Spd 30 ft.
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17
Base Atk +0, Grp +0
Atk +0 melee (1d6, Club)
SA: None
SQ: Meldshaping, Illiteracy, Wild Empathy, Essentia Pool 2
SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +1
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Trained Skills: Autohypnosis +3, Concentration +6, Heal +7, Knowledge(Arcana) +6, Knowledge(Nature) +4, Listen +5, Spellcraft +6 Spot +5, Survival +10, Use Magic Device +0
Untrained Skills: Appraise +3, Balance -1, Bluff -1, Climb -3, Craft(any) +3, Decipher Script +3, Diplomacy -1, Disable Device +3, Disguise -1, Escape Artist -1, Forgery +3, Gather Information -1, Handle Animal -1, Hide -1, Intimidate -1, Jump -3, Knowledge(other) +2, Move Silently -1, Open Lock -1, Perform -1, Profession(any) +2, Ride -1, Search +3, Sense Motive +2, Sleight of Hand -1, Swim -6, Tumble -1, Use Rope -1
Feats: Able Learner, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (B)
Languages: Common, Elven, Draconic, Halfling
Soulmelds shaped: Wormtail Belt (Waist Chakra), Hunter's Circlet (Crown Chakra). 1 point of Essentia invested in each. Switch to 2 points in Wormtail Belt in the event of a fight, for an additional +1 AC.
Robert left with little more than the clothes on his back. Still, he was able to survive the wilderness almost effortlessly, thanks to what he had gathered from the elves. He did not seek them out. They were too near the town, too close to his past. Instead, he travelled west, further into the wilderness. He hid from towns, passing through them with a mask, if necessary. They might know, recognize the scars on his face, and take him back. And so, he was treated as another bizarre oddity in a world overfull of such.
Over time, and with practice, he began to master his new capabilities. No longer could he merely alter his skin, but his entire form, growing claws, spines, and other weapons.
Eventually in his trek west, Robert encountered a travelling caravan of entertainers. Some might call them a circus, some might call them gypsies. Whatever they were, they offered a home free of judgement, free of the past. Robert took it. He threw himself wholeheartedly into acting, into assuming the face, the being, of another. When they asked his name, he said only, "I have no name".
Nameless
Spoiler
CN Male Azurin Totemist 2/Factotum 1/Incarnate 2
Medium Humanoid (Human, Incarnum)
HD 3d8+2d6+10
HP 26
Init +2
Spd 30 ft, Fly 10 ft (Good, falls at end of movement)
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17
Base Atk +2, Grp +2
Atk +2 melee (1d6+2, Club) OR 3 attacks +6, (1d6+2, range increment 30 ft, spines)
SA: Spines, Cunning Insight, Detect Law
SQ: Meldshaping, Wild Empathy, Essentia Pool 5, Trapfinding, Cunning Knowledge, Totem Chakra Bind(+1 capacity), Chakra Bind(Crown), Aura,
SV Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +4
Str 10, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Trained Skills: Bluff +9 Concentration +7, Disguise +7 (+9 when impersonating another) Heal +5, Knowledge(Arcana) +7, Knowledge(Nature) +4, Listen +6, Perform(acting) +2, Spellcraft +8, Spot +14, Survival +7, Autohypnosis +5, Use Magic Device +1(+3 when using scrolls)
Untrained Skills: Appraise +3, Balance +1, Climb -1, Craft(any) +3, Decipher Script +3, Diplomacy +1, Disable Device +5, Escape Artist +1, Forgery +3, Gather Information -1, Handle Animal -1, Hide +3, Intimidate +1, Jump +7, Knowledge(other) +2, Move Silently +3, Open Lock +4, Perform(other) -1, Profession(any) +2, Ride +2, Search +3, Sense Motive +2, Sleight of Hand +4, Swim -2, Tumble +1, Use Rope +1
Feats: Able Learner, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (B), Flyby Attack
Possessions: Necklace of Natural Attacks +1, Healing Belt, +1 Chain Shirt, +1 buckler, Masterwork Thief's Tools, Masterwork Infiltration outfit (Hide/Move Silently), Cloak of Elemental Protection, Hat of Disguise, Masterwork Blank Mask (bluff), 200 gp
When not expecting (or caring too much about) combat, say... performing, or acting in an urban environment, would use Acrobat Boots, Theft Gloves, and Silvertongue mask to replace Airstep Sandals, Incarnate Avatar, and Sighting Gloves. These give +2 to +4 on Disable Device, Open Lock, Sleight of Hand, Balance, Escape Artist, Tumble, Jump, Bluff, and Diplomacy, and let him treat those as trained. However, they cost his flight, and -1 to hit and damage. Alternatively, depending on situation, he could trade one of those for Airstep sandals (i.e. Theft gloves in a dungeon)
Additionally, this build is right before an enormous breakpoint, at level 6, where those above melds get +2 essentia capacity, and can so give +8 to the above skills (+12 Open Lock at level 6 is... decent, I think). At that point, his extra essentia also means he gets an extra spine attack, and +1 to hit and damage from Incarnate Avatar and Sighting Gloves.
Of course, the idyllic life of an actor and circus freak had to come to an end. At some point in Nameless' 20'th year, the caravan was attacked by Fire Giants, on a trip through the southern mountains. They had no chance. He ran. They all ran. But only he could outrun the giants. Returning, weeping, to the site of the devastation, he found nothing intact but the mask of a hardened warrior. Putting it on, he recognized the power that identity held. He became... Faceless, ever-shifting.
Faceless
Spoiler
CN Male Azurin Totemist 2/Factotum 1/Incarnate 3/Master of Masks 1/Chameleon 2/Master of Masks 1
Medium Humanoid (Human, Incarnum)
HD 3d8+7d6+30
HP 53
Init +5
Spd 30 ft, Fly 20 ft (Perfect)
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17
Base Atk +4, Grp +4
Atk 4 attacks +13, (1d6+2, range increment 30 ft, spines)
SA: Spines, Cunning Insight, Detect Law, Persona Masks (Assassin, Gladiator, Archmage), Sneak Attack 2d6+10
SQ: Meldshaping, Wild Empathy, Essentia Pool 8, Trapfinding, Cunning Knowledge, Totem Chakra Bind(+1 capacity), Chakra Bind(Crown), Aura, Essentia Capacity +1, Incarnum Radiance(Chaos), Bonus Feat, Aptitude Focus 1/day(+2) (Arcane)
SV Fort +11, Ref +15, Will +12(10 vs fear)
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Trained Skills: Bluff +11 Concentration +9, Diplomacy +10, Disguise +7 (+9 when impersonating another) Heal +6, Hide +18, Knowledge(Arcana) +10, Knowledge(Nature) +5, Knowledge(Religion) +7, Listen +6, Perform(acting) +7, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +16, Spot +16, Survival +7, Autohypnosis +5, Use Magic Device +10(+12 when using scrolls)
Untrained Skills: Appraise +3, Balance +4, Climb +4 (can take 10), Craft(any) +3, Decipher Script +7, Disable Device +5, Escape Artist +4, Forgery +3, Gather Information -1, Handle Animal -1, Intimidate +1, Jump +10, Knowledge(other) +2, Move Silently +8, Open Lock +7, Perform(other) -1, Profession(any) +2, Ride +4, Search +3, Sleight of Hand +7, Swim +0, Tumble +4, Use Rope +4
Feats: Able Learner, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (B), Flyby Attack, Extra Essentia, Craven, Arcane Disciple(Scalykind)(Floating B)
Possessions: Necklace of Natural Attacks +1, Healing Belt, +1 Githcraft Thistledown Mithral Chain Shirt, +1 buckler, Masterwork Thief's Tools, Masterwork Infiltration outfit (Hide/Move Silently), Masterwork Blank Mask (bluff), Gloves of Dexterity +2, Vest of Health +2 and Resistance +2, Essentia Helm*2, Bracers of the Hunter (Secrets of Xen'drik), 2*Pearl of power (level 1), wand of Sniper's Shot, wand of Swift Invisibility, wand of Vinestrike, wand of Gravestrike, wand of Golemstrike, lesser rod of Extend Spell, Handy Haversack, Shapesand, 950 gp of mundane items and cash.
Investing Essentia in Mage's Spectacles or Silvertongue Mask grants +2 to (Spellcraft, UMD, and Decipher Script), and (Bluff, Diplomacy) per point of essentia, to a maximum of +6. This makes his effective score in those stats considerably higher. In the event of expecting many traps, switching Mage's Spectacles and Sighting Gloves for Theft Gloves and Truthseeker's Goggles gives you +2 to +8 to Search, Sense Motive, Gather Information, Sleight of Hand, Disable Device, and Open Lock, and lets you use each as trained. Improvisation gives a luck bonus of up to +4 to 4 skill/ability checks or attack rolls, which should be enough to get most difficult traps and so forth dealt with. Since he doesn't need to wield a weapon, hands are free for relevant wands to be drawn while moving around.
He proceeded to exact revenge for the attack. Flying through walls and back, around the giants' cave, he slaughtered them with ease. Unable to find any trace of the caravan that had been his home for so long (he suspected they had been digested), he left, tired and lonely.
Sweetspot: Level 12. Boosted essentia capacity and Phase cloak, improved masks, along with extra wealth for splitting, massively improve offensive options. AC is poor, however, which won't be addressed for a few levels.
Spoiler
CN Male Azurin Totemist 2/Factotum 1/Incarnate 3/Master of Masks 1/Chameleon 2/Master of Masks 3
Medium Humanoid (Human, Incarnum)
HD 3d8+9d6+48
HP 84
Init +5
Spd 30 ft, Fly 20 ft (Perfect)
AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17
Base Atk +6, Grp +6
Atk 10 attacks +15, (1d6+2, range increment 30 ft, spines)
SA: Spines, Cunning Insight, Detect Law, Persona Masks (Assassin, Gladiator, Archmage, Lord), Sneak Attack 3d6+12
SQ: Meldshaping, Wild Empathy, Essentia Pool 8, Trapfinding, Cunning Knowledge, Totem Chakra Bind(+1 capacity), Chakra Bind(Crown), Aura, Essentia Capacity +1, Incarnum Radiance(Chaos), Bonus Feat, Aptitude Focus 1/day(+2) (Arcane), Mask Specialist
SV Fort +13, Ref +17, Will +13(11 vs fear)
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Trained Skills: Bluff +13 Concentration +10, Diplomacy +14, Disguise +7 (+9 when impersonating another) Heal +5, Hide +24, Knowledge(Arcana) +10, Knowledge(Nature) +5, Knowledge(Religion) +7, Listen +6, Perform(acting) +7, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +16, Spot +18, Survival +7, Autohypnosis +5, Use Magic Device +16(+18 when using scrolls)
Untrained Skills: Appraise +3, Balance +4, Climb +6 (can take 10), Craft(any) +3, Decipher Script +7, Disable Device +5, Escape Artist +4, Forgery +3, Gather Information -1, Handle Animal -1, Intimidate +1, Jump +12, Knowledge(other) +3, Move Silently +10, Open Lock +6, Perform(other) -1, Profession(any) +2, Ride +4, Search +3, Sleight of Hand +6, Swim +0, Tumble +4, Use Rope +4
Feats: Able Learner, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (B), Flyby Attack, Extra Essentia, Craven, Open Lesser Chakra(Shoulders) ???(floating bonus feat)
0) Minor Disguise*2, Caltrops, Sonic Snap
1) Improvisation*2, Haste (trapsmith list), Grease, Wall of Smoke
2) Heroics, Silence, Align Fang, Veil of Shadow
3) Greater Magic Weapon, Glibness?
Possessions: Necklace of Natural Attacks +1 Splitting, Healing Belt, +1 Githcraft Thistledown Mithral Chain Shirt, +1 buckler, Masterwork Thief's Tools, Masterwork Infiltration outfit (Hide/Move Silently), Masterwork Blank Mask (bluff), Gloves of Dexterity +2, Vest of Health +2 and Resistance +2, Essentia Helm*2, Bracers of the Hunter (Secrets of Xen'drik), 2*Pearl of power (level 1), wand of Sniper's Shot, wand of Swift Invisibility, wand of Vinestrike, wand of Gravestrike, wand of Golemstrike, lesser rod of Extend Spell, Handy Haversack, Shapesand, 9950 gp of mundane items, other wands/scrolls, and cash.
Only two things are important. Phase Cloak's Shoulder bind means any movement as a move action goes Ethereal, i.e. through walls, invisible, perfectly silent. Splitting weapon property doubles attacks. Every turn, you turn ethereal as you move (rendering you invisible to ALL forms of detection but true seeing and See invisibility), fire 10 spikes out of that with Flyby attack, which would let you get sneak attack against anything that can't see invisible. If they can, Veil of shadow gives you concealment (albeit it only works against see invisible, NOT true seeing), and your hide score is ABSURD. Bypass most critical immunities via wands. Bypass range limitations with Sniper's Shot wands. DR/metal or - on sneak-attack-immune critters (not including undead, golems, or plants) may give you trouble. Swap to Gladiator mask for +2 to hit and damage, and invest essentia into Sighting Gloves to boost your damage another 4 points per hit, at the cost of a few spikes and accuracy. 8 spikes at +14, dealing 1d6+9, is pretty respectable. Not as good as 10 spikes at +15 vs flatfooted, dealing 4d6+15, though.
Investing Essentia in Mage's Spectacles or Silvertongue Mask grants +2 to (Spellcraft, UMD, and Decipher Script), and (Bluff, Diplomacy) per point of essentia, to a maximum of +8. This makes his effective score in those stats considerably higher. In the event of expecting many traps, switching Mage's Spectacles and Sighting Gloves for Theft Gloves and Truthseeker's Goggles gives you +2 to +10 to Search, Sense Motive, Gather Information, Sleight of Hand, Disable Device, and Open Lock and lets you use each as trained. Respectable, in my opinion. However, it requires prediction, or 8 hours rest.
Improvisation gives a luck bonus of up to +6 to 4 skill/ability checks or attack rolls, which should be enough to get most problems dealt with. Lord mask gives +4 Diplomacy, and +4 gather information, stacking with Silvertongue mask, and lets you cast Eagle's Splendour and Remove Fear once per day. A +4 enhancement bonus to Cha for a few minutes might be enough to talk your way out of a situation.
If rearranging essentia is inconvenient (you're still making attacks), use a Helm of Essentia. 3 charges, each maxes out a soulmeld for 1 round, and you can spend all of them in a round as a swift action if necessary. Whether its boosting UMD for a critical spell, improving your fly speed to 50 for a round, or giving a quick +3 natural armor, Helm of Essentia can seriously help out in a jam.
Since then, Faceless has wandered through the world, assuming personalities as he goes. The roar of the crowd, the confidence of a king, the satisfaction of the perfect kill, all of these are his. Sometimes, he wonders why he does what he does, and where that young boy went. In taking on roles, it may be that he has lost any role of his own.
Probably another sweetspot, really. Two uses of Aptitude focus gives MASSIVE amounts of flexibility, or crazy buffing capabilities. Here, I've opted for the latter.
Spoiler
CN Male Azurin Totemist 2/Factotum 1/Incarnate 3/Master of Masks 1/Chameleon 2/Master of Masks 3/Chameleon 3
Medium Humanoid (Human, Incarnum)
HD 3d8+12d6+60
HP 126
Init +8
Spd 30 ft, Fly 40 ft (Perfect)
AC 34, touch 16, flat-footed 28
Base Atk +8, Grp +8
Atk 10 spines +27, (1d6+13, range increment 30 ft, spines)
SA: Spines, Cunning Insight, Detect Law, Persona Masks (Assassin, Gladiator, Archmage, Lord), Sneak Attack 3d6+15
SQ: Meldshaping, Wild Empathy, Essentia Pool 8, Trapfinding, Cunning Knowledge, Totem Chakra Bind(+1 capacity), Chakra Bind(Crown), Aura, Essentia Capacity +1, Incarnum Radiance(Chaos), Bonus Feat, Aptitude Focus 2/day(+4) (Arcane), Mask Specialist, Mimic Class Feature 1/day, Ability Boon +2 (dex)
SV Fort +16, Ref +21, Will +17(14 vs fear)
Str 10, Dex 22, Con 20, Int 20, Wis 14, Cha 8.
Trained Skills: Bluff +13 Concentration +16, Diplomacy +21, Disguise +9 (+11 when impersonating another) Heal +5, Hide +31, Knowledge(Arcana) +13, Knowledge(Nature) +6, Knowledge(Religion) +8, Listen +6, Perform(acting) +7, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +18, Spot +18, Survival +7, Autohypnosis +5, Use Magic Device +20(+22 when using scrolls)
Untrained Skills: Appraise +5, Balance +6, Climb +6 (can take 10), Craft(any) +3, Decipher Script +9, Disable Device +7, Escape Artist +6, Forgery +5, Gather Information -1, Handle Animal -1, Intimidate +1, Jump +14, Knowledge(other) +5, Move Silently +8, Open Lock +8, Perform(other) -1, Profession(any) +2, Ride +6, Search +5, Sleight of Hand +8, Swim +0, Tumble +6, Use Rope +6
Feats: Able Learner, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (B), Flyby Attack, Extra Essentia, Craven, Open Lesser Chakra(Shoulders), Martial Stance(Assassin's Stance) Shadow Blade(floating bonus feat)
Arcane Spells: 4/6/5/5/3/1, Caster Level 15
0) Minor Disguise*2, Caltrops, Sonic Snap
1) Improvisation, Haste (trapsmith list), Grease, Wall of Smoke, Fog Cloud, Nerveskitter
2) Heroics, Silence, Align Fang, Veil of Shadow, Battle Hymn, Wings of Cover
3) Glibness, Dragonskin, Find the Gap, Greater Dispel Magic(trapsmith), Blacklight
4) Voice of the Dragon, Ray Deflection, Celerity
5) Contingent Energy Resistance
Divine Spells: Prepared by using Aptitude focus at the start of the day, then swapped for Arcane Focus. This gives access to useful long-duration buffs. CL 14 (buffed to 16 using Sonorous hum with wand of Harmonic Chorus, and to 20 for GMF using Ankh of Ascension)
4/5/5/4/2/0
0) No good long term buffs. Irrelevant.
1) Divine Insight, ????
2) [/s]Cloud Wings[/s], [/s]Barkskin[/s],
3) [/s]Greater Magic Fang, Sonorous Hum, Magic Vestments*2[/s]
4) Greater Resistance, [/s]placeholder[/s](sacrificed by Ankh of Ascension)
Barkskin and Dragonskin are both extended, and Dragonskin is cast after Barkskin expires. This gives 16 hours of natural armor, so is included into stat block. Dragonskin also grants resist energy 20 to an element of choice (not sonic). Default, this will be fire. Other options depend on what expected enemies are.
Voice of the Dragon gives +10 ENHANCEMENT to intimidate, diplomacy, bluff. This stacks with insight from Silvertongue mask, and competence from Lord mask.
Find the gap makes your first attack each round a touch attack. We make 1 attack each round, with many attack rolls. The implications are obvious, and brutal. Shouldn't need this except against enemies with CRAZY AC though. The only thing that might be challenging to hit between this and etherealness is a dragon using Scintillating Scales.
Possessions: Necklace of Natural Attacks +1 Aptitude Shadow Hand Splitting (72000), +1 Githcraft Thistledown Mithral Chain Shirt (2700), +1 buckler (1000), Masterwork Thief's Tools, Masterwork Infiltration outfit (Hide/Move Silently), Masterwork Blank Mask (bluff) (250), Gloves of Dexterity +4, Vest of Health +4 (32000), Essentia Helm of Intelligence +4 (19000), Bracers of the Hunter (Secrets of Xen'drik) (8500), 2*Pearl of power (level 1) (2000), wand of Sniper's Shot, wand of Swift Invisibility, wand of Vinestrike, wand of Gravestrike, wand of Golemstrike (3750), Eternal Wand of Harmonic Chorus (4320), lesser rod of Extend Spell*2 (6000), Ankh of Ascension (9000), Handy Haversack (2000), Belt of Battle, Shapesand,
23250 gp left over. Maybe more pearls of power, but also, random mundane items.
The Faceless seeks strong personalities and experiences; activities and people, that are vividly alive, or let him feel so. Over the years, his legend has built up: A masked man (woman?), wandering the world seeking the exotic, taking jobs at his whims, and utterly implacable. In some corners, mothers warn their children to behave, lest they be abducted, and in others, his legend is used as inspiration to performance. Utter inconsistency is his hallmark, and for all we know, he might be... behind you.
Spoiler
CN Male Azurin Totemist 2/Factotum 1/Incarnate 3/Master of Masks 1/Chameleon 2/Master of Masks 3/Chameleon 5/Master of Masks 3
Medium Humanoid (Human, Incarnum)
HD 3d8+17d6+120
HP 208
Init +13
Spd 30 ft, Fly 40 ft (Perfect)
AC 44, touch 24, flat-footed 38
Base Atk +10, Grp +10
Atk 12 spines +32, (1d6+17, range increment 30 ft, spines)
SA: Spines, Cunning Insight, Detect Law, Persona Masks (Assassin, Gladiator, Archmage, Lord), Sneak Attack 3d6+20
SQ: Meldshaping, Wild Empathy, Essentia Pool 8, Trapfinding, Cunning Knowledge, Totem Chakra Bind(+1 capacity), Chakra Bind(Crown), Aura, Essentia Capacity +1, Incarnum Radiance(Chaos), Bonus Feat, Aptitude Focus 2/day(+4) (Arcane), Mask Specialist, Mimic Class Feature 2/day, Ability Boon +4 (dex, int), Double Aptitude
SV Fort +31 Ref +34 Will +34(32 vs fear)
Str 10, Dex 28, Con 22, Int 26, Wis 20, Cha 12.
Trained Skills: Bluff +15 Concentration +29, Diplomacy +32, Disguise +17 (+19 when impersonating another) Heal +5, Hide +34, Knowledge(Arcana) +17, Knowledge(Nature) +10, Knowledge(Religion) +16, Listen +6, Perform(acting) +9, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +23, Spot +23, Survival +10, Autohypnosis +8, Use Magic Device +21(+23 when using scrolls)
Untrained Skills: Appraise +3, Balance +4, Climb +6 (can take 10), Craft(any) +3, Decipher Script +7, Disable Device +7 (effectively trained), Escape Artist +4, Forgery +3, Gather Information -1, Handle Animal -1, Intimidate +1, Jump +14, Knowledge(other) +2, Move Silently +11, Open Lock +9 (effectively trained), Perform(other) -1, Profession(any) +2, Ride +4, Search +3, Sleight of Hand +9 (effectively trained), Swim +2, Tumble +4, Use Rope +4
Feats: Able Learner, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity (B), Flyby Attack, Extra Essentia, Craven, Open Lesser Chakra(Shoulders), Martial Stance(Assassin's Stance), Shadow Blade, ??(floating bonus feat)
All spells CL 20, buffable to Cl 22 or 26 using Harmonic Chorus and/or Ankh of Ascension.
Arcane Spells: 4/6/6/6/6/4/2
0) Minor Disguise*2, Caltrops, prestidigitation
1) Improvisation, Haste (trapsmith list), Grease, Wall of Smoke, Fog Cloud, Nerveskitter
2) Heroics, Wings of Cover, Align Fang, Veil of Shadow, Battle Hymn, Sonorous Hum,
3) Glibness, Find the Gap, Greater Dispel Magic (trapsmith list)*2, Blacklight,
4) Voice of the Dragon, Ray Deflection, Celerity*2, Solid Fog, Modify Memory
5) Contingent Energy Resistance, Teleport, Greater Heroism, Sirine's Grace
6) Superior Resistance/Greater Anticipate Teleport (Each extended, prepared on alternating days), Freezing Fog
4/5/5/5/5/4/1 Divine Spells
0) ??????
1) Divine Favor, Conviction*2(extended each time, 2 castings/day), Towering Oak, Camoflage
2) Cloud Wings, Barkskin*2 (extended each time, 2 castings per day.), Shield of Warding, Divine Insight
3) Greater Magic Fang, Magic Vestments (cast once a day, extended to last 2), Greater Blindsight, Find the Gap, Anyspell
4) Divine Power, Armor of Darkness*2(Each extended, cast twice for all day coverage), Favor of the Martyr, Righteous Aura
5) Divine Agility, Heal, True Seeing
6) Energy Immunity
1/Encounter Iron Heart Surge. Because getting caught by AMF is no fun.
Possessions: +1 Aptitude Shadow Hand Splitting Necklace of Natural Attacks, Wisdom +6, and Health +6, +1 Githcraft Thistledown Soulfire Mithral Chain Shirt, +1 Heavy Fortification buckler, Masterwork Thief's Tools, Masterwork Infiltration outfit (Hide/Move Silently), Masterwork Blank Mask (bluff), Masterwork Disguise kit, Gloves of Dexterity +6, Novice Iron Heart Vest, Essentia Helm of Intelligence +6, Bracers of the Hunter (Secrets of Xen'drik), 12*Pearl of power (level 1), 5*Pearl of Power(Level 2), 2*Pearl of Power(level 3) wand of Sniper's Shot, wand of Swift Invisibility, wand of Vinestrike, wand of Gravestrike, wand of Golemstrike, Eternal Wand of Harmonic Chorus, lesser rod of Extend Spell*2, rod of Extend spell, Ankh of Ascension, Handy Haversack, Belt of Battle, Shapesand*10, Bead of Karma, Portable Hole
Permanent (CL 27) arcane sight, Tongues, See Invisibility, Darkvision, Ring of Freedom of Movement, Mask of Lies, Ring of Spell-battle
252000 gp left over. I have no idea what to spend it on right now. A LOT MORE pearls of power? Inherent stat bonuses? More consumables?
Level rundown
Spoiler
Level 1 is mediocre. You have no real attacks, though your AC is solid. Your best bet is shaping Wormtail belt, pumping your essentia into it, taking a light shield and hide armor, and hitting things with a weapon. Hopefully your 20 AC will be enough to protect you.
28 skill points: 4 concentration, 4 spellcraft, 4 knowledge(arcana), 3 spot, 3 Listen, 4 survival, Knowledge(Nature) 2, Heal 1, Autohypnosis 1, Use Magic Device 1
The build starts being good at level 2. Acquire Manticore Belt. Bind to Totem Chakra. Invest 3 essentia (2 Totemist, 1 Azurin. 1 natural pool, 1 Expanded Soulmeld Capacity, 1 Totem Bind). Begin throwing 3! ranged attacks as a standard action at +3, 1d6+1 damage each. As soon as possible, acquire a Necklace of Natural Attacks(+1).
Level 3: is excellent as well. While the feat is useless at the moment, you get 2 inspiration that you can spend for +3 to damage on your manticore belt, for each hit. This is because Manticore belt functions as a single attack, with multiple attack rolls, like Greater Manyshot. As well, you can get a small boost to your trained skills, and more importantly, you unlock EVERY skill as a class skill, so we can start pumping disguise, bluff, and perform.
9 skill points: 6 bluff, 3 disguise
Level 4: gives a bit more essentia, and MANY more soulmeld options. Especially of note is Incarnate Avatar, which boosts ranged attack rolls, and Sighting Gloves, for more damage. Airstep Sandals will be useful once we can bind them, and/or get more incarnum. +1 dexterity
5 skill points: 1 bluff, 4 disguise
Level 5: hands out the Crown Chakra bind. While there aren't that many great options, Soulspark Helm gives you a bit more power with a familiar with a decent extra attack. Ignoring Charm and Concealment, and dealing Force damage with melee attacks are the other options, each of which has rather focused applications.
5 skill points: 1 bluff, 1 disguise, 3 Perform(acting)
Level 6: AWESOME LEVEL. You get +2 essentia capacity, 1 from level, 1 from Incarnate. This opens up your options offensively (4 spikes from manticore belt? YES PLEASE), and even moreso out of combat. Furthermore, you gain an additional 3 points of essentia (for 9 total), letting you throw around a bit of essentia into utility, like... Airstep sandals. 40 feet fly speed, even if you fall afterwards? Sure! Deflection bonuses to AC? Why not? One of the best early levels.
Oh, and you get a 1/day 1 minute +20 ft increase to land speed. Woohoo. Running away has never been this much fun.
5 skill points: 5 Perform(acting)
Level 7: First level of Master of Masks. Assassin and Gladiator masks are your best bets, since they both offer significant boosts to your spine attacks. Gladiator is probably better to start.
7 skill points: Sense Motive 5 ranks, diplomacy 2 ranks
Level 8: Chameleon entry. Aptitude focus, and second level spells aren't bad at all. You're probably going to be using Arcane Focus a lot, for useful low level spells like Nerveskitter and Invisibility or similar. Improvisation is awesome, if you can snag it.
Hide 3 ranks, diplomacy 1 rank, UMD 2 ranks, Knowledge Religion 1 rank
Level 9: More chameleon. This gives the most abusable feature, the floating Bonus Feat. Awww yeah. Use it to max out your soulmelds, (subject to constitution limit) since after shaping they last forever, to pick up any spells you feel like (improvsation! Trapsmith haste!), to chakra bind your Airstep Sandals with Open Least Chakra (since once bound, they stay bound!) and to pull general shenanigans. You should be using Assassin mask in combat, since adding 1d6+9 damage to each of your spines from sneak attack (Craven awesomeness) is TOO GOOD. You can probably end encounters just by raining 4 2d6+12 spines down, with decent to-hit from Incarnate Avatar and an Inspiration Point. You should also have decent UMD thanks to Mage's spectacles, and this means wands are fairly easy to use. Pick up some Gravestrike, Vinestrike, Sniper's shot, etc. Align Fang will come in handy to bypass some damage reduction, but it's not going to deal with metal types well (e.g. Cold Iron). You can power through these, or get weapon properties to beat DR, such as Transmuting, or Shadow Striking.
Hide 3 ranks, diplomacy 1 rank, UMD 1 rank, Knowledge Religion 2 ranks
Level 10 is another MoM level, progressing Chameleon casting. It also gives another mask. Take Archmage, for the caster level boost. While this won't be useful forever, right now it gives quite a quite nice benefit. You now have an arcane caster level of 8, and third level spells. Use the floating Bonus Feat for Arcane Disciple, and get Greater Magic Fang as an arcane spell, for another +1 to hit and damage. This may be cheesy. Alternatively, hope you have a druid in the party, or lock your bonus feat there until you get Double Aptitude focus. More speed boost from Incarnum Radiance, like you cared.
Hide 3 ranks, diplomacy 1 rank, UMD 2 ranks, Knowledge Religion 1 rank
Level 11 is more MoM, granting a mask (Lord), and Mask Specialist. What's this, Silvertongue mask? You're a mask? So... how does a +12 to Diplomacy sound? Oh, and +10 bluff.
Hide 3 ranks, diplomacy 1 rank, UMD 3 ranks
Level 12 is another GREAT level of MoM, progressing casting (yay!). It also buffs all of your MoM masks, for another 1d6 SA damage. Oh, and +1 essentia capacity. Oh, and you finally have Phase Cloak in Shoulders Chakra. Etherealness on every move, attacking out of it with Flyby attack? Good luck to anything without See Invisibility, cause they're going to be eating sneak attacks all day. Oh, what's that? You can hide from them by going through the floor? And it's impossible to hear you? Even better. And spells give you even more options for hiding, not to mention sneak attacking immune creatures.
Remember that +12 to diplomacy? That's +16 now. Plus synergy. Plus ranks. Plus improvisation, if it comes to that.
Hide 3 ranks, diplomacy 1 rank, UMD 3 ranks
Level 13 is also awesome. You get access to 4'th level spells, with CL 12. Oh, another enhancement bonus to hit and damage from Greater Magic Fang? On a minor note, you also get Mimic Class feature, for a 1/day boost, like Rage, or more Sneak Attack.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 2 ranks, UMD 4 ranks,
Level 14 gives a delicious Ability boon, for more accuracy, or more spells. It also hands out even more spells, so you can buff further.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 1 rank, Concentration 4 ranks, Disguise 1 rank
Level 15 is better though. With Assassin's Stance (qualified for via bonus feat for Martial Study), you now don't have to worry about using Assassin mask for keeping Craven active. It's still probably your best offensive option though. Shennanigans from being able to take 2 aptitude foci/day begin here, so either be flexible, or buff yourself into the stratosphere with divine spells, then swap to arcane. 5'th level spells are nice, but nothing really stands out. A boost to flexibility from more Aptitude focus, and a boost to benefits from it, are tasty additions. Oh, and more Incarnum Radiance speed. I had to say it.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 1 rank, Concentration 4 ranks, Disguise 1 rank
Level 16 gives a nice stat boost, but little more. Mimic Class feature is another little boost, and a few more spells don't hurt.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 2 ranks Concentration 3 ranks, Disguise 1 rank
Level 17 is EXCELLENT. Double Aptitude means you can access delicious Divine spells at the same time, and double up on your (improved) ability boon. 6'th level spells? Check.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 6 ranks
Level 18? Sweet. Natural Essentia capacity keeps giving. Another mask (Jester, perhaps) gives additional flexibility, especially with Many Faces, which makes switching masks easier than ever. Oh, and you get to add your Dexterity modifier to all damage rolls with your spines, assuming you have Aptitude on your Necklace of Natural Attacks.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 2 ranks, Concentration 3 ranks, Disguise 1 rank
Level 19: Mediocre, the first such level in a while. Hidden Mask is cute, but essentially useless. No spellcasting progression, no feat, no masks, no stat boosts. Content yourself with a boost to saves and BAB, and a sprinkling of skill points. About as good as an odd level in fighter.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 2 ranks, Concentration 3 ranks, Disguise 1 rank
Level 20: Excellent. Final spellcasting level gets you another 5'th and 6'th level spell, another mask, CL 20 (+5 Greater Magic fang please), another boost to ALL mask abilities (mmmm. Skill bonuses). You can probably afford some sweet loot. Consider upgrading your Necklace of Natural Attacks, with Collision or Simple, or both. Most importantly of all, you get MORE INCARNUM RADIANCE SPEED. YES.
Hide 1 rank, diplomacy 2 ranks, Concentration 1 rank, Disguise 3 rank
Many think I am a man. Others a woman. I am neither. And both. I am the roll. The lover, the fighter, the mother, the father. I am a blank slate on which emotion, personality, and fate is written, and then erased. I am the mannequin clothed in the needs of the moment.
I was forged for war. Not the war of sword and steel, spell and counter. The war of words, of faith, of existence. I am a diplomat, weaving situations into a silken sack that will one day be pulled over the heads of the gods for their execution. The Priests of Ur designed me. They know the gods are not all knowing, not all powerful. If so, where come the Vestige? Behind the scenes, where the curtain blocks the spotlight of deific vision they scamper. They are hidden, doing unknowable things in unknown places. I am one of those doings.
One high priest of Ur discovered how to crawl behind the curtain. He could not return, except to whisper instructions to the actors on the stage. Then they would whisper back. Knowledge was hoarded behind the backdrops of reality. I read and was taught and trained. Then the puppet was dangled out, with only the thinnest cord attached. I only know this in the vaguest of ways, from piecing bits and pieces together. They stole away the memory of all but my training. What it was for, the purpose, it's hidden away with my heart in that forgotten place.
The Ur when I arrived gave me an outline. Showed me how to plan without plans, to prepare without expectations. Then I killed them. I think they suspected I would, but they never saw it. My hand didn't touch them. They did it to themselves. The knife in my hand was suspicion, and doubt the poison. I planted it in their minds and their souls and they were destroyed. They thought I was as well. Even if they could be brought back for questioning they would think it. The secret was safe. The dagger well planted. I am the Dagger and it will be planted in the vitals of the gods.
Level 5
Spoiler
Factotum 1/Archivist 4
Medium Living Construct Hit Dice: 1d8 + 5d6 (21 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armor Class: 10, Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+2 Attack: Dagger +2 melee (1d4) or Longbow +2 ranged (1d8) Full Attack: Dagger +2 melee (1d4) or Longbow +2 ranged (1d8) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Dark knowledge (puissance, tactics) 4/day, spells Special Qualities: cunning insight, cunning knowledge, inspiration, still mind, trapfinding Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +7 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 16 Skills: Autohypnosis +12, Bluff +19, Disguise +18, Diplomacy +15, Forgery +11, Gather Information +11, Knowledge (Religion) +16, Listen +7, Perform (Act) +16, Sense Motive +11, Spot +7 Skill Tricks: Social Recovery Feats: Obscure Personal Truename, Scribe Scroll(B), Unarmored Body Challenge Rating: 5 Possessions: Bag of Holding, Boots of Elvenkind, Cloak of Elvenkind, Disguise Kit Alignment: True Neutral Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +0
Languages Known
- Common
- Elven
- Orc
- Sylvan
Archivist Spells: Caster level 4th. (Spells per day: (4/5/4); Save DC 13 + spell level): 0 - All cleric 1st - Augery, Bless Water, Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Curse Water, Detect Secret Doors, Hide From Animals, Inflict Light Wounds, Resist Planar Alignment, Silent Image, Summon Monster I 2nd - Consecrate, Cure Moderate Wounds, Desecrate, Divine Insight, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Summon Monster II
I first visited the elven capital. Liger was a scholar. She had memories stretching back a century of her studies and wanderings, a creature with the curiosity of a man with the heart of a wildcat. Her explorations had left her maimed, so she wore a mask and clothed herself fully to hide the horrible maiming. Her beauty was in form and voice and depth of thought and she was loved by the elven people and became one with the tribe after but several decades. She would often disappear, sent on research missions and had learned the languages of a dozen people. Then she brought knowledge, the great war caravans of Gruumsh were massing for battle. Knowing her wild nature would be well received by those brutal people, but tempered by the spirit of Corellon Larethian she went to speak with them and turn them from their war. For a time it seemed they would calm, but then a family of elves were found, brutally massacred by orc waraxes. Lead by Liger, a party was sent to question the orcs, leaving only the diplomat alive to carry back the message. War would come. Atrocities were committed on both sides, and Liger tried her utmost, but there was little each party would consent to. Orc would destroy elf, or elf would destroy orc. That was the way of things, and both races would stop at nothing to eliminate the other. The Dagger had struck, and both gods would be weakened by the slow but inexorable bleeding.
Level 10
Spoiler
Factotum 1/Archivist 4/Master of Masks 2/Spymaster 3
Medium Living Construct Hit Dice: 1d8 + 9d6 (35 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armor Class: 10 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+4 Attack: Dagger +4 melee (1d4) or Longbow +4 ranged (1d8) Full Attack: Dagger +4 melee (1d4) or Longbow +4 ranged (1d8) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Archivist spells, dark knowledge (puissance, tactics) 4/day, persona masks, sneak attack +1d6 Special Qualities: Cover identity, cunning insight, cunning knowledge, inspiration, nystyl's magic aura, quick change, scrying defense, still mind, trapfinding, undetectable alignment Saves: Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +11 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 18, Wis 16, Cha 20 Skills: Autohypnosis +15, Concentration +16, Bluff +25, Disguise +24, Diplomacy +20, Forgery +14, Gather Information +16, Intimidate +7, Knowledge (Religion) +19, Listen +10, Perform (Act) +22, Sense Motive +14, Spot +10 Skill Tricks: Second Impression, Social Recovery Feats: Obscure Personal Truename, Practiced Caster, Scribe Scroll(B), Skill Focus (bluff), Unarmored Body Challenge Rating: 10 Possessions: Boots of Elvenkind, Cloak of Charisma, Disguise Kit, Hat of Disguise, Portable Hole 1700 Alignment: True Neutral Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +0
Languages Known
- Celestial
- Common
- Elven
- Infernal
- Orc
- Sylvan
Archivist Spells: Caster level 9th. (Spells per day: (4/5/4/3); Save DC 14 + spell level): 0 - All cleric 1st - Augery, Bless Water, Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Curse Water, Detect Secret Doors, Disguise Self, Hide From Animals, Inflict Light Wounds, Protection From Evil/Good, Resist Planar Alignment, Silent Image, Summon Monster I, True Strike 2nd - Consecrate, Cure Moderate Wounds, Desecrate, Detect Thoughts, Divine Insight, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Invisibility, Silence, Spider Climb, Summon Monster II, Tree Shape 3rd - Bestow Curse, Celestial Aspect, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Cure Serious Wounds, Inflict Serious Wounds, Know Opponent, Know Vulnerabilities, Obscure Object, Poison, Rage, Speak With Dead, Summon Monster III
Cover Indentity: 1 - Liger the Wild Elf Witch of Corellon Larethian
- Bollit the Howling Hellorc of Gruumsh
Nystyl's Magic Aura (Sp): At will, CL 10th.
Persona Masks (Ex):
- Demon (chaotic evil) Summon monster III
- Faceless (true neutral) (+5 against mind-affecting), non-detection
- High Priest (neutral good) 1/day - bless, cure light wounds, protection from evil
Sneak Attack (Ex): As Rogue +1d6
A lowly acolyte of Heironeous is sent into battle as a priest and healer named Tiberious of a small band that never returned. A year later they find him barely alive in a prison of Hextor. His face has been burned past recognition, an iron mask put over his face while still hot has melded to it horribly so that it cannot be removed. His body hidden, he returns, a hero, never having broken during all his torture. For the next 30 years he rises in rank and marries an orphan he himself found on the streets and took in. Though old enough to be her father she loves him, and they have a child, though the mother dies in childbirth. The child appears bears much resemblance to a known Lord with a pentient for stealing other's wives, but a spell by Tiberious confirms that it is indeed his own. The child grows and becomes a merchant of great wealth and influence, but then his manor is set afire. He is found barely breathing, and taken to the great healer Tiberious. The fire was magic in origin, and Tiberious traces the maker of the horrible elixer that spread the fire to that of a neighboring nation. Knowing well how disfigurement can be, Tiberious fits him with how own mask. Cursing his father for being unable to heal him, his son, Lance, changes his last name and refuses to see his father.
Level 15
Spoiler
Factotum 1/Archivist 5/Master of Masks 4/Spymaster 5
Medium Living Construct Hit Dice: 1d8 + 14d6 (53 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armor Class: 22 (+2 deflection, +9 exalted, +1 natural), touch 21, flat-footed 22 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+7 Attack: Dagger +5 melee (1d4) or Longbow +5 ranged (1d8) Full Attack: Dagger +5 melee (1d4) or Longbow +5 ranged (1d8) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Archivist spells, dark knowledge (puissance, tactics) 4/day, persona masks, sneak attack +1d6 Special Qualities: Cover identity, cunning insight, cunning knowledge, damage reduction 5/evil, dispel scrying, endure elements, freedom of movement, inspiration, nystyl's magic aura, quick change, resistance to acid, cold, electricity, fire and sonic 5, scrying defense, still mind, trapfinding, undetectable alignment Saves: Fort +7, Ref +13, Will +14 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 10, Int 23, Wis 18, Cha 22 Skills: Autohypnosis +15, Concentration +17, Bluff +28, Disguise +27, Diplomacy +23, Forgery +17, Gather Information +17, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (Religion) +22, Listen +10, Perform (Act) +22, Sense Motive +14, Spot +10, Spellcraft +20 Skill Tricks: Second Impression, Social Recovery Feats: Obscure Personal Truename, Practised Caster, Sacred Vow, Scribe Scroll(B), Skill Focus (bluff), Unarmored Body, Vow of Poverty Challenge Rating: 15 Alignment: True Neutral Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +0
Languages Known
- Abyssal
- Celestial
- Common
- Draconic
- Elven
- Goblin
- Infernal
- Orc
- Sylvan
Archivist Spells: Caster level 9th. (Spells per day: (4/6/5/4/3); Save DC 16 + spell level): 0 - All cleric plus Goodberry 1st - Augery, Bless Water, Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Curse Water, Detect Secret Doors, Disguise Self, Hide From Animals, Inflict Light Wounds, Protection From Evil/Good, Resist Planar Alignment, Silent Image, Summon Monster I, True Strike 2nd - Consecrate, Cure Moderate Wounds, Desecrate, Detect Thoughts, Divine Insight, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Invisibility, Silence, Spider Climb, Summon Monster II, Tree Shape 3rd - Bestow Curse, Celestial Aspect, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Cure Serious Wounds, Displacement, Inflict Serious Wounds, Know Opponent, Know Vulnerabilities, Major Image, Obscure Object, Poison, Rage, Speak With Dead, Suggestion, Summon Monster III 4th - Cure Critical Wounds, Dimension Door, Discern Lies, Dominate Person, Enervation, Explosive Runes, Freedom of Movement, Inflict Critical Wounds, Modify Memory, Tongues, Scrying, Summon Monster IV, Tree Stride, Voice of the Dragon, Wrack
Cover Identity:
- Liger the Wild Elf Witch of Corellon Larethian
- Tiberious the Aasimar War Scholar of Heironeous
- Bollit the Howling Hellorc of Gruumsh
Nystyl's Magic Aura (Sp): At will, CL 10th.
Persona Masks (Ex):
- Angel (lawful good)
- Demon (chaotic evil) Summon monster III
- Faceless (true neutral) (+5 against mind-affecting), non-detection
- High Priest (neutral good) 1/day - bless, cure light wounds, protection from evil
Sneak Attack (Ex): As Rogue +1d6
Lance went into parliament, eventually becoming the head adviser of the city. There he delves into the information his father discovered and intercepts documents that have proven the next nation had hoped to burn down all of the city, not just its head of merchants. War is declared. Father then warns son that they have received information in the church that a high priest of Hextor has been found to have advised the burning. Sent to question, Tiberious barely leaves with his life. A holy war has begun. From other churches the followers of Heironeous beg aid. Hextor's forces, seeing a coalition of good has formed, seek their own alliances.
That was the beginning of the great crusade. First I was Liger the Wild Elf, then Bollit the Hellorc, chief of the Orc band by rightful combat. Then I was the father priest of Heironeous, aasimar son of an angelic visitor and a beautiful priestess. My wife had of course lay with that swine Lord at my urging, she would do anything for me. I caused her miscarriage, and when our 'son' gained wealth and influence through my hints and proddings and teachings I set fire to his home and then took his place after his death. I was also the cloaked Kenku war sage, Wex, who found that the church of Heironeous was planning a righteous preemptive attack on their allies.
I was each of them, and all of them, and I felt their fears, their concerns. Then I felt the other. I battled myself, and pointed the finger at my own face in blame. I plunged myself again and again into the heart of the great powers. Maybe someday, in their weakened, lowly states they will even lash out at one another. God against god, power against power. I am that blade that poisoned them against the other, and they will never know. I have no identity to know. Take away a mask and there is but another. Because there is no mask. There is only my face, cold and whetted.
Level 20
Spoiler
Factotum 1/Archivist 5/Master of Masks 7/Spymaster 7
Medium Living Construct Hit Dice: 1d8 + 19d6 (90 hp) Initiative: +0 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armor Class: 25 (+3 deflection, +10 exalted, +2 natural), touch 23, flat-footed 25 Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+19 Attack: Dagger +19 melee (1d4+5) or Longbow +19 ranged (1d8+5) Full Attack: Dagger +19 melee (1d4+5) or Longbow +19 ranged (1d8+5) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Archivist spells, dark knowledge (puissance, tactics) 4/day, persona masks, sneak attack +2d6 Special Qualities: Cover identity, cunning insight, cunning knowledge, damage reduction 10/evil, deep cover, dispel scrying, endure elements, freedom of movement, hidden mask, inspiration, nystyl's magic aura, quick change, regeneration, resistance to acid, cold, electricity, fire and sonic 15, scrying defense, still mind, trapfinding, undetectable alignment Saves: Fort +12, Ref +16, Will +19 Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 26, Wis 20, Cha 24 Skills: Autohypnosis +20, Concentration +29, Bluff +31, Disguise +30, Diplomacy +28, Forgery +22, Gather Information +20, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (Religion) +29, Listen +13, Perform (Act) +27, Sense Motive +19, Spot +13, Spellcraft +23 Skill Tricks: Second Impression, Social Recovery Feats: Holy Radiance (ExB), Intuitive Attack (ExB), Nimbus of Light (ExB), Obscure Personal Truename, Personal Truename Backlash, Practised Caster, Sacred Vow, Scribe Scroll(B), Skill Focus (bluff), Touch of Golden Ice (ExB), Unarmored Body, Vow of Poverty Challenge Rating: 20 Alignment: True Neutral Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +0
Languages Known
- Abyssal
- Celestial
- Common
- Draconic
- Dwarven
- Elven
- Goblin
- Infernal
- Orc
- Sylvan
- Undercommon
Archivist Spells: Caster level 12th. (Spells per day: (4/7/5/5/4); Save DC 18 + spell level): 0 - All cleric plus Goodberry 1st - Augery, Bless Water, Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Curse Water, Detect Secret Doors, Disguise Self, Hide From Animals, Inflict Light Wounds, Protection From Evil/Good, Resist Planar Alignment, Silent Image, Summon Monster I, True Strike 2nd - Consecrate, Cure Moderate Wounds, Desecrate, Detect Thoughts, Divine Insight, Inflict Moderate Wounds, Invisibility, Silence, Spider Climb, Summon Monster II, Tree Shape 3rd - Bestow Curse, Celestial Aspect, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Cure Serious Wounds, Displacement, Firewings, Inflict Serious Wounds, Know Opponent, Know Vulnerabilities, Major Image, Obscure Object, Poison, Rage, Rigor Mortis, Speak With Dead, Suggestion, Summon Monster III, Vigor 4th - Cure Critical Wounds, Dimension Door, Discern Lies, Dominate Person, Enervation, Explosive Runes, Freedom of Movement, Inflict Critical Wounds, Modify Memory, Morality Undone, Pronouncement of Fate, Tongues, Scrying, Song of Discord, Summon Monster IV, Tree Stride, Voice of the Dragon, Wrack
Cover Indentity:
- Liger the Wild Elf Witch of Corellon Larethian
- Tiberious the Aasimar War Scholar of Heironeous
- Wex the Kenku Death Sage of Hextor
Mind Shielding (Ex): Immunity to Detect Thoughts, Discern Lies and any alignment detection.
Nystyl's Magic Aura (Sp): At will, CL 10th.
Persona Masks (Ex):
- Angel (lawful good) At will - Feather Fall; 3/day - Fly (5 rounds per)
- Assassin (lawful evil) 3d6 additional sneak attack
- Demon (chaotic evil) 1/day - Summon Monster V
- Faceless (true neutral) (+5 against mind-affecting), non-detection
- High Priest (neutral good) 1/day - bless, cure light wounds, protection from evil
- Lord (lawful neutral) 1/day - Eagle's Splendor, Heroism, Remove Fear
Sneak Attack (Ex): As Rogue +1d6
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Overview
Spoiler
Master of Masks and Spymaster of course works very well together, each mask enhancing an equivalent Cover Identity. As Master of Masks is very spell-progression poor, Archivist works best, making up for a lack of higher levels with a broad range of lesser spells. All three of these classes work around Intelligence and Charisma so it meshes well without having to focus on physical feats. Factotum is the perfect 1st level class for one wanting to dabble in various personae and being able to play them out due to its allowance of all skills.
In addition, if you are playing a spy/assassin type both classes work well. Master of Masks provides Nondetection and hefty bonus against mind affects with its Faceless mask, and Spymaster gives you nystyl's magic aura, undetectable alignment and scrying defense. Add to that Deep Cover with the Truename obscuring feats and Magic Circle Against Evil and you are utterly unknowable, untraceable and undominatable. Throw in Invisiblity and Silence and you no longer exist.
I took some borderline allowances, but by the theme of the build and the wording of the masks, Vow of Poverty is possible with this build. When wearing a good-aligned mask Dagger radiates a good aura. That's all that's required to take the feat, and nothing says when he removes the mask that he loses said feats. He also becomes his roll for all intended purposes. He has no actual identity. He is a sentient automaton who plays a role and there is nothing else when he's not that role. That's how he was created.
Sources
Spoiler
Book of Exalted Deeds
Complete Adventurer
Complete Scoundrel
Dungeonscape
Heroes of Horror
Lords of Madness
Player's Handbook
Spell Compendium
She has no face, but she's more than happy to put one on for you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tanitha
Tanitha No-Face
1st-5th:
From the Top
Spoiler
Tanitha Weaver is a young woman from the city streets. She is very headstrong, with high ideals and big dreams. However, she is timid and insecure about her abilities, and possesses a horrible temper. As she grew up, she discovered that her desires and ideals could grant her divine powers, like a priest of a god, but without being forced to devote herself to that specific deity. She liked this idea, and became a cleric. She walks a thin line between neutrality and straight-up evil, and is highly aware of this.
---
I’ll be blunt. Right now, she’s not great. In fact, her multiclassing has cut her power in half. Her versatility is limited, and she has nothing really good, except maybe evasion. Right now, this actually fits her, story-wise. A character with weak powers, high ideals, and the horrid feeling that she’s not going to ever live up to them.
Spoiler
At 5th level:
Tanitha Skinner
TN Human Cleric 3 (Domains: Trickery and Magic)/Rogue 2
Hit Dice: 3d8+2d6+5 (29 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 feet
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+3
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Sneak Attack+1d6, Rebuke Undead 6/day
Special Qualities: Evasion, Trapfinding
Saves: Fort+4, Ref+4, Will+6
Ability Scores: Strength 10, Dexterity 14, Constitution 12, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 8
Skills: Bluff +7, Concentration +9, Disguise +7, Hide +10, Move Silently +10, Spellcraft +10, Tumble +4.
Languages: Common, Elven, Celestial
Feats: Improved Initiative, Spell Penetration, Extra Turning
6th-10th:
A Knife in the Darkness
Spoiler
Tanitha walked a dark path, and in the end, it caught up with her. She got in a fight with a friend, and slew him in anger. From this murder, her alignment fell to evil, something quickly verified with a single orison. An assassin noticed this, and offered her a place among their ranks. To qualify, she only had to kill again. She accepted, summoning a monster to slay the assassin. She walks in the shadows now, letting them hide her. And then she can forget what she has become.
---
Ok. She’s an assassin now. Death attack is useful, and it all fits with the direction I want to take her, using the masks to complement this profession. The assassin’s sneak attack augments her existing rogue sneak attack, and uncanny dodge, improved or otherwise, is a very nice class feature. But that’s really all I need from it. It comes at a very nice level, so when she is level 20, she will have just taken her 10th level of Master of Masks.
Spoiler
At 10th:
Tanitha Skinner
NE Human Cleric 3/Rogue 2/Assassin 5
Hit Dice: 3d8+7d6+10 (44 hp)
Initiative: +6
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+6
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Sneak Attack+3d6, Rebuke Undead 6/day
Special Qualities: Evasion, Hidden Mask, Many Faces (2, move), Mask Specialist, Trapfinding
Saves: Fort+4, Ref+9, Will+12
Ability Scores: Strength 10, Dexterity 14, Constitution 12, Int 14, Wis 19, Cha 8
Skills: Bluff +12, Concentration +9, Disable Device +5, Disguise +7, Hide +15, Move Silently +15, Perform (act) +7, Search+5, Spellcraft +8, Tumble +7
Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Celestial
Feats: Improved Initiative, Spell Penetration, Extra Turning, Practiced Spellcaster, Great Fortitude
11th-15th
And in her time plays many parts
Spoiler
Tanitha enjoyed the new abilities gained from her first mask, a pale porcelain oval, with no features beyond two eyeholes and a few small holes at her nose and mouth. Behind that mask, she was a mystery. She was able to carry out many of her assassinations without ever being discovered. The second mask she made was made from delicate rose quartz, shaped to fit her face like a second skin.
She crafted more masks, one of worn hide and metal chains, one of blackened leather and small studs, and one of hammered bronze and copper. Each gave her power. Each mask was a new identity. Her own self faded permanently. She does not live in shadows anymore, but she is still hiding from herself, and knows it.
---
The versatility of Master of Masks is a decent boost. Faceless, which is the typical mask she would wear outside of combat, makes her near-immune to divination spells. Trying to find her is going to be a pain. The assassin’s mask raises her sneak attack to that of an 11th level rogue at 15th level, keeping her fairly competitive with other assassins, at least when you factor spells in. She can cast as a cleric of 14th level with the high priest mask, or 12th without it. As a character, she is still largely an assassin, using the faceless mask when making her plans, and the assassin’s mask when carrying them out.
16th-20th
Who I Am
Spoiler
The ability to turn her masks invisible was a strange one for Tanitha. She could wear her own face and keep her powers for the first time since she donned her first mask. At first uncomfortable with having her face visible to the world, she began to accept it. She still is nothing but a player in a role. But she no longer has to hide who she is, and what she has become.
---
It’s always interesting at high levels. She can stab and sneak as well as any 15th level rogue with the assassin’s mask. The gladiator’s mask let her take the role of a front-line warrior, to a certain extent. The high priest mask grants her access to 7th level cleric spells. She still has that non-detection effect from her faceless mask, though admittedly it is less effective against the enemies she would face at this point, so late in her adventuring career. All the same, she casts at a decent enough level, and is far stealthier than most clerics out there. And no one expects the cleric who just cast blasphemy to sneak attack you next round.
No one knows she is a master of masks. And that’s just the way she likes it.
Spoiler
At 20th (the sweet spot):
Tanitha No-Face (No Mask)
NE Human Cleric 3/Rogue 2/Assassin 5/Master of Masks 10
Hit Dice: 3d8+17d6+20(96 hp)
Initiative: +6
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+11
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5ft
Special Attacks: Sneak Attack+4d6, Rebuke Undead 6/day
Special Qualities: Evasion, Improved Uncanny Dodge, Hidden Mask, Many Faces (4, immediate), Mask Specialist, Poison Use, Trapfinding, Uncanny Dodge
Saves: Fort+10 (+12 against poison), Ref+17, Will+16
Ability Scores: Strength 10, Dexterity 14, Constitution 12, Int 14, Wis 21, Cha 8
Skills: Bluff +22, Concentration +9, Disable Device +10, Disguise +12, Hide +25, Move Silently +25, Perform (act) +7, Search +15, Spellcraft +8, Tumble +15
Feats: Scribe Scroll, Spell Penetration, Practiced Spellcaster (2), Improved Initiative, Telling Blow, Great Fortitude, Extend Spell
Masks Worn: Assassin, High Priest, Gladiator, Faceless
Depending on mask, make the following changes (abilities gained override what they overlap with).
When wearing the assassin’s mask: Sneak Attack +8d6, Hide/Move Silently +33
When wearing the faceless mask: Non-detection as a permanent effect, DC to overcome it is 25, +5 competence bonus on saves against mind-affecting spells and abilities.
When wearing the high priest mask: CL 16, spell-like abilities 1/day: bless, cure light wounds, protection from evil, sanctuary, aid, lesser restoration, cure serious wounds, remove curse, death ward, neutralize poison. Caster level 10.
When wearing the gladiator mask: Proficient with all martial and exotic weapons, +4 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.
Wow, 8 entries! That's terrific! I'll start judging them tomorrow, though with so many entries (and some of them taking up 2 whole posts!), it will take me a while to judge them all.
Well well, unique stuff. What I was expecting, it is.
Gimme a few days to grind through everything, and I'll post. I start class tomorrow, so this wasn't the best timing ever, but I'll hammer it out, no worries.
I think it's because almost no one wanted levels in bard because that's the classic Master of Masks entry, and for Master of Masks, we need Perform, which frankly, very few classes have. Rogue, monk, bard, and factotum. I'm fairly sure that's it. Unless your character has Able Learner.
Able learner does nothing about max ranks though, which means you'd have to wait till level 13. Which is far too late. So you need a dip in a perform-granting class. Bard is suboptimal, because you murder your spellcasting and music progression. Rogue isn't bad. Factotum is probably best, though.
Work on my homebrew system, CRE8, is still marching slowly onwards. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel -- an Alpha release -- in the distance now. Read my Design Goals here.
Probably the lost points will be in Elegance. Maybe in Use of Secret Ingredient due to the fact that by RAW, Shen can't qualify for Master of Masks at all.
The build I was trying to make work before giving up involved the Jester from Dragon Compendium. As for the weird race I was talking about? Ragamoffyn, or maybe a Captured One. I thought it would be great fluff to have someone be a master of masks not through choice, but because an animated mask had attached itself to his face and wouldn't let go.
__________________
Quotebox
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by shadow_archmagi
You know, I think gods are the exception to the rule that "I built you a shrine" is creepy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hotel_papa
I maintain that until I see a movie trailer where Patrick Stewart introduces himself as Mordenkainen, there never was and never will be a D&D movie.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dixieboy
I am unable to respond due to the awesomness of seducing a god, sorry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kalirren
The only person in the past two pages who has known what (s)he has been talking about is Heliomance.
The build I was trying to make work before giving up involved the Jester from Dragon Compendium. As for the weird race I was talking about? Ragamoffyn, or maybe a Captured One. I thought it would be great fluff to have someone be a master of masks not through choice, but because an animated mask had attached itself to his face and wouldn't let go.
Captured One Jester would have been amazing from a flavor perspective.
EDIT: I don't think anyone used it, but Apprentice: Entertainer gives Perform as a Class Skill, and Apprentice: Criminal gives Bluff.
__________________
Star Metallurgist of the Roy Fanclub
Who made my awesome Dwarf Hexblade avatar, you ask? BRC did!
Oh, totally awesome builds. In my opinion, there are three builds almost equally going for the final win.
Even if noone "killed" the competition like a couple of our judges usually does, I guess we won't miss them too much.
@Heliomance: what gone wrong? Maybe in terms of power it would be' suboptimal (like most of, if not all, the present entries) but it would have a 6 out of 5 in originality and thus aspiring to' the win anyways.
I think judges would need some time. So... why don't develop Helio's idea all together? Do you mind, Helio?
Feel free to try and develop it. The reason I gave up is that despite the fact that Ragamoffyn, Jester and Master of Masks work fantastically together fluffwise, I could not find any mechanical synergy between them at all.
__________________
Quotebox
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by shadow_archmagi
You know, I think gods are the exception to the rule that "I built you a shrine" is creepy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hotel_papa
I maintain that until I see a movie trailer where Patrick Stewart introduces himself as Mordenkainen, there never was and never will be a D&D movie.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dixieboy
I am unable to respond due to the awesomness of seducing a god, sorry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kalirren
The only person in the past two pages who has known what (s)he has been talking about is Heliomance.
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