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Basically, a challenge to create an optimised, flavourful character, using a "special ingredient" of a particular PrC, different for each contest. You will need to present your build at at least one of the following points: 5th level, 10th level, 15th, 20th, and a "sweet spot" that you feel is the high point of the build. Feel free to present as many of these as you like, and please give a rundown of the build's abilities and playability at all of the levels you didn't show. The rules are as follows:
1. Menu: For most challenges, the "special ingredient" will be drawn from Core plus Completes. There will, from time to time, be special challenges that showcase secret ingredients from other books--for example, the XPH.
2. Kitchen: Competitors will be free to use any official 3.5 rulebook in constructing their builds. Dragon magazine is disallowed, and Unearthed Arcana is allowed; but see Elegance below. Alternate rule systems from UA such as gestalt are not allowed, as they create a different playing field. Also, item familiars are forbidden because I hate 'em.
3. Cooking Time: Further to discussions in the previous thread, the secret ingredient will be announced from the get-go. Contestants will have until Thursday 27th May to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, Heliomance. Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying.
4. Judging will be based on the following criteria, with each build rated from 1 (very poor) to 5 (exemplary) in each area: Originality, Power, Elegance, Use of Secret Ingredient.
Power level is up to you. Cheese is acceptable, but should be kept to a sane level unless you're showcasing a new TO build you've discovered. In the words of one of my predecessors, a little cheddar can be nice, but avoid the mature Gruyere unless you're making a cheese fondue.
Elegance could bear a little elaboration. It basically measures how skillfully you put your build together, and whether you sacrificed flavour for power. We're cooking here - if your dish doesn't taste good, it doesn't matter how well-presented it is. Use of flaws is an automatic point lost in this category. Other things that will cause lost points here are excessive multiclassing, and classes that don't fit the concept - using Cloistered Cleric in a front-line melee fighter, for example, will lose you points.
5. Builds will be posted anonymously, in order to avoid the potential of bias towards a particular competitor. For this reason, please don't put your name in the build, as I'm likely to miss it when anonymising the entries!
6. Please don't post or speculate on possible builds until the "reveal," in order to avoid spoiling the surprise if a particular competitor is producing a build along those lines.
7. Leadership is banned; we're producing a meal, not a seven-course banquet for a hundred diners.
So! Who wants to sign up as a contestant, and who wants to sign up as a judge? Looking for about 5 judges and as many contestants as feel like playing!
This contest will go on a little longer than usual, as I have three exams in a row when I would normally close it. Use your extra three days well!
Well for this one, I know I can get a hold of the book even if my copy disappears (unlike when I misplaced by BOVD for the Cancer Mage one) so I'd like to give this one a shot.
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Minister of Fire and Destruction of the nameless cleric of Loki fanclub.
No, none of us were altering the unimutable laws of physics. That would be wrong.
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A beholder’s favorite foods include small live mammals, exotic mushrooms and other fungi, gnomes, beef, pork, colorful leafy vegetables, leaves, flower petals, insects, and birds.
I am IN as a contestant on this one. Just... OMGWTFBBQ YES!
EDIT: Well, that puts a damper on things... War Chanter doesn't stack with Bard levels for purposes of Bardic Music, such as Inspire Courage, just for uses per day. This... reduces the effectiveness of my original idea... but I've got another sneaky trick up my sleeve...
Awesome lineup here, can't wait to see the dishes.
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Originally Posted by Claudius Maximus
Also fixed the money issue by sacrificing a goat.
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Originally Posted by subject42
This board needs a "you're technically right but I still want to crawl into the fetal position and cry" emoticon.
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Originally Posted by Yukitsu
I define [optimization] as "the process by which one attains a build meeting all mechanical and characterization goals set out by the creator prior to its creation."
Put myself down as a contestant, but not sure if I will actually submit anything. Next few days I'll be recovering from a weekend LARP, and creativity is completely drained.
Hopefully shall regain some and figure out something to build, 'cause not seeing anything here to get funky with.
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Still here, just a little busy to social post
You know what the chain of command is? It's the chain I go get and beat you with 'til you understand who's in ruttin' command here. ~ Jayne Cobb
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Avatars by: drKarling, The_Chilli_God and The_Chilli_God
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The very existence of flamethrowers proves that some time, somewhere, someone said to themselves, "You know, I want to set those people over there on fire, but I'm just not close enough to get the job done."
I'm really torn hear. On one hand I already have a flavorful warchanter build done in my head, on the other I've been wanting to try my hand at judging to introduce some different veiwpoints to the process.
I'm in for the penny, and also possibly the pound.
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78% of DM's started their first campaign in a tavern. [...]Where did you start yours?
A street riot in a major city that was getting violent.
I'm really torn hear. On one hand I already have a flavorful warchanter build done in my head, on the other I've been wanting to try my hand at judging to introduce some different veiwpoints to the process.
I'd say go for the build. Having a flavorful idea is half the contest in my mind - it would be a shame to be inspired and not use that idea.
Not generally big on bards. We'll see whether anything strikes my fancy here. The first interesting thought doesn't seem to work quite so well.
Hmmm...
I think I've found a way to salvage it. This ought to prove interesting.
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Originally Posted by The Giant
Fantasy literature is ONLY worthwhile for what it can tell us about the real world; everything else is petty escapism.
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Originally Posted by The Giant
No author should have to take the time to say, "This little girl ISN'T evil, folks!" in order for the reader to understand that. It should be assumed that no first graders are irredeemably Evil unless the text tells you they are.
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Iron Chef Optimisation Challenge V
No, none of us were altering the unimutable laws of physics. That would be wrong.
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