Iron Chef Optimization Challenge in the Playground XXI

true_shinken · 05-12-2011, 11:50 AM

Welcome, contestants, judges, and guests to Iron Chef XXI. Here in Optimization Colosseum, contestants will endeavor to create an optimized and flavorful character using a specified D&D3.5 prestige class as a "Secret Ingredient".

Contestants: 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:

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.

32 point-buy is the presumed creation method, but we have generally allowed other levels of point-buy.
If you do use a different point-buy, please make your case for its necessity in your entry. Keep in mind that for using exceptionally large or small point-buys may warrant deductions in elegance and/or power.

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.

Cooking Time: Contestants will have until 11:59pm CUT on Thursday, May 26th 2011 to create their builds and PM them to the Chairman, true_shinken. Builds will then be posted simultaneously, to avoid copying.

Judging: 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 flavor 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 loss of one point per flaw 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.

I am going to have to ask the contestants to PM me about any disagreement with the judges. Under no circumstances is a contestant to defend themselves inside the thread, since it breaks anonymity.

Presentation: 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 reviewing the entries!

Due to concerns about standardizing entry format, I'd like everyone to try to use the following table for their entry.

Spoiler

NAME OF ENTRY

Level	Class	Base Attack<br>Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Skills	Feats	Class Features
1st	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
2nd	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
3rd	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
4th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
5th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
6th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
7th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
8th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
9th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
10th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
11th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
12th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
13th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
14th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
15th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
16th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
17th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
18th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
19th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities
20th	New Class Level	+x	+x	+x	+x	Skills	New Feats	New Class Abilities

Code

Spoiler

For entries with spellcasting, use the following table for Spells per day and Spells Known. (Spells Known only if necessary, i.e. Sorcerer or Bard, but not Wizard or Warmage)

Spoiler

For other systems (Psionics, ToB, Incarnum, etc.) keep track of PP/maneuvers/essentia separately, preferably in a nice neat list.

Speculation: 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.

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 week's special ingredient is:
Sword & Fist's Ghostwalker!
We will have trophies for 1st through 3rd places, as well as a special trophy for honorable mention. The honorable mention prize is given to the most daring or unexpected build. Judges, contestants and guests alike are invited to vote for honorable mention via PM.

Allez optimiser!

Judges
Kuulvheysoon
kestrel404
gbprime

Contestants
z3ro
Amphetryon
yugi24862
ILM
Thurbane
Amechra
SartheKobold
OMGPonies

The Builds

Past Competitions

Iron Chef I: Entropomancer
Iron Chef II: Psibond Agent
Iron Chef III: Cancer Mage
Iron Chef IV: Stonelord
Iron Chef V: War Chanter
Iron Chef VI: Master of Masks
Iron Chef VII: Green Star Adept
Iron Chef VIII: Pyrokineticist
Iron Chef IX: Animal Lord
Iron Chef X: Mythic Exemplar
Iron Chef XI: Blade Bravo
Iron Chef XII: War Mind
Iron Chef XIII: Vigilante
Iron Chef XIV: Seeker of the Song
Iron Chef XV: Drunken Master
Iron Chef XVI: Assassin
Iron Chef XVII: Ardent Dilettante
Iron Chef XVIII: Unseelie Dark Hunter
Iron Chef XIX: Dread Pirate
Iron Chef XX: Incandescent Champion

OMG PONIES · 05-12-2011, 12:30 PM

Wow. I think this source may be a bit too obscure for most possible competitors, myself included. I'll need to see if I can get my hands on a copy.

EDIT: Okay, not obscure, but still 3.0. And the book has been ordered.

yugi24862 · 05-12-2011, 12:34 PM

Yea, this looks a bit obscure. From what I can find its a interesting class, but going to try and get a copy of Sword&Fist.

true_shinken · 05-12-2011, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OMG PONIES

Wow. I think this source may be a bit too obscure for most possible competitors, myself included. I'll need to see if I can get my hands on a copy.

EDIT: Okay, not obscure, but still 3.0. And the book has been ordered.

Hm, maybe I went a bit overboard on this one. I thought most people would still have the book from their 3.0 days (it's the case with most of my friends), specially because they were cheaper.

If it does turn out to be too obscure, I might roll this as a side contest and choose another secret ingredient. It's just that this class is a perfect Secret Ingredient.

gbprime · 05-12-2011, 01:45 PM

I not only have a copy, but I've actually USED this before. (well, for a friend... but the campaign went to 18th level, so it got quite the field test!)

Z3ro · 05-12-2011, 02:03 PM

I may compete in this one, have to get home and actually look at the class. Otherwise I'll judge if needed.

Amphetryon · 05-12-2011, 02:07 PM

I've got a copy; I'll compete.

yugi24862 · 05-12-2011, 02:08 PM

I'm competing aswell. Now how to build something which does'nt abuse intimidate?

KoboldCleric · 05-12-2011, 02:11 PM

I love sword & fist. Great choice. I'm hoping to see Lasher one day to be honest, but I think I may enter this ... thanks for hosting!

ShneekeyTheLost · 05-12-2011, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoboldCleric

I love sword & fist. Great choice. I'm hoping to see Lasher one day to be honest, but I think I may enter this ... thanks for hosting!

Lasher is easy. You can be anything from Indiana Jones to Whiplash (with Pyrokeneticist).

I'll have to see if I can dig out my old 3.0 sourcebooks...

Zaq · 05-12-2011, 03:38 PM

Huh. I can honestly say I didn't see that coming.

I do have a copy of S&F somewhere. When I get home, I'll take a look at it. No comment yet on whether I'll be entering, judging, or watching.

ILM · 05-12-2011, 03:57 PM

Ooooh... Gotta try this one.

Fearan · 05-12-2011, 04:01 PM

Errr...what? Weeell, will I have a hit to elegance for using 3,5 material?

Z3ro · 05-12-2011, 04:30 PM

Alright, this looks like it could be cool. Count me in as a contestant.

true_shinken · 05-12-2011, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fearan

Errr...what? Weeell, will I have a hit to elegance for using 3,5 material?

Of course not. The contest is 3.5, after all.

A reminder - 3.0 meterial is officially legal in 3.5.
I would add a link to Wizards' official statement, but I'm lazy

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoboldCleric

I love sword & fist. Great choice. I'm hoping to see Lasher one day to be honest, but I think I may enter this ... thanks for hosting!

I'm not saying it won't happen under my watch... but don't hold your breath for that one.

Kuulvheysoon · 05-12-2011, 05:37 PM

Goddammit. Here's one that I really want to do, and I'm leaving tomorrow for a 2 week vacation with NO internet/book access.

Oh well. Count me in for some judging.

Zaq · 05-12-2011, 07:08 PM

Wow. Now that is a gorram bizarre PrC. 3.0 had some weird crap in it, huh? (Not that 3.5 is any better, of course, but hey.)

Still, (Ex) access to the Ethereal and the Plane of Shadow? Very weird indeed.

I have a hunch that I know something that's going to knock some folks down in Originality this time. Not sayin' what, though.

I do have a (terrible, terrible) idea for a build that works strictly on thematics and not at all on mechanics, but I'll just let it germinate in my head and see if anything comes of it. Highly unlikely, since I do need to put at least something mechanical in there, but . . . weird.

I do love how the entry requirements basically say "no Incarnates!"

Still no promises about judging/entering/watching.

ShneekeyTheLost · 05-12-2011, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zaq

I do love how the entry requirements basically say "no Incarnates!"

Still no promises about judging/entering/watching.

You do realize that this predates Incarnates by a few years, right?

Thurbane · 05-12-2011, 07:22 PM

Interesting - I have the book, ~~but I'll have a think about whether I have time to compete or not~~...

Couple of questions about the class: the Painful Reckoning, Resolute Aura, Anonymity, Feign Death, Superior Iron Will, Etherealness and Shadow Walk abilities don't have Ex, Sp or Su tags.

Is there any errata? If not, I'd suggest as follows:

Painful Reckoning (Ex) [As Berserker Strength ACF]
~~Resolute Aura (Su) [As Aura of Despair]~~
Anonymity (Su) [?]
~~Feign Death (Ex) [As per the very similar ACF of the same name in Exemplars of Evil]~~
Superior Iron Will (Ex) [As per the Still Mind class feature]
Etherealness (Sp)
Shadow Walk (Sp)

[edit] Just checked the official 3.5 errata for S&F:
Resolute Aura (Ex)
Feign Death (Sp)
Etherealness (Sp)
Shadow Walk (Sp) [/edit]

P.S. I'm in as a competitor.

Zaq · 05-12-2011, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShneekeyTheLost

You do realize that this predates Incarnates by a few years, right?

You wound me, sir.

true_shinken · 05-12-2011, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thurbane

[edit] Just checked the official 3.5 errata for S&F:
Resolute Aura (Ex)
Feign Death (Sp)
Etherealness (Sp)
Shadow Walk (Sp) [/edit]

I'll get that in the OP. Thanks, dude.

Zaq · 05-12-2011, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thurbane

[edit] Just checked the official 3.5 errata for S&F:
Resolute Aura (Ex)
Feign Death (Sp)
Etherealness (Sp)
Shadow Walk (Sp) [/edit]

Well, that makes this whole thing substantially less interesting. (Ex) planar travel was one of the most interesting things this class got. Shame, really.

Amechra · 05-12-2011, 09:44 PM

I will participate this time around...

Luck, everyone!

ILM · 05-13-2011, 03:47 AM

So um, what's the "Intuit Direction" skill in 3.5?

God, didn't know they actually made a PrC with the 3 worst feats in Core as prerequisites...

OMG PONIES · 05-13-2011, 06:03 AM

But what to do when the errata contradicts the errata? From later on in the same errata:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sword & Fist Errata, page 4

p. 21, Ghostwalker: Change etherealness and shadow walk to supernatural abilities (Su) (from extraordinary).

Also, another point of errata worth noting:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sword & Fist Errata, page 4

p. 21, Ghostwalker Insert per hour after the shadow walk “heals at the rate of 3 hit points per ghostwalker level per hour.”

EDIT: What is the Iron Chef ruling on FAQ considerations? I know that the Simple RAW thread doesn't take them into consideration, but what about us? The reason I ask:

Quote:

Originally Posted by FAQ, page 2

How is the ghostwalker’s painful reckoning power supposed to work? Sword and Fist says that you get this bonus after you lose 50% or more of your hit points in an initial encounter. Does this mean that if my character is at 50% or less hit points in the middle of a fight, I get this bonus for the remainder of the fight? Would I also get the bonus if one or the other party flees and the fight happens with the same foe again at a later date? If so, do I have to wait until I drop to 50% of my hit points or less before I get the bonus? How many “initial encounters” can be stacked up? I can count numerous times that one party fled a battle only to have it happen at a later time in the campaign, and these were fairly numerous. I could see this rule getting abused if used in this fashion. What kinds of things is the bonus effective against? What other bonuses does the painful reckoning bonus stack with?

If the ghostwalker finishes an encounter and has lost 50% or more his hit points during that encounter, he forever after gets his painful reckoning bonus against the foe or foes he faced in that encounter, provided the ghostwalker is alive when the encounter finishes. The DM has to decide when the encounter is “finished,” but if one side or the other flees, that’s pretty much the end of the encounter. The bonus does not automatically apply whenever the ghostwalker’s hit points fall below 50%.
Once a ghostwalker gains a painful reckoning bonus against a particular foe, he can’t gain it again against the same opponent. (Though if the ghostwalker goes up a level, his painful reckoning bonus goes up against all foes.) He does not, however, have to wait until his hit points fall below 50%; he gets the bonus whenever he faces the foe again.
A painful reckoning bonus applies to Armor Class, attack, and damage rolls, as noted in the class description. It stacks with all other bonuses except itself. Note that the Armor Class bonus applies against touch attacks and when the ghostwalker is caught flat-footed or otherwise denied his Dexterity bonus.

Forged Fury · 05-13-2011, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILM

So um, what's the "Intuit Direction" skill in 3.5?

I think Survival.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILM

God, didn't know they actually made a PrC with the 3 worst feats in Core as prerequisites...

Somewhere, a lonely Dwarven Defender cries in his tankard as he prepares for his shift defending a 5' passage.

Amphetryon · 05-13-2011, 06:32 AM

Clarification of Painful Reckoning, please. Are you a) required to lose 50% of your HP in the course of the battle or b) required to have your HP total fall below 50% of its normal maximum?

ILM · 05-13-2011, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amphetryon

Clarification of Painful Reckoning, please. Are you a) required to lose 50% of your HP in the course of the battle or b) required to have your HP total fall below 50% of its normal maximum?

Sounds like you must lose more than half your maximum HP. So if you have 100 max hp, you must lose 50 regardless of where you actually start the encounter. The way I read it, it also means that if you lose 50 hp overall but actually heal, say, for 30 hp during the fight (ending the fight 20 hp below your starting total), you'd still activate Painful Reckoning.

Thurbane · 05-13-2011, 07:28 AM

Also, Knowledge (Law) as a class skill. Ah, yeah...sometimes 3.0 -> 3.5 don't translate so good!

dextercorvia · 05-13-2011, 08:25 AM

May I be the first to groan over the bonus to intimidate on a warrior chassis.