Bo9S-themed homebrew gestalt game -- now recruiting!

[James Heard]

Now that I'm only left with hoping that one more gift gets in before the holidays and I'm through with one bit of company for a few days before I have the "big push" for Xmas, I hope to knock out this character I've promised. I was wondering if you'd have a problem with me playing around with the flavors of class (within a reasonable bit) I promised? I've still not really sat down and done any of the math, but I'm trying really hard to come up with a Shin flavored character without kicking my own behind with lack of synergy and such.

 

[drothgery]

@drothgery: On that note, I should also point out that Maas isn't even slightly self-centered. He is not important, only the Way. The general direction of Deren's attitude towards him is fine, but there really is no mistaking that Maas really doesn't think about himself at all. He pushes himself past his limits regularly, only eats when reminded to or when he can't concentrate because of lack of food, hardly talks in any capacity and never about himself, etc. I fully expect everyone to have a fairly negative opinion of him (one of the reasons I kept his Charisma at a penalty), just want to be sure you have the right negative opinion

Oh, I think he does. Though it's probably worth noting that at least in Deren's mind, Maas's concept of 'the Way' is only in Maas' head, and so not outside of himself. Deren sees Maas as being so wrapped up in an idea that he barely notices the real world around him. And it bothers Deren that someone superficially so similar to him (i.e. planetouched with some connection to the Courts, studying swordsmanship and offensive magic under the same teacher) could think like that.

 

[Zurai]

Okay, no problem then

Although Maas is an Evoker, he doesn't really specialize in boom spells. I'm actually debating whether to leave him as an Evoker or not. His spells are going to be more focused on personal enhancement and special effects rather than blowing stuff up. I went with Evoker initially because he is a Genasi with strong connections to one of the Courts, so it makes sense for him to be using elemental spells. He can still use them just fine with another specialty, though.

Actually, looking at it a bit more, I think I'm going to change him to a Diviner, and keep just Necromancy as a prohibited school. Only problem there is the lousy selection of 5th level divinations - the 3 in the PHB are it, and none of em are very good for Maas. Spell selection for other levels is great, though, and the school fits in with his "seeker of knowledge" shtick as well, so it looks like a keeper.



So, with that in mind, here's Maas' finalized character sheet for approval:

[sblock=Maas Illian]Maas Illian
Male Air Genasi Swordsage 1//Diviner 1
Alignment: LN
Deity: None
Region: Ustiyad's Court
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 160 lbs
Hair: Silver, tied into a topknot
Eyes: Brown
Skin: Pale
Age: 20
XP: 0

Str: 10 (+0) [2 points]
Dex: 16 (+3) [6 points, +2 race]
Con: 14 (+2) [6 points]
Int: 18 (+4) [10 points, +2 race]
Wis: 12 (+1) [6 points, -2 race]
Cha: 8 (-1) [2 points, -2 race]

Class and Racial abilities:
Native Outsider
Darkvision 60'
Levitate (CL 5) 1/day
+1 racial bonus on saves vs air spells and effects, +1 more per 5 character levels
Breathless (immune to drowning, suffocation, and attacks that require inhalation)
Quick to Act (+1 initiative)
Discipline Focus (+1 to hit with rapier, shortspear, bastard sword, katana, and trident)
Familiar

Hit Dice: 1d8+2
Hit Points: 10
AC: 13 (+0 Armor, +3 Dex) [Touch 13, Flat-footed 10]
Init: +4 (+3 Dex, +1 Quick to Act)
Speed: 30ft

Saves:
Fortitude +2 [+0 base, +2 Con]
Reflex +7 [+2 base, +3 Dex, +2 familiar]
Will +3 [+2 base, +1 Wis]

BAB/Grapple: +0/+0
Melee Atk: +1 (1d6/18-20/x2, rapier)
Ranged Atk: +4 (1d6/20/x3, thrown shortspear)

Skills:

Balance			+7 (4 ranks, +3 Dex)
Concentration		+6 (4 ranks, +2 Con, +4 in a duel of wills)
Iaijutsu Focus		+0 (1 cc rank, -1 Cha)
Jump			+4 (4 ranks, +0 Str)
Knowledge: Arcana	+8 (4 ranks, +4 Int)
Knowledge: History	+6 (2 ranks, +4 Int)
Knowledge: Local	+6 (2 ranks, +4 Int)
Knowledge: Religion	+6 (2 ranks, +4 Int)
Martial Lore		+8 (4 ranks, +4 Int)
Sense Motive		+5 (4 ranks, +1 Wis)
Spellcraft		+8 (4 ranks, +4 Int)
Tumble			+7 (4 ranks, +3 Dex)

Flaws:

Feats:
Scribe Scroll (Wizard bonus)
Unnerving Calm (1st level)

Languages:
Astresian, Auran, Ignan, Terran, Aquan, Giant

Spells Known: Necromancy prohibited
0th - (Abj) resistance, (Conj) acid splash, caltrops, (Div) detect magic, (Ench) daze, (Evoc) electric jolt, flare, light, ray of frost, sonic snap, (Trans) mage hand, mending, message, open/close, (Univ) arcane mark, prestidigitation
1st - (Abj) shield, (Conj) mage armor, (Div) true strike, (Evoc) persistent blade, (Illus) color spray, (Trans) feather fall, nerveskitter

Maneuvers Known:
Strikes - Sapphire Nightmare Blade (DM), Shadow Blade Technique (SH)
Counters - Moment of Perfect Mind (DM), Counter Charge (SS)
Boosts - Burning Blade (DW), Distracting Ember (DW)

Stances Known:
Step of the Wind (SS)

Equipment:
rapier, 20g, 2 lbs
2 shortspears, 2g, 6 lbs
backpack, 2g, 2 lbs
~bedroll, 1s, 5 lbs
~winter blanket, 5s, 3 lbs
~spellbook (23 pages used), free, 3 lbs
~small steel mirror, 10g, 0.5 lbs
~dagger, 2g, 1 lb
belt pouch, 1g, 0.5 lbs
~4 fishhooks, 4s, - lbs
~10' fishing line, 1g, - lbs
~flint and steel, 1g, - lbs
~whetstone, 2c, 2 lbs
money pouch, 1g, 0.5 lbs
waterskin, 1g, 4 lbs
spell component pouch, 5g, 2 lbs

Money:
12 gp
7 sp
10 cp

Encumbrance: 31.5 lbs (light load)
0-33 light
34-66 medium
67-100 heavy

[sblock=Familiar]
Podo, ferret (using weasel stats)
Hit Points: 5
AC: 15 (+1 Natural Armor, +2 Dex, +2 size) [Touch 14, Flat-footed 13]
Fortitude +2 [+2 base, +0 Con]
Reflex +4 [+2 base, +2 Dex], Improved Evasion
Will +3 [+2 base, +1 Wis]
Str 3 Dex 15 Con 10 Int 6 Wis 12 Cha 5[/sblock]
[sblock=Prepared Spells and Readied Maneuvers]
0th - detect magic, read magic, prestidigitation, mage hand
1st - true strike, mage armor

Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Shadow Blade Technique, Counter Charge, Distracting Ember[/sblock]



~~~~~~~

Appearance:
Maas, while a Genasi, doesn't betray his heritage as much as others do; the only true hints are his prematurely silver hair and the slight cool breeze that frequently circles around him. Otherwise, he appears as a thin human of above-average height. He wears his hair in a swordfighter's topknot and rarely does a smile grace his too-serious visage.

Personality:
Maas devotes all of his energy towards what he believes is the ultimate in fighting techniques: a fusion of the Sublime Way and the arcanist's Art. In his mind, each is half of the perfect discipline. Since the age of 16, he has pursued this dual mastery to the exclusion of all else. He maintains only the barest social presence needed to ensure his place with a master of the Way, and he spends nearly two-thirds of every single day practicing the two paths. If forced into conversation, Maas is direct, blunt, and to the point - often rudely so. Given his choice, the only sounds he utters would be kiai shouts or spell incantations.

Background:
Maas was born in the court of Sayed Sheikh Ustiyad al-Rashid ibn Mustad ibn Alamam al-Valis (roughly, Holy Ruler Ustiyad of the righteous path, son of Mustad, son of Alamam of Valis), a Cloud Giant swordmaster of great power, cunning, and cruelty, descended from a short but long-lived line of Cloud Giants that at one point held a significant portion of Valis in their dominion. Maas' birth was well-received in the court, for his parents (an Air Genasi mother and a Half-Air-Elemental father) were both powerful in their own rights and the match was favored by Ustiyad himself, who hoped to breed a new line of powerful - and loyal - Air Genasi. From his birth, Maas was treated well by the Court; given the best tutors and training, all his needs provided for, all his desires granted.
That changed when Ustiyad started to demand results from his decade-long investment. Maas was assigned a series of missions for the giant. Nothing dangerous or important to the success of Ustiyad's schemes, but still intricate and complex, requiring a high degree of effort from Maas - a degree of effort the young Genasi failed to show. For all his life, Maas had been pampered as if he was Ustiyad's own offspring, and he was soft and complacent in his role as Favored Child of the Court. Throughout the next several years, Ustiyad withdrew priviledge after priviledge from the youth as he failed to complete - or, in some cases, even begin - task after task. Enraged by what he saw as a betrayal, Ustiyad finally exiled Maas on his 15th birthday, having him branded with Ustiyad's personal sigil and dumped unceremoniously at the edge of his territory with nothing to his name but a plain set of clothes and a single, unremarkable blade.
The sudden and unexpected (to him) punishment sparked a change in Maas, and from that day he searched for a purpose, a goal to his life. He wandered Valis as a sellsword, participating as a mercenary in several border disputes between rival Elemental Courts, and even stealing food when he had no other choice. That all ended when he met Master Oah. Master Oah was an aged man who lived in a cabin by himself some mile and a half from the nearest village. At the time, Maas hadn't eaten in nearly a week and was half-delirious when he came across the lone cabin. Master Oah took in the teenager and nursed him back to health.
Oah's price for saving Maas was that Maas stay with Oah and learn discipline - either in the Art or in the Sublime Way, for Master Oah was, while neither a swordmaster nor an archmage, learned in both. He tested Maas for both paths and, to his surprise, Maas excelled equally in all the tests he could think of. Maas saw this as his chance, and begged Master Oah to initiate him in both paths. For the next three years, Maas followed Master Oah's every command, suggestion, and whim, growing rapidly in skill and passion for his chosen path.
This idyllic time was limited, however, as even before Maas' apprenticeship, Oah was in ill health. He was ancient for a human and knew his time in the realm of mortals was limited. On his deathbed, he bade Maas to take up his spellbook and his blade and seek out an acquaintance of his named Master Carthis, who would help guide him further along the Sublime Way. Determined to succeed at his Master's legacy, Maas tracked down Carthis and, after relating the events of the last few years and dueling the Master, won a spot at Carthis' remote school.
[/sblock]

 

[Zurai]

And of course, as soon as I post a "finalized" sheet, something else occurs to me:

K:Religion doesn't really fit Maas, but the Iaijutsu Focus skill from Oriental Adventures does. It's cross-class and he won't be taking any of the PrCs for it, so it won't get to the silly levels it can potentially reach in that setting, but he's going to fight very much in the Iaijutsu style regardless. Could I switch ranks in K:Religion (except for the 2 Maas needs for Jade Phoenix Mage, of course) for cross class ranks in Iaijutsu Focus? You said any WotC book, but it's both 3.0 and a setting book, so I figured I'd check to be sure.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Eek. Iajitsu Focus scares me

 

[Zurai]

Eek. Iajitsu Focus scares me

Eh, Maas isn't built to abuse it. It only works on flat-footed opponents, requires a cross-class skill check, and only works on a single attack at a time. Maas only has Sapphire Nightmare Blade and a decent Initiative to get opponents flat-footed (until he gets invisibility and greater invisibility, anyway - and IMO those don't work with the flavor of IF anyway and I wouldn't use it in when attacking from invisibility), has a penalty to the skill check because of his low charisma, etc. Yeah, with a character built for it, it gets scary.

That said, I'm fine with a "no" answer, too. I can work the Iaijutsu flavor in through maneuvers, especially since he's focused in Diamond Mind. I mainly want it for flavor and because I'm out of skills that really work for Maas.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

I dunno, I wouldn't think you'd abuse it, but even so, anyone who puts enough ranks into this CC skill to get a 10 on the check can get free damage in round one, so why would anyone not take it?

 

[Zurai]

I dunno, I wouldn't think you'd abuse it, but even so, anyone who puts enough ranks into this CC skill to get a 10 on the check can get free damage in round one, so why would anyone not take it?

Because you're putting points into a skill you might use once per combat, if the stars align correctly, instead of something you can use every round of every combat like Tumble or (for spellcasters) Concentration? Remember, by default, it only works on the first round of combat, and only if you win initiative on top of that. You have to start the fight unarmed, then get close enough to attack in melee, succeed on a cross-class skill check (which is by no means guaranteed, since you can't have 9 cross-class ranks until character level 15), and succeed on the attack roll. All for +1d6~+5d6 (if you roll a 20 on the skill check at level 18+) damage on a single attack. Also, it has absolutely no use outside of combat unlike virtually every other skill in the game. For Maas with 10 skill points, it's an easy decision because he literally has no more skills that fit his character concept at all. For a warblade with 4 skill points like some in the party, it probably wouldn't even be worth it as a class skill.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

Fair enough. I'm willing to admit that some of my dislike is totally reflexive, and another part is definitely a general dislike of mixing 3.0 and 3.5. Still, us discussing is only really idle conversation, seeing as neither of us is a DM here

 

[Autumn]

Now that I'm only left with hoping that one more gift gets in before the holidays and I'm through with one bit of company for a few days before I have the "big push" for Xmas, I hope to knock out this character I've promised. I was wondering if you'd have a problem with me playing around with the flavors of class (within a reasonable bit) I promised? I've still not really sat down and done any of the math, but I'm trying really hard to come up with a Shin flavored character without kicking my own behind with lack of synergy and such.

That's no problem at all, of course I realise that elements of a character might shift about as you work on him. So long as the basic concept remains the same I have no problem whatever with any fluxes in the crunch.

K:Religion doesn't really fit Maas, but the Iaijutsu Focus skill from Oriental Adventures does. It's cross-class and he won't be taking any of the PrCs for it, so it won't get to the silly levels it can potentially reach in that setting, but he's going to fight very much in the Iaijutsu style regardless. Could I switch ranks in K:Religion (except for the 2 Maas needs for Jade Phoenix Mage, of course) for cross class ranks in Iaijutsu Focus? You said any WotC book, but it's both 3.0 and a setting book, so I figured I'd check to be sure.

This is okay with me, yes, I don't see it as overpowered. I had a bit of a think about whether allowing it would make a samurai-ish flavor too dominant within the setting, but I came to the conclusion that it really wouldn't. It's one nice flavorsome option, but it's by no means more powerful than half a dozen other things that could be done with the first round of combat. So, yeah. No problem.