Min/Max Boards

Post moved.

Had some time to ponder the warblade setup. Please have a look and let me know what ya think:

race:human

brd3/warblade17

bab 19
il  18
saves 11|8+int|10
hd 3d6+17d12

flaw
frivalous performer

feats

• steadfast determination
• song of the white raven
• improved initiative(b)
• melee weapon mastery
• stormguard warrior
• song of the heart
• ironheart aura(b)
• power attack(h)
• improved sunder
• lingering song
• wf[greatsword]
• ws[greatsword]
• endurance(b)
• iron will(b)
• combat brute
• extra music

manuevers
lvl   class        il   name
--------------------------------------------------------
1     brd1         0
2     brd1/war1    1    leading the attack[white raven|str]
                        moment of perfect clarity[diamond mind|ctr]
                        hunter's senses[tiger claw|stn]
                        ?????
3     brd2/war1    2
4     brd3/war1    2
5     brd3/war2    3    action before thought[diamond mind|ctr]
6     brd3/war3    4    wall of blades[iron heart|ctr]
7     brd3/war4    5    tactics of the wolf[white raven|stn]
8     brd3/war5    6    ironheart surge[iron heart]
9     brd3/war6    7
10    brd3/war7    8    lightning recovery[iron heart|ctr]
11    brd3/war8    9
12    brd3/war9    10   ????
13    brd3/war10   11   hearing the air[diamond mind|stn]
14    brd3/war11   12   moment of alacrity[diamond mind|bst]
15    brd3/war12   13                       
16    brd3/war13   14   quicksilver motion[diamond mind|bst]
17    brd3/war14   15                 
18    brd3/war15   16   diamond defense[diamond mind|ctr]
19    brd3/war16   17   supreme blade parry[iron heart|stn]
20    brd3/war17   18   time stands still[diamond mind|man]
Let me know if this looks playable.

Cheers
Volf

Thanks for the feedback!! I've gone ahead and made several changes/revisions. Please see above post for revised class.

Red = Revision/New

Cheers
Volf

Hey All,
Recently, after watching some interesting anime, I came across a concept that I thought would be pretty darn cool to play. That of the warrior which could summon a weapon composed of their own blood. I couldn't really find any homebrew which suited my tastes so I put something together myself. Below you will find the new class. Please let me know what you think and don't hold back. Its still a work in progress and needs a good dose of fixing.


REVISED VITAL BLADE
The vital blade is unlike most other martial practitioners. His focus is not just on the physical but also includes an in depth knowledge of the bodies internal chemistry. Many speculate that hidden deep within each of us there exists fonts of power which can be harnessed. This can be accomplished in a plethora of ways, however, the vital blade concentrates on only one, which is the inherit power found in ones own blood. Through a combination of discipline, endurance and martial learning the character is able to call forth this power and use it to devastating effect. The most spectacular of which allows him to shape a weapon composed of his own blood. All vital blades are easily identifiable by a Gruesome Glyph - which is a crimson hued wound-like glyph, appearing somewhere on their body (usually the palm or back of the hand). It is through this self inflicted stigmata like mark that they are able to summon their weapons and command the very essence of their being.
Role: You're a warrior! Congratulations, you get to be a meatshield.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: 1d10.
 
Table: Vital Blade
Lvl  BaB  F   R   W   Special
1    +1  +2  +0  +2   Gruesome Glyph, Sanguineous Sword, Blood Pool
2    +2  +3  +0  +3   Weeping Weapon (1d4), Endurance
3    +3  +3  +1  +3   Blood Talent
4    +4  +4  +1  +4   Imbue Blood Blade
5    +5  +4  +1  +4   Blood Talent
6    +6  +5  +2  +5   Weeping Weapon (2d4)
7    +7  +5  +2  +5   Blood Talent
8    +8  +6  +2  +6   Sanguineous Sword (swift action)
9    +9  +6  +3  +6   Blood Talent
10   +10 +7  +3  +7   Weeping Weapon (3d4)
11   +11 +7  +3  +7   Blood Talent
12   +12 +8  +4  +8   Fluid Strike
13   +13 +8  +4  +8   Blood Talent
14   +14 +9  +4  +9   Weeping Weapon (4d4)
15   +15 +9  +5  +9   Blood Talent
16   +16 +10 +5  +10  Sanguineous Sword (free action)
17   +17 +10 +5  +10  Blood Talent
18   +18 +11 +6  +11  Weeping Weapon (5d4)
19   +19 +11 +6  +11  Blood Talent
20   +20 +12 +6  +12  Crimson Warrior
 
Class Skills
The vital blade’s class skills are Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex) and Survival (Wis).
Skill Ranks per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features
The following are the class features of the vital blade.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Vital blades are proficient with all simple weapons and martial weapons, light armor, medium armor, heavy armor and shields (except tower shields).
 
Gruesome Glyph (Su): All vital blade's exhibit the same wound-like rune that signifies their adherence to this gruesome discipline. With it they are able to more easily manipulate the energies found within their own blood. As an added benefit the mark enhances the vital blades intuitive use of their own blood. This grants the character the benefits of the Weapon Focus feat when using their sanguineous sword ability.

Sanguineous Sword(Su): All vital blades are experts at shaping their own blood into weapons. By expending a blood pool point as a move action the character can form a melee weapon with which the character is proficient. The weapon can be sundered as per the normal rules although the vital blade can simply recreate a new one on his turn as a standard action. The weapon remains so long as the character wields it, if the weapon leaves his grasp, it dissipates at the end of the character's turn. Also note that a vital blade is capable of learning feats which are only applicable to one weapon as a fighter of equal level. This allows the character to learn such feats as Weapon Specialization.

At 8th lvl a sanguineous sword can be created as a swift action, at 16th level it becomes a free action.

Blood Pool (Su): The vital blade has learned how to harness and better manage the complex workings of his own body. This allows him to store a small pool of excess blood which he can use to power certain abilities. The character has a number of blood pool points equal to 1 + his Constitution modifier ( A vital blade can never have more than this amount at any given time). The pool refreshes once per day. Usually in the morning when preparing for another day of adventure. A vital blade spends blood points to activate blood talents, but can also regain points in the following ways.

Critical Hit with sanguineous weapon: Each time the vital blade confirms a critical hit with his weapon while in the heat of combat, it allows him to regain 1 blood point. Confirming a critical hit on a helpless or unaware creature or on a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the character's level does not restore blood points.

Killing Blow with sanguineous weapon: When the vital blade reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with a weapon attack while in the heat of combat, it allows him to regain 1 blood pool point. Destroying an unattended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the character's level to 0 or fewer hit points does not restore any points.

Imbue Blood Blade (Su):  As a vital blade gains experience, she can sacrifice an amount of experience points (XP) to awaken supernatural abilities within her sanguineous sword. This sacrifice cannot exceed the XP that she has gained since she last gained a level.

At any time, a vital blade can sacrifice their life force in order to awaken the abilities in her sanguineous sword. This requires a sacrifice of XP equal to the amount shown on table below. A vital blade must meet the required minimum character level and must perform a ritual, which lasts for 8 hours a day, for a number of days in a row equal to the weapon bonus.

A weapon can't have an enhancement bonus higher than +5. Use the weapon bonus on the table below to determine the XP sacrifice when special abilities are added. Special abilities can be added from either Table 7-5: Melee Weapon Special Abilities in the Melee Weapon Special Abilities in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Example: A vital blade who has a +4 sanguineous weapon can transform it into a +4 wounding weapon with a sacrifice of 2,000 XP since wounding is a special ability worth a +2 bonus.

Weapon      XP       Min Character
Bonus   Sacrificed       Lvl
+1        100 XP          2
+2        400 XP          4
+3        900 XP          6
+4       1,600 XP         8
+5       2,500 XP         10
+6       3,600 XP         12
+7       4,900 XP         14
+8       6,400 XP         16
+9       8,100 XP         18
+10     10,000 XP         20
Blood Talent (Su): Through intense training, experimentation and blood lose the character is able to manipulate their vital fluid in new, and often times, grotesque ways. At levels 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 the character can choose one ability from the following list. Please note that each ability can only be selected once.
       

• Reactive Burst (Ex) - This ability allows a vital blade to instantly reform their weapon after a sunder attempt. However, the character does so in a burst of retributive gore and blood. This retributive burst inflicts upon the opponent (which sundered the weapon) damage equal to the weeping weapon ability. The character must be 16th lvl or higher to select this ability. This ability remains active so long as the character has points remaining in their blood pool.
• Sanguineous Sculptor (Su) - When shaping a weapon with the sanguineous sword ability the character can also shape any ranged (not thrown) weapon with which they are proficient. Although the character must supply the required ammunition. This ability allows the the creation of mighty composite bows which will reflect the Strength the character currently has.
• Canvas of Cuts (Ex) - Throughout the character's career they constantly experiment upon themselves to further their understanding and manipulation of their own bodies. This has left its mark as their skin is crisscrossed with self inflicted scars and old wounds. However, this results in the toughening of their flesh and skin which grants the character a bonus to Natural Armor equal to the number of damage dice rolled for their weeping weapon ability.
• Accelerated Adrenaline - Through careful control of certain body related functions the character is able to greatly increase their reaction time. This ability grants the vital blade a bonus to his Initiative check equal to his Constitution modifier by spending a point from his blood pool. The decision to use this ability must be made before rolling for initiative.
• Weeping Weapon (entangling) (Ex) - In addition to damage weeping weapon can now inflict the entangled condition upon a target. By expending 1 blood point in conjunction with weeping weapon the target must also make a reflex save to negate this secondary effect. The save DC for this ability is equal 10 + 1/2 class level + Constitution modifier. The entangled condition lasts for a number of rounds equal to the vital blade's Constitution modifier. This ability cannot be combined with sickening burst.
• Weeping Weapon (sickening) (Ex) - In addition to damage weeping weapon can now inflict the sickened condition upon a target. By expending 1 blood point in conjunction with weeping weapon the target must also make a fortitude save to negate this secondary effect. The save DC for this ability is equal 10 + 1/2 class level + Constitution modifier. This ability cannot be combined with nauseating burst.
• Gory Glare (Ex) - After a performing a ritual which involves scalpels and other sharp objects the character is able to create a glyph which mimics the spell glyph of warding. However, the character can only create a blast glyph and the damage must be either fire, cold, or acid. Each use of this ability expends a blood pool point. The character must be 8th level or higher to select this ability.
• Blood Bolt (Su) - The vital blade gains the ability to fire a bolt of blood and bone shrapnel from his gruesome glyph. Using this ability requires an expenditure of the weeping weapon ability and has a range increment of 20'. Using this power is a standard action.
• Rejuvenation (Ex) - The character gains fast healing 1. The character must be 4th level or higher to select this ability.
• Gore Glyph (Su) - After a performing a ritual which involves scalpels and other sharp objects the character increases the potency of their Gruesome Glyph. From this point forward the vital blade is considered to have the Weapon Specialization feat when wielding his sanguineous sword. The character must be 4th level or higher to select this ability.
• Visceral Vision (Sp) - Due to a vital blades inherent knowledge of the body they are able to gauge the vitality of those round them. This ability allows the character to cast, as a spell-like ability, the Status spell. This ability can be used once per day. Each use of this ability requires the expenditure of 1 blood pool point. The character must be 2nd level or higher to select this ability.
• Bulging Blade (Ex) - As a swift action the character can increase the size of their sanguineous weapon one category by expending 1 point from their blood point pool. This size increase does not stack with other size increases. The increase in size lasts for a number of rounds equal to the character's Constitution modifier.
• Self Harmer (Ex) - An individual that follows this path becomes inured, and very resistant, to damage inflicted upon them due to their constant self mutilation and bloodletting. This ability grants the character damage reduction equal the number of damage dice rolled for their weeping weapon ability.
• Vital Vigilance (Ex) - The ability to control their vital fluids allows the character to minimize an otherwise life threatening attack. This ability grants the character a 25% chance to negate a critical attack, this includes sneak attacks. Note, this ability can be taken more than once. If taken a second time the chance to negate a critical attack increases to 50%, if taken a third time the chance increases to 75%. The character must be 8th level or higher to select this ability the first time. If selecting this ability a second time the character must be 12th level or higher and if selecting this ability a third time the character must be 16th level or higher.
• Blood Sense (Ex): After damaging an opponent the vital blade is able to detect their presence by sampling their blood as a move action. This grants the character the scent special ability. Using this ability requires the expenditure of 1 blood pool point and lasts until the character chooses to use the ability on a different opponent or the opponent dies.
• Caustic Cut (Ex): The vital blade is able to turn his blood into an acidic like fluid which harms those that dare to attack him. If an opponent damages the character in melee (those using reach weapons are immune to this damage) the opponent is splashed by the vital blade`s caustic blood which inflicts 1d4 points of acid damage. This ability is active so long as the character has a point remaining in his blood pool.
• Plasma Puddle (Sp): By expending a blood pool point the character can vomit, expel or bleed out a pool like puddle of blood which is extremely slippery. This ability otherwise mimics the spell grease. However, this ability only has a range of 10`. Each use of this ability requires the expenditure of 1 blood pool point.
• Sacrificial Empowerment (Ex) - By sacrificing a point from their blood pool the vital blade is able to empower the Weeping Weapon ability. When used this ability increases the damage dealt by one-half. This ability is activated as a free action when using the weeping weapon ability but before damage is rolled. This ability can be used no more than once per round.

Weeping Weapon (Su): The vital blade is able to alter his blood by carefully controlling and manipulating his humors. After doing so he can instantly focus these chaotic and destructive fluids through his sanguineous sword. When he does so the weapon weeps with corrosive energy which, upon impact, inflicts acid damage. A vital blade can use weeping weapon a number of times each day equal 3 + his Constitution modifier. Activating this ability is a swift action that must be declared before the character makes an attack (while using his sanguineous sword). Whether the attack is successful or not one use of weeping weapon is expended.

Endurance: A character which follows this path pays a heavy toll in blood, sweat and pain because of this the vital blade gains Endurance as a bonus feat.

Fluid Strike (Ex): The vital blade's sanguineous weapon is able to flow, contort, warp and otherwise snake through an opponents defenses. Almost as if the weapon were a living creature. This allows the character to make a touch attack a number of times per day equal to his Constitution modifier. The character can declare an attack to be a fluid strike as a free action before the attack roll is made but no more than once per round. Whether the attack is successful or not a use of this ability is expended.

Crimson Warrior (Ex): The character can now form his sanguineous weapon without expending a point from his blood pool. Some other stuff ... not sure what yet though. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.


Let me know what you think. Nothing is set in stone so if something needs to be changes it shall be done.

Edit 1: I have revised the class. Pleas see above.

Thanks!
Volf

Here's a few suggestions that might/might not help ya:

barbarian  1(pounce)/druid (aspect of nature/avenger) 1x

Take the greensinger feat from Eberron as well as the spontaneous summoner feat (you need this to meet the one requirement for greensinger). I believe the feat adds most of the spells you're looking for to the druid spell list. This way the "bridezilla" can change into a grotesque beast (aspect of nature) that then flies into a murderous and uncontrolled frenzy (rage) when her love slave (via charm monster or whatever) doesn't do exactly what she wants.

Ironically, with this build you wouldn't have to take extra rage and you still gain fast movement.

I think I will show this thread to my wife. She'll get a chuckle out of this kind of brainstorming.

Edit: You'll also want the Torque of Lucid Raging (9000gp) from Dungeon Magazine #126, page 95. This will allow you to cast spells while raging. Also, you could pick up the Combat Charm feat (Dragon Compendium iirc) and fling charms while in combat without worrying about the bonus to such saves.

Cheers
Volf

Hi All,

Well it's happened, I have been invited to play in a 4e game, and I am now struggling to create a character. There's a ton of material and some of it seems a tad .... confusing. Nonetheless, in my attempt to familiarize myself with the system I have read through a number of the books as well as skimmed many others. As of yet I am not sure what exactly I will be playing so in an effort to further help my understanding of the game as well as the mechanics I will be creating one of each type of character: defender, striker, controller and leader. Once I am done with the overall build I will post it here for additional help/insight. So, without further ado I present to you my first build: a revenant gloom pact hexblade:

Caveats:
1) all books allowed
2) he has changed the gloom pact weapon to be a +2/1d12 sword (although all the powers etc are the same)
3) we will be playing mostly heroic with a chance of continuing into paragon

Revenant Gloomblade
Pastlife human
18 dex 18 cha 12 str 13 con 14 wis 12 int (stats are rolled with the 4d6 drop the lowest method, racial bonuses = +2 dex/cha)

Feats
1. Past Life (human)
2. Rod Expertise
4. Deadly Draw
6. Superior Implement Training(Deathbone Rod)
8. Implement Focus (Rod)
10. ???

Powers
L1: Racial - Dark Reaping, AW - Eldritch Bolt, D1 - Armor of Winters Grasp, AW - Flesh Rend, E - Spirit Flay, Pact Weapon(Blade of Exquisite Pain), Pact Reward, Pact Boon (Convocation of Shadows)
L2: U2 - Spectral Fade or Shadow Veil or Wrathful Aspect
L3: Improved Pact Weapon
L4: Lesser Planar Ally
L5: D5 - Tentacles of Cryonax
L6: U6 - Dark Ones Own Luck
L7: Pact Weapon Retribution (Shadow Scourge)
L8: na
L9: Summon Warlock's Ally(Dark Creeper)
L10: U10 - Ethereal Sidestep or Shielding Shades or Curse of Nessus
  * italized powers are class features.
  AW = At Will, E = Encounter, D = Daily, U = Utility

As you can see I have tried to select all of my powers and feats. Although I really need some help in this area. There are just so damn many feats and powers that its a daunting task to go through everything to find which feats work best with what I want (which is an uber melee striker. ;p). Lastly, I need some assistance choosing the extra power granted by the past life feat.

Something else has been bothering me as well ... do the bonuses from heavy blade expertise as well as rod expertise stack when you summon your pact weapon?

Please let me know if there is anything else that can make this better! I appreciate any and all input/thoughts/suggestions.

Cheers
Volf

Hey All,

Just wondering if this would be worth playing. Basic idea is uber dexterity for ranged combat. Build is as follows:

scout 2/druid 18 (aspect of nature/avenger[ferocity variant])

Important feats:

• swift avenger
• wf[longbow]
• rapid shot
• precise shot
• pbs
• dead eye
• chaos rage
• travel devotion

Items of note

• belt of battle
• tempo bloodspikes
• splitting long bow

With the build outline above the character should be a pretty decent ranged combatant with multiple ways of moving and triggering full attack skirmish. Also, with roughly a +16 to dexterity from class features the character should be able to hit most things. Include a race such as elf as well as other dexterity based boosts and he should have around +15 bonus to damage with his bow (within 30').

Let me know what you think. If there are ways of improving this or please feel free to share your input/suggestions or ... should it be scrapped.

Cheers
Volf

If dragon material is allowed you could instead use the Dead Eye feat from the compendium. It allows you to add your full Dexterity bonus to ranged attacks, however. The target must be within 30'. Another option to boost damage output is the Ranged Weapon Mastery feat. There's also the Targeteer Fighter variant in Dragon 310. The one ability is (iirc) Vital Aim. This ability lets you add your Dexterity to damage. This might result in your 2x Dexterity to damage. It also offers a flurry like ability that allows you to fire additional arrows/ranged attacks.

The most difficult aspect of your request is to come up with a method of bypassing dr .... I'll have to ponder this further to see what I can dredge up.

Anyhoo, hope that helps some.

Cheers
Volf

Refluffing is fine.
You could easily say the dead have souls, and
evil dead souls are just chewed on a little more.
The other alignments have souls too, and who
says they have to end up / stay on just 1 plane?

That is pretty much exactly how I explained my character concept to my DM.

Cleric side is getting awfully close to loosing
too many CLs.  Heighten + Extra Slot (retraining)
can take care of that problem.
Incarnate Domain level 8 spell item = full essentia (!!)
Can come in at or before level 15 w/ Heighten+Slot.

Should I go with incarnate 2/cleric 8/sapphire hierarch 10 instead?

Incarnate is more skills oriented than party buffing
and healing.  Buff yourself = yes.  This is more
of a Codzilla build, than what exactly you want.

I wouldn't mind a Codzilla build. It would be the first time that I am actually able to play such a build as this DM is more comfortable with such game play.

Thanks for the input awaken_D_M_golem!

Edit: Just found out that the DM is removing the smiting ability of the sapphire hierarch and is instead adding some chakra binds! The rest of the abilities are simply being reflavoured to commanding/interacting with dead souls etc.

Cheers
Volf

Hi All,

I am looking for some help with the following build. Basic premise will be the party buffer/healer and long ranged support. Also the group will be composed of mostly evil individuals. Here's the build so far (also included a pic of my toon):


incarnate 2¹/clr 3(incarnum/undeath)/sapphire hierarch 10/legacy champ 5
¹Please note: all alignment requirements/restrictions for incarnate/meldshaping/etc are removed

Overall I am happy with the build. Based on what I have read from the various handbooks this seems to be an effective build. However, I am having a bit of difficulty choosing feats. This is what I have so far:

• we're also allowed 1 flaw if needed(I would probably take inattentive)
• divine metamagic (quicken spell)
• practised spellcaster
• extra turning (b)
• crossbow sniper
• bonus essentia
• quicken spell
• rapid reload
• wf (xbow)
• free
• free
• free

I guess what I have is pretty straightforward. The divine metamagic is for quick buffing and the ranged feats make me a competent ranged attacker. I have 3 open feat slots and have no idea what I should take (we receive 10 lvl based feats instead of the usual 7). I would appreciate any input/suggestions for the remaining open slots. Also, all books/magazines allowed.

For reference ... the following are going to be my key soulmelds:

• sighting gloves
• incarnate avatar (chaos)
• necrocarnum circlet (the necrocarnum zombie seems pretty handy)
• keeneye lenses
• fellmist robes
• bluesteel bracers

I am also wondering what race I should be. Would a necropolitan work for this (is it possible to bolster oneself)? I believe the DM is allowing as much as +2 LA for free so I am open to suggestions.

Any and all thoughts/comments/ideas are welcome.

Cheers
Volf