Author Topic: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC  (Read 198822 times)

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syntax_error

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1240 on: September 23, 2008, 01:43:04 AM »
Swordsage with Setting Sun Maneuvers fits the theme of the water benders. Its a discipline based on using an opponent against himself, after all. It gives also gives you something to fall back on when no water is about, and has synergy with Wisdom. Just an idea.

dman11235

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1241 on: September 23, 2008, 01:49:59 AM »
Maneuvers hate me though.  I like my swift actions (use them every round) so boosts and counters are out, and I already have all that trippy goodness packed neatly into my bending, as well as the fact that I will either not be using maneuvers (tentacles require a full-round action) or will focus on AoOs.  Also: I will never be without water.  Contingencies I have though.

EDIT: Hey Sifir, you know that PrC Shiba Protector from OA?  I was wondering if I could change the flavor requirements, since other than the specific tribe it fits me well.  The tribe is also similar to mine.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2008, 01:51:43 AM by dman11235 »
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VennDygrem

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1242 on: September 23, 2008, 01:51:00 AM »
I think a build that can dominate the battlefield is definitely more useful than direct damage, especially with as many builds we have that are devoted as such. I'm not much familiar with the Avatar d20 project you guys worked on, though I'm familiar with the show.
It never pays to under-estimate a waterbender in his or her element. :D
----
As syntax_error states, it would be good to have something to fall back on when there's no (or little) water available, but I'm not sure I'd switch Waterbender out for Swordsage. There's a lot of flavor, and as long as you're in LoI you'll have lots of water for water/snow bending.

If this weren't SoA and was instead in a nautical setting, Waterbender would be a huge force to be reckoned with.  :D
« Last Edit: September 23, 2008, 01:52:31 AM by VennDygrem »

dman11235

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1243 on: September 23, 2008, 01:55:01 AM »
I am a waterbender, I need to find a suitable class to pair it with.

Actually, SS is in the running.  It would not be bad to have that as a back-up, and I do have Improved Unarmed Strike.  Warblade too, I guess, since the class features it has wouldn't be wasted normally when I DO have water, and full BAB is nice.  Crusader's a no go though, since the maneuvers aren't really back-up material, and the class features don't help me or fit me.

So I'm looking at Incarnate, SS, and Warblade.  likely going with Incarnate or SS.
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VennDygrem

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1244 on: September 23, 2008, 02:14:48 AM »
As a gestalt character, your AC to Wis isn't going to stack with Swordsage, especially since you get both at the same level. If you can live with that, ss's get the most maneuvers, but again, most of them don't make much sense with a waterbender. Luckily you're not playing in the full-on Avatar setting, so you're free to open it up a bit if you so choose. Waterbender mixed with Diamond Mind/Setting Sun maneuvers might work.

Warblade would give you the full BAB and the best HP value, and you wouldn't have to worry about picking from a wide variety of maneuvers. However, there's no Wis synergy (though the swordsage's main wis synergy doesn't count in this case anyway).

Incarnate does get some nice soulmelds, and while it's got bad hp and BAB, Waterbender is actually the side that boosts it in this case. It and Warblade would also ensure you get all your saves at good quality, meaning you're not losing much from switching out fighter (except of course for feats).

Of course, I didn't need to tell you any of that.  :lol

AndyJames

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1245 on: September 23, 2008, 02:15:08 AM »
Guys in the LoI, be warned. Although I am very creative with casters, and my speciality is casters, I am fairly sure that I play casters very crappily by the standards of CO. Plan accordingly... :P

dman11235

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1246 on: September 23, 2008, 02:21:18 AM »
I'm actually like Incarnate.  There are soulmelds that help my damage if need be (planning on lower water setting), defenses (yay large enhancement bonuses to all saves!  As well as Uncanny Dodge, immunity to charms, and immunity to ability drain!), miss chances, HP (I took Frail), all sorts of nifties.

EDIT: Sifir, how would soulmelds interact with my tentacles?  Example: Bluesteel Bracers.  I am actually controlling them (like, using actions to make them do things other than exist), but I am not them.  Would they get the damage boost?
« Last Edit: September 23, 2008, 02:35:59 AM by dman11235 »
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Rufei

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1247 on: September 23, 2008, 02:43:27 AM »
Only for one attack every other round, unless you use that metamagic to wand feat for Quicken.

I realize that. But it's sniping, and with the +20, I'm going to be sniping at max. range (150*10 = 1500' right now). And that's a net +4 due to the scope. (Not to mention my main can fire too, just not as well.)

Hmm, regarding the feats... I ran into the opposite problem (then again, I'm optimizing for damage for the most part). Too many fighter bonus feats... they're bleeding into my normal feats, which limits my options somewhat. Then again, I'm taking the entire Weapon Focus/Spec. tree up to Melee Weapon Mastery, amongst other things.

And the last caster I played was I believe a blastermage. So it's not like I'm concerned when it comes to CO-level playing. XD

Evasive Reflexes + Robilar's Gambit + Grappling Block pretty much means that the enemy can't touch you so long as you meet the first attack with your own. But that in itself is a feat tree nightmare (thankfully, is almost entirely fighter bonus feats, IIRC).

VennDygrem

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1248 on: September 23, 2008, 03:02:27 AM »
I can't say I've ever tried playing at CO-level, but I'm used to playing with high-powered players in pretty high level play (not to mention players with big personalities). My home DM sets games up with the idea in mind that the more the players optimize, the harder the challenges, so hopefully it will prove to be good experience for the game to come.

One issue I'm wondering about as far as my character goes is if we end up travelling to different regions, such as LoI. I've got some basic fire/cold(and elec) resistance, but other than that I'm not sure if it'll be enough. I could pick up something like an Armor Crystal of Adaptation or Enduring Amulet to offset it to some degree, but as Sinfire said earlier, endure elements won't help completely. Not to mention, if I shapeshift, those benefits go bye-bye.

Of course, I don't need to worry about that now, and not for a while.

dman11235

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1249 on: September 23, 2008, 03:17:13 AM »
Cold resistance 5 will be plenty shelter from all but the most extreme cold.  According to Frostburn, of course.  And all you need on top of that is one of the minimum cold protection methods to be immune from extreme cold conditions (even the supernaturally cold step).
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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1250 on: September 23, 2008, 04:06:18 AM »
Cold resistance 5 will be plenty shelter from all but the most extreme cold.  According to Frostburn, of course.  And all you need on top of that is one of the minimum cold protection methods to be immune from extreme cold conditions (even the supernaturally cold step).
What do you mean by 'minimum cold protection'?

I'm actually beginning to rethink the character. Well, not so much. More like, revisit a previous idea. I'm thinking it may behoove me to go with Totemist instead of Swordsage afterall. Not that I was stepping on Rufei's toes, but two monk-like characters seemed a bit excessive. Downside is I'll have lower AC, and a low Wis score/will save, though at the next feat level I'll qualify for Steadfast Determination, so it's not that bad.
Plus, I won't need to worry as much about magic items (specifically, the notion that the nature forms can't wear them), as well as the fact that the two classes synergize well (almost as well as Totemist//Druid) given the shapeshifting features, and I can pick a different race and still be able to take the abyssal heritor feats Sinfire mentioned.

Speaking of which, the Chaond race is perfect for such feats/concept, being innately chaotic rather than Good/Evil like Aasimar/Tiefling. They're planetouched, so qualify for Lesser version. They are slightly more powerful than Aasimar/Tiefling, though, so if it comes down to it, I can make some adjustments and still be happy.

Also, Incarnum is awesome. 'Nuff said. :)

Rufei

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1251 on: September 23, 2008, 04:55:15 AM »
I'm only familiar with the core, complete, and ToB base classes. Or rather, the first two. The latter I'm a little shaky, and any of the alternative systems is new ground (which is also why I chose all core classes - I at least know how to optimize and play these classes).

And I really don't care about toe-stepping, so long as we can fulfill most (if not all) the required roles for the party. More monks = more sparring partners.

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1252 on: September 23, 2008, 05:07:02 AM »
That is why I am looking at Necropolitan. Immune cold, period :P

Rufei

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1253 on: September 23, 2008, 05:12:25 AM »
Heh. I'm fucked then, seeing as I don't really ever gain an energy resistance.

Time for my cohort to make me a spiffy magic item!

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1254 on: September 23, 2008, 05:52:47 AM »
I'm thinking that my cohort will be a ranged specialist, since we have a bunch of melee people.  Maybe soulknife//something with some soulbow thrown in.  Thoughts?
Perhaps a halfling [Swordsage//Shapeshift Druid] 17/Soulknife 2/Soulbow 1?

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  • All good saves
  • 9th level spells and maneuvers
  • Melee and Ranged Capable
  • Can use Aerial Form to fly about shooting lasers with Flyby Attack

How are you getting Wis to damage?
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AndyJames

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1255 on: September 23, 2008, 06:16:36 AM »
Bah. Can't do Necropolitan. Doesn't apply to Dragons...

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1256 on: September 23, 2008, 07:42:51 AM »
How are you getting Wis to damage?

*points at soulbow mind arrows*

Rufei

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1257 on: September 23, 2008, 08:00:48 AM »
Wait, why bother with those last 3 levels for the Cohort? You can't have one past lv 17 (or 18), last I checked.

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1258 on: September 23, 2008, 08:51:35 AM »
For epic levels and Epic Leadership (if we're still playing at that point)?

VennDygrem

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Re: Skies of Arcadia Recruiting and OOC
« Reply #1259 on: September 23, 2008, 09:35:19 AM »
I'm only familiar with the core, complete, and ToB base classes. Or rather, the first two. The latter I'm a little shaky, and any of the alternative systems is new ground (which is also why I chose all core classes - I at least know how to optimize and play these classes).

And I really don't care about toe-stepping, so long as we can fulfill most (if not all) the required roles for the party. More monks = more sparring partners.

Oh, I can still go toe to toe. He just has 24 AC instead of 27.   :)
I don't see why I should get any less FP with the new build, but who knows. If it's the same, then I'll have pretty darn good HP, too.

Soulmelds will prove handy for various situations. Not to mention, they will be even more badass when I gain larger sizes. :D
« Last Edit: September 23, 2008, 01:55:27 PM by VennDygrem »