Author Topic: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian  (Read 3324 times)

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DaveTheMagicWeasel

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[Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« on: May 22, 2008, 12:03:50 PM »
Okay, I'm trying to come up with something cool to submit for pfooti's game, and what I've decided I'd like to do is make a vagabond type of character, an outcast from society who lives in the sewers/tunnels/alleys/rooftops, hunting for prey amid the darkened twists and turns.  But he's much more than your average beggar...

I'd like him to be a Shifter for a nice "semi-feral" feel to it, and then primarily Totemist for his classes (mechanically this will also open up Shifter Savagery for later: 2 size increases and double threat range on all natural weapons is gonna be very good).

The basic trick I envisage is using the Phase Cloak soulmeld and some Slippers of Spider Climbing to make him a really good climber (later on I might dip Swordsage 1 and then grab some Shadow Hand Gloves for the Spider Climb stance), combined with good stealth, so that he can sneak along roofs/ceilings before dropping onto his prey (activating Shifting and Rage as he does so), and tears them to pieces.

Ideal for that would be Battle Jump.  Pfooti has said no campaign specific stuff tho, so what I'm instead looking at it is the Roof Jumper tatctical feat from Cityscape.  It fits the flavour superbly and is actually pretty cool (and once I get Sphinx Claws bound to my hands I can full-attack when I drop down).

In case anyone is too lazy to follow links, here's the abilities in question:
[spoiler]
Ferocity

Where most barbarians define themselves by nigh-unstoppable rage, a few streetfighters and urban warriors have mastered different techniques. By working up a surge of adrenaline, they hit just as hard, and substantially faster, than their counterparts, while dodging the inevitable counterattack.

Class: Barbarian.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain rage, or any later improvements to that class feature, nor do you gain indomitable will.

Benefit: Once per day, the barbarian can enter a state of adrenaline-fueled fury, increasing both his physical might and his reaction time. He temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength and a +4 bonus to Dexterity, but he takes a -2 penalty on ranged attack rolls beyond short range (30 feet).

He can enter this state as an immediate action, even when flat-footed at the start of combat, so he may apply the enhanced Dexterity modifier to his initiative check.

While in a state of ferocity, the barbarian cannot use any Charisma- or Intelligence-based skills (except for Intimidate), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can he cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has except item creation feats and metamagic feats. Ferocity lasts for a number of rounds equal to 4 + his Constitution modifier (if positive). The barbarian may prematurely end his state of ferocity. At the end of ferocity, he loses the ferocity modifiers and restrictions and become sickened (-2 on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks) for the duration of the current encounter (unless he is a 17th-level barbarian, at which point this limitation no longer applies). Abilities that normally render him immune to being sickened (such as the Strong Stomach feat, Cityscape 64) reduce the penalties to -1, but do not remove them entirely.

The barbarian can invoke ferocity only once per encounter. At 1st level he can use this ability once per day. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, he can use it one additional time per day (to a maximum of six times per day at 20th level).

Greater Ferocity: At 11th level, his bonuses to Strength and Dexterity during ferocity each increase to +6. In addition, the duration of his ferocity increases to 5 + your Constitution modifier (if positive).

Shifting Stance: At 14th level, while in a state of ferocity, he gains a +1 dodge bonus to Armor Class and Reflex saves.

In addition, while in a state of ferocity, the barbarian can stand from prone as a swift action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If a foe that threatens him has a base attack bonus that is 4 points or more higher than his barbarian level, however, she gains an attack of opportunity as normal. (These abilities replace indomitable will.)

Relentless Ferocity: At 17th level, the duration of his ferocity increases to 6 + his Constitution modifier (if positive), and he no longer become sickened at the end of his ferocity. In addition, the dodge bonus granted by his shifting stance ability becomes +2.

Unstoppable Ferocity: At 20th level, the barbarian's bonuses to Strength and Dexterity during ferocity each increase to +8.

Roof-Dweller

Those who grow up on the streets of the city are often equally at home above the streets, where the rooftops provide an unseen highway.

Class: Barbarian.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain fast movement.

Benefit: The barbarian gains Roofwalker (Cityscape 63) as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites.

Additionally, as of 6th level, he need not meet the prerequisites for the Roof-Jumper feat (Cityscape 62) if he chooses to take it, though it is not a bonus feat; the barbarian must still spend a feat slot to acquire it.

Skilled City-Dweller

The various wilderness-oriented skills are valuable indeed, but make less sense -- and may prove less useful -- for an urban character.

Class: Any class that has one or more of the "skills replaced," as listed below, on its list of class skills.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the "skills replaced" as listed below.

Benefit: The skilled city-dweller gains one or more skills as class skills, at the expense of other skills. If she does not have the proper skill to lose, she cannot gain the skill it grants as an urban benefit.

Note that she need not swap out all these skills. A skilled city-dweller may pick and choose, but she cannot later change her mind.

Skilled City-Dweller
Skill Gained    Skill Replaced
Gather Information    Handle Animal
Knowledge (local)    Knowledge (nature)
Sense Motive    Survival
Tumble    Ride
[/spoiler]

So, my first idea is:

Shifter (Longtooth)
Barbarian 1           Cobalt Rage, Extra Rage, Longtooth Elite, Roofwalker (B)
(Ferocity, Roofdweller and Skilled City Dweller variants from Cityscape WE)
Totemist 1
Totemist 2              Multiattack
Totemist 3
Totemist 4
------------------------------------------------
Totemist 5             Roof-Jumper
Totemist 6
Totem Rager 1
Totem Rager 2      Shifter Savagery
Totem Rager 3
Totem Rager 4
Totem Rager 5      Shifter Multiattack (retrain normal multiattack to Healing Factor)
Totem Rager 6
Totem Rager 7
Totem Rager 8       Feat?
Totem Rager 9
Totem Rager 10
Totemist 7            Feat?
Totemist 8
Totemist 9

@ pfooti
1. Shifters appear in MM3, so they're core.  However, could I use a couple of things from Races of Eberron as well?  (Namely, the Longtooth Elite and Shifter Savagery feats)
2. Can I use the Ferocity and Roof-Dweller Barbarian Variants (and count it as Rage for feat/PrC prereqs?)?  Note that it means no Lion Totem (tho I will be shaping Sphinx Claws for pounce later on).
3. Does the Death from Above use of the Roof-Jumper feat require an action in your opinion?  The text doesn't state it does, but I'm not sure if that's an oversight (be warned, if it just triggers whenever I drop down then I can use Blink Shirt to teleport myself 20 ft. upwards and then drop straight down :D).

If the material is okay then I quite like the character tbh

What I'm looking for:
1. General comments/suggestions?  I'm quite open to changes.
2. Suggestions for melds to shape/bind?  I'm pretty new to Incarnum, everything I know about it is theoretical.  So far I'm thinking of starting with Phase Cloak (for the climb bonuses) and Blink Shirt (to get me up into high places), otherwise I'm not sure - once I get Sphinx Claws bound for pounce I'll need to start shaping as many natural attacks as possible, but until then I can happily use a normal weapon.
3. Anyway to get more feats?  With some more Shifter feats to play with I can do some cool natural weapon stuff, and also get more shifts per day.
4. Any other way to get a climb speed?  Spider Climb ideally.  The Slippers will use up almost half my wealth.  Warlock for Spider Walk one option, but I don't like the idea of losing meldshaping levels.
5. Anyway to get some stealth onto this?  I'm considering a level of Monk (Wis to AC and Hide/MS as class skills).  I really want him to be sneaky, but I also want maxed out Meldshaper level...

I really REALLY like the concept, and I think it would be great fun to play, but the climb speed and stealth are causing me difficulty, so now I throw myself at the mercy of my brethren for help improving this.

EDIT - if needs be Potions of Spider Climb would serve me pretty well.  So it's mostly stealth issues I'm hitting a wall with.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2008, 12:15:35 PM by DaveTheMagicWeasel »

Stratovarius

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2008, 12:24:08 PM »
The ToB Stance from Shadowhand (Dance of the Spider?), I believe gives you a permanent climb speed, as long as you're in that stance. However, that's a feat or two that you may not have to spare. It wouldn't cost any Meldshaper levels though.
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DaveTheMagicWeasel

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2008, 12:35:28 PM »
The ToB Stance from Shadowhand (Dance of the Spider?), I believe gives you a permanent climb speed, as long as you're in that stance. However, that's a feat or two that you may not have to spare. It wouldn't cost any Meldshaper levels though.

Yeah, but I don't have the IL for it yet.  I'd like summat I can use from 5th level onwards if I can.

I might take Swordsage 1 later, then use Shadow Hand Gloves for the stance.

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2008, 05:13:05 PM »
Double Chakra (Totem) is a must for any Totemist build.

Also, why no Lion-Totem (Complete Champion)? It makes the build into a house of death. Sphinx Claws is inferior to the variant.


[spoiler][/spoiler]

DaveTheMagicWeasel

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2008, 06:47:39 PM »
I have to give up fast movement to get Roofdweller, so no Lion Totem for me.  Hence, Sphinx Claws, since the whole point imo is trying to optimize Roofdweller.

Good call on Double Chakra tho.

I'm thinking at 5th level I'll bind Landshark Boots to my totem (then shape Kruthik Claws, Phase Cloak and Blink Shirt as well) and use jumping off of walls to trigger it, then switch to Roofjumper+Sphinx Claws at next level.  And I'm gonna drop Totem Rager, it's not good enough to warrant 2 lost Meldshaper levels and slowed access to opened chakras.  Plus it frees up a feat so I can start with 2 shifts/day.

Shifter (Cliffwalk)
Barbarian 1           Cliffwalk Elite, Extra Rage, Shifter Agility, Roofwalker (B)
(Ferocity, Roofdweller and Skilled City Dweller variants from Cityscape WE)
Totemist 1
Totemist 2              Extra Shifter Trait (Longtooth)
Totemist 3
Totemist 4
------------------------------------------------
Totemist 5             Roof-Jumper
Totemist 6
Totemist 7
Totemist 8             Shifter Savagery
Totemist 9
Totemist 10
Totemist 11           Shifter Multiattack
Totemist 12
Totemist 13
Totemist 14           Double Chakra (Totem)
Totemist 15
Totemist 16
Totemist 17            Feat?
Totemist 18
Totemist 19

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2008, 07:27:05 PM »
I have to give up fast movement to get Roofdweller, so no Lion Totem for me.  Hence, Sphinx Claws, since the whole point imo is trying to optimize Roofdweller.

Good call on Double Chakra tho.

I'm thinking at 5th level I'll bind Landshark Boots to my totem (then shape Kruthik Claws, Phase Cloak and Blink Shirt as well) and use jumping off of walls to trigger it, then switch to Roofjumper+Sphinx Claws at next level.  And I'm gonna drop Totem Rager, it's not good enough to warrant 2 lost Meldshaper levels and slowed access to opened chakras.  Plus it frees up a feat so I can start with 2 shifts/day.

Shifter (Cliffwalk)
Barbarian 1           Cliffwalk Elite, Extra Rage, Shifter Agility, Roofwalker (B)
(Ferocity, Roofdweller and Skilled City Dweller variants from Cityscape WE)
Totemist 1
Totemist 2              Extra Shifter Trait (Longtooth)
Totemist 3
Totemist 4
------------------------------------------------
Totemist 5             Roof-Jumper
Totemist 6
Totemist 7
Totemist 8             Shifter Savagery
Totemist 9
Totemist 10
Totemist 11           Shifter Multiattack
Totemist 12
Totemist 13
Totemist 14           Double Chakra (Totem)
Totemist 15
Totemist 16
Totemist 17            Feat?
Totemist 18
Totemist 19

Cobalt Rage is really good. And Totem-Rager is better than you think. It is slow, but you use tricks with it to make it awesome. IIRC, Legacy Champion is Full BAB, right?


[spoiler][/spoiler]

DaveTheMagicWeasel

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2008, 08:01:42 PM »
I'm pretty sure Legacy Champ is 3/4 BAB.

What tricks can you do with Totem Rager?  I'm not seeing it tbh ... the extra essentia for Cobalt Rage when raging is nice, but I don't see it giving you anything else that straight Totemist doesn't give faster.

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2008, 09:43:24 PM »
I'm pretty sure Legacy Champ is 3/4 BAB.

What tricks can you do with Totem Rager?  I'm not seeing it tbh ... the extra essentia for Cobalt Rage when raging is nice, but I don't see it giving you anything else that straight Totemist doesn't give faster.

Totem Rage. That's all there is to it. The extra damage is incredible, the bonus to Will saves is more than most items can give you, and you do get a huge increase to the duration of Rage. A Barbarian 1/Totemist 9/Totem Rager 10 can dish out far more damage than a Barbarian 1/Totemist 19. The other way to finish is Bear Warrior, which just makes the build sickening due to the high damage potential and effective attack bonus. Power Attack just makes it stupid. And throwing in Warforged or Skarn as the base race grants another natural weapon to work with.


[spoiler][/spoiler]

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2008, 09:59:49 PM »
I'm AFB, but I think there's a scout variant in PHB2 that gives you a climb speed. But you need like 3levels or something, not sure if you want to go that far into the class. But hey, it's nice to have options. :wink

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2008, 01:19:44 PM »
Quote
1. Shifters appear in MM3, so they're core.  However, could I use a couple of things from Races of Eberron as well?  (Namely, the Longtooth Elite and Shifter Savagery feats)

I actually consider Races of Eberron "core". It's a races book, rather than an eberron book.

Quote
2. Can I use the Ferocity and Roof-Dweller Barbarian Variants (and count it as Rage for feat/PrC prereqs?)?  Note that it means no Lion Totem (tho I will be shaping Sphinx Claws for pounce later on).

Those are fine, and ferocity looks enough like rage to me to count as such for feat/PrC stuff, although I'd have to look closely at feats that alter your rage (reckless rage, for example, gives you a Con bonus at the cost of AC, which is countered by ferocity... meh... I doubt a few AC one way or the other is worth my worrying, so yeah, unqualified yes).

Quote
3. Does the Death from Above use of the Roof-Jumper feat require an action in your opinion?  The text doesn't state it does, but I'm not sure if that's an oversight (be warned, if it just triggers whenever I drop down then I can use Blink Shirt to teleport myself 20 ft. upwards and then drop straight down ).

Give me a short while to consider that, I'm AFB. I'll get back to you on this one this evening after I get a chance to re-read roof-jumper.

In general, an urban totemist would be a great addition to the grey citadel campaign, so keep up the good work!

DaveTheMagicWeasel

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2008, 10:50:28 AM »
I actually consider Races of Eberron "core". It's a races book, rather than an eberron book.

Cool, it might not matter now tho...

Those are fine, and ferocity looks enough like rage to me to count as such for feat/PrC stuff, although I'd have to look closely at feats that alter your rage (reckless rage, for example, gives you a Con bonus at the cost of AC, which is countered by ferocity... meh... I doubt a few AC one way or the other is worth my worrying, so yeah, unqualified yes).

Reckless Rage - I hadn't thought of that :D

Actually, the first version of the build had Swashbuckler 1 for Arcane Stunt (Spider Climb) - hence I was looking for a Dex boosting Rage for Weapon Finesse.  I think I'll still go for Ferocity tho - it's summat a bit different.

Quote
3. Does the Death from Above use of the Roof-Jumper feat require an action in your opinion?  The text doesn't state it does, but I'm not sure if that's an oversight (be warned, if it just triggers whenever I drop down then I can use Blink Shirt to teleport myself 20 ft. upwards and then drop straight down ).

Give me a short while to consider that, I'm AFB. I'll get back to you on this one this evening after I get a chance to re-read roof-jumper.

Yeah, it's a bit ambiguously worded.  I'm not sure if falling takes an action is the issue, I don't think that's ever been defined.  I know you can end your turn halfway through a jump (tho most people handwave that imx), but not sure about falling.

In general, an urban totemist would be a great addition to the grey citadel campaign, so keep up the good work!

That's the plan - I couldn't think of a "social" melee character I liked, then I saw the Roofjumping stuff.  Plus it gives me something unusual to play around with rather than repeat the same old builds all the time.  I take it there are enough buildings and tall caverns/tunnels that I'm not wasting my time with it all then?








Anyway,

What I didn't realise at first is that pfooti enforces multiclassing xp penalties.  Shifter has Favoured Class: Ranger, so it's not really gonna work.

I'm not that upset about it tho, as I actually think I can make better use of the feats elsewhere, and without a metric ton of Shifter feats there's not much point being one.

So, has anyone got any suggestions for a good choice of race with Favored Class: Barbarian?  Ideally, I'd like some sort of climb speed and/or some natural weapons.

There is also one race with Totemist Favored Class - the Duskling.  It's not very exciting tho.

However, another idea I've got is this - I got a look at Drow of the Underdark in the shop, and there's a feat in there called Shu'quos School (or something like that) - which lets you knock people prone if you charge/Spring Attack them from a greater elevation (i.e. if I use Roofjumper).  I think that would be incredibly cool - jumping on them, knocking them down, and ripping them to pieces all in one fluid motion.

It requires Spring Attack tho, which isn't necessarily a massive problem because if I take Dodge, Mobility and Martial Study (for Balance as a class skill) then I can qualify for Roofwalker/jumper normally, not use the Barbarian sub level and instead get Lion Totem Barbarian.  This will require being a human (which also solves the favored class problem):

Human
Feral 1
Barbarian 1          Dodge, Extra Rage, Martial Study (Stone Dragon: Charging Minotaur), Mobility
- Ferocity variant (City WE), Lion Totem (CC)
Totemist 1
Totemist 2           Roofwalker
Totemist 3
-----------------------------
Totemist 4
Totemist 5            Roofjumper
Totemist 6
Totemist 7
Fighter 1           Spring Attack (B), Shu'quos School
- Hit n Run variant (DotU)
Totemist 8
Totemist 9
Totemist 10       Double Chakra Bind (Totem)
...

Unless someone has a better idea I think that's gonna be my choice - it means I start with pounce, it frees up a bound chakra by not needing to bind Sphinx Claws, and gives me Shu'quos to look forward to.  I'm also planning on using skill retraining to keep a good number of ranks in Climb and Jump, even tho they're not Totemist class skills.

I could get the Mobility enhancement on my armour, thereby freeing up a feat (not entirely sure I want so many of my feats dependent on an item tho).  But if there is a good race with Favored Class: Barbarian I might still go with that.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2008, 03:27:42 PM by DaveTheMagicWeasel »

DaveTheMagicWeasel

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Re: [Grey Citadel] Roof-jumping Shifter Totemist / Barbarian
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2008, 12:34:52 PM »
*bump*

So, I noticed that Feral changes your favoured class to Barbarian, and pfooti has just okayed the use of some Mobility armour for feat prereqs, which means Shifter is back on the table:

Abilities: Str 20 (+4 Ferocity +2 Shifting), Dex 14 (+4 Ferocity), Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 6
Code: [Select]
Ability Base Points Feral Shifter Levels
Str 8 8 (15) +4 (19) +1 (20)
Dex 8 6 (14) -2 (12) +2 (14)
Con 8 6 (14) +2 (16)
Int 8 10 (16) -4 (12) -2 (10)
Wis 8 2 (10) +2 (12)
Cha 8 0 (8) (8) -2 (6)

Shifter (Longtooth)
Feral 1
Barbarian 1   Extra Rage, Martial Spirit (Stone Dragon: Charging Minotaur), Midnight Dodge
Totemist 1   Mobility (B - Mobility Armour)*
Totemist 2   Roofwalker
Totemist 3
Totemist 4
Totemist 5   Roofjumper
Totemist 6
Totemist 7
Totemist 8   Cobalt Rage
Totemist 9
Totemist 10
Totemist 11   Double Chakra (Totem)
Totem Rager 1
Totem Rager 2
Totem Rager 3   Shifter Multiattack
Totem Rager 4
Totem Rager 5
Totem Rager 6   Shifter Savagery
Totem Rager 7
Totem Rager 8

* In case anyone wants to point out that I can't afford the armour at level 2 - I took Mobility at level 1, used that to qualify for Roofwalker, and then retrained Mobility to Extra Rage once I did have the armour.

Skills: Maxed Out Balance, Clumb, Jump and Tumble (using Skilled City Dweller for Tumble as class skill and PHB2 skills retraining to get the ranks where I want them)

Usual Soulmelds:
Girallon Arms (bound to Totem for 2 extra claw attacks)
Phase Cloak (climbing)
Kruthik Claws (Hide and Move Silently)

Future Soulmelds: Blink Shirt (at will Dim Door), Totem Avatar (natural armour, hp, bind to totem for bonus damage), bind Phase Cloak to Shoulders for Etherealness asap.

Equipment:
- +1 Mobility Studded Leather
- Mwk tools for Hide, Move Silently, Balance, Tumble, etc
- Dire Shifter Braids (Enlarge Person while shifting)
- Potions of Spider Climb

Future Equipment: Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis, Smashing Tail Draconic Graft, Buffeting Wings Draconic Graft