User talk:Rask

Alternative Build for Maril Graccen, more fighty from the start. Does need the following things approved:

Major Bloodline: Storm Giant

As described here: [1]

No adaptations necessary, but since the mechanics are a bit weird, it's better to check if we are on the same page. As I understand it:

bloodline levels do not raise ECL

bloodline levels do not add to BAB, saves, or non-calculated class abilities

bloodline levels must be taken right before (not just "at some point before when they would be cheaper") the levels in the table (3,6,12). E

bloodline levels DO count as class levels when calculating any character ability based on class levels, such as caster levels or monk unarmed damage progression

bloodline levels DO increase your maximum skill rank

bloodline levels increase the same ability (ex: animal companion level) granted by multiple classes only once, not once for each class

Example to illustrate all of the above:
A swordsage 1/ardent 1 character would need 3000xp to buy the first bloodline level.
A swordsage 1/ardent 1/bloodline 1 character has ECL2 and needs 3000xp to reach the next level. She gains +1 to her manifester level and initiator level from the bloodline level and may have a maximum skill rank of 6.

Swordsage

Unarmed Swordsage from Tome of Battle:

lose:

light armour proficiency

martial weapon proficiencies

gain:

monk unarmed damage progression

improved unarmed strike

unarmed strike counts as both natural and manufactured weapon, same as for the monk

Jade Phoenix Mage Psion

This is an adaptation of the Jade Phoenix Mage prestige class from Tome of Battle, basically replacing every reference to the arcane mechanics and terminology with the equivalent psionic mechanics and terminology.

Prerequisites

Alignment: any non-evil
Skills: Concentration 9 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) (psionics) 2 ranks,Knowledge (history) 2 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 2 ranks.

Class Features

The Jade Phoenix class features focus on improving your arcane spellcasting psionic manifesting ability, but they also vastly improve your capabilities in melee combat by focusing your arcane psionic energies into increased melee damage and through the acquisition of new maneuvers.

Spellcasting Psionics At each level except 1st and 6th, you gain new spells power points per day and an increase in caster manifester level (and spells powers known, if applicable) as if you had also gained a level in an arcane spellcasting psionic class to which you belonged before adding the prestige class level. You do not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. If you had more than one arcane psionic class before becoming a Jade Phoenix mage psion, you must decide to which class to add each level for the purpose of determining spells power points per day, caster manifester level, and spells powers known.

Maneuvers At each odd-numbered level, you gain a new maneuver known from the Desert Wind or Devoted Spirit disciplines. You must meet a maneuver’s prerequisite to learn it. You add your full Jade Phoenix mage levels to your initiator level to determine your total initiator level and your highest-level maneuvers known. At 3rd level, 6th level, and 9th level, you gain an additional maneuver readied per day.

Stances Known

At 5th level, you learn a new martial stancefrom the Desert Wind or Devoted Spirit disciplines. You must meet a stance’s prerequisite to learn it.

Arcane Psionic Wrath (Su) You can spontaneously channel stored spell psionic energy (prepared spells or spell slots) power points into your melee attacks. As a swift action, you can lose any prepared arcane spell or spell slot amount of power points, up to your manifester level to gain a +4 bonus on a single attack or martial strike, as well as an extra 1d10 points of damage per spell level power level you could have manifested with the amount of power points expended. Both bonuses can be applied only on an attack made before the beginning of your next turn. For example, if you lose a 3rd-level spell slot or prepared spell 5 power points, you gain a +4 bonus on an attack roll you make before your next turn, and you deal an extra 3d10 points of damage if your attack is successful.

Rite of Waking (Ex) Fl Note: I'd prefer to give this one up for no benefit due to fluff reasons

When you become a Jade Phoenix mage, you participate in the Rite of Waking with the master who accepted you into the society. This rite takes 10 minutes, but requires nothing other than the presence of a Jade Phoenix master and a suitable candidate. On completion of the rite, you gain awareness of your previous lives. You now remember places you visited, people you knew, and things you did in lifetimes long past. You gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge checks, and you can attempt a Knowledge check even if you are untrained in the appropriate Knowledge skill. You also gain a +2 bonus on saving throws against death effects and fear effects.

Mystic Phoenix Stance (Su) At 2nd level, you learn how to channel the energy from one of your stances in a new way. While you are in a stance from any discipline you know, you can forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain the effect of mystic phoenix stance. This ability lasts as long as you would maintain the stance, or as described below. You can also stop using mystic phoenix stance and resume gaining the normal benefit of the stance as a swift action. While you use this ability, your castermanifester level when you cast arcane spells manifest psionic powers increases by 1, and you gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC. In addition, when you first activate this ability, you can choose to expend an arcane spell slot at least 1 power point. If you do, you also gain damage reduction against all but evil-aligned attacks as long as you maintain the stance. The value of your damage reduction is equal to 2 × the level of the spell 1 + the amount of power points you expend (maximum damage reduction 10/evil for expending a 5thlevel spell 9 power points).

Empowering Strike (Su) Beginning at 4th level, when you successfully attack an enemy with a martial strike, an arcane spell psionic power that you cast manifested before the end of your next turn is empowered (as by the Empower Spell metamagic Power metapsionic feat). Casting a spell Manifesting a power that has been empowered through this ability does not increase the effective level of a spell power you cast manifest>. You do not need to know the Empower Spell Power feat to use this ability. You can use this ability once per encounter.

Firebird Stance (Su) At 6th level, you learn another application for a stance you know. While you are in a stance from any discipline you know, you can forgo its normal benefit as a swift action to gain the effect of firebird stance. This ability lasts as long as you would maintain the stance, or as described below. You can also stop using firebird stance and resume gaining the normal benefi t of the stance as a swift action. While this ability is active, you gain resistance to fire 10, and your caster manifester level when you cast manifest any fire spellpower increases by 3. In addition, you can choose to expend an arcane spell slot power points when you activate the ability. If you do, you gain an aura that deals 1d6 points of damage per spell level level of the power you could have manifested for that power point amount to any creature within 10 feet (Reflex half, DC 14 + key spellcastingmanifesting ability modifier). Half the damage dealt by the aura is fire, and the other half is raw arcanepsionic energy (untyped damage). The aura deals damage each round at the beginning of your turn. Once you activate this ability, the fiery aura lasts for 1 minute, after which time the effect ends and the normal effect of your stance resumes.

Jade Phoenix Master (Su) Note: as with waking, I'd prefer to just not have this ability for fluff reasons

When you attain 6th level, you earn the right to call yourself a Jade Phoenix master. You can now perform the Rite of Waking for someone else, provided he or she is a suitable candidate and embodies the reincarnated spirit of one of the ancient masters. (The DM decides if this is true for any given NPC.) You gain the ability to sense the direction and distance to the nearest Jade Phoenix mage, master, or candidate simply by meditating for 1 minute without interruption.

Quickening Strike (Su) Starting at 8th level, when you successfully attack an enemy with a martial strike, an arcane spellpsionic power of 5th level or lower that you cast before the end of you next turn is quickened (as by the Quicken Spell metamagic Power metapsionic feat). Casting a spell Manifesting a power that has been quickened by this ability does not increase the effective level of the spell you castpower you manifest. You do not need to know the Quicken Spell Power feat to use this ability. You can use this ability once per encounter.

Emerald Immolation (Sp) At 10th level, once per week you can perform the awesome emerald immolation. You explode in a searing blast of green fire that deals 20d6 points of damage in a 20-foot radius (Reflex half, DC 19 + key spellcasting manifesting ability modifier). Half the damage the blast deals is fire, and the other half is raw arcane psionic energy (untyped damage). Extraplanar creatures that fail their saves must immediately succeed on a Will save (DC 19 + key spellcasting manifesting ability modifier) or be dismissed to their native planes. This blast utterly destroys you, but 1d6 rounds later, you re-form in the exact spot where you were when you employed this ability. You are dazed for 1 round after you reappear, but you are healed of all damage (including ability drain or damage), blindness, deafness, disease, paralysis, or poison. Any equipment you were wearing or objects you were holding or carrying when you used this ability re-form with you, exactly as they were. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell power.