Feral Shifter (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

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Author's Note: So... what do you call a flying rat?


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Author: Ghostwheel (talk)
Date Created: July 30th, 2009
Status: Complete
Editing: Clarity edits only please
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File:ManBat.jpg
"I'm the goddamn Manbat!"

Introduction[edit]

The ultimate in shifter savagery, your twin daggers become a part of your body as you tear through foes.

References[edit]

  • Unearthed Arcana
  • Eberron Campaign Setting
  • Races of Eberron
  • Tome of Battle
  • Complete Warrior
  • Magic Item Compendium

Game Rule Components[edit]

Progression[edit]

Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): (Assuming 32 Point Buy) 10 16 14 12 16 8

Race: Swiftwing Shifter

ECL Class/HD/LA Base
Attack Bonus
Saving Throws Feats Class
Features
Special
Fort Ref Will
1st Swordsage 1 +0 +0 +2 +2 Two-Weapon Fighting, Shadow Blade, Adaptive Style, Weapon Focus (Shadow Hand) Quick to Act +1
2nd Swordsage 2 +1 +0 +3 +3 AC Bonus
3rd Swordsage 3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Weapon Finesse
4th Swordsage 4 +3 +1 +4 +4 Insightful Strike (Tiger Claw or Diamond Mind)
5th Swordsage 5 +3 +1 +4 +4 Quick to Act +2
6th Swordsage 6 +4 +2 +5 +5 Shifter Agility
7th Bloodclaw Master 1 +4 +4 +7 +5 Shifting +1/day, Claws of the Beast
8th Bloodclaw Master 2 +5 +5 +8 +5 Superior Two-Weapon Fighting, Tiger Claw Synergy
9th Weretouched Master 1 +5 +7 +10 +5 Two-Weapon Defense Weretouched I (Rat Weretouched Master)
10th Weretouched Master 2 +6 +8 +11 +5 Healing Factor Wild Empathy
11th Weretouched Master 3 +7 +8 +11 +6 Weretouched II
12th Weretouched Master 4 +8 +9 +12 +6 Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Shifter Defense Frightful Shifting
13th Weretouched Master 5 +8 +9 +12 +6 Alternate Form
14th Bloodclaw Master 3 +9 +9 +12 +7 Pouncing Strike, Low-Light Vision, Shifting +2/day
15th Bloodclaw Master 4 +10 +10 +13 +7 Improved Two-Weapon Defense Tiger Claw Synergy (Strike)
16th Bloodclaw Master 5 +10 +10 +13 +7 Rending Claws, Scent, Shfiting +3/day
17th Swordsage 7 +11 +10 +13 +7 Sense Magic
18th Swordsage 8 +12 +10 +14 +8 Greater Two-Weapon Fighting Defensive Stance (Shadow Hand)
19th Swordsage 9 +12 +11 +14 +8 Evasion
20th Swordsage 10 +13 +11 +15 +9 Quick to Act +3

At level 20: Swordsage 10 / Bloodclaw Master 5 / Weretouched Master 5

Items of Note[edit]

  • +5 Mithral Shirt of Nimbleness
  • +5 Shadow Hand Frost Flaming Shocking Corrosive Dagger (x2)

Highlights[edit]

  • Assumed stats at level 20:
    • Dex: 16 (Base) + 2 (Racial) + 2 (Shifting) + 2 (Weretouched I) + 6 (Alternate Form) + 5 (Level) + 5 (Tome) + 6 (Item) = 44 (+17)
    • AC: 10 + 8 (Bracers of Armor) + 17 (Dex) + 6 (Wis) + 5 (+5 Ring of Protection) + 5 (+5 Amulet of Natural Armor) + 2 (Improved Two-Weapon Defense) + 1 (Shifter Agility) = 54
    • Attack Bonus: 13 (BAB) + 17 (Dex) + 8 (+5 Shadow Hand Daggers) + 1 (Weapon Focus) = +40/+40/+35/+35/+30/+30
    • Damage: 1d4 (Dagger) + 17 (Shadow Blade) + 4d6+5 (Magic) + 2d6 (Assassin's Stance) = 6d6+1d4+22
    • Total damage per attack comes out to 45.5 (on average).
    • Sample Attacks:
      • Time Stands Still + Raging Mongoose (+6 damage from Insightful Strike): +40/+40/+40/+40/+40/+40/+35/+35/+30/+30 x2 (51.5) does 896.1 damage when weighted against AC 40
      • Pouncing Charge + Inferno Blade: +42/+42/+37/+37/+32/+32 (73) does 371.3 when weighted against AC 40

Combat Sequence[edit]

  • Shift, charge, and rip the opponent to shreds.

Further Optimization[edit]

  • Add the effects of the Sword of Subtlety to your daggers for an increase to attack and damage when Assassin's Stance activates.
  • Spiritual Weapon to Dex instead of Weapon Finesse

Limitations[edit]

  • Creatures with a lot of DR or those immune to Sneak Attack

DM Counters[edit]

  • Usual melee defences apart from AC (illusions, concealment, distance, etc)

Variants[edit]

  • Can pick up Swiftwing Elite instead of Healing Factor for better maneuverability.
  • Taking the Longstride trait will give you a great move speed, which gives you better jump checks, which makes many of your Tiger Claw maneuvers more effective.
  • Two-Weapon Defense and Improved Two-Weapon Defense are basically filler feats; you can trade them out for any others that you like better. Some of these include...
    • Exotic Armor Proficiency for Twist Cloth armor (Races of Stone) for a greater AC at higher levels when your Dexterity bonus far outstrips the max allowed in most armor. You can also get this armor without taking the feat (see the particulars of the armor for details)
    • Close-Quarters Fighting (Complete Warrior) for defense against grapplers
  • Add in the Healing Factor feat (perhaps instead of Shifter Agility) to become... WOLVERINE-MANBAT. (After all, Bloodclaw Master gives you claws.) Pick up Shadow Jaunt to become... WOLVERINE-MANBAT-NIGHTCRLAWER. Add in proficiency with cards, a wand of Control Weather, and a level of Warlock to shoot beams from your eyes and you become... WOLVERINE-STORM-CYCLOPS-MANBAT-NIGHTCRAWLER-GAMBIT! And don't forget Shifter Defense; the DR allows us to be... COLOSSUS-WOLVERINE-STORM-CYCLOPS-MANBAT-NIGHTCRAWLER-GAMBIT!



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Ghostwheel's Homebrew (310 Articles)
Ghostwheelv
Article BalanceHigh +
AuthorGhostwheel +
Final Class ProgressionSwordsage 10 / Bloodclaw Master 5 / Weretouched Master 5 +
Identifier3.5e Optimized Character Build +
RaceSwiftwing Shifter +
RatingUndiscussed +
SummaryThe ultimate in shifter savagery, your twin daggers become a part of your body as you tear through foes. +
TitleFeral Shifter +