Post/Author/DateTime	Post
PainTrain 05-01-06, 04:32 PM	For a few weeks now I've been trying to come up with a solid melee type character that wasn't just a one trick pony like it seems everything I try is.I really loved the idea of the warshaper prestige class for a strong melee type, every level gives a strong ability not to mention the concept is really fun. I was looking up the ways to to achieve warshaper PrC requirements, looking at polymorph and different races. I eventually looked up Lycanthropes I saw that an afflicted weretiger warshaper would really be solid in any fighter/barbarian build. I was content with Just Barb/fighter/Warshaper but wanted to see if there was a way to squeeze a bit more out and I found it in the book Unapproachable East with the infamous Runescar beserker. I quickly realized that everything did a really good job complimenting the other in this combo. Human Lycanthrope: Weretiger Barb4/fight1-2/WarShaper4-5/Runescar Beserker 10 (using unearthed arcana LA plan) +Rage Variant Whirling Frenzy The perks: So at first you seem like just a standard barbarian who can rage and turn into a weretiger (large w/10foot reach). Your base race is human so you can take able learner in order to play around with more skills. You take some fighter levels if need be for extra feats if needed. The character really starts getting interesting as soon as you take warshaper levels. You're immune to criticalsand stuns, Your large claws and jaws which you have automatically improved natural attack for are now huge,+4str +4con, +5feat reach, morphic healing, and flashmorph/multimorph. Now you're an afflicted Lycanthrope Barbarian with complete control over your body. You have a healthy natural armor bonus, a lot of strength, a lot of HP, and a solid dex. You can claw and bite things up or you can arm yourself with weaponry. Next you move into your runescare levels giving you greater rage, +3 more natural AC, and the ability to cast 10 spells per day allowing you to now self buff/heal if need be (check RSB spell selection, he gets a great selection). Two really great ones of note are Greater Magical Weapon, allowing you to enchant your claws and jaws as +3 magical weapons so even if you're disarmed you've get access to magical piercing/slashing/crushing weapons. Finally probauly the nice big cherry on the top is Polymorph self really complementing your warshaper status. RPing: I can't help but laugh at the idea of the party resting while you are carving your skin with a dagger with the wounds naturally healing insanely fast. That's really gotta creep a few NPC's out haha. You can divy up feats as you like/need, it's a shame increased base attack bonuses don't add extra attacks otherwise snowtiger beserker would be awesome, although I suppose you could duel wield short swords w/ this build. Anyway I really like this combo. You're far from a simple one trick pony, you're a powerful melee character, who can cast important melee oriented spells, and can eventually mutate into anything to suit the needs of the situation. I bet this has all been figured out long ago by somone wiser than me but if not well I hope somone else gets some use out of it. I feel like it's a bit of guilt free optimization, there character in all actuality is pretty straight foward. Ack sorry if this seems a bit disorganized as a post. Edit: aha! I think I might have found a problem, I was only looking on the Monster Manual and thought that the +2 LA gave you all the lycanthrope perks but I found the template online, hhmm might have to rework quite a bit.
Surreal 05-01-06, 04:56 PM	You forgot to account for the animal hit dice in your ECL. A tiger has 6hd, and with the afflicted template for +2 LA, even a level 1 barbarian is the equivalent of a 9th level character (1 for barb, 6 from tiger, +2 from template).
PainTrain 05-01-06, 04:58 PM	yea just noticed that as well, found the template online.