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JanusJones 12-03-06, 01:37 PM

Hey all! I've always been a fan of the Shadow Pouncer build, but it's never been achievable in the games I play in. Most of the campaigns I've been involved in don't let me get to 11th level, and it's always frustrated me that I could never quite make it. However, Magic of Incarnum does provide you with an avenue of development that will let you play a "mini-pouncer" of sorts - a early-level version of the Shadow Pouncer that will have its enemies blinking (yuk-yuk) in surprise. Here it is: Totemist 2/Monk 2/Warblade 1/Fighter 1: Improved Unarmed Strike (Monk 1), Sun School (6th), Martial Maneuver - Shadow Jaunt (Fighter 1). Bind a Blink Shirt to your Totem chakra. Now at 6th level, with Shadow Jaunt, you can teleport next to an enemy as a standard action and hit him once with Sun School. After that, you can blink as a move action using your Blink Shirt and hit him once again with Sun School. If the enemy is scary in close combat (something with a high Grapple score!), just port away instead. Try tripping as a tactic to make your strikes hurt more. After this you have a number of options. You'll notice that I haven't included any feats other than those that create the base tactic. This is because the build is flexible enough to accomodate whatever you imagine doing with it. If you want to make a tripper, you can; if you want to sunder, use stunning fist attacks, whatever - it's your choice. Early-level Tactics: This build is playable from first. Before you get your Shadow Jaunt/Sun School combo, bind a pair of Rageclaws (less damage than Sphinx Claws but more reliable due to enhancement bonuses and very useful thanks to the "Diehard" effect) and combo claw attacks with unarmed strikes. When you grab Warblade, use Punishing Stance to up your damage (when it's safe enough to do so) and Wolf Fang Strike to attack twice after a move. Use Totem Avatar to increase your AC, which will help a lot given your monkish limitations. If you don't mind starting as a Monk, you can get Hide and Move Silently early on, which you can then synergize with the Worg Pelt or Kruthik Claws soulmelds for a very sneaky character. A Basilisk Mask will also give you darkvision, letting you sneak ahead without alerting enemies. These tactics will take you safely to 6th level, where you can start doing something different. Options for advancement: Teflammer Shadow Lord: If this is available, and you want it, you can pick it up by grabbing Martial Stance - Assassin’s Stance at 9th, or by grabbing a Rogue level or two. Moreover, there’s nothing in the text of Sun School or Shadow Pounce to prevent them from stacking, so this option will let you attack one extra time on a full attack. Worth it if you go the TWF route with monk weapons. Best of all, you can start using your “‘port and attack” combat style from 6th level instead of having to wait until 11th. Plus, Teflammer Shadow Lord will let you have a better scaled late-level ability. Granted, you will gain pounce later than others - 13th instead of 11th - but that's the price for getting 6 levels of playability out of your combat style. Ultimately, this is your best advancement option. Totemist: Get a displacer cloak bound to your shoulder chakra for concealment, or bond your blink shirt to your heart chakra to blink. Sphinx Claws will help boost your Trip rolls, too. Binding a Worg Pelt to your hands will also give you a free trip attempt with any bite attack, so if you get Double Chakra you can trip with each attack for free. Scout: Go full Scout and use Skirmish to up your damage. After all, you’ll be moving around a LOT. Psychic Warrior/Warmind: Use Expansion to up your damage and reach. Knockback will also work wonders with this option, as you can use your last attack with a two-handed weapon (quarterstaffs count as monk weapons, remember!) to push back the enemy after your last attack, forcing them to risk an Aoo approaching you next round before you ‘port. Warblade: Keep upping those maneuvers and taking new stances. Shapeshift Druid: This will get you a quick boost to physical stats. Consider grabbing a feat to open your hands chakra and boosting your levels in Totemist so that you can bind 2 chakras total. Now bind a Worg Pelt to your hands and you’ve become a real Blink Dog - you telport in, bite to trip, teleport again, and bite to trip. If in FRCS, you can make this especially flavorful by grabbing Hyena Tribe Hunter from the Shining South supplement, making your shifted form actually look like a Hyena. Rogue: With Assassin’s Stance and Shadow Blade you can ramp your damage up nicely. If you manage to get some concealment to allow your sneak attacks (Blink Shirt, Displacer Cloak, etc.) you can lay some sneak attack dice on your ‘ports. Umbral Disciple makes a good PrC choice for doing this, since with it you can get Hide in Plain Sight and a nice concealing darkness aura, in addition to a few extra sneak attack dice. Enjoy your 'porting, people! :D