These CO Olympics are, overall, dedicated to early usage of the Epic Skills from the ELH. You can find information on epic uses of skills at http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/skills.htm.
***CO OLYMPICS***
The CO Olympics will be broken down into 3 separate events - the Social Gauntlet, the Tests of Agility, and the Trials of Survival.
THE TESTS OF AGILITY
THE TESTS OF AGILITY
Watch in amazement as PCs from far and wide perform feats of strength and agility beyond anything ever before seen. These are tasks that mere mortals were told they could never do, tasks that seem to boggle the mind.
Watch in amazement as PCs from far and wide perform feats of strength and agility beyond anything ever before seen. These are tasks that mere mortals were told they could never do, tasks that seem to boggle the mind.
Trial 1
Character enters a hallway blocked off by a Wall of Force. He or she must pass through the wall without dispelling it, and reach the other side.
Appropriate Check: Escape Artist DC 120.
Appropriate Check: Escape Artist DC 120.
Also, MAJOR bonus points for doing so in a mundane manor, although spells are allowed.
Similarly, placing a creature with a racial swim speed in the swimming competition, or a racial climb speed in the climbing competition, is allowed but heavily frowned upon by the judges!
In the case of the single trials, judging is simple - the medal goes to the contestant who can get closest to the required skill, at the lowest ECL.
In the case of a tie, the higher bonus wins.
Judging for the rest will be determined by a number of factors. Judges will be looking at ECL and number of trials completed, primarily. However, as intimated above, doing so in a mundane fashion will consistently wow the judges more than casting a spell.
For the gauntlets, each contestant will receive a "per trial" score and an "overall effort and thematics" score, the sum of which will be the total score.
Anyone interested in helping out with judging, please speak up! Also, I'm definitely taking suggestions on this whole thing...
Grishnak Worgfriend
Goblin Totemist 20
Feats of note: Expanded Soulmeld Capacity, Animal Affinity, Skill Focus (Ride)
Abilities of note: Dex 30 (Starting 18, +2 racial +5 levels, +5 item)
Has riding bracers shaped and bound to his totem chakra. With Expanded Soulmeld Capacity and Totem Embodiment activated and maximum essentia in his riding bracers he gains a total of +32 competence bonus on Ride checks.
So, his total bonus is +10 (Dex) +4 (racial) +32 (riding bracers, competence) +23 (skill ranks) +3 (Skill Focus, unnamed) +2 (Animal Affinity, unnamed) +2 (military saddle, circumstance) +2 (Handle Animal 5 ranks, synergy) = +73
On a roll of 1 he gains a modest result of 74, while on a roll of 20 his result is 93.
I'm now going to start reverse engineering to see if I can hit 60 at a lower level.
Edit: Messed up with calculating the bonuses.
EDIT: More thoughts on what to ban...
Should Divine Insight (and similar spells) be allowed? I have no problem with folks using spells to help achieve their goal, when we're talking lasting spells. However, Divine Insight is more of a "once a day" type deal, as opposed to, say, the spell Jump where you get a bonus to that skill for a prolonged time...
Perhaps just look more kindly on builds that don't use those spells, just as builds that can perform these skill tricks without using magic at all are even more impressive?
I just worry that every single build will want to dip into Cleric, for the awesome combination of helpful domains plus a +15 insight bonus from Divine Insight...
ECL 8 Cleric
Human, Cloistered Cleric 4/Human Paragon 3/Divine Oracle 1 (ECL 8)
Domains: Nobility, Celerity, Knowledge, Oracle
Traits: Illiterate, Saddleborn (each provides unnamed +1 Ride)
Flaws: Any
Feats: Saddleback (regional) [PGF], Animal Affinity [PHB], SF (Ride) [PHB], Daredevil Athlete [CSco], SF (Know (Religion)) [PHB]
Starting Dex of 18, +2 levels, +2 Human Paragon = 22
Spells: Divine Insight, Cat's Grace
11 ranks +2 synergy +2 Animal Affinity +3 Skill Focus +5 competence (Daredevil Athlete) +15 insight (Divine Insight) +2 traits +2 morale (Nobility domain power) +8 Dex = +50
Take 10 with Saddleback to always hit DC 60, enough to meet the riding portion of the trial.
Domains: Nobility, Celerity, Knowledge, Oracle
Traits: Illiterate, Saddleborn (each provides unnamed +1 Ride)
Flaws: Any
Feats: Saddleback (regional) [PGF], Animal Affinity [PHB], SF (Ride) [PHB], Daredevil Athlete [CSco], SF (Know (Religion)) [PHB]
Starting Dex of 18, +2 levels, +2 Human Paragon = 22
Spells: Divine Insight, Cat's Grace
11 ranks +2 synergy +2 Animal Affinity +3 Skill Focus +5 competence (Daredevil Athlete) +15 insight (Divine Insight) +2 traits +2 morale (Nobility domain power) +8 Dex = +50
Take 10 with Saddleback to always hit DC 60, enough to meet the riding portion of the trial.
If I have time, I will give this a try with an Artificer.
At will item of Guidance of the Avatar, Divine insight and Improvisation should give you a hefty bonus to any and all skill checks. +35 from the two first ones alone.
Ugh - Guidance of the Avatar? Isn't that the horribly not-thought-out spell from the old "Spellbook" online feature, from before things were updated to 3.5? I guess technically since it wasn't reprinted in a 3.5 book, it's still valid as a spell, but one might think it wasn't reprinted because a flat +20 comp. bonus to a skill at third level is ridiculous...
Azurin Totemist 20. Phase Cloak bound to Shoulders to bypass the Wall of Force with ease. Shape Soulmeld (Airstep Sandals) can allow you to stop midair before you hit the ground in challenge 2, so that negates the falling damage entirely.
Oddly, there isn't a Soulmeld that grants a Climb speed. You think they would have made one, eh?
Standard 3.5 books,
?????, What do you consider Standard 3.5? Does it mean any 3.5 book besides Campaign or 3rd Party? Or is it closer to CORE only.
Sinfire Titan, re-read the rules - the goal is to find ways to hit the epic uses of skills during pre-epic, rather than finding ways to bypass the skill entirely. As pfooti pointed out, otherwise it would be ridiculously easy for a lot of them (ie, a level 1 wizard Abrupt Jaunting past the Wall of Force).
Venerable Dragonwrought Kobold = True Dragon able to take EPIC feats
takes several EPIC Skill Focus Feats, provided that he is at least 17th lvl
EPIC SKILL FOCUS [EPIC] Prerequisite: 20 ranks in the skill selected.
Benefit: The character gains a +10 bonus on all skill checks with that skill.
Special: A character can gain this feat multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time a character takes the feat, it applies to a different skill.
:D
so as altpersona said: "i see a vision of a decrepit kobold on a three tiered platform, with a dozen gold and silver medals around its neck.. "
Venerable Dragonwrought Kobold = True Dragon able to take EPIC feats
takes several EPIC Skill Focus Feats, provided that he is at least 17th lvl
:D
The only problem with that being that unless he can somehow gain a ton of feats after 17th level, he can only gain it once before hitting epic.
Elf Totemist 20 (can you see a pattern here?)
Abilities of note: Wis 28 (starting 18, +5 levels, +5 item)
Spot at 23 ranks (obviously)
Feats of note: Expanded Soulmeld Capacity, Alertness, Skill Focus (Spot), Shape Soulmeld (keeneye lenses)
Same trick as with the goblin rider: great raptor mask shaped and bound to the totem chakra, combined with Totem Embodiment for a +30 competence bonus on Spot checks. Keeneye lenses shaped and with maximum essentia invested for a +12 insight bonus to Spot.
So, to total everything up: +9 from Wisdom, +23 from skill ranks, +2 from Alertness, +3 from Skill Focus, +2 racial, +30 from great raptor mask and +12 from keeneye lenses. That's +81, enough to automatically succeed on the Spot check no matter what he rolls.
Incarnum makes everything better.
a necrop wiz, alterselfing or othermorphing to an shadow/wraith for the escape artist challenge isnt legal right?
The only problem with that being that unless he can somehow gain a ton of feats after 17th level, he can only gain it once before hitting epic.
Should someone Emrace/Shun The Dark Chaos, they could easily beat all of the tests.
Dragonwrought Kobold Dweomerkeeper takes the cake. But no style points here...
so, for the record... (heh thats a joke...)
a necrop wiz, alterselfing or othermorphing to an shadow/wraith for the escape artist challenge isnt legal right?
Correct (although an incorporeal creature still can't pass through a Wall of Force, so it'd be moot anyhow). There is nothing, however, to stop you from Polymorphing into something with a high racial Escape Artist bonus. The goal is to make the DC 120 Escape Artist check, not just to get to the other side of the wall.
Elan Commoner 1 with whatever the requisite INT would be in order the acquire the three skill points needed. I'm not sure how many skill points per level they get, or what is on their class list, but it doesn't really matter. When you've got eternity to complete the challenge, you have to succeed eventually. (I'm assuming that it is Elans that live forever, otherwise change this to Necropolitan)
Trial 1
Character enters a hallway blocked off by a Wall of Force. He or she must pass through the wall without dispelling it, and reach the other side.
Appropriate Check: Escape Artist DC 120.
Strategy:
Run into the wall repeatedly until a tunnel effect propogates me through it. Elans have either a really long lifespan, or are ageless, I disremember which, but anyway, one ought to be able to do it until it happens.
Trial 2
Character will be taken to the Cliff of Despair, a precarious cliff with a half-mile drop. He or she will be dropped from the cliff and must land safely, taking no damage, without the aid of Feather Fall and similar spells.
Appropriate Check: Tumble DC 100.
Strategy:
Dig a ditch at the bottom of the cliff and fill it with water/pillows/gelatinous cubes. Jump in!
Trial 3
Character will be in a tall room with perfectly formed walls and ceiling made of smooth and featureless marble. He or she must climb up the wall and to the center of the ceiling.
Appropriate Check: Climb DC 100.
Strategy:
A rank in Craft: Scaffolding and Use rope ought to be sufficient.
Trial 4
Character will be tossed in the rapids of the Amazon river, where they must swim against the current, and up a small waterfall.
Appropriate Check: Swim DC 80.
Strategy:
A ranks in handle animal, combined with afforementioned rank in use rope should be enough to attach myself to many donkeys and have them haul me upriver.
Trial 5
Perhaps the most looked forward to event of all, the character must ascend Skytower, the world's tallest tower. From there, he or she must step off of the roof and stand on a cloud for five minutes, before re-entering the tower.
Appropriate Check: Balance DC 120.
Strategy:
Find a source of some type of lighter than air gas, and use it to produce balloons which will provide neutral bouyancy at cloud level.
I don't see any rules against using tools in order to lower the requisite DCs to something managable with little or no training.
So, here's my entry for the Balance part of the competition (Trial 6 under Agility, balance on a cloud, DC 120):
ECL 20 Swiftwing Shifter
Swiftwing Shifter, Shifter Ranger 4/Rogue 1/Cloistered Cleric 1/Shadowbane Stalker 8/Reachrunner 5/Exemplar 1 ECL 20
Flaws/Traits:
Illiterate, Slow, (any other flaw)
Domains:
Knowledge, Nobility, (any)
Feats:
Track, Endurance, Hover, Winged Warrior, SF (Balance), Agile, Shifter Acrobatics, Swiftwing Elite, (any 3 other Shifter feats)
Starting Dex of 17 +2 racial +5 levels +6 item = 30, 32 when Shifting
Spells: Shifter Prowess (racial bonus on Balance increases to +8), Surefoot (+10 competence to Balance), Divine Insight
23 ranks +11 Dex +2 synergy +2 Agile +3 Skill Focus +10 competence (Surefoot) +8 racial +15 insight (Divine Insight) +10 enhancement +10 Shifter Acrobatics +4 Winged Warrior +5 Reachrunner +2 Aid Another (animal companion) +1 illiterate +2 circumstance (Masterwork Tool) +2 morale (Nobility domain)
Total Bonus: +110
Take 10 with Exemplar for 120, enough to Balance on a cloud.
Items Required:
+6 Dex item, Ring of Balancing +10 (if this is not available, the spell Walk the Mountain's Path from RoS gives a +10 enhancement to Balance), masterwork tool of balancing
Swiftwing Shifter, Shifter Ranger 4/Rogue 1/Cloistered Cleric 1/Shadowbane Stalker 8/Reachrunner 5/Exemplar 1 ECL 20
Flaws/Traits:
Illiterate, Slow, (any other flaw)
Domains:
Knowledge, Nobility, (any)
Feats:
Track, Endurance, Hover, Winged Warrior, SF (Balance), Agile, Shifter Acrobatics, Swiftwing Elite, (any 3 other Shifter feats)
Starting Dex of 17 +2 racial +5 levels +6 item = 30, 32 when Shifting
Spells: Shifter Prowess (racial bonus on Balance increases to +8), Surefoot (+10 competence to Balance), Divine Insight
23 ranks +11 Dex +2 synergy +2 Agile +3 Skill Focus +10 competence (Surefoot) +8 racial +15 insight (Divine Insight) +10 enhancement +10 Shifter Acrobatics +4 Winged Warrior +5 Reachrunner +2 Aid Another (animal companion) +1 illiterate +2 circumstance (Masterwork Tool) +2 morale (Nobility domain)
Total Bonus: +110
Take 10 with Exemplar for 120, enough to Balance on a cloud.
Items Required:
+6 Dex item, Ring of Balancing +10 (if this is not available, the spell Walk the Mountain's Path from RoS gives a +10 enhancement to Balance), masterwork tool of balancing
So far, I've got a human Rogue 11/Marshal 9 (Jack F. Alltrades)
Str 8; Dex 14; Con 8; Int 14; Wis 12; Cha 18
With +6 enhancement to Wis & Int (item); +4 book for Int & Dex, +5 book for Cha., Aura Vitality (wand) +4 moral bonus to Str. & Dex; Bite Werebear (wand) +16 enh. to strength; Divine Agility (wand) +10 enh. to Dex, Grace (wand) +2 sacred to dex; Nixie's Grace (wand) +8 enh. to cha; Owl's Insight (wand) +10 Insight to Wis.; Righteous Aura/Fury (wands) +4 Sacred Str. & Cha. gives me total abilities of:
Str. 8+16 (enh.)+4 (sacred)+4 (moral)= 32 (or +11)
Dex. 14+4 (book)+4 (moral)+10 (enh.)+2 (sacred) = 34 or +12
Con 8
Int 14+4 (book) +6 (headband) = 24 or +7
Wis 12 + 6 (enh.) + 10 (insight) = 26 or +9
Cha. 18 + 5 (lvls) + 5 (book) + 8 (enh) +4 (sacred) = 40 or +15
Feats: Agile, Able Learner, Skill Focus (diplomacy), Skill Focus (escape artist), Negotiator, Open minded, Skill Focus (spellcraft), Skill Focus (sense motive), Saavy Rogue.
As Marshal lvl 9, I can motivate skills based upon 5 abilities (str, dex, int, wis. and cha., were my choices oddly). That's a +15 circumstance bonus to each (who needs masterwork tools?).
btw - UMD: 1 rank + 15 (cha.) + 15 (circ.) = 31 v. DC 20 to use a wand.
Guantlet #1 Agility (5/5 completed)
Challenge #1: Escape Artist DC 120.
22 Ranks + 12 (Dex) + 15 (Mot. Dex) + 20 (Comp - Salve of Slipperiness) +4 moral (greater heroism) + 10 Luck (Impr. cl 20) + 15 (Divine Insight) + 3 (skill focus) + 2 (Agile) + 12 (Rogue Skill Mastery + Saavy Rogue, CS) +5 (panic button, CS) = 120.
Challenge #2: Tumble DC 100.
23 ranks + 12 (dex) +15 (Mot. Dex) + 10 (comp - skin nimbleness, MIC) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 12 (Rogue Skill Mastery/Saavy Rogue) = 101.
Challenge #3: Climb DC 100.
5 ranks + 11 (str) + 15 (mot. str.) + 10 (comp - ring of climbing) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) +2 (armbands of might - untyped) + 20 (enh. - climb walls spell) + 10 (can take 10 on climb checks) = 102.
Challenge #4: Swim DC 80.
5 ranks + 11 (str) + 15 (mot. str.) + 10 (comp - ring of climbing) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) +2 (armbands of might - untyped) + 8 (swim spell, untyped) + 10 (swim spell allows taking 10) = 90
Challenge #5: Balance DC 120.
19 ranks + 2 synergy + 12 (dex) + 15 (mot. dex) +4 moral (greater heroism) + 10 Luck (Impr. cl 20) + 15 (Divine Insight) + 15 (comp - Improved Balance, Armor) + 2 (agile) + 5 (panic button, SC) +10 (enh - walk the mnt path spell) + 12 (Rogue Skill Mastery/Saavy Rogue) = 121
Trial #2: Social. (2.5/6 completed)
Challenge #1: Handle Animal DC 125.
I was able to get to 93 +d20 on this.
Challenge #2: Diplomacy DC 150.
Failed again... got up to 125.
Challenge #3: Perform DC 150.
Only a 97+d20...
Challenge #4: Sense Motive DC 100
23 ranks + 9 (wis) + 15 (Mot. wis)+ 5 (comp - 3rd eye expose) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight)+3 (skill focus) + 2 (negotiator) = 86. Need to roll a 14 to make this one.
Challenge #5: Sleight of Hand DC 80, Hide DC 60
Sleight of Hand: +2 (aid another - with a 15 circ. bonus, the halfling chick will be able to help with both) + 5 ranks + 2 (synergy) + 12 (dex) + 15 (mot. dex) + 10 (comp - gloves manual prowess) +4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 12 (Rogue skill mastery/saavy) = 89
Hide: +2 (aid another) + 5 ranks + 12 (dex) + 15 (mot. dex)+4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) = 63
Challenge #6: Disguise DC 40 (with a -50 penalty), Bluff DC 70.
Disguise: 12 ranks + 2 synergy + 15 (cha) + 15 (Mot. charisma) + 10 (hat of disguise, untyped bonus) + 5 (comp - skill shard) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 12 (Rogue skill mastery/saavy rogue) = 100.
Bluff: 5 ranks + 15 (cha) + 15 (Mot. charisma) + 5 (comp - shawl of bewitching) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 10 (enh. - Voice of Dragon spell) = 79 +d20
Trial #3: Survival (5/6 completed)
Challenge #1: Listen DC 80, Spot DC 80.
Listen: 17 ranks + 9 ability + 15 (mot. wis) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 2 (Ioun stone alertness) + 1 (alch - keenear powder) + 2 (comp - Owlfeather armor) +2 (embrace wild spell, untyped) +8 (essence raptor spell, untyped) = 84 + d20
Spot: 4 ranks + 9 ability + 15 (mot. wis) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 2 (Ioun stone alertness) + 1 (alch - Fareye oil) + 5 (comp - Owlfeather armor) +2 (embrace wild spell, untyped) +8 (essence raptor spell, untyped) + 12 (Rogue Skill mastery/saavy) = 87
Challenge #2: Search 60 & Spellcraft 80
Search: 1 rank + 7 (int) + 15 (mot. int) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 5 (lenses detection, untyped) + 10 (comp - dragon's eye amulet) + 10 (take 10 on search) = 77.
Spellcraft: 11 ranks (cross-class skill, with able learner) + 7 (int) +15 (mot. int.) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 3 (skill focus) + 5 (comp - skill shard) + 10 (take 10) = 80
Challenge #3: Ride DC 60.
7 ranks + 2 synergy + 12 (dex) + 15 (mot. dex) + 5 (comp - riding boots) + 4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) = 70+d20
Challenge #4: Use Rope DC 80.
3 ranks + 12 (dex) + 15 (mot. dex) + 10 (comp - gloves manual prowess) +4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 12 (Rogue skill mastery/saavy) = 81.
Challenge #5: Survival DC 80
23 ranks + 9 (wis) + 15 (mot. wis) +4 (moral) + 10 (luck) + 15 (insight) + 5 (comp - map unseen lands) + 8 (essence raptor, spell, untyped) +10 (take 10)= 99
Which means while handily getting past challenge #5... challenge #6 is impossible at DC 120.
If cohorts were allowed (wasn't clear in the rules settin' this up)... I might take out Negotiator and take leadership instead for the aid another (and spell that bumps that bonus up by +2).
While I assume that since most of the items needed for this were relatively inexpensive (aside from the wands - I didn't take the time to price those out)... I assume the equipment could be purchased with the starting wealth of a level 20 character.