Thotham Pricklypear, half-giant/elf crossbreed warmage/fighter

[Inash]

Personality

Thotham is brash and a bit loud. He talks a good fight, but at the end of the day, he's a bit of a coward. He presents as the large, confident ready for action guy. Behind that persona, he'd rather be out in the hills somewhere.

History

Thotham is the result of a very rare love match between a wood elf and a half-giant. His parents were both border guards for their respective kingdoms: half-giants in a large desert region and wood elves in the 'forests' of the sagebrush steppes lining the north edge of the desert. He grew up primarily with his mother because, though excpetionally tall for an elf, his leanness fit in better there than with his father's people.

When he reached his majority, he joined the border guard himself and quickly became obsessed with being able to shoot foes from as far away as possible. When his enlistment ended, he set out to travel and seek his fortune. Eventually he washed up in the Realms Folded Tavern.

Statblock and Build Notes

Eventual Build: Crossbreed (wood elf)1/ Fighter (targeteer) 4 /Psychic Warrior 2/ Arcane Archer 10 / 3 levels TBD (probably fighter or Scout) | half-giant LA 1/ Warmage 19.
Yes, I'm cheesily grabbing 2 levels of psywar for the bonus feats - the half giant gets a couple of power points, so I thought it made some sense.

%5BURL%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.myth-weavers.com%2Fsheet.html%23id%3D2846215%5D%5BB%5D%5BSIZE%3D%2B1%5DThotham%20Pricklypear%5B%2FSIZE%5D%5B%2FB%5D%5B%2FURL%5D%0AM%20NG%20Elf%20(half-giant%20(SRD)%20%2F%20WoodElf%20crossbreed%201%2FWarmage%202%2F%2Fhalf-giant%20la%2FTargeteer%20fighter%202%2C%20%5BB%5DLevel%5B%2FB%5D%203%2C%20%5BB%5DInit%5B%2FB%5D%205%2C%20%5BB%5DHP%5B%2FB%5D%2025%2F25%2C%20%5BB%5DSpeed%5B%2FB%5D%2040%0A%5BB%5DAC%5B%2FB%5D%2016%2C%20%5BB%5DTouch%5B%2FB%5D%2012%2C%20%5BB%5DFlat-footed%5B%2FB%5D%2013%2C%20%5BB%5DFort%5B%2FB%5D%203%2C%20%5BB%5DRef%5B%2FB%5D%206%2C%20%5BB%5DWill%5B%2FB%5D%202%2C%20%5BB%5DBase%20Attack%20Bonus%5B%2FB%5D%202.5%20%2F2%20%0A%5BB%5D(%2B8%20%2F%202d8%2B6%20within%2030')%20MW%20Dragonbone%20Composite%20Greatbow%20(str%2B2)%20(40)%20%5B%2FB%5D%207%20(2d8%2B5%2C%20x3)%0A%5BB%5D%20%20Dagger%20%5B%2FB%5D%202%20(1d4%2B2%2C%2019-20%2Fx2)%0A%5BB%5D%20%20MW%20Studded%20Leather%5B%2FB%5D%2C%20%5BB%5D%20%20MW%20Buckler%5B%2FB%5D%20(%2B3%20Armor%2C%20%2B1%20Shield%2C%20%2B3%20Dex%2C%20-1%20Misc)%0A%5BB%5DAbilities%5B%2FB%5D%20Str%2014%2C%20Dex%2016%2C%20Con%2010%2C%20Int%2014%2C%20Wis%208%2C%20Cha%2015%0A%5BB%5DCondition%5B%2FB%5D%20Note%3A%20-6%20to%20AC%20v%20AoOs%20

Thotham Pricklypear
M NG Elf (half-giant (SRD) / WoodElf crossbreed 1/Warmage 2//half-giant la/Targeteer fighter 2, Level 3, Init 5, HP 25/25, Speed 40
AC 16, Touch 12, Flat-footed 13, Fort 3, Ref 6, Will 2, Base Attack Bonus 2.5 /2
(+8 / 2d8+6 within 30') MW Dragonbone Composite Greatbow (str+2) (40) 7 (2d8+5, x3)
Dagger 2 (1d4+2, 19-20/x2)
MW Studded Leather, MW Buckler (+3 Armor, +1 Shield, +3 Dex, -1 Misc)
Abilities Str 14, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 15
Condition Note: -6 to AC v AoOs

Posting Format

https://www.myth-weavers.com/index.php?/topic/19118-thotham-pricklypear-half-giantelf-crossbreed-warmagefighter/&do=findComment&comment=308813

 

Edited Friday at 05:01 PM by Inash (see edit history)

[Inash]

I'd completely missed that about crossbreed, thanks.

[Blue Jay]

So... half-giant, elf, crossbreed and silver dragon bloodline? You really don't believe in the concept of distinct species, do you? Like, at all? You frickin' maniac!

A couple things to clarify:

• Bloodline levels can add to your CL, but RFT doesn't allow you to count the same level twice for any calculations. So, if you gestalt Warmage with your Bloodline level, you won't benefit from the bloodline level's CL boost.
• The way I read Crossbreed, a monster class doesn't count as a "base race". So, you would need to start as a Half-Giant, and take Crossbreed to get elf traits. I don't know if that will impact your build or mechanics at all, but I think it's important to make that distinction. the Monster Blooded and Monster Hybrid feats were made for adding more monster classes.
• Also, I don't mind if you take Crossbreed and Half-Giant at the same level.
• It looks like you chose Ref for your Good save on the Crossbreed level?

Requests: can you give me a level-by-level breakdown of skill points, and itemize your equipment purchases, please; just so I can see everything laid out in an easy-to-audit format.

Finally, here's a build recommendation, which you don't have to take:

Since you're using a greatbow, might I recommend the exoticist or targetteer fighter variants from Dragon #310? Those variants would give you free exotic weapon proficiencies to cover your greatbow, and targetteer gives you access to Vital Aim as a feat (for Dex to damage). You would forfeit your martial melee proficiencies, but Half-Giant gives them back to you anyway, so it would pretty much be a zero-cost trade.

[Inash]

On 5/6/2024 at 8:28 PM, Blue Jay said:

You really don't believe in the concept of distinct species, do you? Like, at all? You frickin' maniac!

Oslecamo stuff is made to be silly, so I will be silly. Might pull the bloodline though - I started the build some time ago and don't remember a lot of the details. It's all nicely in a spreadsheet, but without a lot of 'why I did this' notes. Though it looks like I forgot to do the quadruple skill points at level 1; too much Pathfinder recently.

 

Edit: Also. Oh My! those variants are perfect!

Edited May 11 by Inash (see edit history)

[Inash]

Updated. Just need to finish getting equipment and add the height and weight and such.

Yes, ref as the good progression for crossbreed saves.

You're right, I don't think it matters if I'm adding elf to a half-giant or adding half-giant as a monster to the base elf in this case. My reading was you started with a base race (elf in this case) then take a level in crossbreed to add a second race (half-giant). Though I'm getting a bit lost in what's a race and what's a monster.

[Blue Jay]

19 hours ago, Inash said:

You're right, I don't think it matters if I'm adding elf to a half-giant or adding half-giant as a monster to the base elf in this case. My reading was you started with a base race (elf in this case) then take a level in crossbreed to add a second race (half-giant). Though I'm getting a bit lost in what's a race and what's a monster.

Well, Oslecamo is not known for readability, or for consistency; and Crossbreed is one of the most confusing ones.

But it does make a difference. The important point is that Crossbreed doesn't give you permission to take levels in another monster class: it just gives you the "racial traits and abilities of a base race". If "base race" included 1-level Oslecamo classes, then the level of Crossbreed would just replace the level of Half-Giant. You would give you all the Half-Giant's features with your level of Crossbreed, but you'd get Crossbreed's BAB, saves and skills instead of Half-Giant's. And you'd be allowed to keep any previous racial traits on top of it.

But then, that basically just makes Crossbreed into a power-up for 1-level Oslecamo classes that they simply don't need, and I wouldn't be willing to allow that even if that is how it's supposed to work.

 

[Inash]

Ok. I think I got it. Base race lvl 0 is .... something wiped out by the half-giant level. Crossbreed adds elf in.

12 hours ago, Blue Jay said:

but you'd get Crossbreed's BAB, saves and skills instead of Half-Giant's. And you'd be allowed to keep any previous racial traits on top of it.

That would be a pretty poor trade. No BAB, 1 good save and no other saves.

[Inash]

@Blue Jay I've gone ahead and roughed out a few different versions as different tabs on the spreadsheet above. 1 as posted above, 1 with crossbreed and half-giant on different levels, 1 with Stonebone and evolved from Dragon 350 (probably my least favorite of the lot - still costs 2 class levels and adds costing a feat, though it does get better stats), 1 dropping the attempts to get powerful build and 1 dropping powerful build and bloodline. I'm happy to go with whatever version will be the least obnoxious. I don't know who all of the mods are; if you let me know, I can give them access as well. Edit: I realized I could find the mods on the members list. I've tried to add @Delia2531 @rogueblade0729 @JCBarnes and @Rudolf to the private block with the spreadsheet link.

Side question, as written, it looks like Crossbreed would yet someone take 2 base races. Am I correct in reading it that way? - Not that it makes that much a difference since the base races I would add would be LA1, so the levels wouldn't change, just the attributes.

Edited May 11 by Inash (see edit history)

[Inash]

I’m simplyibg the build quite a bit. Please disregard the olescamo and dragon magazine requests

[Rudolf]

Ok. What’s the final version?

[Inash]

Updated the statblock, etc in the first post. I also renamed the tabs in the spreadsheet. I believe he is basically ready.

[Rudolf]

Needs a bit of tidying up, but looks largely correct.
 

• please leave a blank line between spell levels, to save my eyesight.
• is that a large greatbow? It should be labelled as such. What about the other weapons?
• Should all melee weapons do +2 damage, because 14 str? How did you get d4+1 for the kukri?
• please add weight of armor and weapons to equipment list, so we can check total weight
• the usual custom is // between the halves of a gestalt build, just so you know.
• 208 is a tad light if you’re 6’10”. Fine if you want to be skinny, though.
• can you copy the picture to the sheet? Thanks.
   

[Inash]

• Done. I did leave the Lesser orb of acid, lesser orb of cold, etc as one entry though.
• The greatbow is the only one that is large - I have it listed as such in the size box for the weapon but forgot to put it in the list as well. Looks like I forgot to change the strength rating there too.
• Yes, they should. The +1 was from a previous iteration. Fixed now.
• The weight of armor and weapons listed in the equipment slot above gets automagically added to the total. I need to have them in one place or the other to keep them from being double-counted. I've moved it to the equipment list.
• I did not know that. I'd seen the pipe (|) before and thought it was the norm.
• Yes. I tried to average the tables for the elf and half-giant. I remember how skinny my 6'4" high school buddy was at 160. I think it works here though. Clearly the elf genes expressing themselves.
• As soon as I find a picture. Done, but I'm going to need to keep looking for a better picture.

 

Edited Monday at 04:09 PM by Inash (see edit history)

[Inash]

And I just realized that I need to go look through his weapons for proficiency and adjust a few. - I forgot he isn't proficient in all martial melee right now.

 

Done.

Edited Monday at 04:37 PM by Inash (see edit history)

[Rudolf]

I’m sure you know, you -could- have a Large kukri and do more damage. Is that worth it? Only if you use it. *shrug*
 

Will finish review later tonight.