This character stacks up a LOT of high-efficiency options to obtain grotesque power. Like many (or most of the famous) character-optimization exercises, it goes well past the point of playability in the vast majority of games. Why bother then? Because Eclipse is a point-buy system. If you feel that your martial character is a victim of martial-caster disparity or otherwise needs a boost… you can simply cherry pick a few of the options used in this (or any other) character and throw them in to fix the problem.
Besides, serious character optimization is basically RPG solitaire. You wouldn’t want to do it all the time, but it’s fun once in a while. Be warned; this is going to get quite absurd. Not QUITE Pun-Pun level absurd, but close.
Xiao Hung Chan, usually known as “Uncle”, tends to be seen as some sort of relative – maybe a couple of times removed or something, but who cares? – by rather a LOT of people. At his age that’s probably only to be expected. When you have seven or eight generations of descendants, nieces, nephews, and hangers-on, you can find a family connection to half a continent.
Despite the confusion as to the exact relationship, Uncle looks after children, watches over the villages, trains youngsters – and quietly closes up his antique shop and steps out to oppose planetary threats.
At least in d20, and in this hideously overpowered incarnation, he doesn’t really need Jackie Chan and Section 13 to do so – although, to be honest, that was often true in the cartoon too.
Oddly enough, despite his rather remarkable power level, Uncle is a bit of a generalist. He’s an unarmed fighter of astounding skill, he is a master of the mystic martial arts, he dabbles in magic and spellcasting, he has minor psychic abilities, he channels the power of his own legend, and he is a Master Strategos. Does he fit in on Tier 1? Or beyond? Well… you’ll have to decide for yourself.
Race: Lesser Air Genasi (31 CP / +0 ECL Racial Template):
Attribute Modifiers: Attribute Shift x2 (12 CP), +2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Wis, -2 Chr. Air genasi are quick of hand and sharp of wit, but are easily distracted, arrogant, and short of social graces.
Inherent Spell, Specialized; only gets a second level spell (Levitate) once per day (3 CP).
Occult Sense/60′ Darkvision (6 CP).
Resist II: +4 to saves against Air spells and effects. Corrupted/only comes into play at +1 per 5 levels or part thereof (4 CP).
Breathless: Immunity/Having to Breathe (Very Common, Major, Minor, 12 CP). Lesser air genasi do not breathe, so they are immune to drowning, suffocation, and attacks that require inhalation (such as some types of poison).
Accursed/Planetouched. They are valid targets for things that affect humanoids and for those that affect outsiders. For example, both Charm Persona and Banishment will work on them (-3 CP).
Blocked/If they take clerical spellcasting abilities they must take the Air Domain – or pay an extra 3 CP to buy off this limitation (-3 CP).
OK, this is a stupid limitation – but it’s part of the original writeup and is needed to make our Lesser Air Genasi come out to a +0 ECL race. Personally I’m going to make sure that any character with this race takes some clerical spellcasting, just so that they have to buy this off to get a better domain.
Lesser air genasi reach adulthood at 15 years of age and can reach a maximum age around 150 years. In d20 terms this is almost identical to normal humans, so there’s no cost there.
Now for the actual build…
Available Character Points: 504 Base + 42 (Seven Bonus Feats) + 40 (Duties to his order and as one of the guardians of the world) +20 (Restrictions; no armor, no weapons) +10 (Disads; Compulsive need to banish demons, guard evil artifacts, and otherwise defend the world, History, and Hunted by various evil groups) +44 (Fast Learner taken at L (-2)) = 660 CP available.
Basic Attributes: Str 14 (+2, Reality Revision x2) (22) (38 with Bear Spirit), Int 18 (20 Race) (+5 Level) (+5, Reality Revision x5) (36), Dex 12 (14 Race) (20), Con 14 (+2, Reality Revision x2) (Bear 24) (30), Wis 8 (6 Race) (12) (Bear 16), Chr 8 (6 Race) (12) (High Powered Campaign).
When channeling a Bear Spirit – which is usually twenty-four hours a day – Str +16, Con +8, Wis +2 (instead of -2), +10′ Move, Improved Grab, Low-Light Vision, Scent, Endurance, Run, Track. +26 HP, and +5 Natural Armor.
Package Deal: Uncle does not currently have a package deal. If you want him to fit Pathfinder standards, go ahead and apply the Pathfinder Package Deal.
Basic Abilities (Attacking, 114 CP):
+15 BAB, Specialized in Unarmed Combat for Double Effect (90 CP).
He could go to +40 – and a fighter specializing in a particular weapon or two could easily go to +60 or more (Specialized in Melee or Ranged Combat, Corrupted for a few particular weapons only), but again, Uncle Chan is a generalist.
Imbuement (Unarmed Combat, Specialized / only while unarmored and either lightly- or un- encumbered (3 CP). +1, Collision/+2 (+5 Impact Damage, multiplies on a crit), Warning/+1 for +5 Insight Bonus to Initiative).
Fighter types usually have some extra feats or character points available. Investing a few in “I don’t NEED a special weapon” negates a MAJOR equipment expense and makes them a lot less vulnerable to having their gear destroyed. You can take a variant to imbue your armor and shield too if you wish – or go for double effect instead of half cost.
Bonus Attack/Unarmed Combat, Specialized / only while unarmored and either lightly- or un- encumbered (3 CP). Adds a second attack at the user’s highest BAB, but all attacks take a -2.
This is really kind of redundant in this build – simply investing in more BAB would give him a +2 to attack and eliminate the -2 penalty for using bonus attack, thus getting him an extra attack (and all of them at a higher BAB) ANYWAY – but I am showcasing options here, and Bonus Attack can be very handy at lower levels – which is presumably when Uncle Chan picked it up.
Lunge, Specialized / only while unarmored and either lightly- or un- encumbered (3 CP). Adds +5′ of Reach. With his Martial Art he has a total effective reach of 25′.
Another 3 CP here would get him his reach up to 30′ – or get someone without his martial arts up to 15′ – but Uncle Chan is something of a generalist. Besides… if you want to boost something in particular, that’s why he has “Create Relic” later on.
Rapid Strike, Specialized / only while unarmored and either lightly- or un- encumbered (3 CP). Iterative attacks are made every four steps, not every five.
Another 6 CP here would get it down to every two steps, but Uncle Chan already has more attacks than is at all reasonable. Still, if you want to go for twenty or thirty attacks, that’s quite possible. Stacking that with a few critical-boosters, specialized luck to help confirm criticals, and weapon with some good critical-triggered effects might be a good strategy.
Split Movement /Attacking, Specialized / only while unarmored and either lightly- or un- encumbered (3 CP). The user may make a partial move, strike, and move again.
With a few movement boosts, and some way to avoid attacks of opportunity, this can let you pull off some very nice hit-and-run attacks with very little risk.
Advanced Improved Augmented Bonus: Add (Int Mod) to (Str Mod) for melee combat purposes, Specialized / only while unarmored and either lightly- or un- encumbered, Corrupted / only for Unarmed Combat purposes (6 CP).
No hyper-warrior will want to pass this up. Flat numerical bonuses aren’t exciting, but they do add up to a LOT more damage output over a combatants career.
C’hi Strike/Augmented Attack/+3d6 (+10) Damage to overcome Damage Reduction and Hardness Only, Specialized / only while unarmored and either lightly- or un- encumbered, Corrupted / only with unarmed combat (3 CP).
This was important early on in Uncle’s career. It isn’t particularly important any longer, but who knows? He might spend another 3 CP to get it up to +20 someday just for those epic monsters. .
Weapon Proficiencies: Uncle has no use at all for weapons, and is long since out of practice with them. Ergo, he has no weapon proficiencies. If he wants to use any, he’ll just have to live with the non-proficiency penalty and a near-complete lack of bonuses or pick up an Immunity to the distinction between his fists and a weapon or some such. Until such a time, if he wants someone to completely underestimate him… picking up a weapon is probably the way to go.
Total Attack: +30 (Purchased) +14 (Str) +13 (Int) +12 (M. Art) +1 (Enh) +12 (Luck from Battle Blessing) +4 (Morale) = Full Attack of +86/+84/+84/+80/+76/+72/+68/+64/+60/+56 (one bonus attack from Personal Haste at his full BAB, another at -2 to itself and all further attacks from Bonus Attack, eight from a +30 BAB before L20 and reducing his BAB by only 4 per attack).
While BAB only increases iterative attacks up to level twenty, if you bump yourself past +20 before then, or reduce the interval, there’s no reason why you can’t get a lot more iterative attacks. In Eclipse, if you really insist, you can have quite a few of them.
His Base Unarmed Damage is 3d12 (Dragon Style Sun Source Martial Arts, see below) +14 (Str) +13 (Int) +5 (Collision) +1 (Enhancement) +12 (Luck) +3 (Wristbands) = 3d12+48, Crit 20/x2, 26 Attacks of Opportunity with 25′ Reach (covering and striking into all coexistent planes). He can stack many other boosts and special weapons powers on to that, but – most of the time – why bother?
That is expensive – a total of 114 CP, not counting some later expenses – but “hitting things” is a big element of being a fighter type, and Uncle Chan hits things very well indeed.
Basic Abilities (Hit Dice, 26 CP):
Augmented Bonus: Add (Int Mod) to (Con Mod) for HP Purposes (18 CP).
Hit Dice: 12 (L1d12, 8 CP) +52 (19d4, 0 CP) +36 (Im. Vigor III) +260 (Con Mod x 26) + 338 (Int Mod x 26) +26 (Bear) = 724 HP (Only 718 after Grafts). Damage Reduction of 12/- thanks to his Sun Source Martial Art.
OK, the characters massive AC and bonuses per die are doing all the heavy lifting here. Still, that should be enough to take a hit or two from most opponents – and a total of 26 CP is pretty cheap. Even better, his damage reduction should be enough to handle a lot of minor stuff.
This is really about edition change; once upon a time most battles were decided by slowly grinding through an opponents hit points before they ground through yours. Later edition fights tend to hinge on save-or-die, save-or-suck, specialized damage multipliers, and other conditional effects instead – mostly in an effort to make them more unpredictable and exciting. Then WOTC put out Feats like Faeries Secret of Mysteries and things just got weirder from there. Ovarall? Hit points are just not as important as they once were. You need enough to take a few hits – but wars of hit point attrition are pretty rare. Ergo it’s fair enough to get them on the cheap.
Basic Abilities (Saves, 81 CP):
Luck with +(2 x Int Mod = 26) Bonus Uses, Specialized in saves (9 CP).
Add Int Mod to All Saves (Improved Augmented Bonus III, Specialized and Corrupted / only while wearing light or no armor, only while lightly encumbered or unencumbered, only while he adheres to his monkish disciplines, 12 CP).
Saves are a pain. At high levels you usually either almost automatically make or fail them, barring a natural “1″ or “20″. Thus, even with massive save bonuses, some rerolls, or the ability to “take 20″ in advance, can be a lifesaver. Luck provides both. Since Luck is a limited resource you’ll still want good save bonuses though – and the cheapest way to get them is to throw in one or another version of the Paladin’s “add another attribute modifier” trick.
Fortune (the Evasion variant): The user takes no effect on a successful reflex save (6 CP). This is just too handy not to take.
Net Saves: All +6 (54 CP) +12 (luck from the Avatar of War Strategos ability) +13 (Int) +5 (Resistance) +4 (Morale) for +40, resulting in basic saves of Fort +50, Ref +45, Will +43. That’s good enough for most small stuff, and he has Luck for the big stuff. It should do.
Basic Abilities (Initiative, 52 CP):
Reflex Training/Three Action per Day Variant, with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized for Double Effect (Two Standard Actions)/only usable while unarmored and lightly or unencumbered (12 CP).
“Comic Book Time” – which is pretty much any version of “I act on someone else’s turn” – is one of the best defenses there is. Sniped with a laser beam? No worries! You have the time to turn to face it, chant a spell, and raise a shield! Go ahead, make physics cry!
Advanced Augmented Bonus: Add (Int Mod) to (Dex Mod) for Initiative Purposes, Specialized / only usable while unarmored and lightly encumbered or unencumbered (6 CP).
Reflex Training/Combat Reflexes variant, Specialized/only usable while unarmored and lightly encumbered or unencumbered (3 CP).
Advanced Augmented Bonus: Add (Int Mod) to (Dex Mod) for number of Attacks of Opportunity, Specialized / only while Unencumbered and Carrying a Light Load or less, Corrupted / only for unarmed attacks (4 CP).
Lightning Fist Technique: Opportunist/gets a chance to make an Attack of Opportunity on any opponent within reach who attacks him and misses, Specialized/only usable while unarmored and lightly encumbered or unencumbered (3 CP).
Guardian Fist Technique: Opportunist/gets a chance to make an Attack of Opportunity on any opponent within reach who attacks someone else (6 CP).
Go ahead. Lock down the entire battlefield. You know you want to. After all, it’s not like it’s going to prevent you from doing anything else you like – and it can really annoy a Charger type to be hit with four or five attacks of opportunity on the way in (and then, thanks to some later bits, to run into a force wall).
Danse of Time/Opportunist (6 CP): Chan may “ride along” with any nearby character who enters a fast timestream, taking actions along with them. (In effect, Uncle Chan gets to take actions of his own for free whenever anyone in the vicinity who uses Time Stop or a similar effect.
Go ahead. Let that annoying sorcerer stop time, and then decapitate him while none of his allies can do a thing to help him. After all, he’s just locked himself in a little cage of time with you).
Net Initiative +5 (Dex) +13 (Int) +8 (Improved Initiative, 6 CP + Domain Power) +5 (Insight, Warning Weapon) +2 (Competence, Belt of Battle) +10 (Luck, Improvisation) +6 (Synergy, Martial Arts) +4 (Morale) = +53
There are builds out there that push initiative a great deal higher than this – but most of them are using assorted classes with very similar abilities that add various attribute modifiers to Initiative over and over again. That won’t work in Eclipse. Still, +53 should be quite high enough for most purposes. If it isn’t, there are some magical tricks later on or you could just buy some Luck (Specialized and Corrupted to let you take 60) only for initiative.
Basic Abilities (Armor Class, 15 CP):
Defender, Specialized for Double Effect/only while unarmored and free to move (6 CP).
Any mid- to high-level combatant would be well advised to look at Defender. It’s fairly cheap and it provides very nice boost to armor class.
Advanced Improved Augmented Bonus: Add (Int Mod) to (Dex Mod) for AC purposes, Specialized / only while Unarmored and Unencumbered and Carrying a Light Load or less (9 CP).
We obviously have a bottleneck design here – we’re adding (Int Mod) to EVERYTHING – but it’s hard to deny the utility. Of course, if something reduces your intelligence you’ll have to recalculate half your character sheet – which is why there are defenses against that later on.
Armor Class 10 (Base) +12 (Martial Arts) +13 (Int) +5 (Dex) +8 (Defender) +8 (Bracers of Armor) +8 (Natural, with Bear and Amulet of Natural Armor) +12 (Luck, from Avatar of War) +5 (Defender) +5 (Deflection) = 86
That’s probably enough to fend off everything but natural 20’s (including Luck drat it) and the high end “never miss” builds.
Basic Abilities (Movement, 10 CP):
Celerity/+20′ Ground Movement, Specialized / only while Unarmored and Unencumbered and Carrying a Light Load or less (6 CP).
Celerity/Additional Movement Mode (Flight), Specialized and Corrupted/only to keep the user from taking damage from falls and extend their ability to jump (double the distance, with no upper limit) (4 CP).
A bit specialized, but CERTAINLY well worth it early on.
Net Move: 30 (Base) +30 (Enhancement) +10 (Bear) +20 (Celerity) +30 (Circumstance) = 120′ (Thanks to Legendarium and Items Fly 120’/Perfect and Swim 60)
Basic Abilities (Skills, 96 CP):
Skill Points 21 (21 CP) +299 (Int mod x 23, see below) = 320 SP
Occult Skill Access/Legendarium (3 CP)
Occult Skill Access/Foresight (3 CP)
While it’s easy enough to pep up “ordinary” skills in one way or another, Occult Skills can be quite powerful right out of the box – which is why they have an up-front cost of 3 CP and 3 SP to start really buying (about what it costs to get special powers out of a standard skill). Given that Legendarium provides you with the equivalent of built-in magical items, a lot of Uncle’s special defenses are going to rely on it. Still, that’s for later on.
Augmented Bonus/Adds (Int Mod) to Cha based skills (6 CP)
Augmented Bonus/Adds (Int Mod) to Dex based skills (6 CP).
Adept x 2 (May purchase Dragon Style Kung Fu, Legendarium, Foresight, Concentration, Spot, Tumble, Balance, and Disable Device for half cost, 12 CP).
Professional/Legendarium (6 CP).
Immunity/Dispelling and Antimagic (Common, Major, Epic, Specialized and Corrupted/only protects his Legendarium abilities 9 CP). This turns his legendary powers into Extraordinary Abilities, preventing them from being readily dispelled or countered – and also saves the game master from having to recalculate everything if he gets hit with some form of dispelling that he can’t (or doesn’t) counter.
Immunity/Not getting skill points for Int boosts retroactively (Uncommon, Minor, Great, 6 CP).
This is a common house rule, and the default in Pathfinder and some other editions. But I’ll pay for it explicitly here.
Sun Source Martial Art/Dragon Style Kung Fu (Dex): Skill Focus (6 CP), Stunt (6 CP) Professional (6 CP): 23 SP +5 (Dex) +13 (Int) +3 (Skill Focus) +10 (Professional) = +54
The Sun Source. The martial arts as commonly practiced are mere reflections in cracked and tarnished mirrors of the true masteries. Buy any one unarmed martial art, Specialized and Corrupted for Triple Effect: It only works if the user is Unarmored and Unencumbered, the more skilled the user becomes the more often he or she will be targeted by other martial artists, and focuses enormous amounts of C’hi. Great practitioners of the Sun Source are easily sensed by other martial artists, are subject ot C’hi draining and blocking tricks and substances, and must practice many odd little self-disciplines to maintain their power.
Martial Arts Powers (27): Strike 1 (3d4 Base, deal lethal or nonlethal damage at will without penalty), Power 4 (Increase base damage to 3d12), Synergy 1 (+6 to Initiative), Synergy 1 (+6 to Concentration), Attack 4 (+12 To Hit), Defenses 4 (+12 to AC), DR 4 (12/-), Lunge 1 (15′), 3 Advanced Techniques 1 (Mind Like Moon/DC 15 Ref save to avoid being Flat-Footed, Prone Combat, and Instant Stand), Master Techniques 2 (Breaking, Mobility, Expertise (Can take up to -5 of Attack to add +5 to AC), Blind-Fight, Improved Trip, and Whirlwind Attack), Occult Techniques 3 (Inner Strength/ +18 Phantom Con points, Ki Block, Light Foot, and Vanishing (1), Wrath, Healing Hand, and Iron Skin (1)). .
Mystic Artist / Martial Art (6 CP). Thirteen Mystic Artist Powers: Inspiration: Emotion, Greatness, Excellence, Mass Greatness, Mass Excellence, Heroism, Mass Heroism, and Double. Synergy: Block, Amplify, Harmonize, Serenity, and Rule the Horde
Yes, that’s right; by flexing his muscles properly Uncle Chan can produce powerful bardic-style effects. In combination with the Master Of The Arts maneuver, he can do it while fighting if he so desires.
Skills:
Appraise +0 (0 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +32
Balance +23 (12 SP*) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +10 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) +2 (Synergy with Jump) = +68
Bluff +1 (1 SP) +1 (Cha) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +34
Climb +2 (2 SP) +13 (Str) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +34
Command (covers purchasing Army Enhancements, as per the Political Positions rules. I’m going to assume that this is not an “Occult” skill; it’s simply not something that Adventurers usually take). +6 (6 SP) +1 (Chr) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +39
Concentration: +23 (12 SP*) +10 (Con) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) +6 (Synergy) = +58
Craft/Gardening +8 (8 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +40
Craft/Alchemy +8 (8 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +40
Craft/Calligraphy +8 (8 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +40
Craft/Charms and Talismans +2 (2 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +34
Decipher Script +3 (3 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Diplomacy +23 (23 SP) +1 (Cha) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +56
Disable Device +23 (12 SP*) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +61
Disguise +1 (1 SP) +1 (Cha) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) +10 (Hat of Disguise) = +44
Escape Artist +3 (3 SP) +5 (Dex) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +40
Foresight: +13 (6 SP*) +30 (Specialized and Corrupted, Only for deciding prepared spells when needed, 5 CP*) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +45, +75 for selecting spells.
This will pretty much let Uncle Chan choose his spells when he wants them – although, admittedly, he still doesn’t get all that many.
Forgery: +0 (0 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +32
Gather Information +2 (2 SP) +1 (Cha) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Handle Animal +2 (2 SP) +1 (Cha) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Heal +13 (13 SP) +3 (Wis) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Hide +13 (13 SP) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +51
Intimidate: +2 (2 SP) +1 (Cha) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Jump +1 (1 SP) +13 (Str) +36 (Move) +4 (Run) +10 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) +2 (Synergy) +10 (Circumstance) = +90 (Double jump distances with no upper limit).
Knowledge/The Planes +4 (4 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Knowledge/Architecture and Engineering +4 (4 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Knowledge/Arcana +3 (3 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Knowledge/Religion +3 (3 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Knowledge/Nobility and Royalty +3 (3 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Knowledge/Dungeoneering +3 (3 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Knowledge/Geography +3 (3 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Knowledge/History +3 (3 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Knowledge/Local +3 (3 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Knowledge/Nature +3 (3 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Legendarium: +23 SP (12 SP*) +1 (Chr) +13 Int Mod +3 Skill Focus +10 (Professional) +6 (Inherent) = +56 (940,800 GP total value). With +5 Competence, +4 Morale, and +10 Luck, +75 when he’s using it to try and impress people – but temporary boosts don’t add to his legendary powers.
Listen +13 (13 SP) +3 (Wis) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Move Silently: +12 (12 SP) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +50
Open Lock +2 (2 SP) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +40
Perform/Religious Music +7 (7 SP) +1 (Cha) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +40
Perform/Chant +7 (7 SP) +1 (Cha) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +40
Profession/Teacher +8 (8 SP) +3 (Wis) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +30
Ride +7 (7 SP) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +45
Search +13 (13 SP) +3 (Wis) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) +2 (Typeless) = +37.
Note that skills work the same way for everyone in Eclipse, so he can find traps just fine.
Sense Motive +2 (2 SP) +3 (Wis) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +24
Sleight of Hand +2 (2 SP) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +40
Speak Language +2 (2 SP) +13 (Int) = Common +15 Languages. That should cover almost anything.
Spellcraft +18 (18 SP) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +50
Spot +23 (12 SP*) +3 (Wis) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) +5 (Raptor’s Mask) +2 (Typeless) +2 (Insight) = +54
Sun Source Dragon Style Kung Fu +23 (12 SP*) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +3 (Skill Focus) +10 (Professional) +5 (Comp) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +74.
Sadly, Magical bonuses don’t count for taking abilities (although they do for breaking things).
Survival +2 (2 SP) +3 (Wis) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +24. Has the “Track” ability.
Swim +0 (0 SP) +13 (Str) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) +4 (Bear) +8 (Swim Speed) = +44
Tumble +23 (12 SP*) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +10 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +66
Use Magic Device +2 (2 SP) +1 (Cha) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +35
Use Rope +2 (2 SP) +6 (Dex) +13 (Int) +5 (Competence) +4 (Morale) +10 (Luck) = +40
Just to insert a note… With 1 CP left over I’m going to put it into a Specific Knowledge of Oriental Antiques, providing a +15 bonus to knowledge rolls about that particular topic.
Special Bonuses: +2 on Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Intimidate checks involving Dragonblooded creatures., assorted minor special purpose synergy bonuses (not worth bothering with), and a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage, Constitution checks made to continue running, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march, Constitution checks made to hold your breath, Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst, Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments, and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation. Also, you may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued.
Well, Uncle might as well hit up the “Skill Monkey” niche along the way – and Legnedarium gives him a way to get all kinds of minor and not-so-minor bonuses on the cheap.
Legendary Martial Mastery (174 CP):
Fast Learner specialized in the Legendary Martial Arts for +2 CP/Level (6 CP), taken at level (-2) with Disadvantage points.
Uncle Chan is such a talented martial artist that his skills started to develop in early childhood. A mysterious old man bringing him a copy of the Buddha’s Palm manuscript was not required, although one may well have turned up anyway.
Martial Stances / Master Strategos (30 CP).
By default, Uncle is presumed to be using Avatar of War (+12 Luck Bonus to AC and Saves for himself and his allies), Battle Blessing (+12 luck bonus to Attacks and Damage for himself and his allies), and Call of Valor (+4 Morale Bonus to Ability Checks, Attacks, Saves, and Skill Checks for himself and his allies). He may switch to some of the other options in special situations, but – for the most part – why bother? Those bonuses are already absurdly good.
Legendary Martial Arts (Standard Maneuver Set Only, only (9 x Int Mod)d6 of Mana Recovery daily, 138 CP)
This gives him martial arts abilities roughly on a par with a Sorcerer’s spells or the various Tome of Battle classes – or would if he wasn’t so heavily optimized anyway. Given that this style of Martial Maneuvers builds on your existing abilities, Uncle will be an atrocity of power.
For a quick example… Uncle Chan doesn’t bother with adding enhancements or anything. He just holds out his palm in your general direction. He uses Distant Strike (1 Mana), The Thunderbolt Prana (2 Mana, for a Crushing Attack that combines all his iterative attacks as a single attack at his highest BAB), and Shockwave Strike (2 Mana) – choosing to take an attack roll at +86 against each target his wishes to strike in a 40′ radius. Each hit will inflict 10 x (3d12+48) damage – and twice that on a critical hit. That’s 675 points on the average.
If he chose to go single-target instead, he could use the Thunderbolt Prana again to add “Hammer” instead of Shockwave Strike – getting his attack up to +91 and his damage to 840 points.
Oh yes, in either case, +10 damage to overcome Damage Reduction only. As if it matters any. In either case, that affects all co-existent planes and is essentially non-magical.
There are a few epic monsters – mostly with challenge ratings in the 50+ range – that can take that initial strike. There aren’t many – and most of them will not be able to handle a second or a third.
Monk Tricks and Witchcraft (38 CP)
Pacts x5 (-30 CP): Missions (Uncle, in the service of the Higher Powers, undertakes periodic missions for them), Epic Quest (Uncle has been pursuing some mighty quest for years now, and it may require many more years), Duties (Uncle must teach, look after innocent bystanders, and accept and aid those who seek redemption for their past misdeeds), Advertising (Uncle must make a point of attempting to recruit followers for his beliefs and displaying the benefits of those beliefs), and Hunted (As a grand master of “Good C’hi Magic” Uncle is a magnet for demons, evil plots, and similar troubles).
Basic Witchcraft: Witchcraft III (18 CP) with +9d6 Power (18 CP), Specialized and Corrupted / as an ascetic warrior-philosopher, Uncle must spend at least one skill point per level on practical working-class skills with religious elements (such as gardening or farming, calligraphy, making baskets or pots, carpentry, perform (religious music), or child care) and one skill point per level on Knowledge Religion, Arcana, or Architecture (monasteries, temples, etc). Moreover, he tends to accumulate students, would-be students, bumbling servants, hangers-on, offspring, nieces and nephews, and various other dependents who keep needing rescue or falling in love with an enemy or some such. (12 CP).
Basic Witchcraft Abilities:
The Adamant Will. Uncle’s inner discipline and regular regime of mind and body training allows him to easily reject external influences and conceal his thoughts from attempts to probe them. He must spend 2 power to resist a mental effect or 3 to override pain or present a false result to a divinatory effect.
At his current power levels Uncle Chan will usually have a Mind Blank spell running to handle this stuff – but it was important earlier in his career and is still a useful fallback.
Hand of Shadows, Specialized for reduced cost/only to allow enhanced movement at no cost. Uncle may run over water, fight without penalty while balancing on a slack, swinging, rope or on burning bamboo posts, dash along walls to avoid opponents, turn in midair while leaping, and gets a +10 Competence bonus on Balance, Jump and Tumble.
Flight kind of preempts this, but – once again – it was important earlier.
Hyloka, Specialized for Double Effect/personal only. Uncle can resist extremes of heat and cold, delay the effects of poisons, place himself in a deep trance, and more. Most effects cost one power per hour.
This is still useful at times, but – again – a lot of it’s uses are obsolete now.
Dreamfaring/Wraith Fist, Specialized/only to allow Uncle to detect, communicate with, and hit (rather like a Ghost Touch weapon) creatures in adjacent dimensions. This has no cost.
This is still pretty handy. Go ahead, trust in Swift Etherealness to save you. It won’t help a bit.
Elfshot/Pressure Point Mastery, Specialized and Corrupted for Increased Effect as per “Bestow Curse”, requires a successful melee attack check, does not work on creatures that lack a normal life force to disrupt or who’s anatomy is utterly strange (most aberrations, slimes and oozes, etc). It costs 1 power for a few days, 2 for weeks, and 3 for permanency (well, until fixed anyway).
With a save DC of only 14, this would be fairly pointless at high levels. On the other hand, it would have been quite handy at low levels and it’s part of a cheap package with several more useful powers. That’s reason enough all by itself even if Uncle Chan hadn’t taken Finesse to base the saves on Int instead of Chr. At a DC of 26 (see Finesse, below), this is often worthwhile.
Witchsight. Uncle can boost his senses to superhuman acuity, fight blindfolded, detect poison by the slightest of scents, and so on. This costs 1 power per hour and usually provides a bonus of about +6 or some special function – but the effects can be tripled for 1 power per round.
Witchfire/C’hi Strike, Specialized and Corrupted/only to imbue his unarmed attacks with magical energy; with a standard action and the expenditure of 2 Power he may add the equivalent of +2 worth of enhancements to his unarmed attacks for the next one minute. This does not have to include a basic enhancement bonus, but if it doesn’t the strikes will not count as “magic”.
Yes, “Bane (Whatever you are currently fighting)” is an excellent choice.
Metapsionics/Elemental Manipulation with two levels of Streamline, Specialized and Corrupted/only to add two levels worth of Infliction effects to his C’hi Strikes (6 CP)
This would have been worthwhile even leaving the Save DC at 14; Go ahead. Spend two Power and make each person you hit during the next ten turns save against being Fatigued and Dazed, or Blinded, or Energy Drained, or Exhausted each time you hit them. Now boost the save DC to 26. Go ahead. Go for Touch Attacks. At a save DC of 26 (again, see Finesse, below) you can be quite effective without even bothering with damage. Bump this up a little more, and start forcing save or die with every punch.
Opportunist/May activate a Witchcraft Power as a part of an Attack Action, Specialized and Corrupted/only to activate his C’hi Strike or Pressure Point Mastery powers (2 CP).
While Pressure Point Mastery (“Bestow Curse”) is still a bit situational, at only two Power and no action cost to add Bane (Whatever) and a couple of nasty conditions to all your attacks for ten rounds there’s rarely any reason NOT to do it.
Advanced Witchcraft Abilities (48 CP):
Finesse (6 CP): The save DC for his Witchcraft effects is based on his Int, rather than his Chr (resulting in a DC of 26 in general, or 23 + Spell Level for The Inner Fire).
Divination (6 CP): This gives Uncle access to various divinatory effects, including True Seeing. He wouldn’t want to have trouble with illusions would he?
The Inner Fire (Int) (6 CP). At Int 36 Uncle gets 4/3/3/3/3/2/2/2/2 spell slots covering levels 1-9 – although he can only use spells of up to level five safely, has a caster level of only ten, and gets a limited selection (six of each level) to work with. Still, that gives him a fair selection of utility and “surprise!” powers to work with, I’ve gone ahead and picked out some of the more useful spells and included some alternates just in case someone needs some suggestions for spell selection sometime. That will be the next post; Uncle Chan is pretty long already.
The Umbral Form (6 CP): Uncle can take the form of a Shadow for 3 power per hour or part thereof. This is very good for Stealth and WONDERFUL for escaping.
Warding (6 CP): For 3 Power per Ten Minutes, Uncle may share many of his defenses with those within a 10′ radius – saving first so they don’t have to, blocking attacks on them, and so on.
Spirit of the Sage (+6 Int for 10 minutes for 1 Power): Because nothing says “Overkill!” like tacking another +3 bonus on to almost everything this already grossly overpowered character does. After all, this adds +3 to his Saves, +3 to hit and damage on all ten of his attacks, +78 HP, +3 to his Initiative, +3 to his AC, +3 Attacks of Opportunity (making 29), and lots more Mana recovery.
Ridden by the Loa with Firm Control, Specialized and Corrupted / only allows Uncle to Channel (see The Practical Enchanter) animal spirits of up to CR 4 (6 CP). Immunity/The normal one-hour duration limit (Common, Minor, Major – lasts one day per use. 6 CP).
Because who doesn’t want a big boost to Strength and Constitution all day?
Other Abilities:
Double Enthusiast, Specialized for Increased Effect (4 “Floating” CP) and Corrupted for Reduced Cost / points can ONLY be used with “Create Relic” (4 CP).
Create Relic, Specialized and Corrupted / only for working with points from Enthusiast, only to create personalized relics (2 CP).
This package basically lets Uncle Chan add 24 to 36 CP worth of abilities to suit particular missions. A set of sample relics are presented below, but he could always swap to something else.
Usual Relics:
Bracelet of Earthfasting (1 Point Relic): Trick/every other round the user may replace a normal unarmed melee attack with an Anchoring Strike. A character struck by such an attack must make a Reflex save at a DC of (10 + Users Level/2 + Users Int Mod) or be mystically bound to the area for 3d6 minutes. During that time, he, she, or it may not travel more than 100 feet from where the save was failed and may not travel to another dimension. Effects that would transport them out of the 100′ radius will simply fail (6 CP), Ability Focus/Anchoring Strike (increases the save DC by an additional +2 (3 CP).
Trying to teleport or plane shift away? I don’t think so!
Talismans of the Zodiac (1 Point Relic): Luck with +3x(Int Mod) Bonus Uses, Specialized and Corrupted / it costs 2 power (the expenditure does not count as an action) per use of Luck and requires a d10 roll: 1-4: it works normally, 5: the spirits demand that you soon sponsor a festival or major ceremony in their honor, 6; a dangerous monster is drawn to the area, 7: an opponent off scene receives a great stroke of good fortune, 8: the Kami become annoyed, and will not aid you again until the next day, 9: the celestial bureaucracy assigns you an annoying duty or mission, and 10: you get your “20″ or reroll – but a few hours later your failure restores itself (the bad guy you critted is not dead after all, the poison is affecting you, etc). Fortunately, this gives you some time to prepare.
For those times when you just need a “20″ or two. For everything else we have absurd bonuses.
The Dragon’s Carbuncle (2 Point Relic): 7d6 (24) Mana with Reality Editing, Specialized and Corrupted / only usable for one, specific, minor not-an-action edit; “This uses-per-day magic item (or virtual equivalent) has two more daily uses/charges left” (a minor edit costing 2 Mana) (14 CP). Yes, it’s normally 2 Mana = 1 Charge – but in this case we’re limiting things to items that will recharge themselves given a little time anyway, which is a lot more reasonable than using tricks like this to recharge (say) a staff, or just to use a staff without depleting it’s charges.
Unfortunately the Carbuncle only regains 2 Mana (or one of it’s 12 uses) per day on it’s own – but when you really need a couple more uses of that once-a-day item, it’s just the ticket. Still, Uncle Chan has a way to boost that a little further down.
Other Powers:
Taoist Training / One Level of Clerical Package Deal Spellcasting (10 CP) with the Fate (SpC, grants Uncanny Dodge) and Time (SpC, grants Improved Initiative) Domains and Spell Conversion to Summon Nature’s Ally (note that he just has to have a spell of the appropriate level available to convert; it does NOT have to be a clerical spell). While this costs another (+3 CP) to buy off the Lesser Air Genasi limitation to the Air Domain it’s well worth it.
Inducing the Flame of Life: Uncle’s C’hi is so potent that he can induce life and consciousness in the inanimate. Leadership with the Exotic and Constructs modifiers, Specialized for Reduced Cost / Constructs only, Corrupted for Increased Effect (Only 50% of the cost of item followers counts against his Wealth By Level) / only one Cohort may exceed one-third the users level (6 CP). Since they are Followers, his various intelligent items all get along reasonably well.
In Eclipse followers normally get NPC wealth by level, and will continue to do so without their boss having to worry about it. If their boss or the party in general wants to give them something extra, that’s up to them. Construct Followers get their choice of actual equipment (which works for golems and things) or built-in slotless equipment (equivalent to Siddhisyoga), which is less trouble but effectively halves their allotment since everything costs twice as much as usual.
Uncle Chan gets 42 levels worth of Intelligent Item followers; They include:
Amit-Mursiel, the Voice of Winds (L17, 28,650 GP).
Nagakanya, The Handmaid of Kwan Yin (L6, 60,000 GP).
Uaithne, Harp of the Dagda. (L6, 44,375 GP)
Malachai, the Messenger Star (L6, 10,375 GP).
Beowulf, the Dragon-Slayers Girding (L1, 90,000 GP, below and next post).
Sampo, Bringer of Prosperity (L1, 32,000 GP, below and next post).
That leaves 5 levels worth of followers “free” – which means that most of the rest of his items will probably develop their own minds shortly.
3d6 (13) Mana with the Spell Enhancement Option, Specialized and Corrupted/only for use with the spell slots from The Inner Fire, only to reduce the effective level of spells occupying existing higher-level spell slots so that he can safely cast them (6 CP).
Rite of Chi with +(Int Mod) Bonus Uses (12 CP).
Cloaking/Uncle “Detects” as a fairly ordinary elderly monk – the classic Sensei (6 CP).
Spell/Power Resistance, Specialized for Increased Effect (10 + 2 x Power Level) / Uncle must be awake, aware of the incoming effect, and must spend 2 Power (this does not count as an action) to resist any particular effect, Corrupted for Reduced Cost / he must be free to move – unarmored, lightly- or un-encumbered, and less than fully restrained – to use this ability (4 CP).
Legendary Powers:
Legendarium / C’hi Wizard: (23 SP +13 Int Mod +1 Cha Mod +3 Skill Focus +10 (Professional)) +6 (Inherent Bonus) = +56) = 940,800 GP Value
Basic C’hi Powers (33,700 GP):
A sextet of Healing Belts (MIC 4500 GP) Heal 2d8/3d8/4d8 damage for 1/2/3 charges, and each incidence has 3 Charges/Day (18 total).
Lesser Restoration (Spell Level One x Caster Level One x 2000 GP for Unlimited-Use, Use-Activated x.9 only usable once per level per day) = 1800 GP
Light Foot (Speedster List, +30 circumstance bonus ground movement speed a +10 circumstance bonus on jump checks, and DR 10 versus Falling Damage [only] for 1d6+2 rounds, Spell Level One x Caster Level One x 2000 GP for Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP).
Personal Haste (+30′ Move, +1 Attack at full BAB when making a Full Attack. Spell Level One times Caster Level One x 2000 GP for Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x .8 (bonus attack is only usable with unarmed combat = 1600 GP)
Speak with Animals (Spell Level One times Caster Level One x 2000 GP for Unlimited-Use Use-Activated = 2000 GP)
Thousand Pound Stance (Target gains a +8 versus Bull Rush, Grapple, Trip, Overrun, being lifted or thrown, or similar situations, for one minute. Spell Level One x Caster Level One x 2000 GP for Unlimited-Use Use-Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP). Note that this changes the -4 Penalty for Light Foot to a +4 Bonus.
Immortal Vigor III (L3 x L5 x 2000 GP x .7 Personal-Only = 21,000 GP). Provides +6d6 Maximized Hit Dice, for +(36 + 6 x [Con Mod + Int Mod]) extra hit points.
Immunities (300,800 GP Value):
Gemstone of Heavy Fortification (Draconomicon, Page 83, 35,000 GP). Immunity to Critical Hits and Sneak Attacks.
This item provides us with a formula for purchasing “freestanding” armor effects – [(Effect Bonus + 1) x (Effect Bonus + 1) – 1] x 1000 GP and tells us that such items do not take up a body slot. Ergo, we can have a few more!
Gemstone of Soulfire (24,000 GP). The user is immune to all death spells, magical death effects, and energy drain, and any negative energy effects (such as from chill touch or inflict spells.
Gemstone of Proof Against Transmutation (35,000 GP): Grants immunity to any transmutation effect that would alter the user’s form, including polymorph, petrification, and disintegrate (it can still do damage, but cannot reduce the user to dust).
Gemstone of Freedom (35,000 GP): Immunity to effects that impede movement, automatically succeeds on grapple checks to resist grappling or escape artist checks made to escape a grapple or pin. User may move and attack normally underwater.
Periapt of Proof Against Poison (27,000 GP).
Raptor’s Mask (MIC 210, 3500 GP): Immunity to Blinded and Dazzled, +5 to Spot
Banner of the Storms Eye (MIC, 15,000 GP): Those within 20′ are immune to fear, confusion, and stunning.
“Spellblade” (Magic of Faerun, 6000 GP Each; Whenever the user is subjected to a specific targeted spell, he or she may absorb it, and either let it dissipate harmlessly or direct it at a new target as a free action on his or her next turn. Disintegrate, Dispel Magic, Enervation, Greater Dispel Magic, and Love’s Pain. (30,000 GP).
Ring of Sustenance (SRD, 2500 GP) Sustains a creature without Food or Water and on only two hours of sleep per night.
Tasting The Celestial Peach (Sheltered Vitality – Spell Compendium, L4 x L7 x 2000 GP x .7 Personal-Only = 39,200 GP). Provides immunity to fatigue, exhaustion, ability damage, and ability drain, regardless of the source.
Elixir of Immortality: (Favor of the Martyr – Spell Compendium, L4 x L7 x 2000 GP x .7 Personal-Only = 39,200 GP). Provides immunity to nonlethal damage, charm and compulsion effects, pain effects, dazed, exhausted, fatigued, nauseated, sickened, staggered, and stunned. The subject remains conscious at -1 to -9 hit points and can take a single action each round while in that state, and does not lose hit points for acting. He or she also gains the Endurance feat.
Periapt of Health (SRD, 7400 GP). Grants Immunity to Disease.
Gemstone of Energy Immunity (8000 GP): As an immediate mental action become immune to a particular type of elemental damage for one minute once per day.
Net Immunities: Ability Damage, Ability Drain, Blinded, Charm, Compulsion, Confusion, Critical Hits, Dazed, Dazzled, Death Effects, Death Spells, Disease, Disintegrate, Dispel Magic, Effects that Impede Movement, Energy Drain, Enervation, Exhausted, Fatigued, Fear, Frightful Presence, Greater Dispel Magic, Love’s Pain, Nauseated, Negative Energy Effects, Nonlethal Damage, Pain, Paralysis, Petrification, Poison, Polymorph, Sickened, Sleep, Sneak Attacks, Staggered, Starvation, Stunned, Suffocation and Gases, and Thirst and Water Restrictions.
C’hi Wizardry (458,400 GP):
Ring of Mana Focusing VI (109,200 GP): Provides +2/2/2/2/2/2 spell slots (or the equivalent amounts of power (2+6+10+14 +18 + 26 = 76), or spell points, or whatever) for two casting progressions. In his case that’s for his Inner Fire spellcasting and his Witchcraft.
Trigram Sigil Gloves of Spell-Wreaking: Allows the user to add +3/+2/+1 levels of any desired Metamagic to a spell of level 1-3/4-6/7-9 as free action. The gloves can be used (Level) times per day (Greater Invocation, cast any “Add Metamagic” spell of up to Level Four. Spell Level Five x Caster Level Nine x 2000 GP (Unlimited-Use Use-Activated) x .8 (only works [level] times per day, only on spells the user casts personally) = 72,000.
Blowfish Talisman: Provides a +5 effective level bonus on the use of the Inner Fire Witchcraft ability (Amplification/The Inner Fire, Spell Level 1 x Caster Level 8 x 2000 GP for Unlimited-Use, Use-Activated x .7 (Personal Only) = 11,200 GP. (This gets his effective caster level for The Inner Fire up to 15).
Circlet of Mages x3 (MIC, 5000 GP each, 15,000 Total): Retain three levels of spells you cast per day, +2 Competence Bonus to Concentration.
Circlet of Rapid Casting x2 (MIC, 30,000 GP Total): 3 Charges/Day, 1/2/3 to swift-action cast a spell of up to L2/3/4.
Raiment Of The Four:
Belt of the Wide Earth (8000 GP): Doubles carrying capacity, 3/day sacrifice a spell of L5+ to cast Teleport at CL9 or yours, whichever is better.
Gloves of the Starry Sky (1100 GP): Emit Light as needed. 3/Day you may sacrifice a spell of L1+ to cast Magic Missile at your caster level.
Goggles of the Golden Sun (4000 GP): Immune to Blindness and Dazzling Effects. 3/Day sacrifice a spell of L3+ to cast Fireball at your CL.
Periapt of the Sullen Sea (6000 GP): Hold your breath for up to 12 hours, 2/Day sacrifice a perpared spell of L4+ to use Freedom of Movement at CL7 or your CL, whichever is better.
Collection Benefits: Resistance to Cold, Fire, and Electricity 5, 1/Day four-question Commune.
Robe of Mysterious Conjuration x 2 (20,000 GP, allows the use of any Monster Summoning spell by sacrificing a memorized spell of equal or higher level six times per day).
Artificer’s Monocle (1500 GP): Can Identify items through study with Detect Magic.
Cantrip Powers (All SL 1/2 x CL 1 x Unlimited-Use Use-Activated, 1000 GP Each): Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Dancing Lights, Launch Item, and Message (6000 GP).
Vest of the Archmage (MIC, 200,000 GP): As +8 Bracers of Armor, +5 Cloak of Resistance , +2 on Caster Level Checks versus Spell Resistance, Recall a spell of up to L9 or restore 17 Power as a swift action 3/Day, expend a spell slot to heal 5x Level of spell slot expended as a swift action.
Uncle cannot use his high-level spell slots to cast spells safely – unless he fills them with lower-level spells or uses Mana to reduce their effective levels – but he can sacrifice them for healing or to power items and abilities just fine.
Other Powers:
Boots of Temporal Acceleration (MIC, 43,000 GP).
Belt of Battle (MIC, 12,000 GP): +2 Competence Bonus to Initiative, 3 Charges/Day, spend 1/2/3 as an immediate action to take a Move/Standard/Full Round action.
Necklace of Theme Music/Improvisation (CL 20 x SL 1 x Unlimited-Use Use-Activated (2000 GP) x .7 Personal Only = 28,000 GP). Provides a pool of 40 Luck Points per round which you can spend as you like to improve attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks, although no single check can receive more than a +10 bonus. You must declare any bonus point usage before the appropriate roll is made. Used points disappear from the pool.
Armband of Elusive Action x10 (8000 GP, negates attack of opportunity ten times per day).
Amulet of Fortune Prevailing x3 (15,000 GP, allows a failed save to be rerolled as an immediate action).
Surprising Master/L3 (+5 Competence Bonus to All Skill Checks – not to base values), SL 3 x CL 5 x 2000 GP (Unlimited-Use Use-Activated) x .7 (Personal Only) = 21,000 GP.
Handy Haversack (2000 GP).
Finned Guantlets (3500 GP) Provides 30′ swim speed, +8 on swim checks, can take 10 to swim and “run” while swimming.
Hat of Disguise (1800 GP). Disguise Self at will. +10
Vampire Torc (5000 GP) 2/Day as a swift action re