This is the last of my series of "pure" Shadowancer builds. This is for the Pure Builds thread. It is not trying to be the most powerful Shadowdancer build, or even the most iconic. It is trying specifically to be the best Ranger 10 / Shadowdancer 30 build I can make.
This build has focus in 3 weapons, so you can wield any two of them together. They are all finessable, and they all do 1d6 damage. The mace has nothing special about its criticals, but it does the almost-never-resisted blunt damage; the rapier does piercing damage, and has a nice wide 18-20 critical threat range; and the handaxe does slashing damage, and has an x3 critical multiplier.
Your choices for the three Favored Enemies are environment-specific, or to taste.
Empyre's "Pure" Shadowdancer IV (Ranger 10 / Shadowdancer 30) Elf, Any Alignment Playable 1 - 40, PvM
To be more specific, are we to look forward to every combination there is that can be a "pure shadowdancer," and not be a good build, or even a playable build, but to simply be the "best one I can make with these classes"? It kind of comes across as spam. _________________ Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server (with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)
Ariel, Ookla, RIDE!
Edited By grizzled_dwarflord on 10/12/08 12:37
You actually made 4 of them?
I agree with grizz, there's no point in just making "pure prestige class builds" out of any combination you can grab. Pure builds are already kinda useless, now you make a whole series of those... where is the building prowess? _________________ "My name is Thaxll'ssyllia, but you simians may refer to me merely as "Sir", if you prefer a less... syllable intensive workout."
Edwin Odesseiron - Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
I think this build is playable. By now, all the good ideas have been done by those of you who have been around longer. What's left for me is to take a bad idea and make it work. I think I did just that.
In hindsight, I can think of some ideas to improve this build. One idea would be to take points from Listen and put them into Set Trap. Since I can only take ranger pre-epic, I would only be able to set deadly traps, not epic ones. I could take points from Lore later to get Listen maxed out at the end.
Another idea would be to make him an archer. I'd keep Weapon Finesse, or the game would be very difficult until late pre-epic. Replace the 3 Weapon Foci with Weapon Focus: Longbow, Point Blank Shot, and Rapid Shot. In epic, take Epic Weapon Focus: Longbow, and 2 additional Great DEX. _________________ "Never laugh in the face of a live dragon." - Bilbo Baggins
I wouldn't be bothered by it if they weren't 4 pure Shadowdancers, it actually loses the point of being pure, because you shouldn't be able to make 4 totally different pure builds of the same class. Whoever said Prestige Classes can make pure builds was wrong. Too bad I wasn't in the guild when the Pure Builds thread was made... I would've argued a lot about why pure builds are useless.
It would be nice if you posted 1 pure shadowdancer and leave it at that, the strongest of them. Even within pure prestige class builds, you should try to make the best pure Shadowdancer and not the best pure Shadowdancer + X
I've posted a lot of crappy builds myself, so I'm not saying that all builds need to be awesome and super original, but "4 pure builds" is ridiculous.
For an appropiate reply about the builds, I prefer the Monk one (mostly because I like to play Monks). However, since you're making them all DEX based, it's probable that most of them end dealing too little damage. The Rogue version might end being the most playable. _________________
Quote: Posted 12/19/06 19:54 (GMT) -- FinneousPJ
Thax the Shadow Dragon sez: MONKS USE KAMAS. Just ask him.
Edited By Thaxll'ssyllia on 10/13/08 02:29
Quote: Posted 10/13/08 01:31 (GMT) -- Empyre65
By now, all the good ideas have been done by those of you who have been around longer.
I don't think that's true. While we who have been around longer may tend to think that, I still have seen a lot of fresh stuff come across. With 1.69, there's an entire PDK market that's untapped, plus dual damage types have finally become relevant (morning stars and halberds are to be feared!, and we now have tridents, and mounted combat, and spell and feat changes, crossbows work normally now, and so on. I still think there's a lot of fertile ground out there. One of the current problems of the Guild is that there doesn't seem to be anyone updating the Index, so if the Index doesn't get updated, the Search Engine is only as good as the last update (which was back in January methinks). _________________ Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server (with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)
Ariel, Ookla, RIDE!
Grizzled Dwarflord, you do make a good point, further demonstrated by some good ideas coming from you recently. If there were more than 4 possible classes for a Class_X 10 / SD 30, I certainly wouldn't have made them all. Each of the 4 classes brings its own strengths and weaknesses to the build, so instead of deciding on one, I made one of each.
I have a folder with over 200 txt files with builds, most of which will never get posted for various reasons. Some are remakes of earlier builds of mine, making use of what I have learned since then. Some are very similar to builds already posted by others. I forgot where I was going with this paragraph. _________________ I am endeavoring to construct mnemonic memory circuits, using stone knives and bear skins.
Quote: Posted 10/13/08 05:02 (GMT) -- Empyre65
I have a folder with over 200 txt files with builds, most of which will never get posted for various reasons. Some are remakes of earlier builds of mine, making use of what I have learned since then. Some are very similar to builds already posted by others. I forgot where I was going with this paragraph.
Oh, I got pages and pages of unposted builds. Some are probably worthy but, alas, have been buried by the legion of bad builds that are heaped on top of them. Every so often a muse will guide me, and I'll hit the books on a new build, but like you I fear those days are numbered. Still, I kknow there's still room for original or semi-original concepts. I was toying around the idea with a Storm Elementalist in which the character was Cleric based with Air and Water as his domains. He's kind of like a primal lightning slinger, except he does it better than a Druid. He makes his living on Call Lightnings, Chain Lightnings, Ice Storms and Storms of Vengeance (I'd like to get Gedlee's electric Loop, but eh). I was going to throw enough Barbarian in there to get Thundering Rage, and probably go Half-Orc to make the pre-reqs. Final split would be something like Cleric25/Barb15. When you do a build search on this, nothing comes up. It's easy, got some style, original, and is actually playable (I think). Anyway, just some insight into how my mind works when coming up with a character to play. _________________ Got Hommlet? World of Greyhawk Action Server (with 1/2 price ales on Mondays!)
Ariel, Ookla, RIDE!
I know Thax thinks im stalking griz but i am not. I have been here for some time (4 years iirc, maybe more) and i too, thought EVERYTHING had been done. Within the last 2 months, some of the "ol' timers" have come up with builds that are truly amazing.
In my case, i had many "ideas" of good concepts that were playable. Idea builds are great. BUt, i am in agreement with the others.. you put up 4 pure SD's..
Thax, i do wish you had been here for the "pure" build discussion. Your insight would have been guild altering! By your suggestion above, you are so right! What, for example, is an iconic Weapon master build? Is it dex or str? What weapon would it use? This is very easy with cleric or wizard or sorc, as these are sort of pre-determined classes (IF you dont take other classes for rp). Dam it Thax! Why weren't you here then! Ah well. THat discussion never really did get off the ground anyway! I think it is funny that it is back though! And it all had to do with a question on the useless lv 40 bard! LOL back to the books...
I had been thinking for quite a while about filling in some of the blank spots in the Pure Builds thread. It was months ago I decided to make these shadowdancer builds, but I never got around to doing it, until spurred on by that pure bard thread.
If I decide to fill in another of those blanks, I will not do it so exhaustively. I'll post a maximum of 2 combinations, unless I have an unforeseen really good reason for posting more. _________________ "Never laugh in the face of a live dragon." - Bilbo Baggins
Quote: Posted 10/13/08 01:31 (GMT) -- Empyre65
I think this build is playable.
In the sense that a half-orc wizard/sorcerer is playable, sure. Do you think this guy could stand up to a comparable CR? Do you think he could even earn his keep in party? Do you think he could survive around anyone w/ TS? I don't.
Quote: By now, all the good ideas have been done by those of you who have been around longer.
Not true. For instance, divine damage is in these days. I think what you're seeing now is that people have played this game an awful lot, and have a clearer sense of value. Makes for some more off kilter builds that still work.
Quote: What's left for me is to take a bad idea and make it work. I think I did just that.
I don't think so. You took a bad idea, and you made it work as best as you were able, but it's still a bad idea, and it really doesn't 'work.' I guess I can see the fun in making the effort, but I personally see no reason for anyone else to be interested in bad builds.
but i am not. I have been here for some time (4 years iirc, maybe more) and i too, thought EVERYTHING had been done. Within the last 2 months, some of the "ol' timers" have come up with builds that are truly amazing. 
Ah well. THat discussion never really did get off the ground anyway! I think it is funny that it is back though! And it all had to do with a question on the useless lv 40 bard! LOL back to the books...
I had been thinking for quite a while about filling in some of the blank spots in the Pure Builds thread. It was months ago I decided to make these shadowdancer builds, but I never got around to doing it, until spurred on by that pure bard thread.