Zinc Saucier Optimisation Challenge 1

[motoko's ghost]

Welcome one and all to the first zinc saucier challenge, where playgrounders come to test their skill in the art of beautiful and bizarre (and bizarrely beautiful) builds.

The challenge? To come up with a build that has the same abilities and feel as the secret ingredient WITHOUT actually using it!

For this first challenge get ready break out your knives as its the Expanded psionics handbook's Soulknife.

Our challengers will have 2 weeks to build a complete build from lvs 1-20 using a 32 point buy and all official 3.5 material(excluding dragon magazine, but including any WOTC online enhancements) with the abilities and feel of a soulknife without actually using any levels in it.

Contestants will be judged and awarded a score out of 5 in each of 5 categories;

• Innovation (Uniqueness in character concept, race, class, etc)
• Power (How powerful and versatile it is compared to the base class)
• Elegance (What can only be described as how well the build "flows", i.e not using lots of 1-2lv dips, sacrificing flavour for power or using flaws)
• Fluff (How well the characters back-stories and classes mesh)
• Ingredient (How well the build captures the abilities and feel of the base class)

Presentation would be best in the style of how the iron chef does their presentations.

Please do not post details of your build on the board before it is ready, so as not to spoil the surprise for others (and please dont use leadership, as we dont want to overfeed the judges)


Also it comes with double prize money.

[Flickerdart]

Are we allowed to submit more than one? I have two ideas rolling around in my head.

[motoko's ghost]

If anyone wants to help judge please either post it on the board or PM me, I could use some judges(as one is not enough)

EDIT: you can submit as many as you want

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Does it have to duplicate the fail of Soulknife? Because if not, I've got a couple of interesting ideas...

[motoko's ghost]

You can duplicate fail if you want, but you dont have too.
There already quite a few topics on building the worst characters ever

[Zaq]

Oh, this is tempting. If I can find the time (HA), I just may join.

[Flickerdart]

I've worked out the ideas behind two builds, and there's a third that I want to explore to see how it fits together. Who knew there were so many ways to pimp out a mind sword in 3.5?

[motoko's ghost]

That's why I picked soulknife for the first one, Psychic Swords EVERYWHERE!

[TroubleBrewing]

This is an awesome idea. I'd love to judge.

[motoko's ghost]

Thanks, I needed some help judging

[The Gilded Duke]

So, we post here when our build is done? Or we post after two weeks? I have one idea that is shaping up nicely.

[Weezer]

I too would be willing to throw my hat in the ring for judging, at least for this first challenge, I wont have time in the next two weeks to make up a good submission, but after finals I'll be free to judge and it seems that the judging period will hit right after finals.

EDIT: Also, don't forget to put the date/time that the builds are due into the OP. That's rather important.

[motoko's ghost]

Monday the 24th should do it for submission, actually its probably best if you submit it onto the boards, just put it in a spoiler tag so others wont see it.
@weezer;thanks for judging

EDIT:actually post them on the boards after 2 weeks,sorry should have been clearer

[IdleMuse]

I'm really interested in this competition, it seems like a really interesting design niche that I'm not unfamiliar with (randomly happened to have designed a build last week sometime that duplicates a Druid pretty well, Wild Shape, animal companion, divine casting, summon nature's ally, trackless step, all without any druid levels).

Need some more thought on the Soulknife though, not a class I've ever really grokked.

[Dumbledore lives]

Traditionally I believe all builds are PMed to the chairman, in this case motoko's ghost, to avoid any sort of personal bias based off of knowing who made the build. Also I will try to submit a build.

[motoko's ghost]

Ah, okay, that makes sense, although I dont really know anyone on this site very well, so I dont think I'd be very biased.

EDIT: If the builds are going to be PM'd to me anyway you can submit them at anytime, you dont have to wait until the end of the two week period, I'll just send them on to the other judges via PM.

[motoko's ghost]

Sorry to double post, I just wanted to check that the two people who volunteered to judge; Grey McBannert and Weezer got the PM with the first build.

[motoko's ghost]

Its the 25th and I've only got 1 submission so far, should I extend the deadline or just declare it closed?

I'm going by GMT BTW

[Wings of Peace]

Its the 25th and I've only got 1 submission so far, should I extend the deadline or just declare it closed?

I'm going by GMT BTW

I didn't even notice this thread till now xD

Edit: Though I'm curious to see if the contestant(s) optimized their Soul Knife equivalents the same way I do.

[motoko's ghost]

I didn't even notice this thread till now xD

Edit: Though I'm curious to see if the contestant(s) optimized their Soul Knife equivalents the same way I do.

Should I keep it open for another week or so then?

[Draz74]

Should I keep it open for another week or so then?

I vote yes. I just saw this thread for the first time now, and it's a really cool idea. I'm definitely not promising to enter the contest -- I would need to really be struck by inspiration to make time to do so. But I would like to, and I bet other people would too.

[motoko's ghost]

I vote yes. I just saw this thread for the first time now, and it's a really cool idea. I'm definitely not promising to enter the contest -- I would need to really be struck by inspiration to make time to do so. But I would like to, and I bet other people would too.

Would extending the submission time to midnight(GMT0) January 8th be a good idea then?

[Tvtyrant]

Would extending the submission time to midnight(GMT0) January 8th be a good idea then?

I just saw this as well. BTW, what format would you like for entrants?

[motoko's ghost]

I just saw this as well. BTW, what format would you like for entrants?

It might not have been too clear in my first post, but the presentation format is the same as the Iron chef competitions.

Thanks for the support everyone.

[BobVosh]

I love the sound of this competition. I'm game for judging. (I also only just saw this thread for the first time today)

[motoko's ghost]

I love the sound of this competition. I'm game for judging. (I also only just saw this thread for the first time today)

Why does that keep happening?

However I am glad your judging, I'll PM you the first build Asap

[The Gilded Duke]

Any updates on this challenge? I had fun working on it.

[Weezer]

Any updates on this challenge? I had fun working on it.

I think it was extended to January 8th, due to increased interest and a lack of submitted builds (only 2 have come in so far)

[Gandariel]

And this is how i met your mother a random bump.

i don't intend to play or judge (too little time and experience), but i'd be curious to see the results...

[gkathellar]

I could stand to get in on this.