#46: Shang Tsung [Mortal Kombat]
(Art Credit: CreativeUncut)
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Time for the Tournament has come!
This time, another long time reader, the wonderful @dionysus-liber decided to challenge me with making the shapeshifting, soul-stealing sorcerer of Mortal Kombat's Earthrealm, Shang Tsung. Think this will be the test, mate? Ha! Barely an inconvenience! Round One! FIGHT!
Next Time: I'm bisexual and quite the intellectual. I like strong women and I like soft men. Come on, everybody, let's do it again!
Let's see what do we need to accomplish, to get into Shao Khan's good graces:
Soul Food: Shang Tsung's entire shtick revolves around souls; he needs them to survive, his magic centres around them, and by absorbing enemy souls, he can gain new abilities.
Fist of Fury: Shang Tsung is not only proficient in dark sorcery but also a decent melee kombatant. Just like his primary rival, Liu Kang, he too has the affinity for fire.
Man of Many Talents: Besides his skills in kombat and sorcery, Shang Tsung knows a thing or two about genetics (he created Mileena and Meat) and engineering.
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Shang Tsung requires souls to fuel his powers and sustain his prolonged life, and that would make him a lich in D&D terms. Since a player cannot become a playable lich with traditional methods (for that, go check out the Grim Hollow homebrew. They have fantastic player transformation mechanics). For now, we're going to focus on his sorcery and make him a Human (Variant). We get a +1 to two abilities of our choice (Konstitution and Kharisma), proficiency in one skill of our choice (Medicine), ability to speak Common and extra language, and one feat. The Durable feat increases our Konstitution score by 1 point, and whenever we roll Hit Dice to recover Hit Points, the minimum number we can recover is [our Konstitution modifier x2].
Since Shang Tsung was the host of the last nine Mortal Kombat tournaments and continuously stacked the odds in favour of Shao Khan, we're gonna make him a Charlatan. We gain proficiencies in Deception and Sleight of Hand skills, as well as with Disguise Kit and Forgery Kit for better manipulation of the event. Instead of the Charlatan's False Identity feature, however, we're gonna take the Vizier's Voice of Authority, as we speak for the great Shao Khan. Whenever we encounter someone who's related to our master, we can use our position to issue commands to those below us, or act as Shao Khan's messenger in foreign lands.
ABILITY SKORES
We start with Dexterity to get good, swift strikes, and avoid getting hit by enemies twice our size. Konstitution will be next, for cases where we actually do get hit. Follow that up with Kharisma, as the number of times we've slithered into Shao Khan's graces is just ridiculous.
Wisdom will be next, followed by Intelligence, as Shang Tsung is the street-smart, crafty character, instead of an academic. Finally, we're dumping Strength. We're punching a lot, not punching hard.
KLASS
Level 1 - Monk: We start our journey by learning how to fight. Monks get the d8 as their Hit Dice, [8 + our Konstitution modifier], no armour proficiencies, proficiency with simple weapons, shortswords, and one type of either artisan tools or a musical instrument. For Shang Tsung, let's get alchemist's supplies and a shortsword, since he's sometimes seen using a jian. Our saving throws are Strength and Dexterity, and we get to choose two class skills from the list (Acrobatics, History, and Insight).
Monks benefit from Unarmoured Defence. If we don't wear armour or hold a shield, our AC equals [10 + our Dexterity modifier + our Wisdom modifier]. We also practice Martial Arts. While fighting unarmed or with a monk weapon (and using Unarmoured Defence), we gain the following benefits:
we can use our Dexterity instead of Strength for attack and damage rolls of our unarmed strikes and monk weapons;
in place of our normal unarmed strike damage (1 + Strength modifier), we can instead use a d4 roll;
when we use our action to attack with our fists or monk weapons, we can subsequently utilize our bonus action to make an unarmed strike.
Level 2 - Monk: At this level, we gain access to the Ki energy. Beginning with 2 Ki Points, we can spend them to fuel some of our abilities, starting with the following three:
Flurry of Blows: Spending 1 Ki Point lets us make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action if we make an unarmed strike as our Attack action.
Patient Defence: Spending 1 Ki Point lets us take the Dodge action as a bonus action.
Step of the Wind: Spending 1 Ki Point lets us take the Disengage action as a bonus action.
We also get a little bit faster with Unarmoured Movement. While wearing no armour or shield, our speed increases by 10 feet (it increases further as we level up).
Level 3 - Monk: We learn how to Deflekt Missiles. Whenever we are hit by a ranged weapon attack, we can use our reaction to reduce damage by [1d10 + our Dexterity modifier + our Monk level]. If we manage to reduce damage to 0, we catch the projectile and (as a part of the same reaction) can make a ranged attack (distance 20/60) with that projectile.
We also get to pick our subclass, our Monastik Tradition. Before we expand upon Shang Tsung's soul-sucking capabilities, we'll start with the Way of the Long Death. We start with Touch of Death, which drains the residual life force of the enemies we kill. Whenever we reduce a creature within 5 feet of us to 0 HP, we gain [our Wisdom modifier + our Monk level] Temporary Hit Points.
Level 4 - Monk: We get our first Ability Skore Improvement. Let's get our Dexterity and Strength by one point. We also get Slow Fall; when we fall, we can use our reaction to reduce any falling damage by [our Monk level x5].
Level 5 - Monk: At this level, we get Extra Attack. During a single Attack action, we can now attack twice instead of one time. We also get Stunning Strike; when we hit a creature with a melee weapon attack, we can spend 1 Ki Point to block the flow of the enemy's Ki. The target must succeed on a Konstitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of our next turn.
Level 6 - Warlock: Time to pledge our services in exchange for power. Warlocks start by getting Pakt Magic, which works a little differently from regular arcane or divine casters. Pakt Magic users get a limited number of spells and a reduced number of spell slots, but their spells are always cast at the maximum level the caster is capable of at the moment. Plus, they regain all of their spell slots on short rest. We begin with two cantrips (Green-Flame Blade and Toll the Dead) and two 1st-level spells (Kause Fear and Hellish Rebuke).
We also pick our second subclass by choosing our Otherworldly Patron. Now, while Shao Khan is only hinted at being something of a god, we need a master to serve and a source for our fire spells, and therefore we're picking the Genie Patron. We now have an access to an expanded spell list, and we are being granted a Genie's Vessel; it can be anything from a traditional lamp to an urn, a statuette, or a flask. While touching the Vessel, we can choose one of the following actions:
Bottled Respite: Once per long rest, we can teleport inside the Vessel, which is left in the same space we occupied. Inside, there is a fully furnished space that we can see and hear the outside world from. We can stay for a maximum of [our proficiency bonus x2] or until we choose to leave, we die, or the Vessel is destroyed.
Genie's Wrath: Once during each of our turns, whenever we hit with an attack roll, we can deal extra damage to the target equal to our proficiency bonus. The type of damage is determined by the Genie type we choose as our Patron (for Shang Tsung, we're gonna go with the fire-type Efreeti).
Level 7 - Warlock: We unlock Eldritch Invocations, a mini-feats that customise the Warlocks' abilities and compensate for their limited spellcasting abilities. We start by choosing two:
Armour of Shadows allows us to cast the Mage Armour spell at will, without burning a spell slot or using material components.
Devil's Sight grants us 120 feet of Darkvision in both magical and non-magical darkness. It's a good Invocation for a human Warlock to have.
We can also pick up one more 1st-level spell; let's get Hex.
Level 8 - Warlock: We get a Pakt Boon from Shao Khan. We can choose between four different Pakts (Blade, Chain, Talisman, and Tome), each granting us unique abilities. Shang Tsung is often seen with a fiery cobra familiar, so we're gonna pick Pakt of the Chain, which gives us access to the Find Familiar spell that we can cast as a ritual.
We also unlock 2nd-level spells, and from our subclass's expanded spell list we can choose the Skorching Ray spell.
Level 9 - Bard: Time to work on our intimidation and soul-stealing abilities. Bards begin with Bardik Inspiration, the ability to motivate (or manipulate) others. We get a pool of d6 Inspiration Dice (equal to our Kharisma modifier), which we can give to other creatures to use for one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they make within the next 10 minutes.
Bards also get Spellkasting with Kharisma as their casting ability. We have a set number of spells we can learn, and we know cantrips and rituals. We start by learning two cantrips (Message and Thunderklap) and four 1st-level spells: Bane, Kommand, Disguise Self, and Silent Image.
Level 10 - Bard: Halfway through the build, and we become the Jack of All Trades. From now on, we can add half of our proficiency bonus to every skill check that uses skills we're not proficient in. We also learn the Song of Rest, which can boost our party's healing abilities; whenever the party uses Hit Dice to heal during a short rest, they can add an extra Song of Rest Dice (1d6, changes as we level up).
For this level's spell, let's grab Detekt Magik.
Level 11 - Bard: As an extension of our skill monkey capabilities, we get Expertise. We get to pick two skills we're proficient in and double our proficiency bonus (not modifier) for them. Let's get Deception and Insight.
We also get to pick our third subclass, our Bard Kollege, and what's better to mess around with souls and intimidation of your enemies than the Kollege of Whispers. With our Psychik Blades, we can use our weapon to mess with our opponents' minds. Whenever we succeed on a weapon attack, we can spend our Bardic Inspiration die to add 2d6 psychic damage to that target. We can only do this once per turn. We can also speak Words of Terror (once per short or long rest) to a target for at least 1 minute to seed paranoia in their mind. At the end of the conversation, the target has to make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of us (or another creature of our choice) for 1 hour or until attacked/damaged or until they see their allies attacked/damaged.
We also unlock 2nd-level spells. Let's grab Hold Person.
Level 12 - Bard: Time for another ASI. Let's bump our Konstitution up by two points for better Hit Points (and finally passing the 100 HP mark). For this level's spells we can get a new cantrip (Friends) and another 2nd-level spell (Heat Metal).
Level 13 - Bard: Our Bardik Inspiration die changes its value from d6 to d8. Additionally, thanks to Font of Inspiration, we now recover all of our BI dice after completing a short rest.
We unlock 3rd-level spells here, so let's grab Bestow Kurse.
Level 14 - Bard: There we go! We can finally do the thing and say the iconic
With our subclass upgrade, Mantle of Whispers we can now capture a shadow of the humanoid that died within 30 feet of us and use it to become that deceased humanoid's doppelganger. We can store the shadow for later use (up until our next long rest) and the disguise lasts for up to 1 hour, during which you appear as the defeated humanoid but alive and healthy, and you get some of their surface memories; enough to pass as the target but not enough to share any secrets or deep memories.
For this level's spell, we're actually gonna come back to the 2nd-level list and grab Detekt Thoughts to complete our soul-stealing disguise.
Level 15 - Warlock: Jumping back into Warlock gives us another ASI. We're gonna upgrade our Dexterity by two points. In terms of spells, we get to pick another cantrip (Booming Blade) and another 2nd-level spell (Misty Step).
Level 16 - Warlock: We don't really get anything class-related here. We do get to pick another Eldritch Invocation, and we're going to boost our familiar with Investment of the Chain Master. Whenever we summon our fire cobra, it gains the following benefits:
Our familiar gains the flying or swimming speed of 40 feet
We can use our bonus action to order our familiar to Attack
The familiar's attacks are considered magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunities
If our familiar has to make a saving throw, it can use our Spell DC
When our familiar takes damage, we can use our reaction to grant it resistance to that damage
We also unlock 3rd-level Warlock spells. To better protect ourselves, let's grab Intellekt Fortress.
Level 17 - Warlock: From our subclass, we gain the Elemental Gift feature. We are now resistant to the damage type determined by our Patron (here, it's fire). Additionally, as a bonus action, we can give ourselves 30 feet of flying speed (with hovering) that lasts for 10 minutes.
At this level, using our extended spell list, we can grab every player's favourite spell:
Level 18 - Monk: For the late-game build, let's get some more punching abilities. First off, our speed increases to a total bonus of +15 feet. Thanks to Ki-Empowered Strikes, our unarmed attacks now count as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistances and immunities. From our subclass, we get the Hour of Reaping feat. As an action, we can force all creatures within 30 feet of us that we can see to make a Wisdom saving throw or be frightened of us until the end of our next turn.
Level 19 - Monk: We gain Evasion, which is arguably one of the better abilities in the game. Whenever we are forced to make a Dexterity saving throw that would result in us receiving half damage on a success, we instead receive no damage. With Stillness of the Mind, we can use our action to break out of being frightened or charmed.
Level 20 - Monk: Our capstone is Monk 8, and that gives us the final ASI of the build. We're gonna cap our Konstitution to 20.
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And that is Shang Tsung! That was a lot, let's see what we ended up with:
First of all, we've got some variety of talents to use. We have magic, we have fisticuffs, we have weapon proficiency, we have skill proficiencies. Our Konstitution is top-notch, and we can both support our kombatants and deal some damage ourselves.
Our AC (with Mage Armour active) is 17, we have a +2 to our Initiative, ground speed of 45 feet (and 30 of flying), and the average of 173 Hit Points.
This build might be difficult to handle because of all the resources we have to manage (Bard dice, different spell slots, Ki Points), we have the negative Strength modifier, and our Intelligence score is a bit low, which leaves us open to some failed saving throws.
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Phew, that was interesting. A lot of things happened since my last post, lovelies. I went to London for my birthday (got stuck in an airport), struggled with some serious mental health issues, but I also got a new job that will require me to move cities. Things are looking up for now, and I was absolutely stoked to see that you're still here and you're actually interacting with this blog. I promise, you won't wait long for the next one. Have a great day, dears!
- Nerdy out!
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