wildstarsreach
First Post
jasin said:
Dragon #355
The iconic elven warrior/mage
Dragon #355
Bayushi Seikuro
First Post
I'd second the choice of the mageblade from Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed/Evolved.
Since it's one class, there's no multiclass penalties; it is exactly what the Spellsword (from Wizards) should have been.
Because you're also attuned to your weapon that you use to cast your spells, that weapon continues to increase in its magical nature - I took advantage of that in a previous game to add other enchants. Because the weapon is also part of your magical nature, you get to a point where you can summon it to your hand and also so that if anyone ever takes it from you, it will automatically attack them.
At 4th level, they can create a magical shield around themselves that has a +2 deflection bonus per four class levels, and does not require it be wielded as a shield.
Bonus feats at 5th, 10th, and 15th lvl.
They get the ability to wear medium armor and not lose movement rate.
'Slice through wardings' -- they get the ability to ignore all magic-based protections like AC bonuses, etc) Cant ignore things like feedback strike tho.
Spell Parry - yep. Can bounce spells back.
To me, that's pretty close to the OldSkool elf.
Since it's one class, there's no multiclass penalties; it is exactly what the Spellsword (from Wizards) should have been.
Because you're also attuned to your weapon that you use to cast your spells, that weapon continues to increase in its magical nature - I took advantage of that in a previous game to add other enchants. Because the weapon is also part of your magical nature, you get to a point where you can summon it to your hand and also so that if anyone ever takes it from you, it will automatically attack them.
At 4th level, they can create a magical shield around themselves that has a +2 deflection bonus per four class levels, and does not require it be wielded as a shield.
Bonus feats at 5th, 10th, and 15th lvl.
They get the ability to wear medium armor and not lose movement rate.
'Slice through wardings' -- they get the ability to ignore all magic-based protections like AC bonuses, etc) Cant ignore things like feedback strike tho.
Spell Parry - yep. Can bounce spells back.
To me, that's pretty close to the OldSkool elf.
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Thansk for all the great suggestions. I've decided to use this character concept for a Savage Tide Adventure Path Campaign that I'll be joining. The character will be an arcane warrior-mage who is a demon hunter, and will combine sword, bow, and spell to search out demons, bypass their defenses, and destroy them. The character doesn't need to be the best melee'er in the party (there will be a swordsage and a melee-focused druid), nor the best blaster (there will also be a warmage in the party).
I've decided that I will definitely use a multi-class with wizard as part of the concept, probably using the elf wizard racial substitution levels to be a "universal specialist" wizard. I want to get the utility that comes from a wide range of spell choices associated with daily spell preparation, and use the sort of abjuration, divination, and other magic the warmage won't possess. That may be departing from the "iconic" warrior/mage a bit, but still reminds me of the original elf class. I'm also not to keen on the narrowly focused spell lists and slow spell development of some of the single classed options like duskblade, warmage, and battle sorcerer (beguiler actually has a bit more interesting spell list to me).
Assuming the character survives that long, the prestige class I would lean toward is Abjurant Champion (CM) or Eldritch Knight (as dry as I find the flavor of that class).
So my hard decision right now is how to start the character's career at 1st level -- expecting the character will grow organically as the campaign plays out so I'm not going to plana level-by-level progression. I'm thinking of leading with the martial class first to aid low-level survivability. So my thinking is (and skipping MageBlade, as I don't want to pick up anoterh books with a different magic system to integrate):
1. Fighter.
- Pro: extra feat, full armor proficiency, d10 HD
- Con: Not much flavor for the overall concept, doesn't establish "warrior/mage" paradigm at 1st level, fighter/wizard will end up giving up armor
2. Ranger
- Pro: Lots of secondary skills, Track, wilderness abilities feel more "elvish" and would get lots of use in the campagn, favored enemy supports "demon hunter" concept, multiple ranger levels create a secondary weapon pat hwith weapon style
- Con: doesn't establish "warrior mage" paradigm at 1st level, lacks proficiencies for some future PrC options (like spellsword, though this really isn't a current goal), ranger/wizard will end up giving up armor, less survivable than fighter
3. Duskblade
- Pro: clearly establishes concept early on; after multi-classing provdies gobs of 0- and 1st-level spells; casting in armor, 2d level meets adjurant champion entry pre-req without spending a feat slot
- Con: Limited skill set, casting in armor doesn't help wizard spells (almost meaningless once character has access to mage armor and shield); less survivable than fighter
So at this point I'm thinking ranger/wizard or duskblade/wizard to start off, and trying to decide between low-level secondary abilities that will be useful to the campaign (skills & track), or a choice that clearly establishes the character archtype early on. And while I'm expecting right now to take mostly wizard levels, I'm going to level the character grow organically from level to level so I might not take an "optimized" path down the road -- might end up just dabbling a bit in wizard and taking more levels in the martial class.
I've decided that I will definitely use a multi-class with wizard as part of the concept, probably using the elf wizard racial substitution levels to be a "universal specialist" wizard. I want to get the utility that comes from a wide range of spell choices associated with daily spell preparation, and use the sort of abjuration, divination, and other magic the warmage won't possess. That may be departing from the "iconic" warrior/mage a bit, but still reminds me of the original elf class. I'm also not to keen on the narrowly focused spell lists and slow spell development of some of the single classed options like duskblade, warmage, and battle sorcerer (beguiler actually has a bit more interesting spell list to me).
Assuming the character survives that long, the prestige class I would lean toward is Abjurant Champion (CM) or Eldritch Knight (as dry as I find the flavor of that class).
So my hard decision right now is how to start the character's career at 1st level -- expecting the character will grow organically as the campaign plays out so I'm not going to plana level-by-level progression. I'm thinking of leading with the martial class first to aid low-level survivability. So my thinking is (and skipping MageBlade, as I don't want to pick up anoterh books with a different magic system to integrate):
1. Fighter.
- Pro: extra feat, full armor proficiency, d10 HD
- Con: Not much flavor for the overall concept, doesn't establish "warrior/mage" paradigm at 1st level, fighter/wizard will end up giving up armor
2. Ranger
- Pro: Lots of secondary skills, Track, wilderness abilities feel more "elvish" and would get lots of use in the campagn, favored enemy supports "demon hunter" concept, multiple ranger levels create a secondary weapon pat hwith weapon style
- Con: doesn't establish "warrior mage" paradigm at 1st level, lacks proficiencies for some future PrC options (like spellsword, though this really isn't a current goal), ranger/wizard will end up giving up armor, less survivable than fighter
3. Duskblade
- Pro: clearly establishes concept early on; after multi-classing provdies gobs of 0- and 1st-level spells; casting in armor, 2d level meets adjurant champion entry pre-req without spending a feat slot
- Con: Limited skill set, casting in armor doesn't help wizard spells (almost meaningless once character has access to mage armor and shield); less survivable than fighter
So at this point I'm thinking ranger/wizard or duskblade/wizard to start off, and trying to decide between low-level secondary abilities that will be useful to the campaign (skills & track), or a choice that clearly establishes the character archtype early on. And while I'm expecting right now to take mostly wizard levels, I'm going to level the character grow organically from level to level so I might not take an "optimized" path down the road -- might end up just dabbling a bit in wizard and taking more levels in the martial class.
Wolfspider
Explorer
Is there a prestige class that gives full base attack bonus progression and also gives full magical progression (unlike, say, the Eldritch Knight, who loses a level of spellcasting ability at first level)?
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
Wolfspider said:
Abjurant Champion, but it is only a 5-level PrC.
Wolfspider
Explorer
Olgar Shiverstone said:
Hmm. Interesting little class, too. Easy to qualify for. Full BAB and d10 hit points. Full spellcasting. The only disadvantage, really, is skills.
Hmmm.
You know, if you just take Still Spell, you can cast ALL of your spells in whatever armor you choose...
Yes, you must boost each one a level, but that's not much of a tradeoff, IMHO.
Also, Dragon#354 had a list of arcane spells with no somatic components...IOW, spells you could cast in armor without a special feat, class or anything else.
Yes, you must boost each one a level, but that's not much of a tradeoff, IMHO.
Also, Dragon#354 had a list of arcane spells with no somatic components...IOW, spells you could cast in armor without a special feat, class or anything else.
Olgar Shiverstone
Legend
So I've decided the character I'll be playing will be a duskblade/wizard, exact balance of classes (and eventual prestige classes) to be determined during the course of the campaign, since I like my characters to grow organically.
1st level will definitely be duskblade; I'm planning on a glaive as a primary weapon and taking true strike and blade of blood as first level spells.
Any suggestions on feats? I'm leaning toward Power Attack, but with the reach weapon Combat Reflexes might be valuable too ...
1st level will definitely be duskblade; I'm planning on a glaive as a primary weapon and taking true strike and blade of blood as first level spells.
Any suggestions on feats? I'm leaning toward Power Attack, but with the reach weapon Combat Reflexes might be valuable too ...
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