D&D 3E/3.5 Best Overall Fighter/Mage Prestige Class... 3.5

[James McMurray]

Maybe, although he just said it wasn't on the list any more because its a party buff spell that doesn't allow multiple castings during a round.

Heck, the old haste is much better for fighters than the new one too. But just because a spell received a much-needed balance change doesn't mean it drops out of use. Its still one of the first spells my party uses while in a fight and is a must have for most of the characters over at the Exodus arena. All the chnge to haste did is make it a balanced spell rather tan a broken one. Its still a great addition to any fighter/wizard's repetoire (at least IMNSHO).

 

[Anabstercorian]

I would just like to note how I HATE the new bladesinger in Complete Warrior.
They removed the spells it gains to add EXISTING SPELLCASTING CLASS! SO my wiz 1/fighter 4 who joins it now gets jack for spellcasting. It defeats the purpose of a pure fighter who just has a few bonus wizardly spells to help. Its basically a crappy eldritch knight with a few other bonus's which don't make up to it unless you go mostly wizard before joining bladesinger PrC. Which why would you not just go eldritch knight to gain the higher spellcasting.

I'm not saying it can't be a good mix still but it takes away from the "mostly fighter" side and can't compete with the 3.0 version of itself.

Bitch, bitch, bitch. So use the old version! One focuses on the 'singing', and the other focuses on the 'blading'.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Its actually only useless if they have magic arrows but other than that your points are valid.

In 3.5, normal arrows fired from a magic bow gain the ability to penetrate DR x/magic.

I have to disagree on this one. Haste, although not as broken as the 3.0 version, is still the Fighter / Mage's best friend. The plus to hit partially makes up for the loss of BAB, and the extra attack greatly makes up for the loss of BAB by giving you an extra chance to hit. The added speed and AC are also very useful. Add on to that the fact that it also helps out your allies and you've got yourself one really nice spell.

I admit that it can be useful but I don't use it with my character.

The thing about the 3.0 haste was not nearly as much that it allowed two spells per round (although I did take advantage of that to burn through all my magic missiles on a few occasions where my fighter/mage found himself on the wrong sinde of Greater Elementals). The real advantage from my perspective is that there wasn't any significant opportunity cost to casting the spell. If I wanted defense, I could cast haste and still cast shield or Imp Invis. If I wanted offence, I could cast haste and still get round 1 attacks (the best kind of attacks since, if they drop an enemy before he moves, that enemy never attacks himself). With the new haste, the fighter/mage has to choose between casting haste and taking another action. (If you want to be polymorphed before attacking, for instance, casting Haste guarantees that you won't attack (except AoOs and quickened spells) until turn 3). I found that dropping it in favor of Heroism and Magic Circle against evil (which can often be cast before battle) and Blink (which doesn't have a lot of opportunity cost if you have Expert Tactician (You cast blink and move to threaten a foe, then expert tactician activates, allowing you to attack) is a pretty good move.

The reason to cast Haste in 3.5 is to help your allies. And that's something that every character should think about. But making that your regular contribution to combat is stepping onto the road of becoming a party buffing wizard who occasionally fights rather than a front-line monster-basher with a bunch of wizard levels. (I would imagine party composition plays a big part in this equation too--my character has generally been in parties where he is a front-liner; in fact, in recent mods, he's been the party's first choice for a front-line fighter. (When the party has one fighter level between six characters, it's a rather interesting situation). Were he in a party with several front-liners--a single class barbarian and a full BAB fighter/p-class for instance--the role of party buffing backup fighter might be more viable).

 

[James McMurray]

In 3.5, normal arrows fired from a magic bow gain the ability to penetrate DR x/magic.

There's an interesting change that I hadn't noticed between 3.0 and 3.5.

 

[reapersaurus]

But making that your regular contribution to combat is stepping onto the road of becoming a party buffing wizard who occasionally fights rather than a front-line monster-basher with a bunch of wizard levels.

IMNSHO, what you describe (the latter wizard monster-basher) should not be viable in D&D.

 

[Pax]

Except, reaper, it is ... sort of.

Fighter(4)/Wizard(6)/Eldritch Knight(10). BAB of 17, access to 8th level spells. Not the greatest monster-basher, nor the best wizard, but darned decent at both.

In a normal party, with this fellow being the "fifth wheel" or whatever, I'd call this guy the "second Front Liner" ... not the premiere star of melee combat, but still, definitely the silver medal winner in that event. ^_^

 

[Darklone]

Fighter(4)/Wizard(6)/Eldritch Knight(10). BAB of 17, access to 8th level spells. Not the greatest monster-basher, nor the best wizard, but darned decent at both.

Given the choice between a fighter feat and access to Weapon Specialisation or 9th level spells, I´d choose the later... so I´d rather go Ftr2/wiz8 and then EK...

 

[James McMurray]

Or even Fighter 1 / Wizard 8 / EK 10 / Spellsword 1.

 

[Iku Rex]

IMNSHO, what you describe (the latter wizard monster-basher) should not be viable in D&D.

Why not?

 

[James McMurray]

Why not?

Because reaper is aparently prejudiced against fighter/mages, or at least his prior posts on the subject have led me to believe that.

I guess he doesn't feel that someone shoul strive to make a Gandalf-type character.