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

[Shard O'Glase]

I'm with reaper on that it shouldn't be possible. Maybe not for the same reason but I still don't think it should be. Fighters suck enough as is in that they barely own combat, fullfilling more of a meat shield HP sink roll who dishes out about the same damage as everyone else, and who gets the honor of sucking more than any other class outside of combat and by a huge degree. Suck mor ethan anyone else outside of a fight sure, but by how much they do heck no.

So why should there be a guy who can fullfill the bashing roll almost next to the fighter in skill; a backup fighter in some groups and yet cast spells on the level where he can do so much more.

So basically making a fighter/mage basher style makes a fighter suck even more than they already do in comparison to other classes.

 

[James McMurray]

A fighter/mage basher style may be better sometimes than a regular fighter, but he won't have the staying power. The normal fighter is also nowhere near as vunerable to a dispel magic effect targetting him.

Have you ever been in a campaign with a straight fighter and a fighter/wizard side by side?

 

[Shard O'Glase]

A fighter/mage basher style may be better sometimes than a regular fighter, but he won't have the staying power. The normal fighter is also nowhere near as vunerable to a dispel magic effect targetting him.

Have you ever been in a campaign with a straight fighter and a fighter/wizard side by side?

Yes and in 3e it wasn't a problem they sucked as bad as fighters suck but now in 3.5 with the lame prestige classes they have devleoped, it is a big problem. Which is why I will no longer allow the eldritch knight.

 

[James McMurray]

Have you played a game with an eldritch knight in the party and had the tank fighter outshined? If not, I'd suggest giving it a try before booting it. The lowered hit points and armor make it nice, but not ovepowering (in my experience).

 

[Darklone]

Well, I sent some Eldritch Knights (well prepared) against my group... I can´t say they outshone anyone. The class is nice, but not overpowering in combat. As a PC, you have to cast a lot of spells to be nearly as good as the fighter.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Have you played a game with an eldritch knight in the party and had the tank fighter outshined? If not, I'd suggest giving it a try before booting it. The lowered hit points and armor make it nice, but not ovepowering (in my experience).

Yes I have and yes he did outshine the fighter and by an absurd margin. He came way too close in bashing skill to be so much better outside of bashing.

 

[James McMurray]

Cool. Then it looks like you're pretty justified in banning it.

I just get tired of folks jumping on the "ban EK and MT" bandwagon.

 

[Dr. Niles Crane]

Well, I sent some Eldritch Knights (well prepared) against my group... I can´t say they outshone anyone. The class is nice, but not overpowering in combat. As a PC, you have to cast a lot of spells to be nearly as good as the fighter.

I've had the same experience: with prep time and the casting of several buffings spells it seems an Eldritch Knight can temporarily raise his/her effectiveness close to a pure fighter level, but without that time the character definitely seems like a secondary fighter. I have not had anyone play one as a PC but wouldn't have any problem allowing it: I tend to put together some very tough builds and even giving an NPC a PC level of equipment, the EK was not overpowering. I would be interested in seeing a build of an overpowering one to see how it was done (assuming a standard level of gear, reasonable stats, etc.).