From Post#53 (mine) in this thread:
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=223495&page=1
As it turns out, a buddy of mine is considering starting a new campaign later this year, and I'd like to see what the best options are.
My bud is kind of conservative, like most of the players in our group- we're still playing a 3Ed RttToEE campaign which we expect to wrap up soon- so I expect to either be playing 3Ed or 3.5 with limitations. IOW, the more exotic the books needed for the build, the less likely.
Assuming:
1) No Psionics (probably the best I could do anyway would be making the Soulknife arcane instead of psionically based).
2) No 3rd Party, with possible exception of DCv1.
3) Core + Splats (for 3Ed) or Core + Completes (for 3.5.) most likely, everything else will probably be on a DM approval basis.
4) Stuff from Campaign specific books is a tossup: he may raid them- heck, he may even be using a prepublished setting, I don't know at this point- but I doubt he'd go deeply into a setting's supplements unless he was using it.
5) PHB races only is most probably the regime he'll choose, but feel free to give me suggestions that are Core. I'm perfectly willing to take a spellcasting stat hit to play a Half-Orc or similar race. I'm also willing to play a size S race as well.
6) Base Classes 50/50 possibility; PrCls, ACFs and Feats are more likely. I recognize that this part is the real hurdle, given that the Duskblade, Warmage and Battle Sorcerer are probably the best choices for this build. Don't let that stop you from making a suggestion based upon them. He knows I'm a role-player and not prone to trying to munchkin around to the point of wrecking campaigns- I can probably convince him to let me try something unusual.
7) I realize that there are certain Monk builds that can do this pretty well, but I want to avoid them. I want this guy to look like a warrior when first encountered, and about the only armored Monk PrCls I know of are the Shou Disciple and the Kensai, of which the latter is far more likely to be available. I may even go for some kind of Exotic weapon (Maul? Greatspear? Bladed Gauntlets?) or "suboptimal" fighting style (TWF).
******
So, at this point, I'm thinking a UA Battle Sorcerer or Warmage gives me the most spells to pump into this guy's melee attacks. I need to find the right combo of classes, feats and ACFs out there.
Of course, keep in mind this guy isn't a caster of any real merit- he's a warrior who is channelling arcane energy into his strikes, and possibly doesn't even realize he's doing it.
Any ideas or refinements?
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=223495&page=1
Actually, one spellcasting-warrior idea I've had floating around my head is the magically gifted idiot meatshield.
Visually, he'd look the archetypal warrior of his race and presumptive class. In reality, he'd be something like a Battle Sorcerer or Warmage (maximizing # spells/day) with high Str, Dex, Cha (his spellcasting stat) and if lucky, Con, with a low Int and Wis. Criminally low.
He'd have that feat that boosts the weight of armor an armored mage can wear (its name escapes me at the moment) and Arcane Strike (or similar feat).
Generally, instead of casting his spells, he channels them into his weapon to boost his martial prowess. His fellow partymates may not even be aware that he is technically an arcane caster. Once that gets revealed, his education on TRUE power can begin.
As it turns out, a buddy of mine is considering starting a new campaign later this year, and I'd like to see what the best options are.
My bud is kind of conservative, like most of the players in our group- we're still playing a 3Ed RttToEE campaign which we expect to wrap up soon- so I expect to either be playing 3Ed or 3.5 with limitations. IOW, the more exotic the books needed for the build, the less likely.
Assuming:
1) No Psionics (probably the best I could do anyway would be making the Soulknife arcane instead of psionically based).
2) No 3rd Party, with possible exception of DCv1.
3) Core + Splats (for 3Ed) or Core + Completes (for 3.5.) most likely, everything else will probably be on a DM approval basis.
4) Stuff from Campaign specific books is a tossup: he may raid them- heck, he may even be using a prepublished setting, I don't know at this point- but I doubt he'd go deeply into a setting's supplements unless he was using it.
5) PHB races only is most probably the regime he'll choose, but feel free to give me suggestions that are Core. I'm perfectly willing to take a spellcasting stat hit to play a Half-Orc or similar race. I'm also willing to play a size S race as well.
6) Base Classes 50/50 possibility; PrCls, ACFs and Feats are more likely. I recognize that this part is the real hurdle, given that the Duskblade, Warmage and Battle Sorcerer are probably the best choices for this build. Don't let that stop you from making a suggestion based upon them. He knows I'm a role-player and not prone to trying to munchkin around to the point of wrecking campaigns- I can probably convince him to let me try something unusual.
7) I realize that there are certain Monk builds that can do this pretty well, but I want to avoid them. I want this guy to look like a warrior when first encountered, and about the only armored Monk PrCls I know of are the Shou Disciple and the Kensai, of which the latter is far more likely to be available. I may even go for some kind of Exotic weapon (Maul? Greatspear? Bladed Gauntlets?) or "suboptimal" fighting style (TWF).
******
So, at this point, I'm thinking a UA Battle Sorcerer or Warmage gives me the most spells to pump into this guy's melee attacks. I need to find the right combo of classes, feats and ACFs out there.
Of course, keep in mind this guy isn't a caster of any real merit- he's a warrior who is channelling arcane energy into his strikes, and possibly doesn't even realize he's doing it.
Any ideas or refinements?
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