non-Wishers need not apply

[jeffwik]

I was looking at the Complete Arcane and thinking man, thank God WotC finally put out a book like this, because there just weren't enough options for arcane spellcasters. And then I was looking at Dungeon #140 (I think 140) with the 20th level adventure involving fiends and fire giants? And then I thought about getting four players together and running a one-off, four 20th level arcane casters in that adventure and see what happens. I suppose I'd include psionics, too, if someone wanted to be a psion.

So given the following restrictions, what 20th level character would you want to play?

Rule 1) No divine magic for PCs. No levels of cleric or druid or any of that.
Rule 2) Every PC must be able to cast Wish (or manifest the psionic equivalent the name of which I forget). For sake of the one-shot, we'll assume you have enough xp that burning 5000xp to cast it isn't an issue.
Rule 3) Leadership is permitted, but all cohorts and followers must also be primarily arcane casters.
Rule 4) Any PrClass from Complete Mage, Complete Arcane, and any other 3.5 WotC supplement, sure.


Diviner 10/Red Wizard 10 with Leadership is just the tip of the iceberg.

And could a party of four 20th level arcane casters make it through that adventure without a TPK?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I can think of a few base concepts (especially to replace the missing archetypes:
- A transmuter concentrating on Polymorph Spells to transmute himself into a viable melee monster (if this place is required). Possibly picking up Loremaster levels to get the +1 to attack and AC special abilities, and Use Magic Device to use some divine buff and healing spells.
Master Transformogist might also be nice.
- An Enchanter to dominate and charm the non-SR monsters
- A Conjurer with enough materials for a few Planar Bindings and Gate to get some allies / meat shields. Possibly becoming Alienist.
- A Necromancer with a Staff of Vampiric Touch to heal at least himself. Might be the first time I actually consider not dropping necromancy, but on the other hand I dobut that Vampiric touch is really that great for use in combat...
- A Geometer for disarming traps?

Your scenario unfortunately lets out the Bard (as a PC - cohort might work, but he might be not that useful in an all-arcane group (unless nobody else bothers to take Use Magic Device)

 

[Plane Sailing]

I'd probably want to play a straight 20th Sorcerer (probably because I know very little about prestige classes in anything outside the DMG).

One of the big issues is healing, and at that level I've got Shapechange (so I can easily become a creature with fast healing whenever I need to), and empowered false life for the long-lasting temp hit points can be seen as 'pre-healing' yourself.

Presumably you're allowing limited wish to duplicate divine spells as per normal?

I'd be pretty confident that a party of four 20th level wizards could survive such an adventure and probably win through.

 

[Joshua Randall]

A 20th-level arcane caster can pretty much do whatever he wants, especially with no restrictions on the number of wishes he can cast. He can duplicate divine spells (heal, etc.), he can bring in burly monsters, or he can just wish for the volcano to erupt and melt the whole complex.

 

[jeffwik]

Healing: Wish to duplicate the effects of resurrection, ranks of Use Magic Device on a staff of healing, etc. Try to eliminate foes before they get a chance to hurt you.

Wish and limited wish to duplicate divine spells, sure.

Of course, you only have so many spells/day anyhow. Even if you can fill up all your high-level slots with Wish, that's a pretty finite amount of power.

Joshua Randall: are you saying that Wish is automatically gamebreaking? I don't think I'd agree that it's effectively impossible to challenge a high-level caster.

 

[Ilium]

If somebody wants to shell out for cross-class UMD levels (or if you allow some feat to make them not cross-class) I think the lack of clerical healing could be overcome.

 

[jeffwik]

My hypothetical players are clever ducks, I'm 100% certain there are PrClasses out there with both full caster progression and UMD as a class skill. A wizard's high INT results in beaucoup skill points, and boom, there you are.

 

[Barak]

I'd go Wizard/Initiate of the seven Veils 13/7, and laugh.

 

[Corsair]

My hypothetical players are clever ducks, I'm 100% certain there are PrClasses out there with both full caster progression and UMD as a class skill. A wizard's high INT results in beaucoup skill points, and boom, there you are.

DMG: Loremaster

 

[Dracomeander]

Your scenario unfortunately lets out the Bard (as a PC - cohort might work, but he might be not that useful in an all-arcane group (unless nobody else bothers to take Use Magic Device)

Actually the first concept I thought of with those parameters was a bard - Bard 10 / Sublime Chord 10. Full 9th level spell capability with the Sublime Chord allows him to gain Wish in his spells known to meet the requirements. Plenty of skills to make an effective leader plus add bardic music buffs and UMD to cover holes left with no divine casters, and the concept is in the running for one of the strongest characters available given the parameters of the OP.