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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 3263919" data-attributes="member: 3146">Optimal builds (IMO):Fighter 1/Wiz 6/Eldritch Knight 10 (Core only)Paladin 2/Sorcerer 6/Eldritch Knight 10 (core only)Core only tactics:True Strike+Power Attack is nifty, but only helps you dish out more damage than simply attacking once (instead of casting true strike) and then attacking again when: A. the NPC is out of range in the first round but expected to be in range in the second, B. The NPC is difficult for you to hit whether through armor class, concealment miss chance, or mirror image.It is often more useful for succeeding on an opposed attack roll such as a disarm or sunder attempt.Other good core spells: Shield+two handed weapon. Ray of enfeeblement+improved trip or improved bull rushEnlarge Person+Improved Trip/Bull Rush/Sunder/Disarm and/or combat reflexes and cleaveAlter Self+troglodyte form (or, if an Aasimar, alter self+nifty outsider forms)mirror imagesee invisibility (because most fighters can't see invisible foes on their own)false lifeBull's strength was great in 3.0, but in 3.5 its short duration gives it a very short window of usefulness; usually, you'd be better off just attacking one more time.Resist EnergyGreater Magic Weapon (primarily at higher levels)heroismblinkdisplacementfly (an option most fighters don't have)flame arrow (in the even that you're an archer)Polymorphgreater invisibilityenervation (quite nice when used with opposed roll tactics such as trip, etc)Dimension Door (the fighter/mage's grapple defense (other than blink that is))With the first complete books, you add:A more fighting than spellcasting focused option:Fighter 2/Wizard 4/Spellsword 10Paladin 2/Wizard 4/Spellsword 10and an improvement to the spellcasting focused version:Fighter 1/Wizard 6/Spellsword 1/Eldritch Knight 10Paladin 2/Sorcerer 4/Spellsword 1/Eldritch KNight 10You also add a number of options that seem like they should be good, but are really only marginal, even if maximally tweaked:HexbladeSuel ArcanamachBladesingerYou add one extremely useful feat:Arcane Strikeand one sometimes useful feat (it gets more useful, the more caster levels you lose):Practiced SpellcasterYou also add a bevy of useful spells:Fist of StoneCritical StrikeMaster's TouchSwift Expeditious RetreatLesser orb spellsguided shotarrow mindSwift FlyWhirling bladebladeweave (it sure looks like it could be good, but I've never had a character the right level to make it work)wraithstrike (one of the most broken spells in any edition, so IMO, no sane DM should let you have it, and most players will agree as soon as it's busted out against their PCs but it is in the books)Greater Blink (High level, but incredible for a fighting wizard)Fires of Purity (high level, but soo good that you have to mention it)Spell Compendium adds a number of spells that I never had the opportunity to properly play with:Blades of fire (new and improved from complete book version)WeaponshiftSonic WeaponMountain StanceBurning SwordFearsome GrappleHeroicsDiamondsteelDragonskinSpiderskinSteeldance (mostly for the heinousness you can do with multiple magic weapons--at high levels, a pair of bane or wounding weapons could be pretty deadly)Greater ResistanceOrb of X,Y,ZNightstalker's TransformationGreater Enlarge PersonStone BodyReaving DispelMoving on to the PHB II:you gain a new fighting focused magical class that is more straightforward:DuskbladeYou gain a few spells:Blade of bloodDimension Hop (the cheaper get out of grapple free card)Electric VengeanceStretch WeaponCrown of MightEnergy Surge (but only if you get really cheesy and chain it, then use telekinesis to toss all the weapons at an enemy)Evard's Menacing TentaclesSlashing DispelGreater Mirror ImageToxic WeaponGreater Electric VengeanceComplete Mage, I haven't fully read, but it adds the incredible Abjurant Champion prestige class which takes pretty much everything about Eldritch Knight and Suel Arcanamach get, rolls them into one package, and ties them up with a bow. The only reason to play Eldritch Knight if it is available is because you ran out of abjurant champion levels.I believe the Ebberon Campaign Setting also has Knight Phantom which is like Eldritch Knight, but gets a bunch of relatively minor bonus abilities and the major ability: it's a class other than Eldritch Knight so it lets you extend your progressions to level 20 without either giving up 9th level spells or going back to sorcerer or wizard.</blockquote>

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