Arcane Hierophant

[Barendd Nobeard]

I've got a first level human druid (this is RPGA Living Greyhawk, so there are some limitations and choices can't be "undone" later if I don't like them).

I'm thinking of going the Arcane Hierophant route. It looks like fun. I'm not too worried about being behind the power curve (though it is three levels of Wiz before the AH kicks in).

So, my questions are:

Has anyone played this class? Is it fun? Or does the "lack" of power (more spells overall but less powerful spell levels) just make it unplayable?

TIA for any comments.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I played an Archie in a PbEM game. My experience is coloured by a couple of factors.

1. The DM thought the Practised Spellcaster feat was 'munchkin' and disallowed it. This is a Bad Thing for a multiclassed caster.
2. The nature of the adventure meant that I didn't really get to bring my Companion Familiar into play. (Infiltrating a we-hate-magic city isn't the sort of mission you bring a Dire Bat along on, y'know?)

So, what I found was that:
a/ The Companion Familiar, probably the coolest aspect of the class, didn't figure.
b/ My spell power was lousy compared to the single class casters. I was casting 4th level spells at CL 7 and 8; they were casting 6th level spells at CL 11.
c/ My wildshape was weak... by the time I left the game, I'd only just reached the Large Wildshape point.

I love the companion familiar idea. A Dire Lion that's smarter than the half-orc is so cool. But my experience of the class wasn't a positive one overall.

-Hyp.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Thanks for the input.

Practiced Spellcaster is definitely a part of this plan, and is allowed in LG so that's not an issue.

Also, the animal companion will not be a problem. I live in Wisconsin, so my LG Region is Highfolk which concentrates on the Vesve Forest and the very nature-loving town of Highfolk.

I have lots of time to decide (he's just about to make 2nd level and he needs four druid levels before he can even qualify for AH).

The weak wildshape will hurt a bit, but the next story arc is only 3 years long and all the new characters will be about 12-13th level when it's done (at least with the way our "Triad" is managing our Region).

 

[Wish]

I don't play an Arcane Heirophant, but one of the guys I play with regularly does, and in the Living Greyhawk campaign, so it's especially relevant to your situation. While we often make fun of him for "playing a tiger with a druid companion" the character is quite effective overall. The companion familiar is just brutally effective, especially with all the wizard and druid buffs that can be put on him. He did put in one level of beastmaster, which drops his caster level but increases the animal companion significantly. He's got just enough spell power to chip in when he needs to, but without the companion he's not on the same power scale as other characters of his level. That said, it's pretty rare that he doesn't have the companion. He can use reduce animal spells to shrink it to medium size if he needs to.

I do have to say that Hypersmurf's report does not seem to be the norm. I imagine that any class that has its major feature and a key feat removed will be subpar. (Imagine a fighter with no weapons, or a bard with no bardic music.)

 

[Hypersmurf]

I do have to say that Hypersmurf's report does not seem to be the norm.

Yeah - 'swhy I noted that my experience was coloured

-Hyp.

 

[LokiDR]

Also, the animal companion will not be a problem. I live in Wisconsin, so my LG Region is Highfolk which concentrates on the Vesve Forest and the very nature-loving town of Highfolk.

As I have met some of the Triad from Highfolk, I think they would aprove of the class (especially in a region dominated by elves). However, not more than a few hours ago, I had a discussion with some RPGA types from Geoff, and the rumbling is the class is overpowered and likely to meet the restricted/banned list in the future. The word is there are a lot of players going for this combination, and the RPGA is likely to see that as broken. Also remember that Core and Metaregional mods might not be as forgiving to the animal companion.

To me, the class is really strong and well worth playing. The loss of a few levels of spells is more than made up for by your utility and versitility. And your pet is just cool.

 

[Particle_Man]

If you do go this route, it would be a no-brainer to take a few levels of MT in between maxing out your AH levels and getting past 20th so you can take more AH levels.

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

Wish (and Hyp, again), thanks for the input. I think it'll be a lot of fun to play.

As I have met some of the Triad from Highfolk, I think they would aprove of the class (especially in a region dominated by elves). However, not more than a few hours ago, I had a discussion with some RPGA types from Geoff, and the rumbling is the class is overpowered and likely to meet the restricted/banned list in the future. The word is there are a lot of players going for this combination, and the RPGA is likely to see that as broken. Also remember that Core and Metaregional mods might not be as forgiving to the animal companion.

To me, the class is really strong and well worth playing. The loss of a few levels of spells is more than made up for by your utility and versitility. And your pet is just cool.

Thanks for the input, LokiDR

This character will only play Highfolk mods, Iuz Meta-regionals (our meta-region) and Highfolk special events (interactives, special missions, etc.), since he is a "Devoted to the Green and White" character which can only play those events. Otherwise, he'll lose out on access gained through play. The "Devoted" benefits are our Triad's way of trying to keep most of the Highfolk players at about the same level throughout the next story arc.

If they do ban the class, I'll just take levels of druid. We don't call it "X levels of Broken" for nothing!

 

[Barendd Nobeard]

If you do go this route, it would be a no-brainer to take a few levels of MT in between maxing out your AH levels and getting past 20th so you can take more AH levels.

It's RPGA Living Greyhawk, so character retirement occurs instantly at level 16. I think I would take all my AH first (for the Wildshape advancement) and add MT later.

 

[RigaMortus2]

It's RPGA Living Greyhawk, so character retirement occurs instantly at level 16. I think I would take all my AH first (for the Wildshape advancement) and add MT later.

Just take some craft feats and spend your exp at level 15 on creating magic items. You'll never hit level 16, so you'll never have to retire