Best Prestige Class for Fighter/Sorc?

[niastri]

I have a human 8th level Kensai (fighter variant from Dragon)/2nd Level Sorc and I am looking for the best Prestige Class to take with my next level.

I know I should think these things out beforehand, but I like the try and see if a direction presents itself first.

I would like to try and take a class that combines some magic abilities, either with caster levels or just cool abilities, rather than one that focuses exclusively on the Kensai or fighter stuff...

His feats taken are Exotic WP Spiked Chain, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Combat Reflexes/Expertise, Improved Trip, Whirlwind Attack.

Kensai Feat slots take up the other 2 feats, Chosen Weapon (+3 to hit/dmg with chosen weapon, and One that works like Flurry of Blows, but gives -3 to hit instead of only -2)

Spells of note include flavor stuff and the basics, plus Enlarge and Mage Armor.

He doesn't have really high abilities in any area, 14-16 in most things, and doesn't wear armor.

I kind of got him where I want him, and don't want to spend more feats duplicating his Kensai specialty (so Focus, Improved focus, etc, are out...) and maybe think he should go back to his magic roots. He was a sorc first, then discovered his chosen weapon.

What to choose next?

 

[mikebr99]

Dragon disicple... Eldridge(sp) Knight... Spellsword... weaponmaster...YMMV


Mike

 

[The Souljourner]

Pretty much every single fighter/caster class requires 2nd or 3rd level spells.

Spellsword requires 2nd level spells, gets fighter BAB and a caster level every odd PrC level. It's in the Complete Warrior. Pretty decent class - gives you spell failure reduction and a couple bonus feats, plus you can store spells in your sword to go off when you hit someone.

Eldritch Knight is in the DMG - requires third level spells, gives fighter BAB and +1 caster level every level except first (at which you get a fighter bonus feat instead).

For you, I recommend 2 more levels of sorcerer, then 3 spellsword, then you'll have 6 caster levels, with 3rd level spells and can get into Eldritch knight if you want, or just continue with Spellsword.

Have fun! I love the idea of a mainly fightery guy who has spells to make him interesting.

BTW... was that Chosen Weapon feat in Dragon? Does your DM realize how sick that is?

-The Souljourner

 

[niastri]

BTW... was that Chosen Weapon feat in Dragon? Does your DM realize how sick that is?

-The Souljourner

It isn't a feat, it is an alternate class, there are a few other disads, but it is pretty nice to lose a feat for a nice bonus with your chosen weapon, I don't have the numbers in front of me, but it is level based, not a raw feat, but you give up your first level fighter bonus feat.

In other words, you never will give up that advantage. The other one is pretty sweet, but doesn't take from the thunder of the Monks out there.

It is in the alternate class issue, which gives different skills and such for all the core classes. I don't know the issue number, but clearly a great issue.


Unfortunately, the Eldritch Knight is out, we outlaw a lot of what the other guys call "broken classes"

I was loathe to choose spellsword, but I didn't realize it did allow full base attack now.... Also, he doesn't wear armor anyway, so one of the major advantages of the class wouldn't matter much for him. I don't know if that was the only way they let me take kensai or if it was in the Dragon issue, but it is a die hard thing with this character. I would need more levels of Sorc though, so to keep the "more fighter, less caster" I will need to take a few more Kensai levels, but that is ok, it fits the character I think

BTW, if anybody plays Scarred Lands, it is played there, so those classes are generally allowed, even if far more broken than some of the base Prestige Classes.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Unfortunately, the Eldritch Knight is out, we outlaw a lot of what the other guys call "broken classes"

Well you should consider talking to the other guys then. It sounds like they've got their cranially impacted rectums. Eldritch Knight is a decent class. . . if you're going for the fighter/mage angle. It's not broken by any stretch of the imagination. (Compare it to the cleric, for instance--at 16th level, the Ftr 1/Wiz 5/Eldritch Knight 10 will have +13 BAB, 55hp from levels, +10/+3/+7 base saves, and 7th level spells. A cleric 16 with the war domain will have +12 BAB, 75.5hp from levels, +10/+5/+10 base saves, and 8th level spells he can cast in armor without chance of spell failure. And unless you find another full BAB class, full spellcasting class to multi into, the comparison will just get worse for the Eldritch Knight from then on out (since he has to either give up BAB or spell levels)). For wizards who don't want to be fighter/mages, there's not much there--BAB that they won't use and 1 hp/level in return for losing two levels of spellcasting ability (1 from fighter used to qualify and the other from level 1).

(And don't get me started on the other so-called broken class: the mystic theurge--I game fairly regularly with a guy whose character is just starting to get ready to qualify. "You've only just begun to suck" is frequently heard in his presence).

That said, the new spellsword is a good class too.

I was loathe to choose spellsword, but I didn't realize it did allow full base attack now.... Also, he doesn't wear armor anyway, so one of the major advantages of the class wouldn't matter much for him. I don't know if that was the only way they let me take kensai or if it was in the Dragon issue, but it is a die hard thing with this character. I would need more levels of Sorc though, so to keep the "more fighter, less caster" I will need to take a few more Kensai levels, but that is ok, it fits the character I think

It's easy to make too much of the reduced spell failure for spellsword. The real power of the class is Channel Spell--especially the multi-channel ability. Never underestimate the value of slapping your foes with two empowered scorching rays or enervations (channeled) and a full attack in the same round. (And if you've a Spell Storing weapon, you can cap it off with another scorching ray or a ray of exhaustion/ray of enfeeblement).

 

[niastri]

Well you should consider talking to the other guys then. It sounds like they've got their cranially impacted rectums. Eldritch Knight is a decent class. . . if you're going for the fighter/mage angle. It's not broken by any stretch of the imagination. (Compare it to the cleric, for instance--at 16th level, the Ftr 1/Wiz 5/Eldritch Knight 10 will have +13 BAB, 55hp from levels, +10/+3/+7 base saves, and 7th level spells. A cleric 16 with the war domain will have +12 BAB, 75.5hp from levels, +10/+5/+10 base saves, and 8th level spells he can cast in armor without chance of spell failure. And unless you find another full BAB class, full spellcasting class to multi into, the comparison will just get worse for the Eldritch Knight from then on out (since he has to either give up BAB or spell levels)). For wizards who don't want to be fighter/mages, there's not much there--BAB that they won't use and 1 hp/level in return for losing two levels of spellcasting ability (1 from fighter used to qualify and the other from level 1).

While I appreciate the game mechanics evaluation, the concern is far more I think for being Broken in that it has no character concept involved. Most of the guys in my group respect character concept more than mechanics, which I appreciate and enjoy most of the time.

This interest in fluff over mechanics has caused us many a house rule, but has made for a great group, so I won't argue on that basis.

This is why we allow Scarred Lands classes where others are disallowed. While Scarred Lands classes are often overpowerful, the in game problems are fully and dutifully enforced, by player and DM, so we have balances on them. Flavorless multiclass classes like those in the DMG are disallowed cause most of the guys don't like them, not cause they are too strong...

That is why broken is highely relative in my group. And I am there, and I like it, so I can't complain too much, but I will look into spellssword, because it now seems like a much more worthy version of what it should have been. I confess to have reading all the other classes much more over those that have been rewritten.

But are there any other unique spellcaster/warrior classes out there that may accomplish the same thing with a unique bent?

 

[niastri]

One thing I should mention, we almost always play by found items only, very little buying, and most of the time it is buyer beware.

The DM's are nice, but we don't object to making such things difficult, so all our characters are well rounded in ways that most here don't play with, or else a brief moment away from the party can mean helplessness.

My character cannot and does not rely on items to keep him safe.

 

[evolved]

if you have minis handbook take a look at havoc mage its battle cast would work well with the feats you have mess'em up with the chain (trip disarm and such) then throw a spell in their face while staying the heck away ( i'm a spike chain fan myself so i spend way too much time deciding how to make them more effective than they already are)

 

[Darklone]

While I appreciate the game mechanics evaluation, the concern is far more I think for being Broken in that it has no character concept involved. Most of the guys in my group respect character concept more than mechanics, which I appreciate and enjoy most of the time.

That's actually the nice thing about the Mystic Theurge and the Eldritch Knight in the DMG. Simply rules, fluff can be added appropriate to any alignment, character background, campaign setting or group dynamics.

 

[DM_Matt]

That's actually the nice thing about the Mystic Theurge and the Eldritch Knight in the DMG. Simply rules, fluff can be added appropriate to any alignment, character background, campaign setting or group dynamics.

Exactly. The hybrid PRCs in 3.5 need to be flavorless to be fully universal, beucase they are a PATCH to the system. A flaw of 3.x dnd is that multiclass spellcasters suck. These classes allow them to be balanced. The point is add your own flavor. Make up an organization that they represent, replace the prereqs with less generic ones of comparable power, come up with some sort of flavorful ability instead of the bonus feat, whatever.

These PRCs were made CORE because they are a necessary part of balancing the system.