Building an Ultimate Magus

[Greenfield]

I'm building an Ultimate Magus for a 3.5 game, 32 point buy, probably level 8 or 9 to start.

Any advice?

 

[Dandu]

1. Beguiler/Wizard
2. Don't cross the streams

 

[kitcik]

2. Don't cross the streams

 

[Greenfield]

I'm actually unfamiliar with the Beguiler Mage.

What's the source, and what are the advantages?

 

[Dandu]

Int based illusion and enchantment focused spont caster from PHB2

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Here's a Handbook.


Why do you want to build an Ultimate Magus?

 

[Greenfield]

My current character, a Bard 9, is probably going to get killed in the next adventure.

He's all but unstoppable in social situations, and in combat situations, well, he's a Bard.

DM: "What's the Bard doing this round?"
Me: "Continue with the song." or "keep concentrating on my illusion", or "Trying to stabilize... crap..."

Our group is light on arcane power, and I've never run one before so I thought it would be a good for some laughs.

My current character is very smooth, very glib, and highly visible.

Personality wise I'm looking at a turnabout, a somewhat distracted old man who's been in hiding for a while and is still trying to avoid drawing attention to himself. (In our game world, all the higher level casters either got killed in the recent wars, or went into hiding.)

 

[Dandu]

He's all but unstoppable in social situations, and in combat situations, well, he's a Bard.

The words "Snowflake Wardance" come to mind.

(In our game world, all the higher level casters either got killed in the recent wars, or went into hiding.)

Perfect time to fill the power vacuum.

Hey, if you want to keep your bard but also be a full spellcaster, I hear good things about this prestige class called Sublime Chord.

 

[Greenfield]

Sublime Chord is definitely where he's heading, presuming he lives that long.

For game/story purposes we took away all the Raise Dead variants, opting instead for a system based on Greek/Roman/Norse mythology, where bringing someone back from the dead involves a trip to the appropriate "Land of the Dead" and literally bringing them back. It turns the process into an adventure, but it definitely makes it harder to pull off.

For example, we just lost a Barbarian/Wizard who tried to evade the Wild Hunt (Guardians of Tor, the Celtic "land of the dead".) He didn't make it, so we couldn't save him/bring him back.

Technically my character should have died last game but the DM pulled the punch and treated a Fort save situation like Poisoning, where a Heal check could be used in place of the 2nd Save. The problem was that the effect in question didn't have a "secondary effect", nor allow for a follow up Save. I think he felt it was a cheap shot. It's a long story.

In any case, I think I should have a replacement ready.

 

[NilesB]

DM: "What's the Bard doing this round?"
Me: "Continue with the song."

No bardic music ability you would want to use in combat by Bard 9 requires an action to maintain.