Character Build: Buffer/De-buffer

[Mistah J]

Hey all,


What is, in your opinion, the best way to make a character that focuses on buffing up the party and de-buffing the enemies?

Arcane magic or divine? What feats work best? What are some of the combos you can pull off for maximum effect?

If the specifics matter, we're talking about an 8th lvl human.

Personally, I can't decide between cleric and sorcerer. What do you think?

 

[Shin Okada]

Basically, Cleric has better buff spells. But Sorcerer can cast more debuff spells when needed. With right choice of spells known, Favored Soul can be good at this, too. And Beguiler or Warmage who took 10 levels of Rainbow Servant can be an ultimate spellcaster anyway.

Anything increases one's caster level (either generic CL or CL of abjuration school) will help you. For debuffing spell, Chain Dispel in PHB II is a very powerful variant of Dispel Magic and safer than Mordenkeinen's Disjunction.

 

[Allegro]

The master specialist prestige class specializing in abjuration can give allies personal range abjuration spells. Imagine a raging barbarian with an antimagic field around him tearing apart the dreaded lich. Most personal abjuration spells are balanced because the weak little wizard is casting them not the strong fighter type. You also get a bonus to dispel checks.

A wizard can be a fantastic buffer with craft magic tatoo (SC), heroism, greater magic weapon, enlarge person, ectoplasmic armor (SC), blur, and stoneskin. A few rods of lesser extend and a couple of pearls of power your 10 min/level spells will last most of the adventuring day.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

A more subtle version of a buffer would be a Marshal with a high Cha score, possibly with levels of Sorcerer mixed in (or vice versa).

The buffs would be in the form of his auras, and thus, very focused on combat bonuses. Though limited, they're not quite as easy to dispel or counter, don't require actions to activate, and last all day long.

My guess is that similar effects would be obtained with other "aura" classes- like the Dragon Shaman, or the Divine Mind and Ardent from CompPsi.

And speaking of psionics, there are also Psionic tattoos that fill roughly the same role as magic ones. By and large, though, psionics is better at self-buffing than party buffing, and not nearly as good as magic at debuffing.

 

[s-dub]

Favorite Debuff, Touch of Idiocy

Touch of Idiocy is a great debuff spell against spellcasters.

Your party can carry spell storing weapons with this in it and quickly lower an enemy spellcaster's requisite score so low it cannot cast spells.

Two rays of exhaustion make any melee brute far more manageable (the half speed is golden)

Both of these are sorc/wizard spells.

The arcane is probably best for de-buffing, divine is great for buffing.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I agree with the majority: arcane is better for de-buffing. Druid can sort of compete for battlefield control with the arcanists, but is even worse than cleric at debuffing magical foes/abilities/effects.

As for buffing, I think cleric is overrated. Most of his best buff spells are self-only, and I assume the OP wanted party buffing. The arcane selection is more than sufficient to buff a party.

 

[Shin Okada]

As for buffing, I think cleric is overrated. Most of his best buff spells are self-only, and I assume the OP wanted party buffing. The arcane selection is more than sufficient to buff a party.

Clerics have plentiful of party-buff spells. Bless is the 1st-level spell. Heroes' Feast is one of the most popular party breakfast spell. And if you include Spell Compendium and other supplements, cleric really has a lot of "Mass" version of self buff spells. And don't forget Recitation.

Also, with appropriate selection of domains and feats, cleric can use many of Sor/Wiz buff spells, too.

 

[Iku Rex]

Correct answer

Wizard, war weaver PrC (HerBatt).

 

[irdeggman]

How about a bard?

Good buff/debuff spell selection as well as the bardic song class ability.

Lyric Thaumaturge PrCl from Complete Mage is really sweet too.

 

[Animal]

hexblade 4(dark companion variant)/ paladin of tyranny 2/ blackguard X is actually a kick ass debuffer.