Eldritch Knight PrC bonus feat

[beaver1024]

You should remember that the bonus feat only entitles you to select from the fighter bonus feat selection. So no things like arcane strike.

 

[Squire James]

The problem with Arcane Strike is that you need to be level 9 before you can take it, since it's not a Fighter bonus feat. Ftr1/Wiz5 would not get you the +4 BAB, and sorcerers (and warmages) don't get 3rd level spells until Ftr1/Sor6. You might want to ask your DM if you can take a "contingent feat" at level 6, and not be able to use it until you actually qualify next level. As a DM, I consider that a fair trade-off.

In the shorter term, I think Point Blank Shot and its brother Precise Shot are both extremely useful for a "fighter of emergency only". These two feats will almost guarantee successful ranged touch attacks. Both also happen to be on the fighter list, which doesn't hurt!

 

[Squire James]

As a side note, the Warmage base class from the Complete Arcane combos well with Eldritch Knight. You don't need to dip into Spellsword to reduce arcane spell failure while wearing armor.

 

[Thanee]

Warmage, however, does not add to the Wizard caster level...

Bye
Thanee

 

[Voadam]

I don't necessarily see Combat Casting and Weapon Focus too out of odds. Many spells that can be placed on a melee weapon like magic weapon, (and greater magic weapon), can be used in melee and it saves me the trouble of the 5' step back.

Point Blank Shot might be a good idea and I've thought about Dodge. It's just that my AC is so bad (14, 2 from dex, 2 from bracers of armor), that if I've got to get into melee, I don't think that the +1 is going to be of great help.

Acquire the mirror image spell, it lasts a long time and provides a lot of defense regardless of your AC. Then focus on offensive feats.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Mirror Image is good but it's from Illusion, one of my barred schools. That and Enchantment.

So it's looking like Dodge, Improved Iniative or Point Blank Shot... None of them game breakers but all useful. Might go with the Improved Initiative since my AC is so bad, Dodge isn't going to really help.