general blueprint needed: a disarming mage

[BVB]

Spun off from a previous thread, I'm looking for a few more ideas to develop a mage with a penchant for disarming opponents.

Let's assume we're working on the standard default attribute array, to simplify this a bit. Let's also say he's going to want to develop seven to nine class levels as a wizard over the length of his career (some amount of multiclassing is expected, because it's obvious he'll have to give up some magic to develop any sense of martial proficiency). His weapon of choice will be quarterstaff. He'll always consider himself a mage first above any other class development. And, yes, he's human.

And let's also only take this particular blueprint to eighth character level for now. There's no need to forecast too precisely into the future, although a few general ideas at 9+ would be acceptable.

I figure he's going to need a decent dexterity right away to gain access to the combat expertise and improved disarming feat, right? ((And as a tangent question: Is it legal to take a feat at the same level as another feat, if one is the prereq for the other?)) And if he's getting himself into melee distance, he should probably have a decent concentration skill check as well, for switching back to combat casting mode?

I dunno. Your input would be appreciated.

 

[Darklone]

Hmm. I'd simply take two levels monk, forget about the quarterstaff, cast True Strike, run into melee, disarm the opponents (have the weapon in hand) and run away again.

Yes, you can take two feats at one level, in case you get two.

You need hitpoints and AC. Build a monk with Int, Dex and Wis. Never leave the house without Shield and Mage armour.

Use the quarterstaff with TWF and flurry of blows for extraordinary amount of misses.

 

[Beholder Bob]

Well, a human wizard can get 2 feats, allowing combat expertise and improved disarm at 1st level. Weapon finesse is not available until base attack is 1+, though perhaps take your 2nd level as a fighter, pick up weapon finesse, and then continue with wizard for the next 4 levels. At 3rd, pick up either whip, improved trip, combat casting, or dodge. At 6th, you are taking your last level as a wizard and get a meta magic/creation feat and another base feat. I'd choose as per listed above. With 2 levels left, persue eldrich knight, gaining a bonus feat at 7th. If you go with the quarterstaff option, consider 2 weapon fighting. Now, this completely ignores your options for spells (consider specializing in hth spells, perhaps be an unarmed wizard with a level monk instead of fighter, if a whip (so you have distance) go for rays and ray feats per dragon). Also, if you go with sorcerer instead of wizard, your naturally high charisma lends itself to using improved feint against foes with touch AC too high for you to normally disarm. This means you have to wait an extra level to qualify for eldrich knight, though, as you need to be able to cast a 3rd level spell to qualify. There are better prestige classes, but I'm assuming you are limited to the ones in PHB/DMG.

improved trip

 

[FrankTrollman]

Expertise has an intelligence requirement. I suggest getting Improved Disarm and Snatch Weapon (you can have all of them by 3rd level without multiclassing). Your non-proficiency penalty will be -4, but you get +2 for the heavy flail, and another +4 for weapon size - so you pull out ahead even without knowing how to use the weapon. Then you grab their weapon and have a free attack with it - take a 5' step back and throw it away.

Alternately, you can take a single Fighter level and have all of this at first level (with weapon proficiencies even). Then all the rest of your levels can be Wizard for the True Strikes and such. Remember that True Strike has no Somatic Components, and thus no Arcane Spell Failure. Neither does Darkness, so you can be the guy who runs around in heavy armor turning off everyone's vision and casting True Strike (which negates concealment for you).

-Frank

 

[Bauglir]

Take one wizard, add Telekinesis, stir thoroughly.

This of course only works with 3.5, and at 9th level or higher.

 

[Quidam]

greater mage hand

Or, use the 3rd level spell from Magic of Faerun, Greater Mage Hand. Holder of object gets a Will save.

I've thought of creating a 2nd level spell that only works on objects in hand- GMH works on all sorts of things. I've also got a caster who's into spidery things- a spidermanesque web spell that lets you make a ranged disarm attempt would be fun...

 

[Magic Slim]

Neither does Darkness, so you can be the guy who runs around in heavy armor turning off everyone's vision and casting True Strike (which negates concealment for you).

-Frank

Hm. You still have to guess which square to hit, right?

Slim

 

[Norfleet]

Hm. You still have to guess which square to hit, right?

Use the Force, Luke.

Seriously, it's not as hard as it sounds to guess which square something is in, especially since v3.5 Darkness isn't full darkness anymore.

 

[FireLance]

I was planning something similar, but using the heavy flail or spiked chain instead. Here's how I'd handle it in your case:

Str 14, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 8

CL1: Ftr1. Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Disarm
CL2: Ftr1/Wiz1. Spells: Flare and True Strike have no S components
CL3: Ftr1/Wiz2. Feat: Improved Initiative
CL4: Ftr1/Wiz3. +1 Int. Spells: Blur and Darkness have no S components.
CL5: Ftr1/Wiz4. Spells: Blindness/Deafness also has no S components
CL6: Ftr1/Wiz5. Spells: Displacement and Suggestion have no S components. Feats: Mobility, Still Spell
CL7: Ftr1/Wiz5/ElKn1. Feat: Spring Attack
CL8: Ftr1/Wiz5/ElKn2. +1 Int. Casts as Wiz6. Spells: Greater Magic Weapon lasts 1 hour/level
CL9: Ftr1/Wiz5/ElKn3. Feat: Weapon Focus (Quarterstaff). Casts as Wiz7. Spells: Dimension Door and Shout have no S component

There, you have an amour-wearing, spring-attacking wizard with +17 to disarm checks (+6 BAB, +2 Str, +4 Improved Disarm, +1 Weapon Focus, +4 2-handed weapon). If you don't use the Eldritch Knight prestige class, you can substitue 1 level of Fighter and 2 levels of Wizard for a net loss of 1 point of BAB.

 

[blargney]

Grease is the answer to your question.

If cast on something held by someone, it requires a Reflex save every round to avoid dropping the weapon.

If you want to do this in armour, you can always Still Spell it.

-blarg