General ideas for a gish build

[Grunker]

Hi there all. I'm planning a Gish build and would like to know if I've missed some cool stuff that would fit this particular build well. We're level 13, and so far the plan is:

Wizard 4/Crusader 1/Runesmith 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 7

The plan is to go deep into Power Attack and chiefly sacrifice spell slots via Jade Phoenix Mage for combat (so more a Might build than a Magic one).

Among other things, I've been searching for a way for this build to use Arcane Wrath with a Martial Strike AND deliver touch spells through its weapon on the same turn. Duskblade can't, 'cause it uses a Standard action for Normal Attack + Touch Spell. Raumathari Battle Mage can do it, but only 4 times per day even on max level of its prestige class. Using Arcane Wrath is a Swift action, so it needs to be a way which, like the Battle Mage, can Channel the spell as a free action.

Any suggestions are welcome however

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Start with a githyanki ...

(can't read your question due to black-on-black text)

 

[Jackinthegreen]

Start with a githyanki ...

(can't read your question due to black-on-black text)

Gish no longer refers to the specific races and instead means it can do both magic and smashing pretty well. And in 3.X's case, the gith races are usually a bad idea for casters (and gishes who rely even indirectly on spellcasting) due to the LA unless it can be bought off, and even then playing them is best done at a level where LA isn't a problem anymore.

Grunker, what kind of power level would you like for this character? There are a lot of gish builds possible, with and without ToB. What books are available to you? Could you perhaps go with a divine gish and use the Ordained Champion PrC from Complete Champion instead which can channel spells?

If you want some higher-op recommendations for this build, you might want to try the MinMax board instead, but do specify what your goals are and what kind of power level you'd like from it because the posters can and will take it to levels your DM probably won't allow if you don't put in specifics.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Gish no longer refers to the specific races and instead means it can do both magic and smashing pretty well.

That's strange. No D&D book I've ever read uses the term for anything other than githyanki fighter/magic-users.

 

[Grunker]

High power level, it's a pretty tactically focused dungeon crawling campaign.

I won't be going divine, as we already have a divine gish (which I built for another player). Jace Phoenix and Arcane Wrath should be the core of the build, I'm looking for ideas and tweaks on that. Being a dwarf gish just sounds fun, and Runesmith isn't bad instead of a Wizard level. So some way to tweak that build is what I'm asking about

 

[Blackbrrd]

@olgar gish, when referring to builds has become the name of a double treat build with melee and magic. The source is as you say githyankis.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

No particular build suggestions from me, but you might find the Martial Arcanist link in my sig useful.

 

[Savage Wombat]

If we allow people to use the term "gish" without teasing, it will never go away.

 

[Remathilis]

Duskblade 1-20

https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cwc/20060905a

 

[Empirate]

[Removed - please don't tell members not to post here].

As far as answering your questions:
I'd go with a Focused Conjurer or Transmuter instead of a normal Wizard. More spell slots = more stuff to channel. Gishes aren't hurt that much by giving up an additional school of magic. Conjurer gets my vote for the Abrupt Jaunt ACF, which is just invaluable for meleers. Transmuter is good because most of your buffs will be transmutation, so you get to cast more of them.

I'd not try and go for raw damage output, as you seem to focus on. You will do plenty damage just with good buffs and PA plus the occasional martial strike. Arcane Wrath and Arcane Strike, if you plan to take it (do! The two stack, and Arcane Strike has no limit on the number of spell slots you sacrifice at once for a really nice damage boost!) will provide extra damage and stuff to do with your unused spell slots.
Channeling spells on top of that seems like a bit of overkill to me. Literally, in that you'll be one-shotting elite mooks anyway, but with channeling you can also chop them up into small bits... If you just soooo crave channeling, look into just getting a Spell Storing weapon: that way, you'll have an alpha strike ready at the start of every combat, which should be enough. Maybe have two or even three weapons enchanted with Spell Storing, so you'll have some diversity to choose from. Channeling as a class ability is hard to get on top of your (already pretty good) build stub. Spellsword loses too many casting levels, but does what you want (channel as a move action), but other than that?

Are you positive you want to go from a Crusader base? I find it has more synergy with a divine caster. Any particular reason you're not taking Warblade instead? Sure, you'll get fewer maneuvers, but those are more readily available (no funky card drawing), and you'll also get some Int synergy.

I'm also not sure you ought to focus this much on JPM. As a melee fighter, it's fairly weak with its d6 HP, on top of your 4d4 from wizard levels (you'll want to cast False Life on a regular basis and/or consider the Minor Shapeshift feat; Con also just became your most important ability score). JPM mostly just progresses initiator level, with few maneuvers gained (and those only from two disciplines!). I'd consider just taking either 3 or 5 levels and taking another Warblade level later on, for better maneuver selection. In fact, for a "might", not "magic" gish, I'd consider dumping more levels into Warblade. I'd also consider getting some Abjurant Champion, because it's just that much sturdier.


That's it, some ideas for you to chew on, I've run out now!