Help me build my Warmage!

[Creeperman]

Recently, I've begun playing in a new campaign, and decided to try out an arcane caster for the first time. I chose the Warmage (from Complete Arcane) class for superior artillery power, but I'm not completely sure where I want to take the character next. I'm thinking Eldritch Knight, and built toward it accordingly, but I'm open to other input.

Here's what I've got so far:
Warmage 6
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Abilities: STR 8, DEX 12, CON 14, INT 16, WIS 14, CHA 17
Feats: Combat Casting, Extra Edge (CA), Militia (PGtF), Calishite Elementalist [Fire Tradition] (RoF)
Traits: Abrasive (UA), Spellgifted [Evocation] (UA)

Once I reach 8th level, my plan is to jump into Eldritch Knight and pick up Heavy Armor Proficiency and Battlecaster, then walk around casting in full plate armor. But other than that, I have no idea where to go with the character. What feats should I go for, and what gear should I be looking to get? Are there any nice prestige classes I can dip into for a couple levels besides Eldritch Knight that fit the concept?

Our campaign uses rules from virtually every WotC D&D and FR product, plus Dragon magazine, so feel free to lay on the craziness.

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

Can you even carry full plate armor with that Strength score?

 

[Thanee]

I'm not sure, whether Eldritch Knight is really the right choice for the Warmage. They aren't exactly hot with weapons and that's what the Eldritch Knight is about pretty much, merging weapon-use and spell-use together.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Shin Okada]

IMHO, with strength of 8, wielding martial weapon is not that much a good option. Unless you assign better ability score to your strength, just stick to the idea of armored mage, not fighter-mage. Also, if you play Warmage at least until 8th-level (or if you take battlecaster feat), you can wear Full-Plate or Heavy Plate (in Races of Stone) made of Mithral, and it is enough.

If you want to enhance the spell-casting ability of Warmage, taking Arcane Disciple feat (from Complete Arcane) is an interesting option. By choosing Magic domain, you can cast Dispel Magic. By choosing Healing domain, you can cast cure spells and can use various healing items.

Also, Rainbow Servant (in Complete Divine) could be an interesting option for a Warmage. At 10th-level of that prestige class, you can get "Cleric spell access" class ability. Which allows you to cast cleric spells via using Warmage spell slots.

 

[Creeperman]

Interesting ideas, Shin. I hadn't thought about expanding my spell list like that. My deity at the moment is Kossuth, and the Suffering domain looks very nice.

Something else I'd thought about is taking Arcane Strike (CW), which would let me do some extra damage in melee, should things ever come to that end. Actually, now that I think about it, using Arcane Strike isn't casting a spell, so it should be usable even when I'm under the effect of Tenser's Transformation, right?

And yes, I do intend to bolster my strength through magic, naturally. I'm already feeling the hurt from that -1 penalty to touch attacks. Even getting it to 10 should suffice for armor-wearing purposes.

 

[cignus_pfaccari]

War Wizard of Cormyr is really good for a warmage, especially when you get to the Double-Widen power.

If you can sneak a level of cleric in, Silver Pyromancer from Five Nations is AWESOME, though that would surrender two levels of spellcasting.

Eldritch Knight is useful, as the good BAB will help you hit things with your orb spells.

Brad

 

[RisnDevil]

Creeperman...

I think when you use Tenser's Transformation, you technically lose those spell slots for the duration, therefore cannot channel them with Arcance Strike. I am away from my books, so I can't check, but someone else may be able to....

 

[schporto]

One thing our Warmage has realized. PBS and Precise Shot followed by (maybe) weapon focus ranged touch can be very useful. Way too many rays, orbs, etc that require a ranged touch attack. Especially as we do inforce -4 when in melee, yeah, it gets needed.
-cpd