Help me munchkin out an enchanter!

[Terath Ninir]

Okay, I never play enchanters, and rarely use enchantment spells. I think any spell that has no effect on a failed saving throw has too much chance of being a wasted action. Especially when you figure how many DMs out there will cheat on saving throw rolls for their favourite NPCs...

So I'm trying to design an effective enchanter for the challenge of it. I'm open to suggestions from just about any WotC book. If I don't have a book (like Vile Darkness or Exalted Deeds), I will ask for more details on any suggestions.

So far I'm leaning towards Sun Elf, since they get a +2 Int bonus with no level adjustment. Also from the Forgotten Realms book, I'd take Spellcasting Prodigy for the virtual +2 Int bonus for spellcasting purposes.

Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus are pretty much required, though they are so *lame* in 3.5. This is about the only circumstance I'd consider burning a feat for a measly +1 bonus on one school of magic.

For classes, the base is obviously Enchanter. I'm thinking I'll go for elf paragon (from Unearthed Arcana) since it gives the +2 Int bonus at 3rd level. You lose a level of spellcasting that way, but you get 3 d8's for hit points and some good reflex saves, which are hard to come by for a wizard.

But that's as far as I've gotten, and I'm not absolutely devoted to any of those points.

I need help! Monster saving throw bonuses go up so fast that the DCs of even a totally munchkined out enchanter just don't compare well.

 

[Pielorinho]

Strongly consider either a bard or a sorcerer. Sorcerers get synergy between their spellcasting stat and those opposed charisma rolls you may need to make.

Bards get that, and also get abilities related to enchantment, and also get spells a little bit earlier, and also get to max out skills like diplomacy and bluff, that may come in handy when you're trying to manipulate your thralls.

Daniel

 

[Terath Ninir]

No, I'm going for the enchanter. It strikes me as the worst wizard specialist. I'm not taking the easy way out!

 

[Dimwhit]

I think you've covered most of it. Definitely go specialist. That extra spell per day is very nice. I agree about Spell Focus/GSF. Way lame in 3.5, but still required. A headband of intellect will be needed down the road. Extend Spell if you want to do long-term charm effects, but I'm not sure it's worth burning the feat. Spell Penetration/GSP will also be needed down the road. They're still worth it in 3.5 with +4 total on penetration checks. Other than that, just take every enchantment spell out there. And Fox's Cunning, which is invaluable until you get the headband of intellect. (Empowering and/or Maximizing Fox's Cunning can also be very nice - in 3.0, when I had +4 total from the focus feats, I used to get my DCs around 24 or so for 1st level spells. My Finger of Death had something like a 32 or 33 fortitude save--talk about a munchkin Evoker. )

 

[Jack Simth]

And Fox's Cunning, which is invaluable until you get the headband of intellect. (Empowering and/or Maximizing Fox's Cunning can also be very nice

Can't in 3.5, as Fox's Cunning is a set bonus, and Empower/Maximize only work on variable numeric effects.

 

[Terath Ninir]

Fox's cunning isn't *as* good any more, but the Int bonus is necessary, I think.

Anyone know of good prestige classes? Mindbender has icky spell progression, and isn't quite in character for what I had in mind. I could go with the munchkin wizard defaults (loremaster and/or divine oracle), but something more enchanter-specific would be great.

 

[Targos]

Check out the Fatespinner. They get a decent spell progression and can manipulate DCs, saving throws, and force others to reroll. Be aware that the 3.5 Protection from Evil line of spells totally blocks mental control for both charm & compulsion effects.

 

[Mistwell]

So far I'm leaning towards Sun Elf, since they get a +2 Int bonus with no level adjustment. Also from the Forgotten Realms book, I'd take Spellcasting Prodigy for the virtual +2 Int bonus for spellcasting purposes.

You might want to reconsider Spellcasting Prodigy. It was updated a year and a half ago in the Player's Guide to Faerun. Now all it does is increase your key ability FOR PURPOSES OF BONUS SPELLS ONLY. An extra spell slot would do more than that for you.

Tasha's Hideous Laughter will be your friend. A very good spell, if you can crank that DC up and know which foes are most susceptable to it.

I second the Fatespinner idea.

You might also consider the Shadow Magic feat from Player's Guide to Faerun, and a single level of Shadow Adept. That will increase your DC's by 1 for all enchantments, illusions, and necromancy spells at a relatively minor cost, as well as your spell penetration by +5, and some other handy stuff.

If you do lose a level of spellcasting, you might want to consider Practiced Spellcaster, along with a level of Wild Mage. That would fix some of the lost level (and would help with the drawbacks of Shadow Adept if you went that route as well), while simultaneously increasing your caster level by 1d3 50% of the time for all spells (without the risk of a lower caster level from Wild Mage - per the FAQ).

 

[Terath Ninir]

You might want to reconsider Spellcasting Prodigy. It was updated a year and a half ago in the Player's Guide to Faerun. Now all it does is increase your key ability FOR PURPOSES OF BONUS SPELLS ONLY. An extra spell slot would do more than that for you.

I don't own that book, and neither does anyone I play with, so that doesn't affect me.



Thanks for the other ideas, though. They sound interesting.

 

[Thanee]

Fatespinner is the PrC of choice.

And if you think enchantments are weak you havn't seen enchantments in effect.

Bye
Thanee