High-level Abilities in One Character...

[hbarsquared]

I have a character concept that I believe should be possibly within the 20th-level range, yet I have yet to stumble upon a selection of abilities that would allow it. So I'm curious what house rules/Unearthed Arcana/hombrew classes might fit the bill for this one.

The concept is for a spellcaster that is incredibly aware of his surroundings. His piercing eyes see everything for what it truly is, and his senses pick up the smallest of movements in his vicinity.

Abilities I want:
true seeing, continuous
Uncanny Dodge/Improved Uncanny Dodge
Foresight, continuous (or rather, just the "never surprised, never flat-footed")
Evasion/Improved Evasion
greater arcane sight, continuous
analyze dweomer at will

Comparisons:
* 16th-level Warlock, Dark foresight: foresight as spell-like ability
* 19th-level Incarnate, Keeneye Lenses, bound to soul chakra: true seeing, continuous
* 8th-level Rogue, Improved Uncanny Dodge
* 10th-level Rogue, Improved Evasion
* Char Level 15, Illuminan PrC from Races of Destiny: analyze dweomer at will.

So, many of these abilities are avilable: I want to wrap them all into one character while still maintaining full caster level progression (or jst a couple levels behind). Any ideas?

 

[Wystan]

Get the spells cast on you or get 1 lvl of a casting class or high level rogue and a really high use magic device?

 

[hbarsquared]

Did you not see the very specific mentioning of the words continuous and at will for the special abilities?

 

[lukelightning]

I'm not sure if these abilities are possible. If you want true seeing, cast it. The best I can think of is the permanency spell with darkvisiton, arcane sight, see invisible, etc.

These abilities seem more suited for a high epic level character. Permanent continual true seeing would be extremely difficult: true seeing items are like 75,000gp (gem of seeing, which only works 30 minutes).

The best way actually would be an mind flayer and take the illithid savant PrC and steal abilities from other classes and creatures.

 

[dinsdale]

I know it isn't exactly what you were looking for and doesn't have quite as much of the coolness factor, but some of this could be accomplished with permanenced spells and magic items.

 

[Eloi]

The "magic item" path does seem to be a way of getting you most of the way to your goal.

Uncanny Dodge/Improved Uncanny Dodge - the duo could go into a pair of boots.

Evasion/Improved Evasion - on a belt.

Greater Arcane Sight, continuous, True Seeing, continuous - These two on goggles, or as Permananced spells.

Foresight, continuous (or rather, just the "never surprised, never flat-footed") and
Analyze Dweomer at will - we could fit these two into a prestige class wherein the character has developed an innate sense of the magics that surround him/her.

Trying to put more than two of these (very nice) power options into a single class would almost certainly cost you four or five spellcasting levels, as the power was redirected in nonstandard ways. That would be too much, you'd be forever behind the eight ball, expected to perform as a spellcaster 5 levels above you.

Now, if you want to consider crossing over into rarified strata such as a possible Epic Prestige class, with some quite impressive prerequisites, then more power to you.

 

[hbarsquared]

Thanks, Eloi. I've tried all sorts of things, including prestige classes, permanency, wish spells, and magic items, posting a scattered few on the Wizards boards, without too much in the way of responses.

I would be very happy with either the permanency option or various magic items. Unfortunately, permanency specifically limits the spells used, and I haven't figured out how to house rule it to be able to use true seeing, etc..

Uncanny Dodge and Improved Evasion have never been magic items, that I could find, and so I'm unsure how these might be priced.

Any idea how you might adjudicate these types of abiliites/items?

And on the subject of powerful abilities... I agree that many of these are high-level, and having them continuous or at will compounds the power level. However, they are mostly divinatory: no damage, no crazy effects, hence my reasoning for a viable 20th-level character, especially since most of these abilities (in published sources) can show up in characters within that range.

Of course, I've constructed Epic Prestige Classes, as well, but have had trouble receiving feedback on those, as well.

I really do appreciate all of your comments! Thank you so much!

 

[Rystil Arden]

And on the subject of powerful abilities... I agree that many of these are high-level, and having them continuous or at will compounds the power level. However, they are mostly divinatory: no damage, no crazy effects, hence my reasoning for a viable 20th-level character, especially since most of these abilities (in published sources) can show up in characters within that range.

Well, but you're not willing to give up any caster levels for them, so the damage and crazy effects are already covered by being a level 20 caster. You might want to try Divine Oracle for some of these powers, though not all.

 

[lukelightning]

The fact that they don't do damage in no way reduces their power. Truesight, in particular, is extremely powerful. As a DM I would not allow a player to have perpetual truesight.

Class features such as uncanny dodge and evasion should be very difficult to just "magic up." Spellcasters already eclipse skill-classes like rogues to a major degree; allowing other classes to get their abilities makes it even worse.

...However, they are mostly divinatory: no damage, no crazy effects, hence my reasoning for a viable 20th-level character, especially since most of these abilities (in published sources) can show up in characters within that range.

 

[hbarsquared]

All very true. However, you must admit that analyze dweomer at will (a 6th-level spell) is a far cry less "powerful" than chain lightning (also 6th-level) at will.

Or continuous foresight (9th-level) versus time stop (also 9th-level) at will.

So, yes, perhaps a couple caster levels behind might be in order. But I don't think divinatory abilities like the ones I mentioned are completely game-breaking, as offensive spells might be.