Level adjusted mage help

[smootrk]

I would look to using UA (or other) rules for XP buy-offs of the LA. The loss of XP is somewhat self correcting over time, so you could get your effective LA back down to around +1 reasonably quickly since you are already 8th level.

Other than that, look to other concepts moving forward... suggest to your DM to develop Vampire Wizard substitution levels you can take... maybe one at 10th level wizard that forgoes the bonus feat, and allows another Vampire ability back. Or have your familiar run away, and have the wolves & bats stuff back from the vampire ability.
etc.

If your DM is flexible, then at least over time, you can probably get things back up to speed. Also look to the Libris Mortis book for options for Undead that can make you quite powerful. Using PHB2 retraining rules can retroactively allow you to trade in feats for new undead boosting ones.

 

[pawsplay]

Casting isn't really a "vampiric strength." Hand-to-hand combat is, and I'm not really cut out for that.

What about touch spells?

 

[irdeggman]

This was on e of the main reasons for the Savage Progressions articles (and there is a vampire progression there).

Basically it alleviates the sudden LA increase which, results in the factors you have brought up. Essentially every PC here suddenly gained 4 levels - that is pretty drastic and the adjustments to players' and DM's mindest are very drastic.

I would have used the savage progression system here - it covers a gradual change which is far easier to integrate IMO.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Take Cloudkill at 9th. It doesn't allow SR and with undead immunity to poison it will be absolutely devastating.

 

[evilbob]

First priority it to exploit area of effect spells that you and all your vampire friends are now immune too. For instance, Stinking Cloud will have no effect on your undead melee monsters, so just ground zero it around you. (No SR either.)

Spells like Confusion, Fear, and Crushing Despair do get stopped by SR, but because you don't have to worry about hitting your friends, you can coat the whole battlefield. One of your enemies is bound to fail his save and you make your check.

I like these ideas, too. Pepper the area with stinking clouds and screw those non-vamp jerks.

And as a nice guy, I would never recommend that you take those vile, stupid Orb spells from Complete Arcane.

Not bad, but they do around single-digit damage. Not really an offensive powerhouse.

I think the folks who recommended going back to buffing and status effect spells are giving good advice. Wizards aren't artillery cannons to begin with, and being 4 caster levels down makes you less so.

 

[IcyCool]

Not bad, but they do around single-digit damage. Not really an offensive powerhouse.

They do 1d6/level actually (so an average of 28 points of damage at caster level 8). And given that the OP mentioned that Saves and SR are stopping his spells, seem like one of the only offensive choices (aside from Acid Arrow). Buffing is great and all, but it's nice to be able to directly contribute to butt-kicking now and then.

 

[evilbob]

They do 1d6/level actually (so an average of 28 points of damage at caster level 8).

Really? They don't have the "all first level spells cap out at 5 damage dice" thing that all other first level spells have? I haven't looked at those spells in some time, but I thought that'd be true. In fact, I thought part of their point was that they only did a tiny bit of damage, but I could certainly be wrong about that.

 

[pawsplay]

Really? They don't have the "all first level spells cap out at 5 damage dice" thing that all other first level spells have? I haven't looked at those spells in some time, but I thought that'd be true. In fact, I thought part of their point was that they only did a tiny bit of damage, but I could certainly be wrong about that.

You're thinking of lesser orbs.

 

[IcyCool]

You're thinking of lesser orbs.

Yep, you're thinking of Lesser Orbs (which, at their max do 5d6? 5d8?). The regular Orb spells are 3rd level I think?

 

[evilbob]

Ahh - sorry then, my fault.