Making a melee/spellcaster combo and need help

[Shin Okada]

And since your caster level will be so close to your character level, and since you're rlying on armor for AC (as opposed to spells), Abjurant Champion becomes kinda redundant (unless you reeeeally want to cast that shield spell to get +9 to AC ).

Abjurant Champion is simply good (maybe too good) as it has full BAB, full casting ability increase, 2 good saves and 1d10HD. If you make some kind of arcane caster/melee types, taking 5 levels of them is usually no-brainer.

 

[Nifft]

You don't need spellsword for that if you go Battle Sorcerer. The class itself grants Armored Mage (light). With Battle Caster you can get Armored Mage (medium).

Shields. An animated shield still gives ASF.

And since your caster level will be so close to your character level, and since you're rlying on armor for AC (as opposed to spells), Abjurant Champion becomes kinda redundant (unless you reeeeally want to cast that shield spell to get +9 to AC ).

Abjurant Champion is there for d10 HD, full spellcasting, and full BAB. You mean it gets class abilities too?!

Cheers, -- N

 

[Klaus]

Abjurant Champion is simply good (maybe too good) as it has full BAB, full casting ability increase, 2 good saves and 1d10HD. If you make some kind of arcane caster/melee types, taking 5 levels of them is usually no-brainer.

Yeah, well, when you put it that way...

And Abjurant Boost is an awesome ability.

I revise my build to Battle Sorcerer 8/Abjurant Champion 5.

 

[Klaus]

Shields. An animated shield still gives ASF.

Abjurant Champion is there for d10 HD, full spellcasting, and full BAB. You mean it gets class abilities too?!

Cheers, -- N

Mithril buckler. No ASF.

But who wants a shield if you can cast the shield spell 5 times per day and get +9 to AC?

 

[Nifft]

Mithril buckler. No ASF.

But who wants a shield if you can cast the shield spell 5 times per day and get +9 to AC?

It's not just the thing itself, it's the stuff you can put on it. +9 Shield bonus from shield is great, if you have a spare round to cast it before battle... but Heavy Fortification isn't something to sneeze at. And ambushes do happen.

Anyway, it's not a big deal. One level of a Spellsword is usually strictly better than one level of Battle Sorcerer even without the class ability -- the save bonus alone could make it worth taking -- but Spellsword is hardly integral. Abjurant Champion and Dragon Slayer are great, and Spellsword is just really easy once you already are aiming for the other two.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Gloombunny]

It's not just the thing itself, it's the stuff you can put on it. +9 Shield bonus from shield is great, if you have a spare round to cast it before battle...

Not that it defeats your argument about the other stuff a shield can have, but shield is a swift action for an Abjurant Champion.

 

[Nifft]

Not that it defeats your argument about the other stuff a shield can have, but shield is a swift action for an Abjurant Champion.

True. But there are other spells you could be casting even with your Swift actions, and even if you're a Sorcerer. Nothing is free.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Thurbane]

There's also the alternative class feature Spell Shield (Du p.13) for Socerers (also legal for the Battle Sorcerer too AFAIK). You lose the ability to have a familiar, but gain the ability to shield yourself from damage by sacrificing spell slots as an immediate action. Often overlooked, but extremely useful for a melee oriented arcanist.

 

[Thurbane]

I'm not great at "builds", but here goes:

Battle Sorcerer* 7/Abjurant Champion 5/Fighter1/Spellsword 1/Eldritch Knight 6
*Spell Shield alternative class feature, above

BAB +18, caster level 18, ignore 10% ASF, HD: 7d8+5d10+1d10+1d8+6d6

 

[Thurbane]

I'm not great at "builds", but here goes:

Battle Sorcerer* 7/Abjurant Champion 5/Dragonslayer 1/Spellsword 1/Eldritch Knight 6
*Spell Shield alternative class feature, above

BAB +18, caster level 19, ignore 10% ASF, HD: 7d8+5d10+1d10+1d8+6d6