MindBender PrC (Complete Arcane)

[Twowolves]

I've heard the hue and cry over the deficiencies of this PrC, now I wonder if anyone has any suggestions for taking the suck out of this class. Would better spell progression alone do it?

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

Yeah, if it had full caster progression it wouldn't suck at all.

Ken

 

[serow]

If it had 9/10 spellcasting (Mindbender 1 doesn't advance spellcasting), it would be a relatively nice class to consider.

 

[Wycen]

You could probably strip it down to 5 levels with weakened bonus abilities and it would be ok, with full progression.

 

[Nifft]

What I'd do to fix it:

1/ Remove all the spell-like abilities. You can already cast spells. Why add something redundant?

2/ Class abilities to enhance your [mind-affecting] spells. Free Extended enchantments, for example.

3/ Skill tricks, or stuff like them. The class has a better skill list than the Sorc/Wiz, and that should be highlighted.

4/ Better casting progression (9/10, with nothing at 1st level).

5/ Perhaps a sucky feat pre-req (e.g. Persuasive).

Cheers, -- N

 

[alexl86]

The abilities of the class are decent. You get a competence bonus to social skills, telepathy and you get a slave at level 15(if you can meet the skill prereq by level 5). The problem with the class is that most of it's class abilities are based on existing spell. Warlocks may benefit more than Wizards and Sorcerers, they can more easily meet the prereqs too(Bluff, Intimidate and Sense Motive are class skills), but they don't meet them until level 6. If you're taking it as a Sorcerer or Wizard, you lose the last 5 levels of spell progression, which means no 8th or 9th level spells for Sorcerers and 1 8th level spell for Wizards. If you take it as a Warlock, you lose 3 dark invocations and 2d6 damage to the eldritch blast, along with fiendish resilience, 3 points of DR and Imbue Item. Though eternal charm is useless for a warlock and beguiling influence makes up for the 2nd level skill boost.

As far as rollplaying is concerned, there are better alternatives. You could increase the spell progression to 7-8/10 and keep all the class abilities. None of them are really powerful enough to justify a 5/10 progression.

 

[Aus_Snow]

As far as rollplaying is concerned

Dude, that is so '90s.

 

[Nifft]

Dude, that is so '90s.

The thread's been dead and buried for so long, he should be excused from knowing what decade it is.

Cheers, -- N

 

[alexl86]

It may be, but it's still the only distinction between players who want to make interesting characters and those who make overly powerful characters that I could think of. I personally prefer to make interesting characters and I could easily see myself playing a mindbender, but I hardly play anymore. A mindbender may not have many redeeming qualities in terms of combat, but it makes for an interesting(and likely interestingly dead) character.

 

[Nifft]

it makes for an interesting(and likely interestingly dead) character.

If you like playing dead characters, there's not much I can do to help.

Good gaming, -- N