Need help for spell/sword character.

[Scratched_back]

Hiya all,

Okay, just started a campaign a few weeks ago, really good players, really good DM, REALLY good game all round. It's a game for the long run definitly.

I really wanted to play an Elf as I've just finished Elaine Cunningham's "Evermeet" and I was truly inspired... totally mind blowing book if fantasy is your thing, and reading this, I know it is! Anyway, after looking through the books for a while, I chose a Sun Elf, the haughtier, almost "upper class" of the elves. Anyway, stats ended up like this.

STR: 17
DEX: 14
CON: 13
INT: 16
WIS: 12
CHA: 12

So I'm only first level at the moment, and the first two sessions have been majoritively roleplaying, and only one combat, I've managed to fend off the DM's request for my feats so far, but I do need them done quickly... any suggestions?

I was originally going to head for "Spellsword" prestige class from Complete Warrior and Tome & Blood, but in hindsight, I'm not sure if that's wise, don't know whether a standard fighter/mage would just be BETTER.

Can anyone help? Feat recommendations and routes to take would be appreciated, is it possible to cast spells and hold your own in combat? Even if he was just a close combat caster I'd like that, I really want to use the magic. Shocking Grasp, Vampyric touch etc etc.

Thanks guys, all help is appreciated!

 

[Darklone]

First level Fighter or wizard? EK seems a good way to head towards Spellsword.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

Why not Bladesinger, if you want to play an elf's elf? Nevermind the Version in T&B, it's faulty - check the one from Comeplete Warrior (or at least Races of Faerûn or the T&B WE). You lose a little spellcasting power, but you'll really rock.

 

[Crazy Monkey]

Check out this thread over on the wizards boards
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=150451

It's got a ton of information regarding Fighter / Mages.

 

[ruleslawyer]

Hiya all

Hi there!

I really wanted to play an Elf as I've just finished Elaine Cunningham's "Evermeet" and I was truly inspired... totally mind blowing book if fantasy is your thing, and reading this, I know it is! Anyway, after looking through the books for a while, I chose a Sun Elf, the haughtier, almost "upper class" of the elves. Anyway, stats ended up like this.

STR: 17
DEX: 14
CON: 13
INT: 16
WIS: 12
CHA: 12

So I'm only first level at the moment, and the first two sessions have been majoritively roleplaying, and only one combat, I've managed to fend off the DM's request for my feats so far, but I do need them done quickly... any suggestions?

Are you a first level fighter or wizard? Given that you haven't even chosen feats so far, do you still have the option to pick a starting class as well?

I was originally going to head for "Spellsword" prestige class from Complete Warrior and Tome & Blood, but in hindsight, I'm not sure if that's wise, don't know whether a standard fighter/mage would just be BETTER.

As KaeYoss said, if you're going with an elf (and a Forgotten Realms sun elf at that!), the bladesinger prestige class (the Tome and Blood web enhancement, Races of Faerun [RoF], The Complete Warrior[CW] ) is the way to go. IMHO, the CW bladesinger is sorta crap, as it shares with the spellsword the disadvantage of being neither a particularly good fighter nor a particularly good spellcaster. The RoF bladesinger is, IMHO, the best version, and is technically 3.5-compatible.

Can anyone help? Feat recommendations and routes to take would be appreciated, is it possible to cast spells and hold your own in combat? Even if he was just a close combat caster I'd like that, I really want to use the magic. Shocking Grasp, Vampyric touch etc etc.

If you're really worried about casting spells and holding your own in combat, the Eldritch Knight (DMG 3.5) is actually your best bet. This prestige class is quite powerful, and easily reached by a combination of Ftr1/Wiz5.

 

[The Souljourner]

Fighter 1/Wizard 2/Bladesinger 3/Spellsword 3/Eldritch Knight 10, in that order. at 19th level you'll have 18 BAB and caster level 14. If you think of your character as a fighter with spells not a wizard who fights, you'll do great.

'Course if you want to max out your spells and BAB is secondary, Fighter 1/Wizard 3/Bladesinger 1/Spellsword 1/Eldritch knight 10 in that order works great. That's a 16th level character with 14th level caster and 14 BAB.

It all depends on what you want - to max out BAB and have pretty damn good spells, or to max out spells and have decent BAB.

-The Souljourner

 

[der_kluge]

One of the players in my current game is a Spellsword. I found it to be rather weak, overall. And didn't care for the potion-like spell placement ability. I redid the class.


Here is my version.

	Base	Fort	Ref	Will	
Class Level	Attack Bonus	Save	Save	Save	Special	Spells Per Day
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Spell Mastery	
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Ignore spell failure 5%
Channel Spell	+1 level of existing class
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Signature Spell I	
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Ignore spell failure 10%
Enhance Weapon I	+1 level of existing class
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Signature Spell II	
6th	+6	+5	+2	+5	Ignore spell failure 15%	+1 level of existing class
7th	+7	+5	+2	+5	Signature Channeling I	
8th	+8	+6	+2	+6	Ignore spell failure 20%
Enhance Weapon II	+1 level of existing class
9th	+9	+6	+3	+6	One with the Weapon	
10th	+10	+7	+3	+7	Signature Channeling II	+1 level of existing class

Spell Mastery: At 1st level, the spellsword gains the Spell Mastery Feat for free. If the Spellsword already has the Spell Mastery feat, the spellsword receives two additional spells that they have mastered.
Channel Spell (Su): Once per day, as a free action, the spellsword can cast a memorized spell through her weapon (melee or ranged) as she attacks with it. This is a supernatural ability. The channeled spell counts against the spellsword’s normal daily limit and must specify a target. Thus sleep is not eligible since it does not affect a “target creature”. The maximum allowable spell level increases by 1 for every 4 levels, starting at 2nd. That is, at 2nd level, a spellsword may channel a 1st level spell, at 5th level, she can channel a 2nd level spell, and she can channel a 3rd level spell at 9th level. Only one spell can be channeled with this ability.
Ignore Spell Failure (Ex): Beginning at 2nd level, the spellsword’s hard work and practice at merging spellplay with weaponplay starts to pay off. As an extraordinary ability, she ignores a portion of the arcane spell failure chance associated with using armor. This reduction starts at 5% and gradually increases to 20% as shown on the table. The spellsword subtracts the listed percentage value from her total spell failure chance, if any. For instance, a character with scalemail and a small shield normally has a spell failure chance of 30%, but this drops to only 20% for a 3rd-level spellsword.
Signature Spell I: At 3rd level, the spellsword gains the Signature Spell feat (from FRCS) for free. Choose a spell that you have mastered with Spell Mastery. You may now convert prepared arcane spells of that spell’s level or higher into the signature spell, as a free action.
Signature Spell II: Just as Signature Spell I, but you gain an additional spell with which you can convert as a free action.
Signature Channeling I (Su): This supernatural ability enables the spellsword to channel a spell as a free action, which she has mastered with Spell Mastery, into their weapon. The type of spell channeled must specify a target. This ability can be used once per day.
Signature Channeling II (Su): This supernatural ability is just as Signature Channeling I, but the number of times it can be used per day increases to two.
Enhance Weapon I (Su): Once per day, the spellsword can enhance the bonus of her weapon by +1. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses in the weapon (possibly increasing it above the normal +5 limit). The added bonus lasts a number of rounds equal to half the spellsword’s level
Enhance Weapon II (Su): Once per day, the spellsword can enhance the bonus of her weapon by +2. This bonus stacks with any other bonuses in the weapon (possibly increasing it above the normal +5 limit). The added bonus lasts a number of rounds equal to half the spellsword’s level. This ability is granted in addition to Enhance Weapon I, and does not replace it. Additionally, these two abilities can be activated in the same round, providing a cumulative +3 bonus.
One with the Weapon (Su): At 9th level, the spellsword can become one with her weapon. Once per day, the spellsword can add her spellsword levels as a bonus to-hit and damage to her chosen weapon. This ability takes a full round to activate, and lasts a number of rounds equal to her primary spellcasting attribute (Charisma for sorcerers and bards, Intelligence for wizards, etc.)

 

[MrOrange98]

Fighter 1/Wizard 2/Bladesinger 3/Spellsword 3/Eldritch Knight 10, in that order. at 19th level you'll have 18 BAB and caster level 14. If you think of your character as a fighter with spells not a wizard who fights, you'll do great.

'Course if you want to max out your spells and BAB is secondary, Fighter 1/Wizard 3/Bladesinger 1/Spellsword 1/Eldritch knight 10 in that order works great. That's a 16th level character with 14th level caster and 14 BAB.

It all depends on what you want - to max out BAB and have pretty damn good spells, or to max out spells and have decent BAB.

-The Souljourner

Nice combo, to bad its not legal. Bladsinger has a prereq of +5bab and spell sword has a prereq of +4bab You need a few levels of fighter or wizard before you can enter either of those classes.

 

[The Souljourner]

Sorry, I was so focused on spellcaster level, I forgot about the BAB requirements. I thought it sounded a little too good.

Fighter 2/Wizard 4/Spellsword 1/Bladesinger 1/EK 10.

Better?

-The Souljourner

 

[MrOrange98]

Sorry, I was so focused on spellcaster level, I forgot about the BAB requirements. I thought it sounded a little too good.

Fighter 2/Wizard 4/Spellsword 1/Bladesinger 1/EK 10.

Better?

-The Souljourner

Sounds better if the feats for bladesinger work. It has too many IMO