Need help with caster build.

[mr.pink]

Hey, I have been playing a shadow caster in my most recent campaign, unfortunately i lost my character sheet. So I need to make a new character by tomorrow, i understand if its too much of a rush but i would like some help.

I have a reputation as the party's munchkin and I would like to uphold it however I rarely play magic users so I would really like some help.

here are some goal points i would like to hit

• able to cast at least two spells per turn
• i would like a double spell progression Prc
• Armor would be appreciated
• I would like it to be a spontaneous caster b/c prepared casters are too much book keeping

Here is the game info

• we left off at level 8 and my dm says i get the gold as in the dmg
• we are allowed any Wotc books, but no dragon magazine

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

The easiest way to reliably cast two spells a round before quicken spell becomes regularly affordable is to be a sorcerer and take those spells in complete Mage that are sorcerer only and let you cast two lower level spells simultaneously, for the cost of that spell, which is higher level (and spending a spell known on it solely to cast other spells you know faster). Wish I could remember the name of them, I'll go look it up later.

I like the Arcane Heirophant and Geomancer better than Mystic Theurge, because they're just a lot more powerful (too much, IMO, but you want munchkin). Though, both favor druid/wizard more than druid/sorcerer, and sorc is worse for dual progression PrCs in general since you need to wait an extra level to get in. Take a new dual-progression prestige class after the first if your DM is crazy enough to allow that (I don't). You might be able to get dual 9th level spells by epic. Certainly at least 8th level in both.

Browse here: http://crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Feats.pdf for feats. There are some pretty powerful/broken feats, especially from dragon magazine, for this kind of build. for example, Theurgic Specialist on p. 95. Requires you to be a specialist wizard.

"When you cast spells from your Specialized School of Magic from any of your spellcasting classes, your effective Caster level is the sum of all your spellcasting classes."

Arguably, that would make dual progression levels count double in that regard. Again, I wouldn't...but may as well ask.

There's also Alternative Spell Source, on p. 94 (metamagic).

"You may prepare an Arcane spell in a Divine spell slot of the same level and/or a Divine spell in an Arcane spell slot of the same level. In each case, the Caster level of that spell is one lower than usual.
+0 Level Adjustment."

I don't get it, though. Wouldn't it be faster and easier, and more satisfying, to just try and rebuild your old PC as best you can recall? Surely you remember most of his feats, major spells, etc...?

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Heh, missed the part about armor and spontaneous casting. You can use the Battle Sorcerer variant easy enough.

C. Mage has a fighter alternate class feature to be able to cast spells up to Fighter level +1 in armor, but requires..being a fighter. You're already dual casting, not much of an option.

I always liked the idea of Cleric/Warmage (C.Arcane) since one side covers utility so well and the other gives so much blasting versatility. Also means you can cast in limited amounts of armor. I guess you could do Favored Soul/Warmage just as well. You'd want high charisma and wisdom either way. Int is nice for skill points and warmage edge, but not required to be high. Con just needs to be decent, same for dex. Str just enough to move in your armor.

I don't see the big deal about armor, though. You can get by just fine with (greater) mage armor. Or get twilight (+1 from book of exalted deeds, PH2, and other places) and mithral armor, which combined cuts ASF by 20%, enough for chainshirt and most shields.

And if you got over the prepared caster thing and went druid, and didn't go with Arcane Heirophant, you could go unarmored and put that high wis casting stat to more use with this druid variant.

 

[Magesmiley]

Let's see...

I can see ways of doing 3 of the 4 with 8 levels. I'd recommend either giving up the spontaneous casting desire or the 2 spells per round.

Given that you're a self described munchkin, I'll assume that you'll trade more book keeping for more power.

To meet the armored casting while arcane casting, I think the runesmith (Races of Stone) is probably your best route, which means a dwarf.

1: Cleric/1 Quicken Spell
2: Cleric/2
3: Wizard/1 Divine Metamagic (Quicken Spell)
4: Wizard/2
5: Cleric/3
6: Runesmith/1 (+1 CL to wizard) (Another feat, probably Extra Turning)
7: Mystic Theurge/1
8: Mystic Theurge/2

Cleric provides the heavy armor proficiency for runesmith and wizard provides the scribe scroll prerequisite.

You'll need Concentration 5, Craft (stoneworking) 8, Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks

This gives you spells as a wizard/5 cleric/5, allows you to cast both types in heavy armor and you can use divine metamagic (quicken spell) to burn turn attempts to spontaneously quicken a cleric spell.

If your DM allows flaws (Unearthed Arcana), take 2, bump divine metamagic and quicken turning up to 1st level and take practiced spellcaster at levels 3 and 6 (bumping your caster level, but not spells per day for both classes up to 8).

 

[Shin Okada]

• able to cast at least two spells per turn
  
• we left off at level 8 and my dm says i get the gold as in the dmg

Hmm ....It is rather hard to cast 2 or more spells per turn in 3.5e at 8th-level.

What I can think of are,
1. Quicken Spell (PHB) ---- As a 8th-level caster, you can only quicken 0-level spells.
2. Rod of Quicken Metamagic (DMG) ---- Even the lessor version costs 35,000 gp. Too expensive for a 8th-level character (wealth = 27,000 gp).
3. Sudden Quicken (Complete Arcane) ---- Only once per day. And you need 6 prerequisite feats ... unavailable
4. Divine Metamagic: Quicken Spell (Complete Divine) ---- Limited number of day depend on your Turn/Rebuke per day. Divine spells only. But possible. Prerequisites are Turn/Rebuke (and actually, Quicken Spell, though not in prerequisite line).
5. Arcane Fusion (Complete Mage) ----- Sorcerer only 5th-level spell. Greater Version is 8th-level ... unavailable
6. Arcane Spellsurge (Dragon Magic) ----- Sorcerer only 7th-level spell ... unavailable

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

5. Arcane Fusion (Complete Mage) ----- Sorcerer only 5th-level spell. Greater Version is 8th-level ... unavailable

That's what I was thinking of. Dang, 5th level, just out of reach. Well, more than a little out of reach if dual casting.

You can use Easy Metamagic or Practical Metamagic to reduce the level adjustment of quicken spell by 1. Heck...they should stack. That of course would require 4 (Quicken Spell, Draconic Heritage [might be able to trade familiar for it if a sorc], Easy Metamagic, Practical Metamagic) of your feats...better get flaws. Then quicken would only cost +2 levels, so you could quicken up to 2nd level spells. Of course, you can't do that as a spontaneous caster without the metamagic specialist sorcerer variant from PH2. There's also a Rapid Metamagic feat in C.Mage, but you can't get it till level 12. There's a feat to prepare some of your spell slots ahead of time, but...you're already burning through feats like candy just to make this mish mash of wishes work.

Probably the only "feasible" method is DMM. Of course, that costs FIVE turn undead attempts per use, so you basically need to load up on Nightsticks (Libris Mortis; extra turn attempts, no limit ot how many you can buy), an item MADE to be banned. But hey...we're going the munchkin route, Nightsticks work.

 

[Darklone]

Another proposal: Swordsage/whatever heading for Jade Phoenix mage. You might even pick bard...

It's not exactly casting but there are many nice swift bard spells in the SpC that enhance combat.

 

[mr.pink]

Hey guys thank you so much for the fast response, i built a favored soul/warmage. i still havent figured out two spells per turn but at least im armored.

Once again thank you so much for a speedy response

 

[irdeggman]

Could have gone favored soul/warlock and then into eldritch disciple prestige class.

Both classes use Charisma as their "casting" stat although favored sould needs to have a good Wisdom score also (for save DCs).

Go fey heritage feat chain (with at least fey power feat so you get +1 CL and save DCs for invocations and enchantment spells).

Warlock is not a real spellcaster but is still awful handy and "easy" to play.

 

[Thanee]

For multiple spellcastings per round, just learn Feather Fall, then you can cast one spell PLUS Feather Fall every round!

Ok, maybe some more useful SWIFT/IMMEDIATE Action, low-level spell.


My recommendation, since you seem to prefer more straightforward casters (at least that is my impression).

Straight Warmage from Complete Arcane with the Eclectic Learning Alternative Class Feature from PHB2.

That character is done quickly and has a lot of potential. Plus, it should cover everything you said above, other than the double casting PrC (Mystic Theurge etc), but those are pretty bad, anyways.

Bye
Thanee