Not QUITE a Warmage- (de)Gimp my Gish!

[Taren Seeker]

One thing I was noticing at one point in my Feat selection was that the PC was loading up on Feats that caused him to bump up his spell level by +2...it was getting silly. With a level of Ftr and a +1LA, its going to take a while before he even gets 2nd level spells.

Thematically, the primary Feats the PC needs are ESub:Electricity & Born of 3 Thunders- both of which, fortunately, don't require a level bump. However, I still need to find a Metamagic feat that works for the PC that also doesn't have an "any other Metamagic feat" prereq somewhere in there.

Which is why I haven't eliminated EmpSpell...yet.

I hear you on the +2 spell level thing. However, if your primary goal is to deal damage I really don't think there is anything that can outdo empower spell. The great thing about a sorceror is that he can opt to use any of his meta feats whenever he wants. I wouldn't sweat packing a few extra feats if you can fit them in. For those times when you don't need to make something transdimensional, you'll want the extra damage.

Ok...then SF: Concentration is gone...but with only 2 non-spellcasting class levels and a +1LA, he wouldn't get full use out of Practiced Spellcaster. He'd be close, but I'm a bit of a stickler on things like that. That's part of why I dropped almost all the stuff that synergized with ranged touch attacks.

So at this point, I think I'll keep the EmpSpell but sub out SF:Con for Transdimensional.

Look at it this way: Practiced Spellcaster will give you +2 to SR checks, +2 for dispel (for or against) checks, potentially +2d6 damage for your most common spells, increased duration, increased scaling effects, etc. The feat was designed for characters like yours. You may not get the full +4 increase but I'd take it if I was only losing 2 levels.

I don't recognize those. Where are they from?

Going just by spell name, I'm not sure I'd want Critical Strike- I'm looking for attack spells that DO damage, not enhance it.

You're right, spells like these enhance damage. Earlier in the thread you were talking about gish builds and mixing in some melee effects like Arcane Strike. Blades of fire adds +1d8 fire damage for 1 round, critical strike basically grants you d6 of sneak for 1 round and +4 to confirm crits. They are both wiz 1 in Spell Compendium, while they were taken from the complete books, IIRC Arcane and Adventurer.

While my DM didn't permit me to run a Warmage, he gave my Sorcerer the ability to cast without ASF in Light Armor- as well as Monkey Grip (or Powerful build- he hasn't decided which yet)- in place of a familiar.

Thus, Battle Caster is useable by the PC, but all of the Medium Armors have lower dex mods than his current dex. So instead of burning the Feat, I'm going to use some of my cash on a mithril breastplate- if mithril exists in his campaign. Otherwise, it will be a MW chain shirt.

OK, I missed that you were getting casting in light armor. I thought the bonus feat granted was Battle Caster. You know you're sounding pretty close to the Battle Sorceror from UA. Maybe you should get your DM to take another look. It's even in the SRD so the cheap bugger doesn't need to buy a book.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Nah...his head is thoroughly wedged on the UA. Besides, we start tomorrow.

The Arcane Strike thing is for when subtlety will be required in combat. If I'm lucky, this guy won't have to go toe to toe with anyone, but anyone stepping to him will have to get past his Large Greataxe (3d6x3) with that Arcane Strike...Oh yeah- they'll have to get past the Fighter as well.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Thank you all for your input! Not only have you guys helped me sort out this PC, but you've given me some ideas for PCs down the road.

OK, just to update...

I took Trandimensional Spell as Keito's first metamagic feat- I'll take the damage enhancers down the road. His Ftr bonus feat was Point Blank Shot.

The funny thing is that what saved his bacon during the first adventure wasn't his spellcasting but his Gigantor Greataxe of DOOOOOOOOM (Large sized masterwork greataxe)!

The dice were perverse last night- for most of the evening, the dedicated fighter kept missing, and when he DID hit, he was doing less than 50% of his potential damage. Keito, OTOH, kept rolling 14's+, including a 20 wasted on a ghoul, and the D6's were kind to him, with an minimum damage roll of 10 (on 3d6). Not only did Keito save the Fighter by one-shotting a ghoul that was flanking him, he later downed an Otyugh- basically single-handedly. Neither the Fighter nor the (I believe) Sorcerer/Cleric landed a blow until my guy had been dropped to 2hp...after landing several blows himself.

Fortunately, after the Sorc/Cl handed 2 of his d6 and I handed over a hot D20 to the Fighter's player, the Fighter started to kick some gleut.

 

[green slime]

Looks liek your DM is too restrictive, and does not want to take the effort to fit a fairly common class into his game world.

Seriously "is not really appropriate"? Even if the campaign is so magic-rare that there arent any mages trained for war, it is not unrealistic to say that several mages have paid more attention to the martial arts/destructive spells than normal. Its like the school of thought saying that rogues must go around stealing stuff, stabbing people in their sleep, etc.

He probably thinks its overpowered, or something.

No, he probably just doesn't like it. Neither do I.