Please rate the Archmage

[Simulacrum]

*lol* drop divination and that guy is dead meat anyway.
The Scribe scroll thing is true tho.
Also this character is just as viable as opponent who look like this.
at least 18 HD. Best save progression
+14 all saves
con bonus +10
Ring of Resistance +5
*save feats* +2 on at least Fort
Luckstone +5
Item or feature that makes it immune to most death spells.

That gives *it* a nice +36 on his saves.

There you go, and there arent any buff spells on it yet )

 

[Caliban]

*lol* drop divination and that guy is dead meat anyway.
The Scribe scroll thing is true tho.
Also this character is just as viable as opponent who look like this.
at least 18 HD. Best save progression
+14 all saves
con bonus +10
Ring of Resistance +5
*save feats* +2 on at least Fort
Luckstone +5
Item or feature that makes it immune to most death spells.

That gives *it* a nice +36 on his saves.

There you go, and there arent any buff spells on it yet )

You assume that the target has the best save in every category, has a 30 Con, has a luckstone +5, which does not exist in the core rules, and is immune to his primary school of spells.

Sure, if you cheat you can make something that has a 50/50 chance of living past the first spell. Bravo.

Now try something that's actually in the core rules + FRCS. LOL.

Let's check the MM.

Old Blue Dragon, CR 18. +21 Fort Save. Even with a Ring of Resistance +5, it's dead on anything less than a 19.

Great Wyrm Red Dragon, CR 25. +32 Fort Save, SR of 32. Add a +5 Ring of Resistance, and it saves on an 8 or better. The wizard ignores it's Spell Resistance, and still has a 35% chance of killing it with one spell.

Of course, the wizard could soften it up with an Enervation or Energy Drain first, and then use a Save or Die spell. (This assumes that the dragon doesn't kill the wizard during the first round or two.) So a creature that is CR 25 might be able to prove a serious challenge for the 18th level wizard. A creature that is supposed to be a challenge for four 25th level characters.

 

[Simulacrum]

Baah I just made it simple, without laying out the true texture of the creature....it was just a basic plan.
You can assume its a powerful outsider or other nasty creature type.
The luckstone cost 100.000 per +
official word on that was given by one of the game designers, and it does exist. (you could also take the skin of the hero from the psi core rule book that gives you a +3 luck bonus if you insist on keeping it *core*)

Also the *viable* red is lvl 21 so you can expect some *tuning*
lets say epic items or so )

You take way too much for granted in your picture of the mage. I play tested this sort of character in eye for an eye situations and they tend to perform bad. Even more 3.5 e wise with no haste and revised timestop spell on the front it the save or die times are probably pretty much over.

 

[gfunk]

Hey Caliban,

What do you think will happen to Spell Focus/Greater Spell Focus type feats in the revised rules? Do you think that they will keep feats and abilities that boost spell DCs?

 

[Caliban]

Baah I just made it simple, without laying out the true texture of the creature....it was just a basic plan.
You can assume its a powerful outsider or other nasty creature type.
The luckstone cost 100.000 per +
official word on that was given by one of the game designers, and it does exist. (you could also take the skin of the hero from the psi core rule book that gives you a +3 luck bonus if you insist on keeping it *core*)

Show me where it exists in any official source. Also, the Psibook isn't core.

If you want to bring custom magic items into the discussion, I can create items that give me a "luck" bonus to my save DC's.

You can always create a creature out of thin air that happens to be immune to a PC's best attack. That only proves my point.

Now try using creatures that adventures of that level will commonly meet. Use an Undead that's immune to death effects, and I will use Undeath to Death from Magic or Faerun or just nuke it.

Use a Golem and I will cast Fly and laugh at it. Then summon a big nasty to pound on it.

You say I take to much for granted with the example wizard? I didn't use any magic items. I assume that the wizard is completely by himself, instead of being backed up by a group of 3 other 18th level characters, which is what the CR system assumes. I could stat out a set of custom magic items and contingency effects that would increase the DC even more, or let the wizard live long enough to use more than one spell to kill the creature.

A CR 18 creature is supposed to maul any single 18th level character.

Everything I have said is true, based on the current system.

And since the revised rules aren't out for several months, you are the one that is assuming a lot. The Spell Power ability, Tatoo Focus, Spellcasting Prodigy, and Greater spell Focus feats aren't in the core rules. They won't be affected at all unless they errata the FRCS.

 

[Caliban]

Hey Caliban,

What do you think will happen to Spell Focus/Greater Spell Focus type feats in the revised rules? Do you think that they will keep feats and abilities that boost spell DCs?

Most of the problem abilities aren't in the core rules.

Greater spell focus is from the builder books and the FRCS. The spell power ability is from the FRCS.

I don't think we will see much of anything about them in the core rules, since if that's all your using the save DC's are unlikely to get out of control.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Caliban, they're supposed to revise the Red Wizard in the next Player's Handbook 3.5.

I think I read that on the ENWorld official 3.5e stuff page, but I might just be remembering some vague rumor

I suspect they will fix Spell Power in that prestige class, and broadly hint that the fix should be used with any prestige class that uses spell power.

 

[Merlion]

Yea in Dragon they stated I believe that RW is going to be in the new DMG as an example of a world specfic prestige class.
And yea putting a limit on spell power is probably not a bad idea. I just like the overall nature of the Arch Mage...it seems to fit the role very well.

 

[Caliban]

Caliban, they're supposed to revise the Red Wizard in the next Player's Handbook 3.5.

I think I read that on the ENWorld official 3.5e stuff page, but I might just be remembering some vague rumor

I suspect they will fix Spell Power in that prestige class, and broadly hint that the fix should be used with any prestige class that uses spell power.

Your right, I'd forgotten that they were going to add the red wizard to the DMG.

Hopefully they will adjust the Spell Power abilit, or remove it and replace it with something else.

 

[Simulacrum]

The psi book is just as core as the frcs.
-> you did use magic items on your wiz (headband etc)
I also find id rather laughable to say that a CR 20 monster is a challenge for such silly min maxed characters like the red you posted....and 4 or 5 of them *lol*sure
-
lets get back to topic. I still believe spellpower mages arent that broken. No matter from wich ankle I look at it I wouldnt do it, and I know that my choices would be WAY better and *effective*than that.
I posted my view on this above, I believe that flexible casters and archmages who take counterspell mastery are far better choice. Thus my argument was the PrC is not broken.
And looking at 3.5 e I'm quite sure that it will be even less so, even if they dont nerf the spellpower and spellfocus features.