Please rate the Elemental Savant

[Grog]

Thanks!

 

[bret]

My problem is that I don't feel all of the elements are equally powerful.

As an example, the Elemental Savant (Air) gets much more power from Elemental Perfection (10th level) than an Elemental Savant (Water).

They are less likely to hit their opposing element (acid vs. fire) and almost as likely to hit their favored element (electricity vs. cold). In my experience, it is also much more common to be adventuring someplace where everyone is flying than where everyone is swimming.

It seems to me that resistence and immunity to cold is slightly more common than protections against electricity.

As a Sahuagin or Merfolk, this specialization might work OK. In general, taking that last step as a Water Elemental Savant is a real bummer.

I was looking to play a Water Elemental in a sea faring campaign. Even there, it was very questionable.

There is also the question of what happens if they die? Raise Dead and Resurrection aren't supposed to work on elementals. There are rules that suggest it will work on a "Native Outsider", but none for a mortal that has turned elemental.

It is a very neat idea, though.

 

[Thresher]

Its one of the better put together PrC's, though it does seem to fit the Sorc a lot better than the wiz. As for a rez, the True Resurection should bring one back, failing that I dont see why a Clone wouldnt work.

 

[smetzger]

Its one of the better put together PrC's, though it does seem to fit the Sorc a lot better than the wiz. As for a rez, the True Resurection should bring one back, failing that I dont see why a Clone wouldnt work.

I am not sure what the author was smoking when he said: "Sorcerers occasionally take this prestige class, but since metamagic feats are of less utility to them, they have difficulty using the class's strengths to their fullest"

 

[hammymchamham]

I am not sure what the author was smoking when he said: "Sorcerers occasionally take this prestige class, but since metamagic feats are of less utility to them, they have difficulty using the class's strengths to their fullest"

I think the reason is that you need at least 2 metamagic feats to qualify for this PrC. And a wizard could use both Energy Substitution and his other metamagic, where as the Sorceror can only use one.

I personally dont like Sorcerors (as in I wouldnt play one), and have never seen one use a metamagic feat, so I don't know how much the full round to use a metamagic feat hurts a sorceror.

 

[Mortaneus]

Tomb and Blood

Wow....if that's supposed to represent wizards and sorcerers....

Doesn't that mean you're either a Sorcerer or you're DEAD?

 

[Marshall]

My problem is that I don't feel all of the elements are equally powerful.

As an example, the Elemental Savant (Air) gets much more power from Elemental Perfection (10th level) than an Elemental Savant (Water).

Thats true, but the ability to breathe water is a cool side effect...

They are less likely to hit their opposing element (acid vs. fire) and almost as likely to hit their favored element (electricity vs. cold). In my experience, it is also much more common to be adventuring someplace where everyone is flying than where everyone is swimming.

It seems to me that resistence and immunity to cold is slightly more common than protections against electricity.

Electricity is one of the weaker energies(and likely the weakest).
While there are fewer resistant to electricity there are none vulnerable to it. As least for every resistant/immune creature with cold there is 1.5-2 vulnerable fire critters.

 

[Thresher]

Dont think theres 2 metamagic feat required, just Elemental substitution, Know Arcana 8 Know Planes 8 and make peaceful contact with an elemental or outsider of the elemental sub type.
Not exactly high pre-reqs there and well within in the reach of most sorcerers.

(Assuming youre aiming to get the PrC from day one, but a lot of 3E seems to be that way Ive noticed. Dont like it but theres not much I can do about it, I prefer a campain to shape a PC rather than a pre-conceived idea)

It does turn the Sorcerer who's a 'Walking Wand' into a real monster (literally and metaphoricly), if doing damage is your thing for a PC or NPC then its pretty good.
Being no longer able to be Critical Hit or flanked is worth its weight in dead wizards!!!
My own high level PC a 22 generalist wiz 2 fighter is in a campain with a 16 sorc-10 savant and Im basically reduced to transportation, buffs and a door opener, any damaging spell I can throw is paltry drop in the monster HP ocean compared to what that he can nuke into next week. (And keep doing it LONG after my spells are gone)

 

[hammymchamham]

prereq for Energy Substitution is 5 ranks in Knowledge:Arcana and One other metamagic feat

Also, IMHO, Energy Admixture is a nice metamagic feat for a E. Savant to pick up as well. A wizard could use energy sub and energy admixture on the same spell, a sorcerer could not.

 

[Capellan]

Dont think theres 2 metamagic feat required, just Elemental substitution, Know Arcana 8 Know Planes 8 and make peaceful contact with an elemental or outsider of the elemental sub type.
Not exactly high pre-reqs there and well within in the reach of most sorcerers.

Unless you've house-ruled skills, or allowed the character to have the Educated or Cosmopolitan feat, no Sorcerer can qualify for Elemental Savant beforw 14th level, because they can't have Knowledge: Planes at 8 ranks until 13th.

So, while it may be "in reach" of most Sorcerers, they aren't ever going to max the PrC out unless they go Epic, and by the time they do qualify, a Wizard would be getting their 9th level in the PrC.

Though I think this will change in 3.5. It makes very little sense to me that Sorcerers can't get ranks in 'arcana-related' topics such as the Planes, Undead, etc.