Questions about Geomancer

[dragonfriend7738]

So, I was perusing the Complete Divine, and ran across the Geomancer. (http://dndtools.eu/classes/geomancer/) It seems interesting, and has some nifty class abilities for the spellcaster type that it is supposed to be based for (Divine/Arcane casting requirement and all) but I noticed that a lot of the physical changes/bonuses that you get could be put to a very flavorful use for a melee based combatant/wigglefinger. Especially those that allows for blind/tremorsense and pounce. Anyone seen anything along those lines using the Geomancer? Not looking for an optomized pouncer build, just some thoughts on how to turn the Geo into an interesting melee combatant.

Also, I'm sure I could talk my DM into allowing the level 1 changes to grant some sort of minor bonus that works logically (like gaining a cat's tail would grant a +2 stability bonus to balance checks) Any suggestions for what the listed abilities might grant as a minor bonus?

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I've never quite known what to do with the Geomancer. The "Requires two casting classes but only progresses one", cool physical changes but only a d6 HD, medium BAB has lead me to wonder exactly what it's supposed to be good at. Since you need to take 3 levels of a casting class you'll never progress (unless you go the Urpriest/precocious apprentice/some other fast level 2 spell route), it seemed to me to end up watering down it's effectiveness.

But sure, lets consider looking at it as a melee PrC. Perhaps if we used high BAB caster classes. Duskblade5/Holy Liberator3 could be a workable choice, progress either melee-oriented spell list. Or, for one less BAB but a better spell list, Duskblade5/Druid3 and progress the Druid side. You'll still be far behind in spell levels, but we're not going for a caster build, right? You've still got Duskblade's Arcane Channeling though, so be sure to make use of the little spells you do have.

So you've got a level 8 base that's designed to hit things decently well, with some sparkly magical oomph behind each blow. You had a tough time making it thru a few levels, having spread class abilities around and since you knew you would eventually get the Geomancer class, you designed your stats to be as SAD as possible, which means you might not have even been casting from one of your spell lists. But it's ok, you're level 9, and now all those Druid spells are now INT based.

You need to wait 5 more levels before you can grow natural weapons. You're now level 13, cast level 2 Arcane spells and level 4 Druid spells. Your BAB is slowly declining, as is your HD, for a melee character.

...yeah, I don't really know how to make this work. You get a few more tricks, but not really built to make decent use of them. This isn't even about comparing this build to maximizing character optimization, this simply isn't shaping up very well.

Anyway, that's my thinking out loud process. I see the Geomancer as being something that could be really cool as half a Gestalt, but I really don't know what the designers were imagining when they built this class. Perhaps you or someone else can make something better of this than I.

 

[TwoSix]

I'd rather go Arcane Hierophant than Geomancer, personally. Honestly, I think you could house-rule Geomancer to progress both spellcasting progressions and it would still be fine.

 

[dragonfriend7738]

-snip-...yeah, I don't really know how to make this work. You get a few more tricks, but not really built to make decent use of them. This isn't even about comparing this build to maximizing character optimization, this simply isn't shaping up very well.

That's pretty much what I came up with also. I saw someone say somewhere that the best thing to do with the Geomancer is to break it into separate PrC's for what the class is trying to do. I'd like to take a look at that concept, in this case.

How would you go about using the physical change concept of the Geomancer to build a half-way decent melee combat PrC, and what would you say would be a good prereq to get into such a class?

I know we're getting into home-brew things here, but I suppose you could say we're fixing a class.

 

[Dandu]

You might be able to get it to work on a Marshal 1/Paladin 2/Marshal1/Paladin 6 with took the feat Sword of the Arcane Order.

 

[dragonfriend7738]

You might be able to get it to work on a Marshal 1/Paladin 2/Marshal1/Paladin 6 with took the feat Sword of the Arcane Order.

Thanks for showing me that feat, it's pretty nifty. So, other than the obvious benifits of the Marshal's auras, did you throw it in for the boost in skill points?

 

[Dandu]

And access to the skills needed to be a Geomancer.

 

[dragonfriend7738]

So, with Marshal1/Paladin8, you could qualify for the Geomancer PrC, provided your Wis was high enough, and you took the SotAO feat at level 6. Nice. Very nice indeed. Thanks.

 

[Dandu]

You have to take two levels of Marshal: One at the start to maximize skill points for the two knowledge skills, and one around level 3 to fill them to the appropriate level.

If you go this route, I strongly recommend the Motivate Dexterity aura, along with the Power Attack, Awesome Smite, the Charging Smite ACF, and Law Devotion feats.

Say it with me: I AM THE LAW!

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

My most recent one was a Cleric/Sorc/M-T/Geo. I use him as a buffer/healer with a "Swamp Thing" type vibe. Lots of fun!