Sonic the Hedge-Mage

[Kyros Pyralis]

I've been trying to design a character that can run around that bettlefield picking off key targets and maneuvering into useful positions. As such, I am playing the following:
Human
Barbarian 1/ Warlock X/ something else < 4

-By taking barbarian I get the fast movement ability for +10 ft of speed.
-First level feat is Fleet of Foot from "Player's guide to Faerun," for +10 more ft.
-Human bonus feat is Dash from "The Complete Warrior" for an additional +5 ft.
-This results in a character that has 55ft movement from level 1.

I want to do something interesting with it. I thought about the spring attack feat tree, but decided against it. I have no problem with taking a presteige class that has +1 to existing class, warlock abilities are unimportant, as long as I can get to the Eldritch Blast and Invocations.

My question is this: What classes/feat trees can I take so that my combat turn consists of more than running around and saying Eldritch Blast?

 

[Psychotic Jim]

Well, the big question I would have here, is what kinds of things did you already have in mind for him to go along with his mobility? Would you use it for "herding" enemies into favorable places to attack? Would you disarm foes and then steal their weapons?

One thing that seems might work with a Warlock build (though it might be too exploitative) is to take the Spellfire feat and the Spellfire Prestige class (I think both are from Magic of Faerun). As a Warlock, you have effectively infinite ways of powering yourself up, as it were. This would be especially effective if you had a high Con. I'd prolly warn your DM upfront though- this sort of thing could be disastrous balance wise.

 

[Kyros Pyralis]

Well, I looked at spellfire. It seems broken with unlimited spell like ability uses. I don't think my DM would allow us to heal to 100% after every encounter. But thanks for the idea, it's excellent synergy.

As for my character's strategy, I plan to focus on hampering enemies and focus on flanking/herding, via invocations such as the chilling tentacles. I was planning on having Dex as my bests ability, so disarms wouldn't be that lucrative and if I intend to aid by flinking I'm going to want all the AC I can get (I intend to invest in mithril armor as soon as possible). another thing that I'd like to do is manipulate the environment during tactical combat; this includes things like casting an eldritch blast at an unstable rock formation to trap/crush enemies or setting fire to a nearby tapestry to create disorder as we are infiltrating a castle.

Essentially, I am trying to play a charater that makes combat more than a brawl between a bunch of melee characters that don't move once they engage.

 

[Psychotic Jim]

Well, I looked at spellfire. It seems broken with unlimited spell like ability uses. I don't think my DM would allow us to heal to 100% after every encounter. But thanks for the idea, it's excellent synergy.

As for my character's strategy, I plan to focus on hampering enemies and focus on flanking/herding, via invocations such as the chilling tentacles. I was planning on having Dex as my bests ability, so disarms wouldn't be that lucrative and if I intend to aid by flinking I'm going to want all the AC I can get (I intend to invest in mithril armor as soon as possible). another thing that I'd like to do is manipulate the environment during tactical combat; this includes things like casting an eldritch blast at an unstable rock formation to trap/crush enemies or setting fire to a nearby tapestry to create disorder as we are infiltrating a castle.

Essentially, I am trying to play a charater that makes combat more than a brawl between a bunch of melee characters that don't move once they engage.

Excellent ideas. I don't really have too much other formal build ideas, but here's a few suggestions that you might incorporate some different skills and invocations into your indirect battle strategies.

first of all, items! At lower levels, there are a number of alchemical items (smoke sticks, tanglefoot bags, etc) that you can use to hamper and annoy enemies. Also, you get the Deceive Magical Item ability early on, so be sure to put ranks into Use Magic Device. That way you subjugate other class items you find- scrolls, wands, etc. Wizard/sorcerer spells are particularly good at this.

Also, if you can spare the skill points, Knowledge skills to know the weaknesses of your enemies and how to use the environment to your advantage may be relevant. In the example you give with the blasting the unstable rock formation- your DM might require you to make a Knowledge (dungeoneering) roll -or perhaps a Spot- to find the proper rock formation. Check with your DM to see how stringent he'll be with Knowledge checks and how much help they might give you.

If your character is a social one, the Warlock class gets Bluff and Intimidate as class skills. If you can manipulate your foes into combat locations you've picked out before combat begins, you may save yourself some effort when combat breaks out. Beguiling Influence would be helpful for these purposes.

As for invocations, Darkness and Devil's Sight, could be used in connjuction to support herding tactics. Drop a darkness effect and then spam the baddies with eldritch blasts until they move out of the area. In the off chance you have a cleric/wizard who can summon devils, they can be your melee back up within the darkness. Or use a wand.

Spiderwalk will allow you to go where others might not be able to get to you, and makes you immune to Web. So team up with your Wizard buddy or get a wand of Web.

Edit: Added some invocation ideas.

 

[Ogrehatescomputers]

I really like the web and spiderwalk idea. I think I just may have to use that against my players this weekend. MWA HA HA HA HA (cough cough) HA HA HA. good idea pysco jim. I will steal it and make it my own.

 

[Kyros Pyralis]

ignore this post

 

[Kyros Pyralis]

I like those ideas a lot, we've never really been big on items like that in the game, so it would be an interesting change of pace. Thanks for the advice Jim.

I spoke to my DM and he didn't like the spellfire idea; he did, however, tell me that I may take PrC as though I cast actual spells. This eliminated the distinction between, for example 4th level caster vs. able to case 2nd level spells.

On a different note, I've been checking out the Tome of Battle and I think I might take a few levels in a martial adept class to get a PrC that increases spellcaster level with adept level. This will give me useful counters to keep me out of trouble.

Although this inspires one last question... Can I take an immediate action once for each enemies turn or once per entire turn roster?

 

[Dandu]

The latter.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

For more cheap speed increases, you could get a level in Wildshape Ranger, the Fast Movement of which SHOULD stack with Barbarian, since both are untyped.

I think Fist of the Forest prestige class (C.Champion) also gives an early speed boost, though not sure you want to bother trying to qualify for it just for that.

I'd say look into a Swordsage (Tome of Battle). At higher levels you get some abilities to directly translate high speed into combat effectiveness.

Ring of Fire (maneuver level 6) makes an area you move around burst into flames, so the longer you can run, the better. Desert Tempest (also maneuver level 6) lets you move out of threatened squares and attack anyone that was threatening you (can only attack a specific creature once that turn, though), which would let you massacre lots of enemies potentially. The capstone at maneuver level 9 (which would probably be ~level 20 for you to obtain...) is definitely Tornado Throw, though. That actually builds up damage as you move that turn, and you can attack once every 10 ft you move, even on the same enemy repeatedly.

Less directly, any Tiger Claw maneuver basd on a jump check would profit from high speed (every 10 ft above 30 is +4 jump), technically. At earliest levels, the Child of Shadow stance will reward you for skirmishing tactics with some concealment.

Feats to consider:
Speed of Thought: If you can be a psionic race instead of human.
Expeditious Dodge (Races of the Wild): +2 Dodge vs. all enemies every time you move 40+ ft in a round.
Elusive Target (C.Warrior): Normally I love this feat for the ability to negate power attack damage of enemies and make them skewer each other, but in your case w/ a great move speed and Improved Trip, the Cause Overreach tactic could be very awesome. Here's how it works: Anytime you move out of a foe's threatened area and he misses you with an AoO, you get an immediate free trip attempt (does NOT cost an AoO) against him, with no repurcussions if you fail.
Mobility: Needed for Elusive Target and potentially a good feat for you anyway. If you don't want to spend a feat on it, it's a light armor enhancement (+1 equivalent) in Magic Item Compendium. Note you can use Expeditious Dodge or Desert Wind Dodge to qualify for it, rather than getting the crappy regular Dodge feat.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-le...-optimization-bonus-land-speed-questions.html

Found that thread, also. Some interesting dips it mentions:

Cleric 1 (or Cloistered Cleric 1) for Celerity domain for another +10 ft speed and the Expeditious Retreat domain spell (you could use the PH2 Spontaneous Domain spell variant to spont. cast it with all your level 1 slots if needed). You probably also want some means of getting haste, either by potion or (better) by ally, for another +30 ft, while I remember.

Apparently PH2 variant's "Shapeshifter Druid" has the predator form at level 1 for 50 ft base speed.