Your thoughts on a utility spellcaster

[Wish]

It depends on how long you're really intending to continue the campaign. If you're looking long term, the Rainbow Servant is the answer to your question.

A wizard/rainbow servant will, by 15th level, have the spells per day of an 11th level wizard (at caster level 15, with Practiced Spellcaster), and also have on his spell list all cleric spells and those of the Law, Good, and Air domains. He can use wands, staves, and both arcane and divine spell scrolls. He can prepare, for instance, heal as a 6th level wizard spell. Plenty of utility in that build, but it's a long term thing.

Short term, you're probably best off with a druid, but that raises alignment issues for a paladin, and may drop your leadership score. If you can't do that, you're probably best off with either a transmuter or abjurer as noted, but don't overlook the Arcane Disciple feat, which can expand your spell list slightly.

 

[argo]

Defenetly go with a straight wizard (either a generalist or an abjurer/transmuter specalist). The cleric may have some nice buffs but for true utility nobody beats the wiz. Make sure he has lots of scrolls and always leaves a few spell slots open each day as well. If you are still worried about party healing have everybody chip in and buy the cleric a couple of extra wands of CLW, problem solved.

Later.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Thanks for all the input so far guys! A few more thoughts:

* We already have a druid in the party, so I'd rather not step on her toes if possible. Also, our party is on the largish side. One of the reasons I'm still not 100% sure I'm going to get a cohort at all is because of this. So adding another animal companion to the party is probably not a good idea (we already have a druid with an AC, a ranger with an AC, and my paladin's mount.) So though a druid might work will in this role, I'd prefer to take another route.

* Rainbow Servant...what book is that from? CD? If a wizard is my best bet for a utility caster, it might behoove me to go straight wizard, aiming for this PrC... It definitely sounds like what I'm looking for, access to nearly every utility/buff spell in the game. The downside, though, is that this is a cohort, which means the cohort will always be 2 levels behind the party. So the 15th-level Rainbow Servant will have the spellcasting ability of an 11th-level wizard...in a 17th-level party.

* I am somewhat worried about healing, but not outside of combat. Our party already makes liberal use of CLW wands, so it's not non-combat healing that concerns me. It's the in-combat healing that we lack. There are times when 1d8+1 simply will not do the trick. When you have 1 round to do something, and your main tank is at 5 hp standing between two red Slaadi. That's the kind of healing that we could use more of. This is one of the reasons I was thinking of a cleric. Augment Healing could give even a cohort some good healing potential...

* Roland, your MT is a very interesting build, but the problem with me using it is that I'm trying to build a cohort. So that's an additional -2 spellcasting levels on top of those that are lost due to the class, when compared to the rest of the party. It seems extremely detrimental to go with anything less than full spellcasting progression, due to the fact that cohorts are always 2 levels behind the rest of the party.

* I really like the Mage of the Arcane Order suggestion. I remember the class somewhat from T&B. I don't have access to CA at the moment, though I can try to fix that. Is there a clear ruling on whether Arcane Preparation allows one to enter into the class? If not, perhaps a wizard/mage of the arcane order...

 

[Thanee]

Arcane Preparation does allow access to the class, the question arises whether it allows access to the spell pool.

But Wizard is the better choice for you, anyways. For one, because of faster spell progression and also, because of the wider spell selection.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Pbartender]

* I really like the Mage of the Arcane Order suggestion. I remember the class somewhat from T&B. I don't have access to CA at the moment, though I can try to fix that. Is there a clear ruling on whether Arcane Preparation allows one to enter into the class? If not, perhaps a wizard/mage of the arcane order...

The feat certainly does let a sorcerer or bard qualify for the class. That's absolutely clear. What's not quite so clear is what the sorcerer needs to do to pull a spell out of the spell pool.

From what I've found, most DMs let players run the combo without hinderance. Especially without the ability to load up a spell pool credit (or placing a limit on the amount of credit your are allowed to build up), the limited additional versatility is not a big problem.

According to the Sage, you are supposed to 'prepare an empty spell slot' (meaning you can't cast a normal sorcerer/bard spell with it) using Arcane Preparation for a spontaneous spellcaster to gain the benefits of the spell pool. It looks like most players and DMs ingore that, though.

Also remember that most versions of the spell pool have a % chance that the spell you are looking for won't be in the spell pool.

 

[Tatsukun]

Well, it seems that most of hte buff spells are cleric spells. But, there are a lot of good utility mage spells, though you won't use them every day.

So, I would go with a cleric, with the magic domain and a huge pile of scrolls and wands for stuff you need once a week or less.

Add the travel domain and you get teleport, that's cool.

Maybe even a cloistered cleric (from UA) to get him a lot of knowledge skills.

Add craft feats and you get a good little reference / buff / utility / craft monkey!

-Tatsu

 

[Pbartender]

Thinking about it again...

To tell the truth any genralized spelcasting class would work well, as long as the cohort has the Scribe Scroll and Brew Potion feats. Craft Wand would also be a good one.

For utility and versatility, just turn all those rarely used, but useful out-of-combat spells into scrolls, potioins and wands. Low level charged magic items can be very inexpensive to craft (a 1st-level caster, 1st level spell scroll is just 12.5 gp and 1 XP to craft). Plus, they can be passed out to whoever else can use them.

Turn that bugger into a scroll and potion factory.

 

[ARandomGod]

One thing to think about in a cohort if you're worries about healing in combat is the shield other spell (See Below fromSRD)

With a cohort casting that on you you'd only take half of any damage. He'd take the rest but could much more easily cure himself from safety.

I think there's also a feat that would allow healing to become ranged touch, for those times when he needs to heal you instead of himself.

As a healer and protector there's nothing better than a straight cleric. For further utility, MT is pretty good straight core. Many, many more spells. Especially if you'd like him to do a lot of buffing. Or one of the other classes meantioned.


Shield Other
Abjuration
Level: Clr 2, Pal 2, Protection 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: One creature
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
This spell wards the subject and creates a mystic connection between you and the subject so that some of its wounds are transferred to you. The subject gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC and a +1 resistance bonus on saves. Additionally, the subject takes only half damage from all wounds and attacks (including that dealt by special abilities) that deal hit point damage. The amount of damage not taken by the warded creature is taken by you. Forms of harm that do not involve hit points, such as charm effects, temporary ability damage, level draining, and death effects, are not affected. If the subject suffers a reduction of hit points from a lowered Constitution score, the reduction is not split with you because it is not hit point damage. When the spell ends, subsequent damage is no longer divided between the subject and you, but damage already split is not reassigned to the subject.
If you and the subject of the spell move out of range of each other, the spell ends.
Focus: A pair of platinum rings (worth at least 50 gp each) worn by both you and the warded creature.

 

[Harmon]

Arcane Order/Wizard

Leave a spell slot open at each level for the "called" spell or the open slot of use his own spell book

Someone made mention of an extra cleric- ya, extra clerics are great, let them do the beefing or the healing after the battle is done.

Or possible- a Summoner if a good kind of cleric (we presently have a Trithereon cleric/rog in our party).

 

[Saeviomagy]

If you want utility, go with a straight wizard. Leave all his slots empty, and have him get scrolls of useful must-have-now spells.

For instance - dimensional anchor is rarely necessary, but when it's needed, it's needed NOW. So get a scroll of it.

Water breathing is occasionally necessary, and when it's needed, you usually know about it up-front, so don't bother memorising it or getting a scroll - you can take the 10 minutes.

Your cohort should memorise teleport, otiluke's resilient sphere, wall of force, that sort of thing, leaving most slots per level empty. That way, he can forestall or abort combats which are going badly (in the scenario you gave above, an otiluke's resilient sphere could be dropped on the party tank to allow him some time to breathe, or he could step back, and a wall of force could give the entire party some time to recuperate).

If you want healing, go for a straight cleric. The 'mass cure X' spells are da bomb, curing a lot of hitpoints to a lot of targets, without needing proximity.