MrWacko
2009-05-06, 08:47 PM
I'm finally playing one of my favorite PrC's, the Jade Phoenix, in a campaign a friend of mine is running. So many interesting abilities and wonderful combat toys, but I'm debating what to do with the few class levels I have planned that aren't intended to be Jade Phoenix.
First off, useful campaign specific rules. The skills Spot and Listen have been condensed into the skill Perception (wis). The skills Hide and Move Silently have also been condensed into the skill Stealth (dex). Triple starting wealth was used for calculating gold, and feats are granted every odd level (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.), instead of the standard progression. All Psionics banned, but otherwise all 3.5 published books are fair game. Warblades have been nerfed to a d10 hit die, but otherwise remain unchanged. 3.x/ old material allowable on DM permission. The campaign world draws many elements from Ebberon, but isn't Ebberon, so anything goes, campaign wise.
Now, the campaign has already started, so I can't change the classes. Feat retraining is allowed, so I can swap out some feats (like say Heavy AP) for other feats required by other prestige classes. My current (lv 7) build is Wizard 5/Warblade 1/Jade Phoenix 1, and my 20 level build is Wizard 5/Warblade 1/ Jade Phoenix 10/ Spellsword 4. The levels I'm debating are Spellsword. I need something (and soon), that lets me improve my AC significantly, and magic/supernatural buffs are too unreliable given the campaign world (AMG/F's out the wazoo.). Spellsword does this, but Puts my 20th level caster level at 15th, just a few levels shy of the almighty 9th level spells.
So, my quandary is this: I'm hoping for 4 levels of max caster level (for 9th level spells), some ability that significantly boosts my AC or defensive capabilities (excluding HP. I have more HP than a Dwarf Barbarian on steroids, courtesy of Faere Mysteries Initiate), and max BAB. Priority is as listed, with defense and caster level coming in at a tie for most important. A useful offensive ability would be nice as well, but that's dead last in priority.
Iron Heart Surge is not the answer to any of these problems, either. My DM, while allowing me to Iron Heart Surge away anti-magic, is interpreting this in a generally unfavorable manner. Trust me, in most cases it will not help me, defensively.
Now, the stat block:
Areniel Maludrim
Male Grey Elf Wizard 5/Warblade 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 1
NG Medium Humaniod
Init +2; Perception +8
Languages: Common, Elven, Draconic, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan
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AC 14, Touch 13, Flat-Footed 12 (+1 Deflection, +1 Natural Armor, +2 Dex)
Hp 67 (7 HD)
Fort +5; Ref +15; Will +5
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Speed 40 ft.
Melee +5 (+1 Longsword, 1d8)
Melee +4 (Shortsword, 1d6)
Base Atk: +4; Grp: +4
Atk Options: Arcane Wrath, Arcane Strike
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Maneuvers and Stances Known (IL 4th):
Stances - Hunter's Sense (1st)
Strikes - Disarming Strike* (2nd), Emerald Razor* (2nd)
Boosts - Wind Stride (1st)
Counters - Moment of Perfect Mind* (1st)
* Readied Maneuver
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 5th):
3rd - Dispel Magic, Fireball (DC 20), Favorable Wind
2nd - Blur, Insight of Good Fortune, Whirling Blade x2 (Melee+Int All)
1st - True Strike x2, Shield, Mage Armor, Sleep, Jump, Charm Person
0 - Message, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Detect Magic
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Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 24, Wis 12, Cha 10
SQ: Elf Traits, Generalist Wizardry Battle Clarity, Weapon Aptitude, Rite of Walking
Feats: Faerie Mysteries Initiate (Passions) (Dragon #319 p58), Insightful Reflexes (CA p110), Scribe Scroll, Zero G Fighting, Quick Draw, Quicken Spell, Heavy Armor Proficiency, Arcane Strike (CW p96)
Flaws: Shaky, Frail
Traits: Quick
Skills: Concentration +10, Decipher Script +15, Diplomacy +7, Jump +7, K/ Arcane +17, K/ History +11, K/ Religion +11, Martial Lore +15, Perception +8, P/ Sailor +6, Search +12, Tumble +9, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +17
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Possessions: 6500 gp, +2 Mithral Chain Shirt (Not donned), +1 Long`sword w/ Wand Chamber, Shortsword with Wand Chamber, Ring of Feather Falling, Wand of Magic Missile (9th level), Wand of Foxes Cunning, Headband of Intellect +2, Ring of Protection +1, Spellbook, Spell Component Pouch, 5 Cure Light Wounds Potions.
Spellbook: Spells Prepared plus 0 - all; 1st - Identify, Mage Armor, Shield, Charm Person, Magic Missile, Nysturls Magic Aura, Feather Fall, Alarm, Grease, Animate Rope, Sleep ; 2nd - Fox's Cunning, Fog Cloud, Detect Thoughts; 3rd - Haste, Fly, Displacement
Notes: Base Int 22, using Elven generalist wizardry substitution levels. The feat Zero G Fighting is exactly what it sounds like. The feat is required for me to not royally suck in 50% of the encounters in the campaign. The rest is fair game.
I haven't planned out all of my future feats, so anything goes. Two feats are set in stone, though. Adaptive Style, and Martial Style - Iron Heart Surge (ToB p28, and ToB p31, respectively) are both 100% guaranteed in the near future.
This is a generally high powered campaign. The DM, while discouraging anything leading down the pun-pun and infinite loops path of cheese, has been generally encouraging us to bring as much to bear as possible. Given that we've already narrowly avoided a full fledged encounter with a pit fiend at level 7, I'll take his word.
Side note: Upon examining my character, he chews through swift actions like candy, so any suggestions on how to boost available swift actions would also be useful.
First off, useful campaign specific rules. The skills Spot and Listen have been condensed into the skill Perception (wis). The skills Hide and Move Silently have also been condensed into the skill Stealth (dex). Triple starting wealth was used for calculating gold, and feats are granted every odd level (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc.), instead of the standard progression. All Psionics banned, but otherwise all 3.5 published books are fair game. Warblades have been nerfed to a d10 hit die, but otherwise remain unchanged. 3.x/ old material allowable on DM permission. The campaign world draws many elements from Ebberon, but isn't Ebberon, so anything goes, campaign wise.
Now, the campaign has already started, so I can't change the classes. Feat retraining is allowed, so I can swap out some feats (like say Heavy AP) for other feats required by other prestige classes. My current (lv 7) build is Wizard 5/Warblade 1/Jade Phoenix 1, and my 20 level build is Wizard 5/Warblade 1/ Jade Phoenix 10/ Spellsword 4. The levels I'm debating are Spellsword. I need something (and soon), that lets me improve my AC significantly, and magic/supernatural buffs are too unreliable given the campaign world (AMG/F's out the wazoo.). Spellsword does this, but Puts my 20th level caster level at 15th, just a few levels shy of the almighty 9th level spells.
So, my quandary is this: I'm hoping for 4 levels of max caster level (for 9th level spells), some ability that significantly boosts my AC or defensive capabilities (excluding HP. I have more HP than a Dwarf Barbarian on steroids, courtesy of Faere Mysteries Initiate), and max BAB. Priority is as listed, with defense and caster level coming in at a tie for most important. A useful offensive ability would be nice as well, but that's dead last in priority.
Iron Heart Surge is not the answer to any of these problems, either. My DM, while allowing me to Iron Heart Surge away anti-magic, is interpreting this in a generally unfavorable manner. Trust me, in most cases it will not help me, defensively.
Now, the stat block:
Areniel Maludrim
Male Grey Elf Wizard 5/Warblade 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 1
NG Medium Humaniod
Init +2; Perception +8
Languages: Common, Elven, Draconic, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AC 14, Touch 13, Flat-Footed 12 (+1 Deflection, +1 Natural Armor, +2 Dex)
Hp 67 (7 HD)
Fort +5; Ref +15; Will +5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Speed 40 ft.
Melee +5 (+1 Longsword, 1d8)
Melee +4 (Shortsword, 1d6)
Base Atk: +4; Grp: +4
Atk Options: Arcane Wrath, Arcane Strike
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maneuvers and Stances Known (IL 4th):
Stances - Hunter's Sense (1st)
Strikes - Disarming Strike* (2nd), Emerald Razor* (2nd)
Boosts - Wind Stride (1st)
Counters - Moment of Perfect Mind* (1st)
* Readied Maneuver
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 5th):
3rd - Dispel Magic, Fireball (DC 20), Favorable Wind
2nd - Blur, Insight of Good Fortune, Whirling Blade x2 (Melee+Int All)
1st - True Strike x2, Shield, Mage Armor, Sleep, Jump, Charm Person
0 - Message, Mage Hand, Prestidigitation, Detect Magic
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 24, Wis 12, Cha 10
SQ: Elf Traits, Generalist Wizardry Battle Clarity, Weapon Aptitude, Rite of Walking
Feats: Faerie Mysteries Initiate (Passions) (Dragon #319 p58), Insightful Reflexes (CA p110), Scribe Scroll, Zero G Fighting, Quick Draw, Quicken Spell, Heavy Armor Proficiency, Arcane Strike (CW p96)
Flaws: Shaky, Frail
Traits: Quick
Skills: Concentration +10, Decipher Script +15, Diplomacy +7, Jump +7, K/ Arcane +17, K/ History +11, K/ Religion +11, Martial Lore +15, Perception +8, P/ Sailor +6, Search +12, Tumble +9, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +17
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Possessions: 6500 gp, +2 Mithral Chain Shirt (Not donned), +1 Long`sword w/ Wand Chamber, Shortsword with Wand Chamber, Ring of Feather Falling, Wand of Magic Missile (9th level), Wand of Foxes Cunning, Headband of Intellect +2, Ring of Protection +1, Spellbook, Spell Component Pouch, 5 Cure Light Wounds Potions.
Spellbook: Spells Prepared plus 0 - all; 1st - Identify, Mage Armor, Shield, Charm Person, Magic Missile, Nysturls Magic Aura, Feather Fall, Alarm, Grease, Animate Rope, Sleep ; 2nd - Fox's Cunning, Fog Cloud, Detect Thoughts; 3rd - Haste, Fly, Displacement
Notes: Base Int 22, using Elven generalist wizardry substitution levels. The feat Zero G Fighting is exactly what it sounds like. The feat is required for me to not royally suck in 50% of the encounters in the campaign. The rest is fair game.
I haven't planned out all of my future feats, so anything goes. Two feats are set in stone, though. Adaptive Style, and Martial Style - Iron Heart Surge (ToB p28, and ToB p31, respectively) are both 100% guaranteed in the near future.
This is a generally high powered campaign. The DM, while discouraging anything leading down the pun-pun and infinite loops path of cheese, has been generally encouraging us to bring as much to bear as possible. Given that we've already narrowly avoided a full fledged encounter with a pit fiend at level 7, I'll take his word.
Side note: Upon examining my character, he chews through swift actions like candy, so any suggestions on how to boost available swift actions would also be useful.