AtwasAwamps
2010-06-18, 10:26 AM
So, I recently had an idea that is both wonderful and terrible and I’d like some help with it!
I’d like to put together a gish build that utilizes its familiar as a flying mount, going for the Hippogriff Improved Familiar option from Complete Warrior. I’m trying to think of effective ways to have this build ready to go by say, level 10.
In my mind, the build will use the flying mount, coupled with a lance and the Mounted Combat chain (Mounted Combat/Rideby Attack/Spirited Charge) to finish off opponents, initially focusing on battlefield control and mobility until charging is safe/ideal. I think it would be a fun character to have running around.
Build Ideas:
1 – The weakest option, but most straightforward, would be to start with Battle Sorceror and go into abjurant champion from there. But bleah…battle sorc remains weak, even in this build, and this gives me extremely limited options after Abjurant Champion, since I would still only have proficiency in one martial weapon. I could go into Swiftblade, but since my mount/familiar wouldn’t share my enhanced haste benefits and I wouldn’t be able to take advantage of all my PrC features, this option is unappealing to me. It’s only saving grace is that its simple.
2 – Duskblade base. This version would have the highest HD/BAB of any of the builds and thus might be very worthwhile, but the build strikes me as slightly awkward. Yes, there are abjuration spells on the DB list, but none of them synchronize well with the Abjurant Champ’s class features. I’d like to soften that blow by taking either Arcane Disciple: Competition, which I believe would grant me Shield of Faith. Not the best thing in the world, but at least it would actually WORK with the class features of Abjurant Champion. The best thing to do would be to take Arcane Preparation if indeed it would allow me to prepare Luminous Armor. If I can take Luminous Armor, than this build looks like it would be the best option, as I’d get action to a few free quick-casts from both Duskblade and Abjurant Champion and my full martial weapon proficiency would grant me access to things like Spellsword. The issue here, of course, is that I’d completely lose the ability to “control a battlefield” since I’d be using a duskblade’s spell list and that’s sorely lacking in BFC. This would still be a powerful build, just nowhere near as versatile.
3 – Pally/Sorceror Base – I know, I know. Though shalt not lose caster levels. But the Pally/Sorc base is a popular one for gishing and I think this could work well. The two level dip in paladin gives me some nice class features and great saves, and sticking to sorc gives me great versatility. This build will be HURTING for skill points, but if take my first levels in Pally I can max ride early, maintain it, and then boost it till I hit more gishlike classes again. The downside here is that I lose two caster levels (which can be made up via feats) and that my familiar loses two levels effectively, which is sad.
4 – Wizard (conjurer or transmuter)/Warblade/Jade Phoenix Mage – My group is a bit scared of ToB and frankly, this build would probably cause them to have a nervous breakdown. But it’s up here as what I’m sure is the most effective build for a gish of this kind. White Raven + charge multipliers is always absolutely brutal and JPM gets great class features.
Any thoughts on which of these might work best? I’m liking option three the most, especially since a few pally wands for wand chambers on my gear would be most impressive.
Additional Questions: It’s my understanding that the Sorc/Wizard familiar class feature doesn’t scale when you start taking other arcane caster levels. If that’s the case, then that tacks on an extra feat for the sorc/wizard bases after I trade away my familiar for another interesting feature.
General Notes – Essential Feats
Obtain Familiar, Improved Familiar, Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack
Good feats to take:
Arcane Strike (for sorc/DB bases…high spells per day plus multipliers on a charge)
Spirited Charge (extra multiplers = great!)
Power Attack (I AM charging, after all)
Headlong Rush (Might be VERY interesting…desert half-orc loses no charisma and half-orc pally substitution levels are very nice)
Am I missing anything obvious? Any reccomendation with which build to go with? I turn to you, playground, to help me make this build viable!
I’d like to put together a gish build that utilizes its familiar as a flying mount, going for the Hippogriff Improved Familiar option from Complete Warrior. I’m trying to think of effective ways to have this build ready to go by say, level 10.
In my mind, the build will use the flying mount, coupled with a lance and the Mounted Combat chain (Mounted Combat/Rideby Attack/Spirited Charge) to finish off opponents, initially focusing on battlefield control and mobility until charging is safe/ideal. I think it would be a fun character to have running around.
Build Ideas:
1 – The weakest option, but most straightforward, would be to start with Battle Sorceror and go into abjurant champion from there. But bleah…battle sorc remains weak, even in this build, and this gives me extremely limited options after Abjurant Champion, since I would still only have proficiency in one martial weapon. I could go into Swiftblade, but since my mount/familiar wouldn’t share my enhanced haste benefits and I wouldn’t be able to take advantage of all my PrC features, this option is unappealing to me. It’s only saving grace is that its simple.
2 – Duskblade base. This version would have the highest HD/BAB of any of the builds and thus might be very worthwhile, but the build strikes me as slightly awkward. Yes, there are abjuration spells on the DB list, but none of them synchronize well with the Abjurant Champ’s class features. I’d like to soften that blow by taking either Arcane Disciple: Competition, which I believe would grant me Shield of Faith. Not the best thing in the world, but at least it would actually WORK with the class features of Abjurant Champion. The best thing to do would be to take Arcane Preparation if indeed it would allow me to prepare Luminous Armor. If I can take Luminous Armor, than this build looks like it would be the best option, as I’d get action to a few free quick-casts from both Duskblade and Abjurant Champion and my full martial weapon proficiency would grant me access to things like Spellsword. The issue here, of course, is that I’d completely lose the ability to “control a battlefield” since I’d be using a duskblade’s spell list and that’s sorely lacking in BFC. This would still be a powerful build, just nowhere near as versatile.
3 – Pally/Sorceror Base – I know, I know. Though shalt not lose caster levels. But the Pally/Sorc base is a popular one for gishing and I think this could work well. The two level dip in paladin gives me some nice class features and great saves, and sticking to sorc gives me great versatility. This build will be HURTING for skill points, but if take my first levels in Pally I can max ride early, maintain it, and then boost it till I hit more gishlike classes again. The downside here is that I lose two caster levels (which can be made up via feats) and that my familiar loses two levels effectively, which is sad.
4 – Wizard (conjurer or transmuter)/Warblade/Jade Phoenix Mage – My group is a bit scared of ToB and frankly, this build would probably cause them to have a nervous breakdown. But it’s up here as what I’m sure is the most effective build for a gish of this kind. White Raven + charge multipliers is always absolutely brutal and JPM gets great class features.
Any thoughts on which of these might work best? I’m liking option three the most, especially since a few pally wands for wand chambers on my gear would be most impressive.
Additional Questions: It’s my understanding that the Sorc/Wizard familiar class feature doesn’t scale when you start taking other arcane caster levels. If that’s the case, then that tacks on an extra feat for the sorc/wizard bases after I trade away my familiar for another interesting feature.
General Notes – Essential Feats
Obtain Familiar, Improved Familiar, Mounted Combat, Ride-by Attack
Good feats to take:
Arcane Strike (for sorc/DB bases…high spells per day plus multipliers on a charge)
Spirited Charge (extra multiplers = great!)
Power Attack (I AM charging, after all)
Headlong Rush (Might be VERY interesting…desert half-orc loses no charisma and half-orc pally substitution levels are very nice)
Am I missing anything obvious? Any reccomendation with which build to go with? I turn to you, playground, to help me make this build viable!