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molten_dragon
2010-12-23, 04:52 AM
I'm going to be playing a Ruby Knight Vindicator in an upcoming campaign, and I'm looking for good self-buff spells. I've read a few guides on the class, but few of them really mention spell selection at all. Anyone know of anything that's really good?

LordBlades
2010-12-23, 04:56 AM
You can never go wrong with the classical cleric buffs: divine power, righteous might, divine favor, shield of faith, righteous wrath of the faithful.

molten_dragon
2010-12-23, 05:08 AM
You can never go wrong with the classical cleric buffs: divine power, righteous might, divine favor, shield of faith, righteous wrath of the faithful.

Is divine power really worth it for a RKV? I'll have close to full BAB already, so that doesn't help me much, and the strength bonus and bonus hit points can be granted with lower level spells.

I should also mention that I'm not focusing much on the cleric aspects of the class, and will be playing a more paladin type of character.

I'm only taking 1 level of cleric to open up RKV, so I'll top out at level 5 spells.

AslanCross
2010-12-23, 06:11 AM
You still get a +6 bonus to Strength from Divine Power, as well as the less important Temp HP.

I'm not really sure what you mean by focusing on the paladin aspects. You're playing a holy warrior either way. Most of the cleric's best buffs are Lv 1-5 anyway, and have already been mentioned above.

Some spells I remember:
-Iron Silence (Spell Compendium): No ACP from armor, and it lasts for hours. Great if you plan to do a lot of sneaking.
-Air Walk: For when you absolutely need to get around.
-Dispel Magic: For when you know you're going up against casters.
-Conviction: High saves = good

It's greatly unfortunate that Holy Sword isn't a Cleric Spell, since it means you get a Holy Avenger.

molten_dragon
2010-12-23, 06:26 AM
I'm not really sure what you mean by focusing on the paladin aspects. You're playing a holy warrior either way.

A lot of the suggested builds I've seen focus on getting a lot more levels of cleric casting than I'm going for.

Zergrusheddie
2010-12-23, 07:14 AM
Streamers would be a good spell to use, though using it might make the DM want to slaughter your RKV in many gory fashions.

Greenish
2010-12-23, 07:26 AM
It's greatly unfortunate that Holy Sword isn't a Cleric Spell, since it means you get a Holy Avenger.You can get it from Glory domain, though Wee Jas doesn't offer it.

AslanCross
2010-12-23, 08:24 AM
A lot of the suggested builds I've seen focus on getting a lot more levels of cleric casting than I'm going for.

Well, Lv 5 spells means you're at least a 9th-level caster. Nine rounds worth of buffs is still a lot, especially if it means you take out the monster in 2-3 rounds.

LordBlades
2010-12-23, 09:08 AM
A lot of the suggested builds I've seen focus on getting a lot more levels of cleric casting than I'm going for.

That's beacuse the consensus amog optimizers is that caster levels>>>anything else, and that's why it's usually attempted to get as many of them in a given build.

molten_dragon
2010-12-23, 09:10 AM
That's beacuse the consensus amog optimizers is that caster levels>>>anything else, and that's why it's usually attempted to get as many of them in a given build.

I'm aware of that, but that's not the direction I want to go with this character.

Plus, the DM won't allow us to take more than half our levels in tier 1 classes (or prestige classes that advance tier 1 casting).

molten_dragon
2010-12-23, 09:11 AM
Streamers would be a good spell to use, though using it might make the DM want to slaughter your RKV in many gory fashions.

I'm not familiar with the spell Streamers. Source?

Darrin
2010-12-23, 09:15 AM
Did you get the Magic domain? If so, then you can activate spell-trigger items like wands as a wizard. Put wand chambers in all your weapons/shields, and add bucklers to each arm for more wand chambers.

Swift/immediate-action spells often interfere with martial adepts since they compete with your boosts/counters/stances, but once you get to RKV 7 you can use Divine Impetus to trade turn attemps for more swift actions. Some great swift/immediate-action wands:

Alter Fortune (PHBII, Brd/Clr/Dru/Sor/Wiz 3). Immediate action, reroll any die roll.

Blade of Blood (PHBII, Asn/Blk/Clr/Dsk/Sor/Wiz 1). +3d6 damage and charge up your Steely Resolve/Furious Counterstrike.

Blades of Fire (Spell Compendium, Rgr/Sor/Wiz 1). +1d8 fire damage on all your melee attacks for 1 round.

Bladeweave (Spell Compendium, Brd/Sor/Wiz 2). After hitting with a melee attack, target must make Will save vs. dazed for 1 round.

Close Wounds (Spell Compendium, Clr 2). Cures 1d4+3 HP on any creature in close range as an immediate action. If a lucky crit or blown save sends an ally (including yourself) down below -10 HP, this can bring them back up to into "not dead yet" territory.

Energy Surge, Lesser (PHBII, Sor/Wiz 2). Adds a la carte +1d6 energy damage to all your attacks for 1 round.

Fly, Swift (Spell Compendium, Brd/Sor/Wis 2). A good "Get Out of Certain Death Free" card in certain situations, although a permanent flight speed (Dragonborn of Bahumat, Feathered Wings graft, Winged Mask) is much preferred.

Instant Diversion (Races of the Dragon, Sor/Wiz 1). Sort of a mini-mirror image, create one illusory double of yourself as a swift action.

Knight's Move (Spell Compendium, Clr 3, Pal 2). Teleport 10' as a swift action, but must in a square flanking an enemy.

Nerveskitter (Spell Compendium, Sor/Wiz 1). Get your buffs up earlier.

Protective Interposition (Forge of War, Clr 1). Swift action, teleport spell with a range of touch (kinda odd), but switch places with ally, gain +2 sacred bonus on AC, saves, and one attack roll for 1 round.

Updraft (Spell Compendium, Clr/Dru 1). Take another 5' step as a swift action.

Wraithstrike (Spell Compendium, Sor/Wiz 2). Touch attacks + Power Attack = lots of ouchness.

Note: There are a bunch of swift-action buffs on the ranger and paladin spell list. If you can fit it in, consider dipping into Prestige Ranger or Prestige Paladin to pick up their spell list.

Not-so swift/immediate spells:

Bladebane (Unapproachable East, Clr 3). Bladed weapon gains the Bane enhancement, you pick the creature type.

Conjure Ice Beast I/III (Frostburn). Give your ice beasts a Cold Aura: free action, 10' burst, 1d6 cold damage, *no save*. Or give large ice centipedes an engulf attack.

Guidance of the Avatar (WotC website (www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20010504a), Clr 2). +20 competence bonus on your next skill check (I'm looking at you, UMD). Also potion-able.

Necrotic Skull Bomb (Champions of Ruin, Clr 5). Swift action enervation as a 20' area-effect burst. Yeah, ok, targets get a Fort save, but a great contender for Best Spell Name Ever.

Ray of Resurgence (Lost Empires of Faerun, Clr 1). Restores 1 Str damage/CL (max 5), cures fatigue.

Revivify (Spell Compendium, Clr 5). Another good "not dead yet" spell. Use a Chaos Flask (Planar Handbook) for a 900 GP discount on the material component.

Magic Items:

Boots of Swift Passage (5000 GP, MIC p. 75). Crusaders often have move actions they don't know what to do with. These boots give you a 20' teleport as a move action 5/day.

Chronocharm of the Uncaring Archmage (500 GP, MIC p. 86). Works for divine casters as well. 1/day as a swift action, reduce a "1 round" casting time down to 1 standard action. Good for getting off a Summon Monster or Conjure Ice Beast quickly.

Circlet of Rapid Casting (15000 GP, MIC p. 86). Up to 3/day quicken your low-level standard-action buffs.

Crystal of Alacrity (3500 GP, MIC p. 195). If you're wearing medium or heavy armor, this augment crystal gives a +5' morale bonus to your speed.

Glyph Seal (1000 GP, MIC p. 161). You can key the seal on a pocket/pouch that contains spell components or ammunition. You can draw those items as a free action, which triggers the seal. Unlike glyph of warding, any 1st or 2nd level spell (including buffs) can be cast into the seal, and this allows you to activate the spell as a free action. (You can actually buy a bunch of these, but more than 1 or 2 will probably mean you'll get hit with flying books or disjunctions.)

Lesser Crystal of Arrow Deflection (2500 GP, MIC p. 25). Buy a buckler +1 and put this on it. +5 untyped bonus to AC on all ranged attacks.

Lesser Crystal of Return (1000 GP, MIC p. 65). Draw your weapon/shield as a free action, and call it back to your hand as a move action.

Amphetryon
2010-12-23, 12:05 PM
I'm not familiar with the spell Streamers. Source?

Streamers is in Shining South. If you want a reason not to ban Evocation, this is Exhibit A.

Zergrusheddie
2010-12-23, 12:33 PM
Streamers is in Shining South. If you want a reason not to ban Evocation, this is Exhibit A.

And Contingency is Exhibit B.

Streamers is basically the most powerful Evocation spell in the game. It's a level 5 Cleric and Sorc/Wizard spell that makes a little ribbon around the enemy. For every 3 levels you have after 9th, you can shoot more ribbons.

The ribbon offers no Save. Whenever the enemy takes "any sort of action", the ribbon(s) make a Touch Attack using your BAB (so it can make multiple swings). Each ribbon does 5d10 damage per hit.

AyeGill
2010-12-23, 12:38 PM
And Contingency is Exhibit B.


not really. oh, sure, there's nothing better in evocation, but craft contingency spell makes this one kinda redundant, and certainly not worth keeping evocation for.