Sapphire Hierarch

[Silverlich]

How can I optimize a Sapphire Hierarch? Flavor and power are important, as are ten levels of hierarch.

[Zaq]

Optimize for what, exactly? Optimization isn't an end in and of itself. You have to optimize for something.

Anyway, do you want to focus more on casting with a side of incarnum, or incarnum with a side of casting? Casting is probably strictly more powerful (because spells are better than everything), but that doesn't mean that putting incarnum first and magic second will actually make you suck.

Obviously, going for an azurin cleric and taking the first racial sub level is a good idea. You can also use it to fuel Divine Soultouch, since it explicitly counts as turn undead. The only issue is that it makes you want to have a decent CHA score, which you could otherwise pretty much ignore.

Anyway, without more information (what do you WANT out of this character?), I can't help you with anything else.

[Silverlich]

I want to have a balance of spells and incarnum. I also like the idea of the Sapphire Eidolon. I can and will abuse the commune ability.

[SiuiS]

Don't have the book on me, but I'm pretty certain that, to abuse the commune ability (or use it at all) you have to travel to the physical location of the sapphire eidolon, every time.

[Realms of Chaos]

Do you want early acess to the sapphire hierarch (so that you can use commune many levels too early) or later access when can cast (through domains or items) teleportation effects, thus letting you make the most use of your commune?