Particle_Man
2011-03-30, 10:03 AM
Just a concept so far, not playing it. I like the thematics, though. I do have two questions at the end for those that don't want to read the middle part.
Just had a 3.5 idea. It uses the Malconvoker (a prestige class from Complete Scoundrel) and Fiend-Blooded (a prestige class form Heroes of Horror) and some Fiendish Heritage feats from Complete Mage. It is by no means tweaked for power, but thematically it seems to work. I will use a 30 point buy.
"Relax, this is perfectly safe!". This is a character with fiends in his distant ancestry, but who decides to fight fire with fire, and summons fiendish creatures regularly to solve his problems. What could possibly go wrong?
Human CN (can't be good or evil, and chaotic fits the riskiness of the character concept)
Sorceror 6/Malconvoker 5/Fiend-Blooded 9 HD d4 all the way (fragile!)
Base Stats.
Str 8 (wimpy Sorceror)
Int 16 (10 points) to 17
Wis 8 (foolish Sorceror!)
Dex 10 (2 points) to 11
Con 10 (2 points) to 11
Chr 18 (add to this every 4 levels). (16 points) so to 24 before magic items and wishes and the like.
Feats: 1: Eschew Materials, Fiendish Heritage. 3. Spell Focus (Conjuration). 6. Augment Summoning. 9. Blood Calls to Blood (Heroes of Horror).12. Fiendish Legacy 15. Fiendish Resistance 18. Fiendish Power [the first 4 feats are simply prerequisites for the 2 prestige classes, the last 4 feats are for flavour]. Free: Skill Focus (bluff), Alertness (when familiar nearby)
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal.
So this gives us a Sorceror at spellcasting ability of level 19 (but technically a caster level of 20 with evil spells, like when summoning evil creatures). A snake (tiny viper) familiar as if 15th level spellcaster level but 20th character level (and with the fiendish template to boot, even though not evil!). 3 1x/day spell-like abilities (teleport, summon fiendish monster V, unholy blight), Cold and Electricity Res 5, Acid and Fire Res 14, +5 save vs. poison (and -1 hp or ability damage from same), +1 save vs. good creatures' spells/effects, +2 save vs. fiends' and half-fiends' spells/effects/attacks, +1 on my Conjuration spell DCs, +1 on my evil spell DCs, and *much* tougher monsters when I summon them (augment summoning gives +4 str/con, plus the equivalent of extend spell and an extra creature and extra damage and hp (on top of the feat) if I bluff some evil summoned creatures (I'm not sure if this applies to the spell-like ability Summon Monster V but I don't see why not)! Technically the Planar Binding spells (normal, lesser and greater) are added to my spells known, but that gets expensive (and things get more awkward if something goes wrong, or even if something goes right, given that called critters can hold a grudge). Oh, and summoning evil critters won't make me evil. +1 AC, Cha, Int, Dex and Con (woot!). 4 extra spells known (must be fire or enchantment, illusion or necromancy though - well I could find something good) (1 each at 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th spell level). Can Smite with Spell 2/day (add 9+cha modifier to spell damage to all creatures damaged by a spell of mine -- not great, but hey it is free)). Hmmm. More spells known than a regular Sorceror (although some are restricted in their natures) and ultimately 2 less 9th level spell slots than a normal 20th level Sorceror (and a slightly less buff familiar). Simple weapon proficiencies, no armour or shield proficiencies.
Magic Items - well boosting bluff and charisma would be key here (and maybe con!). I don't really have a detailed idea of this (Unless I design the character around a magic item (like with Trona) I am old-fashioned enough to prefer to find my magic items in forgotten ruins, rather than buy them at a magic shop or have them commissioned).
Full Spell List (not yet, although obviously Conjuration spells and Summon Monster spells (from III on up) would feature)).
BAB +9/4 (grapple same), Base Saves Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +15 Base AC 11 (10 if flat-footed). Initiative +0.
Skills: Bluff (+36), Concentration (+23), Knowledge (arcana) (+26), Knowledge (planes) (+26) and Spellcraft (+28) maxed out (natch). Now since knowledge (planes) is not a Sorceror class skill, this means that it was say at 4 ranks when entering Malconvoker, and so that would take 5 levels to "top up". That leaves 15 skill points to spread around (6 in Sorceror and 9 in Fiend-blooded or maybe 6 in Sorceror, 1 in Malconvoker and 8 in Fiend-Blooded). Maybe 3 cc ranks each in spot and listen (so +4 each given alertness from familiar), delay topping up knowledge (planes) by one level to put 1 class rank in knowledge (religion) (+4) (just so I can try to make checks in it), and finally get 1 cc rank in tumble (ditto) (+1)? I also end up with "free" Diplomacy and Intimidate and Disguise (act in character) each at +9, Survival on other planes +1, and the rest of the untrained skills follow the stats.
So, 2 questions:
1) Does the Sorcerer ability to "trade in" known spells for other known spells carry over into prestige classes that advance Sorcerer spell casting ability?
2) Does the spell-like ability Summon Monster V get affected by the feat Augment Summons or by the Malconvoker abilities that affect Summon (fiendish) Monster spells?
Just had a 3.5 idea. It uses the Malconvoker (a prestige class from Complete Scoundrel) and Fiend-Blooded (a prestige class form Heroes of Horror) and some Fiendish Heritage feats from Complete Mage. It is by no means tweaked for power, but thematically it seems to work. I will use a 30 point buy.
"Relax, this is perfectly safe!". This is a character with fiends in his distant ancestry, but who decides to fight fire with fire, and summons fiendish creatures regularly to solve his problems. What could possibly go wrong?
Human CN (can't be good or evil, and chaotic fits the riskiness of the character concept)
Sorceror 6/Malconvoker 5/Fiend-Blooded 9 HD d4 all the way (fragile!)
Base Stats.
Str 8 (wimpy Sorceror)
Int 16 (10 points) to 17
Wis 8 (foolish Sorceror!)
Dex 10 (2 points) to 11
Con 10 (2 points) to 11
Chr 18 (add to this every 4 levels). (16 points) so to 24 before magic items and wishes and the like.
Feats: 1: Eschew Materials, Fiendish Heritage. 3. Spell Focus (Conjuration). 6. Augment Summoning. 9. Blood Calls to Blood (Heroes of Horror).12. Fiendish Legacy 15. Fiendish Resistance 18. Fiendish Power [the first 4 feats are simply prerequisites for the 2 prestige classes, the last 4 feats are for flavour]. Free: Skill Focus (bluff), Alertness (when familiar nearby)
Languages: Common, Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal.
So this gives us a Sorceror at spellcasting ability of level 19 (but technically a caster level of 20 with evil spells, like when summoning evil creatures). A snake (tiny viper) familiar as if 15th level spellcaster level but 20th character level (and with the fiendish template to boot, even though not evil!). 3 1x/day spell-like abilities (teleport, summon fiendish monster V, unholy blight), Cold and Electricity Res 5, Acid and Fire Res 14, +5 save vs. poison (and -1 hp or ability damage from same), +1 save vs. good creatures' spells/effects, +2 save vs. fiends' and half-fiends' spells/effects/attacks, +1 on my Conjuration spell DCs, +1 on my evil spell DCs, and *much* tougher monsters when I summon them (augment summoning gives +4 str/con, plus the equivalent of extend spell and an extra creature and extra damage and hp (on top of the feat) if I bluff some evil summoned creatures (I'm not sure if this applies to the spell-like ability Summon Monster V but I don't see why not)! Technically the Planar Binding spells (normal, lesser and greater) are added to my spells known, but that gets expensive (and things get more awkward if something goes wrong, or even if something goes right, given that called critters can hold a grudge). Oh, and summoning evil critters won't make me evil. +1 AC, Cha, Int, Dex and Con (woot!). 4 extra spells known (must be fire or enchantment, illusion or necromancy though - well I could find something good) (1 each at 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th spell level). Can Smite with Spell 2/day (add 9+cha modifier to spell damage to all creatures damaged by a spell of mine -- not great, but hey it is free)). Hmmm. More spells known than a regular Sorceror (although some are restricted in their natures) and ultimately 2 less 9th level spell slots than a normal 20th level Sorceror (and a slightly less buff familiar). Simple weapon proficiencies, no armour or shield proficiencies.
Magic Items - well boosting bluff and charisma would be key here (and maybe con!). I don't really have a detailed idea of this (Unless I design the character around a magic item (like with Trona) I am old-fashioned enough to prefer to find my magic items in forgotten ruins, rather than buy them at a magic shop or have them commissioned).
Full Spell List (not yet, although obviously Conjuration spells and Summon Monster spells (from III on up) would feature)).
BAB +9/4 (grapple same), Base Saves Fort +6 Ref +6 Will +15 Base AC 11 (10 if flat-footed). Initiative +0.
Skills: Bluff (+36), Concentration (+23), Knowledge (arcana) (+26), Knowledge (planes) (+26) and Spellcraft (+28) maxed out (natch). Now since knowledge (planes) is not a Sorceror class skill, this means that it was say at 4 ranks when entering Malconvoker, and so that would take 5 levels to "top up". That leaves 15 skill points to spread around (6 in Sorceror and 9 in Fiend-blooded or maybe 6 in Sorceror, 1 in Malconvoker and 8 in Fiend-Blooded). Maybe 3 cc ranks each in spot and listen (so +4 each given alertness from familiar), delay topping up knowledge (planes) by one level to put 1 class rank in knowledge (religion) (+4) (just so I can try to make checks in it), and finally get 1 cc rank in tumble (ditto) (+1)? I also end up with "free" Diplomacy and Intimidate and Disguise (act in character) each at +9, Survival on other planes +1, and the rest of the untrained skills follow the stats.
So, 2 questions:
1) Does the Sorcerer ability to "trade in" known spells for other known spells carry over into prestige classes that advance Sorcerer spell casting ability?
2) Does the spell-like ability Summon Monster V get affected by the feat Augment Summons or by the Malconvoker abilities that affect Summon (fiendish) Monster spells?