Making the Musteval worth it

[tuesdayscoming]

I was trying to think out a character concept for a game that started last weekend, and I stumbled upon the Musteval from Book of Exalted Deeds.

It gets a few decent at will SLAs, namely detect evil, detect magic, disguise self, magic missile, protection from evil (self only) and see invisibility, and 1/day invisibility – all at caster level 3. The interesting bit about them, though, is their 'Focused Movement' ability.

First off, let me just say that it is extraordinarily poorly written. The way I read it, though, is that it basically works like Spring Attack, except that you can take any standard action in the middle of a move, rather than just a single attack.

Not bad, right?

Then I saw the cost. The Musteval comes with not only 2 racial HD (granted, Outsider HD), but a harsh +5 level adjustment!

Now I just can't for the life of me think of a way that this trade could possibly be construed as worth it. I'd say the best way to try, though, would be to start taking levels in a fast-track casting class such as Ur Priest. All the same, 7 levels for a pimped out Spring Attack? I just don't know...

So the question is this: can any of the playground's brilliant minds come up with a clever way to exploit this mechanic? I feel that there's potential here, but I for the life of me don't know what direction to take it.

[Zaq]

Well, it's worth mentioning that the Musteval is a valid candidate for Improved Familiar. So if you can think of something interesting that it can do, you can get one without having to suck up a +5 LA yourself.

Of course, familiars don't get class levels, but it's worth mentioning.

[Akal Saris]

It's also worth noting that Flyby Attack allows a standard action between moves, so the Musteval's special ability really isn't that exciting.

As for optimizing one, I'd say....meh. They're improved familiar/cohort material more than anything. You could summon them with LPB or Planar Ally as well. I don't think they give enough to justify even +3 LA, really.

[Telonius]

Musteval seems like it would make a great sniper. It's only Tiny (two feet tall) but still gets 30 feet of movement. It would be pretty easy for something like that to get cover. Protection from Evil gives it (essentially) +2 to AC and Saves vs. evil creatures (ie most things that are going to be attacking you), as well as immunity to most mind-affecting effects. LA+3 sounds reasonable. LA+5 is simply too much; the designers were probably over-estimating how useful some of the at-wills would be. (To be totally fair, this came out fairly shortly after 3.5 was published, in 2003. At that point, the nerdish legions were still concerned that VoP would be overpowered, and the supremacy of Wizards wasn't universally acknowledged. A year later, the newly-minted Warlock was accused of cheese for having something that was only slightly better at damage than an at-will Magic Missile).

Scout would probably be the class with the most obviously synergy with its abilities. Rogue might work as well, depending on how well you end up sniping. Lost caster levels will really hurt spellcasting classes, but you do have to take into account the fact that you can move before and after casting. This could offer a lot of tactical advantages.

[AmberVael]

It's also worth noting that Flyby Attack allows a standard action between moves, so the Musteval's special ability really isn't that exciting.

Yeah, this.

1) Find a way to make a standard action within a split up move action a good strategy
2) Get a fly speed
3) Pick up Flyby Attack (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsterFeats.htm#flybyAttack)
4) Forget Musteval
-4a) No, there is no 'profit.'
-4b) No question marks either.
-4c) Seriously. Get help.


Honestly, I've always thought it was a decent option for a spellcaster with a nice fly speed. Allows you to cast a spell and duck behind cover, which gives you that much more protection, not to mention maneuver around the battlefield much more nicely. It's not an "OMG INSTANT WINZ" but it is handy if you've got a spare feat.

It becomes more entertaining is when you are incorporeal. Float out of the wall, zap someone, float back in the wall. Get me now, suckers! :smalltongue:

[Acanous]

Musteval is a cantidate for Improved Familiar? Ooooo
Now I just need to find a way to make it an Arcane Heirophant's Familiar Companion >.>

Mmmm Bonus Outsider HD...

[tuesdayscoming]

It's also worth noting that Flyby Attack allows a standard action between moves, so the Musteval's special ability really isn't that exciting.

Huh... so it does... and so it isn't. Well, nevermind this question! Completely meritless race!

[Kantolin]

Lurks are fond of single-swings being focal, but... uh, 7 levels means you won't get too many augments.

If you went Ardent, you could take practiced manifester, making you less far behind (I believe this only helps your HD, not your LA). You could then go Elocator, which would get you some additional movement-related abilities which help sans dimensional spring attack, but that's only 1/day. If you stopped at level 6 yo uwouldn't lose much due to practiced manifester, although if you keep going you'd lose another real manifester level.

You could probably take a few useful mantles, too. That's probably as good as it gets for casting sans fast-acceleration types like sublime chord.

If you... if you went Binder and bound Paimon, you could jog past people, standard action someone, and dance of death the remainder. I don't know if that's... actually useful, though.

Incarnum may be an option, actually! With incarnum, any essentia you get is based off your hit die, so that gives you a perk. As a totemist, you could do some scouting, boost your movement, and then get a small array of natural attacks to go smack something and still get to safety. Perhaps that's an option too.

[Acanous]

Good News, Everyone!
I found a DM that'd let me use a Musteval as a familiar companion!
Rule working is that all the bonuses that apply to a familiar now apply to your animal companion as per Arcane Heirphant. Exalted Familiar is a bonus that applies to familiars, and thusly you can have a Musteval as a Familiar Companion. Downside, of course is that you can't take the Musteval until char level 10.

But you can take the feat Pre-10 and just not summon it until that point, so hey. Nice bonus for hitting the halfway point.

[Akal Saris]

Glad to hear you can use one :) I've always wanted a character with a Coure Eladrin from the same book, actually. They look so cute!

[Acanous]

Coure Eladrin?
Play a Bard, grab Obtain Familiar and Exalted Familiar. Wear Green and Perform: Ocarina.
Suck equally with sword and shield, bow and arrow, and Magic.
See if you can con your DM into letting you have a hookshot. It's really just a magic rope that lets you climb the full 50' as a move action >.>