Escalation Mage Complements and Optimization

[Elric VIII]

So, I have been playing in a campaign where the DM has made it abundantly clear that all that matters is damage. He awards the charger extra experience for dealing a bunch of damage while I, as a gish, deal significantly less, but contribute with utility spells and BFC. So I would like to now make something like the Mailman Sorcerer in order to dish out extreme damage. [/rant]

I would like to avoid Incantrix, as I plan to play that as part of a Batman Wizard character some time in the future. My PrC of choice is the Escalation Mage. The plan is to be a Sorcerer and focus on the Sorcerer-only spells and Orbs.

What I need is some help making sure my CL for Escalation Mage checks is resonably high. I would also like some advice on classes that mesh well with the Escalation Mage.

I assume that Arcane Master is a must-have, but other than that I don't really know what would be good.

[Coidzor]

Why are you staying in a campaign that's being run like that where damage being done by a build that focuses on dealing lots of damage is a way to get bonus XP?

[Thrice Dead Cat]

Honestly, if you want to, I'd just build the mailman as is, but that doesn't really solve your issue of damage being overly rewarded. If you can with your Gish, maybe go a combat focusing solely on riding on the Charger's shows by using Heroics and Wraithstrike to out-damage him and show everyone how much more difficult the fight is without you setting up the charger for his massive DPS.

[Elric VIII]

Why are you staying in a campaign that's being run like that where damage being done by a build that focuses on dealing lots of damage is a way to get bonus XP?

The main thing that I want to do is prove a point. I'm pretty sure that the DM will get it when I show up with a build like this. I have tried explaining, but I feel that an example will better make my point.

[Kylarra]

What point are you trying to make exactly?

[Elric VIII]

What point are you trying to make exactly?

That solving everything by damage is simply going to make his encounters less fun. This spawned when he gave the charger a bunch of extra exp for doing a ton of damage, but refused to acknowledge that my use of Web in order to save a son and his possessed father from killing each other deserved any exp at all.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Take Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) so you get an extra +10% XP.

Get Nerveskitter, with Web and Solid Fog. Win initiative, and cast Web or Solid Fog on opponents so that nobody can charge into it. Cast Grease on the ground under opponents, and make sure part of the area is in the square(s) he would have to charge into. Cast Glitterdust on opponents and high-damage allies who are near them.

Call them out on turning the game into a most-damage-contest, and point out that if they insist on reducing the game to that, then you're going to win that most-damage-contest by preventing others from out-damaging you.

[Elric VIII]

Take Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) so you get an extra +10% XP.

Get Nerveskitter, with Web and Solid Fog. Win initiative, and cast Web or Solid Fog on opponents so that nobody can charge into it. Cast Grease on the ground under opponents, and make sure part of the area is in the square(s) he would have to charge into. Cast Glitterdust on opponents and high-damage allies who are near them.

Call them out on turning the game into a most-damage-contest, and point out that if they insist on reducing the game to that, then you're going to win that most-damage-contest by preventing others from out-damaging you.

That's actually what I'm doing now, but I've been trying to not purposely ruin the charger's life. I love the idea, however.

Also, Humminbird Familiar + Elf Wizard 3 + UA Wiz variant to trade Scribe Sroll for Imp Initiative + 14 Dex = + 14 to initiative.:smallcool:

[mootoall]

Well you could always go the shadowcraft mage route for 120% reality, if you wanna avoid incantatrix.

[Coidzor]

The main thing that I want to do is prove a point. I'm pretty sure that the DM will get it when I show up with a build like this. I have tried explaining, but I feel that an example will better make my point.

If he doesn't understand a thought out, rational explanation, what makes you think he'll understand you playing his game at this? Or worse, purposefully trying to derail the game and cause conflict with the other players?

I mean, what you just said makes it sound like he's one of those DMs who'd not award XP for knocking someone out but only for killing them. :smallyuk:

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Make a Hulking Hurler.

[herrhauptmann]

War Hulking hurler damage is sort of limited by the DM saying "You can't find a boulder made of Element X that weighs 9 tons and is smaller than an apartment building."

Honestly, if the game is that bad, just get out. Beating him at his own game won't fix anything, or prove anything. In fact, the DM might take that as you agreeing to his viewpoint.
Maybe the ubercharger is getting bonus XP because the DM likes him, and resents you for something?
But to me, this sounds the same as someone getting bonuses for hitting with a crit.

[Aemoh87]

So, I have been playing in a campaign where the DM has made it abundantly clear that all that matters is damage. He awards the charger extra experience for dealing a bunch of damage while I, as a gish, deal significantly less, but contribute with utility spells and BFC. So I would like to now make something like the Mailman Sorcerer in order to dish out extreme damage. [/rant]

I would like to avoid Incantrix, as I plan to play that as part of a Batman Wizard character some time in the future. My PrC of choice is the Escalation Mage. The plan is to be a Sorcerer and focus on the Sorcerer-only spells and Orbs.

What I need is some help making sure my CL for Escalation Mage checks is resonably high. I would also like some advice on classes that mesh well with the Escalation Mage.

I assume that Arcane Master is a must-have, but other than that I don't really know what would be good.

This doesn't really help but you have my sympathy.

[Elric VIII]

If he doesn't understand a thought out, rational explanation, what makes you think he'll understand you playing his game at this? Or worse, purposefully trying to derail the game and cause conflict with the other players?

I mean, what you just said makes it sound like he's one of those DMs who'd not award XP for knocking someone out but only for killing them. :smallyuk:


The DM is just completely clueless, but he's a nice enough guy. I have often found that where rational arguments fail, brute force tends to work. Plus, I don't want to derail his campaign, I just want to make my build more suited to his campaign style.


Make a Hulking Hurler.

Lol.

Also, does anyone think that Dragonwrought, Greater Rite of Passage, Loredrake, White Dragonspawn, Spellhoarding Kobold would be too much? I can even balance out the build by being a Lightning Warrior, so that I don't get a familiar.

[Aemoh87]

The DM is just completely clueless, but he's a nice enough guy. I have often found that where rational arguments fail, brute force tends to work. Plus, I don't want to derail his campaign, I just want to make my build more suited to his campaign style.



Lol.

Also, does anyone think that Dragonwrought, Greater Rite of Passage, Loredrake, White Dragonspawn, Spellhoarding Kobold would be too much? I can even balance out the build by being a Lightning Warrior, so that I don't get a familiar.

Is your campaign tier three or higher? Because if it is your cool. What book is lightning warrior from?

[Coidzor]

Is your campaign tier three or higher? Because if it is your cool. What book is lightning warrior from?

Well, it's not the original source, but it should be kosher... (http://www.myth-weavers.com/wiki/index.php/Lightning_Warrior)

[Elric VIII]

Is your campaign tier three or higher? Because if it is your cool. What book is lightning warrior from?

Lightning Warrior (http://www.myth-weavers.com/wiki/index.php/Lightning_Warrior) is not that good because it doesn't get a familiar and cannot specialize like a normal Wizard.

EDIT: Ninja-linked. I knew I shouldn't have wasted time reading its sub-par abilities.

[Aemoh87]

Well, it's not the original source, but it should be kosher... (http://www.myth-weavers.com/wiki/index.php/Lightning_Warrior)

Yeah I have never been a fan of custom classes. That casts like a wizard right? Well wizard is tier 1... and that is better than wizard.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Also, does anyone think that Dragonwrought, Greater Rite of Passage, Loredrake, White Dragonspawn, Spellhoarding Kobold would be too much? I can even balance out the build by being a Lightning Warrior, so that I don't get a familiar.

Dragonwrought Kobolds cannot also be Dragonspawn, period. Dragonwrought may be a feat, but you can tell an individual has it by the appearance of its egg before it even hatches, therefore it grants an inherited creature type. Dragonspawn cannot be applied to dragons, therefore a Dragonwrought Kobold can never gain it.

However, I think you forgot to include Venerable, and use Desert Kobold for no Con penalty. Plus you should always use Stalwart Battle Sorcerer with Spellhoarding. You could actually go Stalwart Battle Sorcerer 4/ Swiftblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327) 9/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Dragonslayer 1/ Spellsword 1 and get a +19 BAB and 20th level Wizard spellcasting. You could also go Stalwart Battle Sorcerer/Wizard/Ultimate Magus and say you gained Spellhoarding prior to UM, to double-up your spellcasting advances toward Wizard.

[Greenish]

Yeah I have never been a fan of custom classes. That casts like a wizard right? Well wizard is tier 1... and that is better than wizard.It's a joke. A parody.

[GoatBoy]

Go Artificer and metamagic spell trigger stacking. Then spend all your bonus XP on crafting wands.

[Aspenor]

It's a joke. A parody.

It wasn't originally written as a parody. The original author was dead serious. At least, that's how the legend goes.

[Greenish]

It wasn't originally written as a parody. The original author was dead serious. At least, that's how the legend goes.Colour me sceptic.

[Tvtyrant]

It wasn't originally written as a parody. The original author was dead serious. At least, that's how the legend goes.

I am pretty much certain the line "This is a build that truly sacrifices power for flavor" indicates it was always a parody.

[faceroll]

If you really want some serious casting, go Hatchling Phaerimm. Every level of sorcerer you take nets you +2 caster levels.

Dragonspawn & Dragonwrought:
If you don't take Dragonwrought at first level, you can go Dragonspawn. Then use the retraining rules or a Psychic Reformation to change whatever your first level feat was to Dragonwrought.

The psychoses templates Spellhoarding and Riddled are acquired templates, to you can put them on after getting Dragonspawn.

[Elric VIII]

If you really want some serious casting, go Hatchling Phaerimm. Every level of sorcerer you take nets you +2 caster levels.

Dragonspawn & Dragonwrought:
If you don't take Dragonwrought at first level, you can go Dragonspawn. Then use the retraining rules or a Psychic Reformation to change whatever your first level feat was to Dragonwrought.

The psychoses templates Spellhoarding and Riddled are acquired templates, to you can put them on after getting Dragonspawn.

Heh, PsyReform myself into being Dragonwrought. Perfect.

By the way, the Kobold line was a joke, but I still think a damage-based build would fit in the campaign better.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

At what level would this character begin play?

I'd use either Red Wizard or Halruaan Elder, with Simulacrums for Circle Magic if you can have 7th level spells, and store them in a Portable Hole. Note that a Sorcerer can go Halruaan Elder, though the Signature Spells won't be of any benefit, and Wizard would be better for meeting the prerequisites. Consider the following:

Silverbrow Human (Dragon Magic), Sorcerer 6/ Mindbender 1/ Halruaan Elder 7/ (anything) 6 (Divine Oracle works, you can gain its feat prerequisite via the Frog God's Fane in Complete Scoundrel)
Halruaan Adept (H), Spell Thematics (flaw), Empower Spell (flaw), Sanctum Spell (1st), Twin Spell (3rd), (any item creation feat) (6th), Practical Metamagic: Twin (9th), Arcane Thesis: Wings of Flurry (12th), Widen Spell (15th), Practical Metamagic: Widen (18th)
Adroit Casting: Empower, Twin, Widen
Lesser Metamagic Rods of Maximize

An Empowered, Sanctum, Twinned, Widened, Rod of Maximized, Wings of Flurry spell:
Wings of Flurry: 4th level slot
Sanctum: +0, -1 spell level outside your sanctum
Adroit Empower: +1
Adroit Practical Twin: +2
Adroit Practical Widen: +1
Lesser Rod of Maximize: +0
Arcane Thesis, five metamagic feats: -5

Total spell level: 3rd
Spell Slot to cast this: 3rd

Area: designated targets within 60 feet of caster
Damage: 1d6+12 per caster level, cast at +2 CL for Arcane Thesis (1d6 per CL base, twinned for 2d6 per CL, maximized for 12 per CL, empowered so +50% of 2d6 per CL is +1d6 per CL, so 1d6 per CL for empower plus 12 per CL for twin+max)

That can be accomplished at character level 12 without Widen. You'll need to take your 7th Halruaan Elder level at your 15th character level, so take one level of (Divine Oracle) between the 6th and 7th Halruaan Elder levels. My only regret is that there's no room for Mindsight.


Edit: Dragonwrought specifies that it must be taken both at 1st level and during character creation. Read a bit in the Kobold chapter, it specifically says that anyone who has this feat has had it since before they hatched. You cannot just not be Dragonwrought, then decide that you will be after all, your character either had it all along or never has it at all. If you're playing a nothing-exists-but-game-mechanics version of D&D, then you could possibly retrain/Psychic Reform into Dragonwrought, but as a role-playing game in which character histories exist, this is absolutely impossible.

[The Boz]

Why not just go Sorcerer/Red Dragon Disciple, cast a bunch of fireballs, buff yourself, and outcharge the charger?
"Hey look, I outnuke you!"
"Whoa, I outcharge you!"
"OMG, I outtank you too!"

[Elric VIII]

We're going to be between 7-9 (we just finished a story arc and may level). Red Wizard is actually a cool option.

[The Boz]

Yeah, OK, level 9 is not enough time for a Sorc/DD to gather any momentum. Red Wizard works, but don't get too bent on using some delicate plan that requires six feats from five books to pull off. The DM will hate you for that, and you won't make your point clear enough. I'd stick with something more raw and basic for that.

[Eldariel]

Want damage? Use the War Mage from Age of Mortals; adds damage per spell die. It's just 5 levels for +3 per die; Then just get lots of dice and the usual metamagic fun. Arcane Thesis, Practical Metamagic, Easy Metamagic, etc. on the usual metamagic and stack multipliers; Split Ray + Twin + Energy Admixture + Empower (and so on) -> win. In general, the trick is of course to just multiply everything as often as possible. Find a hard-to-resist/stop spell (preferably Fire) and use Searing Spell.

EDIT: Raising Caster Level (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872350/Raising_Caster_Level)-thread seems relevant for your EM interests.


Though frankly, you could just make your Gish a charger. That can be done too and most likely provides higher damage than your friend's charger (unless he's actually the Übercharger, but then he'd be a caster anyways) since you have a nice slew of spells to pump your damage output. Oh, and you can charge reliably.

[true_shinken]

The main thing that I want to do is prove a point. I'm pretty sure that the DM will get it when I show up with a build like this. I have tried explaining, but I feel that an example will better make my point.

http://images.wikia.com/pt.starwars/images/c/c4/Yoda2.jpg
"Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they."

[faceroll]

"Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they."

Dark side gets all the chicks.

[Elric VIII]

Yeah, OK, level 9 is not enough time for a Sorc/DD to gather any momentum. Red Wizard works, but don't get too bent on using some delicate plan that requires six feats from five books to pull off. The DM will hate you for that, and you won't make your point clear enough. I'd stick with something more raw and basic for that.

Good point.


"Anger, fear, aggression. The dark side are they."

Did I ever imply that I wasn't Evil incarnate?

[Greenish]

Did I ever imply that I wasn't Evil incarnate?Yes, you said you were a gish with utility spells and BFC.

Evil Incarnates are more about smashing things with their sizable damage bonus.

[Veyr]

Yes, you said you were a gish with utility spells and BFC.

Evil Incarnates are more about smashing things with their sizable damage bonus.
I am so glad that this just happened.

[herrhauptmann]

Dark side gets all the chicks.

Even the loli's... (http://weinterrupt.com/2011/04/little-girl-happily-submits-to-the-dark-side/)

What a pimp.
http://cdn.weinterrupt.com/wp-content/uploads/Darth_Vader_by_wraithdt-300x300.jpg

[Axinian]

What's the charger's build? Depending on how optimized he is you might not need to work that hard, because I think a mage outdamaging a melee character could prove your point well enough.

[Elric VIII]

Yes, you said you were a gish with utility spells and BFC.

Evil Incarnates are more about smashing things with their sizable damage bonus.

Well played.


What's the charger's build? Depending on how optimized he is you might not need to work that hard, because I think a mage outdamaging a melee character could prove your point well enough.

Not very, I built it for him off the top of my head after he tried to put together something like Wizard 1/Rogue 3/Fighter 3, planning on going into Assassin with Whirlwind Attack.

On a side note, he's rebuilt his character each time we have met (three times) due to a misplaced character sheet. Also he apparently has a +3 Valorous Greatsword, +6 Str item and Strongarm Bracers at level 7. However, I think that's a different problem.

[Amnestic]

Also he apparently has a +3 Valorous Greatsword, +6 Str item and Strongarm Bracers at level 7. However, I think that's a different problem.

It might be a different problem, but equally it might stem from the same place: The DM is (could be) playing favourites, in which case you've got rather more problems than simply out damaging the charger.

[Veyr]

Heh, I just wanted to stop in and say that the "Escalation Mage" is an exceptionally fitting choice for what the OP wants to do.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Go Illumian (Naenhoon) Cleric 5/ Divine Oracle, final build Cleric 6/ Divine Oracle 4/ Contemplative 10. Use the Frog God's Fane detailed in Complete Scoundrel to get the feat prerequisite for Divine Oracle for 2,000 gp without having to spend a feat on it. Get the Wrath domain with the Spontaneous Domain Casting ACF in PH2, along with the Spell domain, and via your prestige classes pick up the Oracle, Travel, and Destiny domains. Take two flaws, get Extend, Persist, Martial Study: Sudden Leap (Jump becomes a class skill), Power Attack, and Leap Attack.

Get a +1 Valorous weapon and enough Night Sticks to have 12 total turn attempts, a Lesser Rod of Extend, and a standard Strand of Prayer Beads which has had the beads of Smiting and Healing removed (DMG pricing puts this at a whopping zero gold). Use Naenhoon: Persist on Anyspell: Wraithstrike and Divine Power. Use the Bead of Karma just before you cast your buffs, use the Lesser Rod of Extend to put Magic Vestment on your armor and (animated) shield. Charge in with Power Attack and Leap Attack for x2 damage with Valorous, or x3 damage with Rhino's Rush.

Note that Leap Attack increases Power Attack damage by 100% post-errata, which is not a doubling effect. Your damage should be ((weapon damage) + (1.5x Str bonus) + (4x BAB)) x2, or x3 with Rhino's Rush. With Wraithstrike you should be able to hit just about anything, and you should have a high enough AC that you won't get completely destroyed.

[Swooper]

Martial Study: Sudden Leap (Jump becomes a class skill)
You'd need to use Wolf Fang Strike, since Sudden Leap has a prerequisite of 1 TC manoeuvre.

[Aemoh87]

It's a joke. A parody.

Considering what most custom classes look like... is it really?

[Amnestic]

Considering what most custom classes look like... is it really?

It says so at the bottom. It explicitly states that it is a joke class and not meant to be played.

[Veyr]

Considering what most custom classes look like... is it really?
That's really just insulting to all the people who work on homebrew classes. No one would post something like that seriously.

[Akal Saris]

The original thread was the best, since one of the first responses took it entirely seriously and used the thread to promote his own super-awesome custom class :smalltongue:

[Dusk Eclipse]

The original thread was the best, since one of the first responses took it entirely seriously and used the thread to promote his own super-awesome custom class :smalltongue:

Do you by any chance have a link to the thread? I could use a laugh right now.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

That's really just insulting to all the people who work on homebrew classes. No one would post something like that seriously.

You would be surprised, actually. Certainly not everyone has the same sense of balance. While it would appear most people would want to shoot for around Tier 3, others prefer the higher end and others the lower end. There can be some issues on the higher end of things (both in the creation and people's reviews), certainly, but my own philosophy has been when making prestige classes to shoot for roughly a +0, maybe +1 by Zeal's system.

[Veyr]

You would be surprised, actually. Certainly not everyone has the same sense of balance. While it would appear most people would want to shoot for around Tier 3, others prefer the higher end and others the lower end. There can be some issues on the higher end of things (both in the creation and people's reviews), certainly, but my own philosophy has been when making prestige classes to shoot for roughly a +0, maybe +1 by Zeal's system.
Again, though, no one prefers the Lightning Warrior's balance point, nor could anyone seriously think it was anything but imbalanced. Even Frank and K's Tomes nerfed the Wizard a little, even as they strove to make everything Tier-1 — they certainly did not add the Lightning Warrior or anything close to their material.

[true_shinken]

Colour me sceptic.

You should have read the original thread. Dude even came back to defend it.
The whole thing about the familiar only started because of this, even. After two or three pages of people saying 'omg this is overpowered' he showed up and said 'seriously? you guys think it's overpowered? I just added a few melee for flavour, I thought you would say it was weaker than a wizard because it lacks a familiar'.

[Greenish]

You should have read the original thread. Dude even came back to defend it.
The whole thing about the familiar only started because of this, even. After two or three pages of people saying 'omg this is overpowered' he showed up and said 'seriously? you guys think it's overpowered? I just added a few melee for flavour, I thought you would say it was weaker than a wizard because it lacks a familiar'.What. No. I still can't wrap my head around that.

It has to be a parody. It has to.

[Veyr]

It was a parody, the author just kept the parody going for a good long while. The issue was that one of the first posters in the thread was another homebrewer who took issue with the incredibly arrogant and insulting language in the post, and the hideous balance of the class that gave homebrew a bad name. So the original author came back to argue with the guy. It was still very definitely a parody, it was just a case of Poe's Law plus the author rolling with that.

[Elric VIII]

Just a thought, how good would it be if I took the feat Acquire Familiar?


Also, as for the original topic, are there any PrCs that a sorcerer can enter before 6th level?

[dextercorvia]

Just a thought, how good would it be if I took the feat Acquire Familiar?


Also, as for the original topic, are there any PrCs that a sorcerer can enter before 6th level?

Then you have to waste a feat to still not be as good as a Wizard. You still can't specialize. And, it's not like you get bonus feats as a fighter or anything to kind of make up for it. The class is mechanically pathetic, really. :smallwink:

There aren't many, and probably none are worth effort to meet the prereq's if you are going for something else.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Obtain Familiar would only be useful if you also get Improved Familiar (DMG) for an Imp, Quasit, or Pseudodragon depending on your alignment. Imp is probably the best one mechanically. You can Polymorph an outsider familiar into a powerful outsider form such as an Arrow Demon (MM3) or a Kelvezu (MM2). At the very least it can throw Tanglefoot Bags for you.

Mindbender can be taken after Sorcerer 5, it's only good for one level but you can get the feat Mindsight from Lords of Madness (p126) which is infinitely useful. Get Ray of Stupidity and you'll automatically know which opponents are the best targets for it. Frost Mage in Frostburn can also be taken after Sorcerer 5, though it's usually only good for four levels and probably only useful if you're adventuring in a cold climate. The feats in Frostburn make cold damage the best choice for a spellcaster, but only in an extremely cold environment.

If you're a Dragonwrought (Desert) Kobold Loredreake you can qualify for quite a bit after Sorcerer 4. Don't forget the Greater Draconic Rite of Passage, and to start out Venerable. In this case though, you may as well get Spellhoarding to trade your Sorcerer spellcasting for Wizard casting of equal level, and use Battle Sorcerer along with the Stalwart Sorcerer variant since your gimped spellcasting will be traded out anyway.

[true_shinken]

It was a parody, the author just kept the parody going for a good long while. The issue was that one of the first posters in the thread was another homebrewer who took issue with the incredibly arrogant and insulting language in the post, and the hideous balance of the class that gave homebrew a bad name. So the original author came back to argue with the guy. It was still very definitely a parody, it was just a case of Poe's Law plus the author rolling with that.

There was no arrogant or insulting language in the post. You must be misremembering.
Also, I'm pretty sure it wasn't a parody. That's the same boards that gave us the uranium katana, for crying out loud.

[Elric VIII]

Obtain Familiar would only be useful if you also get Improved Familiar (DMG) for an Imp, Quasit, or Pseudodragon depending on your alignment. Imp is probably the best one mechanically. You can Polymorph an outsider familiar into a powerful outsider form such as an Arrow Demon (MM3) or a Kelvezu (MM2). At the very least it can throw Tanglefoot Bags for you.

If I Polymorph myself and choose to use Share Spell, can I make myself and my familiar into different things (i.e. take advantage of its Outsider type while making myself something else)?


Mindbender can be taken after Sorcerer 5, it's only good for one level but you can get the feat Mindsight from Lords of Madness (p126) which is infinitely useful. Get Ray of Stupidity and you'll automatically know which opponents are the best targets for it. Frost Mage in Frostburn can also be taken after Sorcerer 5, though it's usually only good for four levels and probably only useful if you're adventuring in a cold climate. The feats in Frostburn make cold damage the best choice for a spellcaster, but only in an extremely cold environment.

Mindbender woudl be awesome, I've always wanted to try out Mindsight. However, I could see my DM finding a way to gimp it, just like how the first boss we fought just happened to have a sword that can shoot a cone of flame to undo my Web spell.


If you're a Dragonwrought (Desert) Kobold Loredreake you can qualify for quite a bit after Sorcerer 4. Don't forget the Greater Draconic Rite of Passage, and to start out Venerable. In this case though, you may as well get Spellhoarding to trade your Sorcerer spellcasting for Wizard casting of equal level, and use Battle Sorcerer along with the Stalwart Sorcerer variant since your gimped spellcasting will be traded out anyway.

While the long list of things I added on to my original Kobold idea was a joke, Greater Rite of Passage would actually be nice to remove that built-in CL loss of a Sorcerer.

[Coidzor]

If I Polymorph myself and choose to use Share Spell, can I make myself and my familiar into different things (i.e. take advantage of its Outsider type while making myself something else)?

I...think so. :smallconfused: Never stopped to consider that. Probably up to the individual DM whether they consider it a polymorph spell that's being shared or a polymorph spell specifically turning one into creature X....