[3.5] Thoughts on an Archivist Gish

[Thurbane]

Just looking for some input on a potential/theoretical build - Archivist 4/Fighter 1/Ruathar 3/Hexer 10/Archivist 2. Caster level 19, BAB +16 (and yes, I know Divine Power renders BAB unimportant in this build, but humour me).

I need a suggestion for a race - I'm leaning towards Lupin, due to Hexer qequirements.

Also, I'm not wedded to Fighter, or to the last two levels of Archivist, so any suggestions for those?

Usual discalimers (no Tob, MoI, psionics or Dragon mag, and the less campaign specific material, the better).

Cheers - T

[FreakyCheeseMan]

Just looking for some input on a potential/theoretical build - Archivist 4/Fighter 1/Ruathar 3/Hexer 10/Archivist 2. Caster level 19, BAB +16 (and yes, I know Divine Power renders BAB unimportant in this build, but humour me).

I need a suggestion for a race - I'm leaning towards Lupin, due to Hexer qequirements.

Also, I'm not wedded to Fighter, or to the last two levels of Archivist, so any suggestions for those?

Usual discalimers (no Tob, MoI, psionics or Dragon mag, and the less campaign specific material, the better).

Cheers - T

Been building a (pure, 7th-level) archivist myself.

I assume you have knowledge devotion? (+5 attack with an easy-to-hit DC 36 knowledge check, and if you don't think 36 is easy, you haven't read enough spell lists. :P )

I recommend the poison handbook, as well- if you mix druidic poison spells with minor creation poison-spamming.... yeah.

Consider using polymorph-type abilities, as well... bonus points if you can find a way to get Natural Spell.

I'm interested in seeing where this goes... Archivists are my new favorite class, and they do seem to lend themselves well to Gishdom.

[Elric VIII]

I recommend the Rogue variant that trades SA forbonus feats like a Fighter, in place of actual Fighter. This will keep your skill points high so that you can get your Knowledge checks up for Dark Knowledge/Knowledge Devotion.

Plus, BAB is unimportant with Divine Power.:smallbiggrin:

[Thurbane]

I assume you have knowledge devotion? (+5 attack with an easy-to-hit DC 36 knowledge check, and if you don't think 36 is easy, you haven't read enough spell lists. :P )
Yep, KD would definitely be in the build.

I recommend the poison handbook, as well- if you mix druidic poison spells with minor creation poison-spamming.... yeah.
Hadn't really considered a poison using gish, but it's an interesting thought. I'll look into the poison handbook.

Consider using polymorph-type abilities, as well... bonus points if you can find a way to get Natural Spell.
I'm normally a bit weary of polymorph, but again, something I might look into.

If I did go Lupin, Alter Self would be great for shifting into Monstrous Humanoid forms.

The nice thing about Hexer, apart from being full BAB and full casting, is that you get a total of 5 bonus spells drawn from the Sorc/Wiz spell list. Now, Archivists can get a lot of arcane spells into their books anyway, but this is just icing on the cake.

Plus, BAB is unimportant with Divine Power.:smallbiggrin:
I see what you did there! :smalltongue:

[Elric VIII]

The nice thing about Hexer, apart from being full BAB and full casting, is that you get a total of 5 bonus spells drawn from the Sorc/Wiz spell list. Now, Archivists can get a lot of arcane spells into their books anyway, but this is just icing on the cake.

If you have a Cleric buddy/cohort with the Divine Magician variant you can get any Abjuration, Divination, or Necromancy spell on your list. I really like this class feature for Dispelling Touch (since as a gish/melee-Cleric getting close isn't a problem) and level 6 AMF.

[Coidzor]

Hexer doesn't rule out Sacred Exorcist, does it? As 2 levels of that will add in turn undead and give the same BAB/CL returns IIRC.

[Thurbane]

Hexer doesn't rule out Sacred Exorcist, does it? As 2 levels of that will add in turn undead and give the same BAB/CL returns IIRC.
Hexer requires non-good, does that mesh with SE?

[Elric VIII]

Hexer requires non-good, does that mesh with SE?

Unless you see the requirement of "Any Good" as a problem, then no.

[Thurbane]

Unless you see the requirement of "Any Good" as a problem, then no.
Ah, OK. I'm AFB at the moment, and I couldn't remember the alignment reqs for SE - from memory, I thought it was "any non-evil".

[Coidzor]

Well that definitely does complicate things in terms of a divine PrC for you... Bone Knight gives up a CL in exchange for a BAB, but I don't know that it offers anything aside from that in two levels. Plus it's got setting-specific tie-ins.

[Thurbane]

Alternatively, I could go Archivist 6/Ruathar 3/Dragon Slayer 1/Hexer 10. (BAB +16, CL 20). It would require greater expenditure of feats, but Dragonslayer would nab MWP and heavy armor prof...

[Coidzor]

Alternatively, I could go Archivist 6/Ruathar 3/Dragon Slayer 1/Hexer 10. (BAB +16, CL 20). It would require greater expenditure of feats, but Dragonslayer would nab MWP and heavy armor prof...

When would it be starting play is the question there, really... I think...

[FreakyCheeseMan]

You might consider the spell "Luminous Armor" - it not only provides a heft armor bonus (+8) for hours per level, but it also imposes a -4 penalty on melee attacks against you. It deals 1d3 strength damage to cast, but you only have to pay that at the end of the hour-per-level duration, and in the meantime you get essentially heavy armor, without any speed, casting or armor check penalties. And then you cast lesser restoration and go to sleep.

[Thurbane]

I think that's an Exalted spell, right? If so, the alignment restrictions on Hexer would prevent me having access to it, I'm afraid.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Have you considered Hellbred? I think the evil exception might let them cast exalted spells, get into SE and still be a hexer.

[Thurbane]

Have you considered Hellbred? I think the evil exception might let them cast exalted spells, get into SE and still be a hexer.
Interesting thought, but I'm pretty sure that won't work by RAW for a few reasons. Evil Exception lets you cast [Evil] spells while being good without penalty, but not vice versa (i.e. you can't use it to cast [Good] spells while being evil, or Exalted spells while being non-good). Also, it wouldn't help with the alignment conflicts of the PrC reqs. Finally, Hexer has some specific race requirements, which Hellbred wouldn't satisfy.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Oh it seems I misremembered..

[FreakyCheeseMan]

I think that's an Exalted spell, right? If so, the alignment restrictions on Hexer would prevent me having access to it, I'm afraid.

*Grins* Sanctified spell, and, oddly enough, no. The rules specifically ban "Evil" characters from casting them- not a word is said about us neutral types.

[Thurbane]

*Grins* Sanctified spell, and, oddly enough, no. The rules specifically ban "Evil" characters from casting them- not a word is said about us neutral types.
Oh, OK...I'll look into it when I'm at my books, thanks. :smallsmile: