DFA invocation questions.

[jeice]

So I'm looking to play a DFA in a campaign and my DM is unfamiliar with the class. How do the invocation buffs that last 24 hours work? I initially thought they were like auras where you could only have one active, but apparently they are just like really long lasting spells? The endure exposure is always explained as giving your entire group immunity to your breath, so I take it you can just cast it on them each separately and it's good for the entire day unless dispelled?

So if that's true then the self only buffs stack on top of one another? You can use see the unseen, draconic knowledge and flight altogether? It makes sense now, but I initially thought it was only one at a time.

Also one last thing. For DFA's it seems unless you're casting in battle, the arcane failure is a non-worry. You can just keep spamming the spell until it lands? Or simply cast without armor first thing in the morning and then putting it on after?

[Amnestic]

They are spell-like abilities. They are essentially spells which you can cast constantly from a very limited list. Some of these are short (Charm) while others last 24 hours (Endure Exposure). You can have different ones applied to you or others (if they can be cast on others) as you so wish.

And yes, ASF can be negligible to a DFA if you only have the out of combat buff invocations on your list. Since they should almost never be needing attack rolls, they don't care about armour proficiency penalties either, meaning you can have your DFA run around in Full Plate with little negative effect (besides it slowing you down and buggering up your flight).

[Rei_Jin]

With invocations that have a duration of 24 hours, you can cast them as often as you like... one of the amusing things is that you could cast the same one 50 times on yourself if you're worried about being hit with Dispel Magic effects, as each spell has to be dispelled individually. This is a good option for flight invocations, not so necessary for some others.

If the invocation lists relevant targets as people other than you, feel free to cast it as often as you like on whoever you like.

You can use as many invocations as you have available at any time, as long as you take the time to invoke each one individually. If you have 20 different invocations, sure, keep them all running at the same time. It's no different to a wizard self buffing.

[Godskook]

You seem to have it all figured out. Especially yes, DFAs without combat invocations can wear armor into combat without worrying about ASF, and in point of fact, my old DFA PC did just that. They make great tanky characters, cause with high AC(from decent armor), high HP(from con SAD), good saves(well, poor reflex, but that's what your HP is for), and an attention-grabbing AoE debuff nuke, you just do so well on the front lines.

[jeice]

Thanks guys, I just wanted to confirm what I thought was true. This really makes the class seem that much more viable. Since you're not using the skills that get penalized with armor it really does invalidate the non proficiency issue. I hadn't considered heavy armor though I can see it's doable if you have the strength for it.

What do you consider the lowest strength that's viable for a build? We're talking low level(2 or 3) without access to magic items or weight reducing bags. I'm trying to align my stats right now and I have a 6 I have to deal with. Normally it's straight into cha but since it's not my dump stat I'm having trouble. Was thinking of lesser aasimar and middle aged tand have 9 wisdom. With 6 str I'm just afraid that I couldn't even wear armor and carry anything without a haversack available. Almost want to take a level of beguiler or something to pick up mage armor and the extra skill points.

[Rei_Jin]

Why is Charisma not your dump stat? DFA runs off Constitution last I checked, and whilst they do get some invocations that require saves that run off your charisma, they're hardly necessary for a good DFA.

I suppose if you're using Frightful Presence and such you could need it...

[jeice]

Wasn't for the invocations, was thinking more of the UMD and social skills. We don't have a party face since everyone dumped CHA, so I figured now was a good time as any to actually use it. I plan on only using breath weapon and entangling exhalation for offense and invocations for buffs.

I guess I could strike a medium and put it around 11 or so with no negatives and just boost skill points into social skills. Would have helped with UMD though since right now we have no healer. It's a strange group to say the least hehe. Cleric died and became a barbarian, which makes the 2nd in the party. Along with a ranger and wizard and me.

[Amnestic]

Unless you're rocking out with a shapechanger like a Tibbit or a Hengeyokai (which make really fun DFAs by the way)...eh, it depends really. DFAs really don't need much in the way of equipment. A dagger should be on you at all times (always pays to carry around a light weapon I've found), then it's just armour and the equipment in your day-to-day functions. For a city-based campaign, you won't need much of anything. No bedrolls or flint and tinder or whatnot.

Carrying capacities are more than a little tedious to deal with; I'd simply ask your DM to wave them, it's not like you're trying to exploit it or anything (at least, not yet). If he says no though, I probably wouldn't have my strength below an 8 if you're on the road/dungeon crawling a lot.

[Rei_Jin]

Seriously, if you have a 6 stat, the least painful place you can put it is into your Charisma. You can get items to boost skills beyond what your penalties are, and items to boost stats. A ring of +5 Diplomacy is 2,500gp, and even if you wanted to have Diplomacy, Bluff, and Intimidate, get three rings made and swap between them when you need to make the different skill checks.

Voila, it's like having a 16 Charisma without the actual stat.

[jeice]

We travel a lot and he is sort of a stickler for the basic rules. It's not like he hounds us for every single point of weight, but if I put on heavy armor and had a few items I'm quite sure he'd call me on it. Since the thread has gotten this far I guess I post my rolls. No point buy, it was 4d6b3 no rerolls and not 7th roll to drop.

17,15,14,11,9,6

With middle aged and lesser aasimar it becomes:

con = 16
dex = 14
cha = 17
str = 10
int = 10
wis = 9

Though I guess my cha doesn't have to be that high, I could have just put it on the 9 and then with middle aged and aasimar it becomes 12, leaving me 13 for str (lose 1 for middle aged.)

What are other options assuming mostly base races (we are in Faerun though).

[Godskook]

You need a 13 Str to make full-plate a light-load, but you're not affording that at level 3. More likely, you're wearing medium or cheap-heavy armor, such as Breastplate, which can be worn by 11 Str without issue. Get back to 12-14 area, and you're good to carry stuff too. You're just not the party pack-mule. Alternatively, train a few loyal dogs to carry whatever trinkets you need but won't trust to a communal animal(they're loyal, can track back to you if you get separated from them, and they can help in combat at this level).

-------------

You're not a full-caster, you don't need a *huge* Cha. What you really want is a strong Con to make use of your breath weapon with(invocation-heavy players go warlock, really). For that, dwarf is great, as is anything else with a con buff. Dwarves are also great for ignoring the whole light/medium/heavy issue.

[jeice]

Hmm I guess lesser aasimar is still my best choice since it raises my two weakest stats to something not so horrible. And middle aged just screws up my higher stats even more since they're physical. I guess I could go:

Str 14
Dex 15
Con 17
Int 11
Wis 11 or 8
Cha 8 or 11

Swapping the wis or cha depending on which is more useful. For out of combat wand casting there is no negative effect or lost charge as long as you don't roll a 1 right? I'm mostly concerned about UMD since I can make up for the social skills if I really wanted to. Could also swap str and int to get more skill points but less hauling capacity. I'd raise Con to 18 at 4. Actually if I don't intend to raise dex I could put that 15 into str and get more capacity without boosting the mod.

[MeeposFire]

Small creatures help due to how weight and size interacts. My favorite DFA was a dragonwrought kobold.

[Zaq]

I recommend against the whole "you don't attack, so go ahead and wear heavy armor" suggestions. Sure, you're not going to be making too many (read: any) attack rolls, but you know what you're going to be making every single encounter? Initiative checks. Initiative checks are penalized for wearing armor without proficiency. Since the DFA has a very clear BfC focus, I would stay the hell away from anything that penalizes your initiative. That first round can make or break a battle . . . especially for someone like a DFA who really, really likes to get enemies all clumped up.

[Greenish]

Mithral chain shirt, MW dastana & MW chahar-aina is 6 AC with 0 ACP. Cheap, too.