Build Help: Divine Magician Spells and Domain Choices

[Elric VIII]

I'm not exactly sure what I want this character to be, but I know what I want him to do. This is essentially meant to be a Divine Duskblade, using OC'c ability to store spells and the ability to cast touch spells through a melee attack with IUS to augment my damage dealing capability.

So, here's what I've got for a build so far:
LG Lesser Aasimar, 2 flaws; Cloistered Cleric 4/Ordained Champion 5/Mythic Exemplar (Imdastri) 10/Cleric +1

Feats
1: Improved Unarmed Strike, Hammer Fist, Knowledge Devotion
3: Practiced Spellcaster
5: Superior US (trading domain power via OC)
6: Quicken Spell
9: Snap Kick
12: Easy Metamagic - Quicken
15: Persistent Spell
18: Easy Metamagic - Persist
Any advice on this would be welcome.



I plan to use Divine Magician, mostly for Vampiric Touch cast with an unarmed strike, but I'm having trouble figuring out what to choose for the rest of my spells. What spells should I consider?

Divine Magician Choices:
1: True Strike
2: Dispelling Touch
3: Vampiric Touch
4:
5: Waves of Fatigue
6:
7: Waves of Exhaustion
8:
9: Reaving Dispel

This character's starting domains will be War, Knowledge, and Divine Magician, leaving only the OC's granted domain and Knowledge to fill up the domain slots. So I need a domain with some decent spell choices that I would often want perpared. The domain granted power doesn't matter, since I will be trading it away for a feat. My DM is rather lenient when making non-core domain choices, so anything that could be reasonably attributed to Heironeous/Hextor is fair game. Can anyone give me any insight on this?



Finally, I would like to find a diety that offeres the War domain and has either Gauntlet or Unarmed Strike as a favored weapon, so that I can use the adaptation of OC for him. Mostly this is to get the most out of my free Weapon Focus, but I also want this character to have a sort of skillful martial artist attitude that comes from such a diety choice (rather than being a brawler that can throw around some spells). Does such a diety exist?

Thank you.

[Psyren]

Just look for really good Necromancy spells from the Wizard list, like Shivering Touch.

Unarmed Strike and War is a rather tall order. Deities with Unarmed Strike tend to promote peace.

[Elric VIII]

Just look for really good Necromancy spells from the Wizard list, like Shivering Touch.

Shivering Touch is a really good Wizard spell. The thing is, it's also a really good Cleric spell. Are there any Wizard-only spells like that?

I've looked through most of the SpC, CMage, CArc, and PHBII. I'm just wondering if there's anything I'm missing.


Unarmed Strike and War is a rather tall order. Deities with Unarmed Strike tend to promote peace.

Good point. I guess I'll be able to get by without that +1 attack.

[Elric VIII]

Unarmed Strike and War is a rather tall order. Deities with Unarmed Strike tend to promote peace.

I actually found 2, now that I've had a chance to look: Beltar (Evil) and Zuoken (Neutral).


As for domain choices, Courage and Glory seem to have good spells. But are there any good domains outside of SpC that anyone can recommend?

[Psyren]

I actually found 2, now that I've had a chance to look: Beltar (Evil) and Zuoken (Neutral).

Ha! How embarrassing. I checked CDiv and DaD, but not the XPH. :smallbiggrin:

RE: Domains - have you checked Eberron?

[OldFart]

Take only 3 levels of OC, or you'll lose 9th level spells.

If you decide on Zuoken and your DM if lenient on domains, try Portal or Time, from SC.

I heartily congratulate you on avoiding DMM cheese.

[Elric VIII]

Ha! How embarrassing. I checked CDiv and DaD, but not the XPH. :smallbiggrin:

RE: Domains - have you checked Eberron?

Oh boy, don't mention Eberron to my DM... unless you have a half hour to listen to why magitech is the devil.

Taking another look at Knowledge, however, I think I only need spells for levels 1, 2, and maybe 6 or 8; I usually do my best to have the other spells on hand anyway. I think I'm going to go for the Wrath domain in order to get my hands on Rhino's Rush, since Snap Kick gives me an extra attack on a charge without a Barbarian dip.


Take only 3 levels of OC, or you'll lose 9th level spells.

If you decide on Zuoken and your DM if lenient on domains, try Portal or Time, from SC.

I heartily congratulate you on avoiding DMM cheese.

Hmmm... good point. Maybe I'll just ditch that last level of Mythic Exemplar, since OC is a cooler class.

Time is a great domain, I've used it before. I'll check out Portal when I get a chance.

TBH, I'm using a DMM Quicken Cleric now and it's not too OP. My DM ruled that Nightsticks don't stack, so I use one Nightstick + 1 personal TU to Quicken. I do get 1 free Quicken for each TU attempt and 7500 gp, which is nice.

[OldFart]

Maybe I'll just ditch that last level of Mythic Exemplar, since OC is a cooler class.No argument that OC is cooler, but Exemplar 10 w/ Imdastri grants +2 un-typed Wisdom and spontaneous casting to Luck, Protection, or Strength domains. At effectively +1 spell level higher, granted, but it's an all day ability, and you get access to some useful spells, including arcane-or-domains that you can't Miracle w/o the right selected domains like Mind Blank and MoP.

BTW, for feats – if you have Persistent Spell, you need Extend Spell.

Divine Magician spell selection suggestions:

Note: these are all SRD or Spell Compendium

2: IIRC, OC 3 lets you channel spells through your weapon. So rather than Dispelling Touch, for Divine Magician 2 I'd recommend Heroics. Free fighter feat, eventually persist-able.

4: Dimension Door is a needed escape plan unless you will have an item to cover it.* Black Tentacles and Solid Fog are good ways for a melee character to hold opponents in place. Resilient Sphere is Forcecage 3 levels early w/o costly material component. Ray Deflection makes beholders cry. Since your build cares about damage output, you can’t go wrong with an Orb spell. I like Orb of Force, for non-corporeal foes and sheer paradox factor. Lastly, Enervation is always fun, and fits your necromancy theme.
*You get this w/ Portal domain

6: If you don’t take the Time domain, Contingency. Anticipate Teleportation, Greater is also pretty nice.

7: Waves of Exhaustion is cool. But Ironguard on a melee character is just nifty. Better still, Elemental Body. Boatload of immunities, and if you pick Air, and you also get flight. Extend the spell, and it’s an all-day buff by the time you can cast it.

8: I’m a fan of Chain Dispel more than Reaving Dispel. Multiple targets > taking the spells for yourself. Avascular Mass is just funny.

9: The only Issue with Effulgent Epuration is the DM will likely ban it after the first time you cast it. Otherwise, Prismatic Sphere is do-it-yourself thunderdome.

[Elric VIII]

No argument that OC is cooler, but Exemplar 10 w/ Imdastri grants +2 un-typed Wisdom and spontaneous casting to Luck, Protection, or Strength domains. At effectively +1 spell level higher, granted, but it's an all day ability, and you get access to some useful spells, including arcane-or-domains that you can't Miracle w/o the right selected domains like Mind Blank and MoP.

Hmmm... that is a problem. I'll have to think on exactly what I want to do on that one. Although, even if I have access to 9th level spells I can only cast 8th level spells with the capstone of Mythic Exemplar.


BTW, for feats – if you have Persistent Spell, you need Extend Spell.

Good point, I think I'll exchange Easy MM: Quicken for that in the build. Don't know how I missed that.


Divine Magician spell selection suggestions:

Note: these are all SRD or Spell Compendium

2: IIRC, OC 3 lets you channel spells through your weapon. So rather than Dispelling Touch, for Divine Magician 2 I'd recommend Heroics. Free fighter feat, eventually persist-able.

4: Dimension Door is a needed escape plan unless you will have an item to cover it.* Black Tentacles and Solid Fog are good ways for a melee character to hold opponents in place. Resilient Sphere is Forcecage 3 levels early w/o costly material component. Ray Deflection makes beholders cry. Since your build cares about damage output, you can’t go wrong with an Orb spell. I like Orb of Force, for non-corporeal foes and sheer paradox factor. Lastly, Enervation is always fun, and fits your necromancy theme.
*You get this w/ Portal domain

6: If you don’t take the Time domain, Contingency. Anticipate Teleportation, Greater is also pretty nice.

7: Waves of Exhaustion is cool. But Ironguard on a melee character is just nifty. Better still, Elemental Body. Boatload of immunities, and if you pick Air, and you also get flight. Extend the spell, and it’s an all-day buff by the time you can cast it.

8: I’m a fan of Chain Dispel more than Reaving Dispel. Multiple targets > taking the spells for yourself. Avascular Mass is just funny.

9: The only Issue with Effulgent Epuration is the DM will likely ban it after the first time you cast it. Otherwise, Prismatic Sphere is do-it-yourself thunderdome.


The one problem is that I can't get spells like Heroics, DDoor, and Contingiency. Divine Magician only lets me get Abjuration, Divination, and Necromancy spells. Although I do agree that the spells listed are all of excellent quality.

BTW, in what book what is Chain Dispel found? I can't seem to locate it it.

[OldFart]

The one problem is that I can't get spells like Heroics, DDoor, and Contingiency. Divine Magician only lets me get Abjuration, Divination, and Necromancy spells.Shoot, I completely forgot about that. Darn failing memory. Look at Arcane Turmoil from Complete Mage as an alternative to Dispelling Touch.


BTW, in what book what is Chain Dispel found? I can't seem to locate it it.Another lapse in my memory - it's PHB II, and it's a cleric spell as well. Taking a second look, Avascular Mass has the [Evil] descriptor. Check out Mysterious Redirection, also from Complete Mage.

[Elric VIII]

Shoot, I completely forgot about that. Darn failing memory. Look at Arcane Turmoil from Complete Mage as an alternative to Dispelling Touch.

Arcane Turmoil is pretty nice, but the main reason that I have Dispelling Touch is that IUS lets me substitute the normal free touch attack from touch range spells with an unarmed strike. Arcane Turmoil is close ranged, so this doesn't work.


Another lapse in my memory - it's PHB II, and it's a cleric spell as well. Taking a second look, Avascular Mass has the [Evil] descriptor. Check out Mysterious Redirection, also from Complete Mage.

Mysterious Redirection is definately going on my list, thanks. It fits extremely well with the idea of an unarmed fighter with mystical powers.