Spirit Shaman Gear Advice

[Allanimal]

I'm playing a halfling Spirit Shaman who just reached 3rd level. The DM's policy is to let us rebuy all of our gear based on the WBL table, and I am trying to think of some nifty things that I can actually afford.

He's the party's primary healer (actually, the only full caster at the moment), but since the SS gets so few "known" spells per day, the healing is mostly via a wand of CLW/Lessor Vigor [Houseruled to be alternate versions of the same spell].

He has Spell focus (Conjuration), Augmented Summoning, & Spontaneous Summoner for feats [Another house rule gives all players a bonus feat at 1st level], so when he's not summoning an ally of nature, he's usually producing flame, entangling or animating H2O. In other words, he stays out of melee, though once he had to us his ol' beatin' stick (aka shillelagh) to take down a grick that was proving to be troublesome to the rest of the party.

I have about 2000 gp available to spend. Before I burn it all on a Memento Magica and/or a bunch of scrolls, I'd like to see what the playground might suggest.

Allowed Books: Complete series (except champion), Races series, PHB2. MiC and SpC are allowed in general, but the DM has to approve anything from those two books. So far, I don't think he's vetoed anything...

[Rei_Jin]

Seeing that you're a summoner I recommend the following items at your level.

1: Chronocharm of the Uncaring Archmage (MIC, P86): Once per day, cast a Summoning spell as a standard action instead of a full round action.
2: Healing Belt (MIC, P110): +2 on Heal checks, and 3 charges per day that heal people. With your limited spells known /day, this is very handy indeed.
3: Wand of a level 1 spell of your choice: This one goes almost without saying... a Spirit Shaman without a wand or two is just asking to be found short when it hits the fan.

[veven]

I played a halfling spirit shaman with the same exact feats about six months ago haha. He was super fun. One item I eventually got my hands on that was great (albiet a bit out of your price range at the moment) was the Ring of the Beast from Complete Champion. It's 8,000gp and it lets you treat your summon nature's ally spells as if they were one level higher (but not higher than the highest you can cast) so you can cast SNA II out of a 1st level slot. If you are focusing on summoning this is a great item to save up for.

Just out of curiosity, what are you planning on for your next few feats? I ended up with the three you listed (I was a strongheart halfling for the bonus feat) plus Rapid spell (for standard action summons), Ashbound (free extend and +3 to hit for my summons? yes please), and Metamagic School Focus: Conjuration. The Spirit Shaman's unique casting mechanic interacts with metamagic in a way that makes metamagic reducers even more powerful than they already were. This guy was one of my favorite characters!

[Allanimal]

Seeing that you're a summoner I recommend the following items at your level.

1: Chronocharm of the Uncaring Archmage (MIC, P86): Once per day, cast a Summoning spell as a standard action instead of a full round action.
2: Healing Belt (MIC, P110): +2 on Heal checks, and 3 charges per day that heal people. With your limited spells known /day, this is very handy indeed.
3: Wand of a level 1 spell of your choice: This one goes almost without saying... a Spirit Shaman without a wand or two is just asking to be found short when it hits the fan.

I have never heard of #1 - it Looks great. Thanks! I had plans for the #2 & #3 already.


...the Ring of the Beast from Complete Champion. It's 8,000gp and it lets you treat your summon nature's ally spells as if they were one level higher (but not higher than the highest you can cast) so you can cast SNA II out of a 1st level slot. If you are focusing on summoning this is a great item to save up for.

Sounds great! It will be a while before I can afford it (as you noted)


Just out of curiosity, what are you planning on for your next few feats? I ended up with the three you listed (I was a strongheart halfling for the bonus feat) plus Rapid spell (for standard action summons), Ashbound (free extend and +3 to hit for my summons? yes please), and Metamagic School Focus: Conjuration. The Spirit Shaman's unique casting mechanic interacts with metamagic in a way that makes metamagic reducers even more powerful than they already were. This guy was one of my favorite characters!

The list of feats I have jotted down are:
Imbued Summoning (PHB2), Elemental Summoning (CM), Rapid Spell (CD), Extend Spell (PHB), Metamagic School Focus: Conjuration (CM). I haven't decided which order to do them in yet.

[deuxhero]

Handy Harversack if in price range.


Otherwise, Wands.

[Darrin]

1: Chronocharm of the Uncaring Archmage (MIC, P86): Once per day, cast a Summoning spell as a standard action instead of a full round action.


Once per day? *Pffft!* Get your hands on some Golden Desert Honey (300 GP, Complete Mage p. 136). Then find a spellcaster that can cast summon monster VII (about 910 GP per the PHB). Have him summon a djinn, and then tell the djinn to use his major creation SLA on the Golden Desert Honey. Per the description, it's actually dried tree sap, not honey, so it's vegetable matter, and the duration is permanent. Oh, and you now have 20 cubic feet of it.

Assuming "dried tree sap" weighs roughly the same as maple syrup, 1 cubic foot = 7.5 gallons, so 20 cubic feet = 150 gallons. To be legally called maple syrup, it has to weigh at minimum 11 lbs per gallon, and assuming 16 oz per lb, 150 x 11 x 16 = 26400 ounces. Or we could say "dried maple syrup" = brown sugar, which weighs about 45 lbs per cubic foot, so 20 x 45 x 16 = 14400 ounces. So... never spend a full round casting a summon spell ever again.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

1. Summoner's Totem, MIC p187
2. Enrage Animal, SpC
3. Replace its effect with Whirling Frenzy (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/classFeatureVariants.htm#rageVariantWhirlingFrenzy ) (optional)
4. ???
5. Profit.

Buy some Unguent of Timelessness and apply it to eight Bone Talisman (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mb/20040721a) (turning) spell foci. It will last 365 times longer than normal, so at the end of each day use up all your 2nd level and higher spell slots before you rest to have a bunch of those ready. You're now just as good at turning undead as a single-classed Cleric!

Definitely pick up a Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend, to use with Creeping Cold (SpC). That will deal 21d6 damage over six rounds at your current level.

Get everyone in the party to buy a Healing Belt, it will save you a lot of effort on healing.

Later on you definitely want a Ring of the Beast from Complete Champion.

You should also consider picking up the feats Greenbound Summoning from Lost Empires of Faerun, and Rashemi Elemental Summoning in Unapproachable East.

[Cieyrin]

If you summon a lot of Elementals, you may also want to look at Augment Elemental from Magic of Eberron. Each elemental gets +2 enhancement to attack and damage and temp HP equal to twice their hit dice. Could be well worth your while.

[Allanimal]

I'm pretty sure the Eberron, Faerun and Unapproachable East stuff won't be allowed. We're playing in Greyhawk.

The summoner's totem is nice, but too expensive. It will have to go on the wish list. Handy Haversack is a given, but it too will have to wait a bit.

Now that golden desert honey... Great idea. Not sure the DM will allow that. If he did, it would be 1210 GP well spent.

[Andorax]

I know you're asking for gear advice, but I'd like to chime in on the feat issue as well. You already picked up spontanious summoning, have you considered trying for Spontanious Healer as well? If you're the party's primary healer, it might come in very handy.

[Allanimal]

I know you're asking for gear advice, but I'd like to chime in on the feat issue as well. You already picked up spontanious summoning, have you considered trying for Spontanious Healer as well? If you're the party's primary healer, it might come in very handy.

I've thought about it, but in general there just aren't enough feats to go around, so it is low on my list. I have made it clear to my party that they should have backup healing options available if they want something more than the wand of CLW/LV because I probably won't have the spells retrieved that day. We don't have any other full casters (the player of the sorcerer had to leave due to RL issues) so my resources have to cover a lot of ground...