Wu Jen Jade Phoenix Mage

[LavitzSlambert]

I'm looking to put together a build for a Wu Jen / Jade Phoenix Mage.

I chose Wu Jen for the flavor, because it fits perfectly with the background of my character, and also because of the synergy between both classes, like Elemental Mastery (Fire) with Firebird Stance and the 20th level trick Transcend Mortality with Emerald Immolation.

I'm aiming for Tier 2 as that will be the average for my group. I want to be powerful and useful in and out of combat, but I don't want to give my DM a headache.

For the initiator base class, I thought about Crusader, because you don't use actions to recharge, although Warblade seems nice too.

The build would be something like: Wu Jen 6 / Initiator 1 / JPM 1 / X 3 / JPM 9

I'm not sure about the order for the last 12 levels but I know that waiting to take initiator levels is good because you get higher level maneuvers.

I am also searching for another prestige class, I am thinking about Abjurant Champion, but I am undecided about that too.

I want this character to be primarily a warrior who uses his spells to boost combat abilities, and uses his stances and strikes to boost his defenses or heal. Once in a while, he would use firebird stance and throw a fireball or the like.

I was also wondering what kind of feats would suit this character. I thought about Improved Initiative, Practiced Spellcaster, Elemental Adept and Knowledge Devotion.

I'm waiting for your suggestions.

[Fouredged Sword]

I would recomend a desert wind theamed swordsage actualy. Flavor and Wis synergy.

Fight with a searing spell flame blade and it is posible that the searing spell effect will make ALL the fire damage of the strike be 1/2 iresistable.

I am not sure that flame blade is a Wu Jen spell, but it should be. A persisted searing flame blade would be a powerful weapon if you applied fell weaken to it. All your attacks would be touch attacks. Not a bad way to land melee strikes with a low strength character.

[Person_Man]

I would suggest taking Practiced Caster and checking out the increasing caster level (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872350/Raising_Caster_Level) thread. Wu Jen have a fairly easy time increasing their caster level by +5ish or more.

[LavitzSlambert]

I would recomend a desert wind theamed swordsage actualy. Flavor and Wis synergy.

Wu Jen use Int as their spellcasting stat, so I hardly see the Wis synergy. (Maybe you mistook Wu Jen with Shugenja?)


Fight with a searing spell flame blade and it is posible that the searing spell effect will make ALL the fire damage of the strike be 1/2 iresistable.

I am not sure that flame blade is a Wu Jen spell, but it should be. A persisted searing flame blade would be a powerful weapon if you applied fell weaken to it. All your attacks would be touch attacks. Not a bad way to land melee strikes with a low strength character.

Thanks for the advice, I'm AFB right now but I'll definitely look into it later.


I would suggest taking Practiced Caster and checking out the increasing caster level (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872350/Raising_Caster_Level) thread. Wu Jen have a fairly easy time increasing their caster level by +5ish or more.

Wow that's great, thanks! I'll grab a couple of magic items on that list and I might take the Fiery Burst reserve feat.

[Chaosblade]

Don't Warblades add INT to a few different things, like Crit Confirm?

[Psyren]

Wu Jen use Int as their spellcasting stat, so I hardly see the Wis synergy. (Maybe you mistook Wu Jen with Shugenja?)

Shugenja don't use Wis either :smalltongue: Not that you'd need a lot of it anyway even if you did go Swordsage.
I prefer Warblade for this though.

[Fouredged Sword]

I was going by memory and playing off the fire theme anyway.

I would go crusader myself then. The delay pool helps you make concentration checks to cast spells when damaged (you delay 5 points of the damage, reduceing the check by 5) and you want to be slinging spells or manuvers every round. You have no time to stop and make a standard attack.

You will get desert wind anyway when you go jade.

[LavitzSlambert]

Don't Warblades add INT to a few different things, like Crit Confirm?

They do, but with a single level of Warblade, it would only add 1 to Reflex saves.


Shugenja don't use Wis either :smalltongue:

I admit I never read Shugenja.


I would go crusader myself then. The delay pool helps you make concentration checks to cast spells when damaged (you delay 5 points of the damage, reduceing the check by 5)

That's a clever use of the damage pool, thanks!


You will get desert wind anyway when you go jade.

Honestly, I think I'd rather take Devoted Spirit maneuvers since it's the only way my character will be able to heal himself. I also feel like most Desert Wind maneuvers simply mimick spells, please enlighten me if I'm wrong.

[Fouredged Sword]

It's good, steady damage, if in an energy type that is commonly faced with immunity and resistance.

It does have one jewel that changes how your DM fights you. There is a counter that teleports you next to the person who attacked you.

-- It's movement that happens when it's not your turn!!!

That is a really big shift in what threatens your character, becuse if anything tries to attack you with a ranged attack you can teleport next to it imidiatly, ready to smash it the next round.

[MeeposFire]

They do, but with a single level of Warblade, it would only add 1 to Reflex saves.



I admit I never read Shugenja.



That's a clever use of the damage pool, thanks!



Honestly, I think I'd rather take Devoted Spirit maneuvers since it's the only way my character will be able to heal himself. I also feel like most Desert Wind maneuvers simply mimick spells, please enlighten me if I'm wrong.

There are a number of non-spell like maneuvers but you don't need to get them now. JPM will give you desert wind maneuvers so I would take something at low levels and then take the few desert wind maneuvers that everybody wants later.