Lich Arcane Monk Tristalt Help?

[Rossebay]

So, I know I want levels in Chaos Monk and Sorcerer, but I don't know the third class. Maybe Barbarian if there are any Rage variants that don't kill my spellcasting abilities...
Assume normal feat progression, and Level Adjustment can go either way, really.
Taking the alternate abilities Wall Walker, Spell Shield, and Stalwart Sorcerer.
Feats will be Ascetic Mage and Arcane Strike. Maybe presence of the mage. Combat casting as another yes. Dipping into Enlightened Fist, and taking full levels in Abjurant Champion.
Also considering a couple of levels of Hexblade for Mettle. I'm not willing to sacrifice Caster Levels, but losing levels of Chaos Monk or Barbarian (or whatever) is perfectly fine.

Any suggestions?


EDIT: Also taking Persistent Spell and Extend (o'course) for Wraithstrike.

Also, Draconic Fist for more damage stacking, haha.
Considering Blade of Force, 8 or 9 more damage per hit is nothing to take lightly.

[Olo Demonsbane]

Please, for the love of all that is optimized, don't take Stalwart Sorcerer in Gestalt/Tristat, especially when you're prestiging out...

[Rossebay]

Please, for the love of all that is optimized, don't take Stalwart Sorcerer in Gestalt/Tristat, especially when you're prestiging out...

I'm going to try to keep as many sorcerer levels as possible. I just need the extra health/level.

And, honestly, I won't be casting spells as often as I'll just be burning them for more damage.

Is it really that bad? Haha.

[Olo Demonsbane]

Well, considering that you'll have Monk and/or Barbarian on the other side at all times, your increased BAB will do absolutely nothing for you, and your Lich template will mean that your increased HD won't do anything either.

If you want more hp, grab the Corpsecrafter feat from Libris Mortis and perform the lich ritual in a desecrated aura with an alter to your deity of choice. Now, for each HD, you'll have 1d12+4, as well as +4 Strength as a nice kicker :smallwink:

And, honestly, even if you aren't using actual spells all that much, having the options/extra spellslots is more than worth the changes for a normal Sorcerer, IMHO.

[Rossebay]

Well, considering that you'll have Monk and/or Barbarian on the other side at all times, your increased BAB will do absolutely nothing for you, and your Lich template will mean that your increased HD won't do anything either.

If you want more hp, grab the Corpsecrafter feat from Libris Mortis and perform the lich ritual in a desecrated aura with an alter to your deity of choice. Now, for each HD, you'll have 1d12+4, as well as +4 Strength as a nice kicker :smallwink:

And, honestly, even if you aren't using actual spells all that much, having the options/extra spellslots is more than worth the changes for a normal Sorcerer, IMHO.

Ohhh.
Not Battle Sorcerer. Stalwart Sorcerer. -1 spell known of my highest spell level for +2 health per sorcerer level. Meaning 2 9th level spells known in exchange for +40 health.

Can one really do the Corpsecrafter/Desecrated Area thing when becoming a Lich?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Pick a Dragonblooded race, such as Silverbrow Human or Kobold, for your base creature. Learn Arcane Spellsurge from Dragon Magic. Now you can cast a buff/debuff/crowd control/etc. that's quickened for free and still get to full attack or charge.

At what level are you starting out?

Definitely don't use Stalwart Sorcerer, get Corpsecrafter and use Desecrate + Evil Altar for +4 HP/level, maybe even take Improved Toughness if you think that won't be enough, and prestige class out of Sorcerer as much as possible. As just one example build:

Silverbrow Human Lich, Tristalt
1. Sorcerer 1/ Chaos Monk 1/ Barbarian 1; Lion Spiritual Totem ACF, Metamagic Specialist ACF
2. Sorcerer 2/ Chaos Monk 2/ Human Paragon 1
3. Human Paragon 2/ Chaos Monk 3/ Crusader 1
4. Human Paragon 3/ Chaos Monk 4/ Crusader 2
5. Sorcerer 3/ Chaos Monk 5/ Crusader 3
6. Sorcerer 4/ Enlightened Fist 1/ Crusader 4
7. Enlightened Fist 2/ Barbarian 2/ Crusader 5
8. Enlightened Fist 3/ Barbarian 3/ Crusader 6
9. Incantatrix 1/ Chaos Monk 6/ Crusader 7
10. Incantatrix 2/ Chaos Monk 7/ Crusader 8
11. Incantatrix 3/ Chaos Monk 8/ Crusader 9
12. Incantatrix 4/Lich LA +1/ Crusader 10
13. Incantatrix 5/Lich LA +2/ Crusader 11
14. Incantatrix 6/Lich LA +3/ Crusader 12
15. Incantatrix 7/Lich LA +4/ Crusader 13
16. Incantatrix 8/ Crusader 14/ Evolved Undead +1
17. Incantatrix 9/ Crusader 15/ Evolved Undead +1
18. Incantatrix 10/ Crusader 16/ Evolved Undead +1
19. Abjurant Champion 1/ Crusader 17/ Evolved Undead +1
20. Abjurant Champion 2/ Crusader 18/ Evolved Undead +1

Crusader gets you a pretty big damage cushion, and you should definitely consider getting Martial Study for Mind Over Body. Use Arcane Fist to spend a stunning fist to cast (Lesser Rod of Maximized) Vampiric Touch with a full attack, in addition to a Quickened/Spellsurged spell that round. Incantatrix gets you Metamagic Effect and Cooperative Metamagic so you can Persist even your highest level buffs. Be sure to use Persistent Thunderlance (with GMW) and have Combat Reflexes, and consider using Wolf-Totem Barbarian to get Improved Trip for free and take Knock-Down so that opponents won't even be able to approach you. Greater Mighty Wallop should handle your unarmed damage, and that with Arcane Strike goes nicely with Aura of Chaos from Crusader. The Lich LA are at the spot where you would have been able to gain the template, and there's not much else to take after that point other than making your character more survivable/powerful via Evolved Undead.

[Rossebay]

Pick a Dragonblooded race, such as Silverbrow Human or Kobold, for your base creature. Learn Arcane Spellsurge from Dragon Magic. Now you can cast a buff/debuff/crowd control/etc. that's quickened for free and still get to full attack or charge.

At what level are you starting out?

Definitely don't use Stalwart Sorcerer, get Corpsecrafter and use Desecrate + Evil Altar for +4 HP/level, maybe even take Improved Toughness if you think that won't be enough, and prestige class out of Sorcerer as much as possible. As just one example build:

Silverbrow Human Lich, Tristalt
1. Sorcerer 1/ Chaos Monk 1/ Barbarian 1; Lion Spiritual Totem ACF, Metamagic Specialist ACF
2. Sorcerer 2/ Chaos Monk 2/ Human Paragon 1
3. Human Paragon 2/ Chaos Monk 3/ Crusader 1
4. Human Paragon 3/ Chaos Monk 4/ Crusader 2
5. Sorcerer 3/ Chaos Monk 5/ Crusader 3
6. Sorcerer 4/ Enlightened Fist 1/ Crusader 4
7. Enlightened Fist 2/ Barbarian 2/ Crusader 5
8. Enlightened Fist 3/ Barbarian 3/ Crusader 6
9. Incantatrix 1/ Chaos Monk 6/ Crusader 7
10. Incantatrix 2/ Chaos Monk 7/ Crusader 8
11. Incantatrix 3/ Chaos Monk 8/ Crusader 9
12. Incantatrix 4/Lich LA +1/ Crusader 10
13. Incantatrix 5/Lich LA +2/ Crusader 11
14. Incantatrix 6/Lich LA +3/ Crusader 12
15. Incantatrix 7/Lich LA +4/ Crusader 13
16. Incantatrix 8/ Crusader 14/ Evolved Undead +1
17. Incantatrix 9/ Crusader 15/ Evolved Undead +1
18. Incantatrix 10/ Crusader 16/ Evolved Undead +1
19. Abjurant Champion 1/ Crusader 17/ Evolved Undead +1
20. Abjurant Champion 2/ Crusader 18/ Evolved Undead +1

Crusader gets you a pretty big damage cushion, and you should definitely consider getting Martial Study for Mind Over Body. Use Arcane Fist to spend a stunning fist to cast (Lesser Rod of Maximized) Vampiric Touch with a full attack, in addition to a Quickened/Spellsurged spell that round. Incantatrix gets you Metamagic Effect and Cooperative Metamagic so you can Persist even your highest level buffs. Be sure to use Persistent Thunderlance (with GMW) and have Combat Reflexes, and consider using Wolf-Totem Barbarian to get Improved Trip for free and take Knock-Down so that opponents won't even be able to approach you. Greater Mighty Wallop should handle your unarmed damage, and that with Arcane Strike goes nicely with Aura of Chaos from Crusader. The Lich LA are at the spot where you would have been able to gain the template, and there's not much else to take after that point other than making your character more survivable/powerful via Evolved Undead.

Whoa, thanks.

I had completely forgotten about Evolved Undead, but looking at it now, wow!
Strength and Charisma +10, Fast Healing 3, +5 Natural Armor, and 5 SLA's. That's really going to pay off.

Now, I'd probably switch out Crusader for something without maneuvers (Maneuvers and spells at the same time would be a bit dizzying, might switch it out for Hexblade (3 levels only) and then add something else in.

Arcane Spellsurge is definitely happening, I didn't know it existed but I'll be using it for sure.
Metamagic Specialist is a definite no, as Spellshield will only serve to keep me in combat longer before I crumble to dust and have to wait a week to rebuild.

I'll hopefully be able to find another way to get a damage pool going.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You should never get destroyed in the first place, between Wings of Cover, Persistent buffs, all-day buffs (Energy Immunity x5, Superior Resistance), and only having to buy items for what that and undead immunities don't cover. Take a look at the list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187851):
Flight: Overland Flight, Persistent Swift Fly, Phantom Steed, etc.
Mind Blank: Put it on a Runestaff and cast it 1/day, you only need it for the nondetection effect anyway since undead.
Stun Negation: undead.
Daze Negation: Get the Third Eye: Clarity for cheap, always Spellcraft anything anyone casts at you and look it up just in case you need to Wings of Cover it.
Fear Immunity: undead.
True Seeing: You could just keep the material component on hand and use Permanency/Persistent See Invisibility.
Miss Chance: Persistent Displacement, Persistent Greater Mirror Image, they have a 50% chance to miss your images so that's even less chance that they'll hit you.
Tactical Teleportation: Persistent Dimension Jumper.
Immunity to death effects/energy drain/etc.: undead!
Freedom of Movement: Heart of Water should cover this, but get a Ring of Freedom of Movement just in case.
Extradimensional Storage: I'm sure there's at least one spell for this, but you may as well just get an item that does it reliably.

Just to reiterate, get a Runestaff (MIC) and put all kinds of buffs on it that you'll only be casting 1/day, it's super cheap and you won't be wasting any precious spells known on something you'll only ever cast once daily. Get an Eternal Wand (MIC) of Hound of Doom (CW), and give that pet a name. Get an item that grants a Competence bonus to Spellcraft checks, you can get up to +30 pre-epic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/magicItems/basics.htm), which will only cost 90k gp.

If you want serious buffs, put ten levels of Ur-Priest in there and use spells like Divine Favor, Divine Power, Righteous Might, Stormrage, Holy Star, Greater Visage of the Deity, Choose Destiny, etc. and Persist them via Incantatrix.

[DeAnno]

You may want to use some of your "flex" side where Crusader has been suggested to pick up the standard Charisma dips. Paladin (of something or other) 2/Battle Dancer 1/Marshal ~1-5 depending on how many minor auras you want. If you find yourself short of feats don't hesitate to throw some Fighter levels over there too, Crusader tends to retain a lot of bang for its buck even with its levels fairly diluted.

[Silva Stormrage]

I would suggest something like paladin of slaughter 2, hexblade 3, Ur Priest 10, then finish with some other class that you care about.

The paladin and hexblade get cha twice to your saves and hexblade gives mettle too. Ur Priest would give you the tasty buffs from the cleric list also. Try to get rebuke undead from some source (blackgaurd?) So you can use divine metamagic.

[Rossebay]

You may want to use some of your "flex" side where Crusader has been suggested to pick up the standard Charisma dips. Paladin (of something or other) 2/Battle Dancer 1/Marshal ~1-5 depending on how many minor auras you want. If you find yourself short of feats don't hesitate to throw some Fighter levels over there too, Crusader tends to retain a lot of bang for its buck even with its levels fairly diluted.

Battle Dancer?

Anyway, not sure if I want to be a paladin of anything (the roleplay limits would be too much, then), but Hexblade is a yes, and Marshal is a maybe, but it isn't Full BAB and that's what I'm looking for on that side. There must be something I'm forgetting...

Oh, what about Spelldancer?