Building an epic level character.

[Hazzardevil]

I'm trying to get into a level 24 gestalt game and came up with a character concept.
A very good swordsman whois also a master of divinations. He can see into the future and see far, far away so that if something is going to threaten the city he is in, he can go out, deal with it and be back again.
The DM is open to most homebrew, as long as it isn't too powerful.

I was thinking of standard Batman wizard build one side and Warblade into Eternal Blade on the other.

The thing is, I know practically nothing about how to build wizards and aside from the really broken wizard PrC's I don't know what else to use. I also know little about what spells I should have known.

So, heres what I know about wizards.
For a ToB build, I won't be blasting much, so evocation isn't needed much. Necromancy is terrible for wizards so I won't need that either.
For Focused Specilist I need to ban one more school. What's everyones thoughts?
I was thinking specializing in conjuration for more teleports.
5 levels of wizard seems like a good idea as well since then I can spontaneously cast divination spells.

[Hirax]

Is your DM allowing prcs on both sides? Or dual progression prcs such as theurges and the ruby knight vindicator?

[herrhauptmann]

Necromancy can be pretty good for wizards that specialize in debuffs.

For instance, there's a version of Black Tentacles that deals negative level damage each round. I think it's in shining south.

[sirpercival]

If you're going to be doing a lot of divinations, why not be, I dunno, a diviner? You only have to ban one school that way, two if you focus.

Get Assassin's Stance and go into Unseen Seer, it seems like it would pair well with Eternal Blade. Also grab some Divine Oracle, if you can fit it in.

If you really want to be a know-it-all, though, consider Archivist.

[docnessuno]

I strongly advise you to take RKV in the mix, gestalting ToB and caster at high levels will mean you will be really swift-action starved (stance changes, boosts, counter, swift spells)

This build requires either a variant paladin or a refluffed RKV Even if RKV woun't be a gestaltable PRc (advancing manouvers and spellcasting), by applying it to paladin spells most DMs will just let it go.
Crusader 1, Paladin 2 Crusader 2-4, Paladin 3-4, Crusader 5-6 RKV 10, Epic RKV 4
Wizard 5, Abjurant champion 5, wizard 6-19

24 lvl wizard casting
Initiator level 22
15/16 level paladin casting

[Hazzardevil]

Is your DM allowing prcs on both sides? Or dual progression prcs such as theurges and the ruby knight vindicator?
All Duel Progressions are banned.

Necromancy can be pretty good for wizards that specialize in debuffs.

I might just normally specilize in conjuration instead and ban Evocation and Transmutation.

If you're going to be doing a lot of divinations, why not be, I dunno, a diviner? You only have to ban one school that way, two if you focus.

Get Assassin's Stance and go into Unseen Seer, it seems like it would pair well with Eternal Blade. Also grab some Divine Oracle, if you can fit it in.

If you really want to be a know-it-all, though, consider Archivist.
Assassins stance and unseen seer seem good, but I thought that the spontaneous divinations from complete champion (I think?) makes specializing in divination pointless.

[sirpercival]

Don't ban Transmutation. Just don't. It has the largest spell list in the game, with the best high-level spells.

I love playing conjurers -- mostly that's what I play. BC is their strength, and you can still do divinations (since you can't ban the school).

[CactusAir]

In epic play, initiative and action economy are paramount. That means that Insightful Divination is obligatory, a Legacy weapon with cunning is obligatory, and If you can get a "always act on the surprise round" or "never surprised" ability, your probably should. The Chainmail Glove of Tarn the Vigilant, preferably with Eager and Warning added on, is also highly recommended.

Items of Touchsight and Blindsight, and if possible, Lifesight as well, are also pretty much obligatory.

Other than that, epic spellcasting is broketastic, and allows you to manufacture I win buttons, so I dunno hwo your DM is going to run that.

EDIT: wait, what?

How is diviner pointless because of Spont div? The point of Diviner is that you can ban one less school and don't need to take a spell focus to get Insightful Div.

[Hazzardevil]

In epic play, initiative and action economy are paramount. That means that Insightful Divination is obligatory, a Legacy weapon with cunning is obligatory, and If you can get a "always act on the surprise round" or "never surprised" ability, your probably should. The Chainmail Glove of Tarn the Vigilant, preferably with Eager and Warning added on, is also highly recommended.

Items of Touchsight and Blindsight, and if possible, Lifesight as well, are also pretty much obligatory.

Other than that, epic spellcasting is broketastic, and allows you to manufacture I win buttons, so I dunno hwo your DM is going to run that.
I'll have to look it up, but I don't think he is allowing them, that's one mess of rules I don't want to get into.
EDIT: wait, what?

How is diviner pointless because of Spont div? The point of Diviner is that you can ban one less school and don't need to take a spell focus to get Insightful Div.
Oh, I'll specilize in divination and ban evocation then.

[Hazzardevil]

In epic play, initiative and action economy are paramount. That means that Insightful Divination is obligatory, a Legacy weapon with cunning is obligatory, and If you can get a "always act on the surprise round" or "never surprised" ability, your probably should. The Chainmail Glove of Tarn the Vigilant, preferably with Eager and Warning added on, is also highly recommended.

Items of Touchsight and Blindsight, and if possible, Lifesight as well, are also pretty much obligatory.

Other than that, epic spellcasting is broketastic, and allows you to manufacture I win buttons, so I dunno hwo your DM is going to run that.
I'll have to look it up, but I don't think he is allowing them, that's one mess of rules I don't want to get into.
EDIT: wait, what?

How is diviner pointless because of Spont div? The point of Diviner is that you can ban one less school and don't need to take a spell focus to get Insightful Div.
Oh, I'll specilize in divination and ban evocation then.

[Hazzardevil]

In epic play, initiative and action economy are paramount. That means that Insightful Divination is obligatory, a Legacy weapon with cunning is obligatory, and If you can get a "always act on the surprise round" or "never surprised" ability, your probably should. The Chainmail Glove of Tarn the Vigilant, preferably with Eager and Warning added on, is also highly recommended.

Items of Touchsight and Blindsight, and if possible, Lifesight as well, are also pretty much obligatory.

Other than that, epic spellcasting is broketastic, and allows you to manufacture I win buttons, so I dunno hwo your DM is going to run that.
I'll have to look it up, but I don't think he is allowing them, that's one mess of rules I don't want to get into.
EDIT: wait, what?

How is diviner pointless because of Spont div? The point of Diviner is that you can ban one less school and don't need to take a spell focus to get Insightful Div.
Oh, I'll specilize in divination and ban evocation then.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Focused Specialist has to spend three spell slots per level on your specialized school. Even if you're not a diviner, Spontaneous Divination can actually sacrifice one of those prepared spells to cast a divination. Just go Conjurer and ban Evocation, Enchantment, and Necromancy, and be sure to get Abrupt Jaunt in PH2. You'll probably want Incantatrix 3+, which gives you another prohibited school, so maybe skip Master Specialist or even use the Elf Generalist substitution level in Races of the Wild, since being able to Persist all your buffs will save quite a few spell slots anyway.

I'd go Warblade 10/ Eternal Blade 14// Wizard 3/ Master Specialist 2/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Wizard 14, assuming only one prestige class per character level as normal for gestalt. Get Obtain Familiar and the Elf Wizard 3 substitution level with a Hummingbird familiar (Thrush stats, gives +4 initiative), and use Martial Wizard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizard) to get Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, etc. with your bonus feats. You'll want to be good aligned to be able to cast Greater Luminous Armor every day, since it will benefit from Abjurant Champion. Be sure to get Persistent Spell as well for Shield, Wraithstrike, Swift Expeditious Retreat, etc. and hopefully even take Easy Metamagic and/or Practical Metamagic for it.

If you can take more than one prestige class side by side, you should probably include Swiftblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327) 9, which combined with using White Raven Tactics on yourself every turn (don't use any maneuvers in the WRT round and you can recover everything) will give you two full attacks plus two standard actions every turn. Just be sure to take Practiced Spellcaster and you'll still have 20th level spellcasting ability. I'd make it Warblade 10/ Eternal Blade 14// Wizard 5/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Swiftblade 9/ Paragnostic Apostle 2/ Incantatrix 3. With Paragnostic Apostle get Mind Over Matter and Spatial Awareness, both of which will be of considerable benefit. Incantatrix 3 will allow you to use Cooperative Metamagic and Metamagic Effect to Persist your buffs. In that case you'll definitely want Arcane Disciple for the Destiny domain from Races of Destiny for Persistent Choose Destiny.

[Hazzardevil]

I can take prestige classes on both sides apparently.
So:
Wizard 5/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 5/Master Specialist 4//Swordsage 1/Warblade 13/Eternal Blade 10
The 14th level of warblade doesn't give anything, so a level of swordsage seems better.

So I will be a Conjurer and ban Evocation, Enchantment, and Necromancy, and get Abrupt Jaunt.
And feats will be?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You want Incantatrix 3+, having every one of your personal/set-range buffs of 9th level and lower lasting all day every day is far too valuable to pass up. Kick Focused Specialist to the curb so you can stay at three prohibited schools with it, you'll save far more than one spell slot of each level per day by only having to cast your buffs once each day.

Power Attack, Leap Attack, Arcane Strike, Practiced Spellcaster, Minor Shapeshift, Arcane Disciple: Destiny, Extend/Persistent Spell, and I'm sure there are a few I'm forgetting. Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) is always something to take if available.

If you're going to include Swordsage, get at least two levels if you can use Kung-Fu Genius or Carmendine Monk to switch Wis for Int for the AC bonus. Be sure to let it wait until after 20th level, otherwise your pre-epic BAB will suffer, plus taking it later you can get higher level maneuvers/stances. If you can't use either of those feats for the Swordsage AC bonus, just skip it and take (variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#monkVariantFightingSty les)) Monk 2 instead, and get the Spell Reflection ACF in CM. That's just amazing with Persistent Ray Deflection and maybe Wall of Blades + Stance of Alacrity for effects that don't use touch attacks. You can use Feat Rogue (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#rogue) 2 to still get Spell Reflection if you keep Swordsage, but still get those low BAB levels post-epic.

[Hazzardevil]

Which Incantrix should I use? Magic or players guide of faerun?

[Alleran]

Which Incantrix should I use? Magic or players guide of faerun?
Players Guide.

[Cogidubnus]

Just make sure that Swordsage dip isn't costing a point of BAB...

[Hazzardevil]

Just make sure that Swordsage dip isn't costing a point of BAB...

If I take it in epic levels I won't lose it.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

I'll throw down a build skeleton for ya, assuming a few things.

Epic Spellcasting, the feat, is unavailable.
Epic "Maneuvers" as a feat is similarly unavailable, although I know these boards have seen a few good 'brews.
You gain wealth by level.
You can safely PrC on both sides of the gestalt.


That being said, take a lot of this with salt. Your mileage will vary.

As a wizard, you're better off specializing in conjuration or transmutation. Not because you can't or shouldn't be a diviner, but because divination spells are hard to pack into more than a spell slot per spell level in a given day. That, and I freaking love me the juiciness that is Focused Specialist. Conjuration also nets you the absolutely wonderful Abrupt Jaunt from PHB 2. Immediate actions are beautiful "say no" abilities. This largely applies to melee attacks, but being able to interrupt someone's turn outside of readied actions is a once per round thing.

Build order is something like. I use this extensively. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732)

Build with tips!


Spellthief 1// Swashbuckler 1 - Your first level feat should be Faerie Mysteries Initiate, giving you INT to HP instead of CON every level.
Wizard 1//Swashbuckler 2, grabbing Focused Conjurer (CM) and Abrupt Jaunt from being a wizard
Wizard 2//Swashbuckler 3 - Feat here either goes to Extend Spell, TWFing, or Power Attack, depending on how you want to fight. Personally, I'd do Extend Spell, but more on that later.
Wizard 3-4//Warblade 1-2
Unseen Seer 1 (CM)//Warblade 3 - Feat should go either to Master Spellthief, no questions asked.
Unseen Seer 2-4//Warblade 6 - You gain a free silent spell from USS. Your bonus Warblade feat should go to Improved Initiative. Your Advanced Learning should go to Hunter's Eye (Ranger spell, PHB2). Grab Weapon Focus (Something) to get into Eternal Blade as your 9th level feat.
Unseen Seer 5//Warblade 7 - Advanced Learning goes Divine Insight, allowing you to drop up to a +15 bonus down on a concentration checks once per casting anytime since CL hours before hand. Other goodies, too.
Unseen Seer 6-8//Eternal Blade 1-3 - 12th level feat goes to Combat Casting for Abjurant Champion. Advanced Learning goes to Choose Destiny (Races of Destiny, Destiny Domain).
Unseen Seer 9-10//Eternal Blade 4-5
Abjurant Champion 1//Eternal Blade 6 - Feat goes to Persistent Spell.
Abjurant Champion 4-5//Eternal Blade 7-10 - 18th level feat goes to Easy Metamagic (Persistent Spell) [some dragon magazine]. If you can't swing Easy Metamagic, grab power attack or something else at your leisure.
EPIC LEVELS: Grab Epic Unseen Seer (talk with your DM to extend it out) and Epic Eternal Blade (more of the same). RAW, they have Epic advancements, just none officially published. If you can get Epic Spellcasting/Maneuvers, go ahead and blow your 21/24 level feats on each, in that order. If not, then I suggest grabbing shielded casting (Races of Stone) as it allows you to circumnavigate having to make concentration to cast defensively, you just cast period. Your last feat goes to whatever pleases you the most, really.



Give me some more time, and I can get you an actual spell list and maneuver list. Feel free to send me a PM.

EDIT: Final casting as a 23 level wizard, actual caster level as 24th by stacking Master Spellthief in the right order. BAB ends at 20. Saves are silly. Also, swordsages everwhere. This is the last time I spend making a build first.:smallredface: