progression question

[leegi0n]

What do you think of this setup? I have not put any of it on "official" paper yet, but it is to be an NPC boss fight down the road. The characters are currently 9th level.

Anyway, after extensive page flipping, I've quasi-settled on this:

spellthief5/unseen seer4/master specialist1/spellwarp sniper5

thoughts? advice?


_________________
actually, I think I'm gonna go with this:

wizard6/spellthief1/unseen seer 2/master specialist1/spellwarp sniper 5

[Keld Denar]

Spellthief can't qualify for Master Specialist. He's not a specialist wizard.

Also, ST casting is TERRIBAD, so progressing it with PrCs that advance casting is probably a bad idea. If you really want ST casting, stay a ST. If you want fancypants casting, dip Wizard in there and use Master Spellthief to theurgify the two classes.

[Diarmuid]

I'm sure there's some trick that I'm not aware of, but how are you getting around the "Must be a specialist wizard" requirement of Master Specialist?

[leegi0n]

I'm not, I was mistaken. See modified post.

[leegi0n]

Spellthief can't qualify for Master Specialist. He's not a specialist wizard.

Also, ST casting is TERRIBAD, so progressing it with PrCs that advance casting is probably a bad idea. If you really want ST casting, stay a ST. If you want fancypants casting, dip Wizard in there and use Master Spellthief to theurgify the two classes.


I only really chose spellthief to meet the sneak attack req. for Spellwarp Sniper

[Keld Denar]

EDIT: I ment SOLO Spelltheif. I know WHY its there, just not why you had so many levels of it.

Why Master Spec1? Just curious...it seems kinda out of place. You'd think you'd naturally want to transition into Spellwarped Sniper ASAP.

Also, with a decent int (and probably Able Learner at 1st), you can get into Unseen Seer after ST1/Wizard4. Wizard5 can be decent, since you get a bonus feat (or applicable ACF), and Wizard6 is ok, since you get +1 BAB and +1 to all saves, but generally you want to get into SWS ASAP to get your gig going.

Also, what specialization did you have planned?

[leegi0n]

I want to build a decent ray wizard. Never played one before.

Maybe:

wizard6/spellthief1/unseen seer 2/spellwarp sniper 5


I initially chose Master Specialist for the bonus to caster

[Keld Denar]

Are you starting at higher levels?

Also, you'll probably want the ST level 1st, or you'll have some troubles qualifying for the skill prereqs of Unseen Seer.

I'd highly recommend Master Spellthief (Complete Scoundrel), Able Learner (Races of Destiny), Quicken Spell, Extend Spell + Persist Spell (Complete Arcane), possibly Darkstalker (Lords of Madness), and you can seldom go wrong with Minor Shapeshift at higher levels.

[hex0]

Just play a Trickster Spellthief from Dragon #353. MUCH better casting.

[leegi0n]

I'm going to slowly start introducing him now. The party ECL is 8/9. The big finale fight won't happen until they reach about 12/13, I'm thinking. He will start being a recurring character now, though.

Ok, so, I think I'm gonna build like this:

ST1/Wizard6/unseen seer2/spellwarp5 - I also like the feats you listed. Solid.

seem better?

[Keld Denar]

He's still 14 (5-6 levels above them). He'll probably flaten most PCs in about 2 hits (cast Greater Invis, SA people with Warped Split Ray Fireballs for 26d6 damage). Might be rather tough fight for them.

[leegi0n]

He's still 14 (5-6 levels above them). He'll probably flaten most PCs in about 2 hits (cast Greater Invis, SA people with Warped Split Ray Fireballs for 26d6 damage). Might be rather tough fight for them.

I don't plan on giving them the brunt of it for a few levels. At least 12/13. He is, however, going to become part of the story now.



SA people with Warped Split Ray Fireballs for 26d6 damage).

What are you referencing with the 'SA' acronym? Standard Action?


SA people with Warped Split Ray Fireballs for 26d6 damage

will you break down how you got to the 26d6? I'm not able to get there for some reason.

[KillianHawkeye]

What are you referencing with the 'SA' acronym? Standard Action?

That's Sneak Attack.

[Keld Denar]

Fireball does 10d6 damage at any level above 10. It is also Spellwarpable. Split Ray adds one ray to any ray spell you cast. One 10d6 ray + one 10d6 ray = 2 rays totaling 20d6.

1d6 SA from Spellthief, 1d6 SA from Unseen Seer, 3d6 Sudden Strike from Spellwarped Sniper. Thats 5d6, totaling us at 25d6 (not 26, sorry).


Then again, spend your swift action to cast Hunter's Eye (the Ranger2 spell you picked up with your Unseen Seer Advanced Learning), and he'll get another 5d6 damage.

So, thats actually 30d6. Average 105.

All from 1 2nd level slot and 1 5th level slot. A 14th level caster has 7th level slots, so he could cast a Warped Split Ray Cone of Cold for around 40d6, average 140.

Plus, he'll be a pain in the butt to get ahold of, given that he'll probably attack the party while hidden behind Greater Invisibility. Hope they're packing Glitterdust!

[leegi0n]

Fireball does 10d6 damage at any level above 10. It is also Spellwarpable. Split Ray adds one ray to any ray spell you cast. One 10d6 ray + one 10d6 ray = 2 rays totaling 20d6.

1d6 SA from Spellthief, 1d6 SA from Unseen Seer, 3d6 Sudden Strike from Spellwarped Sniper. Thats 5d6, totaling us at 25d6 (not 26, sorry).


Then again, spend your swift action to cast Hunter's Eye (the Ranger2 spell you picked up with your Unseen Seer Advanced Learning), and he'll get another 5d6 damage.

So, thats actually 30d6. Average 105.

All from 1 2nd level slot and 1 5th level slot. A 14th level caster has 7th level slots, so he could cast a Warped Split Ray Cone of Cold for around 40d6, average 140.

Plus, he'll be a pain in the butt to get ahold of, given that he'll probably attack the party while hidden behind Greater Invisibility. Hope they're packing Glitterdust!


I know of one that has glitterdust. Two others are drow, so they'll probably attempt to toss around some faerie fire.

[leegi0n]

NICE.

I have a few other questions: I was rifling through BoVD and came across Vermin Lord. It looks sick! I can't, for some reason, understand the hivemind mentality thing, though (looks a bit overpowered).

Would a druid work well classing into this PrC? Any ideas for a build? I plan on him being the big (final) boss fight for this campaign.

The characters will be on the threshold of epic levels when they encounter him (19-20).

Also, I came across a PrC on DnDwiki one time that was called "lurker in the swarm." Do you know about that or is it a homebrew thing? How would it compare to a Vermin Lord?

Could you knowledgeable folks help me out with an appropriate build?