Fatespinner?

[CreganTur]

I'm going to be joining a new 3.5 campaign soon and I'm wanting to try something different. I've been thinking about starting as a Sorcerer and then spec into Fatespinner as a prestige class.

We'llbe starting at Level 5, which means I'll be able to go into the prestige at level 6, since Reqs are just 8 Spellcraft and 3rd level spells- which I'll have as a 5th level Sorc.

I really like the idea of being able to fudge DCs because it means I can risk flubbing a few spells so that I can make one count when I really need to. I'm a little unhappy that a few levels won't give me spell progression, but at least I'm getting some good abilities on those levels. If I remember correctly I'll gain 7 new spell levels during the class progression. I'm just wondering if anyone has any advice on making a good build?

[Infernalbargain]

3rd level spells- which I'll have as a 5th level Sorc.

Since when did sorcs have 3rd level spells at 5th level (kobolds excepted)?

[CreganTur]

Since when did sorcs have 3rd level spells at 5th level (kobolds excepted)?

Maybe I'm remembering wrong (it's been a while since I've played 3.5) but I thought you had access to 3rd level spells at 5th level if your CHA was high enough to earn the neccessary level of extra spells.

[Keld Denar]

Nope. Wizards do, but Sorcerers don't get 3rds till 6. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm)

Also, only take the first 4 levels. The 5th trades a level of spellcasting away for an ability that looks neat, but really isn't. The ability to give a foe a -10 on its save is pretty much game winning for your next spell, but there is some fine print. That foe can't have more HD than you. That excludes like, just about any non-mook foe worth spending it ability on. So, you get the ability to really give it to a mook good, at the expensive of 1 spellcaster level. Totally not worth it.

The first 4 levels are pretty awesome, though, especially Fickle Finger of Fate.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

Don't take the last level. The rest are great, and easy as pants to get into.

[CreganTur]

Regardless of when they get 3rd level spells, is Fatespinner a good prestige in practice and does anyone have suggestions on builds?

[0nimaru]

You may also be looking at the old fatespinner. Complete Arcane has the updated version and it progresses 4/5 spellcasting. Because the lost caster level is on the 5th level, a lot of people only go 4 levels into the class and jump off ignoring the capstone.

If you want a more specific answer we'd need more specific questions.

[CreganTur]

I'm at work, so I'll have to look when I get home, but I'm probably looking at the old one as it was in ToB.

Is the new Fatespinner only a 5 level progression class (can't remember what they're called) or is it a normal 10 level prestige class?

[Hirax]

5 levels, and the 5th level doesn't progress spellcasting. The capstone, as mentioned, isn't good anyway, so it's basically a 4 level class, the oonly benefit of level 5 would be one more spin point to use for boosting DCs.

[The Dark Fiddler]

Is the new Fatespinner only a 5 level progression class (can't remember what they're called) or is it a normal 10 level prestige class?

They're still called prestige classes regardless of how many levels they have, as far as I know, and it's 5 levels.

As for whether it's good... well, any PrC, as long as you aren't losing caster levels, would be better than straight-classed sorcerer. So the first four levels are definitely worth taking.

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

The capstone is okay; you're basically all-but-guaranteeing one support caster mook is going to fail the Dominate save. It's just not worth the lost spell level.