Best base class for Cancer Mage entry?

[umbergod]

I don't really plan to play one, but if my current character dies, I want something foul and disgusting to play :P what would be the best route to get into cancer mage? if I go cleric, I won't be focusing on necromancy at all, since we have a dread necro and a raptoran cleric already

[sonofzeal]

It depends - Are you planning to use the Festering Rage exploit for NI strength?

[umbergod]

It depends - Are you planning to use the Festering Rage exploit for NI strength?

I'm not aware of said exploit soooo.....no?

[Wings of Peace]

If you mix 3 classes with a good fort save you could enter Cancer Mage as early as level 4 if speedy entry is your goal.

[sonofzeal]

I'm not aware of said exploit soooo.....no?
Cancer Magi are immune to the negative effects of disease. Certain diseases have positive effects. That increase over time. And are only limited by the negative effects that normally kill you eventually.

The Strength Score of a Cancer Mage with Festering Anger is only limited by amount of time he can spend cultivating the disease. Want a Str of 9001? Wait long enough and it's yours!

[Jack_Simth]

Cancer Magi are immune to the negative effects of disease. Certain diseases have positive effects. That increase over time. And are only limited by the negative effects that normally kill you eventually.

The Strength Score of a Cancer Mage with Festering Anger is only limited by amount of time he can spend cultivating the disease. Want a Str of 9001? Wait long enough and it's yours!Don't forget Vile Rigidity, which can get you a natural armor bonus also only limited by time (and your dex score, but the cancer mage bypasses the latter issue). Want an AC of 9001? Wait long enough and it's yours!

Edit: Oh yes, and you only need one level of cancer mage for this, so an Illuman spellcaster (Cleric, say) with the right words to make bonus spells based off of strength can do nasty things.

[Kaje]

Edit: Oh yes, and you only need one level of cancer mage for this, so an Illuman spellcaster (Cleric, say) with the right words to make bonus spells based off of strength can do nasty things.
Wow. Couple that with say, Arcane Strike.

[deuxhero]

You alreddy do 4995 bonus damage with that as a to hit bonus...

[umbergod]

>.>
<.<

I would rather not have to dodge flying DMGs.

I was thinking Vasharan Ranger/Cleric or Ranger/Barbarian, 2 in ranger, 1 in barbarian. Though Warblade would work as well. I don't need to be heavily optimized, its a high t3-low t2 game. I just wanna give my fellow players the willies if my current character kicks the bucket

[Jack_Simth]

Wow. Couple that with say, Arcane Strike.
Festering Anger + Vile Rigidity means you've got an attack roll of "Yes", a damage roll of "die", and an AC of "no" already. Arcane Strike and related things aren't going to make a noticeable difference. Get Brutal Throw to use strength to attack for thrown weapons, and stock up on sling stones or some such for when someone wants to play at range.

The Illumian bit is for spell slots of utility effects and spells that grant immunities. With a strength score of 9001 (which takes about 30 years...) the illumian trick to base bonus spells off of strength means you have over a thousand bonus spell slots of any given non-Epic spell level (except level 0). If you're a Cleric (or better for this, an Ur-Priest), you can prepare something like 30 or 40 copies of each spell in the PHB you can actually cast (except osirons), which is generally going to be close enough to at-will as to make very little practical difference.

[123456789blaaa]

There was actually a iron chef cancer mage competion here on gitp. One of my favorites actually since the contestants used cancer mage in such novel ways. I highly recommend looking into it.

[Crasical]

...This is the first time I've actually opened up the book and looked at the actual entry for the cancer mage. Why is it called a cancer MAGE when it doesn't advance spellcasting any and seems to be geared as a ranger PRC...?

[umbergod]

...This is the first time I've actually opened up the book and looked at the actual entry for the cancer mage. Why is it called a cancer MAGE when it doesn't advance spellcasting any and seems to be geared as a ranger PRC...?

i often wondered that myself. would be neat even if it didnt advance casting, but had its own disease and filth themed spell progression, up to like lvl 4