Anima Mage: Wizard or Beguiler?

[Malachei]

In a new campaign that just started at level 1 and may eventually run until level 16+ (possibly even epic), I'm playing a character that was originally planned to fill the arcane spot as a Wizard / Binder / Anima Mage. The character was designed to be a conjurer, but the character background led me into enchantment.

Now it turned out that for this campaign, we'll probably have only two active PCs, the other one being a martial adept character filling the melee role.

So I've considered that beguiler might offer better overall party support, replacing the rogue role with the beguiler's excellent skill list and probably being on par with an enchantment-focused wizard, making use of the beguiler's powerful spontaneous casting of a huge spell list. I think the build may even be stronger in low and mid levels, but may be lacking punch in high level play, so I'd like to replicate some staples from conjuration and other schools via runestaffs, etc.

So here are my questions:

From your point of view, is there good synergy between beguiler and binder / anima mage? Why/why not?
What, in your opinion, are the most important drawbacks of the beguiler path, and how would you circumvent them?
If you'd choose wizard over beguiler in this (anima mage) build, why?
Apart from Zceryll, Naberius and Karsus, what vestiges offer good synergy with the beguiler?


I've read the handbooks on the various classes and consider myself adequately aware of the sweet mysteries of the arcane (having played wizards into levels > 30), so no need to elaborate on the basics. Rather, I'm looking for expert advice on how to use the abilities of the binder to support the beguiler, and where possible pitfalls & limitations may be that I have missed.

[Quirp]

1. A Binder can function as a kind of skillmonkey, but has problems since the class is lacking in skill points and a good class skill list. Using able learner and the beguilers skill list you could strengthen your skills, which are further augmentable by several vestiges. A wizard also has a lacking skill list, so this is a plus for the beguiler.

2. A beguiler is not as great with metamagic as a wizard (as far as I know) and an anima mage improves the use of metamagic (persisting important buffs for example). If the feat Extra Spell or some other way to get spells from other lists allows you to get spells that are worth to augment and you take an expensive metamagic feat (quicken, persist) you could still use this class feature in a relevant way.

3. easier metamagic, greater versatility (sorcerer would get my vote for the great sorc only spells and the charisma synergy, but you want skills so sorcerer doesn´t help)

4. Acererak and Balam are great defensive vestiges. Buer can add some healing, if you really need it. Halphax adds the option of mixing real and illusionary walls on the battlefield. Haures adds more illusions. Malphas adds some rogueish abilities and the greatest scout in the early game. Otiax replaces the open lock skill and adds a nice mixture of abilities. Vanus adds a fear aura and a way to help your partner. Astaroth is pure greatness condensed into a vestige. Cabiri can help, if you find a way to cast scrying.

[Psyren]

The skills are your biggest problem, because Binder and AM are both 2+Int.

Personally I'd say Soulcaster or Ultimate Magus are bigger boosts to a Beguiler from a theurge standpoint. Anima Mage certainly works, but with what you give up to get it I would question the validity of not going with a Wizard entry instead.

The main problem is the opportunity cost. Wizards have tons of dead levels and poor skills, so they lose nothing from Anima Mage; plus, they have better spells for costly metamagic like persist. Furthermore, your weaknesses (spells that require fort/reflex, mindless creatures/undead etc.) aren't strongly addressed by any of the vestiges.

[Malachei]

2. A beguiler is not as great with metamagic as a wizard (as far as I know)

I'd say that I'm looking for the big enhancers, such as Quicken and Twin, because anima mage is not capped at metamagic.


4. Acererak and Balam are great defensive vestiges. Buer can add some healing, if you really need it. Halphax adds the option of mixing real and illusionary walls on the battlefield. Haures adds more illusions. Malphas adds some rogueish abilities and the greatest scout in the early game. Otiax replaces the open lock skill and adds a nice mixture of abilities. Vanus adds a fear aura and a way to help your partner. Astaroth is pure greatness condensed into a vestige. Cabiri can help, if you find a way to cast scrying.

Thanks, that helps.


The skills are your biggest problem, because Binder and AM are both 2+Int.

An average Int-based caster will likely have 6+ skill points (i.e. 18+ casting stat), compared to a rogue, who will put the best stats into Dex, then Con, then Int or Cha, i.e. probably 9-10 skill points (i.e. Int ~13-15 on a good point buy), so I think this is not a big issue. I'll have 20+ Int, plus Nymph's Kiss, for a total of 8+ skill points.