Totemist/Binder

[SSGoW]

I wanted to ask for a build/build advice.

I want to make a character that *always* is in darkness (somewhat like MiTD) but be able to see in said darkness and be a beast in battle.

I'm not looking for a MiTD build just the overall though of him. I don't want my party to know my race or ever see my face.

I'm away from my books for the moment but I think the Binder can eventually bind a vestige and always be able to see in magical darkness AND cast a deeper darkness spell (at-will?).

Ill need a race that doesn't sleep so I'm thinking Warforged

I was thinking some sort of Binder/Totemist/KoSS build. Totemist so I can grapple and have tons of natural attacks. The enemy won't be able to see me once I grapple (well most enemies) so Ill have a good advantage.

Can this be done? Mid to high optimized is ok, starting at level 2. Is the vestige ability not that powerful as in it won't target the binder's self?

Thanks!

[Dusk Eclipse]

I think the vestige you are thinking is Tenebrus; but it is high-ish level IIRC so you will have to wait a bit for it (And for the record you can get the same thing with Warlock and one feat from Drow of the Underdark, At home in the deep I think).

But if you want to combine Meldshaping and Soul Binding, I can't reccomend this enough. The Midnight Occultists (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157493), which is a theurge prestige class for totemist and binders, pretty neat IMO

[SSGoW]

To bad homebrew isn't allowed....

I want to like the Warlock I really really do but everytime I read them I get turned off from them.

Now if the Warlock "prayed" for a invocation every morning (thus could switch them day to day now that would be awesome.


Warlock 2/Totemist X might do the trick.

Would there be a way to make it where you can't dispell the invocation?

[Psyren]

Geryon also lets you see in the dark. And of course there are other means to ignore it (like Orthos' blindsight.)

And yes, I recommend a homebrew theurge, otherwise you'll just be gimping your binding for some weak meldshaping.

Keep in mind that Binders are decent grapplers solo with Zagan - you don't necessarily need Totemist.

[Waker]

Homebrew aside, if you want a character who can use soulmelds and is wreathed in shadow, you might consider Illusionist/Totemist/Soulcaster/Shadowcraft Mage. Obviously Soulcaster would progress spellcasting and meldshaping, while Shadowcraft Mage will give you the manipulation of shadows. The downside of the build is that you wouldn't have the best BAB, but it's not like you get iterative attacks with natural attacks anyways. Still, you'll want to pump your to-hit with buffs and essentia while debuffing the enemies and denying their ac in some fashion.

[eggs]

MoI is very dippable; you shouldn't need dual progression to do it well.

Totemist 2/Binder/KotSS would work fine.

[Piggy Knowles]

Don't forget that a Totemist can more or less do this on its own, thanks to the Shadow Mantle soulmeld's shoulders bind (surrounded by magical darkness 5'/essentia invested, gain blindsight within that radius).

[Khedrac]

How do you plan to get the Darkness effect?

If you just have Darkness you "radiate shadowy illumination out to a 20-foot radius" - which means they can see exactly what you are, it's just a bit blurry (hence the 20% miss chance).

Deeper Darkness is no darker - just bigger and harder to dispel. I think I remember seeing total darkness effects somewhere, but you are probbaly going to find them really hard to keep running around you. Also the first time the party needs to illuminate somewhere you could easily find your darkness stripped away by a high-level [Light] spell (or even an enemy throwing a Radiant Assault at you).

You have come up with a very nice idea, but I am not sure how well it will actually work in practice. A one-shot might be viable, but don't expect it to last long in a campaign.

[HunterOfJello]

Deeper Darkness along with the Mindsight [LoM] ability would accomplish this. No one would be able to see you and you would be able to pinpoint the location of any enemy with an intelligence score. Throwing some form of Scent or Tremorsense into the mix could be useful too, just in case a creature without an intelligence score is coming up around you. (Then again, you still have to watch out for pillars and traps.)

The reason I like Deeper Darkness is that it lasts days/level and is cast on an object. If I ever play a Cleric again, I'm going to spend every 5th day or so casting Deeper Darkness on handfuls of marbles and then throw them into rooms when I want to conceal myself.

The concealment it provides is weak, but it's enough to use the Hide skill very well.

[Psyren]

IIRC, Control Light (psionic power) and No Light (BoVD) can both get all the way down to total darkness. That should solve the concealment issue and you should still be able to see. Psion's Eyes/Mage's Spectacles can help you here.

[Essence_of_War]

IIRC, Control Light (psionic power) and No Light (BoVD) can both get all the way down to total darkness. That should solve the concealment issue and you should still be able to see. Psion's Eyes/Mage's Spectacles can help you here.

You remember correctly (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/controlLight.htm) :smallsmile:

You can decrease the illumination of an area by as little as 5% (barely perceptible) or as much as 100% (total darkness). If you decrease the light by 50% or more, the visual ability of creatures that depend on light to see declines accordingly.

[Big Fau]

Don't forget that a Totemist can more or less do this on its own, thanks to the Shadow Mantle soulmeld's shoulders bind (surrounded by magical darkness 5'/essentia invested, gain blindsight within that radius).

Yeah, why jump through hoops when it's built into the Totemist all ready?

[Psyren]

Question - why be a race that doesn't sleep? MitD sleeps all the time.