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Yorae
2012-06-27, 03:08 PM
So, I'm looking to re-equip my character with some new duds.

Our characters have beaten the BBEG and have been into their epilogue for a bit, but we're playing a couple of adventures in the meantime to bridge the gap between this campaign and the next. These will take place about 30 years after this first campaign and in the intervening time our characters have largely been gainfully employed in positions of relative power and influence, which has added to our already swelling coinpurses.

The character in question here is a Jade Phoenix Mage gish (Transmuter/Warblade/JPM/Abjurant Champion, going into Wyrm Wizard in epic levels) with a penchant for shapechanging magic.

After some other expenses (namely, outfitting a companion and some spell research), he has just over 1,800,000 gp remaining. Notably, he has befriended a powerful brass dragon who is an expert craftsman (he most certainly has a boatload of artificer levels) who will sell him goods for cost-and-a-half, rather that full market price.

Other than buying a fistful of stat tomes (or at least a +5 int book), what are some nice pieces of gear than I can update my set with?

Here's what he currently has:

Gear he wears:

Weapon: +4 Black Crystal Greatsword
This is actually an interesting item.
Overly long sword description:

It's made of a rare and difficult-to-work material (a blue-black crystal, in which can be seen flecks of something metallic - we never got a name for the material) that can store or channel magical energy. Mechanically, it's a bit like a cross between a major ring of spell storing and a greater metamagic rod of quickening, although a bit weaker. The wielder can cast up to three spells of any level they can cast into the sword, where they will remain stored for up to two hours, after which point the energy dissipates and the spell is wasted. While the spells reside in the sword, the wielder can release any one of them as a swift action. So, kind of like the quickening rod, except that you have to know what you want to quicken in advance and if you don't use it, you lose it. It came stock with a flaming enhancement (blue flames! =D), but no enhancement bonus (our DM houserules that magic weapons don't need a +1 to have some other property, just because). For quite some time, noone would touch the thing as far as additional enhancements, for fear fouling it up, since most didn't really understand how it worked and those that had an idea said it was far too intricately done to go mucking about trying to work more enchantments on top of it. We eventually found someone with a solution: a gem set in the pommel that didn't directly modify the weapon, but laid a force barrier over it that granted it a +4 enhancement bonus, but suppressed the flaming property, without interfering with the special spell-storing properties of the sword. It should work like any other weapon crystal.

tl;dr: nice sword, lets you cast some pre-determined spells as swift actions.

Head:
Headband of Epic Intellect +12 (yep, really)

Face:
Artificer's Monocle (used out of combat - yay free and easy Identify)
Goggles of Night (Grants Darkvision, largely useless, since he gets that with his buffs anyway)

Throat:
Hand of Glory (1/day Daylight and See Invisibility, allows an extra ring slot)
Ring of Protection +3

Shoulders:
Mantle of Second Chances (1/day reroll anything)

Torso:
Novice Iron Heart Vest (IRON! HEART! SURGE! Got the prereqs from Warblade, needed the vest to pick up IHS)


Body:
Battlerobes of Freedom (These are normal garments with the Freedom enhancement applied. Continuous Freedom of Movement. Character does not wear armor - relies on Greater Mage Armor/Shield + Abjurant Armor)

Waist:
Belt of Battle

Feet:
Quicksilver Boots (2/day swift action movement)

Arms:
Crimson Dragonhide Bracers +4 (Enh. bonus to nat. armor and some small amount of fire resist. Pretty useless most of the time, since his buffs include a natural armor enhancement that overlaps it.)

Hands:
Gloves of Dexterity +2

Ring
Ring of Nine Lives (Still has all its charges left! =D Auto-pass a save or restore some hit points if you would fall, 9 charges)

Ring
Master Ring of the Diamond Mind (Time Stands Still. Meets prereqs from Warblade.)


Gear he carries but doesn't typically wear:

Amber flower trinket (warms the user when held - grants endure elements against cold weather only.)
Ring of Invisibility
Pearls of power 4/5/6, one apiece
Staff of Evocation (42 charges)
Staff of the Cosmos (50 Charges)
Hand of the Mage
Amulet of the Planes
Handy Haversack
A number of ioun stones (one each of orange, pale green, vibrant purple, deep red, iridescent spindle, clear spindle, dusty rose)

LadyLexi
2012-06-28, 02:55 AM
Belt of Magnificence +6 for 200,000 gp isn't a terrible choice.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2012-06-28, 03:37 AM
Be sure you have every category on this list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187851) covered, either with spells or with other items.

You should have a +1 weapon with stuff like Speed, Spell Storing, Wrathful Healing, etc. and just cast Greater Magic Weapon on it every day. Making it a Spellblade (PGtF) so it can negate every targeted Greater Dispel Magic that hits you would also be helpful if you use a lot of buffs.

Abjurant Champion doesn't have any affect on (Greater) Mage Armor, unless our DM has houseruled it. (Greater) Luminous Armor is better anyway.

Get a few Eternal Wands (MIC) of Wings of Cover (RotD), anyone who can cast arcane spells can use one regardless of what spell list they use. Put one in a Wand Chamber on your weapon, and switch it out for a fresh one between encounters.

Maybe buy a Psychic Reformation or even learn/cast the Dark Chaos Shuffle to get either Kung-Fu Genius or Carmendine Monk, and wear a Monk's Belt (make it take a Bracer spot) to add your Int bonus to your unarmored AC.

Metamagic Rods are useful, particularly Quicken.

Bronk
2012-06-28, 06:44 AM
You could switch out your ring of protection +3 for a ring of defense +5 (Dragon Magazine 290 p83). For 128000gp, it acts as a +5 ring of protection and also adds a +5 resistance bonus.

You could also upgrade your eye wear to "Goggles of Draconic Vision", which grant dark vision out to 60 feet, +10 to spot, and blindsense 1/day. (draconomicon, 46000gp)

Yorae
2012-06-28, 11:41 AM
Be sure you have every category on this list (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187851) covered, either with spells or with other items.


Good resource!

I think I can just about be covered there:

Flight: cast Elemental Body (air)
Mind Blank: cast Mind Blank
Stun Negation: Third Eye Clarity
Daze Negation: Third Eye Clarity
Fear Immunity: Mind Blank and hope that there's no crazy strong mundane fears (doubtful)
True Seeing: Gem of Seeing
Miss Chances: Either Greater Blurring or Gleaming armor enhancement
Tactical Teleportation: (quickened) Benign Transposition
Immunity to Death Effects / Energy Drain: If I happen to somehow fail with my substantial fort save and the reroll from Mantle of Second Chances doesn't help, well, that's what a Ring of Nine Lives is for.
Freedom of Movement: Freedom armor enhancement
(Extradimensional) storage space: Haversack + Portable Hole
Dispel Magic / Counter: I'll have an epic spell to handle this soon. Maybe a spellblade in the meantime?
Special Senses: Shapechange into something with that sense



You should have a +1 weapon with stuff like Speed, Spell Storing, Wrathful Healing, etc. and just cast Greater Magic Weapon on it every day. Making it a Spellblade (PGtF) so it can negate every targeted Greater Dispel Magic that hits you would also be helpful if you use a lot of buffs.

Wrathful Healing seems.. kind of broken. I'd love to have it, but it just seems so powerful that I'd feel guilty using it.

Also, can a spellblade work if worn, but not drawn?



Abjurant Champion doesn't have any affect on (Greater) Mage Armor, unless our DM has houseruled it. (Greater) Luminous Armor is better anyway.

The opposite, actually - our GM rules that it does work, since it's referenced in the text of the class and makes sense flavor-wise, even if it mechanically is not an abjuration.



Get a few Eternal Wands (MIC) of Wings of Cover (RotD), anyone who can cast arcane spells can use one regardless of what spell list they use. Put one in a Wand Chamber on your weapon, and switch it out for a fresh one between encounters.

Might be a good idea. Does UMD not apply to eternal wands?



Maybe buy a Psychic Reformation or even learn/cast the Dark Chaos Shuffle to get either Kung-Fu Genius or Carmendine Monk, and wear a Monk's Belt (make it take a Bracer spot) to add your Int bonus to your unarmored AC

As awesome as int to ac would be, the chaos shuffle is a little too high op even for me. =p My character's fluff is also such that it'd be wildly out of character.



Metamagic Rods are useful, particularly Quicken.
Can you use metamagic rods while wielding a two-handed weapon?

Curmudgeon
2012-06-28, 12:03 PM
Can you use metamagic rods while wielding a two-handed weapon?
Only if you've got a third hand, because the benefits of the Rods accrue when they're wielded.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2012-06-28, 01:21 PM
You could get +1 Spellblade Armor Spikes (worn on leather straps if you don't wear armor), and since you can use armor spikes to make attacks any time they're worn, you're always considered to be wielding them. Maybe put Eager and Warning on them for good measure. Even throw on Defending and use Greater Magic Weapon for +5, and always have that applied to your AC.

Eternal Wands aren't activated like normal wands. They can hold any arcane spell of up to 3rd level, and anyone capable of casting any arcane spells can use one no matter what spell it contains. If you can cast arcane spells, you can use any Eternal Wand in existence.

If you don't like the Chaos Shuffle, just hire an NPC Psion to use Psychic Reformation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psychicReformation.htm) on you. The standard fee (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#spell) would be 280 gp, plus 125 gp per level that the revision reaches, and you'll pay 25 xp per level that the revision reaches. I'm sure you've got a feat somewhere that can be replaced to get your Int bonus to AC.

Metamagic rods themselves make no mention of being held, only possessed. If your DM thinks otherwise, you can attach the Metamagic Rod to your belt. Take one hand off your sword and grab the rod while you cast a spell, then put your hand back on your sword afterward. Otherwise, there are grafts in Fiend Folio named X Arm, which add an additional limb which can be used for held items, but watch out for the drawbacks of fiendish grafts. There's also the feat Deepspawn in LoM which gives you two prehensile tentacles which can be used to hold things, it's got one prerequisite feat.

Yorae
2012-06-28, 02:15 PM
Alright, think I've got myself a course of action, here.


Buy Third Eye Clarity , use in face slot

Buy Ring of Spellbattle -> replace Ring of Protection +3

Upgrade Battlerobes of Freedom -> Greater Blurring Battlerobes of Freedom

Replace/Upgrade Gloves of Dexterity +2 -> Gloves of Dexterity +6

Add Wand Chamber to hilt of greatsword
Buy Eternal Wand of Wings of Cover, keep in chamber

Buy Greater Metamagic Rod of Quickening (maybe a couple of them, actually, keep them looped through my belt, as indicated)

Now, my only remaining action item is to deal with my current bracers. Hm....
Can't seem to find anything interesting. I don't think I'm comfortable with changing a monk's belt to an arms slot.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2012-06-28, 02:20 PM
Now, my only remaining action item is to deal with my current bracers. Hm....
Can't seem to find anything interesting. I don't think I'm comfortable with changing a monk's belt to an arms slot.

Check the sidebar on page 288 of the DMG. A belt slot is appropriate for 'physical improvement' whereas a bracer slot is appropriate for 'combat' benefits. I'd say the benefits of a Monk's Belt is more 'combat' than 'physical improvement' anyway, so it should have been on a bracer slot in the first place. I'm guessing that they made it a belt because they figured Monks would want Bracers of Armor, and they didn't want to discourage them by putting multiple must-have items in the same body slot.

Gandariel
2012-06-28, 04:27 PM
Buy a Luck Blade (with no charges) for a random and cheap +1 bonus to everything.

Get starmantle cloak!! costly and might be broken (just say that evasion doesn't work with it), but definitely strong.

Also, do you have elemental immunities/resistances?

Yorae
2012-06-28, 05:27 PM
Buy a Luck Blade (with no charges) for a random and cheap +1 bonus to everything.

Do you have to wield the luck blade for that, or just carry it?



Get starmantle cloak!! costly and might be broken (just say that evasion doesn't work with it), but definitely strong.

He's already casting Starmantle, the spell. =p

Also sharing it with his shapechanged familiar... who has improved evasion... I think we're just gonna houserule that, lol. By RAW, he'd be impossible to hit except on a nat 1 reflex save.



Also, do you have elemental immunities/resistances?

Only those of the creature I happen to be shapechanged to at the moment

On the issue of an arm-slot item, I think I'm going to go with a Bracelet of Spell Sharing. Shame it can only share one spell at a time. I'll give the other one to the party rogue use a metamagic rod of extend to offset the duration reduction.

Gandariel
2012-06-28, 05:45 PM
The luck blade's text references the "owner", not the wielder. You could get the bonus even if you leave it under your mattress.

i'd look into something to prevent elemental damage too. you are limiting your Shapechange versatility: if you meet a fire enemy, you can only change in something with res/immunity to fire. if you cover your bases with items or spells youxre still free to transform in whatever you want

Yorae
2012-06-28, 05:52 PM
The luck blade's text references the "owner", not the wielder. You could get the bonus even if you leave it under your mattress.

i'd look into something to prevent elemental damage too. you are limiting your Shapechange versatility: if you meet a fire enemy, you can only change in something with res/immunity to fire. if you cover your bases with items or spells youxre still free to transform in whatever you want

Hmm.. perhaps I will buy two 0 wish Luck Blades and wear one on each hip.
The luck bonus wouldn't stack, but I'd get three rerolls per day, including my mantle of second chances. And I could use Steeldance on them for giggles.

Prof. X
2012-06-28, 06:23 PM
Carry a bunch of metamagic rods. Quicken is the best. Also there is a feat you shoud take that lets you use two quickened spells in a round that goes well with quickened rods. Oh this is an epic feat from the epic level handbook

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2012-06-28, 06:24 PM
Keep a Mass Resist Energy prepared just in case you need it. Another option would be to have five of the spell Energy Immunity active at any given time, you can (Rod of) Extend it so you only have to cast it half as often, and use a Pearl of Power to save a spell slot from it each day. While you're at it, include Superior Resistance and Mind Blank in your Extended every-other-day buffs.

Randomguy
2012-06-28, 06:33 PM
Hmm.. perhaps I will buy two 0 wish Luck Blades and wear one on each hip.
The luck bonus wouldn't stack, but I'd get three rerolls per day, including my mantle of second chances. And I could use Steeldance on them for giggles.

For more giggles, make them both colossal sized and keep them shrunk all the time, until you use steeldance.