The Arachnomancer

[Acathala]

The Arachnomancer(DotU) is a drow specific wizard prestige class. It has many spider-like abilities, like tremorsense and being able to wildshape into a monsterous spider. The capstone is being able to turn into a gargantuan spider.
Given it's half spell progress and if I recall correctly, good BAB, I think this class is best served as some sort of Gish. Maybe take a level of figher and when the Arachnomancer is complete, take the remaining levels in Eldritch Knight.
Thoughts?

[Arcanist]

Thoughts?

Wizard/5 Arachnomancer/8 Eldritch Knight/7.

Just Narrowly losing 9th level spells... Ouch...

I'm thinking Wizard/5 Arachnomancer/8 Abjurant Champion/5 Spellblade/1 and a one level dip into one arcane progressing gish staple class. If you do this you manage to narrowly keep your 9th level spells... Arachnomancer is really hurting more then its helping...

[Acathala]

Yes I know but I like it as it's a very flavourable. I don't really know why it doesn't have full spell progression, Especially when you compare it to the drow druid which has a spider wildshape ACF from the same book. Even drow warlocks can get an invocation that allows changing into a spider which is similar in power to a Drow Druidl's.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

It's possible to keep 9th level spells, but you either need to use LA buy-off or lesser drow to do so. Arcachnomancer is sadly 3/4s BAB, but it's still workable.

Using something like militia/otherwordly and sanctum spell, Wizard 3/EK 2/Arcachnomancer 7/Abjurant Champion 5/EK+3 works, getting 17 CL/BAB at 20th. If you can get access to divine power by means of arcane disciple, you can skip the eldritch knight levels and instead go Wizard 5/Arcachnomancer 8/Abjurant Champion 5/Fullcasting 2.

[avr]

I haven't seen the prestige class, but might it be better starting from a different chassis - Duskblade perhaps?

[Acathala]

I haven't seen the prestige class, but might it be better starting from a different chassis - Duskblade perhaps?

It has spell pre-reqs that the duskblade can't meet.

I don't think that any of the dark seldarine have Divine Power on their spell lists for domains.
Thanks guys for helping with my musings.