Looking for Build Advice (D&D 3.5)

[Fragenstein]

I'm looking for build advice on an arcane that I'm knocking up for a new campaign. Why? Well... magic users these days are fairly intimidating. There was once a time when a gamer simply opened the Player's Handbook and didn't worry about it.

These days? It seems like the vast, VAST array of options for the arcane makes this approach a little naive. It's possible that ignoring an intelligent, though not entirely intuitive, design can make for an underpowered character.

So what build strategies should I look for?

The character himself is someone who is a magic user by heritage. That speaks to me of a sorcerer with the Draconic Heritage feat. Are there any opinions on that?

Keep in mind that I don't need for this character to be uber-powered, just... not useless. I'd like for him to have a role in combat and I'm flexible concerning the crunch of spells, feats and other options. These are the things that I'm looking for advice on.

For that matter, I'm a little disappointed that there seems to be no races predisposed towards sorcery. At the very least there's nothing I'm seeing with a charisma bonus. Am I missing something there?

I'm also open for divine suggestions that might mimic the sort of character I've described. Are there cleric-type options that would reflect someone who inherited their status as opposed to someone who went to divinity school, joined an order and obtained a first-name-basis with their god?

That last bit actually appeals to me... I'm not sure it's actually feasible.

[Gwendol]

Favored soul for the latter option perhaps? Also, don't Aasimar get charisma bonuses?

[Fragenstein]

Say, Favored Soul doesn't look too bad. I've heard that mentioned a few places, but I've never actually looked it up. I especially like the whole 'possible traces of outsider blood' bit. A little disappointing that they can't worship an abstract, but I suppose it's a little hard for your soul to be favored by an abstract concept.

I'm also not seeing a feat that makes the 'outsider blood' a reality, like Draconic Heritage is for sorcerers. That might not be a deal breaker as just because the character believes himself to be of inhuman bloodline, that doesn't make it so.

Any advice as to sorcerer vs. favored soul? Which one is better in-game? And any suggestions on build paths for skills, feats and spells?

[Blueiji]

Favored Soul and Sorcerer are both considered tier two classes, meaning that you can't go wrong with either one, they're on the same playing field.

Its more of a matter of preference in flavor and utility.

The Favored Soul is very inclined to combat, and has a bunch of abilities that support the role of a melee warrior-type.

The Sorcerer can really fit any role, but if you really want to excel at that chosen role, you'll have to give up aptitude in other roles.

The Celestial blood feats can be picked up by Sorcerers as well, so if a divine influence interests you but you still want to go with Sorcerer, then you're good.

On the other hand, there are alternate class features for the Favored Soul that make them Dragon themed, so you could be a Draconic type favored soul.

Here's a guide to Sorcerers: http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=2180.0

There doesn't seem to be a fully fledged guide to Favored Souls, but one of the posts on this discussion seems to include a miniature version that is very helpful: http://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/10262/is-there-a-favored-soul-handbook

[Kalaska'Agathas]

I'm looking for build advice on an arcane that I'm knocking up for a new campaign. Why? Well... magic users these days are fairly intimidating. There was once a time when a gamer simply opened the Player's Handbook and didn't worry about it.

These days? It seems like the vast, VAST array of options for the arcane makes this approach a little naive. It's possible that ignoring an intelligent, though not entirely intuitive, design can make for an underpowered character.

So what build strategies should I look for?

The character himself is someone who is a magic user by heritage. That speaks to me of a sorcerer with the Draconic Heritage feat. Are there any opinions on that?

Keep in mind that I don't need for this character to be uber-powered, just... not useless. I'd like for him to have a role in combat and I'm flexible concerning the crunch of spells, feats and other options. These are the things that I'm looking for advice on.

For that matter, I'm a little disappointed that there seems to be no races predisposed towards sorcery. At the very least there's nothing I'm seeing with a charisma bonus. Am I missing something there?

I'm also open for divine suggestions that might mimic the sort of character I've described. Are there cleric-type options that would reflect someone who inherited their status as opposed to someone who went to divinity school, joined an order and obtained a first-name-basis with their god?

That last bit actually appeals to me... I'm not sure it's actually feasible.

What sort of role would you like, in combat? This will effect your spell selection, with either of the spontaneous casters you seem to be considering. Sorcerers have a lot of options, from a build perspective, but once you've built them they are pretty locked in. Psions have an easier time with that, once they get Psychic Reformation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/psychicReformation.htm), and they may be worthy of your consideration.

But it will be easier for us to give you build advice if we know what you would like the character to be capable of.

[TuggyNE]

To follow up on the "magical heritage" idea, have you considered Unearthed Arcana's Bloodlines (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/bloodlines.htm)?

[Fragenstein]

On...

Assimar -- I'd never noticed them before, just looked them up in Races of Destiny. I like them, they seem very appropriate to the character I'm attempting to create. Unfortunately they carry an LA+1. I can pitch the idea, but it's iffy.

Combat Role -- Direct damage is always nice. There's nothing like fireballing a room of your enemies to give an otherwise full a day sense of satisfaction. Outside of combat I'm thinking charismatic detective. Since Sorcerer class skills don't really seem to support that, I'll look for some spells to buffer his senses.

'Seems like neither Clerics of Favored Souls have much in the way of Spot or Gather Information.

Psion -- ... I'll take a shot at tackling them for my next character.

[Gavinfoxx]

So by direct damage, do you want to blast things, shoot arrows at things, or hit things?

If you want to blast things, consider this as a high optimization guide:

http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19868534/The_Mailman:_A_Direct_Damage_Sorcerer

You can always de-optimize from that pinnacle.

Have you heard of the Lesser Aasimar variant? It is a way to reduce the LA...

see the Planetouched Handbook.

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=6992.0

Also, if you are thinking of Favored Soul... I would consider Dragonlance's Mystic as far, far, far superior.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Combat Role -- Direct damage is always nice. There's nothing like fireballing a room of your enemies to give an otherwise full a day sense of satisfaction. Outside of combat I'm thinking charismatic detective. Since Sorcerer class skills don't really seem to support that, I'll look for some spells to buffer his senses..

Sorcerer Detective seems like something we could work with. Though Wizard would work better (due to the Int synergy), and if you take Eidetic Spellcaster (an ACF from some issue of Dragon or other) you won't have to worry about your spellbook because it'll be in your head. You could also make Artificer work.

But for a Sorcerer Detective you'll likely want to be human, with levels of Rogue (or Factotum), Able Learner (from Races of Destiny if I remember correctly), and then taking levels in Unseen Seer or one of the other Skilled/Spellcasting PrCs. Alternately, with careful spell selection, you could make a Mailman type build work (I believe that was linked earlier in the thread). Especially if you were able to fit Shadowcraft Mage in, as it gives excellent versatility, allowing you to use your precious spells known on more spells.

In order to construct a build, however, we'll need to know what sources are available, what house rules are in play, what races/classes are allowed, how you'll be generating stats, and the like.

[Gavinfoxx]

Ohhh. Sorcerer Detective.

Human Factotum 1 (with Able Learner)/Eidetic Spellcaster Wizard 5 (getting the Spontaneous Divination feature at 5).

Has someone come up with a good Harry Dresden build for 3.5e yet??

[Zonugal]

Why not something like this?

Human Spellthief 1/Wizard 5
Able Learner [1st], Investigate [Human], Scribe Scroll [Wiz 1; 2nd], Invisible Spell [3rd], Master Spellthief [6th]

[Kalaska'Agathas]

Ohhh. Sorcerer Detective.

Human Factotum 1 (with Able Learner)/Eidetic Spellcaster Wizard 5 (getting the Spontaneous Divination feature at 5).

Has someone come up with a good Harry Dresden build for 3.5e yet??


Why not something like this?

Human Spellthief 1/Wizard 5
Able Learner [1st], Investigate [Human], Scribe Scroll [Wiz 1; 2nd], Invisible Spell [3rd], Master Spellthief [6th]

Either of these is a good start, frankly. Master Spellthief is nice if you want to head for Unseen Seer, since it'll get you more Sneak Attack, and it can be read to help mitigate the loss of non-divination CL you get with Unseen Seer.

[White_Drake]

You can take lesser Aasimar (I think it's in Player's Guide to Faerun, but don't quote me on that), which loses the outsider type and the +1 LA. To pump Charisma higher you might look into the Magic-Blooded racial variant template (Dragon #306), which grants +2 Cha, -2 Wis.

[Gwendol]

You can take lesser Aasimar (I think it's in Player's Guide to Faerun, but don't quote me on that), which loses the outsider type and the +1 LA. To pump Charisma higher you might look into the Magic-Blooded racial variant template (Dragon #306), which grants +2 Cha, -2 Wis.

That will probably rule out the favoured soul though.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

That will probably rule out the favoured soul though.

It'd be a net +0 Wis +4 Cha, though, if I'm reading (and remembering) it right. +2 Wis +2 Cha from Lesser Aasimar, -2 Wis +2 Cha from Magic Blooded.