Abjurant Champion Handbook?

[DoughGuy]

Hey playground.

I'm trying to decide whether to go into abjurant champion for a PC I'm making and was wondering if there was a handbook? If there is could someone please link me to it.

Thanks.

[Dusk Eclipse]

If you are any kind of gish character it would be foolish not to take and even if you are a primary wizard and qualify, I wouldbe tempted to enter either way, the class is just that good IMO.

And no, there isn't a handbook for abjurant champion, most prestige classes don't have any.

[DoughGuy]

Its gestalt and Im using my magic to gish me, but I chose to go sorceror over wizard and Im not sure which abjuration spells are most useful. The ones I looked at seemed very situational and not worth wasting one of my spells known on. So I guess Im asking now which spells are good to take if I go into the PrC?

[Unusual Muse]

Not specific to Abjurant Champion alone, but here is a 3.5 Gish Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=8786).

[eggs]

This (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19868042/Character_Build_Spotlight:_Gish) is the most comprehensive handbook I know of, but it's way out of date by now (and went through serious formatting decay). Regardless, it's not a bad jumping-off point, and it points out some older but less often-discussed options. Useful supplementary reading would probably be Treantmonk's Transmutation and Abjuration rundowns for some of the more recent spells.

[only1doug]

Its gestalt and Im using my magic to gish me, but I chose to go sorceror over wizard and Im not sure which abjuration spells are most useful. The ones I looked at seemed very situational and not worth wasting one of my spells known on. So I guess Im asking now which spells are good to take if I go into the PrC?

Dual advancement classes are normally banned in gestalt, i'd clear it with your gm before assuming you can take it. A strong argument for being allowed to take it would be to still take a full BAB class on the other side of the gestalt for all your abjurant champion levels (thus removing some of the benefits of the dual advancement).

Good spells: ectoplasmic armour (spell compendium), luminous armour line ( available to arcane casters through book of exalted deeds), shield.

[herrhauptmann]

Dual advancement classes are normally banned in gestalt, i'd clear it with your gm before assuming you can take it. A strong argument for being allowed to take it would be to still take a full BAB class on the other side of the gestalt for all your abjurant champion levels (thus removing some of the benefits of the dual advancement).

Good spells: ectoplasmic armour (spell compendium), luminous armour line ( available to arcane casters through book of exalted deeds), shield.

The Abjurant champion isn't a dual advancement class. They're referring to things like the Mystic Theurge when they made that announcement.

Also, Luminous Armor is impossible for spontaneous casters like the Sorcerer. Unless they've got a way to be counted as preparation casters.


To the OP:
There's not many official spells that work for abjurant champion. Shield and Greater Luminous armor are the best ones available. It's a common houserule that Mage Armor benefits despite not being abjuration. Failing that, research Mage Armor as an abjuration spell.
But the free quicken and extend is still very useful for any abjurations you want to cast (dispel magic for one).

Think you could post the rest of your gestalt build?

[The Redwolf]

May I ask what gish and gestalt are? I see people talk about them a lot but am unfamiliar with the terms.

[eggs]

Gish - Warrior/Caster-type character. Duskblades, Eldritch Knights, Psychic Warriors, that sort of thing. Name comes from TSR-era githyanki fighter/wizards.

Gestalt - a variant in Unearthed Arcana where players gain two classes' features each level. Detailed here (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/gestaltCharacters.htm) (as detailed as it gets, anyway).

[The Redwolf]

Cool, thanks.

[Fouredged Sword]

Level 0
- Resistance (hey it's level 0, +1 to saves for 2 min isn't bad for a swift action)

Level 1
- Protection from evil (resist mind control)
- Shield (AC)

Level 2
- Resist energy (No Mr. dragon you may not fry me)

Level 3
- Dispel magic (yes please, swift action dispelling!)
- Non detection (can be very useful)

Level 4
-Dimensional anchor
-Lesser Globe of invulnerability (low level spellcasters can now be ignored)

Level 5
- Dismissal (you summoned what? No you didn't)

Level 6
- Greater dispel magic (see dispel, but better)

Level 7
- Spellturning (a rude gesture to spellcasters)
- Banishment (bye bye outsiders)

Level 8
- Mind blank
- Prismatic wall (Swift battlefield control)

Level 9
-Prismatic sphere
-Imprisonment (-4 to saves of targets you know)
-Disjunction
-Freedom (just for if you need someone you imprisoned)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Take Ancestral Relic (BoED) and use it to make a custom Runestaff (MIC) with whatever spells you want on it. It's extremely cheap to add a spell to a Runestaff, especially since if the party would sell loot for half value you can buy it out of the party pool for that price and get a cut of that back, and sacrifice its full value into the relic. You can cast spells in the runestaff as though they're spells known, each one is usable one, two, or three times per day. Certain hour/level and 24-hour buffs that you won't need to cast more than once each day (Greater Magic Weapon, Greater Mighty Wallop, Greater/Superior Resistance) are great choices for 1/day Runestaff spells. You can also use it to get situational and utility spells that you won't be using very often, like Mass Resist Energy, Shrink Item, Rope Trick, and Teleport.

For Abjurant Champion, the biggest draw is the Abjurant Armor class feature. A spontaneous caster will need to spend a feat on Arcane Preparation to get the greatest benefit from it. You get to add your class level to the AC bonus ranted by the spells Shield and (Greater) Luminous Armor (BoED), which means a +9 shield bonus and a +10/+13 armor bonus, with none of the drawbacks of using armor or a shield. You can even get a Monk's Belt to add your Wis bonus to AC, or pick up Ascetic Mage (CV) qualifying via the belt to add your Cha bonus to your AC instead.

Most gish guides in general should have everything you need, as just about every current arcane gish build uses Abjurant Champion. The only exception would probably be most Swiftblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327) builds, which can actually be extremely good on a gestalt character. Something like (Caster) 3/ Swiftblade 9/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Spellsword 3// Ranger 4/ Scout 12 with four levels of your casting class mixed in when your prestige classes don't advance spellcasting. Actually, throw in one Cloistered Cleric level for Knowledge, Law, and Travel Devotions for more skirmishing and amazing bonuses. Be sure to pick up Swift Hunter so your Ranger and Scout levels stack for Skirmish.

[Tim Proctor]

for Gestalt I love the Battle Wizard Variant (don't remember the name)/ Stalwart Sorcerer - Ultimat Magus - Abjurant Champion build. Lots of spells and good defense too.

[DoughGuy]

Fouredged that list looks great. The lack of spells is actually a good thing considering Im a sorceror.
Furiou Ill look at the runestaff and thanks for pointing out the feat and luminous armour. i was wondeirng whihc defensive spells to take considering mage armour isnt abjuration (as we all know). You also read my mind lol, I'm going to be using both scout and swiftblade, in fact swiftblade is the class I'm building around. I'm not sure about throwing in too many classes like you have, but if it makes the build better I migh tdo so.
Thanks for the pointers eggs and Muse.
Herr atm its looking like Sorc 6/Swiftblade10/Ab Champ 1/Sorc 3//Scout 16/Ab Champ 4 however the ab champ levels will be mixed in with the scout ones so I dont lose any casting.

[DoughGuy]

The forum had an error when I posted so this didnt get bumped up when I posted my last post. Sorry for the double post.

[Spuddles]

The Abjurant champion isn't a dual advancement class. They're referring to things like the Mystic Theurge when they made that announcement.

What the rules have to say of the matter:


A gestalt character can’t combine two prestige classes at any level, although it’s okay to combine a prestige class and a regular class. Prestige classes that are essentially class combinations-such as the arcane trickster, mystic theurge, and eldritch knight-should be prohibited if you’re using gestalt classes, because they unduly complicate the game balance of what’s already a high-powered variant. Because it’s possible for gestalt characters to qualify for prestige classes earlier than normal, the game master is entirely justified in toughening the prerequisites of a prestige class so it’s available only after 5th level, even for gestalt characters.

[Lanaya]

What the rules have to say of the matter:

'Tis fine, the DM is very lax on gestalt rules in this case and is perfectly happy to have dual advancement prestige classes on both sides if people want.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Definitely dip a level of Cloistered Cleric for Travel Devotion and the turn uses to power it, it's fairly necessary for most skirmish builds. You may as well get Knowledge Devotion, as it always gives you at least +1 to attack and damage against every opponent if you put one rank into every relevant knowledge skill. For your final domain choice, something like Luck, Celerity, Time, or Planning would be good, or another strong devotion feat is also useful. Remember you can use wands of Cleric spells, including spells from your domain lists. If you pick up Versatile Spellcaster you can even spend Sorcerer spell slots two at a time to cast any Cleric spell of one level higher. With the Time domain and Versatile Spellcaster you can meet the Haste prerequisite of Swiftblade at Sorcerer 4.

If you can take two prestige classes at the same level, you may as well mix in another extremely strong dip like Incantatrix 3 or 4, Divine Oracle up to 4, or maybe a few Paragnostic Apostle (Mind Over Matter, Spatial Awareness). You can get Iron Will for Incantatrix via the Otyugh Hole, or Skill Focus for Divine Oracle via the Frog God's Fane, both in Complete Scoundrel, without having to spend a feat on either one. With Incantatrix you can use Metamagic Effect and Cooperative Metamagic to add Persistent Spell to your buffs, though you'll want to take Item Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/magic/itemFamiliars.htm) at 3rd for the invested skill ranks bonus, or get a custom item with a Competence bonus to Spellcraft, which can go as high as +30 pre-epic. Remember that you can take ten on those checks, and Cooperative Metamagic works on your own spells because action economy doesn't exist outside of combat.

[jedipilot24]

A Battle Sorcerer can qualify for Abjurant Champion at level 7 without any multiclassing or lost caster levels and you can make it a Stalwart Battle Sorcerer without any real problems. Combine with the Metamagic Specialist variant even longer-lasting abjurations.

Wizard 6/Ruathar 3 will also do the trick.