Test of Ice and Mettle

[Ammutseba]

Imagine if you will, a decent, strong Viking man. His name is Arvid Kjetil Omdahl. He is twenty-five years old, six foot four, with blond hair and green eyes. He wears a beard and mustache, the armor of his father and his father before him, and wields a wide iron sword he prizes so greatly that he's named it Sif. His bloodline descends on his mother's side from the noble cloud giants (human, intermediate cloud giant bloodline). He's a character, so of course he's got ability scores. They go like this: 15, 13, 16, 10, 13 and 10. He is Lawful Neutral. Also, Arvid has taken the Vulnerable and Weak Will flaws and has no Traits, but has taken EWP (bastard sword) with the bonus feat from one of the flaws.

Now here's the kicker: Arvid is a level 9 wizard. Specifically, he is an anagakok. His familiar is a raven, and he has taken both of his bloodline levels.

For note, Arvid adventures with some companions. These characters are level 9, as well. One of them is a Knight named Baldr Adamsen, one is a Healer named Maiken Nass, and one is a Scout (Sniper variant) named Agathe Raske. None of them multiclass. All of them are living humans with at least a single minor bloodline and no more than a single major bloodline, and no one can have attained LA greater than +1 from anywhere. None of them are dragonborns.

All of these characters are working with a 28 point buy, and are allowed to have up to 1 trait and 2 flaws. No single item from their WBL may cost more than one third of their total wealth allotted. They may not share WBL when determining their starting gear. None of them can have cohorts or followers, and none of them may hire NPCs to travel with them.

Arvid and his company are facing a difficult campaign. They will have limited access to civilization; no city they encounter will have a community wealth GP limit greater than 1,500, and they will be spending at least 4/5ths of their time outside of cities. Most of the places they'll be going are of the sorts you can expect to find in Frostburn and Stormwrack, and none of their venues will have an average yearly outdoor temperature higher than 45 degrees Fahrenheit. To make life more difficult for them, any encounters they come across will have a CR of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 greater than their group ECL, but will provide experience for overcoming them of only 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 CRs greater than their group ECL, and wealth of only 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 CRs greater than their group ECL, respectively.

No infinite loops are allowed, no genies may be conjured or summoned, and no one may ever acquire a candle of invocation. Similar cheese is likewise banned.

Any suggestions on how we get Arvid and his companions to survive until level 14?

[Hikarizu]

It's simple, we kill become the Batman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104002)

[Randomguy]

Some options that could make you last a little longer (wall of text incoming):

Vow of poverty. No, really: With VoP as your feat for 9th level, you could spend the money you had before that on grafts and Tomes. This only works if the DM lets you start this way, having already spent money (max limit WBL 8th, of course) before having taken VoP. This might be best on the Healer, since that's the only class here I can think of that isn't heavily cash dependant.

Crafting: If you can get downtime in a safe place, like a ropetrick or a secure shelter, you could make some useful stuff with money that you can't spend in town. I'd suggest getting only Craft Wondrous item. Scribe scroll might be useful, too. You might need to buy an alchemists lab or something, though, to get the required special materials.

Collegiate Wizard feat: It doesn't make any sense in the setting, but it would be a huge boost. Maybe Arvid learned at a cloud giant magic school?

Stat rearangements for your character: See if you can swap Strength and Intelligence. It's not necessary though, since you could get an item to boost your intelligence to cast higher level spells.

Careful spell management: Avoid spells with DC's. Use battlefield control to boost your allies. Seek out spells that have benefits from high CL. Get every spell you need to make surviving in the cold a non-issue, such as rope trick, endure elements and so on. Grab some reserve feats (I recommend Fiery Burst) and prepare the right spells to use them (so one high level blasty spell for fiery burst). The summon elemental reserve feat is also useful, but only if you plan on actually going into dungeons, and the healing reserve feat might be a good choice for the healer, to keep the party healthy.

Careful bloodline level management: If you took both of your bloodline levels at level 1, then you're only 2000 xp behind the normal amount of XP you should have. Also, note that you have the caster level and maximum skill points (but not total skill points) of a level 11 wizard. You can use this to get into prestige classes early, though you're already a high enough level that it doesn't really matter.

Bloodlines with Synergy: Cloud giant bloodline and wizard don't have much synergy, but try and give the other characters some, if you can.

Prestige Classes: You can start going into a good prestige class right away. Some good ones are Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil, Archmage, Loremaster, so on. You might also want to look into a gish PrC that doesn't lose any caster levels: After level 10 you can jump right into Abjurant Champion, for example, without losing any levels of wizard casting.
The scout might benefit from taking a level of sorcerer or wizard and then going into Unseen Seer, for more casting and much faster than normal Skrimish progression.

Templates: A good LA+1 template might be a good idea. I heard that Arctic, Feral, White Dragonspawn and Mineral Warrior were all good.

Teamwork: Make sure you have a setup that lets the scout skirmish on a full attack every round. Possibly Floating disk: The scout stands on the disk, and you move every round so that the scout moves with you and gets skirmish.

Planar Binding + summoning: See if you're still allowed to use this. Not necessarily for cheese, but just for regular help. If the healer takes VoP, you could summon something and pay it the Healer's share of treasure. You could planar bind some things as mounts.
Planar binding help might be better when you've got a specific goal or quest, like "stop the evil X", since angels would be more likely to help you against demons or undead then to just help you survive.
You can also use summoning spells to save money: Use summon monster to get a Lantern Archon to make some everburning torches for you, and you won't have to buy them.

Most importantly: Preperation. You won't survive without being well enough prepared at this point. I'm talking stuff like telekinesis (or ring of telekinesis) + pile of swords combo, or Shrink item on water + Water to Acid to drop on enemies, Huge boulders of ice shrunk to a manageable size that you chuck at enemies in antimagic fields, and a few books full of Explosive runes kept in places where they're safe from dispelling (like a handy haversack). Get a contingency for when bad things happen.
One of the most important things is to always have an escape plan, if things get too hairy. Either teleport or Plane Shift would work for this.

Last but not least: Move somewhere else. The border's open, you can cast teleport, go visit hawaii. If the entire world's frozen over, then go to another plane. Of course that's only part of the problem, but it can still help.

[MesiDoomstalker]

Even simpler. Tell your crazy DM that you won't play in a campaign where your challenged and not rewarded for the challenge. I understand the desire to play a "harsh" game, and having many above ECL CR encounters won't be a bad thing (assuming you get more frequent breaks to recharge whatever resources neccessary), getting EXP and loot that is propotional to a less challenging encounter is just stupid and only reason seems to be put you on a slow downward spiral to a TPK.

[Eurus]

How on earth did a character with 10 intelligence make it to level 9 of wizard?

[Ammutseba]

Even simpler. Tell your crazy DM that you won't play in a campaign where your challenged and not rewarded for the challenge. I understand the desire to play a "harsh" game, and having many above ECL CR encounters won't be a bad thing (assuming you get more frequent breaks to recharge whatever resources neccessary), getting EXP and loot that is propotional to a less challenging encounter is just stupid and only reason seems to be put you on a slow downward spiral to a TPK.

I'mma just handle this one before the others. First, I'm going to apologize, because I seem to have given you the wrong impression with the OP. I am sorry about that.

This isn't a campaign. It's a challenge. The OP details the terms of the challenge, which I wrote up while very, very tired and in between making material for an entire martial healer class from 2 and 7 this morning. Assumedly, to give my brain a break from class-making, but I also know I was doing a fair bit of hallucinating, so it may have just been from impaired judgment. Anyway, the point is that I'm thinking about re-writing the OP so that it contains all of the same information, but presented in a better order for understanding the challenge.


Some options that could make you last a little longer (wall of text incoming):

Vow of poverty. No, really: With VoP as your feat for 9th level, you could spend the money you had before that on grafts and Tomes. This only works if the DM lets you start this way, having already spent money (max limit WBL 8th, of course) before having taken VoP. This might be best on the Healer, since that's the only class here I can think of that isn't heavily cash dependant.

Crafting: If you can get downtime in a safe place, like a ropetrick or a secure shelter, you could make some useful stuff with money that you can't spend in town. I'd suggest getting only Craft Wondrous item. Scribe scroll might be useful, too. You might need to buy an alchemists lab or something, though, to get the required special materials.

Collegiate Wizard feat: It doesn't make any sense in the setting, but it would be a huge boost. Maybe Arvid learned at a cloud giant magic school?

Stat rearangements for your character: See if you can swap Strength and Intelligence. It's not necessary though, since you could get an item to boost your intelligence to cast higher level spells.

Careful spell management: Avoid spells with DC's. Use battlefield control to boost your allies. Seek out spells that have benefits from high CL. Get every spell you need to make surviving in the cold a non-issue, such as rope trick, endure elements and so on. Grab some reserve feats (I recommend Fiery Burst) and prepare the right spells to use them (so one high level blasty spell for fiery burst). The summon elemental reserve feat is also useful, but only if you plan on actually going into dungeons, and the healing reserve feat might be a good choice for the healer, to keep the party healthy.

Careful bloodline level management: If you took both of your bloodline levels at level 1, then you're only 2000 xp behind the normal amount of XP you should have. Also, note that you have the caster level and maximum skill points (but not total skill points) of a level 11 wizard. You can use this to get into prestige classes early, though you're already a high enough level that it doesn't really matter.

Bloodlines with Synergy: Cloud giant bloodline and wizard don't have much synergy, but try and give the other characters some, if you can.

Prestige Classes: You can start going into a good prestige class right away. Some good ones are Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil, Archmage, Loremaster, so on. You might also want to look into a gish PrC that doesn't lose any caster levels: After level 10 you can jump right into Abjurant Champion, for example, without losing any levels of wizard casting.
The scout might benefit from taking a level of sorcerer or wizard and then going into Unseen Seer, for more casting and much faster than normal Skrimish progression.

Templates: A good LA+1 template might be a good idea. I heard that Arctic, Feral, White Dragonspawn and Mineral Warrior were all good.

Teamwork: Make sure you have a setup that lets the scout skirmish on a full attack every round. Possibly Floating disk: The scout stands on the disk, and you move every round so that the scout moves with you and gets skirmish.

Planar Binding + summoning: See if you're still allowed to use this. Not necessarily for cheese, but just for regular help. If the healer takes VoP, you could summon something and pay it the Healer's share of treasure. You could planar bind some things as mounts.
Planar binding help might be better when you've got a specific goal or quest, like "stop the evil X", since angels would be more likely to help you against demons or undead then to just help you survive.
You can also use summoning spells to save money: Use summon monster to get a Lantern Archon to make some everburning torches for you, and you won't have to buy them.

Most importantly: Preperation. You won't survive without being well enough prepared at this point. I'm talking stuff like telekinesis (or ring of telekinesis) + pile of swords combo, or Shrink item on water + Water to Acid to drop on enemies, Huge boulders of ice shrunk to a manageable size that you chuck at enemies in antimagic fields, and a few books full of Explosive runes kept in places where they're safe from dispelling (like a handy haversack). Get a contingency for when bad things happen.
One of the most important things is to always have an escape plan, if things get too hairy. Either teleport or Plane Shift would work for this.

Last but not least: Move somewhere else. The border's open, you can cast teleport, go visit hawaii. If the entire world's frozen over, then go to another plane. Of course that's only part of the problem, but it can still help.

I am enamored with this entire post. Really, this is just fantastic. It makes me wish we had an applause smiley on this forum.

On VoP: Good idea! :smallbiggrin:

Crafting, Collegiate Wizard: Good, good.

Stat rearrangement: This is again, a challenge, so rearrangement is not an option.

Careful spell management: Yes, that is going to be paramount, isn't it?

Bloodline management: Always a good idea.

Prestige classes: None of them multiclass, remember? That would include prestige classes. Sorry :smallfrown:

Templates: I've heard much of the same.

Teamwork: I can't imagine any other way these poor souls would survive, but the skirmish suggestion won't work. Agathe is a Sniper, and those don't get skirmish (or fast movement). They get Sniper Shot, which gives +Xd6 damage to ranged attacks made as full-round actions.

Planar Binding + summoning: If not for cheese, this is admissible. As such, it will probably see heavy use, if someone can manage to cast it, somehow.

Being prepared: Like teamwork, I'm pretty sure none of these characters would be alive at level 9 if they couldn't be prepared.

Moving: Sorry, Randomguy. That won't be happening a whole lot, as the party will be spending most of its time in the cold and the wet, just per the terms of the challenge.


How on earth did a character with 10 intelligence make it to level 9 of wizard?

You know what? I don't know. Probably with a whole lot of luck (which is cool, because he is an anagakok), some very wise choices, and a lot of support from his much more effective (per their classes) companions.

[Chambers]

Stat rearrangement: This is again, a challenge, so rearrangement is not an option.

Honestly, until you change his Intelligence to something appropriate for a Wizard I don't think there's any point in offering any other suggestions. Why go to all the trouble of designing an interesting campaign challenge when you then handicap your character to the point where he's worse than the monk? Arvid can cast cantrips; that won't help him survive these ECL +5 fights.

His party level is 9; the Nalfeshnee (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/demon.htm#nalfeshnee), Werewolf Lord (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/lycanthrope.htm#WerewolfLord), and Mature Adult Black Dragon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/dragonTrue.htm#blackDragon) would all be CR 14 encounters by themselves. What's he going to do against them with his d4 hit die, poor bab, and no class features to speak of? Unless he takes Armor Proficiency feats he can't wear armor either. He's going to get wiped in a few rounds and then the dragon eats the rest of the party.

Or he could face a 12 Headed Pryo or Cryo Hydra (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/hydra.htm) and be burned/frozen to death by a single standard action.

[MesiDoomstalker]

I'mma just handle this one before the others. First, I'm going to apologize, because I seem to have given you the wrong impression with the OP. I am sorry about that.

This isn't a campaign. It's a challenge. The OP details the terms of the challenge, which I wrote up while very, very tired and in between making material for an entire martial healer class from 2 and 7 this morning. Assumedly, to give my brain a break from class-making, but I also know I was doing a fair bit of hallucinating, so it may have just been from impaired judgment. Anyway, the point is that I'm thinking about re-writing the OP so that it contains all of the same information, but presented in a better order for understanding the challenge.


Ah ok, I getcha. So the stuff that doesn't make anysense to me as a player is intentional.

I'll mimic what the others said and start inveseting in as much Int boosting as possible. Spend as much WBL on a Helm of Int +X you can, upgrading as you go. You should be able to grab at least +2 right now, maybe +4. Put your stat points into Int and you'll be able to cast 9ths in time. A +4 item gives you up to 4th level spells, but access to 5ths, so that kind of sucks. At 12, you'll have another Int point so, thats 5th (after getting 6ths) but you should be able to upgrade to full +6 item by then too, so thats all the way up to 8th level, putting your 16th level point in int for 19 Int right before 9th level spells