Crazy Cupcake
2012-09-20, 05:33 AM
I'm trying to build a Shadowcraft Mage for a high-level gestalt campaign that I'll be playing in. I've read over a lot of sources, but I can't quite get a build together that I like. I was hoping you guys could help me out a bit.
The basic premise is that he will be a gnome (a standard one, as only the base races are being allowed) who relies on Invisible Needle and his sneak attack damage for most attacks, and only calls out the 'big guns' when they're really necessary. He instead prefers to save his spells for more utilitarian or illusion crafting situations since, you know, he's an illusionist. I know that Invisible Needle isn't considered a super fantastic feat and I can do more damage through other means, but I like the idea of it and will be sticking with it as a core concept of the character. :)
My basic build idea is this:
Race: Middle-Aged Gnome
Classes - Side 1: Wizard (Illusionist) 3/Master Specialist 4/Shadowcraft Mage 8
Classes - Side 2: Rogue 15
Abandoned Schools: Conjuration, Evocation, and Necromancy
Alternate Class Features: Chains of Disbelief, Focused Specialist, Gnome Illusionist Substitution Level 1, Illusion Mastery
Ability Scores (Rolled plus Race, Age, and Level): Str 5, Dex 9, Con 12, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 17
Notable Feats: Spell Focus (Illusion), Invisible Needle, Signature Spell (Minor Image), Heighten Spell, Zen Archery, Insightful Reflexes, and Knowledge Devotion. Four more feats are available due to house rules. Earth Sense and Earth Spell are on the list of potential ideas. I can also take a flaw, but I'd like to avoid that unless I really need the extra feat.
Notable Skills: Most of the Knowledge and social skills, plus Spellcraft and Use Magic Device. Remaining points will go into some roguey things like Hide, Move Silently, and Appraise, as well as a few choice skill tricks like Heightened Concentration and Collector of Stories.
The Rogue side could use the most help, but it's been rough for me because I'm a stickler for keeping the flavor and intent of prestige classes and really hate "dipping"-style multiclassing (especially in a gestalt game). I also want to avoid picking up things like Craven or Martial Stance. Other than that, I'm relatively open to improving that side of the equation a bit, though vanilla Rogue 15 gives me a lot of nice things, too; tons of skill points, defensive abilities, and of course all that sneak attack damage.
I'm pretty clueless about what magic items to pick, too. I was thinking a Ring of Blinking and/or Cloak of Displacement might be a good idea, as well as a few +ability score and +competence skill bonus items. Other than that? Clueless. :D
Anyway, thank you in advance for your advice. I look forward to seeing your recommendations.
The basic premise is that he will be a gnome (a standard one, as only the base races are being allowed) who relies on Invisible Needle and his sneak attack damage for most attacks, and only calls out the 'big guns' when they're really necessary. He instead prefers to save his spells for more utilitarian or illusion crafting situations since, you know, he's an illusionist. I know that Invisible Needle isn't considered a super fantastic feat and I can do more damage through other means, but I like the idea of it and will be sticking with it as a core concept of the character. :)
My basic build idea is this:
Race: Middle-Aged Gnome
Classes - Side 1: Wizard (Illusionist) 3/Master Specialist 4/Shadowcraft Mage 8
Classes - Side 2: Rogue 15
Abandoned Schools: Conjuration, Evocation, and Necromancy
Alternate Class Features: Chains of Disbelief, Focused Specialist, Gnome Illusionist Substitution Level 1, Illusion Mastery
Ability Scores (Rolled plus Race, Age, and Level): Str 5, Dex 9, Con 12, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 17
Notable Feats: Spell Focus (Illusion), Invisible Needle, Signature Spell (Minor Image), Heighten Spell, Zen Archery, Insightful Reflexes, and Knowledge Devotion. Four more feats are available due to house rules. Earth Sense and Earth Spell are on the list of potential ideas. I can also take a flaw, but I'd like to avoid that unless I really need the extra feat.
Notable Skills: Most of the Knowledge and social skills, plus Spellcraft and Use Magic Device. Remaining points will go into some roguey things like Hide, Move Silently, and Appraise, as well as a few choice skill tricks like Heightened Concentration and Collector of Stories.
The Rogue side could use the most help, but it's been rough for me because I'm a stickler for keeping the flavor and intent of prestige classes and really hate "dipping"-style multiclassing (especially in a gestalt game). I also want to avoid picking up things like Craven or Martial Stance. Other than that, I'm relatively open to improving that side of the equation a bit, though vanilla Rogue 15 gives me a lot of nice things, too; tons of skill points, defensive abilities, and of course all that sneak attack damage.
I'm pretty clueless about what magic items to pick, too. I was thinking a Ring of Blinking and/or Cloak of Displacement might be a good idea, as well as a few +ability score and +competence skill bonus items. Other than that? Clueless. :D
Anyway, thank you in advance for your advice. I look forward to seeing your recommendations.