[3.5] Can You Outfit my PC?

[redzimmer]

If this is re-post I would really love the link.

If not, then this would be a lovely place to post suggested gear for PCs.

Onto business. Can you suggest gear for a level 5/5 CN halfling cleric-wizard?

I have access to most of the 3.5 books, but almost no 3rd party.

Standard gp for < level 1 (49,000gp I think).

Thanks either way.

[Gavinfoxx]

Cleric 5/Wizard 5?

Uhm.... Do you have any idea how monumentally bad that is? Cause it is.

Also, why would WE outfit YOUR PC unless you are paying us?

Especially if you didn't give us a budget (ie, GP of the character)?

How about this. I'll give you some links that might help you from making a bunch of huuuge mistakes (which you are already making).

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=394
http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1238

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3545
http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=185

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225901
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3092

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1281

http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1002
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4400
http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=12795
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148101
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149464
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=187851

[redzimmer]

Added GP. Why? Because I wanted to run a 5/5 cleric wizard halfling.

[Gavinfoxx]

Well, for one thing, you can get the same but better with Mystic Theurge, especially with early entry tricks, so you could do a Wizard1/Cleric1/Mystic Theurge 8. Or you could do an Archivist 10, and simply find access to any Wizard spells you want in scrolls via one of the many ways there are to do that, cast via your divine 'prayerbook'. Or you could be a (say) Cleric 10, with the appropriate domains (magic, spell, rune, etc.), and get a few Wizard scrolls of vital Wizard spells that you need, and cast them from there, or other Wizard-only items.

The point of it is... higher level spells aren't just a little bit better than spell levels before them. Spell power from spell levels amounts to an exponential increase in power and versatility over time. Cleric is a powerful class because it gets access to fantastic high level spells extremely early. Wizard is a powerful class because it gets access to fantastic high level spells extremely early. And further, the game expects certain access to certain types of magic at particular points, and if you are in a game where a group expects you to be a competent wizard or a competent cleric, than wizard5/cleric5 will abjectly fail at that. Think of it this way. What particular level 2, 3, 4, 5 Wizard spells do you want to cast, to do the theme of your character? What particular 2, 3, 4, 5 Cleric spells do you want to cast to do the theme of your character?

[redzimmer]

What particular level 2, 3, 4, 5 Wizard spells do you want to cast, to do the theme of your character? What particular 2, 3, 4, 5 Cleric spells do you want to cast to do the theme of your character?

Maximized bless water.

[Gavinfoxx]

Maximized bless water.

Ha ha, funny. Please tell me your concept and what you see your character doing, so I can actually help. Thanks.

[redzimmer]

IC he is a halfling cleric of Brandobaris who is sick and tired of seeing the big folk get all the good magic abilities, so he steals some spellbooks and self-teaches himself arcane magic to better his people.

He evetually wants to start magical academy for halflings. His spellbook would deal mostly with abjurations and/or enchantments, as a fireball-blasting hobbit would draw the attention of too many tall folks.

As for clerical, also deals with buffing his better pc allies.

[Gavinfoxx]

So why not just be a Wizard? There are plenty of great Wizard buffing spells! Or just have him be an Archivist, and have him have stolen a prayerbook (for Archivist), so he can have ONE base class, follow a god, AND take lots of scrolls. He can steal magic from Adepts, Clerics, Druids, Rangers, Paladins, Shugenja, Healers, Divine Bards, etc. etc. etc.

[Saidoro]

Since the fact that you're going cleric 5/wizard 5 instead of the strictly better cleric 5/wizard3/Mystic Theurge 2 or the not strictly better but still massively superior cleric 3/wizard 3/Mystic Theurge 4 suggests to me that you're actively trying to build a weak character, I'm going to suggest blowing it all on rods of wonder (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#wonder). You can afford four of them, use two yourself and give two to your familiar.

Alternately, you could change your build to cleric 3/wizard 3/Mystic Theurge 4 and I'll give you some useful advice for kitting out a reasonably competent character. I just don't feel like spending my time making very minor improvements to a near-useless build when I can increase it's efficacy tenfold with a three second suggestions.

[AzazelSephiroth]

Well I am no expert on dual caster builds so my advice may be weak, but here goes:

I suggest you hit the big items first... a periapt of WIS; a headband of INT; a ring of spell storing (minor) may be helpful for holding up to 3 more spell levels of magic for you to use daily; obviously a good selection of scrolls for when/if you run low of daily spells on the cleric or wizard side; a cloak of resistance will be handy for your poor reflex and fort saves; if you have access to PHB2 try twighlight enhancement on your armor to lower that spell failure rate, you can with mithral chain shirt+twighlight have no spell failure and a decent ac still; oh and least I forget a wand of cure light or cure mod wounds will be critical! It allows so much daily healing for its cost it is a mandatory item:smallsmile:; lastly if you still have the gold a magic crossbow will keep you out of harms way, and some pearls of power can come in handy for some extra spell oomph!

I hope these ideas helped a little and do not feel bad about not having a "superior" build... as long as you are having fun you are not doing anything wrong!:smallbiggrin:

[ericgrau]

Build:
Wizard 3 / Cleric 3 / Mystic Theurge 4. Now you are basically a wizard 7 and a cleric 7 at level 10. And it's more than fair, if not slightly weak. You could use earlier entry into MT with a build someone else suggested, but make sure your DM allows it first since it's a bit cheesy.

Items:

2-3 lesser rods of extend spell - 6,000-9,000 gp. For all those buffs.
lesser rod of quicken spell - 35,000 gp. For round/level buffs.
Browse the wondrous item section and ring section of the DMG. Look at all the nifty items under 2,000 gp and pick your favorites.
1000 gp in diamond dust if you select stoneskin (see below)


I tried to select subtle spells for you to use below.

Wizard Spells
1: mage armor, unseen servant, alarm, feather fall
2: resist energy, see invisibility, invisibility, false life
3: heroism, haste, greater magic weapon
4: stoneskin, dimension door, confusion, greater invisibility

Cleric Spells
1: bless, sanctuary
2: resist energy, lesser restoration, shield other
3: dispel magic, magic circle against evil, protection from energy, magic vestment, prayer
4: air walk, imbue with spell ability (shield other), restoration, freedom of movement

Wizard Scrolls (775 gp)
1: disgusie self x 2, enlarge person x 3, reduce person x 2, tenser's floating disk (caster level 3) x 2
2: locate object x 1, spider climb x 2

Cleric Scrolls (950 gp)
1: comprehend languages x 2, endure elements x 4 (or the size of your party), remove fear x 2,
2: lesser restoration x 2, delay poison x 1, remove paralysis x 1, silence x 1

Strategy
In the morning cast your hour/level duration spells. When you first enter a dungeon cast your 10 min/level duration spells. Use your less rods of extend spell on some of those. During combat cast a round/level buff then use your lesser rod of quicken spell to cast another round/level buff. Haste and prayer is an awesome combo, for example. Then switch to more offensive spells like 1 or more confusion spells while continuing to quicken buffs or cure spells. You might also use greater invisibility to save a wounded ally then quicken another spell.

Sample fight:
1: haste, quicken prayer
2: confusion, quicken bless.
3: greater invisibility (on hurt ally), quicken cure serious wounds (on a different hurt ally) or if there is none then quicken sanctuary (on self)
4: confusion again or greater invisibility again or cure critical wounds

By round 2 your allies already have an extra attack, +3 to hit, +1 damage, +1 AC, +1 to most other rolls and +30 feet of speed. That's on top of the many many buffs you gave everybody a long time ago using your other spells. And none of these spells make a big flash.

[RFLS]

Guys...he wasn't asking for build advice. He was asking for equipment advice. Don't be jerks about it, not everyone optimizes or cares about optimizing.

For equipment- you'll want protective gear. Cloak of resistance, ring of protection, bracers of armor, etcetera. Saves are a little more important than AC, because you shouldn't be getting hit too much.

Get Int/Wis boosting items for obvious reasons. You should get scrolls of spells that are nice to have when you need them but don't come up very often, especially because you're a prepared caster on both sides. You should also acquire a few wands of spells you're casting almost continually (Cure Light Wounds is a good one).

Given that your character seems to be about having solutions, I would recommend taking a note from this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148101). The only other recommendation I have is getting a staff or two, but I can't make particular recommendations because I've avoided learning staff rules >.<

[ericgrau]

I can see not telling him to go wizard 1 / cleric 1 / MT 8 because that's heavily optimizing. Or not telling him that a caster hybrid is a bad idea because that goes against his concept and ruins his fun. But wizard 3 / cleric 3 / MT 4 is pretty basic even without optimizing. It's probably an honest mistake he made.

[Saidoro]

Guys...he wasn't asking for build advice. He was asking for equipment advice. Don't be jerks about it, not everyone optimizes or cares about optimizing.

I just don't feel like spending my time making very minor improvements to a near-useless build when I can increase it's efficacy tenfold with a three second suggestions.
He asked for suggestions for making his character better. I deviated somewhat from his specifications in an attempt to better serve his request. I admit to being more sarcastic than may have been necessary, but I felt it would help drive the point home. It is difficult to adequately express the degree to which his underlying intent(as I understood it, I could have been wrong) of building a competent character is better served by a mystic theurge than by what he currently has.

[Roland St. Jude]

He asked for suggestions for making his character better.

No, he really didn't. He asked for appropriate gear for a certain character. While it is certainly possible to improve on his class selection to increase effectiveness, it's not what he asked. It's not even implied in what he asked.

Sheriff: Thread locked for review.