Shadow Flavored Melee/Caster Character

[Ormagoden]

NOTE: This thread was very helpful but no new suggestions are needed! Thanks!


Ok, so I'm having some trouble.

I haven't posted a help request in a while, but I'm in some serious need at the moment.

I am currently attempting to create a character for a friend with the following Criteria.


Uses a great sword and is a accomplished fighter.
Has very good command over shadows.
They can use shadows to Hide.
They can use shadows to teleport.
They can use shadows to attack.
They can use shadows to cause madness.
The character is 9th level.
All Dragon mag stuff is out.
All other 3.5 books are open for use. (No PF)
Starting gold is 23,000gp


So my main problem is I am having extreme difficulty making this character functional in both Melee and casting.

Now I've tried a couple of builds out and I'm not really satisfied with them.
If you can provide me with some help or build suggestions that would be great. Keep in mind that I really don't want to settle. I want this character to be the best I can make them be. Even if I have to rely on items to get the desired traits it's better than nothing.

Builds I've tried and disliked.

Sorcerer 6/ Nightmare spinner 3
Fighter 2/ Sorcerer 5/ Spell sword 1/ Eldritch knight 1


Any suggestions or advise would be greatly appreciated!

[Snowbluff]

Did I ever tell you about Teleportron the abusive? (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=261277) Even if you don't want to use it, the fundamentals are rather handy.

A Shadowdance/TFSL would do rather well.

[Ormagoden]

It's an interesting build focused on teleportation.
Not exactly what I'm looking for though.

[Morbis Meh]

Well... if you want a shadow themed character then your best option by far is via the killer gnome route (toned down of course)

If flaws are allowed then your progression should look something like this:
Wizard 1 (Use Gnome racial substitution level 1 for this): Heighten Spell (flaw), Spell Focus (Illusion) (flaw), Martial Weapon Prof
Wizard 2
Master Specialist 1 (You may need to look up skill requirements I am AFB atm): Earth Sense for your feat (need wis and con of at least 13)
Master Specialist 2
Master Specialist 3
Shadowcrafter/Master Specialist 4/Shadow Adept1 (look at the requirements for each; shadowcraft can be done via spell compendium): Earth Spell for your feat
Shadow crafter 2/Master Specialist 5/Shadow Adept2
Shadowcraft Gnome 1(this is manditory and you need to take shadow conjuration as a spell as well as ranks in hide)
Shadowcrafter Gnome 2: Arcane disciple (if you do this take Competition Domain and have a wis of at least 14 or 15)

At level 9 he gains Polymorph and thus can turn into a Cave Troll, if he is a good character (have no idea but could happen) he can cast luminous armor and have really high AC on top of Sick str to help out his abysmal BaB then cast Divine power to jack his strength even higher and give him full BaB. Shadow craft gnome gives him a built in ability to creat his own shadow bubble to hide in, he can take the shadow walk spell for teleportation or just refluffing. Using shadows to attack is the whole schtick of shadow craft gnome since the 3rd level ability allows them to use silent image/minor image etc to turn into any evoc spell, summoning spell (except gate) and several conjuration spells. The whole maddness via shadow can be done with a spell from the spell compendium that temporarily sends its victim to the shadow plane causing them to come back shaken or something...

[Fable Wright]

I've heard tell of Shadowcaster gishes, but I'm not entirely sure about the level distribution to make you very good at combat. Maybe something along the lines of Ranger 1/Shadowcaster 4/Impure Prince 4, going up to Impure Prince 5, Cyran Avenger, and finishing up with filler like Ruathar and Dragonslayer. You're not too good a fighter, but you have +7 BAB, which is respectable enough. You also have not-terrible shadowcasting ability, which is more what your player wants, I think. Let's see, at CL 7, you have Flicker for teleportation (going into the Ebon Road line later), Shadow Evocation for attacking someone with shadows (Close enough, and also maybe Sharp Shadows), Sight Eclipsed and Hide as a trained skill for hiding in shadows, and oddly enough nothing for madness. If you (re)fluff the Darkened Alleys line, it might work for him, though- causing fear and sickness can be fluffed into a flavor of madness, though Insanity and Confusion effects are oddly enough absent from Shadowcasting. It's a start, at least. You can't start with that and Shadow Evocation, though, so you may have to make some compromises.

[Ormagoden]

I kept seeing killer gnome come up during my searches.
I didn't really look into it because I felt like I couldn't squeeze out that whole "is an accomplished warrior fighting with a great sword" thing.

I feel like the KG is 75% there. Turning into a cave troll (or some such) is a great option but I just don't think it fits the theme. I'm relativity sure the player doesn't want to melee as a troll.

From an optimization point the Killer gnome is fantastic and oh so close to target. What kind of options could we sneak in for that whole melee thing?


I equate fear and madness. That's why I was shooting for nightmare spinner to really flavor the build. Good suggestions! keepem coming!

[eggs]

I'd probably combine ToB and Cleric with either a Cloistered Cleric 4/Crusader 1/Ruby Knight Vindicator 4 with trickery and shadow domains or Swordsage 1/Cleric 2/Master of Shrouds 6 with dragon below and trickery domains to combine hide skills, Shadow Hand maneuvers (including teleports) with Allip and capital-S Shadow summons to essentially attack and drive people mad.

[Toliudar]

With a bit of refluffing, a swordsage accomplishes all of this. Shadow Jaunt for teleportation. Child of Shadow stance and Cloak of Deception to have you always shrouded in shadows. Refluff Shadow Garotte to cause the target to choke up with fear and madness.

If you want to emphasize the shadow-ness of the character, toss on the Dark template from Tome of Magic, or finish with two levels of Shadowdancer. Done.

[jokeaccount]

Level 9 is a bit low for this but the Shade template accomplishes the following:

(I'm assuming ToB is out since shadow hand accomplishes most of those)

Has very good command over shadows.
They can use shadows to Hide.
They can use shadows to teleport.
They can use shadows to attack (through them, not make shadow tentacles or w/e)

It also gives you a greater teleport SLA 1/day which is dope and the teleport is once every 2 rounds = dope again. Combine with Telflammar Shadow Lord shadowpounce and you can: Tele-full attack, move away and hide using HiPS from the Collar of Umbral Metamorphosis item (Tome of Magic). You can also use invisibility as SLA once per round. Finally you can control light around you which might be interesting in some RP scenarios. The LA is the only thing that destroys this template though (+4) but i've heard of DMs reducing it since its is not that overpowered...

[Ormagoden]

Thanks for the help everyone one!

Ultimately I decided on going with Swordsage. It seems like the obvious choice but it didn't even cross my radar to think to use it.

So, When I'm finished is anyone interested in looking at the build? It'll be rather bland since it will mostly be Shadow Hand maneuvers and some other maneuvers if I can refluff them convincingly enough.


Thanks again for the suggestions and the fast response! From the Biggest Titan to the littlest Pixie everyone had some great suggestions and really helped out! I knew the GIANT would come through!

[limejuicepowder]

How bout....binder 4 swordsage 3 warlock 2 (not sure about the order)

human for the extra feat, probably. Your definitely going to need improved binding (ToM), shadow blade (ToB), and blend in to shadows (DotU).

Take the darkness and devil's sight invocations, allowing you to cast darkness at will and also see through it. The blend in to shadows feat lets you make hide checks during combat.

Bind paimon - he gives some serious sword wizardry, along with a nice boost to dex.

For the swordsage levels, take mostly shadow hand, as detailed above.

[Morbis Meh]

How bout....binder 4 swordsage 3 warlock 2 (not sure about the order)

human for the extra feat, probably. Your definitely going to need improved binding (ToM), shadow blade (ToB), and blend in to shadows (DotU).

Take the darkness and devil's sight invocations, allowing you to cast darkness at will and also see through it. The blend in to shadows feat lets you make hide checks during combat.

Bind paimon - he gives some serious sword wizardry, along with a nice boost to dex.

For the swordsage levels, take mostly shadow hand, as detailed above.

Problem: Great sword is not a shadow hand weapon, nor finessable thus this build does not satisfy the requirement, that being said, the OP made up his mind and I was going to suggest the sworsage as a back up :smallbiggrin:

[Talionis]

Totemist may require refluff, but getting the blink shirt soul bind is pretty good all day teleportation, binding it to your totem chakra allows for all day dimension door.

[Ormagoden]

I solved the weapon problem by refluffing the sun sword from Ravenloft as a "shadow sword". I'm almost done with the equipment and such I'll drop the build up some time tonight if possible.

[Psyren]

Totemist may require refluff, but getting the blink shirt soul bind is pretty good all day teleportation, binding it to your totem chakra allows for all day dimension door.

Not only that, Totemist gets a soulmeld that lets them create a zone of magical darkness, and get blindsight within that radius. This adds to the shadow theme. You could also dip into Umbral Disciple for a bit for some sneak attack and HiPS.

[Ezekiul]

Maybe a Human with the dark creature template (ToM 158) Stalwart Sorcerer 2/Binder 1/Anima Mage 8/Swordsage 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 8. Taking Precocious Apprentice and a metamagic feat (id suggest extend to later take persistent spell for 2 free 24 buffs per anima mage) at first level and improved binding at level three. Binding tenebrous to be a walking dark cloud with a teleport. Dark creature grants hide in plain sight. Lots of other goodies in this build.