Wizard with a Greatsword Advice

[Stront]

I'm looking for more ideas for a character I'm playing. To greatly summarize, he is a 10th level abyssal focused wizard with a 10 in strength.

He uses a Greatsword with Vicious x 2 on it. To offset the damage he takes from his own sword he uses the Minor Shapeshift reserve feat for 10 temporary hit points each round.

As added flavor; he uses Concealed Casting from the Complete Scoundrel and tries not to broadcast he is a wizard. I have found Whirling Blade a fun spell so far but wondering if anyone has any interesting concepts for this type of build. I plan on taking Abjurant Champion at level 12 when I get another feat to qualify for it; however, no clue what to take at level 11 which is right around the corner.

Any thoughts, spells, items, etc...would love to hear some input. Thanks.

[TuggyNE]

he is a 10th level abyssal focused wizard

Umm, what's that? Not familiar with it.


He uses a Greatsword with Vicious x 2 on it.

I don't think you can put the same special ability on more than once, or if you can it wouldn't do anything special: effect stacking probably comes into play here. I could be wrong, however.

[Mithril Leaf]

You're a wizard, right? 10th level? Let me introduce you to my friend Draconic Polymorph. Draconomicon page 81. Like normal polymorph but give an untyped +8 strength and +2 constitution.
Turn into something absurdly strong. Use this handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=519). Basically anything humanoidish will work.

[Stront]

Umm, what's that? Not familiar with it.



I don't think you can put the same special ability on more than once, or if you can it wouldn't do anything special: effect stacking probably comes into play here. I could be wrong, however.

Abyssal Specialist is out of Drow of the Underdark and is basically subschools like fear, chaos, etc. When with focused specialist on top of that.

I had never heard you couldn't stack the same enchantments if they were applicable. Like frost x 2 or flame x 2.

[Stront]

You're a wizard, right? 10th level? Let me introduce you to my friend Draconic Polymorph. Draconomicon page 81. Like normal polymorph but give an untyped +8 strength and +2 constitution.
Turn into something absurdly strong. Use this handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=519). Basically anything humanoidish will work.

I will check it out. Almost forgot, I'm a Tiefling too.

EDIT: Wow, just wow. That spell is amazing. Any thoughts on a PrC to fill in between Wizard 10 and Abjurant Champion at level 12?

[Kumori]

I plan on taking Abjurant Champion at level 12 when I get another feat to qualify for it; however, no clue what to take at level 11 which is right around the corner.


Any thoughts on a PrC to fill in between Wizard 10 and Abjurant Champion at level 12?

I hate to break it to you, but if you're planning to use your level 12 feat to qualify for Abjurant Champion you'll have to wait until level 13 to take your first level in that class.

[Venger]

I hate to break it to you, but if you're planning to use your level 12 feat to qualify for Abjurant Champion you'll have to wait until level 13 to take your first level in that class.

that's actually not true. while you do need to have sufficient saves, skills, ba to get into a class, you can use the feat the same level to qualify. wiz11/abjchamp1 is rules legal

[Kumori]

that's actually not true. while you do need to have sufficient saves, skills, ba to get into a class, you can use the feat the same level to qualify. wiz11/abjchamp1 is rules legal

I'm not going to pretend that I know what the requirements to enter abjurant champion are, because I don't. However, what I said is true. The first thing you do when you advance a level is choose what character class you are going to put that level towards. At that moment, you don't have the feat you need.


If the abilities you receive from gaining a new level let
you meet the prerequisites for a feat, can you take that feat
right away (provided that you also have an unused feat)?
For example, the Blindsight feat from Masters of the Wild
requires the ability to become a dire bat, which the druid
gains at 12th level. Can I take Blindsight with the feat I gain
at 12th level, or must I wait until I get my next feat at 15th
level?
Yes. When you add a new level, you choose what class level
to add before you choose your feat (if a feat is available); see
Level Advancement on pages 145–146 in the Player’s
Handbook. Note that because you must choose your class level
before choosing skills or feats, you often cannot enter a prestige
class the very moment you meet the prerequisites. For example,
if you took the Spring Attack feat at 9th level, the soonest you
could take a level in a prestige class that has Spring Attack as a
prerequisite would be 10th level.

Take note of the Spring Attack example at the end.

[herrhauptmann]

I don't think you can put the same special ability on more than once, or if you can it wouldn't do anything special: effect stacking probably comes into play here. I could be wrong, however.

Nope, you can't take the same ability twice unless it somehow says you can. Another common mistake is to have a MW weapon, and just slap Keen or something on it, without making it a +1 first.
Might be able to get away with taking the better of your 2d6 vicious damage, but I'd then say you'd have to roll your 1d6 self-damage twice and take whichever one corresponded to your 2d6. (First or second set)

Rather than that, have you looked into the following:
Souldrinker Life drinker weapon, 38k cost. With Soulfire armor? Mithral chain shirt gets you 0 ASF.

[Mithril Leaf]

I will check it out. Almost forgot, I'm a Tiefling too.

EDIT: Wow, just wow. That spell is amazing. Any thoughts on a PrC to fill in between Wizard 10 and Abjurant Champion at level 12?

Tiefling too? This just gets better and better. First make your greatsword sizing. Next, use Draconic Polymorph to turn into a Yagnaloth from Monster Manual 2 for a nice 38 strength.

[Stront]

Tiefling too? This just gets better and better. First make your greatsword sizing. Next, use Draconic Polymorph to turn into a Yagnaloth from Monster Manual 2 for a nice 38 strength.

I had already planned on using Polymorph to turn into a Yagnaloth from the start - now with Draconic Polymorph that just became much meaner!

Now what would be a decent PrC to fill the gap until I can qualify for Abjurant Champion?

[herrhauptmann]

Spellsword 1 is often considered to be the 0th level of Abjurant Champ. It's also a 1 level PrC.
I believe sacred exorcist allows any casting class, though I don't remember any alignment restrictions.

[Stront]

Rather than that, have you looked into the following:
Souldrinker Life drinker weapon, 38k cost. With Soulfire armor? Mithral chain shirt gets you 0 ASF.

I had been using extend on Greater Mage Armor and have a natural armor bonus of +4 from feats and an amulet of natural armor +1. My AC at level 10 is 24 without Shield up and 28 with it up. This is assuming I don't polymorph into something with a natural armor.

Often I will use Swift Concentration to concentrate on a spell and use Total Defense to give myself another +4 dodge bonus to my AC.

[Stront]

Spellsword 1 is often considered to be the 0th level of Abjurant Champ. It's also a 1 level PrC.
I believe sacred exorcist allows any casting class, though I don't remember any alignment restrictions.

I really like Spellsword; however, I don't have the armor proficiencies and I believe those are required.

[Stront]

What are everyone's thoughts on a Vicious Weapon used with Whirling Blade Spell. You throw the weapon in a straight line 60' and it strikes everything as if a melee attack. Would this result in 1d6 damage per hit on the caster even though they aren't holding it anymore?

[Diarmuid]

The attacks are is if melee, if a melee attack would result in the dmg to the wielded, then the WB attacks would as well.

As if melee confers the good and the bad.

[herrhauptmann]

I had been using extend on Greater Mage Armor and have a natural armor bonus of +4 from feats and an amulet of natural armor +1. My AC at level 10 is 24 without Shield up and 28 with it up. This is assuming I don't polymorph into something with a natural armor.

Often I will use Swift Concentration to concentrate on a spell and use Total Defense to give myself another +4 dodge bonus to my AC.

The point isn't the AC you get from a +1 mithral chain shirt. It's the defensive enchantments you put on your armor beyond that +1. Soulfire is a permanent deathward, something you'll want sooner or later. And I think you'll find that taking away 2 levels every time you hit someone, is a lot better than 2d6 damage. Now use that with whirling blade.

[Unusual Muse]

You're a wizard, right? 10th level? Let me introduce you to my friend Draconic Polymorph. Draconomicon page 81. Like normal polymorph but give an untyped +8 strength and +2 constitution.
Turn into something absurdly strong. Use this handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=519). Basically anything humanoidish will work.

Except you still have only 10d4+your wizard's original CON mod for hit points. You don't want to wade into melee anywhere near CR10 creatures.

[Stront]

The point isn't the AC you get from a +1 mithral chain shirt. It's the defensive enchantments you put on your armor beyond that +1. Soulfire is a permanent deathward, something you'll want sooner or later. And I think you'll find that taking away 2 levels every time you hit someone, is a lot better than 2d6 damage. Now use that with whirling blade.

Don't you need armor proficiencies to wear armor?

I also have a feat that lets me ignore up to 6 levels of level drain a day.

[Slipperychicken]

Don't you need armor proficiencies to wear armor?


Any character can wear any armor, although wearing armor which you aren't proficient with applies ACP to all Str/Dex checks, including Initiative. If you can get the ACP down to zero, no problem. Mithral (already counted as Masterwork too) reduces ACP by 3, so you're all good. Only problem is the ASF, which only applies to spells with Somatic components.


If you're scoring high damage on low hit points, I personally recommend Wrathful Healing, a +3 enchantment from Enemies and Allies, which heals you every swing for half the damage you deal to creatures.

[herrhauptmann]

Any character can wear any armor, although wearing armor which you aren't proficient with applies ACP to all Str/Dex checks, including Initiative. If you can get the ACP down to zero, no problem. Mithral (already counted as Masterwork too) reduces ACP by 3, so you're all good. Only problem is the ASF, which only applies to spells with Somatic components.


Hence the mithral chain shirt rather than mithral plate or breastplate.
0 ACP. 0 ASF. No proficiency needed. There's also twilight, a +1 cost for more reductions(MIC).