Bending the Wills of Evil: Building a Malconvoker w/ Deepwyrm Half-Drow [3.5 FR]

[Tokuhara]

I know that Half-Elf derivatives aren't an optimizer's dream, but here's where I think it can be done.

Deepwyrm Half-Drow From DM (Dragon Magic - Not as magic resistant as their RoF (Races of Faerun) kin, but get a +2 racial bonus to Bluff, which is a prerequisite/class feature of the...

Malconvoker from CS (Complete Scoundrel) - A very flavorful twist on the summoner archetype wizard. For those not in the know, Malconvoker takes the old adage "Fight Fire with Fire" quite literally, summoning fiends to face evil by deception.

Now here's the conundrum:

1. I plan on setting this on a Focused Conjurer platform with Rapid/Enchanced Summoning combo, so I need to get bluff as a class skill. What are my options without sacrificing casting progression if possible. I'd come in 5th Level with 2 Flaws, so I can burn one for a FR Background Feat

So how should I build this guy?

My Ability Score layout looks something like this:

6 Str, 14 Dex, 16 Con, 19 Int, 10 Wis, 13 Cha

And at this point, I'll be a Deepwyrm Half-Drow Focused Specialist Rapid Enhanced Summoning Conjurer 3/Master Specialist (Conjurer) 2 looking to end up Conjurer 3/Master Specialist 4/Malconvoker 6/Thaumaturge 5/XX 2 (honestly, I'm kind of awesome at 12th level, so from there, Planar Binding boosts are meh)

So help please??

[Deathra13]

The Cosmopolitan Feat, which I believe is orginally an FR regional feat allows you to select one cross class skill and make it a class skill.

[Shloogorgh]

Apprentice (criminal) from DMG II

[Spuddles]

Do you have to pay for deep wyrm or half drow in LA/RHD? If you do, you may want to reconsider malconvoker. It's not a terribly great caster class, and lost caster levels will absolutely suck any usefulness out of your summons.

Focused Specialist from Complete Mage is worth mentioning, as are the rapid casting/augment summoning variants from Unearthed Arcana. I cant remember which one is compatible with abrupt jaunt, but they're both compatible with each other.

[Tokuhara]

No. Deepwyrm Half-Drow is a 0LA race the following:

All of Half-Elf
Darkvision 60 instead of Low-Light
Drow-Blooded instead of Elf-Blooded (They count as Drow, Human, and Half-Elves, so a Half-Drow can take Half-Elf Paragon and Drow/Human paragon)
Dragonblooded Subtype
+2 to Bluff and Diplomacy
No +2 to Will saves vs. Spells & SLAs
And possibly Detect Magic 3/day and Disguise Self 1/day (not 100%, since Half-Drow don't get their parent's SLAs)

So ^This^ on a Focused Conjurer with Rapid and Enhanced summoning with Cosmopolitan (Bluff), Improved Initiative, Augment Summoning (instead of Scribe Scroll), and Cloudy Conjuration as my level 1 feats. So far, I'm looking good. And no, Abjurant Jaunt and the Summoning duo do not stack, so I cannot have both.

[Tokuhara]

Anyone else have any ideas to make me powerful more early to keep me from getting my backside kicked at earlier levels?

[Spuddles]

Wild Cohort is pretty great. The trick is making your handle animal check out of combat to just have your riding dog guard you. Then anything that threatens you triggers doggy to go after them.

Carrying a tower shield gives you full cover, which can be amazing. Just drop it when you don't need it.

After you get a couple caster levels under your belt, you can hide behind one as your summoned monsters tear it up.

[Gemini476]

Isn't there a regional feat that ups the HD of what you can bind and also stacks qwith Malconvoker? It may be from Greyhawk, however. I saw it in one of those big handbooks for what to bind.

[Mithril Leaf]

Do you have to pay for deep wyrm or half drow in LA/RHD? If you do, you may want to reconsider malconvoker. It's not a terribly great caster class, and lost caster levels will absolutely suck any usefulness out of your summons.

I'd object to this statement. Malconvoker is a very solid class, as you trade a single caster level for effectively getting twin spell on most of your more useful summon monsters, and you get to bind things with higher levels than normal.

My advice is to actually take Malconvoker all the way, since Planar Binding is one of the strongest mechanics available. It's leadership without a feat cost, with stronger allies. Exploit the action economy! Replace the rogue!

[Tokuhara]

I'd object to this statement. Malconvoker is a very solid class, as you trade a single caster level for effectively getting twin spell on most of your more useful summon monsters, and you get to bind things with higher levels than normal.

My advice is to actually take Malconvoker all the way, since Planar Binding is one of the strongest mechanics available. It's leadership without a feat cost, with stronger allies. Exploit the action economy! Replace the rogue!

So tack on 2 more Malconvoker levels after polishing off Thaumaturge?

[Jeff the Green]

Assuming, of course, that it meshes with your campaign and character, Apprentice (criminal) from DMG II is probably better than Cosmpolitan. In addition to giving you Bluff as a class skill you get Gather Information and a +2 bonus to Intimidate. Then at 5th level you can swap it to Mentor, which gives you a cohort and a +2 bonus to two of Bluff, Gather Information, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand.

[Tokuhara]

Assuming, of course, that it meshes with your campaign and character, Apprentice (criminal) from DMG II is probably better than Cosmpolitan. In addition to giving you Bluff as a class skill you get Gather Information and a +2 bonus to Intimidate. Then at 5th level you can swap it to Mentor, which gives you a cohort and a +2 bonus to two of Bluff, Gather Information, Open Lock, and Sleight of Hand.

Well, my PC is a librarian who spent most of his years as a bookworm. He picked up Bluff to get him into where they kept the spellbooks