lvl 1 Dip Build - HELP PLEASE :D

[~Nye~]

Hey guys,
One of my old players has recently been writing a campaign, he has invited me to play, but all players were challenged to do something in making their character. My challenge was to make a character built entirely from lvl 1 Dips. I am finding trouble being able to qualify for prestiege classes as a caster, Currently This is what I have:

1st: Spellscale Bard
2nd: Battle Dancer
3rd: Eidoloncer
4th: Paladin
5th: Wildmage

Skillpoints have been adjusted slightly, so we're using pathfinder skills, and skill requirements for the Wildmage I have discussed with my DM. The issue I have now is finding a as many a prestige classes that grant these key things:

+1 BAB and +1 lvl in existing arcane spells

Also, the requirements need to be pretty lax, as I only have +2 BAB and lvl 1 spells. Im thinking Im gonna have to roll with a differant style of spellcasting class altogether, but I thought I should ask before I give up.

Thanks guys

[SowZ]

With these requirements, I really don't think you are going to be able to be a caster. You MIGHT be able to pull off a gish. A good martial character would be a piece of cake, though. Dipping around is ideal for them.

[~Nye~]

By what I have presented, it's pretty clear it's going to be a gish build.

[Tryxx]

Not sure if you've seen it already, but: Min/Max Boards: +1 BAB and +1 Caster Level or +1 Manifester Level at PrC Level 1 (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=3kgge0565a72qm8aa21pq5p1d7&topic=10711)

[Vaz]

You'd need to be a ghost to take levels in Eidoloncer from the Ghostwalk setting, which has specific rules regarding taking levels (namely you go kaput if you have less Eidoloncer levels than you do have other levels added together).

Binder 1 is about as good a dip as you can get.

Your Warblade, Crusader and Swordsage levels are best taken on levels that result in you gaining the best maneuvres possible for your level and number of levels taken. Some Prestige Classes qualify without actually taking levels in a particular class (i.e Shadow Sun Ninja doesn't require a level in Swordsage, although that is it's easiest and most flexible entry); these classes actually ADD to your Initiator as a Full Initiator, so you can have a higher advancement. (However, this requires burning 2 feats on Martial Study).

Monk is a decent dip; you have Wis to AC (with Int or Cha as the cost of a Feat), a bonus feat that is almost always useful for qualification, and a decent skill list.

Martial Wizard, Fighter, Psiwar, and Feat Rogue are 3 Fighter Bonus Feats if needed. Cloistered Cleric can gain several feats through it's domain choices (Knowledge Devotion to make up for the lost BAB and 2 others).

Factotum gets you Class Skills: Everything, and Able Learner sets that to 1 Skill Point regardless.

Warlock gives you massive boosts to several skills through its invocations (or At Will HiPS, through the correct feats IIRC).

Marshal gives Cha to other skills (usually Cha, in combination with Warlock and Binder).

[Rubik]

Here's a dipping handbook for 3.5, if you can use 3.P. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=5003.0)

If you get flaws, you might also consider something like changeling double-specialist wizard 1/master specialist 1 (using Versatile Spellcaster to qualify)/drow paragon 1 (using the Racial Emulation feat to qualify)/paragnostic apostle 1/mindbender 1/divine oracle 1 (use Frog God's Fane to qualify)/dweomerkeeper 1 (using the Arcane Disciple feat to qualify)/sacred exorcist 1/loremaster 1 (use some feat reshuffling or feats from items to qualify for the metamagic/item creation feats; by this level you should easily be able to get quite a few)/wild mage 1 (with Practiced Spellcaster to negate the -3 penalty). After this it should be easy to qualify for other full-casting PrCs. Again, use feats from other sources to qualify for them (as it's really easy to DCFS out magical location feats and feats gained from items, which are a lot more plentiful than you'd think (http://home.comcast.net/~ftm3/JHtB/feats.html)).

It has full caster level, and though you'll be stretched thin on skill points, it should be doable, since you're an Int-based caster.

[Galvin]

As others stated, with only lvl 1 dips it's gonna be pretty tough to be a caster. A melee based or sneaky based character you might be able to pull off. You have one crazy DM, my friend.

[Rebel7284]

I think divine casting would be easier with Ur Priest and PrCs. xD

[Vaz]

You could be a grey elf generalist wizard to get the requisite caster level (I think that's the trick for 9ths on a 1st level character).

[SowZ]

By what I have presented, it's pretty clear it's going to be a gish build.

Sure, yeah, and you MIGHT get away with it. But I have my doubts to its playability. A pure Martial character will benefit from lots of dips, so that is my recommendation. There just aren't enough gishy classes with full BAB and advancing of casting progression on the first level.

[dysprosium]

It is possible to do a one level dip caster build with 0 BAB and something like 16th caster level Wizard.

There was a build on here that did that which I tweaked to make it work better legally.

[SowZ]

It is possible to do a one level dip caster build with 0 BAB and something like 16th caster level Wizard.

There was a build on here that did that which I tweaked to make it work better legally.

16th level Wizard caster Level or spell progression? The two are very different.

[Grod_The_Giant]

+1 BAB and +1 lvl in existing arcane spells
Abjurant Champion is a good one. Spellsword might be worth the dip to get the ignore-10%-ASF bit.

[Rubik]

If you want high BAB, you can ignore your native BAB and either go for a skillful weapon (for 3/4 BAB), or Divine Power (via Extra Spell or some other means), or both.

[dysprosium]

16th level Wizard caster Level or spell progression? The two are very different.

I found my build. It was actually 17th level Wizard spell progression and caster level

[Vaz]

I can see Phaerimm being useful in a build like this.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I found my build. It was actually 17th level Wizard spell progression and caster level
Dang, son. Got a link?

[Person_Man]

I would skip spellcasters. Maybe something like Bard 1/Lion Totem Barbarian 1/Fighter 1/Warblade 1/Crusader 1, and then head into PrC that grant Bardic Music and/or maneuvers.

[Anxe]

Eldritch Knight seems like an obvious one once you get 3rd level spells. Good luck with the guides on finding more! Sounds like a fun character!

[Rubik]

Eldritch Knight seems like an obvious one once you get 3rd level spells. Good luck with the guides on finding more! Sounds like a fun character!But you lose a caster level and don't get anything useful in return for the 1 level dip. It's better to take one of the myriad full-caster PrCs instead (or a level of fighter or warblade or...).

Also, see my build earlier. That's 10 levels of 1 level dips, and not a single caster level lost. If you would prefer something other than a double-focused specialist, avoid changeling (which nets you an extra feat) and go half-drow instead. The DCFSing won't be needed if you don't mind using your feats for prereqs. You just have a few fewer feats than you otherwise would have. But for a full caster level? It just might be worthwhile.

[dysprosium]

Dang, son. Got a link?

Sorry it took me so long to reply . . .

Beguiler 1/Conjurer 1/Master Specialist 1/Rogue 1/Ultimate Magus 1/Visionary Seeker 1/Mage of the Arcane Order 1/Geometer 1/Mindbender 1/Unseen Seer 1/Fatespinner 1/Wayfarer Guide 1/Incantrix 1/Arcane Trickster 1/Arcane Devotee 1/Paragnostic Apostle 1/Divine Oracle 1/Loremaster 1/Elemental Savant 1/Archmage 1

Spell Progression and Caster Level Wizard 17
Spell Progression and Caster Level Beguiler 2

Assuming Human (with no flaws) Feat Progression
1: Spell Focus (conjuration), Versatile Spellcaster
2: Scribe Scroll (B)
3: Enlarge Spell, Skill Focus (spellcraft) (B)
6: Cooperative Spell
9: Mindsight
12: Iron Will
13: Quicken Spell
15: Skill Focus (knowledge [religion])
18: Energy Substitution (to taste), Spell Focus (transmutation)


at Level 20: BAB +0, Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +36