Mixing and matching class abilities

[Jeff the Green]

I'm building a new character, a gnome archaeologist who found a spirit of intellect and servant of Mystra locked in a vault in anauroch. He freed it and bound it to his service, giving him spell abilities.

I'd like to represent this by mixing up some abilities from multiple classes, but I wanted to see if the Playground thought this might be too crazy before I proposed it.

Chassis and most abilities of an archivist (d6 HD, low BAB, high Fort and Will, 4 skill points/level)
Cast like a Spirit Shaman (retrieve up to 3 spells per level each day then cast spontaneously from those)
Uses the Cleric spell list with two domains (likely Knowledge and Illusion)
Uses the Archivist's key abilities for casting (Int and Wis)
Swap Scribe Scroll for a familiar.


So what do you think? Too powerful?

[ShurikVch]

My suggestions:
Cloistered Cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVariantCloistere dCleric) with Spontaneous Divine Casting (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/spontaneousDivineCasters.htm)
Dip into Mystic wanderer (Magic of Faerun) for familiar, and Sanctified One (Complete Champion) for Int to CL (Wee Jas, sanctified spell)

[eggynack]

It seems worse than a standard cleric, between the worse chassis, and the inferior casting mechanic, and it'd probably find a place at high tier two or low tier one as a result. I think that's where the spirit shaman finds itself, so it logically fits. From that point, it's probably up to you whether that tier placement suits the game you're playing. As long as you only bring the archaeologist to places you'd otherwise bring a cleric, things should be fine.

[Waker]

I wouldn't think it would be overpowered. I agree with eggynack that it would probably be T2.
You might be able to draw a bit of inspiration from the Sha'ir class as well, refluffing his Gen as a Spirit of Intellect who goes and asks Mystra for spells.

[Urpriest]

It's powerful, but probably around where Cleric and Spirit Shaman are, so if those are fine this should be fine too.

That said, your backstory mostly sounds like a Warlock, or a particularly monomaniacal Binder.

[Jeff the Green]

My suggestions:
Cloistered Cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVariantCloistere dCleric) with Spontaneous Divine Casting (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/spontaneousDivineCasters.htm)
Dip into Mystic wanderer (Magic of Faerun) for familiar, and Sanctified One (Complete Champion) for Int to CL (Wee Jas, sanctified spell)


I wouldn't think it would be overpowered. I agree with eggynack that it would probably be T2.
You might be able to draw a bit of inspiration from the Sha'ir class as well, refluffing his Gen as a Spirit of Intellect who goes and asks Mystra for spells.

Yeah, I stole it from sha'ir a bit. (Also Dresden Files's Bob.) however, the DM is averse to Dragon Compendium. In any case I'd rather it be Intelligence-based and I like the Spirit Shaman's casting method.


It's powerful, but probably around where Cleric and Spirit Shaman are, so if those are fine this should be fine too.

That said, your backstory mostly sounds like a Warlock, or a particularly monomaniacal Binder.

Really? The spirit of intellect is meant to be a much more physical thing than vestiges or the Warlock's conduit to his patron.

[Urpriest]

Really? The spirit of intellect is meant to be a much more physical thing than vestiges or the Warlock's conduit to his patron.

Your setup makes it even less of a physical thing though, so that's not really a point in your favor.

The way I see it, you're a Warlock with a very unusual patron. Your backstory is essentially "found a unique being, made a deal with it, now I have magical powers" which is pure Warlock fluff.

[Jeff the Green]

Your setup makes it even less of a physical thing though, so that's not really a point in your favor.

The way I see it, you're a Warlock with a very unusual patron. Your backstory is essentially "found a unique being, made a deal with it, now I have magical powers" which is pure Warlock fluff.

Ah, I think I didn't quite explain it. The familiar is the spirit of intellect in corporeal form. He'd get his spells from it similar to the PF Witch and the Sha'ir.

[Urpriest]

Ah, I think I didn't quite explain it. The familiar is the spirit of intellect in corporeal form. He'd get his spells from it similar to the PF Witch and the Sha'ir.

Ah I see. That's a rather more dramatic change than just giving a familiar, and if the DM is avoiding Dragon Compendium content he'd probably want to avoid a rules-concept exclusive to Dragon Compendium and PF sources.

Anyway, if you're going by that stylistic mold then that does work. Oddly enough, an Incarnate with a Soulspark Familiar would also fit most of your fluff, but your setup is probably going to be more interesting to play.

[ShurikVch]

Get spells from familiar?

Fiendish Familiar, from Fiend Folio

P.S. My suggestion was quoted, but is it accepted or declined? :smallconfused:

[Jeff the Green]

Ah I see. That's a rather more dramatic change than just giving a familiar, and if the DM is avoiding Dragon Compendium content he'd probably want to avoid a rules-concept exclusive to Dragon Compendium and PF sources.

I'm only stealing the Sha'ir's fluff. The crunch is mostly Spirit Shaman (though with different stats).


Get spells from familiar?

Fiendish Familiar, from Fiend Folio

P.S. My suggestion was quoted, but is it accepted or declined? :smallconfused:

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough; I'd meant "In any case I'd rather it be Intelligence-based and I like the Spirit Shaman's casting method" to be the response to you as well as Waker. I'm familiar with all of those, but they don't quite fit what I want. That'd still make it Wisdom-based, generically spontaneous casting, and without much of the "seeker of dread secrets" I'm looking for, whereas the Archivist's features fit.