Walker in the Waste questions

[Theomniadept]

Thinking of prepping a backup character in case my current one doesn't pan out. For optimization purposes and story reasons this character would probably fit in better but I have some questions.

1. The prerequisites seem to be able to be read that a Cleric with Sand and Thirst domains can qualify to take this class after 3rd level. Is this true?

2. No prices for Salt Golems really hurts that ability. I know there's no official prices, but has anyone come up with a price that fits the benefit one gains from creating one?

3. If the character has the 10th level and becomes a Dry Lich, does it continue to gain aging penalties and/or bonuses? If so then this character isn't coming in till 13th/15th level and is a venerable elf.

[Telonius]

1 ... Unfortunately I think that's an "ask your DM." It depends on how you parse the "or." Do they mean "three spells of the sand domain or three spells of the thirst domain?" Or do they mean "three spells of either the sand or thirst domain?" Either interpretation could be correct. If it's "three spells of one or three spells of the other," you'd qualify after 5th level. (For what it's worth, that would be my reading; traditionally, there are very few PrCs available before level 6, with certain exceptions). If it's "three spells of either one," you'd qualify after 3rd.

2. There are two separate abilities, create Salt Mummy and create Sand Golem. The construction rules for for Sand Golem are on page 183. For creating a Salt Mummy, it's just listed as a Supernatural Ability, with no activation noted otherwise; so it would just be a standard action to create one (assuming you have a corpse available).

[Fouredged Sword]

The skill prereq is VERY low for a PRC, suggesting that they intended to allow for early entry (you can enter at 2nd level). Cleric with both domains and domain spontinaity ACF can cast both of the first level spells, and one of the second level spells at 1st level.

[Telonius]

For number 3, there's a more complicated question packed in there: if you're Undead, do you gain aging penalties or bonuses? There was another thread a couple years ago here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223168), and the consensus was that no, Undead don't gain bonuses or penalties by aging, except through the Evolved Undead template from Libris Mortis.

For simplicity, let's say you start out as an Elf with 10s in everything (after racial modifiers), then apply the aging bonuses/penalties to Venerable. Apply the dry lich template to that, you'd end up with:
Str 6
Dex 4
Con (null)
Int 13
Wis 17
Cha 15

You would have a wretched strength and dexterity, but you'd maximize the mental scores.

But if you just went Dry Lich from adulthood, it would be:

Str 12
Dex 10
Con (null)
Int 10
Wis 14
Cha 12

Wis and Cha wouldn't be as high, and aging bonuses/penalties wouldn't accrue; but your strength and dex would be out of the gutter.

[Vaz]

You do not age. There is the evolved undead template for that purpose.

[Rejusu]

It's poorly worded. But you could argue that if sixth level was the intended entry point the requirement would be based on spell level rather than number of spells. I think there's some early entry tricks floating around that let you get around either reading though. Just have a search for them, WitW seems to come up regularly.

Worth noting that the example character in the book is a fifth level Cleric. But I don't place much stock in the examples for PrCs after seeing so many that don't qualify for the PrC.

[Buufreak]

My thought process for "aging" has always been less a natural progress of the body and more a natural progress of time itself. Looking at it that way, it explains why dragons constantly get better, instead of the 3 age categories that every other race is slated with. Honestly, its entirely possibly for your undead corpse to continue to wear and tear over the years, though your mind grows in continuity and strength. I honestly see that as a far more likely event then thousands of years of NOT gaining any sort of intelligence and knowledge. Oh well, inquire with DM, their final say is usually a good place to work off of.

[Chronos]

Note that a third-level cleric with the Sand domain can qualify even without the Thirst domain. One of the spells of the Thirst domain, Dessicate, is also on the standard cleric list, so such a cleric would have access to Waste Strider, Black Sand, and Dessicate.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

Also note from a logic operations stand point, it acts as and/or. If I have a door that requires you to show me a red or blue ball, if you show both, it would still open.

[Theomniadept]

Alright, seems fair enough, and the early entry thing would be easy to qualify for; lemme see if this is mechanically okay.

NG Cloistered Cleric 3 with domains of Sand, Sun, and Knowledge
Walker in the Waste 10
Radiant Servant of _____ 7 (10 if going into epic but this is probably unlikely)

Since we are using the stat array of 18/16/16/14/14/10, I was thinking of making a Venerable Elf for stats of:
8 STR
10 DEX
2 CON
19 INT
21 WIS
19 CHA
and thus when I become a Dry Lich my CON disappears and my stats would become (after the stat points for levels 4, 8, and 12):
10 STR
10 DEX
- CON
20 INT
26 WIS
22 CHA
...before any enhancement modifiers. That makes 32 WIS before the +5 book comes into play...good thing I'm using this as a backup and not dealing with 2 CON from level 1. Level 1 with 2 HP, with the reward of a possible 38 Wisdom pre-epic.

[Vaz]

Bear in mind that as an Undead you do not age, and so you cannot be Venerable -after- you become an Undead, and if you're Venerable before, then you take a -6 to Str, Dex and Con.

[Theomniadept]

Bear in mind that as an Undead you do not age, and so you cannot be Venerable -after- you become an Undead, and if you're Venerable before, then you take a -6 to Str, Dex and Con.

That was factored in, since you can become venerable at any point up until you take Craft Wondrous Item and actually make the jars and undergo the ritual.

Small caster level question; if WitW grants only 8/10 spellcasting does that mean that at 13th level my caster level is 11? I mean I know that I advance only to the Cleric 11 spellcasting table but specifically do those non-spellcasting-advancing levels add to my CL?

[Windstorm]

That was factored in, since you can become venerable at any point up until you take Craft Wondrous Item and actually make the jars and undergo the ritual.

Small caster level question; if WitW grants only 8/10 spellcasting does that mean that at 13th level my caster level is 11? I mean I know that I advance only to the Cleric 11 spellcasting table but specifically do those non-spellcasting-advancing levels add to my CL?

they do not. to get a caster level increase with out "+1 to existing spellcasting class" you must have a explicit class feature that adds to your caster level at those affected levels (or prior)

an example here is Ultimage Magus from complete mage, which has the "arcane power" class feature, which explicitly adds +1 to caster level on the same level one of its classes does not get spell progression

[Theomniadept]

That's what I thought.

Also, holy jegus I forgot about Mother Cyst + DMM Persistent Necrotic Empowerment. With the +5 book and 3 ability increases my Wisdom will hit 40.

[Chronos]

Isn't there an alignment inconsistency between Walker in the Waste and Radiant Servant of Pelor? And a fluff one, too, for that matter: Radiant Servants hate undead.

Also, are you starting at a high enough level that you'd get the capstone right away? Because if not, walking around with a 2 Con is going to be seriously painful.