Warforged Archivist/Holt Warden/Mystic Wanderer

[Amphetryon]

What Skills, Spells and Feats would you take to optimize this particular combination? I'm taking Master of Knowledge, from HoH, regardless, along with the obvious prereqs.

[Kazudo]

What's your projected level spread look like?

[Amphetryon]

What's your projected level spread look like?

Five levels of Archivist. I'll start play with 3 levels of both HW and MW. STR/WIS 10, DEX 11, everything else 14+ with an INT over 20.

[Kazudo]

Are you intending for pure optimization of the concept within parameters, or is there a specific feel you want to accomplish within those boundaries?

[IslandDog]

Academic Priest. Spells per day from INT rather than WIS :)

[Amphetryon]

Academic Priest. Spells per day from INT rather than WIS :)

Archivist does not need this perk, unless my copy of HoH is in error.


Are you intending for pure optimization of the concept within parameters, or is there a specific feel you want to accomplish within those boundaries?Best optimization without leaving those 3 Classes, based on being the Sage, Arcanist, and "Wilderness Guru" for a group of 4 Warforged (Sorcadin, Warblade/Juggernaut, Marshal/Legendary Leader) of equal level.

[IslandDog]

Archivist does not need this perk, unless my copy of HoH is in error.

Sorry, *BONUS* spells per day. My bad!

[thethird]

I would take, knowledge devotion, seems like an obvious one, and it would let you be better at hitting without necessarily using spells (the rest of the party seems built to go for a while)
I would also take improved familiar, since mystic wanderer grants you one, a useful familiar might be a beguiler those are good at knowing things
Depending on how nature based you want to be initiate of nature may be a good idea, it basically gives you an extra pool of rebuke.
Due to the above an extra devotion feat may be a good idea, I'm partial to law or travel myself, and I think travel can fit the character.
Divine metamagic if the rebukes can feed it.
Finally I also like draconic archivist, just because.

[Amphetryon]

I would take, knowledge devotion, seems like an obvious one, and it would let you be better at hitting without necessarily using spells (the rest of the party seems built to go for a while)
I would also take improved familiar, since mystic wanderer grants you one, a useful familiar might be a beguiler those are good at knowing things
Depending on how nature based you want to be initiate of nature may be a good idea, it basically gives you an extra pool of rebuke.
Due to the above an extra devotion feat may be a good idea, I'm partial to law or travel myself, and I think travel can fit the character.
Divine metamagic if the rebukes can feed it.
Finally I also like draconic archivist, just because.

Which PrC would you emphasize going forward, if either?

[thethird]

Holt Warden, Holt Warden has better skill points and bab (if you are going to use a familiar at combat it is good to squeeze some more bab), its class features at higher levels are also more attractive, web of life is gained at 7th lvl and can be useful (although not specially sinergistic in your party). Mystic Wanderer only has two things going for him CHA to AC (which you are probably not using, would the dm allow kung fu genius to work? that might be an interesting feat there) and its familiar. You can grab both by second level. It's potion based levels aren't great because as an archivist you can already create many potions and potions aren't great in the first place.

In fact if kung fu genius wouldn't work I would even consider droping the mystic wanderer, it seems to give you a familar for two levels, a feat and some not specially useful skill ranks (i'm not saying that diplomacy isn't useful, but you've got a marshal in the party). If you want a familar wizard would give it to you, and it can give you a bonus fighter feat, such as improved initiative (which is always good). A level of druid trading the animal companion for the urban companion might also be a good idea, since that way you can learn druidic, and its spells would benefit from your web of life, in addition since a druid knows its whole spell list it should add some spells to your archivist side for the cheap, it also gives you a bonus to knowledge nature, that you would have gained with the mystic wanderer.

Also... have you considered lanforged walker? It is a good prc even if it looses an spellcasting level (by taking wizard or druid for the companion you loose it anyways) and has the nature vibe that seems to be what your character is going for. Holt warden gives you survival as a class skill easing prerequisites.

[Amphetryon]

Holt Warden, Holt Warden has better skill points and bab (if you are going to use a familiar at combat it is good to squeeze some more bab), its class features at higher levels are also more attractive, web of life is gained at 7th lvl and can be useful (although not specially sinergistic in your party). Mystic Wanderer only has two things going for him CHA to AC (which you are probably not using, would the dm allow kung fu genius to work? that might be an interesting feat there) and its familiar. You can grab both by second level. It's potion based levels aren't great because as an archivist you can already create many potions and potions aren't great in the first place.

In fact if kung fu genius wouldn't work I would even consider droping the mystic wanderer, it seems to give you a familar for two levels, a feat and some not specially useful skill ranks (i'm not saying that diplomacy isn't useful, but you've got a marshal in the party). If you want a familar wizard would give it to you, and it can give you a bonus fighter feat, such as improved initiative (which is always good). A level of druid trading the animal companion for the urban companion might also be a good idea, since that way you can learn druidic, and its spells would benefit from your web of life, in addition since a druid knows its whole spell list it should add some spells to your archivist side for the cheap, it also gives you a bonus to knowledge nature, that you would have gained with the mystic wanderer.

Also... have you considered lanforged walker? It is a good prc even if it looses an spellcasting level (by taking wizard or druid for the companion you loose it anyways) and has the nature vibe that seems to be what your character is going for. Holt warden gives you survival as a class skill easing prerequisites.

Mystic Wanderer's CHA-to-AC has been ruled to work with Composite Plating, provided none of the 'Armored Body' Feats are used (no Mithral, Adamantine, or Armor Spikes for me). Mystic Wanderer was also attractive to me for the Attune Gem Feat (more ways to spread the magic around in a military campaign) and the good REF save, which this Character is sorely lacking otherwise, and which Mystic Wanderer gives without loss of Caster Level or theoretically useful Feats/features. If memory serves, Kung-Fu Genius is from a source not typically allowed in this group.

I have considered Landforged Walker, but promised myself I was making a full Caster progression for this campaign, due to the high starting level and party composition.

[thethird]

Those are good reasons to take Mystic Wanderer.
Kung Fu Genius is from dragon magazine compendium, that might be a difficult to use. Carmendine Monk from Champions of Valor might work, but since you are doing warforged this might very well be an eberron campaign and that is probably a nope to faerun books.

[Amphetryon]

Those are good reasons to take Mystic Wanderer.
Kung Fu Genius is from dragon magazine compendium, that might be a difficult to use. Carmendine Monk from Champions of Valor might work, but since you are doing warforged this might very well be an eberron campaign and that is probably a nope to faerun books.

The group decided on an "all-Warforged campaign," and then two of the others promptly asked to use PrCs from FR sources (Legendary Leader and Escalation Mage, I think). So, the group has a "these four Warforged were sent to FR to learn previously unknown techniques to turn the tide in The Last War" theme going on. . . which informed my decision to look to FR supplements. I gravitated toward Mystic Wanderer for the reasons listed, plus a perusal of Mooncrow's short Archivist Handbook. Holt Warden was similarly recommended there, and fit the Mystic Wanderer reasonably well while filling a niche the party didn't necessarily cover well.

[Amphetryon]

With the Improved Familiar Feat, I'm strongly considering Winter Wolf, since my PrC route makes me prioritize Survival anyway, and this would give the party a tracker, as well as a little AoE and a decent flank-buddy who can speak.

The other Feat I selected is Knowledge Devotion, making Knowledge (Local) a permanent Class Skill.