How to build a Nightmaremancer

[thatryanguy]

Hey all, I'm hoping for some ideas on how to make this shadow/nightmare caster to play in my friend's campaign. Starting level is undecided, but would be at least 8 (depending on the lowest level if/when my current char dies), and pretty much any source books are game (3.0, 3.5, PF, etc.) While optimization is nice, it's not necessary. I'd prefer flavor that's effective over effectiveness that's flavorful, if that makes sense.

He'd be a mentally tormented character who "feeds" off terror (either figuratively or literally). Basically he'd be someone who can eventually control and move through shadows, shaping them and using them for offense and defense. His passion would be in causing fear in people, and would spend his nights stalking individuals or small groups who leave the safety of light, and create illusions, noises, etc. to unnerve them, before trapping them in a tailor made or generic nightmare (depending on if it's an individual or group) and torturing them.

He'd be evil, but be against evil antagonists. He doesn't want the world destroyed or replaced with demons, any of that stuff, he wants the status quo maintained so he can keep praying on people. He wouldn't care about killing people, but wouldn't actively seek it out either. If they're weak enough to die from the games he plays with them, then they didn't deserve to live. His shadows and illusions would be his only real combat abilities, as he'd be fairly frail beyond that.

I'd want him to be a spontaneous caster of some kind, as he wouldn't be the kind to pre-meditate this stuff; he just flies by the seat of his pants, so to speak.

Unfortunately, I have very little experience playing casters, so beyond getting a sorc to lvl 5 while focusing on shadow spells and tossing http://dndtools.eu/classes/nightmare-spinner/ on him, I'm really not sure what options there are for go about this.

So yeah, if anyone has any suggestions, I'm open to them all :smallsmile:

[atemu1234]

Look into the sanity system from either Unearthed Arcana or Call of Cthulhu D20 and work from there. Coming up with a homebrewed monster, class or prestige class shouldn't be too difficult. Reference the ruling on Allips too, in UA, that may help quite a bit.

[thatryanguy]

Look into the sanity system from either Unearthed Arcana or Call of Cthulhu D20 and work from there. Coming up with a homebrewed monster, class or prestige class shouldn't be too difficult. Reference the ruling on Allips too, in UA, that may help quite a bit.

There's already a sanity system in place, though I'm not sure if it's from an official source, or homebrewed. I'm actually wanting to run this guy as a PC, rather than as a DM. Guess I should edit my original post to point that note of slight importance out X^

[Jeff the Green]

Sorcerer 4/Dread Witch 5/Nightmare Spinner 5/Other PrC 6. You really need Dread Witch in order to get around fear immunity. Fiend-Blooded is a good option for those last three levels, as it'll let you get a 7th-, 8th-, and 9th-level spells as a bonus, and they can be from any list as long as it's [Fire], Illusion, Enchantment, or Necromancy—exactly the spells you like.

Also be sure to take the rapid metamagic ACF and Fell Frighten, Fearsome Necromancy, and Song of the Dead, and possibly Arcane Thesis or Metamagic School Focus.

[atemu1234]

Sorcerer 4/Dread Witch 5/Nightmare Spinner 5/Other PrC 6. You really need Dread Witch in order to get around fear immunity. Fiend-Blooded is a good option for those last three levels, as it'll let you get a 7th-, 8th-, and 9th-level spells as a bonus, and they can be from any list as long as it's [Fire], Illusion, Enchantment, or Necromancy—exactly the spells you like.

Also be sure to take the rapid metamagic ACF and Fell Frighten, Fearsome Necromancy, and Song of the Dead, and possibly Arcane Thesis or Metamagic School Focus.

For immunity to fear, I believe Lolth-Touched may help.

[Jeff the Green]

For immunity to fear, I believe Lolth-Touched may help.

I'm AFB, but I'm pretty sure it makes you immune to fear; it doesn't do anything about anyone else's immunity.

[Rebel7284]

Shadowcraft Mage is all about creating shadow versions of conjuration/evocation spells.

[Red Fel]

Sorcerer 4/Dread Witch 5/Nightmare Spinner 5/Other PrC 6.

Another version of this build is Bard 8/ Dread Witch 1/ Nightmare Spinner 1/ Sublime Chord 2/ Dread Witch +4/ Nightmare Spinner +4, with DW and NS advancing SC casting instead of Bard casting. Swap out Inspire Courage for Inspire Awe. Use escalating fear rules and Never Outnumbered. Terrorize everything.

(Kudos to Biff, from whom I stole this build.)

[Darkweave31]

Heroes of Horror has the oneiromancy feats and dream related spells that could likely be used to good effect for the concept.

[Pyromancer999]

Sorcerer 4/Dread Witch 5/Nightmare Spinner 5/Other PrC 6. You really need Dread Witch in order to get around fear immunity. Fiend-Blooded is a good option for those last three levels, as it'll let you get a 7th-, 8th-, and 9th-level spells as a bonus, and they can be from any list as long as it's [Fire], Illusion, Enchantment, or Necromancy—exactly the spells you like.

Also be sure to take the rapid metamagic ACF and Fell Frighten, Fearsome Necromancy, and Song of the Dead, and possibly Arcane Thesis or Metamagic School Focus.

Seconded, with the note that if you play a gnome, take the Shadowcraft Mage PrC for as many levels as you can. It helps your illusions of nightmares come to life, making them more real with level like Shadow Conjuration and Shadow Evocation.

Also, may want to be a wizard instead of a sorcerer if you want to specialize in illusions, as with a Precocious Apprentice, you can also snag a few levels of Master Specialist early on, I believe.