Omnisystem: Using all systems of magic in a single build?

[malonkey1]

I was pondering the many forms of magic in D&D 3.5, and I wondered if a build could be made that utilized every magic system Wizards ever published, and if that build would be any good?

Systems published by Wizards include (tell me if I missed one):

Vancian casting (core spellcasting, basically)
Invocations (Warlocks and DFAs)
Auras (Marshals and Dragon Shamans)
Martial Maneuvers (Tome of Battle)
Psionics (XPH etc.)
Binding (Tome of Magic)
Shadowcasting (ToM)
Truenaming (Also ToM)
Incarnum (Magic of Incarnum)

[Kazudo]

I was pondering the many forms of magic in D&D 3.5, and I wondered if a build could be made that utilized every magic system Wizards ever published, and if that build would be any good?

Systems published by Wizards include (tell me if I missed one):

Vancian casting (core spellcasting, basically)
Invocations (Warlocks and DFAs)
Auras (Marshals and Dragon Shamans)
Martial Maneuvers (Tome of Battle)
Psionics (XPH etc.)
Binding (Tome of Magic)
Shadowcasting (ToM)
Truenaming (Also ToM)
Incarnum (Magic of Incarnum)


The easy answer is "Yes".
A Cleric 1/Warlock 1/Dragon Shaman 1/Warblade 1/Psion 1/Binder 1/Truenamer 1/Totemist 1 I think would fit the bill quite easily.

That build would perform terribly.

Typically when forging a build that's gonna have a few tricks to it, you really want to just pick AT MOST two with an understanding that, unless you're incredibly good at building a character, one or both tricks is going to take a hit in its effectiveness.

[Gildedragon]

With the bulk of Martial Maneuvers being Ex I would not call it a magic system. It has levels, but it ain't magic.

Now regarding the others. Standard spellcasting is prolly the easiest to advance 'cause theurges:
Anima mage: to advance binding
Cerebremancer: to advance psi
Then there are ones for shadowcasting and truenaming

It means you will prolly have almost full casting but only in the wizard side
Precocious apprentice and sanctum spell and heighten spell are probably needed to accelerate entry, as well as practiced binder on the binder side

Levels in psi caster can be eschewed by using your base race: Athasian Human as you get a sizable pp pool and about 5 powers...

Also you missed 2 magic systems: infusions (artificer) and incantations (anyone with the skills) and spontaneous casting (not strictly vancian)

Race takes care of Psi powers
Feat: binding
Feat: meldshaping
Infusions, vancian, invocations, shadowcasting, and truenaming are to be accounted for

Now there are some vancian spells with truespeech components. Let's say these count for te truenaming req, and we got one down.
Another is taken down by using cleric (spontaneous domain or cure or other casting) or spontaneous divination wizard a the vancian base.

Infusions, invocations, shadowcasting, and vancian can't really be ditched entirely so those are the 4 base classes that have to be braided

[Kazudo]

With the bulk of Martial Maneuvers being Ex I would not call it a magic system. It has levels, but it ain't magic.

I think the notion here isn't necessarily magic but rather subsystems. Martial Maneuvers are referred to as "Sword Magic" after all.

[Chronos]

Yeah, there are less than 20 subsystems, so you can definitely use them all in one build. But even builds that try to use just two of them almost always end up falling behind the curve, and that's going to be even worse with using all of them.

[Kazudo]

Gestalt might be able to help with some of that, but in the end you'd have one character that by 20th level is as efficient as, say 10 4th level characters and who gets stomped flat by even a low op 20th level character.

[Gildedragon]

Gestalt might be able to help with some of that, but in the end you'd have one character that by 20th level is as efficient as, say 10 4th level characters and who gets stomped flat by even a low op 20th level character.

Not necessarily: there are invocation-wizard theurges, ditto for shadowcasting iirc. I don't remember if any of these work for artificer but they might. Of they do you can go (in the best case): 9 in all 4 or 17 wiz an something in the rest

Or better yet: use urpriest for vancian

[Kazudo]

No no, I know, but to incorporate EVERY SINGLE SUBSYSTEM IN D&D 3.5.

I do two or three subsystem theurges pretty often. (usually using Ur-Priest and some theurge class. What.)

[Thrice Dead Cat]

It's been done, and it is pretty damn crazy. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=3945177&postcount=38)

[Kurald Galain]

It's been done, and it is pretty damn crazy. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=3945177&postcount=38)

Glad to hear people remember that one :smallcool: