Help making a battle-Mage

[Spacehamster]

Hello I'm wanting to make a battle Mage like character wich will have these levels once lvl 20: 1 fighter, 4 wizard, 5 abjurant champion and 10 eldritch knight, which will give me 18 BaB and spell progression as a lvl 18 wizard. What I'm not sure of is what feats to take, want a mix of martial and magical feats. Will prob use a great sword and have the ancestral relic feat is all I'm decently sure of.

Any help would be appreciated. :)

[Dusk Eclipse]

Power Attack, Arcane Strike and Minor Shapeshift are stapples of most gish builds and on the more-castery side Extend and/or Quicken spell are also good options.

[Rebel7284]

I would take a single level of Spellsword (http://dndtools.eu/classes/spellsword/) before Abjurant Champion.

Besides that, you an always do the typical Shock Trooper/Leap attack combo for nice damage on a charge. Unlike many characters who employ this tactic, you have plenty of things you can do when charging isn't optimal.

[Spacehamster]

I would take a single level of Spellsword (http://dndtools.eu/classes/spellsword/) before Abjurant Champion.

Besides that, you an always do the typical Shock Trooper/Leap attack combo for nice damage on a charge. Unlike many characters who employ this tactic, you have plenty of things you can do when charging isn't optimal.

Oh had not seen that prc very nice, will help with bit more hp and bit better saves since two good saves. :) and yeah were thinking the charge route could be good alternately leadership route. :)

[Spacehamster]

Oh and good races for both arcane part of the char and the martial side? with no rhd and no more then 2LA(will use buy away la system)
Ah and guess has to be 1 fighter 5 wizard, missed that you need 5 BaB to unlock abjurant champion so cant get that with 1 fig 4 wiz, and need wiz spells
lvl 3 for elderitch knight. so lvl 1-6 = 1 fig 5 wiz, 7-8 = elderitch knight, 9 Spellsword 10-14 = abjurant champion and 15-20 = elderitch knight.

[Rebel7284]

About race: What books do you have available and how silly are you OK with the character looking? :)

[Larkas]

Oh had not seen that prc very nice, will help with bit more hp and bit better saves since two good saves. :) and yeah were thinking the charge route could be good alternately leadership route. :)

On that note, have you considered selecting Knight Phantom (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050706a&page=4) instead of Eldritch Knight?

[Spacehamster]

About race: What books do you have available and how silly are you OK with the character looking? :)

Anything that is at least remotely humanoid, no anomorphic animals at least. :)

[Spacehamster]

On that note, have you considered selecting Knight Phantom (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050706a&page=4) instead of Eldritch Knight?

The HD is nicer aye but dont have the book so think ill stick to the elderitch knight. :) thanks anyways tho. :)

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Keep in mind that Abjurant Champion requires a +5 BAB, a Fighter 1/ Wizard 4 only has a +3 BAB.

The standard build is to go Fighter 2/ Wizard 4/ Spellsword 1/ Abjurant Champion, or more preferably Human Paragon 1/ Fighter 1/ Wizard 2/ Human Paragon 2/ Spellsword 1/ Abjurant Champion.

Also keep in mind that you don't get any additional spells known from Eldritch Knight levels, so use it sparingly or just as filler. The above build will be level 12 after finishing Abjurant Champion, leaving only eight levels until 20th. You can afford to lose two more points of BAB and still get +16 for four attacks/round by 20th, so Sacred Exorcist 8 is a superb choice for finishing the build.

[Uzgul]

If you are not set on the Greatsword, I suggest taking a bludgeoning weapon and casting Mighty Wallop, Greater (Dracominicon) on it and using Strongarm Braces.
With both of them, it will deal damage like a colossal weapon at level 12, but without any penalties. For example Heavy Flail deals 6d8 with that buff.

In terms of feats, you may have a look at robilar's gambit, that allows you to make a AoO each time your opponent attacks you. As Power Attack, Arcane strike and Wraithstrike last for the complete round, your AoOs will be pretty strong. So you have a good chance to deal way more damage to a barbarian attacking you, than he does.

[Spacehamster]

Keep in mind that Abjurant Champion requires a +5 BAB, a Fighter 1/ Wizard 4 only has a +3 BAB.

The standard build is to go Fighter 2/ Wizard 4/ Spellsword 1/ Abjurant Champion, or more preferably Human Paragon 1/ Fighter 1/ Wizard 2/ Human Paragon 2/ Spellsword 1/ Abjurant Champion.

Also keep in mind that you don't get any additional spells known from Eldritch Knight levels, so use it sparingly or just as filler. The above build will be level 12 after finishing Abjurant Champion, leaving only eight levels until 20th. You can afford to lose two more points of BAB and still get +16 for four attacks/round by 20th, so Sacred Exorcist 8 is a superb choice for finishing the build.

Im confused. It says you gain +1 level of spellcasting class for each level of elderitch knight except the 1st level? :-/
Thought when it said that you get + 1 on your spell levels and new spells from the class but that you dont get the other things
like bonus meta magic and so on?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Im confused. It says you gain +1 level of spellcasting class for each level of elderitch knight except the 1st level? :-/
Thought when it said that you get + 1 on your spell levels and new spells from the class but that you dont get the other things
like bonus meta magic and so on?

It only gives spells per day, not spells known, pay attention to the wording:

Eldritch Knight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/eldritchKnight.htm)

Spells per Day

From 2nd level on, when a new eldritch knight level is gained, the character gains new spells per day as if she had also gained a level in whatever arcane spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of eldritch knight to the level of whatever other arcane spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day and caster level accordingly.

If a character had more than one arcane spellcasting class before she became an eldritch knight, she must decide to which class she adds each level of eldritch knight for the purpose of determining spells per day.

Compare that to another class:

Loremaster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/loremaster.htm)

Spells per Day/Spells Known

When a new loremaster level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as if she had also gained a level in a spellcasting class she belonged to before she added the prestige class. She does not, however, gain any other benefit a character of that class would have gained. This essentially means that she adds the level of loremaster to the level of some other spellcasting class the character has, then determines spells per day, spells known, and caster level accordingly.

[Rebel7284]

Pretty sure this is just an oversight...

[Dusk Eclipse]

If you are not set on the Greatsword, I suggest taking a bludgeoning weapon and casting Mighty Wallop, Greater (Dracominicon) on it and using Strongarm Braces.
With both of them, it will deal damage like a colossal weapon at level 12, but without any penalties. For example Heavy Flail deals 6d8 with that buff.

In terms of feats, you may have a look at robilar's gambit, that allows you to make a AoO each time your opponent attacks you. As Power Attack, Arcane strike and Wraithstrike last for the complete round, your AoOs will be pretty strong. So you have a good chance to deal way more damage to a barbarian attacking you, than he does.

I'd actually suggest using an executioner's mace (Dungeon 135), 2d6 base damage and can deal either Slasing and Bludgeoning or Piercing and Slashing, allowing you to use both mighty wallop (which is from Dragon Magic, not the Draconomicon) and Whirling Blade (CArC). While I'm a big fan of Robilar's gambit I wouldn't suggest it to a gish, since they will only get them at level 15.


Pretty sure this is just an oversight...
Maybe, but those are the Rules as written, ask your DM to see how he would rule that, in any case, Biff is right, Eldritch Knight doesn't really give you much other than full BAB so taking a look at other options isn't bad, Sacred Exorcist is really strong, though it does work better with Sorcerers due their cha-focus, but it is a perfectly fine cap for a gish build.

[Spacehamster]

It only gives spells per day, not spells known, pay attention to the wording:

Eldritch Knight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/eldritchKnight.htm)


Compare that to another class:

Loremaster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/loremaster.htm)

Ah okay ow well will have it give spells known aswell since that makes more sense then it just opening up spell slots but
not giving spells. :) Thanks for clarifying tho.

[Spacehamster]

On that note, have you considered selecting Knight Phantom (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050706a&page=4) instead of Eldritch Knight?

Ordered the book with that prc in it now. ^^

[Spacehamster]

If you are not set on the Greatsword, I suggest taking a bludgeoning weapon and casting Mighty Wallop, Greater (Dracominicon) on it and using Strongarm Braces.
With both of them, it will deal damage like a colossal weapon at level 12, but without any penalties. For example Heavy Flail deals 6d8 with that buff.

In terms of feats, you may have a look at robilar's gambit, that allows you to make a AoO each time your opponent attacks you. As Power Attack, Arcane strike and Wraithstrike last for the complete round, your AoOs will be pretty strong. So you have a good chance to deal way more damage to a barbarian attacking you, than he does.

Hmm does not strongarm bracers only let you wield one size category larger weapons without penalty?

[Menzath]

Instead of the fighter/wizard route if you have access to unearthed arcanna and complete mage I would use both acf's for sorcerer and you would end up with a different(my preferred) chassis. You do lose some spells known/per day but get d8+2+con HD for each sorc lvl and cleric BaB. Oh and some free weapon proficiency. And I love getting exotic profiency with warm ace(CWar) and greater mighty wallop on it makes for a devastating 1h, so you can dual wield!

[Rebel7284]

Instead of the fighter/wizard route if you have access to unearthed arcanna and complete mage I would use both acf's for sorcerer and you would end up with a different(my preferred) chassis. You do lose some spells known/per day but get d8+2+con HD for each sorc lvl and cleric BaB. Oh and some free weapon proficiency. And I love getting exotic profiency with warm ace(CWar) and greater mighty wallop on it makes for a devastating 1h, so you can dual wield!

Dual wielding is pretty bad.

I see no reason to nerf yourself into a class with so few spells known, worse BAB than you'd be getting with prestige classes, and even fewer class features.

As for the race question from before. There aren't too many classes in D&D that have both Int and Physical stats boosts.

Here are some options:

Putting Primordial Giant Template on a Half Giant gives you -2 Str -2 Dex +4 Int +4 Cha and powerful build so you an use bigger weapons without worrying about having to get gauntlets. +1 LA total.

Draconic Template: +2 Str, +2 Con, +2 Cha +1 LA. A nice numeric boost.

Aleithian Dwarves have +2 Con +2 Int -4 Cha http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psb/20030926a all for 0 LA!!

Phrenic Template gives you a bunch of auto-scaling psionic abilities and a boost to all mental stats +2LA

Also check out the lesser planetouched. I particularly like the Mechanatrix. With LA buyoff, they may be ok even without the "lesser" variant.

Anyway, mix and match to taste.

[Baroknik]

It only gives spells per day, not spells known, pay attention to the wording:

Eldritch Knight (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/eldritchKnight.htm)


Compare that to another class:

Loremaster (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/loremaster.htm)

Since he's a wizard, that's not really an issue, he loses 2 free spells in his book per level, but that is pretty easy to get around. Just get friendly with another arcane prepared caster to copy from him...