Antimagic Brawler

[AvatarVecna]

I was trying to think of a way to make melee-based characters more threatening in the higher levels; after thinking about it for a while, I found an idea I like, but I'm not entirely sure how to pull it off: is there a way for a melee character to become the source of an antimagic field without being affected by it themselves, so that their buffs don't get turned off? Or would it be better if their buffs were psionic, so that it's not an issue?

High level solutions are welcome, and the character in mind would have plenty of support from his party.

[TeslaJr]

If you take 3 levels of Cleric (I think) you can take the Initiate of Mystra feat, which allows you to be immune to amf and dead magic zones.

[Psyren]

If you take 3 levels of Cleric (I think) you can take the Initiate of Mystra feat, which allows you to be immune to amf and dead magic zones.

It doesn't make you immune - it just lets you cast spells in AMF (if you pass a CL check.) Your items and active buffs still get switched off, which would be the bigger issue for most martial classes.

[TeslaJr]

It doesn't make you immune - it just lets you cast spells in AMF (if you pass a CL check.) Your items and active buffs still get switched off, which would be the bigger issue for most martial classes.

Yeah, the items would be surpressed, but so would the enemy's. Also, if you were to cast your buffs within the amf then you'd keep those.

[Psyren]

Yeah, the items would be surpressed, but if you were to cast your buffs within the amf then you'd keep those.

I meant pre-existing buffs (i.e. the ones you cast before casting AMF) would be suppressed. IoM would only protect whatever you cast while inside it.

[AvatarVecna]

I meant pre-existing buffs (i.e. the ones you cast before casting AMF) would be suppressed. IoM would only protect whatever you cast while inside it.

Assuming AMF was cast; suppose you had an item of continuous AMF.

...

Wait, would that even work?

[TeslaJr]

I meant pre-existing buffs (i.e. the ones you cast before casting AMF) would be suppressed. IoM would only protect whatever you cast while inside it.

Oh, wait, yeah I got confused. I was working on the presumption of a Persitomancer Cleric doing this. My bad. Hmmm.... What about having someone with selective spell cast it on the character?

[Rebel7284]

http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-adventurer--54/extraordinary-spell-aim--1057/

Of course, as you are not affected by the AMF, and, I believe, the latest rules are that AMF does not block line of effect, a caster from outside the AMF can still target you...

Edit: there is also Archmage's Mastery of Shaping

[TeslaJr]

Assuming AMF was cast; suppose you had an item of continuous AMF.

...

Wait, would that even work?

I've seen this question before, and most of what I've read says no, it wouldn't.

[TandemChelipeds]

Assuming AMF was cast; suppose you had an item of continuous AMF.

...

Wait, would that even work?

I can't see why not. Antimagic field doesn't interfere with itself when you cast it, so why should it interfere with itself in magic item form?

The bigger question is what happens when two casters with antimagic field up walk into each other's antimagic fields.

[Psyren]

I can't see why not. Antimagic field doesn't interfere with itself when you cast it, so why should it interfere with itself in magic item form?

The bigger question is what happens when two casters with antimagic field up walk into each other's antimagic fields.

"Two or more antimagic fields sharing any of the same space have no effect on each other." They would both keep working, i.e. suppressing everything else., and the Initiate would only have to make one CL check since the other field is not counted.

[Werephilosopher]

http://dndtools.eu/feats/complete-adventurer--54/extraordinary-spell-aim--1057/

Of course, as you are not affected by the AMF, and, I believe, the latest rules are that AMF does not block line of effect, a caster from outside the AMF can still target you...

Edit: there is also Archmage's Mastery of Shaping

I believe Selective Spell works better for this.

[Prime32]

Or would it be better if their buffs were psionic, so that it's not an issue?Psionics are still magic. AMF has the same affect on them.

If you want to get past AMF as a non-caster then you could try mystic shield from Anauroch: The Empire of Shade, which blocks lv6 and lower spells from affecting you. Insanely expensive though.

There's also antimagic ray (Spell Compendium), which affects a creature but not their items.

[Bad Wolf]

Psi-like abilities still work in an antimagic field. So if you manage to munchkin your way into getting enhancements as psi-like abilities...

[Psyren]

Psi-like abilities still work in an antimagic field. So if you manage to munchkin your way into getting enhancements as psi-like abilities...

Only if you're using Psionics Are Different, which is a variant rather than the default.

Also, it means that you can't use your primary schtick against psions, as if you can manifest in AMF so can they.

[Irk]

Probably better to do a Selective spell Planar Bubble from a plane with the dead magic trait, or a custom demiplane that has the enhanced magic trait for you and the dead magic trait for everyone else.

[KingSmitty]

i'd suggest using rings of amf and get your buffs via alchemical potions, save your money for various other things you could purchase (like land). If you're decently optimized and your DM isnt a real terror, amf goes a long way to save ur behind.

[Snowbluff]

I believe Selective Spell works better for this.

Selective AMF doesn't protect you from spells.

[KingSmitty]

on further pondering, isn't ostiluke's dispelling screen what you'd rather want? dispells all spells that pass through instead of suppressing them
with amf you just need to get a high enough duration spell and once the ring runs out you're toast.

[Thealtruistorc]

15-foot reach keeps you out of the zone and still allows you to pummel those inside of it with magic attacks.

[KingSmitty]

15-foot reach keeps you out of the zone and still allows you to pummel those inside of it with magic attacks.

you're a brawler, no mage will want to get that close to you.

im sure if the item is being custom crafted it could potentially only be around the user or even a 5 ft radius. The effect says up to 1ft/CL, not that it is 1ft/CL

[StoneCipher]

I would love to see a pro wrestler type just grapple mages stuck in an anti-magic field and pinning them for the 3 count, taking their spellbook to add it to their championship belt.

[TeslaJr]

I would love to see a pro wrestler type just grapple mages stuck in an anti-magic field and pinning them for the 3 count, taking their spellbook to add it to their championship belt.

The source of the AMF HAS to be a mask that they will never take off.

[Uncle Pine]

Selective AMF doesn't protect you from spells.

Selective AMF does actually protect the selected creature from spells. Unlike Archmage's Mastery of Shaping, Selective Spell doesn't create holes inside AMF's area: it simply makes the selected creature unaffected by the spell. Therefore, since the rules state that "spells don't function in an antimagic area" (which is different from "spells don't affect creatures inside an antimagic area") selective AMF works exactly as intended.

To the OP: if you don't mind having a warm, soft, lethal ball of fur on your shoulder I strongly suggest you to get an AMF tibbit cohort. In other words, select Leadership as one of the feats of your melee character of choice and tak a tibbit with wizard and incantatrix levels as your cohort. Make him sit on your shoulder 24/24 and cast every morning a persistent selective AMF with either you or himself "excluded" from the AMF and you're done. The AMF tibbit cohort can also provide useful persistent buffs if told to do so before casting AMF.

[Psyren]

It seems to me that if you are unaffected by AMF, then any spells cast directly on you would continue to function - whether yours, or someone elses. So you would be protected from area spells and summons, but something like magic missile or charm person would be able to affect you.

[Uncle Pine]

The fact that you aren't affected by AMF (thanks to Selective Spell) doesn't change the fact that your square is part of an AMF. Sure, AMF doesn't block line of effect so people could still try to target you with their spells, but they would fail because

spells don't function in an antimagic area.
Whether or not the target is affected by said antimagic area doesn't matter as soon as he is inside of it.

Do note that as I said this trick works only with Selective Spell, not with Mastery of Shaping or any other similar feat/class feature.

[AvatarVecna]

The problem with Selective Antimagic Field being cast on the brawler is that the brawler can still be affected by enemy spells and effects, so long as they were used outside of the field. I think what I'm going to go with is the huge brawler with the Cleric/Wizard riding on his shoulders; by casting Antimagic Field, the Brawler can't be affected by enemy magic, but the cleric (with that awesome cleric feat) can still buff the brawler to awesomeness.

New question! Now that I have a method of making sure the brawler can be buffed without enemy spells affecting him, and a preferred method of taking out mages (grappling them), what races/classes/PrCs/feats would be great for such a grappler?

[Talionis]

What about Runescarred Berserker prestige class? It casts Anti Magic Field at a very low level spell. With a Barb entry it's strong even within the AMF.

[Uncle Pine]

The problem with Selective Antimagic Field being cast on the brawler is that the brawler can still be affected by enemy spells and effects, so long as they were used outside of the field.

False (see above). But as you've already stated that you're going through the cleric/Initiate of Mystra route, let's move to the next question.
I'd suggest some sort of half-minotaur in order to be Large, maybe a bear barbarian for the grapple bonus while raging and bonus Improved Grapple. While selecting your classes, keep in mind that if you buy your cleric a spellblade of Divine Power you won't have to bother about maximizing your BAB. Moreover, a spellblade of Righteous Might would turn a Large half-minotaur into a Huge half-minotaur, allowing you to grapple even Colossal foes (although you still shouldn't try to do so :smalltongue:).