Ranged Incarnate help

[m149307]

Ok, so I am building a level 6 character to deal as much damage as possible (while still being accurate). I plan on using a Soulspark combined with Share Soulmeld and Dissolving spittle. My question is this: which race/feats/soulmelds can I take to achieve my plan?

Info on campaign: 1 Flaw allowed, 1 Trait allowed, no templates, Gladiator style (meaning being a skill monkey is kinda worthless).
Stats (before race or anything):
13
14
15
17
19
20

[Nightraiderx]

Incarnate 2/Scout 4

You only have one attack so you can make it count by using skirmish. Move and attack and get bonuses to damage (extra damage)

Use your scout bonus feat to get improved skirmish (+2d6/+2 for moving 20 feat)

Flaw: Noncombatant (-2 melee attacks)

Race: Azurin is best here more essentia = more damage and human bonus feat.

Shared soulmeld is nice.

Sighting Gloves soulmeld has good synergy.
Cerulean Sandals are good for that movement boost.

You could use the incarnum feat to expand your capacity so you can deal 2d6 with acid.

Using all of that you and your little guy are dealing some nasty damage (2d6 acid + 3d6 skirmish+ bonus from sighting gloves) + soulspark (2d6 acid)


I'd dip in scout first so you have a good skill base. Tumble and Escape Artist are very nice counters. Hide can be useful if there is terrain.

You want your highest ability to be in Dex.

[Troacctid]

You cannot Share Soulmeld with a Soulspark. For one thing, they do not have the Share Spells ability; for another, despite having "familiar" in the name, they are not actually classified as a familiar.

If you want to share soulmelds then you will need an actual familiar, animal companion, or mount with whom you can share spells.

[m149307]

Nightraider, if I did Incarnate 2, I would have only 3 melds to shape I think. Soulspark + Dissolving Spittle take up two, so I would only be able to take either the gloves or the sandles.

Troacctid, DM allowed it.

[Troacctid]

Well your DM is crazy, it's powerful enough without a buff. XD

Dip a couple of familiar/companion-granting classes, then. You're multiplying your damage each time you do. If you went Wizard 3/Incarnate 3, you could take the alternate class feature for an animal companion and Obtain Familiar for a familiar and be making four dissolving spittle attacks each round (or three, with one of the gang readying an action to Cerulean Sandals teleport you all away if someone attacks you).

[Red Fel]

Really? No mention of Incarnate Avatar? It's kind of a go-to for ranged Incarnates. If you're a CN Incarnate, Incarnate Avatar, when shaped, gives you an insight bonus on ranged attacks of +1 per essentia invested. It's a great way to ensure your shots hit home. (A more defensive choice is the Fellmist Robe; if you stay at range, everything is subject to that miss chance.)

[Nightraiderx]

Really? No mention of Incarnate Avatar? It's kind of a go-to for ranged Incarnates. If you're a CN Incarnate, Incarnate Avatar, when shaped, gives you an insight bonus on ranged attacks of +1 per essentia invested. It's a great way to ensure your shots hit home. (A more defensive choice is the Fellmist Robe; if you stay at range, everything is subject to that miss chance.)

Ah I forgot that one since I usually don't use ranged incarnates.


Well your DM is crazy, it's powerful enough without a buff. XD

Dip a couple of familiar/companion-granting classes, then. You're multiplying your damage each time you do. If you went Wizard 3/Incarnate 3, you could take the alternate class feature for an animal companion and Obtain Familiar for a familiar and be making four dissolving spittle attacks each round (or three, with one of the gang readying an action to Cerulean Sandals teleport you all away if someone attacks you).

(2d6 + (2 to 3) incarnate avatar) x 4 which is 8d6 +8 which is about 36 damage on average. and a few spells for defensive purposes. play a small character for the bonus to hit and to be able to ride the animal companion for extra mobility.

[infomatic]

True, but at this level you can skip Avatar (Dissolving Spittle is touch attack, so you shouldn't be missing anyway).

The scout idea's good; I'd definitely try to get in Natural Bond or something similar for an extra acid-shooter.

Feats:
Precise Shot (from gloves)
Improved Skirmish (from scout)

Natural Bond
Shape Soulmeld (Cerulean Sandals)
Improved Essentia Capacity
Share Soulmeld

[Troacctid]

(2d6 + (2 to 3) incarnate avatar) x 4 which is 8d6 +8 which is about 36 damage on average. and a few spells for defensive purposes. play a small character for the bonus to hit and to be able to ride the animal companion for extra mobility.

That's if you only invest 1 essentia. At level 6 with three levels of incarnate and the Expanded Soulmeld Capacity feat, you should be dealing 5d6 acid damage per hit for an average of 70.

Natural Bond doesn't really do anything here, incidentally.

[infomatic]

Oh, you're right, b/c it's not included in the Share Soulmeld language. My mistake.

[Troacctid]

I was thinking more because advancing your animal companion's hit dice doesn't meaningfully improve its ability to use dissolving spittle, but, uh...okay?

Azurin Wizard 3/Incarnate 3
1. Share Soulmeld, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity, Shape Soulmeld (Cerulean Sandals)
3. Obtain Familiar (Bat)
6. Open Least Chakra (Feet)

That gives you three soulmeld-sharing buddies: a bat (best accuracy with ranged attacks of the standard familiars), a horse or camel (so you can ride it as a mount), and a soulspark (because your DM is crazy). You have 4 essentia, which is just enough to fully power dissolving spittle with none left over.

Edit: Wait, actually, this doesn't work because the Wizard's effective Druid level is half his Wizard level. He can't qualify for Share Soulmeld at 1st. How about this:

Azurin Bard 1/Incarnate 5
1. Share Soulmeld, Expanded Soulmeld Capacity, Practiced Spellcaster (Bard)
3. Obtain Familiar (Bat)
6. Bonus Essentia

Bards get a fully-powered animal companion with their ACF so this works a little better. Practiced Spellcaster qualifies you for Obtain Familiar, and you end up with 8 essentia., enough to fully power dissolving spittle and one other soulmeld with a point left over. Also, you get more Cerulean Sandals teleports because you have a higher meldshaper level.

Edit 2: Ooh wait, if you go Bard 1/Druid 1/Incarnate 4 with that setup, you can take the Urban Companion ACF on the Druid level to get an extra familiar for a total of four soulmeld-sharing sidekicks!

[ShurikVch]

Hey, there is also completely different Incarnate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?346719-Good-feats-for-an-Incarnate%28True-Neutral-Paladin-from-Dragon-310%29)

How about using some levels of it?
(At the very least, you may actually have someone to Share Soulmeld...)

[Nightraiderx]

That's if you only invest 1 essentia. At level 6 with three levels of incarnate and the Expanded Soulmeld Capacity feat, you should be dealing 5d6 acid damage per hit for an average of 70.

Natural Bond doesn't really do anything here, incidentally.

I'm without book but there's a limit to the amount of essentia you can put into a soulmeld, there's a chart right around where the feats start in Magic of Incarnum, the capacity of those are limited by level. 1 up to level 6, 2 up to level 12, 3 up to level 16, and 4 near the end. I'm not sure if it's a pure meldshaper progression or you just have to reach the indicated level. (I think it's the latter). with the expanded soulmeld capacity feat, the most you could invest in dissolving spittle seems to be 4d6 acid damage per hit. Could be wrong but that's how I've managed to try to understand the rules for this mechanic. Nevermind I'm an idiot, it starts with 1d6 acid damage and can be increased never mind. Agreed about natural bond.

Dat Bard/Druid/Incarnate build is pure evil. 5 X 5d6 = 25d6 = 87 damage on average not adding in the damage bonus from sighting gloves.

[m149307]

Is that damage taking into account the acid applying itself the next round as well?

[Troacctid]

Is that damage taking into account the acid applying itself the next round as well?

No, I think the earliest that can come online is 10th level, and that's with shenanigans. (Wild Surge + Midnight Augmentation + Increased Essentia Capacity + Torc of Power Preservation, augmenting Psionic Open Chakra.)

[m149307]

Huh, coulda sworn that Dissolving Spittle damage was dealt once, then again on the next turn.

[Troacctid]

You unlock that ability by binding it to your throat chakra, which can normally be done at Incarnate level 14.

[m149307]

Which books are the ACFs from?

[Troacctid]

Bard and Wizard animal companion ACFs are from Unearthed Arcana and are in the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bard). For the Druid, you can either use the Urban Companion ACF from the Cityscape web enhancement (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20070228a) or the Elemental Companion ACF from Complete Mage.

[m149307]

Which ones should I pick for the bard and the druid?

[Troacctid]

I'd probably go with the Urban Companion for the Druid, because bats are tiny-sized rather than small, so they can hang out in your square instead of next to it. Also, it stacks with all your levels, not just your Druid levels. But there are definitely advantages to having an elemental, too.

For the Bard, take the one that gives you an animal companion. You might also go Divine Bard if you want to dump Cha, but I wouldn't go Bardic Sage or Savage Bard because you have poor Reflex saves and you probably want that +2 to shore them up.

[m149307]

Ok, I am sorry but I have another question. For the teleporting... do the animals come with me if they share my square, or how does it work?

[Troacctid]

As with Dimension Door, you can bring with you a number of touched creatures based on your caster level.