Caster dips

[ezkajii]

What are some really good, can't-miss 1- or 2-level class dips for spellcasters? I'm building up my BBEG and I want to get his CR to an even number, I just need one more level. Preferably something with entry requirements that won't use up feats.

[Chronos]

How about one more level in his casting class? For a caster, advancing casting will almost always be superior to one level of anything else.

If you want a casting-progressing prestige class, then you're going to need to tell us more: At the very least, what his base class is and what PrCs he already has.

[Flickerdart]

What kind of spellcaster? Arcane casters have loads of gish PrCs that are relatively easy to get into, while divine casters really vary in terms of what they can score.

[weckar]

Slap on one of the lovely +1 templates?

[ezkajii]

It's a wizard-based demilich caster, already got incantatrix, initiate of the sevenfold veil, and noctumancer (viewed the three level mystery user dip as worth it for the counterspelling abilities, in case of emergency), plus two levels in wyrm wizard to gain access to greater consumptive field. thrown on the spellstitched and phantom templates, for total CR 48 right now. I could always advance wizard another level or two, but if there's something out there that'll advance my casting and grant me a bonus feat or ability or something good, that'd be better. As for templates, I've looked through most of them and I haven't found any other templates that really look good yet. I had considered swarm shifter but decided the defensive abilities (can't be targeted by single-target spells [irrelevant due to SR Infinite] and immune to weapon damage) didn't outweight the loss of spellcasting and SLAs.

[weckar]

Wait. Current CR is 48? You realize this is already an even number? :smallconfused:

[HammeredWharf]

Those details change the definition of "good" a bit.

[ezkajii]

Wait. Current CR is 48? You realize this is already an even number? :smallconfused:

Even maybe wasn't the right word. Round? Looking to make it a nice 50. Alternatively, to condense the character into a lower CR, but keep a lot of the iconic abilities he has now.

[Werephilosopher]

A one-level dip in mindbender for telepathy, so you can get Mindsight.

[Troacctid]

What about the Shadow template? Being constantly invisible is nice, and it comes with evasion too.

[Renen]

I dont even know what that character can even fight with (that will be any fun). Heck, wheres the obligatory tainted scholar dip?

[prufock]

Cleric dip for domains/domain feats, particularly cloistered cleric (since you get 3 instead of 2 domains), plus Lore. Good domains are those that grant feats (like Planning), those that boost caster level, or those that boost your undead (if you're focusing on necromancy).

[ezkajii]

A one-level dip in mindbender for telepathy, so you can get Mindsight.

Just looked this up, solid! Thanks


What about the Shadow template? Being constantly invisible is nice, and it comes with evasion too.

It doesn't specify whether shadow is inherited or acquired but fluff-wise it seems like it would be inherited-only. Otherwise, it is really nice.


I dont even know what that character can even fight with (that will be any fun). Heck, wheres the obligatory tainted scholar dip?

This particular character is serving as, essentially, the final boss for the whole campaign. I also intend to give the PCs some artifacts that will help negate some of his defenses, as rewards for optional quests before pursuing him directly. As far as tainted scholar, I hadn't decided yet whether to use taint rules, and even so a lot of the abilities don't work with undead.


Cleric dip for domains/domain feats, particularly cloistered cleric (since you get 3 instead of 2 domains), plus Lore. Good domains are those that grant feats (like Planning), those that boost caster level, or those that boost your undead (if you're focusing on necromancy).

I suppose I should've mentioned the character's motivations are very anti-deity, so he rejects all divine casting (even ur-priest style) out of hand, believing power should just come from oneself. Otherwise that would be really solid.

[Troacctid]

Shadow can be acquired if you say it can be acquired. You are the DM, after all. Plus, he's already a Noctumancer, so it's, like, perfect.

[Renen]

I suppose I should've mentioned the character's motivations are very anti-deity, so he rejects all divine casting (even ur-priest style) out of hand, believing power should just come from oneself. Otherwise that would be really solid.

In which case arcane magic is out too. Only psionics would be allowed

[ezkajii]

I did consider making him psionic but there's just so much less support for it. I don't like the idea of reskinning a bunch of wizard PrC's to fit a psionic, or vice versa. Maybe I'm not explaining real well right now, but trust me, it makes sense for his character.