[3.5] Thogg Chergoba - Neanderthal Gish

[Thurbane]

So, I've been tinkering with a gish build for a while. I wanted to incorporate 10 levels of Hexer, since it's full BAB and grants an extra spell known every 2 levels.

Here's what I've got: Thogg Chergoba
- Race: Neanderthal
- Classes/PrCs: Sorcerer (spellshield variant?) 4/Ruathar 3/Hexer 10/Abjurant Champion 3 (or potentially Hexer 8/Abjurant Champion 5)
- CL 20, BAB +17
- Feats (locked in): (1) Bloodline (earth?), (3) Versatile Spellcaster, (6) Southern Magician

It requires some controversial reading of rules to work:
- Neanderthal to count as as an "other primitive humanoid" for Hexer reqs
- A Neanderthal born in (or otherwise native to) the Mulan region to meet Southern Magician reqs (I'm a bit hazy on FR geography, are Mulan are people?)
- Versatile Spellcaster + Bloodline feat to qualify for Ruthar at 5th level (Ruthar is for two reasons - to help meet skill reqs for Hexer, and to gain MWP to qualify for Abjurant Champion)
- Southern Magician to meet "divine Lightning Bolt" reqs for Hexer

If any of these don't work, I'm willing to try alternatives (like a Half-Orc with the Human Heritage feat; Alternative Source Spell instead of Southern Magician etc.).

Hoping the op gurus in the Playground can give me some much needed advice.

Cheers - T

[Thurbane]

Sorry to bump...but I'm really looking for some feedback. Does it work as written?

I know it's not the most elegant gish build, but I'm very fond of Hexer and looking to incorporate it into a build (other option would be as an Archivist gish).

[Extra Anchovies]

First question for any gish build: are you a buff-gish or a channel-gish? It looks like you're a buff-gish but I want to be sure.

Since you're (probably) a buff-gish, how are you overcoming the action economy challenges inherent to buffing (i.e. having to spend a round at the start of each fight before you can start killing stuff)? Do you have access to free Quicken or Persist, or do you think you can get by on hours/level and (eventually) 10 minutes/level buffs?

Hexer would leave you a bit squishy with the d6 HD and poor Fortitude save. Make sure you keep your Constitution high, or invest in other defenses (e.g. becoming untargetable).

[DrMotives]

Monstrous humanoid, giant, goblinoid, or
other primitive humanoid, such as orc or gnoll.

Since Neanderthals are blatantly more primitive than a gnoll or a goblin, I'd say that this easily is both RAW & RAI legal.

[Thurbane]

Hmm, I guess I was thinking buff gish. Maybe relying on swift/immediate spells, or Quicken Spell at higher levels? And 10 min/lvl 1 hr/lvl spells, of course.

Maybe it's not really a gish chassis, but just a more sturdy Sorcerer...

[TheifofZ]

There are a couple ACFs that can turn Sorcerers into Gishs by default; check Complete Mage and Unearthed Arcana.

Although you will be eating losses to your spell-slots per day to fuel them, so they may be subpar, depending on what you're using the slots for.