Let's Discuss the Sandshaper!

[TheBrassDuke]

So I've been working on a Human Sorcerer/Ruathar/Sandshaper lately and applied a homebrewed "Half-Genie" template (based off the Half-Fey) to him.

I want to discuss the Sandshaper, from Sandstorm. What would you create to enter this PrC? What tricks would you use (no cheese), and what fluff? What kind of Desert King would you make?

Any good spells outside of Sandstorm you think would be cool for him/her (assuming as well you make a sorcerer and the Sorcerer's Spell List can include non Sor/Wiz spells; if you chose something else, keep it up!) not already given as extras?

I'm so curious to know what you all like, if you like the Sandshaper, etc.!

[Threadnaught]

I like the look of it, but it's more of a Sorcerer thing and the shaped items don't seem to last long enough to be as effective as I'd like them. Still cool though.

[Nifft]

It's a fine one-level dip if you're a Kobold and you can get that level back.

With the variable entry prereqs for the Touchstone feat, which you can get by visiting a site instead of buying 8 ranks of a skill, it seems like entry could happen pretty early, if you focus on caster-level buffs.

In a Gestalt game, that one level would happen on the other side (the non-Sorcerer side) of your build.

I would not take more than just that one level unless the game were actually set in a desert wasteland setting and we never plane-hopped.

[Blackhawk748]

I once made a Sorcerer/Sandshaper/Hexer, ALL THE SPEELS KNOWN!!! Seriously being a Sorcerer with that big of a toolbox is freakin amazing. Generally you go one level or 5 i think? Whatever level gives you the free metamagic, its a nice bonus.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I love the Sand Shaper. It's a phenomenal dip for anyone with a limited list of spells known-- especially those with extremely limited lists. The spells he grants aren't fantastic, but there's a nice bit of variety, especially at low levels. Get non-blasts for your Warmage! Non-enchantments for your Beguiler!

[TheBrassDuke]

I like the look of it, but it's more of a Sorcerer thing and the shaped items don't seem to last long enough to be as effective as I'd like them. Still cool though.

There are some nice variable rules regarding the Sandshaper's Shape Sand ability, which I like using. I'll find that in a bit--

Personally, I don't really care about that ability as much as I do about the other boons the PrC offers.

Going Ruathar beforehand really worked, and even made my sorcerer better with all those social skills he should have ALREADY HAD. This way my Sandshaper with his new spells and abilities was a true desert king. :3

[Hal0Badger]

One of the things I like about sandshaper, some of the bonus spells, are lower level than their Sor/Wiz counterparts. Like, I remember, Bear Endurance is 2nd level for a Sor, but it is 1st level for a Sandshaper, and it does not make any actual change to spell since spell level does not effect anything on that spell. There were several other spells as well, but I cannot remember all.

[TheBrassDuke]

One of the things I like about sandshaper, some of the bonus spells, are lower level than their Sor/Wiz counterparts. Like, I remember, Bear Endurance is 2nd level for a Sor, but it is 1st level for a Sandshaper, and it does not make any actual change to spell since spell level does not effect anything on that spell. There were several other spells as well, but I cannot remember all.

1st—bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, endure elements, parching touch†, speak with animals, summon desert ally I†.
2nd—eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, heat metal, owl’s wisdom, resist energy, summon desert ally II†, summon swarm.
3rd—control sand†, desiccate†, dispel magic, dominate animal, haboob†, slipsand†, summon desert ally III†, sunstroke†, torment- ing thirst†, wind wall.
4th—blast of sand†, summon desert ally IV†, wall of sand†, wither†.
5th—choking sands†, flaywind burst†, flesh to salt†, summon desert ally V†, transmute sand to stone†, transmute stone to sand†.
6th— awaken sand†, mummify†, sandstorm†, summon desert ally VI†.
7th—mass flesh to salt†, summon desert ally VII†. 8th—summon desert ally VIII†, whirlwind. 9th—summon desert ally IX†.

Personally, I enjoy the bonus spells. I'm sure there are other spells, from SC, or another book, that have some goodies a Sandshaper might just use.

Y'know what spell I think would be cool? (I think it may actually be from Sandstorm, but I don't remember...) Flensing!

[Blackhawk748]

1st—bear’s endurance, bull’s strength, cat’s grace, endure elements, parching touch†, speak with animals, summon desert ally I†.
2nd—eagle’s splendor, fox’s cunning, heat metal, owl’s wisdom, resist energy, summon desert ally II†, summon swarm.
3rd—control sand†, desiccate†, dispel magic, dominate animal, haboob†, slipsand†, summon desert ally III†, sunstroke†, torment- ing thirst†, wind wall.
4th—blast of sand†, summon desert ally IV†, wall of sand†, wither†.
5th—choking sands†, flaywind burst†, flesh to salt†, summon desert ally V†, transmute sand to stone†, transmute stone to sand†.
6th— awaken sand†, mummify†, sandstorm†, summon desert ally VI†.
7th—mass flesh to salt†, summon desert ally VII†. 8th—summon desert ally VIII†, whirlwind. 9th—summon desert ally IX†.

Personally, I enjoy the bonus spells. I'm sure there are other spells, from SC, or another book, that have some goodies a Sandshaper might just use.

Y'know what spell I think would be cool? (I think it may actually be from Sandstorm, but I don't remember...) Flensing!

I believe its flensig burst and yes it is awesome. Typless magic damage always is. Theres a reason why i take it if its thematically fitting, its a solid AoE spell that just sounds mean.

[TheBrassDuke]

I believe its flensig burst and yes it is awesome. Typless magic damage always is. Theres a reason why i take it if its thematically fitting, its a solid AoE spell that just sounds mean.

No, it was Flensing, but it's from Complete Arcane. Too bad it has the [Evil] descriptor.

A cool idea would be Sor/Sandshaper/Exalted Arcanist. The true Pharaoh! A "proto-god"!

FLENSING
Transmutation [Evil]
Level: Sorcerer/wizard 8 Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Target: One corporeal creature; see
text
Duration: Up to 4 rounds; see text Saving Throw: Fortitude partial;
see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
When you cast this spell, you literally strip the flesh from a corporeal crea- ture’s body, inflicting incredible pain and psychological trauma. Each round, the target takes 2d6 points of damage, 1d6 points of Charisma damage, and 1d6 points of Constitution damage. A
successful Fortitude save negates the ability damage, reduces the hit point damage by half, and ends the spell. In each round when the target creature is affected, it gets a new save.
Flensing has no effect on creatures in gaseous form.
Material Component: An onion.

Edit: Also, were you perhaps referring to Flaywind Burst? That's a neat spell, too.

There are a lot of great ones in Samdstorm, but I've noticed a lot of them are situational (obviously, because it's a location-specific theme book, duh...), and more than a handful are blasting and slight utility.

Still, there's gotta be some other spells we could put together for this amazing PrC (I don't care if you prefer one-level dips...I love it. Thematically and because of the cool abilities. Love it. Contingent resurrection, though highly dependent on the location of your remains...it's pretty cool).