player wants to be an incarnate buffer... suggestions?

[Talionis]

I have a player that wants suggestions for an incarnum using buffer, preferably an incarnate. All 3.5 books and Dragon compendium, but not Pathfinder or Dragon Magazine.

Originally he was thing Bard Incarnate, but there isn't a Prestige Class to progress both.

We are starting at level ten but it may go all the way totwenty. I'm generous with leveling.

[Troacctid]

I would recommend Sapphire Hierarch. The Cleric list is fantastic for buffing, and you still get lots of meldshaping, plus all the chakra binds you need via Open Chakra spells.

Standard build is Azurin Cleric 3 (Incarnum and Law domains)/Incarnate 1/Sapphire Hierarch 10.

[Taveena]

Incarnum Radiance lets you be a pseudo-bard, with Aasimar Incarnate substitution levels even able to grant it to non-good allies. Gnome Incarnates, like Aasimar, are locked into being NG, but they add a +4 dodge bonus to AC while Incarnum Radiance is up, which is a significant boost to the NG Radiance.

Bluesteel Bracers' Arms Bind grants a +2 bonus to initiative for all allies.

Diadem of Purelight grants a +2 bonus on Spot checks, which is a little mediocre but for completion's sake.

Lammasu Mantle's Arms Bind gives everyone within 10 ft the party +2 to AC and +essentia on saving throws against Evil enemies.

Lucky Dice's Hands Bind grants everyone within 10 ft a +1 bonus to a number of things, if you give up your Swift action each round.

Aaand that's all I got, for single-classed Incarnating. Probably the best bet is to focus on being the same alignment as as much of the party as possible (or go Aasimar), buff them with Incarnum Radiance, invest heavily in Lammasu Mantle, and resign yourself to being mostly ineffectual against non-evil enemies. A +8 bonus to saving throws is never gonna go unnoticed.

It's a little disappointing due to the lack of offensive abilities, though. If you can persuade the rest of the party - or at least the melee - to ALSO be Lawful (or Evil) then their Incarnum Radiances will be much more bard-eque, but that also locks out Lammasu Mantle.

[Bonzai]

Do a Google Search for Psycarnum warrior. Its a build I stumbled onto on the WotC boards, and I take no credit for it. It provides an engine that allows you to essentially buff for free using incarnum shenanigans. Player in our group is using a variant of it now and it is insane.

[Darrin]

Do a Google Search for Psycarnum warrior. Its a build I stumbled onto on the WotC boards, and I take no credit for it. It provides an engine that allows you to essentially buff for free using incarnum shenanigans. Player in our group is using a variant of it now and it is insane.

Psycarnum Warrior (http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/3541096) by radicaltaoist. It is, of course, a brilliant piece of charop.

However, I don't think it fits what the OP is looking for. No Incarnate levels, and while it does an admirable job of buffing itself, it couldn't care less about what happens to the rest of the party.

[Bonzai]

Psycarnum Warrior (http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/3541096) by radicaltaoist. It is, of course, a brilliant piece of charop.

However, I don't think it fits what the OP is looking for. No Incarnate levels, and while it does an admirable job of buffing itself, it couldn't care less about what happens to the rest of the party.

That's the one. The psy war in our current party is buffing is as well using the build trick.

[Talionis]

Psycarnum Warrior (http://community.wizards.com/content/forum-topic/3541096) by radicaltaoist. It is, of course, a brilliant piece of charop.

However, I don't think it fits what the OP is looking for. No Incarnate levels, and while it does an admirable job of buffing itself, it couldn't care less about what happens to the rest of the party.

100% correct... I had to look that up and that Psycarnum Warrior was sick in a lot of very good ways. Thank you very much for sharing it Bonzai. But its probably a little too high op for this campaign and not exactly what they were looking for, they really want to play with a lot of soulmelds and experiment with that some.

The minimal buffing that an Incarnate 20 can do is probably not going to cut it. Taveena, thank you so much for posting that because I'm sure they'll still use those gimics for their character too, but they are looking for something to splash to make a bigger impact. Some level of dipping in classes like Marshal, Bard, Cleric, etc is what they are looking for. So Saphire Heirarch is a real option, but I think they were looking to splash some more aura's / team buffs. Any more ideas for small dips outside of say a Sapphire Hierarch build? I was trying to piece together a Soulcaster with Bard, but that just didn't seem to work too well since it doesn't progress Bardic Music. (Surprisingly little for Bards in Magic of Incarnum)

[Taveena]

Wizards have some of the strongest buffing spells in the game. A focus on Transmutation or Abjuration will be a HUGE help to your party, but it's awfully hard to get any real synergy. You can be a buffer AND an Incarnate, but these two matters will be mostly unconnected. (Though Share Soulmeld with a familiar can result in some incredible scouting.)

It's a slight stretch, but an Incarnate heavily focused on using Mage's Spectacles or Elder Spirit can use magic items to buff the party. It kinda requires there be a magic mart in setting where you can just kinda load up on the items needed, though.

[Talionis]

Wizards have some of the strongest buffing spells in the game. A focus on Transmutation or Abjuration will be a HUGE help to your party, but it's awfully hard to get any real synergy. You can be a buffer AND an Incarnate, but these two matters will be mostly unconnected. (Though Share Soulmeld with a familiar can result in some incredible scouting.)

It's a slight stretch, but an Incarnate heavily focused on using Mage's Spectacles or Elder Spirit can use magic items to buff the party. It kinda requires there be a magic mart in setting where you can just kinda load up on the items needed, though.


Wizard/Incarnate into Soulcaster into War Weaver is a thought... Its less incarnum than ideal, but a buffer with a good amount of incarnum. Share soulmeld and familiar are also nice for Acid Spitting.

If I don't suggest Wizard...

I was thinking about suggesting a couple levels of Crusader or Warblade to get some of the White Raven Stances that act as aura's. The offensive maneuvers really help with combat anyway.

Incandescant Champion is interesting it doesn't progress Meldshaping at all which is a big weakness, but it has some auras. But its a bit weak, a good idea that has too few uses of its abilities a day.

[Taveena]

Just... for overwhelming cheese. Any source of free metamagic, plus the Midnight Metamagic Feat, plus Improved Essentia Capacity, plus Persistent Spell Incarnum Apotheosis. Every single spell you cast has its metamagic cost reduced by 5. Cleric's good at this, because of Divine Metamagic and Sapphire Hierarch.