Fire-Themed Classes

[Kesnit]

My wife has been motivated by a video I found and wants a fire-based build. Which, of course, means I have to come up with fire-themed classes. (I am aware I can use any casting class and just pick fire spells, but am trying to focus the build a little more than that.)

So far I've thought of:
Disciple of Mephistopheles (BoVD)
Pryokineticist (XPH)
Shugenja (CDiv)

Are there any other classes with a fire focus out there? It doesn't matter if the class if poorly optimized/low tier/etc. The group she plays with would not know optimization if it teleported to their table and did a jig! :smallsmile:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bikl9-OPPmA

[Zetapup]

A bard with dragonfire inspiration can effectively give the whole party bonus fire damage to attacks, which is p similar to what you're going for.

Dragonfire Adepts (from Dragon Magic) get a fire breath weapon which they can use frequently, plus various invocations similar to the warlock (a refluffed warlock would also work, if you called the eldritch blasts fire blasts or something similar and changed the damage type to fire damage).

If you want something that's more melee, the swordsage from tome of battle can get loads of fire related manuevers. (the Jade Phoenix Mage is a prestige class from the same book that would go well with the fire theme)

The elemental savant from Complete Arcane could work, but I've never seen it in play before.

The elemental warrior from the Planar Handbook also seems like it'd work, but again, I have no idea how good it is.

The brimstone speaker from Tome of Magic has some fire abilities, but it requires ranks in truespeak, so prolly not a great class. Can't say for sure though, since I only looked it over briefly.

There's an alternate class feature for the monk called Phoenix Disciple (from Champions of Valor), which gives some fire abilities to the monk. Requires you to be lawful good though.

Finally, the Wu Jen from complete arcane has elemental specialties, so that could work.

I think that covers the majority of options. Overall, I'd prolly recommend the dragonfire adept if they want a ranged fire attack, or dragonfire inspiration bard or swordsage if they want to go more melee with the fire.

[Dondasch]

The elemental savant from Complete Arcane could work, but I've never seen it in play before.

The elemental warrior from the Planar Handbook also seems like it'd work, but again, I have no idea how good it is.

The brimstone speaker from Tome of Magic has some fire abilities, but it requires ranks in truespeak, so prolly not a great class. Can't say for sure though, since I only looked it over briefly.

Elemental Savant is horrible, and should be avoided, or taken knowing that you are actively making your character worse.

Elemental Warrior is actually pretty nice.

Brimstone Speaker is bad, as might be expected for a Truenaming class.



Also worth noting is the Silver Pyromancer PrC from Five Nations, which will allow you to get around fire resistance and immunity.

[torrasque666]

Hellfiya warlackah!

[Keldrin]

Tome or battle class, focusing on desert wind maneuvers. Then moving into Jade Phoenix Mage perhaps?

[Nifft]

Core Druids are pretty great with fire. They can get good use from the Searing Spell feat, and they have Flame Strike which burns your foes with divine fire.

If you take the "Aspect of the Dragon" alternate class feature from Dragon Magic, your Druid can breathe a cone of fire every 1d4 rounds for an hour a day per daily Wildshape. (The Aspects in Dragon Magic all last for an hour each -- unlike the UA Aspects, which last for 1 minute/level.) It's better than Fiery Burst, and better than stabbing jerks with your spear, but it's not better than casting spells. Luckily, you can do both.

[nedz]

There are several options, which could include:

Human Sorcerer with Draconic Heritage (CArc), and Draconic Breath. From level 1 you can turn your spells into Fire.

Fire Genasi ( Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting p20)

Silverbrow Human ( Dragon Magic p6) for the Dragonblood type to access Dragonfire Strike for a Rogue type character or Dragonfire Channeling for a Cleric.

[SkipSandwich]

Pyrokinetist is a lot nicer then most give it credit for. You don't have any in-class tools for dealing with fire immunity until level 9 and Heat Death, but you just deal so much fire damage that anything less then total immunity is just DR for you.

Fire Lash gives you (eventually) 1d8 + 4d6 (weapon afire) + Str + Power Attack on a 15ft reach weapon that hits on a melee touch attack and can be two-handed for double power attack benefits. It's like having a permanent Wrathstrike!


Speaking of Heat Death,

Fire Elemental? <--- Dies to Heat Death

Red Dragon? <---Dies to Heat Death

Pit Fiend <--- Dies to Heat Death

the static DC 14 before Cha hurts, so grab Ability Focus for +2 asap and pump that Cha as high as you can and you have an At-Will Save or Die that as written, works on anything other then undead and incorporeal creatures. Fire resistance and immunity protect only against the secondary damage inflicted on a successful save.

[ShurikVch]

Bonded Summoner (MH)
Elemental Archon (F&P)
Elemental Scion of Zilargo (MoE)
Fire Elemental monstrous progression (Sav)
Firestorm Berserker (Dr#314)
High Elemental Binder (PGE)
Kineticist (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030328b)
Planar Shepherd (FoE) - for some Fire-related plane

[Kesnit]

A bard with dragonfire inspiration can effectively give the whole party bonus fire damage to attacks, which is p similar to what you're going for.

Similar, but not quite. She wants more "all fire, all the time." Dragonfire Inspiration is great (the bard in the group I DM for had it and it was brutal), but it's just 1 thing.


Dragonfire Adepts (from Dragon Magic) get a fire breath weapon which they can use frequently, plus various invocations similar to the warlock (a refluffed warlock would also work, if you called the eldritch blasts fire blasts or something similar and changed the damage type to fire damage).

Again, she's looking for lots of fire.


If you want something that's more melee, the swordsage from tome of battle can get loads of fire related manuevers. (the Jade Phoenix Mage is a prestige class from the same book that would go well with the fire theme)

Desert Wind maneuvers hit me this morning as an option. I will definitely bring that up to her. I like JPM, but I'm not sure if she will. (Maybe as SORC or Warmage...) Also, the DM in that game is BIG on fluff, and JPM says there's only ever 13 in the world. I'm not sure how strict he will be about her being 1 of 13 total.


The elemental savant from Complete Arcane could work, but I've never seen it in play before.

If she didn't want fire, this would work. However, just about everything has either fire resistance or fire immunity at high levels.


The elemental warrior from the Planar Handbook also seems like it'd work, but again, I have no idea how good it is.

Possible.


The brimstone speaker from Tome of Magic has some fire abilities, but it requires ranks in truespeak, so prolly not a great class. Can't say for sure though, since I only looked it over briefly.

As I said, her group isn't big on optimization. When I played with them, they had a PC who had levels in Expert (Baker) and Truespeaker. (Same PC.)


There's an alternate class feature for the monk called Phoenix Disciple (from Champions of Valor), which gives some fire abilities to the monk. Requires you to be lawful good though.

She prefers to avoid Lawful anything, so probably not.


Finally, the Wu Jen from complete arcane has elemental specialties, so that could work.

True


Also worth noting is the Silver Pyromancer PrC from Five Nations, which will allow you to get around fire resistance and immunity.

Only useable 1/day (3/day at 5th level). And it requires LG. :(


Hellfiya warlackah!

I have no idea why I didn't think of this! She loves Warlocks.


Core Druids are pretty great with fire. They can get good use from the Searing Spell feat, and they have Flame Strike which burns your foes with divine fire.

Searing spell! That is the feat I've been trying to think of. I knew there was one like that, but could not think of the name.

She did mention wanting to play a Druid. However, to be honest, I am trying to work her away from that class, since she already has 3(!) Druid builds.


If you take the "Aspect of the Dragon" alternate class feature from Dragon Magic, your Druid can breathe a cone of fire every 1d4 rounds for an hour a day per daily Wildshape.

She doesn't like Wildshape, so that would work...


There are several options, which could include:

Human Sorcerer with Draconic Heritage (CArc), and Draconic Breath. From level 1 you can turn your spells into Fire.

Possible.


Fire Genasi ( Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting p20)

Depending on the class(es) we end up going with, that would make an appropriate race. Assuming the DM allows it, which is not guaranteed. (Her current character is an Incarnate going into Necrocarnate. For fluff and fun, I made her a Necropolitan. The DM said no to the template, since the party "hasn't reached the part of the world where undead come from.")

Oh, wait... FRCS... I know that won't fly. The DM bans all the FR books.


Silverbrow Human ( Dragon Magic p6) for the Dragonblood type to access Dragonfire Strike for a Rogue type character or Dragonfire Channeling for a Cleric.

I see where you are going, but it isn't really the fluff she wants.


Pyrokinetist is a lot nicer then most give it credit for. You don't have any in-class tools for dealing with fire immunity until level 9 and Heat Death, but you just deal so much fire damage that anything less then total immunity is just DR for you.

I like the class, and the requirements are pretty easy.


Bonded Summoner (MH)

She wants to be the flaming-thing-of-death, not have her familiar do it.


Elemental Archon (F&P)

Hmm... Very possible


Elemental Scion of Zilargo (MoE)

OK, that is awesome!


Fire Elemental monstrous progression (Sav)

That might work... The DM might require her to take all 14 levels before taking a class, but she may be OK with that.


Firestorm Berserker (Dr#314)

Not sure that's enough fire for her.


High Elemental Binder (PGE)

Again, she wants to be the fire, not call the fire. :smallsmile:


Kineticist (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030328b)

Guess I should have mentioned that psionic classes are off the table. (Pyro I mentioned because it isn't really a psionic class. It's more like "you need a psi point, but don't actually do anything with it.") The DM allows psionics, but he does so in a very weird way. It's hard to explain how he handles psionics, but I've tried to play a psionic class (PsyWar) and it didn't go over well.


Planar Shepherd (FoE) - for some Fire-related plane

*chuckle* What that class can do would make every other PC pointless. Also, the DM does weird things with the planes. (He has his own world.) He'd PROBABLY allow the class, but I don't know.

[zergling.exe]

If fire resistance/immunity is a problem, a 1 level dip into Sanctified One (of Kord, from Complete Champion) allows you to turn any fire damage from spells with the fire subtype into divine damage instead.

[Dondasch]

Only useable 1/day (3/day at 5th level). And it requires LG. :(

Actually, Sacred Flame (the class feature that allows you to circumvent resistance and immunity) is usable whenever. Smiting Spell is the class feature that's only usable a limited number of times per day.
The alignment though, there's not much help there.

[Nifft]

Elemental Archon always appealed to me.

It's not super-powerful, but I love the idea of having a bunch of explicitly disposable minions who all have terrible personalities.

The flavor is very setting-specific, though that can always be changed.

[Blackhawk748]

Warmage focused on Fire Spells?

Edit: That song is Hilarious

[Ruethgar]

If she wants to actually be the flame, a single casting of Elemental Familiar on her would make her a fire elemental. A more mental ability friendly way is get two castings of Familiar Form, dismiss the first then the second and you can be in a Tiny Fire Elemental while still having to soul of whatever(I like Gnome with Magically Adept to pick my SLAs(Sanctum Produce Flame, Burning Hands, Dancing Lights) and then Magic in the Blood to make them each 3/day.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Dragons of Faerun has Tchazzar, a Red Dragon with twelve levels in the Dragon Ascendant PrC from the Draconomicon, making him a quasi-deity. Dragons of Faerun p91-93 describes his church/cult, and has two new feats: Servent of a Dragon Ascentant, and Initiate of Tchazzar. Unfortunately the latter has the other as a prerequisite, and all the first one does is give you a 1/day +1 Luck bonus on any d20 roll.

Initiate of Tchazzar gives you a +2 on saves vs dragon breath attacks and frightful presence, and adds some spells to your Cleric (or Blackguard or Ranger) spell list: Flare, Flame Blade, Palarandusk's Fire Breath (2nd, 10-ft. cone fire breath usable once, 1d6/caster level max 5d6), Fireball, Magic Vestment, Fire Shield.

Go Cloistered Cleric 6/ Divine Oracle 4/ Contemplative 10, with Wis > Dex > Con > Str > whatever. Use the Frog God's Fane in CS to get the Skill Focus prerequisite for Divine Oracle. This needs a lot of feats, so get two flaws (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/buildingCharacters/characterFlaws.htm) (Hot Blooded (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?258440-The-quot-Best-quot-Flaws#30), you take +2 damage from cold spells and need to have Endure Elements). You need Servant of a Dragon Ascendant, Initiate of Tchazzar, Extend Spell, Persistent Spell, Divine Metamagic: Persistent, and Two-Weapon Fighting at the very least.

Daily buffs need to include DMM: Persistent (Fell Drain, Fell Frighten) Flame Blade twice, DMM: Persistent (Fell Drain, Fell Frighten) Fire Shield twice, DMM: Persistent Divine Power (not even necessary due to touch attacks), DMM: Persistent Righteous Wrath of the Faithful, and eventually DMM: Persistent Holy Star (three times) and DMM: Persistent Energy Substituted: Fire Stormrage.

You can save a few feats and go Cloistered Cleric 1/ Archivist X and worship whatever you want, since an Archivist can cast any divine spell from any divine spell list as long as he can find a copy of it to learn. I've recommended something similar in the past but dual-wielding a Flame Blade and an Ice Axe for some damage versatility.