Character build question

[RhymarJared]

I'm a player form a D&D 3.5 Gestalt game with a DM which is big on optimization. The only restrictions he gave us on the terms of our character build is to never use Dragon Magazine options, and to not do infinite loops (aka Pun-pun or the infinite damage with a shuriken). So those games are pretty wild, if not hard as heck. Moreso now that we've entered the epic levels (I'm now at level 24).

To give you more context, my character is a gestalt human (with shadow creature template) dread necromancer 24/artificer 20/incantatar 3/paragon 1. He's transformed into a lich (dread necromancer lvl 20) and he's on the way to become a demilich (epic dread necromancer lvl 30 as per a thread in this very forum). The "paragon" level comes from the fact the DM allows us to use our levels to gain templates, even innate ones. After 12 levels of the "paragon" racial class, I'll gain in one go all of the paragon template advantages.

I'm not the most powerful player in the team. There's a player which could destroy my body in one round.

As you could see above, I have 20 levels of artificer. I did not do a "zeroficer" build on purpose (that would be too much job), but I upgraded my wondrous items to a ridiculous point (I have a ring that grants me unlimited use of the wish spell as long as I stick with minor effects that don't cost more than 5000XP, and that not my most powerful effect). Don't worry, all of this is put under the rules determining the limits of non-epic magic item (but I just gained craft epic wondrous items as a lvl 24 feat, so that's no longer a concern). I just need to say that with an extensive list for spells from the D&D 3.5 multiverse and the rules to make custom items from the Dungeon master guide, I had a couple headaches to figure all of this out, but also a lot of fun.

But, as to point out again, I'm not the most powerful player of the game. The lenght at which other players went to get ridiculous amount of power is staggering, and I'm seeking new tricks. Which comes to a bunch of question I must submit to you. There could be more coming in the future.

1. If I get the epic feat Spell Opportunity and if I have the spectral hand spell active on me, could I get a "spell opportunity" against someone moving inside the range of the spectral hand spell?

2. The Permanent Emanation epic feat only specifies that I must know a spell which is an emanation from myself. If I design an epic spell to make it as an emanation from myself, is there something RAW that would stop me from using the Permanent emanation feat on it?

3. Which would be best in the long run? Taking several time the Improved Metamagic epic feat (the Dungeon Master's GUide version that counts the global level adjustment instead of each metamagic feat separately), or taking several time the Improved Spell Capacity feat to get 10th-level and higher spell slots?

4. Could I create an item that combined the effects of several hand spells to make a single, versatile, telekinetic hand? I'm talking about combining the effects of spectral hand, rusting grasp, the whole range of Bigby's hands and mage hand. I'm also considering making all of them with the Twin Spell metamagic, just to make a pair of hands that can change from big and porweful to little and delicate, when also being able to conduct spells and rust armors.

5. I found the spell that allows to cast a single 4th level or lower spell within an antimagic zone. Is there any other countermeasures I could get, short of epic spells? I have heard that being surrounded by a lead bell or a similar compartiment blocks the effects of an antimagic field, but could not find the quote that would prove it would work.

Thank for your time in advance. I know it's busy work.

[OldTrees1]

1)
Your spectral hand is reach (can attack) but not threatening reach (can cause AoOs). So if you can cause yourself to gain an AoO (say by wielding a reach weapon), then you could use your spectral hand to deliver the AoO via Spell Opportunity.

2)
I don't see anything against it. Permanent Emanation designates "spell" which epic spells are. Double check with your DM to see if they will allow it for the specific epic spell.

[RhymarJared]

1) Your spectral hand is reach (can attack) but not threatening reach (can cause AoOs). So if you can cause yourself to gain an AoO (say by wielding a reach weapon), then you could use your spectral hand to deliver the AoO via Spell Opportunity.

Makes sense. It would also be weird if I could have the whole range of the spell as my threatening range.


2) I don't see anything against it. Permanent Emanation designates "spell" which epic spells are. Double check with your DM to see if they will allow it for the specific epic spell.

Fortunately for me, my DM also has no problem with it.


3. Which would be best in the long run? Taking several time the Improved Metamagic epic feat (the Dungeon Master's GUide version that counts the global level adjustment instead of each metamagic feat separately), or taking several time the Improved Spell Capacity feat to get 10th-level and higher spell slots?

If we factor in the fact that getting a new spell level also gets me bonus spells for high attribute, I would say Improved Spell Capacity is the best option of the two so far. Feel free to contradict me if I missed something.


4. Could I create an item that combined the effects of several hand spells to make a single, versatile, telekinetic hand? I'm talking about combining the effects of spectral hand, rusting grasp, the whole range of Bigby's hands and mage hand. I'm also considering making all of them with the Twin Spell metamagic, just to make a pair of hands that can change from big and porweful to little and delicate, when also being able to conduct spells and rust armors.

According to my DM, I could make an item which would allow me to switch from 1 spell effect to the other with a standard action (or swift if I pay them to be quickened), but not a set of hands which have all the effects at once. Sad, but logic.


5. I found the spell that allows to cast a single 4th level or lower spell within an antimagic zone. Is there any other countermeasures I could get, short of epic spells? I have heard that being surrounded by a lead bell or a similar compartiment blocks the effects of an antimagic field, but could not find the quote that would prove it would work.

Apparently, if I look the Rules Compendium about emanations (which an antimagic field is), it says that total cover (as I would be within a metal bell) blocks the effect of emanations. It doesn't have to be lead-lined, just solid. So that question is answered as well.

[ExLibrisMortis]

You could make an item of girallion's blessing to give yourself extra hands, then control your handy magic items with those hands. Maybe your DM is okay with that.

[RhymarJared]

You could make an item of girallion's blessing to give yourself extra hands, then control your handy magic items with those hands. Maybe your DM is okay with that.

As far as I can see within the Girallon's Blessing description, it doesn't give me extra actions. Actually, it downright specifies that the user can't combine the usage of those arms with regular weapon attacks, thus I seriously doubt they would allow me to control spells while doing my regular stuff.

Actually, the goal for those "twin force hands" was for the time when my character will become a demilich, thus be rendered handless. Actually, it never says in the description I won't be able to manipulate stuff, but being a floating head seems to me pretty incompatible with delicate manipulation. Maybe it assumes I'll be naturally able to telekinetically move anything within my normal reach... But then again, I can't find the quote saying that.

[ExLibrisMortis]

As far as I can see within the Girallon's Blessing description, it doesn't give me extra actions. Actually, it downright specifies that the user can't combine the usage of those arms with regular weapon attacks, thus I seriously doubt they would allow me to control spells while doing my regular stuff.

Actually, the goal for those "twin force hands" was for the time when my character will become a demilich, thus be rendered handless. Actually, it never says in the description I won't be able to manipulate stuff, but being a floating head seems to me pretty incompatible with delicate manipulation. Maybe it assumes I'll be naturally able to telekinetically move anything within my normal reach... But then again, I can't find the quote saying that.
I didn't mean as a RAW way of getting extra actions, I just mean that there are low/mid-level spells and abilities (soulmelds) that give you extra hands, so the ability to use an extra hand shouldn't be that expensive. Controlling two spectral hands as if they are regular hands (e.g. with just 5' reach) shouldn't require much, as long as they occupy the use of your regular hands. Bigby's line of spells is stronger, but still not all that powerful (incidentally, Bigby's crushing hand, the 9th-level spell, incorporates the 5th, 6th and 7th-level variants). You could make an intelligent magic item and make it cast the spells as you direct, saving you from having to concentrate or direct them.

Edit: to clarify: this is an argument you can bring to your DM, about allowing you to use spectral hands in place of your regular hands, by comparing with similar hand-granting powers.

Have a look at nanobots: get as many of the smallest animated object/intelligent item/homunculus you can (I suggest animated pixie skulls), stack them all in your space, and have them all use the 'aid another' action on you. If they're intelligent magic items, they can use spells on your behalf, too.

[RhymarJared]

You could make an intelligent magic item and make it cast the spells as you direct, saving you from having to concentrate or direct them.


Strangely enough for an artificer with the Item Familiar feat (I have a talking Bag of Holding), I didn't take time to study intelligent items. I should probably take a look at the rules for making them, because having 2 force hands that are being directed by an intelligent item with the same alignment as me seems a pretty good idea, specifically since my Will save will easilya pass over whatever Ego score the item has.