Nightstalker Water Orc Optimization

[Tenebris86]

Okay, so we random rolled class and race combinations and I am looking to try and make the best of a bad situation.

Race: Water Orc

Class: Nightstalker (Races of Ansalon 153)

Ability Scores: (15/5/11/12/11/12) +1 each for levels 4 and 8

Level: 10

Sources: All 3.5 materials, including Dragon Magazine.

Equipment: 1 Medium Wondrous, 2 Minor Wondrous, +2 Weapons/Armor

For the future of the build, prcs will be allowed starting at 11, but 1-10 must be Nightstalker. Re-rolls are not permitted.


Advice on the Spirit Companion is appreciated, as I have not messed much with Ghosts at all. In fact, this entire class is completely new to me. I was considering making use of a compound shortbow to make use of WO strength, but the MAD in this class kind of precludes any notion of being useful, especially with the combined W/Ch casting. I know there are feats that combine casting stats, and I would rather it be Wis for the benefit of Zen Archery if possible.

However, I am completely open to other build options if you guys have them.

[Inevitability]

For those without RoA, can you explain what the Nightstalker is? What can it do, what kind of role does it fulfill?

[Tenebris86]

Sure thing, sorry about that.

Nightstalker is a necromancy/divination limited divine caster up to 6th level spells with minor rogue abilities (basically trapfinding).

3/4 bab, high reflex/will, light armor and weapons and a split Wis/Cha casting.

Gains access to rebuke at lvl 4 (like pallys).

Most class abilities are negligible, except a static +2/4/6 bonus to knowledge based on level(thinking devotion) and a ghost cohort 3hd less than PC.

A Google search for roa pdf should be provide a copy for reference.

[Troacctid]

Well, since 3rd party stuff is allowed, you're probably taking Lost Tradition to cast off of Strength. I don't know a lot about 3rd party material, but that feat is infamous enough that even I've heard of it.

Usually with orcs, I want to leverage the Strength score, so I like to pick up a two-handed weapon and go into melee, especially for lower levels where one or two smacks with a greatsword is often enough damage to drop an enemy.

[Tenebris86]

Unfortunately, lost tradition is 3.0 rather than 3.5, which is one of the few limitations I do have for this build.

[gorfnab]

The Ghost Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1118.0) can help you with the Spirit Companion. Something like Hexblade 5/ Master of the Unseen Hand 5 is a nice setup for a Ghost. A Ghost Bard would also work well.

You could look into some Devotion feats such as Knowledge, Animal, Strength, or Protection.

Since you have all of the Cure spells you could make use of the reserve feats Touch of Healing and Mitigate Suffering. You also have a decent amount of Necromancy spells so Sickening Grasp could be an option.

Since this class shares some aspects with Cleric I would suggest a read through of the Cleric Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1238.0).
Also take a look at the Revised Necromancer Handbook (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=2733) since the class comes with Necromancy based spells and abilities.
You can also combine some of the Nigthstalker's spells and abilities with that of the Spirit Companion leading to some potential Fear based combos as listed in the Fear Handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=3809).

[Tenebris86]

Thanks for the reply, it actually helped me to eliminate more options than anything though, lol. I learned I lack much of what makes clerics awesome, do not have the stats/multiclassing/feat reserves to really make fear stack they way I would like nor to make necromancy effective.

The Ghost bit was very helpful, but I will have to have a chat with my DM to see how far I can take some of the Ghost abilities, since it is a fairly powerful part of the class.

My limited ability scores really hinder my ability to do much more than subsist. I initially planned on Knowledge Devotion (and I still might) but it requires a feat and additional feats to fill out the rest of my knowledge skills to make it reliable.

However, I definitely like the idea of Sickening Touch, and I am leaning toward a Touch-Based melee build. the Inflict series of spells (along with other touch-based spells) in conjunction with a decent strength and bab means that I can reliably touch when I want to. I am also making use of Shielded Casting to eliminate AoOs while in melee combat. The spell list itself is entirely void of any buff spells, making prolonged melee combat a matter of whether I can heal myself faster than my enemies.

Right now, my main struggle will be to find an alternate means of damage/support for the group after my spells (of which I don't have many) run out.

Throwing weapons (Brutal Throw) seems to be a good way to fall back and take out my enemies, and of course a simple melee weapon would work as well, but any dex-based melee will end up useless, since I can't get it above 12 without severely gimping myself somewhere else.

Really, the Touch portion is going to be my bread and butter. Any ideas on either improving that aspect of the build (prc and so on starting at 11) or any ideas on how to keep the character valuable after my dozen or so spells are expended would be great.

[Rebel7284]

Animate Dead + Control/Rebuke to build an army can be pretty powerful. Can be difficult to prevent NPCs from panicking about it though.

Check the dread necromancer handbook for advanced learning options.

Would be nice if you could actually cast your 4th level spells, but oh well.

Frankly, your cohort is probably easier to optimize. Simply attracting a level 7 wizard should solve many of your problems.

Also, your skill list includes UMD. Dump points into there, then use off-class wands/staves.