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Nevar
2007-07-17, 02:45 PM
So how would you optimize a lvl 15 Arcane Hierophant in a forgotten realms setting
Among this please include
Race:
Feats:
Skills:
Magic items of approptiate gold by lvl.

I'm going to be in a new campaign here soon and I would like to reach a decent lvl arcane hierophant. I won't be taking any other classes then 4 druid 3 wizard so I can get the most that I can out of wild shape. Also I plan on getting magic items for my companion familiar which I hope will help me out a lot.

Darrin
2007-07-18, 09:54 AM
So how would you optimize a lvl 15 Arcane Hierophant in a forgotten realms setting


Race: Lesser Aasimar (+2 Wis, +2 Cha, LA +0)

Druid 3/Bard 2/Green Whisperer 2/Arcane Heirophant 3/Sublime Chord 1/Arcane Heirophant +4

Finish off with the rest of Arcane Heirophant and Green Whisperer, and you'll have full 9th level Arcane and Druid spellcasting, Wild Shape 4/day large/tiny/plant, animal companion, and bardic music.

Feats:
1st - Otherworldly (for Alter Self cheese)
3rd - Initiate of Malar (Augment Summoning without the useless prereq feat)
6th - Arcane Strike (turn all those non-combat Bard spells into combat buffs)
9th - Natural Spell (Wild Shape finally kicks in)
12th - Lion's Pounce (full attack on charge)
15th - Extra Wild Shape (more pouncing)

Consider: Melodic Casting at 3rd or 6th. Create Wondrous Item would also be a strong pick, since you'll have access to all Bard, Wizard, and Druid spells.

Skills:
Your PrCs, particularly Sublime Chord, is going to suck up most of your skill points. At minimum: Know (Arcana) 13, Know (Nature) 8, Listen 13, Perform 10, Prof (Astrologer) 6, Spellcraft 6.

Magic Items: some Leafweave or Darkleaf armor, Druid Vestment, Necklace of Adaptation, Slippers of Spiderclimb, and something that can create stormlike weather conditions (Censer of Controlling Air Elementals, multiple Elemental Gems/Air, Orb of Storms, or Ring of Djinni Calling). If you have any money left over, consider buying some Pemanent Greater Magic Fangs on your natural weapons.

Iku Rex
2007-07-18, 10:14 AM
Do you have requirements, preferences, or no limits on the following:
* * * * *a. Books that can be used to build your character
* * * * *b. Race (including any Level Adjustment Limits)
* * * * *c. Class
* * * * *d. Ability Scores (fixed or generation method)
* * * * *e. Alignment
* * * * *f. House Rules: are there any other requirements or unusual rules imposed on you/your character (e.g. no single level dips, no item creation feats, Track is being given to you as a class skill, etc.)
* * * * *g. Concept: what requirements or preferences do you have regarding concept?
* * * * *h. Other: Is there any other information that might help someone make your character all she can be (e.g., what are others playing, the setting is largely wilderness, the DM is threatening to use a lot of undead, or the campaign will be heavy on combat and light on intrigue)?

namo
2007-07-18, 10:51 AM
http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=796496

Nevar
2007-07-18, 10:54 AM
a: All core as well as Complete and all forgotten realm books. No outside sources such as magazines
b: All Races of forgotten Realms no higher LA then +1
c: All classes as listed in books listed above as well as the races books.
d: They are rolled here's what I rolled: 11, 15, 18, 14, 14, 13
e: It's a good campaign no evil alignments.
f: By the book for the most part but up to DM discretion when turned in.
g: The way I would play the character is to ride in on my animal companion then leap off and wildshape fighting along side.
h: Setting is going to be mostly wilderness with a few dungeon delves. Knowing my DM a bit on the heavy side of fighting.

Ramza00
2007-07-18, 01:36 PM
Save the feats and use the spell lion pounce to get pounce. It is in the spell compedium and I forget where else I want to say it is a complete source and is War, Adv, or Div

Roderick_BR
2007-07-18, 02:13 PM
Get one level Hierophant, from the DMG1, and at cost of 1 spell level, get the ability that allows you to share your wild shape.
I don't recall now, but there's a feat or class that makes your animal companions become awake (sentient) without losing it's animal companion stats.
Get a bunch of mice as animal companions, and wild shape them all into dragons.

Stephen_E
2007-07-19, 02:36 AM
IMHO the most optimised Arcane Heriphant depnds somewhat on how much you persuade you DM.
The two major features are both heavily into DM decision territory.

1) Can you use Precocious Apprentice for enytu, thus onlt taking one level of Wizard. (this is a point that can be, and is, endlessly debated regarding the legality, but Wizards has not so far seen fit to rule either way).

2) Can you take a Companion Familiar as a Special Cohort, as per the Paladin doing so. You can't do that with a normal companion because it doesn't have the required Int. A companion Familair does have the required Int. The strength of this is that the bonus HD from companion advancement aren't levels, and don't count when calculating Cohort levels, with the result t5hat your Companion Familiar Cohort is liekly to have more HD than his master when counting racial level HD, Bonus HD and Class level HD.

Depending on how much emphaise you wish to put on your companion familiar you may want to look at dipping into Beastmaster (comp advent).
Druid 3/Wiz 3/Beastmaster 1, and then you have entry into Arcane Heriophant. When compared to the common Druid 4/Wiz 3 build, you trade of 1 level of Druid spellcasting and wildshaping for +3 effective Druid level for Animal Companion advancement/alternatives and a slightly better HD.

Stephen

Iku Rex
2007-07-20, 01:47 PM
Human (race is not so important) Druid3 4/ Wizard3/AH 9 8

I'd suggest leaving the fighting to the companions while you ride it, invisible, and keep it healed and buffed. You could also use summoning spells to keep the enemy occupied.

Feats: Practiced Spellcaster (CDiv) for both clases, Natural Bond (CAdv), Improved Toughness (CWar), maybe some wild feats. If you stick to being a melee fighter, Power Attack is good for getting through DR in wild shape. Complete Champion has a number of good devotion feats that fit a druid. Natural Spell to cast in wild shape. Maybe Arcane Strike (CWar).

Companion: A Tiger looks like the best choice.

Companion items:
Chain Shirt barding (maybe mithral)
Ring of Protection
Ring of Sustenance?
Vest of Resistance (CArc)
+ Str belt
+ Con amulet
+ Dex gloves
Horseshoes of Speed and/or Horseshoes of Zephyr if DM allows (should probably replace gloves, boots and ring slots, and if so not worth it)
Boots of Striding and Springing

All items made for tiger of course - describe as appropriate.

Buffs: Buff spells can have a huge impact on a companion's fighting power. Barkskin and greater magic fang improves it's melee stats. Animal growth turns it into a Huge unstoppable monster. Basic Sor/Wiz buffs like shield, heroism, fly, blink, haste, fire shield and greater invisibility are also good. The complete books have more buffs if you want to really pump it up. For example, Complete Arcane has some nifty familiar-specific buffs if the DM lets you use them on the companion.

I'd look for spells and magic items that lets the companion overcome damage reduction with its natural weapons.

Darrin
2007-07-20, 02:09 PM
Human (race is not so important) Druid3/Wizard3/AH 9


Doesn't meat the +4 BAB requirement for Arcane Heirophant. Most folks use Druid 4/Wizard 3 or Druid 3/Wizard 3/Mystic Theurge 2 to qualify.

Iku Rex
2007-07-20, 02:27 PM
Doesn't meat the +4 BAB requirement for Arcane Heirophant. Most folks use Druid 4/Wizard 3 or Druid 3/Wizard 3/Mystic Theurge 2 to qualify.Right. I stand corrected. (I see the OP was going to use Druid 4/Wizard3.)

SadisticFishing
2007-07-20, 04:54 PM
What book is lesser Aasimar from?

Druid 4/Wizard 3/Arcane Hierophant 8. That simple, probably human.

Basicaly, go Wild Shape, and cast: Chasing Perfection, Tenser's Transformation, Evard's Menacing Tentacles, that +4 morale str/dex/con bonus spell, and haste on yourself (and your animal companion). Rawr.

Stephen_E
2007-07-20, 08:16 PM
When people talk about riding your Companion Familiar and buffing/healing with spells, don't forget that you can deliver touch attacks with an unarmed or natural attack.
Wizards have a ream of fun touch spells.

Just at level one we have Chill Touch and shocking grasp, and the fun just keeps going. Remember giving touch spells to your companion doesn't drop invisibility because you aren't attacking, To be cold, companions cab be replaced, PC's are more difficult.

Stephen

Darrin
2007-07-21, 12:07 AM
What book is lesser Aasimar from?


Player's Guide to Faerun, p. 191.

MadRonin
2007-08-24, 10:06 AM
I've found that the best build for pure spellcasting ability is Wiz 3 Drd 3 Mys. Theurge 4 AH 10. While you miss out on Wild Shape, you eventually end up with 9th level spells in both Druid and Wizard and a companion with the abilities of both a 13th lvl familiar and animal companion. I like this build because it provides the greatest amount of spell versatility which is very important to me when I play a spell-slinger.