Help for Eldritch Knight for first PbP

[danielxcutter]

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?518011-3-5-Honor-in-Shadows-(5-6-Players)

I've decided to enter as a candidate for this game. I want to be an Eldritch Knight - and yes, I know that it's not going to be super easy since I won't get Transmutation out of the gate.

Semi-finished build is around at the end of the thread.

Two questions:

1. Is the current build okay? I applied my stat increases in Con and Int. Next feat is going to be Elusive Target. And I'm not sure if I should invest in the Craft skill or not, and what I should put my Fighter skillpoints into if I won't.

2. What items should I buy? Remember, can't get ones that require spells from either Divination, Necromancy, Evocation, or Transmutation.


Edit: Incomplete character sheet is here (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1142873).

[ATHATH]

Have you considered dipping Barbarian instead of Fighter for the required martial weapon proficiencies? Pounce is really nice.

Something like Barb 1/Wiz 5/Rage Mage 1/Knight Phantom 10/Ruathar 3, perhaps?

Isn't there an ACF for Fighters that drops heavy armor proficiency for a reduction in ASF Chance?

[ATHATH]

Ooh, be a Focused Specialist Abrupt Jaunt Conjurer and ban 3 of the already-banned schools. Being able to move up to enemies as a immediate action so that you can Full-Attack them might be an alternative or supplement to dipping Barbarian.

[danielxcutter]

Trying to stick to core in terms of classes, just in case. Of course if the DM allows it then I plan to use the Thug ACF. Don't plan to ban Transmutation - the buffs from there are really good.

[danielxcutter]

Bumping - what items should I get besides the ones I already have?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

How many levels in each of those classes do you plan on taking?

Consider replacing your 1st and 5th level Wizard bonus feats with Fighter bonus feats (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizard). You get the same number of feats but can select feats from the Fighter bonus feat list instead. That's originally found in Unearthed Arcana.

Why Eldritch Knight specifically? There are plenty of (better) options for a sword-and-spell character. Just a few that spring to mind are Abjurant Champion and Knight Phantom (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050706a&page=4), if you don't want a lot of multiclassing. Keep in mind that Eldritch Knight levels don't give you any additional spells known.

Keep in mind that the flavor text that a given class comes with is completely optional. You can put any flavor text you want on any given class or even prestige classes, as long as the mechanics of that class fit the flavor.

Consider picking up some crowd control spells. Wall of Smoke, Cloud of Bewilderment, or Stinking Cloud are Fort-save area effects and can serve the same purpose as Fog Cloud. Glitterdust is a fantastic replacement for divinations when it comes to revealing invisible foes, and it's a superb Will-save area effect. Every one of those are conjurations.

I'm pretty sure a +1 weapon or armor with no special abilities radiates transmutation magic when Detect Magic is used on it (as Magic Weapon or Magic Vestment), so no magical weapons or armor would be available under the current rules.

[danielxcutter]

How many levels in each of those classes do you plan on taking?

Finished build will be something like Fighter 2/Wizard 8/Eldritch Knight 10.

Consider replacing your 1st and 5th level Wizard bonus feats with Fighter bonus feats (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizard). You get the same number of feats but can select feats from the Fighter bonus feat list instead. That's originally found in Unearthed Arcana.

Why Eldritch Knight specifically? There are plenty of (better) options for a sword-and-spell character. Just a few that spring to mind are Abjurant Champion and Knight Phantom (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20050706a&page=4), if you don't want a lot of multiclassing. Keep in mind that Eldritch Knight levels don't give you any additional spells known.

Keep in mind that the flavor text that a given class comes with is completely optional. You can put any flavor text you want on any given class or even prestige classes, as long as the mechanics of that class fit the flavor.

I dunno if the DM is going to allow any of these. I made this assuming that he wouldn't, but I haven't gotten an answer either way, so that could change. Remember, the DM said that only PHB stuff would be automatically allowed.


Consider picking up some crowd control spells. Wall of Smoke, Cloud of Bewilderment, or Stinking Cloud are Fort-save area effects and can serve the same purpose as Fog Cloud. Glitterdust is a fantastic replacement for divinations when it comes to revealing invisible foes, and it's a superb Will-save area effect. Every one of those are conjurations.

I was planning to get more spells somehow anyways(probably copying them off scrolls). Glitterdust is one of the spells I had on my wish list(besides all the gish-friendly Transmutation spells once they become usable), and I was also planning to get some CC spells too, like Black Tentacles. Shadow Conjuration and Shadow Evocation are also going to be really useful.


I'm pretty sure a +1 weapon or armor with no special abilities radiates transmutation magic when Detect Magic is used on it (as Magic Weapon or Magic Vestment), so no magical weapons or armor would be available under the current rules.

I doubt the DM's going to be that strict.