SoP Character Build Help

[Dromuthra]

Howdy all! I'm trying to put together a gestalt character and I'm a little daunted by the sheer variety of choices available within the Spheres of Power system. I have a pretty good grasp on how the system works (I own the first book), but I've never actually had occasion to play it. So, I'm looking to put together a Princess Mononoke meets Eco-terrorist. It's a gestalt build, and I'm planning on using Soul Hunter Stalker on the other side of the gestalt, and I know that I want to be able to make good use of the Weather sphere to throw around tornadoes and lightning. I've just got a few questions about the best way to put this character together.

1. I'm currently trying to decide between a Triple Goddess Hedgwitch and an Incanter. Thoughts?

2. How far into the Life sphere would I need to go to get enough healing to provide solid out-of-combat healing on a regular basis? I'm not looking to be the primary healer.

3. What other spheres would best support this? I'm not sure I need the more combative ones, and I don't want to go into conjuration for thematic reasons.

4. If I go Nature as a secondary, Is it worth taking a second type?

5. Other general suggestions/thoughts?

[stack]

Howdy all! I'm trying to put together a gestalt character and I'm a little daunted by the sheer variety of choices available within the Spheres of Power system. I have a pretty good grasp on how the system works (I own the first book), but I've never actually had occasion to play it. So, I'm looking to put together a Princess Mononoke meets Eco-terrorist. It's a gestalt build, and I'm planning on using Soul Hunter Stalker on the other side of the gestalt, and I know that I want to be able to make good use of the Weather sphere to throw around tornadoes and lightning. I've just got a few questions about the best way to put this character together.

1. I'm currently trying to decide between a Triple Goddess Hedgwitch and an Incanter. Thoughts?
Stalker will already get you chassis upgrades that are redundant with hedgewitch. Triple goddess will lose out on CL for weather (not sure on starting level, so this may not hurt as much as with other spheres) and nature, if you go with some nature. Incanter gets twice as many talents, but doesn't have spiritualism's flexibility as an option. Looking at later questions, I would say incanter most likely.

2. How far into the Life sphere would I need to go to get enough healing to provide solid out-of-combat healing on a regular basis? I'm not looking to be the primary healer.
Depends on how solid. Two talents (or 1 + a drawback) gets you cure and rejuvenation, which is pretty efficient (10 HP/level). Mass cure on top of that makes you a solid HP battery out of combat. Need a few more if you want to handle conditions.

3. What other spheres would best support this? I'm not sure I need the more combative ones, and I don't want to go into conjuration for thematic reasons.
Not familiar with the source character. Your stalker side is presumably going to influence your stat array, so I will assume you can't afford to pump casting stat above all else, which will hurt DC's a little. Not bad if you go incanter though. Lots of good options, depending on how you want to focus. Looking for out of combat utility (creation), social power (mind), mobility (alteration, telekinesis, warp), crowd control (nature, destruction), general buffing (enhancement, fate)?

4. If I go Nature as a secondary, Is it worth taking a second type?
Depends on the campaign, though with the right talents that can be helped a bit. Fire is probably the weakest overall. Water, earth, and plant all have good options. If you use the geomancer's handbook, metal has some nasty weapon buffs.

5. Other general suggestions/thoughts?
If going into the weather sphere, see if advanced talents are allowed. When you get to that point, the climate advanced talent is a highly efficient method for mass ecological devastation.

Weather has some issues with having a fine line between useless and broken. The right party can abuse heavy mists terribly (goz masks for all!). Ramp times make emplying any effects difficult if you are the ones moving. I wouldn't spring a tornado of boiling rain on an unsuspecting DM.

[Mehangel]

2. How far into the Life sphere would I need to go to get enough healing to provide solid out-of-combat healing on a regular basis? I'm not looking to be the primary healer.

The Vivomancer's Handbook (Life sphere expansion) has a number of talents that improve out of combat healing further.


4. If I go Nature as a secondary, Is it worth taking a second type?

The geomancer's handbook includes a number of feats which make having multiple geomancing packages useful. Fertilize Nature (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/sphere-focused-feats#toc88) is particularly useful when combined with the Lingering Nature (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/nature#toc25) talent.

[NomGarret]

For what you're looking to do, I'd go Incanter and load up on out of combat utility. That gives you full CL for Weather and Nature, which will eat up about half your talents. 2-3 Life talents should be plenty for an off healer. That leaves plenty of room for dabbling.

Alteration gives plenty of ecowarrior options. Pick a couple traits to add to your base form.

Illusion gives plenty of tools for guerilla warfare, but you might not be interested in the investment.

Divination doesn't get a ton of love, but a few points will get you plenty of plot-hunting skills and beef up your ability to hunt down despoilers.

[Dromuthra]

Stalker will already get you chassis upgrades that are redundant with hedgewitch. Triple goddess will lose out on CL for weather (not sure on starting level, so this may not hurt as much as with other spheres) and nature, if you go with some nature. Incanter gets twice as many talents, but doesn't have spiritualism's flexibility as an option. Looking at later questions, I would say incanter most likely.

Definitely feeling Incanter.

Not familiar with the source character. Your stalker side is presumably going to influence your stat array, so I will assume you can't afford to pump casting stat above all else, which will hurt DC's a little. Not bad if you go incanter though. Lots of good options, depending on how you want to focus. Looking for out of combat utility (creation), social power (mind), mobility (alteration, telekinesis, warp), crowd control (nature, destruction), general buffing (enhancement, fate)?

So, I'm currently thinking about the following talents:

Weather
--Greater Weather
--Rain Lord
--Wind Lord
--Storm Lord x2
--Climate

Nature
--Extra(Earth)
--Grow Plants
--Towering Growth
--Naturesight
--Lingering Nature

Alteration
--Plant Form
--Size Change
--Greater Transformation
--Lingering Transformation
--Vitality
--Extreme Transformation
--Permanent Transformation
--Manipulate Healing

Life
--Greater Healing
--Revitalize
--Regeneration
--Resurrection


So I'm thinking that the weather talents are the minimum to be effective with storms. For the alteration talents, my goal is to be able to generally sustain a transformation. I'm wondering how the Transformation, Improved Transformation, and Favored Form feats work with the Lingering Transformation/Permanent Transformation. I'm just wondering how many sources of these things I need to be able to take a form when I want. I think that I don't need as many of the alteration-related things as I have, but the way that they all work together is a little confusing. Lastly, am I missing any particularly good talents that I shouldn't be?

Edit: Also, can the plant-form use weapons? It's unclear whether the arms have hands or not. If not, what do I need to take to get them?

[A.J.Gibson]

Stack and Mehangel have pretty much covered everything, but if you want a healer that doesn't use armor, then the Spirit Mender Druid might be a better choice than the incanter, and will show up in the wiki in a few days.

[khadgar567]

or small dip to protection sphere for +18 to your ac via 2 or 3 talents i forgot the count

[EldritchWeaver]

Regarding Life: If you take it twice (see Vivomancer HB), you would get long lasting fast healing buffer. Resuscitate helps if you can get people up and running within the round after they go down. There is a feat (I think), that extends this duration for a few extra rounds. Or you could take Ranged Healing. Admittedly, if you don't take Greater Healing, the number of hps healed won't be enough to get someone back into the fight with a single casting, but with Revitalize, they could flee after being not dead and heal up out of combat.

Also, there is an item enchantment which lets you use not known restore talents, which would important to heal people from disease and similar stuff.

[Dromuthra]

or small dip to protection sphere for +18 to your ac via 2 or 3 talents i forgot the count

How do you get +18? I see getting +9 or +13 out of Armored Mage (and the +13 is at CL 20) but I'm not sure where you're getting the other 5 from.

Regarding Life: If you take it twice (see Vivomancer HB), you would get long lasting fast healing buffer. Resuscitate helps if you can get people up and running within the round after they go down. There is a feat (I think), that extends this duration for a few extra rounds. Or you could take Ranged Healing. Admittedly, if you don't take Greater Healing, the number of hps healed won't be enough to get someone back into the fight with a single casting, but with Revitalize, they could flee after being not dead and heal up out of combat.

Also, there is an item enchantment which lets you use not known restore talents, which would important to heal people from disease and similar stuff.

I only have what's on the SoP Wiki - what do you mean by taking the life sphere twice?

[khadgar567]

How do you get +18? I see getting +9 or +13 out of Armored Mage (and the +13 is at CL 20) but I'm not sure where you're getting the other 5 from.


I only have what's on the SoP Wiki - what do you mean by taking the life sphere twice?
okay my bad the talent changed now it gives +5 caster level instead of doubling the protection bonus

[EldritchWeaver]

I only have what's on the SoP Wiki - what do you mean by taking the life sphere twice?

Sorry, with "it" I meant the Revitalize talent. Some of the mentioned possibilities are only in the Life HB, so you need to wait until the wiki is updated with it (or buy the book ;).

[A.J.Gibson]

Sorry, with "it" I meant the Revitalize talent. Some of the mentioned possibilities are only in the Life HB, so you need to wait until the wiki is updated with it (or buy the book ;).

I think you mean the Improved Revitalize feat. Originally you could buy Revitalize twice, but the second level became a separate feat. :)

[Mehangel]

I think you mean the Improved Revitalize feat. Originally you could buy Revitalize twice, but the second level became a separate feat. :)

Actually, the change of Improved Revitalize being a feat didn't make it to the pdf:

Revitalize

This is an update of the Revitalize talent found in Spheres of Power. Add the following section:

If you purchase this talent a second time, the revitalize lasts 1 hour per caster level, or until the target has healed a total number of hit points equal to 10x your caster level, plus an additional 10x your caster level for each time you have gained the Greater Healing talent. If a creature gains fast healing from another source (such as another caster using this ability), they may choose each round which they benefit from.

[A.J.Gibson]

Actually, the change of Improved Revitalize being a feat didn't make it to the pdf:

Hmmm...was probably thinking of resuscitate.

[EldritchWeaver]

I think you mean the Improved Revitalize feat. Originally you could buy Revitalize twice, but the second level became a separate feat. :)


Actually, the change of Improved Revitalize being a feat didn't make it to the pdf:

Man, you scared me for a moment. I'm using that talent myself. Wouldn't have been happy if I had to change my character again.

[Domar]

For the casting side I would recommend Sacred Fist-Sphere-Warpriest 2 / Spiritualism-Green-Hedgewitch / Sphere Druid 16.

Warpriest gets you AC bonus, Flurry of Blows and quickened self buffs. Grab non standard action blessings that don't care about your level like Liberation.

Hedgewitch gets you temp talents for Life status cures and a sapient animal companion. Grab the Animal Companion Tradition Secret to top up your companion.

If going Incanter grab the Animal Domain to advance your companion. Channel Energy will cover most hit point needs. Sphere specializations tend to overlap badly with things spellcasting does better, if you want the caster level boost take one level of Sphere Wizard.

Protection (deflection, armor and shield for one talent)
--Armored Magic
--Obstruction and/or Energy Resistance
Drawbacks
--Limited Protection
--Protected Soul

Soul Hunter Stalker is heavily dependent on swift actions for Soul Claiming. Action economy is the most important thing in gestalt. I'd recommend swapping for the Brutal Slayer Stalker or the Mystic. Brutal Slayer gets Str to AC and reflex in place of Dex synergizing with Alteration. Mystic gets non action recovery, stronger maneuvers, move action party buffs and compensates for poor base fort and ref with withstand spell. In the first round of combat you can use a battlefield control spell, buff the party and shapeshift.

Technically the Mage Hunter is not a theurge class because it's spellcasting is not advancing a base class. It would net ten more talents but check with your DM first. The PoW errata says to swap a maneuver at every even initiator level so prestige classes are ok now.

Nature and Weather are both environment dependent so you should get more Nature packages.