Fizzlyn
2018-04-25, 10:02 AM
Hey guys,
our group just recently started playing a custom seafaring campaign and I decided to be the ship's wizard and carpenter. For this I chose a Gnome Transmuter, mostly for the racial bonuses to craft and transmutation spells. After reading some guides I decided to also go some sort of polymorph route, choosing a red panda familiar with the mauler archetype (+ Mauler's Endurance feat) to get some mileage out of spells like Alter Self, Beast Shape and Monstrous Physique. So far, so good.
But after the first few fights, especially the ones from level 3 on, I recognized that even my gnome is more effective after the first rounds of combat if he just shapechanges into an Orc and wrecks things with a medium long spear rather than shooting his crossbow from the back. So after some reading through different guides i came up with the idea of playing a Transmuter/Eldritch Guardian/Eldritch Knight10. Since I couldnt find any guide / build advice that covers my problems, I decided to finally post my build here.
Build (25 pt. buy):
Str 12 (5)
Dex 14 (5)
Con 14 (2)
Int 18 (17)
Wis 10 (0)
Cha 9 (-4)
Gnome racial traits:
Fey Thoughts (Swim, Perception), Intrepid Settler, Master Tinker, Utilitarian Magic
Traits: Transmuter (Bull's Strength), Reactionary
Level 1-5:
Wizard: Transmutation (Enhancement) school, Opposition Schools (Necromancy, Illusion), Red Panda familiar
Level 6-7:
Eldritch Guardian Fighter: Share Training, Steel Will, advances Red Panda familiar
Level 8-17:
Eldritch Knight
Feats:
1: Spell Focus (Transmutation), Scribe Scroll (wiz bonus)
3: Craft Wondrous Item
5: Combat Reflexes, Craft Magic Arms and Armor (wiz bonus)
7: Power Attack
9: ?
11: Improved Share Spells
13+: ?
This build will give me a BAB of 16 while still having a effective CL of 17 (9th level spells) at level20 while also haring all my combat feats to my buffed and polymorphed red panda familiar. The main concern i have so far is the selection of combat feats, as Share Training will allow me to share my combat feats with my familiar. Additionally, due to the shapeshifting focus of this build, the feats should also be applicable to (almost) all the good different shapeshifting forms. So far ive only come up with Power Attack and Combat Reflexes, which will stay good in almost every form. Also I'm very sure I will take Spell Penetration between level 9 and 13 and Improved Initiative/Toughness anywhere along the run.
So are there any good feats that maybe just didnt catch my eye? So far most of the shapeshifting feats/items/abilities seem to heavily rely on Wild Shape (which i dont have access to) or such feats need Natural Attacks as prerequisites (which i lack).
Any advice would be great.
Thanks in advance,
Fizzlyn
our group just recently started playing a custom seafaring campaign and I decided to be the ship's wizard and carpenter. For this I chose a Gnome Transmuter, mostly for the racial bonuses to craft and transmutation spells. After reading some guides I decided to also go some sort of polymorph route, choosing a red panda familiar with the mauler archetype (+ Mauler's Endurance feat) to get some mileage out of spells like Alter Self, Beast Shape and Monstrous Physique. So far, so good.
But after the first few fights, especially the ones from level 3 on, I recognized that even my gnome is more effective after the first rounds of combat if he just shapechanges into an Orc and wrecks things with a medium long spear rather than shooting his crossbow from the back. So after some reading through different guides i came up with the idea of playing a Transmuter/Eldritch Guardian/Eldritch Knight10. Since I couldnt find any guide / build advice that covers my problems, I decided to finally post my build here.
Build (25 pt. buy):
Str 12 (5)
Dex 14 (5)
Con 14 (2)
Int 18 (17)
Wis 10 (0)
Cha 9 (-4)
Gnome racial traits:
Fey Thoughts (Swim, Perception), Intrepid Settler, Master Tinker, Utilitarian Magic
Traits: Transmuter (Bull's Strength), Reactionary
Level 1-5:
Wizard: Transmutation (Enhancement) school, Opposition Schools (Necromancy, Illusion), Red Panda familiar
Level 6-7:
Eldritch Guardian Fighter: Share Training, Steel Will, advances Red Panda familiar
Level 8-17:
Eldritch Knight
Feats:
1: Spell Focus (Transmutation), Scribe Scroll (wiz bonus)
3: Craft Wondrous Item
5: Combat Reflexes, Craft Magic Arms and Armor (wiz bonus)
7: Power Attack
9: ?
11: Improved Share Spells
13+: ?
This build will give me a BAB of 16 while still having a effective CL of 17 (9th level spells) at level20 while also haring all my combat feats to my buffed and polymorphed red panda familiar. The main concern i have so far is the selection of combat feats, as Share Training will allow me to share my combat feats with my familiar. Additionally, due to the shapeshifting focus of this build, the feats should also be applicable to (almost) all the good different shapeshifting forms. So far ive only come up with Power Attack and Combat Reflexes, which will stay good in almost every form. Also I'm very sure I will take Spell Penetration between level 9 and 13 and Improved Initiative/Toughness anywhere along the run.
So are there any good feats that maybe just didnt catch my eye? So far most of the shapeshifting feats/items/abilities seem to heavily rely on Wild Shape (which i dont have access to) or such feats need Natural Attacks as prerequisites (which i lack).
Any advice would be great.
Thanks in advance,
Fizzlyn