Khrysaes
2021-11-06, 09:48 PM
These are rambling thoughts I have in my Adderall fueled procrastination haze. I just wanted to share.
I spent about 4 hours intermittently writing this.
So, I was making characters today, when I was intrigued by the Peaceful Summoner
https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24896365&postcount=880
I started messing around with the character, starting at level 7 because that is what my next game will be starting at.
And I was looking how to get the concept of the character up as early as possible, and came up with 1 druid / 6 peace cleric, with the Gruul background from Guildmaster's guide to Ravnica allowing me to prepare the Conjure animals spell on cleric slots.
But it got me thinking about other uses for peace cleric which made me go down a rabbit hole of character creation, I made so many characters today.
So thoughts:
Warding bond provides the target with resistance to damage, then half of that damage is applied to the caster, and is then reduced by the caster's resistances if applicable. It has no concentration and lasts an hour, meaning that it can last through a barbarian's rage.
Bear totem barbarian resists all but psychic damage. So a barbarian casts warding bond and the resists the damage that is shared.
Peace Cleric Barbarian:
Peace cleric allows those in the bond from level 1 to teleport at level 6 to take the damage of another in the bond. Bear totem barbarian, or Ancestral Guardian barbarian/6 Peace Cleric teleporting around the battlefield defending the allies.
Multiple warding Bonds:
What if two people cast warding bond on each other? What about a chain? Can warding bond be twinned with sorcerer metamagic? It targets one creature that is not the self, so yes...
So two characters at level 3 with warding bond, a 2nd level spell, gotten from many ways, cast warding bond on each other. They both get 1 ac, 1 saves, and resistance to all damage, which is then dealt to the caster of the spell. Is there a limit to how many times the damage is dealt, halved, and dealt? The spell says whenever the bonded one takes damage, so if they make a cycle it would never end or end once it gets to 1 damage?
Solo Warding Bond.
11 Artificer, Spell storing item.
Level 6 Shepard druid + Find (greater) Steed
The find steed and greater versions summon fiends, celestials or FEY creatures instead of beasts, that are semi permanent, and don't require concentration unlike the conjure and summon lines. However Druid can't get find steed, it is a paladin exclusive spell at levels 2 and 4(greater).
What is the lowest level I can get find steed?
Level 6 Lore bard.
Technically level 4, see below.
What is the lowest level I can get greater Find steed?
Level 10 lore bard?
Technically?
Technically, Level 8, definitely cheese and not AL legal
Based on RAW, a 2 Paladin/ 1 (choose 1 sorcerer OR 1 wizard)/ 5 full caster class like wizard, sorcerer, druid, bard, or cleric can.
Based on several previous conversations, by RAW the mizzium apparatus which appears in the Guildmaster's guide to Ravnica would allow the caster with at least 2 paladin AND 1 level of wizard or sorcerer AND 5 levels of any or several full casting class, not warlock, to attempt a DC 18 Arcana check to cast Find Greater Steed.
This is because of the rules of multiclassing and the wording of the mizzium apparatus.
Mizzium Apparatus on a 2 Paladin/4 sorcerer/2 star druid:
Full Conversation: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?598058-RAW-Magic-Item-Ruling-please&highlight=mizzium
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard)
Innovation is a dangerous pursuit, at least the way the mages of the Izzet League engage in it. As protection against the risk of an experiment going awry, they have developed a device to help channel and control their magic. This apparatus is a collection of leather straps, flexible tubing, glass cylinders, and plates, bracers, and fittings made from a magic-infused metal alloy called mizzium, all assembled into a harness. The item weighs 8 pounds.
While you are wearing the mizzium apparatus, you can use it as an arcane focus. In addition, you can attempt to cast a spell that you do not know or have prepared. The spell you choose must be on your class’s spell list and of a level for which you have a spell slot, and you must provide the spell’s components.
You expend a spell slot to cast the spell as normal, but before resolving it you must make an Intelligence (Arcana) check. The DC is 10 + twice the level of the spell slot you expend to cast the spell.
On a successful check, you cast the spell as normal, using your spell save DC and spellcasting ability modifier. On a failed check, you cast a different spell from the one you intended. Randomly determine the spell you cast by rolling on the table for the level of the spell slot you expended. If the slot is 6th level or higher, roll on the table for 5th-level spells.
If you try to cast a cantrip you don’t know, the DC for the Intelligence (Arcana) check is 10, and on a failed check, there is no effect."
Spells Known and Prepared. You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class. If you are a ranger 4/wizard 3, for example, you know three 1st-level ranger spells based on your levels in the ranger class. As 3rd-level wizard, you know three wizard cantrips, and your spellbook contains ten wizard spells, two of which (the two you gained when you reached 3rd level as a wizard) can be 2nd-level spells. If your Intelligence is 16, you can prepare six wizard spells from your spellbook.
Spell Slots. You determine your available spell slots by adding together all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes, half your levels (rounded down) in the paladin and ranger classes, and a third of your fighter or rogue levels (rounded down) if you have the Eldritch Knight or the Arcane Trickster feature. Use this total to determine your spell slots by consulting the Multiclass Spellcaster table.
If you have more than one spellcasting class, this table might give you spell slots of a level that is higher than the spells you know or can prepare. You can use those slots, but only to cast your lower-level spells. If a lower-level spell that you cast, like burning hands, has an enhanced effect when cast using a higher-level slot, you can use the enhanced effect, even though you don't have any spells of that higher level.
For example, if you are the aforementioned ranger 4/wizard 3, you count as a 5th-level character when determining your spell slots: you have four 1st-level slots, three 2nd-level slots, and two 3rd-level slots. However, you don't know any 3rd-level spells, nor do you know any 2nd-level ranger spells. You can use the spell slots of those levels to cast the spells you do know — and potentially enhance their effects.
Pact Magic. If you have both the Spellcasting class feature and the Pact Magic class feature from the warlock class, you can use the spell slots you gain from the Pact Magic feature to cast spells you know or have prepared from classes with the Spellcasting class feature, and you can use the spell slots you gain from the Spellcasting class feature to cast warlock spells you know.
Note: This works at 2 paladin/1 sorcerer/2 star druid for Find steed, I just wanted to show greater instead
Note: This is an example, obviously it is MAD, a 2 paladin/6 sorcerer would not be mad and work too, but less reliably as 2 druid provides reliability
Note: Can use wizard instead of sorcerer
Note: Only needs one level of wizard OR sorcerer, can have more druid instead.
1: "Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard)"
This is very clear, must have the appropriate class to attune. Take 1 wizard level, meet the requirements.
2: "You can attempt to cast a spell that you do not know or have prepared"
A level 2 paladin/1 wizard/5 druid, as per the multiclassing rules and all being prepared classes, I can prepare 1st level paladin spells, 1st level wizard spells, and 3rd level druid spells.
3: "The spell you choose must be on your class’s spell list"
So first the irrefutable part, there is a defined "class spell list" at the end of the PHB, chapter 11: Spellcasting, page 207. Additionally, spells are added to the spell list via other books such as Xanathar's or Tasha's.
4: "The spell you choose must be on your class’s spell list"
This does not define which class owns the spell list that you must choose from.
However, as "class" is singular, it could be read as having the ability to choose from only one class's spell list if you are multi-classed. Or it could be read as only able to choose from one class's spell list at a time.
Notably, it does not mention anything about the class that is used to attune to the item. And while in the situation as 2 Paladin / 4 Sorcerer/ 2 druid it is clear which class is used.
I will use three examples:
2 Wizard / 1 Druid: Clearly the wizard is used to attune to the item.
2 Wizard / 1 Sorcerer: both meet the attunement requirements so it is less clear.
3 Wiz/1 Warlock is different, see below
5: "and of a level for which you have a spell slot"
From the multiclassing rules in the PHB as above under "spell slots" spoiler:
"You determine your available spell slots by adding all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes, half your levels (rounded down) in the paladin and ranger classes..."
Stopped for brevity.
It explicitly excludes warlock levels
Pact Magic:
"you can use the spell slots you gain from the Pact Magic feature to cast spells you know or have prepared from classes with the Spellcasting class feature, and you can use the spell slots you gain from the Spellcasting class feature to cast warlock spells you know."
So the levels don't stack but you can use the slots cross-class.
So 2 wizard / 1 druid: Available spell slots, 3rd level character. Has 2nd level spell slots but can only prepare 1st level spells of either class
2 Wizard / 1 sorcerer: Same as 2 wiz/1 druid
3 Wizard / 1 Warlock: it can prepare and cast 2nd level spells from the wizard, but can not know or cast 2nd level warlock spells, and warlocks have 2nd level spells unique to their class, for example
Within the limitations of the character 2 Paladin / 4 Sorcerer/ 2 druid, which has available spell slots of 4th level, but can only prepare 1st level paladin and druid spells, and up to 2nd level sorcerer spells.
Combining 3 or 4 and 5 means:
"The spell you choose must be a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th level spell(as there are 4th level spell slots) on your class's spell list" without defining which class.
Therefore,
A 2 Paladin / 4 Sorcerer / 2 druid
Meets the requirements to attune to the item.
Knows where the spell lists are found.
Has multiple classes, and the item doesn't specify which class's spell list must be used, but it does use a singular noun.
Has 4th level spell slots.
Doesn't have 4th level spells known or prepared
And thus, can cast 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th level spells from the Paladin, Sorcerer, or Druid spell lists as the spells are "on your class’s spell list and of a level for which you have a spell slot"
Finally,
2 Paladin /4 Sorcerer/ 2 druid
Has Find Steed and Find Greater Steed(Greater Find Steed?) on their class's (The paladin's) spell list.
Find Greater steed is a 4th level spell that is not known or prepared.
Has a 4th level spell slot.
And ERGO, can cast Find Greater steed at 8th character level, and find steed at 4th, two levels before the Bard, provided the character meets a DC 18 Arcana check
Boosting Arcana Checks
Proficiency: background or class is the easiest. VHuman or Custom lineage works
Expertise: Knowledge cleric, bard, rogue, Skill Expert, other ways?
Advantage: Enhance Ability, Familiar using the help action? Bardic Inspiration. I am sure there are other ways.
Extras: 1d4 (guidance), 1d4 (Mark of making human OR Vedalkin), 1d4 (Peace Cleric)
REALLY EXTRA: Reliable talent(rogue 11), Dragon Starry Form (Star Druid),
Probably many others
Requirement: Reliably attaining 18 Arcana check at level 8.
Race: Custom Lineage
Race ASI: +2 INT
Race Feat: Skill Expert: Prof: Arcana, Expertise: Arcana, +1 Int
Required Starting Ability scores, Point Buy: AT LEAST 13 str, 13 wis, 13 cha, 10 (+3 from race/feat) int
Used ability scores: 13 str, 8 dex, 14 con, 14 int(11+3 race/feat), 14 wis, 13 Cha
Starting class: Doesn't matter, I chose Sorcerer
Class Spread: 4 Sorcerer/2 Druid/2 Paladin
Skills spells and subclasses, other than Star druid don't matter for this
Level 4 ASI: Doesn't matter for this
Standing Arcana bonus: +8, (+2 int Mod, +6 proficiency)
Steps:
1: Use starry form: Dragon
2: Use mizzium apparatus to cast Find Greater Steed
3: Roll arcana. Score doesn't matter as at minimum this will get 19, 10 from Starry Form, +2 from Int mod, +6 from proficiency
4: Have a steed
But the original thought was getting 6 Shepard Druid with Find Greater Steed.
Requirement: Reliably attaining 18 Arcana check at level 8.
Race: Doesn't Matter
Race ASI: Doesn't Matter
Race Feat: If any, Doesn't Matter
Required Starting Ability scores, Point Buy: AT LEAST 13 str, 13 wis, 13 cha, 10 (+3 from race/feat) int
Used ability scores: 13 str, 8 dex, 14 con, 14 int(11+3 race/feat), 14 wis, 13 Cha
Starting class: Pick for proficiencies in skills/save and HP as desired.
Class Spread: 2 Divination wizard/4 Druid/2 Paladin
Skills spells and subclasses, other than Divination wizard and technically Shepard druid don't matter for this
Level 4 ASI: Doesn't matter for this
Standing Arcana bonus: Doesn't matter
1: Long rest: Roll Portent: Repeat until a roll high enough to pass the required Arcana Check appears
2: Use mizzium apparatus to cast Find Greater Steed
3: Use the Portent to pass the check
4: Have a steed
5: At level 10(2 divination wizard / 2 paladin / 6 Druid), repeat steps 1-4.
6: Repeat steps 1-4 as needed if steed dies.
Note: Can also summon a familiar
Requirement: Reliably attaining 18 Arcana check at level 8.
Race: Mark of Making Human OR Vedalkin
Race: +2 Int, +1 cha (Tasha's customizing if required)
Race Feat: No pick, but +1d4 to arcana rolls
Required Starting Ability scores, Point Buy: AT LEAST 13 str, 13 wis, 13 cha, 10 (+3 from race/feat) int
Used ability scores: 13 str, 8 dex, 12 con, 18 int(15+3 race/feat), 14 wis, 13 (12 +1 race) Cha
Starting class: Pick for proficiencies in skills/save and HP as desired.
Class Spread: 1wizard/ 1 Peace Cleric/4 Druid/2 Paladin
Skills: Need Arcana, see below
Level 4 ASI: Skill Expert: Prof: Arcana, Expertise: Arcana, +1 Int
Standing Arcana bonus: 10+ 2d4 (racial 1d4 and Peace Cleric 1d4)
Maybe: +1d4 for guidance. The wording of mizzium apparatus implies that you roll Arcana before casting the spell. This is important because Find steed takes 10 minutes, guidance lasts 1.
Maybe: Advantage: Get find familiar (also make it a fey) from wizard, have it help you on Arcana.
Steps ->
1: Summon Familiar
2: Use Peace Cleric Bond on self and familiar
3: Cast guidance on self
4: Have familiar give Help action to self for Arcana Check
5: Use mizzium apparatus to cast Find Greater Steed
6: Roll Arcana: Highest of 2d20, +3d4+10
7: Determine Results: 100% chance of rolling 14, Anydice says 'output [highest 1 of 2d20 +3d4 +10] named "Arcana" ' has a 99.92% chance of getting at least an 18
8: Repeat steps 1-7 as needed or if steed dies.
Note: Can also summon a familiar
Note: Highest 1 of 2d20+1d4 +10 without the racial or cleric 1d4's is still a 97% of at least 18
As mentioned above, other creatures can use the artificer 11 spell storing item.
Challenge, Get find greater steed on an artificer, use spell storing item to cast warding bond on the steed, and have the steed cast it on you. Party can cast it on each other using the same item??
This simply replaces the druid levels of the 'Technically Minimal Shepard Druid' build above with artificer levels. Rest, roll portent, get a dice roll high enough to cast, find steed.
Required: 2 Paladin/8 Artificer/2 Divination Wizard
Artificer is 1/2 spellcaster rounded UP
2 Pal / 2 Wiz(Portent) / 8 Artificer, you can cast find steed.
2 paladin / 1 wizard / 9 artificer will work, but you don't have portent.
This is level 12. One level before a Full Paladin gets find greater steed.
Then to 11 artificer for spell storing.
Battlesmith, is required for Warding Bond. There are other ways.
Can still take 6 Shepard Druid OR 6 Peace cleric.
Finish with more Artificer.
OR Finish by multiclassing into other full casters to get higher level spell slots and more spell lists.
Following the logic above and the original post of interest
https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24896365&postcount=880
That build calls for 14 Shepard Druid.
Drop 3-4 druid, keep druid 10. 11 doesn't make a difference because you can use the mizzium apparatus to cast a 6th level spell on the druid list.
So, 11 Shepard Druid / 6 Peace Cleric / 1 Wizard / 2 Paladin
You do lose the 20th level equivalent of spell slots, dropping down to 19.
BUT, you gain the ability to cast 1st to 9th level spells of Druid, Wizard, and Cleric Spells, at the expense of an arcana Check. You also lose an ASI.
You could get either the Wizard OR paladin subclass.
//End Rambling thoughts for now
I spent about 4 hours intermittently writing this.
So, I was making characters today, when I was intrigued by the Peaceful Summoner
https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24896365&postcount=880
I started messing around with the character, starting at level 7 because that is what my next game will be starting at.
And I was looking how to get the concept of the character up as early as possible, and came up with 1 druid / 6 peace cleric, with the Gruul background from Guildmaster's guide to Ravnica allowing me to prepare the Conjure animals spell on cleric slots.
But it got me thinking about other uses for peace cleric which made me go down a rabbit hole of character creation, I made so many characters today.
So thoughts:
Warding bond provides the target with resistance to damage, then half of that damage is applied to the caster, and is then reduced by the caster's resistances if applicable. It has no concentration and lasts an hour, meaning that it can last through a barbarian's rage.
Bear totem barbarian resists all but psychic damage. So a barbarian casts warding bond and the resists the damage that is shared.
Peace Cleric Barbarian:
Peace cleric allows those in the bond from level 1 to teleport at level 6 to take the damage of another in the bond. Bear totem barbarian, or Ancestral Guardian barbarian/6 Peace Cleric teleporting around the battlefield defending the allies.
Multiple warding Bonds:
What if two people cast warding bond on each other? What about a chain? Can warding bond be twinned with sorcerer metamagic? It targets one creature that is not the self, so yes...
So two characters at level 3 with warding bond, a 2nd level spell, gotten from many ways, cast warding bond on each other. They both get 1 ac, 1 saves, and resistance to all damage, which is then dealt to the caster of the spell. Is there a limit to how many times the damage is dealt, halved, and dealt? The spell says whenever the bonded one takes damage, so if they make a cycle it would never end or end once it gets to 1 damage?
Solo Warding Bond.
11 Artificer, Spell storing item.
Level 6 Shepard druid + Find (greater) Steed
The find steed and greater versions summon fiends, celestials or FEY creatures instead of beasts, that are semi permanent, and don't require concentration unlike the conjure and summon lines. However Druid can't get find steed, it is a paladin exclusive spell at levels 2 and 4(greater).
What is the lowest level I can get find steed?
Level 6 Lore bard.
Technically level 4, see below.
What is the lowest level I can get greater Find steed?
Level 10 lore bard?
Technically?
Technically, Level 8, definitely cheese and not AL legal
Based on RAW, a 2 Paladin/ 1 (choose 1 sorcerer OR 1 wizard)/ 5 full caster class like wizard, sorcerer, druid, bard, or cleric can.
Based on several previous conversations, by RAW the mizzium apparatus which appears in the Guildmaster's guide to Ravnica would allow the caster with at least 2 paladin AND 1 level of wizard or sorcerer AND 5 levels of any or several full casting class, not warlock, to attempt a DC 18 Arcana check to cast Find Greater Steed.
This is because of the rules of multiclassing and the wording of the mizzium apparatus.
Mizzium Apparatus on a 2 Paladin/4 sorcerer/2 star druid:
Full Conversation: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?598058-RAW-Magic-Item-Ruling-please&highlight=mizzium
Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard)
Innovation is a dangerous pursuit, at least the way the mages of the Izzet League engage in it. As protection against the risk of an experiment going awry, they have developed a device to help channel and control their magic. This apparatus is a collection of leather straps, flexible tubing, glass cylinders, and plates, bracers, and fittings made from a magic-infused metal alloy called mizzium, all assembled into a harness. The item weighs 8 pounds.
While you are wearing the mizzium apparatus, you can use it as an arcane focus. In addition, you can attempt to cast a spell that you do not know or have prepared. The spell you choose must be on your class’s spell list and of a level for which you have a spell slot, and you must provide the spell’s components.
You expend a spell slot to cast the spell as normal, but before resolving it you must make an Intelligence (Arcana) check. The DC is 10 + twice the level of the spell slot you expend to cast the spell.
On a successful check, you cast the spell as normal, using your spell save DC and spellcasting ability modifier. On a failed check, you cast a different spell from the one you intended. Randomly determine the spell you cast by rolling on the table for the level of the spell slot you expended. If the slot is 6th level or higher, roll on the table for 5th-level spells.
If you try to cast a cantrip you don’t know, the DC for the Intelligence (Arcana) check is 10, and on a failed check, there is no effect."
Spells Known and Prepared. You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class. If you are a ranger 4/wizard 3, for example, you know three 1st-level ranger spells based on your levels in the ranger class. As 3rd-level wizard, you know three wizard cantrips, and your spellbook contains ten wizard spells, two of which (the two you gained when you reached 3rd level as a wizard) can be 2nd-level spells. If your Intelligence is 16, you can prepare six wizard spells from your spellbook.
Spell Slots. You determine your available spell slots by adding together all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes, half your levels (rounded down) in the paladin and ranger classes, and a third of your fighter or rogue levels (rounded down) if you have the Eldritch Knight or the Arcane Trickster feature. Use this total to determine your spell slots by consulting the Multiclass Spellcaster table.
If you have more than one spellcasting class, this table might give you spell slots of a level that is higher than the spells you know or can prepare. You can use those slots, but only to cast your lower-level spells. If a lower-level spell that you cast, like burning hands, has an enhanced effect when cast using a higher-level slot, you can use the enhanced effect, even though you don't have any spells of that higher level.
For example, if you are the aforementioned ranger 4/wizard 3, you count as a 5th-level character when determining your spell slots: you have four 1st-level slots, three 2nd-level slots, and two 3rd-level slots. However, you don't know any 3rd-level spells, nor do you know any 2nd-level ranger spells. You can use the spell slots of those levels to cast the spells you do know — and potentially enhance their effects.
Pact Magic. If you have both the Spellcasting class feature and the Pact Magic class feature from the warlock class, you can use the spell slots you gain from the Pact Magic feature to cast spells you know or have prepared from classes with the Spellcasting class feature, and you can use the spell slots you gain from the Spellcasting class feature to cast warlock spells you know.
Note: This works at 2 paladin/1 sorcerer/2 star druid for Find steed, I just wanted to show greater instead
Note: This is an example, obviously it is MAD, a 2 paladin/6 sorcerer would not be mad and work too, but less reliably as 2 druid provides reliability
Note: Can use wizard instead of sorcerer
Note: Only needs one level of wizard OR sorcerer, can have more druid instead.
1: "Wondrous Item, uncommon (requires attunement by a sorcerer, warlock, or wizard)"
This is very clear, must have the appropriate class to attune. Take 1 wizard level, meet the requirements.
2: "You can attempt to cast a spell that you do not know or have prepared"
A level 2 paladin/1 wizard/5 druid, as per the multiclassing rules and all being prepared classes, I can prepare 1st level paladin spells, 1st level wizard spells, and 3rd level druid spells.
3: "The spell you choose must be on your class’s spell list"
So first the irrefutable part, there is a defined "class spell list" at the end of the PHB, chapter 11: Spellcasting, page 207. Additionally, spells are added to the spell list via other books such as Xanathar's or Tasha's.
4: "The spell you choose must be on your class’s spell list"
This does not define which class owns the spell list that you must choose from.
However, as "class" is singular, it could be read as having the ability to choose from only one class's spell list if you are multi-classed. Or it could be read as only able to choose from one class's spell list at a time.
Notably, it does not mention anything about the class that is used to attune to the item. And while in the situation as 2 Paladin / 4 Sorcerer/ 2 druid it is clear which class is used.
I will use three examples:
2 Wizard / 1 Druid: Clearly the wizard is used to attune to the item.
2 Wizard / 1 Sorcerer: both meet the attunement requirements so it is less clear.
3 Wiz/1 Warlock is different, see below
5: "and of a level for which you have a spell slot"
From the multiclassing rules in the PHB as above under "spell slots" spoiler:
"You determine your available spell slots by adding all your levels in the bard, cleric, druid, sorcerer, and wizard classes, half your levels (rounded down) in the paladin and ranger classes..."
Stopped for brevity.
It explicitly excludes warlock levels
Pact Magic:
"you can use the spell slots you gain from the Pact Magic feature to cast spells you know or have prepared from classes with the Spellcasting class feature, and you can use the spell slots you gain from the Spellcasting class feature to cast warlock spells you know."
So the levels don't stack but you can use the slots cross-class.
So 2 wizard / 1 druid: Available spell slots, 3rd level character. Has 2nd level spell slots but can only prepare 1st level spells of either class
2 Wizard / 1 sorcerer: Same as 2 wiz/1 druid
3 Wizard / 1 Warlock: it can prepare and cast 2nd level spells from the wizard, but can not know or cast 2nd level warlock spells, and warlocks have 2nd level spells unique to their class, for example
Within the limitations of the character 2 Paladin / 4 Sorcerer/ 2 druid, which has available spell slots of 4th level, but can only prepare 1st level paladin and druid spells, and up to 2nd level sorcerer spells.
Combining 3 or 4 and 5 means:
"The spell you choose must be a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th level spell(as there are 4th level spell slots) on your class's spell list" without defining which class.
Therefore,
A 2 Paladin / 4 Sorcerer / 2 druid
Meets the requirements to attune to the item.
Knows where the spell lists are found.
Has multiple classes, and the item doesn't specify which class's spell list must be used, but it does use a singular noun.
Has 4th level spell slots.
Doesn't have 4th level spells known or prepared
And thus, can cast 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th level spells from the Paladin, Sorcerer, or Druid spell lists as the spells are "on your class’s spell list and of a level for which you have a spell slot"
Finally,
2 Paladin /4 Sorcerer/ 2 druid
Has Find Steed and Find Greater Steed(Greater Find Steed?) on their class's (The paladin's) spell list.
Find Greater steed is a 4th level spell that is not known or prepared.
Has a 4th level spell slot.
And ERGO, can cast Find Greater steed at 8th character level, and find steed at 4th, two levels before the Bard, provided the character meets a DC 18 Arcana check
Boosting Arcana Checks
Proficiency: background or class is the easiest. VHuman or Custom lineage works
Expertise: Knowledge cleric, bard, rogue, Skill Expert, other ways?
Advantage: Enhance Ability, Familiar using the help action? Bardic Inspiration. I am sure there are other ways.
Extras: 1d4 (guidance), 1d4 (Mark of making human OR Vedalkin), 1d4 (Peace Cleric)
REALLY EXTRA: Reliable talent(rogue 11), Dragon Starry Form (Star Druid),
Probably many others
Requirement: Reliably attaining 18 Arcana check at level 8.
Race: Custom Lineage
Race ASI: +2 INT
Race Feat: Skill Expert: Prof: Arcana, Expertise: Arcana, +1 Int
Required Starting Ability scores, Point Buy: AT LEAST 13 str, 13 wis, 13 cha, 10 (+3 from race/feat) int
Used ability scores: 13 str, 8 dex, 14 con, 14 int(11+3 race/feat), 14 wis, 13 Cha
Starting class: Doesn't matter, I chose Sorcerer
Class Spread: 4 Sorcerer/2 Druid/2 Paladin
Skills spells and subclasses, other than Star druid don't matter for this
Level 4 ASI: Doesn't matter for this
Standing Arcana bonus: +8, (+2 int Mod, +6 proficiency)
Steps:
1: Use starry form: Dragon
2: Use mizzium apparatus to cast Find Greater Steed
3: Roll arcana. Score doesn't matter as at minimum this will get 19, 10 from Starry Form, +2 from Int mod, +6 from proficiency
4: Have a steed
But the original thought was getting 6 Shepard Druid with Find Greater Steed.
Requirement: Reliably attaining 18 Arcana check at level 8.
Race: Doesn't Matter
Race ASI: Doesn't Matter
Race Feat: If any, Doesn't Matter
Required Starting Ability scores, Point Buy: AT LEAST 13 str, 13 wis, 13 cha, 10 (+3 from race/feat) int
Used ability scores: 13 str, 8 dex, 14 con, 14 int(11+3 race/feat), 14 wis, 13 Cha
Starting class: Pick for proficiencies in skills/save and HP as desired.
Class Spread: 2 Divination wizard/4 Druid/2 Paladin
Skills spells and subclasses, other than Divination wizard and technically Shepard druid don't matter for this
Level 4 ASI: Doesn't matter for this
Standing Arcana bonus: Doesn't matter
1: Long rest: Roll Portent: Repeat until a roll high enough to pass the required Arcana Check appears
2: Use mizzium apparatus to cast Find Greater Steed
3: Use the Portent to pass the check
4: Have a steed
5: At level 10(2 divination wizard / 2 paladin / 6 Druid), repeat steps 1-4.
6: Repeat steps 1-4 as needed if steed dies.
Note: Can also summon a familiar
Requirement: Reliably attaining 18 Arcana check at level 8.
Race: Mark of Making Human OR Vedalkin
Race: +2 Int, +1 cha (Tasha's customizing if required)
Race Feat: No pick, but +1d4 to arcana rolls
Required Starting Ability scores, Point Buy: AT LEAST 13 str, 13 wis, 13 cha, 10 (+3 from race/feat) int
Used ability scores: 13 str, 8 dex, 12 con, 18 int(15+3 race/feat), 14 wis, 13 (12 +1 race) Cha
Starting class: Pick for proficiencies in skills/save and HP as desired.
Class Spread: 1wizard/ 1 Peace Cleric/4 Druid/2 Paladin
Skills: Need Arcana, see below
Level 4 ASI: Skill Expert: Prof: Arcana, Expertise: Arcana, +1 Int
Standing Arcana bonus: 10+ 2d4 (racial 1d4 and Peace Cleric 1d4)
Maybe: +1d4 for guidance. The wording of mizzium apparatus implies that you roll Arcana before casting the spell. This is important because Find steed takes 10 minutes, guidance lasts 1.
Maybe: Advantage: Get find familiar (also make it a fey) from wizard, have it help you on Arcana.
Steps ->
1: Summon Familiar
2: Use Peace Cleric Bond on self and familiar
3: Cast guidance on self
4: Have familiar give Help action to self for Arcana Check
5: Use mizzium apparatus to cast Find Greater Steed
6: Roll Arcana: Highest of 2d20, +3d4+10
7: Determine Results: 100% chance of rolling 14, Anydice says 'output [highest 1 of 2d20 +3d4 +10] named "Arcana" ' has a 99.92% chance of getting at least an 18
8: Repeat steps 1-7 as needed or if steed dies.
Note: Can also summon a familiar
Note: Highest 1 of 2d20+1d4 +10 without the racial or cleric 1d4's is still a 97% of at least 18
As mentioned above, other creatures can use the artificer 11 spell storing item.
Challenge, Get find greater steed on an artificer, use spell storing item to cast warding bond on the steed, and have the steed cast it on you. Party can cast it on each other using the same item??
This simply replaces the druid levels of the 'Technically Minimal Shepard Druid' build above with artificer levels. Rest, roll portent, get a dice roll high enough to cast, find steed.
Required: 2 Paladin/8 Artificer/2 Divination Wizard
Artificer is 1/2 spellcaster rounded UP
2 Pal / 2 Wiz(Portent) / 8 Artificer, you can cast find steed.
2 paladin / 1 wizard / 9 artificer will work, but you don't have portent.
This is level 12. One level before a Full Paladin gets find greater steed.
Then to 11 artificer for spell storing.
Battlesmith, is required for Warding Bond. There are other ways.
Can still take 6 Shepard Druid OR 6 Peace cleric.
Finish with more Artificer.
OR Finish by multiclassing into other full casters to get higher level spell slots and more spell lists.
Following the logic above and the original post of interest
https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=24896365&postcount=880
That build calls for 14 Shepard Druid.
Drop 3-4 druid, keep druid 10. 11 doesn't make a difference because you can use the mizzium apparatus to cast a 6th level spell on the druid list.
So, 11 Shepard Druid / 6 Peace Cleric / 1 Wizard / 2 Paladin
You do lose the 20th level equivalent of spell slots, dropping down to 19.
BUT, you gain the ability to cast 1st to 9th level spells of Druid, Wizard, and Cleric Spells, at the expense of an arcana Check. You also lose an ASI.
You could get either the Wizard OR paladin subclass.
//End Rambling thoughts for now