Trinity Angel and Knight Build Thread

[Serafina]

So, a recent thread asked whether those Prestige Classes - which advance three classes (at a low pace), while having a good chassis and granting features on their own - are overpowered.
But what can you actually do with them?

Well, why not have a build thread?

Here's links to them respectively:
http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/trinity-angel
http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/trinity-knight

Also, some rule considerations:
- do say how you treat them in regards to Initiator Level and effects such as SoP Advanced Magical Training. I personally treat any level in which they do not advance an Initiator or Caster-class as a non-Initiator/Caster level (=half Initiator progression, AMT gives a benefit), and on those where they do they only grant one level of Initiator progression and whichever CL they just advanced.
- do say whether you use partial bonus progression (for BAB and saves) in your build. It's relevant for earlier entry since you'll be taking multiple classes
- "lowest aligned class" should be determined at every level, rather than just when you enter the class. Honestly otherwise this just gets silly.
- Telekinetic Combat of the Trinity Angel does IMO only apply to weapons, not for AC, Reflex Saves, Initiative etc.
- Path of the Knight: there are two interpretations here: the first part determines what you can select for the second part. E.g. you pick Initiator level, you automatically get Stance/Maneuver Progression. You pick Enhanced Mindblade, you automatically get Blade skills. The other interpretation is that you can mix and match, but then it is weird what "Spheres of Might Proficiency" means - if you pick an Expert-class, do you get a talent at every Trinity Knight level? nevertheless, I regularly go with the latter.

[Serafina]

With that being said, have a Build, using only Spheres of Power and Might to start out:
Elemental Shapeshifter Monk (level 10)

Use Master of Many Stances (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/master-of-many-stances) Unchained Monk 3, Disciple of the Monstrous Arts (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/disciple-of-the-monstrous-arts) Reaper (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/reaper) 2, and Incanter 1 as our base classes. Then Trinity Angel 2 and Trinity Knight 2. This leaves us with an effective level for Monk 5, Reaper 4, and Incanter 3 each, at level 10.

At this point, we have:
- our 5 base feats for being level nine, 2 bonus magic feats from Incanter, and up to 2 bonus champion feats from Reaper
- the 2 base magic talents any caster gets and 5 talents from Incanter
- the talents from our martial tradition, the Duelist Sphere from Reaper, 5 combat talents from Monk, 3 combat talents from Trinity Knight (only 1 if you go with the conservative ruling), and Versatile Fighter from Monk
- 4 blended talents from Reaper

Our BAB is +9, our Saves are +8/6/9, and our Caster Level is 5.

Now, how do we put all of this together?
First, let's focus on two of our classes and what they do with Stances:
Master of Many Stances can, at this level, expend martial focus to enter a stance without it counting as a stance for stances entered without expending martial focus - basically, we can have one with a multi-round duration, and another with a single-round duration running at the same time! Also, on activating a stance as a swift action, it gives us a free-action unarmed (or monk weapon) attack - we want that!
Disciple of the Monstrous Arts can enter a stance as a move action, and cast a sphere effect with (standard-action casting time, target: self, duration: concentration) at the same time - using their class level as their caster level! And this is where Trinity Warrior kicks in, because this allows us to set class level = BAB and thus CL = BAB, for these sphere effects.

So, we'll enter at least one stance every round, and another as a move action early in combat and possibly later on as well. Also, we actually get to have a good CL at least for self-buffs.

So, let's spend all our talents and feats.

First, we want to do something with the Veilweaving Sphere since we need both Essence and a Chakra bind to get into those PrCs. So some of our first talent purchases will be Timewalkers Sabatons (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/sphereshaper-veils#toc22), Bind Feet Chakra and Extra Essence (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/veilweaving#toc40). That's two talents (you learn one Veil for free) and fits in well with that one Incanter level. The Sabatons provide a speed boost and Improved Haste for some attack, save, and AC boosts and extra AoOs, we'll make good use of all of these.

Later, we can do more with that and grab Veil Knowledge, Shape Additional Veil, and then use that for Lich's Grasp (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/sphereshaper-veils#toc18) (learned that way) and some other Veil. Lich's Knowledge will give us the Death Sphere and one Ghost Strike (we'll take Bleeding Ghoststrike), as well as some extra damage on ghost strikes (1D6+4 at this level). Also, these Ghost Strikes scale off our combined spherecaster level this way, so right now that would be CL 7 for them!

This, we will use to set up our attack routine: take the Dual Wielding Sphere and the Dual Wielding Mystic Fusion (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/champion-feats#toc20) and Dual Wielding Mystic Strike feats. This way, we can make an attack action with our Unarmed Strike, make an off-hand attack with a Ghost Strike, and then actually deliver that via another unarmed strike. This is a special attack action, so it's worth keeping in mind for limiting how it can interact with other things (done here, of course).

Now, as mentioned earlier, we'll use our Move-action to activate Stances a fair bit. So how do we get into range of our enemies?
Well, to start off, there is the Athletics Sphere and Locus Pounce (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/athletics#toc44) - half our land speed can be a fair bit of movement, thanks to being a Monk (bonus movement and we can pick up the Ki Jump power to help out with the checks if necessary) and either Improved Haste or the Alteration Sphere. To help out more, there is Dancing Display (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/dual-wielding#toc16), though that only kicks in once actually in range.

Now, on to damage adders and such:
Obviously, Vital Strike is a mandatory feat tax for a SoM build.
From the Dual Wielding Sphere we pick up Following Strike (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/dual-wielding#toc15), a nice bonus attack if we hit with both attacks. We take Dual Opportunity (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/dual-wielding#toc13) also, since we'll do a lot of AoOs. Finally, to ensure accuracy, a stance - Gemini Dancer (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/dual-wielding#toc16).
From the Open Hand Sphere we take our second stance - Leopards Gambit (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/open-hand#toc21). Any attack against us gets to roll twice, but we get an attack of opportunity in return! We enhance this with Thunderous Punishment (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/open-hand#toc35) - fortitude save or batter stagger on AoOs! And later even dazed. And finally, Spinning Heel Kick (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/open-hand#toc30) allows some cleaving and is a third talent for increasing our monk unarmed damage by one size.
From the Duelist Sphere (which we have for free) we only take Clouding Cut (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/duelist#toc21) - we can bleed anyone thanks to Reaper, and with this on any attack action or AoO, they'll get more and more miss chance and eventually will be blind.
Obviously, we take Combat Reflexes as a feat for all these AoOs - but also Sanguine Magic (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/champion-feats#toc50) which allows our Bleeding Wounds ghost strike to trigger Clouding Cut (meaning we get to do it twice on our standard action! though a GM may call shenanigans in which case, alright fair enough)

This only leaves some stuff to actually magically enhance our stances with.

Let's stat with the Protection Sphere, which we need anyhow for our PrCs.
We can actually take three drawbacks to get more talents there (Alternate Aegis if you do not want a Deflection Bonus, Protected Soul because you'll only target yourself, Second Skin because you are a Monk without Armor). Two are perfectly sensible, so take Armored Magic to get an armor bonus and actually apply that as an hour-long cast, and then either Obstruction (for 1/2 CL DR/- that can run out, but that's not an issue with our stance dancing) or Ablating Aegis (20+5/3CL miss chance which gets reduced when it works, likewise not an issue).
Then you can take Martial Aegis (feat) to have these work at CL = BAB. I would cast them out of combat, and only renew them as needed - but being able to do so as a move action is quite potent IMO.

Then, the Alteration Sphere:
We do a lot of AoOs, so grab Size Change - getting 10 or 15 foot reach will make a massive difference for this build. Elemental Transformation is also really good - you can get useful movement modes (though you already have flight) and energy resistances on the spot.

And now, for an extra special trick:
Take Purrging Transformation (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/alteration#toc79) (a feat), which allows you to cast Cure on any each shapeshift target for 1 extra spell point at no action cost - so, as part of a move action for you! Then take Combat Stamina, Focused Stamina (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/practitioner-feats#toc45) and Fortified Healing (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/life#toc63) - now you can gain spend 5 stamina in place of martial focus, and if you need it back, just heal yourself!

This will require taking the Life Sphere. You can take the Limited Restoration and Regenerate drawbacks, and any two Cure-talents, to make the above work (or you may not care about getting all the 5 stamina points back in one go). You could take Studied Healing (+1/2 ranks in Heal to CL, cap = HP) but if you cast this as part of a stance, you won't need it.

And that's nearly that. Put together a martial and magical tradition (remember to spend one drawback on extra essence, Somatic Casting is a fine drawback for this build).

Oh and ability scores should be primarily Wisdom, with Dexterity secondary, Strength ~10 or so, Con as needed, and everything else can be dumped.

So, let's summarize:
This character can open combat by entering a stance (most likely Leopard's Gambit) as a move action, also transforming themselves into a huge elemental. They then move at about normal speed regardless, and as a standard action make two unarmed attacks, one for 2D10+16, and another for 1D10+1D6+11. The first one inflicts 4 points of bleed damage, the second one inflicts 7 points of bleed damage, and this inflicts a cumulative 10% miss chance on them. If both hit, there will be another attack for 1D10+11 damage. An enemy in reach can also be attacked for the same damage.

Then, they can enter another stance (Gemini Dancer) as a swift action without overriding the other and make another 1D10+11 damage attack. All these attacks also potentially carry Burn (Reflex Save or catch fire for 2D6 damage).
Any enemy who attacks them will provoke an AoO with that damage, and all their AoOs are "fortitude save or be battered and staggered".

This while having pretty good AC (scaling mage armor on top of Monk AC), saves (=all good for now), HP, and Evasion and Stalwart. And either a Miss Chance or DR/-. And a 60+ foot perfect flight speed.
And as needed, they can re-enter that move-action stance and heal for ~27 HP, also regaining 5 combat stamina (which get spent in place of martial focus to maintain stances).

[StSword]

You pick Enhanced Mindblade, you automatically get Blade skills. The other interpretation is that you can mix and match, but then it is weird what "Spheres of Might Proficiency" means - if you pick an Expert-class, do you get a talent at every Trinity Knight level? nevertheless, I regularly go with the latter.

That is what makes sense to me.

The Enhanced Mindblade is a different class feature than blade skills, after all.

And if you choose SoM proficiency of a previous class, you might progress at a different rate than one new talent every other level, so applying them as a single feature would be contradictory since the latter part talks about getting a talent every other level.