Goldlizard
2023-03-23, 11:05 AM
Hello, gentlefolk of giant in the playground! Today, I present to you a (lightly) optimized build based around maximizing Soul Binding with the powerful casting abilities of a Sha’ir. To get some things out of the way:
1: This combo gets way better if used with web vestiges, particularly Zyrcell and the Green Lady. It also becomes vastly more powerful if Tenebrous’s Turn effects can be used as fuel for DMM. In the interests of making this build as consistent as possible, these effects will be discounted when not directly stated. IE: Zyrcell and the Green Lady are good, the Sha’ir Spellshuffle will be good, Tenebrous DMM will not. Got it?
2: This will not be using flaws, templates, LA races, or traits. I will include sections in the build for my DM’s personal rules and how they can influence the build, which will be:
A: Up to two flaws
B: Up to two traits
C: Must be ECL 4 before considering class levels (ECL 4 from races/templates, not considered in total ECL)
3: This is my first real optimization attempt, please be gentle!
Background: Amy the Dealmaker is a human who has decided to obtain immense magical power by, as she understands it, asking nicely. Obtaining a simple familiar and a collection of feats that empower this combo, she ends up obtaining a number of interesting powers, arriving at supremely powerful Sha’ir casting with only one level drop and having almost full access to binding the whole way.
Plain build “Amy the Dealmaker” : LE (Any nongood will work) Illumian (Vaulkrau, +2 CL, +2 Cha checks)
This may be controversial, but without DMM powering up Metamagic, I don’t think this build is incredibly feat-hungry. Vaulkrau keeps our CL topped up while buffing diplomacy.
Starting stats: Str 8 Dex 12 Con 13 Int 14 Wis 10 Cha 15. Powerlevel Cha as much as possible
Class line: Binder 1/Sha’ir 4/Anima Mage 10/Tenebrous Apostate 5
Skills: max Diplomacy and Spellcraft at every level. Skillgates are Intimidate 4/Know (Planes) 4 by level 6, and Know (Religion) 5/Know (Planes) 8 by 15.
Feat setup: Take improved binding at level one (You’ll need Intimidate 4), take Extend Spell at third level as a prerequisite for Anima Mage. 6: Take Leadership. If leadership is banned, take Divine Defiance. Otherwise, Skill Focus: Diplomacy is decent, but you may also want Persistent Spell (For use with Anima Mage), Improved Initiative, And/or Alacritous cogitation (to improve your spell shuffle)
Recommended Items: Circlet of Persuasion: extra diplomacy is always a good thing.
Ring of SpellBattle: You’re a caster, get this ring
Veil of Allure: Be a better binder
Cloak of Charisma: You’re taking this
Amulet of Peace: You know that diplomacy check we’ve been pumping? 2/day, use that to protect yourself from a round of attacks.
Implements of Binding: Probably not needed, but you have it
Bracers of Armor: Put your armor on this, most importantly Soulfire and/or any fortifications you want.
Vestige Phylactery: Get as many as you can, they massively improve your versatility
So, there! Just as a taste of this build:
Sha’ir casting at CL 21 and casting at 19. Seeing spells cast lets you prepare them every morning, and you can swap your prepared spells throughout the day with the Sha’ir swap, leaving some spells unprepared and having your familiar grab you new spells that are relevant to your day.
Can bind 3 vestiges (2 and Tenebrous, who you’d rarely unbind anyway), I personally recommend Zyrcell
Miscellaneous abilities, including initiative buffs, AC buffs, extra slots, 3 free metamagics per day, 1 free silent, still, and quickened spell, better turning, and mindless undead protection.
The second build here largely does much the same, only better. For simplicity, I’m not going to list out the whole build again, only the differences and what changes it makes to our convincing dealmaker:
Race: Petal, Unseelie Fae, Pherenic
Stat modifications: Str -9, Dex +12, con +3, Int +7, Wis +2 Cha +14
Other upgrades: Tiny Size, Sleep Song, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, fly 60 (good), Spell/Power resistance 10+HD, 1 Power Point, Psionic Subtype, a lot of PLA (Including Fission!), Season’s Power (I personally like Winter’s Chill or Summer’s Caress), DR 15/Cold Iron, Iron Vulnerability (booo), and Darkvision 60
Traits:
Polite: Gain Diplomacy, no one cares what you really lose
Aggressive: Your AC is fine, take initiative
Flaws: Murky-eyed, Feeble: You care about neither of these things. Get Skill Focus: Diplomacy and Extend Spell out of the way.
Locations: Don’t bother getting metamagic feats, just go to a CMage Metamagic Storm and pick up your metamagic feats, particularly Extend, Persist, Sculpt, and Invisible.
Build Changes: As soon as you can bind Tenebrous, go for DMM and Persist spell, and congrats on out-persisting your incantatrix friend. Also, take leadership
Follower: Have an artificer buddy make all your magic items.
what could be added/changed/improved to empower the Dealmaker?
1: This combo gets way better if used with web vestiges, particularly Zyrcell and the Green Lady. It also becomes vastly more powerful if Tenebrous’s Turn effects can be used as fuel for DMM. In the interests of making this build as consistent as possible, these effects will be discounted when not directly stated. IE: Zyrcell and the Green Lady are good, the Sha’ir Spellshuffle will be good, Tenebrous DMM will not. Got it?
2: This will not be using flaws, templates, LA races, or traits. I will include sections in the build for my DM’s personal rules and how they can influence the build, which will be:
A: Up to two flaws
B: Up to two traits
C: Must be ECL 4 before considering class levels (ECL 4 from races/templates, not considered in total ECL)
3: This is my first real optimization attempt, please be gentle!
Background: Amy the Dealmaker is a human who has decided to obtain immense magical power by, as she understands it, asking nicely. Obtaining a simple familiar and a collection of feats that empower this combo, she ends up obtaining a number of interesting powers, arriving at supremely powerful Sha’ir casting with only one level drop and having almost full access to binding the whole way.
Plain build “Amy the Dealmaker” : LE (Any nongood will work) Illumian (Vaulkrau, +2 CL, +2 Cha checks)
This may be controversial, but without DMM powering up Metamagic, I don’t think this build is incredibly feat-hungry. Vaulkrau keeps our CL topped up while buffing diplomacy.
Starting stats: Str 8 Dex 12 Con 13 Int 14 Wis 10 Cha 15. Powerlevel Cha as much as possible
Class line: Binder 1/Sha’ir 4/Anima Mage 10/Tenebrous Apostate 5
Skills: max Diplomacy and Spellcraft at every level. Skillgates are Intimidate 4/Know (Planes) 4 by level 6, and Know (Religion) 5/Know (Planes) 8 by 15.
Feat setup: Take improved binding at level one (You’ll need Intimidate 4), take Extend Spell at third level as a prerequisite for Anima Mage. 6: Take Leadership. If leadership is banned, take Divine Defiance. Otherwise, Skill Focus: Diplomacy is decent, but you may also want Persistent Spell (For use with Anima Mage), Improved Initiative, And/or Alacritous cogitation (to improve your spell shuffle)
Recommended Items: Circlet of Persuasion: extra diplomacy is always a good thing.
Ring of SpellBattle: You’re a caster, get this ring
Veil of Allure: Be a better binder
Cloak of Charisma: You’re taking this
Amulet of Peace: You know that diplomacy check we’ve been pumping? 2/day, use that to protect yourself from a round of attacks.
Implements of Binding: Probably not needed, but you have it
Bracers of Armor: Put your armor on this, most importantly Soulfire and/or any fortifications you want.
Vestige Phylactery: Get as many as you can, they massively improve your versatility
So, there! Just as a taste of this build:
Sha’ir casting at CL 21 and casting at 19. Seeing spells cast lets you prepare them every morning, and you can swap your prepared spells throughout the day with the Sha’ir swap, leaving some spells unprepared and having your familiar grab you new spells that are relevant to your day.
Can bind 3 vestiges (2 and Tenebrous, who you’d rarely unbind anyway), I personally recommend Zyrcell
Miscellaneous abilities, including initiative buffs, AC buffs, extra slots, 3 free metamagics per day, 1 free silent, still, and quickened spell, better turning, and mindless undead protection.
The second build here largely does much the same, only better. For simplicity, I’m not going to list out the whole build again, only the differences and what changes it makes to our convincing dealmaker:
Race: Petal, Unseelie Fae, Pherenic
Stat modifications: Str -9, Dex +12, con +3, Int +7, Wis +2 Cha +14
Other upgrades: Tiny Size, Sleep Song, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse, fly 60 (good), Spell/Power resistance 10+HD, 1 Power Point, Psionic Subtype, a lot of PLA (Including Fission!), Season’s Power (I personally like Winter’s Chill or Summer’s Caress), DR 15/Cold Iron, Iron Vulnerability (booo), and Darkvision 60
Traits:
Polite: Gain Diplomacy, no one cares what you really lose
Aggressive: Your AC is fine, take initiative
Flaws: Murky-eyed, Feeble: You care about neither of these things. Get Skill Focus: Diplomacy and Extend Spell out of the way.
Locations: Don’t bother getting metamagic feats, just go to a CMage Metamagic Storm and pick up your metamagic feats, particularly Extend, Persist, Sculpt, and Invisible.
Build Changes: As soon as you can bind Tenebrous, go for DMM and Persist spell, and congrats on out-persisting your incantatrix friend. Also, take leadership
Follower: Have an artificer buddy make all your magic items.
what could be added/changed/improved to empower the Dealmaker?