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The Mormegil
2007-12-14, 01:12 PM
Ok, I am playing a campaign with heavy fighting.
I have just levelled this up:
Fighter 2 / Battle Sorceror 4 / Abjurant Champion 5 / Dwarven Defensor 1 / Spellsword 1 / Eldritch Knight 6

First: I'm no caster. I'm the melee, the meat shield and the damage dealer.
Second: I won't give up anything that I took for RP reasons.
Third: we did a little houseruling, so don't worry for Weapon Specialization prerequisites... If you find other things wrong, post them, I'll either explain or correct.

Feats:
Physical Endurance
Improved Toughness
Dodge
Combat Casting
Monkey's Grip (need it, prereq. for a Weapon of Legacy i got)
Weapon Focus (free)
Weapon Specialization
Melee Weapon Mastery
Slashing Flurry
Versatile Spellcaster (I qualify, RP reason - think of Eragon's ritual)
Quicken Spell (PHBII I love you! And I got Int 20 too!)
Smiting Spell
Practiced Metamagic (which one should I take???)

Spells:
1 - Karmic Aura (abj.)
Shield (abj.)
Protection from Evil (abj.)
Master's Touch (sometimes I need to fight one-handed with my bastard sword)
Distract Assailor (wraithstrike for rougues and monks)
2 - Heroics
Wraithstrike
Burning Blade
Sonic Weapon
Bladeweave
3 - Weapon of Energy (I thought of haste, but we got another spellcaster and I got boots)
Dragonskin (good, and RP reason)
Greater Magic Weapon
Dispel Magic
4 - Greater mirror image
Celerity (not gonna use it with Contingency)
Polymorph
Dimension Door
5 - Arcane Fusion
Indomitability (Contingencied)
Coat of Arms (never remembered what it does, gonna change it)
XXX
6 - Contingency
Bite of the Weretiger
XXX
7 - Ironguard (amazing!!!)
XXX

what should I take? Also, I just took Smiting Spell, but I ain't got a thing to use it on... Should I take one or leave it by???

weenie
2007-12-14, 05:07 PM
Well, since you're immune to metal, Stone Body gives you DR 10/adamantine and a few other cool effects. Combined with Mud to Rock you become able to heal yourself.

CASTLEMIKE
2007-12-16, 10:23 PM
I like Teleport as a level 5 spell but it is campaign dependent and the Arcane Disciple feat taking the Spell Domain will address most teleport campaign issues with Anyspell Greater (0-5) (Does things like the Adept Heal spell, Commune, Fabricate or Teleport with a spellbook handy).

The other thing about Teleport is many DMs will let you use it to duplicate the effects of Dimension Door a lower level spell effect with a sorcerer PC.

Edit: Shadow Conjuration is usually better than Dimension Door because it can duplicate so many Conjuration effects: Enchanted Tattoos, Phantasmal Steeds, 5 SM3 monster typs, Sculpted Greases, Webs.

For Dimension Door your sorcerer can get by easiest at this level with a ring of Theurgy for 20,000 GP from Complete Arcane.

The level 6 Heroism Greater spell isn't bad for a combat oriented sorcerer.

Summon Monster 7 can summon a Movanic Deva from the Fiend Folio which gives your PC a freebie Raise Dead or Commune or other divine spell effect not normally usable by an arcane caster plus the standard SM 5 - 7 monsters so there is some nice utility.

I also like Summon Aspect of Bahamut (or other similarly aligned PC dragon power) from Races of the Dragon or Dragon Magic but SM7 has a little more utility.

Shadow Conjuration Greater is also nice for a sorcerer PC because of all the Conjuration school spells it duplicates.

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Arcane Disciple feat for the Spell Domain although the bonus spell is wisdom based for DC it has some really nice spells (Silence, Anyspell, Any Spell Greater, and a daily Limited Wish (Costs 300 exp to cast)) and the ones you don't like you can fill with a lower level slot so it grants a sorcerer a little more spell flexibility.

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Instead of Protection from Evil I like having limited Spell Pool access from something like the MotAO PRC or GWoW PRC (they work great along with the Arcane Disciple Spells with a Ring of Theurgy from Complete Arcane for 20,000 GP) or an intelligent magic item that can cast magic circle protection from evil continuously (Only +16,000 GP DMG page 270) and taking Color Spray or Magic Missile or Ray of Enfeeblement.

If you have access to the Magic Item Compendium I'd consider losing Contingency and having it on a Runestaff for the limited amount of times it will be cast a day.

Chronos
2007-12-16, 11:53 PM
Shadow Conjuration is usually better than Dimension Door because it can duplicate so many Conjuration effects: Enchanted Tattoos, Phantasmal Steeds, 5 SM3 monster typs, Sculpted Greases, Webs, Dimension Hop and Dimension Step (whole party) from the PHBIIAre those Summoning or Creation? I would have expected them to be in the Teleportation subschool, and Shadow Conjuration doesn't simulate those.

The Mormegil
2007-12-17, 06:46 AM
Shadow Conj doesn't work with Dim Door. Since I primarily use it in combat I was thinking of Greater Dim Door from SC: effectively weak, but I move at 10'... geez, I need a speed up. Thought of Expeditous Retreat, also.
Heroism it's one I don't need. I forgot mentioning: we already have a bard that gives inspire courage +10 (!!) a charger/caster (don't ask) and a main healer.

So no Stone Body. Definitely not, not worth it. I thought of the following:

- change 4th level spell dim door --> channeled pyroburst for 10d4 smiting extra fire damage as a swift action and large area blast.
- change Coat of Arms to greater dim door
- take disintegrate (always nice)
- upgrading the bite
- taking karmic retribution from CM (swift buff, nice although I don't have great DCs)
- 5th level spell missing, I thought of greater electric vengeance from PHBII (a bit crappy, but immediate casting)
- retraining Karmic Aura (1st level) for Ray of Clumsiness, just in case I finish high level smiting spells

no runestaffs, I didn't know what they were when I created this character and I ain't got shops around. In fact, I need a shop, but... I am in a desert, starving if not for my cleric...

Rad
2007-12-17, 07:49 AM
If I made my math correctly the only thing you get from Battle Sorcerer is +1 BAB, since you'll get to +16 anyway, I'd go with plain sorcerer and grab those extra spells and you can still get a mithral twilight armor with 0% ASF if you need one.

kme
2007-12-17, 05:24 PM
As your 7th level spell you may wish to take Arcane spellsurge (dragon magic). It reduces a casting time of all spells. Standard action casting times become swift, full round action become standard. With this you can easily fight and cast spells.

CASTLEMIKE
2007-12-18, 02:09 AM
Are those Summoning or Creation? I would have expected them to be in the Teleportation subschool, and Shadow Conjuration doesn't simulate those.

Thanks for the catch. Excellent point I let a house rule slip in and have amended the earlier post.

Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer can be nice for a sorcerer utilizing it to "prepare" 3 levels of spells the sorcerer doesn't know from a spell book which may not be legal in all games but nice option in a game that doesn't use the Arcane Disciple feat.

Crow
2007-12-18, 10:42 AM
You may want to pick up the 2nd level spell Dimension Hop. You can teleport 5 ft. per two caster levels.

If you quicken it (6th level slot), you can "hop" in from (what is your caster level, 15?) about 35' away and still get off a full-attack in the same round. Cast an extended Wraithstrike (3rd level slot) the round before and all of those will be touch attacks too.

Triaxx
2007-12-18, 12:23 PM
You might consider pricing a Ring of Righteous Might. It's not exactly cheap, but 1/day enlargement, with that kind of strength bonus is all sorts of fun.

John Campbell
2007-12-18, 01:17 PM
You're a dwarven arcane caster/tank and you don't have a level of Runesmith?

The Mormegil
2007-12-19, 08:56 AM
Ok, I'll try to answer to you all:

You're a dwarven arcane caster/tank and you don't have a level of Runesmith?
Why should I ever?

You might consider pricing a Ring of Righteous Might. It's not exactly cheap, but 1/day enlargement, with that kind of strength bonus is all sorts of fun.
Good, but I won't get gear untill the end of the adventure.

You may want to pick up the 2nd level spell Dimension Hop. You can teleport 5 ft. per two caster levels.

If you quicken it (6th level slot), you can "hop" in from (what is your caster level, 15?) about 35' away and still get off a full-attack in the same round. Cast an extended Wraithstrike (3rd level slot) the round before and all of those will be touch attacks too.
Great spell, I will add it. Wraithstrike, though, won't be easily extended unless I change my feats, which I may do... Anyway, I got CL 18 due to Abjurant Champion.

As your 7th level spell you may wish to take Arcane spellsurge (dragon magic). It reduces a casting time of all spells. Standard action casting times become swift, full round action become standard. With this you can easily fight and cast spells.
Good, I'll take this on my next level.

If I made my math correctly the only thing you get from Battle Sorcerer is +1 BAB, since you'll get to +16 anyway, I'd go with plain sorcerer and grab those extra spells and you can still get a mithral twilight armor with 0% ASF if you need one.
+1 bab is really good if you are PA dependant, with low attack rolls and you are not even able to fill all those slots since what you're really gonna do is a Wraithstrike + full-attack routine...
Plus, increases CL.

Thanks a lot to you all, but I need 5th level spells, really, I took greater electric vengeance out of desperation, I need to find something better...

Keld Denar
2007-12-19, 09:59 AM
5th level eh? Have you ever considered Wall of Stone? Nothing says divide and conquer like a 4" thick wall of stone (60hp hardness 8). At CL18, you get 18 squares of wall. That's enough to seal in 2 medium sized characters, or a huge creature. You can double the thickeness (8") by 1/2ing the area, allowing you to stone in a medium creature with a wall that requires 120 hp to break with a hardness of 8. That'll require some time spent to hack through it for anything that can't teleport.

The best thing is that there is no save. You mentioned that your DCs are not very high, and this would give you come crowd control without having to worry about saves.

Another spell that would be useful would be Overland Flight. As long as you don't use it for high flying (ie end your turn on the ground every turn) it'll help you with your limited movement problem.

Higher level spell suggestion would be Freezing Fog. Its a Solid Fog + Heightened Grease +1d6 damge/round. Combine 2 of the most over powered spells in the game into 1 6th level spell, and you've got massive win. There is no save for the Fog part, so even if they make the reflex save to not fall on their hind ends, they still can't move very quickly through the fog. This gives you extra time to drop a couple buffs or dispatch a different foe while the fogged guy is struggling to get out. For sihtsngiggles, put a Wall of Stone around the Freezing Fog.

Crow
2007-12-19, 02:28 PM
Be careful with Arcane Spellsurge. In most cases this will make a spell a swift action to cast. It says even in the description that you can't cast two swift action spells in the same round.

If you plan on multiple spells per round, one of them will need to utilize metamagic in order to increase the casting time in most cases.

Also, with the Dimension Hop - Full Attack couplet, you need a way to make Dimension Hop a swift action. So Arcane Spellsurge will work to make this happen, or the Rapid Metamagic feat. Sorcerers get jacked on metamagic in my opinion.

The Mormegil
2007-12-20, 08:47 AM
I have the PHBII variant of sorcerer, I get 8/day free metamagic effects.

@lussmanj:Good spells, but I need something more combat oriented. I can't take freezing fog, since it's latest version is 6th level, and I'll think of Wall of Stone because I'm a dwarf.

Reinboom
2007-12-20, 09:04 AM
I have the PHBII variant of sorcerer, I get 8/day free metamagic effects.

@lussmanj:Good spells, but I need something more combat oriented. I can't take freezing fog, since it's latest version is 6th level, and I'll think of Wall of Stone because I'm a dwarf.

Your sorcerer has 20 intelligence... why? :smalleek:

I would recommend at least 1, but no more than 2, area of effect blasting spells - preferably one with range.
They are subpar, yes, however at times the opportunity arises when using one would be "perfect". Especially as a 'gish', since damaging faster only helps yourself.
Of course, it shouldn't be relied upon, but the ability to mass remove mooks at range can become extremely, though situationally, handy.

Beyond that, a 5th // 6th level combination I adore:
Dimension Shuffle (PHB2)// Anticipate Teleportation, Greater (SpC). Anticipate alone will fix many issues that may arise, and lasts 24 hours.

Brilliant Aura makes an excellent 7th level spell. It gives allies (and you) brilliant energy on all your weapons. (Spell Compendium)

The Mormegil
2007-12-20, 09:27 AM
Belt of Magnificence +6, 200k, great one for gishes, saves body slots.

Now, yeah, my lowest score was a 14, yeah, I know, that ain't possible etc. But you know what? I did "roll 6, add the greatest 3" as my DM said, bad for him...

Brilliant Aura is one I don't need: having a cleric in the party and a "wizard" and using Wraithstrike every round, I really don't need a brilliant energy blade...

Reinboom
2007-12-20, 09:37 AM
Ah, I'm currently playing a sorcerer that rolled 14,14,14,14,15,18...
But eh, oh well.

Disintergrate can pull you out of a (force effect) jam., but you mentioned that..

For a 4th level spell - Ruin Delvar's Fortune from the spell compendium is -excellent- for a sorcerer of any kind.
Instantaneous action save boost equal to your charisma modifier or temp hp.

If you get a lower level slot open, benign transposition adds a lot of party options.

Keld Denar
2007-12-20, 10:06 AM
Whirling Blade (SC 2nd) is excellent for any gish. Its a "melee attack" at range in a line. It only affects those you specify, so its essentially sculpted. You can and should be power attacking when you cast it. Combine with Wraithstrike, and you are making a large number of attacks in a line as touch attacks. Damage will be very high if you can line your targets up, such as with Mobile Spellcasting or while mounted on a Phantom Steed. Its range is pretty decent, so you can use it instead of most long range blast spells. It scales well with level because of power attack.

The best thing about it, though, is that it is only 2nd level. That means you can metamagic the bajesus out of it. Think Twinned Whirling Blade + Quickened Whirling Blade for 3 attacks on everything in a line, while power attacking. Stuff dies, then falls cinamatically to the ground in pieces. Great spell.