Cleric / Incarnate Prestiging to Sapphire Heirarch, need Help!

[Kunanaki]

I currently have a level 3 Cleric / 2 Incarnate, aiming for the Sapphire Heirarch prestige class.

Race is Human

Str: 16
Dex: 14
Con:18
Int: 11
Wis: 18
Cha: 16

Domains are Incarnum / Law

Feats:

Necronum Acolyte-Magic of Incarnum
Shield Specilization(Heavy Steel) - PHB2
Shield Ward-PHB2

My problem is, next level I meet all the requirements to Prestige class, but some things of the prestige class confuse me.

For example, it says +1 existing class of Divine Magic, and +1 of Meldshaper

Does this mean that I'm technically leveling those classes up while prestiging?

If so, if I then finish prestiging (at level 15), and I take another level of Incarnate, does that mean I get the level 13 of Incarnate, or level 3?

As well as, I have no idea what to get as feats at my next level and beyond.

Could anybody offer some tips? Feats Selections?

I'm a little lost where to go next.

[Dode]

"Does this mean that I'm technically leveling those classes up while prestiging?"

For incarnum and spellcasting purposes, yes. But class-feature wise, no.

At level 15 you will have the spells of a 13th level cleric and have the number of soulmelds, Essentia Pool and chakra binds as a 12th level Incarnate (7 soulmelds /11 essentia /3 chakra binds)

On the other hand, you don't get any of the Incarnate class features (eg: Incarnum radiance, expanded soulmeld capacity, etc), and you'll still have the turn undead power of 3rd level cleric because Sapphire Hierarch doesn't advance that. Unfortunantly, the Sapphire Hierarch doesn't unlock new chakra locations (feet, brow, hands) meaning all you can do is chakra bind your crown location, which means your meldshaping abilities are going to be severely hampered.

"If so, if I then finish prestiging (at level 15), and I take another level of Incarnate, does that mean I get the level 13 of Incarnate, or level 3?"
You'd be at the 13th level on the "- meldshaping -" portion of the Incarnate levelling chart (and 13th on the Cleric's "Spells Per Day" chart), but for everything else you'd be at level 3.

As for feats, expanded soulmeld capacity, midnight metamagic and bonus essentia might be worth looking at. Double Chakra may be a must, so you can at least squeeze two soulmelds into your lonely crown chakra slot. Divine Metamagic is always good as well. Hope this helps.

[Kunanaki]

Is there any feat that increases my power to turn undead?

Specifically, because I'm not raising the ability when I prestige, is there anything that boosts my turning up like Practiced Spellcaster does for Caster Levels?

[Maerok]

I think you could get some feats to allow access to the chakras you'll be missing out on. They also provide an extra bonus. But then again it's one of limited number of feats.

[Tokiko Mima]

Turn Undead is one of those features that is difficult to advance if you aren't staying as a pure base class you derived it from. There are a few PrC's that do advance Turn Undead (e.g. Sacred Exocist) but nothing that will fill in the gaps.

What I would look towards instead is using your Turn Undead attempts for other things, such as any of the many Divine Feats that cost turn attempts but give you abilities you don't get otherwise, like Shield Ward which you already have, or the ability to generate pure sunlight to damage undead (Corona) or heal allies in a 60' radius (Sacred Healing).

Actually, I would also consider Divine Soultouch as well. It lets you transform Turn Undead attempts into essentia and expanded essentia capacity for a round. Great for those feats that explicitly lock points of your essentia in place for 24 hours.


I think you could get some feats to allow access to the chakras you'll be missing out on. They also provide an extra bonus. But then again it's one of limited number of feats.

These would be Open Least Chakra (crown, feet or hands) at 6th level, Open Lesser Chakra (arms, brow, shoulders) at 12th level, and Open Greater Chakra (throat, waist) at 18th level. You only get to select a single one of the options though, but you do gain a minor insight bonus based on the chakra opened.

[Dode]

Is there any feat that increases my power to turn undead?

Specifically, because I'm not raising the ability when I prestige, is there anything that boosts my turning up like Practiced Spellcaster does for Caster Levels? Yes, there's "Improved Turning". But even with it you're going to be a lot of levels behind at turning, and even a fully intact turning is considered a sucky mechanic that becomes increasingly useless as baddies are all bundled with turn resistance. I guess what I'm saying is that its a loss.

I'd listen to Maerok and look into the "Open _____ Chakra" feats instead, as that way you'll be unlocking the cooler meldshaper abilities.

[Kunanaki]

That sounds like sound Advice.

My over all Plan for the character now is to be somewhat incredibly annoying to kill, and a healer for my party, so I can get to them when we're surrounded or outmatched, and still avoid Death myself.

However, what would provide more benefit to me, Opening my Hands, or my Feet? With my Crown already unlocked I get to use my Necro Circlet for a personal bodyguard, and a Least Soul Spark for extra Spot / Listen Rolls and a little damage.

If I went hands, I could Bind Lightning Gauntlets to my hands for a little extra Melee Damage, but if I went feet, I'd get to Fly around with the Airstep Sandals.

Recommendations?

[Tokiko Mima]

That sounds like sound Advice.

My over all Plan for the character now is to be somewhat incredibly annoying to kill, and a healer for my party, so I can get to them when we're surrounded or outmatched, and still avoid Death myself.

However, what would provide more benefit to me, Opening my Hands, or my Feet? With my Crown already unlocked I get to use my Necro Circlet for a personal bodyguard, and a Least Soul Spark for extra Spot / Listen Rolls and a little damage.

If I went hands, I could Bind Lightning Gauntlets to my hands for a little extra Melee Damage, but if I went feet, I'd get to Fly around with the Airstep Sandals.

Recommendations?

Flight is always incredibly useful. Perfect manueverability Flight is fantastic, since most creatures don't have that. You'll be able to easily climb out of reach of melee. Add windwall and/or piercing DR and the only ranged attacks left that bother you are spells.

If you're going to be healing people while flying however, you might want to metamagic your touch heal spells into rays so you can heal from a 30' distance. Reach Spell is an option for that, and it adds the possiblity of Split Ray: Heal twice as much!

[Dode]

Those are both good choices, actually.

If I was playing an evil Sapphire Hierarch, I'd go with the Hands chakra, juice up my Necrocarnum Weapon (+1 melee damage and crit confirm), my evil Incarnate Avatar (+2 melee damage per essentia), Incarnate Weapon (+1 attack and damage per essentia) and then cast Divine Power on myself and be a frightening combat beast.

Perfect flight and Evasion/Uncanny Dodge however are also great abilities and also very useful in a fight though too. If you're planning on being a healer/buffer, those maneuvering-oriented abilities may work better for you. Good luck.

[Kunanaki]

Those are both good choices, actually.

If I was playing an evil Sapphire Hierarch, I'd go with the Hands chakra, juice up my Necrocarnum Weapon (+1 melee damage and crit confirm), my evil Incarnate Avatar (+2 melee damage per essentia), Incarnate Weapon (+1 attack and damage per essentia) and then cast Divine Power on myself and be a frightening combat beast.

Perfect flight and Evasion/Uncanny Dodge however are also great abilities and also very useful in a fight though too. If you're planning on being a healer/buffer, those maneuvering-oriented abilities may work better for you. Good luck.

As far as I know, you can't play an Evil Sapphire Heirarch, due to the Alignment restrictions of Incarnate.

Manueverability sounds great, so I'll be getting the Feat Open Least Chakra (feet)

Thanks for all your help everyone

[Tokiko Mima]

Well, that's true if you're an Incarnate, but you can be a lawful evil or lawful good Totemist/Sapphire Heirarch if you pick up a 3rd point of essentia somewhere (from a feat or race, usually.)

Totemists are cool, too. :smallcool:

[Kunanaki]

I thought about it, but Totemists are more melee oriented, and as the only healing class in the party....I made a command decision to be more defensive then offense oriented.