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LoneGamer
2008-03-17, 11:27 AM
Hi all,

I have a player in my game, a level 8 Anima Mage. She's increasingly frustrated at her character not being effective and I really don't know what to do any more. Her concept is a spirit channeler who eventually gains the ability to channel celestials. She's lost the notes for her build, and now by the time she can get it, she'll be level 17. The game started a year ago at level 2.

I've offered to let her retrain if she can figure out what she wants, but she can't figure out a build. I've even offered to let her do something that goes against RAW (Switch her binder levels to sorcerer and keep Anima Mage), but she's not interested in that. I've looked for spells that can do something similar to Channel Celestial, and offered to write up a level 5 version to channel 6HD celestials, but she still isn't happy.

She claims she wants something she can RP with, not crunch. Thing is, I need some crunch I can adapt to her character. I can't find anything. She's basically trying to be Maya Fey, but blonde and hot. Before I resign myself to homebrewing something for her, does anyone have any ideas? I've talked to her about homebrew and working with her to build something, but she hasn't seemed interested.

To be honest, if she keeps bitching and moaning, I'm tempted to just kill her off. She's important to the plot, but the plot can survive without her.

Nermy
2008-03-17, 07:25 PM
The Prophet of Erathaol class from Book of Exalted Deeds is probably what you're looking for. Its only class ability aside from spellcasting progression is the ability to channel celestials.

She can just take a level of it and she gains the ability. The rest of the levels in the class just have casting progression and all good saves, but that's it.

If she only has levels of binder, you can change the requirement of the prestige class to "Must be able to bind 4th level vestiges" to let her get in.

Xefas
2008-03-17, 09:24 PM
The Prophet of Erathaol is awful. Please don't use it. I'll ask you again nicely just for emphasis. Please don't use it.

Perhaps The Gate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55950) would be what you're looking for. It's a base class, so you'd need to convince her to retrain all her levels to it.

Basically, you draw specific Outsiders into your body and then, based upon the abilities of that Outsider, you construct abilities (called Furies). They work sort of like balanced non-epic spell-seeds. In addition, there's a possibility each time you activate a Fury that the Outsider inside of you breaks free and you transform into them. At that point, you're at the mercy of the Outsider. While the class suggests that the Outsider would be mad at you and try to harm you in some way, it isn't required.

For instance, a level 8 Gate with a 16 intelligence and charisma could channel a Warden Archon (BoED). They could then construct the following furies (just examples, they can be a lot more varied) which can be used at will:

Celestial Lightning
Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: 45ft
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

You cause one enemy within range to be struck by a column of divine lightning, dealing 6d6 electricity damage and an additional 2d6 holy damage if the target is of an evil alignment. The target is allowed a DC 18 reflex save (or DC 19 if the target is evil) for half damage. This fury has a +1 bonus to overcome spell resistance.

Light of Celestia
Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: 45ft
Duration: Instantaneous, see text
Saving Throw: Will half
Spell Resistance: Yes

An ally within range is filled with the divine grave of the Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia. Light explodes from their being, healing 5 points of damage and granting them fast healing 3 for 2 rounds. Undead are damaged for the same amount that would have been healed as their impurity is burned away.

Bulwark of Radiance
Time: 1 standard action
Range: 45ft
Duration: 8 rounds
Saving Throw: None

A brilliant shield of light erupts from the air around one of your allies, guarding them from all physical harm. They gain a +2 deflection bonus to armor class as the mercy of heaven turns away the wrath of your foes.

---------

This set up would make you a blaster, healer, and buffer all day long. Though, obviously, you can switch it up every day to focus more or less on what you want or the needs of the situation. However, (with this setup) every time you unleash a fury, you get a cumulative 'sealbreaker' penalty of 5. Every time you use a fury, you roll percentile dice, and if the number is lower than your sealbreaker number, the Warden Archon would break free, for better or worse.

LoneGamer
2008-03-17, 09:24 PM
I believe Prophet was in her original build, but now she doesn't have spare feats to meet the prerequisites. Vow of Chastity would also be an issue for her.

Sor1/Binder2/Anima Mage5, used Precocious Apprentice to qualify for Anima Mage. She doesn't seem to care for Binding, but I've come up with one idea. It may be a bit overpowered, though.

* Lose 1 spell known per level she can cast
* Gain the spells known and granted power of a clerical domain, level-dependent granted powers have an effective cleric level equal to her sorcerer level.
* She can change domains when preparing spells in the morning, but is limited to a number of domains equal to the highest-level spell she can cast. She can't change domains once she's chosen them.
* In order to access a domain, she must interact with a manifestation of the domain's essence. The conversation determines the initial attitude of the manifestation, and a Diplomacy check is needed to successfully access the domain after that.

Xefas
2008-03-17, 09:47 PM
We seem to have posted at the exact same time. Perhaps my above post will help?

SadisticFishing
2008-03-17, 09:53 PM
Anima Mage is actually very strong, it's just hard to make good. Grab Quicken Spell.

I don't think I understand the problem - from one thing, Anima Mage is Non-good, so you couldn't go Prophet anyways...

Is it a problem with crunch, or with the idea of binding in the first place? Binders aren't exactly the most Good bunch, there are probably better ways if you want to channel Celestials.

The Gate thing looks cool.

LoneGamer
2008-03-20, 07:21 PM
Anima Mage is actually very strong, it's just hard to make good. Grab Quicken Spell.

Sorcerer without Metamagic Specialist.


I don't think I understand the problem - from one thing, Anima Mage is Non-good, so you couldn't go Prophet anyways...

Houseruled for her.

Anyways, she seems to be quite pleased with the Gate stuff, hopefully this will calm her down.

Tam_OConnor
2008-03-20, 10:48 PM
Well, in case she gets fussy, and you have Dragon 321 on hand (which I don't), there was a prestige class in there that bonded with a celestial and gradually gained abilities...Infused? Incarnate? The name escapes me. Just a thought.