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View Full Version : Single Anima Mage, seeks self-improvement.



OverdrivePrime
2008-12-02, 05:30 PM
The other day someone here brought up the Anima mage prestige class from the Tome Of Magic. This caused me (a guy who loves the Binder class, but hasn't had the opportunity to play one yet) to give it a second look and immediately start drafting one up as a backup character for a campaign I'm in.

If my current character (level 6 swift hunter) gets killed, I'd like to bring this guy in. And since my swift hunter got dropped to -9 hit points before being saved by his war cleric buddy last game, I think there's the distinct possibility that I'll be bringing in a less reckless character some time soon. Assume level 6 for now.
Allowed sources: Core + PHB II, Complete X books and Races Of X books, as well as Tome of Magic, Tome of Battle and the Spell Compendium. Nothing else.

The other characters are a rogue and a war cleric. Adventure style is above-ground adventuring, heavy on random encounters, with a few city adventures.

Here's what I've got so far. Please consider everything highly flexible.

Gray Elf, True Neutral
Binder 2 / Elven Generalist Wizard 4 (Planning to enter Anima Mage at level 7)
Goals: Power through overwhelming knowledge. Gets off on learning secrets.
Level 6
Str 8, Dex 16, Con 10, Int 21, Wis 8, Cha 14 (32 pt buy)


Base Skill Ranks (at level 6)
Bluff 5
Concentration 9
Decipher Script 4
Diplomacy 5 (+4)
Gather Info 5
Intimidate 5 (+2)
Know (Arcana) 9
Know (History) 2
Know (Religion) 2
Know (Planes) 4
Search 4
Sense Motive 5
Spellcraft 4 (+2)

Now, here's where I'm having trouble.
Feats.
Level 1: Improved Binding
Level 3: ??
Level 6: ???
Future: ????

Since making a good pact seems to be more important to an Anima Mage than other binders, I was thinking of taking Skilled Pact Making at level 3, but after that I've got no clue. Any suggestions?

Keld Denar
2008-12-02, 05:37 PM
Problem is, Binding is SOOOO versitile that you can literally do anything. You could be a straight caster, and take typical caster feats like Extend and Quicken Spell, or something defensive like Minor Shapeshift, something a little more offensive like Empower Spell or Split Ray, or even gish-lite it up with Power Attack and Arcane Strike. Up to you.

IIRC, Foclour(sp?) has a really nice save penalty aura, which would combo really nicely with something like a solid save targeting spells like Glitterdust. Could be effective to build upon.

OverdrivePrime
2008-12-02, 05:55 PM
Problem is, Binding is SOOOO versitile that you can literally do anything. You could be a straight caster, and take typical caster feats like Extend and Quicken Spell, or something defensive like Minor Shapeshift, something a little more offensive like Empower Spell or Split Ray, or even gish-lite it up with Power Attack and Arcane Strike. Up to you.

IIRC, Foclour(sp?) has a really nice save penalty aura, which would combo really nicely with something like a solid save targeting spells like Glitterdust. Could be effective to build upon.

Ah, yeah. For combat focus, I was thinking of going heavy on field control and buffing allies - the Benevolent God route. Since I'm planning on playing a brainy weaking with plenty of talky skills to get him out of binds where spells and magic aren't appropriate, let's assume that this guy will aways attempt to have a meaty cleric between him and enemy aggression. If he never has to draw a sword or bow, I'll be quite happy.

Since he'll be taking a 2 level hit to casting due to binder leves, are metamagic feats a wise choice? What about boosting save DCs? I suspect I'll be casting a lot of conjuration and transmutation spells.

Keld Denar
2008-12-02, 06:17 PM
Since he'll be taking a 2 level hit to casting due to binder leves, are metamagic feats a wise choice? What about boosting save DCs? I suspect I'll be casting a lot of conjuration and transmutation spells.

Do this. Consider Spell Focus:Conjouration and then Cloudy Conjuration (CMage). It gives you a little cloud you can put most places that sickens and blocks line of sight/effect. Something nasty to do is to cast a quickened spell like Quickened Caltrops or Quickened Acid Splash (both 3rd level spells) to get the cloud, auto-sicken your foe (-2 saves) and then cast your main conjouration like Glitterdust to "effectively" increase the DC by 2. Oh, and probably the feat Practiced Spellcaster to recover your CL hit you take from binding.

Its been a while since I read ToM, any jenky shananagans you can pull between the 2 classes as far as buying off MM levels or boosting spell power?

Draz74
2008-12-02, 08:08 PM
Its been a while since I read ToM, any jenky shananagans you can pull between the 2 classes as far as buying off MM levels or boosting spell power?

No shenanigans needed; one of the Anima Mage's main features, right there on the page, is getting free metamagic effects several times/day.

I would just like to point out, for my part, that you can build an Anima Mage with only 1 lost caster level. Binder 1 and the Improved Binding feat. If you're going for an Anima Mage that's more focused on casting than binding, this trick is pretty much mandatory.

OverdrivePrime
2008-12-02, 09:33 PM
No shenanigans needed; one of the Anima Mage's main features, right there on the page, is getting free metamagic effects several times/day.

I would just like to point out, for my part, that you can build an Anima Mage with only 1 lost caster level. Binder 1 and the Improved Binding feat. If you're going for an Anima Mage that's more focused on casting than binding, this trick is pretty much mandatory.

Well, right, but then you don't the 2nd level binder ability, which I think is essential if you want your character to have any social interactions. Hmm... unless... can alter self or disguise self change the physical traits of the soul bond?

mabriss lethe
2008-12-02, 10:34 PM
Not really sure. A couple of ideas for you if you do go binder1/wizX/Anima mage. instead of learning to supress your sign. If you're binding just for the sake of having something to power your anima mage abilities, but don't want to be terribly troubled by showing the sign, pick vestiges that have more subtle or easily disguised signs. Amon, for example, would be a terrible choice. Naberius, however...makes you sound like a hard drinker. Dalhver-nar, Aym, Haagenti, Ronove...All have fairly subtle signs. It really isn't as important which vestige you bind as an anima mage at least compared to other binding PrCs. When it counts the most, you're going to be sacrificing (at least temporarily) access to some or all of their granted powers. Early on, you'll probably want to limit yourself to lower DC vestiges anyway, to have that much of a better chance of making a good pact.

OverdrivePrime
2008-12-03, 06:22 PM
Okay, a couple things to noodle on after reading through the binder and Anima mage a little more completely.

First off - the Vestige's sign can be hidden through normal means or magic if you so desire. So Supress Sign is more of a convenience than anything.
However, I still really like the second level of Binder because of the Pact Augmentation ability, which lets you add any of a great number of minor abilities per day. I really like the flexibility of being able to say, "oh hey, I'd like a +1 insight bonus to armor class, or DR 1/-, or a +2 insight bonus to initiative today. And it lasts all day - no persistent spell required.

Secondly, check out the sweet, sweet ability granted by Leraje:
Ricochet. It allows you to make a single ranged attack against two adjacent targets. If you beat one of their AC's, one of them is hit for normal damage. If you beat both ACs, both of them are hit for normal damage.

With ranged touch spells, that becomes ridiculously cool. Give yourself Spectral Hand, and suddenly you're hitting any ranged spell you want against two opponents instead of one. For pure damage, scorching ray becomes just plain rude, and Enervation is even worse. I think I'm in love!