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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    MonkGuy

    Join Date
    Mar 2017

    Default Re: A special handbook for masters: The Master Specialist Handbook

    5.
    Synergy by school with alternate class features:
    Here I will take alternate class features into account that also specifically focus on specialist wizards and interact in some way with the Master Specialist abilities. There are a number of other ACFs out there that you may want to take, but if they don’t interact with the Master Specialist, I am not mentioning them. If you can use the following ACFs in your campaign, it adds further customization not only to your character, but to this prestige class.

    5.1 Abjuration
    Spontaneous Dispelling (Ex): From UA, this lets you spontaneously cast dispel magic. First, this is only useful if you find yourself dispelling a lot. You have to reach level 5 to be able to use this, which delays your entry to Master Specialist. The ability to spontaneously cast greater dispel magic comes at level 11, which is probably too late to consider Master Specialist. The cost of this ACF is losing additional spells per day from being a specialist wizard. Overall, I think this is probably not worth it. It really comes down to how much you want to dispel things. It synergizes with the minor esoterica, but that is about it.

    5.2 Conjuration
    Rapid Summoning (Ex): From UA, it changes summon monster spells’ casting time to 1 standard action. Although you have to give up a familiar for it, there isn’t much of an argument not to take this ACF. As a 10th level Master Specialist, this means your summons will get 10 extra HP, be harder to dispel, and be SWIFT actions three times a day. You could be a summoning machine. Take this.
    Enhanced Summoning (Ex): From UA, this is a toss up. You get Augment Summoning instead of Scribe Scroll at first level, which is great. However, the ongoing benefits come at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, which you won’t see most of because you are going Master Specialist. The bonuses increase the DC to dispel your summons, which synergizes with Master Specialist, and further boosts to summons’ ability bonuses. You lose out on bonus feats for advancing as a wizard to take this, so I would recommend doing it despite the fact that you really will only be seeing the first level feat swap. A final note on this of course has to do with how much you rely on summons. If you are a conjurer for the lovely spells aside from summon monster, then this may not be as useful. If you summon a lot, the next ACF will interest you though.
    Spontaneous Summoning (Ex): From UA, this does exactly what it sounds like. You can drop a prepared spell to cast summon monster of any lower level. You don’t get additional spells per day for being a specialist wizard, though. You are better off just preparing summon monster I-IX since you are losing the extra spells from being a specialist wizard anyway.

    5.3 Evocation
    Energy Substitution (Ex): From UA, this would have been far more useful at 1st level, but instead it is gained at 5th level. When casting a spell with an energy descriptor, you can change it to what you would prefer. This helps with the moderate esoterica, but delays entry into Master Specialist. You lost out on wizard bonus feats with this ACF.

    5.4 Illusion
    Chains of Disbelief (Ex): From UA, a nonbeliever of your illusions can’t provide the +4 bonus vs. saves to others. This lets you deny even more typical disbeliefs than the minor esoterica on its own. Additionally, enemies still must make a will save vs. illusions despite incontrovertible proof they are fake, although with a +10 bonus. Extra saves are extra saves, though. The price is your familiar for this ACF.

    5.5 Necromancy
    Skeletal Minion: From UA, you get an undead minion. This will synergize well with the minor and major esoterica. Say goodbye to your familiar, though. This is red if you don’t want to deal with undead friends, though.
    Enhanced Undead (Ex): From UA, it makes your undead have higher STR and DEX and more HP. This synergizes well with minor and major esoterica. You lose your extra spells per day from being a specialist, though. This is red if you don’t want to deal with undead friends.

    5.6 Transmutation
    Spell Versatility (Ex): From UA, this one is rather interesting. Unfortunately it begins at 5th level, thereby delaying your entry into Master Specialist. However, you can select a spell of any spell level and treat it as if it were a transmutation spell. This means you could take Summon Monster III as a transmutation spell and it can’t be dispelled immediately, or whatever spell you want to last an extra round if dispelled. It doesn’t sound great, but I feel like it has potential. Depending on how your DM rules it, the moderate esoteric could come into play, as well. If you are frequently hit by some spell that is outside of transmutation, but you select it as your versatile spell, you may be able to get an extra save against it because YOU consider it a transmutation spell. You lose out on bonus wizard feats.
    Last edited by Mike Miller; 2017-06-20 at 07:07 PM.