Help with my Gish

[alexthemad]

Can I get some help choosing feats and race for my gish?
I'm going Pal2/Sorc4/Spellsword1/Abjurant Champion5/Swiftblade 8.
The character will actually be starting at level 18. Thanks.

[Longcat]

What fighting style do you wish to focus on? 2-Handed, Two-Weapon-Fighting, or Sword&Board?

[alexthemad]

Good question. I think I want wep. finesse, because I would like to be a dex fighter. But I don't think I want to mess with TWF. So either 2 hand, or sword/board. And I think 2 hand appeals to me more. Suggestions?

[Longcat]

With an Elven Courtblade (Races of the Wild, and maybe Complete Warrior), you get a 2-handed finessable weapon with the damage of a bastard sword and the crit-range of a rapier. Maybe it will suit your needs?

If you do decide to go for it, Star Elf or Wild/wood elf (the ones with +2Str and +2Dex) might appeal to you, since they can get all the special elf weapons with just one feat (Racial Weapon Familiarity).

[Dusk Eclipse]

If you are going Gish Arcane Strike (CW IIRC) is a must, trade one spell for a bonus to hit and an extra d4/spell level capped at 5 I think

Also versatile spellcaster might be useful trade two lower level spells to cast one higher level spell

[alexthemad]

Ok, with a little more work I only need help with 2 more feats because of prerequisits. Here's what I have.

1:Weapon Finesse
3:Combat Casting
6:Dodge
9:Mobility
12:Arcane Strike
15:?
18:?

Any more suggestions for the last 2 feats?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Exotic Weapon Prof Spiked chain? two handed, reach, can trip, can attack adjacent enemies, and finnisiable (SP)

.... some metamagic? maybe quicken?

Edit: Change Combat casting for Skill focus (concentration) a contant bonus is far better than a situational bonus unless it is a pre req for a Prg Class

[Boci]

Ok, with a little more work I only need help with 2 more feats because of prerequisits. Here's what I have.

1:Weapon Finesse
3:Combat Casting
6:Dodge
9:Mobility
12:Arcane Strike
15:?
18:?

Any more suggestions for the last 2 feats?

Power attack, smiting spell? Arcane thesis + some metagmaic? Willing deformity + diformity (tall)?

[weenie]

If you are going swiftblade, lvl 9 is a MUST! Another standard action every round is way too good to pass up. I would suggest you take swiftblade after the first lvl of AC, so you get to the good stuff sooner. If taking lvl 10 of swiftblade is worth it or not is up to you, but I think I would probably take it.

Anyway, with this setup your character will be a competent mage killer. Cast haste on yourself as a free action, cast antimagic field on yourself and close in on the pesky mage. Oh, and ready an action to follow him if he moves. He won't be able to do a thing.

TWF might be actually worth it because of the 2d6 extra damage. Ask your DM if the extra damage lets you qualify for Improved skirmish to pump it up to 4d6.

Oh, and if you plan to cast antimagic field on yourself often, vow of poverty may actually be a good idea. Not sure if it's better than equipment, but it's workable.

[alexthemad]

Edit: Change Combat casting for Skill focus (concentration) a contant bonus is far better than a situational bonus unless it is a pre req for a Prg Class

I wanted to but it is a prereq...

[Dusk Eclipse]

I wanted to but it is a prereq...

really sad

[Galdor Miriel]

One route to try is to take feats in the power attack tree, then strike with full power attack and wraithstrike so you are hitting a touch ac.

So power attack and leap attack would be two possible feats to combine with wraithstrike and arcane stike.

Sounds like fun, my dm would never let me use swift balde. He thought it too powerful.

Galdor Miriel

[Boci]

Oh, and if you plan to cast antimagic field on yourself often, vow of poverty may actually be a good idea. Not sure if it's better than equipment, but it's workable.

Aren't most of VoP's benefits magical?

[alexthemad]

If you are going swiftblade, lvl 9 is a MUST! Another standard action every round is way too good to pass up. I would suggest you take swiftblade after the first lvl of AC, so you get to the good stuff sooner. If taking lvl 10 of swiftblade is worth it or not is up to you, but I think I would probably take it.

I agree, level 9 of swiftblade is nice...but what do I give up? Its either spellsword, which lets me ignore spell failure. Or a level of Abj Cham., which means letting go of Martial Arcanist which makes my caster level equal to my BAB.

[weenie]

Aren't most of VoP's benefits magical?

Some are, but the AC bonus and ability score adjustments aren't. And a few others too probably, but I'm AFB, so I can't check.

[Boci]

I agree, level 9 of swiftblade is nice...but what do I give up? Its either spellsword, which lets me ignore spell failure. Or a level of Abj Cham., which means letting go of Martial Arcanist which makes my caster level equal to my BAB.

Spellsword. Mithril armour + twilight enhancement will allow you to wear pretty heavy armour already.

[weenie]

No, I think you have to keep Spellsword. Otherwise you can't enter AC at level 8. Drop the level of AC, Martial Arcanist is NOTHING compared to Perpetual Options.

[Keld Denar]

Besides, your CL will be almost full anyway. Having or not having Martial Arcanist isn't gonna make your CL = your ECL. If CL is really that important to you, nab Practiced Spellcaster and be done with it. Martial Arcanist looks better than it really is for just about every casting gish except Suel Arcanamach, for which is is VERY important.

[Southern Cross]

I'd recommend the character start off as human,because of the bonus feat at 1st level.

[Navigator]

I'd recommend the character start off as human,because of the bonus feat at 1st level.

If you're a tiefling, you automatically get Martial Weapon Proficiency, as well as an Int and Dex bump. This allows you to skip over the non-casting classes completely before taking Abjurant Champion, and allow you to put your highest score into Strength.

Conjurer 6/Swiftblade 10/Abjurant Champion 2

Go Focused Specialist Conjurer, take Abrupt Jaunt, and pour everything into strength after you get your required Intelligence. You win before you even make your spell list.

For 15th and 18th level feats, take Extraordinary Spell Aim so you can keep your buffs up while you run around in an anti-magic field all day, and take Practiced Spellcaster in lieu of Abjurant Champion 5.

Ditch Weapon Finesse for Power Attack. Be a real man.

[oxinabox]

have you considered
AeshKuau Illumium.
With Impoved Sigil feat it nets you +3 CL for purpose of making CL up to you HD, or depending on how you read it, for increasing you CL without any such limitaion.
without the feat you get +2 CL for same use

Also has +2 (+3 With Impoved Sigil feat) on intellegence checks and inteligence skill checks, Kinda cool for Knowledge devotion, if you like.

and more importantly Your Strength is now your bonus spell stat.
Since your a swiftblade you're mostly intersted in buffing youirself, rather than doing anything that allows a saving throw.
This means you can take some of your charisma and put it into strength.

Since a finesse (dex) fighter really shouldn't be weilding a two hande weapon (even if it is a Courtblade) due the the fact that the adavantage of a two handed weapon is add your STR*1.5 to damage,
(the others being better trade off, when power attack, and the fact 2H weapon are 1-2 dice sizes larger in terms of damage)

Of course lowering yoru charisma does hurt you sorcerdin synery some.
But you won't want to let it down too low in the long term since you need to meat the casting rewuire ment of charisma == leval of spell your castign right?

at lvl 20, after items: (assuming you were not building a dex, but rather a str based fighter) (this is a rough approx depends how you spend you WBL)
before: (without being illumiun)
CHA 30
STR 20

after: (with being illumiun, and optimising stats as such)
CHA 20
STR 30

the downside of not being a dex based fighter is your Dex is going to be lower, so your AC will be lower.
But you have a lvl of Spellsword, you can wear twightlighed padded Mithrail Fullplate, (idk if this screws up swiftblade). for 0 ASF chance

And sword and board isn't a good idea (as i'm sure you are aware), since your staple Abjurant Champ spell,. sheild provides a ... Sheild Bonus to AC.



Rememebr as far as power attack:
at higher lvls there is Quicken truestike +20 attack, leaving you free to Power Attack your whole BaB and still have a highter chance of hitting than normal.

and at lower lvls (from lvl 1) there is critical strike. (a swift action)


Don't be a Real man - Be a ... actuallisation of the intagibleness that is written language

just my 2c
-do with that what you will, its your build.

[MichielHagen]

If i recall correctly another nice "combo" would be Power Attack and Wraithstrike, but you would need to be STR focused.

[Myrmex]

If i recall correctly another nice "combo" would be Power Attack and Wraithstrike, but you would need to be STR focused.

Hardly. Even with a starting score of 8 strength, by level 18 you should have enough gear to get you up to 13 str for power attack.

[alexthemad]

Ok...now I am rethinking my dex based fighter. Im thinking of going Str now.
I'm thinking about going human, with greatsword. Thinking about switching Wep. Finesse for Power Attack. Then with the other two open slots and the bonus feat for human, I'm thinking Combat Reflexes, Cleave and Quicken Spell. Sound ok? Suggestions?

oxinabox, what is the AeshKuau Illumium? I searched it on yahoo and it didn't bring anything up...that I saw anyway.

[Dusk Eclipse]

Iluminian is a race from races of destiny, they get some racial thingys (don't know how to explaint it better) that eventually can get your physical stats to count for your bonus spells.

Also I sugest leap attack instead of cleave

[Eldariel]

Illumian is a race in Races of Destiny. They choose two power sigils on character creation and get variety of especially magic-related bonuses depending on which ones. Aesh and Krau are two of the sigils.

EDIT: Ninja Avalanche...

[nekomata2]

An Aeshkrau Illumian is a Illumian (a human subrace in Races of Destiny) that has picked the Aesh and Krau power sigils, its a racial feature. While they each do something minor, together they let you use your strength score instead of your intelligence when determing bonus spell slots based upon a high ability score.

[alexthemad]

Ok thanks. I'll look into it. Any suggestions for my stats with a 40 pt buy?

[alexthemad]

Ok, so I'm just about ready to play and I have one more question. What is the best item or items that I can buy to help me deal with constructs?

[Dusk Eclipse]

Golembane sacarab just let me look for the specifics

found it Scarab, Golembane

Spoiler

Show

This beetle-shaped pin enables its wearer to detect any golem within 60 feet, although he must concentrate (a standard action) in order for the detection to take place. A scarab enables its possessor to combat golems with weapons, unarmed attacks, or natural weapons as if those golems had no damage reduction.

Moderate divination; CL 8th; Craft Wondrous Item, detect magic, creator must be at least 10th level; Price 2,500 gp.

from the srd Golembane Scarab You might need to scroll down