Feats for Blood Magus [3.5e]

[LichPrinceAlim]

I recently had to redraw my character. I created a Quorbred Grey Elf Transmuter 5/Blood Magus 3, who one-hitted a Drow Priestess of Lolth with a fireball.

However, I want feats that with the whole "Burn HP" theme to "empower" my spells. My DM created one called "Blood is Power," which adds one bonus damage die to the spell if I use my blood as the material component (IE: a ray of disintegration that deals 11d10 instead of 10d10)

are there any others and/or PrCs that I should consider (note: I would drop max 5 BM levels)

[Sinfire Titan]

1: Get the DM to change the entry requirements from "must have Died" to the requirement from the Death Delver PrC in Heroes of Horror (must have been reduced to an HP total lower than 0).

2: Use Azure Toughness (Magic of Incarnum) instead of normal Toughness (AT counts as the normal Toughness). If possible, take Psycarnum Infusion too, so you can make good use of Azure Toughness. If not, buy 3 Essentia Helms (MiC).

3: That feat your DM made up is rather crappy. Empower Spell is a much better idea.

4: Albeit very broken and cheesy, the Tainted Scholar PrC in Heroes of Horror has a few blood-related class features (Stanch, an additional point of DR, free metamagic for Con damage which can be healed via Eternal Wands of LEsser Restoration). If you limit how high your corruption score gets (no higher than your normal Int/Con scores, no undead trickery) and have the DM handwave the effects of casting a spell with that Prc (every time you do, you need to save or your Corruption score increases, which makes you that much stronger), it wouldn't unbalance the camapign.

5: Blood Magus isn't worth the capstone ability. Take no more than 4 or 6 levels, then PrC out.

[LichPrinceAlim]

1: Get the DM to change the entry requirements from "must have Died" to the requirement from the Death Delver PrC in Heroes of Horror (must have been reduced to an HP total lower than 0).

2: Use Azure Toughness (Magic of Incarnum) instead of normal Toughness (AT counts as the normal Toughness). If possible, take Psycarnum Infusion too, so you can make good use of Azure Toughness. If not, buy 3 Essentia Helms (MiC).

3: That feat your DM made up is rather crappy. Empower Spell is a much better idea.

4: Albeit very broken and cheesy, the Tainted Scholar PrC in Heroes of Horror has a few blood-related class features (Stanch, an additional point of DR, free metamagic for Con damage which can be healed via Eternal Wands of LEsser Restoration). If you limit how high your corruption score gets (no higher than your normal Int/Con scores, no undead trickery) and have the DM handwave the effects of casting a spell with that Prc (every time you do, you need to save or your Corruption score increases, which makes you that much stronger), it wouldn't unbalance the camapign.

5: Blood Magus isn't worth the capstone ability. Take no more than 4 or 6 levels, then PrC out.

1. He had it happen "in the past" for sake of playability (We started @ lv8)

2. DM said no incarnum. I personally don't like the system. I understand it, I just don't like using it...

3. Just got a text from the DM. It's Empower, but with no higher spell slot. So in hypothetics, I can use Blood is Power and Empower on a single spell

4. DM said "no tainted scholar" so that's right out. I had considered at 15th level taking Archmage and caping @ 20th. I kinda want to "bloodbend" my foes using their blood

5. I know. However, I think the Bloodwalk is a creative idea.

[LichPrinceAlim]

Any other suggestions y'all?

[Optimystik]

Taking Con/HP damage to increase your CL check for dispelling/counterspelling might be a good one.

3. Just got a text from the DM. It's Empower, but with no higher spell slot. So in hypothetics, I can use Blood is Power and Empower on a single spell

I would advise against that. Your DM threw you a bone, abusing it will just make him less likely to do so in the future.

Since you're going all the way through BM, you'll have a Homunculus. As a reminder, its HD advance with yours, meaning it can qualify for feats of its own. Between that, you, and your familiar you'll have plenty.

[LichPrinceAlim]

So really, BM isn't great overall?

I thought I'd take 5ish levels in a class that advances my wizard levels moderately while keeping the theme of the "Emo Wizard" and having lots of HP. I took the Slow trait and have a Toad Familiar, plus Toughness and Greater Fortitude. Now, If I had a good reflex save....

[Optimystik]

So really, BM isn't great overall?

Not really - you lose 2 caster levels and don't get much in return. You get a couple of decent feats (Brew Potion, Scribe Scroll and Eschew Materials) In exchange for a couple of terrible ones (Toughness, Great Fortitude...) only your versions are more limited (you can't share your scrolls around because they're scratched into you; companions have to drink potions straight from your blood). Bloodwalk and homunculus are meh, DR 1/bludgeoning is a joke at level 13...

I thought I'd take 5ish levels in a class that advances my wizard levels moderately while keeping the theme of the "Emo Wizard" and having lots of HP. I took the Slow trait and have a Toad Familiar, plus Toughness and Greater Fortitude. Now, If I had a good reflex save....

There's much better choices for "Emo Wizard" than BM. Shadowcraft Mage, Nightmare Spinner, Noctumancer, Escalation Mage, Anima Mage and Pale Master are all very dark PrCs, with a *lot* more power behind them.

[LichPrinceAlim]

Not really - you lose 2 caster levels and don't get much in return. You get a couple of decent feats (Brew Potion, Scribe Scroll and Eschew Materials) In exchange for a couple of terrible ones (Toughness, Great Fortitude...) only your versions are more limited (you can't share your scrolls around because they're scratched into you; companions have to drink potions straight from your blood). Bloodwalk and homunculus are meh, DR 1/bludgeoning is a joke at level 13...



There's much better choices for "Emo Wizard" than BM. Shadowcraft Mage, Nightmare Spinner, Noctumancer, Escalation Mage, Anima Mage and Pale Master are all very dark PrCs, with a *lot* more power behind them.

DM made a hybrid between the 3.5 and 3.0 versions, in which I gain full casting and all of the good class abilities. Plus, I have my whole grimoire tattooed on my body, but if I die, the spells disappear off my skin.

Any of those good for 5 levels? I am not familair with a couple of those

[Optimystik]

DM made a hybrid between the 3.5 and 3.0 versions, in which I gain full casting and all of the good class abilities. Plus, I have my whole grimoire tattooed on my body, but if I die, the spells disappear off my skin.

Oh, well if you have a homebrew Blood Magus go nuts, but I can't comment on it until I see exactly what it gets.

Any of those good for 5 levels? I am not familair with a couple of those

SCM = Races of Stone
Nightmare Spinner = Complete Mage
Escalation Mage = Faiths of Eberron
Noctumancer, Anima Mage = Tome of Magic
Pale Master = Libris Mortis

[LichPrinceAlim]

Oh, well if you have a homebrew Blood Magus go nuts, but I can't comment on it until I see exactly what it gets.

It's pseudo-homebrew. It uses the 3.0's spellcasting (which my DM said was full) and one ability of the 3.0 with 3.5 prereqs and most abilities. It runs a lot smoother than the original

SCM = Races of Stone
Nightmare Spinner = Complete Mage
Escalation Mage = Faiths of Eberron
Noctumancer, Anima Mage = Tome of Magic
Pale Master = Libris Mortis

1. Can't Qualify. I'm a Quorbred Grey Elf
2. Isn't that one a "More Trouble than its Worth" PrC?
3. THAT one may be worthwhile, minus my wizard's an athiest
4 & 5. Don't those require that Shadow Magic system???
6. I'm a Transmuter. It's not optimal to go into something that doesn't mesh well...

[arguskos]

Noctumance does. Anima Mage requires Binding, so Pact Magic. Same book though (also, is an awesome book).

[LichPrinceAlim]

Noctumance does. Anima Mage requires Binding, so Pact Magic. Same book though (also, is an awesome book).

Isn't that book full of "unfinished" systems???

[DragoonWraith]

No, not at all.

It has three systems: Pact Magic (the Binder), which is just awesome in all different kinds of ways. Mysteries (the Shadowcaster), which are cool and interesting, though the class is kind of weak (very, very few mysteries per day). On the other hand, the author himself suggested some fixes for that that are pretty good. Finally, Truenaming, which is incredibly flavorful, and unfortunately nigh-unplayable due to poor design. So you get 1 awesome system, 1 system that could use a few, nearly-official tweaks, and 1 that just doesn't work. Homebrew fixes for Truenaming are available, and several are very good. I like Kellus's, personally.

[LichPrinceAlim]

No, not at all.

It has three systems: Pact Magic (the Binder), which is just awesome in all different kinds of ways. Mysteries (the Shadowcaster), which are cool and interesting, though the class is kind of weak (very, very few mysteries per day). On the other hand, the author himself suggested some fixes for that that are pretty good. Finally, Truenaming, which is incredibly flavorful, and unfortunately nigh-unplayable due to poor design. So you get 1 awesome system, 1 system that could use a few, nearly-official tweaks, and 1 that just doesn't work. Homebrew fixes for Truenaming are available, and several are very good. I like Kellus's, personally.

ehhhhh... Let's avoid ToM for this character...

[Sinfire Titan]

6. I'm a Transmuter. It's not optimal to go into something that doesn't mesh well...

As long as you didn't ban Necromancy, you can enter that PrC. It actually helps a Transmuter out by giving them free buffs. It almost makes sense for a Blood Magus to enter it, at least a little thematically.

[LichPrinceAlim]

As long as you didn't ban Necromancy, you can enter that PrC. It actually helps a Transmuter out by giving them free buffs. It almost makes sense for a Blood Magus to enter it, at least a little thematically.

So doesn't it loose lots of caster levels? (Note: AFB rite now) Plus I plan on becoming an Archmage