Getting Turn Undead the Quick and Easy Way

[Human Paragon 3]

What's the easiest way to get turn undead as early as possible without taking a cleric level? Specifically, I'm trying to slap it onto a Divine Bard chassis for PrC qualification purposes. This is theoretical only, if it matters, and all sources are legal since it's not for a game (yet).

[FishAreWet]

Planar Touchstone (Catalouges of Elightenment) with the Sun domain.

[Fishy]

Sacred Exorcist is traditional, though you might have a rough time getting in as Divine Bard.

[Optimystik]

Planar Touchstone (Catalouges of Elightenment) with the Sun domain.

Would just like to note that this feat requires a specific item from that place worth at least 250 gp - might not be easy for a low-level character to acquire.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Would just like to note that this feat requires a specific item from that place worth at least 250 gp - might not be easy for a low-level character to acquire.

Yeah, but how many PrC's can you get into before 6th level that require turn/rebuke?

[Optimystik]

Yeah, but how many PrC's can you get into before 6th level that require turn/rebuke?

What I mean is, your DM might actually want you to go to the Catalogues and find the item to take the feat.

[Darrin]

What I mean is, your DM might actually want you to go to the Catalogues and find the item to take the feat.

Going to the Touchstone location isn't required to get just the base ability. You just have to find a touchstone item from that location... that's what the 8 ranks in Knowledge (the Planes) is for, but Gather Info could probably help, too. If you want access to the Higher-Order abilities, that's what you have to visit the actual location for.

(The Touchstone rules are confusing. At one point it says the 250 GP touchstone item is a requirement for the feat, meaning you'd have to have it on your person at all times, and at another point it says you have to sacrifice the item in a ritual to create the link. The revised Touchstone description in Sandstorm says you can either keep it and sacrifice 250 GP of rare ingredients instead, or sacrifice it as part of the ritual.)

I dont think picking up the Sun Domain will work. It says you can perform a greater turning "in place of a regular turning", which to me says you have to have regular turning in the first place. (Although you might be able to cheat a bit since it doesn't specify "regular turning = turn undead" ... you might be able to squeeze by with "turn fire elementals" or whatnot.)

There are two ways to pick up Turn Undead via feats. God-Touched and Divine Channeler from Dragon #305 will give you turn undead 1/day. No prereqs other than you must worship a deity.

Then there's also Necromantic Bloodline and Kin Mastery, which originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #325 and #311, but were reprinted in Dragon Compendium. This last combo pretty much requires 6 levels of Sorcerer, though.

Note: Wizard 9 *can* get into Sacred Exorcist and pick up Turn Undead that way (when he can cast dismissal). The PrC doesn't specify divine spellcasting, either as a requirement or when advancing spellcasting.

[Starbuck_II]

Dread Necro 1 grants Rebuke undead.

[Eloel]

Dread Necro 1 grants Rebuke undead.

So does Cleric 1, if it comes to taking a level in a class.

[Starbuck_II]

But he didn't want Cleric.
Yeah, DN is still a level but it isn't cleric.

[Human Paragon 3]

Yeah, anything that doesn't advance divine bard casting is a no-no.

Do any vestiges grant turn undead?

[Optimystik]

Do any vestiges grant turn undead?

Tenebrous - he grants turning/rebuking (depending on alignment) equal to your EBL. This is one of his cooldown abilities. ("Once you have used this, you cannot do so again for 5 rounds.")

[Ernir]

The only way I know of to get Turn or Rebuke in feat form is Initiate of Nature, which requires levels in Druid or Cleric. =(

Yeah, anything that doesn't advance divine bard casting is a no-no.

Do any vestiges grant turn undead?

Tenebrous does it, at least.

[Human Paragon 3]

Can you grab him with the bind vestige feats?

[Optimystik]

Unfortunately no, he is a 4th-level Vestige. You'll need Binder levels.

[Curmudgeon]

The only way I know of to get Turn or Rebuke in feat form is Initiate of Nature, which requires levels in Druid or Cleric. =(

Yeah, but that's rebuke animals and plants only. No turning, no undead.

[DueceEsMachine]

Divine Bard?

Just take a couple of Domains that allow you to use Turn/Rebuke. Does that Help?

[Optimystik]

Divine Bard?

Just take a couple of Domains that allow you to use Turn/Rebuke. Does that Help?

Wikis are generally not a reliable source for class information.

Your Divine Bard is a homebrew version. The real one (which the OP is referring to) does not get domains.

[DueceEsMachine]

and all sources are legal since it's not for a game (yet).

Just thought I'd mention it, since he put this in there.

[PlzBreakMyCmpAn]

Divine Bard?

Just take a couple of Domains that allow you to use Turn/Rebuke. Does that Help?

Wrong. Look at UA. No mention of domains!

[Douglas]

If losing even a single level of Divine Bard spellcasting is unacceptable, I think Sacred Exorcist is your only option for Turn Undead and you'll have to add Dismissal or Dispel Evil to your spell list somehow to qualify for it. Contemplative for the Good domain would do it, but you'd be stuck entering Sacred Exorcist at level 14 at the earliest, leaving only 6 levels pre-epic for your chosen PrC.

[Cieyrin]

If losing even a single level of Divine Bard spellcasting is unacceptable, I think Sacred Exorcist is your only option for Turn Undead and you'll have to add Dismissal or Dispel Evil to your spell list somehow to qualify for it. Contemplative for the Good domain would do it, but you'd be stuck entering Sacred Exorcist at level 14 at the earliest, leaving only 6 levels pre-epic for your chosen PrC.

Extra Spell would get you either/or as well, though whether you'd get in sooner, I couldn't say, as you wouldn't be able to pick up Dismissal till CL 13 in Divine Bard, when you could Extra Spell 4th level spells.

[DueceEsMachine]

Wrong. Look at UA. No mention of domains!

seriously? did you check the link? it's a homebrew divine bard that is different. I only mentioned it because it was different.

I realize there are no domain abilities mentioned in the UA, thank you.

[Optimystik]

seriously? did you check the link? it's a homebrew divine bard that is different. I only mentioned it because it was different.

I realize there are no domain abilities mentioned in the UA, thank you.

Generally when you recommend homebrew, you should tell the person that you're recommending it to that it is homebrew.

Getting an attitude when people point it out to you isn't very helpful either.

[DueceEsMachine]

I'm sorry if it seemed like I was getting an attitude - it was not meant that way.

Thank you for the advice, I will remember it for the next time I offer homebrew - it was an oversight on my part, and I genuinely do appreciate the correction.

Unfortunately, other than the offered link, I can't really think of any way to help, but I will keep my eyes open for something useful if I come across it.

[Douglas]

Extra Spell would get you either/or as well, though whether you'd get in sooner, I couldn't say, as you wouldn't be able to pick up Dismissal till CL 13 in Divine Bard, when you could Extra Spell 4th level spells.

Extra Spell is limited to your class list, so that doesn't help.

[Splendor]

Well I just looked up those dragon Mag feats in issue 305 pg 42. It is a 3.0 feat but may still be usable. For two feats you gain turn undead 1/day at 1/2 your character level.

You never have to leave divine bard and you do get the ability to turn undead.

With the Planar Touchstone giving you the sun domain you could get into the Eye of Horus-Re prestige class (players guide to faerun). Which requires 3rd level divine spellcasting and the sun domain. The class grants Greater Turning 3+CHR modifier/day.

[Curmudgeon]

Note: Wizard 9 *can* get into Sacred Exorcist and pick up Turn Undead that way (when he can cast dismissal). The PrC doesn't specify divine spellcasting, either as a requirement or when advancing spellcasting.

Just remember that this still leaves an organizational requirement, which your DM may not include in their setting:

Special: Adopting this prestige class requires the sanction of a church or order that ordains sacred exorcists. Only characters judged by their church to be exemplary in faith and devotion, strong of will and upright in morality, are made sacred exorcists.

If you're off in some wilderness campaign there just may not be such an organization around, so check with your DM before getting your hopes up.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

UMD + Bone Talisman + Unguent of Timelessness
Use the Unguent on up to eight bones which could be used as a divine focus for the spell. Hire an NPC Druid to cast Bone Talisman on each. The spell will either last one year (no time goes by until one year is up translation) or it will last about six hours per caster level (time goes by 1/365 slower translation). After each one has been used, it is still under the effects of the unguent and you can simply hire an NPC Druid to recharge them by casting the spell on each one again.

You may not be able to UMD this, in which case you could get a spell completion/trigger item of Bone Talisman and UMD it instead. The spell specifies that the caster (you) are able to activate them, as well as any druid, so casting the spell yourself is a possibility but it may get expensive without an unlimited use or daily charges type of item. You could also go something like Druid or Archivist/Prestige (Divine) Bard, though in that case you may as well just use Cleric and get turning the traditional way.

[Xallace]

Would the DM allow a homebrew feat that lets you swap so many uses of Bardic Music and/or spellslots to use Turn/Rebuke Undead? Doesn't sound unreasonable to me, TU is a headache anyway.