Shifter Chaos Mage advice requested...

[RedMop]

First of all, here's the class: http://grandwiki.wikidot.com/qcmg

The basics of how it works: Wisdom based arcane caster that takes lethal damage and is stunned for a turn after failing a spell and non-lethal when successful. There are no spells to memorize, effects are made up on the fly.

Concept: Not that bright Shifter "Wizard" that was offered arcane training as a favor, but failed out due to lack of memory. So he found another, more free, more dangerous way... He doesn't cast spells all willie nillie like Wizards do. He makes each one count. Probably battlefield control with a side of blaster.

Sources: Any non Dragon/Dungeon WotC source, the Chaos Mage link above, and FR, and the ECS for shifter feats.

I'm looking to be a Dreamsight Shifter with the Healing Factor feat to lessen my burden on the healer. I don't know what I am partied with yet. I am mainly looking for feat, stat, and other advice. Also, advice from those that have played or DMed the class before would be appreciated. I don't want to play anything broken, I am looking to be effective without being a burden.

[RedMop]

Anything at all?

[mabriss lethe]

Items that boost your wisdom and constitution would be a must.

You're probably going to want access to a few abilities that would give you an alternate source of power for when you want to act, but don't want to risk throwing around a chaos magic spell. It's going to be tough to find good, powerful abilities without carving deep into your caster level.

-domain feats from complete champion (a level dip in cleric or dread necro would give you access to extra turn/rebuke attempts to fuel domain feats. this also goes for other feats that create alternate turn/rebuke effects.)-
-Bind Vestige and its improvements from Tome of Magic offer a good suite of useful powers-
-The Fey Heritage feats from C. Mage can offer you access to a couple of good spell like abilities with fey legacy and the like. They can also go a good ways toward toughening you up. Likewise the fiend heritage feats offer similar abilities-
-Hidden talent gives you access to Power Points and a single 1st level power.-
-a 1 level dip in any caster class to gain access to wands from their spell list for a lot of your more routine spellcasting., alternately work toward a solid UMD check.-
-If you're playing in Eberron, think about Dragonmarks or Aberrant Dragonmarks for added power.-
-There are some minor spell like ability feats in complete arcane, but they're only really useful at lower levels.-

[Aharon]

Maybe intuitive, but I'll mention it nevertheless: Always use Purge Chaos Magic before you go to 3, if you can. It's actually the safest way.

I don't know the power level of your party, so use with caution:

Duration element:
Instantaneous (DC +0)
The effect is applied immediately and lasts but a split-second before evaporating.

This is... not the definition the srd uses:

Instantaneous

The spell energy comes and goes the instant the spell is cast, though the consequences might be long-lasting.

I don't know wether the entry in the OGL-Wiki overrides the SRD, normally, primary sources (PHB, DMG, MM) take priority.

If the SRD-version is used, you can use instantaneous transformation effects to give you and your party undispellable enhancement bonuses to basically everything.

This is probably the best use of the class, as casting is rather dangerous.

[RedMop]

Thanks for the replies thus far.

Ok, had to tighten up a bit.

Base Stats: 15/15/18/15/17/15
Race: Gnome 13/15/20/15/17/15
Level 4 13/15/20/15/18/15

Went Cleric 1 (magic/luck)

Still working on feats. Probably some domain or devotion feats followed by divine feats.

Again, thanx for the help.

[mabriss lethe]

If you're dipping into cleric for this, remember to snag some useful wands from the cleric list. You'll have a few spells, and a few powers granted by your domains, but wands can fill the gap for routine effects you want to create.

If you go for domain feats, remember that they have to match the domains offered by your deity. (though not necessarily the same ones you chose for your cleric domains.)