3.5 - Prestige class for this gestalt warlock

[Kaje]

It's not for a game or anything. I'm just learning various things about the game and I'm interested in how things interact.

I was looking through Complete Arcane and found the Alienist PrC and thought it would be so cool to have a character who slowly goes mad due to its contact with horrifying eldritch abominations. I'm going gestalt because it's more interesting that way.

So basically I have a Sorcerer 6/Alienist 10/Sorcerer +4//Warlock 20. I'm not too picky about optimization, so this combo would be just fine. Unfortunately, besides invocations, the Warlock's class features don't offer too much at high levels. So I'm just wondering if there's another PrC (or even a base class) that could replace those last 4 levels, hopefully advancing my invocations or maybe helping the sorcerer side.

The sorcerer is focused mostly on conjuration, of course, with all 9 summon monster spells.

As for race, I'm thinking elf (hardly optimal, I know, but it seems right), but I'm not married to the idea. If anyone has a better idea, say so.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Optimystik]

*Deep breath.*

Alienist is a trap! Run for the hills!



...if you're still here, what alignment is he? That'll help us in the PrC/feat department. Also, what kind of elf? (Star Elf gives you a handy Charisma bonus.)

[Draken]

The default Warlock PrC is Hellfire Warlock (FCII), it is 3 levels long. Using HFW consistently all but requires a dip into Binder (ToM), for the vestige Naberius which also fits quite well into the overall theme (it makes you share your soul with offworld entities).

There is, of course the rule that in gestalt you can't advance a prestige class on both sides at once (it is usually done that way). So... Warlock 16/Binder 1//Hellfire Warlock 3//Sorcerer 6/Alienist 10/Sorcerer 4.

An option to Binder, but requiring a friendly reading that not everyone agrees with, is Incarnate 1, for the Strongheart Vest, the only effect in the game that gives Ability Damage reduction. The Strongheart Vest can also be taken with a feat, Shape Soulmeld. But the dip is usually worth it.

[Kaje]

Probably chaotic neutral alignment. I was thinking just a straight elf, but star elf sounds good to me.

[Dubious Pie]

You need a one level dip in Wild Mage from the same book on the Sorc. side, along with Practiced Spellcaster from the same book. +d6 to caster level.

[Kaje]

Oh wow, Binder is perfect, especially with the adaptation clause so I can change the power source to alien monstrosities. Maybe stick some Binder levels somewhere in the first 6 levels on the Warlock side.

And the Wild Mage/Practiced spellcaster is confusing to me. Am I undertanding correctly that the two stack for a permanent +1 to my caster level, and then each time I cast a spell I get a plus d6 as well?

Also, christ, why doesn't every single caster take Practiced Spellcaster?

[gallagher]

Oh wow, Binder is perfect, especially with the adaptation clause so I can change the power source to alien monstrosities. Maybe stick some Binder levels somewhere in the first 6 levels on the Warlock side.

And the Wild Mage/Practiced spellcaster is confusing to me. Am I undertanding correctly that the two stack for a permanent +1 to my caster level, and then each time I cast a spell I get a plus d6 as well?

Also, christ, why doesn't every single caster take Practiced Spellcaster?

because your CL cant exceed your HD due to the feat

[Olo Demonsbane]

So you just get the plus d6, not the other +1.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Read the FAQ, the (-3, +1d6) is a single inseparable step, you cannot add Practiced Spellcaster in between it. You can add Practiced Spellcaster beforehand, which wouldn't do anything, or you can add Practiced Spellcaster afterward so you wouldn't be at a reduced caster level if you rolled a 1 or 2. Here it is:

How does Practiced Spellcaster interact with the wild
magic class feature of the wild mage (from CAr)?

The –3 penalty and +1d6 bonus to the wild mage’s caster
level are applied as a single step in the process of determining
the wild mage’s caster level. Since Practiced Spellcaster’s
bonus is always applied when it is most beneficial to the
character (see previous answer), a wild mage with Practiced
Spellcaster would typically apply the wild magic class feature
first (subtracting 3 and adding 1d6 to her caster level) and then
add the Practiced Spellcaster benefit, up to a maximum value
equal to her character level.

For example, if a 5th-level wizard/4th-level wild mage with
Practiced Spellcaster rolled a 1 on the 1d6 bonus to her caster
level, her caster level for that spell would be 9th (base 9th, –3
from wild magic penalty, +1 from wild magic bonus, +4 from
Practiced Spellcaster up to a maximum equal to her character
level). If she rolled a 6, her caster level would be 12th (base
9th, –3 from wild magic penalty, +6 from wild magic bonus;
the Practiced Spellcaster bonus would not apply since it would
increase her caster level above her character level).

On the other hand, imagine a wild mage whose caster level
(before applying the effects of the wild magic class feature) is
less than her character level, such as a wild mage with levels of
rogue or other non-spellcasting class. She might well choose to
apply the Practiced Spellcaster bonus first, before applying the
wild magic modifiers. A rogue 4/wizard 5/wild mage 4 would
have a base caster level of 9th before any other modifiers are
applied. Adding Practiced Spellcaster’s bonus would increase
this to 13th, at which point the penalty and bonus from wild
magic would be applied. The Sage recommends that players
averse to frequently recalculating caster level avoid playing a
character with this combination, as it is likely to cause
headaches.