Feat Possibility vs. Intended Purpose

[BardicDuelist]

Ascetic Mage from CAd
Prereq: Spontaneously cast 2nd level arcane, Imroved Unarmed Strike
Benefit: Sor and Mnk stack, etc etc
If you would normally be allowed to add your Wis. to AC, you instead add your Cha.

No where does it actually say that you must be a SORCERER or MONK.

Could you be a bardic ninja and get the same bonus if you take improved unarmed strike?

Would this stack with the Nymph's AC bonus? the Arcane Duelist's?

Because a mage blooded nymph paladin of freedom bard with Divine Shield, Divine Might, and two levels of arcane duelist would be amazing with a massive CHA...

[Annarrkkii]

Nymph's CHA to AC is deflection. So yes, in that case.

And, as far as I read it, it works in the other situations, as well. It's not as worthwhile, of course, since it won't advance anything like it does for Monk, but it does say ANY TIME, so yes.

[BardicDuelist]

Sweet. and Thanx.

While not as worthwile, one level and one feat is cheeper than the two levels for Arcane Duelist, and it is 3.5. The paladin nymph bard arcane duelist was me going overboard in min/max mode. I really could never have enough feats to make that work.

[Annarrkkii]

Meh. Nymphs can have rocking AC, but several thread on this forum already address the issue you'll encounter. Namely, you'll have huge AC, and will be dealing single-digit damage with <3 attacks per round, casting spells as a low-to-mid-level Druid, as well as perhaps a low level sorcerer...

It's just ugly. Hard to hit, but hitpointless. Solid saves, but no offence to speak of. Especially when you start using defending weapons.

The best way to do it is to go something like Nymph 13/Swordsage 1/Sorcerer 4/Swordsage +2. And get Arcane strike, Ascetic Mage, and a Practiced Spellcaster or two for your Druid CL. Buff yourself with your Druid spells, burn your arcane slots for Arcane Strike damage, and use the additional IL you earn from your HD to get a large number of mid-level maneuvers. Boosts and strikes that bypass the enemies' defense in one way or another are excellent bets.

[tsuyoshikentsu]

Congratulations. This is why Devoted Tracker is good for Beastmasters.

[BardicDuelist]

I was kidding with the nymph thing.

I try to substitute Cha for all ability scores as a mental exercise, which I never really plan to play.

[AtomicKitKat]

[quote=Annarrkkii;2478316]Meh. Nymphs can have rocking AC, but several thread on this forum already address the issue you'll encounter. Namely, you'll have huge AC, and will be dealing single-digit damage with <3 attacks per round, casting spells as a low-to-mid-level Druid, as well as perhaps a low level sorcerer...[quote]

She's a Nymph. Of course she will be dealing *heart* damage.

It's just ugly.

Now now, Nymphs are never ugly.

The "class-combining/pseudo-gestalt" Feats are pretty good, in that they are fairly generally useful.

[Tor the Fallen]

Go Gloura. 2 LA and 7 fey HD that let you cast as a seventh level bard, plus unearthly grace, +6 charisma, +10(!) dex, +4 con, +2 wis, DR 10/silver, fly 60'(Good). Go with Paladin of Tyranny 2, Blackguard 2, Arcane Duelist 2, Monk 2, Hexblade 3. Cha to AC x3, cha to saves x3 (x4 vs. spells or spell-like abilities), evasion, and mettle (like evasion for fot and will saves). A BAB of only 13, unfortunately.

I've been wondering if you could skip the monk level entirely and take unarmed strike, ascetic mage, and snag a monk's belt, though you'd forfeit evasion.

[BardicDuelist]

I suppose you could just get the monk's belt, but the other way to skip monk is to take Ninja, which gets rid of the alignment conflict.

[Rock Roller]

In our game we don't allow you to use magic items to qualify for feat prerequisites. It helps keep our dairy intake to an acceptable level (i.e., less cheese). Personally, I'd think this would be a fun feat for a drunken master/sorcerer character. IIRC drunken masters get to add their wisdom to AC, like a monk, but I never thought that the idea of getting yourself wasted in every fight was particularly wise. It might make you fun to be around, but probably wasn't a step on the path to enlightenment.

[AtomicKitKat]

Go Gloura. 2 LA and 7 fey HD that let you cast as a seventh level bard, plus unearthly grace, +6 charisma, +10(!) dex, +4 con, +2 wis, DR 10/silver, fly 60'(Good).

I knew something seemed off about it. Gloura are Fey, which means Cold Iron DR, not Silver. Fey Hit Dice are not too bad though. Crappy BAB, but with the Skill points, Saves, and HP of a Bard.

[BardicDuelist]

What book is Gloura in?

[Tor the Fallen]

Underdark. There's an exerpt on the wizards site.