arcane caster and armor

[Doresain]

im curious as to whether there is a feat in one of the splash books for DnD that allows you to cast arcnae spells in light armor without penalty...i know a bunch of base classes give you that ability, but im looking for a feat that allows you to do that...

all the classes that can cast in light armor without penalty are to specialized in a certain type of casting (dread necromancer, beguiler, bard)...

[Tyger]

Not sure about feats (though I think Armored Caster is a feat in a splatbook somewhere) but when in doubt, gold is better to spend than feats. Thusly, a Mithril Twilight chain shirt offers +4 AC with 0 arcane spell failure.

[valadil]

Battle Sorcerer

Not a feat, but a sorc alternative. You lose a lot of available spells, which is pretty harsh, but it's still fun and you still have access to the full sorc/wiz list.

[Doresain]

Not sure about feats (though I think Armored Caster is a feat in a splatbook somewhere) but when in doubt, gold is better to spend than feats. Thusly, a Mithril Twilight chain shirt offers +4 AC with 0 arcane spell failure.

but in the sense of awesomeness, i want to be able to wear full spiked plate as a fighter/wizard mix, without hinderance...a lot of feats will be spent, but i dont care so long as i can get a friggin sweet looking character out of it

Battle Sorcerer

Not a feat, but a sorc alternative. You lose a lot of available spells, which is pretty harsh, but it's still fun and you still have access to the full sorc/wiz list.

interesting...i think i remember readin about it in UA...ive also considered a duskblade...so far i like where the class is going, but im not completely sold on it because i dont have the PHBII

[Tyger]

but in the sense of awesomeness, i want to be able to wear full spiked plate as a fighter/wizard mix, without hinderance...a lot of feats will be spent, but i dont care so long as i can get a friggin sweet looking character out of it



interesting...i think i remember readin about it in UA...ive also considered a duskblade...so far i like where the class is going, but im not completely sold on it because i dont have the PHBII

Ahhh, I see. Well you asked about light armor, not full plate. Thus my answer. For full plate, you are going to have to go with another class. I would suggest altering your original post, so as to not confuse your actual request with the one you wrote out.

[Elhann]

but in the sense of awesomeness, i want to be able to wear full spiked plate as a fighter/wizard mix, without hinderance...a lot of feats will be spent, but i dont care so long as i can get a friggin sweet looking character out of it

Well, Glamered Mithril Twilight chain shirt or a hat of disguise can make you look as you want, if that's what you're worried about .

I'd say Spellsword gives some reduction (30% I believe) on arcane failure chance, enough to ignore the ASFC of a mithril full plate, and you may be closer to what you want. But then, you are giving up enough caster levels you may be as well playing a duskblade, and calling it a day.

Elhann.

[Darrin]

im curious as to whether there is a feat in one of the splash books for DnD that allows you to cast arcnae spells in light armor without penalty...i know a bunch of base classes give you that ability, but im looking for a feat that allows you to do that...

all the classes that can cast in light armor without penalty are to specialized in a certain type of casting (dread necromancer, beguiler, bard)...

Well, Battle Caster in Complete Arcane improves the type of armor you can wear, but you have to have the ability to cast in light armor first. I don't think there's a feat for that, you have to pick that up as a class ability. Bard is fairly general, although all a one-level dip gets you is some cantrips. Warmage would also work, but as you point out, it's a specialized caster.

There are a few PrCs that reduce ASF, such as Spellsword and I think Bladesinger? Although meeting the prereqs for either can be problematic sometimes.

If you can't reduce ASF via a class ability, you can usually do it via special materials or equipment. Mithril, for example, reduces ASF by 10%. Thistledown padding I think is another -5%. Feycraft and Githcraft... not familiar with these (from the PHB II, I think), but I think if you one of them with mithril, thistledown, and the twilight enhancement you can get up to -30%.

[The Glyphstone]

I've actually always wondered if they've ever really given a justification for why Divine casting isn't affected by spell failure, but Arcane casting is. And no, I don't consider "because it's called ARCANE spell failure" to be a suitable answer.

[Jasdoif]

I've actually always wondered if they've ever really given a justification for why Divine casting isn't affected by spell failure, but Arcane casting is. And no, I don't consider "because it's called ARCANE spell failure" to be a suitable answer.

I'm guessing that the fathomless forces that power arcane magic are less forgiving dance critics then the variably-fathomable forces that power divine magic.

[Kurald Galain]

I've actually always wondered if they've ever really given a justification for why Divine casting isn't affected by spell failure, but Arcane casting is.

As has been pointed out before, D&D is pretty much the only game, setting, or universe where for an arbitrary reason spellcasters are prohibited from wearing metal armor (or, in earlier editions, any armor). The old excuse for that was that they were not strong enough (even if they had a strength score of 18).

The reason is game balance. Various threads on class power levels have shown how successful this has been in balancing the wizard. It's one of those zero-th edition artifacts that has never really been thought about since then.

[Douglas]

One level of Spellthief (Complete Adventurer) plus the Master Spellthief feat (Complete Scoundrel) allows ignoring spell failure for light armor for all arcane casting classes. By RAW the Battle Caster feat does not improve this, but you might be able to talk your DM into ruling otherwise.

[ZeroNumerous]

Warmage 8. You can cast in Medium armor and ignore ASF.

Mithral Full Plate. You now have Medium Full Plate Armor.

You wasted 8 levels to get it, but there it is. No feats burnt.

[Dausuul]

Battle Sorceror + Battle Caster + mithral armor.

Battle Sorceror variant (scroll down a ways) gives you light armor while still having access to the full range of spells. You also get rogue BAB, one martial weapon proficiency of your choice, and d8 Hit Dice, at the cost of fewer spells per day and spells known.

Battle Caster feat (from Complete Arcane) increases the light armor to medium.

Make your full plate out of mithral and it counts as medium.

There you go. I recommend augmenting your meager spells known with the Arcane Disciple feat from Complete Divine. Might also want to grab Medium Armor Proficiency so you can still hit with touch spells.

(Actually, now I think about it, that'd make a pretty fine gish. Pick up the War domain and you can even use divine power, albeit only once a day. I might have to try this with my next character...)

[Arceliar]

Still Spell

..it's there for a reason. Fighter 1 / Wizard 5 / Eldritch Knight and you truely are batman.

EDIT: that's the core-only way to do it at least.

[OneWinged4ngel]

Still Spell
Battle Caster
Battle Sorceror Variant
Twilight Mithral Chain Shirt (no feats or anything required here!)

Just to name a few.

[John Campbell]

If you're willing to play a dwarf, there's Runesmith, from Races of Stone. Five-level "+1 level of pre-existing arcane caster" prestige class. It provides, at class level 1, the ability to trade out the somatic components of any or all of your spells for an additional (non-eschewable) material component, with no spell level adjustment or other cost. Basically, Stilled everything pretty much for free. Other nice abilities at 3rd and 5th, too (and a useless one at 2nd), and better saves and HD than Wizard.

I'm currently playing a Fighter 2/Wizard 6/EK 4/Runesmith 2. My spell progression's three levels behind (Practiced Spellcaster to keep my effective CL up, though), but I've got full access to the entire Sor/Wiz spell list with no spell failure in +3 adamantine full plate, and I'll still have my 9th level spells at 20th (and also four attacks per round).

[ZeroNumerous]

Still Spell

..it's there for a reason. Fighter 1 / Wizard 5 / Eldritch Knight and you truely are batman.

EDIT: that's the core-only way to do it at least.

Expounding upon this idea..

Fighter 1 / Sorcerer 6 / Eldritch Knight 10 / Sorcerer +3.

Practical Metamagic: Still Spell + Arcane Preparation. Throw in Arcane Disciple for the Competition Domain and you get Divine Power and Righteous Might for free.

All your spells are stilled for no increase.

[Chronos]

Still Spell

..it's there for a reason.

This is what I was going to suggest, with the addendum that several spells lack somatic components to begin with.

Fighter 1 / Sorcerer 6 / Eldritch Knight 10 / Sorcerer +3.

If you don't mind being a shining beacon of justice, Paladin generally works better in sorc gishes than Fighter. Put that high charisma to some good use.

[Dausuul]

This is what I was going to suggest, with the addendum that several spells lack somatic components to begin with.

If you don't mind being a shining beacon of justice, Paladin generally works better in sorc gishes than Fighter. Put that high charisma to some good use.

You have to dip two levels for it to really shine, though. And two caster levels for a sorc is rather painful.

[Kurald Galain]

You have to dip two levels for it to really shine, though. And two caster levels for a sorc is rather painful.

Yes, but paladin/1 still shines better than fighter/1.

However, personally I would never use a sorcerer for gishing, because a sorcerer is one level behind wizards to begin with, and will lose more to the gishness.

Barbarian/Wizard works surprisingly well if you can fluff past the apparent incongruity. So does swashbuckler/beguiler (who comes with armor proficiency).

Also, if you want, there's Knight Phantom, which is an improved version of the Eldritch Knight.

[Suzuro]

I would personally prefer the Warmage, sure you can only get up to medium armor, a sure you have to take a few levels in it before you can even get up to medium armor, and sure you have a limited spell list. But with that comes both the ability to fight with a good armor as well as giving you access to all levels of spells

[Kantolin]

I believe there's a substitution level in the Complete Mage which permits a figther multiclass to ignore the spell failure in light armour and shields.

This could then be upgraded to medium as has been stated.

[waynethegame]

There is an alternate class ability in Complete Mage that you take as a Fighter, and allows you to ignore ASF in light armor for (Fighter Levels + 1). I think it's pretty cool, if you can get it allowed (especially in a core game) but because you'd have to take Fighter levels a lot of people will dismiss it.

[ZeroNumerous]

If you don't mind being a shining beacon of justice, Paladin generally works better in sorc gishes than Fighter. Put that high charisma to some good use.

Feh. Paladin. I'd take Fighter any day of the week myself.

However, personally I would never use a sorcerer for gishing, because a sorcerer is one level behind wizards to begin with, and will lose more to the gishness.

Unfortunately that does not address the problem inherent in the OP's request. He wants to ignore ASF. A Wizard who prepares all his spells with Still Spell pays out the ass for that +1 level increase.

A sorcerer, however, can use Arcane Preparation and Practical Metamagic to auto-Still all his spells.

[Jack Mann]

I believe there's a substitution level in the Complete Mage which permits a figther multiclass to ignore the spell failure in light armour and shields.

This could then be upgraded to medium as has been stated.

Unfortunately, you can only use it on spells equal to or lower than your fighter class level + 1. So it's pretty much worthless.

EDIT: Ack! Ninja'd.

[kemmotar]

Actually if you take 4 levels in duskblade and the battle caster feat you can have heavy armor with no ASF. Plus you get some good BAB and abilities...You do lose 4 levels of spellcasting but if you really want to go for the spiked full plate wizard that's the price

[Kurald Galain]

He wants to ignore ASF. A Wizard who prepares all his spells with Still Spell pays out the ass for that +1 level increase.

Yes, but a wizard that takes two levels in some other class for the ability to ignore ASF, effectively also is a caster level lower, so the two are tied.

And as I recall, Practical Metamagic cannot reduce the spell level increase below +1, so it doesn't actually work with Still Spell.

(edit) oh, and medium armor isn't worth it, considering the almost complete lack of advantage medium armors give over light armors.

[Dausuul]

Yes, but a wizard that takes two levels in some other class for the ability to ignore ASF, effectively also is a caster level lower, so the two are tied.

And as I recall, Practical Metamagic cannot reduce the spell level increase below +1, so it doesn't actually work with Still Spell.

(edit) oh, and medium armor isn't worth it, considering the almost complete lack of advantage medium armors give over light armors.

Mithral. Any armor made of mithral counts as one grade lighter, so mithral full plate is considered medium armor.

I still favor the battle sorceror route, myself... you lose some spells known and some spells per day, but you still get access to high-level spells at the same time you normally would. Though the runesmith is also a good choice, if you don't mind dumping three feats on it to get the requisite Heavy Armor Proficiency.

[kemmotar]

Add the nimbleness property and you got light full plate armor

[Kurald Galain]

Mithral. Any armor made of mithral counts as one grade lighter, so mithral full plate is considered medium armor.

Yes, but if you go down that route, mithril chain shirts don't have an ASF, and given sufficient money you can stack other enhancements on whatever kind of armor you like that reduce its ASF effectively to zero. Seems to me those are more practical than spending a bunch of feats to gain heavy armor proficiency