Warmage Optimization

[Kioran]

Hi!

I have a modest question concerning my warmage(current state): Keri Thalaen

What Prestige classes can, with some sort of usefulness or effectiveness, be reached by a Warmage? Preferably without much Feat expenditure or loss of caster lvl? (I´m looking for official 3.5 WotC material here)

I have thought of the following options until now:
- Taking the Oracle Domain for Divination spells per Arcane Disciple, using Eclectic learning (PHB2) and crossing into Loremaster at 10 (Warmage + Loremaster = Win)
- Archmage - needs no explanation. Arcane Power is a blaster´s best friend, and anyway - BOOM! Doesn´t even require ore Feats than the prerequisites. I think I´d need Eclectic Learning for the 5th School lvl 5 spell, but other than that I´m fine......
- Elemental Savant, but that class is patently useless as far as I can tell.

The other option (which should be surpassed if possible) is staying in Warmage, and takinging the following Feats:
- 6th: Arcane Disciple (Healing)
- 9th: Augment Healing
- 12th: Extra Edge
- 15th: Still Spell
- 16th: Silent Spell (I get Sudden Widen, but already have it, so I get another Metamagic Feat instead)
- 18th: Inherent Spell (Cure light wounds)

This is mainly because our group is lacking a dedicated or even decent healer after our cloistered cleric was exchanged for a Barbarian after the first session (for no real reason - the player just didn´t want to play him anymore, even though we had a "party planning presession" where he actively claimed the cleric spot).
I figured, as a Warmage, I don´t need all my Spell slots, and so could do quite well as a Healbot. Correct me if I´m wrong......

Does anybody have a different or better idea or see some problems with my build (apart from extreme squishyness)?

[Corvec]

Having played a warmage in the past, I can say that the biggest area where you are lacking is utility / versatility. Yes, you are squishy - but not as squishy as a wizard or sorcerer.

Loremaster doesn't add much to your utility. You get a bonus feat at first level if your level+int modifier is at least 8 (which it would be), but you can only get that extra feat once. After that you just get extra languages and the ability to use identifiy and analyze dweomer. Granted, those are nice spells, but I don't think they're worth it.

For archmage - it looks like it could have potential. However, you need to be level 14 and waste three feats to get in. I mean... if you're already considering Spell Focus (Evocation) and Spell Focus (Conjuration), they might be worth it. You do tend to have a lot of spells that don't give saves already, though, like the fourth level orb spells (They also ignore SR, as does Blast of Flame).

Insofar as the archmage's abilities are concerned - I can see mastery of elements (8), mastery of shaping (6), and spell power (5) being useful for a warmage. However, some of your most useful spells (the orbs above, in particular) have their damage capped at level 15, which means that you'd only be using spell power on spells with damage caps of 20X or higher. If you were using empower, instead, you'd get quite a bit more back than 1d6 damage. Mastery of Shaping is nice, but I personally find Sculpt Spell to be better. And Mastery of Elements is great - though I wonder how often you'd use it. You have a lot of types of damage to choose from, anyway, so it's less useful to you than to a wizard, who can't choose a different spell on the fly.

Elemental Savant is useless for a warmage.

Honestly, I think you'd do better staying with a warmage; maybe taking up a few levels of Mage of the Arcane Order (though you'd need Arcane Preparation for that) or something like Rainbow Servant (though that doesn't give you full spellcasting advancement, it does add the full list of cleric spells to your list at its tenth level).

Consider the following set of feats:
6: Arcane Disciple (Healing)
9: Touch of Healing
12: Empower Spell
15: Practical Metamagic (Empower)
16: Sculpt Spell
18: Versatile Spellcaster

However, I'd recommend trying to get rid of two of your lower level "Sudden" feats. They're not very powerful, since you can only use them once a day each. I'd replace them with Empower Spell and Practical Metamagic Empower, and then use the following:

1: Able Learner (Assuming you take advantage of this)
1: Empower Spell (Player's Handbook)
3: Practical Metamagic (Empower) - Races of the Dragon
6: Arcane Disciple (Healing) - Complete Divine
9: Touch of Healing - Complete Champion
12: Sculpt Spell - Complete Arcane
15: Versatile Spellcaster - Races of the Dragon
18: Accelerate Metamagic (Empower) - Races of the Dragon

That puts a lot of emphasis on empower. Also, Practical Metamagic requires you to have the dragonblood subtype - I don't recall you having that. (I played a spellscale warmage, so it wasn't a problem for me). In any event, I believe Easy Metamagic (Empower) has the same effect without that requirement.

As far as prestige classes go, consider the following:
Warmage 6
Ruathar 1-3 (This gives you the Martial Weapon Proficiency and full spellcasting) - From Races of the Wild
Eldritch Knight

Eldritch Knight does not give you full spellcasting advancement, though - at first level you get a bonus fighter feat instead. It does give you full fighter BAB advancement, though. Anyway, being able to stand your own in combat is always good.

EDIT: I can't spell Ruathar

[Chronos]

Loremaster doesn't add much to your utility. You get a bonus feat at first level if your level+int modifier is at least 8 (which it would be), but you can only get that extra feat once. After that you just get extra languages and the ability to use identifiy and analyze dweomer. Granted, those are nice spells, but I don't think they're worth it.

That's Loremaster level plus int modifier, which means that unless you somehow have a 24 Int when you take the class (probably at level 7), you don't get the bonus feat right away. You do still get it eventually, though.

And the other big advantage of Loremaster is the skills. I don't know how many Warmages get, but 4 per level is more than the sorcerer or wizard's 2. Plus, Loremasters have several class skills which aren't on most casters' lists. Granted, it's not much, but it's also not hard to qualify for.

[Starbuck_II]

That's Loremaster level plus int modifier, which means that unless you somehow have a 24 Int when you take the class (probably at level 7)

I did, but I waited till level 11 (after 4 levels of Fatespinner)

, you don't get the bonus feat right away. You do still get it eventually, though.

I find the Dodge bonus best. Stacks with ever AC bonus in existance and very rare bonus type to get versus all (unlike Dodge feat that only adds +1 versus 1).

[Chronos]

I find the Dodge bonus best. Stacks with ever AC bonus in existance and very rare bonus type to get versus all (unlike Dodge feat that only adds +1 versus 1).

Yeah, that's a good one to pick up while you're waiting to qualify for the feat. Alternately, Instant Mastery gives you four skill ranks, not points, so you can get a cross-class skill that way (though I've yet to find a way to use it effectively).

[Swooper]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm AFB so I can't check... But, doesn't Arcane Disciple simply give you 1 domain slot per spell level, so that you can't actually use your own spell slots to cast them? In that case, your idea to turn your warmage into a healbot doesn't work.

[Rad]

Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm AFB so I can't check... But, doesn't Arcane Disciple simply give you 1 domain slot per spell level, so that you can't actually use your own spell slots to cast them? In that case, your idea to turn your warmage into a healbot doesn't work.

I'm AFB now, but I think he could use the reserve feat in Compl Champion to have that single spell multiply.
Then, if you have the spell in your list you can use wands...

[Leon]

Holy Scourge from Complete Mage - i cant recall the requirements but i do remember that its a good one for a Warmage

[Corvec]

I'm AFB now, but I think he could use the reserve feat in Compl Champion to have that single spell multiply.
Then, if you have the spell in your list you can use wands...

Touch of Healing? Yep - unlimited healing, as long as you have a healing spell of second level or higher.

There's another feat that lets you spontaneously cast domain spells, isn't there? I forget its name, but IIRC it requires you to give up a turning attempt for each cast. With Warmage Charisma, a single level of cleric (or anything else with the turn undead ability) would give you several turn undead attempts per day. It'd also give you multiclassing penalties if Warmage wasn't your preferred class... and it would slow down your spellcasting effectiveness quite a bit. :-\

[Chronos]

You can also get Turn Undead from Sacred Exorcist, a prestige class that also advances spellcasting (arcane or divine). The entry requirements are a couple of knowledge skills, and being able to cast either Dismissal or Dispel Evil. I'm not sure if Warmages get either of those spells (though you could get Dispel Evil from Arcane Disciple: Good), but it's great for anyone who can, since it opens up things like Divine Metamagic to everyone.