Have I overdone this?

[weenie]

So here's the situation. I'm currentlly playing a solo campaign with my Duskblade//Wizard where I have access to all the splatbooks in my possesion. I'm currently 4th level and pushing towards 5th. Here's what I have planned to take for my next two levels:

lvl5: Duskblade5//Wizard5 - Extend Spell(bonus wizard feat)
lvl6: Duskblade6//Metaphysical Spellshaper1(BoEF) - Persistent spell

The Metaphysical Spellshaper has a class ability he gains at level 1, that lets him cast spells modified by metamagic feats by taking ability damage instead of using higher level slots. My DM also allowed me to buy an item that lets me cast Sheltered Vitality(SpC) once/day. Thanks to this spell I'm now able to avoid getting ability damage when casting modified spells for 7min/day. Combined with Persistent Spell I can now make my buffs last all day. At level 6. Are monsters with CR up to my ECL even a challenge to me any more? Are there any spells I should avoid persitening to avoid constant dispell attempts and AMF radiating monsters? Wraithstrike is already out.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

For a solo campaign? Not really. Remember, at 6th level you'll be facing things like five-headed hudras, kyton devils, ettins and young green dragons. This means that without buffs you'll probably be toast.

You have to be as strong as 4 other characters of your level combined-and I'd say you're a bit weaker than that even with the buffs.

[Tempest Fennac]

Shouldn't the DM alter the difficulty level for the party rather then using the same challenges he would use for an optimised warrior/skill monkey/Arcanist/Divine Caster party?

[Nebo_]

You have to be as strong as 4 other characters of your level combined-and I'd say you're a bit weaker than that even with the buffs.

Only if the DM is an idiot.

[nerulean]

Echoing but altering what everyone else has said, in a solo campaign the DM can change things very easily to match the player, so go ahead and be as powerful as you want.

On the other hand, the trick you've come up with is a little cheesy, so check it with the DM first. It may not matter, since solo campaigns are a good place to just have fun and twink out a little, ignoring the rules if they'd make life tedious for the character and campaign you're playing. When we played a campaign like this, the PC got given the innate ability to heal fully by wasting three consecutive full round actions, because it was just easier on the brain than imagining her lugging around fifty healing potions.

[Jayabalard]

Only if the DM is an idiot.

Very true.

Any intelligent DM will have different challenges that they throw at a solo player than they would throw at a group of players.

[Tsotha-lanti]

Very true.

Any intelligent DM will have different challenges that they throw at a solo player than they would throw at a group of players.

The default Encounter Level / CR should be about 4 lower; so a standard challenging encounter for a 7th-level solo character is EL 3 (one CR 2-4, or two CR 1-2, or three CR 1...). Like all CRs/ELs, this requires a lot of eyeballing.

[Prometheus]

I think they have it right. If you make a cheesy character, you're not going to be any better at the challenges you are give, you'll just be given harder challenges. The question is, do you want to have an optimized character and struggle a mediocre amount to win or a non-optimized character and struggle a mediocre amount to win. How would you like to play the game?