Preparing for Sandstorm.

[Deth Muncher]

Ok, as a quick foreword, this thread takes my previous thread, "Argent Savant," and gives the build I'm planning on using, along with additional questions on Sandstorm-related issues. That said, here's my character, with additional notes in the next Spoiler:
Spoiler 1

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Currently Sorceror6/Force Missile Mage2.
Ability Scores: 13 STR, 15 DEX, 15 CON, 14 INT, 14 WIS, 20 CHA. 32+2d8 HP (explanation in next spoiler).
Saves: F=4, R=4, W=12.
Spells: Cantrips- Read Magic, Disrupt Undead, Mage Hand, Mending, Arcane Mark, Open/Close Door, Detect Poison
1st- Endure Elements, Mage Armor, Shield, Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp.
2nd- Decastave, Snowball Swarm, Invisibility
3rd- Dispel Magic, Chain Missile
Feats: Combat Casting, Maximize Spell, Practiced Spellcaster, Blade of Force, EWP Two Edged Sword (more on THAT later).
Cool Features: Still Missile (MM/CM are Stilled), Energy Missile (MM/CM can be Energy Substituted), Swift Shield (Cast an extra Shield as an immediate action, 1/day), +1 CL on Force spells, Spell Shield (instead of familiar), Detect Magic/Arcane Sight/Darkvision always on (bought the enchantments).
Items:Bag of Holding II, Decanter of Endless Water, 2x Wand of CLW, 2 Edged Sword, 400gp.

Spoiler 2: Electric Bugaloo

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This character is meant to be THEMATIC, not MAXIMIZED. There's a few things I DO need advice on to see if I should take them though. I think I need True Strike, because I'm going to be a backup melee-ist, but I can't recall which level it is. Also, I forget which level Greater Mage Armor is, but I'm going to take that too. Also, the proposed build for this guy is Sorc6/FMM5/Arg.Sav.5/Sorc4. The thing with the HP is because I found out FMM is a d8, not d4, so I've got to reroll my last two dice. Also, I argued to get that sword because I figure, hey, we're in a desert, and EVENTUALLY, there's gonna be some stuff that magic just can't handle.

Now, that being said, I need some help with Sandstorm stuff. I need to know what are some common enemies, and what items would be good to stave off the elements (other than my Endure Elements spell, obviously). Also, some good Force Spell suggestions would be nice. Actually, ANY spell advice would be super. But I have one thing though: no fire spells. ALL my Sorcerors have been Pyro's, and my new DM said FLAT OUT no fire. He'll kill me.

EDIT (Another Edit: For correctness): Also, I forgot to mention the other party members. We've got:
A Sorceror/Sandshaper (yay Gaara!)
A Paladin/Ashworm Dragoon
A Bard
A Fighter
A Swashbuckler/Duelist
Another Sorceror
A Barbarian

We're all level 8.

[Meat Shield]

Sandstorm, yummy. I give my players nightmares whenever I look through that book. Lots of nasties to be had for an imaginative DM in there. Lots of undead, mummies, dry liches, good stuff. Also wierd things, dinosaurs, burrowing horrors, fun stuff. Don't have the book in front of me, but I think a lot of the really cool stuff comes in right at CR 8 or so so you are in for a treat.

The main thing with adventuring in the Wastes is the heat and dryness. You will need to be making constant Con checks to keep from passing out or getting fatigued. Heat suits, lots of water, shade, and of course endure elements needed.

The Knight you mentioned is an Ashworm Dragoon. Very cool and handy to have around. Let him go first.

You seem to be missing healing/create water/etc. Unless your bard has a couple wands ready for you.

As for your DM saying No Fire, thats fine. Lots of the critters are immune/resistant anyway. Go cold/ice/water. Makes you more effective and more fun with the natives if you can give them water to survive - they will be much more likely to help you out. Anyone can make fire, but to make a snowstorm in the desert, that's handy.

[Meat Shield]

Extra thought - if you can, warforged do very well in the Wastes. Never fatigued == not having to worry about the heat or dryness fatiguing or exhausting you. You get to laugh at the DM while the rest of the party dries up and blows away.

[Deth Muncher]

Ok, a few things:
The Bard has Cure X Wounds, and I've got a few wands of CLW. I've also got The Decanter of Endless Water, so we're pretty good there. Oh, and yeah, the knight guy is actually a Ashworm Dragoon/Paladin...except the DM says it doesn't lose its poison attack but can still be the paladin's mount. Or somesuch. I was confused.
Also, as to the elements of the spells and such. I've got Snilloc's Snowball Swarm, so I've got Ice down, as well as the Decanter, although I'd have to make a Str check to use it offensively. Oh, and I've got free Energy Substitution on my Magic Missiles, and I've been keeping them as Cold Missiles, just in case whatever we fight happens to be weak to that. Thus far, we've fought a Dire Vulture, and a group of the...erm, well, the remind me of Anubis. They're wolf/hyena people, but not Gnolls. Start with a M, I think.

EDIT: About the warforged thing- my DM's says "Yeah, you're gonna be something made out of metal and wood? No. Sorry. Nice try. The desert would destroy you."

Super Double Edit: We ended our thingy by starting a fight with a Sand Dragon or somesuch. But, we do have a 9th level Rangerish-type NPC with us now, just to be sure we don't die quite so fast, which we almost did, several times today.

[Maerok]

Marruspawn = Humanoid Jackal buggers.

[Deth Muncher]

Marruspawn = Humanoid Jackal buggers.

Yeah! Those are them. There was a spellcaster and a bunch of the warrior types.

[Deth Muncher]

Hokay, so this Sunday, we're having Session 2: Electric Bugaloo (wait, didn't I already make that joke?), and I need some tips here. Basically, this Ranger NPC comes striding up to us in the desert the morning after us having defeated the Marruspawn, and says he's here to aid us on our quest. He then looks at a map, looks at something else, says "Right, any minute now...," and draws and nock's his bow. The party, confused, makes random prepatory measures, when WOOSH out pops a Sand Dragon. We all (minus the NPC) get initiative over the Dragon (no surprise round, amazingly) and do stuff. I personally go Invisible. The dragon then breathes fire, and, lo, I'm the only one who gets hit. At full damage. Despite having Spell Shield. The ranger shoots. End of session.

So, this next session starts with us battling this Sand Dragon. What're some good tips when fighting such a foe? And, side note, does using a Wand of CLW end Invisibility? I don't THINK it's an aggressive action, but I'd like to be sure.

[UserClone]

Only if you use it as a touch attack to damage an undead; not if you are using it to actually heal someone.

[Deth Muncher]

Only if you use it as a touch attack to damage an undead; not if you are using it to actually heal someone.

Huzzah! Which should mean that I can go, heal myself, and then if the SD is still around, sneak behind the dragon and aim the magic missiles to hit it from the front or something. Or have magic missiles hit it from all over, so it doesn't know where to turn, so that even though I'm not invisible, it won't see me. Or would the Decanter be a better option?

[Paul H]

Hi

You're playing a Sandstorm based campaign in 3.5?

Jealous already......!

Seriously. though, the most important spells are Endure Elements, Cloak of Shade & Protection from Dessication. Leomund's Tiny Hut is just awesome. (Temperature controlled, stops sandstorms entering, etc).

Shame you can't use fire flingers - Elemental Savant (Fire) grants Resist Fire 5 at 1st lvl, so is immune to most 'natural' heat effects. Stormlord, though is possible. At 3rd lvl Stormwalk allows you (amongst other things) to ignore penalties from high winds, and anything driven by them. (Including sand damage). Even has full caster progression.

As for that dragon - it has Tremorsense or Blindsense, so still knows you're there. You just get the 50% miss chance if it attacks you.

Cheers
Paul H

[Paul H]

Hi

As an aside - you seem to be missing some Divine spellcasting support.

Just run up this idea as an example:

Human Druid 5/Stormlord 3

St 14 De 14 Co 14 In 10 Wi 16 Ch 10

BAB +5
Saves F 11 R 4 W 10 (Includes Feats & Stat Bonuses)
(Fort +15 vs Natural Hazards, eg heat)

Feats: Endurance, Gt Fortitude, Wpn Focus Spear (Not sure about 6th level)

Attack: +8 Spear +1/Shocking (Shocking bonus damage from class)
Attack: +8 Javelin+1/Shocking (+1 Enhancement plus shocking from class)

Electric resistance 5 (Increases to +10 next lvl)
Storm Walk
Full spell progression

Note: Using 28 point buy (lvl stat increases to Wis). This does not include spells or magic items.

Cheers
Paul H

[Deth Muncher]

Hi

As an aside - you seem to be missing some Divine spellcasting support.

Just run up this idea as an example:

Human Druid 5/Stormlord 3

St 14 De 14 Co 14 In 10 Wi 16 Ch 10

BAB +5
Saves F 11 R 4 W 10 (Includes Feats & Stat Bonuses)
(Fort +15 vs Natural Hazards, eg heat)

Feats: Endurance, Gt Fortitude, Wpn Focus Spear (Not sure about 6th level)

Attack: +8 Spear +1/Shocking (Shocking bonus damage from class)
Attack: +8 Javelin+1/Shocking (+1 Enhancement plus shocking from class)

Electric resistance 5 (Increases to +10 next lvl)
Storm Walk
Full spell progression

Note: Using 28 point buy (lvl stat increases to Wis). This does not include spells or magic items.

Cheers
Paul H

THATS pretty neato. Might have to look into that.

Oh, and a few other things. Our Sandshaper has Leomund's Tiny Hut, which is pretty cool indeed. I intend, however, on taking Mordenkain's Magnificent Mansion at...what, level 12? I think it's a level 6 spell.

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But anyway. We randomly all showed up at our game store this past Thursday, so we finished our dragon-fight. Also, we've managed to get another two members, darnit. Thankfuly, though, we've only got about 6 people who show up at once. Our party now includes the stereotypical Half-orc Barbarian, as well as I believe another Human Sorceror (the only one who hasn't lost SC levels somehow). Currently, we're going back to town, and then to the next town, which will be our campaign's main town. Why, you might ask? Because I accidentally suggested to my DM that he should make a Demigod. He's our BNGG (or, Big Nice Good Guy) for the campaign(Level 30 Paladin DR1. All stats at 30). Apparently, this next town is completely comprised of his followers.