Fleshwarper build

[Albonor]

I seem to have hit a problem when making a fleshwarper (Lords of Madness). it needs the Graft Flesh feat, which in turn requires 10 ranks in heal...something arcane caster then not to have.

My base character is currently a level 6 necromancer with latest feat still to be chosen.

Now, if i never stumble upon a class that has heal as a class skill, i can qualify at level...17, 18 for the feat afterwards. Sure, I could multiclass into cleric and get it over with but I want to minimize the loss of caster levels since Fleshwarper already looses one.

The base classes are limited to Core but PrC are all approved.

The only PrC I found with heal and not caster loss in a dip was blood magus but the prerequisite are not great. I want to reach fleshwarper as soon as possible with as little (preferably none) loss in CL.

Any ideas on how to reach my goal?

Thanks in advance!

[JackMage666]

Sorcerer with Gold Dragon Heritage gets Heal as a class skill. I'm sure there are other Dragon Heritages you could use. As well, I think there's a race in Dragon Magic that gets Heal as a class skill no matter their class.

[Jack Mann]

Divine Oracle gets you heal, and it's fairly easy to qualify for. Just take skill focus (knowledge [religion]). You should already have the ranks in the skill and divination spells.

The bad news is that you might need to wait until level twelve to get graft flesh, unless you can convince your DM to let you retrain.

EDIT: Also, Loremaster, though it's harder to get into, since you need 10 ranks in two knowledges.

[Sanzh]

There's also the Blood Magus prestige class-- it doesn't offer much, but it gains Heal as a class skill.

[Jack Mann]

He already said blood magus was insufficient.

[RTGoodman]

I was gonna suggest Divine Oracle also, but it's flavor doesn't really fit.

Another thing you could do is hope for a DM fiat. Just tell your DM you need Heal so you can get into the PrC, and ask if he'll let you have it as a class skill. Heck, if anythiung, maybe he'll just let you take a Feat that lets you add it to your class skills list. Alternatively, see if you can add a Graft skill or something (that works the same as Heal but can only be used for Graft stuff), and see if he'll let you have that as a skill.

Note: I don't know anything about Grafts, so the second idea there might not work.

EDIT: If you end up having to dip another class, don't go Cleric. Go with Factotum if you have Dungeonscape (has all skills as class skills, 6+Int per level, meaning with an 18 INT you only need one level), and it also has both Int synergy and gets some other cool stuff at 1st level (1 inspiration point per encounter, I think, that lets you add Int to an attack roll, or add Int to a skill check, once per day per skill).

[Albonor]

Thank you so far, keep coming with the suggestions!

Yeah, my main problems with Blood Magus are the prereq: Toughness (eurk), Great Fortitude (not that bad) and...dying and coming back to life! It almost costs me a level to enter the class? Even if I use my 6th level feat and my 9th to get the first two feats, I still need to die and get raised? I anything fails... On the other hand, kinda good conceptualy.

Divine Oracle may be twisted with consent of the DM to ask for Skill Focus (Knowledge: the Planes) in case of an arcane caster because the campain as a lot to do with the Far Realms so looking for forbiden lore might do it.

Loremaster asks a much in terms of feats but it would still be a much better choice than Blood Magus (Empower instead of toughness? Quicken instead of Great Fortitude?) because of the whole croaking thing...

My best chance may be indeed to ask that skill focus adds a skill to your skill list at all times...and grab it for heal. Still is kinda far from powerplaying isn't it?

But keep writing other suggestions folks!

EDIT: Factorum would have been a decent idea (as in : it still looses a CL but is otherwise great) but the base classes are limited to Core.

[Jack Mann]

Actually, Loremaster is probably your best bet. Take the Skill Focus feat at level nine, to get in at ten (if you can't meet the other feat requirements, you're doing something wrong). You're getting 4+Int skill points, so you should be able to nab all the ranks in one go. Get the secret that gives you a free feat, and nab Graft Flesh. Go into Fleshwarper at level 11.

EDIT: I just noticed that your latest feat has yet to be chosen. My advice still holds, but now you should be able to get the necessary ranks in time to take the prestige class at level 8.

[marjan]

Actually, Loremaster is probably your best bet. Take the Skill Focus feat at level nine, to get in at ten (if you can't meet the other feat requirements, you're doing something wrong). You're getting 4+Int skill points, so you should be able to nab all the ranks in one go. Get the secret that gives you a free feat, and nab Graft Flesh. Go into Fleshwarper at level 11.

EDIT: I just noticed that your latest feat has yet to be chosen. My advice still holds, but now you should be able to get the necessary ranks in time to take the prestige class at level 8.

Problem with Loremaster's feat is that it requires you to have +7 int modifier to take it first level (which is impossible without LA). Still you can take it as 3rd level secret (if you have +5 int which is doable) and enter Flashwarper at 10.

[Jack Mann]

On the contrary. Start with 18 intelligence, for a +4 bonus. +1 from the two level increases. Since the prestige class never mentions base intelligence, you just need a headband of intellect +4 to bring you up to a +7 intelligence bonus. So, yes, you can get the feat at level 8, giving you fleshwarper at level 9.

If Loremaster didn't require ten ranks in the necessary skills, you could get into fleshwarper even sooner with a race like gray elf.

[marjan]

On the contrary. Start with 18 intelligence, for a +4 bonus. +1 from the two level increases. Since the prestige class never mentions base intelligence, you just need a headband of intellect +4 to bring you up to a +7 intelligence bonus. So, yes, you can get the feat at level 8, giving you fleshwarper at level 9.

If Loremaster didn't require ten ranks in the necessary skills, you could get into fleshwarper even sooner with a race like gray elf.

You're right (didn't notice that before). But that remains something to be discussed with DM, I think.

[nargbop]

I second the DM Fiat option. Ask your DM to make or OK a homebrewed feat that includes Heal as a class skill. An example appropriate to Fleshwarper :
Hospice-Raised Your childhood was spent in a home for the aged and dying. Diplomacy, Bluff, Sense Motive, Heal, and Knowledge (religion) are all class skills for you, and you gain a +1 insight bonus to all the same skills.
Alternatively, you could take a single level of factotum at your first level. All class skills are available to you, and a HEFTY number of skill points compared to your caster's skills. Also, using inspiration for Cunning Insight (add INT to various rolls) and Cunning Knowledge (improve a skill check by your Facto level... not so great for single-level dips but useful) is NEATO.
The second option is better. With 18 INT at your first level, you get forty skill points to toss around. Lots of Knowledge available.

[edit before submitting... rats] Eh... already six levels of necromancer... I assume wizard? Nuts. You may be stuck with taking a feat. Look in Complete Champion, there may be a relevant feat there.

[SadisticFishing]

I had a friend try to set this up. The best things we could come up with were:

Wizard 5/Human Paragon 2/Fleshwarper. Take Graft Flesh as your feat at level 7. The simplest, and later (before the last level of Fleshwarper though! or you won't be a humanoid) take Human Paragon 3 for +2 int. Simplest and fastest way in.

Using Aerini Focus, Wizard 3/Master Specialist 2/Wizard +2 (5) also gets you in at level 8, and doesn't lose you a caster level. But it requires a regional feat from Eberron.

[Albonor]

Sadly, it is a gnome so human paragon is out. Good suggestion it would have been.

In which book is Aerini Focus?

[MammonAzrael]

I was going to suggest the Able Learner feat from RoD, but you're a gnome. >_<

I'm going to go with the "talk to your DM" option. A feat that grants you Heal as a class skill is way less than game breaking. Maybe just ask him if you can lower the requirement from 10 ranks to 4 or 5 or something.

Also, is it just me, or are the grafts in Lords of Madness waaay overpriced, and not terribly useful? Expecially when compared to Libris Mortis' undead grafts. (I dunno about others because I can't find them and don't have the Fiend Folio. Are there any other books that have grafts in them?)

[SadisticFishing]

Aerini Focus is in an Eberron book, not sure which... It's Regional, and Elf only. So no good for you, either.