Back to my Svirfneblin Monk/Wizard/Pale Master/Duelist now that I have some time to talk about some details.
I'll start off with the general progression of a Monk(5)/Wizard(5)/Pale Master(8)/Duelist(2) which I am currently playing, although there are other significantly different variations.
ST 10 DX 16 CO 14 WI 16 IN 16 CH 4
Lv # : AC : Class - Feat - Atribute
Lv 1 : 23 : Monk - Devout, Luck of the Heros
Lv 2 : 23 : Wizard
Lv 3 : 23 : Monk - Weapon Finnesse
Lv 4 : 23 : Wizard - +DX
Lv 5 : 23 : Monk
Lv 6 : 23 : Wizard - Circle Kick
Lv 7 : 23 : Monk
Lv 8 : 24 : Wizard - +DX
Lv 9 : 26 : Monk - Dodge
Lv10: 26 : Wizard - Spell Focus Necromancy
Lv11: 28 : Pale Master
Lv12: 28 : Pale Master - Mobility - +WI
Lv13: 28 : Pale Master
Lv14: 30 : Pale Master
Lv15: 31 : Duelist - Greater Spell Focus Necromancy
Lv16: 32 : Pale Master - +WI
Lv17: 32 : Pale Master
Lv18: 33 : Duelist - Toughness
Lv19: 33 : Pale Master
Lv20: 35 : Pale Master - +DX
ST 10 DX 19 CO 14 WI 18 IN 16 CH 4
I've always thought that this class combination was at least very interesting, and now that I have played through the campaign I can attest that it is also quite effective. The class combination works with any race, and was developed without a specific race in mind.
I feel that, in the eyes of gamers, the Svirfneblin are considered a disadvantaged race with the harsh level adjustment. Afterall, the Svirfneblin have net -2 attributes compared to the Drow's +4 in addition to a more severe level penalty! As a philosophical advocate for underdogs, I have been searching for a way to powergame the Svirfneblin. Most of their racial bonuses come in two categories defense and casting.
Defense: +4 Dodge AC, +1 Size AC, +2 Saves, +6 Hide, +2 Listen, Invisibility, Blindness/Deafness, Entropic Shield
Casting: +2 Concentration, +2 Spellcraft, +2 Craft Alchemy, Spell Affinity Illusion
This makes it difficult to take full advantage of the Svirfneblin bonuses. If you are not a caster, you waste all the casting bonuses, but casters are knocked at least one spell level from the level adjustment. Quite a kunundrum. What is boils down to is a fully utilized Svirfneblin would be sneaky front-line minor caster. I was pleasently surpirsed how well the Svirfneblin fit with the Monk/Wizard/Pale Master/Duelist (henceforth known as ?MWPMD?).
The MWPMD's strength is everything defense. AC is kept at a maximum by drawing from every potential source. Spell Resistance and all saves are very high as well. Combined with a monk's evasion the MWPMD is practically immune to spells. Thus, the role of a MWPMD in a party is to draw the attention of warriors and wizards (easily dodging attacks and srugging off spells) while the rest of the party is able to act without danger or distraction. Offensively, the MWPMD is often able to disable their opponents enabling easy kills.
The MWPMD is not a caster in the traditional sense. If you ever cast a fireball, you are going to do a fraction of the dammage as another caster, not to mention that they will be using bigger badder spells by then. But you can make fine use of spells that traditional casters are forced to ignore. Short range/Touch spells are your offensive domain, and the school of necromancy has no shortage of those. Ray of Enfeblement; Goul Touch; Vampiric Touch; Bestow Curse/Contagion/Enervation are all excelent options levels 1-4.
The MWPMD's spellbook should also contain choice devensive and offensive buffs that can be applied in tough situations. Enlarge Person; Mirror Image/Ghostly Visage/Death Armor; Displacement are some low level spells that back line mages are unable to use effectively. Also keep in mind that (Improved) Mage Armor and Spider skin are enchantement bonuses that stack together with armor and natural bonuses to AC, from your robes and Pale Master class respectively.
The weaknesses of the MWPMD are specific and significant, but not debilitating. A gnome has -2 to strength, and because this is an AC based build dexterity/wisdom are the attributes that will be boosted with advancement. The result is a strength of 10 or 12 which means a meager physical damage (1d6+0/1). Even with quality monk gloves the most you can expect is (1d6+6+5 elemental:10-15 damage). This pales in comparison with strength based fighter builds that can deal 40+ dammage with a quality weapon. Never the less, while it may take 4-6 rounds to cut through an orc instead of 1-2 rounds, the orc will end up just as dead, and its even plausible that you would take less return dammage over 6 rounds than fighter would over 2.
A MWPMD will also have very few hitpoints. Even though the Wizard and Pale Master hit dice (d4, d6) are averaged with the Monk and Duelist (d8, d10), the Svirfneblin will always have 3 less hit dice than a different build. This is easily offset by choosing the Beetle familiar and Toughness feats, False Life spell, and previously described defensive abilities. Still hit points are still hit points and there is no substitute. It's a shame that Obsidian inexplicably changed the Pale Master's Deathless Vigor from +3 HP per character level
to +4 Fortitude saves
, or this weakness would instantly become a major strength.
Finally, the MWPMD has a rather low BAB. Indeed this build does not achieve BAB +6 until level 12 (level 15 by other standard race standards). This factor if felt most in the attack bonus itself rather than the number of attacks. Flurry of blows and circle kick provide additional attacks at full attack bonus (minus 1 or 2) no less. So a character with medum BAB at this XP level would have +11,+6,+1 compared to +5,+5,+5,+0 for the MWPMD. Thus it is reasonable that both classes would achieve a similar number of hits against average creatures, but against high AC opponents, the +11 on the first swing becomes priceless. This is precicly why I would consider specializing in Illusion (which I will get to momentarily) so that you have access to True Strike (+20 to hit for 9 seconds :mischief
.
The MWPMD makes excelent use of some fine equipment. Someone might say that the MWPMD cannot wear full plate armor or use a tower shield, and thus has no hope of acieving a much higher AC than a standard warrior. While a warrior can use a beautiful suit of +5 full plate armor and +5 tower shield (AC+22) they get very little use out of a belt of agility +8, peripaf of wisdom +8, boots of the sun soul +5, and archmage robe (AC+18). This -4 equipment differential is surpassed dramatically with base ability, class, and racial bonuses (+1 DX (+4 vs +3(w/ mithril full plate), +4 WI, +2 IN, +5 racial, +1 monk, +6 pale master) ending with +13 AC.
There are a number of choices and variations to this build.
Race:
-Svirfneblin- A very good and interesting build for deep gnomes. The strengths of the build and race seem to work well towards the same result.
-Drow- More dammage, attributes (especially charisma!) less AC, saves. Choose this if you have the desire to put points into diplomacy.
-Other- Less attributes, SR, bonuses, but faster progression. Still a solid build but not as exceptional.
Specialist Wizard:
-Illusion- You get True Strike!! Also Assay Resistance and Feeble Mind. You miss out on Rage! Also Sleeps, Confusion, Charms, Holds, Mind Fog, Heroism, and Crushing Despair.
-Necromancy- You get Rage! Also Sleeps, Confusion, Charms, Holds, Mind Fog, Heroism, and Crushing Despair. You miss True Strike!! Also Assay Resistance and Feeble Mind.
-Generalist- You get everything! You get less spells per day!!! Probably not the best choice although most versitle.
Build
-M(5)/W(5)/PM(8)/D(2)- 5th lv spells (cloud kill, Bigby's interposing hand), Haste x1, Undead Graft x3, summon Mummy, stun hold paralysis disease immunity, Fort+4 Rflx+0, HP+0 BAB+0 AC+0.
-M(5)/W(5)/PM(6)/D(4)- Haste x3, Undead Graft x1, summon Ghast, Fort+4 Rflx+2, HP+8 BAB+1 AC+0. No 5th lv spells, immunity.
-M(5)/W(5)/PM(5)/D(5)- Precise Strike (with dagger, no flurry of blows/circle kick), Haste x3, summon Ghast, Fort+4 Rflx+2, HP+12, BAB+2 AC+1. No Undead Graft.
-M(5)/W(5)/PM(4)/D(6)- Flourish, Precise Strike, Haste x4, summon Ghoul, Fort+0 Rflx+2, HP+16 BAB+2 AC+2.
-M(5)/W(5)/PM(3)/D(7)- +7 Parry, Flourish, Precise Strike, Haste x4, No summon, Fort+0 Rflx+2, HP+20 BAB+2 AC+1.
Abilities
-ST 10 DX 16 CO 14 WI 16 IN 16 CH 4- More skills less damage. Also achieves +4 to DX/WI without achieving Lv20 in the single player campaign.
-ST 12 DX 16 CO 14 WI 16 IN 15 CH 4- Lv 4 +1 Int, Lv 8,12,16,20 to DX/WI. Makes best use of starting points without compromising skills.
-ST 13 DX 16 CO 14 WI 16 IN 14 CH 4- Lv 4 +1 St, Lv 8,12,16,20 to DX/WI. Makes best use of starting points and adds to damage.
Feats
-Devout, Luck of Heroes, Weapon Finesse, Circle Kick, Dodge, Mobility- Best early choices / required for Duelist
-Spell Focus/Greater Spell Focus Necromancy/Illusion or Extend Spell/Weapon Focus Unarmed- Necromancy gives bonuses to more spells, Illusion has Phantasmal Killer and stacks with Svirfneblin ability. Alternatively choosing Extend Spell helps with buffing and True Strike, and not getting access to greater spell focus frees a spot for unarmed focus or improved parry.
Skills
-Concentration (M,W,PM)- Max Required
-Spellcraft (W,PM)- Max or boost to 10 if you want to switch to Heal for PM
-Hide (M,PM)- Max or don't choose Svirfneblin
-Move Silently (M,PM)- Max or don't choose Svirfneblin
-Listen (M,PM,D)- Elves do this better but you can if you want
-Spot (M,D)- Probably dont need this (Listen has the same effect)
-Tumble (M,D)- Boost to 10 or 20 for +1 or +2 AC
-Parry (M,D)- Boost to 5 (duelist requirement) or Max especially if you go Duelist lv 7 and Improved Parry
-Craft Alchemy (W,PM)- Boost to 8-12 for max effect or ignore completely
-Heal (PM)- An interesting PM option instead of Parry, Craft Alchemy, Spellcraft or Listen.
-Diplomacy- Drows only
