It's not a sorcerer, it's a sorc/wizard, and its caster level is 23 effectively.
Edit: I think an Abjurant Champion can only quicken Abjuration up to half his level in the PrC, round up.
The ability is 1/2 class level. PrC's always includes specific names if it applies only to certain class levels (I.E. if it were as you say, it would instead say "1/2 Abjurant champion level" instead of class level).
I'd say this character could easily rival that of a standard 20th level wizard and then some.
Listen up maggots, Mr. Popo's 'bout to teach you the pecking order.
It goes you, the dirt, the worms inside of the dirt, Popo's stool, Kami, then Popo.
~Mr. Popo, Dragonball Z Abridged
It's not a sorcerer, it's a sorc/wizard, and its caster level is 23 effectively.
The ability is 1/2 class level. PrC's always includes specific names if it applies only to certain class levels (I.E. if it were as you say, it would instead say "1/2 Abjurant champion level" instead of class level).
I'd say this character could easily rival that of a standard 20th level wizard and then some.
I formulated it badly, sorry. The character is limited to spells/day as a lvl 14 Wizard and Sorcerer; max lvl 7 spells. The 23rd lvl caster level is easily attainable by a standard character.
8th and certainly 9th lvl spells are enormously powerful, for example the ubiqous (spelling?) Time Stop.
This is especially true in a "nova" environment, where you have to act quickly and can't count on attrition. Since this is a 1 vs 1, I much rather deal with my opponent swiftly, since he will otherwise do this to me.
In a party, this character is very useful, however, since he can keep going and going and going... (He just lacks a pink bunny suit. )
The way Swift Abjuration is worded clearly means prestige class level, since otherwise "character level" is used.
Yes, 9th level spells are powerful, but with this build, especially the feats, this is MORE powerful, easily.
For example, lets say this character were to prepare a Quickened Energy Substituted Fireball on the wizard slots, this is a 7th level slot effectively and fireball uses sonic energy damage instead of fire.
Now, two things happen. One, it's quickened, so casting it is a free action obviously. This needs to be cast second in line however, with the first being "Transfix" to paralyze an opponent with a condition.
Now, after Transfix, the quickened sonic-ball whether Transfix worked or not. It does 10D6 damage of sonic damage, which is almost never resisted.
The next thing that happens is one round later, you can use a sorcerer slot on a "sonic-ball" and lets say...make it empowered as well, which is effectively 5th spell level. Because of the Residual metamagic feat, not only can this casting have Quickened applied to it for free, but it doesn't increase the casting time with Empower and Energy substitution because it gains all the benefits and none of the penalties specifically from Quicken. So you just effectively used a 5th level slot for a Quickened, sonic, empowered fireball.
Now, The quicken-spell and energy substitution on the second casting doesn't count as metamagic (Meaning you can't stack the feat over and over), however, Empower does as it's a new variable to the metamagic equation, meaning you can cast the same spell again right then from a 7th level slot.
All you'd need for this is a 5th level slot from sorcerer remaining and 2 7th level slots, both with "Quicken Sonic Fireball" in them.
I'm sorry, that is cheese. That is EXTREME cheese.
Secondly, Class level applies to all classes. The difference between it and character level is Character level also includes Hit Dice from monster levels.
Class and Prestige class levels are not synonymous, almost everything with a different name has a different function in D&D.
Listen up maggots, Mr. Popo's 'bout to teach you the pecking order.
It goes you, the dirt, the worms inside of the dirt, Popo's stool, Kami, then Popo.
~Mr. Popo, Dragonball Z Abridged
The problem is that you'd never going to get those spells off, since a Wizard 20 goes first. (Foresight, Moment of Prescience.) Meaning Timestop, Dimensional Anchor, Walling, Gating, etc. I posted the sequence several times, so no need to rehash it.
Quickening a spell is swift action, and can only be done once/round. I don't know the errata by heart. So, in the best of cases, you just did 150 damage, provided you roll max damage and the target fails his save (or is Transfixed) and hasn't got (improved) evasion. You did that over two rounds. Half a decent player never grants you that second round. (See the whole Timestop/Alacricity/Shapechanging/... thing.)
I'm sure about the class levels in PrC description. I never heard about people interpreting this in any other way. In the few cases where a class ability is dependant on character level ("class level", as you call it), it explicitly uses character level. (Yes, I do know what that means.) Going by your reading, we would be forced to allow Punpun, and he owns reality.
Too bad Wizards-CustServ doesn't answer 3.5 rules enqueries anymore.
Not everything is a one to two round combat you know. Who cares what person would "Let them have a second round" or not.
Secondly, when transfixed, improved evasion means absolutely nothing. Paralyzed characters do not receive bonuses from it or other reflexive based effects (Like uncanny dodge).
And finally, as for the class level versus character level. I'm not going to keep explaining it. "We would be forced to allow punpun," well yes. I never said 3.5 rules were balanced or without any loopholes, I'm just telling you what the rules are. If you don't believe me, I don't care.
Listen up maggots, Mr. Popo's 'bout to teach you the pecking order.
It goes you, the dirt, the worms inside of the dirt, Popo's stool, Kami, then Popo.
~Mr. Popo, Dragonball Z Abridged
But in this case the rules about class levels aren't what you want them to be.
Your reading doesn't even make sense with your own example: which classes are you adding to it? Your total "class level", as you put it, would be 18, and half of that is 9. Yet you only Quicken 4th lvl Abjurations.
And yes, vs a decently played full caster, combat is a matter of winning initiative and one, maybe two or three rounds.
GawainBS wrote:But in this case the rules about class levels aren't what you want them to be.
Your reading doesn't even make sense with your own example: which classes are you adding to it? Your total "class level", as you put it, would be 18, and half of that is 9. Yet you only Quicken 4th lvl Abjurations.
And yes, vs a decently played full caster, combat is a matter of winning initiative and one, maybe two or three rounds.
I agree...my whole idea for this character was to end it in the first round...hail of stone for 218d4 damage then power word kill...tada...game over...next challenger please.
Siberys wrote:Secondly, Class level applies to all classes. The difference between it and character level is Character level also includes Hit Dice from monster levels.
Sorry, that would make ECL what??
I believe Class lvl is number of levels per class.
Char lvl is total number of class levels.
ECL would then add any other level modifiers, racial/Monster HD etc.
I'll have to agree with Shift and Gawain here. When a PRC description says: add class level to xyz, it means of that prestige class. Otherwise it would say: add character level to xyz.
Syberis, I'll have to agree your build would be very nice to play and it would be great to have so many spell slots, but in this situation wizard 20 would easily do it in, but your creation is a better party member (eventhough drow aren't your typical teamplayers ). Also, damage is a very nice thing to do (and ofcourse it's cool to see a blast doing 150d6 damage), but the whole idea behind a wizard is just bending reality to do your biddings and damage just being "that crude unsophisticated and unreliable thing".
The problem with Craft Contingency here is, that the player can't expend experience, since he is lvl 20 with just enough XP. If possible, I'd play a 19th lvl character and use the 20000 XP for Craft Contingency or Wishes.
@Jabsco, it's fine if you want to criticize a build in this thread because it's not powerful, however flaming a member let alone a moderator won't get you far here on gamebanshee.
If you really think it's not powerful, that's fine, but thus far you have referred to me as a Noob, declared that I have a taste for "Crappy builds" and compared my character to a 20th level commoner, which is rather insulting.
Please refrain from doing so in the future or I will be forced to take action against this.
Listen up maggots, Mr. Popo's 'bout to teach you the pecking order.
It goes you, the dirt, the worms inside of the dirt, Popo's stool, Kami, then Popo.
~Mr. Popo, Dragonball Z Abridged
Sir I never called you a Noob, I merely stated it was a Noob move. Most people I know make them weather they are Gods at there craft or not. I am sorry you took this personally. Also, I only stated the build was crappy not your taste, I have never played with you, so I could not make that judgment. As for the commoner part, I can not deny this. Though the part in your post were you made sure to point out that you were a mod was slightly insulting to me, I assumed that mods would get no special treatment when being flamed, yet with your statement you insinuate that because your a mod It was worse than flaming a normal member. I would assume that because you don't want to loose patrons to your site you would punish flaming on them more than yourself as you are less apt to leave. Though I suppose your Idea is just as good.
Thank you for your Time
-Jabsco
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