Powerplay character, what do you think?

[themaelstorm]

Hey everyone,
Hmm. Just realized my first post is about powerplaying. This is not who I am! I'm more of a roleplayer but I just had a few pp character ideas and wanna share them. Maybe they are totally trash but hey, who cares?

Anyway, I completed the game with my semi-naive good-willed (neutral good with lawful tendecies) fighter-weapon master and wanted to start out an evil character. Of course, magic was the way to go and so was Palemaster. I also currently was gonna play an Eldritch Knight on PnP but some problems came up. So when I was checking Palemaster, I saw the natural armor thing, 3hp per level (that's like omg) and that spellcasting was rather slow-processing, so I thought I could add some Eldritch Knight levels and make the character something of a spell-sword.
So I started and got 5 levels of wizard, 1 level of eldritch knight and currently have 5 of palemaster as well.. or something like that.

Then in-game, I see Eldritch Knight armor thingie. Then.. I started having ideas.
First, let me share Eldritch Knight armor: http://www.gamebanshee.com/cgi-bin/sear ... ems.id=151

Or,
+ 4 armor (and +2 bonus), 4 max dex bonus and no arcane penalty. But requires light armor proficiency. also gives power attack feat and 3rd level spell slot.

So I thought, I could take one level of Fighter at first. A nifty 10 hp and saves me from spending feats on light armor prof. and martial weapon prof. (it's required to be an eldritch knight). Not only that, I get an extra feat as well! So the character has 3 feats but 1 level lower of eldritch knight so spellcaster level -1, I think it's a viable trade off.

Then I realized, hey, while at that, since I'm not using shields and prolly wont have high strength, why not use two weapons and get feats with these free feats?

my final idea is (in order of development)

lvl-class: 1 Fighter (proficiencies and hp) 5 Wizard (for 3rd lvl casting) 1 Eldritch Knight (to get combat casting and skill focus casting as early as possible) 10 Palemaster (woo! 6 natural armor, immune to crits, stun, paralysis, hold, +3 hp per level, death attack, undead summoning!) 3 Eldritch Knight (full attack bonus and spells!) for a grand total of level 20.

What I get is 5 (wizard)+5 (at level 1,3,5,7,9 of palemaster)+3 (Eldritch Knight 2-3-4)=13 Spellcaster level. This means, level 7 spells enabled. level 6 for sorcerer.

Feats? first level 3 of them (1st level char+fighter+human), 1 at 6th level (from 5 level of wizard) and at 3,6,9,12,15,18 for a total of 10 feats.

Hit point? 10(fighter)+5x4(wizard)+14x6(palemaster and eldritch knight levels)+20x3(palemaster bonus)=174. With toughness add another 20 hp and if you got the beetle familiar that's another 20 hp (provided you dare take it out). Constitution modifier not added. A fighter with no modifier would have 10x20=200 hp and a barbarian 12x20=240 but you can have 174+40=214 hp!

Then comes armor class. 10+6(eld. armor 4+2)+4(dex)+6(natural)=26 With a ring of protection +2 this gets to 28. BUT, you can cast mirror image and displacement type spells (and god knows what abjuration and illusion spells are out there) So "Beat my near-heaviest armorish AC! But wait, you gott deal with concealment! You got over that too? Okay, pick a random image and hit it! Still succeeded? Welcome to my elemental/death shield, suffer! Btw, i got loads of hp lol!!11oneone!11"

Your attack bonus of course suffers alot. So I thought, one could take a light weapon like short sword and dual wield it. First, you get less penalty becouse your off-hand is light; second, you can benefit Weapon finesse! So you just need some dex! Then you can get weapon focus with the weapon for more bonus. With magical bonuses, you can get better. Of course you won't be a fighter (or, will you?!... I spy with my little eye, a transmutation spell starting with T! Dunn dunn dunnn!) *looks inside the brackets* Well.. not always. But hey, having a hard time? Just blow them down or burn them or curse them or something! If you can dual-wield rapiers, then you can even have alot of critical hits with keen-making spells and you know what, if you can't hit, just spam true strike!

A debate here maybe over which arcane class to choose. I typed wizard upside and started one (since I created the character out of my will to Rp it and not power-playing), I think a sorcerer who specializes in combat debuffs and personal buffs can do much better. One feat less, right, but you get to be charismatic and cast LOADS of spells.


So, what say you? Am I missing any points?
Btw, I haven't mask of betrayer yet.

And hi. Me so horny. Me love gamebanshee long time.


Edit:
Humm.. I haven't checked spells but if you can do with less spells, you can even get 3 levels of ranger for two weapon fighting feat -and- toughness?

Edit 2:
I just realized eventhough character screen says Palemaster gives +3 hp per level retroactively, it gives +4 to fortitude saves. Prolly this is a known issue but anyway still, with +4 natural armor, eldritch armor, 16 dex and commander's ring (+2 deflection to AC), I got 25 AC, 30 with mage armor. So even without that many hitpoints, it looks all fine =P

[Frasc0]

I played a Halfling for some time. Rog lvl 1, Ftr lvl 4, then Invisible Blade. Got to something like AC 32 before 11th lvl. Not a bad base attack and aceptable HP. Plus, could get open locks and traps disarmed, hide, feint and several more. In fact, he would even take some fights alone in the orc lairs and vs. Gith. Lousy damage, but since he dual wielded and there are a pair of very neat kukris around (enchant some if you can't find them) adding the bleeding wound he would shed good damage to every non-undead he faced.

[themaelstorm]

I'm currently playing the character that made me think of this one.
Wizard 5 Palemaster 10 Eldritch Knight 3

I've found out that natural armor from amulets and class stacks.
I have 10+4 (eldritch armor)+2(armor ench)+4(dex)+6(natural from palemaster)+3(natural from amulet)+3(deflection from cloak)+2(dodge from boots)=34 armor class. With Improved Mage armor and haste this goes to.. 41
Plus, I have Displacement, Ghost/Ethereal Visage, Mirror Image, Greater/Stoneskin and Tenser's transformation. I'll be casting 7th level spells max (playing original game so thinking of 20 levels)

I'm about.. 130+ hp I think, with Tenser this goes to 270+

Attack bonus is 21 but I'm dual wielding (I use a short sword that gives two-weapon fighting feat)

So he makes an excellent tank imo. Note that I'm immune to crits and according to game-text, stuns. Although I was somehow paralyzed once, I guess it was a bug.

And after buffing myself+buffing elite vampire with stone skin+displacement, it's considerable attack force. With Enervation+Bestow Curse, you can ensure the enemy has low fort save vs your incoming Deathless Master's touch.


I guess it's not an overpowered class, but I'm having fun. Feel free to try and improve it

Anyway, I totally forgot my real reason. When I get MotB, what class/prestige should I go on with? Any advice? (When original game ends ill be a 5 wiz 10 pale 5 eldritch)

[Krwawy Zarddin]

I suggest Arcane Scholar of Candlekeep for good DMG spells

Requirements

· Skills: Spellcraft 8 ranks

· Feats: Empower Spell, Skill Focus (Concentration), and Skill Focus (Spellcraft).

· Spellcasting: Able to cast 3rd-level arcane spells.



He gets:

· Spells Per Day/Spells Known: When a new arcane scholar level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as though he had gained a level in an arcane spellcasting class.

· Bonus Metamagic Feats: At 1st level, the arcane scholar gains the Maximize Spell feat. At 5th level, he gains the Quicken Spell feat.

· Spell Knowledge: At 2nd level, the arcane scholar and any party members gain a +1 bonus to their saves versus spells. This bonus increases to +2 at 8th level.

· Improved Empower Spell: At 3rd level, the arcane scholar becomes especially adept at empowering spells. Empowered spells now only use up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.

· Improved Maximize Spell: At 7th level, the arcane scholar becomes especially adept at maximizing spells. Maximized spells now only use up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell’s actual level.

· Improved Quicken Spell: At 10th level, the arcane scholar becomes especially adept at quickening spells. Quickened spells now only use up a spell slot three levels higher than the spell’s actual level.

Empowered and Maximize spells rox! TONS of FireBalls and other good spells do insane DMG!

[Loki[D.d.G]]

One problem with playing a caster, especially in MotB, is that resting becomes very hard. Which means, you won't be able to replenish your spellbook as many times as you would like.

[potatoe]

One problem with playing a caster, especially in MotB, is that resting becomes very hard. Which means, you won't be able to replenish your spellbook as many times as you would like.

Which isn't a problem if you go warlock.

[XantharTheFlame]

True. Too bad 3 of your companions are spell casters!

XantharTheFlame

[potatoe]

True. Too bad 3 of your companions are spell casters!

XantharTheFlame

Yes. You better be sure to have a high AC (or other good defensive means) as a spellcaster in MOTB. That means wizard/sorcerer is probably a bad idea...

[GoldDragon]

I went thru MotB as a Wizard 18/ASoC 10/NW9 1/Divine Champion 1 and didn't have much trouble.


Of course, having a few Gate spells helped.....

[Loki[D.d.G]]

Which isn't a problem if you go warlock.

Yeah, but Krwawy Zarddin recommended the Arcane Scholar for his damage spells. So I was merely pointing out that the Arcane Scholar loses his ace in the hole when you are not able to rest as frequently as you'd like.

But back on topic, I found the best powerplay character to be a cleric. When multiclassed into War Priest, he becomes pretty much unstoppable in the OC. As for MotB, went the Fighter/Red Dragon Disciple/Frenzied Berserker.

[XantharTheFlame]

How did you get RDD without any Bard or Sorcerer levels?

[Krwawy Zarddin]

he must have 1 lvl bard

[Mz_Trixter]

But back on topic, I found the best powerplay character to be a cleric. When multiclassed into War Priest, he becomes pretty much unstoppable in the OC.

I'd really like to agree with you on this, for my first char I ever made in the OC was also a Cleric/Warpriest and she was uh 'tank' by nature. Unfortunately, at that last fight vs. the KoS, she died miserably ...over n' over & still thinking back on it even now, I'm not exactly sure where I went wrong.

Idk, perhaps someday when I decide to reload it, I'll retry it - even go through as a fullbred trapper

[Loki[D.d.G]]

How did you get RDD without any Bard or Sorcerer levels?

Yeah, a level 1 bard, taken at level 5. I left it our because it wasn't as significant as compared to the other main classes.

[Loki[D.d.G]]

I'd really like to agree with you on this, for my first char I ever made in the OC was also a Cleric/Warpriest and she was uh 'tank' by nature. Unfortunately, at that last fight vs. the KoS, she died miserably ...over n' over & still thinking back on it even now, I'm not exactly sure where I went wrong.

Idk, perhaps someday when I decide to reload it, I'll retry it - even go through as a fullbred trapper

My Death Walker Cleric/Warpriest didn't die once.

But that is probably due to sacrificing other teammates to have the healers heal only me. Plus, the buffs and resurection skills works wonders.

[themaelstorm]

Yes. You better be sure to have a high AC (or other good defensive means) as a spellcaster in MOTB. That means wizard/sorcerer is probably a bad idea...

For caster AC, improved mage armor helps. In MotB, there is probably the epic mage armor spell as well (it exists in P&P at least).

In OC EK armor is pretty good but I'd guess there would be better stuff in motb.


With 10 Palemaster, you get +6 Natural AC, immunity to paralysis, stuns and crits. I think that's really good for casters. Oh, also +4 fort save. Combined with misc. defensive spells and decent con, the caster becomes a tank. But in MotB? I am not sure. However it is though, critical and stun immunity combined with 6 natural Ac is good for defense in anyway. But you get 5 effective caster levels, that could be a problem.