Author Topic: "Specalist" in each school of magic?  (Read 5345 times)

Offline geniussavant

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"Specalist" in each school of magic?
« on: September 13, 2016, 05:46:26 PM »
I'm doing some work for a gestalt campaign and I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for arcane spell casting builds to represent each school of magic: abjuration, conjuration, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, and transmutation? I'm populating a wizard college with department heads and wanted to see what others thought. Level 15, gestalt, two prcs at the same time allowed, 32point buy, no la buy off, must be reasonably humaniod looking, and use wizard as a base for one side. I don't need full builds, just suggestions unless someone already has something done. Currently I'm thinking:

Abjuration: initiate of the seven fold veil//xx

Conjuration: malconvoker// mystic ranger

Divination: I know there were a couple divinstion specific prcs that were pretty decent but I'm drawing a blank.

Enchantment: mindbender?//xx

Evocation: no idea how I'm going to make this work

Illusion: shadowcraft mage// beguiler

Necromancy: xx/ dread necromancer

Transmutation: master transformagist(spelling?) Shored up to have full casting

Thanks
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Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #1 on: September 14, 2016, 07:01:04 PM »
Conj --> Nar Demonbinder prc is the sidestep semi-fast advancement

Div --> Urban Savant prc is perfect for going to Sigil for research, and it's a decent pile of 4th wall breaking while not being overpowering.

Universal ---> could be considered a school, and either way, Mage Of The Arcane Order prc gets lots of spells into the school (slowly but retaining some secrecy).

Erudite Spell To Power is begging for a nibble, but I'm not sure which school it should be attached to.
Erudite "Evocation" Discipline, can get all the arcane evocs, and the divine ones too like Divine Power and Miracle.
Mind Mage prc should be a possibility.

Enchantment could get into Thrallherd prc without any other psi classes.

If you open the door into Beholder Mage (uh-oh) you could have something normally weak, on the gestalt side.  More flavor, more possibilities.
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Offline Amechra

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #2 on: September 14, 2016, 09:35:56 PM »
Div: Unseen Seer//Urban Savant.
Evoc: Frost Mage//Elemental Savant (Cold)? Depends on what you want out of evocation.
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Offline Nanshork

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2016, 10:14:54 PM »
If you're okay with going Cold for Evocation, I present you with this (to build upon Amechra's suggestion).


Offline Garryl

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2016, 10:30:29 PM »
The classic "intended" base class for an evocation focus would be the Warmage. Not a great choice, but it's there. For PrCs, though, you might want to look into the War Mage from one of the Krynn books, which I recall being significantly more effective. And it's quite possible I've mixed up the names of the two of them, for reasons that should be obvious.

Also worth mentioning is the Master Specialist PrC, which, as its name implies, focuses your specialization on a school. I don't remember much of anything beyond that about the class.

Offline IlPazzo

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2016, 05:57:50 AM »
Also worth mentioning is the Master Specialist PrC, which, as its name implies, focuses your specialization on a school. I don't remember much of anything beyond that about the class.

It's neat in that it has very low entry requirements (it's supposed to be taken at level 4th), then it gives greater spell focus (your school), skill focus (spellcraft), a couple caster level increases and some free spells on your spellbook. The major point of the class are the minor, moderate and major school esoterica at levels 4, 7 and 10, wich are abilities that boost your school's spells or are related to the theme of each school. Most are good, some are not.
e.g.
abjuration: bonus on dispel, mettle for all saves against spells only (when you have an abj active) and 3/day cast abjurations with a range of personal or emanations centered on yourself as touch spell with a target of one creature
evocation: bonus on concentration when casting evocations, energy resistance (while an evocation is in effect) and 3/day on a failed save targets of your evocation take half again the damage they took from your spell one round later.
« Last Edit: September 15, 2016, 09:02:12 AM by IlPazzo »

Offline Jackinthegreen

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2016, 03:36:29 AM »
Divination could go with the Divine Oracle PrC in Complete Divine, pages 34-36.

Offline geniussavant

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2016, 06:20:35 PM »
Conj: is the spell casting from nar demon binder worth losing sword of the arcane order  and Mystic ranger?

Div: urban savant// unseen seer+ maybe divine oracle

Evoc: cold focused definitely send to be the way to go

Enchantment suggestions?

Any suggestions for necromancy or transmutation?
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Offline Endarire

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2016, 02:43:33 AM »
Evocation: Mailman

And I use the term 'Evocation' loosely.

Offline geniussavant

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #9 on: September 19, 2016, 10:03:34 PM »
Cold evocation specialist//mail man it is

Ill get a couple sketches up so if anyone wants to look at them
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Offline geniussavant

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2016, 10:08:32 PM »
Conjurer
Most complete build, will see the most use
(click to show/hide)

Illusionist

(click to show/hide)

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Offline Chemus

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2016, 11:03:43 PM »
Your conjurer has a PrC on both sides of that gestalt... unless I'm missing a way to get master spec before 4th.
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Offline geniussavant

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2016, 11:10:34 PM »
Dm has ruled that it's allowed. The Theurge  classes are even allowed,  but I tend not to use any except ultimate  magus.
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Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #13 on: September 20, 2016, 05:00:32 PM »
Evoc again ...

Warmage on the one side (see the play it the right way guide) // on the other Erudite with both StP and Discipline -Kinesis/Evoc.
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Offline geniussavant

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #14 on: September 20, 2016, 05:55:55 PM »
My only issue with not using a wizard base on one side is that these builds are supposed to represent wizards teaching wizards the craft of magic.  While I appreciate the strength of the buildstudents, they just don't fit what I'm looking for. However,  I could easily see needing to expand my school to cater to a larger talent base. 
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Offline Debatra

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #15 on: October 06, 2016, 08:24:44 AM »
The best way to play an Evoker is to not just be a blaster. Sure, have some Lightning Bolts (or whatever your preference is) ready to go, but remember the Force spells.

Wall of Force and Forcecage are great for battlefield-control.
No matter what you do, even as a non-Evoker, grab a Talisman of the DiskMIC 188 for 500gp.
Wingbind, despite the name, doesn't just work on winged creatures
« Last Edit: October 06, 2016, 08:26:26 AM by Debatra »
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Offline KellKheraptis

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #16 on: October 09, 2016, 11:43:08 AM »
Evoc again ...

Warmage on the one side (see the play it the right way guide) // on the other Erudite with both StP and Discipline -Kinesis/Evoc.
Hey I'm a "wizard" yes I am.

That sounds more like a candidate for the Universal school professor or Dean :P

StP Erudite//Elf Generalist Wizard into Mind Mage and PsiTheurge - no lost levels, fast track to 9's, horrid stacking CL/ML, insta-recharge inanely easy, and every spell evar easily available to turn into a power with the school's resources to throw around as a side project.

Offline Nifft

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #17 on: October 09, 2016, 02:06:57 PM »
Level 15, gestalt, two prcs at the same time allowed, 32point buy, no la buy off, must be reasonably humaniod looking, and use wizard as a base for one side. I don't need full builds, just suggestions unless someone already has something done. Currently I'm thinking:

Abjuration: initiate of the seven fold veil//xx

Conjuration: malconvoker// mystic ranger

Divination: I know there were a couple divinstion specific prcs that were pretty decent but I'm drawing a blank.

Enchantment: mindbender?//xx

Evocation: no idea how I'm going to make this work

Illusion: shadowcraft mage// beguiler

Necromancy: xx/ dread necromancer

Transmutation: master transformagist(spelling?) Shored up to have full casting
Abjuration: Abjurer 3 / Master Specialist 10 / Iot7V || Warblade (Diamond Mind counters and IRON HEART SURGE)
"The only winning move is to not challenge me."

Conjuration: Conjurer / Malconvoker || Binder 15
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Divination: Rogue 15 || Diviner 5 (for Spontaneous Divination) / Mindbender 1 / Unseen Seer
"I can see your weak spots. Don't make me hit them for massive damage."

Enchantment: Psion (Telepath) / Thrallherd || Bard 15
"Let's sit down and talk about this like civilized people."

Evocation: Sorcerer / Silver Pyromancer || Sword Sage (Desert Wind & Stone Dragon)
"The best defense is the fact that everything burns."

Illusion: Gnome Swordsage (Shadow Hand & Setting Sun) || Illusionist / Shadowcraft Mage
"Many of the proctors walking through this classroom are illusions, but several of them are real. So before you cheat, you've got to ask yourself: Do I feel lucky?"

Necromancy: Dread Necromancer || Cloistered Cleric
"You will take the make up test even if I must compel every answer from your corpse."

Transmutation: Transmuter / ... || Wildshape Ranger 5 / Warshaper / ...
"Does this body make me look fat?"

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #18 on: October 09, 2016, 04:09:25 PM »
...
Necromancy: Dread Necromancer || Cloistered Cleric
"You will take the make up test even if I must compel every answer from your corpse."
...

 :lol ... wait  :-\ I had teachers like that.
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Offline geniussavant

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Re: "Specalist" in each school of magic?
« Reply #19 on: October 10, 2016, 08:48:52 PM »
Want there an act out something in one of the dragon magazines that forced the cleric to use a spell book or am I imagining things
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