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Topics - Prime32

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1
Board Business / New feature: Stickied posts within threads
« on: June 30, 2017, 03:46:50 PM »
Within a thread you've started, post a reply and put (Continued) at the start of the Subject field - it will be stickied underneath the OP. This works everywhere on the boards, but you can't sticky a post in someone else's thread. Should be useful for Handbooks and similar threads.

This feature was available on the temporary boards, but it might not have got a lot of attention.

2
Min/Max 3.x / [PF] How to play a talking sword by RAW
« on: May 24, 2014, 10:14:57 AM »
Pathfinder made the rules for intelligent items a bit more modular - they have a base cost of 500gp, and you can pay extra to increase their mental stats. So take a magic sword that's had its ability scores boosted as much as possible for your starting WBL, but has no other added powers. Then take note of this:
Quote
Intelligent items can actually be considered creatures because they have Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Treat them as constructs.
This was a rule which existed in 3.5 as well, but just being a creature doesn't mean they're playable. After all, they don't have a level... right?

Wrong. Take a look at the Pathfinder version of the Petitioner template, which can be applied to intelligent items (provided an appropriate backstory) and sets their CR to 1. They lose special abilities, but "being a weapon" is not one of them (theoretically you could keep certain intelligent item properties like Proficiency as well). Pathfinder allows playing monsters as characters with a level equal to their CR.

There is one obvious obstacle to this choice of race - you can't move. There are a few ways to get around this, but Summoner is by far the easiest - a standard summoner can call something to pick up and wield it, while a Synthesist replaces its nonexistent physical ability scores with those of its eidolon. You are now Soul Edge, enjoy it.

Any other ideas on good build options?

(click to show/hide)

7
D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder / MOVED: Looking to Build Sakuya Izayoi
« on: February 26, 2014, 08:14:10 AM »

8
Min/Max 3.x / The Glyph Sovereign
« on: December 29, 2013, 09:17:48 PM »
Sort of a spin-off of my Master of Glyphs thread, with one particular trick that you can do with glyph of warding.



The Glyph Sovereign (lv12)
Wizard 5/Spell SovereignDr357 7


Spell Sovereign is a PrC that focuses on living spellsECS - it can summon them, trap "wild" living spells in crystals to turn them into pseudo-wands, and gets one as a familiar.

For this familiar, choose a living glyph of warding. Then give it some spellcasting ability, either through the Spell-Linked Familiar feat or the imbue familiar with spell ability spell (having the familiar take Magical Training also works, but would require DM approval).
Quote from: Glyph of Warding
Spell Glyph: You can store any harmful spell of 3rd level or lower that you know. All level-dependent features of the spell are based on your caster level at the time of casting the glyph. If the spell has a target, it targets the intruder. If the spell has an area or an amorphous effect the area or effect is centered on the intruder. If the spell summons creatures, they appear as close as possible to the intruder and attack. Saving throws and spell resistance operate as normal, except that the DC is based on the level of the spell stored in the glyph.

You now have a familiar that can cast any of its imbued spells at will. It's not quite as powerful as the Spell Descendant, but neither is it limited to area spells like that build is; potentially you could combine the two for even more flexibility. As a side benefit, your familiar can also detect peoples' alignment, religion and/or species by hitting them (claim it's an overly affectionate pet :p).
Quote from: Glyph of Warding
Alternatively or in addition to a password trigger, glyphs can be set according to physical characteristics (such as height or weight) or creature type, subtype, or kind. Glyphs can also be set with respect to good, evil, law, or chaos, or to pass those of your religion.

If your DM rules that you need to be able to cast the spell you attract as a familiar, take 1 level of GeometerCArc to add glyph of warding to your spell list.

9
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / Random houserules for sword-and-board
« on: December 26, 2013, 05:00:45 PM »
A tower shield has a base AC bonus of +0, but grants the wielder cover. If you already have cover, you instead gain improved cover. You may use this cover to hide, but you must drop your tower shield immediately afterwards (a move action, or a free action combined with a move if you have +1 BAB or greater).

While wielding a light, heavy or tower shield with which you are proficient, its defensive benefits extend to allies out to double your natural reach - "defensive benefits" include the actual AC bonus provided by the shield, the cover provided by a tower shield, and enchantments such as fire resistance. If you have abilities which modify the defensive properties of your shield, such as Shield Ward or Divine Shield, they also modify the benefits provided to your allies.
Your allies lose these bonuses while you are flat-footed, helpless, or somehow denied your shield bonus to AC.

The total defense action grants you cover. If you already have cover then you instead gain improved cover. If you already have improved cover then you instead gain total cover.

If you are proficient with bastard swords, dwarven waraxes or similar weapons then you may treat them as two-handed weapons whenever convenient, even while wielding them in one hand. Among other things, this allows you to add 1.5x your Str bonus to damage.

Add your BAB or your Challenge Rating to initiative checks, whichever is lower.

10
Min/Max 3.x / Optimising the Brute Ring?
« on: November 18, 2013, 11:50:04 AM »
Magic Item Compendium p83 has an item called the brute ring, which lets you bull rush from 30ft away as a standard action. It's a force effect so it affects incorporeal creatures, and presumably you can push the target in any direction. Normally it's 2/day but that could be upgraded.

How exactly would you go about optimising this? Common bull rush boosters like Knockback and Brutal Surge weapons are out, as is Rampaging Bull Rush (unless you have Rage Casting), and Shock Trooper is only useful for the "trip enemies when you knock them into each others' squares" effect. I figure maybe something like Fighter (Dungeoncrasher) 2/X 3/Warforged Juggernaut 3/Legacy Champion 10 could work, picking up some legacy abilities that boost Str checks. Or an incarnate build focused on Mauling Gauntlets, for novelty. Any ideas?

11
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / [3.5] Warrior Scion (base class)
« on: October 01, 2013, 11:40:46 AM »
Spellcasters make better fighters than fighters. Fighters have a hard time getting their hands on fancy powers. Spellcasters are powerful because they have so many spells. Feats that require expending a spell slot are almost always worse than just casting a spell normally.

So here's an experiment - an attempt at a class that can put flavorful stuff like the Celestial Sorcerer Heritage chain to proper use. Not a spellcaster by trade, but exposed to a lot of magic and good at any tricks he happens to pick up.



WARRIOR SCION


   
"The strength of a thousand dragons flows through my veins."
-Daimor Goldbrow, dwarf warrior scion

In times past and occasionally times present, mighty beings walked the earth: dragons, demons, fae, gods. When they walked among the mortal races they often did so in mortal guise, and occasionally took mortal partners. Descended from the mingled blood of many such couplings, power sleeps within a warrior scion beyond that of normal men, albeit power he may barely understand how to use.


Class Skills (4+Int): Bluff, Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (arcana), Listen, Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Spot, Tumble, Use Magic Device

Hit Dice: d12



Level
Base
Attack Bonus
Fort
Save
Ref
Save
Will
Save

Special
- Spells -
0123456789
1st+1+2+0+2Ancestral fury,
Combat Casting
53--------
2nd+2+3+0+3Arcane Strike64--------
3rd+3+3+1+3Bonus feat65--------
4th+4+4+1+4-663-------
5th+5+4+1+4Bonus feat664-------
6th+6/+1+5+2+5-6653------
7th+7/+2+5+2+5Bonus feat6664------
8th+8/+3+6+2+6-66653-----
9th+9/+4+6+3+6Bonus feat66664-----
10th+10/+5+7+3+7Ancestral fury (greater)666653----
11th+11/+6/+1+7+3+7Bonus feat666664----
12th+12/+7/+2+8+4+8-6666553---
13th+13/+8/+3+8+4+8Bonus feat6666664---
14th+14/+9/+4+9+4+9-66666653--
15th+15/+10/+5+9+5+9Bonus feat66666664--
16th+16/+11/+6/+1+10+5+10-666666653-
17th+17/+12/+7/+2+10+5+10Bonus feat666666664-
18th+18/+13/+8/+3+11+6+11-6666666653
19th+19/+14/+9/+4+11+6+11Bonus feat6666666664
20th+20/+15/+10/+5+12+6+12Ancestral fury (mighty)6666666666

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: A warrior scion is proficient with light and medium armor, and with simple and martial weapons, but not with shields. He may cast warrior scion spells in light armor without risk of arcane spell failure.

Spells: A warrior scion gains spells per day as a sorcerer of his class level. He does not, however, have any spells known, meaning he cannot actually cast spells unless he expands his spell list in some way. If the warrior scion ever gains the ability to cast a spell as a spell-like ability, then he also adds it to his spells known; e.g. a gnome warrior scion would add dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation and speak with animals (burrowing mammals only) to his spells known. Warrior scion levels are treated as sorcerer levels for the purpose of prerequisites, and he may benefit from feats and abilities which explicitly improve sorcerer casting.

Mystic Synergy: A multiclass warrior scion adds his class level to caster level for spells he casts from any other source (including class abilities and items), to a maximum of his character level. In addition he may use his warrior scion spell slots as extra slots for any other spellcasting class, as long as they do not exceed the highest level of spells which he can cast from that class. E.g. a warrior scion 10/wizard 1 could prepare 0th- and 1st-level wizard spells in warrior scion slots; he could not prepare 2nd-level or higher wizard spells even if they were recorded in his spellbook.

Mixed Heritage: A warrior scion treats all Aberrant, Abyssal Heritor, Bloodline, Devil-Touched, Draconic, Heritage and Shifter feats as Heritage feats. Whenever a Heritage feat would grant a bonus based on your total number of feats of a certain type, calculate your bonus based on your total number of Heritage feats (e.g. taking Aberration Blood would increase the bonus on Knowledge checks provided by Draconic Knowledge). This does not allow you to ignore the normal prerequisites of these feats.

Ancestral Fury (Ex): Whenever your current hit point total is below 5 x your class level, your latent power automatically activates to protect you. You gain a +2 bonus to your Strength and Charisma scores, a +2 bonus on saves, hardness 2, and a -2 penalty to your AC.
At 10th level the bonus to your ability scores improves to +4, your bonus on saves improves to +3, and you gain hardness 3.
At 20th level the bonus to your ability scores improves to +6, your bonus on saves improves to +4, and you gain hardness 4.
This ability counts as barbarian rage for meeting prerequisites. Any effect that would normally apply only during rage applies whenever your ancestral fury is active. Unlike rage, your actions are not restricted while in this state.

Bonus Feats: A warrior scion gains Combat Casting as a bonus feat at 1st level, and Arcane StrikeCW as a bonus feat at 2nd level.
At 3rd level and every odd level thereafter, a warrior scion gains one additional bonus feat for which he meets the prerequisites. This may be a Heritage or Reserve feat, or any feat which could be selected by wizards as a bonus feat.


New Feats

Incarnum Heritage [Heritage]
Prerequisites: Mixed Heritage class feature
Benefit: You gain 1 essentia, and may treat Incarnum feats as Heritage feats.

Psychic Heritage [Heritage]
Prerequisites: Mixed Heritage class feature
Benefit: You gain 1 power point, and may treat Psionic feats as Heritage feats.

12
Min/Max 3.x / Silverfang, the fuzzy paladin (build)
« on: September 14, 2013, 09:32:32 PM »
EDIT: Split off from this thread.

The telthor template (Unapproachable East p75) has a Level Adjustment of +2. The sample creature is a telthor wolf... with a Level Adjustment of +4. Thus according to UE, wolves are a playable race with LA +2.

Afflicted werewolves are also +2 LA and have higher stats, but there's one thing wolves have that they don't: the Animal type. Being an animal gets you access to animal-specific bonuses, including buffs like animal growth, nature's avatar, nature's favor, traveller's mount and unholy beast, and makes you immune to language-dependent effects.



Silverfang (Lv20; LA Buyoff)
Quote
NG DragonbornRotD (mind) Wolf 2HD/Ex-monk (Holy StrikeCC, WushuDr334) 1/Barbarian (Lion TotemCC) 1/Ranger (TWF) 9/Bard (Inspire AweDM) 1/Fochlucan LyristCAdv 6
Favored Enemies: ?, ?
Skill Tricks: Never Outnumbered
Feats: 1: Nymph's KissBoED, 3: Wolf BerserkerUE, 6: Imperious CommandDotU, 9: Intimidating RageCW, 12: Improved Trip, 15: Dirty FightingS&F, 18: Snowflake WardanceFrost
Bonus Feats (flaws): Dreadful WrathPGtF, Surrogate SpellcastingSav
Bonus Feats (monk): Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike
Bonus Feats (ranger): Two Weapon Fighting, Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Bonus Feats (wolf): Track
Flaws: No Time For Book LearningDr324, Shaky
Martial Arts: Broken Fist Mastery IOA
Spells (ranger): Animal Growth, Nature's Favor, Traveller's Mount
Equipment: Amulet of mighty fists, +X mithral breastplate Grotesque BardingDr349, +1 harmonising armor spikes, Gauntlets of the Talon (5th-level slot sacrificed), Mantle of rage, Spike stones (maug graft)FF, Poison Fangs (yuan-ti graft)FF, Misc. skill-boosting items


Silverfang was formerly the animal companion of a druid of Bahamut. His master had always spoken to him in Druidic, and being unusually smart for a wolf (Int 4) he was eventually able to understand the language fluently. After his master's death the wolf tried to continue his work, and his tenacity came to impress Bahamut. After completing the dragonborn Ritual of Rebirth, other creatures began to call him "Silverfang" for his platinum fur.

(click to show/hide)

You cast spells as a 15th-level Mystic Ranger and a 7th-level bard, and are also capable of Trapfinding. You can Pounce, dual-wielding unarmed strikes in addition to your two claws and (poisonous) bite attack, after which your Frightful Presence triggers and you're entitled to free demoralise and trip attempts (and a bonus attack if your trip succeeds). You also get a free demoralise attempt whenever you enter rage, and 1/encounter can demoralise multiple enemies at once. Whenever you demoralise an enemy, they cower for 1 round first. Your Inspire Awe bardic music adds even more fear-stacking.

13
Legends of the Heroes / Statting RWBY
« on: September 07, 2013, 03:51:01 PM »
Ruby Rose
"Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest."
Strongheart halflingFRCS Fighter (ExoticistDr310, Hit-and-RunDotU) 1/Cleric (Travel Devotion, War) 1/WarbladeToB 5/Exotic Weapon MasterCW 1/Warblade +12
Exotic Weapon Stunts: Uncanny Blow
Proficiencies (exoticist): Kaortic resin weapons, bladed crossbows(?), ?, ?
Feats: 1: Dead EyeDrComp, 3: Crossbow SniperPHB2, 6: Rapid Reload (heavy crossbow), 9: Rapid Shot, 12: Power Attack, 15: Leap AttackCAdv, 18: ?
Bonus Feats (cleric): Travel DevotionCC, Weapon Focus (bladed crossbow)
Bonus Feats (fighter): Weapon Finesse
Bonus Feats (warblade): Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, ?, ?
Bonus Feats (strongheart halfling): Point Blank Shot
Maneuvers (warblade)
Diamond Mind: Bounding Assault, Diamond Nightmare Blade, Moment of Alacrity, Stance of Alacrity (stance)
Iron Heart: Absolute Steel (stance), Adamantine Hurricane, Dancing Blade Form (stance), Finishing Move, Iron Heart Focus, Mithral Tornado, Wall of Blades
Stone Dragon: Ancient Mountain Hammer
Tiger Claw: Feral Death Blow, Pouncing Charge, Swooping Dragon Strike
White Raven: Bolstering Voice (stance)
Equipment: Crescent Rose (kaortic resin feycraftDMG2 self-loadingA&EG bladed crossbow, with the enchantments of a halberd of vaultingA&EG), Gnome crossbow sightA&EG (attached to Crescent Rose), Greater demolition weapon crystalMIC (attached to Crescent Rose), Boots of agile leapingMIC/Boots of swift passageMIC, Cloak of minor displacement

The bladed crossbow has different rules between A&EG and MIC. The 3.0 version is a +2 heavy crossbow that can be used to make melee attacks (1d8 20/x2) if the wielder has an Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat, while the 3.5 version functions as a +1 heavy crossbow and a +1 battleaxe. It's ambiguous whether the 3.5 version is enchanted as a single or double weapon.
EDIT: Dragon #349 features a third bladed crossbow - a simple weapon that functions as a light crossbow/dagger double weapon - as well as the elvencraft bow, yuan-ti serpent bow and steel crossbow which function similarly.
The halberd of vaulting is a crazy weapon that grants +30 Jump and lets you make a "vaulting charge" for double damage if you have enough room.
Self-loading crossbow is a +1 heavy crossbow (+10,000gp cost) that reduces its loading time by one step, stacking with Rapid Reload.

Ruby relies more on well-timed recoils to swing her weapon rather than muscle. Well... Crossbow Sniper, Dead Eye and Point Blank Shot grant their bonuses based on the weapon used, whether or not it's used to make a ranged attack. Combine that with Uncanny Blow, and Ruby gets to add 2.5x her Dex modifier to melee damage in place of Strength (or 3.5x vs flat-footed enemies).

14
Gaming Advice / Multi-use ranged touch/ray spell?
« on: July 28, 2013, 10:05:04 PM »
Are there any ranged touch (including ray) spells with a duration of 1 round or more, allowing you to attack with them as many times as you want while the effect lasts?

Stuff like scorching ray, which gives a fixed number of attacks, doesn't count. I'm looking a for a ranged equivalent to flame blade or hammer.

15
Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / The sorcerer's bag of tricks
« on: July 23, 2013, 10:49:17 PM »
(I had most of this typed before my last cantrip thread was necro'd, I swear. :ninja)

So... Vancian magic. Wizards set up a formula in their head ahead of time, and "fire" it when they need it. Each has specific effects, meaning that someone who can shoot a giant fire blast can't light a torch unless they learn it separately. Sorcerers don't prepare formulas; their magic runs through them, permeating their body... and yet despite this they're still pretty similar to wizards. The warlock class does a good job of making the concept feal different, but I wanted to try something else.

Since this is a power boost to a Tier 2 class, it should probably be combined with some other nerf, like reducing the speed at which full spellcasters gain new spell levels.


(click to show/hide)

Whenever a sorcerer (but not a wizard) learns a spell, he also learns its corresponding "cantrip". Cantrips are spell-like abilities divided into four categories, similar to those of martial maneuvers:
  • Blast cantrips require a standard action to perform, and have a duration of Instantaneous.
  • Boost cantrips require a swift action to perform. Unless otherwise stated, a Boost has a duration of 1 round.
  • Counter cantrips work like Boosts except that they may be performed as an immediate action, allowing you to use them even when it's not your turn.
  • Continuous cantrips are always considered active, and require no action to perform. If you wish, however, you may suppress or resume their effects as a free action.
A cantrip is considered a spell of its parent's school, subschool and descriptors. The caster level for a cantrip is the same as that of its parent spell.

If you learn a cantrip that replicates the effect of another spell, you also gain access to that spell's cantrip (if any). If you already know that spell, you may forget it in order to learn any other spell of the same level.

There are some existing effects which are similar to cantrips, mostly granting their parent spell +1 caster level when used by a sorcerer.

Lv1 spells
Burning Hands (Boost): Your unarmed strikes deal +1 fire damage/CL; your hands shed light as torches.
Charm Person (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks.
Disguise Self (Continuous): You can change minor details of your appearance at will (such as age and hair colour) as if casting disguise self. While not sufficient to hide your identity by itself, if cast as part of creating a disguise then you gain a +5 bonus on your Disguise check (not stacking with the effects of disguise self).
Grease (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Escape Artist checks.
Hold Portal (Boost): You can create an open/close effect.
Magic Aura (Blast): You can create an arcane mark effect.
Shield (Counter): You gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC vs one attack.
True Strike (Boost): You gain a +2 insight bonus on your next attack roll.
Identify (Continuous): You are under the effects of detect magic and read magic.
Silent Image (Blast): You may create a silent image which is particularly unconvincing - anyone exposed to the effect instantly recognises it as an illusion (as if they had succeeded on their save), even if they have not interacted with it.

Lv2 spells
Alter Self (Boost): Whenever you use this ability, you gain any one of the following: A natural weapon, a +1 increase to natural armor, a +5ft bonus to speed, a +2 bonus to Jump checks, a +2 bonus to Swim checks, or stunted wings that reduce your falling damage as if you had fallen half the actual height. This effect ends immediately if you are under the effects of other magic which alters your form (including another use of this cantrip) but otherwise lasts until you take a free action to dismiss it.
Command Undead (Continuous): You are under the effects of detect undead.
Detect Thoughts (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Sense Motive checks.
Flaming Sphere (Boost): You may move the sphere as a swift action rather than a move action, as long as you move it only once per round.
Gust of Wind (Continuous): You can create little whirlwinds that can carry objects; this functions as a mage hand effect.
Levitate (Counter): You can slow your fall, as a feather fall effect.
Minor Image (Blast): You may create a minor image which is particularly unconvincing - anyone exposed to the effect instantly recognises it as an illusion (as if they had succeeded on their save), even if they have not interacted with it.
See Invisibility (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Spot checks.
Spider Climb (Continuous): You gain a +5 bonus on Climb checks.

Lv3 spells
Daylight (Blast): You may create a light effect. Rounds spent carrying the object that radiates light do not count against its duration. Whenever you use this ability again, your previous light effect ends.
Dispel Magic (Blast): You may create a targeted dispel magic effect, except that its range is reduced to Touch and you may attempt to dispel only a single effect per use.
Fireball (Continuous): You can draw a fiery orb from thin air as a free action, which functions as a flask of alchemist's fire. While they can be thrown as normal, you cannot store these "flasks" for later use or hand them to others.
Fly (Continuous): You gain a +3 bonus on Balance and Jump checks.
Lightning Bolt (Blast): You may create a shocking grasp effect.
Tongues (Continuous): You are under the effects of comprehend languages.

Lv4 spells
Animate Dead (Boost): You may bolster undead as an evil cleric of your caster level, except that it lasts for 1 round and affects only undead created by you. You are not considered to have the ability to turn or rebuke undead.
Contagion (Continuous): You are immune to disease, except for supernatural diseases.
Dimension Door (Boost): You may create a dimension door effect, except that its range is reduced to 10ft and your destination must be within line of sight.

Lv5 spells
Overland Flight (Continuous): Your maneuverability while flying improves by one step (to a maximum of perfect), regardless of whether the flight is natural or granted by a magical effect.
Telepathic Bond (Continuous): You gain telepathy out to 30ft.

Lv6 spells
Forceful Hand (Continuous): You gain a +4 bonus on Strength checks made as part of a bull rush, including bull rushes made by spells you cast.
Veil (Blast): You may create a disguise self effect.

And so on; preferably every Core spell would have one.

16
Gaming Advice / Looking for a Dragon article
« on: July 18, 2013, 04:53:22 PM »
I'm sure that one of the "Class Acts" pages in Dragon gave details on monks from different cultures, including alternate sets of weapon proficiencies and monk weapons. Anyone know what issue it was in?

While I'm at it, if you come across any Dragon (or Dungeon) feats that can be taken as monk bonus feats, or monk options that aren't technically ACFs or RSLs, post them here. :p

17
It's very rough so far, but I've got started on a monk reference guide. I'd appreciate any tips.

18
Handbooks / The Way of Wushu - monk tips and tricks
« on: July 18, 2013, 11:12:25 AM »
Discussion thread here.
The Way of Wushu

The monk class: one of Third Edition's red-headed stepchildren. The monk oozes with flavour, but has trouble living up to all the kung fu awesomeness it promises, especially compared to classes like swordsage or even barbarian. That, however, can be fixed.

In this handbook you will find examinations of monk weakpoints and how to fix them, guides to entire monk-exclusive rulesets you may not realise existed, and other tips that can make a monk a worthy addition to almost any party. If you were playing a member of another class, this handbook shows how one or two levels of monk can be used to improve your existing abilities. If you have no interest in monk levels but want to play an unarmed, unarmored or otherwise monk-like character, then much of this material is still applicable to you.

This handbook is not meant to be comprehensive - some material which could be useful to a monk character is left out simply because it isn't very monk-specific (e.g. a monk would certainly find an item that grants immunity to death effects useful, but no more than any other character). Likewise, while this guide contains advice for multiclass monk/wizards, you should still look up a dedicated wizard guide if you want to make the most of your spells. A sneaky monk should consider looking at rogue handbooks, and so on.

Useful Links
The Guide to Monks
The 3.X Monk Database (ENWorld)
Tripping Handbook

Note on 3.0 Material
Feat options and prerequisites from Oriental Adventures or Sword & Fist have been replaced with more recent versions where applicable, as standard for using 3.0 material in a 3.5 game. As part of the conversion, all 3.0 feats based on Stunning Fist require expending a use of that ability, even if not specified by the original feat text. Oriental Adventures itself has a partial update in Dragon #318, which is used where applicable.

Index
- Fixing the Problems
-- Multiple Ability Dependence
-- Mobility
-- Enchanting
- Making the Most of Things
-- Unarmed Damage
-- Stunning Fist
- Monk Options
-- Bonus Feats
-- Monk Weapons
- Style Bonuses
-- Fighting Styles
-- Martial Arts
- Alternative Class Features
- Exotic Monks
-- Ranged Combat
-- Multiclassing
-- Vow of Poverty
-- Living Weapon

19
Min/Max 3.x / The Master of Glyphs (build)
« on: July 08, 2013, 01:10:38 PM »
The Master of Glyphs (lv20)
Gray elf Abjurer 3/Master specialistCM 3/GeometerCArc 5/Abjurant championCM 1/Master specialist +6/Archmage (Arcane Reach x2) 2
Feats: 1: Spell Focus (abjuration), 3: Combat Casting, 6: Magic DisruptionCM, 9: Arcane ThesisPHB2 (glyph of warding), 12: Spell Mastery (glyph of warding, greater glyph of warding), 15: Uncanny ForethoughtEoE, 18: Arcane ThesisPHB2 (greater glyph of warding)
Bonus Feats (flaws): Empower Spell, Spell Focus (conjuration)
Bonus Feats (wizard): Scribe Scroll
Bonus Feats (master specialist): Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Greater Spell Focus (abjuration)
Traits: Spellgifted (abjuration)
Spells: chain dispelPHB2, dispel magic, familiar pocketCArc, glyph of warding, greater glyph of warding, greater dispel magic, invisibility, reaving dispelCArc, Srinshee's spell shiftLEoF, spell theftCS
Equipment: Headband of intellect +6, Spellguard rings (other ring worn by familiar)


What You Do
You cast as a 20th-level wizard. What, you want more than that? Well okay...

You gain a +4 bonus to caster level with abjuration spells (but -1 with spells of other schools), an additional +2 when casting glyph of warding or greater glyph of warding, and an additional +1 when you use a spellglyph. All of your abjuration spells are Extended and gain +2 save DC. You also gain a +4 bonus on dispel checks, and some of your dispelling magic has a CL cap of 25 already.

Geometer adds glyph of warding and greater glyph of warding to your spell list. Now look at the text of glyph of warding, particularly the Spell Glyph function - you can use glyph of warding to cast any harmful spell you know, except that it becomes an abjuration effect with all relevant bonuses; you even get to apply the CL bonus from Arcane Thesis! Uncanny Forethought lets you cast the glyph (and its greater version) as a standard action instead of requiring 10 minutes, while Arcane Reach lets you cast it against any target within 60ft. If you're in a hurry, you can use your familiar to trigger the glyph without being affected by it.

tl;dr - Int/day you can cast any lv6 or lower spell spontaneously, Silenced and Extended, with added caster level, save DC and metamagic reduction. You can do this while invisible without it counting as an attack.

Alternative Options
  • The Arcane Reach ability from archmage levels could be replaced by spectral hand (also freeing up the SF[conjuration] used for prereqs), but that doesn't work on the greater version of the glyph. Or you could use your familiar to deliver the spell.
  • Abjurant Champion 5 would let you auto-Quicken standard glyphs (when cast via Uncanny Forethought). Legacy Champion abuse can extend that to the greater version as well.
  • The Reserves of StrengthDLCS feat lets you make better use of low-level spells at high levels; the stunning is less of an issue out-of-combat or if enemies can't see you while you're stunned.
  • Invisible SpellCity lets you be more sneaky, by hiding when your glyphs are triggered.
  • If you can find some way to add it to your list (such as Wyrm WizardDM), elder glyph of wardingLoM will let you cast lv9 spell glyphs.
  • Levels in Initiate of the Sevenfold VeilCArc, since you meet the prerequisites already.
  • Trade the archmage levels  for 2 levels of Arcane Archer (drop SF[conjuration], Spell Mastery and Uncanny Forethought to free up slots for its prereq feats). Glyph of warding is an area spell, therefore you can shoot it from an arrow as a standard action. This is actually better than Uncanny Forethought + Arcane Reach put together, though your casting will suffer a little. EDIT: On a tangent, other spells this trick works well with.
  • A Spell SovereignDr357 can use a living glyph of warding to gain potentially infinite low-level spells; the living spell itself can use some of the same optimisation options as the Master.

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Homebrew and House Rules (D&D) / [PrC] Pegasus Knight
« on: June 20, 2013, 04:17:19 PM »
PEGASUS KNIGHT


   
"Behold the dancing wings of Ilia!"
-Farina, pegasus knight

Straight from the Fire Emblem games, Pegasus Knights are Fragile Speedsters with high resistance to magic, who wield lance-type weapons and sometimes swords or healing spells. The abilities here are a mashup of a lot of different incarnations of the class (and its promoted versions, Falcoknight and Seraph Knight).

BECOMING A PEGASUS KNIGHT
Paladins make the most obvious pegasus knights, though rangers with the Devoted Tracker feat are also common, as are scouts with the light cavalry ACF (Dragon #346).

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Skills: Ride 8 ranks
Feats: Mounted Combat, Weapon Finesse
Gender: Female
Alignment: Any non-evil


Class Skills (2+Int): Concentration, Craft, Diplomacy, Handle Animal, Heal, Knowledge (nobility and royalty), Knowledge (religion), Profession, Ride, Sense Motive, Tumble

Hit Dice: d6



Level
Base
Attack Bonus
Fort
Save
Ref
Save
Will
Save

Special
Spells per day
1st2nd3rd4th
1st+1+0+2+2Pegasus companion, swift strike0---
2nd+2+0+3+3Mounted evasion, skydancer1---
3rd+3+1+3+3Skirmishing smite 1/encounter10--
4th+4+1+4+4Two as one11--
5th+5+1+4+4Improved maneuverability (good)110-
6th+6+2+5+5Rushby attack211-
7th+7+2+5+5Skirmishing smite 2/encounter2110
8th+8+2+6+6Aura of speed, triangle attack2211
9th+9+3+6+6Hit and run,
improved maneuverability (perfect)
2211
10th+10+3+7+7Alicorn, stunning blow3221

Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Pegasus knights are proficient with simple weapons, short swords, longswords and lances. They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

Spells per Day: A pegasus knight has the ability to cast a small number of divine spells, which are drawn from the paladin list. The knight casts these spells as a paladin (i.e. she must prepare her spells before casting, and her save DCs and bonus spells are based on Wisdom), except that her caster level is equal to her pegasus knight level plus half her levels in other classes. Her spells per day are given in the table above.

Pegasus Companion (Ex): At 1st level a pegasus knight is accompanied by a loyal pegasus. This pegasus's Strength score is 2 lower than a normal member of its species, but it gains the Slight Build special quality:
Quote from: Slight Build (Ex)
The physical stature of this pegasus lets it function in many ways as if it were one size category smaller. Whenever the pegasus is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as Hide), it is treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous. The pegasus is also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. If it somehow becomes capable of using weapons, then it can use weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without penalty, but its space and reach remain those of a creature of its actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category.
Your pegasus gains abilities as a paladin special mount, using your pegasus knight level +2 as your effective paladin level, except that the pegasus does not gain additional HD, and when it would gain the ability to command creatures it instead gains an additional +10ft speed. If you already have a special mount from another source (e.g. if you are a paladin), you may dismiss that mount in order to have your levels in both classes stack for determining your pegasus's abilities.

Swift Strike (Ex): When attacking with a lance, javelin or any type of spear or polearm while mounted, a pegasus knight may add her Dexterity modifier to attack and damage rolls in place of her Strength modifier. This includes adding 1.5x her ability modifier to damage when wielding a two-handed weapon (or a one-handed weapon in two hands).

Mounted Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level while a pegasus knight is mounted atop her pegasus, both she and the pegasus gain the Evasion ability as a rogue.

Skydancer (Ex): At 2nd level, whenever a pegasus knight's mount would be required to make a Tumble check while she is riding it, the pegasus knight may make a Ride check and use that result in place of the Tumble check result.

Skirmishing Smite (Su): At 3rd level a pegasus knight can Smite Evil as a paladin of her class level 1/encounter, except that she must move at least 10ft before making the attack. After successfully using Skirmishing Smite against an evil creature, she gains a bonus to AC against that creature equal to her Charisma modifier for 1 round.
The pegasus knight may use this ability 1 additional time per encounter at 7th level. If she already possesses the Smite Evil or Smite ability from another class, then levels in both classes stack for determining the damage bonuses of both abilities.

Two as One (Ex): At 4th level the bond between a pegasus knight and her steed has grown so strong that they function almost as a single creature. Effectively the knight may manifest fusion on her pegasus at will (even though her pegasus would not normally be a valid target for that power), except that it is a nonmagical effect which cannot be negated or dispelled; it is merely a different way of riding, rather than a literal combination.
The knight is still considered to be riding her pegasus while fused, and the effect ends immediately if she and her steed are somehow separated. The knight may still be individually targeted by attempts to separate her from her steed (e.g. the Unhorse function of the Cavalry Charger feat), though she gains the benefits of her fused stats when defending against them.

Improved Maneuverability: At 5th level your pegasus's maneuverability while flying improves by one step, to Good. At 9th level it improves by another step, to Perfect.

Rushby Attack (Ex): At 6th level, when a pegasus knight uses the Flyby Attack feat while under the effects of her Two as One class feature, she may make a full attack as a standard action. The knight may not attack with her pegasus's natural weapons as part of this action.

Aura of Speed (Ex): At 8th level, a pegasus knight and her allies within 30ft gain a +10ft morale bonus to speed in all movement modes.

Triangle Attack (Ex): At 8th level a pegasus knight is always considered to be flanking a creature if it is within reach and at least one other flying ally threatens that creature.

Hit and Run: At 9th level, whenever a pegasus knight uses the Flyby Attack feat she gains a 20% miss chance against melee attacks for 1 round.

Alicorn: At 10th level the bond between a pegasus knight and her mount imbues it with additional powers similar to that of a unicorn. Its bite natural attack is replaced by a horn dealing 1d8 base damage, it gains immunity to poison, charm, and compulsion effects, and it radiates a continuous magic circle against evil effect as a supernatural ability.

Stunning Blow (Ex): At 10th level, the first time a pegasus knight strikes a creature in a round with a melee attack they must make a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + half your character level + your Wis modifier) or be stunned for 1 round, or dazed for 1 round if they are immune to stunning.

Multiclassing Note: A paladin who gains levels as a pegasus knight may continue advancing as a paladin.

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