Advice for Age of Worms party

[Sevash]

Okay!  So, it turns out the undead-heavy campaign I'll be playing in is the Age of Worms adventure path from Dungeon magazine.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't pretty darn stoked for this.  I've heard good things about this campaign, and as much as I don't care much for some of what Paizo has released I've yet to be disappointed with their adventure paths.

We've got ideas for characters, with varying degrees of flesh attached to the bare-bones ideas:

-My fianceè is set on playing a Lesser Celadrin Sorceress, with the intent of making everything that so much as looks at her funny burning in fiery fire (and making creatures immune to fire burn anyway for their insolence).  It's a fairly low-end concept, but she's open to some fair amount of trickery to get her mileage out of it--Reserves of Strength, Easy Metamagic (Searing Spell), etc.  She wants as much KILL IT WITH FIRE as she can manage without making fights trivial.  She's amenable to some other types of spells so long as they primarily deal with making enemies worse, and yes--it HAS to be fire.

-I will be playing, at the request of the DM, a Wizard--most likely a Grey Elf or something similar to take that 3rd level substitution and get a +8 initiative bonus for owning a hummingbird.  I'm unsure how to go about taking prestige classes, but I rather like using an Acorn of Far Travel to take advantage of Hathran provided I can get some bits refluffed...combining the ability to cast any spell I have in my books with Circle Magic AND with my fianceè being willing to apply metamagic feats as I cast them could be awfully damn fun.  I'm playing a Wizard because my DM has never really experienced anything above mid-level play, and when told about using a combination of a Thought Bottle and Uncanny Forethought to get good-as-free standard action demiplanes/vacation homes the first word out of her mouth was "hot."  She wants to see what else the class with the second-worst chassis in the game can do.  Intend on taking Leadership at 6th level and scoring an Artificer, for Maximum Cheese without straight up breaking the campaign over my knee.

-We also have someone who insists on playing a Rogue--she's never had the chance to play a given rogue character more than one session, and she wants to get it out of the way.  In order to make her actually contribute something to the team, we're likely going to make a Daring Outlaw out of her--take Able Learner at first level, then move over into Swashbuckler after a few levels to make her worth something in combat as well as grabbing Penetrating Strike.  Maybe a few levels in Swordsage would be worthwhile, but I don't know--she's probably the least rules-competent in our group, and I don't think she's ever heard of Tome of Battle before, let alone the term "martial adept".

-Last and least (as far as planning) is the Rogue's husband, who will probably be playing a Cleric.  That's all we've got, really.  He's never played a spellcaster before, and considering nobody else has a hit die above d6 or any real armor proficiency we need someone who can maybe take a hit early on.  Druid was briefly considered, but considering the sheer number of things they need going for them it seemed a bit overkill for a new player.  (My first experience with D&D was as an epic-level druid, and I had no clue how to be effective whatsoever.  Still outperformed the fighter, but I still learned the lesson that druids are not for newbies due to sheer number of options at any given moment.)

At this point, we're looking at getting together Sunday afternoon to commit our characters to paper.  During this period of time, the most weight of character creation is going to fall on me--I won't be making the decisions for the players when making their characters, but my advice has a fair amount of weight.  I'm not looking for full builds at right now from you guys (unless you're looking to provide them), but rather input on  some areas of concern.

-Is Incantatrix worthwhile for a blasting sorceress?  Lots of metamagic feats for a build that could definitely use them, but I'm on the fence about it.  Wondering how it would best be applied, or if there's better options.

-Where should I go with the Cleric?  He needs to be able to melee early on, at least until reliable miss chances come online and the Rogue becomes the primary threat in melee combat.  But he's likely to always end up in the thick of things, regardless.  I'm probably going to provide him with an abbreviated spell list to weed out the lesser options (most likely cribbed from the Cleric Handbook), but what is good as far as a strong build that is also very simple?  I've looked at RSoP, but again I'm not sure if that is my best option here let alone how to employ it.

-For the Rogue's build, I probably will insert some levels of Swordsage in there to grab Assassin's Stance and whatever that feat is that gives Dex to damage.  But early on, how should I stagger the levels of Rogue and Swashbuckler?  I don't want to wait too long to dip at least one level in and grab Weapon Finesse, but I'm not sure when and how much to do so.

I apologize for the text wall, but this is where I'm at right now.  Any consideration and response would be appreciated.

[dna1]

So I assume you guys are starting at level 1?

IDK where to start.. I guess I will start with the Cleric. From the description you posted, and if you're starting at level 1, I would just go Druid instead. They get a Animal Companion for extra melee help. They can heal almost just as good as a Cleric. Especially when you get a bit higher level and can use Summon Natures Ally to summon stuff that heals or has remove disease such as a Unicorn.
Druid in my opinion is easier to play than a Cleric.
If you don't want to have to bother with summoning then use this ACF: Spontaneous Rejuvenation (PHB 2, p 39): Lose spontaneous SNA spells. Gain the ability to sacrifice spells to give allies fast healing.
That would take care of any healing needed outside of combat.


Ok the Sorc.. you could go normal sorc to incantrix for metamagic goodness. or a fun build might be like a stalwart battle sorc.
take these feats
Precocious Apprentice, lets you cast a single 2nd level spell. Probably take Combust.
Fiery Burst, as long as you have a fire spell of 2nd level or higher available to cast, you can spend a standard action to create a 5-foot-radius burst of fire at a range of 30 feet. This burst deals ld6 points of fire damage per level of the highest level fire spell you have available to cast. Meaning 2d6.. as a level 1 character.
Versatile Spellcaster - You can use two spell slots of the same level to cast a spell you know that is one level higher. For example, a sorcerer with this feat can expend two 2nd-level spell slots to cast any 3rd-level spell he knows.


Theres a few ideas.. I don't really like making rogues.. So good luck there. Sounds like you don't need any help on your Wiz. But I would highly suggest sparing your naive DM from god wiz rape. 

[Prime32]

-My fianceè is set on playing a Lesser Celadrin Sorceress, with the intent of making everything that so much as looks at her funny burning in fiery fire (and making creatures immune to fire burn anyway for their insolence).  It's a fairly low-end concept, but she's open to some fair amount of trickery to get her mileage out of it--Reserves of Strength, Easy Metamagic (Searing Spell), etc.  She wants as much KILL IT WITH FIRE as she can manage without making fights trivial.  She's amenable to some other types of spells so long as they primarily deal with making enemies worse, and yes--it HAS to be fire.

Consider dipping cleric (Charm domain maybe?), then PrCing into Silver Pyromancer - it lets your fire damage pierce immunity, adds carrier effects, lets you learn spells from the paladin list (there are some cool ones in SpC, like Draconic Might and Righteous Aura), and gives you level-appropriate Turn Undead. There's also Sanctified One (Kord), but she won't be able to meet the prereqs for a while unless she's a battle sorcerer.

EDIT: You could enter Silver Pyromancer with one less lost caster level if you go Sorcerer 10/Sacred Exorcist 1, rather than Sorcerer 6/Cleric 1. Conversely you could use early entry tricks to qualify with Sorcerer 1/Cleric 1. Sacred Exorcist makes a good follow-up class in either case, since it lets you maintain your turning.

[Demelain]

About Precocious Apprentice + Fiery Burst: if Retraining is allowed, that's a great way to pack at-will firepower early. But Fiery Burst is gonna fall off soon (deal half your Level*d6, assuming no lost CL) and by mid-level will honestly be a waste of a feat, IMO. I like Precocious Apprentice early as well, but if you're not using it for some kind of combo/early entry it's not all that great a few levels later - especially for a Sorcerer, who has more spell slots than he knows what to do with in the first place.

So, if you can retrain them, that sounds like a nifty way to deal Greatsword damage in an AoE at level 1. If you can't retrain, I say skip it.

Also, make sure she mainly uses Orb of Fire for single target blasting. I'd take a conjuration effect over an evocation any day.

You could enter Silver Pyromancer with one less lost caster level if you go Sorcerer 10/Sacred Exorcist 1, rather than Sorcerer 6/Cleric 1

There is a Sorcerer ACF (Complete Champion) which allows you access to a domain - or the Arcane Disciple feat. The domains Balance and Exorcism have Dismissal as a 4th level spell, allowing you to cut that Sorc 10 entry into Sacred Exorcist down to Sorc 8.

[Sevash]

Okay!  Now that I'm out of the hospital and things at work have settled down for the time being, this game is scheduled to begin--or at least characters will be made--this Sunday.  So I will revive this discussion and run a few more things past you guys.

-First of all:  retraining (for skills points and feats, although classes may be a bit much), flaws, and traits are all going to be available.  Ability score generation is at this point up in the air, although it's likely going to be some kind of cross between point-buy and random generation.  Our DM seemed amenable to the "Goblet of Fire"--placing 24d6 in a goblet, rolling them, dropping the lowest six, then each player arranges them into their scores in groups of three as they see fit.  Keeps a random feel to it while also allowing for player choice and reasonable equality.  Also if the pool's bad, everybody benefits from the reroll.

-Love, love, LOVE the idea of Sacred Exorcist and Silver Pyromancer for the Sorceress, and she loves it too.  Fire so hot it excoriates the souls of the unclean, mwahaha!  The addition of potent Destroy Undead (she's decided on using that because it's more effective and easier to track) is a bonus in an undead-heavy campaign, too.  Precocious Apprentice and Fiery Burst will also happen early on, since retraining is allowed.  However, I'm afraid I'm away from my books at the moment.  What's the difference between the Sorcerer ACF and the Arcane Disciple feat?  Also between the Balance and Exorcism domains?  And what are some of these early entry tricks that could be hopped on?

-I'm probably going to be going Conjurer 3/Master Specialist 2 with my Wizard, but I'm a bit hung up from there.  I'd like to include both Hathran and Incantatrix if I can (odds of me playing a wizard in the near future after this game being low), but I'm not sure in which ratio to add some one one as opposed to the other and when.  Probably Hathran first, as odds of me affording or being capable of the trip to the Otyugh Hole before sixth level are rather low.  What is the opinion of y'all?

-The Daring Outlaw has been largely figured out.  First Swashbuckler level will probably be taken at second level to get Weapon Finesse as soon as possible without spending a real-people feat, Swordsage at ninth for Assassin's Stance and Dex to damage with another feat, etc. etc.  Largely by the book, although the player is looking at the trait that trades a bonus to a few skills for illiteracy to reflect her street thug roots.  Could be fun.

-Still no idea what the fourth player wants to do.

[dna1]

Arcane Disciple

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( Complete Divine, p. 79)

[General]

Choose a deity, and then select a domain available to clerics of that deity. You can learn to cast the spells associated with that domain as arcane spells.
Prerequisite
Knowledge (religion) 4 ranks, Spellcraft 4 ranks, able to cast arcane spells, alignment matches your deity's alignment,
Benefit
Add the chosen domain's spells to your class list of arcane spells. If you have arcane spellcasting ability from more than one class, you must pick which arcane spellcasting ability this feat applies to. Once chosen, this decision cannot be changed for that feat. You may learn these spells as normal for your class; however, you use Wisdom (rather than the normal ability for your spellcasting) when determining the save DC for the spell. In addition, you must have a Wisdom score equal to 10 + the spell's level in order to prepare or cast a spell gained from this feat. Each day, you may prepare (or cast, if you cast spells without preparation) a maximum of one of these domains spells of each level.
Special
You can take this feat more than once. Each time, you must select a different domain available to the same deity you chose the fi rst time you selected the feat. For example, a character who chose Heironeous and the Good domain with his fi rst selection could choose Law or War with successive selections of the same feat. He couldn't choose Protection, since that domain isn't available to clerics of Heironeous.

Unearthed Arcana has a Sorcerer variant called "Battle Sorcerer" that gives them a better combat presence in return for one fewer spell known and one fewer spell per day (to all entries above 1 on either table).
Complete Mage has a Sorcerer variant called "Stalwart Sorcerer" that gives them some nice things in return for one fewer spell known at their highest spell level, minimum 1.

The ACF for sorcerers (Essentially) d8+2 HD, 3/4 BAB, proficiency with two martial weapons... armor? I can't remember off the top of my head.
Could be good with the Metamagic Specialist variant from the PHB-II. It basically takes your familiar away but eventually lets the Sorcerer use Quicken Spell, which is powerful . Other powerful combos are Heighten, and of course the usual Empower. I'm actually a big fan of felldraining. Slap a felldrain on a enervation and blast the enemy caster.

[Endarire]

My InHathrantrix experience:

Female Human Wizard (Conjurer)5/Incantatrix3/Hathran1/full castingX.  This way, you get to persisty buffs on you (or your party, depending) ASAP.  The Hathran's spontaneous casting is handy, but less important than Incantatrix abilities, at least when I played Red Hand of Doom.  My standard suite of spells (largely Conjurations and Transmutations) was enough to get us through, and I don't know if I needed the spontaneity.

I went Female Human due to prereqs, but ask your GM if you can change race/sex.

By RAW, Elf Wizard3 doesn't double initiative bonuses from familiars.

[Demelain]

Arcane Disciple quoted above, Domain Sorcerer ACF quoted below

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Domain Access
Your depth of belief allows you to channel divine power the way a cleric does. By doing so, you gain access to a single cleric domain.
Level: 5th.
Replaces: To gain this benefit, you do not learn a new lst-level sorcerer spell and a new 2nd-level sorcerer spell at 5th level. From now on, you know one less sorcerer spell that you can cast at each subsequent level (not counting the domain spells from this alternative class feature).
Benefit: Choose one cleric domain. If you worship a specific deity, the domain you choose must be one to which your deity grants access. You gain the granted power of the chosen domain. In addition, you can cast one domain spell of each spell level available to you per day from that domain.

To clarify:
-At 5th level, the number of spells you know of any given level is one less than the table indicates
-The spells of a given domain are added directly to your spells known list, and do not count against this limit
-You gain the granted ability of the chosen domain

Which equates to: learning the domain spell is mandatory, beginning at 5th level, at the earliest opportunity. Further, you may only cast the domain spell of a given level once per day.

In comparison to Arcane Disciple:
AD vs DA
AD does not require you to learn the domain spells, DA does
AD spells are Wisdom based, DA spells remain Charisma based
AD does not grant you the domain granted power, DA does
AD takes a feat slot and requires cross-class ranks in Knowledge (Religion), DA requires you to stay in the Sorcerer base class for at least 5 levels
AD allows you to cast the spells as many times as you have spell slots, DA restricts them to once per day
AD requires you to have the same alignment as your deity, DA has no alignment restrictions (a LG god can be worshiped by a CE character - justifying that to your DM is your problem, though)

I've never been good at early-entry cheese. Precocious Apprentice is about as far as my knowledge extends. So, I have a question for someone more capable than I:
What is the definition of a "spell level available to you"? In context of what I am thinking of:

In addition, you can cast one domain spell of each spell level available to you per day from that domain

Does the feat Versatile Spellcaster make the next spell level "available"?

[Nunkuruji]

Still DMing this adventure,

You know this adventure is undead heavy, the Rogue needs methods to SA undead, or planned alternate fighting means (wands), or he's going to hate life. Print out the ToB maneuver cards for him.

Make sure you are IP-proofing by mid to teen levels. Making saving throws is going to be unavoidable, and if you don't make them, or have immunities.... well....

My players SCM Summoner Cleric does well, and manages to pull peoples asses out of the fire. RSoP isn't the worst option, given the nature of the campaign. Could go Ordained Champion or some other such if he's going to be the tank, idk the proper builds off the top of my head.

Don't underestimate the need of someone or something to just stand in the way and roadblock enemies.

[Sevash]

dna1 and Demelain:
    Thanks for the sorcerous advice.  That character's player has opted to forego the more gish-oriented alternate class features, because she's had her fill of fightin' for now (before this she's been playing a Horizon Tripper in a core-only game and a Crusader before that) and wants to trade in armor for a Slinky Hot Pink Dress of Armor, Stiletto Heels of Translocation, and a Tiara of Charisma.  Metamagic specialist looks good, however, as does the Domain Access ACF.  I mean, using that to grab the Exorcism domain just ties the two prestige classes that have been mentioned together, and doesn't cost a feat.  Also, it looks like the Exorcism domain has a better granted power and spells than Balance for this character and game both.  We'll both probably avoid Fell Drain, simply because the bulk of our serious opponents are going to be undead anyway.  Turns a normally top-notch metamagic feat into something not-so-good, and also fluff-wise out of place on her, the Prettiest of Princesses.

Endaire:
     You're probably right on the build there, although I'm still weighing the cost and benefit of taking the first two levels of Master Specialist rather than taking the fourth and fifth levels of Wizard.  Your assessment that having the ability to persist buffs will be useful before the ability to spontaneously cast is pretty much spot-on though, especially since I won't have enough depth in my spellbook to worry about it at level six.  Also, it gives me a bit more time to get some extra oomph in my followers through Leadership before Circle Magic comes online.  I'm not so sure about the need for spontaneity necessarily, especially with the ability to use divinations reliably, but after a certain point they're either no longer reliable or can be fooled somewhat easily--so at the high-end it will likely help out immensely.

The DM has agreed to re-fluffing the racial and gender requirements (it'd be another story if this were going to be set in FR), as well as allow the doubling of the initiative bonus from the hummingbird familiar re-fluffed to be a particularly robust, active, and personable canary, seeing as we're from a mining town to start.  Since I'm likely to take the Immediate Magic for Conjuration, the hummingbird will be through Acquire Familiar.  I'll see about being able to take that one at first level.

Nunkuruji:
     I'm aware this module is undead-heavy, as I've employed Spawn of Kyuss before--I used them as a zombie apocalypse form as presented in the Urban Arcana setting for d20 Modern.  Blending the standard necromantic and parasitic/viral scenarios together really threw the players off their game, as well as squicking out a couple of players with the transmission method.  Now that I'm potentially on the receiving end (and I don't know whether they're the same in this path as they are in d20 Modern), I'm doing what I can to contain my terror at being infested.  Doing everything I can to avoid the worst of undead attacks WILL happen.  Might even, by making my cohort a full-blown Craftificer, throw in some redundant defenses in case of others being dispelled or somehow bypassed.  I'll let the Sorceress and Outlaw worry about offensive firepower--my job is to make sure that the party not only survives, but thrives.

On the topic of the Outlaw, the Penetrating Strike ACF will be at least looked at if we can't secure some Truedeath Crystals or Gloves of Grave Strike or something along those lines for her.  Dead'ns gotta die somehow.

Other Items of Note:
-Radiant Servant of Pelor was mentioned again, and I think that's what I'm going to recommend to our fourth man.    I've got more experience with Clerics than Druids, and while Clerics require a bit more up-front planning there's much less to figure out at each level than a Druid as you advance.  What's a good way to build a RSoP up, or some resources I could be directed to in order to suss this out myself?

-If I ever play in an Eberron campaign, I'm stealing the build for the sorcerer (perhaps including the battle/stalwart ACFs mentioned earlier) and making the best damn exorcist the Silver Flame has ever seen.  I'm a fan of that faction in Eberron, and now I have the perfect character to fit in it.  Longbows, cleansing flame, paladin spells, exorcism...I need to take a shot at this.

-Would anyone be interested in me posting a CO Diary of this campaign as it goes along?  It might be a bit more prose-y than most others, due to in-character hijinks and our group's knack for being quotable.  Could be a fun read, but I won't worry about it if there isn't much interest.

[Demelain]

Consider me interested.

[Endarire]

Unearthed Arcana 68 has a sidebar which permits Druids to get the Sun Domain.  May be a spiffy way to mix the concepts.