Whipping up a 20th level Wizard//Arcane Archer Gestalt

[ksbsnowowl]

I need a difficult Human or Half-Elf gestalt foe for my 20th level PC's to hunt down and kill.  Just to go for something a little different, and to take advantage of the gestalt nature of the game, I'm thinking of throwing together an Arcane Archer, so I can do mean things like center Antimagic Fields on my PC's.

My initial thought on a build is 36 point buy, and something like this:

Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 8  (put all 5 stat boosts into Intelligence, giving him a native 23)
Half-Elf Wizard 20//Ranger 6/Arcane Archer 8/XX 6

I could obviously cut back on the Arc Archer levels in lieu of Wizard PrC levels, or something else on the Ranger side.

He'll also likely be Shapechanged into a Pit Fiend for the great stats (native Dex of 27), and just for kicks, I'll probably make his 18th level feat Mindsight, to take advantage of the telepathy such Shapechange forms will give him.  Might as well throw a level of Mindbender in there too, so he'll have use of it in his normal form.

More than anything, I need ideas on what area spells to give him for use with Imbue Arrow, but any other ideas you might have would be great to hear.

[Rebel7284]

What sources are allowed and what levels are you likely playing at?

Is Elf on the table?  Half elf has very little to offer as a race to such a character.

Since it takes a standard action to fire the arrow, extra standard actions will probably help.

If you are ok with waiting for entry,

You can try something like:

1. Martial Wizard 1 // Factotum 1 - Bonus: Dodge, Combat Casting
2. Martial Wizard 2 // Factotum 2
3. Martial Wizard 3 // Factotum 3 - Endurance
4. Martial Wizard 4 // Factotum 4
5. Martial Wizard 5 // Factotum 5 - Bonus: Mobility
6. Martial Wizard 6 // Swiftblade 1 - Precise Shot, Bonus: Spring Attack
7. Spelldancer 1 // Factotum 6
8. Swiftblade 2 // Factotum 7
9. Swiftblade 3// Factotum 8 - Extend Spell
10. Martial Wizard 7// Cloistered Cleric 1 - War Domain (Weapon Focus), Elf Domain (Point Blank Shot), Knowledge Domain traded for Knowledge Devotion
11. Martial Wizard 8 // Arcane Archer 1
12. Martial Wizard 9 // Arcane Archer 2 - Persistent Spell
13. Martial Wizard 10 // Swiftblade 4 - Free Fighter Feat
14. Swiftblade 5 // Warblade 1
15. Swiftblade 6 // Warblade 2 - Feat
16. Martial Wizard 10 // Swiftblade 7
17. Swiftblade 8 // Warblade 3
18. Swiftblade 9 // Warblade 4 - Feat

Alternatively, if you want to enter Arcane Archer as soon as possible, you can start with
Martial Wizard 6/Warblade 6 or even something like Wizard 6 // Ranger 2/Hit and Run Tactics Fighter 1/Whirling Frenzy Barbarian 1/Warblade 2

[ksbsnowowl]

What sources are allowed and what levels are you likely playing at?

A quick note, which it seems you may have missed, I'm the DM, so this is an NPC.  It is a 20th level NPC.  Pretty much everything is allowed except subsystems (incarnum, psionics, ToB, etc).

Is Elf on the table?  Half elf has very little to offer as a race to such a character.

It must be human or half elf.  Since I'm intending to putter around with Imbue Arrow, it needs to be a half-elf.

Since it takes a standard action to fire the arrow, extra standard actions will probably help.

Not a problem; this game allows what is basically 3.0 Haste as a 5th level spell.


Here's what I've worked up so far, though I'm still lacking a lot of area spells for Imbue Arrow.  I also need to pick several feats.

Half-Elf Wizard 19/Mindbender 1//Ranger 6/Duskblade 3/Fighter 2/Arcane Archer 9
Medium Humanoid (elf)
Hit Dice: 18d8 + 2d10 + 40 (159 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+6 Dex, +4 Mage Armor), touch 16, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+23
Attack: MW Longsword +24 melee (1d8+3) or +5 Seeking Splitting Comp Longbow +31/+31 ranged (1d8+8)
Full Attack: +5 Seeking Splitting Comp Longbow +31/+31/+26/+26/+21/+21/+16/+16 ranged (1d8+8)
Rapid Shot: +5 Seeking Splitting Comp Longbow +29/+29/+29/+29/+24/+24/+19/+19/+14/+14 ranged (1d8+8)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spells, Favored Enemy (Humans +4, Giants +2), Arcane Channeling, enhance arrow +5, imbue arrow, seeker arrow, phase arrow, hail of arrows
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, wild empathy, animal companion, armored mage, arcane attunement
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +18, Will +13
Abilities: Str 16 [10], Dex 22 [16], Con 14, Int 32 [26], Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Bluff +4 [1+4 cc], Concentration +25 [23], Diplomacy +5 [4 cc], Hide +29 [23], Intimidate +5 [4 cc], Kn (Arcana) +16 [5], Listen +23 [23], Move Silently +29 [23], Sense Motive +4 [4], Spellcraft +34 [23], Spot +23 [23], Survival +17 [15]; 210 skill points total (24 remaining)
Feats: Scribe Scroll*, Track*, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot*, Endurance*, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow), Manyshot*, Combat Casting*, Sudden Extend, 12, 15, Sudden Silent Spell, Sudden Still Spell, Quicken Spell, F1, F2, Mindsight
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: [GCR 20]
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +0

Spells: Wizard caster level 20th; save DC 21+spell level.
   Spells per day (4/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/5/5);
0–light, mage hand, mending, mending
1st–mage armor, shield, magic missile, magic missile, feather fall, arrow mind, nerveskitter
2nd–heart of air, scintillating scales, wraithstrike, scorching ray, glitterdust, ?, ?
3rd–heart of water, slow, fly, vampiric touch, displacement, protection from energy, phantom steed
4th–heart of earth, greater mirror image, dimension door, solid fog, ?, ?
5th–heart of fire, true haste, true haste, teleport, xorn movement, cloud kill, ?
6th–antimagic field, antimagic field, greater dispel magic, true seeing, greater anticipate teleport, ?
7th–limited wish, ethereal jaunt, project image, Quickened slow, ?, ?
8th–mind blank, maze, sunburst, superior invisibility, mystic shield
9th–shapechange, Mordenkainen's disjunction, time stop, time stop, frostfell

Other spells active: permanent arcane sight, contingency (dimension door; triggered by casting nerveskitter)

Ranger caster level 3rd; save DC 10+ spell level; Spells per Day (1)
1st–hunter's mercy

Wand of Brilliant Energy Arrow (40 charges)
Tome of Intelligence +3, Headband of Intellect +6, Gloves of Dex +6, Belt of Giant Strength +6
+1 Seeking Splitting Composite Longbow



Shapechanged form:

(click to show/hide)

FLOKI STANSSON - Pit Fiend Shapechange
Half-Elf Wizard 19/Mindbender 1//Ranger 6/Duskblade 3/Fighter 2/Arcane Archer 9
Medium Humanoid (elf)
Hit Dice: 18d8 + 2d10 + 40 (159 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 60 ft. (12 squares)
Armor Class: 47 (-1 size, +11 Dex, +23 natural, +4 Mage Armor), touch 20, flat-footed 36
Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+40
Attack: MW Longsword +36 melee (2d6+16) or +5 Seeking Splitting Comp Longbow +36/+36 ranged (2d6+8)
Full Attack: +5 Seeking Splitting Comp Longbow +36/+36/+31/+31/+26/+26/+21/+21 ranged (2d6+8) and
   2 wings +30 melee (2d6+8) and bite +30 melee (4d6+8 plus poison plus disease) and tail slap +30 melee (2d8+8)
Rapid Shot: +5 Seeking Splitting Comp Longbow +34/+34/+34/+34/+29/+29/+24/+24/+19/+19 ranged (1d8+8)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Spells, Favored Enemy (Humans +4, Giants +2), Arcane Channeling, enhance arrow +5, imbue arrow, seeker arrow, phase arrow, hail of arrows; improved grab, constrict, disease, fear aura, poison
Special Qualities: DR 15/Good and Silver, Darkvision, immunity to fire and poison, resist acid 10, cold 10, regeneration 5, see in darkness, SR 32; wild empathy, animal companion, armored mage, arcane attunement, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +25, Ref +23, Will +13
Abilities: Str 43 [37], Dex 33 [27], Con 27, Int 32 [26], Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Bluff +X [1+4 cc], Concentration +X [23], Diplomacy +X [4 cc], Hide +X [23], Intimidate +X [4 cc], Kn (Arcana) +X [5], Listen +X [23], Move Silently +X [23], Sense Motive +X [4], Spellcraft +X [23], Spot +X [23], Survival +17 [15]; 210 skill points total (24 remaining)
Feats: Scribe Scroll*, Track*, Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot*, Endurance*, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (longbow), Manyshot*, Combat Casting*, Sudden Extend, 12, 15, Sudden Silent Spell, Sudden Still Spell, Quicken Spell, F1, F2, Mindsight
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: [GCR 20]
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +0

Spells: Wizard caster level 20th; save DC 21+spell level.
   Spells per day (4/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/5/5);
0–light, mage hand, mending, mending
1st–mage armor, shield, magic missile, magic missile, feather fall, arrow mind, nerveskitter
2nd–heart of air, scintillating scales, wraithstrike, scorching ray, glitterdust, ?, ?
3rd–heart of water, slow, fly, vampiric touch, displacement, protection from energy, phantom steed
4th–heart of earth, greater mirror image, dimension door, solid fog, ?, ?
5th–heart of fire, true haste, true haste, teleport, xorn movement, cloud kill, ?
6th–antimagic field, antimagic field, greater dispel magic, true seeing, greater anticipate teleport, ?
7th–limited wish, ethereal jaunt, project image, Quickened slow, ?, ?
8th–mind blank, maze, sunburst, superior invisibility, mystic shield
9th–shapechange, Mordenkainen's disjunction, time stop, time stop, frostfell

Other spells active: permanent arcane sight, contingency (dimension door; triggered by casting nerveskitter)

Ranger caster level 3rd; save DC 10+ spell level; Spells per Day (1)
1st–hunter's mercy

Wand of Brilliant Energy Arrow (40 charges)
Tome of Intelligence +3, Headband of Intellect +6, Gloves of Dex +6, Belt of Giant Strength +6
+1 Seeking Splitting Composite Longbow
Spellbook also contains Charm person,

Constrict (Ex): A pit fiend deals 2d8+26 points of damage with a successful grapple check.
Disease (Su): A creature struck by a pit fiend’s bite attack must succeed on a DC 27 Fortitude save or be infected with a vile disease known as devil chills (incubation period 1d4 days, damage 1d4 Str). The save DC is Constitution-based.
Fear Aura (Su): A pit fiend can radiate a 20-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 18th). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same pit fiend’s aura for 24 hours. Other baatezu are immune to the aura. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a pit fiend must hit with its tail slap attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 27, initial damage 1d6 Con, secondary damage death. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Regeneration (Ex): A pit fiend takes normal damage from good-aligned silvered weapons, and from spells or effects with the good descriptor.

[Gribel]

I noticed you didn't adjust the arrows' damage when he's shapeshifted. If you don't make the weapon scale to the form you take naturally, you could make it Sizing for 5kgp. There's also a way to make it adjust to your strength score, though I don't recall how exactly. Instead of 1d8+8, it would be 2d6+21.

[ksbsnowowl]

I noticed you didn't adjust the arrows' damage when he's shapeshifted. If you don't make the weapon scale to the form you take naturally, you could make it Sizing for 5kgp. There's also a way to make it adjust to your strength score, though I don't recall how exactly. Instead of 1d8+8, it would be 2d6+21.

Ah, I knew I forgot something!  I'll fix the base damage value.  Yeah... the only way I know of for the strength bonus to be scalable is with Hank's Energy Bow (which I've already disallowed for the campaign), and I think there might be a relic that does so...

Hmm.... That might be an idea...

It is the Bow of the Winter Moon from MIC.  But it only works if you are NG, CG, or CN... This guy is evil.  I guess I could make him CN.  The auto-adjusting Strength mod works without any extra investment, too.  It's 3,400 gp and functions as a +1 Composite Longbow.  The cost of a +1 Composite Longbow is 2,400 gp... so they are valuing the auto-adjusting Strength of pull at 1,000 gp...  That's a little nuts.

Well, maybe I can make two versions of this, one each from the Seelie and Unseelie courts.  The Bow of the Winter Moon would require alignments centered around CE, while the Bow of the Summer Moon would be centered around CG...

I'll play with that a bit.

[vaz]

Take Craft Skull Talisman and combine with Imbue Arrow. The skulls may be quite big, as it requires a skull from a large creature for 9th level spells, but I am fairly sure that you can Shrink item the skull, or attach it to an arrow suitable for a colossal caster. It is slightly homebrewed i guess and not far from the portable hole nuke arrow, but fun.

I've been using it on a Master Transmogrifist to take the Shape of an Arrow Demon and scatter a huge number of arrows out each turn loaded with Animate Objects.