Best Ur-Priest builds, including Psionics

[Mooncrow]

Seconding Binder 5/Ur-priest 2/Anima Mage 8/Knight of the Sacred Seal 5.  Not only do you get 9th-level casting and 18th-level binding, but you can get free persists with vestige metamagic.  AND, you can bind Astaroth to completely destroy WBL by crafting as much as you want, using dark craft xp and gold that you got because you have a rocking Knowledge:Religion, and you have divine spells to make into items.  Only requirement is Keeper of the Forbidden Lore to get Spellcraft as a class skill.

18th level binding is a bit over-rated, though. I think I'd rather have more casting. What about:

Sorcerer 4/Binder 1/Ur-Priest 2/Anima Mage 10/Mystic Theurge 3? You wind up casting as a 9th level Ur-Priest (or 10th, either way you get 9th level spells with a high enough wisdom), 9th or 10th level sorcerer, with 11th level binding (13th level for determining the level of vestige you can get).

Of course you could go wizard instead of sorcerer, but you'll be a bit more MAD. You can have Divine Metamagic, Vestige Metamagic, 9th level divine and 5th level arcane spells, and a few tricks from your vestiges (I really like the rerolls from Balam).

You could of course dump the 10th level of Anima Mage and get 10/10 Ur-Priest/Sorcerer casting, but I like the capstone.

18th level binding is mostly useful because of Zceryll - SM IX all day long nets you a fair amount of casting by itself^^

[Nunkuruji]

Well, if I was going to build something evilish for the party to face

Probably Ardent/Ur/Tainted Sorc/Tainted Psion/Theurge

Lots of Con/Wis and some Cha, buffed and hard to take down.

Not sure what I'd do for a PC

[Rebel7284]

I very simple and yet extremely powerful build:

Ardent 5/Ur Priest 2/Psychic Theurge 8/Ardent 5

Full Psionic and Divine casting with Dominant Ideal ACF.

Very illegal as well. Needs +3 base fortitude save and Ardent only gives +1 at level five. Unless the ACF somehow rectifies that problem, this build doesn't qualify.

So delay entry to Ur Priest.  If playing at later levels, doesn't matter too much.

Aye. Just pointed out a flaw. I do agree with the general idea of the build though. Perhaps, for once, a Monk dip would not hurt this build. Wisdom based, would give that fortitude save and Practiced Manifester would still keep you at maximum ML...

You do need Ardent 10 to get Dominant Ideal.  So dipping pre-epic would be bad.

[littha]

I wouldn't bother with monk, the only thing you would get out of it is wis to AC and ardents can wear heavy armor anyway. I would rather go Psychic warrior instead for the bonus pp and feat.

I would go:
Ardent 5/Psychic Warrior 1/Ur Priest 1/Psychic Theurge 8/Ardent 5
Yes you do lose rebuke undead but do you really need it considering you already have a stupid amount of power?

[awaken_D_M_golem]

Heh ... getting UrP 10 and Ardent 10 Dominant Ideal going, needs
lots of PsyRef-ing to keep up, and Psiotheurgist feat(s) for versatility.
But level 20 looks good.
 


Extra-cheese on this pie ... using the PHB2 Rebuilding goofy qualifying trick
Fort Class 1 / Commoner 3 / Whatever X / UrP 1
and something extra extra cheesy, to rebuild multiple times
ends up Fort Class 1 / UrP 5ish on up to 10.
That'd be the earliest use of the 10th level cheese, but needs the X-cheese to get there.

[Surreal]

Bit of an oddball build... Cleric 2/XX 1/Master of Shrouds 2/Ur-priest 2/Master of Shrouds +x/whatever else
You actually lose your MoS ablities at level 6 when you enter Ur-priest (unless your XX was Dread Necromancer), and get them back at level 7 when you regain rebuke.  From there on if you're playing the build at those levels (rather than jumping in at ECL20) you'll slowly be catching up on casting but have your undead summons backing you up.

[widow]

I will try a crazy build as well.

Savage Bard 1/ Wizard 1/ Savage Bard 1/Fiend of Possession 6/ Ur-Priest 2/Contemplative 1/DweomerKeeper 2/ Shadowcraft mage 5/ Mystic 1

Play a gnome with the otherworldly feat and ritual of alignment to qualify for the Fiend of Possession.  Play the Ur-Priest type that follows a fallen god, picking up the magic domain with contemplative.  Dweomerkeeper grants spell mantle at level 1.  The feat alternative sourced spell from dragon magazine lets you prepare arcane spells as divine and vice versa so.... your wizard can cast silent image as a divine spell which you select for your spell mantle.  Now you can convert any prepared divine spell as silent image.  Shadowcraft mage grants the usual, minus all the earth heighten fun (feats are tight).  Mystic is also from dragon magazine #274.  Level one grants a spell secret, apply one specific metamagic feat to a spell  you know, it always has that metamagic feat applied.  The list is short, but shadowcraft mage has silent illusion, so take still spell for silent image.  Mystic also grants a bonus 8th and 9th spell slot in this build.  Now you can cast all your silent images while possessing an item.

Not as powerful as a Ur-Chord or other Ur-Priest builds, but a nice Fiend of Possession.

[phaedrusxy]

Bit of an oddball build... Cleric 2/XX 1/Master of Shrouds 2/Ur-priest 2/Master of Shrouds +x/whatever else
You actually lose your MoS ablities at level 6 when you enter Ur-priest (unless your XX was Dread Necromancer), and get them back at level 7 when you regain rebuke.  From there on if you're playing the build at those levels (rather than jumping in at ECL20) you'll slowly be catching up on casting but have your undead summons backing you up.

Yeah, I think this would be a fun one. I've thought about it, but never actually played one. I'd definitely want the XX to be Dread Necro... unless you were starting above level 6. 

[Noliar]

Ur Priest loses casting from cleric levels but it doesn't say anything about losing other class abilities like turning or domain powers.

[littha]

Ur Priest loses casting from cleric levels but it doesn't say anything about losing other class abilities like turning or domain powers.

I believe that would fall under Ex-Clerics:

Ex-Clerics

A cleric who grossly violates the code of conduct required by his god loses all spells and class features, except for armor and shield proficiencies and proficiency with simple weapons. He cannot thereafter gain levels as a cleric of that god until he atones (see the atonement spell description).

That would be up to DM interpretation especially considering clerics of an ideal but I guess that was the RAI.

[Surreal]

Bit of an oddball build... Cleric 2/XX 1/Master of Shrouds 2/Ur-priest 2/Master of Shrouds +x/whatever else
You actually lose your MoS ablities at level 6 when you enter Ur-priest (unless your XX was Dread Necromancer), and get them back at level 7 when you regain rebuke.  From there on if you're playing the build at those levels (rather than jumping in at ECL20) you'll slowly be catching up on casting but have your undead summons backing you up.

Yeah, I think this would be a fun one. I've thought about it, but never actually played one. I'd definitely want the XX to be Dread Necro... unless you were starting above level 6. 

I've always thought Bard with the appropriate feats would be a nice complement. Or oddball again, Dragon Shaman with the power aura to boost the Str drain from the shadows (though I think the Bard can do this better anyways?)

edit: I also don't remember if there was a Sage ruling that the Str damage couldn't be boosted... and that extra damage was just negative energy or something fuzzy like that.

[Mixster]

Bit of an oddball build... Cleric 2/XX 1/Master of Shrouds 2/Ur-priest 2/Master of Shrouds +x/whatever else
You actually lose your MoS ablities at level 6 when you enter Ur-priest (unless your XX was Dread Necromancer), and get them back at level 7 when you regain rebuke.  From there on if you're playing the build at those levels (rather than jumping in at ECL20) you'll slowly be catching up on casting but have your undead summons backing you up.

Yeah, I think this would be a fun one. I've thought about it, but never actually played one. I'd definitely want the XX to be Dread Necro... unless you were starting above level 6. 

Cloistered Cleric 1/Dread Necro 2/MoS 2/Ur-Priest 2/Master of Shrouds till the end. Is probably better since he gets to keep the extra spells from dead Necro, and Cleric Level 2 is mostly a meaningless level.

I've always thought Bard with the appropriate feats would be a nice complement. Or oddball again, Dragon Shaman with the power aura to boost the Str drain from the shadows (though I think the Bard can do this better anyways?)

Shadows are undead though, they don't get boosts from Morale Bonuses.

[Noliar]

Boni from Dragon Shaman auras are untyped and the power aura gives a bonus to melee damage rolls so that would by the same type of damage as the die gives. 

[Surreal]

Bit of an oddball build... Cleric 2/XX 1/Master of Shrouds 2/Ur-priest 2/Master of Shrouds +x/whatever else
You actually lose your MoS ablities at level 6 when you enter Ur-priest (unless your XX was Dread Necromancer), and get them back at level 7 when you regain rebuke.  From there on if you're playing the build at those levels (rather than jumping in at ECL20) you'll slowly be catching up on casting but have your undead summons backing you up.

Yeah, I think this would be a fun one. I've thought about it, but never actually played one. I'd definitely want the XX to be Dread Necro... unless you were starting above level 6. 

Cloistered Cleric 1/Dread Necro 2/MoS 2/Ur-Priest 2/Master of Shrouds till the end. Is probably better since he gets to keep the extra spells from dead Necro, and Cleric Level 2 is mostly a meaningless level.

I've always thought Bard with the appropriate feats would be a nice complement. Or oddball again, Dragon Shaman with the power aura to boost the Str drain from the shadows (though I think the Bard can do this better anyways?)

Shadows are undead though, they don't get boosts from Morale Bonuses.

I don't think the Cleric 1/DN 2 works due to prereq requirements (I think it was the Fort save for Ur-priest?)

Doesn't the requiem feat from LM let bards inspire undead?

Bah, gotta head off to work; no time to look things up.

[SageBahamut]

I just shared this in the War Weaver handbook discussion thread, but I'll post it here, too, for general consensus:

Bard 5 / Ur-Priest 2 / War Weaver 3 / Sublime Chord 1 / War Weaver +2 / Mystic Theurge 7

Give you:
Bard 7 (meh)
Ur-Priest 9 (9th level Divine if you have a bonus 9th level spell)
Sublime Chord 10 (9th level Arcane)

and all 5 levels of War Weavery goodness. also with the right spell/item/feat selection, you can Inspire Courage for rather a lot, if you care about that sort of thing.
(Is it 1 for Bard 1, +1 Inspirational Boost, +1 Song of the Heart, +1 Badge of Valor, Words of Creation x2 = +8? It's still +4 if your DM won't let you convert to CG after taking those 2 levels of Ur-Priest and take Words of Creation. I know this isn't phenomenal, but considering pulling it off costs you almost nothing, you might as well.)

[Tshern]

Bard 5 / Ur-Priest 2 / War Weaver 3 / Sublime Chord 1 / War Weaver +2 / Mystic Theurge 7

Doesn't work, Ur-Priest has a prerequisite of +3 base fortitude save bonus.

[bankenichi]

You could always go with Savage Bard (Unearthed Arcana p. 50) instead of regular bard to make it work.

[SageBahamut]

You could always go with Savage Bard (Unearthed Arcana p. 50) instead of regular bard to make it work.

This, with my apologies.

[Wiggins]

Must be either Seakin or an Anthropomorphic Bat (Needs Favored Class Druid rather than Any, and these are the only ones that fit the bill without level adjustment, getting high enough Wisdom and Charisma, along with and Intelligence of 14 or of 12 with the human skill bonus.)

Must be Neutral Evil

The DM has to allow the use of the Dragon Magazine Feat “Alternate Source Spell”, and allow it to count for Casting Requirements on Prestige Classes.

If the DM allows the use of otyugh hole to gain Iron Will, then this doesn't require any use of Flaws, though I'd still be tempted to trade Weak Will for Great Fortitude.

Rogue 1 , Bard 1, Druid 1, Rogue 2-3, Bard 2-3, Ur-Priest 1-3, Sublime Chord 1-2, Fochlucan Lyrist 1-7, Unseen Seer 1

Sadly no Psionics, except the use of 2 Open Minded Feats.

[Tenebrous Apostle]

A theoreticaly good plan for prospective necromancers is DN9\ Ur- Priest 2\ True Necro 9 with the apropriate cheese like a Planar touchstone and an Otyghu hole to aquire the useless Iron will feat