[3.5] Melee(ish) spellcaster

[10d10]

For a long time I was playing a Warmage, it was nice and all, but sometimes I felt very restricted by the school focus this class has. We never reach a very high level (we stopped at level 10) but soon my group will come back in a 3.5 campaign stating at level 6 and I wanted to try something a bit different from warmage...

So which classes (and feats) do you recommend for a melee spellcaster? It doesn't need to be very heavy on the melee side.

[sirpercival]

Cleric or Druid.  They do melee better than fighters.

[10d10]

Cleric or Druid.  They do melee better than fighters.

I'm actually looking for something arcane (sorry I should've mentioned this before).

[sirpercival]

Ah, okay.  Warblade/Battle Sorcerer/Spellsword/Abjurant Champion/Jade Phoenix Mage.

[weenog]

Paladin/sorcerer/spellsword/abjurant champion/sacred exorcist works too, if you don't want to involve ToB, or you want Cha to do pretty much everything for you.

[phaedrusxy]

Does a Spellthief/Wizard/Unseen Seer count? It's rogueish, but could melee if that's what you wanted to do. Here is one I was playing for a bit, but I hadn't actually made it into US yet.

[Tr011]

Even a full caster (like wizard XX) can go melee with the right spell selection. You only have to care about improving your defenses really high. I.e. Ghostform+Mystic Shield (for immunity to damage for CL rounds) is good at high levels, then you can go melee and use spells like Death by Thorns (it allows a save but even if your enemy makes the save he will be most likely dead).

But you said low levels, no idea there, but Combust is a really nice low-level melee-spell. I used it auto-empowered on my Wu Jen (that damage was crazy, 68 average damage on level 7 with a level 2 spell).

@phaedrusxy: Daggerspell Mage could work, too, while we're at it... They are melee and not beeing seen is a pretty good defense.

[zugschef]

duskblade

[weenog]

duskblade

I would think if he's tired of playing a blaster, a melee range blaster isn't going to be very interesting to him.

TC, how do you feel about a skills/control/melee triple threat, albeit one that's a little slow to mature?  A beguiler/swiftblade/abjurant champion should provide you with a drastically different experience from a warmage, while still being an arcanist and retaining the tactical flexibility of being a spontaneous caster.

[dumah87]

Even a full caster (like wizard XX) can go melee with the right spell selection. You only have to care about improving your defenses really high. I.e. Ghostform+Mystic Shield (for immunity to damage for CL rounds) is good at high levels, then you can go melee and use spells like Death by Thorns (it allows a save but even if your enemy makes the save he will be most likely dead).

Where I can find Mystic Shield?

[10d10]

Even a full caster (like wizard XX) can go melee with the right spell selection. You only have to care about improving your defenses really high. I.e. Ghostform+Mystic Shield (for immunity to damage for CL rounds) is good at high levels, then you can go melee and use spells like Death by Thorns (it allows a save but even if your enemy makes the save he will be most likely dead).

But you said low levels, no idea there, but Combust is a really nice low-level melee-spell. I used it auto-empowered on my Wu Jen (that damage was crazy, 68 average damage on level 7 with a level 2 spell).

@phaedrusxy: Daggerspell Mage could work, too, while we're at it... They are melee and not beeing seen is a pretty good defense.

But would a full-sorcerer or full-wizard be up to par with other classes? Are they good enough all by themselves? Not that I want to be a melee fighter, but I don't want to die in combat either....

[10d10]

TC, how do you feel about a skills/control/melee triple threat, albeit one that's a little slow to mature?  A beguiler/swiftblade/abjurant champion should provide you with a drastically different experience from a warmage, while still being an arcanist and retaining the tactical flexibility of being a spontaneous caster.

Wow I'll look into that, sounds like a great combo... Would that be... what? 5 levels on beguilder + 5 into swiftblade then AChamp?

[Rebel7284]

Even a full caster (like wizard XX) can go melee with the right spell selection. You only have to care about improving your defenses really high. I.e. Ghostform+Mystic Shield (for immunity to damage for CL rounds) is good at high levels, then you can go melee and use spells like Death by Thorns (it allows a save but even if your enemy makes the save he will be most likely dead).

But you said low levels, no idea there, but Combust is a really nice low-level melee-spell. I used it auto-empowered on my Wu Jen (that damage was crazy, 68 average damage on level 7 with a level 2 spell).

@phaedrusxy: Daggerspell Mage could work, too, while we're at it... They are melee and not beeing seen is a pretty good defense.

But would a full-sorcerer or full-wizard be up to par with other classes? Are they good enough all by themselves? Not that I want to be a melee fighter, but I don't want to die in combat either....

Yes... full casters are by far the most powerful type of character in D&D3.5.  Spells go up in power exponentially, BAB/Saves go up in power linearly. The best gishes are ones that optimize spells access and save actions by finding a way to persist those spells.

[weenog]

TC, how do you feel about a skills/control/melee triple threat, albeit one that's a little slow to mature?  A beguiler/swiftblade/abjurant champion should provide you with a drastically different experience from a warmage, while still being an arcanist and retaining the tactical flexibility of being a spontaneous caster.

Wow I'll look into that, sounds like a great combo... Would that be... what? 5 levels on beguilder + 5 into swiftblade then AChamp?

I was thinking of the 20-level setup beguiler 6/swiftblade 10/abjurant champion 4.  Look under the "Skill" Blades spoiler here.

[Tr011]

But would a full-sorcerer or full-wizard be up to par with other classes? Are they good enough all by themselves? Not that I want to be a melee fighter, but I don't want to die in combat either....

That's why you have to look at...

Where I can find Mystic Shield?

Empire of Shade.

[10d10]

I was thinking of the 20-level setup beguiler 6/swiftblade 10/abjurant champion 4.  Look under the "Skill" Blades spoiler here.

This link, sir, is greatness thank you very much.

But would a full-sorcerer or full-wizard be up to par with other classes? Are they good enough all by themselves? Not that I want to be a melee fighter, but I don't want to die in combat either....

That's why you have to look at...

Where I can find Mystic Shield?

Empire of Shade.

Aha! I'll look into it

[gamer]

Daggerspell Mage?

[10d10]

Daggerspell Mage?

From Complete Arcane?

[Ziltoid]

Daggerspell Mage?

From Complete Arcane?

Complete Adventurer

[gamer]

Yes, the one from complete adventurer.

I have a build that works quite well, although it is a bit of a late bloomer.

28pt human

Str   10
Dex   16
Con   14
Int   16
Wis    8
Cha    8


Class   BaB   Fort   Ref   Will   Feat

Rogue   +0   +0   +2   +0   Able learner, TWF, SA 1D6, trapfinding      (Iron Will, Flaw Vunerable)

Wiz   +0   +0   +0   +2   Scribe Scroll, Familiar          (Imp Ini, Animal Companion)

Wiz   +1   +0   +0   +3   Weapon Focus dagger

Wiz   +1   +1   +1   +3   Dex +1

Wiz   +2   +1   +1   +4

US   +0   +0   +0   +2   SA 2D6, Iron Will            (Craft Wonderous Item)    

US   +1   +0   +0   +3   Avanced Learning, Silent Spell(b)

Inc   +0   +0   +0   +2   Extend spell(b)   Int +1   

Inc   +1   +0   +0   +3   Persist Spell, coop MM

Inc   +1   +1   +1   +3   MM effect

DSM   +0   +0   +2   +2

DSM   +1   +0   +3   +3   Weapon Finesse   Int +1

DSM   +2   +1   +3   +3   SA 3D6

DSM   +3   +1   +4   +4

DSM   +3   +1   +4   +4   Imp TWF

DSM   +4   +2   +5   +5   SA 4D6      Int +1

DSM   +5   +2   +5   +5

DSM   +6   +2   +6   +6   Open Feat

DSM   +6   +3   +6   +6   SA 5D6

DSM   +7   +3   +7   +7         Int +1

   +11   +5(7)   +11(15)   +17(18)

HP: 6+10D6+9D4+40 (103)