Now this is a build I've been sitting on for a while and was surpirsed to find that it is unique! Well according to the Pulse-Cap search engine anyway The basic premise was a wizard of awesome spellcasting power but also a tough little bugger who would stand up to a lot of battering!
Playable from level 1 - 40 ..PvM or PvP
Race - Gnome (gotta love those little fellas with the big nose!) Classes - wizard (illusionist) 38 paladin 1 monk 1
Statistics; starting(finishing)
Str - 6 (6) Dex - 12 (12) Con - 18 (22) Int - 16 (22) Wis - 10 (10) Cha - 12 (12)
Now I know it's not necessarily the highest ever recorded intelligence for a wizard ever but increasing intelligence much further would just mean a few extra spells and skill points. The build has got the basic caster skills covered so any more skills would just be cross-class.
Levelling Guide:
1-Illusionist(1): Toughness 2-Illusionist(2): 3-Illusionist(3): Combat Casting 4-Illusionist(4): +1 Int (17) 5-Illusionist(5): Empower Spell 6-Illusionist(6): Spell Penetration 7-Illusionist(7): 8-Illusionist(8): +1 Int (18) 9-Illusionist(9): Greater Spell Focus: Illusion 10-Illusionist(10): Greater Spell Penetration 11-Illusionist(11): 12-Illusionist(12): Maximize Spell, +1 Int (19) 13-Illusionist(13): 14-Illusionist(14): 15-Illusionist(15): Spell Focus: Evocation, Still Spell 16-Illusionist(16): +1 Con (19) 17-Illusionist(17): 18-Illusionist(18): Greater Spell Focus: Evocation 19-Illusionist(19): 20-Paladin(1): +1 Con (20) 21-Illusionist(20): Armour Skin, Epic Spell Penetration 22-Illusionist(21): 23-Illusionist(22): 24-Illusionist(23): Epic Damage Reduction I, Improved Combat Casting, +1 Con (21) 25-Illusionist(24): 26-Illusionist(25): 27-Illusionist(26): Epic Damage Reduction II, Automatic Still Spell I 28-Illusionist(27): +1 Int (20) 29-Illusionist(28): Epic Damage Reduction III, Automatic Still Spell II 30-Illusionist(29): 31-Illusionist(30): 32-Illusionist(31): +1 Int (21) 33-Illusionist(32): Epic Skill Focus: Concentration, Automatic Still Spell III 34-Illusionist(33): 35-Illusionist(34): 36-Illusionist(35): Epic Spell Focus: Illusion, Epic Spell Focus: Evocation, +1 Int (22) 37-Illusionist(36): 38-Illusionist(37): 39-Illusionist(38): Epic Spell: Epic Mage Armor, Epic Spell: Epic Warding 40-Monk(1): +1 Con (22)
Hit Points: 450
AC: 22 (when wearing full plate & with Epic Mage Armour this goes to 45)
Damage Reduction: 9/- (this will stack with the 50/+20 from Epic Warding)
Saving throws:
Fortitude-25 Will-22 Reflex-18
Due to paladin level, any charisma boosting items & or buffs (empowered Eagle's Splendour) will increase saves as well.
AB: 19/14 (truely abysmal...but should never need to attack! and should be using a wizard staff anyhow!)
So there we go, a full plate wearing wizard with evasion & damage reduction to boot! The hit point total is certainly impressive and higher than a lot of melee builds I have seen
I hope I haven't forgot anything...for some reason I was showing a spell resistance of 49 by 39th level but I have no idea why
Hope everyone enjoys the build _________________ Grrr...hear my roar!!!
Edited By griphook on 09/08/05 01:18
Nice build. I have a similar build on the PW Amon. My sorc, Jimmy Dean, has an extremely high Con, but no DR and no Auto Still Spell - I WANT people to hit me to die on my shields
Uncle Jimmy is actually Sorc 38/Pal 1/Rogue 1. I wanted the Rogue abilities for soloing certain areas of Amon.
Gotta love Gnome 'Endurance Sorcs'!
Kaliban _________________ This space for rent
6 str is pretty hard for an autostill build. I'd suggest adding some more str.
you need to be able to carry your fullplate and medium sheild, but I'm not sure you'll be able to with only 6 str without a bull's spell being cast. One dispell will probably encumber you as well if you need bull's to wear your equipment.
6 str is pretty hard for an autostill build. I'd suggest adding some more str.
you need to be able to carry your fullplate and medium sheild, but I'm not sure you'll be able to with only 6 str without a bull's spell being cast. One dispell will probably encumber you as well if you need bull's to wear your equipment.
Good pooint! Full plate weighs 50.0 lbs & str 6 allows 60.0 lbs...this gives u 10.0 lbs to play with...however it is usually possible to pick up some strength enhancing items (gauntlets of ogre power for instance), without the need for buffs.... + equip yourself with a few bags of holding and we are away!
The build was never intended for hand to hand combat anyway so i'd be using a wizard staff anyway. _________________ Grrr...hear my roar!!!
Quote: Posted 09/07/05 22:15:29 (GMT) -- krsboss The build was never intended for hand to hand combat anyway so i'd be using a wizard staff anyway.
You should still use a shield whether it's meant for hand-to-hand or not. Why give up free AC? You can always switch to a staff temporarily if you want to use it for a spell. In which case, your STR is indeed way too low for an auto-stiller. You should not have to buff or get strength boosting items just to wear your basic clothing.
Personally, I find the INT extremely low for a pure caster. Even with epic spell focus in evocation, you're going to have a hard time using spells that require a saving throw with INT that low, not to mention the fact that you're limiting your spell slots on a build that only has casting as its offense. 9/- doesn't really seem like an adequate compensation for that.
Steve
Edited By Stravinsky00 on 09/07/05 22:59
Didn't think a Gnome could use a shield whilst carrying a wizard staff! Small stature and all that
Quote: Posted 09/07/05 23:00:08 (GMT) -- krsboss
Didn't think a Gnome could use a shield whilst carrying a wizard staff! Small stature and all that
As I said, you can switch to a staff if you want to use it for a spell, but you're better off having a shield and whatever you want in your main hand as a default.
Steve
Quote: Posted 09/07/05 19:52:58 (GMT) -- jjjhhhlll One dispell will probably encumber you as well if you need bull's to wear your equipment.
Just a note. It's impossible to dispel a character with this many caster levels. The strongest dispeller in the game, Mordenkainen's Disjunction, has a a dispel check of caster level + 1d20, but to a maximum caster level of 20. So, 40 is the highest you can roll. The DC is 11 + the caster level of the person you're dispelling. So, 30 levels of a caster class is enough to make the DC impossible to reach. The breach/disjunction effects still work, but those only strip a subset of spells that does not include basic stat buffs. His Bull's Strength would be untouchable. Still seems a bit too low if you have to use it to just carry what you're wearing, but at least he doesn't have to worry about losing his boost too.
Quote: Posted 09/07/05 22:15:29 (GMT) -- krsboss The build was never intended for hand to hand combat anyway so i'd be using a wizard staff anyway.
Personally, I find the INT extremely low for a pure caster. Even with epic spell focus in evocation, you're going to have a hard time using spells that require a saving throw with INT that low, not to mention the fact that you're limiting your spell slots on a build that only has casting as its offense. 9/- doesn't really seem like an adequate compensation for that.
Steve
9/- isn't the only compensation, high fortitude saves and extremely high Hit Points for a caster...so you end up taking less damage whilst your enemies destroy themselves on your shield (elemental, death armour, acid sheath) and with epic warding you should hardly be taking damage from non-critical attacks...
Maybe you could sacrifice a couple of points on wisdom to boost strength to 8... _________________ Grrr...hear my roar!!!
Quote: Posted 09/07/05 22:15:29 (GMT) -- krsboss The build was never intended for hand to hand combat anyway so i'd be using a wizard staff anyway.
Personally, I find the INT extremely low for a pure caster. Even with epic spell focus in evocation, you're going to have a hard time using spells that require a saving throw with INT that low, not to mention the fact that you're limiting your spell slots on a build that only has casting as its offense. 9/- doesn't really seem like an adequate compensation for that.
Steve
9/- isn't the only compensation, high fortitude saves and extremely high Hit Points for a caster...so you end up taking less damage whilst your enemies destroy themselves on your shield (elemental, death armour, acid sheath) and with epic warding you should hardly be taking damage from non-critical attacks...
Maybe you could sacrifice a couple of points on wisdom to boost strength to 8...
I think my problem was that you seemed to be going for a character with "awesome spellcasting power". This isn't it. But, if that's the strategy you want to use (letting them beat against damage shields and hurt themselves), then it would work very well. And you'd still have good effects with saveless spells. But it seemed based on your initial description that you thought its offensive abilities would be stronger than they are with an INT of 22. That's all I was really getting at.
Steve
I don't know if the 'beating to death' on my shields was the strategy I was aiming for...more like Maximized Ice storms with practically the highest damage possible...& flame arrow...even a nice empowered finger of death which would deal a minimum of 59 negative damage assuming the save was made...maybe timestop, summon IX then a variety of offensive spells?
Cheers Steve tho...I have made a few refinements now and it seems to be working a lot better _________________ Grrr...hear my roar!!!
Well looking at the spells you want to use, it doesn't look like an illusionist to me
aquamoeba
Quote: Posted 09/09/05 01:03:29 (GMT) -- krsboss
I don't know if the 'beating to death' on my shields was the strategy I was aiming for...more like Maximized Ice storms with practically the highest damage possible...& flame arrow...even a nice empowered finger of death which would deal a minimum of 59 negative damage assuming the save was made...maybe timestop, summon IX then a variety of offensive spells?
Cheers Steve tho...I have made a few refinements now and it seems to be working a lot better
In that case, definitely more INT. Finger of Death will not work very well with DCs that low, and even Flame Arrow with Epic Spell Focus (Evocation) won't be as effective as it should be without more INT.
Well looking at the spells you want to use, it doesn't look like an illusionist to me
aquamoeba
Not entirely sure this was serious, , but you don't generally choose a specialized school in NWN because you want to focus on the school. You choose it based on the school that you would lose access to by specializing. Other than the minor spell craft benefits, the real meat and potatoes of specialization is that you get an extra spell per day per spell level. So, as long as you can afford to lose a school of magic, it's worth it. Going Illusionist costs you the Enchantment school, which I, like krsboss apparently, find an easy school to forget about, and well worth the trade off. I almost always go with Illusionist (unless I do something else for RP reasons), as the extra spells per day are extremely handy.
Steve
Err yeah, the Illusionist part is just to get the extra daily spells at very little cost...most people can live with the loss of the Enchantment & Charm school.
With respect to refinements I have made:
Have basically sacrficed some Constitution to make way for Intelligence & Strength, also sacrificing the Epic Damage Reduction...was thinking tho as well that the still spell feats may be better suited to more of a spell-sword but dropping them would also make Paladin level less necessary so left them in...this build anyway!
Stats:
Str 10 Dex 8 (use a maximised cat's grace to get +1 AC bonus whilst wearing full-plate) Con 16 Int 18 -> 34 (yay loads more spells!) Wis 8 Cha 12 (get +1 to all saves which can be increased by up to +4 using empowered Eagles splendour)
Hope that's all good!
Err yeah, the Illusionist part is just to get the extra daily spells at very little cost...most people can live with the loss of the Enchantment & Charm school.
With respect to refinements I have made:
Have basically sacrficed some Constitution to make way for Intelligence & Strength, also sacrificing the Epic Damage Reduction...was thinking tho as well that the still spell feats may be better suited to more of a spell-sword but dropping them would also make Paladin level less necessary so left them in...this build anyway!
Stats:
Str 10 Dex 8 (use a maximised cat's grace to get +1 AC bonus whilst wearing full-plate) Con 16 Int 18 -> 34 (yay loads more spells!) Wis 8 Cha 12 (get +1 to all saves which can be increased by up to +4 using empowered Eagles splendour)
Hope that's all good! _________________ Grrr...hear my roar!!!
I understand perfectly your reason to specialized, it was just a small funny thing I couldn't let pass
Otherwise, with a better INT it seems a lot more stronger now.
Now as you noticed, the paladin lvl is maybe not that needed with only the heavy armor prof. and +1 to save, a lvl of fighter might get you a free bonus feat at the cost of the +1 to saves (unbuffed). It gives you the oppotunity to get the greater spell focus: evocation or extend (or expertise + improved version if you remove thougness) or anything you like.
As for the order of the feats taken, I would take later the following feats:
- thougness (at lvl 1 it only gives you +1 HP) - still spell (you can't wear an heavy armor until lvl20) - maximize (at lvl 5 you can only max the cantrips ) - great INT (I tend to take the "useful" feats before ability increases, but it is just me )
and earlier the following ones:
- focus: evoc. (you get really nice evoc spells at lvl5) - automatic still spells (ASAP to be able to really use your armor) - epic spell focus/penetration - epic spells
As for the order of the feats taken, I would take later the following feats:
- thougness (at lvl 1 it only gives you +1 HP)
Toughness applies throughout your character's life and levels. It doesn't matter when you take it, you'll always get 1 extra hit point for every level you've advanced.
Quote: Posted 09/16/05 11:02:08 (GMT) -- aquamoeba a lvl of fighter might get you a free bonus feat at the cost of the +1 to saves (unbuffed). It gives you the oppotunity to get the greater spell focus: evocation or extend (or expertise + improved version if you remove thougness) or anything you like.
You cannot take spell focuses or metamagic as a fighter bonus feat. You have to select from a subset of specific fighter feats.
Steve
Edited By Stravinsky00 on 09/16/05 21:25
I like to take toughness as early as possible...preferably at either 1st or 3rd as after 3rd level you start having to roll for hit points...*coughs* This makes it easier to know what you have to roll if for instance you were going to be rerolling HP every level _________________ Grrr...hear my roar!!!
@Lego, of course you get +1 HP each lvl but what I mean is that thougness at lvl 1 gives you an advantage of 1 HP. Not that important at that lvl. Now take it later, at lvl20 per example and you get +20HP, that means it is now a bigger advantage. The point is to choose the feats you need the most or can get the most advantage at your current lvl.
@Stravinsky, Yes indeed, I wasn't very clear. I meant that you could swap the "toughness" feat in the fighter bonus slot and take the previous "thougness" slot for another feat. But now, I not sure you can take thougness as a bonus feat (Actually I am pretty sure you can't, silly me).
Still the option of expertise/imp expertise is still open.
aquamoeba
I agree that paladin should go. It looks to me like you put 4 points into charisma on creation just to get a +1 to saves. Put those points in strength or constitution instead and go with fighter to pick up expertise, I'd swap one of the other feats for imp expertise too I think, it's a much cheaper path to ac than auto-still.
Edited By pulse cap on 09/20/05 12:36
OK, I guess still spell is much better suited to a spell sword than a straight caster...so dropping Still Spell & Auto Still Spell I/II/III, frees up 4 feats, these can be put into an extra 2 Great Intelligence, one pre-epic can go into Greater Spell Focus: Evocation...with extra Epic feat going into Epic Spell: Greater Ruin or Epic Spell Focus: Evocation.
Dropping Paladin level frees 4 stat. points, these can go into Con to get it to starting 18...but what class to take extra level in? Not much point taking Fighter as bonus feat is a combat feat & only point of Paladin was for Divine Grace & Heavy Armour proficiency...putting spare level into Wizard wouldn't yeild any extra feats but would give extra damage on Ice-Storm, maybe Barbarian for a bit of punk-factor! _________________ Grrr...hear my roar!!!
The basic premise was a wizard of awesome spellcasting power but also a tough little bugger who would stand up to a lot of battering!
