Playable from levels 1-24 and 36-40... PVM or PVP

The inspiration for this build came from Thaxll'ssyllia's Arcane Knight of Lathander. Basically I wanted to see if his build could be matched with sorcerer instead of wizard. Wildeyes' Planar Guardian has the same level distribution but is a charisma focused build. This build does end up better than I thought it would, the main problems are the low AB and hitpoints. Because of the cleric buffs, he can raise his AB to levels which are fine for low to mid magic play. His hitpoints are a different matter, even with endurance and aura of vitality he'll only have slightly more than 400 hitpoints. If he gets dispelled, which with 16 cleric levels is a distinct possibility, he has to rely on his arcane casting which isn't all that strong but should do the trick. This build should do best in no to low magic settings where devastating critical has been banned. It is primarily a PvM build, since getting dispelled is less likely in those environments, but it should be capable of PvP as well. Arcane casters and clerics with over 30 levels will pose a problem, but this build should be able to hold it's own against other builds in those environments.

Advantages
-Level 9 Sorcerer spell casting. His DCs are low and spell resistance will prove problematic but he can fire off level 9 sorcerer spells. With 23 levels his sorcerer buffs are hard to strip, except with a holy avenger or Mordenkainen's Disjunction. If his buffs are stripped, he still has spells he can use to strip the buffs of an enemy caster and some offensive spells
-Level 8 Sorcerer spell casting. Same problem as the Sorcerer spells. They are they mainly for the buffs but with a caster level of 16 can be easily dispelled. Hopefully anything that dispels him can be handled by the sorcerer spells
-Good AC. This build can manage a 64 AC with no magic equipment.
-8 attacks per round (4 at maximum AB) while buffed. His AB is abysmal, but it can be buffed to the mid 50s which should be fine in no or low magic settings
-Evasion. His reflex save isn't great, but it should still be useful.
-Epic Warding. 50/+20 damage reduction is always nice.

Disadvantages
-Low AB. A 32 AB at level 40 is really bad, thankfully he can get a +20 to AB with cleric buffs which will make him better than most fighters in a mid magic environment.
-Low Hitpoints. With the ugly stat spread his constitution couldn't be raised by much, and with 21 levels of 1D4 hitpoints he is pretty fragile.
-Mediocre Saving Throws. They are okay against spells, but low against other effects. He does have spells that can grant him immunity to certain effects, death ward, shadow shield, mind blank, freedom of movement, protection from negatice energy, etc.
-Cleric buffs are easily removed. Not much he can do, other than cast greater sanctuary and rebuff, or counter with his own magic.
-Matures late. The build is not really complete until it gets the monk level at 40. It isn't the most playable build, but it isn't unplayable either. Other than the low hitpoints it is pretty easy to play into the low 20s, it then gets difficult to play as one waits for the arcane spell casting to improve.

Mystra's Devotee

Race Human

Alignment Any Lawful

Base Attributes
STR 14
DEX 14
CON 10
INT 12
WIS 14
CHA 14

Attribute Bonuses
Levels 4, 8, 12, and 16 increase Wisdom
Levels 20, 24, 28 and 32 increase Charisma
Levels 36 and 40 increase Dexterity

Final Level Distribution
Cleric 16
Monk 1
Sorcerer 23

Clerical Domains
War and Healing

Level Distribution and Feats
Level 1: (Cleric 1): Toughness, Knockdown
Level 2: (Cleric 2)
Level 3: (Cleric 3): Power Attack
Level 4: (Cleric 4)
Level 5: (Cleric 5)
Level 6: (Cleric 6): Extend Spell
Level 7: (Cleric 7)
Level 8: (Cleric 8 )
Level 9: (Cleric 9): Divine Shield
Level 10: (Cleric 10)
Level 11: (Cleric 11)
Level 12: (Cleric 12): Weapon Proficiency (Exotic)
Level 13: (Cleric 13)
Level 14: (Cleric 14)
Level 15: (Cleric 15): Weapon Finesse
Level 16: (Cleric 16)
Level 17: (Sorcerer 1)
Level 18: (Sorcerer 2): Weapon Focus (Kama)
Level 19: (Sorcerer 3)
Level 20: (Sorcerer 4)
Level 21: (Sorcerer 5): Epic Weapon Focus (Kama)
Level 22: (Sorcerer 6)
Level 23: (Sorcerer 7)
Level 24: (Sorcerer 8 ): Epic Prowess
Level 25: (Sorcerer 9)
Level 26: (Sorcerer 10)
Level 27: (Sorcerer 11): Armor Skin
Level 28: (Sorcerer 12)
Level 29: (Sorcerer 13)
Level 30: (Sorcerer 14): Great Charisma I
Level 31: (Sorcerer 15)
Level 32: (Sorcerer 16)
Level 33: (Sorcerer 17): Great Charisma II
Level 34: (Sorcerer 18)
Level 35: (Sorcerer 19)
Level 36: (Sorcerer 20): Great Dexterity I
Level 37: (Sorcerer 21)
Level 38: (Sorcerer 22)
Level 39: (Sorcerer 23): Great Dexterity II, Epic Spell (Epic Warding)
Level 40: (Monk 1)

Final Attributes
STR 14
DEX 18
CON 10
INT 12
WIS 18
CHA 20

AB and Damage
(no buffs, mundane kama)
32/29/26/23/20 2+1D6 (20 x2)

(+8 to Dexterity [Cat's Grace, Aura of Vitality], +12 to Strength [Bull's Strength, AoV, DP], Bless, Aid, Divine Favor, Battle Tide, Divine Power, Greater Magic Weapon, Dark Fire, Flame Weapon, Keen Edge, Haste, mundane Kama)
56/53/50/47/44/56/56 11+1D6 (19-20 x2) +7 magic +18+1D4+1D6 fire

(As above with flurry of blows)
54/54/51/48/45/42/54/54 11+1D6 (19-20 x2) +7 magic +18+1D4+1D6 fire

(As above with a +12 to Dexterity)
56/56/53/50/47/44/56/56 11+1D6 (19-20 x2) +7 magic +18+1D4+1D6 fire

AC
28 (no buffs, no equipment)
61 (+8 to Dexterity [Cat's Grace, Aura of Vitality], +4 to Wisdom [Owl's Wisdom], +4 to Charisma [Eagle's Splendor], Divine Shield, Shield of Faith, Magical Vestments, Haste, Shadow Shield, Mage Armor)
74 (+12 to Dexterity, +10 to Charisma, +10 to Wisdom, +5 Robes, +5 Ring of Protection, +5 Boots of the Sun Soul, Divine Shield, Haste, Mage Armor, Shadow Shield)

Final Saves (Vs. Spells)
Fortitude 21 (29)
Reflex 20 (28)
Will 28 (36)

Hit Points 268 (max. every level)

Skillpoints 174
Concentration 43 (43)
Discipline 43 (45)
Persuade 9 (14)
Spellcraft 39 (40)
Tumble 40 (44)

Skillpoint Distribution
Level 1: Concentration 4, Persuade 4, Spellcraft 4, Save 4
Level 2: Concentration 1, Persuade 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 5
Level 3: Concentration 1, Persuade 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 6
Level 4: Concentration 1, Persuade 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 7
Level 5: Concentration 1, Persuade 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 8
Level 6: Concentration 1, Persuade 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 9
Level 7: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 11
Level 8: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 13
Level 9: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 15
Level 10: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 17
Level 11: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 19
Level 12: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 21
Level 13: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 23
Level 14: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 25
Level 15: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 27
Level 16: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 29
Level 17: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 31
Level 18: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 33
Level 19: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 35
Level 20: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 37
Level 21: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 39
Level 22: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 41
Level 23: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 43
Level 24: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 45
Level 25: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 47
Level 26: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 49
Level 27: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 51
Level 28: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 53
Level 29: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 55
Level 30: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 57
Level 31: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 59
Level 32: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 61
Level 33: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 63
Level 34: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 65
Level 35: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 67
Level 36: Concentration 1, Spellcraft 1, Save 69
Level 37: Concentration 1, Save 72
Level 38: Concentration 1, Save 75
Level 39: Concentration 1, Save 78
Level 40: Concentration 1, Discipline 43, Tumble 40

Sorcerer Spells

Level 0: Acid Splash, Daze, Electric Jolt, Flare, Light, Ray of Frost, Resistance

Level 1: Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Protection from Alignment, Shield, True Strike

Level 2: Darkness, Death Armor, Flame Weapon, Ultravision, Web

Level 3: Find Traps, Haste, Keen Edge, Flame Arrow

Level 4: Elemental Shield, Lesser Spell Breach, Improved Invisibility, Isaac's Lesser Missile Storm

Level 5: Bigby's Interposing Hand, Lesser Spell Mantle, Lesser Mind Blank, Mestil's Acid Sheath

Level 6: Bigby's Forceful Hand, Isaac's Greater Missile Storm, Globe of Invulnerability

Level 7: Bigby's Grasping Hand, Spell Mantle, Shadow Shield

Level 8: Greater Sanctuary, Horrid Wilting, Premonition

Level 9: Shapechange, Mordenkainen's Disjunction, Timestop
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Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do. take monk at 2 not 40 so you can save the feat: Weapon Proficiency "Exotic". And get -4 AC from having to x-class Tumble plus not getting the Discipline dump. Not wise.


Cheers,
Kail
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To hear the sound of Freedom, many gave their lives
They fought for you and me
Those memories will always live inside us, and now it's our time to be free His discipline won't do him any good anyway. He should see if he can spend the points in better places. A low-strength build without Bard or ESF's don't get any use for the discipline except vs smurfs spamming IKD and nail you on a 20. None of the places I have played has featured smiurfs, however.

Seriously though, the tumble dump would be worse. He should be playable enugh methinks, except for dispelling as noted. Low hitpoints are helped by his ability to heal up. And by just 1 casting of divine power after being dispelled he gets an extra attack and +7 AB. Not bad. Greater Sanctuary gets you out of a pinch too.

It should be fun to play this one, Mith, the biggest problem might be to find all the quickslots you need.
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Quote: Posted 03/06/06 18:56:45 (GMT) -- FinneousPJ
Trollborn Asgardian by the master of the Norse legends, Grimnir himself!

Yeah, pretty cool. It's a shame seeing him waste feats on Finesse and Exotic profiency, though.
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"With Europe liberated, the people of the world turned their attention to that old devil, the United States of America [...] We taught that monster of old the true meaning of freedom."
Star Wreck No one ever listens to me, if you want HP, use Tenser's Transformation, yes, it's a problematic buff, as it lowers your base spellcasting score by 10 (and I think you actually lose CHA bonus prepared slots with it) but it gives 1d6 HP per caster level (aside from other cool stuff: +1 AB per every 2 caster levels, 2d4 STR and DEX, +5 Fortitude and +4 Natural AC), which means 23-138, and I'm pretty sure it can be Maximized.

Taking Monk earlier would make him either lose a feat from Sorc (Epic Warding), or spells (and spellcasting power) from Cleric, this kind of build needs lots of caster levels. Anyway, normally I'd say Exotic is worth the BAB, however, Divine Power actually makes it max, and your buffs suffice to cap AB... so it gets weird... it's a matter of not having levels to spare, or else, maybe Cleric 15 could work ok.

Those stats... ouch, low DEX for being DEX-based... and HP suffers too.

A cool thing about the Cleric/Arcane is that Trickery, Magic and Travel Domain spells are already covered.

Where's Divine Might!? it should work greatly... that's a point where taking Monk earlier could get to help...

It's nice and strong anyway... you don't get my stilling problem because you're DEX based, now that I think of it, mine could also go DEX based (idiot of me), GMW, Divine Favor, Darkfire and Flame Weapon add a lot of damage, never thought of it before... I should go right now and make anotehr version.

Edited By Thaxll'ssyllia on 07/15/06 00:10

A quick note. Darkfire and flame weapon doesn't stack. At least not on my PW and they have altered close to no spells at all.
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Dragonlance ROH is back, better than before! and I spend a little time here WoG I built a character with the same classes and a slightly different level split with the Blessed Sorceress - C 13 S 26 M 1. That character is oriented towards being a spellcaster and party support character rather than a melee of any sort, but turned out quite well in normal play (though somewhat difficult to solo while making the transition from cleric to sorcerer levels). Having two spellbooks makes for a character with a lot of flexibility and adventuring endurance.

I'd almost suggest eating the exp penalty and going with cleric 15/monk 2/sorc 23 to free the feat up from exotic proficiency since this build, like all sorcerers, is starved for feats.

Since you're splitting between three stats it's going to be hard to improve the character's AB without sacrificing magic from somewhere... I'm not sure you really need 8th level cleric spells though. Your mileage may vary of course.
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Experience is the mother of good judgement; bad judgement is the father of experience.
Quote: Posted 07/15/06 12:31:58 (GMT) -- Grimnir77

A quick note. Darkfire and flame weapon doesn't stack. At least not on my PW and they have altered close to no spells at all.

Hmmm... they did when I tested it. It might be the order in which you cast it, cast darkfire, then flame weapon, then keen edge and finally greater magic weapon. See if that works.

The reason for not taking the extra level of monk was to avoid the XP penalty, but if you don't mind an XP penalty, go Cleric 15/monk 2/sorcerer 23, you lose 1 AB and few spells, but you free up a feat (divine might?) and pick up deflect arrows.
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Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do. Interesting build, Mith: talk about spell access (where you gonna puts 'em all I wonder? oh, what a nice problem to have I'd be inclined to go for monk earlier (or for 2 monks though, notwithstanding the XP issue), for the reasons already suggested; as you're relying on buffs and cleric/arcane protection/buffs anyway, yes? Otherwise, finish with bard - and no, not 'cause they get those great toys but for the extra versatility and skill dump Either way, though, an interesting combo for sure, and likes that you get both the arcane and divine; seems strong enough anyway, and without hesitation you'd make a highly valued and contributing member to any party. Nice, Mith!

Edited By TyrTemplar on 07/25/06 07:01