Best Jade Phoenix Mage Build [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best Jade Phoenix Mage Build [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
molten_dragon
10-27-07, 04:47 PM Hey all. I'm planning on playing a Jade Phoenix mage in an upcoming campaign and I'm wondering what the best build for one is. I was thinking about maybe going Sorcerer/Swordsage but I'm not sure. Hope you can help.

Thanks.
Timespike
10-28-07, 12:09 AM Crusader is a better lead-in to jade phoenix mage than swordsage or warblade, for a couple of reasons, but the two that should concern you the most are: crusaders are TOUGH and crusaders have access to Devoted spirit, the better of the JPM's two disciplines.

My personal favorite builds for them WOULD be:

Race: Dwarf

Crusader 1/Wizard 4/Runesmith 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 10/Abjurant Champion 4

BAB 18, Caster Level 17, Cast spells with no failure in any armor you want.

But because dwarves have a favored class and neither wizard nor crusader is it, you're looking at some nasty multiclass XP penalties if your group uses those rules (mine doesn't)

The other options are:

Race: Human or Elf
Crusader 1/Wizard 5/Jade Phoenix Mage 10/Abjurant Champion 4

BAB 17, Caster Level 17. Can't wear most armor (though a twilight mithral chain shirt will work nicely)

Or

Any Race
Crusader 5/Duskblade 5/Jade Phoenix Mage 10

Less general spellcasting, butthe spells you DO have areall combat-oriented, you have a BAB of 20, and you have lots more maneuvers & stances than a typical JPM.

Finally, there's this:

Race: Human
Crusader 7/wizard 3/JPM 10

In this build, spellcasting takes a backseat to martial maneuvers. Will dish out a LOT more melee punishment, but will only ever get level 6 arcane spells, and those at level 20.
Jaxgaret
10-28-07, 03:28 AM Bard7/Crusader2/JadePhoenixMage1/SublimeChord2/JadePhoenixMage8.
ibayboy
10-28-07, 04:38 AM My currant character is an Aasimar Warmage8/Swordsage2/JadePhoenixMage5/Warmage3.
In hindsight, make sure the party has another utility caster, or get UMD as a class-skill.We suffer a bit.
Ariath Ska'Vhor
10-28-07, 06:35 AM I made a human Wizard/Crusader/Abjurant Champion/JPM. It's level 30, so balance is likely an issue. But epic levels aside, this the the build I like the most.
the_narrator
10-28-07, 03:24 PM I've been toying with a Warblade/ Wizard (or Duskblade)/ JPM build, mostly because I like the Int synergy between Warblade abilities and Wizard/ Duskblade casting. With the Duskblade build, I can see the character having an immense number of melee options.
Sinfire Titan
10-28-07, 03:55 PM Extra alternative: Straight 6th level duskblade. Take Martial Study twice, and get Martial Stance at 6th. You then qualify for the prestige class. Granted, your maneuvers known will bite, but your spellcasting ability will make up for it. And you can wear armor.
Vitarri_Whitemane
11-14-07, 02:29 PM I recently helped someone build a JPM and I came up with this:
Illumnian (Aeshkrau) Duskblade 9/ Warblade 1/ JPM10
Str 20 (Base 15 + 5 from leveling)
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 15
Wis 10
Cha 10
I thought it worked pretty well. 5th level casting while carrying a large shield and wearing mithral heavy plate and performing 8th level maneuvers. The common tactic was quick cast and use a maneuver then use quickening strike to just let loose with the combo chain occasionally using a swift to flourish and regain your maneuvers until you're low on hp then activate Emerald Immolation and taunt them with Final Utterance until you get reborn 6 rounds. And with the sigils he's casting as a 20th level and gets a +3 bonus to str based skills not to mention bonus spells are achieved through Str not Int. It's very spellcaster oriented but if you want 9th level maneuvers instead of 5th level spells you could always swap 3 dusk for war but then you lose the heavy shield so it's up to the player personally I think firebird stance lends itself to a caster with lv 5 spells. With this build you could achieve JPM by lvl7 D5/W1/J1 no problems.
bkdubs123
11-14-07, 03:01 PM Of course this is by no means optimal, but currently I have a Beguiler 4 Warblade 2 that is primed to head into Jade Phoenix Mage (I've taken Martial Study twice to grab Desert Wind maneuver and a Devoted Spirit maneuver). I have a blast with the character to be sure!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
molten_dragon 10-27-07, 04:47 PM	Hey all. I'm planning on playing a Jade Phoenix mage in an upcoming campaign and I'm wondering what the best build for one is. I was thinking about maybe going Sorcerer/Swordsage but I'm not sure. Hope you can help. Thanks.
Timespike 10-28-07, 12:09 AM	Crusader is a better lead-in to jade phoenix mage than swordsage or warblade, for a couple of reasons, but the two that should concern you the most are: crusaders are TOUGH and crusaders have access to Devoted spirit, the better of the JPM's two disciplines. My personal favorite builds for them WOULD be: Race: Dwarf Crusader 1/Wizard 4/Runesmith 1/Jade Phoenix Mage 10/Abjurant Champion 4 BAB 18, Caster Level 17, Cast spells with no failure in any armor you want. But because dwarves have a favored class and neither wizard nor crusader is it, you're looking at some nasty multiclass XP penalties if your group uses those rules (mine doesn't) The other options are: Race: Human or Elf Crusader 1/Wizard 5/Jade Phoenix Mage 10/Abjurant Champion 4 BAB 17, Caster Level 17. Can't wear most armor (though a twilight mithral chain shirt will work nicely) Or Any Race Crusader 5/Duskblade 5/Jade Phoenix Mage 10 Less general spellcasting, butthe spells you DO have areall combat-oriented, you have a BAB of 20, and you have lots more maneuvers & stances than a typical JPM. Finally, there's this: Race: Human Crusader 7/wizard 3/JPM 10 In this build, spellcasting takes a backseat to martial maneuvers. Will dish out a LOT more melee punishment, but will only ever get level 6 arcane spells, and those at level 20.
Jaxgaret 10-28-07, 03:28 AM	Bard7/Crusader2/JadePhoenixMage1/SublimeChord2/JadePhoenixMage8.
ibayboy 10-28-07, 04:38 AM	My currant character is an Aasimar Warmage8/Swordsage2/JadePhoenixMage5/Warmage3. In hindsight, make sure the party has another utility caster, or get UMD as a class-skill.We suffer a bit.
Ariath Ska'Vhor 10-28-07, 06:35 AM	I made a human Wizard/Crusader/Abjurant Champion/JPM. It's level 30, so balance is likely an issue. But epic levels aside, this the the build I like the most.
the_narrator 10-28-07, 03:24 PM	I've been toying with a Warblade/ Wizard (or Duskblade)/ JPM build, mostly because I like the Int synergy between Warblade abilities and Wizard/ Duskblade casting. With the Duskblade build, I can see the character having an immense number of melee options.
Sinfire Titan 10-28-07, 03:55 PM	Extra alternative: Straight 6th level duskblade. Take Martial Study twice, and get Martial Stance at 6th. You then qualify for the prestige class. Granted, your maneuvers known will bite, but your spellcasting ability will make up for it. And you can wear armor.
Vitarri_Whitemane 11-14-07, 02:29 PM	I recently helped someone build a JPM and I came up with this: Illumnian (Aeshkrau) Duskblade 9/ Warblade 1/ JPM10 Str 20 (Base 15 + 5 from leveling) Dex 14 Con 14 Int 15 Wis 10 Cha 10 I thought it worked pretty well. 5th level casting while carrying a large shield and wearing mithral heavy plate and performing 8th level maneuvers. The common tactic was quick cast and use a maneuver then use quickening strike to just let loose with the combo chain occasionally using a swift to flourish and regain your maneuvers until you're low on hp then activate Emerald Immolation and taunt them with Final Utterance until you get reborn 6 rounds. And with the sigils he's casting as a 20th level and gets a +3 bonus to str based skills not to mention bonus spells are achieved through Str not Int. It's very spellcaster oriented but if you want 9th level maneuvers instead of 5th level spells you could always swap 3 dusk for war but then you lose the heavy shield so it's up to the player personally I think firebird stance lends itself to a caster with lv 5 spells. With this build you could achieve JPM by lvl7 D5/W1/J1 no problems.
bkdubs123 11-14-07, 03:01 PM	Of course this is by no means optimal, but currently I have a Beguiler 4 Warblade 2 that is primed to head into Jade Phoenix Mage (I've taken Martial Study twice to grab Desert Wind maneuver and a Devoted Spirit maneuver). I have a blast with the character to be sure!