Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Saragon42 06-08-07, 06:15 PM	Our current game is filled with monstrous PCs -- an ogre cleric, a naga fighter, a pair of dvati ninja (Dragon magazine), and... an aasimar sorceror. That last one, Eram Synadoste, is mine. And I need help. First, the backstory my DM and I have worked up already. Synadoste was a celestial (a solar, in particular) often summoned by a powerful (read: epic) mage as an ally. The two eventually became lovers and Synadoste spent a long time on the material plane; in their last, cataclysmic adventure, Synadoste was either somehow permanently banished or slain. Their three children, however, had already been born, and Eram can claim a direct paternal descent over six generations (though usually through the second, third or fourth son.) Eram's sorcerous gift and his awareness of Synadoste's tale (now an epic well-known through the region, which gives him a bit of notoriety and respect starting off) has encouraged him to start adventuring himself. Now, Eram is only second level, so there's plenty of wiggle room here, but what I'm looking to do with him is go (LA+1) Sorc 6 / MoF Incantatrix 8 / Argent Savant 5. His alignment is currently chaotic good, though it may drop to chaotic neutral (he seems headed that way now as I play him and develop his attitude and character.) Note that the Incantatrix described here is NOT the Incantatrix the Character Optimization board is so fond of; it's a very different version that focuses on abjuration. (WotC made it part of their sneak peek at Magic of Faerun, fortunately, so a full description of it can be found here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20010803).) The idea here is that Eram is interested in the most fundamental magical concepts: Force magic. He's going to specialize in force spells largely because they're very hard to resist and because they work on all planes -- force, though never naturally occuring, is part of every plane. The "See Ethereal" and "Strike Ethereal" abilities of the MoF Incantatrix fit this nicely. However, the banishment and anti-extraplanar parts of the PrC don't fit neatly into that idea. So that's where my problems arise. I need to make the MoF Incantatrix's flavor work with this idea of a force mage. Eram won't just be using the obvious force spells like magic missile and wall of force -- that part of his flavor also needs work, but can come second (I have a couple of ideas along those lines already.) How can I work what is currently extraneous flavor into a unified and interesting character?
Gingerbread Guy 06-10-07, 03:09 PM	Well, I don't really see it as extraneous flavour. The study of magic takes you down a lot of roads, and the Magic of Faerun's Incantatrix isn't that wild a prestige class when it comes to flavour; its really just a different way to study and apply the same spells. I would equate it with studying kendo rather than european fencing. Anyway, as far as Eram's motivation for pursuing the Incantatrix's unique style of spellcasting, he could simply be interested in force and ethereal-affecting spells because as the descendent of an outsider (and thus as an outsider himself) he is more aware of the outer planes and the dangers they present. Other mortals may have the luxury of being chiefly concerned with the prime material plane, ignorant to whats really out there, but Eram isn't so blind. For someone with a keen understanding of the planes (at least 8 ranks worth, ha ha) he would probably consider these types of spells to be a natural way of covering all the bases, of being a well-rounded spellcaster. ~Ginger Oh, and good luck with those monstrous comanions! You may want to save yourself some time and make a permanent magic mouth effect that says "They're not with me" when people start to stare.
warwinner 06-10-07, 03:52 PM	The spell thematics feat can help.You can think the magic missile spell of now small celestial spirits smiting the enemy and such You could also make it so that this guy's mother was a force-mage so he is drawn towards the same, sometimes imperceptibly Like mother, like son
Saragon42 06-12-07, 05:21 PM	Oh, and good luck with those monstrous comanions! You may want to save yourself some time and make a permanent magic mouth effect that says "They're not with me" when people start to stare. Ironically, as the most human-looking character I've become the de facto "face" of the group; the dvati pair can pass for human at a distance, but there's no hiding the other two. It usually falls to me to remind the town guard that we are, in fact, licensed adventurers. Thanks much for your help, both of you.