A Warmage/Rainbow servant build [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Warmage/Rainbow servant build [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Eytan
03-08-05, 04:09 PM I've been playing around with different builds in order to give warmages the most spell versatility. What I've come up with is like the standard Warmage Rainbow servant build, but with some extra reasoning - using Seeker of the Misty Isles, Contemplative, and archmage. I am using flaws from UA, not sure which ones yet.

Elf WM 6, RS 10/SotMI 1/Contemplative 1/AM 2
Attributes will probably be:
Str: 10
Dex: 16
Con: 13 (+1 4th)
Int: 18 (+1 8th, +1 12th)
Wis: 10
Chr: 18 (+1 16th, +1 20th)

1-WM - Warmage Edge, Battle caster, Any feat to get Survival as a skill
2-WM
3-WM - Spell Focus: Evoc
4-WM
5-WM
6-WM - Practiced Spellcaster
7-RS
8-RS
9-RS - Spell Focus: Conj
10-RS
11-RS
12-RS- Skill Focus: Spellcraft
13-RS
14-RS
15-RS- Spell Penetration
16-RS
17-SotMI
18-Contemplative - Greater Spell Penetration
19-AM
20- AM

This nets 8th level spells, caster level 20, from the warmage & cleric lists + the air, good, law, travel, and trickery domains. That means all the useful damaging, protection, and healing spells + travel and illusion/enchantment spells. The character can fly from both RS and the travel domain and can teleport. Spell penetration is at +24. In addition, the character can detect evil, chaos and thoughts at will. He can also cast in medium armor, his spells do tons of damage, and archmage allows for some incredible spell modification.

With archmage, I am definitely taking master of shaping. I am debating between arcane reach and master of elements. Elements adds some versatility - being able to cast sonic hands or acid storm on a whim is fun. Arcane reach is also quite nice - with all those touch spells. By the time I finish the AM class in epic, I want to have Master of Shaping, Master of Elements, Arcane Reach x2 (60 ft), and Master of counterspelling.

The one thing this character really would lack as an epic caster is item creation or metamagic. His damage will be plenty high, he'll have fine defenses (armor and cleric spells) and plenty of spell versatility. Once he gets 9th level spells, the lost levels from RS won't really matter because practiced spellcaster brings his caster level up anyway.

So I guess, what I am wondering is what direction to go in epic. I don't think the character needs any more spell versatility, though he could always take extra domain. Continuing in warmage would give some more metamagic (and heavy armor). Continuing in contemplative would give more domains and some immunities (and later outsider transformation). It'd be nice to get access to some nature spells, but at that level, you really need something to keep you in contention with epic level challenges, so probably metamagic or item creation.
Aurelius
03-08-05, 06:20 PM I would probably continue in rainbow servant. You're probably not going to lose any more spellcaster levels from it, seeing as it has achieved it's goal. And you get more epic feats that way, which is what epic levels are all about.
Btw. Contemplative doesn't add to arcane spellcasting, even if you can qualify for it (which i'm unsure of).
Dirty Dan the Laundry Man
03-08-05, 07:38 PM Id be curious to see your own assessment as to how pwerful you will be in the early levels, middle levels, and later levels.

you are actually getting almost all your power goodies in the later levels thats why i ask.
Eytan
03-09-05, 04:32 AM Early levels are great because that is where warmages are just head and shoulders about wizards and sorcerers. They can wear armor, have more hit points, cast a better variety of spells and do quite a bit more damage. (not to mention they get certain spells like ice storm a level earlier).

Mid-levels are not so good because of the lost caster levels and relatively meaningless PrC abilities. The flight is ok and the domains you get do actually add some protection spells (protection from evil, aid etc..), and I guess Detect Evil at will is not too bad for enemy scanning, but this build is not so happy. With practiced spellcaster, you only really feel the loss of the spell level, not the caster levels. You just hope that the game is exciting at this point and that there are some good magic items because thing will get better at high levels.

Once you reach 16th, every levels is like a blessing. I believe contemplative is viable because at 16th level, you can cast divine spells (that count as divine spells - check rainbow servant). So first, take servant of the misty isles for fly and teleport and other good stuff. Then contemplative for one other domain of your choice, then go into archmage for the lovely spell modifying abilities which really help your spells. This is where the character really shines, but it takes a while to get there.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Eytan 03-08-05, 04:09 PM	I've been playing around with different builds in order to give warmages the most spell versatility. What I've come up with is like the standard Warmage Rainbow servant build, but with some extra reasoning - using Seeker of the Misty Isles, Contemplative, and archmage. I am using flaws from UA, not sure which ones yet. Elf WM 6, RS 10/SotMI 1/Contemplative 1/AM 2 Attributes will probably be: Str: 10 Dex: 16 Con: 13 (+1 4th) Int: 18 (+1 8th, +1 12th) Wis: 10 Chr: 18 (+1 16th, +1 20th) 1-WM - Warmage Edge, Battle caster, Any feat to get Survival as a skill 2-WM 3-WM - Spell Focus: Evoc 4-WM 5-WM 6-WM - Practiced Spellcaster 7-RS 8-RS 9-RS - Spell Focus: Conj 10-RS 11-RS 12-RS- Skill Focus: Spellcraft 13-RS 14-RS 15-RS- Spell Penetration 16-RS 17-SotMI 18-Contemplative - Greater Spell Penetration 19-AM 20- AM This nets 8th level spells, caster level 20, from the warmage & cleric lists + the air, good, law, travel, and trickery domains. That means all the useful damaging, protection, and healing spells + travel and illusion/enchantment spells. The character can fly from both RS and the travel domain and can teleport. Spell penetration is at +24. In addition, the character can detect evil, chaos and thoughts at will. He can also cast in medium armor, his spells do tons of damage, and archmage allows for some incredible spell modification. With archmage, I am definitely taking master of shaping. I am debating between arcane reach and master of elements. Elements adds some versatility - being able to cast sonic hands or acid storm on a whim is fun. Arcane reach is also quite nice - with all those touch spells. By the time I finish the AM class in epic, I want to have Master of Shaping, Master of Elements, Arcane Reach x2 (60 ft), and Master of counterspelling. The one thing this character really would lack as an epic caster is item creation or metamagic. His damage will be plenty high, he'll have fine defenses (armor and cleric spells) and plenty of spell versatility. Once he gets 9th level spells, the lost levels from RS won't really matter because practiced spellcaster brings his caster level up anyway. So I guess, what I am wondering is what direction to go in epic. I don't think the character needs any more spell versatility, though he could always take extra domain. Continuing in warmage would give some more metamagic (and heavy armor). Continuing in contemplative would give more domains and some immunities (and later outsider transformation). It'd be nice to get access to some nature spells, but at that level, you really need something to keep you in contention with epic level challenges, so probably metamagic or item creation.
Aurelius 03-08-05, 06:20 PM	I would probably continue in rainbow servant. You're probably not going to lose any more spellcaster levels from it, seeing as it has achieved it's goal. And you get more epic feats that way, which is what epic levels are all about. Btw. Contemplative doesn't add to arcane spellcasting, even if you can qualify for it (which i'm unsure of).
Dirty Dan the Laundry Man 03-08-05, 07:38 PM	Id be curious to see your own assessment as to how pwerful you will be in the early levels, middle levels, and later levels. you are actually getting almost all your power goodies in the later levels thats why i ask.
Eytan 03-09-05, 04:32 AM	Early levels are great because that is where warmages are just head and shoulders about wizards and sorcerers. They can wear armor, have more hit points, cast a better variety of spells and do quite a bit more damage. (not to mention they get certain spells like ice storm a level earlier). Mid-levels are not so good because of the lost caster levels and relatively meaningless PrC abilities. The flight is ok and the domains you get do actually add some protection spells (protection from evil, aid etc..), and I guess Detect Evil at will is not too bad for enemy scanning, but this build is not so happy. With practiced spellcaster, you only really feel the loss of the spell level, not the caster levels. You just hope that the game is exciting at this point and that there are some good magic items because thing will get better at high levels. Once you reach 16th, every levels is like a blessing. I believe contemplative is viable because at 16th level, you can cast divine spells (that count as divine spells - check rainbow servant). So first, take servant of the misty isles for fly and teleport and other good stuff. Then contemplative for one other domain of your choice, then go into archmage for the lovely spell modifying abilities which really help your spells. This is where the character really shines, but it takes a while to get there.