Post/Author/DateTime	Post
abyssling 11-08-06, 11:33 AM	I am planning out a build that will eventually take me to Elven High Mage with an Abjuration Specialist. My current build is Abjurer3/Master Abjurer 3. I am a Sun Elf. The only magic items I have are wands, Metamagic Wand Trigger, and scrolls. I also have a Masterwork Composite Longbow (+1 STR) that I frequently use Flame Arrow with when my spells start running low. My current feats are Extend Spell, Spell Focus Abjuration and Craft Wand (I have a Metamagic Wand trigger and I use a LOT of wands) and from my Master Abjurer levels I have Greater Spell Focus Abjuration and Skill Focus Spellcraft My planned levels include: Abjurer Specialist 3 Master Specialist (Abjuration) 10 Initiate of Sevenfold Veil 7 Abjurant Champion (as an elf I meet the martial weapon prof req for Longsword quite handily) 4 or 5 (cant decide if its worthwhile taking the 5th level to cast Quickened versions of Dispel Magic, Magic Circle vs Alignment, Protection from Energy, Karmic Backlash, Reverse Arrows, Backblast, etc. My instinct says yes, even just for Dispel Magic) (At epic levels, will making Dispel Magic an Innate Spell allow me to cast it Quickened as per the Abjurant Champion ability or will is be considered an 11th level spell? You have to give up a spell slot 8 levels higher than the spell to make it an Innate spell. Having the ability to cast a Quickened Dispel magic every single round for the cost of a single 11th level spell slot is in my opinion quite Godly and would be possible if it is still considered a 3rd level spell) This would take me to level 25, 1 more than what I will need to class into Elven High Mage. Remember, to class into Elven High Mage I will need Epic Skill Focus in Spellcraft AND Knowledge Arcana. With 25 levels before Elven High Mage, I won't actually reap the benefits of the EHM lvl 1 ability Seed Affinity until the next level since I won't actually have Epic Spellcasting until character lvl 27, unless I mix in another 2 levels of Abjurer (feat gained at wizard 5) in there somewhere after level 20 but before EHM. What order would you take these levels and what feats would you suggest? Obviously if I go the Innate Spell route I will have the prereqs of Quicken, Silent, Still Spell, but I am not totally sold on that idea. I am also not 100% sold on the Abjurant Champion levels but I think they fit well with this build even though I am not a melee character. I like the flexibility this will give me with sacrificing spell slots on the fly for additional bonuses on mage duels, coupled with Io7V warding, I would be a very difficult wizard to hurt with spells, assuming I had initiative. If you can think of a better 4 or 5 levels to replace these with, feel free to suggest them. I was toying with the idea of Archmage but I think AbjCh may work better. I welcome any optimization suggestions/builds Thanks in advance.
Prominence 11-08-06, 11:36 AM	For epic I think you're better off progressing Master Specialist. Once you're around that level, your CL is so high auto-extend doesn't matter and +10 or so AC will be laughable. Quickening 3rd level spells isn't hot either with epic spells being slung around. Abjurant Champion wouldn't even give you the BaB since you're epic.
WombleHunter 11-08-06, 12:15 PM	Dispel Magic is also almost pointless past 11th level; at Epic levels, it's laughable.
abyssling 11-08-06, 01:11 PM	I suppose you are right, what would you fill in those last 5 or so levels before EHM with then? I can't find an epic Master Specialist to see if that would be worthwhile, I considered Incantatrix, but I just can't bring myself to give up anymore schools. I found an epic writeup for Io7V but it felt kinda cheesy to extend a class beyond 7 levels when mastering the 7 layers is the basis for the class. Incantatrix would definitely be very powerful, but, thats so very restrictive. I use all the remaining schools I have very very much. The only school I could see possibly losing would be enchantment, but there goes my primary weapon against rogue types and evasion classes. My prohibited schools are Necromancy and Illusion. The primary options that interest me at all are Epic Master Specialist (preferred option, but I can't for the life of me decide how I would handle the level progression. There seems to be no pattern here) Olin Gisir (yes I know they are weak and they kinda suck, but the concept is kinda neat and fits in with EHM, and I could get epic spellcasting 2 levels earlier) Archmage (just being able to say "I am Archmage Ailnydar" is kinda cool. I would probably go Master of Counterspelling, then Spell Power +4, or possibly a level or 2 of Arcane Reach) Or, possibly 2 more levels of Abjurer for the feat, and 3 levels of archmage...
Kresalak 11-08-06, 01:36 PM	Lose the prohibited Illusion. You don't need Evocation when you have Illusion, since you can replicate the important spells (Forcecage) with the Shadow line, and the blasting spells are better off in Conjuration. You want Epic Spellcasting at level 21. It's not even a choice-it's simply the only feat you ever take at that level. What are the requirements for Elven High Mage?
abyssling 11-08-06, 02:33 PM	Elven High Mage requires 25 ranks of Spellcraft AND Knowledge Arcana, as well as Epic Skill focus in both of those skills. I would tend to agree with you on the epic spellcasting thing, but that means I become an Elven High Mage at lvl 28 at the earliest unless I pickup more Abjurer/wizard levels. As for Illusions spells there are 2 very important reasons why I can't do that. #1 - Its a character thing, Ailnydar does not believe spells from the Illusion school are "real magick". He feels they are simply tricks that nasty little gnomes use to fool people out of their money with. The "real magicks" come from things like abjuration, conjuration, transmutation, enchantment and yes, evocation. #2 - I have already played this character in a game, and used a fireball spell in that game, as well as flame arrow. It's too late to go back now, I won't backpedal and disrupt the story continuity like that, even if my DM said it was ok.