Arcane spellcaster + Legendary Dreadnought [Archive] - Wizards Community

Arcane spellcaster + Legendary Dreadnought [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Weiser_Cain
03-19-05, 11:10 AM Was looking at the legendary dreadnought and I think I like it but I just can't give up on being a wizard. What would be the best way to attain the Deadnought PRC while maximizing my arcane(read: wizard) spellcasting abilities?
SearchingShaman
03-20-05, 07:41 AM Eldritch Knight for 10 levels=10 BAB +9 caster levels.
Khan the Destroyer
03-20-05, 12:57 PM Was looking at the legendary dreadnought and I think I like it but I just can't give up on being a wizard. What would be the best way to attain the Deadnought PRC while maximizing my arcane(read: wizard) spellcasting abilities?
What level are you shooting for? If I remember correctly, a Legendary Dreadnought needs a +23 BAB, meaning that if you have a +20 BAB at level 20, you still won't be able to enter the class until level 25 or 26. Of course with wizard levels thrown in, it will be most likely impossible to have a +20 BAB at level 20, meaning you won't be able to hit the prestige class until closer to level 30 :(.

Fighter 4/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 10/Spellsword 1/Wizard +10/Legendary Dreadnought XXX

BAB: 23
Caster Level 25

You have 9th level spells, but unfortunately you can't get into Legendary Dreadnought until level 30. If there were some way to get BAB +20 and maintain strong spellcasting it would work, but that +23 requirement is a killer. I don't think anything short of being Gestalt will help you get in sooner.
Weiser_Cain
03-20-05, 09:22 PM That actually looks pretty good, thanks I'll run with that.
PhaedrusXY
03-20-05, 09:40 PM ftr1/wiz6/EK10/Spellsword3

BAB+17, CL 17 at level 20

Then go epic EK or more Spellsword. (Or enter another arcane PrC, like Archmage)
Weiser_Cain
03-20-05, 09:43 PM Would that get me Legendary Dreadnought faster?
PhaedrusXY
03-20-05, 09:43 PM Would that get me Legendary Dreadnought faster?It will get you LD at the same rate, and a higher caster level at 20. If you want a decent caster level at 20 as a wizard, you pretty much have to give up at least 3 points of base attack bonus as a minimum.
PhaedrusXY
03-21-05, 05:10 PM Even better: Fighter2/Wiz4/Spellsword5/EldritchKnight9. I don't own CW and wasn't sure what the prereqs were for Spellsword. If you can get into it with only 4 wizard levels, as I saw in another thread, then this is better for what you're wanting.

Base Attack is +18 at 20th, which lets you get into LD faster and still have a caster level of 15 at 20th level.

At 30th level: ftr2/wiz4/SS5/EK9/X10 (X is any class that increases caster level)

BAB +23, Caster level 25. I think the BAB is calculated incorrectly for Khan's build. It only has +17 at 20th, since it loses 3 points for the 5 wizard levels. Also, I don't remember if you get base attack bonus points on odd or even levels in Epic. If it's odd levels, you can take your first LD level at 30th with this.
rilem
03-21-05, 06:18 PM Requirements for spellsword are BAB+4 and 2nd level spells, so in theory the Precocious Apprentice cheese should work. (the P.A. feat, in Complete Arcane, lets you cast 2nd level spells -- well, 1 spell -- and though Rich Baker posted against it, the errata left it alone). By the Rules as Written it should work.

So, through 20 levels,

Fighter4/Wiz2/Spellsword5/EK9

BAB +19, 13th level caster

Then progress as above.
slade_caizer
03-22-05, 08:41 PM It probably won't help in the way that you are wanting, but had anyone considered Rage Mage? I'm not personally partial to the class, but I've seen what a Brb20/Ftr6/LD14 is like...

That evil punk took Destructive Rage, Terrifying Rage, Thundering Rage, Devastating Rage (or something similar), Extra Rage to high heaven...if I have my way I'll nominate him for the new god of war.

Oh and his favorite weapon is the good old greatclub (on which we happily wrote "Louie")

Anyway I figured this would be an alternate martial/arcane method that I know can make a mean dreadnaught. Ugh...rage+unstoppable is utterly...frightening to watch. I keep slipping and calling him the Juggernaut.
Weiser_Cain
03-23-05, 12:13 AM I'm not fond of 'rage'.
slade_caizer
03-23-05, 01:13 AM I'm not fond of 'rage'.

I can definitely relate to that. In which case most of the guys above have it down solid. The only faster way I can think of would be to go with anything that gave BA +1 every level and doing Wizard in epic (which doesn't sound like a good idea to me). I think the earliest you can take it is as your 26th level, but that's only if you hit BA 20 by lv20.

The above builds are wonderful, probably what you'll want to go with. Still I'll see if I can think of something to add.

Ftr2/Wiz5/EK10/Hexblade3

This still leaves you with 17.5 BA by lv20, but you could make use of Mettle a lot since you'll have good fortitude and decent will. If you go Human you can ignore xp penalty by taking wizard as favored (since i'm told PrCs don't count).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Weiser_Cain 03-19-05, 11:10 AM	Was looking at the legendary dreadnought and I think I like it but I just can't give up on being a wizard. What would be the best way to attain the Deadnought PRC while maximizing my arcane(read: wizard) spellcasting abilities?
SearchingShaman 03-20-05, 07:41 AM	Eldritch Knight for 10 levels=10 BAB +9 caster levels.
Khan the Destroyer 03-20-05, 12:57 PM	Was looking at the legendary dreadnought and I think I like it but I just can't give up on being a wizard. What would be the best way to attain the Deadnought PRC while maximizing my arcane(read: wizard) spellcasting abilities? What level are you shooting for? If I remember correctly, a Legendary Dreadnought needs a +23 BAB, meaning that if you have a +20 BAB at level 20, you still won't be able to enter the class until level 25 or 26. Of course with wizard levels thrown in, it will be most likely impossible to have a +20 BAB at level 20, meaning you won't be able to hit the prestige class until closer to level 30 :(. Fighter 4/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 10/Spellsword 1/Wizard +10/Legendary Dreadnought XXX BAB: 23 Caster Level 25 You have 9th level spells, but unfortunately you can't get into Legendary Dreadnought until level 30. If there were some way to get BAB +20 and maintain strong spellcasting it would work, but that +23 requirement is a killer. I don't think anything short of being Gestalt will help you get in sooner.
Weiser_Cain 03-20-05, 09:22 PM	That actually looks pretty good, thanks I'll run with that.
PhaedrusXY 03-20-05, 09:40 PM	ftr1/wiz6/EK10/Spellsword3 BAB+17, CL 17 at level 20 Then go epic EK or more Spellsword. (Or enter another arcane PrC, like Archmage)
Weiser_Cain 03-20-05, 09:43 PM	Would that get me Legendary Dreadnought faster?
PhaedrusXY 03-20-05, 09:43 PM	Would that get me Legendary Dreadnought faster?It will get you LD at the same rate, and a higher caster level at 20. If you want a decent caster level at 20 as a wizard, you pretty much have to give up at least 3 points of base attack bonus as a minimum.
PhaedrusXY 03-21-05, 05:10 PM	Even better: Fighter2/Wiz4/Spellsword5/EldritchKnight9. I don't own CW and wasn't sure what the prereqs were for Spellsword. If you can get into it with only 4 wizard levels, as I saw in another thread, then this is better for what you're wanting. Base Attack is +18 at 20th, which lets you get into LD faster and still have a caster level of 15 at 20th level. At 30th level: ftr2/wiz4/SS5/EK9/X10 (X is any class that increases caster level) BAB +23, Caster level 25. I think the BAB is calculated incorrectly for Khan's build. It only has +17 at 20th, since it loses 3 points for the 5 wizard levels. Also, I don't remember if you get base attack bonus points on odd or even levels in Epic. If it's odd levels, you can take your first LD level at 30th with this.
rilem 03-21-05, 06:18 PM	Requirements for spellsword are BAB+4 and 2nd level spells, so in theory the Precocious Apprentice cheese should work. (the P.A. feat, in Complete Arcane, lets you cast 2nd level spells -- well, 1 spell -- and though Rich Baker posted against it, the errata left it alone). By the Rules as Written it should work. So, through 20 levels, Fighter4/Wiz2/Spellsword5/EK9 BAB +19, 13th level caster Then progress as above.
slade_caizer 03-22-05, 08:41 PM	It probably won't help in the way that you are wanting, but had anyone considered Rage Mage? I'm not personally partial to the class, but I've seen what a Brb20/Ftr6/LD14 is like... That evil punk took Destructive Rage, Terrifying Rage, Thundering Rage, Devastating Rage (or something similar), Extra Rage to high heaven...if I have my way I'll nominate him for the new god of war. Oh and his favorite weapon is the good old greatclub (on which we happily wrote "Louie") Anyway I figured this would be an alternate martial/arcane method that I know can make a mean dreadnaught. Ugh...rage+unstoppable is utterly...frightening to watch. I keep slipping and calling him the Juggernaut.
Weiser_Cain 03-23-05, 12:13 AM	I'm not fond of 'rage'.
slade_caizer 03-23-05, 01:13 AM	I'm not fond of 'rage'. I can definitely relate to that. In which case most of the guys above have it down solid. The only faster way I can think of would be to go with anything that gave BA +1 every level and doing Wizard in epic (which doesn't sound like a good idea to me). I think the earliest you can take it is as your 26th level, but that's only if you hit BA 20 by lv20. The above builds are wonderful, probably what you'll want to go with. Still I'll see if I can think of something to add. Ftr2/Wiz5/EK10/Hexblade3 This still leaves you with 17.5 BA by lv20, but you could make use of Mettle a lot since you'll have good fortitude and decent will. If you go Human you can ignore xp penalty by taking wizard as favored (since i'm told PrCs don't count).