I am using 3.5 rules, so Armor Arcane Spell Failure is still an issue for arcane spells with somatic components.
I was thinking Warforged for the race with the Adamantine Body feat and carrying a Tower Shield. My thoughts were that in battle, I would hide behind the tower shield and cast spells at my enemies, but only still spells.
I could be wrong, but I don't think you will be able to cast spells at enemies if you're using the tower shield for total cover.
I could be wrong, but I don't think you will be able to cast spells at enemies if you're using the tower shield for total cover.
For many spells, one needs line of effect, not line of sight. Unless the tower shield was a dome that I walked around with, I think a line of effect could be found. But, for things like suggestion, I need only know where my target is. If I peek around the tower shield to discover his location, then make a suggestion, he should still be targeted, and I would think I should still maintain total cover.
Basically, they get the ability to prepare their spells as runes on solid objects, which they can then cast without any arcane spell failure. It is, sadly, dwarf only. If you don't like being a dwarf, there are some other options, though they aren't as nice. Here are some I can think of right now:
Geomancer's (Complete Divine) Spell Versatility
Alternate Source Spell feat (Dragon Magazine, forget which one. Prepare your arcane spells as divine or vice versa)
Metamagic School Focus (limited times per day metamagic reduction)
Southern Magician (limited times per day cast arcane spells as divine)
edit: Otherwise, there's always clericzilla :p
edit again:
What about Archivist? They're similar to Wizards in that they prepare from spellbooks (prayerbooks), but their spells are divine, so they don't suffer arcane spell failure. They can also get a good number of wizard blasty spells (which seem to be what you want) on their spell list via various tricks. For example, Scorching Ray is also on the NPC Adept spell list.
Anyway, many spells would still be viable options.
Additionally, it says that I can position the tower shield such that I have total cover. Total cover destroys line of effect to me. It doesn't say anything about my line of effect to the enemy. Unless there is additional information on this, I see no reason that a finger could not be pointed around the tower shield to all of a sudden have line of effect to the enemy. For targeted spells, the ability to see the enemy is required. I personally don't see any rules denying a character the ability to peek around the tower shield while still gaining total cover from it. 9/10 cover is gone now. In general, more than half cover is total cover, although some DMs may disagree.
If you have Races of Stone you may want to take a look at the Runesmith. There's a thread about it over on another forum.
Basically, they get the ability to prepare their spells as runes on solid objects, which they can then cast without any arcane spell failure. It is, sadly, dwarf only. If you don't like being a dwarf, there are some other options, though they aren't as nice. Here are some I can think of right now:
Geomancer's (Complete Divine) Spell Versatility
Alternate Source Spell feat (Dragon Magazine, forget which one. Prepare your arcane spells as divine or vice versa)
Metamagic School Focus (limited times per day metamagic reduction)
Southern Magician (limited times per day cast arcane spells as divine)
edit: Otherwise, there's always clericzilla :p
edit again:
What about Archivist? They're similar to Wizards in that they prepare from spellbooks (prayerbooks), but their spells are divine, so they don't suffer arcane spell failure. They can also get a good number of wizard blasty spells (which seem to be what you want) on their spell list via various tricks. For example, Scorching Ray is also on the NPC Adept spell list.
Honestly, it is mostly the flavor of the heavily armored wizard that I was looking for. I wanted a wizard who specifically took the time to research all of the spells he could that had no chance of failing from his heavy armor and tower shield. Heck, if warforged is not available, I'm thinking of taking Splint Mail or Half-Plate Mail just to increase the ASF chance :D. It is mostly for flavor that I am doing this, but I would still like to optimize as much as possible. Runesmith sorta avoids the issue, as does all of the casting spells as divine possibilities. Your ideas for Metamagic School Focus and Southern Wizard might be good choices. I was just wondering if anyone actually worked on such an optimization, or is the combination considered too weak overall?
Isn't researching ways to cast spells despite prohibitive armor exactly what a Runesmith does?
v Mechanus plate also looks great :D
Heck, if warforged is not available, I'm thinking of taking Splint Mail or Half-Plate Mail just to increase the ASF chance :D.
In that case, you'd be better off with Mechanus gear from the Planar Handbook. At least that way you get even more armour bonus.
The link in the "Handy Links" thread is dead ... I'll see what I can find.
I would just do a gish who can cast in heavy armor or whatever....or just play a Duskblade or Cleric.
JaronK
I find it hard to believe that a DM will say "Ok....line of effect to you is blocked, but you can still have line of effect to your enemies!"
If the enemy prepares an attack for when a spell is cast, then yes, he would have line of effect. Otherwise, I am only required to give up my attacks, not casting spells. I can send all of the fireballs I like. I can make all of the suggestions I want. I can use any spell I want that doesn't have an attack roll, and unless the enemy prepares an action to interrupt my spellcasting, he does not have line of effect to me. That is absolutely correct. I know of no DM that would deny it. Are you saying that you would be the first?
Besides, people are just gonna flank you....it can only face one direction.
Yeah, and that is one vulnerability. I'm not saying it is a perfect idea, I'm asking for help in finding the best feats, spells, and prestige classes.
I would just do a gish who can cast in heavy armor or whatever....or just play a Duskblade or Cleric.
Clerics are divine spellcasters. I am looking for a heavily armored wizard. The idea is sound. It has the capacity to work. Just as a 1st level wizard, here are some spells that have no somatic components:
Flare (SRD) (0th)
Light (SRD) (0th)
Benign Transposition (SpC) (1st)
Blades of Fire (SpC) (1st)
Critical Strike (SpC) (1st)
Distracting Shadows (MoE) (1st)
Ectoplasmic Armor (SpC) (1st)
Expeditious Retreat, Swift (SpC) (1st)
Feather Fall (SRD) (1st)
Golem Strike (SpC) (1st)
Guided Shot (SpC) (1st)
Hold Portal (SRD) (1st)
Insightful Feint (SpC) (1st)
Low-light Vision (SpC) (1st)
Magecraft (ECS) (1st)
Master's Touch (SpC) (1st)
Slide (SpC) (1st)
True Strike (SRD) (1st)
Ventriloquism (SRD) (1st)
So, for example, the Fighter 1 / Wizard 1 chooses Benign Transposition as one of his spells. He charges into combat along with the fighter, hiding behind his tower shield. The enemies fire arrows, completely unable to stop the approaching wizard. Meanwhile, the barbarian rushes around the group while the halfling rogue waddles up, staying behind the wizard for cover. All of a sudden, the wizard calls out arcane words, and suddenly the halfling is standing where the barbarian was, and the barbarian is behind the wizard. The halfling is now flanking with the fighter and the barbarian enters a rage, slaughtering everything on the outskirts of the fight.
I can come up with all sorts of uses for almost all of these spells. True Strike? Why do I care that my attack bonus sucks. I hit every time! Granted, only once every other round, but at 2nd level, that isn't horrible!
Ventriloquism? The rogue is the closest culprit if he is mistaken for a bard. Other than that, should be pretty difficult to determine the source of that one! If the wizard is alone, trudging around with his full plate and tower shield, who is going to think that he threw his voice? They will think he is a fighter, nothing more.
Several of these spells are swift actions, as well.
And for spells with more utility? I take Still Spell. Granted, for my first three levels, I will be extremely limited in my spell selection, but it is an interesting idea nonetheless. I can always accept the ASF chance and drop the tower shield if I really need to blast a magic missile or a burning hands at an enemy.
Also, a tower shield weighs 45 pounds. How are you going to carry it with strength most likely being a dump stat, and have room for your scrolls, wands, material components, focuses, and other gear? Or are you going to waste a good score on STR?
For a build with Warforged however, maybe something like.
Warfored Fighter Racial sub 4/ Warblade 3/ Wizard 1/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Jade Phoenix Mage 7
BAB 19, 6th level spells, CL 19, decent amount of stances and manuevers (if you can convince your DM to allow fighter + warblade levels to stack for purposes of Armored Mage variant, since warblade qualifies for fighter feats at level -2, even better because then you could use mithril body and focus on being a high int/dex character)
Are you actually going to waste feats on shield proficiency & tower shield proficiency, or are you just going to take the massive penalties to everything involving movement, and just not be able to use any spell requiring attack rolls? Spellcasters can still target you, and you get no cover bonus. I'd be much more worried about being hit with a couple scorching rays or something requiring a Fortitude or Reflex save, than I would some schlub with a longsword.
Also, a tower shield weighs 45 pounds. How are you going to carry it with strength most likely being a dump stat, and have room for your scrolls, wands, material components, focuses, and other gear? Or are you going to waste a good score on STR?
Lol, no. Of course I wouldn't waste feats. As mentioned, one level of fighter for those proficiencies, along with heavy armor proficiency. Since I'm going around in heavy armor, it doesn't matter what my encumbrance is going to be. Anything up to my heavy load is acceptable. So, 95 lbs from armor and shield, so a minimum strength of 10 and I'm set. If I go for a small creature, that drops to a minimum strength of 8. Why would you think I have to wast a good score on STR? Wizardly components don't weigh all THAT much!!! LOL!
Spellcasters can target me, true, but rays cannot bypass the shield, as rays require a line of effect, not a target. Effects that target are different from rays. I have total cover from such effects. Fireball would still be a problem, true. But, I don't see it as a debilitating problem.
Relevant supporting text:
Show
Tower Shield text:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#shieldTower
This massive wooden shield is nearly as tall as you are. In most situations, it provides the indicated shield bonus to your AC. However, you can instead use it as total cover, though you must give up your attacks to do so. The shield does not, however, provide cover against targeted spells; a spellcaster can cast a spell on you by targeting the shield you are holding. You cannot bash with a tower shield, nor can you use your shield hand for anything else.
Depending on how many levels of fighter you could look into the Armored Mage variant on Page 32 of Complete Mage. That combined with the Battle Caster feat from Complete Arcane will net you the ability to wear Mithril Fullplate (or any Mithril heavy armor). Other note would be one level of spellthief + Master Spellthief feat from Complete Scoundrel + Battle Caster feat = some spell stealing and also the ability to wear medium or mithril heavy armor. Also if you must go some kind of melee/combat mage please consider taking the Abjurant Champion prestige class from Complete Mage.
For a build with Warforged however, maybe something like.
Warfored Fighter Racial sub 4/ Warblade 3/ Wizard 1/ Abjurant Champion 5/ Jade Phoenix Mage 7
BAB 19, 6th level spells, CL 19, decent amount of stances and manuevers (if you can convince your DM to allow fighter + warblade levels to stack for purposes of Armored Mage variant, since warblade qualifies for fighter feats at level -2, even better because then you could use mithril body and focus on being a high int/dex character)
I thank you for the idea, but really, I'm looking for as much casting potential as possible. If I have Fighter 1 / Wizard 19, I can cast 9th level spells. If I have Fighter 1 / Wizard 5 / Eldritch Knight 10 / Wizard 4, I have 9th level spells. Both of these builds focus on nearly full caster level progression. Because of an 85% ASF, I am only casting spells that have no somatic components. I posted a list of spells that have none for 1st level. I can do the same for each level, if you don't believe that there are any. Each level has MANY spells that would be viable options. Moreover, with Still Spell, I can cast any spell I like and ignore the Armor Spell Failure.
Things that this build does well:
- Confuses enemies: Seeing a guy in full plate armor not carrying a holy symbol is not going to inspire a lot of confidence in his will. This makes him a prime target for targeted spells requiring will saves, potentially saving the true melee characters from these effects.
- Since the sole focus of the class is on spells that have no somatic components, things like grappling, paralysis, etc. become far less of a problem. Every spell that is prepared will likely not contain any somatic components (either because it is a still spell, or because the spell itself doesn't have any somatic component). Many of the effects that require fort and will saves fall into a category of spell that this wizard is particularly well prepared for.
- Wandering around in full plate armor and with a tower shield provides the wizard with a great deal of armor that most wizards lack. At early levels, how many wizards can boast an AC of 23 with full cover being likely? At higher levels, the wizard maintains his AC superiority over other mages by adding in additional AC-boosting effects. As a mage, I tend to be worried about the fighter going stabby-stabby at me. As a mage, if it comes down to a mage battle, they are restricted to targeted spells and area effect spells whereas I am restricted to... well... not much if everything I have is prepared without somatic components.
- Having a limited number of spells to choose from aids in discovering interesting ways to use infrequently used spells. If you have a DM who actually uses the counterspell rules, you are not likely to find a wizard who is going to be able to counterspell you. But, you probably will find a wizard who has prepared a Fireball pretty often! Or any of the commonly-used spells for that matter.
- A caster who can't see you can't make a spellcraft check to determine what spell you are casting. Hiding behind a tower shield? Effective way to block enemy casters from determining what spells you are using. Heck, they must first discover that you can cast spells at all! Add Silent Spell to your repertoire and you become a true anomaly! Every caster will be wondering from where the heck the powerful spells are originating!
Honestly, I thank you for your build idea, but it really isn't what I am looking for. If you have any suggestions in line with the wizard who avoids somatic components while wearing full plate and carrying a tower shield, I'm all ears! Or eyes... cuz... you know... I'm reading... Whatever.
Edit: LOL! I just had a funny idea: Create an item that grants continuous Girallon's Blessing. Now, carry around four tower shields. Granted, that increases encumbrance, but a warforged fighter 1 / wizard 19 with Girallon's Blessing... I dunno, but I'm thinking total cover from all sides except above for only 180 lbs of encumbrance. Granted, you need a 15 strength for that to be worthwhile, but by the time you can make a continuous item of Girallon's Blessing, you can afford a belt of giant's strength +4...
If I have Fighter 1 / Wizard 5 / Eldritch Knight 10 / Wizard 4, I have 9th level spells.
Have you looked into Knight Phantom prestige class from Five Nations? (in my opinion it is a far better prestige class than eldritch knight).
Something like Fighter 1/ Wizard 5/ Knight Phantom 10/ Abjurant Champion 4 will net you 9th level spells, CL 18, and BAB 17. Other option with the Militia feat taken at first level would be Wizard 5/ Knight Phantom 10/ Abjurant Champion 5 will also net you 9th level spells, BAB 17, but with a CL of 19 with all of the Abjurant Champion goodies.
You also gain cover from only one direction when you do this, like hiding behind a table. Mosts DMs probably would not allow the Girallon's Blessing + 4 Tower Shields trick, saying it takes a standard action for each shield, but ask yours to be sure. The standard action thing raises its own questions IMO. (Can you take Total Defense in the same standard action as you take total cover w/ the shield? Some say yes, some say no.)
Most DMs I've met have also gone with the "total cover cuts both ways", and the ones that have gone with the "give up attacks" interpretation have said it's like Invisibility - so you'd be limited to buffing, summoning, etc.
Also note that if your DM does say the total cover affects you too, all spells require Line of Effect unless they specify otherwise. There's only a few that do (like Magic Jar). I am pretty sure targeted spells (even ones like Suggestion) require Line of Sight too (they can have concealment but not total concealment), but I haven't looked that one up recently.
Sorry to :raincloud on your parade. I love armored casters too.
SIDENOTE: Couldn't you get one level in one of those PrCs that grants light armor casting, and then take the Armored Mage feat twice?
Lol, no. Of course I wouldn't waste feats. As mentioned, one level of fighter for those proficiencies, along with heavy armor proficiency. Since I'm going around in heavy armor, it doesn't matter what my encumbrance is going to be. Anything up to my heavy load is acceptable. So, 95 lbs from armor and shield, so a minimum strength of 10 and I'm set. If I go for a small creature, that drops to a minimum strength of 8. Why would you think I have to wast a good score on STR? Wizardly components don't weigh all THAT much!!! LOL!
Spellcasters can target me, true, but rays cannot bypass the shield, as rays require a line of effect, not a target. Effects that target are different from rays. I have total cover from such effects. Fireball would still be a problem, true. But, I don't see it as a debilitating problem.
Relevant supporting text:ShowTower Shield text:http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#shieldTowerThis massive wooden shield is nearly as tall as you are. In most situations, it provides the indicated shield bonus to your AC. However, you can instead use it as total cover, though you must give up your attacks to do so. The shield does not, however, provide cover against targeted spells; a spellcaster can cast a spell on you by targeting the shield you are holding. You cannot bash with a tower shield, nor can you use your shield hand for anything else.
Just get Twilight Mithril Full Plate with Thistledown Padding and you have no ASF. You won't need the Tower Shield as you'll be a good caster....just summon a wall if you wanna play like that.
Anyway, carrying two tower shields would give you a +4 to AC on all sides. You could choose to grant total cover from one side, but you would still only have a +4 to AC from any other side. With Girallon's Blessing, one could still make two attacks from behind the shields. Since they are considered to be granting partial cover, the FAQ recommends that the character may not take attacks of opportunity against any enemies. Still, it grants him a great deal of maneuverability, as he can essentially move around the battle field without ever provoking any attacks of opportunity.
Be prepared to compensate.
I personally like Runesmith a lot more for this concept. You could cast all your spells (not just stilled spells) while wearing Mechanicus Gear as your armor. Not to mention there's tons of other really nice abilities that the class offers.
Something like Gold Dwarf Crusader 1/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight 4/Abjurant Champion 5/Runesmith 5... you lose two levels of Wizard casting, but the Runesmith's abilities make up for that. BAB +14 isn't so hot, but again, Runesmiths can really work wonders there.
JaronK