I use the optimization board to get inspiration for encounters, but many builds are designed for level 20. So what I'm lookin for are builds that peak early so to speak.
For instance Illumian Swordsage1/rouge1/Wizard 3/Daggerspellmage 10
At level 15 this build peaked with quickened spells with full attack sure levels of unseen seer will add alot to the build, but the main abilities are there.
Or Duskblade 13 - not a build, but the main ability full arcane channeling is reached thus the peak, add a few feats/item suggestion and there a build.
So if you have ideas/ ½ builds/full builds with an early peak/build that are quite interesting at low levels let share them. I might try them out and give some feedback.
Thanks
I mean, just about any Shadowcraft Mage build is going to be in full force around level 12, and still quite strong before that. Even the basic Druid 20 is obviously strong through 5-15.
JaronK
And master fo shrouds - something I'll look into hen i get home to my books.
@JaranK
Druids can go quite a few ways - do you have any partically build in mind?
And Shadowcraft mage - what feats/items would you suggest?
Thanks for the imput so far
--Duskblade 3/Fighter 2/Lion Totem Barbarian 1/Suel Arcanamach 3/Spellsword 1/Abjurant Champion 5
At sixteen you can take the 4th level of SuArc. Use the Aeshkrau sigil word for strength based casting. Itemwise, grab a Staff of Power and fuel its smite ability with your Duskblade spells. Take a couple TWF feats and some charging feats and you can pounce quite well. Also, snagging the Cityscape variants that let Tumble be a class skill for Fighter and Barb helps. Everything you cast on yourself is auto extended and hard as heck to dispel. Don't forget to lay a greater mighty wallop on your quarterstaff, use greater enlarge person, cast heroics to snag feats for large size peopel like Knockback...
Just a kinda fun build, not a world ruiner.
--Spellthief 1/Sorcerer 4/Unseen Seer 2/Spellwarp Sniper 4/Unseen Seer X
Able Learner, Master Spellthief, Rapid Metamagic, Split Ray...
Something along those lines...Metamagic Rods are awesome here as well...basically just abuse Frost Breath and Wings of Flurry as you spellwarp them to keep the meanest person in each encounter from acting. If you don't care about Wings of Flurry you can lock down just as well with Frost Breath. Wings of Flurry just scales really well and actually lets you do some real damage, especially if you snag Hunter's Eye with your advanced learning in Unseen Seer.
--Rogue 3/Swashbuckler X
Able Learner, Daring Outlaw, and TWF feats for a combat functioning skill monkey.
--Wizard 5/War Weaver 5/Earth Dreamer 5
Buff your allies from underground. That said, anything that gets War Weaver 5 instantly becomes AWESOME as a team player and you will see that the party hugely increases in power. Just an AMAZING class for someone willing to not actually be making the deathblows.
http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-414298.html
"Optimal builds for each level"
http://forums.gleemax.com/wotc_archive/index.php/t-674083
Binder 1 / Wizard 2 / Anima Mage 9
Dread Necromancer is fun up to about L12, then you become a one trick pony
There's lots of straight classes that are fun.
I like Bard 3 / Druid 3 / Arcane Hieromphant 4 / Sublime Chord 2 / Fochlucan Lyricist... They actually aren't bad from L7 on, IF you take Versatile Spellcaster.
Lose out on one caster level, however Fiendish Legion makes up for a lot of that. Combine with lots of useful Summoning feats, such as Augment Summoning, and the Rapid Summoning Variant.
Wonderful. Invisibility combined with Summon Monster FTW.
Dread Necromancer is fun up to about L12, then you become a one trick pony
Hell no. Not even close. If nothing else, you've got impressive fear abilities, animated minions, endless healing, and some of the most devastating touch attacks around... and you're a full caster. Not one trick pony at all!
Dread Necromancers are a lot of fun to play up through the levels... they're fun at level 2, and they gain something cool at pretty much every level after that up till 8. After that, well, they've got TONS of spells available, so lots of options.
JaronK
Hell no. Not even close. If nothing else, you've got impressive fear abilities, animated minions, endless healing, and some of the most devastating touch attacks around... and you're a full caster. Not one trick pony at all!
Dread Necromancers are a lot of fun to play up through the levels... they're fun at level 2, and they gain something cool at pretty much every level after that up till 8. After that, well, they've got TONS of spells available, so lots of options.
JaronK
+1
Hell no. Not even close. If nothing else, you've got impressive fear abilities, animated minions, endless healing, and some of the most devastating touch attacks around... and you're a full caster. Not one trick pony at all!
Dread Necromancers are a lot of fun to play up through the levels... they're fun at level 2, and they gain something cool at pretty much every level after that up till 8. After that, well, they've got TONS of spells available, so lots of options.
JaronK
This was not my experience, playing one from L4-L18, but yours might be different. Our enemies became so freakin' tough that the best I could do was command undead to attack, and do a little debuff. On occasion, the enemies that weren't immune to fear did get a bit affected, but this was rare. There wasn't enough diversity for me.
Ur-Priests also peak at level 14 or 15, when they get 9th level spells.
Better look for some thing not so dangerous next time...
But thanks for the input. There great ideas in there and i'll try them - when my players are ready for them :-)
Conjurer 1(With feat that allows to cast 1 2nd level spell)/Master Specialist(Conjuration) 4/ Malconvoker 5/ Master Specialist 5
Lose out on one caster level, however Fiendish Legion makes up for a lot of that. Combine with lots of useful Summoning feats, such as Augment Summoning, and the Rapid Summoning Variant.
Wonderful. Invisibility combined with Summon Monster FTW.
This build actually "peaks" at level 10 - soon as you get the 5th level of Malconvoker you are summoning 2 Fiendish Giant Crocodiles - both double augmented and extended every round. At level 10 these things are nasty.
At level 15 you are doing Bone Devils - which are still nasty, but more dangerous to double augment and extend because the bluff roll is less certain.
now* i've come up with a theory. if treant-monk says it it must be ture. this theory has never proved wrong. thus i agree with treant-monk
I like you.
Is pretty darn scary strong. It catches up around 11th with 6th level spells and then basically has higher spells than the rest of the party and can shove them through the duskblade's channel ability. If you want to play nice, that's Monk 1 and Sacred Fist advancing Ur Priest.
Any of the Wizard / Druid / Cleric good builds that don't lose a level of their key features (spellcasting, wild shape) are certainly effective 5-15 ... this includes anima mage, good UM builds, Malconvokers, yada yada
And of course, if you're up for it Warmage 4 (w/ heighten & versatile) / Rainbow Servant 10 / Sacred Exorcist 1 is pretty good at 15 providing your DM rules favorably on it.
Any well made RKV is mighty strong.
This build actually "peaks" at level 10 - soon as you get the 5th level of Malconvoker you are summoning 2 Fiendish Giant Crocodiles - both double augmented and extended every round. At level 10 these things are nasty.
At level 15 you are doing Bone Devils - which are still nasty, but more dangerous to double augment and extend because the bluff roll is less certain.
Most definitely. I think the build also does well at higher levels, when you can get 4 summons around with SM quickened. Otherwise a pretty strong build.
I mean hey, who can question a master Handbook maker like yourself
I mean hey, who can question a master Handbook maker like yourself
it appears the wisdom of treant monk has spread. let us all learn from him and cast celerity into time stop into reverse gravity and such.
With quickened spells you may find summoning subpar unless you have a method to quicken your best summons (sudden quicken, Incantatrix, Belt of Battle etc). However, those quickened spells (or swift/immediate action spells) are still a good idea. Conditional modifiers are great - or a quickened haste is always a nice boost (especially to single attack summons - like Fiendish Rhinos or a Fiendish T Rex.)
I even find myself using minor swift spells like Blockade or Halt reasonably often at level 14. PHB II, and the second round of Complete books made quicken a less "must-have" feat, offering lower level swift/immediate action spells you can cast often.
I'm currently playing a Wiz 5/Malc 5/MotSV 4 and I'm finding it quite effective. The one thing I do notice that in tight spaces your options decrease (at least as far as summoning goes). Naturally, MotSV is always good (especially levels 4 and up).
MotSV? Are you referring to Initiate of the 7-fold Veil?
MotSV? Are you referring to Initiate of the 7-fold Veil?
:embarrass Yep.
Maybe my guy is SO good he' a Master of the Sevenfold Veil :D
:embarrass Yep.
Maybe my guy is SO good he' a Master of the Sevenfold Veil :D
I figured you did it on purpose, to say that. :D