Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 void_reaver Mar 27, 2008 15:50:33	Hello I was looking for help with optimizing my Sand Shaper as a replacement for my True Necromancer. The role of the character is primarily as a support specialist and may have to move into more battle magic if we lose our Warmage. So my spell list was chosen with several things in mind 1) that I can ignore some spells as I get them as a Sand Shaper 2) That I may need a little non summoning battle magic. As for the resources I can use pretty much any 3.5 WotC printed book. So here's my character so far. Name: Nightwhisper Race: Elf Class:Wizard 6/ Sand Shaper 1 Str: 9 Dex: 15 Con: 14 Int: 20 (18) Wis: 12 Cha: 11 Skills Concentration +12 Spellcraft +17 Knowledge (Nature) +9 Knowledge (Arcana) +10 Survival +5 Decipher Script +10 Knowledge (Local) +13 Craft (Alchemy) +10 Intimidate +11 Feats & Flaws, class abilities Noncombatant Greedy Spell Focus (Conjuration) 1st Extend Spell 1st Empower Spell 1st Craft wondrous Item 3rd Augment Summoning 5th Touchstone Site: City of the Dead Desert Insight Sand shape Dust Magic Spells 0th- all 1st- Mage Armor, Magic Weapon, Protection from Evil, True Strike, Enlarge Person, Ray of Enfeeblement, Magic Missile, Obscuring Mist 2nd- Invisibility, Blur, Summon Monster 2, Scorching Ray 3rd- Fly, Keen Edge, Magic Weapon: Greater, Summon Monster 3 Desert Insight Spells 1st- Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Endure Elements, Parching Touch, Speak with Animals, Summon Desert Ally 1 2nd- Eagle's Splendor, Fox's Cunning, Heat Metal, Owl's Wisdom, Resist Energy, Summon Desert Ally 2, Summon Swarm 3rd- Control Sand, Desiccate, Dispel Magic, Dominate Animal, Haboob, Slipsand, Summon Desert Ally 3, Tormenting Thirst, Wind Wall Spells prepared 0th-Resistance x2, Detect Magic x2 1st- Mage Armor, Bear's Endurance, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Endure Elements 2nd- Summon Monster 2, Blur 2x, Invisibility x2 3rd- Summon Monster 3 2x, Fly Magic Gear Cloak of Resistance +1, (5) Pearl of Power 1st level, Meta Magic Rod Extend (lesser), Handy Haversack, Headband of intellect +2, basic gear, scroll/potion/wand collection (Rather large). So theres the character as it stands. I do plan on upgrading my magic items as well as making more. Not quite sure where to take it from here feat wise, I also intend on finishing out all ten levels of the Sand Shaper class not quite sure what to take after I finish with it.
#2 andyjames Mar 27, 2008 16:08:09	Since you are playing a summoner role, you might want to look at specialist Conjurer and the Conjurer variants: Focused Specialist, Rapid Summoning and Enhanced Summoning. Just a thought.
#3 indeterminate Mar 27, 2008 16:31:05	Honestly for Sand Shaper I really like spontaneous classes better than prepared casting classes since it adds the Desert Insight spells to your spells known greatly increasing your flexibility. You can turn any sort of casting specialist into a summoner. The easiest replacement would be to take your build now and just sub sorceror in for wizard then swap your Int and Cha. I really like using beguiler for this myself so you can be a skill monkey as well, but he won't be a summoner until he enters Sand Shaper.
#4 void_reaver Mar 28, 2008 14:33:36	Sorcerer does look like it would work well but I wouldn't get into the class as soon as I can with the wizard or finish out the PRC with it. Although Ill look into beguiler on Sunday when we play. AndyJames what books are those in so I can bug my DM for them? Thanks for the ideas guys ill give those a look at when I get the chance.
#5 indeterminate Mar 28, 2008 16:46:54	Sorcerer does look like it would work well but I wouldn't get into the class as soon as I can with the wizard or finish out the PRC with it. Although Ill look into beguiler on Sunday when we play. AndyJames what books are those in so I can bug my DM for them? Thanks for the ideas guys ill give those a look at when I get the chance. The entry requirements are identical for wizard and sorceror. The only difference is that you'll be spending cross-class points for Knowledge (nature) as a sorceror which you'd have as a class skill as a wizard. I'm also not sure why you wouldn't be able to finish out the PrC using sorceror since you get 9th level spells as both a wizard and a sorceror when taking all 10 sand shaper levels. Beguiler has the same delayed casting as a sorceror so if that's what's putting you off of sorceror you're probably not going to like it much better.
#6 andyjames Mar 28, 2008 16:53:33	Sorcerer does look like it would work well but I wouldn't get into the class as soon as I can with the wizard or finish out the PRC with it. Although Ill look into beguiler on Sunday when we play. AndyJames what books are those in so I can bug my DM for them? Thanks for the ideas guys ill give those a look at when I get the chance. Focused Specialist is in Complete Mage. The Summoning effects are in Unearthed Arcana. Rapid Summoning, in particular, is pure platinum for summoners.
#7 void_reaver Mar 28, 2008 20:35:52	Actually the feat requirement. The sorcerer needs cross class ranks in Knowledge (local) 8 in fact to get the feat touchstone site (city of the dead). Thats the only problem with a sorcerer going into sand shaper. I haven't had a chance to look at the Beguiler yet Ill need to look at PHB2 on Sunday to check the skill list and other abilities out. Thank you for the location of that information AndyJames.
#8 desert_jester Nov 02, 2010 20:52:25	actually if you check again it says either 8 ranks knowlege local or an item from the area worth 250G