N GN Human Arcanist
STR 10
DEX 14
CON 14
INT 18
WIS 10
CHA 10
Feats
1. Improved Initiative, Spell Focus (Conjuration)
3. Augment Summons
5. Spell Penetration
7. Dispel Focus (Monster Summoner's Handbook)
9. Greater Spell Penetration
11. Greater Dispel Focus (Monster Summoner's Handbook)
13. Greater Spell Focus (Conjuration)
Arcanist Exploits
1. Potent Magic
3. Energy Shield
5. Metamagic Knowledge (Heighten Spell)
7. Counterspell
9. Metamixing
11. Greater Counterspell
13. Greater Metamagic Knowledge (Quicken Spell)
Traits
Reactionary
Focused Mind
Gear
Cloak of Resistance
Headband of Vast Intelligence
Clear Spindle Ioun Stone
Lesser Rod of Giant Summoning (Monster Summoner's Handbook)
Greater Rod of Giant Summoning (Monster Summoner's Handbook)
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A cheap belt of Constitution or Dexterity is never a bad idea.
I'm a little surprised you aren't going with the Occultist archetype.
Charisma isn't doing anything for you, it could easily be 7. None of your exploits are using it.
Spell Penetration looks unnecessary given you have a focus on Conjuration. If you intend to summon which it looks like you do then you want to be an Occultist.
Energy Shield is a pretty weak exploit and easily replaced by picking up Resist Energy as a prepared spell and later Communal Resist Energy.
Quick Study is one of the best exploits in the game and you should have it. It adds immense versatility.
Heighten Spell is beaten by Persistent Spell as pretty much any level you are likely to see play.
The Counterspell exploits are generally not worth it as you will normally be facing casters of a higher level than you and will not therefore be able to counter them as they are going to be throwing spells too high a level for you to affect. On the plus side Occultist gives up some exploits so these are easy ones to lose.
I have no idea what Dispel Focus does but you seem to be missing Superior Summoning. You might also want to consider Summon Good Monster, Pixies, Djinn and Unicorns can be handy. Expanded Preparation can also help improve versatility.
I might rate Dimensional Slide highly depending on whether or not your GM allows you to use it while grappled.
For traits Focused Mind will rapidly become irrelevant. I would consider Magical Lineage, Pragmatic Activator, Clever Wordplay or Student of Philosophy over it. Even more so if you take Dimensional Slide.
I'd actually lower the INT a bit (you don't really need THAT much), probably dump CHA and STR to 7 (I know it's sad and boring, but traits can make you use INT instead of CHA for skills, so no need of even keeping it decent and there is no need for STR as long as Handy Haversack is a thing in your game) and bump CON up and WIS a bit as well.
You won't be able to keep your AC up at later levels (or well, you can but then we're looking at expensive bucklers, haramakis, rings and amulets just to keep your AC up) not worth it, that's why you want MUCH hp (and you'll feel super safe). And WIS is just for perception and Will save.
Energy Shield isn't that good, neither is Metamixing and I don't know how Counterspell works together with Dispell Focus (partly because I don't know what Dispell Focus does at all). Quick Study is a great Exploit, so is Potent Magi (that you picked) and Familiar.
Rub-Eta wrote: I'd actually lower the INT a bit (you don't really need THAT much) /boggle
Literally the only stat an Arcanist cares about is his casting stat. Everything else is 'nice to have.' Take a 20, dump Str and Cha to pay for it. Boost it with items as quickly as possible. Take the Occultist Archetype. Planar Ally a succubus for her Profane Gift and fun times during downtime. Slam down a summon with the SLA, then shut down dangerous threats with stupid high DC control magics.
Energy Shield is terrible. Take Familiar instead. Take Improved Familiar for an imp at level 7 and give it wands of stuff like Litany of Sloth, Ill Omen, and other spells that offer no save and ruin peoples' days.
If you're focusing on summoning as much as you are, taking Spell Penetration is kinda counterproductive. Your summons won't care, and you have other spells that don't allow SR so why would you ever bother to roll to pen it?
Dispel focus adds +2 to dispel checks & Greater Dispel focus adds another +2. This works with dispel magic and counterspell.
The spell penetration is for casting Slow, which is one of my favorite spells. Limiting the enemy to one action per round is very powerful.
Heighten spell is the most UNDERRATED meta-magic in the game. It is extremely versatile. My favorite trick is to heighten daylight to a 4th lvl spell to shut down deeper darkness.
When I summon I summon 1 monster. Summoning more monsters gums up the board and makes your turn take as long as everyone else. Nobody likes this.
I like energy shield, so I'm keeping it. I will concede that there are better exploits.
The Occultist is overpowered. I am a support player, not a power gamer.
You're misusing heighten spell
Ryzoken wrote: Rub-Eta wrote: I'd actually lower the INT a bit (you don't really need THAT much) /boggle After playing some, you'll realize that you really don't need 20 INT by level 1. Sure it's the only stat that is directly connected to your class abilities (exept CHA, but who cares). But there comes a time where you'll feel much more comfortable with 50% more HP or saves rather than one more spell on certain levels. By then, the extra spells would seem like "nice to have". Pushing the INT as high as 20 at level 1 doesn't complete the class and lowering it won't cannibalise on it.
I agree on dumping your STR and sadly it's even optimal for an INT based class to pick traits for INT to CHA skills rather than getting a sub-par CHA for them.
But I do find a high CON (as in, minimum 16) to be very usefull, especialy when going for higher levels as you can't keep your AC up. And there will be times where you are going to take a hit, doesn't matter that everybody says that wizards/arcanists should stay far away from the front line, you will take damage.
And now that I'm looking at your point-buy, I'm guessing your numbers are post racial bonus. Then I wouldn't bothering lowering INT too much, just STR/CHA.
Rub-Eta wrote: Ryzoken wrote: Rub-Eta wrote: I'd actually lower the INT a bit (you don't really need THAT much) /boggle After playing some, you'll realize that you really don't need 20 INT by level 1. I've played plenty. I'll thank you not to make assumptions about my history.
But since my recommendations are being met by "that's overpowered" or "I'm not a powergamer" despite this being a character build critique thread, I'm going to bow out.
*saunters off, wondering why he even bothers*
Master of the Dark Triad wrote: You're misusing heighten spell No I'm not.
The Occultist is obviously the way to go. I don't disagree. I just have a problem with standard action summoning. I've seen it BREAK way to many scenarios to justify doing it myself.
Heighten spell can be very effective with dazing spell, but getting both can be a large investment, and I have personally never done it. As far as picking up spell pen just to cast slow, I recommend the tactic of targeting foes who do not have sr with that, and using your conjuration focus on those who do have sr, that way you still have a use for the spell, but like any spell, it is never the absolute best choice, nor are you cripplingly specialized in it. Put me in the 20 int camp, but that is because I love high dcs, but I can see it not being necessary with a support/summoning build. Finally, I second Ryzoken's comments on playstyle, when you say that you welcome judgement but derisively dismiss sound judgement it creates a toxic environment.
On a note- I avoided the counterspelling portion because I have never seen a dedicated abjurer at work, and cannot critique that well.
Dark_Angel wrote: I am a support player, not a power gamer. C'mon man.
Dark_Angel wrote: The Occultist is obviously the way to go. I don't disagree. I just have a problem with standard action summoning. I've seen it BREAK way to many scenarios to justify doing it myself. It's really only a problem when summoning multiples. Just limit the SLA to one creature per use and you shouldn't have to worry about it.
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Dark_Angel wrote: Heighten spell is the most UNDERRATED meta-magic in the game. It is extremely versatile. My favorite trick is to heighten daylight to a 4th lvl spell to shut down deeper darkness. You don't understand how Daylight works. You do not need to Heighten daylight to affect deeper darkness.
Heighten is pretty much only useful on Continual Light to get a permanent means of overcoming Deeper Darkness. Wasting a feat for one spell is a bad idea. Persistent will always give you a better chance of failing a save at virtually any level.
You can get a heightened continual flame as a spellcasting service. If you are a half elf you can get it with paragon surge. Later you can use the flexible metamagic feat exploit.
Also asking for character advice and then going down the one true roleplayer route is rather idiotic.
^Daylight heightened to a 4th lvl spell shuts down deeper darkness permanently, as opposed to countering it, since they can't cast a darkness spell of a higher lvl. They have to dispel your daylight and then cast deeper darkness again. By then you've probably already won or at least you should have
Dark_Angel wrote: ^Daylight heightened to a 4th lvl spell shuts down deeper darkness permanently, as opposed to countering it, since they can't cast a darkness spell of a higher lvl. They have to dispel your daylight and then cast deeper darkness again. By then you've probably already won or at least you should have Has that ever actually happened to you? The enemy casts deeper darkness, you cast daylight, they cast dispel magic and then recast deeper darkness? It sounds like the combat should be mostly over by the time all that happens.
^You would be surprised. There are PFS scenarios in which this can potentially occur.
Anyway I've decided to make a Sorc. Thank you all for your input, it has been helpful.
... Wow. You have asked for our input on your build, shot down and dismissed our perfectly valid recommendations and observations, then inferred that we wasted our time giving you suggestions on your build because you're scrapping it for a Sorcerer.
Just wow.
Or maybe the feed-back made him realize he'd rather want to play a sorcerer? Don't bu-hu, he only asked for advice, not demanded.
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