Has anyone played a Jade Phoenix Mage, or DM'ed a game with such a character playing? If so, what was it like? Any particular problems or issues to keep an eye on?
The reason why I'm asking is that I foresee being asked by a particular player in a future campaign if he may use the Jade Phoenix Mage prestige class from the Tome of Battle/Book of Nine Swords. While some parts of ToB I could easily do without, I don't mind the Warblade so far and that is a valid entry class for the JPM prestige class.
Essentially, the JPM looks like a gish class - with a rather impressive L 10 capstone ability which can be attained at character level 16 at the earliest (and which puts the character out the action for up to 6 rounds - I might be tempted to houserule that it is a flat 6-round wait). (I might also be tempted to require that L 10 JPM not be taken until a higher character level than L 16.) Providing that the party's other characters have the same power level, JPM looks okay. (In case anyone's curious, the game would be an ungodly mixture of Pathfinder and 3.5.) (And I like the idea of the Ebon Phoenix Mages, particularly as enemies of the JPMs.)
So, any relevant experiences to share?
Break into a thread somewhere and ask Jess Door; I'm pretty sure she played one at some point.
Thanks for the suggestion, Kirth! I'll try it and see what she says.
Thank you! :)
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First off, I played this about 2-3 years ago, so some of my memories may be a bit colored, especially by later play of the character.
Second, campaign details: This was an extremely high powered campaign. I ended up with starting stats 18, 18, 16, 16, 16, 15 - the DM adjusted them up to this from my already very good rolls.. So...that will skew what a JPM is capable of. A large part of my ability to build a good character was the amazingly good stats across the board.
Third, build details:
- Levels: Wiz 1-Wiz 5 / Crusader 1-Crusader 2 / JPM 1-JPM 3 / Wiz 6 / JPM 4.
- Class Options: Conjuror Wizard, Evocation / Enchantment forbidden, Abrupt Jaunt (Complete mage?) replaces familiar.
- Feats: Scribe Scroll (class), Combat Reflexes (1), Improved Unarmed Strike (Human), Stand Still (3), Extend Spell (Wizard 5), Arcane Strike (6), Practiced Spellcaster (9), Minor Shapeshift (12)
- Class Abilities: Arcane Wrath, Empowering Strike, Steely Resolve (5), Furious Counterstrike, Abrupt Jaunt, Rite of Waking
- Maneuvers:
- Martial Spirit (stance) - heals 2 HP to ally or self on successful hit against an enemy,
- Mystic Phoenix Stance - Caster Level +1, =2 dodge bonus to AC, Expend a spell slot at beginningof stance to gain DR / evil Spell level x 2
- Thicket of Blades: All movement of enemies provokes an attack of opportunity from you.
- Burning Brand (strike): +5' reach, melee damage as normal, except type fire
- Crusader's strike: 1d6+Initiator Level damage healed to ally or self on hit
- Foehammer: +2d6 damage, ignore DR
- Leading the Attack: all allies gain +4 to hit for 1 round
- Tactical Strike: +2d6 damage, allies threatened by target gain free 5' step
- Stone Vise: +1d6 damage, Fort save or target cannot move
- Divine Surge: +8d8 damage on successful hit
- Important Items: Glaive as weapon
- Monk's Belt
Hasaki was concieved as a protective character rather than offensive. I generally used her as a fighter with spells instead of feats to make her combat relevent. Key parts of the build were making her able to attack as wide a radius as possible, and preventing enemies from penetrating her defenses to attack those she was defending. Stand still, high dexterity and combat reflexes ended up earning her the name "The Cuisinart". I had to sacrifice casting to gain enough maneuvers to gain stances I wanted (Thicket of Blades being most important). A lot of 3.5 options and 3.5 spells and 3.5 feats were used to make her useful in combat. Minor shapeshift gave her lots of extra hit points, Monk's belt gave her better unarmed damage and wisdom to her AC (only useful due to high starting stats), and spells like greater mirror image helped her ability in combat greatly.
In general, I don't htink JPM will be problematic in pathfinder play. In an extremely high power campaign this character only drew even to the rogue at around 10th level, and began to show glimmers of her potential around 12th level. At high level you will have a similar problem with the JPM that you'd have with all high level spellcasters - only slighly lower due to lost spellcasting levels. This character will lose at least 3 caster levels.
Biggest consideration will have to go to updating combat maneuver classes to Pathfinder.
any questions? Please feel free to ask.
Hmmm, you've certainly given me some food for thought there! The player in question will almost certainly go for an offensive build instead, but your example will still help a lot.
I'm considering making an evil Ebon Phoenix Mage and pitting him/her against the party some time as a field test of the class. A sort of a test-to-destruction situation! :)
Again, many thanks for taking the time to answer, Jess.
I currently have a player in my group that is pursuing this particular class as well as adding several other classes from Book of the Nine Swords. I am finding that all the combat maneuvers are overpowered. Not to mention other abilities. Personally I am concidering after this group of characters are done with this particular campaign and they start fresh is that I am throwing that book out the window. It just gives me a headache to deal with.