...in the Styes.
So our group is taking a break from RotRL to run through The Styes. Our party does not consist of the aforementioned characters. I am trying to decide which of them to play and intend to stat all of them up to cover any position some one else in our group misses. The party is likely to consist of a Human Barbarian of monstrous design, a Dread Necromancer of some ridiculous race, a nonspecific healer (probably a Cleric, but maybe a Binder spec'd in healing; I don't know how to do that but the guy who said he would play healer likes Binders), and an unknown 5th party members (not me).
We are starting at level 8, with 28 pt buy, and will be afforded the wealth of a 4th level party in a very specific manner: a +1 armor, +1 weapon, Minor magic item, 4 Cure Moderate Wounds potions, an unspecific number of MW weaponsm, and 2d8 gold on hand.
The classes I am looking at are:
-Beguiler 5/Mindbender 3
-Factotum 8
-Archivist 8
-Focused Specialist Conjurer Wizard 3/Master Specialist Conjurer 5 (with the Rapid Summoning and Enhanced Summoning Conjurer varients from UA)
I am probably going to use a Human for the race because the only race with an Int bonus without an LA I can think of is the Gray Elf. Though I suppose I could make Gray Elf Dragonborn of Bahamut...
The Archivist may not be played because of the aforementioned "maybe healer" but I want all these stat'd up just in case.
Does anyone have any recommendations on which to choose if I get the chance and what feats would be good (especially for the Factotum and Mindbender [other than Mindsight])?
So a Mindbender, Factotum, Archivist, and Summoner walk into a bar...
... and the barman says to them :
- Hey! We don't serve your classes here!
So a Mindbender, Factotum, Archivist, and Summoner walk into a bar...
... and the barman says to them :
- Hey! We don't serve your classes here!
Then the Mindbender hacks his mind and they all get free drinks for the rest of their stay.
But really, any suggestions on the problem presented?
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-Factotum 8
For the Factotum, Font of Inspiration and one of the various Reserve Feats could be decent feat choices (turn your highest level unused spell slot into free water elementals, or little cones of cold, or fiery bursts).
For the Conjurer, the usual standby of Augment Summons, but perhaps also Improved Initiative, since your menagerie goes on your turn, making it count for each of them. If you plan on using a number of conjuration spells in combat (orbs, frex), Cloudy Conjuration might be a fun little debuff (I'm not convinced it's worth a feat, but it seems popular in some of the guides).
The Beguiler and Conjurer both have minions, which the Dread Necro will also have, so you might want to decide if you want to deal with that, or absolutely capitalize on that are find some decent AoE buffs or whatever, that will massively synergize with the amount of critters you and the Dread Necro put on the board. Sadly, all the good AoE buffs (bless, prayer, recitation, elation, mass snake's swiftness) are divine...
Do you really have spell slots? You have SLA slots..
Augment Summoning is free in the Enhanced Summoning variant, replaces Scribe Scroll
Beguiler isn't really a minion herder. It's casting stat is Int, not Cha; it doesn't naturally generate minions; and there arn't enough Mindbender levels to get the good mind hack abilities. Beguiler/Mindbender is a skill-monkey/face.
Hmm definately an interesting group. I'll comment the best I can but I'm only somewhat familar with most of those classes.
Conjurer - Well if the DRead Necromancer will have a bunch of undead then the summoning just adds more critters to the field which in my experience slows things down a bit. Summoning can get old after a while too, which I found out with the summoner I played not too long ago.
Beguiler/Mindbender - Not too familar with mindbender but really like the beguiler as a class. It's really good at what it does and with a Dread Necromancer in the group you don't have to worry as much about the weakness against mindless undead. I have seen the Improved Fient feat help the Beguiler get it's bonus easier.
Archivist - I really like the concept of this class. In practice it really depends on what your GM lets you find for spells and scribe into your book (at least that's how it ended up being for the guy who played one in our group). The feats that let you use your special ability (can't remember its name) on other types of creatures is very helpful. You'll also provide a good set of knowledges.
Factotum - Really don't know much about this one. If I remember correctly is kind of a jack of all trades type with a little of everything. Depending on what that the other 5th is playing then it could be an interesting support character.
I hope at least some of that helped.
Font of Inspiration seems a little weak, but I'm not intimately familiar with the class so maybe not.
The feats I'm looking at for Beguiler are Improved Initiative (B), Insightful Reflexes, Mindsight, Weapon Finesse.
Weapon Finesse could probably use a replacement.
For the Factotum, I'm thinking Jack of All Trades (B), Weapon Focus (Med Xbow), Rapid Reload, Crossbow Sniper.
The Conjurer and Archivist are easier and I will look into it when I spin them up.
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Archivist - I really like the concept of this class. In practice it really depends on what your GM lets you find for spells and scribe into your book (at least that's how it ended up being for the guy who played one in our group). The feats that let you use your special ability (can't remember its name) on other types of creatures is very helpful. You'll also provide a good set of knowledges.
Archivist of Nature (giants, fey) and Draconic Archivist (dragons, constructs) are the two Archivist-specific feat choices. Knowledge Devotion, from Complete Champion, I vaguely recall being a popular choice.
The drawback of the Archivist not being able to choose spells is at least a tiny bit mitigated by his starting at 8th level, and getting to at least pick *some* spells before play starts (and purchase scrolls with whatever bits of WBL he has to spare, to add to his prayerbook thingie, although only having the WBL of a 4th level character is going to make that a much more limited option, so he'll have to agonize over a small, tight, optimal selection of druid, adept, paladin, ranger, blackguard, Domain, etc. spells).
I technically don't even have 4th level starting wealth. I have items specifically that add up to maybe 4th level wealth. I should ask if I can assume I added items to my spell/prayer book. And you forgot Cleric spells. Wizards and Archivists don't add every spell at each level to their book.
With the Archavist go 1st level Cloistered Cleric and take the Knowlege Devotion from Complete Champion it will help alot with all the knowledges.
I don't see any point in taking Cloistered Cleric. Especially since it would cost me Dark Knowledge (Foe)
Though Knowledge Devotion is way better for the Factotum than Crossbow Sniper because of the Jack of All Trades feat so I will switch that out.
I don't see any point in taking Cloistered Cleric. Especially since it would cost me Dark Knowledge (Foe)
Though Knowledge Devotion is way better for the Factotum than Crossbow Sniper because of the Jack of All Trades feat so I will switch that out.
Now I remember why its for Metamagic Cheese with the cloistered clerics Turns
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Deep city adventure with lots of scumbag humanoids?
Yeah, Mindbender seems the way to go.
If you're looking for sheer power, however, the Master Specialist can be a REAL beast (Rapid Summoning & Major Arcana means you can put out a mini-onion for the first round and spend the rest of your full round summoning a mega-onion.)
Factotum, I've seen played with great skill...he was able to do pretty much anything, but couldn't seal the deal in combat.
And the Archivist, I am just not a fan of, so that's no help to you.
But seriously, good Enchantment, Trapfinding, and Mindsight should be enough to make you party-face supreme.
-t
I still need to find spells for the Wizard and Archivist, but this is what I have right now:
Mentok the Mindtaker
Zevan (I need a cool subtitle)
Wayland Orem
Rufio Cartigan
I've updated with spells.
Anyone left around here that can offer an opinion?