boring7 |
I have a couple of characters currently in development hell which may or may not ever see the light of day. If they do they're expected to ride the adventure pony all the way to level 20 or die trying. (spoiler alert, they're probably gonna die).
First is a half-assed battle oracle. Built for healing first, his backstory ended up with a very angry man, cursed with powers and an adventuring life he never wanted and an imaginary friend (actually an ancestor spirit) hassling him to go risk life and limb to fight evil. No problem, right? But because of the anger management issues he seems fitting for the Rage Prophet, and at later levels his healing can probably slow down a bit in favor of martial prowess.
Basically question #1 is: Is Rage Prophet worth it? And if so what's the best way to do it? If not is there a better PrC for that particular character story that still keeps up as either a battlecaster or a healer/other caster?
Next up with #2, unrelated character: I have another caster (sorcerer) who wants an extra-planar sidekick. Getting a familiar or even an improved familiar isn't really in the cards for reasons I don't wish to go into, but a cohort works just fine. But here's where I lose the thread. When (if) she gets to level 7 and takes Leadership, she just gets a cohort, right? Except it's a lot more comfortable and role-over-roll if I have some sort of reason that a sidekick (I'm thinking Lyrakien Azata caster for more spell-slinging but other suggestions are welcome, we're kinda heavy on the stabby-shooty front right now) is going to come from Heaven to go take on hell with some doofy jack-hole mortal. What I'd really like is a way to have a magical extra-planar pen-pal who I chat with, but I don't know a spell or magic item that *does* that. Also, what would an effective level 5 Lyrakien-grabbing-cleric-levels be? Cleric 3? Cleric 5? Cleric -2?
Continuing on with #3: bandoliers. Can a bandolier be loaded with caltrop bags, and if so is retrieving them a move action? While we're on the subject, what sort of action is spreading caltrops and can it be done at range?
Finally with #4: Alchemical power components. If I use a flask of alchemist's fire as a focus on a scorching ray spell (+1 to attack) to I need to have the flask in one hand and cast with the other? Does the flask merely need to be in my pack? Can I cast with the same hand that holds it? It can be important if I need that other hand for other things, like holding a crossbow, or not having a hand because it's a brutal and crippling dungeon.
Evilserran |
3: No. Caltrops come as a bag, and are expected to be poured out onto the ground. The bag is not a splah item, so would not work in such a way, eithout some EXTREME houseruling. Generally they are only useful to put around your camp, or in a hallway thats your only entrance, etc. They are meant to be set up ahead of time, but can be used as a full round action to draw them and spread them around, PER bag.
avr |
Rage prophet is not good. Maybe the Raging Blood feat would do? If not, maybe a shaman with the Battle spirit (the spirit ability could be fluffed as rage) and the Speaker For the Past archetype could describe the same character?
The monsters as characters rules suggest a starting point of levels=CR. Lyrakiens are CR 2, I wouldn't have a problem with a cleric 3 lyrakien as a 5th level cohort. Lyrakiens get commune so your pen pal might be someone higher up in the hierarchy and the lyrakien just the messenger.
I think you want flasks of shard gel, not caltrops per se.
Material components and focuses need to be held and able to be manipulated; this can be by the same hand that casts the spells somatic components.
CampinCarl9127 |
1) Rage prophet sucks unless done perfectly, and even then it's not great. If you're going for effectiveness, avoid the rage prophet.
2) Contact other plane could work. Try going summoning focused and see if you can continue to summon the same creature and build a relationship with it. avr is right about the CR adjustment.
3) You could build or buy some sort of special container to retrieve them as a move action, I think that would be a very reasonable houserule if you put in the time/money to do it. I wouldn't try to use them in combat, they're not effective for much beyond surprising sneaky people as Evilserran says.
4) avr is correct.