| Bran Towerfall |
hi all, my Gm just called me for advice on another player in our group. He started as a 1st level dwarf ranger and was killed in the second session of our campaign. The gm had a npc druid cast reincarnation on the dwarf and "poof"...he's a strix. dwarf/ strix takes second level in zen archer with his newly acquired 60ft fly speed. Level 3 is now here and he's going to multi-class into magus with the eldritch archer / spire defender (elf mostly, not a prerequisite) dual archtype. It seems to be legal as far as combos and archetype symmetry, but the gm is really regretting giving him the reincarnation since he believes all bets are off with this player's original character concept. Most players thought he wouldn't play a dwarf turned strix with a -4 to his starting con. Any advice i could pass on to my friend and gm going forward? It's already been interesting having combat take place on a Star Trek chessboard with grounded and flying characters. overall a great story and campaign.....
| Kazaan |
Well, the thing is that "character concept" is a fluid thing. Just because you start as a Ranger with a certain backstory and intend not to multiclass doesn't necessarily mean that's how the story will play out. It's an interactive story full of choices on the part of all the players and it even makes sense in-character that, when your species suddenly changes, you might re-think your career path to something more appropriate. One question, though, are you guys using fractional BAB or core BAB progression? Because, if using core BAB, this character might end up being short on BAB if he goes too crazy with multiclassing on non-full-BAB classes. As for legality, yes, Eldritch Archer and Spire Defender do, indeed, mesh and you are correct regarding Spire Defender; it is Elf themed, but not a racial archetype.
The only real issue I'd bring up is some conflict between Spell Combat and Flurry of Blows. Spell Combat subsumes your entire off-hand attack economy in order to cast a spell. The extra attacks from FoB are also attached to your off-hand attack economy. So, even though you can deliver the extra FoB attacks with the same weapon as your main-hand, they are still based on being off-hand attacks and, as such, would not "cooperate" with Spell Combat. So, while he has both options available in any given round, he cannot do both at once; he can either use spell combat, resulting in lower BAB, or FoB and lose the spell for that round.
| Bran Towerfall |
ok, well i need to digest that. his bab using spell combat would be lower since he can't add his 1 monk level to his total attack to hit? as far as i know, the gm allows all bab from all classes to add together like saves. his flurry of bows would stay as a constant? or go up as he levels..adding his bab from new classes? sound right?
| Bran Towerfall |
Instead of a light or one-handed melee weapon, an eldritch archer must use a ranged weapon for spell combat. She doesn't need a free hand for ranged spell combat. The eldritch archer cannot accept an attack penalty to gain a bonus on concentration checks to cast a spell defensively.
This ability modifies spell combat.
so its either flurry bows / spell combat / or a regular attack?
| Kazaan |
By default, BAB from all classes stack. So if you were a Fighter 1/Barb 1/Paladin 1, your BAB would be +3 because each class gives +1 BAB. But Monk is a 3/4 BAB class, it technically gets +3/4 BAB per level, but it rounds the total down so, at first level, these classes get +0 BAB. So a Monk 1/Bard 1/Magus 1 gets +0 BAB by core rules (+1 BAB when using FoB since FoB uses Monk level in place of Monk BAB). So he is going to be a Ranger 1 (+1 BAB)/Monk 1 (+0 or +1 depending on FoB)/Magus 1 (+0 BAB); +2 if he's using FoB, +1 if he isn't. Compare that to a single-class Magus who, at lvl 3, would have +2 BAB or a single-class Monk or Ranger who would have +3 BAB (+2 if the Monk isn't using FoB). Basically, the character totally misses out on "hanging fractions" from different classes; he can't add the half BAB from one class and half BAB from another to get one extra point. However, if the GM is using fractional BAB, then those fractions total up; the Ranger/Monk/Magus with 1 level in each has a BAB of 2.5 or 2.75 depending on whether or not he's using FoB and both of those round down to +2.
| Kolyarut |
Apologies for derailing but...
In a game I ran, one of my players went a little wild with multi-classing in an attempt to have every skill as a class skill and have some crazy movement. I believe he was a ranger/rogue/bard/monk who renounced his lawful ways and added a barbarian level to the mix. This was before fractional BAB/saves, so his attacks sucked and his saves were incredible. Fun character, but not exactly optimized. /aside
As for your situation, is your GM using a custom race list for the Reincarnate spell? Strix is not normally a race that can be rolled up for Reincarnate unless you roll a 100-GM's choice and if that's the case it's pretty much entirely the GM's fault for allowing a race that he is not comfortable with having in his game. Or is there an updated race list out there for Reincarnate?
Also, correct me if I'm wrong but don't you have to be at least level 3 for Reincarnate to really work on you? It automatically applies 2 negative levels to your character and
If a creature's negative levels equal or exceed its total Hit Dice, it dies.
So I think you would come back and instantly die upon receiving negative levels.
| Kazaan |
...The subject of the spell gains two permanent negative levels when it is reincarnated. If the subject is 1st level, it takes 2 points of Constitution drain instead (if this would reduce its Con to 0 or less, it can't be reincarnated)...
And...
Some abilities and spells (such as raise dead) bestow permanent level drain on a creature. These are treated just like temporary negative levels, but they do not allow a new save each day to remove them. Level drain can be removed through spells like restoration. Permanent negative levels remain after a dead creature is restored to life. A creature whose permanent negative levels equal its Hit Dice cannot be brought back to life through spells like raise dead and resurrection without also receiving a restoration spell, cast the round after it is restored to life.
So, since the Dwarf in question died at lvl 1, it takes 2 Con drain in lieu of negative levels. Had he been lvl 2, he would need a Restoration spell cast immediately after the Reincarnation spell completed. Above level 2, it isn't a problem and Restoration can be cast at any opportune time to clear the negative levels.
| Bran Towerfall |
wow, lol
the gm on the fly (feeling sorry for the deceased) had an npc druid in town cast reincarnation. he told me later he rolled tengu but changed it to strix since we are in a mountainous area. now he has a 60ft fly speed character that is driving him bananas because he leaves combat and starts other fights while the first one is ongoing. lol, its a fun campaign. i guess the gm is worried now that the character in question is just playing so loose and wild that it may cause some problems down the road. the player was given a choice to start a new character but chose to keep the flying dwarf/ strix. i would of thought he would have stayed zen archer...he's going magus eldritch archer/ spire defender.
| Kolyarut |
I stand corrected - it looks like you could be level 2, be reincarnated and immediately get a Restoration casted on you, but because of Reincarnation's restriction that it can't remove more than 1 perm-neg-level per week it looks like that wouldn't work when you're level 1. But where is the "2 Con drain in lieu of negative levels" coming from? That sounds familiar but I can't find that in the Negative Levels rules.
| Kolyarut |
wow, lol
the gm on the fly (feeling sorry for the deceased) had an npc druid in town cast reincarnation. he told me later he rolled tengu but changed it to strix since we are in a mountainous area. now he has a 60ft fly speed character that is driving him bananas because he leaves combat and starts other fights while the first one is ongoing. lol, its a fun campaign. i guess the gm is worried now that the character in question is just playing so loose and wild that it may cause some problems down the road. the player was given a choice to start a new character but chose to keep the flying dwarf/ strix. i would of thought he would have stayed zen archer...he's going magus eldritch archer/ spire defender.
Dang, the GM really didn't realize what he was getting into by allowing a strix. It sounds like he wants to retroactively institute a no-strix rule, but from the player's perspective I would be pretty upset if the GM gave that to me and then took it away. The GM probably needs to have a discussion with the player and explain that his character is disruptive to the kind of game he wants to run. They should discuss together either changing the character or coming to a compromise on how the character is going to be played.
| Kazaan |
I stand corrected - it looks like you could be level 2, be reincarnated and immediately get a Restoration casted on you, but because of Reincarnation's restriction that it can't remove more than 1 perm-neg-level per week it looks like that wouldn't work when you're level 1. But where is the "2 Con drain in lieu of negative levels" coming from? That sounds familiar but I can't find that in the Negative Levels rules.
It's under reincarnation, not negative levels. Each "bring a character back to life" spell has this clause.
| Bran Towerfall |
Bran Towerfall wrote:Dang, the GM really didn't realize what he was getting into by allowing a strix. It sounds like he wants to retroactively institute a no-strix rule, but from the player's perspective I would be pretty upset if the GM gave that to me and then took it away. The GM probably needs to have a discussion with the player and explain that his character is disruptive to the kind of game he wants to run. They should discuss together either changing the character or coming to a compromise on how the character is going to be played.wow, lol
the gm on the fly (feeling sorry for the deceased) had an npc druid in town cast reincarnation. he told me later he rolled tengu but changed it to strix since we are in a mountainous area. now he has a 60ft fly speed character that is driving him bananas because he leaves combat and starts other fights while the first one is ongoing. lol, its a fun campaign. i guess the gm is worried now that the character in question is just playing so loose and wild that it may cause some problems down the road. the player was given a choice to start a new character but chose to keep the flying dwarf/ strix. i would of thought he would have stayed zen archer...he's going magus eldritch archer/ spire defender.
yup, lol
and strix was on the no race allowed list when we were making our characters. other players have joked about jumping in a pit of acid and waiting to see what race you would wake up as....so funny| Heretek |
There's nothing wrong with all this multiclassing. If anything I'd be worried about the efficiency of his character currently as none of this entirely lines up efficiently.
What would have likely made more sense was go 2 levels of ranger, to atleast get his first ranger combat style feat, then dip into zen archer for the flurry, and an additional bonus feat.
The shift into Eldritch Archer as mentioned is questionable as he can not spell combat, and flurry at the same time so from a mechanics perspective, it just seems like a weird combo. Also Spire Defender really gives this guy nothing of benefit. The altered proficiencies mean nothing, nor do the bonus feats unless he was hoping to go for a trip or disarm build... highly unlikely being a ranged user.
So yea, there's nothing "bad" about his multiclassing, rather it seems like he is lacking from any form of actually having a desired character build, and he's just throwing stuff at a wall because it looks cool. I'd certainly talk with him to offer build advice, and help steer him into a direction that would be more optimal.
Regarding the Strix though yea... that's your GMs fault and he has no one to blame but himself for that one.
| Ckorik |
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Agree with others - now that it's done and the party is having fun with it I'd roll with it and see where it leads.
Sometimes as a GM you do something that makes a big 'oops' - if it causes your table to hate the game - admit the mistake - discuss a fix and fix it - move on. If, however the table is having a great time with it - then you have to consider that perhaps a gonzo type of fantasy is what people want, and roll with that and enjoy.
Stuff like that is where you end up with stories 10-20 years from now about that time your dwarf turned into a bird and the wild adventures that ensued.
| Bran Towerfall |
all great replies.....
fun is the key element here. i'm sure i'll get the occasional "roll of eyes" when the strix is barrel-rolling around off the grid paper. as one poster said: "no one to blame but himself"
great times ahead
p.s. the player in question just texted us stating the "brokenness of Pathfinder" because he is essentially an arcane archer without the prerequisites. we all don't agree. seems like his multi-classing puts him behind a zen archer,ranged ranger, or a straight up magus. hey, to each they're own......he's playing this character
| Bran Towerfall |
10-20 years from now about that time your dwarf turned into a bird and the wild adventures that ensued
we had fun just in the last 3 weeks lol . it was fun having him explain to npcs that he is a DWARF!! the gm had an orc trader offer to buy him from another player (dwarf not amused) the town guards have already shot at him at nighttime ....hey, if he rolls with it and the gm rolls with it..no problem.
| Heretek |
all great replies.....
fun is the key element here. i'm sure i'll get the occasional "roll of eyes" when the strix is barrel-rolling around off the grid paper. as one poster said: "no one to blame but himself"
great times ahead
p.s. the player in question just texted us stating the "brokenness of Pathfinder" because he is essentially an arcane archer without the prerequisites. we all don't agree. seems like his multi-classing puts him behind a zen archer,ranged ranger, or a straight up magus. hey, to each they're own......he's playing this character
Arcane Archers and Eldritch Archers are not the same. There is some overlap, but also keep in mind spell combat carries a -2 penalty to hit. And if your friend is using all these 3/4th bab classes, on top of I'd imagine using rapid shot, and deadly aim, his to hit bonus is gonna get pretty low when you add spell combat to the mix.
Also just for reference, the fastest route into Arcane Archer is actually the Bloodrager, go figure that one.
| Gisher |
Here are the allowed Eldritch Archer combos. (Some do have race requirements),
Beastblade/Eldritch Archer
Eldritch Archer/Elemental Knight (Suli)
Eldritch Archer/Fiend Flayer (Tiefling)
Eldritch Archer/Hexcrafter
Eldritch Archer/Kapenia Dancer
Eldritch Archer/Kensai
Eldritch Archer/Myrmidarch
Eldritch Archer/Spire Defender
Eldritch Archer/Staff Magus
Beastblade/Eldritch Archer/Staff Magus
Eldritch Archer/Elemental Knight (Suli)/Staff Magus
Eldritch Archer/Fiend Flayer (Tiefling)/Spire Defender
Eldritch Archer/Fiend Flayer (Tiefling)/Staff Magus
Eldritch Archer/Hexcrafter/Staff Magus
As mentioned, Spire Defender doesn't really get him much. Eldritch Archer/Hexcrafter is probably my favorite, especially for a character with natural flight.
| Bran Towerfall |
curious how he will use spell combat while flying 50 ft over battlefield ? i know at 2nd level eldritch archer can magically imbue his arrows..but for now he's limited. shoot arrow -2 and cast colorspray? i'm sure he's got a plan, but until next level up, he's the starting point of his spells(not his arrows)
| Gisher |
curious how he will use spell combat while flying 50 ft over battlefield ? i know at 2nd level eldritch archer can magically imbue his arrows..but for now he's limited. shoot arrow -2 and cast colorspray? i'm sure he's got a plan, but until next level up, he's the starting point of his spells(not his arrows)
He could always use Spell Combat to self-buff. Shield and True Strike come to mind.
| Gisher |
Bran Towerfall wrote:all great replies.....
fun is the key element here. i'm sure i'll get the occasional "roll of eyes" when the strix is barrel-rolling around off the grid paper. as one poster said: "no one to blame but himself"
great times ahead
p.s. the player in question just texted us stating the "brokenness of Pathfinder" because he is essentially an arcane archer without the prerequisites. we all don't agree. seems like his multi-classing puts him behind a zen archer,ranged ranger, or a straight up magus. hey, to each they're own......he's playing this character
Arcane Archers and Eldritch Archers are not the same. There is some overlap, but also keep in mind spell combat carries a -2 penalty to hit. And if your friend is using all these 3/4th bab classes, on top of I'd imagine using rapid shot, and deadly aim, his to hit bonus is gonna get pretty low when you add spell combat to the mix.
Also just for reference, the fastest route into Arcane Archer is actually the Bloodrager, go figure that one.
Now tied by the Child of Acavna and Amaznen Fighter.
| Heretek |
is that variant? its a bloodrager or new fighter archetype? better to use Enlightened Bloodrager (works better with Primalist) or Myrmidarch Magus ?
Child of Acavna and Amaznen is a new archetype for fighters in Arcane Anthology. It's kind of weird mishmash of a Fighter and a Bloodrager.
With regards to Myrmidarch Magus, it's generally considered a terrible archetype, and Eldritch Archer is better in every way. As for Enlightened, I'm not seeing how it works better with Primalist than a normal one. The benefit of Primalist is to replace a bloodline power with 2 rage powers, and Enlightened seems to drastically stagger your bloodline powers, thus drastically staggering your potential for rage powers.
| Kazaan |
Myrmidarch is mechanically broken in a small way, but mostly people are using it wrong. The intent seems to have been a "switch hitter" Magus that uses a ranged weapon with Ranged Spellstrike until the foe closes ranks, then switches to a melee weapon to utilize Spell Combat. This is very different from the standard "shocking grasp spellstrike spell combat" routine that is bread-and-butter for most Magi. People presume that, since you can't use a ranged weapon with Spell Combat for Myrmidarch, the archetype "doesn't work" as a Magus. But what you're supposed to do is fire off ranged spellstrikes without using Spell Combat and then, when switching to a melee weapon to actually use Spell Combat, you don't use Spellstrike as part of that routine but cast support-type spells, or otherwise non-spellstrikable spells, instead. But one major issue is that Ranged Spellstrike cannot function properly with it's "multi-target" upgrade because of the action economy; it doesn't properly explain how to fit a full-attack in with casting a multi-target ranged touch spell in a single round (again, since the archetype doesn't make allowance to use ranged weapons with Spell Combat). It's generally inferior, to be sure, but not exactly as outright broken as most people think (save for the multitarget ranged spellstrike issue).
Eldritch Archer, on the other hand, is a full-on magical ranged character focusing on both spellstriking and spell-combat with a ranged weapon.
| Gisher |
Myrmidarch is mechanically broken in a small way, but mostly people are using it wrong. The intent seems to have been a "switch hitter" Magus that uses a ranged weapon with Ranged Spellstrike until the foe closes ranks, then switches to a melee weapon to utilize Spell Combat. This is very different from the standard "shocking grasp spellstrike spell combat" routine that is bread-and-butter for most Magi. People presume that, since you can't use a ranged weapon with Spell Combat for Myrmidarch, the archetype "doesn't work" as a Magus. But what you're supposed to do is fire off ranged spellstrikes without using Spell Combat and then, when switching to a melee weapon to actually use Spell Combat, you don't use Spellstrike as part of that routine but cast support-type spells, or otherwise non-spellstrikable spells, instead. But one major issue is that Ranged Spellstrike cannot function properly with it's "multi-target" upgrade because of the action economy; it doesn't properly explain how to fit a full-attack in with casting a multi-target ranged touch spell in a single round (again, since the archetype doesn't make allowance to use ranged weapons with Spell Combat). It's generally inferior, to be sure, but not exactly as outright broken as most people think (save for the multitarget ranged spellstrike issue).
Eldritch Archer, on the other hand, is a full-on magical ranged character focusing on both spellstriking and spell-combat with a ranged weapon.
Yes, the Myrmidarch is best as a switch-hitter in the style of Treantmonk's switch-hitting Ranger. Largely this is because they have so many options that can improve both melee and ranged attacks.
They fixed the confusion with the Ranged Spellstrike and multi-target spells in the last update to UC. You don't need Spell Combat for this because Ranged Spellstrike itself is letting you, as a full round action, cast the spell and then deliver all of the free ranged touch attacks through ranged attacks.
| Gisher |
Oh cool, they finally addressed that. Neat.
Yes, I was very happy about that. A Myrmidarch can do pretty well just using the single-shot portion of Ranged Spellstrike with Reach Intensified Shocking Grasp, but three attacks with Scorching Ray (possibly with Elemental Spell) is sooo much better.
And, of course, now the Weapon Master's Handbook offers so many nice options for an archetype that gets Weapon Training. :)