|
So for context i've been playing around with the idea of a magitech knight build, a complete juggernaut of a combatant, and i think i finally came up with a build im happy with. So what do you think?
Battle Host Occultist(Magitech Knight)
Traits:Armor Expert
Clever Wordplay
Resonance Powers
Transmutation:Physical Enhancement
Abjuration:Warding Talisman
Divination:Third Eye
Base Powers
Transmutation:Legacy Weapon
Abjuration:Mind Barrier
Divination:Sudden Insight
Focus Powers
1.Size Alteration
3.Energy Shield
5.Quickness
7.Aegis(Defiant, MindButtressing, Sensing)
9.Mind Over Gravity
11.Danger Sight
13.Minds Eye
1.Toughness
3.Extra Mental Focus
Bonus Feat:Power Attack
5.Cleave
7.Cleaving Finish
Bonus Feat:Vital Strike
9.Armor Focus
11.Furious Focus
Bonus Feat:All Consuming Swing
13.Devestating Strike
Spells
Transmutation
1.Lead Blades
2.Darkvision
3.Magic Vestament
4.Echolocation
5.Overland Flight
Abjuration
1.Shield
2.Energy Resist
3.Cloak of Winds
4.Stoneskin
5.Spell Resistance
Divination
1.Heightened Awareness
2.Status
3.Threefold Sight
4.Unerring Tracker
5.Battlemind Link
Weapon of Choice:Culling Greatsword
Implement:Comfort Masterwork Adamantine Full Plate Armor
Armiger's Panoply
Armor Turss
So a couple of things.
First, you have a LOT of spells/powers that use Standard actions. Second, you have a lot of powers/spells that do the same thing.
This build looks good in theory, but having Size Alterstion, Lead Blades, Legacy Weapon, Aegis, Mind Over Gravity, Quickness and Shield all going at once seems like it's unlikely. These are all buffs that you'd want to cast before combat or in the first round, and some of them only last 1 minute. Obviously you don't need all of these every fight, but some of them are doubling up on function as well as action economy.
Defence: Shield and Aegis and Magic Vestment are functionally similar. Magic Vestment lasts hours, so it's easy to have up. Shield lasts minutes per level and gives +4AC. Aegis lasts 1 minute, and while the most flexible it gives the smallest bonus for the shortest time. I realise you're stacking AC but I think you'll find this hard to use.
OFFENCE: Legacy Weapon, Size Alteration and Lead Blades are all functionally similar. Stacking Size Alteration and Lead Blades multiplies their effects, but their combined effect is still less than Legacy Weapon alone. I realise Legacy Weapon won't stack as well for Vital Strike or All Consuming Swing, but since Size Alteration and Legacy Weapon both only last ~1 minute you'll have real trouble applying both. On top of that, Legacy Weapon and Size Alteration are both Transmutation powers, so they're pulling from the same lool of points. Lead Blades lasts a little longer so it's easier to stack, but it still isn't a long-term buff.
Quickness: this is mostly an offensive power, but I put it on it's own because it works differently - it's more of a Force Multiplier than a straight damage upgrade. So let's be clear - Quickness is VERY inferior to Haste. Yes you get an extra +1 to-hit/AC/Reflex-Save, but it ONLY AFFECTS YOU. This is a TERRIBLE trade. Since it only affects you, it takes a Standard Action and it only lasts 1-round/level this now competes with Legacy Weapon, Size Alteration and Aegis for actions at the beginning of combat. These powers are so short-lived you really can't pre-buff with them, so when are you going to use this over any/all of those other buffs? One thing that makes this power MUCH better is the QUICKEN SPELL-LIKE ABILITY feat. Casting a self-Haste as a SWIFT action makes this AMAZING, but you can't quicken this SLA til 14th level, so it's a late-game get.
Personally, I'd drop Aegis, Magic Vestment and Quickness. Aegis and Quickness are competing too hard for Standard Actions, and really don't compare. Magic Vestment has a really nice duration, but the bonus isn't that great and there are some MUCH better 3rd level Transmutation spells. I'd pick up Haste as my 3rd level spell, because it affects the whole party. I'm a big fan of the Sudden Speed Transmutation power . Telekinetic Mastery is basically a 5th level spell that you can spam if needed, and you get it at the same level Wizards get it . Telekinetic Mastery isn't quite on-brand for your build, but it does give you a ranged option that doesn't require you to drop your sword .
Finally, I'd drop the Armour Focus feat. Unless it's a prerequisite for something +1AC for a feat doesn't seem like a good deal. Likewise I'm not totally sold on Devastating Strike - +2 damage, but only when you Vital Strike seems like a very small benefit for a feat.
|
|
So a couple of things.
First, you have a LOT of spells/powers that use Standard actions. Second, you have a lot of powers/spells that do the same thing.
This build looks good in theory, but having Size Alterstion, Lead Blades, Legacy Weapon, Aegis, Mind Over Gravity, Quickness and Shield all going at once seems like it's unlikely. These are all buffs that you'd want to cast before combat or in the first round, and some of them only last 1 minute. Obviously you don't need all of these every fight, but some of them are doubling up on function as well as action economy.
Defence: Shield and Aegis and Magic Vestment are functionally similar. Magic Vestment lasts hours, so it's easy to have up. Shield lasts minutes per level and gives +4AC. Aegis lasts 1 minute, and while the most flexible it gives the smallest bonus for the shortest time. I realise you're stacking AC but I think you'll find this hard to use.
OFFENCE: Legacy Weapon, Size Alteration and Lead Blades are all functionally similar. Stacking Size Alteration and Lead Blades multiplies their effects, but their combined effect is still less than Legacy Weapon alone. I realise Legacy Weapon won't stack as well for Vital Strike or All Consuming Swing, but since Size Alteration and Legacy Weapon both only last ~1 minute you'll have real trouble applying both. On top of that, Legacy Weapon and Size Alteration are both Transmutation powers, so they're pulling from the same lool of points. Lead Blades lasts a little longer so it's easier to stack, but it still isn't a long-term buff.
Quickness: this is mostly an offensive power, but I put it on it's own because it works differently - it's more of a Force Multiplier than a straight damage upgrade. So let's be clear - Quickness is VERY inferior to Haste. Yes you get an extra +1 to-hit/AC/Reflex-Save, but it ONLY AFFECTS YOU. This is a TERRIBLE trade....
So the thing with aegis is that its enhancement bonus stacks on whatever enchantment your armor has allowing you to have a wide myriad of different armor enhancements you can have access to, making it function more like highly adaptable armor if that makes sense. Thats why i got both, the fact that shield is its own separate thing is nice too and its not like you got anything better to get on abjuration at that level.
Legacy weapon functions the same way, so you could make the argument for getting enlarge person instead of size alteration and use legacy weapon to get access to impact.
Aegis has uses because there are quite a few armor enchantments out there (you don't have to pick just a few), and being able to pick them as needed is a neat trick. For the pure AC bonus there's probably better things out there, don't use it for that. Otherwise there's a lot of good advice there from Mr Cha.
|
|
I like Conjuration for: (1st)Cure Light Wounds, (2nd)Ablative Barrier, (3rd)Draconic Ally, (4th)Dimension Door, (5th)Teleport. And the Sidestep power, which adds a lot of mobility. I used it a lot on my Occultist, though it was more because I could use it to enter an enemy's square without provoking (fox shape 'fighter').
Ablative Barrier is a long lasting buff that turns 50 lethal damage into nonlethal per cast in 5 hp chunks. Since you heal both nonlethal and lethal whenever you heal, it's pretty good. Not amazing, but layered defenses are usually the key to being survivable.
Draconic Ally is an odd one, and probably needs a little GM finessing (does the pseudodragon become medium sized?). But if nothing else, you get a messenger with telepathy and blindsense. Though Minor Creation is probably on point and easier to use (need a tool? a shield? poison?)Illusion is also pretty good, though I am biased toward Shadow Beast focus power. 50% real Summon Monster X which keeps up with a Summoner's SLA (though not in duration). Bonus points for becoming the party healer, though that doesn't seem to be what you are going for. Resonant power is basically Blur++ until you make an attack (note: does not cost mental focus and has no duration, so its up anytime you are out of combat). Sadly, it takes until 19th to advance to at-will invisibility.
Otherwise if you want to go the Vital Strike route with a regular Greatsword, maybe consider the Divine Fighting Technique for Gorum to Vital Strike on a Charge/Attack of Opportunity. If you were eventually going to go with Improved Vital Strike, consider Weapon Trick(Two-handed) Cleaving Smash, basically (regular) Vital Strike on both parts of Cleave and it doesn't hurt yourself instead of All Consuming Swing.
Sadly, Mental...
I'm kinda iffy on being forced to worship gorum, but i guess that can be more of a passive thing?
So the thing with aegis is that its enhancement bonus stacks on whatever enchantment your armor has allowing you to have a wide myriad of different armor enhancements you can have access to, making it function more like highly adaptable armor if that makes sense.
Yup, I totally get it. It also fitst the theme of your Iron-Man-Armour, so if you want it then great.
What I'd say then is you'll have to decide which powers you're actually going to use.
Aegis, Legacy Weapon, Quickness and Size Alteration are all abilities that you will never have a chance to pre-buff with. These options take a Standard Action IN COMBAT, meaning each one of these options prevents you from attacking for a full round.
Lead Blades and Shield are both short-duration buffs that you can cast before combat, but only if you have good scouting. If you're surprised then these options compete with the in-combat buffs as well.
Take a look at these options and see what you would actually use before attacking. If there's an option that would always be your 3rd round of buffs then delete it from your build, since you're never going to actually use it.
I can see the benefits of Aegis (and Legacy Weapon is amazing), but Quickness and Size Alteration seem like 3rd-class options that you'll only use after other buffs are already in place. If those buffs are in place and you still have time to add another buff then chances are you don't need more buffs for this combat. This is - of course - my opinion of these options, you might feel differently. The main take-away is that you won't have time for all these standard action buffs in combat, so swapping at least one of them for something else will free up a Focus power/Spell choice.
Magic Vestment isn't as good as Haste, but unless you're the only caster in the party chances are someone else will have Haste. With that in mind I've changed my mind and I think this is a solid pick for your character.
I'm a big fan of the Sudden Speed Transmutation power .Sudden Speed seems like a standout to me, especially if you're in heavy armor.
I love Sudden Speed. My 8th level Occultist has Sudden Speed and Sidestep Secret . In the first round of combat she can move up to 135 feet and still have a Standard Action to play with. It's phenominal.
If you're playing till high level and pick up Quickened Spell Like Ability: Quickness then Sudden Speed becomes basically useless, but for levels 1-14 that swift-action casting time makes all the difference.
Legacy weapon functions the same way, so you could make the argument for getting enlarge person instead of size alteration and use legacy weapon to get access to impact.
I totally missed this.
You almost always want BANE as your weapon of choice. There are times when HOLY or similar will be better , but most often Bane is just straight up better.
If you get a little bored of that and want some variety, I recommend the RUNEFORGED property instead. There are a few details you'll probably have to iron out with your GM before using it, but it's essentially a more flavourful version of Bane, and it costs +2 instead of +1 so it slightly balances the overpowered nature of adding a floating Bane enchantment to your weapon every combat.
Also, it's worth noting a limitation on Legacy Weapon that doesn't exist for similar abilities:
You can also imbue the weapon with any one weapon special ability ...
While a level 6 Magus can turn their +1 Scimitar into a +1 Flaming Keen Scimitar, a level 6 Occultist would have to choose either Flaming or Keen, they couldn't add both . You have more options to choose from, but you can't mix them like a Magus can.
AEGIS has basically the same wording.
Still incredibly versatile abilities, but worth knowing.