Spellcasting Powerhouse (3.5e Optimized Character Build)
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Contents |
[edit] Introduction
Tired of your spells being weaker than you'd like? Want an extra boost in spellcasting power? Watch swarms of enemies fall in batches to your powerhouse abilities. (Offer not currently available to divine spellcasters, psionic manifesters, meldshapers, or non-arcane mages.)
What we try to do is take the Wild Mage PrC and make up for the caster level penalty with the Practised Spellcaster feat.
[edit] References
Player's Handbook, Complete Arcane, Complete Mage
[edit] Game Rule Components
[edit] Race and Templates
Human, or any with a bonus feat at 1st level.
[edit] Classes
Note: I have only input the minimum required skills/feats to take the prestige classes. All other skill and feat choices are left to your own preferences. Also, for the Effective Caster Levels, I have not included the Wild Mage -3+1d6 at every level. The Wildmage's ability states "ANY time you cast a spell roll a d6..." It does get tricky since you can add the bonus from Practiced Spellcaster at whatever point it gives the most bonus. I believe, at some point in the progression, due to the Arcane Spell Power class ability of the Ultimate Magus, the Wild Mage level adjustment will always end up providing a bonus. At any rate... here's my best shot at the progression:
| ECL | Class/HD/LA | Feats | Skills | SpellsKnownLevel | Effective Caster Level | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Wizard 1 | Magical Aptitude, Empower Spell | Knowledge (arcana) 4, Knowledge (the planes) 4, Spellcraft 4, Use Magic Device (cc) 4/2 | Wiz 1 | Wizard 1 | Summon familiar, Scribe Scroll |
| 2nd | Wizard 2 | Spellcraft 1(5), Use Magic Device (cc) 1(5/2.5) | Wiz 2 | Wizard 2 | ||
| 3rd | Wizard 3 | Practiced Spellcaster (Wizard) | Spellcraft 1(6), Use Magic Device (cc) 1(6/3) | Wiz 3 | Wizard 3 | |
| 4th | Wizard 4 | Spellcraft 1(7), Use Magic Device (cc) 1(7/3.5) | Wiz 4 | Wizard 4 | ||
| 5th | Warmage 1 | Spellcraft 1(8), Use Magic Device (cc) 1(8/4) | Wiz 4/War 1 | Wizard 5 (4 + 1 prac), Warmage 1 | Armored mage (light), warmage edge | |
| 6th | Wild Mage 1 | Practiced Spellcaster (Warmage) | Wiz 5/War 1 (increase could be applied to Warmage level) |
Wiz 6 (4 Wiz + 1 Wild + prac), War 5 (1 + 4 prac) (From this point on all ECL are -3+1d6 for Wild Magic effect) |
Wild magic | |
| 7th | Ultimate Magus 1 | Wiz 5/War 2 | Wiz 8 (4 + 1 Wild + 2 prac + 1 arc pow), War 7 (1 + 1 UltM + 4 prac + 1 arc pow) |
Arcane spell power +1 | ||
| 8th | Ultimate Magus 2 | Wiz 6/War 3 | Wiz 9 (4 + 1 Wild + 1 UltM + 2 prac + 1 arc pow), War 8 (1 + 2 UltM + 4 prac + 1 arc pow) |
Expanded spell knowledge (1st level or lower) | ||
| 9th | Ultimate Magus 3 | (?) | Wiz 7/War 4 | Wiz 10 (4 + 1 Wild + 2 UltM + 2 prac + 1 arc pow), War 9 (1 + 3 UltM + 4 prac + 1 arc pow) |
Augmented casting | |
| 10th | Ultimate Magus 4 | Wiz 7/War 5 | Wiz 12 (4 + 1 Wild + 2 UltM + 3 prac + 2 arc pow), War 11 (1 + 4 UltM + 4 prac + 2 arc pow) |
Arcane spell power +2, expanded spell knowledge (2nd level or lower) | ||
| 11th | Ultimate Magus 5 | (?) | Wiz 8/War 6 | Wiz 13 (4 + 1 Wild + 3 UltM + 3 prac + 2 arc pow), War 12 (1 + 5 UltM + 4 prac + 2 arc pow) |
Bonus metamagic feat | |
| 12th | Ultimate Magus 6 | (?) | Wiz 9/War 7 | Wiz 14 (4 + 1 Wild + 4 UltM + 3 prac + 2 arc pow), War 13 (1 + 6 UltM + 4 prac + 2 arc pow) |
Expanded spell knowledge (3rd level or lower) | |
| 13th | Ultimate Magus 7 | Wiz 9/War 8 | Wiz 16 (4 + 1 Wild + 4 UltM + 4 prac + 3 arc pow), War 15 (1 + 7 UltM + 4 prac + 3 arc pow) |
Arcane spell power +3 | ||
| 14th | Ultimate Magus 8 | Wiz 10/War 9 | Wiz 17 (4 + 1 Wild + 5 UltM + 4 prac + 3 arc pow), War 16 (1 + 8 UltM + 4 prac + 3 arc pow) |
Expanded spell knowledge (4th level or lower) | ||
| 15th | Ultimate Magus 9 | (2?) | Wiz 11/War 10 | Wiz 18 (4 + 1 Wild + 6 UltM + 4 prac + 3 arc pow), War 17 (1 + 9 UltM + 4 prac + 3 arc pow) |
Bonus metamagic feat | |
| 16th | Ultimate Magus 10 | Wiz 12/War 11 | Wiz 20 (4 + 1 Wild + 7 UltM + 4 prac + 4 arc pow), War 19 (1 + 10 UltM + 4 prac + 4 arc pow) |
Arcane spell power +4, expanded spell knowledge (5th level or lower) |
Full information for the Ultimate Magus PrC (detailed in Complete Mage) can also be found on the WotC website at: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20061010a&page=3
Another helpful resource is the "Preliminary Ultimate Magus Handbook" thread found here: http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872322/Preliminary_Ultimate_Magus_Handbook
[edit] Progression
None. This optimization has a static effect that does not scale with character level.
NOTE: Keeping track of differing CL's with the UM can be tricky. Be sure to be careful when keeping track of the Practiced Spellcaster caster benefits as they can be applied at different time to either offset the adjustment from Wild Mage or to boost the base caster level before the Wild Mage adjustment is applied, depending on the die roll.
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