Author Topic: Help optimizing this Aranea Beguiler for an Eberron game  (Read 1760 times)

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Brainpiercing

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Help optimizing this Aranea Beguiler for an Eberron game
« on: January 18, 2011, 10:12:40 AM »
I'm starting to play an Aranea (MMI, SRD) Beguiler, and I'd like some help. YES, you might say, orginarily this is a soddy combination, but not in this game: I'm being allowed to substitue the Aranea HD for Beguiler levels, and I can take the LA piecemeal, so I get +1 at level 2, then buy that back at level 4(with 3 class levels), then I get the next LA, then buy that back after 6 class levels, etc.

Allowed Sources: Basically anything, subject to approval

So, what this gives me so far is this, currently level 3 with one LA bought back (And short of retraining this is final so far):

Beguiler3/Aranea1(bought back)
Deity - ?
Alignment: Chaotic Good
XP: 3200

Point-Buy: (38 pts)
Str: 10; +0 (2pts)
Dex: 16; +3 (14+2rac) (6pts)
Con: 18; +4 (16+2rac at ECL2) (10pts)
Int: 20; +5 (18+2rac at ECL2) (16pts)
Wis: 8; -1 (0pts)
Cha: 14; +2 (12+2rac) (4pts)

Medium, 4.1ft (spider shape) or 5.9ft (hybrid shape), 162lbs, 9 years old

Spider shape:
Medium sized hairy black monstrous spider, large bulbous body with hump on back, 6 walking legs and 2 arms, multiple eyes facing forward, spinnerets.

Hybrid shape:
Medium sized black smooth-skinned bipedal, hairless, significantly spider-shaped face and mouth. (This is a self-nerf of the original hybrid shape, which is actually more humanoid-like.)

Languages:

Common
Argon(b), dialect of Argonessen
Sylvan(rac)
Draconic(b)
Giant(b)
Mabran(b), language of Nightshades, Shadows and creatures of Mabar

Hit Points 26 (6+8 Beg2+3 + 12 Con)
AC1: 10 + 3dex + 4armor (mage armour, possible 10 hours/day, 2x CL5 with Arcanist Gloves ) - 1 (Flaw) = 16
AC2: 10 + 3dex +2 armor (mithral chain shirt) -1 (Flaw) = 14; DR 2/-
AC 3: 10+ 3 dex + 4(mage armour) -1 (Flaw): 16, DR 2/-
(Armour as DR variant from UA)

Touch 12,  Flat 12, FFT 10

Init +3 (+3 Dex)
BAB  +1, Grap +1
Speed in Hybrid form: 30 (base 30, climb 25); Speed in Spider form: 30 (base 30, climb 25)
Fort +6 (+1 Beg, +4 Con, +1 resistance)/ +7 vs Spells or SLAs (Nymph's kiss)
Ref +5 (+1 Beg, +3 Dex, +1 res)/ +6 vs  Spells or SLAs
Will +5 (+3 Beg, -1  Wis, +2 Iron Willl, +1 res) / +6 vs Spells/SLAs

Action Points: 6 (1d6)

Low-Light  Vision
Dark-vision 30ft

Flaw: Murky-eyed. Reroll miss chances and use the worse result
Flaw: Vulnerable. - 1 to AC

Feats

Combat Casting; +4 to concentration checks only for casting defensively. (Campaign lvl1 bonus feat)
Nymph's Kiss: +1 Skill pt/level, +2 to Cha related checks (Lvl 1 feat, and fluff important)
Penumbral Bloodline: one spell known each level from bloodline list (Flaw)
Weapon Finessse: Dex to attack rolls instead of Str (Flaw), I know this one isn't so optimial, but I do get a bite and poison
Iron Will: +2 to Will saves (Racial bonus feat)
Versatile Spellcaster: Use two spell slots of lower level for higher level spell. (Bonus feat granted at ECL 3)
Darkstalker(Class Level 3)

Aranea Progression and traits

Base: +2 Dex, +2 Cha. Speed: 30 ft. (Climb 25 ft.). Low-light  vision. Bite (1d6). Climb bonus (and take 10). Change Shape (Medium  spider-humanoid hybrid). Magical Beast type.

Level 1: +2 Con, +2 Int. Darkvision 30  ft. Jump, Listen and Spot bonuses.
Level 2: +2 Wis, +2 Int.  Darkvision 60 ft. Poison.
Level 3: +2 Con. Speed 40 ft., Web. +1  natural armour.
Level 4: +2 Dex, +2 Cha. Change Shape (Medium or  Small Humanoid only). Speed 50 ft.

This works out like this:[spoiler]
1) Sorcerer 1.
2) Aranea 1.
3) Sorcerer 2.
4) Sorcerer 3.
Buys back Aranea 1.
3) Sorcerer 3.
4) Aranea 2.
5) Sorcerer 4.
6) Sorcerer 5.
7) Sorcerer 6.
Buys back Aranea 2.
6) Sorcerer 6.
7) Aranea 3.
8) Sorcerer 7.
9) Sorcerer 8.
10) Sorcerer 9.
Buys back Aranea 3.
9) Sorcerer 9.
10) Aranea 4.
Sorc 10-12
Buy back Aranea 4
Advance normally.

Sub Sorc for Beguiler, obviously, or PrCs. I have to take 3 levels of Beguiler, AFAIK, because the Aranea has three HD, after that I'm free.
[/spoiler]


Now this character differs from normal Beguilers in that it's fairly beefy, in spite of the LA. Of course the progression will make me rather slow, but the other characters in the game are similar, so that's ok. I still want to increase my versatility. From next level on I'll have a Poison attack and yet higher spell DCs, but still no second level spells other than what Versatile spellcaster can give me. The Web ability at level 7 will probably be rather useless when it comes, but... whatever. The final level will give me the humanoid shape, which I will use to take the form a Raptoran to gain ex-flight at will.

Now where could I go from here? I'm not sure if the GM will waive racial requirements, although he might, so Shadowcraft mage might remain an option. I don't think I can use Shadow-weave magic, so Shadow Adept won't work. I'm not sure I can waive the alignment requirement on Mindbender, even though I had mapped that one down as a standard dip.

The GM has lifted the immunity to mind-affecting effects from all non-mindless critters, so until Mindblank comes into play I will be able to affect intelligent undead, etc.

My goal is to have a very versatile, not overly cheesy, but still potent character. I've read the Beguiler handbook, and I'm still undecided about what synergies to finally go for. I neglected a few feat-requirements for some PrCs, so I might have to retrain or hope for more bonus feats.

Now I've been told that Beguilers make fairly good sneaky gishes, too, via Unseen Seer, Improved Feint, and Abjurant Champion. That would be another option I could consider - obviously it would be weak on BAB, but Alter Self with Magical Beast shapes should take care of that.

What can you guys suggest?

Mixster

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Re: Help optimizing this Aranea Beguiler for an Eberron game
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2011, 10:18:06 AM »
What's the rest of the party?
Monks are pretty much the best designed class ever.

JaronK

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Brainpiercing

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Re: Help optimizing this Aranea Beguiler for an Eberron game
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2011, 10:52:01 AM »
Ok, sorry:

The rest of the party are:
A Tibbit Binder/DFA
A Crusader2/Swordsage2
A Hound Archon Paladin 3
An Aasimar/Memelith bard of sorts
A kalashtar/Quori spirit Rogue/Psywarrior or something like that
A Quorbred Dwarf Warblade
A Changeling Swordsage

I think that's all of them. You will note that there is no other strong arcanist, although the GM might introduce a sorceror NPC. There are some DMPCs, I'm not sure yet what role they will play.

Brainpiercing

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Re: Help optimizing this Aranea Beguiler for an Eberron game
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2011, 11:14:07 AM »
No suggestions at all?

awaken DM golem

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Re: Help optimizing this Aranea Beguiler for an Eberron game
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2011, 09:31:07 PM »
The racial make up, and the Houerules you've mentioned, are kinda confusing.

Aranea normally are 3HD + 4LA , and
Hound Archon normally are 6HD + 5LA


Can't help on the Kalashtar/Quori side, but
Feat Rogue 1 / PsyWar 1 / Feat Rogue +1 / PsyWar +1
... is good stuff. Trapfinder with mojo.
More psywar up to slayer works.

**

It's a big party.
What's the DM doing with all the extra action?

Brainpiercing

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Re: Help optimizing this Aranea Beguiler for an Eberron game
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2011, 06:14:36 AM »
You take levels in the favoured class or similar classes instead of the RHD, and get the special abilities little by little as individual levels of LA, which you can buy back for each three class levels, if you take them one by one. It took me a while to understand it from his explanations, too. The Hound Archon, for instance, is taking  Paladin levels instead of RHD. I'm taking Beguiler levels instead of RHD.

Generally speaking I'm not sure how hard this game will be combat wise. The other characters don't all seem too optimised, and there are many of them. It's a campaign with lots of roleplaying, but, just from the numbers, these characters aren't that weak, either. So what I want are suggestions on how to improve the brute force power of the class and with gaining yet more versatility, working in the synergies of this monstrous race. Really, it is, IMHO, pretty hard to fail at a Beguiler build, after all, the class works, pretty much, out of the box. BUT, for instance, I have the shapechanger subtype, is there anything cool I could do with that?

Nytemare3701

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Re: Help optimizing this Aranea Beguiler for an Eberron game
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2011, 09:28:46 AM »
If it will be roleplaying based, with little combat, then Invisibility+spider webs+chomp will end a combat pretty quick. Most DMs I've met just "rule of cool" that.

Brainpiercing

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Re: Help optimizing this Aranea Beguiler for an Eberron game
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2011, 10:19:54 AM »
If it will be roleplaying based, with little combat, then Invisibility+spider webs+chomp will end a combat pretty quick. Most DMs I've met just "rule of cool" that.
Well... I'm not so sure about that. At least I don't want to depend on it. (And not all roleplaying advocates will be rule of cool advocates. That's like a reverse Stormwind fallacy.)