Mecha-gishzilla

[PhaedrusXY]

I'm working on a character for a PbP game on here, and thought I'd solicit some feedback. We're starting at level 4, and given that it is a PbP I'm guessing I should optimize for now rather than later.

Edit: I changed things around totally. The new character is here, and full build is below. I'm saving the original post for later use.

Edit again: Decided to go with a psiwarrior instead, as discussed in the last post. Here is the sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=97544

[spoiler]
Here is what I have so far (and here is the character sheet):

Warforged Warlock 3/Palladin of Tyranny 4/Suel Arcanamach 1/AbjChmp2/Eldritch Theurge 7/AbjChmp+3
   Feats: Dreadful Wrath (flaw), Power Attack (1), Combat Casting (3), Travel Devotion (6)
   Invocations: Eld. Glaive, Frightful Blast, (Baleful Utterance or See the Unseen)

The idea is to stack fear effects to panic people when I attack them, and also use Power Attack all the time since my attacks are all touch attacks. He will also debuff their saves from -2 to -4, depending on if they save vs. the fear effects or not. Suel Arcanamach will give a few self buffs and other things, eventually. I realize this would be better as a race that doesn't have a Cha penalty, but humor me on that part.

Will start as Warlock 2/PoT 2. I'm weighing my options as far as armor. I'd rather not have to burn a feat to get a decent armor bonus. Is there a warforged component armor? I guess I could also go with that psionic item that gives you the benefits of plate mail, but isn't (Ectoplasmic Armor, or something). Or I could ditch Travel Devotion till later, take Mithril Body, and move my other feats up.

I haven't planned feats out for the later levels, and am unsure if I should finish Abjurant Champion first, and then go into Eldritch Theurge, or do it the way I have it now. The quickened Abjurations should be handy, but so will the CL=BAB thing. I'm guessing most of his magical might will be from Suel Arcanamach spells and warlock will mainly be for the Eldritch Glaive, but I've never played a warlock before.

My partner in crime will be a gnome psion (shaper) who thinks he's a warforged artificer. He's going into constructor, and said I could ride his astral constructs as mounts if I want, which kind of lowers the need for Travel Devotion. I am also debating whether I should go War4/PoT3 instead for Deceive Item, rather than Travel Devotion.

Suggestions? I'm not wanting to go too crazy, so no Hellfire Warlock/Legacy Champion, please.

Edit: Oh, and how would Practiced Spellcaster and the Abjurant Champion's martial arcanist affect Eldritch Blast? Is it based off your CL, or is it a class feature like Sneak Attack?[/spoiler]

[woodenbandman]

It technically advances by the table, so it's similar to sneak attack in that it doesn't advance unless the table says so. It seems unnecessarily punitive to rule that way, but on the flip side, I don't think you're technically allowed to power attack with eldritch glaive (I heard that ruling somewhere and was devastated because my Duskblade 13/Warlock 1 was crushed).

[PhaedrusXY]

It technically advances by the table, so it's similar to sneak attack in that it doesn't advance unless the table says so. It seems unnecessarily punitive to rule that way, but on the flip side, I don't think you're technically allowed to power attack with eldritch glaive (I heard that ruling somewhere and was devastated because my Duskblade 13/Warlock 1 was crushed).

Do you remember where that was from? The Glaivelock handbook recommended power attacking with it...

[Prime32]

You need to fix that link - it just goes to the list of sheets (not even your sheets)

I'm the partner - my character has the stats of a warforged shaper. Strat might let Phaedrus be my psicrystal for +1LA. I'm afraid I can't bring out mount-suitable (Large) astral constructs until 9th level (unless I take the Overchannel feat or something)

Were you looking at Thinblade's thread? You can technically qualify for Swanmay and Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil...


Also, this could be important

Game Rules
[spoiler]

• Players can play any alignment, any race, any class, and can start anywhere in the world. Currently, there is no map, except in my head, but the terrain is huge, a full continent to play in. I will be adding some area flavour some of the various kingdoms, principalities, and bandit kingdoms. If there is something appealing that you would like to try, suggest it and I'll listen.
• All players must start in groups of at least two, and there should be no conflict between individuals in a party. However, if you do run into another party, feel free to go at it.
  
• This does not necessarily have to be about combat. Intriguing to the top in a city is also a possibility.
• 32 Point Buy, 1 Flaw, no bloodlines, 1 trait, No LA buyoff, no templates above LA +1. No UA races or classes.
• Source Material: Any, subject to build approval.
• Optimization level: 2-3, moderate is the goal.
• Starting level will be 4, and wealth is normal.

[/spoiler]

Those rules above are set in stone. Below are the rules up for discussion:

• Disallowing more than one template per PC.
• Shifting Leadership to level 9 or level 12.

[PhaedrusXY]

You need to fix that link - it just goes to the list of sheets (not even your sheets)

I'm the partner - my character has the stats of a warforged shaper. Strat might let Phaedrus be my psicrystal for +1LA.

Were you looking at Thinblade's thread? You can technically qualify for Swanmay and Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil...

Whoops. Link fixed. Thanks. 

Yeah, I looked at that and several other warlock threads. Swanmay... eh, no thanks. Iot7V is tempting, but way too late in the payoff department and painful until them. If we actually game that long, maybe I'll retrain to head into that.

Did I miss something important in the rules? Edit: Gah, no UA races or classes!! Crap...

[Stratovarius]

I have a completely irrational hatred of all things UA, hence the book is the first one I put on the ban list of any campaign. The second is the PHB

[Thinblade]

Phaedrus: I can't remember anything saying you can't power attack with the glaive. However, since the Glaivelock guide did such a wonderful job with the subject, I've tended to focus elsewhere. I'd trust what the Glaivelock guide says.

[ChristopherGroves]

Can you find a way to get cause fear and scare, then replace Abj. Champ with Dread Witch?

[PhaedrusXY]

I think I'm going to change things totally and go with something like this:

Mecha-gishzilla
Magic-blooded Dragonborn Warforged
Duskblade5/Spellsword 1/Suel Arcanamach 1/Abjurant Champion 5 (not necessarily in that order)

I haven't planned the rest of the build out, but I definitely want to keep progressing Suel casting and BAB. I'll probably go with 3 more SA, and then back into Spellsword. It could end with lots of stuff, though, including 4 levels of Dragon Disciple, which would be interesting and flavorful. Or Spellcarved Solider.

Dragonborn is technically a race, not a template, so I don't have two templates (which is not allowed in the campaign)... It also gets rid of the standard warforged body without burning a feat on unarmored body. I'll pick the breath weapon, and take the feat Entangling Exhalation for a crowd control ability.

Magic-blooded (DM ok'd this) is just to keep from totally tanking Cha, which he'll be using with Suel Arcanamach to cast spells.  An Int of 12 and Cha of 12 should be plenty to start with. I can put leveling points into Cha and get an item later, to eventually get to 20 for 5th level bonus spells. I might just ditch all the fear effects entirely. Mostly I'll be using spells that don't allow/require saves (like buffs), so I don't need super high casting stats.

There are sooooo many good feat options for this, it will be hard choosing them.

ACF: the alternative class feature Skilled City Dweller from the Cityscape WE lets you trade ride for tumble
Feats: Entangling Exhalation, Dragon Wings, Improved Dragon Wings, Power Attack, Combat Casting (Bonus), (Arcane Strike?), Versatile Spellcaster, Iron Will, (Knowledge Devotion?), (Smiting Spell?), (Quicken Breath?), (Practiced Spellcaster?)
Equipment (wish list): Cloak of Charisma +X, guisarme, breastplate (mithril twilight fullplate of speed), Sudden Stunning weapon, Drake Helm (spells known, Explorers Handbook), Ring of Theurgy (spells known, CA), Gloves of the Starry Sky (Magic Missile, MIC 204), Belt of the Wide Earth (Teleport, MIC 204), Periapt of the Sullen Sea (Freedom of Movement, MIC 205), Knowstones (DR 333, add to spells known, priced as pearls of power, must be on spell list I think), Anklet of Translocation (MIC, swift action teleport 2/day, 1400 gp)

Benefits: Quick Cast 1/day, Channel Spell (Duskblade, Std Action), Armored Casting (medium), lots of spontaneous spells from two lists
Drawbacks: Two casting stats, so a bit of MAD, mitigated by the fact that he'll mostly use buffs.

Build options: Sandshaper, Fiendblooded, Dragon Disciple, more Spellsword, Wyrm Wizard, Silver Pyromancer, Dracolexi, Sand Shaper, other.

Starting stats (32 PB, with racial mods, and +1 Cha at level 4):
Str 14
Dex 12
Con 18
Int 14
Wis 6
Cha 16

Progression:
1 Duskblade1  Entangling Exhalation (flaw), Dragon Wings (1), [Armored Casting, light]
2 DB2            Combat Casting (bonus)
3 DB3            Iron Will, [Arcane Channeling]
4 DB4            [Armored Casting, medium], +1 Cha
5 DB 5           [Quickcast 1/day][2nd level DB spells]
6 Spellsword1 Improved Dragon Wings, [-10% ASF]
7 Suel Arc 1   [-15% ASF]
8 Abj Champ1 [2nd level SA spells], +1 Cha
9 AC2            Versatile Spellcasting, [Quickened Abjurations]
10 AC3          [3rd level SA spells]
11 AC4         
12 AC5         Quicken Breath, [4th level SA spells][Martial Arcanist: SA],+1 Cha
13 SA2
14 SA3          [5th level SA spells]
15+ ?

[Prime32]

Build options: Dip Sandshaper or Fiendblooded? Go with Dragonborn flight instead, and take Flyby Attack?

[spoiler]Hell yes! GodRaijinOh, Choudeki Gattai! [/spoiler]

Seriously, even if you're a psicrystal (we haven't got any word on that yet...) the flight might not be as good (50ft poor - 9th level), as the dragonborn's (30ft average with dive - 6th level).
I was going to take entangling ectoplasm, but it isn't as good as an entangling breath weapon. If you're entangling people already, I can trade that in for ecto protection (which I need to take at some point anyway for Constructor - this way I don't have to give up a higher-level power).

[PhaedrusXY]

Build options: Dip Sandshaper or Fiendblooded? Go with Dragonborn flight instead, and take Flyby Attack?

[spoiler]Hell yes! GodRaijinOh, Choudeki Gattai! [/spoiler]

Seriously, even if you're a psicrystal (we haven't got any word on that yet...) the flight might not be as good (50ft poor - 9th level), as the dragonborn's (30ft average with dive - 6th level).
I was going to take entangling ectoplasm, but it isn't as good as an entangling breath weapon. If you're entangling people already, I can trade that in for ecto protection (which I need to take at some point anyway for Constructor - this way I don't have to give up a higher-level power).

So breath weapon or flight? I can eventually cast Fly, but it will be a while. I could get Alter Self at 8th level, but only turn into constructs with it... Are there any non-templated flying constructs with 5 HD or less? Duskblades also get Swift Fly as 2nd level, I think, but it's not that great. We could also ride on one of your flying constructs. So I'm leaning more towards the breath weapon. Got any feat suggestions?

[Prime32]

So breath weapon or flight? I can eventually cast Fly, but it will be a while. I could get Alter Self at 8th level, but only turn into constructs with it... Are there any non-templated flying constructs with 5 HD or less? Got any feat suggestions?

Well, there's that flying homunculus, but it's kind of... small.

[PhaedrusXY]

Hmm... actually, he could turn into Astral Constructs with Alter Self. If he gets to add appropriate menu abilities, he could get Fly through that...

[PhaedrusXY]

I can get both! The Dragon Wings + Improved Dragon Wings feats gives him wings just as if he'd taken the Wings aspect. Woo! I could say he started with Mithril Body, and then exchanged it for Dragon Wings when he underwent the transformation (if we actually use the Dragonborn fluff... I'd rather make up our own).

If retraining is allowed, I'll take Versatile Spellcaster and Power Attack early on, and trade them for Iron Will and Improved Dragon Wings as I need them, then pick the first two back up again even later I'm really looking forward to playing this guy. I need to work on fluff for him now.

[Stratovarius]

Retraining is probably not allowed, and certainly not for feats that are class prereqs.

[RobbyPants]

Magic-blooded (DM ok'd this) is just to keep from totally tanking Cha, which he'll be using with Suel Arcanamach to cast spells.  An Int of 12 and Cha of 12 should be plenty to start with. I can put leveling points into Cha and get an item later, to eventually get to 20 for 5th level bonus spells. I might just ditch all the fear effects entirely. Mostly I'll be using spells that don't allow/require saves (like buffs), so I don't need super high casting stats.

Does magic-blooded make your casting stat Cha?  I could have sworn Duskblades use Int.  Is there some other reason I'm missing for putting a higher priority on Cha over Int?

[Prime32]

Retraining is probably not allowed, and certainly not for feats that are class prereqs.

Alright, so Phaedrus dies and I just build an exact replica of him with slightly different feats. Better?

[PhaedrusXY]

Does magic-blooded make your casting stat Cha?  I could have sworn Duskblades use Int.  Is there some other reason I'm missing for putting a higher priority on Cha over Int?

Suel Arcanamach uses Cha, and casts wizard/sorc spells from 4 schools. He'll only ever be getting 2nd level Duskblade spells, and I'll (eventually) use those for Versatile Spellcaster to cast Suel spells, anyway.

Retraining is probably not allowed, and certainly not for feats that are class prereqs.

I was never going to be without a prereq after I took a class. I just wanted to take a more useful feat earlier, and then retrain to get the prereq when I actually needed it. But I'm fine with no retraining at all.

Alright, so Phaedrus dies and I just build an exact replica of him with slightly different feats. Better?

No way! Mecha-gishzilla is unique! There can be only one!

On that note... I need to come up with a name. (Edit: Added a name and some fluff in the other thread.)

[PhaedrusXY]

After all that.... I decided that I'd rather just go with a straight psiwarrior. 

In the mid and late game, the Duskblade/Suel Arcanamach might be better, but starting out the psiwarrior is I think. Here is why:

1) The progression for powers is faster.
2) I can use Psionic Body + Psionic Talent to boost both his hit points and power points at the same time for a feat.
3) I can get a Psicrystal for the (Shared) Vigor + Share Pain combo on.
4) Prime32's character and mine can work together more effectively (mostly via using each other as sources of unknown powers).
5) I don't have to worry about ASF at all. So I can just wear full plate.
6) No worry about using a shield or not. I can just use force shield when needed, at level 1 instead of 7+.
7) Wisdom is a better stat to boost for skills (IMO) than Cha. It boosts Spot and Listen, which I find more useful than the social skills.
8) I can use a Deep Crystal Weapon and Psionic Weapon to boost my damage similiarly to the Duskblades channeling ability.
9) Glide + Levitate = real flight.
10) 8+9 + Flyby attack + reach = whacking the crap out of non-flyers from safety.
11) No Versatile Spellcaster feat needed. Psiwarriors can do that automatically.
12) Lots of bonus feats. The other build was feat starved.

I dumped the breath weapon, and just took the wings aspect to save feats. Prime can take care of Entangling people.

The other character would eventually be more powerful due to the Abjurant Champion class abilities and because wiz/sorc spells vastly outnumber psiwarrior powers, meaning there are more overpowered ones to cherry-pick from. But it would take it alot longer to develop, this one is better out of the gate, and it should remain viable throughout all levels.