Author Topic: Favored Soul -> Sapphire Heirarch, need meldshaping / spell / item advice  (Read 1826 times)

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Ricter

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I've recently joined a new campaign, with the following rules to keep in mind:
[spoiler]3.5, all books
Only base classes allowed are Barbarian, Bard, Favored Soul, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, and Sorcerer, others pending approval (ToB and C/D/W gone for sure)
Divine Metamagic is banned
Magic Items are hard to find after the beginning of the game
Sapphire Heirarch doesn't require the Law Domain
8th level start, 25 point buy, 27 kgp starting wealth (half 1 item, everything else under 25%)
No response on flaws from the DM, yet
[/spoiler]

The campaign is technically playing today, but since the DM nerfed my original idea (DMM favored soul / SE), he's given me time to remake my character and build.  My character is an inquisitor type for the dominant human government of a homebrew world.  I'm looking to build a character that uses questionable means to advance his goals, basically an ends justifies the means kind of character (think Radical Inquisitor from W40k).

The party, as it stands, is the following:
Barbarian (Very simple character build)
Rogue / Master Thrower (Behind on skills because of MT)
Sorcerer

All three have been told to bring their own healing.

Here's what I've come up with so far:

LN Azurin Incarnate 1 / Favored Soul 4 / Church Inquisitor 1 / Sapphire Heirarch 10 / XX 4 (CI?)

So starting with Incarnate 1 / Favored Soul 4 / Church Inquisitor 1 / Sapphire Heirarch 2

Abilities:

Str: 16 = 14 (base 6 pts) + 2 enhancement)
Dex: 8 = 8 (base 0 pts)
Con: 14 = 14 (base 6 pts)
Int: 10 = 10 (base 2 pts)
Wis: 10 = 9 (base 1 pts) + 1 (levels)
Cha: 17 = 16 (base 10 pts) + 1 (levels)

I'm not really happy with that spread, but I'm not sure I will be with such a low point buy.  I need Int 10 for skill points for PrC's, everything else is mutable.

Feats:

1 - Incarnate 1: Heavy Armor, Shape Soulmeld (Shedu Mantle)
2 - Inc 1 / Favored Soul 1:
3 - Inc 1 / Favored Soul 2: Open (Needs to grant 1 essentia), Weapon Focus (Longsword)
4 - Inc 1 / Favored Soul 3:
5 - Inc 1 / Favored Soul 4:
6 - Inc 1 / FS 4 / Church Inquisitor 1: Open Least Chakra (Crown)
7 - Inc 1 / FS 4 / CI 1 / Sapphire Heirarch 1:
8 - Inc 1 / FS 4 / CI 1 / Sapphire Heirarch 2:

start play here

9 -
12 -
15 -
18 -

The other feats I'd like to squeeze in are Double Chakra (Crown), Bonus Essentia, Mindsight, Incarnum Spellshaping,  Extend Spell, Midnight Metamagic.  Possibly Necrocarnum Acolyte, is that worth the feat?  The flavor fits, at least, but it seems to have a lot of overlap with abilities the incarnate will already have.  Probably in that order.  I've asked the DM if I can get the Incarnum domain, so I might get lucky there and need 1 less feat.  That's still 5 feats for 4 open slots, and there's probably other things I'm missing.  I've also got a hole at level 3, that needs to grant essentia atm, unless the dm will give me the Incarnum Domain.  Power Attack would probably be really nice, too.

Spells:
I also have the Inquisition Domain, depending on how the DM rules it, I might get those spells for free.  Does anyone know how this works, RAW?

1 - Divine Favor, Lesser Vigor, Shield of Faith, Sign, open, open
2 - Bull's Strength, Quick March, Veil of Shadow, Spell Immunity
3 - Axiomatic Storm (for flavor reasons, really), Channeled Divine Shield, Dispel Magic

My spell selection seems... weak.  I feel like I should be able to do a lot more with these many open spell slots.

Meldshaping:
Soulmelds: 3 + 1
Essentia: 5 (3 base + 1 race + 1 feat)
Chakra Binds: 1

0 - Shedu Mantle (Bound to Crown, +1 mind-affecting / pt)
2 - Incarnate Avatar (Soul, +1 atk / pt)
2 - Incarnate Weapon (Arms, longsword, +1 atk, +1 dmg / pt)
1 - Vitality Belt (Waist, +4 con checks, + LVL hp / pt)

The vitality belt is just filler, really.  Running this set up gives me 100' telepathy, +4 atk, +2 damage and +8 hp (I think).  I don't really see anything else that impresses me.  Any ideas here?

Items:
2650 - Full Plate +1
1170 - Heavy Steel Shield +1
1000 - Vest of Resistance +1
0750 - Healing Belt
1400 - Anklet of Translocation
6000 - Belt of Priestly Might (+2 str, +1 na)

This leaves me 14030, or 14000 after I buy the general stuff.  I'm looking at  +2 con items, savnok's tooth and ring of arming, but I'm open to other ideas too.  Probably will include some masterwork tools and a fortifying roll, too.


Combat:
AC: 22 = 10 (base) 9 (armor) + 3 (shield) + 1 (Natural Armor) - 1 (Dex)
HP: 59.5 = 6 (Incarnate) + 4.5 x 5 (Favored Soul, Church Inquisitor) + 3.5 x 2 (Sapphire Heirarch) + 16 (Con) + 8 (Belt of Vitality)
Init: -1 = -1 (Dex)

Fort: +9 = 6 (base) +2 (Con) + 1 (resistance)
Refl: +4 = 4 (base) -1 (Dex) + 1 (resistance)
Will: +11 = 11 (base) -1 (Wis) + 1 (resistance)

Attack: +2 longsword, law-aligned
To Hit: +13 = +5 (BAB) + 1 (WF) + 3 (Str) + 2 (enhancement) + 2 (insight)
Damage: 1d8 + 5 = +3 (Str) + 2 (enhancement)

I'm happy with these overall, actually.  Hit points, AC and attack seem solid.  The two important saves seem strong, and reflex isn't really all that terrible.  The damage is a little low though, and the initiative (or lack there-of) is worrisome.  However, compared to my arcane gishes, it doesn't seem like most of my spells help this much.  At least divine shield probably makes my hit points a non-issue.

So, to summarize, I'm basically looking for 14,000 gp worth of items, at least 1 soulmeld (more if mine are poor) and a couple of spells.  Everything else seems to be okay.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

awaken DM golem

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Sinfire Titan has the Incarnum guide on the subforum, at the top of the page. Go there, it's good stuff.

Looking at your party,
the Barb is the frontliner and might need some buffing
the Rogue won't be the super skill monkey, while you can pick up some of what he'd do otherwise
the Sorc needs to pick versatile spells, and can be some of the Cha based skills
you get to be the Divine Toolkit, that can also tank, and be bodyguard for the (wimpy) Sorc, and occasional Stab helper for the Rogue.
Yes you can do all that.

Make sure your xx4 of the build applies to any +1 CL class, but mandatory.
You want the spells, and the spell level access.
Incarnum will be your switchy skill monkery, and versatility angel.

Cha to 19+ but with levels
Con needs to be 10+ the number of soulmelds the eventual incarnum levels give.
Int could be higher, and optional Human would give the extra skill points.
Knock down Wis and Str a little.

Don't pick soulmelds that have Wis to save effects, You don't have the wis, and you have spells for all that.

Feats - ditch double chakra, be versatile some other soulmeld
Bonus Essentia and Incarnum Spellshaping are probably not needed.
You want to check out the Cleric guide, and build something along those lines.
I don't know Church Inq, and I can't remember if there is an undated FS guide, but Cleric is close enough.

You are building a Divine caster.
You are building a Divine caster, with incarnum quirks, and shoring up parts of your party.

Ricter

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Thanks for the reply.

I have read the Incarnum and Cleric Handbooks prior to posting this thread.  Sinfire's guide served as partial inspiration for the character, although he doesn't really do the Sapphire Heirarch justice, imo.  I also referenced Bunko's for my items, although I'm a little overwhelmed figuring out what Chakra binds are going to block out what magic item slots.

Right, I knew the xx4 needed to be +1 CL.  That's why I suggested Church Inquisitor 2-5, but I might want to slip in Contemplative 2, for Slippery Mind and the free domain, especially if I can swing the skill requirements.  CI 4-5 only gives Pierce Disguise and Immunity to Compulsions, which I think the free domain, Divine Health and Slippery Mind beats.

I'm eventually looking at having at least 7 soulmelds, more if I pick up another shape soulmeld feat.  Guess that means I'm going to be aiming for an 18 con, I figured that an item of con will cover that with no real issues.

I was considering dropping Wis and Str like you suggested, but it gives me the following array:

Str: 14 = 12 (base 4 pts) + 2 enhancement)
Dex: 8 = 8 (base 0 pts)
Con: 14 = 14 (base 6 pts)
Int: 10 = 10 (base 2 pts)
Wis: 8 = 8 (base 0 pts)
Cha: 19 = 17 (base 13 pts) + 2 (levels)

A bonus 4th level spell (which I can't even cast) and +1 to social skills does not seem worth losing +1 attack, +1 damage, +1 will save, +1 str skills, +1 wis skills, +1 wis dc's (negligible).  Then again, 1 4th level spell does tend to add much more than that... hmmm.

The other option is:

Str: 14 = 12 (base 4 pts) + 2 enhancement)
Dex: 8 = 8 (base 0 pts)
Con: 16 = 15 (base 8 pts) + 1 (levels)
Int: 10 = 10 (base 2 pts)
Wis: 9 = 9 (base 1 pts)
Cha: 17 = 16 (base 10 pts) + 1 (levels)

This trades +1 attack, +1 damage, +1 will save, +1 str skills, +1 wis skills, +1 wis dc's (negligible) for +1 hp/level, +1 fort save, +1 con skills.  It basically sets one of the points on fire though, since I'm never going to be putting points into Wisdom from my levels then.

I had Double Chakra in there because many people suggest that LN incarnates run Crystal Helm, which I can't shape alongside Shedu Mantle.  If I were to pick up another Soulmeld, what would you suggest I look at?

I just used the Cleric Handbook, and delayed anything by 1 level of divine casting.  I pretty much had to ignore anything with domain requirements, and I need SE for any of the turn undead tricks, so that neuters a lot of my options.  I couldn't find a Favored Soul guide at all - a few people said they were starting them, but abandoned them and just said "try to be a Cleric".

Yeah, I'm basically going to run a divine caster with some incarnum fun.  I think 11 meldshaping levels are worth 1 CL loss, and I can afford the feats since my DM nix'd DMM.

All other input is welcome, please keep it coming.


Edit:  Also, Human would need additional work - I need the 1 point of Essentia from Azurin to qualify for Sapphire Heirarch.  At that point, I'd have to drop Heavy Armor or Shape Soulmeld.
« Last Edit: July 18, 2009, 09:01:52 PM by Ricter »

Ricter

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If I can't get any other advice, I'd greatly appreciate some spell suggestions and a soulmeld or two.  This is my first character using Incarnum, and I doubt that I nailed it the first time.

dark_hound

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You could drop shedu crown for the extra feat by having the party speak in a obscure tongue like halfling. 

really who speaks halfing.  Also the open charka feats can be open via spells, I never take a feat that a spell does, but more so.

Dragon magic can get you a sor/wiz spell in exchange for weapon focus if you want more spells.

Ricter

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Sorry for the slow reply, I have been out of town.  I appreciate the ideas.

While I realize that Halfling is normally a nice alternative, most of the party doesn't have the Intelligence or skill points to pick it up.  Additionally, the rogue is often off some distance and sometimes separated by foes, meaning that any reply from him would probably reveal his position.  There are the roleplay considerations as well.  Finally, I'm looking to take the Mindsight feat to compensate for our party's current lack of extrasensory abilities.

You are correct about the Open Chakra feats - it seems it would be more efficient instead to take Incarnum Spellcasting and just cast the spell.  I'm AFB atm, can I Permanency Open Chakra spells?

I forgot about the Dragon Magic alt levels, Favored Soul get so few I didn't think to look for them.  I'll have to see what spells are available, I can't remember what the restrictions are, if any.