Can I have some help with this please?

[Amechra]

Alright, here is my plan for a little bit of goofiness for my next adventure.

First, I will play a human marshal until I have reached lvl 4 at the very least. I will try to have at least an 18 in wisdom (you'll see why in a minute)

Then, I will undergo the Ritual of Crucimigration.

As a Necropolitan, I now am able to gain the spellstitched template, which with 18 wisdom would get me 2 5th level spells as 2/day spell-likes, among other goodies. One of those spells will be Haunt Shift. The other will be Plane Shift.

I am going to Haunt Shift myself into an amulet and have my party carry it. I will then be an excellent intelligent magical item, do to my auras and spell-likes. In fact, I'll talk to my DM about using Plane Shift to take a short trip to a temporally fast negative energy aligned plane so as to gain the Evolved Undead template a couple of times.

Thing is, I have no idea what my other spell-likes should be. I really don't want anything flashy; the other players don't know how to optimize, and I'm planning to do this to become an awesome, portable buffer for them. You know, so they can feal accomplished.

The other question is: are there any non-item ways of advancing the aura bonus of a marshal? If so, what are they?

If this seems too powerful, which it probably is, I won't do it, but the aura boosting info would be useful.

Also, completely unrelated, is there a way to get Bard and Marshal levels to stack?

[ninjarabbit]

Anything with an expensive material component is always a good choice for a SLA. Animate dead is a good one.

[geniussavant]

Magic in the blood is a regional feat, but if u can get it allowed it makes all racial SLA's, which I think includes the spellstiched ones, as the are part of your body and granted by a template, usable 3/day. Sorry but I can't remember the book, maybe LEoF???

[Amechra]

This is great stuff your pouring in.

I'm going to let you guys pick spell-likes for me, because I really need help with those.

The only spell-likes I have to have are Plane Shift and Haunt Shift. All of the others are free.

If Animate Dead is a good idea, maybe I should grab Cleric (don't have HoH) instead of Marshal.

Has the added benefit of being my own holy symbol for the purpose of turning.

Oh, as for books, I have access to Core, all of the Complete series except for Psionic and Scoundrel, BoVD, BoED, Draconomicon, Dragon Mgic, MoI, and MiC.

[Widow]

Hmm, I might try a slightly different entry.  Maybe something like:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/psm/20030628b

Marshal 3/ Ardent 4/Grim Psion 1/ Ardent 1
 or if you wanted to stick withe the necropolitin (might as well if you dont want to progress grim psion)
Marshal 4/ Ardent 5

You can manifest as a mental action, so you can use both your SLA and psionics.  That should add some more fire power.  The marshal is the only questionable part of the build.  You have to be able to hear the marshal for the aura to work, so you will need some kind of telepathy.  The SLA are Cha based, but you are putting so much into wisdom, I would be tempted to mix in a manfestor.  If you want some meat to ride around, maybe go into thrallherd afterwards (to give you another Cha use).

Marshal 2/Ardent 5/Thrallherd 10 for a base

Remeber the ardent works a little strangely, so practiced manifestor will make up for all the lost progression so you still get top level powers.  I would only go Marshal 2, but you will loss 2 more with thrallherd.  I dont think 2 more levels will be worth 1 minor aura and a move action from the marshal.

As for spells, Revive undead is great if you have undead party members or fun minions you want to reuse.

For a similar type idea check out the FoP handbook.

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=7518.0

[Amechra]

Hmmm...

I'll think about it.

Besides, Marshal can use his Auras while in an amulet. AFAIK, a Haunting Pressence can speak. Seriously, go check the sidebar.

Maybe a Bard...

[Phaenix]

Something to think about: the spell-stitching process must be done by a "wizard or sorcerer [...] of sufficient level to cast the spells to be imbued..." Since Plane Shift is a 7th level Sor/Wiz spell, you'll need a level 13 wizard or level 14 Sorcerer. Also, you may have to have a Cleric present who can actually cast Plane Shift as a 5th level spell, since 7th level spells cannot be stitched.

A strict DM might disallow Plane Shift at all due to the level discrepancy. Might be something you want to talk to your DM about before you use this in game.

[PhaedrusXY]

Hmmm...

I'll think about it.

Besides, Marshal can use his Auras while in an amulet. AFAIK, a Haunting Pressence can speak. Seriously, go check the sidebar.

Maybe a Bard...

You can also use all psionic powers while inside an item, since they have no components. I play a haunt shifted psion myself in a PbP on here.

[Amechra]

Just so you know, if my DM thinks an idea is cool, he pretty much ends up getting you what you need in some roundabout way. This is how his world in first edition ended up having a race of intelligent chickens.

I've been thinking...

There was never stated limit on times you can use Haunt Shift on a single undead (while manifesting, they are a viable target.)

There is a rule against Haunt Shifting into a creature/magical item, but it should be legal if the item/location are enchanted later on.

Also, I just got a copy of Frostburn, Sandstorm, and Complete Scoundrel.

So my new plan is:

1. Become a Spellstitched Necropolitan, with Haunt Shift, Black Sand, and possibly Plane Shift as his spell-likes.
2. Find a lot of sand. Black Sand it.
3. Haunt Shift into the area of the Black Sand. Only use the manifest option, not the poltergeist option.
4. Manifest, Haunt Shift into an amulet. Do this a couple times. AFAIK, all of the objects would have to be destroyed to kill you, you would be able to manifest near any of them, and you would hear/see 60' around each one.
5. Disperse to the 7 winds, creating another amulet/whatever each time I manifest. If I have Plane Shift, I will cart 1 of the plane I detail in the 1st post, for the purpose of manifesting and gaining Evolved Undead template levels.
6. Sell off those amulets. Either that, or start a cult based off my omnipresence.
7. If I start that cult, I will eventually get a wizard/druid capable of casting Awaken Sand under my influence. Get him to cast it on the area of Black Sand.
8. Maybe Haunt Shift into a plane...

Please note:If I can't HS multiple things, this makes me sad. Otherwise, it would be awesome, especially since I would only use this nigh-godlike power to be the party sentry/face, because I really like those roles. Maybe some buffing on the sides...

I've gone a little over the top, haven't I?

[BruceLeeroy]

That is very ridiculous.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

I think by strict RAW on stacking (which doesn't just apply to bonuses), you'd just get transferred to the new object.

[BruceLeeroy]

Speaking of strict raw, would haunt shift work for a suit of armor or a clockwork suit of armor?

[Tenebrous Apostate]

Question: how is your character going to pay for having the spell stiched template on him besides you prostrating yourself to your DM (no offence)? It's rather expensive although LA free...
If you do in did do it I suggest finding a copy of the BoVD so you can cast the corrupt spells within without their corruption costs. Also Extract gift from FC I is good stuff if you have a planar binding caster (or malconvoker or thaumaturgist or what have you). As a general rule spellstich on you spells with either expensive material components or XP costs or both.

Play safe

[PhaedrusXY]

Speaking of strict raw, would haunt shift work for a suit of armor or a clockwork suit of armor?

Sure. Why not?

[Arz]

Also, completely unrelated, is there a way to get Bard and Marshal levels to stack?

Mythic Exemplar - Sir Reikhart
Better yet, you don't actually even need marshall levels to get the auras. Enter the class by taking the Draconic Aura feat in your first four levels. You get five levels of aura (ex) class, which could be War Chief.

[Amechra]

I have no idea how I'm going to pay for it.

Anyway, it's shelved for now because for our next e6 game, we're going to be pirates.

I have suggested me playing the villain as this character to my DM, but he hasn't said yeah or neigh.

[BruceLeeroy]

Speaking of strict raw, would haunt shift work for a suit of armor or a clockwork suit of armor?

Sure. Why not?

Ok, I probably shouldn't have asked a fragment of a question.

What i meant was, would haunt shift work for a suit of armor or a clockwork suit of armor and be AWESOME?

If you're running around controlling a suit of medium armor, for instance, you're treated as a medium animated object (assuming you have at least 10HD). If  you're a necropolitan psywarrior, would you be able to manifest your powers on your object as if it were you? If you were a necropolitan warblade, would your object be able to initiate manuevers?

the Haunt Shift sidebar is a little unclear.

I have this mental image of a suit of full plate with rollerskates and 8 arms.