Ask a Simple Question part 19: Titan-Bloodline Pixie Ubercharger edition

[Bauglir]

Q155: It's the Master Spellthief return. My DM and I are currently locked into a little argument about the viability of Sublime Chord + Master Spellthief abuse.

My argument:

The end result is X * Y (where X is your SC caster level and Y is the number of arcane spellcasting classes you have levels on).

His argument:

The end result is X, because Master Spellthief adds your levels in Arcane spellcasting classes together, NOT your CL in each of those.

I'm sure there was something that shot THAT counterargument down, but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

A 155
Strict RAW -- it does say "levels in arcane casting class" ... not "caster level" 

I was sure there was something to the effect of arcane spellcasting levels and arcane caster levels being interchangeable.

I'd love to hear it if it exists, but it strikes me as a bit silly to argue strongly for the ridiculously imbalanced implementation when there's a plausible argument for the balanced one.

[Kuroimaken]

Q155: It's the Master Spellthief return. My DM and I are currently locked into a little argument about the viability of Sublime Chord + Master Spellthief abuse.

My argument:

The end result is X * Y (where X is your SC caster level and Y is the number of arcane spellcasting classes you have levels on).

His argument:

The end result is X, because Master Spellthief adds your levels in Arcane spellcasting classes together, NOT your CL in each of those.

I'm sure there was something that shot THAT counterargument down, but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

A 155
Strict RAW -- it does say "levels in arcane casting class" ... not "caster level" 

I was sure there was something to the effect of arcane spellcasting levels and arcane caster levels being interchangeable.

I'd love to hear it if it exists, but it strikes me as a bit silly to argue strongly for the ridiculously imbalanced implementation when there's a plausible argument for the balanced one.

AHEM. I'm EXPLOITING IT HERE!!

[wotmaniac]

Q155: It's the Master Spellthief return. My DM and I are currently locked into a little argument about the viability of Sublime Chord + Master Spellthief abuse.

My argument:

The end result is X * Y (where X is your SC caster level and Y is the number of arcane spellcasting classes you have levels on).

His argument:

The end result is X, because Master Spellthief adds your levels in Arcane spellcasting classes together, NOT your CL in each of those.

I'm sure there was something that shot THAT counterargument down, but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

A 155
Strict RAW -- it does say "levels in arcane casting class" ... not "caster level" 

I was sure there was something to the effect of arcane spellcasting levels and arcane caster levels being interchangeable.

your missing a key word here .... "class" -- that changes the whole thing.
were the word "class" not there, then you would have something.  but as it is ....

[Bauglir]

Q155: It's the Master Spellthief return. My DM and I are currently locked into a little argument about the viability of Sublime Chord + Master Spellthief abuse.

My argument:

The end result is X * Y (where X is your SC caster level and Y is the number of arcane spellcasting classes you have levels on).

His argument:

The end result is X, because Master Spellthief adds your levels in Arcane spellcasting classes together, NOT your CL in each of those.

I'm sure there was something that shot THAT counterargument down, but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

A 155
Strict RAW -- it does say "levels in arcane casting class" ... not "caster level"  

I was sure there was something to the effect of arcane spellcasting levels and arcane caster levels being interchangeable.

I'd love to hear it if it exists, but it strikes me as a bit silly to argue strongly for the ridiculously imbalanced implementation when there's a plausible argument for the balanced one.

AHEM. I'm EXPLOITING IT HERE!!

Eh, well, it still seems pretty ironclad since it doesn't say "arcane spellcasting levels", but actually spells out that they must be "her levels in another arcane spellcasting class". Which means either Orange Ioun Stones make you level up in Wizard, or they're not the same. Also, strictly speaking, it debuffs you if you've taken any levels in a class that grants "+1 level of spellcasting" or somesuch prior to Sublime Chord, because you can't count them (you only count the actual levels, and you only get a single class because it uses the singular). Although if you have more than 1 base class, Master Spellthief converts it into a buff (Bard 1/Wizard 8/Spellthief 1/Sublime Chord 1 adds Sublime Chord and Wizard to get 9, Bard, Wizard, Spellthief and Sublime Chord are set to 9 each, and then you add them to get 36 through master Spellthief).

EDIT: I think that may actually have been what you were going for.

EDIT^2: What you can't do, however, is the following; You can't be a Bard 1/Wizard 8/Spellthief 1 and take Sublime Chord 1, and say your CL is 10 thanks to Master Spellthief, so your Sublime Chord is 11, so all your classes are set to 11, so Master Spellthief sets them all to 44. There are more brutal abuses than this that have been argued over elsewhere, but which rely on basically the same misinterpretation.

[Amechra]

Q156:

What ways are there to become immune to spells with the Sonic Descriptor?

[Bauglir]

Q156:

What ways are there to become immune to spells with the Sonic Descriptor?

A156

The obvious answer is Silence. Otherwise, I got nothing, assuming you want to be immune to more than just sonic damage.

Q157
Somebody once wrote an interpretation of Greater Consumptive Field that relied on the effects overlapping and resulting in diminishing returns in consequence. I need that interpretation so I can quote it. Help?

[Kajhera]

Q158: Where's the one enchantment/quality that has your weapon sing as you fight from? Not intelligent, uses the wind or something.

[Rebel7284]

A158: Harmonizing weapon?

[Hitoshura]

Q156. What's the best tracker i can planar bind? Just Lesser available right now...

[Kajhera]

A158: Harmonizing weapon?

Hm... yeah probably that. Pity it isn't useful for the person who wants it.

[bearsarebrown]

Q156. What's the best tracker i can planar bind? Just Lesser available right now...

Kezelf the Chaos Hound. Champions of Ruin page 144.
Just kidding, it has 28HD. But more people should know of its existence.

[Kuroimaken]

Q155: It's the Master Spellthief return. My DM and I are currently locked into a little argument about the viability of Sublime Chord + Master Spellthief abuse.

My argument:

The end result is X * Y (where X is your SC caster level and Y is the number of arcane spellcasting classes you have levels on).

His argument:

The end result is X, because Master Spellthief adds your levels in Arcane spellcasting classes together, NOT your CL in each of those.

I'm sure there was something that shot THAT counterargument down, but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

A 155
Strict RAW -- it does say "levels in arcane casting class" ... not "caster level"  

I was sure there was something to the effect of arcane spellcasting levels and arcane caster levels being interchangeable.

I'd love to hear it if it exists, but it strikes me as a bit silly to argue strongly for the ridiculously imbalanced implementation when there's a plausible argument for the balanced one.

AHEM. I'm EXPLOITING IT HERE!!

Eh, well, it still seems pretty ironclad since it doesn't say "arcane spellcasting levels", but actually spells out that they must be "her levels in another arcane spellcasting class". Which means either Orange Ioun Stones make you level up in Wizard, or they're not the same. Also, strictly speaking, it debuffs you if you've taken any levels in a class that grants "+1 level of spellcasting" or somesuch prior to Sublime Chord, because you can't count them (you only count the actual levels, and you only get a single class because it uses the singular). Although if you have more than 1 base class, Master Spellthief converts it into a buff (Bard 1/Wizard 8/Spellthief 1/Sublime Chord 1 adds Sublime Chord and Wizard to get 9, Bard, Wizard, Spellthief and Sublime Chord are set to 9 each, and then you add them to get 36 through master Spellthief).

EDIT: I think that may actually have been what you were going for.

EDIT^2: What you can't do, however, is the following; You can't be a Bard 1/Wizard 8/Spellthief 1 and take Sublime Chord 1, and say your CL is 10 thanks to Master Spellthief, so your Sublime Chord is 11, so all your classes are set to 11, so Master Spellthief sets them all to 44. There are more brutal abuses than this that have been argued over elsewhere, but which rely on basically the same misinterpretation.

I'll probably need a whole thread for this. Dangit.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Q158: Where's the one enchantment/quality that has your weapon sing as you fight from? Not intelligent, uses the wind or something.

This it:

http://www.wizards.com/forgottenrealms/FR_Survival.asp

[Bauglir]

Q155: It's the Master Spellthief return. My DM and I are currently locked into a little argument about the viability of Sublime Chord + Master Spellthief abuse.

My argument:

The end result is X * Y (where X is your SC caster level and Y is the number of arcane spellcasting classes you have levels on).

His argument:

The end result is X, because Master Spellthief adds your levels in Arcane spellcasting classes together, NOT your CL in each of those.

I'm sure there was something that shot THAT counterargument down, but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

A 155
Strict RAW -- it does say "levels in arcane casting class" ... not "caster level"  

I was sure there was something to the effect of arcane spellcasting levels and arcane caster levels being interchangeable.

I'd love to hear it if it exists, but it strikes me as a bit silly to argue strongly for the ridiculously imbalanced implementation when there's a plausible argument for the balanced one.

AHEM. I'm EXPLOITING IT HERE!!

Eh, well, it still seems pretty ironclad since it doesn't say "arcane spellcasting levels", but actually spells out that they must be "her levels in another arcane spellcasting class". Which means either Orange Ioun Stones make you level up in Wizard, or they're not the same. Also, strictly speaking, it debuffs you if you've taken any levels in a class that grants "+1 level of spellcasting" or somesuch prior to Sublime Chord, because you can't count them (you only count the actual levels, and you only get a single class because it uses the singular). Although if you have more than 1 base class, Master Spellthief converts it into a buff (Bard 1/Wizard 8/Spellthief 1/Sublime Chord 1 adds Sublime Chord and Wizard to get 9, Bard, Wizard, Spellthief and Sublime Chord are set to 9 each, and then you add them to get 36 through master Spellthief).

EDIT: I think that may actually have been what you were going for.

EDIT^2: What you can't do, however, is the following; You can't be a Bard 1/Wizard 8/Spellthief 1 and take Sublime Chord 1, and say your CL is 10 thanks to Master Spellthief, so your Sublime Chord is 11, so all your classes are set to 11, so Master Spellthief sets them all to 44. There are more brutal abuses than this that have been argued over elsewhere, but which rely on basically the same misinterpretation.

I'll probably need a whole thread for this. Dangit.

Here.

[Kajhera]

Q158: Where's the one enchantment/quality that has your weapon sing as you fight from? Not intelligent, uses the wind or something.

This it:

http://www.wizards.com/forgottenrealms/FR_Survival.asp

Wait, does that, wait, less than 10k? Cool.

[lianightdemon]

Q159

When you use a knowstone spell that is attuned to you do you need the material components or focus's ? The creation costs include them but it doesn't state anymore if you need additional ones per casting. I know it uses a spell slot? What about xp costs?

[Archao]

Q 160 In order to keep the Evil hidden, what ways (if any exist) are there for an Ur-Priest to gain the ability to spontaneously cast cure spells?

[Kuroimaken]

Q155: It's the Master Spellthief return. My DM and I are currently locked into a little argument about the viability of Sublime Chord + Master Spellthief abuse.

My argument:

The end result is X * Y (where X is your SC caster level and Y is the number of arcane spellcasting classes you have levels on).

His argument:

The end result is X, because Master Spellthief adds your levels in Arcane spellcasting classes together, NOT your CL in each of those.

I'm sure there was something that shot THAT counterargument down, but I cannot for the life of me remember what it was.

A 155
Strict RAW -- it does say "levels in arcane casting class" ... not "caster level"  

I was sure there was something to the effect of arcane spellcasting levels and arcane caster levels being interchangeable.

I'd love to hear it if it exists, but it strikes me as a bit silly to argue strongly for the ridiculously imbalanced implementation when there's a plausible argument for the balanced one.

AHEM. I'm EXPLOITING IT HERE!!

Eh, well, it still seems pretty ironclad since it doesn't say "arcane spellcasting levels", but actually spells out that they must be "her levels in another arcane spellcasting class". Which means either Orange Ioun Stones make you level up in Wizard, or they're not the same. Also, strictly speaking, it debuffs you if you've taken any levels in a class that grants "+1 level of spellcasting" or somesuch prior to Sublime Chord, because you can't count them (you only count the actual levels, and you only get a single class because it uses the singular). Although if you have more than 1 base class, Master Spellthief converts it into a buff (Bard 1/Wizard 8/Spellthief 1/Sublime Chord 1 adds Sublime Chord and Wizard to get 9, Bard, Wizard, Spellthief and Sublime Chord are set to 9 each, and then you add them to get 36 through master Spellthief).

EDIT: I think that may actually have been what you were going for.

EDIT^2: What you can't do, however, is the following; You can't be a Bard 1/Wizard 8/Spellthief 1 and take Sublime Chord 1, and say your CL is 10 thanks to Master Spellthief, so your Sublime Chord is 11, so all your classes are set to 11, so Master Spellthief sets them all to 44. There are more brutal abuses than this that have been argued over elsewhere, but which rely on basically the same misinterpretation.

I'll probably need a whole thread for this. Dangit.

Here.

Appreciated, but I'd better put a thread together anyway.

[betrayor]

Q 160 In order to keep the Evil hidden, what ways (if any exist) are there for an Ur-Priest to gain the ability to spontaneously cast cure spells?

He could take a prestige class that grant a domain(ex. Contemplative) choose the healing domain then take the domain spontagn. feat....
This is from the top of my head but I am sure there are other ways....

[Epimetheus]

Q 160 In order to keep the Evil hidden, what ways (if any exist) are there for an Ur-Priest to gain the ability to spontaneously cast cure spells?

He could take a prestige class that grant a domain(ex. Contemplative) choose the healing domain then take the domain spontagn. feat....
This is from the top of my head but I am sure there are other ways....

The only way should be through a Domain, I think, as Spontaneous Healer won't work for evil people. (There may be a prestige class out there, but it's hard to tell.)
Contemplative works well, as you can pick any Domain.

Alternatives are to prep one slot with a healing spell, and have a lot of Pearls of Power to recharge that slot as needed.
Or get the Domain Staff of Healing, 36 K. So that you can convert any spell into the appropriate healing spell.

Also, if you haven't thought of it. Try using Undetectable Alignment (PH. Cl 2, 24 hours of no alignment detectable) or Moral Facade (Complete Champion. Clr 3, 24 hours of 'fake your alignment') to hide your alignment well.

It is rather hard to explain why you can spontaneously cast cure spells when you're rebuking undead though. Those two choices are supposed to be mutually exclusive for clerics. Good luck!