Author Topic: The dark cultist: Why is it so much worse?  (Read 2245 times)

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Callix

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The dark cultist: Why is it so much worse?
« on: November 11, 2008, 12:45:34 AM »
I'm trying to build an evil Archivist. Unfortunately, Evil means no Sacred Exorcist, so no easy DMM. I'd like to try and use Dark Knowledge and Knowledge Devotion, but without easy access to Persistent Spell, most of the combat options are significantly less shiny. I was thinking of archery, but I guess melee could work.

As I see it, there are three options:

1) Suck up a lost caster level and dip something for Turn Undead. I'm open to suggestions, though the obvious dip would be Cloistered Cleric.

2) Do without Persist, and focus on long-term buffs and SoL spells. Maybe don't even take Knowledge Devotion, as most of the good spells won't have attack rolls.

3) Find some other way to get cheap Persistent Spells. Incantatrix and Anima Mage are both Arcane-only, though, so I'm kind of out of ideas here.

I'm building for 12th level and above. Which looks like a good idea to you?
Thanks in advance.
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InnaBinder

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Re: The dark cultist: Why is it so much worse?
« Reply #1 on: November 11, 2008, 12:47:25 AM »
Ur-Priest?
Winning an argument on the internet is like winning in the Special Olympics.  You won, but you're still retarded.

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ChristopherGroves

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Re: The dark cultist: Why is it so much worse?
« Reply #2 on: November 11, 2008, 12:54:51 AM »
The loss of one level for Cloistered Cleric and turn undead is pretty well worth it.  That's 3 domains ... knowledge devotion + two other domains.

Think of all the fun you can do.  Pride.  Fate. 

Callix

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Re: The dark cultist: Why is it so much worse?
« Reply #3 on: November 11, 2008, 01:06:09 AM »
Ur-Priest?
Loses two Archivist CLs. I'd rather dip Death Delver than Ur-Priest for this. And I lose Dark Secret at starting levels.

The loss of one level for Cloistered Cleric and turn undead is pretty well worth it.  That's 3 domains ... knowledge devotion + two other domains.

Think of all the fun you can do.  Pride.  Fate. 
Or the standard Planning + Undeath, seeing as I'm going for Persist. Still, Planning + Fate + Archivist + Persist is getting a bit of a theme going here...
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PhaedrusXY

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Re: The dark cultist: Why is it so much worse?
« Reply #4 on: November 11, 2008, 02:21:04 AM »
Dip Dread Necro.
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Callix

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Re: The dark cultist: Why is it so much worse?
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2008, 02:24:16 AM »
Dip Dread Necro.
Current party includes a DN. Otherwise, Charnel Touch + Tomb-Tainted Soul = Yes please.
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Akalsaris

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Re: The dark cultist: Why is it so much worse?
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2008, 02:25:29 AM »
The loss of one level for Cloistered Cleric and turn undead is pretty well worth it.  That's 3 domains ... knowledge devotion + two other domains.

Think of all the fun you can do.  Pride.  Fate. 

I agree with this - Cloistered Cleric is one of the best 1-level dips in the game, especially for archivists.  I think there was a thread on this a few weeks ago as well here.

woodenbandman

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Re: The dark cultist: Why is it so much worse?
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2008, 02:27:51 PM »
Ask your DM today if you can get the variant Divine version of Anima Mage. It's not that big of a stretch, and it nets you some awesome stuff for a feat and a 1 level dip. You can bind Dantalion to fuel your Knowledge Devotion and your Dark Knowledge, you get free metamagic 3/day and free still, silent, quicken once per day, you get bonuses to stuff, it's basically a win-win. It might even be worth it to go for all three of binder, cloistered cleric, and archivist. That's an awful lot of metamagic. Not to mention the cool shit like 11th level binding for awesome free magic armor complete with Damage Reduction and teleportation, the ability to tumble in said armor, the super awesome ability to diplomance your way out of anything, and, I believe, you can bind a 6th level vestige at this level with improved binding, meaning chupoclops for charging shenanigans. You can also get tenebrous combined with that feat that heals all within 30 feet for free out of combat healing all day. The possibilities are nigh infinite.

The benefit of Anima Mage is that you get 3/day metamagic on any metamagic you have. The drawback is there's no way to increase the # of times per day you can do this. DMM, however, is much harder to optimize, especially without nightstick stacking (or at all), and you require a feat for each metamagic you want to apply it to.