the true arcane dilliante

[KellKheraptis]

I've been a good boy and deliberately left off the Arcane Swordsage from my builds posted...were I to use it, even a three digit CL with at will and infinite spells known would be SICK.

Who are you and what did you do to the real Kell?

Getting close to dawn...you know how approaching sunlight fucks with us were-types when the moon is going down

I've been a good boy and deliberately left off the Arcane Swordsage from my builds posted...were I to use it, even a three digit CL with at will and infinite spells known would be SICK.

Actually, not entirely at will, coz I don't think swordsages can initiate a maneuver outside combat, or can he?

Also, why infinite spells known? I'm not talking about IL=CL, so list of maneuvers(or spells) known is still restricted to IL level, not dictated by CLs. Or am I wrong here?

Sure they can.  A stance is a maneuver and you can enter a stance whenever the hell you feel like.  And infinite spells known because we've got access to a Tome of Ancient Lore, and learn all our spells from that.  Hell, make a psionic adaptation (or get the Magic mantle) and it's a moot point anyway.  Talk about a recharge mechanism...

[McPoyo]

There's actually a section in the ToB somewhere, discussing that DMs should limit a maneuver's use to once per five minutes (or maybe it's one minute?) if it is used outside of combat, for balance purposes.

Edit: That was supposed to be in reference to the "Swordsages can use maneuvers outside combat?" portion above.

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Alright yall. I slogged through all 14 pages of this. About reserves of strength, I'm with TML on this one. RAI its clearly supposed to only exceed normal CL caps by 3, not completely uncap the spell and add a measly +3cl to your existing one. Beware cheesy interpretations, though RAW I will concede its ambiguous.

Also, if we use the bloodlines as they were intended (i.e. as described in PBMC's handbook), we still get 20 levels to work with

My guess would be that because it's "look at the table" and the table stops at 20, so does the progression. You can't get Epic things until you are epic, even if you qualify.

Unless it has a formula somewhere that is hopefully consistent between epic and non-epic (meaning you really don't need to use the epic ruling)

this had better not actually work. seriously, that's eff'ed up.

No worries. I still hold the world record eldritch blast at 42d6+14d6

asdfjkl is right about the eldritch blast (which is an SLA) and the other SLAs not gaining the CL boost. Neither are spells 

the XP to buy bloodline levels is 3,000+6,000+12,000.  Incidentally, exactly the amount of XP gained by investing XP in an Item Familiar.  Coincidence?

Man, I love you right now. I'm adding that to the handbook  (the information is already in there but I just love the way you put it)

Sane DMs are the stuff of freakin' legend.

I'm definately not. I'm way off my rocker

yeah, I can't image an unbuffed caster with no magic items (cause we MDJ'ed his ass) surviving 141d6 of anything.

I've got one like that. In fact, the MDJ could get that juicy 1% to strip you of all casting period and this guy would just laugh and say 'is that all ya got?' Granted he is a mildly TO BBEG. See? I really am nuts

optimizing tea is like optimizing kobolds: at first, "what the crap is this? I can't use this shit! it doesn't work well at all!". after one begins to truely understand it, however.... you find yourself hard pressed not to automatically include it in everything.

The Aspect of Atropus that the party actually fights is described as "a small fraction of his will".This has 66HD. 

I'd still be able command him (unless he is immune to turning) 

I prefer the ancient viking method of solving arguments. assuming logic doesn't work, both sides get plastered and start beating the crap out of eathother until no-one can remember what we were arguing about. tends to work.  if the argument is later recalled, or brought up again, the one who won the fight was right.

May I suggest this is NOT a good way to mediate a marriage?? Arguing with women is a lot different...

wait a minute, did we just make a caster that out damages an ubercharger all day long? without the drawbacks?

Not mine  but this was with the pre-thousands CLs... 

Hunter's Eye grants 12601d6 sneak attack. What's the record again?

I hold it for non-casters (53d6+20). You did break the caster-allowed record though

improvisation.  gain a pool equal to 2x caster level, use up to 1/4 of it on any one skill check.how many records just got broken?

All the skill check ones, I think

[KellKheraptis]

Glad to help the cause PBMC, and truth be told, that handbook blew open a million and one doors for evil and wicked character designs (along with the usual War Weaver and Wizard handbooks), and of course this little thread of debauchery

[Anklebite]

we really should double check the RAW on these higher end abuses. would suck if it didn't work.

[bearsarebrown]

I've posted the link to my CL math. And rechecked it after learning that SC among other is Spellcaster level not caster level. Drops it to 7500.

[Kuroimaken]

I need help with the math, and potentially a build. I've got 40 class levels to play with.  I initially figured I'd go triple threat (Binder/Ur-Priest/SC/Ultimate Magus) but I figure it's worth more to progress UM into the Epic Levels (especially since Ur-Priest uses Arcane CL to determine its own CL).

I want to keep the build relatively simple, so I'd rather use simple early entry methods for as much mayhem as possible (and whoring out on Epic Feats bonus progression, of course - looking at Improved Metamagic taken several times for high-level metamagic whoring, even though Epic Spellcasting is available there. 

[Anklebite]

human bard1/wizard3/spellthief1/trapsmith1/ur-priest1/mindbender1/UM2/SC1/UM+8/X1/MT9/epic UM11
required feats: able learner, master spellthief, prereqs.
"X" is an arcane spellcasting class to wrack up the CL.

make sure to use UM to constantly boost SC. SC determines your CL in the end. as for "X", I would take sorcerer. that way, you can you the spare UM +caster levels to boost wizard and sorcerer to max, making you a true arcane powerhouse of death.

[altpersona]

human bard1/wizard3/spellthief1/trapsmith1/ur-priest1/mindbender1/UM2/SC1/UM+8/X1/MT9/epic UM11
required feats: able learner, master spellthief, prereqs.

my head hurts now

[Anklebite]

human bard1/wizard3/spellthief1/trapsmith1/ur-priest1/mindbender1/UM2/SC1/UM+8/X1/MT9/epic UM11
required feats: able learner, master spellthief, prereqs.

my head hurts now

hehe, why? 

[Kuroimaken]

human bard1/wizard3/spellthief1/trapsmith1/ur-priest1/mindbender1/UM2/SC1/UM+8/X1/MT9/epic UM11
required feats: able learner, master spellthief, prereqs.
"X" is an arcane spellcasting class to wrack up the CL.

make sure to use UM to constantly boost SC. SC determines your CL in the end. as for "X", I would take sorcerer. that way, you can you the spare UM +caster levels to boost wizard and sorcerer to max, making you a true arcane powerhouse of death.

Okay, quick questions:

1) Why trapsmith, specifically?
2) Since UP CL is based off the sum of arcane CL, why MT?

I forgot to mention this DM is allowing the Book of Ultimate Feats. It contains Lasting Spell, which makes Persistent Spell look like Combat Casting's lame, dead brother.

By pumping up your spell slot consumption 9 levels, you can make a round/level spell last X centuries, where X is your CL.

Now add metamagic reducers. Specifically, Improved Metamagic, taken, I dunno, 9 times.

[bearsarebrown]

With this kind of CL you are never dispelled. Only need to be able to metamagic 1/day and eventually you'll have every spell you ever want on you.

Also remember, with a CL of 8640 turns 10min/level into 24 hours.

[Kuroimaken]

With this kind of CL you are never dispelled. Only need to be able to metamagic 1/day and eventually you'll have every spell you ever want on you.

Also remember, with a CL of 8640 turns 10min/level into 24 hours.

With Lasting Spell and enough Meta reducers, I turn rounds/level into centuries.

Dispelling isn't the main issue, getting around MDJ and potentially AMF is. At these levels, MDJ is the FREAKING COMBAT OPENER.

[Anklebite]

trapsmith because I felt like it, and you can meet the prereqs. also, because I like the spell list. really, you can replace it with any arcane casting class, as long as you have one prepared and one spontaneous caster before you go into UM.

MT is, because, otherwise you will have the Ur-priest casting of a level1 ur-priest.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Dispelling isn't the main issue, getting around MDJ and potentially AMF is. At these levels, MDJ is the FREAKING COMBAT OPENER.

Carry around one of the crappier minor artifacts.  Nobody's willing to risk losing spellcasting.

[Kuroimaken]

trapsmith because I felt like it, and you can meet the prereqs. also, because I like the spell list. really, you can replace it with any arcane casting class, as long as you have one prepared and one spontaneous caster before you go into UM.

MT is, because, otherwise you will have the Ur-priest casting of a level1 ur-priest.

Oh, right. I forgot you have to ACTUALLY PROGRESS UP before you get access to the good stuff. 

[MrErikO]

I hope I don't come off as too un-learned in D&D but how are we breaking the cap of +3 that Reserves of Strength limits you to do?

[McPoyo]

I hope I don't come off as too un-learned in D&D but how are we breaking the cap of +3 that Reserves of Strength limits you to do?

RaW, it doesn't raise the cap by 3, it removes it entirely. RaI, it was probably meant to only increase it by 3, not remove the cap entirely. It has to do with the different sentences the relevant parts of the feat are located in, without being specifically intrinsically linked together.

[MrErikO]

I hope I don't come off as too un-learned in D&D but how are we breaking the cap of +3 that Reserves of Strength limits you to do?

RaW, it doesn't raise the cap by 3, it removes it entirely. RaI, it was probably meant to only increase it by 3, not remove the cap entirely. It has to do with the different sentences the relevant parts of the feat are located in, without being specifically intrinsically linked together.

I seem to see what you are talking about. So my next question is: Say you use Reserves of Strength to raise the caster cap by... for example, 10. Are you then stunned for 10 rounds?

Edit: Just to confirm, the Reserves of Strength I'm looking at is in the Dragon Lance Campaign setting book.

[archangel.arcanis]

from my reading it is that you raise your caster level and are stunned for that many rounds. That increase is limited to up to +3. However when using the feat it removes the cap on the spell entirely.

12th level wizard casts fireball: it deals 10d6
12th level wizard casts fireball while increasing his CL by 1 with this feat: it deals 13d6 and he is stunned for 1 round.

That is what i see when i read it. Good thing it said "increase cl by 1,2, or 3" because if it said "increase by up to 3" i would use it on every spell ever for +0 cl to uncap the dice.