wizard-swashbuckler build

[freekender]

This is a build I have in mind since some time ago, and have played a low lvl drow in the UD (Lil'ly, only until lvl 4). But now I'm strongly thinking about it, and it's under construction. This far, It seems to me that at least must be 5W / 5SB / 10EK, so I have doubts about what to do with the other 10 lvls.

The idea is a melee-char aided with buffs and some extra magic. Lil'ly will be a evil aligned Lolth worshipper, with no moral and with a (sometimes) strange behaviour, she's a bit mad.

The posibilities I am considering are:
- 2 more SB and 3 SD, rest with Wizard (although this doesn't exactly fits the char background, and already have a SD down there).
- Add Pale Master, Blood Mage or maybe Frost Mage to the mix. The problem is that this build has less AB.
- 5 lvls of Duelist (at least) to add some damage, but this class... well, we all know the problem with the parry skill. This path means less CL but better attack.
- Considering the Charnag Maethra too, but as is a application class... well, I don't know how exactly does it work and if the answer will be affirmative or not (any suggestions here?)
- And last but not the less, asking to the builds masters in this topic

I must add that I'm considering go for PTWF (although it's not mandatory) so, any idea/tip/suggestion about this build will be very welcome.

Thanks in advance!

[chad878262]

You could go Dragon slayer to gain 5 CL and high BAB. If you're going PTWF dread pirate will give your first TWF feat and some other goodies if you go to lvl 5.(LoH for instance) 10 levels of pale master hurts you AB but immunity to crits is really nice. You need at least 3 more CL to get 8 and 9 level spells and if the dispel fix goes in you really want 25 CL. I would probably go Dragon slayer 5 and take wizard to 10 for a final CL of 26 with practiced spell caster. BAB would end up at 25

[Deathgrowl]

The Charnag Maethra is the peacekeepers of Sshamath. As such, this PRC and the Flaming Fist PRC were shut down years ago (before I even started playing here). So you can't pick that one.

Swash5/wiz15/eldrich knight10 is a good place to start thinking at least.

Swash5/wiz8/ek10/duelist7 should be decent until the dispel bug is fixed.

Swash5/wiz5/ek10/dragonslayer10, maybe?

Swash5/wiz5/ek10/pm10 will get the same kind of AB as the wiz15 one, which isn't great. It will also lose 4 CL. On the other hand, it gains crit immunity and 6 AC among other goodies.

[freekender]

What about W10 / SB5 / EK10 / Tempest 5 ? It gives some extra AB and AC and a free 2 weapon feat. And fits the concept of the char. But I'm not sure (at all) if it could work. What do you think?

[chad878262]

Still have the issue of CL if dispel is fixed. Otherwise it should work fine. Though you have to take some feats to open it up that you maybe wouldn't otherwise take so GTWF isn't exactly free. Personally I would want more cl from Dragon slayer or just more wizard levels or some other prestige class. Harper agent 5 would give 4 cl and gain 1 bab over taking 5 wizard levels so I suppose that's the middle ground between DS and wiz. But again, feats...

[freekender]

Harper agent 5 would give 4 cl and gain 1 bab over taking 5 wizard levels so I suppose that's the middle ground between DS and wiz. But again, feats...

I fear that's impossible. Lilly is an evil aligned drow so... although the class prerrequisites allowed that... it will be veeeery strange

Still have the issue of CL if dispel is fixed. Otherwise it should work fine. Though you have to take some feats to open it up that you maybe wouldn't otherwise take so GTWF isn't exactly free. Personally I would want more cl from Dragon slayer or just more wizard levels or some other prestige class.

Yep, you are right either in the CL issue and the 2W feat. Must take Mobility and Spring Attack to qualify. I have to study this further with the builder, but I think I'll choose between 5lvls of Tempest or 5vls of Dread Pirate. This last one is the one that convinces me more. Maybe a bit less AB and AC, but it leaves room to two more feats compared to the first (and to this build Mobility and Spring Attack are not so so good) and some more skill points (although with high INT there are a loooooot of them).

[chad878262]

Dread pirate is a much better choice than tempest. Free twf and luck of heroes. Good luck on your character!

[freekender]

Dread pirate is a much better choice than tempest. Free twf and luck of heroes. Good luck on your character!

Definetly yes. After some I+D+i with the builder it will go W5 / SW5 / EK 10 / DP 5. And the DP class could add some spice to the RP, it has given me some new ideas to develop Lil'ly. The only bad point has been the hard time building the classes split in order to distribute that infinite amount of skill points

Thank you very much for the tips!

[Thorsson]

Dread pirate is a much better choice than tempest. Free twf and luck of heroes. Good luck on your character!

Tempest has free GTWF, without needing the prerequisites, 2AB and 2AC. If you're only doing 5 levels then it's a close run thing I'd say.

[chad878262]

My advice was based on the fact that he's already dex based so will qualify for gtwf. The extra ac and damage is nice, but worth the feats he would otherwise not take? My thought is no, but certainly it's debatable.

[freekender]

You two are right. Tempest gives more AB and AC. But I finally decided for DP because it gives some extra goodies and leaves room for two feats, and made me think of some extra RP background for Lil'ly. So, taking in one hand the extra AC and AB from Tempest and the extra goodies from DP in the other, I took this last option. It's a personal decision, it just fitted me more.

Thank you again for your tips, they helped me a lot

[freekender]

Just one more question... Considering the build leaves me room for two epic spells (Vampiric for sure and I think Mass Heal too), I'm wondering if it's better to have Perfect 2W Fighting or choose a third epic spell. Or another option I haven't realized about

[chad878262]

Most of the epic spells aren't so great, I would go PTWF, but you could do either. Just keep in mind that as a gish your dcs will probably not be very good so the value in any spell, even epic feat spells is in what happens when the enemy makes it's save.

[Progressive-Psy]

I once saw a build with monk in it as well.. Something like this Wiz/SB/Monk/EK.