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Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:02 pm
by Calen
Aside from picking transmutation feats I've no idea where to start to make a wizard/sorcerer that mainly fights in poly.
Does it benefit to multi class into classes with a high Bab like dragon slayer/eldritch knight etc.
Was thinking of sorcerer/eldritch knight/Dragon disciple myself for RP , though at a loss.
How do these builds in general hold op and what feats to pick?

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:13 pm
by Steve
High AB is a good thing, so multi-classing is prudent in either EK, DS or both!

Polymorphing is subject to Dispels. So, you'll want as high a CL as possible, which can unfortunately lower your AB. Augment Form feat helps with this.

A big question for your build is whether you want it to be a Gish outside of Polymorphing, meaning you'd be efficient in martial prowess out-of-Shape.

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:37 pm
by The Whistler
10wiz/10ek/10dslayer(or BSinger if elf) while maxing out INT I guess. being 1 BAB short of a 6th attack is sad but I prefer not being dispelled

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:51 pm
by Steve
The Whistler wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:37 pm 10wiz/10ek/10dslayer(or BSinger if elf) while maxing out INT I guess. being 1 BAB short of a 6th attack is sad but I prefer not being dispelled
If you use Augment Form on that build, you'd have 6 attacks! Supposedly.

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:58 pm
by The Whistler
nah, if your BAB>=21 augment form has no effect on it whatsoever. even if you have low BAB classes in your build

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 3:12 pm
by Steve
The Whistler wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:58 pm nah, if your BAB>=21 augment form has no effect on it whatsoever. even if you have low BAB classes in your build
Why is that, and why is that not documented anywhere? And a W 10 / DS 10 / EK 10 should have a 27 with Augment Form, as described by the Augment Form on the Wiki.

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:34 pm
by Calen
From a mechanic perspective I like bladesinger, but it is not something I want to RP.
I was thinking of adding 5 levels of thaumaturge through the mix, but it won't do feat wise.

The character is suppose to stay in shapes as much as possible, by the looks like it the build will be pretty straightforward.
RP wise the character should stay in forms, out of form it would function as a gish.
Thought Augment Form would give that 6th attack.

Got any feat recommendation that might work nicely with this build?

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 10:55 am
by metaquad4
http://nwn2db.com/build/?273641 (Arcane Scholar = Blood Magus)

This one is a favourite of mine. It plays similar to a gish, though you have the added benefit of being able to come out of shape to cast a quick spell, before shooting back into shape. You get empower spell, which allows you to blast reasonably well. It is sort of like playing a diet-druid, but with wizard spells (which are FAR better for blasting).

It gets pretty good stats, the calculations are in the build but I'll post them here too.

It'll have 30 CL and it will have 27 BAB at the end.
Hidden: show
https://wiki.bgtscc.net/index.php?title=Polymorphing

AC =
3 (Tumble) + 4 (Epic Spell Focus) + 6 (IMA) + 5 (SS) + 4 (Deflecion Item Merge) + 4 (Shield/Shades) + 2 (Cat's Grace) + 1 (Dodge) + 1 (Haste)
= 30 + Form Nat AC + Form DEX AC

Ex.
Dragon: 30 + 21 + 5 = 56 AC

AB =
27 (BAB) + 2 (Bull's STR or Cat's Grace) + 4 (+4 Weapon) + 4 (GH) + 1 (Haste)
= 38 AB + Form STR (DEX if ranged) - 4 if Form Has No Weapon

Ex.
Dragon: 38 + 11 - 4 = 45 AB

Damage =
2 (Bull's STR) + 4 (+4 Weapon)
= 6 + Form "Dmg" - 4 if Form Has No Weapon

Ex.
Dragon: 6 + 2d6+12 - 4 = 2d6 + 14 = Avg. 21/Hit
Another one, though a little more. . .intensive. . .is this one:
http://nwn2db.com/build/?295106 (Arcane Scholar = Thaumaturge).

This one ends up with 29 CL, but you gain two summons in addition to yourself. A little redundant, but good if you enjoy being a minion master. And buffing. And doing nothing but buffing.

It'll have 26 BAB instead of 27 BAB, and you won't spend spell slots on much else than buffing. So only do this one if you REALLY like buffing.

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 11:45 am
by Rudolph
I'm currently playing a variation of what Metaquad posted - though without the Empowered blasting option, just as a straight shifter. It works very well as a gish - esp. before the epics but even after, when the damage no longer increases, though. Shifting with Augment Form easily beats Tenser and makes specialized Tenser builds almost obsolete IMO.

As to summoning and shifting, that Planar Shepherd build inspired me in the past to push the summoning aspect even more - as much as I could, in fact, while still being viable as a gish thanks to Augment Form. The result is the following. It uses Red Wizard for the extra level for the summons, but can also be done pretty well with Archmage. Needs lots of buffing, of course.

http://nwn2db.com/build/?301196

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 12:34 pm
by Steve
Here is an Archmage version:

http://nwn2db.com/build/?301197

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 4:08 pm
by Calen
The Thaumaturge build has a problem, wizards don't have diplomacy. You'll have to waste a feat for weapons to get access to eldritch knight.
A shame since that was a build I was considering,going human kind of solves it though.

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 7:29 pm
by metaquad4
Calen wrote: Mon Jan 14, 2019 4:08 pm The Thaumaturge build has a problem, wizards don't have diplomacy. You'll have to waste a feat for weapons to get access to eldritch knight.
A shame since that was a build I was considering,going human kind of solves it though.
For the Thaum, yeah that is an issue. Need to find a work-around, I'll take the build off until I do.

Dragonslayer gives us Martial Weapon Prof.

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 3:48 pm
by Ewe
Steve wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 3:12 pm
The Whistler wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:58 pm nah, if your BAB>=21 augment form has no effect on it whatsoever. even if you have low BAB classes in your build
Why is that, and why is that not documented anywhere? And a W 10 / DS 10 / EK 10 should have a 27 with Augment Form, as described by the Augment Form on the Wiki.
I am also interested in the answer to Whistler's claim. As I myself have found discrepancies in Augment Form's description and have attempted to add notes to the wiki to compensate. However, I did not know about this other "restriction" as it is indeed not listed.

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 5:30 pm
by DiceyCZ
Ewe wrote: Wed Jan 30, 2019 3:48 pm
Steve wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 3:12 pm
The Whistler wrote: Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:58 pm nah, if your BAB>=21 augment form has no effect on it whatsoever. even if you have low BAB classes in your build
Why is that, and why is that not documented anywhere? And a W 10 / DS 10 / EK 10 should have a 27 with Augment Form, as described by the Augment Form on the Wiki.
I am also interested in the answer to Whistler's claim. As I myself have found discrepancies in Augment Form's description and have attempted to add notes to the wiki to compensate. However, I did not know about this other "restriction" as it is indeed not listed.
Well, having a polymorhp centered mage for a year now I would like to disagree...my BAB on lvl 30 is 21 and in shape 24 - wiz6/rog4/EK10/AT10

Re: Looking for a Polymorph build.

Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2019 10:59 am
by Ewe
Augment Form just makes your low bab classes count as medium for purposes of bab calculations, despite its description. Doesn't seem like there is a cap?