Writing the word "Sorcerer" on your Char sheet

[Username17]

We all know that Fighters suck. In part of our continuing series on how to make standard character archetypes better by playing a caster instead, we're going to make a "Fighter" that happens to have the word "Sorcerer" written on his character sheet.

So what do you want to do? You want to run around stabbing things with a sword while wearing armor. Sound like a Fighter? Hellz no. We're making a single classed Sorcerer here.

Obstacle one: "Frank! I know that a morningstar is just as good as a warhammer or longsword 95% of the time I hit a living opponent (and 100% of the time you miss or hit an unliving opponent), but I want a sword. Because they are awesome."

I can't argue that swords are awesome. In fact, 80% of the time when you find a special magical weapon - it's a sword, not a morningstar or short spear. That means that it's good sense in the long run to be proficient with them because the artifact sword that you will find before 14th level is essentially a requirement to continue running around stabbing things. So you'll want to be proficient with swords by one of the following means:

Be an Elf I don't even care what kind of elf, they all get the only martial weapon proficiencies you'll ever need: bow and sword. As long as you aren't a Drow, chances are very good that you'll be able to use whatever artifact weapon you find no matter what you write under your "class" description.

Be a Neraph or Lesser Planetouched: Didn't think it could get any lesser than regular Planetouched, did you? In any case, s long s you have the Outsider type, you have proficiency in all martial weapons.

Take the Angels attended Birth, Militia, or Otherworldly feat: You can flush a feat down the toilet at first level to be an Outsider (and have all martial weapons) or just have all Martial Weapon proficiencies.

Note that if you have any of the options where you have all Martial Weapons, you qualify for Eldritch Knight for your 7th level.

So whether you're a human or an elf or a big frog guy, you should have one feat left over at first level and a sword. And you have Critical Strike, which basically meas that you sneak attack.

-Username17

[fbmf]

What is Critical Strike? Is this more Spell Compendium BS?

Game On,
fbmf

[SirWayne]

It's from Complete Adventurer, and it basically gives Arcane casters (Asn 1, Sor/Wiz 1) "Sneak Attack Lite"-- +1d6 damage, Improved Critical and Power Critical [basically]. Only works when a Sneak Attack would work, and it's one of those "1 round Swift" spells that everyone loves to combine with Persistent Spell or in items for fun for the whole family.

[User3]

One of the common "tricks" to get martial weapon and heavy armor/tower shield profs is to take a level of Dragonslayer. You have to set two feats on fire (Dodge and Iron Will) and have a BAB of +5, but you do get +1 BAB, +1 spellcasting, +2 to Fort and Will, immunity to fear, a +1 damage bonus vs dragons, and a skill list with Tumble, Search and Intimidate.

[Fwib]

Lesser Planetouched don't have the outsider type - they are Humanoid (planetouched) - "..susceptible to spells and effects that specifically target both humanoids and outsiders..." by which I think they mean 'either' humanoids or outsiders.

[fbmf]

You want to run around stabbing things with a sword while wearing armor

I take it still spell is a must?

Game On,
fbmf

[Username17]

1145033976[/unixtime]]

You want to run around stabbing things with a sword while wearing armor

I take it still spell is a must?

Game On,
fbmf

You'd think so, but actually no. Not only can you run around with Mithril Armor backed up by Thistle Down Padding (races of rabbit fvcking) that has no ASF, but all the funky attack boosting spells like true strike and critical strike are Verbal only to begin with. Since you're a Sorcerer, you can simply arrange to actually not know any spells that have Somatic Components and have a duration less than 24 hours until you can aford some armor that simply doesn't have any ASF. Then you can learn wraithstrike and never ever look back.

BTW, Neraphs with lances and wraithstrike is one of the nastiest things ever. You do multiplied damage as a touch attack denying their Dex bonus. Few fighters can compete with that.

-Username17

[Neeek]

1145034681[/unixtime]]
BTW, Neraphs with lances and wraithstrike is one of the nastiest things ever. You do multiplied damage as a touch attack denying their Dex bonus. Few fighters can compete with that.

What's Neraph from?

[Username17]

1145036571[/unixtime]]

1145034681[/unixtime]]
BTW, Neraphs with lances and wraithstrike is one of the nastiest things ever. You do multiplied damage as a touch attack denying their Dex bonus. Few fighters can compete with that.

What's Neraph from?

Planar Handbook. You get to master the martial arts of Limbo, which apparently involve you throwing Xena's chakrum at people and denying people their Dex bonus while charging. Also I think you get a bonus to Jump. But you van't cast any bullshit 0th level spells and you don't have any stat modifiers, so mysteriously it's a +0 LA race while the Aasimar are a +1.

-Username17

[User3]

Planar Handbook. You get to master the martial arts of Limbo, which apparently involve you throwing Xena's chakrum at people and denying people their Dex bonus while charging. Also I think you get a bonus to Jump. But you van't cast any bullshit 0th level spells and you don't have any stat modifiers, so mysteriously it's a +0 LA race while the Aasimar are a +1.

Lets not forget the +2 natty armor. That'd be nice even if they didn't deny Dex on a charge/throw, and were outsiders with darkvision and martial weapon profs.

This same book also has the feat Neraph Throw (a feat requiring Knowledge: Planes at 5 ranks) that lets anyone you do the neraph trick with thrown weapons.

Mmm, who gets the Knowledges as class skills?

Not only can you run around with Mithril Armor backed up by Thistle Down Padding (races of rabbit fvcking) that has no ASF,

Technically, that has an ASF of 10%. It breaks down like this:

Breastplate: 25%
Mithril: -10%
Thistldown: -5%
Total: 10%

However, there are ways to get bigger reductions:
Githcrafted: -5%
Twilight enhancement(+1): -10%
Spellsword 1(with +1 spellcaster level): -15

If your DM allows the idea of custom items, there is also Celestial armor(price out the enhancment from the item, then apply it to a new item).

If your DM allows 3.0 material, blended quartz armor can be made instead of mithril armor; it has a -20% ASF.

The real question is this: "can I wear full plate with no ASF?"

The answer is "yes."

"Can I use a tower shield and fullplate?"

"Yes, if you are a Spellsword with a blended quartz tower shield."

[User3]

Oh man, I totally forgot Blue Ice. You can cast any spells with the cold descriptor with no ASF. Thats pretty awesome, since you can pick up Snowcasting, which adds the Cold descripor to any spell you cast. Blue ice is also light like mithril, but only has a -2 to armor check penalties and causes a -1 Reflex save and Initiative if you aren't resistant to cold.

[Username17]

I know that traditionally "Mithril Armor" represents a Mithril Breastplate. But for someone worried about ASF, it probably actually represents a Gyth-crafted Mithril Chain Shirt with Thistledown padding. That's not even all that expensive compared to getting Mage Armor up all the time. And it enchants for normal cost - so for just 1,000 gp more you can have it be +1 AC.

-Username17

[User3]

I know that traditionally "Mithril Armor" represents a Mithril Breastplate. But for someone worried about ASF, it probably actually represents a Gyth-crafted Mithril Chain Shirt with Thistledown padding.

Heh, I think I have mithril breastplates on the brain. I hope they have cream for that.

[Ramnza]

What's Snowcasting and where does it come from?

[Neeek]

Snowcasting is from Frostburn, it allows you to add the cold descriptor to any spell.

[fbmf]

If you're willing to spend a MEA and keep snow on hand.

Game On,
fbmf