Advice for melee Chameleon?

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2018-08-26, 08:33 AM
danielxcutter

Advice for melee Chameleon?

This isn't really for a game any time soon, just want to hear some advice(though it certainly may be used some day).

Sooo... The idea is Rogue 4/NG Incarnate 4/Fighter 2/Chameleon 10.

Spoiler: Build
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Rogue 1: Able Learner(b), ???
Incarnate 1
Incarnate 2: Midnight Dodge
Fighter 1: Mobility(b)
Fighter 2: Power Attack(b)
Chameleon 1: Bonus Essentia
Chameleon 2: (floating bonus feat)
Chameleon 3
Chameleon 4: Elusive Target
Chameleon 5
Chameleon 6
Chameleon 7: ???
Chameleon 8
Chameleon 9
Chameleon 10: ???
Incarnate 3
Incarnate 4
Rogue 2: ???
Rogue 3: (Penetrating Strike ACF)
Rogue 4

And stats are 13/13/14/16/14/10 -> 16/13/14/16/16/10(level bonuses) -> 22/19/20/18/28/16(after Belt of Magnificence +6 and Ability Boon to Int and Wis).

So I considered Combat Reflexes, Combat Expertise, Darkstalker, and Improved Trip - the first two along with (Midnight) Dodge, Mobility, and Power Attack mean that free bonus feat and the bonus feat from Heroics(SpC) can be used to get quite a number of feats when needed, Darkstalker is pretty much a feat tax on any build based on stealth, and Improved Trip is because that frees up a bonus feat so I can get, say, Shape Soulmeld(Strongarm Gauntlets) and Improved Disarm on top of that. I don't think this is *bad* per se, just, well, not sure if it's good enough.

If it is, I'm considering giving her a halberd for a weapon. +1 keen merciful blurstrike collision halberd and I dunno what I should add next. There's still +2 worth left... Oh, confirmed armor properties are twilight, soulfire, greater shadow, greater silent moves and maybe greater blurring on a mithral chain shirt. Still +2 worth left here too.

This technically isn't for a PC; it's for a kinda secret agent thingie who gets dispatched when and where she's needed. So she'd be able to tailor her bonus feat(s) and spells readied to some extent before she gets into actual combat. She'd mostly be sent solo, but can also be sent with allies. So please keep that in mind.

Oh yeah, need buff advice. Got a sample spells prepared list; which follows the guidelines below.

Lowest level version from a base class.(So no Trapsmith spells.)

If multiple lowest level versions exist, default to divine(unless domain spell; if so default to arcane).

If multiple versions exist in one side, Wizard/Sorcerer -> Wu Jen -> Bard -> Duskblade - > Hexblade for arcane, Cleric -> Druid -> Paladin -> Ranger for divine. I know there are other base classes, but I'm starting with these.

Spoiler: Spells prepared
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#Arcane

6th: irresistible dance, ???

5th: overland flight⁺, teleport, greater dispel magic, ???, ???

4th: wings of flurry, greater invisibility, dimension door, orb of force, enervation, assay spell resistance

3rd: ???, ???, ???, ???, ???, ???(yeah not sure what to do for this level yet)

2nd: create magic tattoo⁺, heroism⁺^#, wings of cover, wraithstrike, whirling blade, ???

1st: nerveskitter, magic missile, ??? x 5(yeah kinda stuck for this level too)

0th: prestidigitation, mage hand, ??? x2

#Divine

6th: superior resistance⁺, heal

5th: heart of fire⁺, triadspell⁺, righteous wrath of the faithful, true seeing, plane shift

4th: heart of earth⁺, divine power x2, flame strike, ??? x2

3rd: heart of water⁺, spiderskin^+#t, greater magic weapon, magic vestment, blade storm, shivering touch

2nd: heart of air⁺, protection from energy, swift haste, lion's charge, hunter's eye, spiritual weapon

1st: conviction^+#, sign, divine favor x2, resist energy, ice slick

0th: detect magic, cure minor wounds, ??? x2

...well?
2018-08-26, 10:10 AM
Kayblis

Re: Advice for melee Chameleon?

Not familiar with Incarnum classes and feats, but with Chameleon and spells you can't go wrong with the usual buffs - you have most, but could use Righteous Might for Divine 5th and Greater Mirror Image for Arcane 4th. Look up the Bite of the WereX line of spells, they are amazing for melee casters and cheaper for Druids. Wraithstrike is a 2nd level Arcane spell that lets you treat all attacks as touch attacks for a round, for when you need that full-attack to hit hard. Steeldance(3rd Arcane) animates two weapons to fight for you and attack as a free action, so there's that.

Other than buffs, debuffs are great - Ray of Enfeeblement is a huge STR penalty with no save for a touch 1st level Arcane spell - and Escalating Enfeeblement stacks with it by RAI as a 2nd level spell and an even bigger penalty. Kelgore's Grave Mist is a no-save area Fatigue as a 2nd level Arcane spell.

Something you should also consider is that you're a stealth-based character. Pick spells like Wall of Gloom, Fog Cloud and Wall of Chains to add real, non-negateable walls and mists to allow for quick hiding and battlefield manipulation.

If you still have a +2 bonus left on your weapon, consider Wounding. It's very OP. Transmuting is also great if you don't have ways to penetrate DR.
2018-08-26, 01:39 PM
lbuttitta

Re: Advice for melee Chameleon?

Is there a reason you're using merciful? It's considered a somewhat weak ability, unless it's common that this agent has to bring back prisoners alive, and she can't withstand a -4 on her to-hit roll.
2018-08-26, 04:17 PM
danielxcutter

Re: Advice for melee Chameleon?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbuttitta

Is there a reason you're using merciful? It's considered a somewhat weak ability, unless it's common that this agent has to bring back prisoners alive, and she can't withstand a -4 on her to-hit roll.

Basically, yeah, also most beings aren't immune to non-lethal damage.
2018-08-26, 04:57 PM
Eldariel

Re: Advice for melee Chameleon?

Arcane 5 has Draconic Polymorph, which is the single best buff in the game. I'd pack that. Arcane 3 has Haste, though with RwotF you might not need it, and Heroism, which is pretty good at 10 min/level. Also Keen Edge and Flame Arrow both have pretty decent duration, though Flame Arrow is obviously better metamagicked and for a focused archer. Greater Mighty Wallop would make picking a bludgeoning weapon a great idea. Spikes if you had a club handy...

It might not be a bad idea to pack some of the better control spells too, like Grease/Ice Slick/Web, Glitterdust/Pyrotechnics/etc. and Stinking Cloud/Laogzed's Breath/Nauseating Breath/Wall of Smoke. They scale really well and remain useful throughout even if the save DCs are relatively low.
2018-08-26, 06:15 PM
Fizban

Re: Advice for melee Chameleon?

Is this for a level 20 game? If not, you're gonna need to consider your leveling plan. Chameleon is one of the worst PrCs to delay, and depends the most on what you enter it with.
2018-08-26, 07:58 PM
iTreeby

Re: Advice for melee Chameleon?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fizban

Is this for a level 20 game? If not, you're gonna need to consider your leveling plan. Chameleon is one of the worst PrCs to delay, and depends the most on what you enter it with.

He said that it isn't a player character so presumably it doesn't matter except for skills and hp.
2018-08-27, 09:29 AM
danielxcutter

Re: Advice for melee Chameleon?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eldariel

Arcane 5 has Draconic Polymorph, which is the single best buff in the game. I'd pack that. Arcane 3 has Haste, though with RwotF you might not need it, and Heroism, which is pretty good at 10 min/level. Also Keen Edge and Flame Arrow both have pretty decent duration, though Flame Arrow is obviously better metamagicked and for a focused archer. Greater Mighty Wallop would make picking a bludgeoning weapon a great idea. Spikes if you had a club handy...

I see.

Quote:

It might not be a bad idea to pack some of the better control spells too, like Grease/Ice Slick/Web, Glitterdust/Pyrotechnics/etc. and Stinking Cloud/Laogzed's Breath/Nauseating Breath/Wall of Smoke. They scale really well and remain useful throughout even if the save DCs are relatively low.

Yeeeeaaah, considering that she's not always going to sent into high-level areas the save DCs don't have to be super high.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iTreeby

He said that it isn't a player character so presumably it doesn't matter except for skills and hp.

This.
2018-08-27, 09:44 AM
Fizban

Re: Advice for melee Chameleon?

Quote:

Originally Posted by iTreeby

He said that it isn't a player character so presumably it doesn't matter except for skills and hp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielxcutter

This.

I did miss that it wasn't for a PC, but this is still essentially stating it's a 20 level-only build. Because anything less would be significantly different. Even for an NPC, if you ever have to answer questions about their previous doings the order could still be important, but you know how you're going to use it. I was just here to give that reminder and have no further input (based on certain spells selected and my lack of desire to build around games that use them).