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    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    RedKnightGirl

    Join Date
    Feb 2015

    Default Advice on an Arcanist build

    Hello there

    I am looking for Advice on playing an Arcanist

    I am unsure what Type of caster I want to play

    I am unsure if i be better of going school savant and focusing on a school (I how ever do not want to be a blaster & could care less for the enchantment school)

    I want to be effective but am unsure what school gets a worthwhile
    power

    or would i better of going generalist

    any ideas?

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    arkangel111's Avatar

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    Oct 2012
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    Default Re: Advice on an Arcanist build

    I'm afb atm but my sig has an exploit guide you can check out that might give you some ideas on what's good and bad as well add my reasoning behind that decision.
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    Spamalot in the Playground
     
    Psyren's Avatar

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    Default Re: Advice on an Arcanist build

    Brown-Fur Transmuter makes an amazing buffer because you can cast all the shapeshifting spells on other people. You can use this to give your whole party pounce, size increases, burrow, swim, flight, and many more. You can also cast (Tenser's) Transformation on other folks.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Giant View Post
    But really, the important lesson here is this: Rather than making assumptions that don't fit with the text and then complaining about the text being wrong, why not just choose different assumptions that DO fit with the text?
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  4. - Top - End - #4
    Pixie in the Playground
     
    NecromancerGuy

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    Aug 2019
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    Spokane, Washington
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    Default Re: Advice on an Arcanist build

    Ive played and GM'ed plenty of wizards which are where school specializations come from and I can tell you, Dont pick Universalist, its pretty lame unless you are going to try being a Gish (there are way better options) or a meta magic fiend its not worth it, you dont get bonus slots, but you dont get prohibited schools either, its a very diluted choice.

    when you pick your school you need to dump two schools...

    • [*school that you should never dump...ever...Transmutation...like almost every useful utility spell ever and half the great buffs are Trans. ]
      [*Schools you should think hard before dumping...Evocation, Abjuration and Divination. Light and Violence, Survive-ability and Detect Magic (the perception of magic, its used every session in my exp).]
      [*easy schools to dump...Illusion, Enchantment, Necromancy. other than invisibility and disguise self, PCs dont often utilize illusion effectively and a wand would be a good cheap sub, once you hit mid levels or face elves or dwarves, creatures you fight are either immune, resistant or have too much HD to to care about enchantment, and if your a good, necromancy is tricky, many of its best spells are evil descriptor and although there are some beautiful debuffs in there for living targets you can probally live without it...get it?...eh?.]


    now what would I suggest you pick for schools you should specialize in? depends on your role in the party...

    • [*Abjuration: if you want to be Gandalf, counter-speller or party shield abjuration is great and its abilities will be used constantly for most if not all your career free energy resistance and party deflection bonuses to AC]
      [*Conjuration: one of the strongest schools of magic, Creature Summoning, Teleportation, Planer Travel and the only damaging energy magics that completely bypass SR (which will be real issue mid levels up), easily first or second choice for a DPS focused character. you will not be disappointed and its abilities are great, longer summons (eventually permanent ), a free super acid splash, and eventually Nightcrawler/Jumper-esk local teleportation abilities]
      [*Divination: I have a player right now as a Div specialist, although a fine choice, you are more useful outside of battle and will start to feel like a human controlled NPC, I wouldn't recommend it unless the sage roll is your jam]
      [*Enchantment: another meh school, as mentioned above lots of baddies are unaffected and its abilities are weak, a bonus to face skills...which Wizards/Arcanists get none natively...the ability to use a standard action touch to lock down a opponent with a daze effect, so long as they are your HD or less, so you can make a creature that is not the boss, useless by also making yourself slightly less useless, and the capstone you make people sad, and they get a small penalty to everything. overall its a weak]
      [*Evocation: the Quick go to for a DPS minded player, its all about making energy, ussually to harm, but it contains light, darkness and telekinesis in there too. its abilities help your damage, you get free weak magic missiles and eventually a free wall of fire effect, solid from beginning to end]
      [*Illusion: Defiantly a support PC, great to conceal allies and miss direct foes, but only damaging magic is shadow or figments and usually require multiple saves to realize an effect. its ok if your into that sort of thing, but you really need to be creative with it]
      [*Necromancy: if your evil, raise the dead, everywhere, anytime. I played a good necromancer through 18 levels, as mentioned tricky, but I became a debuff queen and I wrecked some bosses much to the GM's dismay. Its abilities are pretty good although in the high-stakes game of action economy you will find grave touch a waste of your time however lifesight is good and in a undead heavy game being a Arcane caster with turn undead is awesome]
      [*Transmutation: Great choice for a support buff casting character, want to turn your enemies into a newt or someone that wants to Gish out like a druid in bear form its a great choice that gives you ALOT of options. and its abilities are pretty ok as well, free physical ability boost? check. Free force based ranged attack? check. Free access to a short duration beast shape? check. much like conjuration, you wont be disappointing]


    Anyway, Ive prattled on far to long, hope that helps.

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