"Impoverished" but Mighty (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Introduction

Mystic Theurge combines Arcane & Divine spell progression for Arcane & Divine Casters. Psychic Theurge does so for Divine Casters & Psionic Manifesters. Cerebremancer funtions in this way for Psionicists & Arcane Casters. Combine ALL THREE dual-progression Prestige Classes and augment them with exalted feat Vow Of Poverty (VOP), and become uniquely capable. Vulnerable at low levels, true, but with planning and careful choices rapidly grow into a Super-Caster/Manifester that uses synergy and variety to optimize power & options. Spell & Power selection, Feat choices, and the awesome additive effects of Arcane, Divine & Psionic might combine to great effect. VOP greatly boosts initial survivability without relying on Gear or Magic Items.

References

3.5 Core Books (PH 1&2, DMG 1&2), Unearthed Arcana (Flaws), Spell Compendium (many spells), Book of Exalted Feats (Vow of Poverty, many spells & feats), Complete Arcane (Precocious Apprentice feat), Complete Divine (Divine Feats), Web 3.5 (Psychic Theurge), Expanded Psionics Handbook (Cerebremancer), Complete Mage & Complete Champion (Reserve Feats). I also made use of the excellent 3.5 online resource "D&D Tools".

Game Rule Components

Metamagic & Metapsionic Effects will eventually optimize this Build's performance, so Feats that reduce the associated enhancement costs are important: Arcane Spell Thesis, Practical Metamagic, Metamagic School Focus (Transmutation), and especially Divine Metamagic (along with Extra Turning, especially if the ability to Turn/Rebuke other targets can also be converted into Divine Metamagic cost reduction), etc. The most important such uses will be Extend Spell/Power, Guided Spell, Irresistible Spell, and ultimately Persistent Spell/Power.

Persistent Spell costs +6 Spell Levels, Persistent Power costs +12 Power Points. I favor a House Rule that makes the cost +6/+12 for spells/lowers normally lasting 1 round/level, +5/+10 if 1 min/level, +4/+8 if 10 min/level, and +3/+6 if 1 hour/level, but even at full cost for everything it's do-able via feats that reduce Metamagic cost. And a spell or power that lasts a full hour/level is usually better just Extended, anyway: at only +1 spell level (or +2 power point cost) a 12th Level Caster/Manifester will achieve 24-hour effects. Increasing faster/manifester level via feats like Practiced Caster / Practiced Manifester will accelerate this. In any event, Extended/Persisted Spells & Powers will eventually allow amazing, continual protection & buffing effects - psionic Animal Affinity, sorcerous Heart of Air/Earth/Fire/Water, etc.

Spells, Powers, Soulmelds, Stances, etc.

Nothing fancy from the Tome of Battle, no Soulmelds or Mantles or Incarnum, no freaky races or Ghost characters or draconic what-not, no indwelling parasites or Nodes or Shadowland stuff, no Vestiges or Extra-Planar weirdness, etc. Just lots of carefully chosen spells, psionic powers & Feats. (Okay, maybe Flaws for the extra Feats starting out). It's vital that Spells, Powers & VOP effects not overlap - only unique & useful Sorcerer Spells/Psionic Powers should be selected, nothing that can be duplicated by a Cleric Spell or by a VOP benefit. That said, it should be possible to combine Arcane, Divine and Psionic effects to achieve tremendous damage: as a 3rd Level Character you could hit an enemy with Power Word Pain and then Matter Agitation (no Saving Throws for either), doing 9-54 damage over 5 rounds. Later, Web followed by Holy Storm & Energy Cone will inflict 15 d6 damage to a large group of opponents in a large area over 5 rounds as a 4th, 5th & 5th level Caster/Manifester (12th Level Character).

Consider Cloistered Cleric instead of the usual version: VOP and Arcane Spells won't allow armor anyway, and Cloistered gets you Lore (like Bardic Knowledge) plus a very useful extra Domain (Knowledge) with its Domain Spells, more Skill Points & all Knowledge Skills as Class Skills! Even regular Cleric is improved if your DM will let you exchange Martial Weapon & Armor Proficiencies for something useful like 1-2 Feats (Extra Turning & Combine Turning come to mind, or maybe Hidden Talent. Divine Vigor may be the best option of all - Turn Undead will always be limited to 3rd - 6th level, but using Turn Undead to power Divine Vigor grants immediate combat power that advances every character level indefinitely.

VOP eventually grants 15 points AC Bonus, Damage Reduction 10/evil, 20 (!) Attribute Points, 11 Exalted Feats, Endure Elements, Energy Resistance 15 (all), Mind Shield, Exalted Strike +5, Greater Sustenance, True Seeing, Freedom of Movement & Regeneration (improved healing). A kind DM might grant one or more of these a bit earlier than RAW so as to improve the odds of Initial Survival, then cap their final power for balance. Spells like Summon Component (or even Feats like Eschew/Ignore Material Components) lessen the burden of VOP, and there are plenty of great Spells requiring neither Material Components nor Arcane/Divine Focuses.

Finally, the Permanency Spell (obtained at Sorcerer Level 10, ~Character Level 19 or 20) will allow for continual Darkvision, See Invisibility, (Improved) Resistance, (Improved) Magic Fang, and perhaps an Invisible item or two (that you of course can always see!) You can just invest in them as Sorcerer Spells Known and then "unlearn" them (except for Invisibility) after they've been made Permanent. The Psionic Powers that may be made permanent via the Incarnate Power aren't worth it, in my opinion, except for Danger Sense & Ubiquitous Vision. As an Epic Character, though, Permanent Emanation of Bastion of Good will do wonders!

The 4th level psionic power Psychic Reformation allows rechoosing feats, skills, powers and spells at will each level - this vastly improves long-term viability and optimizes functionality.

Items

Almost none: VOP denies you armor, only allows a Simple Weapon or two (I recommend quarterstaff & sling, effective and cheap as they get, easy to replace). Many useful spells have mundane material components (dirt, sand, dung, etc.), and so are unlikely to interfere with VOP.

Expensive Spell Books (if you choose Wizard instead of Sorcerer) & pricey material components might or might not be allowed by a kind DM, but they aren't necessary. A Familiar is not really an "item", but a Psi-Crystal might be considered one. You get a Familiar for free as an Arcane Spellcaster so there's little benefit to using a Feat to get a Psi-Crystal. But if Acquire Familiar (the class feature) can be traded at 1st level for, say, the Precocious Apprentice feat, then the value of a Psicrystal becomes great indeed. If Psionic Share Pain can be used with Familiar or Psicrystal then having one or the other becomes very valuable. The various Item Creation Feats (Magical & Psionic) are effectively ruled-out, helping to further narrow your Feat Selections.

Progression

Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): 24 point-build: S-10, I-12, W-12, D-12, C-14, Ch-12: you need the HP! (If Early Entry Tricks are permitted then Prime Requisites (Int, Wis, or Cha) will have to be 15, though: 10/12/11/10/14/15).

Race (Templates): Human, for the Bonus Feat & Skill Points. Asimaar is nice for the Wisdom & Charisma bonus, Grey Elf for Intelligence. Maybe your DM would allow a Grey Elf who had Celestial Blood (an Elven Asimaar) with bonuses to all three (& Dex!), but expect commensurate penalties to the other scores - I'd rule +1 to the "good" scores but -1 or -2 to the "bad" ones.

Starting Racial Traits: None, if Human, except the extra Feat and Skill Points.

Other Components

Wild Talent/Hidden Talent would give a critical few extra uses of Psionic Powers at the low levels. Precocious Apprentice grants a critical 2nd level spell as a 1st level Arcane Caster & might allow Early Entrance to Mystic Theurge and Cerebremancer. If Divine Feats powered by Turn Undead are used then Extra Turning is valuable, Divine Vigor even more so.

Leadership is an astonishingly powerful feat, and this build should allow recruitment of quite the variety of Followers & Cohort, a broad range of highly desirable candidates: anyone interested or proficient in Magic, Psionics a/o Divinity could reasonably be enlisted. The ability to heal and feed Followers via direct connection to The Gawds Themselves should do wonders for morale, and the Holy Radiance Feat should make for spectacular & productive sessions with the Faithful. With a Charisma of 20 (or more!) by Character Level 20, Leadership Score will be 25 and thus allow 163 Followers (or twice that, with Extra Followers Feat) & a 17th Level Cohort. The exalted feat "Nymph's Kiss" might be combined with this to fashion a Nymph Girlfriend (13th level creature) who also functions with four extra Druid levels, so 11th Level . . . Finally, a new Exalted Feat called “Exalted Leadership” might further augment the effect of Leadership, if somewhat narrowing the candidate pool.

The Sorcerer's Familiar is stunted due to lack of progression past 4th Level (Psicrystal might hit 3rd, or perhaps 6th thanks to Psychic Theurge), but the Hummingbird can receive Enhance Familiar, Fortify Familiar & Augment Familiar, also Resistance, Magic Fang & Rary's Telepathic Bond (all Permanency'd or otherwise made continual). Add Silence & Invisibility as needed - this tiny, fast, super-charged, undetectable & invulnerable bird will deliver touch spells like Affliction, Bestow Curse, Harm, Unearthly Heat, Poison, Polymorph, Slay Living, etc., as well as granting you Alertness and a +4 bonus to Initiative!

Highlights

This synthesis of Tier-1 & 2 Classes addresses D&D's tendency to award the greatest power to those who bend reality to their will. The vast array of Spells & Powers addresses weaknesses, offers a staggering variety of attack options, & contains great utility. For instance, Psionic Energy Bolt or Burst or Ray allows you to choose which type of energy attack you wish to inflict with each use, thus replacing many other individual spells or powers. Psionic Revivify overlaps with Clerical Raise Dead, but this can leave you free to memorize Slay Living instead, or Necrotic Skull Bomb or Superior Resistance (Extended, of course), etc.

Vow of Poverty grants 20 Attribute Points over 20 levels, so by Character Level 20 this Build could sport 20 Wisdom and Charisma, 18 Intelligence, 16 Constitution (+60 HP!), Dex 11 & Str 12. If Psion is taken as the initial class then this little man dressed in Homespun will sport an AC of 19 at 1st Level (w/ Force Screen). By Character Level 10 he is at AC 19 asleep (27 alert & buffed), plus Damage Reduction 5/magic, Endure Elements, Sustenance, Resistance & Mind Shielding. Five bonus Exalted Feats by Level 9 augment him further - I recommend Nimbus of Light, Exalted Familiar, Exalted Turning, Radiance & (first of all) Gift of Discernment - so as to not lose all VOP benefits forever due to one bad decision!

The most complex and critical part of this build is picking Arcane Spells & Psionic Powers that compliment/augment each other but avoid overlap/repetition. The Psionic Reformation power allows one to alter previous Feats & Skill choices to optimize functionality at higher levels, as does Sorcerer Spell replacement as per the usual rules. Multiple Attribute Dependency (MAD) is a problem, but then again this Build enjoys three power sources based on three scores, thus reducing vulnerability to Ability Damage or Drain to any one score. And you don't need high Prime Requisite Scores for a long time, because only 5th or 6th Level Spells/Powers (at most) need be supported by Character Level 20. Remember, VOP grants TWENTY Attribute Score points over 20 levels, plus the five all Characters gain.

Taking 1-2 levels of Monk early improves initial survivability - Evasion (at level 2) is especially priceless. It synergizes well with VOP and won't require Feats to permit cross-classing if Monk is abandoned early and not returned to. Final Caster/Manifester levels would be 9/10/9 by Character Level 20 (or 9/8/9 if two Monk levels are taken) vs. 11/10/9 as written, not too shabby. You could still Raise the Dead, Plane Shift, Cloudkill, Teleport, Dominate & Feeblemind, Magic Jar, Permanency/Incarnate, Psychic Crush, etc., but also punch in a pinch. Many VOP benefits & bonus Feats are suited to a more marital character in general (Intuitive Attack, Sanctify Natural Attack), and a Monk specifically (Touch of Golden Ice, Sanctify Ki Strike, Fist of the Heavens): one level of Monk makes much of this possible, and as a bonus grants Wisdom Modifier to AC, and Wisdom will eventually be higher than Dex. Feat Starvation will probably preclude synergizing Monk and any other Class(es), but Monastic Training and Tashalatora would be sweet . . .

By Character Level 20 you will have a repertoire of 15 Sorcerer Spells (plus those granted by the Animal & Plant Domains, +/- Knowledge), 22 Psion Powers, and all the Cleric Spells not forbidden to a Good Aligned, Exalted Character (unless the DM decides more Cleric Spell restriction is called for, which is not unreasonable). At Character Level 21 things get pretty crazy: pick up an Epic Feat like Bonus Domain or Epic Leadership or Extended Lifespan, also another level of Cerebremancer (another level of Arcane Caster and Psionic Manifester) and go to town.

Munchkin-Size Me

Feat starvation might be ameliorated by optional tricks like using Flaws or maybe even allowing a single 1st-Level Feat to be "purchased" at the cost of 4-6 Skill Points. Or not. Similarly, early Monk Bonus Feats (if that option is used) could be expanded to include choices like Hidden Talent, or Ascetic Psion (requires Narrow Mind).

Saint Template - some benefits overlap with VOP but others offer outrageous bonuses above & beyond. Worth using up two levels, although a reasonble DM might insist of parceling out the benefits over ~20 levels (similar to VOP).

Reduce MAD by choosing Wizard instead of Sorcerer: you'll have to haggle with the DM about expensive Spell Books (or some cheap alternative) but in the meantime 1) Arcane spell selection increases & you receive higher-level spells one level sooner, 2) you might be able to replace Scribe Scroll with something like Precocious Apprentice, and 3) you no longer need worry about Charisma, just Intelligence & Wisdom. Charisma is nice for Leadership and all, but if you can delay building it then you'll be able to sport Int & Wis of 20 by 15th character Level - this means more bonus spells & psionic power points. And not just Wizard - be a SPECIALIST Wizard, specializing in Transmutation or Conjuration, and choose Prohibited Schools that most duplicate available Divine Spells or Psionic Powers.

By the same token, being a Diviner Specialist Wizard means only one prohibited school, while worshipping the right Deity could grant access to the domains of Divination, Insight, Oracle, Planning or Truth, and then choosing Seer (Clarisentience) as a Psion would all combine into unequaled prior knowledge and combat insights. Similarly, a Specialist Enchanter with access to the Domination Domain and choice of Telepath as Psionic Discipline can turn many enemies' strengths against them, eventually culminating in levels of Thrallherd. Imagine access to the War Domain, then the Holy Warrior Feat, then Combat Sorcerer or War-Mage instead of the usual Arcane Caster choices and Kineticist or Shaper as a Psion - even a VOP Ascetic could kick ass in a fight!

Early-entry shenanigans like Precocious Apprentice (& home-made versions that grant a similar benefit to Clerical casting & Psionic powers, something like "Particularly Pious" or "A Beautiful Mind" or some-such) could conceivably let you take a mere one level in each Class and then start building up levels in the "combo" Classes. This would demand lots of extra feats (Flaws? Buying with skill points? Sacrificing feat-equivalent class features?) to fuel such outrageous abuse, but could result in a 20th level character caster/manifesting at levels 12/12/13 (vs 10/10/11 as written). It's worth three Feats to gain six levels of spells/powers! Early survivability would be greatly improved by early access to 2nd lvl spells & powers, and the very high initial Ability Scores needed would further add bonus spells & power points. A single level of Monk at the very beginning would grant major benefits (see above) and result in 20th lvl caster/manifester levels 11/12/12, pretty good.

Regardless of whether all that Early Entry cheese is allowed, another augmenting strategy is the Psionic power Animal Affinity - it can boost Str @ & Dex by four points and Con by two, scores which only have to be high for fights anyway. Arcane spells (Bull’s Strength, Bear’s Endurance, etc) could do the same thing but would take up three precious Sorcerer Spells Known - Animal Affinity can do it all with just one Power. This lets you really focus on Int, Wis & Cha. As early as 21st level this can be Persisted and thus 10 extra Ability Score Points at all times. Soon thereafter (~lvl 26-27), access to Wish or Miracle or Alter Reality could raise all or most scores by up to five MORE points, so ~138 Ability Score Points by lvl 27:18/24/26/18/22/30. That’s a lot of bonus spells, extra power points, and hit points. You can just walk around with straight 23’s like a Boss or concentrate on your Prime Requisite Scores for uber-high numbers.

Cha 24 by lvl 20 is quite doable, then Cha25 at lvl 24 and Epic Leadership. In fact, Extra Cohort or Extra Followers at lvl 21 actually augments your Tribe by more than Epic Leadership at that point anyway. You’ll command the absolute allegiance and religious fervor of >500 Followers of up to 7th Level, a 17th lvl Cohort/Henchmen (and maybe another of 15th, all advancing every level as you do, up to maybe 30 Ranks Diplomacy by lvl 30-33 and Legendary Commander - multiplies number of Followers by a factor of TEN . . .

Side Notes

Intelligent selection of Deity & Domains are essential to this Build, especially early-on. A STRONGLY Good-Aligned God/Goddess or Pantheon is demanded by the Exalted nature of the Worshipper. That said, I favor a Nature-Deity whose Domains include Animal & Plant (perhaps Renewal), because there's not much else in this Character especially suited to Wilderness Adventuring or Outdoor hijinks. The Domain Spells are largely Druidic (nicely enhancing the Sorcerer's "Spells Known") and the Granted Powers are both quite useful. Elemental Domains grant the ability to turn or rebuke creatures corresponding to the applicable Element, and the possibility of combining two of these (that don't oppose each other, obviously) could expand the Sorcerer's Known Spells significantly while also granting the Character power over not one but TWO types of fairly common but sometimes difficult-to-fight monsters. And with an eventual Charisma of 20 or more, it's always nice to maximize Turning of any kind :-)

Limitations

Action Economy: Despite a million choices of spells and powers, this build is still limited to only one or at most two abilities are usable each round, and that anything requiring ongoing concentration is paralyzing. Winning Initiative is CRITICAL, choosing the right time to "raise shields" (apply Boosts & Defenses) equally so, and being ever-ready to strike pre-emptively is essential. For a decidedly weak melee combatant, this character must be ready to utilize Lethal Force at any time.

Exalted Status: Speaking of spontaneous violence, the moral obligations of the Exalted Character must be highlighted at all times. As with Paladins and other "extreme ethics" characters, the Role-Playing will be vital. Other Players will present difficult or impossible choices for the Exalted one by their actions. He/She will get used to ignoring precious treasure but the other Party Members (AKA, the "Chaotic-Greedy Mainstream") will be a constant thorn in the Holy One's side. Maintaining an "intimate relationship" with a Fey Creature so as to benefit from Nymph's Kiss should be demanding and difficult: I mean, you are a Mortal and he/she/it is a freaky Fey from another planet, c'mon . . . :-)

Melee Weakness: As with all non-armored spell-casters, this Build will do best as an integral part of a balanced band of Adventurers. He/she should not go to pee in the corner without a Meat-Shield Escort until 6th Level. War-dogs, a well-paid Bodyguard, and a permanent place in the middle of every Marching Order are fine ideas.

Skill & Feat Hunger: Three Classes demand Feats, many unique to each area. Many Skills have to be maximized (Spellcraft, Psicraft, Concentration, Autohypnosis, Knowledge of Arcana, Psionics & Religion, plus at least some in The Planes, History, Law, Nature, etc., also Gather Information/Research, Scry/Remote View, etc.,) so Skill Points will be a scarce commodity. Starting with Cloistered Cleric, high Intelligence, Human Race & Nymph's Kiss will boost otherwise low Skill Point progression, thanks goodness.

Lack of High Level Spells/Powers: The Character never gets Spells/Powers higher than 6th level, maybe 7th in a single class with early-entry cheese. In a 20th level game, dealing with 20th level opponents, and with no magic items to use this can be quite scary. The Player had better be as intelligent, wise & educated as the Character! (That is to say, know the Rules better than the DM).

Delay or Surprise = Death: Winning Initiative is more important for this Character than any other I know of. The moment something drops onto his shoulder to bite or gets up in his grill with a sword he's at a marked disadvantage. That's why a Hummingbird Familiar AND the Improved Initiative Feat are good ideas, as is the Alertness he gains from his Familiar, & maybe just walking around Invisible most of the time ASAP. His Reflex Saving Throw is never good, Dex is never stressed . . . Evasion & Improved Evasion will be sorely missed from this Build (another benefit of taking Monk levels early on).

DM Counters

For this Build to make any realistic sense, a complex combination of people & institutions available for training is needed, willing & able to assist in Character Class Advancement. Away from the Big City, this can simply be unavailable.

Random or restricted assignment of Psionic Powers and even Arcane Spells can also greatly limit the Min/Max Factor, as can Cleric Spell restriction based on the Deity involved. Of course, allowing no Early Entry Tricks will also keep abuse to a minimum - if they are allowed, then be sure the Flaws taken to get them are things like Non-Combatant, Blind, and Epileptic with Tourette's Syndrome!

Obviously, opponents particularly resistant to spells and psionic powers will be a problem - some ability to summon martial aid in the form of monsters, Astral Constructs, the Cavalry, etc. is essential or this character will be mince-meat.

Finally, it's not really punishing the Character to make him/her face a difficult moral/ethical situation as frequently as every campaign or even every game-session - this is why the Gift of Discernment Feat is important, so that at least the painful decision or sacrifice on his/her part can be correctly chosen. This is part & parcel of being not just of Good Alignment, not just a Cleric of a Good Deity, but a frikkin' EXALTED Character who enjoys fantastic benefits therefrom! Rigorously applying the "poverty" rule to material spell components and making the Eschew Components Feat cost one level in spell increase (as it should) are also good ideas.

Miscellaneous

I may have calculated the BAB and saving throws incorrectly, sorry. Also, I neglected to advance Sorcerer to 4th level, necessary for the 2nd level spells need to allow entry into Cerebremancer and Mystic Theurge. Taking Monk at first level, somehow combined with Hidden Talent (psionic Feat) and selecting Force Screen (Psionic Power) results in initial Armor Class of 20-21, depending on Wisdom and Dexterity . . .

Should Epic Feats like Extended Lifespan come into play, this character might well live long enough to achieve 31st Level or beyond: he/she would then be functioning as an 18th level Sorcerer / 17th level Cleric / 17th level Psion. 52 combined levels of magical/psionic Awesome, including 9th level spells & powers plus complete VOP effects & benefits. Even if such a Character is never used for play he/she would still make a great NPC Ruler (Bruce Lee + Gandalf + Professed Charles Xavier + the Dali Lama!) or Divine Emissary or Wild-Card.

Taking 13 levels of Monk and THEN switching to this plan would result in a 20th level Character with mighty Martial Artist abilities, Spell Resistance, Improved Evasion, immunity or Poison & Disease, Fast Movement & Slow Fall, three Monk Bonus Feats, 20 levels of VOP Goodness and multiple arcane, divine & psionic abilities (2/2/3 in the Casting/Manifesting Classes), an interesting way to make a super-powered Monk. At Character level 24 the Combo Prestige Classes could begin, so by Level 30 you'd have Monk 13 casting as 9/8/7 Cleric/Sorcerer/Psion (or 9/10/8 with early-entry tricks, 40 levels of combined power in only 30).

Taking all this to a crammed but but logical progression, we could mix these three Uber-Classes with Monk evenly by utilizing the Feats that allow Monks to multiclass (Monastic Training, Ascetic ___, etc.) and/or Prestige Classes that facilitate simultaneous Monk Progression with other Classes (Enlightened Fist, Fist of Zuoken, Psionic Fist, Sacred Fist, etc). By my calculations, a 20th Level Character could function as 6th level in all four classes (AC 30+ and Evasion! Flying Fists of Fury! 23 combined feats!), or maybe M4/C9/S7/P6 (Raise the Dead with one hand and Dominate Person with the other! Energy Wall the opposition and Telekinetic Thrust them through it!). At 31st Level we arrive at a combined 13th level Monk (Spell Resistance 24! Exalted SR 28!) Improved Flurry of Blows! Dimension Door!) plus C9/S8/P9. By 44th Level, this Kwisatz Haderach (see Frank Herbert's "Dune") achieves M13/C17/S18/P17 and can thus do just about anything he wants pretty much anytime. At 48th level, he/she/it is M13/C20/S20/P20 - in the Wild World of D&D, these sorts of stupendous yet Mortal Beings would likely rule the largest kingdoms and empires, I should think, or be ready for Divine Ascension.

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Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Optimized Character Builds

ECL	Class/HD/LA	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Feats	Class Features	Special
			Fort	Ref	Will
1st	Cleric 1 (Cloistered)	+0	+2	+0	+2	Sacred Vow, Vow of Poverty (Bonus Exalted Feat: Gift of Discernment)	Divine Spells, Turn Undead, Domain Spells and Abilities (suggest Animal and Plant, bonus domain Knowledge)	+4 Exalted AC Bonus & Dex 12 = AC 15 nude. If any method allows an extra Feat then Toughness offers an extra 3 HP, or Hidden Knowledge a Psionic power. Skill Points are high, ~28-32 at lvl 1, stresses Concentration, Knowledge (Religion, Arcana, Psionics) as well as Spellcraft & Psycraft as soon as they are Class Skills. Autohypnosis, too.
2nd	Sorcerer 1	+0	+2	+0	+4	Bonus Exalted Feat: Celestial Familiar	Arcane Spells (Power Word Pain & Sleep?), Familiar - I recommend weasel (Reflex ST bonus), toad (3 extra HP) or hummingbird (+4 initiative bonus)	Healing as a Cleric & hurting as a Sorcerer may now commence: Power Word Pain = avg. 35 points damage to typical Level 2 Opponent, no saving throw.
3rd	Psion 1	+0	+2	+0	+6	Inertial Armor Feat (if allowed), otherwise Hidden Strength or Practiced Manifester. Bonus Psionic Feat - recommend Combat Manifestation, esp. if the DM will allow it to duplicate Combat Casting, otherwise Extend Power (if you need it to lengthen Inertial Armor power and chose Hidden Strength)	Psionic Powers (Matter Agitation? Inertial Armor? Mind Thrust?) & Points, Psionic Discipline (recommend Egoist/Psychometabolism)	VOP Exalted AC Bonus increases to +6 - with this, Dex, Inertial Armor & the Egoist Power "Thicken Skin" you are now AC 22, nude, at 3rd Level. You also gain Endure Elements (VOP).
4th	Cleric 2	+1	+3	+0	+7	Bonus Exalted Feat: Exalted Turning (so satisfying to watch hapless Undead burst into flame)	Your first point of BAB comes with Exalted Strike (+1 to-hit & damage w/ all attacks, any weapon treated as magic for overcoming DR), but melee combat in NOT your forte)	+1 Attribute Point (Int).
5th	Sorcerer 2	+2	+3	+0	+8	no new Feats	new spells known (Power Word Fatigue? Magic Missile?)	VOP now grants Sustenance (no need to eat or drink). With luck & planning you should now have ~30 Hit Points.
6th	Psion 2	+3	+3	+0	+9	Improved Inertial Armor (if allowed) or Extend Spell. Bonus Exalted Feat - Nimbus of Light	You can now cast/manifest 16 spells/powers of 1st level daily	A point of Deflection AC bonus from VOP appears.
7th	Cleric 3	+4	+4	+2	+10	none new	2nd level Cleric Spells	VOP grants +1 Resistance bonus to all Saving Throws, also +2 to any Attribute (Charisma).
8th	Sorcerer 3	+4	+5	+2	+10	Bonus Exalted Feat: Nymph's Kiss	new Spell Known - Charm Person? Mage Armor? Summon Component?	+1 attribute point (Wis), VOP grants +1 natural AC bonus, also Mind Shielding.
9th	Psion 3	+4	+5	+3	+11	Touch of Healing (AMAZING Reserve Feat)	2nd level Psionic Powers - Psionic Levitate? Energy Push? Concussion Blast? Detect Hostile Intent? Swarm of Crystals? Gain Egoist Power Animal Affinity	VOP Exalted AC bonus now up to +7.
10th	Sorcerer 4	+4	+6	+4	+12	bonus Exalted Feat: Lliira's Blessing	2nd Level Spell: Power Word Sicken? Rope Trick? Invisibility?)	Exalted Strike bonus increases to +2 to-hit & damage. VOP grants DAMAGE REDUCTION 5/MAGIC. VOP + Inertial Armor + Dex = AC 23, in his underwear (28-30 w/ Shield and Prot. From Evil).
11th	Psychic Theurge 1	+4	+6	+4	+14	no new feats	cast as 4th Level Cleric, manifest as 4th Level Psion	Exalted Ability Score Enhancements: +2 to Charisma, +2 to Wisdom.
12th	Cerebremancer 1	+4	+6	+4	+16	Leadership. Bonus Exalted Feat: Holy Radiance	cast/manifest as 5th Level Sorcerer & Psion, 3rd Level Powers (Energy Bolt/Burst/Retort/Wall? Time Hop?), gain Ectoplasmic Form Egoist Power	gain 1 attribute point (Wis), Exalted AC bonus increases to +8, Deflection AC bonus to +2, also Greater Sustenance (no need to breath).
13th	Mystic Theurge 1	+5	+7	+5	+17	no new Feats	cast as 6th Level Cleric & Sorcerer (3rd Level Spell: Haste? Invisibility Sphere? Giant's Wrath? Chain Missile?)	VOP grants another point of Resistance Bonus to all Saving Throws, also Energy Resistance 5 to acid, cold, electricity, fire & sonic. You should now have ~60 Hit Points, access to 3rd Level Spells/Powers all-around.
14th	Psychic Theurge 2	+6	+7	+5	+18	bonus Exalted Feat: Intuitive Attack or Stigmata	you now cast as 7th Level Cleric, manifest as 6th Level Psion (with >40 Power Points)	VOP Exalted Strike increases to +3 & you gain Freedom of Movement.