Almost 20 levels Mystic Theurge (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Introduction

To anyone who want to play a Arcane/Divine caster the Mystic Theurge class allows easily to build a character who at level 20 casts as a 17th level in one kind of magic and 13th in the other.

With a simple trick it is possible enter the Mystic Theurge at level 4 or 5, but once you gained the 10 levels you still need to go up with the single classes as you cannot gain Epic levels before level 21.

But there is another Prestige Class that allows to increase Divine and Arcane casting: the Arcane Hierophant. The idea of this build is using them both. I used Wizard and Archivist because I wanted to abuse the Arcane Hierophant class that is obviously meant for Druids. Of course you can use any pair you like with little-to-nothing adjustment: just be careful that spontaneous caster will need a level more to obtain their second level spell.

Actually there is also a third Prestige Class that increase both casting: the Fochlucan Lyrist, but its Requirements are too heavy to be effective for making a complete caster (overall Speak Language: Druidic, Perform 13 and Evasion). It is really fine only for the Druid/Bard pair, if you like this pair check out the Complete Adventurer.

References

• Player's Handbook (Wizard and Endurance)
• Dungeon Master Guide (Mystic Theurge)
• Dragon Magazine #325 p61 (Alternative Source Spell)
• Races of the Wild (Wildrunner & Arcane Hierophant)
• Heroes of the Horror (Archivist)
• Monster Manual (Gray elf)
• Player Handbook II (Metamagic Specialist)
• Dungeon Master Guide II (Apprentice)
• Oriental Adventures (Bamboo Spirit Folk)
• Complete Adventurer (Scout)
• Complete Divine (Ur-Priest)
• Eberron Campaign Setting (Education)
• Dragon Magazine #326 p80 (Flexible Mind)
• Dragon Magazine #348 p88 (Arcane Reabsorbtion)
• Complete Arcane (Draconic Heritage, Practiced Spellcaster, Precocious Apprentice, Sanctum Spell)
• Complete Champion (Knowledge Devotion, Holt Warden)
• Races of Destiny (Able Learner)
• Races of the Dragon (Versatile Spellcaster)
• Dragon Magic (Draconic Knowledge)

The list is long, but only the first four are necessary:

• You can play another Divine caster class instead of the Archivist;
• The Gray Elf and Bamboo Spirit Folk races are well suited, but a Moon Elf is fine too;
• The Education and Flexible Mind Feat help, but are not necessary;
• You can just ignore the Familiar-less variants of the Arcane caster; it is somewhat a waste because you will lose it when entering the Arcane Hierophant;
• The Scout class is needed only if do not play an Elf or a Bamboo Spirit Folk.

Game Rule Components

Lets recall the requirements of the Prestige Classes we mentioned:

Mystic Theurge

• Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks, Knowledge (religion) 6 ranks.
• Spells: Able to cast 2nd-level divine spells and 2nd-level arcane spells.

Arcane Hierophant

• Alignment: Any nonlawful.
• Base Attack Bonus: +4.
• Skills: Knowledge (arcana) 8 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 8 ranks.
• Spells: Ability to cast 2nd-level arcane spells and 2nd-level divine spells.
• Special: Trackless step class feature.

Wildrunner

• Race: Elf or half-elf.
• Alignment: Any good or chaotic.
• Skills: Hide 5 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, Move Silently 5 ranks, Survival 8 ranks.
• Feats: Endurance.

The idea

Minimize the number of levels where you do not increase two spellcasting lines, preferably getting 9th-level divine and arcane spells by level 20. For epic levels, the goal is to qualify for all 3 criteria of the Epic Spellcasting feat, tripling our number of epic spells.

The problems

The main problem is the requirement Trackless step class feature; there are really few useful ways to satisfy it:

• three levels as Druid;
• three levels as Scout;
• three levels as Holt Warden (full divine casting PrC);
• one level as Wildrunner, must be elf or half-elf with any good or chaotic alignment;
• being a Bamboo Forest Folk – OK, technically it grants the trackless step racial trait, not the class feature. So might be problematic if your DM is a stickler for rules details. It functions in every way like the class feature, though, except you lose it if you use alter self or polymorph.

Another problem is the requirement Knowledge (nature) 8 ranks.

• Knowledge Devotion (nature) feat puts the skill on the class list for all classes.
• Apprentice (Woodsman) feat makes Knowledge (nature) and Survival a class skill for all classes. Must be taken at level 1.
• Flexible Mind feat adds any 2, but you have to be chaotic, and you will radiate an aura of chaos.
• Education feat ads all Knowledge skills. Must be taken at level 1.
• Draconic Knowledge (requires Draconic Heritage) adds all Knowledge skills. Must be a sorcerer.

If you take the Wildrunner approach, you need Survival 8 ranks

• Apprentice (Woodsman) or Flexible Mind (see above)
• Draconic Heritage (Bronze, Howling or Sand) adds it as a class skill for all classes, but you must be a sorcerer.

If you want to qualify as an Arcane/Druid or Arcane/Favored Soul, you may have problems getting Knowledge (Religion) 6 ranks early enough.

• Flexible Mind, Education or Draconic Knowledge (see above)
• Knowledge Devotion (religion) feat.
• Apprentice (philosopher) adds any single Knowledge skill and Sense Motive. Must be taken at level 1.
• Apprentice (spellcaster) adds any single Knowledge skill and Use Magic Device. Must be taken at level 1.
• Favored soul web enhancement has the Knowledge Specialty option that allows him to replace Knowledge (arcana) with Knowledge (religion) as class skill.

Getting 2nd level arcane and divine spells faster (< 6 levels).

• Alternative Source Spell feat

This is the strategy used in most of the builds. Lets you cast divine spells as arcane or vice versa, but at 1 lower caster level. Since the feat doesn't specifically negate the rule that you cannot cast a spell at less than minimum CL, you may need to either have access to a domain that boost your caster level for that spell, or have the Practiced Spellcaster feat. For instance, a wizard 3, cleric 1 with the knowledge domain could cast arcane divination spells with caster level 4 and divine wizard divination spells at CL 3. Some DMs may waive this concern. Apart from that, and that few DMs accept Dragon Magazine as accepted source, the feat is bullet-proof. There is no requirement that the spells are cast by a particular class, not even the ones that will be advanced.

• Heighten Spell+Versatile Spellcaster

Allows you to convert 2 spell slots of one level into 1 spell slot a level higher. If you have the ability to cast spells spontaneously, and have the Heighten Spell feat, you can now cast a Heightened spell from that slot. “Unlike other metamagic feats, Heighten Spell actually increases the effective level of the spell that it modifies.” May also suffer from the CL consideration.

• Heighten Spell+Naenhoon Illumian

Allows you to burn turn or rebuke undead attempts to Heighten spells. Illumians cannot take the wildrunner path.

• Krau illumian+Improved Sigil (Krau)

Select a number of spells with verbal component equal to number of sigils you have to be heightened 1 level.

• Precocious Apprentice

You get a 2nd-level arcane spell and a 2nd-level arcane spell slot. Until your level is high enough to cast 2nd-level spells, you must succeed on a DC 8 caster level check to cast it, which means you have a 70% chance of completing the initiation test. Must be an arcane caster, must be taken at level 1. Specifically negates the need to have an appropriate caster level for the spell.

• Sanctum Spell

Designate a sanctum (site, building, or structure no larger than 20 feet/level in diameter, takes 7 days from designation until it starts giving you the benefit). Spells cast here have their effective level boosted by 1, spells cast anywhere else have their effective level decreased by 1. A very bad feat except for its ability to qualify super easy. Requires 1 metamagic feat.

• Earth Sense+Earth Spell

Your spells are one level higher as long as you are standing on stone or unworked earth.

Builds

Progression (Elf)

Here is the first idea, using the Elf. We need some at least Int 16 because we often buy cross-class Skills. This is the bare minimum: a sort of check-list the player should keep and check on level up. If is not marked here you can do as you want.

No XP loss as the Elf has Wizard as favorite class.

Level	Class	SRD:Feats	Knowledge Arcana	Knowledge Religion	Knowledge Nature	Hide	Move silently	Survival
1st	Wizard		4	4	4			2
2st	Archivist		5	5	5	1
3rd	Archivist	Alternative Source Spell	6	6	6			3
4th	Archivist				7		1
5th	Mystic Theurge					2		4
6th	Mystic Theurge						2
7th	Mystic Theurge					3		5
8th	Mystic Theurge						3
9th	Mystic Theurge					4		6
10th	Mystic Theurge						4
11th	Mystic Theurge					5		7
12th	Mystic Theurge	Endurance	7				5
13th	Mystic Theurge		8		8			8
14th	Wildrunner
15th	Arcane Hierophant

Continuing until level 20 we have a character that casts as an Archivist of level 18 and a Wizard of level 16.

Swapping the Archivist and the Wizard levels you can get a Wizard of level 18 and an Archivist of level 16 if you prefer.

Progression (Elf, alternate)

Here we use the Flexible Mind Feat to make the two troublesome Skill always in-class. You can switch the 8th and the 9th level if you prefer.

Note that you'll character will have an Aura of Chaos around. Moreover Anarchic feat have Chaotic alignment as requirement, so your character will need to be CG, CN or CE.

Level	Class	SRD:Feats	Knowledge Arcana	Knowledge Religion	Knowledge Nature	Hide	Move silently	Survival
1st	Wizard	Flexible Mind (Knowledge Nature and Survival)	3	3	4	2	2
2st	Archivist		4	4	5			2
3rd	Archivist	Alternative Source Spell	5	5	6	3		4
4th	Archivist		6	6	7		3	5
5th	Mystic Theurge		7			4		6
6th	Mystic Theurge	Endurance			8		4	8
7th	Mystic Theurge		8			5	5
8th	Wildrunner
9th	Mystic Theurge
10th	Arcane Hierophant
11th	Arcane Hierophant
12th	Arcane Hierophant
...	Arcane Hierophant
18th	Arcane Hierophant
19th	Arcane Hierophant
20th	Mystic Theurge

Again we have a character that casts as an Archivist of level 18 and a Wizard of level 16. Or vice versa.

Progression (Bamboo Spirit Folk)

Here we are a Bamboo Spirit Folk, so we already meet the Trackless step class feature racial trait requirement as race.

No XP loss as the Bamboo Spirit Folk has Any (In this case Archivist from level 3) as favorite class.

Race (Templates): Bamboo Spirit Folk

Level	Class	SRD:Feats	Knowledge Arcana	Knowledge Religion	Knowledge Nature
1st	Wizard		4	4	4
2st	Archivist		5	5	5
3rd	Archivist	Alternative Source Spell	6	6	6
4th	Archivist				7
5th	Mystic Theurge
6th	Mystic Theurge
7th	Mystic Theurge
8th	Mystic Theurge
9th	Mystic Theurge
10th	Mystic Theurge
11th	Mystic Theurge
12th	Mystic Theurge		7
13th	Mystic Theurge		8		8
14th	Arcane Hierophant

Continuing until level 20 we have a character that casts as an Archivist of level 19 and a Wizard of level 17; or vice versa.

Progression (Bamboo Spirit Folk, alternate)

The Arcane Hierophant is more powerful than the Mystic Theurge as it gives you 4 Skill points per level and Armored Casting.

It is somewhat a pity to wait up to level 13 just because we cannot increase Knowledge Nature. Here we use Education and Alternative Source Spell class to satisfy the requirements a little sooner.

Race (Templates): Bamboo Spirit Folk

Level	Class	SRD:Feats	Knowledge Arcana	Knowledge Religion	Knowledge Nature
1st	Wizard	Education	3	3
2st	Archivist		4	4
3rd	Archivist	Alternative Source Spell	5	5	1
4th	Archivist		6	6	2
5th	Mystic Theurge				3
6th	Mystic Theurge				4
7th	Mystic Theurge				5
8th	Mystic Theurge				6
9th	Mystic Theurge		7		7
10th	Mystic Theurge		8		8
11th	Arcane Hierophant
12th	Arcane Hierophant
13th	Arcane Hierophant
14th	Arcane Hierophant
15th	Arcane Hierophant
16th	Arcane Hierophant
17th	Arcane Hierophant
18th	Arcane Hierophant
19th	Arcane Hierophant
20th	Arcane Hierophant

We have a character that casts as an Archivist of level 19 and a Wizard of level 17. Once again you can swap the Wizard levels with the Archivist levels if you prefer.

Progression (Druid)

This is the natural progression, no need of strange gimmicks to get the requirements: we still use Education and Alternative Source Spell to speed up the entrance to the Arcane Hierophant.

Race (Templates): Any race with Wizard, Druid or Any as favorite class. If you want a different race take a second Wizard level.

Level	Class	SRD:Feats	Knowledge Arcana	Knowledge Religion	Knowledge Nature
1st	Wizard	Education	3	3	1
2rd	Druid		4	4	2
3th	Druid	Alternative Source Spell	5	5	3
4th	Druid		6	6	4
5th	Mystic Theurge				5
6th	Mystic Theurge				6
7th	Mystic Theurge		7		7
8th	Mystic Theurge		8		8
9th	Arcane Hierophant
10th	Arcane Hierophant
11th	Arcane Hierophant
12th	Arcane Hierophant
...	Arcane Hierophant
18th	Arcane Hierophant
19th	Mystic Theurge
20th	Mystic Theurge

We have a character that casts as a Druid of level 19 and a Wizard of level 17. In this case you can keep the Wizard familiar: the Arcane Hierophant will `merge' its powers to the Animal Campanion of the Druid.

If you are not a Bamboo Spirit Folk you cannot swap Druid and Wizard (but you can take another Arcane caster) because the Druid gives you the Trackless step.

Progression (Anyone other)

If you do not want or cannot play an Elf or a Bamboo Spirit Folk and you dislike the class of the Druid, you have to take the Trackless step ability from the class of the Scout. The character casting abilities will be seriously reduced, but few level as Scout can also make the survival easier.

Race (Templates): Not an Elf, not a Bamboo Spirit Folk

Level	Class	SRD:Feats	Knowledge Arcana	Knowledge Religion	Knowledge Nature
1st	Wizard		2	2	4
2st	Archivist		3	3	5
3rd	Scout	Alternative Source Spell
4th	Archivist		4	4	6
5th	Scout
6th	Wizard		5	5	7
7th	Archivist		6	6	8
8th	Scout
9th	Mystic Theurge
10th	Mystic Theurge		7
11th	Mystic Theurge		8
12th	Arcane Hierophant
13th	Arcane Hierophant
14th	Arcane Hierophant
15th	...
20th	Arcane Hierophant

We have a character that casts as an Archivist of level 15 and a Wizard of level 13. Or vice versa.

But with Trapsense, Uncanny Dodge, a bonus of +1 to Initiative and Fortitude Saves, Fast Movement, three levels with 8 skill points and few other goodies; if you use a Race with Wizard as Favorite Class you do not need to take the second level of Wizard and you can obtain a character that cast as an Archivist of level 16 and as a Wizard of level 13.

This build sounds difficult to play: you might be a support character or magical improved infiltrator; but it is probably unplayable. Anyhow if you want to try you can play as Human or Doppelganger and take the Able Learner Feat. At least you can increase your Rogue non in-class Skill without paying them double. You won't be able as a real Rogue: but your large array of spell can help.

Progression (19/19)

The progression 19/19 gives you the caster level of 19 both in the Arcane and Divine. Unfortunately it is more rigid than the other progressions; but, on the other hand, it is more natural it will not abuse anything.

Here we will use the Ur-Priest as Divine spellcaster and the Wizard as Arcane caster. The Wizard is necessary as we will use the level 10 bonus feat to join the Mystic Theurge. The Ur-Priest is used to get the the level 9 spells in only ten levels.

This table assumes the character has at least 14 of Intelligence, but it should not be a problem for a Wizard. The Education feat is not necessary, but since the Mystic Theurge does not have all the Knowledges as class skills, it is a good choice.

Level	Class	SRD:Feats	Bluff	Knowledge Arcana	Knowledge The Planes	Knowledge Religion	Spellcraft
1st	Wizard		2	1	1	4	4
2nd	Wizard			2		5	5
3rd	Wizard		3		2
4th	Wizard			3	3		6
5th	Wizard		4			6
6th	Wizard	Spell Focus [Evil]		4		7	7
7th	Wizard		5		4
8th	Wizard			5	5		8
9th	Wizard	Iron Will	6			8
10th	Ur-Priest			6
11th	Wizard	Alternative Source Spell
12th	Mystic Theurge
13th	Mystic Theurge
14th	Mystic Theurge
15th	Mystic Theurge
16th	Mystic Theurge
17th	Mystic Theurge
18th	Mystic Theurge
19th	Mystic Theurge
20th	Mystic Theurge

The Wizard caster level is 19, the Ur-Priest caster level is half the Wizard caster level plus the Ur-Priest level: so it 19 too; we get nine level spells both Arcane and Divine.

Unfortunately the Ur-Priest class requires an evil alignment, so this progression can be hard to use, if needed you can switch alignment just after taking his level (there is no ex Ur-Priest section and consequently no penalty). Besides you are just a normal Wizard until level 9.

Using the Bamboo Spirit Folk Race is possible joining the Arcane Hierophant instead of the Mystic Theurge investing 8 skill points in Knowledge Nature. It would give armored casting (but no classes give Armor Proficiencies), more hit points and the usual advantages.

Human Druid/Wizard. No Dragon Magazine

A build not using Alternative Source Spell. Sticking entirely to Core, Complete X and Races of X. Might make the DM a bit more likely to say yes.

Level	Class	BAB	Feats	Knowledge (Arcana)	Knowledge (Nature)	Knowledge (Religion)	Spellcraft
1	Wizard	0	Able learner, Precocious Apprentice	4	4	4	4
2	Druid	0		5	5	5	5
3	Druid	1	Practiced Spellcaster (Wizard)	6	6	6	6
4	Druid	2	Trackless Step	7	7	7	7
5	Mystic Theurge	2		8	8	8	8
6	Mystic Theurge	3		9	9	9	9
7	Mystic Theurge	3		10	10	10	10
8	Mystic Theurge	4		11	11	11	11
9	Arcane Hierophant	4		12	12	12	12

...

17th level wizard casting (although CL 20), 19 level druid casting, 13th level wild shape (tiny-large animal or plant). Precocious Apprentice for the arcane line has the problem that you need to succeed on a DC 8 caster level check to succeed, which you will succeed on 85% of the time. Still, might get you in trouble. If your Precocious Apprentice spell is a divination spell, and you worship Boccob, getting a domain draught (Oracle domain, MIC, 3,300 gp) and a talisman of Boccob (CC, 350 gp) will give you the 3 bonus caster levels needed to guaranee success.

Progression (Elf Cloistered Cleric/Sorcerer/Wildrunner). No Dragon Magazine

A build not using Alternative Source Spell. Sticking entirely to Core, UA, Complete X and Races of X. Might make the DM a bit more likely to say yes. If UA is a problem, simply substitute cleric for cloistered cleric, but now 16 int is needed (build only need 14).

Level	Class	Feats	Hide	Knowledge (Arcana)	Knowledge (Nature)	Knowledge (Religion)	Move Silently	Spellcraft	Survival
1	Cloistered Cleric (Travel Domain)	Heighten Spell	2	4	4	4	2	4	4
2	Sorcerer		2.5	5		5
3	Sorcerer	Versatile Spellcaster	3	6		6
4	Mystic Theurge				5		3
5	Mystic Theurge		4				4
6	Mystic Theurge								6
7	Mystic Theurge		5				5
8	Mystic Theurge								8
9	Mystic Theurge	Endurance		8		8
10	Wildrunner				8
11	Arcane Hierophant
12	Arcane Hierophant
13	Arcane Hierophant
14	Arcane Hierophant
15	Arcane Hierophant
16	Arcane Hierophant
17	Arcane Hierophant
18	Arcane Hierophant
19	Arcane Hierophant
20	Arcane Hierophant

17th-level cleric casting and 18th-level sorcerer casting (or vice versa). You could conceivably get into an argument over whether a cleric can use his 2nd-level slot to spontaneously cast a heightened cure minor wounds, since you can technically only convert “any prepared spell that is not a domain spell” (and nothing is prepared in this second-level slot). If this is a problem, replace one level of sorcerer with favored soul. Requires 14 Int to get off the ground, as well as decent Wis and Cha. If you cannot take the travel domain for any reason, take the Draconic Heritage (bronze) feat to get Survival as a class skill.

Progression (Naenhoon Illumian). No Dragon Magazine

A build not using Alternative Source Spell. Sticking entirely to Core, Complete X and Races of X. Might make the DM a bit more likely to say yes.

Level	Class	Special	Feats	Knowledge (Arcana)	Knowledge (Nature)	Knowledge (Religion)	Survival
1	Cleric	Plant Domain, turn or rebuke undead, Naen sigil		4	4	4
2	Cleric	Hoon sigil, Naenhoon word		5	5	5
3	Wizard	Summon familiar, scribe scroll	Heighten Spell	6	6	6
4	Mystic Theurge				6.5		1
5	Mystic Theurge				7		2
6	Mystic Theurge				7.5		3
7	Mystic Theurge				8		4
8	Holt Warden	Nature sense, plant affinity
9	Holt Warden	Rebuke plants, woodland stride
10	Holt Warden	Earth’s communion 1/day, trackless step		8
11	Arcane Hierophant
12	Arcane Hierophant
13	Arcane Hierophant
14	Arcane Hierophant
15	Arcane Hierophant
16	Arcane Hierophant
17	Arcane Hierophant
18	Arcane Hierophant
19	Arcane Hierophant
20	Arcane Hierophant

19th-level cleric casting and 15th-level wizard casting. Lots of open feat slots. Rules-wise it is solid.

Munchkin-Size Me

Arcane Reabsorbtion

Once you get a Arcane Hierophant level you will lose the Familiar, so you should use the Familiar-less variant that gives you a the Arcane Reabsorbtion power.

Arcane Reabsorbtion: If a spell you cast had no effect whatsoever because it has been Countered or it failed to overcome the target's Spell Resistance, you may "reabsorb" the spell as an Immediate Action by making a Spellcraft check vs. DC 20 + [3 * spell level]. If successful, you retain the Spell Slot, but take (spell level) nonlethal damage (which bypasses your Damage Reduction / resistances).

Metamagic Specialist

The Arcane Reabsorbtion variant is also available to Sorcerers, but if you want to make a similar build using the Sorcerer you might prefer the Metamagic Specialist variant:

Metamagic Specialist: You may apply Metamagics to your Impromptu Spells without increasing the casting time to a Full Round. This also allows you to benefit from Feat: Quicken Spell.

Alternative Source Spell

I quote here the description of this Feat for reference. This feat is useful because it speeds-up the entrance in the Mystic Theurge Class and since Divine spells do not suffer from the use of armors, it can also help before obtaining Armored Casting. It is a Metamagic Feat.

Alternative Source Spell prerequisite: Able to cast both Arcane and Divine spells

Effect: You can prepare any of your Arcane spell as Divine spells and any of your Divine spell as Arcane spells. An alternative-sourced spell uses up a spell slot from the class that normally grants it, but such spell is casted as if your caster level were 1 level lower. For example, a 1st-level Cleric/6th-level Wizard can prepare in his Wizard slots and later cast a Divine Fireball as a 5th level Wizard.

Feats, other classes

In general as I said before this is bare minimum: you have lots of space to customize via Feats and Classes. The original idea used the pair Sorcerer-Shugenja for example. I think a Wild Elf Metamagic Specialist that can cast as a Sorcerer of level 18 and a Shugenja of level 15 can be fairly interesting.

Fractional Base Bonus

The multi-class characters suffer unfair penalties: tell your DM that Andy Collin, one of the game designers and author of Complete Warrior, uses an alternate system. It is described in the Unearthed Arcana manual, page 73: it allows a seamless passage from one class to the other without unfairly losing Saving Throws and Base Attack Bonus. And it changes nothing to single classed characters.

Show him the example of a Fighter 2/Paladin 2 character: it will still have two base Saving Throws to 0, even if it is a 4th level character!

If your DM sees your point you'll get the +4 BAB necessary to join the Arcane Hierophant quicker and your character will get Armored Casting and some more Hit Points sooner. The small adjustment to the saving throws is nice too.

Going Epic

The spellcasters do not gain more spells after level 20 (a part from Feats), so you just need to complete the leveling up to 20 in both casting. Get more level in the Arcane Hierophant or in the Mystic Theurge until you reach the level 20 as caster in one of the two kind of magic. Continue with the other single class until you get the level 20 in the second class too. Finally continue with the class that gives you most Bonus Feats.

Side Notes

I just wanted to put as many caster levels as possible in the normal 20 level list.

Limitations

Apart from having lots of spell it does not have many powers. It certainly increases your flexibility, but you still only get one standard action and one move action per round.

This, unless you are using a houseruled 3e haste means one spell and optionally 1 hastened spell per round.

Since running out of spells is pretty unlikely anyway, you mostly increase the likelihood that you have just the right spell prepared, and gain something in endurance.

DM Counters

As a caster he suffers when confronted with surprises, sneak attacks, poisons... He has lots of spells, but he can cast only one or two per round.

Conclusion

The most playable, I really cannot imagine a reason why a DM should dislike it, is probably the Druid: it is fairly powerful and it does not abuse (much) anything.

The Bamboo Spirit Folk progression instead will give you the freedom of choice about the casters classes and the maximum casting ability (both level 9th spells); but your DM might dislike this use of the Trackless Step race ability.

Instead the Elf based progressions will give you a small boost to the weak saving throws and fast movement with the Wildrunner level; but you will lose the Arcane or Divine level 9 spells.

Finally the Scout based progression gives a fairly different character as they are more a magical Infiltrator than a Mage. It needs testing, but it probably hard to play.

My favorite build is the Bamboo Spirit Folk Alternate; I can easily imagine him as a spirit who want to collect as much knowledge as possible. He studies all the magic and all the knowledge. It does not matter how much obscure, strange or scary.

---

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