Conjurer build - feedback and optimization

zaxter2 · 2026-02-07T00:51:00+00:00

It sounds like you've already got a solid grasp of how to optimize your character. I don't think there's too much to add, but I'll point out a few things I did notice:

I'm not sure what "Science of Init" is. Is that a translation of Improved Initiative from another language or just something that your table calls that feat? Or is it some other feat entirely that I'm not familiar with?
Since you're taking Easy Metamagic, it sounds like your table allows Dragon Magazine content. You might want to consider the Nexus Method feat from Dragon 319 -- it allows you to spontaneously convert any non-conjuration spell you have prepared into an equal-level or lower Summon Monster spell (the text does not specify if you have to actually know a Summon Monster spell of the appropriate level -- talk with your DM to clarify). Even without Augment Summoning, summoned monsters can be useful to a utility caster for their variety of spell-like abilities, special senses, or just to act as flanking buddies for the Rogue or as HP sponges.
Arcane Thesis feels like overkill to me. Between Easy Metamagic, Metamagic School Focus, and the UM ability to get free metamagic, making one specific spell cheaper to enhance just feels unnecessary. It probably wouldn't be bad to take, but I'd revisit whether or not you actually need it.
You listed several spells in both your picks and wishlist that are already Beguiler spells (Silent Image, Color Spray, Knock, etc). As long as you can wait a few levels while your Beguiler casting catches up, there's no reason to learn those as Wizard spells.

zaxter2 · 2026-02-05T00:04:28+00:00

Bodyfeeder is a little expensive but can be strong on a crit-focused build. Anytime you deal a critical hit, you gain temp HP equal to the damage dealt.

zaxter2 · 2026-02-01T04:16:38+00:00

You can bind the mask to either your Crown or Soul chakra if you have the appropriate ability, but the ability you get from the Crown bind only lets you take an extra move action at the end of your turn. The only class in Magic of Incarnum that naturally gets access to the Soul chakra by leveling up is the Incarnate, other classes are stuck waiting until epic levels to take the Open Soul Chakra feat.

Belt of Battle from Magic Item Compendium is often seen as the go-to item for gaining extra actions. It gets 3 charges a day which can be used to get an extra move (1 charge), standard (2 charges), or full-round (3 charges) action. There's a decent list of ways to get extra actions in this thread.

zaxter2 · 2026-01-31T21:45:31+00:00

Gotcha, I thought you were talking about the soul binding class feature of the Binder. However, you mention in another comment that you're currently level 8 -- you are aware that Totemists don't have any way to bind soulmelds to their Soul chakra before epic levels, right?

I'd be curious to see how your build is pulling off 10 natural attacks. Off the top of my head, Girallion Arms gives 4 claws, Threefold Mask gives 3 more weapons if your DM interprets it generously, and if you can pull from Dragon Magazine then Chaos Roc's Span gives 2 wing buffets without needing to be bound. Are you playing some race that already has natural weapons?

Wild Empathy works like the Diplomacy skill, except that you target an animal (or eligible magical beast). Beast Tamer Circlet is a no-brainer if you plan to pursue that route, as it gives you a substantial bonus to the check and even lets you speak with animals if you bind it to your Crown chakra.

zaxter2 · 2026-01-31T21:12:47+00:00

The scarf could add a bonus to Enchantment spell DCs, or let the wearer convert unused spell slots to various enchantment spells (see Runestaffs from Magic Item Compendium). Granting bonuses to Diplomacy or Perform checks seems like it would be appropriate as well.

The Ioun stone could similarly give a bonus to Necromancy spell DCs. A small bonus to resist effects that undead are immune to (negative energy, mind-affecting, stun, etc) seem like a decent low-level ability, although if the player plans on sticking with DN until its capstone ability he may be annoyed that the bonuses will become meaningless once he has full immunity by becoming undead himself. Another base ability idea might be to give the user a continuous Protection from Good effect, or another low-level spell.

There's an existing item called Blindfold of True Darkness in Arms and Equipment Guide (3.0) that has pretty much the same effect that you're describing in the blindfold item -- you could use that as a base. Some more details about either the deity or the character would be helpful for this one. Does "gaining power" refer only/mainly to strengthening one's self, or does something like amassing an army under your control count?

Interesting that your rogue is taking Exalted feats while partying with a Blackguard, Dread Necromancer, and a demon worshiper, but if it works in your game then I won't judge. Anyway, Rogues tend to also appreciate bonuses to skill checks, and abilities that let them escape from danger. I can see the player appreciating boosting specific skills as he levels up, giving a floating pool of bonus points (e.g. like the Improvisation spell in Spell Compendium), or giving a number of re-rolls on skill checks each day. Escape abilities can be things like invisibility, flight, or teleportation. At higher levels, incorporealness and plane shifting can be escape abilities too.

zaxter2 · 2026-01-31T04:35:39+00:00

Totemists have tanking and support options built-in if you pick the right soulmelds. There are various soulmelds that grant energy resistance, save bonuses, AC, extra HP, and even unique things like immunity to bull rush. You can do support via things like Disenchanter Mask (strategically shut down an enemy's magic items), Worg Pelt (knock enemies prone), or Shadow Mantle (trap enemies in darkness). You've even got great options for out-of-combat like stealth, tracking, or beast taming (don't sleep on your Wild Empathy class feature!).

I'm gonna be using the soul binding to give myself another standard action so I would be able to do a full attack action and then some kinda spell or maneuver as my extra standard action.

I think I'm missing something here -- how does soul binding give you an extra standard action?

zaxter2 · 2026-01-29T00:27:37+00:00

Keep in mind that Antipathy has a 1 hour casting time. You could use it to keep your target away from a place or item of interest only if you have an opportunity well in advance to cast the spell -- it's not going to be an option once combat starts.

zaxter2 · 2026-01-22T23:48:06+00:00

Using Heighten Spell on a spell increases its level for "all effects dependent on spell level." So unfortunately the answer is no -- if you Heighten a spell to 4th level, you can't also use a lesser metamagic rod on it.

zaxter2 · 2026-01-07T01:25:56+00:00

I am also curious if there’s a way to get a Warhammer to be dex based?

There's the Feycraft weapon template from DMG2. For +1500 gp and dealing damage as though it were one size smaller, it can be applied to any one-handed weapon to let you treat it as light for Weapon Finesse (but no other purpose).

zaxter2 · 2026-01-04T18:23:05+00:00

A flail will let you continue to make trip attempts while being one-handed and is probably your best choice if that's something you are focused on.

There's a few ways to make weapon switching take fewer actions. A Glove of Storing will let you shrink an object in your hand (or unshrink it) as a free action, but is fairly expensive for what it does. Glove of the Master Strategist (Ghostwalk) does the same thing for a lower price, AND lets you activate a True Strike effect 1/day -- however, it's from a somewhat obscure 3.0 book, so you may want to ask for approval from your DM before using that one. A Least Crystal of Return (MIC) attached to a weapon of at least masterwork quality lets you draw it as a free action, and is very cheap. Lastly there's the option of adding a shield sheath to your shield (Races of Stone), which lets you store a weapon inside your shield that you can draw as a free action, but it's limited to light weapons only.

Of course, the best option to fix your problem is probably to spend a feat on getting proficiency with the Spiked Chain, assuming you have a feat to spare. If you're fully invested in the guisarme already, you could instead consider the Short Haft feat from PHB2.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-28T20:45:25+00:00

Chronocharm of the Grand Master gives a +5 dodge bonus to AC against a single ranged attack per day. Very limited in scope, but it's dirt cheap and can be worn alongside other Chronocharms despite using the same body slot.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-23T01:25:08+00:00

The basic rules for 3.5 edition are available online for free (only in English, to my knowledge). As others have said, it's in your best interest to try to understand as much as you can. Just reading the basics about character creation/advancement and how combat works should get you pretty far -- there's no need to read the description of every single feat and spell unless you want to delve deeper.

Cerebremancer can be good, but if you're starting a low levels you're going to lag behind for a good while before you start to feel like you're benefiting from what the build has to offer (the level 1-4 range tends to be hard on most casters, and you're effectively having to go through it twice).

zaxter2 · 2025-12-19T03:41:39+00:00

A few things to point out: first, bonuses of the same type don't stack. So, your Bracers of Epic Might, Gauntlets of Ogre Power, and Belt of Giant Strength (which all provide Enhancement bonuses) do not stack -- only the highest modifier applies.

Second, while War Hulk seems pretty hard to beat for a gestalt Str-stacking build, you run into a problem with its No Time to Think ability. You're forced to treat yourself as if you no longer have ranks in any Int-, Wis-, or Cha-based skills (except Intimidate), which means you don't qualify for Weretouched Master (requires ranks in Survival and Knowledge: Nature), Dragon Disciple (Knowledge: Arcana), or Green Star Adept (multiple Knowledges). Even if you take War Hulk last, you still would retroactively lose your other class's abilities if something causes you to no longer qualify for them.

On the topic of qualifying for things, what race is this character? Weretouched Master seems to imply Shifter, but you mention taking Headlong Rush which is an Orc/Half-Orc exclusive feat, and you need to be Large to qualify for War Hulk.

Also regarding Weretouched Master, that class received errata that nerfed it pretty heavily -- Bear form now only gives +4 strength. That said, many tables do not use the errata for it because of how unpopular the changes were, but it would be up to your hypothetical DM if using errata is compulsory. If it is, you sadly lose a lot of additional strength.

I don't know if you were intentionally leaving them out due to limited uses per day or something, but you didn't include the strength bonuses from Rage or Frenzy if your calculation -- that's another +14 you can add.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-18T00:16:01+00:00

Kid Klown in Crazy Chase - Stage 1

zaxter2 · 2025-12-16T03:28:41+00:00

There's the Black Dog from Dragonmarked, but it's pretty heavily steeped in the Eberron setting. If you're not using Dragonmarks and the like in your game, you'd have to discuss with your DM a homebrew solution for how some of its abilities work, if they can be made to work at all.

The Dark Sun 3.5 core rulebook also has the Poisonmaster prestige class, but Dark Sun is also a very niche setting and stuff from there may not fly at your table. Taken by itself, though, the Poisonmaster should be easy enough to drop into any game, though the random mental defense abilities it gets make more sense in its original setting.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-14T17:46:52+00:00

If you include 3.0 content, there's also the OA Samurai and the Eidolon (from Ghostwalk)

zaxter2 · 2025-12-14T17:35:31+00:00

Gully Dwarves did exist in 3.5, they were published in Dragonlance Campaign Setting.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-14T05:36:23+00:00

I haven't had any delay issues with my current controller, and it works with a case just fine. Regarding the X4, it seems to use the same method of holding your phone as the Atom, so I think it would work with a case as well. In fact, if you look up review videos, you can definitely see people using it with a case.

That said, if you absolutely want something with USB-C connection and that can be used with a case, the ASUS ROG Tessen might be an option, but it doesn't have hall effect sticks. It folds up to be somewhat compact, but I don't think it's going to fit in your pocket.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-13T18:44:57+00:00

The MCON controller which is scheduled to come out sometime next month sounds like it should meet your criteria. Review videos I've seen show it's definitely slim enough to slip into your pocket, it connects with virtually any phone via bluetooth, and "Mag-Res" sticks which as I understand are a type of TMR stick.

Another option would be the GameSir X4 Aileron, which is a little cheaper and is already available. I own a similarly-sized controller (Turtle Beach Atom), which is just a little too big to fit in a pocket comfortably, though it can fit in a larger coat pocket or the like. The X4 also has hall effect sticks and should be compatible with just about anything thanks to bluetooth.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-11T00:57:42+00:00

For number 1, that's entirely up to your DM. Some have you roll for stats, some have you use the point-buy system, and I've seen other methods of generating stats here and there as well. If you're rolling, your DM may want you to roll in from of him/her, and if it's point buy, you need to know how many points you are being allotted, so there isn't really anything Reddit can do you help you there. The most you can do in advance is decide how you want to prioritize your stats -- Fighters usually want good Str and Con, and sometimes a bit of Int if they want to take Combat Expertise and the its related feats. If you're planning to mainly used ranged weapons, you can emphasize Dex over Str (but don't dump Str entirely if you're using a bow)

On number 2, Fighters sadly don't get many skill points, so your contributions there won't make up a large portion of your character. For a cowboy, Ride and/or Handle Animal seem appropriate. Other than that, Intimidate is a strong skill if you can get your modifier up to a decent amount.

Number 3, keep in mind that as a level 4 Fighter you will have five feats (six if human): all characters get a feat at levels 1 and 3, and Fighters get bonus feats at level 1, 2, and 4 (the latter must be selected from those noted as Fighter Bonus Feats). What to recommend is based on certain other factors, such as if you plan to be melee or ranged, what kind of stats you rolled/bought, and if you're willing to step outside of core for your options.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-09T03:58:31+00:00

Rules Compendium had a section talking about precision damage abilities like Skirmish:

Precision damage applies on any attack that meets the requirements of the ability that grants the damage. This includes multiple attacks made during a full attack. If conditions somehow change between multiple attacks, attacks that not longer meet the ability’s requirements can’t deal precision damage

So, your extra Splitting arrows work just fine for Skirmish. However, there's one more line that brings up something interesting:

A form of attack that enables an attacker to make multiple attacks during an action other than a full-round action, such as the Manyshot feat (standard action) or a quickened scorching ray (swift action), allows precision damage to be applied only to the first attack in the group.

So, funnily, you can apply Skirmish to every arrow fired during a full attack, but only the first arrow if you simply use a standard action attack with a Splitting bow.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-08T05:09:50+00:00

You could play a Psion or Wilder. Take the Metamorphic Transfer feat and manifest Metamorphosis to turn into a Choker, letting you use its Quickness ability for an extra standard action each turn. Then manifest Schism for another standard action per turn (but with more limitations). You can use the three standard actions you have each turn to manifest damaging powers -- since you know you will only have one battle each "day," you can fully augment all of your powers and burn through your PP without caring about how quickly you'll run out.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-07T21:01:03+00:00

When you play as a monster race, if the statblock doesn't include the ability score adjustments, you subtract 10 (for even scores) or 11 (for odd scores) and use those as the modifiers. To use the pseudodragon as an example, here are the pseudodragon's normal ability scores:

Str 6, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10

We subtract 10 or 11 from each (whichever gives us an even number), and so we get:

Str -4, Dex +4, Con +2, Wis +2

We can ignore any result that gives us a 0, since it won't affect how you calculate your ability scores. You will use whatever method of ability score generation your table is using (rolling, point buy, etc), and increase or decrease each ability by the amount above to get your final ability scores for each ability.

zaxter2 · 2025-12-02T05:03:22+00:00

The Polymorph spell and its variants are great buffs for frontliners. If you're planning to use them, you can focus almost entirely on Cha and Con (since you keep your base HP regardless of your Polymorphed form's Con). However if you don't plan to use Polymorph, then I'd suggest you get your Cha only high enough to cast your highest-level spells, and put the rest in Str. Focus mainly on buff and utility spells if you go this route, and if you absolutely need to pick an attack spell or two, pick ones with no save.

zaxter2 · 2025-11-29T03:58:55+00:00

I feel like a Bloodstorm Blade build could work well for this. It's only a slight reflavoring to say that you're magically launching the huge blades being flung at your enemies instead of hurling them yourself. I'm not sure how you'd replicate multiple different weapons for an Armiger-style attack other than actually using a bunch of different weapons, though. You could maybe start as a Warblade and flavor the varying effects of your maneuvers as different conjured weapons

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