Arch-Magus of the Greatsword (Sorcerer 35 / Cleric 3 / Fighter 2)

[Orion]

Source: NWN: EE (Beamdog), WoG PW

Comment:

This is a ‘melee mage’ Sorcerer. I don’t go pure because mild multiclassing provides so much due to the great synergy with a high Charisma score and Divine Might / Divine Shield.

I use Cleric to access Divine Might (+11 to 17 divine damage/hit) / Divine Shield (+11 to 17 dodge AC) for a combined 19 times / day and also Animal Domain (for enhanced summons). I use Fighter for proficiencies and bonus combat feats.

The mundane AB of 27 is low but higher than most sorcerers / wizards, and was more than enough to defeat non-boss NPC enemies. It allowed me to save spells for bosses. Non-boss enemies can have their AC lowered with various spells, such as Grease, Web/Darkness, Stinking Cloud,  Evards with the correct equipment, Hold Monster and Bigbys 6/7, or even just flanking attacks with an empowered summon active, and additionally AB can be increased by True Strike or Pen and Paper Tensor’s (if this is available, allowing the character to hit just fine.

Bigby’s Forceful Hand: Low AB doesn’t matter when enemies have their AC lowered by being knocked to the ground, and they can’t fight back. Damage is boosted with Divine Might +15-17 Divine Damage / Hit, and Haste for 4 attacks / round.

Bigby’s Grasping Hand is used here to lower enemy AC allowing my character to hit more often, and immobilise them so I can retreat if needed.

Source: NWN: EE (Beamdog), WoG PW

With all the saved spells, there is a 35 caster level sorcerer spell book with up to nine level 9 spells / day (ie 9 Time Stops or Maximized IGMS spells) as well as DC casting. It also means the Pixie familiar is a level 35 rogue, allowing for Epic Traps to be dealt with, and high epic level locks to be opened if the Knock spell/scroll is not sufficient.

I’ve play tested this one to 40, and it’s solid and enjoyable in World of Greyhawk PW.

Aggregating a large number of undead together (protected by AC from Full Plate, Autostill III and Epic Mage Armor + 50% concealment from II, 10/+3 damage soak from Shadow Shield), then casting Sunburst to deal damage and blind them. I do 1924 magical damage in this screenshot.

dmuzzy in 2007 wrote Arcane Vanguard Sorcerer 36 / Cleric 2 / Fighter 2, here I drop one Sorc level and to push Fighter bonus feat to Epics for Epic Weapon Focus (to obtain another Epic Spell Feat, Epic Mage Armor) while retaining 3 attacks / round (4 attacks / round with haste). I also go Int 14 for 86 additional skill points. There is 20% exp penalty at level 20 otherwise no exp penalties. There is also Scribe Scroll so the character can create an arcane payload, to ensure any challenge in a Persistent World (PW) can be dealt with from sheer numbers of spells.

Build details:

Sorcerer(35), Cleric(3), Fighter(2), Human

Alignment:

• Any alignment will work provided Animal Domain is accessible.
• Neutral Evil suggested (to allow of Prot v Evil / Stinking Cloud Combination).

STR: 16
DEX: 8
CON: 14
WIS: 8
INT: 14
CHA: 15 (32)

Human: (Quick to Master)
01: Fighter(1): Toughness, Power Attack, Weapon Focus: Greatsword
02: Sorcerer(1)
03: Cleric(1): Divine Shield, Domain Animal + another Domain
04: Sorcerer(2): CHA+1, (CHA=16)
05: Sorcerer(3)
06: Sorcerer(4): Still Spell
07: Sorcerer(5)
08: Sorcerer(6): CHA+1, (CHA=17)
09: Sorcerer(7): Empower Spell
10: Sorcerer(8)
11: Sorcerer(9)
12: Sorcerer(10): CHA+1, Scribe Scroll (or Blind Fight, if not playing in a PW), (CHA=18)
13: Sorcerer(11)
14: Sorcerer(12)
15: Cleric(2): Divine Might
16: Sorcerer(13): CHA+1, (CHA=19)
17: Sorcerer(14)
18: Sorcerer(15): Maximize Spell
19: Sorcerer(16)
20: Cleric(3): CHA+1, (CHA=20)
21: Fighter(2): Great Charisma I, Epic Weapon Focus: Greatsword, (CHA=21)
22: Sorcerer(17)
23: Sorcerer(18)
24: Sorcerer(19): CHA+1, Automatic Still Spell I, (CHA=22)
25: Sorcerer(20)
26: Sorcerer(21)
27: Sorcerer(22): Automatic Still Spell II
28: Sorcerer(23): CHA+1, Automatic Still Spell III, (CHA=23)
29: Sorcerer(24)
30: Sorcerer(25): Epic Spell: Epic Mage Armor
31: Sorcerer(26): Epic Spell: Epic Warding
32: Sorcerer(27): CHA+1, (CHA=24)
33: Sorcerer(28): Great Charisma II, (CHA=25)
34: Sorcerer(29): Great Charisma III, (CHA=26)
35: Sorcerer(30)
36: Sorcerer(31): CHA+1, Great Charisma IV, (CHA=28)
37: Sorcerer(32): Great Charisma V, (CHA=29)
38: Sorcerer(33)
39: Sorcerer(34): Great Charisma VI, (CHA=30)
40: Sorcerer(35): CHA+1, Great Charisma VII, (CHA=32)

Hitpoints: 304
Skillpoints: 215
Saving Throws (Fortitude/Will/Reflex): 22/22/15
Saving Throw bonuses: Spells: +8
BAB: 21
AB (max, naked): 27 (melee), 20 (ranged)
AC (naked/mundane items only): 13/24
Spell Casting: Sorcerer(9)
Alignment Changes: 0

Concentration 43(45), Disable Trap 1(3), Discipline 24(27), Open Lock 1(0), Search 11(13), Set Trap 1(0), Spellcraft 38(40), Spot 21(20), Tumble 20(19)

01: Concentration(4), Disable Trap(1), Discipline(4), Open Lock(1), Search(1), Set Trap(1), Spot(2),
02: Concentration(1), Search(1), Spellcraft(2),
03: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(2), Spot(1),
04: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(2), Save(2),
05: Concentration(1), Spot(1), Save(4),
06: Concentration(1), Save(8),
07: Concentration(1), Spot(1), Tumble(5),
08: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(4),
09: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(2), Spot(1),
10: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(1), Save(3),
11: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(1), Spot(1), Save(4),
12: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(1), Save(7),
13: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(1), Spot(1), Save(8),
14: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(1), Save(11),
15: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(1), Spot(1), Save(12),
16: Concentration(1), Save(16),
17: Concentration(1), Spot(1), Tumble(5), Save(8),
18: Concentration(1), Save(12),
19: Concentration(1), Spot(1), Save(14),
20: Concentration(1), Save(18),
21: Concentration(1), Discipline(20), Spot(1),
22: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(4),
23: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(2), Spot(1),
24: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(3), Save(1),
25: Concentration(1), Search(1), Spellcraft(1), Spot(1),
26: Concentration(1), Search(1), Save(2),
27: Concentration(1), Spot(1), Save(4),
28: Concentration(1), Save(8),
29: Concentration(1), Spot(1), Tumble(5),
30: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(4),
31: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(2), Spot(1),
32: Concentration(1), Search(2),
33: Concentration(1), Search(1), Spot(1),
34: Concentration(1), Search(2),
35: Concentration(1), Search(1), Spot(1),
36: Concentration(1), Search(1), Spellcraft(2),
37: Concentration(1), Spellcraft(2), Spot(1),
38: Concentration(1), Save(4),
39: Concentration(1), Spot(1), Save(6),
40: Concentration(1), Tumble(5),

Spell list (at 40):

Epic Spells: Epic Mage Armor, Epic Warding
Level 9: Time Stop, Mordenkainen’s Disjunction, either Wail of the Banshee or Summon IX (depending on environment)
Level 8: Greater Sanctuary, Horrid Wilting, Sunburst (or Summon XIII, depending on environment)
Level 7: Shadow Shield, Bigby’s Grasping Hand, Spell Mantle (or Finger of Death, or Summon XII)
Level 6: Issac’s Greater Missile Storm, Bigby’s Forceful Hand, Mass Haste
Level 5: Mestil’s Acid Sheath, Firebrand, Lesser Mind Blank, Hold Monster
Level 4: Elemental Shield, Improved Invisibility, Ice Storm, Evard’s Black Tentacles / Lesser Spell Breach
Level 3: Haste, Flame Arrow, Stinking Cloud, Greater Magic Weapon
Level 2: Darkness, Ultravision, Flame Weapon, Bull’s Strength, Endurance
Level 1: Mage Armor, Protection versus Alignment, True Strike, Grease, Color Spray

[Aquarius]

I really like him!

The third level of cleric has been taken only to have +1 AB, right?

[Orion]

Hi Aquarius! Thanks for commenting!

Yes you are correct, the third level of cleric is to obtain 11 BAB  pre-epic (21 BAB lvl 40) and the third attack (four with haste), and shift the Fighter 2 bonus feat to Epics (I take Epic Weapon Focus with it) so I can get space for Epic Mage Armor + Cha 32.

It is very very fun to cast Bigby’s Forceful Hand to disable an enemy on the ground, then use divine might/haste, and hit em with divine damage from a greatsword 🙂

[quickbeam]

Definitely a cool build but you need at least 11 wisdom to take any cleric levels.

[Orion]

Hello and welcome quickbeam! Thanks for commenting.

For the PC version of NWN, a cleric level can be taken with less than 11 Wisdom. The condition is it cannot be the first level of the character, but if it is taken as the second level or onwards it is possible. This has been true for about 15+ years (ie Diamond Edition).

However I have read reports from Reddit that for Beamdog’s new versions on Mobile, Playstation/XBox/Switch Wisdom 11 is required.

[TheBigX]

As someone that struggles with “Caster builds”, I have had a lot of fun with this one. I was even able to find a tower shield with 0% spell failure, so I was able to pick up an extra 8 AC.

[Author]

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