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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Dec 2013 : 08:33:56
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Alright so here is the situation: I want to test character builds before I get back into the game. And one particular type I have loved for many ages is: The Witchhunter archetype. Unfortunately, it's not so much a class from what I understand. I was wondering if it was a good idea, and if so would it be wise to use an elf? I am quite keen on the race so I'd prefer to keep it that way. Half-elf at the very least. What would be the best build for this type?
Thanks everyone, for any input!
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" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
Edited by - Alruane on 01 Dec 2013 10:13:47
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11993 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2013 : 08:57:41
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| what edition are you playing? I ask because in 3.5 there are actual witchhunter classes, but they may not really match up to your idea in your head, etc... such as the witchslayer from Tome of Magic who hunts down people who share their spirit shell with another soul (like binders, beings possessed, etc...)... and the witch hunter from oriental adventures who hunts down "spirit beings" as defined in the Orient... and the witchborn binder from Tome of Magic who hunts down arcane casters |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2013 : 09:28:49
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
what edition are you playing? I ask because in 3.5 there are actual witchhunter classes, but they may not really match up to your idea in your head, etc... such as the witchslayer from Tome of Magic who hunts down people who share their spirit shell with another soul (like binders, beings possessed, etc...)... and the witch hunter from oriental adventures who hunts down "spirit beings" as defined in the Orient... and the witchborn binder from Tome of Magic who hunts down arcane casters
Still debating really, most likely whichever gives me the class I want most. Witchborn binder sounds good, if the archer aspect is still within the class. Basically an arcane user that hunts down magic users and others, as well as using a bow. |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2473 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2013 : 11:20:06
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Red Wizard.  |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 01 Dec 2013 : 12:28:39
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Red Wizard?  |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4460 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 05:30:47
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I'm reminded of a Prestige Class called the Occult Slayer from Complete Warrior that has the ability to reflect spells back upon the caster. Coupled with a feat called Mage Slayer Complete Arcane, a warrior who gets into melee quickly against a spellcaster has a decent chance of killing them fast and having their spells fail or be reflected back upon them.
Further, there was also a Prestige Class from Oriental Adventures called the Witch Slayer (found HERE that might also work for you.
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Diffan's NPG Generator: FR NPC Generator |
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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 05:51:12
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| I'd suggest trying to get your hands on a copy of the excellent 2e tome The Complete Book of Necromancers. One of my most favorite source books. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
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Edited by - Fellfire on 02 Dec 2013 05:52:04 |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 06:33:25
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
I'm reminded of a Prestige Class called the Occult Slayer from Complete Warrior that has the ability to reflect spells back upon the caster. Coupled with a feat called Mage Slayer Complete Arcane, a warrior who gets into melee quickly against a spellcaster has a decent chance of killing them fast and having their spells fail or be reflected back upon them.
Further, there was also a Prestige Class from Oriental Adventures called the Witch Slayer (found HERE that might also work for you.
Well see, what I am trying to go for is a ranged magic user/hunter mix. I have never encountered them much in this game, if at all. I love the class on other none realms games. I just wanted to see if I could get the build regardless. So far it's mostly battlemage types, but thank you.  |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 06:33:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire
I'd suggest trying to get your hands on a copy of the excellent 2e tome The Complete Book of Necromancers. One of my most favorite source books.
May do so, thank you Fellfire! |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11993 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 07:41:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Alruane
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
I'm reminded of a Prestige Class called the Occult Slayer from Complete Warrior that has the ability to reflect spells back upon the caster. Coupled with a feat called Mage Slayer Complete Arcane, a warrior who gets into melee quickly against a spellcaster has a decent chance of killing them fast and having their spells fail or be reflected back upon them.
Further, there was also a Prestige Class from Oriental Adventures called the Witch Slayer (found HERE that might also work for you.
Well see, what I am trying to go for is a ranged magic user/hunter mix. I have never encountered them much in this game, if at all. I love the class on other none realms games. I just wanted to see if I could get the build regardless. So far it's mostly battlemage types, but thank you.
It sounds as though you're struggling with a build that I always struggled with building as well in third edition. Basically, you're looking for someone who can combat magic with magic, combat magic with physical combat (either ranged and/or melee), and you have the tracking abilities of a ranger in order to be able to fall back on them to find someone whenever magic fails you. Meanwhile you have few feats available to spend, and you need saves that prevent you from being immediately knocked out of the fight.
First off, the mage slayer feat... if what I guessed above is of your interest... sounds great until you read its special effects which states that it also lowers your caster level by four.
Your best build for this type of character in 3e is probably going to be a battlemage/gish. So, basically, a level or two of some fighter class (either fighter for the feat and better armor, ranger for the 2 weapon, skills, and tracking, or paladin for the better armor and saves), then enough levels in your chosen arcane casting class (likely wizard) to enter eldritch knight/abjurant champion/spellsword or some other combination. From there, you build on the bonuses you got from your warrior class with magic items (i.e. went pally and got divine grace, build charisma... took ranger, get items with skill bonuses that stack).
There's obviously a ton of other classes and prestige classes. It all depends on what particular focus you want to give.
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Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 07:49:00
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Alruane
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
I'm reminded of a Prestige Class called the Occult Slayer from Complete Warrior that has the ability to reflect spells back upon the caster. Coupled with a feat called Mage Slayer Complete Arcane, a warrior who gets into melee quickly against a spellcaster has a decent chance of killing them fast and having their spells fail or be reflected back upon them.
Further, there was also a Prestige Class from Oriental Adventures called the Witch Slayer (found HERE that might also work for you.
Well see, what I am trying to go for is a ranged magic user/hunter mix. I have never encountered them much in this game, if at all. I love the class on other none realms games. I just wanted to see if I could get the build regardless. So far it's mostly battlemage types, but thank you.
It sounds as though you're struggling with a build that I always struggled with building as well in third edition. Basically, you're looking for someone who can combat magic with magic, combat magic with physical combat (either ranged and/or melee), and you have the tracking abilities of a ranger in order to be able to fall back on them to find someone whenever magic fails you. Meanwhile you have few feats available to spend, and you need saves that prevent you from being immediately knocked out of the fight.
First off, the mage slayer feat... if what I guessed above is of your interest... sounds great until you read its special effects which states that it also lowers your caster level by four.
Your best build for this type of character in 3e is probably going to be a battlemage/gish. So, basically, a level or two of some fighter class (either fighter for the feat and better armor, ranger for the 2 weapon, skills, and tracking, or paladin for the better armor and saves), then enough levels in your chosen arcane casting class (likely wizard) to enter eldritch knight/abjurant champion/spellsword or some other combination. From there, you build on the bonuses you got from your warrior class with magic items (i.e. went pally and got divine grace, build charisma... took ranger, get items with skill bonuses that stack).
There's obviously a ton of other classes and prestige classes. It all depends on what particular focus you want to give.
you've hit the nail literally on the head. I wanted a ranger, whom uses magic to make his archery more deadly, as well as minor help to his defenses against magic. But with the ability, at least, to dispel and fight magic. A traditional Witchhunter in my eyes. But I think I may have to combo up quite a bit to have the build I need. My main focus is ranged, AND THEN magic defenses, dispels, and magical archery bonus if possible. Hard thing to get, I know. But it's the build I want most. All of that to encompass an elven character, half elven at the very least. |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4460 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 16:18:24
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| Sounds like you want to be an Arcane Archer (Ranger/Wizard or Ranger/Sorcerer or even Ranger/Warmage). The Prestige Class has a requirement that you must be elven, so there is that. And you can infuse your arrows with magical properties. |
Diffan's NPG Generator: FR NPC Generator |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 17:34:05
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
Sounds like you want to be an Arcane Archer (Ranger/Wizard or Ranger/Sorcerer or even Ranger/Warmage). The Prestige Class has a requirement that you must be elven, so there is that. And you can infuse your arrows with magical properties.
That sounds, quite honestly, perfect! That is EXACTLY what I want, and it requires you to be elven. Thank you, Diffan! Great help with this one ! |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11993 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 17:41:36
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| You could do arcane archer, but its basically to build an archer build. It doesn't really give the ability to combat magic with magic. Your best build is going to be eldritch knight combined with either ranger/wizard or sorcerer or warmage or bard. Going the bard path also gets you healing, but with the limited number of spells. Personally, not my preference, but it works for some. There's also some fighter/bard builds out there that might be worth looking at. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 17:45:02
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
You could do arcane archer, but its basically to build an archer build. It doesn't really give the ability to combat magic with magic. Your best build is going to be eldritch knight combined with either ranger/wizard or sorcerer or warmage or bard. Going the bard path also gets you healing, but with the limited number of spells. Personally, not my preference, but it works for some. There's also some fighter/bard builds out there that might be worth looking at.
The thing is, I'd go that route to if I had to. But specifically, dispels and magic defense were secondary to being a ranged user that powers his skill with magic. So I would be willing to sacrifice the minors for the majors. which would be an elven character using a bow and magic to power it further. As opposed to an off beat of what I wanted leading to a totally different style or build. |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11993 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 18:36:33
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| Scratch the bard on the previous, you can't do the trick of spellsword easily before eldritch knight, plus there's no advantage to doing so. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 02 Dec 2013 : 19:45:22
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quote:
Originally posted by SirUrza
If you're using the pathfinder rules, the Inquisitor would make an excellent class choice, there's even an archetype feature for witch hunting inquisitors.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/inquisitor/archetypes/paizo---inquisitor-archetypes/witch-hunter
That to would fit then, since I was going to use Pathfinder when possible. Or find other players using those rules, I favored them more so than others. But that's a good idea, thanks fellow sage.  |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2013 : 06:09:01
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| Check the Scout class from Complete Adventurer. Not much in the way of magic, but a peerless ranged combatant. |
Misanthorpe
Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.
"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises
Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2013 : 12:05:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire
Check the Scout class from Complete Adventurer. Not much in the way of magic, but a peerless ranged combatant.
I suppose I could, if all else fails I can just fall back on pure ranged. After all, this character was meant for that. I just wanted to develop him into an Arcane Ranger of some type. A witchhunter, because that was combining my two favored classes. Er rather, my two favortie types of kits: Mage and Ranger. |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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SirUrza
Master of Realmslore
USA
1283 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2013 : 19:31:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Alruane
quote:
Originally posted by SirUrza
If you're using the pathfinder rules, the Inquisitor would make an excellent class choice, there's even an archetype feature for witch hunting inquisitors.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/inquisitor/archetypes/paizo---inquisitor-archetypes/witch-hunter
That to would fit then, since I was going to use Pathfinder when possible. Or find other players using those rules, I favored them more so than others. But that's a good idea, thanks fellow sage.
No problem, I love the archetype system paizo has going and wish they'd do a book full of them. |
"Evil prevails when good men fail to act."
The original and unapologetic Arilyn, Aribeth, Seoni Fanboy. |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 03 Dec 2013 : 19:38:48
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| I'm surprised they haven't yet, honestly. |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Alruane
Senior Scribe
USA
434 Posts |
Posted - 10 Dec 2013 : 10:58:37
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| Well it's decided, I shall use Pathfinder and keep it simple for my first character. Elven Wizard, then after I gain more experience with this one I'll make my Witchhunter, thank you everyone! |
" I wonder if you are destined to be forgotten. Will your life fade in the shadow of greater beings?"
~Joneleth Irenicus
"Wisdom? My dear boy, wisdom is knowing that you do not know everything. Wisdom is realizing, a wise man ALWAYS has questions. Not answers."
~Alruane |
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Witchhunter Character Build?
