Argent Champion (3.5e Optimized Character Build)

Author: T.G. Oskar (talk) Date Created: July 7th, 2012 Status: Incomplete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Introduction

It's well known that Abjurant Champion is THE best tool for a gish build. With full BAB and full spellcasting progression, as well as all class abilities it grants that improve Abjuration spells, it makes for a phenomenal defensive warrior. One of its main tricks is to boost the benefit of very specific spells (namely, Abjuration spells that grant armor or shield AC) based on its class level. A Good character has access to Luminous Armor (and its better counterpart, Greater Luminous Armor), which gets boosted as a result of Abjurant Champion and that can be learned by Wizards, though not without some penalties (because of the sanctified penalties).

But, what happens when you can't (or don't want to) be Good-aligned? Mage Armor (and better spells) are explicitly denied, if only because Mage Armor is a conjuration spell. There's another PrC that's short and sweet, grants a decent amount of spellcasting (4/5), and explicitly boosts the AC granted by force spells: Argent Savant. Of course, the main problem is to qualify for both, as Abjurant Champion requires a BAB of 5 and Argent Savant requires having 5th level spellcasting (making it a class to get after 10th level or higher). With poor BAB, how can we make this get as close as full BAB, get a decent amount of spellcasting, and take advantage of high AC AND the best kind of damage in the game (namely, Force damage)?

This build is a variant of the Arcane Warrior build, replacing some of the granted stuff to gain access to Argent Savant.

References

Complete Arcane
Complete Mage
Complete Warrior

Game Rule Components

Progression

Starting Ability Scores (Before Racial Adjustments): Str 13, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 16 (28-pt. buy); Str 14, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 16 (32-pt. buy)

Race (Templates): Any one without penalties to Strength, Constitution or Charisma, preferably with bonuses on it. Templates with +1 LA are also welcome if you're willing to sacrifice one attack.

Starting Racial Traits: Based on chosen race.

ECL	Class/HD/LA	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Feats	Class Features	Spells per day
			Fort	Ref	Will
1st	Battle Sorcerer 1	+0	+0	+0	+2	Combat Expertise	Immediate metamagicPHB2	4/2
2nd	Battle Sorcerer 2	+1	+0	+0	+3	—	—	5/3
3rd	Battle Sorcerer 3	+2	+1	+1	+3	Combat Casting	—	5/4
4th	Battle Sorcerer 4	+3	+1	+1	+4	—	—	5/5/2
5th	Fighter 4	+4	+3	+1	+4	Improved Trip	—	5/5/2*
6th	Spellsword 1	+5	+5	+1	+6	Blade of ForceCM	Ignore spell failure 10%	5/5/3
7th	Abjurant Champion 1	+6/+1	+6	+1	+7	—	Abjurant armor, extended abjuration	5/5/4/2
8th	Abjurant Champion 2	+7/+2	+7	+1	+8	—	Swift abjuration	5/5/5/3
9th	Abjurant Champion 3	+8/+3	+7	+2	+8	Invisible NeedleCM	—	5/5/5/4/2
10th	Abjurant Champion 4	+9/+4	+8	+2	+9	—	Arcane boost	5/5/5/5/3
11th	Abjurant Champion 5	+10/+5	+8	+2	+9	—	Martial arcanist	5/5/5/5/4/2
12th	Eldritch Knight 1	+11/+6/+1	+10	+2	+9	Extra Spell (polymorph), Power Attack	—	5/5/5/5/4/2*
13th	Eldritch Knight 2	+12/+7/+2	+11	+2	+9	—	—	5/5/5/5/5/3
14th	Argent Savant 1	+12/+7/+2	+11	+2	+11	—	Force specialization	5/5/5/5/5/3*
15th	Argent Savant 2	+13/+8/+3	+11	+2	+12	Practiced Spellcaster (Battle Sorcerer)	Force armor	5/5/5/5/5/4/2
16th	Argent Savant 3	+13/+8/+3	+12	+3	+12	—	Extended force	5/5/5/5/5/5/3
17th	Argent Savant 4	+14/+9/+4	+12	+3	+12	—	Ablate force	5/5/5/5/5/5/4/2
18th	Argent Savant 5	+14/+9/+4	+12	+3	+13	Minor ShapeshiftCM	Unbind force	5/5/5/5/5/5/5/3
19th	Eldritch Knight 3	+15/+10/+5	+12	+4	+14	—	—	5/5/5/5/5/5/5/4/2
20th	Eldritch Knight 4	+16/+11/+6/+1	+13	+4	+14	—	—	5/5/5/5/5/5/5/5/3

Spells

At 20th level:
0--choose any 8

1st--enlarge person, magic missile, nerveskitter^SpC, shield

2nd--alter self, heroics^SpC, scintillating scales^SpC, wings of cover^RotD, 1 more

3rd--chain missile^SpC, displacement, greater mage armor^SpC, repelling shield^CM

4th--polymorph (via Extra Spell), ray deflection^SpC, thunderlance^SpC, wings of flurry^RotD

5th--greater blink^SpC, reciprocal gyre^SpC, shard storm^SpC

6th--greater dispel magic, superior resistance^SpC

7th--bite of the werebear^SpC, Mordenkainen's sword

8th--mind blank

Highlights

The Argent Champion relies on a series of things: Abjurant Champion provides a needed boost to abjuration spells and provides a way to expend spells for greater effort, alongside full BAB and spellcasting ability. On the other hand, Argent Savant is used to exploit a great deal of force spells, from boosting Shield and Mage Armor, to dealing extra bits of damage with Thunderlance, Shard Storm, Chain Missile, Mordenkainen's Sword and Wings of Flurry, and providing a second extension to spells, this time to those with the [Force] descriptor.

Tactics

Ideally, the way to go is starting the day with Greater Mage Armor (or Mage Armor during the first few levels, after which it may be replaced with a spell of your choice), being the longest-lasting buff in your arsenal. The first turn in the round should be spent casting Shield (or Repelling Shield after getting 5 levels of Abjurant Champion) as a swift action, then choosing which other spell to cast. If given enough time, casting Alter Self as a standard action should be a secondary priority; if using Alter Self for a high NA form, consider casting Scintillating Scales as a swift action, which makes that NA apply as a deflection bonus (with a Troglodyte or Crucian, that's a +6/+8 to AC that applies in all cases). Likewise, Ray Deflection makes you immune to any ranged touch attack, which saves you from various dangerous spells such as Enervation, and the extension via Abjurant Champion makes it doubly good. Thunderlance should be pre-cast before battle, likely during the first round of action; because of the bonus provided by Extend Force and the Reserve feats, Thunderlance will have a +2 bonus to dispel protective force effects and a +6 against dispelling, plus a 20 ft. reach which can be exploited with Improved Trip (particularly after Bite of the Werebear and Enlarge Person are cast). Once a few buffs are in play, you can choose to set yourself in a nice area and blast away with Wings of Flurry, cast Shard Storm and then keep every enemy near you (with that 20 ft. reach, potentially extended to 25 ft. alongside Enlarge Person), you can keep everyone taking damage from both your spell and your attacks. Mordenkainen's sword should be your second or third round spell, right after you keep enemies on the ground because of the huge threat range, to add even more damage.

Further Optimization

<- Take it to the next level ->

Side Notes

<- overview of additional info about this build ->

Limitations

While the bulk of the build is comprised of SRD + Completes + Spell Compendium, some stuff from Races of the Dragon also kick in. Losing that means both little (you only lose 2 spells) and a lot (being those spells lost Wings of Cover and Wings of Flurry) at the same time. Likewise, compared to the Arcane Warrior build, the build loses 9th level spells and uses a variant such as Battle Sorcerer which sacrifices 1 spell slot and 1 spell of each level to grant a higher amount of HP and BAB, so its spellcasting potential is limited. Ideally, the addition of Argent Savant deals with some of that loss.

Variants

• Much like the Arcane Warrior build, part of the build can be replaced. A Wizard (particularly an Abjurer, if using the Unearthed Arcana variants) coupled with 2 levels of Warblade nets a few maneuvers (such as Action without Thought, for that poor Reflex save), with a side dish of various traits. Coupling, for example, the ability to replace Scribe Scroll for a Fighter bonus feat (thus netting Combat Expertise freely), the ability to spontaneously cast (Greater) Dispel Magic, and something to replace the familiar makes for a surprisingly good build.
• If on the Eberron campaign setting, Knight Phantom can replace Eldritch Knight. Most likely, this means replacing one spell for Phantom Steed, and the decision to replace a few levels to get the 4th and 7th level benefits.
• If deciding to go a bit further, you may replace one of the reserve feats and become human to gain the Draconic Heritage feat. Choosing the Force (or Tarterian) dragon and Draconic Power adds a +1 to your CL and +1 to the save DC of your force spells, yet another boost to your main method of spellcasting (though the loss of a +1 to CL can hurt if replacing Blade of Force or Minor Shapeshift). With some shifting (losing Reciprocal Gyre, Extra Spell, Minor Shapeshift and 1 more feat) towards draconic feats, you can get Draconic Legacy and the spells associated with those (which means having Shield essentially for free to replace a 1st level spell, plus either Blur or Freedom of Movement). Going Tarterian dragon grants Escape Artist as a class skill, meaning synergy with Shadow Form (from Spell Compendium). If using a dragonblooded race, the first level of Dragonblooded Sorcerer can help immensely in saving one feat for Draconic Heritage.
• You can use the core Sorcerer if you wish. You'll need to fit an extra level of Sorcerer or Fighter to pull through (thus, one less level of Eldritch Knight and hence no 16 BAB), but if done so, you get your full spellcasting potential in exchange (one spell of each level, plus one spell known of each level).

Miscellaneous

<- Any other side notes that don't fit in the above sections. ->

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