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[Basher of Glory]

After two years or so I finally restarted my SoZ.

Trying out many different party setups and builds, I still don't really know - respectively remember - the meaning of some feats.

The first one would be "practiced spellcaster x (ps x)".

I understand that this makes sense, when I go from ...let's say... wizard to fighter or any other class. But what about a wizard, who was a rogue before and now becomes an arcane trickster (AT)? The AT gets spells like a wizard would get, so would it make sense to waste one feat for ps x?

One prestige class I never played is the Dragon disciple (DD). Now I finally want to try it. My current bard will qualify the next level. Would it be good to take the practiced spellcaster bard?
What, if I want to turn my bard, after she made all DD-levels, to a sorc and leave her at that class? Will the power of her songs and auras be weaker than those of a bard of the same level? Or does the "practiced spellcaster bard" even that out, too?

Thanks in advance for all replies. I really hope, someone reads these boards now and then

[Arkalezth]

Practiced spellcaster adds (or is supposed to; I'll explain below) 4 caster levels up to your character level, so it's useful for pretty much any caster who has multiclassed. For instance, say that you're playing a wizard 10/fighter 4. You character level would be 14 with PS, and 10 without. If it was a wizard 10/fighter 2, your caster level would be only 12 with PS, since it cannot be higher than your hit dice.

NOW, PS is bugged and can actually increase your caster level beyond your hit dice if you have a prestige class that advances spellcasting. A wizard 5/arcane scholar 5 should have a caster level of 10 with or without PS, but in practice, it'd have 14 with it.

So in short, PS is useful if you multiclass in general (at least for a few levels; it may not be worth it if you only multiclass for a single one) or if you take a prestige class that advances spellcasting. PS only affects things like spell power and duration, so your bard wouldn't get more spells or better songs, as those are not exactly spells.

If you want to get all the bardic stuff (spells, songs, etc.) it's better to stay pure or almost pure, as multiclassing borks that. DD requires bard or sorcerer, but it's a melee class with no spellcasting. Also, mixing caster classes (like your bard/sorc example) is usually a bad idea and tends to end up being weak at both.

I hope I've been clear enough. Let me know if you have any question.

PS: Why don't you just create a new account with the correct name?

[Basher of Glory]

Well, I asked EA-support and they told me, that it is impossible to link all the content and whatnot to a new account. After all these years now... I don't bother any more

I understood, that my bard should stay bard as spellcaster.

And if I understood correctly, the arcane trickster could compensate to a certain degree the 5 levels of rogue by taking PS, so that spell dc would be better in the end than without PS, right?

BTW, I also have my problems with "spellcraft". Many prestige classes (PCs) require that skill on a certain level. I see, too, that it might be a small advantage if my casters can identify spells. Additionally they get a chance to resist spells, but TBH, I don't see many spellcasters on enemy's side to cast "resistable" spells.
Either they fiddle around with cantris or very low level spells, which don't harm that much or they cast the heavy stuff.

So, is it really worth to raise that skill beyond a level which is required for a PC? If I do not have the intention to take a PC for a caster, MUST I have it at all?

Modifié par Baher of Glory, 16 janvier 2014 - 11:23 .

[Arkalezth]

Baher of Glory wrote...
I understood, that my bard should stay bard as spellcaster.

Bards are better of buffing and fighting in melee than casting offensively, but generally speaking, the more levels of bard, the better. I'm not going into details, but let's just say it's one of those classes that benefits from staying pure or with little multiclassing.

And if I understood correctly, the arcane trickster could compensate to a certain degree the 5 levels of rogue by taking PS, so that spell dc would be better in the end than without PS, right?

Firstly, 3 rogue levels are enough to qualify for AT. Caster level (and hence, nor PS) doesn't increase DC, except in epic, at caster level 23 and every 3 levels after. Since this is the SOZ forum, I'm going to assume that you are going to play SOZ and not reach epic levels.

BTW, I also have my problems with "spellcraft". Many prestige classes (PCs) require that skill on a certain level. I see, too, that it might be a small advantage if my casters can identify spells. Additionally they get a chance to resist spells, but TBH, I don't see many spellcasters on enemy's side to cast "resistable" spells.
Either they fiddle around with cantris or very low level spells, which don't harm that much or they cast the heavy stuff.

So, is it really worth to raise that skill beyond a level which is required for a PC? If I do not have the intention to take a PC for a caster, MUST I have it at all?

Well, spellcraft basically increases saving throws. I don't know what casters have you faced so far, but casters often are the most dangerous enemy types, so some spellcraft, or max ranks if you can spare the points, is advisable, though not a necessity.

Spellcraft is typically one of the "power skills" since it gives combat bonuses, like tumble, which gives 1 AC for every 10 ranks. But sometimes you may prefer having some different skills.

[Tchos]

Spellcraft is also a skill that is often used in conversations to open up certain dialogues, and it's a pretty good way for a script to check whether a particular character is a magic-user of some kind.

[Dann-J]

Spellcraft would have been more useful if the game supported counterspelling, since it also allows you to identify the spell an enemy is about to cast at you.

Modifié par DannJ, 17 janvier 2014 - 12:55 .

[Basher of Glory]

Ok, I see.

My casters have all some points in spellcraft; I was just a bit uncertain, if this is a skill to max like tumble, bluff or parry.

[Tchos]

I might not be the best one to ask, since I rarely optimise, but I almost never max out my spellcrafting. I keep a good amount of it building up, but I'll sacrifice some points from it every couple of levels to get other skills.

[Arkalezth]

It's not a skill you need to max in order to be effective, as every 5 ranks give you a bonus, but it's a good skill to invest in heavily if you have room for it. Same for tumble, but every 10 ranks, not 5.

Parry is a skill you should max if you want to use it... but I wouldn't suggest to use it in general. Not meaning to start another debate about parry because it's been already discussed to death.

[Basher of Glory]

Hmm.... I remember the "parry-discussion" ... didn't it start with NWN 1?
Could you give me some pointers, why it is STILL considered to be broken?

[Arkalezth]

It's bugged and you can only parry 3 attacks per round. Also, it requires enemies to attack you first, and having enemies focus on YOU and ignore other party members may be hard.

Some people like to have it and use it every now and then. If you have skill points to spare, you can give it a try.

[Basher of Glory]

Normally I max it for a duelist, otherwise I spend points if there is nothing else.