Getting a shadowcaster/warlock theurge to work by RAW

[LoneWolf6155]

Hi, I'm trying to get a build to work in Hero Lab, but I have run into several problems.

1. I cannot get Shadowcaster to work with Mystic Theurge. Hero Lab keeps giving me a message saying that I need to have the ability to cast 2nd lvl divine spells.

2. It seems that only the warlock specific prestige classes progress Eldritch Blast, but when Warlock is selected for a magic level it will advance invocations.

3. I'm trying to add the feat Precocious Apprentice from Complete Arcane, but I absolutely suck at coding for Hero Lab and have no idea what I'm doing. The feat is supposed to speed up my qualifications.

Here is my build:

Sorcerer 1/Warlock 1//Shadowcaster 3/Noctumancer 10/Mystic Theurge 5

I will post the rules that make this legal in the next post.

BTW, is there any way to change my profile name? It's something I've been using since before Hero Lab and I wasn't thinking when I picked it. Since it's Lone Wolf Development, I think it's too close to sounding official.

[LoneWolf6155]

CA pg. 18

Warlocks benefit in a specific way from prestige classes that have “+1 level of existing arcane spellcasting class” or “+1 level of existing spellcasting class” as a level advancement benefit. A warlock taking levels in such a prestige class does not gain any of his class abilities, but he does gain an increased caster level when using his invocations and increased damage with his eldritch blast. Levels of prestige classes that provide +1 level of spellcasting effectively stack with the warlock’s level to determine his eldritch blast damage (treat his combined caster level as his warlock class level when looking at Table 1–1: The Warlock to determine eldritch blast damage) and his eldritch blast caster level (half his total caster level from his warlock levels and his levels in the prestige class that grant him an increased spellcasting level). A warlock also gains new invocations known at these prestige class levels as though he had gained a levelin the warlock class.


ToM pg. 117

A caster level requirement where the type (arcane or divine) is specified. Exception: Shadowcasters can qualify for the mystic theurge prestige class (DMG 192). In order to do so, they are allowed to substitute the ability to cast 2nd-level mysteries for the ability to cast 2nd-level spells.


CA pg. 181 Precocious Apprentice

arcane caster level 1st, Spellcasting ability (Int or Cha) 15,

Choose one 2nd-level spell from a school of magic you have access to. You gain an extra 2nd-level spell slot that must be used initially to cast only the chosen spell. Until your level is high enough to allow you to cast 2nd-level spells, you must succeed on a DC 8 caster level check to successfully cast this spell; if you fail, the spell is miscast to no effect. Your caster level with the chosen spell is your normal caster level, even if this level is insufficient to cast the spell under normal circumstances. When you become able to cast 2nd-level spells, you lose the benefit described above but retain the extra 2nd-level spell slot, which you can use to prepare or spontaneously cast a spell of 2nd level or lower as you normally would. Finally, you gain a +2 bonus on all Spellcraft checks.

You can take this feat only as a 1st-level character.

[Sendric]

Overall, I'd say we have a couple of bugs here that I will look into getting fixed.

On the surface, Precocious Apprentice sounds incredibly difficult to implement, if it's possible at all. I will look into it.

Update #1: Eldritch Blast will now improve with PrC's that improve spellcasting.

Update #2: Mystic Theurge now allows Shadowcaster to qualify for either arcane or divine spellcasting provided that the character already qualifies for at least one of these.

[LoneWolf6155]

Thanks, that was quick.

[Sendric]

No problem.

Update #3: I've implemented Precocious Apprentice. There is a snag, however. I can't figure out how to make the character qualify for being able to cast 2nd-level spells but not 1st-level spells in the event the character is in this situation.

For example, if a Bard takes this feat, they can cast 0-level spells, and a single 2nd-level spell. However, they cannot cast 1st-level spells, but with this feat they will qualify for all feats/PrC's that require the ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells. I think the only way to fix this is to go through everything that requires 1st-level spells and change how the pre-req works, but that's a task I'm not really up for doing, so we may just have to live with it unless someone comes up with a better idea.

[LoneWolf6155]

That sounds fine for me, besides it sounds like the feat was for full spellcasters anyway. Now I just need to create one of the most awesome, and definitely the most "emo" character in D&D history.

[Sendric]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf6155

That sounds fine for me, besides it sounds like the feat was for full spellcasters anyway. Now I just need to create one of the most awesome, and definitely the most "emo" character in D&D history.

These implementations will be available with the next release, which should be soon but I can't predict it with any real accuracy as it relies on something out of my control.

[LoneWolf6155]

Oh, I know. I'm just impressed with how quickly you made the fixes for the next release.