It bears repeating.
Using Elemental Spell feat does NOT change the spell descriptor.
If you are a Orc/Dranconic (fire) Sorcerer who gets +2 damage per die on fire spells, you still get the full bonus of you Elemental Spell it into another element.
It does not lose the fire descriptor.
Apparently Spell Perfection can be a little confusing. This is how it works:
Spell Perfection
You are unequaled at the casting of one particular spell.
Prerequisites: Spellcraft 15 ranks, at least three metamagic feats.
Benefit: Pick one spell which you have the ability to cast. Whenever you cast that spell you may apply any one metamagic feat you have to that spell without affecting its level or casting time, as long as the total modified level of the spell does not use a spell slot above 9th level. In addition, if you have other feats which allow you to apply a set numerical bonus to any aspect of this spell (such as Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Weapon Focus [ray], and so on), double the bonus granted by that feat when applied to this spell.
So yes, metamagic can be doubled by this effect, since it is a feat.
HOWEVER, this only applies to set numerical bonuses. Thus Empower and Maximize do no work with this doubling. Neither does Piercing Spell, unfortunately, because of the way it is written.
Piercing Spell (Metamagic)
Your studies have helped you develop methods to overcome spell resistance.
Benefit: When you cast a piercing spell against a target with spell resistance, it treats the spell resistance of the target as 5 lower than its actual SR. A piercing spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.
...that is not a set numerical bonus, like Spell Focus or Spell Penetration. If it were worded like: "You get a +5 bonus on caster level checks made to overcome a creature's spell resistance." Then yes, it would double.
However, Focused Spell should work.
Focused Spell (Metamagic)
When you cast a spell that affects more than one creature, one opponent finds it more difficult to resist.
Benefit: When casting a spell that affects or targets more than one creature, you can choose one target or creature within the spell effect. That creature's saving throw DC to resist the spell is increased by +2. You must choose which target to focus the spell on before casting the spell. A focused spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level.
Spells that do not require a saving throw to resist or lessen the spell's effect do not benefit from this feat.
...as that is a set numerical bonus.
What about energized spell, then? Increases the caster level damage cap by 5 seems pretty solid to me. It would mean you could get a Fireball's damage cap to 20 instead of 15.
==Aelryinth
You need to look at the specific wording of the rule. What does it literally say?
whoops, meant Intensified spell.
Looks like a fixed bonus to me. Damage that is increased by 5 levels is pretty static...but me being who I am, I'd call the dice 'variable damage' instead of a fixed effect, and likely disallow it.
==Aelryinth
It's actually 5 caster levels, not 5 dice. Magic missile, for instance, only goes up by +2 dice.
==Aelryinth
It's actually 5 caster levels, not 5 dice. Magic missile, for instance, only goes up by +2 dice.
==Aelryinth
Actually, in Pathfinder, intensified Magic Missile does nothing.
The feat gives you "An intensified spell increases the maximum number of damage dice by 5 levels". Magic missile does NOT increase damage by level, it increase *number of missiles by level*. Intensified Magic Missile does nothing, just like Intensified Scorching ray, or Intensified Mirror Image
Time for a new guide, this one for the Blockbuster Wizard: https://www.dropbox.com/s/5t2af1cwekhnrkj/BlockWiz.pdf
Oh, I'm trying out Dropbox.com instead of Google Docs - I'm running into issues with them destroying the quality of images embedded in PDFs. Please let me know how good/bad the document quality is for you. If it's suitable, I may start storing my guides in Dropbox instead of Google.
Thanks for the great work on the guide. You hit the mark.
Is it worth while to make Burning Hands scrolls at low level? I know that a wand of Burning Hands wouldn't get all these bonuses from class and feats, but would scrolls?
No, they don't benefit either sadly. Also, Wands don't provoke attacks of opportunity, scrolls do.
Ooooo, that is a big shame. I'd love for a PC in my group to have a tube of Burning Hands scrolls and get all of his feat and class bonuses.
But then if scrolls provoke AoO then maybe I'll houserule that.
You can add bonuses to wands if you have the Staff-Like Wand Arcane Discovery, from Ultimate Magic.
It's actually 5 caster levels, not 5 dice. Magic missile, for instance, only goes up by +2 dice.
==Aelryinth
Actually, in Pathfinder, intensified Magic Missile does nothing.
The feat gives you "An intensified spell increases the maximum number of damage dice by 5 levels". Magic missile does NOT increase damage by level, it increase *number of missiles by level*. Intensified Magic Missile does nothing, just like Intensified Scorching ray, or Intensified Mirror Image
THat's been argued emphatically over and over, and basically it came down to that each missile is a die of damage, so the extra dice are creating missiles, not vice versa. After all, granting additional dice of damage doesn't load extra damage onto the same missile.
In the same way, it would work to create one extra Ray for Scorching Ray, as the increased damage cap allows another ray.
But I'm not going to get into a big argument over it. Play it as restricted as you like. Intensifed does not work well for either spell, regardless.
==Aelryinth
You can add bonuses to wands if you have the Staff-Like Wand Arcane Discovery, from Ultimate Magic.
Shame that player isn't talking about wizards, but I'll bring that up too! He is more of a sorcerer/oracle sort of guy.
THat's been argued emphatically over and over, and basically it came down to that each missile is a die of damage, so the extra dice are creating missiles, not vice versa. After all, granting additional dice of damage doesn't load extra damage onto the same missile.It's actually 5 caster levels, not 5 dice. Magic missile, for instance, only goes up by +2 dice.
==Aelryinth
Actually, in Pathfinder, intensified Magic Missile does nothing.
The feat gives you "An intensified spell increases the maximum number of damage dice by 5 levels". Magic missile does NOT increase damage by level, it increase *number of missiles by level*. Intensified Magic Missile does nothing, just like Intensified Scorching ray, or Intensified Mirror Image
Intensified specifically mention to increase dice of damage, and nothing else.
A magic missile with 7 missiles have other advantages besides doing 2 extra dice of damage. Like being able to hit 2 extra creatures, for example. A Dazing Toppling Intensified Magic Missile have more punch than a dazing toppling magic missile, because it hit extra targets. Intensify was reworded to specifically affect dice of damage, and nothing else than dice of damage, sadly.Not only that, but intensify specifically increase only *dice* of damage. Magic missiles do 1d4+1. Allowing 2 extra missiles mean 2d4+2 damage, while intensify only allow for the extra *dice*, thus 2d4, not 2d4+2
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This is the dumbest argument I've ever seen.Actually, this would be the dumbest argument I've ever seen, if it were an argument.
Of course intensified spell works with magic missile. Although I will admit that the feat reads very strangely.
Of course it does not. The feat wording was changed from 3.5, so it only increase the *dice of damage*. Period. You can't intensify a cure light wounds spell to get extra healing, you can't intensify mirror image to get extra images, you can't intensify Chain Lighting to hit extra targets, you can't intensify Greater Magic Weapon to get extra enhancement bonus, and you can't intensify Ball lighting to get extra balls.
For example: a 20th level character, with Varisian Tattoo, spell specialization, the gifted adept trait, and a +1 CL ioun stone has 25th caster level with Chain lighting. He only can hit 20 targets with 20d6. If he casts an intensified Chain Lightning, he can do 25d6 to those same 20 targets. Period. Intensify spell don't grant any other "per level" modifier, except *DICE* of damage.
In case you intensify a inflict light wounds, for example, which does 1d8+ 1/CL max +5, you don't get 1d8+10 damage at level 10, because inflict light wounds does not increase *dice of damage* per level. It increase a static modifier. Shocking grasp benefits from Intensify. Inflict light wounds does not.
So you can't intensify a magic missile to get extra missiles to shoot to extra targets to trip them with toppling spell or daze them with dazing spell. And you can't intensify a magic missile to shoot against a single target to get more damage either. Because Magic Missile does not grant "dice of damage" per level. It grants "missiles" per level, and you can't increase anything but "dice of damage"
Gustavo, they are one and the same in the case of magic missile. They are one and the same in the case of Scorching Ray. Trying to argue otherwise isn't really going to convince anyone who looks at the spell.
And oooooo, horrors, you can hit 2 more people for d4+1. That'll put a dent in 'em at 11th level, it will.
:) Just let it go. It's not worth arguing over, and trying to snarl fine points of language isn't going to convince anyone.
Sheesh, at one point the previous argument came down to it wouldn't work because the missiles were d4+1, and Intensify should only work on the d4!
Silliness.
===Aelryinth
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Gustavo, they are one and the same in the case of magic missile. They are one and the same in the case of Scorching Ray. Trying to argue otherwise isn't really going to convince anyone who looks at the spell.
They aren't. Extra rays allow for extra targets, and extra effects (like dazing or toppling). A Magic Missile doesn't even do a die of damage, it does a d4+1. Intensify CAN'T get extra targets, and thus can't get extra rays
And oooooo, horrors, you can hit 2 more people for d4+1. That'll put a dent in 'em at 11th level, it will.
It doesn't matter if it's underpowered or not. A intensified inflict light wounds would do, if possible to be cast, 1d8+10, which is underwelming for a 2nd level spell (a inflict moderated wounds do 2d8+10). The fact it is underpowered has nothing to do with it: it's not possible to intensify a inflict light wounds because it doesn't do extra dice damage, it does extra static damage, which intensify doesn't cover. Same goes with Wall of fire, and other similar spells. And sames goes with Magic Missiles
Sheesh, at one point the previous argument came down to it wouldn't work because the missiles were d4+1, and Intensify should only work on the d4!
It's one of the reasons, yes. Imagine a spell who does 4 hp per missile, flat (no dice rolled), and you can cast one missile per level. Intensify would do jack to that, because it doesn't increase the number of damage dice, it increase the number of missiles.
Go back and look at the intensified chainlightning for example. Or intensified wall of fire. Or intensified Harm. None of those work.
Intensify does NOT work with magic missiles, because intensify CAN'T increase the number of targets, or the number of missiles, or anything else but damage dice.
EDIT: I got a good example: the spell shocking images It creates images, like mirror image. And each image does 2d6 damage when they explode. BUT you can't use intesify to create extra images, because intensify does NOT allow to create other effects beside damage dice. That includes extra images that do damage dice. Or magic missiles.
Is there anything on the druid and wizard list that is worth anything via Forest's Blessing?
Several things. Dispel magic for example, get extra CL to dispel.
Is there anything on the druid and wizard list that is worth anything via Forest's Blessing?
Not for blasters really.
Does that Feat include Domain Spells? If so, Fire Domain........
I am trying to decide if the elven bonuses are better than the human bonuses for the blaster wizard. Yes, I have read all the wizard guides, but I am just wondering if that extra feat doesn't offset the ability bonus and the spell pen, that's basically the differences that matter, right?
I am trying to decide if the elven bonuses are better than the human bonuses for the blaster wizard. Yes, I have read all the wizard guides, but I am just wondering if that extra feat doesn't offset the ability bonus and the spell pen, that's basically the differences that matter, right?
Humans are an early game option that let you get spell specialization at level 1. That's really all they have going. For anything behond level 5 I do believe the elf wins out for this style of play.
Thanks Tark, now I gotta move this guy more to blaster, away from conjuration that I started him as.
it's called burning arc
With the Human bonus feat you could take Varisian Tattoo or Bloodmage Initiate. Both of which add +1 to your caster level for a specific school of magic (in this case, Evocation!) This would be a more than adequate replacement for the Elven +2 to caster level checks, even if you don't factor in the fact that either or both would double with Spell Perfection. The Elven bonus doesn't.
Specialists get an extra spell slot per level that must be used for a spell from their specialty school
Dunno. Maybe he was counting the Pearl directly (I wouldn't have, but whatever). Maybe it's an error.
Yup, I'm getting this too, clearly Dropbox don't like hosting popular documents...
And I was going to look for advice on creating a Gestalt Wizard/Sorc with dips in Diabolist... pity
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Here's a link. I copied it into my SkyDrive; that'll let people access it until KBrewer can rehost.
Thank you, ZanThrax
Is it just me, or is anyone else unable to access the link? Something about it generating "too much traffic" and being temporarily disabled.
Which link is down? Brewer's original dropbox link or my sky drive re-host?