[PFS] Unusual Blaster Builds


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I'm trying to come up with an idea for my next PFS character, and I'd like to try some kind of blaster. But I don't want to go the same route as other people. That is, no Crossblooded Orc/Draconic sorcerer, no fire domain Theologian cleric, no Flame/Burned oracle, and no Admixture wizard, or at least not specializing in the same few spells.

Does anyone have any suggestions for thinking-outside-the-box blasters?


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Marid Tattooed Sorcerer going for Rime Fireball.

Blue Draconic Tattooed Sorcerer going for Intensified Reach Shocking Grasp.

Conjuration (Teleportation) Wizard going for Dazing Pellet Blast and False Focus.

Cleric (18-20 x2 favored weapon) going for Disruptive Toppling Spiritual Weapon.

Most of these builds rely on both magical lineage and wayang spellhunter, playing a blaster in my mind requires at least one if not both of these traits.

Scarab Sages

Winter Witch is a good cold specialist.

Card Caster Magus

Qinggong + Drunken Master or Ki Mystic or Hungry Ghost Monk with Scorching Ray + Cold Ice Strike + other blasty ki powers.

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

Play a gunslinger and carry a "blaster"

RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32

I'm currently playing a PFS sorcerer centered around evocation spells as a means of crowd control. The build is essentially Crossblooded sorcerer (Marid/Boreal) with a single dip in Oracle to get the Freezing Spells revelation from the Winter Mystery and the blackened curse. I picked up the Irriseni Ice Mage and Varisian Tattoo feats at first level to pump my caster level so that I could do competent damage. I'm also taking advantage of the extra material component options from Adventurer's armory, so whenever I cast my Rime spelled Burning hands, a target that fails the save takes cold damage and then is entangled, staggered, and on fire.

The damage is so-so, and it doesn't do as well against things with cold resistance, but it is great at debilitating anything it can damage.


I like the idea of a force mage. Not sure what class I would go with, but at low levels toppling magic missile is my signature spell.

Silver Crusade

I also built a crossblooded Marid/Draconic White sorc who does rime. The traits metamagic master and magical lineage but I decided to go burning arc and fireball instead of burning hands. The rimes dont kick in until you get to lvl 4 with burning arc, but then you have much more control over damage and who to CC since its not a cone attack but its still has AOE abilities even if only to entagle. I am not sure of long term viability but so far with Varisian tatoo doing 4d4+4 with "frost hands" at level 3 seems pretty fun.

Silver Crusade

Also, there's always fun to be had in specializing in skills too. My sorc is a bluff master who is sometimes a princess, queen, pauper, merchant, guard, captain...etc. I've lied so many times Im not sure even I know what my real back story is. :)


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A sorcerer who specialized in Reach Spell Shocking Grasp who takes Magical Lineage (Shocking Grasp); Spontaneous Metafocus (Shocking Grasp) and later on Additional Traits to nab Wayang Spell Hunter and Intensified Spell to max out damage is something unique, though he is only as good as his spells last.

Halflings are ideal for this build. Precise Shot and Point Blank become slightly important.


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People seem to think Wishcrafter is a bad archetype, but I'm pretty sure that as an evocation/fire focused sorcerer they make a really good blaster.

Just remind your party, "I wish that guy was on fire" is a thing you can grant.

Liberty's Edge

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Rylar wrote:
I like the idea of a force mage. Not sure what class I would go with, but at low levels toppling magic missile is my signature spell.

I suggest Human Evocation Wizard. I also made a quick list of spells which have force effects.

List of Force Spells:
cantrip - scoop
1st - magic missile, shield, floating disk, mage armor, shock shield
2nd - cushioning bands, admonishing ray
3rd - ablative barrier, force anchor, battering blast, chain of perdition, force punch, tiny hut, twilight knife
4th - resilient sphere
5th - interposing hand, wall of force
6th - symbol of sealing, forceful hand, leashed shackles
7th - forcecage, grasping hand, mage's sword
8th - clenched fist, telekinetic sphere
9th - mage's excellent enclosure, crushing hand

*Bolded spells are choices I suggest.

If you want to be particularly blasty then being an orc bloodline varisian tatoo sorcerer(choose evocation) would also strongly benefit you. You could also add crossblooded with draconic or elemental to up one particular element. You would also want the standard feats and traits that any blaster would want. Switching from standard evocation to admixture also gives you a lot of versatility. There is really not going to be much variety among blasters.

I am also fond of the fighter 1/wizard 5/eldritch knight. I prefer to select scorching ray as my weapon of choice and put all fighter feats toward rays (weapon focus(ray), etc.). However, the rogue 3/wizard 3/arcane trickster will out damage the eldritch knight, and you could use one level of assassin to gain entry to arcane trickster a level early.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

Optimize your cantrips. Acid Splash, Ray of Frost, Disrupt Undead. Granted tough to do... :)


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Imbicatus wrote:

Winter Witch is a good cold specialist.

Card Caster Magus

Qinggong + Drunken Master or Ki Mystic or Hungry Ghost Monk with Scorching Ray + Cold Ice Strike + other blasty ki powers.

I'd like to say

Qinggong + Sensei with the listed ki powers...technically when you activate them you can grant them to "allies" like party members and the 1d3 you just summoned with a wand of summon minor monster. I'd like to think this allows them to join you in the use of Scorching Ray for some great (higher level) focused fire mayhem.


Nipin wrote:
Rylar wrote:
I like the idea of a force mage. Not sure what class I would go with, but at low levels toppling magic missile is my signature spell.

I suggest Human Evocation Wizard. I also made a quick list of spells which have force effects.

** spoiler omitted **

If you want to be particularly blasty then being an orc bloodline varisian tatoo sorcerer(choose evocation) would also strongly benefit you. You could also add crossblooded with draconic or elemental to up one particular element. You would also want the standard feats and traits that any blaster would want. Switching from standard evocation to admixture also gives you a lot of versatility. There is really not going to be much variety among blasters.

I am also fond of the fighter 1/wizard 5/eldritch knight. I prefer to select scorching ray as my weapon of choice and put all fighter feats toward rays (weapon focus(ray), etc.). However, the rogue 3/wizard 3/arcane trickster will out damage the eldritch knight, and you could use one level of assassin to gain entry to arcane trickster a level early.

Epic list! Tons of ones I missed when I made a list from the paizo site. Battering blast is exactly the kinda spell i wanted.

Dunno how you founda great list. probably I fail at search fu
Totally gonna try to make a trickster force user..

Shadow Lodge

Conjuration (Teleportation) Wizard with a heaping plateful of Snowball abuse.
All of the usual tricks, plus Spell Specialization/Greater to use all spell slots to spontaneously cast this spell.

Oracles can make halfway decent blasters with stuff on the standard Cleric/Oracle list.
Most people don't optimize for Evocation, but you can use Searing Light, Flame Strike, Arrow of Law, etc. to do some decent damage. Not much action until 5th level though, but you can do other stuff too.

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

Those are some interesting ideas. I like the force mage, but it seems there's a serious lack of AoE options. I also kind of like the "holy blaster" idea, focusing on the normal cleric spell list instead of using domains/mysteries/curses to pick up other spells.


RainyDayNinja wrote:
but it seems there's a serious lack of AoE options

If you aren't focusing on [Fire] you're going to have AoE problems. It's not a [Force] problem it's a "[Fire] is AoE" problem.

Go on, find AoE spells that do [Cold] damage. I dare you. There's like four.

Scarab Sages

A Druid can make a pretty decent blaster, they have access to some good spells on the core list, and can take domains to get more.

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

Imbicatus wrote:
A Druid can make a pretty decent blaster, they have access to some good spells on the core list, and can take domains to get more.

I did consider making a Naga Aspirant druid with my Nagaji race boon, because they can add a bunch of arcane blasting spells to their spell list. I may still do it.

Silver Crusade

I have a Life oracle who blasts when she's not needed to channel.

I took the blackened curse, and chose spells like Spear of Purity and Burst of Radiance.

Plus, don't tell them you're a Life oracle, and when the fit hits the shan you can bust out a channel and save everyone's bacon. Aasimar works really well for this to boost your channeling so you don't have to spend so many of your spell slots on healing spells.

RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32

how optimized are you hoping to be?

i really like the magaambyan arcanist (collegiate arcaninst on pfsrd)... they're not optimal for blasters but as a wizard you could be a competent blaster to begin with then use the PrC to add unusual flavor. the aura ability means that you can pick up sacred summons if you want to supplement blasting with some summoning for protection/control (or to mass-summon lantern archons to do some blasting for you), and you can use the druid spells you learn to either pick up tricks other wizards can't do (like cure spells) or to further supplement your blasting (maybe pick up flame strike for an AoE that still does damage against things immune to fire?).


elven lorkeeper [lore / legalistic] oracle with eldritch heritage (arcane)

who needs mystic theurge when you can cherry-pick your favorite arcane spells anyway?

- - - - -

razmiran priest (false priest on pfsrd) can do pretty much the opposite of the above (arcane class who cherrypicks divine spells) via scrolls and false focus shenanigans--especially paired with the arcane savant PrC

- - - - -

are arcanists allowed in PFS? i forget.

Scarab Sages

AndIMustMask wrote:


are arcanists allowed in PFS? i forget.

They are legal, but I would wait for the release of the ACG at this point.


thats in november, right? quite a bit to wait, that.

RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16, RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

AndIMustMask wrote:
thats in november, right? quite a bit to wait, that.

August, actually.

Sovereign Court

I kinda want to play an Arcanist, but I think I would feel dirty afterwards.


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RainyDayNinja wrote:

I'm trying to come up with an idea for my next PFS character, and I'd like to try some kind of blaster. But I don't want to go the same route as other people. That is, no Crossblooded Orc/Draconic sorcerer, no fire domain Theologian cleric, no Flame/Burned oracle, and no Admixture wizard, or at least not specializing in the same few spells.

Does anyone have any suggestions for thinking-outside-the-box blasters?

Rogue (sniper) 3/wizard (Divination/Scrying) 1/arcane trickster 8 concentrating on ranged touch damage spells (with Sneak Attack to boost damage) and vanish (using pearls of power (1st) to get more castings per day). The sniper archetype extends ranged sneak attacks out to 40 ft, which makes it a little easier to pull off without being vulnerable. Divination/Scrying uses the clairaudience/clairvoyance SLA to qualify for arcane trickster early; unfortunately, it doesn't improve caster level (but boosts Sneak Attack damage dice by 1d6). Opposition schools should probably be Enchantment and Necromancy.


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Plerumque wrote:
I kinda want to play an Arcanist, but I think I would feel dirty afterwards.

why? it's like a sorcerer, but (arguably) better!

- - - - -

another fun blaster:
spellslinger wizard 1 / myrmidarch magus 4 / EK 10 / myrmidarch magus 5

you're a gun-mage. you blast people both literally and figuratively.

Dark Archive

I could have sworn he said no Crossblooded. Maybe some of the posters above missed that or I misinterpreted.

At any rate, maybe a negative energy 'blaster' using all the horrible rays, inflicts and small burst of channeling? Spectral handing negative energy touches and the like. Basically an optimized channeler build but they are rare and they can be quite effective. Maybe go with the shadow spells and related metamagic feats?


Alchemist 1/Wizard (Arcane Bomber) X. This way, your bombs are based off of the (superior) alchemist bombs for damage, but you get access to more variety of wizard spells. The BAB takes a hit though.

Sczarni

A Bard focusing on Sonic spells would be an interesting choice. Not sure how "unusual" they are, since there's an archetype dedicated to it, but that just means there's plenty of support for it.

If you really want quirky, try a blast-focused Inquisitor! It won't be easy or optimized, I'll grant, but Inquisitors get all the Inflict spells, plus a few unique gems like Cast Out or Confess. Confess counts as a blast if you can render the target unable to answer a question first, right? ;) And Cast Out is UNTYPED damage, that still deals half on a successful save! Plus, Inquisitors get a Judgment to boost their concentration checks and ability to pierce SR, something other spellcasters have to take feats to do.


unless they're an elf (or by some strange turn of events, an infiltrator ranger w/ favored enemy: elf).

Silver Crusade

Here's a generalist gish blaster with a special edge. Nearly any spellcasting class can do this. There are many paths to the same end. The special edge is to do this:

Gish Blaster Secret Special Edge:

1. Optimize a low level [Cold] spell with Rime Spell. The goal is not to do much damage (that's extra), the goal is to entangle the target(s) without a saving throw. There are dozens of spell/feat/class permutations for which this might work. Burning Hands as a 1st level Rime spell is ideal, but there are many other approaches. Any spell or ability that reliably denies multiple foes the 5' step works.

2. Wield a reach weapon somewhat effectively. E.g. Eldritch Knight, Sorcerer, anything with Simple Weapon Proficiency.

Here's what you do:

Move (or 5' step) to 10' away from the foe(s) and cast e.g. Rimed icy Burning[sic] Hands[Cold]. All targets that take damage (regardless of any saving throw) automatically gain the Entangled condition, which completely prevents the 5' step. Also some other debuffs. Foes will lose their ability to Full Attack, unless someone is stupid enough to stand next to them. You, and any other threatening ally with reach, will get AoOs if that foe wants to attack.

If you are the only reach weapon wielder in your group this trick won't do much. If, say, two allied front liners are also reach fighters this trick will be fantastic. They will routinely use up all their Combat Reflexes-granted AoOs, which is a very good thing. Time your actions so allies with reach can full attack, while remaining immune to full attacks from the foe.


Magda Luckbender wrote:

Here's a generalist gish blaster with a special edge. Nearly any spellcasting class can do this. There are many paths to the same end. The special edge is to do this:

** spoiler omitted **

Is there a good list of ways to change the elemental descriptor on a spell without altering it's spell level? (I.E. to get cold Burning Hands, or what have you?)


Depends on what element i guess.

several sorc bloodline allows you to change to a specific element.
I think there are metamagic rods of "elemental" that switchs to a specific element.

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@Dragonchess Player: That's an interesting idea, but I think I'd prefer sticking with all spellcaster levels (maybe with a dip into Orc bloodline sorcerer, just because it's required to keep damage relevant).

@AndIMustMask: Spellslinger isn't legal for PFS, or else I'd use it.

@Tangaroa: I've already got a bomber alchemist.

@Silent Saturn: I looked into it, but there just aren't that many good sonic damage spells. Ear-Piercing Scream is decent, but the damage scales slowly. Thundering Drums is good for a 3rd-level, but by the time you can cast it, you've already exceeded the damage cap.

@Magda: I'm not really interested in Rime Spell. I'd rather focus on damage than debuffs.


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If you want PURE damage only, easy:

crossblooded, tattooed sorcerer (orc + draconic(cold)).
Get snow ball: 1D6/Caster level.

I ll give you the most powerfull lv 1 damage.

you get wayang spell hunter + gifted adept(snowball).

spell focus(Human) + spell spez(lv1)(snowball) + mage's tatoo(free) = 5D6+10 snowball.
All you need is dex, to hit and a mere 12 cha is enough to 4/day.
You can do crazy dips with that.

You can do the same with shoking grasp if you wanna go melee style (but more risky), expect if you only dip 1 lv sorcerer then go something like magus with crazy bursts.

It's not the best scalable build, but probably the most powerful lv 1 build. You can deal 15 to 40 dmg(~average 27,5) on hit.

You can do the same with magic missile : 3D4+6 = 9 to 18 (~average 13,5), auto hit and can hit mulitple creeps).

There is some tricks to get MagicMissile to deal cold damage to get another +1/die, but can't afford at lv 1 iirc.

There is also the burning hand version: 5D4+10 aoe.

Have fun :D

edit: you also get a super cool tatoo familier, that neats you a flat +4 init(if you pick it) and alertness, and some +2 if it helps you to attack for example (or to some skills).


Rerednaw wrote:
Optimize your cantrips. Acid Splash, Ray of Frost, Disrupt Undead. Granted tough to do... :)

This is feasible if you get damage from sneak attack dice. It has the advantage of never running out of blasts, since (for most classes) meta-magically enhanced cantrips and orisons cast out of higher level spell slots don't expend the spell slot when cast.

There are two ways I could find to make sneak attack damage for a spell reliable from level 1: Seeking Spell and the Oracle Waves Water Sight revelation. Oracle's don't have either acid splash or mage hand, but they are easier to make work.

Acid Splash Oracle:

Aasimar (Azata-Blooded) +2 Dex, +2 Cha, glitterdust as spell like ability

Two-World Magic (Magic) (acid splash), Wayang Spellhunter (Regional) (acid splash)

Oracle 1: Empower Spell, Haunted Curse, Water Sight revelation, obscuring mist
Rogue 1:
Snakebite Striker Brawler 1: Spontaneous Metafocus (Acid Splash)
Oracle 2:
Arcane Trickster 1: Elemental Spell
Arcane Trickster 2:
Arcane Trickster 3: Craft Wonderous Items, craft Sniper Goggles, and retrain to Quicken Spell if possible. Otherwise just Quicken Spell.
Arcane Trickster 4:
...

The other feasible alternatives are Human or Teifling Arcanists. A Human Arcanist can take the feat Extra Arcanist Exploit (School Understanding (Scryer)) and select the Send Senses scrying spell-like ability to get early entry into Arcane Trickster. An Arcanist won't be able to Quicken a Seeking acid splash until level 10, at which point Seeking Spell becomes somewhat obsolete due to greater invisibility. The Arcanist is in some ways more reliable and versatile; it has two other attack orisons to fall back on without eating into spells per day.

Human Acid Splash Arcanist:

Human +2 any one attribute

Magical Lineage (Magic) (acid splash), Wayang Spellhunter (Regional) (acid splash)

Blood Arcanist 1: Seeking Spell, Silent Spell, Orc Bloodline, obscuring mist
Rogue 1:
Snakebite Striker Brawler 1: Extra Arcanist Exploit (School Understanding (Scryer))
Arcanist 2:
Arcane Trickster 1: *
Arcane Trickster 2: Consider retraining Silent Spell to *
Arcane Trickster 3: Craft Wonderous Items, craft Sniper Goggles, and retrain to * if possible. Otherwise just *.
Arcane Trickster 4:
Arcane Trickster 5: Quicken Spell
Arcane Trickster 6:
...

* Empower Spell, Elemental Spell, Spontaneous Metafocus (acid splash), or Reach Spell

Crossblooded Orc/Draconic sorcerers are also feasible cantrip specialists. Whatever you do, you will want sniper goggles and greater sniper goggles as soon as you can afford them.

The Exchange

Im trying to work with a nagaji aspirant(druid) and a fire spirit shaman for blasting. All with the required sorc dips of course...I haven't had the chance to test them out at full potential yet.


I can see a full caster VMC-ing Rogue to get sneak attack damage on cantrips and other (ranged) touch spells.

On the other Hand I can also see a rogue with the new cantrip talent blasting those sexy 10d6s


unholy mother of necromancy, batman!


Yup.. haha I can see my oolddd messages too..

but now!

I utterly and completely loved my forced based Arcane Trickster.
Just soo much fun.
Also dex wielded a nonlethal weapon for when I had a need.. and I felt less worse spending feats on those "double non lethalsneak attack dice" bit with the force based non lethal scorching ray like spell. I had some fun with that bugger. and Ko'ing people we didn't want to die


Here's an out-of-the-box blaster. Everybody's offering characters who produce blasts of Eldritch might, how about a blast of Gunpowder?

Drunken Ninja with a Gun!

1Gunslinger1: Guns! Point Blank Shot
2G1Ninja1: Sneak Attack 1d6
3G1N2: Ninja Vanishing Trick, Precise Shot

You Vanish as a Swift Action. Gunfire at short range are ranged Touch Attacks. While Invisible, your enemy gets no Dex bonus to AC, so you are targeting your victims Touch, Flatfooted AC! Denied his Dex Bonus, your Sneak Attack damage is secured. Use Deadly Aim Every time, and let the bodies hit the floor.

4G1N2Monk1: Master of Many Styles, Tiger Style
5G1N2M2: Evasion, Tiger Claws, Deadly Aim

Since your thing will be 1 big strike every round, Tiger Claw is Well-Suited for that, should you want to melee. Pummeling Style might be a good choice, too.

6G1N2M3: Drunken Master, Drunken Ki

Now you can replentish your Ki as much as you want, turn invisible as much as you want, and do Sneak Attack Damage as much as you want.

7G1N3M3: Sneak Attack 2d6, feat

Sczarni

AndIMustMask wrote:
unholy mother of necromancy, batman!

Speaking of, there are plenty of necromancy blasts. Necromancers almost make better blasters than they do minion-creators.

I've been wanting to make an Inflicter cleric for a while now, but I've never had the chance. I figure at low levels you take Selective Channel and negative energy nova until you can get the feats to make Inflict powerful. Combat Casting, maybe Reach Spell or a few other choice metamagics. Once you start getting the Mass Inflicts, you're really onto something.

Best part? You can prepare utility spells in those slots and convert them to Inflictions as needed, while an evocation wizard actually has to load up his spell slots with his blasts. Sure, you can't metamagic on the fly, but it's a small price to pay.


Cirdec wrote:
It has the advantage of never running out of blasts, since (for most classes) meta-magically enhanced cantrips and orisons cast out of higher level spell slots don't expend the spell slot when cast.

This is only true if the metamagically enhanced cantrip would still be 0 level. If a cantrip is enhanced with metamagic to a higher spell slot, that spell level slot is still consumed as normal. So you cannot make a quickened acid splash that you can use all day long. You will have however many fourth level spell slots you have available and prepared to cast a quickened acid splash (since the quicken metamagic uses a spell slot four levels higher than the base spell).

A cantrip is only not consumed if you cast it as a cantrip, at 0 level. If you enhance it with metamagic, it is a spell of whatever level the metamagic turns it into. Those higher spell levels are limited and consumed upon casting.

That said, I do not advise using metamagic in this way. Most any fourth level spell will be normally stronger than any cantrip with metamagic enhancing it to fourth level.

Grand Lodge

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Not sure it qualifies as a blaster build but I was thinking of something like this

Shaman . Focus on Maxing Wisdom for both bonus spells and accuracy with your attacks

Spirit Magic, Spritual Guardian. Cast Spiritual Weapon, and then Evil Eye hex plus cackle to reduce AC. With your Wisdom maxed and using your shaman level you can have it attacking and doing force damage each round. Then drop 2 or 3 more.

At level 8
Wis 20 to start, 22 with level up, 26 with headband.
Each spiritual weapon can attack for +16/+11 for 1d8+4(18-20/x2)force damage. With Spell Pen you can have +12 vs. SR.
Grab an extend rod and put some in your 3rd lvl slots. Grab Evil Eye and Chant to maintain the debuff and send your Scimitars of Force at the bad guys.


Silent Saturn wrote:
AndIMustMask wrote:
unholy mother of necromancy, batman!

Speaking of, there are plenty of necromancy blasts. Necromancers almost make better blasters than they do minion-creators.

I've been wanting to make an Inflicter cleric for a while now, but I've never had the chance. I figure at low levels you take Selective Channel and negative energy nova until you can get the feats to make Inflict powerful. Combat Casting, maybe Reach Spell or a few other choice metamagics. Once you start getting the Mass Inflicts, you're really onto something.

Best part? You can prepare utility spells in those slots and convert them to Inflictions as needed, while an evocation wizard actually has to load up his spell slots with his blasts. Sure, you can't metamagic on the fly, but it's a small price to pay.

There are feats that make inflict spells powerful? What are they?


well pretty much the same feats that people put on stuff like shoacking grasp.

also there are a few classes that allow bypass of the maximum +# on inflicts, making them class level instead of +5 etc


Nigrescence wrote:
Cirdec wrote:
It has the advantage of never running out of blasts, since (for most classes) meta-magically enhanced cantrips and orisons cast out of higher level spell slots don't expend the spell slot when cast.

This is only true if the metamagically enhanced cantrip would still be 0 level. If a cantrip is enhanced with metamagic to a higher spell slot, that spell level slot is still consumed as normal...

A cantrip is only not consumed if you cast it as a cantrip, at 0 level. If you enhance it with metamagic, it is a spell of whatever level the metamagic turns it into. Those higher spell levels are limited and consumed upon casting.

Unless you are privy to some errata, this is not how I read the rules. Metamagic feats (except for Heighten Spell) do not change a spell to "a spell of whatever level the metamagic turns it into". Instead they

Effects of Metamagic Feats on a Spell wrote:
In all ways, a metamagic spell operates at its original spell level, even though it is prepared and cast using a higher-level spell slot. Saving throw modifications are not changed unless stated otherwise in the feat description.

All of these metamagically enhanced spells still operate as 0-level spells, but require that you have a higher level spell slot to cast them. If you don't have a higher level spell slot you can't cast them, but, if you do, casting them doesn't consume the spell slot. This is because the rules for consuming spell slots are written in terms of the spell's level, not in terms of the level of the spell slot.

Wizard Cantrips wrote:
Wizards can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Wizard under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again. A wizard can prepare a cantrip from an opposition school, but it uses up two of his available slots (see below).
Oracle Orisons wrote:
Oracles learn a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Oracle Spells Known under “Spells Known.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.
Arcanist Cantrips wrote:
Arcanists can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day as noted on Table: Arcanist Spells Prepared. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume spell slots. As with her other spells, these spells are not expended when cast.

Cantrips can be cast again not because they use a 0-level spell slot but because they are 0-level spells. Metamagically enhancing them doesn't change them into first or higher level spells, so the special rules for 0-level spells still apply. For prepared spell casters, they are not consumed when cast. For spontaneous spell casters the spell slot is not consumed when a 0-level spell is cast from it.

Some classes call out cantrips or orisons to be treated differently. For example the Inquisitor (published in the same book as the Oracle) has the following text instead.

Inquisitor Orisons wrote:
Inquisitors learn a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table: Inquisitor Spells Known. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again. Orisons prepared using other spell slots, such as those due to metamagic feats, are expended normally.


You are wrong.
A Wizard has a number of 0-level "cantrip" slots to prepare these cantrips, based on the spell progression chart. So a second level Wizard has the Wizard maximum of 4 0-level "cantrip" spell slots to prepare (or can prepare an opposition spell for the cost of two spell slots).

If a Wizard uses metamagic to prepare a higher level spell slot for what would normally be a 0-level spell, the Wizard is no longer preparing a 0-level spell. It is a spell of whatever spell level it is after preparing it with the metamagic. So let's just say he heightens it to level 1, for the sake of simplicity.

A Wizard casting a level 1 spell consumes the level 1 spell on its casting. For the purpose of spells or abilities that function on responding to spell levels (like the 7th level spell Spell Turning "From seven to ten (1d4+6) spell levels are affected by the turning."), a metamagically enhanced 0-level spell will 'act' as a 0-level spell (this is specifically referring to the fact that it will not cost a spell level of the spell turning to be turned, that its DC is equivalent to a 0-level spell, and that spells or abilities reacting to it see the spell as a 0-level spell even though you have prepared it using a higher level spell slot). Unless of course you have used "heighten spell" to actually increase the level of the spell in regards to how the level of the spell is treated.

Heightened Spell wrote:
Benefit: A heightened spell has a higher spell level than normal (up to a maximum of 9th level). Unlike other metamagic feats, Heighten Spell actually increases the effective level of the spell that it modifies. All effects dependent on spell level (such as saving throw DCs and ability to penetrate a lesser globe of invulnerability) are calculated according to the heightened level. The heightened spell is as difficult to prepare and cast as a spell of its effective level.

As you can see, the ACTUAL level of the spell matters for cases like Spell Turning, but it also matters for DCs, what level spell it is treated by other spells/abilities, and so on.

Here the only difference between a heightened spell (+1 lvl for our case) and an extended spell (+1 lvl), is that even though they are both prepared in a level one spell slot, the heightened one has a spell level of 1 with normal duration and the extended spell has a spell level of 0 with doubled duration. They both take up level one spell slots, and they are both cantrips, albeit prepared in a higher level spell slot with metamagic.

Would you argue that, even though Daze is a 0-level spell, a cantrip, both spells prepared this way are preserved when cast? Would one be consumed and the other preserved? Would both be consumed when cast?

Similarly, let us assume that this is a Sorcerer, whose cantrip rule reading is worded the same way as a Wizard's. However, a Sorcerer can spontaneously cast metamagic and need not prepare. Would a Sorcerer be able to cast these level one metamagic modified spells endlessly, never consuming a level one spell casting? Would one consume a spell cast but the other wouldn't? Would they both consume a spell cast? Could the sorcerer cast these if they have no more level one spell casts left but previously used these metamagic modified spells? After all, they are not expended when cast and may be used again.

When is anything you're going to say here make sense?

The bottom line is that any spell slot above 0 is expended when cast. It doesn't matter if you used metamagic to make a 0-level spell use a 9-level spell slot. That 9-level spell is consumed on the casting, because you are casting from the 9-level spell slot. Only the 0-level spells are explicitly called out as being spells that are not expended.

You need to justify that a 1-level spell or a 9-level spell does not get expended. You have fallen quite short of that so far.

Cantrips do not behave the way that you suggest they do. Please provide some proof that they do.

What you're doing is similar to suggesting that because the actual maximum speed attainable while in motion as a Human is not called out in any specific number of distance over time, you can still move at the speed of light if you say you can, even if the distance you can move is limited to what is marked for a Human (And don't think that a speed of 30 in a round means the same as feet/second, because it doesn't; one is an abstraction pertaining to the game rules while the other is a concrete measurement of speed).

This is a key element in my new killer wind monk build.

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