RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32
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I've been considering a character who excels at destroying and dispelling magic and magical effects. My first impulse was to make a Sorcerer who focuses on things like dispel magic, antimagic field, and similar spells in addition to having Improved Counterspell and some reasonably high saves via feats and magical gear. Is there another option that is superior to this idea? I looked into PrCs like the Occult Slayer, etc. but they seem to only be based on protecting themselves. I want a character that can just completely hamstring enemy spellcasters and wreck havoc on even the most intricately-laid magical defenses.
Any ideas? I'm looking for pretty much anything. Class changes, feats, PrCs, anything.
Just a thought I've toyed with but never ran yet:
Bard with the mage slayer feats from Complete Arcane and the following prestige classes:
Seeker of Song (lots of magic effects that aren't magic), and War chanter, maybe some storm singer.
While you are at it trade away that stupid countersong ability for a real counter song ability -- Spellbreaker Song from Complete Mage.
As said before the Mage Slayer chain is great for this. Slashing dispel is a must in terms of spells, and if you get that high, reaving dispel. There's also a spell in Complete Mage that allows you to cast one other spell in an antimagic field, a nasty surprise to be sure.
A Magebane weapon is also a good idea.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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I'd rather go abjurer specialist than sorcerer. You don't have as many spells, but you do have the versitility of being a wizard. While dispel magic and anti-magic field would be your bread and butter spells, don't neglect ones that automatically counter their opposite spells, such as slow/haste, darkness/light, enlarge person/reduce person, etc. For some of them, a scroll on hand should be enough, but why use a dispel magic spell when a slow will work 100% of the time vs. haste, etc.
There's also stuff like (minor) globe of invulerability and spell turning which will greatly reduce the enemy spellcaster's options, and touch of idiocy and feeblemind that reduce their spell casting ability before they cast spells.
Abjurers make excellent counter-spellers, as their versatility allows them to maintain combat effectiveness in a variety of situations while always keeping the necessary dispels up their sleeves.
There are also feats that let you Take 10 on dispel checks, boost your dispel check modifier, and let you counter as swift actions. Look into those!
As for Prestige Classes, I would look at the Initiate of the Seven-fold Veil. There's nothing like stopping your opponent's myriad attacks in their tracks and then zapping their magic to control a battlefield.
There was a magic ring in magic of faerun that really helped counter spelling "Ring of Spellbattle" or some such.
There was a magic ring in magic of faerun that really helped counter spelling "Ring of Spellbattle" or some such.
It got changed in the "MiC"
Another thought is spells that ruin others ability to continue, stables usually but still effective at what we are looking for: Fog Cloud gives concealment ruining your enemies aim (even for spells), stinking cloud can stop casting cold as can pyrotechnics (smoke version)... Touch of Idiocy makes the enemies spell DC drop, while Feeblemind can take him out of the game altogether.
The School Focus option in Complete Mage might be a good choice too as it will increase the number of spells you can cast a day if you do a specialist.
I was shocked at just how good telekineses turned out to be for taking out mages... they just aren't good at the grapple...
Spellthief looks like it might be an interesting route to take.
A monk with the anti-mage feats could get to grappling quickly and prevent a mage from casting on the defensive, etc.
Hrmm... what else...
Yeah, an Abjurer seems a great way to go.
Sean Mahoney
If you want to do anti-magic, I'd think an Incantatrix would be the best way to go, added on top of specialist wizard and mixed with Master Specialist. That would give you piles of anti-magic, and lots of tricks to make it more versatile.
What about a Warlock? The unlimited use of Dispel Magic plus all the other tricks could be really dangerous against a spellcaster. I can't remember if their caster level is equal to their class level or half of it which could make a big difference but it might be worth a shot.
What about a Warlock? The unlimited use of Dispel Magic plus all the other tricks could be really dangerous against a spellcaster. I can't remember if their caster level is equal to their class level or half of it which could make a big difference but it might be worth a shot.
Their Dispel Level IS equal to their class level.
Also, you can ready an action to eldritch blast them when they cast, forcing a concentration check of 10 + spell level + eldritch blast damage. Also, Chilling Tentacles can grapple the bejeezus our of the spellcasters, too. Their at-will Dispel invocation has a range of touch, so you'll have to get close, but you can also have at-will invisibility and dimension doors to get you in and out of there. A meta-magic rod of reach spell would work too.
Too bad there isn't an eldritch essence that also dispels. It would probably me a Dark essence, possibly a Greater essence, balance-wise.
But some of the other eldritch essences are pretty incapacitating, but usually require a Will or Fortitude Save, which most casters have as good saves.
I don't know, Can't say I can really see a Warlock working long term as an anti-magic guy.
Also metamagic rods will not work on warlock invocations or blasts.
I don't know, Can't say I can really see a Warlock working long term as an anti-magic guy.
Also metamagic rods will not work on warlock invocations or blasts.
True, but voracious dispelling also does damage when it dispels something. And there are feats that improve your spell-like abilities. And being able to dispel all the time is pretty sweet. But then you might want to counterspell as well. Might be best off going with Eldritch Theurge to get the best of both worlds.
You can probably sell me on the Eldritch Theurge. Hm... Actually Ultimate Magus could conceivably do the job well too. The Dampen Spell feat might be something to look into -- It lowers the DC of the foe's spell as a swift action (IIRC)... of course this doesn't exactly counter it, but if your fighter friend goes from having to make a DC 24 will save to a DC 19 will save you've helped him tremendously without burning up a standard action to do so.
You can probably sell me on the Eldritch Theurge. Hm... Actually Ultimate Magus could conceivably do the job well too. The Dampen Spell feat might be something to look into -- It lowers the DC of the foe's spell as a swift action (IIRC)... of course this doesn't exactly counter it, but if your fighter friend goes from having to make a DC 24 will save to a DC 19 will save you've helped him tremendously without burning up a standard action to do so.
I believe it's an immediate action. I had a high level druid who used that feat. It's pretty nifty.
Theres also a ranger favoured enemy variant in Complete Mage (Or at least I think it's complete mage, it should be one of the complete books) which allows the ranger to take arcane spellcasters as his or her favoured enemy.
The warlock's main problem is dispel is about all he can do:
"A spell-like ability takes the same amount of time to complete as the spell that it mimics (usually 1 standard action) unless otherwise stated. Spell-like abilities cannot be used to counterspell, nor can they be counterspelled. In all other ways, a spell-like ability functions just like a spell: "
And his ability to adjust and actually counter some spells is rather limited, for example: Wall of Stone. Once it's there the warlock can't do anything about it, as it can't be dispelled. The warlock can't actually counter an incoming spell... the best he can hope for is to eldritch blast and try to disrupt it as it is being cast.
Meanwhile even a sorcerer can apply spells in a proactive way that will actual prevent the other mage from doing something in the first place.