I've convinced one of my players this weekend to playtest a WoP Sorcerer. He's figured out a combo already--
He's playing a Boreal Sorcerer with Greater Elemental Focus (cold). The plan is to add Cold Snap (the 0 level ice spell that does 1d3 damage) to everything he can. Thanks to his Bloodline Arcana and feats, this will give him a +3 to DC for any spell (since many of the best save or suck spells for WoP are necromancy, this may eventually be stacked with Greater Spell Focus (necromancy) for +5 DCs).
What other clever combos have you created? This thread is for ideas that let you use outside abilities (such as feats, bloodline arcana, etc) to maximum effectiveness using WoP (so we can see how strong this can be or if anything synergises too well).
Do watch that. When combining two effect words, you use the shortest duration of the two. Cold snap is instantaneous. So while it will work for a cold snap/ball lightning, it will do nothing for any effect you want to linger because those effects will have zero duration.
Do watch that. When combining two effect words, you use the shortest duration of the two. Cold snap is instantaneous. So while it will work for a cold snap/ball lightning, it will do nothing for any effect you want to linger because those effects will have zero duration.
Still works with Horror, though, but yeah, it isn't won't work for duration effects. Granted there aren't many right now, but it does eliminate the obvious power combo with Terror.
I just noticed another thing. A spell can only receive benefits from one school. It doesn't say which effect word is used (presumably caster chooses), but it won't get spell focus for two schools.
I just noticed another thing. A spell can only receive benefits from one school. It doesn't say which effect word is used (presumably caster chooses), but it won't get spell focus for two schools.
Oh but that's the beauty. This isn't Spell Focus--its the (otherwise terrible compared to Spell Focus (evocation) ) Elemental Focus feat. It isn't necessary to be of a certain school--it just needs to do damage and have the [cold] descriptor.
For the record, the higher level effect determines the school (caster chooses if a tie), so for instance, Horror + Cold Snap is a Necromancy [Cold] spell that deals damage. It would gain benefits from Elemental Focus (cold) or Spell Focus (necromancy) but not Spell Focus (evocation).
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Jeez, that's ridiculous. It's a bit terrifying.
The Flame Oracle could also set up burn damage on Horror and other spells by just tossing on Flame Jet. Since the burn damage is based on spell level, high level Fear and other debuff spell Words will do considerably more burn damage than the 0 level Fire Word would otherwise. Hell, it'll do more burn damage than the spell deals in damage pretty easily.
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Jeez, that's ridiculous. It's a bit terrifying.
The Flame Oracle could also set up burn damage on Horror and other spells by just tossing on Flame Jet. Since the burn damage is based on spell level, high level Fear and other debuff spell Words will do considerably more burn damage than the 0 level Fire Word would otherwise. Hell, it'll do more burn damage than the spell deals in damage pretty easily.
Dang it. The duration thing is what gets this idea screwed. Well, it's at least a reason not to make multi-round elemental Words.
Are there debuffs which are also instantaneous? Insanity, though it's a very high level spell. Something to watch out for.
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Jeez, that's ridiculous. It's a bit terrifying.
The Flame Oracle could also set up burn damage on Horror and other spells by just tossing on Flame Jet. Since the burn damage is based on spell level, high level Fear and other debuff spell Words will do considerably more burn damage than the 0 level Fire Word would otherwise. Hell, it'll do more burn damage than the spell deals in damage pretty easily.
That'd be pretty impressive... if clerics/oracles could get Flame Jet... as is the actual cost would be 10 or 13 points to add on the burning effect via Cinder Storm... Another interesting combo is the Fey Bloodline Sorcerer with Spell Focus(Enchantment) and Greater Spell Focus(Enchantment) using Simple Order to boost up the compulsion effect DCs by 4 or so for 4 or 6 points or so.
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Good call. I neglected to look if that Word was on the Cleric/Oracle list. In the end, it'll depend on how they handle bonus spells. If Flame Oracles still just get traditional spells for bonuses, they'll be locked off from getting the low level words that might actually help them with their theme. Flame Oracles would be pretty terrible using WoP right now.
I just noticed another thing. A spell can only receive benefits from one school. It doesn't say which effect word is used (presumably caster chooses), but it won't get spell focus for two schools.Oh but that's the beauty. This isn't Spell Focus--its the (otherwise terrible compared to Spell Focus (evocation) ) Elemental Focus feat. It isn't necessary to be of a certain school--it just needs to do damage and have the [cold] descriptor.
For the record, the higher level effect determines the school (caster chooses if a tie), so for instance, Horror + Cold Snap is a Necromancy [Cold] spell that deals damage. It would gain benefits from Elemental Focus (cold) or Spell Focus (necromancy) but not Spell Focus (evocation).
By RAW this is entirely possible, on the other hand using words of power doesnt allow your player to use the feat spell perfection for a +8 DC (using greater spell focus and elemental focus).
I just noticed another thing. A spell can only receive benefits from one school. It doesn't say which effect word is used (presumably caster chooses), but it won't get spell focus for two schools.Oh but that's the beauty. This isn't Spell Focus--its the (otherwise terrible compared to Spell Focus (evocation) ) Elemental Focus feat. It isn't necessary to be of a certain school--it just needs to do damage and have the [cold] descriptor.
For the record, the higher level effect determines the school (caster chooses if a tie), so for instance, Horror + Cold Snap is a Necromancy [Cold] spell that deals damage. It would gain benefits from Elemental Focus (cold) or Spell Focus (necromancy) but not Spell Focus (evocation).
By RAW this is entirely possible, on the other hand using words of power doesnt allow your player to use the feat spell perfection for a +8 DC (using greater spell focus and elemental focus).
I decided that for effects that only work for one particular spell, the character will name an effect word, and he only gets the benefits if the effect word is the one at the highest level (and if there's a tie, he can choose). This seems much fairer than letting it apply to any spell including that effect word. I would hope that such a terminology makes it into the final rules (if indeed the abilities that only work for one particular spell can even be used at all with WoP).
