| Ronald Vagoc |
Hey guys, I am playing a wizard for the first time in D&D version 3.5. I am surprised by the many spells I can learn to prepare and came up with a rather effective idea for a combo. It involves telekinisis (violent thrust version)used with 15 spell storing daggers storing the lvl 3 vampiric touch spell in combination with the usage of spells that buff my attack rolls (like heroism).
My question is does this work? does telekinisis make these daggers strike and activate the stored vamp touch spells if I hit the opponents AC?
Is it really true that in that case I can deal 15d4 (daggers) and 150d6 (vamp spell) damage to my enemy and steal 150d6 life in just one standard action this way practily making my character close to unbeatable just by (ab)using the core books?
If it works it is quite a handy trick, but wont I upset my DM and make all my fellow players feel totally useless and bored when it comes to dealing damage?
Any thoughts on this idea?
| Ice Titan |
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hey guys, I am playing a wizard for the first time in D&D version 3.5. I am surprised by the many spells I can learn to prepare and came up with a rather effective idea for a combo. It involves telekinisis (violent thrust version)used with 15 spell storing daggers storing the lvl 3 vampiric touch spell in combination with the usage of spells that buff my attack rolls (like heroism).
My question is does this work? does telekinisis make these daggers strike and activate the stored vamp touch spells if I hit the opponents AC?
Is it really true that in that case I can deal 15d4 (daggers) and 150d6 (vamp spell) damage to my enemy and steal 150d6 life in just one standard action this way practily making my character close to unbeatable just by (ab)using the core books?If it works it is quite a handy trick, but wont I upset my DM and make all my fellow players feel totally useless and bored when it comes to dealing damage?
Any thoughts on this idea?
You would get 10d6 healing. Spells effects don't stack with themselves, you just take the highest result. You can't cast bull's strength 5 times to have +20 to strength, for example.
But that's entirely do-able. It would just cost 124,500gp.
At level 15, you have 240,000 gp.
So, you buy the 15 spell-storing daggers and put vampiric touch into all of them. It probably takes you three days to do this maneuver.
Assuming 20 point buy, you likely look like this. Let's straight up power game.
STR 7 (7) ... -4
DEX 16 (16) ... 10
CON 15 (15) ... 7
INT 19 (17+2) ... 13
WIS 8 (8) ... -2
CHA 7 (7) ... -4
By 15, you've gotten 4 ability score modifiers.
STR 7 (7)
DEX 16 (16)
CON 16 (151)
INT 22 (17+2+3)
WIS 8 (8)
CHA 7 (7)
You've also spent some dough on upping your int. Let's say, 36,000gp for a headband of +6, and 55,000gp for a tome of intelligence +2. So, there's 91,000gp. That's 215,500 total. Note that your saves don't have a +5 modifier, your AC is something like 14, and you have 15d6+45+15 HP (14d6 + 66 ⇒ (1, 2, 6, 6, 4, 5, 4, 2, 5, 3, 4, 6, 1, 3) + 66 = 118), whereas like a fighter would have 15d10+60+15 HP (14d10 + 85 ⇒ (2, 6, 8, 8, 9, 10, 5, 2, 5, 10, 1, 4, 10, 2) + 85 = 167) or a barbarian could have 15d12+60+15+45 HP when raging (14d12 + 60 + 15 + 57 ⇒ (1, 6, 12, 5, 6, 5, 2, 5, 12, 8, 8, 3, 2, 8) + 60 + 15 + 57 = 215). Speaking of saves, +8/+8/+8 is where you're at, and DCs at level 15 look like DC28s and such on the high end there. So, choose some extra items. Maybe spells. You do only have 25,000gp, and you know only 34 or so spells and some cantrips. So, might want to choose carefully on what you buy.
Nonetheless, this is your stat block now
STR 7 (7)
DEX 16 (16)
CON 16 (15+1)
INT 30 (17+2+3+2+6)
WIS 8 (8)
CHA 7 (7)
Meaning you cast telekinesis and then rock out with a +17 to hit.
Do you have precise shot? Well, it's no big deal. I was going to use a marilith, which has a full neg 4, but I'll use an ice linnorm instead, which has no penalty. Its AC is 32. So is the Mariliths, so you likely have to hit AC 36.
ICE LINNORM
Rolls to hit:
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (15) + 17 = 32 (hit!) (misses the Marilith)
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 19
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (7) + 17 = 24
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 19
Good rolls.
Spell resistance, I'll assume you have greater penetration, so 15+4 for +19... versus SR 28, that's not too bad!
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (10) + 19 = 29
Haha! TAKE THIS! Well, the d4 is blunted by its DR 15/cold iron, but the 10d6 goes through.
10d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 4, 5, 1, 2, 2, 6, 6, 6) = 37
Alright. Glorious. Got him for 30.
Let's assume that you maybe conned someone else in the party into buying 15 +1 spell storing daggers too. So, you cast telekinesis again, another 5th level spell, and try again!
ICE LINNORM (AC 32)
Rolls to hit:
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 19
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35 (hit!) (misses the Marilith)
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37 (hit!)
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37 (hit!)
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (10) + 17 = 27
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (11) + 17 = 28
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (16) + 17 = 33 (hit!) (misses the Marilith)
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (18) + 17 = 35 (hit!) (misses the Marilith)
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (3) + 17 = 20
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (12) + 17 = 29
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37 (hit!)
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (15) + 17 = 32 (hit!) (misses the Marilith)
Much more lucky!
Confirms:
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 19
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
1d20 + 17 ⇒ (1) + 17 = 18
Well, none confirm.
Spell resistance:
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (8) + 19 = 27 (missed the Marilith)
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (4) + 19 = 23
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (12) + 19 = 31 (passes)
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (19) + 19 = 38 (passes) (missed the Marilith)
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39 (passes) (missed the Marilith)
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (8) + 19 = 27
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (7) + 19 = 26 (missed the Marilith)
Alright, 20d6 damage, coming in hot. 20d6 ⇒ (3, 2, 4, 4, 6, 3, 1, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 4, 2, 4, 1, 1, 5, 2, 1) = 65
Alright! Take that! 65 damage! HA HA HA HA! 10d6 versus the marilith, but that's fine. You take what you can get for a hundred thousand gold.
Let's not talk about how 39 AC is pretty much par-for-par at CR 17.
Fighter level 15 with same strength mods as you do intelligence has a +25 with BAB and STR, and then a +4 from a +4 weapon, +3 from weapon training and +2 from weapon focii for +34 to hit, so consider that if this fighter was in your group the DM would want to make monsters have a good 39~ AC so that the fighter would run the risk of missing every once and a while.
Assuming he's greatswording, you can see him doing 2d6+15 base. +4 from the weapon, +3 from weapon training, +4 from weapon specializations, and -4/+12 from Power Attack. 2d6+38 17-20 x2.
Assuming the fighter can get into melee range, hasting him will do generally the same amount of damage as this 125,000gp one-shot-per-three-days maneuver does.
Versus the same Linnorm:
1d20 + 30 ⇒ (18) + 30 = 48* Here's your damage output from Haste
1d20 + 30 ⇒ (9) + 30 = 39
1d20 + 25 ⇒ (3) + 25 = 28
1d20 + 20 ⇒ (11) + 20 = 31
Normally, he would hit once and do 2d6 + 38 ⇒ (3, 6) + 38 = 47.
Now he gets a critical threat. 1d20 + 34 ⇒ (17) + 34 = 51. And a confirm.
The Linnorm makes two fortitude saves (DC25) versus blinding and staggering. 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (8) + 20 = 28 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (15) + 20 = 35. Well, he's still dazzled and staggered for a round. The important part is the damage.
4d6 + 72 ⇒ (5, 6, 5, 3) + 72 = 91
From 38 to 129. And it was only one third-level spell and it didn't even cost 125,000gp.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but I'm just saying, haste breaks the game a lot more than that fan of vampiric knives. Just cast haste.
| Ronald Vagoc |
Thanks for the reactions. You are saying this move is not OP if it where possible? I am actually glad with that.
I dont really know what you meant with all the numbers and I miss how the damage output gets to come so low. But I think its not hard to cast a few boostspells to get your attack rolls higher then +17 at this level or to force your target to be flat fooded. I am aware that haste is a strong spell since I already use it on my friends. However after the one round you need to cast it there is still an option to do this.
Lets assume you are right and the damage ends up being only 65 because everything misses. That said I don't really powergame I just think of something I find awesome and then try to optimize it. In the example I use spell-storing daggers. If I where to use melee weapons that require touch to hit (I dont know if this is possible with a whip for example), wouldnt that mean I hit thus trigger a lot more?
That said, I am inclined to go with Lathiira's reasoning. Throwing =/= wielding so the spells wont trigger.
so I got three extra questions now:
1 Is throwing the same as wielding so that stored spells do trigger with this move?
2 Is this move actually as OP as I first assumed it is?
3 Does the whip idea work (or any other touch melee weapon if there is one)work so that I only have to hit a touch AC to trigger the spells?
| wraithstrike |
You would get 10d6 healing. Spells effects don't stack with themselves, you just take the highest result. You can't cast bull's strength 5 times to have +20 to strength, for example.
The spell does not stack, but not for those reasons.
1.Vampiric energy only gives temporary hp and they don't stack unless otherwise stated. If they were real hp it would be no different than casting cure ___ many times. The bull's strength is a specific bonus type and they don't stack with themselves except in special cases.2.Spell Storing weapons have to be wielded.
| wraithstrike |
Thanks for the reactions. You are saying this move is not OP if it where possible? I am actually glad with that.
I dont really know what you meant with all the numbers and I miss how the damage output gets to come so low. But I think its not hard to cast a few boostspells to get your attack rolls higher then +17 at this level or to force your target to be flat fooded. I am aware that haste is a strong spell since I already use it on my friends. However after the one round you need to cast it there is still an option to do this.
Lets assume you are right and the damage ends up being only 65 because everything misses. That said I don't really powergame I just think of something I find awesome and then try to optimize it. In the example I use spell-storing daggers. If I where to use melee weapons that require touch to hit (I dont know if this is possible with a whip for example), wouldnt that mean I hit thus trigger a lot more?
That said, I am inclined to go with Lathiira's reasoning. Throwing =/= wielding so the spells wont trigger.
so I got three extra questions now:
1 Is throwing the same as wielding so that stored spells do trigger with this move?
2 Is this move actually as OP as I first assumed it is?
3 Does the whip idea work (or any other touch melee weapon if there is one)work so that I only have to hit a touch AC to trigger the spells?
1.Throwing is not wielding.
2.It can be OP depending on what you are throwing. The real issue is annoying the other players while you make 15 attack rolls. I would suggest rolling several dice at once to make things go faster.3.You are not wielding the whip so you don't get to use touch, even if a whip did use touch. You are just throwing it at someone. There are also no weapons(other than guns) that I know of that use touch so in either case it would not matter.
Even with the gun it would be a thrown object and not firing so it would still be the regular AC.
| meabolex |
2.Spell Storing weapons have to be wielded.
Yeah, there's no wielder, so no one can desire the spell to be cast. . .
Anytime the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately cast the spell on that creature as a free action if the wielder desires.
| Ronald Vagoc |
I think I understand enough now, thanks all for clearing this up for me.
It wont trigger cause throwing/hurling means your not wielding. If it in fact would trigger (cause of a houserule) the move would probably be overpowered so any well thinking DM would probably not allow it in his games. The touch melee weapon idea is a no-go.