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I want to make a character (most likely a wizard) who relies heavily on a single spell, using traits, spell specialization, and spell perfection to give him an EXTREMELY high caster level for said spell (like standard CL +5, if not more).
The question is this, what spell benefits the most from such a build, from having a high caster level? Which is worth focusing in?
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Heavens Oracle- Color Spray seems like an obvious choice.
I'm a little hesitant to invest so much in a 1st-level mind-affecting spell. Even with a high caster level, the DC's aren't going to be that great.
Magic Jar.
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RD,
A few thoughts/questions on this:
Starting at 1st level, or higher?
Capping at what level? All the way to 20th, or somewhere before?
Will this spell be one the wizard has from the start, or one that he levels into?
Remember that for many spells, there comes a point where the caster level boost runs into the spell's effects cap, and then it stops being very useful once you reach the point where the spell's cap is below your actual level.
For instance, extra caster levels for Magic Missile are great, at low level, until you hit the 5 missile cap. Once you pass 9th or 10th level, it becomes a backup spell instead of your goto spell.
I assumed you would metamagic it Heighten will take care of the DC. Persistant would be worth it too. A dip into Crossblooded sorceror Serpentine/Undead would expand the mind effecting usage a bit. But at higher levels even that would not be enough, immunity to mind effecting is handed out like Halloween candy. Kinda nixes the Charm Monster route as well.
Flesh to Stone has been a favorite. Im personally fond of Mass Suffocation, despite obvious problems. Magic Jar sounds promising until I read "blocked by Protection from Evil" but that would not stop a true Neutral. Bestow Curse lets you use all those neat effects from your Curse thread.
Also if you pick a Necromancy spell: check out Deathwine
For spells that actually get use of the high caster level, I've would suggest something like Telekinesis or Chain Lightning.
It somewhat needs to be no higher than level 6, so you are able to cast a quicken version of it.
Otherwise, I think Greater Dispel Magic might be a nice choice. You could become quite effective at both counter magic and debuffing.
Remember that for many spells, there comes a point where the caster level boost runs into the spell's effects cap, and then it stops being very useful once you reach the point where the spell's cap is below your actual level.
there's a Metamagic for that
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there's a Metamagic for that
Remember that for many spells, there comes a point where the caster level boost runs into the spell's effects cap, and then it stops being very useful once you reach the point where the spell's cap is below your actual level.
Nice! Which one is it, and how much can it help?
Maybe he means Intensify? If so: It only works on spells that do damage, and only if that damage is caster level based.
Re: Color Spray - I made a character who focused fully on that spell, and it was pretty freaking solid, you just had to also have other options for those times when something is immune. Not a spell that you can max out caster level on though since it is one of the spells that caster level has basically no effect on at all.
Nice! Which one is it, and how much can it help?
Intensify Spell +1 for 5 extra levels. Yeah, it is a bit underwhelming. I think it goes best with Burning hands and the like.
Intensify Spell +1 for 5 extra levels. Yeah, it is a bit underwhelming. I think it goes best with Burning hands and the like.
Nice! Which one is it, and how much can it help?
Yeah, very popular with Magi for Shocking Grasp.
Edit:
On topic - What about a good ol' Disintegrate wizard?
The perfect canidate: Planar Binding
Congratulations, you specialized in EVERYTHING!
The perfect canidate: Planar Binding
Congratulations, you specialized in EVERYTHING!
Or along the lines of being good at lots of things:
How about one of the Shadow spells? (Conjuration/Evocation and such)Probably not all that powerful really, but versatile.
Maybe use the Shadowcaster archetype from Inner Sea Magic. (+20% to how real it is IIRC)
Nice! Which one is it, and how much can it help?there's a Metamagic for that
Remember that for many spells, there comes a point where the caster level boost runs into the spell's effects cap, and then it stops being very useful once you reach the point where the spell's cap is below your actual level.
I believe he is referring to intensified spell, which extends the cap by +5 levels, though you still need to have the CL for it. For example, an intensified fireball deals 15d6 damage, uses up a slot 1 level higher, and requires you to have a caster level of 15 (or else your damage dice go down proportionately).
I'm seeing some nice spells being mentioned (even some of my favorites such as flesh to stone and magic jar), but I'm specifically looking for something that benefits from a high caster level. Greater dispel magic is a great example of the kind of thing I'm looking for as it even works well with things like Quicken Spell (with the right trait) and Widen Spell.
This is primarily for a mechanical mental exercise, so there is no set class or level goal (though feel free to set one if you feel it is appropriate for your suggested spell). If it helps, though, most of my mental exercises that get written down on paper end up being level 15, with 25 point buy.
Schorcing ray is a good spell imho.
II level spell, you can maximize it but with spell perfection you don't pay the high cost of the feat.
If you apply empower spell, well, you have a 4th spell that causes 72+6d6 point of fire damage.
If you're an evoker-subschool admixture, you can change the element of the spell, and add 1/2 your wizard level to damage.
So: 79+6d6 point of <energy of your choice> ( if you're a 15th wizard ).
Not bad for a 4th level spell!
Question: if I apply intensify spells to schorcing ray, can I fire another ray ( if my level is high enough ) or not?
If yes, this extra ray would benefit of other feats already applied, such maximized spells and empower spells?
Question: if I apply intensify spells to schorcing ray, can I fire another ray ( if my level is high enough ) or not?If yes, this extra ray would benefit of other feats already applied, such maximized spells and empower spells?
Per RAW no, as Intensify only affect the number of damage dice that depends on caster level.
Personally I think it could be allowed without significant problems - but there might be some combinations that I am unaware of.
Black Tentacles is funny. Chains of Perdition from UC could be just as funny if errata'd to have caster level be BAB rather than CMB (it is obvious that that is what it was meant to say).
Major Creation or Major Image or Mirage Arcana could be cool, for especially large creations or illusions.
Maybe a wall spell, to get a gigantic wall.
Maybe Control Winds, to have an enormous tornado?
Probably a transmutation SoD effect, at the highest spell level possible for level 15. Polymorph any Object seems viable, although a higher caster level will have little effect there.
Disintegrate may be your best choice, as a higher caster level will heighten the damage, although it has a cap of CL 20, so it also has its limits of usefulness.
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Greater dispel magic and dispel magic don't really benefit a great deal from this feat. Yes, you can apply quicken spell for free, which makes for great anti-caster actions, but all the other parts of the feat fall by the wayside.
This a biased opinion but I like the idea of using Hold Monster. Especially if you have Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, and Greater Spell Penetration. +4 to the DC and +8 to overcome SR, add free metamagic feats and you can paralyze all sorts of fools. Those fools would then be coupe de graced like no bodies business by everyone around them. Great metamagic feats to go along with this are Heighten Spell, Quicken Spell, and Penetrating Spell, though I am sure there are other options.
Edit: I forgot this was about spell specialization and not just Spell Perfection. Hold Monster still works well, but really doesn't benefit from the higher caster level.
Greater dispel magic and dispel magic don't really benefit a great deal from this feat. Yes, you can apply quicken spell for free, which makes for great anti-caster actions, but all the other parts of the feat fall by the wayside.
This a biased opinion but I like the idea of using Hold Monster. Especially if you have Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, and Greater Spell Penetration. +4 to the DC and +8 to overcome SR, add free metamagic feats and you can paralyze all sorts of fools. Those fools would then be coupe de graced like no bodies business by everyone around them. Great metamagic feats to go along with this are Heighten Spell, Quicken Spell, and Penetrating Spell, though I am sure there are other options.
Edit: I forgot this was about spell specialization and not just Spell Perfection. Hold Monster still works well, but really doesn't benefit from the higher caster level.
The best MM Feat for any save-based spell is totally Persistent Spell.
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The best MM Feat for any save-based spell is totally Persistent Spell.Greater dispel magic and dispel magic don't really benefit a great deal from this feat. Yes, you can apply quicken spell for free, which makes for great anti-caster actions, but all the other parts of the feat fall by the wayside.
This a biased opinion but I like the idea of using Hold Monster. Especially if you have Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, and Greater Spell Penetration. +4 to the DC and +8 to overcome SR, add free metamagic feats and you can paralyze all sorts of fools. Those fools would then be coupe de graced like no bodies business by everyone around them. Great metamagic feats to go along with this are Heighten Spell, Quicken Spell, and Penetrating Spell, though I am sure there are other options.
Edit: I forgot this was about spell specialization and not just Spell Perfection. Hold Monster still works well, but really doesn't benefit from the higher caster level.
I totally forgot about that one. Add that to the list.
The best MM Feat for any save-based spell is totally Persistent Spell.Greater dispel magic and dispel magic don't really benefit a great deal from this feat. Yes, you can apply quicken spell for free, which makes for great anti-caster actions, but all the other parts of the feat fall by the wayside.
This a biased opinion but I like the idea of using Hold Monster. Especially if you have Spell Focus, Greater Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, and Greater Spell Penetration. +4 to the DC and +8 to overcome SR, add free metamagic feats and you can paralyze all sorts of fools. Those fools would then be coupe de graced like no bodies business by everyone around them. Great metamagic feats to go along with this are Heighten Spell, Quicken Spell, and Penetrating Spell, though I am sure there are other options.
Edit: I forgot this was about spell specialization and not just Spell Perfection. Hold Monster still works well, but really doesn't benefit from the higher caster level.
True, but I've done all the exciting things with Spell Perfection already (from a 15th-level flesh to stone specialist that not even CR 20s would beat to a sorcerer that could fireball people for ~300 or so damage per round.
I want to keep the focus on Spell Specialization this time, or more specifically, the +4 caster level I get from it being combined with Spell Perfection. If anyone knows other ways to boost caster level, please let me know and I may incorporate it into the character build I come up with.
EDIT: Since I do intend to have Spell Perfection, what might be some good metamagic feats should I choose greater dispel magic?
I was thinking of Lingering Spell, Quicken Spell, Reach Spell, Selective Spell, and Widen Spell.
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...If anyone knows other ways to boost caster level, please let me know and I may incorporate it into the character build I come up with.EDIT: Since I do intend to have Spell Perfection, what might be some good metamagic feats should I choose greater dispel magic?
I can at least help a bit here (I have Hero Lab open right now.)
Allied Spellcaster: increases the spell level of a spell cast if adjacent spellcaster has it prepared (or available to cast if spontaneous caster.) Can also provide up to +4 Vs. SR
Outside of Spell Specialization that seems to be the only feat I can find. There might be other ways though, but I am honestly not that familiar with wizards.
Would the caster level check to dispel magic be affected by Spell Specialization? For example, would my level 10 wizard casting dispel magic roll 1d20+12 with spell specialization?
Would the caster level check to dispel magic be affected by Spell Specialization? For example, would my level 10 wizard casting dispel magic roll 1d20+12 with spell specialization?
Any effect that increases caster level should effect a caster level check, so yes. Things get more interesting when you realizae that Spell Perfection doubles the bonus. A 15th-level dispeller would have a check of 1d20+19, or 1d20+20 with an orange prism ioun stone.
Beyond that, I can't think of any ways to boost caster level, though I'm sure there are plenty more out there.
All the discussion about mind affecting spells brings me straight to feeblemind. It doesn't scale with level, but it's a nasty one to boost the DC on and potentially follow with a quickened charm person.
All of the best spells that scale with level have already been mentioned; I'm partial to shadow conjuration and telekinesis.
holy word is pretty wicked even though not a wizard/sorcerer spell, spell resistance isn't a bad option I think.
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Spell Focus is a prerequisite, but on a thread I started a while back some one brought up the Varisian Tattoo - +1 caster level to the spells of the school you have spell focus in, and Bloatmage initiate - +1 caster level to the spells of the school you chose spell focus for, you are permanently encumbered. Precousius Caster is a trait that allows you to choose 1 1st level and 1 0 lvl spell to cast at 1 higher caster level. This is a regional trait to Taldor. Gifted Adept - a Magic trait I believe - add +1 to you caster level for 1 spell of your choice. Finally, several races allowed in the Bestiary 2 grant a +1 caster level to a specific element related spells.
Spell Focus is a prerequisite, but on a thread I started a while back some one brought up the Varisian Tattoo - +1 caster level to the spells of the school you have spell focus in, and Bloatmage initiate - +1 caster level to the spells of the school you chose spell focus for, you are permanently encumbered. Precousius Caster is a trait that allows you to choose 1 1st level and 1 0 lvl spell to cast at 1 higher caster level. This is a regional trait to Taldor. Gifted Adept - a Magic trait I believe - add +1 to you caster level for 1 spell of your choice. Finally, several races allowed in the Bestiary 2 grant a +1 caster level to a specific element related spells.
Pyromaniac Gnome gets +1 CL to all Fire spells too :)
I am a fan of Enemy Hammer. The extra caster level gives you a longer duration.
A witch with Unwilling Shield and pumped up HP would be fun.
I would like to thank everyone for the help, but I believe I have settled on greater dispel magic.
I have created the following character as a result. Thank you all for the inspiration.
1) He is a master dispeller who can really punish a single foe, or a large group of foes. Due to his effective CL 20 in regards to greater dispel magic, he is able to knock out as many as five ongoing spells on a single target. Since he is +5 levels ahead, he is MUCH more likely to succeed than typical dispellers (who only have about 45% chance of success against an equally powerful enemy). What's more, not only will the target lose any advantages from his/her buff spells, but they will also need to make a Fortitude save (DC 27) or be stunned for 1 round (or sickened if they succeed) due to his Destructive Dispel feat. Additionally, the target takes a -2 penalty to saves against Sela's spells for 1 round for each spell so dispelled. That means the target could be facing as much as a -12 save penalty (-2 for being sickened, and -2 for each of the five buffs dispelled) against the follow up "Save or Suck" spell (most likely feeblemind as it imposes an additional -4 penalty to the save if the target is an arcane caster--something that is all-too likely if they had five buffs). Due to Quicken Spell, Sela can blast through an enemy wizard's magical defenses AND disable him in only a single round. With his other metamagic, he can also snipe-dispel (reach spell), effect small armies (widen spell), or exclude as many as 9 allies from the area of effect (selective spell). Should you survive the opening round against Sela and deliver a save or suck spell yourself, he can counterspell it as an immediate action up to three times a day thanks to his counterspell school's Counterspell Mastery class ability. Due to knowing all core spells of 8th-level and lower, and having arcane bond, he is nearly guaranteed to have an appropriate spell ready to counter with.
2) Sela knows every spell in the core rulebook and then some. Combined with his contingency spell, multiple long term buffs, and arcane bond class feature, he is prepared for almost any situation that might arise. Though I ran out of starting funds, if I get the chance to play him, one of the first things I intend to do is craft even more spell scrolls so as to be even further prepared.
3) Sela's spell combinations, particularly his summon and polymorph spells. Imagine facing Sela on his own turf: the desert. He starts off by dispelling a single buff and stun-locking your entire party as a swift action. He then transforms into a huge earth elemental (a giant statuesque version of himself) and earth glides beneath the desert sands. Since he has fingers, and can speak, he retains his spellcasting and buffs up with the benefit of total cover. When he's ready, he casts summon monster VIII, bringing forth as many as five other huge earth elementals, all of which look like identical statuesque versions of himself. While you are busy figuring out which of the six mountains is really him, his minions are eating away at your hit points or grappling/pinning you. Fighting back is difficult thanks to earth glide. Should you determine the true caster (perhaps he cast an obvious spell, taking out one of your comrades) he and the others simply retreat underground, rebuff, and rise again, once again confounding everyone as to which is which.
Sela could also cast quickened shield, activate his boots of speed, and turn into a huge air elemental instead. This gives him an AC of 42. A 15th-level fighter with +25 to hit would need a 17 or better on his opening attack, and a natural 20 on his iteratives. That doesn't matter, however, as Sela can move away 150 feet as a move action and bust up any fighter with his long range spells.
If a fighter's primary weapon or an enemy wizard's staff proves to be more annoying than the fighter/wizard himself, a quickened greater dispel magic and a shatter spell can prove to be an excellent remedy.
Thanks to his 120 foot darkvision, Sela can drop a darkness spell on the enemy and gain an instant and obvious advantage, should his foes not likewise possess darkvision.
Permancied arcane sight and a Spellcraft modifier so high he auto succeeds at identifying all of your spell buffs at a glance means he knows exactly who to target first. Since he can quicken his greater dispel magic spell, he can spend a standard action learning about the party wizard or cleric's spellcasting capabilities AND drop a dispel bomb in the same round. Should his enemies be stunlocked, he might even have the time to follow up with save or suck spell before your massive save penalties disappear.
Obviously, I had a great deal of fun with this project. My character turned out far more powerful and interesting that I could have hoped for. Thanks to all who contributed.
Feel free to use this power house as you see fit.
I would like to thank everyone for the help, but I believe I have settled on greater dispel magic.
I have created the following character as a result. Thank you all for the inspiration.
** spoiler omitted **...
What program did you use to make that? I like it and I want it. ;-)
What program did you use to make that? I like it and I want it. ;-)I would like to thank everyone for the help, but I believe I have settled on greater dispel magic.
I have created the following character as a result. Thank you all for the inspiration.
** spoiler omitted **...
I used Microsoft Word 2010. I could just as easily have reproduced it in Open Office, Adobe InDesign, or any number of other programs though.
I used Microsoft Word 2010. I could just as easily have reproduced it in Open Office, Adobe InDesign, or any number of other programs though.What program did you use to make that? I like it and I want it. ;-)I would like to thank everyone for the help, but I believe I have settled on greater dispel magic.
I have created the following character as a result. Thank you all for the inspiration.
** spoiler omitted **...
NVM I thought it was a character generator.
Nope, just raw talent! :D
I would never use character generators. Their output sheets ALWAYS