I'm talking about arcane spells here - what would you say is the most powerful wand you can craft?
I'm working on an Illusionist right now who's going to be taking Craft Wand as one of his bonus feats. Silent Image is going to be a terribly useful wand to make, but right now I'm thinking Phantasmal Killer would be the most dangerous. The ability to spam a save or die effect (even if you get two saves) in a handy-dandy travel-sized container seems about as potent as it gets...
What say you?
Take a look at 4th level summoner spells -_-
Take a look at 4th level summoner spells -_-
You don't have to sell me on Summoning spells, but apart from perhaps being able to spam 1d3 Lantern Archons per round I would think you'd start getting some pretty dramatic diminishing returns as you began to level up if you were limited to monsters from the level 4 list...
In my experience, wands of Magic Missile are among the best bang for your buck (no save, relatively cheap). Phantasmal Killer sounds like fairly poor choice; the save DC is low and the target gets two saves.
Summoner spells, not summoning spells. Like a Wand of Teleport.
I would avoid phantasmal killer as a wand spell. Remember that wands have the minimum save DC possible for their spells. Phantasmal killer would be allowing two saves at DC 16, and most creatures susceptible to mind-affecting effects should have a good chance of succeeding at either the Will or Fortitude save. IMO that would be a waste of both 21,000 gps and your action economy in combat.
The best offensive wands crafted by a wizard will be useful spells that allow no save (and preferably ignore spell resistance). Good choices of 4th-level wizard spells include: black tentacles, enervation, ice storm, solid fog, summon monster IV, telekinetic charge, and volcanic storm are decent options.
Oh right, wizard making his own. In that case, uh...
Summoner spells, not summoning spells. Like a Wand of Teleport.
Assuming you can find a summoner who bothered to learn to make wands.
Take a look at 4th level summoner spells -_-You can only make wands of spells you have available, that's one thing you can't chees out of by upping the DC.
Also keep in mind that wand costs go up REALLY quick that formula is caster level x spell level x750 in gold.
No, but you can get the spell from other sources, such as a scroll. Though to be effective it'd have to be a scroll made by another summoner. Improbable, but not impossible to do.
Summoner spells, not summoning spells. Like a Wand of Teleport.Assuming you can find a summoner who bothered to learn to make wands.
All the Summoner has to do is provide the spell. The Wizard already has the feat.
I would avoid phantasmal killer as a wand spell. Remember that wands have the minimum save DC possible for their spells. Phantasmal killer would be allowing two saves at DC 16, and most creatures susceptible to mind-affecting effects should have a good chance of succeeding at either the Will or Fortitude save. IMO that would be a waste of both 21,000 gps and your action economy in combat.
That's a fair point about the low saves.
I'm strongly considering taking Phantasmal Killer as a Spell Perfection candidate, but those numbers do indeed look dramatically different when I'm casting it vs. a Wand.
Summoner spells, not summoning spells. Like a Wand of Teleport.
Ah. Now I totally get you.
All the Summoner has to do is provide the spell. The Wizard already has the feat.Summoner spells, not summoning spells. Like a Wand of Teleport.Assuming you can find a summoner who bothered to learn to make wands.
Even better.
I've always disliked Phantasmal Killer - anything you really want dead is going to save against one or the other. It's okay for killing things with just good Reflex saves - rogues, I suppose, and that's about it.
Wands are good if the spell doesn't have much that's level-based. Attack spells usually don't work very well because the save DC is going to suck if you're casting it from a wand. You want utility spells that you can spam over and over, and will be consistently useful. Shield, Expeditious Retreat, Cure Light Wounds... those are good 1st level wands.
Wands of Scorching Ray are pretty solid for a damaging attack if you don't have any better options, but once you can afford to use it casually, you almost always will have a better choice. Essentially it's a better version of a crossbow.
The various Pit spells might make for fun wands, especially if someone in the group is good at pushing or repositioning enemies. There's no save if you get moved into that square. Create Pit + Hydraulic Push, maybe?
Spectral Hand is a nice wand if you have touch spells but don't want to get too close or risk your familiar.
See Invisibility is a great wand, and one would probably last you the whole campaign. It's great to have when it comes up.
Conversely, everybody's friends with the guy with the Wand of Invisibility.
Monstrous Physique I can get you climb, fly, swim, and water breathing, as well as maybe a couple of attacks and the ability to blend in with enemies. Lots of flexibility, which is great for a wand.
Communal Protection from Energy or Resist Energy would make a good wand. Each charge would give the whole party resistance or a little bit of immunity (a minimum-level wand of communal protection from energy could prevent 84 points of energy damage to seven people, with a duration of ten minutes per person)
Dragon's Breath would make an okay wand if you want blasting, since you can vary the shape and type of energy damage at casting. It's very flexible, but blasting from a wand is always going to be of dubious value in my opinion.
I know you said arcane, but if the group has a cleric, you two can work together to make a wand. Blessing of Fervor would make a pretty powerful wand, though it would be expensive. That spell can seriously turn the tide of a fight in your favor, though, and with a wand you'd get 7 rounds of it, enough for the vast majority of fights.
I would love a wand of telekinetic charge - you get to move an ally from anywhere in close range to anywhere else in range, and then if they ended next to an enemy they get to attack as an immediate action. Flinging the party barbarian around the battlefield to give him extra attacks and set him up for more full attacks is a winning move.
Enervation.
Your GM will weep.
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Enervation.
Your GM will weep.
Ranged touch, no save. Nice.
plus using wand doesnt provoke...
..its 1 handed so no issues using it if grappled?
...if you are a witch and your familair casts ill-omen from a wand then your Phan Kill starts to look more tastey (my witch 8 has had 3 success with this combo), even better if you hexed it up last round!!
plus using wand doesnt provoke...
Using a wand doesn't provoke, but using a ranged attack does. So yes, a wand using a ray spell would provoke, because of the nature of the spell rather than because it's a wand.
plus using wand doesnt provoke...
..its 1 handed so no issues using it if grappled?
Grease, or better yet, DDoor. Unfortunately you'd have to have it in hand, but sometimes you just KNOW you're going to be grappled, and there's pretty much nothing you can do about it.
Wands of shocking grasp aren't bad especially for a rogue; no save and even if the damage isn't spectacular, sneak attack on a touch attack is cool. Vampiric Touch is a lot more expensive, but sneak attack makes the damage ok and hit points are always nice.
Magic missile, really. Sometimes you need force damage.
Expeditious Retreat. Enlarge person -- which still takes as long as casting it, but at least isn't subject to AOOs and interruption.
I'll also second "Monstrous Physique." This is my new favorite spell: fly, water breathing, touch of the sea, darkvision, movement speeds... it's an on demand "what do you need" fix for everything. It's pretty expensive for a wand, but if your Fighter were willing to put points in UMD it could be tremendously valuable.
Alter self is an affordable wand alternative to monstrous physique I that covers a range of options. Low-light, darkvision, scent, swim/water breathing, base movement, natural weapons, and a +2 bonus to Str or Dex.
plus using wand doesnt provoke...
..its 1 handed so no issues using it if grappled?Grease, or better yet, DDoor. Unfortunately you'd have to have it in hand, but sometimes you just KNOW you're going to be grappled, and there's pretty much nothing you can do about it.
Wands of shocking grasp aren't bad especially for a rogue; no save and even if the damage isn't spectacular, sneak attack on a touch attack is cool. Vampiric Touch is a lot more expensive, but sneak attack makes the damage ok and hit points are always nice.
Magic missile, really. Sometimes you need force damage.
Expeditious Retreat. Enlarge person -- which still takes as long as casting it, but at least isn't subject to AOOs and interruption.
I'll also second "Monstrous Physique." This is my new favorite spell: fly, water breathing, touch of the sea, darkvision, movement speeds... it's an on demand "what do you need" fix for everything. It's pretty expensive for a wand, but if your Fighter were willing to put points in UMD it could be tremendously valuable.
My arcane trickster is a spring attack build who is also a wandsmith. He uses expedious retreat (1 min, which is plenty for most fights) and wand of shocking grasp (CL5) to great effect. He runs in and flanks with a buddy, shocks + sneak and runs out.
Some of the others get better if you go the 'staff like wand' route.
But I don't think I could choose a favorite.
Polymorph is 4th level on the Adept's list, that might make for a useful wand.
Some of the Create Pit spells would be nice. Expecially if you have a bullrusher who can fly (such as a Eidolon or a Fighter/Barb with a magic item) helping you get enemies into said pit.
Summoner spells, not summoning spells. Like a Wand of Teleport.
Hahha! A be somewhere else -wand :D
Should work great on incriminating evidence too.Really gotta look up teleport... wonder if a locked door or stoneblock in a castlewall could be just, umm.. teleported away ;)
Or wall of stone. Call it a insta-castle wand!
Heh. Muleback cords, ant haul and that wand of teleport work wonders in combination..
if im grappled and use a wand to open up a pit, will the grappler falling in, end the grapple??
I like telekinetic charge myself.