Hey All,
Currently brainstorming ideas for a blasty-sorcerer that will probably move into Dragon Disciple. I'm trying to figure out what would the best spell be for the Magical Lineage based on the following criteria:
Crossblooded Sorcerer - Draconic (Silver) & Elemental Primal (Cold).
The spells I'm weighing are currently Snowball and Scorching Ray (Cold b/c of Primal bloodline). Metamagic Feats I'm thinking about are Intensify Spell, Rime Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell, and Disruptive Spell.
After Bloodline Arcana I figure the following:
Intensified Snowball - 10d6+20 Cold (55 damage average) to one target and Fort Save (usually pretty low DC) or Staggered for 1 round. Bypasses SR.
-or-
Rime Freezing [Scorching] Ray - 3x 4d6+8 (22 damage average per ray / 66 damage average total). Auto Entangle. Does not bypass SR.
Freezing Ray vs. Resist Cold takes a -15 point hit whereas Snowball is only -5. Snowball is a 1st level spell vs. Freezing Ray's 2nd level. But Freezing Ray is an auto debuff compared to Snowball's relatively low save.
Whelp. Is one definitely better than the other? Are there other spells I should be looking at?
blasters always praise fireball, tho its a bit higher on the list and takes longer to do sparkly things with
as far as AoE is concerned not much else compares
Yeah. I'm aware of the Fireball option. But I'd like to keep the character concept cold-themed. So Fireball (as a cold spell) is right out for me.
Guess he meant acid arrow
I'd never heard of that Wildblooded fact, Atarlost.
By the way- look up the feat 'Metamagic Master'. It's wonderfully nearly-identical to Magical Lineage.
I'd never heard of that Wildblooded fact, Atarlost.
By the way- look up the feat 'Metamagic Master'. It's wonderfully nearly-identical to Magical Lineage.
I too haven't heard that was the case. There are a few Sorcerer optimization guides that don't seem to agree with you, Atarlost. I'd be interested in seeing an official ruling one way or another. It was my impression that Wildblooded modified a particular Bloodline and Crossblooded allowed you to select any two Bloodlines (modified or unmodified) at the cost of -1 spell known per level and -2 Will save.
I'm aware of Metamagic Master (Wayang Spellhunter). But my other trait is spoken for - Hermean Paragon (+2 trait bonus to Initiative) for flavor reasons.
I'd like to keep the cold theme of the character intact if at all possible. The Rime Cold Arrow is a really clever idea.
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I'd never heard of that Wildblooded fact, Atarlost.
"A character can take more than one archetype and garner additional alternate class features, but none of the alternate class features can replace or alter the same class feature from the core class as another alternate class feature. For example, a paladin could not be both a hospitaler and an undead scourge since they both modify the smite evil class feature and both replace the aura of justice class feature. A paladin could, however, be both an undead scourge and a warrior of the holy light, since none of their new class features replace the same core class feature."
"A crossblooded sorcerer selects two different bloodlines."
"When creating a wildblooded sorcerer, select an existing bloodline, then select one of the following mutated bloodlines associated with that bloodline."
Thus, both archetypes alter the bloodline.
select any two Bloodlines (modified or unmodified)
The section in parentheses is your addition, not as written.
Discussed for PFS play legality in this thread.
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2p4x4?Quick-Legal-Build-Questions-for-PFS#16
Yeah it was my interpretation. Thanks for pointing out the correction.
This changes quite a bit on my end as far as build goes. But I'm still wondering about optimal choices for Magical Lineage.
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Yeah it was my interpretation. Thanks for pointing out the correction.
This changes quite a bit on my end as far as build goes. But I'm still wondering about optimal choices for Magical Lineage.
If you're looking for the extra damage you can go draconic/orc if you're group runs RAW. You'll end up immune to fear and with your elemental damage though you loose some other stuff, I only know this because I was hit with the change on my PFS character.
I'm guessing your looking at Spell Focus/Spell Specialization? If not, take a peak at those two when stacked up with your build.
Is your game going to be open ended, an AP, or something else? You might want to base your choice off of what level you'll be stopping at.
I'd suggest Fireball, if it hadn't been ruled out in this case.
I am quite fond of Dragon's Breath for blasty happiness. A spell that can deal any energy type, in it self, is just gorgeous. Changing between cone and line grants some versatility on the spot (although you won't be casting from a long distance).
Snowball is a great spell (and I am one of those that dislike it utterly), but doesn't really come into consideration for me for a blaster sorcerer:
- It is conjuration. As a blaster feats like spell focus(evoc), Varisian tattoo(evoc) and spell specialization, are your friends.
- Not enough damage. 5d6+5 isn't enough, 10d6+10 isn't either. While an intensified empowered snowball, deals as much damage as an intensified fireball, it only deals it to a single target.
As a treat, you might look at the metamagic master trait (former wayang spellhunter). It is a regional trait, so you can take that and magical lineage. I don't condone attempts to stack them. But it is quite great to get the option on a low level spells AND a mid level spell.
Yeah it was my interpretation. Thanks for pointing out the correction.
This changes quite a bit on my end as far as build goes. But I'm still wondering about optimal choices for Magical Lineage.
If you're looking for the extra damage you can go draconic/orc if you're group runs RAW. You'll end up immune to fear and with your elemental damage though you loose some other stuff, I only know this because I was hit with the change on my PFS character.
I'm guessing your looking at Spell Focus/Spell Specialization? If not, take a peak at those two when stacked up with your build.
Is your game going to be open ended, an AP, or something else? You might want to base your choice off of what level you'll be stopping at.
We'll be running Shattered Star. So I guess level 16 or 17? I'm not sure. I haven't read anything about the AP to avoid spoilers.
The character concept I have in mind is Sorcerer with a 2 level dip into Paladin and then transitioning over into the Dragon Disciple PrC.
I was looking into Elemental Focus instead of Spell Focus. I'm not sure I'm sold on Spell Specialization.
Flurry of Snowballs has a nice, large AOE of 30 ft cone.
But fireball is probably best choice if the current choice of wildblooded/crossblooded archetype mixing isn't allowed.
I should also mention that since the build is a hybrid, not full caster, the DC of my spells will not be high enough to reliably get everything.
Aasimar (Angel Kin: +2 Str/Cha)
Scores are as follows:
Str 14 (16)
Dex 14
Con 10
Int 14
Wis 10
Cha 14 (16)
Which is why I initially leaned towards Snowball and Scorching Ray as they are direct damage that does not require my target to fail saves for full effect.
Ah. Go for snowball. You'll appreciate the lack of SR at higher levels when making caster level checks can be a pain for non-full casters.
Which if you're playing Stattered Star, might be an issue since I'm gonna guess the city it's set in is rife with golems.
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Usually when I see people talking about Magical Lineage, they use it in conjunction with Shocking Grasp. As a 1st-level spell, you can reap the benefit as soon as your character is created (as long as you know a metamagic feat that adds 1 level). I like Reach Spell for that purpose, especially since Shocking [Freezing?] Grasp is a touch spell.
Or just take snowball as its just a lot better than that. Only class that I see picking SG is Magus.
Do you want a spell that's useful for the front half or the second half of the game?
Scorching Ray is the spell for the front half of the game. Mix with Empower and/or maximize. 18d6 dmg for a level 3 spell slot is nothing to sneeze at.
If you want a spell for the last half of the game, then you want Firesnake, bent to cold. 15d6 cap, targetable, etc.
==Aelryinth
Here's the link to what was worked out as a pretty optimal blaster build. It should give you some ideas.
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2nn33&page=3?Evocation-optimization#144
==Aelryinth
shocking grasp is indeed a magus spell they need touch spells :-)