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So, one of players has decided to run an adventure path (finally get to play!), and I decided I wanted to do something a bit old school - a good old fashioned blasting wizard. Yes, I know the conjuration school is now better at blasting than evocation, but call me sentimental.
We're doing Legacy of Fire, so I went with the admixture sub-school so I could change elements on the fly - I know we'll be running into element resistant and immune creatures eventually so I thought that would be useful. Went bonded item - familiar could be liability in the desert, at least initially.
Initial feat choices are eschew materials and spell focus evocation. Down the line, will be tacking on greater spell focus, elemental focuses, spell focus conjuration (sigh), and the spell penetration tree to deal with the eventual SR issues. Maybe spell mastery. Eventually pick up a few metamagic feats. Kicked around doing the point blank tree with weapon focus ray or ranged touch, but not sure that is worth it. Anyone have any other thoughts for good feats?
Initial spell selection is standard - Magic Missile, Burning Hands, Ear Piercing Scream, Expeditious Retreat, Mage Armor, Endure Elements, and Keep Watch. OK last one is a bit odd ball, but thought it could be useful. Any future spell choice suggestions would be appreciated.
Rest of the party is partially fleshed out - barbarian and cleric for sure, with the remaining two thinking bard and a fighter or ranger. They aren't final yet.
Feedback appreciated. Thanks.
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You might consider taking Heighten Spell and Preferred Spell (Fireball) as your 5th level Wizard Feat and 5th level Character Feat. If traits are being used, consider Magical Lineage (Fireball), and take Intensified Spell as your 10th Level Wizard Feat. Now you can spontaneously cast up to 15d6 Fireballs of any of the 4 elements (using Admixture) by sacrificing 3rd level spell slots.
I'd also consider dumping Eschew Materials and take Spell Focus Evocation and Mage's Tattoo at first level, to give all your Evocation Spells a +1 CL bump, and consider taking Spell Specialization as your 3rd or 7th level Character Feat. Eventually, you'll want to switch Spell Specialization to Fireball, so you get +3 CL with Fireballs (10d6 at Level 7).
Forget Conjuration Focus as your Admixture doesn't work with Conjuration spells, and concentrate on getting Spell Penetration (9th), Greater Spell Focus Evocation (3rd or 7th). At 15th level take Maximize as your 15th Level Wizard Feat and Spell Perfection Fireball as your 15th Level Character Feat (use a standard action to spontaneously cast 15d6 Maximized Fireballs of any of the 4 elements using 3rd level spell slots with +4 CL to penetrate SR, or make it a 4th level slot and a full action to make it Selective and/or Rime [see below]).
Selective Spell is good as your 11th level Feat.
As a bonus, consider picking up a Lesser Metamagic Rod of Rime to add an interesting effect to your Fireballs (Battlefield Control!).
Not the ultimate build ever, and I'm sure someone can poke holes in the above, but I found it fun to run.
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Captain Zoom, thanks for some great ideas. Turning this build into a crazy elementball of doom guy could be fun. Using a rime metamagic rod to add effect to the coldball is a good one. May have to research and see if I can find other fun effects to apply to the lightning, acid, and fire versions.
And thinking of metamagic rods, a piercing one could be usefull at higher levels...
Rime spell is your friend, versatile evocation changes your descriptor making spells of other energy types rime able. How legal this is is under debate, as preparing a spell with a metamagic feat that won't affect it is referred to in the book, but not stated as illegal. The absolute best way around it that is 100% legal is to combine the versatile evocation ability with a metamagic rod of rime spell. I also recommend spell focus evocation and elemental focus cold. Along with their greaters you can net +4 to your DC. spell specialization, its greater, intensify spell, dazing spell, and quicken spell are all good feats to look at until you take spell perfection at 15. Naturally spell penetration is also a good choice. Once you get there, you should plan on scribing a bunch of fireball scrolls as they will be invaluable for conserving spell slots.
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Depending on availability of magic items you may want or even need to take some crafting feats.I get a lot of milage out of Craft Wondrous Item in general and especially when the opportunity to purchase what you want is rare.
IF you can buy metamagic rods do so. Toppling is a blast with Magic Missile.
Other things to think about - You have Scribe Scroll so use it. Scribe utility scrolls like Obscuring Mist and Comprehend Language so you have them when you need them. Grease is nice too. extra scrolls of mage armor are great to have at lower level and later when you meet incorporeal undead you can use them on the fighter types and they will love you.
Consider dipping one level of Sorcerer, cross-blooded Orc / Draconic(Silver). + 2 per damage die on your cold spells in addition to your Evoker bonus adds up. 1d3+2 Ray of Frost cantrip gives you some sustained firepower at level 1.
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So, if I'm thinking this through correctly, at 15th level I'll be able to burn a 3rd level slot, create an fireball with the element of my choosing applying 6 levels of metamagic with no adjustment, plus metamagic from a lesser rod (since its still technically a third level spell) and all of my feat bonuses like spell focus and spell penatration will be doubled.
Sweet!
So, if I'm thinking this through correctly, at 15th level I'll be able to burn a 3rd level slot, create an fireball with the element of my choosing applying 6 levels of metamagic with no adjustment, plus metamagic from a lesser rod (since its still technically a third level spell) and all of my feat bonuses like spell focus and spell penatration will be doubled.
Sweet!
Actually you can burn any level slot of 3rd or higher, if you take split slot you can do it even more.
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2nn33&page=3?Evocation-optimization#144
The above is the Paizo optimized blaster caster. Look over it for ideas and adjust to your heart's content.
Just be aware it's a pure damage build.
==Aelryinth
The main thing about the evocation specialist that I like to play is that I do not like to focus on damage. Sure I do damage, but that isn't the focus imo. Crowd control that includes damage is the main reason that Rime Spell and Dazing Spell are such powerful metamagic feats. It lets you get the battlefield controlling aspect that conjurers are known so well for, and you make it easier for your BDFs to hammer down what's left of those nails. The absolute best thing about it is you can still do all the other things that the 'better' wizards focus on, and you can do it just as well as they can, but you can also blow sh*t up better than anyone.
Freezing or dazing enemies in place at the start of the fight is one of the best openings in the game. Buying extra turns for your team to buff, and getting a start on damage means opening with a Rime [cold] Fireball is your optimal choice. Improved Initiative is a staple feat for you.
There are several good races to look at for this build, Elves are the ideal since they get their racial spell penetration that stacks with the feats and lets you skip out on taking greater spell penetration if you need something else, it also has a great alt. race trait that gets rid of the all but useless weapon familiarity and gives you a racial +2 initiative and the feat Run for free. The character trait Warrior of Old is exclusive to elves and does what reactionary does but with some racial flavor to it.
Next best race to look at is human. That extra feat at lvl 1 can make you a lot more powerful a lot sooner because you now can get your spell focus and elemental focus feat chains started two levels sooner. If you play the PFS variant that lets you skip out on Scribe Scroll and take Spell Focus for free, you can have both by lvl 1. Ultimately the human variant gives you more feats to play with and lets you get things developed sooner, as is the case with most human builds.
The last race to look at specifically for the blasting specialist is an Emberkin Aasimar. These things if allowed can get the highest INT of any race available to PCs, if the DM permits it. It's a pretty munchkin thing to do, which is why I am not recommending this at a higher priority, but you can definitely take the alt. spell like ability to get a boost to your INT that stacks with the one you already get from race. If you really, really want to munchkin it up you can do it twice and get a 24 starting INT for a +7 modifier making your DCs +2 higher than everyone else's right from the start. Throw in Spell Focus, Elemental Focus, and their greaters along with Spell Perfection and a +6 headband and you can get some unbeatable DCs going for your blasts.
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Thanks Aelryinth - some interesting ideas there.
Unfortunately master_marshmallow, I was a bit restricted on race choices and alternate race traits were right out. Several item creation feats out as well. New GM. He wanted to keep it relatively simple. At least at first. I suspect stuff will open up as he feels comfortable letting more options into the game. He's a sharp guy and pretty rules savvy, just hasn't done it from the GM position for Pathfinder.
FYI - went human with the Mage's Tattoo and Spell Focus Evocation. And no magic aptitude trait either - wrote a background story where it could quite fit. Ah well, should be a fun character regardless!