It looks pretty good, Why toppling rod? I would forego toppling and selective rod to save for +2 INT headband and Dazing Rod earlier.
Also, with this ending at level 11, I think of PFS. If it is for pathfinder society, you cannot combine Tattooed and Crossblooded unfortunately.
I myself would rather use a Dazing rod with fireball, let your party know ahead of time and aim carefully, You'll go first a lot of the time with Improved Initiative and a Dodo, when not, smart allies will delay till after you blast, and then position themselves for best benefit.
As for Crossblooded/Tattooed, this faq shows that crossblooded counts as modifying bloodline powers, which Tattooed also does.
I still think it is worth it for this type of build.
Dazing Rods are expensive, 14k for a lesser one, 54k for a normal one which his best spell version will require. If going down that route I would look at picking up a Staff of the Master Necromancer. I might almost be tempted to take arcane bond to get it for 15k if +4 initiative wasn't such a great deal for this type of character.
Valid objections, I respectfully disagree. Lesser rod of dazing is all he would need, he can still apply Empower, or up to 2 levels of metamagic to it while keeping it a level 3 spell slot/spell level. 14k is not very expensive at all, easily affordable by level 6/7 in PFS even with a +2 Hat, Cloak, and some other things. 30k for the staff of the master is just too expensive, maybe later around level 8-10, and than you have your option of either.
Jayder22, recent FAQ posting might make that no longer feasible.
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Looks like a pretty solid blaster wizard. Preferred and Selective spell will allow to fire away at all times while still having the other stuff available.
Magical heritage = Magical lineage I suppose?
I am missing how you want to use the rod of toppling on fireball. It works only with force damage and you have no way to let your fireball deal force (admixture does not grant that one). If you want it just to upgrade magic missile, my question is answered.
Jayder22, recent FAQ posting might make that no longer feasible.
I'd like to know your interpretation as to why. If you mean this one metamagic faq, Even the strictest reading of it still has to acknowledge that the spell slot and spell level is 3 for an empowered fireball, with magical lineage(fireball) and Wayang Spellhunter (fireball).
I was referring specifically to the part that said "In general, use the (normal, lower) spell level or the (higher) spell slot level, whichever is more of a disadvantage for the caster."
When checking which rod you need to use, you use whatever is most disadvantageous.
On a second look though, I see your point. A strong case certainly could be made for your interpretation.
This is a classic guide.
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Level 1: Spell focus(Evocation), Spell Specialization (Burning hands)
Level 3: Improved Initiative <- (Is this a good feat to take here? I could get metamagic or greater spell focus instead)
Level 5: Empower Spell, Heighten Spell
Level 6: Tattoo (Evocation)
Level 7: Prefered Spell(Fireball)
Level 9: Spell Penetration
Level 11: Intense Spell, Selective Spell
into
Level 1: Spell focus(Evocation), Spell Specialization (Burning hands)
Level 3: Improved Initiative
Level 5: Empower Spell, Intensify Spell
Level 6: Tattoo (Evocation)
Level 7: Preferred Spell(Fireball)
Level 9: Spell Penetration
Level 11: Dazing Spell, Greater Spell Focus
that is my suggestion.
As I understand the feat, Intensify Spell does nothing under level 11, since you have to have the necessary levels to increase the dice beyond the normal progression. So he can leave that off until 13 or 15, and put greater spell focus in its place, and still keep Selective Spell in 11.
He needs Heighten Spell eventually, so maybe:
13: heighten spell
15: intensify spell, quicken spell
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As I understand the feat, Intensify Spell does nothing under level 11,
I believe your understanding needs some math behind it.
If he held off on the intensify he will cap his Fireball at level 7 with 10d6 and will be riding Empower spell for 8 more levels till 15 under your suggestion. So his fireball on average till level 15 would be 10d6+20*.50 average 75. For 8 levels this damage wont increase.
Intensified spell does wonders on shocking grasp, burning hands, and fireball. With spell Specialization and the tattoo your looking at +3 CL and will cap out your spells faster which means intensified should be looked at by level 8. Then your set to have Empowered+ Intensified Fireball for 11d6+22*.50%...roughly 82 average damage. and GROWING. Not bad at level 8 for a 4th level spell.
with intensified taken early enough-
@ level 5 your looking at 8d4+16 burning hands with intensified spell as a 2nd level spell. That is actually really good numbers for Burning hands.
Intensify is a +1 metamagic meant to get more damage out of spells that cap in damage early. This is why it is rushed in most blaster builds and the Magus Shocking grasp build. Because it adds such significant damage.
He needs Heighten Spell eventually, so maybe:
13: heighten spell
15: intensify spell, quicken spell
NO he doesn't NEED heighten spell...that is for a save or die caster. Evocations target reflex which is the lowest of the saves.
By level 15 he needs spell perfection Fireball so he can throw out QUickened, Intensified, Empowered Fireball as a 4th level spell.
Level 1: Spell focus(Evocation), Spell Specialization (Burning hands)
Level 3: Improved Initiative
Level 5: Empower Spell, Intensify Spell
Level 6: Tattoo (Evocation)
Level 7: Preferred Spell(Fireball)
Level 9: Spell Penetration
Level 11: Dazing Spell, Greater Spell Focus
Level 13: Quicken spell
Level 15: Spell perfection- Fireball
Level 16 (free Wizard feat): Greater Spell Penetration
Spell perfection adds: +2 more to DC, add a metamagic for FREE, +2 more to overcome spell resistance. It is your premium feat...the one you have drooled over since level 1 and wished you could take it before 15...damn pre-reqs.
I think it needs to be reiterated that this is a PFS character who is unlikely to see play past 11th level.
Also, Heighten Spell is required for Preferred Spell.
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Even still I stand by my Intensified pick sooner then level 11.
I think it needs to be reiterated that this is a PFS character who is unlikely to see play past 11th level.
Also, Heighten Spell is required for Preferred Spell.
I think Preferred spell is not even worth it. Because Heighten is not worth it for a blaster. As a Wizard you know your going to be casting a few fireballs a day...just prepare them and free up 2 feats for better selections.
If you really want that Sorcerer feel then roll sorcerer.
Hit the Class Guides list, look up Brewer's Blockbuster Wizard. It's precisely what you want.
Heighten spell is worth it for any caster with spells that possess saves. Particularly save or screws, which even a blaster should have a handful of.
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A normal empowered fireball cast with a CL 8 would do: 8d6 X 1.5 or 12 d6 (I've seen both interpretation without a clear definitive answer on that; from what I gathered people use either one of those)
Empower spell- All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by half including bonuses to those dice rolls.
The way its always been done with my group is like this.
Say your casting a vanilla 10d6 fireball. The average damage is 30. We will use the average of 30 to explain Empowered.
Now you cast a Empowered Fireball. Your rolls come up average 30. Now you add 50% to that final number of 30 to get 45 damage. Empower fireball will do an average of 45 damage.
It doesn't tell you to add more dice it tells you to increase the damage by half. It actually is better that way once you start adding the "including bonuses" to the empower effect. The above would be the exact same but once you start adding in Draconic bloodline your looking at a much higher value.
Draconic Bloodline Fireball- 10d6+10- average 40
Draconic Bloodline Empowered Fireball- (10d6+10)*50%= Average 60
Now we will do His the OP's character drafted for a Empowered Fireball that is intensified.
-Intensified Empowered Fireball at 10 level with Tattoo and Spell specialization. 4th level spell. (13d6+26)*50%= Average 97 Damage.
Without Intensified (10d6+20)*50%= 75 damage. that is a 22 Damage difference for just 1 spell level. That is totally worth it IMHO.
Understanding now?
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I do not agree that average damage of 10d6 is 30, since it's actually 35.
Even still the rest of it is correct. When rolling random dice your never really going to hit average. I've seen times where hardly anything was over a 3 rolled and others where its mostly 5s and 6s. Plus I'm not the best mathematician. I just know from experience and other Players how good Intensify spell is. And Every blaster needs it to up the amount of Dice rolled once the spell caps out.
Since he is getting +3 CL he will cap Fireball damage at 8th level which is 4th level spells to him (He is dipping 1 level sorcerer). Time to tag on Intensified to those empowered Fireballs to get stronger damage. With his current build he will then Cap Fireball 15d6 @ 12th level. Just in time for Seeker. But that is still nothing to sneeze at. Empowered Intensified Fireball with a rod of Dazing can wreck a room.
