Lightning Blaster?


Advice

Silver Crusade

I've been rolling around the idea of making a character who primarily uses lightning (electricity damage). I know the "standard magus build" does this with shocking grasp, but I'm looking for something a bit more caster/blaster. The only blaster build I've seen that is offered as good uses fire spells. And no, fireball changed to lightning ball doesn't fly for me. I want legit lightning bolts that hurt like hundreds of megajoules of energy! Is there a good way to do this, or am I just SoL for blasting with anything but fire? I'm open to multiclass and PrCs, but I'd prefer for the options to be in the Paizo "core line" of books (core, APG, UM, UC, ARG, ACG, etc).

Scarab Sages

Shocking Grasp is still a great spell for full casters, especially if you use Magical Lineage and Wayang spellhunter to make it a reach spell and intensified.


I'd dip a level of sorcerer, Elemental/Draconic crossblooded, that was all spells are lightning spells, at +1 damage per dice.
(I know you;re not looking just for substituting elements, but it's still an on-theme consideration, along with your lightning bolts, shocking grasp, ball lightning...

Silver Crusade

What about race? Human for more spells known?
Straight class sorcerer or just dip and use some other class?
Spells known/prepared selection? Any particular choice for magical lineage/spell perfection, or just skip those?

A full build would be great but I know that's a lot of work!

Silver Crusade

Also, for the crossblooded sorcerer, does "A crossblooded sorcerer has one fewer spell known at each level (including cantrips) than is presented on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known." mean you don't get 2nd level spells until 5th level?


If you don't want to just rely on "this fireball is now a lightningball", then your first step should be surveying the available lightning spells.

There are some, but not an amazing amount. Since this is, broadly speaking, the theme of my admixture evoker wizard right now, I'll list off a few key ones I remember being in his spellbook or wantlist.


  • jolt: it's just a cantrip, but still.
  • shocking grasp: I'm not using it, because I'm afraid to get close enough, and there aren't enough other appealing touch spells to make me go for Reach Spell. Though I'll revisit that just in case.
  • sheet lightning: 3rd level spell from the Rival Guide, I believe. Damage is negligible, but it's an area-effect daze, for a 3rd level spell.
  • lightning bolt: I've got this for completeness; I don't actually expect to use it much.
  • ball lightning: This is a pretty nice spell, so long as you're willing to do some damage each round, rather than trying for a knockout punch.
  • call lightning: This is for druids, and like ball lightning, it's for sustained, rather than knockout, damage.
  • chain lightning: This is where lightning starts to shine.
  • stormbolts: This is a nice big hammer, though you do need to get a little close to enemies.
  • ride the lightning: This is amusing, but I tend to doubt I'd end up using it.

As I hear it, the classical blaster build is one level of crossblooded sorcerer (dragon (blue or bronze), orc), followed entirely by wizard, evocation school, admixture subschool. You basically ignore the sorcerer level as far as casting goes, and your damage is increased by 2 per die from the bloodlines, and 1 per 2 wizard levels on evocations. Plus you can convert a few spells to electricity each day. Of course, that also takes some work to justify in the character's background.

I recall being unimpressed by the Stormborn Sorcerer bloodline. I hadn't seen the crossblooded build when I made my wizard, and, honestly, it's too cheesy for my tastes. Despite how tempted I am by anything to compensate for hp scaling faster than spell damage.

Scarab Sages

Also, if you don't want to use reach spell but want to add some reach to Shocking Grasp, you can just take Spectral Hand.

Silver Crusade

I once looked into doing a build that revolved around Magical Lineage, Shocking Grasp, Reach Spell, and other metamagic feats. In the end, it's a lot of investment to get a blaster that does enough damage to be useful, but not nearly as much as a truly optimized blaster.

The best blaster is probably the crossblooded sorcerer/admixture wizard cross that PhelanArcetus described. Just switch dragon types, and you can do this with any energy type.

If you're just looking for some lightning blasting on the side while doing other things, you might consider going druid with spells like Call Lightning, Ball Lightning, and Stormbolts. For flavor, take the Weather domain for a small, storm related attack at low levels, for when you don't have enough spells to cast something every round of combat yet. That's what I'm doing with my Sylph Sky Druid, who I'm pretty much planning as a controller/god wizard type, with just a little direct damage, and a heavy emphasis on storms, though I'll probably use more wind than lightning in my storm spells.

Scarab Sages

Apparently if you don't mind waiting for the OA playtest, an Aerokineticist will be an option.

Silver Crusade

Imbicatus wrote:
Apparently if you don't mind waiting for the OA playtest, an Aerokineticist will be an option.

Sorry if this is noobish, but what's OA? Haven't seen that before or anything I would abbreviate "OA".


I have a weakness for force effects, so my wizard's secondary focus, to the extent that it's more than just spell selection, is force.

I regularly keep pilfering hand and chain of perdition prepared; having just hit 4th level spells, I've added resilient sphere and telekinetic charge. All of these spells are at least somewhat versatile. I especially like spells such as chain of perdition, because they let me stretch my spell slots through the fight; one spell slot provides actions for the entire encounter (generally), while not interfering with my ability to cast other spells.

Scarab Sages

Riuken wrote:
Imbicatus wrote:
Apparently if you don't mind waiting for the OA playtest, an Aerokineticist will be an option.
Sorry if this is noobish, but what's OA? Haven't seen that before or anything I would abbreviate "OA".

Occult Adventures, the new rules book for Gencon 2015. There will be a playtest period for it the same as there was for the ACG.


Storm Druid

Druids aren't super awesome at being blasty, but this archetype is a ton of fun.

Fly around in a mist ball of sparky sparky boom boom.

Silver Crusade

Beopere wrote:

Storm Druid

Druids aren't super awesome at being blasty, but this archetype is a ton of fun.

Fly around in a mist ball of sparky sparky boom boom.

Unfortunately for that archetype, I'm operating under the assumption that non-boosted blasting (by +damage to dice, cheaper metamagic, boosted CL, etc.) is simply mediocre. If the damage can't drop a creature with CR of APL-1 on a failed save the blaster isn't blasting, he's poking. I've seen some very effective blasting builds for fire damage, and was wondering if there was a way to do something close with electricity.

Scarab Sages

Storm Druid is a controller, not a blaster.

Silver Crusade

Thinking about it, I'm kinda irked that blasting is such a trap option in pathfinder.

I imagine many new players come in and want to kill things with magic, but it's just so much harder to be effective at blasting than doing literally ANYTHING else with magic, including melee. I know it's not a great option, but I still want to do it, so I'm looking for a way to make it work, at least to where it keeps up with average melee damage. A past "me" would approach this idea and make a very ineffective character.

Sovereign Court

virtually all blasters go the typical route but I think you already knew that:

Sorcerer (crossblooded) 1 /Wizard 19

Usually getting a sorcerer bloodline arcana which would boost your element of choice damage.

I suppose nowadays, the same result can be achieved with a blood arcanist, not tested yet, would require further investigation.

Sovereign Court

Riuken wrote:

Thinking about it, I'm kinda irked that blasting is such a trap option in pathfinder.

I imagine many new players come in and want to kill things with magic, but it's just so much harder to be effective at blasting than doing literally ANYTHING else with magic, including melee. I know it's not a great option, but I still want to do it, so I'm looking for a way to make it work, at least to where it keeps up with average melee damage. A past "me" would approach this idea and make a very ineffective character.

Well, remember that these boards are probably the biggest concentration of power gamers and system masters in the world. If the past you was playing with average-built party members (finesse rogues, sword-and-board paladins, low-strength monks, etc.) and fighting CR-appropriate baddies, you'd probably be doing fine with nothing but a metamagic rod.

That being said, you don't have to do crazy cross-crass shenanigans to be a decently powerful blaster. Grab Magical Lineage on your favorite blast, boost your casting stat a bit, pick up Empowered Spell, and if possible grab a +1 damage per die bloodline like Primal or Draconic, and you'll have a pretty competent boomstick. (Sorcerer, Arcanist, or Wizard can all work just fine.) Remember too that there are plenty of things resistant to lightning out there; you'll really want to be well-rounded and have something to do when fighting them.

I know people are badmouthing Lightning Bolt since line <<< spread, but IMO it makes a pretty interesting challenge. Suddenly you need to maneuver yourself and your enemies so that they're all in a line, then you can spear them like Zeus; it makes combat a lot more interesting compared to simply standing in the back and hucking fireballs. Clearly it's not as optimal, but it could be a lot of fun, and an unorthodox build.

The real question here is twofold, I think.
1. Why lightning?
2. Why blasting?

If you can answer those, we can probably build you something pretty sweet.

Silver Crusade

Since it hasn't been mentioned yet, I'll just mention the Varisian Tattoo feat, for +1 CL on one school. On blasting spells, that's usually an extra die of damage.


Well.. It's not the most effective blaster
but.

My utter favorite and have the most fun playing is.
Sorcer 12 Dragon Disciple 8. (or 10/10 if you don't care about having 1 lv 9 spell)
nab crossblooded lighitng dragon and lightening elemental. Convert all the spells to lightening (or focus onlighting spell + chain lighting, and likely employ reach metamagic'd shocking grasp THOUGH that makes it a full round action. Alternatively, if it doesn't bother you too much reelement snowball into mini ball lightening instead so your just throwing lighting everywhere.

DD and Sorc net you some stats and hp, so your more durable than a normal caster (alteratively if you really want to, you could lower str and bank on getting those +str from the DD class. Kinda minmaxy but depends on your game).

I prefer this set up by far, but I like giving up a little more spell levels inexchange for not being so glassy.. (With the right traits, you can still have max caster level, you just lose 2 levels of known spells etc)

but you gain quite a bit..
Claws and bite (not really your thing but man do they afford you utility.. I escaped chains on my acid clawed sorcerer with it; and coup de grace with a lightening bite)
You gain more uses of your bloodline lightening blast (if you can, be the dragon type that sprays in a cone to supplement your lightening spell)
way more armour and hp
con, str and int. (If you don't care to use converted element spells, then you could snag the cross-wild blooded (if gm is ok) to cast with int)
Natural wings earlier, just flying around tossing lightening everywhere
You could turn into a dragon; i'm not sure if yo ucan still cast during it though.. but its amusing as hell

You lose: 1-3 spell levels (Depends on how far you go down the DD prestige class line) so you will be a bit behind on spell levels compared to other sorc and more compared to wizards.

I personally, for a blaster tend to assume that it'll be difficult to always keep my DC high, so I rather have slower spell progression in exchange for extra stats (so I can focus more on casting stat). I much prefer the more durable caster.

There is a really good guide on Dragon Disciple in the guide to guide's threat in the advice thread.

As for spells I've always preferred lightening. .but I tend to have a few martials in the mix so I'd rather use lightening than spending money or afeat for selective metamagic. Plus I'm always moving so I enjoy that a lot.

Silver Crusade

Reynard_the_fox wrote:
Riuken wrote:

Thinking about it, I'm kinda irked that blasting is such a trap option in pathfinder.

I imagine many new players come in and want to kill things with magic, but it's just so much harder to be effective at blasting than doing literally ANYTHING else with magic, including melee. I know it's not a great option, but I still want to do it, so I'm looking for a way to make it work, at least to where it keeps up with average melee damage. A past "me" would approach this idea and make a very ineffective character.

*snip*

The real question here is twofold, I think.
1. Why lightning?
2. Why blasting?

If you can answer those, we can probably build you something pretty sweet.

Lightning because flavor.

I have always liked the imagery of shooting lightning, but most games make fire the "big damage" type, and electricity fills some other role. Fire has grown on me, mostly due to being forced into it for the results I expect, but I'll always have a yearning for that deadly crash of arcing electricity.

Blasting because flavor/boredom.
I've played many a caster and done my fair share of summoning, controlling, SoD-ing, buffing, healing, etc. I want to do what I feel is a very iconic caster, and yet I have not seen it played due to its clear inferiority. I've also discovered I struggle with playing martial types, though that seems to be rooted in the "I hit it with my sword... again" repetitive gameplay. Even with a blaster I would have other spells to do other things 10%-50% of the time.

The way I envision the "lightning mage" is an extremely powerful and somewhat volatile caster. If my spells/day are limited, but a martial's attacks/day are not, I feel like it should follow that the spells deal more damage on a failed save. I'd be down with having 3 casts/day that aren't cantrips if those 3 spells were as impressive as I envision magic being. Basically, I want the choice to be which targets I fry to oblivion, not what I can find to do that might be helpful with each action. I'd be fine sitting around doing basically nothing 90% of the time if the other 10% consisted of insta-death lightning arcs. Boss-monster types excluded, of course.

Images for inspiration:
Zeus
Thor
Azula
Emperor Palpatine
Raiden

Designer

Riuken wrote:
Reynard_the_fox wrote:
Riuken wrote:

Thinking about it, I'm kinda irked that blasting is such a trap option in pathfinder.

I imagine many new players come in and want to kill things with magic, but it's just so much harder to be effective at blasting than doing literally ANYTHING else with magic, including melee. I know it's not a great option, but I still want to do it, so I'm looking for a way to make it work, at least to where it keeps up with average melee damage. A past "me" would approach this idea and make a very ineffective character.

*snip*

The real question here is twofold, I think.
1. Why lightning?
2. Why blasting?

If you can answer those, we can probably build you something pretty sweet.

Lightning because flavor.

I have always liked the imagery of shooting lightning, but most games make fire the "big damage" type, and electricity fills some other role. Fire has grown on me, mostly due to being forced into it for the results I expect, but I'll always have a yearning for that deadly crash of arcing electricity.

Blasting because flavor/boredom.
I've played many a caster and done my fair share of summoning, controlling, SoD-ing, buffing, healing, etc. I want to do what I feel is a very iconic caster, and yet I have not seen it played due to its clear inferiority. I've also discovered I struggle with playing martial types, though that seems to be rooted in the "I hit it with my sword... again" repetitive gameplay. Even with a blaster I would have other spells to do other things 10%-50% of the time.

The way I envision the "lightning mage" is an extremely powerful and somewhat volatile caster. If my spells/day are limited, but a martial's attacks/day are not, I feel like it should follow that the spells deal more damage on a failed save. I'd be down with having 3 casts/day that aren't cantrips if those 3 spells were as impressive as I envision magic being. Basically, I want the choice to be which targets I fry to oblivion, not what I can find to do that...

Yeah, if you can hold out, as Imbicatus mentioned, the future kineticist playtest may be just right for you. If you do wait and try it out, I expect to hear feedback about all the monsters you've fried!

Grand Lodge

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Check out this thread, on how to become "The Shocker".

Sovereign Court

Riuken wrote:

Blasting because flavor/boredom.

I've played many a caster and done my fair share of summoning, controlling, SoD-ing, buffing, healing, etc. I want to do what I feel is a very iconic caster, and yet I have not seen it played due to its clear inferiority. I've also discovered I struggle with playing martial types, though that seems to be rooted in the "I hit it with my sword... again" repetitive gameplay. Even with a blaster I would have other spells to do other things 10%-50% of the time.

The way I envision the "lightning mage" is an extremely powerful and somewhat volatile caster. If my spells/day are limited, but a martial's attacks/day are not, I feel like it should follow that the spells deal more damage on a failed save. I'd be down with having 3 casts/day that aren't cantrips if those 3 spells were as impressive as I envision magic being. Basically, I want the choice to be which targets I fry to oblivion, not what I can find to do that...

Okay, I feel you. I know what you mean about martial frustration - heck, one of the classes I'm most excited about from the ACG is the Brawler with its interchangeable feats.

Sadly, straight-up single target damage is one of the few realms the Pathfinder developers decided to give to martial characters. A two-handed power attacker is going to be doing about as much on every swing at 5th level as your Shocking Grasp does, without even adding weapon enhancements and class features. That's why mages tend to excel at dealing damage to all enemies at once - something the martials can't do without a boatload of feats. However, if you can combine spells AND martial abilities, you can break the rules a little...

Honestly, it sounds to me like you should be playing a Magus. Magi excel at going nova and dealing drastic amounts of damage to a single target a few times a day. Pick up a scimitar or other high-crit wepaon, grab Arcana like Arcane Accuracy, Empowered Magic, Hasted Assault, and Critical Strike, burn some arcane pool points, and watch as you rip opponents to shreds.

I know you want the power to destroy an entire field of bad guys at once, but I'm afraid that's going to be really difficult until higher levels, particularly with lightning. 3 out of the 5 people you put forth as inspiration are quite martial, and even Zeus is pretty darn buff; you really ought to consider Magus.

Silver Crusade

blackbloodtroll wrote:
Check out this thread, on how to become "The Shocker".

Lots of great ideas in there, thanks!

Really it seems like this would be easier if there were better spell choices at the lower levels for electricity damage. Shocking grasp is either touch or higher than 1st, there are no 2nd, lightning bolt pales next to fireball, leaving ball lightning as the first good one at 4th, and even it is weak. After that you're waiting for chain lighting at 6th. Overall it feels like they all need to be about half the spell level they are, or advancing in damage faster than 1d6/CL. HP advance at a faster rate than linear. Iterative attacks fill this gap for martials, but damage spells are almost strictly linear.

@Reynard: I've looked at magus and ultimately decided I want to shoot lighting, not hit with a shocking sword. I otherwise agree with your assessment regarding the magus.

The root of what I feel is appropriate compared to a martial is that if I spend a round of actions on casting a spell that I only have x/day of, I should deal more damage to one target than an archer. If I'm hitting multiple enemies, that can change some, but given that full HP and 1 HP hinder the enemies the same (namely not at all), I wouldn't expect the low amounts usually seen.

Say I hit 3 enemies with a damage spell. Since there are at least 3, I'll assume they're no more than CR = my level (making an APL+3). At that level difference, I expect a blaster (meaning a character focused on it) to drop weaker enemies if they fail a save, and leave them around half HP on a pass. If they have resistance they might survive even on a fail, depending on the damage roll.

I expect feats that help with this more directly, like increasing your CL for spells with the chosen energy descriptor. I expect items that help blasting, like adding an enhancement bonus to the spell's damage. I expect class choices that are more straightforward about making this sort of character, like a bloodline that starts adding free empower, maximize, and/or quicken to spells with a chosen energy descriptor.

It's been asked on these boards if there are character niches left unfilled after the Advanced Class Guide, and I feel like this is one of them. I'm glad to hear there may be an option in the upcoming Occult Adventures.

EDIT: fixed my CR math.


How would you like to cast a 3rd level spell that can be single target, line, cone, or wall that deals fire and lightning damage?


well there are traits for lowering the the metamagic boost. Yo ucould probably do that with shocking grasp to put short range on it. Though if your a sorc or arcanist you would be full round action.
Arcanist might help you build it, dip into sorc for the damage if you'd like. but you could be mainly arcanist. That would help you a fair bit with spell choices, I don't remember if they cast metamagic like a wizard or a sorc though.
but for lower levels the exploit for lightening damage isn't too bad if you ask me.
I'm buliding a lightening or acid Elemental master archetype ARcanist that will have the exploits and a few metamagic-ed choices.. not sure how it'll work yet.

Alternatively you could also snag some force or sonic spells. That would open up what yo ucan do quite a bit and thats how you get around the resistances.

Not terribly useful. .but if you have guns available; I feel like a 1 dip into the spellslinger wizard could net you a way to raise your DC on some of your spells; as DC saves make abig deal on damage.

Sovereign Court

Riuken wrote:
Say I hit 3 enemies with a damage spell. Since there are at least 3, I'll assume they're no more than CR = my level (making an APL+3). At that level difference, I expect a blaster (meaning a character focused on it) to drop weaker enemies if they fail a save, and leave them around half HP on a pass. If they have resistance they might survive even on a fail, depending on the damage roll.

Well, once you can start layering Empowered, Intensified, and Maximized on your blasts, you should start to see that level of power. A 15th level crossblooded caster throwing out one Empowered Maximized Intensified Fireball and one Quickened Empowered Intensified Fireball per turn courtesy of Spell Perfection is truly a force to be reckoned with. At lower levels, sadly, you're just not going to get that board-clearing quality against any but the wispiest minions.

It's a tricky balancing act on the part of the developers. They don't want to let you murder everything in a 15-minute adventure day, and they don't want to let you run out of juice 20 minutes into a 10-hour dungeon crawl. "Blast power" is one of the dials they can crank to even things out, and they turned it down a little in Pathfinder to give other classes a chance - now you have to spend a significant chunk of your resources to solo a CR+1 or 2 encounter. :'/

Riuken wrote:
I've looked at magus and ultimately decided I want to shoot lighting, not hit with a shocking sword.

...Well, you could also hit with a shocking hammer. :p Seriously, though, there are a LOT of ways to flavor the Magus. I could see an Azula-style Magus that acrobatics up to a foe, uses an Agile Amulet of Mighty Fists to poke them in just the right spot to deal damage, then fires a Shocking Grasp into their heart at point-blank range. OTOH, I understand wanting to simply blast things - you're just going to have to be satisfied with the capabilities and setbacks of whatever crossblooded thingamajig the boards have decreed to be the most damaging build.

Scarab Sages

Or you could go gambit with a card caster magus and hit them with a shocking grasp card spellstrike.


Ya, electricity spells are a bit sparse.

The new ACG book has an electric version of 'flaming sphere' (including a higher level version)... so at least something, but still.

Your best bet is to go with something that can swap one energy type for another and just use fireballs or burning hands or cone of colds, et al.

Evocation (Admixture School) specialist wizard can do it.
Djinni Bloodline sorcerers can do it.
Wildblooded Sorcerer archetype with the Primal (air) bloodline can do it.

Probably a few others ways, but those are the most basic ones.

Silver Crusade

Imbicatus's suggestion actually gets pretty close. Is there a way to attach spellstrike to a thrown weapon other than cards? Could probably use a sorcerer dip to up the electricity damage if needed, and hardcast a few spells as well. I'm not so set on doing area damage (else I'd use fire), but more want to do large amounts of single target ranged electricity damage. Maybe supercharging reach shocking grasp is the way to go?


Don't forget an Arc Rifle!


Riuken wrote:
Imbicatus's suggestion actually gets pretty close. Is there a way to attach spellstrike to a thrown weapon other than cards? Could probably use a sorcerer dip to up the electricity damage if needed, and hardcast a few spells as well. I'm not so set on doing area damage (else I'd use fire), but more want to do large amounts of single target ranged electricity damage. Maybe supercharging reach shocking grasp is the way to go?

Myrmidarch magus can do it, and you can get Weapon Training and Specialization to boost damage further. You could get a +1 returning javelin, enhance it with Arcane Pool, maybe use Arcane Strike or Deadly Aim, and throw it with Shocking Grasp.


Cardcaster works with any thrown weapon.

So you can throw lightning javelins if you feel like.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Riuken wrote:
Also, for the crossblooded sorcerer, does "A crossblooded sorcerer has one fewer spell known at each level (including cantrips) than is presented on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known." mean you don't get 2nd level spells until 5th level?

That's right.


I wouldn't be so quick to just call Ride the Lightning "amusing."

"Ride the Lightning (Sp): At 15th level, as a full-round action you can become a living lightning bolt and move in a straight line up to 10 times your speed. You do not provoke attacks of opportunity while moving in this way. Creatures or objects in your path are affected as by your thunderbolt power. Creatures do not block your movement but solid barriers do unless they are reduced to 0 hit points. You can use this power once per day for a number of rounds equal to your sorcerer level."

Then for damage:

"Thunderbolt (Sp): At 9th level, you can command a stroke of lightning to strike from above in a 5-foot-radius cylinder 60 feet high. The thunderbolt inflicts 1d6 points of damage per sorcerer level; half of this damage is electricity and half is sonic. A Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 your sorcerer level + your Charisma modifier) halves this damage. Creatures failing their saves are deafened for 1 round. At 9th level, you can use this ability once per day, at 17th twice per day, and at 20th three times per day. This power has a range of 120 feet."

Just for the sake of argument do this at level 20. Once per day you can become a Lightning Bolt that does 20d6 damage, with as good a save dc as it gets (I think all your focus feats will apply to this).

You can affect everything in a 300' line.

And you can do this for 20 rounds.

Reading the text, I'm not altogether sure whether you can be affected by physical attacks or what kind of spells, when you are in this form. Even at that, with that kind of move speed, depending on terrain you ought to be able to strafe things from safe points.

Thunderbolt really isn't bad either. It would be just as good as Delayed Blast Fireball if the radius was better.

Granted at level 20, there are all kinds of things to do, some that are much better at taking out single targets. But if you are an orc storming Helm's Deep, trust me the last thing you want to see (well besides a fireball crazed mage) is this guy cackling and zipping all over your horde for 2 minutes.


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It's also metal as hell


Burning Arc:

School evocation [fire and electricity]; Level magus 3, sorcerer/wizard 3, witch 3

CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S

EFFECT
Range 25ft + 5ft/level
Effect: a single bolt of fire and lightning.
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw None; Spell Resistance yes

DESCRIPTION
This spell mixes the destructive power of fire and lightning, dealing 5d4 points of fire damage and 5d4 points of electricity damage on a successful ranged touch attack.

Add in the arcana of a Crossblooded Orc/Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer for an extra 20 points of damage.

Oh, and as an added bonus, Crossblooded can cast thus as soon as the get 3rd level slots. ;)

Grand Lodge

Just a 1 level dip crossblooded orc/draconic bloodlines. +1 damage per dice rolled ×2 for the cross blooded.

Then go straight Shaman. They have almost every lightning spell including call lightning.

You also get some nice hexs along the way to use in situations where a bolt to the face isnt going to do much. Or you can focus your hexs for versatility. All and all you will still be a 9th level caster.

Remember the main blaster feats. Spell specialization, spell focus, magical tattoo, spell perfection.

I believe this would be close to the OPs desire to be a lightning focused caster. If you have ever played world of warcraft it would simulate an elemental shaman in play style.

RPG Superstar Season 9 Top 16

How about an arcanist or an exploiter wizard using the lightning lance exploit? You could also reflavor the dimensional slide as transforming into lightning to arrive at your destination.

Silver Crusade

What spell would be good to focus on? Shocking grasp? Maybe lighting bolt? Wayang spell hunter requires level 3 or less so that looks like the level to go for.

Silver Crusade

I think I'd pick shocking grasp if only you could apply intensified spell multiple times. Is it wrong for me to want an errata for this? It feels weak for my only d6/CL touch option to cap at CL10.

Otherwise, it's probably either lightning bolt or burning arc with elemental spell metamagic. Burning arc feels like it should have been lightning anyway, WTH?


Burning arc is what you get using Paizo's Words of Power system. It's Burning Flash(Fire) and Shocking Arc(Electricty) combined into a single, 3rd level spell. Because it's currently using the selected target word, there's no saving throw. :)

Silver Crusade

Azten wrote:
Burning arc is what you get using Paizo's Words of Power system. It's Burning Flash(Fire) and Shocking Arc(Electricty) combined into a single, 3rd level spell. Because it's currently using the selected target word, there's no saving throw. :)

When I searched "burning arc" this is what came up: Burning Arc


Huh. Guess I should've checked existing spells before naming the wordspell that! XD


Is this for pfs or homebrew stuff?

Silver Crusade

Ideally it would work for PFS. I realize one might be able to convince a GM to do all sorts of things to make this work in a home game.


You can be Full caster and still do the "magus thing"

--> Arcanist sword adept archetype 9/Swashbuckler 1/Eldritch Knight 10
is what you're looking for, take magic knack and you're ready to go.

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