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So, Alchemical Reagents. Most of these are kind of weak in terms of cost/benefit, but a few are both cheap and interesting.
Brimstone gives you +1 damage on any acid spell for 1 gp (presumably from making sulfuric acid). At low levels, that's actually a 50% damage increase on the d3 acid splash cantrip, making it a slightly better deal than a crossbow; if you're an evoker, this jumps to d3+2 at low levels, which is quite respectable for an infinitely spammable cantrip.
Cold iron gives you +1 to caster level on abjuration spells for 5 gp/shot. There aren't so many abjuration spells that care about caster level, but there are a few; resist energy, for instance, would double its effect at 6th level instead of 7th. But the big winner here (I think) is dispel magic. Also, I believe this would count for caster level checks to overcome SR.
Ginger extract gives +1 caster level on transmutation spells for overcoming SR only for 1 gp. Hey, if you're trying to throw baleful polymorph on some howling abomination from the Abyss, you'll want every bit of help you can get.
Black powder gives +1 hp of damage to evocation spells for 10 gp. That's pretty marginal, but at midlevels it could occasionally be worth it.
Most of the others seem either kind of expensive or are giving effects that are so marginal (+1 ECL for purposes of range or duration only) that they'll rarely be worth bothering with. Are there any hidden gems?
Doug M.
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Douglas Muir 406 wrote: Brimstone gives you +1 damage on any acid spell for 1 gp (presumably from making sulfuric acid). At low levels, that's actually a 50% damage increase on the d3 acid splash cantrip, making it a slightly better deal than a crossbow; if you're an evoker, this jumps to d3+2 at low levels, which is quite respectable for an infinitely spammable cantrip. You could just use a flask of Acid as a Focus instead... not consumed so you can use it over and over.
Edit: Oh, and Liquid Ice does the same thing for Ray of Frost.
CyderGnome wrote:
You could just use a flask of Acid as a Focus instead... not consumed so you can use it over and over.
Edit: Oh, and Liquid Ice does the same thing for Ray of Frost.
I didn't spot that those guys were (F) instead of (M)! So, yes, over and over. That's pretty sweet.
Doug M.
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Resurrecting this thread to add some new observations from doing research for a rime blaster.
Myrhh (2gp) has the same effect as cold iron (+1 to abjuration, i.e., dispel, caster level), but is cheaper (2 gp instead of 5).
Liquid ice (40gp) has a powerful +1 damage per caster level on cone of cold. Cone of cold is a weak spell, not great even with this boost, but if you happen to have picked it anyway, or perhaps you have an NPC allied caster who knows the spell, +1 damage per die is a big boost. Even better, though,
Urea (2gp) gives +1 caster level to any cold spell for the purposes of its effect, i.e., you may get to roll an extra damage die. That's fantastic for a blaster who might then also be adding some fixed boosts to that die and empowering the whole thing. +7 or 8 damage for 2gp? Fantastic, especially since you aren't limited to lame cone of cold.
Salt (10gp) gives +1 necromancy CL for purposes of effects. The obvious application here is increasing your skeletal horde with animate dead.
Tanglefoot Bag (50gp) allows your Black Tentacles spell to reroll a grapple check or your Slow spell to also entangle a target. Both seem worthwhile, and also high enough level spells that a tanglefoot bag isn't a big expenditure by that point.
Spirit of Wine (3gp) gives +1 caster level to summoning and calling spells. An extra day of service for a planar ally or planar binding for 3gp is a great deal, and as a side benefit, it can help out at those low levels when Summon Monster duration matters.
Douglas Muir 406 wrote: Cold iron gives you +1 to caster level on abjuration spells for 5 gp/shot. No it doesn't.
"+1 caster level for the purposes of caster level and dispel checks."
So, caster level checks and dispel checks. If it meant +1 caster level for damage (effect) it'd say so. Much like Salt, Urea, Darkwood, and Dew of Lunacy. In fact, I'd say that since they have the distinction between the different aspects of a spell that caster level applies too, the ones that say 'increased caster level for effect' would not increase range, duration, etc.
And you can use a flask of acid and brimstone on the same acid splash. A flask of acid is an Alchemical Power Component. Brimstone is an Alchemical Reagent. Specifically, Reagents do not stack with other reagents and you cannot use the same item as both a focus and a material component at the same time. But nothing says they don't stack with each other.
Now, if you had the False Focus feat(mimicking brimstone and one flask of acid), another acid flask on hand to use as a focus, 1 level of crossblooded sorcerer [Orc/Draconic(Black)], Metamagic reducer of -1 with Extend spell for 'free' you could get 1d3+4 for 4 rounds at level 1. You could throw in Evoker's Intense spells for another +1, but I think its more impressive at level 1 without it.
Coriat wrote: Even better, though,
Urea (2gp) gives +1 caster level to any cold spell for the purposes of its effect, i.e., you may get to roll an extra damage die. That's fantastic for a blaster who might then also be adding some fixed boosts to that die and empowering the whole thing. +7 or 8 damage for 2gp? Fantastic, especially since you aren't limited to lame cone of cold.
I built a blaster around urea a while back! [rummage rummage] Yup, http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2rn1d?Blaster-wizard-with-alchemical-reagents#1 here it is[/url].
Quote: Spirit of Wine (3gp) gives +1 caster level to summoning and calling spells. An extra day of service for a planar ally or planar binding for 3gp is a great deal, and as a side benefit, it can help out at those low levels when Summon Monster duration matters. Both of those functions are great -- the summoning at levels 1-4 or so, and the calling for later on. I must remember to add that to my Guide to Planar Binding. Thanks!
Doug M.
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