I love the kitsune, catfolk, and ratfolk in that order. should I try a ratfolk alchemist or witch? Or maybe a heavens bloodline sorcerer?
maybe a golden kitsune dragon disciple with sorcerer levels? My group wants me to play the choice of a blaster or a tank like a pally? Is the dwarf stonelord pally any good?
A kitsune doesn't make a particularly great blaster. You get +2 Cha, which is nice if you're a Cha-based caster, but otherwise none of the kitsune traits help you blast. Catfolk, same-same. This is not to say you CAN'T play a kitsune or catfolk blaster. You totally can! Just, unless you're playing a sorceror you won't be quite optimal. (And if you're playing a kitsune, you'll want a sideline in enchantment spells.) If you're starting at first level, it will take a while to come in to your own.
A ratfolk, now, could make a fine blaster. +2 Int, +2 Dex, small size... oh yeah. You could go alchemist, sure. But I'd suggest looking up Brewer's Guide to the Blaster Wizard, because it's insane fun, and would work just fine with a ratfolk build. If that's too much trouble, I attach below a variant of a build I developed a while ago. It's a wizard, not an alchemist, but it uses alchemical power components. Most of the alchemical reagents give pretty modest benefits -- +1 to damage here, a caster level here, an extra but of duration over there. But if you pile them on each other, you can get some interesting results.
Ratfolk blaster wizard build:
Ratfolk wizard, 15 point build: Str 6 Con 12 Dex 16 Int 18 Wis 12 Cha 8.
Evocation specialist with the Admixture subschool -- this lets you swap energy types (fire, acid, cold, electricity) on your spells 8x/day. Bonded object instead of a familiar. Traits: Magical Lineage (fireball) and, oh I don't know, Reactive. (You'll carry that Magical Lineage trait for six long levels before it's useful. But then it will be very useful indeed.) Feats are Spell Focus (Evocation) and Spell Specialization (Burning Hands). Skills, meh, the usual; you get racial bonuses to Perception, Stealth, Craft (alchemy) and UMD, so you might as well throw some ranks at those. If you think you might do the cyphermage dip (see below) don't forget to throw some ranks at Linguistics.
First Level -- Starting spells: Burning Hands, Grease, Mage Armor, Summon Monster I. If your party lacks a meat shield for you to cower behind, you cast Mage Armor before entering the dungeon -- AC 18, and when that runs out, you leave. Otherwise, Burning Hands, baby. Your feat and your specialization = basic Burning Hands for 3d4+1 damage, DC 16 Reflex save for half. That'll sweep the street clean of most first level opponents.
But wait -- there's more. You invest in some alchemical reagents. 40 gp gives you a flask of liquid ice, which you can use as a spell focus for Ray of Frost, making it do +1 damage. 40 gp is a lot at first level, but the flask is not consumed, so you can use it endlessly. Together with your evoker bonus, that means this endlessly spammable cantrip now inflicts d3+2 damage on a +3 ranged touch attack. That's almost always going to be better than messing around with a silly crossbow. For your first couple of levels this will be your default attack; use it to pick off goblins, finish off injured foes, and the like.
For your main blast, use your admixture power to turn Burning Hands into Cold Hands, toss in some urea and you're now doing 4d4+1. Why? Because for just 4 gp/dose, urea gives you +1 caster level on cold spells. That's crazy good, and you're going to leverage hell out of it. At first level, it means 11 average damage, which will seriously dent most nonboss opponents and will simply wipe out a mass of low level opponents even if they save (which at a DC 16 Reflex, they probably won't). In the unlikely event you meet something that's immune to cold, you keep some other reagents in your back pocket -- brimstone (+1 damage on acid spells at 2 gp/spell) and saltpeter (+1 damage on fire spells at 3 gp/spell). For when you just want to add a little something extra to show you care, there's black powder (+1 damage on all evocation spells). At 10 gp/spell it's a bit pricey for you, but sometimes you just want to make the moment special. So if that cold-resistant creature shows up, you just shrug and throw Acid Hands for 3d4+2 or 3d4+3.
Oh, and you also carry around some spirits of wine in a flask. Those give +1 to spell level on summoning spells for duration purposes only -- so for 3 gp you can make your Summon Monster I bring something for 2 rounds instead of 1. At low levels that's a big deal and totally worth 3 gp.
Finally, when you have a little money pick up a couple of flasks of acid. For 10 gp per casting you can use these with your Grease spell to inflict 1 hp/round of acid damage on anyone that stays within the spell's area of effect. And for just 5 gp/casting, alchemical grease adds 1 to this spell's save DC.
Second Level -- Pick up Magic Missile and a utility spell. You won't use MM very much for a while, but one day you'll be spraying a bunch of Dazing Magic Missiles around at a bunch of mooks. Meanwhile, your Cold Hands now do 5d4+2, or 5d4+3 if you blow the 10 gp for black powder. This is a quiet level for you. Don't worry about it; things are going to get interesting fast.
Third Level -- Take Intensified Spell (allows five more levels of damage on spells, +1 spell slot) as your third level feat. Learn Flaming Sphere and Summon Monster II. In your second level slots you can now carry Flaming Sphere for 3d6+2/round, or Intensified Cold Hands for 6d4+1 -- remember, the feat lets you go past the normal 5 die limit on this spell. In your first level slots, Burning Hands with saltpeter / Acid Hands with brimstone = 5d4+2.
But wait! If you throw in a flask of alchemist's fire as a material component (20 gp), your burning hands will set one enemy who failed his save on fire. This is only an additional 1d6/round of damage, but it's totally worth it just for the visual.
Fourth Level -- Put your +1 boost on Int, raising it to 19. Get a utility spell, like Web or Glitterdust or Invisibility, and then also take Fox's Cunning. Because, oh hey: that's a transmutation spell, so for 3 gp/casting you can use magnesium to make it last as if you were a level higher, five minutes instead of four. No big thing, but that should get you through a couple of encounters, and as a blaster you want those save DCs as high as possible. Pick up a first level Pearl of Power. Intensified Cold Hands now do 7d4+2, or Intensified Burning/Acid Hands do 6d4+3, or Flaming Sphere does 3d6+2/round.
Fifth Level -- Fireball, baby. (Take Haste for your other spell, so that the other players will shut up about how you never buff them.) Take Greater Spell Focus and Varisian Tattoo, aka Mage's Tattoo on the PFSRD -- +1 caster level on all evocation spells. From here on out you can probably afford to add black powder as a default. Buy it in bulk, you'll be using it a lot. So now Fireball (or Acidball, or Lightningball) does 6d6+4, while its urea-powered Freezeball variant does 7d6+3. In your second level slots, Intensified Cold Hands do 9d4+3.
Sixth Level -- Take Communal Resist Energy. With a pinch of cold iron, you cast this at +1 caster level, meaning that at 6th level you can now grant 20 points of resistance. But wait! If you throw in a flask of liquid ice (40 gp) or of alchemist's fire (20 gp), you can add 20% to the resistance granted by this spell to fire or cold respectively: 24 instead of 20.
You're now high enough level to afford an Int-boosting item; get one, raising your Int to 21. Switch Spell Specialization from Burning Hands to Fireball. Your Fireballs now do 9d6+5 damage, average 36.5, or 10d6+4 for Freezeballs. In a pinch -- say, if the party is being swarmed by very large numbers of weak foes -- you can cast Communal Resist Energy on the party, then Fireball them and yourself. The party will still take damage if they fail their saves, but you'll clean out the enemies toute suite.
Seventh Level -- Take Empower Spell. Take Dimension Door -- you need the tactical flexibility and it's grapple insurance. There are several okay fourth level evocation spells... I'm fond of detonate (at this level it's 8d8+5 damage to everything around you, or 9d8+4 if cold) but yeah, you're probably better off with Ice Storm or something. Pick up a rod of Selective Metamagic. (This will finally stop the other PCs' pathetic whining about you catching them with your fireballs.)
After six long levels, Magical Lineage finally kicks in: you get Empowered Fireballs as 4th level spells. That's 10d6 (x 1.5) +5, or average 57.5 damage. With your Fox's Cunning on, that's a DC 22 Reflex save. Your 2nd level spell slots have Cold Hands for 8d4+4.
Eighth Level -- You're going to start meeting things with SR, so pick up a rod of Piercing Spell while you're shopping for a better (+4) Int booster. Put your level-up point on Int, so you're now rocking an Int of 24. You can now throw Intensified Fireball as a 3rd level spell for 11d6+6, or Intensified Freezeball for 12d6+5.
You now get the goofy Elemental Manipulation aura, which is mostly worthless but could be situationally a lot of fun if everything clicks. Here's what you do: before entering the Glacial Rift of the Ice-Themed Monsters, you set your aura to convert cold attacks to fire. Then you cast Communal Resist Energy (fire) on the party, throwing in a 40 gp flask of liquid ice to give everyone fire resistance 24. So, 24 points off the monsters' ice breath or other cold-themed attacks... and then you get right in among the monsters and cast Fireball centered on yourself. Okay, the party will still take average 23 points of fire damage each, but the cold-based monsters will take average 70.5 each. (And, come on, the party rogue will probably evade.)
Finally, pick up Black Tentacles. Not only is this a fine utility spell for those confusing moments when you can't immediately blast something, but for 50 gp/casting you can use a tanglefoot bag as a component, allowing you to reroll your grapple check against one opponent.
Ninth Level -- Icy Prison and Fire Snake are both fine 5th level evocation spells. Icy Prison is suck-or-suck; if the enemy fails a DC 24 Reflex save, it's helpless, and even if it succeeds, it's entangled and taking damage -- 15 on the first round, and then 11 per round thereafter, until it makes a DC 26 Str check to escape. Meanwhile, your Intensified Enhanced Freezeball is up to (13d6 x 1.5) +5 or about 73 points.
For your feat, Quicken Spell is tempting, but it's just a bit too soon -- you'd be using a precious fifth level slot to throw a simple 5d4+5 Quickened Burning Hands. It can wait until 11th level. An interesting option is to take Cyphermagic so you can dip a level or two of Cyphermage. Casting from scrolls now gives you +1 caster level -- more dice of damage. For one level of Cyphermage, you take Focused Scroll; basically this means that once/day you can ignore SR. If you were to dip a second level, you'd take Enhance Scroll, because you can save just a sick amount of money with this one.
But for now let's keep it simple and go with Spell Penetration. SR is starting to be a common thing at this level. You're a blaster; if something at resists your magic, you've just wasted your round and accomplished nothing. So you need this feat. It stacks with your Piercing Spell metamagic rod, so you're always at either +2 or +7... and those will get doubled when you get Spell Perfection, heh heh.
Tenth level -- Speaking of Spell Penetration, it's probably time to invest in a few doses of Dweomer's Essence. Though not formally an alchemical reagent, this acts just the same way: it's a one-time consumable that you mix into your spell to add +5 to your spell penetration check. At 500 gp /shot, it's not cheap, but sometimes you want to be very sure that you're taking that bad guy down.
For your 10th level bonus feat, there are a couple of attractive options. One is the Alchemical Affinity arcane discovery. This neglected gem gives you +1 ECL and +1 on DCs for any spell you cast that is also on the alchemist's spell list. Tragically, this does not include Fireball, but it does include a bunch of fun spells from Detonate to Magic Jar. And it's pretty solidly thematic. That said, if you're playing strictly by the numbers then you're probably best off taking Dazing Spell. It's everyone's favorite metamagic feat for a reason. Your Dazing Fireballs will only do 10d6+6 damage, but anything that fails that Reflex save is SOL. And it's not like you can't do raw damage -- your Intensified Enhanced Freezeball is averaging 80 points of damage, and you can throw 13d6+6 Intensified Fireballs around like Mardi Gras beads.
Phew. -- But you asked for a blaster, and this guy would probably fit the bill. Let me know what you think.
One footnote to this build: Burning Hands is short range, so if the party doesn't have a meat shield, be prepared to take the occasional hit at low levels. Keep your AC up, put your favored class points in hp, and stay friends with the party cleric. If the party does have a meat shield, then you glue yourself to his rear view square. Note that you only have a 20' move, so make sure Mr. Fighty understands that if there are multiple foes in view, he is not to charge forward and leave you unprotected. Fighter types can be strangely dim about this. You may have to explain gently and carefully: "I love you, man, but if you're more than 10' ahead of me you're in my blast radius".
Also, this is a build that can provide some fun synergies. For instance, as a ratfolk you have respectable Stealth even though it's not a class skill. This makes it possible for you to scout ahead in tandem with the party rogue or ninja (well, in tandem but two steps behind, because you are squish). A one-two punch of surprise round! Blast! Sneak Attack! will leave most nonboss opponents sucking dirt.
which book do I find the Alchemist (Drow's) void bomb? and what page?
I think it is in Monster Codex, it is a drow only discovery.
It is also sick. On a failed save you fall prone. On a successfull save you can only move 5 feet. Now, combine it with the gnome discovery/archetype that lets them mix bomb effects and combine Void with Breath Weapon. Luckily you cant be a drow gnome as far as I can tell.
Stonelord Paladin is awesome. We've had a couple in my area for PFS that have been very effective.
Stonelord is an awful archetype. You give up basically the strongest abilities the Paladin has for stuff which is much worse. Smite Evil for something you were likely to do anyway, divine grace for a pathetically small amount of natural armour and DR, all of your mercies for something you can get with an armour special quality amongst others.
Doug's wizard build is one of the first blasters I've seen that doesn't have the dip for Crossblooded Sorceror. Looks pretty effective, too.
Thank you!
It doesn't require a ratfolk, either. That build works fine with humans or elves, or really anything that gets a bump to Int. It's not quite the ultimate blaster in terms of raw damage, but it's close, and it's very flexible.
The bound object is key, mind, because eventually your GM will start getting tired of watching his monsters get flash-frozen, melted, and blasted to bits, and will start throwing golems and suchlike at you. "Your ready spells are all blasts, right?" "Gosh, yes they are." "Heh heh -- " "Sure glad I have my bound object with me! Grease." At higher levels, scrolls add even more flexibility; this is why going cyphermage and Enhance Scroll is so attractive.
You could just go Preferred Spell and memorise whatever you want and spontaneously change stuff to Fireball. You have to taken Heighten but you were probably taking 3 metammagic for Spell Perfection anyway so it may as well be one of them.
Spell Specialisation/Greater is also an option but doesn't come online until 10th.
Stonelord Paladin is awesome. We've had a couple in my area for PFS that have been very effective.
Stonelord is an awful archetype. You give up basically the strongest abilities the Paladin has for stuff which is much worse. Smite Evil for something you were likely to do anyway, divine grace for a pathetically small amount of natural armour and DR, all of your mercies for something you can get with an armour special quality amongst others.
Divine Protection is replaced by being a dwarf, which gives you access to Glory of Old and Steel Soul. The DR is roughly equivalent to being a Barbarian, but you can still focus on defenses. Yes, Stone Strike is less useful than Smite overall, but your companion is a terror to most scenarios. Defensive Stance can be highly useful in some scenarios, as well.
If you're looking for a DPR machine, the Stonelord is not a good choice. It does, however, scratch a certain defensive itch for some players.
Douglas Muir 406: Just wanted to compliment you on your build advice. I have looked at alchemical components but have clearly underestimated them. This deserves a second look and likely a new build for me to make. :)
They're much-more limited in spells-per-day than a Sorcerer, but because they spam, you can always load at least one Blast spell per spell-level in your Spells Known in the morning, saving your other prepared spells for utility spells, and then fire the Blasts off throughout the day with delight.
Douglas Muir 406: Just wanted to compliment you on your build advice. I have looked at alchemical components but have clearly underestimated them. This deserves a second look and likely a new build for me to make. :)
Thank you!
I like this particular build because it's viable across all levels. There's no slow startup -- at first level your blasts are already doing serious damage (for first level). And there's no dip, so you don't have to wait an extra level for everything.
-- There is one error in the build given above: it was originally written for a human, and when I adapted it for ratfolk I forgot to take out the extra human feat at first level. My bad! My advice would be to forego Spell Focus (evocation) until 5th level.
Well, which level will you start?
I just started a campaign at level 8 and build a Blaster Cleric. He's not that great in comparision to other optimized Blasters, but he does his job and brings tons of utitily with him.
He is even tanky, so he maybe can fill both roles you asked for.
The key for a blaster cleric is the theologian archetype with a domain, that grant you fireball (the best is Ash domain imo).
You get Intesified and Focused spell for free with Fireball and Spell Specialisation Chain lets you cast it a higher level and spontanously like Cure/Inflict.
Wayang Spell Hunter/Magical Lineage cheese and you are ready to go with an Empowered Fireball.
Get a metamagic Rod Selective and Elemental (something other than fire). Your high Wisdom will be also good with other save or suck spells and you have the usual stuff like Blessing of Fervor, Wall of Stone etc. and also your Domain Powers a kinda good. Well placed Wall of Ash can turn the tide.
Then grab a shield and good armor, and your AC also does not suck. Reflex Save will be your weakness I guess, but you can heal if needed.
Douglas Muir 406 that is very good and fun build. Advice on using alchemical reagents is golden, you should write a mini guide or something!
I'm having a blast a the moment with my Pyromaniac (+1 cl to [Fire] spells) Admixture evocationist/Red dragon bloodline/tattoeed sorc gnome. My GM banned orc bloodline and all possible ways of getting +2 damage/die, so no sense going crossblooded. I took sorc level at 2nd, not the most optimal spot, but being able to cast 4 extra 1st level spells has been a life saver a few times.
I know gnomes are not the best wizards but he is pretty fun to play, with his overinflated ego and setting everyone afire :)
For a build using that much Alchemical Reagents you might consider the feat false focus
Because some GM will have the power to tell you that you can't buy as much as you want (for any reasons), plus it's not craftable with any skill.
But you should be able to gather some primary reageants from the wild (urea...easy, just piss and... ^^)
Douglas Muir 406 that is very good and fun build. Advice on using alchemical reagents is golden, you should write a mini guide or something!
I'm having a blast a the moment with my Pyromaniac (+1 cl to [Fire] spells) Admixture evocationist/Red dragon bloodline/tattoeed sorc gnome. My GM banned orc bloodline and all possible ways of getting +2 damage/die, so no sense going crossblooded. I took sorc level at 2nd, not the most optimal spot, but being able to cast 4 extra 1st level spells has been a life saver a few times.
I know gnomes are not the best wizards but he is pretty fun to play, with his overinflated ego and setting everyone afire :)
Oh man, that item is hilarious! I doubt the adventure path we are playing has them laying around, I'll have to sneak it in somehow... And no I'm not planning on taking Craft Wondorous Item, it seems we never have time to craft anything.
Generally admixture wizard with double-traited spell specialized fireball or Tattoed Sorcerer Orc-blood Gnome Pyro (also spell spec/dbl trait) have been my blaster staple for years. I never dip and have never used cross-blooded.
I prefer enhancing items that are not consumed, but that is a personal preference. So the acid flask (acid splash bypasses SR) and is cheaper than liquid ice, but the ice + ray of frost is perfectly fine if you'd rather go with ice. And I use a lesser goblin drum with fireball.
The breakdown for a pyro gnome sorc at 6th, when the build comes online is:
+1 caster level (race) +1 (tattoo archetype) +2 (spell specialization) when he casts fireball. 10d6 +10(orc blood)+10(drum). Plus free Empower Spell. 10d6+20 x 1.5 is pretty decent at 6th level. Not as much as other builds, but enough to turn most encounters into melted glass. Blow 2k for a lesser rod of selective spell and your tac nukes won't vaporize your party.
Do this with a race that does not have a +1 racial to caster level and you are only 9d6+18 x 1.5, which is still respectable. At 10th level, you are dropping 2 fireballs a round as the other is Quickened. Can be an encounter ender. Or your GM may throw dice at you, YMMV. :)
Welcome to the fun world of blasting and enjoy melting faces! :D
Stonelord Paladin is awesome. We've had a couple in my area for PFS that have been very effective.
Stonelord is an awful archetype. You give up basically the strongest abilities the Paladin has for stuff which is much worse. Smite Evil for something you were likely to do anyway, divine grace for a pathetically small amount of natural armour and DR, all of your mercies for something you can get with an armour special quality amongst others.
Nah, Stonelord's solid. You give up a lot of what makes a Paladin a Paladin, but get the equivalent of Barbarian Rage (as well as AC bonuses and DR on par with an Invulnerable Rager, though easier to get through) instead, and with built in Rage Cycling via Lay on Hands. You also lose Cha dependency almost entirely, which is handy for a dwarf.
It basically plays as an entirely different Class (and more like a Barbarian than a Paladin in many ways), but that doesn't inherently make it bad.
Oh man, that item is hilarious! I doubt the adventure path we are playing has them laying around, I'll have to sneak it in somehow... And no I'm not planning on taking Craft Wondorous Item, it seems we never have time to craft anything.
Yeah, that's a cool item. I will note that it has a limited (30') range, so it won't help with long range blasts. Also that you have to throw some ranks at Perform (Percussion). And you can't really keep it going all the time as you stroll through the dungeon...
Okay, here's a thought: if you play a caster with a familiar? Either get something like a monkey, or go with Improved Familiar for an imp or some such, and give this to your familiar. So you go blasting everything in sight while your gibbering, screeching monkey familiar flails insanely at its drum...
Well then, this build gets noticeably less attractive for nonhumans at low levels; you don't get the Spell Specialization boost until 3rd level, and then you don't get Intensified Spell until 5th level. Not crippling, but you'll definitely notice the difference at 1st and 2nd levels.
Ifrit also can be excellent blasters because of ultra high initiative potential and fire affinity.
Sorcerer bloodlines that allow you to change the type of elemental damage also are possibly more useful because you then have a 'back up' damage type too - I prefer the Marid personally.
Here's a question: besides the Goblin Drum, what are some items that would be useful for a blaster in particular?
Doug M.
Depends on your budget...
I start with stat boosting items. +DC, Spell Slots = usually most bang for your gp.
Pearl of Power 1st to get lowbie utility slots back. Plus, every caster gets to use it per day, not just you. (rules cheese, but still legal.)
Spring-loaded wrist sheaths.
Then metamagic rods (usually lesser Selective is my first pick, cheap and only way to get it before 10th level).
Handy Haversack.
Higher level Pearls.
If a wiz, Blessed Book.
Things like Otherworldly Kimono, Orange Ioun stone, are mid to late game items.
Yah didn't mention, the familiar usually pounds the drum on command in combat.
which book do I find the Alchemist (Drow's) void bomb? and what page?
I think it is in Monster Codex, it is a drow only discovery.
It is also sick. On a failed save you fall prone. On a successfull save you can only move 5 feet. Now, combine it with the gnome discovery/archetype that lets them mix bomb effects and combine Void with Breath Weapon. Luckily you cant be a drow gnome as far as I can tell.
Oh, but you can be both a drow & a gnome for this. You start as a Half-Elf with Drow Blooded/Drow Magic racial traits for the Drow parentage. Then you take Racial Heritage (by being 1/2 Human you qualify) and then select Gnome. Now you count as Drow/Human/Gnome.
Metamagic rods naturally. Depending on which element you favor Blazing, Shocking or Voidfrost robes. Otherwordly Kimono to boost CL checks.
Items that have a fixed cost, but that add ECL, are nice but somewhat abusable. 11,000 for these robes is a lot at midlevels, but for higher level characters it's chump change -- the only issue they face is using up the slot.
To be fair, an extra die of damage is less important at 12th level than it was back at first level. But OTOH, that +1 to overcome SR is always going to be nice.
Thinking about it: 9th level is a reasonable time to acquire an item that costs 11,000 gp. If the build above picked up Voidfrost robes, then at 9th level you would be able to throw Intensified Enhanced Freezeball for (14d6 x 1.5) +5 or about 79 points of area cold damage, DC 22 Reflex save. And you could do that half a dozen times per day without breaking a sweat.
It's actually not sick overpowered: that won't one-shot most CR 9+ opponents. But it'll drop them to the point where a single blow from your fighter or barbarian friend will finish the job, and it'll just sweep the street clean of large masses of lower-level opponents.
