Damage Over Time Build

[Omagi]

Im trying to make a DoT specialist in pathfinder with the warlock from WoW as my inspiration.

There are a few methods with which I may be able to accomplish this, but im aiming for around 5-7th level maybe a little higher with a soft cap at 9th as most of our games reach their conclusion by then.

Some methods I've thought of up to this point are:

Summoning monsters, Buffs, and vanilla DoT effects.

Some options Ive found include but are not limited to:

pain strike
bloodbath
molten orb
boiling Blood
touch of combustion
aggressive thundercloud
flaming sphere
summoning monsters
spiritual weapon
haste
heat metal
burning gaze
acid arrow
blood blaze
excruciating deformation
fleshworm infestation
summon monster
summon swarm
touch of bloodletting
spiritual weapon

Looking for advice on other spells to use, links to already existing builds, further inspiration regarding what classes/races to use for this build, and general recommendations.

My current idea is to go a Witch and have my familiar casting Ill Omen via Wand of Ill Omen meanwhile im laying out debuffs and DoT or hexes when creatures simply arent worth my spells :), however Ive also considered a UMD specialist for access to more spells.

Thanks in advance for your recommendations!

[Chess Pwn]

my issue with DoT stuff is that if enemies die in 2 or 3 rounds then your DoT doesn't have the time to be useful to kill things.

[Omagi]

Chess Pwn wrote:

my issue with DoT stuff is that if enemies die in 2 or 3 rounds then your DoT doesn't have the time to be useful to kill things.

Im aware of this being the norm, however it does not change the fact I am interested in doing this build. Also if I am correct this forces concentration checks by using DoT instead of burst damage, so there is an advantage by doing this. (Under continuous damage)

[Firebug]

I've got a character that has been fairly "DoT" like. Basically completely focused on Acid Splash. Yes, Splash, not Arrow.
Medium 1/ Sorcerer 1/ Witch 1/ Oracle 1
Important Bits:
Medium, no archetype, channeling Archmage for the +2 damage bonus. Also providing a d8 for starting HD, moderate armor proficiency and simple weapons. Spirit surge should likely only be used to augment knowledge checks or to force a failed concentration check to be successful.
Witch, Winter Witch archetype from Reign of Winter Players Guide, specifically for the Hex: Frozen Caress. As a swift action when you case a touch spell (Acid Splash is a touch spell), you grant the spell the cold descriptor and add 1d4 cold damage to the spells effect. This is important. Also grants a familiar, I recommend either Arctic Hare(+4 init), or Rat(+2 Fort), stick it in a box and mostly forget it except for the passives. If you wanted to take Improved Familiar, probably pick up something like a Lyrakien Azata, Truespeech and has the ability to use wands (per PFS anyway) unlike other types of familiars.
Sorcerer, Crossblooded archetype from Ultimate Magic, Orc bloodline for +1 damage per die + some other stuff, and Draconic(White/Silver). Because the Acid Splash will have the cold descriptor from Frozen Caress, Draconic Bloodline will give both damage dice (1d3 acid, and 1d4 cold) +1 damage. You can also pick up the Bloodline Mutation Blood Havoc from Magic Tactics Toolbox, but you will have to cast Acid Splash from your Sorcerer list. Meaning either you will likely need to advance Sorcerer levels instead of one of the others past 4, or only get the 'extra damage' when they are in 25' range.
Oracle is mostly here for Freezing Spells(which doesn't affect acid splash), the idea originally was to use Burning Disarm but changing it to cold damage, making it a lose-lose: "If you save, you drop your metal weapon, if you fail the save you are slowed". It also has better HD, skills, BAB progression and better casting progression compared to Crossblooded Sorcerer.
Take the feat False Focus to fake using an Acid Flask as a material component(Adventurer's Armory) for the "Acid Splash (M): The spell lasts 1 round longer than normal" and Brimstone(Alchemy Manual) for +1 acid damage. Hold another Acid Flask in hand as a focus (maybe in a Holy Symbol Flask) for another +1 damage(Adventurer's Armory) "Acid Splash (F): The spell deals +1 point of damage."

Take the magic trait(Magical Lineage, Ultimate Campaign) and the regional trait(Wayang Spellhunter, Dragon Empires Primer) to reduce the metamagic cost by -2. Empowered Spell, and Extend Spell metamagic.

To sum up:
8 average = 1d3+6 acid (Medium +2 can apply to either, but I threw it in here)
4.5 average = 1d4+2 cold
12.5, empowered for 18.75 and lasts 2 rounds. As a cantrip. 37.5 damage total. All day.
Extend to make it last 4 rounds as a 1st level spell for an average of 75 damage. And you can probably just keep casting it at the target if you wanted, stacking it.

[Omagi]

Firebug wrote:

I've got a character that has been fairly "DoT" like. Basically completely focused on Acid Splash. Yes, Splash, not Arrow.

Medium 1/ Sorcerer 1/ Witch 1/ Oracle 1
Important Bits:
Medium, no archetype, channeling Archmage for the +2 damage bonus. Also providing a d8 for starting HD, moderate armor proficiency and simple weapons. Spirit surge should likely only be used to augment knowledge checks or to force a failed concentration check to be successful.
Witch, Winter Witch archetype from Reign of Winter Players Guide, specifically for the Hex: Frozen Caress. As a swift action when you case a touch spell (Acid Splash is a touch spell), you grant the spell the cold descriptor and add 1d4 cold damage to the spells effect. This is important. Also grants a familiar, I recommend either Arctic Hare(+4 init), or Rat(+2 Fort), stick it in a box and mostly forget it except for the passives. If you wanted to take Improved Familiar, probably pick up something like a Lyrakien Azata, Truespeech and has the ability to use wands (per PFS anyway) unlike other types of familiars.
Sorcerer, Crossblooded archetype from Ultimate Magic, Orc bloodline for +1 damage per die + some other stuff, and Draconic(White/Silver). Because the Acid Splash will have the cold descriptor from Frozen Caress, Draconic Bloodline will give both damage dice (1d3 acid, and 1d4 cold) +1 damage. You can also pick up the Bloodline Mutation Blood Havoc from Magic Tactics Toolbox, but you will have to cast Acid Splash from your Sorcerer list. Meaning either you will likely need to advance Sorcerer levels instead of one of the others past 4, or only get the 'extra damage' when they are in 25' range.
Oracle is mostly here for Freezing Spells(which doesn't affect acid splash), the idea originally was to use Burning Disarm but changing it to cold damage, making it a lose-lose: "If you save, you drop your metal weapon, if you fail the save you are slowed". It also has better HD, skills, BAB progression and better casting progression...

That seems really cool, I had not thought of cantrips. However I do not see how acid splash does DoT? or rather last for 2 rounds of damage

[Bladelock]

You can make a bleed dot with Way of the Carving Blade and a strength based Alchemist.
At 8th lvl
Str 18+2lvl, +4mutagen,+2rage spell,+4enhancement,+2size = +11str for an 11 damage bleed. +1 for blood crystal weapon.

12pts of bleed damage (possibly 16pts) is a nice foundation for a DoT build.

[Firebug]

Omagi wrote:

That seems really cool, I had not thought of cantrips. However I do not see how acid splash does DoT? or rather last for 2 rounds of damage

Take the feat False Focus to fake using an Acid Flask as a material component(Adventurer's Armory) for the "Acid Splash (M): The spell lasts 1 round longer than normal"

[Bladelock]

Firebug wrote:

Omagi wrote:

That seems really cool, I had not thought of cantrips. However I do not see how acid splash does DoT? or rather last for 2 rounds of damage

Take the feat False Focus to fake using an Acid Flask as a material component(Adventurer's Armory) for the "Acid Splash (M): The spell lasts 1 round longer than normal"

I'm not sure false focus will let you use a material that is not an original part of the spell. The materials in Adventurer's Armory are special materials.

[Firebug]

I don't see why it matters if its a part of the base spell or added from another source.
False Focus: By using a divine focus as part of casting, you can cast any spell(check, we are casting a spell) with a material component(check, there is a material component, doesn't specify from the base spell only) costing the value of that divine focus (maximum 100 gp) or less(check, 10 gp for acid) without needing that component.

[avr]

There are several ways to make enemies catch on fire. One of the easiest is Burning Amplification because it has no daily use limit & can be used with any fire spells. Burning disarm or scorching ray, or burning sands would be good. Blistering invective, spontaneous immolation & burning gaze can ignite enemies without any such feat but they're not quite as good spells IMO, though there's something to be said for using share spells with your familiar on burning gaze.

The main way to make the above better is to max out your save DC.

Some cold spells like frost fall do damage over time too. Adding rime spell to these debuffs the enemy at the same time; a possibly relevant thing given that DoT kills slowly.

The commonest form of damage over time in PF though is summons. Swarms especially act like DoT spells.

[Firebug]

In the vein of the bleed build, a Vigilante Cabalist does bleed damage = level against flatfooted targets (and targets unaware, and ones that think you are an ally), so improved feint + Lamashtu's Carving (Way of the Carving Blade on d20) = level + str mod bleed damage.

[Bladelock]

Firebug wrote:

I don't see why it matters if its a part of the base spell or added from another source.

False Focus: By using a divine focus as part of casting, you can cast any spell(check, we are casting a spell) with a material component(check, there is a material component, doesn't specify from the base spell only) costing the value of that divine focus (maximum 100 gp) or less(check, 10 gp for acid) without needing that component.

Special components modify the standard spell materials. False Focus doesn't say it allows for standard and special modified materials. The writer may have intended for it to work, but it is definitely not clear. There are several things in your initial example that don't seem 100% correct.

Firebug wrote:

In the vein of the bleed build, a Vigilante Cabalist does bleed damage = level against flatfooted targets (and targets unaware, and ones that think you are an ally), so improved feint + Lamashtu's Carving (Way of the Carving Blade on d20) = level + str mod bleed damage.

Bleeds generally don't stack.

[Firebug]

Bladelock wrote:

Bleeds generally don't stack.

Bleeds generally state they don't stack. But some explicitly state they do, and some don't say, it's not a very standardized convention. Looking up the Bleed condition it says that Bleed does stack if they are different damage types in the default case. I would argue that piercing and slashing are probably not intended as different damage types for this.

So we just need a way to change the damage type of one of them to something else, like fire or nonlethal. Spill blood for Cabalist requires piercing or slashing damage, and I am not aware of a specific weapon or weapon enchant that changes all of the damage from a falchion or kukri to something like fire.

Perhaps something like an unarmed strike with the vigilante. Find a way to deny their Dex faster then a move action, and for more then 1 attack, and then hit them twice, once for lethal and once for nonlethal. Or a second weapon like a whip or one enchanted with merciful.

[parrot familiar]

My build for this, untested, is also my attempt to make a good Dwarf Sorcerer. Primal bloodline with earth for +1 damage per die and a lot of Earth spells, favored class bonus to add more damage, Stonesinger for +1 CL to all those now-Earth-subtype spells. Magical Lineage on Acid Arrow for Extend Spell. My plan is to get a couple arrows out, then switch to pits, fogs, and other control spells to give them time to operate.

While this build would hardly be optimal (Draconic/Orc Crossblooded Halfling would probably be better at the same thing, and I'm not getting into combining Lineage with Wayang Spell Hunter), it'd be a fun and unusual blaster. One nice-but-weird synergy of Dwarf with Sorcerer is that you can utterly dump Strength because Slow and Steady means you're never encumbered. Doesn't make up for the -2 CHA hit, but it helps a little.

On the Firebug build above--empower spell is +2, extend spell is +1, which would make the final acid splash a level 1 spell, right? Not a cantrip anymore? I may be missing something though as you've clearly thought this out.

[Firebug]

Yes, I typically don't use extend, but keep it as an option.

[Lemartes]

Firebug wrote:

In the vein of the bleed build, a Vigilante Cabalist does bleed damage = level against flatfooted targets (and targets unaware, and ones that think you are an ally), so improved feint + Lamashtu's Carving (Way of the Carving Blade on d20) = level + str mod bleed damage.

Cool. I wanted to play a Cabalist. However, I'm unsure those two abilities stack. Bleed damage stacking is always tricky. I'm not saying you're wrong just not sure you're right.

I'm open to proof from anyone though one way or the other. :)

[Lemartes]

Ah damn just realized you have to be chaotic evil. :(

[Dave Justus]

Firebug wrote:

As a swift action when you case a touch spell (Acid Splash is a touch spell), you grant the spell the cold descriptor and add 1d4 cold damage to the spells effect.

Acid splash is a short range spell that requires a touch attack. It is not a touch spell.

Also I definitely agree that false focus won't provide an Alchemical Power Component. An Alchemical Power Component is used as a material component, but it is not a material component of the spell.

[blashimov]

Also acid splash is instantaneous? It can't be extended? ???

Also, different types of bleed means bleed HP vs bleed str, not slashing/piercing.

[parrot familiar]

Aha yes, I should have read more closely!