I love Slow. It makes me so happy. To that end, I've made a character around it.
He is currently a diviner wizard with a focus on transmutation (alternatively, sell me on the arcanist?). He has magical lineage and wayang spellhunter (free persistent spell!), and will take regular and greater spell focus feats. Tanglefoot bags will always be in his possession to use as power components.
Are there any other ways y'all can think of to spice up this slow spell?
I seem to recall a ruling about those 2 traits not combining in PFS for some reason.
If that's the case, Transmuter of Korada could be a nice alternative. Anything that boosts your caster level, like Spell Specialization, is great for slow, since it increases the range, duration, number of targets, and chance of beating SR all at once. There are also some nice metamagics for slow that only give a +1 level increase, like Focused Spell and Vast Spell.
Slow combines excellently with anything that creates difficult terrain, especially if your allies have a way of moving through it. With a little cooperation and tactics, that can change the direction of an encounter entirely.
The tanglefoot bag idea sounds fun, and it gets even better with the spell full pouch, which creates a duplicate bag as you draw it for only 1 gp. What's more, this duplicate uses your DC for the spell if it's higher than 15 - which it will be because full pouch is transmutation as well, so it benefits from your Spell Focus just as much as slow does. And the new bag sticks around indefinitely, so whenever you have free spell slots left over at the end of the day you can spend them to make more.
You could also just try taking the False Focus feat, which depending on your GM's interpretation might allow you to add free tanglefoot bags to every slow spell you cast.
I seem to recall a ruling about those 2 traits not combining in PFS for some reason.
Not 100% sure. You might want to double check first
There is no such ruling anywhere in the FAQ, campaign clarifications or additional resources.
The key thing for Slow is the DC. The maximum DC you can probably manage involves being a Blood archetype Arcanist. Early on take spell focus and greater spell focus. Potent Magic is probably your first exploit. Your bloodline choice is Arcane. At level 11 pick up the robe of arcane heritage which should give you the school power bloodline ability for an extra +2DC.
Caster level is less of an issue. Spell specialisation is a waste, spell penetration is a much better choice for you overall as it will affect all of your spells. Range, number of targets and duration are rarely issues with slow.
It is possible the robe doesn't work with the blood arcanists bloodline in which case I would consider going straight sorcerer. Go human, half elf or half orc for the extra spells known to add additional versatility.
For feats persistent is a given, it is pretty much the best overall metamagic feat around. However, focused spell will also allow you to increase the DC by 2 for a single target and is worth considered.
Thanks for the ideas! I'm going to look at this thread again in the morning, but first a few questions:
Does the arcane bloodline dc bonus work if the spell is cast with metamagic but without raising the spell level? Meaning, persistent slow is coming from a 5th level slot, but if traits turn it I to a level 3 slot, does the dc still increase?
Can blood arcanists use a robe of arcane heritage?
Is the rest of the arcane bloodline worth it for an arcanist?
Thanks for the ideas! I'm going to look at this thread again in the morning, but first a few questions:
Does the arcane bloodline dc bonus work if the spell is cast with metamagic but without raising the spell level? Meaning, persistent slow is coming from a 5th level slot, but if traits turn it I to a level 3 slot, does the dc still increase?
Yes, the arcana just requires you to apply a metamagic feat. For example, a merciful fireball would get the benefit.
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Can blood arcanists use a robe of arcane heritage?
I think it does but this could be table variation. It isn't worth it until level 11 so it wont be much of an issue.
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Is the rest of the arcane bloodline worth it for an arcanist?
Yes, I think so. level 3 lets you metamagic a few times a day without increasing the cast time. That lets you move and cast and means you can delay or ignore metamaixing.
New arcana will let you prepare additional spells due to this line in the arcanist class ability:
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Feats and other effects that modify the number of spells known by a spellcaster instead affect the number of spells an arcanist can prepare
You get a free arcane bond which is the equivalent of an arcanist exploit, a familiar or extra spell per day are always going to be useful.
School power is the big benefit but you wont get it until level 15. It will depend on whether you are willing to wait for that and if you think the others things you get are worth losing a lot of exploits. Your build is quite feat hungry so you aren't going to have many, if any, for extra exploit and as you lose your level 1 and 3 exploits you couldn't take it until level 5.
If I was just doing a straight forward no archetype Arcanist I would probably do something like the character below. Quick study lets you do things like drop buffs such as heroism before entering a dangerous locale and then swop out for offensive spells. Base slow DC is 21, 23 with an arcane pool point. Initiative and saves are decent. Wands, potions and scrolls are assumed prestige purchases and he has about 2.5k unspent to buy scrolls, mundane equipment etc.
An alternative option might be to go brown fur transmuter given you will be focusing on transmutation spells anyway. That way you can turn your party members into pouncing monstrosities eventually while also slowing the enemy.
If you want to absolutely max out Int then I would drop the starting Wis to 11. Charisma is not needed as you have no exploits which rely on it and don't plan on any. You only get one use of consume spells but you should have more than enough arcane pool to keep going.
Stat Block:
Male human arcanist 7 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 8)
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +9; Senses low-light vision; Perception +16
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +4 mage armour)
hp 51 (7d6+21)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +11
The blood arcanist version looks very similar. It loses spell penetration for extra arcanist exploit in order to pick up dimensional slide. The bloodline gives you the familiar so you effectively trade spell pen for metamagic mastery 2/day.
Stat Block:
Male human blood arcanist 7 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 8, 77)
N Medium humanoid (human)
Init +9; Senses low-light vision; Perception +16
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Defense
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AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 51 (7d6+21)
Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +11
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
SQ arcane bond (Arcane Familiar, compsognatus), bloodline (arcane), bloodline arcana (+1 DC for metamagic spells that increase spell level), metamagic adept (4/day), new arcana, school power (transmutation)
Combat Gear lesser extend metamagic rod, oil of daylight, scroll of lesser (x5) restoration, scroll of see invisibility (x5), wand of heightened awareness (50 charges), wand of mage armor (50 charges), wand of shield (50 charges), clear ear (4); Other Gear belt of mighty constitution +4, cloak of resistance +3, cracked dusty rose prism ioun stone, cracked magenta prism ioun stone, cracked magenta prism ioun stone, cracked pale green prism ioun stone (saves), eyes of the eagle, handy haversack, headband of vast intelligence +6, robe of arcane heritage[APG], vest of escape, wayfinder[ISWG], arcanist starting spellbook, cheat sheath[ACG], masterwork thieves' tools
Some things to note.
Greater metamagic knowledge lets you pick a metamagic feat at the start of the day. On following days you can swop it out for a different one by spending a pool point. This is excellent, it allows you to adapt to situations. If, for example, you know there are likely to be incorporeal undead grab Ectoplasmic Spell. If you have travel time pick Extend and drop long duration buffs on everyone. The default pick here is Quicken.
Memorising persistent slow means that you can move and still cast it, provided you don't try and add another metamagic feat to it. You could memorise a persistent focused slow but 4th level memorised spells are precious. At this point persistent slow is DC27, a pool point pushes it to 29, focused makes it 31 for one target.
At this level you also want to abuse the hell out of quick study. You can easily drop hour/level buffs like overland flight, life bubble, countless eyes, darkvision, mage armour, false life etc and then swop them out. If you have travel time use them at the end of each day, swopping to them before you rest and then changing them out at the start of the day. Pre-buffing for the arcanist is incredibly effective.
Your AC remains terrible, make sure to mirror image whenever entering anywhere vaguely dangerous. If need be emergency force sphere to save yourself then get out the next turn with dimensional slide using your move action and you can still cast.
Do you have a template for your statblocks and can I have a copy of it? I like it!
The Blood Arcanist seems to be the way to go here. I've decided I'll probably take this character to level 20 (or try to at least) and it seems like an option that just keeps on giving!
The Arcane Bloodline looks FANTASTIC, I didn't realize that the level 9 power would give more spells prepared (that is huge to me) and the arcane bond is useful too. School Power is SOOOO GOOD, hopefully I can find more support for the robe to work with them so there is less variation if I get it at level 11.
Is expanded preparation worth it? It seems like it gives some good short term benefits, but not scaling with your casting seems like a burden to me.
Is there a reason you wouldn't take any of the spell penetration feats?
My planned race for this is the elf. Do you think their FCB is worth it? My only though is that I could just start my day off consuming a spell to fill it up, but I'm not sure it is worth it. HP looks a little more appealing to me unless I'm missing something here.
Thanks for all of this advice, it is really helping me craft the character! :D
I like expanded preparation a lot. It doesn't scale but you can retrain it as you go up in level. Extra spells known always help with versatility. I would consider loading up with low level spell lattices.
Spell penetration is really useful but remember you can increase caster level as an alternate using potent spells. If you don't care about being able to diplomacise then you can lose additional traits for one. You could take piercing spell instead of focused or invest in dweomer essence but that is expensive.
I don't think he elf FCB is worth it, especially as it only increases your maximum pool, not your starting pool. You are unlikely to go through the whole pool in a single adventuring day. PFS encounter days tend to reduce as you go up in level because combats tend to take more time.
I would stick with human because you are feat hungry but if you want more spell pen then elf is a fine choice. I don't like the loss of con personally.
The stat block template is an export from herolab.
Reach Spell, Echoing Spell, Vast Spell, Spell Pen/Greater Spell Pen, Spell Focus/Greater Spell Focus: Transmutation, and Persistent Spell would be good for a Slow spell focused build.
Reach/Vast Spell is a nice combo for Slowing lots of spread out creatures from really far away. Reach would turn it from Close to Medium Range, Vast would cause it to be a 60ft max area effect (as no two creatures can be 60ft apart instead of 30ft).
Spell Perfection at 15 is a must have. Your SF/GSF and Spell Pen/Greater Spell Pen becomes a +4 to your DC/SP. You can also plug a free MM feat on your Slow. So Quicken Spell becomes pretty attractive at this point. You could always just get a Rod of Quickened Spell and save yourself a feat slot.
Echoing Spell is too good for this as well. More Slow-y goodness.
I would seriously consider Arcanist for this, Potent Magic is really good. And you can pump MM feats into your Slow on the fly like a Sorc can. Metamagic Knowledge exploit might be worth getting as well for an extra MM feat, if you need to. Counterspell exploit might be a viable option as well - last thing you need is an enemy caster dispelling your well placed Slow spells. If your DM starts counterspelling you, you may also consider Obfuscating Spellcasting - because if you can't cast Slow when you really, really need to, this can be bad.
