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One nice thing about the elimination of spell resistance in PF2 is that we now have a way to justify cities not being smashed by high level threats that can't be effectively threatened by large numbers of weaker creatures.
As an example, an Ancient Red Dragon with 45 AC can only be hit, even on a natural 20, by someone with an attack bonus of at least +16. There are...not a lot of people in the average humanoid community who have that attack bonus. (Alchemists or those with alchemical bombs can fish for natural 20 failures to do splash damage, I guess.)
Even on a 1, the Ancient Red Dragon would succeed (instead of automatically critically succeed) its weakest save only against a DC of 23 or higher. Slightly easier for reflex spells than an attack against AC, but still not easy.
But never fear, the magic missile militia is here! It takes on average 170 individual magic missiles to kill this dragon, or 57 full action 1st level magic missiles. That costs 228 gp to stockpile in scrolls and distribute among all arcane/occult spell casters (and relevant trick magic item trained individuals) in your town as an effective deterrent against rampaging power houses. Although you will, of course, want some more for redundancy, powerful minions, and losses to breath weapon or spell attacks between magic missile volleys as well as to overcome healing applied between waves of attacks. One also hopes that some regular attacks and spells from your higher level but totally outclassed defenders do a bit of damage via luck.
This method also works to restrain high level PCs and NPCs who think they can terrorize a town of a few thousand whose highest level defenders are few and inferior.
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Player: ...So you are saying there are <insert number> of spellcasters in all cities and we can buy as many magic missile items as we need? Also we'll never need to save an entire city by ourselves again since they can magic missile their problems away?
*Nasally voice* Um actually, the trick magic item users can only shoot two missiles at a time because the feat takes an action to use. */Nasally voice*
Real talk though, I don't have anything to add. This is just funny. PEW PEW MOTHER-
Damn it, I thought people were going to call me out on the action to draw your scrolls!
Damn it, I thought people were going to call me out on the action to draw your scrolls!*Nasally voice* Um actually, the trick magic item users can only shoot two missiles at a time because the feat takes an action to use. */Nasally voice*
Real talk though, I don't have anything to add. This is just funny. PEW PEW MOTHER-
Naw, you do that on the previous round. :P
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But never fear, the magic missile militia is here! It takes on average 170 individual magic missiles to kill this dragon, or 57 full action 1st level magic missiles. That costs 228 gp to stockpile in scrolls and distribute among all arcane/occult spell casters (and relevant trick magic item trained individuals) in your town as an effective deterrent against rampaging power houses. Although you will, of course, want some more for redundancy, powerful minions, and losses to breath weapon or spell attacks between magic missile volleys as well as to overcome healing applied between waves of attacks. One also hopes that some regular attacks and spells from your higher level but totally outclassed defenders do a bit of damage via luck.
This method also works to restrain high level PCs and NPCs who think they can terrorize a town of a few thousand whose highest level defenders are few and inferior.
Nice. :)
Though if the red dragon learns about the militia and casts Spell Immunity on itself against Magic Missile spells, then the militia might be in for a rough time...
Naw, you do that on the previous round. :PDamn it, I thought people were going to call me out on the action to draw your scrolls!*Nasally voice* Um actually, the trick magic item users can only shoot two missiles at a time because the feat takes an action to use. */Nasally voice*
Real talk though, I don't have anything to add. This is just funny. PEW PEW MOTHER-
Yes, after seeing three of your buddies who just hit the dragon get obliterated by a breath weapon. Did he roll a 1 or 2 on his d4? Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do you?
It's obviously better to have a critical mass of a platoon of spellcasters do this on one round than to try hit and run tactics when your weapon is maximized by staying in place when firing it and burning a round to draw it between reloads. But that platoon is also super vulnerable to losing initiative and getting AOEd before they can fire. Better take up covered ambush positions around a town square or something to coordinate mass fire when your target enters.
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But never fear, the magic missile militia is here! It takes on average 170 individual magic missiles to kill this dragon, or 57 full action 1st level magic missiles. That costs 228 gp to stockpile in scrolls and distribute among all arcane/occult spell casters (and relevant trick magic item trained individuals) in your town as an effective deterrent against rampaging power houses. Although you will, of course, want some more for redundancy, powerful minions, and losses to breath weapon or spell attacks between magic missile volleys as well as to overcome healing applied between waves of attacks. One also hopes that some regular attacks and spells from your higher level but totally outclassed defenders do a bit of damage via luck.
This method also works to restrain high level PCs and NPCs who think they can terrorize a town of a few thousand whose highest level defenders are few and inferior.
Nice. :)
Though if the red dragon learns about the militia and casts Spell Immunity on itself against Magic Missile spells, then the militia might be in for a rough time...
Offer not valid against prepared spellcasters and Morrigna Psychopomps when not supported by high level dispel magic support, I guess.
Still works on a Pit Fiend or Balor, though.
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"We're recruiting you into the MMMM. Here's your scroll. Your job, should a huge dragon attack the city, is to rush out and blast it."
"Then what?"
"Well, assuming you were the 57th person who did so, you'll kill it and live to be a hero."
"And if I wasn't 57th?"
"You'll die a hero! So really, it's a no-lose situation!"
"How many people are in the MMMM?"
"Sixty."
"So what if three or four of us decide to run away instead?"
"Why would anyone want to do that?"
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"What if he's a great wyrm?"
“That’s in the FY 4722 budget.”
Naw, you do that on the previous round. :PYes, after seeing three of your buddies who just hit the dragon get obliterated by a breath weapon. Did he roll a 1 or 2 on his d4? Do you feel lucky, punk? Well, do you?
I'm poking fun at the whole notion of rounds, hush!
Everyone is pulling the scroll as their third action (got to spend a few actions moving into position afterall) and then on the next round reading it.
At the very least, this is a good reason for Frafnir the Scourge of the Scorched Mountains not to drink too much and cause a scene at the graduation of a wizard college.
Get them all to hold action, readying to shoot the wands on the leaders command?
Is that still possible in 2E?
It's possible, but you can only use a single action for that. Which means that you need 3x size of your magic missile squad to do the same damage.
