Making a Word Caster

[nordsturmking]

Last week I stumbled upon the words of power system in ultimate magic. And I really really like the idea. It kind of is what I always missed in the spell casting system. And by that I mean a normal sorcerer can fast fireball for example but I can't cast a line or hit just one enemy with fire but this system makes all that possible.

I read a few guides mainly “Sorcerer Specific Guide To Word’s Of Power" by Kbrewer but that guide is almost ten years old now.
And i read the short part about it in "Building God’s Grimoire: Iluzry’s Guide to Sorcerer Spells & Spellcasting "

But before I invest a lot of time in building a character around it, I would like to hear peoples opinions about the system especially from people who have actually played it.
What do you like about it and what you don't like.
What advise would you give
What are things you missed playing it and so on.

As far as paizo goes ultimate magic is the only source right?
I also found these:
WoP Supplement
Lost Spell Words by Jon Brazer Enterprises
Energy Words Revisited by Jon Brazer Enterprises
Book of Magic: 10 Undead Spell Words by Jon Brazer Enterprises
Word of Power Unleashed by Interjection Games

All info and advise is appreciated :)

[SheepishEidolon]

I only read through it a few times, but I found it too clunky and not innovative enough. It spends a lot of effort on reimplementing regular spells, instead of coming up with really unique things. I guess it allows a few creative combinations of target, effect and meta words, but it didn't seem worth the trouble.

There is a guide about the reincarnated druid which points out that casting restoration with words of power doesn't come with a material component (which is handy when you gain 2 negative levels from your reincarnation). I guess similar tactics (respective exploits) are possible with other spells.

[Temperans]

I have only read and think it sounds interesting. But the system seems ripe for choice paralysis even more than normal spells.

[Dragonchess Player]

From a pure numbers perspective, Words of Power is a bit of a downgrade. There are a bunch of published spells that are not able to be created (or will be at a higher spell level) using wordspells.

However, there are some corner cases where a wordcaster using wordspells can do things that a "normal" caster can't. Blasting can be more versatile with being able to choose the shape of the area; mixing blasting and controlling is a bit easier with combining effect words in a single spell; summon words are standard actions (instead of full round actions) and can be combined with buffing effect words; to name a few.

[DeathlessOne]

SheepishEidolon wrote:

There is a guide about the reincarnated druid which points out that casting restoration with words of power doesn't come with a material component (which is handy when you gain 2 negative levels from your reincarnation). I guess similar tactics (respective exploits) are possible with other spells.

Correct. This is why I only dip into Words of Power when I want to use them. Experimental Spellcaster and Extra Word feats will allow you to cherry pick what you want without all the hassle of losing all your flexibility with traditional spells.

[IluzryMage]

nordsturmking wrote:

Last week I stumbled upon the words of power system in ultimate magic. And I really really like the idea. It kind of is what I always missed in the spell casting system. And by that I mean a normal sorcerer can fast fireball for example but I can't cast a line or hit just one enemy with fire but this system makes all that possible.

I read a few guides mainly “Sorcerer Specific Guide To Word’s Of Power" by Kbrewer but that guide is almost ten years old now.
And i read the short part about it in "Building God’s Grimoire: Iluzry’s Guide to Sorcerer Spells & Spellcasting "

But before I invest a lot of time in building a character around it, I would like to hear peoples opinions about the system especially from people who have actually played it.
What do you like about it and what you don't like.
What advise would you give
What are things you missed playing it and so on.

As far as paizo goes ultimate magic is the only source right?
I also found these:
WoP Supplement
Lost Spell Words by Jon Brazer Enterprises
Energy Words Revisited by Jon Brazer Enterprises
Book of Magic: 10 Undead Spell Words by Jon Brazer Enterprises
Word of Power Unleashed by Interjection Games

All info and advise is appreciated :)

OH hey im really glad you read my guide! Or at least that part of it.

So like the others said, in most circumstances if you compare words of power to base spellcasting, its a straight downgrade. They didn't really support it after ultimate magic, so whatever spell list you had then is what you have now, and it doesn't cover the WIDE WIDE range of things a caster can do.

That said, it CAN do some things that base casters struggle with, and should best be used in that capacity. It's hilarously unbalanced in some ways, and in my opinion, easily makes one of the best blasters in the game just from PURE versatility.

So is it optimal? No. Is it UNVIABLE (meaning you wont be able to do your job)? ALSO No. Is it fun? I think so because I like the idea of weird spell blending. Really it comes down to the fantasy you want to fufill.

I think if you are planning on doing words of power, sorcerer IS ABSOLUTELY the way to go. Their bloodlines can really make up for what wordcasting lacks (the staple spells we love, pure power, unique effects), they have the easily best wordcasting list, and can make their wordspells on the fly. ABSOLUTELY.

[nordsturmking]

First of I am sorry it took me so long to respond to all this great advice you guys gave. I really appreciate it thanks.

I plan on making a full word caster sorcerer with the arcane blood line and sage bloodline mutation.
This char will be a God sorcerer meaning I want to focus on buffs and debuffs and not so much on blasting.
I don't want to minmax damage output or anything like that. I really like to read through all the options and can spend hours up on hours on d20pfsrd.com reading all the great stuff paizo has made. But sometimes I over do it and end with a overly powerful char. So I am really not concerned with the char being too weak.

I also want to try the Active Spellcasting Variant Rules especially the Spell Attack Roll. I was never a fan of how it works where i say i cast fire ball and just lose a slot and i don't roll a dice and have no chance of miscasting or doing critical damage. It manly just changes who rolls the save but i think its gonna feel much better and more satisfying when making a successful casting via a spell attack roll. And I think its only fair to the martial classes who can have critical misses.

Dragonchess Player wrote:

From a pure numbers perspective, Words of Power is a bit of a downgrade. There are a bunch of published spells that are not able to be created (or will be at a higher spell level) using wordspells.

However, there are some corner cases where a wordcaster using wordspells can do things that a "normal" caster can't. Blasting can be more versatile with being able to choose the shape of the area; mixing blasting and controlling is a bit easier with combining effect words in a single spell; summon words are standard actions (instead of full round actions) and can be combined with buffing effect words; to name a few.

I agree overall damage and power seems to be lower but it is so much more versatile.

IluzryMage wrote:

nordsturmking wrote:

Last week I stumbled upon the words of power system in ultimate magic. And I really really like the idea. It kind of is what I always missed in the spell casting system. And by that I mean a normal sorcerer can fast fireball for example but I can't cast a line or hit just one enemy with fire but this system makes all that possible.

I read a few guides mainly “Sorcerer Specific Guide To Word’s Of Power" by Kbrewer but that guide is almost ten years old now.
And i read the short part about it in "Building God’s Grimoire: Iluzry’s Guide to Sorcerer Spells & Spellcasting "

But before I invest a lot of time in building a character around it, I would like to hear peoples opinions about the system especially from people who have actually played it.
What do you like about it and what you don't like.
What advise would you give
What are things you missed playing it and so on.

As far as paizo goes ultimate magic is the only source right?
I also found these:
WoP Supplement
Lost Spell Words by Jon Brazer Enterprises
Energy Words Revisited by Jon Brazer Enterprises
Book of Magic: 10 Undead Spell Words by Jon Brazer Enterprises
Word of Power Unleashed by Interjection Games

All info and advise is appreciated :)

OH hey im really glad you read my guide! Or at least that part of it.

So like the others said, in most circumstances if you compare words of power to base spellcasting, its a straight downgrade. They didn't really support it after ultimate magic, so whatever spell list you had then is what you have now, and it doesn't cover the WIDE WIDE range of things a caster can do.

That said, it CAN do some things that base casters struggle with, and should best be used in that capacity. It's hilarously unbalanced in some ways, and in my opinion, easily makes one of the best blasters in the game just from PURE versatility.

So is it optimal? No. Is it UNVIABLE (meaning you wont be able to do your job)? ALSO No. Is it fun? I think so because I like the...

I am currently reading through your two guides on sorcerers and I think they are awesome. Them being up to date really sets them apart. I really like the small bits of humor and jokes in them.

Thanks for making those guides and for your advise.

[VoodistMonk]

I like Words of Power for necromancer Oracles... Undeath is a 2nd-Level effect word, which becomes available at 4th level. I usually just pick it up around level 5 via Experimental Spellcaster.

Undeath does not specify any additional/special material components, so it is covered by a divine focus/spell component pouch... it's Animate Dead without costly gems. It's my birthday, it's my birthday, it's my birthday!!! That. Freaking. Happy...

[nordsturmking]

VoodistMonk wrote:

I like Words of Power for necromancer Oracles... Undeath is a 2nd-Level effect word, which becomes available at 4th level. I usually just pick it up around level 5 via Experimental Spellcaster.

Undeath does not specify any additional/special material components, so it is covered by a divine focus/spell component pouch... it's Animate Dead without costly gems. It's my birthday, it's my birthday, it's my birthday!!! That. Freaking. Happy...

Good point thanks.

I am looking for resources for the words of power system. Like spell cards a refernce sheet(could be for magic in general) etc. does any one have an idea where i coudl find those? I know about the two guides in this forum and the stuff i metioned in my OP.