Best School for Save or Be Screwed Spells [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best School for Save or Be Screwed Spells [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Andarious
04-25-06, 09:10 AM I am trying to optimize a save or be screwed character. Race is selected, as are classes. I just need to optimize my feats and spells known.

What school of magic has the best variety of save or be screwed spells, any opinions? Also is the best rout for increasing saves outside of having a huge casting score (which the character has) using Spell Focus? Or posibly some trick like Heighten Spell and Earth spell?
Eldharis
04-25-06, 09:34 AM Well, I guess this might be considered preference but in my opinion I think that the Enchantment school of magic is the most deadly for a failed save. This is because all most all of the spells don’t have anything side effects for a successful save. Spells like tasha’s hideous laughter and hold person eliminate a person from the battle. Plus you can play and manipulative person in game. You will get good use out of charm and suggestion, which is great for gaining support.
LogicNinja
04-25-06, 09:36 AM I'll go with Enchantment, yeah; starts with Charm and Hideous Laughter, goes on to Hold Person, Confusion, Hold Monster, and so on. However, the higher in level you get, the more things are mind immune.

Necromancy isn't bad--Fear effects, and then save-or-dies: dying *really* screws someone over!
sCRuLooSe
04-25-06, 10:45 AM The best school is heavily level dependent. As you gain levels, the number of creatures with immunity to death and mind-affecting effects increases dramatically. I would say enchantment is the best at low levels, having some of the earliest (charm person), most effective area effect (confusion), and most adaptable (dominate) save or be reamed. As the number of creatures immune to mind-affecting spells increase (especially at 15th when Mind Blank becomes an available option), I would say Transmutation has the best options. Baleful Poymorph, Slow, and Flesh to Stone are nasty while immunity to these effects is relatively rare (Free Action or shapechanger being the most prevalent. In addition, tranmutation tends to be massively flexible and requires two forms of immunity to cover the entire school.
Andarious
04-25-06, 10:54 AM Noticably Transmuation does a really good job with eliminating Arcane Casters and Skill Monkeys, while Enchantment seems to be the way to go for getting rid of tanks. I think I'll do the build with Greater Spell Focus (Transmutation) on that note then. Since it does seem that the effects mentioned are overall more potent. Disintigrate is another good option, usable on creatures like constructs and undead as well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Andarious 04-25-06, 09:10 AM	I am trying to optimize a save or be screwed character. Race is selected, as are classes. I just need to optimize my feats and spells known. What school of magic has the best variety of save or be screwed spells, any opinions? Also is the best rout for increasing saves outside of having a huge casting score (which the character has) using Spell Focus? Or posibly some trick like Heighten Spell and Earth spell?
Eldharis 04-25-06, 09:34 AM	Well, I guess this might be considered preference but in my opinion I think that the Enchantment school of magic is the most deadly for a failed save. This is because all most all of the spells don’t have anything side effects for a successful save. Spells like tasha’s hideous laughter and hold person eliminate a person from the battle. Plus you can play and manipulative person in game. You will get good use out of charm and suggestion, which is great for gaining support.
LogicNinja 04-25-06, 09:36 AM	I'll go with Enchantment, yeah; starts with Charm and Hideous Laughter, goes on to Hold Person, Confusion, Hold Monster, and so on. However, the higher in level you get, the more things are mind immune. Necromancy isn't bad--Fear effects, and then save-or-dies: dying really screws someone over!
sCRuLooSe 04-25-06, 10:45 AM	The best school is heavily level dependent. As you gain levels, the number of creatures with immunity to death and mind-affecting effects increases dramatically. I would say enchantment is the best at low levels, having some of the earliest (charm person), most effective area effect (confusion), and most adaptable (dominate) save or be reamed. As the number of creatures immune to mind-affecting spells increase (especially at 15th when Mind Blank becomes an available option), I would say Transmutation has the best options. Baleful Poymorph, Slow, and Flesh to Stone are nasty while immunity to these effects is relatively rare (Free Action or shapechanger being the most prevalent. In addition, tranmutation tends to be massively flexible and requires two forms of immunity to cover the entire school.
Andarious 04-25-06, 10:54 AM	Noticably Transmuation does a really good job with eliminating Arcane Casters and Skill Monkeys, while Enchantment seems to be the way to go for getting rid of tanks. I think I'll do the build with Greater Spell Focus (Transmutation) on that note then. Since it does seem that the effects mentioned are overall more potent. Disintigrate is another good option, usable on creatures like constructs and undead as well.