Best ways to increase DC for Wizard spells? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best ways to increase DC for Wizard spells? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
BobSutan
02-17-06, 10:03 PM I've got an evil mage and I'd like to increase his spell's DC as high as possible (especially for will saves for the Mindbender SLAs). I've already got Malign Spell Focus and Corrupt Spell (Evil). Any others besides Spell Focus (Evil) and Greater Spell Focus (Evil)? I hate having to burn so many feats for so little of a bump.
Kresalak
02-17-06, 11:34 PM Fatespinner. 5 levels gives you +4 to spellcasting, and 5 spin to spend- as well as the ability to force a reroll and, more importantly, the ability to give them -10 to a saving throw.

Woops, forgot I was writing this while I read something. Anyway, the Mindbender abilities are Spell-Like Abilities, not spells, and so are not affected by Spell Focus. Ability Focus, however, would work. Also, I believe that Malign Spell Focus has been replaced with Spell Focus (Evil).

If you're using a spell of level 8th or lower, Heighten Spell can give it a boost. Since decreasing saving throws are almost as good as increasing DCs, an application of Limited Wish nets an effective DC boost of 7.

Of course, starting as a Grey Elf is essentially a free +2 Int. What non gish mage cares about Strength anyway?

Spell Focus (Enchantment) is an obvious choice, if you can spare the feats.
BobSutan
02-18-06, 12:23 AM The reason I went Malign Spell as opposed to Spell Focus (Evil) was because I had the BoVD available at the time. They're both basically the same thing from what I remember (+2 DC for spells with Evil descriptor).
Kresalak
02-18-06, 12:45 AM Sadly, in 3.5, the DC increase is only +1. I houserule it back to +2 to make the feats at least moderatly useful though.
Mistwell
02-18-06, 01:14 AM Heighten Spell + Earth Spell is useful (from Races of Stone). It was outright ugly for the Killer Gnome Shadowcraft Mage build, which was jacking illusion spell DCs up the wazzoo!
wuyanei
02-18-06, 02:34 AM I've got an evil mage and I'd like to increase his spell's DC as high as possible (especially for will saves for the Mindbender SLAs). I've already got Malign Spell Focus and Corrupt Spell (Evil). Any others besides Spell Focus (Evil) and Greater Spell Focus (Evil)? I hate having to burn so many feats for so little of a bump.
Various drugs (esp. Mushroom Powder) grant alchemical bonuses to Charisma for very low price.

Evil components (metallic dragon heart, soul in larva form) used with a corrupted spell.

You are evil. Embrace it. You do not NEED to have the ability be innate to yourself -- you can just as easily use other means ... such as by adding souls to your spell components.
Reis
02-18-06, 03:14 AM Red Wizard, Shadow Adept, and Archmage all have the spell power ability which increases the save DC and other stuff (CL check etc)
Tlazcotl
02-18-06, 05:42 AM Red Wizard, Shadow Adept, and Archmage all have the spell power ability which increases the save DC and other stuff (CL check etc)

These abilities have been re-worked in v3.5.
They now only include increases to caster level and level-dependant spell variables, not spell DC.
The feat Shadow Weave Magic will still increase your Enchantment, Illusion, and Necromancy spell DC's by +1, though the Prestige Class itself doesn't do any more to increase spell DC than provide this feat to your character for free.

-Tlaz
K
02-18-06, 01:16 PM The 13th level planar substitution level of wizard will let you give any spell the Evil subtype, allowing all your spells to be affected by any feats that increase the DCs of evil spells.

Frostburn also has the Snowcasting feat, which gives spells the cold sybtype, and there are two DC imcreasing feats for those spells as well. Thats three feats for an additinal +2 to DCs.

F
BobSutan
02-18-06, 05:50 PM The 13th level planar substitution level of wizard ...

What book is this from?
hogarth
02-18-06, 06:19 PM For a high-level mage, try Polymorph Any Object-ing into a White Ethergaunt or Sarrukh.
thugsb
02-18-06, 06:38 PM Tyranny Domain gives +1 DC for compulsion spells. (complete warrior)
deathwishjoe
02-18-06, 06:45 PM another really good way is to find some item that grants corruption and be an undead tainted scholar. if your undead you arent effected by any of the negative effects of taint and with tainted scholar your spell DCs are based off of the ammount of corruption you have.
Kresalak
02-18-06, 07:13 PM another really good way is to find some item that grants corruption and be an undead tainted scholar. if your undead you arent effected by any of the negative effects of taint and with tainted scholar your spell DCs are based off of the ammount of corruption you have.
What you do is summon a Taint Elemental. Then just poke it until you get bored with gaining taint. What kind of action would poking something be? I'd say Swift, but you could also use a Move or Standard action to do it.
parkse
02-23-06, 10:18 PM Are there any other PrC's for casters that add to the DC? Other than Red Wizard, Archmage, Shadow Adept, and Fatespinner?
Brol_The_Mighty
04-05-06, 09:09 PM bump
Mistwell
04-05-06, 11:30 PM Are there any other PrC's for casters that add to the DC? Other than Red Wizard, Archmage, Shadow Adept, and Fatespinner?

As I was trying to say earlier, the Shadowcraft Mage PRC from Races of Stone can really pump up the DCs to certain spells using the Earth Spell / Heightened Magic / Shadow Magic combo.
Brol_The_Mighty
04-05-06, 11:47 PM The problem with that being that Shadowcraft mage has to be a certain race....a little too limiting...am already trying to convince DM to let a Dwarf be a Red Wizard

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
BobSutan 02-17-06, 10:03 PM	I've got an evil mage and I'd like to increase his spell's DC as high as possible (especially for will saves for the Mindbender SLAs). I've already got Malign Spell Focus and Corrupt Spell (Evil). Any others besides Spell Focus (Evil) and Greater Spell Focus (Evil)? I hate having to burn so many feats for so little of a bump.
Kresalak 02-17-06, 11:34 PM	Fatespinner. 5 levels gives you +4 to spellcasting, and 5 spin to spend- as well as the ability to force a reroll and, more importantly, the ability to give them -10 to a saving throw. Woops, forgot I was writing this while I read something. Anyway, the Mindbender abilities are Spell-Like Abilities, not spells, and so are not affected by Spell Focus. Ability Focus, however, would work. Also, I believe that Malign Spell Focus has been replaced with Spell Focus (Evil). If you're using a spell of level 8th or lower, Heighten Spell can give it a boost. Since decreasing saving throws are almost as good as increasing DCs, an application of Limited Wish nets an effective DC boost of 7. Of course, starting as a Grey Elf is essentially a free +2 Int. What non gish mage cares about Strength anyway? Spell Focus (Enchantment) is an obvious choice, if you can spare the feats.
BobSutan 02-18-06, 12:23 AM	The reason I went Malign Spell as opposed to Spell Focus (Evil) was because I had the BoVD available at the time. They're both basically the same thing from what I remember (+2 DC for spells with Evil descriptor).
Kresalak 02-18-06, 12:45 AM	Sadly, in 3.5, the DC increase is only +1. I houserule it back to +2 to make the feats at least moderatly useful though.
Mistwell 02-18-06, 01:14 AM	Heighten Spell + Earth Spell is useful (from Races of Stone). It was outright ugly for the Killer Gnome Shadowcraft Mage build, which was jacking illusion spell DCs up the wazzoo!
wuyanei 02-18-06, 02:34 AM	I've got an evil mage and I'd like to increase his spell's DC as high as possible (especially for will saves for the Mindbender SLAs). I've already got Malign Spell Focus and Corrupt Spell (Evil). Any others besides Spell Focus (Evil) and Greater Spell Focus (Evil)? I hate having to burn so many feats for so little of a bump. Various drugs (esp. Mushroom Powder) grant alchemical bonuses to Charisma for very low price. Evil components (metallic dragon heart, soul in larva form) used with a corrupted spell. You are evil. Embrace it. You do not NEED to have the ability be innate to yourself -- you can just as easily use other means ... such as by adding souls to your spell components.
Reis 02-18-06, 03:14 AM	Red Wizard, Shadow Adept, and Archmage all have the spell power ability which increases the save DC and other stuff (CL check etc)
Tlazcotl 02-18-06, 05:42 AM	Red Wizard, Shadow Adept, and Archmage all have the spell power ability which increases the save DC and other stuff (CL check etc) These abilities have been re-worked in v3.5. They now only include increases to caster level and level-dependant spell variables, not spell DC. The feat Shadow Weave Magic will still increase your Enchantment, Illusion, and Necromancy spell DC's by +1, though the Prestige Class itself doesn't do any more to increase spell DC than provide this feat to your character for free. -Tlaz
K 02-18-06, 01:16 PM	The 13th level planar substitution level of wizard will let you give any spell the Evil subtype, allowing all your spells to be affected by any feats that increase the DCs of evil spells. Frostburn also has the Snowcasting feat, which gives spells the cold sybtype, and there are two DC imcreasing feats for those spells as well. Thats three feats for an additinal +2 to DCs. F
BobSutan 02-18-06, 05:50 PM	The 13th level planar substitution level of wizard ... What book is this from?
hogarth 02-18-06, 06:19 PM	For a high-level mage, try Polymorph Any Object-ing into a White Ethergaunt or Sarrukh.
thugsb 02-18-06, 06:38 PM	Tyranny Domain gives +1 DC for compulsion spells. (complete warrior)
deathwishjoe 02-18-06, 06:45 PM	another really good way is to find some item that grants corruption and be an undead tainted scholar. if your undead you arent effected by any of the negative effects of taint and with tainted scholar your spell DCs are based off of the ammount of corruption you have.
Kresalak 02-18-06, 07:13 PM	another really good way is to find some item that grants corruption and be an undead tainted scholar. if your undead you arent effected by any of the negative effects of taint and with tainted scholar your spell DCs are based off of the ammount of corruption you have. What you do is summon a Taint Elemental. Then just poke it until you get bored with gaining taint. What kind of action would poking something be? I'd say Swift, but you could also use a Move or Standard action to do it.
parkse 02-23-06, 10:18 PM	Are there any other PrC's for casters that add to the DC? Other than Red Wizard, Archmage, Shadow Adept, and Fatespinner?
Brol_The_Mighty 04-05-06, 09:09 PM	bump
Mistwell 04-05-06, 11:30 PM	Are there any other PrC's for casters that add to the DC? Other than Red Wizard, Archmage, Shadow Adept, and Fatespinner? As I was trying to say earlier, the Shadowcraft Mage PRC from Races of Stone can really pump up the DCs to certain spells using the Earth Spell / Heightened Magic / Shadow Magic combo.
Brol_The_Mighty 04-05-06, 11:47 PM	The problem with that being that Shadowcraft mage has to be a certain race....a little too limiting...am already trying to convince DM to let a Dwarf be a Red Wizard