Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Docfeegle 03-12-06, 09:53 PM	Ok, I am in a somewhat combat heavy game in an island hopping campaign in a water heavy setting. I got the chance to pick out/have made for me any 4 wands. I usually play fighter/combat characters so my knowledge of magic isn't the best. Any one have any suggestions about a combination of 4 wands that would be good for combat/life on the high seas?
Rumple_Cragstan 03-12-06, 10:11 PM	- Something Ice based - Something Lightning Based - Purify food+drink (salt water is unhealthy) - Summon Monster [biggest number allowed] Sorry i didn't have much time to post, but those are things you'd do well to think about and take advantage of.
Jaid 03-12-06, 10:12 PM	it also depends on what class you are.
Iver Gearsham 03-12-06, 10:13 PM	Water Breathing 3rd level spell. going overboard sucks. Knock 2 level spell. For the loot and scoot when you can't quietly pick the locks. Fireball 3 level spell. People get reflex saves sails, rope and tack don't this can let you catch your prey or get away from the foes. Fog Cloud to hide your ship
Dragonteuthis 03-12-06, 10:30 PM	Some of these suggestions will eitehr require certain allies, or you should invest in ranks in UMD. 1) Wand of Cure Critical Wounds. Even if you're not a divine spellcaster, give it to someone who is. 2) Wand of Reincarnate: You could also call this the "Wand of 50 save games." Alternatively, instead of using it, you could sell it for 35,500 gp. 3) Wand of Dominate Person (from a Bard). 50 minions can't be a bad thing. 4) Wand of Greater Invisibility. 5) Wand of Summon Nature's Ally IV. Sometimes, you need a Huge Shark. 6) Wand of Enlarge Person, mass. Nothing like having a LARGE crew of marines board the enemy's ship. 7) Wand of Control Water (druid again). Hey, it's very useful for immobilizing an enemy's ship, or giving yourself a quick speed boost. 8) Wand of Animate Dead: Your crew will never disobey you, never get hungry, ask for wenches, shore leave, or grog. And they're immune to scurvy, too!
Horatio Hornblower 03-12-06, 10:36 PM	Fireball to clear to decks. Most NPCs will be low level and will be killed by a single fireball. The high level NPCs will be a little singed, but they'll have a hard time controlling their ship without a crew. Fireball is also a long range spell (hundreds of feet). Another good long range spell is Silence. The enemy spellcasters will be very upset. Lightning Bolt for when the enemy is closer. Use it to pick off individuals. As an optional rule from 2nd Edition (can't find it in 3.5) if you shoot a lightning bolt into water it has an area effect like a fireball for any creature in the water (20' radius hemisphere). Good against pesky aquatic creatures trying to board your ship. Ask your DM if that's okay. And finally, pick some sort of utility spell from Stormwrack for a custom wand. There's a lot of good seafaring spells to choose from.
Docfeegle 03-12-06, 10:47 PM	How do metamagic feats work with wands? Specifically I am wondering if Quicken spell added to a wand would make it so that using the wand would be an immediate action. If so this could add a lot to my per round damage potential, but if not then I would rather focus on healing/support type wands.
Osedox 03-13-06, 12:52 AM	How do metamagic feats work with wands? Specifically I am wondering if Quicken spell added to a wand would make it so that using the wand would be an immediate action. If so this could add a lot to my per round damage potential, but if not then I would rather focus on healing/support type wands. Metamagic works fine on wands, however quicken spell is totally pointless. Regardless of casting time activating a wand is a standard action. Besides that what would you quicken to add damage potential? Acid Splash for 1d3? Without some serious Sneak Attack dice you would be wasting your money. Some good Metamagic feats to use on wands are Fell Drain, Fell Weaken, Maximize Spell, and Heighten Spell. Why don’t you give us a little more info on the level of your party, and your class, and what sort of other PC's you will be with? That would be a better way to get useful answers. Off the top of my head i would try to get a wand for each of these purposes, mass damage (Fireball, Evard's black tentacles), single person attack (Magic Missile, Chain Missle, Enervation, Orb of X), defensive (Protection from energy, Displacement, Shield), and practical (Water Breathing, Fly, Cure X Wounds, Knock). If you arent being charged for these wands, and are being given them, I would go all out: Stoneskin, Enlarged Fireball, Maximized Lesser Orb of X, Water Breathing. But if you have to budget i would get Magic Missile, Shield, Knock, Fireball.
KirinDave 03-13-06, 01:17 AM	Err, I'm shocked. No one has mentioned getting a wand for Gust of Wind? With that you can outrun any ship, completely disrupt any organized resistance to a landing, and use it as a precursor to nighttime raids.
Seeker95 03-13-06, 07:06 AM	Err, I'm shocked. No one has mentioned getting a wand for Gust of Wind?Where you gonna stand? If the source of the wind is on the ship, you'll have a net zero effect. :D
Seeker95 03-13-06, 07:07 AM	Water Breathing 3rd level spell. going overboard sucks.Using a wand while trying to keep yourself above water could be rather difficult, no? :P
Dragonteuthis 03-13-06, 10:25 AM	Where you gonna stand? If the source of the wind is on the ship, you'll have a net zero effect. :D Um...no. Even if you're enforcing physics (something that warps the brain when you add things like Wall of Force and spells in general), the Gust of Wind can be point over the aft of the ship, and act like a fantasy jet engine.
Seeker95 03-13-06, 11:29 AM	the Gust of Wind can be point over the aft of the ship, and act like a fantasy jet engine.Fair enough. In my defense, I was picturing the often suggested magic item bottle of gust of wind.
Arindor 03-13-06, 11:32 AM	Wand of enervation. No question!
curseofgnome 03-13-06, 11:50 AM	If you're having ship vs. ship combat, warp wood is a must
Iver Gearsham 03-13-06, 11:56 AM	Using a wand while trying to keep yourself above water could be rather difficult, no? :P With 2 hours a level I think you could do it ahead of time. Or spare standered action to draw it then cast next round.
KirinDave 03-13-06, 12:03 PM	Where you gonna stand? If the source of the wind is on the ship, you'll have a net zero effect. :D Magic breaks all the laws of physics, so it can indeed be used to create a "gust" to fill your sails. If you don't want to allow that in a misguided attempt to preserve the basics of conservation of energy, then you can face backwards and use it as a jet engine as Dragonteuthis said. But the real use is not to use on your ship. It's to use on other people's ships. Remember, you don't need to have a limitless top speed. You just need to outrun your pursuers. A few well aimed gusts of wind at them and you'll easily be able to slow them, turn them, and maybe even tear or ruin their sails and rigging if they haven't rigged for storm duty. If you can't outrun them, wait until they pull up alongside you and fwoosh them.
Docfeegle 03-13-06, 05:43 PM	In response to the question about the party/my character. We are lvl 12, and are operating as a pirate group in a magic powered submarine. I play a lvl 12 Fighter who operates in a retrofitted loader found in the submarine, think an Aliens loader but outfitted to wield a huge +3 Speed Axe and that can swim/travel underwater pretty well unaided. I am trying to figure out what wands I could use to maximize my damage/boat stopping power and also help to repair any damage on the loader. I need something for damage/repair and also something for removing walls without much destruction. My DM has gotten tired of me just going through walls and going for the treasuries of buildings so now most of the loot we get is damaged from debris collapsing inwards. Is there any wand, or any magic item that duplicates disintigrate? I am pretty sure the spell is too high level for making a wand out of it.