Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Timespike 04-18-05, 06:30 PM	Just what it sounds like. I'm working on a "sniper" character, and I'm trying to come up with a wand that he can snipe with, but I don't know the spell list all that well. Can anyone out there help me?
tiercel 04-18-05, 11:38 PM	Whew... well, the trick with wand spells is that ideally you don't want things that allow a save (wand DCs are minimal: DC 11 for a 1st level spell, DC 14 for a 3rd level spell)... or, at least, you want to be able to get an effect despite a successful save. Melf's acid arrow is the poster child for sniper wands, since it is no save and no SR, doing 2d4 acid damage at long range as a ranged touch attack (+2d4 more acid damage the next round). In particular it is popular with rogues (using UMD) and arcane tricksters, since you can use it to perform ranged touch sneak attacks if you get close enough. Also, acid is a reasonably good damage type, and like all energy attacks ignores DR. Note that scorching ray does only a little more damage (4d6), allows SR, is fire rather than acid (if your foe is protected against any energy, it's most likely fire), and of course is Close range. Web goes well in wands just because the spell is so disgusting (yeah, it allows a save, but your target is still pretty messed up even if they save). Not sure if it's a "sniper" wand per se (it's only medium range) but it can fix your target in place for a bit. Silent image might be good if you just want to provoke a reaction. Sure, as soon as they interact with it, they will likely pass the wimpy save -- but you don't get a save until you interact. Passive images, like walls, they might never interact with. Problem is, of course, maintaining the illusion requires concentration. If you're working as part of a team though.... While a wand of fireballs is a mighty thing on a battlefield of low-level foes, in general it's not that special (5d6, DC 14), isn't "sniping" per se... and by time you are talking 3rd level spells, the wands are starting to get expensive. At least there aren't a lot of Core spells at 3rd level that I think would obviously make good wands. (Sleet storm is OK, but again I'm not sure if its worth the gold.) If you have access to books beyond the PHB, obviously they are worth mining as well, depending on what your DM allows.
IceFractal 04-19-05, 05:08 AM	If you want long range, unfortunately the sneak attack route won't work. The perfect sneak attack tool: Rod of Elemental Arrows This rod can fire, at will, an elemental arrow, similar to Melf's Acid Arrow (CL 3), but doing either acid, cold, electricity, or fire, whichever the wielder desires. Cost: 10,800 gp Preqs: Craft Rod, melf's acid arrow, Energy Substitution - and the lower level one - Rod of Elemental Rays This rod can fire, at will, a beam of elemental energy that does 1d3 acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage, as a ray. SR applies to this effect (CL 1). Cost: 900 gp Preqs: Craft Rod, ray of frost, Energy Substitution Melf's Acid Arrow really is a good bet though, even without Sneak Attack.
tarkin 04-19-05, 11:21 AM	Melf's Acid Arrow rules for Rogues, while Scorching Ray rules for mages at higher levels. At lower levels, you probably want the Orb spells in CW.
Timespike 04-21-05, 09:12 PM	If you want long range, unfortunately the sneak attack route won't work. The perfect sneak attack tool: Rod of Elemental Arrows This rod can fire, at will, an elemental arrow, similar to Melf's Acid Arrow (CL 3), but doing either acid, cold, electricity, or fire, whichever the wielder desires. Cost: 10,800 gp Preqs: Craft Rod, melf's acid arrow, Energy Substitution - and the lower level one - Rod of Elemental Rays This rod can fire, at will, a beam of elemental energy that does 1d3 acid, cold, electricity, or fire damage, as a ray. SR applies to this effect (CL 1). Cost: 900 gp Preqs: Craft Rod, ray of frost, Energy Substitution Melf's Acid Arrow really is a good bet though, even without Sneak Attack. Hmm... How much more would that first one cost if it was a three thunders electrical acid arrow instead of just an elemental subbed one? Doing 50% sonic damage, and knocking them prone and/or stunning them depending on saves seems pretty nasty...
IMarvinTPA 04-21-05, 09:20 PM	Have you tried doing a search with my search tool (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndLive/FindSpell.asp) for Target type spells with Long range with the three levels selected that are for your class? IMarv
Timespike 04-21-05, 11:57 PM	Have you tried doing a search with my search tool (http://www.imarvintpa.com/dndLive/FindSpell.asp) for Target type spells with Long range with the three levels selected that are for your class? IMarv Oh, wow. I just bookmarked that.
IceFractal 04-22-05, 12:15 AM	Ah, I'd forgotten the Orb spells. They're all good sniper spells, and Orb of Force is truly the ultimate sneak attack spell (force damage, no save, and no SR?).
solbergb 04-22-05, 12:49 PM	The best long range sniper spell is probably telekenesis, but it doesn't fit in a wand. While violent thrust is limited to levelx10 range, you can pick up stuff in a 10' radius from long range and hit something else with it levelx10 from where the first stuff was grabbed. Or you can just mess them up with combat maneuvers from a very safe distance.
Kaboth 04-22-05, 01:30 PM	BLAH!! The best long range magical Sniper is a warlock... 250 feet, no range penalties, touch AC attack, and good damage. Untyped energy, extremely modifable and on top of all that you get great class abilities and other magical powers you can use. Right now my 7 warlock/ 2 fighter has +13 BAB (+14 if within 30 feet) +3 Damage (also, if within 30 feet) with a range of 250 feet and I am doing 7d6 damage per round. I can also fly continously, have a DR of 4, +4 to any one save I wish and all it takes is a standard action to reallocate it, can use UMD with a base of 30 (taking 10) for items, dark vision 60 feet and see invis. Granted I dont nuke as hard as a wizard or Sorc but I am doing pretty damn good right now. They have limitions and their max damage is 9d6 and mine is 7d6 except I can use it unlimitedly.
solbergb 04-22-05, 01:58 PM	250' isn't "long" range. Long range is 400+40'/level or roughly the same as 5 range increments with projectile weapons. (10 at higher levels) At 250' you are now comparing every single medium range spell to the warlock zap. I guarantee you that you can do better than 1d6/level in a variety of ways, even sticking to low level spells.
Kaboth 04-22-05, 02:05 PM	250' isn't "long" range. Long range is 400+40'/level or roughly the same as 5 range increments with projectile weapons. (10 at higher levels) At 250' you are now comparing every single medium range spell to the warlock zap. I guarantee you that you can do better than 1d6/level in a variety of ways, even sticking to low level spells. Compare to a bow its long range but spell wise I thought short range was like 50 feet or less, Medium was 50 to 200 and long was 200+ ? Besides its long enough for me without having any range penalties and flying on high invised. Yes you can probably do better 1d6/level... However, a wizard or sorcerer does not have DR nor Armor (Typically) and any number of other abilties. Any wizard or Sorcerer spell I need I can get ona scroll and use with ease too, IF I needed to shoot from farther than 250 feet anyway.At 12th level warlock and above I can pretty much make any spell in the game in an item or scroll, so long as I have the feat for it. A great many arcane spells are "typed" energy as well, meaning that it can be resited or immune too. Much more so than a warlocks's blast. Lest not forget they can use Essence invocations too so its not just one vanilla blast, its changeable.
solbergb 04-22-05, 07:51 PM	Yes....but what is the title of this thread? A warlock makes a decent sniper character, but that isn't what the poster asked for. He wanted level 1-3 spells that could be used at Long range (as in "range = long = 400+40'/level = 440-600' when fired from a wand) Medium range...110-150' under those circumstances. The warlock with eldritch spear is somewhere in the middle...but just as irrelevant to the discussion as someone talking about "just use a heavy crossbow with guided shot". These kinds of distances matter a lot in military campaigns, where the side with the range advantage can pound the other one. Acid arrow really shines in that environment, and enlarge spell (to get the mid range spells out to your eldritch spear range) is also pretty nice. Now I could be misinterpreting the first post, he could be asking for a sniper build, not "what wands would be good with my already build sniper character with a level of wiz or UMD". In which case your warlock suggestion is a good one.
Kaboth 04-22-05, 08:57 PM	Well we are both correct but he only stated a sniper character and using wands of 1st through 3rd level power. He didnt specify class, for all I know he could be designing a rogue to use UMD. I was merely offering a different possibility for a magic based "sniper" character. Warlocks can use any magic item, with there decieve item and UMD skill. In addition, they could if they wanted to be able to create any wand they wanted or needed and not be limited to "spell list". I would also like to state they can do this with divine spells too.