Best Spell for Spellstoring Weapon [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best Spell for Spellstoring Weapon [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
warok
08-13-04, 10:40 AM From SRD:

Spell Storing: A spell storing weapon allows a spellcaster to store a single targeted spell of up to 3rd level in the weapon. (The spell must have a casting time of 1 standard action.) Any time the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately cast the spell on that creature as a free action if the wielder desires. (This special ability is an exception to the general rule that casting a spell from an item takes at least as long as casting that spell normally.) Once the spell has been cast from the weapon, a spellcaster can cast any other targeted spell of up to 3rd level into it. The weapon magically imparts to the wielder the name of the spell currently stored within it. A randomly rolled spell storing weapon has a 50% chance to have a spell stored in it already.
Strong evocation (plus aura of stored spell); CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creator must be a caster of at least 12th level; Price +1 bonus

now then what 3rd lvl or lower TARGETED spell would be best to keep in a spellstoring weapon.

i was thinking maybe slow, blindness/deafness, Cleric Bestow curse
tarkin
08-13-04, 11:22 AM Try Vampiric Touch.

Granting the weapon's user the hitpoints....
(Some DM's say the caster get's the hitpoints, still not a bad deal if the caster is your friend).
bave
08-13-04, 05:13 PM Depends on a number of things actually. If you are using Spell Storing from the DMG then you are probably right, however there is a greater spell storing which allows 6 total spell levels worth of either arcane or divine (but not a mix and match).

Without a doubt the best ones I can think of would be:
1) Scorching ray, no resist automatic hit (4d6-12d6)
2) Bestow Curse, 50% chance of acting normally?

-Those would be only two I would really consider using the DMG, however with great spell storing I would either use a higher level spell like Harm, Slay Living, or multiple Scorching rays.
Mercurius
08-13-04, 05:16 PM One of my players commonly used his Spell Storing item to hold Bestow Curse with the -4 penalty option. It was significantly nasty. Of course, this was prior to 3.5 and Scorching Ray.
warok
08-14-04, 06:17 PM First off thanks for all the ideas.

secondly,
about scorching ray it doesn't have a target and is therefore illegal to use with a spell storing weapon

From SRD:

Scorching Ray
Evocation [Fire]
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Effect: One or more rays
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

nowhere in that description do i see a target line.

Thirdly to bave: where is this greater spell storing enchancement at?
Kaminton
08-14-04, 07:14 PM I'm partial to Poison (druid version) myself. Save or take 1d10 Con damage now, and again in a minute. If nothing else it makes it easier to catch fleeing enemies...

Now combine that with a double weapon (like a quarterstaff), and land two of them, and your opponent may have a problem, especially if the first save was failed.
bave
08-15-04, 10:59 AM I prefer to avoid the save negate spells. Scorching ray is clearly a targetted spell. Greater spell storing is from the Arms and Armor Mongoose book, if you use it, and it is a +3 enchantment.
MoonWizard
08-15-04, 11:04 AM Ghoul Touch, Reduce Person, Inflict Wounds

Ghoul Touch is a Fort save or paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds. Slow is not a good choice because it can normally affect a bunch of enemies, and using it as a stored spell severley limits its effectiveness as a 3rd level spell.

Reduce Person (Fort. save) - then try and disarm/bull rush/trip/sunder the opponent with the +4 bonus you'll gain because they're smaller.

Inflict Light/Mod/Ser Wounds is a good choice for evil clerics who can spontaneously store this

IMO, the best choices for stored spells are low level choices so that you can use the stored spell at the beginning of every battle, not just vs the BBEG. If you put in 3rd level spells, you'll be hurting yourself.
MoonWizard
08-15-04, 11:04 AM double post
Lord-Gawain
08-15-04, 12:32 PM Scorching Ray is not a targeted spell. It is a Ray, with a ranged touch attack. As such it is not eligible for use in the spell storing weapon, as someone above has already mentioned.

Just to clarify, a targeted spell has a line in the spell header that states, " Target " This is found in spells such as Baleful Polymorph, Wrack, Charm Monster, etc... As a general rule of thumb (this may be true in all cases but I'm not certain) if you have to make any sort of attack roll with a spell then its not a targeted spell.

Unfortunately I'm at work so I don't have any books to give references and such.

Cheers
Lord-Gawain
08-15-04, 12:53 PM *double post* ack
Deep Blue 9000
08-15-04, 02:16 PM Originally posted by Lord-Gawain
As a general rule of thumb (this may be true in all cases but I'm not certain) if you have to make any sort of attack roll with a spell then its not a targeted spell.

Everything else you said was true but I have to disagree with your rule of thumb. Many targeted spells require a touch attack (Contagion, Inflict, etc.).

Just look for the "Target: Whatever" line in the spell statistics, if it has that line then its a targeted spell. But if it has "Effect: Whatever" its not targeted.

As for spell storing, at low levels (1-10) I prefer Save Negates spells such as Hold Person because level 1-3 spells don't have too bad DCs right now. For higher levels (11+) low level Save Negates spells are pretty worthless and you should switch to Vampiric Touch.
Sildatorak
08-15-04, 02:44 PM Vampiric touch is a good one, though inflict serious wounds does more damage if you're precisely level 5. A pretty nasty spellstoring weapon for undead to weild is a merciful spellstoring weapon with inflict serious wounds because it can be used as a quick healing spell and the subdual damage doesn't matter since they're immune.

A nice way to fake an assassination is a merciful spellstoring weapon with Feign Death in it. It will only work on a willing target, though, so you can only use that one on someone who is in on it with you.
BlackSmith
08-16-04, 04:54 AM reduce person is priceless against reach and small opponents.
Giant: "I got better reach than you! AHAHHAHA!"
Ftr: "realy?"
Bing!
Ftr "not anymore."

and against small creatures it reduces their reach to 0ft thus they have to enter your square to attack.
priceless.
Lord-Gawain
08-16-04, 09:22 AM Deep Blue you are correct, thanks.
;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
warok 08-13-04, 10:40 AM	From SRD: Spell Storing: A spell storing weapon allows a spellcaster to store a single targeted spell of up to 3rd level in the weapon. (The spell must have a casting time of 1 standard action.) Any time the weapon strikes a creature and the creature takes damage from it, the weapon can immediately cast the spell on that creature as a free action if the wielder desires. (This special ability is an exception to the general rule that casting a spell from an item takes at least as long as casting that spell normally.) Once the spell has been cast from the weapon, a spellcaster can cast any other targeted spell of up to 3rd level into it. The weapon magically imparts to the wielder the name of the spell currently stored within it. A randomly rolled spell storing weapon has a 50% chance to have a spell stored in it already. Strong evocation (plus aura of stored spell); CL 12th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, creator must be a caster of at least 12th level; Price +1 bonus now then what 3rd lvl or lower TARGETED spell would be best to keep in a spellstoring weapon. i was thinking maybe slow, blindness/deafness, Cleric Bestow curse
tarkin 08-13-04, 11:22 AM	Try Vampiric Touch. Granting the weapon's user the hitpoints.... (Some DM's say the caster get's the hitpoints, still not a bad deal if the caster is your friend).
bave 08-13-04, 05:13 PM	Depends on a number of things actually. If you are using Spell Storing from the DMG then you are probably right, however there is a greater spell storing which allows 6 total spell levels worth of either arcane or divine (but not a mix and match). Without a doubt the best ones I can think of would be: 1) Scorching ray, no resist automatic hit (4d6-12d6) 2) Bestow Curse, 50% chance of acting normally? -Those would be only two I would really consider using the DMG, however with great spell storing I would either use a higher level spell like Harm, Slay Living, or multiple Scorching rays.
Mercurius 08-13-04, 05:16 PM	One of my players commonly used his Spell Storing item to hold Bestow Curse with the -4 penalty option. It was significantly nasty. Of course, this was prior to 3.5 and Scorching Ray.
warok 08-14-04, 06:17 PM	First off thanks for all the ideas. secondly, about scorching ray it doesn't have a target and is therefore illegal to use with a spell storing weapon From SRD: Scorching Ray Evocation [Fire] Level: Sor/Wiz 2 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Effect: One or more rays Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: Yes nowhere in that description do i see a target line. Thirdly to bave: where is this greater spell storing enchancement at?
Kaminton 08-14-04, 07:14 PM	I'm partial to Poison (druid version) myself. Save or take 1d10 Con damage now, and again in a minute. If nothing else it makes it easier to catch fleeing enemies... Now combine that with a double weapon (like a quarterstaff), and land two of them, and your opponent may have a problem, especially if the first save was failed.
bave 08-15-04, 10:59 AM	I prefer to avoid the save negate spells. Scorching ray is clearly a targetted spell. Greater spell storing is from the Arms and Armor Mongoose book, if you use it, and it is a +3 enchantment.
MoonWizard 08-15-04, 11:04 AM	Ghoul Touch, Reduce Person, Inflict Wounds Ghoul Touch is a Fort save or paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds. Slow is not a good choice because it can normally affect a bunch of enemies, and using it as a stored spell severley limits its effectiveness as a 3rd level spell. Reduce Person (Fort. save) - then try and disarm/bull rush/trip/sunder the opponent with the +4 bonus you'll gain because they're smaller. Inflict Light/Mod/Ser Wounds is a good choice for evil clerics who can spontaneously store this IMO, the best choices for stored spells are low level choices so that you can use the stored spell at the beginning of every battle, not just vs the BBEG. If you put in 3rd level spells, you'll be hurting yourself.
MoonWizard 08-15-04, 11:04 AM	double post
Lord-Gawain 08-15-04, 12:32 PM	Scorching Ray is not a targeted spell. It is a Ray, with a ranged touch attack. As such it is not eligible for use in the spell storing weapon, as someone above has already mentioned. Just to clarify, a targeted spell has a line in the spell header that states, " Target " This is found in spells such as Baleful Polymorph, Wrack, Charm Monster, etc... As a general rule of thumb (this may be true in all cases but I'm not certain) if you have to make any sort of attack roll with a spell then its not a targeted spell. Unfortunately I'm at work so I don't have any books to give references and such. Cheers
Lord-Gawain 08-15-04, 12:53 PM	double post ack
Deep Blue 9000 08-15-04, 02:16 PM	Originally posted by Lord-Gawain As a general rule of thumb (this may be true in all cases but I'm not certain) if you have to make any sort of attack roll with a spell then its not a targeted spell. Everything else you said was true but I have to disagree with your rule of thumb. Many targeted spells require a touch attack (Contagion, Inflict, etc.). Just look for the "Target: Whatever" line in the spell statistics, if it has that line then its a targeted spell. But if it has "Effect: Whatever" its not targeted. As for spell storing, at low levels (1-10) I prefer Save Negates spells such as Hold Person because level 1-3 spells don't have too bad DCs right now. For higher levels (11+) low level Save Negates spells are pretty worthless and you should switch to Vampiric Touch.
Sildatorak 08-15-04, 02:44 PM	Vampiric touch is a good one, though inflict serious wounds does more damage if you're precisely level 5. A pretty nasty spellstoring weapon for undead to weild is a merciful spellstoring weapon with inflict serious wounds because it can be used as a quick healing spell and the subdual damage doesn't matter since they're immune. A nice way to fake an assassination is a merciful spellstoring weapon with Feign Death in it. It will only work on a willing target, though, so you can only use that one on someone who is in on it with you.
BlackSmith 08-16-04, 04:54 AM	reduce person is priceless against reach and small opponents. Giant: "I got better reach than you! AHAHHAHA!" Ftr: "realy?" Bing! Ftr "not anymore." and against small creatures it reduces their reach to 0ft thus they have to enter your square to attack. priceless.
Lord-Gawain 08-16-04, 09:22 AM	Deep Blue you are correct, thanks. ;)