Post/Author/DateTime	Post
PhantomTrain 04-02-08, 03:41 PM	Ok, so my new challenge is to build a Ray-specialist. First question, are there enough good ray spells out there to justify Wizard (to know more spells) or should I go with Sorc (since I want to cast them often). Second question. What rays are totally indispensable? I'm not too familiar with this line of magic (no pun intended, I swear) and could use some help. I have pretty much every book to choose from, but no Dragon magazines. Thankies.
Khellendros54 04-02-08, 04:19 PM	Are you thinking of taking levels of Spellwarp Sniper, from the Complete Scoundrel? He allows you to take area spells with instantaneous duration and range greater than touch and warp them into a ray spells. This allows you to make fireball a ray, removing its reflex save. Very useful. The disadvantage to taking the sniper is the required dip into rogue/sneak attack adding class. My last raymaster build was with sorc. Spells that are great are scorching ray, Ray of Enfeeblement, Ray of Stupidity (SpC), Disintegrate, Ruby Ray of Reversal (SpC), ray of fatigue, Prismatic Ray, Antimagic Ray, Blackfire, darkbolt, Enervation. I have a lvl 12 Rogue 1/sorc 6/SpwSn5 who can warp 5th level spells into rays. My spell list looks like this. (Keep in mind, several of these made more sense for the character to know, not exactly the best spells ever. Also, the best spells ever is not a list you can put together. A sorc especially gets spells based on the flow of magic, but what spells you get will likely depend on your GM and your diplomacy check.) 0 Amanuensis (spc 9) Arcane Mark (ph 201) Detect Magic (ph 219) Launch Item (spc 130) Mage Hand (ph 249) Message (ph 253) Prestidigitation (ph 264) Read Magic (ph 269) Silent Portal (spc 190) 1 Comprehend Languages (ph 212) Grease (ph 237) Mage Armor (ph 249) Magic Missile (ph 251) Vigilant Slumber (cm122) 2 Arcane Turmoil (cm 96) Incendiary Slime (cm 108) Knock (ph 246) Scorching Ray (ph 274) Seeking Ray (124) 3 Dispel Magic (ph 223) Fireball (ph 231) Rust Ray (spc 178) Sound Lance (spc 196) 4 Fire Stride (ph 223) Invisibility, Greater (ph 231) Orb of Fire (spc 155) 5 Fireburst, Greater (the DM had decided that this can be warped.) (spc 94) Prismatic Ray (spc 162) You will have to make a list based on access and what you think the character would be casting. Mine is fire touched and is most prone to fire spells. He also had a misspent youth and is prone to tricks and fun spells. Also he is paranoid and distrustful. You are not going to want to cut and paste anyone's spell book. As to if you play sorc or wizard, ray specialists like to use metamagic. Split ray, maximize, empower, extend, repeat, any of these can be fun in a casters hands. Wizards do metamagic faster, sorcs have more flexibility. Khellendros
RobbyPants 04-03-08, 09:47 AM	Check out this Ray Spells (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1009636) thread. A lot of good ones are detailed in there.
Eerongal 04-03-08, 10:42 AM	ray of dizziness from the Spell compendium can be very handy. In my opinion that spell is quite broke.
Osedox 04-03-08, 10:47 AM	Enervation is a must. If you do go Spellwarp Sniper, then Wings of Flurry from Races of Dragon is warptastic.
SpecialK 05-05-08, 01:39 PM	Orbs are not rays. Therefore, any beneficial referring to a ray does not work with the Orb of X.
Cold Napalm 05-05-08, 04:02 PM	Frost breath is also a good spell for spellwarp sniper...and available earlier then wings of flurry to be spellwarped. Also wing of flurry maybe unavialable based on book usage (yes so can frost breath...but spell compendium is much more likely to be accepted). Ray of sickness twinned is pretty nasty.
WinDReiN 05-05-08, 07:04 PM	Ray of dizzines and Enervation with all their cheese... I never use them.
narack 05-06-08, 08:04 AM	I never seen it but i heard polar ray is really good
Werebat 05-06-08, 08:20 AM	Rainbow Beam from SC is actually a better spell than Scorching Ray after level 15 or so. You can Split Ray it for double damage since it is only one beam, it has a minor debuff effect, and it will get through most types of energy resistance (and even if it doesn't, since it's only one ray at least some damage will get through). Of course for quite some time before then it sucks. But there you go. - Ron ^*^
malignor 05-06-08, 03:32 PM	If you're going to be a Ray specialist, may I suggest Arcane Trickster? You can perform sneak-attacks on any damaging ray spells, if the target's within 30'. Also, for feats, some options are Weapon Focus (ray), Improved Critical (ray), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot and so on. Gadda love it when you can do all that with only the SRD.
green_yawgmoth 05-06-08, 07:45 PM	Ray of Ice is great for crowd control. Hard to fight when you're frozen in form-fitting ice.
VulcanStormwrath 05-06-08, 07:46 PM	Take Reach Spell to turn your touch spells into rays. Vampiric Touch and Shivering Touch are awesome rays. Ghoul Touch becomes ray of "hey Fighter, here's a coup de grace on the house"
Optimator 05-06-08, 11:32 PM	I never seen it but i heard polar ray is really good :D
mregecko 05-07-08, 11:50 AM	I'm always confused when I don't see people posting Avasculate in these "omg awesome rays" threads. I mean... 7th level spell, the target automatically loses half of its hipoints. Period. If they fail a fort save, they are ALSO stunned. Yeah, there are things that are immune to death effects... but there are also things that are immune to many types of energies, etc. So, throw on one vote for Avasculate (and it's big brother, Avascular Mass). -- Gecko
nightwyrm 05-07-08, 12:46 PM	Just a reminder that range touch spells are not rays. They use the same hitting mechanic, but there are metamagic feats such as split ray that can be applied on rays but not on range touch spells. Also, reach spell turns your touch spells into range touch spells, not rays.
Jay_Ibero_911 05-07-08, 12:59 PM	Just a reminder that range touch spells are not rays. They use the same hitting mechanic, but there are metamagic feats such as split ray that can be applied on rays but not on range touch spells. Also, reach spell turns your touch spells into range touch spells, not rays. Actually the reach spell metamagic feat states that the spell effectively becomes a ray.
nightwyrm 05-07-08, 01:02 PM	Actually the reach spell metamagic feat states that the spell effectively becomes a ray. You're right. I didn't have my complete divine with me and I remembered it wrong.
Jay_Ibero_911 05-07-08, 03:46 PM	Here's a fun trick: Split Ray Reach Spell Combust (SpC)...6th level spell slot to shoot 2 rays for 10d8 damage each with no save, and reflex save or catch fire and keep burning. It's comparable to disintigrate from a 13th level caster, but without that pesky save to reduce the damage. Even better for the same slot, Split Ray Occular Combust...same spell level and result, except you can store two and fire them both as a full round action.
VulcanStormwrath 05-07-08, 05:41 PM	Here's a fun trick: Split Ray Reach Spell Combust (SpC)...6th level spell slot to shoot 2 rays for 10d8 damage each with no save, and reflex save or catch fire and keep burning. It's comparable to disintigrate from a 13th level caster, but without that pesky save to reduce the damage. Even better for the same slot, Split Ray Occular Combust...same spell level and result, except you can store two and fire them both as a full round action. Split Ray Reach Spell Vampiric Touch "I'm getting better!"
Jay_Ibero_911 05-07-08, 06:58 PM	Split Ray Reach Spell Vampiric Touch "I'm getting better!" Fun, but do you really want to be using a 7th level slot to do a measely 20d6 damage at 20th level, even if you are gaining the same ammount back in HP? Though an empowered split ray reach vampiric touch in a 9th level slot for 1.5*20d6 damage and getting the same in HP (unless it's more than would kill the creature) is nifty. Or an empowered split ray occular vampiric touch in each eye, start off combat with 2*(2*(1.5*10d6)) (208 average damage) and it should make things interesting....
VulcanStormwrath 05-08-08, 06:26 PM	Fun, but do you really want to be using a 7th level slot to do a measely 20d6 damage at 20th level, even if you are gaining the same ammount back in HP? Though an empowered split ray reach vampiric touch in a 9th level slot for 1.5*20d6 damage and getting the same in HP (unless it's more than would kill the creature) is nifty. Or an empowered split ray occular vampiric touch in each eye, start off combat with 2*(2*(1.5*10d6)) (208 average damage) and it should make things interesting.... The point is to hit 2 creaturs so it's less likely to put you over the HP level, thereby maximizing the HP gained and freeing you your cleric mid battle to do damage instead of keeping the Wizard alive
Jay_Ibero_911 05-08-08, 06:36 PM	The point is to hit 2 creaturs so it's less likely to put you over the HP level, thereby maximizing the HP gained and freeing you your cleric mid battle to do damage instead of keeping the Wizard alive Well at that level ~200 damage isn't likely to kill something, and if it does, well that's one less thing you have to deal with and you still end up with their HP+10 in temp HP...
The_Shaman 05-09-08, 03:11 PM	Not from full strength, certainly. However, it can help vs enemies with less HP.
Daeva 05-12-08, 01:06 AM	may i suggest wizard 5 rogue 1 spellwarp sniper 4, arcane trickster 10? improved invisibility+ 8d6 points of sneak attack on rays
The_Shaman 05-12-08, 04:53 PM	I'd be inclined to substitute unseen seer for spellwarp sniper in the above. The SA damage isn't limited to rays, and imo it offers notably better features - the only one you miss, precise shot, can iirc be provided by equipment.
Daeva 05-12-08, 07:59 PM	oh would actually agree you can enter the unseen seer at level 6 instead of 7 also which is a boon in my opinion. then again you dont get the level 5 wizard bonus feat... so it sorta balances out if you do that. or you can just do a bard 5/lyric theurge 5/ sublime chord 5/ war mage (from age of man for the +3 per die on spell damage and some bonus metamagic feats, and bost to AC to yourself and those near you.) build with energy substitution, and born of three thunder mixed with your sonic might to cause some massive rays/nukes other feats spent on the war mage prereqs, or lyrical meta magic and some meta magic feats if you dont care for the war mage. but then at this point your rays would be huge, but your AE and damage fog spells would become even more massive... just tossing the options out there.