Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Rederik 07-31-07, 02:49 PM	Hi, I am working on building a Ray Slinger, anyone have any ideas on Feats? I have 2 Feats (level 4 Sorcerer). So far, I have thought of: Point Blank Shot Weapon Focus: Rays Any other ideas? Thanks in advance...
Nezkrul 07-31-07, 02:59 PM	weapon focus (ranged spell) instead of rays, you get the same effect but it covers more types of attacks. Might want Precise Shot and Split Ray Spell feats. a class you might want to get into is Spellwarp Sniper from the Complete Scoundrel. As well as Arcane Trickster levels and a total of 1 or 3 rogue levels (to qualify for SWS and AT). Sneak Attacking with an Acid Splash is just so satisfying :D
Rederik 07-31-07, 03:01 PM	Might want Precise Shot and Split Ray Spell Could you direct me to Split Ray Spell? Danke!
Silvercrys 07-31-07, 03:02 PM	Precise Shot if you intend on casting into melee... other than that, (prereq Wild Talent) Psionic Shot and Greater Psionic Shot I believe add their damage to ray spells. If you have access to Psionics and it works. I think I remember reading it does, but I'm not sure. And then there's the usual metamagic feats like Maximize and Empower and such.
mrpopstar 07-31-07, 03:09 PM	Rederik: Hi, I am working on building a Ray Slinger, anyone have any ideas on Feats? I have 2 Feats (level 4 Sorcerer). So far, I have thought of: Point Blank Shot Weapon Focus: Rays Any other ideas? Thanks in advance...PRECISE SHOT IMPROVED CRITICAL (Rays) GREATER WEAPON FOCUS (Rays) There's also the option of SPELL FOCUS and GREATER SPELL FOCUS for the school you gain most of your rays from. :)
malignor 07-31-07, 03:12 PM	Weapon Focus - ranged touch Improved Crit - ranged touch Point Blank Shot Precise Shot Spell Penetration (I believe all rays are affected by SR) Greater Spell Penetration Energy Substitution Energy Admixture Also, take any class or feat that allows you to use touch spells as ranged touch spells. Then spells like Vampiric Touch or Finger of Death can be used with some or all of these feats.
Hsien 07-31-07, 03:30 PM	Clarification request... I was under the understanding that character must select a specific "weapon" for weapon focus. Therefore a caster would have to select "Rays" using this example; or "Orbs" let's say as a comparison. ( Not playing a caster currently so I'm assuming Rays/Orbs are different ) Range Spell or Range Touch, as noted earlier would not be valid, as it would be the equivalent of a ranger taking WF Bows or a fighter taking WF Axes. ...or I'm I completely off base on that?
TiwazTyrsfist 07-31-07, 04:27 PM	Split Ray and Ranged Spell Specialization from Complete Arcane. Ranged Spell Specialization Prereqs: Wep Focus(Ranged Spell), Caster Level 4th Just like Weapon Specialization for a fighter. To answer the above, Comp. Arcane lists Weapon Focus (Ranged Spell) and Weapon Focus (Touch Spell) as prereqs for other feats.
Thane26425 07-31-07, 06:21 PM	The Spellwarp Sniper PrC is good, but most of it is fluff. The meat of it, the ability to cast spells as rays, could be a feat, and I have made it so in my campaign. You don't necessarily need the Spell Penetration feats if you take Assay Resistance from the Spell Compendium. Carry a couple of scrolls or a wand of that spell, and you get a better bonus and two freed up feats.
Kouk 07-31-07, 07:58 PM	Clarification request... I was under the understanding that character must select a specific "weapon" for weapon focus. Therefore a caster would have to select "Rays" using this example; or "Orbs" let's say as a comparison. ( Not playing a caster currently so I'm assuming Rays/Orbs are different ) Range Spell or Range Touch, as noted earlier would not be valid, as it would be the equivalent of a ranger taking WF Bows or a fighter taking WF Axes. ...or I'm I completely off base on that? Complete Arcane simplifies the feats you can take with spells, such that there are only two categories for spells: Ranged and Melee. These apply to spells that require Ranged Touch (or normal ranged attacks, there are a few spells) and spells that require Melee Touch attacks (I know of none that are regular attacks also, but it would count). In general a Ray of Frost is pretty much the same thing as Acid Splash, in the way it is "fired", so they are both just Ranged spells. Precise Shot is definitely a must-have, you will almost always be firing into combat if ranged spells are your main attack form. You might also look into Weapon Focus, or Improved Critical. Since you need Precise Shot, you will also have Point Blank Shot. You might consider some levels in classes that grant things like Sneak Attack if you are going to be in 30feet. I like Spellwarp Sniper. It allows you to convert normal instantaneous area spells into rays (up to 5th level spells) which means you can prepare a Fireball, and use it as a Ray if you need to or attack the whole area. Versatility. But if you are going to learn mostly Ray spells anyway, that aspect is of little importance to you. The class also gets what is basically equivalent to Sneak Attack, but only for Ranged spells within 30ft. It stacks with normal Sneak Attack-type damage also, which is good. At 5th level (the end of the PrC) you get, amongst some other, less useful things, the ability to apply Sneak Attack damage with ranged spells within 60 ft rather than the normal 30. The class also throws you Precise Shot as a bonus feat, or any other feat with Point-Blank Shot as a prerequisite that you qualify for (you will almost certainly already have Precise Shot). The main benefit of Spellwarp Sniper is the full caster progression at each of the 5 levels.
Kouk 07-31-07, 07:59 PM	Also, take any class or feat that allows you to use touch spells as ranged touch spells. Then spells like Vampiric Touch or Finger of Death can be used with some or all of these feats. If I may ask, what classes or feats can do this?
TiwazTyrsfist 07-31-07, 11:55 PM	In one of the divine books, there's a metamagic feat called Reach Spell. I forget the level adjustment, but it lets you cast a touch spell as a 30' ray.
Kouk 08-01-07, 12:48 AM	In one of the divine books, there's a metamagic feat called Reach Spell. I forget the level adjustment, but it lets you cast a touch spell as a 30' ray. Ah right, of course! Hmm, a Reach Chill Touch will keep me in spells for a while...
Fallenangel359 08-01-07, 01:14 AM	if you pick the spellcaster generic class from UA, which is basically sorc with 1 class ability at 1, and 5, you can gain 2d6 sneak attack at L1 so generic spellcaster going into arcane trickster, going into spellwarp sniper You can lots of bonus dice Another way to do it, is from warmage, going into spellwarp, getting into arcane trickster That method is less fragile.
zorgling25 08-01-07, 01:18 AM	If I may ask, what classes or feats can do this? While not quite the same, Daggerspell Mages (Complete Adventurer) can channel touch spells through their thrown daggers.
Wolf72 08-01-07, 09:32 AM	Is dragon OGL? ... I hope so, if not, mods please edit the content. MetaMagic Feats from Dragon Magazine • Ray Burst [Metamagic] You change the effect of a ray spell to a 30-foot radius burst centered on yourself. Prerequisite: none Region: Any Benefit: A ray burst hits all targets (friend or foe) within 10 feet. Targets within 30 feet are allowed a Reflex save to avoid the burst. Any targets that do not avoid the effect are treated as if they were hit by the ray spell. Any target with 100% cover with respect to the caster is not affected. A ray burst spell uses up a spell slot three levels higher than the spells actual level. Source: Dragon Annual 2000 • Ray Coning [Metamagic] You expand a ray spell to a 30-foot cone. Prerequisite: none Region: any Benefit: All targets in the area of effect receive Reflex saves to avoid the effect, but are otherwise affected as if they were hit by the ray spell. A coned ray uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spells actual level. Source: Dragon Annual 2000 • Ray Extension [Metamagic] You maintain a ray spell for an additional round. Prerequisite: none Region: any Benefit: When the extended ray spell is cast, you can use your next action to attack with the same ray. You can designate either a different target or the same target. A successful ranged touch attack is required for the second target. If any other actions are taken, or the spell is disrupted before your next action, then you lose the extended spell (Though any previous effects remain). An extended ray spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell's actual level. Source: Dragon Annual 2000 • Ray Focus [General] Your ray spells are more effective than normal. Prerequisite: none Region: any Benefit: Add +2 to the DC for all saving throws against all ray spells that you cast. Special: The effects of this feat stack with the effects of the Spell Focus feat. Source: Dragon Annual 2000 • Ray Splitting [Metamagic] You can attack three adjacent targets with a ray spell. Prerequisite: none Region: any Benefit: A split ray can hit three targets. A successful ranged touch attack is needed for each target, and each roll incurs a -4 penalty to hit. A target cannot be attacked more than once with a given spell. A split ray spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level. Source: Dragon Annual 2000
Bob Loblaw 08-01-07, 10:18 AM	You could also consider Ranged Recall in Complete Mage. It will allow you to reroll a missed ranged attack up to three times daily with a penalty to the second attempt.
TiwazTyrsfist 08-01-07, 11:21 AM	And a number of the reserve feats in Comp Mage grant spell like abilities that are, while not rays, ranged touch effects and should gain bonuses on the attack roll from Wep Focus (ranged Spell).
Teh_username 08-01-07, 11:36 AM	if you pick the spellcaster generic class from UA, which is basically sorc with 1 class ability at 1, and 5, you can gain 2d6 sneak attack at L1 so generic spellcaster going into arcane trickster, going into spellwarp sniper You can lots of bonus dice You mean the one that explicitly says not to use it with regular classes/PrCs and cautions the DM to watch for abusive min/maxes exactly like the one you just mentioned? And a number of the reserve feats in Comp Mage grant spell like abilities that are, while not rays, ranged touch effects and should gain bonuses on the attack roll from Wep Focus (ranged Spell). This is a pretty good idea, as it provides both infinite-use ray-like abilities and usually gives a +1 to Caster Level or DC.
malignor 08-01-07, 12:25 PM	If I may ask, what classes or feats can do this?Archmage.
Kouk 08-01-07, 02:19 PM	Thanks for the replies. And sorry for the potential thread-jack, though it sort of is in keeping with the original topic.
Thane26425 08-01-07, 05:35 PM	Looking at the DMG spell creation sections, it might actually make sense to just create your own ray spells of the right levels. By 9th level you have a dice cap of 25 which is pretty substantial. You could create a force ray, which little if anything is immune to and it hits incorporal targets, and a sonic ray, again to which little is resistant. Take Energy Substitution for another kind of damage to use with the sonic version. You could always also make upgraded versions of previous ray spells, like Enfeeblement, etc.