What started as an exercise to calculate how powerful a simple magic missile spell could get eventually transformed into a fairly sick optimized build capable of wreaking destruction on enemies.
The trick here is that by transmuting yourself into a Spellweaver, you can cast up to six level one spells simultaneously. Quicken adds a seventh casting, Twinned and Repeat multiply the total castings by four, and force missile mage adds an extra two missiles per casting, for a total of 7 x 4 x 7 = 196 magic missiles per round. Metamagic can then be applied to either maximize the damage output or create a combat control-ish build, and Arcane Thesis, the Incantatrix, and possibly Easy Metamagic feats can be used to reduce the level adjustment so this can be done even with low-level spell slots.
Necessary Sources: Core, Complete Arcane, Complete Mage, Player's Guide to Faerun (Incantatrix), Libris Mortis (Fell Drain/Weaken/Frighten), Monster Manual II (Spellweaver), Unearthed Arcana (Flaws, Replace Scribe Scroll with Fighter Bonus Feat), Dragon Magazine #328 (Force Missile Mage) & #358 (Slimy Spell and Forceful Spell), Possibly a few more sources of various metamagic, a fairly liberal DM.
Level Progression:
1-5. Wizard 1-5
6. Incantatrix 1
7-11. Force Missile Mage 1-5
12-20. Incantatrix 2-10
Force Missile Mage (abridged), from Dragon Magazine #328
Requirements: Concentration 9 ranks, Spellcraft 9 ranks, Feat: combat casting, Ability to cast Magic Missle once per day
Saves: Will good
BAB: Poor
+1 Caster Level at each level except first
Bonus Missle: At 1st and 5th level he gains an additional Magic Missile.
Still Missile: Automatic Still Spell on Magic Missile
Energy Missile: At second level, he can add Fire, Cold, Electricity, or Acid to any Magic Missile Cast
Swift Shield: At second level, Shield as a bonus spell as an Immediate Action once per day
Overpowering Missile: At 3rd level, Magic Missile automatically penetrates spell resistance and can penetrate shield spells and brooches of shielding by making a caster level check with a DC equal to the caster level, in the case of shield, or DC 20, in the case of the brooch.
Reflective Shield: At 4th level, he gains continual Spell Turning against all Magic Missile spells.
Incantatrix (abridged), from Player's Guide to Faerun
Pre-requisites: Concentration 4, Knowledge (arcana) 8, Spellcraft 8, Iron Will, any Metamagic Feat, 3rd-level Arcane Spells, Abjuration not prohibited
Saves: Will Good
BAB: Poor
+1 Caster level at each level
Bonus Metamagic feat at 1, 4, 7, 10
Cooperative Metamagic: Starting second level, as a readied standard action the Incantatrix can add one of his Metamagic effects to a spell that an adjacent willing ally is casting, by making a Spellcraft check at DC 18 + 3 x (Level of Spell + Metamagic Level adjustment). Used up to 3+Int Mod times per day
Metamagic Effect: Like Cooperative Metamagic, only on a persistent spell currently in effect. Takes a Full-round, gained at 3rd level.
Metamagic Spell Trigger: Starting 5th level, Metamagic can be applied to any spell trigger item that the Incantatrix has Craft for. The item uses a number of additional charges equal to the level adjustment of the Metamagic.
Seize Concentration: Starting 6th level, the Incantatrix can assume control of a concentration-based spell if the caster is within 30 feet. If they are willing, it passes normally, otherwise it takes an opposed Caster Level check.
Instant Metamagic: Once per day at 7th or twice per day at 9th, a Metamagic Feat can be applied instantly to any spell the Incantatrix is casting without adjusting the Spell Slot taken and without having to be prepared or increasing casting time.
Snatch Spell: Starting 8th level. Like Seize Concentration, but with any persistent spell.
Improved Metamagic: At 10th level, reduces the Spell Level adjustment of all metamagic used by 1 level, to a minimum of 1.
Features
Specialist (Evocation) and Focused Specialist (Evocation). Give up Necromancy, Enchantment, and Illusion. When Incantatrix is taken, given up Conjuration (you read it right. Unfortuantely there's just nothing else left to give up. Evocation is the centerpiece of the build, Abjuration is required for the Incantatrix, Divination cannot be given up, and Transmutation is also required for Polymorph/Shapechange)
Feats
Feats Gained: 1st Level, Human Bonus Feat, Fighter Bonus feat over Scribe Scroll (UA Variant), Bonus Feat over Familiar (Common Houserule), Two Feats from Flaws (UA, Likely Non-Combatant and Shaky/Murky-Eyed), 3rd Level, Wizard 5, Incantatrix 1, 6th Level, 9th Level, 12th Level, Incantatrix 4, 15th Level, Incantatrix 7, 18th Level, Incantatrix 10
Total Feats: 17
Pre-Requisite feats: Iron Will (Incantatrix), Combat Casting (Force Missile Mage) Extend Spell (Persistent Spell)
Fighter Bonus Feat: Improved Initiative (if you can get your DM to let you drop this for a Metamagic Feat, take Silent Spell instead)
7/13 Remaining (Necessary) Feats:
Fell Draining - Bestow a negative level to every monster damaged by your spells, very brutal with the number of missiles flying. Significantly reduces their saves
Twin Spell - Double the missiles
Repeat Spell - Double it again
Quicken Spell - Add another casting per round
Heighten Spell - Penetrate Lesser Spheres of Invulnerability and Spell Turning, increase DCs of Saves.
Arcane Thesis (Magic Missile): Further lower your Metamagic Adjustments
Persistent Spell: Make Shape Change an all-day spell, also great for cooperative metamagic/metamagic effect
Optional Feats for Remaining 6:
Empower: Extra Damage
Maximize: Extra Damage
Energy Substitution / Energy Admixture: Damage
Fell Frightening: Stacks multiple times to make them Panicked in one round and reduce their saves
Fell Weakening: Doesn't stack, but can nerf melee combatants pretty badly.
Entangling Spell: Keeps enemies from being able to easily escape the Repeat spell or advance on you.
Blistering Spell: Not sure if this one works, since it requires that they fail the spell's primary save. But gives -2 to rolls which can make other saves harder to make plus stacks on the damage.
Radiant Spell: Will save or Blinded, else Dazzled
Slimy Spell: Reflex Save or Nauseated
Forceful Spell: Fort save or be Stunned and knocked prone
Disrupting Spell: Makes the target's spells have a lower save DC. Not amazing, but can mess up opposing casters.
Easy Metamagic: Further reduces the Metamagic Adjustment of a metamagic of choice. Best used with things like Twinned, Quickened, or Heightened to reduce the adjustment to a managable level.
Requisite Spells:
Magic Missile
Polymorph
Shape Change
Mage Armor and Shield (as well as the greater versions) are also suggested
Requisite Items: Tome of +5 Int, Circlet of +6 Int, of +30 Spellcraft, Robe of Eyes to see invisible (so no one can hide from the missile barrage), (lesser) Rod(s) of Enlarge Spell, (lesser) Rod(s) of Silent Spell, Casting Glove(s) to store rods in. Other things like +Con and +Deflection items are suggested, as well as usual wizard stuff like Ring of Counterspells (holding Improved Dispel) and Spell Pearls.
How it works: Each day, when you wake up, cast Shape Change. Once it is in place, apply the Incantatrix's Metamagic effect to make the Shape Change Persistent for 24 hours. This requires a Spellcraft check of 18 + 3*14 (9th level spell plus a +6 adjustment, reduced to +5 by the level 10 incantatrix's ability) = 60. With 23 ranks in Spellcraft, a +12 Int (18 base, +6 enhancement, +5 Inherent, +5 Level = 34), a +2 Synergy bonus, and a +30 Spellcraft item, your spellcraft should be effectively 67, meaning this check will succeed automatically. At lower levels (above 10), you are stuck just using Polymorph on yourself and extending it at the start of each combat. The normal shape you will assume will bee that of the Spell Weaver (MM II). The most interesting feature of this monster is that they have six hands, each of which is capable of casting one level of spell per round in place of normal casting. This means that a single sixth level spell could be cast this way, or two third level spells, or six first level spells. With the way metamagic is worded, it raises the spell slot of a spell, but not the level of that spell itself (assuming you have a DM willing to accept this, which some may not). This means that any number of feats can be applied to Magic Missile (with the exception of Heighten, which specifically states that it raises the spell level) and it will remain a first level spell, and thus six of them can be cast per round, seven when a quickened one is included.
Additionally, because of the stacking effects of the 10th level Incantatrix's ability, Easy Metamagic Feats, and Arcane thesis, Metamagic can be applied to Magic Missile without taking up a very high spell slot. An Empowered, Maximized, Repeating, Fell Draining, Twinned, Admixtured Magic Missile only takes up a 5th level Spell Slot. 4th level can be the same thing without maximized, 3rd level can be the same as 5th without Admixture, 2nd can be the same without either. Quickened, non-maximized spells can be taken at 6th, and Quickened with everything spells can be taken at 7th and above. Even the first level Magic Missiles can be Repeating, Empowered, and Fell Draining. Additionally, due to Specialist, Focused Specialist, and a maximized Intelligence Score, the character will have a plethora of spell slots available (73 1st and above slots at 20th level)
This means that the character is capable of doing the following:
6 castings of Empowered, Maximized, Repeating, Fell Draining, Twinned, Admixture Magic Missiles, plus a seventh that is Quickened as well. Each casting will produce 14 missiles and another 14 the following round. Each of these missiles will do 12-14 Damage, and any enemy who is damaged by each casting (two castings with twin and another two the following round) will take a Negative level.
This means that a single round of casting can produce 7 (base missiles) * 2 (twinned) * 2 (repeating) * 7 (castings) = 196 Magic Missiles Per round. Assuming maximum damage on each missile and that there are seven distinct targets to receive negative levels (which bestow an extra 5 damage per negative level), this can do 3724 damage in one round of casting. Additionally, each of these seven individual creature will suffer 28 Negative levels, meaning it will instantly die if its HD is less than 29. Half of this damage and level loss will be dished out on the round after this casting takes place, but it still is the result of a single round of casting with no further concentration required. Even targeting only a single creature and rolling minimum possible damage will yield a result of 2492 damage, counting the negative level lifeloss. Alternately, Fell Frightening and Draining and the Save-or-Screwed metamagic can be used to mass disable your enemies. As an added bonus, the Quickened spell per round can be heightened to make its save even higher (this can't be used for the non-quickened, as Heightened actually changes the Spell's level and thus makes it unusable with th Spell Weaver's multicast)
Taking a deeper look:
Magic Missile requires no hit roll and provides no save. This means that the damage is very near automatic. There are several ways of normally preventing Magic Missile damage.
Shield Spell/Brooch: Force Missile Mage addresses this, becomes a pitifully easy CL check.
Spell Resistance: Force Missile Mage negates this
Invisibility: Robe of Eyes or a Permanency'd See Invisible solve this one
Spell Turning: If they're just under the spell, a salvo of missiles or a heightened missile can burn it out, while your own shield deflects the reflected ones without resulting in feedback. If they're under a permanent Spell Turning there is little you can do.
Lesser Sphere of Invulnerability: Heightened Magic Missiles pierce this one nicely, but greatly reduce the number of total castings you can make per round.
Damage Reduction/Energy Resistance: Energy resistance to your Admixtured type cuts your non-Negative Level damage in half, but they're still vulnerable to the normal missile damage. Damage Reduction can also significantly weaken the damage output, but any damage reduction that is vulnerable to a specific energy type can be overcome with the Force Missile Mage's Energy Missile.
Being out of Range or Silencing me: Metamagic Rods help with these ones.
Spell Immunity or Anti-Magic Field: This and permanent spell turning are the only sure-fire ways of preventing Missile death. Fortunately, there should be other members of the party to deal with these types of monsters.
Well that's great, but what else can it do?
Not a lot, but probably more than you think. Admittedly, this build gives up half of his schools of magic, including Conjuration and Illusion, and likely is preparing 70 or close to it Magic Missile Spells per day.
However, in addition to being a shotgun of negative levels and nigh-irresistible damage, the Missile Mage can provide great team support through the Incantatrix, assuming there is at least one other caster in the party. Due to the character's massive Spellcraft score, just about any spell can be either Twinned or Persisted without batting an eye. And both Cooperative Metamagic and Metamagic effect can be used 15 times per day.
So, that's a wrap. Feel free to comment or critique, but keep in mind that most of the rulings used here are the ones that the DM I would probably use this under have ruled, so your own interpretations are not likely that relevant (though I'm still willing to read them). Any suggestions as to ways to improve or even foil this are appreciated. Before you suggest it, I have looked at the Ardent Savant Class, but there is no room to fit it in unless I go to epic levels (which also grants more missile goofiness with Multispell).
I wish you could post a build that didn't require flaws and house rules. Although man I love me some magic missile.
There's only one thing left to say...Coooooool!!!!!
I am probably going to test this really soon, since we have an ongoing campaign right now where i am already playing a Force Missile Mage and we are also using the flaw system...So i suppose my DM would not mind me retraining a couple of feats...though he might be in for a surprice!!!
I wish you could post a build that didn't require flaws and house rules. Although man I love me some magic missile.
You can make this without the Flaws and houserules, you just end up taking less of the "optional" feats (either the damage or the Crowd Control). Honestly, the really important feats are the following:
1. Iron Will (prerequisite)
2. Combat Casting (prerequisite)
3. Improved Initiative (not really necessary, but you can't get anything better in place of Scribe Scroll without further houserules)
4. Extend Spell (prerequisite for persistant)
5. Persistant Spell (allows permanent shapeshifting and incantatrix cheese)
6. Twin Spell (more missiles)
7. Repeat Spell (even more missiles)
8. Fell Draining (deadly amount of negative levels)
9. Quickened Spell (yet more missiles)
10. Entangling Spell (crowd control, keeps them from escaping the twinned spell)
11. Arcane Thesis: Magic Missile (massively reduced metamagic costs)
And since you get feats at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, Two from the Wizard, and four from the Incantatrix, you even have two openings beyond this for further nerfing or damage boosting of your choice, or things like Easy Metamagic or Heighten Spell.
Seriously, you could have shortened the reading time on this post by telling those of us who've been around here for a while, "The trick here is in gaining multiple spells per turn instead of multiple actions or turns. This is accomplished by combining the Spellweaver from MM2 with Arcane Thesis and some other things that add more missiles to each casting of magic missile."
Srsly, reading through a wall of text to figure out what you're doing and then dismissing it as old hat is really quite frustrating.
Actually, instead of taking the Improved Initiative feat you could always select as a familiar, a Humming Bird(Dragon 323 page 98) which provides you with a +4 bonus on initiative checks...And if you are an elf, by taking the 3rd substitution level for the elf wizard from Races of the Wild then the bonus to Initiative rises to +8 (and if you think, that this is not enough, then you can always take the Improved Initiative feat for a total of +12 on initiative checks)
Seriously, you could have shortened the reading time on this post by telling those of us who've been around here for a while, "The trick here is in gaining multiple spells per turn instead of multiple actions or turns. This is accomplished by combining the Spellweaver from MM2 with Arcane Thesis and some other things that add more missiles to each casting of magic missile."
Srsly, reading through a wall of text to figure out what you're doing and then dismissing it as old hat is really quite frustrating.
I'll add a note to the beginning for anyone who doesn't want to wade through it.
Actually, instead of taking the Improved Initiative feat you could always select as a familiar, a Humming Bird(Dragon 323 page 98) which provides you with a +4 bonus on initiative checks...And if you are an elf, by taking the 3rd substitution level for the elf wizard from Races of the Wild then the bonus to Initiative rises to +8 (and if you think, that this is not enough, then you can always take the Improved Initiative feat for a total of +12 on initiative checks
If I'm stuck with a familiar over a feat, Hummingbird is defintiely the best choice. Elf sub doesn't seem worthwhile, as then I lose the Human bonus feat.
Ah! Good, concise summary. Well played, sir.
I just found this post a few days ago and think that a character built like this would have a lot of fun. However, I did find one thig you overlooked. In the section where you describe how the incanatrix's metamagic effect works you said this in lieu of being able to case Shapechange:
"At lower levels (above 10), you are stuck just using Polymorph on yourself and extending it at the start of each combat."
But if you reread Polymorph, it says that the character "does not gain the extraordinary special qualities possessed by the new form." And if you look at the entry in the MMII, spell weaving is listed as an extraordinary special quality.
Although this does not hurt the character build overall, it means that a player will not be able to pull it off until the time when they are able to cast 9th level spells and have Shapechange. Unless, of course, you have a DM who's lenient enough.