EDIT; I just realized that I was looking at the 3.0 Incantatrix. I will edit my post as soon as I've read the 3.5 and reworked my feat progression (tomorrow). Still feel free to post ideas and builds staying true to my disired concept. Thanks!
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The original post:
Hi CO board.
I am puzzling with making a metamagic focused ray-abusing wizard and I need your help.
I am thinking Whisper Gnome Wizard 5/Incantatrix 10/X 5 (don’t know what school to specialize in yet). The race doesn’t have to be Whisper Gnome but it seems like an obvious choice (mostly for the con and dex for my rays, but goodies like small+30ft speed and dark vision is just so good).
I will take Combat Wizard ACF and either Spontaneous Divinition or Granted domain power at 5th level (or do you have an even better idea?). What I am having problem with is deciding what spells to spend my Arcane thesis feat on. Enervation will be one of them, but having one or two more spells would probably be a wise choice, but what to pick? My current idea to the base build is looking something like this:
We are almost always allowed a flaw (and a feat in return), but I have to come up with the flaw myself (and obviously it can’t be too weak). It must pose some sort of disadvantage in combat. If you know any cool flaws I would like to hear them as well, but that’s not necessary, and the build you have in mind can both take advantage of a flaw feat or not. I don't know if my DM will allow me to acquire Iron will throug "Otyugh Hole" from Complete Scoundrel, but I'll ask him tomorrow.
I would like the build to mature at level 13 (when I get the Improved metamagic class feature). We almost never play our campaigns past level 18. The build can be made so it is playable from early levels or just around 10th-13th level and forth, but I when the time comes for me to play it, it will probably be around level 12.
I am allowed a lot of material. In fact it my group has only Frostburn and Unapproachable east auto banned. Some of the cheesiest things from Exalted deeds and Book of Vile Darkness are banned as well. I am 100% allowed to use core, complete (and races) series, Spell compendium, Tome of Battle, Miniatures Handbook, Dungeonscape, Cityscape, Unearthed Arcana (but I should probably not cheese too much), and books like Dragon magic, tome of Magic, Draconomicon, as long as I tone it a bit down.
Okay, so a quick summary:
I need help with selecting spells for my Arcane thesis feat (and how many times I should take the feat) and with what metamagic feats I should pick (and in what order). Ideas to a race, flaw, Alternative class features and the like are more that appreciated. I also would like ideas to specialization school (or whether to focus specialization). I really Like focused specialist, but usually I ban Enchantment, Evocation and necromancy which obviously can’t be done in this build. Also I would like inputs on how to proceed after my Incantatrix progression, and a base build would be even more appreciated.
Finally: the build needs to mature before level 14. (I realize that this is kind of hard due to the fact that "improved metamagic" lands at 10th Incantatrix level and not the 8th as the 3.0 version, *sigh*)
1) You can only take Arcane Thesis ONCE.
2) The standard spells of choice are magic missile or Scorching Ray. If you're going to abuse metamagic, you generally need to start with low level spells so you have lots of room to spin them into higher spell slots. Fireball also works, to an extent, although many people will abuse the Orb spells if they are going that route.
3) Split Ray is not all that effective unless all your damage is in ONE ray. Unless you're a Spellwarp Sniper, that can be difficult until you get to higher levels.
4) The 'power' metamagic feats are Empower, Twin Spell, Admixture Spell, Quicken Spell, and maybe Born of the Three Thunders.
Look at the Acid Sheathe spell for a nice +1 to damage/die for all elemental spells if you change the type (fire sheathe, etc)
5) For magic missiles, you have to play a Force Missile Mage to really get the most out of it. 2 extra missiles, change to any elemental damage, auto-quicken Shield spells, and punch through Shields and broaches...good stuff!
==Aelryinth
aelryinth wrote:
Oh, you're going enervation. Well, it's useless against plants, constructs and undead, but otherwise...
Admixture is basically Twin Spell for spells that do elemental damage, except you can add a different damage type, i.e. Fireball + Acid ball. Split Ray is basically a cheaper twin spell for Ray only spells.
Empower will help increase the number of negative levels you deal out, as would Maximize, but I would probably put at least the latter into a Rod of Metamagic instead.
Born of the Three Thunders wouldn't help you, because you're not dealing damage. However, Empower + Twin Spell + Split Ray + Admixture + Three Thunders is effectively x24 damage from a base spell. You can take down a Great Wyrm Red Dragon with magic missiles with that kind of damage, who cares about debuffing.
Do a Google Search for Force Missile Mage and the PrC will pop up.
If you're going Enervation, you're going to want Split Ray, Empower, Twin Spell and Quicken Spell, with Maximize on a Rod if you really want to annoy something.
==Aelryinth