Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 empirate Aug 22, 2008 7:39:15	What we want to do: Play a gish who can dish out massive damage in melee. To this end, we'll use all the usual tricks of creating a good gish (I'll leave it to your imagination). Very important are prime casting stat (likely Int) and caster level. Up these at all costs. Having a familiar may or may not help (see below). What we need: a) A Bag of Holding stuffed with as many Colossal Spiked Chains as you can get. As many as you have caster level would be nice. But taking twice as many might be better, if certain problems relating to your familiar are solved (see below). These don't need to be magical - though it helps if they're all Sreaming, or better yet, Wounding. Spell Storing opens interesting avenues, too. This all gets very expensive, though, so don't get your hopes up. b) A Metamagic Rod of Chaining. c) The spell Greater Magic Weapon. d) The spell Keen Edge (or Toxic Weapon, or whatever you like to use to enchant a weapon). e) The spell Dancing Blade (PHB II). What we can do: Chain a Dancing Blade spell on your Colossal Spiked Chains. Chain a Greater Magic Weapon spell on them, too, and chain Keen Edge or other (I like Toxic Weapon) on them after. We're now surrounded by [caster level] floating Colossal Spiked Chains. These are all nicely magicked up, too. Assuming a caster level of only ten at 10th level (the earliest we can pull this off as a gish - and a pure caster doesn't really want to be there on the frontlines), with an Int of only 20, there are 10 +2 Colossal Spiked Chains. They can be directed to attack an opponent in reach once/round as a free action each. They strike with an attack bonus of 10 (caster level)+5 (Int)+2 (GMW) = +17. Not too shabby for 10th level. I guess your damage dealer isn't much beyond you. Each of these does 6d6 damage on a hit, +5 (Int), +2(GMW). Each of these has 30' reach (tall colossal creatures have 30' natural reach, which is doubled if they use a reach weapon sized for them). Meaning you cover a circle of 65' in diameter, being able to attack each and every opponent in there as you see fit. An opponent with an AC of 28 (!) is hit an average of five times each round, for an average of 140 points of damage, not counting crits. Also, if it's Toxic, your opponent will need to make five Fort saves or take 1d10 points of Con damage each. Note that you can Fly, DimDoor, Blink, Abrupt Jaunt etc. around the battlefield as you like - the weapons stay with you. Also note that you are still free to do whatever you feel like doing with your free hands. But wait! There is more! You do have a familiar, don't you? Keep it in your space, and share spells with it! Presto! Another ten Colossal Spiked Chains (if you have that many...)! This is subject to rule debate, though, since technically, Dancing Blade is cast at a target of "Weapon touched". However, you're also clearly in command of the blades. So this may work, or it may not. The silliness this trick can lead to is obvious, with your caster level the only cap on how many weapons you can make Dancing, and only a free action to direct the things. Caster level and prime casting stat will likely grow more quickly with more levels, increasing number of weapons as well as attack bonus AND damage. Also, the spell doesn't state any restrictions on weapon type, size etc. Imagine making your armor spikes dancing!
#2 phoenix00 Aug 22, 2008 18:57:49	two problems. 1st you must touch all the weapons as part of the chaining process 2nd it doesn't say anything about typical melee attack or comparing to the dancing weapon (I am away from my books and looking at the net description, it may be wrong) thus you are limited to 10 foot range.
#3 empirate Aug 23, 2008 5:34:49	Touching isn't required if you add a Spectral Hand spell, Rod of Reach Spell, or other method of increasing touch range. Or, you just hug all the weapons. Or, you go with "I'll just touch this heap of weapons", your DM might let you. The 10' reach might be a problem, but the point of the tactic is to let you make massive amounts of melee attacks. It's intended for gishs who don't mind being right in the middle of the action. Remember, you have your hands free and the spell works for 1 round/level. So for a little buff time, you get a lot of melee killing power, while being free to attack yourself, if you want to. The trick doesn't need any feats, doesn't influence your build or usual tactic, it just adds to those!