Optimizing Fugue

[Amechra]

So, Fugue is an interesting spell.

In terms of optimizing it, you can slap Born of the Three Thunders on there straight away. Fell Drain is obvious, as is Fell Frighten - creating riots from a distance is pretty much what this spell is for. And of course you've got the standard metamagic "fun".

It gets downright interesting if you have Sonic Might from Lyric Thaumaturge (+4d6 Sonic damage? Yes please!), though the question is when people would take the damage. If it's the beginning of each round, it's solid gold. If it isn't... it's not worth it.

Any other ideas?

[Garryl]

Bo3T dazes you when you cast the spell, so it will interfere with the concentration needed to maintain Fugue. Make sure you have a way to deal with that.

[Amechra]

Bo3T dazes you when you cast the spell, so it will interfere with the concentration needed to maintain Fugue. Make sure you have a way to deal with that.

That one Bard spell that makes an instrument concentrate on stuff for you?

[nijineko]

Is this an offhand reference to Holst? ^^

[SorO_Lost]

Fell Drain hits once, useful for low level one hitters but a waste of Metamagic room on DoTs. Also Bo3T causes it's boom when the Spell concludes, not before or during, through the half-Sonic property is pretty nice regardless.

Anyway, pretty much apply the normal. Snowcast/Dragonic Aura/Icemail for +6 to the Save DC in the later levels so it works more often than it fails. You can also run the standard on optimization Charisma like a Wand of Righteous Might (+4 sacred for cl/hrs), use Metamagic song to Persist Nixie's Grace (+8 enhance), Runestaff up some access to Devil's Ego (+4 profane), and see how the DM feels about Horseshoes of Flame (+4 unnamed). If you want to tack on damage, hook into Snowcast with Cold Spell Specialization & Cold Snap for +3/die, Dragonlance's Warmage for +3/die, apply Energy Substitution(fire) for Raging Flame+Caustic Mire+Searing+Ring of Mystic Fire for 4d6 & +3/die, apply Energy Substitution(electricity)+Stormcaster's Thunderbolt+Ring of Mystic Lightning for +4d6 & +X sonic & stun, or apply them all but you'll really wreck havoc with the balance of the game.

The main deal through, you'll want to use Protege. It grants you a pool of +1s equal to twice your CL which can be applied to your Perform Check in any amount from +0 to +(1/2 cl). This variable addon can be used to aim for specific outcomes on Fugue, specially when combined with something that sets the die roll. Such as Dervish 1 (take 10 on perform[dance] but fugal doesn't appear to care which perform is used), Surge of Fortune (take 20), or Exemplar (take 10). In the Mind's Eye Archived there is a lower level Power that lets you take a specified value too.

[Amechra]

Where does it say that Fell Drain only triggers once per creature? This is a legit question, by the way.

Unless you're interpreting the first sentence as "if spell deals damage = inflict a negative level", rather than "when spell deals damage = inflict a negative level". That's the only place I can see it, and to be honest, the latter is the more natural interpretation.

Or is there a FAQ/Sage that deals with this (probably in relation to Magic Missile)?


And I was aware that BoTTs just gives you a bangin' finale. Given that the duration is Concentration, it's all good anyway.

I was also assuming you'd have the Perform check sorted. I mean, you have 13 ranks in Perform, a +10 item, a Charisma of 24, and you're already to a +30.

[SorO_Lost]

Where does it say that Fell Drain only triggers once per creature? This is a legit question, by the way.

Maybe you can read it's entry as being either way but others have spoken about it before and reached the conclusion that as a +2 Metamagic dealing dozens of Negative Levels is clearly too broken to be regarded as intended.

Also, I'd like you to close your eyes and say out loud what you think the Feat says. Since you want to apply it multiple times you'll end up using the word "each" at some point. Like "You can alter a spell that each deals damage to foes" But it doesn't use the word each so try again. Now you may come up with something like "Living foes dealt damage by your spell also gain a negative level.". Except it doesn't say that either, "dealt damage" is replacing the actual entry's wording of "damaged" which is a more binary wording in that you were or were not damaged by the Spell that doesn't care about "how many".

When in doubt over how text should be read. Try writing the rules that support your concept without having the original in front of you, if your phasing doesn't match it's probably because you inherently do not believe those words can be used to describe your predetermined outcome and so you instinctively substitute them. It's completely natural and happens to the best of us.

I was also assuming you'd have the Perform check sorted. I mean, you have 13 ranks in Perform, a +10 item, a Charisma of 24, and you're already to a +30.

Oh, I took it one step further than trying to always land the outcome of Confusion, because that'd be worthless against a single enemy.

If you take 10 and have a +20 modifier your outcome is automatically Nauseated. Using 20th level Protege you can burn 5 points to set the outcome to Stunned or burn 10 points to set the outcome to Confused. Thus you can literally control the exact outcome you want rather than trying to hit a 5 point gap or default to the maximum value for partial control (fugue=confuse!). The result of course becomes Fugue can Confuse if facing multiple targets or Stun if I'm only facing one and a third option if another party member is already trying to do either one or both of those allowing me to capture the versatility of the Spell.

[Vladeshi]

I was also assuming you'd have the Perform check sorted. I mean, you have 13 ranks in Perform, a +10 item, a Charisma of 24, and you're already to a +30.

Oh, I took it one step further than trying to always land the outcome of Confusion, because that'd be worthless against a single enemy.

If you take 10 and have a +20 modifier your outcome is automatically Nauseated. Using 20th level Protege you can burn 5 points to set the outcome to Stunned or burn 10 points to set the outcome to Confused. Thus you can literally control the exact outcome you want rather than trying to hit a 5 point gap or default to the maximum value for partial control (fugue=confuse!). The result of course becomes Fugue can Confuse if facing multiple targets or Stun if I'm only facing one and a third option if another party member is already trying to do either one or both of those allowing me to capture the versatility of the Spell.

You don't have to aim for specific numbers. The spell states that you may choose any of the effects that you beat the DC for.

[SorO_Lost]

You don't have to aim for specific numbers. The spell states that you may choose any of the effects that you beat the DC for.

Ha speaking of reading.

Well I did say it happens to the best of us.
All well, at least today you learned how to control your Skill Checks and that could be useful else where.

[Quillwraith]

Creaking Cacaphony causes vulnerability to sonic damage, for what it's worth, as well as distracting spellcasters. (The version from Far Corners of the world is a bit different from the Spell compendium one, btw - it also cases enemies to be shaken and deafened on a failed save, and is Sorc/Wiz 4 as well as Bard &Druid 3)

[deadkitten]

I would say just to be a tad bit nitpicky, that the DC 40 to cause them to attack the nearest target does not require the target to be a creature.  That could potentially hamper it somewhat, but where is the fun in looking at it that way ehh?