Warmage Blaster Build

[Eledan]

Ok, so first a disclaimer. I know that I am probably not as optimized as I could be at blasting, but I would appreciate any help I can get.

So currently in a game where the whole party are planetouched Genasi. We're basically planehopping looking for treasure. My character is a fire Genasi warmage. Quirk about the game we are all commissioned to be doing our adventuring by our Elemental Lords(gods). Because of this we started out with a perk that sometimes broke the RAW for our characters. So for me my main casting stat is Int as opposed to cha. This obviously makes the power level go up significantly. I am currently going towards being a metamagic specialist.  Anyways on to the numbers.

I'm currently a Warmage 7/Incantatrix 3
I got Iron Will from a pregame Birth Chart

I've taken a couple early feats to boost caster level to fire spells such as bloodline of fire and elemental spellcasting.

I also have some metamagics: Searing Spell, Empower Spell, and Sudden Empower

Lastly I've taken the healing domain with the Arcane Disciple Feat to be a bit of a field medic as well. (The flexibility has been nice)

So I guess what I'm looking for help with is what can I do to maximize from here? I have looked down a couple of paths but I'm not sure if its the best I can do. The campaign is to Level 20.

After the few beginning shenanigans the game is mostly RAW and the allowed books are all official WOTC material.

Let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

[phaedrusxy]

With Incantatrix 3 and int-based casting, the obvious thing is to keep boosting your Spellcraft check and add more metamagic feats. You should excel at blasting, but like all warmages you'll be pretty much limited to that (but since that's what you were going for, it's a feature not a problem ).

You could pick up some Metamagic Rods for even more free metamagic. Echoing Spell might be something to consider for stamina, if you have caster level boosters, although stamina typically isn't that big of a problem for warmages.

[SorO_Lost]

Hello Eledan, let's make your dude frigging awesome.

Suggested PrCs
War Mage: Found in Dragonlance splat this 5/5 casting PrC grants your nearby allies Cha-to-AC. The gem is ConMod/day you get +3 per die to damage. The ConMod nerf is located in another splat, source unknown.

Stormcaster: Found in Stormwreck this 4/5 casting PrC has one of the most amazing 5th level Class Features ever made; Thunderbolt. Every Electricity-dealing Spell additionally deals Sonic damage and has a Fort-vs-Stun effect potentially turning every blasting Spell you sling into a crowd controlling effect. You lose a CL for this abuse through, still worth it.

Incantatrix: The second runner up due to being able to aftermarket Metamagic. You know about it so enough said.

Spelldancer: If the Incantatrix is on the table then ask about this one, a single level dip pays for your daily Persisted Spells.

Prestigious Bard: Found in Unearthed Arcana this 0/1 casting PrC grants the entire Bard List to your Warmage which has some very amazing Spells like Emperal Ecstasy, Snowsong, Glibness, etc.

Suggested Feats
Snowcast + Frozen Magic + Cold Spell Specialization + Draconic Aura + Ice Armor(item): If it's cold outside you can grab a handful of snow to increase the CL of your Spell by +2, the Save DC by +6, and add +2 per die to damage. Getting a Cleric to cast Cold Snap (and possible control weather) ensures this happens and you get another +1 per die to damage. Downside, spamming winter in the local environment tends to piss the natives off. See Frozen.

Iron Will + Reserves of Strength: +3 to CL and allowance to break CL caps. Currently unknown if your supposed to totally break cap or just by the abused amount (sic 15th level gets 18d6 Fireball or 13d6?) so talk to your DM.

Energy Substitution + Energy Admixture + Acid Sheath(Spell): Acid Sheath works kind of like Fire Shield in that anyone hitting you takes a bit of Acid damage, it's biggest trait is it also grants +1 per die to acid damage.

Pyro + Fiery Spell + Caustic Mire(spell): Up to +3 damage per die with Fire-based Spells. Due to the wording Pyro does not piggyback like Snowcast Energy Admixture Acid Sheath via War Mage does (which btw is +6/die).

Suggested Items
Ring of Mystic Fire and/or Ring of Mystic Lightning: Another one of those MiC charges-per-day item, on max expenditure it further adds +4d6 to the respective Spell. Talk with your DM about a differant Energy Type if if Electricity/Fire is not your desire.

Suggested Spells
Wreath of Flames: This Persistable Spell deals 2d6/rnd to any opponent near by and also adds +2d6 to your melee attacks. Add Energy Admixture & a Ring of Mystic Fire for abusive numbers that'd replace a request for a Dragonfire Bard.

Fire Shield: And it's extended family Holy Fire Shield (1/2 holy), Radiant Shield (electricity), Cacophonic Shield (sonic, deafens), Sonic Shield (sonic, pushes away), and Spark Shield (electricity, deals a tad less but if they are wearing metal then a tad more). Again a Ring of Mystic X & Persist is the way to go. You can potentially stack them as well, Spark, Holy Fire, and Fire(cold) for 1/2 from three types of Energy and everyone hitting you dies. Like too many dice to roll so the DM just throws the statsheet into the garbage and says he's using ranged creatures from now on.

Charisma Optimization
Sure you have Int-to-damage but you know what hampers a Spell's damage more than your Int? Successful Reflex Saves.
* Wand of Righteous Aura: +4 Sacred to Cha.
* Runestaff with Devil's Ego: +4 Profane to Cha.
* Said Runestaff also has Nixie's Grace (or PrC Bard it): +8 enhancement to Cha.
* Ditto for Snowsong: +4 Moral to Cha *unpersistable*
* And talk to your DM about Horse Shoes of Flame. It's reasonable that with a successful UMD Check, consuming your Hand & Boot slots, you can activate the items for a +10 Bonus to Int and a +6 Bonus to Cha. Someone *cough* Ols *cough* ruled it in but it turned you into a horse in his game. Just use Alter Shape, or a Racially-granted Shapechange like I did, to reshape out. Where there is a will there is a way so long as it's not a no.

How you put the pieces together is of course up to you. Good luck.

[Eledan]

Thanks for all the help!

I'll have to ask the dm on the War Mage, it sounds pretty great though. The only problem is that since my int is my key stat my Cha is pretty poor.

Stormcaster looks great.

My problem with spelldancer as well as some of the others is the feat tax to get in. I am just really strapped to get all the feats I need to qualify and then all the ones I need to be good.

As I assume is normal for reserves of strength I'll have to confirm the DM is ok with the reading that it breaks open the cap. If so that is an awesome feat.

I currently have both those rings and a unique bracers that is a RoML, free(ish) maximize or energy admixture on electricity spells, and free untyped caster level thing.

Also, do you know does a RoM... add its damage each time to spell that last longer than instantaneous(Wreathe in flames etc as you suggested)?

Again, thanks for all the input.

[SorO_Lost]

Also, do you know does a RoM... add its damage each time to spell that last longer than instantaneous(Wreathe in flames etc as you suggested)?

I suppose some hateful DMs may tell it's a separate and strict "+4d6" addon. Not much you can do since they either made the decision in ignorance and won't listen to reason or thought about maintaining balance to the table and realized anything I say will lead you down the path of ubernuking.

What I will say is if you Fireball three targets the ring's total contribution is supposed to be +14d6. This is because the ring modifies the Spell's damage and both Fireball & Flamestrike rolled their damage once and apply to every creature within. So I mean the ring, under certain circumstances, is already intended to result in more than a flat static +4d6 gain. You are also allowed to stack effects in the most favorable order as a basic rule too.

What you may get nailed with is Admixture does used that horribly debatable word "normal". I could see it reasonably being handled as Fireball + RoMF + Admixture deals 24d6, where Admixture only adds Fireball's "normal" 10d6 value. I don't like it that way, but if you're discussing this with your DM it may help to remind you that the combination its self would have already been accepted and so you're just haggling damage at that point. There is lots of ways to increase that without needing Admixture. Like if 10d6 is "normal" than RoS'ing a higher CL still counts

[Captnq]

Hrrmm... Did you look at Blood line of fire?
-Player's guide to faerun
+2 CL to all fire spells you cast

Now, depending on how a DM views "spell lists" You could do a one level dip into Cloister Cleric, pick the fire domain feat, then buy the Initiate of Amaunator which lets you spontaneously cast any fire spell on your "spell list" Well, you now have the entire cleric spell list as part of YOUR spell list, so you should be able to spontaneously cast any clerical fire spell from your Warmage spell slots.

Of course any sane DM would say, "NO!" because that might be how it reads, but it's clearly not how it's intended. On the other hand, you are giving up a level of spell progression for a greater range of available spells, so I consider it actually balanced, considering the price.

Also, how does your DM view when a Metamagic feat is applied? Is it applied before it's cast, or as it's cast? If it's before, then get energy substitution (fire) and now every energy spell on the cleric list is now "fire". Like Leomund's Tiny Igloo (Fire version). You could spontaneously cast that with the IoA feat. If your DM thinks Metamagics are applied before casting and is willing to accept a rather slanted reading of the feat. Again, technically possibly maybe RAW... not RAI by ANY stretch of the imagination.

That said, you are a blaster mage. As a blaster, I'd have NO problem with you min/maxing to hell and gone. You've already limited your self with warmage. I'd let you get away with a whole pile of crap before I started getting on your case.

[SorO_Lost]

Now, depending on how a DM views "spell lists"

Hopefully he views them correctly in that you don't have one Spell List called "yours" but a Cleric Spell List and a Warmage Spell List.

Because cross-Casting effects don't exist in 3rd. As a matter of rules-fact you cannot sacrifice a Warmage Slot to cast Cure Light Wounds and the Initiates Feats say "This functions the same way as spontaneous cure spells do.".

You also have confirmed precedence that Feat benefits are also instanced based on how you choose to meet requirements in the FAQ specifically meant to prevent out-of-context abuse like that.

That said, you are a blaster mage. As a blaster, I'd have NO problem with you min/maxing to hell and gone. You've already limited your self with warmage. I'd let you get away with a whole pile of crap before I started getting on your case.

By extension does that mean if someone rolled a Commoner under you can they become Pun-Pun? *cough* I mean Blasting can be viable. Someone needs to do HP damage and it's also possible to stack CC effects onto them for a best of both worlds type deal.

[phaedrusxy]

it's also possible to stack CC effects onto them for a best of both worlds type deal.

I think this is the best way to go, for sure. Born of the Three Thunders and similar effects.

[Superbanki]

I played a High Level Warmage a few years ago, I had taken the Fell Drain feat (as my DM ruled that it occured EVERY time damage was dealt, so by 20th level every magic missile casting (of 5 missiles) drained the target of 5 levels.

(click to show/hide)

Fell Drain

( Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead, p. 27)

[Metamagic]

Living foes damaged by your spell also gain a negative level.
Prerequisite
Benefit
You can alter a spell that deals damage to foes so that any living creature that is dealt damage also gains a negative level. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as Hit Dice, it dies. Assuming the subject survives, the negative level disappears (without requiring a Fortitude save) after a number of hours equal to your caster level (maximum 15). A fell draining spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level.

[Captnq]

Fell drain should do that, but not to the same target.

Do 20 damage to one target, it is 1 level drained.
1 damage to 20 targets is 20 levels drained.

Now, in a case of damage over time, I think I would allow it to do damage on subsequent rounds. Like with lingering spell. But you could make a case for it either way.