A rod of Empower Spell at high levels

[Elder-Basilisk]

So, what would you use a lesser rod of Empower Spell for at high levels?

Let's say you're a 17th level fighter/mage with a mediocre casting stat and no spellcasting feats other than Practiced Spellcaster and Quicken Spell.

You can obviously empower your daily false life. And, if you get into a battle, you can use a pearl of power to recover false life and cast it again--empowered again.

If you have a spell storing weapon, you can also use it for an Empowered Shocking Grasp or an Empowered Magic Missile. (You could do either of those without the spell storing weapon, but they're not exactly top shelf offensive spells at 17th level so you probably wouldn't.)

If you decide to cast scorching ray in combat, you could use the rod on that too--making it a bit more effective (average 63 points of damage instead of 42) vis a vis quickdrawing a longbow and making a hasted full attack 1d8+8 per shot will usually net something like 38 points of damage or so against most foes. (The only drawback is the need to drop the character's primary weapon in order to draw the rod and still have a free hand for casting).

You can also empower your mirror image spell to get more images--useful unless your foes have true seeing up.

And if you want 3rd or 4th shelf offensive magic out of a fifth shelf slot, you could empower a fireball or resonating bolt. (Not that it will be awe inspiring or even impressive at 17th level--by that point, it's not as good as a cone of cold or vitriolic sphere).

Are there any other spells that would work well with a lesser rod?

And do you think the spells it does work on are still worth the 9000gp price tag at 17th level?

 

[Thanee]

Ray of Enfeeblement

Bye
Thanee

 

[Shallown]

my 12th wizard uses his for enfeeble as well as Mirror image, and the third level blasting spells just to get that little extra out of his area affect spells. Most his area wompem spells are 3rd level.

I would probaly lean more toward an extend rod for 1-6th level then a lesser empower considering a 17th caster. Price is only 2K more (I think).

If you wanted t o keep under that price you could always go for several energy sub rods (lesser) at 2,700 (I think) and enjoy the flexibility you get with them to blast with most types of energy.

Later

 

[kjenks]

Target an Empowered Dispel Magic at an opponent's magic item. Empower Spell has no effect on the caster level check (per the PH description that's missing from the SRD), but it does increase the 1d4 rounds that a magic item is suppressed, making this tactic worthwhile much more of the time (unless you roll a 1 on your 1d4, in which case the Empower does nothing).

Empowered Scorching Rays are still pretty decent, but might not be worth your time.

If you have a familiar and the spell Imbue Familiar with Spell Ability (Complete Arcane), and if your familiar is strong enough to wield your Rod, you might find more uses for your familiar's low-level spells.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Well, at the moment, my character doesn't have access to buy most of the alternatives you're suggesting. He could buy an item which negates on critical hit/week (less valuable since my char wears moderate fortification mithral chain shirt), a pearl of power I, II, or III, a lesser (but not normal) rod of extend spell (though he already has two), a lesser ring of spell storing, or possibly upgrade his armor to heavy fortification or add flaming to one of his weapons (masterwork bow, +1 silver light flail, +1 holy adamantine guisarme of wounding, +1 ghost touch undead bane longsword). And, since he's sitting on about 30,000gp right now, he could do any of them. (Or pay to upgrade his amulet of health, belt of giant strength, or gloves of dexterity from +4 to +6).

But with the amount of money he has on hand, my character could probably buy the rod and STILL do pretty much any one of his other options. So, opportunity cost is not a huge concern at the moment; what is the concern is whether the lesser rod of empower would still be objectively useful enough to justify the price. Based on the answers so far, I think I'd mostly use it for ray of enfeeblement (which I only cast non-quickened in fights that don't seem to be that serious), and false life since I rarely have time to cast mirror image (and if I do, it probably doesn't matter how many images I have because we're going to stomp our enemies into a thin red paste in 1-2 rounds if we prep).

 

[Thanee]

I like the ray against tougher opponents, who are troublesome for the fighters.

AFAIK, you can empower it with the rod and quicken it with the feat, so that would not hinder the normal casting routine, unless, of course, it already includes quickened spells.

Bye
Thanee

 

[Hypersmurf]

AFAIK, you can empower it with the rod and quicken it with the feat...

Well... for purposes of the Rod's 1-3 limitation, does a Quickened Ray of Enfeeblement count as a 1st level spell or a 5th level spell?

It's 5th for purposes of crafting a wand, storing in a ring, or pretty much any other item-limitation-related purpose.

Can a Rod of Lesser Quicken be used to Quicken a Maximized, Cold-Admixed Fireball?

-Hyp.

 

[Kilroy]

Lham's Finger Darts [BoVD]

5d4*1.5 ranged dex damage, no save, no hit roll, isn't too bad.

Then Lesser Restoration for the cleric to fix you up.

 

[Kilroy]

Well... for purposes of the Rod's 1-3 limitation, does a Quickened Ray of Enfeeblement count as a 1st level spell or a 5th level spell?

It's 5th for purposes of crafting a wand, storing in a ring, or pretty much any other item-limitation-related purpose.

Can a Rod of Lesser Quicken be used to Quicken a Maximized, Cold-Admixed Fireball?

-Hyp.

The items all deal with spell slot level, not spell level.

Rods specifically refer to spell level, not the slot they take up.

It's still a 1st level spell for Spell Turning, Globe of Invulnerability, and haha-I'm-a-Rakshasa, right?

 

[Thanee]

Can a Rod of Lesser Quicken be used to Quicken a Maximized, Cold-Admixed Fireball?

I think so, yes. It's a 3rd level spell.

Item creation is different for obvious reasons. It's not the spell level, but the total spell effect, which the price is based upon. Spellstoring items specifically mention the higher spell level (at least the ring).

Bye
Thanee