need help with ideas on a prestige class

[Arcanus]

need help with ideas on a prestige class for Arcane Magic users.

What would you think about using a Sorcerer or Wizard prestige class that specialized in using RAY SPELLS?

Dragon Annual #5 had lots of Ray Spells that can be used, along with alot of spells by Monte Cook and he put a few in the Dragon issue dedicated to halflings and Return to Temple of Elemental Evil.

I would say that Weapon Focus and Spell Specialization in rays are a given. Along with Spell Casting Prodigy, Spell Focus And Greater Spell Focus. Would point Blank Shot work? Silent spell, Still Spell, ????????????????? Split Ray, with a better damage division on multiple enemies, say 75% damage done with 2nd ray?

Another idea to throw around would maybe be a ranged sneak attack option for this character with his rays. Maybe a greater weapon focus within a certain range category, say 30' feet?

I would also use Lightning Bolt and Arganazzers Scorcher (can't remember the name) as rays also.

Any more ideas???

 

[Terraism]

See - I promised!

Told you I'd post here!

Alright - I'm going to start with some research...

Spells Applicable to Ray Mages (Descriptor, Ray)
0th Level Spells

• Ray of Frost (Conj) [PH]

1st Level Spells

• Ray of Clumsiness (Trans) [DA5]
• Ray of Enfeeblement (Necro) [DA5]
• Ray of Flame (Evoc) [DA5]
• Ray of Light (Evoc) [DA5]
• Stun Ray (Conj) [DA5]
• Targeting Ray (Div) [DA5]

2nd Level Spells

• Distracting Ray (Abjur) [DA5]
• Ray of Dizziness (Ench) [DA5]
• Ray of Sickness (Necro) [DA5]
• Ray of Ice (Evoc) [DA5]
• Ray of Stupidity (Ench) [DA5]

3rd Level Spells

• Rust Ray (Trans) [DA5]
• Sting Ray (Ench) [DA5]
• Greater Disrupt Undead (Necro) [DA5]

4th Level Spells

• Enervation (Necro) [PH]
• Ray of Deanimation (Abjur) [DA5]
• Ray of Weakness (Necro) [DA5]

5th Level Spells

• Ray of Entropy (Necro) [DA5]

6th Level Spells

• Disintegrate (Trans) [PH]
• Otiluke's Freezing Sphere, Ray Version (Evoc) [PH]

7th Level Spells8th Level Spells9th Level Spells

• Energy Drain (Necro) [PH]

There is also Searing Light from the PH, but it's a cleric-only spell... Anyway - feats useful...

Feats Applicable to a Ray Mage (moreso than another mage)

• Weapon Focus: Ray
• Point Blank Shot
• Precise Shot

Alright - this post is getting to long and unwieldy to read... I'll post it and then do some more...

 

[Terraism]

Alright then - a continuation. So far, there are a grand total of - count 'em - 22 'ray' type spells - not a large number, and certainly hard to specialize... for an approximation, a 20th level sorcerer has 43 spells... meaning little more than half of his spells could be rays - however, he could never know all of the level 1 rays, and his 7th and 8th level spells couldn't be. Furthermore, the spells aren't well distributed - see as follows... Ah, ick. I've got to fix this, don't I?

Spell Level Number of Spells
0 1
1 6
2 5
3 3
4 3
5 1
6 2
7 0
8 0
9 1

Now, as far as schools, they could use some help there, as well - along school lines, they are as follows -

School Name Number of Spells
Abjuration 2
Conjuration 2
Divination 1
Enchantment 3
Evocation 4
Illusion 0
Necromancy 7
Transmutation 2

Please forgive the poor formating... my tables died. Gee, I can't wait for HTML to come back...

This just shows that rays are a bit on the weaker end of things - though it'd be possible to create someone who 'specializes' in the things, he'd probably be rather weak... unfortunately. I'll do some more digging and see what I can find.

 

[graydoom]

Such a pity HTML is disabled, isn't it?

Anyway, I think that the only way to make this class really would be to make more ray spells. Just make up a lot of new ray for every level. Or perhaps the ability to cast touch spells as ray spells. Unless new ray spells are created for use by this class, I think it would be far too limited to be of use.

 

[The Iron Mark]

I agree with draydoom.

 

[Arcanus]

Yes Graydoom is right and I like his ideas on the touch spells.

I think Tome and Blood has a necromantic ray also.

I hope more people can give us some more ideas along these lines and that Terriasm can repost whatever it was that his HTML messed up. But thanks Terraism for the research so far.

 

[Arcanus]

I think in the Magic of Faerun there are some 0 level spells that are also rays. Acid splash and Electric Jolt

 

[Arcanus]

What would you think of this class getting a "Floating" Spell Focus ability that effected all arcane schools if the spell was only a Ray Spell?

How about the ability to get to use a selected Ray Spell a few more times a day than you normally can cast?

Man I need help. I am leaning towards a ranged sneak attack, greater weapon focus in rays, point blank shot, spell specialization in rays, an enhanced spell penetration for rays, enhanced damage on 0th level cantrip ray spells from 1d3 to 1d4+1, the split ray feat that doesn't hamper damage to multiple targets as much, and dang it I should have kept notes because I can't remember any of the other stuff now.

 

[Vanuslux]

Originally posted by Arcanus
What would you think of this class getting a "Floating" Spell Focus ability that effected all arcane schools if the spell was only a Ray Spell?

That sounds reasonable and pretty cool to me.

How about the ability to get to use a selected Ray Spell a few more times a day than you normally can cast?

Perhaps bonus spell slots that have to be filled by ray spells?

Man I need help. I am leaning towards a ranged sneak attack, greater weapon focus in rays, point blank shot, spell specialization in rays, an enhanced spell penetration for rays, enhanced damage on 0th level cantrip ray spells from 1d3 to 1d4+1, the split ray feat that doesn't hamper damage to multiple targets as much, and dang it I should have kept notes because I can't remember any of the other stuff now.

Just my opinion, but I don't like the ranged sneak attack idea, the greater weapon focus seems reasonable depending on what else the Ray Specialist has going for it, point blank shot I don't like, enhanced spell penetration would be reasonable at higher level, enhanced cantrip damage is rather questionable, and I've always personally thought the idea of splitting ray spells is pretty lame. But these are my personal tastes, and may have no relevance whatsoever to what works for others.

 

[Psychotic Jim]

How about giving the PrC the ability to cast ray spells from other class lists, like the Searing Light spell Terriasm mentioned above? Or how about the ability to convert cone spells to ray spells, maybe lengthening their range in the process?


I still think that turining somebody into a person name Ray would be a good idea too <ducks the various projectiles thrown at him for the bad pun>