A Couple Archmage Questions

[Falling Icicle]

1. Does the Arcane Fire ability deal fire damage or is the damage untyped?

2. Can an Archmage give up spell slots from specialization or does he have to give up ordinary spell slots?

 

[shilsen]

1. Untyped.

2. It's not fully clear, but I'd restrict it to ordinary spell slots, i.e. not bonus spell slots from specialization or high intelligence (as is the case with the example given in the text).

 

[akbearfoot]

Isn't the only restriction on using arcane fire that you expend an arcane spell? No book next to me.


Arcane fire is THE single worst archmage pick IMO.

A first level spell converts to 6d6 untyped damage for a ranged touch for avg 21 damage and you have to make a ranged touch and you can still miss incorporeal critters...vs magic missile at 5d4+5 avg 17 damage with no hit roll...and its effectively untyped since VERY few things resist force, and it hurts the few things that are incorporeal. This is assuming you're a 5th level archmage already (so at least 18th level!).

If it was a free ability, I can see this being cool, but you have to sac a spell slot to power it, and it costs you one of your archmage picks and a spell slot every time you use it.


If you want to be able to do small amounts of damage to single targets, then take one of the reserve feats and do more damage, all day long without using daily slots or permanent ones. WAY better option. Since the reserve feats are already considered by many people to be sub-par in general, you're DM shouldn't mind them.

 

[UltimaGabe]

Actually, the good thing about Arcane Fire (its only redeeming quality, IMO) is that it doesn't allow Spell Resistance. That, coupled with the fact that it's got Long Range (we're looking at around 1200 feet for a 20th-level Archmage), and the fact that you can use a 0-level spell to do 5d6 non-resistable damage, makes it useful in specific situations. However, considering you not only have to use up a spell slot to power it, but it ALSO costs a 9th-level spell slot AND a chosen class ability to get it, makes it not-so-good of a choice.

 

[Falling Icicle]

The nice thing about arcane fire is that it lets you convert spell slots you used to prepare utility spells into a damaging effect. And like Ultima poitned out, it is a Su ability so SR does not apply. It's a great golem killer.

 

[akbearfoot]

no SR is kinda cute I suppose...But the sacrifice required to gain it is way too high.

If your 5d6(or even 14d6) damage is making a serious impact on the combat at 18th level, then the melee people in your group are using cursed -5 nerf bats...and possibly maxed out improved combat expertise

I mean comeon. Trade a wish/timestop/quickened 5th level spell/temporal stasis/shapechange/meteorswarm/Chained Greater Dispel or whatever other nastyness you can come up with for 14d6 once with no SR? Thats crazy talk. OK, maybe not crazy, but certainly an sub-optimal choice.


BTW, sorry to kind of derail the OP's question. I've been in kind of a mood the last couple days.

I cannot for the life of me decide what to play for an Age of Wyrms campagn that's starting in a couple weeks! It's driving me bonkers!

 

[UltimaGabe]

I cannot for the life of me decide what to play for an Age of Wyrms campagn that's starting in a couple weeks! It's driving me bonkers!

It's Age of Worms, actually. (Important distinction, as there's just a few dragons in the campaign, and it all kinda revolves around these little green worms.) I love that campaign- I ran it for some friends of mine, and it was easily my favorite D&D campaign I've ever been a part of. I suggest you be some kind of a healer, because you'll need it.

Another funny note- when we started our first adventure of that campaign, one character was a Ranger, one was a Paladin, one was a Barbarian, and the other was a Hexblade. They pretty much ended up multiclassing into completely different things, but it was a bit strange that every member of the group started off as a fighter-class...