Arcane Thesis

Question · Aug 30, 2006

You cant use arcane thesis to reduce a spell to a level lower than its original(so you cant cast level 0 magic missles)

RangerWickett · Aug 30, 2006

Hypersmurf said:
Why? You've got a 4th level slot for an Empowered Maximized Magic Missile, averaging 34.25...

-Hyp.

Yes, but the 4th level slots are for still dispel magics or still silent quickened magic missiles.

RangerWickett · Nov 3, 2007

Or perhaps (now that we've leveled), this work-in-progress:

Edgar "Stogie" Malone
Dwarf conjurer 10

Str 8
Dex 10
Con 18
Int 20
Wis 8
Cha 6
HP 67

tentative
Flaws - Murky-Eyed (roll miss chances twice) and Shaky (-2 to ranged attacks).
Special Abilities - Abrupt Jaunt (PHB 2, 4/day)

Feats: Arcane Thesis (magic missile), Armor Proficiency (light), Empower Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Still Spell.

Skills - Concentration +17, Decipher Script +17, Knowledge (arcana) +17, Spellcraft +19, two others.

Equipment - (should be 49,000 total) +2 full plate (5650), +2 heavy shield (4157), ring of deflection +1 (2000), amulet of natural armor +1 (2000), ioun stone of +1 insight to AC (5000), cloak of resistance +1 (1000), incidentals.

AC: (+10 armor, +4 shield, +1 deflection, +1 natural, +1 insight, +1 size, +1 Dex). Not bad for a mage.

Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +6

Spells per day:

Drowbane · Nov 4, 2007

I've contemplated a similiar Magic Missile specialist since Dragon gave us the Force Missile Mage. 5 lvls of PrC gives the build two additional missiles per casting (7d4+7, not bad), and some tricks for dealing with Shield (or just straight up bypassing it

).

Also, I think Wu Jen might be worth using here. Spell Secrets to cover your Silent and Still for MM.

For the record, I think Arcane Thesis is a good feat as just +2 CL and -1 to spell level if any number of Meta-feats are applied. At -1 per Meta-feat is crazy-nuts-broken.

edit: in fact my Planescape character might be picking up an Insectile Spell-Weaver Force Missle Mage as his cohort... (did he just cast magic missile 10 times?!)

Nifft · Nov 4, 2007

If you're using Arcane Thesis with magic missile, you're not trying hard enough.

Cheers, -- N

Drowbane · Nov 4, 2007

heh, true that.

RangerWickett · Nov 4, 2007

Nifft said:
If you're using Arcane Thesis with magic missile, you're not trying hard enough.

Cheers, -- N

Do enlighten me.

Also, what Dragon is force missile mage in?

I figured I would end up being a gold dwarf stalwart metamagic sorcerer in full plate and a heavy shield with still spell, empower spell, twin spell, arcane thesis, and the tactical feat Residual Magic. Maybe I should take quicken spell too, just because.

At 10th level I've got 88 hp, AC 29, and can cast a ridiculous number of magic missiles. In weak encounters I just alternate between using still magic missiles and using a wand of magic missiles (which still gets cast at caster level 12). In the big combats, round one I cast a twinned empowered still magic missile (5th level slot), then the next round I use a 2nd level slot to cast the same spell. I think that's fun.

But if you can make it more broken, I'm all ears. :-D

Nifft · Nov 4, 2007

RangerWickett said:
Do enlighten me.

Clue 1: Energy Substitution.
Clue 2: Empower.
Clue 3: Energy Admixture.

Buy the best Rod of Metamagic (quicken) you can afford.

That should be all you need.

Cheers, -- N