Archmage ability: Arcane Fire

[Grant_Stoom]

Does this ability allow spell resistance?

From the SRD:

Arcane Fire (Su): The archmage gains the ability to change arcane spell energy into arcane fire, manifesting it as a bolt of raw magical energy. The bolt is a ranged touch attack with long range (400 feet + 40 feet/level of archmage) that deals 1d6 points of damage per class level of the archmage plus 1d6 points of damage per level of the spell used to create the effect. This ability costs one 9th-level spell slot.

 

[hong]

As arcane fire is a supernatural ability, spell resistance does not apply.

 

[Grant_Stoom]

As arcane fire is a supernatural ability, spell resistance does not apply.

Sweet!

Yup - I found this in the SRD after I read your post, Hong.

Supernatural Abilities (Su): Supernatural abilities are magical but not spell-like. Supernatural abilities are not subject to spell resistance and do not function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated (such as an antimagic field). A supernatural ability’s effect cannot be dispelled and is not subject to counterspells. See the table below for a summary of the types of special abilities.

And it doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity either!

 

[pawsplay]

And it's non-elemental. At last, an attack for the Wizard who has everything.

 

[Telperion]

And it's non-elemental. At last, an attack for the Wizard who has everything.

I wonder if it's a force effect? It sounds, looks and smells like force, so could it be?

Anyway, I won't have to worry about these high-level blasters for about a year or so...I'll make it my personal headache then...

 

[Hypersmurf]

I wonder if it's a force effect? It sounds, looks and smells like force, so could it be?

Go find a horde of Spectres and try blasting them. If they burn, it's a Force effect. If they eat your soul and condemn you to an endless unliving hell in service of dark masters, it isn't.

-Hyp.

 

[pawsplay]

No, it's not a force effect. It's pure arcane energy.

 

[andargor]

I thought I would revive this thread, as I have a question.

Does the archmage use his total level or only levels in the Archmage class to determine range and damage? E.g. a Wiz15/Archmage1 that uses a 1st level slot deals 17d6 of damage or 2d6 of damage with Arcane Fire? And is the range 440 feet or 1080 feet?

And what would be the ranged touch attack modifier for hitting something that far? What's the range increment (if any)?

Isn't the price steep for this ability (9th level slot) if it is only Archmage levels that count?

Andargor

 

[Hypersmurf]

Does the archmage use his total level or only levels in the Archmage class to determine range and damage?

It specifies "class level", not "caster level". Archmage only.

And what would be the ranged touch attack modifier for hitting something that far? What's the range increment (if any)?

There's no range increment - so no penalty out to the maximum range.

Isn't the price steep for this ability (9th level slot) if it is only Archmage levels that count?

That's for the individual archmage to decide...

-Hyp.

 

[andargor]

That's what I thought. Thanks.

So, the non epic wizard/archmage can throw 14d6 bolts around, max. Definitively expensive in my book, if it costs a 9th level slot.

On the other hand, she can do it as long as she has slots available, albeit with lesser damage. Hmmm.

It would seem a more fitting ability with Sorcerers. But with the prerequisites and all...

Andargor