Archmage spell-like ability, need ideas.

[Xarls Taunzund]

Just hit 19th level, and my 3rd level of Archmage, I've already taken Mastery of Elements and Mastery of Shaping and I've decided to take a spell-like ability. I'm looking at 9th level spells and am stuck between Meteor Swarm, Shapechange, or Timestop. Any thoughts?

 

[Magic Slim]

I'm not sure how it would work exactly, but Shapechange uses a focus of 1,500gp. The Spell-Like ability states: "and a spell with a costly material component instead costs her 10 times that amount in XP." Since it's a focus, you'd keep the focus? Pay 15,000XP once and never have to use the focus? Pay 15,000XP each time you cast the spell?

Time Stop doesn't have a costly material component, and is always handy to have around.

Meteor Swarm doesn't have a material component either.

Are those the only spells you're planning on making Spell-Like abilities? Losing a 9th-level slot is no small thing...

Slim

 

[Xarls Taunzund]

A focus is not a material component, and as there is no reference to foci, I am assuming they make no difference. And as for taking up a permanent 9th level slot, it's not really bad to be able to cast one 9th level spell twice per day, with a caster level equal to my total class level (which matters with Shapechange), and since I have 10 levels of Elemental Savant (air), I am down 1 caster level.

 

[jgsugden]

A quickened spell-like ability is not a quickened spell. You can therefor, by the written rule, use a quickened spell like ability and a quickened spell in the same round, both as free actions.

There are two ways to go about this idea:

1.) Have the archmage select a 1st to 5th level spell and apply the quicken spell feat to the selected spell as per the entry under archmage, or

2.) Select a spell of level 1 to 6 for the spell-like ability and then select the quicken spell-like ability feat from the MM to make it nasty.

I like the idea of having quickened d-doors available as spell-like abilities.

 

[LordAO]

I would pick Time Stop, personally. Having three of those every day can be nice. Fireball is also a good choice.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I suggest an Empowered Disintegrate. At 20th-level, that's 60d6 of disintegrating goodness.