Best 6th-level wizard spells?

[Jeff Wilder]

My necrotheurge just hit 14th level, which means he finally has access to 6th-level spells.

What are some of the best 6th-level spells? Some guidelines:

(1) Pretty much any WotC product is okay. Please mention the source.

(2) If you recommend a spell that may be broken, it'd be great if you mention that. I'm not interested in destroying the game with a broken spell.

(3) Spells that clerics can cast at the same (or lower) level are great to mention, but he'd be preparing them as a cleric. His domains are Death, Magic, and Knowledge.

(4) At least one of the spells he learns must be in the Necromancy school.

(5) Prohibited schools are Enchantment and Illusion (though he can cast those spells if they're on the cleric list).

 

[Al'Kelhar]

Sorry Jeff, not an answer, but a similar plea from myself. My Diviner's now 12th level and is stuck with the usual Disintegrate and Flesh to Stone (as well as two divinations). I've looked through a heap of WotC products containing spells and really can't find any 6th-level spells which I'd be inclined to take. There's Arrow of Bone from Complete Arcane, but that's just a Finger of Death for arcane spellcasters, and is another Fortitude save spell. Freezing Claw and Prismatic Orb, from Magic of Faerun/Player's Guide to Faerun (can't remember) appear a little on the weak side, and from recollection the game mechanics are not as clearly spelled out as they could (should) be). And what's the deal with Chain Lightning; how weak can a 6th-level spell be? Where are all the flashy 6th-level Evocations?

Cheers, Al'kelhar

 

[Campbell]

What are your respective barred schools?

 

[Jeff Wilder]

What are your respective barred schools?

Good question. I'll edit the original post.

 

[Shin Okada]

At that level, Disintegrate is a kind of "must have". In many modules you are required to deal with something only Disintegrate can break (like Wall of Force).

For the necromancy spell, I'll go for Revive Undead spell (from Libris Mortis). You should have a lot of undead minions.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

For the necromancy spell, I'll go for Revive Undead spell (from Libris Mortis). You should have a lot of undead minions.

Surprisingly, not many. While my character's caster level is 14th (due to a combination of feats and template), he's only a 3rd level cleric, so his ability to command undead isn't very powerful. Spells like create greater undead bring the undead into being uncontrolled, remember.

 

[Feanor Starym]

Do you have teh 2nd level spell Command Undead from FR ? I think it's in the PGtF

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

It all depends on what you want to do. (And what feats you have).

Fires of Purity is a great 6th level buff spell. (Complete Divine--it's like a hot fire shield that you can cast on someone else and that adds damage to their attacks as well).

Arrow of Bone (Complete Arcane) is pretty seriously broken. (It's not so bad for a wizard to shoot himself, but the trick is to make several and give them to an archer--one rapid shot or manyshot later, you get a dead opponent).

Acid fog is a great battlefield control spell (though not as good as the 5th level Freezing Fog in Complete Arcane).

Antimagic shell has a lot of utility and is useful in a variety of situations (surrounded by incorporeal undead, anti-magic shell. Fighting a physically weak foe with strong magical powers? anti-magic shell. Beholders? Antimagic shell (and fire arrows). Etc.)

Contingency is every wizard's best friend. If you can cast 6th level spells, you should have one. Ordinarily, I'd recommend something like a contingent resist energy or a contingent displacement, but since you have cleric levels, a contingent freedom of movement or death ward would be quite handy. Contingent fire shield is another good option.

Analyze dweomer is a great way to bypass thorny or complex problems (like a strange magical puzzle) and to discover the hidden powers of items.

Lastly, you shouldn't underestimate Tenser's Transformation. It's noticably more powerful than divine power and enables you to transcend a lot of the limitations of a multiclassed spellcaster if the need should ever arise. (Divine Power is more flexible though, so you might want to use that instead).

For metamagic, there are a lot of spells to consider:
Quickened: glitterdust, scorching ray, web, touch of idiocy, whirling blade (but only if you cast divine power, etc first for your character).

Empowered: blast of flame (Complete Arcane), fire orb (Complete Arcane), force orb (Complete Arcane), and all the other orbs.

Maximized: fireball, lightning bolt, etc.

Sculpted (Complete Arcane feat): Vitriolic Sphere (Complete Arcane), Cone of Cold

 

[Bront]

Lastly, you shouldn't underestimate Tenser's Transformation. It's noticably more powerful than divine power and enables you to transcend a lot of the limitations of a multiclassed spellcaster if the need should ever arise. (Divine Power is more flexible though, so you might want to use that instead).

I'll second this. I had a Mage Blade (AU converted to 3.5 D&D) who used a scroll of it to great effect. Ended up with an extra attack with a normal full attack, and of course, you get all sorts of other goodies out of it too. Just make sure it's the last spell you need to cast that combat, because you won't be casting anything more.

 

[Shin Okada]

Surprisingly, not many. While my character's caster level is 14th (due to a combination of feats and template), he's only a 3rd level cleric, so his ability to command undead isn't very powerful. Spells like create greater undead bring the undead into being uncontrolled, remember.

I see. But when your, say, 56 hd Very Old Black Dragon Zombie is broken in combat, it is much easier and cheaper to revive it than to find another almost intact dead body or skeleton of similarly powerful creature. It will lose 1HD. But still worth doing.