Boosting Spell DCs

[Storme]

Spell Enhancer (SC) (swift action cast!!! so it can be cast the same round as your followup spell)
Increases CL by 2, and DC by 1

Mystic Surge (PH2)
Increases CL by 1, and DC by 2

Bestow Curse and Crushing Despair are must have debuffs. Each can give -4 to saves. If you use both, that's -8!

Ray of....
All of these that debuff stats have NO SAVE. You just need to make a ranged touch attack. Ray of Entropy, Ray of Stupidity, Ray of Clumsiness (for those pesky high reflex saves), and my favorite, Touch of Idiocy (1d6 penalty to intelligence, wisdom and charisma). Most of these are around level 2, so I enjoy quickening or maximizing them!

Headband of Intelligence (to increase your spells and DC)
or Cloak of Charisma if you are a Sorcerer

Robe of the Archmagi adds +2 to your DC.

Lets say you are fighting some badguy with high saves (most monsters have good saves...only us PCs are hurting....). Shoot him with a quickened Ray of Clumsiness (1d6+1 per two CL (max of +5) dexterity damage no save), followed quickly by a Ray of Entropy (1d6 penalty to str, dex, con). Next round, cast spell enhancer (swift action), followed by a lightning bolt. The target should be getting around -6 or so on his saves, and your DC is increased by one. Better yet, if you quicken Mystic Surge, before casting your lightning bolt, you'll get +2 DC.

Still, I find the best way to get around saves is to use spells that don't allow any.

I'm in a campaign where most of our enemies are monks with cloaks of spell resistance 23, I've become fairly accustomed to what works and what doesn't. Generally, I just launch Touch of Idiocy and Ray of Stupidity. I find its easier and quicker to tear down someones intelligence to zero than it is to go through all their HPs. Like how we one shotted the 27 HD Bulette.


Storme

 

[mvincent]

Robe of the Archmagi adds +2 to your DC.

Nope

 

[Dross]

If allowed try:
Dragonsong (Draconomicon pg105) +2 on spoken word/songs performance checks. DC increases +2 for mind affecting affects eg Bardic Music.

 

[Rackhir]

Generally, I just launch Touch of Idiocy and Ray of Stupidity. I find its easier and quicker to tear down someones intelligence to zero than it is to go through all their HPs. Like how we one shotted the 27 HD Bulette.

Except that the spells don't do that.

"With a touch, you reduce the target’s mental faculties. Your successful melee touch attack applies a 1d6 penalty to the target’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. This penalty can’t reduce any of these scores below 1."

Almost all of these stat draining spells have a similar limitation, specifically to avoid stuff like what you were doing.

 

[shilsen]

Except that the spells don't do that.

"With a touch, you reduce the target’s mental faculties. Your successful melee touch attack applies a 1d6 penalty to the target’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. This penalty can’t reduce any of these scores below 1."

Almost all of these stat draining spells have a similar limitation, specifically to avoid stuff like what you were doing.

Actually, the combo he mentioned would do it. Ray of Stupidity doesn't have that restriction. Which, IMNSHO, is a huge mistake, since that means you can kill any animal and a lot of magical beasts with one casting of the spell.

 

[irdeggman]

Actually, the combo he mentioned would do it. Ray of Stupidity doesn't have that restriction. Which, IMNSHO, is a huge mistake, since that means you can kill any animal and a lot of magical beasts with one casting of the spell.

Except that dropping Int to 0 doesn't kill you all by its lonesome, a;though you are now helpless and subject to CDG.

• Intelligence 0 means that the character cannot think and is unconscious in a coma-like stupor, helpless.

And ability damage (like the spell does) comes back naturally a 1 point per day (double with complete bed rest).

Also since it is a ray it only affects 1 target per casting.

 

[UltimaGabe]

Except that dropping Int to 0 doesn't kill you all by its lonesome, a;though you are now helpless and subject to CDG.



And ability damage (like the spell does) comes back naturally a 1 point per day (double with complete bed rest).

But, honestly, if you drop an enemy to 0 Int during a battle, it's dead. Unless it's got a buddy who can (and will) heal it or take it to safety, it's dead. It'll be CDG'ed as soon as the battle ends. And if it's your only foe? That's a one-shot right there.

 

[shilsen]

Except that dropping Int to 0 doesn't kill you all by its lonesome, a;though you are now helpless and subject to CDG.

As UltimaGabe pointed out above, the enemies effectively dead if you drop Int to 0. That's what I meant.