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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Endarire" data-source="post: 6744315" data-attributes="member: 11592">Originally posted by Endarire on December 19, 2008:Endarire's Incantatrix Handbook: Being a GOD Among GodsIntroFirst, this is not a handbook specifically about wizards or sorcerers. Treantmonk made a <a href="http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=956548" target="_blank">useful wizard handbook</a>. Instead, this is a guide to squeezing every atom out of the Incantatrix PrC from page 61 of Player's Guide to Faerun.Regarding Incantatrix abilities, Metamagic Effect seemed like it was made for Persistent Spell. Having checked certain things, I realized more of its potential.So many people see Improved Metamagic at level 10 and think, "Whee!" when Metamagic Effect, available at level 3, is typically at least as powerful. Cooperative Metamagic is also handy but requires an allied caster and more coordination.Version History1.0: The thread <a href="http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1126608" target="_blank">Incantrix Info and wisdom!</a> inspired me to make this handbook. (12 19 8)Optimization: GOD, Meet Incantatrix. Incantatrix, meet GOD.1: Be a specialist wizard. Don't be a focused specialist. Losing 3 schools is painful enough. Becoming an Incantatrix1 requires you drop a school, which will be Illusion if its your fourth dropped. (I typically ban Enchantment, Necromancy, and Evocation in that order.)As a specialist wizard, Conjuration and Transmutation are obvious choices. (I prefer Conjuration.)Most sorcerers will be a level behind wizards and use CHA instead of INT. Sorcerers still get significant benefits from being an Incantatrix, but fewer than wizards. This takes me to my next point:2: Max your INT and Spellcraft. Metamagic Effect, my favorite reason to be an Incantatrix, requires a super high Spellcraft check to reliably work. Remember, you can take 10 on Spellcraft when not threatened out of combat, and your allies, if they have at least half a Spellcraft rank, can aid you! Buy items that boost Spellcraft such as a Masterwork Tool, giving +2 Spellcraft for 50G.3: Wondrous locations are your friends. Get an Otyugh Hole if you can. It's worth 3000G and grants you Iron Will as a feat. You must have at least 3HD. (See Complete Scoundrel 151 for full details.)A Metamagic Storm (Complete Mage 151) requires you have a metamagic feat- and you will- and grants you another metamagic feat for 1 year, and you can use the storm to get a metamagic feat after this year is up. This is worth 5000G.Rainbow Falls (Complete Mage 152) requires the ability to cast at least 3 level 2+ transmutation spells and is worth 2000G. In return, your non-instantaneous Transmutation spells have their durations tripled to a max of 24 hours. This ability lasts 1 year and resets after 1 year.4: Take the best metamagic feats available. With an Incantatrix, there are 3 types of useful metamagic feats.-Ones useful with Metamagic Effect. You can apply these feats after a spell is cast, so long as the spell is in effect. (Instantaneous spells never qualify.) Buffs, debuffs, and some utility spells are best for this category.CHAIN (Complete Arcane 76) can affect more targets than usual. Annoyed that you could only catch 5 foes with slow or scare last round? If the primary target fled and the unaffected foes ran near him to cover, CHAIN that sucker and watch 'em suffer!<a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#extendSpell" target="_blank">EXTEND</a> and PERSISTENT (Complete Arcane 81) can affect some battlefield control spells like <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/grease.htm" target="_blank">grease</a> or <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fogcloud.htm" target="_blank">fog cloud</a><a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fogcloud.htm" target="_blank">http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fogcloud.htm</a>, buffs like <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shield.htm" target="_blank">shield</a>, <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/protectionfromevil.htm" target="_blank">protection from evil</a>, or <a href="http://[url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/haste.htm" target="_blank">haste</a>, debuffs like <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/slow.htm" target="_blank">slow</a> or ray of clumsiness (Spell Compendium 166), and even some utility spells like <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/ropetrick.htm" target="_blank">rope trick</a> or <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/summonmonsterI.htm" target="_blank">summon monster</a>.<a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#empowerSpell" target="_blank">EMPOWER</a>, FELL DRAIN (Libris Mortis 27), FELL ANIMATE (Libris Mortis 27), and <a href="http://[url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#maximizeSpell" target="_blank">MAXIMIZE</a> affect anything that deals HP or ability damage. There's a small number of spells like acid fog which benefit from Metamagic Effect since most damaging spells are instantaneous. Applying FELL DRAIN to an <a href="http://[url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#extendSpell" target="_blank">EXTENDED</a><a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/iceStorm.htm" target="_blank">ice storm</a> guarantees a level drain!<a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#heigthenSpell" target="_blank">HEIGHTEN</a> is for the area spells with saves. Are people not slipping on your <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/grease.htm" target="_blank">grease</a>? HEIGHTEN it up to 8 levels!REPEAT (Complete Arcane 82) is surprisingly useful as a 'Mimic' command. You cast summon monster last round but realize more summons would be spiffy. Your foes are still boxed in after you cast that area spell? REPEAT!SCULPT (Complete Arcane 83) is excellent for battlefield control spells. Suddenly, a 10'x10' <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/grease.htm" target="_blank">grease</a> patch becomes four 10' cubes! Cloud spells can exclude allies.-Ones useful at cast time. Improved Metamagic from Incantatrix10, Metamagic School Focus (Complete Mage 45) works wonders on these. These spells are typically instantaneous. You must apply these feats in the appropriate level slots for them to be worthwhile! <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#empowerSpell" target="_blank">EMPOWER</a>, FELL DRAIN (Libris Mortis 27), FELL ANIMATE (Libris Mortis 27), and <a href="http://[url=http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#maximizeSpell" target="_blank">MAXIMIZE</a> affect anything that deals HP or ability damage. You're probably using Arcane Thesis, Metamagic School Focus, or similar abilities, and <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/enervation.htm" target="_blank">enervation</a> is often a lovely choice.<a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#quickenSpell" target="_blank">QUICKEN</a> is a standby from core. Sure, you turn a standard action spell into a swift action, but you need to greatly reduce the slot cost for it to be viable.SPLIT RAY (Complete Arcane 83) is obvious for rays. I'm looking at you, <a href="http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/enervation.htm" target="_blank">enervation</a>!TWIN (Complete Arcane 84) is only useful in niche builds. Like QUICKEN, you must greatly reduce the slot cost for it to be viable.-Ones useful with Cooperative Metamagic. You must ready an action to augment an ally's spell and spend a standard action to do so. These spells are typically instantaneous. Most the above feats work with Cooperative Metamagic, but these deserve special mention.REACH (Complete Divine 84) turns touch spells into 30' range spells for legal CHANING and PERSISTING.Originally posted by jaronk:You know, you should really be suggesting Item Familiars if you want to pump that Spellcraft into the stratosphere. It effectively doubles your ranks, plus you get invested spell slots and all sorts of other goodies. Well worth it if allowed.Echoing Spell is also a great one to throw in there, though admittedly it's better on Shadowcraft Mages... but then again, SCM and Incantrix go together like ice cream and apple pie.JaronKOriginally posted by elpola123:I can Just say: ThanxIm going to read and research the Feats and give some opinions and questions.One thing i find hard to do is to be a specialist>incantrix (3 schoold baned) Could be Diviner a good choice just to give up 2 schools instead of 3? Divination spell are few... but very usefull if used correctly(they can give you all we want before a regular day of duty... INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOES... so we can prepare the rigth spell for them. For example, Unluck (SpC Page 227) a lvl 3 spell that makes the target reroll each round/lvl attacks, damage, savings and use the worst, great spell for throwing to the worst foe in the field after some debuff that makes his will save lower.Im going home now, and study the PrC and write some build to see the differences and the some commentsP.D: Thanx again! <img src="http://community.wizards.com/sites/all/modules/custom/forest_site/smileys/wizards/rolleyes.gif" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /> <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />Originally posted by Senevri:I like diviners very much... for basic specialization, it's a very good choice. I'm not sure I'd want to be Focused on it, though.Originally posted by reis:if your dm will allow you to get a +competence bonus item to spellcraft checks vis a vis the rules in the SRD for custom items, this gets crazy pretty fastOriginally posted by Endarire:I enjoy the idea of Divination more than the use. Many DMs greatly dislike giving up their secrets so easily. Conjuration and Transmutation are useful in general.Originally posted by reis:don't shortchange abjuration either, a well built abjurer is a force to be reckoned withOriginally posted by handofdust:In order to increase your spellcraft check, you could first get the ACF Spontaneous Divination(Complete Champion p.52) and the use it to cast Divine Insight(SC),Originally posted by masterjoda999:Unless of course your DM uses the Complete Champion Errata restriction Spontaneous Divination to spells you know.Originally posted by Treantmonklvl20:Conjuration and Transmutation are generally agreed as the most versatile schools of magic.The problem with Divination is that the spells are largely redundant. Picking a divination spell to put on your memorization list for every level of spell that all do significantly different and useful things isn't easy. Therefore, I never recommend a divination specialist.Any other school is decent for regular specialization - and have decent choices at every level. Endarire:My recommendations for your handbook would be:1) You've explained how good Metamagic effect is - but the average wizard who maxes out Spellcraft and takes the Masterwork tool for a plus 2 is going to have difficulty. You need a list of recommendations to get that spellcraft roll very high (Item focus, Spellscales with meditation etc.)2) Remind everyone of all the abilities of Incantatrix - which are great, good, OK, and so-so. How to squeeze the most out of each ability.3) Spell Selection: Other than the couple spells you mention under your metamagic section - which spells do they want. How would a memorization list look for your incantatrix? Etc.4) Other tidbits - if this is a Handbook - someone should be able to use this who has never played an Incantatrix - follow your steps, and make a well optimized one (Race selection, Other PrC's which synergize or what NOT to take (ahem - Red Wizard...), Stat selection, Feat selection (Do you want anything beyond metamagic? Maybe not...let us know), Magic items that work well, skills other than spellcraft you may want, etc. You've explained that the Incantatrix is a good choice - but we need step by step instructions how to make one.My first handbook was for the PrC the Malconvoker. It may give some hints over type of things to look at putting in: <a href="http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=13677754" target="_blank">http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?p=13677754</a>Looks like a good start though.Originally posted by arcane-surge:Something I noticed, I don't think you can extend Ray of Stupidity. In fact, if you're an Incantatrix and you banned Enchantment, I'm not even sure how you're casting it. There are a few ways, but none were mentioned, so I'm confused. Ray of Enfeeblement or Clumsiness would work just fine, though.</blockquote>

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