Energy Damage to Objects

[Thaniel]

Is there any metamagic feat which allows energy-damage-dealing spells to have full effect on objects? I was making a Sorcerer/ElementalSavant specializing in Cold and then I realized that Cold deals 1/4 damage to objects BEFORE hardness

If there is no such metamagic feat in existence, what would you think the prereqs and spell level adjustment of such a critter would be?

 

[Scharlata]

Is there any metamagic feat which allows energy-damage-dealing spells to have full effect on objects? I was making a Sorcerer/ElementalSavant specializing in Cold and then I realized that Cold deals 1/4 damage to objects BEFORE hardness

If there is no such metamagic feat in existence, what would you think the prereqs and spell level adjustment of such a critter would be?

Hi!

Better stick to Energy Affinity (from MH, p. 25) Prereq: Kn (arcana) 5, ability to cast 1 spell with the fire and cold and electr. and acid descriptor; Choose one energy type and deal that energy with your energy spells instead of the normal energy type per the spell. BUT you can't choose SONIC! [There is a SUDDEN version of this feat in MH, p. 28.]

Or you go with Energy Substitution (from CA, p. 79) Prereq: Kn (arcana) 5, any metam. feat; Benefits as described above; BUT no SONIC, again! But then you can go further with Energy Admixture (from CA, p. 78) to deal double energy damage with a combination of two energy types at once. [Prereq: Energy Substitution]

Enjoy!

 

[Thaniel]

Didn't really answer the question there. The character already has Energy Substitution, and I'd go with Energy Admixture, but that's +2 spell level IIRC. That just seems to me too much just to do double damage. All I was looking for was a better way to damage objects with energy spells.

[Edit: Actually, it's +4 spell level. Even worse if this is all I want to do with it. Use a 4th-level spell slot to make a Ray of Frost that does 2d3 damage ]

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Is there any metamagic feat which allows energy-damage-dealing spells to have full effect on objects? I was making a Sorcerer/ElementalSavant specializing in Cold and then I realized that Cold deals 1/4 damage to objects BEFORE hardness

If there is no such metamagic feat in existence, what would you think the prereqs and spell level adjustment of such a critter would be?

Learn Shatter? I think you're going to have to work something out with your DM otherwise. Personally, I'd give it no prereqs and have it cost +0 levels, since it's such a limited feat, and the cost of spending a feat is probably good enough. Especially since it's metamagic, and so will cost you a full-round action to cast it.

 

[Thaniel]

Learn Shatter? I think you're going to have to work something out with your DM otherwise. Personally, I'd give it no prereqs and have it cost +0 levels, since it's such a limited feat, and the cost of spending a feat is probably good enough. Especially since it's metamagic, and so will cost you a full-round action to cast it.

I thought about that. I guess that's what I'll have to do.

 

[ken-ichi]

If I was your DM I would ask you what is your goal in wanting your cold spells to do full damage to objects.
If your answer does not raise any red flags with me, then I would offer the below feat.
Winter Weathering [Metamagic]
Your spells with the cold descriptors inflict the harsh weathering effects of the coldest winter and the power of freezing water. Your cold spells deal full damage to objects, but the hardness is still applied. This use of metamagic does not add to the spell's level, but using this feat does still make the spell a full-round action to cast.
Normal: Cold spells normally deal 1/4 damage to objects before hardness is applied.

Maybe I would raise this to +1 spell level if there becomes apparent a particularly useful benefit.
Perhaps the Frostburn book already has something similar in it?

 

[Thaniel]

I looked in Frostburn and was surprised that it had nothing like what I was going for. There is one feat that adds Caster Level to cold damage when the spell is cast in 40 degree or cooler weather (which I could make through another spell). But that was it.
I think I'm going to just go with Shatter, which has the [Sonic] subtype. Since we're playing with 3.0 here, Energy Substitution works on [Sonic] spells as well. While it won't change any of the features of the spell, I could change its subtype to [Cold] (for flavor purposes only) making it more of a Flash-Freezing effect (a la Terminator 2).

 

[Krelios]

Acid and Sonic both do full damage to objects, Sonic just ignores hardness too. If you picked Cold as your theme then you should be happy dealing lots of extra damage to fire creatures and realize that there are limitations to every choice, otherwise the choice would be a no-brainer.

The more you specialize, the bigger your weaknesses.

 

[Thaniel]

Acid and Sonic both do full damage to objects, Sonic just ignores hardness too. If you picked Cold as your theme then you should be happy dealing lots of extra damage to fire creatures and realize that there are limitations to every choice, otherwise the choice would be a no-brainer.

The more you specialize, the bigger your weaknesses.

I just guess I'm not sure why they crippled Cold. 1d6/lvl Fire spell is at 3rd level. 1d6/lvl Cold spell is at 5th. Fire does 1/2 damage to objects. Cold does 1/4 damage to objects. See where I'm going with this?

 

[Corsair]

Most cold spells offer fort saves, not reflex. No evasion.