Help me pick my sorcerer/archmage's 18th level feat/spell

[Thanee]

I've recently come to appreciate Arcane Fire very much, despite the steep cost. It's a great fallback for when you are out of options to hurt a beastie because of high SR or good saves (like dragons). Sometimes it's just more effective against some creatures just because of their defensive abilities (like Improved Evasion).

Orb of Force (in 3.5) does about the same without the steep cost.

Also, you could take Extend Spell, and take Spell-Like Ability: Extended Energy Immunity. You would be immune to 4 forms of energy all day, every day.

As a Sorcerer, picking up the spell is almost enough. Pretty good spell, tho.

Lastly, I'm surprised to see you haven't picked up Mastery of Elements. With Mastery of Shaping, it is one of the must-haves.

But you did look at the spell list, yes?

Bye
Thanee

 

[the Jester]

Prismatic sphere, shape change and wish are your best 9th level choices as a sorcerer, imho- they're very versatile.

For a feat, if you take prismatic sphere you really might as well take Mobile Spellcasting. Otherwise, I'm going to point at Heighten Spell.

 

[calypso15]

I've recently come to appreciate Arcane Fire very much, despite the steep cost. It's a great fallback for when you are out of options to hurt a beastie because of high SR or good saves (like dragons). Sometimes it's just more effective against some creatures just because of their defensive abilities (like Improved Evasion).

Yep, that's why I think it's pretty good. Of course, I'll have to look into Orb of Force. I might be able to duplicate it with Shadow Evocation.

Also, you could take Extend Spell, and take Spell-Like Ability: Extended Energy Immunity. You would be immune to 4 forms of energy all day, every day.

I have a rechargeable staff with energy immunity in it, so that's alright.

Lastly, I'm surprised to see you haven't picked up Mastery of Elements. With Mastery of Shaping, it is one of the must-haves. You can then nail any creature, regardless of their energy resistances or immunities (rank up your Knowledge (Arcana/Dungeoneering/Nature/The Planes)).

I can emulate most any element type I need, courtesy of Shadow Evocation/Conjuration. That, and I rarely need elemental magic. I have enervation and doomwail, everything else is just frivolous

Calypso

 

[Thanee]

Of course, I'll have to look into Orb of Force. I might be able to duplicate it with Shadow Evocation.

Not sure, if it even exists in 3.0, and I'm not sure, whether the orb spells were Conjuration with no save/no SR (as they are now) in 3.0 already. Not that this would be a problem, as you have Shadow Conjuration as well.

Bye
Thanee

 

[calypso15]

Excuse my ineptitude, but I'm still having trouble seeing the big benefit of Heighten Spell. When would I use it? For instance, if I heightened a Finger of Death to 9 (of which I can only cast 3 per day, btw), that would only increase the DC by 2. I mean, it has some ancillary benefits, such as burning out someone's Spell Turning sooner, but why else do so many people agree it's worth having.

Note: I'm not saying I don't think it is... I've just never given it much thought, as I assumed it was mostly worthless.

Calypso

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Think about it like this.

As a sorceror, your biggest limit is on spells known by level. No matter how hard you try, you'll never get another 6th-level spell, for instance.

However, let's say you've got a pretty good 3rd-level Fear-causing spell.

Now, if you want to be able to toss around Fear effects, and still have their saving throws be meaningful, you have two choices:

1. Learn a new 6th-level spell
2. Take your effective, 3rd-level spell, and make it a 6th-level spell

Heighten Spell let's you do option 2. Option 1 also works, but then you're spending your most limited resource on something you can sorta do anyway.

The other issue is that, if you run out of 3rd-level slots, you can use your 4th-level slots to still cast Fireball. This is a major benefit to spontaneous casters. Apart from the flexibility, however, there's no real benefit to doing so; Fireball is still a 3rd-level spell as far as anything important matters. This is something you will probably end up doing, however.

With Heighten, though, you spend a little bit extra time (a full-round, rather than standard, action), you spend the higher-level slot that you were going to spend anyway, *and* you get some measureable benefit out it: higher save DCs, penetrates lesser globes of invulnerability, etc.

 

[calypso15]

Alright, I trust the collective opinion of ENWorld implicitly, so I'm taking it on faith When it turns out to be a good choice, I'll come back and let you know so you can all say "toldya so!" Thanks guys.

Calypso

 

[Thanee]

Excuse my ineptitude, but I'm still having trouble seeing the big benefit of Heighten Spell. When would I use it?

All the time.

For instance, if I heightened a Finger of Death to 9 (of which I can only cast 3 per day, btw), that would only increase the DC by 2. I mean, it has some ancillary benefits, such as burning out someone's Spell Turning sooner, but why else do so many people agree it's worth having.

Note: I'm not saying I don't think it is... I've just never given it much thought, as I assumed it was mostly worthless.

What Patryn said. Heighten Spell increases (heightens? ) your options!

Got Grease, or Glitterdust, or Slow? Heighten them (just some decent examples) and you have a perfectly viable high-level spell, as opposed to a spell you will never use, since everyone makes the easy save!

Shadow Conjuration/Evocation is cool with Heighten, since the save is often very important.

Finger of Death with a +10% higher chance of success? Sounds good to me!

Hold Monster with up to +20% higher chance of success!

Command Undead suddenly turns from a spell, which only works against mindless undead, into a decent weapon against higher level undead.

And so on.

Sure, you can't just throw around your 9th level slots like crazy, but you can almost always afford some increase, and a large increase for the lower level spells.

Bye
Thanee

 

[EvilGM]

Wail of the Banshee with SF/GSF, SP2/3, and Mastery of Shaping is devastating. Learn it, use it, love it. Get to epic levels and use Widen Spell with it - yum.

I've tried Heighten Spell and can't say I care for it much. Personally, I'd take Improved Initiative (going first is always nice, especially when all it takes is one turn to kill things - including you) or Spell Penetration (getting closer and into epic levels you WILL meet things you have trouble landing spells on).

3.0 Wall of Force is crazy good. Get it!

Arcane Fire would give you a consistent blasting option.

 

[Thanee]

I've tried Heighten Spell and can't say I care for it much.

Did you try it with a sorcerer (for a wizard the feat is pretty much completely useless ) and with a spell list, which features some low-mid level spells, which have a negating save, but a great effect, if the save fails (like the above examples)?

Bye
Thanee