High level caster questions!

[badash56]

Hello again,

In my regular session I play a very high level caster (lvl 50). I'm looking for some new spells that I might not be using that I should be. I like using spells like Horrid Wilting, Imprisonment, and Wail of the Banshee. My character is mostly built around high DC's and instant death spells. Alot of the things we have been fighting now have very high save thorws, or are immune to alot of these spell effects. Are there some spell combos that are really effective that I should be using? I am able to cast epic level spells, but I don't have the book so I usually just end up applying meta magic feats to lowerlevel spells for those slots.

I also have a few questions reguarding spell effects. We are not sure how to rule some of these:

1. What would happen if I cast Prismatic Sphere, and then cast anti magic field on my location. It would seem I'd be almsot immune to damage since no spells would penetrate the field to effect the sphere. (the sphere isnt effected by the anti-magic)

2. I'm a little confused on Time Stop. Since you can act freely for a few rounds, can I walk up and touch my opponents to ready touch attack spells? I know the attack spell wouldnt take effect until time stop ends, but how would the touch work for touch attack spells?


Thanks for any help guys!

 

[Shayuri]

Heya

1. What would happen if I cast Prismatic Sphere, and then cast anti magic field on my location. It would seem I'd be almsot immune to damage since no spells would penetrate the field to effect the sphere. (the sphere isnt effected by the anti-magic)

-- The sphere would, however, constrain the AM field, I believe. It would block the "line of effect" of the AMF's emanation, much as a stone wall would. Thus the antimagic wouldn't extend beyond the inner boundary of the prismatic sphere. That means magic could affect IT..but not -you-.

2. I'm a little confused on Time Stop. Since you can act freely for a few rounds, can I walk up and touch my opponents to ready touch attack spells? I know the attack spell wouldnt take effect until time stop ends, but how would the touch work for touch attack spells?

-- Time Stop is all kinds of confusing, but as I understand it, all spell effects are now resolved in YOUR time reference. That means casting an attack spell is pointless, because it happens immediately in your frame of reference, but has no effect against the 'frozen world' all around you. You COULD walk to melee range and delay an attack action for "when the time stop ends." Then when it does, you'd get an immediate attack (possibly with surprise; handy for a touch attack). But you couldn't touch them BEFORE the time stop ended, because that would discharge the spell; harmlessly.

 

[FEADIN]

Hello again,

In my regular session I play a very high level caster (lvl 50). I'm looking for some new spells that I might not be using that I should be. I like using spells like Horrid Wilting, Imprisonment, and Wail of the Banshee. My character is mostly built around high DC's and instant death spells. Alot of the things we have been fighting now have very high save thorws, or are immune to alot of these spell effects. Are there some spell combos that are really effective that I should be using? I am able to cast epic level spells, but I don't have the book so I usually just end up applying meta magic feats to lowerlevel spells for those slots.

Look at the SRD, at Epic spells and you will know how it works (not usual slots)

http://www.wizards.com/d20/files/v35/EpicSpells.rtf

I also have a few questions reguarding spell effects. We are not sure how to rule some of these:

1. What would happen if I cast Prismatic Sphere, and then cast anti magic field on my location. It would seem I'd be almsot immune to damage since no spells would penetrate the field to effect the sphere. (the sphere isnt effected by the anti-magic)!

The AMF is contained inside the sphere because it cannot penetrate it, there is the sphere an inside, you with the AMF which stop at the interior side of the sphere.
If you move the AMF will follow youre body but will not "overlap" with the sphere, it will be inside or outside.

2. I'm a little confused on Time Stop. Since you can act freely for a few rounds, can I walk up and touch my opponents to ready touch attack spells? I know the attack spell wouldnt take effect until time stop ends, but how would the touch work for touch attack spells?


Thanks for any help guys!

You can only affect opponents in your time frame, no touch spells which discharge immediatly.

 

[Delemental]

With Time Stop, bear in mind that you can't use Extend Spell to increase the amount of time you get; although the spell lists a duration of 1d4+1 rounds, that is 'apparent time', and in reality the spell is instantaneous. I believe there are errata out there which clarify this.

However, you can legally Maximize and Empower Time Stop, since the amount of apparent time you get is a 'variable, numeric effect'. Normally this isn't really an option, but at level 50 you might easily have spell slots high enough to do it (a Maximized, Empowered Time Stop would be a 14th level spell).

The trick to Time Stop is to use spells whose effects will last beyond the duration of your apparent time. Fireball is useless, but a Delayed Blast Fireball (or four) timed to explode just after the Time Stop ends is fine. Disintegrating the enemy won't work, but disintegrating the floor under their feet will (you can affect any item not in someone's possession, and no one 'owns' the floor). Use the Time Stop to throw up a few walls to divide up your enemy. Cast a few Summon Monster IX spells, or even a Gate (the summoned creatures can't do anything until the Time Stop ends, but they're right there waiting). Heck, if you had someone charging you when you cast Time Stop, throw up a Gate right in front of them so when time starts they run through it.

AS far as other spells to try, the only one I can think of off the top of my head is Irresistible Dance, which allows no save (though you still get SR). Even at epic levels, a -10 to Reflex saves sucks, and can make a difference on whether the Meteor Swarm you follow up with hits or misses.

Or, you could go the route of nullifying the enemy's abilities. Liberal use of Mord's Disjunction will do the trick (at your level, you have a 50-50 shot at bring down an AMF or an artifact, and you should be able to make the DC 25 Will save without breaking a sweat). There's also Greater Dispel Magic; Widen it to hit a 40-foot area, and Empower it to extend the amount of time that the magic items you Dispel are nullified.

(Or, if you ever decide to utilize the Epic spellcasting rules as written, there's Supreme Dispelling. Of course, at that point there's also Hellball, Greater Ruin, Nailed to the Sky...)

Honestly, at level 50 most of the things you fight are going to have to be immune to a lot of spell effects in order to be a challenge. What you might want to look at is ways to affect either your allies or the battleground, as direct damage spells kind of lost their punch at this Encounter Level.

 

[TheGogmagog]

Consider spells without saves, like Otto's Irresistable dance (8th level). A few rounds of being whacked on by your allies without retribution usually spells death of the target.

Prismatic and Antimagic seem like a good defensive combo, but what do you do in there?

No, you can't make any attacks in Time Stop, not even touch attacks to deliver spells.

Check out the SRD for epic spell-casting. FYI, Epic spells are handled on completely different rules than the 10th, 11th and soforth slots. The only use for those are applying metamagics. Or memorizing spells of lower level if you are into that.

 

[badash56]

Thanks for the replies, they helped alot. One thing I have to face are high level spellfire channelers, who can absorb spells I cast. It is frustrating and I'm not sure what to do.

As for the Time Stop stuff, what I wanted to do was cast Energy Drain to bestow a ton of negative levels, thus lowering saving throws. I see that isn't possible, and the problem I have is with my attack bonus, there is no way I can hit a touch attack against the stuff we fight.

My character is a very good spellcaster, but my init bonus is very weak and I never go first which is a problem, any ideas?

 

[FEADIN]

Thanks for the replies, they helped alot. One thing I have to face are high level spellfire channelers, who can absorb spells I cast. It is frustrating and I'm not sure what to do.

As for the Time Stop stuff, what I wanted to do was cast Energy Drain to bestow a ton of negative levels, thus lowering saving throws. I see that isn't possible, and the problem I have is with my attack bonus, there is no way I can hit a touch attack against the stuff we fight.

My character is a very good spellcaster, but my init bonus is very weak and I never go first which is a problem, any ideas?

Touch attacks are easier than others attacks, the bigger the guys the worst the ac....
Improved initiative and the epic improved initiative (+8 but don't stack with Imp In), a good d20

 

[andargor]

If spellfire is considered a spell or spell-like ability, a ring of spell turning would give you a chance to retaliate. But I have a feeling that it's probably Su...

Or perhaps use something like antimagic ray (CA) on a fighter or barbarian in your party. Then the spellfire channelers would get whacked by adamantine weapons and be powerless to stop your party. Just a thought.

Andargor

 

[Plane Sailing]

If touch attacks are a problem, quickened truestrikes are your answer to that problem and at the level you play a 5th level slot is chickenfeed.

Timestop can be used to set up nasty combos (e.g. cloudkill and then place an otilukes resilient sphere around them, trapping them in with the nasty poison.)

 

[Jack Simth]

1. What would happen if I cast Prismatic Sphere, and then cast anti magic field on my location. It would seem I'd be almsot immune to damage since no spells would penetrate the field to effect the sphere. (the sphere isnt effected by the anti-magic)

A golem would waltz in and smash you - it has infinite spell resistance, and isn't harmed by the Prismatic Wall at all, your defenses are down in an AMF, and a golem can operate in a AMF. Of course, that only applies if something with lots of SR is in the area, and knows it has a chance of getting through your Prismatic Sphere safely....

At 50, there's a chance you have 17th level spell slots - if so, you may consider taking Innate Spell (Timestop) (9th, 17th slot), Innate Spell (ForceCage) (7th level spell, 15th slot), Innate Spell (Dimensional Lock) (8th level spell, 16th slot) and Innate Spell (Cloudkill) (5th level spell, 13th slot) with the strategy being to Stop Time, Dimensional Lock the area around your targets, Cloudkill the area, the seal everyone in with a ForceCage. You can also do it with regular spells, of course, but it's just fun to sit there and watch your opponents die of con damage, and renew it, the same way, every single time they get rid of it.

Hmm... that takes... what, eight epic feats to get the spell slots, and four potentially epic feats to get innate knoweledge of the spells? Of course, at 50th, you are likely to have 20 epic feats available for use.... add another feat or two for an Innate Spell (Shades), and you're all set to fake a Trap The Soul.