how do "ray builds" work?

[Dannyalcatraz]

In order to increase the number of rays you have:

1) The Feat Reach Spell turns an ordinary touch spell into a ray. (I see that one commonly used by Clerics for their healing spells.)

2) As mentioned above, don't forget the other ranged touch attack spells, like the Orbs.

3) Consider multiclassing: the Warlock (as mentioned above) is based around a ranged touch attack for most of its power, and would work well as an alternative primary class "Ray" specialist. Other classes with "ray-like" abilities include the Cleric and the Psion, as well as certain PrCls (the Pyro and other, variant Kineticists The Mind's Eye: Variant Pyrokineticist Prestige Class (v.3.5)), and anyone with the Spellfire Wielder feat (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Spellfire_Wielder,all).

 

[NewJeffCT]

In order to increase the number of rays you have:

1) The Feat Reach Spell turns an ordinary touch spell into a ray. (I see that one commonly used by Clerics for their healing spells.)

2) As mentioned above, don't forget the other ranged touch attack spells, like the Orbs.

3) Consider multiclassing: the Warlock (as mentioned above) is based around a ranged touch attack for most of its power, and would work well as an alternative primary class "Ray" specialist. Other classes with "ray-like" abilities include the Cleric and the Psion, as well as certain PrCls (the Pyro and other, variant Kineticists The Mind's Eye: Variant Pyrokineticist Prestige Class (v.3.5)), and anyone with the Spellfire Wielder feat (http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/feats.pl?Spellfire_Wielder,all).

On #3, since the OP is concerned about powergaming, the warlock might be a good choice for him if the style of campaign is right. My game is generally built around 1 or 2 big encounters per session, as we have a limited amount of gaming time every 2 weeks. In that situation, the warlock's eldritch blast is generally pretty underpowered in comparison to a sorcerer, psion or wizard. It has been rare for my party psion or sorcerer to be down to the last of their spells, and most of them will still be more powerful than an equivalent level eldritch blast.

If the campaign centers around several encounters per day and wizards, sorcerers and psions have to conserve spells/power points, then a warlock can really shine and keep blasting away while every other caster is keeping their powder dry.

And, I know this because in 2 consecutive sessions I had the PCs face off with bad guys that first had a sorceress minion, then a warlock minion as magic support. The bad guys with a sorceress minion were far more effective as opponents than the ones with a warlock minion, despite the warlock's party being tougher overall CR-wise.

 

[Shin Okada]

Well if you want a very simple Ray build that is not at all over-powered, you can just go straight up Warlock (a class from Complete Arcane). Their eldritch blasts are ranged touch, and damage progressives about like sneak attacks, but it is a standard action so you don't get incredible damage.

Chasuble of Fell Power + Empower Spell-Like Ability (Eldritch Blast) + Maximize Spell-Like Ability (Eldritch Blast)

Then use Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat to make the same attack again.

A Warlock can inflict good amount of damages when really needed.

Oh. And Eldritch Chain + Utterdark Blast is really nice.

 

[NewJeffCT]

Chasuble of Fell Power + Empower Spell-Like Ability (Eldritch Blast) + Maximize Spell-Like Ability (Eldritch Blast)

Then use Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat to make the same attack again.

A Warlock can inflict good amount of damages when really needed.

Oh. And Eldritch Chain + Utterdark Blast is really nice.

I stand corrected - a quickened and maximized eldritch blast is pretty powerful, since it can be followed up by another maximized eldritch blast as a standard action. I liked that idea so much that I plugged a level 17 warlock into heroforge and gave him the chasuble of fell power, greater, so he would do 120 points of damage on 2 hits. (8d6+2d6 maximized is 60)

Empower the Eldritch Blast as well and it would be 120 points, plus another 10d6 for the empowermentx2.

 

[Particle_Man]

It is a neat trick, but you can only pull the "2 empowered maximized blasts" trick once per day, and then you can do the half as effective "1 empowered maximized blast" trick next round, and then you are back to square 1.

 

[NewJeffCT]

It is a neat trick, but you can only pull the "2 empowered maximized blasts" trick once per day, and then you can do the half as effective "1 empowered maximized blast" trick next round, and then you are back to square 1.

Good point, but you can still Quicken & Empower an unlimited amount of times, and doing 30d6 damage per round is still pretty hefty - an average of 105 points with no save, though the warlock would still have to beat SR and would be partly defeated by a Psionic Intellect Fortress, which can be manifested as an immediate action.

Granted, at that high a level, a necromancer is likely doing heftier potential damage on Ray/Touch Spells (Disintegrate, Horrid Wilting, Finger of Death, Avasculate, Night's Caress), and possibly also causing somebody to lose Con points or become Sickened or Nauseated. The warlock usually would have to substitute his damage for the effect that nauseates, sickens or frightens instead.

 

[rgard]

To get more Ray spells per day, you could play a Domain Wizard (UA and the SRD) who specializes in rays:

Ray Domain
0. Ray of Frost
1. Ray of Enfeeblement
2. Scorching Ray
3. Ray of Exhaustion
4. Enervation
5. xxx
6. Disintegrate
7. xxx
8. Polar Ray
9. xxx

xxx = I can't think of a ray spell of that level, but you can probably find ray spells in your books to fill the holes.

Domain wizards get one extra spell per day per level, but don't give anything up in exchange. The Domain Wizard option is a no brainer if you aren't playing a Specialized Wizard.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Good idea! Let me browse Spell Compendium quick for alternate spell level ideas besides those...

0: Electric Jolt
1: Targeting Ray, Ray of Flame, Ray of Clumsiness
2: Distracting Ray, Ray of Stupidity, Sting Ray, Ray of Ice, Ray of Sickness, Ray of Weakness
3: Ray of Dizziness, Rust Ray
4: Ray of Deanimation
5: Moonbow, Prismatic Ray
6: Ruby Ray of Reversal, Ray of Light, Ray of Entropy
7: Antimagic Ray, Stun Ray, Prismatic Eye? (seriously, not sure if it counts or not), Avasculate
8: Avascular Mass
9: ? Nothing that I saw

EDIT: Energy Drain from the PH gives at least one level 9 ray option

So, lots of themes and options for a ray domain. Assuming you wanted a mixture of all kinds of rays, could do something like:
0: Ray of Frost
1: Targeting Ray
2: Scorching Ray
3: Ray of Dizziness
4: Ray of Deanimation
5: Prismatic Ray
6: Disintigrate
7: Stun Ray
8: Avascular Mass*
9: Energy Drain

*It's evil aligned, which I'd rather avoid, but polar ray just sucks so much... If you do put polar ray in, switch ray of frost with electric jolt, just to keep the variety thing open. Same reason I didn't go with enervation at level 4.

 

[rgard]

Good idea! Let me browse Spell Compendium quick for alternate spell level ideas besides those...

0: Electric Jolt
1: Targeting Ray, Ray of Flame, Ray of Clumsiness
2: Distracting Ray, Ray of Stupidity, Sting Ray, Ray of Ice, Ray of Sickness, Ray of Weakness
3: Ray of Dizziness, Rust Ray
4: Ray of Deanimation
5: Moonbow, Prismatic Ray
6: Ruby Ray of Reversal, Ray of Light, Ray of Entropy
7: Antimagic Ray, Stun Ray, Prismatic Eye? (seriously, not sure if it counts or not), Avasculate
8: Avascular Mass
9: ? Nothing that I saw

EDIT: energy Drain from the PH gives at least one level 9 ray option

Great additions. I've been meaning to scour my other WotC books and 3rd party stuff (3rd party may be OGL) for more ray spells. I played a Wiz/Ur-Priest/MT and had the split ray feat, but never maximized a ray build. I'm motivated to do all that now.

XPs for you in a sec.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Particle_Man]

Good point, but you can still Quicken & Empower an unlimited amount of times, and doing 30d6 damage per round is still pretty hefty - an average of 105 points with no save, though the warlock would still have to beat SR and would be partly defeated by a Psionic Intellect Fortress, which can be manifested as an immediate action.

I am missing something. I don't see how the Warlock can use Quicken and Empower an unlimited amount of times, since Quicken Spell-like Ability and Empower Spell-like Ability are feats that only allow you to use them three times a day.

And Vitriolic Blast is the quickest way to beat SR (although that uses up your essence modification and some enemies laugh at acid attacks).