Touch spells specialist

[Grenouillebleue]

Hello,

I have a friend in our group who's new (newer than me, that is) to D&D games and wants to play a necromancer. He doesn't really care about being powerful, or even remotely useful to the party (hehe) since we're already pretty well-balanced. He just likes the flavor of all those vampiric touches and curses.

However, he's a really unlucky player (read: his attack rolls are always less than ten) and this makes him pretty uneffective with the touch attacks. So he asked me if I could provide some help from the same forums that helped me shape up my evoker

He is a level 5 wizard (+2 BAB). With spectral hand (+2 bonus) and 14 strength (+2 bonus), he has a +6 to deliver his touch spells.

Since most opponents have a touch AC of 12-18, this is in no way a guaranteed hit. And True strike feels wasted at this level.

What feats could he take to improve these touch spells ?

 

[Darklone]

touch AC 12-18 is pretty high.

Weapon Focus would be an idea... Cat's grace would be better. Point Blank Shot for ranged touch attacks.

 

[Grenouillebleue]

touch AC 12-18 is pretty high.

Weapon Focus would be an idea... Cat's grace would be better. Point Blank Shot for ranged touch attacks.

Cat's grace would need Weapon Finesse to be useful on non-ranged touch attack, am I right ?

Point Blank Shot is a nice feat for ranged touch attacks but he's really intent on using the following spells (melee touch attack):

- Chill touch
- Ghoul touch (yes, I know )
- Vampiric touch
- Bestow Curse

This kind of stuff...

 

[2nd Ed Paladin]

Although it costs a caster level, Eldritch Knight might be a good option as it get a full BaB (full BaB, 9 caster levels over 10 levels). Will need to blow a feat on martial weapon proficiency or take a level in a class that grrants martial weapon prof. to qualify though. The martial proficiency is a free feat though as level one EK grants a bonus feat.

As above, weapon focus or point blank shot may be useful.

 

[Dragon-Rider]

Although it costs a caster level, Eldritch Knight might be a good option as it get a full BaB (full BaB, 9 caster levels over 10 levels). Will need to blow a feat on martial weapon proficiency or take a level in a class that grrants martial weapon prof. to qualify though. The martial proficiency is a free feat though as level one EK grants a bonus feat.

As above, weapon focus or point blank shot may be useful.

To qualify for Eldritch Knight you need to have proficiency in all Martial Weapons. Unless your DM has a house rule for the Martial Weapon Procifiency feat that allows it to apply to all Martial Weapons instead of just one, or there's a feat that allows that in a book I don't have, you won't be able to qualify for Eldritch Knight through feats.

2nd Ed Paladin's idea of Eldritch Knight and a level of Fighter or another class that grants proficiency with all Martial Weapons will help your friend pump up his BAB, although at the cost of 2 caster levels. If he takes a level of Fighter, he gets a bonus feat which he could use to get Weapon Focus Touch, or Weapon Finesse (assuming his Dex is better than his Str). The d10 HP would help a lot too, especially if your friend wanted to take advantage of Flanking for an extra +2 to hit.

~Dragon-Rider

 

[Darklone]

Cat's grace would need Weapon Finesse to be useful on non-ranged touch attack, am I right ?

Point Blank Shot is a nice feat for ranged touch attacks but he's really intent on using the following spells (melee touch attack):

- Chill touch
- Ghoul touch (yes, I know )
- Vampiric touch
- Bestow Curse

This kind of stuff...

Then use Bull's strength for the melee touch attacks...

Hope he's using Mirror Image. False Life AND Vampiric Touch.

 

[Pickaxe]

With touch attacks, you've already negated all of your opponent's armor/shield bonuses, so now try negating his Dex and dodge bonuses:

Grease
Glitterdust
Invisibility
Blindness
Hold Person
Greater Invisibility

Glitterdust is especially nice, given its level and area of effect, but of course you want to target low Will save creatures. The party rogue will thank you.

Web or other entangling spells (is there a druid in the party with Entangle?) will also help, since they apply Dex penalties. So does Touch of Fatigue (which, of course, requires a touch attack).

--Axe