Author Topic: fear wizard  (Read 4404 times)

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Thaosyr23

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fear wizard
« on: March 21, 2010, 02:15:16 AM »
I've got a new game starting up soon and I've decided to play a focused illusionist. build is starting at lvl 2 with no gear, So whatever build I make has to be playable through all lvls. I'm pretty set on gnome, but want to avoid too much cheese so Shadowcraft is to be avoided.   

Is this a viable build?   wiz3/ms7/ dread witch 4/ nightmare spinner 5/ mindbender 1

not sure which order i'd take the levels in either.


Anklebite

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2010, 02:22:43 AM »
take mindbender at 6, and follow it up with mindsight.


an idea would be wiz3/MS3/mindbender1/MS+4/nightmare spinner5/dread witch4

ideally, you want mindsight ASAP.  after that, find out what order you want to take the rest in; the wiz3/MS3/MB1 is the really important part.
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Caedrus

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2010, 02:24:24 AM »
Goodnight, Gentlemen; and Thank You.

BenTheJester

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2010, 03:52:53 PM »
A fear-based build, you say?

What I don't like about most of these builds is the late usage of Dread Witch.

The worst aspect of fear, is that it is such a common immunity that you become freaking useless if you build something based on fear(although I guess you are still a wizard)

Thaosyr23

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2010, 12:42:38 PM »
ok, we played the first session and despite only casting 1 spell, I apparently nearly broke the game.

1 minor image of the big creepy kobold god appearing in the middle of their alter and wailing (dm save vs fear). Then rushing to engulf their faces so they were blind ( a few disbelieved at that point).


anyone have some good stock illusion ideas, preferably ones that don't grant a save, but can still be effective.

I've got the legion of solders appearing from nowhere while screaming "drop your invisibility, we got them"

Hijax

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2010, 03:55:53 PM »
wraiths. they dont make any noise, so you can use the slightly cheaper silent image for simulating them. and you only get a save if you interact with the illusion. Would you run the risk of negative levels just to see if its real? i wouldn't.

also, if you're playing with recurring villains, alternate between illusions and conjurations. that way, when they're starting to figure out that you spam illusions a lot, the shit you make start becoming real.
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bearsarebrown

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2010, 05:13:48 PM »
also, if you're playing with recurring villains, alternate between illusions and conjurations. that way, when they're starting to figure out that you spam illusions a lot, the shit you make start becoming real.
False Theurgy-ing Conjurations to make then look like Illusions is always awesome.

PhaedrusXY

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2010, 05:17:43 PM »
also, if you're playing with recurring villains, alternate between illusions and conjurations. that way, when they're starting to figure out that you spam illusions a lot, the shit you make start becoming real.
False Theurgy-ing Conjurations to make then look like Illusions is always awesome.
Yeah, I got that skill trick on a cleric/shadowcraft mage of mine, but never really got to use it before the game petered out... I love it, though.

wraiths. they dont make any noise, so you can use the slightly cheaper silent image for simulating them. and you only get a save if you interact with the illusion. Would you run the risk of negative levels just to see if its real? i wouldn't.
I just wanted to reiterate this point that Hijax made. They don't get a save if they don't interact with it, or closely study it. Now what exactly it takes to fulfill that requirement requires a little DM interpretation, but yours seems like he's cool with Illusions and will let you actually use them, rather than be a dick and have the bad guys just ignore them, or always make a save.

It also seems like he's making up a few things as you go, which makes me worry a bit, but so far it sounds like its been in your favor. :P
« Last Edit: March 26, 2010, 05:21:17 PM by PhaedrusXY »
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

Anklebite

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2010, 05:20:37 PM »
illusion is just so damn fun. as hijax said, illusions people don't want to test are the best ones. like an illusory wall of blades.

the illusory pit is another good one. the best way to do that, however, is to cast an illusion over a pit to displace it a few feet to the left.
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PhaedrusXY

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2010, 05:22:13 PM »
Oh yeah, an Illusion of a wall... just in front of the real wall... is a fantastic place for your party to hide and ambush someone. Big rocks/trees work, if you're outside.
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

Havok4

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2010, 06:00:47 PM »
Yeah, I got that skill trick on a cleric/shadowcraft mage of mine, but never really got to use it before the game petered out... I love it, though.

On a shadow craft mage it can be really hilarious to use that kind of trickery, the enemy wizard identifies you as casting silent image (because that is what you are actually casting) to produce a wall of (insert horrible thing here) and orders his minions to walk through it. You do not really even need false therugy unless your enemies are in the know about your abilities which strikes me as unlikely.

Thaosyr23

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2010, 07:16:58 PM »
do illusions block line of effect?   can an illusionary wall stop me from being targeted by spells?

Havok4

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2010, 07:17:39 PM »
They can block line of sight but not line of effect. I am assuming you are speaking of figments.

PhaedrusXY

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2010, 07:19:40 PM »
do illusions block line of effect?   can an illusionary wall stop me from being targeted by spells?
They can block line of sight but not line of effect. I am assuming you are speaking of figments.
Since most spells require both line of sight and line of effect, then yeah it will work to stop spells unless the enemy has a way to see through it (True Seeing, has already made the save, etc).

You'll almost certainly want to check out the following things, also:
The Sonorous Hum spell.
The Swift Concentration skill trick.
The Familiar Concentration feat.

All of them give you ways to "concentrate" on a spell for free or as a swift action.
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

McPoyo

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2010, 08:44:45 PM »
do illusions block line of effect?   can an illusionary wall stop me from being targeted by spells?
They can block line of sight but not line of effect. I am assuming you are speaking of figments.
Since most spells require both line of sight and line of effect, then yeah it will work to stop spells unless the enemy has a way to see through it (True Seeing, has already made the save, etc).

You'll almost certainly want to check out the following things, also:
The Sonorous Hum spell.
The Swift Concentration skill trick.
The Familiar Concentration feat.

All of them give you ways to "concentrate" on a spell for free or as a swift action.
They could still cast something not requiring a target, but requiring line of effect, such as lightning bolt, through your illusory wall.
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

PhaedrusXY

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #15 on: March 26, 2010, 11:40:56 PM »
They could still cast something not requiring a target, but requiring line of effect, such as lightning bolt, through your illusory wall.
True, but if they didn't know it was an illusion they likely wouldn't even try.
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
[/spoiler]

McPoyo

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #16 on: March 26, 2010, 11:44:28 PM »
They could still cast something not requiring a target, but requiring line of effect, such as lightning bolt, through your illusory wall.
True, but if they didn't know it was an illusion they likely wouldn't even try.
I dunno, I've frequently used lightning bolts to explode holes in walls...
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

Havok4

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #17 on: March 27, 2010, 12:00:50 AM »
They could still cast something not requiring a target, but requiring line of effect, such as lightning bolt, through your illusory wall.
True, but if they didn't know it was an illusion they likely wouldn't even try.
I dunno, I've frequently used lightning bolts to explode holes in walls...

You cannot get enough damage with a lightning bolt to really make that worthwhile, if it was acid or sonic damage it might work though.

Hijax

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #18 on: March 27, 2010, 04:31:21 AM »
They could still cast something not requiring a target, but requiring line of effect, such as lightning bolt, through your illusory wall.
True, but if they didn't know it was an illusion they likely wouldn't even try.
I dunno, I've frequently used lightning bolts to explode holes in walls...

You cannot get enough damage with a lightning bolt to really make that worthwhile, if it was acid or sonic damage it might work though.

Hey, Rule of Cool.

It is a sad day when wizards aren't awesome enough to make holes in walls any way they damn like.
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LunaticsLament

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Re: fear wizard
« Reply #19 on: March 27, 2010, 04:58:26 AM »
ok, we played the first session and despite only casting 1 spell, I apparently nearly broke the game.

1 minor image of the big creepy kobold god appearing in the middle of their alter and wailing (dm save vs fear). Then rushing to engulf their faces so they were blind ( a few disbelieved at that point).


anyone have some good stock illusion ideas, preferably ones that don't grant a save, but can still be effective.

I've got the legion of solders appearing from nowhere while screaming "drop your invisibility, we got them"

I find ethereal marauders work well to blink in and out of existence.
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