Author Topic: What's the best blaster build?  (Read 15676 times)

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Endarire

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #20 on: March 23, 2011, 03:46:27 AM »
Lycan: How are you getting so many rays?  Which energy type do you use?  What metamorphosis forms do you prefer?]

Everyone: Which builds are best for levels 1-3?

When do Wizards have their heyday?  Sorcerers?  Psions?
« Last Edit: March 23, 2011, 03:51:46 AM by Endarire »
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

Lycanthromancer

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #21 on: March 23, 2011, 05:22:45 PM »
Lycan: How are you getting so many rays?  Which energy type do you use?  What metamorphosis forms do you prefer?]
Okay. You share a Split Psionic Ray'd/Chain Power'd energy conversion with your psicrystal, then (at some point) use metamorphosis on it (preferably by using an ectoplasmic skin of proteus, so it can stay shapeshifted all day) to turn it into something not-immune-to-[mind-affecting]. If you give your psicrystal the Assume Supernatural Ability feat, choker is great for those extra actions. But if not, you merely share schism with it so between you you have 2 standard actions and 2 mental-only standard actions, each of which you may use to fire 2 rays of whatever energy type you have stored.

Thus, you have 2 (you) + 2 (your schism) + 2 (psicrystal) + 2 (psicrystal's schism). If you're both chokers, that means you also get extras. And each ray can fire and hit one enemy, Chaining off to hit a large number of secondaries (including those hit by a separate ray).

And I like using Sonic, since almost nothing resists it.

Everyone: Which builds are best for levels 1-3?
Anything that doesn't use limited resources and can still take out enemies. That's why I like my proposed build

And if you have a good Dex, feel free to plunk with a crossbow or somesuch, since the difference between your attack bonus and a fighter's attack bonus is, at most, +2, given comparable ability scores.

Also, you can take, say, matter agitation for no-save-cannot-avoid damage over multiple rounds for 1 pp, and you can also take feats such as Psionic Shot to deal extra damage, if you like.

When do Wizards have their heyday?  Sorcerers?  Psions?
The higher, the better, generally, since you get more and more resources to spend.
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Lyca ... is in the book. Yes he is.
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shit.. concerning psionics optimization, lycan IS the book
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X-Codes

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #22 on: March 23, 2011, 06:05:35 PM »
Actually, I'm partial to the Warmage throwing around magic missiles that do an average of 10 damage, but an argument can be had for the psionic variant that throws around lesser orbs for almost 20 w/ Psionic Shot.

Lycanthromancer

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #23 on: March 23, 2011, 06:07:18 PM »
Actually, I'm partial to the Warmage throwing around magic missiles that do an average of 10 damage, but an argument can be had for the psionic variant that throws around lesser orbs for almost 20 w/ Psionic Shot.
This is what erudites with Knowledge Devotion are for.
[spoiler]Masculine men like masculine things. Masculine men are masculine. Therefore, liking masculine men is masculine.

I dare anyone to find a hole in that logic.
______________________________________
[/spoiler]I'm a writer. These are my stories. Some are even SFW! (Warning: Mostly Gay.)
My awesome poster collection. (Warning, some are NSFW.)
Agita's awesome poster collection.
[spoiler]
+1 Lycanthromancer
Which book is Lycanthromancer in?
Lyca ... is in the book. Yes he is.
 :D
shit.. concerning psionics optimization, lycan IS the book
[/spoiler]

awaken DM golem

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #24 on: March 23, 2011, 08:39:21 PM »
There's the Energy Missile multi target "cheat" ... and some recharge.

kalaskaagathas

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #25 on: March 23, 2011, 09:16:19 PM »
As far as blasters go, I'm partial to Psions/Erudites, using some of the various tricks available to them (like Synchronicity abuse, recharge, etc.) - though the Mailman is also fun to play, when he's appropriate.

KellKheraptis

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #26 on: March 23, 2011, 09:39:54 PM »
Also, it depends on the kind of blaster you want to play, and how mutable the fluff is.  I can make a Wiz or Sorc or even Psionic gish that plays just like Vegeta, complete with SSJ4 and Golden Oozaru forms, and also all the various blasts he had, completely within 3.5 rules, while still being plenty competent in the more optimized caster roles (though making the enemies dead is pretty much the height of battlefield control and debuffing).
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Lycanthromancer

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #27 on: March 23, 2011, 09:50:02 PM »
Also, it depends on the kind of blaster you want to play, and how mutable the fluff is.  I can make a Wiz or Sorc or even Psionic gish that plays just like Vegeta, complete with SSJ4 and Golden Oozaru forms, and also all the various blasts he had, completely within 3.5 rules, while still being plenty competent in the more optimized caster roles (though making the enemies dead is pretty much the height of battlefield control and debuffing).
Then take levels in Thrallherd and watch as they rise as templated undead beneath your control.

"Death is merely the beginning."
[spoiler]Masculine men like masculine things. Masculine men are masculine. Therefore, liking masculine men is masculine.

I dare anyone to find a hole in that logic.
______________________________________
[/spoiler]I'm a writer. These are my stories. Some are even SFW! (Warning: Mostly Gay.)
My awesome poster collection. (Warning, some are NSFW.)
Agita's awesome poster collection.
[spoiler]
+1 Lycanthromancer
Which book is Lycanthromancer in?
Lyca ... is in the book. Yes he is.
 :D
shit.. concerning psionics optimization, lycan IS the book
[/spoiler]

KellKheraptis

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #28 on: March 23, 2011, 09:55:24 PM »
Also, it depends on the kind of blaster you want to play, and how mutable the fluff is.  I can make a Wiz or Sorc or even Psionic gish that plays just like Vegeta, complete with SSJ4 and Golden Oozaru forms, and also all the various blasts he had, completely within 3.5 rules, while still being plenty competent in the more optimized caster roles (though making the enemies dead is pretty much the height of battlefield control and debuffing).
Then take levels in Thrallherd and watch as they rise as templated undead beneath your control.

"Death is merely the beginning."

In that case, wouldn't it be more like :

"I am the Prince of all Saiyans, now my army will CRUSH YOU!!! AAAHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! -massive power up and energy blast-"
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Lycanthromancer

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #29 on: March 23, 2011, 09:58:01 PM »
Also, it depends on the kind of blaster you want to play, and how mutable the fluff is.  I can make a Wiz or Sorc or even Psionic gish that plays just like Vegeta, complete with SSJ4 and Golden Oozaru forms, and also all the various blasts he had, completely within 3.5 rules, while still being plenty competent in the more optimized caster roles (though making the enemies dead is pretty much the height of battlefield control and debuffing).
Then take levels in Thrallherd and watch as they rise as templated undead beneath your control.

"Death is merely the beginning."

In that case, wouldn't it be more like :

"I am the Prince of all Saiyans, now my army will CRUSH YOU!!! AAAHH HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! -massive power up and energy blast-"
Maijin Vegeta and his undead armies of doom.
[spoiler]Masculine men like masculine things. Masculine men are masculine. Therefore, liking masculine men is masculine.

I dare anyone to find a hole in that logic.
______________________________________
[/spoiler]I'm a writer. These are my stories. Some are even SFW! (Warning: Mostly Gay.)
My awesome poster collection. (Warning, some are NSFW.)
Agita's awesome poster collection.
[spoiler]
+1 Lycanthromancer
Which book is Lycanthromancer in?
Lyca ... is in the book. Yes he is.
 :D
shit.. concerning psionics optimization, lycan IS the book
[/spoiler]

BeholderSlayer

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #30 on: March 23, 2011, 11:19:46 PM »
I'm partial to CantripN's build on the second post here.

Best? I don't know, probably not, but definitely ruthlessly efficient. Having all your spells do raw divine/holy damage is awesome. Also, your spell DC's on all your spells will be pretty sick...not just your blasts.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2011, 11:22:24 PM by BeholderSlayer »
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ninjarabbit

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #31 on: March 24, 2011, 12:16:20 AM »
Everyone: Which builds are best for levels 1-3?

I'm going to vote for warmage on this. At those levels warmage edge is actually meaningful and you'll have a better variety of damage spells at your fingertips than the wizard and sorcerer.

Tshern

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #32 on: March 24, 2011, 12:35:43 AM »
Everyone: Which builds are best for levels 1-3?

I'm going to vote for warmage on this. At those levels warmage edge is actually meaningful and you'll have a better variety of damage spells at your fingertips than the wizard and sorcerer.
Depends on the point buy.

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #33 on: March 24, 2011, 04:12:00 AM »
I like the Arcane Fusion, Greater Arcane Fusion and Magic Missile Variant(chain missile, etc etc) spammeries.
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rasmuswagner

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #34 on: March 24, 2011, 04:45:54 AM »
I like the Elemental Savant (Fire) 1/Sanctified One (of Kord) 1 add-on to any dedicated blaster, even if you do lose a level of casting.

awaken DM golem

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #35 on: March 24, 2011, 07:42:57 PM »
Level 1 with Mercantile feat.
Suck for most of the level / perhaps wait to level 2.
Go to whatever big city has a handy PAO as a service.
Blow all your money for the casting.

Ta-da ... you are a Beholder with Assume Supernatural feat.

Lycanthromancer

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #36 on: March 25, 2011, 08:44:02 PM »
Level 1 with Mercantile feat.
Suck for most of the level / perhaps wait to level 2.
Go to whatever big city has a handy PAO as a service.
Blow all your money for the casting.

Ta-da ... you are a Beholder with Assume Supernatural feat.

Best if you're a transcendent monk. With Buddha eye-layzors.
[spoiler]Masculine men like masculine things. Masculine men are masculine. Therefore, liking masculine men is masculine.

I dare anyone to find a hole in that logic.
______________________________________
[/spoiler]I'm a writer. These are my stories. Some are even SFW! (Warning: Mostly Gay.)
My awesome poster collection. (Warning, some are NSFW.)
Agita's awesome poster collection.
[spoiler]
+1 Lycanthromancer
Which book is Lycanthromancer in?
Lyca ... is in the book. Yes he is.
 :D
shit.. concerning psionics optimization, lycan IS the book
[/spoiler]

SorO_Lost

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #37 on: March 25, 2011, 09:00:45 PM »
As I'm prone to mentioned often, even talked Kell (I think) into using, Stormcaster.

At the 5th level it augmets +1 sonic damage per spell level to any electricity dealing spell.
Oh, and save vs stunning.

Cast Control Weather & Cold Snap and drop the temperature powering Cold Spell Specialization & Frozen Magic.
Apply Energy Substitution(electricity) to any spell you wish and it is now [electricity] subtyped and deals electricity damage. Apply Snowcast it is now [electricity] & [cold] subtyped that deals electricity damage. Don't forget Warmage.

Say you did this with fireball.
Your shockball deals 10d6+60 electricity damage, 3 sonic damage, and stuns.

Oh, and Recaster in Races of Eberron even gives you a 5/day quickened maximized eschewed materials with shape control for free. Net CL loss is 2, one form Recaster, one from Stormcaster.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2011, 12:39:38 AM by SorO_Lost »
Tiers explained in 8 sentences. With examples!
[spoiler]Tiers break down into who has spellcasting more than anything else due to spells being better than anything else in the game.
6: Skill based. Commoner, Expert, Samurai.
5: Mundane warrior. Barbarian, Fighter, Monk.
4: Partial casters. Adapt, Hexblade, Paladin, Ranger, Spelltheif.
3: Focused casters. Bard, Beguiler, Dread Necromancer, Martial Adapts, Warmage.
2: Full casters. Favored Soul, Psion, Sorcerer, Wu Jen.
1: Elitists. Artificer, Cleric, Druid, Wizard.
0: Gods. StP Erudite, Illthid Savant, Pun-Pun, Rocks fall & you die.
[/spoiler]

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #38 on: March 25, 2011, 10:36:17 PM »
For low levels?

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« Last Edit: March 25, 2011, 10:38:42 PM by The_Mad_Linguist »
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SorO_Lost

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Re: What's the best blaster build?
« Reply #39 on: March 26, 2011, 12:39:20 AM »
High levels?  Chain spell + master of the unseen hand is your friend.  You can make 21 full attacks/round, assuming CL optimization for the only spell you'll ever cast.
Eh?

I hope you are not talking about Full Attack Telekinesis.
Quote from: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/combatStatistics.htm
Base Attack Bonus
A base attack bonus is an attack roll bonus derived from character class and level or creature type and Hit Dice (or combinations thereof). Base attack bonuses increase at different rates for different character classes and creature types. A second attack is gained when a base attack bonus reaches +6, a third with a base attack bonus of +11 or higher, and a fourth with a base attack bonus of +16 or higher. Base attack bonuses gained from different sources, such as when a character is a multiclass character, stack.

If not, do go on.

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You know what is awesome? Fire Shuriken. It is a must have, cast it via a UMDing a runestaff. You can produce six shurikens that deal 3d6+18 electricity damage and prompt a save vs stunning. Heighten Spell anyone? Master Thrower anyone?

Tiers explained in 8 sentences. With examples!
[spoiler]Tiers break down into who has spellcasting more than anything else due to spells being better than anything else in the game.
6: Skill based. Commoner, Expert, Samurai.
5: Mundane warrior. Barbarian, Fighter, Monk.
4: Partial casters. Adapt, Hexblade, Paladin, Ranger, Spelltheif.
3: Focused casters. Bard, Beguiler, Dread Necromancer, Martial Adapts, Warmage.
2: Full casters. Favored Soul, Psion, Sorcerer, Wu Jen.
1: Elitists. Artificer, Cleric, Druid, Wizard.
0: Gods. StP Erudite, Illthid Savant, Pun-Pun, Rocks fall & you die.
[/spoiler]