Magic Missile Master

[Flob]

As you can guess by the title, I wish to create a master of the spell magic missile. I already know I'm using a kobold sorcerer base, but I need ways to improve magic missile to an absurd extent. Any suggestions (I know about maximize spell, ect.).

Being able to cast it more often would be great too, although I already took Versatile Spellcaster and plan to take the Force Missile Mage prestige class (found in a dragon magazine, or you can find it somewhere on the internet).

Suggestions people of the internet?

[Tehnar]

There is another prestige class that helps with force effects, the Argent Savant (CA). Personally I would go off a warmage base, but sorcerer works good too.

After that just stack metamagic on the MM, Arcane Thesis (PHB 2) will help with that.

[Milskidasith]

Force Missile Mage from Dragon Magazine.

[DragoonWraith]

Force Missile Mage (Dragon Compendium) specializes in Magic Missile, Argent Savant (Complete Arcane) specializes in all Force effects (including Magic Missile), but both lose a caster level. As a Kobold, you do have the option of taking Greater Draconic Rite of Passage (Races of the Dragon Web Enhancement (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20060420a)), which will eliminate one of those lost spellcasting levels. Loredrake would eliminate the other and actually put you ahead of the game, but that is foul cheese.

There's also Force Missiles (Spell Compendium) and Chain Missile (Spell Compendium), which are nice. Also, your Argent Savant bonuses work with the excellent Sorcerer-only Wings of Flurry (Races of the Dragon), since that's a Force spell.

Also, the Blade of Force (Complete Mage) and Invisible Needle (Complete Mage) Reserve Feats are pretty useless of themselves, but each gives a +1 bonus to Caster Level with Force spells, which is very very nice for you.

[The Cat Goddess]

Force Missle Mage can be found here (http://raugh.net/marhaven/notebook/missilemage.pdf) if you don't have it.

Twin Spell Metamagic Feat to double your number of missles per casting.

Knowledge Devotion, so that you can add up to +5 damage per target (not per missle, unless every missle goes to a different target).

Ask for a House Ruling on the Chain Missle spell, to have it affected by the benefits of the Force Missle Mage (adding energy damage, etc.).

I seem to recall a metamagic feat that causes the target of your spell to fall down (fort or ref save to avoid, I think). Great for Magic Missle due to range and multiple castings.

Easy Metamagic Feat.

Quicken Spell, for another set of missles.

For total silliness... Contingency.

[ghost_warlock]

Also, the Blade of Force (Complete Mage) and Invisible Needle (Complete Mage) Reserve Feats are pretty useless of themselves, but each gives a +1 bonus to Caster Level with Force spells, which is very very nice for you.

Note that the caster level bonuses do not stack.

[DragoonWraith]

Ah, right you are, it's a Competence bonus. Well... eh, pick out your preferred feat, then, I guess.
Bizarrely, they do. See below.

[The Glyphstone]

Note that the caster level bonuses do not stack.

Actually, they do, in defiance of normal rules.



The secondary boosts
likewise stack; a spellcaster who has the Aquatic Breath and
Drowning Glance feats gains a +2 competence bonus when
casting water spells.

[Catch]

I seem to recall a metamagic feat that causes the target of your spell to fall down (fort or ref save to avoid, I think). Great for Magic Missle due to range and multiple castings.

Explosive Spell. It only applies to spells that affect an area and allow a Reflex save, though.

For a Force Missile Mage, I highly recommend Fell Drain from Libris Mortis. Every creature you hit gains a negative level, and with Twin Spell, it's two. Given, a Twinned Fell Drain Magic Missile would be a 7th-level spell, but what 7th-level spell lets you stick two no-save negative levels to (with your bonus missiles) seven creatures?

[Touchy]

Explosive Spell. It only applies to spells that affect an area and allow a Reflex save, though.

For a Force Missile Mage, I highly recommend Fell Drain from Libris Mortis. Every creature you hit gains a negative level, and with Twin Spell, it's two. Given, a Twinned Fell Drain Magic Missile would be a 7th-level spell, but what 7th-level spell lets you stick two no-save negative levels to (with your bonus missiles) seven creatures?

And with force missile Mage, you bypass shield, so therefore you are awesome.

[Iceforge]

Innate Spell, from PGF p. 39, prerequests are Silent Spell and Still Spell, and then you choose one spell, give up a spell slot the same level and you can now 3 times pr. day cast that spell as a spell-like ability.

Can only be chosen once for each spell through, but will increase your number of daily magic missiles by 2

Further, they require no verbal, somatic or material components, so you can cast them even if you are tied up

[Vizzerdrix]

Here you go. I just finished this build a few days ago ^_^


--Sorc-4
Meta Magic Variant.

--MPSS-3 (Metaphysical Spellshaper: Book of Naughty Bits)
Craft(weaving or sculpting)-3
Know: Arcana-5
Spellcraft-5
any 2 Meta magics
3rd level spells

--FMM-5
Con-9
Spellcraft-9
Combat Casting
Magic Missile

--War mage-5 (Age of Mortals, Pg 49)
Con-8
Spellcraft-8
COmbat Casting, Escew Materials, Weapon Focus
3rd Level Arcane Spells

--Forse Adept-3
Know: Arcana-6
Spellcraft-12
5 force spells, 1 of 5th level

h-Versitile Caster
1-Heighten Spell (mm)
3-Fell Drain (mm)
6-Combat Casting
!-Any other Meta Magic feat.
9-Escew Materials
12-Weapon Focus
15-Another Meta Magic
18-Another Meta Magic

Level Order:
1-Sorc
2-Sorc
3-Sorc
4-Sorc
5-MPSS
6-MPSS
7-MPSS
8-FMM
9-FMM
10-FMM
11-FMM
12-FMM
13-FA
14-FA
15-FA
16-WM
17-WM
18-WM
19-WM
20-WM

[Iceforge]

For a Force Missile Mage, I highly recommend Fell Drain from Libris Mortis. Every creature you hit gains a negative level, and with Twin Spell, it's two. Given, a Twinned Fell Drain Magic Missile would be a 7th-level spell, but what 7th-level spell lets you stick two no-save negative levels to (with your bonus missiles) seven creatures?


If you want to really **** things up with Fell Drain, you should use the "Thunderhead" spell, level 1 (Spell Compendium)

Chain Fell Drain Thunderhead, level 7 spell as well.

Given, the targets get a reflex save to negate, but it lasts for a number of rounds equal to your caster level, and due to being chained, it effects a main target + your caster level secondary targets (for whom the reflex save is lowered by 4)

At caster level 20, thats up to 21 targets that needs to make a reflex save each round to avoid 1 damage and 1 negative level for 20 rounds in a row

Combo up with Evards Black Tentacles after to grapple them and ruin that reflex save of theirs for full effect.

[Toliudar]

IIRC, one of the abilities of FMM is to freely substitute an energy type in for the force damage of the magic missile. Good for trolls, treants and cold/fire based creatures. If you wish to further develop this ability, consider the Bloodline of Fire (Player's Guide to Faerun) or Elemental Spellcasting (Planar Handbook) feats, to pump up your fire damage.

[Flob]

Thanks all. I like the Argent Savant, much more missile mayhem. Also, I forgot to mention something, this is going on in a gestalt game, so no need to worry about losing caster levels.

Can somebody inform me as to the prerequisites of Knowlege Devotion, exactly what it does, ect.?

[DragoonWraith]

It's in Complete Champion. The general idea is that you make a Knowledge check to identify the creature you're fighting against, and gain a bonus to attack and damage rolls against that type of creature for the duration of the encounter. It's pretty good if you can get your Knowledge skills up high. Prereq is just having any one Knowledge skill with 5 ranks. Given that you don't get all of the Knowledge skills as class skills, and don't need attack rolls... I'm not sure it's worth it for you. Seems like the bonus to damage rolls does apply to Magic Missile and other spells, and +5 to every missile does not suck, but I dunno.

[Flob]

It's in Complete Champion. The general idea is that you make a Knowledge check to identify the creature you're fighting against, and gain a bonus to attack and damage rolls against that type of creature for the duration of the encounter. It's pretty good if you can get your Knowledge skills up high. Prereq is just having any one Knowledge skill with 5 ranks. Given that you don't get all of the Knowledge skills as class skills, and don't need attack rolls... I'm not sure it's worth it for you. Seems like the bonus to damage rolls does apply to Magic Missile and other spells, and +5 to every missile does not suck, but I dunno.

Would it be possible to type the entire entry for it up? I'd like to know EVERYTHING about this feat, because it sounds absurdly good.

[Dr Bwaa]

I didn't see that anyone posted this (http://www.crystalkeep.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3455&sid=cd4439c5b1cd7eb68c06f37a96a1a19b) yet. :smallbiggrin:

[Flob]

I didn't see that anyone posted this (http://www.crystalkeep.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3455&sid=cd4439c5b1cd7eb68c06f37a96a1a19b) yet. :smallbiggrin:

That is a beautiful build, but sadly, I don't like taking other peoples builds, it takes some of the fun out of the game. Help is allowed, but definantly not full on builds. I just need to win with Magic Missile.

[Eldariel]

Would it be possible to type the entire entry for it up? I'd like to know EVERYTHING about this feat, because it sounds absurdly good.

Posting the full text of the feat is illegal. Sufficient to say, you roll against type of enemy you face and provided you have appropriate trained knowledge (Local for humanoids, nature for giant/fey/monstrous humanoids, dungeoneering for aberrations, religion for undead, planes for outsiders/elementals, arcane for magical beasts/dragons) and the bonus applies against all that type for the encounter. Roll again for new encounters.

Bonuses are: 15- for +1/+1 insight, 16-25 for +2, 26-30 for +3, 31-35 for +4 and 36+ for +5 to damage and to hit. Mostly useful for everyone but psionic characters who have plenty of other sources of Insight-bonuses already. Well, everyone who has the skillpoints to spare and Knowledges in class anyways (it's also Ex, requires 5 ranks in a knowledge to take and gives you any one knowledge in class forever). It's my idea of what Favored Enemy should look like.

Very useful for Duskblades, warrior Archivists & Cloistered Clerics, Gish Wizards, Eternal Blades (though as they use Eternal Knowledge, they tend to make do with lesser bonuses) and few other classes. Other than that, useful with great investment, mediocre or decent otherwise. Taking ½-1 rank in all the necessary Knowledges for constant +1/+1 vs. everyone (and lucky +2/+2) is a good way to make up for the BAB-loss of dipping Cloistered Cleric as a warrior-type, though not quite the same. Still, decent make-up. No PA, qualifications or iteratives, but that's life.

[Flob]

Posting the full text of the feat is illegal. Sufficient to say, you roll against type of enemy you face and provided you have appropriate trained knowledge (Local for humanoids, nature for giant/fey/monstrous humanoids, dungeoneering for aberrations, religion for undead, planes for outsiders/elementals, arcane for magical beasts/dragons) and the bonus applies against all that type for the encounter. Roll again for new encounters.

Bonuses are: 15- for +1/+1 insight, 16-25 for +2, 26-30 for +3, 31-35 for +4 and 36+ for +5 to damage and to hit. Mostly useful for everyone but psionic characters who have plenty of other sources of Insight-bonuses already.

...That's illegal? Excuse me for a minute whilest I go edit an old post... Also, I knew there would be some catch. Those are fairly high for a medium-low level characer.

[The Glyphstone]

...That's illegal? Excuse me for a minute whilest I go edit an old post... Also, I knew there would be some catch. Those are fairly high for a medium-low level characer.

The board rules prohibit posting verbatim text of copyrighted material. Basically, if it's not in the SRD, you can only give roundabout explanations or hints rather than outright quotes.

(Say, WBL charts. I can't tell you that a 20th-level character should have [REDACTED] gold to spend. I can tell you that they should have precisely one-hundredth of one million above three quarters of a million.

[Flob]

The board rules prohibit posting verbatim text of copyrighted material. Basically, if it's not in the SRD, you can only give roundabout explanations or hints rather than outright quotes.

(Say, WBL charts. I can't tell you that a 20th-level character should have [REDACTED] gold to spend. I can tell you that they should have precisely one-hundredth of one million above three quarters of a million.

Ah, thank you... This seems like a waste of a post. Umm... The character I'm creating is a level 2 gestalt monk/sorcerer kobold for a kobold only game. I'm going to get the +1 sorcerer level when I can.

[DragoonWraith]

Hmm, what's the plan for the other side? At this point, Monk levels pretty much only get you the good saves; none of the rest is all that meaningful, and you'll almost certainly never use your unarmed attack since you're focusing on Magic Missile. The Saves aren't bad at all, but there's probably something more interesting you could do with those levels, I'd think.

[Divide by Zero]

I'd suggest marshal rather than monk. At higher levels, you'll be getting Cha as a bonus to any of a number of things (for you, Determined Caster will help a lot), plus a static bonus to saves/attack rolls/whatever from your major aura.

[Flob]

I'm almost completely focussing on the sorcerer side, the monk is just for AC/saves/moderate BAB/ect. I need to be able to survive, also, its for fluff.

[Divide by Zero]

I'm almost completely focussing on the sorcerer side, the monk is just for AC/saves/moderate BAB/ect. I need to be able to survive, also, its for fluff.

Marshal will give you much more for that. Your AC is going to be weak no matter what, so you may as well not worry about that. Marshal can give save bonuses (better than you'll get from monk, most likely) and has moderate BAB plus ways to get other attack bonuses, and you don't need attack rolls for magic missile anyway. As for fluff, don't let the class tell you what to do. Make up your own.

[The Glyphstone]

At least take the Ascetic Mage feat as soon as you can, if you're dead-set on Monk. With that, you at least get to add Cha to AC instead of Wis, saving you the need to prioritize Wisdom. Otherwise, you'd really be better off with almost anything else, since literally any other class except another caster would give you moderate BAB and either good Fort, good Ref, or both.

I'd still go with Marshal instead, for the reasons mentioned above by others. You still get Moderate BAB, you still get good Fort, and the Auras you pick up will be much more valuable than the small amount of AC you gain off Monk (particularly if you don't have a free feat for Ascetic Mage).

[Divide by Zero]

Oh, and don't forget the Monk's Belt, of course.

[PhoenixRivers]

If you really want to do Magic missile mastery, it can be done without the force based PrC's.

Incantatrix is going to be the best option. Get your metamagic down, and you can do Twinned Maximized Empowered Magic Missile and a Quickened version of it via residual metamagic to add on Twin for free.

That's:

((25 (max) + (5d4+5)/2(empower)) x2(twin)) x2 (quickened)
(25+8.75)x4
(33.75) x4
135 damage

If you've got a bit of psion in there too?

Schism
Twinned Synchronicity x2 (using your psicrystal's focus and your own)
Circlet of Rapidcasting for a Quickened Twin Maximize Empower Magic Missile

Twinned Empowered Maximized Magic Missile x4 (via synchronicity)

67.5 x 5 = 337.5 average damage in one round (4 of the 5 castings will be interrupting enemy actions, so murder fools who try to cast spells)

Make sure you have the dispels ready to handle a shield spell, otherwise, eat em alive.

You could eke out one more if you use a move action to regain a focus, and manifest a third twinned synchronicity. That'd be 405 damage.

[Optimystik]

Argent Savant gets a bad rap due to the lost caster level, but I think it's a rather flavorful choice. Free Extend on force spells isn't a bad ability, and unbind force means you won't need disintegrate to get walls of force/forcecages out of your way anymore.

[PhoenixRivers]

The board rules prohibit posting verbatim text of copyrighted material. Basically, if it's not in the SRD, you can only give roundabout explanations or hints rather than outright quotes.

(Say, WBL charts. I can't tell you that a 20th-level character should have [REDACTED] gold to spend. I can tell you that they should have precisely one-hundredth of one million above three quarters of a million.

Actually, you can state that 20th level characters get 760,000 gold. The information cannot be copyrighted, only its presentation. So it's not ok to give it verbatim, because you're copying protected work. Put paraphrase is perfectly fine.

It's an example of, "Call me Ishmael..." vs "yeah, dude's name is Ishmael". WotC can't copyright 20th level, or 760,000 gold. They can't even copyright the association between the two. What they can copyright is the manner and nature in which it's presented. If you alter the manner and the nature, you're fine.

[RagnaroksChosen]

I belive after taking forcemissle mage and some ardent savant levels... you should take some anjurant champ to help protect your self.. or if aloud incantrix levels.... Incantrix makes this build silly..

[The Cat Goddess]

Knowledge Devotion is a Feat you take at 3rd level (having at least 1 Knowledge skill at 5 ranks, the rest at 1 rank each) that gives you +1/+1 vs. every single thing you will ever fight, ever.

With decent skill points, you can very easily get +3/+3 or better around level 10. With Marshal, you can add your Cha Bonus to your Int skills and probably end up with +4/+4. A Gestalt character should have no worries about skill points, IMHO.

[ghost_warlock]

Actually, they do, in defiance of normal rules.

Oh, darn these reserve feats, they're so complex and so naughty! [/Marvin]:mitd:

[Aharon]

Actually, the damage from Knowledge Devotion does not apply to Magic Missiles.
The glossary of the PHB states that "...Some modifiers apply to both weapon and spell damage, but only if so stated."

Knowledge Devotion doesn't do that, it just says damage, which, according to this rule, defaults to weapon damage.

[Flob]

A bit of a new question. How can I cast it like, over 9,000 times per day? Not through wands, I want to increase my spell slots, even if for a specific spell (I already know about Rings of Wizardry).