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View Full Version : When the Planes burn and all life is but torches [Cheap Trick for Blasters?]



Khatoblepas
2010-05-26, 12:26 PM
So blaster's aren't the greatest things in all of creation, but they sure can be memorable. Ignus - the mage from Planescape: Torment - is a particularily fun example. He's not evil, wishing only everything to burn - his alignment might as well be Fire. But Fire is one of the weakest elements in D&D, being resisted by almost everything and blasting is sucky.

Why don't we add three metamagic feats for free to it?

The first ingredient of our Ignus emulation is the Bloodfire Ooze from the MMIV. It has an aura of Empowering fire spells for free within 60ft. Unfortunately, it's also a Huge creature, which sucks for buffing us. What can we do about this? Well, this brings us to our next part.

We find a druid, and have him awaken an oak tree. We give the oak tree a Necklace of Adaptation, and a Ring of Sustenance (unless these items can be used on inanimate objects...). We buy a large building in the City of Brass (or we make one. After all, we are a spellcaster) and place our Oak tree and the Bloodfire ooze in it. Cast Acorn of Far Travel on the oak tree. As long as the acorn is in our possession, our fire spells have the Empower, Maximise, and Enlarge Spell metamagics on them for free. This is every fire spell. Snowcasting + Energy Sub (Fire) means every spell you cast is a Fire spell. Eschew Materials will get rid of the snow component. How's Fireball now that it's 60+5d6 damage, not 10d6? For no feat investment, either.


As long as you carry the acorn (and as long as the acorn is not stored in an extradimensional space like a bag of holding), you are considered to be standing under that oak tree's canopy

Reasoning: The oak tree is within 60ft of the Bloodfire Ooze. You are considered to be underneath the oak tree's canopy, which is within range of the Bloodfire Ooze's empower aura. You are considered to be underneath the oak tree's canopy, which is on the Elemental Plane of Fire.

If a Druid is unavailable, buy a scroll of Awaken yourself. Likewise, get an item of Acorn of Far Travel 1/day. It's more than enough.

Be a Planar Sorcerer 10/Elemental Savant 10 for more Ignus emulation. Unless you wanna optimize more. I would. Combine it with other tricks!

Mongoose87
2010-05-26, 12:28 PM
Don't forget to pick up searing spell!

Ferrin
2010-05-26, 12:38 PM
Can't you somehow add some awesomeness to this with some of the Frostburn feats and putting the house in a frostfell environment? Ofcourse you'd need energy admixture or lots of snow in hand. But still, it's a nice thought. :smallbiggrin:

Flickerdart
2010-05-26, 12:44 PM
Well, you don't want the tree or the ooze to die. Does it still work if you use liberal amounts of quintessence?

Khatoblepas
2010-05-26, 12:47 PM
Can't you somehow add some awesomeness to this with some of the Frostburn feats and putting the house in a frostfell environment? Ofcourse you'd need energy admixture or lots of snow in hand. But still, it's a nice thought. :smallbiggrin:

I don't think the residents of the City of Brass would appreciate a frostfell environment :P

But if we COULD get one on the Elemental Plane of Fire, we could add Snowcasting twice to make every spell [Cold][Fire] and take the Cold Focus feats for massive Save DCs.

nyarlathotep
2010-05-26, 03:00 PM
Why exactly does the tree need to be in the Brass City?

Khatoblepas
2010-05-26, 03:05 PM
Why exactly does the tree need to be in the Brass City?

Because you're putting an oak tree ON THE PLANE OF ELEMENTAL FIRE, where Lava is a more common liquid than water, where fireclouds rage in the air in a constantly broiling dance of death!

And The City of Brass is the only livable settlement I could find on it. better to place it somewhere safe than in somewhere where out in the open.

Ferrin
2010-05-26, 03:19 PM
Because you're putting an oak tree ON THE PLANE OF ELEMENTAL FIRE, where Lava is a more common liquid than water, where fireclouds rage in the air in a constantly broiling dance of death!

And The City of Brass is the only livable settlement I could find on it. better to place it somewhere safe than in somewhere where out in the open.

A frostfell environment is, generally speaking, not out in the open. Unless you're getting technical with me. Are you getting technical with me? No? Good. :smallbiggrin:

So, a frostfell envrionment it is. Add arcane thesis to delayed blast fireball, practical metamagic to Energy Admixture, arcane thesis to delayed blast fireball. And some other fun stuff. + 2 damage per die from one of the frostfell feats, + 2 caster level from another. And some other stuff, but hey. It's Frostfire fueled by acorns!

Optimystik
2010-05-26, 03:24 PM
The Acorn trick is well known. The most common use I've seen is to break the Hathran PrC (aka Witch of Rashemen) from FRCS.

While in Rashemen, Hathrans can spontaneously cast any arcane or divine spell on their list. They are also capable of Circle Magic like the Red Wizards are.

Akal Saris
2010-05-26, 04:36 PM
Anyhow, I approve of this trick.

You could also cast Planar Bubble (SpC Cleric/Wiz/Sorc 7) on a summoned/called creature from the Plane of Fire (like a fire elemental improved familiar), and as long as you're within 10ft of it you'd gain the same benefits.

Hmm... a druid 10/contemplative 1 with the ooze domain could pull your trick off pretty well, I think :P Not sure how druidic it is to leave an oak tree in the city of fire though =P

Flickerdart
2010-05-26, 04:40 PM
Hmm... a druid 10/contemplative 1 with the ooze domain could pull your trick off pretty well, I think :P Not sure how druidic it is to leave an oak tree in the city of fire though =P
NE Druid decides that it's time for nature to claim its rightful place across all planes, subjects trees to "natural" selection to produce fireproof wood.

Anxe
2010-05-26, 11:36 PM
Wouldn't being treated as under the tree's canopy mean you're on fire too? Not that this is a difficult problem to circumvent.

Eldan
2010-05-27, 03:44 AM
Not in the city of Brass. It's the one place not actively burning on the entire plane. But all fire spells are still powered up.