(3.5) Increasing magic missile damage

[Goonthegoof]

This is spilling over from a discussion my gaming group had and I thought this forum would be the best place to find answers- How much damage could you conceivably do with magic missile with a level 1 character fresh from character creation? The first step was agreed to be a warmage with high intelligence, but what other feats/items etc could increase the damage?

[HunterOfJello]

I'm sure there are some nice options for a Dragonwrought Kobold

[KillianHawkeye]

Well being level 1 rules out prestige classes and most metamagic, so there aren't a lot of options....

[Goonthegoof]

Ok but there have to be a few, right? Just remembered about the Spellgifted trait, that combined with another caster level increase would result in an extra missile...

[PId6]

Lesser Tiefling Focused Evoker 1

Abilities: 20 Int
Flaws: Noncombatant, Murky-Eyed
Feats: Fell Drain, Easy Metamagic (Fell Drain), Metamagic School Focus (Evocation)
Spells: Fell Drain Magic Missile 3/day (using Metamagic School Focus), Fell Drain Sonic Snap 2/day

Fell Drain Magic Missile deals 1 negative level on a hit, which lets it do 5 extra "damage" as well as, more importantly, kill anything with only 1 HD or less.

[Goonthegoof]

Why thank you kind sir.

[Vantharion]

Lesser Tiefling Focused Evoker 1

Abilities: 20 Int
Flaws: Noncombatant, Murky-Eyed
Feats: Fell Drain, Easy Metamagic (Fell Drain), Metamagic School Focus (Evocation)
Spells: Fell Drain Magic Missile 3/day (using Metamagic School Focus), Fell Drain Sonic Snap 2/day

Fell Drain Magic Missile deals 1 negative level on a hit, which lets it do 5 extra "damage" as well as, more importantly, kill anything with only 1 HD or less.

Hello ultimate level 1 boss battle...
Also, adding that to my list of 'Never-let-players-do-anything-like-this'

[drengnikrafe]

Lesser Tiefling Focused Evoker 1

Abilities: 20 Int
Flaws: Noncombatant, Murky-Eyed
Feats: Fell Drain, Easy Metamagic (Fell Drain), Metamagic School Focus (Evocation)
Spells: Fell Drain Magic Missile 3/day (using Metamagic School Focus), Fell Drain Sonic Snap 2/day

Fell Drain Magic Missile deals 1 negative level on a hit, which lets it do 5 extra "damage" as well as, more importantly, kill anything with only 1 HD or less.

This scares me.

[Tyndmyr]

He's forgetting the best part.

24 hours later, the deceased rises against as a wight. Mwahahaha.

[Quietus]

More frightening, is that when you reach level 3 (or hell, caster level 3), you get a second missile.

Which you can fire at another target for more level drain.

For faster creation of wights, don'tcha know.

[OMG PONIES]

More frightening, is that when you reach level 3 (or hell, caster level 3), you get a second missile.

Which you can fire at another target for more level drain.

For faster creation of wights, don'tcha know.

Feasible at level 1, building on PId6's example.

Level 1 Human Focused Evoker
2 flaws...pick any 2, really.
Trait: Spellgifted (evocation)
Feats: Fell Drain, Easy Metamagic (Fell Drain), Metamagic Vigor, Metamagic School Focus (Evocation)

Round 1: MMSF Fell Drain Magic Missile @ CL 2 (1d4+1+negative level)
Round 2: MMSF Fell Drain Magic Missile @ CL 3 (2d4+2+2 negative levels)
Round 3: MMSF Fell Drain Magic Missile @ CL 4 (2d4+2+2 negative levels)

For a total of 5 negative levels, plus anywhere between 10-25 force damage. For a more good-themed character, I came up with something similar, but limited to evil outsiders as targets.

Level 1 Human Warmage
Two flaws
Spellgifted Trait
1. Purify Spell
F. Sudden Empower
F. Easy Metamagic (Purify)
H. Metamagic Vigor
18 INT+2 age (old)=20 (+5)

Round 1:1d6+1+5
Round 2:2d6+2d3+2+5
Round 3:2d6+2+5

For a total of 27-56 damage, but only against evil outsiders.

[kayden87]

slight necro bump but fell drain MM costs a slot 4 higher doesnt it not? and easy mm reduces it by one so +3 slot needed

[Vknight]

Ok lets say we got a villian for an upcoming thing in game the party is Lvl7 if you wish to maximize the missile how?

[kayden87]

arcane theisis (magic missile) will help

[arguskos]

slight necro bump but fell drain MM costs a slot 4 higher doesnt it not? and easy mm reduces it by one so +3 slot needed
Metamagic School Focus ignores that. Also, this thread was 6 months old. They frown on that here.

[Vknight]

I just noticed that. We should stop posting here then shouldn't we.

[MammonAzrael]

The Force Missile Mage (http://raugh.net/marhaven/notebook/missilemage.pdf) is the most thematic option, though likely not the most powerful. To do that you're going to be stacking metamagic with metamagic reducers and if you expect the villain to survive to level 13 then you'll want Incantatrix.

[SurlySeraph]

EDIT: Aaaand should have checked the date before posting.


Lesser Tiefling Focused Evoker 1

Abilities: 20 Int
Flaws: Noncombatant, Murky-Eyed
Feats: Fell Drain, Easy Metamagic (Fell Drain), Metamagic School Focus (Evocation)
Spells: Fell Drain Magic Missile 3/day (using Metamagic School Focus), Fell Drain Sonic Snap 2/day

Fell Drain Magic Missile deals 1 negative level on a hit, which lets it do 5 extra "damage" as well as, more importantly, kill anything with only 1 HD or less.

Add Arcanist's Gloves (MIC) for +2 CL, buy two doses of Agony or Ambrosia (BoVD, BoED) for +2, switch to Human, use the feat for Spell Thematics, take the Spellgifted trait, and switch to Focused Specialist so you still have 3 MMs per day. Now you have 4 missiles 2/day at the cost of all your WBL, and 2 missiles with your last casting.

[Keld Denar]

BTW, proper forum ettiquette for commenting on a thread that has long since past from the realm of the living would be to create a new thread and link the old thread, possibly quoting from it, plus add your questions and comments and discussion.

That keeps the necromancy to a minimum. There isn't really a propper procedure, but that's close.

[Goonthegoof]

Hey, I remember starting this thread ages ago. Doesn't this count as necromancy?

Edit: Undead Ninja'd. Do they call locking necromanced threads Turn Unthread?

[averagejoe]

The Mod They Call Me: Thread necromancy.