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View Full Version : Help me build the ultimate boomstick!



tuesdayscoming
2011-03-30, 02:57 PM
I'm making an npc for my setting, a sort of 'legendary artificer' who is actually a Chameleon (PrC) who has cheesed his way into having level 9 spells. Access to every single spell in the game is a beautiful, beautiful thing.

His signature weapon is going to be a sort of wand pistol whose chamber holds a metric ton of wands. Combined with a Chained Awaken from Afar (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/wn/20011205a) (Spoilered Below) and Chameleon CL goodness, he's got one heck of a boomstick.


Awaken from Afar
Evocation
Level: Sor/Wiz 5, Clr 6, Drd 6
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One spell trigger activation item
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

An awaken from afar spell allows you to use a spell trigger item without actually touching the item. The item to be activated must be within the range of the awaken from afar spell, and it functions as though you yourself were triggering it from its current position. All other conditions, such as the requirement that you have the spell on your spell list or if the item's enchantment restricts its use to a particular race or individual, still apply. Both you and the item to be activated have to be on the same plane. The item cannot be in the possession of another creature at the time of activation, and it must be an item that you have previously triggered normally (in other words, without the aid of an awaken from afar spell.

I finished his actual build in the wee hours of the morning last night, but my question is this: just what spells to have in the boomstick? Because he's a Chameleon (and Im cheesing his CL moderately) he'll be shooting off a GREAT number of wands at once.

Can you guys suggest any particular spells to use that would be good combinations? Having different "clips" at the ready for massive direct damage, for debuffing, etc. would be great, but Im drawing a complete blank. I've never really built a character dependant on wands and the like before, so any suggestions you could propose would be much appreciated!

SamsDisciple
2011-03-30, 03:35 PM
Obviously you need no save spells so the basic magic missile is good if you are shooting off as many as you say, seeking ray would be great to use so that other rays can hit like ray of dizziness which effectively slows the foe without giving a save and I also distinctly remember a thread talking about how all problems can be solved with enough angry badgers so toss in a few summon monsters ;-)

Keld Denar
2011-03-30, 04:09 PM
Don't use Awaken from Afar on a wand...thats a waste. Use it on a Rod of Many Wands loaded with 3 wands. Sure, he'll burn through charges like mad, but who cares? Just grab some duct tape, put the rods in a huge bundle, and duct tape them all into place. Carry it over your shoulder like a bazooka.

So, assuming you cast Awaken from Afar at CL20 and target 20 Rods of Many Wands, that's 60 wands you are activating. If they were all simple CL1 Wands of Magic Missile, and you rolled MINIMUM damage, thats 120 damage minimum, or 150 damage average. No save, no attack roll, no nothing. 60 wands x 3 charges each x 25 gp per charge = 4500g per salvo.

Now, lets load for something a little bigger...

Make them all Wands of Seeking Ray (4d6 electric damage at CL3). Now we've upped our average damage to 14 per wand. 60 wands results in 840 damage per activation with a net price of 27,000g per salvo, and with the slight drawback that what you are shooting at has to be relatively easy to hit and you don't roll too many 1s on your attack rolls, and that its not immune or resistant to electricity.

Ok, now lets load for BEAR!

Make them all Wands of Enervation. We've got 60d4 negative levels coming, averaging out at 150 negative levels per salvo, assuming all hit. That also results in a loss of 150 x5 = 750 HP due to the level loss, assuming you are shooting at something that has more than 150 HD. Net cost per salvo is 126,000g. You know...when it REALLY REALLY REALLY has to die. Also note that each Enervate doesn't have to strike the same target. Take that puppy to a busy town square, mount it up on the roof of an inn overlooking a busy market place, and let er rip. You'll clear half the square in your initial salvo, and then just wait till midnight and you'll have begun a large scale wightocolypse! Its the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine!

Lateral
2011-03-30, 08:09 PM
Orb of Fire, perhaps?

I like having all five (four? six?) kinds of orbs in wands in there, and then you set off a volley of all of them. Just like the image.

tuesdayscoming
2011-03-30, 09:37 PM
Obviously you need no save spells so the basic magic missile is good if you are shooting off as many as you say, seeking ray would be great to use so that other rays can hit like ray of dizziness which effectively slows the foe without giving a save and I also distinctly remember a thread talking about how all problems can be solved with enough angry badgers so toss in a few summon monsters ;-)

So. Many. Badgers.

I think I just had a badgergasm.

Seeking Ray is nice. Too bad the bonus to hit doesn't stack, though...


Don't use Awaken from Afar on a wand...thats a waste. Use it on a Rod of Many Wands loaded with 3 wands. Sure, he'll burn through charges like mad, but who cares? Just grab some duct tape, put the rods in a huge bundle, and duct tape them all into place. Carry it over your shoulder like a bazooka.

That idea had occurred to me as well, but unfortunately Rods of Many Wands uses the Command Word completion method and is therefore not targetable by Awaken from Afar (Spell Trigger only). Even if they did work, tripling the cost of every servo is pretty steep, especially when we get into the territory of such delicious tricks as your Enervation suggestion.

jiriku
2011-03-30, 11:56 PM
Twinned empowered fire admixtured moonbow.

What?

Deth Muncher
2011-03-31, 06:54 AM
Ok, now lets load for BEAR!

Make them all Wands of Enervation. We've got 60d4 negative levels coming, averaging out at 150 negative levels per salvo, assuming all hit. That also results in a loss of 150 x5 = 750 HP due to the level loss, assuming you are shooting at something that has more than 150 HD. Net cost per salvo is 126,000g. You know...when it REALLY REALLY REALLY has to die. Also note that each Enervate doesn't have to strike the same target. Take that puppy to a busy town square, mount it up on the roof of an inn overlooking a busy market place, and let er rip. You'll clear half the square in your initial salvo, and then just wait till midnight and you'll have begun a large scale wightocolypse! Its the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine!

Stop posting. XD

But really, this is such a cheesy idea - but if you've got the funds to do it (and the way to deal with the ensuing Wightocalypse), then do this!

TroubleBrewing
2011-03-31, 08:05 AM
*Snip*

This is my next BBEG. No joke. I might even name it after you.

Keld Denar
2011-03-31, 11:16 AM
That idea had occurred to me as well, but unfortunately Rods of Many Wands uses the Command Word completion method and is therefore not targetable by Awaken from Afar (Spell Trigger only).

Boo...

Reading Comprehension: 1 Keld Denar: 0

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