Ultimate Magus- what next?

[Johnny H]

So my D&D group recently started a new campaign. We've got four party member (all but one with a lot of gaming experience):
Human Evocator 4/ Sorcerer 1/ Ultimate Magus 2 (that's me :smallsmile:)
Elf Warrior 5/ Divinator 2
Human Rogue 4/ Warrior 2/ Invisible Blade 1
Halfling Druid 6 (new player).
We are playing in the Faerun setting, with clearly not optimized characters. Our DM had this mad idea of incorporating us into a tournament organized by this weird organization (as far as we know, they're the Time Dancers or smthing, but it's still unclear as to what it is they do). The decision to play less-than-optimal classes was our own, and we are paying dearly for it now. The tournament hosts invited such prominent figures as Gerti (her we even managed to fight off, believe it or not), Obould, and a team of high lvl Menzoberanzan (not sure how that's even spelled) Drows, amongst many others, to give my little lvl 7 party nightmares.
As the leader of this doomed group I need to be prepared for pretty much anything our crazy DM will throw at us. The campaign is supposed to go on into epic lvls, and any 3.0 and 3.5 book is acceptable. (?)-All my book are in Polish and I'm translating names on the fly, so if I'm not sure of a name I'll mark it with this sign.
Here are my stats:

NG Human Evocator 4/ Sorcerer 1/ Ultimate Magus 2, 30 hp, initiative +6,
BAB + 3, AC 12 (w/o spells and the like)
Str 8 (14 with sword)
Dex 15
Con 10 (12 with toad familiar)
Int 19 (21 with tiara of intelligence)
Wis 13
Cha 16

Feats:
1. Improved Initiative
1. Extended Spell
1. Scribe Scroll
3. Practiced Spellcaster
6. Spell Focus (Evocation)


Skills:
Alchemy 10 ranks
Concentration 10 ranks
Knowledge:
(arcane) 10 ranks
(geography) 10 ranks
(Silver Marches) 10 ranks
(nature) 8 ranks
Spellcraft 10 ranks
Use Magic Device 2 ranks


Spells:
Wizard:
0. Everything from the PH minus conjuration
1. Magic Missile, Identification, Shield, Charm Person, True Strike, Ray Of Enfeeblement, Locate City, Understand Languages (?),
2. Combustion, Invisibility, Shatter (?), Cat's Grace
3. Fireball, Fly, Blacklight, Chain Missile
Sorcerer:
0. Ray Of Frost, Detect Magic, Light, Prestidigitation, Resistance
1. Mage Armor, Burning Hands (?), Understand Languages (?)


Items:
Tiara of Intelligence (int +2)
Protective Coat (+1 to all ST)
Everlasting Torch
Magic Longsword (campaign item, all I know for now is that it gives +6 Str :smallbiggrin:)
Soul Cage (campaign item, no idea what it's for)



We're not quite sure as to how we're supposed to develop from this point. I guess my role will be to have high DPS and I'll also be responsible for faster transportation and de-buffing enemies. Getting new magic items is really hard in this adventure, and there's no time to create my own.
I was thinking I'd invest heavily in metamagic, cause that goes nicely with the UM's abilities... Fell drain Fireball and stuff like that should be good. If you guys and girls have any ideas as to which feats/skills/spells/class lvls I should invest in, I'm all ears (or eyes, depending how you look at his:smalltongue:).

[Rejakor]

Fell Drain Magic Missile is even better.

There's an evoker guide over on BG, it's called the Mailman Sorcerer build but also works for generic evokers.

You're already in a better position than most of your party, so you don't need much in the way of more power.

[Greenish]

Tiara of IntelligenceDoes it make you feel pretty?

[Johnny H]

How is Fell Drain Magic Missile better?

[Johnny H]

Does it make you feel pretty?

OK :smalltongue: forgot to mention that I'm playing a 17 year old female character. So in-game it actually does :smallbiggrin:

[Rejakor]

Each missile does 1 negative level, even to the same person (although your DM might not allow that), takes up a lower level, is more stylish.

[Johnny H]

I'm pretty sure sure that it says somewhere that it's 1 negative lvl/creature/spell, regardless of how many times the one creature gets it...

But I intend to try and pull off the whole Locate City+Snowcasting+Flash Frost Spell+Fell Drain thingamajig :D just need a way to permanently buff my constitution to 13...

[erikun]

Any particular reason why Evoker/Sorcerer rather than Evoker/Warmage?

I would recommend keeping that UMD skill at maximum ranks. It looks like your party rogue went into a prestige class not focused on skills and you don't have a cleric, so having a character that can use any magical device would be very handy.

You will probably want to get a hold of Scorching Ray (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/scorchingRay.htm), either as a wizard spell or a sorcerer spell (or both). It has a very good damage/level ratio and only requires an attack roll, no saving throw. The "Lesser Orb of X" and "Orb of X" spells from Complete Arcane are worth checking out, as well.

[Rejakor]

I'm guessing because Warmage is a piece of crap and he's going to grab a few of his banned spells from the sorcerer side.

[Johnny H]

I'm guessing because Warmage is a piece of crap and he's going to grab a few of his banned spells from the sorcerer side.

This is exactly why. I'm a'gonna take as many conjuration spells as I can with my sorc lvls.

I much prefer alternately casting Combustion and Fireball to Scorching Ray.

[CTrees]

Each missile does 1 negative level, even to the same person (although your DM might not allow that), takes up a lower level, is more stylish.

I'm not sure this is correct... isn't it stated as 'any living creature dealt damage by your spell?' Because I seem to remember initially thinking the damage over time spells like acid arrow could be fun, hitting each turn for negative levels, but if I'm remembering the text of the feat correctly, it seems like it only checks once per spell per creature, not once per hit or once per turn.

Actually... (I'm afb right now) could you modify summoning spells with fell drain? 'Yes, this is my fell draining celestial dire tiger. He says rawr.'

[Johnny H]

"Fell Drain
[Metamagic]
Living foes damaged by your spell also gain a negative level.
Prerequisite: none
Benefit: You can alter a spell that deals damage to foes so that any living creature that is dealt damage also gains a negative level. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as Hit Dice, it dies. Assuming the subject survives, the negative level disappears (without requiring a Fortitude save) after a number of hours equal to your caster level (maximum 15). A fell draining spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level."

I don't think this would work with conjuration...

[CTrees]

It's actually pretty arguable-summons indicate how much damage they can deal, and for some of them, that's the primary goal... i'd at least argue it, though I. Don't think it was intended.

Anyway, that confirms what I thought-it looks like the feat only checks 'was this creature damaged by this spell, y/n?' As opposed to checking whenever the spell deals damage. I don't see how it can hit the same target multiple times (so if someone can better explain the 'magic missile can confer five neg levels to the same creature,' I'm listening)

[Redshirt Army]

"Fell Drain
[Metamagic]
Living foes damaged by your spell also gain a negative level.
Prerequisite: none
Benefit: You can alter a spell that deals damage to foes so that any living creature that is dealt damage also gains a negative level. If the subject has at least as many negative levels as Hit Dice, it dies. Assuming the subject survives, the negative level disappears (without requiring a Fortitude save) after a number of hours equal to your caster level (maximum 15). A fell draining spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell's actual level."

I don't think this would work with conjuration...

On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that wording works with Magic Missile.

[Johnny H]

"any living creature that is dealt damage also gains a negative level"

I sort of assume using a as the article here implies only one negative lvl/ living creature.

I'm pretty sure this was already discussed somewhere here though.

[Johnny H]

Fell Drain Magic Missile is even better.

There's an evoker guide over on BG, it's called the Mailman Sorcerer build but also works for generic evokers.

You're already in a better position than most of your party, so you don't need much in the way of more power.

What's "BG"?

[BillyBobJoe]

What's "BG"?

Brilliant Gameologists (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php).

[prufock]

Yeah, Fell Drain (and Fell Frighten) only deals a negative level if the target was damaged by the spell, not with each hit. So Fell Drain Magic Missile, even if it hits the target 5 times, deals 1 neg level.

The real boon of Fell Drain MM is to target multiple creatures creatures.

[Johnny H]

Any more suggestions? Cause so far the discussion has been pretty much off-topic...:smallfrown:

[Psyren]

I'm not sure what you want us to say. You're already getting metamagic feats and all the skills you'd want as the party arcanist are class skills (Spellcraft, Know Arcana, Concentration etc.)

You're already stronger than everyone else (except possibly the Druid) so... good luck!

[blazingshadow]

buy a healing belt or 2. that way the new guy druid can worry more about the fight rather than healing

[CapnVan]

Any more suggestions? Cause so far the discussion has been pretty much off-topic...:smallfrown:

Well, in fairness, any DM who throws an CR 18 encounter (Gerti) at a 7th level party is apparently completely insane, particularly if you managed to force her to withdraw.

So, there's only so much that can be done to help...
:smalltongue:

I'd dump Spell Focus — at this point it's not going to be as helpful as others.

[prufock]

feats/
Going as blasty-evoker, maximize and/or empower spell would be useful. Fell Drain, as you said, is all kinds of fun. Fell Frighten is also fun if you stack it with other fear effects like Blade of Pain and Fear (3rd-level spell) or Spirit Wall (5th-level).

skills/
What you have is fine, but UMD could be a bit higher. At a glance it looks like you have a +7 total, which means you need to roll 13 minimum to do anything with UMD. The only skills I could see lowering, though, are alchemy or one of the knowledges (not arcana!). I'd drop alchemy a bit if you aren't going to have much time for crafting, as you said. Get UMD at least to +10, that will give you a 50/50 chance to use wands, but go higher if you want.
Then again, what are you intending to use it for? You do have a divine caster in the party.

spells/
Shivering Touch. Awesome debuffer, especially if you can pick up Maximize Spell or Empower Spell down the road. Also pretty great if you have a MM rod of lesser Reach Spell (or the feat, but there are probably better uses for the feat). Or, if you have prep time, Spectral Hand. Either way, make it a ranged touch attack, 3d6 Dex damage, no save. Maximized, that will put down 90% of baddies.
Also, Wings of Cover (sorc only) is fantastic, even if you aren't dragon-blooded.

class lvls
Nothing wrong with taking more levels in UM. It's a pretty rockin' class.

items/
You didn't specifically ask for advice on items, but grab the +1 CL ioun stone when you can. One extra die to all your blasty spells, longer durations, etc. Any item that boosts CL would be good.