How can I improve this spell list? (3.5) [Archive]

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evisiron

2013-02-11, 07:06 PM

So I have got an invite to a game on Wednesday with preference towards me running an arcane caster that "can actually survive the things I throw at my players".
This is my first time playing a full caster, so would love some input on buffing up my spellbook.

I'll be playing a level 17 wizard with full levels in Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil. A flying invisible wizard throwing Prismatic Walls and Spheres all over the show should survive pretty well, right?

Spellbook, first draft. Free spells plus a few bought-and-copied ones:
Spellbook

Specialised: Abjuration (Abj spells marked with an 'A' to remind me to buff the DC from spell focus feats)
Forbidden: -Evocation, Necromancy

1.
A Endure Elements: Exist comfortably in hot or cold environments.
Grease: Makes 10-ft. square or one object slippery.
Mage Armor: Gives subject +4 armor bonus.
Summon Monster I: Calls extraplanar creature to fight for you.
Identify M: Determines properties of magic item.

2.
A Resist Energy: Ignores first 10 (or more) points of damage/attack from specified energy type.
A Protection from Arrows: Subject immune to most ranged attacks.
Detect Thoughts: Allows “listening” to surface thoughts.
Rope Trick: As many as eight creatures hide in extradimensional space.
Glitterdust: Blinds creatures, outlines invisible creatures.

3.
A Dispel Magic: Cancels magical spells and effects.
A Protection from Energy: Absorb 12 points/level of damage from one kind of energy.
Tongues: Speak any language.
Suggestion: Compels subject to follow stated course of action.
Displacement: Attacks miss subject 50%
Invisibility Sphere: Makes everyone within 10 ft. invisible.
Fly: Subject flies at speed of 60 ft

4.
A Dimensional Anchor: Bars extradimensional movement.
A Stoneskin M: Ignore 10 points of damage per attack.
Invisibility, Greater: As invisibility, but subject can attack and stay invisible.
Polymorph: Gives one willing subject a new form.

5.
A Break Enchantment: Frees subjects from enchantments, alterations, curses, and petrification.
A Dismissal: Forces a creature to return to native plane.
Baleful Polymorph: Transforms subject into harmless animal.
Cloudkill: Kills 3 HD or less; 4-6 HD save or die, 6+ HD take Con damage.

6.
A Dispel Magic, Greater: As dispel magic, but +20 on check.
A Antimagic Field: Negates magic within 10 ft.
Suggestion, Mass: As suggestion, plus one subject/level.
Permanent Image: Includes sight, sound, and smell.

7.
A Spell Turning: Reflect 1d4+6 spell levels back at caster.
A Banishment: Banishes 2 HD/level of extraplanar creatures.
Invisibility, Mass: As invisibility, but affects all in range.
Insanity: Subject suffers continuous confusion.
Teleport, Greater: As teleport, but no range limit and no off-target arrival.

8.
A Dimensional Lock: Teleportation and interplanar travel blocked for one day/level.
A Prismatic Wall: Wall’s colors have array of effects.
Polymorph Any Object: Changes any subject into anything else.
Irresistible Dance: Forces subject to dance

9.
A Prismatic Sphere: As prismatic wall, but surrounds on all sides.
Shapechange F: Transforms you into any creature, and change forms once per round.
Wish X: As limited wish, but with fewer limits.
Time Stop: You act freely for 1d4+1 rounds.

Any and all input greatly appreciated. :smallbiggrin:

Shining Wrath

2013-02-11, 07:20 PM

I vote for including Black Tentacles at Level 4. In fact, I'd take it first. Unless you anticipate lots of situations where a grappling ability of 25 is trivial to overcome, a 20' radius circle where every foe is attacked and grappled with a grapple check equal to 8+CL is a pretty useful trick to have in your pocket. After that it does modest bludgeon damage every round.

To put it bluntly, you will shut down an enemy rogue / archer type, and unless their caster has dimension door or equivalent, you will kill casters with this spell.

From d20srd:

This spell conjures a field of rubbery black tentacles, each 10 feet long. These waving members seem to spring forth from the earth, floor, or whatever surface is underfoot—including water. They grasp and entwine around creatures that enter the area, holding them fast and crushing them with great strength.

Every creature within the area of the spell must make a grapple check, opposed by the grapple check of the tentacles. Treat the tentacles attacking a particular target as a Large creature with a base attack bonus equal to your caster level and a Strength score of 19. Thus, its grapple check modifier is equal to your caster level +8. The tentacles are immune to all types of damage.

Once the tentacles grapple an opponent, they may make a grapple check each round on your turn to deal 1d6+4 points of bludgeoning damage. The tentacles continue to crush the opponent until the spell ends or the opponent escapes.

Any creature that enters the area of the spell is immediately attacked by the tentacles. Even creatures who aren’t grappling with the tentacles may move through the area at only half normal speed.

Zanthy1

2013-02-11, 08:20 PM

I would second Shining on black tentacles, its such a fun spell. Also from that, I would also suggest dimension door in case you get tentacled. Alarm can be useful for when your party makes camp (not sure what type of campaign your playing). True strike is always helpful if you have like, a spell storing thing or something, or just want to hit something. Also most of the transmutation 1st level spells are good to look through. In fact, in the PHB1, almost all transmutation spells are pretty useful. That might be from personal bias, but yeah lol.

Kelb_Panthera

2013-02-11, 08:36 PM

Under what circumstance are you considering the use of AMF?

Shutting off all of your own items and abilities is usually a very un-helpful thing to do even if you do happen to be within 10ft of an enemy that will be equally inconvenienced.

Seems like a waste of 6 pages out of your spellbook to me; unless you need it as a prerequisite to something you intend to make; like a golemn.

Randomguy

2013-02-12, 01:41 AM

You're missing Anticipate Teleportation (possibly greater) and Elemental body. A mass protection from energy seems useful as well, and you should probably add in heart of water and swap stoneskin for heart of earth.

Grab an artificer's monocle (MIC) and skip identify.

Ray deflection, aka beholder begone, would probably make a good addition.

You might also want to tattoo some of your favourite spells on you, and put up some protections around your spellbook. I suggest swallowing it every day after casting Hoard Gullet.
Uncanny forethought (the feat) seems like a good idea too since you're aiming for survivability.

Zanthy1

2013-02-12, 10:17 AM

Mnemnosyne

2013-02-12, 10:32 AM

Dragon Magic. You'll need to use Shrink Item a lot to make use of it as a humanoid, though, because you're limited to things you can normally swallow. Make sure to keep track of your shrink item durations. I don't know what will happen if shrink item runs out while an object is in your hoard gullet, then you try to get it out, but I bet you don't want to find out, either.

Ithandor

2013-02-12, 11:40 AM

I'd swap Stoneskin for Heart of Earth.

I'd strongly second picking up Anticipate Teleportation and Elemental Body (air is the shape you want, for great fly speed all day).

I'd grab Nerveskitter as one of your level 1 spells. I'd definitely take one or more of the Celerity line. Also, you need either Greater Shadow Evocation (for Contingency) or Craft Contingent Spell. The combination of those three means you'll never be caught flat-footed.

Have your Contingency as "Celerity whenever I'm affected by by own Nerveskitter" - Nerveskitter can be cast flat-footed.

I'd take Invoke Magic as one of your level 9s, if you think you should be paranoid.