Elemental Spells

[Ruethgar]

So I am making a set of generic elementalists using some cheese and have a few questions.

Is there any way to make a staff with a lower CL than 8? Any obscure feat or class to lower it?

What spells would be good to put on a staff and at what charges would be balanced assuming only 4d10 charges per day? I want some spells that work toward specific ends, bolt, CC, AoE, and walls, but others more tailored to specific areas. The trouble is limiting the spells to what scales best.

Air- Evasion and movement
Earth- Defensive and melee power
Fire- Burn baby burn... and maybe some movement
Water- Offensive defense, flash flood looks good but is a bit high on power

Was thinking 10 spells maximum with go to blast spells like a bolt at will, AoE's nearer 5 charges, CC and walls 3 charges, buffs at about 2 to 4 charges.

[Falcon X]

I'm not sure if I can answer your questions directly, but a few ideas to look at:

- Elemental Evil spells from Dragon 285 and 347
- Nightcaster spells from Dragon 294
- Master of Elements sections from Dragon 314
- Spells from Dragon Magic, Stormwrack, Sandstorm, Frostburn.
- Shugenja spell lists, of course.

- If you are allowed for specific means, especially if these are just NPCs, check out the 3rd party sourcebook, 'Elementalism: The Primordial Force' in the Encyclopedia Arcane by Mongoose.
Just don't allow the spells and stuff outside the characters trained in them and you'll prevent abuse.
- Mod a Warlock to use Elemental Blast instead of Eldritch blast if you want to start getting Avatarish.
- If the class is homebrew, have create staff as a lvl 1 ability, or a Alternative Class Feature replacing Scribe Scroll.

Crafting Staves:
Honestly, I don't know how you got the CL below 12.
Craft and Artifice Domains will boost your Craft skill, if it helps.

If you like crafting, look at the 'Bind Elemental' Feat from EberronCS.

[Ruethgar]

A lot of those sources will help, thank you. No homebrew, however easy it may be to just modify the warlock or WuJen to my needs that is not what I am looking for.

The text of staves says that the minimum caster level is 8 for any spell put into a staff which I would want lowered so that it scales directly with level rather than starting at half-way to demi-goddom. I'm sure a DM wouldn't mind me just lowering it, however if there is a RAW way I would strongly prefer it.

Bind Elemental would be interesting, the character would have three souls in it which would be fun to role-play. No homebrew classes, just a common man... plant... construct... thing.

[Falcon X]

The text of staves says that the minimum caster level is 8 for any spell put into a staff which I would want lowered so that it scales directly with level rather than starting at half-way to demi-goddom. I'm sure a DM wouldn't mind me just lowering it, however if there is a RAW way I would strongly prefer it.

Ah, I misread your statement. I thought you were trying to get "Craft Staff" feat before level 12, which I think is impossible.
I don't know enough about crafting to comment on this issue.


The text of staves says that the minimum caster level is 8 for any spell put into a staff which I would want lowered so that it scales directly with level rather than starting at half-way to demi-goddom. I'm sure a DM wouldn't mind me just lowering it, however if there is a RAW way I would strongly prefer it.
Have you considered making a Legacy staff (Weapons of Legacy)? Definitely not giving the pure spellcasting you want, but they are designed to scale with level, and there are enough elemental options to make it flavorful?
Item Familiars (UE) for similar reasons.


Bind Elemental would be interesting, the character would have three souls in it which would be fun to role-play. No homebrew classes, just a common man... plant... construct... thing.
Man...plant...construct....thing. Now you gotta tell us what this is....

Have you considered elemental and plant grafts from Magic of Eberron?

[Ruethgar]

It is a cheesy little creature made in a lucid dream. You have full control over building and flora as per the skill, so make a plant associated (Savage Species) wizard 20/druid 20/cleric 20 to do all the work.

Start with a small tree seed, awaken it, make it a Living Item(Quintessential Druid) with Create Device (Ravenloft Legacy of the Blood) and Craft Wondrous Item for a power source(I went with biofeedback). You don't need to do that I just wanted to limit it from being spam-able. Obedient Growth(Quintessential Cleric) or Wood Shape the tree into a humanoid form after you Sprout(Pathfinder) or Plant Growth:Overgrowth the little guy to small size.

Make it a Create Device Tree Staff(Quintessential Druid), loaded with all the fixin's. Brew Create Device Spell-Like Investitures(Quintessential Druid) until you have all the spells at will that you want. At least, you can have infinite so it may as well be at will.

Could just stay there and be great, but the plant type is a strong one. From there finagle the little beasty to be a construct(such as an association or wished type change). Being that nothing added so far has a listing under anything changed by Incarnate Construct, you now have a Humanoid with pretty much all spells available at will below 4th level and all other spells available for 1 charge on a recharging staff that is yourself. Oh, and you have lucid dreaming, so you can get an easy 4 decades a night of rest to recharge 4d10 charges(you can get more, 4d10 just seemed like a fair number).

So now you have a small humanoid with 2 natural armor, 2 dex, 40ft speed and all the spells in the world. I am choosing to limit those spells, and am taking both the slow trait and flaw plus vulnerable. So Small Humanoid +2 NA -1 AC, +2 Dex, 20ft Speed +1 HP/lvl and 3 feats to start. Pick commoner since you don't need a CL to utilize Create Device, you should be fine. Or pick a different T5/6 class to fill in.

[Falcon X]

That's ridiculously convoluted and shenanigan-infested. I love it! Good job.
Haven't looked up all those references yet, but I might just steal this idea at some point.

Can you Incantatrix or Metaphysical Spellshaper (BoEroticFantasy) it for metamagic glory? Or am I just going too far?