Optimizing enervation?

[Totema]

I have read that Enervation can be used to great effect at high caster levels, with the right combination of metamagic. Could anyone explain how might be done?

[Slipperychicken]

Caster level has little to do with Enervation, as it's effect is not tied to CL. Optimizing Enervation is generally done by stacking metamagics (and metamagic-reducers) onto it.

For example, a twinned split-ray maximized empowered Enervation can deal (4+(1d4*0.5))= 5.25 negative levels per ray on average among 4 rays, resulting in an average of (5.25*4)= 21 negative levels, assuming they all hit. They really ought to all hit because they're touch attacks. And that is enough to one-shot most pre-epic creatures in D&D.


EDIT: Forgot how Maximize+Empower was supposed to work, fixed it.

[Khedrac]

I think most metamagic on Enervation is fairly self explanatory.

I mean think about the following (combine to suit your taste):
<no metamagic> - 1d4
Maximise - 4
Empower + 0.5 d4 - (not so good as this goes 0, 1, 1, 2 for distribution)
Twin Spell - +1d4
Split Ray - another target
Fell Drain - +1 (debatable as target does not take damage from the spell)
Repeating
etc.

Off hand I cannot remember, can one shape spell a ray to an area effect?

[Know(Nothing)]

Black Lore of Moil will let you more reliably deal damage to activate that Fell Drain.

[Slipperychicken]

Black Lore of Moil will let you more reliably deal damage to activate that Fell Drain.

I think we were talking about the Enervation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/enervation.htm) spell specifically, although Fell Drain is probably of greater interest.

I have heard of people using some auto-hitting cantrip (sonic snap?) and Magic Misslie as vehicles for Fell Drain shenanigans because they're

Low level (making them good candidates for metamagic),
Automatically hit (to activate Fell Drain), and
Deal damage types which are almost never resisted (because Fell Drain doesn't trigger if all the base spell's damage is resisted).

[Know(Nothing)]

Sorry, I was responding to Khedrac's mentioning that Fell Drain applying to Enervation is debatable because of the lack of HP damage. BLoM lets you get around that in a more clearly defined way.

[Dayaz]

There's also the Nonlethal Spell Metamagic. Makes the spell deal nonlethal damage, but it activates Fell Drain... there was another part to that trick but i can't remember it right now.

[Craft (Cheese)]

There's snowcasting (gives any spell the cold descriptor) and flash frost spell (adds 2 points of cold damage per level to all targets), though it only works on area spells. Blistering spell does the same thing for spells with the fire descriptor and not restricted to area spells, but I don't think there's a "Firecasting" that lets you slap the fire descriptor on any spell you want.

[Ansem]

Thesis kit -1 per metamagic used (there are some that raise by +0 so thats -1 overall to +1 lowest)
Incantatrix lowers all by -1
Metaphysical Spellshaper does the same but in a 3 lvl PrC
So by using 2 metamagics there you already lower the cost by -4.
Although I'm still looking for a decent save-or-die with no attack roll needed to add irresistable on it. That was awesome with my sleep spell :P everything fell asleep, no saving throw.

[Envyus]

Enervation one of the best tools of the necromancer. With just one use of the spell on some random commoner you get a Wight a day later.

[Thanatosia]

Just out of curiosity - is there any positive inverse to Enervate that works on Undead?

[Osiris]

Off hand I cannot remember, can one shape spell a ray to an area effect?

I don't think so, but you can turn area spells into lines or other doodads with Sculpt Spell (complete arcane)

[137beth]

Just out of curiosity - is there any positive inverse to Enervate that works on Undead?

If you can convince the GM/DM to allow PF stuff, then Thanatopic Spell (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/metamagic-feats/thanatopic-spell-metamagic) allows you to affect not only undead, but any creature that is otherwise immune, including living creatures with Death Ward and constructs:smallamused:

[Captnq]

Optimizing negative levels.

HUZZAH (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=4571.msg80865#msg80865).

You're welcome.

[Envyus]

Just out of curiosity - is there any positive inverse to Enervate that works on Undead?

Undead get Temp hp from negative levels if thats what you mean.

[Optimator]

There's snowcasting (gives any spell the cold descriptor) and flash frost spell (adds 2 points of cold damage per level to all targets), though it only works on area spells. Blistering spell does the same thing for spells with the fire descriptor and not restricted to area spells, but I don't think there's a "Firecasting" that lets you slap the fire descriptor on any spell you want.

Perhaps it could work with Necrotic Skull Bomb?

[TuggyNE]

Just out of curiosity - is there any positive inverse to Enervate that works on Undead?

Not as such, although the glossary defines a hypothetical inverse (energy charge (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_energycharge&alpha=E)) that to my knowledge is not actually available through any monster, environmental effect, or spell.

[Slipperychicken]

Not as such, although the glossary defines a hypothetical inverse (energy charge (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_energycharge&alpha=E)) that to my knowledge is not actually available through any monster, environmental effect, or spell.

Just say a Wizard researched the positive energy version, as per the spell research rules.

[TuggyNE]

Just say a Wizard researched the positive energy version, as per the spell research rules.

Well, sure. But that requires active DM approval, so it's basically homebrew. Sensible homebrew, but still not default RAW.

[geekintheground]

Not as such, although the glossary defines a hypothetical inverse (energy charge (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_energycharge&alpha=E)) that to my knowledge is not actually available through any monster, environmental effect, or spell.

would that be the same level spell as enervate?

[TuggyNE]

would that be the same level spell as enervate?

I'm not sure. Enervation is a useful debuff (elevating to a no-save-just die with enough castings) against most enemies, but you have to land a touch attack; for undead, it's a minor boost. Excess of vitality, or whatever you'd call it, is a potent buff for your allies and a nice nasty spell to land on undead. That seems like it might be worth a spell level increase, or perhaps some other change like making it touch-range instead of a ray, only do 1 level of energy charge instead of 1d4, or the like.