How does he do it?

[Osiris]

Emperor Tippy defines the top level of optimization. He can do. . . well, see below.
Sure. My blaster just throws out 900 points of damage, SR: No, 80 foot radius, penetrates fire immunity, fireballs. And he can do so twenty two times in a round. And if he wants then they deal the same damage again the next round.

There is just something about the feel of the first time you blow up an entire army that can't really be described to those who haven't experience it.

---
Hmm, Go 'way is also distinctly suboptimal but fun. He forcefully plane shifts his enemies who fail their will save to incredibly deadly prison demiplanes (potentially up to 60 in a round). That is his standard offensive action, he blinks and his enemies are just gone.


Not true at all, its distinctly sub-optimal. :smallwink:

Optimal is doing things like throwing out two thousand Ice Assassin's of Great Wyrm Red Dragons in a single turn.

I want to know how he does it. He seems to love metamagic, Ice Assassin, shapechange, psychic reformation, and Wish- but how?

My guess with the Ice Assassins is to cast them beforehand and stick them into Smoky Confinement, then shrink all of those, then when it's time, throw them on the ground to pop them out.

[Ketiara]

Emperor Tippy defines the top level of optimization. He can do. . . well, see below.

I want to know how he does it. He seems to love metamagic, Ice Assassin, shapechange, psychic reformation, and Wish- but how?

My guess with the Ice Assassins is to cast them beforehand and stick them into Smoky Confinement, then shrink all of those, then when it's time, throw them on the ground to pop them out.

didnt he actually explain how he did it in the same post that you have quoted?

[madtinker]

I think the question is actually, where does he get the inspiration/how does he find the loopholes that allow things like that to be legal?

Like any good inventor its probably a combination of creative gift and lots of hard work.

There's lots of stuff out there on hos to cultivate creativity, and the once you have a good idea you just need an encyclopedic knowledge of the rules and what stacks or doesn't. That's where the work comes in.

[(Un)Inspired]

Well the mailman deals something like infinite damage through celerity and arcane fusion cycling. So 9000 damage for a blaster is pretty simple.

[Slipperychicken]

I want to know how he does it.

You do know that you can just ask the guy pray to him for guidance, right?

Have you tried sending him a Private Message?

[Aegis013]

Emperor Tippy defines the top level of optimization.
...
I want to know how he does it.
...

I'm pretty sure he doesn't do it alone.

Part of it may have become necessity; you try playing where a session which includes fighting a Shadesteel Golem with something like 13 levels of Factotum, 2 levels of Martial Monk, 5 levels of something else and 20 levels of Psion (there was a post where Tippy called this the "adult version" of a Shadesteel golem, but my google-fu isn't locating that post) played by a DM who doesn't mind at all if your entire party gets destroyed every game... multiple times. And it has minions; more of itself without the Psion levels.

[Osiris]

I guess what I want to know about his blaster is how his area is so huge and how he penetrates fire immunity.

EDIT: I just read Ice Assassin. You could make it from yourself and then use Dominate Monster or that ninth level spell that modifies memories to get a free servant, I suppose, but it's pretty expensive. Is there a way to make an auto-resetting trap of Ice Assassin (you) facing an auto-resetting trap of that memory-modifying spell (you serve ________)?

[eggynack]

I guess what I want to know about his blaster is how his area is so huge and how he penetrates fire immunity.
The former can be done with widen spell, and the latter with searing spell (Sand, 53). I don't know what specific methodology he used for metamagic application, but this isn't really at any crazy optimization level.

[Osiris]

Arcane Thesis (fireball) and searing spell would do it, just read the feat. Fireball is a 20 ft radius, Widen only doubles that, so it would be 40 ft. Plus, widen spell has huge (+3) spell level adjustment.

[Aegis013]

EDIT: I just read Ice Assassin. You could make it from yourself and then use Dominate Monster or that ninth level spell that modifies memories to get a free servant, I suppose, but it's pretty expensive. Is there a way to make an auto-resetting trap of Ice Assassin (you) facing an auto-resetting trap of that memory-modifying spell (you serve ________)?

Inside the Ice Assassin spell is this little gem of text: "The ice assassin is under your absolute command."

You don't need to cast Mindrape on it, or Dominate Monster. It's already under your absolute command. So you just make an Ice Assassin of yourself and say "Never ever make any attempt to harm or hinder me or my endeavors." Done deal.

[eggynack]

Arcane Thesis (fireball) and searing spell would do it, just read the feat.
I know ways to do it. I just didn't want to make any assumptions about his method.

Fireball is a 20 ft radius, Widen only doubles that, so it would be 40 ft. Plus, widen spell has huge (+3) spell level adjustment.
True, I suppose. Still, though I don't know the exact way he accomplished that outcome, it's probably not complicated in excess.

[Aegis013]

True, I suppose. Still, though I don't know the exact way he accomplished that outcome, it's probably not complicated in excess.

I think it might have to do with using Genesis to form a demi-plane with desirable advanced magic traits and creating a tiny animated object on that plane with a permanent planar bubble effect to give you a bunch of a free metamagic. It's a trick he's shared in the past, though a couple people debate if an animated object can be native to a plane due to sub/types.

I think it works, personally.

[eggynack]

It's a trick he's shared in the past, though a couple people debate if an animated object can be native to a plane due to sub/types.

I think it works, personally.
That couple of people is mostly just Pickford, so I don't think there's much force of opposition to this plan. Anyways, yeah, that's a pretty likely method.

[Fouredged Sword]

The number of actions in a round can be done through arcane fusion and celerity. Basically you become immune to stunning or whatever, then use arcane fusion to cast celerity multiple times in one round, and basically you can take actions until you run out of spell slots.

Mix well with any spell slot recovery method, and you can cast spells without limits like number per round or number of spell slots.

Then you just launch all those 9th level metamagiced fireballs of death without really worrying about it.

[FinnDarkblade]

The number of actions in a round can be done through arcane fusion and celerity. Basically you become immune to stunning or whatever, then use arcane fusion to cast celerity multiple times in one round, and basically you can take actions until you run out of spell slots.

How exactly does that work? All I see is that you cast Arcane Fusion and that lets you cast Celerity plus one level 1 spell. Do you then use Celerity to cast Arcane Fusion and cycle them? All that gives you is multiple level 1 spells simultaneously though. How do you use it to cast higher level spells?

[Fouredged Sword]

I think the idea is to use sanctum spell to get greater arcane fusion able to cast greater arcane fusion.

[FinnDarkblade]

I think the idea is to use sanctum spell to get greater arcane fusion able to cast greater arcane fusion.

Ah, there we go. I wasn't looking at the greater version. So how do you get a mobile sanctum? Do you travel back to it and delay the attack spells or work with a timeless plane or something like that?

[Aegis013]

That couple of people is mostly just Pickford, so I don't think there's much force of opposition to this plan. Anyways, yeah, that's a pretty likely method.

Oh I know it's just Pickford and doesn't hold too much weight, but I think it's always a good idea to at least mention when there is any argument against a thing when informing people of it. It shows a modicum of respect for those whose views differ, and lets the person being informed know of any differing views so they can look into said arguments if they wish.

It's also just trying to cover my own rear end in case I say something that a more rules savvy person proves untrue.


Ah, there we go. I wasn't looking at the greater version. So how do you get a mobile sanctum? Do you travel back to it and delay the attack spells or work with a timeless plane or something like that?

I think you set up your Sanctum somewhere (maybe a demi-plane) and open windows to wherever (possibly with extraplanar ring gates or Gate spell) and fire attacks through your window.

[HalfQuart]

didnt he actually explain how he did it in the same post that you have quoted?
No, although he did say the Ice Assassin one was done through Factotum/Ardent/Psion.

Someone else posted this:

Here's a reverse engineering attempt.

Factotum 8/Ardent 11/Psion 1. Use the Dominant Ideal ACF with some finagling of Substitute Mantle so that you can have IA as part of your Dominant Ideal; Creation mantle fits really well. Practiced Manifester on Ardent. Magic Mantle to make Magic = Psionics. Practiced Spellcaster on Ardent; that's now valid. Psiotheurgist to stack 19 manifester levels with themselves (treated as arcane with Magic Mantle) so you have an ML of 38 or certain powers, of which you have to make sure IA will be one; use Psychic Chirurgery to get IA from an StP Erudite. Font of Inspiration, like, 11 times. (DCFS Gray Elf feats, Psion bonus feats, and two Ardent bonus feats from Creation and Conflict mantles into them.) Cunning Surge to get 23 extra standard actions. Throw out a Twinned Chained Ice Assassin 24 times, ignoring the material component because that's how StP psionics work, followed by a Quickened Twinned Chained Ice Assassin as a 25th manifesting. 38 * 2 * 25 = 1900 Ice Assassins.

Not sure where the last 100 are coming from, what Psion is for, or if one can have enough PP for this.

[FinnDarkblade]

I think you set up your Sanctum somewhere (maybe a demi-plane) and open windows to wherever (possibly with extraplanar ring gates or Gate spell) and fire attacks through your window.

What book are extraplanar ring gates from?

[Chronos]

An oft-overlooked point about Sanctum Spell is that the most common abuse of it doesn't require you to be in your sanctum-- In fact, it actually requires you to be outside your sanctum. A Sanctum Spell used inside your sanctum gets a free +1 heighten, which can be useful sometimes, but is nothing special: There are plenty of other ways of getting free heighten. But a Sanctum Spell used outside of your sanctum gets a negative heighten: This was intended to be a penalty, because in most situations you'd prefer for your spells to be higher level, but there are a few odd situations where you don't, and in those situations, such as Arcane Fusion, being able to lower the level of a spell turns out to be absolutely huge.

[Brookshw]

What book are extraplanar ring gates from?

The dmg. They're just ring gates, no extraplanar.

[sleepyphoenixx]

XP and material costs for spells like Ice Assassin and Wish can be circumvented by a number of methods. The easiest is probably 4 levels of Dweomerkeeper for Supernatural Spell.
Once you have an IA of yourself he can make more. Those can make more too. Give it a few days for a massive army of high level casters with minimal fuss.

If you want to count as standing in a particular spot (your sanctum, a particular plane) you can use a Feather Token:Tree along with the spell Acorn of Far Travel.

Reducing metamagic costs is pretty simple as well if you go book diving a little. Take a look here (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=auk6sjs20btq6u4bu43lurqun3&topic=972), though it doesn't list everything.
Another way to circumvent metamagic costs is the combination of Midnight Metamagic and Psicarnum Infusion.

If you want to do something new instead of just copying builds your going to have to look through your books yourself with an eye towards possible synergies. Good memory helps. :smalltongue:

[Andezzar]

The other exploit of sanctum spell is that it resets the spell slot. The intended meaning most likely is that it does not change the used spell slot, but as written, it resets it to the spell's normal slot. So no matter how many other metamagics you pile on the spell, the slot does not go up if you add Sanctum spell last.

Oh and rumor hast it, that if you call Emperor Tippy's name three times, he will be summoned. :smallwink:
A more reliable way will be to send him a PM.

[Osiris]

I never really checked into psionics, D&D is taking up a lot of my time as it is. What book is Dweomerkeep in? Is there a Lesser Ice Assassin out there?

[Piggy Knowles]

Is there a Lesser Ice Assassin out there?

Yes. It's called Simulacrum :smalltongue:

Dweomerkeeper can be found in a few places. If my memory serves, the most recent version was the web enhancement for Complete Divine.

[Osiris]

I just read Dweomerkeep- it seems I would need a dip as a cleric of Boccob or something, with Craft X (prob Wondrous Item, I think that's the best), so NO I'm not becoming a Dweomerkeep. However, My Ice Assassin has all my spells, does it not? It can't level up, but it can level down (burn XP), so my Ice Assassin will cast Ice Assassin for me!

If not, the Thought Bottle is awesome already- 20 grand for whatever XP costs you have (wish, Ice Assassin)

Simulacrum's level seven, so at lv 18 and up, factotums can cast it. It can't cast ice assassin though, but as I said, the Thought Bottle is a great buy.

This brings me to another point- I just learned about Factotums, and I was wondering how to optimize one, and what PrC's (if any) he would take, or would he just stay straight Factotum?

[Suddo]

That character was also a high level character (I assume 18 or so) that only prepped Fireball in high level slots. This means that he could have a +6 Metamagic mod and not care.

[sleepyphoenixx]

Scribe Scroll is enough to meet the item creation requirement.
You can get the Magic domain with the Planar Touchstone (PlH) feat and divine spellcasting via the Southern Magician (RoF) feat.

[Osiris]

You're going to have to be more specific with those books, I have a finite amount of them. Can you tell me the non-abbreviated names of those other 2 books?

[sleepyphoenixx]

PlH is the Planar Handbook. RoF is Races of Faerun.

[Kelb_Panthera]

It's my understanding that he does it, runs his games, with excellent organizational skills and just a bit of computer assistance.

The rest is just extraordinary system mastery by him and his group. Every trick that would normally be considered TO, with the exception of pun-pun, can be countered by some other piece of TO or even, in some cases, simple effects used as they're intended.

For example, the commonly accepted method of NI damage involves arcane fusion to create a recursive loop that spits out as many searing spell orbs of fire as it takes to eliminate the target. A simple casting of friendly fire is a hard-counter. The orbs of fire all get redirected as the target desires.

[rmnimoc]

I'm pretty sure all of Tippy is secretly an actual wizard from 3.5 D&D. Here is my theory: Tippy was a regular level 1 wizard, going around offing monsters and leveling up. At level 5 I think he sold his soul for a candle of invocation. He then started a candle-efreet loop to break WBL. Following that, he engaged in shenanigans to become level 20 and have an army of N^2 Ice Assassins (where N is the maximum number of ice assassins he could possibly need). His next act was then to engage in demiplane tricks to deal enough damage to Asmodeus that he got his soul back (and did infinity damage to reality). That destabilized the multiverse and collapsed all of reality into this universe. Fortunately for Tippy, as a wizard with an int of 70 he had figured out a way to give himself permanent immunity to non-existence as a cantrip at level 12 (along with a 1st level spell that made a stable time loop that prevented the existence of Pun-Pun) and so he survived. He now hangs out here in the GiTP forums because of the sheer awesome these forums contain. All of his TO ideas are just things his Ice Assassins did when they got bored back in the Tippyverse.

Either that or he has an army of a few thousand Ice Assassins working together in a giant super-optimization think tank from inside a demiplane with flowing time. (With int 70, two thousand IAs and a single point in the skill, Tippy gets a Knowledge(Optimization) check of ~4030. That lets him know 800 important pieces of information on level 20 wizards with every idle thought on them. So he knows everything about epic (and non-epic) level wizardry. It's gotten to the point that even without divine ranks deities count Tippy as part of their pantheon with the optimization, magic, and Tippy portfolios.)

I challenge anyone to prove my theories wrong.

Edit-05:26-

This was a triumph. I'm making a note here, huge success. It's hard to overstate my satisfaction.

[Vhaidara]

rmnimoc, it was good knowing you. You'll probably be dead by tomorrow.

Note: My time posting this is 11:53 PM. So that's in 7 minutes.

[Osiris]

Well, ok then. Dweomerkeep it is. Are you saying that what Tippy does is shift to an Increased Magic (Fire) plane and use transdimensional spell to do 900 damage hyperfireballs at anything that gets in his way? I guess that makes sense. Also, thanks for the names of those books.

EDIT: I don't even need Southern Magician- a 20th level wizard can take his time in the catalogues, and the high ability is a divine spell from the domain (in this case, knowledge) so it fulfils both requirements!