Force Missile Mage Build Advice

[Hecuba]

So I'm planning on running a Force Missile Mage (kinda) for an upcoming game.
My goal with the class is to carry status riders with Metamagic feats.

I'd appreciate any feedback from the playground, both in general and on the specific questions I have below.

Notes:

I'm aware this is a somewhat self-limiting choice when compared to a normal Wizard. This is intentional - actually playing a primary caster to tier would be somewhat gauche for this group.
The DM likes Special Locations: O-Hole, Frog God's Fane, MM Storm, and Eternal Vortex shouldn't be problematic.
We're starting at Level 12.
I'm intentionally avoiding Fell Drain.
I'm including Incantatrix in the build, but will only be using the following features: Bonus MM Feats, Instant MM, Improved MM.

If there is a better way to snag those effects (less the instant MM if needed), I'm open to suggestions.

The character probably needs to be human or SH Halfling: I need the feats.


Current Effects

Stunned (Bot3T)
Prone (Bot3T)
Nauseated/Sickened (Poison - Energy Gestalt)
Slowed (Living only - Energy Gestalt)
Fear progression (Fell Frighten)
Deaf (Deafening Spell)
1d6 ongoing damage per energy type for 1 round (Lingering Spell)


Questions

I've still got MM Storm available for a feat, as well as any netted from 19 and 20. Are there any status effects I can pile on that I'm missing?

I've been considering entangling spell, but it seems to overlap somewhat with Energy Gestalt's slowing effects. Thoughts?
I'm avoiding Fell Drain.
Fell Weaken seems weak.

Ideas for 19 and 20? I can fill one with Loremaster for a feat(Frog God's Fane for pre-rec). What of the other?


{table="head"]Level|Class_____|Spell Level|Feats|Other
1|Evoker 1|1st|Quick Recovery,Lingering Spell,Combat Casting,Deafening Spell,Scribe Scroll|Flaw:Non-Combatant, Flaw: Shaky, Focused Specialist: Necromancy, Enchantment & Illusion Banned
2|Evoker 2|1st||
3|Evoker 3|2nd|Energy Substitution(Electricity)|
4|Evoker 4|2nd||
5|Evoker 5|3rd|Born of the Three Thunders, Iron Will(O-Hole)|
6|Incant. 1|3rd|Energy Gestalt, Heighten Spell|Banned: Transmutation
7|F.M.M. 1|3rd||Extra Missile, Still Missile
8|F.M.M. 2|4th||Swift Shield, Energy Missile
9|F.M.M. 3|4th|Arcane Thesis (Magic Missile)|Overpowering Missile
10|Incant. 2|5th||
11|Incant. 3|5th||
12|Incant. 4|6th|Energy Admixture (Electricity), Quicken Spell|
13|Incant. 5|6th||
14|Incant. 6|7th||
15|Incant. 7|7th|Fell Frighten, Energy Sub (Acid)|Instant MM 1/day
16|Incant. 8|8th||
17|Incant. 9|8th||Instant MM 2/day
18|Incant. 10|9th|Energy Admixture(Acid),Residual Magic|Improved Metamagic
19|?
20|?
[/table]

[Kazudo]

Archmage 2 could get tacked onto the end of that, that way you get a few awesome usages. If you qualify, that is. It takes some planning to get into.

[Hecuba]

Archmage 2 could get tacked onto the end of that, that way you get a few awesome usages. If you qualify, that is. It takes some planning to get into.

Archmage is unavailable unless I ditch either focused specialist or Incantatrix: As the build stands, 4 of the 8 schools are banned.

The former probably gets more usages than the SLA conversion.
It might be worth it if there's another workable source for the reducer and feats other than Incantatrix, but I don't know of one.

[Xintas]

For MM reducers, there is also Arcane Thesis and the third ability from Magical Trickster, which says you can apply one MM feat at no cost.

[Hecuba]

For MM reducers, there is also Arcane Thesis and the third ability from Magical Trickster, which says you can apply one MM feat at no cost.

Arcane thesis is already up there (lvl. 9).
Magical Trickster's worth looking at, at least, though more for the feat at 2 than for the free usage: with the number of MM feats I have slated, broad reducers are more important than single free instances.

Thought: Ultimate Magus might be interesting. Loose out on 2 feats over Incantatrix though, which might be problematic.

[Xintas]

Also, have you considered being a Spellscale? Not super useful, but you can save yourself a feat in many cases by using the right ritual at the beginning of the day, and it gets you 3 uses of any MM.

I know not exactly what you are looking for, but it might help a bit.

[Yorrin]

Not the most powerful choice EVAR, but for flavor purposes I like adding some Argent Savant to my Force Missile Mages. Two levels would get you a bit of bonus damage and +2AC with force effects (ie- your Shield from FMM).

[Zeb]

I am going to second Argent Savant, Halruaan Elder isnt bad for some metamagic reduction or if you want some forgotten realms flavor.

Bracers of the Entangling blast from the MIC can add some more status effect. If you find one for your sweet spot then a ring of wizardry can double your dakka.

[ericgrau]

The biggest draw is the reliability at taking out strategic targets. For that I'd get some way to bust through SR like greater spell penetration or better. Assay spell resistance if it's allowed. It is the supreme backup tactic.

As a primary tactic it is lacking against foes who don't have resistances and groups of foes. While you can focus mainly on force missiles, fireball goes very well with all the feats and abilities you're taking anyway and it fills that gap. On some fights you might not seem like you're following your theme at all. But that's fine. Soon that will lead to a more tactical but less beefy foe with resistances that you will laugh at. And against lone foes with piles of hp and no resistances, well that's the fighter's specialty. If anything you might give him 24 hour buffs or craft for him but it isn't essential.

I do know about shield but I see monsters use it once every 9 campaigns so if you see it honestly your DM is picking on you. Then you can simply cast something else or get a ring of counterspells.

[Ansem]

I've done a build with FMM using Sorcerer6, Metaphysical Spellshaper3, Binder 1, FMM5, Shadowmage5.
Basically using twin, repeat, quicken to and Arcane Fusion to churn out as much missiles as possible. (Shadowmage's Quicken and Metamagic Quicken are a free and swift action respectively!)

[Hecuba]

I do know about shield but I see monsters use it once every 9 campaigns so if you see it honestly your DM is picking on you. Then you can simply cast something else or get a ring of counterspells.
Overpowering Missile lets me get through shield.
Globe of Inv. is more of a concern, but I can heighten around that if needed.

[malonkey1]

Although it loses you another caster level, I'd actually say that you should see if you can get Argent Savant 1, as it puts an extra +1 damage per die to force spells (so an extra 5 damage per casting, more with the right metamagics). Also, if Dragon Magic is allowed, you can take Easy Metamagic (Dragon #325) to reduce the cost of a metamagic feat. I like to use it in conjunction with Arcane Thesis in in 3.p games for free Intensify Spell on my Magic Missile-based builds.

[Hecuba]

Bracers of the Entangling blast from the MIC can add some more status effect. If you find one for your sweet spot then a ring of wizardry can double your dakka.

Nice catch on the bracers: they make my dilemma on whether to delay/not take entangling spell effectively moot.

Regarding ring of wizardry, I'll be taking #4: most of the status riders have saves which I can increase by heightening, and anything I can do with 1-3 I can heighten with 4.