necrotic cyst usefulness

[Skorni]

greetings all. I encountered the talent mother cyst in the libris mortis that opens to some spells i found quite intersting. but considering you must spend a feat to obtain them is it truly useful?

[ZamielVanWeber]

Because they all require the necrotic cyst spell to be successfully cast to work to begin with they are pretty iffy. They do do some fun things though:
1) Dominate Person that bypasses protection spells/Thrall effect that bypasses protection spells (neither are mind affecting either)
2) Great for villains to plant them initially and activate them later
3) Three death effects without the death descriptor (although one costs 1k exp)
4) Necrotic Empowerment is a free +4 to all your Int/Wis-based save dc's and will try to add +9 to your ac, +2 to Ref and Will, and 100 temporary HP. While not amazing, it is still fun for an 8th level spell.
5) Adds a ton of spells to "spells known" casters.
A stilled, silent, heightened Necrotic Cyst is a great way to prepare to prep a target for a fight (or just use a quickened, irresistible one, with some metamagic reducers).

[gorfnab]

The flaw Chicken Infested could have some use with the Necrotic Cyst spells...free exploding chicken bombs come to mind.

[Darrin]

In Iron Chef LVIII Piggy Knowles came up with an interesting "Mother (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=17754384&postcount=341)" build that used Spellsword to implant necrotic cysts into people without them noticing. Too bad he didn't actually submit it... probably would have medaled.

[atemu1234]

The flaw Chicken Infested could have some use with the Necrotic Cyst spells...free exploding chicken bombs come to mind.

Yippee ki-yay, mother-clucker.

[A_S]

OMG Ponies also put Mother Cyst to excellent use for Milo Brushscrubber in IC X (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?164381-Iron-Chef-Optimization-Challenge-X/page4), one of my favorite builds ever.

[Necroticplague]

A big advantage to the Necrotic Cyst line is that you can get some spell effects without being hampered by a descriptor (i.e., mind control without [mind-effecting], SoD without [Death]). A downside is that they all require you to first get them to fail a save against a second level spell. So its kinda inefficient to use it in combat in any way, and its real strength is when you have time to build up some encysted minions outside of combat. If you're a spontaneous spellcaster, these are added to your spells known, so its a bit better for them. I've found it has an oddly specific good use in public assassinations (Cyst relatively harmless hobos, urchins, beggars, ect.. Necrotic Domination them into following you orders. Necrotic Bomb them during whatever public effect the figure is at. If they survive the damage, they should have a cyst, letting you Domination them into offing themselves or Terminate them.)

[Mithril Leaf]

It's the most effective method of acquiring extraplanar minions. The combination of Dweomerkeeper, Archivist, Malconvoker, that one feat that increases your planar binding cap, and this feat makes you able to take any outsider of 22 HD or lower you slave forever. Supernatural spell means it can't be dispelled. Can't get immunity. You take a balor, and enslave it's will permanently.