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View Full Version : Optimization Ways to add the evil descriptor to spells? (3.5)



Westhart
2017-11-28, 11:26 AM
So, Ur-Priest requires spell focus (evil). Thus, I was wondering what are the ways to add the evil descriptor to a spell? I think there was a drow specialist option that might have added it (or was that were you were just specialized in a bunch of different descriptors?), and I assume that the vile feats that make you do a portion of vile damage with your spell would do so, but what other ways are there?

Mentions:

Touch of the Blackened Soul, Spell, Dragon Magic
Aligned Spellcaster, ACF, Dragon Magazine #357, Replaces Familiar
Corrupt Spell (Champions of Ruin) and Violate Spell (Book of Vile Darkness, only applies to 1 spell) metamagical feats
Corrupt Summoning, Vile Feat, Dragon Magazine #347
Diabolist, PrC, Book of Vile Darkness, can add [evil] descriptor to any AoE or target spell; can do it 1/day, +1 per 3 class levels
Tainted Sorcerer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/taint.htm#taintedSorcerer):
All spells a tainted sorcerer casts are evil spells.

Debilitating Spell (Heroes of Horror): this [tainted] feat allow to add [evil] descriptor to a spell, and, "if the spell deals any physical damage to a subject", also cause 2 Con damage (if your Corruption > Depravity), or 4 Wis damage (if your Corruption < Depravity); if your Corruption = Depravity, than you can choose; in case of multiple-target or AoE spell, only one creature is affected (your choice); usable 2/day (or 3/day, if you have Severe Taint)
Tainted Scholar PrC (Heroes of Horror):
All arcane spells you cast are evil spells.



Related:

Evil Domain: +1 CL for evil spells
Soul Tick, Fiend Folio, Symbiont, Empowers all evil spells.
Malign Spell Focus, Champions of Ruin, +1 DC of evil spells ((Note: The BoVD gives a +2, and BoED's good version was never updated, so you may be able to argue with your DM to get this to give a +2... or he might just say the good aligned gives only a +1...))
Demonologist PrC (Book of Vile Darkness): Summoning Mastery - from the 3rd level, when summoning CE creatures, you got +2 spell level - and it's not just "Heighten Spell": if you casting summon monster II, you may summon creatures intended to summon monster IV; at 6th level, it increases to +3, and at 9th - to +4
Fiendish Power (Complete Mage) +1 CL for evil spells
Fiendish Summoning Specialist (Planar Handbook) - some more Evil summons for you
Dark Speech (Book of Vile Darkness/Fiendish Codex I/Elder Evils): Power - +1 CL
Lore of the Ur‐Flan (Dragon #315) - +2 DC for evil necromancy spells
Corrupt Spell Focus/Greater Corrupt Spell Focus (Heroes of Horror) +1 DC/+1 DC (stacks) for corrupt spells


Agony (Liquid Pain) - +2 CL
Devil's Heart - 10% chance the spell will remain prepared even after being cast
Humanoid Heart - 25% chance to +2 CL
Metallic Dragon Heart - 30% chance for +1 DC
Soul in Larval Form - +2 DC
Soul in Receptacle - +10 to overcome SR
Yugoloth's Brain - 10% chance the spell wouldn't allow any saving throws; also, 10% chance caster will be affected along with the spell's area - with no saving throw (chances are separate)


Hellsworn (Exemplars of Evil): selecting the Brimstone Caress gift gives +1 CL for [evil] spells and SLAs, and (1/encounter) allow to add +1 DC, and half of damage (if any) will be unholy
Note: this feat binds your soul to the Nine Hells of Baator; you can't be revived without Wish or Miracle, and (possibly) vulnerable to Dismissal/Banishment/Holy Word(/Word of Chaos/Word of Balance) effects


Most of these were found by ShurikVch, so thanks :smallsmile:

Anthrowhale
2017-11-28, 11:38 AM
Touch of the Blackened Soul (Dragon Magic) is the least costly approach. The spell can be persisted for all-day use.

The Aligned Spellcaster (Dragon #357) is nondispellable and starts at level 1 at the cost of a familiar.

Westhart
2017-11-28, 11:44 AM
Touch of the Blackened Soul (Dragon Magic) is the least costly approach. The spell can be persisted for all-day use.

Ooh, I like that spell...


The Aligned Spellcaster (Dragon #357) is nondispellable and starts at level 1 at the cost of a familiar.

Don't have the magazine :smallfrown:

ShurikVch
2017-11-28, 12:23 PM
Corrupt Spell (Champions of Ruin) and Violate Spell (Book of Vile Darkness) metamagical feats

Westhart
2017-11-28, 12:24 PM
Corrupt Spell (Champions of Ruin) and Violate Spell (Book of Vile Darkness) metamagical feats

That's the vile feat I meant :smallsmile:. Missed corrupt spell though.

ShurikVch
2017-11-28, 01:20 PM
Corrupt Summoning [vile] feat (Dragon #347): all of your summons got Evil alignment; thus, such spells as Conjure Ice Beast line, Halaster's Fetch line, Spider Plague, Summon Clockwork Mender Swarm, Summon Monster line, Summon Nature's Ally line, and Vipergout - are all get [evil] descriptor, regardless of which, exactly, creature you summoned(/called)

Westhart
2017-11-28, 01:23 PM
Corrupt Summoning [vile] feat (Dragon #347): all of your summons got Evil alignment; thus, such spells as Conjure Ice Beast line, Halaster's Fetch line, Spider Plague, Summon Clockwork Mender Swarm, Summon Monster line, Summon Nature's Ally line, and Vipergout - are all get [evil] descriptor, regardless of which, exactly, creature you summoned(/called)

Hmm, interesting, added to OP.

flappeercraft
2017-11-28, 03:01 PM
Would reccomend Touch of the blackened soul. Also, take a soul tick while at it from FF. Automatically empowers all spells that have the evil subtype for free.

Westhart
2017-11-28, 03:05 PM
Would reccomend Touch of the blackened soul. Also, take a soul tick while at it from FF. Automatically empowers all spells that have the evil subtype for free.

Yes, that's my favorite so far as well.

Inevitability
2017-11-28, 03:55 PM
Also if you want to take what's basically Spell Focus (Evil) again, take a look at Malign Spell Focus from Champions of Ruin.

If your DM lets you use the BoVD version, that's even better. There's a fair argument to be made for that, as its counterpart from the BoED gives a +2 bonus as well but never got updated.

ShurikVch
2017-11-29, 07:08 AM
One more method:
Diabolist PrC (Book of Vile Darkness) can add [evil] descriptor to any AoE or target spell; Diabolist can do it 1/day, +1 per 3 class levels

Related:
Demonologist PrC (Book of Vile Darkness): Summoning Mastery - from the 3rd level, when summoning CE creatures, you got +2 spell level - and it's not just "Heighten Spell": if you casting summon monster II, you may summon creatures intended to summon monster IV; at 6th level, it increases to +3, and at 9th - to +4
Fiendish Power (Complete Mage) +1 CL for evil spells
Fiendish Summoning Specialist (Planar Handbook) - some more Evil summons for you
Dark Speech (Book of Vile Darkness/Fiendish Codex I/Elder Evils): Power - +1 CL
Lore of the Ur‐Flan (Dragon #315) - +2 DC for evil necromancy spells
Corrupt Spell Focus/Greater Corrupt Spell Focus (Heroes of Horror) +1 DC/+1 DC (stacks) for corrupt spellsAgony (Liquid Pain) - +2 CL
Devil's Heart - 10% chance the spell will remain prepared even after being cast
Humanoid Heart - 25% chance to +2 CL
Metallic Dragon Heart - 30% chance for +1 DC
Soul in Larval Form - +2 DC
Soul in Receptacle - +10 to overcome SR
Yugoloth's Brain - 10% chance the spell wouldn't allow any saving throws; also, 10% chance caster will be affected along with the spell's area - with no saving throw (chances are separate)

Soul Tick, Fiend Folio, Symbiont

weckar
2017-11-29, 07:28 AM
Do Symbionts actually have any WBL value?

Westhart
2017-11-29, 07:54 AM
One more method:
Diabolist PrC (Book of Vile Darkness) can add [evil] descriptor to any AoE or target spell; Diabolist can do it 1/day, +1 per 3 class levels

Related:
Demonologist PrC (Book of Vile Darkness): Summoning Mastery - from the 3rd level, when summoning CE creatures, you got +2 spell level - and it's not just "Heighten Spell": if you casting summon monster II, you may summon creatures intended to summon monster IV; at 6th level, it increases to +3, and at 9th - to +4
Fiendish Power (Complete Mage) +1 CL for evil spells
Fiendish Summoning Specialist (Planar Handbook) - some more Evil summons for you
Dark Speech (Book of Vile Darkness/Fiendish Codex I/Elder Evils): Power - +1 CL
Lore of the Ur‐Flan (Dragon #315) - +2 DC for evil necromancy spells
Corrupt Spell Focus/Greater Corrupt Spell Focus (Heroes of Horror) +1 DC/+1 DC (stacks) for corrupt spellsAgony (Liquid Pain) - +2 CL
Devil's Heart - 10% chance the spell will remain prepared even after being cast
Humanoid Heart - 25% chance to +2 CL
Metallic Dragon Heart - 30% chance for +1 DC
Soul in Larval Form - +2 DC
Soul in Receptacle - +10 to overcome SR
Yugoloth's Brain - 10% chance the spell wouldn't allow any saving throws; also, 10% chance caster will be affected along with the spell's area - with no saving throw (chances are separate)

Added and fixed my mistake :smallsmile:

Vizzerdrix
2017-11-29, 08:29 AM
Do Symbionts actually have any WBL value?

Yeah. I think one of the eberron books tag them with a gp value.

Anthrowhale
2017-11-29, 10:15 AM
Note that for Violate Spell you must choose the spell at the time the feat is taken while Corrupt Spell can be applied to essentially every spell.

Westhart
2017-11-29, 10:20 AM
Note that for Violate Spell you must choose the spell at the time the feat is taken while Corrupt Spell can be applied to essentially every spell.

?!
I was going to say No, then I saw the special line... That's so stupid! I'll add a note...

ShurikVch
2017-11-29, 10:29 AM
One more related feat:
Hellsworn (Exemplars of Evil): selecting the Brimstone Caress gift gives +1 CL for [evil] spells and SLAs, and (1/encounter) allow to add +1 DC, and half of damage (if any) will be unholy
Note: this feat binds your soul to the Nine Hells of Baator; you can't be revived without Wish or Miracle, and (possibly) vulnerable to Dismissal/Banishment/Holy Word(/Word of Chaos/Word of Balance) effects

Westhart
2017-11-29, 10:31 AM
One more related feat:
Hellsworn (Exemplars of Evil): selecting the Brimstone Caress gift gives +1 CL for [evil] spells and SLAs, and (1/encounter) allow to add +1 DC, and half of damage (if any) will be unholy
Note: this feat binds your soul to the Nine Hells of Baator; you can't be revived without Wish or Miracle, and (possibly) vulnerable to Dismissal/Banishment/Holy Word(/Word of Chaos/Word of Balance) effects

A lot more of these then I'd thought there'd be...

ShurikVch
2017-11-29, 12:43 PM
There are some more ways:

Tainted Sorcerer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/taint.htm#taintedSorcerer):
All spells a tainted sorcerer casts are evil spells.


Debilitating Spell (Heroes of Horror): this [tainted] feat allow to add [evil] descriptor to a spell, and, "if the spell deals any physical damage to a subject", also cause 2 Con damage (if your Corruption > Depravity), or 4 Wis damage (if your Corruption < Depravity); if your Corruption = Depravity, than you can choose; in case of multiple-target or AoE spell, only one creature is affected (your choice); usable 2/day (or 3/day, if you have Severe Taint)


Tainted Scholar PrC (Heroes of Horror):
All arcane spells you cast are evil spells.

Westhart
2017-11-29, 12:51 PM
There are some more ways:

Tainted Sorcerer (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/campaigns/taint.htm#taintedSorcerer):


Debilitating Spell (Heroes of Horror): this [tainted] feat allow to add [evil] descriptor to a spell, and, "if the spell deals any physical damage to a subject", also cause 2 Con damage (if your Corruption > Depravity), or 4 Wis damage (if your Corruption < Depravity); if your Corruption = Depravity, than you can choose; in case of multiple-target or AoE spell, only one creature is affected (your choice); usable 2/day (or 3/day, if you have Severe Taint)


Tainted Scholar PrC (Heroes of Horror):

Jeez, added them, thanks!