Deathtongue
2018-08-21, 08:46 PM
I'm discounting stuff like Sculpt Spell and Arcane Recovery, even though Sculpt Spell in my own opinion is enough of a reason to give Evoker Wizard the title of Best Blaster even if the numbers are lacking. You get to use Gust of Wind, Fireball, Melf's Minute Meteors, Dawn, Wall of Ice, and Whirlwind whenever and wherever you feel like. Case closed.
But the thing is, even without Sculpt Spell, Evoker Wizards can put up numbers comparable to other blasters (Arcana/Light Clerics, Lore Bards, Sorlocks, etc.) for most of the game and even comfortably exceeding them at certain ranges of the game -- certainly from level 14+ onwards, but I'd argue from level 2 - 7 as well. But even at the level 8 - 13 range, where Sorlocks operate at their strongest, Evoker Wizards stay in the running.
0.) They get Find Familiar. A mobile platform for Dragon's Breath, which goes a long way towards closing the damage vs. resource gap at low levels. I've played a lot of low-level campaigns by now, and having a Dragon's Breath + Fire Bolt last you for three or four combats a day is a BFD. A Sorlock (the Evoker wizard's most probable competition) just doesn't have the durability to really improve on this combo until around level 8. A lot of your money will go into recasting this spell at low levels. Past level 5, it's not a big deal, UNLESS your game has magical items. Then it's a very big deal. Other classes can get Find Familiar through multiclassing or Magic Initiate, but at a significant opportunity cost.
1.) Sculpt Spell. Evokers can pull off combos that other blasters straight-up can't. They can simply do sick things with Wall of Ice, Whirlwind, Dawn, and Sickening Radiance other blasters can't.
2.) Contingency. Speed is everything to a blaster and unfortunately you'll be subject to action clog. A Hexblade 1 / Evoker 11+ can on the opening round Hexblade Curse an enemy, Melf's Minute Meteors, and 3rd-level Fireball three enemies for up to 12d6 + 25 damage in the opening round. And the next round, with a -5 damage penalty. And the round after that. Other blasters can exceed that, but not by round one and oftentimes not by round two.
3.) Overchannel. Overchannel and Contingency go together like peanut butter and jelly. But even Overchannel on its own is pretty painful. A Hexblade 1 / Wizard 14 can throw out a Scorching Ray that does 6d6+113 damage if all rays hit.
4.) Simulacrum. Frankly, if you don't have access to simulacrum I strongly question whether you even deserve the title of Top Blaster. Not just for the DPR boost, but because it enables combos that are almost impossible to do on your own. Such as a Simulacrum that Hexes someone's Strength or Intelligence just in time for you to drop a Telekinesis or Major Image.
5.) Crown of Stars. Crown of Stars looks underpowered, with the key differences that it A) doesn't require concentration and B) lasts for 7 attacks. A Sorlock with Quicken Spell + EB + Agonizing Blast but no Hex can do superior damage (CoS's 26 damage versus 31.5 to 43 damage) with their bonus action, yes, but CoS helps to greatly close the gap.
And if an Evoker wizard doesn't mind blowing their 8th level spell slot on CoS as well (or they have a nifty magic item), their durability is greater than that of a Sorlock. Since they get 16 bonus action attacks in a workday while a Sorlock will have to cannibalize most of their non-sorcerer spell slots for that kind of durability or take a butt-ton of short rests.
6.) Wish. Wish for Find Greater Steed. You now have double Crown of Stars action. Or Double Contingency/Overchanneled Melf's Minute Meteors action. Or whatever. You can also wish for more Simulacrums. Or whatever. I'm not your mom.
7.) True Polymorph / Shapechange. See that Simulacrum of yours? Make it an archdruid or a lich or something. Or you can always just True Polymorph a rock into a Diviner or Abjurer. More blasting action.
8.) Prismatic Wall. I'd prefer Wish, but if I wanted actual damage Prismatic Wall beats out anything. Including Meteor Swarm. If only you had a way to trick or force enemies through the wall. Oh, wait, you do; Reverse Gravity with a spherical Prismatic Wall does 200d6 damage. That was fun, what's next?
I really do think the all-around optimal blaster build is a (in order) Hexblade 1 / Evoker 17 / Fighter 2 or Full Spellcaster 2, depending on whether you want more spells or Action Surge.
But the thing is, even without Sculpt Spell, Evoker Wizards can put up numbers comparable to other blasters (Arcana/Light Clerics, Lore Bards, Sorlocks, etc.) for most of the game and even comfortably exceeding them at certain ranges of the game -- certainly from level 14+ onwards, but I'd argue from level 2 - 7 as well. But even at the level 8 - 13 range, where Sorlocks operate at their strongest, Evoker Wizards stay in the running.
0.) They get Find Familiar. A mobile platform for Dragon's Breath, which goes a long way towards closing the damage vs. resource gap at low levels. I've played a lot of low-level campaigns by now, and having a Dragon's Breath + Fire Bolt last you for three or four combats a day is a BFD. A Sorlock (the Evoker wizard's most probable competition) just doesn't have the durability to really improve on this combo until around level 8. A lot of your money will go into recasting this spell at low levels. Past level 5, it's not a big deal, UNLESS your game has magical items. Then it's a very big deal. Other classes can get Find Familiar through multiclassing or Magic Initiate, but at a significant opportunity cost.
1.) Sculpt Spell. Evokers can pull off combos that other blasters straight-up can't. They can simply do sick things with Wall of Ice, Whirlwind, Dawn, and Sickening Radiance other blasters can't.
2.) Contingency. Speed is everything to a blaster and unfortunately you'll be subject to action clog. A Hexblade 1 / Evoker 11+ can on the opening round Hexblade Curse an enemy, Melf's Minute Meteors, and 3rd-level Fireball three enemies for up to 12d6 + 25 damage in the opening round. And the next round, with a -5 damage penalty. And the round after that. Other blasters can exceed that, but not by round one and oftentimes not by round two.
3.) Overchannel. Overchannel and Contingency go together like peanut butter and jelly. But even Overchannel on its own is pretty painful. A Hexblade 1 / Wizard 14 can throw out a Scorching Ray that does 6d6+113 damage if all rays hit.
4.) Simulacrum. Frankly, if you don't have access to simulacrum I strongly question whether you even deserve the title of Top Blaster. Not just for the DPR boost, but because it enables combos that are almost impossible to do on your own. Such as a Simulacrum that Hexes someone's Strength or Intelligence just in time for you to drop a Telekinesis or Major Image.
5.) Crown of Stars. Crown of Stars looks underpowered, with the key differences that it A) doesn't require concentration and B) lasts for 7 attacks. A Sorlock with Quicken Spell + EB + Agonizing Blast but no Hex can do superior damage (CoS's 26 damage versus 31.5 to 43 damage) with their bonus action, yes, but CoS helps to greatly close the gap.
And if an Evoker wizard doesn't mind blowing their 8th level spell slot on CoS as well (or they have a nifty magic item), their durability is greater than that of a Sorlock. Since they get 16 bonus action attacks in a workday while a Sorlock will have to cannibalize most of their non-sorcerer spell slots for that kind of durability or take a butt-ton of short rests.
6.) Wish. Wish for Find Greater Steed. You now have double Crown of Stars action. Or Double Contingency/Overchanneled Melf's Minute Meteors action. Or whatever. You can also wish for more Simulacrums. Or whatever. I'm not your mom.
7.) True Polymorph / Shapechange. See that Simulacrum of yours? Make it an archdruid or a lich or something. Or you can always just True Polymorph a rock into a Diviner or Abjurer. More blasting action.
8.) Prismatic Wall. I'd prefer Wish, but if I wanted actual damage Prismatic Wall beats out anything. Including Meteor Swarm. If only you had a way to trick or force enemies through the wall. Oh, wait, you do; Reverse Gravity with a spherical Prismatic Wall does 200d6 damage. That was fun, what's next?
I really do think the all-around optimal blaster build is a (in order) Hexblade 1 / Evoker 17 / Fighter 2 or Full Spellcaster 2, depending on whether you want more spells or Action Surge.