Spellfire Channeler?

[magic9mushroom]

What do you all think of this PrC? (Magic of Faerun)

What I can see is that your damage when you go nova is very high (Meteor Swarm/round at level 12) but that it takes a lot of work to charge up. Good healing, too.

Would work well with a Focused Specialist wizard, methinks. That way you have a lot of spell levels to charge yourself with.

[Olo Demonsbane]

The best way to charge up is to buy a wand of light (375 gp). This can give you 50 spellfire charges. That equals...~7gp per spellfire charge!

[Keld Denar]

No...best way to charge it up is to hire a friendly warlock to use an invocation on you over and over and over and over and over and over again.

That lets you nova at the start of every enounter for almost no cost.

[magic9mushroom]

No...best way to charge it up is to hire a friendly warlock to use an invocation on you over and over and over and over and over and over again.

That lets you nova at the start of every enounter for almost no cost.

Can you absorb spell-likes?

If so, then being a Warlock yourself would probably be the best bet.

[Olo Demonsbane]

Good point, forgot about that.

Leadership could be good for this, if you don't want to be a warlock.

[Keld Denar]

You can't really ready an action to absorb a spell or spell-like and then spend your standard action to use that spell or spell like ability. You'd need someone else to ping you while you stand there getting ready to absorb it.

[magic9mushroom]

You can't really ready an action to absorb a spell or spell-like and then spend your standard action to use that spell or spell like ability. You'd need someone else to ping you while you stand there getting ready to absorb it.

Delay Spell.

Actually, scratch that, just use a swift spell e.g. Critical Strike. Standard Action: Ready. Swift Action: spell. Readied action triggers and absorbs it. Repeat for all spells.

[Emperor Tippy]

Delay Spell.

Actually, scratch that, just use a swift spell e.g. Critical Strike. Standard Action: Ready. Swift Action: spell. Readied action triggers and absorbs it. Repeat for all spells.

Do warlocks have any swift action invocations?

[magic9mushroom]

Do warlocks have any swift action invocations?

Do we care? The wording is iffy on whether it absorbs SLAs and no sane DM will let you use Warlock to power it. So Focused Diviner looks good to me.

[Keld Denar]

Why? SLAs are exactly like spells in almost every way except components and counterspellability. They still check SR (if applicable), require defensive casting to use while threatened, and can be identified by a sufficiently high Spellcraft check. They ARE spells, except slightly different, but not in a way that would affect a Spellfire Wielder.

Baring that, being a Spellfire Wielder is bad. Denying yourself actions in combat because someone MAY cast a spell that MAY target you is a terribad decision.

[Alleine]

Baring that, being a Spellfire Wielder is bad. Denying yourself actions in combat because someone MAY cast a spell that MAY target you is a terribad decision.

You could fix it by saying the class gets absorptive spell resistance that feeds into their spellfire levels. Not sure how well it would work, but it sure would be nicer.

Aside from having a potentially hard time getting more spellfire levels without spending cash, the class looks like tons of fun. Very blasty with the added benefit of being a backup emergency healer. The only way I could see making it better would be to convert that bit of fire damage you do into something else. Fire = suck at higher levels when everyone and their grandma has some sort of fire resistance.

With a little tweaking, I could comfortably play this from 1 to 20. The only question being what are the rest of your levels going to be?

[magic9mushroom]

You could fix it by saying the class gets absorptive spell resistance that feeds into their spellfire levels. Not sure how well it would work, but it sure would be nicer.

Aside from having a potentially hard time getting more spellfire levels without spending cash, the class looks like tons of fun. Very blasty with the added benefit of being a backup emergency healer. The only way I could see making it better would be to convert that bit of fire damage you do into something else. Fire = suck at higher levels when everyone and their grandma has some sort of fire resistance.

With a little tweaking, I could comfortably play this from 1 to 20. The only question being what are the rest of your levels going to be?

The "easy way" to get spellfire levels is to go, say, Focused Diviner for the first 5 levels. That way you get a ton of spells/day that you can then pour any excess of into your spellfire. Also, that's why Drain Permanent Item is so awesome. Find some cheap objects with a high CL and go nuts.

Spellfire is 1/2 fire, 1/2 untyped. The main problem isn't that, it's that it requires an attack roll *and* allows a Reflex save. Ability Focus would be a really good idea.

[Alleine]

How do you change all of those spells into spellfire though? Unless I missed the part where you can convert your own spells into spellfire levels.
I'm pretty sure CL is usually directly tied to item price, so I don't think there are many low-cost high-CL items.

Boosting that reflex save would be pretty hard. It starts at a very shiny DC 20, but that isn't so hot at higher levels. Ability Focus only bumps that to 22. If the DM permits, you could make it DC 10 + Spellfire Channeler levels + ability score. Off the top of my head I can't think of another way to boost the DC.

[Glimbur]

Universal Solvent is CL 20 and only 50 gp a dose, but I'm not familiar with Spellfire Channeler so I don't know if you can use it.

[quick_comment]

I'm pretty sure CL is usually directly tied to item price, so I don't think there are many low-cost high-CL items.

The best I think you can do is charged runes of cantrips.

Spellfire also synergizes nicely with unarmed combat. My DM let me use the drain permanent item ability to drain the armor and weapons of the enemy by making touch attacks against them.

[Alleine]

Spellfire also synergizes nicely with unarmed combat. My DM let me use the drain permanent item ability to drain the armor and weapons of the enemy by making touch attacks against them.

This gives me the vision of a pixie Spellfire Channeler flying around with Greater Invisibility and draining all of an enemy's magic items. Then you rain destruction on their heads using the power you just took from them.

[Olo Demonsbane]

For super novaing (is that a word?), get leadership and make all of your followers warlocks. First round, you nova, they eldritch spear. Next round, you ready for absorbation, they eldritch spear you. Rinse and repeat.

[magic9mushroom]

For super novaing (is that a word?), get leadership and make all of your followers warlocks. First round, you nova, they eldritch spear. Next round, you ready for absorbation, they eldritch spear you. Rinse and repeat.

However, it's unknown whether you can absorb spell-likes. It doesn't say you can. And anyway, you'd need a LOT of warlocks. Eldritch Blast is equivalent to a 1st-level spell, Eldritch Spear to a 2nd. At max, you want recharge of 5x your Con, which is going to be over 100 levels. Also, make SURE none of the warlocks are within 30 feet, in case you fail a Will save (the DC's 25, so it's a real chance). Otherwise they'll get incinerated.

And only 1st and 2nd-level Warlocks will actually do more damage this way. Anything higher and the EB itself will do more damage than the spellfire damage gained.

[Alleine]

Man, now I really want to update and tweak the spellfire mechanics, then play this thing. I now have another build I really REALLY want to play :P

[Keld Denar]

Tell me about it. I have more builds I want to try than I have games to play. I joined a PbP game so I could try out one I made for someone else, and I dunno when I'll ever get to try out my Suel Arcanamach Paladin build...

Gah.....

[Alleine]

I'm pretty sure I'll be stuck with visions of just how freaking cool it would look to play this, especially at higher levels. With the right race and items at level 15, you could unleash a maelstrom that goes like this: "Ok, everyone in 20 ft makes a reflex save and dies anyway"
Heck, you could also get the DM to approve of metamgic supernatural rods. No feats though, those suck and have HD requirements.
I'm curious about something though. Why are most of the save DCs non-scaling? Is there a lot of 3.0 stuff that doesn't scale?


I have more builds I want to try than games I could reasonably play
On top of 3.5 I might start playing Shadowrun too. Dear jeebus I might explode in much the same way a spellfire Channeler would.

[magic9mushroom]

I'm pretty sure I'll be stuck with visions of just how freaking cool it would look to play this, especially at higher levels. With the right race and items at level 15, you could unleash a maelstrom that goes like this: "Ok, everyone in 20 ft makes a reflex save and dies anyway"
Heck, you could also get the DM to approve of metamgic supernatural rods. No feats though, those suck and have HD requirements.
I'm curious about something though. Why are most of the save DCs non-scaling? Is there a lot of 3.0 stuff that doesn't scale?


I have more builds I want to try than games I could reasonably play
On top of 3.5 I might start playing Shadowrun too. Dear jeebus I might explode in much the same way a spellfire Channeler would.

They don't have a tendency to explode. They only take at max 1d6 points of damage a round, and that's if they fail a Con check DC 10. Con being of course their "casting stat". At later levels it becomes literally impossible for them to fail the check, and they can heal themselves anyway. The Will save is to avoid nuking someone near you, which might be fatal for them, but not you.

[quick_comment]

You might also get the DM to approve Metaspellfire feats.

Maybe even let you take feats to learn and apply some warlock shape or blast essences.

[Alleine]

I just read the part on increased storage #5. Saying if you fail a will save you unleash a maximum strength blast of spellfire at a target in 30 ft. Then I continued to read how there's a cap on the number of spellfire levels you can voluntarily expend up to your constitution score. Involuntary expenditures have so such cap.
Maximum strength. No cap. Just tell everyone to stay far away?

I knew it was bad already since I'd read it before, but I didn't see the part where maximum strength has no definition, and apparently no limit except up to the number of spellfire levels you have.

[SilentNight]

I just read the part on increased storage #5. Saying if you fail a will save you unleash a maximum strength blast of spellfire at a target in 30 ft. Then I continued to read how there's a cap on the number of spellfire levels you can voluntarily expend up to your constitution score. Involuntary expenditures have so such cap.
Maximum strength. No cap. Just tell everyone to stay far away?

I knew it was bad already since I'd read it before, but I didn't see the part where maximum strength has no definition, and apparently no limit except up to the number of spellfire levels you have.

Well, assumedly, if a normal blast has a cap of your CON score, a "max strength" blast would be xd6 where x is your con score. This also gets you down to level 4 storage where you run no such risk. On another note, are you actually going to rewrite the mechanics? I'd be very interested to see it. Methinks drain permanent item could use a boost.

[Alleine]

Hmm, I suppose it would work that way. Except that it explicitly states that "Involuntary expenditure, such as that noted above, isn’t limited in this way". Each storage level has its own extra involuntary expenditure stuff, but those are already limited to so many dice of spellfire levels.

And yeah, I am trying to rewrite it, although its less of a rewrite and more of a subtle tweaking/updating. Mostly it will involve scaling DCs and actually being able to absorb something without wasting a turn hoping someone casts a spell at you if all you have is the feat.
I don't think it will be that great, but it'll serve my purposes.
I seem to be very interested in tweaking lately.

I also just realized how odd spellfire is. The ability to hurt, heal, and... fly? Cool, but very strange.

[SilentNight]

Well, it's raw magic, that's completely within the realm of possibility. Make sure you post it though. It's pretty badly needed.

[PrismaticPIA]

Universal Solvent is CL 20 and only 50 gp a dose, but I'm not familiar with Spellfire Channeler so I don't know if you can use it.

It's kinda shady, but you could have a devoted cohort buy Universal Solvent for you, and take Vow of Poverty...using Universal Solvent like energizer batteries.

A magic-hating spellfire channeler is pretty funny.

[Alleine]

Ok, I don't know how to do any fancy formatting, but I don't think this really needs it. If anyone has suggestions on something else I'd love to hear it.
This isn't really a fix, just so you know. I'm just trying making it more useful. The wording may not be precise, so cut me some slack, eh?

For Spellfire in general:
You can absorb any spells, spell-like abilities, or magical effects from an item directed at you if you ready an action to do so beforehand. The number of spellfire levels gained is equal to the spell level of the effect.
You may also consume your own spell power to gain spellfire levels. For the purposes of spell levels, a cantrip is equal to 1/2 a level. You lose any spells you consume in this way as if they were cast. Spell-like abilities can also be consumed in this way, if the ability is once per day, you lose the use of it for the rest of the day. If the ability is multiple times per day, you lose one use of he ability for that day. If the ability is at will, you lose use of it for an hour*.
The DC for the reflex save against a spellfire attack is 10 + your con modifier.


The class itself:
--At 1st level, the reflex save for spellfire attacks becomes 10 + your Spellfire Channeler level + your con modifier.

--The constitution check vs backfiring in the Increased Storage ability changes. With the first IS ability, the DC is 10 and goes up by with each increase and storage. So when you exceed you constitution by 2x + 1 the DC for that is 15, and so on until it hits 25. The DC only increases if you exceed your constitution enough to reach the next storage level.

--Draining Charged Items: The will save DC is 10 + 1/2 your SFC level + con mod. It takes a standard action to make the touch attack required for draining the items of an unwilling creature. This works on permanent items that have charges per day, and you drain one charge each time.

--Draining Permanent Items: The will save is the same as for charged items. Same basic rules, only you can drain from any permanent magical item. Armor, weapon, wonderous item. The drained item loses its properties for 24 hours and you gain half the caster level in spellfire levels.

--Maelstrom of Fire uses the same save DC as a regular blast of spellfire. Making the DC charisma based was a stupid and pointless move on the creator's part.


*I'm really not sure what it should be for this. I'd rather not see a Warlock be able to sit there in the morning stocking up on spellfire levels while everyone prepares spells, but I also don't like the idea of the Warlock losing stuff for long.

So... questions, comments, concerns, fantasies?


I'm not particularly happy about some of it. I'd like to see other abilities as part of the class, but if it got any more abilities it would probably have to be a full class instead of a PrC. I think the absorbing powers could be buffed a little. Like maybe an ability to absorb a magical effect cast on you as an immediate action every once in awhile? That way you can actually absorb enemy spells.


@^
Universal solvent would probably be considered a charged item. It certainly isn't permanent. It would probably have just the one 'charge'. Though honestly it would be entirely up to the DM.
How would a magic hating SFC work? They wield raw magic! It would sure suck for them

[magic9mushroom]

Well, assumedly, if a normal blast has a cap of your CON score, a "max strength" blast would be xd6 where x is your con score. This also gets you down to level 4 storage where you run no such risk. On another note, are you actually going to rewrite the mechanics? I'd be very interested to see it. Methinks drain permanent item could use a boost.

Correct. It says that you have to make a blast in preference to any other action, so it would count against the cap of CON score levels/round. Otherwise it'd all dump.

What you have to be REALLY scared of is someone full-attacking you with unarmed strikes or natural attacks. That'll dissipate your levels really fast. Of course, if you have Crown of Fire on, then their hands, feet, claws etc. will melt off, so they sort of get pwned too.