Good Buffing Spells for War Weaver

[Redshirt Army]

So, I'm part of an inverse dungeon crawl: Me and the other PC's are the BBEGs, and the DM throws adventurers and Macguffins at us.

I've decided to build a War Weaver - and now I'm looking for good spells to throw in my eldritch tapestry so that our MY low-level minions are actually a threat to high (ish) level adventurers.

I've tried looking through wizard handbooks, but the buffs in those tend to not be nearly as useful when placed on minions, so I figured I'd ask the Playground for help. Thanks in advance!

Relevant info:
- 15th Level, Wizard Base
- Recharge Magic
- I've taken Archmage Levels, in order to grab Arcane Reach.
-These are REALLY WEAK minions - 1st to 3rd level, to be precise. (You can see why I'm looking for buffs. )

Spellweave Restrictions:
-Only spells with the “harmless” designation in their saving throw entry or ones requiring willing targets can be cast into an eldritch tapestry.

-Spells with a range of personal cannot be cast through an eldritch tapestry. Ocular Spell (+2 Meta-magic) bypasses this.

-If a spell has a costly material component or an XP cost, you must expend one casting’s worth of the material component or pay the XP cost for each creature targeted by the spell (including yourself).

-An eldritch tapestry doesn’t change the range of a spell.

[Kobold-Bard]

Take some advice from in Azure City. Bulls Strength etc. & Enlarge Person, Haste is always useful too.

I have no idea what the class is, so they may be useless. But such is life.

[Lycanthromancer]

Polymorph (hydra) + haste would be devastating.

[edit] Give me a minute, and I'll give you some really damaging combos to pull.

[jiriku]

Polymorph (hydra) + haste would be devastating.

[edit] Give me a minute, and I'll give you some really damaging combos to pull.

Especially if you have rogue minions. And yes, huge dragons can use the tumble skill when they're moving into flanking positions.


Protection from energy isn't a bad plan to increase their combat endurance. I can't recall the name of the spell, but there's one kicking around in SpC or CM or PH2 that promptly animates your dudes as zombies when they're killed. Just because you're evil doesn't mean you can't recycle!

This isn't compatible with the tapestry, but you could be a real dastardly type, load them all up with necrotic cysts, send them to swarm the good guys, then hit them with a chained necrotic eruption. It's like a poor man's meteor swarm, but infinitely more gross.

[Lycanthromancer]

-The aforementioned polymorph + haste (for hasted hydras). Combine this with an Ocular Spell'd tenser's transformation to give them full BAB at your caster level. Add on lesser vigor to make good use of the boosted Con scores, and rage for extra bonuses.

-True strike plus polymorph into roper form for lots of Str damage some time next round. Better if you also combine with bear's endurance for a higher DC.

-If you think grappling would be better, true strike + polymorph into mimics instead.

-Want Con damage? True strike + polymorph (dire weasels). Kill them. Kill them now.

-Against summoners, protection from chaos/law/good/evil; also good against enchanters and telepaths.

-Ocular Spell'd mirror image + blink, combined with blur (or displacement) for nearly impossible-to-hit minions. Combine with resist energy for AoE energy attacks.

-Greater invisibility for sneak-attackers. Combine with haste for extra attacks and greater maneuverability.

-Ocular globes of invulnerability (and their lesser brethren) are good against spellcasters.

-Alter self for any number of purposes, including natural armor, natural attacks, and flight speed for kiting. Combine with bear's endurance, bull's strength, and cat's grace (not to mention haste) for additional injury added to insult.

-Gaseous form would be great for ambushes, scouting missions, hit-and-run tactics, and quick escapes. Add on haste for a boost of speed, and invisibility (and nondetection) to increase odds of success.

-How about heroics, to give everyone feats that work especially well together (like Phalanx Fighting)? Add in other spells that would work with whatever feats you have in mind (haste is always good, as is alter self and polymorph, of course).

[Redshirt Army]

snip

Thanks a lot - Polymorph's not so great because of the low hit dice, but just Ocular Spell will really help. (I didn't realize it let you cast personal spells as non-personal.)

[GoodbyeSoberDay]

Gotta love Ocular Spell. Even its intended use - eye lasers - is awesome.

[Redshirt Army]

Hmm... Is there a Meta-magic rod of Ocular Spell, or will I have to whine to at my DM to get one?

Also, the reaction to around 150 apparent minions (Thanks to Mirror Image) will be priceless.

[Lycanthromancer]

Thanks a lot - Polymorph's not so great because of the low hit dice, but just Ocular Spell will really help. (I didn't realize it let you cast personal spells as non-personal.)

Whaddaya mean 'not so great'? Even at level 7 it's still awesome. Rust monsters. Hydras (pyro, cryo, and regular). Ankhegs. Araneas. Assassin vines. Carrion crawlers. Cloakers (see the moan ability). Dire bats. Dire wolves. Dire weasels (!!!). Humans (extra feat! combine with heroics for two). Ettercaps. Gargoyles. Girallons. Annis hags. Manticores. Mimics. Minotaurs. Otyughs. Remorhazes. Treants (hide as trees!). Troglodytes. Trolls. Wyverns. Yuan-Ti. Lions. Tigers. Bears. (Oh my!)

And those are just 7 HD and below in the Monster Manual.

Sure, you don't get the special qualities or the Su or Sp abilities, but you can tailor your offenses to the situation at hand, and you can get a very large group buffed all at once. Nothing says 'kill' like 'overkill'.

[Kyrthain]

I've created a monster O_O

I'm the DM

[nargbop]

Check with your DM before using these :

Create Magic Tattoo, Spell Compendium. +1 Caster Level, and some other nice little buffs.

Favor of the Martyr, Spell Compendium. This spell provides unique immunities that nothing else provides in the game. This is a Paladin 4 spell, so you will have to use Extra Spell or Expanded Knowledge to get it.

Wings of Cover, Races of the Dragon. This is a perfect defense against a single attack.

Visage of the Deity.

Monstrous Regeneration.

[Fluffles]

Check with your DM before using these :

Create Magic Tattoo, Spell Compendium. +1 Caster Level, and some other nice little buffs.

Favor of the Martyr, Spell Compendium. This spell provides unique immunities that nothing else provides in the game. This is a Paladin 4 spell, so you will have to use Extra Spell or Expanded Knowledge to get it.

Wings of Cover, Races of the Dragon. This is a perfect defense against a single attack.

Visage of the Deity.

Monstrous Regeneration.

Favor of the martyr can be replicated by 1 spell and two feats. So it's not quite unique ;)

[Doc Roc]

I am the patron saint of war-weavers. Check my sig for a guide.

Favor of the martyr can be replicated by 1 spell and two feats. So it's not quite unique ;)

And what would those be?
And why would you spend two feats instead of a spell?
If one of them is quick recovery, then it's not a full replication of the effect.

[Redshirt Army]

Whaddaya mean 'not so great'? Even at level 7 it's still awesome. Rust monsters. Hydras (pyro, cryo, and regular). Ankhegs. Araneas. Assassin vines. Carrion crawlers. Cloakers (see the moan ability). Dire bats. Dire wolves. Dire weasels (!!!). Humans (extra feat! combine with heroics for two). Ettercaps. Gargoyles. Girallons. Annis hags. Manticores. Mimics. Minotaurs. Otyughs. Remorhazes. Treants (hide as trees!). Troglodytes. Trolls. Wyverns. Yuan-Ti. Lions. Tigers. Bears. (Oh my!)

And those are just 7 HD and below in the Monster Manual.

Sure, you don't get the special qualities or the Su or Sp abilities, but you can tailor your offenses to the situation at hand, and you can get a very large group buffed all at once. Nothing says 'kill' like 'overkill'.

These are REALLY WEAK minions - 1st to 3rd level, to be precise.

The assumed form can’t have more Hit Dice than your caster level (or the subject’s HD, whichever is lower).

I'm sure there are some good 1-3 HD monsters for polymorph - But we aren't gonna get anything on par with hydras.

(Although I'm sure someone will point out some CR 1/4 monstrosity in just a second. )

[nargbop]

Also, you need some zombie minions. I can't take credit for this build but you can take ideas from it.

Undead Master (Human...barely)
Base: 	Str-8 Dex-14 Con-14 Int-16 Wis-16 Cha-8
Final:	Str-8 Dex-20 Con-20 Int-30 Wis-24 Cha-8

Pros: Holy god, the most dangerous 1 HD undead you will ever see. He makes peasents into death machines.
Cons: Can't possibly control his own hordes, so he can't really stop what he started.

lvl 1:	Wizard			Tomb Tainted Soul, Iron Will
lvl 2: 	Wizard
lvl 3:	Wizard			Energy Substitution (Cold)
lvl 4:	Wizard
lvl 5:	Wizard			Fell Animate
lvl 6:	Incantrix		Lord of the Uttercold, Skill Focus (Knowledge [religion])
lvl 7:	Incantrix
lvl 8:	Incantrix
lvl 9:	Pale Master		Corpse Crafter
lvl10:	Pale Master
lvl11:	Incantrix		Maximize Spell
lvl12:	Incantrix		Craft Contingent Spell
lvl13:	Incantrix
lvl14:	Incantrix		Twin Spell
lvl15:	Incantrix		Arcane Disiple (Deathbound)
lvl16:	Incantrix
lvl17:	Incantrix		Repeat Spell
lvl18:	Elemental Savant	Destructive Retribution
lvl19:	Elemental Savant
lvl20:	Elemental Savant

Wizard
	Domain Wizard (Cold)		0-ray of frost,1st-chill touch,2nd-chill metal,3rd-sleet storm,
					4th-wall of ice,5th-cone of cold,6th-Otiluke's freezing sphere,
					7th-delayed blast frostball,8th-polar ray,9th-comet swarm
Incantrix
	Focused Study			Drops Enchantment
	Cooperative Metamagic		Give others Metamagic
	Metamagic Effect		Apply Metamagic to a spell currently in effect
	Metamagic Spell trigger		Apply Metamagic to an item
	Seize Concentration		Take over concentration for another
	Snatch Spell			Take a Spell from another caster
	Improved Metamagic		All Metamagic takes 1 spell level less
	Instant Metamagic 2/day
Pale Master
	Animate Dead 1/day		As a supernatural Ability
Elemental Savant
	Cold Focus			All spells deal cold instead of other elements
	Resistance to cold 5
	Immunity to Sleep
	Energy Penetration +2		+2 on CL checks vs spell resistance

How To Use: Undead Apocolypse, that is the goal. Like a good Necromancer, he is a Evoker, thats right, evocation wizards are better at Necromancy than Necromancers. This is done through this Process:
   Summon Undead (using a graveyard or a whole bunch of dead enemies)
   Then create a contingent Spell on a zombie (modified with energy substitution)
   Then use the Incantrix to apply Fell Animate, Repeat, and Twinned to the spell
   Repeat on Several undead
   Send them to town
When they get to town the townsfolk move to resist, every zombie explodes in a burst of negative energy upon death. Some, however, explode in a twinned, repeated blast of negative energy and cold which raises all those killed and heals the dead. Grab up the dead newly grown army and keep on moving.

Horrible Fortress: Undead are universally immune to cold and don't need any sustainance, aside from "braaains". This is a good thing. The fortress is to be built as such-
   Step one- Find a building in an abandoned (if not abandoned, make it so) god forsaken area. Maybe an old drow cave system, a frozen mountain pass, or an anchient chapel with abundant graveyard.
   Step two- fill it with undead. They don't need to be strong, quite the contrary. Numbers are all that matter. This should be an easy step, if not, you chose the wrong location. Bonus points for finding a place with Rustsnow, Snowflake Lichen, or ideally both.
   Step three- have your undead stand against the walls and lay on the floor. Freeze them there using cold spells. Repeat until every surface of the fortress is covered in frozen dead. Now fill the rest of the space with more dead, and add some traps.
   Step four- Go outside summon walls of coldfire, make them permanent (if you can fit some in your fortress that would be a good idea). Have more undead mill around in the walls. They will be healed, your enemies will be beat the **** out of and have difficulty healing.
   Step five- Fill any remaining spcae with Blood Snow and Faerie Frost. relinquish control of your dead, and lock the door to your study.

Good Guys will now have to face: Deadly harsh weather, horrible dangerous magic snow, walls of coldfire that deal half negative energy and frostburn damage, the exploding undead in the walls, the terrible terrain within your fortress, the traps made worse by the terrain, and more exploding undead. Oh, and you, the lvl 20 wizard. Even high level adventurers will be hard pressed to penetrate ALL the copius defences. Bonus points given to wizards who make more than one of these horrible dungeons.

[Lycanthromancer]

I'm sure there are some good 1-3 HD monsters for polymorph - But we aren't gonna get anything on par with hydras.

(Although I'm sure someone will point out some CR 1/4 monstrosity in just a second. )

Give them all lycanthropy.

There's a spell that can do it, I'm sure.

[edit] Also, dire weasels are 3 HD.

[Vizzerdrix]

Were-Dire weasels
There Dire weasels!

How about taking a dip into Effigy Master? You'll be able to build better minions. Lolth touched, stone blessed, winged, 5 headed Half minotaur hydras for everyone!

[Set]

Some advice on War Weaver spells to be found here.

And here.