Wand help

[gallagher]

so what are the best wands to own for the party rogue? i am looking into some wands that do touch attacks, so that sneak attack gets into the fold

[Hendel]

Obviously Invisibilty is a good choice if you are looking for sneak attack opportunities. What level are you playing and are you using UMD or do you have some caster levels as well?

Another nice one is Wraithstrike, but it depends on how your DM looks at activating items like a wand. Will he allow you to activate a Wand of Wraithstrike as a swift action or is it a standard action? I found that if used properly, this can make up for a rogue's reduced BAB.

[Stompy]

-Any of the lesser orb of X spells (like acid, a lot of people don't have acid resistance)
-Acid Splash! Kill people with cantrips!
-Any of the spell compendium spells that says: You can now sneak attack this thing that was previously immune to sneak attack damage.

[unre9istered]

My favorites:
Lesser Vigor (rogue is now an out of combat healer)
Grave Strike (rogue can now sneak attack undead)
Golem Strike (rogue can now sneak attack constructs)
All level 1 so they're cheap too.

as far as touch attacks
Flame Dagger, Blade of Pain and Fear, and Flame Whips are all good, though a touch expensive (levels 2, 2, and 4 respectively).
Wraith strike makes your normal attacks a touch attacks as a swift action for one round, it's also a second level spell.

Probably ninja'd by now.

[Stompy]

-Lesser restoration, because some DMs love to throw around ability damage like candy. (the wand is 4500 gp though >.>)

[gallagher]

its a spellthief/duskblade/unseen seer build. invisibility is good, yes, i was already looking into that, but right now i am looking for at least one wand that will let me SA from a distance.

which is the best orb spell? i like the idea of constantly stealing spells and only investing one wand charge for it

[unre9istered]

-Lesser restoration, because some DMs love to throw around ability damage like candy. (the wand is 4500 gp though >.>)

I like the Orb of Mental Renewal and the Rod of Bodily Restoration for that. They're only 3100 each and heal 4 of a mental or physical stat for 1 charge or 2 of each mental or physical stat for 1 charge and get 3 charges/day. If you need more/day than that then your DM is cruel.

[Hendel]

its a spellthief/duskblade/unseen seer build. invisibility is good, yes, i was already looking into that, but right now i am looking for at least one wand that will let me SA from a distance.

which is the best orb spell? i like the idea of constantly stealing spells and only investing one wand charge for it

I am a huge fan of Orb of Force.

[JasonP]

its a spellthief/duskblade/unseen seer build. invisibility is good, yes, i was already looking into that, but right now i am looking for at least one wand that will let me SA from a distance.

which is the best orb spell? i like the idea of constantly stealing spells and only investing one wand charge for it

Get a wand of Sniper Shot, it increases the range sneak attacks can be made at. The spell is in Spell Compendium.

[balistafreak]

Can't believe no one said Grease yet.

[Harperfan7]

When you cast scorching ray at higher levels, you can have 3 rays, each with separate attack rolls (I think). If so, would you get sneak attack on all three or is it like manyshot?

[Stompy]

When you cast scorching ray at higher levels, you can have 3 rays, each with separate attack rolls (I think). If so, would you get sneak attack on all three or is it like manyshot?

Complete Arcane states that you would only get auxiliary damage like sneak attack on the first ray only.

[Fcannon]

If your DM is okay with you getting a wand of a metamagic'd spell, a wand of Fel Drain Acid Splash is awesome. Low damage, but it's a touch attack, you get your SA damage, and it inflicts a negative level, no save no spell resistance. 4500gp.

[DanReiv]

Enervation is a given, don't you think ? 1d4 negative levels + SA no save. and possibility to crit for 2d4 negative.

Also, stat damaging wands, all of them. (Enfeeblement, Clumsiness, Exhaustion)

[Greenish]

I like a lightsaber. Touch attacks for 1d8+3 for three minutes.

[true_shinken]

its a spellthief/duskblade/unseen seer build. invisibility is good, yes, i was already looking into that, but right now i am looking for at least one wand that will let me SA from a distance.

which is the best orb spell? i like the idea of constantly stealing spells and only investing one wand charge for it

Wait a second, you are a duskblade! Why do you need blasting wands? You have your own spells!
A knowstone of Scorching Ray would be a better investment, IMHO.

[deuxhero]

-Lesser restoration, because some DMs love to throw around ability damage like candy. (the wand is 4500 gp though >.>)

HOLD IT!

Have an archivsist make it using the level 1 verison from the Paladin list (or even a Paladin making it, thought it will cost double because their minimum caster level is 2) and it is much cheaper.

[senrath]

Wait a second, you are a duskblade! Why do you need blasting wands? You have your own spells!
A knowstone of Scorching Ray would be a better investment, IMHO.

Because a Duskblade's spell slots are better put to use channeling and/or using Arcane Strike?

[true_shinken]

Because a Duskblade's spell slots are better put to use channeling and/or using Arcane Strike?

And why would a knowstone hurt channeling anyway? Arcane strike is pretty subpar, really. Just pre-buff with Ferocity of the Sanguine Rage.

[senrath]

Because any slot you spend on a Scorching Ray is a slot that you can't use to channel a spell.

And you're probably the first person I've ever heard describe Arcane Strike as "sub-par".

[Eldariel]

A test-Rogue I built for level 15 had the following:

Combat Buffs
True Strike
Sniper's Shot
Lion's Charge
Vine Strike
Golem Strike
Grave Strike

Utility
Knock
Instant Locksmith
Divine Insight
Grease
Benign Transposition

Touch Attacks for various ranges and resistances (I intentionally avoided Wraithstrike, along with Polymorph and company)
Acid Splash
Ray of Frost
Orb of Force [CL 10]


Seeking Ray would be a good one for Touch Attacks if you don't mind lacking base damage; it was a backup of a backup in this character's case so base damage was all that mattered. Better 10d6 than no effect at all.

[Curmudgeon]

Note that you can get wands with metamagic feats pre-applied as long as the resultant spell is still no more than level 4. That means Grease with Widen Spell is a good wand, since you'll cover 4x the area each time you trigger it.

[deuxhero]

And it will have a CR of 3, therefore lasting more than a round.

[PId6]

Note that you can get wands with metamagic feats pre-applied as long as the resultant spell is still no more than level 4. That means Grease with Widen Spell is a good wand, since you'll cover 4x the area each time you trigger it.

Or level 5, if it has Sanctum Spell applied too.

[Curmudgeon]

Or level 5, if it has Sanctum Spell applied too.

I simply don't understand the relevance of this comment. Sanctum Spell affects spell level depending on whether you're in or out of your sanctum. Wands can only be crafted with spells of levels 1-4. If you attempt to craft a wand of Grease + Widen Spell + Sanctum Spell in your sanctum it will indeed be level 5, and you would fail. How does this help?

[PId6]

I simply don't understand the relevance of this comment. Sanctum Spell affects spell level depending on whether you're in or out of your sanctum. Wands can only be crafted with spells of levels 1-4. If you attempt to craft a wand of Grease + Widen Spell + Sanctum Spell in your sanctum it will indeed be level 5, and you would fail. How does this help?

You craft a wand of Sanctum Twinned Lesser Orb of Acid outside of your sanctum and it would be level 4 and be craftable as a wand. It lets you put 5th level spells into wands.

[Coidzor]

A knowstone of Scorching Ray would be a better investment, IMHO.

Knowstone? What's that and where can I find it to take a look? I'm guessing it's an item that lets you add a spell to one's class list or sommat...

Are there any spells that allow Sneak Attack on Oozeses?

[PId6]

Knowstone? What's that and where can I find it to take a look? I'm guessing it's an item that lets you add a spell to one's class list or sommat...

Dragon something. Adds a spell known for as long as you have it. Cost is spell level^2 * 1000.

Are there any spells that allow Sneak Attack on Oozeses?

Unfortunately not. You'll have to rely on Penetrating Strike on that one. Or the BSF.

[Keld Denar]

Can't believe no one said Grease yet.

Grease is a very tragic 1 round per level, meaning that at the start of the round after you used it, it would be gone and you couldn't benefit from SAing with it unless you blow a LOT of resources on quickened blasty spells. Now, SCULPTED Grease would be a good spell to put into a wand, with a 3 round duration and a 4x area.

I like Seeking Ray (PHBII) for a blasty wand. 4d6 electricity with no save and attacks with it ignore cover and concealment, along with the penalties for shooting into melee, although it does allow SR. Anyone you hit with it would give you a +4 to hit with future attack spells for 3 rounds.

Its damage is capped at 4d6, so it wouldn't be very worthwhile to cast from a slot, which makes it even more attractive as wand-bait.

Not bad for a 2nd level spell.

[herrhauptmann]

Or level 5, if it has Sanctum Spell applied too.

Wands (and scrolls) are usually made at the lowest possible caster level. So 1 for 1st level spells, CL 3 for 2nd, CL 5 for 3rd, and so forth.
It's possible to make/buy a wand of grease with a caster level 20 (though it requires a 20th level caster), but it will also cost 20 times as much as the one in the DMG, and last for 20 rounds.
The same with say an extended wand of grease. It would have to be made at CL 3 (2nd level spell) at a bare minimum, so it will last for a minimum of 6 rounds (3*2). You could make it at say CL 5, so it'll last for a total of 10 rounds (5*2), but no matter what, it would still only be a 2nd level spell in the wand.


That said, I don't have my books with me. What specifically does Sanctum Spell do? Is it one free level of metamagic reduction on certain spells or something?