How to buff an army

[Ilmryn]

I am considering playing a sorcerer buff and abjuration specialist in a campaign. The campaign is sort of a military one and the characters will be in command of 12 mooks around lvl 8. The character will be lvl12. What are the best spells to buff many people at once? Which would be most effective in turning the tide in a fight between a bunch of goons 4 levels lower than the characters?

[Jarian]

*slides in, looks around for ninjas*

War Weaver and just about anything.

Edit: Wow, I actually beat somebody to the punch on a War Weaver namedrop.

Well, do you need anything more than a well timed Polymorph?

[ZeroNumerous]

Chain Spell lets you chain buffs to up to a number of targets equal to your CL.

[Kobold-Bard]

Haste & Mass <Animal's Whatever> are always nice.

[Grumman]

For a start, you'll probably want the Chain Spell metamagic feat. If you can, you might want to try to create a character with the Dragonblood subtype, which will let you qualify for the Practical Metamagic or Accelerate Metamagic feats.

[Ilmryn]

For a start, you'll probably want the Chain Spell metamagic feat. If you can, you might want to try to create a character with the Dragonblood subtype, which will let you qualify for the Practical Metamagic or Accelerate Metamagic feats.

Are those from Dragon Magic?

[Grumman]

Are those from Dragon Magic?

Races of the Dragon, I believe.

[Ormagoden]

All of the "Mass" spells are 1 target per Caster level and since you're 12th level if you're all caster levels then you have your mooks covered with any of the mass spells.

Obviously extending and persisting spells becomes important with that many NPCs under your command. Easy metamagic and Arcane thesis also come to mind when thinking of buffs.

Mass bears endurance will net them an extra 2hp/level
Mass bulls strength is a +2 to hit and damage for melee fighters
Mass cat's grace is a +2 to hit for ranged attackers or weapon finesse users

You should definitely consider war weaver as Jarian says it's totally worth it in every way.

(I'm sure there are a ton of gems in SPC like Mass Snake's swiftness but I'm not super familiar with the book. Maybe some others can give you more suggestions.)

[Eronai_Jantig]

I really like War Weaver, but it'll be tough doing it with somewhere around 17 people to buff, I'd go with Chain Spell, unless you get something that allows you to pump the crap out of your int, in which case I would go something along the lines of Bard 7, Lyric Thaumaleurge 2, War Weaver 1, Sublime Chord 2 (Or mix it around if your DM lets you take skill points before you take a level in something when your base skill points would get you the requirements.)

At first it will be kinda weak spell wise because of War Weaver limits (You will want to take War Weaver after Sublime Chord to finish it off), but, with a maxed out Inspire Courage, and Dragonfire Inspiration, and maybe a level of Swiftblade (I think) your throwing out something like +10 to hit and damage, +10 d6 fire damage, plus something like Enlarge on your first two turns.

The reason War Weaver is better is because along with Bard, it allows you to get massive (And we are talking MASSIVE) buffs out very quickly, and very efficiently, however it takes awhile to mature fully, your spells down go up as fast as your inspire courge, but once you get those last few levels of War Weaver, and you drop Dragonfire Inspiration (+10 d6 Fire Damage Aprox. depends on your precise build and items), Inspire Courage (+10 to Hit and Damage Aprox. depends on your precise build and items), and a combo of Haste, Enlarge Person, Greater Invisibility, and Bull's Strength on at least half of those mooks in the first turn, the battles pretty much already won.

Edit: Just noticed someone mentioning Persisting and such of spells, this can go a really long way to helping our your spell casting if you take the right metamagic feats, and even have an incantrix in the party.

[Ilmryn]

What is a war weaver? From what supplement?

[Jarian]

What is a war weaver? From what supplement?

It casts single-target spells on multiple willing targets (with some limitations, not terribly restrictive). Heroes of Battle.

[Fouredged Sword]

There is a feat somewhere that lets use burn bardic music like DMM. Look it up and use it with chain.

[Ilmryn]

The character I was planning to play is Sorcerer 9/Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil 3. I know this is probably not that optimized, but this is what I need spell suggestion for. There already is a blasting-focused psi-user in the party, so i dont need that many blast spells.

[Ernir]

If you're actually spending spells known on it, I'd just take Haste, Enlarge Person (with a least rod of Chain spell), and call it a day. Maaaaaaaaybe Mass Snake's Swiftness, but IDK. Spending a lot of high level spells known on giving your mooks +2 to hit and damage just isn't something I'd do, even in this situation.

If you want to help the mooks as a Sorcerer, I'd suggest focusing on battlefield control rather than buffs.

[CockroachTeaParty]

Nothing beats an optimized Inspire Courage from a bard with the know-how. There's no limit to how many allies can be effected by a bard song, as long as they can hear the bard.

On a related note, what would be the best spell to destroy on army with? Horrid Wilting has got to be a contender...

[Keld Denar]

What books do you have access to? Heres a sorcerer setup I'd be pretty happy with. Little of everything. Couple of slots open to add in what you want.

1st
Lesser Orb of Acid - SpC (good low level nuke)
Nerveskitter - SpC (go first, win the game)
Ectoplasmic Armor - SpC (incorp touches are BAD, this makes them less so)
Alarm
Ray of Clumisiness - SpC (makes foes easier to hit)

2nd
Detect Invisibility
Glitterdust
Wings of Cover - RotD (Immediate cover, always good)

3rd
Haste
Slow
Anticipate Teleport - SpC (keeps foes from porting in without notice)

4th
Enervation
Solid Fog
Greater Mirror Image - CMage (BEST DEFENSIVE SPELL EVEREREREREREST)
Greater Invisibility

5th
Necrotic Skull Bomb - Champions of Ruin (Quickened AoE Enervation)
Baleful Polymorph

6th
Greater Dispel Magic

EDIT:

On a related note, what would be the best spell to destroy on army with? Horrid Wilting has got to be a contender...

Greater Consumptive Field has to be close to the best spell for this, since most men-at-arms are 1st level warriors who seldom have a Con above 12. Anyone with 9 HP or less dies, and you get a buff. That + invis makes you a scything scythe of doomy doom.

[Kobold-Bard]

Nothing beats an optimized Inspire Courage from a bard with the know-how. There's no limit to how many allies can be effected by a bard song, as long as they can hear the bard.

On a related note, what would be the best spell to destroy on army with? Horrid Wilting has got to be a contender...

Memento Mori

Waves of Fatigue and then summon a load of minions. Not very effecient but fun.

[Grumman]

On a related note, what would be the best spell to destroy on army with?

I'd say Sandstorm, especially if you're a Stormlord. Every creature except you in a 40 ft per level blast radius takes lethal damage every round, and has to make a fort save or be blown about. This continues for up to three hours, during which time you can stroll about inside the storm, murdering at will.

[Ranos]

An entire army ? You'll want craft wondrous item. Use it to make traps.

[Kobold-Bard]

An entire army ? You'll want craft wondrous item. Use it to make traps.

No Feat needed. I think it's just a Craft check.

[Critical]

Do the commoner railgun. :)

[olelia]

I'd much rather go with a half-mil wide control wind tornado .