Specializing in persistant damage spells

[Natael]

3.5

I have a player that wishes to run a character that is good at making spells that remain in an area and damage an area (such as cloud kill an wall of blades) for battlefield control, and probably more of a focus on damage.

For my game, I am generally restricting obtainable spells to only the spell list presented in the book the class comes in (meaning there would be new spells introduced in Complete Arcane that only a Wu Jen would have access to). Though if the spells wind up being mostly damage, or at least not exceptionally uber, I'd probably allow him to take spells from another book.

My initial thought is making a wizard for him, though if there is another class (like having potentially overlooked some capability of a Cleric, or maybe even give him a Sorcerer just so he has more per day, if I can find a good spell list). would work better, I'd like to know.

Mostly what I am looking for are some specialist or ACF recommendations.
Character is starting at 5th level, so just a 5 level basis to work off of would be nice.

Thank you.

[Critical]

Dragonfire Adept with Metabreath feats is what you're looking for.

[Natael]

As far as I can tell, the meta-breath feats are not legit due to requiring a breath recharge expressed in rounds, would it be a specific house rule to make use of them, or is there a non-dragon magazine loop hole?

[ZeroNumerous]

As far as I can tell, the meta-breath feats are not legit due to requiring a breath recharge expressed in rounds, would it be a specific house rule to make use of them, or is there a non-dragon magazine loop hole?

Become a dragonborn, as meta-breath feats only require a breath weapon recharge expressed in rounds to be acquired, but can be applied to other breath weapons by RAW.

[Natael]

Become a dragonborn, as meta-breath feats only require a breath weapon recharge expressed in rounds to be acquired, but can be applied to other breath weapons by RAW.

As GM, I'm going to veto said method as it seems rather against the intentions of how the meta-breath are intended to work.

[Siosilvar]

Well, PHB spells:
Acid Arrow
Flaming Sphere
Black Tentacles
Wall of Fire
Cloudkill
Acid Fog
Incendiary Cloud
Clenched Fist
Crushing Hand

If you do end up allowing Spell Compendium for spells, here's a few "persistent damage" spells for him...

Ball Lightning (p23)
Belker Claws (p26)
Blackfire (p29, [Evil] or should be)
Blistering Radiance (p33)
Lightning Ring (p132)
Manyjaws (p138)
Prismatic Eye (p161, bad attack bonus and low save DCs)
Ray of Flame (p167)
Ring of Blades (p177, Cleric only)
Shard Storm (p187)
Vitrolic Sphere (p231)
Vortex of Teeth (p232, safe area in middle)

[Snake-Aes]

Conjurations are good for that. Cloud spells and Summon Monster all last quite a while and keep on hurting.