Long range attack spells for a sneaky Cleric?

[Curmudgeon]

I'm working up a scenario where a group of high-level PCs will be opposed by a single Cleric. This Cleric has the ability to see through fog and cloud, and wants to take advantage of this to attack the PCs when they're crossing (possibly flying across) a fog-filled gorge with little cover available -- just lots of foggy concealment.

Any Clerical spells except [Chaotic] are fair game, but there are only a few slots for preparation available at 7th and 8th level, and just a single 9th level spell. The Cleric also has enough Use Magic Device skill to handle any wand, but only mid-level non-Cleric scrolls reliably.

The Cleric will use Divine Power, of course, but mostly to boost the BAB for ranged touch spells. Getting into melee combat just wastes the superior visual range and invites swarm tactics by the PCs. So what are some good medium- and long-range spells to use, when you don't know the capabilities of your enemies?

[RandomFellow]

I'm working up a scenario where a group of high-level PCs will be opposed by a single Cleric. This Cleric has the ability to see through fog and cloud, and wants to take advantage of this to attack the PCs when they're crossing (possibly flying across) a fog-filled gorge with little cover available -- just lots of foggy concealment.

Any Clerical spells except [Chaotic] are fair game, but there are only a few slots for preparation available at 7th and 8th level, and just a single 9th level spell. The Cleric also has enough Use Magic Device skill to handle any wand, but only mid-level non-Cleric scrolls reliably.

The Cleric will use Divine Power, of course, but mostly to boost the BAB for ranged touch spells. Getting into melee combat just wastes the superior visual range and invites swarm tactics by the PCs. So what are some good medium- and long-range spells to use, when you don't know the capabilities of your enemies?

Divine Power with a Composite Longbow...=)
Flamestrike is effective since 1/2 the damage will bypass any resistance/protection spells the PCs have up.
Blindness/Deafness is always nice.

[Ganurath]

Add Zen Archery and the Explosive weapon enchantment to that bow trick... and Far Shot for good measure.

As for magic... the Summon Monster range can probably get airborn hit-and-run units.

[Yami]

Planar ally for one.

I do beleive there's also a rather awesome 9th level smiting spell, but the splat has escaped me at the moment. But I think having a faux villain summoned for the Pc's to target for a round or two is worth a decent summon or two.

My knowledge of clerics spells is sadly sub-par so I'm afraid that's all I can add.

[Curmudgeon]

I'm afraid feats like Zen Archery are out, as this is an existing NPC and the feats have already been spent on metamagic. That's why I'm looking for spells, because Clerics have access to anything (alignment restrictions permitting) they can pray for.

[Xefas]

Wrack is a 3rd level close-range (25 +5/lvl) spell that requires a fort save or the target becomes helpless. If they are flying, this means they'll fall to their death. If not, then they're still begging to be coup de graced by a bow shot or summoned/called creature.

Wretching Blight is an 8th level medium range spell (100 +10/lvl) spell that strikes in a 20ft spread. If the party is good-aligned, they'll take 15d8 damage (fort save for half) and become stunned for a few rounds (plummeting if they happen to be flying).

Both from the Book of Vile Darkness.

[Curmudgeon]

Wrack is a 3rd level close-range (25 +5/lvl) spell

That's too close for comfort. I figure visibility might be in the 200'-300' range. At 17th level Medium range gives 270', so that's probably OK.

Wretching Blight is an 8th level medium range spell (100 +10/lvl) spell that strikes in a 20ft spread. If the party is good-aligned, they'll take 15d8 damage (fort save for half) and become stunned for a few rounds (plummeting if they happen to be flying).

I don't have the BoVD. What does Wretching Blight do to non-good characters? Only 1 or 2 of the 7 PCs are good; they're mostly neutral.

[tyckspoon]

In core, Flame Strike and Fire Storm are your best means of doing damage. You could also call up a Spiritual Weapon to harass the party at Medium range, although it won't really achieve much against a higher level group (hmm... actually, if you can get a Divine Power up first it'd be decent. Not lethal, but dangerous and annoying.) You could throw a Blade Barrier into the middle of the group, too. If you prefer more of a save/suck approach, Blindness/Deafness is Medium range, as are Dispel Magic/Greater Dispel Magic; target those against any magic items that are obviously providing flight, like Wings of Flying.

For Long range, your options are limited. There's Silence (cast it on somebody with a bad Will save) to screw with the party's spellcasting, Insect Plague for annoyance (if you're lucky somebody will fail the fort save for Distraction and be stuck in the swarm for a couple rounds, but don't count on it) and, of course, Storm of Vengeance, which could be nice if the Cleric has some way to have something else do the concentrating for him. Otherwise, that 9th level slot is probably better off saved for a different spell. Implosion would be a good one for if/when the fight gets to Close range, depending on how serious you are about killing the party.

[Catch]

I like Light of Lumia and the higher-up versions, especially since you can cast the spell(s) and fire the bolts whenever you please. They're in the Spell Compendium, as I recall.

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks for the suggestions, tyckspoon. Spiritual Weapon is one I hadn't thought of, but for a Cleric of Kossuth could be pretty good: Kossuth favors a spiked chain. Getting 4 attacks a round with proficiency in an exotic weapon isn't something you normally think of for a Cleric.

My main need is to avoid getting the Cleric killed, as it's a significant opponent NPC for the campaign. Beyond that I want to diminish the power of the PCs as much as possible, so they won't have enough resources (people, magic, supplies, whatever) to win the encounter when they reach their final destination.

[Xefas]

I don't have the BoVD. What does Wretching Blight do to non-good characters? Only 1 or 2 of the 7 PCs are good; they're mostly neutral.

It doesn't do enough to warrant an 8th level spell if they're mostly neutral.

However, one you might like, from the Spell Compendium, is Moon Bolt (a 4th level spell). It's long-range (400 + 40/lvl) and effects one creature automatically, dealing 5d4 strength damage, Fort for half.

You should be able to fire off quite a few 4th levels if he's 17th. Not to mention that, if they're flying, they might reach their maximum loads and fall out of the sky due to too much weight and reduced strength.

It doubles as a defense as well, if your Cleric can spare a Wand of Ray of Enfeeblement (CL 10, at least, which would cost 7500gp). If anyone gets within 75 feet of the cleric, he can fire off another 1d6+5 strength penalty (it doesn't stack with itself, but stacks with the damage from Moon Bolt), likely reducing their strength to a very small number, if not 0, dropping them out of the sky or at least crushing them under the weight of their own equipment.

[holywhippet]

Give him a magical item that gives him limited/unlimited castings of spectral hand. That will let him use any touch based spells despite not acutally being within touch range.

[Thrawn183]

Well, if you don't want your cleric to die, then I'd suggest the Planar Exchange and Greather Planar Exchange from Spell Compendium (6th and 8th level respectively). Find some way to be invisible/undetectable and just keep popping out baddies.

Alternatively, get some spells to slow people from getting close to you and then use a maximized Moonbolt (again spell compendium). Its long range and quite powerful if you maximize it, while not demolishing the party.

Edit: ah, even ninjas appreciate the goodness that is Moonbolt

[Curmudgeon]

Moon Bolt and a couple scrolls of Spectral Hand are on the list, thanks, along with a wand of Vampiric Touch for the Spectral Hand to deliver at range. I'm hoping to keep out of sight of all of the PCs, staying at the extreme limit of Medium range as the Cleric can see through the fog and the PCs can't. With a Bottle of Smoke steed (borrowed from a Druid NPC) to ride at 240', staying away should work.

Any other suggestions for touch spells to deliver with Spectral Hand?

[The White Knight]

Harm, perhaps?

[Thrawn183]

Poison (4th, core) is amazing. It's DC is based off your caster level rather than spell level! Anything that boosts caster level makes this more deadly. In particular, maximizing it is awesome because it still has the same save DC of your highest level spell (generally) while your average maximized spell won't.

Poison Maximized is 10 Con damage at high save DC, medium range with spectral hand. Moonbolt maximized is the same level, long range, doesn't require spectral hand (as it isn't a touch attack) can hit two targets simultaneously... Personally I think Moonbolt might be a touch better (though man Con damage is nasty), I guess at this point it would be a fluff decision of whether the cleric would decide to inflict Str damage or Con damage. Though starting off with Moonbolt and then using Poison rather than the other way around is safer for your cleric.

If your cleric is undead, Brilliant Aura (spell compendium, 8th) is one of the most effective defenses you can get, especially if you disguise him as "not undead."

I personally think Spell Turning is a must. Though you won't be able to cast it unless you have the magic or luck domains... you could conceivably get a ring of it (pricey, and could be rough if the pc's get a hold of it?).

Greater Bestow Curse (7th, spell compendium) is just brutal but requires a spectral hand to truly be effective. I'd advise 2 things: either pick an effect that you come up with yourself that is in line with the power of the spell that is creative, or come up with some awesome fluff for the one's that they have. Like being unable to take an action because you're throwing up slugs or something. I dunno, this one has great fluff possibilities your creativity is the limit.

If you need any help on spells to optimize your cleric's defenses rather than offenses (like touch spells and such) just PM me so that we can keep this thread about more offensive spells.

[Mr. Friendly]

Suggestions off the top of my head:

9th:
Storm of Vengeance (PHB)
Summon Golem (PH2)
Miracle (PHB)

8th:
Death Pact (C. Divine?)
Summon Monster VIII (PHB) - Used to summon 1d3 Bone Devils. If you can Maximize without raising the level, do so. Nothing says "Hi" like 3 walls of Ice every round. Alternately 1d3 Huge Elementals can be useful as well.
Create Gr. Undead (PHB) cast beforehand to create a Shadow or Wraith?
Gr. Planar Ally (PHB)

7th:
Slime Wave (various) - I think the range is only close... but I love this spell so much.... Also, I believe the patches of green slime it makes are permanent, so you could use it as a trap of sorts, dropping one or two here and there in the fog and getting the PCs to walk into it....

[wormwood]

Sanctuary might be a last resort kind of thing. Even better, I think there's a Greater Sanctuary out there somewhere. It might not hurt to keep the PCs away from you a bit and just crank out summons.

Also along the lines of keeping them away from you

Repulsion
Abjuration
Level: Clr 7, Protection 7, Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Up to 10 ft./level
Area: Up to 10-ft.-radius/level emanation centered on you
Duration: 1 round/level (D)
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

An invisible, mobile field surrounds you and prevents creatures from approaching you. You decide how big the field is at the time of casting (to the limit your level allows). Any creature within or entering the field must attempt a save. If it fails, it becomes unable to move toward you for the duration of the spell. Repelled creatures’ actions are not otherwise restricted.

They can fight other creatures and can cast spells and attack you with ranged weapons. If you move closer to an affected creature, nothing happens. (The creature is not forced back.) The creature is free to make melee attacks against you if you come within reach. If a repelled creature moves away from you and then tries to turn back toward you, it cannot move any closer if it is still within the spell’s area.

Arcane Focus
A pair of small iron bars attached to two small canine statuettes, one black and one white, the whole array worth 50 gp.

[Triaxx]

Just remember that if one of those metamagic feats is Enlarge spell, he can increase the range on his spells.

Sound Burst is a favorite of mine. Nice low level, but heightened and extended you can have them splatter on the ground if they stay stunned long enough.

[Curmudgeon]

Poison (4th, core) is amazing. It's DC is based off your caster level rather than spell level!

Excellent suggestion; thanks.

Poison Maximized is 10 Con damage at high save DC

That's not going to work:

Spectral Hand

For as long as the spell lasts, any touch range spell of 4th level or lower that you cast can be delivered by the spectral hand.

Greater Bestow Curse (7th, spell compendium) is just brutal but requires a spectral hand to truly be effective.

Also not legal.

[ColdBrew]

That's not going to work:

Spectral Hand

For as long as the spell lasts, any touch range spell of 4th level or lower that you cast can be delivered by the spectral hand.

Unless you heighten it, it's still a 4th level spell regardless of metamagics applied.

[Crimson Avenger]

I could be wrong, but doesn't Poison have a set DC of 20. if so, not so much on the effectiveness of PC's who have an enemy in a 17th level cleric.

[Craig1f]

I really like the spell Cometfall from SpC. It ignores SR, and does damage equivalent to a fireball. Creature that fail their reflex are knocked prone as well.

The only problem is that you must have adequate room above the target to cast the spell, so it will not be great in caves or dungeons. Outside it's good though.

Because the comet is conjured above the creature, they don't get to pinpoint your location.

[Curmudgeon]

Unless you heighten it, it's still a 4th level spell regardless of metamagics applied.

You're quite correct. I misremembered the rules about which aspects of metamagic affect which characteristics of spells. This could help my Cleric a lot.

I could be wrong, but doesn't Poison have a set DC of 20. if so, not so much on the effectiveness of PC's who have an enemy in a 17th level cleric.

Poison
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes

Calling upon the venomous powers of natural predators, you infect the subject with a horrible poison by making a successful melee touch attack. The poison deals 1d10 points of temporary Constitution damage immediately and another 1d10 points of temporary Constitution damage 1 minute later. Each instance of damage can be negated by a Fortitude save (DC 10 + ½ your caster level + your Wis modifier).

I'm not the only one with memory problems. The save DC on Poison can be higher because you first need to make a successful touch attack, giving two chances (or three with SR) for the target to avoid taking damage.

[Thrawn183]

It would appear I need to put a few more ranks in [proofreading].