Force Missle Mage

[WebTiefling]

It might not fit your concept for the character, but you could always go the repeating trap route.

Have a repeating trap of Magic Missile [sonic/fire/whatever] that is triggered toward whatever creature is in front of it whenever someone pulls the trigger triggers the trap.

Have it be able to be set up (on solid ground via a tripod to satisfy the trap description) as a full round action. You can still get a shot spell off since triggering it is a free action.

After that, each activation is a free action. I think I vaguely remember seeing something where there are only three or four free actions allowed per round.

It's a first level spell, and you can have it cast as a 9th level spell for the maximum number of missiles, have the spell be whatever elemental damage type via the feat when created (no level adjustment). If you want to crank it up a bit more, make it Maximized and Twinned. That makes it a 8th level slot, 15th level caster.

Cost is 500*15*1 + 40*15*1 xp. 7500 gp + 600 XP.
(10,500 gp to have someone make it for you)

For a full round action, you're spitting out 30 to 40 missiles of your selected type, so you're doing 120 to 160 plus 15 or 20 damage, split as you like among targets.

You have what is functionally a tripod-mounted machine gun spitting out your homing missiles.

A DM might rule that you have to make ranged touch attacks to have the machine gun trap pointed at your target, but that's an easy thing to beat. For most creatures, the touch AC rarely gets above 14 or 15, usually closer to 11-13. You should hit that 75+% of the time by the time you might get the trap around 9th level. (assuming you've spent at least a little wealth on other stuff)

Of course, as with all magic missile spells, they are negated by a very common 1st level spell, Shield. But, that's the price of having a Magic Missile based wizard.

[Invader]

It might not fit your concept for the character, but you could always go the repeating trap route.

Have a repeating trap of Magic Missile [sonic/fire/whatever] that is triggered toward whatever creature is in front of it whenever someone pulls the trigger triggers the trap.

Have it be able to be set up (on solid ground via a tripod to satisfy the trap description) as a full round action. You can still get a shot spell off since triggering it is a free action.

After that, each activation is a free action. I think I vaguely remember seeing something where there are only three or four free actions allowed per round.

It's a first level spell, and you can have it cast as a 9th level spell for the maximum number of missiles, have the spell be whatever elemental damage type via the feat when created (no level adjustment). If you want to crank it up a bit more, make it Maximized and Twinned. That makes it a 8th level slot, 15th level caster.

Cost is 500*15*1 + 40*15*1 xp. 7500 gp + 600 XP.
(10,500 gp to have someone make it for you)

For a full round action, you're spitting out 30 to 40 missiles of your selected type, so you're doing 120 to 160 plus 15 or 20 damage, split as you like among targets.

You have what is functionally a tripod-mounted machine gun spitting out your homing missiles.

A DM might rule that you have to make ranged touch attacks to have the machine gun trap pointed at your target, but that's an easy thing to beat. For most creatures, the touch AC rarely gets above 14 or 15, usually closer to 11-13. You should hit that 75+% of the time by the time you might get the trap around 9th level. (assuming you've spent at least a little wealth on other stuff)

Of course, as with all magic missile spells, they are negated by a very common 1st level spell, Shield. But, that's the price of having a Magic Missile based wizard.

If you're setting off the trap how exactly are you directing the missiles to attack anything other than yourself?

[WebTiefling]

Have a repeating trap of Magic Missile [sonic/fire/whatever] that is triggered toward whatever creature is in front of it whenever someone pulls the trigger triggers the trap.

Traps are aim-able.

Trigger a trap and instead of targeting you with a Stone to Mud, it targets the room's thin stone floor which is over a pit of ______. Instead of blasting you with a Lightning Bolt, it sends the Lightning Bolt down the long narrow passage leading to it, hitting everyone who might be there.

Two-part trap. Activates a Clay Golem, and then targets the center of the room (optimally filling a room) with an Acid Fog spell.

Same for this trap. Instead of hitting the person who targets it, it targets whatever is in front of it.

[Invader]

Traps are aim-able.

Trigger a trap and in-line, of targeting you with a tone to Mud, it targets the room's thin stone floor which is over a pit of ______. Instead of blasting you with a Lightning Bolt, it sends the Lightning Bolt down the long narrow passage leading to it, hitting everyone who might be there.

Two-part trap. Activates a Clay Golem, and then targets the center of the room (optimally filling a room) with an Acid Fog spell.

Same for this trap. Instead of hitting the person who targets it, it targets whatever is in front of it.

I wouldn't rule it that way, a lightning bolt travels in a straight line, magic missile doesn't. I'd say the missiles target whoever set off the trap.

[WebTiefling]

I wouldn't rule it that way, a lightning bolt travels in a straight line, magic missile doesn't. I'd say the missiles target whoever set off the trap.

DM perogative, I guess.

For me, spells on traps can be targeted at all sorts of different things besides the person who triggers the trap, so I can't see why the Magic Missile would be the sole exception.

[Harrow]

DM perogative, I guess.

For me, spells on traps can be targeted at all sorts of different things besides the person who triggers the trap, so I can't see why the Magic Missile would be the sole exception.

Because it's actually targeted instead of Area of Effect?

[Invader]

DM perogative, I guess.

For me, spells on traps can be targeted at all sorts of different things besides the person who triggers the trap, so I can't see why the Magic Missile would be the sole exception.

Its not DM prerogative. You can't aim traps the way you're describing.

From the SRD:
Damage/Effect
The effect of a trap is what happens to those who spring it.

The effect of the trap targets whoever triggers it not some random direction you try to aim it.

[Bonzai]

My take on it was to go Warforged. Take all the metamagic reducers. Craft 3 wands that are maximized and twinned. One that is also quickened. Have a warforge built in wand sleeve as well. The channel charge feat from Lost Empires of Faerun can preserve these wands so that they are more cost effective.

Warforged Focused Specialist Evoker 3/ Master Specialist 2/Force Missile 5/ Master Specialist 8/ Evoker 2 (Maybe the counter fire class feature?)

Force Missile Mage lets you get up to 7 magic missiles. Twinned that's 14 missiles. Maximized that's 5 damage each for 70 damage cumulative. Activating the rod, that's 3 casts, for 42 missiles dealing a net total of 210 damage. Add on one quickened wand from the wand chamber at that's 280 damage a turn from magic missiles. This can be further ramped up with additional meta magic.