Optimal Level 20 Anti-magic Field User

[alphadelta]

For an upcoming mini-campaign that a friend is running, I would like to create a level 20 Anti-Magic field user to screw with his army.

Widened Sculpted Anti-magic field is a no-brainer, along with a familiar for ranged casting. Any other suggestions? (Go crazy. It's probably okay. No locate city bombs though.)

Also, we're using pathfinder.

[Deophaun]

Widened Sculpted Anti-magic field is a no-brainer

Uh... no...

Range: 10 ft.

A spell's range indicates how far from you it can reach, as defined in the range entry of the spell description. A spell's range is the maximum distance from you that the spell's effect can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which you can designate the spell's point of origin. If any portion of the spell's area would extend beyond this range, that area is wasted.

Widen just increases it's area, but it does nothing for the range; your 20' emanation is still confined to a 10' radius.

[icefractal]

Well, then you just Enlarge it too.

In practice, I've found most GMs will consider Widen to include that part, considering its fairly hefty cost.

[Gusmo]

When you say crazy, does that include body outside body (a spell in Complete Arcane)? Because you could have lots of clones running around also rolling with AMF, too. 2 levels of wyrm wizard gets you the spell body outside body, then make it an SLA with archmage. Then take AMF as an archmage SLA, miracle as another archmage SLA (via arcane disciple), and you're all set. You can have your all day AMF up, then in combat you can summon a clone army. Each clone on its turn can then either cast miracle, create even more clones, or cast AMF.

Edit: let's see, wizard5/incantatrix10/wyrm wizard2/archmage3 should do the trick. The incantatrix levels aren't actually relevant at all to anything I just mentioned, they're just generally useful.

[Eldariel]

Initiate of Mystra seems beyond obvious. Keep your stuff up inside of it.

[Lormador]

The 2nd level Arcane Archer ability, Imbue Arrow, will allow you to place one such Antimagic Field upon an enemy caster of your choice, assuming you can tag him with an arrow.

[Deophaun]

Well, then you just Enlarge it too.

You can't do that, either.

You can alter a spell with a range of close, medium, or long to increase its range by 100%. An enlarged spell with a range of close now has a range of 50 ft. + 5 ft./level, while medium-range spells have a range of 200 ft. + 20 ft./level and long-range spells have a range of 800 ft. + 80 ft./level.

[ExLibrisMortis]

You should play an incorporeal swarm (of oozes), so you can get through and around any tinfoil hats you encounter. For example, an umbral raven swarm.

[Lormador]

Whoa ho ho, there's a subtle difference between the Pathfinder and 3.5 Antimagic Fields. In 3.5 Antimagic Field causes incorporeal undead to wink out of existence (I fondly recall abusing the maneuver defense that makes you incorporeal, playing a living character inside an antimagic field).

In Pathfinder there is no such text, incorporeal creatures are apparently not affected by AMFs unless they are summoned.

So there's probably a way to play an incorporeal Arcane Archer in an antimagic field, chucking AMF-laden arrows at enemies and casting via worship of Mystra.

Is there a good way to become immune to force effects? Instantaneous conjuration force effects could bring this party to a record-scratching halt.

[alphadelta]

Uh... no...


Widen just increases it's area, but it does nothing for the range; your 20' emanation is still confined to a 10' radius.

Ah. Oh well.

Enlarged Sculpted Anti-Magic Field should allow me to cast spells at people while escorted by some mooks.

Eh... depends on your interpretation of suppress.

I guess I can turn this build into a mass combat specialist, with reverse gravity, prismatic wall/sphere, sunburst, summon monster, time stop, etc.

Time stop + fun.

Actually....

Sculpted Anti-Magic Field + Bilocation might be exploitable.

You share actions, though if neither move, you can have the other body step away to allow for a spell to be cast, and step back.

The issue is that Bilocation is only one round/level.

[Zanos]

Keep in mind that excluding yourself from an antimagic field also excludes you from most of it's benefits. If you aren't subject to the AMF, spells can be cast on you just fine.

[alphadelta]

Keep in mind that excluding yourself from an antimagic field also excludes you from most of it's benefits. If you aren't subject to the AMF, spells can be cast on you just fine.

The idea is that I use Bilocation to duplicate myself, use sculpted AMF to carve out a two person-sized hole, and use the 5-foot step to step in and out of the AMF.

If either body doesn't move during the round, that body can either take a 5-foot step or move your speed once as a free action.

EDIT: Any other ideas for mass combat?

[Gusmo]

If you want mass combat, was body outside body too much for you? It's a spell in Complete Arcane.

[alphadelta]

If you want mass combat, was body outside body too much for you? It's a spell in Complete Arcane.

The problem is that it doesn't quite last long enough for an entire army :/

Ah well. *files away idea for next time*

[Gusmo]

You can make it last all day, all you need to do is cast it, then use incantatrix class features (or a similar method) to apply the persistent spell feat to body outside body, making your initial batch of clones last for 24 hours. Every one of those clones can then cast body outside body twice as a SLA (and so can those next clones, etc.), which you can spread out over the course of the day. Here's a nice list of ways to raise caster level so you get more out of that initial batch of clones, too. Along with all the other benefits of a higher caster level.

[Uncle Pine]

If you cast sculpted AMF, you might as well not cast it at all. Try selective AMF instead, although keep in mind that things like buffs and magic items you possess will still not function even inside a selective AMF that excludes you.

[kardar233]

Whoa ho ho, there's a subtle difference between the Pathfinder and 3.5 Antimagic Fields. In 3.5 Antimagic Field causes incorporeal undead to wink out of existence (I fondly recall abusing the maneuver defense that makes you incorporeal, playing a living character inside an antimagic field).

In Pathfinder there is no such text, incorporeal creatures are apparently not affected by AMFs unless they are summoned.

So there's probably a way to play an incorporeal Arcane Archer in an antimagic field, chucking AMF-laden arrows at enemies and casting via worship of Mystra.

Is there a good way to become immune to force effects? Instantaneous conjuration force effects could bring this party to a record-scratching halt.

Force effects are tough to beat, but the best way I've found is to Shapechange to Very Young Force Dragon. Any of the Regen-having Trolls would work too, as it would be tough to have an attack that dealt both Force and Fire damage.

~EDIT~ There are a view other vulnerabilities you might watch for: Serren wood (for arrows/bolts) in BoED has Ghost Touch as a non-magical property. Transdimensional Instantaneous Conjurations (Transdimensional Orb of X, for example) can still strike you as they don't wink out in an AMF.