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D&D 3e/3.5e/d20 The forum for conversations specifically related to the rules and procedures of Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, 3.5 Edition, or any fantasy game using the d20 system or a variant thereof (commercially published or not).

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Old 02-23-2012, 06:30 PM   Top  -  End  -  #1
hymer
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Default [3.5] Damaging wand

A cloistered cleric12 in my campaign recently paid through the nose for a wand of Searing Light (caster level 10 for full effect and all). He really hates those moments when there is nothing for his little old man (str 5, dex 12 and a librarian) to do without wasting spells, like when the enemy is just about down and they're just waiting for the melee to finish them off. So he bought a wand of searing light, but he's been having the worst luck using it. That -4 to-hit for enemies being in melee kills him.
Anyone know of an item I could point him towards (or place in a hoard somewhere) that will allow him to somewhat reliably deal maybe 15 points of damage to a variety of targets without costing him literally hundreds of gp per application?
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Old 02-23-2012, 06:34 PM   Top  -  End  -  #2
Circle of Life
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

Custom item of at-will magic missile should do the trick. Should be 18k for a CL 9 item that can shoot as many pew pew bolts as he wants per day.

There are a dozen other suggestions I'd like to make, but all of them revolve around him using his spell slots for useful things, which I suspect he'd rather not hear.
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Old 02-23-2012, 06:43 PM   Top  -  End  -  #3
Need_A_Life
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

A TWELFTH level Cleric (Cloistered, no less) who can't land a ranged touch attack? I'm shocked, shocked I tell ye!

I'd suggest Knowledge Devotion (feat or exchange Knowledge domain) to get his (presumably good) Knowledge skills to do some lifting in combat.
Magic Missile is definitely a decent way to do it, though I'd actually rather suggest something like a de-buff spell.

Custom item of ray of stupidity/clumsiness/enfeeblement at will shouldn't exactly be overpowering if he cannot hit reliably, but he'll actually be useful when he hits.

Also, if he's a librarian... why not Archivist? All Knowledge skills, bardic knowledge (under a different name IIRC), Dark Knowledge to give bonuses to party members and a brilliant synergy with Knowledge Devotion.
That's a librarian to be reckoned with (I should know, I've played just such a one).
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Old 02-23-2012, 06:45 PM   Top  -  End  -  #4
hymer
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

Thanks! Umm... Custom items, where do I look? DMG, MIC? I don't recall that at all.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Circle of Life View Post
There are a dozen other suggestions I'd like to make, but all of them revolve around him using his spell slots for useful things, which I suspect he'd rather not hear.
I recently talked him into retraining out of the Stealthy feat, which was a major thing that he still talks about, so you're probably right about that.

Last edited by hymer : 02-23-2012 at 07:06 PM.
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Old 02-23-2012, 06:47 PM   Top  -  End  -  #5
IdleMuse
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

Holy Smite seems a good spell to put on a wand for this purpose? Depends on the type of enemies you'll be fighting I guess.

Custom items are in the DMG, around p282 iirc?
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Last edited by IdleMuse : 02-23-2012 at 06:49 PM.
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Old 02-23-2012, 06:47 PM   Top  -  End  -  #6
Circle of Life
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

Quote:
Originally Posted by hymer View Post
Thanks! Umm... Custom items, where do I look? DMG, MIC? I don't recall that at all.
You can find the information here or in the DMG. MiC updated some of the rules, namely removing the 1.5x cost stacking modifier for affinity items (irrelevant to suggested item, but informative all the same).
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Last edited by Circle of Life : 02-23-2012 at 06:47 PM.
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Old 02-23-2012, 06:57 PM   Top  -  End  -  #7
hymer
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

Quote:
Originally Posted by hymer View Post
Thanks! Umm... Custom items, where do I look? DMG, MIC? I don't recall that at all.



I recently talked him out of retraining out of the Stealthy feat, which was a major thing that he still talks about, so you're probably right about that.
@ Need_A_Life:
Thanks for answering.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Need_A_Life View Post
A TWELFTH level Cleric (Cloistered, no less) who can't land a ranged touch attack? I'm shocked, shocked I tell ye!
What can I tell you? He's used four or five charges hitting just once. Okay, those Ascetic Mages have decent touch AC, but still...

Quote:
I'd suggest Knowledge Devotion (feat or exchange Knowledge domain) to get his (presumably good) Knowledge skills to do some lifting in combat.
Magic Missile is definitely a decent way to do it, though I'd actually rather suggest something like a de-buff spell.
I'd probably be looking into that if it was me, but that's not how he gets his fun. I'm just the GM.

Quote:
Also, if he's a librarian... why not Archivist? All Knowledge skills, bardic knowledge (under a different name IIRC), Dark Knowledge to give bonuses to party members and a brilliant synergy with Knowledge Devotion.
That's a librarian to be reckoned with (I should know, I've played just such a one).
No archivists in this campaign. The gods aren't exactly flexible with who gets to use the power they grant mortals.
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Old 02-23-2012, 07:03 PM   Top  -  End  -  #8
hymer
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

@ Circle of Life: Thanks! That looks like just what I needed.
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Old 02-23-2012, 07:33 PM   Top  -  End  -  #9
Randomguy
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

He could swap one of his feats for a reserve feat that lets him spam an attack at will as long as he has a particular spell prepared without actually using up the slot. There are area attack versions, too, if he can't hit with touch attacks.
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Old 02-23-2012, 07:34 PM   Top  -  End  -  #10
Slipperychicken
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

Quote:
Originally Posted by hymer View Post
No archivists in this campaign. The gods aren't exactly flexible with who gets to use the power they grant mortals.
It seems kind of ambiguous as to whether Archivists even need gods at all. Alternatively, worship an ideal instead.
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Old 02-24-2012, 02:30 AM   Top  -  End  -  #11
Averis Vol
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

he could go with zen archery, it says he uses wis for ranged attacks, doesnt say it cant be used for a wand. and hes a (most likely) old aged cleric, his wis should be incredible.

Last edited by Averis Vol : 02-24-2012 at 02:33 AM.
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Old 02-24-2012, 02:37 AM   Top  -  End  -  #12
tyckspoon
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

Quote:
Originally Posted by Randomguy View Post
He could swap one of his feats for a reserve feat that lets him spam an attack at will as long as he has a particular spell prepared without actually using up the slot. There are area attack versions, too, if he can't hit with touch attacks.
This was going to be my suggestion, assuming he has at least one other less-than-useful feat laying around to retrain. Memorize Flame Strike, take Fiery Burst, ping stuff with 5d6 Supernatural mini-fireballs all day long as long as you don't cast that Flame Strike.
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Old 02-24-2012, 03:42 AM   Top  -  End  -  #13
hymer
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Default Re: [3.5] Damaging wand

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Slipperychicken View Post
It seems kind of ambiguous as to whether Archivists even need gods at all. Alternatively, worship an ideal instead.
Wizards may not believe in gods, but they know that gods believe in gods, quoting Terry Pratchett from memory.
Only the gods dispend godly power in this campaign world, and divine magic flows from them. It's been this way since second edition, and I'm not going to upend the entire cosmology because WotC introduce archivists. Or ur-priests for that matter.
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