Should I not bother with spells that allow saving throws? How do I best build a caster?

[Tacred]

I'm playing on core difficulty and spells that allow saves just seem...useless. I got like 24 int and the spell/element focus but it doesn't matter because the enemies tend to have like +25 to their save. Should I just respec and use my caster to create summon fodder to block enemies or something? Or do people just reload until they get one of the good spells to finally land?

[kiloromeo]

Cast Haste!

[Mithrals]

The trick to make them land is to pick the Expanded Arsenal feat in the important school from mythic feat and NOT pick spell focus in the school you want, but every other school.
You can get +14 DC off the mythic feat that way.

[Pipmalice / 悪気ピップ]

There are many items that allow to increase the DC of many spells. With high stats in your casting attribute + Spell focus (and greater) and then the mythic spell focus you can get extremely high spell dc's. Currently my enchanter lich has DC 52 on hold monster spells. Additionally Ember and Camelia can get Evil eye to reduce the Save dc by 4 (2 early on) and shaken + sickened can reduce it by another -4 together (though these currently are bugged and not reducing it.)

[kiloromeo]

Logic.....

[Pipmalice / 悪気ピップ]

Originally posted by Mithrals:

The trick to make them land is to pick the Expanded Arsenal feat in the important school from mythic feat and NOT pick spell focus in the school you want, but every other school.
You can get +14 DC off the mythic feat that way.

Oow wow these stack? Never realized , will deff use this next time thanks!

[Donduffino]

Spells that do partial damage on a successful save are useful.

[Dixon Sider]

Go thundercaller and you get a dope AoE that always hits for sonic damage.

[Fluff]

Persistent Metamagic is a must for spells with saving throws.


Other than Slow for fodder - i've being experimenting and it's so much not worth it. Works rarely on big targets. Most of the time it's just Greater Dispell Magic, on Core at least.

Unless you'r going to min max and do that abuse with other magic school people wrote above, not sure if it's intended to work like that or not. But it works.

[Pipmalice / 悪気ピップ]

Also it is often worth considering using spells that hit the opponents weakest save , (For elemental you can often choose between fortitude and reflex, a few will options) and reducing these attributes so their save drops. (With will a mind fog can be powerful.)

[Arlen]

I am reading some of these replies - and I am like - how? You face some high resistant foes at level 3 that have insane saves and AC - Succubus comes to mind - where magic weapons fail to hit, forget about landing spells, and even touch spells do not overcome resistance. A lot of the time, it just doesn't make sense why I would miss with a magic weapon that gives +1 to attack rolls, +1 from weapon focus, +4 Str - and somehow I roll a 3 to hit without it being a critical miss - I should have a base attack of 7. 6+1 (lowest possible roll on a d20)

[Zuul]

Originally posted by billybobtexan1000:

I am reading some of these replies - and I am like - how? You face some high resistant foes at level 3 that have insane saves and AC - Succubus comes to mind - where magic weapons fail to hit, forget about landing spells, and even touch spells do not overcome resistance. A lot of the time, it just doesn't make sense why I would miss with a magic weapon that gives +1 to attack rolls, +1 from weapon focus, +4 Str - and somehow I roll a 3 to hit without it being a critical miss - I should have a base attack of 7. 6+1 (lowest possible roll on a d20)

The pop up over the enemies head is the LITERAL dice roll. If it shows a 3, it’s because you rolled a 3.

[Hobocop]

Originally posted by Zuul:

Originally posted by billybobtexan1000:

I am reading some of these replies - and I am like - how? You face some high resistant foes at level 3 that have insane saves and AC - Succubus comes to mind - where magic weapons fail to hit, forget about landing spells, and even touch spells do not overcome resistance. A lot of the time, it just doesn't make sense why I would miss with a magic weapon that gives +1 to attack rolls, +1 from weapon focus, +4 Str - and somehow I roll a 3 to hit without it being a critical miss - I should have a base attack of 7. 6+1 (lowest possible roll on a d20)

The pop up over the enemies head is the LITERAL dice roll. If it shows a 3, it’s because you rolled a 3.

What's annoying about that is that it'll give you stuff like '6 vs 17' which is still a pass because of their +11 bonus when the number on the right should always represent the minimum number they need to roll in order to pass.

[prof_pessimist]

Mythic paths are important as a caster, there are a few that raise the DC of your spells, force rerolls.

i also find casters depend alot on party synergy. Look for companions that debuff saving throws. Slayers, rogues, wiches - quite a few classes have abilities that will decrease the enemies saving throws.

If you want control wizard - go for azata path - they have an ability that forces rerolls on spells, and then an ability that duplicates single target spells. Lich also affects spell pen and DC. Aeon on a non (main) caster will allow you to raise the DC and caster level of companion spells with gazes.

Casters in this game are about synergy and stacking.

if your going blaster make sure you get ascended element and favoured element.