Arcanist into lich spell pen decision

[nevma]

I'm an arcanist about to hit level 8. Pre lost chapel. No spell pen feats so far. I know that I will be okay if I can make it to mythic 3 lich and merge spellbooks - with high CL I won't need spell pen chain of feats. But what about between now and then: last chapel and siege of drezen? I have the +2 spell pen robe, and I'm generally ok when I use arcane reservoir. But even with it, i occasionally fail. Without arcane reservoir reservoir, I'd be in a lot of trouble though. At level 8 it's my last chance to grab spell pen feat before merging spellbooks. Should I do it and be stuck with a wasted feat for the rest of the game, or be bad at magic for 2 levels, but get something useful for the rest of the game instead? I'm thinking of rolling the die and passing on it.

[Drake]

I would say stick to non pen spells till chapter 3, like snowball, pits, etc. and buffs. Then when you get mythic 3 just go full rampage.

[MjKorz]

If you use Conjuration spells like Grease and Glitterdust for early game, you will not need spell penetration.

Some Evocation spells like Shout also ignore spell resistance.

[GrandMajora]

Do not go Arcanist to Lich...

Easily the worst Mythic playthrough I've done since buying the game.

My combined spell book was heavily nerfed because of the way Arcanists handle their spell slots.

[Uzkin]

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Do not go Arcanist to Lich...

Easily the worst Mythic playthrough I've done since buying the game.

My combined spell book was heavily nerfed because of the way Arcanists handle their spell slots.

This. Arcanist is the absolute worst choice for merged-spellbook lich.

[MjKorz]

Originally posted by Uzkin:

Originally posted by GrandMajora:

Do not go Arcanist to Lich...

Easily the worst Mythic playthrough I've done since buying the game.

My combined spell book was heavily nerfed because of the way Arcanists handle their spell slots.

This. Arcanist is the absolute worst choice for merged-spellbook lich.

Actually, Arcanist has unique synergy with Lich. Since Lich has no way of making its spells inherently persistent, a Phantasmal Mage Arcanist is the only way a Lich can cast persistent Weird and merge spellbooks.

Note that non-persistent Weird suffers from roughly 10% failure to kill even with infinite spell DC so there is an actual measurable benefit to going Arcanist Lich.

[nevma]

I get it. I will have a bad time. But I already played wizard and sorc, so you know. Let's just say that I don't mind resting. But I do like how arcanist uses the very last option available to him. It's a neat arcane class. I am going no spell pen.

[Uzkin]

Sure, it can be made to work. But a Lich Arcanist just feels so very limited and restricted compared to a Lich Sorcerer or Wizard.

As an example, lets consider what a level 20 Lich Sorcerer might be able to cast from his level 9 spell slots at a given time, compared to that of a level 20 Lich Arcanist (these are from my games) :

LICH SORCERER (level 9 spells available at a given time):
------------------
Fiery Body
Foresight
Heroic Invocation
Icy Prison, Mass
Summon Monster IX
Wail of the Banshee
Corrupt Magic
Flay for Purpose
Negative Eruption
Clashing Rocks (bolstered)
Energy Drain (bolstered)
Finger of Death (empowered and spell-specialized)
Sunburst (selective and bolstered)
Domain of Hungry Flesh (selective)
Feast of Blood (empowered and bolstered)

LICH ARCANIST (level 9 spells available at a given time):
-----------------
Corrupt Magic
Flay for Purpose
Domain of Hungry Flesh (selective)

The amount of spells the Lich Arcanist has at hand at a given time is WAY too limited for my tastes; it's a very boring experience compared to a Sorcerer or a Wizard.

[MjKorz]

Originally posted by Uzkin:

Lich Arcanist just feels so very limited and restricted compared to a Lich Sorcerer or Wizard.

Limited? Yes. Restricted? Yes. Less powerful? Absolutely not.

The strongest magic school in the game is Illusion. The strongest Lich Illusionist you can make is Phantasmal Mage which is an Arcanist subclass.