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The Evocation wizard's 10th-level Empowered Evocation feature allows them to add an ability modifier to a spell damage roll. I'm trying to find a way to get an effect like that of Empowered Evocation at a lower character level.

How can a wizard add their ability mod to the damage roll of magic missile at a much lower character level than the Empowered Evocation feature (at level 10)?

(Warlocks can do this with eldritch blast and Agonizing Blast, and it is a very powerful combo.)

Would either of these builds work?

  1. Take 2 levels of UA Lore Mastery wizard to get the Spell Secrets ability. This allows the wizard to change the damage type of a spell, like magic missile, from force damage to fire damage.

  2. Multiclass into UA Phoenix Sorcerer to use the Mantle of Flame ability to add a Charisma bonus to one fire damage die roll.

OR

  1. Multiclass into Draconic Bloodline sorcerer and use the Elemental Affinity feature at level 6 to add the Charisma bonus to any of the dragon ancestry damage types.

Frozen, flaming, or electric magic missiles sound kind of cool. Adding bonus damage sounds powerful.

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Taking into account that both Lore Master Wizard and Phoenix Sorcerer have more than 2 years and didn't get published in any book, it's safe to think they might be discarded and not really well balanced ideas. As thus, like every other material in UA, they are not valid choices in Adventure League, and your DM might not let you pick them.

Setting that aside, and just by RAW, a Lore Master Wizard 2/Phoenix Sorcerer 1 could add Charisma to her magic missiles by changing their damage to fire (only one minute between long rests), and a Lore Master Wizard 2/Draconic Sorcerer 6 can benefit from the same bonus with whatever element your heritage has, as none of the effects specify a wizard/sorcerer spell (Empowered Evocation specifies Wizard Evocation spell)

You need to have at least 13 in both CHA and INT to become a Wizard/Sorcerer, so I could argue the benefit of investing resources in the 2 most common dumped stats of 5e, but ask your GM before trying to build this.

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    \$\begingroup\$ CHA is commonly dumped? :O \$\endgroup\$
    – BlueMoon93
    May 13, 2020 at 8:15
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    \$\begingroup\$ @BlueMoon93: Probably depends what class you're playing... Obviously the Charisma-based classes don't dump it, but a Wis-based caster might :P \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    May 13, 2020 at 9:01
  • \$\begingroup\$ @BlueMoon93 People tends to dump INT before CHA in 5e because none of them is a common save, nor have any effect in the character as CON (hit points) or DEX (AC) appart from their skills... Groups usually have one face and/or one skill monkey now. Obviously, as V2Blast noted, CHA casters don't dump CHA, as INT casters don't usually dump INT (sometimes Eldritch Knights dump it anyways) \$\endgroup\$
    – MrTakeru
    May 13, 2020 at 11:09
  • \$\begingroup\$ My group tends to dump STR first, INT next, but maintain a decent CHA stat. To each their own, I guess :) \$\endgroup\$
    – BlueMoon93
    May 13, 2020 at 12:10
  • \$\begingroup\$ Of course, everyone can play like they want, and thanks to 5e it doesn't mean to be building a useless character (looking at you 3.5e and all your power gaming!). Sorry if I've offended you D: \$\endgroup\$
    – MrTakeru
    May 13, 2020 at 14:17

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