PDA

View Full Version : Need help with a Wizard/Psion build



fanitullen
2008-12-21, 04:37 PM
I've been playing a NE Male Drow Wiz3/Psi3/Spymaster 1 (had to take it for some gameplay thingie)/Cerebremancer (currently about to take lvl 8), for a total of 17 ECL.

This campaign is headed for Epic, we stop at lvl 42.

The role I'm currently filling, is being the groups handyman/batman/blaster/sniper (we also have an incantatrix in the party, so we kind of get most of the fields of magic covered), and I'm using a lot of wands/dorjes/staffs. I've also loaded up on UMD, current bonus +24 (with items).

I've decided to go for spellcasting after I've finished cerebremancer, mostly due to the fact that no other class offers progression in both psionics and spellcasting, and epic lvl cerebremancer sucks as much as mystic theurge.

I'm a bit stumped as to what to do next, both when it comes to feats, and future PrC's/multiclassing.

As of now I have the feats Daylight Adaptation, Practised Spellcaster, Practised Manifester, Improved Toughness, Metamagic Spelltrigger and Maximize Spell (and Scribe Scroll, obviously).

I have a lot of options, and I would like some opinions on them.


Classes/Prestige Classes.



- Fatespinner (4 lvls). Won't cost me that much, just some skill ranks

- Geometer (2+ lvls). Again, only costs me skill ranks.

- Mage of the Arcane order (10). Would cost me a feat (cooperative metamagic isn't all that swish), but might be worth it. Not a class I can just dip into, though.

- Uncanny Trickster (3) . I'm already qualified, but it will cost me a caster lvl.

- Magical Trickster (3) . Same as above.

- Assassin (2), then Ultimate Magus (10). Costs me 2 caster lvls, and pr now 8 more skill points, but might be worth it for the class features of Ultimate Magus, especially considering that spellcasting for assassin is Int-based.

- Shadow Adept (1). Costs me the feat Shadow Weave Magic, which means that my evocation spells will be slightly reduced, though not by much. The 3 bonus feats at 1st lvl might be worth the dip (+4 vs SR to any Weave user? Yes please! As well as a caster lvl check for divination spells directed at me, and +4 to the DC to dispel my spells).

- Archivist (base class, Heroes of Horror, 3 lvls) --> Mystic Theurge 10.
Costs me 3 caster lvls, plus 25% xp when I'm lvl 2 Archivist. On the other hand, I can learn ALL types of divine spells, in a prayerbook (same as spellbook), and the DC for my spells is still Int-based. If it wasn't for the loss of caster lvl and xp I'd go for this in a heartbeat.


- Incantatrix (10)
Costs me Iron Will, but no more. Nice class, if somewhat unbalanced (Persistant Spell anyone?).

- Loremaster (10).
Only really an option if I take Incantatrix first, 'cause it requires 3 metamagic feats, which is kind of a steep requirement right now. Also, I need Skill Focus Knowledge (any).

- Divine Oracle (10)
Costs me Skill Focus Knowledge Religion, which kind of sucks, but I get evasion (prescient sense), uncanny dodge, and full spellcasting progression.





Race:

If my DM will allow it, i'm also considering a rebuild, and choosing another race than drow (and therefore not Daylight Adaptation). Having SR haven't been as useful as I thought it would be.

Should I decide to change, any suggestions to which race? I was thinking Tiefling or Synad, or maybe Grey Elf (or Sun elf depending on which source you use, the one with +2Int and -2Con).

Anything that says that I should stay with the drow? SR can be nice from time to time, and I get +2 Int and Dex, and darkvision, but is it worth +2 lvl adjustment?



Hope to get some helpful responses to this thread :)

Shovah
2008-12-21, 05:02 PM
Go with Grey Elf. It's about as nice as you can get for a Wizard.

If your DM is going to allow a rebuild, then.. you probably shouldn't be a Wizard/Psion. Since it sounds like you're looking for some reasonable power, I'd suggest;

Grey Elf. Take the Elven Generalist Wizard Substitution levels, take a hummingbird familiar (because +Initiative = very, very good. Going first is about as good as things get), and go straight Wizard/PrCs that advance your caster progression.

Drow is.. a horrible race for the LA, and straight Wizard/Full-caster-advancement PrC is unbelievably superior to Wizard/Psion.

Just my 2 cents.



Edit: Also, you mention going to epic?
If you want pure power, definitely go full-caster.
Even without the massive cheese you can pull off, Epic Casting is pretty much a 'Win-D&D' button.

Wow, I didn't get ninja'd. Awesome.


Double Edit: If you want to play a Wizard/Psion, don't let me stop you. Just thought I'd throw this in since people don't shout at me for being a bad person and telling you just to play Wizard =).
Since you're going to level 42, you could pull off the combination too. Just don't sacrifice caster or manifester levels. And maybe focus on one (I'd suggest the Arcane side), and use the other just for a few specific abilities/utility powers?

fanitullen
2008-12-21, 05:38 PM
Wizard/Psion isn't as bad as people say it is. I survived from lvl 5 (ecl 7), when the other guys in the party were class lvl 7. Powers don't have somatic components (or verbal or any other for that matter), so I only need a DC 20 Concentration check to manifest when I'm for instance grappled, it can be used underwater, etc. And my Energy Ball can be Sonic, Fire, Cold or Electricity; verastility you only get if you take the Mastery of Elements as an Archmage.

Both are based on Int, so I've been able to focus on Int - Dex - Con.

I can augment the hell out of my psionic buffs (my AC is 41 now, and that's without a decent amulet of nat arm and ring of prot, both are currently only +2), and buffs like Empathic Feedback, Energy Adaptation (resist all energy 30) and Crystal Body, and more offensive powers like Ego Whip (charisma damage, yes please, as long as they're not immune to mind-affecting), not to mention the contingency power Change Fate (+20 on a save/check, but costs 500 xp, immediate action) make it well worth it.

And damage powers like Energy Ray/Missile/Ball/Barrage means that I have more options when preparing spells.



But still, I've deciced to go for Arcane when I finish Cerebremancer (as you can see from the alternatives above), since I'll know more spells than powers, after all.

I'm really leaning towards Archivist and the Mystic Theurge (and maybe Psychic Theurge after that), would be nice to be able to cast virtually every spell in the game, imagine the buffs and area control-spells I'd end up with.





As for the Drow bit, the DM has allowed rebuilding twice in the campaign, but that was because someone misinterpreted some rules which meant that their build was now useless, and the other was because we nerfed Incantatrix and the use of Persistant Spell.

I already have the racial substitution lvls for Elf (nothing saying that you can't choose it as a drow), and I've also got the hummingbird familiar. Next on my list is Eager and Warning on my weapon, giving me a total of +22 on initiative :)




Two more things:

Imagine this weapon;

Adamantine Quarterstaff of Sizing

First end:
+1
Defending
Eager
Spellstrike
Spellblade (immune to 1 spell, in this case Greater Dispel Magic)
Wand chamber
(total +4 +6100gp)

Second end:
+1
Defending
Warning
Spellstrike
Spellblade (Disjunction, or anything else I don't want to get hit by)
Wand chamber
(total +4 +6100gp)

Cast Greater Magic Weapon on both ends daily.

This would give me +8 dodge to AC, or +8 to saves depending on how I allocate it, +10 when I reach CL 20.
+7 to initiative
Immune to 2 VERY unwelcome spells.
Can have 2 wands in the staff, which can be activated from inside the wand chamber.

This weapon would run me 85200 gp.

Any thougths?






Second:

Green Star Adept.

Stupid examples, but as I read the rules, e.g. Wiz 10 / GSA 10 casts spells as Wiz 15, but has caster lvl 25, can someone confirm this for me?