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Myou
2010-11-13, 02:58 PM
I'm helping create one of the wizards joining the party in the game I'm running, and we're a bit lost when it comes to feats, because the wizard/effigy master//artificer fights primarily with constructs he creates.

As such he plans to spend most of his combat rounds on buffing and support spells, so we're trying to think of feats that would be good here. I've suggested the standard metamagics, but they won't really be cost effective until higher levels and he doesn't want to specialise in one school of magic.

So I'm looknig for feats that are powerful and a little more interesting than Spell Focus or Improved Initiative.

He's joining the party at level 8, with 5 feats to be chosen.

Psyren
2010-11-13, 03:03 PM
Extend Spell is cost-effective when you get it. Double duration is worth +1 level.

Is he a conjurer? Have him trade his familiar for Abrubt Jaunt (PHB2) and then get his familiar back with one of the open feats. (Obtain Familiar, CArc.)

Cloudy Conjuration can boost his battlefield controlling ability too.

Zaq
2010-11-13, 03:11 PM
You're selling Improved Init a little bit short. Making sure that your allies are buffed BEFORE they get into the thick of things really is worth your time.

Alacritous Cogitation (CMag) is pretty good, even if it is only 1/day. In a similar vein, Spell Mastery isn't thrilling, but Uncanny Forethought (Exemplars of Evil) is a lot of fun.

If you have a decent Wisdom score, Arcane Disciple (CDiv) can get you a few buffs that you couldn't normally get. Which domain you choose depends on your style of play, but having more spells to choose from can only be a good thing, right?

Reach Spell (CDiv) is very situational, but if you find that you're a fan of touch spells, it can be worth the investment.

Last Laugh
2010-11-13, 03:14 PM
the metamagics I'm going to mention despite what the OP says:
Reach spell from Complete Divine would let him use some buffs at a much nicer range.

Chain spell is very nice for a buffer (+3 spell level, affects clvl # of targets) Complete Arcane

Consider taking Acidic Splatter or Summon Elemental. they give you something to do in each round of combat without taking up spell slots (acidic splatter offers decent damage output at a very short range, Summon Elemental is only meh in combat but has soooo many applications) complete mage.

Extend Spell has been mentioned

If you can afford metamagic mitigation Persistant Spell is... broken

Sculpt Spell is a +1 metamagic from Complete Arcane. it lets you adjust the area that a spell affects. Consider using Legion of Sentinels in a 60 ft cone..... or grease.

I'm not so great at being a wizard, sorry if this isn't very helpful.


Is he a conjurer? Have him trade his familiar for Abrubt Jaunt (PHB2) and then get his familiar back with one of the open feats. (Obtain Familiar, CArc.)
My vote goes to this, although op said he doesn't wanna specialize.

Myou
2010-11-13, 03:51 PM
Ohhh, constructs would be immune to Cloudy Conjuration, so that would be really useful if he takes a few conjurations of the right sort.
I've already suggested Extend spell, but we felt the double duration is a little situational, since it requires you to be fighting multiple combats very quickly. Not that he decided not to take it. But on hour/level spells it would let them last all day at this level, I'll point that out to him.

Improved Initiative just seems redundant since in a few levels time there will be quite a few spells that do the same, and he already has Nerveskitter. Still, your init can never be too high! But he knows the basic feats, so he'll pick it if he wants it. ^^

Oh, I'm not familiar with Legion of Sentinels, I'll look that up. And every little helps!

Thanks for the suggestions so far. He always has trouble picking feats so the more ideas the better, since he'll be picking more soon enough.

Last Laugh
2010-11-13, 05:07 PM
Legion of Sentinels in in PHB II. It summons a ghostly swordsman in every square affected by the spell. they have a to-hit bonus = to caster level and deal 1d8+1/3 caster levels. (the to-hit bonus is not listed in the spell, the damage is only listed in the blurb description, the FAQ clarifies both)

They can only take attacks of opportunity but they can flank (just about every creature in the radius).

1 attack/Sentinel/Round adds up pretty quick if you try to move through the field. It really is absurd for a 3rd level spell. (leaving any square provokes something like 5 attacks, maybe 7)

they can be destroyed hp=2*clvl, 25 AC. saves=clvl.

If enemies run they get cut down, if they cast a spell they get cut down. If they attack with a ranged weapon they get cut down..... Just don't engage them in melee range.

Psyren
2010-11-13, 07:03 PM
Ohhh, constructs would be immune to Cloudy Conjuration, so that would be really useful if he takes a few conjurations of the right sort.

Just to note, anything he summons would be immune to Cloudy Conjuration, but at least now you have a fluff reason for it


Improved Initiative just seems redundant since in a few levels time there will be quite a few spells that do the same, and he already has Nerveskitter. Still, your init can never be too high! But he knows the basic feats, so he'll pick it if he wants it. ^^

If you have feats you don't know what to do with, there is no reason not to take it. Especially for a buffer :smallsmile:

Joshinthemosh
2010-11-13, 07:27 PM
I realize your asking for feats not PrCs but this sounds like a wizards who wants to be a War Weaver (Heros of Battle). It allows you to use multiple stored buffs on multiple characters as a move action and just makes you a better buffer in general. As for feats I believe that posters before me nailed them. Never look down on Improved Initiaitve.

ShneekeyTheLost
2010-11-13, 07:36 PM
Reach Spell and Chain Spell can be used to drop buffs on the whole party at once.

War Weaver is a PrC which I would *highly* suggest for you. It effectively lets you cast multiple buffs on the party with a single move action. Follow up with Haste as your standard action, and go to town.

Edit: Swordsag'd!

I also concur that Improved Init is good so you can go first. Nerveskitter is a spell which should be in your repitoire. There's a couple of weapon enhancements to put on your staff which also boost initiative.

Last Laugh
2010-11-13, 09:32 PM
I also concur that Improved Init is good so you can go first. Nerveskitter is a spell which should be in your repitoire. There's a couple of weapon enhancements to put on your staff which also boost initiative.
Eager weapons (MIC) grant +2 (untyped) initiative, can be drawn as a free action and +2 damage during surprise round. +1 bonus
Warning weapons (MIC) grant +5 insight bonus to initiative as long as it is held (what adventurer actually sheathes his/her weapon tho?) +1 bonus
Nerveskitter is also an untyped bonus.

ShneekeyTheLost
2010-11-13, 11:18 PM
To go along with Reach and Chain spell would be the feats which reduce metamagic cost, such as Metamagic School Focus, if you are buffing mostly from the same school all the time. This is where metamagic truly gets broken horridly.

dgnslyr
2010-11-13, 11:46 PM
Feats for a buffer wizard? I knew what you meant when I read it, but after skimming past the title a second time, I imagined an incredibly muscled, Arnold Schwarzenegger of a wizard.

Myou
2010-11-14, 08:42 AM
So, we're agreed, metamagic would be good and so would Improved Initiative (which he's never going to take, but which he does get the benefit of).

I suggested War Weaver to him as well, but he can't take another PrC yet.

Hopefully he has enough suggestions to pick feats that he won't regret.


Feats for a buffer wizard? I knew what you meant when I read it, but after skimming past the title a second time, I imagined an incredibly muscled, Arnold Schwarzenegger of a wizard.

It was really hard not to make a buff wizard joke, I nearly made that the title. But I doubt many posters would get Freelance Astronauts references.

ShneekeyTheLost
2010-11-14, 01:09 PM
Feats for a buffer wizard? I knew what you meant when I read it, but after skimming past the title a second time, I imagined an incredibly muscled, Arnold Schwarzenegger of a wizard.

No, that thread is found here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175668)