wizard game play mechs.

[_felagund]

Hey guys,

i want to learn the wizard gameplay-roleplay mechanics of yours. for instance i generally use int check for situations when party stuck or disguise myself for a better conversation with npcs...

[ImperatorK]

I cast spells most of the time...

[NNescio]

And here I thought it'll be something involving golems, clockwork armour, and mechas, sigh...

Also, "better conversation with NPCs" should fall under the purview of the Diplomacy skill, which is keyed to Charisma.

As for my wizard playing experience, I agree with ImperatorK:

I cast spells most of the time...

Add in "I shoot my crossbow" at lower levels, and the occasional tea breaks at higher levels.

[_felagund]

I cast spells most of the time...

power gamers...

[Rainbownaga]

I cast spells most of the time...

Doesn't work at level 1 or 2 sadly :(

[ImperatorK]

power gamers...
You're talking to me?

[TroubleBrewing]

Doesn't work at level 1 or 2 sadly :(

Wizards don't have spells at level 1 or 2? :smallconfused:

[Xanmyral]

Have you considered being a white collar wizard criminal? Forgery is an INT based check, if I remember. Same with decipher script. Get enough ranks in bluff, go to a treasury, make a smart plan, ????, profit. Other then that, knowledge checks work too. With the high INT stat, you can probably get away with just popping one point into a knowledge skill you don't really care that much for, and still be relatively good with it. Always good to get arcana, religion, and planes highish though, for certain feats, classes, and so forth. Crafting, professions, and the such are also INT checks. Profession scholar, craft tome, combine tome with scribe scroll and then you can have fun with a book full of scribed spells to use in an emergency. Like holding, say, twenty some charges of magic missile in the book. For being good with other magic stuff, and general minor optimization, one can never go wrong with skill points in UMD. Basically, you can be good with any skill keyed to INT. Hopes this help, and hopes that I didn't misinterpret what you said and gave completely off the mark advice.

[Aharon]

@felagund
Your first post isn't exactly easy to understand, I'm not really sure what kind of advice you want. I'd appreciate a more detailed explanation.

For now:
Roleplay situations in my games tend to be enhanced by mechanics (I cast spells, like ImperatorK said) - Most cantrips are very flavorful ways to show off a bit. Being a wizard is pretty cool for couch potatoes. You get tastier food (Prestidigitation) and don't have to actually leave the couch (mage hand, or at higher levels unseen servant). So one of my favorite wizard/sorcerer concepts is "I learn all this stuff because I'm lazy and it provides a hell of a lot of comfort".

In other situations (NPC encounters), dice-rolling isn't usually involved, we often hand-wave Diplomacy checks etc. and just roleplay it.

[_felagund]

thanks for comments,

to clearify the question; wizard characters are powerfull & knowledgeable chars. I'm trying to find other aspects of character to be able to use its full potential beside casting fireballs around.

to clearify the disguise subject, your paladin may have super-duper char & diplomacy but he cant alter self himself as an officer and act to free his friend from prison... or melee characters wake each other for night watch but again you can cast rope trick to rest em well... or if barbarian fails his intimidate roll on a captive, u can simply cast a charm spell to make him believe you are trying to save him..

hope this makes it more clear...

[Aharon]

Yes, it does :smallsmile:

Basically, you are looking for ways to use a wizards power that are less obvious than "Big explosion!" or "Fog nobody can move through"?

One very appealing way to do so are illusions. The only catch is that they can be disbelieved if interacted with, and no clear definition of interaction is given in the core rules. I recommend using these (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20060221a) house rules by Skip Williams, which defines interaction as either targeting (with a spell, an attack, or anything else) or using a move action to study it.

There are lots of things you can do even with the first level silent image - create rocks for cover, create walls, create a chest filled with gold to distract people... And with the right build (Shadowcraft Mage, if you have heard about it), you can infuse your illusions with reality, mimicking other spells.

[Amnestic]

Wizards don't have spells at level 1 or 2? :smallconfused:

Not enough to cast them 'most of the time', if you assume multiple encounters per day with multiple rounds, and 'most of the time' is measured in a cast spells in round:no spells cast in round ratio.

[WildPyre]

Wait... your wizard doesn't end encounters with a single spell at low levels?

[Niceman]

My wizard tends to be the enigmatic wielder of knowledge and power. When I cast spells I come up with my own special effects rather than just say 'I cast...' Since many in the group can't cast spells, but as players have poured over the books just as much as anyone.. it gives the wizard back that air of mystery that can get lost quite often. Besides, it just adds to the fun. For example, I have a rat for a familiar. On the occasions that I cast Summon Swarm, I'll usually summon rats, but I will cast it and set my rat on the ground. From him duplicates explode as if he himself is multiplying into a swarm. Doesn't affect anything, but looks much cooler.

My wizard is also the one prepared for any contingency. When we divide up treasure, I use my share not to get the biggest, baddest item I can find, but I will purchase as many scrolls I can get my hands on. The spells I don't know I copy into my spellbooks, so now nearing 9th level, my arsenal of spells is wide-ranging and formidable and usually I'll have something to fit whatever situation I find ourselves. In. To that end I not only carry many scrolls (in an Infinite Scrollcase (MIC pg. 162), but I've taken steps to carry as many spell storing items as I can. Wands of course, but I have a ring of spell storing, an ioun stone and both ends of my magic quarterstaff has the spellstoring ability. Not to mention casting Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer. The 'extra' slots I'll fill with contingency 'just in case' spells or things we'll need but not in combat...

My wizard also makes strong uses of his noncombat spells for information gathering and creative ways to help out. Prestidigitation can flavor a meal, yes, but it can also clean an oil a squeaky hinge so we can quietly open a door to sneak up on some guards. His spells of read magic, detect magic, clarivoyance, arcane sight are obviously useful, but so is casting invisibility and gaseous form on our rogue so she can scout ahead.

My wizard is also the crafter of items, so if we need scrolls, wands, or wondrous items, my wizard is the one to do it, and always has several items on hand to deal with difficult situations. For example, when our barbarians don't have the strength to pull open the massive doors in the crypt, a reach into is Survival Pouch (MIC pg 187) produces ropes and 2 or 3 strong mules to do the trick. The only downside to that is crafting items takes time and resources, so when I have a lot to do my wizard has to go away for a while to make things. Ironically while my wizard is off doing things to help the party, he can't be there to help the party, so I have an alternate my wizard has 'hired' to take his place... a wu-jen two levels lower, so the party can still have the benefits of a wizard of sort, if not at full power.

That a bit of insight on what my Wizard does. Hope it helps and/or gives you some ideas on what you're looking for with yours :)

[Divide by Zero]

Forgery is an INT based check, if I remember.

The best part is that Forgery is opposed by Forgery, and since nobody ever puts ranks into it, you're going to basically win everything automatically after a point. Either that or your DM will randomly start putting Forgery on his NPCs.

[ImperatorK]

The best part is that Forgery is opposed by Forgery, and since nobody ever puts ranks into it, you're going to basically win everything automatically after a point. Either that or your DM will randomly start putting Forgery on his NPCs.
NPCs like government officials, thief guild members or spies would have Forgery. It's plausible for them to have it. And where it matters (i.e. intrigue or politics campaigns) there will be NPCs with decent Forgery mods.