so which spells/feats would YOU take?

[fendermallot]

If you were building a wizard/mage, etc. from level 1-11 which feats and spells would YOU take? What Race do YOU prefer? The other thread brought up a lot of discussion about which race is the best paragon+, I seem to hold to the thought that all races are good in their own right. Some may make stronger wizards, but all are equally useful.

[Surrealistik]

This, though obviously the final build would depend on the party. This is a save penalizing imposer, with the VA/WSG combo:

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Heroic Wizard, level 11
Human, Wizard, Phiarlan Phantasmist
Arcane Implement Mastery: Orb of Imposition
Human Power Selection: Heroic Effort
Background: Born Under a Bad Sign (Born Under a Bad Sign Benefit)
Theme: Noble Adept

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 9, Con 12, Dex 11, Int 23, Wis 16, Cha 13.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 11, Dex 10, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 12.


AC: 23 Fort: 20 Reflex: 25 Will: 24
HP: 73 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 18

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +13, Arcana +16, History +16, Insight +13, Religion +16

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +5, Bluff +6, Diplomacy +6, Dungeoneering +8, Endurance +6, Heal +8, Intimidate +6, Perception +8, Stealth +5, Streetwise +6, Thievery +5, Athletics +4

FEATS
Wizard: Ritual Caster
Human: Orb Expertise
Level 1: Enlarge Spell
Level 2: Superior Implement Training (Accurate orb)
Level 4: World Serpent's Grasp
Level 6: Vicious Advantage
Level 8: Arcane Familiar (Spider)
Level 10: Mark of Shadow
Level 11: Spell Focus

POWERS
Wizard at-will 1: Beguiling Strands
Wizard at-will 1: Stone Blood
Wizard encounter 1: Grasping Shadows
Wizard daily 1: Sleep
Wizard daily 1 Spellbook: Arcane Whirlwind
Wizard utility 2: Shield
Wizard utility 2 Spellbook: Mystical Debris
Wizard encounter 3: Hypnotic Pattern
Wizard daily 5: Web
Wizard daily 5 Spellbook: Visions of Avarice
Wizard utility 6: Emerald Eye
Wizard utility 6 Spellbook: Summon Iron Cohort
Wizard encounter 7: Twist of Space
Wizard daily 9: Symphony of the Dark Court
Wizard daily 9 Spellbook: Mirage Arcana
Wizard utility 10: Illusory Wall
Wizard utility 10 Spellbook: Blur

ITEMS
Spellbook, Accurate orb of Mental Dominion +3, Aversion Accurate staff +1, Phylactery of Action (heroic tier), Phrenic Crown (heroic tier), Resplendent Gloves (heroic tier), Potion of Healing (heroic tier), Amulet of Elegy +3, Flowform Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing) +2, Adventurer's Kit, Residuum (Any) (150)
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

-2 to all saving throws.

-1 to all saving throws against effects that slow or immobilize.

-2 vs all saving throws against charm, fear, illusion or psychic effects (everything but Web, so -5 recurring penalty to saves against all non-Web dailies).

-1 penalty to first saving throw against all attacks that target Will.

1/encounter -3 penalty for a target's first saving throw against any effect.

1/day -3 saving throw penalty for all targets against the first saving throw of an attack.

1/day all targets single reroll all successful saving throws against an attack that targets Will, taking the lower result (roughly a -5 penalty to saving throws)

Adriot Explorer is also a great choice albeit with less focus on dailies/save penalization, and more on encounter powers.


At level 12 and beyond, it'd be a Tiefling. I think at L11 the feat edge + Heroic Effort arguably makes the Human slightly better at the cusp of Paragon as contrasted with a Belial's Secrets Tiefling.

[fendermallot]

what book is stoneblood in?

[Surrealistik]

Comes with the Red Box.

[fendermallot]

Hmm, I can't find it in the Red Box...

[Crasical]

Minotaur wizard.

Hypnotism and Phantasmal assault for at wills

Level 1 Encounter: Grasping Shadows
Level 1 Daily: Horrid Whispers

Level 2 Utility: Shield

Level 3 Encounter: Hypnotic Pattern

Level 5 Daily: Visions of Avarice

Level 6 utility: Emerald Eye

Level 7 Encounter: Phantom Foes

Level 9 Daily: Visions of Ruin

Level 10 Utility: Illusory Wall

[fendermallot]

ahh, it's in the power cards. I was looking in the books... thanks

[tribble]

Mechanically, I really like the Hunger of Hadar warlock power, so I'd probably build around that, doomsayer and all that. Thematically, I want to play a hot-blooded wizard who fights up close and personal. Not sure if I would prefer a battle wizard or that spiral tower thing, though. I'd use as many close range abilities as I could get, though.

[fendermallot]

Didn't wizards used to have touch range spells? I miss those.

[Surrealistik]

Mechanically, I really like the Hunger of Hadar warlock power, so I'd probably build around that, doomsayer and all that. Thematically, I want to play a hot-blooded wizard who fights up close and personal. Not sure if I would prefer a battle wizard or that spiral tower thing, though. I'd use as many close range abilities as I could get, though.

Tiefling Fire Blaster Pyromancer with Hellfire Staff sounds like it's your speed.

[fendermallot]

what's that? sounds like an interesting class.

[Surrealistik]

Pyromancer is a Mage specialization.

Tiefling Fire Blaster is a build.

[Mindartis]

Personally, I like the Eladrin. The Fey Step ability helped me out alot, and They have a good racial bonus to INT. Take the Improved Initiative feat, and you have yourself a PC who can strike first, deal a lot of damage, and then get the hell outta there.

[DaHamr]

Didn't wizards used to have touch range spells? I miss those.

yeah all the INT vs. REF abilities armor doesn't mean anything but shield cover does finally

[Kurald Galain]

If you were building a wizard/mage, etc. from level 1-11 which feats and spells would YOU take?
That depends. The wizard has so many options that you can probably make three wizard characters that have no spells in common, and all of them end up being effective.

A strategy I really like is to first put up a zone daily (or Grasping Shadows will do in a pinch), and then use Thunderwave or Beguiling Strands to throw enemies into the zone. I think my personal record is a Thunderwave which pushed an enemy away from two swordmage allies (triggering their Booming Blade), through a Grasping Shadows zone, and into a Grease spell. Quad Combo FTW!


What Race do YOU prefer?
I really like having an encounter teleportation power (seriously, if you can't think of half a dozen uses for Fey Step during an adventuring day, you're not trying hard enough), so for a wizard I'd prefer Eladrin, Shadar-Kai, Shardmind, or Voidsoul Genasi.

That said, an accuracy-boosting encounter power is really effective on a wizard (i.e. Deva, Elf, or Human), as is the Dwarf's healing ability.

[The Reverend]

Improved initiative, can never go wrong with going first. Improved defenses, can never go wrong with not getting hit. I usually go with the formula of a third: third of my feats boost offense, third boost defense, and a third are utility basis.