Spells for supporting a middling low OP melee-heavy party

[Coidzor]

Aside from grease, glitterdust, and some kind of fog.

I've just been put on the spot to put together a wizard in a level 5 game, and I don't really have a set of spells put together to go with them, as, well, typically they blaster-caster and that's not really my forte.

I'm thinking probably conjuror, especially since in the setting necromancy is largely derp/nonexistent/lost.

[Curious]

If Pathfinder is allowed, grabbing Accelerate (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/words-of-power/effect-words/accelerate) through a feat is highly recommended. Otherwise, the obvious haste/bulls strength/etc. applies.

Alternately, being a White Raven-focused Crusader or Warblade would probably be extremely rewarding with a melee heavy party.

[HunterOfJello]

Play a Focused Transmuter. Use up your transmutation slots with Haste, Slow, Enlarge Person, and the occasional Keen Edge spell. Use your other slots for crowd control spells and a rare damaging spell like Fireball just in case.


You could also play an Artificer instead. You'd get to do a lot of similar stuff, while becoming your melee allies' best friend ever. I can see players getting into actual fist fights over who gets an Elf Bane infusion on their sword and who doesn't.

[Coidzor]

Alternately, being a White Raven-focused Crusader or Warblade would probably be extremely rewarding with a melee heavy party.

Gotta play either an artificer or wizard for story purposes, unfortunately, or I'd jump at the chance to try a bardblade.

[Anderlith]

Two Words; Enlarge Person, best 1st level buff you can get for melee based parties

[faceroll]

Fireball's actually really efficient if melee has great cleave and you tend to fight stuff like "room full of ogres".

[Runestar]

Play a Focused Transmuter. Use up your transmutation slots with Haste, Slow, Enlarge Person, and the occasional Keen Edge spell. Use your other slots for crowd control spells and a rare damaging spell like Fireball just in case.

This. Other possible spells include snake's swiftness (SpC, though it is less efficient when cast by a wizard).

Be sure to pick up sculpt spell as well. The way a sculpted glitterdust destroys encounters is just too good to pass up. :smallbiggrin:

[Ethdred]

Fireball's actually really efficient if melee has great cleave and you tend to fight stuff like "room full of ogres".

Or if you absolutely, positively gotta kill every motherlover in the room. Accept no substitutes

[Geigan]

Aside from your battlefield control you can drop buffs once you feel you've effectively CCed your enemies down. Haste, mass snake's swiftness, any other party wide buff that increases overall durability/damaging capabilities will make enemies drop a lot faster with less chance of your party getting hurt.

[BenInHB]

With a melee heavy group i would make sure i had lots of out of combat spells prepared. Let them shine in battle and you can take care of all the other problems. Knock, Charm Person, Invisibility, Alter Self, Comprehend Languages, Sleep, Disguise Self, Silent Image, Dark Vision, Levitate, Rope Trick, Hold Person, Suggestion, Tongues, Invisibility Sphere, Fly, Gaseous Form, Water Breathing. Those are just a few 3rd level and under.

[docnessuno]

The problem with most of those spells it that they are single-targeted low duration spells. This makes buffing the party a long and tedious process (unless you are a war weaver, the BEST existing PrC for buffing)

I'd look into mass spells

Resist energy, mass
Enlarge person, mass
fire shield, mass (amazing spell)
invisibility, mass
fly, mass
Snake's swiftness, mass (another amazing spell)

Or in long duration spell that you can extend (feat or very cheap metamagic rod) for 18-24 hours durations.

If your caster level is good enough, also greater magic weapon/vestment are great long-duration party buffers.

Plus a plethora of other spell that are multi-targeting baseline.

Another route is chainging most of your buffing spells to ray in some ways, then using chain spell to allow them to affect multiple targets.

[Coidzor]

The problem with most of those spells it that they are single-targeted low duration spells. This makes buffing the party a long and tedious process (unless you are a war weaver, the BEST existing PrC for buffing)

I'd look into mass spells

Resist energy, mass
Enlarge person, mass
fire shield, mass (amazing spell)
invisibility, mass
fly, mass
Snake's swiftness, mass (another amazing spell)

Or in long duration spell that you can extend (feat or very cheap metamagic rod) for 18-24 hours durations.

If your caster level is good enough, also greater magic weapon/vestment are great long-duration party buffers.

Plus a plethora of other spell that are multi-targeting baseline.

Another route is chainging most of your buffing spells to ray in some ways, then using chain spell to allow them to affect multiple targets.

tempted, actually couldn't find many good long duration buffs that weren't me only within 1-3.