drow wizard?

[leegi0n]

Were I to build a drow wizard(CR8), and wanted them as a means to slow down and hinder/debuff an adventuring party, what would be a good class, that would fit the chaotic drow mentality to use?

Others in their party would be 2 duskblades and 4 distance archers. Possibly a cleric. Not really looking for a blaster, more like a greasing, stone to mud, slowing, glitterdust, fatiguing kinda guy/gal.

thoughts?

[Endarire]

Wizards are known for their crowd control. Treantmonk even says so (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=394.0)!

[Telonius]

Were I to build a drow wizard(CR8), and wanted them as a means to slow down and hinder/debuff an adventuring party, what would be a good class, that would fit the chaotic drow mentality to use?


Not sure I understand the question. You say you want him to be a Wizard, but then aren't sure what class to take... do you mean Prestige Class? Wizard is already a class.

The Wizard class doesn't have any alignment restrictions. You can be a chaotic Wizard.

As for debuffing, as Endarire said, Wizards are pretty good at that. One of the really great things about Wizards in general is that you can build them to be just about any role you want. Buffing, debuffing, direct damage, save or die, crowd control, summoner, necromancer. "A wizard" can do any of that one day, then memorize other spells the next day and take a different role. As long as he has enough spells in his book, he can really be a Swiss Army Knife.

So, the key to being a good debuffer is to understand which spells you're typically going to take, and how best to help yourself succeed with those. One of the biggest challenges of being a Wizard is that there are so many options, and the skill of your opponents really have a lot to do with the tactics you try. Enervation (just a random example pulled out of the PHB) can be a great debuff spell; but if you're going up against people with Death Ward it becomes less of a great strategy. Grease is great for most land-based foes, but is useless if you're underwater or fighting something that flies. Have several different sorts of debuffs prepared, so you're not caught with a bunch of useless spells.

[leegi0n]

Not sure I understand the question. You say you want him to be a Wizard, but then aren't sure what class to take... do you mean Prestige Class? Wizard is already a class.

The Wizard class doesn't have any alignment restrictions. You can be a chaotic Wizard.

As for debuffing, as Endarire said, Wizards are pretty good at that. One of the really great things about Wizards in general is that you can build them to be just about any role you want. Buffing, debuffing, direct damage, save or die, crowd control, summoner, necromancer. "A wizard" can do any of that one day, then memorize other spells the next day and take a different role. As long as he has enough spells in his book, he can really be a Swiss Army Knife.

So, the key to being a good debuffer is to understand which spells you're typically going to take, and how best to help yourself succeed with those. One of the biggest challenges of being a Wizard is that there are so many options, and the skill of your opponents really have a lot to do with the tactics you try. Enervation (just a random example pulled out of the PHB) can be a great debuff spell; but if you're going up against people with Death Ward it becomes less of a great strategy. Grease is great for most land-based foes, but is useless if you're underwater or fighting something that flies. Have several different sorts of debuffs prepared, so you're not caught with a bunch of useless spells.



Yeah, I should have specified. By 'class' I meant PrC. Is there a PrC that would aid with this sort of crowd control setup?

[W3bDragon]

Obviously, good crowd control is going to be more about spells picked rather than prestige classes. Since its a NPC, you don't want to bother yourself with too much work. Just make him into a sorcerer, pick random battlefield control/debuff spells that you can find for most levels.

After that, you can give him the Arcane Preparation feat and take him into Mage of the Arcane Order. By 8th level, you'll be able to, with 1 round prep, cast any spell that you can think of as long as its 3rd or lower. That way, you don't have to put too much thought before hand and can wait to see how the fight unfolds, then pick the perfect spell for him to call from his spell pool.

Remember that any prepared caster you throw in there could provide the PCs with his spellbook as treasure, so be careful what spells to give a prepared caster if you don't want them in PC hands just yet.

[Runestar]

Cr8 implies drow wizard7, which also allows for focused specialist Conjurer3/master specialist4. :smallsmile:


Remember that any prepared caster you throw in there could provide the PCs with his spellbook as treasure, so be careful what spells to give a prepared caster if you don't want them in PC hands just yet.

Eidetic spellcaster (an ACF from dragon) lets a wizard function without a spellbook. :smallbiggrin:

[Weezer]

Don't miss the feat Cloudy Conjuration from Complete Mage. It gives you a square of nauseating smoke to place for one round everytime you cast a conjuration spell, very handy for anyone who casts a lot of conjuration spells.

[Provengreil]

I believe the Initiate of the Seven veils can offer some Battlefield control. It's not strictly crowd control, but conjuring dangerous magical walls as immediate actions can redirect crowds pretty effectively. However, this is a very, very, very powerful PRC to tack onto an already quite strong base class, and your group has 4 archers. I'd speak to your DM.

also, Runestar, I thought drow were LA +2, not +1.

[leegi0n]

I believe the Initiate of the Seven veils can offer some Battlefield control. It's not strictly crowd control, but conjuring dangerous magical walls as immediate actions can redirect crowds pretty effectively. However, this is a very, very, very powerful PRC to tack onto an already quite strong base class, and your group has 4 archers. I'd speak to your DM.

also, Runestar, I thought drow were LA +2, not +1.

Thankfully I'm the DM and he'll be an NPC....so, all I have to do is restrict meself. :smallwink:

But yeah, I don't want to kill them with this encounter. Just test them. :smallbiggrin:

[Runestar]

I believe the Initiate of the Seven veils can offer some Battlefield control. It's not strictly crowd control, but conjuring dangerous magical walls as immediate actions can redirect crowds pretty effectively. However, this is a very, very, very powerful PRC to tack onto an already quite strong base class, and your group has 4 archers. I'd speak to your DM.

also, Runestar, I thought drow were LA +2, not +1.

The drow will be used as an npc to be pitted against the party, so you would use its cr +1 adjustment. LA is used only when you want to play a drow as a PC. :smallsmile:

[Flickerdart]

Pick up a level of Drow paragon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm). You get a free 2 skill points, d6 HD and extra uses of your SLAs.

[Provengreil]

The drow will be used as an npc to be pitted against the party, so you would use its cr +1 adjustment. LA is used only when you want to play a drow as a PC. :smallsmile:

oops, misread that bit of the OP.

[Fax Celestis]

Don't forget the Abyssal Wizard ACF from Drow of the Underdark.