Melee Wiz(ard)

[Enterti]

Within my group I have become infamous for going overboard as various caster classes, to the point where several tables have banned me from playing them. One of those tables is giving me a second chance so long as I don't play god again, so instead I would like to optimize my character for melee using the wizard base class. I'd like some recommendations on feats spells and prcs to use.

I'd like to remain a wizard regardless of how much better another class would do, so please no gish/cleric/druid/ect suggestions

[NeoSeraphi]

Within my group I have become infamous for going overboard as various caster classes, to the point where several tables have banned me from playing them. One of those tables is giving me a second chance so long as I don't play god again, so instead I would like to optimize my character for melee using the wizard base class. I'd like some recommendations on feats spells and prcs to use.

I'd like to remain a wizard regardless of how much better another class would do, so please no gish/cleric/druid/ect suggestions

These two statements conflict. Please clarify on what your exact parameters are for a build before we suggest something. Also, please tell us your accepted sourcebooks and starting level, so we can better help you. If you've already decided on your race for roleplaying/other reasons, please tell us that as well.

[Darth_Versity]

Well you want a melee wizard but dont want a gish build. As far as i know a melee wizard IS a gish. I know you could just go with polymorph/shapechange, but any wizard can do that so at the end of the day you'll just fall into the same old routine of playing god.

[dextercorvia]

Within my group I have become infamous for going overboard as various caster classes, to the point where several tables have banned me from playing them. One of those tables is giving me a second chance so long as I don't play god again, so instead I would like to optimize my character for melee using the wizard base class. I'd like some recommendations on feats spells and prcs to use.

I'd like to remain a wizard regardless of how much better another class would do, so please no gish/cleric/druid/ect suggestions

Buff and fight with weapons, or are touch spells alright?

Play as an Aeshkrau Illumain and get Str to bonus spells. Since you don't care about saving throws, you can neglect Int a bit.

Alter Self at low levels, and Polymorph later on. I would go with a reach weapon. UA Wizard variant trades wizard bonus feats (including Scribe Scroll) for fighter bonus feats.

Minor Shapechange gets you a renewable pool of Temp HP.

Specialize: Abrupt Jaunt would really help, but most of your spells will be Transmutations. Its a tough call.

[Hirax]

What level are you starting at? If you're starting at level 8, 3 levels of incantatrix means you could persist buffs to make yourself a better fighter than actual fighters. Take arcane disciple (war) and persist divine power, then use heroics (Spell Compendium) to grant yourself fighter bonus feats as needed.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Contingent Displacement. Alter Self, Polymorph, Shapechange.

Just as a note, this is likely to get your character banned more quickly than laying down a bunch of buffs, debuffs, and BFC.

[Enterti]

These two statements conflict. Please clarify on what your exact parameters are for a build before we suggest something. Also, please tell us your accepted sourcebooks and starting level, so we can better help you. If you've already decided on your race for roleplaying/other reasons, please tell us that as well.

My apologies I meant I'd like to use wizard as the base class and then prestige out, although if possible I'd like to keep full casting.

We will be starting at level 6 with full wbl, the DM I'm playing under is a fan of rapidly leveling, so I'd expect us to reach level 17 at least.

I have access to all of 3.x barring savage species, exemplars of evil, and dragon materials.

I have no particular race in mind, I was likely going to run a gnome variant or human although alternate suggestions would be ok

[NeoSeraphi]

I would strongly suggest you take a level of fighter so that you can qualify for the Spellblade (Complete Warrior) prestige class. You only dip one level into it, and then head right into Abjurant Champion for 6th-10th. Then I suppose you'd go Eldritch Knight (SRD/DMG) for 10 levels. That would end with you having +18 BAB and 18th level wizard casting, along with some nice boosts from Abjurant Champion and -10% ASF from spellblade.

[Darth_Versity]

How about a swifttblade? It may lose casting but by lvl 15 you have 2 standard actions a round and is a very melee centric class.

[Enterti]

Contingent Displacement. Alter Self, Polymorph, Shapechange.

Just as a note, this is likely to get your character banned more quickly than laying down a bunch of buffs, debuffs, and BFC.
I fully agree with that, though I'd probably still take them just in case. The main reason it got banned was me being rather liberal on color sprays 1 shotting bosses at low levels, I somehow managed to get a dc 17 at level 4

[Enterti]

How about a swifttblade? It may lose casting but by lvl 15 you have 2 standard actions a round and is a very melee centric class.

Perhaps, I do love breaking me an action economy which book is this from?


I would strongly suggest you take a level of fighter so that you can qualify for the Spellblade (Complete Warrior) prestige class. You only dip one level into it, and then head right into Abjurant Champion for 6th-10th. Then I suppose you'd go Eldritch Knight (SRD/DMG) for 10 levels. That would end with you having +18 BAB and 18th level wizard casting, along with some nice boosts from Abjurant Champion and -10% ASF from spellblade.

Hrm 18 bab+18th casting does sound awesome, what feats and spells would you suggest?

[Hirax]

Swiftblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327) is online only, though it's still Wizards material. One of the classic swiftblade builds is simply wizard6/swiftblade9/abjurant champ 5. If you can get fractional BAB stacking rules, wizard5/mindbender1/swiftblade9/abjurant champ 5 is a variant.

[NeoSeraphi]

Hrm 18 bab+18th casting does sound awesome, what feats and spells would you suggest?

Combat Casting is necessary to get into Abjurant Champion. Extend Spell is also pretty nice to apply to some of your buffs. Arcane Strike (from Complete Arcane or Complete Warrior can't remember) is also good for this.

[Denkal]

Runesmith from Races of Stone has always seemed interesting. It's more-or-less a Dwarven Wizard casting out of full plate. Instead of preparing spells in your head, you prepare them as runes on stone or metal, adding the rune itself as a material component, replacing any somatic components, allowing you to cast without arcane spell failure chance.
Not to mention, at 5th level Runesmith, you replace one of your arcane spell slots to get one spell of a level lower than the slot as a 2/day SLA.

[Enterti]

Runesmith from Races of Stone has always seemed interesting. It's more-or-less a Dwarven Wizard casting out of full plate. Instead of preparing spells in your head, you prepare them as runes on stone or metal, adding the rune itself as a material component, replacing any somatic components, allowing you to cast without arcane spell failure chance.
Not to mention, at 5th level Runesmith, you replace one of your arcane spell slots to get one spell of a level lower than the slot as a 2/day SLA.
Hrm sounds decent, I'll have to look at it once I get home.

Swiftblade (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070327) is online only, though it's still Wizards material. One of the classic swiftblade builds is simply wizard6/swiftblade9/abjurant champ 5. If you can get fractional BAB stacking rules, wizard5/mindbender1/swiftblade9/abjurant champ 5 is a variant.
That capstone would probably get very very abused, I will have to see if he will allow materials from the net though. My only real problem with that class is the feat tax and special requirement. Any way to be able to cast an infinite amount of hastes?

Combat Casting is necessary to get into Abjurant Champion. Extend Spell is also pretty nice to apply to some of your buffs. Arcane Strike (from Complete Arcane or Complete Warrior can't remember) is also good for this.
Ok thanks, this is most likely the way I will go unless swiftblade gets approved

[ericgrau]

Craft your own gear, cast buffs in the morning before you put armor on. Maybe get still spell if you want to cast in combat sometimes too. The gear crafting is the main thing as it will help you mostly keep up with regular BAB in spite of poor BAB. And as a bonus you can craft for your fellow party members. Overall you'll be slightly weaker than other melee while boosting the party a great deal. Add on still spell casting and you're effectively a gish. Drawback: requires huge amounts of crafting down time.

Core spells without somatic components (castable in armor without still spell):
Level 0: Flare, Light
Level 1: Feather Fall, Hold Portal, True Strike, Ventriloquism
Level 2: Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Knock
Level 3: Displacement, Tongues, Suggestion
Level 4: Dimension Door, Lesser Geas, Shout
Level 5: Contact Other Plane, Teleport
Level 6: Geas, Mass Suggestion
Level 7: Phase Door, Power Word Blind, Teleport Object, Greater Teleport
Level 8: Mass Charm Monster, Irresistible Dance, Power Word Stun
Level 9: Mage's Disjunction, Power Word Kill, Prismatic Sphere, Teleportation Circle, Time Stop, Wail of the Banshee, Wish


Or combine this with any of the above and maybe you won't need to worry about somatic components.

[Enterti]

Craft your own gear, cast buffs in the morning before you put armor on. Maybe get still spell if you want to cast in combat sometimes too. The gear crafting is the main thing as it will help you mostly keep up with regular BAB in spite of poor BAB. And as a bonus you can craft for your fellow party members. Overall you'll be slightly weaker than other melee while boosting the party a great deal. Add on still spell casting and you're effectively a gish. Drawback: requires huge amounts of crafting down time.

Core spells without somatic components (castable in armor without still spell):
Level 0: Flare, Light
Level 1: Feather Fall, Hold Portal, True Strike, Ventriloquism
Level 2: Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Knock
Level 3: Displacement, Tongues, Suggestion
Level 4: Dimension Door, Lesser Geas, Shout
Level 5: Contact Other Plane, Teleport
Level 6: Geas, Mass Suggestion
Level 7: Phase Door, Power Word Blind, Teleport Object, Greater Teleport
Level 8: Mass Charm Monster, Irresistible Dance, Power Word Stun
Level 9: Mage's Disjunction, Power Word Kill, Prismatic Sphere, Teleportation Circle, Time Stop, Wail of the Banshee, Wish


EDIT: Or combine this with any of the above and maybe you won't need to worry about somatic components.

Thanks, the list is pretty nice if I decide to wear armor. I don't think I will have any crafting downtime though.

Any way to get still spell down to 0 adjustment? I know easy metamagic can but its in dragon so no access

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I'd go with a Human, start out Human Paragon (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/racialParagonClasses.htm#humanParagon) 1/ Fighter 1/ Martial Wizard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizard) 2/ Human Paragon 2 in that order. Human Paragon and Martial Wizard are both originally from Unearthed Arcana. Specialize in Transmutation and get the PH2 ACF that replaces your Familiar, ban Evocation and Enchantment.

Future levels should be Spellsword 1 immediately, then Incantatrix (PGtF) 2 or 3, then Abjurant Champion 5. You'll lose another school when you get Incantatrix 1, pick Necromancy and don't bother learning any spells from that school before then. Take Incantatrix to its 4th level and then get Eldritch Knight until you hit 20th. If it goes past 20th level, you should max out Incantatrix and then take Epic Incantatrix.

Say you visited the Otyugh Hole detailed in Complete Scoundrel and pay 3,000 gp to get Iron Will without spending a feat on it, you'll need it to qualify for Incantatrix. Read up on that location and make sure your 'visit' is fitting with it's history and your character's background.

Feats should be Combat Casting (1), Extend Spell (H), Power Attack (F1), Practiced Spellcaster (3), Combat Reflexes (W1), Leap Attack (6), Persistent Spell (Icx1), Minor Shapeshift (9), Arcane Strike (12), Summon Elemental (15), Quicken Spell (Icx4), Improved Toughness (EK1), and whatever you want at 18. If you have a decent Wis score (i.e. 19+ after items or Owl's Wisdom) then get Arcane Disciple: Destiny, though Wis is usually a dump stat for a build like this.

Be sure you're good-aligned and do not ever compromise that during the entire game. This gives you access to Sanctified spells from the Book of Exalted Deeds, namely Luminous Armor and the Greater version, which benefit from Abjurant Champion's armor bonus. Note that you do not need to maintain an exalted status to use sanctified spells, only be good-aligned and 'utterly devote yourself to good' (sanctified magic, p83).

With the Cooperative Metamagic and Metamagic Effect abilities of Incantatrix you can add Persistent Spell to your buffs with a Spellcraft check. Note that Cooperative Metamagic can be used on your own spell as 'ally' includes yourself by default (PHB glossary) and combat rounds only exist during combat thus the action type for its activation is irrelevant if used outside of combat. Note that you can take ten on the Spellcraft checks for either of these abilities. Be sure to keep max ranks in Spellcraft, get a Masterwork Tool (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#toolMasterwork) (PHB), and if possible start with a custom magic item (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/goodsAndServices.htm#toolMasterwork) (DMG) that grants a Competence bonus to Spellcraft at a cost of (bonus squared) x100 gp, I'd make it a monocle which also serves as your masterwork tool (it helps you focus more clearly on a spell to better understand it). An item that grants a bonus to a skill can give up to +30 pre-epic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/magicItems/basics.htm) (ELH), so just get it upgraded to a higher bonus when possible rather than replacing it outright.

With 6th level WBL (13,000 gp) I'd start off with a Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend (3k), Ring of Sustenance (2.5k), +1 Glaive (2,308), a Masterwork Monocle with a magic +7 Spellcraft (4,950), leaving you 242 gp for spell component pouches (get at least three) and other mundane gear. You'll be using the Lesser Rod of Extend to cast Luminous Armor twice per day, for a 12 hour duration per casting. Save your third Extend charge for Rope Trick, which should always be prepared once every day. The rest of your spell slots can be used for buffs, such as Enlarge Person, Bull's Strength, Shield, etc. Later on you can Persist buffs like Swift Expeditious Retreat, Swift Fly, Wraithstrike, Bladeweave, Displacement, Greater Mirror Image, Draconic Polymorph, Bite of the Werecreature, and if you took Arcane Disciple, Choose Destiny.