Wizard Build Help?

[ScrambledBrains]

(Note: Before anyone offers, no, I don't want Pun-Pun or anything similar to that.)

So...I need a step-by-step build for a level 20 Wizard that can handle any and all non-spellcasting opponents of the same level. Consider all books allowed, and PrCs* allowed as well. Further, any ways for him to disrupt spellcasters as well would be appreciated, but not required.

*Though, if at all possible, avoid any over-cheesy PrCs.

Thanks in advance for the help, Playground.

[Randomguy]

Your google-fu has failed (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=394) you. (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19864066/Summoning_Handbook)

If you've got a party to back you up, use buffs, debuffs and battlefield control to make them unstoppable.

If you're on your own or are more independent, you could try a summoner build to summon your minions up for you.

If you enjoy cheese and illusions, look up a Shadowcraft mage guide.

Some good PrC's: Dweomerkeeper, Incantatrix, Malconvoker (only for summoning types) and Initiate of the Sevenfold Veils.

In general, the best tricks there are:
Forcecage, for an insta win, especially when paired with dimensional anchor. Also especially when you choose to burry the cage and trap them under a mountain of earth.
Contingency, to be immortal.
Astral projection from your personal demiplane, created by Genesis, for immortality.
Mindsight, often through mindbender.
Celerity, for when you really just can't wait for the enemy to finish what they're doing to kill them.

[Harry]

Here's a little bit of craziness dreamed up by KellKheraptis and magic9mushroom

Classes:

Illusionist 3/Master Illusionist 1/Tainted Scholar 2/Incantatrix 10/Shadowcraft Mage 3/Shadow Adept 1.

1: Gnome Illusionist Racial Substitution Level
2: Illusionist
3: Illusionist
4: Master Specialist
5: Tainted Scholar
6: Tainted Scholar
7: Incantatrix
8: Shadowcraft Mage
9: Shadowcraft Mage
10: Shadowcraft Mage
11: Incantatrix
12: Incantatrix
13: Incantatrix
14: Incantatrix
15: Incantatrix
16: Incantatrix
17: Incantatrix
18: Incantatrix
19: Incantatrix
20: Shadow Adept

Feats:
1: Favored (to be Chaos Shuffled after the first level of Tainted Scholar is taken)
Flaw: Heighten Spell
Flaw: Arcane Disciple (Luck)
1 (Wizard): Scribe Scroll (can be Chaos Shuffled)
Taint: Spell Focus (Illusion)
Taint: Iron Will
Taint: Earth Sense
Taint: Primary Contact (to be Chaos Shuffled after the first level of Tainted Scholar is taken)
3: Earth Spell
4 (Master Specialist): Skill Focus (Spellcraft) (to be Chaos Shuffled)
6: Arcane Thesis (Silent Image)
7 (Incantatrix): Easy Metamagic (Heighten Spell)
9: Residual Magic
12: FREE!
13 (Incantatrix): Sanctum Spell
15: FREE!
16 (Incantatrix): Free (metamagic only)
18: Shadow Weave Magic
19 (Incantatrix): Free (metamagic only)
20 (Shadow Adept): Insidious Magic (to be Chaos Shuffled)
20 (Shadow Adept): Pernicious Magic (to be Chaos Shuffled)
20 (Shadow Adept): Tenacious Magic (to be Chaos Shuffled)

Suggested to use the free and Chaos Shufflable feats for metamagic feats.



Abilities of note:

Tainted Spellcasting: You can triple or quadruple your spell load. Also, your save DCs are near-unbeatable.

Shadow Illusion: Thanks to Earth Spell, Easy Metamagic (Heighten) and Improved Metamagic, you can mimic any 9th level or lower evocation, conjuration (creation) or conjuration (summoning) spell from a slot 2 levels lower than the spell you want to mimic (as a Heightened Silent Image). By mimicing Miracle (out of a 7th level slot) you can mimic ANY 7th level or lower spell, and any 8th level or lower cleric spell. Your caster level is boosted by (X+2) when you are mimicing an Xth level spell (Earth Spell and Arcane Thesis). By use of Sanctum Heightened Silent Images, you can create spells that are effectively 11th level, enabling you to mimic all epic evocation, conjuration (creation) and conjuration (summoning) spells with 7th level slots while you are in your sanctum.

Residual Magic: On the round after casting a Heightened Silent Image, you can apply the Heighten Spell to a normal Silent Image for free. This can be used either to mimic high level spells out of a very low-level slot, or to add metamagic to spells which otherwise would be of too high a level (all metamagic you apply is reduced in level adjustment by 2 thanks to Improved Metamagic and Arcane Thesis). An example: After using a 7th level slot to cast a Silent Image Heightened to 9th level (10th level with Earth Spell) and mimicing a 9th level spell, you may cast an Empowered (+0), Maximised (+1), Enervated (+0), Repeated (+1), Energy Admixtured (+2), Twinned (+2), Searing (+0) Silent Image that is Heightened to 9th (10th with Earth Spell) level for free, and use this to mimic an Empowered Maximised Enervated Repeated Energy Admixtured Twinned Searing Meteor Swarm - from a 6th level slot.

10th level Incantatrix abilities: You're slightly worse at these than a normal Incantatrix, because your casting stats are Con and Wis rather than Int. But they're all still there as usual.

3rd level Shadowcraft Mage abilities: You have Cloak of Shadow and Silent Illusion, both of which are quite powerful. If you take the Still Spell feat, it's free for Silent Image thanks to Arcane Thesis, thus making it more difficult to prevent you from casting.



Reasonably powerful, wouldn't you say? Miracles almost at-will, ability to mimic all spell lists, ridiculous spells per day, stupendous save DCs, ability to apply stupendous amounts of metamagic onto spells which ordinarily cannot have any, and (some) epic spells pre-epic - with no researching and (debatably) no Spellcraft check.

[Thrice Dead Cat]

Abjurer 3/Master Specialist 10/Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil 7 is pretty straightforward. Focus on counterspelling and pop up your veils whenever real danger begins.

[crazyhedgewizrd]

metamagic is your friend, throwing a twined fireball with a quickened twin fireball is always fun. Make 4 DC xx reflex saves and take 40D6 damage :smallwink:, you can do this by lvl 15.

[eggs]

Let's say Savage Tiefling 0 (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a)/Conjurer 5/Incantatrix 4/War Weaver 5/Malconvoker 6

Can you cast ahead of time? If not, use any planar travel spell that catches your fancy to buy yourself a couple hours out of reach. Rope Trick or Magnificent Mansion are as good of methods here as any.

Pick up Abrupt Jaunt and Augment summoning from ACFs.
Ban Evocation and Enchantment. Because I'm not getting creative on this.

Use the planar binding line for whatever broken Outsiders you want to fill your entourage. Since you're talking level 20 and there are 6 Malconvoker levels out there, let's just call them Balors.

Use War Weaver to work five of them into your tapestry. Weave some all-purpose buffs in like Draconic Might, Stoneskin, Greater Invisibility, Heroism and Lesser Ironguard. You'll get all those spells up onto 5 of your allies as a Move Action

Use Incantatrix to generously slather yourself with persistent spells like Shapechange, Foresight, Greater Blink, Ghostform, Veil of Undeath, or whatever else floats your boat.

Be sure Moment of Prescience and Foresight are up, and Nerveskitter is readied. You should get the jump on any opponent. Hard. And with the Tapestry, Nerveskitter should bump some of your Balor pawns into the first couple actions, as well.

While Shapechanged, you can probably end fights just by looking at things as a Beholder, and letting your Balors chop them to pieces, Abrupt Jaunting or Greater Mirror Imaging, if someone manages to target you with something.

For a last-ditch failsafe, set a Greater Shadow Evocation (Contingency) to Teleport-shunt you away to regroup when things get hairy. Or to draconic polymorph into a Pit Fiend. That's usually a safe bet.

[Vizzerdrix]

At level 20, it's rocket tag so whatever build you decide on, make sure you max initiative. Humming birds, Nerve skitter, feats and equipment. He who moves first, moves last.