Looking for build help. 3.5 DND

[Shadwen]

Hi. I recently joined a campaign where I am the only caster available. I am a drow LA+1 modified Wizard. I plan on going into Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil. I was wondering th ebest way to do that. I have 6 levels so far..-1 for the LA.

Stats are

STR 13
DEX 17
CON 15
INT 19
WIS 13
CHA 15

Please lemme know where I should specialize and any tips/tricks you might have.

Faerun based game. Eberron is banned. Every other book is legal.

[Eldariel]

Hi. I recently joined a campaign where I am the only caster available. I am a drow LA+1 modified Wizard. I plan on going into Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil. I was wondering th ebest way to do that. I have 6 levels so far..-1 for the LA.

Stats are

STR 13
DEX 17
CON 15
INT 19
WIS 13
CHA 15

Please lemme know where I should specialize and any tips/tricks you might have.

Faerun based game. Eberron is banned. Every other book is legal.

Generally, Initiate wants:
Wizard 3/Master Specialist 6/Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil 7/Master Specialist +4. This is 20 levels that maxes out Initiate and Master Specialist (Abjurer gets some nice traits). You could further optimize some aspects (you could use Precocious Apprentice to qualify for Master Specialist level 2 and free up the first/second level for e.g. Cloistered Cleric) if you want to optimize dispelling or countermagic for instance but for a straight Wizard, the above is nice. Wizard 2/Master Specialist 7/Initiate 7/Master Specialist +3/Archmage 1 is also viable.

[Shadwen]

where can master specialist be found?

[Eldariel]

where can master specialist be found?

Complete Mage.

[Shadwen]

Is there a better build idea? Something alot more utility based? Im the only utility character in the campaign. But must remain wizard.

[Eldariel]

Is there a better build idea? Something alot more utility based? Im the only utility character in the campaign. But must remain wizard.

Ban Evocation and Enchantment/Necromancy, you don't give up much; that is to say, you can still fulfill the utility function of a Wizard effortlessly since you still have Divination, Conjuration, Transmutation, Abjuration & Illusion. It's really expensive to go into Initiate without Master Specialist (costs you two additional feats) so it's not preferred; though certainly, Wizard 5/Mindbender 1/X 3/Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil 7/X +3 is good; X is any full casting progression class that gives you something cool (Divine Oracle, Halruaan Elder, Hathran, Fatespinner, Archmage, Mage of the Arcane Order, Sacred Exorcist, Loremaster, etc.). Tailor to taste.

[Shadwen]

I mean if i were to drop the initiate idea. or is that the best path for utility for a wizard?

[Eldariel]

I mean if i were to drop the initiate idea. or is that the best path for utility for a wizard?

Every Wizard that's banning a maximum of 2 schools is a Wizard capable of handling pretty much all the utility you might ever need in the game. The prestige classes and such are just a matter of specializing; by default Wizards don't really do damage so that's one thing people commonly focus on. For utility, you don't necessarily need a PRC, though you could of course take some of the following:
- Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil: Incomparable defensive effects in the immediate action Veils that can protect the whole party.
- Mage of the Arcane Order: Access to basically any spell with an extra full-round action.
- Incantatrix [Player's Guide to Faerun]: Allows you to use Persistent Spell metamagic feat without spell slot adjustment with a Spellcraft check allowing you to persist a massive number of normally-short-duration buffs every day. Optionally, Spellguard of Silverymoon [PGtF] could be combined to cast some Personal spells on other people (Master Specialist: Abjurer gets such an ability also, although only for other people).
- War Weaver [Heroes of Battle]: Allows buffing the whole party up with Move Actions through Eldritch Tapestry (and casting spells on the whole party easily in general).
- Fatespinner & Mindbender: 4 levels of Fatespinner gives you stuff like rerolling dice, adding numeric bonuses or penalties on almost any roll and such. 1st level of Mindbender gives Telepathy. Neither is worth taking any further as you'd lose spellcasting levels which are irreplaceable.
- Malconvoker [Complete Scoundrel]: Enhances your summons and Planar Bindings greatly allowing summoning more and binding tougher creatures; mostly combat capabilities but Summons also serve a variety of utility uses if you use them well. And Planar Bindings can do anything.
- Loremaster: Well, you get a bunch of Knowledge bonuses and small utility. If you need to be rolling Bardic Knowledge, can be useful.


Just a few solid options off the top of my head. What you wanna focus is really up to you; you'll have utility as long as you're a Wizard with most schools that's not losing caster levels. Oh, take Uncanny Forethought [Exemplars of Evil]; Full-Round Action to cast any spell you know Int times per day. Basically allows you to be always be prepared for anything.

[Waker]

Most PrCs for wizard are generally equal in terms of utility, unless they require you to give something up. The few classes that expand on your abilities might be Mage of the Arcane Order (CArc) because you can always have the right spell on hand or War Weaver (Heroes of Battle) as that frees up slots by giving more mileage to low level spells.
MotAO can be somewhat replaced by taking Uncanny Forethought (Exemplars of Evil) which once again lets you always have the right spell on hand. War Weaver is fun, though the caster level loss will hurt when paired with the LA. By the by, is your DM allowing LA buyoff?

[Shadwen]

Ill definately take that. We are in faerun. Doing dungeons/caverns/ruins to get money right now. But I really wanna be field control/utility. Im rolling with 5 other dmg dealers right now. I dont really need the damage. I need to control the field so we can fight easier while having things to get us through those easier. As they have no magic. I know im being difficult. Im not trying to be. IM just not sure what to do tbh. So much is missing from the party, and no one wants to reroll. So im trying to cover alot of roles easily. Prc was mainly to help me boost early.

[Waker]

What exactly is the rest of the party playing as? And have you rolled up and played as your character yet?
As Eldariel has pointed out, Conjuration will cover pretty much every aspect of battlefield control that you would want. Between greasing the floor, calling up walls of stone or tangling the enemy in writhing tentacles, Conjuration will annoy all enemies.
Utility type spells can be covered with Transmutation, Divination and Abjuration. Certain spells will be less useful depending on party makeup, for instance Knock loses some of it's luster if the party does have a Rogue.
The less versatile schools are Necromancy, which is about debuffing and dealing with the undead; Evocation will is almost entirely about blasting; and Enchantment which is almost entirely about tweaking the enemies minds (assuming they have one.)

[Eldariel]

Ill definately take that. We are in faerun. Doing dungeons/caverns/ruins to get money right now. But I really wanna be field control/utility. Im rolling with 5 other dmg dealers right now. I dont really need the damage. I need to control the field so we can fight easier while having things to get us through those easier. As they have no magic. I know im being difficult. Im not trying to be. IM just not sure what to do tbh. So much is missing from the party, and no one wants to reroll. So im trying to cover alot of roles easily. Prc was mainly to help me boost early.

Well, this seems like the default case to be a Batman Wizard in. The oldie-but-goodie guide is still here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104002) and of course, some further expansion on the arsenal can be found in Playing a God (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=1570). Basically, the biggest thing here is learning your spell pool and making the most out of it; once you have that under control, you could be a straight Wizard and be just fine (Uncanny Forethought makes everything illegally easy).

Use the PRC(s) for picking up something you want. If I were to be a utility Wizard and I wanted to maximize utility, I'd probably take Mindbender for Telepathy that enables picking Mindsight [Lords of Madness] to basically gain an almost-undefeatable detection ability.

Then I'd dip into Fatespinner and something else and go from there; of course, e.g. Incantatrix or Halruaan Elder or Hathran or Spelldancer or Red Wizard of Thay (they're all spread across the various Faerun books; I can get you specifics if you desire them) to get much stronger spells with cheap metamagic can multiply the party's power if desired.

Could take one level in Loremaster (with enough Intelligence to pick up the "extra feat"-Secret to make up for the entrance feat cost) to pick up Use Magic Device (if you need someone to use Wands of Lesser Vigor, Lesser Restoration and all that). Divine Oracle is also some fine utility, though by the time it fully goes online Wizard spells kinda cover all that anyways.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and be Middle-Aged. +1 all mentals, -1 all physicals. Major advantage with stats like that.

[Shadwen]

What exactly is the rest of the party playing as? And have you rolled up and played as your character yet?
As Eldariel has pointed out, Conjuration will cover pretty much every aspect of battlefield control that you would want. Between greasing the floor, calling up walls of stone or tangling the enemy in writhing tentacles, Conjuration will annoy all enemies.
Utility type spells can be covered with Transmutation, Divination and Abjuration. Certain spells will be less useful depending on party makeup, for instance Knock loses some of it's luster if the party does have a Rogue.
The less versatile schools are Necromancy, which is about debuffing and dealing with the undead; Evocation will is almost entirely about blasting; and Enchantment which is almost entirely about tweaking the enemies minds (assuming they have one.)


Dont quote me on this. But I believe the party is:

1 assassin custom (instant kill char..all he does is death attack people)
1 Ranger (archer)
1 Swashbuckler (Pirate)
1 Spellthief (with some pyro gifts)
1 Barbarian

[Waker]

With that party much of the skill-monkeying can be covered by the Ranger and Rogue, possibly the Swashbuckler. Since only one of them will have a decent Will sv, you'll probably want to keep a handful of Abjuration spells like Dispel Magic and Break Enchantment available. Eldariel earlier suggestion is quite good for that.
Wizard 3/Master Specialist 6/Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil 7/Master Specialist +4
You'll want to focus on Abjuration with the specialization (or even focused specialist) and then keep a few slots open for Conjuration, Divination and Transmutation spells. Uncanny Forethought will help you with those unexpected situations that may arise.