Nature Oriented Wizard

[Leafcharm]

I am about to step into a campaign with a few friends where everyone is playing a Wizard, under the condition that we each play a Wizard with a quirk, and no one can be built or themed the same way.

I was hoping to play a sort of Druidic Wizard (I know, sounds awfully ridiculous). The idea behind it is that is quite similar to Radagast (The movie was quite awesome by the way).

I've already chosen the Animal Domain as my Domain Granted Power to give me Speak with Animals and the Animal Devotion feat. But other than that, what else can I do? Do you guys have any advice for this build?

[TuggyNE]

Well, there's always the UA variant Animal Companion instead of Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#sorcererWizard).

[Seer_of_Heart]

2 suggestions

Why don't you use a druid?
And, see if your dm will let you burn a feat to grab an animal companion, similar to the idea of using a feat to get a familiar

[Gildedragon]

If flaws are allowed: Love of nature may be a great one for ya. If your DM allows the domain wizard variant, ask if you can take the cleric's nature or animal domain instead of the present ones.
Wilderness companion instead of a familiar
The Magic of the Land feat may be a good (or cute) boost for transmutation spells (noticed it didn't boost CL)
Edit: Swordsaged on the familiar-animal companion switcheroo

[Leafcharm]

2 suggestions

Why don't you use a druid?
And, see if your dm will let you burn a feat to grab an animal companion, similar to the idea of using a feat to get a familiar


I would gladly use a Druid. But the DM has already given us our sheets, and it said Wizard 5. We're allowed to branch out from there, but we are Wizards at our core. (I think our DM has been playing too much Magicka)

[Leafcharm]

Well, there's always the UA variant Animal Companion instead of Familiar (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#sorcererWizard).

If only it wasn't at half-class level...

Fortunately, my DM is letting use a modified Obtain Familiar feat that gives me an Animal Companion instead.

[Leafcharm]

If flaws are allowed: Love of nature may be a great one for ya. If your DM allows the domain wizard variant, ask if you can take the cleric's nature or animal domain instead of the present ones.
Wilderness companion instead of a familiar
The Magic of the Land feat may be a good (or cute) boost for transmutation spells (noticed it didn't boost CL)
Edit: Swordsaged on the familiar-animal companion switcheroo

Magic of the Land seems very flavorful... As for the Domain Wizard variant, I'll see if my DM will consider it. Thanks.

Edit: Question, does a Domain Wizard lose out on the bonus wizard feats as well as the scribe scroll bonus feat?

[Gildedragon]

Nope. They just can't be specialists. You get the domain spell in addition to your 2 on level up, and you cast them at +1CL
So you still keep Scribe Scroll.
With Domain Granted Power you lose a bonus feat, typically Scribe Scroll doesn't count

[Feralventas]

Elemental Savant Prestige Class. Pick a particular element as your core spell-set and theme, and go as a Holistic caster; instead of specializing in a school of magic, specialize by picking spells that fit your given theme. If you mean to go after Animals, pick up spells having to do with animal transformations and speaking/dealing with animals, aim for something to the effect of Radgast if you're familiar with Tolkein's stuff.

You can also do this with other aspects of nature; fire's a popular one, though Air through flying and storm/lightning spells also works. Earth can also do well with animals and trees and the environmental effecting spells.

Water is viable, but harder to do without a fair number of extra supplements. I'd suggest Wu-Jen, but as with Druid you've pointed out that it's a non-option just yet.

OR
Dip Bard, then druid, then two levels Rogue and go into Fochlycan Lyricist, a dual-progression Bardic Music/Arcane/Divine casting prestige class. Focus characteristics that work with viewing nature as harmonic, almost musical in essence.

OR
Wild Soul, (Complete Mage) gives you a mixed Nature/Fey sort of fluff, adds a number of spells and effects, as well as giving you extra allies you can call on via Summon spells. Consider the Fey Heritage feats in the same book if you like this one.

OR
Dip Warlock next, go for Eldritch Theurge (Also CM) and focus on picking up Invocations that associate you with nature.
-Swiming in the Styx for water/aquatic.
-Earthen Grasp
-Spider Climb

OR
Dip Lion Totem Barbarian, then go into Eldritch Knight, give yourself a very feline motif. Charge/Pounce/Rake with Wraithstrike to make sure you hit even with poor BAB at the start.

OR
....that should do for a start along with the other suggestions. I can clarify more if needs be.

[Tokuhara]

If you are allowed Dragon Magazine, in 334 there's a variant called the anagakok. It is a "specialty school" based on plants and animals.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

See if you can adapt the Savage Bard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#bardVariantSavageBard) changes to the Wizard class.

Alignment
A savage bard must be chaotic in alignment. A savage bard who becomes nonchaotic cannot progress in levels as a bard, though he retains all his bard abilities.

I'd keep this the same for a Savage Wizard.

Base Save Bonuses
A savage bard has good Fortitude and Will saves, but has poor Reflex saves.

Bards normally get two good saves, whereas Wizards only get one good save. Maybe switch your good save to Fort instead of Will to represent that he's more resistant to physical ailments but slightly unhinged, otherwise just don't change the base saves at all.

Class Skills
A savage bard loses Decipher Script and Speak Language as class skills. He adds Survival to his list of class skills.

Wizards don't get Speak Language as a class skill, but they typically start with a high Int score and thus extra bonus languages. I'd give him Survival in exchange for Decipher Script and make him start with two fewer languages known, to show his limited contact with diverse cultures.

Class Features
The savage bard has all the standard bard class features, except as noted below.

Illiteracy
A savage bard is illiterate, just as a barbarian is. An illiterate savage bard cannot use or scribe scrolls.

You automatically have to spend two skill points to be literate, it just shows it took extra effort for you to learn how to read due to the culture the character is from.

Spellcasting
Remove the following spells from the savage bard's class spell list: calm emotions, comprehend languages, detect secret doors, erase, prestidigitation, read magic, sepia snake sigil, summon monster (I through VI).

Add the following spells to the savage bard's class spell list: 1st—calm animals, detect snares and pits, endure elements, summon nature's ally I; 2nd—bull's strength, pass without trace, summon nature's ally II; 3rd—snare, summon nature's ally III; 4th—insect plague, summon nature's ally IV; 5th—commune with nature, summon nature's ally V; 6th—creeping doom, reincarnate, summon nature's ally VI.

Wizards don't normally get Calm Emotions, but there are quite a few spells on the list of what's added that Wizards do normally get, so I guess it evens out. Exchanging Summon Monster for Summon Nature's Ally would be all spell levels from 1st-9th, rather than to 6th since that's as high as Bard spells go.


From there I'd specialize in Conjuration and get Enhanced Summoning, Rapid Summoning, and Spontaneous Summoning (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/specialistWizardVariants.htm#conjurerVariants) (applied to Summon Nature's Ally instead of Summon Monster). You wouldn't be able to use the CC ACF to get the Animal domain, but be a Gnome and you can still use Speak with Animals 1/day (burrowing mammals only, but that includes rabbits). Get the feat Ashbound (ECS) so your Summon Nature's Ally spells last twice as long and your summoned creatures get a +3 Luck bonus on attack rolls, but it requires you to be able to spontaneously cast Summon Nature's Ally, so you'll need that Spontaneous Summoning ACF above or the feat Spontaneous Summoner (requires Wis) or possibly get Uncanny Forethought from Exemplars of Evil to cheese it. You can also get Greenbound Summoning from Lost Empires of Faerun, but that will get Dire Rats which can use Wall of Thorns 1/day, which completely screws anything it's cast on top of so it's extremely overpowered. Get a Ring of the Beast (CC) and the Summon Elemental reserve feat (CM).

[Gildedragon]

Magic items: the sets of Rainment of the Storm Walker or the Rainment of the Four are thematic.
If your DM allows you to ignore the barkskin requirement you ought to get Treebrother from WoL

[Wyntonian]

If you can convince him to work in some Pathfinder stuff, there's the Wood Domain wizard. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/arcane-schools/paizo---arcane-schools/elemental-arcane-schools/wood). Kinda a big leap, but it would be pretty neat.

[Leafcharm]

Elemental Savant Prestige Class. Pick a particular element as your core spell-set and theme, and go as a Holistic caster; instead of specializing in a school of magic, specialize by picking spells that fit your given theme. If you mean to go after Animals, pick up spells having to do with animal transformations and speaking/dealing with animals, aim for something to the effect of Radgast if you're familiar with Tolkein's stuff.

You can also do this with other aspects of nature; fire's a popular one, though Air through flying and storm/lightning spells also works. Earth can also do well with animals and trees and the environmental effecting spells.

Water is viable, but harder to do without a fair number of extra supplements. I'd suggest Wu-Jen, but as with Druid you've pointed out that it's a non-option just yet.

OR
Dip Bard, then druid, then two levels Rogue and go into Fochlycan Lyricist, a dual-progression Bardic Music/Arcane/Divine casting prestige class. Focus characteristics that work with viewing nature as harmonic, almost musical in essence.

OR
Wild Soul, (Complete Mage) gives you a mixed Nature/Fey sort of fluff, adds a number of spells and effects, as well as giving you extra allies you can call on via Summon spells. Consider the Fey Heritage feats in the same book if you like this one.

OR
Dip Warlock next, go for Eldritch Theurge (Also CM) and focus on picking up Invocations that associate you with nature.
-Swiming in the Styx for water/aquatic.
-Earthen Grasp
-Spider Climb

OR
Dip Lion Totem Barbarian, then go into Eldritch Knight, give yourself a very feline motif. Charge/Pounce/Rake with Wraithstrike to make sure you hit even with poor BAB at the start.

OR
....that should do for a start along with the other suggestions. I can clarify more if needs be.

Wow, that Wild Soul prc sounds awesome! Thanks everyone for all the help, I think I know what I'll building my Wizard up with. :smallbiggrin:

[Leafcharm]

Magic items: the sets of Rainment of the Storm Walker or the Rainment of the Four are thematic.
If your DM allows you to ignore the barkskin requirement you ought to get Treebrother from WoL

Hmm... where can I finds these Raiments?

[Gildedragon]

They're in the MIC in the magic item sets

[Randomguy]

If you take the Natural Bond feat you add 4 to your effective druid level. That means your companion will, for now, be as strong as a druid's companion. It'll fall behind eventually though.

[Slipperychicken]

Eidetic Spellcaster variant from Dragon Magazine lets you dump the spellbook, and you instead learn spells by smoking special weed incenses.

[DMVerdandi]

You could play a Wu-jen.
You said they all had special quirks?
Wu-jen are required to have certain taboos that they cannot do or they will lose their powers. Not eating meat, or wearing a color on a certain day.

It isn't as supported as a regular wizard, but is still a full spellcaster in its own right.

[ranagrande]

You should check out the Sentinel of Bharrai prestige class from the Book of Exalted Deeds. I would say it's about the best you could possibly get for a nature-oriented wizard.

[Ravens_cry]

Looks like there is a lot of options but if you want to make it personal, you could research spells from the druid spell list that are particularly nature themed and maybe even make up new ones. That, personally, would be how I would do it, as I see Wizards been very researching kind of people. Think Aihal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aihal) from the Earthsea stories.

[genericwit]

Depending on how you feel about bears, Sentinel of Bharrai is awesome.

[Chilingsworth]

You should check out the Sentinel of Bharrai prestige class from the Book of Exalted Deeds. I would say it's about the best you could possibly get for a nature-oriented wizard.

I have to second third this. It's what I thought of when I read your thread title.

[Tokuhara]

What about a combination?

Anagakok/Sentinel/Wild Soul?

[ericgrau]

Sleet storm is one of the best core 3rd level spells, perhaps the #1 best, and it's on both the wizard and druid lists. It's like solid fog & grease had a baby with giantism. Then it adds the ability to force concentration checks on casters (weather effect) and even put fires out. There are few problems that cannot be solved with liberal application of sleet storm.

all levels: summon monster X
1: obscuring mist, mount, jump
2: fog cloud, web, summon swarm, flaming sphere, magic mouth on animals/rocks/trees, alter self, spider climb
3: dispel magic, protection from energy, phantom steed, sleet storm, stinking cloud, ~fly, ~gaseous form, water breathing
4: stoneskin, black tentacles, solid fog, wall of ice, hallucinatory terrain, polymorph, stone shape

Spiders gain protection only from their own web, but having web throwing spiders off to the side of your web would both be thematic and combine well with your web. Flaming sphere is also on the druid list, it's an ok backup until level 7, and it combines well with web.

Some of these are better on scrolls or wands or to cast in between adventuring days. Make sure your normal list, or at least the higher level spells, is full of combat spells while the others are stored in other ways. The above are the ones from the SRD. I bet spell compendium has a lot more thematic spells. It shouldn't be hard to get a full list of strong nature themed spells.