[3.5] help me build my first wizard please...

[animewatcha]

No ToB. No evil. No exalted. No incarnum ( due to DM being unfamiliar with it ). No dragon before 330. Ability scores are rolled though I know that Int is most important stat for wizard. No lesser planetouched. No LA buyoff. Flaws are a yes. Traits no.

What are good races/templates to boost Int at LA 0 since I know NOT to lose caster levels. I am not seeking item crafter because that is a can of worms I don't wanna open yet. This would be my first spellcaster period. So help is needed. So far for race I could be Fire gray elf for +4 int.

Mainly looking to be little bit of buffer, mainly crowd control, and maybe a bit of blaster ( I know not the best school, but in case other options are not working ). Other party members are rogueish in some way shape or form. Setting is Greyhawk and the current place is a town with castle Ravenloft and townsfolk are asleep due to some fog. Most of the shops were robbed of magic items and stuff so only one party member has a magic weapon that is actually identified.

So I already know identify as one of spells to get and eternal wand of identify or 2 to come into the game with.

So, good ACFs, feats, prestige classes, items? Race/template combos? First time attempting to do this and wanting a good foundation.

-edit- 9th level.

[Marnath]

No ToB. No evil. No exalted. No incarnum ( due to DM being unfamiliar with it ). No dragon before 330. Ability scores are rolled though I know that Int is most important stat for wizard. No lesser planetouched. No LA buyoff. Flaws are a yes. Traits no.

What are good races/templates to boost Int at LA 0 since I know NOT to lose caster levels. I am not seeking item crafter because that is a can of worms I don't wanna open yet. This would be my first spellcaster period. So help is needed. So far for race I could be Fire gray elf for +4 int.

Mainly looking to be little bit of buffer, mainly crowd control, and maybe a bit of blaster ( I know not the best school, but in case other options are not working ). Other party members are rogueish in some way shape or form. Setting is Greyhawk and the current place is a town with castle Ravenloft and townsfolk are asleep due to some fog. Most of the shops were robbed of magic items and stuff so only one party member has a magic weapon that is actually identified.

So I already know identify as one of spells to get and eternal wand of identify or 2 to come into the game with.

So, good ACFs, feats, prestige classes, items? Race/template combos? First time attempting to do this and wanting a good foundation.

Fire elf is not a template, it's a race. So sadly no fire gray elves. You might take a look at the Easy Bake wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=10940501&postcount=7) though. Just make sure not to reply to that thread, it's too old.

[eggynack]

Treantmonk's guide to wizards (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=394.0) is one of the best handbooks out there for wizarding of all kinds. The spell selection guidelines are particularly good, and he even manages to make an argument for evocation specialization not being the worst thing of all time. It's pretty good in general, and tends to be the source for approximately 90% of the wizard advice I give.

[Emperor Tippy]

Grey Elf and grab the feat Faerie Mysteries Initiate for Int to HP instead of Con.

What level wizard?

---
Elf Generalist racial substitution level at level 1, you can't specialize (which you shouldn't be doing anyways as a new player) and you get an extra spell slot of the highest level you can cast.

Take the Spontaneous Divination alternate class feature at level 5 in exchange for your bonus feat.

[Zombulian]

Now I'm not sure about buffing, but I'm pretty sure CC and Blasting fit into the same specialization, Conjuration. I've never actually made a Wizard meself, but I know that's generally the school you wanna jump for.

[Emperor Tippy]

Now I'm not sure about buffing, but I'm pretty sure CC and Blasting fit into the same specialization, Conjuration. I've never actually made a Wizard meself, but I know that's generally the school you wanna jump for.

Oh, the majority of your spells will probably be from one or two schools but unless you know what you are really doing you will probably end up screwing yourself by specializing when you run into problems that you don't know how to solve with what you have access to. Besides that, every school has tons of great choices and the only things specialization gives you over Elf Generalist is 8 more spell slots and +2 to the Spellcraft check to learn spells from that school.

Really generally not worth it. Especially if you can grab Domain Wizard instead.

[Hamste]

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=104002

A great guide for wizards as well

[animewatcha]

Edited to indicate 9th level.

[Zombulian]

Oh, the majority of your spells will probably be from one or two schools but unless you know what you are really doing you will probably end up screwing yourself by specializing when you run into problems that you don't know how to solve with what you have access to. Besides that, every school has tons of great choices and the only things specialization gives you over Elf Generalist is 8 more spell slots and +2 to the Spellcraft check to learn spells from that school.

Really generally not worth it. Especially if you can grab Domain Wizard instead.

Makes sense. But then you have to play an elf >.>

[graymachine]

Just off the top of my head, I would say dip a level of Mindbender for the functionally free telepathy. Might not be able to, since it has enough requirements that you have to think about it, but the first level has no drawbacks for an arcane caster, and a good version of permanent telepathy, so I always try to fit it in if I can.

[Emperor Tippy]

Makes sense. But then you have to play an elf >.>

Why wouldn't you want to play the best race in the game? ;)

[Endarire]

Snuggle up with Treantmonk (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=394.0).

[Seer_of_Heart]

Makes sense. But then you have to play an elf >.>

Have to? I'm already doing that :smalltongue:.

[Zombulian]

Have to? I'm already doing that :smalltongue:.

Oh. Oh yea. Nvm then, listen to Tippy, generalist is definitely better. I'm just not a fan of elves myself.

[Seer_of_Heart]

Oh. Oh yea. Nvm then, listen to Tippy, generalist is definitely better. I'm just not a fan of elves myself.

Why not? Elves are my favourite race. :smalleek:

[Marnath]

Why not? Elves are my favourite race. :smalleek:

People around here like to say the -2 CON penalty is the most terrible thing ever, way out of proportion to what it actually represents. Especially when the next thing they post is how a properly played wizard should never take HP damage in the first place.:smallamused:

[Zombulian]

People around here like to say the -2 CON penalty is the most terrible thing ever, way out of proportion to what it actually represents. Especially when the next thing they post is how a properly played wizard should never take HP damage in the first place.:smallamused:

Dwarf: Ain't nothin wrong with someone who can take a couple more hits. Or grow facial hair.
Gnome: Here here. And who needs to generalize when you can focus on one school while imitating them all!?

[Fouredged Sword]

Here is some more basic advice. I like to break my spells slots down into three catagories that control how I prepare spells.

First I have my daily list. This fills up half my spell slots and is prepared every day. I try to only stick things on this list I KNOW I will cast. These are bread and butter spells, and mostly battlefield control, buffs, and safety spells (rope trick, ect). I like to also ALWAYS have fire damage. Trolls are too iconic of a foe to ignore, and they are a pain without scorching ray.

Then I take most of the remaining spells and try to guess what I am going to need for the day. I like to try to pick up some fun utility I may or may not use and damage spells based on the elemental resistances I think I may see. Here is also where I stick divinations, unless I have spontaneous casting of them.

You can prep spells in 15 min. That means that you can leave a slot or two open to prep spell in later. This is for preparing spells that are situational utility. At high levels you will have more slots that you need for day to day stuff, but have tons of spells in your spellbook that you may want later. At mid to high levels I like to leave one spell slot open in all but my highest spell slots. This is really handy for when you decide that spell X could solve a problem, but need a spell and don't have time to sleep. This is stuff like "Just a moment and I'll teleport us to Riverhold, wasn't expecting to need that today" or "Hold off those elementals for a bit, I gotta prep planeshift! I wasn't expecting to need that today!" Sometimes you just need a spell, and being able to basically cast spontaneously off your whole spellbook by making the casting time 15min isn't a bad thing.