Advice to noob wizard

[O.j.s]

So, I created this build for my next char and I need to solve two problems, I f someone could help, will be great.


Human *
Traits (Agressive,Absent Minded, Focused)

Conjurer 5 (Immediate Magic) / Master Specialist 10 / Archmage 3 / Paragnostic Apostle 2
Prohibited Schools: Evocation; Enchantment*

STR 8 (-1)
DEX 14+6 = 20 (+5)
CON 14+6 = 20 (+5)
INT 18+5+5+6 = 34 (+12)
WIS 10 -
CHA 10 -

AC: -1+8+4+2+5+5+5+1 = 39
HP: +42-20+100 = 122
Initiative: +5+4+2+2+2+2+5+5 *= +32

FORT: +5+5+6+1 = +17
REFL: +5+5+6+1 = +17
WILL: +17+4+6-3+1 = +25

SKills and Skill Tricks
(Swift Concentration; Collector of Stories;
Magical Appraisal) (181)

Concentration (Con) +23+5+1+5 = +34
Craft (Int)
Decipher Script (Int)
Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int)
• Arcana +23+12+1+2 = +38
• Architecture and engineering +5+12+1 = +18 *
• Dungeonering +5+12+1 = +18
• Geography*
• History*
• Nature +23+12+1 = +36
• Nobility and royalty*
• Religion*
• The planes +23+12+1 = +36
• Profession (Wis)
• Search (Int)
• Spellcraft (Int) +23+12+3+2 = +40


Feats and Flaws (Frail; Weak Will)

F. Sculpt Spell
F. Cloudy Conjuration
H. Metamagic School Focus
W. Improved Initiative
1. Collegiate Wizard
3. Spell Focus (Conjuration)
6. Skill Focus (Spellcraft); Ocular Spell
9. Spell Mastery; Greater Spell Focus (Conjuration)
12. Uncanny Forethought *
15. Spell Focus (Illusion)
18. Craft Contingent Spell

Class Features

Abrupt Jaunt (12x)
Domain Gained Power (Fate): Uncanny Dodge *
Minor School Esoterica
Moderate School Esoterica
Caster Level Increase (2)
Expanded Spell Book*
Major School Esoterica
Lore
Mortal Coil
Mind over Matter
Spell Like Ability (Time Stop)
Mastery of Shaping
Arcane Reach

Magic Items


Arms: Armband of Elusive Action (0.8k)
Hands: Arcanist's Gloves of Dexterity +6 [36.5k]*
Face: Third Eye of Mind Armor and Clarity [13k]*
Head: Circlet of Mages of Intellect, Conscious Effort and Rapid Casting [58k]*
Waist: Healing Belt of Battle and Ultimate Athleticism [16,35k]
Feet: Sandals of Vagabond [4k]*
Throat: Amulet of Uncaring Archmage, Health and Tears +6 [38.8k]
Torso: Robe of the Vagabond,Dispelling and Steady Spellcasting [9,5k]
Blessed Book [12.5k]
Tome of Clear Thought +5 [137.5k]
Ion Stone Orange +1 CL [30k]*
Ring of Arcane Might, Silent Spells and Enduring Arcana [28k]
Ring of Freedom of Movement and Feather Falling [42.2k]
Handy Haversack [2k]
Infinite Scrollcase [2.8k]
Fortifying Bedroll [3k]
Glyph Seal Lesser [1k]
Glyph Seal Greater [4k]
Artificer's Monocle [1,5k]
Rod of extend lesser [3k]
Rod of extend Greater [24.5k]
Rod of Chaining, lesser [27,2k]
Quarterstaff +1 Defending Spellblade / +1 Eager, Warning [32,6k]

I have two questions as I said above.

First: How to improve the resistances? I`ve worked up a Item of "Conviction" continuous but it`s its quite expensive and I tried use Resilient and Empyreal armor special abilities but I couldn`t find a way to cast Magic Vestment as Wizard.

Second Which is the best way to replace " Wind Wall" to protect me against archers?

[Darth Stabber]

First: How to improve the resistances? I`ve worked up a Item of "Conviction" continuous but it`s its quite expensive and I tried use Resilient and Empyreal armor special abilities but I couldn`t find a way to cast Magic Vestment as Wizard.

Not as important as it may seem, action economy fu can render defenses significantly less important as it might seem. May I reccomend Keen intellect (int to will saves), changing your flaw (maybe non-combatant), and picking up quick recovery (will save against any dazing you may have at the beginning of your turn). This will allow you to abuse the crap out of the celerity spells, allowing you to act out of turn whenever you want.


Second Which is the best way to replace " Wind Wall" to protect me against archers?
Either protection from arrows, black tentacles, wall spells, mirror image, or just kill them quick.

[eggynack]

It looks like you're missing a bonus feat. Granted, it'd probably have to be a fighter bonus feat, because it looks like you're using that ACF, but it's a thing that's nice to have on occasion.

[Darth Stabber]

It looks like you're missing a bonus feat. Granted, it'd probably have to be a fighter bonus feat, because it looks like you're using that ACF, but it's a thing that's nice to have on occasion.

Or trade it for spontaneous divination, because that is absurdly powerful. Or get scribe scroll back and grab one of your spell foci with wizard bonus 5, freeing up a feat to regrab improved init.

[eggynack]

Or trade it for spontaneous divination, because that is absurdly powerful. Or get scribe scroll back and grab one of your spell foci with wizard bonus 5, freeing up a feat to regrab improved init.
Huh. It looks like the spontaneous divination trade is one that can actually be made. That's a pretty odd thing. Either way, there's definitely a way to make the build at least marginally better through the use of that feat. At the very least, the build would have scribe scroll in addition to everything else, and I don't know what hangs out in the at most category, because I'm in no mood to figure out the best available thing that hasn't already been put on the build. Spontaneous divination is pretty sweet though, so I'll just second that one for now.

[Max Caysey]

Are you calling yourself a noob... half the things you write, I havent even heart of... I have been playing D&D 3.x for 13 years now... Damn!:smallredface:

[O.j.s]

Not as important as it may seem, action economy fu can render defenses significantly less important as it might seem. May I reccomend Keen intellect (int to will saves), changing your flaw (maybe non-combatant), and picking up quick recovery (will save against any dazing you may have at the beginning of your turn). This will allow you to abuse the crap out of the celerity spells, allowing you to act out of turn whenever you want.

I didn't take non-combatant because i believe that a flaw musb be a disadvantage, take "non`combatant" with a char that will never be in melee combat is unfair. Quick Recovery could be a good idea..


Either protection from arrows, black tentacles, wall spells, mirror image, or just kill them quick.

I'm thinking about a situation that I can`t detect the ambusher, like a surprising round.


It looks like you're missing a bonus feat. Granted, it'd probably have to be a fighter bonus feat, because it looks like you're using that ACF, but it's a thing that's nice to have on occasion.

No. I`m not missing. Indeed I took the ACF that changes my scribe scroll for fighter feats so I chose improved Initiative instead. My 5th level bonus feat I replaced by the ACF "Domain Gained Power" that gave me Uncanny Dodge.


Huh. It looks like the spontaneous divination trade is one that can actually be made. That's a pretty odd thing. Either way, there's definitely a way to make the build at least marginally better through the use of that feat. At the very least, the build would have scribe scroll in addition to everything else, and I don't know what hangs out in the at most category, because I'm in no mood to figure out the best available thing that hasn't already been put on the build. Spontaneous divination is pretty sweet though, so I'll just second that one for now.

Originally I thought of Spontaneous Divination but it was revised and suffer a lose of power, however it`s still powerful. Following the text of errata

Page 52 – Spontaneous Divination
- Benefit [Revision]
The first sentence should instead
read, “You can spontaneously cast
any spell you know from the
divination school by sacrificing a
prepared spell of equal or greater
level."


Are you calling yourself a noob... half the things you write, I havent even heart of... I have been playing D&D 3.x for 13 years now... Damn!:smallredface:

Indeed Im a noob. I`ve played DnD since I was 15 but almost all material are exclusive in English and my English just Improved enough few years ago. I still find problems to read some spells descriptions sometimes. And really, Its my first attempt to make a Wizard.

[Darth Stabber]

I didn't take non-combatant because i believe that a flaw musb be a disadvantage, take "non`combatant" with a char that will never be in melee combat is unfair. Quick Recovery could be a good idea.

Non-combatant is actually pretty annoying, there are some great touch spells and you now have to do some work arounds. Like shivering touch for example, amazing.


I'm thinking about a situation that I can`t detect the ambusher, like a surprising round.

Contingent Celerity


No. I`m not missing. Indeed I took the ACF that changes my scribe scroll for fighter feats so I chose improved Initiative instead. My 5th level bonus feat I replaced by the ACF "Domain Gained Power" that gave me Uncanny Dodge.

Missed the Uncanny Dodge, that makes sense.


Originally I thought of Spontaneous Divination but it was revised and suffer a lose of power, however it`s still powerful. Following the text of errata

Page 52 – Spontaneous Divination
- Benefit [Revision]
The first sentence should instead
read, “You can spontaneously cast
any spell you know from the
divination school by sacrificing a
prepared spell of equal or greater
level."

I was assuming that you would be using said errata. That is still absurdly powerful, the ability to grab any div spell you know is insane when you have access to the spell compendium.

Final though: why no quicken?

[Reprimand]

He can't do contingent spells because he banned evocation.

EDIT: Short of buying the spell from another wizard AND the celearity to do it for him or at higher levels taking craft contigency

Both take money and levels he doesn't have already

[Karnith]

He can't do contingent spells because he banned evocation.
He did, however, take the Craft Contingent Spell feat, which is generally just better and isn't subject to banned school restrictions.

Final though: why no quicken?
Yeah, Quicken is a godsend for high-level casters. Though I suppose you could partially mitigate it by starting combats off with Arcane Spellsurge (or similar effects).

[Reprimand]

He did, however, take the Craft Contingent Spell feat, which is generally just better and isn't subject to banned school restrictions.

Oh I missed the feat, sorry.

[O.j.s]

Non-combatant is actually pretty annoying, there are some great touch spells and you now have to do some work arounds. Like shivering touch for example, amazing.

Shivering Touch is totally and undoubtedly banned for all my groups by myself. its silly broken game and broken fun


Contingent Celerity
Celerity doesn`t need contingency and I`m looking for a early level solution. Obviously I can emule Wind Wall using Shadow Evocation but just in 7th level, how about before?


Final though: why no quicken?

Well, I don`t consider metamagic feats worthy unless you can find a way to reduce their costs, rods use to be expensive. I also have ways to quicken 3 conjuration spells /day using my Major School esoterica and the item of Rapid casting alows me to quicken some low level buffs. At high levels I can Use changeshape and become a Chronotyrian ( Im not sure about the spelling) that give me 1 more standrd action. Finally the only feats that I can swap are Ocular Spell and the Uncanny Dodge. the others are or pre-requisites or, like sculpt, a good way to survive at low levels and I cant retrain them. I`m missing Widen Spell as well but I couldn`t find a rod of it in any book

[eggynack]

Celerity doesn't need contingency.

It kinda does. Celerity is an immediate action spell, so you can't cast it while flat footed. This means that there's a good six seconds where you're likely to be unprotected from enemy attack. Contingent celerity is like contingent everything else, so it's probably one of the best things to put in a contingency. Also, it looks like putting celerity into a contingency bypasses the action cost of celerity, so using third eye clarity to bypass the dazing effect might actually work.

[O.j.s]

If I`m Not wrong the Glyph Seal allos me to cast a spell inside it as a free action. So if it`s right I can put a celerity inside and use as a "pseudo-contingency".

[Darth Stabber]

Oh I missed the feat, sorry.

Also you can squeeze contingency out of greater shadow evocation.

And if windwall is desirable, you can grab it with shadow evocation.

Thosee two spells are the main reason not to ban both evocation and illusion.

[O.j.s]

I didn`t banned both evocation and Illusion

I know I can grab Wind Wall using shadow evocation but it`s just in 7th level char. But how about lower levels?

[HalfQuart]

Either protection from arrows, black tentacles, wall spells, mirror image, or just kill them quick.

I'm thinking about a situation that I can`t detect the ambusher, like a surprising round.
I'm confused; how does Wind Wall protect you during a surprise round?

[ericgrau]

For archers get gloves of arrow snaring, 4,000 gp. At high level see if you're allowed to put your dex bonus somewhere else, or use MiC rules, or ask for a custom slotless item (paying double). It's only 2/day and doesn't work when flat-footed. But save it against readied actions for when you're casting a spell. Use those two spells to wall off, disable or eliminate the archers, or to help your allies do so. At high level you might ask the DM for a custom one with more uses per day, and you'd pay more in proportion to the number of uses.

Protection from arrows doesn't work against magical arrows. Might be ok at low levels but false life or any other spell is more generally useful unless archers are constantly popping up. Wind wall is likewise laughable, usually defeated by brisk walking or even going 2nd part of the time. Shadow spells are likewise a joke for a half dozen debilitating reasons include the spell level one which you just rammed into.

[Darth Stabber]

Protection from arrows doesn't work against magical arrows. Might be ok at low levels but false life or any other spell is more generally useful unless archers are constantly popping up. Wind wall is likewise laughable, usually defeated by brisk walking or even going 2nd part of the time. Shadow spells are likewise a joke for a half dozen debilitating reasons include the spell level one which you just rammed into.

Protection from arrows has it's place, but is usually replaced by windwall. And yes wind wall is circumventable, but the idea is that you force them to do so. Most battlefield control is not a "hard lock", instead it forces your opponents into certain course of action which you are prepared to capitalize upon.

And if "realness" is a problem with your use of shadow spells, you aren't using them right. The idea is replicate effects that fall into one of the following types.
1) interaction doesn't happen and no saving throw is offered (like contingency)
2) the part of the effect you are after has nothing to do with any save (or ability check) that the spell might offer (like wind wall)
3) you have some trick to capitalize on the quasi-real nature (a shadow conjured wall of stone bridge which supports those with low saves and drops those with good saves)
4)you are a gnome shadowcraft mage, in which case your shadow spells are more real than the spell they are mimicking.

[Darrin]

If I`m Not wrong the Glyph Seal allos me to cast a spell inside it as a free action. So if it`s right I can put a celerity inside and use as a "pseudo-contingency".

Not really. The trigger conditions are set similar to a glyph of warding spell. This can be set off by a creature, which can be the caster if you set it up that way. But if you want to open a pocket of retrieve a spell component/ammunition as a free action, then that can only be done during your turn. If it's not your turn, the only way to act is with an immediate action.

[ericgrau]

Protection from arrows has it's place, but is usually replaced by windwall. And yes wind wall is circumventable, but the idea is that you force them to do so. Most battlefield control is not a "hard lock", instead it forces your opponents into certain course of action which you are prepared to capitalize upon.

And if "realness" is a problem with your use of shadow spells, you aren't using them right. The idea is replicate effects that fall into one of the following types.
1) interaction doesn't happen and no saving throw is offered (like contingency)
2) the part of the effect you are after has nothing to do with any save (or ability check) that the spell might offer (like wind wall)
3) you have some trick to capitalize on the quasi-real nature (a shadow conjured wall of stone bridge which supports those with low saves and drops those with good saves)
4)you are a gnome shadowcraft mage, in which case your shadow spells are more real than the spell they are mimicking.
Wind wall is way more than circumventable. It plain sucks in every way. In close quarters and yet also in an open enough area you don't even cause a battlefield control delay. 95% of the time it's a wasted spell slot or a wasted turn, with nothing accomplished at all.

Shadow spells do have some highly limited utility use. That is not the situation here nor 95% of the time they get discussed on these boards. For non-utility they are so utterly worthless they are a negative effect for being a trap. Shadowcraft mages can make it work. The OP is not a shadowcraft mage.

[eggynack]

Wind wall is way more than circumventable. It plain sucks in every way. In close quarters and yet also in an open enough area you don't even cause a battlefield control delay. 95% of the time it's a wasted spell slot or a wasted turn, with nothing accomplished at all.

What's wrong with wind wall? If you have flight, which you probably do, wind wall makes you pretty untouchable by most weapons. I guess you can kinda go to the bottom of it and shoot upwards, but that's not plausible at all distances, and closing to what is effectively melee range isn't usually something that archers like to do. It's not the greatest spell in the world, but it shuts down archery a lot of the time, and it does so better than most things. You could theoretically run a regular wall instead, but that stops your ability to shoot out as well. It's like a one way wall, which is a pretty cool effect all things considered.

Edit: Actually, I'm going to do the other one too.


Shadow spells do have some highly limited utility use. That is not the situation here nor 95% of the time they get discussed on these boards. For non-utility they are so utterly worthless they are a negative effect for being a trap. Shadowcraft mages can make it work. The OP is not a shadowcraft mage.
Why are shadow spells not good for combat? If you can use one in a way which doesn't allow interaction, or in a way where 20% of the effect is basically the effect, it can be pretty great. For example, let's return to the above example, and talk about a shadow wind wall. Your opponents are unlikely to closely observe it or interact with it, and if they do, I'm pretty sure that it'll still block arrows just as well. There's no numerical effect to cut down. Also, how about contingency? No one can interact with that one, and it's fantastic for combat situations if you use it right. If you just use shadow spells as a versatile blasting spell, then it might end up sucking, but if you use it creatively, and with the right spells, it seems pretty great. It acts an awful lot like a limited wish for me to classify it as bad.

[ericgrau]

Wind wall: 99% of foes aren't archers vs limited spell slots, rnd/level duration (not 24 hours) so it may not be up in time, doesn't protect allies, doesn't stop all ranged attacks. It's simply too narrow and accomplishes something useful about 0.1% of the time. If you cast fly and wind wall, you've already thrown away 2/3 of your contribution to a typical fight and can still be hit by many monsters. Fleeing and leaving your allies to fend for themselves would be a much more effective defense.

Shadow spells: Raises spell level by TWO on average, adds an extra save, adds SR, removes a spell's immunities to certain effects. The best evocations and conjurations are the best because they have no saves or SR and possibly other advantages. They count on being impassible barriers to keep foes at bay, this is battlefield control. Specifically shadow makes every single good evocation poor with sole exception of contingency as a whopping level 8 spell. And even shadow contingency gets contested by some DMs as making no sense.

They are so far beyond bad that instead of enumerating it all each time it comes up, I'm tempted to simply demand people link to one example of either of them ever being useful in a real game battle once. But then I suppose out of millions of people a few people got it to work before. I've never seen it posted though.

Anyway for the OP, the proper way to handle defense are passive always-on effects. Responsive defenses better be immediate actions or it's fairly pointless except with extraordinary planning. That's why at level 7 I'd take hour/level protection from arrows even over a wind wall reduced to 2nd level, and get a lesser rod of extend spell for it. Once foes get magic bows then I say gloves of arrow snatching. And then only if archers are frequent. Otherwise other spells and items take priority and until everything else is taken care of zero should be done for infrequent threats. You simply eat the pain and address greater issues first.

[eggynack]

Wind wall: 99% of foes aren't archers vs limited spell slots, rnd/level duration (not 24 hours) so it may not be up in time, doesn't protect allies, doesn't stop all ranged attacks. It's simply too narrow and accomplishes something useful about 0.1% of the time. If you cast fly and wind wall, you've already thrown away 2/3 of your contribution to a typical fight and can still be hit by many monsters. Fleeing and leaving your allies to fend for themselves would be a much more effective defense.
Overland flight is quite a bit higher level, but it's not the most uncommon spell. You're not necessarily trading away all of your actions for this impact. Ultimately, it's really close to being a perfect protection from archers. If archers aren't the most common thing, part of that might have something to do with wizards having a near perfect protection against them. If you don't have to face archers very often, then it's not the best idea, but if you do, then it is the best idea.

Wind wall lets you cast spells after you've cast it, and you're vastly underestimating the amount of slots a wizard has at high levels. If I'm at level five, I'm probably not spending a slot on wind wall, but at high level, it's a pretty unique effect, and that's what you want in your lower level slots. Also, you can easily surround your allies, so I don't know what you're talking about on that count. In any case, the biggest advantage of wind wall is that flying cuts off most mundane options that aren't archery, an wind wall cuts off most mundane options that are archery, and you're left cutting off most options for mundane. It's not that hard to cut off options to mundane folks, but this is part of the reason for that, so it shouldn't be discounted.




Shadow spells: Raises spell level by TWO on average, adds an extra save, adds SR, removes a spell's immunities to certain effects. The best evocations and conjurations are the best because they have no saves or SR and possibly other advantages. They count on being impassible barriers to keep foes at bay, this is battlefield control. Specifically shadow makes every single good evocation poor with sole exception of contingency as a whopping level 8 spell. And even shadow contingency gets contested by some DMs as making no sense.

They are so far beyond bad that instead of enumerating it all each time it comes up, I'm tempted to simply demand people link to one example of either of them ever being useful in battle once. But then I suppose out of millions of people a few people got it to work before. I've never seen it posted though.

Anyway for the OP, the proper way to handle defense are passive always-on effects. Responsive defenses better be immediate actions or it's fairly pointless except with extraordinary planning.
Well, it's mostly about shadow contingency, which is a good effect to pick up if you don't have it natively. Spells like resilient sphere also seem reasonably powerful, and that spell doesn't seem to be impacted by its shadow nature. it's a pretty clear cut thing in general. If you can find good spells, of the right types and levels, that don't interact with the enemy, those spells are pretty sweet with the shadow line. It's not the longest list, but the list exists, and it has its moments.