Knowledge or Extend

[cbaidchris]

As a Transmuter wizard to become gish, am I better off picking up metamagic school focus and extend for my transmutation buffs or educated and knowledge devotion?

[GilesTheCleric]

The Metamagic Rod of Extend can probably handle extending things for you. Knowledge Devotion will get you at most +5 to hit, so you need to decide whether two feats is worth that. In my opinion, it's not, but with your knowledge of your build, you might think otherwise.

[Urpriest]

You almost certainly don't need Educated, if you're coming from a Wizard chassis.

I'd say it depends: what buffs are you thinking of extending? Generally there are only specific levels where Extend makes a real qualitative difference, given that most DMs aren't very precise about how long a dungeon takes. Knowledge Devotion is nice for bonus damage and patching up to-hit, but if you've got other stuff for that (Arcane Strike for example, or just really high Str from Draconic Polymorph/Bite Of X) then you may have that functionality covered.

[cbaidchris]

I was going to extend bite of the x, polymorph, other assorted buffs. I'll post my feat selection that I had, if you have any suggestions I'd love them because I've been struggling with them

1 Combat Casting
1 Power Attack
3 Arcane Disciple (Healing)
6 Extend Spell
6 Arcane Strike
7 Metamagic School Focus (Trans)
9 Minor Shapeshift
12 Versatile Spellcaster
15 Persist Spell
18 X

I know before anyone brings it up that the arcane disciple isn't really neccessary but I like it. All completes, MMs, PHB, DMG, BoED and FRCS are all allowed.

[Urpriest]

I was going to extend bite of the x, polymorph, other assorted buffs. I'll post my feat selection that I had, if you have any suggestions I'd love them because I've been struggling with them

1 Combat Casting
1 Power Attack
3 Arcane Disciple (Healing)
6 Extend Spell
6 Arcane Strike
7 Metamagic School Focus (Trans)
9 Minor Shapeshift
12 Versatile Spellcaster
15 Persist Spell
18 X

I know before anyone brings it up that the arcane disciple isn't really neccessary but I like it. All completes, MMs, PHB, DMG, BoED and FRCS are all allowed.

Extend isn't going to be worth it for the Bite of the X line. Even the lowest level one is going to last 7 rounds by the time you pick up Metamagic School Focus with that build, so you'll never be in a position where it won't last an entire combat and it's not going to ever last multiple combats.

Polymorph is more ambiguous, I could see 7 minutes vs. 14 minutes being a relevant concern, depending on how your DM keeps track of time.

In general, Metamagic School Focus is going to be more useful for you with Persist, since it would allow you to Persist Friendly Fire with a 9th, for example.

Versatile Spellcaster on a prepared caster is sort of cheesy, I assume you've talked to your DM about it?

[cbaidchris]

yeah he's fine with it? so you think those feats are solid or would you recommend any changes?

[Urpriest]

yeah he's fine with it? so you think those feats are solid or would you recommend any changes?

Your setup is probably fine. Where are you getting the bonus metamagic feats? (Largely, trying to figure out whether your build has other sources of metamagic reduction).

[cbaidchris]

Combat Feat ACF (all bonus feats are general) and eldritch knight level 1. build is
6 wiz/2 ek/5 abj champ/7 ek

[GilesTheCleric]

You'll want to grab Skill Focus: Concentration over Combat Casting. It's a lower bonus, but it's applicable in more situations. Power Attack is always a great feat, and I think you can even grab a few of the multipliers for it from Heroics.

You said that you're gishing - are you going straight wiz, or are you multiclassing?

Edit: swordsaged.

[Aracor]

How are you getting proficiency with all martial weapons for Eldritch Knight?

[Urpriest]

Combat Feat ACF (all bonus feats are general) and eldritch knight level 1. build is
6 wiz/2 ek/5 abj champ/7 ek

Huh? Do you mean your DM homebrewed this up? In general, the ACF that gives you Fighter feats can only give you...well, Fighter feats. Besides, that build doesn't have a bonus feat at 6th level at all.

[cbaidchris]

Huh? Do you mean your DM homebrewed this up? In general, the ACF that gives you Fighter feats can only give you...well, Fighter feats. Besides, that build doesn't have a bonus feat at 6th level at all.

you're right it should be 5 and yes bonus feat works for any feat at the table

[cbaidchris]

How are you getting proficiency with all martial weapons for Eldritch Knight?

outsider race

[Urpriest]

you're right it should be 5 and yes bonus feat works for any feat at the table

Ah ok.

Well yeah, as has been said, Skill Focus: Concentration is on average a better bet than Combat Casting, and neither is strictly necessary.

You might want to swap Metamagic School Focus for Knowledge Devotion. Once you get Persist you can always pay someone to Psychic Reformation it back.

[cbaidchris]

combat casting is an abjurant champion req

[Urpriest]

combat casting is an abjurant champion req

Ah right yes. So yeah, keep that then, right.