Lactantius
2013-10-15, 05:10 PM
I'm undecided for some body slots which item to get for my wizard.
What would you pick?
Feet:
Boots of Swift Passage vs. Anklets of Translocation vs Boots of Big Stepping
Some facts: all three type of boots have different activation times, uses per day and movement range.
- Anklets: swift action, 10 feet range, 2 uses, only 1.400gp
- Swift Passage: move action, 20 feet range, 5 uses, 5.000gp
- Boots of Big Stepping: standard action, 60 feet range, CL+2 for teleport spells, no LoS and LoE needed, 3 uses, 6.000gp
[- Dimension Stride Boots are out of competition IMHO].
Pro's and Con's: Though the Boots of Big Stepping have the worst activation time, I see more versatility with them since you can use those mini-dimension-doors out of combat to overcome obstacles or leaving an enclosed area (no LoS/LoE needed). The CL-Bonus helps the other spells (DD, teleport, greater teleport).
On the other hand, wasting a standard action in combat to dimension door away is a big penalty. But then again, shouldn't a wizard be flying anyways?
Empower Metamagic:
Lesser Rod vs. Empowered Spellshard.
The Shard is way cheaper, but totally bound to one spell. So, a wizard must prepare the empowered spell 3 times to use the shard completely.
The rod is more expensive, but more versatile. Plus, the shard takes a throat slot.
Suggestion?
Head:
Besides a headband of intellect, I'm undecided between those items:
- scout's headband: most of the time a wizard would spend all 3 charges for true seeing. Is that worth investing 3.400 gp, especially if you can save the component costs? Or is this headband much more for characters who have no source to get true seeing (for example, a scout, ranger, rogue ?)
- circlet of mages vs circlet of rapid casting
I like both of them. circlet of mages gives extra spell slots and is cheaper than a pearl of power III. circlet of rapid casting gives extra action (like quicken spell), which seems even better.
Maybe take both?
Hands:
- gloves of fortunate striking: seems like a no-brainer for my wizard's rays and orbs. Not much competition around the hand slot. Got any other?
and, are the gloves of fortunate striking worth 2.000gp?
Arms:
Much more competition here.
- First, I can see the trick using gauntlets and getting armor enchantments that way.
- bracers of arcane freedom: I rarely read about this item, but it sounds pretty good. After all, you get a metamagic feat pretty cheap. Comments?
- bracers of the blast barrier: I can see some versatility here, but I'm not sure if this item is really that useful in real game situations. Plus, it's 3.200gp.
Throat:
Many good items on that slot. I will use 2-3 cheap items, but still, there are so many good amulets so far:
- Amulet of tears: getting extra hp is always good for a wizard. The little downside is the low duration (10 min).
- Amulet of emergency healing: no real wizard staple item, but it helps the party alot. But paying 6.000 gp to rescue the BSF is pretty harsh, isn't it?
- Hand of Glory: pretty much a standard item at mid- to high-level-play since it gives you more ring slots (and so, more power).
- Amulet of health: CON +2/+4/+6 is a no-brainer and set.
- Amulet of natural armor: I don't like those AC items since they are way too expensive (50.000gp for +5). Plus, a wizard can get natural armor pretty easy with dragonskin (perhapts extended). Someone disagrees?
- Cat's eye brooch: I like this item since it gives a rare bonus on saves, especially if you have maxed out resistance bonus, fort bonus from CON and so on. But then again, is another +1 luck bonus worth 9.000gp?
Face:
Strong candidates here are the Third Eyes, but there are also some other good things.
Rules question first: do 2 or more third eyes interact with each other much like the chronocarm line or is each third eye a seperate item?
- third eye clarity: getting a defense vs a nasty status effect for only 3.000gp? Sounds like a nice defense mechanic 1/day. A powergamer could use celerity with this third eye to negate the daze effect.
- third eye conceal: recommend by Dictum Mortuum. But 120.000gp? If I reach level 17+, I will check this item again. Until then, skip it.
- third eye aware: since spot is one of the most important skills in D&D, getting a continous +10 bonus sounds good. On the other hand, this effect can be done by any woundrous item since it uses the skill bonus formula.
- third eye freedom: sounds like a panic button against grapple 1/day. Worth investing 2.600gp?
- third eye penetrate: at mid-level-play, overcoming the spell resistance is mandatory, even if you focus on none-SR-spells like orbs.
- artificer's monocle: sounds like a no-brainer in standard D&D games with zillions of magic items found in a typical dungeon. And it's the wizards job to identify them. I've experiences many situations in which we hadn't enough white pearls to analyze all new items.
- mask of silent trickery: silent casting illusions and enchantments 2/day seems to be made for stealthy, secret casting in non-combat-situation. A good investment?
Body slot:
honestly, there are not many good body slot items for wizards for low- to mid-level play. the robe of the archmagi and the robe of eyes are too expensive, the robe of arcane might too narrow.
A good chance to go for mithral chain shirts of twillight?
Ideally, I would like to stick to robes which seems way better for wizards.
Maybe customize the robe? I would use spell effects like greater mage armor (+6 AC plus another nice, seconardy effect which is typical for mage's robes.
Ideas?
Shoulders:
- Shadow Cloak: pretty cool with its immediate dimension hop, but on the other hand, you should have enough panic buttons and save the 5.500gp.
- mantle of second chances: if I can use the DMG2-version, this sounds like a no-brainer.
- war wizard cloak: my favorite shoulder item. Getting 2 useful continous spell effects and four extra utility/defence spells sounds nice since it relieves my spell slots. Comments?
Rings:
- ring of the darkhidden: 2.000gp to eliminiate the opponents visual advantages sounds so good.
- ring of counterspells: dispel magic to protect my buffs. I would go so far to use 2 counterspell rings, even with the +50% extra costs.
- ring of invisibility: even if a wizard got his own sources to get invisible, getting invisible at will seems a good trade for 20.000gp.
- ring of spell-battle to win the Mageduels.
- ring of wizardry as high-level-item
- ring of arcane might: the more CL I have, the better.
Often recommended, but I can't see them as top priority:
- ring of freedom of movement: I can see the advantage of a continuous FoM, but those 40.000gp will be missed for my robe of the archmagi, ring of wizardry, vest of the archmagi or other expensive, high-level-item.
- ring of nine lives: many saves vs death, but I don't like to buy a ring for 45.000gp which loses its magic property, after all.
- ring of negative energy protection: the defense is awesome, but again, 36.000gp for this effect seems expensive. Especially if I can get other defensive measures vs. level drain & co.
Okay, ideas, suggestions?
What would you pick?
Feet:
Boots of Swift Passage vs. Anklets of Translocation vs Boots of Big Stepping
Some facts: all three type of boots have different activation times, uses per day and movement range.
- Anklets: swift action, 10 feet range, 2 uses, only 1.400gp
- Swift Passage: move action, 20 feet range, 5 uses, 5.000gp
- Boots of Big Stepping: standard action, 60 feet range, CL+2 for teleport spells, no LoS and LoE needed, 3 uses, 6.000gp
[- Dimension Stride Boots are out of competition IMHO].
Pro's and Con's: Though the Boots of Big Stepping have the worst activation time, I see more versatility with them since you can use those mini-dimension-doors out of combat to overcome obstacles or leaving an enclosed area (no LoS/LoE needed). The CL-Bonus helps the other spells (DD, teleport, greater teleport).
On the other hand, wasting a standard action in combat to dimension door away is a big penalty. But then again, shouldn't a wizard be flying anyways?
Empower Metamagic:
Lesser Rod vs. Empowered Spellshard.
The Shard is way cheaper, but totally bound to one spell. So, a wizard must prepare the empowered spell 3 times to use the shard completely.
The rod is more expensive, but more versatile. Plus, the shard takes a throat slot.
Suggestion?
Head:
Besides a headband of intellect, I'm undecided between those items:
- scout's headband: most of the time a wizard would spend all 3 charges for true seeing. Is that worth investing 3.400 gp, especially if you can save the component costs? Or is this headband much more for characters who have no source to get true seeing (for example, a scout, ranger, rogue ?)
- circlet of mages vs circlet of rapid casting
I like both of them. circlet of mages gives extra spell slots and is cheaper than a pearl of power III. circlet of rapid casting gives extra action (like quicken spell), which seems even better.
Maybe take both?
Hands:
- gloves of fortunate striking: seems like a no-brainer for my wizard's rays and orbs. Not much competition around the hand slot. Got any other?
and, are the gloves of fortunate striking worth 2.000gp?
Arms:
Much more competition here.
- First, I can see the trick using gauntlets and getting armor enchantments that way.
- bracers of arcane freedom: I rarely read about this item, but it sounds pretty good. After all, you get a metamagic feat pretty cheap. Comments?
- bracers of the blast barrier: I can see some versatility here, but I'm not sure if this item is really that useful in real game situations. Plus, it's 3.200gp.
Throat:
Many good items on that slot. I will use 2-3 cheap items, but still, there are so many good amulets so far:
- Amulet of tears: getting extra hp is always good for a wizard. The little downside is the low duration (10 min).
- Amulet of emergency healing: no real wizard staple item, but it helps the party alot. But paying 6.000 gp to rescue the BSF is pretty harsh, isn't it?
- Hand of Glory: pretty much a standard item at mid- to high-level-play since it gives you more ring slots (and so, more power).
- Amulet of health: CON +2/+4/+6 is a no-brainer and set.
- Amulet of natural armor: I don't like those AC items since they are way too expensive (50.000gp for +5). Plus, a wizard can get natural armor pretty easy with dragonskin (perhapts extended). Someone disagrees?
- Cat's eye brooch: I like this item since it gives a rare bonus on saves, especially if you have maxed out resistance bonus, fort bonus from CON and so on. But then again, is another +1 luck bonus worth 9.000gp?
Face:
Strong candidates here are the Third Eyes, but there are also some other good things.
Rules question first: do 2 or more third eyes interact with each other much like the chronocarm line or is each third eye a seperate item?
- third eye clarity: getting a defense vs a nasty status effect for only 3.000gp? Sounds like a nice defense mechanic 1/day. A powergamer could use celerity with this third eye to negate the daze effect.
- third eye conceal: recommend by Dictum Mortuum. But 120.000gp? If I reach level 17+, I will check this item again. Until then, skip it.
- third eye aware: since spot is one of the most important skills in D&D, getting a continous +10 bonus sounds good. On the other hand, this effect can be done by any woundrous item since it uses the skill bonus formula.
- third eye freedom: sounds like a panic button against grapple 1/day. Worth investing 2.600gp?
- third eye penetrate: at mid-level-play, overcoming the spell resistance is mandatory, even if you focus on none-SR-spells like orbs.
- artificer's monocle: sounds like a no-brainer in standard D&D games with zillions of magic items found in a typical dungeon. And it's the wizards job to identify them. I've experiences many situations in which we hadn't enough white pearls to analyze all new items.
- mask of silent trickery: silent casting illusions and enchantments 2/day seems to be made for stealthy, secret casting in non-combat-situation. A good investment?
Body slot:
honestly, there are not many good body slot items for wizards for low- to mid-level play. the robe of the archmagi and the robe of eyes are too expensive, the robe of arcane might too narrow.
A good chance to go for mithral chain shirts of twillight?
Ideally, I would like to stick to robes which seems way better for wizards.
Maybe customize the robe? I would use spell effects like greater mage armor (+6 AC plus another nice, seconardy effect which is typical for mage's robes.
Ideas?
Shoulders:
- Shadow Cloak: pretty cool with its immediate dimension hop, but on the other hand, you should have enough panic buttons and save the 5.500gp.
- mantle of second chances: if I can use the DMG2-version, this sounds like a no-brainer.
- war wizard cloak: my favorite shoulder item. Getting 2 useful continous spell effects and four extra utility/defence spells sounds nice since it relieves my spell slots. Comments?
Rings:
- ring of the darkhidden: 2.000gp to eliminiate the opponents visual advantages sounds so good.
- ring of counterspells: dispel magic to protect my buffs. I would go so far to use 2 counterspell rings, even with the +50% extra costs.
- ring of invisibility: even if a wizard got his own sources to get invisible, getting invisible at will seems a good trade for 20.000gp.
- ring of spell-battle to win the Mageduels.
- ring of wizardry as high-level-item
- ring of arcane might: the more CL I have, the better.
Often recommended, but I can't see them as top priority:
- ring of freedom of movement: I can see the advantage of a continuous FoM, but those 40.000gp will be missed for my robe of the archmagi, ring of wizardry, vest of the archmagi or other expensive, high-level-item.
- ring of nine lives: many saves vs death, but I don't like to buy a ring for 45.000gp which loses its magic property, after all.
- ring of negative energy protection: the defense is awesome, but again, 36.000gp for this effect seems expensive. Especially if I can get other defensive measures vs. level drain & co.
Okay, ideas, suggestions?