Combat Artificer like Wizard?

[Gwazi Magnum]

Disclaimer: Yes I know I've made many topics today. But they address different issues so I figured it was fine, piling them all up would simply get most of them ignored anyways.

Anyways, the question.
I'm working on a Merchant Wizard who focuses on making lots of gold.
He does this so he has even more resources when he crafts magical items for damn cheap.

However, I don't want to delve into this so far that he simply becomes the armory. I want some way for him to fight and contribute in actual combat, and I'm wondering what you guys think the best way could be?

Now, I know most of you will probably go "It's a wizard, go meta-magic crazy". However, I'm not sure how many spare spells I'll have cause I'm planning for most of his spells to be related to being a merchant if possible.

This has caused me to consider wands as my main means of combat.
What do you guys think? Can it work well or should I focus on prepared spells for combat means?

[Story]

Make him an Anima Mage. He can use at will binder abilities to supplement his limited spells for combat, which binding Asteroth when he needs to craft something.

[Gwazi Magnum]

Make him an Anima Mage. He can use at will binder abilities to supplement his limited spells for combat, which binding Asteroth when he needs to craft something.

I should of mentioned that it's a pure caster build.
Specifically a Kobold Wizard who is using Spellhoarding to convert his sorcerer levels into Wizard Levels.

[Deophaun]

May I ask why you aren't going for an Artificer (ECS) instead of Wizard? Seems like it would fit better.

[Gwazi Magnum]

May I ask why you aren't going for an Artificer (ECS) instead of Wizard? Seems like it would fit better.

Spell Level.
Not only does Sorcerer -> Wizard have more spell casting capabilities. But the Kobold features ramp that up by three more on top of that. So essentially I find more potential in a Wizard who is effectively 3 levels above the rest of the party than I do in Artificer. Plus getting bonus feats is easy enough that I don't really need to worry on not grabbing certain crafting feats.

[Grod_The_Giant]

The nice thing about being a wizard is that you can have all the merchant spells you want, but still swap them out to be a combat machine. Direct Damage isn't fantastic at mid-to-high levels without metamagic investment, but there's plenty of other options-- buffs, battlefield control, save-or-die... all the usual wizard options.

[Radar]

The nice thing about being a wizard is that you can have all the merchant spells you want, but still swap them out to be a combat machine. Direct Damage isn't fantastic at mid-to-high levels without metamagic investment, but there's plenty of other options-- buffs, battlefield control, save-or-die... all the usual wizard options.
This, so very much this. You can fill spellbook after spellbook with new spells and change them at your laisure every day. Considering the ammount of gold you will be making, it's not a problem at all.

And if you worry about unforeseen problems, take Uncanny Forethought feat from Exemplars of Evil - it's hilarious.

[Gwazi Magnum]

This, so very much this. You can fill spellbook after spellbook with new spells and change them at your laisure every day. Considering the ammount of gold you will be making, it's not a problem at all.

And if you worry about unforeseen problems, take Uncanny Forethought feat from Exemplars of Evil - it's hilarious.

True, though I'm running tights of feats now and probably can't pick it up.

[Radar]

True, though I'm running tights of feats now and probably can't pick it up.
That only means, you have to pick your spells more carefuly each time. General wizard handbooks will have extensive guides on spell selection. The feat would just be the iceing on the cake of spellbooks chokefull of spells.