help with wizard build

[Grizzled Gryphon]

I have a human conjurer that I would like some help selecting feats and maybe some PrC selections with.

I have access to the core books and splat books, but none of the campaign books.

So far, he has the following:

Human Conjurer, with the ACF's of Immediate magic abrupt jaunt, and focused specialist.

Two flaws, inattentive and frail, and two traits, spellgifted and absent minded.

Houserule: The scribe scroll feat can be exchanged for any other wizard bonus feat.

He has five feats at first level and they are Alacritous Cogitation, Precocious Apprentice, Fiery Burst, Spell Focus Conjuration, and Collegiate Wizard.

The build so far is Wizard 2/ Master Specialist 10/ Wizard 1/ Archmage 5/ Wizard 2.

The feats I have selected for his levels are 3rd Cloudy Conjuration, 6th Extend Spell, 9th Metamagic School Focus, 12th Spell Focus Illusion, 15th Sudden Silent, 18th Sudden Maximize, and I haven't chose one for his wizard bonus feat at 20.

His prohibited schools are Evocation, Illusion, and Necromancy.

So, with the book limits in mind, what do you guys think? Is this build good, or should I go some other route? I am making him a primary caster, not really a gish. However, I don't know if I should dump immediate magic for rapid spell, and go with a summoner build, instead. If I do, being able to summon as a swift action thanks to the Master Specialist ability sounds good.

I could, I suppose, cast things like Bite of the X, Body of War, and thus do some gish action if needed.

[Endarire]

Flaw-wise, I prefer noncombatant and murky-eyed. Inattentive seems too punishing normally.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Some of these flaws (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258440#30) may be a bit more suitable (and less painful). This Wizard variant (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizard) from UA allows you to take a Fighter bonus feat in place of any Wizard bonus feat, such as gaining Improved Initiative instead of Scribe Scroll.

Here's the best Wizard handbook (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=394) I've found, it focuses mostly on how good Conjuration can be. I'd recommend going the route it suggests with Cloudy Conjuration, Sculpt Spell, Metamagic School Focus, and Summon Elemental. Invisible Spell can also be useful, and Fell Drain Spell and Fell Frighten Spell are extremely deadly on spells that deal damage every round that opponents can't easily escape from, such as Black Tentacles and Kelgore's Grave Mist (if you cast Web first).

[Osiris]

What level is your wizard stating at?

[Endarire]

I'm also a big fan of the Aggressive trait. It's -1 AC for +2 initiative. Init boosters are rare, and this stacks with everything!

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

I'm also a big fan of the Aggressive trait. It's -1 AC for +2 initiative. Init boosters are rare, and this stacks with everything!

Not for a Wizard, though an extra +2 is certainly nice...
Hummingbird (Obtain) Familiar: +4
Elf Wizard 3 substitution level: that +4 becomes +8
Improved Initiative: +4
Nerveskitter: +5
Moment of Prescience: +CL

[Rebel7284]

You did not ban evocation? Unusual choice. What schools did you ban?

The sudden metamagic feats are pretty weak. They can mostly be replaced by metamagic rods (those work 3/day too!) As a general rule you want abilities you can't just replicate with an item.

Master specialist is ok but not too exciting in my opinion.

Mage of the Arcane order would give you way more flexibility.
Initiate of the seven-fold veil is great defensively.
Malconvoker is great if you do want to focus on summons.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Depending on your alignment, you may want to get the feat Arcane Thesis for the Summoner domain to take Thaumaturgist (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/thaumaturgist.htm) so you can have a Ghaele (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ghaele.htm) planar cohort at level 12.

[Endarire]

Initiative boosters are rare compared to a lot of other boosters, such as saves or AC. You can still get a stupendously high AC at early levels. (Also, the Elven Wizard3 substitution level does not apply to initiative, but to a specific list of abilities.)

@Grizzled: Google whatever terms and abilities you don't understand.

BUILD NOTES: I assumed all common sources were open, and you were going for a very powerful casting-focused Wizard. Furthermore, I assumed Domain Wizard and the Races of the Wild Elven Generalist can be taken simultaneously, as that's how I've run it as GM. Going Incantatrix1 means you oppose one more school, but if the Red Wizard of Thay is any precedent, you get to keep what spells you know (and the ability to cast said spells) of your opposed school.

Anyway. I recommend a build like this for a generalist:

LN/TN/CN Dragonborn Gray Elf Domain Wizard5/Mindbender1/Incantatrix3/Full CastingX
1: {Aggressive}, {Murky-Eyed}, {Noncombatant}
1: [Elven Wizard Substition Level from Races of the Wild], , [Familiar: Hummingbird OR Rat OR Raven], [Wizard Domain: Conjuration (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#conjurationDomain) OR Transmutation (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#transmutationDomain)]
1: Collegiate Wizard, Faerie Mysteries Initiate, Mercantile Background
3: Extend Spell, [Iron Will from Otyugh Hole]
5: [Domain Granted Power: Travel (contingent [i]freedom of movement for 5 rounds/day)]
6: Mindsight
7: [Opposed School: Enchantment], [Persistent Spell]
8: [Cooperative Spell]
9: [METAMAGIC EFFECT!], Reserves of Strength

After this, pick what full casting PrCs you want. Archmage may be a good idea for Mastery of Shaping and Spell Power. I also like Spellguard of Silverymoon (Player's Guide to Faerun) for buffing with Personal spells (via Spellguard), Selective Spell, and casting time reduction (via Selective Spell).

A one-level dip into Olin Gisir (Lost Empires of Faerun 21) may be worth it, since you already have every prerequisite. A 1 level dip, if you have at least +7 INT, gets you an item creation feat or a metamagic feat of your choice.

Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil requires an icky 3 feats to enter, but two of them overlap as Archmage prereqs; specifically, Spell Focus: Abjuration and Skill Focus: Spellcraft. In return, you get to be a living rainbow generator.

Alternatively (or in addition), continue in Incantatrix. Consider the metamagic feats Ocular Spell and Chain Spell so you can buff you entire party via Cooperative Metamagic and Metamagic Effect without using higher spell level spell slots.

Consider going the Enervating Buffer (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=4157) route. Undead minions, enervation spam, and self-healing help. And full casting!

If you don't care much for the domain granted power, you could instead worship The Shadow (Eberron deity) and go Escalation Mage (Faiths of Eberron). Shadow Haste at Escalation Mage5 is the winner here, but probably pales in comparison to full Incantatrix. (Incantatrix7 lets you spontaneously apply any metamagic feat you know 1/day at no cost, so long as you can cast the effective spell slot level. See Player's Guide to Faerun errata for details.)

Ruathar (Races of the Wild) also provides full casting with less potent class features, but more HP (a d6 per level) and two good saves may be worth it since, by level 10, you should qualify easily.

I included Mindbender1 and Mindsight due to how powerful Mindsight is. Also, +2 Fort saves and some spiffy social skills and 100' Telepathy (two-way!), if you're inclined.

If you want to be a spontaneous Wizard, check the Spontaneous Wizard Guide (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=474.0). This guide includes the feat Uncanny Forethought, which is better than Alacritous Cogitation.

Assuming you went full Incantatrix, you'd get...
-Your INT bonus to HP per HD instead of your CON (which puts your HP around that of a Fighter or Barbarian who emphasizes CON). If you become Undead (like via Necropolitan), you can become even more uber due to keeping your INT bonus to HP and having a higher HD and a buncha immunities. If your GM allows it, you can get loads of extras due to someone using Corpsecrafter, desecrate, etc. to boost you.

-5 free spells known per level, plus your Domain spell every odd level.

-The potential for Extended Persisted Ocular Chain spells with only spending one general feat slot to enter Incantatrix. (Specifically, you take Extend Spell to enter.)

-4 free levels at the end of Wiz5/Mindbender1/Incantatrix10. Spellguard of Silverymoon4 is still a possibility, for applying Personal buffs to your party via Spellguard. Shapechange (Chronotyryn form - Monster Manual II) and arcane spellsurge (Dragon Magic 64) are options.

-More money than average! And your party benefits, too, since you can sell items for 25% more and buy 1 item per month at a 25% discount!

Alternatively, consider this build:

Nonevil Dragonborn Gray Elf Conjurer5/Incantatrix3/Master Conjurer1/Full CastingX
1: {Aggressive}, {Murky-Eyed}, {Noncombatant}
1: [Abrupt Jaunt], , [Opposed Schools: Enchantment & Necromancy]
1: Collegiate Wizard, Faerie Mysteries Initiate, Mercantile Background
3: Extend Spell, [Iron Will from Otyugh Hole]
5: [Domain Granted Power: Travel (contingent [i]freedom of movement for 5 rounds/day)]
6: [Opposed School: Evocation], [Persistent Spell]
7: [Cooperative Spell]
8: [METAMAGIC EFFECT!]
9: [Skill Focus: Spellcraft], -=FEAT=-

Similar notes apply in this build. You instead have Abrupt Jaunt, but access to fewer schools. You can shuffle around your opposed schools, but you're at least theoretically less versatile than the Elven Generalist build.

[Grizzled Gryphon]

Nice ideas!

My Prohibited Schools are Illusion, Enchantment, and Necromancy. I think I should switch Illusion for Evocation, though. After all, if I really want to throw a fireball or something, I can always Shadow Evocation one. Thus, switch the spell focus evoc. to Illusion.

I thank you guys for the ideas, but you missed a crucial note in the opening post: I don't have access to any campaign books. No Eberron (except Warforged, as they are in the MMIII), no Faerun/ Forgotten Realms, or any other campaign settings. Also, I don't have access to Dragon or Dungeon mag content. The DM is very firm about this.

[Darth Stabber]

Necromancy is so painful to lose, it's full of some fantastic spells. If you gave it up after 4th level spells came online (like via incantrix) it's fine, but losing enervation hurts, and animate dead is a great way to get some fun toys even if you aren't focused on minionmancy (which wizard should not be doing in the first place, that's clerical work). Focused specialist is a painful option, and really unneeded, you give up more than you think and get less than it looks like, you can safely give up 2 schools, but three is a lot of effect access lost.

[Endarire]

Can you access material from campaign books if you have access to said material, like from Internet articles and web enhancements?

[Grizzled Gryphon]

Darth Stabber, I am giving up necromancy mostly for alignment reasons. We have to be a good alignment.

Endarire, the DM doesn't allow the stuff, so access doesn't matter. I wish we could use it, as there is some truly cool stuff out there.

I did swap out Evocation for Illusion, though.

[Metahuman1]

I'd seriously consider ditching enchantment over Illusion. I'd also consider working in the Item Familiar Feat and Craft Contingent Spell feat to offset the loss of Evocation.

[Darth Stabber]

Darth Stabber, I am giving up necromancy mostly for alignment reasons. We have to be a good alignment.

Other than animate dead there is no reason why good alignment and necromancy are incompatible. If you aren't creating undead you have nothing to work about, you are still passing up on some fantastic debuffs.

[Grizzled Gryphon]

Other than animate dead there is no reason why good alignment and necromancy are incompatible. If you aren't creating undead you have nothing to work about, you are still passing up on some fantastic debuffs.

Casting a spell with the Evil descriptor is an evil act. Most Necromancy spells have the Evil descriptor. At least, all the good ones... So, not much reason for me to have access to the school, as it would violate my alignment to use most of the spells.

Which, when its all said and done, is OK by me. I don't mind playing the 'goody two shoes' type every now and again. Nice change from my usual CN or such I usually play.

Even the Summon Undead spells, which are not necromancy (huh?) have the Evil descriptor, so even though they are Conjuration spells, I can't cast those, either. Well, I could, but I get the impression that there will be some very powerful good outsiders watching over us in this game, and they will be very unhappy with any evil acts. Violently so, no less.

What I know so far about the game is there are some Angels (might be some sort of council) that needs X done, but can't do it themselves for some reason, so they need some mortal instruments to do the deeds for them. And there is some sort of alignment factor as well. Not so much alignment, I suppose, but strictures involved where if they are broken, like performing evil to accomplish X, then we all fail. Apparently, the consequences of failure are apocalyptic, like the Nine Hells having open access to the material plane.

[Darth Stabber]

Casting a spell with the Evil descriptor is an evil act. Most Necromancy spells have the Evil descriptor. At least, all the good ones... So, not much reason for me to have access to the school, as it would violate my alignment to use most of the spells.

Which, when its all said and done, is OK by me. I don't mind playing the 'goody two shoes' type every now and again. Nice change from my usual CN or such I usually play.

Other than death knell, animate dead, create undead, and create greater undead what spells are you losing? Enervate is probably the best debuff going and it has no alignment descriptors. At lower levels ray of enfeeblement is a great way to neuter threats, and it retains some potential for quite a while. Shivering touch (aka dragon slaying touch) is fan-flipping-tastic and is usable by anyone. All of those fear spells are certainly nice too. And command undead is only second level, but makes any encounter against mindless undead trivial.

I am not saying that necromancy isn't the logical 3rd choice for schools to give up if you are forced to play focused specialist I am saying that focused specialist is not worth it. The bottom line is that focused specialist is a more terrible deal than anyone will admit. People see extra spell slots and fail to realize that what makes wizard better than sorcerer is wider effect access, and focused specialist is all about giving that up.

[Grizzled Gryphon]

I agree that giving up a third school sucks, but I like the extra spell slots. Especially with how versatile Conjuration is. If nothing else, I can always summon a critter with the appropriate SLA for whatever it is I need done.:smallbiggrin:

Another thing is, the DM isn't the most savvy of DM's, so I seriously doubt that I will need all that much versatility in the game. I am quite positive that a Focused Specialist Evoker would be amazingly awesome in this one. But then, I am also sure that a Sword and Board fighter will do great in this game as well.

I guess you could say that with the tier system in mind, this game is rated Tier 4 appropriate. So, any tier one or two characters are just fine as-is, no optimization needed.

[6thEdition]

Might have been already posted, but don't give up Illusion. Ban Enchantment instead. Illusion gives you Contigency by Greater Shadow Evocation and has really good spells like Silent Image, Mirror Image and Major Image, and 99% of enchantment spells don't work on many monsters. Did you know there are only 72 enchantment spells in the SRD, one being 3e instead of 3.5 and one being an Epic Spell Seed?

If you really like charming people, then, at level 5, there's a 'Domain Granted Power' ACF that lets you swap your bonus feat for a domain granted power. Take the Magic Domain, and now you can use spell trigger items from your banned schools. :smallsmile:

Also, since you banned Necromancy, I'll assume you don't have a cleric in the party. If you do, it's better to ban Abjuration, since lots of Abjurations are in the Cleric's list.