Archmage question

[questionmark693]

What schools are good schools to get spell focus in? I chose one of them to be abjuration for IotSV, but I can't decide on the other. I was thinking possibly enchantment, but advice is very welcome. Please note-I am looking at this from an optimization standpoint more than a playable standpoint.

In the same vein, which archmage abilities are the most worth taking?

[Big Fau]

Transmutation, Necromancy, Enchantment, and Evocation all have a lot of spells that require a save, but of them only Transmutation and Necromancy are worth spending the feat on.

Spell-like Ability is always a good choice. Hell, you could use that for every single High Arcana you get and be quite optimal (if very light on the 5th level spell slots).

[RedMage125]

I'd agree that you should look to schools of magic that mostly call for saves instead of attack rolls for your Spell Focus.

As for High Arcana, I would say that if your party includes a lot of melee types, you should look to Mastery of Shaping to keep them out of harm's way.

Mastery of Elements can be nice for changing elements on the fly, but if you're not commonly facing creatures with Energy Resistance and/or you don't use a lot of Energy spells, your milage may vary.

I personally dig Arcane Fire, but I played in a FR game, in a campiagn against the Shades, and a lot of what I was facing had Spell Resistance, which Arcane Fire blows right through.

Arcane Reach may seem cool, but an ability like that would be way cooler for a party healer (since most healing spells are touch) than really awesome for a spellflinger. Unless you've got some VERY awesome Touch spells that you want to deliver safely without endangering your familiar (because who wants to endanger their familiar?)

Mastery of Counterspelling...is another one which your milage may vary based on your campaign. If you encounter a lot of enemy casters, and you counterspell often this can be GREAT (especially combined with feats like Improved Counterspell, and even better with Reactive Counterspell). But unless you counterspell often, it's not worth taking.

I personally like Spell Power, but I take a lot of spells with Caster-Level Dependent effects. The CL boost affects range, duration, damage, all across the board, so it can be pretty sweet. Combine it with one of those Ioun Stones that gives you a +1 CL boost, and you have a CL of 2 above your character level! Not a bad deal. Disgustingly good if you had 10 levels of Red Wizard before taking Archmage. Up to +7 caster level? Yes please!

Spell like Ability has been covered pretty well by the other guy.

Bottom line is that most of the CAN be great, but may be mediocre based on your choice of spells and what kinds of foes you face, and even what the makeup of the rest of your party is. The great thing is that you can look at what makes each one good and customize YOUR archmage to be amazing.