Wizard Races 3.5

[Teapot Salty]

Hey guys. I recently helped my friend make a wizard (with lots of help from the internet, you guys rock) and it kindoff made me want to make my own. Before I decide on the type of wizard, (probably going to be a blow all the things up wizard, but I'm not sure) I want to know what race to use. The two that are darting around in my head are gnome and human. Gnome because the illusion bonus is nice, and the constitution beef is really awesome. Human because, well, humans are great. And as always, go nuts.

[Thurbane]

Necropolitan Fire Elf: +2 Dex, -- Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha; Elf traits, fire race traits, undead traits.

[herrhauptmann]

If you wanna do blasting, skip gnome.
Those illusion bonuses won't help you much.
I'd say go human or strongheart halfling for the racial feat.

Feats:
Searing spell
Collegiate Wizard
Energy Sub
Some reserve feats for your low level blasting needs.

Ban evocation, spec in conjuration.

[Teapot Salty]

Necropolitan Fire Elf: +2 Dex, -- Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha; Elf traits, fire race traits, undead traits.
That's mostly awesome. My only beef with it is the con drop. Although, how important is concentration?

[herrhauptmann]

That's mostly awesome. My only beef with it is the con drop. Although, how important is concentration?

Very, but it's easy enough to pump that up.
Con - doesn't mean a -5 to your concentration skill. It's a +0, same as having a 10 Con.

Get a ring of skill boosting. Know:Arcana, Spellcraft, and Concentration.
For a single skill, cost should be =(Bonus^2)*100.
If you take that route, you'll also have a martial weapon from Elf. Take Combat Casting (a crap feat, I know) and slip into Abjurant Champion.

[Red Fel]

Disclaimer: I don't optimize Wizards. I'm not good at that. If I have to play one, I play it for fun.

Illumians from Races of Destiny are a fun choice (here's a web excerpt (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20041203a&page=2) on them). Picture it. A human-like race, given transcendent intellect and powers through a living magical alphabet. Basically, their cool racial function comes from Sigils, literal letters of power that float around them. They get to combine them in various ways - a popular method allows an Illumian spellcaster to change the stat that gives him his spells per day, which can be a useful way to eliminate MAD in some builds. (It's also the origin of the "Fist Wizard." Strength to determine spells per day? Awesome.) Alternatively, some of these combinations allow them to expend spell slots for various abilities, or can let you hold off on preparing spells to increase the effectiveness of other spells. They also have odd interactions with any spell involving Glyph, Rune, Symbol or the like.

Basically, it's a strange, fun race, with no profound advantages other than the Sigils. (Although having a bunch of glowing letters around your head granting you perpetual candlelight can be useful.) It's got a nice arcane flavor, and since it doesn't give ability modifiers, you likely won't be accused of cheesing.

[(Un)Inspired]

Necropolitan Fire Elf: +2 Dex, -- Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha; Elf traits, fire race traits, undead traits.

This. Then you need to chaos shuffle your pointless weapon prof feats away for meta magic awesomeness


If you wanna do blasting, skip gnome.
Those illusion bonuses won't help you much.
I'd say go human or strongheart halfling for the racial feat.

Feats:
Searing spell
Collegiate Wizard
Energy Sub
Some reserve feats for your low level blasting needs.

Ban evocation, spec in conjuration.

I would say the opposite. If you want to do blasting make sure you make a gnome illusionist with Shadowcraft Mage

[geekintheground]

Very, but it's easy enough to pump that up.
Con - doesn't mean a -5 to your concentration skill. It's a +0, same as having a 10 Con.

Get a ring of skill boosting. Know:Arcana, Spellcraft, and Concentration.
For a single skill, cost should be =(Bonus^2)*100.
If you take that route, you'll also have a martial weapon from Elf. Take Combat Casting (a crap feat, I know) and slip into Abjurant Champion.

since you're undead, dont you use cha for concentration anyway?

[kardar233]

Necropolitan Fire/Grey Elf is probably the best option, but I prefer Savage Progression (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/sp/20040213a) Tiefling. They don't get the Int bonus that the optimal races get, but they get a Dex boost as consolation. The big prize is Outsider type, which not only renders you immune to some fairly common humanoid-only effects like Charm/Dominate Person, it also allows you to Alter Self or Polymorph into Outsiders.

That gets you a ton of utility out of those spells, such as 120ft flight (from the Spinagon), extremely high NA (from the Minor Xorn or Dwarf Ancestor), burrow and climb speeds, etc. A list of good forms is here (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?PHPSESSID=nuv672vduq8bjiu8gd6c2jphv5&topic=343.msg8269#msg8269).

[Gavinfoxx]

Make sure to get turned into a Necropolitan by a Level 8 Dread Necromancer, with the feats Corpsecrafter, Bolster Resistance, Nimble Bones, and Hardened Flesh, who has a Deadwalker's Ring, and an altar to an evil god.

+2 Natural Armor
+4 Initiative
+10' land speed
+4 Enhancement to Strength
+4 Enhancement to Dexterity
+6 Hit points per hit dice, with a D12 hit dice (average 6.5 base)
+4 Turn Resistance
Undead type
Necropolitan racial features

[Ortesk]

Pick up Fairie fire initiate and you use intelligence as HP so con is garbage. Arguably you can use it even if your undead (17 HP at level 1 sounds fun for a wizard)


If you want crazy...... if you can find a way to get sigils even if your not illumian (woukd the feat old blood do it? It's 3.0 but curious) you can be a elan with festering anger and have unlimited bonus spells a day. Im sure that could be powerful

[Gavinfoxx]

The feat is "Faerie Mysteries Initiate" from Dragon 319.

[Story]

The only real downside to Necropolitan is undead specific stuff and living-only beneficial effects. For example, it's not clear that you can be targeted by Polymorph (target: one living creature), though Draconic Polymorph is of course allowed.

But in exchange for your undead vulnerabilities, you become immune to the vast majority of dangers normal adventurers face. Look at ToH for instance and most of the traps don't even effect undead. Just keep Disguise Undead up all the time and hope noone notices.

[(Un)Inspired]

The only real downside to Necropolitan is undead specific stuff and living-only beneficial effects. For example, it's not clear that you can be targeted by Polymorph (target: one living creature), though Draconic Polymorph is of course allowed.

But in exchange for your undead vulnerabilities, you become immune to the vast majority of dangers normal adventurers face. Look at ToH for instance and most of the traps don't even effect undead. Just keep Disguise Undead up all the time and hope noone notices.

Isn't it only a dc 5 disguise check to hide the fact that you're a necropolitan?

[Phelix-Mu]

Lesser Air Genasi! Lesser wispling! Classic grey elf!

There are actually lots of options. I'd advise going for something more original, less optimal. Moreover, due to wizard spell flexibility, you really don't totally need a bonus to Intelligence. It may mean an extra spell or two at low levels, but scribing a couple scrolls can pretty much cover any deficiency during those pesky 1st and 2nd levels.

Thus, I'd go with picking something more esoteric. Things like killoren, jaebrin, forest gnomes (gosh, my inner druid really needs to shut up), illumian, or fire gnome. You'll still be a wizard at the end of the day, and no strange race is going to put a damper on your Tier 1 status. So come up with an interesting and unique concept that you will enjoy playing, and work on optimizing spell selection to dovetail well with your party role (which will have a much bigger impact on party dynamic and playability in the long run).

[(Un)Inspired]

+1 to the fire gnomes idea. That sounds awesome

[Phelix-Mu]

+1 to the fire gnomes idea. That sounds awesome

They are actually a pretty cool race. If you can sell the DM on a slight nerf or something to get rid of the LA, then they would be rockin' casters. As it is, they are decent wizards, and slightly less good sorcerers (which makes me sad), due to the retarded progression of sorcs.

Also, while I am touting short races, uldra. And while we are talking unusual, sharakim (Races of Destiny). Finally, kenku! Oh wait, frost dwarves (Planar Handbook).

[(Un)Inspired]

They are actually a pretty cool race. If you can sell the DM on a slight nerf or something to get rid of the LA, then they would be rockin' casters. As it is, they are decent wizards, and slightly less good sorcerers (which makes me sad), due to the retarded progression of sorcs.

Also, while I am touting short races, uldra. And while we are talking unusual, sharakim (Races of Destiny). Finally, kenku! Oh wait, frost dwarves (Planar Handbook).

He should play the fire gnome as a fire blasting wizard and should convince another player to make an ice blasting druid uldra.

[Phelix-Mu]

He should play the fire gnome as a fire blasting wizard and should convince another player to make an ice blasting druid uldra.

And they should shout "ICEFIRE" as they spam the enemy with death!

[(Un)Inspired]

And they should shout "ICEFIRE" as they spam the enemy with death!

They should be bitter rivals who gradually become friends over the course of the adventure. Also, possibly brothers somehow.

[Tommy2255]

They should be bitter rivals who gradually become friends over the course of the adventure. Also, possibly brothers somehow.

When I was new to roleplaying, every half-x creature I created had a brother or sister who was half-y. That was so original and unique for the first half dozen characters.

[(Un)Inspired]

When I was new to roleplaying, every half-x creature I created had a brother or sister who was half-y. That was so original and unique for the first half dozen characters.

What about the other half? eh? Eh? Get it?

[shylocke]

There is a two headed crow race. Can't remember the name right now. But the get a bunch of abilities including being able to make two turns worth of actions in one turn. That race with quicken and sudden metamagic can fire 6 or 8 spells a turn if its hasted.

[kardar233]

There is a two headed crow race. Can't remember the name right now. But the get a bunch of abilities including being able to make two turns worth of actions in one turn. That race with quicken and sudden metamagic can fire 6 or 8 spells a turn if its hasted.

Haste doesn't allow you to cast more spells, unlike it did in 3.0. You may be referring to the Fiend Folio's Chronotyryn, which don't have a listed LA, and are thus not available for playing. Shapechange into that form gets you the double actions.

[Thurbane]

Ah, Chronotyryn. I was thinking some kind of Dvanti/Kenku Hybrid for a moment.

[(Un)Inspired]

Ah, Chronotyryn. I was thinking some kind of Dvanti/Kenku Hybrid for a moment.

I have no idea why but for some reason your comment made me think of the racist crows from Dumbo.

[Vogonjeltz]

Make sure to get turned into a Necropolitan by a Level 8 Dread Necromancer, with the feats Corpsecrafter, Bolster Resistance, Nimble Bones, and Hardened Flesh, who has a Deadwalker's Ring, and an altar to an evil god.

+2 Natural Armor
+4 Initiative
+10' land speed
+4 Enhancement to Strength
+4 Enhancement to Dexterity
+6 Hit points per hit dice, with a D12 hit dice (average 6.5 base)
+4 Turn Resistance
Undead type
Necropolitan racial features

Given that levels are an abstract concept, how will he find someone level 8 plus?

[JDL]

With a kickass backstory, that's how.

Second the recommendation to take Outsider type if you can. Aasimar or Tiefling are typical choices with +1 LA, or if you're looking for a fun LA +0 race take a glance at Deep Imaskari (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20031003b) with the Otherworldly (http://dndtools.eu/feats/players-guide-to-faerun--22/otherworldly--2102/) regional feat. They're pretty much built to be wizards, with +2 racial Int bonus for -2 to Dex, and a spell clutch that lets you recast a level 1 spell once per day. A great roleplaying race if your campaign happens to occur in Forgotten Realms.

[paddyfool]

Could an Elan wizard have similar fun via its Aberration type?

[JDL]

Could an Elan wizard have similar fun via its Aberration type?

Aberration would be less useful for Polymorph shenanigans, though it's certainly useful for a bit of fun with Alter Self. Still, being an Outsider type gives you huge advantages when you can access a range of big nasties out of the monster manual. Even simple things like skill bonuses can make a difference. It's fun to combine the Chain Devil's +8 to craft checks involving metal with a Fabricate spell. Makes some of the high CR traps in the DMG easily accessible, even with no skill ranks in Craft (trapmaking) and all as a standard action (assuming the creativity amuses the DM enough to let you use the enemy's weapons as the material components for the trap).

[Darrin]

Some gnome subraces to consider:

Arcane Gnomes (Dragon Magazine #291)
-2 Str, +2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Wis
UMD is always a class skill
Loses speak w/ animal
Favored Class: Wizard

Tinker Gnomes (Dragonlance Campaign Setting)
+2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Str, -2 Wis
+2 racial bonus on Craft (Alchemy), and another +2 racial bonus on either all Craft checks, all Profession checks, or all Knowledge checks
+2 racial bonus on Will saves
Favored Class: Class taken at 1st level becomes favored.