The Ingredient is Divination Wizard

[MukkTB]

Portent looks fun. The question is how to use it. I'm considering Cleric 1 (mostly for armor proficiency) / Wizard 19. Fighter 1 or 2 / Wizard 18+ seems possible. Alternatively Wizard 2 / Something else 18 is the other way to roll with it. I'd like a caster, but would prefer some proficiency with armor. Lets assume maxing a single casting stat, but not a secondary one so that there are a lot of free feats to play with. I actually tend to want the cleric spell list a bit more than the wizard list because I dig radiant damage and I like being able to do heals, resurrections, and undead. I like the arcane recovery mechanic, and would feel pretty comfortable making the most use of it with frequent rests, but that would definitely require going mostly wizard.

How does the playground feel it is best to utilize Wizard 2 (Diviner)?

[Likantropos]

You ain't going solo, do you? (Heard it's bad for your eyes) Diviner wizard synergizes with everything, especislly if that everything is provided by the rest of the party. In my experience, portent loves three things: save-or-suck spells when you roll low, social skills when you roll high, paladins when you roll 20. Considering this, the best advice I can give is: go full wizard and let the party do the rest. Second best advice would be: wizard 2/bard X. Gives you full casting, armor prof and a bunch of skills to abuse portents when it's your out -of-dungeon day.

[MukkTB]

Small group 1-3 with DMs who play monsters intelligently so I have no desire to try being the squishy caster. Some amount of shell is needed.

[Jlooney]

Portent looks fun. The question is how to use it. I'm considering Cleric 1 (mostly for armor proficiency) / Wizard 19. Fighter 1 or 2 / Wizard 18+ seems possible. Alternatively Wizard 2 / Something else 18 is the other way to roll with it. I'd like a caster, but would prefer some proficiency with armor. Lets assume maxing a single casting stat, but not a secondary one so that there are a lot of free feats to play with. I actually tend to want the cleric spell list a bit more than the wizard list because I dig radiant damage and I like being able to do heals, resurrections, and undead. I like the arcane recovery mechanic, and would feel pretty comfortable making the most use of it with frequent rests, but that would definitely require going mostly wizard.

How does the playground feel it is best to utilize Wizard 2 (Diviner)?

Why not go wiz 6 cleric x. It gives everything you want with all the tastey wizard spells

[silveralen]

Small group 1-3 with DMs who play monsters intelligently so I have no desire to try being the squishy caster. Some amount of shell is needed.

Well... I need more information.

1. Character generation, how is it happening (if rolling, do you have the stats now?)

2. What do you see this character doing both in and out of combat.

3. What has you sold on wizard (divination) 2 so strongly? I ask because you literally picked the squishiest class in the game in 5e, literally every other spell caster (including a few types of wizard) are tougher.

The class feature is neat and all, but it honestly sounds like you want to play cleric or bard. In which case you'd probably be better off just playing one straight.

[Likantropos]

Mage armor, mirror image, blur, fog cloud, darkness... The casters are far from squishy, when played well. But I see your point. In a small party a wizard does not seem all-round competent enough. Which makes bard even better choice for a second class.

[MukkTB]

#1 Standard point buy.

#2 Mostly I see a generic magic user; a blast spell on occasion, a bunch of utility, phenomenal cosmic power. Skills and such can be fluffed once the basic chassis is together, but I do see spending a lot of time outside of combat doing rp stuff, and when it comes to combat, that combat being desperate nasty affairs.

#3A Wizard is a squishy chassis, that's why I'm thinking of dipping level 1 in a tougher chassis to get started with. That would put me one level behind in wizard casting, but nicely shore up the squishy bit.
#3B I like the flavor of temporal magic. I like how divination is considered a viable school. I like the idea of unstoppable save or sucks. Beyond that, arcane recovery looks nifty.

[silveralen]

Then either grab the light armor feat as a human (AC 15 to start) or a one level dip in cleric would be best if you want to play wizard.

On the other hand it sounds like you'd enjoy bard more. Just not many ways to make diviner two pay off.

[Perseus]

Dwarven Wizard is always good for something like this if you have the right starting stats... And really you don't need a super high Int mod for saves/attacks since you could easily get by with a +2 until you hit an ASI.

Fluff your foresight as "Aye lad, the earth told me you were about to do that" or something like that.