Conjurer Wizard Advice

[Coidzor]

So I'm sort of overwhelmed by choice right now, though several of them would be laying down groundwork for a feat I'd actually want at 3rd or 6th level, and am half-tempted to just give up an grab Improved Initiative, since I can't take the UA Fighter feat variant to trade out Scribe Scroll for Improved Init, and Spell Focus Conjuration to grab Cloudy Conjuration at 3rd level.

Can anyone convince me otherwise?

I've got a 6 Str, 16 Int Human Wizard Conjuration Specialist right now.

Fluffwise he was raised by dwarfs and expelled from wizard school at the age of 17 for an unfortunate incident involving the Dean's daughter's pet dog that was going to be her familiar or I'd have given up and chosen Collegiate Wizard as one of my "**** it, I give up" feats. I know, I know, it was probably a poor choice to go with that but I was put on the spot and cornered into having to come up with something based upon what little I could glean from 5 minutes of conversation with the other players when I found out we weren't playing the game I already had a character for.

Edit: Booklist is all 3.5, save for Unearthed Arcana at the moment.

Edit:
My (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?393937-Good-Familiars-to-choose-if-you-have-to-hunt-them-down-in-game) Wizard (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?394409-Feats-to-actually-go-with-at-first-level-for-a-Wizard) is currently back in having some downtime to deal with, and now that we've had a major NPC introduced who is explicitly a privateer captain of his own ship, it's seeming increasingly likely that I'm going to have some significant ship-based downtime to make use of and possibly some adventuring since the DM mentioned pirates and now the rest of the group of players is fairly gungho about going to hunt down some pirates, though this may pass, we'll see.

Right now I've got Scribe Scroll, partially due to the fighter bonus feat wizard ACF (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizard) being disallowed. I figure I might as well make some scrolls since I have the ability, but I'm not quite sure how to prioritize what scrolls to make at the moment and when I get 2nd level spells in a level. Or what spells to learn so that I can make myself a few scrolls of them and then replenish that scroll supply on my own as needed.

Current spellbook contents:
All 0th (except Enchantment/Necromancy?):
I just realized that Caltrops is a 0th level spell so I'm kicking myself for not grabbing Cloudy Conjuration after all.
Nothing really stands out as far as potential goes here, though, so I've been leaving them half-filled with a detect magic and prestidigitation and an "oh noes, ACID SPLASH!" panic button

1st level:

Enlarge Person (Useless for our main warforged Crusader/Warblade tank, may be useful on the melee Druid to some extent, though? We'll see if the Cleric and Paladin players rejoin us or not. Lost our Barbarian player, unfortunately)
Color Spray
Grease
Feather Fall
Identify (taken when joining because they'd managed to botch finding a wizard at an entire wizard school who could cast Identify for them, also, hey, it's Identify)
Silent Image (so far I've used it to OK effect to give a minor penalty to some kobolds with javelins and to keep them from all closing with us at once, though it seems that they wouldn't have anyway because the DM had caught on to the warforged's ability to control the territory around him. Any suggestions for notable threads about how to think outside of the box and communicate how one's thinking about illusions to one's DM? Or just food for thought? So far I'm thinking the next thing to try is to do something like fog or a fake wall of smoke but that looks dangerous somehow?)
Benign Transposition
Protection From Evil
Repair Light Damage(copied from a scroll bought in town during our second boat ride, taken because, oh, right, I'm the only one with the ability to heal the warforged in the event he gets dropped.)
Mage Armor(copied from scroll bought in town during our second boat ride



Currently I have scrolls of Summon Monster I and Obscuring Mist. The next leg of the ship ride I should be able to scribe those into my spellbook and then I plan to get Wall of Smoke in the next town, but I'm not sure what to get next, I'll probably not get 2nd level spells until another session or two, though, as I'm about 1400 XP in after 3. Things have been a bit combat-light, partially because we managed to avoid half of a dungeon's worth of fights.

I'm honestly kind of struggling to remember what spells I can potentially sell to others, beyond Identify, I'll be able to borrow a gander at Stormwrack soon so I'll double check there for anything to be on the lookout for in terms of nautical things I can do as a wizard since it looks like we're going to be on a boat fairly regularly.

Getting gear has been a bit interesting so far, partially because our DM artificially limited what we could get this last shopping trip because he realized that the loot table he'd been using was higher level than us so we ended up with a haul of 3000 gp each upon hitting 2nd level.

Thankfully that's only a little bit ahead of where we'd be upon hitting 3rd level, so I don't think we're going to have to deal with *too* much to compensate that, but... It has made me consider potentially taking Craft Wondrous Item or otherwise getting some access to crafting feats, which has made me sorta wish I was an Artificer instead.

Currently I've got a reach-weapon crusader/warblade that's looking like he wants to continue juggling those two base classes for the most part, a bow-wielding ranger who may be looking to do mounted archery on a flying mount, a bow-wielding rogue, and the Druid who is still primarily acting as a melee combatant and can't wait to get a bear animal companion, but we'll see how her playstyle changes as she gets more spells, since she'd been misled as to the base capabilities of Druids after playing in a friend's heavily houseruled into oblivion game where Druids got spells at 2nd or 3rd level but could just heal and speak to animals at-will.

So I need something to provide battlefield control to funnel opponents to the warforged/keep the warforged from just getting swamped or bypassed while also avoiding making it so that my ranged attackers don't have anything to shoot at or are hampered by my spells. Web and Entangle seem like obvious choices, though we've been in a fair number of vegetation-less environments so far and only the Druid can cast Entangle, though I have suggested it as an excellent choice OOC, and, well, I don't gots no Webs yet. Grease is mostly fine if they balance but are flat-footed, but it seems like I'm missing something, even as I'm digging through suggested spells and various books to check spells for myself.

Or maybe I'm thinking about my resources*cough*partymembers*cough* and spells in the wrong way here. :smallconfused:

[Troacctid]

You don't need Spell Focus (Conjuration) to take Cloudy Conjuration, since you're a specialist conjurer. So you could just take Cloudy Conjuration.

[theUnearther]

Yes, improved initiative is a decent "you mean I HAVE to take something?" option.

Some suggestions, bearing in mind that you've not mentioned any booklists:
A little metamagic, depending on what spells you have.
Reserve feats would give you staying power and free some resources, to give you more versatility. Again, depends on what spells you take and/or are willing to keep in reserve.
Some devotion feats could be useful. Knowledge is a staple, and travel is very good.
You said he's an adopted dwarf. Is there a dwarven heritage and/or is it any good?
Maybe a dash of other subsystems? The truenaming healing is actually pretty good. At first. I don't remember if you'd qualify with a single feat, though. And martial arts are great for everyone, but they really shouldn't be taken at first level.
There is always Wild Cohort, or maybe Improved Familiar. Familiars are pretty crap though, as far as pets go.
Dunno, you could go for something weird. A graft or something. It's not like a wizard NEEDS his feats, relatively speaking.

[Coidzor]

You don't need Spell Focus (Conjuration) to take Cloudy Conjuration, since you're a specialist conjurer. So you could just take Cloudy Conjuration.

Oh. Right. Wow. I misread the heck out of that. :smallredface: Thanks for catching that. :smallbiggrin:

[Coidzor]

Yes, improved initiative is a decent "you mean I HAVE to take something?" option.

Some suggestions, bearing in mind that you've not mentioned any booklists:
A little metamagic, depending on what spells you have.
Reserve feats would give you staying power and free some resources, to give you more versatility. Again, depends on what spells you take and/or are willing to keep in reserve.
Some devotion feats could be useful. Knowledge is a staple, and travel is very good.
You said he's an adopted dwarf. Is there a dwarven heritage and/or is it any good?
Maybe a dash of other subsystems? The truenaming healing is actually pretty good. At first. I don't remember if you'd qualify with a single feat, though. And martial arts are great for everyone, but they really shouldn't be taken at first level.
There is always Wild Cohort, or maybe Improved Familiar. Familiars are pretty crap though, as far as pets go.
Dunno, you could go for something weird. A graft or something. It's not like a wizard NEEDS his feats, relatively speaking.

Sorry about that, every 3.5 source but UA at the moment to the best of my knowledge from discussing with the DM prior.

I should've grabbed Wild Cohort, but since I played the first session without feats I'd have to RP out getting the Wild Cohort, I believe, and I already believe that I have to RP out getting my familiar once I can afford the ritual (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?393937-Good-Familiars-to-choose-if-you-have-to-hunt-them-down-in-game). Which I guess I can right now, actually, since we got our first quest reward last session.

[Coidzor]

So right now it's looking like Cloudy Conjuration and Improved Initiative or Knowledge: Devotion, then.

[herrhauptmann]

KNowledge devotion probably wont' do much for you.
With 6 strength, I bet you'renot going into melee. How often are you planning to use rays to deal damage?

[theUnearther]

Can't you share your knowledge devotion bonuses? Or was that just the Archivist?

[Chambers]

Knowledge Devotion requires 5 ranks anyway, can't take it at first level.

One idea is to take Shape Soulmeld: Mage's Spectacles. You get a +4 insight bonus to Decipher Script, Spellcraft, and Use Mage Device and can use them untrained. UMD on a Wizard isn't a horrible deal and will help you throughout your entire wizarding career.

[Harrow]

KNowledge devotion probably wont' do much for you.
With 6 strength, I bet you'renot going into melee. How often are you planning to use rays to deal damage?

Knowledge devotion doesn't give you a damage bonus on attacks, it gives you a bonus on attack rolls and also on damage rolls. By strict RAW, it works on non-weaponlike spells, and I've played in actual games where that ruling has been upheld.

Still can't take it at first level though.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Faerie Mysteries Initiate from Dragon 319 page 58, unless you have a Con score of 14+. It's a Greyhawk regional feat, but it's tagged as a general feat. It demonstrates knowledge of timeless secrets of self-improving rites of grace and passion. You pick one of four modes for the feat, find a partner who also has the feat to engage in a specific type of act to activate that mode, and you gain its benefits until you switch to a different mode via the same means. You can just say that you put the feat into the 'passions' mode years ago and will never change it, which allows you to use your Int bonus instead of your Con bonus when determining bonus hit points.

You can trade your Wizard 5 bonus feat for a domain power via the ACF in CC, which can get you the Time domain's granted power, which is Improved Initiative. So maybe wait until then to get that, unless you need that feat for a metamagic or item creation feat. If you need to put a metamagic feat at Wizard 5 and Extend Spell will do, then you can use that same ACF to get the Planning domain's granted power, even if you've replaced your Wizard bonus feats with the Fighter bonus feat list, since you still have a bonus feat at 5th level to replace. If that's the only thing holding you back from the Fighter feat variant, then it still works out for you.

[Darrin]

Ok, you're skipping Spell Focus: Conjuration, so you're not interested in Augment Summoning? Do you want more of a blaster-type conjurer?

Hmm. If you take Cloudy Conjuration at 1st, then maybe Acidic Splatter (Complete Mage) at 3rd. Otherwise, I'd consider Sudden Extend with Energy Substitution at 5th/6th.

[DarkSonic1337]

Collegiate Wizard? get 4 spells per level instead of 2 in case your DM is stingy on letting you acquire spells.

[Teh_das]

you're looking for the martial wizard variant out of UA. There's a separate section after alternate classes that is "Variant class features."

also, it would help to let us know where you want to build. spell focus conjuration sucks, but it gets you augment summoning. Which is awesome.

[Troacctid]

The UA Conjurer variant gets Augment Summoning instead of Scribe Scroll.

I wouldn't call it "awesome" though. It's an okay feat, but it's nothing special.

[Inevitability]

Precocious Apprentice hasn't been mentioned yet? HERESY! I take it whenever I have a feat available to do so.

[Max Caysey]

Take the meta-magic feat invisible spell, now all your summoned monsters are invisible when they arrive!

[Xerlith]

So I assume you really, really want that familiar? Because, you know, Abrupt Jaunt.

[Coidzor]

KNowledge devotion probably wont' do much for you.
With 6 strength, I bet you'renot going into melee. How often are you planning to use rays to deal damage?

Yeah, not without some kind of polymorph effect, so we'll see in a few levels.


Can't you share your knowledge devotion bonuses? Or was that just the Archivist?

Archivist's Dark Knowledge or Forbidden Knowledge acts sorta like Knowledge Devotion for the whole party, IIRC. AFAIK, there's no way to share it.


Knowledge Devotion requires 5 ranks anyway, can't take it at first level.

One idea is to take Shape Soulmeld: Mage's Spectacles. You get a +4 insight bonus to Decipher Script, Spellcraft, and Use Mage Device and can use them untrained. UMD on a Wizard isn't a horrible deal and will help you throughout your entire wizarding career.

Ah, right. I'm dumb. Thanks for pointing that out.

Good point on Mage's Spectacles, I'll definitely check up on that.


Faerie Mysteries Initiate from Dragon 319 page 58, unless you have a Con score of 14+. It's a Greyhawk regional feat, but it's tagged as a general feat. It demonstrates knowledge of timeless secrets of self-improving rites of grace and passion. You pick one of four modes for the feat, find a partner who also has the feat to engage in a specific type of act to activate that mode, and you gain its benefits until you switch to a different mode via the same means. You can just say that you put the feat into the 'passions' mode years ago and will never change it, which allows you to use your Int bonus instead of your Con bonus when determining bonus hit points.

Yeah, wouldn't really fit with my backstory, unfortunately, and my Constitution is 15 and my Int is 16, too. Str 6, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 14.

He's got a bit of an anti-elven bias from being raised by a family of dwarfs and having some elven features manifest during puberty. He's around 1/16th-or-so at present.

But good point, thank you. If I'd dumped Constitution instead of Strength I'd have definitely gone with FMI.


You can trade your Wizard 5 bonus feat for a domain power via the ACF in CC, which can get you the Time domain's granted power, which is Improved Initiative. So maybe wait until then to get that, unless you need that feat for a metamagic or item creation feat. If you need to put a metamagic feat at Wizard 5 and Extend Spell will do, then you can use that same ACF to get the Planning domain's granted power, even if you've replaced your Wizard bonus feats with the Fighter bonus feat list, since you still have a bonus feat at 5th level to replace. If that's the only thing holding you back from the Fighter feat variant, then it still works out for you.

Ah, good point. I'll keep that in mind.

No-go on the Fighter bonus feat list though, sorry I thought I'd said that. We're not using any Unearthed Arcana ACFs or anything right now.


Ok, you're skipping Spell Focus: Conjuration, so you're not interested in Augment Summoning? Do you want more of a blaster-type conjurer?

Hmm. If you take Cloudy Conjuration at 1st, then maybe Acidic Splatter (Complete Mage) at 3rd. Otherwise, I'd consider Sudden Extend with Energy Substitution at 5th/6th.

I'm really not interested in Summoning *unless* I can get a way to shorten the casting time. Which, I suppose Uncanny Forethought would work for, if I took Summon Monster for Spell Mastery or were high enough level that the -2 CL wasn't something I cared about... come to think of it. :smallredface: Is there another route for avoiding 1 round casting times for summons? I tend to shy away from them because I *really* don't want to try to place them and then have everyone and everything move so that my summoned monsters are placed crappily.

I should look into Sudden metamagic, since I'd forgotten all about it. Thank you. :smallredface: And I'm starting to suspect that maybe a Reserve feat would be a good thing to have, going off of the last two fights we had where I threw down a Silent Image of a wall of stone to break up the battlefield and then spent the rest of both combats plinking away with my crossbow.


Collegiate Wizard? get 4 spells per level instead of 2 in case your DM is stingy on letting you acquire spells.

I'm only not going with that one because I'm putting fluff over crunch.

Embarrassing, I know.

Hopefully the DM isn't too stingy on letting us acquire spells. We're either going to be sitting pretty with loot after this last session or we're going to have something that'll act as a gold sink, so we'll see how available scrolls are next session, I think.


you're looking for the martial wizard variant out of UA. There's a separate section after alternate classes that is "Variant class features."

also, it would help to let us know where you want to build. spell focus conjuration sucks, but it gets you augment summoning. Which is awesome.

Martial Wizard variant, right. Thanks. I always am lousy with the proper names for ACFs and Variant classes. :smallredface:

Augment Summoning is pretty cool, yeah. I'm just leery of summoning without being a malconvoker or a binder/anima mage with Zceryll or whatever the Summon Alien online Vestige is called, I guess.


The UA Conjurer variant gets Augment Summoning instead of Scribe Scroll.

I wouldn't call it "awesome" though. It's an okay feat, but it's nothing special.

I'm more interested in Abrupt Jaunt as far as alternate things to get as a Conjurer. I can still use Scribe Scroll though, since I know I'll get a few days here and there of downtime from what the other players who've got a few sessions on me and the session I played before I'd assigned feats(was just RPing and some skill challenge investigations).


Precocious Apprentice hasn't been mentioned yet? HERESY! I take it whenever I have a feat available to do so.

I was considering that but I couldn't decide what second level spell to take so I threw up my hands and curled into the fetal position in despair. Also probably another example of where I'm being dumb and putting backstory fluff ahead of character competence.


Take the meta-magic feat invisible spell, now all your summoned monsters are invisible when they arrive!

Oh. Good point. It'd be even more appealing if I'd gone illusionist, I think. Some Invisible Walls of Stone or Walls of Iron might be interesting, too.

It'd be best if there was a way to cut down on an Invisible Summon Monster's casting time, though.


So I assume you really, really want that familiar? Because, you know, Abrupt Jaunt.

I think I want one. As for really, really wanting one... That I'm less sure on.

I'll definitely run Abrupt Jaunt by the DM, though. Part of me thinks that maybe I shouldn't, though, because I think the Adamantine plated Warforged Crusader threw him for a loop and he's still having to adapt to that after having gotten used to playing Pathfinder for a while before moving back to DMing 3.5.

[Darrin]

Good point on Mage's Spectacles, I'll definitely check up on that.


Great soulmeld, but even a small dash of incarnum can be off-putting to DMs that aren't familiar with it.



I'm really not interested in Summoning *unless* I can get a way to shorten the casting time.


The easiest method is not available: Rapid Summoning (Ex) is in UA. Arcane spellsurge (Dragon Magic) is all flavors of awesomesauce, but not available until ECL 13ish. There are other methods, but they're item-based:

1) Golden Desert Honey (300 GP, Complete Mage). Kinda pricey at early levels, but shortens the casting time on summons from 1 round to 1 standard action. You can cut the cost a bit by using Chaos Flasks (100 GP, Planar Handbook) to create this stuff.

2) Chronocharm of the Uncaring Archmage (500 GP, MIC). 1/day cast a spell of 3rd level or lower with a 1 round casting time as a standard action. Unfortunately, it has a 24-hour attunement thingy, so carrying a bunch of duplicates doesn't help.

3) Various spell-storing methods: Glyph Seal, Skull Talisman, Chardalyn, etc.





I was considering that but I couldn't decide what second level spell to take so I threw up my hands and curled into the fetal position in despair.


Glitterdust or cloud of bewilderment (Spell Compendium).

[Coidzor]

Great soulmeld, but even a small dash of incarnum can be off-putting to DMs that aren't familiar with it.

Aye, I'll just have to see, is all. :smallsmile:


The easiest method is not available: Rapid Summoning (Ex) is in UA. Arcane spellsurge (Dragon Magic) is all flavors of awesomesauce, but not available until ECL 13ish. There are other methods, but they're item-based:

Alas! Uncanny Forethought's looking better, though it'll be 6th level before I can grab it the way things look. Still, something I'll keep in mind.


1) Golden Desert Honey (300 GP, Complete Mage). Kinda pricey at early levels, but shortens the casting time on summons from 1 round to 1 standard action. You can cut the cost a bit by using Chaos Flasks (100 GP, Planar Handbook) to create this stuff.

Oh, right, I'll keep that in mind and see about acquiring some later on, then.


2) Chronocharm of the Uncaring Archmage (500 GP, MIC). 1/day cast a spell of 3rd level or lower with a 1 round casting time as a standard action. Unfortunately, it has a 24-hour attunement thingy, so carrying a bunch of duplicates doesn't help.

In that case that'll probably be the first 500 gp I spend after I hit 3rd level and get Summon Monster II.


3) Various spell-storing methods: Glyph Seal, Skull Talisman, Chardalyn, etc.

Hoo. I think I've only run into mention of Chardalyn once or twice before to the best of my recollection, where are those from? Actually, what are the sources on the other two as well, come to think of it? I can only remember the sources for schema(magic of eberron) and drow house insignia (drow of the underdark) offhand.


Glitterdust or cloud of bewilderment (Spell Compendium).

Right. Glitterdust. Wow. I can't believe I forgot to just go with Glitterdust. :smalleek:

[Gandariel]

You could take Precocious apprentice : Melf's acid Arrow, and the Acidic Splatter Reserve feat.

(Or similar things with other elements)

Really good on level one, free acid attacks that works better than a crossbow.

[Rebel7284]

You could take Precocious apprentice : Melf's acid Arrow, and the Acidic Splatter Reserve feat.

(Or similar things with other elements)

Really good on level one, free acid attacks that works better than a crossbow.

Really bad after level 1 though unless the DM is explicitly OK with retraining/psychic reformation.

[Darrin]

Hoo. I think I've only run into mention of Chardalyn once or twice before to the best of my recollection, where are those from?

Most of the rules for Chardalyn are in the Silver Marches Web Enhancement (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020719a), but no prices are given. Those are in Lords of Darkness (page 181).

Glyph Seal (1000 GP) and Greater Glyph Seal (4000 GP) are in the MIC.

Skull Talismans are in Frostburn.

Shalantha's delicate disk (which creates another type of spell-storing item) is a Sor/Wiz 6 spell that can be found in Lost Empires of Faerun.

[Gandariel]

Really bad after level 1 though unless the DM is explicitly OK with retraining/psychic reformation.

I would argue that it stays useful for quite a few levels.
2-3d6 at will, with an element type, it's just really useful to have in a practical environment.

Yeah, if you're thinking of your theoretical 20th level build this is suboptimal, but it's useful and fun when you actually DO play with the character.

[Zaq]

Are you going to be using orbs and other RTAs a lot? Sure, touch attacks are easier to make than non-touch attacks, but you still might want to pick up Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot, just because eating a –4 penalty on your attack rolls really kinda sucks. You've already got poor BAB and okay-but-not-great DEX, so your attack bonus isn't going to be very high to begin with (probably just +2 at level 1). Wouldn't you rather make it +2 (+3 within 30 ft) instead of –2?

[Rebel7284]

Do you know what level the game will likely end at? Are you aiming for any specific prestige class?

[Coidzor]

Are you going to be using orbs and other RTAs a lot? Sure, touch attacks are easier to make than non-touch attacks, but you still might want to pick up Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot, just because eating a –4 penalty on your attack rolls really kinda sucks. You've already got poor BAB and okay-but-not-great DEX, so your attack bonus isn't going to be very high to begin with (probably just +2 at level 1). Wouldn't you rather make it +2 (+3 within 30 ft) instead of –2?

With an Archery-focused ranger and an NPC archer Rogue accompanying the party, I'd prefer not to spend too much time on ranged damage dealing, though having a reliable shtick for after I've thrown up some BFC or summons would be nice.


Do you know what level the game will likely end at? Are you aiming for any specific prestige class?

No specific PrC in mind right now. I think we'll probably not get past level 9-10 before summer, but we may pick the game back up after summer in which case it could go to 20 or even mid-20s.


Most of the rules for Chardalyn are in the Silver Marches Web Enhancement (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20020719a), but no prices are given. Those are in Lords of Darkness (page 181).

Glyph Seal (1000 GP) and Greater Glyph Seal (4000 GP) are in the MIC.

Skull Talismans are in Frostburn.

Shalantha's delicate disk (which creates another type of spell-storing item) is a Sor/Wiz 6 spell that can be found in Lost Empires of Faerun.

Ah, thank you on all counts there. :smallsmile:

[incarnate236]

Is dragon magazine and/or Pathfinder ports allowed? I have a sorcerer built now with +13 initiative via a bonus granting familiar, the improved initiative feat, and dex bonus.

I always go first and that's all you need in many fights.

[Coidzor]

Is dragon magazine and/or Pathfinder ports allowed? I have a sorcerer built now with +13 initiative via a bonus granting familiar, the improved initiative feat, and dex bonus.

I always go first and that's all you need in many fights.

Tons of initiative is always fun, but I'm going to stay away from Initiative boosting familiars, and possibly Nerveskitter as well, with this DM to not overwhelm him, I think. :smallsmile:

[ericgrau]

Honestly as a level 1-4 caster I usually plan my feats for the future. There isn't much. I mean you could boost your spell save DC a little I guess. Improved initiative is ok but it's secondary to other options. I'd rather get whatever build you want online 3 levels sooner.

[Andion Isurand]

Knowledge Devotion requires 5 ranks anyway, can't take it at first level.

One idea is to take Shape Soulmeld: Mage's Spectacles. You get a +4 insight bonus to Decipher Script, Spellcraft, and Use Mage Device and can use them untrained. UMD on a Wizard isn't a horrible deal and will help you throughout your entire wizarding career.

What about taking the Able Learner feat (1st-level only, Races of Destiny) so you can buy cross-class skill ranks without penalty?
That way you can spread your ranks around and get a little Tumble in there too, so you can try to exit threatened areas without provoking.

[Flickerdart]

What about taking the Able Learner feat (1st-level only, Races of destiny) so you can buy cross-class skill ranks without penalty?

That way you can spread your ranks around and get a little Tumble in there too, so you can try to exit threatened areas without provoking.
With only 6 skill points per level, there's not really enough to go around for fancy skill-dipping once you've got the obligatory Spellcraft, Concentration, and Knowledges. Besides, he's getting Abrupt Jaunt.

You can always get started on the metamagic you plan to use later in your career, or something like Bloodline of Fire for a nice CL bonus so blasting spells actually do something worthwhile at your level.

[Andion Isurand]

As for getting Abrupt Jaunt approved.... perhaps you could borrow from the Flicker mystery (Tome of Magic 146) to try and balance it... so that using Abrupt Jaunt in response to an attack made (or effect used) against you, gives you only a 50% chance to avoid that attack or effect before the teleport takes effect.

If you did this, I could see increasing the range of Abrupt Jaunt to Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels).... or something similar.

[Chambers]

What about taking the Able Learner feat (1st-level only, Races of Destiny) so you can buy cross-class skill ranks without penalty?
That way you can spread your ranks around and get a little Tumble in there too, so you can try to exit threatened areas without provoking.

That still wouldn't allow you to break the skill ranks level cap (4 at 1st lvl, 5 at 2nd lvl, etc).

[KingSmitty]

Quick Draw.

I don't know why people don't take this feat. Sure, at an optimizing standpoint it isn't great, but it is essential to every single character I create, and for a wizard with all sorts of wands, potions, and other gadgets and goodies to use? It is one of the best utility feats out there.

[Flickerdart]

wands, potions, and other gadgets and goodies


Benefit: You can draw a weapon as a free action instead of as a move action.

You were saying?

[Zaq]

With an Archery-focused ranger and an NPC archer Rogue accompanying the party, I'd prefer not to spend too much time on ranged damage dealing, though having a reliable shtick for after I've thrown up some BFC or summons would be nice.

Yeah, having Precise Shot kind of does double duty in that regard, because not only does it make you better at using rays and orbs, but it also makes you actually competent with a crossbow for those times when you don't want to use a spell slot (or for when you've already had a sufficient magical effect on the battle but the fight isn't actually over yet).

Don't forget that there are plenty of rays that aren't just about damage. Some of the best debuff spells are rays, too, so even a debuff/control Wizard can be very happy to have Precise Shot.

I think it's a travesty that PBS/Precise Shot are so horribly required to do anything ranged in this system, but these are the rules we're working with, and it's not up to us to just ignore them.

[Coidzor]

Yeah, having Precise Shot kind of does double duty in that regard, because not only does it make you better at using rays and orbs, but it also makes you actually competent with a crossbow for those times when you don't want to use a spell slot (or for when you've already had a sufficient magical effect on the battle but the fight isn't actually over yet).

Don't forget that there are plenty of rays that aren't just about damage. Some of the best debuff spells are rays, too, so even a debuff/control Wizard can be very happy to have Precise Shot.

I think it's a travesty that PBS/Precise Shot are so horribly required to do anything ranged in this system, but these are the rules we're working with, and it's not up to us to just ignore them.

Yeah, we combined those feats in my old group, so taking them separately is even more painful. :/ But, yeah, good point.


Honestly as a level 1-4 caster I usually plan my feats for the future. There isn't much. I mean you could boost your spell save DC a little I guess. Improved initiative is ok but it's secondary to other options. I'd rather get whatever build you want online 3 levels sooner.

I knew there was something I was forgetting to do. Work out what I wanted to do with this guy. :V

Right. Time to start revisiting the handbooks and going through my books spell-by-spell. :smallsigh:

So far I've got Silent Image, Enlarge Person, Identify, Feather Fall, and Grease as spells in my book. Largely because I made this character entirely off the cuff and in 10 or 15 minutes, initially, and a large portion of that time was in getting a wi-fi connection so I could use d20srd.org. Ahh, coming prepared for one game and finding out that we're playing an entirely different one with a different DM.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Benefit: You can draw a weapon as a free action instead of as a move action.

You were saying?

Weapon = weapon-like object. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#draworSheatheaWeapon) If it's drawn and sheathed/stowed in the same manner as a weapon, you can quick-draw it.


Draw or Sheathe a Weapon

Drawing a weapon so that you can use it in combat, or putting it away so that you have a free hand, requires a move action. This action also applies to weapon-like objects carried in easy reach, such as wands. If your weapon or weapon-like object is stored in a pack or otherwise out of easy reach, treat this action as retrieving a stored item.

[Coidzor]

So I still haven't settled upon my final build objective, unfortunately, but I'm working on it and I think I'm basically in a toss-up between dipping Warlock and going Eldritch Theurge, dipping Effigy Master and having a bodyguard/mount and some flying mounts for strategic, overland movement, or going into Master Specialist > Archmage as the situation develops.

Mage of the Arcane Order seems cool, but I'm still getting a feel for how the DM would run that and so far it seems like it might be too restrictive until I have access to teleport, since losing spell pool access if one is further than a day's travel from the spell pool is... unpleasant.

I've updated the OP with what I'm currently grappling with, which is mostly whether I want to take up crafting (I'll talk that out with the DM, don't worry) or if I just want to get a better bead on what to scroll up on.

[Flickerdart]

Weapon = weapon-like object. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#draworSheatheaWeapon) If it's drawn and sheathed/stowed in the same manner as a weapon, you can quick-draw it.
You can draw weapon-like objects as a move action. Quick Draw's benefit only applies to weapons. It's like how melee and ranged attacks are both attacks but I can't bull rush with a bow.

[Darrin]

You can draw weapon-like objects as a move action. Quick Draw's benefit only applies to weapons.

OK, so... is there any indication in the rules about how to differentiate why a flask of acid or a wand doesn't count as a weapon, but a dagger or crossbow does?

(Seems more like a DM's Call or personal preference thing to me.)

[Flickerdart]

OK, so... is there any indication in the rules about how to differentiate why a flask of acid or a wand doesn't count as a weapon, but a dagger or crossbow does?

(Seems more like a DM's Call or personal preference thing to me.)
There's a big ol' table called "weapons" that's got weapons on it (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/weapons.htm). Wands are specifically called out as being weapon-like objects and not weapons, in addition to not being on that table. Acid flasks are alchemical items, also not weapons.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You can draw weapon-like objects as a move action. Quick Draw's benefit only applies to weapons. It's like how melee and ranged attacks are both attacks but I can't bull rush with a bow.

That's one way to interpret it. Another would be to take Quick-Draw as modifying the 'Draw or Sheathe a Weapon' combat action, which does include weapon-like objects.

[Coidzor]

I don't think I'm going to be taking Quick Draw, either way, sorry.

[Flickerdart]

That's one way to interpret it. Another would be to take Quick-Draw as modifying the 'Draw or Sheathe a Weapon' combat action, which does include weapon-like objects.
I don't see how that's a valid interpretation at all. Nowhere does the game conflate weapons with weapon-like objects. Quick Draw doesn't say "drawing things is a free action." It says "drawing weapons is a free action."