Armored Wizard (A quickbuild for a standard support wizard)

[Deadandamnation]

Hi everyone, I'd like some ratings about that build, and someone could draw inspiration from my charachter for it's personal use.

Eladrin Elf Cleric 1/ Wizard X

Stats: (27 pt buy) Str 8, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 8

1 st) Light Domain Cleric (Medium Armor-Chain Shirt and Shield, 10 HP, 17 AC, Warding Flare 2/rest, Misty Step 1/day)
Spells: Bless for the party and Sacred Flame to attack.

2nd) Wizard
Firebolt or Ray of Frost to attack.
Bless, Sleep, Shield and Grease. Find Familiar as a ritual to help someone attack

3rd) Wizard (Divination Tradition: Portent 2/day)

4th) Invisibility (Become Misty Step), Levitate.

5th) +2 Int (18) (Buy a Breastplate AC 18)
Mirror Image, Scorching Ray.

6th) Fireball, Hypnotic Pattern

7th) Expert Divination. Counterspell, Animate Dead

8th) Polymorph, Arcane Eye

9th) +2 Int (20). Black Tentacles, Greater Invisibility.

10th) Animate Object, Wall of Force

11th) Tradition: Third Eye.

13th) Feat: Alertness

15th) Portent 3/day. Forcecage.

Usually the campaign that I play end between 13th and 16th level so I have not completed the full progression and that kind of pg Is made to work as it's best into the mid levels.

For sure the motivation for him to abandon his religious life to find the answers into the weave study are more important than is optimisation but anyone will find his motives.

[Talamare]

Why are you bothering with 14 Wis?
Just go 8 or something, get 15 Str and get Heavy Armor and walk around with 20 AC

[Deadandamnation]

Wis 14 is because it's more a "Wizard stats" than Str, you get 2 uses of Warding Flare that's a good defensive option at low levels and you can be stealthy.

The higher Str score could be good if carrying capacity is a problem and to resist from grapple or such, but you have misty step to stay away from danger or escape from a bad spot.

Anyway you have made a good point ad could work either way.

[Hikarizu]

Why are you bothering with 14 Wis?
He needs at least 13 to multiclass out of cleric.

[GraakosGraakos]

Why don't you just go Mountain Dwarf and have medium armor instead of multiclassing.

[JackPhoenix]

Why don't you just go Mountain Dwarf and have medium armor instead of multiclassing.

Roleplay reasons? And dwarf doesn't give shield proficiency.

[Slipperychicken]

Remember to prepare healing word or cure wounds. It can be really nice when you need to get someone back up. And if you're desperate for healing, you can cast the latter with higher spell slots when desired, though it is inefficient.


Taking wizard levels doesn't mean abandoning the religious life. I'm playing a Cleric1/Wizard6 right now, and he's even more pious than our paladin is. It's a matter of figuring out the actual reasons and ideology justifying your character's devotion to the divine, and showing that off in play.

Also, recognize that divine gifts can include skill in other arts, which does not disqualify members of other classes from being religious. A fighter or a rogue can absolutely see their talents (or the opportunity to learn them) as god-given, even if they don't wield healing spells or other magic. And even if someone does not believe their abilities are divine in origin, that doesn't stop them from adhering to religious ideology and practices.

[Deadandamnation]

Why don't you just go Mountain Dwarf and have medium armor instead of multiclassing.

Because the selling point isn't medium armor, that's just one of the benefits that come from the dip of Cleric 1.

And Mountain Dwarf don't make great wizards because:

1) You can't start with 16 Int
2) Your base speed is low
3) Str is a dump stat

Elf and Gnomes instead:

1) Dex is a good stat
2) You can start with 16 Int
3) Your base speed is normal or you get the small size benefit

If you don't want medium armor, you can simply start with 16 Dex (thanks to a +2 from both classes) and keep Mage Armor up all day long (16 AC).

But as a 1 lvl Cleric instead you can:
Wear a shield and medium armor for 18 AC without spending spell slots on Mage Armor and on top of that be able to cast Bless (that's amazing if you don't focus your spell selection only on concentration spells), Heal sometimes and you got a Divine Power that can be great in the right circumstances (and saves you slot for castin Shield)

[PoeticDwarf]

Why are you bothering with 14 Wis?
Just go 8 or something, get 15 Str and get Heavy Armor and walk around with 20 AC

You need 13+ wis to multiclass out of cleric

[Lines]

Why not just go variant human fighter 1/wizard x str 15 dex 8 con 16 int 16 wis 8 cha 8 and take lucky? Con save proficiency, 21 AC, the option for a second fighter level for an extra action and a bonus feat which will let you ignore any save weaknesses you have.

[Deadandamnation]

Why not just go variant human fighter 1/wizard x str 15 dex 8 con 16 int 16 wis 8 cha 8 and take lucky? Con save proficiency, 21 AC, the option for a second fighter level for an extra action and a bonus feat which will let you ignore any save weaknesses you have.

It's a good alternative, and probably than you'll need 2 fighter levels for Action Surge after have taken a few wizard levels.

I consider Variant Human too powerful for any class so I usually ignore his existance by default :)

But we can do the same with Eladrin that way:

Eladrin Elf Fighter 1/Wizard X->Fighter 2/Wizard 18

Str 10 Dex 16 Cos 14 Int 16 Wis 10 Cha 8
AC 19 (Mage Armor or Medium Armor, Shield, Defensive Fighter Feature)

Basically Con and Str saves that's great, +1 to AC and some HP. And eventually A-Surge.

But at what cost?

1 or 2 Caster Levels, Bless and Warding Flare, Wis Save proficency...

Well...both are good in my opinion, thanks for the suggestion.

[djreynolds]

The thing about being an armored caster is you will need war caster, unless your DM will allow you to go with a real shield and weaponless.

Dwarves are good and bad, as no matter their strength score they can use heavy armor and can forgo dex as well with plate or chainmail. But they will be behind the intelligence curve til 12th or 16th depending on war caster.

[Edenbeast]

The thing about being an armored caster is you will need war caster, unless your DM will allow you to go with a real shield and weaponless.

Dwarves are good and bad, as no matter their strength score they can use heavy armor and can forgo dex as well with plate or chainmail. But they will be behind the intelligence curve til 12th or 16th depending on war caster.

Wearing armor does not require war caster, it only requires proficiency with the type of armor you want to wear. You need war caster if you think of going in melee much (and want to use spells for opportunity attacks), or when you find yourself needing a lot of saves to keep concentration, or when you want to cast spells with both hands occupied (e.g. shield and weapon).

Any race can be a good wizard.

[djreynolds]

Wearing armor does not require war caster, it only requires proficiency with the type of armor you want to wear. You need war caster if you think of going in melee much (and want to use spells for opportunity attacks), or when you find yourself needing a lot of saves to keep concentration, or when you want to cast spells with both hands occupied (e.g. shield and weapon).

Any race can be a good wizard.

But it looks like he will be mixing up in melee, and wants to wield a shield. So he may need war caster earlier rather than later, or ask his DM if he can go weaponless and just wield a shield.

I only bring up dwarves because they can get away with wearing heavy armor but not needing a 14 or 15 in strength and that can be a big deal during creation, but dwarves will be behind one point in intelligence and that can hurt spell attack and DCs.

[GWJ_DanyBoy]

But it looks like he will be mixing up in melee, and wants to wield a shield. So he may need war caster earlier rather than later, or ask his DM if he can go weaponless and just wield a shield.

I only bring up dwarves because they can get away with wearing heavy armor but not needing a 14 or 15 in strength and that can be a big deal during creation, but dwarves will be behind one point in intelligence and that can hurt spell attack and DCs.

Why do you need to ask your DM? Shield + Free hand + component pouch or ready access to a focus is perfectly acceptable for casting any spell. Use cantrips for your at-will attacks, like nearly every other caster.

[Dimcair]

Why do you need to ask your DM? Shield + Free hand + component pouch or ready access to a focus is perfectly acceptable for casting any spell. Use cantrips for your at-will attacks, like nearly every other caster.

True dat. Who considers a guy who throws fire with his bare hands unarmed.... Quarterstaff works too, why not a shield.

[Oramac]

Why do you need to ask your DM? Shield + Free hand + component pouch or ready access to a focus is perfectly acceptable for casting any spell. Use cantrips for your at-will attacks, like nearly every other caster.

This. My Tempest Sorcerer uses a shield and an open hand for casting, no problem. I do typically try to stay out of melee, but even if I do get stuck in melee, that's what Shocking Grasp is for.

[djreynolds]

This. My Tempest Sorcerer uses a shield and an open hand for casting, no problem. I do typically try to stay out of melee, but even if I do get stuck in melee, that's what Shocking Grasp is for.


Why do you need to ask your DM? Shield + Free hand + component pouch or ready access to a focus is perfectly acceptable for casting any spell. Use cantrips for your at-will attacks, like nearly every other caster.

I think clerics can use their shield as a holy symbol (divine focus) but a wizard with a shield may still need a free hand for arcane focus and another for somatic (wiggling fingers). War caster just means now I can use a shield and weapon and cast arcane spells.

It becomes a case of rules lawyering and war caster fixes it, as one put it "a feat tax". But well worth it for +2 AC and using spells for opportunity attacks.

I think because since a shield cannot be disarmed and to don and doff it requires an action that it inhibits spell casting, no free interact with object there. A staff can be leaned on the chest or actually be your arcane focus, but only divine casters can use a shield as their arcane focus.

I don't know the exact answer, just know that war caster solves it, so its a "tax"

[MeeposFire]

I think the hand that uses the material component (or focus) can also do the somatic components.

[Deadandamnation]

Since you can draw a weapon as a part of an attack action I'll rule that you can draw material components as part of an action, the spells that require a focus don't require material components or at least that's how I rule it.

Regarding Warcaster it let you cast spells like Booming Blade while dual wielding or sword and boarding. That kind of spells that require you to do both action in the same time: Casting and Attacking.