Gnomish Wizard Build for Curse of Strahd: Advice?

[rudy]

Hello All, I'm building a character for a party that is limited in spellcasters (no other primary casters). The campaign is Curse of Strahd. I'm certainly not looking for spoilers, but if you have any advice for the build with that in mind, I'm all ears.

Starting at level 2. Current build idea is:

Forest Gnome
Cleric (Knowledge) 1 / Wizard 1, with plans to level straight wizard going forward.
Cantrips: minor illusion (gnome), light, sacred flame, guidance, fire bolt, prestidigitation, mending. Another attack cantrip chosen at Wizard 4.
Str 9 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 16 Wis 14 Cha 8
Skills: Insight & Perception (Far Traveler), Investigation & History (Wizard), Expertise in Religion & Arcana (Knowledge Cleric)

Cleric gets me Healing Word, medium armor + shield (for starting AC 18), some other cleric spells and rituals, languages and two knowledge expertises, so I think it might be worth it.

Not sure what wizard specialization to pick up. Abjuration or Divination are the obvious choices. If I can't get anyone to play a healer of some kind, may have to go with Theurgist from Unearthed Arcana (DM is okay with it).

Anyway, any thoughts or criticisms welcome and appreciated.

[Specter]

Don't worry about in-combat healing, Healing Word will do in a pinch. With 18 AC, you're on the right path. Your save advantage will help you a lot, too.

For sub-school, go either Abjurer or Diviner for a sure thing, but I can see an Evoker or Enchsnter being nice too.

[JAL_1138]

Evokers are underrated by theorycrafters IMO. Never having to worry about friendly fire with AoE spells is really, really nice in actual play.

EDIT: I did notice a bit of an issue with your build. Per the Multiclassing Proficiencies table on p.164, you don't get any skill proficiencies from the Wizard side of your multiclass. So you won't pick up Investigation and History from it. If you start Wizard, you don't pick up any skills from Cleric except the Domain skills. Nevermind, you had it built as if starting Wizard, then taking Knowledge Cleric, then switching back to Wizard. Be aware you don't get any weapon proficiencies from Cleric that way, and will need Warcaster if you plan to use weapon+shield (not that you have any reason to do so with that build).

[rudy]

Don't worry about in-combat healing, Healing Word will do in a pinch. With 18 AC, you're on the right path. Your save advantage will help you a lot, too.

For sub-school, go either Abjurer or Diviner for a sure thing, but I can see an Evoker or Enchsnter being nice too.
Good advice, thanks! Definitely not Enchanter, I think. Doesn't fit with the low Charisma, or my idea of the character in general. But Evoker is another to consider, yeah.


Evokers are underrated by theorycrafters IMO. Never having to worry about friendly fire with AoE spells is really, really nice in actual play.
Also nice because I will be using cantrip attacks a lot, so the 6th level "Potent Cantrip" is nice. Since it doesn't specify wizard cantrips, will work with Sacred Flame. Nothing critical there, though.


Nevermind, you had it built as if starting Wizard, then taking Knowledge Cleric, then switching back to Wizard. Be aware you don't get any weapon proficiencies from Cleric that way, and will need Warcaster if you plan to use weapon+shield (not that you have any reason to do so with that build).
Yeah, you're correct that I don't plan to have physical weapons. *Maybe* a simple staff for character. Mainly go around, shield in one hand, and slinging spells from the other. So with that in mind I liked the skills I could get from starting with Wizard. On the other hand, Charisma saves do tend to be *marginally* more useful than Intelligence saves, so maybe start with Cleric for that reason? And one extra hit point at 2nd level, I suppose.

I guess I could give up Investigation for Medicine.

[Galadhrim]

I just made almost the same character starting at level 3 (knowledge cleric 1/wizard 2) gnome. I was torn between abjuration, divination, and evocation. You really do need to look at some of the spells differently than the typical wizard because of how good your ac is starting out. I think picking a school really depends on what you want to excel at. To me abjuration if you want to be tankier, divination if you like save or suck spells and really want to make them stick, evocation for good damage but also to control with aoe while ignoring allies.

These were just my thoughts while making this character. Others that have more experience with them in play might could give better feedback.

Given that you can prepare cleric spells, protection from good and evil should really come in handy, especially if you are going to be in melee.

If you go evocation, earth tremor for aoe prone centered on you that also does damage seems really fun. Almost like a poor man's destructive wave but you can do it at level 3.

[BigONotation]

About to wrap up a CoS campaign playing an Evoker. Let me stress that Shield and Absorb Elements are essential for this adventure.

[djreynolds]

About to wrap up a CoS campaign playing an Evoker. Let me stress that Shield and Absorb Elements are essential for this adventure.

Very true, and protection from evil.

I would go weaponless as well, you have sacred flame and shocking grasp for melee, reaction spells like shield, absorb elements, and... feather fall

To easy and even with a 14 in wisdom... you can hit with sacred flame still as you are, I imagine, throwing everything into intelligence.

Good build, wisdom and charisma saves, and I cannot stress pro from evil.

[Zanthy1]

I'm going to throw my 2 cents towards diviner, because I love it so much. Portent is my favorite ability in 5e so far, having predetermined rolls to use when you want is such a cool ability, it almost gives you an ounce of DM power. Nothing better than passing the charisma check that convinces the mob that you're an emissary from their god, or having the BBEG fail his perception check to spot the sneaky assassin. It is amazing.

I am toying around with a similar build myself, cleric 1 then wizard 3 (going all the way). I chose the nature domain for the extra cantrips, giving me access to prestidigitation, thaumaturgy, and the druid magic one, which though partially redundant at times I think is a lot of fun as a concept. Having some healing magic is very handy, and high AC is awesome.

Follow up question, using a shield in one hand doesn't prevent you from casting with the other? (or disadvantage?)

[NecroDancer]

Diviner and abjuration are two great schools but never underestimate THE MIGHTY POWER OF ILLUSION! (Seriously, phantasmal force, major image, and invisibility are some of my favorite spells)

[rudy]

divination if you like save or suck spells and really want to make them stick,
Honestly, I was thinking more "divination so that I don't fail any soul-obliteration saves" which I'm sure will come up given what I know of Ravenloft.


Given that you can prepare cleric spells, protection from good and evil should really come in handy, especially if you are going to be in melee.
I had completely forgotten about that! But, yeah, that will have to be one of my usual prepared spells. Maybe that, healing word, and bless at first.


About to wrap up a CoS campaign playing an Evoker. Let me stress that Shield and Absorb Elements are essential for this adventure.
Noted, thanks. Though I've not played a wizard yet where I haven't taken those =D


Very true, and protection from evil.

I would go weaponless as well, you have sacred flame and shocking grasp for melee, reaction spells like shield, absorb elements, and... feather fall

To easy and even with a 14 in wisdom... you can hit with sacred flame still as you are, I imagine, throwing everything into intelligence.
Yeah, everything into intelligence. Hmm.. shocking grasp is a nice plan. I'll take that from the beginning and leave Mending til level 4, maybe.


Good build, wisdom and charisma saves, and I cannot stress pro from evil.
Gotcha.


I'm going to throw my 2 cents towards diviner, because I love it so much. Portent is my favorite ability in 5e so far, having predetermined rolls to use when you want is such a cool ability, it almost gives you an ounce of DM power. Nothing better than passing the charisma check that convinces the mob that you're an emissary from their god, or having the BBEG fail his perception check to spot the sneaky assassin. It is amazing.
Yeah, currently leaning toward diviner. It's thematic, too, with Knowledge domain. Not totally decided, though.


I am toying around with a similar build myself, cleric 1 then wizard 3 (going all the way). I chose the nature domain for the extra cantrips, giving me access to prestidigitation, thaumaturgy, and the druid magic one, which though partially redundant at times I think is a lot of fun as a concept. Having some healing magic is very handy, and high AC is awesome.
Fair. For me, I think I may be the only one in a party of six with an intelligence above 10 (and most of them are 8), so I've got to be knowledge-guy.


Follow up question, using a shield in one hand doesn't prevent you from casting with the other? (or disadvantage?)
One hand free is sufficient for all spellcasting.


Diviner and abjuration are two great schools but never underestimate THE MIGHTY POWER OF ILLUSION! (Seriously, phantasmal force, major image, and invisibility are some of my favorite spells)
Illusion would be a contender if there was a chance of getting to Wizard 14, but CoS ends long before character level 15 from my understanding.