Curious wizardry

[Azazel_Unbound]

So, I am playing around with some things for wizard. What are some of your favorite combination s for wizards, MC and feat wise?

[Arcangel4774]

Abjuration wizard is obnoxious as it is, but can be made even more annoying when mixed with fighter or cleric for heavy armor.

[Sigreid]

Abjuration wizard is obnoxious as it is, but can be made even more annoying when mixed with fighter or cleric for heavy armor.

Knowledge cleric for decent armor and expertise for a low opportunity cost.

[Azazel_Unbound]

I've been toying the idea of bladesinger that dips rogue personally

[Sigreid]

I've been toying the idea of bladesinger that dips rogue personally

What are you looking for out of rogue? Personally, on a wizard I have a hard time surrendering spell slots.

[RulesJD]

Abjuration wizard is obnoxious as it is, but can be made even more annoying when mixed with fighter or cleric for heavy armor.

My Svirfneblin (with the feat obviously) Life Cleric 1/Abjuration Wiz+ agrees.

[RickAllison]

Cleric 1 is arguably the best single-Level dip, and for good reason. You get a variety of useful utility spells, Healing Word so you can accomplish the most important task of a healer (keeping the party standing), your choice of medium or heavy armor, and some useful minor ability. And while you lose a level of wizard for those spells, you don't take a hit on spellcasting levels. Knowledge Cleric 2 sacrifices heavy armor for the ability to once per short rest Fabricate anything nonmagical. Metal, stone, gems, cloth, anything. Other Cleric 2 dips are also useful, but that is the big one for me.

Fighter 2 is a strong contender for best two-Level dip. Action Surge is the only way to get off two major spells in the same turn, or even for more mundane uses. You also get medium/heavy armor depending on when you take it and the martial weapons could be good to be more versatile with a Bladesinger. But mainly Action Surge, becaus that is what you are trading two levels as not only a wizard but a spellcaster for.

Rogue 1 or 2 is nice for someone who wants to either be better with skills (Expertise) or more maneuverable (Cunning Action). Thief 3 could also be useful if the DM lets you create some useful items.

For feats, Svirnefblin Magic (for deep gnomes) is perfect for an abjurer wizard. Infinite and rapid recharging of the ward without sacrificing wizard levels? Yes please! Resilient (Con) and Warcaster are both useful for concentration saves. Lucky is what you want when trying to read a Wish scroll or avoiding attacks.

If you are playing at lower levels and are getting heavy armor proficiency, look no further than Heavy Armor Mastery. It loses effectiveness with levels, but the flat reduction to damage can keep you safe earlier in the career.

[Sir cryosin]

One idea I been toying with is paladin lv2, bladesinger lv18. Why 2 levels of paladin well for small lay on hands and smite, fighting style.

[Azazel_Unbound]

What are you looking for out of rogue? Personally, on a wizard I have a hard time surrendering spell slots.
I would dip two for cunning action. If I get into mele, I can use the bonus action to dip out.

[Sariel Vailo]

bladesinger ek

[Strill]

I would dip two for cunning action. If I get into mele, I can use the bonus action to dip out.

You're much much much better off staying single-classed, and preparing Misty Step in case that happens. Losing out on an entire tier of spell slots is an absolutely enormous price to pay for a very niche benefit.

[Asmotherion]

1 Level of Fighter first for Heavy Armor, and then easyer access to Heavy Armor Master.

2 Levels of Warlock for Repeling Blast and Armor of Agathys.

The rest Abjuration Wizard. Renew your Ward by casting Armor of Agathys with your Highest Spell Slot as a Wizard constantly, as soon as your Ward is down, and you are out of temp HP from AoA.

Invest a bit in Str to Gish a bit.

Invest in Polearm Master and then your option of Sentinel or Booming Blade.

The basic downside of this build is it's very high MADness, as well as the fact you miss your Lv18 Wizard ability to spam 1st and 2nd level spells... Oh, well.

Now, the most straightforward way to be an optimised Wizard is Wizard 18, then 2 levels in any class really (including wizard). Other than that, you are mostly looking at an utility Wizard whose Dip works as his Main Class (reguardless of level distribution). It can also work, but they are very specific builds, and tend to have a lower Int, emphasising the Primary stat of the other Build, going Dip Primary Stat>Con>Int, or, if the other class lacks heavy armor even Dip Stat>Con>Dex>Int, wich puts a big strain on any attack roll spell and Save-or-Suck ability. Nevertheless, the Wizard's versality allowes him to be usefull in such builds even without a high Int. For example, you may want to make an Eldritch Knight that has invested more in his Wizardly Training and less in combat prowess; It could go Fighter 2/Wizard 18, Eldritch Knight 5/Wizard 15, or Eldritch Knight 11/Wizard 9.

[RickAllison]

Adding on to Asmotherion's suggestion, pick up the invocation for at-will Mage Armor. Now you can freely and quickly recharge your ward outside of combat.

[Citan]

So, I am playing around with some things for wizard. What are some of your favorite combination s for wizards, MC and feat wise?
Personal favorite is Bladesinger Wizard mixed with small Fighter dip (TWF, Action Surge, Constitution proficiency) and/or Arcane Trickster Rogue.

I find the Bladesinger 10 / Arcane Trickster 9 / Fighter 1 to be extremely fun.
Start Fighter, immediately go Bladesinger 5, then start Rogue 5.
No MADder than a normal Wizard, extremely sturdy (Mage Armor + Mirror Image + Haste + Bladesong + Shield), mobile as hell (Haste + Cunning Action), deal decent damage (weapon cantrips or Extra Attack + additional attack to ensure your Sneak Attack hits) and a beast in save or suck spells if you Hide beforehand (welcome Slow/Fireball/Fear/etc).
You feel "online" as soon as character level 3, Rogue being here mainly to bump damage and skills and greatly help your debuffs in the end.
You still get 4 ASI, to you can max DEX or INT and still have space for nice feats (Dual Wielder, Mage Slayer, Mobile, etc).

Otherwise, Bladesinger 14 / Swashbuckler Rogue 3 / Battlemaster 3 works too: you get higher spells, "free disengage" and manoeuvers. :)

Beyond that, any Wizard 18+ rocks hell so not sure I would want to multiclass in the first place. ^^

[Citan]

Cleric 1 is arguably the best single-Level dip, and for good reason. You get a variety of useful utility spells, Healing Word so you can accomplish the most important task of a healer (keeping the party standing), your choice of medium or heavy armor, and some useful minor ability. And while you lose a level of wizard for those spells, you don't take a hit on spellcasting levels. Knowledge Cleric 2 sacrifices heavy armor for the ability to once per short rest Fabricate anything nonmagical. Metal, stone, gems, cloth, anything. Other Cleric 2 dips are also useful, but that is the big one for me.

Fighter 2 is a strong contender for best two-Level dip. Action Surge is the only way to get off two major spells in the same turn, or even for more mundane uses. You also get medium/heavy armor depending on when you take it and the martial weapons could be good to be more versatile with a Bladesinger. But mainly Action Surge, becaus that is what you are trading two levels as not only a wizard but a spellcaster for.

Rogue 1 or 2 is nice for someone who wants to either be better with skills (Expertise) or more maneuverable (Cunning Action). Thief 3 could also be useful if the DM lets you create some useful items.

For feats, Svirnefblin Magic (for deep gnomes) is perfect for an abjurer wizard. Infinite and rapid recharging of the ward without sacrificing wizard levels? Yes please! Resilient (Con) and Warcaster are both useful for concentration saves. Lucky is what you want when trying to read a Wish scroll or avoiding attacks.

If you are playing at lower levels and are getting heavy armor proficiency, look no further than Heavy Armor Mastery. It loses effectiveness with levels, but the flat reduction to damage can keep you safe earlier in the career.
I don't totally agree with you but your suggestions are very solid though.
Is Cleric the best dip for 1 level? I wouldn't say necessarily so: it brings all you say, but for some people Fighter's Constitution proficiency may have more value, as well as Rogue (Expertise) or Draconic Sorcerer (more cantrips and utility, perma AC 13+DEX).
Agreed though that Knowledge Cleric is by far the most "versatile" as you detailed.

For 2-level dips, Rogue is the most practical dip imo, because extra bonus action are always great to have on any squishy class. If you don't care about it though, Fighter is certainly the best choice for Action Surge. Then Cleric (short-rest CD), then Paladin (although extremely MAD) then all other.

Of course, once you reach 3-level dip every class comes back into competition. :)

One idea I been toying with is paladin lv2, bladesinger lv18. Why 2 levels of paladin well for small lay on hands and smite, fighting style.
Yeah, it can be great, as long as you can afford the related MADness. Either good roll stats, normal human or spending ASI solely on stats increase seems the only way to go.

You're much much much better off staying single-classed, and preparing Misty Step in case that happens. Losing out on an entire tier of spell slots is an absolutely enormous price to pay for a very niche benefit.
Well, you are more "lagging behind" rather than "losing" and entier tier of spell slots, but you are right that this is not an easy choice.
I wouldn't go so far as to call it a niche benefit though: Misty Step is great but will use precious slots (until 18th level), precious spell prepared and is only providing movement (although indeed this movement is free of any OA). Cunning Action also allows you to Hide as a bonus action, and doesn't consume resources. It also comes with other perks (Expertise, light armor, extra skill). And it allows you to still cast a spell during your turn (if you use Misty Step, per RAW you are limited to a cantrip for the remainder of your turn).

So I would definitely not dip Rogue "just for Cunning Action" on any Wizard. But for a Bladesinger or a gish-like that is more often than not in the middle of enemy groups and using melee, or a Wizard loving close range / melee spells, I understand its value.

Just made me think about a fun build mixing Wizard and Fighter, grappling an enemy to draw him towards the party. I guess in that context Misty Step would break the grapple, since spell specifically affects only self. Right (otherwise it would have potential for overpower imo)?

[Dalebert]

Someone beat me to the deep gnome / abjuration brutal combo.

Is there any way to use rogue expertise to get the abjurer's proficiency bonus doubled with Counterspell and Dispel Magic? I think not since I don't think it falls under any skill that's an option for expertise. Hmm.

[RickAllison]

Someone beat me to the deep gnome / abjuration brutal combo.

Is there any way to use rogue expertise to get the abjurer's proficiency bonus doubled with Counterspell and Dispel Magic? I think not since I don't think it falls under any skill that's an option for expertise. Hmm.

Nope! However, Reliable Talent would work with it if only at high levels. A minimum of 10 on the die roll with the proficiency from Abjurer would place a max DC of 19 well within reach. But you lose out on higher-level wizardry.