Choosing a Wizard Tradition for my AT/Wiz

[JBPuffin]

So Vishal Nemshara, my magic-obsessed AT Rogue, will be multiclassing at his next level-up. Tonight, we beat a necromancer (the ninth-level mage statblock with a few spells traded out and toned-down numbers), and I picked up their spellbook. Once I get my own book to copy everything down and get my new level, I'll have the following spells in my repertoire (including AT and the Magic Initiate I took at level 1):
Blade Ward
Fire Bolt
Lightning Lure
Mage Hand
Mending
Chill Touch
Prestidigitation
Feather Fall
Color Spray
Illusory Script
Shield
Silent Image
Mage Armor
Magic Missile
Ray of Sickness
Misty Step
Ray of Enfeeblement
Counterspell
Vampiric Touch
Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility
Cone of Cold

Now, I haven't met any official wizards in my travels, and frankly every option has something I could use. I do a lot of fighting as a skirmisher (shield has done so much for me), so Abjurer or Bladesinger would be cool to have. Conjurer has the teleport shenanigans I love, Divination's Portent is a mechanic I love, Evocation with Potent Cantrip and Sculpt Spell, Grim Harvest from Necromancy...I just don't know, so I need some Playground Help.

Dex 16 w/Rapier as main weapon (usually wields a dagger off-hand for melee despite lack of TWF or DW), Int 18. 1 free Feather Fall due to MI (actually used it against a Roper tonight).

[Strill]

How are you going to have 3rd-level spells at Wizard 4? In case you didn't know, you prepare spells as if you were a single-classed character. You need to be Wizard 5 in order to get 3rd-level spells.

[Sans.]

How are you going to have 3rd-level spells at Wizard 4? In case you didn't know, you prepare spells as if you were a single-classed character. You need to be Wizard 5 in order to get 3rd-level spells.

'When you find a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a level for which you have spell slots and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it.', I think JBPuffin is trying to use. But this would be hideously OP on something like a Cleric 17/Wizard 1, so it's a good thing there's a bit going 'You determine what spells you know and can prepare for each class individually, as if you were a single-classed member of that class.'

[Asmotherion]

I will ignore the discussion above, as this is strictly something between you and your DM.

If I had to chose optimisation wise, I would say Abjurer, since as a Wizard you are already very versalite at many things, so, if you can keep the party alive at the same time, it's always a big plus.

RP wise, see what fits more to your character. From what little information I have about your character, I'd say that, since his number one source of magic knowlage is a dead necromancer's spellbook he's studying in his free time, he is more fit to become a necromancer himself. How he'll use that knowlage is an other matter ofcourse.

Also, what kind of real necromancer doesn't even have Animate Dead in his spellbook? Don't you mean more like Necromancer's Aprentice? That, or the DM is hinting you at something IMO :P

[JBPuffin]

So, while my slots don't care about class, the spells themselves do? Hadn't thought about that. My DM's already said that I could've used Shield (my original MI spell, retrained with permission) as an AT spell despite its source, and I'll know when we have our first session at level 5, but it's something to consider. Ignore those numbers, I guess? Main thing is, these are the spells I'm guaranteed to have when I can cast them, since I'm not sure how many other spells I'll get.


If I had to chose optimisation wise, I would say Abjurer, since as a Wizard you are already very versatile at many things, so, if you can keep the party alive at the same time, it's always a big plus.

RP wise, see what fits more to your character. From what little information I have about your character, I'd say that, since his number one source of magic knowlage is a dead necromancer's spellbook he's studying in his free time, he is more fit to become a necromancer himself. How he'll use that knowlage is an other matter ofcourse.

Also, what kind of real necromancer doesn't even have Animate Dead in his spellbook? Don't you mean more like Necromancer's Aprentice? That, or the DM is hinting you at something IMO :P

Necromancer is probably an operative term - he had an ogre zombie in service to him, but was basically a downscaled mage from the back of the Monster Manual with a couple of spells traded out - so sticking to it on that basis isn't enough for me. Current party is myself, a dragonborn tempest cleric, and some combination of a half-elf spellless revised ranger (with terrible luck), a half-orc TWF battlemaster fighter, a half-orc DMbrew class (build-wise, another TWFer with some nifty abilities on the side), and/or other guests. Keeping myself alive isn't normally too much of a struggle, but having a shield which recharges with every shield would make my AT work easier. Which, of course, is the major debate, since once I stop taking rogue levels, why should I still be a melee-focused character? I do want a shield other spell (willing to spell research it into existence), so Abjurer makes a lot of sense on that front at least and the character's eclectic CG personality.

[Asmotherion]

Well, perhaps you could add booming blade to your cantrips and scale them to your sneak attack damage? this works wonders with a melee weapon, and gives you a reason to stay melee instead of going ranged blasting.

This, plus your Abjuration to protect you from damage will be very nice. Finally, if you want to go full optimisation, you could add a couple levels of Paladin (of a Trickery, Knowlage or Arcane Domain Deity for Flavor) and add Divine Smite to your Melee Damage. With your Wizard levels you will have Spell slots to use for it and learn how to use a Shield for a nice +2 to AC.

[Specter]

When in doubt, divination. If not divination, then abjuration or bladesinging. The others aren't worth considering for a Rogue/Wizard.

And by the way, learn Booming Blade. Can't put a price on that.

[Kobard]

Standard traditions: Divination or Illusion.

Expanded traditions: Bladesinger (if elf or half-elf).

[Citan]

So Vishal Nemshara, my magic-obsessed AT Rogue, will be multiclassing at his next level-up. Tonight, we beat a necromancer (the ninth-level mage statblock with a few spells traded out and toned-down numbers), and I picked up their spellbook. Once I get my own book to copy everything down and get my new level, I'll have the following spells in my repertoire (including AT and the Magic Initiate I took at level 1):
Blade Ward
Fire Bolt
Lightning Lure
Mage Hand
Mending
Chill Touch
Prestidigitation
Feather Fall
Color Spray
Illusory Script
Shield
Silent Image
Mage Armor
Magic Missile
Ray of Sickness
Misty Step
Ray of Enfeeblement
Counterspell
Vampiric Touch
Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility
Cone of Cold

Now, I haven't met any official wizards in my travels, and frankly every option has something I could use. I do a lot of fighting as a skirmisher (shield has done so much for me), so Abjurer or Bladesinger would be cool to have. Conjurer has the teleport shenanigans I love, Divination's Portent is a mechanic I love, Evocation with Potent Cantrip and Sculpt Spell, Grim Harvest from Necromancy...I just don't know, so I need some Playground Help.

Dex 16 w/Rapier as main weapon (usually wields a dagger off-hand for melee despite lack of TWF or DW), Int 18. 1 free Feather Fall due to MI (actually used it against a Roper tonight).
Well, if you like skirmishing and meet racial requirements, Bladesinger seems obviously the best option by far.
Whether you just dip enough to get the Bladesong or go as far as level 6, all features it provides are of great benefit to you.
- Better AC (great for risky run-throughs).
- Better concentration (Blur, Invisibility, Fog Cloud).
- If you go high enough, Extra Attack (and potentially Haste earlier than you would as a pure Rogue).

With that said, it really depends on how high you plan to go on both classes, and what Rogue features you are the most interested in.
For example...
- You want to get Magical Ambush ASAP because you really like how it enhances your spells? Then Bladesinger is good enough (helps maintain concentration after the fact), Diviner is kinda redundant, Transmuter is useless, Abjurer also (well, for 2 levels, Abjurer is usually the worst choice imo), Grim Harvest would pair nicely though (provided you find necromancy spells that deal save-based damage).

- You want to get Haste to unleash a swirling hell of blades? Then Bladesinger is the obvious choice.

- You just want to play with many more Wizard spells and don't care about waiting much longer to get 9+ Rogue features? Then Diviner for a dip is very solid (although you will need luck), while for a 6+ Evoker (half-damage on cantrips) or Abjurer (decent amount of points on the shield) or Necromant (tasty buff to your servants) would be great.