Some basic wizard advice

[Warchon]

I'll be playing an elven wizard in an upcoming campaign, and I've never played anyone quite that squishy, so I'm looking for some simple advice.

It's a 4 player game and two of the others are already running a Rogue and a Fighter, so I cannot, should not, and do not want to build a game breaker here. I just want an experienced eye to help me not screw myself.

I'm starting with 18 INT, 17 DEX, 14 CON, 11 STR, 11 CHA, 12 WIS. That's after racial adjustments (Gray Elf) so I think I should be okay defensively.

I feel like this is a good stat block to focus on Rays with, but I should probably use L4 and L8 attribute points on INT before using the L12 one to round out the DEX. I am open to dissenting opinions.
With a DEX that good, I expect I can get through the first couple levels relying on a bow to conserve spell slots for utilities and emergencies.

For skills, Concentration and Spellcraft are the no brainers. I'm maxing Survival and my Profession skill for RP reasons, and the DM has houseruled custom skills of Perception (mashing Spot, Listen and Search together) and Knowledge: Monsters, (one skill to ID anything) that I think I would be crazy not to take. Both custom skills are universal class skills. That leaves me with nothing to play with, is there anything wizard-critical I have neglected and need to be looking at? I can probably ditch one of the custom skills if need be and rely on the rogue to know stuff.

I already plan to take an ACF to replace the familiar, so as to not carry a fifth of my xp around in a soap bubble.

Again for RP reasons, the character keeps his spellbook in an unusual format. I feel like I've read a feat somewhere that fits with that (making it harder for somebody else to make use of his spellbook) but have not had any luck tracking it down. Does anybody else know what that feat might be, or where I could find it? I would suspect Complete Arcane but I don't own a copy.

As a last note, all my spells-by-level are going to be fully custom, and I already have a thread discussing that in the homebrew board ( http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?568220-Food-Based-Magic ) so I have very limited ability to respond to "Make sure you pick up Spell X" suggestions...unless we happen across a magic shoppe, I can't count on finding Color Spray or Fly.

[Nifft]

If you're building for Rays and other touch-attacks, then a point in Dex at level 4 will help you more than +1 Int would. The AC bonus is nice, and the Initiative bonus is solid gold -- both for shooting your Ray while the enemy is flat-footed, and also for shooting your Ray before your allies charge and get their stupid bodies in your way.

In terms of spell acquisition, by default you have Scribe Scroll, and you can use any Wand or Staff or other spell-trigger item (of a Wizard spell) to write a Scroll of a triggered spell... and then you can use the Scroll to scribe that spell into your spellbook. It's one step more convoluted than the usual Scroll -> Book method but if you're worried about finding spells you should be on he lookout for any usable loot.

Do you have access to [Reserve] feats? Those are useful as more-Wizardly-than-a-bow actions when you don't want to blow a whole spell. Two good ones are available at Wiz 3: Winter's Blast and Fiery Burst. With your Dex, though, you may want Acidic Splatter -- also available at Wiz 3 but not as useful until later, since the range is only 5 ft. per spell level (so 10 ft. at level 3, ugh).

[Warchon]

I don't know about reserve feats, our DM wants to stick pretty close to core, but I'll look into that!

[Cosi]

IAgain for RP reasons, the character keeps his spellbook in an unusual format. I feel like I've read a feat somewhere that fits with that (making it harder for somebody else to make use of his spellbook) but have not had any luck tracking it down. Does anybody else know what that feat might be, or where I could find it? I would suspect Complete Arcane but I don't own a copy.

Yep, those are in Complete Arcane. It has rules for things like tattoo spellbooks in the last chapter, and I think it's just an alternate option rather than a feat. It also contains the Mage of the Arcane Order, which is a personal favorite of mine for low-op Wizards. My standard build in your situation would be Wizard 5/Mage of the Arcane Order 9 with Fiery Burst for a dependable offensive tool. Lots of neat abilities, nothing overpowering, you can contribute every round with Fiery Burst, and the Spellpool gives you the ability to pull out the occasional random piece of utility.

[Mike Miller]

There is also the ACF Eidetic Spellcaster from Dragon 357 which makes it so you don't need a spellbook, but you don't get a familiar or scribe scroll.

[Quertus]

Just to check - the two spells that you automatically learn each level are going to be custom spells? And, in a world without shops and scrolls, you might somehow have the opportunity to research new spells?

Dropping items is a free action. One silly possibility is to carry around a tower shield, to protect you while flat-footed, and generally dropping it at the start of your first turn.

I'll check the other thread before i comment further.

[Warchon]

Yep, those are in Complete Arcane. It has rules for things like tattoo spellbooks in the last chapter, and I think it's just an alternate option rather than a feat. It also contains the Mage of the Arcane Order, which is a personal favorite of mine for low-op Wizards. My standard build in your situation would be Wizard 5/Mage of the Arcane Order 9 with Fiery Burst for a dependable offensive tool. Lots of neat abilities, nothing overpowering, you can contribute every round with Fiery Burst, and the Spellpool gives you the ability to pull out the occasional random piece of utility.

Thanks. I'll get my hands on that book one way or another and have a look for those. :) Fire based reserve feats are definitely a possibility, some of those custom spells will be fire for sure.


There is also the ACF Eidetic Spellcaster from Dragon 357 which makes it so you don't need a spellbook, but you don't get a familiar or scribe scroll.

Sadly Dragon Magazine isn't a safe bet with this DM. I'd probably rather have the book to look after than lose scrolls though.


Just to check - the two spells that you automatically learn each level are going to be custom spells? And, in a world without shops and scrolls, you might somehow have the opportunity to research new spells?

Dropping items is a free action. One silly possibility is to carry around a tower shield, to protect you while flat-footed, and generally dropping it at the start of your first turn.

I'll check the other thread before i comment further.

The tower shield trick is probably too much meta, but I'll likely at least grab a masterwork buckler when I can.

As far as a 'world without shops and scrolls" that actually depends on the party. We're starting in the heart of a freshly conquered empire, but it's in a world that is largely unexplored. We could easily spend half the game in the wilderness. So yeah, I need to make sure those custom spells aren't duds. :)

[thethird]

I read things diagonally so sorry if this was mentioned.

But consider being a generalist wizard. Also you might want to reconsider on trading the familiar away, use it as a +2 to skills (and a further +2 to perception), just have it hidden in you most times and have it do nothing. Everyone will forget about it and most likely not attack it.

[Mordaedil]

I'd ask your DM if Complete Arcane and Complete Mage would be fine, because they add some really good options for you, including Master Specialist, which sets you up for becoming an Archmage by the end-point. You'd need to not be a generalist for it, however.

[Malphegor]

Again for RP reasons, the character keeps his spellbook in an unusual format. I feel like I've read a feat somewhere that fits with that (making it harder for somebody else to make use of his spellbook) but have not had any luck tracking it down. Does anybody else know what that feat might be, or where I could find it? I would suspect Complete Arcane but I don't own a copy.



Might be Geometer. 2 level dip, first level gives you an alternate version of scribe scroll cost 25gp x spell level and only take an hour plus makes them hard for non-geometers to decipher, 2nd level means each spell only takes one page of your spellbook (that said I've never seen anyone actually adhere to the number pages rule but) and also makes it hard for others to decipher (I think it's like DC35?
(EDIT, it actually only adds 5 to the spellcraft check)


Also gives you the cleric spell Glyph of Warding as a arcane spell, which allows you to etch a harmful spell onto a static object (if it moves 10feet it doesn't work) as a trap, which is really useful if you have the 10 minutes or so to set it up. (for example, you can set a few up on the walls outside a creature's lair, attract it to them, then BOOM! All your damaging spells hitting it at once.)

Oh, also if you cast from your scrolls (spellglyphs, they are now) but also prepare your spells, you automatically get the effects of the Silent Spell feat.

What this means is that, if you have an hour to spare, you can make any spell of yours effectively have a metamagic feat for free without any level increase on that spell.



It's also a full caster progression one, so I highly recommend it. From Complete Arcane.

(it also, roleplaying wise, isn't that far removed from your standard wizardry stuff if that helps your DM decide. What I find with prestige classes is that you tend to get something that's far removed from the base class, but Geometer's basically turning you into 'a wizard who's a bit tidier but it's not that overpowered, also have a cleric spell that pairs well with wizard stuff'.)

It also has artwork in the book that suggests that it's a MCU Dr Strange-style 'making symbols in the air that do magic' effect. It isn't, but hot damn is the artwork pretty.

[Quertus]

So yeah, I need to make sure those custom spells aren't duds. :)

Hmmm... There's a feat (collegiate Wizard maybe?) that changes that from 2 to 4 free spells per level. Might be worth taking.

As to making sure you have decent spells, well, the basic combat basis are, what, offense (direct damage / stat drain / SoD), buff / debuff, and bfc? Plus all the cool out of combat utility. Try and think of ways to make thematic versions of those categories. I'll try and post some ideas in the other thread.

[Goaty14]

Hmmm... There's a feat (collegiate Wizard maybe?) that changes that from 2 to 4 free spells per level. Might be worth taking.

There's also the Greyhawk Method feat somewhere, which arguably does the same thing, but might also apply to your wizard-PrC levels.

[noce]

I'd never raise Dex over int on a wizard. If you need more dex, buy a +2 item.
If you want to round it to an even score, ask your dm for a +3 item, but never put your few precious stat points into Dex.

[Warchon]

There's also the Greyhawk Method feat somewhere, which arguably does the same thing, but might also apply to your wizard-PrC levels.

Wouldn't Collegiate Mage apply to your PrC levels anyway? The feat modifies the spells by level of your wizard class.
Any spell-progression PrC advances your spells as a wizard. I see no reason those rules wouldn't play nice together.