Mountain Dwarf War Mage

[ZenBear]

I’ll be starting a new campaign soon and will be using the titular race/class combo. I’m curious to get feedback on certain class feature interactions and build suggestions.

My current stat array assuming vanilla character creation rules and Point Buy is 14 STR/14 DEX/15 CON/14 INT/10 WIS/10 CHA after racial bonuses. I’ll stick with medium armor from start to finish and pick up War Caster and Resilient: CON at 4 and 8 in whichever order feels right, then probably pump STR and INT if we ever reach the higher levels. If we get a bonus Feat at level 1 like some DMs (myself included) like to grant, I’ll take Heavily Armored and pump STR/dump DEX.

I’m curious how y’all would rule on Power Surge. The wording is, “ Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature or object with a wizard spell, you can spend one power surge to deal extra force damage to that target.” Would you allow this to be used in cantrips like Booming/Green Flame Blade?

[nickl_2000]

I’ll be starting a new campaign soon and will be using the titular race/class combo. I’m curious to get feedback on certain class feature interactions and build suggestions.

My current stat array assuming vanilla character creation rules and Point Buy is 14 STR/14 DEX/15 CON/14 INT/10 WIS/10 CHA after racial bonuses. I’ll stick with medium armor from start to finish and pick up War Caster and Resilient: CON at 4 and 8 in whichever order feels right, then probably pump STR and INT if we ever reach the higher levels. If we get a bonus Feat at level 1 like some DMs (myself included) like to grant, I’ll take Heavily Armored and pump STR/dump DEX.

I’m curious how y’all would rule on Power Surge. The wording is, “ Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature or object with a wizard spell, you can spend one power surge to deal extra force damage to that target.” Would you allow this to be used in cantrips like Booming/Green Flame Blade?

Only when you do actual damage with the spell. Booming Blade would be on the other persons turn if they move and trigger the thunder damage (or in tier 2 when you get the bonus 1d8 thunder damage). For Green Flame Blade, I would allow it on the extra splash damage. I would not allow it on the melee attack, because that is not spell damage it's a melee attack (as proven by the fact that it can trigger smites and sneak attack).

[ZenBear]

Edit: missed part of your answer

[LudicSavant]

I’m curious how y’all would rule on Power Surge. The wording is, “ Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature or object with a wizard spell, you can spend one power surge to deal extra force damage to that target.” Would you allow this to be used in cantrips like Booming/Green Flame Blade?

Those are Wizard spells, so yes.

[NaughtyTiger]

Why mountain dwarf instead of duergar or hill dwarf?

wizard all the through?

str melee?

[J-H]

With a low INT like that, you can expect more missed spell attack rolls and passed enemy saves.

Your initial DC is only 12. An INT-10 enemy will pass your saves 8 times out of 20, or 40% of the time. Bumping the DC to 13 means 7/20, which is a 12.5% effectiveness bump for your spells.

It's a good tough stat array, but lack of success with your primary battle contribution (spells) tends to suck the fun out of things in combat.

[ZenBear]

Those are Wizard spells, so yes.

Some DMs stipulate cantrips are different from spells. I disagree with them, but they exist. I’m just polling (without the poll) to get a sense of the majority opinion around here.


Why mountain dwarf instead of duergar or hill dwarf?

wizard all the through?

str melee?

Mountain Dwarf grants medium armor proficiency, and the +2 STR is nice. Wizard all the way for max level spells and that sweet capstone if we ever get there.


With a low INT like that, you can expect more missed spell attack rolls and passed enemy saves.

Your initial DC is only 12. An INT-10 enemy will pass your saves 8 times out of 20, or 40% of the time. Bumping the DC to 13 means 7/20, which is a 12.5% effectiveness bump for your spells.

It's a good tough stat array, but lack of success with your primary battle contribution (spells) tends to suck the fun out of things in combat.
I’ll be primarily fighting with BB/GFB, with Firebolt as a backup ranged option. My spells at level 1 are Prepared: Absorb Elements, Feather Fall, Shield, Ritual: Detect Magic, Find Familiar, Identify. I’ll be focusing on utility and defense over damage and save or suck, so a high INT isn’t terribly important except for Counterspell/Dispel Magic, but I can generally upcast for that.

[nickl_2000]

There are enough melee boosts that you should be perfectly fine with a low Int. Shadowblade, Haste, Longstrider, Magic Missile, Sleep, Blur, Mirror Image, Enlarge/Reduce, Misty Step, Greater Invisibility, etc.


As a side note, even if you wanted to multiclass you couldn't with those stats. You need a 13 int to multiclass out of wizard.


I would keep an eye out for a headband of intellect though since the +4 int will make a big difference in your overall versatility.

[NaughtyTiger]

With a low INT like that, you can expect more missed spell attack rolls and passed enemy saves.

Your initial DC is only 12. An INT-10 enemy will pass your saves 8 times out of 20, or 40% of the time. Bumping the DC to 13 means 7/20, which is a 12.5% effectiveness bump for your spells.

It's a good tough stat array, but lack of success with your primary battle contribution (spells) tends to suck the fun out of things in combat.

Meh, it's a +1 difference. That only matters when that enemy rolls an 11 instead of a 12.
I would worry more about wanting more spells known.


As a side note, even if you wanted to multiclass you couldn't with those stats. You need a 13 int to multiclass out of wizard.

He's got a 14 in Int. (could have been clearer)

[Mr Adventurer]

Some DMs stipulate cantrips are different from spells. I disagree with them, but they exist. I’m just polling (without the poll) to get a sense of the majority opinion around here.



Mountain Dwarf grants medium armor proficiency, and the +2 STR is nice. Wizard all the way for max level spells and that sweet capstone if we ever get there.


I’ll be primarily fighting with BB/GFB, with Firebolt as a backup ranged option. My spells at level 1 are Prepared: Absorb Elements, Feather Fall, Shield, Ritual: Detect Magic, Find Familiar, Identify. I’ll be focusing on utility and defense over damage and save or suck, so a high INT isn’t terribly important except for Counterspell/Dispel Magic, but I can generally upcast for that.

Don't forget that some spells you'd probably class as defense might also have saves. I was thinking of Sanctuary which is a Cleric spell but it's something worth checking so you aren't disappointed later.

Also you prepare spells each day per Int+Wizard level, so you're going to be short on spells available at low levels (before higher levels swamp the benefit of high Int in this regard).

[nickl_2000]

SNIP

He's got a 14 in Int. (could have been clearer)

Wow... for some reason my mind read the 10 Wisdom as 10 Int. I apologize, looks like I can't function on 3 hours of sleep anymore.