Mizzium Apparatus - Best overall spells

[Nerdguy88]

I'm still messing around with ideas for the upcoming one shot. DM wants us to have multiple characters ready incase one dies. The next idea is a multiclassed spellcaster with Mizzium Apparatus. This item lets you burn a spell slot to try and cast ANY spell from one of your classes spell list of the same spell level.

My question to the giants out in the playground. Ignoring class restrictions what are your top three spells you would love to have ready at all times.

General class idea: Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard/Knowledge Cleric/Druid

The knowledge cleric is there for the expertise on arcane rolls which you need for the Mizzium Apparatus.

Edit: Here is the classes I settled on for the one shot. I'm still somewhat torn on not having Bard but oh well. Sorcerer 6/Paladin 2/Warlock 2/Cleric 2/Wizard 1/Druid 1

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

The most important question, what level?

I'd honestly just make it a Paladin 2/ Divine Soul Sorcerer with Skill Expert for Arcana. If you've got 4th level slots you can use the apparatus to cast Find Greater Steed, you can learn any important Cleric spells that aren't on the Paladin list normally, and the Sorcerer list has plenty of options. Having the apparatus mostly gets around the Sorcerer's limited number of spells known, just swap out all the low level ones you know for higher level spells if you can reliably make the checks to cast spells of those levels.

[MaxWilson]

I'm still messing around with ideas for the upcoming one shot. DM wants us to have multiple characters ready incase one dies. The next idea is a multiclassed spellcaster with Mizzium Apparatus. This item lets you burn a spell slot to try and cast ANY spell from one of your classes spell list of the same spell level.

My question to the giants out in the playground. Ignoring class restrictions what are your top three spells you would love to have ready at all times.

Since there's a chance of failure, you want spells that stack well and don't take concentration or at least can be precast or cast between combats.

Find Greater Steed, Animate Dead, Aura of Vitality, Death Ward, and Create Magen are my top ideas that meet your criteria.

But, really the value comes from the opposite: NOT restricting yourself to a handful of specific spells, and being able to choose freely from even niche spells, when these niche spells are appropriate. E.g. Jump is normally a terrible spell not worth learning, but with Mizzium Apparatus you may use it occasionally. Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, Teleportation Circle, Warding Bond, Revivify, Legend Lore, Guards and Wards... getting to cast these without preparing them is very nice.

[Nerdguy88]

The most important question, what level?

I'd honestly just make it a Paladin 2/ Divine Soul Sorcerer with Skill Expert for Arcana. If you've got 4th level slots you can use the apparatus to cast Find Greater Steed, you can learn any important Cleric spells that aren't on the Paladin list normally, and the Sorcerer list has plenty of options. Having the apparatus mostly gets around the Sorcerer's limited number of spells known, just swap out all the low level ones you know for higher level spells if you can reliably make the checks to cast spells of those levels.

We would be starting at level 14. The apparatus lets you burn a spell slot to cast any spell from your list even if you don't know it or have it prepared. I do like Find Greater steed and want to see about putting a level of paladin in there! As for failing the check it SHOULDN'T happen. My current arcana check is +15+1d4. Anything up to level 3 is guaranteed and anything in the next few levels needs a 2-6 on a d20.


Since there's a chance of failure, you want spells that stack well and don't take concentration or at least can be precast or cast between combats.

Find Greater Steed, Animate Dead, Aura of Vitality, Death Ward, and Create Magen are my top ideas that meet your criteria.

But, really the value comes from the opposite: NOT restricting yourself to a handful of specific spells, and being able to choose freely from even niche spells, when these niche spells are appropriate. E.g. Jump is normally a terrible spell not worth learning, but with Mizzium Apparatus you may use it occasionally. Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, Teleportation Circle, Warding Bond, Revivify, Legend Lore, Guards and Wards... getting to cast these without preparing them is very nice.

Thanks I hadn't even considered stuff like jump! Some of those situationally useful ones that you pretty much never have prepared. I do agree that not being restricted is the whole idea of the apparatus but I promised the GM I would not let this item slow the game down so I'm working on a list of 'signature' things I do so I don't have to flip through books or sheets or anything. I wanted a good list of spells before we ever even sit down for the session.

As for create Magen this isn't something I have ever even heard of. I'm looking into this spell now.

[MaxWilson]

As for create Magen this isn't something I have ever even heard of. I'm looking into this spell now.

It's a long-lost, secret spell that's party of the reward at the end of Rime of the Frost Maiden. Necromancers can use it with no downsides since their HP max cannot be reduced.

I forgot to point out that you can also do fun things with Contingency, such as Contingency: Raise Dead on yourself if you're ever dead more than a minute.

Circle of Power is also a good spell for you, if you have Paladin 2+.

[Thunderous Mojo]

A Maverick subclassed Artificer from Keith Baker's exploring Eberron, with a Mizzium Apparatus..might be a simpler way to have access to a prodigious number of spells.

Thematically, the subclass and Magic item work, well.

[quindraco]

I'm still messing around with ideas for the upcoming one shot. DM wants us to have multiple characters ready incase one dies. The next idea is a multiclassed spellcaster with Mizzium Apparatus. This item lets you burn a spell slot to try and cast ANY spell from one of your classes spell list of the same spell level.

My question to the giants out in the playground. Ignoring class restrictions what are your top three spells you would love to have ready at all times.

General class idea: Sorcerer/Warlock/Wizard/Knowledge Cleric/Druid

The knowledge cleric is there for the expertise on arcane rolls which you need for the Mizzium Apparatus.

Edit: Here is the classes I settled on for the one shot. I'm still somewhat torn on not having Bard but oh well. Sorcerer 6/Paladin 2/Warlock 2/Cleric 2/Wizard 1/Druid 1

I made this build for fun as well, and you need Druid 2 for it to function properly. Stars Druid is absolutely critical to the Mizzium Apparatus. I did it with a tortle to overcome the crippling lack of AC on a Druid in most campaigns, but if you can function without it, this is optimal, assuming no other magic items, like a luckstone:

Vedalken (+1d4 to Arcana)
Optional: Rakdos Cultist
Skill Expert (Arcana) for expertise
Stars Druid 2 (2/short rest for 10 minutes Reliable Talent on Arcana)
Peace Cleric 1 (pb/long rest +1d4 to Arcana)
Scribes Wizard 14 (advantage on Arcana)
Take the Guidance cantrip, so outside of combat you can add another +1d4 to the roll. This is better if you can have an assistant cast it on you.
That's it for Arcana buffs, so I recommend either putting 2 levels into wizard or druid (neither really does anything meaningful for you, so pick either) to get an ASI for WIS 20 and 1 level into Artificer, meaning you rebuild so level 1 is Artificer, getting you proficiency in Con saves, or you can put all 3 remaining levels into Cleric for WIS 20 and Channel Divinity (Peace Cleric's Channel isn't very good, but you can functionally convert it to an additional L3 spell slot).

Note that Stars Druid means that your base roll at high levels is 10+12+5+1d4 = 28 minimum, which is as high as you will ever need. Scribes Wizard, Guidance, and allies below are for if you run out of wild shapes before you can short rest, or for using the apparatus outside of combat.

Ideal allies:
Any bard, but Eloquence bard would be best, for efficient use of dice.
Wild Magic barbarian, for a +1d3 spank.
If you can get an ally proficient in Arcana and the DM allows, they may be able to help you with the Apparatus, meaning you don't need Scribes. I would not allow this, ruling that only people inside the apparatus can engage in this sort of check, so it's wearer only.
If you can get an ally to spam Enhance Ability on you and concentrate on it, you don't need Scribes as badly, but that's also a finite resource.

This post is a wall of text, so I'm highlighting this bit. Only read this part if you insist on including Charisma in the build.
Post below offers a bunch of details, but I think the least bad way to be MAD enough for CHA is to grab Bard 3, so you have Expertise from a full casting class and can use your L4 ASI on INT+CHA, giving you an L20 statling of INT 20 WIS 18 CHA 16. Second least bad is Warlock 3 (Talisman).

The build above stops at level 17 because I couldn't find any more Arcana buffs on any classes without being utterly MAD and/or hurting slot progression. That leaves 3 levels for expanding your spell list; you already have wizard+druid+cleric at that point, which means artificer won't add any spells to your spell list, which is a damn shame, as it grants Con save proficiency - there are only 36 spells left in the game for you to even worry about having. Here are the classes that will add to your list, but remember, you cast your spells using the spellcasting ability modifier of the class whose list you're choosing to draw from, so dumping Wis is a risky click; I'll list optimal statlines below, assuming you go for INT 17 at start for 9 stat point cost and spend your L4 and L8 ASIs on +2 INT and Skill Expert, so you only have one ASI to spare if you keep multiclassing. Math below ignores Ravnica backgrounds:

Intelligence casters:
Artificers don't add anything to you at level 1, but don't hurt your slot progression, so you can use to guarantee proficiency in Con saves. If you push to level 3, Battle Smith adds 4 spells and lets you attack with INT (necessary for some of the spells, since they're smites), but you'll lose 1 level of slot progression.

Wisdom casters:
Ranger 1 will add to your spell list, but all of the spells suck, and you'll lose 1 level of slot progression. Not recommended, even though this is the least painful class to add on - you must already meet the Wisdom prereq, and Dex is good on everyone.
--Spell count: 10/36 (subclasses add nothing)
--Starting Statline: INT 17 WIS 16 DEX 14 CON 10, no big sacrifices. Can do CON 10 -> DEX 15 for Resilient Dex at L12, but this is strictly optional.

Charisma casters:
Paladin: You'll need Strength for this, which is a stat you desperately want to dump, but it does get you Circle of Power. Even 1 level of Paladin will nerf your slot progression, so not recommended - you want as many slots as possible.
--Spell count: 14/36, with 5 more spells spread across the subclasses
--Starting Statline: INT 17 WIS 16 CHA 13 STR 12 and at level 12 you take Resilient Strength. Very bad.

Warlock: Messes with your slot progression in a weird way - you'll gain short rest slots from just the Warlock, without adding to your standard number of slots. This can be very good or very bad, depending on your playstyle. Warlocks also subclass at level 1, which is tremendous.
--Spell count: 9/36, with 5 more spells spread across the subclasses
---4 in Hexblade, 1 in Great Old One
----Accordingly, if you're going deep into this, I recommend Hexblade Pact of the Talisman, for the Talisman bonus to Arcana
--Starting Statline: INT 17 WIS 16 CHA 14 CON 10 or DEX 10

Sorcerer: Directly adds to your spell slot progression and subclasses at level 1. Only gets you Chaos Bolt directly, but subclasses can expand this.
--Spell count: 1/36, with 6 more spells spread across the subclasse:
---5 in Aberrant Mind, 1 in Clockwork Soul
--Starting Statline: INT 17 WIS 16 CHA 14 CON 10 or DEX 10

Bard: Directly adds to spell slots, doesn't subclass until 3.
--Spell count: 5/36 (subclasses add nothing)
--Starting Statline: INT 17 WIS 16 CHA 14 CON 10 or DEX 10
--Starting Statline if you go to Bard 3, so you don't need to spend an ASI on Expertise: INT 17 WIS 16 CHA 15

[quindraco]

It's a long-lost, secret spell that's party of the reward at the end of Rime of the Frost Maiden. Necromancers can use it with no downsides since their HP max cannot be reduced.

I forgot to point out that you can also do fun things with Contingency, such as Contingency: Raise Dead on yourself if you're ever dead more than a minute.

Circle of Power is also a good spell for you, if you have Paladin 2+.

The Necromancer ability is... problematic, because RAW it means they can go to infinite HP with the Aid spell. It's unclear how best to fix it, but if you fix it by letting spells they cast reduce their HP, then Create Magen will reduce their HP.

[JackPhoenix]

I forgot to point out that you can also do fun things with Contingency, such as Contingency: Raise Dead on yourself if you're ever dead more than a minute.

You can't. Casting time 1 hour.

[MaxWilson]

You can't. Casting time 1 hour.

Ah, good point. You have to stick to Contingency: Revivify instead, which means the trigger has to be e.g. "when I've been dead for at least 54 seconds" instead.


The Necromancer ability is... problematic, because RAW it means they can go to infinite HP with the Aid spell. It's unclear how best to fix it, but if you fix it by letting spells they cast reduce their HP, then Create Magen will reduce their HP.

I don't agree with that interpretation of the Aid spell. Ending an temporary increase is not a reduction in max HP, so Necromancers interact with Aid in the exact same way as everybody else. So, no fix is needed. (Nor would the fix you suggest even prevent the issue you're talking about--Aid is a spell cast by a cleric, not a Necromancer.)

[Quietus]

I don't agree with that interpretation of the Aid spell. Ending an temporary increase is not a reduction in max HP, so Necromancers interact with Aid in the exact same way as everybody else. So, no fix is needed. (Nor would the fix you suggest even prevent the issue you're talking about--Aid is a spell cast by a cleric, not a Necromancer.)

More relevant to me, even if you allow the Necromancer's ability to affect this, just because it has somehow captured and bottled the effects of the Aid spell, doesn't mean that you can stack it with a second Aid spell. You will never have more than 40 bonus HP from Aid, once it's cast out of a level 9 slot.