[PF1e] Any advice for a wizard?

[Trandir]

I have never played a wizard and I think now it's a good time to try one.

We start at 4th level with regular WBL, races up to 14 RP, two traits and rolled stats.

I rolled mine already and the array pre racials is: 18, 17, 15, 15, 14, 13.


So any advice for possible feats, arcane school vs archetype, familar vs bonded item and so on? Also is there anything more imporant than the headband of intellect +2 with the starting gold?

[Psyren]

For general "where do I begin playing X class" type of queries, your best starting point is a class handbook. here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xjPIOH8F8a0l74BdDF7Q23nCfZ-YX68Xr6JmmtznMw4/edit) are (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mmafMuRRd3ubCMhCNmOomLUn_YvaVXiHwSyuC1YDrNc/edit) some (https://rpgbot.net/pathfinder/characters/classes/wizard/); start there.

As far as which items you should prioritize, that's difficult to say without knowing your party composition and the types of challenges you're likely to face. For example, if you're likely to be targeted by enemies then you will want to boost your defenses, but if you have frontliners in the party they tend to go for instead, improving your spells e.g. with that headband should be fine.

[Trandir]

As far as which items you should prioritize, that's difficult to say without knowing your party composition and the types of challenges you're likely to face. For example, if you're likely to be targeted by enemies then you will want to boost your defenses, but if you have frontliners in the party they tend to go for instead, improving your spells e.g. with that headband should be fine.
I will check the guides.

The party is: a melee paladin, a melee bladebound kensei magus and me (I am still in time to change the class). As for the type of challenges that is a great question to which I do not know the answer as it is a homebrew game so your guess is as good as mine.

[Efrate]

3 man party with only paladin healing? Diviner with utility/bfc/summons. Summons get you bodies to soak and deal some damage, give a bit of random utility spells, and clog up the battlefield. Bfc let's you fight on your turn and funnel dies to your melee and summons. Divination lets you know when and where to set it all up. And specialist diviner initiative bonus let's you set your bfc up first when it matters. You are also movement specialist with teleport and the like. There is an arcanist exploit you can take that let's you block teleportation iirc, which is worth it later.

[Endarire]

+1 to guides. For example, Google "Pathfinder 1e Guide Wizard" or "<system name> <system edition> Guide <topic>" for more info!

[aglondier]

Check with your gm if he will allow in game crafting of magic items before deciding on a build. Craft wondrous item can be a lot of fun if you like to think outside the box.

[Endarire]

Also, check on Sors and Wizards. Each can be useful in PF1. Sors got a tremendous boost to spells known and class features in PF1 and have plenty of ways to learn and cast spells from off-list. (Mnemonic Vestment, Razmiran Priest Archetype AKA False Priest Archetype, Pages of Spell Knowledge, and more!)

[vasilidor]

You could also be an Arcanist and take the quick study talent. BE the Quantum Wizard.

[DMVerdandi]

You could also be an Arcanist and take the quick study talent. BE the Quantum Wizard.

This.
Arcanist for all but TO is a VERY strong upgrade. It just casts like a 5e wizard

[Endarire]

PF Wizards are still 1 class level ahead of Sors & Arcanists for most spell levels. Thus, Wizards get spell levels at odd class levels (1, 3, 5...) while Sors & Arcanists get most new spell levels at even character levels (1, 4, 6...).

That one level can make a big difference, but so can the convenience of casting spells you have on tap!

[Mordaedil]

I have never played a wizard and I think now it's a good time to try one.

We start at 4th level with regular WBL, races up to 14 RP, two traits and rolled stats.

I rolled mine already and the array pre racials is: 18, 17, 15, 15, 14, 13.


So any advice for possible feats, arcane school vs archetype, familar vs bonded item and so on? Also is there anything more imporant than the headband of intellect +2 with the starting gold?

Stats for a wizard is usually pretty easy at least. Put the 18 straight into Intelligence, prioritize Dexterity and Constitution second (decide which deserves a 17) and for the final three, just decide which by what kind of role-play you want. Strength if you want to carry more stuff, Charisma if you are going for more enchantment spells and Wisdom if you want to play up insightful. Otherwise you are not going to have a bad stat, so it doesn't matter how you sort them.

As for more important than Headband of Intellect, I'd say a good Handy Haversack will get you sorted in terms of carrying stuff for the rest of the game. Familiars can be more of a hindrance than a benefit imo, but if you have a good idea for a theme, they can become the pet of the team. As I learned when I picked an arctic fox for my sorcerer's familiar in a different game.

[aglondier]

Stats for a wizard is usually pretty easy at least. Put the 18 straight into Intelligence, prioritize Dexterity and Constitution second (decide which deserves a 17) and for the final three, just decide which by what kind of role-play you want. Strength if you want to carry more stuff, Charisma if you are going for more enchantment spells and Wisdom if you want to play up insightful. Otherwise you are not going to have a bad stat, so it doesn't matter how you sort them.

As for more important than Headband of Intellect, I'd say a good Handy Haversack will get you sorted in terms of carrying stuff for the rest of the game. Familiars can be more of a hindrance than a benefit imo, but if you have a good idea for a theme, they can become the pet of the team. As I learned when I picked an arctic fox for my sorcerer's familiar in a different game.

Since you start at level 4, put the 18 in Dexterity and the 17 into Intelligence. At level 4 put the +1 advance into Intelligence, bringing it to 18 as well.

Unless you are playing Muscle Wizard!!! Then put the 18 into Strength.

[Psyren]

Also, check on Sors and Wizards. Each can be useful in PF1. Sors got a tremendous boost to spells known and class features in PF1 and have plenty of ways to learn and cast spells from off-list. (Mnemonic Vestment, Razmiran Priest Archetype AKA False Priest Archetype, Pages of Spell Knowledge, and more!)

In PF casters can also recharge staves - this is very useful for sorcerers since (a) a staff can contain spells they don't know, and (b) when casting from a staff they get to use their own caster level and save DCs as if they weren't using an item at all. If just one spell in the staff is in the sorcerer's spells known, they can recharge it, even if the spells they use from the staff most often are not.

[Gnaeus]

The familiars are way way better in PF than 3.5. First, there are lots more good improved familiar options, especially for good PCs. Second, lots of the familiar archetypes are super good
(Maulers are like a mini AC, figments nearly indestructible, valets help you craft items, elemental familiars speak a language and can therefore UMD items if they have hands.)

[Psyren]

^ You can also get one regardless of your class - including the archetypes if you grab Improved Familiar Bond or VMC Wizard/Witch. This is true even for some classes/archetypes that forego or give up their familiar.