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MisterSaturnine
2008-03-24, 05:49 PM
So, I'm building a Wizard for a PbP game on the OotS boards...and I realize I have no idea what feats to get.

He's a 3rd level Human, and so has 3 feats to choose from. He's got higher Charisma than he does Intelligence (18 vs. 16), and is the kind of person that makes everyone think he's way more powerful than he actually is. I managed to get my Craft and all Knowledge sans Arcana skills replaced with Bluff and Intimidate for conceptual reasons.

Anyone have any pointers for me? I'm terrible with choosing feats.

Kurald Galain
2008-03-24, 05:52 PM
Improved Initiative is always nice.

Metamagic feats, such as Extend Spell, are frequently useful.

Depending on the downtime your character may or may not be getting, Craft Wondrous Item can be golden.

If you're using a lot of spells with a saving throw, it may be worth investing in Spell Focus.

Proven_Paradox
2008-03-24, 06:20 PM
I highly recommend a spell focus or two. Conjuration is good for control things like grease, web, and glitterdust. At this level, enchantment has a few good options too--Tasha's Hideous Laughter comes to mind, and enchantment as a whole fits your concept well. Perhaps go for stuff like charm person. For higher levels, transmutation pulls ahead big time--baleful polymorph and disintegrate come to mind immediately, and there are dozens more. Illusion has a few nice, versatile options, though you need to talk to your DM about how useful an illusion can be. One question to ask in particular; can you get flanking bonuses with an illusionary combatant ally?

Also, metamagics are always useful. Still and silent spell both need to happen eventually, though admittedly right now spell focus would probably get you a bit better mileage. Avoid stuff that works with damage though--empower and maximize don't do that well right now. When you get access to stuff like enervation they get better, but right now, avoid. Possibly avoid all together: spilt and chain spell is where the good stuff is.

You don't see it so often, but if you're really really not sure what to do, you might think about weapon focus (ray).

Crafting is something else you need to ask your DM about; if you regularly get, say, two weeks of downtime between sessions, they can really help out. Otherwise, the time restraints are probably too much.

Look at PrC options too. Going for Archmage? If I'm not getting skill focus (spellcraft) from another PrC I enter beforehand, I like to get that out of the way at low levels, since higher level feats should go to more potent metamagics that you can't take yet. Try to PrC out of wizard at level 6. If you're a specialist, and you have Complete Mage, do it earlier--look up Master Specialist, it's an excellent PrC that you can qualify to take as 4th level.

Are there any specific magical things you want to be able to do? The above advice is good generally, but more information could get you some better advice.

Kurald Galain
2008-03-24, 06:46 PM
If you're into Spell Focus, consider things like Dazzling Enchantment and Cloudy Conjuration, which add a special effect to all your spells of one particular school.



Still and silent spell both need to happen eventually,
I disagree. Still and Silent may be useful for a sorcerer, but are generally not worth it for a wizard, because you cannot tell in advance which spells you may need silenced (and prepare everything silenced is not such a bright strategy).


Avoid stuff that works with damage though--empower and maximize don't do that well
True. Avoid that period, unless your character really wants to be a blaster mage (in which case, consider Warmage and Warlock).

The one metamagic that pretty much every caster picks up eventually is Quicken, as this allows you to cast two spells per round. Of course, this is for medium levels, say level 9 or so.



You don't see it so often, but if you're really really not sure what to do, you might think about weapon focus (ray).
Certainly an option, but only if you're using a lot of rays. As you may have seen already, it pays to specialize: you don't want to get spell focus (necromancy) unless you'll be using a lot of necromancy spells. If you're not already a specialist wizard, I'd strongly recommend that.



Look at PrC options too. Going for Archmage? If I'm not getting skill focus (spellcraft) from another PrC I enter beforehand, I like to get that out of the way at low levels,
Depending on how long you expect your game will last, you will certainly need to plan ahead for prestige classes (because you generally can't get them otherwise). If you want Archmage, take Master Specialist to help with the prereqs.

There are literally dozens of other worthwhile prestige classes out there; since the wizard has effectively no class features beyond level one (other than their bonus feats) you have very little reason not to take a prestige class or two. The general advice is to avoid prestige classes that don't give you "+1 to existing spellcasting class" levels.

Proven_Paradox
2008-03-25, 11:33 AM
I disagree. Still and Silent may be useful for a sorcerer, but are generally not worth it for a wizard, because you cannot tell in advance which spells you may need silenced (and prepare everything silenced is not such a bright strategy).

At high levels, there are a few spells that it really, really pays to have prepared as silent or still for emergencies. Dimension Door is one example; it only has a verbal component, so you only need to silent spell it. There are a lot of situations where one might need to get out of an area, fast, and may not be able to talk to do it--while gagged or while in a silence zone, for example. Perhaps "need to happen" was over-stating it, and it's true that sorcerer gets much better mileage out of still/silent than wizard, but at a certain point, it pays to prepare a few of those.

If you know you're about to be in a high-magic game, however, you might want to just skip the feats for metamagic rods... That part kind of depends on the game. I would still have the feats along with something like silent Teleport for a quick GTFO button, personally.

Chosen_of_Vecna
2008-03-25, 11:56 AM
If you know you're about to be in a high-magic game, however, you might want to just skip the feats for metamagic rods... That part kind of depends on the game. I would still have the feats along with something like silent Teleport for a quick GTFO button, personally.

But by the time that sort of thing really becomes useful or practical, if you are going Archmage you have a much better option. And most other PrCs will provide you with some sort of reasonable option. Feats are worth a lot more to me then the occasional escape (which is really all they are to a Wizard) especially when there are other ways around it (I mean we are talking about Wizard's here).

Maybe in Core it might be worth it, but even then better off going for Archmage (since their is no reason not to in Core with the Dearth of good feats).

Aquillion
2008-03-26, 01:50 AM
I have just the feat for you! It's a Dragon Magazine feat, but you should have no trouble convincing people to allow it.

Countenance of the Mage is one of the greatest arcane spellcaster feats ever printed! It grants you not one, not two, but three amazing effects!

First, as a mere full-round action, you can do any of the following: Clean or dry your body or clothes, color and trim your hair, or make other trivial alterations to your grooming! Just the thing to do in the middle of combat, which is why they carefully made it a full-round action -- very well balanced!

Second, when you take the feat, you get to choose one permanent affection, such as strange-shaped pupils, a weird shadow, weird-colored eyes, an odd scent, etc. Whatever it select, it is specifically noted that it will have no game effect, so feel free to go wild!

Third, you may designate a container of up to a whopping three feet in all directions, which you can put non-magical (only) clothing and jewelry in; as a full-round action, you can swap your own non-magical clothes and jewelry with anything in your container. You are specifically forbidden from using this to store or retrieve any useful weapons, equipment, or other gear! Isn't that wonderful!

And all of these fabulous effects can be yours, with the only prerequisites being an intelligence of 13, 11 charisma, and mere 9th level arcane casting! Oh, wait, you don't qualify. Oh well, it's probably too powerful for you anyway. But it'll be just the thing to grab around the same point when you get access to Teleport and Cloudkill...

(To be fair, they did make one fun feat in that line, even if it's not that good: Name of the Mage, which would shaken or frighten anyone who hears or speaks your name (except you), anywhere, at any time. No matter what their HD or saves, it's impossible to avoid being at least shaken for at least 2 rounds, as long as they're not immune to mind affecting things and fear. Not powerful -- actually, horribly underpowered given that it requires 20th level arcane casting -- but still awesome, especially since speaking your name is a free action.)

Chronicled
2008-03-26, 02:00 AM
(To be fair, they did make one fun feat in that line, even if it's not that good: Name of the Mage Being Voldemort, which would shaken or frighten anyone who hears or speaks your name (except you), anywhere, at any time. No matter what their HD or saves, it's impossible to avoid being at least shaken for at least 2 rounds, as long as they're not immune to mind affecting things and fear. Not powerful -- actually, horribly underpowered given that it requires 20th level arcane casting -- but still awesome, especially since speaking your name is a free action.)

Fixed :smallwink:.

Chosen_of_Vecna
2008-03-26, 02:03 AM
(To be fair, they did make one fun feat in that line, even if it's not that good: Name of the Mage, which would shaken or frighten anyone who hears or speaks your name (except you), anywhere, at any time. No matter what their HD or saves, it's impossible to avoid being at least shaken for at least 2 rounds, as long as they're not immune to mind affecting things and fear. Not powerful -- actually, horribly underpowered given that it requires 20th level arcane casting -- but still awesome, especially since speaking your name is a free action.)

Name of the Mage would be my First Epic Feat. That is pretty damn funny.

Kurald Galain
2008-03-26, 04:12 AM
I have just the feat for you! It's a Dragon Magazine feat, but you should have no trouble convincing people to allow it.
I found both feats extremely funny.

Not exactly feat-worthy, but certainly funny. But then, one of my favorite magical items was the Ring of Permanent Prestidigitation.

There's a prestige class somewhere that allows you to hear it whenever your name is spoken (and, I think, teleport there if you have the spell or ability). That's very flavorful.

Swooper
2008-03-26, 08:54 AM
I like Collegial Mage (?) from CArc. You must take it at 1st level, and get 4 free spells when you gain a level, instead of only two. YMMV though, depending on your DM. My regular DM isn't much for giving out scrolls or enemy spellbooks, nor do we often get the opportunity to buy spells so this feat simply doubles your spell list. In a game where you have access to a magic shop or guild or where you frequently get to kill enemy wizards and loot their spellbooks it may not be so good.

chevalier
2008-03-27, 08:51 PM
I agree with Collegiate Wizard being a good first level feat, but I think that Spellcasting Prodigy is the best 1st level caster feat. It allows you to count your bonus spells per day as if your primary attribute (INT for wizrobes and CHA for sorcerons) were TWO POINTS higher. Like Collegiate Wizard, this helps you all through the game That means if you're a wiz with an INT of 15, it's effectively 17 for slot purposes, and you'll have an extra 3rd level spell when you're able to cast it. If you've managed to roll an INT of 18, you have an extra first level spell RIGHT AWAY. Not bad.

Craig1f
2008-03-28, 12:00 PM
There's a prestige class somewhere that allows you to hear it whenever your name is spoken (and, I think, teleport there if you have the spell or ability). That's very flavorful.

I don't know the PrC you're talking about, but I believe the capstone ability for Truenamers is "Say my name and I am there."

You teach your friends your truename. If they say it, you can choose to teleport to their location as a free action from anywhere on the same plane.

It's cool flavor, but utterly useless as a player class.

Triaxx
2008-03-28, 01:24 PM
Martial weapon (Scythe) is always a fun one. As a wizard you have (virtually) no chance of actually hitting on anything but a Crit, barring True Strike, and having it do 4x damage is always nice.

Improved Initative is always great. If you have to go, first is the time.

Empower is nice, but extend, or widen is better still. Empower is great if you empower say Ray of Frost, or Magic missile in a level or two. Extend makes grease stick around longer. Widen makes Grease, and eventually Web hold more foes.

ColdBrew
2008-03-28, 02:00 PM
Martial weapon (Scythe) is always a fun one. As a wizard you have (virtually) no chance of actually hitting on anything but a Crit, barring True Strike, and having it do 4x damage is always nice.

Improved Initative is always great. If you have to go, first is the time.

Empower is nice, but extend, or widen is better still. Empower is great if you empower say Ray of Frost, or Magic missile in a level or two. Extend makes grease stick around longer. Widen makes Grease, and eventually Web hold more foes.

Well played, sir, well played.