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View Full Version : The Wizard [3.5] (Rebuilt, Tier 2 hopefully)



Ziegander
2008-11-13, 04:19 PM
The Wizard

**Designer's Note** Over at Brilliant Gameologists, Robby Pants is trying to rebalance core, but he ran into the conundrum of balancing Generalist Wizards against Specialist Wizards. He had the idea of making new Specialist classes in the same vein as Warmage, Beguiler, and Dread Necromancer for other schools like Abjur/Div, Conjuration, and Transmutation. So, I went along with the idea expressing that perhaps the answer was a new, unique, "Generalist" Wizard class. This is what I came up with.

HD: d6

Saves: Good Will, Poor others


LV Base Attack Class Features
1. +0 Scribe Scroll, Spellgrace +1
2. +1 Magicsense
3. +1 Advanced Learning
4. +2 Spellgrace +2
5. +2 Bonus Feat
6. +3 Advanced Learning
7. +3
8. +4 Spellgrace +3
9. +4 Advanced Learning
10. +5 Bonus Feat
11. +5
12. +6/+1 Advanced Learning, Spellgrace +4
13. +6/+1
14. +7/+2
15. +7/+2 Advanced Learning, Bonus Feat
16. +8/+3 Spellgrace +5
17. +8/+3
18. +9/+4 Advanced Learning
19. +9/+4 Bonus Feat
20. +10/+5 Spellgrace +6, Something Awesome

Class Skills (4+Int per level): Appraise, Concentration, Craft, Decipher Script, Disguise, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Profession, Sense Motive, Spellcraft

Proficiencies: As Normal.

Spellcasting: A Wizard gets spells per day, and has higher level spells available to him at the same rate as a normal Wizard, however his spell list is much more restricted, and his spells are drawn from the new Generalist spell list given below. In order to cast a spell he must have an Wisdom score at least 10+spell level, and his bonus spell slots are determined by his Wisdom. The saving throw DCs of spells he casts are determined by Intelligence. Wizards know all cantrips/orisons from all spell lists and can cast them at will.

A Wizard begins play knowing 3 1st level spells, and learns an additional spell of any spell level available for him to cast at every class level. Wizards may record additional spells into spellbooks. If a Wizard chooses he may learn an additional spell at each level but these spells must be transcribed into a spellbook. If he does not have access to the spellbook he may not prepare spells learned in this way.

Bonus Feats: At first level a Wizard gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat. He also gains bonus feats at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 19th levels. These feats can be any metamagic, heritage (counts as a Sorcerer to qualify), item creation feats, or reserve feats that the Wizard qualifies for.

Spellgrace: A Wizard adds his Wisdom modifier to AC against spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. He also adds the bonus indicated by the table to his saving throws against those abilities.

Sense Magic: As Swordsage.

Advanced Learning: At the indicated levels a Wizard can add any spell from any spell list to his list of spells known so long as his Wisdom score is at least 10+spell level. A spell added this way must be at least one level lower than the highest level spell a Wizard could normally learn.

Something Awesome: It is what it is. At 20th level, a Wizard gets something awesome. Capstone... not sure what to put here.

The Generalist Spell list

1st - Alarm, Endure Elements, Hold Portal, Grease, Mage Armor, Mount, Obscuring Mist, Summon Monster I, Comprehend Languages, True Strike, Charm Person, Burning Hands, Magic Missile, Shocking Grasp, Tenser's Floating Disk, Disguise Self, Hypnotism, Silent Image, Cause Fear, Animate Rope, Enlarge/Reduce Person, Erase, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall, Jump

2nd - Summon Monster II, Ray of Enfeeblement, Arcane Lock, Obscure Object, Protection from Arrows, Resist Energy, Fog Cloud, Melf's Acid Arrow, See Invisibility, Daze Monster, Continual Flame, Darkness/Daylight, Flaming Sphere, Gust of Wind, Scorching Ray, Shatter, Blur, Hypnotic Pattern, Invisibility, Minor Image, Misdirection, Blindness/Deafness, False Life, Scare, Darkvision, Knock, Levitate, Pyrotechnics, Spider Climb, Whispering Wind

3rd - Glitterdust, Summon Monster III, Summon Swarm, Web, Touch of Idiocy, Nondetection, Protection from Energy, Phantom Steed, Sepia Snake Sigil, Sleet Storm, Tongues, Deep Slumber, Heroism, Hold Person, Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Wind Wall, Major Image, Ray of Exhaustion, Blink, Fly, Haste, Slow

4th - Dispel Magic, Stinking Cloud, Summon Monster IV, Dimensional Anchor, Fire Trap, Dimension Door, Solid Fog, Arcane Eye, Charm Monster, Crushing Despair, Fire Shield, Ice Storm, Shout, Greater Invisibility, Bestow Curse, Contagion, Fear, Mass Enlarge/Reduce Person, Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer

5th - Summon Monster V, Minor Creation, Detect Scrying, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Dismissal, Teleport, Prying Eyes, Hold Monster, Symbol of Sleep, Bigby's Interposing Hand, Cone of Cold, Dream, False Vision, Nightmare, Persistent Image, Blight, Waves of Fatigue, Overland Flight, Passwall, Telekinesis

6th - Cloudkill, Summon Monster VI, Dominate Person, Wall of Force, Antimagic Field, Repulsion, True Seeing, Greater Heroism, Symbol of Persuasion, Bigby's Forceful Hand, Chain Lightning, Permanency, Otiluke's Freezing Sphere, Permanent Image, Programmed Image, Eyebite, Symbol of Fear, Control Water, Flesh to Stone, Mordenkainen's Lucubration

7th - Greater Dispel Magic, Acid Fog, Summon Monster VII, Disintegrate, Banishment, Sequester, Drawmij's Instant Summons, Phase Door, Plane Shift, Greater Teleport, Teleport Object, Mass Hold Person, Power Word Blind, Bigby's Grasping Hand, Mordenkainen's Sword, Prismatic Spray, Mass Invisibility, Finger of Death, Waves of Exhaustion, Control Weather

8th - Spell Turning, Summon Monster VIII, Delayed Blast Fireball, Ethereal Jaunt, Protection from Spells, Incendiary Cloud, Moment of Prescience, Greater Prying Eyes, Mass Charm Monster, Demand, Power Word Stun, Bigby's Clenched Fist, Otiluke's Telekinetic Sphere, Polar Ray, Scintillating Pattern, Horrid Wilting

9th - Dimensional Lock, Summon Monster IX, Temporal Stasis, Imprisonment, Gate, Refuge, Mass Hold Monster, Bigby's Crushing Hand, Astral Projection, Time Stop, Limited Wish

Of course the spell list above is just with the normal PHB spell lists taken into consideration. If you wanted to work with spells from PHB2, or from Spell Compendium or Complete Arcane, etc, keep in mind that you should delay some of the more powerful effects by a level or two, and/or completely remove spells that seem to step on the toes of the Specialist caster classes (for example I ignored a lot of undead manipulation, powerful charms and illusions, and scrying effects with the Generalist list since those are fairly iconic to their particular specialists).

Ziegander
2008-11-14, 02:03 PM
BUMP!

Feedback please?

Lorien077
2008-11-15, 02:00 PM
Weeeell its interesting... but all you really did was take away a ton of spell choice (the only reason to play wizard over sorcerer was the larger flexibility in spell list and slightly faster progression) and give it a bigger hit dice and a few more bells and whistles. No offense meant of course, but its not something I'd want to play.

Ziegander
2008-11-15, 02:57 PM
Weeeell its interesting... but all you really did was take away a ton of spell choice (the only reason to play wizard over sorcerer was the larger flexibility in spell list and slightly faster progression) and give it a bigger hit dice and a few more bells and whistles. No offense meant of course, but its not something I'd want to play.

No offense taken of course. This class keeps the faster progression, and it still knows very many more spells than the Sorcerer, it's just a lot less powerful. This class was written under the assumption the Wizard is not only more powerful than the Sorcerer, but that the Wizard is indeed much, much TOO powerful. That being said, I made some adjustments to the spell list, and changed the Wizard from needing Charisma to simply being dependant on a reasonably high Wisdom, and a very high Intelligence.

And you'll notice that I only used Core spells (the ones in the PHB), and that I gave guidelines for adding additional spells. This is because I'm lazy. Compare the class to a Sorcerer that can only cast spells from the PHB and I think you'll find it close to as versatile as always. Add in spells from all over the place and you'll get back to normalcy. Oh, and with Advanced Learning you can learn spells from any list. Meaning, Bard spells, Cleric spells, Druid spells...

Flame of Anor
2008-11-15, 06:50 PM
This class was written under the assumption the Wizard is not only more powerful than the Sorcerer, but that the Wizard is indeed much, much TOO powerful.

It's like you're trying to force some sort of arbitrary equality between those who can reshape the universe with their thoughts and those who can't!

Seriously, though, I love classic, overpowered wizards. There's a reason my favorite character is a single-classed Evoker. He totally pwns.

Zeta Kai
2008-11-15, 11:22 PM
Seriously, though, I love classic, overpowered wizards. There's a reason my favorite character is a single-classed Evoker. He totally pwns.

Batman only evokes when he's trying to take it easy on you. :smallwink:

Lorien077
2008-11-16, 05:33 PM
...But you can't even cast meteor swarm anymore... I dunno, just doesn't strike me as particularly fair. Wizards are already really really feat dependent (meta-magic, reserve feats, and generally trying to stay alive) that making them use feats to learn spells on the PHB wizard list seems a bit harsh.
I do like the making them less SAD by making wisdom count; I think it fits the flavor pretty well too. (Then again this does mean my completely insane wizard may have some issues...)

Ziegander
2008-11-16, 05:46 PM
...But you can't even cast meteor swarm anymore... I dunno, just doesn't strike me as particularly fair.

You realize that Meteor Swarm is a pretty weak 9th level spell, right?

Wizards are already really really feat dependent (meta-magic, reserve feats, and generally trying to stay alive) that making them use feats to learn spells on the PHB wizard list seems a bit harsh.[/quote]

Wizards aren't all that feat dependent, and the bonus feats they do get allow them to pick up the feats that will really help. Wizards don't need feats to stay alive. Mirror Image, Fly, Celerity (and it's ilk), Contingency and Teleports keep Wizards alive just fine.

And I'm not making them use feats to learn spells on the PHB Wizard list. That's exactly what the Advanced Learning class feature is for. And again, you can use it to grab Bard/Cleric/Druid spells if you really want. And again, again, remember that I'm just too lazy to add in other spells from other books that the PHB. If you play with other stuff than the PHB you'll probably want to add in other spells. There's nothing wrong with that.

Zeful
2008-11-16, 05:55 PM
...But you can't even cast meteor swarm anymore... I dunno, just doesn't strike me as particularly fair. Wizards are already really really feat dependent (meta-magic, reserve feats, and generally trying to stay alive) that making them use feats to learn spells on the PHB wizard list seems a bit harsh.
I do like the making them less SAD by making wisdom count; I think it fits the flavor pretty well too. (Then again this does mean my completely insane wizard may have some issues...)

I'd make them MAD. Int for spells known. Wiz for spells per day and Cha for save DC.

But I don't like wizards anyway.

Lorien077
2008-11-16, 06:13 PM
Exactly. Why are you cutting a spell from their list that isn't even that powerful? I just miss the flexibility.
And ever wizard I've ever played has been pretty dang feat dependent, but maybe its just me.
*shrug* Eh, I'm all out of copper pieces, this is why you're not supposed to spend more than two at a time. ;) Good luck with it.

*face palm* Sorry, for some reason thought advanced learning was a feat, was mixing it up with well... similar feats. IGNORE ME!!!!! :P

Ziegander
2008-11-16, 09:11 PM
Ah, see I removed it because it is a very iconic blaster spell. Theoretically if you want to cast Meteor Swarm you're playing a specialist Evoker, or in the game which this class was designed for - a Warmage. I guess my designer's note isn't as clear on that as it could be. This is designed for a game (not mine, a fellow designer's) where there is no such thing as "Specialist Wizard." Replacing the Specialist are classes like Warmage (Specialist Evoker), Beguiler (Specialist Enchantment/Illusion), and Dread Necromancer (Specialist Necromancy). This class is the general version, so it's spell list is much more generic, but draws spells from all schools of magic.

Tempest Fennac
2008-11-18, 02:54 AM
I can see why some spells are learnt at higher levels, but is Dispell really broken as a 3rd level spell? Also, why did you change the casting stat to Wis? I disagree with the idea of using MAD (I can never see any reason for needing more then 1 stat from a fluff perspective).

Ziegander
2008-11-18, 03:34 AM
I can see why some spells are learnt at higher levels, but is Dispell really broken as a 3rd level spell?

No, absolutely not. But I do think that since the fellow I designed this class for is making an Oracle (specialist Abjurer/Diviner) that I might as well bump it down. I bumped quite a few highly iconic spells down that I imagined might appear at their normal levels on the specialists' lists.


Also, why did you change the casting stat to Wis? I disagree with the idea of using MAD (I can never see any reason for needing more then 1 stat from a fluff perspective).

I did no such thing. I doubt I'll be able to convince you of any reason to use MAD, so I won't argue. The primary casting stat, however, is still Intelligence as it is the one that increases the save DCs of this Wizard's spells. You'll want 19 wisdom by 20th level, hardly difficult, but you'll still max out Intelligence as high as possible, just like normal.

Tempest Fennac
2008-11-18, 03:40 AM
Sorryabout misreading how spellcasting worked. How difficult it is to get 2 high mental stats would depend on how good the player's dice roll is as well as how many Wis and Int-boosting items there are in the game, though.