Ultimate Magus

[HamHam]

My Cleric died and I need to make a new character, so I've decided on an Ultimate Magus. Lvl 6, 36 point buy. Please have a look at what I have so far:

Illumian Wizard (conjuration spec) 4/ Sorcerer 1/ Ultimate Magus 1

Str 8
Dex 10
Con 8
Int 19
Wis 10
Cha 18

Feats:

1st Extend Spell
3rd Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer)

Alt Features:

Adrupt Jaunt replacing Wizard Familiar
Metamagic Specialist replacing Sorcerer Familiar

Specific questions:

One of my banned schools is gonna be Evocation, obviously, but what should I choose for the other?

Should I take any Flaws, and if so which ones?

Should I dumb Wisdom for more Con or Dex? More generally, I have 4 points left to spend on Str, Dex, Con, and Wis. So which combination would be best?

Also, any ideas for specific spells to know/prepare or future feats or equipment would be appreciated.

[Sinfire Titan]

1: Enchantment. Too many enemies are immune to it to make it worth while.

2: DUH! Anything that doesn't affect your spellcasting abilities. Stuff like Non Combatant, Vulnerable, or Blury-Eyed.

3: Yes. You need a metric ton more Con (that 8 will get you killed!). I'd actually lower the Int and ha to 17 each, then use your levels/race to adjust it. If possible, be a Dragonborn after taking Improved Sigil.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

You should definitely consider replacing Sorcerer with Beguiler (PH2). It gets Int-based spellcasting, so you can dump Cha and make your Dex and Con higher. It also gets a lot of skill points and good class skills, so take that as your first level. Illumians are Humanoid (human), so you can get Able Learner to keep max ranks in all those nice class skills. Take the feat Versatile Spellcaster in Races of the Dragon, and you can spend two Beguiler spell slots of the same level to cast any Wizard spell you know of one level higher. With two flaws you can even go Beguiler 1/ Wizard 1/ Master Specialist 3/ UM thanks to Versatile Spellcaster. Plus it gets some decent weapon proficiencies like Shortbow for when it's not worth using a spell, plus Spell Storing arrows are just amazing.

Your second prohibited school should definitely be Enchantment, it's the least useful school plus Beguiler gets all the important spells from it. Wisdom is generally a dump stat for casters, though if you can dump Cha it doesn't have to be too low. I'd probably go Str 10, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 8.

[HamHam]

How would Expanded Spell Knowledge work with Beguiler? I just add it to my spell list?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

How would Expanded Spell Knowledge work with Beguiler? I just add it to my spell list?

You would add it to your spells known, just like the ability says.

[HamHam]

I am convinced about Beguiler.

So, Beguiler 1/Wizard 4/ Ultimate Magus 1

With the flaws Noncombatant and Murky Eyed, the feats I have are now:

Versatile Spellcasting, Improved Sigil (Krau), Extend Spell, Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer0, and Scribe Spell.

Assuming I can get my hands on a +2 Int item, that gives me 5/5 spells per day from Beguiler and 4/5/3/2 from Wizard. And a CL of 7 for both.

[Lamech]

May I suggest spontaneous divination from complete champion?

[PrismaticPIA]

::cough cough Celerity Runestaff cough cough::

[Autopsibiofeeder]

You could also check what illusions of the sor/wiz list fit your character concept. A lot of the default gems (invisibility, mirror image, silent/minor/blabla image etc.) are also on the Beguiler list. If the overlap is sufficiently big you could choose to not dump Evocation, but illusion instead (...herecy, I know ). While there is a lot in Evocation that is covered by other schools, it does have some beautiful spells.

Not recommending it per se, but depending on your character fluff it may be a nice idea?

[HamHam]

You could also check what illusions of the sor/wiz list fit your character concept. A lot of the default gems (invisibility, mirror image, silent/minor/blabla image etc.) are also on the Beguiler list. If the overlap is sufficiently big you could choose to not dump Evocation, but illusion instead (...herecy, I know ). While there is a lot in Evocation that is covered by other schools, it does have some beautiful spells.

Not recommending it per se, but depending on your character fluff it may be a nice idea?

I think what Evocation spells I might need should be covered by UMD, which Ultimate Magus has as a class skill.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

I think what Evocation spells I might need should be covered by UMD, which Ultimate Magus has as a class skill.

*nod nod*
Sure thing. It just occurred to me as I am used to campaigns where I cannot anticipate easily on wand/scroll availability: I normally have no control over what I get. As a wizard-thingy, my focus is always on controlling what I have access to . If it works in your campaign then dumping evocation is a good idea.

[Lamech]

Hey fun fact raven familiars can speak and have the same skills as you do! Might want to get a raven via obtain familiar. It can do things like addition spellcraft checks. Or any other skill you happen to have lying around. ::Cough::UMD::Cough::

[aarondirebear]

I am convinced about Beguiler.

So, Beguiler 1/Wizard 4/ Ultimate Magus 1

With the flaws Noncombatant and Murky Eyed, the feats I have are now:

Versatile Spellcasting, Improved Sigil (Krau), Extend Spell, Practiced Spellcaster (Sorcerer0, and Scribe Spell.

Assuming I can get my hands on a +2 Int item, that gives me 5/5 spells per day from Beguiler and 4/5/3/2 from Wizard. And a CL of 7 for both.

Don't listen to these guys, the beguiler blows.
And 8 con isnt that bad, when the hades is a wizard going to be in melee?

GOD I hate Optimization Snobs...

[Frosty]

Don't listen to these guys, the beguiler blows.
And 8 con isnt that bad, when the hades is a wizard going to be in melee?

GOD I hate Optimization Snobs...

The 8 con blows when you have an average of 4 + 5*2.5 - 6 = 10.5 hp at level 6. It doesn't *matter* if you never get into melee. Anyone with a crossbow can end you.

[AmberVael]

Don't listen to these guys, the beguiler blows.

Nonsense. The beguiler is a great class- perhaps even a little broken. Its only problem is fighting things like undead or constructs.
It has more spells known than a sorcerer of equal level, more skill points, and at least in this case the use of intelligence can better synergize with the wizard (which- even if the Beguiler WERE a worse class- would make it worthwhile).

The problem of lack of versatility will be solved through the use of the Wizard and Ultimate Magus class, so really, it is quite an amazing choice.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Don't listen to these guys, the beguiler blows...GOD I hate Optimization Snobs...

Nice hypocrisy. Beyond that, the Beguiler is one of the best-balanced arcane casters out there. It's not God, but many people think that's a good thing.

[Myrmex]

I recommend Focused Speacialist: Conjuration and the Abrupt Jaunt Conjuration Specialist variant from PHB2.

Ban another school, and get another spell slot for conjuration spells, and get the ability to teleport as an immediate action a short distance int modifier times per day.

[quick_comment]

Beguiler is very well balanced, and it also works really, really well with wizard in ultimate magus. You avoid the cha dependancy, and know what schools to ban with wizard (enchantment and illusion)

[Tokiko Mima]

Don't listen to these guys, the beguiler blows.
And 8 con isnt that bad, when the hades is a wizard going to be in melee?

GOD I hate Optimization Snobs...

"These guys" actually seem to have a handle on creating a well built character that would be accepted by any reasonable DM.

If they were doing theoretical optimization, like Pun-Pun, this character would be a Wizard 5 (spontaneous divination)/Ultimate Magus X. RAW legal, but completely game breakingly ridiculous on it's face.

[quick_comment]

The best theoretical optimization with UM starts, like anything else, with being a kobold.

You then take loredrake, greater draconic rite, and all that goodness. You satisfy the spontaneous casting requires for UM without taking any class levels.

[Myrmex]

"These guys" actually seem to have a handle on creating a well built character that would be accepted by any reasonable DM.

If they were doing theoretical optimization, like Pun-Pun, this character would be a Wizard 5 (spontaneous divination)/Ultimate Magus X. RAW legal, but completely game breakingly ridiculous on it's face.

What would that progression look like? Would you get double advancement for wizard levels or spontaneous wizard casting outside of divinations?

[HamHam]

If they were doing theoretical optimization, like Pun-Pun, this character would be a Wizard 5 (spontaneous divination)/Ultimate Magus X. RAW legal, but completely game breakingly ridiculous on it's face.

I don't see how wasting a dual progression class on progressing a single class could possibly be optimal.

That seems wholly inferior to a straight Wizard/Incantrix/BrokenWizardPrCofChoice

[AmberVael]

I don't see how wasting a dual progression class on progressing a single class could possibly be optimal.

Because if you do it that way, you can gain multiple levels of caster per level.
As well as all the class features.

[Myrmex]

I don't see how wasting a dual progression class on progressing a single class could possibly be optimal.

That seems wholly inferior to a straight Wizard/Incantrix/BrokenWizardPrCofChoice

If you got rapid advancement in casting, it would be worth it.

[HamHam]

Because if you do it that way, you can gain multiple levels of caster per level.
As well as all the class features.

I am pretty sure that is not how that works. Or at least not how that should work, RAI.

[Myrmex]

I am pretty sure that is not how that works. Or at least not how that should work, RAI.

This is the part where I shout something about RAW and kick you down a well.

[AmberVael]

I am pretty sure that is not how that works. Or at least not how that should work, RAI.

Of course not. But that's what theoretical optimization is about.
Also, it is why we're not suggesting such things.