Feats for the Warmage...

[quiet1mi]

I personally love the Warmage... it is flashy and fun...

But unfortunately it is a little constrained in what it does (HP damage at a range, sometimes to multiple people)

I was wondering if there was any feats that the Warmage could take that would "up" his utility inside and outside combat...

Fell Animate is a quick and dirty way to create minions... Minions that can aid with logistics of carrying things, guarding areas, and can be used as mobile cover (+4 ac, +2 Ref), Block charge Lanes, waste actions of the opponent, flank and Aid another...

Fell Drain turns magic missile into a level 3 spell that hands out a negative level without a save 100% of the time...

Invisible spell is great for a warmage with any inkling of stealth... IMHO it would negate the -20 to hide for sniping because they cannot see the blast or where it came from... If not negate it, lower the penalty to maybe -10...

Earthbound spell turns any damage spell into a trap... hand for guarding areas and "storing actions"

Flash Frost allows you to add grease to any spell that is "cold".

Energy Gestalt allows you to tack on save or suck effects to your spells...

Is anything else that can make the Warmage go from 1 Trick pony (mobile artillery) to something more... interesting...

[Dusk Eclipse]

Want to have versatility? Enter Rainbow Servant (Either through early entry trick or at level 7, either way as a capstone RS gives adds to yur spell list ALL the cleric list, the catch is normally you would have to add them in a normal way (spell know for a Sorcerer, paying to scribe them in your scroll, BUT since as a warmage you automatically know ALL your spell list... well congratulations you can now cast spontanously all cleric spells.

Early entry trick get this you at an ECL as low as 11
normal entry ECL 17
Depends on your DM

There is a handbook for warmages in BG, I'll try to look a link

EDIT: found the link Warmages: Play them the right way or not at all

[Seffbasilisk]

PBS and PRCS are staple. I'd recommend a reserve feat or two.

[Pluto]

Able Learner (RoD), Criminal Background (SoS), City Slicker (RoD) and Skill Knowledge (UA) are typically good choices. With High Charisma and decent Int, adding some party face skills to your list can be very useful.

Arcane Disciple (CD) means more versatility, if you have the stats. ZAlmost always take this.

Extra Spell, if you can use it for out-of class spells, is very nice.

Touchstone (City of the Dead) (Sand), Blood calls to Blood (HoH), Eschew Materials. Trust me.

Reserve Feats tend to be a waste of time, but they are a fun waste.

[The_Snark]

Arcane Disciple (Complete Divine) is not a bad choice if you have the Wisdom to spare. A well-chosen domain can net you some nice utility spells; you can only cast 1 of each spell level per day, but being able to cast Fly and Teleport once per day each (Travel domain) isn't half bad for a feat.

The Fiend-Blooded class, from Heroes of Horror, can give you a few extra spells known, although they have to be necromancy, illusion, or [fire] spells. The Sandshaper is a classic way of expanding your spells known, and while it's wasted a little on warmages, it still gives you a selection of spells you wouldn't otherwise get. In general, anything that expands your spell list is a good idea. (Rainbow Servant has been mentioned, but your DM may rule it loses four caster levels as per the table; it's actually not a bad tradeoff, but until you reach level 10 it's going to hurt.)

There's an alternate class feature in the Player's Handbook II that allows you to replace your normal advanced learning feature with one that lets you learn non-evocation sorcerer spells, albeit at a level higher than they normally are.

[Greenish]

Touchstone (City of the Dead) (Sand)

Which leads to the Sandshaper. Truckloads of spells known, even if they aren't all that amazing. Talk to your DM to get it 9/10 or 10/10 casting, it still wouldn't be as strong as Rainbow Warsnake.

[Edit]: Damn ninjas and their Hide in Plain Sight…

[Noble Savant]

I am always amused by the fact that tips for playing a warmage always boil down to "stop being a warmage". In any case, in order to help you with your original query...

Sculpt Spell: It is a pretty awesome feat, and it allows you to really play around with your spells in interesting ways, (shatter is pretty nice with this). You might even want to get a Metamagic Rod with this on it, just for the tactical value. Take it just for the Shatter with the area of a fireball.

Metamagic School Focus: This is pretty nice, most of your spells hover around the same school, and you'll be loading on metamagic in any case.

Residual Metamagic: I believe that Sudden Metamagic triggers this feat, and you'll be getting the Sudden Versions in any case, so why not capitalize on it? It's also synergistic with the previous feat. Load up on Metamagic.

Invisible Spell: Take Still Spell and Silent Spell as well. Stealthy incineration. This feat alone lets you be a hidden sniper for eternity.

[Thurbane]

From DMG II: Apprentice (Spellcaster) - gets UMD on your class skill list. UMD + CHA based character = win!

The various Bloodline feats from Dragon Magazine Compendium add an extra spell known from spell levels 1 through 9 (i.e., 9 total spells known by 18th level), which otherwise may not be available to a Warmage.