[4E] Half Orc Wizard

[MorgNThorg]

Hi all,

I thought I would share an idea for a Wizard when I stumbled on the Arcane Fury Feat (Half Orc Racial Feat from Arcane Power). Appologies if idea has already been discussed.

Arcane Fury: deal the Furious Assault Racial Encounter power damage to ALL targets I hit with an area/close arcane power - sounded pretty good to me. So I looked for arcane powers that affected a large area - the bigger the area the more damage ...
and found Orbmaster's Incendiary Detonation: Area burst 1 with minor (d6 +Int) damage (plus some ongoing) and knock targets prone, but combined with Orb of Imposition (Wizard Class Feature) it goes to area burst 3 and only affects enemies. That's one big (and selective) explosion (7x7).

Later I can get the Savage Assault Feat: Each Target hit by Furious Assault is -1 to all defenses for 1 turn - very nice when I'll be affecting anywhere from 1 to 49 targets.

So here's Yurk (DnD Insider random name - I know boring ...) the Pyrotechnic:

Half Orc Orb of Imposition Wizard

S 10 C 14 D 12 I 17 W 14 C 10

Arcane Fury Feat

Dailies: Chilling Cloud & Thunderwave
Encounter: Orbmaster's Incendiary Detonation
Daily: Sleep (Horrid Whisper's in book)

Stat wise I wanted to balance my defenses (AC 13 Fort 12 Ref 13 Will 14) so I'm down +1 on to hit but given I'll concentrate on area attacks this should be OK. I have also discussed this at length with a friend and decided by 20th level that missing +1 on Int won't be noticed as much as the missing +1 on Fortitude (and other Con based stuff) - we'll see ...

Any thoughts welcomed - OK I'll change the name .... I swear before we start play ... Pyros Lord of he Flame - nah, a sloth called Sid already took that title ...

[tcrudisi]

I'd like to suggest going Sorc instead. The +str or +dex will actually be helpful, which isn't true for Wizard. Further, the furious assault power makes sense. Especially if you want to primarily do damage, the Wizard is terribad compared to the Sorc. If you don't want to primarily do damage, then why are you playing a Half-Orc anyway?

Also Orbmaster's Incendiary Detonation will not work as you planned. Furious Assault only works when you hit an enemy with a power. With Orbmaster's, you hit them with the burst 1. When you extend the duration (read as: next turn), it automatically (no hit) extends the zone to a burst 3. So if you were going to use it with OID, you would have to use it on the initial burst 1 attack.

[Kurald Galain]

Arcane Fury: deal the Furious Assault Racial Encounter power damage to ALL targets I hit with an area/close arcane power - sounded pretty good to me.

It's not all that impressive, actually. For instance, Genasi have bigger damage boosts, and also increase your int.

and found Orbmaster's Incendiary Detonation: Area burst 1 with minor (d6 +Int) damage (plus some ongoing) and knock targets prone, but combined with Orb of Imposition (Wizard Class Feature) it goes to area burst 3 and only affects enemies. That's one big (and selective) explosion (7x7).

Sorry, but the power doesn't work that way. First, that's not ongoing damage. Second, the orb increases the area when you use the imposition feature, not when you use the power. That is, you'll get a burst-1 effect, and when you sustain it the next turn, it becomes a burst-3.

Later I can get the Savage Assault Feat: Each Target hit by Furious Assault is -1 to all defenses for 1 turn

That means the targets in the initial burst-1, not the burst-3 that appears next turn. Aside from that, savage assault is pretty mediocre as it stands.

Daily: Sleep (Horrid Whisper's in book)

Note that Horrid Whispers is a rather poor power, compared to other wizard dailies.

Stat wise I wanted to balance my defenses (AC 13 Fort 12 Ref 13 Will 14)

It is generally better to max out two or three defenses and ignore the third. Also, +1 to hit is much more important than balancing your defenses.

missing +1 on Int won't be noticed as much as the missing +1 on Fortitude (and other Con based stuff)

Do the math: you will miss +1 on int whenever you try to hit something, and again when you damage it. Your aim is to hit multiple things per turn using your area effects. You will therefore miss your +1 to int several times per turn, and easily a dozen times per encounter.

You will miss +1 on fortitude whenever something tries to hit you on fortitude. First, only about 20% of the attacks targeting you will be on fortitude. Second, how often do you plan to get hit? If your strategy means you will get hit multiple times per turn, perhaps you need to rethink that.

Overall, you will miss +1 on fortitude about once every four, five encounters. It should go without saying that +1 to int is much more important to you (and I haven't even mentioned int-based skills, int-based reflex defense, and int-based armor class yet).

[rayne_dragon]

First of all, I want to say that I think it's awesome that you want to play a half-orc wizard. All those naysayers who said you can't be a wizard because you're a dumb as mud half-orc didn't get you down - and one day you're going to show them who's boss. =D

As for practical matters, you may want to rethink the less Int thing. My wizard has Int maxed and I still want more. I think you may also want to consider the feats Expand Spell and Phantom Echoes. Expand Spell will let you increase the area of your spells by 1 at the cost of some damage, but is often worthwhile (especially in heroic tier). Less damage per opponent, but more damage overall. Phantom Echoes is the easiest way to get combat advantage as a wizard, although you'll need to take some more illusion powers to make it work. It can be a nice little boost to your attack rolls at times.

[Jayngfet]

At first level for wizard that feat really isn't that big a deal. You can afford one feat so I'd reccomend taking a ranged weapon and focusing on buffs. When low on spells simply boost your own power and play support by blasting in with a +1 flaming composite longbow.

[Grynning]

At first level for wizard that feat really isn't that big a deal. You can afford one feat so I'd reccomend taking a ranged weapon and focusing on buffs. When low on spells simply boost your own power and play support by blasting in with a +1 flaming composite longbow.

^
It says 4E in the title, dude.

I second going sorcerer for this instead. Half-Orcs make great sorcs in 4th ed. and you can get a better fire theme going with your powers. It's not that the Half-orc wizard would be bad, it's just that a sorcerer would be better.

Also, Half-Orc Sorc rhymes.

[Yakk]

Remember, that is +1 fort +1 surge +2 HP vs +1 to hit, +1 to damage, +1 to AC, and +1 to reflex.

Admittedly, you are only behind the 18 int version on 15 out of 30 levels (1-3, 8-10, 15-17, 21-23, 28-30), so it isn't that horrid.

[tcrudisi]

Remember, that is +1 fort +1 surge +2 HP vs +1 to hit, +1 to damage, +1 to AC, and +1 to reflex.

Admittedly, you are only behind the 18 int version on 15 16 out of 30 levels (1-3, 8-10, 15 14-17, 21-23, 28-30), so it isn't that horrid.

Quick little fix.

[Optimystik]

Also, Half-Orc Sorc rhymes.

It's settled!

[MorgNThorg]

Wow, thanks guys - the fact that my encounter power of choice is burst 1 and then becomes burst 3 is a bit of a downer :( but its good to learn these things.

I will have to ponder it some more - I do like the unusual - I had a Halfling Paladin in 3.5 - that was tough ....

Wouldn't you pronounce it Half-Orc "Sauce"? :) Still catchy though ...

[tcrudisi]

Wouldn't you pronounce it Half-Orc "Sauce"? :) Still catchy though ...

Hmm... I had forgotten there was an alternate pronunciation. Personally, I've always said "Sore sir err". So when I shorten it, it becomes "Sork".

Also, I would consider a Half-Orc Sorc to be unusual. I've not seen one played, but most of my party doesn't necessarily optimize, but they don't typically go for sub-par choices, either. And a Half-Orc Sorc is decent, just not particularly good. Then again, a Half-Orc as a Wizard isn't even a decent combination.

[Optimystik]

I always pronounce it Sork (Soark?) myself.

[Kurald Galain]

Hmm... I had forgotten there was an alternate pronunciation. Personally, I've always said "Sore sir err".

To them pansy green elvies, mebbe. To an ork, it's just sork