Picking Wizard Feats in E6

[Tyndmyr]

Phew, haven't been here in a while. Well, life has calmed down, and Im merrily playing a game of E6. Conjurer, naturally.

So, we're three levels in, and choices are starting to be important for optimization. I've already gotten the prereqs for Master Specialist, since that's the best available PrC I know of this early.

Wealth is low, with me being the richest party member at about 600gold and a +1 staff(meh). Party consists of My wizard, Ranger, Hexblade, Rogue, and a worthless cleric hireling.

Suggestions for feats, or possible 1 level dip that'd be superior to the third level of master specialist? We're using the spell point variant, if that's of any importance, and metamagic shenanigans will likely happen at some point...but Im likely to be playing long enough to get quite a collection of feats, so I need to expand beyond my usual favorites.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Mindbender 1 is amazing if you didn't ban enchantment, or Warblade 1 at level 6 can pick 2nd level maneuvers and you'll have something to do when not casting spells. Fighter 1 with the armored mage ACF in CM will allow you to cast in light armor unhindered, and again you'll have something to do besides casting spells.

[Zovc]

Fighter 1 with the armored mage ACF in CM will allow you to cast in light armor unhindered, and again you'll have something to do besides casting spells.

Can one qualify for Spellsword before Level 6? If so, that might be a better choice than fighter, seeing as you won't lose a level of casting oomph. Then again, you aren't exactly getting another level of spells between 5 and 6, are you?

If you can weasel your way into Sacred Exorcist, you'll get turn attempts which you can sink your future feats into Divine Metamagic.

You seem a lot more optimization-oriented than your party, be careful!

[Psyx]

Given the low number of spells available... reserve feats? Also good for a small bonus CL boost.

[Tyndmyr]

Mindbender 1 is amazing if you didn't ban enchantment

Oh, hells yeah I banned enchantment. Doesn't that also not progress casting?

Warblade 1 at level 6 can pick 2nd level maneuvers and you'll have something to do when not casting spells. Fighter 1 with the armored mage ACF in CM will allow you to cast in light armor unhindered, and again you'll have something to do besides casting spells.

Light armor is pointless. Mage armor is superior in every way. Not progressing casting means a crapton less spell points, and means that instead of casting effectively, Im now meleeing ineffectively.

Reserve feats are a good point...I'd forgotten about the CL boost, and those are handy at level 6. I really need to pick a good spell or two to focus on for CL boosting.

[Zovc]

Oh, hells yeah I banned enchantment. Doesn't that also not progress casting?

Mindbender 1 progresses casting.

[Coplantor]

My E6 wizard build was

Focused Conjurer Specialist => Master specialist => Mage of the arcane order

The last PrC was to every now and then, get spells from banned schools.

[Tyndmyr]

Mmm, definitely slick. That's the kind of thing that interests me...a way to get something you can't normally get with feats, that makes for a better caster.

[Coplantor]

For different 6th level caps, you could try wid mage and Practiced spellcaster feat, that way your caster level becomes 6+1d6, though your dungeon master might throw a book at you.

Also, going to mindbender at level 6 is oh-so-awesome. It's a nice cap for a strategist kind of wizard. You provide silent communication for your entire party.

[Tyndmyr]

Nah, DM is familiar with a decent degree of optimization. He also has a tendancy to throw rather ridiculous stuff at us. Bog Imps at level 2 are problematic. Ima have to check out wild mage.

[Optimystik]

Since you banned Enchantment, Mindbender is out. MotAO is nice if you can afford it (you're in a low-wealth campaign, so I'm not sure.)

Wild Mage 1 + Practiced Manifester can boost your CL from anywhere between 7-12 - pretty deadly in E6, though your DM will be unlikely to approve.

Sacred Exorcist 1 qualifies you for lots of divine feats, which you can get plenty of in E6.

Paragnostic Apostle 1 is great for Call of Worlds, Mind over Matter or Backhanded Attack.

An often-overlooked dip is Wayfarer Guide 1 - no lost CL and you get much better at being the party taxi.

[Tyndmyr]

Nifty, I'll look em up later

Any other suggestions on handy feats?

[Zovc]

Nifty, I'll look em up later

Oh, yeah, look it (Sacred Exorcist) up when Optimystik suggests it. >.>

[PId6]

Pick up the Spontaneous Divination ACF and you'll qualify for spontaneous casting requirements. Versatile Spellcaster and Practical Metamagic can both be amazing for wizards (if you don't have dragonblood subtype yet, either become Dragonborn or take the Dragontouched feat).

One thing to do with your extra feats is to just take metamagic feats and start taking meta-reducers. Easy Metamagic, Practical Metamagic, Metamagic School Focus and Arcane Thesis all add up to quite a bit of reduction, so that can make even Persist viable (or Quicken with less cheese).

[Tyndmyr]

ACF for what? Already traded in my familiar for abrupt Jaunt...

Yeah, the usual metamagic cheese can be taken for granted. Dragontouched is a quite reasonable path...it's feat based, so it slaps on nicely. Im a grey elf for the bonus int, but I don't mind a touch of draconic.

[Natael]

Would practiced spell caster really work like that with wild mage?

I've done said combo before (saw it on my own), and figured that the caster level would be (assuming level 6):

6(wiz lv)-3(due to class)+1d6(wild bonus), adjusted up to 6 if below. Meaning half the time your caster level would be 6, the other half it would be 7-9.

Rather than 6-3+3+1d6, which is kind of silly powerful.

[PId6]

I'd actually recommend Dragonborn for Gray Elf. You don't really get any useful racial features as an elf, unlike Dragonborn, and it cancels the Con penalty nicely.

Spontaneous Divination is in Complete Champion, and trades your 5th level bonus feat. You won't be able to take Master Specialist, but 2 levels of it doesn't give you much anyway.

Would practiced spell caster really work like that with wild mage?

Yes, because you apply bonuses in the most beneficial order (especially since the -3 is a permanent change, while the +1d6 is not). Applying Practiced Spellcaster last would be a reasonable houserule though.

[Tyndmyr]

Would practiced spell caster really work like that with wild mage?

I've done said combo before (saw it on my own), and figured that the caster level would be (assuming level 6):

6(wiz lv)-3(due to class)+1d6(wild bonus), adjusted up to 6 if below. Meaning half the time your caster level would be 6, the other half it would be 7-9.

Rather than 6-3+3+1d6, which is kind of silly powerful.

Well, it does make up lost caster level from class. Bonuses from other stuff doesn't affect it. It should work out alright. I do like the idea of guaranteeing CR10 fireballs at level 6(other feats required).

I suspect I'll need to trawl for an uncapped damage spell, or highest capped damage spell, of level 3 or below.

[Natael]

Well, it does make up lost caster level from class. Bonuses from other stuff doesn't affect it. It should work out alright. I do like the idea of guaranteeing CR10 fireballs at level 6(other feats required).

I suspect I'll need to trawl for an uncapped damage spell, or highest capped damage spell, of level 3 or below.

But it only makes up for them up to your HD, so if from wild mage, your caster level is boosted up to 7 (assuming you are level 6), then practiced would not take effect because you are not below your HD. Otherwise, I'd think practiced would have to go into effect before the -3.

[Hurlbut]

I suspect I'll need to trawl for an uncapped damage spell, or highest capped damage spell, of level 3 or below.

Isn't there a feat or such that maximized the dices of a damage spell?

[Milskidasith]

Well, it does make up lost caster level from class. Bonuses from other stuff doesn't affect it. It should work out alright. I do like the idea of guaranteeing CR10 fireballs at level 6(other feats required).

I suspect I'll need to trawl for an uncapped damage spell, or highest capped damage spell, of level 3 or below.

Grab reserves of Strength.

Save up for a third eye clarity or three (or take necropolitan at level 6 and level back up to 6)

Cast at 9+1d6 CL with no cap on any spell for any reason.

Note: Reserve's of Strength is approximately crazy broken, and for good reason. It also requires Iron Will.

[Zovc]

I'd actually recommend Dragonborn for Gray Elf. You don't really get any useful racial features as an elf, unlike Dragonborn, and it cancels the Con penalty nicely.

Oooh, that's so cheesy! I can't believe I never thought of that!

[Tyndmyr]

But it only makes up for them up to your HD, so if from wild mage, your caster level is boosted up to 7 (assuming you are level 6), then practiced would not take effect because you are not below your HD. Otherwise, I'd think practiced would have to go into effect before the -3.

If not specified, player chooses how things stack, right? So...apply the bonus to negate the penalty. Even if it works the other way...its not a major deal. Still all positives.

Hurlbut, that sounds like maximize spell. With reducers, empower and maximize are excellent choices. Of course, the thing about CL boosters is that they synergize with metamagic damage boosters.

Necropolitan is an excellent point, thanks. I hadn't considered the impact of things that cost xp instead of level adjusts. Basically free. Im going to need to pick up craft wondrous item just for this. Save our precious gold, by spending xp we don't care about.

Iron will is gonna get scooped at some point. Im fond of all the save boosters, since getting taken out of combat by a bad save in the first round sucks. I do like the sound of no damage caps...

[Hurlbut]

If not specified, player chooses how things stack, right? So...apply the bonus to negate the penalty. Even if it works the other way...its not a major deal. Still all positives.

Hurlbut, that sounds like maximize spell. With reducers, empower and maximize are excellent choices. Of course, the thing about CL boosters is that they synergize with metamagic damage boosters.

Necropolitan is an excellent point, thanks. I hadn't considered the impact of things that cost xp instead of level adjusts. Basically free. Im going to need to pick up craft wondrous item just for this. Save our precious gold, by spending xp we don't care about.

Iron will is gonna get scooped at some point. Im fond of all the save boosters, since getting taken out of combat by a bad save in the first round sucks. I do like the sound of no damage caps...

You could talk to the DM about increasing casting time to boost the spell's power.

[Tyndmyr]

Nah. Increasing casting time is the last thing I want to do. He's talking about introducing higher level spells as ritual type things, which is dandy for support spells like teleport, but for damage spells, I want to win init, chuck out damage spells, and start dropping things asap. Anything that takes longer than a standard action is too long.

[dextercorvia]

I suspect I'll need to trawl for an uncapped damage spell, or highest capped damage spell, of level 3 or below.

Scorching Ray can hit 12d6 (and I'm sure you know it makes a great metamagic seed), if you can boost CL to 11. It's a good spell to Thesis, which gives you +2 CL on top of Wild Mage, and various [Fire] ([Acid] actually, since you'll want Energy Sub, for the Thesis metamagic reduction) reserve feats can make up the difference. Note that if you take stun immunity, Reserves of Strength deals damage to you (5d6 for the +3 CL IIRC), so while it is awesome, (or awesomely cheese) it does have a drawback or two.

You can toss your choice of an Energy Subbed, Invisible, Admixtured, or an Energy Subbed, Invisible, Empowered, Maximized Scorching Ray as a 3rd level spell, dealing up to 24d6, or 72+6d6 damage split over up to 3 targets.

[Hurlbut]

Nah. Increasing casting time is the last thing I want to do. He's talking about introducing higher level spells as ritual type things, which is dandy for support spells like teleport, but for damage spells, I want to win init, chuck out damage spells, and start dropping things asap. Anything that takes longer than a standard action is too long.

So you don't want to give up a move action and a swift action for one full round action as an option to boost a spell's effectiveness?

[Milskidasith]

So you don't want to give up a move action and a swift action for one full round action as an option to boost a spell's effectiveness?

I don't think many DMs would allow that type of thing, especially if you're trading away actions you wouldn't really be using.

[Hurlbut]

I don't think many DMs would allow that type of thing, especially if you're trading away actions you wouldn't really be using.

Why not? You're concentrating more time on your spell. Wouldn't that boost its effectiveness?

[Milskidasith]

Why not? You're concentrating more time on your spell. Wouldn't that boost its effectiveness?

No, what you're doing is asking for a free power boost to an already powerful class by sacrificing actions you probably aren't using in combat, especially if you won initiative so you don't need to use your move action. That's pretty much how it would look to any DM, and generally asking for more power is considered poor form.