[3.PF/3.5] Weapons for a Wizard

[maysarahs]

My group is playing a Pathfinder game with a party of three. I am playing a generalist wizard, and need help arming him. Since the party is a medium elf (me) a tiny gnome artificer, and a halfling cavalier, I forsee needing to enter melee at some point. I have a little more than 17000 gold to spend, and was thinking of a set of daggers for any situation, mundane (silver, adamantine) and magical (spellstoring, frost) to use hand of the apprentice with, and a longsword for the times when I might need something bigger than a d4 (or +1 Skillful Courtblade?) I come to you for advice Playground. What enhancements/ weapons should I carry with my budget?

Edit: Most 3.5 and Pathfinder books are game.
Edit: I forgot to mention that we are Level 10, for 62000gp starting wealth

[Diarmuid]

If you think you'll need some melee, you're probably better off just casting some summons and spending your gold on stuff to make your wizarding better.

[Tael]

If you don't have a Headband of Int +4, forget the weapons and buy one. Spend the other 1k on consumables or something. If you're really eager for a weapon, a +1 Warning Dagger gives you +5 Init for a pretty good cost, and you can slap defending on that and cast GMW every morning for a nice easy +2-3 AC.

[maysarahs]

My equipment so far:
Hb of Intellect +4
Belt of PM con/dex
elhonnas quiver
handy haversack
shapesand (2 quarts)
Pearl of power (level 1 x5, level 2 x1)
ring of sustenance (the cavalier is paying for the spellguard ring that will go on the other hand)
survival pouch
100 gp gem (focus for magic jar)
composite longbow
antitoxin (2 vials)
a few other mundane pieces of gear

any advice beyond that?

[Endarire]

How'zbout taking a reserve feat from Complet Mage instead? You'll save on cash and feel more magely with Fiery Burst, Storm Bolt, or Winter's Blast.

[Psyren]

If you must melee with your wizard, either be a gish or polymorph into something that can handle the action. Don't find the perfect weapon for your scrawny, nerdy wrists - swap your wrists out for talons.

(reserve feats are good too)

[Lateral]

RESERVE FEATS. Pick the one that's most appropriate to your build. My personal favorite is Summon Elemental- free scouts and meat shields as long as you have a 4th level summons left. Gets better as you go up, too- Medium elementals are slightly better meatshields, but Large elementals are... well, large.

[Kalaska'Agathas]

If you must melee with your wizard, either be a gish or polymorph into something that can handle the action. Don't find the perfect weapon for your scrawny, nerdy wrists - swap your wrists out for talons.

(reserve feats are good too)

This. Or, if you'd rather go a different route, Telekinesis. Just Grapple your enemies - you should have a CMB of 10 from Caster Level + 7 from your Int (I presume an Int of 24, if you're an Elf). The spell is rather unclear on how much damage you can do, in this case, as on a grapple you can deal unarmed damage (1d3+Str for you, if I remember correctly) and apparently this damage can be lethal or non-lethal. I think it might be 1d3+Int though, which would benefit you all the more.

Also, why Generalist Wizard? If you want free metamagic, go Incantatrix or suchlike. With Pathfinder Banned Schools working as they do you gain very little (or nothing, compared to some schools) for not specializing. This of course assumes you're not also using the Elf Wizard Substitution Levels from Races of the Wild - if you are using said sub levels, then definitely be a generalist.

[maysarahs]

I am using the first racial sub level from rotw (which gives one spell slot of highest I can cast, and an extra spell learned), (also I couldnt figure out what to ban (two spell slots for detect magic at will? or two spell slots for magic jar? neither are options I like)). I am banned from Incantatrix, and the like.
If I had the feats Improved initiative, toughness, collegiate wizard, spell focus (conj),augment summoning, extend spelland alacritous cogitation, what feat should I replace with fiery burst or summon elemental? I am mainly trying to be a BC wizard, who works with the artificer (uses two wands of lightning bolt to scary effect) and I don't want to build around melee, just want to have the option to discourage anyone who gets too close in case the cavalier is too far away

[Lord Bingo]

I am sorry, but I have to address the "I'm playing a generalist wizard": Never play a generalist wizard in PF It is by far the weakest build option for a wizard. Specialize: Evoker and Illusionist schools are especially good and if you have access to Advanced Player's Guide you can make them even better.

edit: you also get school powers and extra spells (if I remember correctly). You also have access to Summon Monster V at this point, so you should not have to enter Melee.


As for a weapon, keep in mind that you are not going to be attacking with it, it merely serves to keep you from being unarmed, and if applicable give you bonuses from enhancements. If you absolutely must attack get a ranged weapon -your dex is likely better than your str. If you still insist on having a melee weapon get something with reach. If you get in close with a fighter type you will not last long.

edit: if it is not completely out of the question you could consider going for sorcerer instead and then take the Dragon Disciple PrC. This will give you the strength and HP to withstand melee while preserving most of your casting abilities. -and you get a breath weapon

[maysarahs]

I had planned on using hand of the apprentice to attack most of the time. I would specialize, but between necromancy, divination and evocation, I don't know what to "ban" (and I would probably specialize in Conjuration as a BCer)

[Lateral]

Is Divination bannable in PF? Assuming that PF spells are even vaguely like 3.5 spells, ban Evocation. There's virtually nothing in Evocation that you can't cover with Conjuration and Shadow Evocation. Then, Necromancy-- it's useful, but much less so than Div, and you have plenty of debuff options from Transmutation. As long as you're not a dedicated debuffer, dropping necromancy shouldn't be too big of a deal.

[Vizzerdrix]

A warning, eager defending gauntlet and githcraft (or feycraft), twilight, mithral breastplate with thistledown lining.