Looking for Wizard Alternate Class Features

[Chilingsworth]

Hi all!

I'm looking for ACF options to replace my upcoming wizard's familiar. The character will be a wizard 5/human paragon 3/mindbender 1 (just for the sake of the telepathy and extra save bonuses.) I'll probably take obtain familiar and improved familiar to get an imp, (otherwise, I wouldn't be able to qualify for it because of my non-wizard levels.) So, I want to make my class-granted familiar ability count for something before I replace it with the feats. What are my options? He's a generalist wizard, human. UA (other than the paragon class) might be iffy. Only WotC 3.5 books allowed, no BoVD, no BoED.

What options are out there, and where are they?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[Loki Eremes]

http://community.wizards.com/go/thre...s_Features_III

there you go, there are a good bunch of alternative Class Features in there, just look for the Wizard ones

[Ionizer]

Is Dragon Magazine material allowed? I've found an ACF that generalist wizards can trade their familiar for:

Arcane Reabsorbtion
If a spell you cast is Countered –or– fails to overcome the target’s Spell Resistance, you may “reabsorb” the spell as an Immediate Action by making a Spellcraft check vs. DC 20 + [3 * spell level]. If successful, you retain the Spell Slot, but take (spell level) nonlethal damage (which bypasses your Damage Reduction/resistances). Note: to use this ability, the spell must have had no effect whatsoever.

All other familiar trades seem to be linked to specialist wizards, or change the fundamental class into something else.

[Chilingsworth]

Is Dragon Magazine material allowed? I've found an ACF that generalist wizards can trade their familiar for:



All other familiar trades seem to be linked to specialist wizards, or change the fundamental class into something else.

That sounds awesome! Unfortunately, Dragon material isn't allowed. (The DM doesn't like keeping track of lots of magazines, and doesn't have direct access to them, anyway.) Other than BoVD and BoED, I should have a chance with anything else WotC 3.5, I think. I'm willing to consider things that change the class, depending on how it's changed.

[begooler]

Abrubt Jaunt from PHB2 is good. It requires you to be a conjurer, but there are also some other abilities on the same page that can be gained if you are a specialist of some other flavor.

In UA, I'm pretty sure all of the ACF's that are listed under Specialist Variants say you "permanently give up the ability to obtain a familiar." So, that wouldn't work for you.

There is another variant in UA that lets you get an animal companion instead of a familiar.

The wizard variants in Champion and Mage have you give up other features rather than a familiar. There are some variants in those books for sorcerers to give up their familiar.

[Ionizer]

Those "change the class" variations I mentioned are also from Dragon.

[Chilingsworth]

So, there aren't any familiar-replacing wizard ACF's for human generalists, then? Other than the one from Dragon? Dang!

[Greenish]

So, there aren't any familiar-replacing wizard ACF's for human generalists, then?

UA allows you to swap familiar to animal companion. Your effective druid level would only be half of your wizard level, though.

[FMArthur]

You could trade some nothing to become a Domain Wizard if you are a generalist, and then choose not to take a familiar.

In my group I give all generalist wizards the Elven Generalist substitution levels (from RotW) for free, since it has absolutely nothing to do with an Elf's racial differences - you could probably convince your DM to do something similar for you in exchange for your familiar, if you point out that only specialists seem to get any support in most books containing any sort of Wizard options.

[Chilingsworth]

You could trade some nothing to become a Domain Wizard if you are a generalist, and then choose not to take a familiar.

Oh, I want a familiar. It's just that as a Human Paragon/Wizard/Mindbender, I don't get full level to improve my familiar. Also, since I want an Imp, I don't have the effective level to get it. If I take the feat Obtain Familiar, though, I will have the effective level (the feat bases your familiar abilities on your highest arcane caster level.) But, by taking the feat, it becomes irrlevant if I have the familiar ability from my class. Therefore, I'm looking for something to trade the ability for.

[Gnorman]

Eidetic Spellcaster from Dragon #357 is pretty good - you lose your familiar and the Scribe Scroll feat, but you no longer need a spellbook to prepare your spells. You can do it with your flawless photographic memory. Kind of cool - prevents all sorts of DM meddling, too.

... well, except that Dragon isn't allowed. But it's still cool. Maybe for another game.

Wizard of Sun and Moon, perhaps?

[Chilingsworth]

Eidetic Spellcaster from Dragon #357 is pretty good - you lose your familiar and the Scribe Scroll feat, but you no longer need a spellbook to prepare your spells. You can do it with your flawless photographic memory. Kind of cool - prevents all sorts of DM meddling, too.

... well, except that Dragon isn't allowed. But it's still cool. Maybe for another game.

Wizard of Sun and Moon, perhaps?

What's Wizard of Sun and Moon, and which book is it from?

And, yeah Eidetic Spellcaster does sound awesome!

[arguskos]

What's Wizard of Sun and Moon, and which book is it from?

And, yeah Eidetic Spellcaster does sound awesome!

Dammit, someone beat me to Wizard of the Sun and Moon! It's from Dungeonscape, and it lets you split one spell slot at every non-cantrip level into a "sun" spell and a "moon" spell, each of which can be memorized separately, and when one is cast, they're both expended. The trick? Sun spells can only be cast above ground during the day, and moon spells can only be cast above ground at night or underground.

[FMArthur]

Dammit, someone beat me to Wizard of the Sun and Moon! It's from Dungeonscape, and it lets you split one spell slot at every non-cantrip level into a "sun" spell and a "moon" spell, each of which can be memorized separately, and when one is cast, they're both expended. The trick? Sun spells can only be cast above ground during the day, and moon spells can only be cast above ground at night or underground.

This sounds very interesting and I'd never heard of it before. Is there any way to exploit this to have both available at once?

[Greenish]

This sounds very interesting and I'd never heard of it before. Is there any way to exploit this to have both available at once?

Jump into portable hole to be underground?

Still not totally simultaneous though.

[arguskos]

This sounds very interesting and I'd never heard of it before. Is there any way to exploit this to have both available at once?

No, and that's the idea. I guess if you can find a way to count as being above ground both during the day and during the night, and convince your DM of, then it can be done.

I know of no such method, though, sorry.

[FMArthur]

Whoops, I went ahead and found it anyway. Acorn of Far Travel. You'll need a hired Druid or a Druid in the party to cast it, but it lasts day/level.

Carry this acorn and you're considered to be standing under its parent tree wherever you may actually be. If you go adventuring underground during the day, it's above ground, and if you go adventuring outside during the day, you encapsulate the tree itself in earth before you leave it.

I can imagine that oak trees will suddenly become quite rare.

[arguskos]

Whoops, I went ahead and found it anyway. Acorn of Far Travel. You'll need a hired Druid or a Druid in the party to cast it, but it lasts day/level.

Carry this acorn and you're considered to be standing under its parent tree wherever you may actually be. If you go adventuring underground during the day, it's above ground, and if you go adventuring outside during the day, you encapsulate the tree itself in earth before you leave it.

I can imagine that oak trees will suddenly become quite rare.

Man, I hate that acorn. I really really hate that acorn. But, yeah, I guess that works, foolish as it is. Well, there we are, Acorn of Far Travels breaks the game again. Good to know it's possible, though.

[Draz74]

If Flaws are allowed, you could trade your familiar for an extra feat just by taking one of the Flaws that says "you don't get the Summon Familiar feature." You can even use the resultant bonus feat to take Obtain Familiar.

I believe there have been two or three such flaws, and while at least one of them was from Dragon, not all of them were IIRC.

This is definitely kind of cheesy in its methods, but as a DM I'd actually allow it (even if Flaws in general weren't allowed), just because a Familiar for a Feat seems like a pretty natural trade. (Considering the Obtain Familiar feat and the equivalent Psicrystal system, which is IMO stronger.)

[Tokuhara]

Man, I hate that acorn. I really really hate that acorn. But, yeah, I guess that works, foolish as it is. Well, there we are, Acorn of Far Travels breaks the game again. Good to know it's possible, though.

I tend to agree. We had a wizard use this and it completely made me, the party's druid, utterly useless

[arguskos]

If Flaws are allowed, you could trade your familiar for an extra feat just by taking one of the Flaws that says "you don't get the Summon Familiar feature." You can even use the resultant bonus feat to take Obtain Familiar.

I believe there have been two or three such flaws, and while at least one of them was from Dragon, not all of them were IIRC.

This is definitely kind of cheesy in its methods, but as a DM I'd actually allow it (even if Flaws in general weren't allowed), just because a Familiar for a Feat seems like a pretty natural trade. (Considering the Obtain Familiar feat and the equivalent Psicrystal system, which is IMO stronger.)

There's only one I know of, Forlorn, which is from Dragon in a joke issue (same one that the Commoner flaws come from). Still, it's a legit trade, for the reasons you point out, and I permit it personally.

[Keld Denar]

Since its 2 slots, effectively, could you burn both of them to Versatile Spellcaster to cast a spell of 1 level higher? You'd need some form of spontaneous casting to qualify for VS, but it should work.

Alternatively, burn your S&M spells for Arcane Strike or Spontaneous Divination or similar abilities? Would that work?

[arguskos]

Since its 2 slots, effectively, could you burn both of them to Versatile Spellcaster to cast a spell of 1 level higher? You'd need some form of spontaneous casting to qualify for VS, but it should work.

Alternatively, burn your S&M spells for Arcane Strike or Spontaneous Divination or similar abilities? Would that work?

The ability states that once one is used, the other is gone too, so no, since the moment you use one, the other is gone as well.

[Greenish]

Man, I hate that acorn. I really really hate that acorn.

It is, most likely, the single most broken acorn in the history of gaming.

[arguskos]

It is, most likely, the single most broken acorn in the history of gaming.

That... sounds like a challenge. Time to make a new thread!

[FMArthur]

Unfortunately, all it says regarding expenditure of the slot is this:

If you cast one of these paired spells, it takes effect normally, but you no longer can use that spell slot to cast the spell from the opposite environment.

I can hardly believe it, but things like Arcane Strike and Spontaneous Divination which involve sacrificing the spell and not casting it actually work with both of the prepared spells in the same slot. I looked them both up. If this had just ended at "you no longer can use that spell slot" it wouldn't have opened up this abuse.

[JeminiZero]

UA allows you to swap familiar to animal companion. Your effective druid level would only be half of your wizard level, though.

This. Except that instead of using any one of the standard Animal Companions, you should try and swap it out for the Urban Companion from Cityscape Web Enhancement. Then it will function like a Familiar, and will scale *somewhat* with your character level, instead of wizard level.

Its still not as good a a full familiar, but you won't lose any XP if it dies, so its still useful as extra cannon fodder, especialy if you can polymorph it.

[arguskos]

Unfortunately, all it says regarding expenditure of the slot is this:



I can hardly believe it, but things like Arcane Strike and Spontaneous Divination which involve sacrificing the spell and not casting it actually work with both of the prepared spells in the same slot. I looked them both up. If this had just ended at "you no longer can use that spell slot" it wouldn't have opened up this abuse.

Are you serious. I read that as "expend one, both are gone", which makes sense. Dammit WotC, making stupid stupid abilities. Well, I guess Wizard of the Sun and Moon is now way better.

Also, acorn thread.

[Keld Denar]

What if you burned both of them at the same time, like with Versatile Spellcaster, that should work.

[FMArthur]

Versatile Spellcaster doesn't work, since you sacrifice spell slots and it's still one slot. But pretty much anything that says you sacrifice a spell, doesn't talk about slots, and doesn't talk about casting it is probably going to work. Just looking at Abjurant Champion's Arcane Boost ability, you can burn a spell for a bonus on attack rolls equal to its level, attack damage equal to twice its level, AC, saving throws, or energy resistance.

But remember that Sun/Moon slots are only one slot per spell level. While this makes it a pretty strong option, it's still probably not going to be worth the trade for certain Immediate Magics from PHBII or the Rapid Summoning Conjurer variant.

I'm gonna file this one under "neat trick" rather than "horrible abuse", but take it as you will.