Archmage PrC

[Tyger]

The Archmage PrC is a goal that I am looking at for far down the road, probably taking three levels (4 tops) in in. Anyone who's played it, looking for some advice with the set up.

1) Which two Spell Focus feats are advisable? I'm currently thinking Evocation and Illusion.
2) Which High Arcana do you go for? Thinking Spell Power, Arcane Reach, Arcane Shaping.

The character is a Wizard (generalist) / Mage of the Arcane Order, human, currently at level 8-9. Books allowed are pretty much all, and the current spell lists are anything in the PHB and SC. Role in the party varies, but mostly trying to be the go to guy in any tough situation. Not a lot of blasting, but enough that the SF Evoc might not be a bad idea.

Any assistance is most appreciated.

[Solo]

1) Enchantment, illusion, and necromancy are good schools for spell focus. You want to have higher save DCs on schools with lots of save or X spells.

[EldritchExMachina]

I'd strongly suggest focusing your spell focus on save or die spells. Illusion and Necromancy schools do very very well for those. Evocation can be nice, but remember it's just an increase in raw damage probability in which case ranged touch can be your friend instead of reflex for half, thus negating a real need for dc boosts to evocation.

Arcane Reach is very handy in my experience, and I am usually very torn about the desire to get it twice for that extra bit of range. It's important to know that a spell modified by Arcane Reach still has a range of 'touch' for purposes of most other abilities.

Mastery of Shaping is incredibly versatile and fun to play with. It also makes your melee allies enjoy you just a little bit more. A party pleaser in general.

Spell Power for that extra effective caster level will help your blasting capabilities, however it might be worth it to look into spell-like ability depending on how creative you are. It's best to use spell-like ability for real utility spells such as: Shadow Evocation, Greater Shadow Evocation, Limited Wish, Shadow Conjuration, Greater Shadow Conjuration, Mage's Lucubration, Most illusion spells.

[Tyger]

I'd strongly suggest focusing your spell focus on save or die spells. Illusion and Necromancy schools do very very well for those. Evocation can be nice, but remember it's just an increase in raw damage probability in which case ranged touch can be your friend instead of reflex for half, thus negating a real need for dc boosts to evocation.

Arcane Reach is very handy in my experience, and I am usually very torn about the desire to get it twice for that extra bit of range. It's important to know that a spell modified by Arcane Reach still has a range of 'touch' for purposes of most other abilities.

Mastery of Shaping is incredibly versatile and fun to play with. It also makes your melee allies enjoy you just a little bit more. A party pleaser in general.

Spell Power for that extra effective caster level will help your blasting capabilities, however it might be worth it to look into spell-like ability depending on how creative you are. It's best to use spell-like ability for real utility spells such as: Shadow Evocation, Greater Shadow Evocation, Limited Wish, Shadow Conjuration, Greater Shadow Conjuration, Mage's Lucubration, Most illusion spells.

Good points all. Still waffling on the Spell Focus Evocation. Mostly it would just be for Defenestrating Sphere and a few direct damage spells, which is an awful waste of a feat, as you correctly pointed out.

What do people think of Conjuration? Just thinking of Web, Glitterdust, Grease, Stinking Cloud, etc.

[Keld Denar]

I'll echo in necromancy, especially if you have a couple save vs dying spells like finger. I'd suggest enchantment though, as the 2nd. Dominate, Hold, and a number of others are all pretty much save or lose, but a successful save means no effect. So a dominate attempt met with a successful save is almost as bad as a wasted action. That extra 5% might just give you that edge.

Reach is a gimme....I mean, come on....2 words...shivering touch

I'd steer away from Power though. You can easily (and with crafting, cheaply) duplicate their effects with an orange ioun stone and/or ring of arcane power. While yes, it is nice to have all 3 for the fun +3 caster level boost, I don't consider it worth the cost of the spell slot. At that late level, all you are really getting is a little extra duration (small in relative) and occasionally an extra damage die (again, small in relative).

[Tyger]

I'll echo in necromancy, especially if you have a couple save vs dying spells like finger. I'd suggest enchantment though, as the 2nd. Dominate, Hold, and a number of others are all pretty much save or lose, but a successful save means no effect. So a dominate attempt met with a successful save is almost as bad as a wasted action. That extra 5% might just give you that edge.

Reach is a gimme....I mean, come on....2 words...shivering touch

I'd steer away from Power though. You can easily (and with crafting, cheaply) duplicate their effects with an orange ioun stone and/or ring of arcane power. While yes, it is nice to have all 3 for the fun +3 caster level boost, I don't consider it worth the cost of the spell slot. At that late level, all you are really getting is a little extra duration (small in relative) and occasionally an extra damage die (again, small in relative).

Shivering touch, as probably the most messed up spell in the game, is currently not allowed in our game. Can't say that I miss it. But Reach has tonnes of other options too, so that's groovy.

Good point on Power. You're right, by the time I'd be taking it, at level 18, its not really going to make that much difference.

And Enchantment's on the radar, but I tend to shy away from the controlling spells for now. That may well change asap though. Dominate and Hold are too nice to not take long looks at. :)

[Ashdate]

Conjuration has a lot of saving throw-esq spells at low levels (the ones you mention) but after Cloudkill the good spells stop requiring a saving throw. It's handy for low levels, but at a higher level you might wish it was something else that you took.

- Eddie

[Delaney Gale]

I went RP-style with my archmage... his first High Arcana was spell-like disintegrate 2/day. Yes, he is fond of his disintegration. "Bone naga? What bone naga? You mean that pile of dust in the middle of the floor?" >>

That being said, Mastery of Shaping is a pretty good one if you like using area-effect spells. Given that the only ones I ever use are fireball and cloudkill, I'll probably pass on it.

[Inyssius Tor]

To quote... someone, the feat Sculpt Spell (CAr, p. 83) really pees on the thunder of that secret.

[Douglas]

To quote... someone, the feat Sculpt Spell (CAr, p. 83) really pees on the thunder of that secret.

Not really. Sculpt Spell costs a higher level spell slot for considerably less flexibility. Even the 10' cubes option can have situations where you have to choose whether to hit an ally or leave one or more enemies untouched. With Mastery of Shaping, you can just carve 5' holes in the area wherever you like at no cost, do it spontaneously even if you're a wizard, and end up hitting all the bad guys and none of your friends every time.

For a third High Arcana, I'd suggest Mastery of Elements if you use any energy damage spells. It's great for bypassing resistances, and you'll never be stuck with this problem.

[martyboy74]

Remeber that Arcane Reach lets you apply Chain Spell to all of your touch spells.