Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Danz33 06-14-06, 11:39 PM	1. Fireball is not the solution to all problems. When in doubt, try meteor swarm. :D 2. Multiclassing to improve hp, feats or saves can be good, but should be done very sparingly
kgbspy 06-14-06, 11:46 PM	3. Contrary to popular belief, a familiar is your best friend (especially at level 20, and if you use some good buff spells. like animal growth.) 4. Psionics arent broken (at low levels). 5. Psionics are broken (at epic levels).
stargate525 06-14-06, 11:53 PM	6. draconic stuff is good 7. having no meatshield is not 8. Mystic Theurge is the best ******* prestige class ever 9. Prestidigitation is good 10. Poisons are not
Tempest Stormwind 06-15-06, 12:54 AM	3. Contrary to popular belief, a familiar is your best friend (especially at level 20, and if you use some good buff spells. like animal growth.) 4. Psionics arent broken (at low levels). 5. Psionics are broken (at epic levels). 3a: Reading spell descriptions relating to type is good (animal growth won't work on your familiar, as it's a magical beast) 5a: Please PM me your evidence on this. I'm seriously curious. 11: It pays to plan ahead. 12: As a corollory, there's a reason you can't give up Divination. Use it. 13: You can never have enough Constitution. 14: It's not all about you. (See 7) 15: Unless it's high-level, when it is. 16: Standard Opening Volley should consist of Dispel Magic or a greater form, up to and including Mordenkainen's Disjunction. 17: Boosting caster level can be more effective than boosting key abilities, especially in defense; see number 16. 18: Doubt not the power of the cleric, for he is mightier than even *you*. 19: ...unless you are prepared for this particular encounter and he is not. See 11 and 12. 20: Note to self: Send my kids to the cathedral's abbey. See 18.
runestar 06-15-06, 01:01 AM	At lower lvs, one can never have enough scrolls scribed. :D
Kuraito 06-15-06, 01:09 AM	21. The best spells are often the least satisfying to cast. 22. Arcane just isn't THAT uber until your pretty much epic. By then, everyones uber. 23. Item crafting for the whole party is for chumps, don't try it. 24. Trying to be a one man killing machine is usually a bad idea, unless your a really good twink. 25. Your a part of a party for a reason. Do not buy into the hype that your the best or that the cleric is better then you, ever. True or not, both of you do better together, period. 26. Direct Damage spells might not always be optimal, but it will almost always be useful. A fireball or a Scorching Ray can *SHOCK* help the fighter kill the enemy faster. 27. Just because the spell doesn't say "The target dies" doesn't mean its not an instant kill. A Blinded Ogre is an ogre thats basically out of the fight and waiting to be killed.
Tempest Stormwind 06-15-06, 01:17 AM	25. Your a part of a party for a reason. Do not buy into the hype that your the best or that the cleric is better then you, ever. True or not, both of you do better together, period. Quoted and bolded for truth. (Yes, I know I said that the cleric was mightier. This doesn't change that the two work better *together.*) 28: Creativity is more important as a wizard than just about any other class. See Exhibit A (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=168634) for some simple examples. (Creativity is important for all classes. I just find that wizards, over essentially every other class, have more opportunities to benefit from it, due to the dazzling array of options they have. Especially the illusion school, which is without a doubt one of the strongest points of arcane magic even after all these years.) 29: Empty spell slots are a boon. Your great asset is a huge array of spells that you can prepare at ANY time of day, given at least 15 minutes. Keeping some slots empty is thus, in some ways, the poor man's scroll library. 30: Leaving TOO MANY slots empty is asking for trouble. (I recommend between 10%-25%, but no more, being left blank.)
Ront Iron-Roar 06-15-06, 01:38 AM	31.) Pay, attention to the description of every spell, even if it isn't a damage spell. It may help you overcome spell-resistance and surprise a DM when you manage to drop a wall of iron or stone on an opponent. 32.) Always be ready to work on spell combinations with a fellow arcanist, cleric, or artificer. Best used in combination with rule 31.) .
zae 06-15-06, 04:23 AM	33. If you can't kill it with fire, you need to use Searing Spell 34. If your Con is less than 18, you want to become undead
Crimson_Concerto 06-15-06, 04:36 AM	35) Wizard may be better than Sorcerer, but spontanious sasting is still better than prepared casting. 36) Sorcerer may be a relatively weak spellcaster, but he's still a spellcaster than therefor better than the fighter. 37) The sorcerer is NOT underpowered. Nothing that can cast Polymorph 6 times per day, not including bonus spells, could possibly be underpowered... 38) Warmages, Dread Necromancers, and Begiulers may have just as many spells per day as a sorcerer plus a whole bunch of other stuff a sorcerer wishes it had, but remember that a sorcerer's spell list is better than theirs. Fireball, Polymorph, Timestop, Greater Dispel, Wish, etc. all on one spell list (Granted, those mostly higher-level spells, but you get the point, right?). ^_^ 39) Telekinesis is a ******* USEFUL spell. If you are a spellcaster with access to it and don't take it, you should be shot in the face with a hammer.
Dolo 06-15-06, 05:16 AM	40. An enemy monk with improved grapple and boots of striding and springing, IS your worst enemy!!! Kill him first, cause unless you are flying, you are not out of reach.
Ziggaraut 06-15-06, 07:50 AM	41. Necrotic cyst is good. 42. Being in melee is not.
Dolo 06-15-06, 09:30 AM	43. If you are in hand to hand combat, something has gone HORRRRRIBLY wrong.
WombleHunter 06-15-06, 09:34 AM	40. An enemy monk with improved grapple and boots of striding and springing, IS your worst enemy!!! Kill him first, cause unless you are flying, you are not out of reach. [Off topic] The only thing a Monk gets from those boots after he is level 3 is +5 to Jump, which can be better gained through a Ring of Jumping if that is the aim.[/Off topic]
swordspell_mage 06-15-06, 09:57 AM	44. You AREN'T THE FIGHTER! YOU ARE TRAINED TO FIGHT IN WEAPONS OVER SPELLS! DO NOT WASTE A FEAT ON WEAPON PROFICIENCY! 3-in-1!
R99 06-15-06, 12:47 PM	43. If you are in hand to hand combat, something has gone HORRRRRIBLY wrong. Tell THAT to my group's wizard.
Lord_Varos 06-15-06, 12:50 PM	45. The lies of a Sorcerer with full ranks in Bluff, Skill Focus (Bluff), snake familiar, and a Fedora of bluffing +4 are nigh-undetectable by fourth-level.
ninjarabbit 06-15-06, 02:10 PM	46: Limited Wish is the best utility spell you can have and heal is a 5th level adept spell
DaneDarkblade 06-15-06, 02:42 PM	47. Get craft wand you can never have tomany wands. 48. craft wonderus is the single most usful craft there is. 49. for the love of god don't cast identify get the feat that alows you to identify magic items with aprase skill.
Ront Iron-Roar 06-15-06, 05:08 PM	50.) Always stay on the good side of your fellow party members. Sure you could blow them away with a spell. But, you have to sleep sometime and your least likely to survive a coup de grace in your sleep. 51.) Invest in conjured monsters to some extent. Never know when you will be without a meatshield. 52.) A Summoned Air Elemental of Large or larger size works just as well for a fly spell in antimagic zones.
Lord_Varos 06-15-06, 08:15 PM	52.) A Summoned Air Elemental of Large or larger size works just as well for a fly spell in antimagic zones. Actually, the summoned creature will wink out of existence in an antimagic field. 53. Fireball is one of the worst spells you can get if your DM routinely puts you up against a single, hardcore opponent. 54. Always have more than one spellbook. Share spells between them if possible.
Kobold_Avenger 06-15-06, 08:51 PM	55 beware of golems.... 56 dragon golems even more so.. 57 run like hell from Colossi!!! 58 PrCs are your friends!!... :D 59 unless they dont increase caster lvl.. :weep: 60 Drow can be pests... :mad: 61 ..However, SR doesn't work vs fall rocks :shocked: :ghosted: 62 and they hate sunlight... 63 so use wish and cast daylight :evillaugh
Ront Iron-Roar 06-15-06, 09:12 PM	55 beware of golems.... 56 dragon golems even more so.. 57 run like hell from Colossi!!! 58 PrCs are your friends!!... :D 59 unless they dont increase caster lvl.. :weep: 60 Drow can be pests... :mad: 61 ..However, SR doesn't work vs fall rocks :shocked: :ghosted: 62 and they hate sunlight... 63 so use wish and cast daylight :evillaugh Actually, I already said that more or less.
Kobold_Avenger 06-15-06, 09:52 PM	61a After all rock has no sr, and get no save vs disentagrate 64 Beholders are very nasty... 65 Fiends are a pain... so use Banishment..
StarDrifter 06-16-06, 02:23 AM	66. if the DM uses antimagic field on more than three monsters in a row (different ones), you are allowed by law to murder him, so long as you have a backup DM 67. make sure said backup DM knows why the previous one died
BadgerTheHarbringerOfDoom 06-16-06, 03:12 AM	68.) Feinds are a pain, but not when they're a feindish familiar. 69.) Always invest in taking Eldritch Knight as a sorcerer if no other prestige classes catch your eye. 70.) Invest in twilight armor as well, because a -4 bonus to skill checks you don't really have is nothing compared to a low AC.
Whisper_Swiftblade 06-16-06, 04:29 AM	71) if you don't take improved inititive you will regret it
SalParadise 06-16-06, 04:59 AM	72) You have d4 hit dice. This should be a hint as to practical tactics. Practical tactics for arcane spellcasters include not getting hit. As often as people may tell you that the key to effective casting is a high concentration skill check, not getting hit is a far better way to be effective.
Vaelan 06-16-06, 05:13 AM	73. You probably can't predict exactly which spells you'll need on any given day. 74. If you can, the game gets rather boring rather quickly.
aramilcaelvan 06-16-06, 08:52 AM	75. No, pulling out that old "+1 spellstealing quarterstaff" when you still have spells left does not sound/look cool.
DarkCaller 06-16-06, 10:51 AM	76) not picking Toughness is the worst thing a low-level arcane spellcaster can do
WombleHunter 06-16-06, 11:19 AM	76) not picking Toughness is the worst thing a low-level arcane spellcaster can do Mind over Body :p
Magius_Rerecros 06-16-06, 11:22 AM	77) Fighters can be your best friends. (Especially when they're large half-dragons dual wielding 6 foot long bastard swords :D ) 78) When you get warped to a random fiery demiplane, take a bunch of tests, and get offered a shiny new staff with a pointy crystal that can disintigrate things for 36d6 dmg on touch, don't take it. You will lose your character. (pm Bob_The_Wizard for more info :D) 79) If you're a wizard who worships Boccob (as many do), the True Believer feat is your best friend. It allows you to get the Tome of Ancient Lore (which allows you to cast any arcane spell, so long as you can cast spells of that level) (See Complete Divine for more info) 80) No matter how much you refuse to believe it, the Dragon Familiar feat (see Draconomicon) is not your best friend. Especially when you choose a gold dragon for your familiar when your enemies are immune to fire and can overcome your familiars fire immunity.
ghost_warlock 06-16-06, 12:19 PM	81) Action Points are gooood, especially when you have the Spontaneous Casting feat. :D 82) Don't bother preparing summon monster spells at epic levels. 83) Use Extend Spell liberally on buff spells.
ninjarabbit 06-16-06, 12:42 PM	84) Extend spell and quicken spell are the best metamagic feats you can take
Kobold_Avenger 06-16-06, 03:13 PM	85) dont have abjuration as a prohited school.
solbergb 06-16-06, 03:25 PM	86) Your best defense is not found in your spellbook. It is not being where they can attack you. Your spell list has terrific mobility and battlefield control options. Use them. 87) Don't use your mobility so effectively that you can't contribute to the battle. Remember your range limits and remember that impeding enemy mobility is as good as flying further away. 88) A wizard lives or dies by what he has prepared in his top two levels of spell slots. A sorcerer lives or dies by his spells known and metamagic options. Understand this dynamic and realize that they aren't the same thing, even though the result looks much the same for filling your role. 89) Both wizards and sorcerers need scrolls, especially in the lower levels. They do not however need them for the same reason. 90) If you aren't casting a spell, you are a commoner with a handful of extra weapon proficiencies. 91) Your familiar is a free source of that most precious of resources - actions. Find a way to make use of your familiar's standard/move/free actions - but remember that he's hard to replace if he dies. (I'll not refute the earlier points that I don't agree with. I'll just stick to the positive on this thread :))
Ace-High 06-18-06, 12:35 AM	92) That my DM hates Teleport, and Summon Monster VI, and Reverse Gravity, and Polymorph, and Cone of Cold, and...well...pretty much my whole spell list.
Zephyrus/Sonet 06-18-06, 01:01 AM	93) Don't get cocky, your DM always has a higher leveled caster. ALWAYS
Szass_Tam 06-18-06, 01:24 AM	94. Wizards should always take Collegiate Wizard. 95. If you consider not taking it, just make a sorceror.
Magius_Rerecros 06-18-06, 10:08 PM	86) Your best defense is not found in your spellbook. It is not being where they can attack you. Your spell list has terrific mobility and battlefield control options. Use them. Yeah, that's why it's helpful to be a 10th level Elemental Savant of Air. You can fly at a speed of 100 feet with perfect manuverability. Helps when you're fighting melee people. You're all like: "Ha ha! I'm 100 feet above you! You can't hit me!" <Disintegrate!>
josephbt 06-19-06, 03:00 AM	96) spells that damage abbilities are goooooood. use them 96a) people that have INT as a dump stat havent seen the power of the Ray of Stupidity. show it to them.
Bob_The_Wizard 06-19-06, 09:44 PM	97: Be a sorcerer. Unless you have the Book of Ancient Lore. 98: Get Eschew Materials, Silent Spell, and Still Spell. That way, even if you're captured, stripped, bound, and gagged, you can still slaughter all of the guards and make your way out. 99: If you're a sorcerer, you can NEVER go wrong with a prestige class that does not lose you a caster level. 100: After you put your highest stat in your primary spellcasting modifier, put the next highest one in Con. With a d4 hit die, you need it.
Enphenitie 06-19-06, 09:50 PM	101) Transmutation specialism is fun, but if all you have is buffs, and your enemy likes to fly around, and you're lacking offensive spells, you're in trouble.
technochris81 06-20-06, 02:45 AM	102) When using your spells in a very intelligent way, pause for a bit and make your DM think it was harder for you to come up with your tactic than it actually was. if you make it look easy, most DMs will not be impressed, they'll just make it harder. if you make it look hard, most DMs will think they're doing a fine job. 103) If playing a first level solo Wizard, always have Expeditious Retreat memorized. 104) Whilst using Expeditious Retreat, always head for the nearest inn. Do not leave the inn until you rememorize the spell.
Nachtwind 06-20-06, 06:20 PM	105) If you are out of spells, its not the time to take out that masterwork light crossbow but to tactically advance away from your enemy(unless you are lvl 1 or 2 when the crossbow is most likely to be better then your spells).
Bob_The_Wizard 06-20-06, 11:32 PM	106: Accidentaly cutting off the Material Plane from the rest of the planes tends to get people mad at you.
Kuraito 06-21-06, 04:08 AM	107. The power of the Arcanist is the most difficult to weild. This leads to 108. 108. If your a twink, go with arcanist. If your a min/maxer, go for Psionics. Same thing, easier to use, less headache.
Nausicaa 06-21-06, 04:11 AM	109. spells with an HD cap are a bit useless
Magius_Rerecros 07-08-06, 04:30 PM	84) Extend spell and quicken spell are the best metamagic feats you can take Unless you are epic, in which extend spell, sudden extend spell, and automatic quicken spell (3 times) are the best feats 4 u. EVER.
FatherNature 07-08-06, 06:44 PM	110. Magic Missile doesn't Miss 111. Don't overlook Archmage, theres not much better at later levels 112. Consider ALL PrCs before going into any one, even crappy ones are fun at times 113. Do not always go for that extra caster level, sometimes a DM will back off if you lose a caster level. well...mine did, till I got Bloodmagus 10...XD
Drow_Paladin 07-08-06, 09:43 PM	114 you don't get as many spells per day as the sorceror, and you probably don't have the right counterspell either. :D
TailsofElements 07-08-06, 09:55 PM	115. All jobs fail in comparison to Overdrive Knight (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=9255031#post9255031). Lol 116. Silent spells are always nice unless your unknowning prey is deaf.
Tevin Illithane 07-08-06, 10:17 PM	117. If you know your DM is an evil bugger and will force you into melee at some point or another on any given session, I have three words: Monk, Ascetic Mage. He will regret his decision and beg for your forgiveness.
Crimsondagger 07-08-06, 11:21 PM	1. Mastering evil laugh is a must 2. always use burning hands after using grease 3. using two weapon fighting to use two wand's of magic missle can make a wizard into John Wayne 4. make friends with the cleric early. 5. Meat shields are good! 6. when in doubt blow it up. 7. tashias hideus laughter is a great spell. 8.magic missle just gets better and better. 9. a wand in the hand is worth many dead enemies. 10.the more mages the better. I am Crimsondagger: I am the study
metamind 08-30-06, 03:12 PM	128: ALWAYS sleep with your spellbook grasped tightly in your arms. 129: ALWAYS ward your spell book 130: If the party sorceror asks if he can see your spellbook, DO NOT give it to him.
coldfire_x 08-30-06, 03:34 PM	110. never play one if you play solo
SeptimusMagistos 08-30-06, 05:12 PM	78) When you get warped to a random fiery demiplane, take a bunch of tests, and get offered a shiny new staff with a pointy crystal that can disintigrate things for 36d6 dmg on touch, don't take it. You will lose your character. (pm Bob_The_Wizard for more info :D) Ah, yes. I remember that. 111. 2 levels in Monk+cat's grace+quickened fireball right under your feet is a good way to escape. 112. Any feat that lets you use a different kind of energy in your spells is broken. Use it. Many are immune to fire. Few are immune to sound.
malignor 08-30-06, 05:36 PM	113: As a sorcerer, the best spells you can pick are the ones that do alot of different things... - telekinesis - the shadow conjuration/evocation series - limited wish - monster summoning III or higher - dispel magic series - alter self/polymorph series - contingency 114: Illusions go great with Bluff as a class skill, and are also flexible 115: As a sorcerer, the first spell from each level should be 'spammable' (justify all those slots)
moscatabaco76 08-30-06, 08:18 PM	Don't subestimate limited wish. It costs 49,700 xp less than whish and is able to emulate raise dead.
Joseph_Silver 08-30-06, 09:17 PM	Actually, Limited Wish (300 XP) only costs 4,700 XP less than Wish (5,000 XP).
jktrondarr 08-31-06, 02:19 AM	116: a common dog (MM page 271)has more hit points on average than a 1st level wiz/sor with the toughness feat...and is less likely to be grappled than said wiz/sor. 117: a wyrmling red dragon (MM page 75) has more hitpoints on average than a 20th level wiz/sor with the toughness feat...and is also less likely to be grappled than said wiz/sor. 118: fireball+control weather = a forest full of dead elves.
Nausicaa 08-31-06, 03:20 AM	Actually with freedom of movement or contingent spell (dimension door or teleport) you eliminate the grapple problem
Drow_Paladin 09-16-06, 12:14 PM	119: the warlock is more accurate that you, and is quite possibly the one blasting you dead from 100 feet. :)
ThugorpGimingaldthegnom 09-16-06, 01:04 PM	:invasion: :bump: :bump: :bump: :bump: :bump: :bump: :bump: :bump: :bump: :bump: :bump: :bump: :invasion:
SheerAscended 09-16-06, 02:39 PM	120. Fighters only exist to be meat shields.
wal9000 09-16-06, 04:54 PM	121. Blur may seem fairly useless, but the granted cover makes you immune to sneak attacks, unless the attacker has true seeing. Obscuring vision has the same effect on everyone in the area, but you can't see very far, and you can't hit enemies as easily. 122. An invisible familiar delivers touch spells quite nicely. 123. Keep a scroll of True Strike handy, because you never know when one touch or ranged touch spell will keep you (and your party) from being dead.
The_Shaman 09-16-06, 06:12 PM	124. Beg for Improved toughness as soon as you can afford it (requires 2+ base fort save). There is a lot of difference between a d4 and a d4+1/level - at least for you. 125. You can't go wrong with the Incantatrix. 126. If you're a sorcerer, the best things for you aren't in the core books. Check out Dragon. 127. Your familiar should stay out of trouble, but some familiars can spot out trouble for you. Whether you're a sorcerer or a wizard, it's good to know what lurks in the bushes. 128. Plan your character in advance, especially if you're a sorcerer. 129. Don't neglect your lower-level spells. There will be times when a magic missile is better than a meteor storm, and protection from evil than a mind blank.
ElIsRa 09-16-06, 09:05 PM	130: Three house cats are as powerful as a first level wizard 131: One 20th level wizard who is prepared is as powerful as five 20th level fighters.
Ariath Ska'Vhor 09-16-06, 11:50 PM	132: you'll regret being an evocation specialist sorcerer when you're stuck at the bottom of a pit without your wizard 133: often times, creatures with a butt-load of spell like abilities are more fun than a spellcaster (ghaele's from SS are rather fun to play) 134: if you're gonna coup de gras someone, use an empowered or maximized scorching ray....not a longsword... 135: ignore 134 if you have desintegrate
Gaelro_Nailo 01-15-07, 08:00 PM	136: Never show the kender any of you magic items. 137: Never allow the kender within 15 feet of you. 138: When you have a kender in your group, find ways to use his/hers curiosity so he leaves your magical items alone, including but not restricked to spell books; wands; scrolls; rings; and staffs. (and time traveling devices, but that is for a diffent reason.) 139: Polymorphing the kender into Anything is a good start.