Best Way to Optimize a Magelord?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best Way to Optimize a Magelord?? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Mikal
05-17-05, 12:11 PM Hi everyone. I've been invited to a high level game, and I really want to try out the magelord prestiege class, but I can't figure out the best way to actually optimize the dang thing. Pretty much anything 3.5 is allowed, 25 ECL to work with. Rolls are as follows before level and stat increases:

Str: 12
Dex: 16
Con: 16
Int: 18
Wis: 13
Cha: 18

I want him to be a ruler type, thus three feats are squirrled away for leadership, landlord (stronghold builders guide), and epic leadership, as well as Spell Mastery, Improved Init, and Weapon Focus (ray). Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
Mommy was an Orc
05-17-05, 12:22 PM The best way to optimize them is to have Wizard 10/Magelord 7 in the pre-epic build. Wizard 10 is important, because that lets you take an extra helping of Spell Mastery at level 19 or 20 - letting you get a range of 9th level spells after you read your book of +5 to Int.

Hi everyone. I've been invited to a high level game, and I really want to try out the magelord prestiege class, but I can't figure out the best way to actually optimize the dang thing. Pretty much anything 3.5 is allowed, 25 ECL to work with. Rolls are as follows before level and stat increases:
Mikal
05-17-05, 12:24 PM So.. Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 8 might be good? Should I not go for the last two levels of Magelord for the Mastery Ability?
Mommy was an Orc
05-17-05, 12:36 PM That would be fine. The problem with not getting Wizard 10 means that at level 18, you look like this:
Rogue 2/Wizard 9/Magelord 7 - you're only casting 8th level spells at that point.

If you don't get Wizard 10 at levels 19 or 20, that's your last pre-epic feat. By taking Wizard 10 then, you get to include a wide range of 9th level spells. You can always finish Magelord off in Epic with ECL 21, 22.

So.. Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 8 might be good? Should I not go for the last two levels of Magelord for the Mastery Ability?
Mikal
05-17-05, 12:39 PM All right then. Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 10/Something 3.

Archmage would be good for my spells, tho it'll eat up my feats something fierce, and Arcane Trickster would help with CL and more sneak attack... hrm.
Mommy was an Orc
05-17-05, 01:03 PM Ah, you want Magelord 7 or you don't get the ability to spontaneously cast anything higher than 4th level spells.

All right then. Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 5/Something 3.

Archmage would be good for my spells, tho it'll eat up my feats something fierce, and Arcane Trickster would help with CL and more sneak attack... hrm.
Mikal
05-17-05, 01:09 PM Whoops. That 5 should be a 10. Fixed now!
Mommy was an Orc
05-17-05, 01:13 PM I'd also get Able Learner from Races of Destiny - great fun for a Int-based Wizard build with the Rogue skill list...

Whoops. That 5 should be a 10. Fixed now!
Mikal
05-17-05, 01:15 PM Too true.. but the question still remains:

Archmage or Arcane Trickster?

Arcane Trickster or Archmage?
Mommy was an Orc
05-17-05, 01:20 PM What about Daggerspell Mage?

If you're a Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 7/Daggerspell Mage 6 with Able Learner, that's a pretty valuable combo. You do lose an additional level, you have some feats to take, but at the same time, the end results are pretty nice...

Then just keep levelling up DSM through Epic...

Too true.. but the question still remains:

Archmage or Arcane Trickster?

Arcane Trickster or Archmage?
Mikal
05-17-05, 01:25 PM I guess I could, tho will I have to burn any additional feats?
PhaedrusXY
05-17-05, 01:35 PM I'd just work up an epic progression for Magelord. It should get full caster level increases, some Sneak Attack progression, and bonus feats every 4 or 5 levels, at the least. I think every 4 levels would be fair if it doesn't get anything else, or every 5 levels if it gets more Spell Mastery related abilities. You want as many epic feats as possible.
Mommy was an Orc
05-17-05, 01:49 PM Yes. WF: Dagger and TWF.

But on the plus side, Daggerspell Mage lets you do lots of cool things, gives you a pretty good sneak attack progression. And as it has a +3/4 BAB, you could get +11 BAB pre-epic.

With your feat choices though, I'd probably go Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 7/Arcane Trickster 6 and then just keep levelling AT up.

I guess I could, tho will I have to burn any additional feats?
Mikal
05-17-05, 01:51 PM Yeah, I'll probably go with AT then, or make a Magelord progression. Maybe Magelord. Bonus Feats and more mastered spells would be better I think, then the additional sneak attack.
nik
05-17-05, 06:31 PM Don't underestimate the bonus of a high level MageLord/Arcane Trickster. The huge sneak attack bonus can be applied to ranged touch/touch attack spells for a very nice damage boost. The AT also gets the free sneak attack bonus which makes for a nice little combo.

Master yourself a couple useful damaging spells (Sonic Orb, Agnazzar's Scorcher, whatever...) and enjoy boosting the damage by many six siders. It lets you get a lot of mileage out of lower level spells. Even poor old Ray of Frost can get a massive damage bonus applied to it.
PhaedrusXY
05-17-05, 06:56 PM Alot of the stuff you face in Epic games will be immune to Sneak Attacks entirely, and some of the Epic feats are incredibly powerful. I would much rather have bonus Epic feats than a few more Sneak Attack dice. The Impromtu Sneak Attack ability would be nice, but I wouldn't trade an Epic feat for it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Mikal 05-17-05, 12:11 PM	Hi everyone. I've been invited to a high level game, and I really want to try out the magelord prestiege class, but I can't figure out the best way to actually optimize the dang thing. Pretty much anything 3.5 is allowed, 25 ECL to work with. Rolls are as follows before level and stat increases: Str: 12 Dex: 16 Con: 16 Int: 18 Wis: 13 Cha: 18 I want him to be a ruler type, thus three feats are squirrled away for leadership, landlord (stronghold builders guide), and epic leadership, as well as Spell Mastery, Improved Init, and Weapon Focus (ray). Thanks in advance for any help you can give me!
Mommy was an Orc 05-17-05, 12:22 PM	The best way to optimize them is to have Wizard 10/Magelord 7 in the pre-epic build. Wizard 10 is important, because that lets you take an extra helping of Spell Mastery at level 19 or 20 - letting you get a range of 9th level spells after you read your book of +5 to Int. Hi everyone. I've been invited to a high level game, and I really want to try out the magelord prestiege class, but I can't figure out the best way to actually optimize the dang thing. Pretty much anything 3.5 is allowed, 25 ECL to work with. Rolls are as follows before level and stat increases:
Mikal 05-17-05, 12:24 PM	So.. Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 8 might be good? Should I not go for the last two levels of Magelord for the Mastery Ability?
Mommy was an Orc 05-17-05, 12:36 PM	That would be fine. The problem with not getting Wizard 10 means that at level 18, you look like this: Rogue 2/Wizard 9/Magelord 7 - you're only casting 8th level spells at that point. If you don't get Wizard 10 at levels 19 or 20, that's your last pre-epic feat. By taking Wizard 10 then, you get to include a wide range of 9th level spells. You can always finish Magelord off in Epic with ECL 21, 22. So.. Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 8 might be good? Should I not go for the last two levels of Magelord for the Mastery Ability?
Mikal 05-17-05, 12:39 PM	All right then. Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 10/Something 3. Archmage would be good for my spells, tho it'll eat up my feats something fierce, and Arcane Trickster would help with CL and more sneak attack... hrm.
Mommy was an Orc 05-17-05, 01:03 PM	Ah, you want Magelord 7 or you don't get the ability to spontaneously cast anything higher than 4th level spells. All right then. Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 5/Something 3. Archmage would be good for my spells, tho it'll eat up my feats something fierce, and Arcane Trickster would help with CL and more sneak attack... hrm.
Mikal 05-17-05, 01:09 PM	Whoops. That 5 should be a 10. Fixed now!
Mommy was an Orc 05-17-05, 01:13 PM	I'd also get Able Learner from Races of Destiny - great fun for a Int-based Wizard build with the Rogue skill list... Whoops. That 5 should be a 10. Fixed now!
Mikal 05-17-05, 01:15 PM	Too true.. but the question still remains: Archmage or Arcane Trickster? Arcane Trickster or Archmage?
Mommy was an Orc 05-17-05, 01:20 PM	What about Daggerspell Mage? If you're a Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 7/Daggerspell Mage 6 with Able Learner, that's a pretty valuable combo. You do lose an additional level, you have some feats to take, but at the same time, the end results are pretty nice... Then just keep levelling up DSM through Epic... Too true.. but the question still remains: Archmage or Arcane Trickster? Arcane Trickster or Archmage?
Mikal 05-17-05, 01:25 PM	I guess I could, tho will I have to burn any additional feats?
PhaedrusXY 05-17-05, 01:35 PM	I'd just work up an epic progression for Magelord. It should get full caster level increases, some Sneak Attack progression, and bonus feats every 4 or 5 levels, at the least. I think every 4 levels would be fair if it doesn't get anything else, or every 5 levels if it gets more Spell Mastery related abilities. You want as many epic feats as possible.
Mommy was an Orc 05-17-05, 01:49 PM	Yes. WF: Dagger and TWF. But on the plus side, Daggerspell Mage lets you do lots of cool things, gives you a pretty good sneak attack progression. And as it has a +3/4 BAB, you could get +11 BAB pre-epic. With your feat choices though, I'd probably go Rogue 2/Wizard 10/Magelord 7/Arcane Trickster 6 and then just keep levelling AT up. I guess I could, tho will I have to burn any additional feats?
Mikal 05-17-05, 01:51 PM	Yeah, I'll probably go with AT then, or make a Magelord progression. Maybe Magelord. Bonus Feats and more mastered spells would be better I think, then the additional sneak attack.
nik 05-17-05, 06:31 PM	Don't underestimate the bonus of a high level MageLord/Arcane Trickster. The huge sneak attack bonus can be applied to ranged touch/touch attack spells for a very nice damage boost. The AT also gets the free sneak attack bonus which makes for a nice little combo. Master yourself a couple useful damaging spells (Sonic Orb, Agnazzar's Scorcher, whatever...) and enjoy boosting the damage by many six siders. It lets you get a lot of mileage out of lower level spells. Even poor old Ray of Frost can get a massive damage bonus applied to it.
PhaedrusXY 05-17-05, 06:56 PM	Alot of the stuff you face in Epic games will be immune to Sneak Attacks entirely, and some of the Epic feats are incredibly powerful. I would much rather have bonus Epic feats than a few more Sneak Attack dice. The Impromtu Sneak Attack ability would be nice, but I wouldn't trade an Epic feat for it.