Character advice needed [Archive] - Wizards Community

Character advice needed [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Darth_Olsinus
02-20-04, 01:48 PM Hi all,

After a long abscence (14 yrs) from the realms setting, I am getting ready to game again. I have my lvl 1 character ready to go and would appreciate some feedback from some of you more experienced gamers.

I am starting with a human wizard from the Cormyrean town of Eveningstar. I am thinking of taking the loremaster prestige class sometime around 6th or 7th level and eventually becoming an archmage.

Heres what I have so far.

str 10, dex 16, con 13, int 18, wis 12, cha 12
feats- Magical Apptitude, Spell focus (evocation) and class feats of Scribe Scroll and Summon Familiar

skills
Concentration 2
Craft: Alchemy 4
Craft: Armorsmithing 1
Craft: Bookbinding 1
Craft: Leatherworking 1
Craft: Tanning 1
Knowledge: Arcana 4
Knowledge: Dragons 2
Knowledge: Lore 4
Knowledge: the Planes 2
Knowledge: Portals 1
Knowledge: Underdark 1
Spellcraft 4

I made this guy craft and knowledge heavy as part of his background. I'm looking to make the "wizards wizard" and am avoiding multiclassing. If anyone has any ideas of better skills or where I should head with level progression, you input would be appreciated.
Ssussunriyh
02-20-04, 02:35 PM I'd say you're spreading yourself too thin in the skills department. Forget the Craft skills of Armorsmithing, Leatherworking, and Tanning. You only need the appropriate Item Creation feat to enchant a Masterwork item, and it's much easier to hire a craftsman to make such things for you. I'd skip Craft: Alchemy too, since it isn't a requirement for making potions. Your division of the various Knowledge skills puzzles me, since some of those aren't "official" areas of Knowledge. In 3.5E, you can pick from among Knowledge: Arcana, Architecture & engineering, Dungeoneering, Geography, History, Local, Nature, Nobility & royalty, Religion, and The Planes. For a Loremaster, I would focus on Arcana, History, and The Planes, and take a lesser amount of ranks in Geography, Local, Nature, or Religion.
Darth_Olsinus
02-20-04, 03:12 PM Thank you. This is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. If I my trouble you one more time. What other skills would you suggest?
Hizar
02-20-04, 03:31 PM Also I would loose the spell focus for now. it is too limiting to a low level wiz and you can always pick it up later. instead I would select the spell casting prodigy from the FRCS and add a nice bonus to all your DC's.
Darth_Olsinus
02-20-04, 03:40 PM on my last post I forgot to mention the "whys" of some of the skills. The GM that I have is kind of a stickler for spell rules (casting time, components, etc) The leatherworking and tanning alchemy were with this in mind. The leatherworking was also to assist in the making of spellbooks.

The armorsmithing was for the ability to create golems, yes I could have someone else create it and then animate it myself, but the fewer people involved in the process the easier it is to keep secrets (killing others for silence is out, my character in NG)

the knowledge skills are more flavor than anything. But it would be nice to be able to justify my character knowing "this dragon could be infected with the spellhoarding pychosis".
Nightingale 7
02-20-04, 08:21 PM I would suggest dropping Magical Aptitude.The "skill feats" are almost never worth it,and in your case,you have enough skill points so that a +2 on two skills will seem inconsequential after a while.
In it's place I would recommend Magical Artisan,if you intend to play a "crafter" mage.That 25% cut will save you a LOT of money in the end,especially if you go after big-money magical items,like the golems.
Nahar
02-21-04, 12:02 AM I'd agree hugely on the Magical Artisan, it's made a big big big difference for all the PC's I've run and DM'd for.

My other thought would be swap the 16 dex for a 16 con. As a wizard, you're stuffed if you're in melee anyway, and the extra hit points and fort save and bonus to concentration checks will far outstrip the AC bonus and reflex save.

I see both sides of the story with the skills. Perhaps just don't put many more points in, wizards need knowledge and concentration and spellcraft in a very large way. Remember, most of the other PC's will only have one or two class knowledge skills, and you'll be the only person with a chance to get enough points into a knowledge skill to make it worthwhile.

My 5c worth!:devil:
Ssussunriyh
02-21-04, 01:50 AM Craft: Leatherworking would include the tanning of hides; there is no need to have two seperate Craft skills for this line of work.

Craft: Bookbinding would include some limited aspects of leatherworking (enough to let you make book covers, but not as much as the dedicated Craft: Leatherworking skill.)

I would also take some additional languages, particularly Elven, Draconic, and maybe an ancient language or three. My own Loremaster character took Thorass (Auld Common), Netherese (from the ill-fated magocracy of Netheril), and Loross (the nobles' tongue of ancient Netheril.) Undercommon, Drowic, or Halruaan might be good choices as well.
Darth_Olsinus
02-21-04, 01:55 AM I would like to thank all of you who have replied. I'm definetely going with the different feats and will change some skills as well.

Again, I appreciate the advice. Thank you.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Darth_Olsinus 02-20-04, 01:48 PM	Hi all, After a long abscence (14 yrs) from the realms setting, I am getting ready to game again. I have my lvl 1 character ready to go and would appreciate some feedback from some of you more experienced gamers. I am starting with a human wizard from the Cormyrean town of Eveningstar. I am thinking of taking the loremaster prestige class sometime around 6th or 7th level and eventually becoming an archmage. Heres what I have so far. str 10, dex 16, con 13, int 18, wis 12, cha 12 feats- Magical Apptitude, Spell focus (evocation) and class feats of Scribe Scroll and Summon Familiar skills Concentration 2 Craft: Alchemy 4 Craft: Armorsmithing 1 Craft: Bookbinding 1 Craft: Leatherworking 1 Craft: Tanning 1 Knowledge: Arcana 4 Knowledge: Dragons 2 Knowledge: Lore 4 Knowledge: the Planes 2 Knowledge: Portals 1 Knowledge: Underdark 1 Spellcraft 4 I made this guy craft and knowledge heavy as part of his background. I'm looking to make the "wizards wizard" and am avoiding multiclassing. If anyone has any ideas of better skills or where I should head with level progression, you input would be appreciated.
Ssussunriyh 02-20-04, 02:35 PM	I'd say you're spreading yourself too thin in the skills department. Forget the Craft skills of Armorsmithing, Leatherworking, and Tanning. You only need the appropriate Item Creation feat to enchant a Masterwork item, and it's much easier to hire a craftsman to make such things for you. I'd skip Craft: Alchemy too, since it isn't a requirement for making potions. Your division of the various Knowledge skills puzzles me, since some of those aren't "official" areas of Knowledge. In 3.5E, you can pick from among Knowledge: Arcana, Architecture & engineering, Dungeoneering, Geography, History, Local, Nature, Nobility & royalty, Religion, and The Planes. For a Loremaster, I would focus on Arcana, History, and The Planes, and take a lesser amount of ranks in Geography, Local, Nature, or Religion.
Darth_Olsinus 02-20-04, 03:12 PM	Thank you. This is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. If I my trouble you one more time. What other skills would you suggest?
Hizar 02-20-04, 03:31 PM	Also I would loose the spell focus for now. it is too limiting to a low level wiz and you can always pick it up later. instead I would select the spell casting prodigy from the FRCS and add a nice bonus to all your DC's.
Darth_Olsinus 02-20-04, 03:40 PM	on my last post I forgot to mention the "whys" of some of the skills. The GM that I have is kind of a stickler for spell rules (casting time, components, etc) The leatherworking and tanning alchemy were with this in mind. The leatherworking was also to assist in the making of spellbooks. The armorsmithing was for the ability to create golems, yes I could have someone else create it and then animate it myself, but the fewer people involved in the process the easier it is to keep secrets (killing others for silence is out, my character in NG) the knowledge skills are more flavor than anything. But it would be nice to be able to justify my character knowing "this dragon could be infected with the spellhoarding pychosis".
Nightingale 7 02-20-04, 08:21 PM	I would suggest dropping Magical Aptitude.The "skill feats" are almost never worth it,and in your case,you have enough skill points so that a +2 on two skills will seem inconsequential after a while. In it's place I would recommend Magical Artisan,if you intend to play a "crafter" mage.That 25% cut will save you a LOT of money in the end,especially if you go after big-money magical items,like the golems.
Nahar 02-21-04, 12:02 AM	I'd agree hugely on the Magical Artisan, it's made a big big big difference for all the PC's I've run and DM'd for. My other thought would be swap the 16 dex for a 16 con. As a wizard, you're stuffed if you're in melee anyway, and the extra hit points and fort save and bonus to concentration checks will far outstrip the AC bonus and reflex save. I see both sides of the story with the skills. Perhaps just don't put many more points in, wizards need knowledge and concentration and spellcraft in a very large way. Remember, most of the other PC's will only have one or two class knowledge skills, and you'll be the only person with a chance to get enough points into a knowledge skill to make it worthwhile. My 5c worth!:devil:
Ssussunriyh 02-21-04, 01:50 AM	Craft: Leatherworking would include the tanning of hides; there is no need to have two seperate Craft skills for this line of work. Craft: Bookbinding would include some limited aspects of leatherworking (enough to let you make book covers, but not as much as the dedicated Craft: Leatherworking skill.) I would also take some additional languages, particularly Elven, Draconic, and maybe an ancient language or three. My own Loremaster character took Thorass (Auld Common), Netherese (from the ill-fated magocracy of Netheril), and Loross (the nobles' tongue of ancient Netheril.) Undercommon, Drowic, or Halruaan might be good choices as well.
Darth_Olsinus 02-21-04, 01:55 AM	I would like to thank all of you who have replied. I'm definetely going with the different feats and will change some skills as well. Again, I appreciate the advice. Thank you.