Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aroo 04-23-04, 01:59 AM	Hi, Recently my friends and I started playing Dungeons and Dragons v3.5, and we have never played any other versions. We have begun playing and i have a level 4 ranger, however i wish to restart as a wizard. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions, although keep in mind that we only know of the most basic classes shown in the player handbook and prestiege classes in the DMs guide. (Is there a book that has more classes such as the ones alot of you guys talk about?) Anyway, here are the scores i rolled. I have not applied them to certain attributes yet. 12 13 13 14 15 17 Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Aroo.
denomicon 04-23-04, 02:08 AM	You probably want to take this to the character optimization boards... Check out some of the Min/Max FAQs they will help you on your way. That is if you are looking for a build, if you are more into roleplaying try the character development board.
Vanigo 04-23-04, 02:10 AM	Hmm. As much as I like wizards, they are a harder class to play effectively than rangers. If you're so unsure with the rules that you haven't even realized that a wizard's highest score should always go into int, I'm not sure you should be playing one. On the other hand, if you just decided to come here first, but know pretty much how you'd do it on your own, you'll probably do okay. However, there is also the issue of level gap. Is the DM going to let you start at 3rd or 4th level? You can't afford to start over at 1st level; you'd be too weak to keep up with the rest of the party.
Tony Vargas 04-23-04, 02:16 AM	Don't worry about other classes. You can play for years with just what's in the PH. For your wiz: highest score in INT. DEX & CON are your next priority, WIS & STR can generally be ignored. You'll get some bonus points for skills from your INT. Two skills you definitely want: Concentration & Spellcraft. Knowledges usually fit well with Sorcerers, too. Knowledge (Arcana) being an obvious one. Some skills - like Sense Motive and Spot - see enough use in many games that they can be worth some cross-class ranks. Craft(Alchemy) is also a favourite wizard skill. For races: Elves are an obvious choice, if you want to multiclass (they are favoured class: wizard), and, even if you don't thier added proficiencies and DEX can be nice, though the loss of CON can hurt. Gnomes are worth considering if you want to take Spell Focus(Illusion) as they gain a racial bonus for casting illusions, as well - illusions can be a pain to run, for you and your DM, though. FWIW. Humans are always a good choice because an extra feat never hurt anyone. Feats: You get scribe scroll for free. Other worthwhile feats include: Improved Initiative, Combat Casting (or Skill Focus: Concentration), or Spell Focus. Spells: Mage Armor and Shield are the classic defensive spells - Mage Armor lasts longer, Shield also protects vs magic missles. Sleep and Color Spray are good low-level offensive spells, for use against lower-HD enemies. Enlarge Person can seriously power-up your party's fighter (especially if he can benefit from Reach or size bonuses with grappling or whatever).
Aroo 04-23-04, 02:24 AM	Thanks alot for that, however i am now hearing a sorcerer is more powerful than a wiz? How come this is so? And yes i will be allowed to start at level 3, or else it would be kind of tough. Should i put my ability increase at level 4 into int? and continue to raise that, or should i spend a few points here or there for bonus hitpoints and such. And yes, i have chosen to be an elf. Thanks, Aroo.
Elrana 04-23-04, 03:45 AM	Being a sorcerer isn't more powerful, it simply presents you with a different kind of power. I would suggest, if you are going straight wizard, to put your highest stat into int., your next highest into con. (patricularly as an elf), and then look at dex. Then at fourth add a point to int and up your DCs, skill points, bonus spells and maximum spell level. Starting at third level gives you immediate access to the cat's grace, fox's cunning etc. spell selection which is great. Specialisation is well worth the loss of two schools. My favourite is specialist evoker, for a firepower mage, with the loss of conjuration and enchantment (changing teleport from transmutation to conjuration was a bugger for that one though) followed by transmutation for a support mage. The bonus spell at every level and reduced spellcraft checks really help a lot. Featwise you really cannot go wrong with point blank and precise shot to assist with all those orb/ray spells. Don't look at metamagic feats until you are higher level. Augment summoning is another priceless one if you go down that particular route. Eschew materials is great. Improved counterspell is blatantly wrong! At higher levels spell penetration is a must and of course if you specialise spell focus and greater spell focus. Why can't wizards have fighter like bonus feat progression!
Laak 04-23-04, 10:52 AM	Hi Aroo, Check out Yekoj's Wizard's handbook. Here you can find some very useful tips and suggestions on playing an effective wizard. http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=165134&highlight=wizard+handbook laak
Vanigo 04-23-04, 04:16 PM	Originally posted by Elrana Specialisation is well worth the loss of two schools. My favourite is specialist evoker, for a firepower mage, with the loss of conjuration and enchantment (changing teleport from transmutation to conjuration was a bugger for that one though) followed by transmutation for a support mage. The bonus spell at every level and reduced spellcraft checks really help a lot. Don't overlook the option of specializing in divination. Divination isn't the most powerful school, but you only get one prohibited school. Your bonus spell/level has to be a divination spell, of course, but that's no big deal; there are plenty of useful divinations.
krichaiushii 04-23-04, 05:29 PM	As this is your first time playing a wizard, stick with being a generalist, as this allows eventual access to all wizard spells. As there are no bad scores for you that need shoring up, placing all of your leveling stat increases in Intelligence is a good plan. If you're curious as to Tony Vargas' comments regarding Combat Casting or Skill Focus Concentration, keep in mind that the former is only useful in combat, while the latter is useful during ANY Concentration check - well worth the +1 difference, IMO. The Constitution vs Dexterity question becomes one of preference - high Con means better Fort saves, more HP, and a better Concentration score. High Dex means better Reflex saves, higher initiative, better AC, better to hit with ranged weapons, and better scores on a number of useful skills - Escape Artist probably being the most important Dex-based skill a spell caster should know. Escape Artist is useful for when the opposition takes to grappling spellcasters to prevent their use of magic. Some DMs make this a regular event. So, YMMV. Sorcerer vs Wizard is spontaneity(sp?) vs preparation - a wizard might have the wrong spells prepared for any given challenge. Using the feat Scribe Scroll can help counter this happening, as can intelligent use of both divination magic and skill-based information gathering. There are numerous threads debating the pros and cons of both - do a search and see for yourself. That's all for now - I'm off to check out Laak's link.
Vanigo 04-27-04, 12:22 AM	... huh?
PhaedrusXY 04-27-04, 01:42 AM	For an example of how to build and play an effective wizard using only the core rules, you could check out THIS (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=184595) thread. However, I built this guy specifically for an online "competition" where I knew he'd be alone and have only his own resources and wits to rely on, so I tried to make him as survivable as possible given his circumstances. If he were a character in a normal campaign, I'd have probably done a few things differently. But he'd be very playable as-is. Oh, and this is using 3.0 rules, so a few things will be different, but not really that much.
Aroo 04-27-04, 04:34 AM	So Scruggs, you beleive your weak character Grugbag who i also created can defeat my soon to be wizard? I beleive not, i know more about your peice of poo character than you know of mine, and i will exploit your weaknesses and destroy you. Next time don't bother with such stupidities. Yours, Aroo I am coming for you Grugbag!
Mystic Lemur 04-27-04, 01:32 PM	What are everyone's thoughts on a rogue multiclass? I like the idea of being able to sneak attack with some spells. And with improved feint and a good bluff check, that touch AC doesn't even include Dex anymore.
Beamup 04-27-04, 01:36 PM	Generally a poor idea. Primary casters should almost never give up caster levels. And if you spend enough levels on Rogue to get a significant sneak attack, you'll be giving up at least 3 caster levels (assuming you go Arcane Trickster ASAP) which is a major hit.
Tony Vargas 04-28-04, 08:12 PM	In one sense, rogue meshes well with wizard, since your high INT helps both your spells and skills. But, as has been mentioned, the loss of caster levels hurts your spell-power in an absolute sense. Then again, you can get some synergies going - you can use invisibility and put a lot more ranks in moving silently than hiding. You can sneak attack with ray spells. It depends on what you're after: a Rogue with some magic works pretty well. A sneaky wizard might be better off just making magic items, using spells, and cross-classing skills to become more rogue-like. YMMV.
Scruggs 04-29-04, 06:58 AM	HAHHAHAHAHAH! I laugh at you HAHAHAHAHAHH! You think some mere mumbo jumbo hockey magic will bring down a 6'11' bad ass? I will rip of your arms and use them as chopsticks to eat your eyes.
Elrana 04-29-04, 08:19 AM	He will fireball you from a minimum of 600 feet away. How long is your long spear?!:D
Aroo 04-30-04, 08:51 AM	Its good to see i am not the only one who realises how much better my Wizard is then your Barbarian. YOu will be dead before you are even able to strike a blow.
Elrana 04-30-04, 09:14 AM	Originally posted by Aroo Its good to see i am not the only one who realises how much better my Wizard is then your Barbarian. YOu will be dead before you are even able to strike a blow. Hey, that's not entirely fair. He could stay outside of your fireball range and take pot shots at you with his long bow at -12, or better still his composite longbow at a mere -10! Oh, and those are based on the range for a fireball at minimum caster level! He should never be able to strike you in melee anyway even if he survives the fireballs and magic missiles, scorching rays and so on because he can neither fly nor reach you even at a mere 20 feet up! If in an area with a low ceiling haste means he can never reach you if you keep spending one action a round moving so he still can't hit you with a full attack action (he can on a charge thus giving you an effective +2 to attack due to his lowered AC! This stacks with the +1 you already have for being hasted and the effective -1 he has due to your +1 AC bonus from haste). In a one on one fight I think a spellcaster should really be able to knock out almost any warrior type of equal CR. (Yes, I know there are exceptions hence the 'almost' thrown in there.)
Aroo 04-30-04, 11:28 AM	Haha, nah Scruggs and I are real life buddies. We are just having some fun. But the fact remains that I will destroy him. Yours, Aroo
Elrana 04-30-04, 11:32 AM	Originally posted by Aroo Haha, nah Scruggs and I are real life buddies. We are just having some fun. But the fact remains that I will destroy him. Yours, Aroo I figured, but that doesn't make what I said untrue!:D
Aroo 04-30-04, 11:43 AM	Did i say it wasnt?
Elrana 04-30-04, 01:08 PM	Originally posted by Aroo Did i say it wasnt? No you didn't. Did I say that you did? (We can stop now if you like!:D)