A bit of help optimizing myself on short notice - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

A bit of help optimizing myself on short notice

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
bladededge123
Oct 11, 2008 19:45:14 Hey all, hoping to find a bit of help.

I'm part of a 3rd edition dnd game and am wanting a bit of help on it. It is fairly highly powered with everyone just hitting level 13, a good amount of custom made magic items for each player and an abundance of money. I.E. monty haul esq. Examples being I have an item that lets me regain spell slots/spells cast, My character has had a robes of the arch magi since lvl 11.. ect.

The group for the most part is either very well min/maxed, or supported through custom magic items to be on par with such characters for those players who arn't as min/max oriented. However I am the only arcane caster and thus need to remain one whatever I bring to the game this week.

I am wondering how to best min/max myself. I've scanned over the basics of such on the board and have a fairly good idea of what I'd like to play but I thought I'd ask for some pin-point advice on a couple of issues.

First off, My party tends towards the neutral/evil side of things, and there isn't a great deal of tactics involved in our combat. As the squishy sorcerer with the flashy spells I tend to be a prime target, with only myself to defend me. I took a cleric as a cohort to try to stem the bleeding, but he doesn't benifit from items or increased cash flow the PCs get, and thus tends to die every session. He has some use, but I am wavering on if its worth the feat slot or not, or if there is not some better 11th level character I should have to help me.

I've been using a mirror image/displacement to keep myself alive. But I am afraid that sooner or later the enemies will get true seeing, the ability to bypass stoneskin or ect. I am wondering what my best defensive options, spell wise, are? Spell level, and class is likely not a problem as I can likely gain access to any spell period one way or another, there are so many spells I'm not aware of though that I'd like a second opinion on my options, specifically focused on staying alive and being able to survive.

Lastly, I'm currently just going with a straight sorcerer, which is not the best choice for optimization purposes. I've decided to change to something more optimized, based on recent events in the campaign, and thus am looking for some good ideas for what makes a good optimized character at 13th level specificly. Is there some class/prc combo that has come into own by that level? I do have the option of making a new character so long as he remains an arcane caster of some sort.

This is my first time playing such a character at high levels however, so I have no experience with what works at this level, in terms of the best spells and how to use them, or which builds on here come into their own at my current level, and aren't truly optimized and worth rebuilding a whole character for until 20th level, or ect.

I've been looking over the options on the boards, but there is just so much out there and I am something of a newbie at this level that I figured I might as well try and ask advice

Any ideas/suggestions would certainly be appreciated.

*edited to improve readability and clarity.
#2
jameswilliamogle
Oct 11, 2008 19:57:56 Greater Mirror Image is still good at your level. After that, combining Celerity or Greater Celerity w/ Foresight makes you capable of doing anything anytime.

Just about any PrC will work, as long as it has full casting advancement. BUT, if you want to SURVIVE, there's one class for you over all others:

Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil

Never die unless you want to. The typical method is to go: Wizard (Abjurer) 3 / Master Specialist (Abjurer) 10 / Iot7V 7

Some of the other gems:
Incanatrix - usually for an offensive caster; metamagic abuse
Anima Mage and Jade Phoenix Mage - usually for gish builds (but not limited to them)
Archmage - good for a couple of levels, but don't think you need all of those perks.
#3
bladededge123
Oct 11, 2008 20:03:33 Iot7V would be a great idea Thanks alot!

The only major question I have would be; Should I max out levels of Master Specialist first, or can I jump into Iot7V at a lower level (and fill in with Master levels once I max it out or ect?
#4
jameswilliamogle
Oct 11, 2008 20:18:36 Either / or! Benefits w/ both. Here they are:

Max out Master Spec. first: you can, at L13, put an Antimagic Field on your Barbarian buddy for when he charges that evil spellcaster. GREAT against spellcasters or supernatural using creatures.

Max out Iot7V first: you can, at L10, protect your butt against anything. GREAT against everyone, but ultimately defensive-minded.

Those are the pros. The cons are doing the other thing much later. I'm a fan of getting that AMF effect ASAP, personally; I never had too much problem protecting my butt as a Wizard between Fly, Teleport, and Greater Mirror Image prepared, personally.
#5
bladededge123
Oct 11, 2008 20:22:08 Both sound good, just need a bit of time to make the call between the two. I will most certainly take one of those route and run with it, thanks alot!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 bladededge123 Oct 11, 2008 19:45:14	Hey all, hoping to find a bit of help. I'm part of a 3rd edition dnd game and am wanting a bit of help on it. It is fairly highly powered with everyone just hitting level 13, a good amount of custom made magic items for each player and an abundance of money. I.E. monty haul esq. Examples being I have an item that lets me regain spell slots/spells cast, My character has had a robes of the arch magi since lvl 11.. ect. The group for the most part is either very well min/maxed, or supported through custom magic items to be on par with such characters for those players who arn't as min/max oriented. However I am the only arcane caster and thus need to remain one whatever I bring to the game this week. I am wondering how to best min/max myself. I've scanned over the basics of such on the board and have a fairly good idea of what I'd like to play but I thought I'd ask for some pin-point advice on a couple of issues. First off, My party tends towards the neutral/evil side of things, and there isn't a great deal of tactics involved in our combat. As the squishy sorcerer with the flashy spells I tend to be a prime target, with only myself to defend me. I took a cleric as a cohort to try to stem the bleeding, but he doesn't benifit from items or increased cash flow the PCs get, and thus tends to die every session. He has some use, but I am wavering on if its worth the feat slot or not, or if there is not some better 11th level character I should have to help me. I've been using a mirror image/displacement to keep myself alive. But I am afraid that sooner or later the enemies will get true seeing, the ability to bypass stoneskin or ect. I am wondering what my best defensive options, spell wise, are? Spell level, and class is likely not a problem as I can likely gain access to any spell period one way or another, there are so many spells I'm not aware of though that I'd like a second opinion on my options, specifically focused on staying alive and being able to survive. Lastly, I'm currently just going with a straight sorcerer, which is not the best choice for optimization purposes. I've decided to change to something more optimized, based on recent events in the campaign, and thus am looking for some good ideas for what makes a good optimized character at 13th level specificly. Is there some class/prc combo that has come into own by that level? I do have the option of making a new character so long as he remains an arcane caster of some sort. This is my first time playing such a character at high levels however, so I have no experience with what works at this level, in terms of the best spells and how to use them, or which builds on here come into their own at my current level, and aren't truly optimized and worth rebuilding a whole character for until 20th level, or ect. I've been looking over the options on the boards, but there is just so much out there and I am something of a newbie at this level that I figured I might as well try and ask advice Any ideas/suggestions would certainly be appreciated. *edited to improve readability and clarity.
#2 jameswilliamogle Oct 11, 2008 19:57:56	Greater Mirror Image is still good at your level. After that, combining Celerity or Greater Celerity w/ Foresight makes you capable of doing anything anytime. Just about any PrC will work, as long as it has full casting advancement. BUT, if you want to SURVIVE, there's one class for you over all others: Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil Never die unless you want to. The typical method is to go: Wizard (Abjurer) 3 / Master Specialist (Abjurer) 10 / Iot7V 7 Some of the other gems: Incanatrix - usually for an offensive caster; metamagic abuse Anima Mage and Jade Phoenix Mage - usually for gish builds (but not limited to them) Archmage - good for a couple of levels, but don't think you need all of those perks.
#3 bladededge123 Oct 11, 2008 20:03:33	Iot7V would be a great idea Thanks alot! The only major question I have would be; Should I max out levels of Master Specialist first, or can I jump into Iot7V at a lower level (and fill in with Master levels once I max it out or ect?
#4 jameswilliamogle Oct 11, 2008 20:18:36	Either / or! Benefits w/ both. Here they are: Max out Master Spec. first: you can, at L13, put an Antimagic Field on your Barbarian buddy for when he charges that evil spellcaster. GREAT against spellcasters or supernatural using creatures. Max out Iot7V first: you can, at L10, protect your butt against anything. GREAT against everyone, but ultimately defensive-minded. Those are the pros. The cons are doing the other thing much later. I'm a fan of getting that AMF effect ASAP, personally; I never had too much problem protecting my butt as a Wizard between Fly, Teleport, and Greater Mirror Image prepared, personally.
#5 bladededge123 Oct 11, 2008 20:22:08	Both sound good, just need a bit of time to make the call between the two. I will most certainly take one of those route and run with it, thanks alot!