Any Advice for a V.3.5 Wu Jen? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Any Advice for a V.3.5 Wu Jen?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Tr0users
May 13, 2011 16:27:55 My friend who's new to D&D just joined our party (playing v.3.5) as a level 8 wu jen specialising in water spells. I'm getting the feeling that she's getting a bit bored/frustrated as her character isn't really making much impact. I'd like to be able to give her some advice on how to make the character more effective, but I've never played a wu jen, and I've never played in a group with a wu jen. I've done a bit of reading about the class and have noticed one or two things that I don't think she's taking advantage of, but I'd like to know what the main characteristics of wu jens are that make them stand out? What are the wu jens' main strengths that my friend can play to?

Any advice is much appreciated, cheers guys!
#2
Krusk
May 14, 2011 15:45:34 A wu jen is like a weaker wizard. So basically play it like you would a wizard.

Boost your save DC as high as possible at the expense of everything. Then throw out save or [out of the fight] spells like sleep and battlefield control spells like wall of [Thing] or reverse gravity.

Their mains trengths are going to be battlefield control spells, and save or die spells. Talk her out of preparing blasting spells. (I know 8d6 is tempting, but thats 28 damage, AKA 1 swing from the fighter, or a shot or two from the archer.) the arguement is "Do you want to be a crappy archer, or do you want to end fights in a round or two."
#3
Tempest_Stormwind
May 14, 2011 19:21:34 I'm not familiar with the wu jen's spell list, but I remember it being a limited subset of the wizard's with a few unique spells. Krusk is right: Play them like a wizard, just without access to some of the cheeseball stuff that wizards get.

Here's a sample list of spells that will outright end the battles once they're cast.

Hopefully some will fall on the wu jen's list and your friend will have some more impact.
#4
lormador
May 22, 2011 21:44:38 Oh but there's one cheeseball effect the Wu Jen does get that Wizard's don't- only when you get 9th level spells though.

First, get into Spellguard of Silverymoon. Check out a minor ability they have to cast Personal spells as Touch spells. Nice, eh?

Now there's a 9th level Wu Jen spell, previously almost useless, called Transcend Mortality. It was intended as a Personal mega-buff that inevitably consumes your life when the duration is up.

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. Delivering Transcend Mortality as a touch spell (a hit you can guarantee via Limited Wish- not practically guarantee as with True Strike, but really and truly automatically hit with) will destroy just about anything. The Tarrasque. Super-insane monsters people post on the CO boards as a challenge.

It's a TO thing, I guess, with little use in an actual game, but I just thought I'd mention it. None of us mortals, in the end, are really safe from a humble Vecna-Blooded Wu Jen Spellguard of Silverymoon.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Tr0users May 13, 2011 16:27:55	My friend who's new to D&D just joined our party (playing v.3.5) as a level 8 wu jen specialising in water spells. I'm getting the feeling that she's getting a bit bored/frustrated as her character isn't really making much impact. I'd like to be able to give her some advice on how to make the character more effective, but I've never played a wu jen, and I've never played in a group with a wu jen. I've done a bit of reading about the class and have noticed one or two things that I don't think she's taking advantage of, but I'd like to know what the main characteristics of wu jens are that make them stand out? What are the wu jens' main strengths that my friend can play to? Any advice is much appreciated, cheers guys!
#2 Krusk May 14, 2011 15:45:34	A wu jen is like a weaker wizard. So basically play it like you would a wizard. Boost your save DC as high as possible at the expense of everything. Then throw out save or [out of the fight] spells like sleep and battlefield control spells like wall of [Thing] or reverse gravity. Their mains trengths are going to be battlefield control spells, and save or die spells. Talk her out of preparing blasting spells. (I know 8d6 is tempting, but thats 28 damage, AKA 1 swing from the fighter, or a shot or two from the archer.) the arguement is "Do you want to be a crappy archer, or do you want to end fights in a round or two."
#3 Tempest_Stormwind May 14, 2011 19:21:34	I'm not familiar with the wu jen's spell list, but I remember it being a limited subset of the wizard's with a few unique spells. Krusk is right: Play them like a wizard, just without access to some of the cheeseball stuff that wizards get. Here's a sample list of spells that will outright end the battles once they're cast. Hopefully some will fall on the wu jen's list and your friend will have some more impact.
#4 lormador May 22, 2011 21:44:38	Oh but there's one cheeseball effect the Wu Jen does get that Wizard's don't- only when you get 9th level spells though. First, get into Spellguard of Silverymoon. Check out a minor ability they have to cast Personal spells as Touch spells. Nice, eh? Now there's a 9th level Wu Jen spell, previously almost useless, called Transcend Mortality. It was intended as a Personal mega-buff that inevitably consumes your life when the duration is up. I'm sure you see where I'm going with this. Delivering Transcend Mortality as a touch spell (a hit you can guarantee via Limited Wish- not practically guarantee as with True Strike, but really and truly automatically hit with) will destroy just about anything. The Tarrasque. Super-insane monsters people post on the CO boards as a challenge. It's a TO thing, I guess, with little use in an actual game, but I just thought I'd mention it. None of us mortals, in the end, are really safe from a humble Vecna-Blooded Wu Jen Spellguard of Silverymoon.