Next week I'm gonna join a campaign. The DM told me to create a level 4 character and gave me 4000gp to go shopping. Now the trick is that I have to use the core rules.
I rolled 16, 14, 14, 13, 10, 9.
The other players are playing the following:
lv4 Paladin
lv6 Bard
lv4 Cleric
lv3 Cleric/lv2 Ranger
As you can see, the party could use a mage or skill monkey. I have no real experience with Wizards/Sorcerers, but I'd like to play one. Any suggestions?
Str:10 dex: 14 Con: 14 Int:17 (point from lv 4) Wis: 13 Cha:9 (If you can take leadership, Str:9 Wis:10 Cha:13)
Feats: scribe scroll, craft wondrous item, skill focus (knowledge:whatever), Spell focus (conjuration).
Next level take quicken spell (you can't use it yet but it's the best core metamagic feat and you'll need your other feats to qualify for archmage. After level 7, hop on Loremaster, then go Archmage after lv 13.
As for spells right now, you'll have 4+1/4+1/3+1
I might prepare:
0 - detect magic, ghost sound, message, mage hand, prestidigitation
1 - grease, ray of enfeeblement, enlarge person, silent image, identify
2 - glitterdust, mirrior image, false life, locate object (alter self is a bit cheesy for my tastes but feel free to take this over false life.)
You also might want to leave a slot or two unprepared so you can fill them in 15 min. with a utility spell when the opportunity arises and you are under no stress.
Edit: I forgot about the gold. If you can convince the DM to let you have a +1 headband for 1000 gp, go for it. Other wise, I'd save most to buy the +2 a little later, while spending a few hundred or so to expand your spell book.
Skills: obviously max out spellcraft and concentration. 5 ranks in knowledge(arcana) and at least 1 rank in each other one and decipher script. You'll also need 10 ranks in 2 knowledges by level 7 so choose arcana and one other and top them off.
Skill Focus? Isn't say, Improved Initiative a better choice?
Why on Oerth should I specialize in Divination?
Skill Focus? Isn't say, Improved Initiative a better choice?
The Skill Focus is for Loremaster. No idea why Divination is being proposed, besides general utility.
A diviner only needs to ban one school of magic, but retains the increase in spells per day. Its a pretty powerfull way to boost your wizards spellcapacity during the day.
This. Divination is a decent school even in core, though transmutation and conjuration are in all honesty the best, but banning two schools is too much for me to swallow usually. YMMV
Human
Ranger 1/ Wizard 3
Martial Weapons, great Skills, saves, hp, ok BAB .... can still cast 2nd lvl Spells
Human
Rogue 1/ Wizard 3
Trapfinding, better Skills, worse saves, worse HP, worse BAB .... can still cast 2nd lvl spells
both will help round out the Party .... and both Combine Mage/Skillmonkey together ..... if you like them i can supply a finished version
the downside on divination is that at least on some levels there is no useful divination spell. you can, of course, fill it up with a lower-level divination spell.
if you CAN afford to sacrifice 2 schools (ench/evoc or ench/nec e.g.) then I suggest to go for conjuration. treatmonk's guide gives a lot of insight about (almost core) conjurers. there is just an awful lot of useful conjuration spells and I don't talk about summon monster :-) (let the cleric do that)
About Specialist Wizards: I don't think banning two schools is asking that much most of the time. A Conjurer or Transmuter can easily do away with Evocation and Enchantment, or Evo/Necro, without missing a thing.
One thing to consider, though: how long will your campaign go? If it's only a very few levels, other considerations apply than if you plan on going to level 15 or so.