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Help with choosing PrCs for a wizard

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
kian
Jun 21, 2008 18:52:11 Hello. I'm starting a campaign at level 3 with a wizard, and was having trouble planning ahead. What feats to take and prestige classes to aim for. I like Initiate of the seven fold veil, abjurant champion and archmage. But the three are late entry classes.

Initiate is the one you can enter the soonest at level 10. Abjurant I think synergises well, plus it has cool abilities. And given initiate's prereqs you're only one feat away from Archmage anyway, so it's almost a waste not to take it. The problem then is what to take, and how many levels of each. Wizard 9 is ugly, so I was wondering what prestige classes would work well with the ones above (or instead of the ones above), but have less steep entry requirements.
#2
cycada
Jun 21, 2008 18:54:22 If you were going to go for a Abjuration focused character, like your suggesting, I would look into the Master specialist class. I'm not sure what it has to offer to Abjuration users, but it's atleast worth a look.

What wizard niche are you trying to fill in? Combat Control? Glasscannon? flying, electric squirrel?
#3
kian
Jun 21, 2008 19:11:44 Huh, I don't actually know what a flying electric squirrel does. I don't like specialist wizards, and in any case the DM allowed Domain wizard (I was thinking of the Abjuration domain). So Master Specialist is out (though I don't know what it does anyway).

As for the wizard niche, that's complicated. I haven't played many wizards, so I don't really know. I was hoping for a generalist. Abjuration just happens to be nice in that it keeps me safe and sound while I make a mess, and those prestige classes improve abjuration without demanding a sacrifice in other areas. The campaign has a political slant though, so being good at influencing others might come in handy. How viable are enchanters?

Sorry about the hazyness of my replies. And thanks for answering.
#4
kian
Jun 21, 2008 20:17:59 Ok, I was just reading up on the incantatrix. Am I right in believing it is ridiculously good? The forbidden school hurts, but free metamagic all over the place? With just passing a spellcraft check?
#5
zaraithe
Jun 21, 2008 21:24:17 You say you don't know what Master Specialist does, well, all it really does is bolster a specialization more. It has its perks in that it can be entered at level 4 straight away, and if you really want to go Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil, Master Abjurist essentially gives you the entry requirements for free. I know you don't want to go specialist, but that's essentially what it would do.

Abjurant chamion is more of a gish PrC than anything else; I've entertained going Wizard/Swashbuckler/Abjurant Chapion with some other stuff before, but never given it much thought. ...
#6
cycada
Jun 21, 2008 21:29:39 Your definently right about the Incantrix. If you can get your DM to play one then I'd say go right ahead. There are plenty of Incantrix guides laying around everywhere on these boards, so you could just try searching the boards or looking for someone who knows alittle more about wizards than me. :D
#7
Zekarra
Jun 21, 2008 21:32:42
Ok, I was just reading up on the incantatrix. Am I right in believing it is ridiculously good? The forbidden school hurts, but free metamagic all over the place? With just passing a spellcraft check?

It only works on spells cast by others, not yours. So if your the only caster it does no good. Now I did notice it did not say what kind of caster so if you have a divine caster in the party it might just work.

The Wizard's Handbook

Check this link, it's to the Wizard's Handbook.
#8
phoenix00
Jun 21, 2008 22:05:36 Incantatrix is awesome, made of pure win, if it was an 8/10 spellcasting class instead of 10/10, CO would still be recommending it. It is THAT good.

Make sure to grab Iron Will from the magical location.
#9
kian
Jun 21, 2008 23:06:14 What school do you recommend giving up for Incantatrix? I love them all too much. Necro has the least number of useful spells, but amongst them are the best no-save spells like enervation and ray of enfeeblement. Evocation is mostly direct damage, and I could give that up, but it has loads of force effects I just can't stand to part with. Force cage, why is force cage an evocation?! :cries: Illusion has invisibility, amongst others. Enchantment has other cool things, and fun stuff like geas/quest.

That's what keeps me from incantatrix mostly. Another class for levels 6 and up?
#10
phoenix00
Jun 21, 2008 23:32:48 there is a feat from dragon magazine that returns 3 spells known from a forbidden school back to your spells known. I would use that feat with enchantment or necromancy.
#11
jondera
Jun 21, 2008 23:39:43 Actually, due to the way that the Incantatrix school loss works, any spells from that school that you learn before you take the class, you get to keep and can still cast any spells from that school that you already learned. So you really only need to take spells level 4 and higher into account for that.

I would recommend Necromancy or Evocation, personally - you can still get damage using damaging conjurations, and by keeping Illusion you get the option of having Shadow Evocation (normal and greater) to partially fill in the lack.
#12
natenate
Jun 21, 2008 23:50:39 Enchantment is the easiest school to give up, none of the spells are absolutely necessary for a Wizard to function and more creatures are immune to enchantments than any other school. Just keep it simple and go Wizard 5/ Incantatrix 10/ Archmage 5, and like Phoenix00 said you can get Iron Will for free at a location detailed in the Complete Scoundrel.

Here's another Wizard guide, which I found to be very practical.
#13
kian
Jun 21, 2008 23:58:11 Quick question about greater shadow evocation. What does it mean for a forcecage, for instance, to be 70% real? Is it still as strong? Force effects are the only thing I'd miss from evocation, and illussion covers it :D I'm inclined to sacrifice evocation really.
#14
jondera
Jun 22, 2008 0:01:19
Nondamaging effects have normal effects except against those who disbelieve them. Against disbelievers, they have no effect.

In other words, it's a will save - if they make the save, the spell has no effect. If they fail, it's the same as the regular spell. Greater Shadow Evocation can copy evocations up to 7th level.
#15
kian
Jun 22, 2008 11:08:42 Which leaves 8th and 9th level evocations out of reach, but I didn't see any MUST HAVE evocations there. So it would seem that if I can pump up the illusion DC I don't sacrifice much versatility. So I'm happy leaving evocation.

So I'm thinking Domain Wizard 6 / Incantatar 10 / Abjurant Champion 4 (taking 6 levels of wizard before starting Incantatar so I can grab a few more evocations before I lose access to the school). And I was wondering about good 1st level feats. Is spellcasting prodigy good? The way I see it, the feat gives you between 2 and 3 bonus slots, of levels 2 and 6 at the least, and 1st, 5th and 9th at best, depending on your current stat score. I liked it better in 3.0, where it also increased the DC of spells....

Is it worth it, or should I grab something better?
#16
jondera
Jun 22, 2008 11:27:11 Hmm... Spellcasting Prodigy isn't bad, but I'd personally recommend Collegiate Wizard (C.Arcane, P. 181). Effectively doubles the number of free spells you get in your spellbook.

If you play a human, you could pick up both.
#17
friendlyfrog
Jun 22, 2008 12:40:25
It only works on spells cast by others, not yours. So if your the only caster it does no good. Now I did notice it did not say what kind of caster so if you have a divine caster in the party it might just work.

Cooperative metamagic is only one of Incantatrix's abilities. It's Metamagic effect that's the biggest one, as it allows you to apply Persistent spell for buffs for free, as long as you can make the Spellcraft check. 3 + Int times per day.
#18
kian
Jun 22, 2008 13:02:28 Metamagic Effect says a persistent spell you're within or adjacent to is modified. What is defined as a persistent effect? It used things like walls and the like as examples. Can you be considered to be "within" a spell that affects you?
#19
jondera
Jun 22, 2008 13:43:19 That depends on the effect - if somebody cast an antimagic field over you to keep you from casting, you could metamagic shape it to not include you. Or if you were standing in a wall of fire, you could do an elemental substitution to something that you were resistant to... or perhaps maximize it before you run away. You could shape a wall of force so you could get through it, etc... Effects that have a duration of instantaneous or permanent (Transmute rock to mud, wall of stone, etc...) can't be metamagiced after the fact.

Persistent spell buffs would only work if you were to persistify the spells as the buffer casts them - but since all the good buffs are divine, that just means you need to stand next to the cleric when they're doing the buffing.
#20
kian
Jun 22, 2008 16:10:26 I was asking with regards to what FriendlyFrog said, "It's Metamagic effect that's the biggest one, as it allows you to apply Persistent spell for buffs for free, as long as you can make the Spellcraft check. 3 + Int times per day."

It seems, from the description, that only buffs with an area can be persistified. A magic circle against X might be modifiable by Metamagic Effect, but not protection.

There's also the matter of what spells the metamagic can be applied to. Persistent specifies personal or with fixed range. You might be able to help the other caster persistify buffs he puts on himself, but can you use it on spells he casts on others?
#21
friendlyfrog
Jun 22, 2008 18:19:26 No, nowhere does it say that it has to have an area. The only limits are that a): the spell must be persistent (meaning that it must have a duration, and b): that you have to be adjacent or within the effect (you are within personal range spells).
#22
Endarire
Jun 23, 2008 0:28:07 If you're an elf or half-elf, take one level of Olin Gisir (LEOF) at L16 when you should have a naked INT mod of +7. This gets you a metamagic feat for a 1-level dip.
#23
kian
Jun 23, 2008 7:44:46 Character is actually a Drow. Before you hit me for making a drow wizard, the DM is waving the LA +2. Actually, he's waving LA up to +3, but I didn't feel like scouring the books for a race with LA +3 that would make a better wizard, and I like drow. Was torn between drow and tiefling, went with drow. Should qualify for that class if the req is elf. What's the name of the book though? LEOF doesn't ring any bells.

FriendlyFrog, is that an official ruling? Ok'd by CustServ or something? When they say "adjacent to or within the spell effect", that seems a pretty clear indication that the spell has to have an area you can be adjacent to or within. Saying "you're within a personal range effect" seems like a dubious interpretation. And if we're going by strict reading, there's nothing in the rules that actually makes the claim that you are considered to be within the effect of personal range spells (that don't emanate or something) either.

I'm asking because I really don't know, this would be my first incantatar. The DM is being very generous, and I don't want to bring up stuff he could object to and then lose the other goodies he's letting me have (Spontaneous divination! Yay!).
#24
Endarire
Jun 23, 2008 17:06:03 While this is probably beyond the scope of what you ask, here's Johnny!

I advise Grey Elf Transmuter5/Incantatrix10/Master Transmuter1/Archmage3/Olin Gisir1 and ban Enchantment (too many creatures are immune), Evocation, (use greater shadow evocation to mimic contingency and wall of force), and Necromancy (too many creatures are immune). Transmuter is for the extra slot for polymorph any object, shapechange, and time stop. Take Spontaneous Divination at L5. Grab Mastery of Shaping, Arcane Reach, and Spell Power from Archmage.

For general feats, I advise Spell Focus: Conjuration and Spell Focus: Transmutation, Improved Initiative (go first!), and Iron Will (prereq). Some other possibilities are Metamagic School Focus: Conjuration or/and Metamagic School Focus: Transmutation (-1 slot adjustment on any metamagicked spell of the chosen school 3/day), and Arcane Mastery (always take 10 on caster level checks, especially to beat spell resistance). If you can, nab Mark of the Dauntless from Dragonmarked and become immune to dazing and stunning.

For metamagic feats, get Extend (useful and a prereq), Persistent, Quicken, and Easy Metamagic: Persistent and Quicken. (Easy Metamagic is from Dragon 325 P62 and reduces the slot cost for a chosen metamagic feat by 1 to a minimum of +1.)

Use polymorph any object to become a Sarruhk (Serpent Kingdoms P80) and make your base INT 30! While you lose the INT bonus from being a Deep Drow, you get extra INT from items, tomes/wishes, and levels in addition to your 30 base INT. (Increased INT from levels is an unnamed bonus, tomes/wishes grant an inherent bonus, and your +6 INT item gives an enhancement bonus for up to 46 INT! U R SMRT.)

If you can't become a Sarrukh, use PAO to become a White Ethergaunt (Fiend Folio 67) for 27 base INT. Monster Manual V lists "spells" as a special attack, and since "spells" isn't Su or Sp, it must be Ex, meaning you get it via polymorph by a possible stretch of the rules as written. If so, draconic polymorph yourself into a Black Ethergaunt (Fiend Folio 65) to gain its spells in addition to yours and go through spells like there's no tomorrow!

If you prefer to act as a mystic theurge at this level, cast fiendform (Spell Compendium 90) to change your type to outsider then use polymorph any object to become a planetar. Planetars cast as L17 clerics, meaning you'd need at least 19 WIS to cast everything, but you can get up to +6 WIS from an item and +5 from a tome. Also as a planetar, you get immunities and resists from being an angel as well as 90' fly (good). Yee haw!

Item-wise, if you can get a Blessed Book and a Tome of Ancient Lore (Complete Divine 103) and you have the True Believer feat (Complete Divine 86) you can transcribe the Tome into the Book and have any 1,000 nonepic wizard spells you desire at no additional gold cost. (Hint: That's about all of them published by Wizards of the Coast.)
#25
kian
Jun 24, 2008 19:30:07 Thanks for the help. Now I was wondering about feats. I have one free feat (can take it as either 1st or 3rd level), and was thinking of the Item Familiar feat. One thing I wasn't sure about though is, there are three main abilities from the item: Invest life energy; invest skill ranks; invest spell slots. Is a character supposed to choose ONE of these powers, or do you take advantage of all of them?

If you're supposed to choose, would the bonus spell be better, or the skill bonus to spellcraft for the incantatrix abilities?

My other feats are Iron Will and Extend Spell. I'm going to take Spontaneous Divination at 5th instead of a metamagic or item creation feat. I have this extra feat from taking a flaw.
#26
phoenix00
Jun 24, 2008 20:04:22 I would have done this
Half Giant, LA 1
Str -2, Dex -2, Con +2, 2 bonus power points, powerful build
Primordial Giant template (LA 0, must be giant)
Str -4, Con -2, Int +4, Cha +4, Invisibility at Will (SP)
Phrenic LA 2
Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4, Psi Like Abilities, SR of HD +10, 1 bonus power point

Total
Str -2, Dex -2, Con +0, Int +6, Wis +2, Cha +8, SR HD +10, Psi Like Abilities
#27
jondera
Jun 24, 2008 21:23:58 As above, I recommend Collegiate Wizard at first level - C. Arcane, page 181. It effectively doubles the number of free spells you get every level, and gives you a bonus to Knowledge (Arcana).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 kian Jun 21, 2008 18:52:11	Hello. I'm starting a campaign at level 3 with a wizard, and was having trouble planning ahead. What feats to take and prestige classes to aim for. I like Initiate of the seven fold veil, abjurant champion and archmage. But the three are late entry classes. Initiate is the one you can enter the soonest at level 10. Abjurant I think synergises well, plus it has cool abilities. And given initiate's prereqs you're only one feat away from Archmage anyway, so it's almost a waste not to take it. The problem then is what to take, and how many levels of each. Wizard 9 is ugly, so I was wondering what prestige classes would work well with the ones above (or instead of the ones above), but have less steep entry requirements.
#2 cycada Jun 21, 2008 18:54:22	If you were going to go for a Abjuration focused character, like your suggesting, I would look into the Master specialist class. I'm not sure what it has to offer to Abjuration users, but it's atleast worth a look. What wizard niche are you trying to fill in? Combat Control? Glasscannon? flying, electric squirrel?
#3 kian Jun 21, 2008 19:11:44	Huh, I don't actually know what a flying electric squirrel does. I don't like specialist wizards, and in any case the DM allowed Domain wizard (I was thinking of the Abjuration domain). So Master Specialist is out (though I don't know what it does anyway). As for the wizard niche, that's complicated. I haven't played many wizards, so I don't really know. I was hoping for a generalist. Abjuration just happens to be nice in that it keeps me safe and sound while I make a mess, and those prestige classes improve abjuration without demanding a sacrifice in other areas. The campaign has a political slant though, so being good at influencing others might come in handy. How viable are enchanters? Sorry about the hazyness of my replies. And thanks for answering.
#4 kian Jun 21, 2008 20:17:59	Ok, I was just reading up on the incantatrix. Am I right in believing it is ridiculously good? The forbidden school hurts, but free metamagic all over the place? With just passing a spellcraft check?
#5 zaraithe Jun 21, 2008 21:24:17	You say you don't know what Master Specialist does, well, all it really does is bolster a specialization more. It has its perks in that it can be entered at level 4 straight away, and if you really want to go Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil, Master Abjurist essentially gives you the entry requirements for free. I know you don't want to go specialist, but that's essentially what it would do. Abjurant chamion is more of a gish PrC than anything else; I've entertained going Wizard/Swashbuckler/Abjurant Chapion with some other stuff before, but never given it much thought. ...
#6 cycada Jun 21, 2008 21:29:39	Your definently right about the Incantrix. If you can get your DM to play one then I'd say go right ahead. There are plenty of Incantrix guides laying around everywhere on these boards, so you could just try searching the boards or looking for someone who knows alittle more about wizards than me. :D
#7 Zekarra Jun 21, 2008 21:32:42	Ok, I was just reading up on the incantatrix. Am I right in believing it is ridiculously good? The forbidden school hurts, but free metamagic all over the place? With just passing a spellcraft check? It only works on spells cast by others, not yours. So if your the only caster it does no good. Now I did notice it did not say what kind of caster so if you have a divine caster in the party it might just work. The Wizard's Handbook Check this link, it's to the Wizard's Handbook.
#8 phoenix00 Jun 21, 2008 22:05:36	Incantatrix is awesome, made of pure win, if it was an 8/10 spellcasting class instead of 10/10, CO would *still* be recommending it. *It is THAT good.* Make sure to grab Iron Will from the magical location.
#9 kian Jun 21, 2008 23:06:14	What school do you recommend giving up for Incantatrix? I love them all too much. Necro has the least number of useful spells, but amongst them are the best no-save spells like enervation and ray of enfeeblement. Evocation is mostly direct damage, and I could give that up, but it has loads of force effects I just can't stand to part with. Force cage, why is force cage an evocation?! :cries: Illusion has invisibility, amongst others. Enchantment has other cool things, and fun stuff like geas/quest. That's what keeps me from incantatrix mostly. Another class for levels 6 and up?
#10 phoenix00 Jun 21, 2008 23:32:48	there is a feat from dragon magazine that returns 3 spells known from a forbidden school back to your spells known. I would use that feat with enchantment or necromancy.
#11 jondera Jun 21, 2008 23:39:43	Actually, due to the way that the Incantatrix school loss works, any spells from that school that you learn before you take the class, you get to keep and can still cast any spells from that school that you already learned. So you really only need to take spells level 4 and higher into account for that. I would recommend Necromancy or Evocation, personally - you can still get damage using damaging conjurations, and by keeping Illusion you get the option of having Shadow Evocation (normal and greater) to partially fill in the lack.
#12 natenate Jun 21, 2008 23:50:39	Enchantment is the easiest school to give up, none of the spells are absolutely necessary for a Wizard to function and more creatures are immune to enchantments than any other school. Just keep it simple and go Wizard 5/ Incantatrix 10/ Archmage 5, and like Phoenix00 said you can get Iron Will for free at a location detailed in the Complete Scoundrel. Here's another Wizard guide, which I found to be very practical.
#13 kian Jun 21, 2008 23:58:11	Quick question about greater shadow evocation. What does it mean for a forcecage, for instance, to be 70% real? Is it still as strong? Force effects are the only thing I'd miss from evocation, and illussion covers it :D I'm inclined to sacrifice evocation really.
#14 jondera Jun 22, 2008 0:01:19	Nondamaging effects have normal effects except against those who disbelieve them. Against disbelievers, they have no effect. In other words, it's a will save - if they make the save, the spell has no effect. If they fail, it's the same as the regular spell. Greater Shadow Evocation can copy evocations up to 7th level.
#15 kian Jun 22, 2008 11:08:42	Which leaves 8th and 9th level evocations out of reach, but I didn't see any MUST HAVE evocations there. So it would seem that if I can pump up the illusion DC I don't sacrifice much versatility. So I'm happy leaving evocation. So I'm thinking Domain Wizard 6 / Incantatar 10 / Abjurant Champion 4 (taking 6 levels of wizard before starting Incantatar so I can grab a few more evocations before I lose access to the school). And I was wondering about good 1st level feats. Is spellcasting prodigy good? The way I see it, the feat gives you between 2 and 3 bonus slots, of levels 2 and 6 at the least, and 1st, 5th and 9th at best, depending on your current stat score. I liked it better in 3.0, where it also increased the DC of spells.... Is it worth it, or should I grab something better?
#16 jondera Jun 22, 2008 11:27:11	Hmm... Spellcasting Prodigy isn't bad, but I'd personally recommend Collegiate Wizard (C.Arcane, P. 181). Effectively doubles the number of free spells you get in your spellbook. If you play a human, you could pick up both.
#17 friendlyfrog Jun 22, 2008 12:40:25	It only works on spells cast by others, not yours. So if your the only caster it does no good. Now I did notice it did not say what kind of caster so if you have a divine caster in the party it might just work. Cooperative metamagic is only one of Incantatrix's abilities. It's Metamagic effect that's the biggest one, as it allows you to apply Persistent spell for buffs for free, as long as you can make the Spellcraft check. 3 + Int times per day.
#18 kian Jun 22, 2008 13:02:28	Metamagic Effect says a persistent spell you're within or adjacent to is modified. What is defined as a persistent effect? It used things like walls and the like as examples. Can you be considered to be "within" a spell that affects you?
#19 jondera Jun 22, 2008 13:43:19	That depends on the effect - if somebody cast an antimagic field over you to keep you from casting, you could metamagic shape it to not include you. Or if you were standing in a wall of fire, you could do an elemental substitution to something that you were resistant to... or perhaps maximize it before you run away. You could shape a wall of force so you could get through it, etc... Effects that have a duration of instantaneous or permanent (Transmute rock to mud, wall of stone, etc...) can't be metamagiced after the fact. Persistent spell buffs would only work if you were to persistify the spells as the buffer casts them - but since all the good buffs are divine, that just means you need to stand next to the cleric when they're doing the buffing.
#20 kian Jun 22, 2008 16:10:26	I was asking with regards to what FriendlyFrog said, "It's Metamagic effect that's the biggest one, as it allows you to apply Persistent spell for buffs for free, as long as you can make the Spellcraft check. 3 + Int times per day." It seems, from the description, that only buffs with an area can be persistified. A magic circle against X might be modifiable by Metamagic Effect, but not protection. There's also the matter of what spells the metamagic can be applied to. Persistent specifies personal or with fixed range. You might be able to help the other caster persistify buffs he puts on himself, but can you use it on spells he casts on others?
#21 friendlyfrog Jun 22, 2008 18:19:26	No, nowhere does it say that it has to have an area. The only limits are that a): the spell must be persistent (meaning that it must have a duration, and b): that you have to be adjacent or within the effect (you are within personal range spells).
#22 Endarire Jun 23, 2008 0:28:07	If you're an elf or half-elf, take one level of Olin Gisir (LEOF) at L16 when you should have a naked INT mod of +7. This gets you a metamagic feat for a 1-level dip.
#23 kian Jun 23, 2008 7:44:46	Character is actually a Drow. Before you hit me for making a drow wizard, the DM is waving the LA +2. Actually, he's waving LA up to +3, but I didn't feel like scouring the books for a race with LA +3 that would make a better wizard, and I like drow. Was torn between drow and tiefling, went with drow. Should qualify for that class if the req is elf. What's the name of the book though? LEOF doesn't ring any bells. FriendlyFrog, is that an official ruling? Ok'd by CustServ or something? When they say "adjacent to or within the spell effect", that seems a pretty clear indication that the spell has to have an area you can be adjacent to or within. Saying "you're within a personal range effect" seems like a dubious interpretation. And if we're going by strict reading, there's nothing in the rules that actually makes the claim that you are considered to be within the effect of personal range spells (that don't emanate or something) either. I'm asking because I really don't know, this would be my first incantatar. The DM is being very generous, and I don't want to bring up stuff he could object to and then lose the other goodies he's letting me have (Spontaneous divination! Yay!).
#24 Endarire Jun 23, 2008 17:06:03	While this is probably beyond the scope of what you ask, here's Johnny! I advise Grey Elf Transmuter5/Incantatrix10/Master Transmuter1/Archmage3/Olin Gisir1 and ban Enchantment (too many creatures are immune), Evocation, (use greater shadow evocation to mimic contingency and wall of force), and Necromancy (too many creatures are immune). Transmuter is for the extra slot for polymorph any object, shapechange, and time stop. Take Spontaneous Divination at L5. Grab Mastery of Shaping, Arcane Reach, and Spell Power from Archmage. For general feats, I advise Spell Focus: Conjuration and Spell Focus: Transmutation, Improved Initiative (go first!), and Iron Will (prereq). Some other possibilities are Metamagic School Focus: Conjuration or/and Metamagic School Focus: Transmutation (-1 slot adjustment on any metamagicked spell of the chosen school 3/day), and Arcane Mastery (always take 10 on caster level checks, especially to beat spell resistance). If you can, nab Mark of the Dauntless from Dragonmarked and become immune to dazing and stunning. For metamagic feats, get Extend (useful and a prereq), Persistent, Quicken, and Easy Metamagic: Persistent and Quicken. (Easy Metamagic is from Dragon 325 P62 and reduces the slot cost for a chosen metamagic feat by 1 to a minimum of +1.) Use polymorph any object to become a Sarruhk (Serpent Kingdoms P80) and make your base INT 30! While you lose the INT bonus from being a Deep Drow, you get extra INT from items, tomes/wishes, and levels in addition to your 30 base INT. (Increased INT from levels is an unnamed bonus, tomes/wishes grant an inherent bonus, and your +6 INT item gives an enhancement bonus for up to 46 INT! U R SMRT.) If you can't become a Sarrukh, use PAO to become a White Ethergaunt (Fiend Folio 67) for 27 base INT. Monster Manual V lists "spells" as a special attack, and since "spells" isn't Su or Sp, it must be Ex, meaning you get it via polymorph by a possible stretch of the rules as written. If so, draconic polymorph yourself into a Black Ethergaunt (Fiend Folio 65) to gain its spells in addition to yours and go through spells like there's no tomorrow! If you prefer to act as a mystic theurge at this level, cast fiendform (Spell Compendium 90) to change your type to outsider then use polymorph any object to become a planetar. Planetars cast as L17 clerics, meaning you'd need at least 19 WIS to cast everything, but you can get up to +6 WIS from an item and +5 from a tome. Also as a planetar, you get immunities and resists from being an angel as well as 90' fly (good). Yee haw! Item-wise, if you can get a Blessed Book and a Tome of Ancient Lore (Complete Divine 103) and you have the True Believer feat (Complete Divine 86) you can transcribe the Tome into the Book and have any 1,000 nonepic wizard spells you desire at no additional gold cost. (Hint: That's about all of them published by Wizards of the Coast.)
#25 kian Jun 24, 2008 19:30:07	Thanks for the help. Now I was wondering about feats. I have one free feat (can take it as either 1st or 3rd level), and was thinking of the Item Familiar feat. One thing I wasn't sure about though is, there are three main abilities from the item: Invest life energy; invest skill ranks; invest spell slots. Is a character supposed to choose ONE of these powers, or do you take advantage of all of them? If you're supposed to choose, would the bonus spell be better, or the skill bonus to spellcraft for the incantatrix abilities? My other feats are Iron Will and Extend Spell. I'm going to take Spontaneous Divination at 5th instead of a metamagic or item creation feat. I have this extra feat from taking a flaw.
#26 phoenix00 Jun 24, 2008 20:04:22	I would have done this Half Giant, LA 1 Str -2, Dex -2, Con +2, 2 bonus power points, powerful build Primordial Giant template (LA 0, must be giant) Str -4, Con -2, Int +4, Cha +4, Invisibility at Will (SP) Phrenic LA 2 Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4, Psi Like Abilities, SR of HD +10, 1 bonus power point Total Str -2, Dex -2, Con +0, Int +6, Wis +2, Cha +8, SR HD +10, Psi Like Abilities
#27 jondera Jun 24, 2008 21:23:58	As above, I recommend Collegiate Wizard at first level - C. Arcane, page 181. It effectively doubles the number of free spells you get every level, and gives you a bonus to Knowledge (Arcana).