LV 20 Human wizard help needed - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

LV 20 Human wizard help needed

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
farrell
Mar 25, 2009 19:35:50 This is my first time to reach LV 20.

My previous character died in the last battle, so my DM permits me to rebuild a character at LV 20. The books I could rely on include PH1, PH2 and C series.

Here is my character:

Male Human Focus Conjuer 3 / Master Specialist 10 / Thaumaturgist 2 / Archmage 5

Feats:
Conjuer 1: Scribe Scroll, Improved Initiative, Spell Focus (Conjuration)
Conjuer 2:
Conjuer 3: Spell Focus (Transmutation)
Master Specialist 1: Skill Focus (Spellcraft)
Master Specialist 2:
Master Specialist 3: Greater Spell Focus (Conjuration), Metamagic School Focus (Conjuration)
Master Specialist 4:
Master Specialist 5:
Master Specialist 6: Rapid Spell
Thaumaturgist 1:
Thaumaturgist 2: Augment Summon
Master Specialist 7: Sudden Maximize
Master Specialist 8:
Master Specialist 9:
Master Specialist 10: Sculpt Spell
Archmage 1:
Archmage 2:
Archmage 3: Twin Spell
Archmage 4:
Archmage 5:

Possessions:
Head: Headband of Intellect +6 (36000 GP)
Face:
Throat: Medallion of Thoughts (12000 GP)
Torso:
Body: Robe of Archmagi (75000 GP)
Waist: Belt of Hidden Pounches (5000 GP)
Shoulder: Scry Shroud (4000 GP)
Arm:
Hand: Gloves of Dexterity +6 (36000 GP)
Ring: Ring of Spell-Battle (67600 GP), Ring of Freedom of Movement (40000 GP)
Feet: Dimension Stride Boots (2000 GP)

Pearl of Power 1 - 9 (285000 GP), Tome of Clear Thoughts +5 (137500 GP)

OK, my bottom line is I want to be a HUMAN wizard. But I do need some advice on feats and items. I haven't pinned down my spell lists. After I choose all my spells, I may also need some help with those. But at this moment, I really appreciate if you could make some comment, some suggestion on my feats and itmes.

Thank you in advance.
#2
phaedrusxy
Mar 25, 2009 20:21:38 Did you look at TreantMonk20's guide? If not, you should start there, I think.
#3
dr_rocktopus
Mar 25, 2009 21:23:58 I agree, Treant's guide ranges from awesome to gnarly. I know that's sort of indirect advice, but I really do feel like it's one of the best guides, period. Alternatively, the seminal guide "Logic Ninja's Guide to Being Batman" is still incredible. If you want a link to that, I can hunt it down.
#4
farrell
Mar 25, 2009 21:35:42 As a matter of fact, I did read TreantMonk20's guide, it's in my favorite folder actually.

But he didn't discuss various items very much, so my main concern now is my equipment......
#5
dr_rocktopus
Mar 25, 2009 21:52:33 I love the following items:
Impervious Vestments (MIC)
Rod of Lesser Quicken
Empowered Spell Shards for any blasting you plan to do (MIC)
and the big one...
Belt of Battle.
Anyone who doesn't have a belt of battle needs unreasonably good justifications.
#6
sofawall
Mar 25, 2009 22:00:45
Anyone who doesn't have a belt of battle needs unreasonably good justifications.

DM doesn't have/allow the book/item? That's reasonably good, not unreasonably good.
#7
dr_rocktopus
Mar 25, 2009 22:10:07 Is true. Poor wording on my part. But the belt of battle really is lurvely. I've often considered rolling a punk wizard with multiple belts. Only one functions at a time, but there must be some way to quickly swap between them.
#8
sofawall
Mar 25, 2009 22:14:56 Drop one, the other should work automatically.

On a slightly related note, make sure not to undo your last one...
#9
farrell
Mar 25, 2009 22:59:42
I love the following items:
Impervious Vestments (MIC)
Rod of Lesser Quicken
Empowered Spell Shards for any blasting you plan to do (MIC)
and the big one...
Belt of Battle.
Anyone who doesn't have a belt of battle needs unreasonably good justifications.

Awesome belt !! I do like it !
#10
dr_rocktopus
Mar 25, 2009 23:25:12 That's what I was thinking, SW. What kind of action is undoing a belt?

Please, please no one take that out of context.
#11
phaedrusxy
Mar 26, 2009 0:15:55 Here is the equipment list put together for a wizard we put together on another board not long ago. It was kind of a thought experiment, and so was a collective effort. Here is a link to the character, if you're interested. The build was somewhat generic intentionally, and we tried to incorporate as much flexibility as possible, too.

16000 lb steel cone with shrink item to make it a Hat (weighs 4 lbs shrunk, is 4 inches thick unshrunk, 120 points of damage to break through it, hardness 10)
Greater Metamagic rod of Extend 24500
Rainbow falls magical location (1xday triple duration of Transmutation spell) 2000
Ring of Arcane Might and Ring of Darkhidden 22000
Ring of Spellbattle and Nine Lives 57000
ring of greater counterspells (Mordenkainen's disjunction) 16000
hand of glory 8000
+1 heartening mithril buckler with Soulfire 27000
Greater MM Rod of Maximize 121500
Bag of Holding, Type 2, 5000
Wand of Dimension Door (10 charges, familiar carries this) 900
Circlet of Persuasion (on familiar) 4500
MW UMD tool (on familiar) 50
Cloak of Charisma +6 (on familiar) 36000
bracers of armor +1 with Heavy Fortification and Dexterity +4 52000
mantle of second chances 12000
belt of battle and constitution +4 28000
a +1 eager defending warning weapon (not included in final built, but was suggested)
Headband of Conscious Effort and Intellect +6 38000
rod of absorption 50000
Tiny staff containing Discern Location, and Shapechange (10 charges, familiar has this) 31950
Tome of Intellect +5 137500
Scrolls of Revenance and Revivify 2825
Blessed Book 12500
Scroll of Death Knell (uses one per day) 150
Karma Bead 10000
Thought Bottle 20000

755375 total spent, not including weapon, or onyx and other spell components.
#12
dr_rocktopus
Mar 26, 2009 0:27:01 Okay, where can I find thought bottles? And are we talking about the karmic bead from the prayer beads?
#13
phaedrusxy
Mar 26, 2009 0:52:15
Okay, where can I find thought bottles? And are we talking about the karmic bead from the prayer beads?

Thought Bottle is in Complete Arcane, and is one of the most abusable items ever... If you use it in a real game, just keep it to minimal RAI stuff...

And yeah, the Karma Bead from a Strand of Prayer Beads. You can activate it with a UMD check, and the caster level bonus doesn't specify only divine caster levels.
#14
dr_rocktopus
Mar 26, 2009 1:06:16 I......... Wow. Okay, that's ridiculous. Entirely ridiculous. Murder freely, die freely, rack up spare spells per day.... What the heck were they thinking?
#15
dr_rocktopus
Mar 26, 2009 1:10:25 I......... Wow. Okay, that's ridiculous. Entirely ridiculous. Murder freely, die freely, rack up spare spells per day.... What the heck were they thinking? Noooooo the crafting! THE CRAFTING!
#16
sofawall
Mar 26, 2009 2:52:18 I'm assuming the hat is meant to be enlarged, then teleported out of, in the iconic wizard-kills-fighter method?
#17
phaedrusxy
Mar 26, 2009 9:01:52
I'm assuming the hat is meant to be enlarged, then teleported out of, in the iconic wizard-kills-fighter method?

It is a giant metal cone, big enough for the wizard to stand inside. Normally it is shrunk into a hat, though. So if he gets caught inside an Antimagic Field, it automatically unshrinks and blocks Line of Effect, allowing him to Teleport/Dimension Door/etc out, yes.
#18
dr_rocktopus
Mar 26, 2009 9:11:35 Wait. I didn't think AMFs needed line of effect. So basically he just waits inside the cone for the AMF to dissipate?
#19
PlzBreakMyCampaign
Mar 26, 2009 9:11:41 I so want to post 'hey your a level 20 wizard, you don't need help.'

But I won't. Oops did I just post that? ;)

Seriously only a Planar Shepard or an Artificer will make you look bad. Playing a wizard in a real campaign means not having to optimize. Unless you blow... but you looked through TreantMonk's stuff so you'll be fine now
#20
phaedrusxy
Mar 26, 2009 9:38:53
Wait. I didn't think AMFs needed line of effect. So basically he just waits inside the cone for the AMF to dissipate?

They're emanations. They definitely need LoE. He can do whatever, at that point. How about a Maximized (MM Rod) Time Stop, followed by Shapechanging into something incorporeal, walking into the ground, away from the AMF, and Gating in 4 Solars? :P

Setting your Contingency to go off when the hat "inflates" is a way to make sure you get the hell out of dodge ASAP when an AMF "sets it off".
#21
bitznarf
Mar 26, 2009 10:19:03
ring of greater counterspells (Mordenkainen's disjunction) 16000

A ring of counterspells (normal or greater) can only store up to a 6th level spell.
#22
phaedrusxy
Mar 26, 2009 14:51:08
A ring of counterspells (normal or greater) can only store up to a 6th level spell.

Thanks. I copied that from someone else's suggestion, and didn't bother to check it. It's probably not worth having, as it isn't that much better than the regular ring.
#23
keithio
Mar 26, 2009 15:10:55 Sculpt spell is a lousy feat, take Archmage's Master of Shaping instead.
#24
phaedrusxy
Mar 26, 2009 15:17:12
Sculpt spell is a lousy feat, take Archmage's Master of Shaping instead.

I disagree that it is a lousy feat, but yeah, since he's already an Archmage, he should definitely take that instead.
#25
farrell
Mar 26, 2009 19:09:03 Thank you guys.

I give up Sculpt Spell and choose the following High Arcane Power:

Mastery of Shaping, Mastery of Elements and Spell-like: Gate, Maze, Time Stop.
#26
dr_rocktopus
Mar 27, 2009 4:42:15 How silly are you willing to go, my good sir?

If you are feeling very silly, I have for you behind door number two the option of many spells a turn.
#27
Treantmonklvl20
Mar 27, 2009 5:37:46 Question: You have 2 levels of Thaumaturgist...but I do not see Arcane Disciple (summoning). How did you meet the Planar Ally requirement? (Or has your DM waved the restriction)

Giving up Sculpt Spell for Mastery of Shaping does not sound like a good decision to me. Mastery of shaping compliments sculpt spell, it does not replace it. (Mastery of shaping does not allow you to change a cone/line/burst into another shape - it only allows you to remove squares from the AoE. Usually those squares where your allies happen to be.)

You have a summoning focus with this character - a ring of mighty summons (Complete Mage) would be helpful. As your ring slots are full - consider a "mask" of mighty summons.

A Con boost Item is always a nice idea too.

Edit: Also, thanks everyone for the recommendations...it is appreciated.
#28
reis
Mar 27, 2009 5:59:09 orange prism ioun stone (+1 to caster level)
#29
dr_rocktopus
Mar 27, 2009 6:19:43 While it is third-ed material, and generally shied away from, there exists a feat in savage species called Assume Supernatural Ability. Take a look if you can, then take a peek at a monster named spellweaver. MMII 187.
#30
masterjoda999
Mar 28, 2009 12:22:30 What exactly are you pointing to in the spellweaver for that feat though? The only (Su) ability the monster has is telepathy. Or are you talking about the assume supernatural ability feat and the spellweaver as two separate and unrelated tidbits?
#31
dr_rocktopus
Mar 29, 2009 16:47:21 Whoops! Spellweaving is ex not su, sorry! My mistake

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 farrell Mar 25, 2009 19:35:50	This is my first time to reach LV 20. My previous character died in the last battle, so my DM permits me to rebuild a character at LV 20. The books I could rely on include PH1, PH2 and C series. Here is my character: Male Human Focus Conjuer 3 / Master Specialist 10 / Thaumaturgist 2 / Archmage 5 Feats: Conjuer 1: Scribe Scroll, Improved Initiative, Spell Focus (Conjuration) Conjuer 2: Conjuer 3: Spell Focus (Transmutation) Master Specialist 1: Skill Focus (Spellcraft) Master Specialist 2: Master Specialist 3: Greater Spell Focus (Conjuration), Metamagic School Focus (Conjuration) Master Specialist 4: Master Specialist 5: Master Specialist 6: Rapid Spell Thaumaturgist 1: Thaumaturgist 2: Augment Summon Master Specialist 7: Sudden Maximize Master Specialist 8: Master Specialist 9: Master Specialist 10: Sculpt Spell Archmage 1: Archmage 2: Archmage 3: Twin Spell Archmage 4: Archmage 5: Possessions: Head: Headband of Intellect +6 (36000 GP) Face: Throat: Medallion of Thoughts (12000 GP) Torso: Body: Robe of Archmagi (75000 GP) Waist: Belt of Hidden Pounches (5000 GP) Shoulder: Scry Shroud (4000 GP) Arm: Hand: Gloves of Dexterity +6 (36000 GP) Ring: Ring of Spell-Battle (67600 GP), Ring of Freedom of Movement (40000 GP) Feet: Dimension Stride Boots (2000 GP) Pearl of Power 1 - 9 (285000 GP), Tome of Clear Thoughts +5 (137500 GP) OK, my bottom line is I want to be a HUMAN wizard. But I do need some advice on feats and items. I haven't pinned down my spell lists. After I choose all my spells, I may also need some help with those. But at this moment, I really appreciate if you could make some comment, some suggestion on my feats and itmes. Thank you in advance.
#2 phaedrusxy Mar 25, 2009 20:21:38	Did you look at TreantMonk20's guide? If not, you should start there, I think.
#3 dr_rocktopus Mar 25, 2009 21:23:58	I agree, Treant's guide ranges from awesome to gnarly. I know that's sort of indirect advice, but I really do feel like it's one of the best guides, period. Alternatively, the seminal guide "Logic Ninja's Guide to Being Batman" is still incredible. If you want a link to that, I can hunt it down.
#4 farrell Mar 25, 2009 21:35:42	As a matter of fact, I did read TreantMonk20's guide, it's in my favorite folder actually. But he didn't discuss various items very much, so my main concern now is my equipment......
#5 dr_rocktopus Mar 25, 2009 21:52:33	I love the following items: Impervious Vestments (MIC) Rod of Lesser Quicken Empowered Spell Shards for any blasting you plan to do (MIC) and the big one... Belt of Battle. Anyone who doesn't have a belt of battle needs unreasonably good justifications.
#6 sofawall Mar 25, 2009 22:00:45	Anyone who doesn't have a belt of battle needs unreasonably good justifications. DM doesn't have/allow the book/item? That's reasonably good, not unreasonably good.
#7 dr_rocktopus Mar 25, 2009 22:10:07	Is true. Poor wording on my part. But the belt of battle really is lurvely. I've often considered rolling a punk wizard with multiple belts. Only one functions at a time, but there must be some way to quickly swap between them.
#8 sofawall Mar 25, 2009 22:14:56	Drop one, the other should work automatically. On a slightly related note, make sure not to undo your last one...
#9 farrell Mar 25, 2009 22:59:42	I love the following items: Impervious Vestments (MIC) Rod of Lesser Quicken Empowered Spell Shards for any blasting you plan to do (MIC) and the big one... Belt of Battle. Anyone who doesn't have a belt of battle needs unreasonably good justifications. Awesome belt !! I do like it !
#10 dr_rocktopus Mar 25, 2009 23:25:12	That's what I was thinking, SW. What kind of action is undoing a belt? Please, please no one take that out of context.
#11 phaedrusxy Mar 26, 2009 0:15:55	Here is the equipment list put together for a wizard we put together on another board not long ago. It was kind of a thought experiment, and so was a collective effort. Here is a link to the character, if you're interested. The build was somewhat generic intentionally, and we tried to incorporate as much flexibility as possible, too. 16000 lb steel cone with shrink item to make it a Hat (weighs 4 lbs shrunk, is 4 inches thick unshrunk, 120 points of damage to break through it, hardness 10) Greater Metamagic rod of Extend 24500 Rainbow falls magical location (1xday triple duration of Transmutation spell) 2000 Ring of Arcane Might and Ring of Darkhidden 22000 Ring of Spellbattle and Nine Lives 57000 ring of greater counterspells (Mordenkainen's disjunction) 16000 hand of glory 8000 +1 heartening mithril buckler with Soulfire 27000 Greater MM Rod of Maximize 121500 Bag of Holding, Type 2, 5000 Wand of Dimension Door (10 charges, familiar carries this) 900 Circlet of Persuasion (on familiar) 4500 MW UMD tool (on familiar) 50 Cloak of Charisma +6 (on familiar) 36000 bracers of armor +1 with Heavy Fortification and Dexterity +4 52000 mantle of second chances 12000 belt of battle and constitution +4 28000 a +1 eager defending warning weapon (not included in final built, but was suggested) Headband of Conscious Effort and Intellect +6 38000 rod of absorption 50000 Tiny staff containing Discern Location, and Shapechange (10 charges, familiar has this) 31950 Tome of Intellect +5 137500 Scrolls of Revenance and Revivify 2825 Blessed Book 12500 Scroll of Death Knell (uses one per day) 150 Karma Bead 10000 Thought Bottle 20000 755375 total spent, not including weapon, or onyx and other spell components.
#12 dr_rocktopus Mar 26, 2009 0:27:01	Okay, where can I find thought bottles? And are we talking about the karmic bead from the prayer beads?
#13 phaedrusxy Mar 26, 2009 0:52:15	Okay, where can I find thought bottles? And are we talking about the karmic bead from the prayer beads? Thought Bottle is in Complete Arcane, and is one of the most abusable items ever... If you use it in a real game, just keep it to minimal RAI stuff... And yeah, the Karma Bead from a Strand of Prayer Beads. You can activate it with a UMD check, and the caster level bonus doesn't specify only divine caster levels.
#14 dr_rocktopus Mar 26, 2009 1:06:16	I......... Wow. Okay, that's ridiculous. Entirely ridiculous. Murder freely, die freely, rack up spare spells per day.... What the heck were they thinking?
#15 dr_rocktopus Mar 26, 2009 1:10:25	I......... Wow. Okay, that's ridiculous. Entirely ridiculous. Murder freely, die freely, rack up spare spells per day.... What the heck were they thinking? Noooooo the crafting! THE CRAFTING!
#16 sofawall Mar 26, 2009 2:52:18	I'm assuming the hat is meant to be enlarged, then teleported out of, in the iconic wizard-kills-fighter method?
#17 phaedrusxy Mar 26, 2009 9:01:52	I'm assuming the hat is meant to be enlarged, then teleported out of, in the iconic wizard-kills-fighter method? It is a giant metal cone, big enough for the wizard to stand inside. Normally it is shrunk into a hat, though. So if he gets caught inside an Antimagic Field, it automatically unshrinks and blocks Line of Effect, allowing him to Teleport/Dimension Door/etc out, yes.
#18 dr_rocktopus Mar 26, 2009 9:11:35	Wait. I didn't think AMFs needed line of effect. So basically he just waits inside the cone for the AMF to dissipate?
#19 PlzBreakMyCampaign Mar 26, 2009 9:11:41	I so want to post 'hey your a level 20 wizard, you don't need help.' But I won't. Oops did I just post that? ;) Seriously only a Planar Shepard or an Artificer will make you look bad. Playing a wizard in a real campaign means not having to optimize. Unless you blow... but you looked through TreantMonk's stuff so you'll be fine now
#20 phaedrusxy Mar 26, 2009 9:38:53	Wait. I didn't think AMFs needed line of effect. So basically he just waits inside the cone for the AMF to dissipate? They're emanations. They definitely need LoE. He can do whatever, at that point. How about a Maximized (MM Rod) Time Stop, followed by Shapechanging into something incorporeal, walking into the ground, away from the AMF, and Gating in 4 Solars? :P Setting your Contingency to go off when the hat "inflates" is a way to make sure you get the hell out of dodge ASAP when an AMF "sets it off".
#21 bitznarf Mar 26, 2009 10:19:03	ring of greater counterspells (Mordenkainen's disjunction) 16000 A ring of counterspells (normal or greater) can only store up to a 6th level spell.
#22 phaedrusxy Mar 26, 2009 14:51:08	A ring of counterspells (normal or greater) can only store up to a 6th level spell. Thanks. I copied that from someone else's suggestion, and didn't bother to check it. It's probably not worth having, as it isn't that much better than the regular ring.
#23 keithio Mar 26, 2009 15:10:55	Sculpt spell is a lousy feat, take Archmage's Master of Shaping instead.
#24 phaedrusxy Mar 26, 2009 15:17:12	Sculpt spell is a lousy feat, take Archmage's Master of Shaping instead. I disagree that it is a lousy feat, but yeah, since he's already an Archmage, he should definitely take that instead.
#25 farrell Mar 26, 2009 19:09:03	Thank you guys. I give up Sculpt Spell and choose the following High Arcane Power: Mastery of Shaping, Mastery of Elements and Spell-like: Gate, Maze, Time Stop.
#26 dr_rocktopus Mar 27, 2009 4:42:15	How silly are you willing to go, my good sir? If you are feeling very silly, I have for you behind door number two the option of many spells a turn.
#27 Treantmonklvl20 Mar 27, 2009 5:37:46	Question: You have 2 levels of Thaumaturgist...but I do not see Arcane Disciple (summoning). How did you meet the Planar Ally requirement? (Or has your DM waved the restriction) Giving up Sculpt Spell for Mastery of Shaping does not sound like a good decision to me. Mastery of shaping compliments sculpt spell, it does not replace it. (Mastery of shaping does not allow you to change a cone/line/burst into another shape - it only allows you to remove squares from the AoE. Usually those squares where your allies happen to be.) You have a summoning focus with this character - a ring of mighty summons (Complete Mage) would be helpful. As your ring slots are full - consider a "mask" of mighty summons. A Con boost Item is always a nice idea too. Edit: Also, thanks everyone for the recommendations...it is appreciated.
#28 reis Mar 27, 2009 5:59:09	orange prism ioun stone (+1 to caster level)
#29 dr_rocktopus Mar 27, 2009 6:19:43	While it is third-ed material, and generally shied away from, there exists a feat in savage species called Assume Supernatural Ability. Take a look if you can, then take a peek at a monster named spellweaver. MMII 187.
#30 masterjoda999 Mar 28, 2009 12:22:30	What exactly are you pointing to in the spellweaver for that feat though? The only (Su) ability the monster has is telepathy. Or are you talking about the assume supernatural ability feat and the spellweaver as two separate and unrelated tidbits?
#31 dr_rocktopus Mar 29, 2009 16:47:21	Whoops! Spellweaving is ex not su, sorry! My mistake