Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 omniblackchaos Jun 21, 2009 20:36:34	Ok well I am playing a wizard in a adventure we are about to start and I got the worst rolls out of the group. I choose sun elf for their +2 int to help out with the roll problem but am kinda lost on where to put my other stats. Any improvements or advice on this build would be great. Also feat or spell advice to help me survive would be most welcome too. Male Sun Elf Wizard 1 N Medium humanoid (elf) Init +1; Senses Low-light vision -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AC 11, touch 11, flat-footed 10 (+1 Dex) hp 5 (1 HD) Immune magic sleep effects Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +1 (+3 against spells, spell-like abilities, and other enchantments) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speed 30 ft. (6 squares) Base Atk +0; Grp -1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abilities: Str 9, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 17, Wis 9, Cha 13 Feats: Scribe Scroll, Eschew Materials, Alertness Skills: Concentration +5 Decipher Script +4 Knowledge (arcana) +7 Knowledge (geography) +4 Knowledge (history) +4 Knowledge (local) +4 Knowledge (nature) +4 Knowledge (nobility) +4 Knowledge (religion) +4 Knowledge (the planes) +4 Spellcraft +7 Familiar Rat N Tiny Animal Init +2; Senses Low-light vision, scent, Listen +1, Spot +1 Languages empathic link --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AC 15, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural) hp 2 (1 HD) Resist improved evasion Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +3 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Speed 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft. Melee bite +4 (1d3-4) Base Atk +0; Grp -12 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abilities Str 2, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 2 SQ share spells Feats Alertness, Stealthy, Weapon Finesse Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Hide +16, Move Silently +12, Swim +10 Thanks for any help.
#2 Novacat Jun 21, 2009 22:58:34	You'll get nowhere in life as a wizard with that mentality. You didn't even list your spells. As a wizard, you know that you are your spell list. That is the single most important aspect of your character. That aside, it looks fine, as far as working with what you have. From a purely optimization standpoint, I would switch around your WIS and CHA, because WIS affects your Will, and CHA is basically useless to you. Otherwise, just stay far away from everything, and you'll be fine.
#3 omniblackchaos Jun 21, 2009 23:35:09	When you roll like I did in a group of people whose worst roll was a 14 then you can talk to me lol Lets just say I am bitter about it and will be so for a while but I do intend to play well and live to gain enough power and gold to buy or make some books to fix my stat problem in game. This is what I plan on starting with seeing as they have a good chance of high dmg for my lvl. But I am kinda lost on higher lvl spells. I would like to give him some balance in terms of defensive spells and damaging spells. I figure that sense I have a good size party I can focus on damage early in the game. 1- Lesser Orb of Acid, Lesser Orb of Cold, Magic Missile, Shield, Sleep, Grease 0- All Thanks for the advice on stats Novacat
#4 Zherog Jun 22, 2009 7:19:35	Unless you have an extremely stingy DM who doesn't give you starting money, I find Eschew Materials to be useless. All it really does is save you from having to buy a 5 gp spell component pouch. In my opinion, that 5gp isn't worth the cost of a precious feat. I think you can make better choices for your first level feat. I'm a fan of Improved Initiative -- if you can kill the enemy before their turn, they can't kill you. You don't have enough spells. A wizard begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells (except those from her prohibited school or schools, if any; see School Specialization, below) plus three 1st-level spells of your choice. For each point of Intelligence bonus the wizard has, the spellbook holds one additional 1st-level spell of your choice. You should have a total of 6 first level spells with which to work. The two you've selected are OK - generally speaking, damage spells in the conjuration school are better than damage spells in the evocation school, so you made good choices there. Consider a few other spells to round our your set: Sleep -- this is one of my favorite spells for a first level wizard. It allows you to end encounters before they begin. You put the targets to sleep, everybody else coup de graces them. Eventually (somewhere between level 3 and 5) this spell loses utility and you'll stop preparing it. Color Spray -- As sleep, this is a "Win" button at first level. Sleep is a little better, though, since you don't need to be as close to the target. Grease -- Your rogue will thank you, since he'll be able to sneak attack without flanking. Everybody else will like hitting flat-footed targets too, since it's easier. This spell doesn't ever lose utility. Silent Image -- this one is very DM-dependent. It's either a very powerful spell, or totally useless. My favorite tactic is to "conjure" a box around a target. It has lots of other uses, though, as long as you're creative and your DM is willing to let illusions have some power. Those are just core. I'm sure somebody else can point out some spells from other sources. What books do you have access to?
#5 omniblackchaos Jun 22, 2009 18:55:34	The DM plans on doing a epic adventure so I put Eschew Materials for Ignore Material Components later on. The system the DM is considering using does not involve initiative so it may or may not be a issue. Thanks for letting me know about the spellbook. I edited the post. I have a few books, Spell Compendium, PHB, DMG, alot of Complete books, and a few FR books too.
#6 Zherog Jun 22, 2009 19:19:35	The DM plans on doing a epic adventure so I put Eschew Materials for Ignore Material Components later on. The system the DM is considering using does not involve initiative so it may or may not be a issue. Planning is good. And I certainly understand that sometimes planning means you have to take something sucky now in order to get something worthwhile later on. That said... I'd still recommend replacing Eschew Materials. Take it with your 15th or 18th level feat. That way you have a pretty good chance to know if the game really will get to epic or not. Also, as a wizard burning a feat later in your progression won't hurt as bad as burning one so early. Improved Init is useless in your game, so that's out. Just a few others that may be useful to a first level wizard: Spell Focus (if you plan on using a lot of spells from one school and those spells require a saving throw) Toughness (if - and only if - your DM allows you to make use of the retraining rules in PHB2; if you can't retrain it later, do not take this feat.) Luck of Heroes (found in Player's Guide to Faerun; luck bonuses are a bit harder to come by, so they're generally good to have since they'll stack with lots of other stuff.) Alternately, you could plan for the immediate future rather than the way distant future by picking up useful metamagic feat. Now all that said, I personally struggle to build wizards - because I never know what feats to take. Thanks for letting me know about the spellbook. I edited the post. I have a few books, Spell Compendium, PHB, DMG, alot of Complete books, and a few FR books too. This is good to know, because it helps people give you advice you can use by pulling material from books you own.
#7 omniblackchaos Jun 22, 2009 20:30:56	I guess I can take spell focus evocation as it will help if I ever go archmage not to mention the added DC will help make sure its harder for targets to save from said dmg.
#8 Zherog Jun 22, 2009 20:37:09	Except... the only evocation spell on your list, I believe, is magic missile. And it doesn't allow a save. ;) Given your spellbook, I'd recommend Spell Focus (enchantment) (for sleep) or Spell Focus (conjuration) (for grease). However... thinking about it now, I'm not 100% sure Spell Focus is a worthwhile feat if you're only going to get to increase the DC of one spell... I'm sure somebody else will have other feat options for you.
#9 ciaran Jun 22, 2009 21:53:00	I'll chime in - Eschew Materials has to go. Pick it up later when you're not so feat starved. Imp Init doesn't neccessarily play into a normal wizard build, but it could allow you to get out of the way early in a battle. A first level wizard feat is a tough call. I don't know what to offer. What I will offer is that it sounds like you got the shaft as far as ability scores go. Ask your DM if you can 1) reroll a better set or 2) add some +1s or +2s to your lower scores.
#10 omniblackchaos Jun 23, 2009 12:30:34	I rather doubt the DM will let me reroll but as for feats I am thinking of starting out with maybe Alacritous Cogitation from Complete Mage. It will stay useful no matter my lvl and can let me use any spell I know which can make or break a fight sometimes.