Feats for a Wizard

Dax Doomslayer · Oct 19, 2006

Hi Folks,
It will be the first time in 3.5 that I'll be running a Wizard. I was wondering what Feats are both fun and effective. Any WOTC book is currently being allowed. Thanks.

Henrix · Oct 19, 2006

Well, there are lots of good feats, but depends a lot on what sort of wizard you want to play.
Spellcasting Prodigy is always good, but better at higher levels (you'll probabably already have a bonus 1st level spell).

Felix · Oct 19, 2006

I tend to specialize my wizards, so generally they're casting half their spells from one school, so Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus are pretty quick choices for me.

Extend Spell is also a nice one for utility casters who want a little more bang for their spell buck.

I'm told Improved Initiative is a good caster choice, since it helps you cast the first stone, so to speak.

Spell Mastery is a good choice, but only once you've gotten a little higher level and the spells available for you to cast are more abundant.

Empower Spell is the better blaster metamagic feat, though also a feat you can wait till higher levels to get.

Silent and Still Spell are great for Illusionists and Enchanters.

Craft Wonderous Item is the best of the item creation feats; it's by far the most versatile. You'll have to be somewhat geared around item creation though, and likely a generalist so you can cast every spell you'd need to.

----

What sort of Wizard will you be playing, then?

Monkey Boy · Oct 19, 2006

Feats depend on what what kind of things you want your wizard to do.

Some thoughts on low level play:

If starting at level 1 precocious (sp) apprentice is great. A single 2nd level spell per day.
Precocious is in complete arcane and also here: precocious apprentice

I also find two weapon fighting and quick draw good fun - stock up on alchemist fire at an early level (that you can make yourself at a nice discount) and go nuts with damaging touch attacks. Quickdraw remains useful as you level (quick draw scrolls and other equip). Two weapon fighting is a preq for double wand wielder which is all kinds of crazy fun.

These feats will keep you in the game and having fun at low levels.

Dax Doomslayer · Oct 19, 2006

Actually since I'm the only Arcane Caster, I'm probably going to go into more of a generalist role. I'd like to have a bit of 'oomph' when needed however but it isn't my intention just to make this guy a 'gattling gun of offense' so to speak. I'll probably not really go down the whole 'craft' feat chains either. Hopefully this narrows it down a bit. Thanks for the suggestions so far!

Thanee · Oct 19, 2006

Depends a whole lot on what kind of spells you plan to use... when you plan to use some of those a lot, it makes sense to learn feats to enhance them. Other than that, most spells work fine without any feats, too.

Damaging spells (i.e. Blaster):
- Spell Focus
- Greater Spell Focus
- Spell Penetration
- Greater Spell Penetration
- Improved Initiative
- Empower Spell
- Sudden Maximize [Complete Arcane]

Spells with a save, esp. negating save, drawn primarily from one school (i.e. Enchanter, Illusionist):
- Spell Focus
- Greater Spell Focus

Spells with a ranged touch attack (i.e. Ray specialist):
- Point Blank Shot
- Precise Shot
- Empower Spell

Summoning spells:
- Spell Focus (Conjuration)
- Augment Summoning
- Beckon the Frozen [Frostburn]

Buff spells:
- Extend Spell

A feat, that is generally good to have as a wizard:
- Collegiate Wizard [Complete Arcane, Sidebar in the Organizations Section, IIRC]

Bye
Thanee

Mistwell · Oct 19, 2006

Complete Mage has a nice section on feat suggestions for a generalist mage.

I disagree with your view on craft feats. As a generalist, the key is flexibility. You cannot memorize everything, so you will need to have magic items to supplement your spells. Scribe Scroll, Craft Wand, and Craft Wonderous Item are all different and useful ways to create magic items to supplement your spells and spread them out.

There are also some nice new types of feats in Complete Mage that let you blast away without spending spells (as long as you hold on to a higher level spell), called Reserve feats. One reserve-type feat can make you effective all day without buring out all your spells, something that would be useful for a generalist.

Felix · Oct 19, 2006

If you're going to be a generalist, then avoid Spell Focus and G. Spell Focus; you won't get much use of them.

Also, your use as a generalist is going to stem from you selection of spells, and not particularly your feats. In this regard, Collegiate Wizard (Complete Arcane, pg 181) is going to help you quite a bit: twice the free spells in your book is nothing to sneeze at.

But if you are going to be less Magical Artillery and more Arcane Support, I do recommend you take advantage of the Item Creation Feats early on, and the Metamagic Feats as you gain in levels. These will give you flexibility more than any other feat selection, and that's exactly what you'll need as a generalist. Your party will thank you too for the potions of Protection from Evil, Mage Armor, and Magic Weapon.

mikebr99 · Oct 19, 2006

And if you're heading towards a PrC for your 6th (or beyond) class level... that will dictate what some or all of your available feats are going to be.

If you're heading towards Incantatrix (or Incantatar).. you are going to be a metamagic specialist, and you may want the regional feat Mind over Body, for better hps at 1st, +1 hps for every meta feat you ever take, and +1 AC. So a 1st level human (Calishite) Wizard, with mind over body and heighten spell (or insert any other meta feat) and 18 INT is going to have 9hps. And take a toad to get 12hps. Not to shabby!
YMMV

Mike

EvilGM · Oct 20, 2006

flexible and powerful

Human Wizard

Choose up to two flaws (UA pg91) to receive up to two bonus feats. Take at least one flaw and select Collegiate Wizard (CA pg181) as a bonus feat.

1 – Wizard 1 – (1st lvl) Precocious Apprentice (CA pg181), (hbf) Mind Over Body (PGtF pg41)
2 – Wizard 2
3 – Wizard 3 – (3rd lvl) Iron Will
4 – Wizard 4
5 – Wizard 5 – (wbf) Extend Spell
6 – Incantatrix 1 – (6th lvl) Skill Focus (Spellcraft), (ibf) Empower Spell
7 – Incantatrix 2
8 – Incantatrix 3
9 – Incantatrix 4 – (9th lvl) Spell Penetration, (ibf) Maximize Spell
10 – Incantatrix 5
11 – Incantatrix 6
12 – Incantatrix 7 – (12th lvl) Spell Focus (pick one), (ibf) Widen Spell
13 – Incantatrix 8
14 – Incantatrix 9
15 – Incantatrix 10 – (15th lvl) Spell Focus (pick one), (ibf) Quicken Spell
16 – Archmage 1
17 – Archmage 2
18 – Archmage 3 – (18th lvl) Greater Spell Penetration
19 – Archmage 4
20 – Archmage 5
21 + Incantatrix!

Incantatrix – Player’s Guide to Faerun pg 61
Archmage – Dungeon Master’s Guide pg 178

UA – Unearthed Arcana
CA – Complete Arcane
PGtF – Player’s Guide to Faerun

hbf – human bonus feat
wbf – wizard bonus feat
ibf – incantatrix bonus feat