Please criticize and give advices to my 1st-level Wizard Build

Shin Okada · Jan 22, 2010

Ok, I will likely to play a 1st-level 4e game next month. As no other players are likely to play controller (most of them are quite new to 4e), I will likely to play one.

My current plan is a Human Orb Wizard

Str 8, Con 14, Dex 13, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 10
AC 14, Fort 13, Ref 15, Will 15
HP: 24, Bloodied: 12, Healing Surge: 6 hp, 8/day
Move: 6
Initiative +1
Skill: Arcana +9, Dungeoneering +9, History +9, Nature +7, Religion +9
Feats: Enlarge Spell, Implement Expertise (Orb), Ritual Caster (Bonus)
Powers:
At-Will: Magic Missile, Phantom Bolt, Scorching Burst
Encounter: Orbmaster's Incendiary Detonation
Daily: Acid Arrow, Freezing Cloud
Rituals: Brew Potion, Comprehend Language, Gentle Repose

Pretty orthodox build, I guess. After killing minions, he will just continue to use Phantom Bolt for moving opponents a bit.

I am afraid of that in encounters with less or no minions, he will end up being just a weak ranged attacker. It may be OK. But are there any way to complement this?

Prestidigitalis · Jan 22, 2010

If you are serious about being an Orb Wizard, you should probably consider reducing Con to 13 and increasing Cha to 12. That way at level 11 you can get Spell Focus -- if you go that far.

Personally, I like the At-Will Storm Pillar for control. I'd consider swapping out Magic Missile for it, since you seem to want to keep Phantom Bolt.

For Daily 1, I'm a fan of Flame Sphere, but a couple of the area effects from Arcane Power are nice, too. I can't think of a particular reason to go with Acid Arrow.

Otherwise, it looks a lot like what I would build -- as you say, orthodox.

Dice4Hire · Jan 22, 2010

I see Thunderwave as one of the best izard control powers out there ,and great for when you are getting pressed in a corner. Pushing enemies 2 can be into a pit, over a cliff, or away from a wounded party member.

Plus there are lots of feats that allow thunder powers to be scary at higher levels.

If just for the close blast it is great.

I would say MM and Phantom bolt: You only need one ranged power, and most times 10 or 20 is just as good as each other.

Also for 1st level in particular, Flamig sphere is tons of free damage. It will kill minions, wear down bosses ..... it is great.

tiornys · Jan 22, 2010

You'd have to retool your at-wills (and might want to tweak your stats) if you decide to do this, but you can get some decent mileage out of a Cloud of Daggers/Thunderwave combination. Cloud averages slightly more damage than your other at-will powers, and on your next turn you can use Thunderwave to push enemies back through the Cloud for more extra damage.

Not game breaking or anything, but it's a decent way to boost your at-will damage a little.

t~

Thanee · Jan 22, 2010

Also a fan of Flaming Sphere. Just once per day, but that one is crazy good (both against minions and brutes).

Bye
Thanee

Pickles JG · Jan 22, 2010

Shin Okada said:
I am afraid of that in encounters with less or no minions, he will end up being just a weak ranged attacker. It may be OK. But are there any way to complement this?

As the others have said Flaming Sphere is the most game changing daily at first level.
There is a human feat that give +2 to at will damage once you have no encounter powers left. This is probably more useful than enlarge spell until later - it makes you a less weak ranged attacker .

IME wizards take a little while to get going & do not really shine until higher level, though every fight you have flaming sphere up will be memorable. You can really work the rituals, cantrips & a familiar, if you get one, which compensates for this with the right DM.

lukelightning · Jan 22, 2010

Prestidigitalis said:
For Daily 1, I'm a fan of Flame Sphere, but a couple of the area effects from Arcane Power are nice, too. I can't think of a particular reason to go with Acid Arrow.

I love using flame sphere with an orb wizard. There is nothing mechanical about it, I just picture the wizard either lighting up his orb into a fireball and bowling with it, or conjuring the flaming sphere and then rolling his own orb like a trackball to control it, a la Missile Command.

Shin Okada · Jan 22, 2010

Thanks a lot.

I am not sure if this character will go Paragon. But maybe I can make him Str 8, Con 12, Dex 13, Int 18, Wis 14, Cha 13. This way he can take Astral Fire, or maybe he can multiclass into, say, Bard?

Hmm Flaming Sphere seems good. Ok, make him a pyromania!

AbdulAlhazred · Jan 22, 2010

Yeah, I think Acid Arrow is OK, but Flaming Sphere is just awesome. Grease and Phantom Chasm are also both awesome control spells and beat the tar out of anything in the PHB except FS.

I think you MAY be better served with Magic Missile and Storm Pillar vs MM and Phantom Bolt. While MM seems a bit vanilla its well worth having when you've got 3 at-wills. Those few times you run into situations where you want to attack at range 10-20 it will be gold and otherwise it can do most of the job of Phantom Bolt.

Mainly my advice is avoid the temptation to take spells that do mainly damage and have weak effects. I'd strongly consider improved initiative as a feat so you can go before most monsters and have an option to drop a nice AoE control spell on them cold. That can really turn a tough encounter upside down in no time flat.

Shin Okada · Jan 22, 2010

Grease was one of my favorite spell and 4e version seems to be nice. But I am wondering how many times a wizard can make that knockdown attack? Just once? Or as many as possible until end of the encounter?