In search of a dwarven wizard

[sjmiller]

In my campaign the players are working towards an big encounter with their campaign-long archrivals - the dwarves. The dwarves around here are xenophobic, monotheistic, and run by a heavy-handed theocracy. That's just background, but it helps set the mood.

What I am looking for is some assistance in creating a moderately high level wizard to use in at least one encounter. I have some ideas of my own, but I would like to see how others would create the NPC. There are a few restrictions to this:

• Only the PH, DMG, and MM can be used to create the character.
• Equipment can come from those sources and the Magic Item Compendium.
• The character should be 14th level.
• If possible, try to avoid too much multiclassing. (just a personal preference)

I wrote up the NPC Wizard from the 3.0 DMG, and it is ok, but a bit lackluster. I created my own, but again, it seems unremarkable. That is why I am asking to see what others might do. I appreciate any help you can give.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

Just do straight Dwarf Wizard. Or Loremaster if you want. Dwarf is actually one of the better wizard races in core, because dwarves are just good at everything (except charisma). If MIC has the twilight armor property, get that and mithral and give him the heaviest armor you can find that would have no armor check penalty or arcane spell failure % after those two properties were added. Otherwise just use mage armor or bracers or armor / expensive mage's robe.

Aside from standard wizard buffs and tactics, having Fly or other mobility enhancing spell active is important to offset the 20 ft base land speed.

 

[Sekhmet]

If you want the players to think "that is really impressive" or "why aren't we running?", stick your Wizard's ego in a Greater Stone Golem (42HD, magic immune, DR10/adamantine, CR16).

If you just want a CR14 Wizard, here you go. Feel free to substitute 1 level for Archmage, choose Arcane Reach or Arcane Fire. Gave him a little extra gold. Did not "prepare" spells from having a high INT score. Also, feel free to use the point buy system for stats, which would give him higher INT, but lower CON.

Unknown, Male Dwarf, Hill Wiz14: CR 14; Medium Humanoid (Dwarf); HD 14d4+42(Wizard) ; hp 83; Init +2; Spd 20; AC:28 (Flatfooted:26 Touch:15); Atk +6/1 base melee, +9/4 base ranged; SQ: +1 Attack vs. Orcs and Goblinoids, +2 Appraise (Stone and Metal Items), +2 Craft (Stone and Metal Items), +2 Saves vs. Poison, +2 Saves vs. Spells and Spell-like Effects, +4 Dodge Bonus to AC vs. Giants, Darkvision (Ex): 60 ft., Stability (Ex), Stonecunning (Ex), Weapon Familiarity (Ex); AL LG; SV Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +9; STR 8, DEX 14, CON 17, INT 19, WIS 10, CHA 10.
Skills: Concentration +18, Craft (Armorsmithing) +16, Craft (Blacksmithing) +4, Craft (Stonemasonry) +4, Craft (Weaponsmithing) +4, Decipher Script +13, Diplomacy +3, Knowledge (Arcana) +17, Profession (Miner) +2, Spellcraft +20, Swim +0.

Feats: Craft Wand, Extend Spell, Maximize Spell, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus: Spellcraft, Spell Focus: Divination, Spell Focus: Evocation, Still Spell.
Spells Known (Wiz 4/5/5/5/5/3/3/2): 0 -- Acid Splash, Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Resistance, Touch of Fatigue; 1st -- Chill Touch, Comprehend Languages, Detect Secret Doors, Disguise Self, Enlarge Person, Grease, Identify, Mage Armor, Magic Weapon, Obscuring Mist, Ray of Enfeeblement, Reduce Person, Shield, Silent Image, Sleep, True Strike; 2nd -- Blur, Glitterdust, Invisibility, Melf`s Acid Arrow, Protection from Arrows, Scorching Ray, See Invisibility, Shatter, Tasha`s Hideous Laughter, Touch of Idiocy, Web; 3rd -- Blink, Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Daylight, Deep Slumber, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Fly, Gaseous Form, Hold Person, Major Image, Nondetection, Ray of Exhaustion, Water Breathing; 4th -- Contagion, Dimension Door, Enervation, Evard`s Black Tentacles, Fear, Polymorph, Summon Monster IV, Wall of Ice; 5th -- Cloudkill, Cone of Cold, Dismissal, Magic Jar, Permanency, Planar Binding, Lesser, Summon Monster V, Wall of Force; 6th -- Antimagic Field, Bull`s Strength, Mass, Contingency, Disintegrate, Dispel Magic, Greater, Planar Binding, Summon Monster VI, True Seeing; 7th -- Delayed Blast Fireball, Ethereal Jaunt, Finger of Death, Forcecage, Reverse Gravity, Summon Monster VII, Symbol of Stunning.
Spells Prepared (Wiz 4/5/5/5/5/3/3/2): 0 - Light, Read Magic x2, Touch of Fatigue; 1st - Chill Touch, Enlarge Person, Grease, Reduce Person, True Strike; 2nd - Invisibility, Melf`s Acid Arrow, Protection from Arrows, Tasha`s Hideous Laughter, Web; 3rd - Blink, Dispel Magic x2, Fly x2; 4th - Contagion, Dimension Door, Enervation, Evard`s Black Tentacles, Polymorph, Wall of Ice; 5th - Cloudkill, Summon Monster V, Wall of Force; 6th -- Disintegrate, True Seeing; 7th - Reverse Gravity, Summon Monster VII.
Possessions:
Armor: Mithral Chain shirt, Twilight (2,250 gp).
Magic: Ring: Protection +3 (18,000 gp); Ring: Blinking (27,000 gp); Wondrous: Amulet of Natural Armor +4 (32,000 gp); Wondrous: Bracers of Armor +5 (25,000 gp); Wondrous: Headband of Intellect +4 (16,000 gp); Wondrous: Ioun Stone, Pink [Rhomboid] (8,000 gp); Potion: Fly (5) (750 gp); Rod: Metamagic, Silent (11,000 gp); Rod: Metamagic, Maximize (54,000 gp); Rod: Cancellation (11,000 gp).

Animal, Lizard, Male Animal, Lizard : CR 1/6; Tiny Animal ; HD 14d8 ( Animal) ; hp 41; Init + 2; Spd 20, Climb 20; AC 21; Atk + 5 base melee, + 11 base ranged; +11 ( 1d4-4, Bite ); SQ: Low-light Vision (Ex); AL N; SV Fort + 4, Ref + 6, Will + 9; STR 3, DEX 15, CON 10, INT 12, WIS 11, CHA 2.
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +6, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +3, Hide +10, Listen +3, Spot +3, Swim +0.
Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse.

A Rat is fine too.

Animal, Rat, Male Animal, Rat : CR 1/8; Tiny Animal ; HD 14d8 ( Animal) ; hp 41; Init + 2; Spd 15, Climb 15; AC 21; Atk + 5 base melee, + 11 base ranged; +11 ( 1d3-4, Bite ); SQ: Scent (Ex), Low-light Vision (Ex); AL N; SV Fort + 4, Ref + 6, Will + 10; STR 2, DEX 15, CON 10, INT 12, WIS 12, CHA 2.
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Concentration +18, Diplomacy +3, Hide +14, Move Silently +10, Swim +10.
Feats: Weapon Finesse.


Feel free to change anything.

 

[sjmiller]

Aside from standard wizard buffs and tactics, having Fly or other mobility enhancing spell active is important to offset the 20 ft base land speed.

Thanks for the information. I do have a few questions about the above quotation. What do you consider to be the "standard wizard buffs and tactics"? Standards vary, so I am sure that yours will be different then mine.

 

[sjmiller]

If you want the players to think "that is really impressive" or "why aren't we running?", stick your Wizard's ego in a Greater Stone Golem (42HD, magic immune, DR10/adamantine, CR16).

Thanks for the information. I am wondering, how does one go about doing what you suggest here? Sounds like a particularly nasty combination.

 

[Baveboi]

You said your dwarven wizard was unremarkable. Well, I have with me a story about a generic dwarven wizard, an excerpt inspired by Durlarg's Tower sotryline, from BG 1, and Muradin Bronzebeard from Warcraft3.

I made the character for a game of Lord of The Rings, althought it never came to be, so it's very generic-like and interesting, RPwise.

Mechanical-wise it is as powerful as a wizard can be, with the addtion of 3 new spells, 2 new magical itens and a new monster. Specialized in Transmutation and Abjuration, with a taste for spell protections and spell-traps.

If interested in the subject, PM me and I will upload all his stuff and send ya.
I like the guy, I want him to see some action at least.

 

[Sekhmet]

Thanks for the information. I am wondering, how does one go about doing what you suggest here? Sounds like a particularly nasty combination.

Level 30, Craft Epic Magic Arms and Armor, ability to cast Arcane Spells. Costs 10,000XP, requires Bigby's Crushing Hand, Geas/Quest, Polymorph Any Object, and Wish. 500,000GP (45,000 pounds of pure iron [25,000gp] that is polymorphed into adamantine using Wish). DC 40 Craft (Armorsmithing) or (Weaponsmithing).

If you can pull that off, transferring your Ego into it via Wish seems trivial. It would gain your mental characteristics (Int, Wis, Cha). To get around it's inability to talk, use yet another Wish to confer the ability.

I seem to remember a spell that would allow one to talk to walls, but I can't recall where I saw it.

If you're running a high powered enough game that would allow for the creation of an adamantine golem, it isn't unreasonable to allow for a wizard to do something like this, although it is a significant power increase for a wizard, especially one that uses the Adamantine Golem from the Epic Level Handbook.

Have to wonder what the level adjustment would be. HAH.

 

[sjmiller]

AC:28 (Flatfooted:26 Touch:15)
Armor: Mithral Chain shirt, Twilight (2,250 gp).
Magic: Ring: Protection +3 (18,000 gp); Wondrous: Amulet of Natural Armor +4 (32,000 gp); Wondrous: Bracers of Armor +5 (25,000 gp)

[MENTION=97602]Sekhmet[/MENTION] I don't believe that the chain shirt and the bracers of armor can stack according to the rules. They are both armor bonuses, aren't they?

 

[Sekhmet]

Yes, and I did not calculate both into his AC.
However, playing as a Wizard, I like to have contingencies for everything.
A fighter or monk can more easily take your bracers from you (Using the Disarm action) than he can your backup Mithral Chain Shirt with no arcane spell failure, effectively giving you a third line of defense.

 

[Dandu]

Oh, a fighter or monk has just walked up to you and taken a magical item of yours. How ever will you cope?