Strong Wizard Builds

[aurin777]

Just as the title says, I'm looking to create a elvan wizard, and I was hoping I could be helped out with some optimal builds. I've never played a wizard before and I have no idea the utility of the different feats. With so many metamagic feats, which ones come into the most use? The character will be concentrated on evocation/conjuration. The PHB and the splatbooks are fair game. Thanks for the help.
~~Brandon

 

[RithTheAwakener]

Well, in my opinion, feats for a wizard doesnt make or break the character, its all his spells. But, one feat id suggest is Energy Substitution (from faerun i think, allows you to make a spell of fire to be ice, etc etc) and Spell Focus(always) and Spell Penetration(if your fighting SR)... Empower and Maximize are also nice, but nowhere near used till higher level, so start off with different feats. If your conjuring, get Augment Summoning, gives your summoned creatures a few buffs for str and con...

Just what i know from seeing my friend strive for world domination with his wizard, and he got close...

 

[Urbanmech]

Well as a starting elf wizard don't neglect the fact that you can use a long bow. At low levels shooting arrows is better than standing around doing nothing after you have used your spells for the day.

Craft wand is an incredibly useful feat if your DM makes allowances for item creation. Craft wands of spells that you use all the time but don't want to devote spells slots to. Darkvision, Magic Missile, Melf's Acid Arrow, Mage Armor, and other spells that have no save or you cast on yourself or party members are great.

 

[Kalendraf]

I've seen some powerful wizards played in the campaigns I DM. In each case, it's really not due to skills, feats or spells, but much more due to their stats and race.

First of all, Elves make terrible choices for wizards. Why? The -2 con penalty cripples them too much. So although their racial favored class is Wizard, this just isn't the optimal race to use for a wizard. So what is?

Dwarves make really good wizards. From fantasy roots, there's not much precedence for this, but with the 3.5 rules, they are simply one of the best races available. Why? +2 con bonus is invaluable. On top of that, they get the +2 saves against spells and poisons (useful for someone likely to be targetted at range by the enemy) and darkvision lets them be useful underground w/o light sources. Also, they are medium size, letting them use regular sized weapons. Besides having a high intelligence, pump the constitution and then finally dex. With a high con (say 16 or so), the dwarf wizard can typically have as many or more hit points than clerics or rogues in the party. Meanwhile, the -2 penalty on charisma is minor as its largely a dump stat for most wizards.

Theoretically, gnomes should also make decent wizards, but for some reason they aren't as good. Though the do get the +2 con bonus, their racial modifiers are nowhere near as good as the dwarfs. Low light vision is handy, but it almost always less useful than darkvision. And being small-size means they have to use smaller-sized weapons. The -2 penalty on strength is slightly more noticeable than the -2 charisma for dwarves.

While int-enhancing gear (Headbands of Intellect, etc) is highly desireable, the wizard should make it a priority to find Con-boosting items (Amulet of Health, etc). Armor class is also important, but you shouldn't be getting involved in melee, attacks, and any ranged attackers should be dealt with swiftly. If you have a choice between an AC-booster and a Con-booster, I'd take the Con item first.

Wizards or sorcerers with low con values may survive for a while, but eventually area effect and other damage spells or attacks will catch up with them. It doesn't matter how cool your feats, skills and spell list is if you're not alive to use them.

 

[Dracomeander]

Point Blank Shot & Precise Shot

As Urbanmech said, an elven wizard should always be ready to make use of the bow and not just at low levels. The bow is a great weapon to use when you are trying to conserve those key spells to use in the nasty encounters.

Also, the range feats of Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot work equally well for those spells that require a ranged touch attack. There are lots of those that will go to waste if you don't have Precise Shot to avoid your friends in melee.

 

[kolikeos]

i love playing spellcasters, expecily wizards. they're intelligant, powerful and mystireous.

starting out as a 1st lvl wizard sucks, if you're fighting lots. in a low combat game even a low lvl wizard can be very useful and fun to play.

if you're going to be a'fighting lots of the time i strongly suggest two things: still spell feat and fireball spell.
using the still spell feat allows you to cast spells with no fail chance even while wearing heavy armor.
with fireball you cause mass distraction, lots of dmg, and hit lots of enemys at the same time.

 

[Planesdragon]

First of all, Elves make terrible choices for wizards. Why? The -2 con penalty cripples them too much. So although their racial favored class is Wizard, this just isn't the optimal race to use for a wizard.

So... why haven't you changed Elves? There are more than a few official elven subraces without a CON penalty.

 

[derelictjay]

Wizards are one of me favorite classes. If its a level 1 wizard don't worry about metamagic feats, infact don't worry about them until level 5 (the bonus feat). As a beginning wizard concentrate on evocation and protection spells. Skills for a wizard (who got the Int score) who cares, concentration and spellcraft come in handy, but good tactics and you'll never need them, dump any excess skills into knowledge and craft skills. And yeah, craft wands is a must have for a wizard.

By the by. Dwarves are good at being every class, including sorcerer and bard, they're the uber-race of the PH

 

[Kalendraf]

So... why haven't you changed Elves? There are more than a few official elven subraces without a CON penalty.

Sure I could change up elves to make them able to be better wizards, but I'd much prefer to keep their present stat bonus/penalty intact. I like having a race that is swift but fragile like this. Personally, I've never really seen a good reason for why elves should be wizards anyways, despite what the PHB suggests. To me, Tolkien's elves seem more like druids using nature magic, as do most other elves in fantasy literature that I've read. Elves flinging fireballs and other damage spells seems to have risen from within the D&D universe itself rather than being borrowed from other fantasy sources, though I won't claim to be an expert in that dept.

Thus, I'd prefer if they'd made elves have a favored class of something besides wiz or sor. Either druid or ranger would seem to make much more sense to build on their woodland ties. In one of my campaigns, fighter or barbarian would also make sensible choices for favored class for elf. At least with each of those classes, a -2 penalty on con isn't going to cripple their hit points since they are already working with either a d8, d10 or d12.

From the campaigns I've run, every single elf who attempted to be a wizard has died, sometimes repeatedly, as a result of low hit points (d4's + racial con penalty). Meanwhile, every non-wizard elf, and every non-elf wizard has demonstrated a far better survival rate.

Morale of the story: D4's and Con penalties don't mix.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Hi aurin777,

At the lower levels, you are just trying to keep your wizard alive as they gain in power. Kalendraf's highlighting of the con issue is quite relevant, particularly if you wish to play an elf.

Likewise, I have normally seen Elves as sorcerers mores so than wizards - but that is another issue.
I am currently playing a 13th level human wizard type (Conjurer 10/ Alienist 3) and can recommend the mix of the wizard with the tome and blood Alienist prestige class. The extra feat for being human really helps - you can go Spell Focus (Conjuration) then Augment Summoning right off the bat at 1st level - rather than waiting for third level to get your augment summoning (a fantastic feat).
Being a specialist in conjuration has some neat benefits as well. As for feats down the track, energy substitution (sonic), extend spell and quicken spell are all worth the price of admission.

Anyway, your two most important stats are Intelligence and Constitution. Dexterity helps but as some have mentioned, you don't want to get into melee. My guy has a dex of 8 and has survived thus far. (His con is a natural 16 and he has 90hp from an amulet of Health+2). It has been his ability to take a hit or a roasting that has helped him survive.
In two levels when you get your 2nd level spells, check out invisibility and alter self. They are good ways of staying out of combat - use alter self to fly, all be it poorly.
Up to you what you do but I'd look closely at specialising in conjuration and getting the alienist class - it is a lot of fun, just read Sepulchraves story hour and you'll see.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise