My Wizard Build, suggestions?

[simen]

First what this build is about. It's first role is a controller. The second is as an all knowing and being a utility wizard. And last he is a minor leader and I try to boost damage a little to.

I have choose Eladrin as my race. Why? Because I like them Easy as that. And "Eladrin training" really helps being all knowing and "Fey Step" is always good.

Stats lvl 1:

str: 8
con: 14
dex: 13
int: 18
wis: 14
cha: 12

Then boost int/wis. Why con 14? My character plans to die of old age

Feats:

1: Enlarge Spell (AP)
2: Quickdraw
4: Implement Expertise (PHB2)
6: Skill training: Religion, Multiclass Bard@lvl 11 keeping Religion
8: Arcane Familiar (AP), Dual Implement Spellcast (AP)@lvl 17
10: Eladrin Sword Wizardry (AP)

11: Spell Focus
12: Second Implement: Staff
14: Danger Sense
16: Improved Staff of defense (AP) / Paragon Defenses, Epic Fortitude@Epic
18: Improved Orb of Imposition (AP)
20: Destructive Wizardry 

21: Arcane Mastery
22: Spell Accuracy
24: Wizard Implement Expertise (AP)
26: Explosive Spellcasting (AP)
28: Arcane Familiar (AP)
30: Not decided

On powers and such I'll mostly take controller spells. Like sleep. But I'm also the minion killer in the party so spells like "Stinking Cloud" would also be in his spellbook.

He will take the "Orb of Imposition" as his arcane implement mastery at level 1. And then use his "good" con (for being a controller wizard) to use with "Staff of Defense"@lvl 16.

"Eladrin Sword Wizardry" is taken to get access to a "Cunning Longsword", but I won't use it's Wand powers.

My "Arcane Familiar" will ofcourse be a spider to help with saving throws.

Last "Multiclass Bard@lvl 11", why level 11? Because I need +1 to charisma to take that feat. Why MC Bard with a character with 12 cha and not planing to boost that stat? Well, because his rituals usually doesn't require cha, and he has kick ass rituals. And it fits into to the role of the character. His rituals will help me being a sort of leader, atleast outside combat encounters.

I plan to take "Unseen Mage" as my PP. Not decided on ED, but "Sage of Ages" and standard "Archmage" are two good options.

 

[Victim]

Why not start with Cleric Multiclass instead of skill training? It gets you religion either way, plus an emergency heal.

 

[simen]

You get an emergency heal as Bard to. My DM won't let us retrain MC feats, so retraining to Bard from Cleric is not an option. I thought about Cleric and having wisdom 16 and "Divine Oracle", but that didn't fit my character. And as I said, with Bard MC you get access to alot of cool feats

 

[mach1.9pants]

Two questions:

1. Why quick draw?
2. Do you get to choose backgrounds? (if so dump CON and choose the one that gives you highest score as your starting HP ability score).

 

[simen]

Two questions:

1. Why quick draw?
2. Do you get to choose backgrounds? (if so dump CON and choose the one that gives you highest score as your starting HP ability score).

To draw stuff fast? Like taking a healing potion, drawing an orb to use it's power if i miss (like "Orb of Impenetrable Escape").

Yes we do. But my character doesn't "fit" into being from "Thay" where you can use your int instead of con as hitpoint. HP isn't the biggest importance either. With a high con I get better fortitude and can use Staff, and I also get +2 to my healing surges per day. Or would you rather go for leather armour and drop Staff and Con all together?

 

[mach1.9pants]

Yeah quick draw can be usefull if you have multiple orbs, I guess. Otherwise I would drop the staff and the con. ALWAYS get leather proficiency (our Wiz AC is 2nd only to the Ftr!). Get dual implement caster and you have 2 orbs instantly available and your damage is much increased.

There are other backgrounds (like born under a bad sign/auspicious birth) but they are not FR.....

Still I am no min maxer but just IMO Oh and take the increased fort defence feats if you are worried, they stack with paragon/robust defences.

 

[simen]

Yeah quick draw can be usefull if you have multiple orbs, I guess. Otherwise I would drop the staff and the con. ALWAYS get leather proficiency (our Wiz AC is 2nd only to the Ftr!). Get dual implement caster and you have 2 orbs instantly available and your damage is much increased.

There are other backgrounds (like born under a bad sign/auspicious birth) but they are not FR.....

Still I am no min maxer but just IMO Oh and take the increased fort defence feats if you are worried, they stack with paragon/robust defences.

I haven't seen anything else than Thay giving this bonus... I've checked PHB2 and Arcane Power. But that would be great

Is Fortitude important, I haven't read Monsters Manual The problem with only taking a feat, is that all my feat slots are already taken Maybe I should pump my dex than and go with a Wand as second implement? Or drop second implement?

Edit: On staff. I was thinking about wielding a "Staff of Ruin" when I'm not controlling. That's why I thought staff implement would be nice to. It gives a +1 AC and you can add you con mod. to a defense once per encounter.

 

[cdrcjsn]

To draw stuff fast? Like taking a healing potion, drawing an orb to use it's power if i miss (like "Orb of Impenetrable Escape").

I've found mage hand to be sufficient to switch implements around as a minor action. Or better yet, just wield two implements. Apparently, according to both customer service and recent character build changes, you can dual wield a staff if using it an implement, so you can use any two implements you want already without the need for a feat or actions.

Ask your DM if you can have a Cunning Staff. By the rules as written, quarterstaves can be used as an implement even if the enchantment on them isn't in the implement staff category (the FAQ on swordmages outlines what benefits you gain when you use a weapon as an implement - enhancment, crit, property, no weapon proficiency on attacks). Customer Service has confirmed this (and with good consistency, unlike previous questions where you can sort of guide CS by phrasing the question) and the character builder allows this as well.

Keep in mind that Controller isn't just about attacking minions, attacking multiple foes, or inflicting status effects. It's also about controlling the terrain and limiting the options of your enemies. So Flaming Sphere IS a control spell since it occupies a square and limits the area that foes can reasonably occupy. Ditto with Stinking Cloud.

Staff of Ruin is indeed the bees knees. I heartily recommend it.

 

[Ryujin]

If you're big on skills, don't rule out retraining Quick Draw to Bardic Knowledge after you get your MC. It gives +2 on multiple knowledges.

 

[simen]

I've found mage hand to be sufficient to switch implements around as a minor action. Or better yet, just wield two implements. Apparently, according to both customer service and recent character build changes, you can dual wield a staff if using it an implement, so you can use any two implements you want already without the need for a feat or actions.

Ask your DM if you can have a Cunning Staff. By the rules as written, quarterstaves can be used as an implement even if the enchantment on them isn't in the implement staff category (the FAQ on swordmages outlines what benefits you gain when you use a weapon as an implement - enhancment, crit, property, no weapon proficiency on attacks). Customer Service has confirmed this (and with good consistency, unlike previous questions where you can sort of guide CS by phrasing the question) and the character builder allows this as well.

Drawing with Quick Draw is a free action, and with all that sustaning a Wizard has to do free actions are always nice. Dropping something is free to, and then pick it up when I have the time (minor action). But if I don't need it I could just retrain it later

You got an url to that? I've seen recent discussions about Cunning Quarterstaff and people saying that it isn't allowed. We play RAW, so unless it's RAW my DM won't allow it. Even though he might had agreed that it's unbalanced compared to Swordmage and Sorcerers that has a weapon as an implement.

If you're big on skills, don't rule out retraining Quick Draw to Bardic Knowledge after you get your MC. It gives +2 on multiple knowledges.

Hadn't noticed that. That was a really great feat! Even a better reason to MC Bard with Wizard