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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Elder-Basilisk" data-source="post: 659480" data-attributes="member: 3146">Ignore the previous poster. He's telling you how to build a wizard/rogue. You really don't need dex any higher than 16. Depending upon your equipment, that may be too high in fact.Speaking from a strictly power-gaming perspective, I'd drop two points off of your charisma and put them in strength. (Your base attack bonusses won't be too high so you'll need every bit of help you can get). I'd consider dropping two points off of your int and putting them in strength as well. You can use your stat increases when you level to boost your int as well as magic items. And since you don't plan on blasting things with fireballs, etc. save DCs won't be as much of an issue as they otherwise would.If spellsword is available in your campaign, I'd consider dropping the second level of fighter too. You'll want a good caster level and spellsword sacrifices it. If spellsword isn't available in your campaign, you'll want to build your character differently.Starting out:Familiar--Toad is the obvious power gaming option. You'll need lots of con if your hit dice are d4s. You can make the combo work with a different familiar (weasel might be good for the reflex save bonus or owl or something else for whatever reason you come up with; I can only give powergaming advice here because it's your character and you decide what's in character for him).Note: If you don't have access to Spellsword you'll have to deal with Spell failure. I think it's endurable with a mithral chain shirt (and easily eliminated with 2 levels of Spellsword that way too). However, if you don't like spellsword or don't have access to it, you may wish to either revise the list a bit or learn still spell.Classes: This character isn't religiously focussed but if he were, this would be a good combo--I think it's the optimal combo for the kind of character you're building:Ftr 1/Wizard 8/Spellsword 2/Templar 1/Sacred Exorcist 8.Other good combos:Ftr 2/Wizard 6/Spellsword 2/Candlecaster, Alienist, Mage of the Arcane Order, or Elemental Savant 8.Ftr 1/Spellsword 4/Wizard or prestige class 15. Can wear a mithral breastplate with no spell failureFtr 2/Wizard 18Ftr 4/Wizard 16 A reduced caster level optionFtr 1/Wizard 9/Spellsword 10 Another reduced caster level option (clvl 14) but can wear mithral fullplate and a large mithral shield with no arcane spell failure.Feats: These are feats you want to think about combining and ways you can do it.Weapon Focus: A very good feat for you since your attack bonus will be hampered by your wizard levels.Weapon Specialization: an obvious choice if you get four fighter levels. That means giving up 9th level spells though. A religious character could get it through a Templar level.Combat Reflexes/Expert Tactician/Large and In Charge: Focussing in reach weapons can work well for the fighter/wizard--especially if combined with Polymorph Self. If you go the polymorph route, you might even pick up Large and In Charge (S&F) for use in polymorphed form. Expert Tactician (S&S) builds upon this chain and has nice synergy with Glitterdust, Blink, Blindness/Deafness, Improved Invisibility, Shout, Color Spray, PW Stun, etc. If you don't have access to the others, Combat Reflexes is good in itself though.Power Attack/Cleave: Power attack has marginal synergy with True Strike (you're often better off attacking twice though). Cleave is always useful for melee characters--particularly at low levels.Dodge/Mobility/Spring Attack: Very good for a reach weapon character as spring attack limits you to one attack anyway (in which case, lack of iterative attacks is less significant.Extend Spell/Persistent Spell: Extend Spell is useful for a horde of buffs; Persistent Spell is useful for Shield, Expeditious Retreat, Blink, and the detect spells (Undead, Thoughts, Secret Doors, etc). If you have access to it and shield hasn't been nerfed, it's great. If Shield is nerfed, it's very marginal for a fighter/wizard.Spell Penetration/Greater Spell Penetration: Your caster level will be low so you'll need these if you want to effect high SR critters.Spell Focus/Greater Spell Focus: If you drop your int, you'll need these to get decent DCs for your spells but if your focus is buffing not blasting you might not need them.Expertise/Improved Trip/Improved Disarm: Expertise can be helpful for making your AC only hittable on a20. Improved Trip would be handy if you are polymorphed into something large and strong (since it's size mod+strength only on the opposed check, you're quite likely to reliably win). Improved Disarm is nice for use with true strike but unnecessary--if you use a reach weapon, they can't take an AoO and they probably won't hit anyway.Empower Spell: Very useful for buffs and dispels.Combat Casting: Don't touch it with a 10 foot pole. It'll be tempting but you'll regret it later on. Just max out concentration instead.A sample character build:Ftr 2/Wizard 8/Spellsword 2/Mage of the Arcane Order 8Combat Reflexes, Power Attack, Cleave, Weapon Focus: Guisarm, Expertise, Improved Trip, Cooperative Spell (prereq), Extend Spell, Spell Penetration, Empower Spell, Greater Spell Penetration.This character is built around reach, polymorph self, and trip manuevers. If non-core sources aren't available, he's Ftr 2/Wizard 18 with Spell Focus: Transmutation or Great Fortitude and Lightning Reflexes.Spells to watch for:Level 1:Mage Armor-looks tempting but mithral chain shirts are better even with spell failure.Shield-your bread and butterTrue Strike-looks better than it is but still quite useful.Magic Missile-At low levels you'll be better with weapons but it'll be useful at higher levels.Protection from Evil-good additional protection if you've got prep time.Enlarge-looks much better than it is. Low strength increase for short duration. File it under "useless spells"Burning Hands-Very good from level 5-8 or so. You're up front anyway.Level 2:Blur-Don't be fooled, this should be 1st level and even then wouldn't be that good.Bull's Strength-Your bread and butter. If the cleric is willing to cast it on you though get cat's grace beforehand.Cat's Grace-Another bread and butter spellEndurance-you should usually live without it. By the time you'll have enough free slots to cast it, you should have bracers of health.False Life (T&B)-It stacks with Bracers of HealthGlitterdust-blind your enemies: a bread and butter spellResist elements-Good if you're an abjurer; otherwise wait.See Invisibility-You'll need access to it at high levels.Level 3:Blink: a bread and butter spell if you have Expert Tactician or if Haste is nerfed in your campaignDispel Magic: Excellent if you're an abjurer. Otherwise let people with full caster levels do this.Displacement: A solid defensive spellFly-Very good mobility. And if you've got a reach weapon, you can fly above the battlefield and use it on those below you without much risk of retribution.Greater Magic Weapon: Very useful at high levels or if there are archers in the partyHaste-a bread and butter spellProtection from elements-it'll have to do until you get Energy Buffer if available; otherwise live with it forever.Slow-Deadly against foesLevel 4:Fire Shield: Not too useful since you're focussing on a high AC and it only works when you're hit. Would work well in combination with StoneskinImproved Invisibility:Polymorph Self: A bread and Butter spellStoneskin: Good but expensiveLevel 5: Energy Buffer, Persistent ShieldLevel 6: Tenser's Transformation, Eyebite (you can use it while you fight).Level 7: Limited Wish (Divine Power would make Tenser's Transformation give you a better BAB than a fighter, Righteous might would be ugly if you were already polymorphed into a troll, Holy Sword is nasty by itself pluss it's got lots of other uses); Iron body looks tempting but would only work well in concert with Fire Shield. Otherwise, a double empowered bull's strength will give you more strength.Level 8: Mind BlankLevel 9: ForesightBest of luck to you.</blockquote>

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