Challenge: Pure core wizard melee combatant

[Iku Rex]

A quick example (messy)

(BTW: I think ignoring magic items is a mistake, as mid-to-high level characters are heavily dependant on their items for their total "power").)

Dwarven wizard 12

Making him a transmuter would give him more staying power at the cost of some versatility.

32 point buy.
14,14,16,16,8,8
Add +2 Con and -2 Cha from dwarf
Add +2 Con and +1 Int for level 4/8/12.
Total
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 6

1,3,6,9,12 + 2 Wizard metamagic
Extend Spell, Quicken Spell
Power Attack, Expertise, Improved Trip, EWP: Spiked Chain, Combat Reflexes

Spells prepared:
This list would look different in a real game but you asked for the (unrealistic) "fully buffed in melee" version, which requires variation. For one thing I'd make sure to have more polymorph spells prepared. Some or all of the 5th level spell could be replaced with extended versions of lower level spells.

6th (2): Tenser's Transformation, Greater Heroism
5th (3): Overland Flight, 2x Quickened True Strike
4th (3): Stoneskin, Improved Invisibility, Polymorph
3rd (5): Blink, Haste, Greater Magic Weapon, Keen Weapon
2nd (5): Alter Self, Extended Mage Armor, 2x False Life, Protection From Arrows
1st (5): 3x Shield, Expeditious Retreat, 2x Ray of Enfeeblement

Polymorphing into an annis hag gets the character Str 25 and +10 natural armor as well as natural weapons and special attacks. Treant is another good option. Probably not quite as sick in melee as the hydra, but still nice, and more versatile. (Thanee: How are you casting tenser's transformation in hydra form? )

Fully buffed, annis hag polymorph, finishing with transformation (lots of rounds used):
AC: 31 (10 - 1 size + 3 Dex + 10 natural armor + 4 armor from mage armor + 4 shield from shield spell + 1 haste) (Can add 5 with expertise.)
Opponents have 50% miss chance for invisibility and then 50% for blink.
DR from stoneskin.
HPs (average): 115 + 27 temporary (4+11d4+12*7 + 1d10+10 false life + 12 greater heroism)
AB: +30/+30/+25/+20/+25 (bite) (Weapon attacks: +12 BAB + 9 Str + 4 Greater Heroism + 1 Haste + 2 Invisible + 3 Greater magic Weapon - 1 Size. Then bite at -5 without the GMW.) (Less if using Expertise or Power attack)
20% miss chance on attacks from blink. (May not be worth it in some cases.)

Damage Large spiked chain: 2d6 + 16, 19-20/2x (+13 Str +3 GMW, keen weapon)
Damage bite: 1d6 +4 (+4 Str)
Add more damage from power attack depending on opposition's AC (max +24 if transformation.).
Can use Improved Trip to trip opponents moving within the 20' reach. (+4 Improved Trip + 4 Large + 9 Str = +17 on opposed check.)

That was a lot of numbers. I don't think I want to do that for the other situations you mentioned. Just keep in mind that many spells can be cast before an encounter begins, greatly reducing buff time. 1 hour /level spells can last an entire day with Extend Spell. (Buff in the evening, so that the spells are available for re-casting if dispelled while adventuring.) 10 minutes/level spells will last an entire "dungeon". Alter self (troglodyte) and heroism are both basic 10 min/level buffs. 1 minute/level spells can last several enocounters and can be stacked before facing major opposition.

Edit: TT requires a magic item (potion) as a material component. Not allowed by the OP's rules.

 

[szilard]

Fire Shield and Heroism would be other very useful spells for this sort of build.

-Stuart

 

[moritheil]

I normally enjoy making melee wizards, but core-only is a real killer. I don't even remember most of my sources any more. Is persistent core? IIRC, persistent isn't core, so there go many potentially useful buffs. Also, wraithstrike, which is the quintessential gish spell, isn't core.

 

[Iku Rex]

Fire Shield and Heroism would be other very useful spells for this sort of build.

Fire shield can be a good spell, but it has flaws. First of all it makes you all glowy, making improved invisibility less useful if you want to use that spell. Second, it requires your enemies to hit you to take effect. Your AC should be high enough that they don't hit you very often. It can also discourage opponents from attacking you, and then the attention is moved away from the wizard to "soft targets" with lower AC and hit points.

 

[moritheil]

If you are going to build something with Fire Shield, you are assuming you will be hit, so make sure you also take Karmic Strike.

Oh wait, that isn't "core" either, is it?

I think you can see what I mean by Core-only severely hampering my reflexes.

 

[jeffman]

Dwarf Wizard (of course)

I'm not using any cheesie Polymorph/Alterself exploits, since that's very dependent on your DM, what monsters your character actuallys know of, and what monsters exist in your world.

Without Spells

28 point buy
Ability Scores
Str 14
Dex 10
Con 18
Int 18
Wis 10
Cha 6

Saves
F/R/W +8/+4/+8

Feats
Martial Weapon Proficiency (Greatsword), Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Light and Medium Armor, Power Attack, Scribe Scroll, Still Spell, Quicken Spell

HP 85
AC 18 (Mithral Full Plate)
Greatsword, +10/+5, 2d6+3

With Spells (no Transformation)
Spells used: Greater Heroism, Shield, Bear's Endurance, False Life, Bull's Strength, Enlarge, GMW, Cat's Grace

28 point buy
Ability Scores
Str 20
Dex 12
Con 22
Int 18
Wis 10
Cha 6

HP 115+1d10
AC 22 (Mithral Full Plate)
Greatsword, +18/+13, 3d6+10, 10' reach

With Spells (Transformation)
Spells used: Transformation, Greater Heroism, Shield, False Life, Enlarge, GMW

28 point buy
Ability Scores
Str 20
Dex 12
Con 22
Int 18
Wis 10
Cha 6

HP 115+1d10
AC 26 (Mithral Full Plate)
Greatsword, +25/+20/+15, 3d6+10, 10' reach

Comments
Power attack can be used in combination with quicken true strike to deal an extra 12 points of damage.

Prep. almost all your spells with still spell will ignore the ASF, which isn't HORRIBLE with the mithral. If you can add the twilight ability, that'll help also. Picking up sudden still from the complete series isn't bad either. Pure armor is the cheapest and best way to increase overall AC without putting an insane amount of point-buy into dex (which makes it so that you can't do as much damage).

There are lots of other buffs you can add to help you out, mirror image, improved invisibility, greater mirror image

Edit: Forgot to add the MW Weapon

 

[moritheil]

There are lots of other buffs you can add to help you out, mirror image, improved invisibility, greater mirror image

Huh. Does PHB II count as "Core?"

See, that strikes me as a totally bizarre and arbitrary classification, then - PHB II increases the range of optimization just as any splatbook would, with new feats and spells.

 

[irdeggman]

With no preparation or buff in place he has an AC of 13, a full attack of +11/+6 (still not bad for a wizard with no buffs or magic items, but that AC will get him killed quick).

He has a masterwork weapon (+1 to hit - not magical) and weapon focus, another +1 to hit and a STR of 16 hence the +3 damage. AC 13 - Dex of 16. Unless have a large pool for stats - will not have much left for Int though - that could limit spells. Wizard with 16 INt gets access to 6th level spells, sorcerer would need 16 Cha. That is 3 stats at 16 minimum in order to work. Still get 3 ability increases though.

Exotic weapon prof - can't take the feat until 3rd level (need +1 BAB), can't take weapon focus untl 6th (need to be proficient in weapon and +1 BAB). Leaves 1st, 9th and 12th level feats free. If human get an extra feat at 1st level.

 

[kerbarian]

Here's a really simple one...

12th-level Sorcerer polymorphed into Twelve-headed Hydra.

Spells running: Mage Armor, Shield, Mirror Image D), False Life, Haste, Stoneskin, Polymorph, Tenser's Transformation.

AC 33

Full Attack: +19/+19/+19/+19/+19/+19/+19/+19/+19/+19/+19/+19/+19 melee (2d8+8)

Yup, this is definitely the way to go. And you can get a full attack even after charging 80' I think the attacks would only be for 1d10+8, though, since you wouldn't have the Hydra's Improved Natural Attack feat.

A couple more spells that could be tacked on -- Improved Invisibility (helps offense as well as defense with the +2 to hit and denial of dex bonus) and Greater Heroism. Fly is always handy, too. Enlarge Person could be used for greater reach (but lower AC), if you rule that it can stack with the size change from Polymorph.

Also, you could pay someone to cast Greater Magic Fang on you and then cast Permanency. If the potion of Bull's Strength (material component for Tenser's Transformation) is allowed, then I'd imagine that a potion of Greater Magic Fang would be, too, especially since it's only ever needed once.

It would also probably be a good idea to take Power Attack. With all the extra stuff I mentioned (assuming invis gives +2 to hit) and maximum power attack, that would give 13 attacks at +14 and 1d10+21 each. That's an average of 344 damage/round vs. AC15 targets, and you can charge 180' due to Fly plus Haste.

With one round of buffing (polymorph into Hydra only), it's 12 attacks at +10 and 1d10+6 each, for an average of 116 damage/round vs. AC15 targets. AC would be 22, though I suppose you could also sneak in a quickened Mage Armor or Shield.

 

[kerbarian]

Edit: I know this isn't quite in the same league as the polymorph idea, but not only is the guy going to do well in combat, he'll get a lot of fun out of his use of the Whirling Blade spell, which lets the caster throw a slashing weapon that attacks all of the targets within the spell's area of effect...which I cunningly alter with Sculpt Spell for maximum efficacy. Lots of fun!

A sculpted Whirling Blade is a scary thought with all the crazy non-core melee Sor/Wiz builds that are possible. I checked, though, and I don't think it would work. Whirling Blade has "Effect: 60-ft. line" rather than "Area: 60-ft. line", so it's not actually an area spell.