I have a character with a great backstory but no stuff.

[delericho]

Some suggestions

If you're really concerned about Arcane Spell Failure, make sure you take the Still Spell feat. Then, you can be sure of always successfully casting those spells that really matter.

You might consider taking some appropriate wands and/or a staff, to ensure you always have easy access to a powerful attack spell. (The staff of fire is nice, as is the staff of frost, although the latter is a lot more expensive.)

You almost certainly want a Cloak of Charisma. +4, or even +6 is within your reach, and would make a significant difference to your firepower.

A Ring of Counterspells(feeblemind) will be invaluable when your DM hits you with that attack. Also, a Ring of Minor Fire Resistance is probably a good investment.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I'd rely on Mage Armour at that level. Lasts 12 hours per casting, as good as some pretty expensive bracers. Costs 2 first level slots to keep it running all day. It's better than armour as it keeps incorporeal stuff away.

Anyhow, I'm playing a high level sorceror currently (16th) - I really like to have a selection of utility scrolls. Limited Wish is fantastic, if a little pricey. But generally go for a mix of 'escape clause' spells - plane shift and a spare teleport in case mine run out. That and utility stuff that's nice to have, but not used very often - water breathing, tongues, invisibility spheres, veils, etc. Up the caster levels as needed, but I avoid anything with a saving throw.

Other than that, boring but mechanical stuff is always worth a look. Vest of Resistance (from complete arcane), Amulet of Health, Cloak of Charisma?

How about some barding or mount related items for your dragon?

Weirdy toys: Bag of tricks, glove of storing, feather tokens - IMO, all stuff that can be very useful in the right situation...

Ignore what's below.

[Really cheesy stuff]

Get a mithral buckler. Cheap, 0% spell failure and a 0 armour check penalty for non proficiency. May the gods of munchkinisim smite you if you do this.

Rods of metamagic energy substitution. Take Flame arrow spell. Apply all 4 types of energy to arrows. Use Telekinisis to throw them at people. 12 lots of D6+4D6 damage - not very accurate, but entirely cheap and cheesy.

[/Really cheesy stuff]

 

[BullMarkOne]

Get a mithral buckler. Cheap, 0% spell failure and a 0 armour check penalty for non proficiency. May the gods of munchkinisim smite you if you do this.

A real munchkin would use an animated light mithril shield. same 0% spell fail and you could hold a metamagic rod or a wand in each hand!

 

[delericho]

Rods of metamagic energy substitution. Take Flame arrow spell. Apply all 4 types of energy to arrows. Use Telekinisis to throw them at people. 12 lots of D6+4D6 damage - not very accurate, but entirely cheap and cheesy.

Doesn't work. Firstly, each Rod of Substitution can only change the energy type to one other (specific) energy type. So, you get a Rod of Fire Substitution, a Rod of Electricity Substitution, and so on (Complete Arcane, p.146). Secondly, even if you could use the rod as described, you would need four full castings of the spell to get +4d6 - one for each energy type.

 

[radferth]

Most high-level magi players I have know all say that the most important thing is anything that increases your #of spells per day. One that has always worked for me is a wand or staff that lets me blast away with some evocation spell, saving my actual spells for something more versitile.

Also, see if your dragon could use some goodies.

 

[BullMarkOne]

Most high-level magi players I have know all say that the most important thing is anything that increases your #of spells per day. One that has always worked for me is a wand or staff that lets me blast away with some evocation spell, saving my actual spells for something more versitile.

Very good point about the more spells thing.. No wizard worth his salt should be without a good wand or two, and a solid collection of scrolls. Pearls of power are fairly inexpensive, and can come in handy, as can the very pricy, but ever so delectable rings of wizardry.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Doesn't work. Firstly, each Rod of Substitution can only change the energy type to one other (specific) energy type. So, you get a Rod of Fire Substitution, a Rod of Electricity Substitution, and so on (Complete Arcane, p.146). Secondly, even if you could use the rod as described, you would need four full castings of the spell to get +4d6 - one for each energy type.

It works just like you say.

3 lesser rods @ 2700: 1 each of electricity, cold and acid. 4 castings of flame arrow... Gives you 50 supercharged arrows which is basically 4 telekinetic hurls. Or you could just give them to a competent archer. ~9000 GP and a handful of low level spell slots is not really noticable for a 12th level character?

Not that I'd advocate anyone actually using this janky rubbish.

 

[IamTheTest]

As per the request of a spell list.
level:name (dc)
0: Resistance, Detect Poison, Light, Daze, Open/Close, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Prestigation, Mending (15)
1: Orb of Acid (Lesser)*, Magic Missle, Feather Fall, Grease, Spider Climb (16)
2: Protection from Arrows, Web, Blur, Phantasmal Assailants*, Resist Elements (17)
3: Fireball, Resonating Bolt*, Fly, Mage Armor (Greater)* (18)
4: Improved Invisibility, Ice Storm, Scrying (19)
5: Vitriolic Sphere*, Cone of Cold (20)
6: Otiluke's Freezing Sphere (21)

An asterix denotes a spell from Complete Arcane.

 

[fafhrd]

A real munchkin would use an animated light mithril shield. same 0% spell fail and you could hold a metamagic rod or a wand in each hand!

Yeah! 2 Metamagic rods of still spell.

 

[Al]

If you're going with IamTheTest's commendable spell list (there are a few changes I would have: Baleful Polymorph and Hold Monster spring immediately to mind) then don't take Mithril Chain. Greater Mage Armour gives a +6 to AC, with is just as good as Mithril Chain +2 and without the spell failure. It can be dispelled, but you can easily put it up again