Low-level Wizard feat suggestions

[Gnome]

I have a player who is entering my campaign with a 4th-level Gnome transmuter, and is asking me for feat suggestions. Allowed sources are all core supplements, and Forgotten Realms material as well. I'm also cool with cherry-picking some Eberron stuff if it seems to fit. Stats are as follows:

STR 8
DEX 16
CON 14
INT 17
WIS 12
CHA 14

Most of the feat ideas I have are only useful at higher levels (metamagic feats, etc). He's specifically looking for magic-specific or Gnome-specific feats rather than general feats to increase survivability.

Spell focus (alteration) comes to mind, but seems like a waste since not many of these spells require a save.

Ideas?

 

[Nifft]

1/ What feats do you already have?

2/ What are your prohibited schools?

-- N

 

[Gnome]

This is a new character, and he hasn't decided on feats yet. Prohibited schools are enchantment and necromancy.

 

[Darklone]

IMHO you can never go wrong with PBS.

 

[pallandrome]

Improved Initiative means never having to say you're sorry.

 

[Darklone]

Or check the familiar feats...

 

[Jeff Wilder]

I've found that my best feats as a low-level wizard have been Point-Blank Shot and Precise Shot. This sorta evades your request for "magical" rather than "general" feats, but I think it's pretty close, given the second point below.

First, they allow you to contribute meaningfully to a fight, even if you don't have any useful spells available.

Second, they're handy for ranged touch spells.

Third, if you find them becoming less useful as you ascend to higher level, you can petition to rebuild using the rules from Player's Handbook II. But even if your DM doesn't permit that, I still found them worthwhile.

 

[Thanee]

Collegiate Wizard from Complete Arcane (it's in the organizations chapter in a sidebar) is great for starting wizards (allows to learn 4 new spells each level for free instead of 2; plus some bonus on Spellcraft, IIRC).

Spell Focus in some school (not necessarily Transmutation, he can also take Evocation, for example).

Bye
Thanee

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

For my Wizards, I usually use that first Feat to satisfy prerequisites for other feats- IOW, I usually take a Metamagic Feat. It may mean that I can't use that feat at 1st level, but it also means I qualify for certain very useful Metamagic feats at 3rd level rather than much later.

For example, once you qualify it, there is the Reach Spell Feat in CompDiv that turns a touch spell into a ranged spell. It does come in handy, especially if your PC already has Weaon Focus: ranged touch.

I'm also a big fan of things like Extend or Maximize for Transmuters.

 

[Vanye]

If Complete Mage is in use in the campaign, possibly a reserve feat might be worth looking at? I don't recall if any are useful at 3rd level or not...