Mage Build Help - The Many Faces of Kyvia

[Psion]

Reposted from the Rogues Gallery:

Kyvia was an NPC in the recent campaign I started. She was a random character generated by NPCGen that I threw in to give the party some magical support. But... we ended the session early and the other GM wanted to try his hand, and NPCGen actually rolled some pretty good stats for her, so I PC-ized her.

But I want to tune her up before I play her again, and consider the course I may take her.

As is (let's see if I can remember), her stats were basically
Female Elf Wizard 2
Str 12 Dex 17 Con 15 Int 17 Wis 13 Cha 10

I assumed either she would use the elf generalist substitution or be a specialist. She used mage armor, burning hands, and magic missile during the adventure (and identify afterwards).

I have a little leeway in re-defining here, and of course, if I am going to make a mage I am going to play with a few toys like complete mage.

Here were some variants I was considering

[sblock=Generalist Build]
1-20 Wizard (elf generalist @level 1)
or (more likely)
1-7 Wizard
8-13 Loremaster
14-18 Archmage
19-20 Loremaster

This is a classical wizard build which, yes, banks on a little cheese in the loremaster department. I may go this way because we have newbies, and it makes for a nice "gandalf figure" and generic wizard build.

I'm also considering Mage of the Arcane Order or (less likely) Incantatrix for this build.
[/sblock]

[sblock=Abjurer Build]
1-3 Abjurer
4-9 Master Specialist (Abjurer)
10-16 Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil
17-20 Master Specialist (Abjurer)

Barred schools: necromancy and either illusion or enchantment.

I like defensive wizards, and the complete mage and arcane give you some tools to make a pretty effective one. I even feel a bit cheesy using master specialist's otherwise tepid feat benefits to pave the way into the otherwise somewhat painful to enter initiate of the sevenfold veil.

The barred schools are a bit of an issue to me. For this build, I'd really prefer to give up evocation rather than illusion or enchantment. But I already burning hands and magic missiled in the adventure. Maybe the co-dm will let me re-imagine those attacks as energy orbs.
[/sblock]

[sblock=Gish Build]
1-6 Wizard (or specialist?)
7 Fighter
8 Eldritch Knight
9-13 Abjurant Champion
14-20 Eldritch Knight

This build tries to max out caster level and BAB, but makes sure that I pick up third level spells before I entertain the two level delay in caster level, but then rushes to Abjurant Champion ASAP.

This ones a bit iffy to me because I hesitate to make a gish build with a character with low strength, but the dexterity and con are pretty peachy. Perhaps I can mix up some sort of archer-gish build. The build needs something more, I think.
[/sblock]

[sblock=Psion reimagination]
1-20 Psion (kineticist, shaper, or nomad)

I wanted to play a psion in this game, but Kyvia doesn't have the right stat distribution. The psion I imagine was a telepath with a decent charisma and intimidate. I think I may off this concept on another character as a backup. If I ran with this, I'd re-imagine her existing effects as energy rays
[/sblock]

[sblock=Cerebremancer Support Specialist]
1 Psion
2 Wizard
3-4 Psion (seer or nomad)
5-6 Wizard
7-16 Cerebremancer
17+ - ?

A split down the middle reimagination that would make for a good "problem solver" character.
[/sblock]

So what do you think? Anything that would spruce up these builds without getting too cheesy? Any other ideas for fun and interesting to play characters?

 

[atomn]

I'm not very adept at making mages, but I thought an Abjurist combined with the Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil and Geometer would be pretty neat.

 

[Psion]

1) AFB here. What's geometer do again?
2) Would it be a worthwhile combo in absence of having Master Specialist pave my way into Io7V?

 

[atomn]

1) AFB here. What's geometer do again?

Off of the top of my head it has: full spell progression, it is 5 level, it lets you make special scroll like things that are substituted for Verbal and Material components (for 25 gp/spell level + cost of Material components if more than 1 gp), each spell only takes up one page in a spellbook and will let the mage locate and cast Glyphs of Warding and Greater Glyphs of Warding (which is why I thought it would work well for an abjurist).

2) Would it be a worthwhile combo in absence of having Master Specialist pave my way into Io7V?

That I'm not sure of. I'd have to read up more in detail on the Master Specialist. When I first considered the Geometer it was before C. Mage and because it was an easy to enter PrC that fit the theme. The Master Specialist might have more bang for its buck though.

 

[Sejs]

How much do you want to play up the elf thing?

Edit: I should probably expand on that statement a bit. Would things such as the Wild Soul, or Arcane Heirophant be appropriate to the character? Working up the semi-fey or in tune with nature angles.

 

[Rhun]

I'm a big fan of the Abjurer build with IotSV prestige class. I'd go that route. Reactive Warding is nice.

 

[Psion]

How much do you want to play up the elf thing?

Edit: I should probably expand on that statement a bit. Would things such as the Wild Soul, or Arcane Heirophant be appropriate to the character? Working up the semi-fey or in tune with nature angles.

This game is two experienced players + 3 newbies. One newbie is a druid, the experienced player is a cleric. I'll be the only arcane caster. So I don't think splitting my levels with divine caster is needed, and I'm especially hesitant to tread on the toes of the druid.

Other than that, any interesting concepts are fair game. I am leaning towards the single classed (generalist or abjurer or psion) builds for this reason, though.

 

[Psion]

That I'm not sure of. I'd have to read up more in detail on the Master Specialist. When I first considered the Geometer it was before C. Mage and because it was an easy to enter PrC that fit the theme. The Master Specialist might have more bang for its buck though.

See, the trick's this: the reason Io7V gets away without losing any levels is that it has requirements like Greater Spell Focus (Abjuration), which is a waste. (I can only think of one abjuration spell off the top of my head that takes a save...) BUUUUT Master Specialist gives you this feat, so it's less painful to get into Io7V, on top of the school esoterica stuff you get. It's a pretty tidy little combo.

 

[Thanee]

I would go with the elven substitution levels. This way you have all bases covered (no prohibited schools), which is good, if you are the only arcane caster. And it's more basic, which is probably a good idea with so many new players around.

Maybe even give her some archery feats and make use of the free bow proficiency. Her Dex is certainly good enough for that.

MotAO is a great addition for any wizard, obviously, since it adds a little flexibility, which will help in all sorts of situations, but Loremaster is cool, too.

If your group plays with the standard costs for scribing spells, I would definitely pick up the Collegiate Wizard feat at 1st level.

Bye
Thanee

 

[atomn]

See, the trick's this: the reason Io7V gets away without losing any levels is that it has requirements like Greater Spell Focus (Abjuration), which is a waste. (I can only think of one abjuration spell off the top of my head that takes a save...) BUUUUT Master Specialist gives you this feat, so it's less painful to get into Io7V, on top of the school esoterica stuff you get. It's a pretty tidy little combo.

That's true. I looked over Master Specialist and I would say it's probably more effective overall than the Geometer. (The other thing the Geometer has that I forgot to mention is that the scribed spells that count as Verbal and Material components let the spell be cast at +1 level at Geometer 4.)