hey yall, Now that I've had a long while to toy with the rules and get a feel for a few of the options available to player characters, I've decided to start presenting some of my ideas on how to build a better spellcaster. A few words of introduction first, so yall know what to expect here.
First, this is intended as advice and discussion geared toward long term campaigning. I firmly believe that for short term or 'one off' games, a low level Sorceror is a far better choice. Better spells per day, no bothering with the bookkeeping of spellbooks, spell prep and so on. for the long term campaign that will climb into higher levels and develop a rich storyline however, I intend to demonstrate that the wizard, for various reasons, is hands down the better choice for a player interested in running an arcane caster.
Second, I've tried to keep things as 'by the book' as possible, relying on the PHB, DMG, and T&B (Tome & Blood) as my main sources where possible. A few other references I recommend are:
Magic of Faerun (WotC)
Relics & Rituals (Sword & Sorcery)
Arcana: Societies of Magic (Green Ronin)
Book of Eldritch Might (Malhavoc) To be honest, this one isn't one of my favorites, but due to its popularity, I've taken it into consideration in preparing these commentaries
Hero Builder's Guide (WotC)
In the event that I'm using something of my own creation in an example or to make a point, I will be sure and point it out, and present the rule in a handy format for yall to borrow if you so wish.
The first discussion I'd like to go into involves the first step of running any arcane spellcaster, character generation. Here we go:
Ability Scores
The method you use to generate your six scores is completely up to you and your DM, and is inconsequential here. What is important to the process of building a better wizard is the way you assign your scores. Here is my recommended order for your scores, from highest to lowest:
Int
Cha
Dex
Wis
Con
Str
Intelligence, as your spellcasting ability, is of utmost importance. Forget what the PHB says about putting Con or Dex first. We are looking for long term maximum potential for your wizard class and related prestige classes. Want that 23 or 24 in intelligence when you are high level? Well, you wont get there by plopping a 12 or 13 score in int now. Put your highest score here, period.
Charisma should be next. Why, you ask? Well, in a minute, I'm going to spring a suprise on you and tell you that your first level is not going to be wizard. It's gonna be rogue. We'll get to the whys and wherefores of that decision in a bit, but for now, trust me, your wizard needs a good cha. If nothing else, it will prove invaluable in dealing with your familiar, cronies, henchmen and other NPCs, like your guildfellows, who should be increasingly important in your life as you go up in levels.
Dexterity should be your third score. Having a decent dex bonus gives a good reflex save and AC, so you don't want it too low. It also comes in handy for a few wizard aspects like delivering ranged touch spells.
Fourth, do wisdom. Willpower saves get modified by your wis bonus, and they can be extremely important later on when you are making saves against the mind affecting spells of rival wizards. Without your full mental capacity, you're useless, to your party and yourself, so don't take wisdom for granted.
Constitution is next. Since you are starting as a level 1 rogue, you're gonna have a couple more HP than the usual wizard would have, so you can live without the handful of extras con would give you. If your con is too low, or you are hellbent on getting into double digit HPs by level 2, you can always pick a familiar that will augment your con or your HP. The idea here though is that through a decent dex and the liberal use of Mage Armor, you can hope to avoid a lot of damage, so HP aren't as critical as you might think.
Strength should be the last of your worries. "But corndog, my melee skills will suck!" Yeah, they will, so what? You want to play a wizard, right? Get the idea of wading into combat with blades a flashing right out of your head. You're the guy in the back raining
Fireballs and Meteor Swarms down on your enemies. Save the melee for the big dumb guys in the party, ok?
Ok, ability scores are taken care, now it's time to pick your race. Any of the PHB races are viable choices in 3e for a wizard, but I'm going to suggest you use human. Sure, elves are supposed to be the cool magic-in-their-veins wizards, but where is the game mechanic benefit? There is none. Humans get a bonus feat at level one. You're going to want all the meta-magic feats you can get, trust me. The extra one at first level is well worth giving up seeing in the dark and a bonus with bows (remember what I said about combat, it's all about the spells, keep repeating that in your head). The only race I absolutely do not suggest is the poor Half-Orc. That -2 int will kill you as a wizard.
Ok, so now you have your ability scores and race filled in on that character sheet, next comes class. Write 'Rogue, level 1' in there. Do it now. "But you said we're creating a better wizard...", We are, bear with me. First of all, there's the extra couple hit points, a godsend for a wizard at low level. Next, you'll get Sneak Attack (+1d6), which can save your butt in those rare circumstances where you must engage in melee combat. Then, there's the skill points, oh sweet glorius rogue skill points. Let's say you have a 15 int, which grants a +2 modifier. As a first level wizard you get 16 skill points. As a first level rogue you get 40! Since you are human, you have 'any' for your favored class, so multiclassing to wizard at 2nd level won't kill you in the XP department. So, now that we've picked a class, lets go spend some skill points.
Remember, you are technically a level 1 rogue now, but you are playing a wizard, ok? Don't go blowing your skills and feats on rogue stuff. You'll be a competent, if not powerful, party member in combat at first level if you are careful, and remind the party that you do have a plan, and in a couple levels they will be in line to kiss your butt for saving the day with some awesome spell.
Here are my suggestions on skills to consider:
Alchemy : If you plan to do any potion making or hardcore item crafting later in your career, this skill is a must have.
Appraise : Always comes in handy, especially later when you are haggling with some hedge wizard over the cost of eye of newt.
Craft : Consider which Item Creation Feats you might want later on and take a rank or two in a craft related to them. If, for example, you plan to take Craft Wands feat later, craft: woodcutter would be a solid choice. Your DM may grant a synergy bonus to the checks involved in creating the wand, or at least lower the price of materials if you are able to create some of the parts yourself.
Decipher Script : Hey, you're a rogue right now, why not? Save those Comprehend Languages spells for when this skill fails you.
Knowledge : Arcana is essential, max out your ranks. The others can be useful too, depending on your campaign, and your idea for who this wizard is.
Spellcraft : Again, essential, max it out, and keep it maxed out.
Use Magic Device : Before you question my sanity, consider this: If you decide to specialize, you are barred access to items and scrolls of your prohibited school(s), right? Not anymore! Taking this skill gives you a chance to still use them. You'll also be able to take a shot at using items not intended for wizards, so it's a good bet all around.
Now let's pick some feats:
You'll get Scribe Scroll when you multiclass to wizard at 2nd level. So what to take now? I say:
Skill Focus : Use Magic Device You'll want to have that skill be almost sure fire successful when you use it.
and either
Quicken Spell
or
Improved Familiar Take this feat and get a formian familiar (see T&B). You will not regret it!
Ok! Buy your gear, and you're ready to go. Remember, you are not a rogue, right? Don't waste money on a bunch of rogue stuff. Buy a cheap set of armor you can ditch as soon as you're level two and the Mage Armor is available. Use your cash now to get a solid backup weapon of both melee and missile use. Dagger or staff and light crossbow is a good combo. They will become less and less useful as you get into the big firepower spells later, but for now they will be handy, especially the crossbow, since it delivers a decent punch without putting you right in harm's way.
Now, go forth and conquer 1st level, and then we'll discuss your options for multiclassing into being an actual wizard.
One note on playing through 1st level:
Start collecting those scrolls! It is never too early to start building your repetoire of spells, so buying, trading, finding, whatever, new scrolls and spellbooks is imperative. Start networking with other PC and NPC arcane casters. Find out who the guildmembers, hedgemages, apothecaries, etc are in your campaign locale. start gathering rumors about the location of magic items and other sources of power you might be able to take advantage of later. take lots of notes. If you are attentive and interested as your DM begins laying out the options for you, chances are she will be much more willing to keep things detailed and interesting later on.
Have fun with 1st level, and stay tuned for part 2 of this series, "so, you want to multiclass to wizard, eh?"
First, this is intended as advice and discussion geared toward long term campaigning. I firmly believe that for short term or 'one off' games, a low level Sorceror is a far better choice. Better spells per day, no bothering with the bookkeeping of spellbooks, spell prep and so on. for the long term campaign that will climb into higher levels and develop a rich storyline however, I intend to demonstrate that the wizard, for various reasons, is hands down the better choice for a player interested in running an arcane caster.
Second, I've tried to keep things as 'by the book' as possible, relying on the PHB, DMG, and T&B (Tome & Blood) as my main sources where possible. A few other references I recommend are:
Magic of Faerun (WotC)
Relics & Rituals (Sword & Sorcery)
Arcana: Societies of Magic (Green Ronin)
Book of Eldritch Might (Malhavoc) To be honest, this one isn't one of my favorites, but due to its popularity, I've taken it into consideration in preparing these commentaries
Hero Builder's Guide (WotC)
In the event that I'm using something of my own creation in an example or to make a point, I will be sure and point it out, and present the rule in a handy format for yall to borrow if you so wish.
The first discussion I'd like to go into involves the first step of running any arcane spellcaster, character generation. Here we go:
Ability Scores
The method you use to generate your six scores is completely up to you and your DM, and is inconsequential here. What is important to the process of building a better wizard is the way you assign your scores. Here is my recommended order for your scores, from highest to lowest:
Int
Cha
Dex
Wis
Con
Str
Intelligence, as your spellcasting ability, is of utmost importance. Forget what the PHB says about putting Con or Dex first. We are looking for long term maximum potential for your wizard class and related prestige classes. Want that 23 or 24 in intelligence when you are high level? Well, you wont get there by plopping a 12 or 13 score in int now. Put your highest score here, period.
Charisma should be next. Why, you ask? Well, in a minute, I'm going to spring a suprise on you and tell you that your first level is not going to be wizard. It's gonna be rogue. We'll get to the whys and wherefores of that decision in a bit, but for now, trust me, your wizard needs a good cha. If nothing else, it will prove invaluable in dealing with your familiar, cronies, henchmen and other NPCs, like your guildfellows, who should be increasingly important in your life as you go up in levels.
Dexterity should be your third score. Having a decent dex bonus gives a good reflex save and AC, so you don't want it too low. It also comes in handy for a few wizard aspects like delivering ranged touch spells.
Fourth, do wisdom. Willpower saves get modified by your wis bonus, and they can be extremely important later on when you are making saves against the mind affecting spells of rival wizards. Without your full mental capacity, you're useless, to your party and yourself, so don't take wisdom for granted.
Constitution is next. Since you are starting as a level 1 rogue, you're gonna have a couple more HP than the usual wizard would have, so you can live without the handful of extras con would give you. If your con is too low, or you are hellbent on getting into double digit HPs by level 2, you can always pick a familiar that will augment your con or your HP. The idea here though is that through a decent dex and the liberal use of Mage Armor, you can hope to avoid a lot of damage, so HP aren't as critical as you might think.
Strength should be the last of your worries. "But corndog, my melee skills will suck!" Yeah, they will, so what? You want to play a wizard, right? Get the idea of wading into combat with blades a flashing right out of your head. You're the guy in the back raining
Fireballs and Meteor Swarms down on your enemies. Save the melee for the big dumb guys in the party, ok?
Ok, ability scores are taken care, now it's time to pick your race. Any of the PHB races are viable choices in 3e for a wizard, but I'm going to suggest you use human. Sure, elves are supposed to be the cool magic-in-their-veins wizards, but where is the game mechanic benefit? There is none. Humans get a bonus feat at level one. You're going to want all the meta-magic feats you can get, trust me. The extra one at first level is well worth giving up seeing in the dark and a bonus with bows (remember what I said about combat, it's all about the spells, keep repeating that in your head). The only race I absolutely do not suggest is the poor Half-Orc. That -2 int will kill you as a wizard.
Ok, so now you have your ability scores and race filled in on that character sheet, next comes class. Write 'Rogue, level 1' in there. Do it now. "But you said we're creating a better wizard...", We are, bear with me. First of all, there's the extra couple hit points, a godsend for a wizard at low level. Next, you'll get Sneak Attack (+1d6), which can save your butt in those rare circumstances where you must engage in melee combat. Then, there's the skill points, oh sweet glorius rogue skill points. Let's say you have a 15 int, which grants a +2 modifier. As a first level wizard you get 16 skill points. As a first level rogue you get 40! Since you are human, you have 'any' for your favored class, so multiclassing to wizard at 2nd level won't kill you in the XP department. So, now that we've picked a class, lets go spend some skill points.
Remember, you are technically a level 1 rogue now, but you are playing a wizard, ok? Don't go blowing your skills and feats on rogue stuff. You'll be a competent, if not powerful, party member in combat at first level if you are careful, and remind the party that you do have a plan, and in a couple levels they will be in line to kiss your butt for saving the day with some awesome spell.
Here are my suggestions on skills to consider:
Alchemy : If you plan to do any potion making or hardcore item crafting later in your career, this skill is a must have.
Appraise : Always comes in handy, especially later when you are haggling with some hedge wizard over the cost of eye of newt.
Craft : Consider which Item Creation Feats you might want later on and take a rank or two in a craft related to them. If, for example, you plan to take Craft Wands feat later, craft: woodcutter would be a solid choice. Your DM may grant a synergy bonus to the checks involved in creating the wand, or at least lower the price of materials if you are able to create some of the parts yourself.
Decipher Script : Hey, you're a rogue right now, why not? Save those Comprehend Languages spells for when this skill fails you.
Knowledge : Arcana is essential, max out your ranks. The others can be useful too, depending on your campaign, and your idea for who this wizard is.
Spellcraft : Again, essential, max it out, and keep it maxed out.
Use Magic Device : Before you question my sanity, consider this: If you decide to specialize, you are barred access to items and scrolls of your prohibited school(s), right? Not anymore! Taking this skill gives you a chance to still use them. You'll also be able to take a shot at using items not intended for wizards, so it's a good bet all around.
Now let's pick some feats:
You'll get Scribe Scroll when you multiclass to wizard at 2nd level. So what to take now? I say:
Skill Focus : Use Magic Device You'll want to have that skill be almost sure fire successful when you use it.
and either
Quicken Spell
or
Improved Familiar Take this feat and get a formian familiar (see T&B). You will not regret it!
Ok! Buy your gear, and you're ready to go. Remember, you are not a rogue, right? Don't waste money on a bunch of rogue stuff. Buy a cheap set of armor you can ditch as soon as you're level two and the Mage Armor is available. Use your cash now to get a solid backup weapon of both melee and missile use. Dagger or staff and light crossbow is a good combo. They will become less and less useful as you get into the big firepower spells later, but for now they will be handy, especially the crossbow, since it delivers a decent punch without putting you right in harm's way.
Now, go forth and conquer 1st level, and then we'll discuss your options for multiclassing into being an actual wizard.
One note on playing through 1st level:
Start collecting those scrolls! It is never too early to start building your repetoire of spells, so buying, trading, finding, whatever, new scrolls and spellbooks is imperative. Start networking with other PC and NPC arcane casters. Find out who the guildmembers, hedgemages, apothecaries, etc are in your campaign locale. start gathering rumors about the location of magic items and other sources of power you might be able to take advantage of later. take lots of notes. If you are attentive and interested as your DM begins laying out the options for you, chances are she will be much more willing to keep things detailed and interesting later on.
Have fun with 1st level, and stay tuned for part 2 of this series, "so, you want to multiclass to wizard, eh?"
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