Maximum Magecraft: corndog's Wizardry Workshop, ep. 1

[Al]

Corndog: The level of rogue is an interesting concept, but I found that one character played Monk1/WizardX to incredible effect. Concentration is a class skill, so you don't have to get messy at 2nd level. Wisdom bonus to AC is a godsend: at higher levels, when you can get a Periapt +5 for instance, then your bonus can be very high indeed. Place Wisdom as second stat- higher than Dex, as Wis can deal with the Dex for AC purposes, and I'd say in the long-run Will save is going to be more useful than Ref (Feeblemind anyone?) And of course your saves take a nice step-up. Rogue is a good alternative though, and sneak attack damage is particularly poignant for the T&B orbs spells: Greater X orb fires off 15, so add 15d6 sneak attack damage. One might even want a few more levels in rogue, one level in loremaster* and take the arcane trickster prestige class- full advancement in spells, a good solid set of skills and continued sneak attack can make you deadly.

*1 level in loremaster is required to achieve 7 ranks in Decipher Script without taking at least 4 levels in rogue. That way, you can achieve 9th level spells. The entry requirements are pretty slack really: any self-respecting wizard has 3 MM/IC feats, the Skill Focus is bought back immediately by the trick (assuming min.Int24, not hard with Empowered Fox's Cunning)

Quicken Spell or Improved Familiar? Are you joking? For one, Quicken Spell isn't useful until AT LEAST 9th level wizard, when you can Quicken 1st level spells, and even then I'd hold it off for a few levels. Improved Familiar is unavailable until character level 5. So what would I recommend for your first feats. And Skill Focus (UMD)? Is this REALLY worth it?
Try to following:
Spellcasting Prodigy (FR). If your DM allows this, he's stupid, but then again, if you can argue the point, so be it.
Improved Initiatve. Definitely. At low-levels, the wizard needs to work his stuff before the fighters can charge. At high-levels, if you get out your Feeblemind/Polymorph/Disintegrate before your wizardly opponent, then you're fine. Otherwise, you're in trouble. At ultra-level, we needn't discuss the point: if you win Initiative, one Time Stop and the battle is won.
Failing SCP, try Spell Focus (if planning to specialise in Enchantment).

Human I agree with.

Specialisation: Yes. Take either Enchantment with opposites Illusion or Transmutation with opposites Conjuration. Illusion provides you with around three good spells (Mirror Image/Invis/ImpInvis) and can be partially supplemented with Blink and magic items. Conjuration provides you with the Summon Monsters and the Power Words. You'll miss the Power Words, but the Transmutation school is IMO the best one there is. Necromancy with opposite Divination is also good: you miss True Strike and the cleric can do all the info-gathering.

Those are my hints. Hope they help

 

[drnuncheon]

Rogue? Go Expert instead!

Ability Scores
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.
[/b]

OK, I have to start disagreeing right here at the beginning. First, you say to put Int as highest for "long term potential" - but then you turn around and limit that long term potential by the surest means possible: suggesting a multiclass!

As any spellcaster player knows, multiclassing has some harsh problems. By taking that level of rogue, you've slowed your spell advancement to be just like a sorcerer, which hurts. And for what?
A *miniscule* chance at Use Magic Device (which will be mostly useless to you anyway, unless you want a wand of cure * wounds so you can be a backup bandaid) and a bunch of skill points that will slow you down in your important wizardly skills like Concentration and Spellcraft. (Remember that since they're cross-class skills for a rogue, you can only bring them up to 2 ranks at 1st level!)

Remember your own maxim: "It's all about the spells" Are those skill points really worth slowing down your spell acquisition for?

If you feel you absolutely must have the skill points, though, then here's a suggestion: Start out not as a Rogue but as an Expert. You're not going to use the sneak attack or the enhanced Find Traps ability anyway, you get the same hit die and BAB, and you get almost as many skill points (24+4xint, or 32 in your case)...but you get 10 class skills. Any 10 class skills. Including two exclusive to another class. I'd choose Decipher Script - for the same reasons you mention - and if you feel you must, Use Magic Device. Then take your other wizardly skills: Concentration, Knowledge (arcana), Spellcraft, Alchemy, Craft, Profession, and any two others you think would be useful. Gather Information and Appraise, perhaps?

Alternately, select 'Speak Language' and load up on extra languages. At 1/point, why not? Be able to talk to just about anything you encounter. Don't underestimate the ability to communicate with summoned monsters, either - speaking Celestial, Infernal, or the elemental languages can allow for far greater flexibility when using summoning spells (and you can do it without wasting a second spell!) I think this has better long-term use than Use Magic Device, personally.

Oh yeah, then try to make your DM feel sorry for you. Point out that you're taking an NPC class because it fits your conception of the character better. Remind him that NPC classes aren't nearly as good as PC classes. Try to convince him to adopt the house rule I use that NPC classes don't count when figuring multiclassing penalties. (This step optional if you're elf, half-elf, or human.)

If you try this you'll find that you effectively have more skill points (since you're spending them all on class skills) and higher skill ranks - and you're giving up stuff you'd never use anyway. Plus, it's a lot easier to justify if your DM is one of those types that likes there to be an in-character reason for multiclassing.

J

 

[corndog]

A bump, and a reminder that I haven't forgotten or abandoned the thread, I've just been busy with work and not had a chance to really work on weighing the suggestions made by everyone. I hope to get to it soon and post the next installment. Thanks to everyone who participated.

 

[Cheiromancer]

*Bump*

 

[Privateer]

Yay, an intense debate! My favorite kind of thread
I agree with some of the earlier posters: if you MUST mulitclass, make it Monk or Expert (odd idea, but expert works).

Now, a Poem:
It starts with a b
It ends with a p
I wonder what
This post could be

 

[Ace]

IMO The easy way to min max a wizard is to stick to Wizard only, there are cool bonuses to be gained with rogue levels or a monk level but since my job is zapping people I don't want to stint myself on that
One of the few exceptions I can think of is Arcane trickster which is quite versitle, adds a few HP, a few weapons, a little BAB, evasion and a few handy tricks

I would suggest one of two approaches

Arcnae Trickster (from Tome and Blood) rogue, then wizard for the next five levels, rogue again then if you qualify Arcane trickster for ten levels. Afterword 1 more level of rogue then the rest wizard.
You will be a rog3/wiz7/arctrick10 cast 9th level spells.
Also if you flank a target your 0 level ray of frost will do 5d6+1d3 ouch.
Good feats for you include combat casting, weapon finesse (unarmed) improved unarmed combat, skill focus "concentration", and craft wand.

A good and cheap trick for you is to buy a wand of ray of frost. It costs 375 and as long as you are flanking your target does 1d3+2d6 or so subjext to rogue levels. Basically a +1 great sword with the added advantages of ranged touch


Race
Human

Your stat order
intellegence
dextarity
constitution
everyting else
dump stat: charisma



Now the classic Mr. Blaster

Surviving to level 2 can be a beast with a mage, 4-6 HP and two spells won't go far.
How you survive is simple. Don't go it alone. You need fighter types to act as meat shields and until you reach at least fourth level do the brunt of the fighting

You won't have all the cheap tricks the hybrids have so you will need too be extra carefull

Your best friend is Scribe scroll. Put your utility spells on scrolls and load up on combat magic.

Best spells in combat
magic missle (1d4+1 isn't a lot but the missles don't miss)
sleep (assuming an 18 intellegence your DC is 15 which gives you a 75% ko rate on most cr1 enemys)
shield
armor

Race selection:
Human (+1 feat is pretty nice)
Gold elf (if you are allowed to use FR stuff)

Your best feat
Prodigal caster if your DM allows it,
Human mage L1 with this feat and a 18 int had gets an extra L1 spell per day and +1 to DC of all spells

You stat order
Int
con (very important for elves) you want at least a 14 here adds to concentration too
dex (high initivative is a good thing also adds to AC)
everything else
dump stat: charisma - Strength is Ok to dump for a persuasisve mage but if you are pressed into meele or want to do the old shocking grasp punch trick and strength bonus is nice to have

These are my wizardry 101 suggestions, hope you get some use out of them.