Melee Wizards!

[pallandrome]

I'm considering joining the local Living Greyhawk game, and started thinking about bizzare builds, so I'd not likely step on other's toes, and I began considering how to make a Melee focused character who was straight Wizard.

Does anyone have any suggestions on this score?

EDITED TO EXPLAIN FURTHER:

I'm currently contemplating a Dwarf with 20 con and 15 int. Perhaps even spending my level 1 feat to be proficient with a Dwarven Waraxe.

 

[backbeat]

Well... first off max out concentration. You'll be doing that all day.

 

[fafhrd]

I've been playing a straight sorcerer with the Stalwart Sorcerer option from Complete Mage. With power attack, a greataxe, wraithstrike and a wand of enlarge person, I routinely do more damage than the two other melee oriented characters in the party. I understand that wraithstrike gets people's hackles up. If that spell's prohibited, false life, heart of earth, blade of blood and sure strike can still make you pretty effective.

 

[IanB]

I think the 'bite of the X' spells in spell compendium are on the sor/wiz list.

 

[Doctor DM]

Aren't dwarves allready proficient with Dwarven Waraxes?

 

[pallandrome]

Dwarves merely treat Dwarven Waraxes as Martial Weapons, a fact that does me no good as a wizard. Perhaps I can trade in my Familiar for proficiency with martial weapons though, loath as I am to loose such a useful scout.

Also, my knowledge of the Spell Compendium is limited. What are these "bite of the x" spells you speak of?

 

[pawsplay]

Spend your feat on MWP (dwarven waraxe) (you are exempt from both the Str and BAB requirements since it is not an exotic weapon for you).

Spells: shield, mage armor, enlarge person, mirror image are your bread and butter. False life is essential. Obscuring mist is a good anti-rogue tactic. Bull's strength, bear's endurance, and cat's grace are nice for those big fights where you have a chance to buff up. Haste is a solid 3rd level spell.

At 3rd level, take Power Attack. At 6th, take combat Expertise.

Scribe lots of scrolls. For your 5th level wizard feat, I'm inclined to suggest Craft Magic Arms and Armor, so that you can custom craft your dream weapon.

 

[pawsplay]

Dwarves merely treat Dwarven Waraxes as Martial Weapons, a fact that does me no good as a wizard

EWP (dwarven waraxe) has prereqs of BAB +1 and Str 13, so it does have some minor consequences.

 

[Caliban]

The "standard" build I've seen for melee wizards usually involves 1 level of either Fighter or Marshal to get proficiency with all melee weapons, then later 1 level of Spellsword and then Eldritch Knight all the way.

That's if you want to be a melee wizard who actually fights with weapons in melee.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Melee Wizards are suboptimal, because they lack the spellcasting power of a full wizard, and the BAB and offense of a straight fighter.

Do you want to emphasis one over the other, or keep them equal? Have you considered a Bard or Duskblade?