My first Wizard, opinions please.

[Angerland]

Here is the fruit of my labor started in the new to wizards thread of mine in the Rogues gallery. I know he is only first level but any thoughts will be greatly apreciated.

Surtur Brengulson:male dwarven wizard 1; CR 1; medium dwarf; HD 1d4; hp 7; Init +3; Spd 20'; AC 15, flat footed 10, touch 13; Base atk +0; Grp +1; Atk +1 melee (1d6+1, club) or +3 ranged touch attack or +3 (1d8, light crossbow); Full Atk +1 melee (1d6+1, club) or +3 ranged touch attack or +3 (1d8, light crossbow); SQ Dwarven racial abilities; AL N; Sv Fort +3, Ref +3; Will +4; Str 12, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 16, Wis 15, Cha 8
Skills and feats: Concentration +7, Craft (alchemy) +5, Decipher Script +5, Knowledge (Arcana) +7, Knowledge (Planes) +5, Knowledge (Nature) +4, Knowledge (Religion) +4, Spellcraft +7; Scribe scroll, Point blank shot, Alertness, Summon Familair, Share spell, Empathic link

Ghost: Owl familiar; CR-; tiny bird; HD 1; hp 3; init +3; Spd 10, Fly 40; AC 18, flat footed 15, zTouch 15; Base Atk +3; Grp +0; Atk +3 melee (1d2-2, claws); Full Atk +3 melee (1d2-2, claws); Space/reach 2 1/2'; SQ improved evasion; AL N; Sv Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2; Str 6, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 4
Skills and feats: Listen +14, Move Silently +20, Spot +6; Weapon Finesse (claws)

Spells prepared: 0- ray of frost, ghost sound, daze; 1-mage armor, ray of enfeeblement
Spells Known: 0- All; 1- Grease, Mage armor, Magic Missle, Magic Weapon, Obscuring mist, Ray of Enfeeblement
Possesions: Leather Armor, Light Crossbow, Club, Dagger


well, what do you all think?

 

[griff_goodbeard]

Looks solid to me. Although IMO unless you plan on taking precise shot, point blank shot is a sub-optimal feat choice. I don't know what source's you have available, but there are plenty of feats I'd prefer for a Wizard.

 

[Mistwell]

Leather Armor gives arcane spell failure. You sure you want to go that route?

There is a great Dwarf Wizard PRC in the Races of Stone book. You might check that out and consider it as you level up.

 

[Infiniti2000]

well, what do you all think?

I think three things. (1) 42 point-buy is craziness. (2) Your owl gets Alertness due to the errata that weapon finesse is a bonus feat. Note that weapon finesse applies to all weapons, so you don't need to specify the claws (unless you are using 3.0 rules). (3) Reconsider the armor due to arcane spell failure and in particular the fact that you have mage armor prepared.

 

[Angerland]

I think three things. (1) 42 point-buy is craziness. (2) Your owl gets Alertness due to the errata that weapon finesse is a bonus feat. Note that weapon finesse applies to all weapons, so you don't need to specify the claws (unless you are using 3.0 rules). (3) Reconsider the armor due to arcane spell failure and in particular the fact that you have mage armor prepared.

I don't know about 42 points. The stats I rolled with my group were what I used, then modified by the Dwarf racial bonus. I am keeping the leather armor until I can afford to buy amulets, rings, bracres etc.... I only have a few spells and our group is notoriuos for being deadly to low level characters...not intentionally mind you it. For instance we had a 75% part kill by a brown bear and a 1st level Orc fighter, we were all 3rd level. I am fairly confident what with the failure only being 10%. As far as Mage Armor and Leather Armor....yeah more AC is always better. So both me AND my owl get awareness? I pretty much just copied the owl out of the Monster Manual so that's why claws is specified there. I apreciate the comments though. I am now finishing up his background if anyone is even moderately interested.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

I don't know about 42 points. The stats I rolled with my group were what I used, then modified by the Dwarf racial bonus.

What rolling method did you use (Just out of curiosity, not that I am arguing). Because what Infiniti is aluding to is if you had used the point-buy method (DMG p. 169). And it works out to a 42-point buy ... high powered games are considered 32-point buy. So it was Infiniti's way of saying "nice stats." I'm curious if you did:

3d6 (in which case very nice rolls)
4d6 drop lowest (in which case still nice rolls
5d6 drop lowest 2 (in which case they are still nice, but much more understandable than lucky

or some other method ... just curious more than anything else!

 

[Infiniti2000]

And it works out to a 42-point buy ... high powered games are considered 32-point buy. So it was Infiniti's way of saying "nice stats."

Yes, that's exactly what I mean and I put in an emoticon to show that I was not trying to get on your case about it. My current cleric was rolled and has high stats and basically because of him, I've adopted a 28 point buy and will never go back to rolling.

As far as Mage Armor and Leather Armor....yeah more AC is always better.

Mage armor and leather armor do not stack. Having mage armor on you renders your leather armor completely worthless. The only purpose of the leather is (1) in case you get surprised without mage armor, and (2) make it such that every tenth spell you attempt to cast is lost instead. Get rid of the leather armor.

So both me AND my owl get awareness? I pretty much just copied the owl out of the Monster Manual so that's why claws is specified there.

As I pointed out, the errata for the Monster Manual gave a number of animals (the owl included) additional feats. The reason is that they don't qualify for weapon finesse and thus weapon finesse must be a racial bonus feat. The owl gets Alertness as its feat, and Weapon Finesse as a racial bonus feat.

 

[Parlan]

The only purpose of the leather is ... (2) make it such that every tenth spell you attempt to cast is lost instead. Get rid of the leather armor.

And Murphy's Law being what it is, you know that you're going to fail it whenever you most need the spell!!

OTOH, maybe you're just less risk adverse than I am. I f you like living dangerously then go for it. I think what most people are noticing tho is that

1. Losing even one or two spells is a SERIOUS decrease in pwoer when you only have 3 or 4.

2. Mages stay AWAY from combat. If you have to tell the DM you're AC, you ain't doing it right.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

2. Mages stay AWAY from combat. If you have to tell the DM you're AC, you ain't doing it right.

I will second that at low levels. Especially at low levels. If you ever have to tell the DM your AC and you haven't multiclassed into a fight/mage PrC or something like that, you are doing it wrong.

Now ... some mages do go with Eldritch Knight, Spellsword, or some other PrC that makes it okay for a mage to get involved in combat. But yeah, in general, having your AC be accurately reflected on your character sheet should not be one of your higher concerns, because you don't want that number to come up that often!

 

[Sejs]

Looks pretty good.

Ditch Point-Blank Shot and pick up Improved Initiative.

For a wizard, the ability to go first in a fight is the gift that keeps on giving.