Need advice on making a Transmuter Wizard...

[RigaMortus]

I'm making a specialist Wizard who will be a Transmuter for the current campaign. I want to primarily make him a "buffer" with spells like Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, etc. I would like some kick-butt magic (ie Fireball) and maybe protective magic (ie Shield) as secondary, but I'm not sure what school(s) I will make forbidden. I will be starting at 4th level, but the rest of the party is already in their 5th and 6th levels. My scores are pretty good. I don't have them with me at the moment but they are mostly in the 13 to 15 range, with one score being a 17. The 17 of course will be going in Intel.

We are allowed to use the splat books as well as Forgotten Realms feats, spells, PrCs. I plan on being a Sun Elf and taking the Spell Casting Prodigy feat. We can also equip oursleves with magic items based on what our character wealth would be.

Beyond all that, I don't know what spells, feats, path I should take. Any advice on which school(s) I should make forbidden? Any cool tactics to look for?

Any and all advice would be appreciated.

 

[bret]

Since you are already looking to major in buffing spells and are one level back from the others, consider becoming a Spellsword from T&B.

Start with one of your current levels being in fighter. That will give you a few more hit points at the cost of waiting an extra level for your top spells. You continue advancing as a Transmuter until you qualify for Spellsword.


For feats, three jump out as possibilities: Brew Potion, Extend Spell and Still Spell. There is always someone ready to buy a Cat's Grace or Bull's Strength potion. Many of the buffing spells have long durations, but with extend spell they can last all day. The Still Spell would allow you to cast spells while in armor.

I did not put in Spell Focus: Transmutation because you really don't need that until you can cast 4th level spells. Until then, the spells don't really force saving throws.

As for prohibited school, you have the following choices:

1. Conjuration
2. Evocation
3. Enchantment and Illusion (you already mentioned wanting Abjuration)
4. Divination, Necromancy, and either Enchantment or Illusion.
   [/list=1]
   
   I would probably drop Enchantment and Illusion, but this depends VERY HEAVILY on your play style. Look through the spell lists and make sure none of them has a spell you consider a must have.
   
   
   Assuming you are taking this route, your equipment should include some light armor (so you can move fast) and a bow or crossbow. Memorize True Strike spells (divination) so that you can hit when it is critical.
   
   
   Last of all, have fun!

 

[Mr Fidgit]

i created a Transmuter when the 3e PH was first released (before the DMG was out), specifically as a magic item creator (arms & armor and wondrous items). my prohibited school was conjuration, which was a HUGE mistake (couldn't create bracers of armor, bags of holding, etc, etc.)

as far as spell support in combat, i didn't miss the conjuration spells at all. my focus were the buff spells and i still had all of the damage dealing evocation spells.

besides, who needs summon monster III when you've got fireball?

so, as long you're not a wondrous items builder, conjuration isn't a bad school to drop.

PrCs - you should look through everything you have available now to see if any PrCs strike your fancy. most wizard PrCs in the FR have feat requirements you'd have to plan for from 1st level. Harper Mage (req. alertness, education, extend spell - 5 level PrC) has a few interesting abilities (like some free extended spells), no loss of spell casting levels and you could qualify at 6th level, if your DM allowed it. the drawback is that you'd be a Harper . Mage Killer also has some interesting abilities (improved saves, free spell focus feats), but don't drop conjuration! Guild Wizard could also be neat, if you're from Waterdeep.

so there's a couple things to think about...

and take bret's advice, have fun!

 

[Saeviomagy]

All I have to say is...
DON'T SPECIALISE!

Really. Don't do it.

It's really lame.

 

[Taren Seeker]

If you want an excellent support/buffer, go 2 fighter (for archery feats) and transmuter with conjuration banned. Really, conj is the school you'll miss the least in every day adventuring. Let the cleric summon the celestial dogs, you've got better things to do. You'll want to keep illusion cause of all the great defensive spells like blur, invis, imp invis and mirror image. Make your dex and Int your primary focuses, and pick up PBS, precise and rapid first. Spellcasting prodigy is also a good choice.

The archery is great because it lets you use most of your spells for utility and buffing, while you can still be very valuable in direct combat. Also, you can do it from far away, preferably overhead due to a fly spell. Since you're hanging back you can also be the rescue man, with a dimension door ready to bail out a party member who gets into trouble. Also get Boots of Speed if you can, and use your hasted action for counterspelling duty.

One of the best spells for you will be Tirumvurel's Energy Spheres when you hit 8th caster level. Being able to deliver an extra 10d4 damage every round with your hasted action is definitely a must. Earlier on, look at using Battering Ram. Not only can you mess up opponents by driving them into hazards, you also will give your buddies the chance to deliver AoO's. Save a Blindness for the enemy wizard, and always pack a slow spell to kill enemy haste or to neuter the big multi attack monster with a crappy Will save.

After that, you can either pick up focus in your bow and go for 4 fighter for specialization, or stay the transmuter track. If you're looking for a pure power PrC? After you hit 9th level Tra. try Sacred Exorcist. Cleric BAB and HPs along with full spell casting make this worth it to supplement your archery, but you also get the handy Det evil ability and favored foe. The favored enemy must be outsiders or undead, and you'll get +1 to SR checks against these critters, which is handy due to your reduced caster level.

As far as feats, as soon as you hit 4th level spells take Empower to up your (few) damage spells and your stat buffs. Next you should look at extend, since you'll be casting a lot of 1 hr/level spells. At high levels (12th caster) look at chain if you have high DC's. The chain GMW can be worth it alone depending on your campaign's magic level and your party makeup. If not, spell girding can be decent since it helps all those buffs stay up under the storm of dispels your DM is likely to throw at you. Also look closely at craft wonderous. Remember that every stat enhancer you make for your group is one less 2 level spell you have to memorize. You'll want a Headband for yourself ASAP as well. If you want to look more at counterspelling, improved counterspell can be really effective, followed by reactive counterspell.

Finally, Scribe scrolls like a fiend. You're the utility guy, so always make sure you've got some extra flys, knocks or det thoughts for those special occasions.

 

[Ridley's Cohort]

I would drop Conjuration. Not being able to make Bags of Holding is inconvenient, but not all that big a deal. Bracers? Why rely on AC at all? Play chicken!

The gaping hole in your spell list if you drop Conjuration is a lack of 'fog' spells and Glitterdust. Those are excellent utility defensive spells for which your lower level won't hamper you. Your higher level comrades won't count on you for offense anyway.

Dropping Conjuration is not a bid deal once you have 4th level spells. Then you can pick up Shadow Conjuration; the flexibility of that spell is amazing. You can never have too many scrolls of Shadow Conjuration.

I like specialization a lot. They are pretty balanced versus Generalists powerwise, but they have a big roleplaying edge IMO.

Feats? Improved Initiative. Extend Spell is great for buffs.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

My advice is the same as the others on some counts, different on others.

First. Do specialize. The power gain is worth what you give up. Conjuration is a reasonable school to lose. You could also give up enchantment and illusion. If you're concerned about giving up glitterdust (IMHO the best second level PH attack and defense spell), web, mage armor, and summoning spells, specialize in abjuration and give up enchantment or divination and give up necromancy. You can almost always use the extra abjuration (shield, prot arrows, dispel magic, stoneskin) or divination (true strike, detect thoughts, clairaudience/clairvoyance). And you can still load up on the transmutation and evocations.

Second. Pick up spell focus and possibly greater spell focus Transmutation, extend spell, and sculpt spell. Contrary to the earlier report, there are a number of very good transmutation spells with saves at levels 1-3 (Burning Hands, Blindness/Deafness, and Slow) and this continues at higher levels (polymorph other, disintegrate). Extend spell is great for buffs and Sculpt spell is wonderful for adjusting the areas of your spells (A sculpted Burning Hands is competitive with third level attack spells until you hit 7th level--use the cone form as it overcomes the limits of burning hands' 10' range).

Third. For armor class, you can find bracers but until then you'll have to rely on shield and cat's grace (and maybe protection from evil). Find yourself a pearl of power or two and make some scrolls of shield. They'll be useful when you're out of spells and your back's against the wall.

Fourth. Don't multiclass and don't bother with spellsword unless you really want to play a combat mage.

Fifth. Put your second highest score into con--if there're two things wizards need they are hit points and fortitude save bonusses.

Sixth. Think about your choice of a familiar. A toad gives you hit points. A raven is an excellent spy (since they can speak one language and look pretty innocuous) and can help a divided party communicate. Owls have good spot and listen scores. A flying familiar can be a big asset if you have a lot of touch range buffs as he can deliver them to your front liners and you don't have to stand next to them.

Seventh. Since you're maxing int out (17+2 (sun elf)+1 (level increase)+2 (effective--spellcasting prodigy)=22 effective int) you might as well spend most of your cash on a headband of intellect +2 which will give you a second bonus third level spell when you hit 5th level and crank your spell DCs through the roof (DC 18 for a first level spell without spell focus--if you got spell focus: transmutation, you could target fighters with blindness/deafness and they'd usually fail the save).

 

[Taren Seeker]

Let me throw a me too on the focus: transmutation feat. You're better off maxing out these DC's rather than evo since the result of a failed transmutation save is usually far more dangerous than an evo.

Slow and Blindness (then poly other and disintegrate) will be a big part of your arsenal.

As for multi classing, I find the added capability particularily useful if your DM is in the habit of throwing lots of encounters at you. It's much easier to conserve spells if you can just fire a couple of arrows. Likewise, if you run out of magic offence completely then you'll always have an option. You just need to decide if 2 spellcasting levels are worth the tradeoff; it's worked extremely well for me.

 

[Bendrig]

Just popping in to add a different opinion qua opposition school selection...

Personally, for my transmuters, I tend to drop evocation. Conjuration has just as many, if not as many direct, damage dealing spells.

And way more utility spells, which are more fun then a single *boom* imho. One more haste for the party fighter can do as much damage as a fireball anyway.

The only spell you'll really miss is contingeny, at later levels.

and spell focus: transmutation will work wonders for the blindness and earn you the gratitude of the rogues.

Fast talk your GM in allowing you to select your familiar for your rogue cohort when you take leadership

 

[Thanee]

I'd also drop Evocation. It's the least useful school, really!

There are plenty Conjuration and Illusion spells, that can do similar, while not being as effective as their Evocation cousins, but still are good enough. Mechthild's (sp?) Acid Breath is a decent 3rd level area effect damage Conjuration spell, for example.

Of course, there's always Shadow Conjuration, so if you really want some flashy Bang spells, just go for it and drop Conjuration.

Since you are behind the others in character level, I'd highly recommend not to multiclass, but going for the pure Wizard route!

About the buffing, there are exactly two must-have feats for you:

Extend Spell
Empower Spell

Extend is useful from about 5th level on (a good choice for your bonus feat), while Empower becomes useful at 7th level and beyond.

Other feats, you could consider:

Spellcasting Prodigy (really one of the best Wizard feats out there)
Spell Focus (Transmutation comes to mind, but Evocation is also great, Enchantment or Illusion are also solid choices)

Bye
Thanee