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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Fedifensor" data-source="post: 4357688" data-attributes="member: 7289">Originally posted on the WotC boards - those boards are so unreliable that I thought I'd repost it here.  I'm still fine-tuning the idea, and feedback is welcome.----------The Iron Mage (WotST build) (or, Who Says Staff Wizards Are Useless?)Race: HumanClass: Wizard/Wizard of the Spiral Tower/DemigodSize: MediumSpeed: 6 squaresStrength: 13, 15 at 11th level, 16 at 21st levelConstitution: 13, 15 at 11th level, 18 at 21st levelDexterity: 8Intelligence: 18+2 = 20 base, 23 at 11th level, 28 at 21st level, 30 at 28th levelWisdom: 10, 11 at 11th level, 12 at 21st level, 14 at 28th levelCharisma: 10, 11 at 11th level, 14 at 21st levelHit Points: 23 base, 75 at 11th level, 123 at 21st level, 159 at 30th levelHealing surges: 7 base, 8 at 11th level, 10 at 21st level.Healing surge value: 5 base, 18 at 11th level, 30 at 21st level, 39 at 30th levelAC:  19 base (hide armor, Int bonus, staff of defense), 30 at 11th level (add +3 hide armor, longsword implement for staff, heavy shield, armor specialization, level modifier), 40 at 21st level (add +5 darkhide armor), 50 at 30th level (add +6 barkskin elderhide armor, also gain +4 degradable AC as daily). Add +1 to AC for levels 21 and 30 when next to a wall (for AC 41 at 21st, and AC 51 at 30th).Fortitude: 12 base, 21 at 11th level (add +3 amulet), 31 at 21st level (add +5 amulet), 38 at 30th level (add +6 amulet)Reflex: 16 base, 27 at 11th level (add +3 amulet, heavy shield), 38 at 21st level (add +5 amulet), 46 at 30th level (add +6 amulet)Will: 13 base, 21 at 11th level (add +3 amulet), 29 at 21st level (add +5 amulet), 37 at 30th level (add +6 amulet).Weapon (from 11th onward): Longsword (functions as staff implement, 1d8 damage, +3 proficiency)Ranged Weapon: Magic MissileAttack Bonus (Int-based powers): +5 base, +14 at 11th level (with +3 longsword), +24 at 21st level (with +5 longsword), +31 at 30th level (with +6 longsword). Add +3 for The One Sword, +7 for Corellon's Blade.Trained Skills: Arcana, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering, History, ReligionFeats:Armor Proficiency (Leather) (1st)Armor Proficiency (Hide) (human bonus)Toughness (2nd)Human Perseverance (4th)Skill Focus: Arcana (6th)Improved Initiative (8th)Weapon Proficiency: Longsword (10th)Shield Proficiency: Light (11th)Shield Proficiency: Heavy (retrain Improved Initiative, 11th)Armor Specialization: Hide (12th)Psychic Lock (retrain Skill Focus: Arcana, 12th)Solid Sound (14th)Back to the Wall (16th)Action Recovery (18th)Great Fortitude (20th)Spell Focus (21st)Lightning Reflexes (21th)Arcane Mastery (24st)Epic Resurgence (26nd)Spell Accuracy (28th)Iron Will (30th)At-Will Powers:Scorching Burst (for AoE at-will damage)Magic Missile (for Solid Sound, Cloud of Daggers would also work)Illusory Ambush (for the -2 to hit on a foe, from Dragon #364)Encounter Powers:Icy Terrain (1st)Fire Shroud (3rd)Enemies Abound (7th, from Dragon #364)The One Sword (11th, Wizard of the Spiral Tower power)Prismatic Burst (13th, replaces Icy Terrain)Ice Tomb (17th, replaces Fire Shroud)Acid Storm (23rd, replaces Enemies Abound)Forcecage (27th, replaces Ice Tomb)Daily Powers:Flaming Sphere or Phantom Chasm (1st)Web or Stinking Cloud (5th)Mordenkainen's Sword or Wall of Fire (9th)Bigby's Grasping Hands or Wall of Ice (15th, replaces Flaming Sphere)Acid Wave or Evard's Black Tentacles (19th, replaces Web)Corellon's Blade (20th, Wizard of the Spiral Tower power)Elemental Maw or Prismatic Spray (25th, replaces Mordenkainen's Sword)Legion's Hold or Greater Ice Swarm (29th, replaces Acid Wave)Utility Powers:Shield or Expeditious Retreat (2nd)Dispel Magic or Dimension Door (6th)Blur or Arcane Gate (10th)Shape the Dream (12th, Wizard of the Spiral Tower power)Displacement or Stoneskin (16th)Mass Fly or Mordenkainen's Mansion (22nd)Divine Regeneration (26th, Demigod power)Notes:The Iron Mage is primarily designed for a high armor class. At level 1, he has an AC just as good as a front-line sword-and-board fighter. At level 30, he has a 50 AC, and can increase that AC multiple times per day (to 52 with Blur, or 54 with Barkskin Armor). Back to the Wall will give a further +1 to AC. In addition, the Iron Mage has two separate interrupt actions to improve AC that are each usable once per encounter. The first is Staff Implement Mastery (+4 to all defenses, untyped), and the second is Shield (+4 to AC and Reflex defense, doesn't stack with Blur or Barkskin Armor). In the event an attack hits, Displacement can be used once per encounter to force the attacker to reroll (great when Barkskin Armor is running). Finally, the Illusory Ambush power in combination with Psychic Lock can give a foe a -4 on its next attack roll.The other defenses aren't quite as strong, and the weakest defense of the Iron Mage is not Fortitude, but Will. However, the Iron Mage has multiple powers to raise defenses or force a reroll (Shield, Displacement, Blur, Staff Implement Mastery) and can use Illusory Ambush (with Psychic Lock) to lower a foe's attack roll until the end of his next turn. He can also use Magic Missile or other force powers to gain +2 to any one non-AC defense (from Solid Sound). Versus Will attacks, the Iron Mage can also use Shape the Dream once per day to completely negate one attack.Finally, versus damage and conditions that end on a save, the Iron Mage has both Human Perseverance and Action Recovery to shake off the most detrimental effects.As a variant, the Iron Mage can forgo the Demigod bonuses to take Archmage in the Epic tier. This will lower his AC by 1 (due to a lower Intelligence), but he can use the 21st level ability to cast Blur twice per day, or even use the 30th level ability to have Blur available for every encounter (giving a near-constant +2 to all defenses).</blockquote>

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