Warmage's 3rd-level Advanced Learning = Craptastic?

[Felon]

Got a warmage that's approaching 3rd-level. He gets to add a brand 1st-level new evocation spell to his list. I pull out my trusty Spell Compendium and PHBII and find...really nothing of interest.

That was my experience. Has anyone here found any 1st-level evocation spells that make a better choice than, say, floating disc?

 

[Thanee]

Hey, in my PnP game, the Warmage was quite happy about Tenser's Floating Disc on various occasions.

But yeah, that's about the only useful spell choice there...

Bye
Thanee

 

[Question]

Yep its craptastic.

 

[Andras]

PHBII also has a Eclectic Learning option for warmages that widens your choice of spells on page 67.

 

[Question]

At +1 spell level.

 

[JoelF]

There's a 1st level evocation in the spell compendium (which I don't own), called something like thunderhead which creates a mini thundercloud over the target and zaps him with lightning for next to no damage for multiple rounds. This is actually not such a bad choice for warmages, since if you cast it on a target you know goes invisible or hides, it effectively locates them for the whole party.

 

[kerbarian]

Got a warmage that's approaching 3rd-level. He gets to add a brand 1st-level new evocation spell to his list. I pull out my trusty Spell Compendium and PHBII and find...really nothing of interest.

That was my experience. Has anyone here found any 1st-level evocation spells that make a better choice than, say, floating disc?

Blood Wind (SC) is a great spell if anyone in the party uses natural attacks (e.g. a monk, or, at higher levels, anyone using polymorph). Unfortunately, it wouldn't be of use to the warmage himself, and it wouldn't really start mattering until levels when full attacks are much more powerful than single attacks.

 

[pawsplay]

Magic missile. It never misses, it affects incorporeal. For all your spellcaster interrupting needs... magic missile!

And by the way... advanced learning can be very handy at later levels, if you space out your warmage levels with something that gives caster progression. You can then pick a higher level spell.

 

[Glyfair]

The PHB II has Bigby's Tripping Hand, which gives him some options the Warmage doesn't usually have. Luminous Gaze from the Spell Compendium dazes everyone within 20' (as well as providing light), so it's an interesting choice as well.

I'll also second the Eclectic Learning option from the PHB II. While taking a non-evocation 0 level wizard spell as a 1st level spell may seem poor, it does open up some options for the warmage. For example, Detect Magic as a 1st level spell isn't that bad when the warmage is the only arcane caster in the party.

Given the very narrow options in the warmage's spell list, I think adding options is the best focus. Almost every spell is a variation on blasting something. Anything different is a bonus, thus Tenser's Floating Disc isn't that bad an option.

Magic missile. It never misses, it affects incorporeal. For all your spellcaster interrupting needs... magic missile!

Warmages already have magic missile.

 

[Shayuri]

Yeah, but warmages get that anyway.

Floating Disc is pretty good. If you can use Spell Compendium, there's also Persistant Blade (nice to flank with), Ice Dagger (gets a little AoE in), and Guiding Light (+2 to hit with ranged attacks on subject).

It's not TOO shabby. But it seems like Spell Compendium is something a lot of GM's don't invest in. :-(