Ways to cast in armor

[CrimsonWineGlass]

I'm currently rolling up a wizard and I would like to be able to cast in light armor. Are there any feats, alternate class abilities, items, enchantments, spells or similar that would allow this?

 

[blargney the second]

Battle sorcerer from Unearthed Arcana
Duskblade from PHB2
Complete Mage(?) has a fighter alternate class feature that lets you cast in armor
Spellsword from Comp Warrior lets you ignore some ASF

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

There's the Battle sorcerer in Unearthed Arcana-d8, better BAB, armoured casting, slightly fewer spells & slower progression.

There are some feats in Races of Stone if I remember correctly though it's one of the books I never got.

 

[CrimsonWineGlass]

I was hoping to avoid multiclassing if possible :\ anything that wouldn't require that?

 

[useridunavailable]

Probably not at first level, but there is the "Twilight" armor property (+1 property), which reduces arcane spell failure by 10%. Otherwise, I think you're out of luck unless you multiclass. Perhaps you could work with your DM on a custom alternative class feature?

Edit: Also, there's the problem of the wizard's nonproficiency with any armor...

 

[rgard]

In addition to the ones others have mentioned...

1. Beguiler (PHB2)
2. Urban Savant PrC (Cityscape, I think)
3. Dread Necromancer (Heroes of Horror)

There is another in one of the latter Dragon issues that does something similar to the Complete Mage one.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

Get light armor proficiency and a mithril twilight chain shirt ... otherwise you need class features available to other classes.

 

[rgard]

I was hoping to avoid multiclassing if possible :\ anything that wouldn't require that?

The one level of Spellsword or Urban Savant won't be too nasty of a multi-class. Both have +1 level of spellcasting at the first level of the PrC.

To pick up the armor proficiency without losing a level of spellcasting, take one level of the Dragon Slayer PrC in the Draconomicon. Though I think you need Endurance or some similarly wasteful (with regards to spellcasting) feat. I don't have the book handy, so I don't know for certain.

Oh, and forgot Warmage from the Miniatures Handbook and Complete Arcane. That gets you the light armor proficiency and no ASF.

All that said, my favorite for casting in armor is the Battle Sorcerer.

Thanks again,
Rich

 

[nittanytbone]

Doesn't Mage Armor (+4 to AC) provide the same benefit as a Chain Shirt and last all day?

And Greater Mage Armor provides a +6 bonus...

 

[NightCrawler]

Why dont you try Warmage (complete arcane)??