Well that didn't take long, wizard has been shelved.

[Nail]

My wizard was lame. Samarak RIP.
I'll tell you why:

My 18 INT made it very difficult to hit any creatures. Wizard needs a 20 INT, +4 to hit was not enough. Kobolds have a 14 to 16 REF and that made me need a 10 or 12 to hit. If I got a flurry of good rolls I am sure I would have done fine, I didn't, I could not hit the broad side of a barn.

FWIW:
The entire system - for every PC class - is based around the premise that you need (about) a 10 to hit. That premise is for all levels, 1st thru 30th.

Your problem wasn't yer Wiz. It was yer dice.

 

[DracoSuave]

*sigh*

The two strongest control at-wills the wizard have both target fortitude. Brutes(which you will get a lot of and want to slow and push a lot) have high fortitude.

Ill let the rest be implicit.

Shame that you have -two- at-wills just so you don't have all your eggs in one defense basket.

I hate repeating myself, but I will for you, so you can absorb the meat of what I am saying. Take Illusory Ambush as your second power. Now you're hitting the brute's two primary weaknesses, Will defense, and their already below-average attack bonuses. That's like following Christmas with another Christmas.


Sadrik:

You might have had better luck if you didn't take Scorching Burst -and- Magic Missile as your at-wills. Neither of them add on juicy effects that mitigate damage to the party, or enable easier damage to them, and both target Reflex. Those same critters tend to have 2-4 less on their Fort and Will saves (for the most part) so that 10 or better just became 6 or better.

Not to mention, Thunderwave has the added benefit of throwing the monsters together, collecting them for more Thunderwave AoE goodness. Thunderwave, actionpoint, Daily AoE is not a bad way to spend your turn.

 

[Nail]

Take Illusory Ambush as your second power...

That's from Dragon Mag, right?

If so: Please keep in mind that's not "core", and not accepted by many DMs. Me, for instance.

 

[Goumindong]

Shame that you have -two- at-wills just so you don't have all your eggs in one defense basket.

Good holy lord, Thunderwave and Ray of Frost are not the same freaking power. You have two freaking at wills and if you choose both of these, both being the heaviest control and lowest damage/range you will be hitting fortitude and only fortitude.

So its a shame that they are both against fort? Why because taking them both synergizes really well, and many people don't care as much for damage, or being a leader(attack penalties are leader qualities), or using crap from Dragon magazine, but do care about having strong control.

 

[Sadrik]

FWIW:
The entire system - for every PC class - is based around the premise that you need (about) a 10 to hit. That premise is for all levels, 1st thru 30th.

Your problem wasn't yer Wiz. It was yer dice.

Oh, cool now I know, I'll just throw out my dice.

This is why I needed a 20 INT, so I could hit more often.

 

[Danceofmasks]

Blame the dice. Then use munchkin masterwork dice.

Personally, I hate dice. They have something against me.
That's why I prefer auto damage whenever possible.
Flaming sphere FTW.

 

[Nifft]

Did someone cast Sarcastic Ambush in here? (I mean all of you, in specific.)

- - -

Anyway, about getting better than even odds on hitting:

1/ Be a Tiefling. Int bonus allows a 20 (if you insist), but Hellfire Blood gives you a nice +1 to hit with half the spells you'd take anyway. Oh, and you get Infernal Wrath once per encounter, too: that's like a free, mini Wand of Accuracy. Fun Size if you will.

2/ Target Will. It's often two points lower than Reflex. Illusory Ambush and all those nice Dragon #364 spells to the rescue; Color Spray if they're not available.

3/ Get Combat Advantage. You can't Flank, but you can set up an attack to follow the Rogue's Blinding Barrage.

Cheers, -- N

 

[Sadrik]

You might have had better luck if you didn't take Scorching Burst -and- Magic Missile as your at-wills. Neither of them add on juicy effects that mitigate damage to the party, or enable easier damage to them, and both target Reflex. Those same critters tend to have 2-4 less on their Fort and Will saves (for the most part) so that 10 or better just became 6 or better.

Not to mention, Thunderwave has the added benefit of throwing the monsters together, collecting them for more Thunderwave AoE goodness. Thunderwave, actionpoint, Daily AoE is not a bad way to spend your turn.

How did you know I had MM too?

I was human though and had a third at-will power, thunderwave. Never used it because, I never got close enough until I got charged by a bunch of guys and got killed right out flat.

It is pretty sad the state of the most iconic (imho) d&d class is in.

I won't completely throw the towel in though on it.

I am going to try a teifling wizard with a 20 INT and Hellfire Blood feat scorching burst and flaming sphere. I think this is the best way to actually "hit" with a wizard.

 

[Sadrik]

1/ Be a Tiefling. Int bonus allows a 20 (if you insist), but Hellfire Blood gives you a nice +1 to hit with half the spells you'd take anyway. Oh, and you get Infernal Wrath once per encounter, too: that's like a free, mini Wand of Accuracy. Fun Size if you will.

We are on the same page. Sarcasm is great, the horror.

 

[Scholar & Brutalman]

How did you know I had MM too?

I was human though and had a third at-will power, thunderwave. Never used it because, I never got close enough until I got charged by a bunch of guys and got killed right out flat.

It is pretty sad the state of the most iconic (imho) d&d class is in.

It sounds like I have pretty much the same wizard: 18 Int, MM, Scorching Burst and Thunderwave as my at-wills. I'm having no problems slaughtering kobolds.