Wizard Build Suggestions (PHB ONLY!)

[Elric]

IMHO Wintertouched is just like Distant Advantage: it's a feat you should discuss with your party.

If the Rogue and the Fighter both have Frost weapons, all three of you should take Wintertouched + Lasting Frost, since the probability of Wintertouched being useful skyrockets when there are multiple sources for vulnerability.

Cheers, -- N

Huh? You need to take a Frost Weapon/cold powers as well for the feats to do any good!

Wintertouched
Benefit: When attacking a creature that is vulnerable to cold, you gain combat advantage when you use a power that has the cold keyword.

Lasting Frost
Benefit: Any target you hit with a power that has the cold keyword gains vulnerable cold 5 until the end
of your next turn.

 

[MadLordOfMilk]

Huh? You need to take a Frost Weapon/cold powers as well for the feats to do any good!

The more people applying Lasting Frost (and thus enabling Wintertouched), the better. Especially because one miss makes you lose out on it for the next turn, but your allies applying it saves you from that worry.

 

[Elric]

The more people applying Lasting Frost (and thus enabling Wintertouched), the better. Especially because one miss makes you lose out on it for the next turn, but your allies applying it saves you from that worry.

Yes, I am aware of that. However, this implies a recommendation for "Wintertouched + Lasting Frost + a Frost weapon." Perhaps Nifft's recommendation of those feats should be seen to imply "and a Frost Weapon/cold powers as well"; if not, I wanted to point out that those feats would be of no benefit without it.

 

[tiornys]

I keep hearing this, yet despite having actually built several warlords, the only noteworthy use of basic attacks have all been basic melees in my experience. Could you give an example where Magic Missile could be used?

Hail of Steel has already been mentioned, but here are most of the other Warlord powers that can grant a basic attack (ranged or melee) or a ranged basic attack:
Brash Assault (at-will)
Concentrated Attack (D1)
Lead by Example (D1)
Provoke Overextension (E7)
Surprise Attack (E7)
Stay on Target (D9)
Unified in Blood (E13)
Ventured Gains (E13)
War Master's Assault (D15)
Warlord's Gambit (D15)
Exhorted Counterattack (D19)
Unleash Hell (D19)
Victory Surge (D19)
Bloodthirsty Offensive (UD22)
Rush of Battle (UD22)
Blood Begets Blood (E23)
Relentless Assault (D25)
Stir the Hornet's Nest (D25)
Warlord's Indignation (E27)
Abrupt Skirmish (E27)
Deific Rallying (D29)
Flawless Snare (D29)

Now, a lot of these are overshadowed by other options (L1 dailys vs. Lead the Attack, etc.), but Provoke Overextension, Surprise Attack, Warmaster's Assault, Hail of Steel, Victory Surge, Rush of Battle, Relentless Assault, and Warlord's Indignation are among the best choices at their levels.

t~

 

[Nifft]

Huh? You need to take a Frost Weapon/cold powers as well for the feats to do any good!

Yes, no kidding.

My point is one step beyond that: your expected benefit from Cold attacks (+ Wintertouched) is based on the chance that someone with Lasting Frost hit your chosen target with a Cold attack last round.

This is something 3.x people aren't used to thinking about, because the rest of the party didn't previously matter. In 4e, party composition affects your PC's effectiveness quite a bit.

Cheers, -- N