Wizard class feats recommendations?

[Dingleberry]

I'm playing an elven wizard, domain variant (evocation). Her background is almost exclusively academic, but she's enjoying her current "field research" adventuring with a war cleric and a minotaur barbarian.

She's just hitting Wiz5. I've never played a wizard before, so I'm looking for recommendations for her 5th level class feat. Her current feats are Scribe Scroll (class), Collegiate Wizard (from Complete Arcane), and Spell Focus (evocation). I don't know if she'll eventually head for a prestige class - the only real contenders character-wise are Archmage and Loremaster. It's an Eberron campaign, so magic items are pretty easy to come by if you have the gold - but I'm still leaning toward a creation feat like Craft Wand or Craft Wondrous Item because they're always going to be useful. In your experience, is the gp savings worth it in the long run? Is Wondrous Item a better choice than Wand just for the variety available?

The standard metamagic feats appear to require a lot of cost (higher level spell slots) for the *chance* of being really useful (e.g., Silent Spell only helps if you run into a silence spell, Still Spell only helps if she gets immobilized). Why not just use metamagic rods, or have a few key metamagicked scrolls? The "Sudden" metamagic feats in Complete Arcane look like they'd be better in a pinch - how do y'all like them in practice?

Spell Mastery also seems like a big trade-off for something that might never come into play.

Thoughts from the collective?

 

[Herzog]

Lost my first version, so I'll give you the cliffnotes:

Only take Item Creation if it fits your character. Your DM needs to provide time and money. Your current experiences with scribe scroll should be an indication. In my experience (and I play an artificer in an Eberron game) in the long run buying magic items is more efficient.

If you do take item creation feats, remember that some of them have spell level restricitons (like potions and wands)
Wondrous Items are the most versatile, and you get to make more powerful items as you rise in level. Again, check with your DM what the limitations are. If you only get the DMG ones, and no custom items, buying them is probably a better option. If you are allowed items from the Magic Item Compendium, or from some Eberron source books, it might be worth it.

With Metamagic Feats: remember that a spell without somatic components or a Stilled Spell does not give you Arcane Spell Failure. Interesting if you are planning to wear armor at some time.
Also, being able to cast spells without sound might be handy during stealth missions, although your party makeup makes those unlikely.

Energy substitution(CArc) may come in handy for casting cold versions of your fireball at a red dragon.
For a nice list of feats, including metamagic feats, look at crystal keep: http://www.crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Feats.pdf

Then, there's the racial substitution level for the Elven Wizard at lvl 5 (races of the wild), which allows you to take an archery feat instead.

As a last option, you could try to convince your DM to let you take a Reserve Feat instead of a Metamagic feat. But there's no rulebase for that.....

 

[Flatus Maximus]

The standard metamagic feats appear to require a lot of cost (higher level spell slots) for the *chance* of being really useful (e.g., Silent Spell only helps if you run into a silence spell, Still Spell only helps if she gets immobilized). Why not just use metamagic rods, or have a few key metamagicked scrolls? The "Sudden" metamagic feats in Complete Arcane look like they'd be better in a pinch - how do y'all like them in practice?

I'm personally not a fan of item creation feats, but realize they are necessary in certain campaigns. Yours doesn't sound like one of those campaigns, so I'd skip them. I am, however, a big fan of Sculpt Spell with AoE spells. Only +1 spell level, which if you just can't stand paying, you can take Metamagic School Focus for free use of the feat 3/day. If you're immobilized and can't do the somatic parts of your spells, then you can't use a Still Rod either (do those even exist?). On the other hand, Silent Spell can be replaced with a rod just fine. I would never take the Sudden X feats simply because you only get to (maybe) use them once per day.

 

[blargney the second]

As a last option, you could try to convince your DM to let you take a Reserve Feat instead of a Metamagic feat. But there's no rulebase for that.....

Actually, you can. Last paragraph of the Reserve Feat description in Complete Mage, p37: "A wizard can take a reserve feat as her bonus feat at 5th, [etc] level in place of a metamagic or item creation feat."

There are some great reserve feats out there...

 

[Herzog]

Good catch!
forgot about that....

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

If you have Complete Champion, the spontaneous divination casting alternate class feature is a no-brainer, IMO. Especially if you have access to Spell Compendium.

The Sudden Metamagic feats suck unless you have VERY short adventuring days.

I like energy substitution (anything but fire) for a metamagic feat, though you need another first (I suggest Heighten, Extend, Sculpt, or Empower).

Reserve feats are awesome. The best attack one, IMO, is Acidic Splatter, combined with energy sub. (acid). The best, overall, is Minor Shapechange (not available till level 9).

Item creation wise, I like wondrous the best. Especially when splatbook items are open for creating. I think wand making loses some usefulness because you already get scribe scroll. There won't be too many support spells you need in mass quantity that the cost savings becomes worth it for wands. Again, all IMO.

 

[Raduin711]

Kind of an aside; when it comes to scrolls, that feat is best used for spells that are useful, but you don't want to prepare them daily (or ever) but would be nice to whip out when the situation calls for it. For instance, See Invisibility. Not something you would want to prepare every day (unless your dm is a bastard and likes to throw invisible foes at you constantly) but if a foe ever does go invisible, you will have the scroll on hand, and oh how smart you will look. ;]

 

[Runestar]

Spell mastery is really only useful if your DM allows the uncanny forethought feat from exemplars of evil (which lets you spontaneously cast any of your mastered spells as a standard action, or any spell you know as a full-round action, int mod times a day). Otherwise, it is pretty much dead weight.

Alacritous cogitation from complete mage lets you spontaneously cast any spell you know 1/day. Somewhat limiting, but can still be useful for accessing that one situational spell you absolutely need to turn the tide of battle.

 

[Ycore Rixle]

Another vote for Reserve Feats here. I also have a soft spot for Arcane Thesis from the PHB2, especially in this case since the flavor fits well with your academic character's background.

 

[insanogeddon]

Evoker eh???
Elf eh ??????
Eh eh???????

Check Elf substitution levels in 'races of the wild'
Check "Master Specialist" prestige class in 'Complete Mage' (lev 10 rules)
Check "Craft Contingent Item" in 'Complete Arcane' (your relying on a friendly dm to live if you don't have this.
Check "Flash Frost" and "Burning... feats in 'PH 2' for terrain control nukes
Check the Fire feats in 'sandstorm' to burn the unburnable