Wizard Tips?

[green slime]

Sleep, Colour Spray.

Utility and defensive spells are better placed on scrolls, and later on wands, IMO.

At low levels, you do have an enormous potential to swing a tough battle with the above two spells.

There are many disadvantages to placing offensive spells on scrolls; amongst other things, you lose the important scaling effects. At 5th level, you don't really care if the shield scroll lasts 1 minute or 5 minutes, but if the magic missile deals 1d4+1 or 3d4+3...

 

[Dakkareth]

Well, since 3.5e staff's use the wielder's caster level and DC (or is that some variant rule I misremember?), so staffs are the superior choice for spells, where it really matters.

 

[Victim]

Well, since 3.5e staff's use the wielder's caster level and DC (or is that some variant rule I misremember?), so staffs are the superior choice for spells, where it really matters.

You're right. I was unaware of that rule. Oops.

 

[Saeviomagy]

Always have:
Some spells that ignore SR
Some spells that target fort, some that target ref and some that target will
some spells that are area effect
some spells that are single target
an empty slot at each level (unless this would cause you to not have any memorised spells at that level)

and when you can get them:
magic missile
glitterdust (monster difficult to see? Glitterdust! And it's no SR blinding is great)
false life
scorching ray
haste
mirror image (THE defensive spell)
teleport (or some other mass-escape spell)
Summon monster IV or better (this is where the stuff you can summon starts having genuine utility)

I'd suggest never using mage armour. Try not to be a good target. Take cover. Hide behind the front lines and stick to the middle of the party. At low levels mage armour doesn't last long enough to be worth it, and at high levels it can't make enough of a difference.

Scrolls are great for spells which combine the following attributes:
1. They are rarely used - you don't want to be constantly burning scrolls, get a wand instead if the spell is used all the time
2. They are essential for a situation - if something else on your list will do, then you don't need a scroll of it.
3. When they are needed, they are needed NOW - for other utility spells, you've got empty slots

A good example would be resist energy:
1. Unless you know ahead of time, you'll not be expecting an energy-based critter.
2. Resist energy makes the difference between horrible burning death and a little bit of damage.
3. It's a combat usage, so you can't call a time-out mid-combat.

 

[Sado]

All this talk about scribe scroll got me curious, so I read the feat description. It says the cost to scribe a scroll is 25gp x spell level x caster level. What exactly is the difference between spell level and caster level? If it's what I think it is, a 10th level wizard scribing a 1st level spell would have to pay twice as much as a less experienced 5th level wizard. This doesn't seem right. Shouldn't the higher level wizard have an easier time of it?

And if it cost XP every time you scribe a scroll, then the more you scribe the slower you advance. It seems like scribing scrolls should give you experience (since you are practicing magic) instead of taking it away.

Am I reading this wrong?

 

[Haffrung Helleyes]

wizard prep

You should prepare spells that

1) are offensive and have a save DC
2) are greatly enhanced by high caster level
3) which you may need to cast in a situation where you can't retrieve a scroll

You should not prepare spells that
1) you can put on a scroll or in a wand cheaply, without reduced effect
2) you use infrequently

I think Sleep and Color Spray are the best first level spells until you're 5th level, at which point I'd switch out these for magic missiles.

at second level, I'd memorize glitterdust, blindness, and possibly mirror image. If you want to do direct damage flaming sphere is good since it's free damage for many rounds with just a MEA.

at third level you want fireball, and dispel magic

at 4th level there are many choices, but you can't go wrong with improved invisibility and dimension door

at 5th level teleport and wall of force and dominate person

Ken

 

[Mark]

...a 10th level wizard scribing a 1st level spell would have to pay twice as much as a less experienced 5th level wizard.

And all variables in the spell tied to the level of the caster are as 10th as opposed to 5th, in that case.

 

[Kershek]

A wand of Melf's Acid Arrow is great for so many reasons:

• No save
• No spell resistance
• Long range
• Ongoing damage across multiple rounds (good against casters to trigger concentration checks)
• Can do it multiple times and have multiple continuing acid arrow affects going off each round.
• Great against far away low-dex creatures like dragons flying around.

 

[glass]

All this talk about scribe scroll got me curious, so I read the feat description. It says the cost to scribe a scroll is 25gp x spell level x caster level. What exactly is the difference between spell level and caster level? If it's what I think it is, a 10th level wizard scribing a 1st level spell would have to pay twice as much as a less experienced 5th level wizard. This doesn't seem right. Shouldn't the higher level wizard have an easier time of it?

The tenth level caster can make a 5th level scroll if he wants, and pay the 5th level price. If he does, range, damage, duraction etc will befor a 5th level caster (ie 5d6 for a fireball).


glass.

 

[Voadam]

All this talk about scribe scroll got me curious, so I read the feat description. It says the cost to scribe a scroll is 25gp x spell level x caster level. What exactly is the difference between spell level and caster level? If it's what I think it is, a 10th level wizard scribing a 1st level spell would have to pay twice as much as a less experienced 5th level wizard. This doesn't seem right. Shouldn't the higher level wizard have an easier time of it?

And if it cost XP every time you scribe a scroll, then the more you scribe the slower you advance. It seems like scribing scrolls should give you experience (since you are practicing magic) instead of taking it away.

Am I reading this wrong?

Lots of low level scrolls would be cheap.

You can set the caster level anywhere from the minimum needed to cast the spell (i.e. 1 for a 1st level spell) to your current caster level and have it cost based on that assigned caster level and have an effect like that. So a knock scroll should generally be made at the minimum of 3rd level caster for wizards while fireball and dispel magic scrolls might want more than the minimum 5th level caster level.