# Min Max a Wizard



## Crothian (Jan 3, 2009)

We are going to start Age of Worms soon and none of the other five players wants to play a Wizard and I think we will need one.  So, I've decided to not use my original character idea and make a Wizard.  The thing is I've played a lot of Wizards so there is no real concept I'm excited about.  And as a player that never min maxes it occurs to me there are some cool powerful options out there I haven't realized.

Age of Worms is known for being the toughest Adventure Path out there so I want a Wizard that is powerful and equal to the task.  I should be able to use pretty much anything published for 3ed, so what are the most powerful builds out there?


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## StreamOfTheSky (Jan 3, 2009)

It'd really help if you had some kind of idea of what you wanted.  My personal favorite mage build is the Shadowcraft Mage, which gets its main ability at level 10 and caps off at level 12, leaving plenty of room for other prestige classes (and you can do some of Master specialist or others before entering at level 8).  If you want to get downright cheesy/broken about it, at the upper levels, use Arcane Disciple (Luck domain) for the "Miracle trick."  It basically lets you create a shadow illusion of a miracle spell, without any of the costs or actually dealing with the ramifications of asking a deity's help (as it's an illusion).  Build, with all possible fixings, is described here: Shadowcraft Mage Handbook - Wizards Community

If that's not to your liking, I'll just list some generally powerful options:

Abrupt Jaunt (PH2), which conjurors can get for a familiar, is incredibly broken.  Int times per day, immediate action teleport out of harm's way.

[Insert name] (C.Champion) is an alt. class feature for wizards that can be gained instead of a bonus feat at levels 5+.  It allows you to spontaneously drop a prepared spell for a divination spell you know of the same level or lower, as much as you want per day.

Master Specialist (C.Mage) is an amazing prestige class for some specialists, worthless for others (poor Evokers, always taking up the rear end).  Conjuration, Abjuration, Illusion, Enchantment, and Necromancy all get great benefits, but the one I find most attractive is the Abjuration.  At the 10th class level, you can 3/day place personal abjuration wards on other creatures.  How would the party Figher like his own personal antimagic field?  Mind you, 10th level in the class is about level 14, still well before the end of the AP.


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## Crothian (Jan 3, 2009)

I've been thinking about it and an Enchanter would be fun espceially with the Power Word Spells.  

So, I'm looking for opinions of good feats for the Wizard, good optional class stuff, bad ass enchantment spells, and prestige classes if you will.  I'm looking through some stuff here but it seems I've lent out many of my Wizard oriented books since I wasn't originally planning to play one.  

Thanks for the help.


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## Corsair (Jan 3, 2009)

Crothian said:


> I've been thinking about it and an Enchanter would be fun espceially with the Power Word Spells.
> 
> So, I'm looking for opinions of good feats for the Wizard, good optional class stuff, bad ass enchantment spells, and prestige classes if you will.  I'm looking through some stuff here but it seems I've lent out many of my Wizard oriented books since I wasn't originally planning to play one.
> 
> Thanks for the help.





Enchantment has some serious problems with it, especially at higher level of play.  Many things are outright immune to it, or have very high saves.  Also, the power words kinda suck (with the exception of the probably misprint in Power Word Pain in Races of the Dragon).

General rule of thumb:  Conjuration is bestest.


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## Crothian (Jan 3, 2009)

Because of the orb spells?  

Good point about things being immune to enchantment stuff.  Age of Worms has lots of undead and that would be bad.  I wasn't even thinking of that.  

Conjuror can be fun and I like the Abrupt Jaunt.


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## stonegod (Jan 3, 2009)

Conjuration would work pretty well. Unlike Savage Tide, where there are several places that nerf it (especially near the end), AoW doesn't nerf conjuration. So summoning/teleportation work well (or, at least, don't have any particular weaknesses).

Wizard/Master Specialist [CompMag]/Malconvoker [CompScound] is a good combo there is you want to go the summoning route.


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## Crothian (Jan 3, 2009)

What is the Malconvoker?  I don't remember that one.


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## stonegod (Jan 3, 2009)

Crothian said:


> What is the Malconvoker?  I don't remember that one.



Its from Complete Scoundrel. It allows easier and more powerful summoning of evil outsiders assuming you can bluff them appropriately. The flavor is "tricking evil into doing good", but my character's take (a pirate wizard in Savage Tide) is more "tricking evil into working for me."

Some links from the WotC boards:
- Mastering the Malconvoker
- Master Summoner
- Summoner's Guide

Of course, have some boom spells as well: Summoning doesn't always help...


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## Crothian (Jan 4, 2009)

Some people have way too much free time.  Thanks!!


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## Dannyalcatraz (Jan 4, 2009)

I'd go for a Transmuter- if you can't get it yourself, you can buff your partymates.  Keep your Evocation or Conjuration, ditch your Enchantment and Illusion or some such.

In addition, I'd seriously consider Focused Specialist.  I know you have to give up the additional school, but you get those extra spells...

(However...where is Thanee, the Über Mage Optimizer?)

OTOH, I know its not min-maxed, but one thing you can do is take a single level of Sorc before any Wiz levels, representing a natural talent who decided to go the academic route for more flexibility.

Take a Draconic Heritage or Infernal Heritage Sorcerer with the associated breath weapon Feat. _ Any_ arcane spell slot you have, you can then convert into a BW that does 2d6/spell lvl per target in the area.

Then make whatever style and content of Wiz you want- even a Diviner.  If you happen to memorize a spell that isn't useful as is, you can always _breathe _it at your foes.


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## StreamOfTheSky (Jan 4, 2009)

With splatbooks Enchantment gets some nice non mind-affecting spells (and some very good ones that are).  Ray of Stupidity (Spell Compendium, level 2) for example.  Still won't work on the undead that are apparently common in AoW, but against anything with an int score and not immune to ability damage, it can auto-win a fight.  Especially if empowered and/or split rayed.


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## Corsair (Jan 4, 2009)

Crothian said:


> Because of the orb spells?
> 
> Good point about things being immune to enchantment stuff.  Age of Worms has lots of undead and that would be bad.  I wasn't even thinking of that.
> 
> Conjuror can be fun and I like the Abrupt Jaunt.




Undead, plants, constructs, among others.

Orbs help in that they make the loss of Evocation easier, but even outside of that Conjuration and Transmutation are the best schools.  Generally you can specialize and ditch Evocation and Enchantment without feeling it.  Necromancy can be ditched if you don't plan on using de-buff spells very much.

Also the capstone ability of Master Specialist for Conjurers is pretty sweet.


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## s-dub (Jan 5, 2009)

If you want a wizard that plays like a warrior, there's always the master transmogrifist from I think complete arcane.

You'll want to polymorph into a war troll or hydra, or maybe a will o the wisp (for stealth/fun).

If you don't want to lose that many caster levels, maybe Initiate of the Seven Veils?


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## irdeggman (Jan 5, 2009)

You don't need a wizard.

Go with a warlock instead.

Great UMD checks and unlimited EB (albeit it at 1/round), pick up the heritage chain of feats (add to CL for invocations's saving throws).

Or a warlock/sorcerer with the Eldritch Theurge Prestige Class (and those heritage feats).


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## Corsair (Jan 6, 2009)

irdeggman said:


> You don't need a wizard.
> 
> Go with a warlock instead.
> 
> ...




Only do the above if you hate yourself.


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## Crothian (Jan 6, 2009)

s-dub said:


> If you want a wizard that plays like a warrior, there's always the master transmogrifist from I think complete arcane.
> 
> You'll want to polymorph into a war troll or hydra, or maybe a will o the wisp (for stealth/fun).
> 
> If you don't want to lose that many caster levels, maybe Initiate of the Seven Veils?




Well, no summoning or polymorph.  I want to keep it a bit simpler for the poor DM.  We have a Barbarian, and 2 paladins in the group so martial combat is pretty well taken care of.

I'm going Wizard specialist of something.  I will get my books back Tuesday night so I'll be able to look into what options I really want.


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## Crothian (Jan 6, 2009)

Corsair said:


> Only do the above if you hate yourself.




It was never an option.


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## irdeggman (Jan 6, 2009)

Corsair said:


> Only do the above if you hate yourself.




Why?

I am actually DMing an AoW campaign and don't see this as being a potentially problem option.

Warlocks get unlimited Detect Magic at second level and have an out of this world UMD ability - at 4th level they can take 10 on UMD checks and can evendo so when threatened. Normally you can't take 10 with the check at all - this is several levels earlier than an artificer gets a similar ability.

There are some real useful invocations like the ability to see in the dark (even magical darkness) for 24 hrs, etc.

Warlocks can wear light armor w/o ASF chance (thus are eligible for battle caster feat)

They also get DR (and it stacks with the DR from the heritage feat chain).


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## Humanaut (Jan 6, 2009)

I would second the motion to be a Focused Specialist Wizard in Conjuration or Transmutation.  Drop Evocation, Enchantment, and maybe Necromancy (or Illusion but i like casting while invisible).

The threads may have been put out already:
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=956548

or 
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18500&highlight=batman

If you got a good lineup of bashers, then control the battlefield and buff the bashers.

That's me, I like that... but every once and awhile... there's just something AWESOME about dropping the Fireball on foes and watching them burn.


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## almagest (Jan 6, 2009)

Can you use Eberron material?  If so, a Changeling focused/master specialist Conjurer (or even straight Wizard) with levels in Recaster is fantastic.


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## Thanael (Jan 7, 2009)

The Wizard's Handbook - Wizards Community
Shadowcraft Mage Handbook - Wizards Community
(A bit more cluttered: Shadowcraft Illusionist = Killer Gnome! - Wizards Community )


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## Crothian (Jan 10, 2009)

Thanks, that is useful.

Is there a prestige class out there that covers elven high magic or something like that?  I remeber there being neat stuff like that is second edition but other then the archmage I haven't seen anything that really fits.


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## Set (Jan 13, 2009)

If 3rd party stuff is allowed, the Scarred Lands setting has at least four Prestige Classes that are _hot_ for Necromancers.  (Crypt Lord in Relics & Rituals, Animator in Hollowfaust, Son of Mirth in Relics & Rituals 2, and Slaver of the Dead in the Player's Guide to Bards, Wizards and Sorcerers.)

For Evokers, taking Feats like Arcane Thesis (magic missile) and Prestiging into Force Missile Mage (Dragon Compendium) and / or Argent Savant (Complete Arcane) can allow you to make a Magic Missile machine, but remember to take some dispel magics, to take down those pesky Shield spells or turn off those Brooches of Shielding or whatever.  It's a fun variation on the Warlock to make a Wizard who does *one thing* really, really well.


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## roguerouge (Jan 13, 2009)

Crothian said:


> I've been thinking about it and an Enchanter would be fun espceially with the Power Word Spells.




Unless you think the paladin or the superstitious barbarians are going to have trouble with it, you probably want to keep necromancy in any high-undead adventure path. Control Undead + Improved Initiative = personal lackeys.


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## killtr (Jan 17, 2009)

*Some ideas.*

Not sure what books you have or what is allowed, but I had fun building a Force Missile Mage/Argent Savant with Arcane Thesis and Spell Thematics.

+3 Caster Level on Magic Missile with 2 extra missiles, +1 extra damage per dice, auto still/silent with any element.  Quicken spell for additional fun since it's only a 1st level spell and arcane thesis lowers the adjustment to +3.

There is no save for magic missile and casting at least 3 levels above (other feats can help too) helps bypass SR.  Plus you can potentially bypass sheild spells and the like.  If you're going to high enough levels, Mystic allows you to permanently affect one spell with empower, extend, quicken, and maximize, but that will take you past epic I'm sure.


Otherwise, depending on the level you want to reach...

Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil is very powerful for an abjuration specialist and is different enough that you might have fun.  It's difficult to get into and doesn't start till at least level 10, but the payoff is worth it in my humble opinion.  You can even master specialize in abjuration and cast buffs and dispel magic to your heart's content.


Finally, depending on how you run polymorph...

You can get into some of the polymorph classes like Master Transmogrifist and Warshaper "early" by taking the prestige class "Shaper of Form".  I believe they get a polymorph at level 2 of the class (potentially level 7).  Offset your low BAB with some Fighter or Barbarian levels and you'll get a half dragon/half hydra with bonuses to hit and damage.


And if none of these thrill you, there's always factotum/wizard/mindbender/exemplar for the skill and charm/dominate expert.  You have to have a non-good alignment, but permenantly charming the dragon and picking up the leadership feat might be fun.


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## killtr (Jan 18, 2009)

Not sure how your group would feel about this one, but...

another idea would be the necromancer/fatespinner.  Possibly the enhanced undead wizard variant from Unearthed Arcana.  Add Red Wizard (if Faerun classes are allowed) and/or the Shadow Adept for bonuses to necromancy spell DC.  Add Fatespinner and suddenly living bad guys make an insane save with a -10 penalty (reroll if you make it or critical) or drop dead.

As a bonus you then raise their bodies.


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