Wizard/Archmage build help

[doctorsimon4]

Hello there,

so today I decided to roll a mage for a bit of fun after being inspired by someone else's character. What I would like from this build is to be a wizard who casts quite eccentric and impressive firespells. I would need to take some features to avoid hitting my allies but the rest is really up for grabs as to what is probably decent to take.

Race: Human
Background Wizard Apprentice
Diety Mystra
Stats:

Str 10
Dex 14
Con 14
Int 18
Wis 8
Cha 10


Features:

Skillfocus Spellcraft
Spellcasting Prodigy

[Moltrazahn]

For arch mage you'd need: spell focus: evocation (fireballs) and one more. Then skillfocus: spellcraft & skillfocus: consentraion. I also belive you need spellcraft and lore: 15 plus the ability to cast 7th level spells. That will allow you to take archmage and then master of shaping... making most of your aoe spell's not hurt allies no more.

For future fire-related stuff.. you could grap arcane fire. Then you can use spontanious conversion to make pretty much any spell into a fire spell.
At arch mage lv 8. Take mastery of elements. Then convert all elemental dmg. Spells into fire spells.

[doctorsimon4]

Sounds pretty awesome, would you mind throwing together a build on nwn2db? I am hopeless with that thing and just the whole nwn2 build system in general! XD

[Lockonnow]

how about some one tell us how many epic feat he will get if he will build after the rule 3 class from level 20

[doctorsimon4]

I am not really sure what you are referring to, could you please be a bit more clear? This could just be because I have very little knowledge on how leveling works and builds in general.

[Moltrazahn]

I can give you a lose template-build thats pure wizard & Archmage. You will still have room for 2 other classes in the build. However, you can only pick between: Arcane Scholar, Frost Mage, Pale Master, Red Wizard, Harper agent, Blood Magus or Sorcerer. These are the only classes (aside from wizard) that will allow you to cross-class with an Archmage.

In this link, I've simply put in Stormsinger as your archmage class. Given that the site dont have Archmage, and Stormsinger allows you to still have 100% spell-progression when you want to check your final Casterlevel. So a placeholder if you will.

Arch-mage requires you to cast 7th levels spells, with a Wizard that means around level 14. If you chose to mix in other classes, know that their spell-progression may affect when Arch-mage becomes avalible to you.

Linky!: http://nwn2db.com/build/?237230
The feats youd want as Archmage is as follows.

lv 14: No spell mastery feat.
lv 15: Mastery of shaping (AoE spells dont hurt party members)
lv 16: No spell mastery feat.
Lv 17: Arcane fire (You can now spontaniously convert any spell into dealing fire damage based on the rank of the spell.)
lv 18: No spell mastery feat.
lv 19: -Free choice-
lv 20: No spell mastery feat.
lv 21: Mastery of Elements (Turn any elemental energy into another. Eks: fireball into dealing acid dmg).
lv 22: No spell mastery feat.
lv 23: -Free choice-.

Now, you dont actually need to take lv 22 or 23, since you got full benefit from the others. However many chose to increase their spell-power through archmage. However, know that arch-mage feats/spellchange feats often cost spellslots. See more hereunder.

Hidden: show

Requirements:
Cross Class: Must be Arcane Scholar, Frost Mage, Pale Master, Red Wizard, Harper agent, Blood Magus, Sorcerer, or Wizard.
Race: Any
Alignment: Any.
Skills: Spellcraft 15 ranks, Lore 15.
Feats: Skill Focus Spellcraft and Two spell focus feats of any school (but not the same school), Once you have the two spell focus feats you will be given a qualifying feat for archmage. You still need to get Skill focus Spellcraft however.
Spellcasting: Able to cast 7th-circle arcane spells.


Class Features:
- Hit Die: d4
- Base Attack Bonus: Low.
- High Saves: Will
- Weapon Proficiencies: Archmages gain no weapon proficiencies.
- Armor Proficiencies: Archmages gain no armor proficiencies.
- Skill Points: 2 + Int Modifier.
- Class Skills: Concentration, Craft Alchemy, Craft Armor, Craft Weapon, Lore, and Spellcraft.


Class Abilities:
Level 1: Spellcasting+1
Level 2: Spellcasting+2, High Arcana feat selection
Level 3: Spellcasting+3
Level 4: Spellcasting+4, High Arcana feat selection
Level 5: Spellcasting+5
Level 6: Spellcasting+6, High Arcana feat selection
Level 7: Spellcasting+7
Level 8: Spellcasting+8, High Arcana feat selection
Level 9: Spellcasting+9, ,
Level 10: Spellcasting+10, High Arcana feat selection


Spells per Day/Spells Known: When a new Archmage level is gained, the character gains new spells per day (and spells known, if applicable) as though he had gained a level in the wizard or sorcerer base class. Archmage arcane spell progression cannot be applied to other classes, such as bards.


High Arcana feats: The Archmage can take high arcana feats. All these feats cost one spellslot each and are sacrificed as you rest.


High Arcana: Spellpower 1
Specifics: At the cost of one 5th level spell your spellpower increases by one (+1 for purposes of determining level-dependent spell variables such as damage dice or range, and caster level checks only). Spell slots are sacrificed the first time the feat is used after resting and must contain a memorized spell.
Use: Automatic


High Arcana: Spellpower 2
Specifics: At the cost of one 7th level spell your spellpower increases by one. Spell slots are sacrificed the first time the feat is used after resting and must contain a memorized spell.
Use: Automatic


High Arcana: Spellpower 3 (requires 8 level of Archmage)
Specifics: At the cost of one 9th level spell your spellpower increases by one. Spell slots are sacrificed the first time the feat is used after resting and must contain a memorized spell.
Use: Automatic


High Arcana: Mastery of Shaping
Specifics: At the cost of one 6th level spell you gain the ability to shape your spells in such a manner that they only harm hostile creatures. Your understanding of magic has deepend to the point where you can use this ability at will. If no sacrificed spell slot is available the ability cannot be used. Spell slots are sacrificed the first time the feat is used after resting and must contain a memorized spell.
Use: On / Off


High Arcana: Mastery of the Elements (requires 8 levels of Archmage)
Specifics: At the cost of one 8th level spell you gain the ability convert spells from one element into another. This ability can be used at will. If no sacrficed spell slot is available the ability cannot be used. Spell slots are sacrificed the first time the feat is used after resting and must contain a memorized spell. Note that this won't enable a Frostmage to use their piercing cold ability on spells that aren't cold-based to begin with.
Use: On / Off


High Arcana: Arcane Fire
Specifics: At the cost of one 9th level spell you gain the ability convert spells of any level into Arcane Fire. This ability can be used at will. Arcane fire requires a ranged touch attack to hit and does 1d6 magic damage for every level of the spell converted and an additional 1d6 magic damage for every Archmage level with the possibility of a critical hit. If no sacrificed spell slot is available the ability cannot be used. Spell slots are sacrificed the first time the feat is used after resting and must contain a memorized spell.
Use: On / Off


High Arcana: Spell-Like Ability
Specifics: An archmage who selects this type of high arcana can use one of her arcane spell slots to permanently prepare one of her arcane spells as a spell-like ability that can be used twice per day (for level 7-9), three times per day (for level 4-6) or four times per day (for level 1-3).

As for cross-classing... Here on the server we have a rule called the 3b20. This means that when you level... you need to have 3 levels in EVERY class you plan on taking for that character (ever) when you hit your 20th level (20th level can be the third level in a class).

Hope it helps!
I am no expert, but glad to help nevertheless!

ps. the build I've given only has what you need for archmage and your fire-obession. Feel free to add the other 2 classes, skills, feats as you see fit. Just remember that Stormsinger gets more skills then archmage normally does, so calculate correctly!

[chad878262]

consider taking Arcane Scholar as well and getting some meta-magic feats to further enhance your blaster experience. Empowered and Maximized spells as well as Quicken spells costing 1 level less for use will make your spell book extremely flexible and allow you to really increase your blast damage. (does metamagic work with mastery of shaping or no??)

Aracane Scholar works better with Sorceror of course, but is still beneficial for you I think.

[doctorsimon4]

That is a great suggestion and I remember a player mentioning it to me before, how many levels of it would you suggest taking as well as other features.


How about something like Wizard(12) Arcane Scholar (10) Archmage (8)?

[chad878262]

Either 7 or the full 10. Otherwise if you go full wizard, only taking four levels of archmage you gain three epic feats at wizard levels 23, 25, 16. Not to mention a feat at wizard 20 will also be an epic. W26/AM4 would allow you to get mastery of shaping and one other ability while getting 5 wizard feats and 2 epic feats. However more AM levels allows you to take spell power increases which can increase CL at 32. This is as good as two epic intelligence increases. It's a give/take and best to think about what you want most. Highest dc blaster is probably W24/AM6 with mastery of shaping Sp2. However going AM8 allows you to take another AM ability to convert spells to other elements...AM10 could let you also take wizard fire which certainly fits the RP.

NOT TRYING TO CONFUSE YOU! Just showing there are so many ways to build. AS 7 gets you improved maximize, 10 gets you improved quicken making those meta magic cost 1 spell level less than they otherwise would.

Personally I would probably go W15/AM8/AS7, but that's off the top of my head as I'm at Heathrow airport and can't use the builder on my cell.

[doctorsimon4]

W15/AM8/AS7

seems like the best way to go, what other features would you suggest taking along with the ones needed to get to these classes and the ones I require/want from AM.

[Deathgrowl]

Wizard10/asoc10/archmage10 is perfectly viable. I'd go necromancy as spell focus (and either enhancement or illusion as secondary focus*) myself. The server is set up in such a way that playing a wizard with focus on damage spells is generally a bad idea. Save vs lose spells are much better.

*That said, though, I am playing a wiz16/asoc10/archmage4 with necromancy greater and evocation normal focus, but those two in combination made more sense for the RP I wanted to go.

[chad878262]

DG is correct, but since you asked about evocation that's the route my suggestion took. Plus if you'll not be soloing you will be just fine.

Personally I would take the following AM abilities:
-party friendly spells
-spell power 1 and 2
-convert spells or wizard fire. Wizard fire is nice for less experience because you can always have it available without rest. With more experience the conversion is nice since you can make ice/acid/electric spells in to fire...likewise if you gave fire immune enemies you can still hit them with a fire ball converted to something else. This makes your blaster a bit more flexible (fire immunity is fairly common)

Outside of the needed feats for arch mage and arcane scholar I'd try to get greater or even epic focus in evocation to fit the rp and not lose half damage from saves...most of your pre epic feats will be taken up with pre requisites, but extend spell is beneficial for any caster. Otherwise I'd need the builder to see if/how many feats are available. Than it's just a matter of maxing INT and remember if you gimp STR too much you won't be able to loot at all (maybe not an issue, but something to keep in mind if you find that full plate +4, and it makes you go from fine to so over loaded you can't move, even with bulls STR...

[Lockonnow]

convert spells you need dex and lots slots spell

[doctorsimon4]

is the custom fiery burst feature worth picking up?

As long as you’ve a fire spell of 2nd level or higher available for casting, you can create a small fireball dealing D6 fire DMG per spell level of the highest memorized fire spell an infinite amount of times per day. Reflex for half DMG. Fire spells: Deadly Lahar, Delayed Blast Fireball, Elemental Shield, Fire Storm, Fireball, Flame Arrow, Flame Strike, Incendiary Cloud, Meteor Swarm, Shades, Wall of Fire, Firebrand, Inferno, Combust, Flame Weapon, Fireburst, Greater Fireburst, Shroud of Flame, Body of the Sun, Scorching Ray, Lesser Energized Shield, Energized Shield, Flame of Faith, Orb of Fire, Heartfire.

sounds pretty good and fitting to the character.. i mean an -inf- number of spells? Yes please.

[Lockonnow]

for some