Wizard/Archmage- what am I doing wrong?

[CleverUsername123]

oh god I RCR'd into a wizard 11/cleric 3 from wizard 13/archmage 5 on impulse and I completely regret it where do I go from here?

[Valefort]

First I suggest a visit to the shrink to understand your masochistic impulse

Secondly, stop cleric at 3 ! And ... just pump wizard levels ? I'm not sure which feats you've got, but since you're lvl 14 if you want to get 2 prestige classes you'll have to meet the requirements already. Also you'll have to pick practiced spellcaster wizard.

Alternatively RCR again

[Invoker]

You have a problem of positioning.

It's not a matter of build. Nor spells.

And, of course,

oh god I RCR'd into a wizard 11/cleric 3 from wizard 13/archmage 5 on impulse and I completely regret it where do I go from here?

Now, it's ALSO a matter of build.

Sounds legit.

[CleverUsername123]

wizard 13/archmage 6/cleric 11
wiz CL: 26 (With three of the High Arcana thingies)
cleric CL: 15
-cleric can't ward, wizard will be dispelled often but not always
-cleric has 6th level spells, wizard has 9th level spells
-cleric has Raise Dead and Heal
order of levels:
wiz 6
cleric 3
wizard 7
archmage 3
cleric 6
archmage 3

Starting Wis and Int 16 on both, pumping Int.
Practiced Spellcaster in both classes.

This was my plan when I impulsively RCR'd. How badly did I mess up?

[Invoker]

wizard 13/archmage 6/cleric 11
wiz CL: 26 (With three of the High Arcana thingies)
cleric CL: 15
-cleric can't ward, wizard will be dispelled often but not always
-cleric has 6th level spells, wizard has 9th level spells
-cleric has Raise Dead and Heal
order of levels:
wiz 6
cleric 3
wizard 7
archmage 3
cleric 6
archmage 3

Starting Wis and Int 16 on both, pumping Int.
Practiced Spellcaster in both classes.

This was my plan when I impulsively RCR'd. How badly did I mess up?

The problem is, this character is about 50% as good as your former one, and requires an exponential function of the server's knowledge to even begin to work: you will need to know all the saves, CLs, ABs and dangerous moves of all the server mobs, everywhere, not to mention events to make it work...somewhat...

There are a few things you did not consider in your analysis:

-) Your character will be even squishier than before
-) You cannot Heal if you get destroyed in one round, which will happen often, sadly
-) You cannot Raise Dead if you ARE dead. Which will also happen often.
-) The three High Arcana (two of which will hurt you a lot, costing a 7th and a 9th circle spell slots) will land you to a very low CL, which will be dispelled extremely easily, alas
-) You have 6th circle spells on cleric and 9th circle spells on Wizard, yes, but your DCs will be too low to be reliable, and you'll not get to cast many of them before you die

If you had come to the server with such build before the caster level/character level fix early last year, you would have been very powerful.

Right now, it's a very challenging build to play.

[aaron22]

if i were you i would RcR. IMO this is one of the worst possible builds. i have tried it. Will not work well.

this is a pretty easy game, but this build will put that to the test.

[Invoker]

if i were you i would RcR. IMO this is one of the worst possible builds. i have tried it. Will not work well.

this is a pretty easy game, but this build will put that to the test.

Indeed.

1) Survivability is tied to pure speed (Extended Expeditious Retreat and Haste, Quickened Expeditious Retreats if things seem dodgy...don't wait for confirmation, or it will be too late...), because the character cannot take on anything in melee the moment buffs are dispelled (so...all the time...), buffs that he won't afford to re-cast.

2) A very bad blaster and without the melee option, the build also successfully manages mediocre DCs despite incorporating Archmage, thus the only way to effectively kill things with a degree of efficiency is knowing everything there is to know about this game, placing cloud spells (like Cloudkill and Wall of Fire, for instance) with unfailing, surgical precision as you quicken snares at opponents with equal accuracy (Web, Grease). All the time.

I mean...I regularly overcome pretty steep odds in games, it's part of the fun...but this build would have problems even defending Darkhold against an obstinate mule .

It would perhaps be wise to RCR, yes.

If this is an RP concept, then there are ways to do it better (like ditching Archmage, for instance, and raising your primary attributes a lot in order to at least have very effective Epic Spells, that work at full power regardless of your CL and focus feats. That's why mixing in Druid is better, btw: Owl's Insight to WIS...), but with always this in mind:

1) it's ultimately a poor choice, and a hard kind of character to play
2) Use gear defensively and the spellbook offensively, because the buffs are basically wasted resources.
3) Movement speed and perfect execution are your only chance at survival. Even against toothless badgers...

[CleverUsername123]

So, RCR back to wizard 12?

god I lost 6 levels on this. I should've asked here before I did it...

[aaron22]

So, RCR back to wizard 12?

god I lost 6 levels on this. I should've asked here before I did it...

sorry

[Hawke]

Ok.

FIRST thing you do is go to nwn2db.com

Stop picking things on the fly. You need to plan, especially for a mage of any kind.

I am a RCR addict.. I probably could have had 5 level 30s rather than 10 level 15s by now if I stopped using that tool. It's great when you screw up, which you did mechanically, because you are not happy about your survival percentage against enemies.

(you can build your PC anyway you like, and it may seem gimped to others, but as long you are happy, go for it! But you dont sound happy)

Second thing.. Pick your spells wisely. You only get so many. Dropping Divination is not the end of the world, but it does leave you wanting with that premonition and some nice new divination spells. An extra spell slot for each level is worth considering the specialization. But know what your spells do... understand how the enemies work around the areas you are going to.

For example... Stoneskin is ok at Xvarts.. but NOT if you are the primary "tank". Which you are, when you are solo lol. They crit so much and will chew through your stoneskin fast, moreso when you have 2+ on you.

Try using Deez or displacement for those moments. They can't hit you, when they can't see you. Put Ghostly Visage on,,, sure it eats up a level 3 spot when extended but it gives you 10% concealment and 5/magic dr... it aint much, but it is still very useful for when displacement or stoneskin drops.

Lastly STOP RCRing a wizard!!! This is something else that most dont really consider. To get all the spells you need to become capable requires gold. You can spend 10k+ gold at the vendor in the Gate for some basic spells.. and another 10-15K easy at the mage stronghold near xvarts. And you still won't have everything you need. Get some scrolls created? Another 5-20k gold.

I could also be a millionaire if I stopped RCRing because all but one of my PCs are wizards LMAO!


TLDR- Build your wizard on nwn2db.com . Let us all know what your intentions are and accept the feedback you are given.

Or don't.

[CleverUsername123]

I did set up something on NWN2DB before RCRing my cleric levels away actually.
Wizard 10/Arcane Scholar 10/Archmage 10 focusing on enchantment. (Mass Hold Person/Mass Hold Monster + Maximized Greater Fireburst seems good)

[Hawke]

Well, like I said, make your build, post it here so the community can give you a hand after knowing what your intentions are.

Wizard is expensive.

Sorcerer, Cleric (almost no cost involved at all) and Druid are really good gateway casters ...

[CleverUsername123]

http://nwn2db.com/build/?259606

[BigJ]

The enemies don't really give a choice on outdoor maps, they run up, ignore the meat shields, and hit me. I either take five AoOs to the face or fail my concentration roll from damage if I try casting invisibility or meteor swarm.

So it's not a problem with the build, it's a problem with how I'm playing?

Apologies if I read this wrong about your abilities, but AoO's and failing concentration roll? You know about defensive casting and not using a ranged weapon in melee right?

I ask because defensive casting should mean no AoO's for casting a spell, especially at lvl 18 assuming you maxed concentration. You may give off AoO's though if attacking with a ranged weapon before then casting the spell.

Hold a melee weapon, let the other melee's in your group engage and when all mobs are fighting the others in your group swap to ranged and fire. If that one mob you are attacking turns and runs at you, switch to melee before it reaches you THEN cast any emergency spells. If all the mobs run at you at once, cast that escape spell before they reach you.

It seems your problem is timing, just a little practise and you'll nail it.

BigJ

Edit: Oh and don't play that palemaster build if you are new to this, it may draw IC problems on the surface, depending on who see's it.

[Velaris]

Hmm...one other small thing to add, and if someone else has mentioned this before I apologize for being redundant.

As a wizard, I equip a pair of melee weapons rather than a staff..I say equip, because unless I'm against a much weaker opponent or I'm desperate, I don't actually USE them.
Equipping a pair of weapons that contain bonuses to saves or immunities can be a good way to give yourself an edge.