Wizard Reserve Feats

[Kayan]

How useful are they? Are they worth spending a feat on? I can see how they could be important for extended events, particularly DM events, where you may want to be useful but cannot expend too many spells.

Are there any particular reserve feats you think are better than others?

[ArtOfLight]

Acid Splatter is a ranged touch attack (which means it can critical) single-target spell that has a maximum damage potential of 7-42 damage per cast for Mages. (Seventh level spell, Greater Shadow Conjuration). It is the only single-target reserve feat that doesn't allow for a reflex save for half damage.

Rune of Ice is a small area AoE reserve feat with a damage potential of 18-108 (with the 9th level spell Burst of Glacial Wrath. Rune of Fire has the same damage potential with Meteor Swarm.

If you compare your ability to do damage with a mundane weapon, even assuming you hit on all three attacks against a single target, beating an average of 24.5 damage per round on a single target is harder than it sounds for a mage's pathetically low attack bonus.

In short, yes they're good and I would choose from among the ones listed above.*


*It should be noted that this is merely an opinion and I am by no means the master or sole source of advice

[Hoihe]

Invisible Needle is good when you fight enemies with resistances. Only very few can resist Magic damage.

[Kayan]

How would you compare the reserve feats to the Archmage's Arcane Fire ability? As I understand it, Arcane Fire uses up a spell each time it is used, while the reserve feats do not, plus you have to sacrifice a 9th level spell slot permanently. While the damage potential is much higher, it seems like sustained damage potential is ultimately lower.

[Rasael]

One of the differences is that the AM ability does magic damage. The reserve feats don't, they do forms of elemental damage or physical damage. I think only FOrce needle does magical, and its kept weaker than all the other reserve feats for that reason.

Magic damage can't really be resisted in any way. I think that also means it bypasses Damage reduction.

Its also more of a feat which helps you prepare for situations you hadn't anticipated, by letting you convert buffs / useless spells into raw damage. It can also critical hit. So if you made investments with the feat in mind it can actually become a really mean feat to possess. Like you suddenly can convert your spell load into disintegrate spells, at will.

[burbles]

It still requires ranged attack (not touch) to hit with wizard's lowly AB it can be a problem, I think.

[The Caretaker]

It still requires ranged attack (not touch) to hit with wizard's lowly AB it can be a problem, I think.

If this is true, it really should become a RTA. I have always assumed it was.

[burbles]

Pardon, in nwn2 it is indeed RTA (according to nwn2db), but in PnP it was simply ranged

Invisible Needle
Type: Reserve
Source: Complete Mage

You can create tiny darts of force.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast 3rd-level spells.
Benefit: As long as you have a force spell of 3rd level or higher available to cast, you can use a standard action to hurl a tiny needle-shaped projectile created from pure force. This attack requires a successful ranged attack roll (not a ranged touch attack), and the dart has a range of 5 feet per level of the force spell. The needle deals 1d4 points of damage per level of the highest-level force spell you have available. Because it is composed of force, the needle can strike incorporeal creatures.
As a secondary benefit, you gain a +1 competence bonus to your caster level when casting force spells.

[Considerate_]

I'm fairly confident that it's a Ranged Touch Attack, which means you have to beat an AC of 10 + Dexterity bonus + Dodge AC bonus + Deflection AC bonus+ Size modifier.

You can read more about it here: http://nwn2.wikia.com/wiki/Touch_attack

[Aelcar]

It's always TA/RTA for mages. Always. Doing anything else equals to: "yeah, this spell WOULD do this, but you'll never hit, so too bad for you...". Conversely, when you are buffed with two/three long term buffs (Greater Heroism, Cat's Grace, Bull's...if you're into this kind of things, you can abuse GMW, but it's not necessary and I personally dont do it and still hit continuously), TA/RTA will rarely let you down...

[Gottmoerder]

I consider getting them implemented through the most infuriating debates ever an accomplishment of sorts. That's reason enough to use them. USE THEM!

[Karond]

I think we fixed that issue with enchantment bonuses adding to a TA/RTA roll Valshar, mostly due to warlocks I believe.

Anyway, reserve feats can be cool. If you've absolutely nothing to spend a feat on pre-epic, you could take one. However, the feats are not especially powerful so its mostly about extending your endurance. I don't bother with these feats because I usually won't run out of spells until the rest timer has reset, so then I just go and rest. As you say, it seems to be a feat that is mostly useful in events. However, even in events the DMs will eventually let you rest, and also remember that events are full of other people. It's quite rare that your spells make any difference at all in events, at least until you get to face the final encounter.

So usually, I don't find the feats useful at all. Well, they can be fun to use I guess, so if you've nothing else to spend a feat on...

[Aelcar]

I consider getting them implemented through the most infuriating debates ever an accomplishment of sorts. That's reason enough to use them. USE THEM!

The debate was, however, ridiculous. Those against it were thinking the Warlocks were losing their edge, which when you check the actual damage of the reserve feats is an absolute ludicrous thought (unless we talk about a lvl 30 wizard and a lvl 8 warlock...). I write here what I wrote before: powerbuilt mages dont have space for these feats. They are flavor, roleplay, diversity. Not power. Their implementation was fully justified, and they shine with particular builds like the AT variants, in my opinion. Another good use of them is what Simian was doing a while ago with his SS, Oliver Shade. But they surely arent a concern, balance-wise...at all.

As for Arcane Fire, it's a wholly different story: Arcane Fire creates quick bursts of additional damage to finish off enemies converting spells that are useless in the situation at hand, and sparing vital spells for later, more appropriate moments. Classical instance: your Horrid Wilting hit 4 enemies, killing two and bringing the other two to half health. You use, say, a Chain Lightning and one dies, whereas the other still has a good 1/4 health. You really dont want to spend another spell on this guy...but wait, that Light/Mark Rune/Comprehend Languages/Mage Armor arent really needed in this dungeon, are they...

Arcane Fire for a Wizard is more or less what Mastery of Elements is for a Sorcerer: flexibility. Reserve Feats are a farming tool, very low dmg that you can deal endlessly. Arcane Fire is quick bursts to finish off enemies with spells you're not going to be able to employ, while retaining as many of the useful spells in the situation as possible.

@ karond: I had no idea it was fixed, since I never used it in life XD. I just knew very well it was there...a bit like not opening the quickcast menu in the OC while playing a demon shaped warlock...
Complete agreement with the rest of the post.

[dzidek1983]

so its mostly about extending your endurance

like it was not enough...

[Styxwash]

bleb