I'd say 3 feats are a given:
* improved initiative. A wizard always wants to go first. Always. If only to be able to decide first to lower his initiative or ready an action ;-)
* Combat casting. A defensive casting DC of 15+2*spell level is heavy and can mean a miss chance of over 50% for your higher level spells.
* Quicken spell. There's magic items that quicken out there of course, but being able to metamagic it yourself is nice.
For the generalist special metamagic ability, you could add extend & empower as feats.
I'd consider
Improved Init - Casting first often means controlling the battlefield. You can do a lot to affect a battle outcome if the enemy is always reacting to you.
Toughness - you have to survive to be useful
Combat casting - good too
Still Spell - if it lets you cast in armor.
Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration are super useful against foes with spell resistance.
Depending on how reactive you are (as opposed to pro-active) and how often you encounter enemy spellcasters, Improved Counterspell can be nice.
At higher levels, Quicken Spell is a must--extra actions in combat are super useful! Extend Spell is good for those 10 minute a level or 1 hour a level buffs. Empower Spell is good for damaging spells.
Improved Initiative helps you get an AoE spell off before the barbarian charges in. Combat Casting and Toughness help your survivability.
Improved Familiar can give you a helpful friend.
Speaking of Still Spell, I've always wanted to try playing a gish Fighter 1/Wizard 5/Eldritch Knight X, using Still Spell to prepare all (or most) of my spells 1 level higher, then filling my level 1 slots with True Strike.
RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32, 2011 Top 16
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I'd also add spell focus and improved spell focus for your primary offensive school. Even generalists tend to focus on certain types of attack spells and having them work as often as possible is a good thing.
In addition, I'd second toughness as well as great fortitude to help surivability.
Finally, craft wondrous item is a great feat if you're in a campaign with enough time between adventures to do some crafting. While other craft feats are useful, CWI gives the most bang for the buck in terms of variety of items you can make, as well as ones that are useful for the whole party.
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Thank you for feedback.
Alright, so the GM believes we will hit 15th level or so by the end of the adventure path. So I am looking ahead. I am considering the archmage prestige class as well.
As of 3rd-level, my wizard has Arcane Strike, Combat Casting and Magical Aptitude. The last feat was chosen for flavour and to match her back story. Her history also led me to choose the Dangerously Curious feat.
At the moment I am trying to plan ahead to 15th-level. Barring the feat requirements for the archmage prestige class for the moment, I was thinking of the following:
1st - Combat Casting, Magical Aptitude, Scribe Scroll
3rd - Arcane Strike
5th - Brew Potion, Empower Spell
7th - Defensive Combat Training
9th - Improved Initiative
10th - Craft Wand
11th - Silent Spell
13th - Craft Wondrous Items
15th - Craft Staff, Extend Spell
Any ideas on how I could improve this?
Thank you for feedback.
Alright, so the GM believes we will hit 15th level or so by the end of the adventure path. So I am looking ahead. I am considering the archmage prestige class as well.
As of 3rd-level, my wizard has Arcane Strike, Combat Casting and Magical Aptitude. The last feat was chosen for flavour and to match her back story. Her history also led me to choose the Dangerously Curious feat.
At the moment I am trying to plan ahead to 15th-level. Barring the feat requirements for the archmage prestige class for the moment, I was thinking of the following:
1st - Combat Casting, Magical Aptitude, Scribe Scroll
3rd - Arcane Strike
5th - Brew Potion, Empower Spell
7th - Defensive Combat Training
9th - Improved Initiative
10th - Craft Wand
11th - Silent Spell
13th - Craft Wondrous Items
15th - Craft Staff, Extend SpellAny ideas on how I could improve this?
Unless you plan on actually taking UMD you should take spell focus(spellcraft) instead of MAgical Aptitude
I would drop arcane strike. If you have to use that something went wrong.I would also avoid brew potions.
I would have quicken spell in there somewhere.
Craft Staff would not be taken either. If you want to craft though the Craft Magical Weapons are Armor feat is not a bad one. I would take it before the Brew Potion or Craft Staff.
Your DM may do things that throw my ideas off so YMMV.
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Again, thank you for the feedback.
Wraithstrike - My wizard does have ranks in UMD. It is a bit of flavour built into the character's background and that of her brother (another player character). I know Skill Focus (Spellcraft) is better.
Okay, here is my revised advancement for feats:
1st - Combat Casting, Magical Aptitude, Scribe Scroll
3rd - Toughness
5th - Extend Spell, Improved Initiative
7th - Craft Wand
9th - Craft Wondrous Item
10th - Empower Spell
11th - Quicken Spell
13th - Craft Magic Arms and Armour
15th - Maximise Spell, feat???
What do you think? :)
Again, thank you for the feedback.
Wraithstrike - My wizard does have ranks in UMD. It is a bit of flavour built into the character's background and that of her brother (another player character). I know Skill Focus (Spellcraft) is better.
Okay, here is my revised advancement for feats:
1st - Combat Casting, Magical Aptitude, Scribe Scroll
3rd - Toughness
5th - Extend Spell, Improved Initiative
7th - Craft Wand
9th - Craft Wondrous Item
10th - Empower Spell
11th - Quicken Spell
13th - Craft Magic Arms and Armour
15th - Maximise Spell, feat???What do you think? :)
You mention you will be going into the archmage PrC. Does that mean 3.5 feats are available? If so, there's a whole new mess of possibilities.
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You mention you will be going into the archmage PrC. Does that mean 3.5 feats are available? If so, there's a whole new mess of possibilities.Again, thank you for the feedback.
Wraithstrike - My wizard does have ranks in UMD. It is a bit of flavour built into the character's background and that of her brother (another player character). I know Skill Focus (Spellcraft) is better.
Okay, here is my revised advancement for feats:
1st - Combat Casting, Magical Aptitude, Scribe Scroll
3rd - Toughness
5th - Extend Spell, Improved Initiative
7th - Craft Wand
9th - Craft Wondrous Item
10th - Empower Spell
11th - Quicken Spell
13th - Craft Magic Arms and Armour
15th - Maximise Spell, feat???What do you think? :)
Our GM prefers to keep everything Pathfinder. So 3.5 feats are out. :(
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Feat list looks good. The maximize Spell feat now is a bit expensive. Not a bad choice mind you but you will be sacrificing higher level spells in favor of maximized ones. Personally it would be better to get a rod of maximize spells. With this feat chain you can go loremaster. If you want to go Arch Mage even though it isnt in Pathfinder, I would say give up Magical aptitude for Spellcraft. And you will have to sacrifice two of the craft feats for two spell focus feats. However since I dont know what kind of spell list you have cant advise you, but I personally would choose from spell focus Evocation, Necromancy, enchantment, and illusion...
Our GM has flatly refused to allow the Archmage prestige class as it stands in 3.5. So unless Pathfinder bring out a version of this prestige class, I will be sticking to straight wizard levels. Taking a couple of Spell Focus feats could still be interesting.
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Great, thank you for the advice. Here is one more round of feats. Okay, here is my revised advancement for feats:
1st - Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Scribe Scroll
3rd - Improved Initiative
5th - Extend Spell, Spell Focus (enchantment)*
7th - Craft Wand
9th - Spell Focus (evocation)
10th - Empower Spell
11th - Craft Wondrous Item
13th - Spell Penetration
15th - Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Quicken Spell
* My wizard casts a load of enchantment spells due to the urban setting of the campaign.
My GM should be pretty cool with adjusting a feat or two at this stage in the adventure path, so Magical Aptitude can be dumped for Skill Focus (Spellcraft).
Just in case Pathfinder releases a new version of the Archmage prestige class, and just in case it has similar feat requirements, my wizard makes it with Skill Focus and two Spell Focus feats.
Does this look better?
Great, thank you for the advice. Here is one more round of feats. Okay, here is my revised advancement for feats:
1st - Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Scribe Scroll
3rd - Improved Initiative
5th - Extend Spell, Spell Focus (enchantment)*
7th - Craft Wand
9th - Spell Focus (evocation)
10th - Empower Spell
11th - Craft Wondrous Item
13th - Spell Penetration
15th - Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Quicken Spell* My wizard casts a load of enchantment spells due to the urban setting of the campaign.
My GM should be pretty cool with adjusting a feat or two at this stage in the adventure path, so Magical Aptitude can be dumped for Skill Focus (Spellcraft).
Just in case Pathfinder releases a new version of the Archmage prestige class, and just in case it has similar feat requirements, my wizard makes it with Skill Focus and two Spell Focus feats.
Does this look better?
I would drop spell focus (evocation).
The non 3.5 feats are killing me.Defensive Combat Training or Toughness seem like decent feats to take.
Great, thank you for the advice. Here is one more round of feats. Okay, here is my revised advancement for feats:
1st - Combat Casting, Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Scribe Scroll
3rd - Improved Initiative
5th - Extend Spell, Spell Focus (enchantment)*
7th - Craft Wand
9th - Spell Focus (evocation)
10th - Empower Spell
11th - Craft Wondrous Item
13th - Spell Penetration
15th - Greater Spell Focus (enchantment), Quicken Spell* My wizard casts a load of enchantment spells due to the urban setting of the campaign.
My GM should be pretty cool with adjusting a feat or two at this stage in the adventure path, so Magical Aptitude can be dumped for Skill Focus (Spellcraft).
Just in case Pathfinder releases a new version of the Archmage prestige class, and just in case it has similar feat requirements, my wizard makes it with Skill Focus and two Spell Focus feats.
Does this look better?
They have said they won't do an archmage. Things do change, but that is the stance as of now.
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It's not a feat, but use your Arcane Bond ability on an item (staff), instead of a familiar. This lets you 1) cast any one spell in your spellbook without preparing it or using a spell slot (which is huge) and 2) enchant the item as if you had the applicable feat(s), giving you a cheap (1/2 market price) magic weapon at 5th level and a powerful magic tool at 11th level.
Also, Combat Casting can be dispensed with unless you wish to play a combat mage who casts spells while in melee range (which is not a "generalist wizard"). My recommendations for other feats:
1st- Improved Initiative*, Scribe Scroll, Toughness (you want the +3 hp at 1st level)
3rd- Spell Focus (Enchantment)
5th- Craft Wand (again, this is huge; you want it early), Skill Focus (Spellcraft)*
7th- Extend Spell
9th- Craft Wondrous Item
10th- Quicken Spell (two spells in a round, very huge from 9th level on)
11th- Empower Spell (for all the spells capped at 10d6, etc.)
13th- Spell Penetration
15th- Greater Spell Penetration, Maximize Spell
*- these two feats can be taken in either order.
Nobody has any love for Craft Wondrous Item?
Half-price (and the ability to boost the effectiveness of) stat boosting items, save boosting items, alternate movement modes on clothing, and if your GM allows it, custom made magic items.
It's the most multi-purpose crafting feat there is.
It's on my list. Craft Wand is more useful at 5th level (IMO), but loses effectiveness by about 9th-10th level (as save bonuses increase and SR starts to appear). That's why my recommendations are in that order (and why I said to Arcane Bond a staff).
Nobody has any love for Craft Wondrous Item?
Half-price (and the ability to boost the effectiveness of) stat boosting items, save boosting items, alternate movement modes on clothing, and if your GM allows it, custom made magic items.
It's the most multi-purpose crafting feat there is.
None of us told him to remove it. That counts as a + in my book.