KrythePhreak
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| Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber |
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Okay guys I am currently playing a Ranger in a newly started RotRL campaign. We have just finished the Glassworks and due to some bad tactics my Ranger came close to deaths door, so I figured I had better go ahead and be coming up with a backup just in case the unforseen happens. So how viable, for those who have played this campaign is a Wizard of the Admixture school a solid choice in this campaign? Someone posted in the forums a day or so ago about dipping a level of Sorcerer for Crossblooded and a Tattoo familiar making it sound even more interesting. My party as it stands along with my Human Ranger consists of:
Halfling Cavalier
Human Knife Fighter Rogue
Hedgewitch of an unknown race
Half-Elf Wildcaller Summoner
Human Sorceress
I have also considered a Bard and Magus as backups but I'm not sure how long or how many times the Sorceress will actually show up to play so I figured a backup blaster is never a bad thing. So thoughts and advice on this??
| A highly regarded expert |
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I love playing evokers.
Looking at your lineup, though, I'd probably go with a more combat-oriented character, maybe a magus. They fight well, particularly with a little prep time, and can toss a few blasts if that's what you want.
| Wiggz |
| Pathfinder Adventure Path, Modules Subscriber |
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Okay guys I am currently playing a Ranger in a newly started RotRL campaign. We have just finished the Glassworks and due to some bad tactics my Ranger came close to deaths door, so I figured I had better go ahead and be coming up with a backup just in case the unforseen happens. So how viable, for those who have played this campaign is a Wizard of the Admixture school a solid choice in this campaign? Someone posted in the forums a day or so ago about dipping a level of Sorcerer for Crossblooded and a Tattoo familiar making it sound even more interesting. My party as it stands along with my Human Ranger consists of:
Halfling Cavalier
Human Knife Fighter Rogue
Hedgewitch of an unknown race
Half-Elf Wildcaller Summoner
Human SorceressI have also considered a Bard and Magus as backups but I'm not sure how long or how many times the Sorceress will actually show up to play so I figured a backup blaster is never a bad thing. So thoughts and advice on this??
What kind of Sorceress is your teammate? That could make a pretty dramatic swing regarding what might best compliment the party.
Personally, I've been playing around with Wizard builds and have completely fallen in love with the Void Mage. Some truly wicked tricks there. I'd be happy to help you with the build if you like...
...as for the blaster you seem to be thinking about making, the 1st level Cross-Blooded Orc & Dragon Sorcerer / 19th level Admixture Evocationist is definitely a good (if kinda cheesy) way to deal damage... but damage won't be what your group needs most from you more than likely. That kind of character can be a lot of fun, but sometimes I worry that people playing it are missing the true potential of a Wizard.
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KrythePhreak
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| Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber |
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Okay guys I am currently playing a Ranger in a newly started RotRL campaign. We have just finished the Glassworks and due to some bad tactics my Ranger came close to deaths door, so I figured I had better go ahead and be coming up with a backup just in case the unforseen happens. So how viable, for those who have played this campaign is a Wizard of the Admixture school a solid choice in this campaign? Someone posted in the forums a day or so ago about dipping a level of Sorcerer for Crossblooded and a Tattoo familiar making it sound even more interesting. My party as it stands along with my Human Ranger consists of:
Halfling Cavalier
Human Knife Fighter Rogue
Hedgewitch of an unknown race
Half-Elf Wildcaller Summoner
Human SorceressI have also considered a Bard and Magus as backups but I'm not sure how long or how many times the Sorceress will actually show up to play so I figured a backup blaster is never a bad thing. So thoughts and advice on this??
What kind of Sorceress is your teammate? That could make a pretty dramatic swing regarding what might best compliment the party.
Personally, I've been playing around with Wizard builds and have completely fallen in love with the Void Mage. Some truly wicked tricks there. I'd be happy to help you with the build if you like...
...as for the blaster you seem to be thinking about making, the 1st level Cross-Blooded Orc & Dragon Sorcerer / 19th level Admixture Evocationist is definitely a good (if kinda cheesy) way to deal damage... but damage won't be what your group needs most from you more than likely. That kind of character can be a lot of fun, but sometimes I worry that people playing it are missing the true potential of a Wizard.
Oh wow I have never looked into the Void Mage until now and I must say those buff/debuff skills are absolutely fantastic. Its a full caster with some bard moves. So now you have me intrigued just a bit so yes show me what kind of build and ideas you have with this school of magic =D
| Memento Mortis |
| Pathfinder Adventure Path, Battles Case Subscriber |
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EDIT: Note. The spoiler tags are actually there to hide the wall of text, not actual in-game spoilers. There are no plot spoilers in this post.
I've been GMing Rise of the Runelords for my group for almost a year now. We just finished the 3rd module (though I've read the entirety of the AP). I also happen to be playing a mid-level Evoker in a different game. So I actually think I'm ideally suited to answer this question.
My build (in brief) is as follows:
Gnome Evoker (Admixture) 5 / Bloatmage 4
Gnome Racial Trait: Pyromaniac - adds +1 to CL for all spells with [fire] descriptor.
Traits: Magical Lineage (Fireball) - allows the casting of Fireball with metamagic feats as though a level lower.
Feats:
Spell Focus (Evocation)* - adds +1 to DC of Evocation spells
Bloatmage Initiate - adds +1 to CL for Evocation spells
Varisian Tattoo - adds +1 to CL for Evocation spells
Rime Spell - cold spells you cast apply Entangled condition
Toppling Spell - force spells you case can trip enemies
Heighten Spell - allows for casting of lower level spells as though they were higher level
Preferred Spell (Fireball) - Allows the casting of Fireball by expending any spell slot of 3rd level or higher.
*My GM let me substitute this in for Scribe Scroll.
Class Features:
Versatile Evocation - allows the changing of acid, cold, electricity, or fire in an Evocation spell
Blood Pool - basically pearls of power. Adds versatility in spell casting.
Gear that you'll want is pretty typical for a Wizard. Pick up Metamagic Rods of Silent Spell, Extend Spell, and Empower Spell (there's no such thing as overkill).
So what can it do?
Fireball will be your go-to spell most times. Burning Arc and Scorching Ray are also solid work horses. Magic Missile also does very well with this build.
Any Evocation spell is cast at +2 Caster Level. Any Fire spell is cast at +1 CL. These bonuses stack. So you get two 4d6 Scorching Rays at 4th level and a 8d6 Fireball at 5th level. At that level, it's the equivalent of bringing a hand grenade to a snowball fight.
Versatile Evocation + Rime Spell allows you to change any of your [fire] evocation spells into [cold] spells and apply the Entangled debuff. Your targets do not get a save to resist the condition. I cannot stress that enough.
Toppling Spell turns your Magic Missile, a lack luster spell at mid levels into a great battlefield control. Are your front liners surrounded? Not anymore. Now their foes are prone.
Preferred Spell is great, you can take it as early as 5th level. In my build I chose not to take this until 9th level when I actually had higher level spells to burn. Basically lets you spontaneously cast Fireball. At 9th level (with Int 22), I had the option of casting 19 Fireballs in a single day. That's 190d6 in convenient 10d6 packaging. Take that Sorcerer!
Each of those Fireballs could also Entangle my opponents caught in them. The Bloatmage's Blood Pool class feature meant that I didn't have to worry about actually worry about memorizing multiples of the same spell. So I could diversify my selection every and then choose to burn a spell that I didn't need in order to blast something.
Build Pros and Cons:
Pros:
-You have big guns. Your multi-target (area of effect) DPR is huge. You are basically the mook-killer. Any mook that can survive a 10d6 fireball sure has heck ain't gonna survive another. And even if they do, you have probably have more Fireballs than they have hp remaning.
-Metamagic feat selection can turn you into a mostly viable controller.
-Versatile Evocation gives you options against things with fire resistance.
-Blood Pool means that you don't have to devote multiple spell slots to a single spell if you want it more than once in a day.
Cons:
-You don't get access to Selective Spell until 10th level. Your allies may suffer the consequences. Communal (Resist/Protection from) Energy is your friend here.
-Your single target DPR is okay at best. You will never out DPR the Archer or Rogue against a single foe.
You are still a Wizard. Meaning that your HP, Fort/Dex saves, and general survivability is quite low. Furthermore because you've specialized in blasting you can't benefit from Invisibility the way that Conjuration Wizards can. Mirror Image and intelligent tactical awareness are your keys to surviving.
-Evocation spells tend not to take prisoners. If your party wants to capture something alive, you won't be able to do much.
-As a Bloatmage you won't automatically learn 2 new spells every level like you would have as a wizard.
-As a Gnome Bloatmage you will find your base movement speed reduced is eventually reduced to 5ft/rd.
As it pertains to Rise of the Runelords:
There are plenty of mooks to kill across all six modules of this AP. You will find yourself doing well against most non-boss fights, provided that your party doesn't get caught in your AoE. Even then, like I mentioned above, it may not matter if you've warded them with Resist Energy or similar.
Boss fights could get tricky for you. Like I said your single target damage is mediocre and most bosses in the adventure tend to be solo-ish encounters with high hp and good saves.
Since you've specialized in DPR, you won't be as an effective buffer and your party will probably need to take up the slack. This shouldn't be a problem given that you have both a Paladin and a Hedgewitch.
Hope this was helpful and not too large a wall of text. I tried to keep as much GM-only stuff out as possible. Good luck with the rest of AP (you'll need it).
| Gluttony |
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Evokers can be really fun, and wizards are definitely well-off in this campaign, but from your party members there are three main things to consider:
What does the Sorceress do? Will another blaster be more of the same alongside her, or does she focus on something else, allowing you to bring something new to the party with your blasting?
What does the Witch do? A lot of witches are capable of handling party healing with little to no effort, but not all witches will necessarily do that. On the off chance that your group's witch does not heal, you might find someone who can do so to be more useful than another who can't. (Also, if the witch happens to be a blaster, will you be more of the same alongside them?)
How is the party at melee (assuming your current ranger is not present)? A rogue with light weapons doesn't, potentially a halfling cavalier, and potentially a wildcaller's eidolon doesn't sound impressive, but there may be added melee in there that classes alone don't indicate. Again, if your party lacks good melee, you might find someone who can do that to be more useful than someone who can't.
If none of the above matches with your party, blast away! If there are conflicts or things that would really help the group, namely melee and or healing, I might go with a nice melee cleric, personally. For the sake of the team.
However if despite that you still want to play an evoker, blast away! RotRl will favour you, especially as you move further and further forwards.
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KrythePhreak
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| Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber |
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Thanks alot everyone, your suggestions are much appreciated and I really liked that breakdown Mortis. Hopefully my Ranger will not kick the bucket but if she does then you all have left me with some nice suggestions. But this does not mean this thread should stop so lets keep it growing even more =D
| Lumiere Dawnbringer |
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i noticed the lack of effective primary healers, and the only combatants appear to be the eidolon and the cavalier. unless the mount is fighting as a seperate warrior.
my recommendations include
a full divine caster who can do some melee and provide reasonable spontaneous healing. a martially oriented cleric or oracle works best, though a druid can provide alternate methods of HP control in the form of spontaneous summons.
a half orc scarred witch doctor with the prehensile hair hex and the healing patron. your hair deals damage based upon constitution and if you attack with it exclusively. it becomes a primary weapon dealing 1.5 times your constitution bonus. your hair increases the reach of your cures.
a wizard or sorcerer who abuses infernal healing out of combat, can still be an evoker if you wish, just remember that wands of infernal healing cost 750GP apiece for a 50 charge wand. summons make great HP sponges.
a 3/4 bab 3/4 caster with access to cure spells, or infernal healing. the magus provides the blasts you seek, and has access to infernal healing which is sweet out of combat. while the bard and inquisitor offer cure spells.
a martial who can use wands of 1st level healing spells. paladins and rangers. you deal damage in combat, and heal out of combat. in fact, the paladin offers better condition removal and the ranger offers better skills.