After reading so much stuff on this board I wanted to share a little back.
I don't have time to tell the full story of what my group is facing, nor do I want to give out any type of spoiler. I will tell you that I, personally, go for role play over optimization.
With that in mind I want to share my current Swordsmen with anyone and everyone whom happen to come in here and read this post.
The make of up Vivirain's party is as follows. A sorcerer who is optimization to cast damaged spells. A Cleric who does a good job at buffing him self, getting a good AC and healing the group when in real danger. A rogue/inquisitor, who flanks with Vivirain and rushes to lock down spell casters.
And Vivirain! Self titled greatest Swordmaster! Who runs around disarming foes, casting debuffs, buffs and doing what he loves best! Stabbing people with the pointy end of his sword!
Vivirain:
Class – Wizard 8 - Transmutation-Enhancement Specialist
Forbidden schools! - Abjuration. Divination.
Familiar - None, he chooses not to get a silly pet.
Race – Elf
Alignment – CG
Deity - None
Traits – Classically Schooled, Warrior of Old
Stats - 15 point buy system
Str: 10
Dex: 16 (18) +2 from Physical Enhancement
Con: 10
Int: 19 - started out 17 both level 4 and 8 stat points went here
Wis: 11
Cha: 10
Feats -
Level 1 Weapon Finesse
Level 3 Armor Proficiency, Light
Level 5 Arcane Armor Training
Level 5 Bonus feat used to get - Knowledge is Power
Level 7 Extend Spell
Defensive Gear - +1 Mithral Chain Shirt, +1 Ring of protection, +1 Cloak of Resistance.
Still needs to pick one more spell out, just hit level 8, was thinking about taking fly.
In short, Vi takes a little bit to get off the ground running, but once he is fully buffed (and a little help from friends ) he is a rather useful Swordsmen.
Sorcerer took Heroism which when given greats a nice +2 to hit and saves, Cleric Greater Magic Vestment or can be written as a scroll to boost armor from +1 to +3
Fully buffed up Vi can run around doing +12 to attack non flaking and d8+7 damage with out counting bane.
Vi has time and time again run around to force the AoO which will allow his teammates to get into a good place to attack or cast spells safely. He also will disarm foes with very large weapons, because no one wants to get hit by them!
I can break down Vi even more, sadly this was the most I could type up within a half an hour, if you want to know his stats as he level or skills let me know I can post him as he leveled up. He is however a lot of fun! My current DM, who is a very fair and fun DM, who is not scared to play rocket tag with the group if needed really enjoyed our current group. Sure we not be the most optimal but we are a very effective team.
Currently we are running through
Warning! Do not read this if you don't want to know the what game we are running:
The Emerald Spire
If you have any questions feel free to ask them! If you want to tell me how bad my "build" is, go for it.
It sounds like you are having a blast!
I have always wanted to try out a wizard as a front liner but I know I would be berated for it by all the people I play with.
It sounds like you have a good group there.
The problem with buffing up yourself with all of those buffs is that few of them are self-only, and most would be getting better bang for your buck being cast on the inquisitor. D8+7 damage at level 8 is paltry at best, especially when by this point your magic missiles likely out-damage it. This is not helped by the fact that you have 10 STR and are not two-handing. Your "build" isn't really bad, mostly standard wizard fare, but your tactics are admittedly rather sub-optimal in the sense that by doing melee combat and being the locus of buffs you are taking on a combat role that your character is not trained or equipped to embody well.
If you want to get into melee as a wizard, you may want to look into polymorph spells, and leave weapon arts to those trained in weapons. Alternatively, go for a strength-based eldritch knight build and dip fighter, or play a magus. The latter lends itself quite well to swordplay.
On the RP front, your fella doesn't seem to have much of anything going for the whole "swordmaster" image other than being proficient in the swords he carries, a quality shared by most of your party. In fact he doesnt seem to deviate much at all from a standard wizard's expertise and training, differing only in the tactics he employs. If you are going for that as a core character image, you may want to try and see if you can marry it to his mechanics, unless the swordmaster thing is meant to be a hubristic and fantastical affectation. You might be able to strengthen this theme a bit with the elven racial feats and combat style, and by prestiging into a higher bab class as quickly as possible. An inspired blade swashbuckler dip could also be good for such an angle, as it gives weapon finesse, int-based panache (for sword-mastery antics), weapon focus, and qualifies you for fencing grace.
Why do you have two magic weapons, and one of them is a longsword you can't finesse? You have low AC, low damage, and low hit points, and playing at being a melee character is going to get you killed sooner or later.
I'm glad you're having fun, but the character is severely underperforming as a melee swordsman, and because of the resources you spent to be sub-par at melee, you're also not as good as you could be at spellcasting.
Real fast, the AC gets up to be 27 fully buffed. Which if you go by the rule of needing only 15+level AC anything more is over kill which would mean AC 23 is at that point.
Ontop of that mirrors and % chance to not be hit is amazing for taking attacks! DM gets so happy when he can hit Vi then the group reminds him of blurr and mirrors, which then the DM gets sad.
ALSO he goes from 10 str to 16. Alt self, bull str which he then can 2 hand his weapon! And 2 attacks at d8+7 might not be as much damage as my gnome/halfling fighters but hey! It's something! PLUS I think you missed the part where he disarms a lot of the foes!
Poly morth comes soon when he can turn into a giant!
2 magic weapons is because he found them, and one he can used when not buff, and the other he can use when buffed! Plus, why sell something at half value?!
I personally don't like the magus. This is why I went wizard!
Also for the role play of "swordmaster" Again he has disarmed a LOT of foes, one of which was a PC whom back stabbed the group. A 100% fighter who optimized to be just that full blown damage dealing monster. Not only did he disarm him! Slow him! And a little help from the cleric who cast hold person on him! Vi came out the victor!
Last thing! He will be 100% wizard! My DM even asked me why not go E. Knight after I started to do all this, I told him because I'm a wizard!
Once when hasted I even threw 2 hand axes and killed a foe in one round! Sure one hit was a nat 20, and the 2nd hit I rolled a 19, but it was funny to think Vi with axe in each hand was able to hit a foe 30 feet away with him and kill him!
Real fast, the AC gets up to be 27 fully buffed. Which if you go by the rule of needing only 15+level AC anything more is over kill which would mean AC 23 is at that point.
Ontop of that mirrors and % chance to not be hit is amazing for taking attacks! DM gets so happy when he can hit Vi then the group reminds him of blurr and mirrors, which then the DM gets sad.
ALSO he goes from 10 str to 16. Alt self, bull str which he then can 2 hand his weapon! And 2 attacks at d8+7 might not be as much damage as my gnome/halfling fighters but hey! It's something! PLUS I think you missed the part where he disarms a lot of the foes!
Poly morth comes soon when he can turn into a giant!
2 magic weapons is because he found them, and one he can used when not buff, and the other he can use when buffed! Plus, why sell something at half value?!
I personally don't like the magus. This is why I went wizard!
Also for the role play of "swordmaster" Again he has disarmed a LOT of foes, one of which was a PC whom back stabbed the group. A 100% fighter who optimized to be just that full blown damage dealing monster. Not only did he disarm him! Slow him! And a little help from the cleric who cast hold person on him! Vi came out the victor!
Last thing! He will be 100% wizard! My DM even asked me why not go E. Knight after I started to do all this, I told him because I'm a wizard!
Once when hasted I even threw 2 hand axes and killed a foe in one round! Sure one hit was a nat 20, and the 2nd hit I rolled a 19, but it was funny to think Vi with axe in each hand was able to hit a foe 30 feet away with him and kill him!
I really should write up the story some time.
the rule is 20+level for front liners 15+level for ranged characters and 10+level for squishy casters and that number is unbuffed
I would consider getting rid of Light armor proficiency and Arcane Armor training and just go with Mage Armor and the dodge feat. AC comes out the same but gives you an extra feat. The extra feat can be used for Arcane Strike. If you let go of the 1 point of AC (not a big lose since you have Mirror Image) you could spend the 2 feat to get studied combat instead. That will give you +2 to hit and damage with both weapons and combat maneuvers.
The other option is to go more heavily into AC with 1 level of monk. Pick up improved Unarmed Style and Crane style for an additional +4 to AC if you have 3 ranks in Acrobatics (+5 total AC with the free dodge feat, more if you boost wisdom and switch to mage armor). The spell Blade Tutor Spirit goes will with this so you don't lose any to hit.
Since you don't have combat expertise and all the improved maneuver feats, I would think about getting the spell Long Arm. It will give you reach and allow you to disarm, trip, etc... with reach to avoid attacks of opportunity.
Keep building differently and having fun with it!!
Real fast, the AC gets up to be 27 fully buffed. Which if you go by the rule of needing only 15+level AC anything more is over kill which would mean AC 23 is at that point.
Ontop of that mirrors and % chance to not be hit is amazing for taking attacks! DM gets so happy when he can hit Vi then the group reminds him of blurr and mirrors, which then the DM gets sad.
ALSO he goes from 10 str to 16. Alt self, bull str which he then can 2 hand his weapon! And 2 attacks at d8+7 might not be as much damage as my gnome/halfling fighters but hey! It's something! PLUS I think you missed the part where he disarms a lot of the foes!
Poly morth comes soon when he can turn into a giant!
2 magic weapons is because he found them, and one he can used when not buff, and the other he can use when buffed! Plus, why sell something at half value?!
I personally don't like the magus. This is why I went wizard!
Also for the role play of "swordmaster" Again he has disarmed a LOT of foes, one of which was a PC whom back stabbed the group. A 100% fighter who optimized to be just that full blown damage dealing monster. Not only did he disarm him! Slow him! And a little help from the cleric who cast hold person on him! Vi came out the victor!
Last thing! He will be 100% wizard! My DM even asked me why not go E. Knight after I started to do all this, I told him because I'm a wizard!
Once when hasted I even threw 2 hand axes and killed a foe in one round! Sure one hit was a nat 20, and the 2nd hit I rolled a 19, but it was funny to think Vi with axe in each hand was able to hit a foe 30 feet away with him and kill him!
I really should write up the story some time.
Well, I guess this is one way to resolve the caster/martial disparity. :D
How many rounds does it take you to buff pre-combat? If you're surprised, how long do you last?
Real fast, the AC gets up to be 27 fully buffed. Which if you go by the rule of needing only 15+level AC anything more is over kill which would mean AC 23 is at that point.
Ontop of that mirrors and % chance to not be hit is amazing for taking attacks! DM gets so happy when he can hit Vi then the group reminds him of blurr and mirrors, which then the DM gets sad.
ALSO he goes from 10 str to 16. Alt self, bull str which he then can 2 hand his weapon! And 2 attacks at d8+7 might not be as much damage as my gnome/halfling fighters but hey! It's something! PLUS I think you missed the part where he disarms a lot of the foes!
Poly morth comes soon when he can turn into a giant!
2 magic weapons is because he found them, and one he can used when not buff, and the other he can use when buffed! Plus, why sell something at half value?!
I personally don't like the magus. This is why I went wizard!
Also for the role play of "swordmaster" Again he has disarmed a LOT of foes, one of which was a PC whom back stabbed the group. A 100% fighter who optimized to be just that full blown damage dealing monster. Not only did he disarm him! Slow him! And a little help from the cleric who cast hold person on him! Vi came out the victor!
Last thing! He will be 100% wizard! My DM even asked me why not go E. Knight after I started to do all this, I told him because I'm a wizard!
Once when hasted I even threw 2 hand axes and killed a foe in one round! Sure one hit was a nat 20, and the 2nd hit I rolled a 19, but it was funny to think Vi with axe in each hand was able to hit a foe 30 feet away with him and kill him!
I really should write up the story some time.
27 AC by 8th level is decent, but not really that powerful. A truly optimized martial would hit that AC fairly regularly, and occasionally with iterative attacks. Also, a truly optimized "tank" would have AC in the 30's and above by 8th level.
Mirror Images and Blur/Displacement are big survival tools, yes, but the former loses its usefulness when creatures get numerous attacks (or simply attack you and regularly miss, just to destroy images). Displacement is nice, but is a lot like Save/Suck spells, in that it's an all or nothing situation, which is pretty bad for a Wizard in general.
Also, that's a lot of Buff Spells to be throwing up to expect them at all times, or to even get the chance to begin with. You must either have godlike scouting and preparation, or the GM plays the bad guys like a bunch of NPCs in an MMO who can see you and just sit there until you attack them.
I'm curious as to why you dislike the Magus. If it's because of the mechanics being confusing, then there is a guide to explain how their core concept works. If it's because they don't have a lot of the good Wizard spells, there's Arcana for that. If it's because they only cast 6th level spells, then that's understandable; but it's equally understandable to see why people are baffled that a Full Arcane Spellcaster is playing Fighter.
Disarming foes can be much better done with a spell; most notably, Pilfering Hand, which can be a fairly powerful 2nd level spell that scales with CL and Intelligence. I'm also surprised you're able to disarm so effectively without having the proper feats for it. No Improved Disarm so you get bonuses and don't provoke for doing the action?
The Fighter was hit with a tough Save or Suck, a brutal Save or Die, didn't shore up his Will Save (which made those spells infinitely more effective), and didn't carry at least one suitable back-up weapon. He may have optimized damage, but he didn't optimize anything else that he otherwise should've (without cost to his damage, either). Also, C/MD is a thing, so that result was to be expected regardless of optimization.
GM forgot that to go Eldritch Knight, you need proficiency with all Martial Weapons, which requires a level dip (or to be a Magus). Even so, Prestige Classes are usually a waste of time anyway unless you have extreme system mastery. In this case, E.K. won't function all that well.
I sadly don't have the time to address everything. Here is a few things thought.
Pre buffing, unless we know combat is going to happen we don't do it. I just start casting spells I think I need for the one fight and the to keep a good defense spell held back to when I need it. He also lives a lot when surprised. He has good armor walking around and a D6 hit die. Which use to be D4.....think about that he has the hp of an old rogue or bard which is good enough to live.
Greater false life mirrors blurr and slow go a long way for stopping things with a lot of attacks. Sure it's not the best but it works a lot better then you think.
How I disarm is really fun and it brings a lot of laughing to the table. If I wanted to cheese disarm. I would use a spear, get more reach with long arm and cast true strike. However that's not how Vi.
My DM plays very smart and punishes us if we do something dumb or try to cheese the game. Once we ran into a liches palace we fought our way in did about have the castle and left with a trapped npc we found. Group said we should take 14 days to gear up and go back. The lich used the 14 days to sac a near by town raise and army of undead trapped his keep up stone walled the back door we used the first time to get in. And made a pact with a demon to get some other really nasty stuff. He did it all by the rules. Used the spells the lich had and planed this all out. He had a way to spy on the group and knew how long he hand to get ready. It was a big epic fight which 90% of our group died. Our DM will have bosses powered up when they know we are there. But he also let's us get the drop on them too if we are smart about it. It's not a MMO for him more like FF tactics.
I don't like the magus because I don't like spell strike. I know how it works I know it does well but I don't like it. I like the way they can power up their weapon that is cool but I play bards (my fav class) over magus.
I have never played DnD like a combat game. I don't min max or optimize. When I play I find out who the person I'm playing is and I let their life and adventure shape what they become. I take feats like Skill Focus Profession Baker because Tokie the Halfling Barbain loved helping his family's bakery on his free time and give the kids sweet cakes!
