This is my current build (the rules-based questions are at the end):
Arcane School: Divination, Opp: Ench/Necro
Divination
Forewarned (Su)
You can always act in the surprise round even if you fail to make a Perception roll to notice a foe, but you are still considered flat-footed until you take an action. In addition, you receive a bonus on initiative checks equal to 1/2 your wizard level (minimum +1). At 20th level, anytime you roll initiative, assume the roll resulted in a natural 20.
Foresight
Associated School: Divination.
Replacement Powers: The following school powers replace the diviner’s fortune and scrying adept powers of the divination school.
Prescience (Su): At the beginning of your turn, you may, as a free action, roll a single d20. At any point before your next turn, you may use the result of this roll as the result of any d20 roll you are required to make. If you do not use the d20 result before your next turn, it is lost. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
Foretell (Su): At 8th level, you can utter a prediction of the immediate future. While your foretelling is in effect, you emit a 30-foot aura of fortune that aids your allies or hinders your enemies, as chosen by you at the time of prediction. If you choose to aid, you and your allies gain a +2 luck bonus on ability checks, attack rolls, caster level checks, saving throws, and skill checks. If you choose to hinder, your enemies take a –2 penalty on those rolls instead. You can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to your wizard level. These rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Arcane Bond: Ring
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| HP: 7/7 | AC: 14 (13 Tch, 11 Fl) | CMB: -2, CMD: 11 | F: +1, R: +3, W: +2
20pt buy:
Str 7
Dex 16 (14 +2 elf)
Con 12 (14 -2 elf)
Int 20 (18 +2 elf)
Wis 11
Cha 7
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Traits:
Warrior of Old (Elf): +2 Initiative
Desperate Resolve: You gain a +1 trait bonus on concentration checks. This trait bonus increases to + 4 when you are grappled, pinned, in violent weather, or entangled.
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Feats:
Spell Focus (Illusion) (Free instead of Scribe Scroll)
Spell Specialization (level 1 feat)
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Spellbook: All 0-level spells except Ench/Necro
Snowball
Grease
Color Spray
Shield
Heightened Awareness
Feather Fall
Mage Armor
Comprehend Languages
Enlarge Person (gained with Scroll)
Alarm (gained with Scroll)
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Default Prepared Spells (I'll swap spells out based on what I think we might face, plus I have Arcane Bond so I can do one unprepared spell per day):
0 - detect magic, ghost sound (DC: 15), prestidigitation (DC: 15)
1 - snowball (DC:16), grease (DC:16), color spray (DC:17), heightened awareness
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Important Caster Stats:
Spell Pen: +3 (1CL + 2Elven Magic)
Concentration: +9 (or +12 grapple/pinned/weather/entangle) (1CL + 5Int +2ArcaneFocus[elven alt racial trait, replaces elven weap prof] + 1-4DesperateResolve)
Initiative: +6 (3dex + 1Forewarned +2WarrOfOld)
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Planned Build:
Lvl1 Spell Specialization: Snowball, Spell Focus (Illusion)
Lvl2 (Switch Spell Spec to something else if necessary)
Lvl3 Greater Spell Focus (Illusion)
Lvl4 (Switch Spell Spec to ?)
Lvl5 Heighten Spell, Varisian Tattoo (Illusion)
Lvl6 (Switch Spell Spec to Fireball)
Lvl7 Preferred Spell: Shadow Conjuration (use this to cast Glitterdust, Summon Monster, and Spiked Pit spells)
Lvl8 (Switch Spell Spec to Shadow Conjuration)
Lvl9 Dazing Spell (Dazing Glitterdusts and Magic Missiles...)
Lvl10 Quicken Spell (Switch Spell Spec to Shadow Evocation)
Lvl11 Preferred Spell: Shadow Evocation
Lvl12
Lvl13 Spell Penetration
Lvl14
Lvl15 Spell Perfection (Shadow Evocation), Solid Shadows (Metamagic) (for 80% dmg on Greater Shadow Conj/Evoc and 40% dmg on Shadow Conj/Evoc when resisted)
Lvl16
Lvl17 Piercing Spell
Lvl18
Lvl19 Greater Spell Penetration
Lvl20 AD: Immortality
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Firstly, does anyone see anything incorrect with this build rules-wise? Secondly and more importantly, can I use the Prescience ability to roll a 1d20 as a free action prior to rolling an Initiative roll? If I know about the opponents, could I use Prescience to gain a 1d20 roll to Initiative? In a surprise round, 'if' I succeed on my Perception roll, could I use a free action to gain Prescience? I think that if I fail my Perception roll in a surprise round, then obviously no I could not use Prescience to gain a 1d20 prior to my Initiative roll.
Would I have to use Prescience 6 seconds prior to combat for this to count? How would this work in a PbP campaign?
So there was a good catch to the rules regarding this build with respect to Spell Spec: Snowball and Fireball by Meirril in the Advice Forums, as this is not possible without Spell Focus: Evocation as a prerequisite.
+2CL on Snowball and Fireball are not intrinsically important to this build, so this is easily remedied. Other than that, the questions still stand.
If I were to use Prescience to influence an Initiative roll, what rules would apply? Would I have to do this 6 seconds prior to combat? And how would this work in a PbP campaign?
