So, I'm planning out a wizard character (starting at level 3) to join a Pathfinder group, where we are only allowed to work out of the Core rulebook. So far, the group has a combat cleric (fire/healing), barb (smasher), sorcerer blaster, and a rogue (mostly melee). I'm planning a conjurer that I eventually plan to build into a Loremaster, just because it looks interesting. Here's what I have:
Gnome Conjurer (Necro/Evo opposition)
Familiar: Weasel? Bat?
Attributes:
6/14/16/18/10/12
Skills:
*Knowledge (Dungeon, Arcana)
*Fly
*Ride
*Spellcraft
-Craft (something)
-Knowledge (Planes, Geography, History, Local, Religion)
-Linguistics
*I plan to keep these skills maxed)
-I plan to spread out my extra points in these areas
Feats:
Scribe Scroll (free)
Improved initiative
Skill Focus (Arcana)
*Craft Wand
*Craft Wondrous Item
*these feats are planned for future picks
TLDR:
1) Do I need more than 5 ranks in ride if I'm doing nothing fancy with a mount other than move around in combat?
2) What's a good familiar to fit the concept (goofy, absent-minded, socially weak but well-meaning gnome)?
3) What's a good craft skill pick (probably to go with Craft Wondrous Item)?
4) What are the better item creation feats that I can get before level 10 (preferably as soon as possible)?
5) Would a halfling be more solid with this build?
The too long part:
I know Gnomes are ironically un-strong for wizard, but I've always liked the shorty races, hated elves, and have been indifferent to humans. This character concept is that he's a somewhat absent-minded goof more focused on the academics of his situation than the reality. I think this wouldn't really jive with the iconic dwarf personality, and halflings are viable, but the gnome seems like a better fit.
I chose Necro and Evo as opposition schools. I don't see him glum enough to be a Necro. Though, a jovial necromancer would be funny. As for evo, it's very blasty and to the point while he's more battlefield control anyway. And, like I said, we already have a blaster sorcerer.
The concept is that he's kind of a goof, more focused on the academics of his situation than the reality. I'm actually tempted to lower his wisdom and cha some (probably in favor of dex), not as a munchkin move, but because I'm going to play him pretty absent-minded with terrible (but well-meaning) people skills.
I'm not feeling any of the familiars. The bat and weasel just seem the more useful ones for this concept (bat for blindsense, weasel for reflex saves). An owl might fit the image for a loremaster, but this guy's perception is going to be crap no matter what. Then again, maybe I should drop one of the max skills for perception? Ride seems like the obvious choice, but I'm putting him on a combat trained riding dog. However, I'm not doing anything fancy with the dog, so do I need more than 5 ranks in it to move it around hands-free in combat? Also, I'm not sure what to take for craft, but I'm thinking something to do with Craft Wondrous Item.
Finally the feats. The wasted skill focus is for Loremaster and I want to start that at level 6-7, if possible. I might swap out Improved Initiative for another craft for this reason. I'm not a fan of metamagic feats. Eating up a higher level slot for a lower level spell that even with the feat isn't as great as a higher level spell? Item creation can be of limited usefulness, too, but it's probably the lesser of two not super useful things. I can crank out swag in between quests, I figure. I figure Wondrous Item is a good fit for the character concept, due to it's miscellaneousness (if that's a word). I'd rather have staff over wand, but I need to get these feats out of the way before level 10 so I can max Loremaster. Wand will at least give me an arsenal of all those low level spells I want to have on the ready. Plus I can use it for evocation spells for which I'm not going to want to waste double spell slots.
