Is it possible to make a Blaster “GOD” wizard? They’re probably irreconcilable, but that’s my current attempt. The idea is to have a wizard who doesn’t prepare any blast spells, but can do so whenever he wants. (Preferred Spell) My blaster build is probably too focused, so if you could make some suggestions on which feats I should take, that’d be great.
Here’s the base of the build:
Elf Wizard, Diviner, Advanced Focus Foresight
(Elves have built in Spell Penetration, amongst other things. Huzzah!)
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 f lat-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.
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.
Base Stats; at level 1
Str 10 Dex 18 Con 14 Int 21 Wis 12 Cha 8
Choosing Familiar (and eventually Improved Familiar)
A couple notes before I get into the feat progression; this build never prepares a blast spell. (At least almost never? >.>) The build uses Preferred Spell (Fireball) to spontaneously cast Fireballs when convenient. Magical Lineage makes metamagic a little cheaper and Preferred Spell lets me add on free metamagic. The fireballs are also meant to be somewhat control-y with Dazing Spell. Since it never prepares blasting spells, it is supposed to play somewhat like a GOD wizard, but it doesn’t have nearly as many feats supporting his “GOD”-ness.
Also note that since this build specializes in Fireball, I’ll be using quite a few lesser metamagic rods when appropriate. (Silent, Elemental (Ice, Acid, and Elec), Merciful, Maximize, etc.)
Traits:
Magical Lineage (Fireball)
Lore Seeker (Fireball and 2 other spells)
(Through additional Traits)
Warrior of Old (+2 Init)
Eyes and Ears of the City (+1 Perception, Perception is a class skill)
Wizard Feats:
5 Heighten Spell
10 Selective Spell
15 Intensified Spell
20 Persistent Spell
Leveling Feats:
1 Additional Traits
3 Spell Focus (Evoc)
5 Preferred Spell (Fireball)
7 Improved Familiar
9 Dazing Spell
11 Quicken Spell
13 Spell Penetration
15 Spell Perfection (Fireball)
17 Greater Spell Focus (Evoc)
19 Greater Spell Penetration
Traits:
Warrior of Old (+2 Init)
Eyes and Ears of the City (+1 Perception, Perception is a class skill)
Wizard Feats:
5 Extend Spell
10 Quicken Spell
15 Dazing Spell
20 Persistent Spell
Leveling Feats:
1 Toughness
3 Spell Focus (Conj)
5 Augment Summoning
7 Improved Familiar
9 Defensive Combat Training
11 Spell Penetration
13 Eschew Materials
15 Spell Perfection (Not sure? I imagine still a good feat, even for “GOD”)
17 Additional Traits (Perhaps Magical Lineage and Lore Seeker, maybe a trait to shore up a weak save.)
19 Greater Spell Penetration
I hate to break it to you, but you have a terrible plan here.
1. Fireball is one of the worse evocations in the game in terms of damage and effect.
2. You obviously haven't priced out Metamagic rods. You won't have enough cash for even a single Rod of Empower or Maxmize until well into the build, and you won't have enough for a day's work until level 15ish.
That being said, not having core Blaster feats is a major weakness. Stacking Empower and Maximize is one of the key ways of adding damage, but only one Rod can be used per spell meaning you need both feats in your build above and beyond Rods.
3. Diviner adds little to your concept as an specialist in evocation.
4. Spell Penetration and GSP needs to both be gained by at least 10th level since SR monsters start showing up then. Not getting it until past 15 is a serious flaw.
5. This is not a playable build, since it doesn't get decent until like level 15. Few games last that long, and almost none begin at 20th.
Honestly, your build is only a little better than someone who picked spells and feats at random. Sorry.
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I am starting an adventure path with an Admixture Focused Evocation Specialist to see how that goes. Trying to see how a versatile blaster works (can change the element of a spell 3+Int Mod/day). Seems like it might work out good (i hope. lol) My feat progression plan so far to 9 is: 1-Imp Init, 3-Spell Foc (Evo), 5-Gr Sp Foc(Evo), 7-Sp Pen, 9-Gr Sp Pen and taking empower at 5 and maximize at 10.
As to the build above, I think too much focus was done on a spell whose element(fire) that has the most creatures resistant to it. If you are blasting, I think it is important to have the right blasts for the right creatures available most of the time. As you get higher, those immune to things you cast are going to cripple your effectiveness. Also, as the poster above said, spell resistance gets pretty annoying, so you want to ramp up that penetration.
EDIT: Oh yeah, how did the int get to 21 at first level?
Sorcerers are far better at Blasting... I'd go that route (Red or Gold Dragon Bloodline) if you really want a halfway effective Blaster Mage imo.
The most effective 'blaster' build I have yet found is the wilder from 3.5 psionics. Start with energy ray at first level, and take swarm of crystals at fourth so you have an area attack. You need to use your feats for Expanded Knowledge (and/or use the Trained wilder option, where you get Expanded Knowledge as a bonus feat instead of the volatile mind class feature) in order to get the best powers as they are specialist ones for kineticists, but you end up able to really lay out some hurt on specific targets. The downside is that the wilder's powers are so limited in number you won't have any spare for much other than blowing things up.
*sigh* This is why I came here for advice.
1. I have NEVER played a wizard before in Pathfinder. I have mused over potential builds a lot, but have never gotten around to actually playing it. (Thus difficult to judge how useful each feat is, when they are useful, etc.) So give some actually useful advice! Show me a good wizard build!
2. I went severely overkill in my devotion to making fireball effective. I'm hoping a good wizard can still sneak in a few feats to make fireball effective.
3. THIS BUILD IS NOT TRYING TO MAX OUT FIREBALL DAMAGE. The idea is to more or less run my character as the "GOD" wizard he should be. I cast it AFTER doing an appropriate amount of buffing, battlefield control. (Or establish control through the Dazing Spell feat, dazing them for 3 rounds.)
4. This idea of this build is about borrowing some of that Sorcerer spontaneity through Preferred Spell. Magical Lineage means I can apply metamagic to Fireball easier and Spell Perfection means I can add Quicken or Dazing for free and doubles the effectiveness of my Spell Focus and Spell Penetration.
And don't dis blasting. Even Treantmonk mentions the uses of blasting. ...it's just that it's not your primary, secondary, or tertiary thing you do. It's the quaternary! xD
More to come. >.<;
*sigh* This is why I came here for advice.
1. I have NEVER played a wizard before in Pathfinder. I have mused over potential builds a lot, but have never gotten around to actually playing it. (Thus difficult to judge how useful each feat is, when they are useful, etc.) So give some actually useful advice! Show me a good wizard build!
2. I went severely overkill in my devotion to making fireball effective. I'm hoping a good wizard can still sneak in a few feats to make fireball effective.
3. THIS BUILD IS NOT TRYING TO MAX OUT FIREBALL DAMAGE. The idea is to more or less run my character as the "GOD" wizard he should be. I cast it AFTER doing an appropriate amount of buffing, battlefield control. (Or establish control through the Dazing Spell feat, dazing them for 3 rounds.)
4. This idea of this build is about borrowing some of that Sorcerer spontaneity through Preferred Spell. Magical Lineage means I can apply metamagic to Fireball easier and Spell Perfection means I can add Quicken or Dazing for free and doubles the effectiveness of my Spell Focus and Spell Penetration.
And don't dis blasting. Even Treantmonk mentions the uses of blasting. ...it's just that it's not your primary, secondary, or tertiary thing you do. It's the quaternary! xD
More to come. >.<;
The build depends on what you want to do. A wizard that wants to blast well has to focus in it, maybe not every feat but a good amount. You might selective spell since by the time all that buffing is done your tank is in melee with the bad guys, and you will have to avoid hitting him.
The build depends on what you want to do. A wizard that wants to blast well has to focus in it, maybe not every feat but a good amount. You might selective spell since by the time all that buffing is done your tank is in melee with the bad guys, and you will have to avoid hitting him.
You're probably right. This build is likely flawed entirely. Let me attempt to explain.
1. I want to make a wizard. An optimal wizard. Diviner abilities look fantastic. (Forewarned? 'nuf said.) Foresight school? Amazing. (Prescience: What's that? A nat 20? Hrmm... How do I want to use my nat 20 this turn... Foretell: Free Spell Penetration on top of my Elven Spell Penetration? ...and other nice abilities for me and my friends? Nice!)
2. Hrmm. Divining can be fantastic: I'm not sure there's anything better than a well played divination spell. ...but other times it's underwhelming what they can do. ...so how can I convert a spell that isn't useful into something that is? Aha! Preferred Spell!
3. Interesting... So if I choose Preferred Spell, I can also use Magical Lineage to make that spontaneous adding of metamagic even easier. Whoah! Spell Perfection? I can have an awesome signature spell!
4. What spell can I specialize in? Preferably something that can make use of extra metamagic... Wait, dazing spell? Guess I should go for something that deals damage.
5. 2nd or 3rd level would be ideal, so I can convert most of my slots spontaneously, only have to use lesser metamagic rods to modify it, and have Dazing spell daze them for a lengthy enough time to be worth it. Something that hits multiple targets would be ideal... Fireball? Nah, only n00bs use that. What else is there... ...not much. Huh. Fireball. Really? Maybe.
...and you can pretty much see where it went from there. A build that started out as a "GOD" wizard Diviner, then looked into Preferred Spell, then dabbling into making the "signature spell" viable and there you have it. A sub-par wizard build.
This Blaster "GOD" Wizard thing was more of an idea that came after being excited for a combo that doesn't seem to actually be that great. (At least not until level 15? Far too long.)
How would you build the Wizard given the basics of the build?
Base Stats; at level 1
Str 10 Dex 18 Con 14 Int 21 Wis 12 Cha 8
Choosing Familiar (and eventually Improved Familiar)
Oh, and someone asked, "21 Int at 1st level?" Explanation: I put 18 in Int, +2 Elf Racial bonus, and my elf is middle-aged. (-1 to Str, Dex, Con, +1 to Int, Wis, Cha)
Question: Can you think of any way it would be worth having that "signature spell"? As in, taking the following: Preferred Spell, Spell Perfection, Magical Lineage, and perhaps Lore Seeker; choosing the same spell for each feat. Is having that "signature spell" something that could be optimal? ...or is it one of those things you should only do for fun?
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I kinda play the game "for fun".
I could care less about how UBER something is, if its fun to play. Honestly, this sounds like a very good character to me, and despite the many facepalms about to smack I would say build it your way. Unless you are planning on wanting to smite EVERYTHING with your signature spell, this character is way more effective when he's casting other stuff.
And honestly, I get it. I understand. This is not about how much damage you can get your wizard to do in 10 seconds, this is about the flavor of the build and how you can have that one little thing you do that nobody else does.
I say go for it.
Being a 'blaster' is a fine way to go, despite all the hate. Just pick evocation spells as your school spells and put all others into defensive/tactial spells.
Are you allowed 3.5 material at all? If so, i can help you make a Wizard blaster/god with more spells than Sorcerer. Plus what's your party consist of?
Let me know what we can work with...
and btw, Fireball rocks.
It all depends on your party makeup, if you've got no melee characters full attacking then Haste is useless etc.
I kinda play the game "for fun".
I could care less about how UBER something is, if its fun to play. Honestly, this sounds like a very good character to me, and despite the many facepalms about to smack I would say build it your way. Unless you are planning on wanting to smite EVERYTHING with your signature spell, this character is way more effective when he's casting other stuff.
And honestly, I get it. I understand. This is not about how much damage you can get your wizard to do in 10 seconds, this is about the flavor of the build and how you can have that one little thing you do that nobody else does.
I say go for it.
lol, while writing that comment I had that thought of, "wait a minute, isn't d&d supposed to be about that thing called "fun"?"
While I'm inclined to just go for it, I'm also plenty willing to look at how other people have made their wizards. I keep hearing mine is terrible ("Barely better than choosing feats at random") but I've been given nothing to compare it to.
Thanks for taking the time to understand what I'm going for. My signature spell isn't a spell I cast every turn. Heck, if I've done my job right, it might not even come up in a battle. Like you said, it's that one little thing I can do that nobody else does; having that one spell you can use whenever you need it and doing it better than most.
...and I'm open to suggestions. My main thrust is simply having that "signature spell." (The combo of Preferred Spell, Magical Lineage, and Spell Perfection.) If you think there's a better spell than Fireball for this, I'm all ears. I couldn't find much of anything else.
...and for those of you saying "Be an Evoker!" or whatever, have you read the abilities granted by being a Diviner with Foresight being the Advanced Focus? They are AMAZING for the "GOD" wizard attempting to bend reality to his will.
I think you also misunderstand what the two terms refer to.
It's not about power, it's about what role the Wizard chooses to play.
The Blaster is all about doing direct damage to his enemies. (perhaps occasionaly sparing his friends at the same time)
The God is more about manipulating the chess board, he's summoning wall spells to isolate people, creating difficult terrain, or summoning more players into the field. While he may do damage every now and then or the side effects of his spells may do so. He's far more interested in hampering his foes and occasionally boosting his allies.
I suppose this is something I should have addressed. The title of my thread is somewhat of a misnomer because you're right; you can't be a blaster and a "GOD" wizard simultaneously because it's two different ways of thinking. Blaster is about inflicting the most damage possible, while "GOD" is mostly about enabling the rest of the party to win the battle.
My build is supposed to be a "GOD" wizard featuring an ability focused around what is generally considered the blaster's favorite spell; fireball. He prepares his spells and casts like a typical "GOD" wizard, but can also cast fireball better than (almost) anyone else. The fireball is to either fulfill his quaternary role as a blaster, or to daze the opponents while dealing some damage, letting the rest of the party go in for the kill.