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So in a few days I'm going to get a change to play for a change, which is nice because I always seem to end up as a DM. We're going to be playing the Carrion Crown AP, and I thought it'd be nice to play a wizard for a change (I generally play meleé types). The problem is, I'm not really sure how.
I've read the guides to wizards, and I have a good idea how to use the spells to good effect, but what do low level casters do when the spell-well runs dry? Even assuming that all the spells I memorize would be combat-ready, that still means I start with, what? Like 3, maybe four first-level spells? Plus, for story reasons I really want to go Diviner, so that limits some of my spell selection, too.
I was thinking maybe being an Elf, and taking a bow as my "bonded item", but that is really drifting into Arcane Archer territory, and I'd really like to stay a pure caster.
I've got a pretty good handle on how to play a mid-level Mage, and plenty of time to learn how to play a high-level one, but how do I avoid twiddling my thumbs throughout most of the combats?
Thanks
The biggest thing is to not forget your cantrips and school powers. They are there to get you through the first few spell deprived levels. Diviner's Fortune is a passable little buff, and probably more useful that trying to use Acid Splash. Daze is pretty good, and costs you nothing to spam. Worst case scenario, you break out the crossbow and go nuts. You can't hit your party anymore, and might just get lucky.
When I was an elf diviner, I was able to get my dex up to 18 (Perhaps a little much, 16 would probably be fine too.) and picked up a longbow. I had the Foresight subschool which gave Prescience. With these, you make a decent back-up archer for those first few levels. (Heck, I'm level 6 and still using the bow quite often.) I've rolled a Nat 20 with my prescience roll, and that made for a deadly arrow.
EDIT: Oh, for my arcane bond, I decided to go with the familiar and pick up a compsognatus for the +4 to init. My. Wizard. Goes. First. End of story. xD
When I was an elf diviner, I was able to get my dex up to 18 (Perhaps a little much, 16 would probably be fine too.) and picked up a longbow. I had the Foresight subschool which gave Prescience. With these, you make a decent back-up archer for those first few levels. (Heck, I'm level 6 and still using the bow quite often.) I've rolled a Nat 20 with my prescience roll, and that made for a deadly arrow.
EDIT: Oh, for my arcane bond, I decided to go with the familiar and pick up a compsognatus for the +4 to init. My. Wizard. Goes. First. End of story. xD
compsognatus? What/Where is this?
compsognatus? What/Where is this?When I was an elf diviner, I was able to get my dex up to 18 (Perhaps a little much, 16 would probably be fine too.) and picked up a longbow. I had the Foresight subschool which gave Prescience. With these, you make a decent back-up archer for those first few levels. (Heck, I'm level 6 and still using the bow quite often.) I've rolled a Nat 20 with my prescience roll, and that made for a deadly arrow.
EDIT: Oh, for my arcane bond, I decided to go with the familiar and pick up a compsognatus for the +4 to init. My. Wizard. Goes. First. End of story. xD
tiny dinosaur in bestiary 2.
tiny dinosaur in bestiary 2.compsognatus? What/Where is this?When I was an elf diviner, I was able to get my dex up to 18 (Perhaps a little much, 16 would probably be fine too.) and picked up a longbow. I had the Foresight subschool which gave Prescience. With these, you make a decent back-up archer for those first few levels. (Heck, I'm level 6 and still using the bow quite often.) I've rolled a Nat 20 with my prescience roll, and that made for a deadly arrow.
EDIT: Oh, for my arcane bond, I decided to go with the familiar and pick up a compsognatus for the +4 to init. My. Wizard. Goes. First. End of story. xD
ORLY! *rubs chin*
but what do low level casters do when the spell-well runs dry?
* Scrolls. I'm always surprised that this is rarely discussed as an option for spellcasters. Okay, so at creation you are not going to get many (unless you have Rich Parents), but there after my wizard has spent every coin on filling his spellbook and Scribing Scrolls as much as possible. At level three he has over 40 spells to cast because of his scrolls. We are given a lot of downtime in our campaign so that you don't go from level 1 to 10 in a few weeks.
* The other thing to consider is that a wizard doesn't need to act every turn. Sometimes there is nothing better to do than stand and laugh at the ogre stuck in your Grease. Or make a double move action to stay right out of combat, then move back in when the time is right to cast another spell. Don't feel trapped into having to do something every turn. Yes, this may also be where a cross/bow comes in handy, though standing back arrogantly insulting the enemy is pretty cool too (perhaps Intimidate them).
* Make best use of your spell's durations.
Use your Illusions well. Many of them have a duration of Concentration. Be creative. Casting an illusory Create Pit can make the difference to combat (check the area available, perhaps you can cast two pits), funnelling the enemy straight to your party's Meatshield and Striker. Nobody is going to take the time in combat to check to see if the pit is an illusion. Call out those insults as you Concentrate on the pit. This could be one spell that lasts the entire combat and made a huge difference.
Have your Unseen Servant take the arrows/bolts from the enemy archer, or harrass the Caster by bringing her familiar to you. Get them to open other doors, or create a distracting din somewhere so that the enemy thinks that they are being attacked on several fronts. Just flipping tables and chairs might be enough to have the enemy believe that there is an invisible enemy, and they may waste resources looking for it, or simply back off completely. The spell lasts an hour, and this can be a few combats where you are then doing something useful without casting more spells.
These are just two fairly uninspired examples made before breakfast.
* Make skill checks. Look at your skill list and try to work something into the combat. You're bound to have lots of skill points with your amazing intelligence, but lets not drop them all into the Knowledge areas.
Use your extensive Knowledge. Make a Knowledge check to gather more info on the enemy, their weaknesses, common tactics, favoured lair layouts, use of traps etc. Even stingy GMs will grant you some of this info when you ask for it with a 20 showing on the dice. Make these checks regularly and you will eventually have that 20.
For this reason I would take the Foresight subdomain. (Actually, I took Illusion for the Blinding Ray. My team-mates love it as much as any spell, and perhaps more so because I can use it several times per day.)