What's a wizard to spend money on other than magic items?


3.5/d20/OGL

Scarab Sages

Looking for suggestions here.

So, I have a character concept of a wizard who tries to depend only on his own spellcasting abilities, rather than the "crutch" of magic items. He doesn't have a vow of poverty or anything, so he will have plenty of money. What can he spend it on that will be useful, but aren't themselves magical?

I know about Metamagic Components already. Can anybody think of anything else?

(This character concept is actually based on the "Naked Mage" playstyle that went around among Diablo players some time ago who were looking for an extra challenge. I actually designed a 3E PrC based on it that I want to playtest. It doesn't forbid wealth, though, just usage of magic items.)


Blow and hookers.

Scarab Sages

Ha ha.

Any serious suggestions?

Contributor

Safehouses.

The biggest weakness a wizard has is his reliance on his spellbooks and the risk of losing them. Back in 1st edition, wizards were making sure to have traveling spellbooks with their main spellbooks back at their "tower" in case anything happened during their travels.

Let your wizard establish a safehouse in every region he's likely to visit--a tower in the woods, an apartment in the big city, a cottage by the seashore, etc.--and stock it not just with spellbooks but all sorts of useful provisions. Make sure he has teleport and overland flight as spells to get to his cache of items when he needs them.

The safehouses will also save a great deal of money dealing with inns and other troubles in his travels.

Scarab Sages

That's a very good idea. Well thought out. I'll have to keep that in mind.

Anything a bit more portable, though? 8^)


Abraham spalding wrote:
Blow and hookers.

I was thinking "Ale and whores" but same basic idea.

No magic items, eh? I don't think he'll wind up accumulating that much wealth, honestly. Surviving is going to be an issue.

Scarab Sages

Lyingbastard wrote:
Surviving is going to be an issue.

Very true. But assuming he does...


Hirelings and mercenaries.


Elaborate revenge. (see Count of Monte Cristo)

It occurs to me that a Monte Cristo type revenge quest could make a seriously cool adventure...if written well and played by the right players. I'll have to log that away among the million and a half campaign ideas I have.

Contributor

For what he carries with him, all wealth should be put into spell component gems since carrying capacity is an issue since there's no handy haversack. Drugs and alchemical items are also useful.

A horse with saddlebags is also a good idea. Have Animate Dead or Mount handy in case it dies and you need to carry the bags until you can get another horse. Floating Disk will also work.

An important trouble to consider, however, is how eschewing magic items will make the character vulnerable because certain levels assume you have your "Big 5" protection and combat items. If you don't, you're going to have a problem.


Arazyr wrote:

Looking for suggestions here.

So, I have a character concept of a wizard who tries to depend only on his own spellcasting abilities, rather than the "crutch" of magic items. He doesn't have a vow of poverty or anything, so he will have plenty of money. What can he spend it on that will be useful, but aren't themselves magical?

I know about Metamagic Components already. Can anybody think of anything else?

(This character concept is actually based on the "Naked Mage" play style that went around among Diablo players some time ago who were looking for an extra challenge. I actually designed a 3E PrC based on it that I want to playtest. It doesn't forbid wealth, though, just usage of magic items.)

I have never heard of this "naked" mage concept but if my understanding is correct you will have NO! magic items at all?

Under that assumption I would suggest saving you money for the various planar binding spells to get allies to make up for your weakness.

My mages get a belt of healing asap, a hewards handy haversack after that, boots of springing and striding and then we start working on his weapons. A mage wielding a +3 keen great axe is a bit more effective than a magic dagger. Since shields aren't a factor then two hand all you'd like.

At low level like level 1 -4 get a war dog, they obey you,can keep a villain off of you long enough to cast a spell or at the very least give the enemy another target. Unlike familiars, no major loss if they die.
Mid levels, hire a henchmen. Mine was my personal valet, he prepped my meals,clothes and etc and stood my watches because as a mage such things were beneath me( this particular mage was based off malfoy)

At higher levels invest in books,tomes,librams etc. Give yourself as many permanent buffs as possible cause your gonna need them. Without any magic items to fall back on you'd better have a con of 20+ for the hit points and the feat Improved Toughness as well as the various "toughness" feats from masters of the wild can certainly help.
Good luck with this concept, I hope you have fun.

Grand Lodge

Pathfinder PF Special Edition, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Arazyr wrote:

Looking for suggestions here.

So, I have a character concept of a wizard who tries to depend only on his own spellcasting abilities, rather than the "crutch" of magic items. He doesn't have a vow of poverty or anything, so he will have plenty of money. What can he spend it on that will be useful, but aren't themselves magical?

I know about Metamagic Components already. Can anybody think of anything else?

(This character concept is actually based on the "Naked Mage" playstyle that went around among Diablo players some time ago who were looking for an extra challenge. I actually designed a 3E PrC based on it that I want to playtest. It doesn't forbid wealth, though, just usage of magic items.)

You're probably going to be bribing other wizards or wizard guilds to get access to their spell books, donations to temples to get in good with the gods, or at least the local clergy. (always a good investment for any character)

You're going to have to be very strategic in your battle placement, and your spell use. Concentrate on spells that keep you from getting hit, than trying to bump up the AC. Although casting mage armor is far from useless.

Silver Crusade

Kevin Andrew Murphy wrote:

For what he carries with him, all wealth should be put into spell component gems since carrying capacity is an issue since there's no handy haversack. Drugs and alchemical items are also useful.

A horse with saddlebags is also a good idea. Have Animate Dead or Mount handy in case it dies and you need to carry the bags until you can get another horse. Floating Disk will also work.

An important trouble to consider, however, is how eschewing magic items will make the character vulnerable because certain levels assume you have your "Big 5" protection and combat items. If you don't, you're going to have a problem.

Have you thought of taking up spell mastery after every time you get an increase of +1 to your stats. I figured if done right, by the time you reach 20th level, you should have at least 20 spells mastered, so you wont have to worry so much on relying on your spellbook or magic items. I do like your idea and I have toyed with a similar idea, expcept the mage will only have one magic stave, spellbook, some alchemic items and maybe a wand. Scrolls are optional, but I thought of playing a mage who uses magic items, but does not become heavy with magic items. It would be an interesting play.

Silver Crusade

As for the money, spell research, crafting a one magic item that becomes his signature magic item or change the treasure into scrolls for him to learn from or buying spellbooks with special rituals in them such as the ones found in the Ultimate Magic book.


What about investing in grafts, namely internal ones like Silthilar grafts from LoM?

I would also look at the Eidetic Spellcaster ACF in Dragon 357, so you can store spells in your mind as opposed to storing them in a book.

Silver Crusade

Andion Isurand wrote:

What about investing in grafts, namely internal ones like Silthilar grafts from LoM?

I would also look at the Eidetic Spellcaster ACF in Dragon 357, so you can store spells in your mind as opposed to storing them in a book.

That sounds so coool. How does that work? Where can I find the info regarding that?


morgandefey wrote:
Andion Isurand wrote:

What about investing in grafts, namely internal ones like Silthilar grafts from LoM?

I would also look at the Eidetic Spellcaster ACF in Dragon 357, so you can store spells in your mind as opposed to storing them in a book.

That sounds so coool. How does that work? Where can I find the info regarding that?

LoM = Lords of Madness

As far as the Eidetic Spellcaster ACF goes, you must trade your familiar and scribe scroll feat in exchange for the ability to scribe new spells directly into your mind as if it were a spellbook using special incense, which costs the same amount of gold and time as scribing spells normally would.

You can then prepare spells from within your your own mind, as if there were a limitless spellbook in it.

Silver Crusade

Andion Isurand wrote:
morgandefey wrote:
Andion Isurand wrote:

What about investing in grafts, namely internal ones like Silthilar grafts from LoM?

I would also look at the Eidetic Spellcaster ACF in Dragon 357, so you can store spells in your mind as opposed to storing them in a book.

That sounds so coool. How does that work? Where can I find the info regarding that?

LoM = Lords of Madness

As far as the Eidetic Spellcaster ACF goes, you must trade your familiar and scribe scroll feat in exchange for the ability to scribe new spells directly into your mind as if it were a spellbook using special incense, which costs the same amount of gold and time as scribing spells normally would.

You can then prepare spells from within your your own mind, as if there were a limitless spellbook in it.

.

That sounds so wicked. Are there any limitations or coditions in which the "spellbook" would become blank though?


I like to use secret chest to store back up supplies on the astral plane. Bring it back frequently enough and you have little risk of loss. And I rarely put expensive magic items in it mostly healing potions, scrolls and the like. I can also store excess loot in this fashion which will help with your lack of bag of holding or handy haversack. I would invest in alchemical lab to keep yourself in those type of items. Also you could make potions to give to your party members unless that violates your no magic items. Also a base of operations/home is another idea.

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