Blue Mage for PFS

[kaisc006]

Hello all my new wizard for PFS is named and stylized after Jace Beleren, a Blue Mage in Magic the Gathering. He specializes in counter spelling and mind control. I've never seen a good counterspelling wizard so thought I'd try my hand at it. I'm new to spellcasters in general so would like some critique please :) I'm open to any and all ideas that will make him more efficient at counter spelling or mind control spells but do not involve a martial class.

BUILD:

Human, Wizard (Abjurer: Counterspelling)

STR: 7
DEX: 14
CON: 12
INT: 20 (+2 race)
WIS: 14
CHA: 7

Feats:
Spell Focus (Enchantment) [replaces scribe scroll in PFS]
Improved Initiative
Toughness

Traits:
Reactionary
Strong in the Faith

Opposing Schools:
Not sure here... Originally I wanted Evocation and Necromancy but in order to use improved counterspell I must memorize a spell one level higher from the same school and these two schools are most likely to be encountered. Tough picks here :/

[Claxon]

The only thing I can recommend from the get go is that your character should be true neutral aligned. Else, protection from good/law/chaos will prevent your mind control spells. I'm not sure if such tactics are common in PFS fights or not, but easier to choose the most beneficial alignment then have to worry about a 1st level spell that is easily spamable and can provide very strong protection against any aligned spellcasters charms and compulsions.

[Krul]

Well, a few thoughts.

Enchantment is the least useful of the various schools of magic, there are entire groups of monsters, like undead and constructs who are immune, and races like elves who are resistant.. someone once did a comparison, and litterally 20% of all foes out there are immune to enchantment spells.. that said, your spell focus feat should be in abjuration, if your really going to be a counterspeller.

Ok, so what schools are the least useful from your viewpoint? Well, if it wasn't for the fact Read Magic and Detect Magic are Divination spells, I'd suggest that one, counterspelling divination is sort of silly.. you could still take it, and then spell all of your cantrips for those two spells.. sense you can still memorize a spell of your opposition school by taking up 2 slots (Which is in essence giving up the extra slot you got for specializing, which sucks, really.)

So, personally, I'd consider the following three schools for your choice of opposition schools, Divination, Illusion, and Enchantment.. with necromancy out there if you really don't like one of those choices.

Opposition Research from Ultimate Magic will get rid of your opposition schools after level 9, as will Harmonous Magic for the Mythic character, so you might consider those options if you can

[RainyDayNinja]

I'd pick up Spell Focus (Abjuration) instead, along with Spell Specialization (Dispel Magic), and maybe even Varisian Tattoo (Abjuration), so you can crank up your CL when trying to dispel.

[TheSideKick]

im pretty sure you want to run a sorcerer for counterspelling. holding onto dispell magic for the sake of taking down a wizard will eat your spell slots. choosing spontaneous casting lets you save slots for offense without any left over.

basically you just want dispell magic + charm/compulsion effects and divination spells. thats jace in a nutshell.

[kaisc006]

Hmm great suggestions here. Originally I wanted wizard to get access to dispel magic earlier and have a wider variety of spells for improved counterspell. However after checking out sorcerer again what do you guys think of this?

Also, though enchantment might be underpowered I'm cool with that. Fits the concept and I have enough optimized characters lol.

BUILD:

Human, Sorcerer (Dreamspun)

STR 7
DEX 12
CON 12
INT 11
WIS 14
CHA 20

Feats:
1st: Spell Focus (Abjuration),
3rd: Spell Specialization (something) or Mage Tatoo (Abjuration) if I get book
5th: Whichever I didn't get at 3rd

[aceDiamond]

If you pick up the Tattooed Sorcerer archetype, you get Mage Tattoo for free.

[kaisc006]

Yeah I like that archetype. Unfortunately getting a hold of that book might be a problem :(

[Furthermore]

I personally prefer the Wizard build, even if it is more difficult to do. Jace is very, very, very smart.

He isn't much of a counterspeller though. None of the actual abilities of the character counter spells. They all draw cards and mill. Being ABLE to counter spell is always an option, but it needn't be your focus.

Be sure you are eventually able to cast Feeblemind as that would mimic his go-to ultimate abilities.

Divination type spells are also very on-theme. Memory Lapse and other memory modifiers are also good. Detect thoughts and other psychic type spells.

Illusions would probably be your go-to defense. (Oh no, an actual Dragon! Nope, Chuck Testa!)

[Majuba]

There's a metamagic feat in Ultimate Magic to use mind-affecting spells on undead - might be worth picking that up at higher levels (+2 modifier).

aceDiamond wrote:

If you pick up the Tattooed Sorcerer archetype, you get Mage Tattoo for free.

No such thing as "Mage Tattoo" :)

[XMorsX]

Here is a very interesting sorcerer build that focuses on raising absurpt DCs for enchantment spells: http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2opcd?So-Kitsune-Sorcerer#13

CHeck it out, it is not much of a counterspeller but it can give you useful advise.

[kaisc006]

Alright so after looking at the suggestions here, this is what I've come up with. I've built him up to 6th level because that will be half his career and when he really becomes useful (with dispel magic). Any flaws or changes you guys see? I'm mainly looking for a different trait that gives knowledge (planes) as a class skill.

Any tips on some must have magic items? Right now I'm probably just going to by headband of charisma, ring of counterspelling, and different spell beads.

Jace Beleren 2.0:

Tattooed Sorcerer (Dreamspun bloodline), Human

STR 7
DEX 12
CON 12
INT 14
WIS 14
CHA 18 (+2 race)
Ability Level Boosts: 4th: CHA, 8th: CHA, 9th: STR
Favored Class Bonus to HP

Traits:
Standard Human
Reactionary (+2 initiative)
Strong in the Faith (+1 Will Saves) or a trait that gives me knowledge (planes) as a class skill

Feats:
1st lvl: Improved Initiative, Spell Focus (Enchantment), Mage Tattoo (At 5th level will change to Dispel Magic)
3rd: Greater Spell Focus (Enchantment)
5th: Spell Focus (Abjuration and change Mage Tattoo to Dispel Magic)

Skills:
Bluff, Diplomacy, Spellcraft, Knowledge (Arcana), Knowledge (Planes),

Notes:
At 6th level he will have + 12 initiative (+1 Dex, +4 feat, +4 familiar, +2 trait, +1 class) so hopefully he can act first lol. If not facing a spell caster he will buff or use enchantments. If facing a spell caster ready dispel magic for a counterspell.

[CombatOwl]

Krul wrote:

Well, a few thoughts.

Enchantment is the least useful of the various schools of magic, there are entire groups of monsters, like undead and constructs who are immune, and races like elves who are resistant.. someone once did a comparison, and litterally 20% of all foes out there are immune to enchantment spells.. that said, your spell focus feat should be in abjuration, if your really going to be a counterspeller.

Ok, so what schools are the least useful from your viewpoint? Well, if it wasn't for the fact Read Magic and Detect Magic are Divination spells, I'd suggest that one, counterspelling divination is sort of silly.. you could still take it, and then spell all of your cantrips for those two spells.. sense you can still memorize a spell of your opposition school by taking up 2 slots (Which is in essence giving up the extra slot you got for specializing, which sucks, really.)

So, personally, I'd consider the following three schools for your choice of opposition schools, Divination, Illusion, and Enchantment.. with necromancy out there if you really don't like one of those choices.

Enchantment is, of course, still quite useful against undead and constructs... because you can mind control a horde of humanoids who ARE vulnerable to enchantment to go do your work for you. Enchantment is also extremely efficient from an action economy standpoint--even if some of the enemies are immune to it, those that aren't effectively start giving you extra actions every round.

Divination is also, by far, the single most useful school of magic out there--because it allows you to probe ahead for information about what you're going to face. That way you can prepare the spells that are most effective for those specific problems. Not to mention the insane utility of see invisibility and true seeing.

Necromancy is, by comparison, quite useless. Circle of Death is as good as it gets, and the hit die limit makes its utility limited. Evocation is also a bad choice unless you devote the feats to add useful metamagic effects to your evocations (I'm looking at you, Dazing Spell). Dealing hit point damage is just about the least useful thing you can do as an arcane caster. If your enemies are focusing on dealing hit point damage, consider yourself lucky.

As useful as illusion is for utility, it has all the problems of enchantment but none of the action economy benefits. Aside from invisibility, it's not a great choice. Losing invisibility hurts, but you can fix that very specific problem with items.