I'm playing a lv. 6 wizard and from what I've read around the interwebs, spell penetration is something to think about getting. That being said, I already have my feat pick for lv. 7 and possibly lv. 9. So I come here to ask, when is the best (when will it actually come in handy) level for a wizard to pick up spell penetration?
Are you an elf?
I am not. Human Wood Wizard.
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I think you can get by alright for a while. I would recommend picking up one or two bits of Dweomer's Essence for when you really, really, really need to spell penetrate. Craft it yourself if you aren't playing in PFS.
You can pick up the feat as your bonus 10th wizard, or your 11th level feat. I wouldn't personally wait longer than that, unless you get a Otherwordly Kimono, or you focus on spells where SR is not relevant.
Dweomer's Essence is a definite possibility. Playing in kingmaker and I have craft wondrous so all I'll have to do is find spare gold (something in short supply in the AP it seems). 10th sounds fine as well as it allows me to do what I was intending at 9th. Thanks for the info.
Yes I would agree that it isn't needed until about 10th level and post 15 dont even bother being a wizard (unless buffer type) if you dont have it
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I mostly play Pathfinder Society. I've never played a caster past level 8, but when I was playing barbarian that made it all the way to retirement, I know spell resistance was a big factor for my friend's witch. I don't recall exactly when it started to become a factor, but for my own casters, I keep assuming I'll start thinking about Spell Penetration and Great Spell Penetration at levels 7 and 9, or maybe 9 and 11 at the latest.
Good to know. Yeah, I'll definitely pick it up at 10th then I think. 7th I've got leadership, my DM already gave the ok and is actually preparing a few different cohorts for me to pick in game. At 9th I was considering Improved Arcane Bond, which again my DM gave the ok for and it seems very good. That being said, should I also consider picking up Greater Spell Penetration soon after 10th?
Well, if you've got Leadership and Craft Wondrous Item, those are the two most powerful feats in the game, so it's not clear it matters what else you pick =D
That being said, whether or not you get Greater Spell Penetration should depend on whether you're able to stock up on a few Dweomer's Essences, in my opinion. It also depends on the campaign; I haven't played Kingmaker, but Spell Resistance is a lot more relevant if you are fighting a lot of extraplanar entities.
Lesser Rod of Piercing Spell would do the trick for a +5 and only cost 3k.
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You'll want spell penetration when enemies start having SR frequently. At that point you'll also want greater spell penetration, since you're just trying to keep SR from stopping you at all. I'll usually grab them back to back at 9 and 11 (or 10 for wizard), since around level 10 (as stated by other posters) is when SR starts rearing its ugly head.
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You can't pick it up at 10th.
At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, a wizard gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, he can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or Spell Mastery.* The wizard must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums. These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. The wizard is not limited to the categories of item creation feats, metamagic feats, or Spell Mastery when choosing those feats.
*or Arcane Discoveries
Unless you have some way of getting another free feat at that level...
In my personal experience, SR seems to start showing up around 7th level, but only becomes a serious issue at 9th or later.
I suggest taking Spell Penetration as your 9th level feat.
Dweomer's Essence was a great suggestion too.
Tomos. That.... is an excellent point. One that I didn't realize. What I just recently realized however, is that by taking the Improved Arcane Bond (3pp feat meant for wizard arcane bonded objects that my DM ok'd), one of the powers it gives is basically spell penetration. So. I guess by taking that feat, amongst other things, I'll technically have spell penetration anyways at lv. 9.
Now I just have to decide which bonus feat from the limitations they give I should go after... Perhaps a metamagic feat, but maybe craft construct or rod. Maybe even spell mastery... that could come in handy eventually. That's beside the point though. Thanks everyone for the advice.
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I personally take it at 9th level. Since all casters get a feat at level 9 and it is still too early for quicken spell.
I avoid Getting greater spell pen though as Dweomer's Essences becomes a cheaper item after level 10. Also a lesser piercing Rod is 3k like mentioned so for your lower level spells it should do you well.
If I can manage to get my hands on a lesser piercing metamagic rod I will more than likely pick it up unless I find a different item I want at the time.
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I personally take it at 9th level. Since all casters get a feat at level 9 and it is still too early for quicken spell.
I avoid Getting greater spell pen though as Dweomer's Essences becomes a cheaper item after level 10. Also a lesser piercing Rod is 3k like mentioned so for your lower level spells it should do you well.
This is what I do as well.