Hi guys :) I'm about to start a campaign as a wizard. I was interested in the Wind Listener archetype of the Sylph race and to the Air elemental school too.
I haven't found anything about this combination, so I'm asking here. I'm not the kind of player who only cares about optimization: I know that probably there are better choises in terms of power, but I like the concept of this char. Which spells and feats should I choose?
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I have a 9th level Sylph Wizard specialized in the Air school. I have had allot of fun with the character.
While creating the character, I considered the wind listener archtype. I decided not to take it. I didn't want to give up the Arcane Bond : Item....(chose to cast 1 spell from your book a day)
I am working towards the collegiate arcanist or Magaanbyan arcanist.
So far I have taken the Technologist feat (for season 6 of PFS) which I plan to swap out with retraining for spell mastery. My character also has Spell focus: Evocation (in PFS you get this instead of scribe scroll), I have taken Additional Traits, Cloud Gazer, Oppositional Research, Scholar, and for my 5th level bonus wizard spell I took Alchemical Affinity to scribe from alchemist formula books.
I plan to take Wizard to 10 level then switch over to the prestige class.
I hope this helps
Hi, I'm a long long long time player of a Sylph Wizard (Air), and excitedly, I've moved onwards to the new Kineticist (though forever a Sylph). :)
That being said, there's a reason the Wind Listener isn't so recognized. It's very suboptimal.
As Elyas has already stated, you get more bang for your buck with an Arcane Bond. Whereas an Air Wizard gets a permanent flight at level 10, a Wind Listener gets a #rounds per level version of a spell. It's not really even comparable the 2 schools.
But... even the Air school is less than optimized, so if you prefer a more divination game-play to a more mobile/stealthy game-play, perhaps you can find ways to make the Wind Listener work for you. Mostly, I can only advise on how to make a Wizard (Air) as a Sylph. :P
Just be ready, either way, for a sub optimal build, with a focus that doesn't lend itself either towards damage or battlefield control (the 2 areas that most people believe a character has to be built around). Loved my character, throwing things around with powerful gusts of wind, but he was always the weakest member of the group. :P
And somehow, forgot to answer the actual question... :/
Which spells and feats. If you're going "Air" as opposed to "Wind Listener" I would recommend getting fog spells at the lower levels, and taking Cloud Gazer as your first feat. You'll also very much want the Vanish and Windy Escape (10/Magic DR) plus maybe Armor since it lasts so long and can be cast in advance. 2nd feat will likely want to be Fast Study, so you can "prepare" your spells in the middle of the day, and keep some spell slots empty.
Also... very important I think to take the Highlander trait, with the racial trait that gives you a +4 Stealth (Whispering Wind), you can start with stealth levels that make Rogues envious. Similarly, you'll do better if you make sure to take the Focused Mind trait. Also, the Breeze-Kissed will help since you'll likely be trying for a more ranged/stealth type character if you follow the (Air) school path. :)
I've never considered the arcane bond (item), but it looks cool. I like the wind listener because of the spontaneus divination cast... Wizards have too many very useful but very situational spells, and divination seems a situational school. But arcane bond helps too.
Uhm, I thought the wind listener needed an arcane (elemental in this case) school too, so I'm thinking about Air. Is it correct?
I'm sorry, maybe I wasn't clear in my first message...
Cloud gazer is interesting, but I'm not sure if it should be the first feat: is it better at lvl 1 than toughness or improved initiative?
Fast study is nice too, but probably I'm gonna take it at higher levels, when I don't really need every slot I have XD
Btw, my GM allowed me to consider "Windy Escape" as a school spell
Yes, you need to select a school, I foob'd there. (Definitely not use to a Wind Listener). And yes, Wispy Form is way better than any feat you'd pick up, that might alone make it well worth the Archetype... despite the Arcane Bond.
As for Cloud Gazer vs Toughness/Init, Cloud Gazer is far better, particularly at lower levels, because Fog spells such as the 1st level Obscuring Mist, will protect not only you, but your allies (it's a mild form of battlefield control). Toughness is going to add you your level in HP, which at the lower levels, isn't enough to make a difference... if you are hit, you're pudding. Remaining unseen while being able to see though, that's something else... particularly since you'll start with the Lightning Flash spell which is only interesting the 1st 2 levels when it's at least somewhat comparable to damage of other players. :P (It's like getting the Sniping rule for free).
While initiative is always important, you're playing a Sylph, so undoubtedly have a nice Dex boost already, and can take Reactionary as a trait to boost it further... waiting a few levels to pick that one up will be fine.
Ok, I'm not gonna do the Wind Listener, just the standard Wizard :) there are too many Feats I'd like to have, including Cloud Gazer XD
Ty guys :)
What about favored class bonus? Should I spend it in HP, skills or the sylph bonus to air school powers?
Depends on GM interpretation. I spent my 1st 6 levels on Air Supremacy because my GM allowed that it would reduce my level requirements enough that I was flying my level 7. However, based on what I've read on the boards, my GM was more of an exception than a standard.
If your GM won't let you do as my GM did, it is better to go into HP, in my opinion.
Retraining might help you some. ;)
Ty again :)
In the end I created what you said: sylph wizard, air school. But I'm a bit unsure about school spells: which are the most useful for each level? Here's the list:
0th—message
1st—alter winds, feather fall, shocking grasp
2nd—elemental speech, elemental touch, glide, gust of wind, levitate, resist energy, summon monster II, whispering wind
3rd—cloak of winds, draconic reservoir, elemental aura, fly, gaseous form, lightning bolt, protection from energy, wind wall
4th—ball lightning, detonate, dragon's breath, elemental body I, river of wind, shout, summon monster IV
5th—elemental body II, overland flight, planar adaptation, planar binding (lesser), suffocation, summon monster V
6th—chain lightning, elemental body III, planar binding, sirocco, summon monster VI
7th—control weather, elemental body IV, fly (mass), planar adaptation (mass), summon monster VII
8th—planar binding (greater), shout (greater), stormbolts, summon monster VIII
9th—gate, suffocation (mass), winds of vengeance
Oh and, can I prepare "Resist Energy" or similar spells using the school slot even if I'm gonna use it against other elements such as fire and cold, or do I have to use it only with "air" element (electricity)?
Puck93. Hope you had fun playing the sylph Wizard.
I'm currently planning on a similar concept. Any new advice from your experience.
Of course everybody else is also invited :-)
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