New Player, First Character Help

[jonmierow]

Hello All,

I've been poking around here and on reddit/r/Pathfinder_RPG to try and comb through all the info about creating a character.

Background:
a) I'm an older player (40) who hasn't done any serious pen & paper stuff for 15 years. Before that I played ADnD 2ed for about 6-7 years. I did a couple sessions of HackMaster a few years ago, and I've done various RPGs starting back in 1990 through now.

b) The ol' college crew is getting back together for a guys gaming weekend, and one of the guys who's kept up with things is going to lead us through Pathfinder.

c) The characters are: epic points (25) for stats, 7th level, and 23,500 starting gold.

d) The party so far: Paladin, Cleric, Rogue, Monk, Summoner. I'm looking to make a Wizard.

What I've got so far:
Stats (Elf, Wizard, lvl 7): Str-8, Dex-16, Con-12, Int-21, Wis-12, Cha-8.

I believe this gives me a decent amount of spells. I'm leaning heavy on Conjuration as a focus. So now that I've got a starting idea, here's where I need some Pathfinder experts to help weigh in.

Does it make sense to do the stats buy the way I did?
Is there a different focus I should look at for the party the way it stands?
What items should I make sure to buy?

[HavokReigns]

You seem to have a decent party size. You might go with an admixture wizard for some blasty.

[DebugAMP]

Considering you have a summoner in the party, conjuration might be a bit redundant. I think Havok's idea of specializing in evocation, particularly admixture, will let you bring some good blasting effects with different energy types to the table. Also, always pack Haste.

[Gwen Smith]

"Stats (Elf, Wizard, lvl 7): Str-8, Dex-16, Con-12, Int-21, Wis-12, Cha-8."
Are these your starting stats or have you already included your 4th level stat point?

If you're expecting to run into things that have a lot of spell resistance, conjuration is a good school. Transmutation school has a lot of buffs in it, and Abjuration is great for defensive spells.

You could go with a Universalist if you want to maintain flexibility. (Universalists don't have to choose an opposition school.)

Does your GM allow crafting and will you have down time to do it? If so, a crafting wizard that makes magic items gives the party a huge advantage.

Are you using Core Rulebook only? If you're using Advanced Players' Guide, the Admixture school is the best route for Evocation.

Items will be based on what books are available. The most basic magic item is a headband of Intelligence (+2 at least) and some metamagic rods (which ones depends on your focus). Some of the best magic items are from Ultimate Equipment, so you need to know what books you are allowed to use before you decide.

I highly recommend deciding on what role you want to play in the party first. If your cleric is a buffer, then maybe an Evocation wizard is the way to go. If your party is depending on you for buffs, then Transmutation or Abjuration are probably your best bets. If you need a debuffer, Void or Necromancy have some nice options.

[jonmierow]

Thanks for the info all. Here's what I know.

- we're allowed to use: Core, Advance Players Guide, Advance Race Guide, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Equipment, and Ultimate Magic.

- The stats I listed included the 4th level bonus, which I put into Int.

- We're not playing until mid-January, but I believe we've got the time to build/craft anything we want within reason.

[Rub-Eta]

You don't need to summon when doing a Conjuration focused Wizard, it's great even without it (And summoning is advanced and hard to get right, to say a bit is an understatement). Conjuration still holds the best/most fun spells (and the Summoner can't cast all of them).

Make sure to buy the "standard" items, such as Cloak of Resistance, Headband of Vast Intelligence and maybe a belt that grants a bonus to CON and DEX. A Handy Haversack is also really nice (but you could leave that to someone else). Sleeves of many garment are also fun (and cheap).

As you have a Monk in the party, he'll love you if you pick up Mage Armour as one of your 1st level spells (+4 to AC with a 1 hour/caster level duration, though it won't stack with any other "armour" bonus, and that's why the Monk will love you).

[WagnerSika]

Vote for Admixture blaster. Take spell penetration and together with the elf bonus you have +4 to caster level checks. Recommend strongly you take a look at here.

Basically it comes down to this: take Magical lineage for fireball. Take spell specialization for fireball. Take Varisian tattoo evocation. Intensify and empower spell. Cast 10d6 intensidied fireballs from 3rd level slot at level 7. 15d6 empowered fireballs form 4th level slot.
If you run into fire immune or resistant foes, just use admixture school power to switch elements.
Remember to walk away slowly afterwards because cool guys don't look at explosions.

[Thac20]

If going for an Admixture wizard, consider taking the Craft Rod feat. You will want a selective metamagic rod so you can blast while avoiding your teammates.

[Cult of Vorg]

I'd consider dropping int and cha by 1 to get con to 14 after racials (and put the extra point in wis or str). That's just me though.

+1 to the blockbuster wizard guide.

Scribe Scroll is your friend, have scrolls of any spell that's not DC dependent that you don't usually memorize and wouldn't want to wait a day to cast.

If you're OK with using consumables (I'm just too much of a hoarder), improved familiar with your ranks in UMD is amazing action economy. I like air mephits that can perma-blur you and eventually another.

If you're having trouble deciding what to memorize in a slot, consider keeping it open (especially with the fast study discovery) to fill it when needed later.

[Mulgar]

Conjuration is the way to go. Love my 11th level conjurer is a lot of fun
He can fill just about any roll in a party. And there are some nice spells that don't require Sr rolls.

[SmiloDan]

First, try to determine what kind of spells you want to cast.

Blasts?
Battlefield Control? (Walls, pits, spikes, grease, etc.)
Summons? (calling, summoning, or creating monsters to fight for you)
Charms? Mind Control?
Save or Suck/Die? (spells that incapacitate a creature with a single effect)
Buff? (Make your allies better)
De-buff (Make your enemies worse, or remove buffs from enemies)
Utility? (teleport, fly, detect magic, Rope Trick, etc.)
Diviner? (detect magic, secret doors, see invisible, clairvoyance, scry)
Necromancy?
Illusionist?
Do you want to make magic items?

A combination of two or many of the above?

Summoning and creating hordes of undead might not be best for a relatively large party of 6, especially if there is a summoner in the party. Combat could grind to a halt. And there is a lot of bookkeeping involved.

[jonmierow]

Thanks again all.

After talking with the cleric and summoner, I think I'll be looking for more blasts and control. I'm not sure if those will play well together, but I'll keep reading through here and http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ to see what I can find.

[Hunor]

Greetings!

(i can understand english coz i play and read a lot but im not so good in writing or speaking)

Finally i have the time and a team to give Pf a shot.

I never played with pf before and im in need of some advice.
I would like to play with the Slayer class. With a character who is able to find and slay its target in 1v1 ofc with a lil planning and using some "slayer trick" to get the upper hand.

1, Dex based, twf, and weapon throw to get some SA in surprise round or some strategy, based on tumble to get more SA
From dex i can get basicly everything= tumble, Ac, dmg, attack bonus

2, Strenght based with a big two handed weapon and maybe switch hitting with a bow (are there any str build wich is beneficial for SA?

3, Maybe strenght based dual wield?

I dont know how are the different builds going to work on the board?
I would like to know wich is more effektive

(We are using the low magic optional rule from pf unchained)

Thanking you in advance for any help you can provide!

[Rub-Eta]

@Hunor: You should start a new thread for that, otherwise you'll have to share space with jonmierow's replies (the point of threads is to avoid that confusion).

[DebugAMP]

Blasts and control can work great together. Spells like Ice Slick fall under evocation and have some control characteristics to it. Also, at higher levels Dazing Spell lets you turn any blast effect into a shutdown. There are certainly better options for control if you really want to be a pure controller, but you can certainly turn a blaster into a secondary controller.

[Hunor]

Rub-Eta wrote:

@Hunor: You should start a new thread for that, otherwise you'll have to share space with jonmierow's replies (the point of threads is to avoid that confusion).

sorry i tought it works differently i made one

[Gwen Smith]

For equipment, you will definitely want pearls of power, too (Ultimate Equipment).

If you can craft wands or scrolls, use these for any spells that don't have level-based effects (outside of duration).

For a blaster caster, spell resistance and energy resistance will be your biggest issues: pump your knowledge skills so you can make sure to pick the correct energy type, and do whatever you can to increase your caster level vs. SR.

Some notes:
A lot of the "standard" things I'd recommended (Varisian Tattoo, Magical Lineage, Dweomer's Essence, Wand of Sure Casting, Lantern of Auras, etc.) are not on your approved book list. If you search on Archives of Nethys for any of the recommended items, it lists the source book at the top. You can also go to the Sources page and pick the book you want to look at: it will just list all the items in the book by category.

[jonmierow]

Thanks again all.

Gwen - thanks for that link. I hadn't come across the Archives before. I'll keep reading and playing around to see what I can come up with for a decent blaster caster.

[Rerednaw]

Just one more thing, blasting is control, one of the best status effects to inflict on foes is dead...or in your case, vaporized :)

Stick with baseline blockbuster, add a dash of dazing spell and you will be fine.

If you want free Empower at 5th level, unless the rules have changed, Wayang Spell Hunter trait stacks with Magical Lineage.

Have fun turning battlefields into molten glass :)

[jonmierow]

Thanks again all for the help, info and links. I've got my wizard nailed down a bit, with just a few more days before we play. I decided not to play the numbers game and go super power combo on it all. Here's what I ended up with as final (for now) stats:

25-point buy

Name: Iaonnis
Race: Elf
Class: Wizard, Level 7
Domain: Admixture

STR: 8
DEX: 20
CON: 10
INT: 23
WIS: 10
CHA: 8

Feats: Arcane Bond, Scribe Scroll, Improved Initiative, Spell Focus: Evocation, Greater Spell Focus: Evocation, Empower Spell, Spell Penetration

Traits: Reactionary, Magical Lineage: Fireball

Equipment of Note: Haramaki, Ring of Protection +1, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Bracers of Armor +1, Ring of Sustenance (bond), Cloak of Resistance +1, Headband of Vast Intelligence +2, Belt of Incredible Dex +2, Wayfinder, Ioun Stone: Cracked Dusty Rose Prism, Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend, Handy Haversack

The rest of the group looks to be: Cleric, Rogue, Monk, Ranger, Summoner.

[Rub-Eta]

Honestly, I'd lower Dex and Int for more Con (14 and 17 to afford a 16 Con, pre-racial). It's amazing having a lot of hp as a Wizard, let me tell you (though it's a lot harder as an Elf).

I'm not a big fan of AC on a Wizard, it'll never be good and it will start to cost a lot to even keep relevant at later levels. All while it's actually your frontliner who needs the AC and you want the rods. Two casts of Mage Armour per day would save you 5000gp and put you at the same AC as you would have with those items and a 20 DEX. Those 5000gp can be used to bump either your Cloak, or if you have 1000gp to spare, make a Belt of +2 to Dex and Con (even more hp!).

But that's just what I feel like is my optimal Wizard, of course characters can be different and even should be. Don't listen to me if it contridicts your idea of your character.

[SmiloDan]

I also agree about improving your Con score.

It's not just hit points, but Fortitude saves.

[jonmierow]

Thanks for the additional input. I was looking more at initiative and skills than AC for the higher DEX. I'll play around with it a bit more and see what I like.

[WagnerSika]

I would also drop Dex in favor of Con.