Class: Wizard
Race: Human
Thesis: Staff Nexus
School: Evocation
Background: Amnesiac
Level 1 Stats: Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 10
Level 20 Stats: Str 20, Dex 16, Con 20, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 10
Question: I want Clear the Way - what do I replace with it? Or would it not be useful?
Archetypes will be Alchemist and Mauler. The idea is to use primarily Drakeheart Elixir to boost survivability while using the egregious number of True Strikes from Staff Nexus in conjunction with Bespell Weapon to whack stuff with my staff (and eventually put a shifting rune on it to turn it into a bastard sword). Since I'll be in melee more often than usual I should also be able to put Elemental Tempest to good effect, which in addition to Quicken can really help me go super nova on difficult encounters.
The difficult choice I'm running into is I'm essentially being forced to make some choices - I don't have enough feats currently for Clear the Way, which is an excellent way to disengage since I'll be taking Assurance (Athletics). I'd either have to drop Quick Alchemy or a Wizard Feat such as Forcible Energy or Scroll Savant.
The build is as follows:
Level 1: Familiar (Natural Ambition), Incredible Initiative (Versatile)
Level 2: Improved Familiar, Alchemist Dedication (choose Drakeheart elixir)
Level 3: Toughness
Level 4: Bespell Weapon, Quick Alchemy
Level 5: Clever Improviser
Level 6: Split Slot, Expert Alchemy
Level 7: Die Hard
Level 8: Advanced School Spell, Maulder Dedication
Level 9: Multitalented (Golem Crafter Dedication)
Level 10: Quick Cast, Power Attack
Level 12: Forcible Energy, Mastery Alchemy
Level 13: Bounce Back
Level 14: Bonded Focus, Brutal Finish
Level 16: Scroll Savant, Avanlanche Strike
Level 17: Heroic Presence
Level 18: Reprepare Spell, Hammer Quake
Level 20: Spell Mastery, Unstable Concoction (for level 17 Drakeheart)
Thoughts?
I would probably drop Power Attack, as you probably want to True Strike > Strike > Stride away most of the time something is in your face.
I've had a Wizard gish before, but they went a different route. They were a Redeemer of Nethys, eventually picking up Cleric for Deadly Simplicity (d10 staff). Between that upgrade, True Strike, and blade ally they felt fairly good at gishing.
Thanks, I’ll look into that build you mentioned as well. The build above is actually inspired by your mauler wizard post :)
As a wizard base you won't ever have good hp, good ac, or good to hit. Especially at higher levels.
You will be literally better off just not doing it.
But if you really want to. Basic premise is true strike or be in melee (I guess you could use a bow) and cast a spell and hey bespell weapon.
Hasting yourself will be pretty important I think.
And I think a cleric, even non warpriest. Does this better. More hp, better starting armor. Better feat access that helps the concept better divine weapon, emblazoned feats, etc. Could MC to pick up bespell weapon in top of divine weapon. But things like rage, sneak attack, fob/ranged/melee weapon equivalency. All rely on actions to set up, actions you might not be using or interferes with your general plan of casting spells and attacking. And none of them improve the important thing that nothing improves. That is increasing your proficiencies beyond expert Wich isn't possible.
So I'd say best is just a cleric who mc into a spellcaster for bespell weapon (or vice versa if you really want wizard base) and you focus on using a shifting staff for your third action attack option. Wich will be at least 3 behind a rogues to hit at certain levels unless you true strike yourself Wich means you need haste on yourself to really get rolling like that.
But at levels 1-4 magic weapon on yourself is great.
How is the AC any worse than a martial without a shield? If I use unstable concoction to get the lv 17 drakeheart at 14+ dex that's +7 Item bonus AC with +2 dex bonus. I have 2 less than martial proficiency because of expert vs master (or 4 less for legendary champs and monks iirc), but I should be able to protect myself with the myriad of self casted arcane spells (mirror image, blue, just to name a couple). I would just need to stay away from anything with true sight :P
Mathematically, true strike should bring up my to hit somewhere near base fighter hit chance. (i.e., 12/20 vs (7/20)(7/20)+(13/20)(7/20)+(7/20)(13/20) is 60% vs 57.8%)
The only real cost is the action economy (true strikes and damage mitigation buffs), which I have no problem with. I suppose the shifting rune would also be a tax, but I bet I could combine overwhelming energy and a weapon elemental rune somehow. It would be busted if I could melee as well as a fighter without some cost.
In the end it's more about the concept than the min-maxing. I've always enjoyed the idea of a potion drinking, scroll casting, combat wizard.
The beautiful thing is - since it's using the free archetype, I'm still a full on wizard, so I could always fall back on ranged wizardry stuff if I need to. I could even go with enlarge instead of the drakeheart if something seems too dangerous and stand behind my martials with AoO, and make sure I have blood vendetta on to discourage the baddie from going for me.
Or maybe I'm super wrong and I'll die, but hey, at least I tried haha
Amnesiac BG doesn't allow place to taste for the extra boost. I'd probably just roll it, as a GM, if I ever allowed it, which I think I wouldn't. It just seems like a problem background:
"Can I play amnesiac?"
"Okay, my first inklings of your possible history suggest... rolling, cha boost."
"Eh, naw, I'll play something else."
"No, you can't change after the roll."
"Okay, I'll kill my character off, then play another amnesiac."
"Get out of my game."
You will be fine depending on your DM.
I just don't see the value in caster first Gish in this edition. The only thing it nets you is a third action attack really. Now free Archetype. Fighter with any caster dedication gets super nice by about level 12.
Bast L. wrote: Amnesiac BG doesn't allow place to taste for the extra boost. I'd probably just roll it, as a GM, if I ever allowed it, which I think I wouldn't. It just seems like a problem background:
"Can I play amnesiac?"
"Okay, my first inklings of your possible history suggest... rolling, cha boost."
"Eh, naw, I'll play something else."
"No, you can't change after the roll."
"Okay, I'll kill my character off, then play another amnesiac."
"Get out of my game."
Or, you let them decide the boosts. And you use what they decided to build upon their backstory that they didn't know they had because amnesia.
You're probably right, and if I got charisma I'd make lemonade by altering my build to max charisma and take Scare to Death, lol.
Martialmasters wrote: You will be fine depending on your DM.
I just don't see the value in caster first Gish in this edition. The only thing it nets you is a third action attack really. Now free Archetype. Fighter with any caster dedication gets super nice by about level 12.
That is an alternative I've considered. Fighter base with a wizard dedication, but then I wouldn't get to cast Cataclysm :(
I'm hoping for more varied gish mechanics with the Magic book releasing next year.
|
