Human Wizard (Level 1, 11, and 21)

[neceros]

Reading an earlier thread (http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=227877) inspired me to do something similar. Here's my rendition of a character made from level 1 upwards, using the DMG rules regarding wealth in the higher levels. Instead of Fighter, I went with Wizard, who Paragons into Spellstorm Mage, then takes Archmage as his Epic Destiny.

I won't guarantee all of the math is correct, but I went over it at least twice. If it is off it's only 1 or 2 points.

Jovian, Human Wizard 1

STR 11 +0 HP 26; BLOODIED 13
CON 12 +1 SURGE 6 PER DAY 7
DEX 14 +2 AC 16; FORT 12, REF 15, WILL 14
INT 18 +4 INIT 2; SPEED 6
WIS 13 +1
CHA 10 +0

RACIAL: +2 Any stat; +1 Fort, Ref, Will; +1 bonus Feat, +1 skill, +1 Language, +1 At-Will from Class
CLASS: Cloth; Dagger & Quarterstaff; Orb, Staff or Wand; +2 Will;
Arcane Implement Mastery: Once/ Encounter gain +dex mod to attack as free action
Cantrips: ghost sound, light, mage hand, and prestidigitation at-will
Ritual Casting
Spellbook: Gain two Utility or Daily spells into book when told to gain one

SKILLS: Arcana +9, Insight +6, Diplomacy +5, History +9, Dungeoneering +6
FEATS: Toughness (+5 hp per tier), Armor Proficiency Leather

ATTACKS:
Magic Missile +4 vs Ref; 2d4+4 Force

POWERS:
At-Will:
Magic Missile +4 vs Ref; 2d4+4 Force
Thunderwave +4 vs Fort; 1d6+4 Thunder plus push 1 square
Ray of Frost +4 vs Fort; 1d6+4 Cold plus target slowed

Encounter:
Burning Hands +4 vs Ref (Close Blast 5); 2d6+4 Fire
Icy Terrain +4 vs Ref (Burst 1 in 10); 1d6+4 cold plus knocked prone

Daily:
Sleep +4 vs Fort (Area 2 in 20); See Spell text
Flaming Sphere +4 vs Ref; 2d6+4 fire; sustain /w Minor to hit another enemy next round

EQUIPMENT: Spellbook, wand implement, Leather Armor, Standard Adventurer's Kit, Ritual Book, 3 GP

Jovian, Human Spellstorm Wizard 11


STR 12 +0 HP 71; BLOODIED 35
CON 13 +1 SURGE 17; PER DAY 7
DEX 14 +2 AC 24; FORT 20, REF 24, WILL 23
INT 21 +5 INIT 13; SPEED 6
WIS 16 +3
CHA 11 +0

RACIAL: +2 Any stat; +1 Fort, Ref, Will; +1 bonus Feat, +1 skill, +1 Language, +1 At-Will from Class
CLASS: Cloth; Dagger & Quarterstaff; Orb, Staff or Wand; +2 Will;
Arcane Implement Mastery: Once/ Encounter gain +dex mod to attack as free action
Cantrips: ghost sound, light, mage hand, and prestidigitation at-will
Ritual Casting
Spellbook: Gain two Utility or Daily spells into book when told to gain one
PARAGON: Extra Damage Action (Half level to damage when action point used); Storm Spell 1/day make check to regain spell used today

SKILLS: Arcana +17, Insight +11, Diplomacy +10, History +14, Dungeoneering +11
FEATS: Toughness (+5 hp per tier), Armor Proficiency Leather
Quickdraw
Alertness
Skill Focus (Arcana)
Improved Init
Burning Blizzard (+1 cold & acid damage)
Arcane Reach

ATTACKS:
Magic Missile +13 vs Ref; 2d4+4 Force

POWERS: (^ spell in book, but not prepared)
At-Will:
Magic Missile +13 vs Ref; 2d4+5 Force
Thunderwave +13 vs Fort; 1d6+5 Thunder plus push 1 square
Ray of Frost +13 vs Fort; 1d6+6 Cold plus target slowed

Encounter:
^ Burning Hands +13 vs Ref (Close Blast 5); 2d6+5 Fire
Icy Terrain +13 vs Ref (Burst 1 in 10); 1d6+6 cold plus knocked prone
Color Spray +13 vs Will (Close Blast 5); 1d6+5 Radiant plus dazed 1 round
Lightning Bolt +13 vs ref; 2d6+5 Lightning plus attack 2 other targets within 10 sqrs
Storm Cage +13 vs ref (Burst 2 in 20); 4d6+5 Lightning & Thunder; see spell for extras

Daily:
Sleep +13 vs Fort (Area 2 in 20); See Spell text
^ Flaming Sphere +13 vs Ref; 2d6+5 fire; sustain /w Minor to hit another enemy next round
Fireball +13 vs Ref (Burst 3 in 20); 3d6+5 Fire
Web +13 vs Ref (Burst 2 in 20); Target Immobilized
^ Wall of Fire (area Wall 8 in 10); See Spell text
^ Mordenkainen’s Sword +13 vs Ref; 1d10+5 Force; sustained with minor

Utility:
Shield
Feather Fall
Dispel Magic
^Dimension Door
^Blur
^Arcane Gate

EQUIPMENT: Spellbook x 2, +2 Magic Leather, +3 Magic Wand, Cloak of Resistance +3, 5000gp

Jovian, Human Spellstorm Wizard (Archmage) 21


STR 13 +1 HP 116; BLOODIED 58
CON 14 +2 SURGE 29; PER DAY 7
DEX 16 +3 AC 33; FORT 30, REF 33, WILL 32
INT 24 +7 INIT 19; SPEED 6
WIS 18 +4
CHA 12 +1

RACIAL: +2 Any stat; +1 Fort, Ref, Will; +1 bonus Feat, +1 skill, +1 Language, +1 At-Will from Class
CLASS: Cloth; Dagger & Quarterstaff; Orb, Staff or Wand; +2 Will;
Arcane Implement Mastery: Once/ Encounter gain +dex mod to attack as free action
Cantrips: ghost sound, light, mage hand, and prestidigitation at-will
Ritual Casting
Spellbook: Gain two Utility or Daily spells into book when told to gain one
PARAGON: Extra Damage Action (Half level to damage when action point used); Storm Spell 1/day make check to regain spell used today
EPIC: Spell Recall (Choose daily spell each day; that spell two times per day instead of one)

SKILLS: Arcana +22, Insight +16, Diplomacy +15, History +19, Dungeoneering +16
FEATS: Toughness (+5 hp per tier), Armor Proficiency Leather
Quickdraw (Take out item and use it in same action)
Alertness (+2 Init, plus)
Skill Focus (Arcana)
Improved Init
Burning Blizzard (+1 cold & acid damage)
Arcane Reach
Evasion
Devestating Critical (+1d10 on crit)
Great Fortitude (+2 Fort)
Inescapable Force (Normal force damage to insubstantial +1d10)
Lasting Frost (Cold damage gives 5 vulnerable to enemies 1/round)
Second Arcane Implement (staves)

ATTACKS:
Magic Missile +22 vs Ref; 2d4+7 Force

POWERS: (* Indicates Replacement Power, ^ spell in book, but not prepared)
At-Will:
Magic Missile +22 vs Ref; 2d4+7 Force
Thunderwave +22 vs Fort; 1d6+7 Thunder plus push 1 square
Ray of Frost +22 vs Fort; 1d6+8 Cold plus target slowed

Encounter:
* Frostburn +22 vs Fort (Burst 2 in 20); 3d6+8 Cold and Fire plus difficult terrain
Icy Terrain +22 vs Ref (Burst 1 in 10); 1d6+8 cold plus knocked prone
Color Spray +22 vs Will (Close Blast 5); 1d6+7 Radiant plus dazed 1 round
Lightning Bolt +22 vs ref; 2d6+7 Lightning plus attack 2 other targets within 10 sqrs
Storm Cage (p) +22 vs ref (Burst 2 in 20); 4d6+7 Lightning & Thunder; see spell for extras

Daily:
^ Sleep +22 vs Fort (Area 2 in 20); See Spell text
* Blast of Cold +22 vs Ref (Close Blast 5);6d6+8 Cold plus immobilized
Fireball +22 vs Ref (Burst 3 in 20); 3d6+7 Fire
Web +22 vs Ref (Burst 2 in 20); Target Immobilized
* Disintegrate +22 vs Ref (No Roll to Hit object);5d10+7 Damage, ongoing 10, then ongoing 5
^ Mordenkainen’s Sword +22 vs Ref; 1d10+7 Force; sustained with minor
^ Maelstrom of Chaos +22 vs Fort (Close Burst 10); 3d8+7 plus teleport target within range

Utility:
^ Shield
Feather Fall
Dispel Magic
^ Dimension Door
^ Blur
^ Arcane Gate
Sudden Storm (p)
Fly

EQUIPMENT: Spellbook x 3, +4 Magic Leather, +5 Magic Wand, Cloak of Resistance +5, 125,000gp

 

[AntiStateQuixote]

Nice! I like the look of the sustain with minor spells.

So, on those, do you sustain with a minor action AND make an attack or does the additional attack on subsequent rounds take your standard action?

 

[neceros]

The minor mostly is only to sustain. You usually need to also use up another action to use the attack again. However, on the walls or spells that create an area or zone, those don't require any additional actions to hurt people. Wall of Fire will hurt anyone who passes through it, etc.

 

[Kraydak]

Not having any experience with 4e play, I am not in position to judge your upper level power choices.

Note that Spell Focus requires Cha 13 (not fulfilled). Any reason you didn't take Second Implement, which I consider a no-brainer, especially for Jovian who has been pumping Wis?

Drop one of magic missile/ray of frost for Scorching Burst (at least at low levels): 1 single-target at-will is enough, a ranged AoE at-will is priceless. Also, you only get 1 per/encounter at lvl 1.

Your HP look off.

 

[neceros]

Not having any experience with 4e play, I am not in position to judge your upper level power choices.

Note that Spell Focus requires Cha 13 (not fulfilled). Any reason you didn't take Second Implement, which I consider a no-brainer, especially for Jovian who has been pumping Wis?

Drop one of magic missile/ray of frost for Scorching Burst (at least at low levels): 1 single-target at-will is enough, a ranged AoE at-will is priceless. Also, you only get 1 per/encounter at lvl 1.

Your HP look off.

Thanks for the input. I wasn't entirely looking at the spell descriptions, honestly. I took them for flavor choice as I was trying to be prompt about it.

Didn't notice the Spell Focus preqs, thanks. Second implement would be fine, but as far as I have read, it doesn't make much of a difference, as it only gives you a minor bonus once an encounter and forces you to buy another magic item if you want to use it properly.

 

[Evenglare]

Orb and staff and wand? I thought you could only have one of those as implements.

 

[neceros]

Orb and staff and wand? I thought you could only have one of those as implements.

Nice catch. Post changed.

 

[Kraydak]

Thanks for the input. I wasn't entirely looking at the spell descriptions, honestly. I took them for flavor choice as I was trying to be prompt about it.

No sweat! As it happens, I think you were perfect in your 1st level Daily choices. Flaming Sphere is amazing compared to the other options.

Didn't notice the Spell Focus preqs, thanks. Second implement would be fine, but as far as I have read, it doesn't make much of a difference, as it only gives you a minor bonus once an encounter and forces you to buy another magic item if you want to use it properly.

Nah, you just need a cheap, non-magical implement to use the specialization abilities. With a 13 starting wis (I'd bump it to 14, 16 if possible, not with the basic array) and Spell Focus you can impose a -7 on saves against one spell for one target at lvl 28. A 16 starting Wis and Demi-god boost that to -10. At that point, standard monsters will need 20s to save, and you should have a few total-incapacitate effects in your spellbook. I wouldn't suggest boosting wis any higher than that, as you don't want to push your DM into "fudging" NPC saves (besides, you can only get 2 more points of penalty, not enough to force failure on elites, and it'll hose your Int).

While it's most impressive at high levels, with a starting 14 and taking Spell Focus at lvl 11 you can force a -5 at lvl 11 and -6 at 14. That isn't any too shabby.

 

[neceros]

Especially with the wizard ongoing effects (Disintegrate, for instance) controlling enemy saves can be devastating.

 

[ShockMeSane]

Especially with the wizard ongoing effects (Disintegrate, for instance) controlling enemy saves can be devastating.

Well, quite honestly an ongoing 10 damage even for the entire encounter isn't going to make or break anything when the ancient red dragon comes at you with his 1,300 hps. Just saying there are much better uses than Disintegrate. Prismatic Spray comes to mind.