Multiclass wizard

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I am looking for some creative ways to multiclass a wizard for a new game. By creative I mean something different than the obvious builds (wizard/rogue or w/fighter).

So, what should I try? Paladin? Barbarian? I think different spellcasting types won't work, because you have to put a large number of levels in a spellcasting class to get anything out of it. Also, I want this character to be reasonably powerful and fun to play in mid-game (levels 10 to 18)

 

1 Paladin the rest Sorcerer is a lot of fun. Take the Still Spell feat and wear armor and use a shield. You can even use a shield while wielding a mage's staff.

 

Multiclass a wizard? Arcane Archer all the way!

 

Have you tried Wizard 17 SD 2 Assassin 21??

Or you could go Wiz/SD/Assassin 17/10/13, for a more defensive build. The idea here, is to work off the high INT modifier you will have, making it work double time for you (Death Attacks, high Spell DCs, skill points etc). I recommend using a Shortbow and abusing HiPS to make up for the horrendous AB you are sure to have. 4 lvls of Assassin pre-epic SHOULD get you 3 attacks, rapid shot for an extra attack.

You'll have Time Stop, Greater Sanctuary, Darkness, Ultravision, Cloud of Bewilderment, Stinking Cloud and the godly Evard's Black Tentacles!! Get ESF: Conjuration, Epic Spell Penetration, as many AB boosting feats as you can such as Point Blank Shot, EWF, Epic Prowess, Dex boosting spells and gear...and you're good to go!!

 

Well, the thing is, I plan to use this character in anon-epic campaign. So lev 40 builds are not really useful for me.

HB: if I read the class description correctly, Arcane Archer is supposed to be more of a fighter type, with some spellcaster levels thrown in. Besides, I am looking for something which would augment my melee skills; if I can keep the enemy far away to use ranged weapons, I could use spells as well.

So, basically what I am looking for is a mostly wizard build (I don't really fancy sorcerers, sorry) with a little something extra, to give it flavor.

 

You could try Wizard/Weaponmaster, longsword (like Tenser's) as your chosen weapon, but that would require a lot of levels. I can't imagine how Harper Scout or Bard levels could benefit you, but maybe someone else has an idea. Cleric/Wizard shouldn't be that bad to play and would certainly provide an interesting character. Maybe Ranger/Wizard for some nerdy feel. Paladin or CoT levels are for sorcerers more than wizards. Anyway, if you want to get some good melee for your wizard, it probably can't really be done better than taking Fighter levels. Maybe ranger if you manage to come up with a nice levelling scheme.

 

Actually I think a couple of levels of barbarian can bring some interesting bonuses. At first level you get fast movement (useful to get out if things turn too hot ) and rage (which maybe is not so useful, given the AC penalty, but then assuming that you are protected by a greater stoneskin or such, this should not be an issue).

At second level you get that feat which allows you to keep your Dex bonus to AC even if you are flat-footed (forgot how it's called). This might be quite significant for a mage which finds himself in the middle of melee, since casting a spell incurs AoO from nearby monsters, during which you are considered flat-footed (if I read the rules correctly). Moreover, I think the dodge bonus from the Mobility feat is also typically lost when flat-footed, but not for barbarians. So, assuming you want to invest two feats to get Mobility, you have an extra +4 to AC against attacks of opportunity.

 

NWN is so easy that, quite frankly, you could melee a pure wizard without problems.

If you want a little something different, stay a pure wizard but take a feat like Weapon Proficiency: Martial or Exotic. You could also put all those spare skill points into Disarm and Set Traps so you could mess around with traps if you like. Or put the points into something else like crafting. So many options with a wizard due to the extra feats and skill points that taking a 2nd class is probably not necessary.

 

Play a Wizard 16/Fighter 4. Problem solved...you don't really want anything specialized with generic boosts to melee, as well as non-epic right? That's perfect. You get 3 attacks a round, all wizard spells, half-decent BAB...all you'll need.

 

How exactly would a level 16 wizard get all spells? there must be some new rules I haven't heard about yet

 

What do you mean?? Buy the scrolls and memorize them...

Unless you mean lvl 9 spells? Well, you DID say you want to multiclass...what did you expect? If you want melee presence and lvl 9 spellcasting, go download the PRC and play Eldritch Knight.

 

Using this logic, a first level wizard has access to all spells

but kidding aside, I agree that fighter is one of the best classes to multiclass a wizard to (the other one being rogue). Not so much for the AB (4 levels of fighter just give you a +2 to AB vs pure wizard levels, hardly worth it), but for the feats. (Access to better weapons and armor and some extra hit points are of course nice to have). However, already been there, done that, and now I am looking for something different.

 

Well, as people say, you can try different configs without multiclassing. For example, Weapon Focus and Improved Criticals for longsword (Tenser's, Mordenkainen's if it's actually there). You could try a non-standard combination of skills, feats maybe.

 

Bah, you guys make me want to play NWN again. Luckily the CDs are packed in a box somewhere so I won't be able to be tempted to be distracted from IWD2 for a while.

 

Well...in that case, have you considered multiclassing to Dwarven Defender? I'm playing one at the moment, with stratospheric CON and INT scores...one of those "hit-me!" mages...I'm going to be utilising Epic DR and DwD DR in this build, and then spam away with Mestil's Acid Sheath and Elemental Shield and Death Shield...its a very fun build so far, and its definitely a refreshing way to play a Mage...good fun.

 

Dwarwen Def. sounds fine, but is a build more suited for epic levels. Since you need +7 AB to qualify, if you take only wizard levels you need to wait till you are level 15 to take the prestige class. Not very useful for something like the OC.

The problem is that there seem to be no decent prestige classes for wizards in NWN 1. (At least for good oriented characters; otherwise you could choose pale master, I guess). Hopefully this will be fixed in NWN2.

Chev: all my wizards have Improv. Critical in some melee weapon As about choosing a different set of skills, I can't see how can I do it so it would make a difference. I usually put points in Spellcraft, Concentration, Lore, Heal (in the order of importance), then in some cross-class skills like Tumble, Search, Disable Traps, Hide, Move Silently, Appraise and Persuade (if I have any skill points left). The thing is, even if I choose to maximize some particular skill rather than other, I don't think it will significantly impact the gameplay.

 

So maybe try playing a bard instead of wizard?

 

I agree with Chev...that seems like the easiest way for you to get the character your looking for...either that, or install the PRC!

 

So, you guys do not see any benefit to adding 2 levels of barbarian (or paladin) to a pure class wizard?

I think you can get some stuff out of it. I commented on the barbarian above; but I think paladin also can bring some advantages, if you are willing to invest a bit in Charisma (let's say 14 to start with; then you can increase it by spells or items).

Besides the obvious advantages (access to all weapons and armor) you get all those nifty paladin special abilities like divine grace (charisma mod added to saving throws; that's an easy +4 right there, with some buffs), immunity to disease, fear... If you are willing to get more non-wizard levels (which I wouldn't do till I get high level spells, though) you can even go Champion of Torm.

Come to think of it, even one level of monk would be very useful: you get cleave and evasion, add wisdom modifier to AC when you wear robes (again, start with a Wis of 14 and use spells to increase it), not to mention that the monk robes are much better than what's typically available for wizards. The only thing is that in my opinion, Wizard/Monk doesn't quite make sense from a roleplaying point of view.

 

If you went 2 levels of Rogue over Monk, you'd be better suited. You still get evasion, you miss out on Cleave...which lets face it, isn't that much of a loss considering you are going to be a Wizard...and if you hold off on the second Rogue level till later in the game, you can rack your UMD points high enough so you can still use the Monk items. Unless you are hell bent on creating a crazy multiclass just for the sake of a non-traditional multiclass?

Also, IMO Paladin is a waste. Your AB is never going to be good enough to qualify investing in CHA or CoT levels...and if you invest in THOSE too much...well, you end up diluting your Wizard levels ending up with a not much of anything...especially considering you are not going to play Epic levels.

A Wiz/Rog 17/3 split also is quite good if you are only playing to 20 levels. You get access to 9th level spells, pick up Evasion, Uncanny Dodge 1 and get to top up your Rogue skills at comfortable intervals throughout the game.

And you know...there's a TON of prestige classes added for the Wizard in the PRC and there still ain't that many for good wizards! (BTW: Palemaster is a neutral AND evil class, not just evil...)

In summation, are you taking 2 Barbarian levels for melee presence?? Don't bother. Are you taking it for the proficiencies? Take only one.

Paladin? Well, if you want to, no one is stopping you but I doubt you would be very effective by taking such different classes together...