I'm planning on making a pure wizard specializing in illusion and I have a few questions.
I originally planned on getting improved expertise and improved combat casting, but I realized in a build testing module that one cannot be in expertise mode and defensive spellcasting mode at the same time. Is it worth getting all four feats so that I can cast while in improved expertise mode and not provoke attacks of opportunity, since improved combat casting seems to prevent them even if the caster isn't in defensive spellcasting mode?
I planned on getting greater spell focus and epic spell focus for my wizard's school because gnomes get spell focus: illusion for free and some of the illusion spells would really benefit from the increased DC. Is it worth focusing on another school, or should I get the spell penetration feats?
Is auto-quicken spell 1-3 worth four feats or is there something else I should consider? I already plan on getting Hellball and Dragon Knight for epic spells.
Is it advisable to skip spells granted by shadow conjuration, greater shadow conjuration, and shades?
Well, as far as I know, Improved Combat Casting pretty much renders defensive casting useless, so I do like it. Being it worth or not is hard to tell, depends on what you're willing to give up for it. I think it's decent enough.
Well, I don't know any overpowered illusion spells... usually I take Necromancy or Evocation, since most offensive spells are one of those.
Auto Quicken is lame, it reproduces Haste's ability to cast 2 spells per round, but it doesn't stack. So if you can get permanent Haste, Quicken just becomes 100% useless. Hellball isn't so special either IMO, and the Dragon is hard to use for its overly huge size not letting him fit on "closed" quarters. Epic Warding is generally the best Epic Spell. _________________ "My name is Thaxll'ssyllia, but you simians may refer to me merely as "Sir", if you prefer a less... syllable intensive workout."
Edwin Odesseiron - Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
Edited By Thaxll'ssyllia on 02/15/09 19:18
You should have enough feats to focus on a 2nd school of magic as well as still being able to get all of the spell penetration feats. Most people will focus in Necromancy, but Illusion is a good school as well. Below is just a quick example of all of the feats you'll be able to choose by going pure Gnome Wizard:
Remember, Wizards get a bonus feat every 5 levels in pre-epic and every 3 levels in epic.
in epic levels:
21. Epic Spell Focus: Illusion 23. Epic Spell Focus: Necromancy 24. Great INT 1 26. Great INT 2 27. Great INT 3 29. Great INT 4 30. Great INT 5 32. Epic Warding 33. Great INT 6 35. Great INT 7 36. Great INT 8 38. Great INT 9 39. Great INT 10
You can, ofcourse, drop some of the Great INT feats to pick whichever Epic Spells you like, but as Thax said - Epic Warding is THE best one.
Edited By galelabriel on 02/15/09 20:20
Thanks for the build idea. I'll try it out later on tonight. I'm not going to focus on the necromancy school because my character is aspiring to become an archmage and being known for necromancy might be problematic in roleplay. I'll look at the spells from other schools and see what's interesting. I'd imagine that the choice of school to spend focus feats would rely on how many spells from the school forces a save on the target.
I'm not going to take the quicken spell feats and I'm reconsidering hellball. I had planned on taking dragon knight because in the build test module the dragon knight made a good shelter from which to cast spells. Most melee monsters would be stricken with fear when they got close to me.
Hmmm, well, I've never tested the efficiency of the dragon's fear aura, it is a good idea though, if the fear DC is good enough. _________________ "My name is Thaxll'ssyllia, but you simians may refer to me merely as "Sir", if you prefer a less... syllable intensive workout."
Edwin Odesseiron - Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn
I wasn't really taking any necromancy spells in the build module, so I don't know if it's worth taking spell focus: necromancy.