I'm trying something a little out of my area of knowledge here because of how boring I have found sorc builds with high ac and fort who's main function is IGMS/icestorm and the fact they are anything but versatile with their spell selection. Looking for opinions, and maybe if any of you more experienced casters feel like it, some tips as to what to take and how to play more effectively.

Before I go into the build...

Server description: It's a fairly well balanced mid-magic pw, dexers are more common than str'ers though you still see the old wiz/pal/rdd and other dev variants involving bard/bg fairly often. weapon enchantment ranges around +5-+6 usually, and it is possible to go up to 30-something+ elemental and massive crits damage on all weapons. Gimped 8 str/con dexers get about 70 disc with feats and items. Boosting stats isn't much of an issue either.

Thinking about trying a wiz based caster with a high DC on wiz spells, and quite likely evocation for spells like firebrand and flame arrow to hurt str tanks, mind spells for dexers, and sunbeam to blind devers, because as an int based caster, my fort probably won't be great.

Not totally certain on what I need as far as metamagic goes, but I will probably include still spell and silent spell, as well as maximise spell, and sf: disc because my ac will be quite poor so I'd like to have as good defense as I can get for IKD, and sf: conc will probably be neccessary also.

As for the race, I'm hoping it will be possible to play a Gnome for the 20 starting int + all the level skills and feats, and afaik it is possible to get DC 47 on the level 9 Dire Charm spell. I'm guessing this would make my options for levels fairly inflexible; 38 wiz for feats, 1 ranger for bonus feat and traps, and something else. Probably bard or monk.

Comments and suggestions? I'm fairly new to the caster builds. One thing I forgot to add is that you can only boost saves by about 10, and can only be crafted on a couple of items with a max of +5 on each one. Unless your server has changed a lot of things, you've got a lot of bad information in your post.

The standard starting stat adjustment for gnomes is -2 str, +2 con. Their int is the same as any other race's (except halforc) and can't be started off as more than 18. Flame arrow is a conjuration spell, not an evocation spell, so evocation focus won't help it at all. You won't need concentration focus. Still spell and silent spell both are redundant in the same build. Rangers don't get a bonus feat at level 1. If you're really worried about being KD'd, a gnome would suffer a -8 to the discipline check against IKD (2 size categories different). The gnome strength penalty will probably cost you another -1 compared to other races here also.

Going up to 30 elemental damage and massive criticals on all weapons isn't mid magic in my opinion but then, it's all opinion there.

If cheese builds are allowed, I'd suggest something like 35 wiz/3 monk/2 SD. Gnome's a fine race but, like I said, if you are paranoid about being KD'd I'd suggest Human instead.

If you start with 18 int, put all stat-ups into int, and get great int 10 you'll end with 38 int. That's a +19 stat bonus. Your spell save DC will be 10 + 19 + spell level + focus feats - if you take epic focus in enchantment then your Dominate Monster save DC will be 44, and 50 with fully-buffed int.

However I'd recommend starting with 16 int and ending with 36, it frees a lot of your base points up.

Do your research and try a few builds in a leveller module... the best way to learn is by doing.
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Experience is the mother of good judgement; bad judgement is the father of experience. Thanks. Not sure why I thought the Gnome had an int bonus. I've had a Ranger before as part of a cleric build and I am reasonably sure that it is normal to be able to take epic spell focus instead of a FE as I have seen it mentioned in forums of one or two other servers.
Quote: Posted 11/08/05 13:18:46 (GMT) -- D O'Brien123

I've had a Ranger before as part of a cleric build and I am reasonably sure that it is normal to be able to take epic spell focus instead of a FE as I have seen it mentioned in forums of one or two other servers.

You are correct. The ranger gets a bonus feat at level 1 (and 5,10,15,20,23,25,26,29,30,32,35,35,38 and 40 ) and he can take Epic Spell Focus (or Greater Spell Focus) instead of favored enemy *if* he meets the prequisites (spell focus, level 9 spell casting).
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Character Build Calculator(works with Excel, Open Office) 2.83: updated to NWN 1.69. Very interesting on the ranger idea! News to me!

Just to pass on some wiz-dom i learned from playing with wizs on high magic worlds (which you seem to be describing). Question: im assuming that the monsters have LOTS of hps? If this is true, then is evocation really the best alternative? Yes, with max spell you can hit for a few hundred damage with a nice maxd ice or maxd igms, which on a mid/low world would smoke a boss. But, if the boss has 10,000 hps.. um well, not so easy to do. The wiz-dom i have gleaned from talkin with wiz players on these types of servers is to take enchantment (either as sorc or wiz). Then if you want to take another foci, necro is great to (death magic woot)! Yes, the wail may not work against a boss (but then again ), but like one wiz told me, just dominate the boss and have its minions kill it for you!

Oh, just to add: yes ranger would give you a bonus feat, BUT with all those wiz lvls you are planning, if you cannot take epic foci in 2 schools, um! Ranger doesnt add too much else. Just my 2 cents.

Peace

Edited By avado on 11/10/05 16:59