I have a crazy idea for a caster, and found no matches with the build searcher, so it's all mine.
I'm trying to make a caster able to withstand meleer's, so I multiclassed with Dwarven Defender to use only its Damage Reduction and still fight casting. Of course, race is dwarf, so since dwarf gets negative CHA on starting, a wizard fits better than a sorcerer, and Bard doesn't gets powerful attack spells. You can multiclass on to Dwarven Defender with 17 Wizard levels.
Up til now, Wizard 22 / Dwarven Defender 18 is what I tried, with Epic Damage Reduction III (for a total of 21), Automatic Still Spell III and Automatic Quicken Spell III, as well as Great Spell Penetration (gets Epic with some changes), Empower and Maximized Spell pre-epic.
AB is obviously bad, but it won't fight on melee.
AC is not so great, on my first attempt I got a naked 12 since I concentrated on CON, gets over 600 HP, you bet Concentration is high, and got Improved Expertise as well, which might be better than Defensive Stance. I tried Pale Master multiclass for AC boost, but spells should be very weak with that.
So, what do you think? or advices on it, I don't know how strong caster a level 22 wizard gets, but I'm liking the idea of a caster with Damage Reduction 21.
Edited By Thaxll'ssyllia on 03/17/06 00:29
Skip Auto-Quicken - if you have Haste from either spell or item, auto-quicken does nothing. Since you are a wizard, you can always cast Haste or extended Haste.
It will be a decent character, and should do well against melee enemies, but your weakness will be other casters. Since you are only level 22, they can dispell your buffs with Greater Dispelling, but you won't be able to dispell them. Your DC's will be low since you are pumping Con instead of Int, so you will need to concentrate on no-save spells (IGMS, Ice Storm, etc.). Your damage totals will be a bit low due to the low caster level, and durations will be short. You also won't be able to have more than 1 or 2 epic spells.
Your other weakness will be enemies with SR. Even 32 SR from items will be a problem, giving 50% resistance to your spells, or 20% if you take the Spell Pen feats. Watch out for Monks (even multi-classed, no Improved SR ones), or Clerics and Druids who can cast Spell Resistance - you probably won't be able to affect them at all.
Like I said, it will be playable, and the DR will help against mobs of melee enemies.
TM
Take a peek at This One. _________________ Captain's Log, Stardate 6051: had trouble sleeping last night... my hiatal hernia is acting up. The ship is... drafty and damp; I complain but... nobody listens.
Cinnabar Din, explain to me why nothing appeared when I looked for Wizard/Dwarven Defender.....
Anyway, I just checked it, in its second version gets an 18 DR, although in general it's very different, since I don't understand why he got Whirlwind Attack, while I go for metamagics. Although after looking at it and with AB count, I was wrong to say level 17 for dwarven defender, but I still need level 9 spells for auto still spell, that's why the minimum wizard levels should be.... 20?
Thanks Tatooed Monk, good to know Auto Quicken Spell does nothing, now it will be really easy to get Epic Spell Penetration, and maybe Armor Skin, which I didn't took on my initial schedule.
Ok, looks like it's not an overwhelming PvP, but it should be great on PvM methinks.
About CON vs INT on the level up.... I guess I really don't know which to take, I took CON for resistance "Resistant Caster" is where my idea came from, and as far as AC.... well, not sure, I thought CON might go better.
I found it using WIZ/DwD in my search (and only knew I should use that because I remembered the post from a while ago). It's not posted in the guild though, it was only ever posted on the General Discussion forum (so you wouldn't find it with the build search engine).
Note that I wasn't posting the link to show you something better, only to give you a previous build to look at so you might get some ideas from it.
As to Whirlwind Attack: I've no idea. _________________ Captain's Log, Stardate 6051: had trouble sleeping last night... my hiatal hernia is acting up. The ship is... drafty and damp; I complain but... nobody listens.
Quote: I found it using WIZ/DwD in my search (and only knew I should use that because I remembered the post from a while ago). It's not posted in the guild though, it was only ever posted on the General Discussion forum (so you wouldn't find it with the build search engine).
Note that I wasn't posting the link to show you something better, only to give you a previous build to look at so you might get some ideas from it.
Well, that explains it, Thanks.
Quote: As to Whirlwind Attack: I've no idea.
Told you, with an AB of... it doesn't says, well, I'll gues a direct 25 out of his BAB since he has no STR nor weapon finesse, anyway, with that AB Whirwing Attack won't hit, it would explain a compensation on the low amount of APR, but it won't compensate because of the AB... or he just got confused and read Weapon Master's prerequisites and applied them to Dwarven Defender, or forgot to add Weapon Master to the level progress, whatever.
I'll post this build somewhat soon, maybe, it's the next on my build list......
How about dropping the DD *dun dun dah* and taking PM instead...as either a Dwarf or Gnome you gain +2 Constitution which makes it a little easier to get the 21 con required for Epic Damage Reduction...so as your 29/10/1 wiz or sorc/pm/tumble class you gain +4 AC, crit/sneak immunity & from EDR feats 9/- DR plus you would end up with a nice number of HP from having high Con...
That's been done before, Click Here . _________________ The world is grey, the mountain's old The forge's fire is ashen and cold No harp is wrung, no hammer falls The darkness dwells in Druin's halls...
Well there isn't any DR on that build well aside Epic Warding!
Just having a look at the builds above, getting DR is all well and good, however if if you have a low AC you are always vunerable to Critical hits. When crits can easily reach 100+, 18/- DR doesn't make toooooo much difference!!!
NOTE : cool little story with the build link _________________ Grrr...hear my roar!!!
well aside Epic Warding!