EsWizards, what a wacky adventure

[Laharl]

DISCLAIMER: Most of my experience is from actual DnD but I would appreciate it if you could salvage whatever wisdom you could from this. (This is unedited/uncesored pure classic DnD experience based knowledge. Use at your own risk)

As a Wizard you have the ability to specialize in a school. This makesspells from that "School" of magic a bit stronger, but also means you have a "prohibited" (banned) school of magic that you cannot possibly learn spells from.

You start your quest with the following handicaps:
1. You cannot wear any normal armour without troubles casting spells.
2. You are at least ten years older than your fellow party members.
3. You need to carry a BIG book around.

But your spells are flashy, and deal lots of damage! Just look at meteor swarm! It can deal (DND damage) 20d6 (20 six sided dice) of damage! Big, flashy and painful!

From personal experience Necromancy is a very poor choice of a school of magic to specialize in as a wizard. If you want to control dead be an evil cleric (or neutral that channels negative energy instead of positive)

Now it's time to go out and kill, isn't it? Once you've got a few of your low level spells ready and your weapon of choice (usually staff).

Stats:
Make sure you have good dex, con, int and wisdom. Con is needed because Wizards usually have so little hp per level, and you need it to stay alive. The dex will (usually) make you a little harder to hit and the wisdom is there so that other spell casters don't flay you alive.

TRICK: Wizards should usually take ONE level of monk so that their wisdom bonus (usually high) will be added to their armour class! Chaching! Free defense!

I suggest standing behind a fighter instead of standing front line. Since Wizards have such little hp and low armour they are often quite vulnerable to archers, and ambitious fighters.

Most of all have fun, and happy casting.

 

[Laharl]

Multiclassing:

Yes! Wizards have a lot to gain from multiclassing, and here's what:

Barbarian: You won't find a better hit die in the game than their d12. Add their useful skills list, and decent skill points - good base attack and fortitude save. You also gain 10 more feet of momvement that can save your life. Rage, however, is almost useless since it stops spell casting.

Bard: Bard's are the ONLY standard class that get speak language as a class skill! They also get all knowledge skills, which can quite easily save you some skill points for other things such as spot and listen. Bardic music benefits the party, but interferes with verbal and somatic components of wizard spells.

Cleric: Picking up the two domain powers can give you some usful abilities. One level of cleric allows you to access healing wands - especially useful if your party's cleric has a habit of running out of spells. Three elvels give you access to the mystical theurge prestiege class.

Druid: Bonuses to knowledge (nature) checks! You also get an animal companion, which when coupled with your familiar can make for an interesting char.

Fighter: Bonus feats, especially for your first two levels! Many are useful to a wizard: Combat expertise, point blank shot, precise shot, and weapon focus (ray).

Monk: Improved unarmed strike ensures you always threaten the area around you. Additionally because most wizards have above average wisdom scores adding your wisdom to your armour class is a great boon. Monks are the only standard class with all good saves.

Paladin: Picking up detect evil as a spell-like ability can save a precious spell slot for something more useful. Better base attack bonuses and fortitude saves never hurt, either. Finallly a level in paladin allows you access to the elritch knight prestiege class from the dungeon master's guide.

Ranger: This class allows you to pick up some ranks in some useful skills, such as Hide, Listen and Spot. Favoured enemy bonuses on skill checks can help, especially if your game frequently pits you against one enemy type. Second level of ranger gives you access to Point Blank Shot - a useful tool for WIzards who want to fire rays or other ranged touch attacks.

Rogue: The undeniable king of skills. Your high intelligence modifier as a wizard should provide you with plenty of opportunity to pick up ranks in a bunch of useful skills. The good reflex save is always a nice boost, as well. IUf you have your eyes set on the arcane trickster prestige class, taking three levels in rogue is the easiest way to meet the 2d6 sneak attack prerequisite.

Sorcerer: The only other standard class that allows your familiar to continue to progress in abilities. If you're a specialist wizard, a level of sorcerer grants access to wands and scrolls of spells from your forbidden school(s). This is almost the only reason why a wizard should ever take a level in sorcerer.