Arcane Storm (38 Wizard, 1 Paladin, 1 Monk)

[Retribution]

Just acquired Genie and this is the build i am planning. All thoughts, both good and bad are most welcome.

Base Race: Human
Subrace: Genie (Beyond UltraRare subrace DEX +2, CON +2, INT +6, free feat: Spell Penetration, free feat: Greater Spell Penetration, able to walk on quicksand)

Base Stats/Racially Adjusted Stats

STR: 8/8
DEX: 8/10
CON: 16/18
INT: 18/24
WIS: 8/8
CHA: 12/12

Level Progression: 19 Wizard, 1 Monk, 19 Wizard, 1 Paladin

Feats

Human Bonus Feat: Luck of Heroes

7 Pre Level 20 Feats

Spell Focus: Necromancy
Spell Focus: Evocation
Spell Focus: Transmutation
Spell Focus: Illusion
Silent Spell
Empower Spell
Maximise Spell

3 Pre Level 20 Wizard Bonus Feats

Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy
Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
Greater Spell Focus: Illusion

14 Pre Epic Feats

Great Intelligence I-IX
Greater Spell Focus: Transmutation
Epic Spell Focus: Necromancy
Epic Spell Focus: Evocation
Epic Spell Penetration

7 Legendary Level Feats

Epic Spell Focus: Transmutation
Epic Spell Focus: Illusion
Legendary Spell Focus: Necromancy
Legendary Spell Focus: Evocation
Legendary Luck
Legendary Spell Penetration
Epic Reflexes

Stat Increases

All Intelligence

Final Stats/With Item Bonuses

STR: 8/20
DEX: 10/22
CON: 18/30
INT: 54/66 (plus two from Intelligence Artifact)
WIS: 8/20
CHA: 12/24

Saves

Base + Legendary Level Increase + Stat Increase + Paladin Increase (Charisma) + Feat Increase + Items

Reflex: 19 + 5 + 6 + 6 + 8 + 20 = 64
Fortitude 23 + 5 + 6 + 6 + 4 + 20 = 64
Will: 23 + 5 + 6 + 6 + 4 + 20 = 64

Epic Book: Divination

Skill Points

There will be plenty of these so max the usuals, concentration, discipline, tumble, as well as anything else you feel like.

Summary
Positives
- 68 Intelligence
- 30 Constitution
- 3 Metamagics
- 5 Epic Spells
- 3 Epic Spell Focuses and 2 Legendary Spell Focuses
- Saves all at 64
- Can change appearance to base race for crafting

Negatives
- No combat casting or improved combat casting
- No toughness
- No conceal stripper
- No Balor
- Plus 10 GMW only
- No extend Spell

Discussion and Explanation of Build Choices

I chose the Spell Focuses out of both necessity and personal preference. Necromancy, Illusion, and Evocation Focuses are needed as a matter of course for regular spells, while Transmutation is required for Transmute Barrier, a must in hells. That left the last choice to personal preference, and i chose to go with Divination as through experience i have found this epic spell to be the one i would least like to be without. I do not have combat casting or improved combat casting simply because the feats are more beneficial spent elsewhere, and in hells where attacks of opportunity hurt the most i am usually tucked away behind tank or inside a wall. Balor had to miss out on this build simply because as I said before, other feats were more beneficial. Wizards will also always be outdone by caster clerics when it comes to GMW. Because I did not take enchant extend spell was not needed for weapon buffs and at lvl 60 buffs last long enough and several sets can be memorised. The monk level is taken before level twenty to get the plus 1 bonus to saves, this comes at the expense of 2 ac. The paladin level is necessary to achieve >60 saves.

Alternative build options:

For those without Genie, I recommend Illithid. Dropping 2 intelligences or one metamagic and one Legendary focus would net you the extra feats for the missing Spell penetration feats. Saves however would be somewhat decreased due to needing to bump con up to 17 due to the -1 con adjustment.

All thoughts on this build are most welcome, as well as someone to check calculations etc as i am not sure they are 100% correct. Also, I would appreciate notification if i have overlooked an important feat.

Thanks for taking the time to read this long post.

Cheers
T Scott

[borges]

This is a very innovative and original build that deserves its own thread!

Oh wait, not really: highergroundpoa.proboards3.com/index.cgi?board=builds&action=display&n=1&thread=1151413861&page=1

[nohmask]

Its hard to be an all around wizard....its been said if you are going to wail, go pale....I like extend on shields, have dumped monk and cant really tell much difference other than having one more sp pt, which Ill take any day of the week thank you, do keep up the combat casting, and have the conceal stripper which if you are hell bound I think you are crazy not to take...Im betting this will be the "mage w/wall" of the near future. While I like starfire because it knocks down amizu, really you could dump this one for the conceal stripper....ooo...no weirds or wails if you trim these two off? Im also betting that there will be one palemaster per group from now on as well....taking out the wailable/weirdable (and will have starfire and dom of course...how many dom do you need anyway?) creatures as well as the special stacking property of the curse (if done properly) is beyond advantageous.....esp. since they will be crit immune and doing more up front tanking Im guessing.....might want to think about this. I would, however, like to hear how this build does as is......if I could drop the combat casting and feel comfortable with it I would. N.

[Retribution]

After speaking to a few people in game my thoughts on taking illusion focus over abjuration have changed, and now i am really not sure if starfire and improved weirds would be more beneficial in hells than conceal stripper?

Also, i am aware that new metamagics are likely to come out soon, and, although i am quite happy with my build the way it is i am wondering whether it is worth dropping 2 great int's for some new metamagics? or would gaining some rods suffice, as i can only really see myself using the spell pen increaser, and don't want to sacrifice the feats for the metamagic pools nor do i really think i would be willing to give up slots for the summon creature spells required for intensify etc.

All help/advice is greatly appreciated

[Raj]

if you plan to have a hell-worthy wiz then I'd drop evocation instead of illusion, because the epic is sad, and you don't rely on dmg spells like in other areas of the mod ( and evo focus doesn't matter at all on bigby grapple check ); not sure epic mord is worth 3 feats btw

no, you're not allowed to drop great stat feats on a caster