suggestions for wizard TR?

[DANTEIL]

I have a level 20 human wizard that feels kind of broken at the moment (got him to 20 when that was cap, haven't played him much since, and he's not geared/traited all that well for epic content), so I've been thinking about TRing him, which would be my first TR attempt.

Looking at options, I'm considering keeping him Wizard and going more in the Eldritch Knight direction (he's Archmage now -- mostly kite and firewall). What are some strong Eldritch Knight builds? I could use the +20 Heart and just redo all the feats and stuff and keep him pure Wizard, but if it made more sense I could go for the TR, get the past life, and try a different build, possibly multi class. I also thought about Artificer, for instance, but I've never played a ranged character and because I solo a lot, I know my tendency is to just go in and beat on stuff (hence EK).

So any suggestions/pointers to things to look would be welcome!

[Uska]

I wouldn't use your +20 heart to redo him as a wizard either tr him if you want or use you heart so you can get a past life you would like but don't want to play I used mine to get my bard past life.

Or you could get a fvs or sorc past life to have more hp or barb for hp. There tons of options for you

[Wh070aa]

Well I did 2 life's of human 1 artifice/19 wizard.

I recommend harper over EK, as it has way better synergy, if you have it available. (Int to hit (and possibly to damage, if they fix the bug).

I recommend getting some sorcerer, and cleric past life's on a wizard, (artificer is good too, if you play in party, or want to use divine scrolls).

I went necro spaced (form healing, and max crit, and spellpower items (robes from marbar, or mad stone skull(stacking augment for +1 DC)).
That 1k no metamagic 10 spellpoint necrotic ray. (250 to 2500 damage, depending on stuff + neg level), and massive heal aura (better than cleric).

Illusion, or transmutation archmage, for free(w/free metas) haste, or displacement and stuff.
Get all the feats (because wizard). (Maximize,wizard past life is a must. Then depending on specialization Empower(is ok, but too spell point intensive, and benefit is not great), +School DC (2 main (+ epic), and 1 2nd), Heighten, spell pen(2+epic). Get insightful reflexes, for not getting bursted down (poor mans evasion). Extend and quicken are optional, for not recasting undead aura, and haste every minute, and not waiting 10 years for spell to complete.

Also full trapping. Gives up to 30 % extra xp if you disable all the traps.
Skill points are bit tight, so probably dump spot, and possibly heal (in mid levels, you catch up eventually, altho tomes are good to have). Max Search,Concentration, Disable device, and Spell craft. If points left over, heal. Spot is really useless (I can't spot anyting on my arti w +20 item,maxed out level investments, and some enchantments from trees,without heroism, and human boost. Just memorize, or face check traps(undead immunities, resist spells, jump and insightful reflexes help a lot).Cople of points in Balance, Jump and Tumble, if necessary.

If you want to, you can use repeater, and sacrifice spell pen and DC for melee feats, but not worth the trouble. Also you need arm slots for potency/crit items. You must sacrifice you Con score for archery feats, so not really worth it. You would need point blank, Rapid Shot,Precise Shot, IPS, improved crit and some vorpal or CC bows. To hit and damage from harper, +tensers(if you want to, its not that good).

Or just make an artificer, 'n stuff. I have level 20 one, but it is not very,look into class forums for builds and stuff, my arti build is up there
If you want wizard build, decide what you want to do, because depending on specialization and play style it greatly differs.Moust basics are
1)Enchantment +evo (hold monsters, nuke them down (+50% damage increase from hold). Needs DC(ench, evo), and spell pen. Heighten recommended.
2)Necromancy (Instakill stuff. Problems with stuff that can't be instakilled, or on while cooldown. Needs DC(necro) and spell pen. Heighten recommended.
3)Evocation (element). Look up sorcerer tutorials. Its the same thing, only you can use opposing elements, and have spell problems.Depends on element(s) you use. (evo DC, or Conj DC(conj is not that important), Empower) Heighten recommended for Dc heavy elements.
4)Conjuration (Webs! Webs everywhere!)+ whatever for damage. (conj DC, heighten)

Not mentioning essentials like maximize, firewall,acid rain,ice storm,undeath aura, undead forms(for healing), Circle of death, heroism, necrotic ray, disintegrate, finger of death,wail, nigtshield, and leveling spells like niclac's, and acid blast.(burning hands,acid spray, fireball), and utility haste

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Then there is decision of epic destiny. Draconic, magister, Shiradi , or Exalted Angel. Each has some benefits. Draconic has best burst damage (evocation,elemental) and decent mobility/defense, Magister has DC and cool down boosts. Shiradi has magic missle spam for 7% chance of something to happen (damage and stuns) Exalted Angel has +3 DC, extra 10 % spellpoints, and mobility (them wings). You can eventually twist the stuff you need in, so its not that big of a deal.
But you can just switch out spells, as needed, and maybe get some potency item, and should be fine.
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Gear tips- Use scrolls, and wands for stone skin, heroism,true seeing,shadow walk,invisibility, (blurr, fireball,ice storm(at low levels, before you get them)) and clerical spells(heal, rise dead, spell resistance) if umd. (or clickies, they save a lot of plat). Get Sage's Spectacles,Ion stones and other easy to get, low min level stuff before TRing. You can skip fetherfall, while in wrath form. You don't need heavy fort while in undead form( get about 125% ish at most. No real need for more). Yellow slot +DC stacks with +dc gear (or at least id did while ago).

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If questions, please ask more precisely, what you want to do. Keep the wizard past life, its pretty good (both active, and passive), and TR. save +20 heart for stuff you don't want to do with complicationist (or something)

[Shinjiteru]

So... do you think about EK because you want to be a melee wizard or only because you don't want to be a Palemaster?
I don't really get what you want to be with your wizard, so can't really suggest anything. (caster dps, cc, melee)

Because if you just go for spell damage you shouldn't need that much equip to be viable in EN and EH. Basically you only need fw + meteorswarm and a combustion item.
Although... your main problem is probably the missing selfheal, since you are neither undead nor a wf/bf.

My bladeforged sorc leveled with the ML 15 equip to level 28 with only replacing weapon and 1-2 other items. Was able to do something similar with a wf sorc as well, but was getting +6 consti, greater false life and heavy fort item.
If you have access to the house C challenges... cloak of flames, bracers of wind and maybe frozen tunic and you covered all important spellpower and lore stuff.
And if you would go palemaster and use death aura it's usually easy button to stay alive in EN and EH, you mainly only have to make sure your aura is running all the time and in EN you shouldn't need anything else to stay alive.

[DANTEIL]

Sorry it's taken me a bit to respond; I was traveling.


So... do you think about EK because you want to be a melee wizard or only because you don't want to be a Palemaster?
I don't really get what you want to be with your wizard, so can't really suggest anything. (caster dps, cc, melee)

I guess my answer would be a bit of both? Palemaster doesn't really appeal to me, although to be honest I have never played one. Plus, I enjoy my other melee characters -- and haven't really enjoyed this Wizard for a while -- and so I thought that I would think about trying to turn this guy into more of a melee Wizard, which is why I was looking at Eldritch Knight. You are absolutely right, though, that self-healing is a big issue; I've been really reliant on Blur/Displacement to avoid getting beat down as quickly. So maybe I'm stuck and should TR into something completely different like an Artificers. Thanks for giving me things to think about.

[Kriogen]

... So maybe I'm stuck and should TR into something completely different like an Artificers. Thanks for giving me things to think about.
Take 2 levels of Artificer (for repeaters and runarm) and make a pewpewing wizard with a machine gun.