Noob WF Wizard Build - Help!

[Stahna]

Okay, so here is what I came up with. I've never done this before and am a noob to ddo. I know I screwed up somewhere because I ended up with only imp empower 1, which I get at lvl 20, and no other spell boosts. ACK!

I want a WF. I know the best align is TN. I really want this to be something I can use at higher levels. My aim was an enchanter. I have no tomes at the moment, so didn't factor any in. I'm hoping maybe I can pick up a few on my way up. Towards the end I really didn't know what spells to pick either. I don't think I have enough buffs. I tried to focus on force and elemental damage, but was trying to rely more on enchantment and illusion. To be honest, I really don't know what I'm doing.

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Jasim Kal'Hart
Level 20 True Neutral Warforged Male
(20 Wizard) 
Hit Points: 222
Spell Points: 1786 
BAB: 10\10\15\20
Fortitude: 11
Reflex: 5
Will: 12

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             10                    10
Dexterity             8                     8
Constitution         16                    18
Intelligence         18                    28
Wisdom               10                    10
Charisma              6                     6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               1                    10.5
Bluff                -2                    -2
Concentration         7                    30
Diplomacy            -2                    -2
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -2                     7
Heal                  0                     0
Hide                 -1                    -1
Intimidate           -2                    -2
Jump                  2                    11.5
Listen                0                     0
Move Silently        -1                    -1
Open Lock            n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                8                    34
Search                6                    20.5
Spot                  0                     0
Swim                  0                     0
Tumble               n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      0                     9.5

Level 1 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+2)
Skill: Concentration (+4)
Skill: Jump (+2)
Skill: Repair (+4)
Skill: Search (+2)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+2)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Mental Toughness
Feat: (Selected) Spell Penetration
Spell (1): Charm Person
Spell (1): Niac's Cold Ray
Spell (1): Repair Light Damage
Spell (1): Summon Monster I
Spell (1): Cause Fear
Spell (1): Hypnotism
Spell (1): Mage Armor
Enhancement: Wizard Concentration I
Enhancement: Wizard Elemental Manipulation I
Enhancement: Wizard Force Manipulation I
Enhancement: Wizard Energy of the Scholar I


Level 2 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (1): Magic Missle
Spell (1): Shield
Enhancement: Wizard Intelligence I
Enhancement: Warforged Construct Thinking I
Enhancement: Warforged Hardiness I


Level 3 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Penetration
Spell (2): Otto's Resistable Dance
Spell (2): Hypnotic Pattern
Enhancement: Wizard Repair I
Enhancement: Wizard Lineage of Force I
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution I


Level 4 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (2): Bull's Strength
Spell (2): Blur
Enhancement: Wizard Force Manipulation II
Enhancement: Wizard Subtle Spellcasting I
Enhancement: Wizard Wand Mastery I


Level 5 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Improved Mental Toughness
Spell (3): Summon Monster III
Spell (3): Haste
Enhancement: Wizard Lineage of Deadly Force I
Enhancement: Wizard Spell Penetration I


Level 6 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Spell (3): Chain Missiles
Spell (3): Repair Serious Damage
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Wizard Energy of the Scholar II


Level 7 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (4): Wall of Fire
Spell (4): Charm Monster
Enhancement: Wizard Intelligence II


Level 8 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (4): Fear
Spell (4): Ice Storm
Enhancement: Wizard Elemental Manipulation II


Level 9 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Empower Spell
Spell (5): Hold Monster
Spell (5): Protection From Elements
Enhancement: Wizard Spell Penetration II


Level 10 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Maximize Spell
Spell (5): Cone of Cold
Spell (4): Stoneskin
Enhancement: Wizard Intelligence III


Level 11 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (6): Summon Monster VI
Spell (6): Mass Bull's Strength
Enhancement: Warforged Constitution II


Level 12 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Combat Casting
Spell (6): Create Undead
Spell (6): Mass Suggestion
Enhancement: Wizard Concentration II


Level 13 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (7): Otto's Sphere of Dancing
Spell (7): Mass Hold Person
Enhancement: Wizard Spell Penetration III


Level 14 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (7): Summon Monster VII
Spell (7): Protection From Elements, Mass
Enhancement: Wizard Energy of the Scholar III


Level 15 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+0.5)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Focus: Enchantment
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Spell Focus: Enchantment
Spell (8): Otto's Irresistable Dance
Spell (8): Mass Charm Monster
Enhancement: Wizard Energy of the Scholar IV


Level 16 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (8): Polar Ray
Spell (8): Power Word: Stun
Enhancement: Wizard Concentration III
Enhancement: Wizard Lineage of Force II


Level 17 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (9): Mass Hold Monster
Spell (9): Summon Monster IX
Enhancement: Wizard Force Manipulation III


Level 18 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Evocation
Spell (9): Meteor Swarm
Spell (9): Dominate Monster
Enhancement: Wizard Force Manipulation IV


Level 19 (Wizard)
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Spell (7): Mass Invisibility
Spell (6): True Seeing
Enhancement: Wizard Elemental Manipulation III


Level 20 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Skill: Balance (+0.5)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Haggle (+1)
Skill: Jump (+0.5)
Skill: Repair (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+0.5)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
Spell (7): Waves of Exhaustion
Spell (7): Power Word: Blind
Enhancement: Wizard Master of Magic
Enhancement: Wizard Improved Empowering I
Enhancement: Wizard Repair II

[Rawum]

Welcome to DDO you are off to a good start.

Your starting stats look good. Max int, High Con. A point or 2 more into str can be good depending what you like but really once you have the Int and Con the rest can go fine however you like it.

As a wizard you will get to learn all of the arcane spells in the game so you can quickly find out which spells to use in different situations and swap as needed. By finding a scroll of a spell and inscribing it to your spell book you can have access to all the spells. There are lists of spells for which scrolls are not available from vendors and need to be looted, purchased from another player or choosen at level up.


Regarding Feats:


My standard feat list looks something like:
Toughness
maximize
extend
empower
heighten
insightful reflexes
spell penetration
greater spell pentration

You can take the spell pen feats much later in your progression as you won't encounter much spell resistance until after level 10.

I like taking extend no later than level 5 because 30 seconds of haste just isn't enough of a fix.

That leaves you 4 feat slots to allocate for spell focus / greater spell focus of your choice.

The concentration from combat casting can easily be aquired via items and skill points instead of a feat slot.

Mental toughness can be taken on a wiz because of the number of feats that you get but i like to take more feats like spell focus to make better use of the spell points instead. As wizards don't get a lot of spell points i make the best use as possible out of what i do get.

[Stahna]

Thanks for your reply.

Oooo, I didn't notice Insightful Relfexes before. That will help a lot! TY!

Never considered that for extend, great suggestion.

What exactly does 'heighten' do? I don't understand the description. Is it useful at higher levels?

Also, what spells are not obtainable through vendors? Maybe I can choose some of them in places where I don't know what to pick up. Is there a list somewhere?

Okay, so after considering your advice, I've altered my feat choices as follows:
Lvl 1: Toughness and Maximize (These work better for me at lower levels, they help save my skin hehe)
Lvl 3: Extend (getting it in before lvl 5 as suggested)
Lvl 5: Empower
Lvl 6: Insightful Reflexes (wanted to get this one early)
Lvl 9: Spell Pen
Lvl 10: Spell Focus Evocation
Lvl 12: Greater Spell Pen (I like getting the spell pens in as soon as possible, by now I should be needing em)
Lvl 15: Spell Focus Enchantment and Greater Spell Focus Enchantment
Lvl 18: Greater Spell Focus Evocation
Lvl 20: Heighten (mainly here cause I dunno how useful it is)


EDIT: Okay, so as you can see, I originally invested in WIS at the start. I would really prefer to just leave it alone and stick those points in STR. WF have a low WIS though to start, can I just leave it at 6? Or should I stick at least a couple points in? Also, I was concerned about my UMD. As a WF I won't be needing heal scrolls and such, but with my CHA the way it is, my UMD is gonna suck anyway, Guess that's a WF for ya. Is this okay? Should I be to worried about it? The reason I initially went with WIS is because I figured in the midst of combat getting a Will save was prolly more important than how much I can hold in my inventory.

Sorry for the rambling...

[Hobgoblin]

Thanks for your reply.

Oooo, I didn't notice Insightful Relfexes before. That will help a lot! TY!

Never considered that for extend, great suggestion.

What exactly does 'heighten' do? I don't understand the description. Is it useful at higher levels?

Also, what spells are not obtainable through vendors? Maybe I can choose some of them in places where I don't know what to pick up. Is there a list somewhere?

Okay, so after considering your advice, I've altered my feat choices as follows:
Lvl 1: Toughness and Maximize (These work better for me at lower levels, they help save my skin hehe)
Lvl 3: Extend (getting it in before lvl 5 as suggested)
Lvl 5: Empower
Lvl 6: Insightful Reflexes (wanted to get this one early)
Lvl 9: Spell Pen
Lvl 10: Spell Focus Evocation
Lvl 12: Greater Spell Pen (I like getting the spell pens in as soon as possible, by now I should be needing em)
Lvl 15: Spell Focus Enchantment and Greater Spell Focus Enchantment
Lvl 18: Greater Spell Focus Evocation
Lvl 20: Heighten (mainly here cause I dunno how useful it is)


EDIT: Okay, so as you can see, I originally invested in WIS at the start. I would really prefer to just leave it alone and stick those points in STR. WF have a low WIS though to start, can I just leave it at 6? Or should I stick at least a couple points in? Also, I was concerned about my UMD. As a WF I won't be needing heal scrolls and such, but with my CHA the way it is, my UMD is gonna suck anyway, Guess that's a WF for ya. Is this okay? Should I be to worried about it? The reason I initially went with WIS is because I figured in the midst of combat getting a Will save was prolly more important than how much I can hold in my inventory.

i like heighten earlier myself and would recommend toughness as well

[Stahna]

Can someone please give me an example of how heighten works?


EDIT: Okay, I'm swapping Greater Spell Focus Enchantment and Heighten for now. I think that will be more balanced anyway.

Also, I'm splitting the difference and going 12 STR, 8 WIS. That will give me 1 to Will. Maybe I can pick up a Tome of Str at some point.

[Hobgoblin]

it changes the dc on your spells as if they were the highest level you can cast

[Beld]

the lvl 2 spell web, cast by a lvl 20 wizard has the same DC as that cast by a lvl 5 wizard (INT bonus notwithstanding) whereas with heighten, you cast web as a level 9 spell, thus gaining the extra DC for the extra 'spell level' heighten provides.

[Stahna]

Oooohhh, So basically it increases a spells DC beyond that which is normally its maximum? That's sweetness! TY!!

[Hobgoblin]

also find a way to get toughnesss in there as well. on a wf that 60 additional hp

[Stahna]

Made my new wizard! Yea toughness was the first feat I took. Thank you guys for all your help.

[Rawum]

Can someone please give me an example of how heighten works?


EDIT: Okay, I'm swapping Greater Spell Focus Enchantment and Heighten for now. I think that will be more balanced anyway.

Also, I'm splitting the difference and going 12 STR, 8 WIS. That will give me 1 to Will. Maybe I can pick up a Tome of Str at some point.

I can use web (level 2 spell) as a good example of how heighten changes the DC for spells. Heighten raises the spell level of any applicable spells to the highest spell level that you can cast thus making low level spells still useful at higher levels.

DC = 10 + spell level + casting stat modifier (int for wiz)

Web standard DC = 10 + 2 + int mod

A level 20 wiz can cast level 9 spells:

Heightened DC = 10 + 9 + int mod

for a total increase of 7 to your DC for web and making it on par with any of your level 9 spells.


A huge benefit to WF is their natural immunities. The wis penalty is more than made up for with their immunities to some will based spells such as hold person. As well you will find / craft items with +wis and + saves making 8 fine for a starting wis. Wiz as a class follow the higher save progression for will saves.

12 starting str is fine as well for staying at a light load most of the time and not being made helpless by low level str damage.

[Stahna]

My WF wizard is doing great! I just wanted to give an update and highlight some things I learned from this thread.

Now I always put Toughness into any build I make. It just makes sense to me and why not? Who doesn't want more HP? You can't do anything with HP 0 or less.

Also, I've really started to explore the metamagic feats. I LOVE extend for buffs (especially haste). And I'm loved in groups for my long lasting buffs as well.

For a wizard build (and sorc closely follows) I'm thinking the feats I listed a couple of posts up are great. I do push off spell pens til later (using items to boost spell pen earlier on) And being able to get SF and GSF in two different schools is freakn awesome! Evocation should just be standard for anyone wanting to cast a lot of offensive magic, and lately I've been preferring it earlier rather than later. And since heighten only works at higher levels, I think it's fine to push off til much later.

Anyway, thanks everyone for all the help. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the wizard class now.

[jmonty]

dump combat casting for quicken. it's worth it at high levels, especially when you have short times between shrines or mana pots, or if you are in a situation where your casting while taking heavy damage is vital to success.