Melee Wizard Build Questions/Suggestions

[Evan_Arrr]

Hello all,

I started playing DDO a little more than a month ago (F2P) with a two weapon fighting ranger. I've pretty much always played ranger (P&P, Neverwinter Nights 1 and 2, BG, BGII, etc.) because it's my favorite class. Occasionally I play around with wizards, focusing on evocation and/or illusion magic schools.

Well, I recently purchased some DDO points and unlocked two extra character slots (as well as purchased veteran characters, I am so sick of Korthos) and am wondering: is it possible to create a wizard who excels in melee combat, using only buff spells?

So I created a character last night, a dwarf wizard. Here are my starting stats (forgive me if this doesn't add up to 28 points, it's early and I'm at work so it's entirely possible I forgot something):

STR: 14
DEX: 8
CON: 16
INT: 18
WIS: 8
CHA: 6

Unfortunately I don't remember much about which feats or enhancements I took other than that I took what I thought would be best for a squishy melee character. I know I took Master's Touch for weapon proficiencies and I took the Dwarf attack and damage enchancements for axes, as well as Extend spell for longer buffs. Toughness and Combat Casting I also took.

Can anyone assist in assessing my character? Should I give up on this idea of a melee wizard relying on buffs before I invest any serious playtime into it? Would this be a more viable build if I had made it WF so I could self-heal? Will parties hate me because I'm not a DPS or CC wizard?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

[FuzzyDuck81]

low to mid levels melee wizards are completely viable - at later levels, they take a lot of gearing and will never be as good as a proper melee class, but they can still be pretty effective, generally by using crowd control to make enemies vulnerable & then using melee weapons to finish them off (the Hold spells give autocrits).

Also yes, if you want a melee wizard warforged is pretty much the only reliable way to go as the self healing will make all the difference.

Combat casting is generally unncecessary - if (well WHEN really, its amazingly useful) you take quicken spell your spells will be uninterruptable & cast faster anyway, and concentration will only apply to wands & scrolls

[thegreatneil]

is it possible to create a wizard who excels in melee combat, using only buff spells?

You should make a bard.

[GreatOwl]

You should make a bard.

This.
Bards are awesome.

[EKKM]

Warforged make much better melee wizards primarily due to self healing but also for the immunities that remove a lot of equipment needs.

Note that if you are only using buff spells you do not need a high INT, 18 is way too high. I would say 14 or 15 tops. You can still cast high level spells using an INT item or enhancements (or tomes).

A friend of mine uses a WF 1 fighter/17 wizard (in prgress) that is very effective. I don't know his exact build but I do know that all his level ups went into strength.

The fighter level is important so that you get those martial proficiencies without havng to rely on a dispellable buff. The extra feat doesnt hurt.

I guess as F2P you may not have WF yet though. In that case, I would strongly recommend a warchanter bard. I'm afraid you wont be happy with a dwarf Gish at higher levels.

[jjflanigan]

Warforged make much better melee wizards primarily due to self healing but also for the immunities that remove a lot of equipment needs.

Note that if you are only using buff spells you do not need a high INT, 18 is way too high. I would say 14 or 15 tops. You can still cast high level spells using an INT item or enhancements (or tomes).

A friend of mine uses a WF 1 fighter/17 wizard (in prgress) that is very effective. I don't know his exact build but I do know that all his level ups went into strength.

The fighter level is important so that you get those martial proficiencies without havng to rely on a dispellable buff. The extra feat doesnt hurt.

I guess as F2P you may not have WF yet though. In that case, I would strongly recommend a warchanter bard. I'm afraid you wont be happy with a dwarf Gish at higher levels.

Master's Touch cannot be dispelled, unless you meant disjunction?

[Thanolis]

There is a build floating around on the forums called Axesinger that is perfect for what you are trying to do imo. Its newbie friendly as it does not require tomes,warforged or special equipment. Its based on a TWF dwarf with bard,fighter and rogue levels iirc.

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=195289 is the link to the build.

[EKKM]

Master's Touch cannot be dispelled, unless you meant disjunction?

I've never used the spell so didnt know that. Thanks for the info.