Wizard

Wizards wield arcane power to control the battlefield. Lightly armored, wizards avoid direct melee combat in favor of ranged area-of-effect attacks that can decimate groups of enemies at a time.

Jump to (Class): Cleric - Fighter - Rogue - Wizard | Go to (Page): Races

Features

• Defense Bonus: +2 willpower
• Starting Hit Points: 10 + constitution (4 per level thereafter)
• Penalty: -2 Strength
• Class Feature:
  • Arcane Defense: +1 armor class (AC) when using a staff or orb.

Powers

Level 1 (Starting Powers)

1. Magic Missile
   • Uses: At Will
   • Range: 12
   • Attack Roll: INT vs REF
   • Damage: 2d4+INT force
2. Acid Arrow
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: burst 2 within 10
   • Attack Roll: INT vs REF
   • Damage: 1d8+INT acid, 1/2 damage on miss.
   • Effect: 5 ongoing acid
   • Duration: saving throw
3. Ranged Attack
   • Uses: At Will
   • Range: As per Ranged Weapon
   • Attack Roll: DEX vs AC
   • Damage: 1[W]+DEX

Level 2

At level 2, the player must choose between Burning Hands and Shield. Shield is no longer bugged (12/11/11) and now provides the bonus for the full turn. A -10 to all opponents attack is a substatial boost to defenses but can be difficult to time correctly for optimal use. Burning Hands is a strong choice for most wizards though, giving another close-range AoE spell.

1. Burning Hands
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: blast 3
   • Attack Roll: INT vs REF
   • Damage: 2d6+INT fire
2. Shield
   • Uses: Once per encounter, free action
   • Range: self
   • Effect: -10 to enemy attack rolls
   • Duration: 1 turn

Level 3

At level 3 the player must choose between Color Spray and Shock Sphere. Shock Sphere is the common choice, dealing more damage, having more range and a larger AoE area, although Color Spray has the advantage that it can be cast on an AoE to weaken enemy combatents and reduce their damage. Since most wizards will have Burning Hands as their choice of spell to cast on a melee though, Shock Sphere remains favoured choice.

1. Color Spray
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: blast 5
   • Attack Roll: INT vs WILL
   • Damage: 1d6+INT
   • Effect: weaken
   • Duration: 1 turn
2. Shock Sphere
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: burst 3 within 10
   • Attack Roll: INT vs REF
   • Damage: 2d6+INT

Level 4

• Choose two attributes to get +1 point each.

Level 5

At Level 5 players have a choice between Stinking Cloud and Fireball. Stinking Cloud does NOT damage undead (although they will be affected by the slow effect). For this reason, it is seen as a lesser version of Ice Storm (L9 spell which is a more powerful AoE with similar effects). Players looking to make end-game characters will probably prefer to skip Stinking Cloud, although it is very useful earlier on. Fireball is another large (7x7 area) AoE, which is always useful for catching enemies who stand far apart.

1. Stinking Cloud
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: burst 2 within 12
   • Attack Roll: INT vs FORT
   • Damage: 1d10+INT poison, 1/2 damage on miss.
   • Effect: slow
2. Fireball
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: burst 3 within 12
   • Attack Roll: INT vs REF
   • Damage: 2d6+INT fire, 1/2 damage on miss.

Level 6

Players at Level 6 have a choice between Dimension Door and Slow Burst. Non-Eldarin wizards will want to take Dimension Door, although Eldarin will rarely use it as they already have Fey Step. However Slow Burst deals no damage, and only affects the squares directly around the wizard making it very difficult to use effectively (and dealing no damage most wizards will tend to prefer using a standard damaging AoE).

1. Dimension Door
   • Uses: Once per encounter, free action
   • Range: 10
   • Effect: teleport
2. Slow Burst
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: burst 1
   • Attack Roll: INT vs FORT
   • Effect: slow
   • Duration: 1 turn

Level 7

Players at Level 7 can choose between Lightning Bolt and Spectral Ram. Unusually, Lightning Bolt will centre it's AoE on the enemy you target (as opposed to most AoEs allowing you to centre them on an empty square), making it less flexible than other AoEs. Spectral Ram is an unusual single-target attack, however it both knocks the target down and slows them, effectively keeping a single target out of combat for another 1-2 turns or letting your rogue get the Stunning Blow drop on them.

1. Lightning Bolt
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: burst 2 within 15
   • Attack Roll: INT vs REF
   • Damage: 3d6+INT lightning
2. Spectral Ram
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: 10
   • Attack Roll: INT vs FORT
   • Damage: 2d10+INT
   • Effect: knock prone, slow
   • Duration: saving throw

Level 8

• Choose two attributes to get +1 point each.

Level 9

Players at Level 9 get the choice between Ice Storm and Lightning Serpent. Ice Storm is by far more favoured as it allows players to slow a large group of enemies, preventing them from getting into combat or spreading out as quickly. Lightning Serpent has much the same effect (and an additional poison ongoing damage) but only affects a single enemy.

1. Ice Storm
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: burst 2 within 12
   • Attack Roll: INT vs FORT
   • Damage: 2d8+INT cold, 1/2 damage on miss.
   • Effect: slow, daze
   • Duration: saving throw
2. Lightning Serpent
   • Uses: Once per encounter
   • Range: 10
   • Attack Roll: INT vs REF
   • Damage: 4d6+INT lightning, 1/2 damage on miss.
   • Effect: 5 ongoing poison, slow
   • Duration: saving throw

Level 10

Players at Level 10 get to choose between Resistance and Maximize. Maximize is the common choice, allowing a wizard to deal an extra 5 damage to everyone hit by a single AoE. Resistance can be very useful in certain circumstances, but only lasting one turn it is difficult to predict when the mage will be attacked.

1. Resistance
   • Uses: Once per encounter, free action
   • Range: 10
   • Effect: 5+INT resistance
   • Duration: 1 turn
2. Maximize
   • Uses: Once per encounter, free action
   • Range: Self
   • Effect: +5 fire, force, lightning, cold damage
   • Duration: end of turn

Designing a Wizard

Wizard Attributes

• When designing a wizard, keep in mind the primary attribute is Intelligence. This is the attribute he will use for attack, damage, AC and REF. Since this is by far the most important attribute, it should be maximized.
• Add Dexterity for the initiative bonus. Later on there are even more ways to gain initiative bonuses to maximize the use of Dexterity. Its the second important attribute.
• As with all classes, Wizards can use Str or Con and Wis or Cha to improve their Fortitude and Will defences respectively.
• Wizards benefit from Constitution for the additional HPs they receive.
• Apart from improving their defenses, Wizards get no worthwhile benefits from improving Str, Wis or Cha.

Race Choices

• The vast majority of wizards tend to be Eldarin, as the race is the only one to give additional bonuses to the wizard's primary stat (Int). Fey step also comes in useful when the wizard has been knocked prone, although most wizards should spend their time skulking at extreme range of the battlefield.

Equipment Choices

• Head: Invigorating Band* or Horned Helm or Ravic's Crown
• Body: +2 Sylvan Cloth or +2 Ghostphase Cloth Armor or +3 Spidersilk Cloth Armor for more defense (30 AC, +3 Saves with +2 Hand Crossbow of Protection).
• Ranged: +2 Hand Crossbow of Protection

• Weapon: Sacrificial Blade*

• Offhand: Orb of Dominance

• Ring: Ring of Projection or Ring of the All-Seeing Eye or Ring of the Sages

*should be bought at level 5-7 in the shop

• When using the Sacrificial Blade, wearing the Ring of the Sages will provide you with a total of +2 INT (as well as +2 spell damage)... granting a greater net benefit than the Ring of the All-Seeing Eye, provided that you have an even intelligence score.
• Note: Ravic's Crown now appears to always provide a bonus to saving throws, which would make it strictly better than Invigorating Band.