Wizard – The Archmage – D&D 3.5
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The Archmage
As both leads would go, they reunited rapidly back at the Academy, for it turns out that the real target was none other than the Headmaster himself. They hurried themselves, but their guard dropped a little.
-The Headmaster is not only one of the rare Archmages out there, but he also is an Abjurer to top it up, said the older brother in a way to calm the rest of his group. Yet something was wrong. He knew it. All this strategy and false flags. He had encountered such a clever killer only once in the past.
His concerns did not go unnoticed. The girl in the white coat put a hand on his shoulder.
-You have my sister and I now. I know something is gnawing at you, but this time, you have us to cover your backs.
The two brothers smiled, and they proceeded up the tower, only to find the door leading into the headmaster’s quarters wide opened…
Race
Human
Classes
Wizard 5/Master Specialist 1/Geometer 2/Wild Mage 1/Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil 7/Archmage 4
Ability Scores
Str 8/Dex 14/Con 14/Int 18/Wis 10/Cha 10
Skills
Decipher Script 9, Disable Device 4, Knowledge (Arcana) 15, Knowledge(Nature) 4, Knowledge (The Planes) 4, Search 4, Spellcraft 15, Use Magic Devices 4
Feats
1-Magical Aptitude
Human 1-Metamagic School Focus(Abjuration)
Wizard Bonus 1-Scribe Scroll
3-Spell Focus(Abjuration)
Master Specialist Bonus 5-Skill Focus(Spellcraft)
6-Practiced Spellcaster
9-Greater Spell Focus(Abjuration)
Bonus Wizard 9-Extend Spell
12-Spell Focus(Enchantment)
15-Quicken Spell
18-Improved Counterspell
Most of our feats serve as Prerequisites fulfilling. Then again, the ability to reduce the level adjustment of Extend Spell to zero a few times per day via Metamagic School Focus is nothing to sneeze at, and Improved Counterspell fits in just well with being an Abjurer.
Practiced Spellcaster however is of note. As a Wild Mage, we get a permanent -3 penalty to our Caster Level in exchange to be able to roll 1d6 and add that amount to our Caster Level each time we cast a spell. With Practiced Spellcaster, we outright cancel that penalty, meaning we get a straight +1d6 to our caster level at all time which is ridiculously good, and all that starting level 6(meaning at level 6 we can possibly cast spells with a caster level of 12. Hello 10d6 Fireball four levels early).
Special Abilities
Specialist School(Abjuration)
Forbidden Schools(Conjuration, Necromancy)
Familiar(Toad)
High Arcana 17-Spell Power
High Arcana 18-Mastery of Counterspelling
High Arcana 19-Arcane Reach
High Arcana 20-Spell-Like Ability(Dispel Magic-9th Level)
We specialize in Abjuration, making us what amounts to an expert anti-spellcasters wizard. Having to choose Conjuration as one of the Forbidden Spells hurts my soul to no end, but Contingency alone for an Abjurer Specialist is too good to pick Evocation. If that doesn’t bother you, absolutely do switch up those.
Our High Arcana gives us another +1 to Caster Level on top of our Wild Mage’s Wild Magic, meaning a +2 to +7 to CL of all our Spells, the ability to cast touch spells at a 30ft. range, sending counterspelled spells back at sender and the Spell-Like Ability to Dispel Magic 6/day which is really good considering our Caster Level.
Equipment
Early on, you will be relying on a good old Light Crossbow for support and your obvious Spellbook and Component Pouch. Later on, adding a Rod of Absorption to your arsenal can only do great things to further emphasize your anti wizardry. Otherwise, standard stuff for high level wizards you would normally look for(Robe of the Archmagi, Magic Staffs, Wands etc).
Final Thoughts on the Build
So, our Caster Level is 21-27 at any time we cast a spell at a minimum(namely, before spells shenanigans). We are a master of the Abjuration School, meaning protection and countering other spellcasters is our specialty. Yet we remain quite effective against most other situations too. And for those who complain that there are no offensive spells in Abjuration: Maw of Chaos? Dispel Magic? Explosive Runes Bombs? Energy Vulnerability+Fireball? Also, we still have Evocation (Because a Contingency->Wall of Force is always a good panic button. Or Contingency->Prismatic Wall/Sphere for extra hilarity).
Finally, as an Initiate of the Sevenfold Veils, we get access to various Wards and Veils which, if used correctly, can be used to become what amounts to immune to almost everything, get total control over the battlefield and completely and utterly disrupt the enemy movements while dealing them significant damage and debuffs (Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil is largely considered one of the best prestige classes in the game and frankly? As contrarian as I like to be, I have to admit it is up there powerscale-wise). And all of that is just the Wardings, don’t get me started on its other features like Kaleidoscopic Doom turning your Dispels into downright lethal events once per day or the fact that dispelling your Abjuration becomes near impossible with Unimpeachable Abjuration…
We finish up as Archmage rounding up our few weaknesses and adding more versatility to our spellcasting and counterspelling, turning us into one of the best anti-batman wizard possible. Whether that makes us the Joker is entirely up to your interpretation of course ~
Level Table
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Level |
Class |
HD |
Feats |
Special Abilities |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Wizard |
9 |
Magical Aptitude, Metamagic School Focus(Abjuration, Scribe Scroll |
School Focus(Abjuration), Forbidden School(Conjuration, Necromancy), Familiar |
2 |
Wizard |
1d4+2 |
- |
- |
3 |
Wizard |
1d4+2 |
Spell Focus(Abjuration) |
- |
4 |
Wizard |
1d4+2 |
- |
+1 Int |
5 |
Master Specialist |
1d4+2 |
Skill Focus(Spellcraft) |
- |
6 |
Wild Mage |
1d4+2 |
Practiced Spellcaster |
Wild Magic |
7 |
Geometer |
1d4+2 |
- |
Glyph of Warding, Spellglyph |
8 |
Geometer |
1d4+2 |
- |
Book of Geometry, +1 Int |
9 |
Wizard |
1d4+2 |
Greater Spell Focus(Abjuration), Extend Spell |
- |
10 |
Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil |
1d4+2 |
- |
Warding 1/Day, Unimpeachable Abjuration, Red Veil |
11 |
Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil |
1d4+2 |
- |
Unanswerable Strike +2, Orange Veil |
12 |
Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil |
1d4+2 |
Spell Focus(Enchantment) |
Warding 2/Day, Yellow Veil, +1 Int |
13 |
Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil |
1d4+2 |
- |
Reactivating Warding, Green Veil |
14 |
Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil |
1d4+2 |
- |
Warding 3/Day, Blue Veil |
15 |
Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil |
1d4+2 |
Quicken Spell |
Unanswerable Strike +4, Double Warding, Indigo Veil |
16 |
Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil |
1d4+2 |
– |
Kaleidoscopic Doom, Violet Veil, Warding 4/Day, +1 Int |
17 |
Archmage |
1d4+2 |
- |
Spell Power |
18 |
Archmage |
1d4+2 |
Improved Counterspell |
Mastery of Counterspelling |
19 |
Archmage |
1d4+2 |
- |
Arcane Reach |
20 |
Archmage |
1d4+2 |
- |
Spell-Like Ability(Dispel Magic 6/Day), +1 Int |