Author Topic: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?  (Read 6035 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Endarire

  • Man in Gorilla Suit
  • *****
  • Posts: 2171
    • Email
How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« on: October 30, 2010, 07:37:55 AM »
Intro
I read K's Revised Necromancer Handbook and found no detailed build for an uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer.  My version emphasizes some blasts, but my elite skeleton cadre makes me feel like a squad commander.

This assumes I start at ECL1 with all first party material available.  "Dragon" will also be considered.

Saranul's Story
Saranul was a frail old man living in the mountaintop village of Morask.  In Morask, he lived as a sage for many years, with a mind that had largely gone to waste.  In his isolation, he lost parts of his sanity, and began to believe that he had been cursed to watch his village wither away and die.

In his last days, he called out to Bahamut for an extension on his life and a chance to start anew.  Saranul underwent the ritual in the frigid cold with only the frail ritual shell to protect him.

After Saranul awoke, he returned home to gather his things, and found a string of freshly-slain corpses strewn about.  Saranul knew these people.  They were like family to him!

Saranul searched the village, but found no signs of life.  Those who had not perished simply disappeared.  Not even the animals remained.

"The Undercalling" as Saranul puts it is why he is determined in this new life to understand death.  As he mutters time after time, "I should be dead."

Stats (32 Point Buy)
08 STR (08 base)
16 DEX (16 base +2 race -2 template)                  [10 Points]
10 CON (06 base +2 racial variant +2 template)      
22 INT (18 base +2 race +2 racial variant)            [18 Points]
12 WIS (12 base)                                      [ 4 Points]
06 CHA (08 base -2 racial variant)

Race
Dragonborn  Fire Water LA0 Drow who takes the Necropolitan template (Libris Mortis 114) later in life.


Class
Elf Generalist (Races of the Wild 157) Domain Wizard5/Incantatrix10/Olin Gisir1 (Lost Empires of Faerun 21)/Archmage3/X1


1: {Aggressive}, {Murky-Eyed}, {Noncombatant},
1: [Domain: Transmutation], [Familiar: Hummingbird ("Dragon 323" 98) for +4 initiative OR a Raven for using staves and wands  [Improved Initiative - Lose Scribe Scroll]

1:  Easy Metamagic: Fell Drain ("Dragon 325"), Fell Drain (Libris Mortis 27), Spell Focus: Conjuration
3:  Energy Substitution: Cold, [Iron Will from O Hole (Complete Scoundrel 151)], [Natural Bond: Double familiar bonus but can't deliver touch spells (Races of the Wild 157]
5:  [Granted Domain Power: Travel] (Complete Champion 52)
6:  Corpsecrafter (Libris Mortis 25), [Lord of the Uttercold], [Opposed School: Enchantment]
7:  [Cooperative Metamagic]
8:  [Metamagic Effect]
9:  [Extend Spell], Persistent Spell
12: [Quicken Spell], School Focus: Evocation/Necromancy OR Skill Focus: Spellcraft
15: [Improved Metamagic], School Focus: Evocation/Necromancy OR Skill Focus: Spellcraft, [@METAMAGIC FEAT@]
16: [@METAMAGIC FEAT@]
17: [Spell-like Ability: time stop]
18: [Mastery of Shaping OR Spell Power], -=FEAT=-
19: [Mastery of Shaping OR Spell Power]
20: ?

-=FEAT POOL=-
-Lifesense (Libris Mortis 28)

@METAMAGIC FEAT POOL@
-Easy Metamagic ("Dragon 325")
-Sudden Empower/Maximize

Notes
Dumping CON
I'm doing something contrary to typical CO logic by dumping my CON.  Instead, I'm boosting my DEX and INT.  I'll be a Necropolitan soon enough, and they don't get CHA instead of CON to HP.  Oh well.  I'll live with my augmented undead body.

Level Plan
If I could safely do so, I'd instead go Wizard5/Ultimate Magus7 (Complete Mage 77)/Full Casting1/WhateverX.  I'd have L9 spells by L13, but my group considers me powerful enough without such tricks.

How's an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer play compared to a typical 'God' Wizard?
I've never played a 3.P blaster caster nor an undead controller, but I suspect I'll be doing a lot of crowd control and buffing as well, just like a standard Wizard.

Lord of the Uttercold and Reserve Feats
I greatly wanted Lord of the Uttercold to also apply to the Winter's Blast reserve feat (Complete Mage 48) for full out of combat healing.

Spellstitching
I need some way to get +7 WIS for Spellstitching (Complete Arcane 161).  I could spend a level point on it, but I'd prefer not.  I could borrow an item of +6 WIS for the time.  If I pay another for the task, it'll cost at least 48,500G.  Yowza!

Slaymates
I want a Slaymate (Libris Mortis 123).  What are easy ways to get a loyal one?
« Last Edit: October 30, 2010, 08:00:13 PM by Endarire »
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

McPoyo

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 3783
    • Email
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2010, 01:02:39 PM »
How are you combining two contradictory elemental variants?
[Spoiler]
A gygaxian dungeon is like the world's most messed up game show.

Behind door number one: INSTANT DEATH!
Behind door number 2: A magic crown!
Behind door number 3: 4d6 giant bees, and THREE HUNDRED POUNDS OF HONEY!
They don't/haven't, was the point. 3.5 is as dead as people not liking nice tits.

Sometimes, their tits (3.5) get enhancements (houserules), but that doesn't mean people don't like nice tits.

Though sometimes, the surgeon (DM) botches them pretty bad...
Best metaphor I have seen in a long time.  I give you much fu.
Three Errata for the Mage-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Barbarian-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Monks doomed to die,
One for the Wizard on his dark throne
In the Land of Charop where the Shadows lie.
[/spoiler]

jameswilliamogle

  • Hong Kong
  • ****
  • Posts: 1279
    • Email
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2010, 02:33:36 PM »
Since there's some racial cheese in there already, take the Blood of the Vol ritual before going Necropolitan as well.  That'll boost your CL w/ Necromancy spells.

What is the water elf?  Do you mean aquatic?  And the aquatic environmental variant?
« Last Edit: October 30, 2010, 02:52:28 PM by jameswilliamogle »

Caelic

  • Hong Kong
  • ****
  • Posts: 979
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2010, 04:48:39 PM »
Clearly, he's a "firewater Drow."  He got extremely drunk and decided it would be a good idea to be undead. ;)

Gavinfoxx

  • King Kong
  • ****
  • Posts: 822
  • *Forkbark* Wauwau!
    • Email
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2010, 06:23:06 PM »
Are you using lesser drow or one of the drow racial level things?
BG's other resident furry!

Endarire

  • Man in Gorilla Suit
  • *****
  • Posts: 2171
    • Email
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2010, 08:01:21 PM »
Saranul
Saranul's roles, in no special order:
-Crowd Controller
-Blaster
-Undead Commander (Go go elite skeletons!)
-Summoner Lite
-Buffer Lite
-Debuffer Lite

@Others
Fire+Water=Steam.

If in his youth he was a hoodlum, he would be a Steam Punk Elf.

Where's the Blood of Vol ritual?
« Last Edit: October 30, 2010, 08:04:42 PM by Endarire »
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

PlzBreakMyCampaign

  • Hong Kong
  • ****
  • Posts: 1373
  • Immune to Critical Hits as a Fairness Elemental
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #6 on: October 31, 2010, 12:39:48 AM »
There are no water drow, only water orc, halflings, half-orcs, and half-elves.
[Spoiler]
Quote
An interesting read, nice to see a civil discussion
The point of Spell Resistance is to make it harder to get buffed.
And healed. Don't forget that.
Huge amounts of people are fuckwits. That doesn't mean that fuckwit is a valid lifestyle.
[/Spoiler]

Old Geezer's Law of Hobby Taste: The more objectively inconsequential a hobby is, the more disagreements within the community will be expressed in outrageously insulting, overblown, and ludicrously emotionally laden terms.

More Funny than Humble[Spoiler]
Quote from: PlzBreakMyCampaign
Your a shifter... you have all you ever need.
It blows MoMF out of the water

But if your greedy for more [Wish] for something that only effects you, like another class level or two that doesn't count against your ECL.
Quote from: hungryhungryhippo987
Yes, I'm the 3.0 "Masters of the Wild" shifter, the awesome kind. My favorite form to take is Force Dragon. Yes, I am immortal ... My character is hands down the coolest guy in the campaign and there is nothing I could possibly want.
PBMC gets a cookie for DotA r

TheEndIsNear

  • Bi-Curious George
  • ****
  • Posts: 371
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2010, 02:31:58 AM »
Hood.

JK

But seriosuly consider a Hood undead to pwn them. While you heal.

X-Codes

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 3941
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2010, 04:28:48 AM »

Endarire

  • Man in Gorilla Suit
  • *****
  • Posts: 2171
    • Email
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2010, 05:27:18 AM »
PMBC: I view the racial variants as applicable to all races, though this view is not entirely official.
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

jameswilliamogle

  • Hong Kong
  • ****
  • Posts: 1279
    • Email
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #10 on: October 31, 2010, 10:20:45 AM »
That ritual is in PGtEb, I believe.  Trade 2 Con for +1 CL on Necromancy, permanently.  Its a really good investment, if you're going to become Necropolitan later, anyways.  RAW, it stacks with itself, so go crazy and borrow a +Con item, too.

yep.  p. 23.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2010, 08:00:15 PM by jameswilliamogle »

Endarire

  • Man in Gorilla Suit
  • *****
  • Posts: 2171
    • Email
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #11 on: November 01, 2010, 04:19:57 AM »
With the Bloodtouched Rite (Player's Guide to Eberron 23), does CHA to HP change when I level or when my CHA changes?
Hood - My first answer to all your build questions; past, present, and future.

Speaking of which:
Don't even need TO for this.  Any decent Hood build, especially one with Celerity, one-rounds [Azathoth, the most powerful greater deity from d20 Cthulu].
Does it bug anyone else that we've reached the point where characters who can obliterate a greater deity in one round are considered "decent?"

The_Mad_Linguist

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 8780
  • Simulated Thing
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #12 on: November 01, 2010, 05:34:34 AM »
With the Bloodtouched Rite (Player's Guide to Eberron 23), does CHA to HP change when I level or when my CHA changes?
Nope.
Linguist, Mad, Unique, none of these things am I
My custom class: The Priest of the Unseen Host
Planetouched Handbook
Want to improve your character?  Then die.

skydragonknight

  • Organ Grinder
  • *****
  • Posts: 3297
Re: How to optimize an Uttercold Assault Wizard Necromancer?
« Reply #13 on: November 01, 2010, 10:05:00 AM »
Metamagic Rod of Chaining + a couple Empowered Orb of Colds would work well.

Another fun combo is Fell Drained Freezing Fog (lasts minutes/level) and box them in with undead surrounding the fog while they get a negative level each round. Also, Undead resistant/immune to cold can heal in the fog after combat. :D
It always seems like the barrels around here have something in them.