13th Age Character Build: War Wizard

THE WIZARD

by ASH LAW

Wizard Overview

The wizard is in many ways the most complicated of the classes from the 13th Age core rule book. At the start of each new day you can memorize a different set of spells, so the only real things that permanently change as a wizard levels up are their feats. Wizards however do tend to have a standard set of most-likely spells, so for these builds I’m laying those out for these builds.

The wizard’s class features are cantrips (minor yet useful magic), cyclic magic (powerful magic that can be used repeatedly in battle), overworld advantage (daily spells become recharge when in the overworld), and ritual casting (cast spells as hour-long rituals for more unusual effects).

Also of note are utility spells, which are stand-ins for a host of useful effects from saving wizards from falls to talking to magic items.

War Wizard

Download the War Wizard character sheets here.

This wizard makes things go boom!

OK, this wizard also has many options for how to make something go boom, but the build is focused solely on high damage output and showy spells. No utility spells here, just lots of daily damage-dealing power (of course with the wizard’s ability to swap out spells a player who finds their wizard regularly going down can swap out attack spells for more defensive ones).

On the downside, this build sacrifices protection and durability for aw firepower (though taking the toughness feat and the abjuration talent helps somewhat), making teamwork vital if you want to last long in a fight with this ‘glass canon’… though with the amount of damage you deal, fights tend to end quickly!

Talents

Abjuration

When you cast a daily spell, you gain a bonus to your defenses.

Evocation

Once per battle max out the damage on a spell that targets PD.

Wizard’s Familiar

A raven (with the abilities scout and flight)

Race

Humans with their quick to fight racial power and extra feat make great battle wizards.

Attributes

This glass canon has a focus on intelligence: Str 10 (0) Con 14 (+2) Dex 10 (0) Int 20 (+5) Wis 10 (0) Cha 10 (0).

1st level

Attributes: Str 10 (0) Con 14 (+2) Dex 10 (0) Int 20 (+5) Wis 10 (0) Cha 10 (0).

Racial Power: quick to fight

Talents: abjuration, evocation, wizard’s familiar

Feats: abjuration, ray of frost

Most likely memorized spells: 1st level: acid arrow, ray of frost, color spray, shocking grasp, shield

2nd level

Most likely spells (1st level: acid arrow, ray of frost, color spray, shocking grasp, shield, magic missile), new feat (toughness).

3rd level

Most likely spells (1st level: blur, color spray, magic missile / 3rd level: ray of frost, force salvo, crescendo, lightning bolt), new feat (force salvo).

4th level

+1 to three attributes (Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence), most likely spells (1st level: blur, magic missile / 3rd level: teleport shield, ray of frost, force salvo, crescendo, lightning bolt, confusion), new feat (linguist).

5th level

Most likely spells (1st level: magic missile / 3rd level: crescendo, lightning bolt, teleport shield, confusion / 5th level: fireball, acid arrow, ray of frost, force salvo), new feat (fireball).

6th level

Most likely spells (3rd level: blur, magic missile / 5th level: crescendo, lightning bolt, teleport shield, confusion, fireball, acid arrow, ray of frost, force salvo), new feat (evocation).

7th level

+1 to three attributes (Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence), most likely spells (3rd level: magic missile / 5th level: crescendo, lightning bolt, acid arrow, force salvo / 7th level: fireball, ray of frost, overcome resistance, teleport shield, confusion), new feat (abjuration).

8th level

Most likely spells (5th level: magic missile, crescendo, lightning bolt / 7th level: flight, overcome resistance, acid arrow, force salvo, fireball, ray of frost, teleport shield, confusion), new feat (fireball).

9th level

Most likely spells (5th level: magic missile, / 7th level: lightning bolt, flight, overcome resistance, teleport shield, confusion / 9th level: acid arrow, force salvo, fireball, ray of frost, disintegrate, meteor swarm), new feat (abjuration).

10th level

+1 to three attributes (Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence), most likely spells (7th level: blur, teleport shield, confusion / 9th level: lightning bolt, flight, overcome resistance, acid arrow, force salvo, fireball, ray of frost, disintegrate, meteor swarm), new feat (ray of frost).

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