[3.5] optimizing a moderately non-cheesy wizard

[JeenLeen]

In my current game, I am making a lv. 19 LG wizard. Incanatrix, Initiate of the Sevenfold Viels, and most save-and-suck spells are banned, as well as some of the more cheesy spells (Starmantle, for example.)

I'm currently a Wizard 5/Warweaver 5 (to be the party's buffer)/Ruathar 3 (character concept)/Abjurant Champion 5/and either Divine Oracle or Loremaster 1. I have to finish one PrC to go into another one. I doubt I'll get above level 25.

I am unsure if Knowledge Devotion is going to be banned, but if it's allowed, I'm going to use it to increase the to-hit of my rays.

Three questions: 1. Do you recommend Divine Oracle or Loremaster? With Divine Oracle, I'll get HP and Evasion, but with Loremaster I'll get a bardic knowledge ability (good for RP), an extra feat, and get to continue increasing all my Knowledge skills.

2. I am currently a Conjurgation specialist, dropping a familiar for Aburpt Jump (DM changed it from immediate to swift, though.) I'm thinking of switching to Trasmutation or Illusion specialist. Any recommendations? Are their PHBII alternative features worth losing a familiar?

3. I could drop Ruathar and Loremaster/Divine Oracle to go into Master Specialist. Would that be more optimized?

[JeenLeen]

An additional question: my character, as the arcane caster, is also the most responsible for getting rid of Prismatic Walls. Our divine caster can handle some parts of it, the Dispel Magic, for example. But banning evocation leaves me a little weak. I might be able to swing how Eternal Wands can be used by any arcanist, but I think my DM won't allow it.

Would getting UMD be worth it?

I've also seen Rods of Cancellation. Are they destroyed upon being used or can one reuse them?

[EarFall]

Master Specialist conjuration is absolutely insane at level 10. You basically get to cast 2 spells a round, as long as one is conjuration. It's like quicken without the feat. or the spell slots. And, more importantly for a wizard, without preparing it. So yes, it's useful.

Also, your DM needs to change abrupt jaunt to something else. What's abrupt about something that happens on your turn?

Edit: Loremaster can get you UMD, yes. But is it worth it? Feh, maybe. It's better on your familiar, so if you can even take something like "Able Learner" or find another way to put it on your class list, along with magic items, then your familiar can use wands, which I assume is what you want. Of course, if you replace your familiar, UMD becomes much less useful. Not useless, though, and Loremaster is a fine class in its own right. I'd say Loremaster over Divine Oracle, but my build for conj specialists is 3 wiz/10 master/5 archmage... not sure what after. Maybe just 2 more levels of wizard, or perhaps loremaster starting then.

[Keld Denar]

No, stay Conjourer. Conjouration has the most good spells per level from 1 to 9, and the best part of most of them? They aren't so obviously good that they'll get banned outright. I mean, look at Solid Fog. Its one of the meanest no save, no SR crowd control spells in the game for its level. Correctly placed, can buy your team ~2 rounds of prep time before engaging a baddy, or ~2 rounds to kill one or 2 other baddies before the trapped ones emerge. It doesn't look very glamorous, but its pretty amazing when used correctly.

And keep Abrupt Jaunt. Its one of the most powerful defensive abilities in the game. Use it to interupt just about anything that could hurt you. Chances are, you won't burn through all of your attempts per day.
EDIT: Missed the part about swift..its still worth it. It'll get you out of grapples and past things like walls of force. Still better than a familar unless you have a desire to use the Imbue Familar spell.

As for PrCs...I personally like both Divine Oracle AND Loremaster. DO2/LM3 would be a great 5 level investment for your character, and take you to the point where you'd want to start taking Archmage levels. The best part about it is that you can double dip on the Skill Focus: Knowledge feat if you take Religion, since it meets the prereqs for both classes, and then you get a bonus feat from Loremaster to make up for the lost feat. Its like they were made for each other!

And yea, Rods of Cancelation are consumed when used. Make sure you really need it before you burn it. Your DM probably gave it to you for a reason as kind of a plot key for a later time. Don't use it unless you know you have to!

And UMD is ALWAYS worth it. Especially if you can get your grubby hands on a Strand of Prayer Beads. The Bead of Karma is AWESOME when you are casting out your morning buffs. The extra 4 CLs will bump up your GMW and make your other buffs stronger and harder to dispel! That alone is worth dumping a ton of skill points into it...I mean, what else are you gonna drop points into? Do you really need to be able to make a DC80 Knowledge(Nintendo Trivia) check?

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

(Greater) Shadow Evocation takes care of that whole school for you. Once you hit 21 and get Epic Spellcasting, research an epic spell that's an immediate action to cast and casts the effects of all seven of those spells at once in order, but only able to target a single spell effect. Or just use MDJ and destroy it in one shot.

If you switch to Illusionist specialist, change to something like Gnome Wizard 3/ Master Specialist 10/ Shadowcraft Mage 5/ Shadowcrafter (Und). Shadow illusionists are just amazing (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=655556).

I don't think any of the Conjurer substitutions from UA are worth getting at that level, but you should trade your Wizard 5 bonus feat for Spontaneous Divination from Complete Champion, if you get at least five levels of Wizard.