[3.5] New Domain Wizard Domain: Archetypical Wizard

[Chrizzt]

Hello Folks!

I have been thinking about playing a domain wizard, with a custom made domain, that involves basically spells that (D&D) folklore attributes to typical wizards. In other words: I would like to create an "archetypical wizard" domain. I am not sure about allof the spell levels, though. Perhaps you would have some kind advice or good ideas about this.

Maybe the picks I have made so far are also quite (too) useful ones, though I am willing to include seemingly sub-optimal choices for a wizard (like blasting spells). As Domain Wizard is already really powerful, one way to make up for this is to choose spells from many different schools so that feats like Metamagic School Focus or Spell Focus do not affect all of the extra spells, but create diversity and a further mage-like feel (as the wizard will every day have those spells available in his magic toolbox).

The List I have come up since is:

0 - Prestidigitation
1 - Magic Missile
2 - Invisibilty
3 - Fireball
4 - Polymorph / Dimension Door ?
5 - Teleport / Baleful Polymorph
6 - Disintegrate / Greater Dispel Magic / Chain Lightning ?
7 - ?
8 - ?
9 - Meteor Swarm?

My choices so far are exclusively Core, though if the spell is flavorful enough those can be swapped out / include non-core spells as well.

Thank you in advance for your help!

[Zaydos]

My personal picks would have Knock instead of Invisibility at Lv 2, but that's probably because it was the first 2nd level spell I ever heard of. Other than that I'd go Polymorph, Teleport, Disintegrate; although balance wise Dimension Door, Baleful Polymorph, and Chain Lightning might be better. I see Finger of Death as the iconic 7th level spell. Personally I see Wish as the defining Wizard spell, 2nd only to Magic Missile, but I'd keep it Meteor Swarm for balance.

[jiriku]

For 8th level, I'd suggest either bigby's clenched fist or maze.

[arguskos]

I'd grab Maze at level 8 (wizards trapping foes? Totally iconic D&D behavior), Chain Lightning at 6 (wizards destroying armies with lightning bolts? Totally iconic D&D behavior), and maybe.... Finger of Death at 7th (wizards pointing at people who then just fall over dead? Totally iconic D&D behavior).

[Temotei]

Actually, fly could work for level 3, too.

[Chrizzt]

1. Thank you all so far! I really appreciate your kind help.

So far the list looks like the following:

0 - Prestidigitation
1 - Magic Missile
2 - Invisibilty
3 - Fireball
4 - Dimension Door
5 - Baleful Polymorph
6 - Chain Lightning
7 - Finger of Death
8 - Maze
9 - Meteor Swarm

I have picked the choices that might contribute better to balancing by being "weaker" in a certain sense.

2. I think I will stick to fireball, although fly certainly would also fit.

3. I'm still unsure about "Baleful Polymorph / Teleport" (Teleport would really be nice..). If I take Teleport, then Dimension Door seems kinda redundant. Any other suggestions for the Level 4 Slot, apart from Polymorph?

4. Remember, as Domain Wizard basically seems to be in any way stronger than a vanilla wizard, fluff comes over crunch, in this case. (Meteor Swarm may not be worth a level 9 slot, but hey.. it can still impress the locals.. and as it comes basically for free in this case, well, maybe its still nice to have).

5. Oh, and do you think this Domain List is well "balanced" compared to the other pre-made domains? Or is it still too powerful?

At best I would like to make the domain such that specialist wizards, which give up two schools, still are able to make a better punch by picking better spells and making use of their higher "flexibility" as they do not have a fixed list for their slots. As their is much material that boosts (some) specialists (Abrupt Jaunt, Focused Specialist..) that might not seem entirely unreasonable..

[Xzoltar]

0 - Prestidigitation
1 - Magic Missile
2 - Invisibilty
3 - Fireball
4 - Polymorph
5 - Teleport
6 - Chain Lightning
7 - Spell Turning
8 - Mind Blank
9 - Time Stop

Those are the spell most wizard in my game seem to take as their first spell

[Glimbur]

Have you considered what the granted power of the domain will be? A bonus to Know(Arcana) and Spellcraft seems obvious but not impressive.

[Siosilvar]

Level 4 slot: Stoneskin.

I'd suggest Lightning Bolt over Fireball, but that's just because I like lightning. Oh, and it doesn't bounce any more, so it's somewhat pointless.

[Andion Isurand]

I would think about adding Contigency at level 6 instead of Chain Lightning for your Wizardry domain.

Or, instead of making it about iconic spells, you could make it about spell management and logistics.

[Bogardan_Mage]

3. I'm still unsure about "Baleful Polymorph / Teleport" (Teleport would really be nice..). If I take Teleport, then Dimension Door seems kinda redundant. Any other suggestions for the Level 4 Slot, apart from Polymorph?
You've got to have Baleful Polymorph. Is there anything more archetypally wizardish than turning people into newts?

[Chrizzt]

After rethinking the options, I have settled on the following, classical PHB spells:

0 - Prestidigitation
1 - Magic Missile
2 - Invisibilty
3 - Fireball
4 - Dimension Door
5 - Baleful Polymorph
6 - Chain Lightning
7 - Finger of Death
8 - Maze
9 - Meteor Swarm

@All: Thanks for the replies, everyone!

@Andion Isurand: Contingency seems not archetypical for me, although it certainly is more powerful.

@Glimbur: As far as I recall Domain Wizards don't have Domain Abilities as well. Perhaps you have confused them with clerical domains?

@Bogardan_Mage: Just my thinking : ) I will settle for Baleful Polymorph. We want the Domain to be flashy and cool, not to be overly powerful / useful.

[nonsi]

0 - Prestidigitation
1 - Magic Missile
2 - Invisibilty
3 - Fireball
4 - Dimension Door
5 - Baleful Polymorph
6 - Chain Lightning
7 - Finger of Death
8 - Maze
9 - Meteor Swarm


Don't know. Given how flasy this domain is, I'd call it "Sorcery" Domain

For an iconic "Wizardry" domain, I'd go with something along the lines of:
0 – Detect Magic
1 – Charm Person
2 – Knock
3 – Dispel Magic
4 – Dimension Door
5 – Telekinesis
6 – Shadow Walk
7 – Spell Turning
8 – Prismatic Wall
9 – Time Stop

[Jane_Smith]

Screw meteor storm and time stop. Real wizards use Foresight. And yes, baleful polymorph is a must. So is change gender now that I think of it.... Suppose that could be a limited effect of baleful polymorph. >.>

[Glimbur]

@Glimbur: As far as I recall Domain Wizards don't have Domain Abilities as well. Perhaps you have confused them with clerical domains?

You are correct. I was confused because normally Domain Wizards take clerical domains. I would be against offering this domain to clerics because it will make them too wizardy. Therefore, you do not need to make a domain granted power.

[Andion Isurand]

A domain wizard casts spells from her chosen domain (regardless of whether the spell was prepared as a domain spell or a normal spell) as a caster one level higher than her normal level. This bonus applies only to the spells listed for the domain, not all spells of the school or subtype whose name matches the domain name. http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#wizardVariantDomainWiz ard

There's a bit of a "domain power"...

[FlamingKobold]

I would personally replace maze with prismatic wall, but besides that it looks pretty sweet.

[Chrizzt]

@nonsi
Well, when I had in mind building a archetypical-wizard-domain, I guess I was thinking about the wizards of 2nd edition, when the blasting department was not yet taken over by sorcerers (at least from my point of view)

@Jane_Smith
I think I will still stick to Meteor Swarm : )

@FlamingKobold
Thanks! I prefer still Maze, because in case of an emergency, you can maze yourself into security, and prismatic spray is a little bit too random for my liking.

[Temotei]

Screw meteor storm and time stop. Real wizards use Foresight.

Agreed. I just remember Gromph casting foresight in Annihilation and thinking how it was pretty sweet that he could destroy enemies without having to blow them to bits.