Advice on making a scholarly and innovative mage?

[Rhoederak]

Basically I want to make a faustian-esque character, and I don't necessarily care if he's great in battle, but I want him to be a genius off of the battlefield, the foundation of his character being vast knowledge from studying and mastering countless fields at a university. I was thinking that a wizard would be the best class for this, but I'm open to other suggestions as well as multiclass and hybrid. I'm also pretty dead set on my race as human. My goal is to make someone who is educated and skilled in all knowledge-based skills, and knows every subject, as well as having an extensive array of abilities that could find solutions for almost any problem he finds himself in. Mostly what I'm looking for is things that will enhance my skills and useful out of battle and scholarly feats, utilities, cantrips, themes etc. that would serve my character's concept of using whatever cleverness and knowledge he has to achieve his goals, e.g., manipulating people, healing/medical knowledge, disguising himself, arcana, nature, history, religion, inventing things, hiding, creating tools, survival, etc. I think I'll definitely take the Jack of All Trades feat at some point, and I might do Linguist also, but I'd like to hear other suggestions on what a character like this should take.

Any suggestions?

[Kurald Galain]

The Scholar theme is great on a wizard, and frankly the wizard has such a stellar selection of powers that it's not that hard to be very effective in combat in addition to being scholarly.

It's fitting to multiclass to Ranger so you can get the Crucial Advice utility power ("You are wise in all things. The sooner your friends realize this the safer and better off they'll be."). Also, take those alternative cantrips that let you roll a knowledge skill (Arcana) instead of other things, like stealth. Try to invest in lots of low-level items with a useful daily power (they're dirt cheap) so you'll always have the Right Tool For The Job handy. The quickdraw feat may help with this, or a disembodied hand familiar.

Jack of All Trades sucks as a feat, you should avoid that. Just get lots of skill trainings. Linguist is heavily campaign-depended, but according to the monster books, about 95% of everything you'll ever encounter speaks Common.

[Yakk]

Sorcerous Vision (feat, AP): Use Arcana check for Insight and Perception checks (requires Sorcerer class or MC Sorcerer)
Suggestion (free mage utility power, HotfL): Use Arcana instead of Diplomacy
Arcane Mutterings (lvl2 encounter skill power, dragon 379): Use Arcana instead of Bluff, Intimidate or Diplomacy check
Fools Gold (lvl2 ritual, AP): Create illusionary gold, worth x100 component cost. DC to find out: your arcana check. 10 gp -> 1000gp :D
Seek Rumor (lvl2 ritual, FRPG): Substitute Streetwise with Arcana to find out everything there is to know...
Knock (lvl2 ritual, PHB): Arcana+5 instead of Thievery to open locks
Mythic Senses feat (PH3, requires Minotaur) - use Perception checks in place of initiative checks - combine with sorcerous vision -> arcana for initiative
Cunning Artifice (Dragon 387, requires Artificer, Changeling) - use Arcana for Bluff in changeling racial power
Autohypnosis (heroic feat, Psionic Power): Use Arcana for Endurance Checks if not bloodied
Arcane Trickster (PP): Use Arcana for Athletics Checks

from http://www.dyasdesigns.com/dragon_ph...0Community.htm

[ve4grm]

Since you mention medical knowledge, inventing things, and creating tools, I'd definitely recommend hybriding (or MCing) with Artificer. Lots of neat and flavourful powers and feats there for a scholar.

For the rest, the others have you covered pretty well. I don't know how well the Ranger MC would work with your concept, though. But Wizard|Artificer Hybrid with MC Ranger is probably doable if it does. Warrior of the Wild gives you skill training and a 1/encounter Quarry.

I'm not really familiar with the powers, but you might also want to explore the Psion for a potential MC/Hybrid option. In particular, the level 2 power "Borrow training" is amazing in a diverse party, letting you magically "learn" from your other party members over and over each day.

Also, Jack of All Trades isn't completely useless (though it's not great). But for what you're talking about, specifically focusing on knowledge skills, there are better ways to get good at those. The main benefit of JoAT is that it also gets you a little better at physical skills, which you won't care as much about.

[masteraleph]

It's more complicated to get on a human (much easier on a Tiefling), but the Druid level 6 utility serpent's cunning is quite valuable- gives you +1 power bonus to Int attack rolls, an additional skill training (renews every day), and a +2 power bonus to Int based skill checks and Int checks.

[Kurald Galain]

Oh yes, the skill power Dungeoneer’s Guide does more-or-less the same thing as Insightful Advice.

[Waddacku]

Int/Wis Tome of Readiness Wizard, Scholar theme, ritual-boosting feats (the ____ Mastery ones), Improved Tome of Readiness.