In your opinion what are the must have arcane caster feats?

[Legacy_VPJ]

               I personally like to focus on the Munchkin spells.

Hard to beat Smite Ruler and Transfer Loyalty of Populace
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Elhanan]

               Blind Fight for every character, and by 3rd if possible. Makes it easier to hit others, and makes it harder for them to hit you.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shia Luck]

               

Elhanan wrote...

Blind Fight for every character, and by 3rd if possible. Makes it easier to hit others,...

Ummm, how is this vital to a caster? It only affects the ability to hit concealed people with weapons. Doesn't affect spellcasting.

Elhanan wrote...
and makes it harder for them to hit you.

?? ummm, no. Not unless you cast darkness on yourself.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               Darn! She is right, again... unfortunatelly.
Another thing I learned today:
Blind fight (Wiki): "This feat effectively squares the effect of all concealment..." 
So far, there was nothing I knew of helping against concealment. 
That makes one. 
And another reason to get the feat. 
I suppose thanks to the famous NWN blanket are in order.  
Right after HipMaestro's one. 
Heavy day... '>

Thanks, lady. '>
               
               

               

                     Modifié par jmlzemaggo, 28 octobre 2011 - 12:06 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               It's like Initiative, up to Superior Initiative, but 4 feats for a +12 bonus, which I've always thought could be essential for a caster, by preventing the target to even start attacking at all, for instance. 
Only I never received any "100%" straight answer saying that works for arcanists too. 
Even if it seems to me so. 
The faster the better. 
This is where I also finally understood why "dexterity PCs" are said to be "faster" than others. Since "an initiative check is a dexterity check". 
So, yes, definitely one to consider, if I'm not going wrong...  again. 
               
               

               

                     Modifié par jmlzemaggo, 28 octobre 2011 - 12:28 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               initiative has no effect vs casters
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               About the other way around?
The (often dexy) caster's initiative against let say an (heavy) fighter?
Wiki reads: "At the start of a battle, each combatant makes an initiative check..." 
               
               

               

                     Modifié par jmlzemaggo, 28 octobre 2011 - 12:34 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               Yes wiki say that but caster can cast immediately no matter of initiative. Actually you first cast spell and then if you are not in combat and the spell hurt someone you roll initiative after spell is cast. But that has no result and you can cast other spell immediately. Main reason is because spells are mostly ranged. While melee combatant have to reach you, you can cast on him from distance. The same is with archer vs melee. The only case where initiative works properly is melee vs melee.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               Well, that was a hell of a lesson. Crystal clear.
Thanks a lot, ShaDoOoW.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Elhanan]

               

Shia Luck wrote...

Elhanan wrote...

Blind Fight for every character, and by 3rd if possible. Makes it easier to hit others,...

Ummm, how is this vital to a caster? It only affects the ability to hit concealed people with weapons. Doesn't affect spellcasting.

Elhanan wrote...
and makes it harder for them to hit you.

?? ummm, no. Not unless you cast darkness on yourself.

Most of my Mages utilize melee and ranged weaponry, esp early in the design; later in life used for backup, moprhing or Shapechanging, as every little bit helps.

OK; sometimes it makes you harder to hit: Invisible foes. Another reason I get this early is to counter Invisibility caster tactics).

http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Blind_fight
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               but well you are the class that gets see invisibility and later true seeing, so invisible foes will not be invisible?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shia Luck]

               

Elhanan wrote...

Shia Luck wrote...

Elhanan wrote...

Blind Fight for every character, and by 3rd if possible. Makes it easier to hit others,...

Ummm, how is this vital to a caster? It only affects the ability to hit concealed people with weapons. Doesn't affect spellcasting.

Elhanan wrote...
and makes it harder for them to hit you.

?? ummm, no. Not unless you cast darkness on yourself.

Most of my Mages utilize melee and ranged weaponry, esp early in the design; later in life used for backup, moprhing or Shapechanging, as every little bit helps.

OK; sometimes it makes you harder to hit: Invisible foes. Another reason I get this early is to counter Invisibility caster tactics).

http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Blind_fight

No, it really NEVER makes you harder to hit. It only helps when it comes to attacking concealed enemies with weapons. I can see the point for an AA/caster whose main tactic is to cast darkness on herself and shoot out of it, or a shifter who uses drow shape a lot, but it's not a "must have arcane caster feat".

With invisible casters. why not dispel them or kill them with spells? Blind fight affects neither of those and it's going to be more reliable than an INT WIS or CHA based caster trying to hit them with a bow.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Elhanan]

               From the Wiki:

"The bonus to attack that invisible creatures normally get is +2. This same bonus is also normally given to creatures attacking a blind creature. Both sources of this bonus are negated when the target has blind fight."

It may not be often, but it seems to help. Invis is a 2nd lvl spell, so casters may gain this early. And while See Invis is also available, it lasts for 1 turn/ lvl; Blind Fight is perm.

Again, as a weapon toting Mage, or as any other class, all of my PC's have this Feat.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shia Luck]

               

Elhanan wrote...

From the Wiki:

"The bonus to attack that invisible creatures normally get is +2. This same bonus is also normally given to creatures attacking a blind creature. Both sources of this bonus are negated when the target has blind fight."

I stand corrected. '>

I still think it's a wasted feat when you only have 7 pre epic feats. It will help you only on the first attack if the mage chooses to use a physical attack rather than spells, which is very unlikely. A true melee mage or spellsword or AA yes, but for an arcane caster, it's not a "must have feat".

Have fun '>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               yes its lvl 2 spell which means lvl 3wiz or 4sorc and 1turn = 1minute which is more than you need even with caster level of 3 + its a questionable how many creatures attack from steatlh/invisibility (in general)

while the blind fight is essential for some classes or maybe even some spellswords given there is a lot of better options for caster I cannot recommend anyone to wast Blindfight for them. Especially sorcerrer need as many feats as possible and even with human he often cant get enough.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par ShaDoOoW, 31 octobre 2011 - 12:55 .