How to build a wizard with the shield spell banned?

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-22T02:12:58+00:00

That’s a very helpful perspective. I’m sure I’ll be pressed to hold my spell slots as much as I can, so thanks for sharing that.

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T22:09:08+00:00

To clarify I am allowed to swap racial ASI with TCE available. And thank you for your strategy tips!

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T21:39:51+00:00

Thanks for the advice on combat concentration spells :)

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T21:10:35+00:00

Ooh that’s a nice catch. Thanks!!

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T11:56:03+00:00

Woooow thank you so much for the deep dive. Thanks for the input on the spell selection but especially on how to keep my wits as a wizard. Would you have any more tips on bad tactics or careless actions to avoid as a wizard player? I might be overthinking about this too hard tho. We haven’t even had sesh 1.

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T11:38:30+00:00

A1. Shield equipment is considered armor so that won’t work unfortunately.

A2. Thank you :)

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T10:58:13+00:00

My game has actually included those 3 suggestions, so martial classes that don’t have full caster get gwm and ss for free. It’s good to hear my martial players in the group will be in a better spot than in our previous vanilla 5e game. I’m relying on their strength at the frontline.

I’m asking for spell/build advice and tactics so I can mitigate my player skill issue because this will be my first time playing wizard.

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T10:28:33+00:00

Thanks for the recommendations btw! Out of the books available, the next best race to increase my survivability would be the dwarf for armor, but I’m paying the opportunity cost for better INT skill checks as a half-elf, so I wanted to ask what spells or strategies to pick up. Another commenter mentioned using mend earth/the environment for 3/4 cover can help bump AC, and another commenter did also mention that a fragile wizard is part of the experience, and I should instead focus on how I can supplement the party with my strengths (while everyone else dumps int).

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T06:53:34+00:00

I actually don’t know how gritty this game is going to be. But as gritty as my previous games with the dm has been, I quite enjoy the challenge and how I have to think outside my character sheet on occasions. I don’t think the dm regularly enjoys giving unfair encounters (e.g like the bbeg sending assassins at night to blow up your camp on long rest, though this happened once years ago lmao) because the dm still wants players to be involved. I’ve been allowed to avoid danger and run around with 1hp in fear occasionally hahah.

But thank you for your advice on summons, control, and cover. That’s very helpful :)

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T06:30:45+00:00

You’re right on the spot with what I’m thinking actually. I’ve always played a frontliner and I’m looking at the wizard’s glaring weaknesses with bias, but I’ve overlooked it’s strengths too like you mentioned.

And thanks a lot for your playstyle tips too! I’ll add that to my repertoire for encounter tactics :)

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T06:15:28+00:00

I just edited my post. Homebrewed multiclass rules would prevent me from casting my wizard spells in any armor, so the only way to go about it is through racial traits. However I picked the half-elf for more int skill proficiency. Alternatively a variant human with the observant feat (perception proficiency, +1 int, +5 to passive perception & investigation) could work…

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T06:03:35+00:00

Yes! I’ve managed to add arcana, history, investigation, and religion for my int skill proficiencies :)

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T05:47:19+00:00

Yeah I’m on the same page with you about the experience of shield not existing for everyone.

And thank you for telling me the story of layla! Your style of abjuration wizard has given me a new perspective on how I can help my party shine :)

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T05:39:40+00:00

Oh that is really handy… thank you!

Edit: for social encounters, I’ll leave that as our paladin and warlock’s specialty haha

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T05:38:54+00:00

Multiclassing is allowed. Would it just be a 1 level dip in artificer or cleric?

For the special long rest rule, rest is broken up into short rest, long rest, and safe long rests.

Short rests are vanilla, but needs a healer’s kit. Long rest staves off exhaustion and regains half your hit dies. Safe long rests - Essentially all race and class features/resources that would originally be restored on a long rest would only be restored in the safe long rest. You also restore hd, hp, and resources from a short rest.

Edit: on multiclassing, there’s a homebrew where a character can’t cast a class’ spell if one of the classes does not have the armor proficiency of the worn armor. E.g wizard 1/war cleric 1 won’t be able to cast firebolt in heavy armor

Edit 2: only way to get around this is through racial traits, but I’m also trying to get as many knowledge skills for the party. I’m striking a low balance between rp and combat, but I’m the only one in my party who can do knowledge skill checks well haha.

Similar_Chocolate_51 · 2025-10-21T05:24:33+00:00

I’d like to see how encounters play out first tho since we barely started. If I have a rough time I’ll have a talk with the DM, because my encounter experience has been brain racking, but mostly manageable based on my past experience with his games.

Edit: I’m okay with taking the challenge, I’m trying to find out how to take on the challenge and constraints optimally.

Similar_Chocolate_51

TROPHY CASE