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Portella
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
247 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Aug 2012 : 22:54:10
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Do any of you guys know of any wizard in the realms that uses two wands ie dual wield them? I know the Dual wand feat exists in the complete arcane but I wasn't sure if any where other earlier had something like this or even novel references.
You can find the feat I am talking about here: Complete Arcane
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Purple you say?!
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Galuf the Dwarf
Senior Scribe
USA
731 Posts |
Posted - 02 Aug 2012 : 23:52:24
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| Elminster's archnemesis (who conquered his homeland) when he was young dual-wielded wands while riding a dragon in Elminster: The Making of a Mage. He was noted as doing that toward the end of the book. |
Galuf's Baldur's Gate NPC stats: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8823
Galuf's 3.5 Ed. Cleric Domains: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14036
Galuf's Homebrew 4th Edition Races: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=13787
Galuf's Homebrew Specialty Priest PrCs: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=14353
Galuf's Forgotten Realms Heralds and Allies thread: forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8766 |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 01:37:20
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My memory's a bit hazy...The Simbul fought a cabal of wand-wielding Red Wizards in Silverfall. But I'm not certain if there's one of them who wielded two. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Portella
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
247 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 12:26:09
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| Awesome always fancy making a dual wielding wand Mage just wanted to make sure it was not something aberrant. |
Purple you say?!
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Arcanus
Senior Scribe
485 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 13:16:04
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| I do remember manshoon using two wands in a battle against elminster, think it was in ed's book- crown of fire. |
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Portella
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
247 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 13:50:13
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| Cool it seems semi common at least with some high levels I would expect that not many people would be specialising in wands so much but seems like an interesting character build. |
Purple you say?!
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4470 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 17:22:24
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I think I remember a character who had a bunch of wands strapped together like a sort of magical gattling gun with the ability to shooe multiples at the same time. But I can't remember if that was an actual thing in a realms novel or just a homebrew attempt. If it was in a novel, I believe it was in the novel Elminster's Daughter? But I Could also be totally wrong.
BTW, that feat is pretty awesome and I remember a Warmage (Complete Arcane) I created that used that tactic. A LOT of fun IMO. |
Diffan's NPG Generator: FR NPC Generator |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 19:47:26
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I use the very feat and I'm a character in the Realms! :P
All joking aside, wand use is a VERY common thing, especially in the 2E Realms. I recall a section in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" that dealt with multiple (and even remote!) wand use?
KtG |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Portella
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
247 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 20:50:37
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| Yeah can't wait to try it out but I need to find a group first |
Purple you say?!
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12092 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 21:07:00
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| Yeah, I like the feat idea in general, but up at the upper levels it starts to lose its polish just because everything can make their saves against the DC's of the spells. Is there any other good feat/ability/item that dovetails with it to help keep your DC's going up that anyone knows of? I understand staffs would work different, but obviously you won't be dual wielding staves........ hmmmmm, size wise if you cast a reduce spell on a staff.... won't work according to the rules though. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12092 Posts |
Posted - 03 Aug 2012 : 21:08:52
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| hmmm, now my previous statement of dual wielding staves..... if a giant who was also a mage also took the feat to wield two wands, could he take a second feat to wield two staves? That could prove for an interesting high level NPC. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2012 : 03:04:41
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On the wand DC issue, I am using the Pathfinder rules set (which is 3/3.5E compatible) so we've got the feat:
Staff-Like Wand
Prerequisite: You must be at least an 11th-level Wizard and must have the Craft Staff feat to select this discovery.
Benefit: Similar to using a magic staff, you use your own Intelligence score and relevant feats to set the DC for saves against spells you cast from a wand, and you can use your caster level when activating the power of a wand if it’s higher than the caster level of the wand. |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Portella
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
247 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2012 : 10:30:08
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| Is that is pathfinder or homebrew? |
Purple you say?!
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12092 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2012 : 13:23:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
On the wand DC issue, I am using the Pathfinder rules set (which is 3/3.5E compatible) so we've got the feat:
Staff-Like Wand
Prerequisite: You must be at least an 11th-level Wizard and must have the Craft Staff feat to select this discovery.
Benefit: Similar to using a magic staff, you use your own Intelligence score and relevant feats to set the DC for saves against spells you cast from a wand, and you can use your caster level when activating the power of a wand if it’s higher than the caster level of the wand.
now that would make it a lot more sensible. I bought the main pathfinder books, but I haven't spent enough time reviewing through them yet since I don't have a gaming group at present. I really should start looking at them though. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12092 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2012 : 13:24:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Portella
Is that is pathfinder or homebrew?
double wand wielder is from complete arcane I believe, and the staff feat he mentions above must be from some pathfinder resource (I may take today to read through the advanced player's guide for PF, since its sitting on the shelf). |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Portella
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
247 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2012 : 19:15:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
I use the very feat and I'm a character in the Realms! :P
All joking aside, wand use is a VERY common thing, especially in the 2E Realms. I recall a section in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" that dealt with multiple (and even remote!) wand use?
KtG
Yeah I got to check out Volo's quide, just need to dig it out as soon as I get home. |
Purple you say?!
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Portella
Learned Scribe
United Kingdom
247 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2012 : 19:17:13
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quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
quote:
Originally posted by Portella
Is that is pathfinder or homebrew?
double wand wielder is from complete arcane I believe, and the staff feat he mentions above must be from some pathfinder resource (I may take today to read through the advanced player's guide for PF, since its sitting on the shelf).
I will download my pathfinder copy from Paizo and check it out too. |
Purple you say?!
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2012 : 19:25:01
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The 'Staff Like Wand' Feat is from the official Pathfinder accessory: Ultimate Magic.
So, it's 'canon' so to speak. You can find pretty much all the Pathfinder rules at: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/
Good hunting! |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
12092 Posts |
Posted - 06 Aug 2012 : 01:43:58
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If you do take the necessary feats to do this, the obvious first thing you'll want to do is use magic missile (or maybe burning hands or shocking grasp) wands that you create as first lvl wands so they're cheap and do decent damage. Make this magic missile wand always your secondary so that the effect costing 2 charges comes from it, so that you're not bleeding yourself monetarily. You state you're using the pathfinder rules, so since you're wizard you might want to have a wand as your bonded weapon (so that it doesn't get destroyed when you're finished draining it). Then I'd recommend looking at magic of faerun to see if there's any special gem you'd like to stick in your wand to get nice kick added (personally, I'd recommend a ruby, since that adds +2 to any save DC's for evocation spells, or if the spell has allows no save, raises the caster level by 2). By using the ruby, you get more flexibility in the type of spell you store (i.e. any evocation) in it, such that you might start out keeping fireballs in it, later decide you want lightning bolt, later want ice storm or fire shield. Since by the time you're at the level to do all this, a +2 caster level won't make much difference with wands, you'd want to use it with things that require saves. Of course, this does somewhat turn you into a one-trick pony, and the fact that your wand is your bonded object does mean you have to keep it in hand. It would depend on how much you plan on doing this using 2 wands at once thing.... which at the upper levels would most likely only be when you're dealing with trash mobs. I'd be real careful here on the ground you tread, because that's a lot of feats being spent around this discipline (craft wand, craft staff, staff like wand)
Another option would be to create eternal wands. Technically, they don't use charges, but they can be used twice a day, so in theory, it could be seen that using all of its uses for a day would equal using both charges. You'd need to be toting a lot of them though.... but if that's your character concept, I can see someone investing say 25,000 gold into making 20 eternal wands of magic missile, 5 of burning hands, 5 of shocking grasp, 5 of shield, 5 of charm person, 5 of sleep, 5 of summon monster I, 5 of mount, 5 of unseen servant and heck, if you can cooperate with a bard to create an everwand of cure light wounds since you can use it with any arcane spell even ones not on your spell list for an everwand. You'd have to pass this idea past your DM, but it doesn't seem extremely horrid since we're talking basically a bunch of first level spells. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2012 : 02:00:41
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Sleyvas,
That's a good approach. I tend to use magic missile wands in the off hand or wands I craft myself (since, as you point out, you need the feat to qualify for dual wand wielder anyway). I reserve the more expensive wands for the on hand. DC's can be an issue (I'm only an 8th level caster, so I've not yet qualified for 'staff like wand'), but using two 9th level magic missile wands can be absolutely devastating at any level...
I avoid the use of wielded items (such as wands) as bonded items (amulets FTW, plus it's just too damn Harry Potter for me!), and we play that a drained wand is now merely a fancy stick, not a pile of ash. A fancy stick that can take 10% off of the cost of making another wand of the exact same type IF you created the original wand AND are creating the new wand with the same fancy stick. It makes sense, and it makes things a little cheaper.
I adore Ed's 'wands can explode' rules (read any number of the Elminster books for examples), but have yet to find a decent Pathfinder (or 3/3.5E) description of such a process. |
Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2482 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2012 : 17:55:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Portella
You can find the feat I am talking about here: Complete Arcane
The second wand quietly eats another charge "just because"? Okay, the "Madness" part is valid. 
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
I think I remember a character who had a bunch of wands strapped together like a sort of magical gattling gun with the ability to shooe multiples at the same time. But I can't remember if that was an actual thing in a realms novel or just a homebrew attempt. If it was in a novel, I believe it was in the novel Elminster's Daughter?
IIRC, certain female War Wizard was chided by Elminster for using his creation in one such contraption... which he snidely compared to a gnome-made ribald. 
quote:
Originally posted by sleyvas
the staff feat he mentions above must be from some pathfinder resource
Oh, come on, it's on pf srd, just in "Arcane Discoveries", not "feats" (but "Wand Dancer" is... gah! that thing got even more eye-rolling snowclones and even more labyrintine patchwork structure than D&D 3.5 - turns out that's possible).
quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
I adore Ed's 'wands can explode' rules (read any number of the Elminster books for examples), but have yet to find a decent Pathfinder (or 3/3.5E) description of such a process.
I remember an option "a destroyed wand releases charges" being sometimes used in AD&D2, but no idea where it was untroduced - that wasn't in the core books. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
Edited by - TBeholder on 13 Aug 2012 17:56:51 |
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Emma Drake
Learned Scribe
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2012 : 06:16:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
I use the very feat and I'm a character in the Realms! :P
All joking aside, wand use is a VERY common thing, especially in the 2E Realms. I recall a section in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" that dealt with multiple (and even remote!) wand use?
KtG
Ed describes Elminster using remote activation in Shadows of Doom (pg. 63 if you've got the paperback copy). |
"I am always here, all about you. You are never truly alone. I flow wherever life flows, wherever winds blow and water runs and the sun and moon chase each other, for there is magic in all things."
- Mystra (Ed Greenwood, Silverfall) |
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Sightless
Senior Scribe
USA
608 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2012 : 12:58:31
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| The symbol used wands in both hands, with floating ones near by in Elminster in hell. I rather liked that image. Look this one's run out, let me grab this floating one... wonder if that would count as a swift action. |
We choose to live a lie, when we see with, & not through the eye.
Every decision, no matter the evidence, is a leap of faith; if it were not, then it wouldn't be a choice at all. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36910 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2012 : 14:24:00
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quote:
Originally posted by Emma Drake
quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
I use the very feat and I'm a character in the Realms! :P
All joking aside, wand use is a VERY common thing, especially in the 2E Realms. I recall a section in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" that dealt with multiple (and even remote!) wand use?
KtG
Ed describes Elminster using remote activation in Shadows of Doom (pg. 63 if you've got the paperback copy).
He's used that idea elsewhere, too. Some of his Volo's Guides, for example, have people that are able to activate wands concealed in walls and other hiding place. |
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Sightless
Senior Scribe
USA
608 Posts |
Posted - 16 Sep 2012 : 20:35:09
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| My last group allowed one to duel wield rods, but I don't know if that was a house rule or not. |
We choose to live a lie, when we see with, & not through the eye.
Every decision, no matter the evidence, is a leap of faith; if it were not, then it wouldn't be a choice at all. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2482 Posts |
Posted - 18 Sep 2012 : 00:53:23
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quote:
Originally posted by Emma Drake
quote:
Originally posted by Kris the Grey
I recall a section in "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" that dealt with multiple (and even remote!) wand use?
Ed describes Elminster using remote activation in Shadows of Doom (pg. 63 if you've got the paperback copy).
That was a wand crafted with built-in contingency-like trigger so it can be set up to discharge on a condition. Integrating different charged items is obviously a more efficient way, but it seems to be harder. |
People never wonder How the world goes round -Helloween
And even I make no pretense Of having more than common sense -R.W.Wood
It's not good, Eric. It's a gazebo. -Ed Whitchurch |
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Wand Madness
