Low Level Builds IV
Time again for some low-level builds. I’m only doing one build this week, going into more detail than some of the previous builds. Spellcaster builds usually require more explanation on why you decided to take certain spells. I enjoy expounding on the logic behind my choices, but I have old fingers.
Many of the builds I’ve done have revolved around multiclassing, so I’m going to try and throw in one that is just a straight-up, one-class build. So let’s take a look at the newest low-level build; a flying strigiform that gets to scream “FIREBALL!”
Flying Wizard - Owlin Wizard
Race: Owlin (Custom Build +2 Intelligence, +1 Constitution, Darkvision, Flight, Medium size, Replacement Traits)
Class: Wizard
Stats: Str. 10, Dex. 14, Con. 13, Int. 17, Wis. 12, Cha. 10 (Point Buy)
Proficiencies: Arcana +5, Investigation +5, Nature+5, Perception +3, Survival +3
Background: Witherbloom Student (Additional Cantrip & 1st level Spell)
Wizard Spells: See below
1st level - Cantrips: chill touch, firebolt, gust, lightning lure, spare the dying.
Prepared Spells: feather Fall, Find Familiar, Magic Missile.
Other Spells - cure wounds & inflict wounds (*Witherbloom initiate feat), fog cloud, grease.2nd level - School of Necromancy
New Spells: ray of sickness, mage armor.3rd level - New Spells: lesser restoration, wither and bloom (*Witherbloom initiate feat), dragon’s breath, misty step.
4th level - Feat: Spell Sniper
New Spells: dust devil, gust of wind
A couple of quick notes before we get started. I am obviously using every available 'official' text by Wizards of the Coast. Along with using the new books comes new rules and new possibilities. Origin Proficiencies allow us to gain an additional proficiency we usually wouldn't have, and I decided to take Perception. This is the most oft-used of all proficiencies, so every little bit helps.
The Owlin comes from the newest book, Strixhaven. We reviewed the text on our podcast, and while I have mixed feelings about the book, why not use the information it provides to have a little fun? I've never been a fan of flying characters at early levels, but when in Rome… This build has three main components: race, background, and spells. Two of three are unique to Strixhaven, so thanks WotC, for giving me something new to play with.
1st level: Let's cover the basics. We opt for a +2/+1 ability score bonus for our Owlin, and since we are playing a wizard, the +2 goes into Intelligence. Drop the +1 in either Constitution or Dexterity. I chose Dexterity for the AC bump. We've got Darkvision which is helpful if you want to fly at night. Oh, and one last thing. You can fly. Enough said.
Strixhaven comes with new backgrounds, and I took the Witherbloom Student Background. I swore I'd never go back to school again. Sixteen years of classroom education was quite enough for me, thank you very much. Passing on an additional druid/wizard cantrip and 1st level spell would be silly, so higher education here I come.
As stated above, spells play an essential part in this build. Flying amongst the clouds is way safer than being on the ground at lower levels. Many lower CR creatures are limited in their ability to hit you when you're 30 feet in the air. Now a DM may adjust by throwing more humanoid creatures that come armed with slings and crossbows (looking at you kobolds), but in the theater that is my mind, being hit with a longsword seems so less desirable than a rock someone threw at me. We, therefore, have three damage-dealing spells with a range of 120 feet and can feel safe knowing that we are well beyond the normal range of those pesky sling stones.
The most fun of all the spells to take at 1st level with the build is the lightning lure spell. Swoop down, directly above your opponent making sure you’re within 15 feet of them. Cast the spell, pulling them 10 feet up in the air towards you, resulting in them now being 5 feet from you. The bad guy takes 1d8 damage, and since the spell immediately ends, they fall 10 feet, taking an additional 1d6 damage and falling prone. It's a cantrip, so you can repeat this over and over again until either the lighting damage or fall damage kills them. The creature will probably get so sick of you doing this that they'll be relieved when the barbarian runs over and kills them while they are prone.
If we do encounter a flying creature, the gust cantrip can be effective in giving us a little breathing room if they get too close. It's theatrical more than practical, so feel free to take another damage cantrip, such as mind sliver, if you want. We grab spare the dying as a bonus cantrip via the Strixhaven Initiate feat. Your party will love you for it, especially when one of them is lying on the ground, bleeding and unconscious. Feather fall is for those times someone can knock you out of the air. Fall damage is the worst enemy of a flying creature, other than dragons, of course. A lovely soft landing is better than taking 12d6 damage. Finally, your wizard so find familiar is a must. As an Owlin, it goes without saying that your familiar should be an Owl.
2nd level: We get to pick a wizard school, so go School of Necromancy. Witherbloom is a necromancy-focused school at Strixhaven. Even if we don't get any bonuses, it fits from a 'color' standpoint. Plus, who doesn't like getting hit points for killing monsters, because once per turn when you kill one or more creatures with a spell of 1st level or higher, you regain hit points equal to twice the spell's level, or three times its level if the spell belongs to the School of Necromancy. To maximize the potential of this ability, take ray of sickness and prepare it instead of find familiar. Take mage armor as the other additional spell. It's always a good one to have in your spellbook, and if gust doesn't do it for you, you can always take it at 1st level instead.
3rd level: It's all about new spells at the 3rd level, as we now have access to 2nd level spells. Wither and bloom would be the first spell I'd say you would take, but as a Witherbloom student, you get it for free! It's a new spell from Strixhaven. It reads as follows:
You invoke death and life upon a 10-foot-radius sphere centered on a point within range. Each creature of your choice in that area must make a Constitution saving throw, taking 2d6 necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much damage on a successful one. Nonmagical vegetation in that area withers.
In addition, one creature of your choice in that area can spend and roll one of its unspent Hit Dice and regain a number of hit points equal to the roll plus your spellcasting ability modifier.
Strixhaven: A Cirriculum of Chaos (2021)
AOE spells should be your focus now and wither and bloom puts you in range of bad guys while still in the air. Sure, 10 feet is pretty close, so don't try this against large creatures, but at least you're still out of range of that annoying longsword. Stick with the theme, and take and prepare dragon's breath. Bonus action at the end of your turn, 15-foot cone, and fry the bad guys with whatever damage type that does the most damage to them. Yes, please and thank you.
One other quick note. I took misty step for my other 2nd level spell. Nothing says you cannot teleport to another space in the air, it just needs to be unoccupied. If you are out of movement and need to get of out range of those pesky arrows, misty step your butt 30 feet in any direction while in flight.
4th level: There are many options when choosing ability score improvement or a feat.
Option 1: Ability score increase, adding +1 to Intelligence and Constitution. Each one of these increases your bonus (Intelligence +4, Constitution +2).
Option 2: Metamagic Adept. You've already got a plethora of spells at your disposal, so why not be able to do a little bit more with them. The one option that is a must is Distant Spell. Doubling the range of a 120 foot ranged spell put you out of reach for a large majority of spells and every weapon but a longbow and heavy crossbow. Even then, they are attacking with disadvantage. The other choice is up to you, but I recommend taking Quickened Spell. Might as well cast a cantrip after you cast wither and bloom. The extra damage can be the difference between the mean old mind flayer remaining upright of describing how you land the killing blow.
Option 3: In the end, I decided on Spell Sniper. Doubling the range of every spell accomplishes what the Distant Spell Metamagic does without limitation. Take shocking grasp as your additional cantrip since you can now be 30 feet away when casting it instead of within melee range. Finally, ignoring cover is excellent since the more intelligent opponents will probably duck and cover as you're raining down death and destruction from the sky above.
Our new spells are more defensive in nature as you'll start to encounter airborne creatures. Slamming the wyvern trying to eat you into the ground is much better than it knocking you unconscious while you're in flight. Fall damage adds up quickly. Remember, it's not the act of falling that kills you, but the ground you smash into.
We'll stop here. I know I usually go up to the 5th or 6th level, but you get the gist of the build's potential by now. Have fun picking spells as you level up. Next week will feature at least one other low-level build, a singing, celestial, and smiting hero.
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