spells for lvl 16-20 quest lvls

[bree22]

Ok I am following Aspenor's guide http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=175911 with some minor changes here and there. My questions are,

1) What are the must spells for lvls 5-9 spells? eg, Wail of the Banshee, Polar Ray, Fire Wall are all must for any caster.

2) with then new Summon Monster spells (3 choices) does it pay to take this one? More for Soloing purposes.

3) Delayed Fireball - it seems that alot of sorc have this, but I find it takes to long to cast is there a way to cast it faster?

4) Banishment vs dismissal? are these required? can u get away with just one of these? (yes I like nuking, instant kill heheh)

I am joying playing my TRd sorc (past life ranger) but not liking 3 days to change spells. especially after I just lvled and screwup a spell choice lol.

[AndyD47]

1.(5)-Cone of cold is almost a must,and I like cloudkill myself.
(6)Disintegrate,flesh to stone, and I take reconstruct but its up to you.
(7)Discoball,FoD, and banishment/delayed blast fireball.
(8)Polar ray,otto's irresistable dance,I kinda like trap the soul.
(9)Hold monster (mass),energy drain,and I like wail.

Just my own preferences for reference.

2.I've heard real good things about the Air elemental from SM 8,it likes to trip alot.

3.I always try to jump when casting something,or you could use quicken I guess.
Didn't find a need for quicken on my sorcerer though.

4.You'll get some good use out of Banishment up to the vale,then you might want to drop it for something else.

[shagath]

Didn't find a need for quicken on my sorcerer though.I'll switch to quicken at lvl20 for epics. With epic damage, concentration checks are next to impossible to pass sometimes.

[bree22]

1.

(5)-Cone of cold is almost a must,and I like cloudkill myself.
(6)Disintegrate,flesh to stone, and I take reconstruct but its up to you.
(7)Discoball,FoD, and banishment/delayed blast fireball.
(8)Polar ray,otto's irresistable dance,I kinda like trap the soul.
(9)Hold monster (mass),energy drain,and I like wail.

Just my own preferences for reference.

2.I've heard real good things about the Air elemental from SM 8,it likes to trip alot.

3.I always try to jump when casting something,or you could use quicken I guess.
Didn't find a need for quicken on my sorcerer though.

4.You'll get some good use out of Banishment up to the vale,then you might want to drop it for something else.


lvl 5 spells I have cone of cold, hold monster, prot energy, Teleport now.
plan on changing out hold monster (when I get mass hold) for either, dismissal, Ball of lighting or Cloud kill. Which one would be best?

Lvl 6 i have Disintegrate,flesh to stone, and reconstruct. Should I figure out away to get GH into this build?

Lvl 7 Currently have FoD and delayed blast fireball but about to lvl to 17 and was planning on Ottos sphere. Is banishment worth taking over delay fireball?

Lvl 8 I have polar ray and planing on taking summon VIII for the air elly. I have seen the air elly at work and he does knock alot of peeps down.

Lvl 9 Have none now but plan was to take Wail, Hold mass monster and either energy drain or Meteor storm.

What if any spells are good but can be used as a scroll instead of spell? As a sorc I only have so many so trying to make sure I have the essentials.

[Jaid314]

level 5: have you considered cyclonic blast? it can potentially replace your disintegrate (or go along side it) as a "damage anything no matter what" spell. not sure dismissal is particularly good (it's single target, just use finger of death), cloud kill is a fairly high demand spell because it grants a blur-like effect even against enemies that have true seeing (and doesn't create a huge cloud that clutters visibility like, say, acid fog, solid fog, etc). you could also scroll protection from elements (yeah, you lose 12 points because it's not CL 10, but is that worth a spell slot?). ball lightning seems a poor choice unless you have some points in acid/lightning damage. also, i personally get along just fine without cone of cold (but, to be fair, i typically run in groups and am therefore not typically concerned about needing to dps large groups of fire-immune monsters down, which cone of cold does quite nicely...)

level 6: you could scroll GH, it will likely be a bit of a nuisance remembering it though. also a bit expensive. as i suggested above, you could also drop disintegrate, take cyclonic blast at level 5, and that would free up a slot (but this is not by any means required... the only difference between scroll GH and casting GH is duration, and if you can remember the duration and don't mind the expense, there's no reason to avoid scrolling GH). you may also wish to consider mass suggestion, depending on your focus... there are some things that are apparently immune to charm, but as it happens are not immune to mass suggestion.

level 7: depends on how damage-focused you are. one thing i'll mention, at level 17 you are getting *really* close to the time when banishing stops being quite so awesome. it's amazing in the vale, not quite so amazing most other places (and almost useless in amrath, iirc). personally, i just use wail if i want to kill a group of banishable mobs, but that's just me. i also prefer waves of exhaustion over DBF (yes, even with the nerf, i still consider it to be a very good spell).

level 8: that's my basic plan as well, plus irresistible dance. you're getting close to the time where "they don't get a saving throw" is a big deal. also, most of the other level 8 spells kinda blow.

level 9: i cannot over-emphasise how important energy drain is. meteor swarm isn't bad or anything, but i would never dream of taking it over energy drain. my top three level 9s are energy drain, mass hold monster (mostly for epics) and wail of the banshee. i would take wail first, then energy drain, then mass hold monster, based on what you're likely to need/want at those levels. but try to keep enervate around (even if only in scroll form) until you get energy drain, you really can benefit a lot from that penalty to your target's saves.

[UrbanPyro]

Deleted.

[bree22]

[QUOTE=Jaid314;3390189]

level 8: that's my basic plan as well, plus irresistible dance. you're getting close to the time where "they don't get a saving throw" is a big deal. also, most of the other level 8 spells kinda blow.


irresistible dance - this is the touch version, In playing my rangers I always see the sphere verison and very rarely the touch version of this spell. I personally like to be as far as possible from the enemy when casting. I just find it interesting that 2 people say it is a must or at the very least a top 3 spell at this lvl but when I am on my ranger I very rarely see it cast. I almost always see the sphere version cast for crowd control.

I like 4 spells for lvl 8 so far just trying to figure out which 3 to take. Polar Ray is a given, summon for solo play mostly and then either trap of soul or Incendiary Cloud?

Is there a spell that a caster can cast on portable hole (shroud part 1) that works? I was thinking of trading out Fireball for either chain missiles, ray of exhaustion or rage?

[sweez]

Otto's Dancing Sphere has a save, Irresistible Dance doesn't. Nuff said.

Oh and


Is there a spell that a caster can cast on portable hole (shroud part 1)

huh?

[Dcloak]

Is there a spell that a caster can cast on portable hole (shroud part 1) that works? I was thinking of trading out Fireball for either chain missiles, ray of exhaustion or rage?

I think you are asking what spells effect/damage portals? Force spells do work i.e. magic missle. Fire spells do not.

Usually the caster has a specific role in the first part of the shroud and that is to take out all trash with either wail of banshee or finger of death/phantasmal killer.

[bree22]

I think you are asking what spells effect/damage portals? Force spells do work i.e. magic missle. Fire spells do not.

Usually the caster has a specific role in the first part of the shroud and that is to take out all trash with either wail of banshee or finger of death/phantasmal killer.

Oops, I meant portals. Sry tired kids got me up early lol. Yea I know about spell casters job of clearing trash and being one portal ahead of group. but was wondering about portal spells for rare in vale and that last portal in part 1 as it being almost done and no real trash left to worry about at that point. I just like to always be doing as much as a i can.

So changing fireball for chain missiles worth it?

[Dcloak]

Oops, I meant portals. Sry tired kids got me up early lol. Yea I know about spell casters job of clearing trash and being one portal ahead of group. but was wondering about portal spells for rare in vale and that last portal in part 1 as it being almost done and no real trash left to worry about at that point. I just like to always be doing as much as a i can.

So changing fireball for chain missiles worth it?

Personally, I don't waste my spellpoints on portals. If I need to beat on a portal like the one in the vale, I keep a greater construct bane weapon with me. Even on a squishy, weak caster, you only miss a portal on a roll of 1.

You can take chain missles. I don't use the fireball spell anymore once I got delayed blast fireball because the fireball spell damage caps at level 10.

You said in the OP you think delayed blast fireball is slow to cast? Are you saying that because of the pop-up menu then you have to select between delayed and instant? Did you know that once the pop up menu comes up, you can drag the delayed blast fireball (instant) icon to a hotbar so you can have one click DBF spell?

[bree22]

Personally, I don't waste my spellpoints on portals. If I need to beat on a portal like the one in the vale, I keep a greater construct bane weapon with me. Even on a squishy, weak caster, you only miss a portal on a roll of 1.

You can take chain missles. I don't use the fireball spell anymore once I got delayed blast fireball because the fireball spell damage caps at level 10.

You said in the OP you think delayed blast fireball is slow to cast? Are you saying that because of the pop-up menu then you have to select between delayed and instant? Did you know that once the pop up menu comes up, you can drag the delayed blast fireball (instant) icon to a hotbar so you can have one click DBF spell?

Yea I figured it out yesterday (idiot I was ;-)). enjoying the spell now. That is why i was looking to replace the fireball spell.

[Dcloak]

Yea I figured it out yesterday (idiot I was ;-)). enjoying the spell now. That is why i was looking to replace the fireball spell.

Lol yeah when I first started playing, it was awhile till I figured out you can do that with all multiple spell lists even items like staff of arcane power.

[AndyD47]

lvl 5 spells I have cone of cold, hold monster, prot energy, Teleport now.
plan on changing out hold monster (when I get mass hold) for either, dismissal, Ball of lighting or Cloud kill. Which one would be best?

Lvl 6 i have Disintegrate,flesh to stone, and reconstruct. Should I figure out away to get GH into this build?

Lvl 7 Currently have FoD and delayed blast fireball but about to lvl to 17 and was planning on Ottos sphere. Is banishment worth taking over delay fireball?

Lvl 8 I have polar ray and planing on taking summon VIII for the air elly. I have seen the air elly at work and he does knock alot of peeps down.

Lvl 9 Have none now but plan was to take Wail, Hold mass monster and either energy drain or Meteor storm.

What if any spells are good but can be used as a scroll instead of spell? As a sorc I only have so many so trying to make sure I have the essentials.


Lvl5 You could scroll both teleport and protection from energy,and I get cloudkill myself but thats just a personal preference.Youd might do good with cyclonic blast like someone else mentioned.

Lvl6 I just use scrolls for GH,its just about as good as casting it and it frees up a slot at 6.

Lvl7 If you are going to be running around doing alot of vale quests/slayers banishment is probably worth hanging on to untill you hit 20.

Lvl8/9 Looks fine.

I carry scrolls for stoneskin,GH,reconstruct,Protection from elements, invisibility,wave of exhaustion/symbol of stunning to spam randomly,heal scrolls and raise dead scrolls.
I started carrying around glitterdust scrolls lately,just to have something else to do if I feel the need.
Basically,if its almost as good as casting the spell yourself just scroll it.

[soulaeon]

Cloud Kill, Banishment, Polar Ray, and Wail of the Banshee are all used often. With the introduction of epics, I would say the Enchantment spell school is more useful than any Summon Monster spell or feat. Cloud Kill is perfect for any build because it does so many things.
When I get done collecting soul stones, I'll probably replace Trap the Soul with a summon spell so I can have the air elemental with its trip effect.


3) Delayed Fireball - it seems that alot of sorc have this, but I find it takes to long to cast is there a way to cast it faster?
The one major problem I have with this is that a LOT of stuff resists fire damage or is immune. Meteor Swarm can potentially do more damage, because the bludgeoning effect has no DC.
I finally got to see some epics, and the only spells I seemed to actually need were Mass Hold Monster and Otto's Dance.

[Cartheron]

If you wont take either ball lighting (5) or chain lighting (6) and at least acid/lighting damage enchantments you will join "i can do nothing usefull in Amrath" club of whinning arcanes. Lighting damage eats devils alive, and eats them quickly, reserve some slots for those spells.

[bree22]

If you wont take either ball lighting (5) or chain lighting (6) and at least acid/lighting damage enchantments you will join "i can do nothing usefull in Amrath" club of whinning arcanes. Lighting damage eats devils alive, and eats them quickly, reserve some slots for those spells.

yea plan on respecting to fire/ice and Lighting/acid as my 2nd focus. When I get to 20 I am hoping that I a better handle on the spells that work best. I would like to stay focused as a damaged dealer being that at the higher end I tend to group more and like to at the very least contribute. I am figuring that I need at least 1 good lighting and acid damaging spell.

[sirgog]

The only real must-have higher level spells are one of the clouds (Cloudkill being most popular, this is for the 20% concealment), Reconstruct (for raiding mainly, scrolls have far too long a cooldown), Polar Ray (best damage spell against almost every boss), Otto's Irresistable Dance, Mass Hold Monster, and if your Enchantment DC is good enough to support it, Discoball.

GH scrolls are important to carry, but you won't use them much - most of the time you will be grouped with a bard or another arcane.

[Jaid314]

If you wont take either ball lighting (5) or chain lighting (6) and at least acid/lighting damage enchantments you will join "i can do nothing usefull in Amrath" club of whinning arcanes. Lighting damage eats devils alive, and eats them quickly, reserve some slots for those spells.

with my buff spells, i have never felt *useless* in amrath. bored beyond comprehension maybe, but never useless. keeping everyone hasted and displaced, even if you do nothing else, will make a huge difference. waves of exhaustion in every fight can also make a huge difference (did i mention that imo all the people who threw a fit and declared they wouldn't know waves of exhaustion because they're changing how it works on red/purple names are giving up what is still one of the best level 7 spells out there?). throw a web after the exhaustion and you'll often catch a few devils, giving even *more* of an advantage to the group.

it requires a change in tactics, but lightning damage is not by any means a requirement to be useful in amrath. it's pretty important if you want to *nuke* in amrath, but you could get by just fine with cone of cold for that (i don't like nuking particularly, so i don't know cone of cold... but that doesn't mean it doesn't work, merely that it isn't my personal preference)

for the time being, i still have to recommend the fire/ice line as a full spec, and mostly just ignore acid/lightning, unless you are *only* running amrath (wall of fire is too useful in too many areas to be thrown aside just because it isn't effective in amrath).

[Cartheron]

with my buff spells, i have never felt *useless* in amrath. bored beyond comprehension maybe, but never useless. keeping everyone hasted and displaced, even if you do nothing else, will make a huge difference. waves of exhaustion in every fight can also make a huge difference (did i mention that imo all the people who threw a fit and declared they wouldn't know waves of exhaustion because they're changing how it works on red/purple names are giving up what is still one of the best level 7 spells out there?). throw a web after the exhaustion and you'll often catch a few devils, giving even *more* of an advantage to the group.

it requires a change in tactics, but lightning damage is not by any means a requirement to be useful in amrath. it's pretty important if you want to *nuke* in amrath, but you could get by just fine with cone of cold for that (i don't like nuking particularly, so i don't know cone of cold... but that doesn't mean it doesn't work, merely that it isn't my personal preference)

for the time being, i still have to recommend the fire/ice line as a full spec, and mostly just ignore acid/lightning, unless you are *only* running amrath (wall of fire is too useful in too many areas to be thrown aside just because it isn't effective in amrath).


While I agree that buff spells are usefull, i was talking about all those people that complain that they cannot do anymore what thay did before Amrath - totaly overpower quest by themselves. With lighting spells - yes, its possible, and no, cone of cold is not enough, every single devil has pretty high cold resists/reduction, while lighting damage just rips them apart. So, if you are ok with being buffer and second rate crowd controler (wizards are natuarally better in both roles;)), you can skip lighting. If you want to for example solo Amrath, better take lighting spells and enchantments. As a sorc, I dont see a reason not to have acid/lighting ench - no PrE to spend points at, much easier to fit them. You see, lack of PrE can be a good thing:)