spell penetration??

[antakneeb]

I have rolled a few charecters now and have been trying a wizard. I have been maxing concentration when able, yet critters save against my cold ray 3 out of 5 times. Is concent the main stat for penetration? I got an item with +1 penetration but doesn't seem to help. What am I missing? Guy is getting kinda gimpy with critters saving and drawing agro at same time.

[kyleann]

concentration doesn't effect saves. It makes it so you continue to cast your spells while being damaged by the enemies. If you fail your concentration saves, you don't finish casting the spell you started.

What boosts your saves (DCs) is higher casting stats (INT for Wiz, CHA for Sorc, etc). Also, certain PrEs like Archmage, Savant, or Palemaster can boost your DCs for certain spells/schools.

Edit: More info: At lower levels, and with no gear, landing Niac's can be sort of difficult. If you take the Feat Heighten and keep it active while casting Niac's that should make a difference in not only the DCs but also the damage. Aside from them you're probably better off with AoE spells like Acid Spray or Burning Hands. Or, like many people do, grab a Great Axe, cast Master's Touch on yourself, and go to town melee style for the few levels until you get Fireball.

[antakneeb]

Thank you very much kylean. Will give it another go. I was afraid I had gimped him in creation. Wizard is a bit more of a challenge than a tank.

[donfilibuster]

It's safe to reroll under lv 6, helps try out and check what works.

If you dislike the monsters saving often try go for max int.

Leave spell pen for the high levels, it is an entirely different character option.

And niac will still fail fairly often, scorching ray is much much better.

[mastergoo-ddo]

also Feats enhance your Spells' DC: School Focus/ Greater School Focus, Heighten,
also Items enhance your Spells' DC: like Necromancy Focus, or Greater Necromancy Focus, or just +1/+2 to all scrools.
imo wizard-caster must have maximized INT, otherwise he will got certain difficulties in end game content.

base formula to count your Difficulty Check:
[10 base] + [spell level 1to9] + [0to2 Scool Focus Feat] + [0to3 item] + [prestiges] + [possiable past life feats] + [Stat_mod (INT for WIZ)]

[Noctus]

Spell Pen is a mechanic only against critters with Spell Resistance. Before level 10 you only meet a handful of them.

[Rusty_Can]

I have been maxing concentration when able, yet critters save against my cold ray 3 out of 5 times. Is concent the main stat for penetration?

Concentration skill: if you get hit while casting, you might fumble your spells (i.e. you waste mana, cooldown starts, spell doesn't go off); Quicken feat avoids being interrupted but spells will cost more mana and it doesn't work with scrolls. Thus, Quicken feat or (max ranks in) Concentration? Answer is both, but you can delay Quicken until higher levels.

DC of your spells: the following things make your spells harder to resist:
- since you are a Wizard, the higher your INT, the harder your spells to resist;
- Spell Focus feats;
- Spell Focus items (as a side note, they stack with feats);
- Heighten feat: lower level spells will have the same DC as the highest spell you can cast; heightened spells will cost more mana;
- Prestige Enhancements: Pale Master and Archmage will help some Spell Schools.

Spell Penetration: some foes (e.g. drows) have Spell Resistance and some of your spells (e.g. many non-direct damage spells) require Spell Penetration checks; if you fail your Spell Penetration checks (your Spell Penetration + 1d20), your target won't be even required to make his save roll, but your spell will be negated. The following things help:
- your caster level;
- Spell Penetration feats;
- Spell Penetration items.

[LordMond63]

I'm also thinking that Niac's, being a sort of arcane missile attack if you will, might be avoidable entirely by mobs with higher DEX and/or Reflect saves. I know that I have read players can avoid ray-type spells if they are able to react and move quickly enough, so it stands to reason that mobs might have that same capability.

[Matuse]

The big problem you are running into is that the kobolds which make up the vast bulk of your opponents at low levels have -really- good reflex saves, which makes them highly resistant to Niac's.

Try using a spell with no reflex save component on them, and save the Niacs for zombies, hobgoblins, ogres, etc.

[Cendaer]

The big problem you are running into is that the kobolds which make up the vast bulk of your opponents at low levels have -really- good reflex saves, which makes them highly resistant to Niac's.

Try using a spell with no reflex save component on them, and save the Niacs for zombies, hobgoblins, ogres, etc.

^^This right here, is why Niac's Cold Ray (http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/Spell:Niac's_Cold_Ray) is a poor spell choice for levels 1-3.^^

As a Wizard, you're much better off using Burning Hands (http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/Spell:Burning_Hands) or Acid Spray (http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/Spell:Acid_Spray), coupled with Master's Touch (http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/Spell:Master%27s_Touch) + a 2H weapon. Chop away while throwing some AE damage, and baddies will die much faster.

At lower levels, save the single-target damage spells for bosses or named monsters.