New to FVS class

[HastyPudding]

So, I've been playing for a couple years, got a 3rd life+ TR monk, etc etc, and I'll unlock the FVS class within a few days. I also have a 2nd life TR -- past life cleric and current life wizard -- that will be TRing once I farm the tokens. I plan on making it a FVS, however I really don't know that much about the class, as I've never paid attention to them. They have healing spells and high SP, a nice blade barrier, CHA for sp/WIS for dc's, and that cute lil lantern archon. That's about the extent of my knowledge.

Thus, I'm looking for a build for somebody new to FVS. I plan on 3 lives of it, because I do love support classes. Yes, I know FVS can be a good melee, but I really don't want to play melee, at all. I love healbots and healing/buffing, always tip my healers in raids, and protect the clerics in my party. If that sounds strange, then hey, it's the way I like playing.

I plan on being a human for the extra feat and skill points, as I don't own WF, Horc, or Helf. But, other than that, I can't make up my mind.

So, what's a good build for somebody wanting to play FVS, but doesn't want to be a divine sorcerer, would like to focus on healing, but would still like some decent spell damage. I heard of evokers, and they seem nice, but what's the word on the con/cha FVS? What are the pros/cons of both? Is one somehow vastly superior than the other? What feats are most important? What spells are an absolute must have?

[WruntJunior]

So, I've been playing for a couple years, got a 3rd life+ TR monk, etc etc, and I'll unlock the FVS class within a few days. I also have a 2nd life TR -- past life cleric and current life wizard -- that will be TRing once I farm the tokens. I plan on making it a FVS, however I really don't know that much about the class, as I've never paid attention to them. They have healing spells and high SP, a nice blade barrier, CHA for sp/WIS for dc's, and that cute lil lantern archon. That's about the extent of my knowledge.

Thus, I'm looking for a build for somebody new to FVS. I plan on 3 lives of it, because I do love support classes. Yes, I know FVS can be a good melee, but I really don't want to play melee, at all. I love healbots and healing/buffing, always tip my healers in raids, and protect the clerics in my party. If that sounds strange, then hey, it's the way I like playing.

I plan on being a human for the extra feat and skill points, as I don't own WF, Horc, or Helf. But, other than that, I can't make up my mind.

So, what's a good build for somebody wanting to play FVS, but doesn't want to be a divine sorcerer, would like to focus on healing, but would still like some decent spell damage. I heard of evokers, and they seem nice, but what's the word on the con/cha FVS? What are the pros/cons of both? Is one somehow vastly superior than the other? What feats are most important? What spells are an absolute must have?

It's hard to beat the classic Evoker (http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=199266) build...which coincidentally, works best with Human anyways.

As for cha/con on a FvS...20 cha is more than enough (literally, it's 1 point more)...Wis is your DC stat, and that's what needs to be maxed on a casting FvS. Other than that, Con is really nice. Personally for 36-point FvS, my stat spread would be 12/8/16/10/18/12. This gets you a good enough starting Cha that (with the helm of frost as basic TR gear), you can ignore cha altogether until level 12...gives you extra skill points, and gives you a melee option for leveling. The constitution is also high enough to get ridiculous HP - Wruntjunior, as a 32-point build (with 16 con as well) was at 667 hp self-buffed...enough that dropping toughness for a feat slot starts looking like a good idea.

As a side-note, if you fit in shield mastery, you'll learn why FvS sometimes complain when you kill enemies that are attacking them - taking ~20 damage from epic enemies while charging my blue bar (and much less from non-epic enemies) has taught me that first-hand. This build winds up becoming a character that can solo epics without using pots...or heal 5 people through the same while leading the kill count. :P

[UrbanPyro]

Deleted.

[HastyPudding]

It's hard to beat the classic Evoker (http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=199266) build...which coincidentally, works best with Human anyways.

As for cha/con on a FvS...20 cha is more than enough (literally, it's 1 point more)...Wis is your DC stat, and that's what needs to be maxed on a casting FvS. Other than that, Con is really nice. Personally for 36-point FvS, my stat spread would be 12/8/16/10/18/12. This gets you a good enough starting Cha that (with the helm of frost as basic TR gear), you can ignore cha altogether until level 12...gives you extra skill points, and gives you a melee option for leveling. The constitution is also high enough to get ridiculous HP - Wruntjunior, as a 32-point build (with 16 con as well) was at 667 hp self-buffed...enough that dropping toughness for a feat slot starts looking like a good idea.

As a side-note, if you fit in shield mastery, you'll learn why FvS sometimes complain when you kill enemies that are attacking them - taking ~20 damage from epic enemies while charging my blue bar (and much less from non-epic enemies) has taught me that first-hand. This build winds up becoming a character that can solo epics without using pots...or heal 5 people through the same while leading the kill count. :P

Yeah, several people told me about the evoker, too. It seems to be the most popular build if you're not melee. That sounds like a plan.

[Quetzacoala]

Favored souls are vastly different from clerics in a variety of ways, and it is hard to describe how your playing style will differ on a favored soul versus a cleric.

When I first started this game my favorite class was a cleric. However, when I purchased favored soul I threw my cleric out the window and have never looked back.

Some prefer clerics, others favored souls. I look forward to finding out which you prefer :D

[voodoogroves]

Definitely an evoker type. Can't go wrong with that, esp. on a wiz/cleric PL.