2 Paladin/18 sorcerer?

[Flipsta]

Ok, so after checking the boards and seeing all of the crazy good (and bad) combos people have suggested, I haven't seen this one yet, though I'm not so naive as to think it hasn't been tried yet.

Pretty much, the paladin levels are just to gain the Divine grace (though the health bonus and the decent HD isn't bad either...), and then continue on sorcerer from there.

But my question is: Is it viable? Am I going to have trouble with certain spells? Am I going to end up being less useful than a pure 20 Sorcerer? Or will I possibly become better.

Please, share your thoughts on the matter and, if you have a good one, please post a 1st life 32 point build for F2P players who haven't bought races.

Thank you for your help. :)

[Failedlegend]

Bonus Saves = AWESOME!!!!!

Losing Capstone = Definately NOT worth it


The only way this is worth it is if you make a Tukaw type build So Melee Focused Self-Buff Sorc16/Rogue2/Pally2

[garlor]

you will be far worse, what for do you want the + saves?, the only right answer would be, to evade stuff, but oh god, you haven't evasion?, a sorc typically can have close to 30 on fort and will ( gh , nightshield +4/+5 resists item/epic slot ), and has **** save on reflex, but who cares? the only case where it is worth is with lightning since casters haven't mitigation spells for that ( and big sound or acid damage is not so frequent ), but even then you will get damage because saving means just half damage, but you are losing 2 lvl 9 spells, and 1 lvl 8 spell, mana and spell pen

[Flipsta]

Bonus Saves = AWESOME!!!!!

Losing Capstone = Definately NOT worth it


The only way this is worth it is if you make a Tukaw type build So Melee Focused Self-Buff Sorc16/Rogue2/Pally2

Do you have a link to a build or a build that you yourself could post?

[Isharah]

This build has been brought up quite a few times already, or I must be getting old.

If you are a hardcore gamer (ie. high level raiding)
This kind of build would work if:
1. you have a specific role in mind (ex. your guild needs an arcane tank for some reason I am tired of arguing about, or you want to make the best kiter in the game *cough*)
2. you have good gear ready or easily accessible
3. you have a steady supply of a crapload of mnemonic potions

If you are a casual gamer (ie. just have fun to 20 and then we'll decide what to do)
This build would be fine for the flavor, I suppose. Has decent survivability and creates a different dimension to arcane gameplay. Just keep in mind that many PUGs don't favor splashed sorcerers at low levels.

Personally
I am the classic kind of spellcaster. I level my toons to 20 and stay there to enjoy epics and raids. I don't like splashing sorcerers. Sorcerers are there to contribute the most DPS to raid bosses. Raid bosses are tanked by things that have hamp and mitigation. Raids have healers, and if they can't keep up with healing you, then you are doing something wrong. Pale lavanders are easy to get now, and kiting is something every caster should use.

Cheers.

[Failedlegend]

Do you have a link to a build or a build that you yourself could post?

Sure http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=181901

Note that its a fairly old build and porbably needs some adjustments...note I've never personally played this build its just got a good rep

[Rodasch]

Ok, so after checking the boards and seeing all of the crazy good (and bad) combos people have suggested, I haven't seen this one yet, though I'm not so naive as to think it hasn't been tried yet.

Pretty much, the paladin levels are just to gain the Divine grace (though the health bonus and the decent HD isn't bad either...), and then continue on sorcerer from there.

But my question is: Is it viable? Am I going to have trouble with certain spells? Am I going to end up being less useful than a pure 20 Sorcerer? Or will I possibly become better.

Please, share your thoughts on the matter and, if you have a good one, please post a 1st life 32 point build for F2P players who haven't bought races.

Thank you for your help. :)

Go Half-elf and take the paladin dilettante feat, which will get you the +cha bonus to saves up to a certain point. Then if you splash 2 rogue or 2 monk you can get evasion to make the saves worth something, all while keeping your ability to take tier 3 of your savant prestige.

Going this route, you'll lose some spell pen and a chunk of spell damage (loss of 2 caster levels and capstone), but due to savant bonuses, you won't notice the loss on most spells except those with CL 20 and higher caps. I recommend monk for the splash as it will grant you two extra feats which you can burn for toughness and something else, that will allow you to use your 7 basic feat slots for spell penetration, conj/evoc focus, and metas.

[Darknark]

Bonus Saves = AWESOME!!!!!


Losing Capstone = Definately NOT worth it


The only way this is worth it is if you make a Tukaw type build So Melee Focused Self-Buff Sorc16/Rogue2/Pally2

I disagree with that. Capstone is minimal.

The 18 / 2 can be a very viable raid tank, dps caster, and solobuild. (Though, imo, pally is less optimal than fighter given that non-fort saves arent a real issue in the current game for this type of character) [Update: In Post-U14 Endgame saves are infact a factor and Paladin becomes optimal.]

Making it work requires gear though and WF.

[Such755]

Go Half-elf and take the paladin dilettante feat, which will get you the +cha bonus to saves up to a certain point. Then if you splash 2 rogue or 2 monk you can get evasion to make the saves worth something, all while keeping your ability to take tier 3 of your savant prestige.

Going this route, you'll lose some spell pen and a chunk of spell damage (loss of 2 caster levels and capstone), but due to savant bonuses, you won't notice the loss on most spells except those with CL 20 and higher caps. I recommend monk for the splash as it will grant you two extra feats which you can burn for toughness and something else, that will allow you to use your 7 basic feat slots for spell penetration, conj/evoc focus, and metas.


**** you I wanted to say that!

[AtomicMew]

I disagree with that. Capstone is minimal.
Maybe, but the loss of two spell levels and two level 9 spells is not minimal.

[aradelothion]

Sure http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=181901

Note that its a fairly old build and porbably needs some adjustments...note I've never personally played this build its just got a good rep

I have the 2/monk version, and it's pretty awesome all the way to Amrath. Epics though, not so much. The 12sorc/6paly/2monk tank has better stuff going for it imho.

[Bacab]

You said "FTP and no bought races"

Warforged is kinda needed to go 18SOR/2PLD.

If you want to be a fleshy...I would say go 20SORC.

[wax_on_wax_off]

I've planned for a while to do a similar build.
Caveats:

I'm getting shield mastery (paladin grants shield proficiency so it's halfway there)
I'm warforged or can otherwise self heal (only warforged atm but might change with enhancement overhaul)
I'm tanking end game raids (with lots of gear)
I'm soloing epics (with lots of gear)


Unless you can hit 4 out of 4 of the above I wouldn't bother and instead just go pure 20. A very good option is to go half-elf with paladin dilettante and get the best of both worlds; that extra +5 to all saves can really push you into the "never die in normal circumstances" area almost as well as quickened reconstructs can for a warforged.

[Failedlegend]

What Wax said is true /2 Paladin CAN be a good idea but you have to build for it and its changes the dynamic of the build entirely....IOW its not just a Sorc with Paladin Saves like a Wizard with 2 rogue levels is.

I'd say the Best BattleCasters I've seen are:

Sorc12/Paladin6/Rogue2
Wizard12/Fighter6/Rogue2 w/ Insightful Reflexes
Sorc16/Paladin2/Rogue2

See the Pattern

An alternative if you want and 18/2 build your best bet is this...mostly just your standard Wiz/Rog build with some extra survivability

Human Wizard18/Rogue2 Palemaster but this one is really reliant on Wizard Past lives to make up for the lose spell pen (due to being tight on feats)

True Neutral Human Wiz18/Rog2 "Palemaster" (TR1 Build)

Str 12
Con 16
Int 18
Cha 12

Feats (Assuming rogue at 1 and 11)

H1 Shield Prof:General
1 Shield Mastery
W2 Extend
3 Maximize
6 Empower
W6 SF:Necro
9 Insightful Reflexes
12 GSF: Necro
W12 Mental Toughness
15 Heighten
W17 Quicken or PL: Wizard
18 Toughness