My Arty is Now Clubbing (with scepters)

[Livmo]

Greetings and I apologize for arriving at the party late on this one.

Since the Enhancement pass I feel like I've lost allot of spell power that I used to have from Enhancements. Without Epic Destinies I was pumping my spell power over the 100+ mark with Enhancements.

I've crafted on some gear, used some augments, etc, but was not getting the output I wanted on my spells. This was not a big deal until I hit level 20 over the weekend. So I crafted a scepter/club to beef up my Tactical Detonation (force and fire) and Blade Barrier (force). I also picked up random loot scepter to boost my repair skill power. I use the L6 arty spells heavily in epic content (Blade Barrier, Tactical Detonation, and Reconstruct).

What are other folks doing to overcome the reduced spell power buffability after the pass? Are you taking the Quick Draw feat to use scepter/rune arm combo or scepter/scepter combo for your spells? If not, what are you doing to get back spell power?

Before the pass I could buff spell powers that I needed and I could keep my rune arm and xbow equipped all the time. Now I have to put down the xbow to buff my spells. Hard to run and gun and throw grenades. Perhaps my Quil just needs TD tube on it :)

I made a scepter/club to beef up my Tactical Detonation (force and fire):
http://i.imgur.com/5QJWE5o.jpg

Here is repair scepter I found to buff Reconstruct:
http://i.imgur.com/LDAgx5d.jpg

[Rakuda13]

Greetings and I apologize for arriving at the party late on this one.

Since the Enhancement pass I feel like I've lost allot of spell power that I used to have from Enhancements. Without Epic Destinies I was pumping my spell power over the 100+ mark with Enhancements.

I've crafted on some gear, used some augments, etc, but was not getting the output I wanted on my spells. This was not a big deal until I hit level 20 over the weekend. So I crafted a scepter/club to beef up my Tactical Detonation (force and fire) and Blade Barrier (force). I also picked up random loot scepter to boost my repair skill power. I use the L6 arty spells heavily in epic content (Blade Barrier, Tactical Detonation, and Reconstruct).

What are other folks doing to overcome the reduced spell power buffability after the pass? Are you taking the Quick Draw feat to use scepter/rune arm combo or scepter/scepter combo for your spells? If not, what are you doing to get back spell power?

Before the pass I could buff spell powers that I needed and I could keep my rune arm and xbow equipped all the time. Now I have to put down the xbow to buff my spells. Hard to run and gun and throw grenades. Perhaps my Quil just needs TD tube on it :)

I made a scepter/club to beef up my Tactical Detonation (force and fire):
http://i.imgur.com/5QJWE5o.jpg

Here is repair scepter I found to buff Reconstruct:
http://i.imgur.com/LDAgx5d.jpg

Its an interesting idea,but Im a little confused how you go about combat.

Normally I drop TD or BB,then fire the Rune arm off while laying down bolts.

I am guessing you are swapping out the buff sticks after firing off a few spells?

Most of what you have crafted I have on a different item,Im interested in what other items you are using. Maybe i can free up some space doing it your way.

What you crafted is very nice though,I can tell your spells are stronger than mine at that level.

I also wonder how you could do in Melee,I know nobody does it,but if your spells are really kicking then maybe you could wade in throwing you sticks around with a different enhancement line.

I like Arti so its always interesting in hearing something new.

[ericrd]

if you invested in battle engineer you should have pretty decent sp on full charge... if your using a acid based arm the challenge boots are good...for a force arm/spells a random gen impulse item(ring,helm) works with a crafted kinetic lore

i havnt been having any probs....initially i didnt like the change ...now i see the advantage of it

[Singular]

I feel exactly what you are saying. It's difficult to get your spell power back up to previous levels, but possible. I did it this way:

- blue dragon armor set
- plannar focus of erudation
- slotted an impulse ruby of 114 into Needle
- the Wheeloon bracers that give 20 % kinetic lore (18% from 15-25)
- empower, maximize and quicken are always on

(you could boost this more by using the Adamantine Cloak of the Dragon, +18, the Mind-fury Symbiont, +12, and the Ear-dweller, +15?).


With the rune arm fully charged, I get 350~ spell power on force. Fortunately, tac det and blade barrier both use force.

With Boulder Toss and Ruin, I get crits (and normal hits) of up to 6500. I used to see numbers up to 8500 but haven't yet - not sure why.

I am going to make the black dragon armor to see if I can boost my xbow dps output - this will slightly affect my spell power by lowering it 15. Not sure if the boost to xbow damage will cover for the 15 spell power.

[Livmo]

All of your feedback is very helpful.

I agree. I see the gear I had from last life and now is gonna have to be re-worked again. I've had some success with the scepters by lining up items to be swapped around with spells used together ona hot bar:
Equip Scepters (crafted another to offset the first one to get max. fire and force, and added electric)
Hit with Lightning Sphere (added spell boost on 2nd scepter)
Hit with Tactical Detonation
Then click main repeater/rune arm combo.



Sorta cumbersome, but it works great. Like Rakuda13 mentioned in his post, I did wade into some melee massess and dropped Lightening Sphere, TD, then Blade Barrier. As I backed out of the pit of baddies and pulling them thru the BB I switched to repeater and main arm to spray down the hoard. I found a few other situations where the scpeters shined and where they did not. Although the spell power boost is awesome, the run and gun play style is affected.

I think ericrd and Singular are on the right track about adjusting gear. I'm stock piling Reconstruct, Impulse, Fire, Electric, and Acid augments at L20 for +90 to spell power. However, I need more items with red slots.

I spent allot of time in the crafting hall this weekend. I will post some of my items here once the dust settles. I made several more items of various types with augment slots. Also I usually only put Masterful Craftmanship on my rune arms so I can use them at lower levels, but over the weekend I added spell power to some, ranged alarcity, and spell penetration to others. Some of the arms are now L17 and L20. I did this to have to switch to less scepters. I was running a pair for repair/heal, but don't need that as much once I crafted 66 reconstruct on one of my arms I tested.

I wish the Arcaic Device had higher force spell buff. Its 60 and my scepter is 66. I got another xbow over the weekend to use with the arm that has kinetic and impulse on it. I haven't tested yet.

I'm gonna run with the Blue Dragon Scale Armor and Helm once I hit L25. I do have the Wheloon bracers at L15, but I will look into some of those other items. Before the pass I was going to slot acid into my Quil, but now I'm gonna do force.

On a side note, you can only craft so much on a scepter and ring. The DDO Store is the on the only place I've seen this auggie, but they have a +11 to spell craft skill auggie in the shop. I had just enough points to buy one and I slotted into a ring. I wish I had 2 more, but will have to save up points from fav to get those.

[Livmo]

OK I'm still working thru my gear and I've done a tad bit more crafting. The dust has settled for helms till at least L25.

I consolidated and freed up the helm slot. I had a Darkstorm helm I used to use every once and a while with Toven's Hammer and now its my main helm. The pro is it buffs spell power for electric without swapping gear in battle for Lightening Sphere and misc. The con is I don't have all the parts to make the epic version and at L25 I want to equip my Blue Dragon helm for the set bonus. A smaller con is the scepter is giving me 90 spell power and the helm 84, but I can livmo with that. My bigger concern is about not wearing the Blue Dragon helm at L25 if I make an epic Darkstorm Helm.

http://ddowiki.com/images/Darkstorm_Helm.png

[Phaeton_Seraph]

I can't use it yet, but in my last life, I made a crystal alchemical repeater. The mystical type, not martial. It was very helpful for spell power.

You do realise that with Cannith crafting and augments, you can make a variety of repeaters to serve the same purposes as those scepters and still be able to stay ranged, right?


On my 2nd life lvl:16 Artie, she has
negative/positive - 99
Sonic - 92
Acid - 135
And everything else is 120
Wearing my Iron Beads with a spellcraft +7 augment, my electrical goes up to 147 (and everything else goes up by +7).

So if you're getting less than me, while at epic levels, I think that you must have neglected your spellcraft skill or your Int.

[Livmo]

I can't use it yet, but in my last life, I made a crystal alchemical repeater. The mystical type, not martial. It was very helpful for spell power.

You do realise that with Cannith crafting and augments, you can make a variety of repeaters to serve the same purposes as those scepters and still be able to stay ranged, right?


On my 2nd life lvl:16 Artie, she has
negative/positive - 99
Sonic - 92
Acid - 135
And everything else is 120
Wearing my Iron Beads with a spellcraft +7 augment, my electrical goes up to 147 (and everything else goes up by +7).

So if you're getting less than me, while at epic levels, I think that you must have neglected your spellcraft skill or your Int.

Yes, but I'm still mulling over options. I do have the EE Iron Beads, but want to wear the EE Death's Lockett. My spellcraft skill is maxed and so is my INT (34pt build). I do have a clear +11 Spellcraft augment that's L20 to slot. However, I want to wait till I got My L25 gear re-sorted before I plant it.

Clubs were and easy and quick way to consolidate. They are working great, but cumbersome. I need to buff reconstruct, fire, force, and electric. I would be nice to find an item I can equip that I can get fire and force spell power boosted on.

At level 25 my armor will give me spell penatration III. Chance to crit on spell for fire and force would be nice. Is there a general spell crit boost?

[voodoogroves]

Since most of what you're doing is at range anyway, you don't *need* the repeater.

I've got a character who's nearly done with her final sorc life, and i'm seriously considering an Arti 15 or 16 / something built primarily as a caster (zappy zappy) reusing her wind bracers, etc. She'll swing whatever I can find that's handy.

Mind you, this would be heroic only. Most of the arti spells cap at a max CL; may dip Sorc for some additional SP, etc. Wish there were good heroic level options for non-sorcs to increase max CL.

[Livmo]

Since most of what you're doing is at range anyway, you don't *need* the repeater.

I've got a character who's nearly done with her final sorc life, and i'm seriously considering an Arti 15 or 16 / something built primarily as a caster (zappy zappy) reusing her wind bracers, etc. She'll swing whatever I can find that's handy.

Mind you, this would be heroic only. Most of the arti spells cap at a max CL; may dip Sorc for some additional SP, etc. Wish there were good heroic level options for non-sorcs to increase max CL.

You have valid point. Last night I had a great ax swinger in the party and I just equipped the scepters (fire and force spell boost and both have 11 or 12% crit on them, electric on side).

We were in Shadow of a Doubt and all I did was throw Lightening Spheres, Tactical Detonation and Blade Barrier. It was Heroic Elite, so I think L19 ish. The TD would melt the shadows when it crit. Very impressive. The ax wielder easily dispatched any shade not evicerrated by the TD.

Did not really need the repeater. My arty does a little of everything, but it would be neat to make a caster arty with scepters.


--

The main reason for this thread is that I lost the ability for boost spell power with Enhancements. Before the I could get my TD to crit for over 1000 hp dam with the Draconic ED. I haven't been able to get my TD back to that level and my Reconstruct needs help as well.

[voodoogroves]

You have valid point. Last night I had a great ax swinger in the party and I just equipped the scepters (fire and force spell boost and both have 11 or 12% crit on them, electric on side).

We were in Shadow of a Doubt and all I did was throw Lightening Spheres, Tactical Detonation and Blade Barrier. It was Heroic Elite, so I think L19 ish. The TD would melt the shadows when it crit. Very impressive. The ax wielder easily dispatched any shade not evicerrated by the TD.

Did not really need the repeater. My arty does a little of everything, but it would be neat to make a caster arty with scepters.


--

The main reason for this thread is that I lost the ability for boost spell power with Enhancements. Before the I could get my TD to crit for over 1000 hp dam with the Draconic ED. I haven't been able to get my TD back to that level and my Reconstruct needs help as well.

I'm thinking i'll use a one-hander and a rune-arm. The one-hander though will be whatever is best for the core casting (the SLAs) or if I need to smash face, to be smashy.

[Livmo]

I've used allot of advice in this thread and I'm starting to get a handle on the spell power. I still have some scenarios and items to think through. I crafted about 7 repeaters with red augment slots and got some more rune arms to craft on.

I did make it back to L25 and now I have more options. Once the dust settled I duel wielded the scepters I crafted and with the Raiders Box I took the Twilight for later on (fire and force). Twilight has a general 6% spell crit (my armor already gives me more), but I want to upgrade it with comms to slot fire into it. I'm still toting the scepters, because they are fun:

Scepters Compared to Twilight
http://i.imgur.com/vYCfDnk.jpg

Also I worked the gear over and on these 3 items I got allot covered. Blue Dragon Armor, Helm, and Trinket

Gear
http://i.imgur.com/Tev6n6I.jpg

I'm still fiddling around with repeaters and rune arms. Basically I need a rune arm with red/orange/purple slot and the rune arms with augment slots don't have one I can put a red augment in to. For my Needle/Quil I was going to slot force until I got Twilight. Now I'm not sure what to slot on the Quil and the Nightmare? Perhaps repair spell power red augment for both?

[Livmo]

if you invested in battle engineer you should have pretty decent sp on full charge... if your using a acid based arm the challenge boots are good...for a force arm/spells a random gen impulse item(ring,helm) works with a crafted kinetic lore

i havnt been having any probs....initially i didnt like the change ...now i see the advantage of it

I'm almost done with Electric, Fire, Force, and Repair. I do want an acid set up. The rune arm I will use is epic Corruption of Nature. I want to do an acid repeater as well with red slot to boost the acid spell power without having to use that particular arm all the time. I can get the rest of the spell goodies on my gear. I'm bummed I cannot craft onto the Corruption. It would be nice to craft spell crit on it.

I know it seems like allot to want to boost Acid, Electric, Fire, Force, and Repair. I used to reset my Enhancements to go back and forth. Although I'm doing it with gear now, I haven't wrapped my brain around acid, yet.

I admit when I was crafting xbows I got sidetracked on making a reptillian bane repeater for one of the Wheloon quests. It was a nice diversion, but I need to get on the acid boost now so I can finish sorting my gear out.