Another EK build attempt

[fool101]

I have recently come back to DDO, I had to stop gaming for the summer due to job/personal life.

One build that I had really liked in concept for quite some time is an AOE powerhouse build. I had considered many permutations usually involving 12wiz/6f/2? With EK I think I can come closer yet to what I had in mind. Unfortunately (if you will) it now becomes a staff user (which I have accumulated over the years).

I have been playing around in my head with 12w/6m/2fs. There are a number of options I am considering to "optimize" this build, keeping in mind that this person would wield staffs at the least and at least experiment with EK.

Decision 1. go 12 wizard for wraith form or go to 8 to 10 wiz and go AM (mostly for Shiradi) and add more FvS?

2. do I use the Henshin Mystic capstone or EK capstone?

3. do I do something completely different?

There seems to be a lot of synergy with these combinations in the form of fire and force spellpower increases. Maybe this would be a wash though vs pure caster. ED would be either Shiradi or LD.

suggestions?

[DeathsApprentice]

I've made an Eldritch Knight build that fights with quarterstaves: www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/429604-Eldritch-Juggerknight

It's pretty flexible, so you might get some use out of it.

[Failedlegend]

Decision 1. go 12 wizard for wraith form or go to 8 to 10 wiz and go AM (mostly for Shiradi) and add more FvS?

AM does nothing for a heavily multi-classed wizrd go at least 12 Wiz Palemaster and use wraithform



2. do I use the Henshin Mystic capstone or EK capstone?

Neither you need to be Level 20 to take the capstone of any class whihc means no multi-classing, unless you mean Tier 5 enhancements in which case I'd say take the EK capstone or don't bother putting more than a few points in it because otherwise its not worth



3. do I do something completely different?

To be honest yes EK actually does very little to help out spellcasters to be Gish types builds it actually is much better as a splash for normal melees due to how improved shield/armor work

Also Henshin is nice but overall pointless most things that normally boost spellcasting don't affect Henshin and unfortunately anything more than a light splash makes them useless due to low DCs...if you really want to make a staff build I'd recommend at least 2 rogue levels for the boosted attack speed.

Now I'm not entirely sure what you want out of this build...an Arcane Tank? A primary spellcaster with a melee option?, A Melee DPS with buffs? but I'll try

Build 1) Q-Staff User Wiz18/Rogue2: this one is actually a pretty standard wizard (see Paletrapper) except it uses a few AP in the Acrobat line and maybe takes a feat or to so it has a melee option

Build 2) Wizard12/Fighter6/Rogue2: A Self-Healing (UMD is mainly for harm) arcane tank that if played right is nigh unkillable..this build doesnt even try to use most of its offensive and CC spells only a handful of them which has no DC to pass (Ice STorm, Force Spells, Niac's Biting Cold) and a bunch of buffs to turn him into an awesome tank and passable DPS...wears light armor and a heavy shield whilst making heavy use of ASF reduction items and twilight...in epic ditches the light armor in favor of epic mage armor feat. No epic destiny really suits this build. Dwarf is best with D-Axes, Human is close second with B-Swords.

Build 3) Elven TWF Dex/Int Based: This one I'm still working on and is likely what my build 2 is going to TR into (if not Build # 4) its a Mix of Wizard12/RangerX/???0-X it basically does one thing Melee DPS utilizing buffs to become even more awesome as well as ) DC spells like ice storm


Build 4) PDK Sorc18/Pally2 (requires an LR+1): Uses a greatsword and main line Cha with a Con secondary this one actually does utilize EK because it cant pick up cleave/great cleave due to no Str its feats are a bit limited but with the right balance of spellcasting and melee feats it can be quite potent at both and since you actuallyu have your casting stat as a main stat you can act like a full caster whilst having good melee DPS as well...a skilled enough user could match a pure melee build by utilizing bothg magic and melee to its fullest potential.

Now with abit more info on what your actually looking for i can try to detail which ever build you prefer (one of mine or something completely different if im way off base) further.

[fool101]

AM does nothing for a heavily multi-classed wizrd go at least 12 Wiz Palemaster and use wraithform



Neither you need to be Level 20 to take the capstone of any class whihc means no multi-classing, unless you mean Tier 5 enhancements in which case I'd say take the EK capstone or don't bother putting more than a few points in it because otherwise its not worth



To be honest yes EK actually does very little to help out spellcasters to be Gish types builds it actually is much better as a splash for normal melees due to how improved shield/armor work

Also Henshin is nice but overall pointless most things that normally boost spellcasting don't affect Henshin and unfortunately anything more than a light splash makes them useless due to low DCs...if you really want to make a staff build I'd recommend at least 2 rogue levels for the boosted attack speed.

Now I'm not entirely sure what you want out of this build...an Arcane Tank? A primary spellcaster with a melee option?, A Melee DPS with buffs? but I'll try

Build 1) Q-Staff User Wiz18/Rogue2: this one is actually a pretty standard wizard (see Paletrapper) except it uses a few AP in the Acrobat line and maybe takes a feat or to so it has a melee option

Build 2) Wizard12/Fighter6/Rogue2: A Self-Healing (UMD is mainly for harm) arcane tank that if played right is nigh unkillable..this build doesnt even try to use most of its offensive and CC spells only a handful of them which has no DC to pass (Ice STorm, Force Spells, Niac's Biting Cold) and a bunch of buffs to turn him into an awesome tank and passable DPS...wears light armor and a heavy shield whilst making heavy use of ASF reduction items and twilight...in epic ditches the light armor in favor of epic mage armor feat. No epic destiny really suits this build. Dwarf is best with D-Axes, Human is close second with B-Swords.

Build 3) Elven TWF Dex/Int Based: This one I'm still working on and is likely what my build 2 is going to TR into (if not Build # 4) its a Mix of Wizard12/RangerX/???0-X it basically does one thing Melee DPS utilizing buffs to become even more awesome as well as ) DC spells like ice storm


Build 4) PDK Sorc18/Pally2 (requires an LR+1): Uses a greatsword and main line Cha with a Con secondary this one actually does utilize EK because it cant pick up cleave/great cleave due to no Str its feats are a bit limited but with the right balance of spellcasting and melee feats it can be quite potent at both and since you actuallyu have your casting stat as a main stat you can act like a full caster whilst having good melee DPS as well...a skilled enough user could match a pure melee build by utilizing bothg magic and melee to its fullest potential.

Now with abit more info on what your actually looking for i can try to detail which ever build you prefer (one of mine or something completely different if im way off base) further.

Thanks to the above for replies. I guess should clarify. I primarily solo due to my schedule, but I will do raids or select quests in groups. Currently I have a pure PM and monk/fgtr/drd as my main toons. I enjoy playing a DC caster and would like to keep him as such, but I would like to play an alternative style caster as well. Having a character built to be able to switch between LD and Shiradi at a whim, depending on daily preference, is something I desire. So essentially it would be a change of pace alt for me not necessarily an EE machine.

Some things I thought would fit well with the original split:
- HeM has the level 6 ability to increase the implement bonus on a staff, while adding force and fire stats and some melee dps.

-Acrobat looks ok, but didn't look that much different than HeM and would only improve the melee component vs improving both some. I have never tried acrobat so maybe I am missing something (btw, I was thinking of going human with the damage boost enhancement anyway).

-I was planning on only a fairly small splash in archmage (once epic) to get the SLAs. I would probably go PM in heroic unless there was a compelling reason to take fewer wizard levels.

-the two FvS provides spell power and more crit in force and fire and some other nice bonuses.

At any rate, I guess after looking at the HeM and EK lines it seems like there are supposed to be some real nice synergies if a few things are added to it, but maybe there really aren't enough to make it worth while.

[fool101]

Just quickly working through this, here would be the feat breakdown:

1. Wiz: insightful reflexes, empower, extend
2. Wiz
3. Monk: Power attack, Cleave
4. Monk: two handed fighting
5. Wiz:
6. Wiz: Maximize
7. Wiz: Quicken
8. Wiz:
9: Wiz: Great cleave
10: Wiz:
11: Wiz:
12: Wiz: adept of forms, Enlarge (?)
13: Wiz
14: Wiz:
15: Monk: Harmonious, IC bludg
16: Monk
17: Monk
18: Monk: master of forms, class feat (toughness maybe)
19: FvS
20: FvS
21: OC
24: grand master of forms
27: Blinding speed?


still a bit to work on...seems to be a lot of opportunity cost for this build due to class feat constraints.

again. I am not committed to doing this exact build, I am just trying to work out how such a build would be laid out.

*edited to change a couple feats

[Pala-forged]

Doesn't 6 monk give adept of forms anyway? Or am I still half asleep?

[Failedlegend]

Doesn't 6 monk give adept of forms anyway? Or am I still half asleep?

No Pala you are correct