The Stonehenge (18 druid / 2 monk)

[Gnarkh]

Thread obsolete due to heavily changed build, please delete and find the new build here:

http://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/437204-The-Stonehenge-(efficient-dragonmarked-caster)



My starting point for this build was originally a bow using, spell point efficient caster druid.

After some discussion in this thread I changed the build considerably. It's now focused on casting, hard defense and spell point efficiency.

May I present the all new...

Stonehenge
Elven Druid 17, Favored Soul 2, Wizard 1
True Neutral

Playstyle: Spell point efficient druid caster with excellent healing and support DPS capabilities. Features PRR, a decent spell point pool and displacement while preserving most of the druid CC and debuff rich offensive arsenal. Fun zerger as well in winter wolf form for the extra run speed.

Strengths: Displacement, huge SP pool, temp SP with Just Rewards, adequate CC and self sufficiency.

Weaknesses: weak saves, no evasion, loses some DCs and caster levels for the splash, little dodge, no evasion.

The build should be quite newbie and first live friendly. With unlocked Favored Soul and Druid as prerequisites. The longest part of the heroic levels you can stay pure druid, until you specialize for more spell points, defense and spell efficiency.

Past lives, especially to push Evocation DC and tomes will make the build more powerful, it should however be fun to play without.

The level split sacrifices some sheer casting power (for most spells 2 max. levels) and spell DCs (-1 for evocation, -3 for conjuration and transmutation) for more defenses, an extra feat, a higher spell point pool and temp SP gained by spell criticals from fire and light spells. If anyone wants to math it, go ahead, I believe the potential DPS to be slightly lower than a pure build, but close enough to make splashing a valuable trade off.

By choosing elven the build aims at newer characters, that haven't made displacement clickies yet. It helps better geared characters as well, with a higher spell point pool and temp SP with Feytap. Also, elves look sexy in dragon scale armor. :)

I believe the build to be quite viable in EE in a group setting for its versatility, CC, debuffs and healing capabilities. It's not a great solo toon on harder difficulties due to the weak saves. (remains to be seen, I'm at the moment leveling the toon and will make changes to the build accordingly.)


Recommended Starting Stats:




28 pts.
32 pts.
34 pts.


Strength
8
8
8


Dexterity
8
8
8


Constituition
14
16
16


Intelligence
10
8
10


Wisdom (levels here)
18
18
18


Charisma
8
8
8



Self explanatory. Wisdom for DCs and will save. Constitution as high as you can. Spare Points in Intelligence for extra skill points.


Feats



1st Wizard
Heighten Spell


1st
Maximize


3rd
Mental Toughness (or Arcane Initiate)


6th
Empower


9th
Empower Heal


12th
Lesser Dragonmark of Shadow (feat of choice, with lotsa greensteel clickies


15th
Quicken Spell


18th
Spell Focus Evocation


21st
Greater Spell Focus: Evocation


24th
Epic Spell Focus: Evocation


26th
Guardian Angel


27th
Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflex or Epic Wisdom


28th
Mass Frog



If you feel you don't need as much metamagics, these can be replaced with more feats from the Mental Toughness line and/or Toughness (even Epic Toughness if you happen to find a spare +5 CON tome in the TR bank or DDO store).

The order of leveling has little consequences to the build, I'd recommend 15xDruid, then Wiz, then 2 FvS and take the last 2 druid levels at heroic cap.


Level Split

For 17 levels druid you get:
All SLAs except Storm Of Vengeance, all the good stuff from druid casting up to level 9 spells

For 2 levels FvS you get:
More spell points and spell power for fire/light, Just Rewards (temp SP), 10 PRR, HP, 4% Spell Crit Fire/Light

For 1 level wiz Wiz you get:
More spell points, an extra feat, 1% spell crit

By the splash you lose:
-5 caster levels, -2 caster max levels, -2 WIS, -2 DC each for Conjuration and Transmutation. The max levels will be missed, the sheer caster levels won't, for many spells will cap at 28 anyways.

For 20 levels Elven you get:
Feytap (temp SP each shrine), Displacement, more SP


Skills

Concentration, Heal, Spellcraft, UMD, spare points in Balance and Diplo (aim for 40 for Shiradi). 1 point in tumble.


Defenses (selfbuffed)

- about 20-25% physical damage reduction from PRR
- 50% avoidance from displacement
- 10% avoidance from incorporeality (by gear or fey tap)
- Empowered Heal and Regenerate
- Dodge by gear capped by the Dex bonus of your (medium, non metal) armor
- free Invisibility and Shadow Walk
- 10 DR/Adamantite from Stoneskin
- vast CC and debuffing arsenal, which should perform excellent up to EH and perform some at EE
- Freedom Of Movement, Death Ward, Fire Shield
- Elemental form: +10 saving throw against, magical poisons, immunity to natural poisons, sleep, paralysis and stun, 100% bonus to fortification
- a decent AC, which is a factor while leveling and in EH.


Enhancements

Elf Racials: 15 AP Total
1 AP - Core 1x
3 AP - Phiarlan Dragonmark Focus 3x
2 AP - Lesser Dragonmark Of Shadow
2 AP - Greater Dragonmark Of Shadow
6 AP - Arcanum 3x (SP)
1 AP - Feywild Tap (free temp SP)

Druid - Seasoned Herald: 39 AP total
4 AP - Core 4x (Spellpower and SLAs)
3 AP - Beguile 3x (debuff)
8 AP - Wax and Wane 4x (more spell crit)
4 AP - Wisdom 2x
3 AP - Autumnal Susurrus 3x (acid negative and lightning spells have 40% to cause shaken)
3 AP - SLA: Produce Flame 3x
3 AP - SLA: Creeping Cold 3x
3 AP - SLA: Call Lightning 3x
3 AP - SLA: Word Of Balance 3x
2 AP - Time and Tide (+1 caster level and max caster level for season spells)
2 AP - Strength of the Solstice (more DC)
1 AP - Spring Resurgence 1x (buff ally to AoE heal at 50%)

Favored Soul - Warpriest: 8 AP total
1 AP - Core 1x
3 AP - Toughness 3x (more HP)
1 AP - Awareness 1x (1 spot wohoo!)
3 AP - Wall Of Steel (10 PRR)

Favored Soul - Angel of Vengeance: 12 AP total
1 AP - Core 1x
4 AP - Smiting 2x (4% spell crit, fire force, light and physical)
1 AP - Just Reward (10 temp SP on crit with fire force or light spells)
6 AP - Efficient Metamagic: Quicken (uses 4 less spell points)

Wizard - Archmage: 6 AP total
1 AP - Core 1x (free Grease clicky wohoo!)
3 AP - Energy of the Scholar (90 SP)
2 AP - Spell Critical (1% spell crit)

Some action point options:
- add wand&scroll mastery from Seasoned Herald for 6 AP
- add more metamagic efficiency enhancements in Seasoned Herald for 2-12 AP.


Epic Destiny
Undecided, probably Shiradi. Or primal, when I really want evasion.


Gear
The build isn't leveled yet, feel free to suggest a good layout for endgame.

As to leveling the heroic: house cannith gear, like a frozen robe, cloak of flame or windswept bracers are a very nice addition for the ideal caster stats on your favorite elements. I'll personally also use a white Draconscale Armor from level 14 on. You could also use crafted armors with invulnerability and later on life shield.

During leveling you might want to find a nice caster weapon (or craft one) and use a shield on top for more AC and PRR. There are very nice healer shields during level up, for instance Dalorent's Seal (http://ddowiki.com/page/Dalorent%27s_Seal) or the Wall of Wood (http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Wall_of_Wood).


Recommended Spells

Level 1
Faerie Fire
Entangle
Jump
Pass Without Trace
Merfolks Blessing

Level 2
Resist Energy
Creeping Cold
Gust Of Wind
Barkskin
Flameblade or Flaming Sphere

Level 3
Protection from Energy
Call Lightning
Salt Ray
Quench
Spike Growth

Level 4
Cure Serious Wound
Freedom Of Movement
Ice Storm
Dispel Magic
Enveloping Pack

Level 5
Stoneskin
Call Lightning Storm
Wall Of Fire
Death Ward
Reincarnate

Level 6
Vigor, Mass
Fire Seeds
Fire Shield
Greater Creeping Cold
Word Of Balance

Level 7
Regenerate
True Seeing
Body of the Sun
Freezing Spray

Level 8
Heal
Earthquake
Sunburst

Level 9
Regenerate Mass
Storm Of Vengeance



Please keep the thread focused on the general build idea and the druid class.

Feel free to discuss the pro / contra of going pure versus going multi class, as long as it's a pragmatic, unbiased comparison.

[Gnarkh]

Build Changes:

- 2014-02-27 Added a more comprehensive stat breakdown for 28/32/34 build points.
- 2014-03-01 Reworked the whole build, with a stronger caster focus

[Michele]

I steongly suggest you constitution as high as possible after maximizing wisdom.

If you care about reflex saves, you could increase intelligence and take insightful reflexes.

[unbongwah]

Any AA w/out at least Manyshot feels like a waste of APs, IMHO. Even if you're just using a bow for Paralyzing or stacking debuffs, surely being able to apply those effects 4x as often for 20 secs. while your spells are on CD is worth the effort, no?

[Gnarkh]

@Michele

Why get intelligence and insightful for a build like this? It doesn't need int and it's feat starved.

I agree that depending on the content you want to do, Con over Dex is a great choice. On a 34 point build: 14 Con, 14 Dex or 16 Con, 8 Dex...both good choices. I'd personally probably go 16 Dex, 14 Con and put the ramaining two points in Intelligence for an extra skillpoint. As 3 build points for con are not worth it for me and +3 reflex saves are more important than 30 HP if you got evasion imho.

I'll change the post to reflect that.



Any AA w/out at least Manyshot feels like a waste of APs, IMHO.

A part of me agrees with that as well (I played pure rangers, a monkcher and lately a thrower, hence maybe the ranged addiction). But what would you drop for those feats?

I came up with the idea to add AA, because I wanted to invest AP in the Elven tree anyways for Dragonmarks and Feywild Tap.

The AA tree practically adds 2 Wisdom, 200 SP (100 elven, 100 AA) and a temp SP each shot (Soul Magic). Debuffing being sugar on top on a casting heavy build.

If you consider 18 druid, evasion, elven dragonmarks and full metamagics the core of the build, what would you consider a stronger option?

Option A, go 'drucher': Drop evocation line and another feat (quicken?) for improved crit, go heavy on AA. Lose 4 Evocation DC and have a stronger ranged damage option. Worth it?

Option B, go lighter on AA, focus casting and Herald tree more (I might do that...after testing different options while leveling up)

I'm open for an option C...

[Michele]

@Michele

Why get intelligence and insightful for a build like this? It doesn't need int and it's feat starved.


int = spellcraft = spellpower = skill points

what do you need empower healing? it doesn't make so much difference on a druid.
however I don't bother too much about reflex saves (I'm hitting 40+ reflex saves without evasion in epic elite content and I'm ok with that... I usually die because melee mobs double strike me hard for 200/300 hit points blows each).

however I would just focus on wisdom and constitution because druids have low reflex saves.
I prefer hit points and prr instead of evasion and dodge (also with a monk you are not centered when using 2 scepters).

I'm one of those against monk splash (even if I enjoyed 1 life with 2 monk/18 druid) because I loose too much in caster side, especially in heroic levels from 1 to 20 (I want my earthquake at level 15, and all my offensive spells as soon as possible, body of the sun, heal, etcetera, sunbeam, etcetera).

Druids have few spell points, so I would focus on maximizing the spell points amount (see the thread named "Evoker" in this forum for more details, that build is suited for any difficulty included epic elite).

[unbongwah]

A part of me agrees with that as well (I played pure rangers, a monkcher and lately a thrower, hence maybe the ranged addiction). But what would you drop for those feats?
Well, if you were willing to drop Evasion (which is hopefully unnecessary on a long-distance toon like this), you can do druid 18 / rgr 2 to get Bow STR & Rapid Shot free. Then for feats you take, say, PBS, Maximize, Least DM, Manyshot, Quicken, Emp Heal, and SF:Evo (to open the Evo Twists), with three feats leftover for either more ranged DPS (Prec Shot, IPS, IC:Ranged) or more metas (Emp, Heighten, Extend). If you stick w/DEX-based and don't need Bow STR, ftr 2 splash instead would also work.

[Gnarkh]

int = spellcraft = spellpower = skill points

What would you use extra skill points for? I have to disagree that using build points to increase Spellcraft is a good idea, that's kind of a neglectible increase.


what do you need empower healing?

Depends on how much you focus on healing I guess.


I would just focus on wisdom and constitution because druids have low reflex saves

Very much possible. I personally never use 3:1 build points unless I feel it's adding substantially to the build like a caster main stat.

Can we agree, it's a tradeoff between slightly higher HP and slightly higher reflex saves?


Druids have few spell points, so I would focus on maximizing the spell points amount

Which means dropping feats for the mental toughness line, unless I overlook something. Possibilities (imho):

- drop Empower Heal (I wouldn't)
- drop Dragonmarks, go human, aka play a different build altogether :)

I'd personally use any feats I drop for better DCs first, so my first pick would be Arcane Initiate, before I even consider adding Mental Toughness.

Which ones would you drop?

I maybe should add, that the core idea of the build is a fun, versatile and level friendly druid build with acceptable DCs, not a minmax'ed druid caster, which I would probably build pure and human as well, see Markeyx' thread (https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/435400-Markeyx-Build-2014-%28Caster-Healer-DPS-and-CC%29).

[Gnarkh]

Well, if you were willing to drop Evasion (which is hopefully unnecessary on a long-distance toon like this), you can do druid 18 / rgr 2 to get Bow STR & Rapid Shot free. Then for feats you take, say, PBS, Maximize, Least DM, Manyshot, Quicken, Emp Heal, and SF:Evo (to open the Evo Twists), with three feats leftover for either more ranged DPS (Prec Shot, IPS, IC:Ranged) or more metas (Emp, Heighten, Extend). If you stick w/DEX-based and don't need Bow STR, ftr 2 splash instead would also work.

Good suggestions. I'd probably go indeed fighter 2 in this case and try to fit in Grace somehow (difficult...AP are so tight). Whenever I think along that line, I want to shift focus entirely though...

If I invested in the feats, I'd weaken casting considerably. So why not go all the way, splash let's say 15 druid (heal!) / 4 ranger / 1 fighter wis/str based. Or hmmm 15 druid / 3 monk / 2 fighter and fit in Grace. Dump a lot of the SH tree and more of AA and the Elven Bow line. Very tempting. Sort of a bow using druid past live build.

I played a build very similiar to this, for a short while, when grabbing a past live before the enhancement pass. And it was tons of fun and quite strong. It was basically a full arcane archer with added benefits, like Heal and strong cold DoTs. It felt like a very underrated and powerful option for an archer build.

Water Elemental Form + Ice Storm + Freezing Spray + 2 Cold DoTs + Cold DoT SLA + Shiradi + Manyshot + Slayers.

Equals some nasty boss DPS. :D (I never figured out by the way, if the two Creeping Colds and the SLA stack or overwrite each other...could someone enlighten me on that?)

This would work very well pure (or with an evasion splash for that matter) as well. Focus on casting less, as you described. Shift the build focus and have a strong archer with 'mediocre' SLAs and earthquake on top. Hmmmmmm.....

One reason I want to keep evasion in the build is to be more versatile while leveling heroics and EDs.

Regarding this specific build...any ideas for better synergies than AA, provided I keep the build centered.

I might as well end up with a pure druid that really only keeps the bow for the added SP, Soul Magic and maybe dispelling / shattermantle. So a lot less investment in the AA tree entirely.

Thanks for the feedback, keep it coming, it's really only the brainstorming phase.

[unbongwah]

One reason I want to keep evasion in the build is to be more versatile while leveling heroics and EDs. On a final build I might just go pure druid and grab Evasion from Primal.
Note that Natural Evasion (or Nature's Fury) from PA only works "while in animal form, unarmed, or two-weapon fighting." So it won't do an archer / caster any good. :(

[Gnarkh]

And many thanks for mentioning that. *vanishes to wiki to read primal avatar a bit more thoroughly*

[Munkenmo]

Curios why you don't splash one more level in either wizard or fighter or ranger. Going 17/2/1 would have very very little effect on your Casting ability (loss of 1 spell pen).

The bonus feats could be quite useful for you though

Infact splashing ranger would actually give you a net gain of 4ap, bow strength & a favored enemy.
1ap in deepwood sniper = 10positive spell power & 1sneak attack die :D

[Gnarkh]

The net loss would be a bit higher. I'd also lose more spellpoints (unless I splash wizzy) and the storm of vengeance SLA.

Might still be a good tradeoff, depending on the build focus, thanks for mentioning the idea.

I'm not sure what you mean with a net gain of 4 AP?

If you refer to unlocking the AA tree, that wouldn't work. The ranger and elven version of AA are independent (and mutually exclusive) trees, so if I unlock with one level of ranger, I can only pick tier 1 enhancements in that version of the tree.

I'll wrap my head around this more on the weekend. Got all sorts of weird ideas now like going pure (oh, the blasphemy) or dropping monk and adding FvS and fighter for Just Rewards and a feat and make some weird spell efficiency archer / caster hybrid...

...thanks everyone for pushing my brain into theorycrafting hell :D.

[Munkenmo]

Given your lack of archery feats, I'd only spend 1tier in the AA tree.

Looking at your Feat's and AP, I'd give up empower heal and pull back some positive spell power from the Natures Warrior tree.

Infact, as silly as it sounds, I think you may be better off using shurikens instead of a bow. Get the feat shuriken expertise instead of zen archery.

[Gnarkh]

Infact, as silly as it sounds, I think you may be better off using shurikens instead of a bow.

Actually, that's an interesting idea. Get one feat, a nice spelltouched and be done with it. Hm :). It would sort of minimize the gains of AA to 100 SP though and a little amount of stance damage. Speaking from my experiences with the thrower build I did, without a huge investment in Dex, the damage will still be horrible and it would be a pure debuffing toy.

*mumbles something about a FvS split with shuriken and feels a little silly now*

I have to admit, I'm less and less convinced the build idea as presented was a good synergy in the first place. I'm tempted to drop the whole archery / evasion idea and maybe head down the druid / fvs route, grab PRR and more SH. Wear a shield and medium. Would fit the Stonehenge name better as well...:)

[Gnarkh]

Well, after a good night's sleep I decided to overhaul the whole build as the bow wielding seemed less and less appealing.

Reposted the build in a new thread, as I couldn't figure out how to change the thread title:
https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/437204-The-Stonehenge-%28efficient-dragonmarked-caster%29

Please /close or /delete.