Deathdefy
10-03-2014, 09:34 AM
Or more specifically, the:
Heavy-armour wearing, repeating crossbow using, Harper-Spy conjuration Archmage.
My aim is just good ranged damage, a sweet Web SLA and heavy armour (while also incidentally having a high reflex save). It doesn't have self-healing beyond heal scrolls, so if the innate ridiculousness of the concept isn't sufficient to turn most people off, that will.
This is a tome intensive and past life intensive build: 3 cleric PLs help, as does PL:Wizard and Completionist (though you don't actually lose conjuration DC on the last 2 feats; just replace with GSF: Conj and ESF: Conj).
The plan is for full crossbow feats, heavy armour with 0 ASF, and usable wizard spells.
Spell Pen isn't at EE Drow levels through not having the feats, losing 3 from Wizard levels, and, if I feat swap at all, being unable to pickup the spell pen enhancements from Draconic or Magister. Hence the logical Archmage school choice is Conjuration for Web.
The justification for the split is relatively easy:
1 Fighter - Access to Heavy Armour without spending a feat (since Arti gives medium), and a bonus feat. On that basis, I consider this to effectively gain 2 feats. (I mooted 18 Wizard / 2 Artificer Trasmutation Archmage, with the Flesh to Stone SLA in mind, but the Tensored 61ish DC is a bit weak for a fort save, and it loses Combat Archery + one of Precision/OC: Ranged).
2 Artificer - Rune Arms, Rapid Reload, Heavy Repeating Crossbow Proficiency. Conjure bolts is no longer a drawcard since Flame Arrow appears to now be better (500 bolts / cast).
17 Wizard - Ummm... well, it's a wizard.
Drow. Sun Elf is slightly superior (8m increase in PBS range vs useless SR), but the convenience of Drow by avoiding both the 'LR +1' entry tax and 'Iconic Past Life instead of Epic Past Life' exit tax sold it for me.
Stats:
STR 8
CON 14
WIS 8
INT 20 (+6 Tome) + 7 Level-Ups + 6 Tome + 2 Completionist + 2 Racial Enh + 2 AM Enh + 4 Harper Enh + 11 Item + 1 Exc Item + 3 Insight Item + 2 Ship Buffs + 6 Main ED + 2 Yugo = 68 Total
DEX 16 (+5 Tome)
CHA 10
Levels:
1 Artificer 1 - Quicken, Rapid Reload, Heavy Repeater Proficiency
2 Fighter 1 - Point Blank Shot
3 Artificer 2 - Completionist, Rune Arm Use
4 Wizard 1 - Heighten
5 Wizard 2
6 Wizard 3 - PL: Wizard
7 Wizard 4
8 Wizard 5 - Maximize
9 Wizard 6 - Precise Shot
10 Wizard 7
11 Wizard 8
12 Wizard 9 - Precision
13 Wizard 10 - Empower
14 Wizard 11
15 Wizard 12 - Insightful Reflexes
16 Wizard 13
17 Wizard 14
18 Wizard 15 - IC: Ranged, SF: Conjuration
19 Wizard 16
20 Wizard 17
21 Epic - Improved Precise Shot
22 Epic
23 Epic
24 Epic - OC: Ranged
25 Epic
26 Epic - Pierce: Adamantine
27 Epic - Combat Archery
28 Epic - Doubleshot
Enhancements:
Archmage 31
Core
Grease
Web
Stink Cl
DDoor
Tier 1
Wands 3
Sp. Crit 1
Tier 2
Efficient Max 2
Tier 3
Spell Pen 3
Int 1
Tier 4
SF: Conjuration
Int 1
Heighten 2
2 Floater Points
Harper 34
Core
Agent 1
Int
Agent 3
Int
Tier 1
Harper Enchant
Strategic Combat 1
Energy Resist
Tier 2
Angles 3
Tier 3
Strategic Combat 2
Int 1
Favored Enemy: Undead
Tier 4
Int 1
Eschew
Hamp
Throat Dagger 2
Tier 5
Patience
Moment of Clarity
Drow 9
Core
SR
+1 Int
SR
+1 Int
Tier 1
Armour Red 3
EK 6
Core
Core 1
Charge weap
Tier 1
Improved MA 3
Toughness 1
Epic Twists:
Magister Conjuration Focus
Otto's
Pin
Epic Destiny:
Draconic. It's an Int Destiny and gives Energy Burst and +2 Conjuration DC within the tree.
Shadowdancer is possible, but will trash the Web DC.
Magister smells, but I'm curious to see its interaction with 'Moment of Clarity' from the Harper tree.
Arcane Spell Failure:
EK Charge Weapon 5% + Drow Arcane Fluidity 15% + Sapphire of ASF 15% = 35%
Which is all that's required for heavy shadow armour.
Conjuration DC:
Base 10 + Spell Level 9 + Int Mod 29 + 1 SF Feats + 1 Wiz PL + 1 AM Enh + 1 Harper T5 + 3 Mag Spec + 5 SF Item + 1 Ship Buff + 2 Augment + 3 Cleric Past-Lives + 2 Draconic - 2 Tensor's = 66
Everything else also has a reasonable DC but nothing to write home about.
I think that's it. I'll TR into it when I hit cap on my horrific current pure Cleric life. I had taken a 2 month break from the game but U23 seems good so I'm keen to try out a weapon focused Harper Spy build on a wizard.
I don't think the PRR/MRR will be super exciting with just heavy armour but no shield or AC/PRR support enhancements, but free extend on displacement (from Harper Spy T5) and a ranged playstyle mean I'm not too bothered if the MRR/PRR mitigation ends up being super weak.
EDIT: I'm not writing up gear since I'm going to use it to repeatedly ETR. Sage Shoes at 27 for +5 Conj are exciting for that final stretch though.
Heavy-armour wearing, repeating crossbow using, Harper-Spy conjuration Archmage.
My aim is just good ranged damage, a sweet Web SLA and heavy armour (while also incidentally having a high reflex save). It doesn't have self-healing beyond heal scrolls, so if the innate ridiculousness of the concept isn't sufficient to turn most people off, that will.
This is a tome intensive and past life intensive build: 3 cleric PLs help, as does PL:Wizard and Completionist (though you don't actually lose conjuration DC on the last 2 feats; just replace with GSF: Conj and ESF: Conj).
The plan is for full crossbow feats, heavy armour with 0 ASF, and usable wizard spells.
Spell Pen isn't at EE Drow levels through not having the feats, losing 3 from Wizard levels, and, if I feat swap at all, being unable to pickup the spell pen enhancements from Draconic or Magister. Hence the logical Archmage school choice is Conjuration for Web.
The justification for the split is relatively easy:
1 Fighter - Access to Heavy Armour without spending a feat (since Arti gives medium), and a bonus feat. On that basis, I consider this to effectively gain 2 feats. (I mooted 18 Wizard / 2 Artificer Trasmutation Archmage, with the Flesh to Stone SLA in mind, but the Tensored 61ish DC is a bit weak for a fort save, and it loses Combat Archery + one of Precision/OC: Ranged).
2 Artificer - Rune Arms, Rapid Reload, Heavy Repeating Crossbow Proficiency. Conjure bolts is no longer a drawcard since Flame Arrow appears to now be better (500 bolts / cast).
17 Wizard - Ummm... well, it's a wizard.
Drow. Sun Elf is slightly superior (8m increase in PBS range vs useless SR), but the convenience of Drow by avoiding both the 'LR +1' entry tax and 'Iconic Past Life instead of Epic Past Life' exit tax sold it for me.
Stats:
STR 8
CON 14
WIS 8
INT 20 (+6 Tome) + 7 Level-Ups + 6 Tome + 2 Completionist + 2 Racial Enh + 2 AM Enh + 4 Harper Enh + 11 Item + 1 Exc Item + 3 Insight Item + 2 Ship Buffs + 6 Main ED + 2 Yugo = 68 Total
DEX 16 (+5 Tome)
CHA 10
Levels:
1 Artificer 1 - Quicken, Rapid Reload, Heavy Repeater Proficiency
2 Fighter 1 - Point Blank Shot
3 Artificer 2 - Completionist, Rune Arm Use
4 Wizard 1 - Heighten
5 Wizard 2
6 Wizard 3 - PL: Wizard
7 Wizard 4
8 Wizard 5 - Maximize
9 Wizard 6 - Precise Shot
10 Wizard 7
11 Wizard 8
12 Wizard 9 - Precision
13 Wizard 10 - Empower
14 Wizard 11
15 Wizard 12 - Insightful Reflexes
16 Wizard 13
17 Wizard 14
18 Wizard 15 - IC: Ranged, SF: Conjuration
19 Wizard 16
20 Wizard 17
21 Epic - Improved Precise Shot
22 Epic
23 Epic
24 Epic - OC: Ranged
25 Epic
26 Epic - Pierce: Adamantine
27 Epic - Combat Archery
28 Epic - Doubleshot
Enhancements:
Archmage 31
Core
Grease
Web
Stink Cl
DDoor
Tier 1
Wands 3
Sp. Crit 1
Tier 2
Efficient Max 2
Tier 3
Spell Pen 3
Int 1
Tier 4
SF: Conjuration
Int 1
Heighten 2
2 Floater Points
Harper 34
Core
Agent 1
Int
Agent 3
Int
Tier 1
Harper Enchant
Strategic Combat 1
Energy Resist
Tier 2
Angles 3
Tier 3
Strategic Combat 2
Int 1
Favored Enemy: Undead
Tier 4
Int 1
Eschew
Hamp
Throat Dagger 2
Tier 5
Patience
Moment of Clarity
Drow 9
Core
SR
+1 Int
SR
+1 Int
Tier 1
Armour Red 3
EK 6
Core
Core 1
Charge weap
Tier 1
Improved MA 3
Toughness 1
Epic Twists:
Magister Conjuration Focus
Otto's
Pin
Epic Destiny:
Draconic. It's an Int Destiny and gives Energy Burst and +2 Conjuration DC within the tree.
Shadowdancer is possible, but will trash the Web DC.
Magister smells, but I'm curious to see its interaction with 'Moment of Clarity' from the Harper tree.
Arcane Spell Failure:
EK Charge Weapon 5% + Drow Arcane Fluidity 15% + Sapphire of ASF 15% = 35%
Which is all that's required for heavy shadow armour.
Conjuration DC:
Base 10 + Spell Level 9 + Int Mod 29 + 1 SF Feats + 1 Wiz PL + 1 AM Enh + 1 Harper T5 + 3 Mag Spec + 5 SF Item + 1 Ship Buff + 2 Augment + 3 Cleric Past-Lives + 2 Draconic - 2 Tensor's = 66
Everything else also has a reasonable DC but nothing to write home about.
I think that's it. I'll TR into it when I hit cap on my horrific current pure Cleric life. I had taken a 2 month break from the game but U23 seems good so I'm keen to try out a weapon focused Harper Spy build on a wizard.
I don't think the PRR/MRR will be super exciting with just heavy armour but no shield or AC/PRR support enhancements, but free extend on displacement (from Harper Spy T5) and a ranged playstyle mean I'm not too bothered if the MRR/PRR mitigation ends up being super weak.
EDIT: I'm not writing up gear since I'm going to use it to repeatedly ETR. Sage Shoes at 27 for +5 Conj are exciting for that final stretch though.