Guide pt II - Instakill

[Aspenor]

Part III: The Nuker will be coming soon. The build is radically different from the previous two.

*edit* /shakes fist STUPID FORUMS. Ninja'd my buildz!!

[Aspenor]

Aspenor's Guide to Rolling and Building a Sorceror pt II

First of all, you have to know what you want from your sorceror. Do you want to be a crowd control master? Do you want to be an instant-death killing machine? Or maybe you prefer direct damage/nuking....All of these are viable options. Each type will have different feats, spells, and different enhancement focus.

Firstly, lets start with stats. DDO has peculiar rules regarding caster classes, which differ greatly from PnP. Firstly, and most notably, IMHO at end-game the only stats that matter are your primary casting stat (Charisma, in the case of sorcerors), and your constitution score (governs your hit points). Keep in mind that sorcerors only get 2 skill points + INT modifier per level. Concentration is of utmost importance, because you want your spells to go off when you cast them, you don't want some monster hitting you to stop it. UMD is a common favorite, and a high level sorceror can use raise dead scrolls if he/she is properly equipped. Maxxing both these skills will take ALL your base skill points.

It is thus my recommendation to start all sorcerors with enough intelligence to gain 3 skill points per level. My three skills I chose were concentration, UMD, and jump. Jump is for evasive maneuvering, and is incredibly useful for avoiding damage. YOU WILL NOT want to stand still when mobs attack you.
PS RE: SKILLS--You may choose to take diplomacy instead of jump. Diplomacy ROCKS for a sorceror, and I will get around to explaining that later.

My recommended Starting stats, drow sorceror
STR-8
DEX-10
CON-14
INT-12
WIS-8
CHA-20

Skill points spent AT EVERY LEVEL in UMD, jump, and concentration. (PS-OR DIPLOMACY INSTEAD OF JUMP)

Feats (in Order): (Drow)
Maximize
Extend
Heighten
Spell Penetration
Spell Focus: Necromancy
Greater Spell Penetration

Feats (in Order): (Human)
Maximize
Extend
Heighten
Spell Penetration
Spell Focus: Necromancy
Greater Spell Penetration
Empower (or SF: UMD, or another spell focus I.E. illusion or abjuration)

Feats--You sacrifice a direct damage feat (empower) for added hitting power for your instant kill spells.

Spell choices: 1st level
Charm Person, Niacs
At first level you will want to be able to short-man quests, and you will want to be able to take control of the baddies to fight for you. Charm Person works on kobolds and hobgoblins, the common enemies in the early game. Niacs is for damage output. It is the highest damage spell for first level available, and it works well on early mobs, especially casters. A sorceror should remember melee mobs have low will, and caster mobs have low dex, so charm the fighting types
and kill the caster types.

Spell Choice: 2nd level
Hypnotism
Will save spell, useful for making groups of mobs stand still. A sorceror can spam cast 2-3 hypnotisms and render entire crowds immobile. I recommend taking this at 2nd level to help control crowds.
Alternative: Burning hands
Burning hands is a good low level damage spell for groups of monsters, and taking burning hands at second level also allows the sorceror to be more effective against undead, since ice does not work on skeletons.

Spell Choice: 3rd Level
Burning Hands
See above, alternative spell is hypnotism.

Spell Choice: 4th level
Web or Resist Energy
Web is the fundamental crowd control spell in the game. Learn it, use it, and master it. Being able to use this spell effectively will help you use others later down the line. Resist energy is a MUST HAVE for a sorceror. Taking this spell early also makes your sorceror more able to short-man quests for quicker experience. You can make due with your first level spells for CC and damage.

Spell Choice: 5th Level
Web or Resist Energy
Whichever one is not chosen at 4th, take it at 5th.

Spell Chice: 6th Level
Haste
Everybody loves haste. You know you can't live without it. At low levels there is nothing like hasting a fighter.

Now's when it gets hairy. Around 6th level, you no longer need some early spells, and you are in need of different spells for the quests you are in.
For example, Stormcleave is a common 6-8 experience quest, and the giant at the end canot be harmed by Niac's. However, crowd control is necessary for this quest, and it would be awful tough to give up one of your CC spells. At 6th level I recommend dropping burning hands for magic missle, simply for use in killing the giant. If you feel you can count
on your fighters to do this, this change may not be necessary.
Spell Swap- Burning Hands for Magic Missile

Spell Choice: 7th Level
2nd Level - Blur
3rd Level - Fireball
Blur will be your first defensive buff. KEEP YOURSELF BLURRED. You have no AC. Damage avoidance is your only way to survive. Fireball replaces burning hands as your AoE killer.

Recommended spell swap at 7th level:
Niac's for Jump
Niacs is no longer your primary killing spell. Fireball is a reflex save, and performs just as well as Niacs but AoE. Jump is necessary for evasive maneuvering.
Jump is a must-have for a 14th level caster.

Spell Choice: 8th level
Phantasmal Killer - First instant-kill spell. Learn to love it. Dual fortitude & will save for the kill.

Spell Choices: 9th level
W))T!! We get 3 spells this level!
2nd Level - Scorching Ray
3rd Level - Displacement
4th Level - Wall of Fire
Displacement is a MUST HAVE for a sorceror. 50% miss chance will save your tail ALOT. Use this spell, and use it often when you get aggro.
Scorching ray - staple high level damage spell. At low levels it is less useful, due to 1 ray only. It now has 2.
Wall of Fire - Staple damage spell. Learn to love it. You'll be jumping around in it like a jackrabbit on crack.

Spell Choices: 10th level
5th level - Hold Monster
Hold Monster is your new Melee destruction spell. Being attacked by a fighter type mob? HOLD THEM. Will save spell.

Recommended spell swap:
Hypnotism for Nightshield
With your casting speed on hold monster, hypnotism is not necessary. Use web for group control, if necessary. More mobs cast magic missles and force missiles at high levels, including the Stormreaver. Magic missles are unavoidable damage, and this simple spell lasts for 1min/level, and absorbs all missile effects. It also gives resistance bonus to saves.

Spell Choices: 11th Level
3rd Level - Protection from energy
4th Level - Stoneskin
5th Level - Cone of Cold
I R SQUISSHEEEE
Displacement and stoneskin is the BEST armor class in the game. Use it, love it. Live it.
Protection from energy may seem like it is unnecessary, but you won't think so when you get hit with 100 damage lightning and 180 damage polar rays. Damage mitigation is your friend. Cone of Cold is your new burning hands, except much better. Especially useful on fire monsters (14th level crits up to 2000-ish).

Spell choices: 12th level
6th Level - Flesh to Stone
This spell is your new caster-stopper. It is a fort save, and clerics/caster types have low con. Use it, and love it. Spam it, if you must.

Spell Choices: 13th Level
4th Level-Enervation
5th level-Dominate Person
6th Level-Greater Heroism
Enervation is your debuff spell. Hit tough mobs with an enervation (it has no save) and then PK to your heart's content.
Dominate Person is your new charm person.

Possible Spell Swap, depending on preference
You may wish to keep web, but I find myself with no shortage of spells to throw with this build. I swap web for false life, free temp. hit points from mana.

Spell Choice: 14th Level
7th - Finger of Death
Single fortitude save or death. Learn to love it.

Spell Choice: 15th Level
5th - Break Enchantment
6th - Disintegrate
7th - Banishment

Spell Choice: 16th Level
8th - Trap the Soul - or swap for something else, Greater Shout, or Otto's if you actually intend on using your 8th level slot regularly

Enhancements
-----------------
WIP

[Eldun]

What would your recommended list of weapons, items be for this build?

[Aspenor]

What would your recommended list of weapons, items be for this build?

recommended if available:
Helm of Wizardry VI or VII, or Helm of Concentration 10+, pick opposite of ring slot
Fearsome Robe of Heavy Fortification/Improved False Life
+6 Charisma Ring
Feather Falling Boots of Springing(highest + possible)
Stormreaver's Napkin
Superior Potency V or VI one hander, V might suffice since I dont think I have and 6+ damage spells
Superior Lore on handers or Green Blade, recommend superior lore
+10 or better concentration Ring, or Wiz VI or VII if available
Bracers of the Demon's Consort
Pouch of Jerky or Stormreaver Head
GFL Belt or Heavy fort belt (see robe, pick other)

[Fennario]

Just out of curiosity, does the jump skill cap at 40 as I have heard? So with the jump spell (+30), and a pair of Springing +11 boots (covers the -1 str mod if not wearing an item), you would still have the highest jump attainable.

Just wondering, as I chose to max out Diplomacy on my sorcerer. Thanks.

P.S. I wouldn't trade Diplomacy for the world... use it all the time and I love it.

[Aspenor]

Just out of curiosity, does the jump skill cap at 40 as I have heard? So with the jump spell (+30), and a pair of Springing +11 boots (covers the -1 str mod if not wearing an item), you would still have the highest jump attainable.

Just wondering, as I chose to max out Diplomacy on my sorcerer. Thanks.

P.S. I wouldn't trade Diplomacy for the world... use it all the time and I love it.

I have heard yes and no, I tend to lean toward yes.

[wiglin]

Aspenor,

Here is my set up and why: (This is my opinion and reflects my playstyle)

I chose Drow:

Str 10 (Carry Weight)
Dex 14 (With a +2 Tome I can max my dex bonus in a mithril chain shirt)
Con 12 (More is better, but I hate spending 2 for 1 on creation points)
Int 10
Wis 8
Cha 20 (nuff said...lol)

Feats:
Maximise
SF: Illusion
Heighten
GSF:Illusion
SF:UMD

I am big fan of pick something and do it well. At level 12 with a Cha of 30 I can PK my way through just about anything.

I am not a big fan of taking extend on a sorcerer. Battles are just too quick and I am not in the party to perma-haste.

I like being able to get my umd into the 30's as a pure sorcerer. If you are not a umd junky then spell penetration would be a better choice.

Overall I prefer the flexibility of the necro line and I will eventually swap out illusion for necromancy, (after we get wail of the banshee), but for now I enjoy landing my pk's on the first try.

If the mob has a high will save and I think I will have a hard time pk'ing them, then I will cast FtS.

I keep fear as a backup spell if my pk fails and a high fort mob is chasing me. Fear lands reliably enough without any focus, that I would rather keep the dc on my pk as high as possible.

Anyways just some thoughts on my insta'killer.

[Aspenor]

I have had friends that opted for the Skill Focus: UMD feat as well, I chose to leave it out to maintain the build focus.

[wiglin]

Its not needed, more of a playstyle choice.

I chose to be able to max ac in mithril chain shirt, again its more for soloing normal content then anything. I will be able to reach in the 40's with my ac.

For the new sorcerer I agree that more con and a fearsome robe would serve them better.

[Aspenor]

Given that every toon gets two free feat respecs (one for that Dragonmark quest, one for 75 Agents favour), what do you think about taking Empower at level 1, and swapping it out for Maximize later on (like say level 8 or so)? Maximize burns up a LOT of SPs... (This will only be worse after the metamagic changes occur - high level spells will be getting a lot cheaper, but low level spells are getting a lot more expensive.)

I took Empower at level 1 on my Sor6, and am thinking about swapping out for Maximize once I get Firewall.

Mike

THat works, too. I haven't been able to toy with the new metamagic costs so far.

*snick snack went the ninja blade*

[amysrevenge]

Given that every toon gets two free feat respecs (one for that Dragonmark quest, one for 75 Agents favour), what do you think about taking Empower at level 1, and swapping it out for Maximize later on (like say level 8 or so)? Maximize burns up a LOT of SPs... (This will only be worse after the metamagic changes occur - high level spells will be getting a lot cheaper, but low level spells are getting a lot more expensive.)

I took Empower at level 1 on my Sor6, and am thinking about swapping out for Maximize once I get Firewall.

Mike

[NoLimHoldem]

Just out of curiosity, does the jump skill cap at 40 as I have heard? So with the jump spell (+30), and a pair of Springing +11 boots (covers the -1 str mod if not wearing an item), you would still have the highest jump attainable.

Just wondering, as I chose to max out Diplomacy on my sorcerer. Thanks.

P.S. I wouldn't trade Diplomacy for the world... use it all the time and I love it.

There is a cap on skills, I don't know what it is but I'm sure it's a lot higher than your sorcerer will ever get (jump). My paly with +30 jump spell, +11 jump boots 30 STR usually has no problems getting anywhere. Sometimes I even take off my armor and stuff just to see how high I can jump.

Oh ya, my lvl 14 sorcerer can almost reach a 50 jump fully buffed, Jump spell, GH, +11 boots. So I know it is at least that high.

By the way, I think the highest possible jump skill you can have is:
30 jump
15 boots
17 rank
14 STR
4 GH
= 80
not sure if the cap goes up that high or not.

[jkm]

you can get higher than that

SF: jump +3
athletic? feat +2
luck +2
inspire competence +2

etc

[Dark-Star]

Yes your skill can show greater than 40, but is it not hard capped at 40? Meaning someone showing 80 jump would not be able to jump higher than someone showing a 40 jump skill?

[XFracture]

Given that every toon gets two free feat respecs (one for that Dragonmark quest, one for 75 Agents favour)...

I think I missed this, when did this happen?

Edit: Nm, I thought you meant free agents. I bout had a heartattack. XD

[Sokar6000]

Can I ask for your justification in taking neither mental tougness or improved mental toughness on this build? Are you relying on always having a DV cleric to bring you back up?

[Fennario]

There is a cap on skills, I don't know what it is but I'm sure it's a lot higher than your sorcerer will ever get (jump). My paly with +30 jump spell, +11 jump boots 30 STR usually has no problems getting anywhere. Sometimes I even take off my armor and stuff just to see how high I can jump.

Oh ya, my lvl 14 sorcerer can almost reach a 50 jump fully buffed, Jump spell, GH, +11 boots. So I know it is at least that high.

By the way, I think the highest possible jump skill you can have is:
30 jump
15 boots
17 rank
14 STR
4 GH
= 80
not sure if the cap goes up that high or not.

I'm pretty sure the cap is 40. So even though your sorcerer can buff up to 50, he is jumping exactly the same height as my sorcerer at 40.

I tested this myself the other night. With the jump spell and +11 boots I was at a 40 jump. I jumped in front of a fixed object and observed how high my jump was.

I then buffed myself up to a 50 jump (+13 boots, +4 GH, +6 str belt, +1 rabbit gloves).

I made sure that my camera angle did not change while changing equipment and casting GH.

I jumped to the EXACT same point with a 50 jump as I did with a 40.

If there was a difference it was so miniscule that I could not see it.

I then did the reverse. I took the boots off which put me at a 37 jump. There was a small difference, but noticable. I was not quite reaching the same point as I did with the 40 jump.

So from my observations, I would say that the jump skill is indeed capped at 40.


P.S. Sorry about the thread derailment.

P.S.S. I am not trying to discourage the spending of points on the jump skill. If you decide to max out your jump, then you won't need to use an item slot to have the maximum jump possible. I just wanted to point out, that it is very easy to obtain the max jump possible without spending a single skill point on it. So if your playstyle is like mine, you can have full points in Concentration, Diplomacy, UMD, and still achieve maximum mobility in combat.

[Aspenor]

Can I ask for your justification in taking neither mental tougness or improved mental toughness on this build? Are you relying on always having a DV cleric to bring you back up?

No I am relying on not needing to worry about mana. Your a freaking sorc....

[Fennario]

Can I ask for your justification in taking neither mental tougness or improved mental toughness on this build? Are you relying on always having a DV cleric to bring you back up?

MT and IMT give you 150 extra spellpoints at level 14. Level 7 spells cost 40 spellpoints. So if your Finger of Death (or a heightened PK) fails just 4 times during the duration of your manna bar, the extra manna from Mental Toughness just went down the toilet.

By having mobs save less, and being able to punch through the SR of mobs more often, you become more manna effecient. The spell focus schools, and spell penetration allow you to do this.

(Personally I usually just nuke high SR mobs, so with my human sorcerer I took Empower with the extra feat)

[Varis]

MT and IMT give you 150 extra spellpoints at level 14. Level 7 spells cost 40 spellpoints. So if your Finger of Death (or a heightened PK) fails just 4 times during the duration of your manna bar, the extra manna from Mental Toughness just went down the toilet.

By having mobs save less, and being able to punch through the SR of mobs more often, you become more manna effecient. The spell focus schools, and spell penetration allow you to do this.

(Personally I usually just nuke high SR mobs, so with my human sorcerer I took Empower with the extra feat)

and if you face mobs that are immune to finger and pk, then you wasted the feats period...

I don't have a problem getting finger of death off. There is no way I have them save 4 times in a dungeon because I don't pk everything that moves. I have a 34 charisma and a focus item but no feats spent on necromancy. As long as I don't try to pk elite troll berserkers it works almost everytime (unless they roll a 20 kinda deal).

Now, if you are a insta kill build and depend on killing EVERYTHING via those means, then yes, I would personally go SF: necromancy and GSF: necromancy ALONG WITH spell penetration and greater spell penetration. 5th feat being heighten of course.
mental toughness and IMT are very important but for a insta kill spell you gotta insure they will land on tough stuff like high fort save mobs and SR mobs.