The Mystic Knight (A build by request)

[sigtrent]

From Sigtrent's Build Request Thread

Build Name: The Mystic Knight
Author: Sigfried Trent
Requester: Casta
Last Updated: 07/14/10

Key Words [Sorcerer, Fighter, Paladin, Buffing, TWF]

Objectives
The request was for a Fighter/Sorcerer/Paladin who had an array of defensive arcane buffing spells and not the more typical arcane damage and control ones. The original was a drow to leverage charisma for double duty and dex to provide a decent AC and power TWF.

Design
The re-make is mostly a fleshing out of the original build. While there are lots of synergies here this build somewhat tries to do more than it should in some places and less than it should in others. I think its far better to work these up with evasion and a damage casting focus, but because the request was for defense and buffing I made a kind of skirmish tank.

I start with fighter to establish a decent combat stance, then get some early buffs from sorc, then grab my paladin saving throws, then into sorc to develop casting, then fighter again to grab qualified buffs after the tomes, then more sorc to get haste and displacement, then paladin for healing and more defense, then finish out in sorc.

The problem here is you can get most of those buffs through scrolls or wands. For some the casting duration from casting is a big improvement, but for others its only a matter of gear cost. I’m pretty cheap with gear but as I get high level characters I use scrolls more and more as they often give you access to spells you can’t yet cast for lack of slots or which are a level or two higher.

The AC side of this build is an interesting thought experiment. I included arcane fluidity so you can fight in armor (dragontouched leather would be a good way to go, or mithral chain) or you could even go for higher ASF armor and only put it on after buffing. The same goes for shields. Tower is probably not a great idea due to dex limits, but large shields you can easily just take off to buff and put back on to tank with. You should be able to get AC into the 50s, even the 60s with buffs from bard/ranger/paladin. Its not full raid/elite tanking AC but it will work on a fair range of monsters on normal/hard. Saves of course are great here and HP isn’t terrible, if not especially good.

The DPS side is actually pretty decent, having played these kinds of characters I find they contribute well enough that in a group you are helpful. If you were the only DPS in a group, that might be a problem. These builds work great for times when insta kill weapons are just better than DPS. Vorpal, banishing, smiting are all great with these skirmishing builds.

I’d have liked to get Knight of the Chalice in here, but the requirement that you take paladin spell point enhancements made it a tricky decision and in the end it just wasn’t a big enough benefit for a character not really set up well for raiding where those bonuses best pay off. Defender gives you more of what its built to do anyhow.

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.5.1
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 Lawful Good Drow Male
(2 Fighter \ 6 Paladin \ 12 Sorcerer) 
Hit Points: 250
Spell Points: 1110 
BAB: 14\14\19\24
Fortitude: 21
Reflex: 17
Will: 17

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(28 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             15                    23
Dexterity            16                    18
Constitution         12                    14
Intelligence         12                    14
Wisdom                8                    10
Charisma             16                    20

Tomes Used
+2 Tome of Strength used at level 7
+2 Tome of Dexterity used at level 7
+2 Tome of Constitution used at level 7
+2 Tome of Intelligence used at level 7
+2 Tome of Wisdom used at level 7
+2 Tome of Charisma used at level 7

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               5                    13
Bluff                 3                     5
Concentration         1                     6
Diplomacy             3                     5
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle                3                     5
Heal                 -1                     0
Hide                  3                     4
Intimidate            7                    29
Jump                  2                     6
Listen               -1                     2
Move Silently         3                     4
Open Lock             n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair                1                     2
Search                1                     4
Spot                 -1                     2
Swim                  2                     6
Tumble                n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      5                    16

Level 1 (Fighter)
Feat: (Selected) Oversized Two Weapon Fighting
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Fighter Haste Boost I
Enhancement: Drow Melee Damage I
Enhancement: Fighter Intimidate I


Level 2 (Sorcerer)
Spell (1): Shield
Spell (1): Nightshield
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Fluidity I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded I


Level 3 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Extend Spell
Enhancement: Paladin Armor Class Boost I
Enhancement: Paladin Attack Boost I
Enhancement: Follower of the Sovereign Host
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil I


Level 4 (Paladin)
Enhancement: Drow Melee Attack I


Level 5 (Sorcerer)
Spell (1): Expeditious Retreat
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma I
Enhancement: Sorcerer Wand Mastery I


Level 6 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Spell (1): Jump
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Fluidity II
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Paladin Toughness I


Level 7 (Sorcerer)
Spell (2): Blur
Enhancement: Drow Melee Damage II


Level 8 (Fighter)
Feat: (Fighter Bonus) Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Fighter Strength I


Level 9 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Combat Expertise
Spell (2): Resist Energy
Enhancement: Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded II
Enhancement: Sorcerer Wand Mastery II


Level 10 (Sorcerer)
Spell (3): Haste
Enhancement: Drow Melee Attack II


Level 11 (Sorcerer)
Spell (2): Invisibility
Spell (3): Displacement
Enhancement: Sorcerer Charisma II


Level 12 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Piercing Weapons
Spell (4): Stoneskin


Level 13 (Paladin)
Enhancement: Elven Arcane Fluidity III
Enhancement: Paladin Courage of Good I
Enhancement: Paladin Bulwark of Good I
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Lay on Hands I


Level 14 (Paladin)
Spell (1): Bless
Spell (1): Cure Light Wounds
Spell (1): Divine Favor
Spell (1): Lesser Restoration
Spell (1): Lionheart
Spell (1): Protection From Evil
Spell (1): Resistance
Spell (1): Seek Eternal Rest
Spell (1): Virtue
Enhancement: Paladin Focus of Good I
Enhancement: Paladin Resistance of Good I
Enhancement: Paladin Extra Smite Evil II


Level 15 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Sacrifice I
Enhancement: Paladin Toughness II
Enhancement: Paladin Divine Might I


Level 16 (Paladin)
Enhancement: Paladin Defender of Siberys I


Level 17 (Sorcerer)
Spell (2): Knock
Spell (3): Rage
Spell (4): Fire Shield
Enhancement: Unyielding Sovereignty


Level 18 (Sorcerer)
Feat: (Selected) Power Attack
Spell (5): Teleport
Enhancement: Paladin Exalted Smite I
Enhancement: Paladin Devotion I
Enhancement: Paladin Devotion II


Level 19 (Sorcerer)
Spell (4): Remove Curse
Spell (5): Protection From Elements
Spell (3): Ray of Exhaustion
Enhancement: Sorcerer Energy of the Dragonblooded III


Level 20 (Sorcerer)
Spell (6): Greater Heroism
Enhancement: Paladin Armor Class Boost II
Enhancement: Paladin Attack Boost II
Enhancement: Paladin Saves Boost I

Play
Smart play can really make this build fun. Look for over level scrolls you can cast to leverage the most out of your socr levels, and seek out good rapiers to take advantage of your melee skills. This character can take good advantage of good gear and that is a build quality. If you are clever you can solo quite well.

Variations
I think this idea works much better with an evasion class mixed in. Monk+fighter+caster or rogue+paladin+caster is just a smoother ride and has more inherent tricks to play with for a do it all kind of build.

[Taerdra]

I would move up the 2nd Paladin level. Divine Grace is awesome at all levels, but I find it particularly important at low levels as it provides a huge jump whereas at higher levels DG blends with all the other items going on and GH. Still helpful, but I always love DG at the earlier levels.

[sigtrent]

I would move up the 2nd Paladin level. Divine Grace is awesome at all levels, but I find it particularly important at low levels as it provides a huge jump whereas at higher levels DG blends with all the other items going on and GH. Still helpful, but I always love DG at the earlier levels.

You certainly could without changing the build significantly. It just comes down to what you want to get first. Unfortunately this build is something of a late bloomer. I think taking Paladin 2 at level 3 would make a lot of sense. I originaly had paladin at 1 and 2 but when I decided to go for CE and Intimidate I had to start with fighter to get the skill points into intimidate.

[Geonis]

Looks good, I would change a couple minor things.

1- Use Greater Hero in your calculations, as it would be a ~60% chance to get those off and with the cash rolling around at level 14, a stack of those is cheap and well worth it.

2- Drop Weapon Focus:Piercing and go with Exotic:Khopesh or even Bastard sword, as the damage output is much better. You are going to get the agro of at least one mob, why not kill them faster?

[Taerdra]

Looks good, I would change a couple minor things.

1- Use Greater Hero in your calculations, as it would be a ~60% chance to get those off and with the cash rolling around at level 14, a stack of those is cheap and well worth it.

2- Drop Weapon Focus:Piercing and go with Exotic:Khopesh or even Bastard sword, as the damage output is much better. You are going to get the agro of at least one mob, why not kill them faster?

I believe that Khopesh is only marginally better than a Rapier on a Drow/Elf build due to the enhancements and am pretty sure that a Bastard Sword is not better than a Rapier on a Drow build. To each their own, but Drow benefits make Rapier a very formidable weapon and personally I find that the improvement is not worth the feat.

[sigtrent]

I believe that Khopesh is only marginally better than a Rapier on a Drow/Elf build due to the enhancements and am pretty sure that a Bastard Sword is not better than a Rapier on a Drow build. To each their own, but Drow benefits make Rapier a very formidable weapon and personally I find that the improvement is not worth the feat.

That was my thinking as well. Mixed arcane/combat builds really benefit from the accuracy bonus the melee enhancment provides for rapiers, and in truth, rapiers are one of the best damage one handers in the game, better than dwarven axes and bastard swords once you get +10 or more to damage due to the consistancy of criticals. Same goes for scimitar. Kopesh does outdamage them but requires a feat and would not be as accurate.

[Lead-Arm]

[Combat Commentary
I build this with the idea you had the option of using CE or not. If you really want to play tank you should use it, if you want to play damage dealer you may want to forgo it. Most of your buffs are fairly long lasting, although Haste and CE don’t get a long too well, but if you are playing intimidate tank you don’t especially need it or you could use potions. Without CE you have a pretty high attack value, with it you are middle range. Same goes in reverse for AC. Even without it you are low 40s, and with it you get into the 50 zone. HP are kind of low for a true tank, but the displacement and stoneskin can make up for some of that. If nothing else you get the novelty factor of a sorcerer icon while tanking. Saves are pretty awesome (all 20+), even without Greater Heroism, which you could probably pull of a scroll of via caster level check if you wanted to. Spell points are a bit limited but so is your spell selection. I build it with the idea that you would simply leave Extend and Maximize on at all times.

Variations
You could drop the intimidate and CE if you don’t like them, and shift points from Int into other stats. That is what I originally built but I wanted to reach out that extra step and add some more options to the character. You could also abandon the damage spells entirely but I think it adds a lot to the character to be able to burst damage that way and as the cap goes up you would probably want to snag firewall.[/QUOTE]

OK, so if you did drop CE and shift points from Int to say Str and Cha making them both 16 to start, what would you use for the other feat in place of CE?