Changing directions from a Healbot to a Caster?

[tc12]

OK, so I've decided playing a cleric that's just a healbot is too boring. But my gametime is limited enough such that completely scrapping a character for a re-roll would be painful. So here's where I'm at now:

Drow 7th Cleric, with the following base stats:

STR 12
DEX 10
CON 10
INT 10
WIS 17 (16 at start +1 level pt at 4th)
CHA 18 <-- intended for DVs...

Feats currently are Empowed Healing, Extend & MT. As a healbot I'd planned on 9th/12th taking Extra Turning for DVs and IMT.

The new plan?

Well, I'd be happy still with a non-melee cleric, just have the goal now to be an effective offensive caster too. Still want to be decent at healing of course, but can tone it and the DV focus down a bit. With my melee types in PoP, etc watching clerics throw out slay living and destruction just looks soooooo fun, I want in on that! Yes I know there's other casting that can be done, but if I had to pick one thing I guess it would be that necro stuff.

So could this guy become an effective caster without a re-roll? Meaning for one was the 16 WIS @ start too low? Right now I have no +6 WIS items, and don't think I can plan on favor for this guy either. Just a +1 WIS tome banked if he is indeed still viable, and a +5 item. So a 28 can be done but 30 would likely be a stretch (+2 tome via favor or loot, and +6 item). On the feat side, I do have shards banked so re-spec'ing feats isn't a problem.

Besided stats and feats, how much is casting success gear-dependant? I don't have any spell pen items banked yet. About all I have for cleric gear for this guy is a Superior Potency V item for later healing use. (Can't use it yet but was told it would work like a devotion item for healing.) So what should I be shopping for or hoping to loot?

TC

[Blazer]

Hey TC12,

My cleric originally started as a healbot and ended up a caster cleric. The major difference between mine and yours is simply the WIS; I started at 18 and now sit at 32. 30 WIS will be fine for you too, honestly, as I ran around GH for a while at 30 and was still very effective at offensive casting. 28 may be a bit low, I'm not sure. That said, spending a feat on Spell Focus: Necromancy would certainly help as it would effectively make you cast as though you had a 30 WIS. Try and pick up a Necromancy focus item (Spirit Sight goggles from Wiz King, for example, would be great) to also help boost your DC.

[tc12]

...28 may be a bit low, I'm not sure. That said, spending a feat on Spell Focus: Necromancy would certainly help as it would effectively make you cast as though you had a 30 WIS. Try and pick up a Necromancy focus item (Spirit Sight goggles from Wiz King, for example, would be great) to also help boost your DC.

Does Spell Penetration (via item and or feat) help land these necro spells? If so do those bonuses stack with SF: necro? I really haven't played a wiz or sorc yet either, so don't understand DC or SR issues yet.

[redoubt]

Yes, spell pen can help.

No, it does not stack.

Spell pen help get your spell past any Spell Resistance the mob might have.

THEN... your DC (casting stat bonus, SF, items etc) is what they have to save against.

I think you would have a lot of fun, but realize you will not have a sure fire thing with a 28 casting stat. The wiz and sorcs you see doing the PK/FOD and not missing are often pretty stacked. I.e. 34 casting stat, SF & GSF, Spell Pen, G.Spell pen, Spell pen items, SF items.

The other way to look at it is... even without a maxed casting stat, you can get all the good gear and feats and be pretty darn close without rerolling.

Cheers.

[Grenfell]

No need to reroll. And no need to shoot for Max Effectiveness either.

My cleric is a 16 Wis start, currently at 28 Wis, with no focus and no spell pen, and I'm landing Destruction with enough reliability that I have it on my main quickbar.

Here's the thing, however: the Wiz/Sorc's landing PK/FOD have little else to spend their mana on but killing stuff. You do.

What that means if that you have to be far more selective on your targeting and usage, which is great since you're not a Max-Casting cleric.

For example, PoP -- I use Destruction on the casters and archers only, partly because they're dangerous, but partly because they're easy kills for the Fort-save based Destruction.

I use it on the Air Elementals, but not on the Bezekira.

I don't bother trying to use Destruction on things like Rakshasha -- faster for me to whip out the Greataxe (and in your case, just let your henchmen, oops, I meant fighters, deal with them).

In terms of gear, all you really need are the following (IMHO):

Necro/Enchant Focus item (get a weapon or Spectacles of Spirit Sight)

Potency VI item (Greater Potency VI is cheap and plentiful, and is only 10% less than Superior Potency) -- you want VI because of Blade Barrier and Cometfall.

Spell Pen VII item (I can't seem to get rid of them myself....) for when you feel like tangling with SR mobs.

In terms of feats, I could see burning a feat on SF: Necro. Now that Mod 5 is here, with new metamagic costs, I might investigate swapping out Empowered Healing for Empower or Maximize instead. The cost difference may not be that large, but being able to use it on your Blade Barriers would be nice.

/gren

[Impaqt]

As a Caster Cleric:

Empower Healing: Effective at low levels, as soon as you get HEAL at L11 it gets pretty excessive. Reduced cost with Mod 5 helps a LOT.. But for +15 per spell (Still less than what your spending now on any spell Over l2) you can swap it out to Empower Spell. and have some fun with your offensive spells too.

Extend: Very nice for Blade Barriers in harry situations. Sometimes.. Unextended just doesnt last long enough..... Once your above l10 buffs seems to last long enough without Extend. I wouldnt trade it out on my Clerics.. But many do get rid of it.

MT/IMT: I think MT is important... IMT.. Depends on the Build.... You can usually sacrifice IMT for some more offense without much drawback.

Extra Turning: DONT Do it... You can comfortably get 9-10 DV's without it... Thats Plenty.

Feat to Consider.

Maximize: Love it...... A Critical maximized Potency'd Blade Barrier is still my favorite site inthe game

Heighten: Raise DC of MANY spells situationally. Soundburst is Quite effective in end game content maximized.....

Spell FOcus: Necro Destruct and Slay......