Level 4 spells

[PSU93]

What is the "best" 4th level spell for a damage-spec'd Sorc? I'm thinking either Wall of Fire or Phantasmal Killer. I'm probably leaning towards Wall of Fire since I have enhancements for elemental damage... but the thought of insta-killing via PK is pretty exciting!

Re: Firewall, do enemies continuously take damage if they stand within it and/or pass through it multiple times? Or is it a one-shot hit?

[Uska]

Firewall is you best bet and if it doesnt bug out it will damage them by ticks unlike blade barrier which damages them as they pass through or fireball which is one shot.

[Arlaq]

I took PK first and then firewall the next level but it's a tough choice. I use firewall more than any other spell, but having an instant kill on hand for those pesky casters in the back or those archers up on ledges is invaluable. I ended up swapping out PK for dimension door once I picked up FOD though.

[MrCow]

Wall of Fire is the tried and true. With the amount of punishment that single spell can deal it is still somewhat mindboggling that we still have it in DDO.

[esoitl]

it's a toss up as to which you should pick first IMO
i scrolled WoF for a while and went PK first as i was running the VoN series and PK is arguably more important throughout(aprt 2 and 3 holders)

scrolling WoF sucks but it can get you through so if you can afford the scrolls you may want to consider if not think of what you want to run and is PK neccessary?
sure archers on ledges suck but a WoF takes them out as well as a PK can....

1/2 - PK/WoF
3 - Solid Fog
4 - Stoneskin/DDoor

that's my preference for level 4 spells personally, some will agree some won't but anyways, Stoneskin and DDoor is your next decision to make..... wanding or scrolling SS is possible and will get you by for a while fine but casting it is, like WoF a vast improvement
DDoor is a spell you can scroll easy enough if you can afford or have the scrolls and isn't really essential anyways so you can get on without it just fine BUT i would pick it up

once you hit level 12 and grab acid fog, swap out solid fog for either SS or DDoor, whichever you skipped earlier
special mention goes out to enervation.... great spell that doesn't really fit in as well as curse which is a bit too situational to make it in my book
fire shield is alost a great spell but scrolls very easily and not worth that last slot


hope that helps but i won't claim this to be a be all end all guide if you have a plan with your spell selection

[Beherit_Baphomar]

For a damage spec'd caster PK is not the right spell. PK either kills or does very minimal damage.

Wall of Fire is, like MrCow said, insane. Some people have a hard time placing it correctly, or using it correctly, but if you
can then there is really no stopping you.

Oh and when you use it be prepared to come under heavy attack.

[MrWizard]

i guess if you are damage specced and want to go that way, wall of fire is your avenue of choice. And many groups run with that shield wall/fire wall mentality, so you should not have many issues.

I kinda like charm monster, solid fog and fear over it...but they are not damaging spells.

PK is nice and i like it best against stuff like mephits..for my sorc I usually take it second after charm monster..
But he is not 'damage' specced

[Brummbar]

Unfortunately it's Firewall.

Kinda a no brainer.. like haste at level 3 or MM at level 1.

Certain spells are just so good the only other reason you'd not pick it is to be different for flavor.

I know that is an opinion, but I bet if you polled 100 Sorc's more than 85% would have fire Wall as a level 4 spell.

It's just to invaluable.


PK is another really GOOD spell if you are a Drow Sorc and started with 20 CHR. On normal you'll kill anything and every thing. But if your DC is 1 or 2 less... i.e. 16 or 18 CHR, and you don't focus or enhance Spell Penetrate.., then go elemental damage. You should usually be able to find some type of elemental damage that works on any given mob.

Cone of Cold is a rather great AEO elemental spell with potency and lore and enhancements.. Keep that in mind.

[PSU93]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback. Consensus seems to be Wall of Fire, which was how I was leaning anyway.

PK will most likely be the next one. My Sorc is a Drow and she started w/ a 20 CHA, so that could be a lot of fun!

[sirgog]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback. Consensus seems to be Wall of Fire, which was how I was leaning anyway.

PK will most likely be the next one. My Sorc is a Drow and she started w/ a 20 CHA, so that could be a lot of fun!

PK is an excellent second choice. Expect to respec out of it later, but it will be great from levels 9 to about 12.

I assume you already have Suggestion as a level 3 spell, if not, Charm Monster is probably more useful than PK (PK only deals with one foe, Charm Monster on one in a pack usually kills the target and distracts the rest long enough for you to sneak past (if soloing) or for the party to clean them all up.

[PSU93]

I assume you already have Suggestion as a level 3 spell, if not, Charm Monster is probably more useful than PK (PK only deals with one foe, Charm Monster on one in a pack usually kills the target and distracts the rest long enough for you to sneak past (if soloing) or for the party to clean them all up.

Actually, no I don't have Suggestion yet. What is the difference between Suggestion and Charm Monster (and Charm Person for that matter... which I think is just limited to humanoids)? I read the descriptions and they seem very similar. I'm assuming Charm Monster is more potent since it's a higher level spell, but what does that mean from a standpoint of what is affected?

Thanks.

[Varr]

I know that is an opinion, but I bet if you polled 100 Sorc's more than 85% would have fire Wall as a level 4 spell.


And 14 of the other 15 you would not want to run with as your primary caster in party. hehe

[Vizzini]

ditto

I took PK first and then firewall the next level but it's a tough choice. I use firewall more than any other spell, but having an instant kill on hand for those pesky casters in the back or those archers up on ledges is invaluable. I ended up swapping out PK for dimension door once I picked up FOD though.

[aurus33]

Thanks everyone for the great feedback. Consensus seems to be Wall of Fire, which was how I was leaning anyway.

PK will most likely be the next one. My Sorc is a Drow and she started w/ a 20 CHA, so that could be a lot of fun!

You said damage, so Firewall is the choice IMO.

I dont consider PK as a damaging spell, the damage from PK just means that you failed on your true intent while at casting it.

when I leveled my sorc my very first choice was pk, but that was just cause for the mid levels I was aiming to be a pk specialist, I took Spell Focus/Greater: Illusion, and my pk's were landing 95% of the time, that was just my personal choice

[Citymorg]

Just for the record, I take firewall first and PK later. This is mostly because, at the level you get your 1st 4th level spell, alot is going to save against PK and you won't use much for a level or 2. You will always use Wall of Fire, alot.

[richieelias27]

Actually, no I don't have Suggestion yet. What is the difference between Suggestion and Charm Monster (and Charm Person for that matter... which I think is just limited to humanoids)? I read the descriptions and they seem very similar. I'm assuming Charm Monster is more potent since it's a higher level spell, but what does that mean from a standpoint of what is affected?

Thanks.

Typically suggestion is a much more "group friendly" version of charm monster as it is garunteed to break after the duration runs out. Of course if you pair charm monster with dispell or break enchantment then charm monster wins with the power to get rid of it at will.

Just dont be the annoying charm happy sorceror. Your cleric will hate you when your charms break behind him, and your melee's will hate you when you charm the mob they just paralyzed/enfeebled into helplessness.