How much spell pen?

[Thrudh]

Got a 12/2 cleric/monk at level 14... so I'm already two behind on the spell pen... (14/2 cleric/monk is the plan)

Current spell pen is 14... so it will be 16 by level 16... with no feats or enhancements (although I do have spell pen VII item)... I can get one spell pen feat with very little pain, and the first two enhancements... bringing me to 20 by level 16.. Will that be enough? What kind of percentages will I be missing on? Hoping to be able to destruct devils and orthans (and trogs too)

I can get the other feat and the last enhancement, but that will cause some pain and sacrifices... but will bring me to 23 spell pen....

OR... I can just ignore spell pen, and get empower (already have maximize) and use blade barrier for everything....

[Samadhi]

IMO, just go the BB route

[Anthios888]

IMO, take all feats and enhancements and wear an item . Worth it.

[Nyvn]

More is always better, I have all the enhancements, both feats, and a +2 pen item. Landing insta kills or CC on stuff in the vale and sub are always a good thing.

[Kreaper]

I can tell a definite difference between 20 and 22.

If you use BB in pugs, 99% of them will do no more than keep the backsides of your group cool. For some reason, pugs seem to want to stand just in front of my BB and fight. Like I said, I guess they are mistaking the spinning blades for fan blades?

Honestly, I believe they just can't stand the thought of groups of mobs fall faster than they can kill one!

[fluffi]

I think people like to keep clerics as pure healbots, so when they see a blade barrier, they try to kill so you won't cast it again and heal them instead. Myself, after 2-3 bb of keeping the area cool, telling everyone that a bb costs less sp than healing you (all mobs have about 400 less hp after they run through both sides of the bb), I start to insta-kill, saying that this is as efficient as casting a heal after the fight. BTW my cleric is capped and likes to rc to regain sp.

[Freeman]

For the Spell Pen, I would take at least one feat, at least one enhancement, and carry an item. If you find that the spell resistance is affecting your spells often enough, then you can start increasing your spell pen, first with more enhancements. If that isn't enough, then you may want to take another feat. How much you need will mostly depend on your playstyle and what you are comfortable with.

As for people fighting just outside the Blade Barrier, the same thing is true for any AoE spells, such as Dance Sphere, Solid/Acid Fog, Firewall, etc. Too many melee fighters seem to think the best place to be is just on the OTHER side of it, so that the mobs never quite make it to it. I've had to use Intimidate to pull mobs away from other melee characters just to get them into the AoE spells. It is also fun to use it to play ping-pong with a mob in a Blade Barrier

[Zenako]

As for people fighting just outside the Blade Barrier, the same thing is true for any AoE spells, such as Dance Sphere, Solid/Acid Fog, Firewall, etc. Too many melee fighters seem to think the best place to be is just on the OTHER side of it, so that the mobs never quite make it to it. I've had to use Intimidate to pull mobs away from other melee characters just to get them into the AoE spells. It is also fun to use it to play ping-pong with a mob in a Blade Barrier

Like with my Cleric in her fearsome armor. Just let them nick me once and then run back thru the barriers for hits 3 and 4...usually more than enough...

Frankly I suspect most of the melees who pull stuff like that have never played a cleric or perhaps any caster and don't understand what truely effective AoE spells can really do...sigh.

[Slink]

doesnt much matter what your spell pen is at currently. I personally have 2 capped clerics, both pure. I took every feat/enhancement for spell pen and necromancy and can hit frequently even in sub and elite dust. There are things you can do to help you though.

Green blade from demon queen
napkin (cloak) from reaver
spell pen items/weapons

Although I see you point based on your build, no matter what you do to increase your spell pen, at high lvl content it still comes down to what the mobs/critter roll in response to your spell, no matter how much pen you have. But I do admit, there is nothing like destructing a beholder in subterrane to the amazement of the sorcs...

[Merkinsal]

Like with my Cleric in her fearsome armor. Just let them nick me once and then run back thru the barriers for hits 3 and 4...usually more than enough...

Oh I like that idea. Very nice.

I changed my mind at the last minute and when I turned in my last 6 points that were intended for the 3rd enhancement of spell pen, I instead used 5 points for the 2nd and 3rd tier DV enhancements and the 6th for one more extra turn. So, I have 24 spell pen with a plus two item instead of the 25 max but I also carry a greater spell pen item for plus 3 and only unequip that if I am in "healing mode". I have had enough experience with spell pen on casters to know the one spell pen sacrificed is not unheard of and many do well without one or two points BUT this all depends on what spells you use and in what situations. My casters are maxed because lots of their casts have to bypass spell pen and I prefer not to miss one mob even once if I don't have to.