Divine + Arcane Self-Buffing Warrior

[BaronZ]

I've seen several Arcane Warrior type builds in this forum and was looking at the spell lists and noticed there are quite a few Divine buffs that would help out in that kind of build.

I've started an Elven 12 Cleric/6 Wizard/2 Fighter to this end. I've examined Favored Souls and Sorcerers on paper, but it just doesn't give enough Level 3 Arcane spells. With Wizard you don't have to choose between Heroism, Haste, and Rage. I've opted for more Divine levels because they offer more buffs. I wish I could get Greater Heroism, but Arcane spell levels 4-6 do not seem worth giving up the Divine Spells. Alternatively you could do Monk 2 instead of Fighter 2 to pick up Evasion, but then you need to spend a feat or if you're an Elf you can use rapiers or rely on the Undying Court enhancement clicky for scimitars.

Starting stats (32 point Elf build)
16 Strength
16 Dexterity
12 Constitution
12 Intelligence
14 Wisdom
8 Charisma

Alternatively you could go Dwarf (same with 14 Con, 12 Wis) or Human (same with 15 Dex, 14 Con, 12 Wis). One of the advantages this build has for MMO veterans that don't have a huge amount of DDO resources (other than 32 point builds) is that it only requires a +1 Dex tome (+2 if Human) and Stat boosts as they become available in order to cast as you level (you should be able to use the Cleric and Wizard Enhancements).

Feats (7 standard, 2 Fighter or Monk, and 2 Wizard)

Power Attack
Toughness
Two Weapon Fighting
Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Oversized Two Weapon Fighting
Improved Critical: Slashing (or Piercing)
Extend Spell
Quicken Spell
Mental Toughness
Improved Mental Toughness

The advantage of Fighter over Monk is that you can get Greater Two Weapon Fighting at Level 14 (if you take Fighter 2 at 14 and postpone Wizard levels). With Monk you can't get GTWF until level 18.

Skills

Concentration
Jump, Balance, and Tumble as points available

Enhancements

I haven't fleshed these out completely but I like the Cleric Devotion, Energy ones, the Fighter and Racial Toughness ones, the stat ones, and the Elf scimitar ones.

Key Spells

Divine Favor (Cleric 1)
Shield of Faith (Cleric 1)
Magic Circle against Evil (Cleric 3)
Protection from Energy (Cleric 3)
Recitation (Cleric 4)
Divine Power (Cleric 4)
Protection from Elements (Cleric 5)
Spell Resistance (Cleric 5)
Shield (Wizard 1)
Displacement (Wizard 3)
Heroism (Wizard 3)
Haste (Wizard 3)
Rage (Wizard 3) -- have to choose 3 of the last 4 based on situation

Healing, Raise Dead, counters to almost any condition, plus loads of situational abilities.

Right now my character is 1/1/1, but I'm thinking I should re-roll to postpone Wizard levels. Optimum progression is probably Fighter 1 Cleric 2-13 Fighter 14 Wizard 15-20 or Monk 1-2 Cleric 3-14 Wizard 15-20 (but really the second Monk level could go anywhere from 2 to 14).

Any thoughts, particularly on Fighter vs. Monk?

[Visty]

clr11wiz7 is better as with wiz7 you get lvl4 spells and one of the most powerful buffs aka fireshield
and you only loose a few spellslots on the cleric side which arent really needed anyway

ive got such a char myself, you might look into it
http://community.codemasters.com/for...18#post5260318

[BaronZ]

Good call on the level split. Thanks.

[Kriogen]

...
Right now my character is 1/1/1, but I'm thinking I should re-roll to postpone Wizard levels. Optimum progression is probably Fighter 1 Cleric 2-13 Fighter 14 Wizard 15-20 or Monk 1-2 Cleric 3-14 Wizard 15-20 (but really the second Monk level could go anywhere from 2 to 14).

Any thoughts, particularly on Fighter vs. Monk?

You must postpone Wizard levels, so that you have BAB 6 and 11 when you can also take new feat, ITWF, GTWF. At level 9, 12, 15, 18, you need BAB 6, 11. Wizards get very slow BAB progression.

Cleric 11/Wizard7/Monk2 is solid split. Lvl 6 divine spells and lvl 4 arcane. Monk 2 gives 2 feats, as Fighter, but also Wis AC bonus (and you have some Wis) and Evasion.

Cleric 12/Wizard 6/Monk 2 would also work, but no Lvl 4 arcane spells. It does have option for future rank 2 Cleric's PrE.

Now, I would (and will) go Cleric11/Wizard7/Monk2. If, when there is Clerics PrE, I can switch to 12/6/2 split, if not level 19+ yet, or True Reincarnate. TR would even give a small power boost

[sephiroth1084]

My feelings on such a character aside, I'd imagine that the Wizard levels would be much more useful early in the game than later, since you're far more likely to be receiving Greater Heroism, Rage and Haste as standard buffs by that point, which would negate much of the value of the wizard levels in anything other than soloing (and with only 6 or 7 levels, potions of Haste, Rage and Heroism are almost as good as casting them anyway).

Conversely, many of the cleric buffs are self-only and actually improve with levels somewhat, so taking them later wouldn't obviate their utility.

I also think that you could probably drop Improved Mental Toughness for Empower Healing or Maximize, as it seems to me like half the point of being a divine warrior is the ability to self-heal. Even if you aren't doing so all the time, not having the option to self-heal effectively seems like a complete waste of the cleric levels.

Oh, and you could use Master's Touch to gain your weapon proficiencies. As for GH, you could farm for the Planar Gird for the low-mid levels, and then vie for the Purple Dragon Necklace for the endgame. Otherwise, I'd suggest drinking Heroism potions anyway, in order to keep yourself buffed with Displacement, as that's a much better buff, and doesn't come in potion form.

I really don't enjoy being a naysayer, but most of the reason to go wizard can be accomplished with potions, 1 level of wizard, sorc or bard, or by a mediocre UMD score. It would be an interesting character to play, I'm sure, but if you're not using the levels for the actual power wizards bring, then the things you lose as a wizard just don't seem to outweigh the little bit you gain: HP, Fort/Refl saves, higher level divine spells... vs. buffs that you can get from potions, or access to wands that a 1 level splash would accomplish, and that late in the game are commonly passed around by any other arcane in the group.

Oh, and dropping wizard would allow you to move points into Con, which you should really make higher if you're planning on wading into melee much. Though, since you're only after level 3 spells anyway, you could leave Int fairly low and just rely on stat items and/or tomes to get your ability score high enough to cast (like many paladins and rangers do). A +5 stat item, or +4 w/+1 tome is enough to cast 3rd level spells from a starting 8 Int.

[ShadowcatX]

Have you considered going bard rather than wizard? You won't get fireshield, but you'll get the rest of the buffs you want by level 7 and you'll get songs and a prc that allows you to have reduced spell point cost. It also gets better ref. saves and better bab.

[BaronZ]

Hmm. A Bard version of this is attractive, but you'd loose out on the Monk and Wizard bonus feats. Fighter might be better than Rogue because you're feat starved and you'd have pretty good saves (especially with buffs).

11 Cleric/7 Bard/2 Fighter

Starting stats (32 point Elf build)
16 Strength
16 Dexterity
12 Constitution
8 Intelligence
14 Wisdom
12 Charisma

Level ups into strength +2 Enhancement Points into Dex, Wis, and Char and +1 Strength. Would need to find a +1 Dex tome.

Feats

Power Attack
Toughness
Two Weapon Fighting
Improved Two Weapon Fighting
Greater Two Weapon Fighting
Oversized Two Weapon Fighting
Improved Critical: Slashing (or Piercing)
Extend Spell
Empower Healing

Skills
Concentration, Perform (minimum for songs since we won't be going for crowd control), UMD

Enhancements

Spellsinger PrE, Undying Court and Valenar Elf Melee plus some of the Cleric Turn Undead utility alternatives.

Bard Spells

Level 1
Focusing Chant
Expeditious Retreat
Remove Fear
Detect Secret Door (or Merfolk's Blessing or Feather Fall)

Level 2
Heroism
Rage
Cat's Grace (or Invisibility)
Fox's Cunning

Level 3
Displacement
Haste

[kingfisher]

why dont you try splashin a little rogue in there too