Struggles in epics

[Syllph]

(emphasis mine)

Maybe we are playing a different game. But in case we aren't, I'd be extremely interested in your strategy in evon3 against all of the drow. Or in OoB, or BoB or tide turns against them.

Two words: Spell Pen

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=315574

You guys are failing spell pen checks. We have similar DCs. There's no way I'm succeeding and you are not unless you chose to gimp out your spell pen. I have +35 to Spell pen checks, what do you have?

Get Spell Pen feats, Enhancements, get a +2 spell pen item (Ring of Shaman, Red Fens +2 9th level)

Check your combat log. You're not failing DCs you're failing spell pen.

[Rdonaccount]

To an extent, I think that the old method can still work, as long as you keep in mind mass hold has a SR check back. The key would be quicken (drop extend for it) and mind fog, which works in epics now. Beat that first save, and the -10 will save should be more than enough to keep mass hold on. But it'll just have to be recast a bit more often, and quicken will help with the prep time.

Crushing despair gives a -5 will save even on a successful save, might be a good idea to turn off heighten (for efficiency, mass hold won't need it anyway) and then mass hold. Easier for an archmage to fit it in, you probably arent carrying death aura and neg energy burst as lvl 4 slots.

The hardest part, at least from what i'm seeing with my 40 save, isn't getting the hold, it's getting it to stick beyond the first save, lowering will saves over the long term will probably be the best method for an AM support. But this is mostly conjecture, based off of what my PM is seeing.

[Rdonaccount]

Two words: Spell Pen

http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=315574

You guys are failing spell pen checks. We have similar DCs. There's no way I'm succeeding and you are not unless you chose to gimp out your spell pen. I have +35 to Spell pen checks, what do you have?

Get Spell Pen feats, Enhancements, get a +2 spell pen item (Ring of Shaman, Red Fens +2 9th level)

Check your combat log. You're not failing DCs you're failing spell pen.

first life. both spell pen feats. all 3 enhancements. failed on an 18+27 spell pen roll (energy drain, no enhancement for lvl 9 spells yet on my gear) against a drow archer in BoB.

No, not failing because of spell resistance, i can easily see when the blue bubble comes up. Failing saves against the mobs without spell resistance, and failing to even crack drow resistance.

[bashemgud]

Mind fog, crushing despair and the -3 to will saves from hypno (SLA). The old method still works, you simply need to prepare the battlefield in advance ^^

Also, the all arcanes epic runs are very interesting to watch, and I really look forward to the many possibilities these changes bring. Take also note that this wasn't done with sorcerers only, but with a mix of AM/PM wizards and sorcs savants. Asking if your wizard's archmage is now totally gimped is overreacting.

Take time to learn the new spells, and the many new ways there are now to play your class ^^

[Emili]

Here's what I've seen arcanes do since u9 hit:

*11-man caster-only chrono
*absolutely dominate kill counts in traditional party compositions in epic quests, followed closely by rogues
*tank Voltron
*encase Harry, Reaver
*steal aggro on anything and everything
...
*try to play exactly as they did pre-u9 and suck horribly
Your choice, really.

As for your DCs, maybe you were just unlucky? I can Destruct a lot of epic stuff after a single energy drain on my FvS which as like 35 or so necro dc (so theoretically 37 if they're standing in my aura).

Just making the important part of his post clear.

[Lycurgus]

What I want to know is, Is my AM wiz now useless. I have dc 40 hold dc 39 wail (ish, would need to double check the necro) And neither of those work in epics. period.

The solution appears to be debuffing. The question for AM wizards, I think, becomes is it worth spending the time and spell points to debuff/hold/dance, or is it more efficient to simply blow **** up/instakill.

[redoubt]

The solution appears to be debuffing. The question for AM wizards, I think, becomes is it worth spending the time and spell points to debuff/hold/dance, or is it more efficient to simply blow **** up/instakill.

I'm curious about this as well.

I used to have an enchant spec'd sorc. Then everyone said sorc were not supposed to be enchanters. Only wizards could really do that...

Now wizards have to cast (or so I read) 3 spells to get enchantments to land (i.e. "prep the battlefield".) This seems very mana in-efficient. Even worse on the arcane class with fewer spell points.

[mystafyi]

I tried von1. 41 wail worked well on the hobbos, but against the ogres/trolls, neither the wail nor the 40 dc mass hold was effective at all.

Von1... wail 42dc works decently without level drains... wail 41dc noticably less effective. Seems like 42 is magic threshold.

[SisAmethyst]

Well, I guess it is WAI to prep. the mobs. Especially if you look in the release notes:

Daze Monster: Cost reduced to 5 sp. The spell's hit dice limit has been removed. The cooldown is now 10 seconds, 8 seconds for sorcerers.

Including the new changes for helpless mobs this should be considered too.

Touch of Idiocy: A target now suffers a -5 penalty to will saves for 15 seconds, in addition to the spell's previous effects. No saving throw applies to the will save penalty.

An other low level debuff.

Crushing Despair: Cost reduced to 20 sp, and all targets now suffer a -5 will save for 15 seconds regardless of whether a target makes their saving throw.

So even if they save they get a debuff.

Enervation: The range of the spell has been doubled, and can no longer be Enlarged. Negative energy levels reduce attacks, saves, and other affected rolls by -2.

Doubled distance does mean cast while the mob is on distance and still have enough time to follow with an other spell right after, before the mob reaches you.

Power Word: Blind: Cost reduced to 10 sp. Upper hit point cap has been removed.

An other debuff that has been reduced in costs.

However, and this is probably what most suddenly face:

Hold Person, Mass: Spell is now affected by spell resistance.

Looking at this and the fact that most of the debuffs either have their cost reduced or e.g. added an additional Will penalty it is clear that we have to adapt our playstyle accordingly.

[Junts]

Two tips:

A: desert tends to have the best saves of all epics

B: most of the casters in chains of flame are clerics, not arcanes, so they have good fort saves.

My sorc runs a 38-39 dc with necro spells and is pretty successful with finger and wail when using them in the proper situations.

Gnoll clerics are not one of those situations. They might not be for 45 dc palemasters.