Purpose built Earth Savant

[wax_on_wax_off]

(20 Sorcerer)

Concept/Goals: Earth Savant taking unique advantage of my PL: cleric and the opportunity to not take any spell penetration feats while still having some useful CC (web and flesh to stone).

Alignment: Neutral

Stats and Race (34pt build):
Human
Str: 19 (10 base + 2 tome + 6 item +1 LotD)
Dex: 17 (8 base + 2 tome + 6 item +1 LotD)
Con: 30 (18 base + 2 tome + 6 item +3 exceptional +1 LotD)
Int: 11 (8 base + 2 tome used at level 7 +1 LotD)
Wis: 17 (8 base +2 tome +6 item +1 LotD)
Cha: 40 (18 base +5 levels +2 tome +4 enhancements + 7 item +3 exceptional +1 LotD)
Ability increase every 4 levels: All in Charisma

Skills : Keep Concentration and UMD maxed at all levels. Put leftover points into Balance.

Feats (by level): Maximise (1), Past Life: Cleric (1), Human Bonus: Empower (1), Past Life: Initiate of the Faith (3), Spell Focus: Conjuration (6), Heighten Spell (9), Spell Focus: Transmutation (12), Greater Spell Focus: Transmutation (15), Greater Spell Penetration: Conjuration (18)

Haven't decided if I want to trade something temporarily or permanently for toughness. Haven't decided if I want to have PL: IotF at level 20 (it's great while leveling up for emergency no fail self healing). Fairly certain I'm not bothered with spell penetration/greater spell penetration on account of focusing on DPS and CC that won't need the SP feats (web and flesh to stone).

Enhancements (Sorcerer): Earth Savant + prereqs. Minor force. Fire spec while leveling. Cold secondary spec at cap.
Enhancements (Human): Adaptability: Charisma, Greater Adaptability: Constitution if it gives +20 HP. Versatility for no fail heal scrolls. Maybe some healing amp while leveling for self healing.

Equipment: Getting a +2 spell focus item for conjuration and transmutation are big priorities (scepter of the fleshweaver for transmutation, not sure which way I'll go for conjuration, robe of the diabolist is an option). Lore (have green blade, t3 epic ornamental, need earth savant ToD set). Superior Erosion, Inferno (while leveling), Efficacy, Potency, Freeze etc.

Details:
Conjuration DC: 10 base + 9 levels + 2 SF item + 2 GSF + 1 PL + 15 charisma = 39 (web, acid blast, acid rain, cloudkill)
Transmutation DC: 10 base + 9 levels + 2 SF item + 2 GSF + 15 charisma = 38 (disintegrate, f2s)
HP: 20 base + 4*20 sorcerer + 10*20 constitution + 30 GFL + 45 GS HP + 10 draconic + 20 rage + 20 ship buff +40 Yugo HP = 465
UMD: 11 ranks + 15 charisma + 5 GS Conc-opp SP item + 4 GH + 2 GL + 3 Golden Cartouche + 3 epic spyglass = 43 (not sure if I can get a setup for 100% heal scrolls without gear swapping).

1st: Nightshield, Jump, Expeditious Retreat, Protection from Evil
2nd: Resist Energy, Web, Knock, Scorching Ray (swap for ? at 20)
3rd: Acid Blast, Displacement, Haste, Rage
4th: Acid Rain, Firewall (swap for ice storm at 20), Dimension Door (maybe swap for stoneskin at 20), Burning Blood
5th: Protection from Elements, Cloudkill, Break Enchantment, Niac's Biting Cold
6th: Disintegrate, Flesh to Stone, Circle of Death
7th: Waves of Exhaustion, Otto's Sphere of Dancing, Prismatic Spray
8th: Trap the Soul (or Mass Charm Monster), Polar Ray, Otto's Irresistible Dance
9th: Meteor Swarm, Energy Drain, Power Word Kill

Blue Spells are possible additions to my spell list as I level (currently 12). I saw today that on my wizard that PWK apparently has a conjuration save now, was that stealth nerfed?

Should I relent and fit a Spell Pen feat in somewhere on account of there being quite a few spells here that have SR checks even though they aren't the bulk of the builds strategy? Specifically, how far will web and F2S go towards satisfying the requirements for a sorcerer to CC in your opinion? Are there high SR mobs that won't be vulnerable to any of my spells? (I figure there is a good array of options here, some which bypass SR, some which don't).

Will the extra caster levels for F2S be sufficient to bypass SR sufficiently?

Finally, whenever I look my web, acid rain, cloudkill and acid blast all seem to have different DCs even though heighten is on and they don't seem to change DCs appropriately even when I equip a conjuration item, anyone know what's up with that?

[shagath]

Dont forget your strongest cc, earth grab. I'm playing earth savant atm(still couple hours left before water) and I don't find myself casting FtS at all as earth grab replaces it(also reflex save>fort save). No SR check on it either.

You will probably want mass hold monster for +50% damage so I recommend to put enervate to your spellbook. 260pts stoneskin is also no joke. Burning blood is good too. I couldn't fit firewall, icestorm or ddoor in for level 4.

A tip for earth savant: Acid fog + waves. Makes them crawl.

[Ridag]

A tip for earth savant: Acid fog + waves. Makes them crawl.

Acid Fog reduces AC, it doesn't list any movement slowing effects (nor have I heard of any being added). Can you elaborate?

In fact I'm a water savant with a secondary spec in acid and carry both of these spells so I'll go check it out...

EDIT: It does seem like they move slower through the fog when exhausted, slower then regular exhausted speed. The fog by itself has no movement slowing effect that I can tell however, very interesting.

[wax_on_wax_off]

Acid Fog reduces AC, it doesn't list any movement slowing effects (nor have I heard of any being added). Can you elaborate?

In fact I'm a water savant with a secondary spec in acid and carry both of these spells so I'll go check it out...

EDIT: It does seem like they move slower through the fog when exhausted, slower then regular exhausted speed. The fog by itself has no movement slowing effect that I can tell however, very interesting.

Acid Fog supplies this? What about other fog spells like cloudkill? Please explore!

[Jaid314]

Acid Fog supplies this? What about other fog spells like cloudkill? Please explore!

just acid fog. i've heard it doesn't actually work, though.

[wax_on_wax_off]

Standing in Von5 right now and my DCs are as follows:
Web: DC 31
Acid Blast: DC 33
Cloudkill: DC 33
Acid Rain: DC 29

Level 12, pure sorcerer, 34 charisma, +1 conjuration DC from PL: cleric, +1 conjuration DC from full abishai set, +1 conjuration DC from spell focus: conjuration.

DC for all spells should be 10 + 6 + 12 + 3 = 31

I'm guessing, Acid Rain perhaps at one stage didn't have a save so 2 out of the 3 +1's aren't applying due to bad scripting. Acid Blast and Cloudkill are getting some DC boost on account of being an earth savant II, even though they shouldn't.

Or are the DCs just displaying incorrectly?

[wax_on_wax_off]

Standing in Von5 right now and my DCs are as follows:
Web: DC 31
Acid Blast: DC 33
Cloudkill: DC 33
Acid Rain: DC 29

Level 12, pure sorcerer, 34 charisma, +1 conjuration DC from PL: cleric, +1 conjuration DC from full abishai set, +1 conjuration DC from spell focus: conjuration.

DC for all spells should be 10 + 6 + 12 + 3 = 31

I'm guessing, Acid Rain perhaps at one stage didn't have a save so 2 out of the 3 +1's aren't applying due to bad scripting. Acid Blast and Cloudkill are getting some DC boost on account of being an earth savant II, even though they shouldn't.

Or are the DCs just displaying incorrectly?

Bump, anyone have any ideas why these DCs are wrong? (heighten is on so they should all be the same)

[wax_on_wax_off]

Bump on the DC issue.

Also, I can't decide between SF/GSF: transmutation and spell penetration feats. A high Flesh to Stone and Disintegrate DC sounds valuable and Spell Penetration is less useful than usual for a sorcerer. Perhaps a compromise? Not sure. Ideas pleas? I mean, I don't need Spell Pen to have effective Crowd Control (web + F2S + earth grab). Help?

[Shade]

Standing in Von5 right now and my DCs are as follows:
Web: DC 31
Acid Blast: DC 33
Cloudkill: DC 33
Acid Rain: DC 29

Level 12, pure sorcerer, 34 charisma, +1 conjuration DC from PL: cleric, +1 conjuration DC from full abishai set, +1 conjuration DC from spell focus: conjuration.

DC for all spells should be 10 + 6 + 12 + 3 = 31

I'm guessing, Acid Rain perhaps at one stage didn't have a save so 2 out of the 3 +1's aren't applying due to bad scripting. Acid Blast and Cloudkill are getting some DC boost on account of being an earth savant II, even though they shouldn't.

Or are the DCs just displaying incorrectly?

Web/Acid Blast/Cloudkill:
10
heighted to lvl6 = 16
+12 charima = 28
+1 feats = 29
+1 item = 30 (abishai set and item don't stack, least not last time i tested...)
= 30
Acid Rain:
can't be heightened = 14
+12 charima = 26
+1 feats = 27
+1 item = 28 (abishai set and item don't stack)
= 28

Why your tooltips are displaying incorrectly:
The tooltips are bugged, always have been. Turbines doesn't have the best programmers around. Toggle heigten on and off quickly a few times and usually they update to something vaguely accurate.

Your actual working DCs should not be wrong tho.

I've never heard of DCs being displayed higher then they should be tho, its always been lower. Sounds like they may actually be going up due to your earth savant +CL (and explains web, sicne its not a earth spell)

EG:
lvl12.. So ESII = +4 CL.
Equiv to lvl16, so you could cast lvl8 spells. Thus heighten is giving you +2 DC. May actually be intended.

Too bad this doesn't work to improve DCs lvl20, since lvl9 is the cap.
May have to test in pvp to verify what your DCs actually are.

[elujin]

i am building a sorcer with the almost same feat/spell plan as you ( i think i red your feats idea in an outher thread)
but i am a total arcane noob
so il be following this thread closely

bump for sf/gsf transmuting vs spell pen feats

[wax_on_wax_off]

Snip

Thanks for explaining that so perfectly, all makes sense now.

Says I have to spread more reputation around ...

i am building a sorcer with the almost same feat/spell plan as you ( i think i red your feats idea in an outher thread)
but i am a total arcane noob
so il be following this thread closely

bump for sf/gsf transmuting vs spell pen feats

Well, before I leveled to 13 I swapped Spell Focus: Transmutation for Greater Spell Focus: Conjuration. This way I can put off any decisions until I get to level 15 at least, hopefully can put a plan together.

[wax_on_wax_off]

So I was just reading about Eruhuan's accomplishment over here and I thought, hey, I'm awesome, maybe I can do that?

However, the servers are down and I'm not flagged yet. In other news, any hints or tips for doing this as a level 13 earth savant?

Thoughts:
Displacement, does it work and who does it work against?
Best strategy to deal with archers? Ignore them? Stone them? Web them? What options do I have? Do the gnolls have magic arrows in which case my invulnerability robes won't work and I'll have to get some arrow blocking ones?
Best strategy to deal with efreet? Do they have <1000 HP in which case a single cast of acid rain will kill them if placed carefully? Are they vulnerable to web/circle of death/anything else?
Lailat is vulnerable to acid now as of U9 I'm fairly certain, according to DDOwiki she has 10 resist fire and acid on normal so burning blood + melfs acid arrow + acid rain + firewall should rip her up very quickly. Am I best of kiting her or divine power and +5 shield and block when she is after me? What should I do when she rages, have the dots applied and shield block or just keep running?

[shagath]

Just kill the archers. Prob one melf per archer is enough. It's very easy. Jump in, put dots running on her and run. Freeti are weak too. Whe she rages, she's immune to spell level 4 and below so use niacs biting for example.

[elujin]

could you give any advice for fitting in thoughness on a wf ?

i guess il need to make some hard choices on spells, to get some repairs in

[wax_on_wax_off]

could you give any advice for fitting in thoughness on a wf ?

i guess il need to make some hard choices on spells, to get some repairs in

The real trick is fitting in quicken on a warforged. No point having self healing if you can be interrupted. In reality, I would shy away from earth savant if I was going warforged as the outcome is oodles of HP but I find that once over 400 or 500 that I don't need any more.

Feat lineup:
Maximise, empower, heighten: absolute must haves, not negotiable at all.
Spell focus: evocation or conjuration: required for savant.

3 feats left. Options: Greater Spell Focus: Evo or Conj, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, SF/GSF: Transmutation, SF/GSF: necromancy, SF/GSF: enchantment.

Honestly, after playing a sorcerer you couldn't convince me to roll up a warforged one considering the 3 points of lost charisma, high DCs just own so much. Perhaps at cap it might matter less but overall the advantages of warforged have been fairly eroded by that stage anyway.

If considering toughness then I'd suggest to put it in a feat slot that you can later swap out to Greater Spell Focus: Conjuration or something else when it isn't needed.

[elujin]

The real trick is fitting in quicken on a warforged. No point having self healing if you can be interrupted. In reality, I would shy away from earth savant if I was going warforged as the outcome is oodles of HP but I find that once over 400 or 500 that I don't need any more.

Feat lineup:
Maximise, empower, heighten: absolute must haves, not negotiable at all.
Spell focus: evocation or conjuration: required for savant.

3 feats left. Options: Greater Spell Focus: Evo or Conj, Spell Penetration, Greater Spell Penetration, SF/GSF: Transmutation, SF/GSF: necromancy, SF/GSF: enchantment.

Honestly, after playing a sorcerer you couldn't convince me to roll up a warforged one considering the 3 points of lost charisma, high DCs just own so much. Perhaps at cap it might matter less but overall the advantages of warforged have been fairly eroded by that stage anyway.

If considering toughness then I'd suggest to put it in a feat slot that you can later swap out to Greater Spell Focus: Conjuration or something else when it isn't needed.

i hear you on wf not beeing all that optimal but i figuer its good for a first life .

[Xaearth]

The real trick is fitting in quicken on a warforged. No point having self healing if you can be interrupted. In reality, I would shy away from earth savant if I was going warforged as the outcome is oodles of HP but I find that once over 400 or 500 that I don't need any more.

Quicken is nice to have but it is far from required for a WF arcane.

My WF wizzy has quicken but only uses it in a few epics/tanking situations and anywhere that SP isn't an issue (Thank you Mr Stormreaver, may I have another?). If a wizzy can get by without it, I'm fairly certain a sorc could too.

[wax_on_wax_off]

i hear you on wf not beeing all that optimal but i figuer its good for a first life .

Go half-elf with paladin dilettante. Self heal with wands and healing amp, by level 13 if you have full human versatility enhancement you should have a decent ability to scroll heal (8 ranks + 12 (18 cha + 3 levels + 5 item + 4 APs + 2 tome + 2 ship buff) + 3 golden cartouche + 1 top hat + 4 GH + 1 Good luck + 5 human versatility = 34; 75% success rate, enough for heal scrolls). By level 20 you'll have 100% with no worries and then the +5 paladin saves will be very valuable. Starting with Favoured Soul Dilettante and swapping to Paladin later is an option too (75% UMD + 85% FvS caster level on heal scrolls = very small chance of failure).

As a TR I have +5 Cha skills from a GS item and +2 good luck so I only have the first tier of human versatility and have a 37 UMD. Just found this out last night and I'm very happy

Quicken is nice to have but it is far from required for a WF arcane.

My WF wizzy has quicken but only uses it in a few epics/tanking situations and anywhere that SP isn't an issue (Thank you Mr Stormreaver, may I have another?). If a wizzy can get by without it, I'm fairly certain a sorc could too.

I'd say that Quicken on a WF wizard is absolutely non-negotiable. Reconstruct doesn't have all that quick a casting time and the times when reconstruct is important (you're being hit hard) if you don't have quicken in all likely hood your spell will fizzle and you will die. This isn't a problem if you don't take on difficult content but, at least for my playstyle, I couldn't do without quicken.

[Xaearth]

I'd say that Quicken on a WF wizard is absolutely non-negotiable. Reconstruct doesn't have all that quick a casting time and the times when reconstruct is important (you're being hit hard) if you don't have quicken in all likely hood your spell will fizzle and you will die. This isn't a problem if you don't take on difficult content but, at least for my playstyle, I couldn't do without quicken.

It isn't about difficulty, it's about why you're getting hit.

Tanking mobs as a strategy is one thing. Quests with ridiculous numbers of mobs with range attacks *cough*EOoB*cough* is another thing. But, for the most part, unless you're trying to brute force solo Epics as an arcane, you shouldn't be taking anywhere near that kind of damage.

Epic raids? Sure there's damage flying around everywhere... there also tends to be mass cure/heals flying around everywhere.

Everywhere else, mobs shouldn't be able to get more than a couple hits off on you before something happens. Whether that something is you landing CC, ducking behind cover to lose LoS, getting help from teammates, sitting there spamming quickened reconstructs until something changes, dying, or w/e else may happen... Well that's up to you and your group mates.

But regardless of the outcome, there are other options. Like I said, when I'm not purposely putting myself in a situation where I'm trying to take aggro (whatever the reason), I don't use quicken on my wizzy. It may require battlefield awareness and a proactive strategy as opposed to a reactive one, but that doesn't make it any less true.

[XatheX]

Has anyone else noticed the damage from could Kill is broken, in a bad way

example: lvl 20 sorc - earth savant 1 - sup potency VI item - all acid enhancments - Major acid lore Item

damage = 4-20 and about 50 on crit.......

min. damage should be 2d6 + CL(22 due to earth savant) so 24-34 + potency + enhancements
even half on a save should be more then 4-7


any idea's or at least conformation thanks