Improved fortification feat

[zex95966]

If a warforged arcane should you take it? or will there be times when you will need to rely on the cleric or w/e to heal you?

[protokon]

If a warforged arcane should you take it? or will there be times when you will need to rely on the cleric or w/e to heal you?

immunity to positive energy is a pretty hefty penalty for something that can just be slotted on an item...

[blitzschlag]

this feat has 2 purposes

a) you are in a static roleplaying party
b) you wanna find yourself on as many blacklists as possible before deleting

[Esserbe]

It's a really bad idea. Heavy and Moderate fort comes on docents, belts, and Minos Legens, neither of which makes you immune to healing and takes up a feat slot.

[suszterpatt]

It's a really bad idea. Heavy and Moderate fort comes on docents, belts, and Minos Legens, neither of which makes you immune to healing and takes up a feat slot.

Not to mention Mineral II greensteel items that can have a bunch of other good properties as well (e.g. +45 HP that stacks with Greater False Life).

[Forgeborn]

only reasons to take it:
1) Aggravate every future fvs and cleric you come across that tries to heal you
2) Get blacklisted by many of said fvs' because you can't be healed if needed
3) Being arrogant enough to think you can get from level 6 to 20 without ever needing divine healing.
4) Roleplaying purposes

Moderate fortification and heavy fortification are easy enough to get on docents, and belts, there's also several named items that give heavy fortification. All of those things will still allow you to be healed by positive energy, and don't anger/aggravate whoever is trying to heal you if/when you are in a tight spot or unconscious.

E.G. Don't take it,

[Bodic]

w/o the feat a WF can get 100% fortification @lvl 2 if they have the Moderate fortification ring I have :P so uhm yeah.

BAD FEAT CHOICE

[Forgeborn]

w/o the feat a WF can get 100% fortification @lvl 2 if they have the Moderate fortification ring I have :P so uhm yeah.

BAD FEAT CHOICE

Psh, only at level 2? farm the lordsmarch plaza p2p chain, it drops bound to account, no ML, moderate fortification rings (with some thrash on the side, mine has +1 con of moderate fortification).

[Truga]

No reason to take it. Undead forms already give 100% fort

[Sarisa]

There are a few raids, notably Epic Demon Queen when using the "ball" or "Spartan" method, where anything that prevents normal healing is a bad idea. The incoming damage is too high for anything besides a divine caster spamming mass cures. This includes undead forms for all but the most well equipped Pale Masters.

There are also times, where even on a Warforged sorc or archmage, where you get tripped, stunned, rust monster disabled, feebleminded, webbed, or the like and that heal tossed from a divine caster will be necessary to save your life.

It may work if you eternally solo, or if you're in a private group where you will never have any divine healing. I would never recommend taking the feat for any normal character.

[Noctus]

If you never, ever want to group with others and solo eternally on that char, yu can take it.

If not - better abstain from it.

[SaneDitto]

If a warforged arcane should you take it?

No.

or will there be times when you will need to rely on the cleric or w/e to heal you?

Yes.

[Missing_Minds]

If a warforged arcane should you take it? or will there be times when you will need to rely on the cleric or w/e to heal you?

If you do take it, don't be surprised if you start to get a word of mouth to not be allowed to join groups.

[somenewnoob]

w/o the feat a WF can get 100% fortification @lvl 2 if they have the Moderate fortification ring I have :P so uhm yeah.

BAD FEAT CHOICE

This. How hard is it to get a mod fort item? About as hard as finding a hillbilly at Wal-Mart.

[ThePrisoner]

Since the responses in this thread have been a bit one sided, let me offer an alternative point of view. Undead forms essentially present the same problems for healers as improved fortification, especially considering that most healers to not carry inflict wounds spells, and somehow Pale Masters get by. Also, as either a Warforged Wizard or Pale Master, you are expected to heal yourself. It is extremely rare that I receive a heal on my Warforged Wizard and almost never necessary.

What is being overlooked in the previous responses is that there is an actual incentive for getting the improved fortification feat, and that is that Yugoloth intelligence potions would not drop your fortification below 100% if you combine a fortification item and the feat. The new ring Omniscience from Vision of Destruction will accomplish the same thing, but until you get the ring the feat isn't a terrible option.

Other than possibly epic Demon Queen, I can't think of a quest where a wizard needs to rely on divine healing. If you are comfortable avoiding the one or two quests where the feat will be a hinderance, I can't see improved fortification being much of a problem. If Yugo potions are not the reason behind the feat, however, then there is no good reason to take it.

[Angelus_dead]

Since the responses in this thread have been a bit one sided, let me offer an alternative point of view. Undead forms essentially present the same problems for healers as improved fortification, especially considering that most healers to not carry inflict wounds spells, and somehow Pale Masters get by.

Are you joking? The whole point of Pale Master is that shifting to form allows the Wizard to heal himself with negative energy spells.

Pale Master simply replaces one of your sources of healing with another, so it's acceptable. Improved Fortification removes a healing source entirely, so it is not.

[ArcaneMelee]

Are you joking? The whole point of Pale Master is that shifting to form allows the Wizard to heal himself with negative energy spells.

Pale Master simply replaces one of your sources of healing with another, so it's acceptable. Improved Fortification removes a healing source entirely, so it is not.

Not the mention that the number of divine that carry Harm absolutely dwarfs the number of divine that can UMD a Reconstruct scroll.

[Entelech]

Not the mention that the number of divine that carry Harm absolutely dwarfs the number of divine that can UMD a Reconstruct scroll.

Agreed. Several points here:

(1) Either way, with PM undead form or with the FEAT THAT SHALL NOT BE TAKEN, it's a really good idea to tell the party healer about your "issues" in advance. That way, said healer knows to let you die (if PM) or to boot you from the group, blacklist you, squelch you, and shoot your dog (if WF with Improved Fort.)

(2) If said healer is a generous and understanding sort, he might not boot you from the group. You need to realize that by taking this feat you are ABSOLUTELY 100% ON YOUR OWN for heals. Even if there's another Warforged Wizard or Sorcerer in the group, it will be fruitless to demand that they heal you. Once they stop laughing at you, they'll point out that they're too busy doing arcane things to watch your hitpoints.

(3) Even if you could get Heavy Fortification with NO DOWNSIDE AT ALL, it would still be a poor feat, since easily obtained, common items grant the ability. By making you immune to positive energy, it goes from "suboptimal" to "what the heck were you thinking?"

[Missing_Minds]

Since the responses in this thread have been a bit one sided, let me offer an alternative point of view.

How about this thread was old and dead. Can you smell the necro yet?

Incidentally, speaking of dead, that feat more than likely will no longer exist as a feat after the next enhancement pass.

[NaturalHazard]

Are you joking? The whole point of Pale Master is that shifting to form allows the Wizard to heal himself with negative energy spells.

Pale Master simply replaces one of your sources of healing with another, so it's acceptable. Improved Fortification removes a healing source entirely, so it is not.

sucked in by a necro again lol