Shield Mastery

[Failedlegend]

It should also be noted that nature of Pale Master healing makes Shield Mastery even more attractive, because our only burst heal, Negative Energy Burst is pretty crappy. So, it makes sense to load on damage mitigation and try to get the most out of Death Aura.

Somewhat unrelated but a note about palemasters...we're immune to the bad side effects of the Demon Consort Bracers making them an incredibly effective item.

My plan for my PM is to cram as many guards on him as possible (after the prerequisite caster stuff of course ie. Potency, Torc, Con-OP etc.) that coupled with DOTs (speccing Cold/Acid for Eladar's & Melf's) and intimidate (plus the boost from shields) along with the severe reduction of any incoming damage + the death aura will make an extremely effective IntimiHate tank and outside of the tank role a highly effective highly survivable caster especially if you splash rogue for evasion, UMD (high UMD is a must for a palemaster so they can scroll heal harm) and of course Intimidate..on a Human you can even fit in trap skills.

Note: It much easier to fit in trap skills with a +1 Int tome at lvl 3 (or lvl 4 for vet status toons) and a +2 int tome at lvl 7...both of which are easily to obtained especially for a TR...its not required you'll just be behind other trappers by a point or two on some levels if you don't do this.

The version below is with the +1/2 Int Tomes

Note: The 2nd rogue level can be taken as soon as lvl 8 It's just a personal pref to have it at 1 & 11

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 3.9.1
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 True Neutral Human Male
(2 Rogue \ 18 Wizard) 


Level 1 (Rogue)
Skill: Balance (+4)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Diplomacy (+4)
Skill: Disable Device (+4)
Skill: Haggle (+4)
Skill: Intimidate (+4)
Skill: Jump (+4)
Skill: Open Lock (+4)
Skill: Search (+4)
Skill: Spot (+4)
Skill: Swim (+4)
Skill: Tumble (+4)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+4)


Level 2 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 3 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 4 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 5 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 6 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+0.5)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 7 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+0.5)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 8 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 9 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 10 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 11 (Rogue)
Skill: Disable Device (+3)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+7)
Skill: Search (+3)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 12 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 13 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 14 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+2)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 15 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 16 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 17 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 18 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 19 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)


Level 20 (Wizard)
Skill: Concentration (+1)
Skill: Disable Device (+1)
Skill: Intimidate (+1)
Skill: Open Lock (+0.5)
Skill: Search (+1)
Skill: Use Magic Device (+1)

Skills (At 20 Trained + Stat Mod....no items)            

Concentration           29
Disable Device          31
Intimidate              25
Open Lock               15
Search                  31
Use Magic Device        25

[Barashkukor]

Here are my (messy) notes so far on my planned TR, from Drow to 34 point Elf with focus on damage mitigation/reduction.

------

feats for TR Elf: (in no particular order)
- empower, extend, maximize, quicken, heighten
- toughness, sfnecro, gsfnecro, plwiz, shield prof,
shield mastery, ins.reflex, mental toughness (12 to 18, then swap out)

AP's & Costs:
Full Force: 19
Full Arcane Fluidity: 6
Double Imp Maximise: 6
Double Imp Empower: 6
Full Racial Toughness: 3
Full Wiz Int: 12
Full Pale Master: 8
Master of Magic: 2
Lich Shroud: 2
Triple Energy Scholar: 6
Triple Elven Arcanum: 6
Single points in Fire/Acid/Elec/Cold Manip leaves 0.


(triple arcanum somewhat replaces both spell pen feats (together with pl:wiz) to afford shield mastery, sacs some health, should be negligible as Drow already very survivable at only 400hp buffed, no gs etc)


Conflicted about Full Force - read somewhere critlines don't work on untyped? (bug or wai - find source and note it here fofure) if so, which replacements? single point critline everything? improve max/emp sp-reduc?


want imp-shield mastery, means dropping a meta and moving sfnecro to bonus feats - if so, which meta to drop?
must-have: maxi, emp, quicken
leaves: heighten, extend
* heighten benefits - mostly fod as toon not about CC at all, -3 DC on fod quite severe, offset with semi-liberal use
of debuffs? seems very inefficient but perhaps acceptable?
* extend benefits - mainly haste, rage, auras. also inefficient to rebuff twice as often

{needs more research/consideration}

------

Any input greatly appreciated

[The_Brave2]

Second Shield Mastery is FAR from useless its a PASSIVE 15% DR (with large shield) which STACKS with the "Turtling" DR

15% is useless. If you are doing anything but tanking sully it becomes so little damage mitigation. As for Being usefull with PM I cant argue with that since I only play a WF Archmage and it doesnt make sense for that playstyle. I dont see how it would be usefull with PM anywase for anything but tanking sully, 1-2 damage mitigation everywhere else is so little it fails to be usefull.

Why take Shield Prof: General? is it a prereq for shield mastery? 2 wasted feats instead of 1?

[Barashkukor]

Why take Shield Prof: General? is it a prereq for shield mastery?

Yep.

[Blank_Zero]

Yep.

That's why I'm iffy about it still.

On a FvS, I'd have taken it already.

[Larv]

That's why I'm iffy about it still.

On a FvS, I'd have taken it already.

In my oppinion, I don't think it would be worth it. As long as you have 2 repair spells prepped you'll be fine. 15% DR won't realy be all that great and you could take insightfull reflexes as well as another toughness to make up for it. I belive taking half damage on all spells would save me far more often while doing anything than just 15% DR while tanking.

I belive saving a 200 point spell (making it 100) would be better than taking 85 damage rather than 100. This is just my oppinion if you think 15% would help more than anything else, go for it.

[Failedlegend]

In my oppinion, I don't think it would be worth it. As long as you have 2 repair spells prepped you'll be fine. 15% DR won't realy be all that great and you could take insightfull reflexes as well as another toughness to make up for it. I belive taking half damage on all spells would save me far more often while doing anything than just 15% DR while tanking.

I belive saving a 200 point spell (making it 100) would be better than taking 85 damage rather than 100. This is just my oppinion if you think 15% would help more than anything else, go for it.

I'm sorry but what feats did i NOT take

Human Wiz18/Rog2 "Palemaster"

Shield Prof:General
Shield Mastery
Toughness
Insightful Reflexes
Extend
SF:Necro
Mental Toughness
Maximize
Heighten
GSF: Necro
Quicken
Empower

[Larv]

I'm sorry but what feats did i NOT take

Human Wiz18/Rog2 "Palemaster"

Shield Prof:General
Shield Mastery
Toughness
Insightful Reflexes
Extend
SF:Necro
Mental Toughness
Maximize
Heighten
GSF: Necro
Quicken
Empower

Not sure if you have wiz PLs but if not, spell pen

[Failedlegend]

Not sure if you have wiz PLs but if not, spell pen

yeah its a TR build

[Larv]

yeah its a TR build

I also don't see spell focus enchant or any wiz PL feat on there. Are you building this wiz just to tank?

[Failedlegend]

I also don't see spell focus enchant or any wiz PL feat on there. Are you building this wiz just to tank?

OH NO I don't have SF: Enchant how will I ever be an effective caster...really that's all you got...I guess I'm good than.

As for Past Life: Wizard I might swap out mental toughness when I get PM3/Lich From depending on what my DCs are at.

[Blank_Zero]

OH NO I don't have SF: Enchant how will I ever be an effective caster...really that's all you got...I guess I'm good than.

He asked you a question.

You could at least answer it instead of being rude about it.

[Entelech]

Look...we're getting bogged down in personal arguments and sniping, when really what is happening is that we're talking at cross purposes.

One group is all "I want to try this flavor build to combine Wiztanking with reasonable performance as a general-purpose Wizard."

The other group is all "but...but...you aren't a hyper-specialized endgame CC specialist...what good are you?"

Each side has a point. And each side is totally failing to listen to the other. Is it any wonder we're devolving into sarcasm by page 4 of the thread?

[jaegarnel]

Look...we're getting bogged down in personal arguments and sniping, when really what is happening is that we're talking at cross purposes.

One group is all "I want to try this flavor build to combine Wiztanking with reasonable performance as a general-purpose Wizard."

The other group is all "but...but...you aren't a hyper-specialized endgame CC specialist...what good are you?"

Each side has a point. And each side is totally failing to listen to the other. Is it any wonder we're devolving into sarcasm by page 4 of the thread?

Agreed.
I know that personally I wouldn't have fun with a tanking wizard, but if that's what the OP enjoys and wants to do, more power to him.

All I can say is that this build looks effective to me at what it's trying to achieve. Only experience will tell how good it actually is, of course.

[noinfo]

eh, tanking on a WF Wiz isnt something new, DoT him up with a eardweller and a lesser max clickie and recon yourself shield blocking has proven to be a great tactic for tanking sully in ToD, longer fight in VoD is debatable but baisicly any real nuking by a caster is going to pull aggro. it doesnt eat up the SP bar as quick as you would think since the Dots are mana efficient and recon is cheap.

Oh I have no worries about him tanking sulu in TOD. We had a WF caster tank sulu in a 3 man TOD without any issues while my melee beat on Horoth. My query was regarding him tanking Horoth and Horoths DOT's on him and how fast that would chew up the blue bar. Tanking VOD hasn't been an issue really for anyone for quite some time, I suppose it would be useful to be able to DOT him and not have to range/chase him back and the other pug casters DOTing are less likely to pull agro when he ports and get squished.

[Larv]

OH NO I don't have SF: Enchant how will I ever be an effective caster...really that's all you got...I guess I'm good than.

Tell me, when did I ever say it wouldn't be effective? I said I wouldn't do it personaly. I build my casters to do a little bit more crowd crontrol, is that bad? No. Is you taking feats to tank better bad? No. I just personaly belive that with 34DR, displace, and self heals that I would be fine without an extra 15% DR.

[budalic]

SF: Enchant and GSF: Enchant are quite useless atm. What's better - mob fails save and becomes held for 3 secs before next save, or mob fails save and dies? Only place where CC is useful is eChrono, but I had quite good experience there with web and/or cycling of will save debuffs and Deep Slumber. In other situations... CC is a waste of party slot, IMO.

To whomever said 15% damage mitigation is useless... what is useful then? SF feats are acually quite useless - you get 5% more chance of affecting enemy. Spellpen? Most epic enemies don't have any SR, and epic drow have SR so high you'd have trouble affecting them with a 3xwiz tr, 3xfvs tr maxed spellpen elf. Dammit, play the game a bit, and you'll realize what's really useful.

To all WF ppl in the thread, aim higher than Horoth... my WF sorc buddy can solo Lailat in eDQ1. Of course, he has Shield Mastery....

EDIT: It isn't a question of wiztanks vs. generally useful builds.... Shield mastery builds are generally useful now, and other builds are flavor, IMO.

[Failedlegend]

To whomever said 15% damage mitigation is useless... what is useful then? SF feats are acually quite useless - you get 5% more chance of affecting enemy. Spellpen? Most epic enemies don't have any SR, and epic drow have SR so high you'd have trouble affecting them with a 3xwiz tr, 3xfvs tr maxed spellpen elf. Dammit, play the game a bit, and you'll realize what's really useful.

To all WF ppl in the thread, aim higher than Horoth... my WF sorc buddy can solo Lailat in eDQ1. Of course, he has Shield Mastery....

EDIT: It isn't a question of wiztanks vs. generally useful builds.... Shield mastery builds are generally useful now, and other builds are flavor, IMO.

Exactly

SF: Enchant and GSF: Enchant are quite useless atm. What's better - mob fails save and becomes held for 3 secs before next save, or mob fails save and dies? Only place where CC is useful is eChrono, but I had quite good experience there with web and/or cycling of will save debuffs and Deep Slumber. In other situations... CC is a waste of party slot, IMO.

My point about SF:Enchant was that its not really needed 1 or 2 DC aren't going to make much of a difference in most cases but 15% Passive DR (IOW can still actually cast spells etc. as opposed to turtling where that's al your doing) especially since it comes off first so 100 - 15% = 85. Thats alot bigger decrease than the increase of a DC40 - a DC41 which is about a 2.5% increase

[danotmano1998]

Just to be clear, and since this is a relatively newer addition to the game..

Shield Mastery gives you a 15% damage reduction if you're holding a (large) shield. Regardless of whether or not you're blocking. If you are blocking, then you get to add all the other numbers in there after the 15% is removed right off the top.

Taking 2 feats from a sorc would be a huge loss. (Assuming your going pure).
Taking 2 feats from a wiz would be a loss, but liveable, IMO.
Taking 2 feats from a cleric? Hmm.. Tough choice.

I think the place where this would be very effective is in high pressure situations where you accidentally grab aggro you didn't want.

Oops! Harry is coming right at me!!! ARGHHH !!!
1. Put up the shield and sit tight until the aggro is removed from you via the rest of the party.
2. Toss the shield aside and start casting again!

Is the feat really worth it? Depends on your playstyle, your build, and your particular flavor.
15% isn't a lot. For some builds, it could be the difference between life or death. For others, not so much.

[Failedlegend]

Is the feat really worth it? Depends on your playstyle, your build, and your particular flavor.
15% isn't a lot. For some builds, it could be the difference between life or death. For others, not so much.

For a Palemaster its can mean the difference between your Aura completely sustaining you or just slowing your HP loss. Stack as many guards and regular DR on top of that and you'll be pretty potent. Not mention evasion+insightful reflexes.

Also the plan for most of us is to always carry the shield not as a "Oh &$!&" measure

Oh and I definitely agree I would NEVER even contemplate this on a Sorc its only because of the extra feats that wizards get that this is doable.