A Tenser's build

[Lauf]

For a while now I've been wondering about the tenser's transformation spell... it seems to call out for someone to come and put it to use, so I've decided I'd take a stab at it.

since the basic concept of having a caster using tenser to constantly melee, and buffing himself in between is not that exciting, I thought I'd spice it up a little. 12 level of wiz (11 needed for tenser) open up PM tier 2, and with PM comes the option for having a death aura for constant healing, and wraith form for 25% incorporeality. add that to your usual blur and you get a 40% chance to be missed. not bad when coupled with a constant healing aura.

so that's the base of the build.

to this base I've been thinking about adding 2 levels of monk (for evasion, feats, hp) and 6 levels of paladin. the saves should complement evasion, and DoS PrE for more str/con/hp.

obviously the dilemma was and is choosing between pally/fighter and monk/rogue for the splashes.

current build idea is as follows:

Character Plan by DDO Character Planner Version 03.12.01
DDO Character Planner Home Page

Level 20 Lawful Good Human Male
(6 Paladin \ 2 Monk \ 12 Wizard) 
Hit Points: 335
Spell Points: 750 
BAB: 13\13\18\23
Fortitude: 20
Reflex: 13
Will: 17

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(32 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             18                    24
Dexterity             8                     8
Constitution         16                    17
Intelligence          8                    10
Wisdom                8                     8
Charisma             14                    16

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance              -1                    -1
Bluff                 2                     3
Concentration         3                    10
Diplomacy             2                     3
Disable Device       n/a                    n/a
Haggle                2                     3
Heal                 -1                    -1
Hide                 -1                    -1
Intimidate            2                     3
Jump                  4                     7
Listen               -1                    -1
Move Silently        -1                    -1
Open Lock            n/a                   n/a
Perform               n/a                   n/a
Repair               -1                     0
Search               -1                     0
Spot                 -1                    -1
Swim                  4                     7
Tumble               n/a                   n/a
Use Magic Device      n/a                   n/a

Level 1 (Monk)
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Feat: (Selected) Toughness


Level 2 (Monk)
Feat: (Monk Bonus) Power Attack


Level 3 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Two Handed Fighting


Level 4 (Paladin)


Level 5 (Paladin)


Level 6 (Paladin)
Feat: (Selected) Shield Mastery      ---   DoS pre-requisite


Level 7 (Paladin)


Level 8 (Paladin)


Level 9 (Wizard)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Extend Spell
Feat: (Selected) Improved Two Handed Fighting


Level 10 (Wizard)


Level 11 (Wizard)


Level 12 (Wizard)
Feat: (Selected) Improved Critical: Slashing Weapons


Level 13 (Wizard)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Spell Focus: Necromancy


Level 14 (Wizard)


Level 15 (Wizard)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy


Level 16 (Wizard)


Level 17 (Wizard)


Level 18 (Wizard)
Feat: (Selected) Greater Two Handed Fighting
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Mental Toughness


Level 19 (Wizard)


Level 20 (Wizard)

with the current setup (12wiz/6pal/2monk) I found I have excess enhancement points, since there's little point in the casting enhancements (won't be casting due to tenser) and the paladin (@ level 6) offers very few appealing options to sink enhancement points into.

Opinions on viability would be greatly appreciated, as well as suggestions and thoughts as to the splashing & enhancements and how they can be improved.

[Kriogen]

Just do it. Especialy that Tenser part.

My opinion: I casted Tenser once and will never touch that **** again. But sometimes, the only way to learn is to try it yourself.

[ArcaneMelee]

Agreed. Creating an entire build around a spell that nullifies the levels required to cast it, and gives nothing more than a simple Divine Power clickie is something you just have to do yourself.

[Lauf]

lol that bad a build?

to the scrapper it is.

[ArcaneMelee]

lol that bad a build?

to the scrapper it is.

It's more that it will do so much better if you don't cast Tenser's.

Bad build? I'd prefer the term "less optimized"

[fuzzy1guy]

Redacted

[danotmano1998]

Really, I thought that they made the spell just for laughs. Or to annoy casters that accidentally get run over by a floating black field..

I would never in a million years have guessed that a build would be made for it. So, congrats, OP, I can add another in a long list of things that have surprised me when I didn't think I could be surprised anymore.

Kudos for the effort. Making builds can be fun. Even really oddball ones!

[ArcaneMelee]

...
Kudos for the effort. Making builds can be fun. Especially really oddball ones!

I agree, with a minor edit.

[donfilibuster]

The thing is Tenser (the mage) had a lot of spells we don't have, like clone so he could afford going on battlecaster rampage.

(they even wipe often, the greyhawk famous wizards were fathers of magic but also kind of zergy)
(often ran without clerical help, presumibly from not finding one that wanted to go with them)
(specially when field testing new spells, i just imagine the trial and error spent on transformation)
(for references check tenser's page in greyhawk wiki)

[andreascott89]

Well since you are going Tenser's, load up on the shield mastery feats and get a big Tower shield for damage mitigation. You can shield block for massive DR while you wait for your dots to kill and your aura to heal.

If you are willing to go warforged, you could snag a docent of defiance for decent DR synergy too...

[decease]

really if you really want that spell i would slot in artificer instead of wizzard..alteast you get a few more health..

[ArcaneMelee]

Well since you are going Tenser's, load up on the shield mastery feats and get a big Tower shield for damage mitigation. You can shield block for massive DR while you wait for your dots to kill and your aura to heal.

If you are willing to go warforged, you could snag a docent of defiance for decent DR synergy too...

The only problem is that Divine Power clickies/scrolls do the same thing, only without limiting you. With DP, you could switch to a Heavy Mithral shield and still cast Reconstruct/Burst, reload the DoTs, restart the aura, etc...

[unbongwah]

lol that bad a build?

The basic idea isn't so bad, but as everyone has said, Tensers is a bad spell, esp. compared to Divine Power. If you still want to do a heavily-multiclassed melee-focused arcane build, look for the Arcane Knight & Tukaw as examples. If you're willing to consider divines instead, think about monk 2 / pally 6 / FvS or cleric 12.

[Kilarthia]

Tensers is a debuff that you can only cast on yourself.

[Lifespawn]

lol that bad a build?

to the scrapper it is.

tensers is being changed post by eladrin somewhere i believe still self healing melee with aura would be good and loh for self healing when that runs out tho you'd have to be out of form for that.

[LordMond63]

Tenser's is one of those "legacy spells" from AD&D that you almost feel obligated to carry over into a game based on AD&D.

The trouble is, the mechanics of DDO make the enhancements that the spell brings to its caster almost completely irrelevant. In PnP, AC mattered. The range was 10 to -10, lower being better. Once you got your AC into the negatives, mobs even a level or two above you began to have some difficulty hitting you (I'm guessing that AC -1 would be equivalent to a DDO AC of perhaps 60). Thus the added hp, AC and increases to hit made TT viable under at least some circumstances. That's just not the case in DDO.

I'm thinking that, if you want an Arcane that can melee, you >might< be better off going PM and using Master's Touch to weild a big old honkin Greatsword.

[ArcaneMelee]

...
I'm thinking that, if you want an Arcane that can melee, you >might< be better off going PM and using Master's Touch to weild a big old honkin Greatsword.

Or just go WF using Reconstruct.