1st life wizard gear to keep an eye out for?

[Sircowdog]

As the title suggests, I'm looking for help/advice on gear to keep an eye out for a first life wizard. I've spent the last few hours searching through the forums for info, and got a LOT of good info out of MrCow's diary of a true arcane post. But most of what I've been able to find is just concept builds for epic content chalked full of assumptions that you have full raid gear already farmed ad infinitum.

What I've also seen is a distinct lack of info for newer players, or people who have never run an arcane caster. Oh, there's general info such as "drop firewall, lol, collect exp/loot". But I haven't found any real good guides for a 1st life toon focused mainly in reaching 20 first, then starting the gear grind for later lives at that point. Is it a case of arcanes just being that OP while levelling?

I'm fairly familiar with DDO and its underlying mechanics in a general sense, but not very much with arcanes past level 10 or so. Some of the things I saw on MrCow's list of items made perfect sense. Such as consumable pots, scrolls, wands, and equipment that increased casting power such as potency items. Survival gear like fortification, movement, saves, etc as well.

But other items left me scratching my head. +5 light mithral shield? Heavy picks of backstabbing?

So....How would you go about doing it? I mean you, personally. Consider if for some reason your account got banned or hacked, or the server you're on crashed and burned, or you just felt like starting fresh on a new server for the challenge: whatever reason you like to come up with for starting a 32pt build AM or PM on its first life with no gear. How would you go about gearing yourself out? What are some key items you would really go out of your way while levelling to get?

Here's what I understand of the basics that you want to try and keep covered.

STR/INC/CON item of some type(str to counter ray of enfeeble)
Deathward
Voice of the Master
Item of extra mana to cover buffs at the quest start/shrine
Item with spell pen
Item with +DC
Clickies of all sorts to cover specific cases and save mana.
Wands of Stoneskin
Scrolls of Reconstruct if WF(heal if you have enough UMD?)
Heavy Fort

But that's really all I know to do. I've rolled a few abortive attempts at sorcs and a PM, but my experience with arcanes really thins out after level 10 content. And specific equipment to farm for, I'm just plain in the dark. So I guess what I'm really looking for is mid to upper-level gear that you'll really need to push through the later levels.

Also, if there's already a really good guide out there that I've somehow spaced and missed completely, just point me in the right direction. I'd really appreciate some detailed info here that isn't just "farm epic content", or "equip your raid gear" unless that's really all there is to it. Thanks in advance!

[trog_star]

okies, ill try and pull this apart for ya
gear slot notations are just where I PUT stuff leveling. by no means is the ultimate loadout, simply a way i found works

Int (gogels) and con (ring) are essental for all levels.
a + str item is situational, but the situation sucks. slap on some gloves. usefull for lvl 12 and below

False life item is also essental at any level (thats your belt taken)

deathward- i dont bother on a mage. by the time death spells are being thown around ive unlocked wraih form and therefore immune.

I chuck power on a hat till the minos pops up at lvl 11

Consumebles
Stoneskin wands - buy from the 12
+75% clickies - Very usefull, not essental
healing/repair - well duh. guild pots are useable up to about lvl 10, starts getting silly then but still works
wands i allways have - Resist energy lvl 11. Fireball (it openes doors). detect secret doors
pots i allways have - remove curse, cure desease, some form of healing potx50 or so

okies, slightly more complicated discusion time.
main/offhand combos.

Potency/Lore is a very usefull combo. swapping around weapons for diffrent spells is a PITA tho.
Elfcrafted Robe ML10 is a nice way to simplify your life.
random loot gen is fine for potency

Potency/shield is the combo i use. find youself a 0% Arcane Spell failure shield.
I use a crafted Superior Stability

spell pen is for high level content, you dont need it.

that all make sence or am i jibbering like an iddiot again?

[Sircowdog]

No, I understood it all pretty well. Most of what you listed was similar to what I was already thinking about, and what I consider some of the core equipment of playing a wizard.

But things like the Elfcrafted robe you listed I'd never seen before, and is more along the lines of what I was interested in. Specific items that aren't standard loot you can get out of any old chest.

I'm a little curious about the weapon+shield combo tho. I've always run dual clubs/scepters with potency/lore on them.

I'm also somewhat concerned about your comment about not needing spell pen. If the idea is to find gear needed to move into later level content, isn't spell pen going to be an issue the closer a toon gets to 20?

[jbleargh]

But things like the Elfcrafted robe you listed I'd never seen before, and is more along the lines of what I was interested in. Specific items that aren't standard loot you can get out of any old chest.

http://ddowiki.com/page/Unique_item_sets

Red Fens sets are very easy to get (but get surpassed by random loot fast).

Amarath sets require running a raid to get... but half of the set drop in common chests... Things like Kormor's Belt (Archmage, 200 SP) and Vorne's Belt (greater false life +6 con) are found in Sins of Attrition, a quest that you will probably be able to solo.

Cannith quests and adventure area sets are easy too... if you don't have a Tier 3 greensteel HP item the Alchemist's Pendant gives you extra HP.

When the Crystal Cove returns there are several items that you will want to make.

If you are a Pale Master, when Mabar comes back and you must make the robe from the event.

Cogito ergo doleo

[trog_star]

my aploogies.
indead spell pen does become more more imporntant the higher your level is.
noticeably more imporntant when you start questing in the vale of twilight.

gear of note for a wizzy, thats not overly difficult to get

ML10 Elfcrafted Robe
ML11 Minos legens
ML14 Infused Chaosrobe, upgraded with Arcane lore
ML14 Blue Dragonscale Robe, PITA to get but worth it
ML16 Ornamented Dagger, from Cove
ML18 Magewright's Cloak, Upgraded for Set Bonus
ML18 Magewright's Spectacles, Upgraded for Set Bonus
ML20 Epic Cloak of Night, from Mabar

that what your after?

[Sircowdog]

If you are a Pale Master, when Mabar comes back and you must make the robe from the event.

Yeah, I've heard of that robe. I've always thought it was a little bit of a strange design choice by turbine to make an item that good for a class only available during a very limited time frame. Minor stuff like the ice enchants on weapons during risia is one thing, but that robe is a game changer.

Also, thanks for the link to the item sets page. Hadn't seen that before.

gear of note for a wizzy, thats not overly difficult to get

ML10 Elfcrafted Robe
ML11 Minos legens
ML14 Infused Chaosrobe, upgraded with Arcane lore
ML14 Blue Dragonscale Robe, PITA to get but worth it
ML16 Ornamented Dagger, from Cove
ML18 Magewright's Cloak, Upgraded for Set Bonus
ML18 Magewright's Spectacles, Upgraded for Set Bonus
ML20 Epic Cloak of Night, from Mabar

that what your after?

Definitely! More along this line would be great. Are there equivalent docents for WF?

[glouky]

+75% clickies + all immunities stuff (poison, blind, death (ward and prot from tangleroot), water breathing)
+max con and + max fort, at least once you reach level 13.

+read all spells and experiment them

Nothing is really fundemental to level a wizard... it is more important to focus on playing/enjoying than checking you have all required gears. That's one of the most important argument for playing arcanes (you can do something at high level without GS/torc/epics/etc.)

[Cardtrick]

But other items left me scratching my head. +5 light mithral shield? Heavy picks of backstabbing?

There's no need for a heavy pick on an arcane any more. That's likely from a thread before Update 9, when held/helpless monsters were automatically crittable. Heavy picks have an x4 crit multiplier, so it made sense for almost anyone to use them against held, high-HP enemies, which were commonly found in epics. This was doubly true because epic enemies could not be instant-killed at the time, unlike today. Now, there are far more useful things for a wizard to do than swing a pick.

As for the shield -- that's still useful. A very common tactic on wizards, especially when soloing, is to use damage-over-time spells against tough enemies while actively shield-blocking to increase DR. This is especially useful when combined with certain items (Concordant Opposition green steel and the Torc from the Demon Queen raid) that regenerate SP when you get hit, but it's situationally useful even without these items, especially on a pale master. In fact, a lot of wizards actually take the step of investing two feats for shield proficiency and shield mastery in order to get a stacking damage reduction when holding a shield.

All that said -- you'll still want to be using two weapons with useful properties most of the time (some combination of spell pen/potency/lore/spell focus).

[HalfORCastrator]

ML18 Magewright's Cloak, Upgraded for Set Bonus
ML18 Magewright's Spectacles

Does the set bonus stack with other +DC items?

[Cardtrick]

Does the set bonus stack with other +DC items?

No.

[trog_star]

Definitely! More along this line would be great. Are there equivalent docents for WF?

indeady there are
Elfcrafted
Infused chaos
Blue scale
Shadow

then theres greensteel ML13
+150 stacking SP
+45 stacking HP

now for the harder to get stuff
ML11 Torc of Prince Raiyum-de II
ML11 Bracers of the Demon's Consort pale master or WF only i belive
ML11 Lion-headed Belt Buckle
ML18 Mysterious Bauble
ML18 ToD Rings

[Mrmorphling]

ML11 Bracers of the Demon's Consort pale master or WF only i belive

PM only as it still drains a lvl on warforged.

[Sircowdog]

Thanks for the responses guys. Lots of good info here.

Now, about the second part of my original question: How would you guys go about gathering some of these equipment pieces? Some of it seems like obvious grind, but would you solo it? Outlevel it then farm later? Group zerg?

[voodoogroves]

Thanks for the responses guys. Lots of good info here.

Now, about the second part of my original question: How would you guys go about gathering some of these equipment pieces? Some of it seems like obvious grind, but would you solo it? Outlevel it then farm later? Group zerg?

On a first life, unless you are SUPER lucky, you'll out level the raids before you get what you want. DQ for instance and a Torc ... unless you get it on your first run and as long as you keep playing, you'll level past it. That's ok, plenty of folks run the raids for no XP and loot only, you shouldn't have a problem finding groups.

[trog_star]

hmm. well i'd sart with the minos.
i like a quick run throgh the western half of the orchard.
carivan => rats => shrine => crypts to the south => gollem => beholder (or skip) => tunnel => recall, reset, repeat.

Elfrcrafted is reasonable simple. grind some Ancient Elven Relics. walkups are reasonably soloable on lower difficulties, look out for light casters.

chaos dohcent has a reasonalby high drop rate on higher difficulties. with a full party of fleshies on elite, you would be unlunck not to have one passed to you. lower difficulties are an easy solo too
the upgrade requires quite a few mats from the lord of eyes chain.
end reward from that chain can include +6 rings with no ML, so i'd run the chain on lower difficulties solo or higher if there happens to be a party up

Blue Scale requires a pretty serious investment of time and/or PP (about 2 million total @ orion prices).
Get a buddy and Farm the snot out of Tor.
allways post and update your LFM, it's the quickest way to attract people wanting to swap scales @ 1:1 ratios.

Magewrights set is reasonably strait forward. but can take a while
cloak has a stupid drop rate on elite, but it's a pretty serious undertakeing.
specks can require quite a bit of rare farming.
by the time you have both items, youl probbaly have the componets to upgrade them

the robe of shadow dam near requires you to have a lvl20 caster for the mabar event.
i have no idea how anyone who is not a lvl 20 caster gets any kills in there.

-------

the Torc, lion head and deamon braces drop from the ADQ raid.
this is why allot of casters build their toons to solo ADQ, it's all about the 20th completion reward list
brambel casters and seal of earth are pretty nice to.

I hear tales the best way to get a bauble is to solo weapons shipment on elite. Then post an LFM once the warforged titan and pit fiend are fighting with "free chests - bauble farming, please enjoy your free loot and pass the bauble" or something similar in the title.

ToD rings require you to run TOD
green steel requirs you to run shroud, allot

[Sircowdog]

On a first life, unless you are SUPER lucky, you'll out level the raids before you get what you want. DQ for instance and a Torc ... unless you get it on your first run and as long as you keep playing, you'll level past it. That's ok, plenty of folks run the raids for no XP and loot only, you shouldn't have a problem finding groups.

Is it worth it, or even possible, to return at a higher level and solo through some of these raids to farm gear with an arcane? I've heard some other builds can do this, such as the Tukaw, or some of the FvS builds. But on an Pale Master or Archmage?

[trog_star]

Is it worth it, or even possible, to return at a higher level and solo through some of these raids to farm gear with an arcane? I've heard some other builds can do this, such as the Tukaw, or some of the FvS builds. But on an Pale Master or Archmage?

yes, yes and yes

Soloing ADQ is something every lvl 20 caser should be able to do, even if it's on normal.
my cleric can solo hard easly, i have not tried elite solo
theres 2 broad tatics for soloing the raid. tuttle up or run away from her.
it tends to be air savants and FvSs who un away from her, stupid wings/wind dance
Skyvault shield helps ALLOT on an arcane when turtleing.
since your a WF, say out of form and use reconstruct, timeing is everything with lailat.

[Cardtrick]

yes, yes and yes

Soloing ADQ is something every lvl 20 caser should be able to do, even if it's on normal.
my cleric can solo hard easly, i have not tried elite solo
theres 2 broad tatics for soloing the raid. tuttle up or run away from her.
it tends to be air savants and FvSs who un away from her, stupid wings/wind dance
Skyvault shield helps ALLOT on an arcane when turtleing.
since your a WF, say out of form and use reconstruct, timeing is everything with lailat.

Yeah . . . I don't like how the flagging mechanics work in a group for ADQ, so I usually solo it. (Plus it's far faster than waiting for a group to form.) It's very easy on normal or hard on any spell caster with a shield and self-healing. On both my wizard and my favored soul, I started soloing it at level 14 or 15, when it's still worth XP but is already pretty easy.

I remember how impossible it seemed the first few times I tried, and compare that to how straightforward it is now, and I actually think it was one of the best things I've done to learn about the capabilities of my class. I definitely recommend giving it a try!

Although I disagree with the suggestion to stay out of form, at least on normal or hard. On a pale master, keep death aura and lesser death aura both running and just shield block while stacking niac's, black dragon bolt, and acid rain on her. Keep quicken running, definitely, but you probably won't need more than one or two NEBs. The two auras can just about heal you faster than she can hurt you while actively blocking with a crafted +5 mithral heavy shield of axeblock.

[trog_star]

The two auras can just about heal you faster than she can hurt you while actively blocking with a crafted +5 mithral heavy shield of axeblock.

i learned stuff