Gear to look for a first life PM at cap

[DarkForte]

I just got my first-lifer warforged PM to cap. I'm looking for some direction on what gear to acquire in order to be better at endgame, considering that this is my first toon with whom I'm actually trying to run cap content with (i.e. he's kind of weak right now).

I took a look at LeLoric's thread, but got kind of confused in respect to what should I be trying for first and priorities.

Feats I took: Empower, Maximize, Extend, Heighten, Quicken, SP, GSP, SF: Necro, GSF: Necro, SF: Conjuration, Mental Toughness, Toughness.

Stuff I am using right now:

Head: Triple positive (+150 SP, wizardry VI since I couldn't see anything better at tier 1 than +1 umd) greensteel helm;
Necklace: Con +6;
Trinket: Sustaining Symbiont (need it for my scepters as of now, and GFL is nice)
Goggles: Magewright Spectacles (+6 int, Spell Penetration IX);
Bracers: Greater Conjuration Bracers;
Weapons: Swapping between Belashyrra's Scepter (Greater Necro Focus or Superior Glaciation VIII), Scepter of Mad Trickery (Greater Ench Focus), Superior Potency VI;
Docent: Fleshshaper's Docent (I'm planning to slot arcane lore here soon enough);

Stuff I'm looking for as of now:
+HP Concordant opposition greensteel gloves;
Torc of Prince Raiyum-de II;
+3 Exceptional int greensteel weapon.
Either Knost's Belt or one of the Archmagi belts from Amrath.

With this setup I'm parked at 422 HP in form, 1900-ish SP, 28 spell pen (the rest of the enhancements are very costly), DC 38 on Wail, 36 on Web and 35 on enchantment, which seems to be fine for the easier epics (snitch, von2).

Two main concerns:
- Is this workable at endgame with some more gearing or should I just TR him?
- What else should I be looking for now?

[wax_on_wax_off]

(epic) Bracers of Demon's Queen Consort
(epic) Lion Headed Belt Buckle
Eipc New Helm in U13 with super cool stuff
LGA Arcane Casting dexterity gloves with +20 HP or 7 fingered gloves
Epic Rock Boots
Ornamental Dagger (L16)
Skyvault Shield
Alchemical crystal/water/water/fire heavy shield (though iirc possible to get down to 5% ASF on tower?)
Alchemical x/y/z/earth stick (for greater spell pen IX)
Conc-opp HP Goggles
Epic Diabolists Docent
Rakhir's Ring (with +2 int slotted)
Other trash ring (with +2 con slotted)
Epic Ring of the Mire
(epic) Bramble Casters
Blasting Chime
Epic Robe/Docent of Night
Shroud of the Abbot
Litany of the Dead
(other abbot items)
Eardweller

... just a few items off the top of my head. Goggles is definitely the best slot conc-opp.

[MattiG]

To reiterate and amplify wax's response. block off time for the next mabar event (for the grind as well as the lag) in order to get docent of shadow. Get a robe as well in case you decide to TR into a fleshie. I also dig the lvl 20 mabar cloak as a catch-all dr5, but there are better ways to go about it (I'm just lazy).

Run as much abbot as you can. Gloves clickie, trinket clickie, helm clickie, staff of course, and shroud for a great lvl 14 PM item (great for 20 if no mabar armor and fleshie obviously).

The lvl 16 crystal cove dagger is quite nice as well, especially if you go the shield route. Conventional dr + effective dr from boon to undeath + shield mastery/blocking, + aura, and you can stand still and ice storm most anything in the game while gaining hp and sp (assuming torc and concop).

Also, try to start running tod if you arent already so you can get you exceptional int on a ring instead of greensteel. I use a crappy rogue ring. doesnt matter much on a pm as Sanuras is lackluster.

[DarkForte]

So I guess running lots of Abbott, DQ and ToD is the way to go until those festivals. This leaves me another thing: is a first-lifer viable for the most complicated content (sands epics, cannith epics) or should I get him his TR before attempting that?

[nivarch]

Goggles is definitely the best slot conc-opp.

Why is that? You talk about LGA gloves. Why not put Conc opp on gloves, keep goggles for spell penn IX (tier 3 alchemical is not an easy goal to achieve), and get epic ring of the mire for Spearblock (which I find easier to get than bramble casters).

When the OP will be able to get a tier3 alchemical he can reconsider his choice of GS if he thinks it's needed.

Edit:

So I guess running lots of Abbott, DQ and ToD is the way to go until those festivals.

You should try to keep at least abbot DQ and ToD on timer yes. LoB is nice too.
You should also farm easy epics such as carnival: Phiarlan mirror cloak can be nice for a PM (light resist until you can get shroud of the abbot) and Epic mask of tragedy can find some use.
You also should try to run eChrono for robe of the diabolist. If you're lucky you can complete it in few runs (if you are ready to buy the scroll). It's a nice item to wear until you can get Mabar/Abbot robe ; and is also nice when you face heavy spell resistance and will use mostly webs.

This leaves me another thing: is a first-lifer viable for the most complicated content (sands epics, cannith epics) or should I get him his TR before attempting that?

You are able to do most things as a first life. I know first life wizards that successfuly CC all quests in game. However having at least one past life is a boon: +2 spell penn, +1 to all DC is really nice.
If you plan to TR, you have two options: get 20 completions on the 3 aforementionned raid (at least 2 months, probably more, especially since keeping abbot on timer can be hard) or TR as soon as you reach 20 (I advise you to craft at least a single shard GS SP item if you choose to TR ASAP. 150SP is nice when leveling up).

[DarkForte]

Thanks for all the insight!

Firstly, and sorry for the noobness, what's LGA?

I'll go the 20-completion route on DQ/ToD/Ascension and TR another toon of mine for lower level play meanwhile. Going human next life, so I'm getting the Diabolist and Abbot robes.

[MattiG]

Large guild augment (+80 stacking sp being the likely utility of such a thing)

[wax_on_wax_off]

Large guild augment (+80 stacking sp being the likely utility of such a thing)

Or +20 HP. Currently I have MGA (+15 HP) gloves and LGA (+80 SP) boots. I only wear the boots while shrining (if I remember) to cover cost of Lich form.

There are a few good gloves that are great as swap items like vile blasphemy, bramble casters (which you'll probably get while farming for torc) and gloves of the glacier. I also don't think that casting dexterity can go on goggles (which is a good suffix for heavy shield use).

[nivarch]

There are a few good gloves that are great as swap items like vile blasphemy, bramble casters (which you'll probably get while farming for torc) and gloves of the glacier. I also don't think that casting dexterity can go on goggles (which is a good suffix for heavy shield use).

That's a very good point!

[AylinIsAwesome]

(epic) Bracers of Demon's Queen Consort

I've heard several people suggest those bracers for Pale Master, but I'm not sure why. Can someone enlighten me?

[wax_on_wax_off]

I've heard several people suggest those bracers for Pale Master, but I'm not sure why. Can someone enlighten me?

Temporary HP procs increase your effective DR, curse guard reduces enemy saving throws, (hidden) energy drain on self effect is irrelevant, slots are nice, intimidate is nice.

[MrFister]

What am I not understanding that is the allure of the Lion Headed Belt Buckle?

[Ironforge_Clan]

What am I not understanding that is the allure of the Lion Headed Belt Buckle?

+6 Str, +6 Con, Shaken Debuff when hit, immunity to fear and two slots...what's not to love?

[Jandric]

+6 Str, +6 Con, Shaken Debuff when hit, immunity to fear and two slots...what's not to love?

In addition to what was listed above, it should be noted that the Shaken condition gives them a -2 to their saving throws.

[wax_on_wax_off]

In addition to what was listed above, it should be noted that the Shaken condition gives them a -2 to their saving throws.

Yep, as long as you are getting hit it's effectively +2 to your DCs. The slot consolidation is just gravy (one player has +6 str, con, wis, cha all on the belt I believe).

[sirgog]

In addition to what was listed above, it should be noted that the Shaken condition gives them a -2 to their saving throws.

It is almost solely for this.

Really there's two ways to play a PM: the 'I want everything except bosses aggroed on me' method, and the 'I want to avoid aggro where possible' method. The LHBB, Torc and Demon Consort Bracers are so good that they make the first approach far stronger than the second when mobs hit for less than ~75 damage.

And even when mobs hit for 80+, the sacrifices needed to build around Torc/LHBB/ConsortBracers are so small that the build is still very much viable.

[wax_on_wax_off]

It is almost solely for this.

Really there's two ways to play a PM: the 'I want everything except bosses aggroed on me' method, and the 'I want to avoid aggro where possible' method. The LHBB, Torc and Demon Consort Bracers are so good that they make the first approach far stronger than the second when mobs hit for less than ~75 damage.

And even when mobs hit for 80+, the sacrifices needed to build around Torc/LHBB/ConsortBracers are so small that the build is still very much viable.

Giving up 2 feats for shield mastery and stacking excessive HP aren't necessarily small sacrifices. I think what it comes down to for me though is just that it is ridiculously fun to tank epic bosses on a wizard ... and all the rest of it.

Other guards are good too; boss guards:
Disintegration (epic boots of corrosion)
Cacophonic Guard (epic blasting chime)
Lightning Strike Guard (SP Charisma skills GS item or maybe a couple of epic items?)

and CC guards:
Earthgrab/Greater Stone Prison (Epic Rock Boots)
Freezing Ice (tier 2 alchemical water (iirc))

I'm sure that there's more too ...

[DarkForte]

Does the lion belt have a DC on the shaken effect? Is it still usable while I don't epicify it?