archmage TR

[masterblaster-1]

Going to TR my sorc, and realize to really get the build I want, I need 3 past lives on wizzy. So, I am switching to wizard to start the proccess. I already have a PM wizard, so I want a wizard that can kinda fill the role of my current sorcerer (nuking, etc). So, I found an archmage build here, and then did some modifications. What I'm getting out of this build is three basic things:
1) survive
2) crowd control
3) damage output

I have a couple peices of nice gear, but nothing awesome. Spell points are less than my goal of 2k (even with my +175 SP ring), but HP should end up closer to my goal of 400 once gear and self buffing taken into account. I've manually added the +2 tomes for Con and Int I'll take at lvl 7.

This build has strong focus in CC and max damage for fire, ice, and force lines (except not max crits - not enough points). The idea is to CC most mobs, and then kill em with damaging spells.

So, here is the plan. Please offer input as I'm new to this.

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

Selrick II 
Level 20 True Neutral Warforged Male
(20 Wizard) 
Hit Points: 262
Spell Points: 1731 
BAB: 10\10\15\20
Fortitude: 11
Reflex: 15
Will: 10

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
Abilities        Base Stats          Modified Stats
(34 Point)       (Level 1)             (Level 20)
Strength             10                    10
Dexterity             8                     8
Constitution         20                    22
Intelligence         18                    30
Wisdom                6                     6
Charisma              6                     6

                  Starting          Feat/Enhancement
                 Base Skills         Modified Skills
Skills           (Level 1)            (Level 20)
Balance               1                    10
Bluff                -2                    -2
Concentration         9                    31
Diplomacy             0                     9
Disable Device        n/a                   n/a
Haggle               -2                     8
Heal                 -2                    -2
Hide                 -1                    -1
Intimidate           -2                    -2
Jump                  2                    11
Listen               -2                    -2
Move Silently        -1                    -1
Open Lock            n/a                   n/a
Perform              n/a                   n/a
Repair                8                    24
Search                6                    20
Spot                 -2                     1
Swim                  0                     0
Tumble               n/a                    1
Use Magic Device     n/a                   9

Level 1 (Wizard)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Extend Spell
Feat: (Past Life) Past Life: Sorcerer
Feat: (Selected) Toughness
Enhancement: Improved Concentration I
Enhancement: Wizard Energy of the Scholar I
Enhancement: Warforged Damage Reduction I


Level 2 (Wizard)
Enhancement: Warforged Inscribed Armor I
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation I
Enhancement: Wizard Intelligence I


Level 3 (Wizard)
Feat: (Selected) Mental Toughness
Enhancement: Racial Toughness I
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation I
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation II
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation I


Level 4 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Enhancement: Improved Concentration II
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation II
Enhancement: Force Manipulation I
Enhancement: Wizard Wand and Scroll Mastery I


Level 5 (Wizard)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Maximize Spell
Enhancement: Wizard Energy of the Scholar II


Level 6 (Wizard)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Enchantment
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation II
Enhancement: Wizard Archmage I
Enhancement: Archmage Spell Mastery I: Enchantment


Level 7 (Wizard)
Enhancement: Glacial Spellcasting I
Enhancement: Combustive Spellcasting I
Enhancement: Kinetic Spellcasting I
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation III


Level 8 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Enhancement: Reconstructive Spellcasting I


Level 9 (Wizard)
Feat: (Selected) Spell Focus: Evocation
Enhancement: Wizard Intelligence II
Enhancement: Arcane Bolt
Enhancement: Wizard Archmage II
Enhancement: Evocation I - Magic Missile


Level 10 (Wizard)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Empower Spell
Enhancement: Racial Toughness II
Enhancement: Improved Concentration III
Enhancement: Wizard Subtle Spellcasting I


Level 11 (Wizard)
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation IV
Enhancement: Wizard Energy of the Scholar III


Level 12 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Feat: (Selected) Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
Enhancement: Wizard Archmage III
Enhancement: Archmage Secondary Spell Mastery I: Evocation
Enhancement: Evocation II - Gust of Wind
Enhancement: Evocation III - Chain Missiles


Level 13 (Wizard)
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation III
Enhancement: Force Manipulation II


Level 14 (Wizard)
Enhancement: Wizard Intelligence III


Level 15 (Wizard)
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Heighten Spell
Feat: (Selected) Spell Penetration
Enhancement: Force Manipulation III
Enhancement: Force Manipulation IV
Enhancement: Arcane Blast
Enhancement: Wizard Archmage IV


Level 16 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation IV
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation V
Enhancement: Force Manipulation V
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation III


Level 17 (Wizard)
Enhancement: Wizard Improved Maximizing I
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation V
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation VI


Level 18 (Wizard)
Feat: (Selected) Insightful Reflexes
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation VI
Enhancement: Force Manipulation VI
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation IV


Level 19 (Wizard)
Enhancement: Frost Manipulation VII
Enhancement: Flame Manipulation VII
Enhancement: Force Manipulation VII
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation V


Level 20 (Wizard)
Ability Raise: INT
Feat: (Wizard Bonus) Improved Mental Toughness
Enhancement: Wizard Master of Magic
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation VI
Enhancement: Repair Manipulation VII
Enhancement: Warforged Construct Thinking I

[wax_on_wax_off]

Hey, good choice on going wizard, the PLs are awesome.

Firstly, take 1 whole rank of tumble to enable the ability and max UMD. UMD will be pretty average but even a 50% success rate on a raise dead scroll can save a quest or raid.

Secondly, do you plan to TR as soon as you hit 20 or stay at cap each time for a bit?

The goal basically changes the focus of spell focus feats.
(Greater) Spell Focus: Necromancy should be around either way at roughly level 11 when you get circle of death.
(Greater) Spell Focus: Evocation is vaguely useful while leveling but definitely mediocre at cap. Personally I never needed to do that much nuking on a wizard as firewall, circle of death, ice storm, acid rain, finger of death, wail etc were just so much more effective and I rathered the additional SPs for those rather than taking the SLA's (which reduce SP pool).
(Greater) Spell Focus: Enchantment is only really useful at cap. While leveling your enchantment spells will be strong enough anyway on a wizard that you don't need to worry. Even at cap I'm currently not that impressed by them as insta killing is just so much more effective.
Spell Focus: Conjuration: this is the best option for CC. 3 SP webs from level 9 make a joke out of any mob that is vulnerable to it. Also effects acid rain and acid blast for nukes and trap the soul for instant kills, very nice focus.

Improved Mental Toughness is a wasted feat, just drop the useless evo SLA's and your SP pool will jump over 2k.
Extend is overrated, I wouldn't bother with it.
Toughness isn't really needed on a 20 con WF, I'd suggest to see how you go without it.

Maybe something like this:
1: insightful reflexes
1: empower
3: maximise
5: mental toughness
6: spell focus: Conjuration
9: heighten
10: spell focus: necromancy
12: GSF: Necromancy
15: quicken (for reconstruct)
15: spell penetration
18: greater spell penetration
20: enlarge, sf: enchantment or swap something to here to get toughness if needed

Archmages have a great spell point pool if not penalised from a lot of SLA's.

The way to overcome a lower SP pool compared to a sorc is to not cast spells until you have 20 or so mobs following you and the cast a maximized, empowered, heightened nuke (like fireball) or dot (like firewall) to wipe them all out with 1 cast. It's a time honoured tradition and the challenge is to see how much dungeon alert you can cope with

[masterblaster-1]

Tumble.. OK can do, but why? [Done and build changed]

Maxed out UMD can do as well.[Done and build changed]

I'm going to TR as soon as I hit 20 with this build. It is part of a plan for my eventual sorc build.

I like the SLA force line spells as they have free empowering, maximize, heighten. Gives them a cheap punch that can be spammed. That forces me to take evocation focus. I take the enchantment focus for the CC aspect of the build, and want to be certain of my D/C's so I have time to take down mobs. Yeah, I'm not gonna insta kill, but with CC spells holding mobs, shouldn't matter. I already have a PM wizzy, so I'd like something different. I still plan on using some necro stuff, so maybe swapping improved mental toughness might be in order. I like extend because.... basically I'm lazy. I like to cast a buff spells (haste, rage, displacement) once before a fight and not have to worry about it again.

So, maybe dropping improved mental toughness for necro focus.......but why do it since I'll just TR anyway?

[HungarianRhapsody]

Tumble.. OK can do, but why? [Done and build changed]

Tumble is useful in a number of situations, but the most significant for me is that tumble animation is not slowed when you're walking throw shallow water/swamps/sewers. Being able to tumble your way through a shallow river at a faster rate than you can trudge makes moving through awkward terrain much easier.

The other major advantage to having a positive total score in Tumble is that you can successfully move around while shield blocking. You won't have to do so often, but when you do need it, it will save your life.

[Kinerd]

You can get by with a lot less Repair Manip. With just the first rank and a Superior Potency item, you get 255 HP a shot from Reconstruct, which is more than enough. This nets you 6 AP, I recommend you get the first ranks of Acid and Electricity Manip, Crit Chance, and Crit Multiplier. The 1 in each line suggestion also applies to your other lines: the 1st rank of Crit Multiplier is more bang for your buck then the nth rank of Manip where n>1.

[danotmano1998]

Tumble is useful in a number of situations, but the most significant for me is that tumble animation is not slowed when you're walking throw shallow water/swamps/sewers. Being able to tumble your way through a shallow river at a faster rate than you can trudge makes moving through awkward terrain much easier.

The other major advantage to having a positive total score in Tumble is that you can successfully move around while shield blocking. You won't have to do so often, but when you do need it, it will save your life.

WOW! Learn something new every day!
+1 to you for these tidbits..

Never thought of tumbling through shallow water. Time to go try that!

[wax_on_wax_off]

You can get by with a lot less Repair Manip. With just the first rank and a Superior Potency item, you get 255 HP a shot from Reconstruct, which is more than enough. This nets you 6 AP, I recommend you get the first ranks of Acid and Electricity Manip, Crit Chance, and Crit Multiplier. The 1 in each line suggestion also applies to your other lines: the 1st rank of Crit Multiplier is more bang for your buck then the nth rank of Manip where n>1.

I'm not sure about this, the last time i tried to math it out the first rank in crit lines would give slightly less than 5% while the damage lines give slightly more than 5%. Conclusion was that 3/0/0 was better than 1/1/1. That said, if Kinerd said it it is probably true ><

[Kinerd]

We certainly agree on the first rank of Manip, so let's start there.
1.2 + .1 = 1.3
1.2 * (.04 * 1.75 + .96 * 1) = 1.236

So if our character had absolutely no items, it's the Manip ranks for sure, but that's not terribly realistic. Let's try a Superior Potency item:
1.7 + .1 = 1.8
1.7 * (.04 * 1.75 + .96 * 1) = 1.751

That's a bit better, but still certainly the Manip. What if we have a Superior Clicky:
1.95 + .1 = 2.05
1.95 * (.04 * 1.75 + .96 * 1) = 2.0085

Slightly closer, but no real difference. Now let's try plain Lore:
2.05 * (.06 * 1.75 + .94 * 1) = 2.14225
1.95 * (.1 * 2 + .9 * 1) = 2.145

And for Major Lore:
2.05 * (.09 * 2 + .91 * 1) = 2.2345
1.95 * (.13 * 2.25 + .87 * 1) = 2.266875

I remember the 1/1/1 plan having more of an advantage, but it looks like in most realistically geared situations they are basically interchangeable, you could really do whatever. The superior crits are more prone to overkill, but they also do a better job against resistance.

[HungarianRhapsody]

I'm not sure about this, the last time i tried to math it out the first rank in crit lines would give slightly less than 5% while the damage lines give slightly more than 5%. Conclusion was that 3/0/0 was better than 1/1/1. That said, if Kinerd said it it is probably true ><

A lot of the specifics can depend on what items you're wearing.

If you are not wearing any spell crit items, but you are wearing a Superior Potency item for that spell level, then you get
50% + 20% = 70% first point manipulation line
+75% crit multiplier effect first point deadly line
4% crit chance first point crit line

So that's .96 * 1.7 + .04 * 1.7 * 1.75 = 1.632 + .119 = 1.751

Alternately, you can take three points in the manipulation line for
50% + 30% = 80% for 3 points in the manipulation line
= 1.80

If you are wearing a 9% crit chance, +50% crit multiplier item and a Superior Potency item for that spell level, you'll get
50% + 20% = 70% first point manipulation line
50% + 50% + 25% crit multiplier effect first point deadly line
9% + 4% crit chance first point crit line

So that's .87 * 1.7 + .13 * 1.7 * 2.25 = 1.479 + .497 = 1.976

If you take the first three points in the manipulation line, you get
50% + 30% = 80% for 3 points in the manipulation line
9% crit chance
50% crit multiplier effect
for a total of .91 * 1.8 + .09 * 1.8 * 1.5 = 1.638 + .243 = 1.881

In both extremes, you're better off spending 3 points in the manipulation line than 1 point in each of the three lines unless I made a mistake in my calculations (which is entirely possible).

Maximise and Empower will scale directly with these numbers, so turning Maximise or Empower (or both) on or off won't make a difference in which of these two options gives the greater benefit.


Edit: NINJA'D!