Spell Focus

[Feanor74]

I am planning on a Warforged 18/2 Wizard/Rogue with Archmage PRE and am thinking about Spell Focus(es).

I am currently planning taking SF/GSF for 2 different schools. Reading through different posts, builds etc. gives me the impression that most players think Necro (instakills) and Enchant (cc) to be the most important Focus for end-game.

On the other hand I made my own thoughts and they tell me that probably Conjuration (for Web SLA) and Evocation (for early/mid-game damage spells) will help me greatly during level-up.

So these are my questions:
- Would you agree that Necro and Enchant are best schools for end-game?
- Would you agree that Conjuration and Evocation are great for level-up?
- Does that mean that I should take the latter two and respec later on? If true: at which levels?

Hope to get some advice on this topic.

[TBot1234]

- Would you agree that Necro and Enchant are best schools for end-game?
- Would you agree that Conjuration and Evocation are great for level-up?
- Does that mean that I should take the latter two and respec later on? If true: at which levels?

I agree that Necro and Enchant are best schools for end-game, at least for my play style as a Wizard.

Conjuration and Evocation are good for levelling up, and even for end-game. During my caster's 3 wizard lives I never took any specialization in these schools, and managed to do just fine. You could do a feat swap or lesser reincarnate if you wanted to.

I ended up swinging a great axe from level 1 to 7 anyway, so I wasn't too concerned about relying on a particular school of magic for the early part of the game.

[Kinerd]

There are two things going on here, the spells in a school and what Archmage gives you in a school. SLA Web is the strongest ability Archmage grants, and it's not close. At the same time, the Conjuration school has really rubbish DC spells other than Web, where Necro and Enchant have excellent DC spells.

Archmage Evocation gives you very little. Doing damage is extremely useful in all levels, but you don't need Evocation DCs or AM Evocation to do it. Web + Ice Storm or Web + Wall of Fire is brutally effective, plus the melees in your party won't get annoyed by you kiting like a chicken, plus the healers will love you for keeping the melees safe, plus it's super cheap once you get SLA Web. The way I go is:

Conjuration primary until level 12, respec to Conjuration secondary and Necro or Enchant primary. The respec won't matter until level 15, but it's cheaper at 12 so why not? (In your case the numbers are 14 and 17 due to the rogue levels.)
Have SF/GSF in Necro and Enchant and SF in Conjuration.

[parowan]

I'm far from an expert on wizards, only having one of them, but I've never really felt like the SLAs were worth much consideration. I basically use the AM prestige for better DCs and more SP. And to not be DDO's equivalent of a glittery twilight vampire. Most of the SLAs seem like a wash to me, SP-wise.

In other words, I wouldn't factor them in your choice of school unless you're certain you're actually going to use the SLAs. It's not like web is an expensive spell to begin with.

[Edit: I've tried it now and have to say I am a Web SLA convert. With epic diabolist's and a cleric past life my web DC is one higher than my necro - even tho necro is my primary school. Web SLA = yummy!]

[Gurei]

In other words, I wouldn't factor them in your choice of school unless you're certain you're actually going to use the SLAs. It's not like web is an expensive spell to begin with.

Web is expensive if you want it to be useful at end-game. 50 whopping sp per cast, and unless you have a spec in conj ur dc's wont be all too great so you'll need to cast more than 1 to be as effective as someone else casting one web that EVERY enemy gets stuck to for a measly 3 sp, while the rest of your party whacks at them for a few rounds.

I'm not saying necro is a bad choice to spec in, like others have said its just about playstyle. Do you want to make every non-sr mob crumple instantly and play it shrine to shrine or do you want to play battles of attrition with ease and use shrines less than the melees, but have a harder time on your own?

IMO: Necro>Conj solo/shortman and Conj>Necro endgame full party

To the OP, best of luck with whichever decision you go with

[Kinerd]

I'm far from an expert on wizards, only having one of them, but I've never really felt like the SLAs were worth much consideration. I basically use the AM prestige for better DCs and more SP. And to not be DDO's equivalent of a glittery twilight vampire. Most of the SLAs seem like a wash to me, SP-wise.

In other words, I wouldn't factor them in your choice of school unless you're certain you're actually going to use the SLAs. It's not like web is an expensive spell to begin with.

SLA Web will change your life. You only have to cast it twice per shrine to recoup the SP. It works on undead and constructs. It casts in about 1/10th the time it takes to cast Sphere of Dancing. No grating sound effects.