Theorybuild - Raiden, The God of Thunder?

[Arlathen]

Standard Theorybuild Disclaimer - This is for fun. Level 1 - 20 content only, unlikely to be welcome in Epics unless your Party is desperate for a DoT

Hmm, ok, so my dreams of a true Fighter/Wizard 'gish' build will forever lay in the bog of eternal stench and gimpyness. But there's been several idea's towards characters build for TRing purposes and well, I'm still impressed with the whole idea of a possible melee Air Savant. There was discussion around the whole idea of using Lightning 2 weapons and Air Savant Awaken Elemental Weakness, a combination I'm still fond of and would love to try.

So, how about a 'proper' (Stop sniggering back there!) Melee Sorcerer?? Yes, yes, all Mortal Kombat inspired too.

Right off the bat, there several weaknesses to combat on the build: To Hit is poor with Low BAB, saves are poor, HP is low for a character designed to stand toe to toe with the enemy.

Then everytime you splash a level, you suck away from casting potential: Caster Level drops, thus reducing damage output. Spell Penetration potential also drops through the floor through lack of feats and Caster Level, and potential Spell DC suffers from non-heightened spells and character stats that are spread out and do not concentrate on the casting stat.

Soooooo... some of this can be worked around on build, some of this in items, and the rest in ingenuity?

Intended Playstyle
What we have here is a character that can spam the Electric spells such as Chain Lightning and SLAS and still melee up close and personal with TWF & Lightning Strike weapons. If we're up against a tough/raid boss, we can go for the Awaken Elemental Weakness/Eladars Surge/Lightning Strike weapons combo.

Base Character
Classes: 12 Sorcerer / 6 Fighter / 2 Monk
Race: Half-Elf

Stats - 32pt, +2 Tomes
Str: 16 Base +6 Item +2 Tome +5 Lvl +1 Racial +2 Class +3 Exc. +3 Profane +2 Rage +2 Guild = 42
Dex: 16 Base +6 Item +2 Tome +2 Guild = 26
Con: 14 Base +6 Item +2 Tome +2 Rage +2 Guild = 26
Int: 08 Base +2 Tome = 10
Wis: 08 Base +6 Item +2 Tome +2 Guild = 16
Cha: 14 Base +6 Item +2 Tome +1 Racial +3 Class +2 Exc. +2 Guild = 30

Stats - 34pt, +3 Tomes
Str: 16 Base +6 Item +3 Tome +5 Lvl +1 Racial +2 Class +2 Exc. +3 Profane +2 Rage +2 Guild = 42
Dex: 15 Base +7 Item +3 Tome +2 Guild +1 Exc = 28
Con: 16 Base +7 Item +3 Tome +2 Rage +2 Guild = 30
Int: 08 Base +2 Tome = 10
Wis: 08 Base +6 Item +1 Monk +3 Tome +2 Guild = 20
Cha: 14 Base +6 Item +3 Tome +1 Racial +3 Class +1 Exc. +2 Guild = 30

Feats
TWF (Monk Bonus 1)
Toughness (Monk Bonus 2)
ITWF (Fighter Bonus 1)
GTWF (Fighter Bonus 2)
WF: Slash (Fighter Bonus 3)
WS: Slash (Fighter Bonus 4)
1 - Empower
2 - Maximize
3 - Extend
4 - Exotic: Khopesh
5 - IC: Slash
6 - Power Attack
7 - SF: Evocation (Air Savant 2 Pre-Req)
Dilletante: Favoured Soul/Paladin/Rogue - To Taste - DPS, better Saves or Heal Scrolls? Your choice

Enhancements
Human Adaptability 2
Fighter Strength 2
Sorcerer Charisma 3
Sorcerer Air Savant 2
Storm Manipulation 6 (+45% Damage)
Charged spellcasting 4 (+7% Crit Chance)
Deadly Shocks 4 (+105% Crit Damage)
Fighter Kensai 2
Fighter Attack Boost 2
Fighter Critical Accuracy 2
Kensai Weapon Mastery 1
Fighter Haste Boost 2
Human Versatility 2
Racial Improved Recovery 2
Racial Toughness 2
Fighter Toughness 2
Sorcerer Wand & Scroll Mastery 2

These are a bit debatable, can spec some enhancements into Fire/Acid for Firewall/Acid Rain if wanted.

So, onto the bits that need work and watching out for...

Melee to Hit
The primary concern for the melee side. if you can't hit, might as well go Sorcerer 20....
13 Base Attack Bonus
16 Strength
05 Magic Weapon
04 Competence Bonus (Cannith Crafted)
04 Morale bonus (Greater Heroism)
01 Weapon Focus
01 Kensai Specialisation
-4 TWF Penalty
-5 Power Attack
= +35 Attack
01 Haste Spell
03 Guild ship Buffs
= +39 Attack

That's plenty for Normal to Elite content at 1-20. Turn off Power Attack and equip Improved Destruction, and you can even hit in Epics. Or if you have the FvS Dilletante, chuck yourself a Divine Power Scroll for +7 to hit...

Hit Points
Going toe-to-toe on base 4HP per level class doesn't seem too healthy, so here's the possible HP breakdown:
020 Base
180 Constitution 28
048 Sorcerer 12
060 Fighter 6
016 Monk 2
022 Toughness Feat
020 Racial Toughness 2
020 Fighter Toughness 2
045 Greensteel Item
030 Greater False Life
020 Toughness Item
010 Draconic Feat
= 491

Thats pretty decent, although just misses the 500HP Melee Benchmark I personally like. Personal displacements will help out a great deal here.

Saving Throws
The last major 'melee related' area of concern. Evasion is pointless without the saves behind it:
04/04/08 Sorcerer 12
05/02/02 Fighter 6
03/03/03 Monk 2
09/08/04 Con 28/Dex 26/Wis 18
05/10/05 Resistance Item (Infused Chaos Robe FTW!)
01/01/01 Alchemical Ritual
02/02/02 Good Luck Item
= 29/30/25 Saves
04/04/04 Greater Heroism
02/02/02 Protection from Evil
= 35/36/31

Hey, what the hell? That's pretty impressive for a Sorc/Fighter based Gish. The Infused Chaosrobe really helps out here, which means you can go for FvS Dilletante instead of Paladin. If you really want massive saves, go for the Paladin Dilletante.

So, thats all the physical elements dealt with, what did taking those 12 Sorcerer Levels give us??

Spells
1 Nightshield
1 Expeditious Retreat
1 Jump
1 Tumble (Hey, its my theme build remember? :P)
2 Electric Loop
2 Resist Energy
2 Gust of Wind / Knock
2 Blur
3 Haste
3 Displacement
3 Lightning Bolt
3 Heroism / Circle vs. Evil
4 Solid Fog
4 Wall of Fire / Acid Rain
4 DDoor
5 Eladar's Electric surge
5 Cyclonic Blast / Ball Lightning
6 Chain Lightning
Scrolls: Fire Shield / Teleport / Greater Heroism / True Seeing

Spell Max Caster Level
17 Lightning Bolt (Inc. +2 Savant)
17 Ball Lightning (Inc. +2 Savant)
20 Chain Lightning (Community Testing seems to show a hard cap)
22 Eladar's Electric Surge (Inc. +2 Savant)

Actual Spell Caster Level
12 Sorcerer level 12
04 Air Savant 2 - Electric Spells only
03 Epic Abishai Set - +3 CL on Evocation Spells
01 Infused Chaosrobe - Lesser Arcane Augmentation 9
= Caster level 20, 18 with only base Abishai set

So despite being only base level 12, this is enough to fill out the Caster Level on many of the above spells except Eladar's which is still getting upto CL20.

Potential Damage: Chain Lightning at CL20
CL20: 20D3+60 Base Damage = 100 Base Damage Avg +45% Enhancement +60% Epic Magnetism VI (Epic Bracers of Wind) +50% Empower +100% Maximise
= 100 * (1+0.45+0.60) * (1+1+0.5) = 512.50
Crit Chance: 7% Enhancement + 12% Superior Lore (Epic Bracers of Wind)
Crit Damage: +105% Enhancement +50% Superior Lore
= 512.50 * (1+1.05+0.5) = 1,306 damage on Crit

Potential Damage: Eladar's Surge at CL20
CL20: 1D6+20 = 23.5 Base Damage +45% Enhancement +60% Epic Magnetism VI (Epic Bracers of Wind) +50% Empower +100% Maximise
= 23.5 * (1+0.45+0.60) * (1+1+0.5) * 3 = 360 triple stacked
= 23.5 * (1+0.45+0.60) * (1+1+0.5) * (1.15) = 414 triple stacked, Elemental Weakness
Crit Chance: 7% Enhancement + 12% Superior Lore (Epic Bracers of Wind)
Crit Damage: +105% Enhancement +50% Superior Lore
= 360 * (1+1.05+0.5) = 918 damage on Crit, triple stacked
= 360 * (1+1.05+0.5) * (1.15) = 1,055 damage on Crit, triple stacked, Elemental Weakness

And I just noticed I didn't take a Clicky or the Chaosrobe's occasional 75% Boost into account there either.

Wow, not bad.

Spell Points
870 Sorcerer 12
210 Charisma 30
040 Energy of the Dragon 2
200 Archmagi
050 Elemental Spell Power
100 Grt. Elemental Spell Power
210 Sorcerer 12 Item bonus
-60 Power Drain
= 1,620 SP

Thats a bit light considering the Max/Empowered spell damage above, but its workable. Torc/ConOpp & Mysterious Bauble look like wants :/


So, whats your own thoughts on this build/idea?