Farwind: An Air savant Endgame EE DPS Build

[Tid12]

The main focus of this build is to use what sorcerers can do best: DPS. I will not focus on Necromancy and Enchantment schools because to do so I would need too many Past lives to break the SR of the Epic Elite mobs. Also, I would need too many Feats and I would have to sacrifice Feats that I'm not willing to sacrifice.

Past lives:
This build makes use of 3x Sorcerers Past Lives. It can be done without them but I highly suggest you to get them. 3 DC for your Evocation spells and 60 SP are awesome for those nasty EE mobs. If you have the Wizard PL, it's even better.

Stats:
Pure Human, Lv25, 36 points, True neutral:

STR: 18 (9 base + 4 tome + 7 item) = 20 STR
DEX: 21 (11 base + 4 tome + 6 item + 1 exceptional) = 22
CON: 34 (18 base + 4 Tome + 1 Great Adaptability + 8 Item + 1 Exceptional + 2 Insight) = 34 CON (+12)
INT: 12 (8 base + 4 tome) = 12 INT
WIS: 18 (8 base + 4 Tome + 6 item) = 18 WIS
CHA: 50 (18 Base + 6 level ups + 4 Tome + 4 Enhancements + 8 Item + 1 Exceptional + 3 Insight + 5 Destiny +1 Great Charisma) = 50 CHA (+20)

As you can see I didn't put Litany of the Dead on purpose. I've been farming Abbot for a long time and it still eludes me. When and if you get a +5 tome, togheter with +1 from LotD, you will have 52 standing cha (+21 mod).

HP
4*20 = 100 HP
34 con = 300 HP
Toughness = 27 HP
Racial Toughness III = 30 HP
GS HP Item = 45 HP
Greater False life = 30 HP
Epic levels = 50 HP
Draconic Vitality = 10 HP
Toughness item = 20 HP
------------------------------
617 unbuffed HP
45 Yugo Pot
25 +2 Con Shrine
------------------------------
687 HP sustainable

Feats:
1: Maximize
1: Toughness
3: Empower
6: Extend
9: Spell focus: Evocation
12: Heighten
15: Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
18: Past life: Sorcerer
21: Epic Spell Focus: Evocation
24: Greater Charisma

Instead of PL: Sorcerer, you can put PL: Wizard there if you have it. +1 DC to every school is still awesome.

Enhancements:
Capstone
Human Adaptability Charisma
Human Greater Adaptability Constitution
Imp Recovery I
Improved Empowering II (Should be Maximizing II)
Racial Toughness III
Air Savant III
Glacial SpellCasting I
Deadly Ice I
Frost Manipulation VII
Charged SpellCasting VI
Deadly Shocks VI
Storm Manipulation VII
Energy of the Dragonblooded II
Sorcerer Subtle Spellcasting II
Flame Manipulation I
Sorcerer Charisma III
Wand and Scroll Mastery II

Electric 6/6/7
Cold 1/1/7
Force 0/0/1

I wish I had more points to put some more in Force but I can't lose anything so I'm sticking with it. Very few mobs are immune to both Elec and Cold (Abbot and Death Knights comes to mind but the DK are found in only 1 quest) and for those there is Disintegrate (or run).

Skills

Max UMD and Concentration.

UMD: 11 Rank + 19 Modifier + 5 GS item cha skills +5 Epic levels + 4 GH + 2 Good luck= 46 sustainable UMD


Spells:

L1: Hypnotism, Jump, Protection from Evil, Nightshield
L2: Blur, Knock, Web, Resist Energy
L3: Haste, Rage, Displacement, Halt Undead
L4: DDoor, Crushing Despair, Solid fog, Ice storm
L5: Eladar's Electric Surge, Niac's Biting Cold, Ball Lightning, Cloudkill
L6: Chain Lightning, Disintegrate, Otilukes
L7: Primastic Spray, Protection from Elements: Mass, Finger of Death.
L8: Polar Ray, Ottos, Greater Shout
L9: Mass Hold Monster, PW: Kill, Enervation

Notes:
- CC spells: Greater shout, Web 40 DC (+ Solid fog), Electric loop SLA. Very awesome spells for CC, rarely fails with such a high Evocation DC.
- Primastic Spray: I just love this spell. Flesh to stone, Death effects, Fear (in EE I'm revaluing Fear, when I'm overwhelmed its awesome), just gotta love it.


Epic Destiny: Draconic Incarnation
This is where things start to get a little bit tricky. There are many things useful in this destiny but I have to give up to some of them. The numbers before the ability means their Tier.

1) Energy Sheathe: Electric - Rank 2
1) Charisma 1
2) Go out with a Bang - Rank 1
2) Precise Evocation - Rank 2
2) Charisma 1
3) Blue Dragon Heritage - Rank 3
3) Charisma 1
4) Energy Burst - Rank 1
4) Blue Dragon Spell Knowledge - Rank 3
4) Charisma 1
5) Blue Dragon Breath
5) Charisma 1

As you can see, there is no T6 ability. Fearsome Invulnerability and Draconic Hunger are meh at best. Whenever I tried to use FI, which is supposedly be the "nuke and tank everything" ability, I kept dying anyway and decided to let it go.

EVortex was not bad actually. Thou, 2 things made me decide to not have it: 1) Centered on the caster, 2) Too long cooldown.

Twists of Fate:

• Rejuvenation Cocoon:Protect target ally with a shield of [90/120/150] temporary HP for 9 seconds. Heals 5d6 HP every 2 seconds while the shield persists. Very awesome for self-healing.
• Evocation Specialist (Magister): + 3 Evo DC
• Endless Faith (Exalted Angel): +10% Spell pool and Echoes restore up to 30 SP (free EBursts!)

Evocation DC:
10 base + 9 Heighten + 20 Modifier + 3 Epic Spell focus feat + 3 Major evocation bonus item + 3 Past lives + 5 from Destiny = 53 Evocation DC.

With sustainable buffs:

53 + 1 Ship buff + 1 Yugo Pot = 55 DC running most of the times. You can have many other buffs but those are not sustainable like these two.

Equipment:
Another tricky point

Head: EE Helm of the blue dragon (+3 Insightful Cha)(Green: +35 HP, Yellow: +2 Insight con)
Necklace: EE Iron beads (Magnetism +120, Superior Lightning Lore) (Yellow: +7 STR, Colorless: +1 Ex CON / Globe of Imperial blood )
Trinket: Planar focus of Erudition for the set / Litany
Cloak: Ghost-Waking Cloak (+8 Cha, +7 Resistance, 15 DR/Evil, Ghostly)
Belt: Calitomes' Sash
Ring1: Calitomes' Ring (+6 Charisma, +1 Exceptional Dex, 20% Heal amp)
Ring1 Swap: EE Ring of the Djinni
Boots: Kundarak Delving Boots
Gloves: GS +45 HP Gloves Mineral II (Heavy fort)
Bracers: Greater convalescence bracers of Superior Parrying (30% Heal amp, +4 stacking to saves)
Armor: Flawless blue dragonscale robe (Blue: 14 PRR )/Cormyrian Green Dragonscale Robe just for long fights
Goggles: GS +5 Cha skill with Concordant Opposition
Ring2: +8 Con ring
Main Hand: Twilight, +120 Impulse, +120 Glaciation, +114 Devotion in the red slot

Different set weapons:

Main Hand: 10/15/20% Electric/Fire/Cold/Acid Absorption Scepter
Off Hand: 10/20/30% Heal amp Scepter

Now, as you can see, I'm missing a few things from this setup:

- +3 Insight Con item: No idea where to put it at the moment, I'm still coming up with something. I might not add it at all, sitting at 617 HP without buffs.


Spell Power and Spell Pool:
Everything is counted with Superior Potions bought in House Jorasco, giving 25 Alchemical Spell Power (5 more than Shavarath belts).

Electric: 308
Cold: 275
Sonic: 208
Force: 178

I have 4006 SP with just Ship buffs, more than enough for every quest in game at the moment and happy with it.


Conclusion:

I'm really enjoying the DPS and survavibility of this build. I had to get rid of EBurst Rank 3 for more Charisma. Rank 1 is fine as well thou I liked the 3/3: I liked big numbers.

Whenever I'm in trouble, Wind Dance and a heal Scroll healing me for 300+ are great and the knockdown immunity is just something that I can't give up. I really hated when, with no savants avaible, every Cometfall or Trip made me fall on the ground forever, basically meaning Death.

[wax_on_wax_off]

Why Air? Most EE guild/channel Sorcs that have really wowed me since MotU are Earth now for a variety of reasons. The only Air Savant that I regularly run with seems to have to rely on other spells more than seems fun.

I liked Earth before MotU. I like it even more now.

[Tid12]

Why Air? Most EE guild/channel Sorcs that have really wowed me since MotU are Earth now for a variety of reasons. The only Air Savant that I regularly run with seems to have to rely on other spells more than seems fun.

I liked Earth before MotU. I like it even more now.

Because I don't like Earth's DPS, simple as that It is too slow and BDB isn't so powerful (I don't like the fact that it's a ray spell either) to justify the CL penalty on EES.

Also, I love knockdown Immunity and Wind dance, two solid reasons to stay Air. Couldn't live without KD immunity.

EDIT: I'm not saying Earth isn't strong but I don't like it personally.

[sirgog]

Because I don't like Earth's DPS, simple as that It is too slow and BDB isn't so powerful (I don't like the fact that it's a ray spell either) to justify the CL penalty on EES.

Also, I love knockdown Immunity and Wind dance, two solid reasons to stay Air. Couldn't live without KD immunity.

EDIT: I'm not saying Earth isn't strong but I don't like it personally.

EES doesn't have much use in MOTU content generally. A hell of a lot of mobs are immune.

Most Air Savants I've seen lately that have stayed Air (for the KD immunity and wings) invest heavily into fire/force and go Shiradi, spamming Meteor Swarm, Chain Missiles and Magic Missiles for the silliness you get there. They actually don't seem to rely on lightning spells much at all as there's a fair bit of immunity, resistance and (especially in Druid's Curse chain) a lot of 50% elec absorb.

[Miow]

Because I don't like Earth's DPS, simple as that It is too slow and BDB isn't so powerful (I don't like the fact that it's a ray spell either) to justify the CL penalty on EES.

Also, I love knockdown Immunity and Wind dance, two solid reasons to stay Air. Couldn't live without KD immunity.

EDIT: I'm not saying Earth isn't strong but I don't like it personally.

I chose you pick-achoo, air is the one for me too. That knockdown immunity is soooo key to actually staying alive.

[Tid12]

EES doesn't have much use in MOTU content generally. A hell of a lot of mobs are immune.

Most Air Savants I've seen lately that have stayed Air (for the KD immunity and wings) invest heavily into fire/force and go Shiradi, spamming Meteor Swarm, Chain Missiles and Magic Missiles for the silliness you get there. They actually don't seem to rely on lightning spells much at all as there's a fair bit of immunity, resistance and (especially in Druid's Curse chain) a lot of 50% elec absorb.

The new chain has wisps that are resistant to everything. That's why I have Meteor Swarm for them, weak to Force.

The only bosses immune to Elec are the Glabrezu and the Goristro IIRC. Both soloed on EE with NBC, Ice storm, Polar and Otilukes. I really see no point in why people shouldn't use Elec Spells really.

Dretches go out easily with a couple Otilukes.


About Shiradi's: Was fun to use it while leveling but I'm not relying on it for DPS. EBurst easily does far more damage than all those low chance procs. And Shiradi's haven't the +30 SP, +3 MCL of DI.

[muny21]

I still am air savant. It is by far the best for dps. Chain lightning and ball of lightning do massive aoe damage. It is not as powerful single target as water but it stills does a good job with that. Most people shy away from air because they lack the ability to play human sorcs.They need WF to survive with their recon spells.

EES doesn't have much use in MOTU content generally. A hell of a lot of mobs are immune.

Most Air Savants I've seen lately that have stayed Air (for the KD immunity and wings) invest heavily into fire/force and go Shiradi, spamming Meteor Swarm, Chain Missiles and Magic Missiles for the silliness you get there. They actually don't seem to rely on lightning spells much at all as there's a fair bit of immunity, resistance and (especially in Druid's Curse chain) a lot of 50% elec absorb.

There is not that much immune to lightning in the new areas, except for the dretch, glabrezu, wisp, the red zombie, and vine horror. For those you just instakill or Otilukes freezing sphere takes right care of them.

And the 50% elec absord does not mean that much because your nuking power stills kills them with one or two spells anyway. Instead of super overkill you have just regular overkill. WOW.

Your build seems pretty solid, I went the necro route, love instakilling things. Just curious why you would not have any spell pen feats? You don't use irresistible or dancing balls? It says you have the spell but you need a really good spell pen to get through on EE. Can't always rely on strictly nuking. I find that web does not really work that well on EE. I have a dc 40, 41 with diab robe, and they just walk right through it all the time. I would switch out the PL sorc and the extend for spell pen and greater spell pen.

About Shiradi's: Was fun to use it while leveling but I'm not relying on it for DPS. EBurst easily does far more damage than all those low chance procs. And Shiradi's haven't the +30 SP, +3 MCL of DI.

I agree, EBurst is a beast of a spell. Sure does take care of those 50% elec absorb mobs.

[Tid12]

Your build seems pretty solid, I went the necro route, love instakilling things. Just curious why you would not have any spell pen feats? You don't use irresistible or dancing balls? It says you have the spell but you need a really good spell pen to get through on EE. Can't always rely on strictly nuking. I find that web does not really work that well on EE. I have a dc 40, 41 with diab robe, and they just walk right through it all the time. I would switch out the PL sorc and the extend for spell pen and greater spell pen.

Reason is that I haven't the room for Spell Pen Feats/Twists. I REALLY would love to have 4 more feats for the Spell Pen line but I don't.

You are right, I have Ottos but it is for selected enemies: Orange Named Dire bears, Orange named Druids (both no SR), Orange Hezrous (requires a few tries but it's doable with 27 Spell Pen) and Driders. I don't even dare to Ottos drows in EE because they would require too much work.

If there are too many Driders, Prismatic Spray will do work. 1 Feared, 1 will die, 1 will turn to stone, 1 will be stunned with ELoop for 4 SP.

I have thought about swapping PL: Sorc for Spell Pen but 2 more does pretty much nothing. Extend is there to stay, I love 5m displacement, haste and 7min rage.

[muny21]

I don't even dare to Ottos drows in EE because they would require too much work.

Just curious, how do you cc them? I guess you can run around like a mad man and nuke without cc them but they do hit really hard and those casters are not very nice.

I have a spell pen of 44 so my disco and otto goes off almost 100%

Another thing, about your equipment, I would change the bracers and the torc for the war wizard to get the battle arcanist set bonus with the spidersilk robe. With over 4k sp, how many times do you really need to torc or con-opp up? I hardly run out of sp in any quest. The -10% from that set essentially gives you 4400 sp. Plus, the bracers and the necklace together give you same sp bonus as con-opp from gs. Win, win.

[Tid12]

Just curious, how do you cc them? I guess you can run around like a mad man and nuke without cc them but they do hit really hard and those casters are not very nice.

I have a spell pen of 44 so my disco and otto goes off almost 100%

Another thing, about your equipment, I would change the bracers and the torc for the war wizard to get the battle arcanist set bonus with the spidersilk robe. With over 4k sp, how many times do you really need to torc or con-opp up? I hardly run out of sp in any quest. The -10% from that set essentially gives you 4400 sp. Plus, the bracers and the necklace together give you same sp bonus as con-opp from gs. Win, win.

Melee drows have low will/reflex saves. ELoop will usually stun all of them. If one saves, I can take him alone with displacement and good moving. Casters have low fort saves generally, Greater shout for them. The main objective is always to have not more than 3 mobs aggroed on you. With 54 DC they hardly saves.

If I run somewhere with 3+ mobs, and knowing the quests now happens rarely, Primastic Spray will take care of at least 2 of them usually, ELoop the melees.

The torc is there because there isn't a better necklace at the moment, not because I need it.

The bracers: 3% dodge, Superior Lightning lore, Blurry, 2 slots (+1 exc cha included). Hard to give up to all those things. Sup Light lore in a static slot is fantastic imho. There are sometimes, mainly when I solo, that my main set is Heal Scroll + Heal amp scepter so can't have SLL in the scepter (putting my Gr Evo focus somewhere else).

[Tid12]

Finally got my hands on the +6 Magnetism Scepter of Evocation Mastery (+3 dc to EVO Spells).

Now I'm just missing a +4 CHA tome to have that 54 EVO DC on all of my spells. I'll probably re-do my enhancements when I get it as I kinda want another tier of Heal Amplification. It costs 4 points and I'm not really sure I can get those 4 somewhere else.

Might get 2 from Subtle spellcasting II but still missing 2. How complicated, might just stay this way.

[spectroum]

Well dont listen to ppl sayin about how useless Air Savants are...seriously are there air savants who play with fire spells?? bleh..

Anyway..just few tips from me

About spells first...dooood dump nightshield and get shield, nightshield's resistance is already covered from envenomed cloak and shield also grants 10% dmg reduction from glancing blows. Also get jump and expeditious they're like the most usefull spells for kiting around. Halt undead can also be scrolled so no need to fill a slot with that.

About L7 spells. Seriously get ottos with a DC of 40+ u can have a form of CC, not in EEs but in lower diff quests, also get FOD! You will always need to instakill something and banshee is not the only option, plus thats why energy drain is for, to make ur fod accurate.

I do recommend symbol of death too instead of shout...really shout is for bards not sorcs

Aaaand last thing...dooood get PWK u never know when u have to kill that mob in no time. PWK is a must-have spell and if u want a fire spell get good old FW

About twists...dump that fort thing and get the best twist around for sorc...shiradi's fey form for +15 spell powah!

Besides that i like your build although i still believe that a WF air savant is the best savant...i got addicted to mine although i was going for a quick sorc PL :P

[Tid12]

As stated in the title, this is an EE build. Not EH or EN.

About spells first...dooood dump nightshield and get shield, nightshield's resistance is already covered from envenomed cloak and shield also grants 10% dmg reduction from glancing blows. Also get jump and expeditious they're like the most usefull spells for kiting around. Halt undead can also be scrolled so no need to fill a slot with that.

Nothing better than Halt undead there imho.
Nightshield is for magic missile. What's this thing about 10% dmg reduction from glancing blows? Never heard of it.
Jump is already there, expeditious retreat meh, I just cast haste, it's better than ER.

About L7 spells. Seriously get ottos with a DC of 40+ u can have a form of CC, not in EEs but in lower diff quests, also get FOD! You will always need to instakill something and banshee is not the only option, plus thats why energy drain is for, to make ur fod accurate.

I do recommend symbol of death too instead of shout...really shout is for bards not sorcs

Not playing lower difficulties.
Shout is awesome to have CC. It's a save on Fortitude and it's an evo Spell.
FoD, yeah I miss it sometimes but low necro DC and low Spell Resistance make it almost useless in EE.

Aaaand last thing...dooood get PWK u never know when u have to kill that mob in no time. PWK is a must-have spell and if u want a fire spell get good old FW

Same as FOD, low Spell resistance and low necro for EE mobs

About twists...dump that fort thing and get the best twist around for sorc...shiradi's fey form for +15 spell powah!

Besides that i like your build although i still believe that a WF air savant is the best savant...i got addicted to mine although i was going for a quick sorc PL :P

Fort is kinda mandatory. I'd like to dump it but can't slot 40% fort anywhere else so it stays for the moment. I wish I could get rid of it thou.

[spectroum]

Ye shiield protects from magic missiles too and grants also 10% dmg reduction on glancing blows, that doesnt show on spell description but only when u cast it u can see full description on it.

Btw still PWK can be usefull on EEs...not all mobs have spell resistance and its a non-save spell

About the halt undead...the scroll is the same as the spell thats why i said it fills a slot unnecessarily

Fort is mandatory indeed but still 100% fort with displacment is enough imo...and its just worth to get fey form

if u only use this toon on EEs then ye dont take ottos and fod..i just added those to cover all the areas

[Alkot]

[*]Brace for Impact, 40% fort (Unyielding Sentinel): kinda mandatory for EEs. 140% Fortification means you are immune to most of the crits from trash. I really wish to get rid of this (and slot the extra fort in my equipment) but at the moment I see no way of doing so.

Mobs bypass fort at a certain percentage no matter the actual number of fort afaik. Wouldn't twist this at a high priority.

[Tid12]

Ye shiield protects from magic missiles too and grants also 10% dmg reduction on glancing blows, that doesnt show on spell description but only when u cast it u can see full description on it.

Btw still PWK can be usefull on EEs...not all mobs have spell resistance and its a non-save spell

About the halt undead...the scroll is the same as the spell thats why i said it fills a slot unnecessarily

Fort is mandatory indeed but still 100% fort with displacment is enough imo...and its just worth to get fey form

if u only use this toon on EEs then ye dont take ottos and fod..i just added those to cover all the areas

I'll slot shield then, nice to know.

PWK has a too long cooldown for me and I don't miss it too much. Where would I use it? There is nothing that comes in my mind in EE that has to be killed right away and hasn't SR.

About fort, see below.

Mobs bypass fort at a certain percentage no matter the actual number of fort afaik. Wouldn't twist this at a high priority.

No, mobs bypass fort = their CR.

140% Fort makes you immune to most crit from trash. Only the Matron in EE Rusted Blades and I think some other boss can bypass 140% fortification. And I know because, when MotU came out, mobs were critting me a lot for 200 damage + Sneak attack. Since I have twisted Brace for Impact, I have never seen a crit anymore so yeah, this is a high priority to me.

Much higher survavibility is much better than 15 Spell Power imho.

[BladeTricks]

I love your attitude, not settling for steamrolling EH content. I'm gonna need to apply some of that to my sorcs when they get to epics again. +1

[MRMechMan]

For the record, nightshield stacks with resistance items for REFLEX SAVE ONLY....which is basically the only important save. Try it

Probably drop extend for a PL feat (wizard, or sorc). Or possibly epic toughness, spell pen, necro/ench/conj foci,etc)

Looks pretty solid. Any reason for 7/6/6 in elec? 1% extra chance to crit for .1 more doesn't seem like all that tasty.

Also, I'd go maximize II instead of empower II. I *think* the enhancement and item stack, right?

[Tid12]

For the record, nightshield stacks with resistance items for REFLEX SAVE ONLY....which is basically the only important save. Try it

At the moment I still have nightshield eheh. Haven't really got the chance to swap it out and knowing this I don't know if I will.

Probably drop extend for a PL feat (wizard, or sorc). Or possibly epic toughness, spell pen, necro/ench/conj foci,etc)

I have PL: Sorc already. Sitting at 652 HP basically in every quest, I can say that Epic toughness is not my first choice.

However, I'm planning to do at least 3x wizzies PL so I might swap PL: sorc for Spell Pen for a total of +8. Might think to swap Epic focus: Evocation for greater Spell pen for a total of +10. However, having 27 SP, +10 would bring me to 37. 37 is not even far enough for EE thou. Maybe if I ever get around to do 3x FVS PLs I might try to get Epic Spell Penetration bringing the total to 37 + 3 FVS PLs + 4 Epic Spell pen = 44. Not sure all that "work" is needed and I'm not sure I'm willing to do so many Past lives.

Looks pretty solid. Any reason for 7/6/6 in elec? 1% extra chance to crit for .1 more doesn't seem like all that tasty.

Just wanted to max my main Element since I'm relying specially on my Elec spells.

Also, I'd go maximize II instead of empower II. I *think* the enhancement and item stack, right?

I thought they didn't but read here and somewhere else that they do so yeah, Maximize II is better than Empower II.

I love your attitude, not settling for steamrolling EH content. I'm gonna need to apply some of that to my sorcs when they get to epics again. +1

Eheh thanks, I see no point in settling for a very very easy mode

[darthhento]

Even though I like the flavour of Air Savant, with knock immu and wings, even with max'd evo DC's there's always a mob or two that will pop up EVADE above it's head. And that thing irritates me a helluvalot so I play Water with earth/air 7/1/1 splits.

Knock immu is a nice perk but it's not end of everything and must have, and it doesn't take much adjustiment to play without it. Instead of doing investing in str and dex like you did I prefer to pump the leftover stats into Int and max out balance with conc and umd.

Also, if you're going for 3x PL: Wiz & FvS it's a bloody shame not to invest into Necromancy which will give you almost the same versatility as a Wiz. With faster casting speed and more nuking power though.