Casting based FvS; what spells and feats are must haves?

[Varashad]

I'm making a casting based FvS who is level 12 with max wisdom. I have Maximize, Empower, Quicken, Empower Healing, and Toughness for feats. For spells I have a blood of dragons, and plan on changing up my entire spell list except for the key ones like Blade Barrier, FoM, Death Ward, Resist energy, and other key buffs. I'd love suggestions for spells and feats to take.

[JDCrowell]

I just TR'd my casting FvS to make him more powerful. By far the MOST fun toon I've ever had.

First off you seem to be on a good path with your feats, though with proper gearing you might be able to drop Emp. Heal. I did to fit in Spell Focus Evocation, GSF Evo, and Mental Toughness just to add a little to my SP pool. You'll also want Heighten to max out your spell DC's

IMHO going the path of the of the Silver Flame to get free Searing Light at cap is really nice since it can be Emp/Maxed.

As far as spells, these were my offensive bread and butter: Blade Barrier, Holy Smite, Cometfall, Implosion, Sound Burst (for a little CC), Hold Person, Firestorm, and Divine Punishment.

The rest, take what you like for buffs to account for your play style. Typically I'd go for Resists, Nightshield, Remove Fear, Magic Circle Against Evil, DW, FoM, and TS. Outside of that, take all the healing spells and resurrection spells where slots are left over.

You also want to max out UMD to take advantage of Fire Shield scrolls, Teleport scrolls, etc...

That's all I can think of right now, but if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask!

Hope you have fun

[cdr]

Level 1:
Well, level 1 is pretty barren. Especially for casters, who don't have a use for Divine Favor. It's still worth it to pick up Nightshield for the Magic Missile protection, but it doesn't stack anymore in U17. Prot Evil/Shield of Faith/Bless all have mass versions. Obscuring Mist has occasional uses but the graphic is obnoxious. Nimbus of Light is underwhelming but what else are you going to pick up.

Level 2:
Resist Energy is obviously a must. Soundburst is insane at low levels but has a SR check and the damage doesn't scale, making it almost unusable past mid levels. Eagle's Splendor is nice in case of disjunction if you're relying on equipment for CHA. Hold Person can be useful all the way to endgame if you have the DC and you know what it works on. Remove Paralysis is nice for removing Spell Ward slowness, although I think they nerfed that some and there's funnel pots. Spawn Screen blocks shadow damage for the levels before you have access to Death Ward.

Level 3:
Mass Aid is obvious. Protection from Energy is obvious unless you can fit in Protection from Elements. Magic Circle is a good one. Remove Curse can be useful when having to deal with idiots who won't get their own curses, but I prefer to use funnel pots. Searing Light is a fine DPS spell if you have the buffs for it.

Level 4:
FOM is obvious. Recitation is pretty much auto. Single target DW is obvious if you can't fit Mass. Holy Smite is a fine spell if you have the DC.

Level 5:
DP is obvious. Greater Command is great. I like Slay Living, even with the touch range - any instakill spell is a good spell. Spell Resistance is good under level 20 if you can't fit Mass. Prot Elements is great, but you can get by with Prot Energy fairly well. True Seeing is useful for idiots who won't TS themselves, but you can scroll it. Break Enchantment is important, but scrolls cover most situations fine.

Level 6:
Blade Barrier is obvious. Heal is obvious. Cometfall is obvious. You only get 3 level 6 spells. Banishment and Undeath to Death are great situational mass instakill, but can't compete with Cometfall. Word of Recall is worth carrying scrolls of if you don't have the UMD for Teleport.

Level 7:
Destruction is obvious. Resurrection is good since you almost certainly can't take True. Mass SR is good under level 20. Mass CCW is good in conjunction with Mass CSW if you can't fit Mass Heal. Mass Prot Elements is great but you usually have arcanes casting it. Symbol of Stunning can be good situational CC. Greater Restoration is important, but you can scroll it.

Level 8:
Death Pact is great. Mass DW there's really no reason not to take. Symbol of Death is great. Mass CSW is necessary if you can't fit Mass Heal. You only get 3 level 8 spells. Holy Aura used to be great but has been progressively nerfed, and now the resistance won't even stack - I wouldn't bother with it anymore.

Level 9:
Implosion is obvious. Energy Drain is great and only gets better the harder the content is. Mass Heal is obviously crazy good. True Resurrection is great but you don't have the slots for it and Resurrection is good enough.

[Matuse]

Cometfall is obvious.

Cometfall is not at all obvious on a FvS.

Per-hit, it does barely more damage than a single tick of blade barrier, it shares a reflex save so evaders ignore it at the same rate. The knockdown hardly ever works that I've seen.

Even for stationary non-evaders that BB doesn't work on, I'd much rather hit them with a couple of searing lights. Less SP, about the same damage.

[cdr]

Cometfall is not at all obvious on a FvS.

Per-hit, it does barely more damage than a single tick of blade barrier, it shares a reflex save so evaders ignore it at the same rate. The knockdown hardly ever works that I've seen.

Even for stationary non-evaders that BB doesn't work on, I'd much rather hit them with a couple of searing lights. Less SP, about the same damage.

Cometfall is one of my favorite divine spells. You need a decent DC, sure, but it's like a greater command that also does a few hundred damage to each target. There is no other level 6 spell that I would rather take.

[LafoMamone]

Cometfall is not at all obvious on a FvS.

Per-hit, it does barely more damage than a single tick of blade barrier, it shares a reflex save so evaders ignore it at the same rate. The knockdown hardly ever works that I've seen.

Even for stationary non-evaders that BB doesn't work on, I'd much rather hit them with a couple of searing lights. Less SP, about the same damage.

Cometfall is actually very obvious, considering the alternatives alone. The knockdown effect works great for anything that can't be GC'd, especially if you're in a bind and need a few seconds of alone time. Aside from that, it is an AoE that does respectable damage, and divines have very few of those. And searing light is hardly SP-efficient or practical when you're facing more than one mob.

We've been over this in another thread. Leave it alone.

[Matuse]

Cometfall is actually very obvious, considering the alternatives alone.

Mass Cure Moderate.

[cdr]

Mass Cure Moderate.

Wow...

[Matuse]

Wow...

It's a common choice, there's no reason for you to be so impressed by it.

[Terebinthia]

I am a fan of Cometfall, too. I tend to use it as short duration crowd control with some damage tacked on, when blade barrier kiting would be anti social, and the party is mopping up stuff relatively quickly and a Greater Command is OTT.

[EndingDoe]

This list is for maximum level evoker favored souls. I have listed only the valuable spells, since a great number of spells are either capped to low levels, can be cast from items, or are a mana-sink. E.g: Slay Living, which requires focusing on necromancy to remain useful.

A better question for evokers would be which ED-spells are must haves. Arcane Tempest and/or Energy Vortex look like nice adds to this list.


LEVEL 1: THE CR4P THAT CAPS OUT FAST
Cause Fear. This spell has no other purpose than to occasionally debuff mobs with the shaken -effect. This means you want it to fail the savings throws, which makes this a cheap spell to spam.

Nightshield. The save bonus does not stack with the bonuses you get from gear, but it does protect against magic missiles, lasts forever, and doesn't cost much. Might as well take it, considering there is nothing else.

Divine Favor. Choose this if you have silver flame bonuses to longbows and want to spend the idle moments to debuffing mobs with shattermantle or the like. Not really useful, though.


LEVEL 2: THE LEVEL WITH ONE GOOD SPELL
Resist Energy. The only good lv.2 spell for divines, but a hassle to buff for everyone. Reduces the damage you take from elements, which is great from the beginning. One of the few spells at this level that isn't quickly replaced by better versions.

Soundburst. Save vs. stun. The saving grace is that this spell uses evocation as a main stat, so it retains its functionality to the end. Unheightened it can be cheap to spam as well, but you'll be too busy with better spells to bother most of the time.


LEVEL 3: THE "FIRST CHOISES" -LEVEL
Prayer. Prayer has higher level alternatives, but the real use is the debuff -effect. No save -1 to enemy saves. Affects even bosses and can be cast while on the run. Nice for BB-kiting and overall use.

Magic Circle. Negates enemy CC and grants stacking bonuses to saves. Also lasts forever, so this is a great pick for the buff-bar.

Cure Serious Wounds. This is the 12sp top-up heal you'll spam while levelling to 25 and after. You want this one cheap, so do not empower/max it. Save those for the heavy hitters.

OR: Water Breathing. Because you'll occasionally have to go swimming and the aura gives you visual frills. Also makes other players easier to track, but that's about it.

OR: Remove Curse. Occasionally useful, but the wands are plenty and can be used for 0sp. The only reason to choose would be convinience, since spells do not require equipment swap like wands do.


LEVEL 4: THE FLAVOR LEVEL
Freedom of Movement. While not as useful as it used to be and leaks through many effects you would expect it to block, the fact is that mobs still love to spam holds. Barbs and other classes with weaker will-save require this one.

Cure Critical. It's a heal. You're a healer-class. You take this, empower it, and always keep it in hotbar. No exceptions.

OR: Divine Power. Good for buffing before a trap (extra health) and boosting your to-hit with longbows, if you went with Silver Flame and debuff bow. Otherwise dropped.

OR: Summon Monster IV. Can be used to summon lantern archon, which gives light and ranged DPS, but also draws aggro and dies fast. I use it as a vanity pet.


LEVEL 5: THE LEVEL WITH DIVINE PUNISHMENT
Cure Light Wounds Mass. Like cure serious, this one is the cheap top-up to spam unempowered. Not needed if you pick the three higher level ones.

Divine Punishment. Your only good single-target DPS-spell. Take it and maximize it.

OR: Flame Strike. Capped at level 15, but can still be useful for cheap spamming while on the run. Can be replaced with the more expensive Firestorm and Cometfall, but what else is there to choose at this level?

OR: Stalwart Pact. Useful if you do not have any other source for +2 luck bonus to saves or do not want to get a luck item. Otherwise dropped.

NOTE: Greater Command. Has the same problem as Slay Living: expensive to fail and uses a secondary class for DCs. But unlike Slay Living, command does not guarantee a kill. The DPS still has to come from somewhere.


LEVEL 6: WHERE STUFF GETS SERIOUS
Heal. You play a healer-class, you take it. No exceptions.

Blade Barrier. The bread and butter of an evoker. You might as well be a nannybot without this one. Get a Solid Fog -clicky for this one.

OR: Cometfall. Great for spamming on the run and bringing many mobs on their knees. Especially satisfying against earth ellies. Can be cast with base cost or empowered/heightened. Good spell.

OR: Harm. The DPS isn't worth the cost, since Harm is only single-target, but at the same time this is the only spell that allows you to heal pale masters at range. I'm sorry... Cometfall is just too tasty for a FvS.


LEVEL 7: THE RELAPSE
Cure Serious W. Mass This is the first AoE heavy-hitter and a an easier choise than the lv.8 alternative. Empower and hotbar it. If you choose all three high-level mass heals, you can also drop the lower level ones. In that case, this would be the unempowered top-up heal.

Resurrection. The only raise you need together with a stack of Raise Dead -scrolls.

OR: Protection from Elements, Mass. Because it gives buffer and you have to choose three spells. Not great, but easy to buff when needed and makes you look half-decent buffer with all those icons in the corner.

OR: Greater Restoration. Same as with Remove Curse: convinience. No swapping between scrolls and main-hand item, which is faster and saves space in your hotbars. But at a mana cost.


LEVEL 8: PACT OR NO PACT
Cure Critical W. mass. Great when used in tandem with mass Heal, but also a little more expensive.

Deathward, mass. Blocks negative energy, death effects, last forever, and is easy to buff. Take it and keep it.

OR: Firestorm. Good in conjucation with blade barrier and cometfalls, but a little expensive for the DPS.

OR: Death Pact. A nice choise when you aren't sure if you can make it or there are a lot of sudden deaths, but not needed when you know how to stay alive.


LEVEL 9: THE LEVEL THAT LACKS SPELLS
Heal, mass. The best mass heal in the game. You take it if you want to get in raids.

Implosion. Great spell. Originally could hit all mobs within range, but got nerfed. The increased spell.pen and DC requirements also hamper the usefulness, but even then it's great for mobile casting. Which is what evocers do.

Energy Drain. This spell can be used to soften up a single mob at a time. Costs 50sp per cast. Can be useful, but also expensive. Then again, there isn't much competition at this level.