Pale Trapper for new players (Human 18/2 Wizard/Rogue)

[EllisDee37]

I have Arcane Study I. That's it.

Work on leveling your epic destinies. Those help a lot.

[shawnvw]

My Pale Trapper is at 22nd and is still having trouble with bosses. Mostly I've been using:

- Black Dragon Bolt
- Acid Fog
- Polar Ray
- Chain Missile

None of these have a saving throw. Is that the best combination? Should I throw in Niac's Biting Cold and Eladrin's Electric Surge?


What do you think of using Mass Charm or Mass Suggestion on the boss's trash mobs? Let *him* fight them instead of me!

[EllisDee37]

My Pale Trapper is at 22nd and is still having trouble with bosses. Mostly I've been using:

- Black Dragon Bolt
- Acid Fog
- Polar Ray
- Chain Missile

None of these have a saving throw. Is that the best combination? Should I throw in Niac's Biting Cold and Eladrin's Electric Surge?

For end bosses, sure, you can dot him up with niac's and eladar's. They're slow, but once you get both triple-stacked they're okay.

I don't usually bother with chain missile.

Necrotic Ray is a bread-and-butter ray spell for pale masters. You should lead with it and keep it on cooldown.

Otherwise, yep, that's the basic list.

[Kaisheng21]

For level 4 spells, you list Acid Rain. I think that that could be swapped out for something like PK. Thoughts?

[EllisDee37]

For level 4 spells, you list Acid Rain. I think that that could be swapped out for something like PK. Thoughts?

Try them both and see which you prefer.

[Kaisheng21]

Ok, epics are really annoying me. Soloing, half the time enemies seem to have DW, the other half, Epic Ward mean I have to recast and recast my death spells, so I usually just start DOTing the survivors; as for CC, Web never works anymore and Dancing Ball works on one mob in three. Between all this and using no SLAs except enervation, I'm running out of spell points pretty quickly.

And this is on epic normal; I dare not venture in to epic hard or elite anymore because I'm too squishy to stand up to the minions, let alone go toe to toe with a champion. When I group, no one ever plays on anything but ee, except reaper possibly, in which I at least get decent xp and loot from, but feel really gimped when I die 10 times in a row without anyone else doing the same (not even exaggerated) and once actually made someone run out of raise scrolls. I've leveled Magister to 4, but still feel gimped. What should I do?

[EllisDee37]

Maybe work on gear?

[slarden]

Ok, epics are really annoying me. Soloing, half the time enemies seem to have DW, the other half, Epic Ward mean I have to recast and recast my death spells, so I usually just start DOTing the survivors; as for CC, Web never works anymore and Dancing Ball works on one mob in three. Between all this and using no SLAs except enervation, I'm running out of spell points pretty quickly.

And this is on epic normal; I dare not venture in to epic hard or elite anymore because I'm too squishy to stand up to the minions, let alone go toe to toe with a champion. When I group, no one ever plays on anything but ee, except reaper possibly, in which I at least get decent xp and loot from, but feel really gimped when I die 10 times in a row without anyone else doing the same (not even exaggerated) and once actually made someone run out of raise scrolls. I've leveled Magister to 4, but still feel gimped. What should I do?

One thing you can do is take the evocation line from archmage rather than necromancy. The combination of magic missle sla, chain missle sla, arcane blast sla + unmeta'd magic missle, chain missle, force missle gives you alot of cheap dps to cycle through when death spells don't work. Draconic as an ED also helps quite a bit in that regard, but since you are working on maxing ED the evocation archmage line is the way to go. It will also make boss fights much easier. Make sure you max out your force spellpower, force crit chance and spell points as best you can with gear. In my opinion web is too expensive for what it does - esp if heightened. It sounds like you may need to raise your DCs. Generally if you have to use enervate it's not worth it except maybe on an oranged name. For oranged name bosses I usually enervate and energy drain as it's the quickest way to reduce hp.

Epic Ward itself shows a deathward symbol but doesn't grant deathward. For joining EE parties the main thing you need to do is focus on your DC. Here is a breakdown of my illusionists DC to give you an idea of what kind of bonuses are available - it's a few releases out of date but I think it has all the types except reaper. You can see your dc by mousing over finger of death and wail of the banshee.

Int Breakdown
Base: 20
Level Ups: 7
Tome: 7
Completionist: 2
Magister: 6
Archmage: 2
Deep Gnome: 2
PM: 2
Lich Form: 4
Echoes of the Ancestor Twist: 1
Twist of Fate - Shadowdancer: 1
Equipment Bonus: 17
Insightful Bonus: 7
Exceptional Bonus: 2
Quality Bonus: 4
Profane Bonus: 2
Festival Bonus: 2
Artifact Bonus: 2
Yugo Potions: 2
Remnant Turn-in Potions: 2
Ship Buffs: 2

Total Sustainable Int: 96

Illusion DC Breakdown
Base: 10
Spell Level: 9
Spell Focus Illusion: 1
Greater Spell Focus Illusion: 1
Past Life Wizard: 1
Intelligence Modifier: 43
Embolden: 2
Iconic Past Life Deep Gnome: 3
Archmage Tree: 1
Item: 7 (goggles)
Insightful Item: 4 (goggles)
Quality Item: 2 (orb)
Illusion Specialist Magister: 3
Draconic Presence: 3
Deep Gnome Tree: 3
Scion of the Plane of Feywild: 2
Artifact Bonus: 4
Augment: 2
Ship Buffs: 1
Shadowcaster Profane Bonus: 1
Total: 103

Spell Pen Breakdown
Wizard Levels: 18
Magister Levels: 5
Magister: 3
Spell Penetration Feat: 2
Greater Spell Penetration Feat: 2
Epic Spell Penetration Feat: 4
Item: 7
3x Wizard Past Lifes: 6
3x Fvs Past Lifes: 3
Insightful Item: 4
Ship Buff: 1
Echoes of the Anestor Arcane Twist: 2
Draconic Spell Pen Twist: 3
Archmage Tree: 3
Total: 63

Enchantment DC Breakdown
Base: 10
Spell Level: 9
Past Life Wizard: 1
Intelligence Modifier: 43
Embolden: 2
Item: 7
Insightful Item: 4 (orb)
Quality Item: 2
Scion of the Plane of Shadowfell: 2
Augment: 2
Ship Buffs: 1
Shadowcaster Profane Bonus: 1
Total: 83

[Kaisheng21]

One thing you can do is take the evocation line from archmage rather than necromancy. The combination of magic missle sla, chain missle sla, arcane blast sla + unmeta'd magic missle, chain missle, force missle gives you alot of cheap dps to cycle through when death spells don't work. Draconic as an ED also helps quite a bit in that regard, but since you are working on maxing ED the evocation archmage line is the way to go. It will also make boss fights much easier. Make sure you max out your force spellpower, force crit chance and spell points as best you can with gear. In my opinion web is too expensive for what it does - esp if heightened. It sounds like you may need to raise your DCs. Generally if you have to use enervate it's not worth it except maybe on an oranged name. For oranged name bosses I usually enervate and energy drain as it's the quickest way to reduce hp.

Epic Ward itself shows a deathward symbol but doesn't grant deathward. For joining EE parties the main thing you need to do is focus on your DC. Here is a breakdown of my illusionists DC to give you an idea of what kind of bonuses are available - it's a few releases out of date but I think it has all the types except reaper. You can see your dc by mousing over finger of death and wail of the banshee.

Dunno what I was thinking with the Epic Ward bit. I have taken literally every DC and spell penetration boost there is available in the various trees and feats, and I think I have a +4 items for both. For int, I'm level 24, in Draconic level 4 rn, nowhere near completionist, am human, twisted in +1 from Magister with my measly 2 fate points, have +9/+4 goggles and don't have yugo or remnant pots.

[Kaisheng21]

I was thinking about trying to Dispel Deathward on mobs those pesky divine casters keep buffing. Would it work? Also, for my level 26 feat, I can't seem to find Epic Spell Power: Negative. I have Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, Force, Repair and Sonic, but no Negative. Help?

[Mantis187]

im going to use this build for my first ever character on DDO. I was wondering will this be able to get me through all the content? I'm not a alt \/\/hore UNTIL i get my main char fully decked out.

[Kaisheng21]

im going to use this build for my first ever character on DDO. I was wondering will this be able to get me through all the content? I'm not a alt \/\/hore UNTIL i get my main char fully decked out.

There is no build that will get you through all the content, but this one comes pretty **** close. Has aoe and instakill spells, can do traps, uses knock for locks, flat out immune to half the status effects, good defenses, brings own heals, not MAD in any way... Only place it falls off a bit is epics.

[Mantis187]

There is no build that will get you through all the content, but this one comes pretty **** close. Has aoe and instakill spells, can do traps, uses knock for locks, flat out immune to half the status effects, good defenses, brings own heals, not MAD in any way... Only place it falls off a bit is epics.

ok so next ? where should i take this and what do to next after?

[Kaisheng21]

ok so next ? where should i take this and what do to next after?

Um. Whatever you like? I mean, I'd stick to builds using destinies you've unlocked, but that's basically the only restriction.

[EllisDee37]

Missed this post earlier:

I was thinking about trying to Dispel Deathward on mobs those pesky divine casters keep buffing. Would it work?

Not entirely. Dispel is based off caster level, both yours and theirs. Because harder difficulty mobs have been jacked up to a ridiculous degree (CR50+) your caster level simply can't compete with theirs, so your dispel won't generally work. (And theirs will be no-fail.) This is one of the broken mechanics in the game.

Also, for my level 26 feat, I can't seem to find Epic Spell Power: Negative. I have Acid, Cold, Electricity, Fire, Force, Repair and Sonic, but no Negative. Help?

I believe that's a divine sphere spellpower, meaning you need to cap at least one divine destiny before it's available.

[EllisDee37]

im going to use this build for my first ever character on DDO. I was wondering will this be able to get me through all the content? I'm not a alt \/\/hore UNTIL i get my main char fully decked out.

No, pale masters are actually a very poor choice for getting through "all content" now that reaper difficulty is a thing. The nerf to self-healing in reaper means you really want others (or hirelings) to heal you, and pale masters can't really be healed by other players or hirelings. So a pale trapper will likely find itself limited to elite, or dropping out of form to play reaper. If you're dropping out of form, why bother in the first place, right? May as well just play a sorcerer or warlock.

[Kaisheng21]

Missed this post earlier:Not entirely. Dispel is based off caster level, both yours and theirs. Because harder difficulty mobs have been jacked up to a ridiculous degree (CR50+) your caster level simply can't compete with theirs, so your dispel won't generally work. (And theirs will be no-fail.) This is one of the broken mechanics in the game.

I believe that's a divine sphere spellpower, meaning you need to cap at least one divine destiny before it's available.

Oh well. I've hit cap and am going to DTR soon anyway.

No, pale masters are actually a very poor choice for getting through "all content" now that reaper difficulty is a thing. The nerf to self-healing in reaper means you really want others (or hirelings) to heal you, and pale masters can't really be healed by other players or hirelings. So a pale trapper will likely find itself limited to elite, or dropping out of form to play reaper. If you're dropping out of form, why bother in the first place, right? May as well just play a sorcerer or warlock.

Oh yeah, I completely forgot about reaper. Should do fine pretty much everywhere else, though.

[Mantis187]

No, pale masters are actually a very poor choice for getting through "all content" now that reaper difficulty is a thing. The nerf to self-healing in reaper means you really want others (or hirelings) to heal you, and pale masters can't really be healed by other players or hirelings. So a pale trapper will likely find itself limited to elite, or dropping out of form to play reaper. If you're dropping out of form, why bother in the first place, right? May as well just play a sorcerer or warlock.

well ****, that kinda sucks... right now im lvl 6 1rog/5wiz im doing reaper 1skull atm but of course thats at low level. wow that kinda makes me feel sad.... i dont mind doing content with others i mean i like to solo but if i have to get people together i dont mind it. so are ya saying i should play something else as my first char? id like to experience the whole game my first time through before making any alts. as i said i like my first char to be geared/maxxed before i start another toon. if i cant solo EVERYTHING thats fine id figure eventually id have to get into groups anyways to get the raids and what not complete. Ellis if thats the case what do u rec for me and do u have a link to a good sorc/lock build for me..... thanks in advance

I have seen some videos with locks and they look pretty cool and seem to do some good damage so maybe ill do that instead... just need to find me a good build.... *cough what u got ellis XD

[EllisDee37]

right now im lvl 6 1rog/5wiz im doing reaper 1skull atm but of course thats at low level.

How do you heal? Are you in zombie form, or just a regular fleshie using hirelings to heal you?

[Mantis187]

How do you heal? Are you in zombie form, or just a regular fleshie using hirelings to heal you?

right now just using hirelings to heal me, i got the skele and my hireling doing stuff for me atm. i web and fire and melee with a 2hnder vorp sword. i didnt put no points into zombie cause alot of people said it was not worth it just to wait to get the other forms. when i think solo i think just me and whatever npcs are with me. im checking out voodus lock tank project and seeing how it goes. im going to keep my paletrapper but might just come back to it later. i just really want to have my first char be able to do everything that the game has to offer and then make other toons just to get to 20 for the TR or whatever its called. But my first char i want to do everything that i can. Since coming back and years of content out id like to be able to use 1 char and experience everything with it and not have to go back and forth between alts.