Cinquefoil, the Eldritch Hand, A wizard tank concept for U20

[Deadnettle]

It seems that we will be able to TR into iconic heroes ‘soon’. The Bladeforged enhancement tree is so nice. I think it stands out as the best all-around racial tree. I expect a Bladeforged invasion. Almost any build with ED’s completed and Bladeforged will be a god.

Also on the horizon is a new enhancement line for wizards, Eldritch Knight.

I have some thoughts for a build in U20. I’m putting them out here for feedback.

Goal: a tank capable of handling either boss in Fall of Truth, and the new raid promised for the first half of next year. OK, so it’s highly speculative at this point, but I’m putting it up for consideration.

Name: Cinquefoil
Race: Bladeforged
Alignment: Lawful Good

Wizard 11 / Monk 6 / Paladin 3

Advantages:
Dodge, 15%, perhaps up to 20% with feats, enhancements, equip, twists
Incorporality 25%
PRR ~80 in Mountain Stance
Evasion
Self-healing, reconstruct on two timers
WF hate 30% untyped
Paladin hate 100% sacred
Earth Stance hate 70% insight
Energy Shield? Eldritch or Sun Soul? speculative...


Starting Stats (36pt. build)
STR 14
DEX 13
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 12
CHA 14

Base Stats (with +4 tomes I have on it already):
STR 18
DEX 17
CON 28 (+5 tome) (level-ups to CON)
INT 16
WIS 16
CHA 18

Haven’t yet worked out Stats with gear, ship buffs, Tenser’s Transformation, Rage, Grandmaster of Earth stance:


Feats:
1 Pal power attack
2 Monk twf
3 Wiz toughness?, quicken
4 Monk dodge
5 Monk Path of Harmonious Balance
6 Monk past life: monk
7 Monk
8 Monk toughness
9 Pal itwf
10 Wiz
11 Wiz
12 Wiz master stance
13 Wiz extend
14 Wiz
15 Wiz improved critical
16 Wiz
17 Wiz
18 Wiz grandmaster stance, maximize
19 Wiz
20 Pal
21 gtwf
22
23
24 epic toughness
25
26 epic twf
27 ???
28 epic Mage armor

Skills: it’s only going to be 3-4 points for most levels. Max out Concentration, Repair, Spellcraft. Fortunately concentration is a class skill for every level. Put the extra monk points into jump, balance, tumble.

Enhancements:
6 pts. Sacred Defender – enough to get Divine Righteousness (100% sacred bonus to hate)
11 pts. Ninja Spy – enough to get 3% dodge and shadow veil (25% incorporality)
11 pts. Shintao Monk – Ki Shout, off hand strikes, healing amp
16 pts. Bladeforged – improved fort., WF CON, communion of scribing, inscribed armor, brute fighting
~32 pts. Eldritch Knight – enough to get Tenser’s Transformation as a toggle

4 pts. Left for whatever I forgot: Way of the Tortise, Restore toggle, PRR, Conditioning, weapon mount, free magic missiles or something. Too many good things in these trees to have it all.

Gear:
I don’t have a lot of epic or raid gear on this toon. It will have to be the basic stuff.

Currently Sun Soul Set: Belt, Bracers, Spider-spun Caparison. Would probably switch to

White Dragonscale Docent, Helm, Arkat’s Cord

Rings:
Dragonmarked (20% healing amp) or
Kyosho’s ring (holy burst) or
Guardian’s ring (sheltering 24, STR 8) or
Sage’s ring (potency, WIS, CHA)
Ring of the Djinn

Currently using Madstone Boots (upgraded), perhaps Halcyon boots in future?

Goggles:
Guardian’s Lenses (Seeker, Vitality) or
Drow Smoke (Seeker, Manslayer, Blindness immunity) or
Lenses of the Woodsman (Seeker, True seeing, probably still need this)

Cloak: currently GS hit points w/+6 exceptional CON

Wrist: maybe the Sun soul? Decent WIS and exceptional CON, nice saves

Wraps: nothing fancy, currently have lvl 26 Thunder and Lightning, lvl 20 Endless night, Adamantine, smiter, banisher, aligned wraps. Would need silver.

Empty slots: glove, neck, trinket

Need: deathblock, resistance, deadly

Got a few slots open: 2 Green, Blue, 2 Yellow, Colorless

I have a drop of Imperial Blood I was saving for my rogue, but could use on this character.

This is a far as I’ve got so far.

Questions:

1) Is Overwhelming Critical worth it? I could put level ups into STR.
2) Should I try the Sun Soul set with energy shield and drop Dragonscale w/Arkat’s cord?

[Failedlegend]

My recommendations

1) Wait until EK is on Live
2) Give them a patch or two to fix it/changes things
3) Than make a build

[Gavman]

Haven't looked in detail at your build, but my first thought was why Wiz 11? This gets you level 6 spells, and traditionally the reason to go for Wiz 11 for an arcane tank was to get Tensers' and (if you are Warforged) reconstruct.

But:
Eldritch Knight get Tensers as an SLA with only 5 levels of Wizard invested.
Bladeforged get Reconstruct SLA after 5 aps spent in the tree (so it's possible for 2nd level to get it).

Given that, what benefit do you get from Wiz 11? I would go Wiz 7 (4th level spells) or possibly 8 (more 4th level spells) and have another 3-4 levels of goodness to your name. (Better HP, Better BAB, more abilities, etc.)

[Dylvish]

*snip*

Given that, what benefit do you get from Wiz 11? I would go Wiz 7 (4th level spells) or possibly 8 (more 4th level spells) and have another 3-4 levels of goodness to your name. (Better HP, Better BAB, more abilities, etc.)

Not sure about all of the min/max for levels on spread, but permanent Tensors will give the same BAB as fighter, so same there. Wizard I believe also gets the most feats out of the 3 classes (granted, 5 of them are wizard class feats). HP's you do have a point with, but with all the toughness he has listed, I do not think that will be a dramatic thing. While I am not the biggest fan of another unarmed char (have several already, I'm rather burnt on them), I think its a nifty idea.

Looking forward to seeing what builds pop up, and hoping it does not become the new overpowered 'must have' prestige.

[Failedlegend]

Looking forward to seeing what builds pop up, and hoping it does not become the new overpowered 'must have' prestige.

Oh don't worry in its current state EK is no where near overpowered.

[Twinkly]

You should probably realize that tensors will half the output of your reconstruct healing since it doubles the cooldown.