Understanding EK

[ThomasHunter]

I am trying to understand the EK tree in general. My thought is that it would allow me to play a Sorc that would have buffs (and self-healing as a Bladeforged) and spell casting fun. Can this really be done?

It looks like the 18/2 BF is fairly popular, but not using EK? I'd like to throw up a disco ball and wade into baddies and smash them to bits.

So, I am really looking for information/how to play the EK Sorc. Is this simply better as a Wizard instead? Would you still use a Bladeforged?

Thanks for any insights!

[thesnoman]

Understanding EK:

1. It's a flavor-based Enhancement tree that was thrown together to appease players that wanted melee based "battle-mages"
2. Due to the limited number of Feats you get with a Sorcerer and the fact that it is a Charisma-based class (rather than strength or dexterity), you'll never be as powerful as a true melee class.
3. Taking enhancements from this tree lowers your overall spell power (compared to the Savant trees), and your overall effectiveness as a caster. An EK build will ever be as powerful as any Savant-based Sorcerer.
4. The gear required to make Eldritch Strike effective cuts into the gear that you need as a melee toon - again making you less effective.
5. All of the above aside, you can make a fun-to-play melee sorcerer using EK, but it's more effective as a Wizard.

[ThomasHunter]

Thank you. Are there any specific threads to look for to build a more effective version using a Wizard then?

Thanks again!

[Toro12]

Have casting sticks in your hand
Throw AoE nuke (fire ball/acid blast, etc) to get everything's attention. Drop your disco ball. Wall of fire /acid rain , swap to melee weapon & swing away.

Blade forged is nice for self heals but PDK with charisma to damage with great swords and heal scrolls probably better if your serious about doing melee damage.

[Scrabbler]

I am trying to understand the EK tree in general. My thought is that it would allow me to play a Sorc that would have buffs (and self-healing as a Bladeforged) and spell casting fun. Can this really be done?

I don't really know what you're hoping to do, but I suggest looking at Sorc17/Bard3. That gives you Charisma to damage and several SWF bonuses that are more powerful than the melee in EK t5.

[autochthon]

I'm planning on a Sorc12/Bard6/Fighter2

The fighter is basically to remove some nasty feat issues, but it's a SWF build that is intending on using EK almost entirely for access to wide range buffs and spells from Sorc and Tenser's Transformation. Full BAB and alchemical bonuses to physical attributes isn't terrible. The downside can be ignored with careful spell choice. I've got another potential build that's going to end up 16/2/2 Sorc/Fighter/Paladin, which I intend to do with a PDK.

Keep in mind the melee in T5 isn't horrible, it's just a massive sink of AP.