Pure Casting Warlock DC Eld Blast Build

[HuneyMunster]

Also - I think the OP maybe dated? I couldn't get spiritual retribution in without getting 3 of 3 in 3 previous tiers (9 points) is 3d6 light damage worth that?

I think maybe its either changed or didn't have access to the trees. The description of Retribution and patch notes does not mentioned aura so implies its not part of the aura chain. Also spell focus was not taken which gives +2 to a spell dc which is too good to miss out on if you go t5 Tainted Scholar. So 2 points spent on spell focus and 1 left over which I think 1 point in the 1st core or Soul Eater for 5 USP is best option.

But, just checked points spent on t4 ES is 9 when it should have been 7. So a further 2 points is also available.

Something I will check when I hit 20, unless anyone has checked if Retribution works without aura and if it procs empyrean. If so, then I may put 4 points in the line for 1d6 light damage to get the up to extra 10 spell crit chance from it. Another thing would be interesting to know if the alignment damage (uses light spell power) from Utterdark Blast procs it also which would mean little reason to get Retribution.

[Red_Knight]

Also - I think the OP maybe dated? I couldn't get spiritual retribution in without getting 3 of 3 in 3 previous tiers (9 points) is 3d6 light damage worth that?

Could be. I find going deep enough into tainted scholar for all 4 strong pact enhancements and chain blast, then focusing on enlightened scholar is a good move. Even if you don't run the aura, you can get spiritual retribution and celestial spirit for a combined 6d6 light damage. And with enough light spell power, yeah it can be good. Especially with Eldrich Burst and Spirit Blast.

Especially since the light damage is not just to the aura, but any eldrich blast or SLA.

[slarden]

Also - I think the OP maybe dated? I couldn't get spiritual retribution in without getting 3 of 3 in 3 previous tiers (9 points) is 3d6 light damage worth that?

Yes this build doesn't refllect the most recent changes that went into live. I've been real busy at work and didn't get a chance to change the original build.

I am also going to make spell penetration an optional thing instead of having it in the main build. The reasons are:

1) We don't know what spell penetration requirements will be for Shavarath yet
2) If someone doesn't have alot of past life wizard/favored soul #s may be unreachable
3) The new eldritch blast damage feats and ruin are useful in all content.

I plan to use my LR +20 and will test out a few EE once the build is done to confirm the changes are working well. I will also be taking the 2 DC in the 5th tier - that was a last minute change by Varg before live.

The build willl also be designed to switch between Exalted Angel and Shiradi depending on the content. If enchantment DCs aren't needed, aren't high enough and/or spell penetration #s don't work - Shiradi will be the destination of choice. Exated Angel will be the destiny when enchantment is useful/DCs reachable/spell penetration isn't required.

[slarden]

I updated the build to reflect the final changes that went live and also feedback from guildies/friends running the build. DCs bonuses were moved out of the core and now require AP spend. Some prerequisites also changed making it impossible to take the extra 1d6 light damage in Enlightened spirit.

The most significant change is the elimination of spell penetration feats. This change is being made because the only content requiring spell penetration are motu quests with drow and presumably epic shavarath and epic vale. However, we don't know what the U27 requirements will be (and without past life feats #s may be unreachable) so I am dropping spell penetration for now and replacing it with Force of Personality, Epic Eldritch Blast and Ruin. This adds to survivability and DPS. When eShavarath is released I will add an optional build with spell penetration.

After a lengthy and somewhat heated discussion about DCs and spell penetration on Lamannia the devs added 3 spell penetration to the warlock tainted scholar cores and moved 2 free DC from the cores to tier 5 - presumably so a necromancer can't finger of death in soul eater + the 2 DC from tainted scholar. The fact that spell penetration was added tells me the devs realized EA makes the most sense as a destiny (for a DC-focused warlock ) and spell penetrations in Shavarath will be significant enough to warrant it.

This means the build can be run in either Exalted Angel or Shiradi Champion. Exalted Angel is the ED of choice in content with high enemy will saves. Shiradi Champion is the ED of choice when will save doesn't make sense (all undead), will save #s are unreachable or spell penetration #s are too high (Motu drow content).

Skill selections have been updated to reflect Shiradi as the backup destiny.

I will run some tests in EE during the rest of the week in both destinies.

[slarden]

Thanks, yours was one I was looking closely at. Did you take the spell pen feats in the end, I was hoping not have to run more past lives (for the win feats).

What wpn sets would you look for end game?

Thanks

I updated the build and removed spell pen feats for now. When eShavarath comes out I will update with optinal high-spell pen build. Without the past life wizards and favored soul spell pen requirements may be nearly unreachable as they were when motu first came out. Also, there just won't be a lot of room to twist in more spell pen.

Shiradi is a great back-up destiny when spell penetration requirements are through the roof.

I will be adding gear options (including easy gear options) this week. I got real busy at work the day warlock was released and fell behind on this thread.

[slarden]

Could be. I find going deep enough into tainted scholar for all 4 strong pact enhancements and chain blast, then focusing on enlightened scholar is a good move.

I am very happy with the choice of tier 5 in Tainted Scholar vs. Enlightened Spirit. It provides 3 additional DC and i am taking everything else in tier 5.

Comparing a straight 20 Warlock in Exalted Angel vs. Shiradi - both have advantages. Shiradi is better DPS (and likely gets better with splashing wiz and fvs), but the CC is very helpful in more difficult content. Also the extra mass cure moderate and divine wrath give extra self-healing options.

i will probably bring in 3 spell penetration for eShavarath, but Shiradi is not a bad choice either for someone without the past lifes. I will probably drop force of personality and 2 DC for that and keep the extra DPS feats, but it all depends on the spell penetration and DC requirements.

[HuneyMunster]

I thinking of doing slightly different enhancements that what your using. Prob gonna drop mass confusion t5 and drow enchantment lore to get the knockdown immunity and 3d6 light damage from celestial spirit. This would also result in me having to spent 1 point in each part of the tree chain towards spiritual retribution for another 1d6 light damage. Im hoping that these two each proc separately as I have 0 karma in primal atm so will be leveling in shiradi. Hopefuly they both can proc the effects from shiradi.

[slarden]

I thinking of doing slightly different enhancements that what your using. Prob gonna drop mass confusion t5 and drow enchantment lore to get the knockdown immunity and 3d6 light damage from celestial spirit. This would also result in me having to spent 1 point in each part of the tree chain towards spiritual retribution for another 1d6 light damage. Im hoping that these two each proc separately as I have 0 karma in primal atm so will be leveling in shiradi. Hopefuly they both can proc the effects from shiradi.

That should work nicely!

[Red_Knight]

I'm considering going deep into enlightened spirit for no ASF in medium armor, the shield enhancement, the extra light damage, and knockdown immunity. My real dilemma is if I should grab the eldrich burst and run the aura, or stick to ranged blasting using chain blast, the tainted scholar SLA, and enervating shadow blast. As well as which T5 I should grab. An extra die of damage with my blasts sounds great, but Shining Through is also a good choice. If I'm not gonna be running the aura then Brilliance isn't very useful. On the other hand, if I am going to run the aura then I can ignore the blast shapes in Tainted Scholar.

Dang it! Too many good choices.

[Konvic]

I'm considering going deep into enlightened spirit for no ASF in medium armor, the shield enhancement, the extra light damage, and knockdown immunity. My real dilemma is if I should grab the eldrich burst and run the aura, or stick to ranged blasting using chain blast, the tainted scholar SLA, and enervating shadow blast. As well as which T5 I should grab. An extra die of damage with my blasts sounds great, but Shining Through is also a good choice. If I'm not gonna be running the aura then Brilliance isn't very useful. On the other hand, if I am going to run the aura then I can ignore the blast shapes in Tainted Scholar.

Dang it! Too many good choices.

I would say give the build on this warlock forums a try. The one that is 18 lock, 1fvs, and 1ftr. Just to see how the auras are pretty powerful. Having a blast with it right now just from making a pdk with it. I wish I could put together an enlightened spirit and some type of vanguard build. Maybe a pally. Using sword and board with auras...I suck at builds though heck it prolly wouldn't even work.

[slarden]

I would say give the build on this warlock forums a try. The one that is 18 lock, 1fvs, and 1ftr. Just to see how the auras are pretty powerful. Having a blast with it right now just from making a pdk with it. I wish I could put together an enlightened spirit and some type of vanguard build. Maybe a pally. Using sword and board with auras...I suck at builds though heck it prolly wouldn't even work.

For my Shiradi build I am definitely using the aura along with spamming missles.

[jambajuicey]

For my Shiradi build I am definitely using the aura along with spamming missles.

How do you aura AND spam missiles - am i missing something?

[richieelias27]

How do you aura AND spam missiles - am i missing something?

Pretty sure he means firing a missile weapon, like a repeating xbow.

[slarden]

How do you aura AND spam missiles - am i missing something?

I apologize for the confusion - not this build - I have a 2nd warlock build I am leveling that is 12 warlock 6 wizard and 2 fvs and is specifically designed for shiradi. On another thread someone stated regardless of caster level you always get full chain missles so I wanted to try it out.

Basically it's aura every 3 seconds + Spirit blast + other benefits from the enlightened spirit tree. chain missle and magic missle will be primary attack with passive aura and of course the crit bonuses from tainted scholar.

I mainly just want to see if it's better than my existing shiradi build. I plan to keep playing this build regardless of how that build works out.

[Makkuroi]

I'm considering going deep into enlightened spirit for no ASF in medium armor, the shield enhancement, the extra light damage, and knockdown immunity. My real dilemma is if I should grab the eldrich burst and run the aura, or stick to ranged blasting using chain blast, the tainted scholar SLA, and enervating shadow blast. As well as which T5 I should grab. An extra die of damage with my blasts sounds great, but Shining Through is also a good choice. If I'm not gonna be running the aura then Brilliance isn't very useful. On the other hand, if I am going to run the aura then I can ignore the blast shapes in Tainted Scholar.

Dang it! Too many good choices.

Im currently running chain blast as main weapon and shining through as tier 5 (just hit lvl 12), but im intending to reset to tier 5 scholar at 20 when the self-heals from the destinies kick in (cocoon, EA mass cure) and I can get the scholar capstone. Ill keep tier 4 ES for medium armor, light damage, and knockdown immunity. Eldrich burst is nice to have even when ranged blasting, i only spent 2 pts though since the difference between 5 and 6 seconds cooldown doesnt matter for a ranged build.

[Red_Knight]

I would say give the build on this warlock forums a try. The one that is 18 lock, 1fvs, and 1ftr. Just to see how the auras are pretty powerful. Having a blast with it right now just from making a pdk with it. I wish I could put together an enlightened spirit and some type of vanguard build. Maybe a pally. Using sword and board with auras...I suck at builds though heck it prolly wouldn't even work.

I tend not to multi-class much. That said, I think at least one warlock life on one of my characters will be a PDK with 2 fighter levels and focusing on enlightened spirit.

I apologize for the confusion - not this build - I have a 2nd warlock build I am leveling that is 12 warlock 6 wizard and 2 fvs and is specifically designed for shiradi. On another thread someone stated regardless of caster level you always get full chain missles so I wanted to try it out.

Basically it's aura every 3 seconds + Spirit blast + other benefits from the enlightened spirit tree. chain missle and magic missle will be primary attack with passive aura and of course the crit bonuses from tainted scholar.

I mainly just want to see if it's better than my existing shiradi build. I plan to keep playing this build regardless of how that build works out.

Not sure if this is happening. But if it is, might be a bug. Don't know. Even if it isn't a bug, do you have enough SP to be smamming magic missile and chain missile as your main attacks? And wouldn't that defeat the purpose of eldrich aura since they're long range spells?

[fmalfeas]

My goal currently for blasting-based is T5 Eater with Scholar capstone. I'll be down a bit on DC compared to T5 scholar, and Consume + Stricken won't be any good on liches, but otherwise, I'll have maxed-out Consume/Stricken ability, combined with Eldritch Blast that's only 1d6 below a T5 scholar.

Farming Primal Epic PLs to boost my HP and tack in either Colors or Fast Healing (not for in-combat, but to top me off between fights).

The weak point in Scholar-based builds is the HP (and the lack of evasion + poor reflex can aggravate that) but con tome, Primal PLs, and being Warforged or Bladeforged (+2 con and immunity to neg levels) can take the edge off that problem or even mitigate it completely.

[Red_Knight]

The weak point in Scholar-based builds is the HP (and the lack of evasion + poor reflex can aggravate that) but con tome, Primal PLs, and being Warforged or Bladeforged (+2 con and immunity to neg levels) can take the edge off that problem or even mitigate it completely.

Yeah, the -25 health from the Blood Component core is nasty. That's effectively taking away 3 or 4 levels worth of hit points. That and staunch taking away 3% of your max health every time you use it (up to 33 times)... Ouch.

[Loromir]

Maybe I'm being a little thick headed, but how is intel adding 31 to your eldritch blast DC?

[Hobgoblin]

3 questions

why heighten?

why not epic spell focus from epic feats?

why force of personality