Pure Casting Warlock DC Eld Blast Build

[Zretch]

Hi was just checking out the new fatesinger its really looks a lot better

Do you think it might be a viable alternative for a lock

looks like 12 cha, 2 dcs, Free asf for heavy armor and tower shield action, bound and grim fate for boss dps

Maybe fey for the 50 stacking sonic vuln too

I played around in Fatesinger a bit with my sorc. It's got some things going for it. My DCs were 1 higher on Evoc, 4 higher on all other spell schools than draconic. It gave me an extra 70 universal spellpower over draconic, and the "free" intensify adds another 75 spellpower to all spells for no extra mana. The free enlarge is crazy nice for anyone who throws DC spells. The MRR/PRR debuff is useful, though I wasn't seeing it impacting red names. And the arcane "memory" buff is very nice, enough to twist when I'm in Draconic. At the end of the day, however, +30% crit damage trumps all when you're sitting at a 93% chance to crit.

If you're DC focused, free Embolden and free Enlarge that you don't need to use a feat slot for would seem to be a benefit, but it's hard to ignore the huge DC boost in Magistar if you're purely DC. I think Fatesinger is more in play if you're looking for casting damage. The spellpower it gives in the cores adds up really nicely, and free Intensify for no feat slot is really nice as it allows epic eldritch, embolden, burst of glacial, etc. without needing to skip a feat for it.

[vaniir1976]

Armor: Legendary Blessed Vestments: Fortification 214, Physical Sheltering 54, Healing Amp Comp Bonus 85, False Life 81

I'm curious how you're getting around the 25% ASF? I get that you can slot a 15% blue augment but how are you bypassing the other 10%?

[slarden]

I'm curious how you're getting around the 25% ASF? I get that you can slot a 15% blue augment but how are you bypassing the other 10%?

With a 10% spell failure reduction filigree which is part of the otto's set bonus. There are actually 2 other filigree available that do the same thing, but the otto's fits in with the gear set.

[LeslieWest_GuitarGod]

Heya Slarden, amazing build as always!


I'm playing around with an enchantment build... getting those Mississippee Queen CC vibes again!

You go fiend. What is your current opinion of Fey pact... pros cons comparisons in your opi??

Anyone else have experience testing / playing I'd be really interested to read your feedback as well.

[mr420247]

Ain't tested fey yet will after sharn farming and tiefling

but drac is alot of fun on r5-7s alot more riskier play since its all point blank aoe but

Trash melts with 100 + crit multipliers 2 auras, 3 ebs, 2 dbs

[slarden]

Heya Slarden, amazing build as always!

I'm playing around with an enchantment build... getting those Mississippee Queen CC vibes again!

You go fiend. What is your current opinion of Fey pact... pros cons comparisons in your opi??

Anyone else have experience testing / playing I'd be really interested to read your feedback as well.

Thank you for the kind words. I actually think Fey is the strongest pact on it's own. The main thing the other 2 pacts have is the stacking spell power from ravenloft belts and better crits from epic past lifes and gear. Iconic Tiefling Scoundrel allows you to use the higher of fire and sonic for sonic so with a +1 heart that problem goes away. With the new set coming out next release there is a set boosting sonic spellpower and crits which seems perfect for fey so that gets rid of problem 2 and the slightly lower crit is offset by the fact that sonic has less resistance and immunity than fire/acid. Even without scoundrel I think fey works well with the new set. Enchantment is a great first choice because with finger and devour you can target the low save and still do well with both spells even with enchant as your primary focus. It's more party friendly than necro and has better "mass" abiltities than necro esp with fey having dancing sphere.

My guildy is playing a scoundrel fey 20 warlock and rocking it. I always favor necro a little and I like hurl for raids.

Ain't tested fey yet will after sharn farming and tiefling

but drac is alot of fun on r5-7s alot more riskier play since its all point blank aoe but

Trash melts with 100 + crit multipliers 2 auras, 3 ebs, 2 dbs

I think warlock dps is in a better place with removal of the caster dps reaper nerf and increased crits from sharn. Draconic is amazing although I favor magister now for the dcs. Still like EA.

[Zretch]

I like hurl for raids.

I don't think hurl is necessary for raids anymore. With the damage Inq 2xb is putting out, as well as how hard Sorcs are hitting, shattering crystals and blasting totems isn't as much an issue anymore. Right now my choice revolves more around whether Howl of Terror, while being awesome, is too dangerous to use (gotta be in PB range) vs Danceball which can be cast from a distance. I also don't love that the sonic damage hits a reflex save. Doesn't that mean mobs with evasion can 100% resist the pact damage on a save (vs 50% damage on a resist for field and goo)?

[slarden]

I don't think hurl is necessary for raids anymore. With the damage Inq 2xb is putting out, as well as how hard Sorcs are hitting, shattering crystals and blasting totems isn't as much an issue anymore. Right now my choice revolves more around whether Howl of Terror, while being awesome, is too dangerous to use (gotta be in PB range) vs Danceball which can be cast from a distance. I also don't love that the sonic damage hits a reflex save. Doesn't that mean mobs with evasion can 100% resist the pact damage on a save (vs 50% damage on a resist for field and goo)?

At least on reaper baba it takes a while to take down the totems. It’s not necessary but having at least on person with hurl is still a positive.

[Zretch]

At least on reaper baba it takes a while to take down the totems. It’s not necessary but having at least on person with hurl is still a positive.

I get it. It's just that, with the ubiquity of people with frog, assassinate, and EiN, I think raiding warlocks can think outside the "must be fire so I can hurl" box that they used to be stuck in, which is a good thing. Dance balls in 2H2H may be more important these days than totem busting in Baba. Fey warlocks may be on the rise!

[Swimms]

I just finished my last racial life and since I still need 2x Warlock past lives my plan was to run them as Scoundrels and get the iconic and heroic lives at the same time. I am intrigued by the idea of going Fey and will most likely go that way. How viable is the heroic equivalent of the gear you have listed for getting from level 15 to level 28-29 when you can equip the end game items?

[slarden]

I get it. It's just that, with the ubiquity of people with frog, assassinate, and EiN, I think raiding warlocks can think outside the "must be fire so I can hurl" box that they used to be stuck in, which is a good thing. Dance balls in 2H2H may be more important these days than totem busting in Baba. Fey warlocks may be on the rise!

It's really good in raids - I don't think I ever suggested fire was a must for hurl. That's where the disconnect is.

[slarden]

I just finished my last racial life and since I still need 2x Warlock past lives my plan was to run them as Scoundrels and get the iconic and heroic lives at the same time. I am intrigued by the idea of going Fey and will most likely go that way. How viable is the heroic equivalent of the gear you have listed for getting from level 15 to level 28-29 when you can equip the end game items?

I would wear heroic burnscar sash all the way to 29 and would use this from 21 forward:

https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Epic_Coalesced_Coinage

Beyond that cc gear every 5 levels or so is fine.

[mr420247]

For fey i'd def want the heroic good intentions gloves max sonic n crits n qual cha

[Swimms]

Thanks again for the build, I did in fact make a fey scoundrel based on this build and it is quite impressive. I have a number of BtA +1 to +5 lesser hearts stashed away from god knows what but at least I have a use for a few of them now. After playing MANY inquisitor lives it is a welcome change and I would put the clear speed for trash slightly ahead of my inquisitor build and it is hard to beat misty escape. Boss fights are another issue entirely and I can imagine that it is only going to be more pronounced in epics.

Silly question but I am assuming that Staccato Sovereign does not actually change the tool tip value of sonic spell power? Is there even a way to know if it is in fact using my (much) higher fire spell power for sonic damage?

I choose to drop the Falconry points and put them into T4 Scoundrel for more enchantment DC's since I was already at the top of the tree but I may rework some things once I hit 20 and start into epics. Thanks again for the build.

[slarden]

Thanks again for the build, I did in fact make a fey scoundrel based on this build and it is quite impressive. I have a number of BtA +1 to +5 lesser hearts stashed away from god knows what but at least I have a use for a few of them now. After playing MANY inquisitor lives it is a welcome change and I would put the clear speed for trash slightly ahead of my inquisitor build and it is hard to beat misty escape. Boss fights are another issue entirely and I can imagine that it is only going to be more pronounced in epics.

Silly question but I am assuming that Staccato Sovereign does not actually change the tool tip value of sonic spell power? Is there even a way to know if it is in fact using my (much) higher fire spell power for sonic damage?

I choose to drop the Falconry points and put them into T4 Scoundrel for more enchantment DC's since I was already at the top of the tree but I may rework some things once I hit 20 and start into epics. Thanks again for the build.

I will check with my guildy to confirm but my understanding is that it doesn't change your sonic spellpower, but it does use the # showing for fire as your sonic spellpower.

There is no way your boss dps will match a properly built martial build, but with the reaper caster dps nerf removed a few releases ago it's reasonable and a fair trade-off for other benefits a warlock has. If you solo golems (esp red name iron golems) you will want penetrating blast. I found 3 builds to work really well with recent changes:

R4-R6 solo specialist: 20 Warlock Tiefling Enlightened Spirit / Tainted Scholar Exalted Angel Build (Fiend) twisting in energy burst, sacred ground, consecration, enchant specialist and coccon
R10 specialist: 20 Warlock Tiefling Soul Eater/ Tainted Scholar Magister Build (Fiend)
Generalist (Solo R4-6 but still useful in R10): 20 Warlock Bladeforged Soul Eater/Tainted Scholar Magister build (Fiend) - this build will improve when feywild set is fixed.

I've been busy at work so I haven't had a chance to update the build, but will soon.

[TallMikeM]

quick question, I've seen comments along the lines of how tieflings can bypass fire resist, but for the life of me can't see it on the wiki, so be very happy if someone could point me to the enhancement.
I do like my warlocks, but have always been put off a bit after a life of fiend lock.

[Swimms]

quick question, I've seen comments along the lines of how tieflings can bypass fire resist, but for the life of me can't see it on the wiki, so be very happy if someone could point me to the enhancement.
I do like my warlocks, but have always been put off a bit after a life of fiend lock.

T4 tiefling Improved Scorch

"Improved Scorch: Enemies affected by your Scorch spell increase Fire damage that they take by 5%. When cast on a creature that is immune to Fire, it makes them vulnerable to that element for a short period of time."

[TallMikeM]

T4 tiefling Improved Scorch

"Improved Scorch: Enemies affected by your Scorch spell increase Fire damage that they take by 5%. When cast on a creature that is immune to Fire, it makes them vulnerable to that element for a short period of time."

thank you, why I couldn't see it I don't know, clear as the nose on my face.

[dennisck2]

to convert this to Deep Gnome? I need some MRR on a toon and thought I would double up. It doesn't need to be awesome, just enough to get me from 15-30 a few times. I can use a lesser heart to make it pure, if needed.

[slarden]

to convert this to Deep Gnome? I need some MRR on a toon and thought I would double up. It doesn't need to be awesome, just enough to get me from 15-30 a few times. I can use a lesser heart to make it pure, if needed.

Any race will work for a quick life as the DC difference is only 2-3. The capstone is not a make or break but it's really good as it gives you 2 DC and one of the best instakill spells in the game that targets a will save rather than a fort save. That matters more for a non-charisma race.

If you are using a stone anyhow I would consider bladeforged as the racial reconstruct lets you easily switch to magister from EA. The timer is quicker than mass cure from EA and hits a much higher number in reaper. You will have to go fey unless you switch alignment and use another heart which is not necessary - fey will work really well.