Pure Casting Warlock DC Eld Blast Build

[dennisck2]

Thanks for the reply!

[Vulkoorex]

Any recommendations for L20 gear for a warlock? I'm finding Heroic Ravenloft gear not really cutting it in epics.

[janave]

Any recommendations for L20 gear for a warlock? I'm finding Heroic Ravenloft gear not really cutting it in epics.

Sharn and Borderlands weapons vendor if you have them. Cannith Crafted if you dont.


At this level with the right raid gear setup (caster level bonuses) you can roughly equal Sorcerers damage, but those are rarer to find. Having about +8CL from gear at 20, My plan is to make a Warlock TS cap SE T5 Draconic for Max Eburst + Dragon Breath numbers. The 15%-17% in base damage will be ~equaled by the Warlocks +30% critical scaling as soon as the crit rate is above 50%.

The dots are helpful for bosses, 20% speed for kiting them, and higher DCs to CC mobs before launching Draconic Bursts.

Even without gear I expect the little minus ~15-17% in hitpower compared to Sorc will be made up by the vastly better class trees, and passive grants of Warlock, free self healing and endless boss damage.

More importantly we can fall back to a fully passive empty manabar function with little loss, 0 spell point pots required for most content.

[mr420247]

Your build sounds promising like to see it posted when its finished

Just wondering what you think the best dps would be weapon wise and filigree wise

We can almost dump night mothers now with insightful spell focus items in game now so

Do you think lgs magma would be better for your drac fire damage or lgs radiance with its scaling light damage proc

[Circon]

GEAR

Goggles: Collective Sight: Wis 21, Ins Con 10, Quality Resistance 4
Helm: Legendary Pansophic Circlet, Potency 131, Ins Potency 65, Quality Potency 15, Magical Efficiency 10% (Greater Necromancy slotted)
Necklace: Sigil of Regalport: Cha 22, Quality Spell Focus 2, Wizardry 481, Cold absorb 53% (to **** and back/embraced by light +2 char, to **** and back +1 char, embraced by light +1 char slotted)
Trinket: Slavers Crafted: Sheltering 45 (for MRR), Force Lore 27, Concentration 22, Quality Con 4 (swap item: same version except with Quality Wis 4 for mass frog)
Cloak: Legendary Hallowed Trail: Light Spell Power 214, Light Spell Lore 31, Evoc DC 9, Quality Spell Pen 3)
Belt: Legendary Burnscar Sash (29% fire acid lore 202 acid and fire stacking spellpower (Greater Enchantment Slotted)
Ring 1: Legendary Shattered Onyx: Profane Spell Focus II, Insightful Resistance 8, Insightful Dodge 10, Insightful Charisma 10
Gloves: Legendary Hands of House Jorasco: Heal 22, Healing Lore 29, Insightful Heal 11, Equipped Healing Amp 40
Boots: Slavers Crafted: Dexterity 17, Resistance 14, Spellcraft 22, Quality Charisma 4
Ring 2: Legendary Celestial Sapphire Ring: Constitution 21, Dodge 21, Profane Attributes 2
Bracers: Legendary Hallowed Castigators: Devotion 214, Healing Lore 31, Insightful Sheltering 27
Armor: Legendary Blessed Vestments: Fortification 214, Physical Sheltering 54, Healing Amp Comp Bonus 85, False Life 81

Off-hand Weapon: Resplendent Fury: Insightful Wisdom 10, Insightful Light Spell Lore 14, Insightful Light Spell Power 106, Fire/light sp proc
Off-hand Swap Weapon: LGS Triple Positive Devotion 150, Positive Healing Amp 50, Exc Char +2
Off-hand Swap Weapon : EE Skyvault Shield (when you need a bit more defense - use master's touch for proficiency)

Main Weapon: Nightmother's Sceptre (Any spellpower gem slotted for implement bonus +4 piece ottos with charisma and -10 spell failure reduction' and 4 piece eye of the beholder set with 1 charisma)
Swap Main Weapon: Nightmothers's Sceptre (Any spellpower gem slotted for implement bonus + 5 piece zephyr for knockdown immunity, -10 spell failure reduction and +2 charisma slotted)
Swap Main weapon for energy drain immunity against beholders: Nightmother's Sceptre (Any spellpower gem slotted for implement bonus + 4 piece purity set + 4 piece ottos set with -10 spell failure and 1 charisma)

OTHER SWAP ITEMS
Swap Trinkets: Mysterious Bauble (major mnemonic clicky) and upgraded Pale Lavender Ioun Stone, upgraded Magestar, Epic Littany for Ruins, Greater Ruins with bosses
Swap Necklaces: Epic Twisted Talisman and Twisted Talisman (for 400 spell points, hp heal from fast healing and regen)
Swap Goggles: Int 15 / True Seeing / Ins Int +7 (this plus helm helps find most secret doors)
Swap Helm: Search 22 / Wisdom 15/ Ins Search 11 (This plus goggles helps find most secret doors)

Am I missing something? I don't see any Speed/Striding in this setup. Is it supposed to be slotted in a yellow slot somewhere? If so, what's a good source of Topaz of Striding? Or am I just going blind and can't see where it's listed?
What do you do for energy resistances? I find myself swapping between Legendary Hallowed Trail for DPS and Epic Hellfire Cloak for resists, hoping to loot a Draconic Soul Gem at some point to save a slot, but EE Fall of Truth is hard enough to get going let alone roll rare loot.

My thanks and appreciations for a very interesting list! In particular the Sigil of Regalport boost to +26 Cha slotting was something I wouldn't have picked up on myself. This has been a useful reference.

I'm still searching for a couple of the items and playing Gear Tetris. In particular I lack Collective Sight and Celestial Sapphire, so I'm using a Lantern Ring and getting my Con/Ins Con on a belt, and shuffle shuffle shuffle as I'm sure you know too well. :-)

[slarden]

Am I missing something? I don't see any Speed/Striding in this setup. Is it supposed to be slotted in a yellow slot somewhere? If so, what's a good source of Topaz of Striding? Or am I just going blind and can't see where it's listed?
What do you do for energy resistances? I find myself swapping between Legendary Hallowed Trail for DPS and Epic Hellfire Cloak for resists, hoping to loot a Draconic Soul Gem at some point to save a slot, but EE Fall of Truth is hard enough to get going let alone roll rare loot.

My thanks and appreciations for a very interesting list! In particular the Sigil of Regalport boost to +26 Cha slotting was something I wouldn't have picked up on myself. This has been a useful reference.

I'm still searching for a couple of the items and playing Gear Tetris. In particular I lack Collective Sight and Celestial Sapphire, so I'm using a Lantern Ring and getting my Con/Ins Con on a belt, and shuffle shuffle shuffle as I'm sure you know too well. :-)

I didn't list all the augments just the most critical so it can be slotted in as an augment. Upgraded heroic or the regular epic quiver of alacrity also provides a 30% bump to speed. That is where I actually get mine from.

My gear list isn't up-to-date as I haven't been playing very much lately. If I can motivate myself to log on I will update the gear listing, but the listed gear is still very solid. Instead of resists you can look at making trinkets with energy absorb with cannith crafting (2 absorbs plus a bonus slot). They provide much more benefit at high levels and it would stack with something like the 50% energy absorb twisted from draconic. For killing time I usually use the 50% energy absorb twist from draconic + swap trinkets for more absorb and might switch my off-hand to a legendary greensteel item with more absorb. (the latter I only do for hard and above).

The soul gems are unbound and used to be relatively easy and cheap to buy from the ASAH - not sure if that is still the case. I had one drop the first week of the raid and never had it drop again - but found several on ASAH for low prices.

[cmecu]

I have a level 30 lock and have lots of pieces of gear, but I get run over EE stuff, yet alone trying reaper. I guess I can try to farm the gear you have listed even though its not updated.

[slarden]

I have a level 30 lock and have lots of pieces of gear, but I get run over EE stuff, yet alone trying reaper. I guess I can try to farm the gear you have listed even though its not updated.

Apologies, the gear set and thread haven't been updated for quite some time. Since a new xpac and level cap is right around the corner I will probably do a big update at that time as the gear changes and spec changes are farily minimal.

I'll say that with gear and stat inflation blasting is working well solo on R6-R8 for me in almost all quests.

I am currently playing a flavor version of the build - bladeforged warlock 20 which requires a +1 heart and alignment change - so not budget friendly. The reason I am bladeforged is the reconstruct made it easier to move up skulls and works better with magister. I didn't post the build because of the store items required to make it work. DC, spell power, crits are really good. I am using the Legendary Feywild Dream set with docent (15% exceptional bonus to spell lore + 10% from set bonus).

Here is a quick summary of my gear which isn't necessarily optimized but good enough for soloing R6-R8 legendary content. I haven't tried higher - but think I could solo some R10s but not efficiently.

Goggles: Legendary Collective Sight (Insightful con 10, Int 21, Quality Res +4)
Hat: Cannith Crafted Wisdom 15, Resistance 12, Insightful Int +7
Necklace: Sigil of Regalport (Cha 22, Quality spell focus mastery +2, Wizardry 481, Cold Absorb 53%)
Trinket: Cannith Crafted Repair Lore 23%, Repair Amp 61%, Ins Physical Sheltering 18
Cloak: Legendary Gossamer Weave: Enchant Focus +9, Illusion Focus +9, Spell Resist 47, Spell Pen 9
Belt: Legendary Burnscar Sash: Stacking Corrosion 202, Acid Lore 29%
Ring 1: Legendary Celestial Sapphire Ring: Con 21, Dodge 21%, Profane Well Rounded
Ring 2: The Legendary Shattered Onyx: Ins Char 10, Profane Spell Focus II, Ins Resist 8, Ins Dodge 10%
Gloves: Legendary Delicate Thimbletips: Mag Effeciency 10% (doesn't stack with magister so no need to spend point), Ins Spell Pen 5, Conj Focus 9, Mystic Diversion 33%
Boots: Quality Charisma 5, Isnightful Potency 77, Quality Potency 38
Bracers: Slave Lords Quality Con 4, Spell Sight 22, Kinetic Lore 27, Sheltering 45
Docent: Legendary Glass Heart: Fort 214, Physical Sheltering 54, Exceptional Spell Lore 15%, Exceptional Universal Spell Power 30

Weapon 1: Nightmother Sceptre with Ottos and Eye of the Beholder set bonuses (swap with zephyr 5 piece set when knockdown is a problem): Spell Focus Mastery 7, Insightful Spell Focus Mastery 4
Shield: Legendary Crystalline Ward: Potency 154, Insightful Magic Sheltering 26, Quality Magical Sheltering 13

I've run the build with both Soul Easter as the main Enhancement Tree and Enlightened Spirt.

At the moment because of the high saves in newer content combined with warlock having lower dc potential than other casters - and recent boosts to spellpower/ crits I am liking Enlightened Spirt a little better in when soloing R6-R8 and I like Soul Eater a little better if going fast in R4s- but I am mainly spec'd to solo R6-R8 almost all the time. So in ES the build is very similar to my original build from before warlock was released on live with alot of AOE blasting supported by CC as opposed to killing everything with necro - in large part because necro isn't so effective in sharn except against the casters and devour the soul alone wasn't enough to justify being in Soul Eater. With all the boosts to crits the benefit from soul eater isn't as big as it used to be.

I still run Wail of the Banshee and mostly the same spells - am still in GOO which requires the alignment change. Still kill alot of things with Finger but I find tentacles + blasting the fastest way to kill enemies so having all my slas AOE centered around me works best. The main spell change was level 1 master's touch so I can get benefits of the shield.

In heroics soul eater is still king by far. My comments about enlightened spirt relate entirely to level 30. Below level 30 including Epics Soul Eater is vastly superior.

My warlock is my 3rd main character - so not maxed but still has around 100 reaper points so only 250 or so hp short of a maxed character.

[cmecu]

Apologies, the gear set and thread haven't been updated for quite some time. Since a new xpac and level cap is right around the corner I will probably do a big update at that time as the gear changes and spec changes are farily minimal.

At the moment because of the high saves in newer content combined with warlock having lower dc potential than other casters - and recent boosts to spellpower/ crits I am liking Enlightened Spirt a little better in when soloing R6-R8

Its ok, understandable. I have done an ETR since my last post to you. I tried the Carceni <sp> cold pact, I tried Voodu ES build, and I farmed a bunch of gear.. I dont die thats for sure. I actually posted a thread here on the warlock forum a couple hours ago of his break down. I will come back and try a mixture of what you were saying here with level 30. And yes in heroics soul eater is a beast. Now on hardcore server, I am going down the ES line for a little more survival and tankyness. Working on 5k favor for mount, and not sure if i want to grind out reaper points.. I have enough of that to do on my main server.

Thanks for posting the gear layout you have. Check out my lock I posted on here.

[slarden]

Its ok, understandable. I have done an ETR since my last post to you. I tried the Carceni <sp> cold pact, I tried Voodu ES build, and I farmed a bunch of gear.. I dont die thats for sure. I actually posted a thread here on the warlock forum a couple hours ago of his break down. I will come back and try a mixture of what you were saying here with level 30. And yes in heroics soul eater is a beast. Now on hardcore server, I am going down the ES line for a little more survival and tankyness. Working on 5k favor for mount, and not sure if i want to grind out reaper points.. I have enough of that to do on my main server.

Thanks for posting the gear layout you have. Check out my lock I posted on here.

Yes that makes sense - enlightened spirit is what I would play on hardcore as well since you want to over-emphasize survivability vs. spellcasting/dps - and the benefit of past lifes and reaper points is absent. I would also go with Celestial on hardcore for the extra mass cc at relatively low levels.

I am disappointed this build was incorrectly posted in the build repository as a beginner build which it certainly isn't - so misleading to new players looking for a build.

I did let the build repository owner know this isn't a beginner build but he insisted on keeping it there - seemed odd to me, but it's his call even though it's not accurate.

I almost never die on the build soloing R6-R8 on Sarlona but I have quite a few reaper points + past lifes and I've played a dc spellcaster in difficult content for a decade so I have the playstyle down very well. The key to doing well with a more spell-focused build is to neutralize your enemies before they can harm you vs. having super high defenses - mostly by knowing which spells to cast on which enemies and when. I do that with cc - tentacles, mass hold, hold, web, etc. I do that with instakill - finger of death, wail of the banshee, undeath to death, mass frog. At heroic levels I do that with fully meta'd slas. and cc, but I run lower skulls for heroic (usually around r4 solo) in general and focus on higher skulls at level 30.

I will look at your build - thank you.

[swiftus]

Starting Stats
Str: 8
Dex: 8
Wis: 16
Con: 14
Int: 12
Char: 20 (All level ups)

How would you set up the stats for a first-life champion (32 pt) tiefling? I saw it was discussed earlier, but for latest update version I mean. I know you didn't mean for this to be a first-life build but I'm running with a DDO-first-timer-coming-from-wow and I decided to try both warlock and Tiefling for the first time with your balanced build while he's going to ease into DDO with a melee type. I'm using a character slot to feel the first life struggle with him, hehe.

[Fools_Gold]

Hi Slarden,

Leaving this here as your mailbox is full, hopefully it will find you sooner or later I've been trying out a warlock recently with more or less your gear loadout (CC plus level appropriate set - sadly the feywild armor looks like i have a bare bottom but that is another matter!) and pleased to say he's doing very nicely (half elf at present for the charisma racial). The CC from web and evards are lovely as is the aoe damage - both somewhat absent from inquisitive (unless enemies obligingly line up straight (grim & barret), so generally it's been easier not to get overwhelmed which is great. Against the packs of opponents seen in eg newcomers or black & blue he's super effective so thanks for laying all that out for us - i'd not have thought to build in eg force damage for the evards for one, but that thing hits even reapers pretty hard - coupled with the slow effect it really helps survival in those oh **** moments. Sadly on testing hold monster i found I must be well below the DC needed, even on heroics (reaper was saving every time), which is a pity as i was quite looking forward to road testing the mass hold, but i've switched now to rely instead on conjuration which has served me so well thus far. The conj DC listed in game is in the mid to high 40's at level 18 (for web) and is performing really well, so my question if you don't mind is where does the enchant DC need to be to be somewhat relevant? I guess that depends on reaper level being run - i rarely run higher than 3 on heroic and in epic i could manage R1 to say level 24 with the inquis build (post nerf) - was hoping to at least try some EE with the warlock too as i quite like the challenge, but i fear without a working mass hold i'm going to get mullered at that level. Enjoy your retirement - kind of semi retired here i guess - made redundant a few years back, now self employed as a dog walker. Lovely on the nicer days but i do question the wisdom of said decision on the days it pours with rain Take care, F

[slarden]

Really sorry for the delay on posts! I have been spending alot of time playing online board games with friends, but am starting to play more DDO again now that raiding is making a comeback.

How would you set up the stats for a first-life champion (32 pt) tiefling? I saw it was discussed earlier, but for latest update version I mean. I know you didn't mean for this to be a first-life build but I'm running with a DDO-first-timer-coming-from-wow and I decided to try both warlock and Tiefling for the first time with your balanced build while he's going to ease into DDO with a melee type. I'm using a character slot to feel the first life struggle with him, hehe.

I would drop wisdom by 2 for the 4 pts. Charisma and Con are key. For a first life build I would even consider dropping wisdom all the way to 8 and raising con to 16 for more hp.

I used to have a section at the bottom of the build for first-lifer adjustments which included using unyielding sentinel as a swap destiny for tough content. Also, with Feywild coming out soon I would go with a 3 piece caster set + the new feywild defense set giving 20% hp bonus. It's not final yet and subject to change, but with the augments and new gear that should work out really well.

Hi Slarden,

Leaving this here as your mailbox is full, hopefully it will find you sooner or later I've been trying out a warlock recently with more or less your gear loadout (CC plus level appropriate set - sadly the feywild armor looks like i have a bare bottom but that is another matter!) and pleased to say he's doing very nicely (half elf at present for the charisma racial). The CC from web and evards are lovely as is the aoe damage - both somewhat absent from inquisitive (unless enemies obligingly line up straight (grim & barret), so generally it's been easier not to get overwhelmed which is great. Against the packs of opponents seen in eg newcomers or black & blue he's super effective so thanks for laying all that out for us - i'd not have thought to build in eg force damage for the evards for one, but that thing hits even reapers pretty hard - coupled with the slow effect it really helps survival in those oh **** moments. Sadly on testing hold monster i found I must be well below the DC needed, even on heroics (reaper was saving every time), which is a pity as i was quite looking forward to road testing the mass hold, but i've switched now to rely instead on conjuration which has served me so well thus far. The conj DC listed in game is in the mid to high 40's at level 18 (for web) and is performing really well, so my question if you don't mind is where does the enchant DC need to be to be somewhat relevant? I guess that depends on reaper level being run - i rarely run higher than 3 on heroic and in epic i could manage R1 to say level 24 with the inquis build (post nerf) - was hoping to at least try some EE with the warlock too as i quite like the challenge, but i fear without a working mass hold i'm going to get mullered at that level. Enjoy your retirement - kind of semi retired here i guess - made redundant a few years back, now self employed as a dog walker. Lovely on the nicer days but i do question the wisdom of said decision on the days it pours with rain Take care, F

Apologies again fellow retiree - I try to be responsive to my posts but have been very distracted lately.

So 1 recent change I haven't yet tested is using color spray which is a level 1 spell and worked really great for me on my deep gnome and gnome lifes. It works on reapers, but I haven't yet tested the new class version which is supposed to be the same without the helplessness. If the unmeta'd version of that works well on reapers I will add it to my spell book for sure. I will try it on my next shifter life and let you know.

Reaper saves are definitely scaled odd at various levels - there are some levels where hold works all the time and other levels where it doesn't land as much.

Stunning blast is super effective on things where hold doesn't work - I primarily use it on champions immune to enchantment.

If all else fails hit them with stunning blast, stricken, consume and wave as fast as you can. Stricken Form will lower the damage they do. Running backwards doesn't always work due to the reaper slow effect, but sometimes circling around the reaper does mitigate damage a little when you are slowed. Usually at the levels where reapers have higher saves against hold they are easier to kill at least.

Depending your level be sure to try it with boosts - Tainted Scholar, Reaper's Potency and Arcane Spellsurge with Essence of Seduction gives a +11 DC boost. There is a bit of an annoying delay resulting in less than 20 seconds of total uptime but I use all of these for the toughest of fights.

In places like Sharn where enemies might be spread out I try to use my death spells on artificers and casters from distance and then cc the melee as they converge on me including any reapers and I try to lure them to a spot where famine reapers can't take pot shots.

If you are on Sarlona am happy to run with you on our warlocks if there are specific quests, although I tend to run the minimum quests to get to 20 so I definitely cherry pick. At 30 I run almost all the quests for reaper xp. Keep in mind newer content tends to have higher saves so alot of times I will save any question with a 30+ option until I am at 30 and run older quests during heroic.

[Fools_Gold]

No need for apologies matey - better late than never and you generally have useful infos to share so worth waiting for Nothing wrong with board games - never tried online but had much fun over the years with the real thing. I've never tried colour spray but i did raise an eyebrow when it got included. It's prohibitively expensive SP wise at present i think (40?), but i look forward to trying it in the future. I'd have a problem then which L1 to drop for it - jump is super useful and shield is life saving too. I do have a couple of lower level shield click items but not level 1 and only 5 mins at that.

I do miss that single target CC option vs reapers that comes with sniper shot on the inquis builds, has no fail & is almost always up. That said between entangle very early (goo pact spell), web and evards i really cannot complain. Though only the latter works on reapers, they do sometimes get stuck behind groups of other opponents stranded in webs. I've been using conj goggles as you suggested from 10 onwards & that's worked nicely so far.

Not sure about reaper saves, but i've definitely noticed serious jumps up in their strength - i think at maybe quest level 11 then again at 19? To the extent they go from being very manageable one level to eating the metad consume/stricken and still coming back for more at the level above. I've had success against them with PW stun in later heroics as a single target stopper as it's just about the only one with no save (think it's just spell pen that one?).

I've started using the tainted boost more since you recommended it here - though I do like to keep some points saved for emergency stanches which have become a serious lifesaver - see newly souped up electric floors on eg spies, or reapers popping up out of nowhere as they like to do

Ashamed to say i've never even experimented with stunning blast - all the more shameful when one considers the amount of points I spend in that tree (i just use the standard 39/41 build at present - trying for a few racial lives). In my defence i read in another guide something like 'prepare to be underwhelmed by stunning blast', but i shall make a point of testing it out this time around & see how we get on. I tend to really like one quick ability to stop something nasty in its tracks - a legacy perhaps of my time as a sonic warlock & that 10 second freeze thing they have.

I do plenty of running backwards & circling round casters to try to avoid ray type spells - the speed boost from the feeding frenzy thing is very nice in such situations - especially so as stricken & consume are often my go to each time something nasty appears, so speed boost comes on by default. Don't get me started on the reaper slow effect - still not sure how champion types can do that when you have FOM active but it certainly adds to their danger factor doesn't it?

IIrc reapers potency comes towards the top of that tree. I have only 38 points to spend so after the obligatory 21 in GB I don't have enough spare at present to reach that. Having failed on the DC side of things I've been blasting my way through epics on LH. It's somewhat of a come down from the inquisitive, who could manage R1 until mid epics, but it does at least mean the xp goes quite a bit faster. One thing that has become apparent is that you really need to commit wholly if you want some DC success (ie at the expense of damage potential in the early levelling process) - the other being my L29 gear is sadly lacking - i've noted your original list from Sharn & trying by degrees to acquire some of that.

Picking off troublesome casters from behind a wall of melee is a serious weakness of mine. I tend to try to hope wave gets through to them, but I must try to find better solutions than that as they have some horrible dots if left unattended - note to self to remember the ioun stone - thanks to Voodoo for that one. Spread out enemies are the bane of my warlock existence I remember when newcomers and black & blue came out folk commented on the unimaginative placement of packs of opponents at regular intervals - well evards just loves that so i look forward to such quests now.

I'm on Orien i'm afraid but many thanks for the offer. Half of me is glad you won;t get to see how hopeless i am, maybe the other half a little sad at a potential missed opportunity. I really must try to join more with others one day - the way i play (almost totally alone) really isn't in the spirit of the game so in time perhaps i can change that.

Minimum quests to reach 20? That sounds like you're perhaps running with a 50% boost or something? I never use those - partly because i save my points for eg race and adventure unlocks, and partly (from when i used to farm cannith for the minor xp pot) because i'm not a fan of ruling out x y or z quest simply because it takes a little more of your potion time. So i run many of them 'one and done' as the saying goes - keeps things relatively fresh.

About the level 30 reapers, honestly i've never tried as i simply don;t have the gear to be successful yet. I do have an idea of the xp potential - the 1k + rxp you can get from say grim & barret at L29 being way better than the 300-800 R3's in heroics. To those with many RP such numbers are pathetic i'm sure - but to little me 1k rxp from a single quest is lovely

You mention older quests - that's been a bit of a bugbear of mine till i've got used to different levels. For example i can stroll through most of GH on R3 (don't mention crucible it's a sore point), yet the harbor quest that gives the pansophic circlet (so same base level) would likely destroy me on 3 skulls - newer content. Same issue with Tethyamar - i do like the quests themselves but my word they're way tougher than other L15's i've run.

Better shut up before this turns into an essay - you could do fellow forum users a favour and clear your inbox to save them being exposed to my waffle! Guess i'll see you next time the servers are down - until then have fun warlocking

[slarden]

I've never tried colour spray but i did raise an eyebrow when it got included. It's prohibitively expensive SP wise at present i think (40?), but i look forward to trying it in the future. I'd have a problem then which L1 to drop for it - jump is super useful and shield is life saving too. I do have a couple of lower level shield click items but not level 1 and only 5 mins at that.

Of course fitting in the AP is always a challenge but for 11 points in feydark illusionist you can get greater color spray which according to the wiki costs 10 spell points, but on my enhancements it shows 4 spell points. I am currently using it on a wizard who uses the racial version for 2 spell points - so I never investigated the discrepancy to confirm the actual spell point cost - plus my server is down so I can't check. Color spray is aoe directional so works on multiple enemies and well worth the 10 spell points (or 4). It's an SLA so free metamagic.

[Fools_Gold]

I won't have access to Feydark for sometime i guess (going to wait to buy the coming expansion with points after all the issues some poor folk have had) but it does sound very promising. I guess 39/41 (so TS capstone) is less crucial if the build isn't totally focused on the blasting side. Freeing up 10-20 points from there would mean taking less 'fillers' as Unbongwah sometimes puts it & open the way perhaps to some more interesting possibilities. Any sort of AOE CC definitely gets my attention

Here's an idea of the kind of antics you avoided by not being on Orien btw - I thought to be clever just now and ddoor after first haywire lever to save a little time - before realizing i was then locked out from the rest of the quest .... sigh

Just as a little follow up, i've had chance to road test the stunning blast a bit now & generally pleasantly surprised by what i've found, given the negative write up i'd seen. It works nicely against annoying casters or archers & i've found it does well too against the golems in sharn. It's stopped reapers too but certainly not no fail. The wind up time, even quickened, is on the slow side imo, but one plus there is you can keep moving & not interrupt it, as you can when triggering NHB. Having previously shunned 'create thrall' i've started making use of that too as a nasty target neutralizer or to distract a pack at distance before approaching. The only issue there is the thrall seems to like to follow me around - which can cause issue when it's a reaper who decides to become unfriendly again while my back is turned A little reading found me that un-charm button - useful also when the quest won't progress until all enemies are dead.

Colour Spray seems fixed now (cost 10sp according to its description), so i shall definitely be giving that one a try next time around. Was thinking i could leave jump out as it's a class skill for us and just put points in there as needed. The nice thing about having it early on will be that until taking L6 i'll have the deep gnome PL toggle on (acid and illusion bonus) which should help it land a little more reliably.

Fair to say i think the CS has performed well beyond my expectations. It continues to be relevant as a stopper/container of groups (some of which cannot be stopped by web), right into mid heroics when evards comes available & the focus changes somewhat from mass contain towards mass slaughter. It's made the early game seriously more fun too, as previously my early spells were only really used for utility or defensive buffs, making my spell point pool feel somewhat redundant during that stage. The daze part is great for stopping a rampaging group from overwhelming you, but i do notice as soon as they're hit they wake up again with this version - i'm guessing the greater CS you've been using pins them for significantly longer than that? Still it's nice especially early without any AOE blast to tie things up that way until you're ready for them

[slarden]

This is the first of 3 builds I will be providing as part of the U48 Update. This first build is not a solo build - it's meant to be part of a balanced R10 group. The build sacrifices defenses and dps for max DC, but in a balanced party can still contribute free eldritch blast dps as needed - and I would expect significant debuffing in an R10 making those #s much larger.

Here are the other 2 - both are very suitable for soloing:

Bladeforged Solo Mid-Skull SE/TS Build: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post6384701

Tiefling Solo Mid-Skull Enlightened Spirit Build: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post6384776

RACE: Dragonborn (Tiefling is also a solid choice)

Starting Stats
Str: 10
Dex: 6
Wis: 14
Con: 16
Int: 12
Char: 20 (All level ups)

PACT: Carceri Storm (this is more due to gearing flexibility)
Note: Other pacts work fine here but you will rely on the spellpower from the off-hand meaning you will need a double weapon swap when switching to lgs vs. just swapping the off-hand weapon during boss fights. Carceri storm is the simple choice because of the winter ring which basically covers cold and force.

GEAR

Gearing has become more constrained, but with inflated #s. Specifically a sacred bonus to DC was added, but only 1 item exists with that bonus tying up gloves on all max dc builds (and excluding some sets). In addition, an alchemical off-hand provides +2 alchemical bonus and a +9 necromancy dc bonus. Again the +2 alchemical bonus is completely unique. In addition, with Sigil of Regalport being the obvious artifact choice for the +2 quality DC bonus and +22 charisma - yet another spot is locked. Lastly once you exclude all these spots the only option for profane DC bonus +2 is the legendary shattered onyx ring which also adds +10 insightful charisma. So effectively 5 slots are non-discretionary with a charisma max DC build and once you rule out set bonuses using these slots the most obvious choice for set bonus is the magewright set which is supposed to provide a +4 charisma and +4 spell DC bonus but isn't working as intended yet. For purposes of this build I am going to assume it will be fixed soon and post the "as intended" numbers.

Note: Pendant of Bottled Moonlight is really good and I am likely to try and fit this into the build without giving up any DC. Pendant of Bottled Moonlight casts a crushing despair that automatically succeeds when targeting an enemy with a necro spell.

Goggles: Legendary Magewright's Goggles - Spell Penetration 9, Illusion Focus 9, Insightful Illusion Focus 5, Intelligence 21
Helm: Legendary Crown of Snow - Permanent Fire Shield Cold, Paragon Cerulean Wave, Spell Focus Mastery 7, Insightful Spell Focus Mastery 4
Necklace: Sigil of Regalport - Cha 22, Quality Spell Focus 2, Wizardry 481, Cold absorb 53%
Trinket: Slavers Crafted - Sheltering 45 (for MRR), Radiance Lore 27, Heal 22, Quality PRR 11)
Cloak: Legendary Magewright's Cloak - Wizardry 453, Quality Charisma 5, Enchantment Focus 9, Insightful Enchantment Focus 5
Belt: Legendary Bronze Dragonscale Belt - Constitution 21, Healing Amplification 85, Insightful False Life 40, Lifesealed 50
Ring 1: Legendary Shattered Onyx - Profane Spell Focus II, Insightful Resistance 8, Insightful Dodge 10, Insightful Charisma 10
Gloves: Legendary Gloryborne Gloves - Sacred Spell Focus II, Power of the Silver Flame 214, Quality Resistance 4
Boots: Legendary Deepsnow Boots - Insightful Constitution 10, Quality Constitution 5, Freedom of Movement, Fort Save 17
Ring 2: Legendary Ring of Winter - Ice Lore 31, Glaciation 214, Kinetic Lore 31, Impulse 214
Bracers: Legendary Hallowed Castigators - Devotion 214, Healing Lore 31, Insightful Sheltering 27
Armor: Chainmail of the First Snow (Feytwisted) - Physical Sheltering 54, Fortification 214, Healing Amplification 85, False Life 81

Main Weapon: The Legendary Prince's Sceptre - Spell Focus Mastery 7, Insightful Spell Focus Mastery 4, Spell Penetration 9, Insightful Spell Penetration 5
Off-hand Weapon: Alchemical Large Shield - <Spellpower 219>, <Spell Lore 32>, Alchemical Charisma +2, Necromancy Focus 9

Main-Hand Swap Weapon for Boss Fights and when spell pen not needed: The Legendary Queen's Sceptre
Off-Hand Swap Weapons: LGS Triple Positive (hp boost), Dust (CC), Ash (Debuff), Ooze (Debuff)

Note: Dust and Ooze synergize well with the pact

Of special note: This gear provides 2 set bonuses, the magewright set bonus (+4 to casting stats and +4 artifact bonus to DC - the DC is bugged, gear indicates +4, buff bar shows +3 but it actually provides +5). The 4-piece winter set also provides 25PRR, +15 stacking healing amp and 20% hp bonus. So while this build is not tank, it's not a glass cannon either.

FILIGREE
Main Weapon
- Otto's Irrevocable Power: Charisma (Rare) - +1 Charisma, +2 MRR
- Otto's Irrevocable Power: Constitution (Rare) - +1 Constitution, +2 PRR
- Otto's Irrevocable Power: PRR (Rare) - +3 PRR, +2 MRR
- Otto's Irrevocable Power: Spell Failure Reduction (Rare) - -10% Spell Failure, +2 MRR
- Eye of the Beholder: Charisma (Rare) - +1 Charisma, +2 MRR
- Eye of the Beholder: Spellpower (Rare) - +10 Universal Spellpower
- Eye of the Beholder: MRR (Rare) - +3 MRR, +2 PRR
- To Hell and Back / Embraced By Light: Charisma (Rare) - +2 Charisma, +4MRR
- Sactified Fervor / Reverberation: Charisma (Rare) - +2 Charisma, +4 MRR
Artifact
- To Hell and Back / Embraced By Light: Charisma (Rare) - +2 Charisma, +4MRR
- Sactified Fervor / Reverberation: Charisma (Rare) - +2 Charisma, +4 MRR
- Eye of The Beholder: Charisma (Rare) - +1 Charisma, +2 MRR

Set Bonuses
- Otto's Irrevocable Power 4 Piece: +5 MRR, +200 Spell Points, +2 to all DCs
- Eye of the Beholder 4 Piece: +4 Concentration, +1 Spell Penetration, +2 to all DCs
- To Hell and Back 2 Piece: +5 PRR
- Embraced By the Light 2 Piece: +5 Healing Amp
- Sanctified Fervor 2 Piece: +5 Healing Amp
- Reverberation 2 Piece: Melee and Missle Damage (not applicable to this build)

Please note you can't slot the same filigree in a single sentient item, but you can slot the same filigree in different sentient items and both will count toward the set bonus. It's unclear if this is working as intended, but I decided to post it here as this type of information isn't always accessible so I wanted to make sure people know. Be aware that if you take advantage of this it might be necessary to later unslot filigree if SSG changes the way this works.

FEATS:

1) Enlarge
3) Spell Focus Necromancy
6) Completionist (or past life wizard or enlarge)
9) Quicken
12) Greater Spell Focus Necromancy
15) Spell Penetration
18) Greater Spell Penetration
21) Past Life Wizard
24) Embolden
26) Epic Arcane Eldritch Blast
27) Epic Spell Penetration (Or Epic Spell Focus Necromancy)
28) Mass Frog (because it works on some things well even with a lower dc - esp undead and constructs)
29) Arcane Pulse (or Deific Warding)
30) Arcane Insight
30) Scion of the Plane of Shadowfell

ENHANCEMENTS (14 bonus racial + 1 bonus universal point)

Dragonborn (18)
Cores
- Hardy,
- Charisma
- Hardy
- Charisma
Tier 2
- Arcanum x 3
- Harder Scales x1
Tier 4
- True Power x3 (Very helpful as tentacles if your best cc when a despair reaper is visiting)

Soul Eater (41)
Cores
- Inhuman Understanding
- Inhuman Nature
- No Worse Fate
- Inhuman Nature 2
- Eldritch Seeker
- Devour the Soul
Tier 1
- Consume
- Subtle Spellcasting x3
- Taint the Blood
Tier 2
- Stricken x 3
- Feeding Frenzy
- Taint the Aura
Tier 3
- Eldritch Blast Shape: Cone
- Charisma
- Strickened Soul
Tier 4
- Greater Hunger
- Strickened Form
- Immortal Will
- Charisma
Tier 5
- Eldritch Wave
- Supreme Hunger
- Spell Tearing
- SLA Finger of Death
** Note I used to always take feed on magic but after trying the build without it I don't miss it much

Tainted Scholar (25)
Core
- Tainted Spellcasting
- Tainted Lore
- Stanch
- Tainted Lore 2
Tier 1
- Feigned Health x 3
- Strong Pact
Tier 2
- Utterdark Blast (I rarely use this)
- Chain Blast (Situationally useful)
- Strong Pact
Tier 3
- Faltering Blast
- Strong Pact
- Charisma
Tier 4
- Penetrating Blast (for golems, arcane oozes and other things resistant to force)
- Charisma

Feydark Illusionist (12)
Cores
- Find Familiar
- Charisma
- Greater Color Spray
Tier 1
- Feydark Explorer x1
- Study the Arcane x3
Tier 2
- Reality Bulwark x 1
- You've Got My Back
Tier 3
- Spell Penetration x1

Magister Destiny
Core
- Arcane Study 1 - V
- Arcane Spellsurge
Tier 1
- 2x Impregnable Mind
- Charisma
Tier 2
- Necromancy Specialist x 3
- Charisma
Tier 3
- Necromancy Augmentation x 3
- Charisma
Tier 4
- Necromancy Familiarity x3
- Charisma
Tier 5
- Master of Necromancy x3
- Charisma
Tier 6
- Arcane Adept

EPIC DESTINY TWISTS
Piercing Spellcraft
Arcane Hymn
Meld Into Darkness
Rejuvenation Cocoon
Charisma

Charisma
Start: 20
Level Ups: 7
Tome: 8
Completionist: 2
Racial Completionist: 2
Racial Past Lifes: 3
Enhancement Bonus: 22
Insightful Bonus: 10
Exceptional Bonus: 1
Quality Bonus: 5
Profane Bonus: 2 (Augment)
Artifact Bonus: 4
Alchemical Bonus: 2
Sentient Weapon Filigree: 11
Reaper Bonus: 2
Racial Enhancements: 2
Soul Eater Enhancements: 2
Tainted Scholar Enhancements: 2
Feydark Illusionist Enhancement: 1
Soul Eater Capstone: 4
Reaper: 5
Epic Destiny: 5
Epic Destiny Twists: 2 (Including Arcane Hymn)
Ship Buffs: 2
Yugo Potions: 2
Remnant Potions: 2
Total Charisma: 130

Necromancy DC
Base: 10
Spell Level: 6 (Note without heighten it's 6 for Wail, 6 for Devour and 5 for Finger)
Charisma Bonus: 60
Necromancy Focus Feats: 2
Past Life Wizard Feat: 1
Embolden: 2
Scion of the Plane of Shadowfell: 4
Item- Enhancement Bonus: 9
Item- Insightful Bonus: 4
Item- Quality Bonus: 2
Item- Augment Bonus: 2
Item- Artifact: 4
Item: Sentient Bonus: 4
Item: Profane Bonus: 2
Item: Sacred Bonus: 2
Enhancements - Soul Eater: 1
Enhancements - Reaper: 4
Magister Cores: 6
Necromancy Specialist (Magister): 3
Master of Necromancy (Magister): 3
Ship Buffs: 1
Total Necromancy DC: 132

Available DC Buffs:
- Reaper potency (+3 DC)
- Tainted spellcasting (+2 DC)
- Arcane Spell Surge (+5 DC)
- Arcane insight (+6 DC, +6 Spell Penetration)

Other DCs (minor differences due to magister, racial tree, gear and past lifes)
- Enchantment: 122
- Conjuration: 126
- Illusion: 126
- Transmutation: 122
- Evocation (Eld Blast): 128

Spell Penetration (Necromancy):
Warlock Levels: 20
Feat: Spell Penetration: 2
Feat: Greater Spell Penetration: 2
Feat: Epic Spell Penetration: 4
Feat: Past Life Wizard and Favored Soul: 9
Item: Enhancement Bonus: 9
Item: Insightful Bonus: 5
Enhancement Tree: Tainted Scholar: 2
Enhancement Tree: Reaper: 5
Enhancement Tree: Dragonborn: 3
Enhancement Tree: Feydark Illusionist: 1
Master of Necromancy (Necromancy Only - Magister): 3
Epic Destiny Twist: 5 (Includes Arcane Song)
Ship Buff: 1
Eye of the Beholder Set: 1
Total: 72

The next 2 builds are solo builds with lower DC, but more balanced builds with better dps and defenses. I will note while I run alot more R6-R8 than R10 I've brought solo builds to R10 and it performed fine. That small difference in DC doesn't come up much when targeting enemy low saves.

[slarden]

This is the 2nd of 3 updated U48 builds. Here are the other 2:

Dragonborn Max DC SE/TS Build for 10 Skull: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post6384606

Tiefling Solo Mid-Skull Enlightened Spirit Build: https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...=1#post6384776

This is the build I am currently using the most. I am running it on my 3rd main character. It's a build that tries to strike a balance between defenses, dps and dc as soloing difficult content requires this. The origin of this build is that I was looking for a way to solo in the magister destiny and wasn't finding cocoon sufficient due to the 12 second cooldown. I primarily solo, run in a regular 3-person group or join raids with this character. I've run the build in R10 groups and found the DCs and build performs well, but the sweet spot for this build is R4-R8 for a person that wants to solo/short-man reaper content quickly.

I've been running this build since magister update pulled it far ahead of all other destines for DC, but was hesitant to post it due to the lesser +1 requirement. I decided to post it, but also include 2 other builds I've run quite a bit that don't require the +1 heart. This is my favorite of the 3 because it's so versatile - works for soloing or R10 grouping.

RACE: Bladeforged (Requires +1 lesser heart to remove the paladin level)

Starting Stats
Str: 8
Dex: 6
Wis: 8
Con: 18
Int: 16
Char: 18 (All level ups)

PACT: Carceri Storm (this was originally due to gear synergies but now I really love this pact)
Note: You can use other pacts by picking any spellpower for the alchemical orb, but it makes using off-hand swap weapons more Complex. Salt and Ooze LGS off-hand swaps synergize nicely with Carceri Storm due to the spellpower boost.

I prefer absolute zero to hurl through hell because it works on many things that are immune to death effects and I already have enough instant kill in the build. This is an amazing single target spell to deal with many enemies that can't be dealt with other ways. Arguably the most powerful pact ability available to warlock from any pact.

GEAR

The most difficult choice I made with this build was giving up 1 charisma by choosing The Prince's Gauntlet for artifact over Sigil of Regalport which is very much against my nature, but it provided me with much better gearing choices and it makes cocoon more impactful for self-healing to compliment racial reconstruct. From a gearing perspective the build gives up 1 charisma and +2 sacred DC bonus compared to the max DC build.

As it turns out it worked out just fine because I would have required one more charisma epic destiny twist for the extra charisma to be impactful and I didn't have the room. In addition since pendant of bottled moonlight applies crushing despair automatically on a necro spell it debuffs all enemies with a -2 to all saves and -5 more to will save effectively making all my necro spells more effective. Compared to the max DC build this build gives up 4 charisma (2 DC) from race choice, 1 charisma by not choosing the sigil of regalport (.5 DC) and 2 DC by not choosing the gloryborn gloves for a total of 4.5 DC behind. However, since pendant of bottled moonlight automatically applies a -2 fortitude save to enemies that I target with a necromancy spell (and -7 will) my finger of death and wail is only a net 2.5 DC behind and my devour the soul is actually ahead due to the debuff. This seems like a reasonable trade-off to me for the self-healing and other benefits of this build.

One of the great benefits of pendant of bottled moonlight is that when you debuff the boss with devour the soul to reduce MRR you also debuff will saves by 7 ensuring that you are getting max dps as the cold damage goes against a will save. Don't get me wrong, Warlock single-target dps is absolutely weak and needs a buff by the devs, but this helps make it as good as it could be.

In fact if anything I am likely to try and fit pendant of bottled moonlight into the R10 build by using the +22 charisma ring and black satin waist.

Goggles: Legendary Magewright's Goggles - Spell Penetration 9, Illusion Focus 9, Insightful Illusion Focus 5, Intelligence 21
Helm: Legendary Crown of Snow - Permanent Fire Shield Cold, Paragon Cerulean Wave, Spell Focus Mastery 7, Insightful Spell Focus Mastery 4
Necklace: Legendary Pendant of Bottled Moonlight - Spell Penetration 9, Insightful Spell Penetration 5, Enchanting Death 3, Overwhelming Despair
Trinket: Slavers Crafted - Sheltering 45 (for MRR), Radiance Lore 27 (or resistance), Repair 22, Quality False Life 16
Cloak: Legendary Magewright's Cloak - Wizardry 453, Charisma 21, Enchantment Focus 9, Insightful Enchantment Focus 5
Belt: Legendary Black Satin Waist - Quality Charisma 5, Spell Penetration 9, Quality Spell Focus 2, Spell Resistance 47
Ring 1: Legendary Shattered Onyx - Profane Spell Focus II, Insightful Resistance 8, Insightful Dodge 10, Insightful Charisma 10
Gloves: The Prince's Gauntlet - Constitution 22, 93 Healing and Repair Amp, Quality Resistance 4, Quality Sheltering 15
Boots: Legendary Deepsnow Boots - Insightful Constitution 10, Quality Constitution 5, Freedom of Movement, Fort Save 17
Ring 2: Legendary Ring of Winter - Ice Lore 31, Glaciation 214, Kinetic Lore 31, Impulse 214
Bracers: Legendary Hallowed Castigators - Devotion 214, Healing Lore 31, Insightful Sheltering 27
Armor: Legendary Glass Heart - Fortification 214, Physical Sheltering 54, Exc Spell Lore 15, Exc Spell Power 30

Main Weapon: The Legendary Queen's Sceptre - Potency 154, Insightful Potency 77, Spellsight 22, Insightful Spellsight 11
Off-hand Weapon: Alchemical Small Shield - Reconstruct 219, Repair Lore 32, Alchemical Charisma +2, Necromancy Focus 9

Off-Hand Swap Weapons: LGS Triple Positive (hp boost), Salt (CC), Ash/Dust,Ooze (Debuff)

Note: Salt and Ooze synergize well with the pact since they also add a stacking 187 glaciation spellpower. Salt is used more for cc and ooze is used to help with boss debuffing and boss dps on this build.

Swap trinket/belt for boss fights to max damage from cold pact damage, greater creeping cold and creeping cold: Slavers Crafted - Sheltering 45 (for MRR), Radiance Lore 27 (or resistance), Repair 22, Quality Con 4, LGS water/ethereal/dominion belt for 35% extra damage with cold.

Set Bonuses
- Magewright: +4 artifact bonus to Charisma, Intelligence and Wisdom, +4 artifact bonus to DC (bugged - gear says +4 DC, Buffbar indicates +3 but it's actually providing +5)
- The 4-piece Winter set: 25 PRR, +15 stacking healing amp and 20% hp bonus.
- 2-piece Summer Set: 25 MRR

FILIGREE
Main Weapon
- Otto's Irrevocable Power: Charisma (Rare) - +1 Charisma, +2 MRR
- Otto's Irrevocable Power: Constitution (Rare) - +1 Constitution, +2 PRR
- Otto's Irrevocable Power: PRR (Rare) - +3 PRR, +2 MRR
- Otto's Irrevocable Power: Spell Failure Reduction (Rare) - -10% Spell Failure, +2 MRR
- Eye of the Beholder: Charisma (Rare) - +1 Charisma, +2 MRR
- Eye of the Beholder: Spellpower (Rare) - +10 Universal Spellpower
- Eye of the Beholder: MRR (Rare) - +3 MRR, +2 PRR
- To Hell and Back / Embraced By Light: Charisma (Rare) - +2 Charisma, +4MRR
- Sactified Fervor / Reverberation: Charisma (Rare) - +2 Charisma, +4 MRR
Artifact
- To Hell and Back / Embraced By Light: Charisma (Rare) - +2 Charisma, +4MRR
- Sactified Fervor / Reverberation: Charisma (Rare) - +2 Charisma, +4 MRR
- Eye of The Beholder: Charisma (Rare) - +1 Charisma, +2 MRR

Set Bonuses
- Otto's Irrevocable Power 4 Piece: +5 MRR, +200 Spell Points, +2 to all DCs
- Eye of the Beholder 4 Piece: +4 Concentration, +1 Spell Penetration, +2 to all DCs
- To Hell and Back 2 Piece: +5 PRR
- Embraced By the Light 2 Piece: +5 Healing Amp
- Sanctified Fervor 2 Piece: +5 Healing Amp
- Reverberation 2 Piece: Melee and Missle Damage (not applicable to this build)

Please note you can't slot the same filigree in a single sentient item, but you can slot the same filigree in different sentient items and both will stack and count toward the set bonus. It's unclear if this is working as intended, but I decided to post it here as this type of information isn't always accessible so I wanted to make sure people know since this feature is heavily used by end-game players (well over 50% that I know use it). Be aware that if you take advantage of this it might be necessary to later unslot filigree if SSG changes the way this works.

FEATS:

1) Maximize
3) Empower
6) Completionist (or past life wizard or enlarge)
9) Quicken
12) Spell Focus Necromancy
15) Enlarge (or past life wizard)
18) Force of Personality
21) Adamantine Plating
24) Embolden
26) Epic Arcane Eldritch Blast
27) Ruin
28) Mass Frog (because it works on some things well even with a lower dc - esp undead and constructs)
29) Arcane Pulse
30) Greater Ruin
30) Scion of the Plane of Shadowfell

This is what I found optimal for soloing. Conventional wisdom would say take past life wizard instead of force of personality which I don't completely disagree with. the R10 build for balanced groups makes this exact choice. Force of Personality takes my save from 100% fail to 95% succeed and is much more impactful when soloing vs. 1 DC. I am willing to give up enlarge for the DC when soloing but am keeping enlarge in the build for now.

ENHANCEMENTS (14 bonus racial + 1 bonus universal point)

Bladeforged (17)
Cores
- Improved Fortification
- Constitution (if at an even con # instead take 1 rank of tier 3 communion of warding)
Tier 1
- Mechanist x 3
- Inscribed Armor x 3
Tier 2
- Communion of Scribing x 3 (racial reconstruct with 6 second cooldown)
Tier 4
- Soulbound Plating (5% Quality bonus to hp)

Soul Eater (41)
Cores
- Inhuman Understanding
- Inhuman Nature
- No Worse Fate
- Inhuman Nature 2
- Eldritch Seeker
- Devour the Soul
Tier 1
- Consume
- Subtle Spellcasting x3
- Taint the Blood
Tier 2
- Stricken x 3
- Feeding Frenzy
- Taint the Aura
Tier 3
- Eldritch Blast Shape: Cone
- Charisma
- Strickened Soul
Tier 4
- Greater Hunger
- Strickened Form
- Immortal Will
- Charisma
Tier 5
- Eldritch Wave
- Supreme Hunger
- Spell Tearing
- SLA Finger of Death
** Note I used to always take feed on magic but am experimenting without so I can take Greater Color Spray in Feydark Illusionist.

Tainted Scholar (27)
Core
- Tainted Spellcasting
- Tainted Lore
- Stanch
- Tainted Lore 2
Tier 1
- Feigned Health x 3
- Strong Pact
Tier 2
- Utterdark Blast (I rarely use this)
- Chain Blast (Situationally useful)
- Strong Pact
Tier 3
- Faltering Blast
- Strong Pact
- Charisma
Tier 4
- Penetrating Blast (for golems, arcane oozes and other things resistant to force)
- Strong Pact
- Charisma

Feydark Illusionist (11)
Cores
- Find Familiar
- Charisma
- Greater Color Spray
Tier 1
- Feydark Explorer x1
- Study the Arcane x3
Tier 2
- Reality Bulwark x 1
- You've Got My Back

Magister Destiny
Core
- Arcane Study 1 - V
- Arcane Spellsurge
Tier 1
- 2x Impregnable Mind
- Charisma
Tier 2
- Necromancy Specialist x 3
- Charisma
Tier 3
- Necromancy Augmentation x 3
- Charisma
Tier 4
- Necromancy Familiarity x3
- Charisma
Tier 5
- Master of Necromancy x3
- Charisma
Tier 6
-Arcane Tempest (this effectively rains down "baby ruins" - very effective but takes some practice positioning)

EPIC DESTINY TWISTS
Energy Burst - Cold
Arcane Hymn
Meld Into Darkness
Rejuvenation Cocoon
Endless Faith (10% more hp)

Charisma
Start: 18
Level Ups: 7
Tome: 8
Completionist: 2
Racial Completionist: 2
Racial Past Lifes: 3
Enhancement Bonus: 21
Insightful Bonus: 10
Exceptional Bonus: 1
Quality Bonus: 5
Profane Bonus: 2 (Augment)
Artifact Bonus: 4
Alchemical Bonus: 2
Sentient Weapon Filigree: 11
Reaper Bonus: 2
Racial Enhancements: 0
Soul Eater Enhancements: 2
Tainted Scholar Enhancements: 2
Feydark Illusionist Enhancement: 1
Soul Eater Capstone: 4
Reaper: 5
Epic Destiny: 5
Epic Destiny Twists: 1 (Arcane Hymn)
Ship Buffs: 2
Yugo Potions: 2
Remnant Potions: 2
Total Charisma: 124

Necromancy DC
Base: 10
Spell Level: 6 (Note without heighten it's 6 for Wail, 6 for Devour and 5 for Finger)
Charisma Bonus: 57
Necromancy Focus Feats: 1
Embolden: 2
Scion of the Plane of Shadowfell: 4
Item- Enhancement Bonus: 9
Item- Insightful Bonus: 4
Item- Quality Bonus: 2
Item- Augment Bonus: 2
Item- Artifact: 4
Item: Sentient Bonus: 4
Item: Profane Bonus: 2
Item: Sacred Bonus: 0
Enhancements - Soul Eater: 1
Enhancements - Reaper: 4
Magister Cores: 6
Necromancy Specialist (Magister): 3
Master of Necromancy (Magister): 3
Ship Buffs: 1
Total Necromancy DC: 125

Available DC Buffs:
- Reaper potency (+3 DC)
- Tainted spellcasting (+2 DC)
- Arcane Spell Surge (+5 DC)

Other spell schools will be slightly less due to the net effect of differences with magister, gear and past lifes

Spell Penetration (Necromancy):
Warlock Levels: 20
Feat: Past Life Wizard and Favored Soul: 9
Item: Enhancement Bonus: 9
Item: Insightful Bonus: 5
Enhancement Tree: Tainted Scholar: 2
Enhancement Tree: Reaper: 5
Master of Necromancy (Necromancy Only - Magister): 3
Magister Wizard Levels: 5
Legendary Pendant of Bottled Moonlight (Necromancy and Enchantment Only: 3
Epic Destiny Twist: 1 (Includes Arcane Song)
Ship Buff: 1
Eye of the Beholder Set: 1
Total: 64

This is a workable # considering I made very little investment since I have so many other tools against spell-resistant enemies - web, ice storm + sleet storm + salt LGS, flesh to stone, greater color spray, straight-up blowing things up with damage, etc.

Arcane Spell Failure

Adamantine Plating: +35%
Small Shield: +5%
Bladeforged Enhancements: -15%
Spell Agility Agument - 15%
Otto's Spell Failure Reduction: -10%

0% Arcane Spell Failure

Physical Resistance Rating

Adamantine Plating: 40
Small Shield: 5
Enhancement Bonus: 54
Insightful Bonus: 27
Quality Bonus: 15
Artifact Bonus: 25
Reaper Enhancement Tree: 24
Past Lifes: 45
Filigree: 7
Filigree Sets: 5
Mythic Bonuses: 15
Feydark Illusionist: You've Got My Back: 10
Total: 272

Magical Resistance Rating

Small Shield: 5
Enhancement Bonus: 45
Insightful Bonus: 27
Quality Bonus: 15
Artifact Bonus: 25
Reaper Enhancement Tree: 3
Past Lifes: 18
Filigree: 26
Filigree Sets: 5
Mythic Bonuses: 15
Paragon's Aegis x 5: 25
Total: 209

Repair Amplification
Base: 100
Prince's Gauntlet: 93
Artifact Bonus: 15
Bladeforged-Mechanist: 40
Ancient Blessings: 15
Total: 263

Healing Amplification
Base: 100
Prince's Gauntlet: 93
Paladin Past Life: 30
Artifact Bonus: 15
Ancient Blessings: 15
Filigree Set Bonuses: 10
Bladeforged Penalty: -119
Total: 144

Hit Point Multiplier Bonuses:
Bladeforged Quality Bonus: 5%
Winter Set Bonus: 20%

Self-Healing in Reaper
One of the main reasons I am running this build for soloing and short-manning is because of the self-healing. My crit chance for reconstruct is 60% and I am seeing the following #s on each of the following difficulty settings:

In Each case the first # is the non-crit and the second # is the crit #.

Epic Elite: 1223/6653
R1: 1223/2814
R2: 1130/2600
R3: 1004/2311
R4: 907/2086
R5: 777/1788
R6: 648/1490
R7: 518/1192
R8: 388/894
R9: 259/596
R10: 129/298

Self-healing is comfortable for soloing through R6. After R6 it gets tougher to solo because of the lower self-healing #s combined with doom reapers, but with 1 or 2 more people in the party R8 feels much more comfortable to self-heal in because there is so much less aggro to deal with.

Even on R10 the quick combination of reconstruct and cocoon gets you close to 500 hit points back fast without having to wait for someone to rescue you.

Here are the reconstruct #s which can go up with buffs and other abilities during a quest:

Spell Critical - Reconstruct
Magical Training: 5
Enhancement Bonus: 32 (Orb)
Exceptional Bonus: 15 (Docent)
Eldritch Seeker - Soul Eater: 5
Spell Tearing - Soul Eater: 3
Total: 60%

Spellpower - Reconstruct
Equipment Bonus: 219
Insightful Bonus: 77
Exceptional Bonus: 30
Implement Bonus: 29
Filigree: 10
Mythic and Reaper Bonuses: 4
Epic Power: 60
Scion of the Plane of Shadowfell: 30
Tainted Spellcasting Passive: 20
Soul Eater Cores: 30
Reaper Tree: 48
Feydark Illusionist: 6
Tome: 4
Ship Buffs: 15
Repair Skill: 91
Arcane Hymn: 20
Commendation of Valor Potion: 25 (It lasts 10 minutes so there is no reason for me not to run this continuously)

Total: 718

[Tpetrzelka]

Slarden~

I could have sworn that you had posted a build for a Tiefling Fiend build that was Reaper capable...low level soloable and a build that had a balance between defenses, dps and dc? Am I loosing my mind? It also only used the Race, SE and TS enchantment trees.

[slarden]

Slarden~

I could have sworn that you had posted a build for a Tiefling Fiend build that was Reaper capable...low level soloable and a build that had a balance between defenses, dps and dc? Am I loosing my mind? It also only used the Race, SE and TS enchantment trees.

Hello,

I am in the process of updating the build.

The build has evolved continually since it was first created due to warlock nerfs, new races and trees, gear changes and other continual changes to the game. I haven't updated the build since before the magister changes so it was really getting out of date.

I was running tiefling fiend prior to the changes to magister when exalted angel was the best DC destiny in the game and self-healing in exalted angel was also top tier. The R10 build is now dragonborn due to the extra conjuration DC in the racial tree since warlock dps is less important in a balanced R10 party.

Currently exalted angel is behind magister in DC and tiefling isn't survivable enough in magister with just cocoon to solo mid skulls as easily (at least for me). The game DCs for newer content are based around magister making that older tiefling EA build a bit obsolete now.

The 3rd build which I am about to post is tiefling fiend but in enlightened spirit and conjuration/blasting focused. I think it's as good for soloing as the current bladeforged SE/TS build or the old Tiefling SE/TS build, but I have a slight preference for the SE/TS playstyle even though it's a little less forgiving and a little harder to play than an ES build. The SE/TS builds certainly scale better to R10 than ES.

Tiefling Fiend SE/TS in Exalted Angel is still viable - but it's lost ground relative to other builds do to the dc differences between magister and exalted angel.

As far as the R10 build goes you can easily substitute tiefling for dragonborn, but I think the Carceri Storm frozen footsteps is a great tool and ice storm is underrated as cc esp when you can combine it with sleet storm and salt LGS. The extra 3 DC for conjuration as a Dragonborn is what tips the scale for me.

If you don't have feydark illusionist you can spend more points in TS and other trees instead without losing much, but Greater Color Spray is really good.