Voodu Warlock: A Pure Warlock Enlightened Spirit Tank Project companion thread

[CaptEHCJ1]

First, just wow. The amount of time you put into sharing this info with us is amazing and amazingly well done. Thanks SO much!

I do have a question or two. Clearly, this build works and works well. But, I always thought that casters should put skillups in their primary stat (CHA in this case I believe) so that the DC of their spells is maximized and thus mobs do not resist spells cast. Now, clearly with this build, you do huge damage with your Aura, and also with the weapon. But, don't you need DC to take advantage of your spells? Do you get around this by simply not casting spells that are DC-based? Just curious and I apologize if you go into this in one of your videos which I have not watched. I have only viewed 4 or 5 of them thus far.

Why a rapier as your primary weapon?

I was watching the ToR video and you showed you had a Ruby of Devotion 138 and Ruby of Impulse 138. Where did/do you get those?

Your gear is amazing. Not being a hardcore player, I doubt I will ever achieve half of that stuff. Would this build be nearly as viable if I had the past lives, but gear that was notably inferior to yours?

Finally, you mention that you have lots of sources for extra HP but no source of healing. How do you think a build using Warforged would be given the repair they get? Especially noting that my gear will sub-par compared to what you have.

Thanks tons!

CaptEHCJ

[niknight]

First, just wow. The amount of time you put into sharing this info with us is amazing and amazingly well done. Thanks SO much!

I do have a question or two. Clearly, this build works and works well. But, I always thought that casters should put skillups in their primary stat (CHA in this case I believe) so that the DC of their spells is maximized and thus mobs do not resist spells cast. Now, clearly with this build, you do huge damage with your Aura, and also with the weapon. But, don't you need DC to take advantage of your spells? Do you get around this by simply not casting spells that are DC-based? Just curious and I apologize if you go into this in one of your videos which I have not watched. I have only viewed 4 or 5 of them thus far.

Why a rapier as your primary weapon?

I was watching the ToR video and you showed you had a Ruby of Devotion 138 and Ruby of Impulse 138. Where did/do you get those?

Your gear is amazing. Not being a hardcore player, I doubt I will ever achieve half of that stuff. Would this build be nearly as viable if I had the past lives, but gear that was notably inferior to yours?

Finally, you mention that you have lots of sources for extra HP but no source of healing. How do you think a build using Warforged would be given the repair they get? Especially noting that my gear will sub-par compared to what you have.

Thanks tons!

CaptEHCJ

1. The build is very viable without the gear and past lives. I'm currently running it on a toon with no Epic PL's and only one Heroic PL (Wiz). The only pieces of named loot I have are Shadowscale Armor, a Thunderforged Longsword, Lantern Ring and the Epic Blasting Chime and I'm still crushing EE's. You need to learn how to leverage Stanch a bit more than Voodu does, but it's still really good.

2. Even a Pale Master, completely maxed out with gear and past lives has a hard time hitting no-fail DC on their primary schools. A similarly geared ES Warlock will have 4 less Enchant DC than a PM and 6 less Necro DC. Add in the lack of bonus to Spell Penetration, and you really have no reason to try to hit any of your DC spells.

[Morroiel]

But, don't you need DC to take advantage of your spells? Do you get around this by simply not casting spells that are DC-based?

The only spells that have a DC are spells that also have a spell pen check. Warlock's are hamstrung in terms of spell pen (even if you have all gear and past lives). It's either all or nothing. He simply avoids investing most of his resources into casting DC/spell pen spells. This allows him to focus on tanking/damage as his 2 primary functions. Note that your blast has a DC attached to it for the pact damage, but as this damage is low compared to your damage from other sources, most neglect to focus on it. You shouldn't dump charisma, but you dont have to do an all-out investment for certain builds.

Why a rapier as your primary weapon?

Rapier has a good crit profile / good damage die. Mathematically it is one of the best weapons in the game (khopesh is better but that costs a feat).

I was watching the ToR video and you showed you had a Ruby of Devotion 138 and Ruby of Impulse 138. Where did/do you get those?

All augments can be found in chests in game. In addition you can sometimes find them in auction house. Worst comes to worst they cost roughly 100-200 turbine points each on the turbine store. You can get lower values at collectible trade-in locations.

Your gear is amazing. Not being a hardcore player, I doubt I will ever achieve half of that stuff. Would this build be nearly as viable if I had the past lives, but gear that was notably inferior to yours?

Warlock is viable first life. There is however a big difference between viable and top-shelf. PLs, particularly heroic pls, offer very little to the typical warlock build. The main thing that will elevate your warlock from viable to top-shelf includes: gear, epic pls, and most importantly game knowledge. Warlocks are often seen as a dumbed down class to play where you mostly right click / use same abilities over and over again. This image is true for newer players, for sure. However, warlock has a really high skill ceiling just like other caster classes. This takes time and experience to gain. If I were a new warlock player, I would rush to 20 and then spend a while farming epic pls till I had 3x arcane, 3x primal, 3x martial, 9x divine epls. I would try a variety of builds/pacts/etc. in each of my etrs till I found something that I liked. I would then probably heroic tr into an iconic sun elf and grind out the 3 pls there. Then tr and level back up to 30 playing a finalized build. If you did this, you would have enough experience to really start trying end game (LE raids).

Finally, you mention that you have lots of sources for extra HP but no source of healing. How do you think a build using Warforged would be given the repair they get?

I would not go warforged or bladeforged. In my opinion, drow or human/pdk(w/ heart of wood to get rid of fighter level) are the only real choices. Early levels, pots are enough (csw pots at guild vendor). At level 12+ you have shining thru and heal scrolls - this is realistically enough by a LONG LONG margin. At 20+ you have epic destiny sources of healing like cocoon. Shining through + cocoon is an almost instant back to full.

Best of luck.

[Vooduspyce]

First, just wow. The amount of time you put into sharing this info with us is amazing and amazingly well done. Thanks SO much!

I do have a question or two. Clearly, this build works and works well. But, I always thought that casters should put skillups in their primary stat (CHA in this case I believe) so that the DC of their spells is maximized and thus mobs do not resist spells cast. Now, clearly with this build, you do huge damage with your Aura, and also with the weapon. But, don't you need DC to take advantage of your spells? Do you get around this by simply not casting spells that are DC-based? Just curious and I apologize if you go into this in one of your videos which I have not watched. I have only viewed 4 or 5 of them thus far.

Why a rapier as your primary weapon?

I was watching the ToR video and you showed you had a Ruby of Devotion 138 and Ruby of Impulse 138. Where did/do you get those?

Your gear is amazing. Not being a hardcore player, I doubt I will ever achieve half of that stuff. Would this build be nearly as viable if I had the past lives, but gear that was notably inferior to yours?

Finally, you mention that you have lots of sources for extra HP but no source of healing. How do you think a build using Warforged would be given the repair they get? Especially noting that my gear will sub-par compared to what you have.

Thanks tons!

CaptEHCJ

Hey Capt, I'm glad you like the build, thanks for saying! It looks like others have answered your questions, so I will try not to be redundant.

Voodu doesn't rely on DC spells and I didn't feel much difference when I went charisma build the first life compared to constitution build after I ER'd. Warlocks are not traditional casters, and while you can build a DC-based warlock, this particular build is really just a burster that is built to survive as much as possible. 90% of my DPS is just from pressing 2 buttons (burst-burst). I originally used Tentacles and Sleet Storm a lot as crowd control, but in the end I found that I didn't really need them because I was so surviveable. I still occasionally use them, but never use Sleet Storm in a party unless they have Freedom of Movement.

I chose a rapier arbitrarily. I don't do much damage anyway with my weapon.

You will do fine as you're working toward tweaking your gear set. Some of the raiding gear can be a grind to get, but the good news is that there are better stats on randomly generated gear now. So with something like Sightless, for example, which I primarily have for 12 con and 35 PRR, there is better on randomly generated loot now! The Boots of Blessed Travels are largely about the Freedom of Movement, so you could substitute the easily farmable Orcish Privateer Boots from 3BC. The added defense of this build will make it that much easier for a newer or casual player to be successful with it.

For healing in epic levels I was using Rejuvenation Cocoon, Renewal, Stanch and Shining Through, along with some other minor temp HP thingies like Feigned Health. In heroics I used Heal scrolls as needed. Most of the time the aura and an occasional Cocoon or Renewal keeps me going.

I don't play robots, so I can't speak from experience, but I hear Bladeforged is a popular option for warlock.

I hope all your questions have been covered, but if not I am happy to advise, tho I won't have access to the forums March 16-22

[SilkofDrasnia]

Was wondering if you could give me a break down of how your getting your prr, mrr up so high so quickly for lvl 9. I see you have a aug of defense slotted for +6 prr and mrr but don't see where the rest of it is coming from.

I assume epic past lives but I still don't see where the extra prr, mrr is coming from. Looking at your video for lvl 9 your sitting at 66 prr and 65 mrr and 34 ac.

I am currently lvl 9 and sitting at 40 prr and 42 mrr with 45 ac but no aug of defense which would add +6 to bring my prr and mrr up to 46 and 48. Where's the rest of that coming from? I can see you getting +9 prr from your divine ePL but where's the rest of the prr and mrr coming from?

[Vooduspyce]

Was wondering if you could give me a break down of how your getting your prr, mrr up so high so quickly for lvl 9. I see you have a aug of defense slotted for +6 prr and mrr but don't see where the rest of it is coming from.

I assume epic past lives but I still don't see where the extra prr, mrr is coming from. Looking at your video for lvl 9 your sitting at 66 prr and 65 mrr and 34 ac.

I am currently lvl 9 and sitting at 40 prr and 42 mrr with 45 ac but no aug of defense which would add +6 to bring my prr and mrr up to 46 and 48. Where's the rest of that coming from? I can see you getting +9 prr from your divine ePL but where's the rest of the prr and mrr coming from?

Hey Silk,

It would be tough for me to give you an itemized breakdown for what I had at level 9, but i can tell you that at that point Voodu basically only had some caster heroic past lives and only 2 epic past lives (1 brace and 1 colors) so none of the MRR and only 3 PRR is from past lives. The rest is from the shield, armor, augment and Enlightened Spirit enhancements. I hope that helps and if that doesn't make sense then I'll try to make more sense of it, lmk

[SilkofDrasnia]

Hey Silk,

It would be tough for me to give you an itemized breakdown for what I had at level 9, but i can tell you that at that point Voodu basically only had some caster heroic past lives and only 2 epic past lives (1 brace and 1 colors) so none of the MRR and only 3 PRR is from past lives. The rest is from the shield, armor, augment and Enlightened Spirit enhancements. I hope that helps and if that doesn't make sense then I'll try to make more sense of it, lmk

Hmm just wondering what I am missing and if I can improve my prr, mrr somehow. My gear has to be somewhat redone as I now have the blasting chime trinket and I am in the process of farming some mysterious remnants to get some lvl 12 aug for my luck blade and for some defense augs. I have pretty much the same enhancements and I'm wearing a planeforged breatsplate of sup. stability. I do not have a defense 6 aug yet.



It's pretty close just wondering what I am forgetting.

[Vooduspyce]

Hmm just wondering what I am missing and if I can improve my prr, mrr somehow. My gear has to be somewhat redone as I now have the blasting chime trinket and I am in the process of farming some mysterious remnants to get some lvl 12 aug for my luck blade and for some defense augs. I have pretty much the same enhancements and I'm wearing a planeforged breatsplate of sup. stability. I do not have a defense 6 aug yet.

It's pretty close just wondering what I am forgetting.

Looking good! Could the slight difference be from ship buffs?

[SilkofDrasnia]

Looking good! Could the slight difference be from ship buffs?

Dunno could be, we have a lvl 96 guild and a dead kraken, not sure what buffs you can get past that as it not something we look at much.

[cru121]

It's pretty close just wondering what I am forgetting.

Probably this was before the PRR nerf and introduction of ASF for warlock SLAs. OP probably wore heavy armor without profiency.

[Lerl]

I really enjoy running your GingerSpyce build. Thanks for posting it.

I am looking at this build and while I see that you are using medium armor, I don't see where you have gained proficiency with it. You don't seem to have taken the feat, and the enhancements you show don't have the proficiency selected. I even read the whole thread looking to see if I missed it, but I didn't see anything. What am I missing?

[Vooduspyce]

I really enjoy running your GingerSpyce build. Thanks for posting it.

I am looking at this build and while I see that you are using medium armor, I don't see where you have gained proficiency with it. You don't seem to have taken the feat, and the enhancements you show don't have the proficiency selected. I even read the whole thread looking to see if I missed it, but I didn't see anything. What am I missing?

Hey Lerl, I'm glad you're liking the Gingerspyce build, thanks for saying!

With Voodu I get medium armor proficiency from the Enlightened Spirit enhancement line. It's tier 4 on the left side between Eldritch Burst and Spirit Blast, as shown in the enhancement graphic link in the OP.

I hope you will enjoy trying out this build too

[Lerl]

I tried warlock when it first came out and didn't like it. Following this build, it is better.

I asked about the proficiency because the graphic does not show that you have chosen that enhancement, hence my confusion.

[Vooduspyce]

I tried warlock when it first came out and didn't like it. Following this build, it is better.

I asked about the proficiency because the graphic does not show that you have chosen that enhancement, hence my confusion.

It does, it's just not very bright and colorful when selected. You can tell for sure because it says "1/1" under it.

[Devilteck]

Think I am going to try this as a dwarf

[Vooduspyce]

Think I am going to try this as a dwarf

That's going to be some sexy hps! let us know how high you get it

[proteu]

Firstval thank you for this build, this is the first one im able to effectively, ie without spending store hp potions or sp potions, solo any epic elite content.

Im still level 27 but i have cleaned all quests 20 - 24 solo epic elite. And with minimal gear.

The build is based in the one you have here but it's a BF version, Beepbop has allways been a machine so between wf and bf i have chosen to be a BF.

As a BF i cant profit from medium armor so i chosen to drop Force of Personality for Mithral Body. Atm im using a Large Shield: Fanion but im working to get a skyvault from tor.

I wonder if would be a good tradeoff to go Admantine Body and invest to lower the cast penault... but i think i can only drop to 4%cast failure so not sure on how usefull it could be.

I have started to spec into racial Reconstruct but it was unnecessary (i was rarely using it) so i droped that to try out Consume and Stricken... again im unsure of how usefull that is...

Any ideas for improvements?

[Vooduspyce]

Firstval thank you for this build, this is the first one im able to effectively, ie without spending store hp potions or sp potions, solo any epic elite content.

Im still level 27 but i have cleaned all quests 20 - 24 solo epic elite. And with minimal gear.

The build is based in the one you have here but it's a BF version, Beepbop has allways been a machine so between wf and bf i have chosen to be a BF.

As a BF i cant profit from medium armor so i chosen to drop Force of Personality for Mithral Body. Atm im using a Large Shield: Fanion but im working to get a skyvault from tor.

I wonder if would be a good tradeoff to go Admantine Body and invest to lower the cast penault... but i think i can only drop to 4%cast failure so not sure on how usefull it could be.

I have started to spec into racial Reconstruct but it was unnecessary (i was rarely using it) so i droped that to try out Consume and Stricken... again im unsure of how usefull that is...

Any ideas for improvements?

Hey Proteu, I'm glad you're having fun with the build! I never play robots, so I am no help here. Generally speaking though, you want to get your ASF to zero if you can. If you're just doing this for a past life then not a big deal, but if you are planning on keeping this build then I highly recommend finding a path to zero ASF. Hopefully others here can advise

[CaptEHCJ1]

Now that I am playing this build - just Wow. The most survivable toon I have ever played. Really enjoying it. Just tanked (2-manned) ToR EE with Dragons and Giants at level 25. I tanked a Dragon or Giant or sometimes both. Was a blast! Thanks ever so much.

That being said, I am wondering if I found a bug or WAI and I just don't get it. Concerning Spirit Blast. First, Eldrich Burst works as written and as I expect - refreshing at the advertised rate of once every 5 seconds (assuming you spend 3 points on it). But Spirit Blast seems to refresh at 8 seconds if I have spent 3 points on it or not. If this is a bug, has it been reported and commented on? Should I (until the bug is fixed) spend only 1 point in Spirit Blast and thus free up 2 points? I don't see why not.. thoughts?

Thanks again!

CaptEHCJ

[Vooduspyce]

Now that I am playing this build - just Wow. The most survivable toon I have ever played. Really enjoying it. Just tanked (2-manned) ToR EE with Dragons and Giants at level 25. I tanked a Dragon or Giant or sometimes both. Was a blast! Thanks ever so much.

That being said, I am wondering if I found a bug or WAI and I just don't get it. Concerning Spirit Blast. First, Eldrich Burst works as written and as I expect - refreshing at the advertised rate of once every 5 seconds (assuming you spend 3 points on it). But Spirit Blast seems to refresh at 8 seconds if I have spent 3 points on it or not. If this is a bug, has it been reported and commented on? Should I (until the bug is fixed) spend only 1 point in Spirit Blast and thus free up 2 points? I don't see why not.. thoughts?

Thanks again!

CaptEHCJ

Hey Capt, I'm a big fan of surviveability and I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying that part of it! I love being able to stand up against half the dungeon at once

My first guess is that you need to just drag it from your char sheet into your hotbar again. That the one in your hotbar was from when you only had 1 or 2 points in it and is a "remnant". Try that and see if it fixes it. If not then reset your enhancements and try again.

I can't personally test it right now because Voodu is on a TR binge and is currently a cleric. It definitely wasn't my experience though, and I haven't heard anyone else say anything like this.