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

[blackthorn357]

Wow you are a founder and posting for the first time ever in my thread, that is an honor!

Lol The honor is all mine! I loved the game tremendously but had to step away for quite a long time. Things happen and life gets in the way sometimes. Once I got back everything had changed so much it was basically a new game again. I am thoroughly enjoying it just as much this time around even though I'm a born again noob lol. I never posted in the forums back in the day because it was nothing but a non-stop epeen competition. It seems times have changed on the forums as well, much more helpful people nowadays. I appreciate the suggestions and will definitely catch you around sometime. I'm on Orien, but may just copy a toon over to stop by and say hi. Thanks again!

[Vooduspyce]

Yeah, I've watched almost all of your videos, and I couldn't tell where the pass began. I just wanted to see if there was much difference and you've got a whole documentary on the class since it went live.


Nov. 21 2015 is the date I was looking for.

At the Bottom of the OP I have all the episodes of the Voodu Warlock series listed. There is a big note emphasizing that Episodes 1-16 take place prior to the 10/21/15 balance pass. Starting with episode 17, which was published on December 11, 2015, I changed to a con build instead of a charisma build, so there won't be any good before and after comparisons in the series. It's also difficult to say exactly when the videos were made, because I made them sometimes weeks before posting them, so finding the November 21 dividing line would be tough. I also no longer have the original recordings on my PC from back then so can't reference there. All I can say for sure is that episode 16 is before 10/21/15 and episode 17 is after.

[Albernon]

I am looking at your build and wonder if it would be worth swapping out improved shield mastery for combat expertise. You would be giving up 10PRR from the feat and the Unyielding Sentinel tree, but you could twist in a tier 2 from Dreadnought and get 20PRR back. If I understand combat expertise right it does not affect SLAs. I don't think it affects Eldritch Blast. I know you would be losing a bit of DPS from the double strike and melee power. This may also be a poor mans alternative if you don't want to invest 3 feats into getting shields. I feel like I have to be missing something because no one else suggested this. Can someone tell me what I am missing?

[Vooduspyce]

I am looking at your build and wonder if it would be worth swapping out improved shield mastery for combat expertise. You would be giving up 10PRR from the feat and the Unyielding Sentinel tree, but you could twist in a tier 2 from Dreadnought and get 20PRR back. If I understand combat expertise right it does not affect SLAs. I don't think it affects Eldritch Blast. I know you would be losing a bit of DPS from the double strike and melee power. This may also be a poor mans alternative if you don't want to invest 3 feats into getting shields. I feel like I have to be missing something because no one else suggested this. Can someone tell me what I am missing?

That is definitely an option. I ran with Combat Expertise for a life or 2 and I think I mentioned in some videos at the time that if I had another feat I would seriously consider it. Despite the fact that I don't cast a lot of regular spells, I was a little irritated by the longer cool downs for spells like Evard's Black Tentacles, Otto's Irresistable Dance and Sleet Storm. I probably should give it another try since I really don't use those spells that much, though when needed they can provide some nice crowd control. I should try it again and just get used to toggling CE off as needed.

[unbongwah]

I am looking at your build and wonder if it would be worth swapping out improved shield mastery for combat expertise.

Since this isn't a max-CHA build, I would just switch to human for the extra feat so you keep both.

[Durten]

First off, love your videos. Secondly, I'm curious to see what you do with your Slaver Crafted Gear. You did the video on how to and mentioned a couple items you might make. What do your Slave Lord Crafted Items plans look like?

If we look at your posted gear....

Goggles: random gen. conjuration +6, insightful evocation +2, insightful spell penetration +2
If you craft spell focus you can get +6, this item loses a lot of punch (especially if you get at lest a 3 piece Sorcery set bonus)

Head: Legendary Pansophic Circlet (mythic +1 slotted with Crushing Wave Guard)
KEEP

Neck: Resonation (slotted with Draconic Soul Gem)
This could be replaced, but I think if you have Resonation, you wear it.

Trinket: Epic Litany of the Dead (slotted with power 250 and insightful cha +2)
Replaceable, but will you? I don't have one so I will craft a trinket. Not having one, how valuable do you find Turn the page? How often does Light of Dawn help you out?

Cloak: Countenance (slotted with Greater Evocation and Greater Conjuration)
+12 CHA will likely be outdone by +17 on crafted item. EVO focus V by spell focus on crafted. Radiance lore could be topped by crafted as well as could spell pen though I don't spell pen is a goal on this build so likely ignore that. Seems like this item might be made redundant by crafted.

Belt: crafted Constitution +15, False Life 57, Insightful Constitution +7
So this is an obvious crafting spot - or is it? +2 on CON, but False life shares the slot so you'd have to put that on another item. You can't do Insightful CON but yo do get +4 Quality. Given you can do 4 enchantments on it plus augment and set bonus I'm guessing you craft a belt.


Quiver: Quiver of Alacrity
Ring1: Lantern Ring (slotted with Golem's Heart and Perform 15)
Keep. Though you will likely craft better Radiance and Lore, keep this just for the damage proc?

Ring2: Circle of Malevolence (slotted with Globe of True Imperial Blood and protection +8)
I don't tank so I would craft for certain. Will you give up the threat gen from this item?

Hands: Legendary Dashing Gloves (slotted with strength +8)
KEEP

Bracers: Epic Ethereal Bracers (slotted with Good Luck +2 and Natural Armor +8)
If going for set bonus, craft here?

Boots: Boots of Blessed Travels (slotted with insightful dex +2 and Concentration +13)
Would like to craft for set bonus, but give up FoM and Dodge?

Armor: Scalemail of the Celestial Sage (slotted with Power 250)
Shield: Epic Shield of Tireless Aid (Mythic +4 slotted with Spell Agility +15)
Weapon: Legendary Green Steel Radiance (t1 +30 heal amp, t2 +9 quality MRR, t3 +70 heal amp) See how this weapon performs on warlock HERE.

[Vooduspyce]

First off, love your videos. Secondly, I'm curious to see what you do with your Slaver Crafted Gear. You did the video on how to and mentioned a couple items you might make. What do your Slave Lord Crafted Items plans look like?

If we look at your posted gear....

Goggles: random gen. conjuration +6, insightful evocation +2, insightful spell penetration +2
If you craft spell focus you can get +6, this item loses a lot of punch (especially if you get at lest a 3 piece Sorcery set bonus)

Head: Legendary Pansophic Circlet (mythic +1 slotted with Crushing Wave Guard)
KEEP

Neck: Resonation (slotted with Draconic Soul Gem)
This could be replaced, but I think if you have Resonation, you wear it.

Trinket: Epic Litany of the Dead (slotted with power 250 and insightful cha +2)
Replaceable, but will you? I don't have one so I will craft a trinket. Not having one, how valuable do you find Turn the page? How often does Light of Dawn help you out?

Cloak: Countenance (slotted with Greater Evocation and Greater Conjuration)
+12 CHA will likely be outdone by +17 on crafted item. EVO focus V by spell focus on crafted. Radiance lore could be topped by crafted as well as could spell pen though I don't spell pen is a goal on this build so likely ignore that. Seems like this item might be made redundant by crafted.

Belt: crafted Constitution +15, False Life 57, Insightful Constitution +7
So this is an obvious crafting spot - or is it? +2 on CON, but False life shares the slot so you'd have to put that on another item. You can't do Insightful CON but yo do get +4 Quality. Given you can do 4 enchantments on it plus augment and set bonus I'm guessing you craft a belt.


Quiver: Quiver of Alacrity
Ring1: Lantern Ring (slotted with Golem's Heart and Perform 15)
Keep. Though you will likely craft better Radiance and Lore, keep this just for the damage proc?

Ring2: Circle of Malevolence (slotted with Globe of True Imperial Blood and protection +8)
I don't tank so I would craft for certain. Will you give up the threat gen from this item?

Hands: Legendary Dashing Gloves (slotted with strength +8)
KEEP

Bracers: Epic Ethereal Bracers (slotted with Good Luck +2 and Natural Armor +8)
If going for set bonus, craft here?

Boots: Boots of Blessed Travels (slotted with insightful dex +2 and Concentration +13)
Would like to craft for set bonus, but give up FoM and Dodge?

Armor: Scalemail of the Celestial Sage (slotted with Power 250)
Shield: Epic Shield of Tireless Aid (Mythic +4 slotted with Spell Agility +15)
Weapon: Legendary Green Steel Radiance (t1 +30 heal amp, t2 +9 quality MRR, t3 +70 heal amp) See how this weapon performs on warlock HERE.

Hey Durten, I am in the middle of making major changes to the gear set and am planning on updating the OP probably tomorrow night after I get some LGS crafted.
The new gear set will include a 2 piece LGS HP bonus opposition set (goggles and cloak), a 3 piece slavers set (2 rings and bracers) and the trinket gets replaced by Legendary Planar Compass (for Ghostly and PRR/MRR). I also plan on experimenting with a LGS vacuum and a LGS salt weapon on the advice of others. I really like the FOM on the boots so will be keeping those. Resonation will stay for now and the belt is Cannith crafted and will also stay for now. The goggles, litany, countenance, bracers and both rings are going. I haven't yet made the 3rd slavers piece and I'm leaning toward the Endurance set because I just don't feel like the sorcery set bonus does anything tangible for me.

I am also likely to abandon Sentinel as my primary destiny, saving it just for raid tanking, because I have found that after amassing PRR and AC from epic past lives that my defenses are great without it. My PRR is well over 200 without Sentinel, for example, and I still have more PRR and AC to get from epl's. I will still recommend Sentinel for first lifers and until a comfortable amount of defensive past lives are acquired.

I've already said to much, lol. I'll be making changes to the OP soon

[math92]

how do you deal with arcane spell failure ?

[Vooduspyce]

how do you deal with arcane spell failure ?

Hey Math,

An Enlightened Spirit does not receive spell failure for wearing medium armor if taking tier 4 Medium Armor Proficiency. So the only ASF I have is 15% from the large shield, which can be overcome by using a Sapphire of Spell Agility +15 augment, available by trading tokens to Lahar, the epic trader in The Twelve.

At low levels I use a small mithril shield blank to craft on, which has no ASF. At level 14 I use Fanion, which has no ASF and at L25 I use Skyvault Shield, which has no ASF. You can check out the DDO wiki entry Reducing Arcane Spell Failure for more info and ideas for reducing ASF if you like and if you have other questions lmk

[math92]

Hey Math,

An Enlightened Spirit does not receive spell failure for wearing medium armor if taking tier 4 Medium Armor Proficiency. So the only ASF I have is 15% from the large shield, which can be overcome by using a Sapphire of Spell Agility +15 augment, available by trading tokens to Lahar, the epic trader in The Twelve.

At low levels I use a small mithril shield blank to craft on, which has no ASF. At level 14 I use Fanion, which has no ASF and at L25 I use Skyvault Shield, which has no ASF. You can check out the DDO wiki entry Reducing Arcane Spell Failure for more info and ideas for reducing ASF if you like and if you have other questions lmk

thank you

[Lumpsack]

..moved to its own thread.

[cmecu]

Is this build still up to date?

I just finished Warlock to 30 I did one of Slarden builds

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...ld-Blast-Build

I have been looking at yours also and now my 1 to 30 TR I want to try yours.

Also gear while leveling up, in your videos, are they still optimal / good items to have while leveling? I just wanted to make sure what skills, abilities, spell power, other things to have on gear while leveling to be optimal.

I look forward to trying your build. Ill TR after I get a response. THank you.

[Vooduspyce]

Is this build still up to date?

I just finished Warlock to 30 I did one of Slarden builds

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...ld-Blast-Build

I have been looking at yours also and now my 1 to 30 TR I want to try yours.

Also gear while leveling up, in your videos, are they still optimal / good items to have while leveling? I just wanted to make sure what skills, abilities, spell power, other things to have on gear while leveling to be optimal.

I look forward to trying your build. Ill TR after I get a response. THank you.

Hey Cmecu,

Yup it's still up to date. I've been meaning to add a section that talks about doing the build with fewer past lives vs. doing the build with a bunch of past lives. The nutshell version is that when I started the project I had just a handful of heroic past lives and I think only 1 epic past life. Once I acquired a bunch of epic past lives, specifically the defensive ones, I found that I could do regular EE/LE questing in other destinies and still use the same tanky playstyle (I personally like Divine Crusader), and I just use Unyielding Sentinel for high end raiding/tanking. I would still recommend using Sentinel for this build for new players or folks without a bunch of past lives. Note that in the video series, episodes 1-16 are prior to the balance pass of 10/21/15 and after that the build changes to a medium armor constitution build, which is what I currently use.

If you choose to do the build, I am happy to offer advice along the way

[cmecu]

Awesome, thank you. I watched ALL of your videos, and it was quite entertaining. My question I have for you right now is even though of the changes that were made, would you still use the same gear in the video while you are leveling up? Just making sure I have ideal gear while leveling, and also make crafted stuff, or farm for specific pieces that will be very beneficial to the build while leveling.

[Vooduspyce]

Awesome, thank you. I watched ALL of your videos, and it was quite entertaining. My question I have for you right now is even though of the changes that were made, would you still use the same gear in the video while you are leveling up? Just making sure I have ideal gear while leveling, and also make crafted stuff, or farm for specific pieces that will be very beneficial to the build while leveling.

Leveling gear has definitely evolved. I recently did a livestream with Voodu, working through a deep gnome and cleric life but with 9 levels of warlock and playing as a warlock. I talk about the gear in the livestream at 9:45 mark if you want to see what I'm using these days at level 19. I am planning on making another video that shows some level 20 craftables that I've made and I will try to remember to post that here when I do. Hope that helps

[Vooduspyce]

Awesome, thank you. I watched ALL of your videos, and it was quite entertaining. My question I have for you right now is even though of the changes that were made, would you still use the same gear in the video while you are leveling up? Just making sure I have ideal gear while leveling, and also make crafted stuff, or farm for specific pieces that will be very beneficial to the build while leveling.

Hey Cmecu,

I said I'd do a video where I talked about the level 20 cannith crafted gear I used on Voodu. On today's live stream I show and talk about my level 20 gear at the 5:00 mark

[Mantis187]

would u recommend this for a first char build? i was making a 18wiz/rog but found out that the heal nerf for reaper runs later on makes it not that great of a "all content" build. im looking for something for my first character i can do all the content and lock or sorc was recommended. Dont care if i tank or cast just want my first char to be able to do everything the game has to offer.

[Vooduspyce]

would u recommend this for a first char build? i was making a 18wiz/rog but found out that the heal nerf for reaper runs later on makes it not that great of a "all content" build. im looking for something for my first character i can do all the content and lock or sorc was recommended. Dont care if i tank or cast just want my first char to be able to do everything the game has to offer.

Hey Mantis,

I think this would be a good build to follow for a first toon. It's easy to play and the extra survivability will be helpful for a new player or new toon to stay alive where they otherwise might not be. Even if you don't want to tank raid bosses, the added defenses of the build compliment the close-quarters play style of a bursting warlock. Things start of a little slow for the first handful of levels, so don't be discouraged by that.

If you decide to make your own Voodulock, I am happy to answer questions if you have along the way

[Vooduspyce]

Since this post got a bump I updated some of the stats and made some additional notes about playing in reaper mode. Overall I'm pretty happy about how Voodu is performing in reaper questing. I will also soon add some additional play style notes/tips based on some feedback I've gotten recently

[Mantis187]

loving the build man, still have ALOT to learn about the game and past life stuff. HP is kinda low atm 213/190 something with the temp hp boost but since this is my first toon and i have done 0 crafting im using what i can get. think i have atm 113 spell power for light, which is working out pretty good. most of the groups i get into kill stuff so fast i dont have time to enjoy the quests. so might just go solo for a bit to get the most out of it.