Darkness Disciple

[JumboWheat01]

I'll admit, I've been tempted to make a new cleric the moment the new divine feats dropped, and now I'm finally getting around to making a caster one, thanks to Aureon's tasty active buff. However, I'm a little burned out on light-based things, so I'm looking at doing a Darkness Divine Disciple. Any problems beyond the standard undead that I should know about? I mean, it's not like I'll ONLY be casting negative damage spells, I'm not that silly...

[unbongwah]

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthrea...or-new-players

Hasn't been updated in a while, but I suppose the only real change (apart from new gear etc.) is I'd say Aureon is a better deity choice for a caster cleric thanks to Aureon's Instruction.

[Rush007]

Negative Nancy follower of Aureon but using a sickle not a quarterstaff.

Negative focused build that does more than just instant kill. The negative SLA's are nothing to write home about but they do give a chance for -5 fort debuff from necromancy augmentation twist from magister. Follow up with implosion or burst of glacial wrath. Radiant servant saves tons of mana and frees up from healing from incidental damage. Turns can be used to heal, cure, stat damage, poison, disease, blindness, petrification.

Single target rotation
Necrotic ray, which should hit like a truck, neg levels and chance of fort debuff
Destruction

Sunbeam for continued DPS if target isn't instant killable, followed by Necrotic Ray, Word of Balance

Deathward of course negative energy won't work on. There are tools for this with sunbolt, power word stun, sun beam, word of balance.

Group rotation
Sunburst or Command for CC and chance of greensteel salt proc
Negative energy burst for chance at debuff and damage
Burst of glacial wrath or implosion
Hellball
Negative energy burst

FEATS

8 normal - human
spell focus necromancy
spell focus evocation
spell penetration
greater spell penetration
quicken
heighten
maximize
empower healing

4 epic
epic spell penetration
master of death (arcane insight? drop chill touch sla, pick up necrotic bolt in enhancements instead. Use these spells as aoe debuff or low hp finisher instead of trying to fix bad spells with a feat)
burst of glacial wrath
embolden

3 destiny
skill focus spellcraft
hellball or mass frog but I don't like the bugged spell pen check on it
deific warding (build uses light armor for spell focus insight so PRR is needed) or arcane pulse

1 legendary
Scion of the Feywild

DC BREAKDOWN

Modified further by consumables and any past lives of course. Breakdown does not include these or slave lords set bonus. Add +4 wisdom as a temp boost and +3 spell penetration from Aureon's Instruction.

wisdom base 18 + 7 level up + 17 item + 7 insight + 1 exceptional + 4 quality + 7 tome + 5 enhancements + 2 capstone + 2 ship + 2 festive + 2 profane = 74 + 6 ED = 80

necro DC 19 base + 35 wisdom + 6 item + 3 insight + 2 augment + 1 feat + 3 necro specialist + 3 exalted angel + 2 legendary + 1 enhancement + 2 embolden + 2 quality = 79

evocation 19 DC base + 35 wisdom + 7 item + 3 insight + 2 augment + 1 feat + 2 precise evocation + 3 exalted angel + 2 legendary + 2 embolden + 2 quality = 78

enchant DC 19 base + 35 wisdom + 6 item + 3 insight + 2 augment + 3 exalted angel + 4 legendary + 2 embolden + 2 quality = 76

spell penetration 25 base + 8 feats + 7 item + 3 ED Twist + 3 enhancements + 3 insight = 49

Spell penetration is a sore spot for build that spends 3 feats, 6 AP, 3 destiny points just to get into a chance for a roll. Past lives help tremendously here.

ENHANCEMENTS

Capstone in Divine Disciple, tier 5 in Raidant Servant for the aura. Taking negative spellpower also boosts word of balance which is a nice perk.

Divine Disciple (41 AP)

CORES: Emissary: Darkness, Sacred Defense, Enervation, Necrotic Ray, Power Word: Stun, Transcend: Darkness

Tier 1 - Spellpower: Negative III, Spell Critical: Universal, SLA Chill Touch
Tier 2 - Spell Penetration III, Spellpower: Universal III, Spell Critical: Universal
Tier 3 - Spellpower: Negative III, Spell Critical: Universal, Wisdom
Tier 4 - Necromancy DC, Spell Critical: Universal, Wisdom, SLA Negative Energy Burst

Radiant Servant (34 AP)

CORES: Healing Domain, Pacifism, Positive Energy Burst, Improved Empower Healing, Positive Energy Shield

Tier 1 - Extra Turning III, Divine Cleansing III, ALturism III
Tier 2 - Improved Turning III
Tier 3 - Unyielding Sovereignty, Wisdom
Tier 4 - Endless Turning III, Wisdom
Tier 5 - Positive Energy Aura

Human (5 AP)

CORES: Skill Boost Spellpower, Wisdom

Tier 1 - Improved Recovery


DESTINY: Exalted Angel

Fairly standard, get wisdom. Twist if you need spell penetration from magister. More light and postive spell power doesn't hurt but endless faith is what we are after.

Tier 1 - Radiant Power III, Endless Faith III, Healing Power III, Wisdom
Tier 2 - Wisdom
Tier 3 - Wisdom
Tier 4 - Wisdom
Tier 5 - Leap of Faith, Wisdom
Tier 6 - Divine Vengenace, Wisdom

TWISTS

Necromancy augmentation (or spell penetration or empyrean magic which charges for free with positive energy aura)
Necromancy specialist
Precise evocation
Wisdom (or Interrogation or Insidious spores)

GEAR

Salt greensteel gives build something clerics do not get normally and that is a slow. Unsure on how much it procs or if it only goes off on a single target on all of the targets from an AOE spell. Slave lords gear you can fill in anyway you like or sub for cannith crafted in the mean time for stats. A gear piece with +7 insight con for example.

RING - Legendary Spinneret Ring
RING - +17 INT, 185 Negative, +6 spell focus mastery
HELMET - Panosphoic Circlet
GOGGLES - Greensteel INT Skills
WEAPON - Greensteel 150 Neg, +7 insight wisdom, 37 Neg, SALT
OFFHAND - Legendary Tireless Aid
BOOTS - Boots of the Innocent
CLOAK - Earthen Mantle
NECKLACE - +17 WIS, 185 Devotion
BELT - +17 CON, 185 Fire (Firestorm and Flamestrike exist even if they aren't good)
TRINKET - Litany of the Dead
ARMOR - Leathers of the Celestial Sage
BRACERS - Greensteel Crit Neg Amp or Free spot
GLOVES - Legendary Dashing Gloves or Healing AMP

[SirValentine]

Any problems beyond the standard undead that I should know about?

I'm not sure negative-nuking will be very effective, if that's what you mean. But if you go for that, let us know how it works out; I'm curious.

But Necromancy DC-casting can work reasonably well. And if you go that route, undead aren't a particular problem. That's what the spell Undeath to Death is for!

...Aureon's tasty active buff.

Helm's not bad, either, if you're a Deep Gnome, which has a racial Wisdom advantage.

[SirValentine]

Nice breakdown. I'd add a few more suggestions or alternate paths to consider.

Single target rotation
Necrotic ray, which should hit like a truck, neg levels and chance of fort debuff
Destruction

If Destruction is on your list, why not Slay Living? Twice the dark insta-killing goodness!

FEATS
empower healing

Empower Healing is probably unneeded overkill. You could put in Greater Spell Focus, or the Wiz PL if you have access, or even Enlarge, in it's place.

1 legendary
Scion of the Feywild

Also consider Scion on the Shadowfell. More Necro DC, more Negative spell power.

ENHANCEMENTS
Capstone in Divine Disciple, tier 5 in Raidant Servant for the aura. Taking negative spellpower also boosts word of balance which is a nice perk.

Tier 5 in Radiant...ouch. Personally I just don't think the Aura is good enough for that. Divine Healing can provide a long-lasting heal-over-time, and people don't even have to stay in range of you to keep benefiting. If you drop from 34 to 22 in RS, you can put 12 into Warpriest to pick up PRR, HP, DR, spellpower (Light & Fire), and +1 Wisdom.

TWISTS

Consider Acute Instincts for +2 Wisdom (and other minor buffs), if you can stand drinking a Rage potion every minute and a half, or run with people with Rage spell or Primal Scream or whatever.

GEAR
GOGGLES - Greensteel INT Skills
ARMOR - Leathers of the Celestial Sage

Getting +3 Insightful to all schools is nice, but you are giving up +1 Profane to all schools. Personally I wear the Shadow Caster armor, and have +3 Insightful Necromancy on my Goggles.

[JumboWheat01]

I'm not sure negative-nuking will be very effective, if that's what you mean. But if you go for that, let us know how it works out; I'm curious.

But Necromancy DC-casting can work reasonably well. And if you go that route, undead aren't a particular problem. That's what the spell Undeath to Death is for!

Yeah, I'm discovering that, though some Empowered Chill Touches do leave a mark. Smacking things with Cause Fear and Doom on the other hand feels very satisfying. Doom 'em first, then watch those annoying casters mobs run around in fear. Very handy so far. Taking Spell Focus: Necromancy as my elf's first feat has definitely proven itself useful.

[Rush007]

Nice breakdown. I'd add a few more suggestions or alternate paths to consider.

#1 If Destruction is on your list, why not Slay Living? Twice the dark insta-killing good

#2 Empower Healing is probably unneeded overkill. You could put in Greater Spell Focus, or the Wiz PL if you have access, or even Enlarge, in it's place.

#3 Also consider Scion on the Shadowfell. More Necro DC, more Negative spell power.

#4 Tier 5 in Radiant...ouch. Personally I just don't think the Aura is good enough for that. Divine Healing can provide a long-lasting heal-over-time, and people don't even have to stay in range of you to keep benefiting. If you drop from 34 to 22 in RS, you can put 12 into Warpriest to pick up PRR, HP, DR, spellpower (Light & Fire), and +1 Wisdom.

#5 Consider Acute Instincts for +2 Wisdom (and other minor buffs), if you can stand drinking a Rage potion every minute and a half, or run with people with Rage spell or Primal Scream or whatever.

#6 Getting +3 Insightful to all schools is nice, but you are giving up +1 Profane to all schools. Personally I wear the Shadow Caster armor, and have +3 Insightful Necromancy on my Goggles.

#1 Yep should be on list, oversight

#2 Empower healing is for aura and it is 100 spellpower from radiant core instead of 75. Aura keeps the build alive with it healing for 190 or so with my limited healing amp gear. (As a light evoker right now) If build goes into another tree that feat is free. I will have to test aura with it on and without to see if it is truly worth it.

#3 Considered shadowfell certainly but went with feywild for a couple of reasons. Feywild gives 30 universal instead of 40 just negative spellpower and being universal it applies to hellball, word of balance, healing and negative. Also the 20 healing amp is better than the have to hit things with a melee weapon healing from shadowfell. Shadowfell does have better necro DC.

#4 The aura is one of the signature things clerics have. It's mana free healing, frees up healing every single arrow that hits you which means you can do more actions for CC or DPS instead of stopping to heal. It's survival and mana savings all in one. It also charges Empyrean Magic for free if you so chose to twist it which is 10% crit and 20 universal spell power if you don't like the on hit chance of necro augmentation -5 fort save twist. It's not for healing others, staying in range of melee is painful its for self preservation.

If I went without Radiant Servant I was considering Tier 5 Harper tree. There is 48 universal spell power and 1 DC for all schools for 35ish points along with INT to hit and damage and 15 MP. I'd go just for spellpower tho as gearing a hybrid for DC, melee, and spell dps would be stretching it. (Actual 45 spellpower for 38 points losing 1 wisdom and healing amp in human. 16 cores, 1 from 2 INT, 15 versatile adept, 3 highly skilled, 10 harper weapon enhance.)

#5 Haven't noticed that one. It'd be good for more DC if fate points are available for a 3-2-2-2 split.

#6 Insight is hard to gear for as it only exists on goggles and a few other items which are getting outdated or take up the weapon slot losing greensteel and shield. Build wants to use Necro, Evoc, and Enchant so out of slots to fit insight for all of those. With all the generic DC boosting from say exalted, slave lords, quality, spell focus mastery, legendary feat getting a useable cometfall is feasible with just high wisdom. Would be able to hit fort, reflex and will CC's.

[SirValentine]

#3 Considered shadowfell certainly but went with feywild for a couple of reasons. Feywild gives 30 universal instead of 40 just negative spellpower and being universal it applies to hellball, word of balance, healing and negative.

Shadowfell gives universal as well. I just noticed the wiki's wrong on that.

The aura is one of the signature things clerics have. It's mana free healing, frees up healing every single arrow that hits you which means you can do more actions for CC or DPS instead of stopping to heal. It's survival and mana savings all in one.
...It's not for healing others...

Shrug. If it's just for yourself, not others, I use my turns for mana-free heal-over-time, too, without giving up my Tier 5. If the aura was, say, the level 12 core, I'd use it, but I don't value it enough to use my Tier 5. Not saying it's bad, but different strokes.

Also, it's hard for me to call it signature (or any Tier 5, for that matter) when any light splash can pick it up. It was signature before the enhancement re-make.

[SirValentine]

Considered shadowfell certainly but went with feywild for a couple of reasons. Feywild gives 30 universal instead of 40 just negative spellpower and being universal it applies to hellball, word of balance, healing and negative.

I just re-reached level 30 after another ER, and I confirmed that Scion of the Shadowfell does, as it's in-game descriptions says, give 30 universal spell power, plus 10 more negative. I've now corrected the wiki, which for some reason used to say 40 negative with no universal listed.

[FranOhmsford]

Also, it's hard for me to call it signature (or any Tier 5, for that matter) when any light splash can pick it up. It was signature before the enhancement re-make.

So where are all the 5 Cleric Splashes then?

Sorry but that argument is ludicrous as the only builds that can make decent use of Aura are PURE or Close to Pure Clerics!

I've asked on these forums many times for Cleradin {the most obvious possibility} Aura builds and always got attacked for wanting a "Gimped" Build!


I've also made post after post asking for Aura to be moved to Core 4 {Lvl 12} so that ALL Clerics can make use of it rather than having it there for Splashes that don't exist! {No-one's taking 5 Cleric for Radiant Aura when the 15 levels of whatever else gets them much more useful T5s!}.