Wraith THF Centered Build - Works for First Lifers

[Sehenry03]

I have been more mana conservative and it has helped. I have been using planar girds for GH instead of the spell as well as cutting back on displacement which in heroic levels isn't really necessary in most cases, so my SP's are doing better. I do have the belt which I was lucky to pull on my first run through and I will look at the helm which I totally forgot you had.

Another question though, I know the Riddle of Fire from Henshin gives 10 melee power which is a lot, but would the extra cleave attack from the Eldritch Knight tree be more DPS since it gives you a 3rd cleave to keep in your rotation?

[slarden]

Another question though, I know the Riddle of Fire from Henshin gives 10 melee power which is a lot, but would the extra cleave attack from the Eldritch Knight tree be more DPS since it gives you a 3rd cleave to keep in your rotation?

You raise an excellent point. The third cleave may well be better at heroic levels. I haven't really compared it, but should have.

[Sehenry03]

So the extra cleave would only be better in Heroic levels? The 10 extra melee power would be better at Epics? I am just about to hit 20 and start epic lvls so I am curious mathematically which will put out more dps.

[slarden]

So the extra cleave would only be better in Heroic levels? The 10 extra melee power would be better at Epics? I am just about to hit 20 and start epic lvls so I am curious mathematically which will put out more dps.

The 10 mp will make your cleaves better. If you are in LD you probably don't need that extra cleave. If you are filling in other destines you probably want the extra cleave.

That is 100% opinion though - it would be tough to put that to a math formula.

[DocTom]

120 or so on a non-crit and double that on a crit which is about 1/3 of the time. It's not just the aura it's also this item:

http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Legenda...ummy_Wrappings

It works because of the 75.25% miss chance from dodge, displacement and incorporeal combined with the high prr. So I am taking fewer hits and those hits are smaller on average. When I am hit the damage is partially offset by greater boon of undeath from legendary festering mummy wrappings. So on top of the 66% damage reduction from the PRR, a percentage of that 34% damage I do take is offset by greater boon of undeath. This is what makes the death aura effective even with low numbers.

If I encounter an enemy that hits exceptionally hard I need to use negative energy burst for active healing. In some quests that is never in other quests that could be 15-20 times during the quest.

Another alternative build I considered was warforged or bladeforged wizard 11 / fighter 6 / monk 3 without the racial reconstruct even if I went bladeforged. It has close to the same benefits but with more active healing and freeing up the 21 AP in palemaster for other things. I prefer the passive healing from the aura and the belt, but 21 AP is a big AP investment.

The Bladeforged build is intriguing. Those 21 AP could pimp out some other trees! Anyone write up that build? Looks like a ton of fun to play! (Would sorcerer be better than wiz or is INT more valuable that CHA?

Thanks for writing this out so thoughtfully.

[slarden]

The Bladeforged build is intriguing. Those 21 AP could pimp out some other trees! Anyone write up that build? Looks like a ton of fun to play! (Would sorcerer be better than wiz or is INT more valuable that CHA?

Thanks for writing this out so thoughtfully.

I think int is better for a melee due to Know the Angles and the harper tree. Plus wizard gives the 3 bonus feats and you can take reconstruct with only 11 levels instead of 12 as a sorc. Sorc might be a better for a caster/melee hybrid due to the superior elemental benefits.

I would go with a 11 wizard / 6 fighter / 3 monk so you have the option for 10 more melee power from henshin. This gives you reconstruct at 11.

Beyond that there are multiple good options for the AP spend in bladeforged/warforged, eldritch knight, Harper and Henshin depending on priorities. There is 2 con and 60 hp available in Bladforged/Warforged, EK and Harper if you want to boost hp. You can get all of it barely for 21 AP, but would be sacrificing some dps options to do so.

Compelling dps options
- 10 more melee power +3 PRR for 5 AP in Henshin
- Extra cleave for 1 ap in Eldritch Knight or extra cleave + elemental damage bonus + 2% doublestrike for 8 AP.
- Warforged tree has additional glancing blows, improved power attack and weapon attachment.
- 5 in Henshin + 16 more in harper gets you 4 more int + 16 melee power total.

Best choice depends on whether you want to overweight dps, defenses or a more balanced split of the remaining 21 AP.

The major thing you are losing is the 25% incorporeal which you can replace with a 10% ghostly items. One of the nice things about the 25% incorporeal bonus is slotting ghostly is challenging. This frees up a belt slot but you would need to slot +4 quality int in slavers gear. Another piece of slavers gear in the belt slot is an interesting option.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes with Bladeforged/Warforged.

[muppette]

Thanks for the great build slarden. I have enjoyed it emmensely although I really love using hand wraps. I was wondering if it was possible to design something similar with dex/int for a 12/6/2 wiz monk ftr wraith or even a 12/6/2 monk wiz ftr vampire taking incorp from ninja tree, both unarmed? Or would they both do too little dps with too few monk levels? I love unarmed fighting and wirlwinding despite the hit box issues. Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[Aglabac]

You are always ahead of the curve. The goal of the build wasn't originally to be 12 wizard with wraith, but the cumulation of benefits was so good it's where I ended up.

I also looked at (and ran some of these)

- 11 wizard / 6 fighter / 3 monk warforged
- 11 cleric / 6 fighter / 3 monk dwarf throw your weight around
- 8 warlock / 6 fighter / 6 monk dwarf throw your weight around
- 12 favored soul / 6 fighter / 2 monk human
- 12 sorc / 6 fighter / 2 monk warforged

I like the passive healing with aura and boon/greater boon of undeath. Depending on playstyle, others may prefer a different build.

two major differences between our builds I see
- 2 monk (centered) vs. 2 rouge (trapping)
- thf vs. swf (presumably to get more procs from scion of the plane of shadowfell)

Still, the feats and ap spend are close which makes sense.

I like a lot this build cause It seems really ubber. I need a fvs life, 2 Epic lives (martial and arcane) and a deep gnome life for my goal: 3x all.
So I have thought several ways:
First I'd like to have a look on your build 12fvs/fig//monk (I'd get PL fvs and 1epic life)
Second: would It be possible to build 12wiz/6fig/2m on deep gnome? I have all +7tomes
Any advice?
Ty a lot
Finally I'm doing a deep gnome fvs and I'll try ur build in "final" life ????

[Unbreakable]

Any advice on how to play this while leveling? I've started at 7 and I'm not sure the best route to take to continue my progress? Spell casting? Or fighting in melee and just using the wizard buffs? Also how can I use the monk stances with a 2h weapon?

[Whitering]

Any advice on how to play this while leveling? I've started at 7 and I'm not sure the best route to take to continue my progress? Spell casting? Or fighting in melee and just using the wizard buffs? Also how can I use the monk stances with a 2h weapon?

Congratulations on getting to the worst of the levels in the level process lol. It's around 7 when I look around and go...ughhh heh.

It definitely gets better later.

Melee is easier to level with, you can't use monk stance with great axe until later, but you can remain centered with a staff. Of particular note to you are http://ddowiki.com/page/Category:Quarterstaffs

3 staves with int to damage before you get that yourself from Harper tree.

[Whitering]

Elixirs also heal undead, and are super cheap to get for collectibles or red fens mats.

[Tetsugin7]

Any advice on how to play this while leveling? I've started at 7 and I'm not sure the best route to take to continue my progress? Spell casting? Or fighting in melee and just using the wizard buffs? Also how can I use the monk stances with a 2h weapon?

And I will confirm what Whitering said. You stay centered with Quarterstaffs.
I always play a Monk type and do Handwraps or Quarterstaves.
We are all doing the regular class levels first, so Melee up to be able to do Wraith.
We have a party going down the path of being ALL Wraith forms.
Each having a different focus.
Arti, Fighter, Rogue, Ranger and I always play a Monk Type.
We just farmed TOEE for Elemental Bloom Quarterstaff.
Hands down one of the best Quarterstaves in the game for lower levels next to Stone Stick from Lord of Stone.
http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Elemental_Bloom
DPS-wise is OK, but the paralyzing at early levels is just incredible. (I put a Endless Night Ruby also)
Incredible, did I say Incredible. That along with our Ranger Paralyzing shot. All good monsters, go bye bye.
Well worth farming for this. I have most the Quarterstaffs in the game and had never heard of it.
I see using this along with Witching Hour (for Ghost Touch) up to the Stone Stick at 18.
This will make your Melee journey much easier overall. My 2 cents.

[Fedora1]

A
We just farmed TOEE for Elemental Bloom Quarterstaff.
Hands down one of the best Quarterstaves in the game for lower levels next to Stone Stick from Lord of Stone.
http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Elemental_Bloom

//snip//

I see using this along with Witching Hour (for Ghost Touch) up to the Stone Stick at 18.

I belive you mean Bone Crusher from Palace of Stone.

Never heard of Stone Stick (although the nick name makes sense), but your reference to L18 was a clue.

[Tetsugin7]

I belive you mean Bone Crusher from Palace of Stone.

Never heard of Stone Stick (although the nick name makes sense), but your reference to L18 was a clue.

Yes, I apologize. Don't know why, but can never remember that name. Just does not stay in my head. So always call it the stone stick. Hahaha.
Looks like a stone dowel rod in game.

http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Bone_Crusher

http://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Epic_Bone_Crusher

[Whitering]

You can get one free feat swap per life doing the Fred Quest, so I'd take the improved blunt and just change it to slashing once you can be centered with an axe.

[thalliwell]

Any thoughts on how to do this build as 12wiz/6monk/2 fighter with qstaffs? I have procured many (Elemental Bloom, Breeze, Sireth) and am looking for wizard past life. I was going to try it as a deep gnome to get that done as well but that may be asking too much . The posted build looks super cool, I just like monks a lot :P

[Immortallus]

This has been my only build since I started years ago. been 14 wiz 6 paly.

Have been meaning to change over to fighter with the revamps.

Also if twf get rubys of endless night for the level drain, even better if you have named khopeshs with 2 slots, then add vamp every now and then for 3 levels drained a vorpal hit.

[Kinnexx]

You mention the monk levels early are important for BAB for selecting the fighter / monk forms feats.

I am curious what exactly I would lose if going pure wizard for 12 levels for wraith, then monk 2, then fighter?

My first character was a human wizard, planning to go Pale Master caster. Currently the character is 12 wizard, with enough XP to go 13. I am thinking of using a lesser heart of wood to shuffle my stats / feats around to go for this build, but that won't let me front load the two monk levels.

Any recommendations on what I should change to adjust for starting as pure wiz?

[Harolin]

Apologies if this is considered "necroing," but I was just curious if this build was still viable in the current game. Seems like a good duo option with my wife's new (2nd life) ranger.

Thanks in advance!

[SerPounce]

Apologies if this is considered "necroing," but I was just curious if this build was still viable in the current game. Seems like a good duo option with my wife's new (2nd life) ranger.

Thanks in advance!

It's still viable, at least up to low reaper. Will work great in elite, but fall apart as you go up the reaper levels.

This was also made before vistani which is another nice option for a melee wizard.