TRing Heroic using the 10 Warlock 10 X model

[Bullytt]

Hi folks

I am plodding my way through completionist at the moment and have been reading these forums on some of the better ways of doing it.

I came across this method of basically using 10 lvls of Warlock along with whatever other class you want.

I love warlock and it became instantly attractive, but as the Eldritch Blast sticks on 3d6/5d4 dmg and the saves stay at +2 I did wonder how much you fall behind the curve damage wise.. say by lvl 15 when you essentially are still a lvl 10 Warlock with 5 levels of lets say Fighter.

Could anyone who has done this fill me in on a bit more detail?

Initial stats?
Enhancement tree for the warlock part?
Pact to choose?
Spell selection?
Tactics?
Skills? Although I suspect UMD Conc Heal with maybe Spot and Search if points remain


It would really he quite an equipment saver to follow this model, so I hope someone can take a bit of time to go through how they did it...

Many thanks,

Bullytt

[sk3l3t0r]

Hi folks

I am plodding my way through completionist at the moment and have been reading these forums on some of the better ways of doing it.

I came across this method of basically using 10 lvls of Warlock along with whatever other class you want.

I love warlock and it became instantly attractive, but as the Eldritch Blast sticks on 3d6/5d4 dmg and the saves stay at +2 I did wonder how much you fall behind the curve damage wise.. say by lvl 15 when you essentially are still a lvl 10 Warlock with 5 levels of lets say Fighter.

Could anyone who has done this fill me in on a bit more detail?

Initial stats?
Enhancement tree for the warlock part?
Pact to choose?
Spell selection?
Tactics?
Skills? Although I suspect UMD Conc Heal with maybe Spot and Search if points remain


It would really he quite an equipment saver to follow this model, so I hope someone can take a bit of time to go through how they did it...

Many thanks,

Bullytt

Are you dead set on using warlock for all your Heroic class lives or would you consider some pure build of Class X or deviating from Warlock? Part of the fun doing completionist BEFORE Warlock was introduced was sure you could do a template build and multiclass your way to completionist, or you could actually try out the class and run it up to 20 as a pure build, or if you want trapping skills do a rogue / artic splash..

Some of the funest builds I ran were pure builds.

[Fivetigers33]

Could anyone who has done this fill me in on a bit more detail?

Initial stats?
Enhancement tree for the warlock part?
Pact to choose?
Spell selection?
Tactics?
Skills? Although I suspect UMD Conc Heal with maybe Spot and Search if points remain

I did this for my Wizard and Favored Soul lives. You will notice a DPS loss in mid to late teens vs pure warlocks. What really stands out though is the lack of autokills compared to a full warlock.

Stats I went Max Charisma and Constitution. Dragonborn is probably the best race for it.

I started out with Chain blast, then utterdark blast and eventually worked up to adding in light damage and cone. At level 12 I would redo everything for Shining Through/Cone.

I did Fey pact for a few reasons. Less things are immune/resistant to sonic, with only 10 levels you miss out on a lot of the pact feats/spells, and I already had some decent heroic sonic gear (blasting chime, dashing gloves).

The main spells you need are Web (from enhancements) and Evards. These are your CC abilities. Other spells are debatable, but you definitely want those 2.

My tactics were start with chain early on, and eventually move to cone as you get enough AP. When you can evards/cone a group, they die fast.

I didn't have many skill points but I went UMD, then Spellcraft if you have any extra. Take Quicken Spell as a feat and you don't need concentration.

[Bullytt]

Are you dead set on using warlock for all your Heroic class lives or would you consider some pure build of Class X or deviating from Warlock? Part of the fun doing completionist BEFORE Warlock was introduced was sure you could do a template build and multiclass your way to completionist, or you could actually try out the class and run it up to 20 as a pure build, or if you want trapping skills do a rogue / artic splash..

Some of the funest builds I ran were pure builds.

Hi

I have done Bard, Monk and Arti as pures so far (Bard being the fave - did it twice - and messed up the tr and did racial for the Arti. Currently on Barbarian (lvl 12) but this one seems to belong to Hufflepuff and I dont enjoy it very much (slightly more than monk).

Trapping - I would love all of my TRs to have this which is one of the reasons I ask about 10 Wlk 10 x - maybe 8 Wlk 2 Rog 10 X would work. Traps whilst working on Elite a level or so higher than you can end the evening fast.

So I was thinking 10 warlock that I love 10 X might work as I am at least guaranteed to enjoy the forst 10 lvls

Does that make sense?

Bullytt

[slarden]

I am not familiar with the model, but it doesn't sound good to me. If warlock is being splashed I would think it was being splashed for the feigned health, wand and scroll mastery, shining through and defenses rather than the spellcasting.

For class completionist I think aasimar protector with 3 paladin and 2 rogue with trapping would be better (or 2 monk if you wish to run through the traps instead). The 20% hp boost with 10% aasimar hp boost with healing hands + lay on hands and solid amp. Scroll healing isn't bad at heroic levels for the simple reason concentration actually does what it's supposed to do - ensures your scroll heal goes through almost all the time.

If you want to go ranged go 8 artificer 2 monk for the splash.

[lobode]

There are other builds that work

6 Rogue/ 6 Arti/ 8 ****
Grab some x-bows and go to town. Works with basically every class but it doesn't have the AOE clear that warlock has.

I also liked 6 rog/ 2 arti/ 12 ****
Same concept as the first but IMO works better with ranger and fighter than other one does

the 10 warlock / 10 **** is just great because of the AOE clear. Which makes it run through most quest faster especially when soloing

[SpiritofAlba]

I am plodding my way through completionist at the moment

How you play is up to you, but I'd suggest rethinking this. Completionist is one nice goal in the game, but there are many others, and the point is to have fun. My understanding of the Warlock 10 / model is that its a potentially fairly easy answer to getting through a past life in a class or two for which you have little interest or gear.

Although some builds / classes are definitely more powerful than others, there are still a number of very viable and very different builds types. Some people decide that one kind - melee tank, ranged, nuker, DC caster, healer whatever - is the one for them, but it is worth at least giving them all a try before you stick in one groove. There are also epic levels to explore for variety.

[Thrudh]

So I was thinking 10 warlock that I love 10 X might work as I am at least guaranteed to enjoy the forst 10 lvls

The first few levels of warlock are not that powerful.

A repeater rogue or artificer is far more powerful in the first 5 levels.

I would suggest not running the exact same character over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Since you apparently don't find it fun ("I am plodding through"). This is how people get bored and burned out.

[goodspeed]

I can attest that 9 lock can mow your way to glory to 20. I wouldn't take it past 20 cause that would suck. Really the dmg drops a bit once you hit around lv 17 but it's really just R1.

I did an 8 warlock 3 ftr and 9 whatever to jack up the defense and hp while blasting. 100 prr is no trouble to get at all by 13 when you can equip your skyvault shield along with a ton of hp from the 3rd tier in fighter tree for the 20% with medium/heavy or a shield in hand.

Didn't have any problems low level either using scholar either. I got staunch and the 10% crit and then once I had the confusion that applies with the blast it was rediculously easy sooloing r1 and E. I mean you can go for r2 or 3 it's just more annoying with the time because of the scaled decrease of dmg with bloating. I like to zerg that **** and move on. Unless its a good xp one then I do R E H and maybe redo elite the next day if im within range enough to offer good xp like 5 grand or so on a redo. Like tear or gwaylands, delra 2 and 4 ect.

Arti is nice too, though it does kinda suck for things that take less damage to pierce. I usually just skip those quests. Basically get a low ml vorpal repeater, get fausade and murder everything. Ghostly helps to or sun flasks should be **** well everywhere. Got like 500 or more stocked myself. And remember, the fun is in.... wailing everything solo and dominating those suckers that need and beg for help mwahahahaha!!!

[MacRighteous]

First time I heard of this concept was many years back with a build called "pastlifemo" or something like that, the builder didnt like the forums (or was banned) or something, so you won't find much about it here - but google the name for details

I picked up a few lives this way until I got burned out on the play style.

Then when Swashbuckler bard was all the rage I picked up a few more with a 10 bard/10 Past life mix because bard was released after most of the classes (at the time that was true) and wins the 10/10 split. There is no official build for this (as far as I know) but its a no brainer really 10 levels of swash /roflstomps most heroic content at level so the rest is really kind of irrelevant (or was then IIRC.)

Then I picked up a few more lives with a 10 warlock 10 past life build - but got tired of the warlock play style.... build was basically what goodspeed is saying

Its cool for a while - but it starts to feel like groundhogs day (for me) after a life or two and I burn out.

Really - even though its slow - playing each class pure is the most interesting and fullfilling way to go - at least thatrs my experience.

Have fun storming the castle

/Mac

I might be confusing Bard with Druid in the 10/10 split win...and my swashie may have been a 9 bard 11 pastlife - been a while and I cant research to jog my memory atm.

[C-Dog]

There are lots of possible ways to go here - e.g. Bard 6/Fighter 3. But that's not what the OP asked...

I can attest that 9 lock can mow your way to glory to 20...

Yeah, lots of players have gone this route and found it very successful, so that's not an issue. The question of burn out, of (essentially) running a Lock 10 again and again and again and again... ymmv on that, no way to predict.

Do remember that Druid is NOT predominant over Warlock - that is, a Lock 10/Druid 10 will get a Warlock PL. (A 9/1/10 split would work fine.)

o http://ddowiki.com/page/Past_Life#Dominant_class

[Niminae]

I would suggest not running the exact same character over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over. Since you apparently don't find it fun ("I am plodding through"). This is how people get bored and burned out.

But it isn't the same character "over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over," because even if they all share Warlock 10 the other class will always bring its own distinctive flavor to the table.

Also, and since you brought up fun, it can be a great way to get through a class that you just don't find to be much fun. I don't care for melee much. So my Fighter PL was 2 Artificer/16 Fighter, and when I capped I took another 2 Arti just so I could play with the recently refreshed Endless Fusillade for a bit before TRing. The use of a repeater plus rune arm (for imbues mostly) and the bonus feats, BAB, and heavy armor from Fighter made for a very potent and survivable ranged character, and I didn't have to swing a weapon in melee ever. A win for fun.

[Grace_ana]

I did this for a wiz life and was unimpressed. I felt I had more power just playing a planned version of whatever class I wanted, with the added benefit of it being way more fun. Plus, I think playing a wide variety of builds and working out the mechanics makes you a better builder and player.

[C-Dog]

...Plus, I think playing a wide variety of builds and working out the mechanics makes you a better builder and player.

This is 100% true (for maybe 85% of the players) - but it's not everyone's goal to be a better builder/etc., esp on an early life/TR.

...even if they all share Warlock 10 the other class will always bring its own distinctive flavor to the table.

Also true - for many. But not all will see it that way.


It's def a ymmv thing - it's good to present both sides, but it's better to see both sides. No single "right" answer, all depends on personal playstyle/etc.

[Bullytt]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond... very thought provoking.

I was wondering if the 10W/10X was really played as Warlock or whether the feeling is that it really is just half of the story and the other class brings their flavour and makes the play interesting.

I guess those first 10 levels of Wlk could get a bit groundhog day ... so I am certainly going to take that on board.

Maybe I am just discovering that melee is not my bag.. although bard had so many nice little tricks it was hard not to enjoy...

Some posters just post and get the advice.. and don't comment back.. but those of you who have invested time may now like to see if I have a new plan...

Here goes:

Artificer Pure
Cleric Wlk8/Ftr3/Cl9
Druid Pure - I think I might need to concentrate on this one
FS Wlk8/Ftr3/FS9
Fighter 6Rog/6Arti/8ftr
Paladin Wlk8/Ftr3/Pal9
Ranger Pure AA (My starting class - I have pure ranger at lvl 30) - Could be persuaded to splash
Rogue Pure
Sorcerer Pure? will wait for advice!
Warlock Pure
Wizard Wlk 8/ftr3/Wiz9

The order will just depend on whether I want to do 8 lvls of Wlk

What do we think?
Bullytt

[Grace_ana]

Artificer Pure

Pure arty is good, 2 lvls of rogue for evasion is also an option if evasion matters to you more than the capstone.

Cleric Wlk8/Ftr3/Cl9

Depends on where you are going with this one. Melee cleric is tough, and if I was going to make one this is not what I would do. Pure cleric caster is probably the easiest and most powerful, tbh.

Druid Pure - I think I might need to concentrate on this one

As a caster, pure is best, if you want to run a melee then I like 9D/9M/2F with wolf form.

FS Wlk8/Ftr3/FS9

Again, I just don't think warlock is adding to this or making it easier.

Fighter 6Rog/6Arti/8ftr

Fighter is the one thing I don't really play, so I won't comment except to say there are a lot of ways to play a fighter

Paladin Wlk8/Ftr3/Pal9

Warlock levels lose you holy sword. I wouldn't do it.

Ranger Pure AA (My starting class - I have pure ranger at lvl 30) - Could be persuaded to splash

I'd do pure.

Rogue Pure

Rogues are good pure. Assassins do better pure for sure. Mechanics do well; some people that aren't me like to splash arty.

Sorcerer Pure? will wait for advice!

Pure sorc is good. You can splash arty or pally if you want, but not necessary.

Warlock Pure

Warlock pure or splashed works fine.

Wizard Wlk 8/ftr3/Wiz9

I did a heavy splash on a wiz life and I hated it. Run a pure gnome illusionist or splash 2 lvls of rogue for traps and don't look back.

[C-Dog]

... 2 lvls of rogue for evasion is also an option if evasion matters to you more than the capstone.

An important point - you're largely building for 18 levels, not 20. You hit 18, then live live there for a while and bank 20, and only need to be at 20 long enough to pike thru ~20 (total) runs for Tokens to TR (less if folk are passing you theirs), then you're back at it w/ the next one. So keep that in mind when considering Core 20 enhancements, and/or Core 18/12's (depending how deep you splash/multi).