Light damage build

[Madja]

Hey guys,

I've been wanting to try something unusual for a build and I'm generally a big fan of themes. The idea of a character that does a ton of light damage with seemed really cool to me. It's supposed to be a levelling build so cap doesn't matter, but to be honest I have no idea if it'll work for that - or even work at all.
So it's purely theory right now and I'm basically looking for advice on how I could improve it. One thing to note: I try to keep things as passive in as possible as that's my preferred playstyle - just swing and cleave!

So to break it down a little:
The race is drow as I obviously want to try and get celestia for even more light damage.

I went with 10 Favored Soul in order to get charisma to damage and access to the War Soul tree. I put my tier 5 into War Soul as I then get full BAB, +1 crit threat, a light damage cleave and a vorpal proc that gives me a ton of light damage. Favoured Soul also brings light vulnerability to enemies via shield of condemnation and self-healing.

7 warlock gives me a light damage cleave, a 4 second aura, light damage on hit plus light spell power.

3 paladin brings light damage from KotC cores and some saving throws from charisma.

To be honest the level split is a bit lackluster. The only reason it looks like this is to get the 10 favored soul levels for charisma to damage, I needed 3 paladin for the second core of KotC but I wouldn't have the AP to get more cores anyway, so no more levels were needed.

I could potentially drop charisma to damage and instead get more paladin levels for a bigger save bonus plus another warlock level for increased eldritch damage.

What do you guys think? Is it completely gimped or could it be at least somewhat viable? I have no experience with any of these classes, so maybe the abilities aren't as good as I think they are.


Light Bringer
10/7/3 Favored Soul/Warlock/Paladin
Lawful Good Drow


Level Order

1. Favored Soul . .6. Paladin . . . .11. Favored Soul. .16. Warlock
2. Favored Soul . .7. Favored Soul . 12. Warlock . . . .17. Favored Soul
3. Warlock . . . . 8. Warlock. . . . 13. Favored Soul . 18. Warlock
4. Warlock . . . . 9. Favored Soul. .14. Paladin. . . . 19. Favored Soul
5. Favored Soul . 10. Paladin . . . .15. Favored Soul. .20. Warlock


Stats
. . . . . . . .32pt . . Tome . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . .8. . . .+7. . . .4: CHA
Dexterity . . . 15. . . .+7. . . .8: CHA
Constitution. . 14. . . .+7. . . 12: CHA
Intelligence. . 11. . . .+7. . . 16: CHA
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . .+7. . . 20: CHA
Charisma. . . . 20. . . .+7. . .


Skills
. . . . . F. F. W .W. F. P .F .W. F. P .F .W. F. P .F .W. F. W .F .W
. . . . . 1. 2. 3 .4. 5. 6 .7 .8. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Spellcr . 4. 1. 1 .1. 1. 1 .1 .1. 1. 1 .1 .1. 1. 1 .1 .1. 1. 1 .1 .1. 23
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . . 4. 1. 1 .1. 1. 2 .1 .1. 1. 2 .1 .1. 1. 2 .1 .1. 1. 1 .1 .1
Max . . . 8. 3. 4 .4. 4. 4 .4 .4. 4. 4 .5 .5. 5. 5 .5 .5. 5. 5 .6 .6


Feats

.1. . . . : Two Weapon Fighting
.3. . . . : Weapon Focus: Piercing
.6. . . . : Maximize Spell
.9. . . . : Improved Two Weapon Fighting
12. . . . : Empower Spell
15. . . . : Improved Critical: Piercing
18. . . . : Greater Two Weapon Fighting

.3 Warlock: Pact: Fey

.2 FavSoul: Grace of Battle
13 FavSoul: Stout of Heart

.9 FavSoul: Energy Absorption: Fire
19 FavSoul: Energy Absorption: Electricity

.1 Deity. : Follower of: Vulkoor
11 Deity. : Vulkoor's Avatar


Enhancements (80 AP)

War Soul (35 AP)

• Smite Foe: Melee, Resilience of Battle, Sanctuary
  
  1. Divine Presence III, Toughness III, Righteous Weapons
  2. Smite Weakness, Wall of Steel III, Righteous Weapons
  3. Radiant Flourish: Melee III, Righteous Weapons
  4. Ameliorating Strike, Righteous Weapons, Holy Striker: Doublestrike III
  5. Divine Power, Divine Vessel: Cleave, Wrathful Weapons

Enlightened Spirit (28 AP)

• Eldritch Aura, Aura of Courage, Shape Vestments
  
  1. Resilience of Body II, Spiritual Defense III
  2. Spiritual Bastion III, Power of Enlightenment III, Shield
  3. Eldritch Burst III, Spiritual Ward III, Power of Enlightenment III
  4. Spiritual Retribution III

Knight of the Chalice (10 AP)

• Slayer of Evil, Courage of Heaven
  
  1. Extra Turning III, Divine Light III, Extra Smite II

Angel of Vengeance (7 AP)

• Font of Power, Shield of Condemnation
  
  1. Scourge III, Angelic Resistance I
  2. Just Reward I

[banjo174]

I went with 10 Favored Soul in order to get charisma to damage

Why are you trying to get charisma to damage? From what I am seeing, you aren't trying to build spell DCs, as you arent a pure FVS. You have access to divine might, so you could do a STR + CHA build, using divine might.

Further more.

1. Why don't you have quicken?

2. Being a leveling build without cleave and great cleave is going to be problematic, unless you are planning to use the eldritch burst and spirit blast. Which this can be kind of clunky. - - - I did do a melee warlock build a while ago, and the main problem with these cleaves is... Hitting the ability, even if its on cool down will interrupt your melee attack sequence.

3. Why aren't you taking UMD?

This is a really... Unique build... I mean, you could pull it off with some tweaks, probably be a bit of fun, but it wont compare to a lot of builds out there. Everyone plays the game however they want which is totally fine.


But for instance... If you just want the Favored soul past life. You could more easily do a 12 FVS 8 Fighter and way out perform this idea, or an 8 favored soul 6 fighter 6 monk.

[Madja]

Why are you trying to get charisma to damage? From what I am seeing, you aren't trying to build spell DCs, as you arent a pure FVS. You have access to divine might, so you could do a STR + CHA build, using divine might.

The more I think about it the more I wonder why. At first I think it was to get more saves, though that would cap at +11 Charisma modifier because of the paladin levels. I guess also for the ease of mainly focusing on one stat.

I'd definitely consider dropping the charisma to damage. Would you say I should take more warlock levels instead then?

1. Why don't you have quicken?

I wasn't aware that quicken was needed for Eldritch Burst, but I could definitely fit it in if it helps.

2. Being a leveling build without cleave and great cleave is going to be problematic, unless you are planning to use the eldritch burst and spirit blast. Which this can be kind of clunky. - - - I did do a melee warlock build a while ago, and the main problem with these cleaves is... Hitting the ability, even if its on cool down will interrupt your melee attack sequence.

I plan to use Eldritch Burst plus Divine Vessel which say they share a cooldown with the two cleaves. Maybe that's a mistake?

3. Why aren't you taking UMD?

To be honest I'm not a fan of using a lot of clickies. What kind of stuff would UMD give me?

This is a really... Unique build... I mean, you could pull it off with some tweaks, probably be a bit of fun, but it wont compare to a lot of builds out there. Everyone plays the game however they want which is totally fine.


But for instance... If you just want the Favored soul past life. You could more easily do a 12 FVS 8 Fighter and way out perform this idea, or an 8 favored soul 6 fighter 6 monk.

Hehe yeah, I realize it's quite unique. I'm not really aiming for a specific past life. I just like unique and themed builds. As you say it's probably pretty weak. I really appreciate your input, though!

[banjo174]

Would you say I should take more warlock levels instead then?

It is really up to you, as the build is unique to you, I can only offer some suggestions. I used to run what I call a (noob suit) back in the day. It would be 6 paladin and 2 monk, I would just smash it onto any build. The 6 paladin is super nice, because it increases your lay on hands power, and it also gives you something at level 6 which is quite nice. *Remove Disease*, which through the Knight of the Chalice enhancement line, can be altered to give the greater restoration effect. Super nice for people who might not have deathward all the time, or get hit by a nasty beholder.

I plan to use Eldritch Burst plus Divine Vessel which say they share a cooldown with the two cleaves. Maybe that's a mistake?

This is totally up to you really... I personally wouldn't do it, but I don't think you will have a problem leveling 1-20. The main problem I would have with it would be, You won't be able to get *Divine Vesel* until level 12. Where as people with cleave and great cleave will have these as early as level 6, meaning that the early stages of leveling will be slower in comparison.

I wasn't aware that quicken was needed for Eldritch Burst, but I could definitely fit it in if it helps.

I am recommending quicken because of your self healing mainly. There isn't anything more annoying than trying to heal yourself, and getting smacked by an arrow, or having to run away from melee combat, in order to heal yourself.

To be honest I'm not a fan of using a lot of clickies. What kind of stuff would UMD give me?

Teleport
Greater Teleport
Fire Shield
Greater Heroism
True Seeing *Unless you have a true seeing item ready*

Hehe yeah, I realize it's quite unique. I'm not really aiming for a specific past life. I just like unique and themed builds. As you say it's probably pretty weak. I really appreciate your input, though!

[Madja]

It is really up to you, as the build is unique to you, I can only offer some suggestions. I used to run what I call a (noob suit) back in the day. It would be 6 paladin and 2 monk, I would just smash it onto any build. The 6 paladin is super nice, because it increases your lay on hands power, and it also gives you something at level 6 which is quite nice. *Remove Disease*, which through the Knight of the Chalice enhancement line, can be altered to give the greater restoration effect. Super nice for people who might not have deathward all the time, or get hit by a nasty beholder.

Might be viable to go 8 Warlock/6 FvS/6 Paladin then. That would give me the paladin stuff that you mention plus an additional die step for the eldritch blast.

This is totally up to you really... I personally wouldn't do it, but I don't think you will have a problem leveling 1-20. The main problem I would have with it would be, You won't be able to get *Divine Vesel* until level 12. Where as people with cleave and great cleave will have these as early as level 6, meaning that the early stages of leveling will be slower in comparison.

I hadn't thought about that. You're right, that's quite late to get it. I'll have to think about whether that's worth it then.

I am recommending quicken because of your self healing mainly. There isn't anything more annoying than trying to heal yourself, and getting smacked by an arrow, or having to run away from melee combat, in order to heal yourself.

That's true. I figured a lot of my healing will come from Ameliorating Strike and Lay on Hands, but Weapon Focus could definitely be exchanged for Quicken. Seems like a much stronger choice.

Teleport
Greater Teleport
Fire Shield
Greater Heroism
True Seeing *Unless you have a true seeing item ready*

Good point! Actually I think that the build has more skill points that what is used. I think I might have skipped over the skill section in order to see if the rest would be feasible.

[Eryhn]

no comment on build itself just a headsup that 2 cleric levels and fire domain allow you to use the ML 10 burnscar sash from ravenloft for a 70ish stacking light spellpower ...

[Madja]

no comment on build itself just a headsup that 2 cleric levels and fire domain allow you to use the ML 10 burnscar sash from ravenloft for a 70ish stacking light spellpower ...

Is it not enhancement with that domain?

EDIT: Never mind I thought enhancement was the standard, but it seems that Equipment bonus. Thanks for the great advice!