What spells are folks using with EK + Knight's Transform?

[Kodwraith]

I put together a quick deep gnome 18/2 wix/rog on my main to try to grab an Wiz heroic life but I'm somewhat flummoxed by the play style with Knight's transformation turned on.

Are folks just not using ranged spells? Turning on/off the transform as needed? Exclusively Enlarge + Sleet Storm? Go Necro and blast out Death?


Featwise: I took the SWF first two feats, plus the usual Heighten, Quicken, Max, Emp, SF:illusion, SF:necro, Insightful reflexes.
AP: EK(~37) for T5s, but cores to 18
Harper(12): int to hit/dmg, KTA
Gnome(18): PK SLA although I'm guessing this was a suboptimal allocation choice
that leave 20odd points into Necro for Wraith, which I can just barely qualify for.

So far my playstyle is color ray to stun things, then whack them with the sword, which seems to work at 15 but I'm guessing won't scale well past 20 and doesn't do much to red names.

What's the actual playstyle for the EK interms of the casting/hitting things mix?

[Memnir]

I click it on and off if/when I need to use a ranged spell - like an archer on a perch, etc.

I have found myself using a lot of spells that have range, but are really point-blank or in-the-moment spells. Cloudkill I use a lot on my EK. Not only does it give some cover, but it eats away at most bad guys in it with me. Ditto Symbol spells and the like. If it's a spell like Acid Rain or Firewall, even Web, where I would cast it at a distance than kite into it - I have found myself trying to position myself bodily first, than cast.

It's an interesting way to approach spellcasting that forced me to reassess some spells and how I was casting them. I like it a lot.

[Montegue]

Honestly, I almost never use my knight's stance. It's so clunky to turn on and off, and in the moment, when groups of mobs only last a short time and the need to lock them down is strong, I'd rather be at range. I use it when I solo on bosses, or if I lock a group down and have time to click it on the way in to close combat.

If you have Dire Charge, and your charge DC is high enough to stun most mobs, you could charge in with the stance up, then hit Mass Hold or Web (Whichever will work). Then you can do your three attacks, and then hit a big nuke. I happen to like Acid Well, Chain Lightning, and then maybe a Meteor Swarm. Maybe drop a Burst of Glacial Wrath in their face for added CC and damage.

Mostly, though, my melee is a backup to my primary job, which is control. Even though the stance grants +2 to my enchantment DCs, it's often safer to drop a mass hold from range.

[HungarianRhapsody]

Sleet Storm. Makes critters blind and helpless. It's amazing.

Just make sure you and anyone you care about in the party has FoM.

[cru121]

I used Color Spray, Mass Hold, BoGW, Web.
And Energy Burst, Acid Well, and similar stuff as needed.
Greater Shout before BoGW.

In heroics I used to alternate between transformation on and off; in epics, with Epic Defensive Fighting, I kept both ON almost constantly.

[cru121]

also, in my opinion. necro is not an ideal school to focus on as an EK.
if you instant kill stuff, why worry about melee DPS?
if you CC stuff, then having some melee DPS is a good idea.

[Zretch]

Run up to a mob, hit mass hold monster, hit meteor swarm, move to the next mob.

Wail of the banshee, color spray, scorch, cone of cold, and other "up close" spells that you may never have used as a "stand off" caster are in play for you. But the bread and butter is mass hold monster to induce helpless, drop their reflex saves, and stop everything from hitting you, and then a big AoE. Follow up with melee on whatever survived.

[Kodwraith]

also, in my opinion. necro is not an ideal school to focus on as an EK.
if you instant kill stuff, why worry about melee DPS?
if you CC stuff, then having some melee DPS is a good idea.

Necro was mainly to get an undead form so I could self heal, being a gnome and not a WF. I _think_ I have enough AP to get Wraith. I will probalby drop SF:Necro at some point seeing as how I don't have any SpellPen anyway since this is my first (and likely only Wiz life on this toon). Juicing NegEnergyBurst and DeathAura seemed a good idea since they both heal and destroy, although in retrospect, this didn't actually really require SF:Necro.

This is normally my monk main, and I havne't played dedicated caster in a while, so I find myself relearning this half of the game.

[Montegue]

Necro was mainly to get an undead form so I could self heal, being a gnome and not a WF. I _think_ I have enough AP to get Wraith. I will probalby drop SF:Necro at some point seeing as how I don't have any SpellPen anyway since this is my first (and likely only Wiz life on this toon). Juicing NegEnergyBurst and DeathAura seemed a good idea since they both heal and destroy, although in retrospect, this didn't actually really require SF:Necro.

This is normally my monk main, and I havne't played dedicated caster in a while, so I find myself relearning this half of the game.

That works in heroics, but I think Pale Master isn't needed for self healing once you're in epics - Cocoon, Exalted Angel Destiny, etc.

[Careall]

Since range is the primary problem in Knight's Transformation. Generally, it's not difficult to get mobs to chase you into AOE areas. Party members can do the same, or not if they don't really need your help. You can also increase your Intim and Diplo. Intim mobs into AOE DoT areas, trap them with spells like Web, or tank then Diplo when the going gets tough.

Ice Storm is a wonderful start against groups. No saves or SR, two types of damage, slows movement speed by 50%, and better area coverage than fire wall and doesn't destroy Webs. Maximize, Empower, and Quicken if you're serious about doing some damage. Now add in your cleaving combat DPS, and you're rocking.

Single-target dots, like Acid Arrow, Niac's Biting Cold, Eladar's Electric Surge, and Black Dragon Bolt are great against bosses. Again, no saves or spell resist, and a variety of damage types to choose from. Of course, getting into touch range can be tricky if the mob moves around a lot. But if you are tanked up a bit, you can get in, cast a Quickened, Maximized, and Empowered spell, and get out. Or, drop Knight's Transformation as-needed.

I also like Cloud Kill. The Save is Fortitude, not Reflex so Evasion can't negate it. Therefore saves still do half damage, including half Constitution damage. Keep enemies in the cloud long enough, and they shut down at 0 Constitution.

Once in a while, I've come across a pair of healers that I just can't DPS fast enough. Flexibility is key here: I'll drop Knight's Transformation to throw a FoD or other insta-kill, then return to KT as-needed.

Regardless if you are a PM or not, Death Aura is a moderate AOE DoT that moves with you, so you don't really need range. Too bad it can't be Maxed or Empowered.

Buffs are important for combat focused EKs as well.

Finally, carry a returning thrown weapon or a wand of Flame Arrow for any kind of range weapon ammo you might need. The wand doesn't need components and your ranged attacks get both your Int to hit and damage benefits, as well as Spell Sword benefits.