An ultimate caster druid build: awesome damage; DC; heal

[tipav]

Welcome to my nuker/dc/healer caster druid build post !

My druid is named Maneor on the Ghallanda server.

I played DDO 10 years ago. I stopped the game, and went back to it several months ago, because I saw that the druid class has been released.

I read a lot of threads on forums when I came back to game, and I found the Gyngerspyce post and found it very useful. So, I played a druid inspired on this build. I made modifications to have a more caster oriented build. After, I did some reincarnations to tests monk, sorcerer, and I finally came back to my loved caster druid.

This post has the goal to present several months of tests and reflection on how to reach all theses goals:

1) being a very good dps dealer, on single targets with all the awesome druid dots, but also on multiple targets with aoe
2) being a very good DC caster with the iconic druid spell, earthquake
3) being a very good healer in groups and raids, to a point to be able to be the primary healer

After several months of tests, I think I can say I have achieved all of these goals. The new draconic incarnation epic destiny has widely participated to achieve the 1st goal on aoe, at a level I hoped but was not sure.

The final characteristics of my character are the following in reaper mode, the only mode in which I play, apart some raids we play in hard mode with my guild:

HP: 1445
SP: 5631 (5831 when I will have 41 reaper points, I have only 35 points at the moment)
AC: 104
PRR: 223
MRR: 162
Evocation DC: 109
Cold spell power: 1181 => 1381 with wellspring of power and draconic fury activated
Cold spell critical chance: 100%
Cold spell critical multiplier: 95% => 115% with wellspring of power activated
Positive spell power: 678
Positive spell critical chance: 58%
Positive spell critical multiplier: 65%



In terms of past lives, I do not have many, and I have only 35 reaper points at the moment. I play with great players on the server in reaper 7-8. These players have all the past lives feats, or almost, and reaper wings. Before the changes to the draconic incarnation destiny, I played as a very good DC caster with earthquake, sleet storm and sunburst, as a very good healer, and I did some damage. Good damage but far from my game comrades at the end of the instance when I looked at the table of killed enemies, which does not say all the thruth but gives neverthless some good indications.

With the new draconic incarnation epic destiny, and with recent changes I made on my gear, I can say things have really changed: I am now often the 1st or the 2nd at the table of killed enemies. I will explain how after in this post, ie which spells rotation I use, but the idea is to have a maximum of instant aoe cold spells.

Yesterday, I did a 126 k crit on an ennemy, without freezing spray on it, so I think it's possible to push the numbers.

I would like to say I am very grateful to Gyngerspyce and all his posts and videos on the druid class. In the exchanges I had with him, he encouraged me to post on my caster build, his build being more oriented on tanking. I've also seen posts of people asking about viability of the caster druid as a healer. This post has the goal so say that the druid is awesome to play, because you are a character which can DC, dps and heal at a high level. To be complete, when the guild needs it, I can switch my druid in bear form to tank in Killing Time, I have harvest the sharn tank set. When I do so, I tank and self-heal.

RACE

Dragonborn

CLASS

Druid 20

TOMES

All my stat tomes are +8

ALIGNMENT

True neutral

ABILITY SCORES

Starting: STR 10, DEX 12, CON 16, INT 12, WIS 18, CHA 10
Increase wisdom when leveling

SKILLS

Max Spellcraft, Heal, Intimidate (for killing time tanking), Balance, UMD. Put the last points in jump and spot.

FEATS

1st: Maximize spell
1st (dragonborn): White Draconic Ancestry
2nd (druid): Wild Shape: Wolf
3rd: Empower Spell
5th (druid): Wild Shape: Bear
6th: Quicken Spell
8th (druid): Wild Shape: Winter Wolf
9th: Heighten spell
11th (druid): Wild Shape: Dire Bear
12th: Spell focus evocation
13th (druid): Wild Shape: Fire Elemental
15th: Greater spell focus evocation
17th (druid): Wild Shape: Water Elemental
18th: Elemental toughness
21st: Wellspring of power
24th: Burst of glacial wrath
26th: (Destiny): epic spell power cold
27th: Intensify Spell
28th: (Destiny): Mass frog
29th: (Destiny): Deific Warding
30th: Embolden Spell
30th: (Legendary): Scion of the Plane of Fire

ENHANCEMENTS

80 points + 2 tome of fate points + 1 human III point = 83 points
Dragonborn: 30 points
Season herald: 41 points
Nature's protector: 12 points



HEROIC PAST LIVES

3 sorcerer
1 favored soul

RACIAL PAST LIVES

3 human

ICONIC PAST LIVES

None

EPIC PAST LIVES

3 arcane, 3 divine, 6 martial, 3 primal
4 stances: Energy Criticals (arcane), Brace (divine), Skill Mastery (martial), Colors of the Queen (primal)

EPIC DESTINY

Draconic incarnation



TWISTS OF FATE

1. Tsunami (tier 3 primal avatar)
2. Evocation augmentation (tier 3 magister)
3. Evocation specialist (tier 2 magister)
4. Endless faith (tier 1 exalted angel)
5. Wisdow (tier 1 exalted angel)

GEAR (end game)

Goggles: https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Legend...llective_Sight => +21 CON / +10 insightful CON
Head: https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Legendary_Arcsteel_Brim
Neck: https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Legend..._the_Azure_Sea
Trinket: cannith crafting => cha, resistance, insightful glaciation
Armor: https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Legend...gonscale_Plate
Cloak: LGS spell points tier 1 and tier 2 (with INT skills), +5% SCM positive
Bracers: https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Band_of_Diani_ir%27Wynarn
Belt: https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Legend...mingspark_Cord
Ring1: https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Clouded_Dreams
Ring2: https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:The_Le...Shattered_Onyx => +10 insightful WIS
Boots: LGS cold spell critical multiplier (on all tier)
Gloves: https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Legend...tone_Gauntlets
Weapon (2 hands): https://ddowiki.com/page/Item:Reflection_of_Wave
Quiver: Quiver of Alacrity

I must specify that the gear presented is the result of a very long analysis to optimize cold spell power, cold spell critical chance, cold spell critical multiplier, spell points and DC, with positive spell power and spell lore in second. I will take the time to explain all the job to arrive to this "perfect" list.

FILIGREES

Otto (4): CON, PRR, MRR, SPP (all rare)
Wanderer (4): raid token wanderer, WIS, PRR, cold SPP (all rare)
Coalesced magic (2): SPP, wis (all rare)
11th: raid token +2 WIS (rare)

GAMEPLAY

I speak here about gameplay for game sessions of quests done from r7 to r10. I am always playing in groups of 6.

Before we enter in a new room or a new zone:

1) I cast greater vigor mass an regenerate mass on the group.
2) I always cast winter heart if available for 704 temporary HP, and I refresh spring resurgence if needed. In very difficult passages, I use 'Fearsome Invulnerability' before entering.

When we enter in the new zone:

3) I cast earthquake, sunburst and ice storm to put the cold debuff on the mobs. Sometimes, when there are a lot of mobs, I cast sleet storm.
4) I can cast storm of vengeance, because it does very good damages, but with the groups in which I play, it becomes an option.
5) I use wellspring of power, draconic hunger, and one reaper boost if available.

NB: steps 3 to 5 must be used very fast

6) I go on melee and cast the instant spells in this order (sometimes, I simply forget steps 3 to 5, except earthquake):

a) burst of glacial wrath is always the first to try to freeze the mobs
b) energy burst
c) energy vortex if available
d) the 2 dragon breaths
e) tsunami
f) ice flowers if needed
g) 4 single target dots on doom reapers, with sunburst, word of balance and call lightning (all in SLA)
h) sometimes, i cast call lightning storm for fun

Sincerely, when I have all the spells up, even in r8, the mobs die, even if they were not yet damaged. But I rarely have to use all the instant spells, my companions doing a very high output dps too.

The key of the sequence is to cast the healing spells before entering the room. With a high pool of spell points, it's really a good choice and not an issue for spell points management. With healing done preventively, I can focus on instant cold spells, even if I always have an eye on the life of each member of the group.

All your comments are welcome. I will explain how to play this awesome build: how to do DC, how to heal, how to do single target DPS (4 dots) and finally how to do massively aoe dps with 6-7 cold instant spells doing 20k to 120k damage each.

[Gilga1]

Interesting, I like it!

I also have a question for you: why Reflection? Spiral will free your off-hand (you should be able to keep cold buffs always up by swapping) and make room for a better setup raising your DCs.

Here's a proposal:
Drop Reflection for Spiral + LGS Affirmation (+150 positive, +7 Insightful Constitution, +2 Exceptional Constitution) or LGS Ooze (+150 glaciation, +7 Insightful Constitution, +2 Exceptional Constitution + belt swap to Legendary Silverthread Belt).
Boots: Sunken Slippers (Quality Wisdom +5, Insightful Potency, Quality Potency)
Trinket: SL (Constitution+17, Resistance +14, Heal +22, Quality Constitution +4)
LGS: Goggles and Cloak

Regarding filigrees, probably I will prefer this setup:
ARTIFACT
- Celerity/Vigilance: +2 Wisdom
- Eye of the Beholder: Wisdom
- Frozen Wanderer: Wisdom
WEAPON
- Celerity/Vigilance: +2 Wisdom
- Eye of the Beholder: Wisdom
- Eye of the Beholder: Spellpower
- Eye of the Beholder: Charisma
- Frozen Wanderer: Wisdom
- Coalesced Magic: Wisdom
- Coalesced Magic: Universal Spell Crit Damage
- Coalesced Magic: Universal Spell Power

[tipav]

Interesting, I like it!

I also have a question for you: why Reflection? Spiral will free your off-hand (you should be able to keep cold buffs always up by swapping) and make room for a better setup raising your DCs.

Regarding filigrees, probably I will prefer this setup:
ARTIFACT
- Celerity/Vigilance: +2 Wisdom
- Eye of the Beholder: Wisdom
- Frozen Wanderer: Wisdom
WEAPON
- Celerity/Vigilance: +2 Wisdom
- Eye of the Beholder: Wisdom
- Eye of the Beholder: Spellpower
- Eye of the Beholder: Charisma
- Frozen Wanderer: Wisdom
- Coalesced Magic: Wisdom
- Coalesced Magic: Universal Spell Crit Damage
- Coalesced Magic: Universal Spell Power

Hi Gilga, I am glad you like the build.

Spiral could be good for this build, indeed. But Reflection is largely superior:

1) Spiral gives +208 SP to fire, electricity, cold and acid. In this build, cold is the primary element, and electricity the second one, but other elements do not really matter, even if druid has 2 acid dot spells for single target dps. The sharn druid set gives you the cold SP. Reflection gives you electricity SP. So, in my opinion, the 4 SP given by Spiral are "wasted". When I do single target dps, the 2 cold dot spells (creeping cold and greater creeping cold) do so high damages that I rarely put the 2 acid dots (envelopping swarm and creeping doom). Sometimes, I use acid dots, but it's rare. And, on a raid boss, melee are here to do the job. The principal goal of the build is to DC, heal and do massive damages on aoe, with the 2 great cold dots on single target.

2) Spiral does not give electricity spell critical, the only one element which matters after cold. Reflection gives it.

3) Spiral gives 50 spellpower of the one element, plus an ADDITIONAL 20% spell crit, but on the rotating element (if I have correctly understanden Spiral). Reflection gives that all the time on cold.

4) Finally: Reflection gives a thing that makes a HUGE difference, 5 caster levels for all cold spells ! It makes a considerable difference ! I made a lot of tests on this aspect of the build, and having 5 more caster levels on spells allows to push the numbers.

So, Reflection gives you 100% cold spell critical chance all the time and 5 more caster levels on cold spells. I have to confess that I had a long reflection on the weapon. First, I took a single weapon and a shield. I went to thunderholm to make tests on highest critical I could do in this configuration. I switched to Reflection, and made the same tests. The numbers were really better. The main goal of the build is to nuke, and Reflection is one important tool for that with 5 more caster levels on spells.

For the DC, your comments are very good. In this build, we want to DC, heal and nuke. So, I did an important work to know this: which is the minimum DC of spells to make earthquake working in reaper 7/8, to make balanced efforts between DC, dps and heal ? After tests, 109 is enough. Because, what is amazing with earthquake is that mobs do a save every 3 seconds. And, the magister twist of fate tier 3 evocation augmentation gives you 15% chance to augment the DC by 10 for 30 seconds to go to 119.

So, I decided that eye of the beholder did not pay the price. But I understand you can disagree with me. I prefer to have 4 frozen to gain 50 more cold SP. But filigrees reflection was hard to do, and I think I could change things, indeed.

So, tyvm for your comments.

PS: I just saw your gear proposal, I will analyse it, but it seems a good proposal. I will give you a return.

[Gilga1]

Spiral could be good for this build, indeed. But Reflection is largely superior

As far as I know, Spiral buffs are identical to Reflection, including the +5 caster levels.
With Spiral you can keep cold buffs always on by swapping weapons: you need to unequip then equip it every time the buff cycles to water.
Keeping fire buffs always up is a lot easier and more forgiving, but also cold can be done (around 3 weapons swap per minute are required).
Sadly, no way for electric or acid.

2) Spiral does not give electricity spell critical, the only one element which matters after cold. Reflection gives it.

True. When you need electric, you could consider Spiral + Lightning Coil in off-hand.

[tipav]

When I said I made tests with a weapon and a shield, it was with ligthing coil as weapon.

When I play with my friends in reaper 7/8, we really go fast. I am not sure i would like to switch weapon when cold will be in the rotation of Spiral.

So, I really think Reflection is better.

But, tyvm for your proposal. I could do tests with your gear proposal. What is really interesting in your proposition is the +5 quality WIS. About trinket, I decided to do cannith carafting for the insightful glaciation, but I am on a SL trinket atm to have +4 quality WIS if I need to pump up the DC.

[Gilga1]

Legendary Pendant of the Azure Sea stacks with Reflection?

[tipav]

I wanted to reply to another post reply on the build, but the post reply has disappeared. So, I apologize if I did not reply before, it was more simple to answer to the 2nd post reply. I wanted to gather elements to reply to the 1st post reply, but I will try to do it on points I remember:

1) Concerning killing time, it's one of the 2 raids we do in hard mode (with strahd). When I tank in bear form, I do it with a weapon and a shield. I have intimidate at 106, which is enough in hard mode. I do not use any spell to keep aggro, I just spam intimidate button. I use spell points for self healing on all the raid, so no need to assign a healer to follow me.

2) On dps test on a specific mob, I never did this type of test, but I could do it. I know there is a "special" mob to do that, but I don't know where to find him. I will do the test if I know where to go.

I don't remember the other points. I hope I will have news from the person who liked so much the build and said he was salivating when imaging this beast in end-game.

[tipav]

Legendary Pendant of the Azure Sea stacks with Reflection?

No. With pendant, you gain 1 spell level, and with reflection, you gain 5 levels. But they don't stack.

[Gilga1]

No. With pendant, you gain 1 spell level, and with reflection, you gain 5 levels. But they don't stack.

Thank you for your prompt reply.
Have you thought of equipping esoteric set?

[tipav]

Thank you for your prompt reply.
Have you thought of equipping esoteric set?

Yes, I did:

* Hruit's influence set bonuses: +50 Fire, Cold, Lightning, Positive Spell Power, +10% Fire, Cold, Lightning, Positive Spell Crit Chance, +4 Artifact bonus to Wisdom, +3 Artifact bonus to spell DC
* Esoteric set bonuses: +50 universal spell power, +3 artefact bonus to INT/WIS/CHA, +4 artifact to spell DC, +20 MRR cap

So, if you go on esoteric, comparing to Hruit's (from -5 to +5 points for each topic):

* you win +50 universal spell power on acid and fire => good, but not really important => +1
* you lose +10% Fire, Cold, Lightning, Positive Spell Crit Chance => it hurts a lot ! => -5
* you win +3 artefact bonus to INT and CHA => good for aoe spells based on CHA => +3
* you lose +1 bonus to WIS => -4
* you win +1 to spell DC => +4
* you win +20 MRR cap => the build wears heavy armor => 0

In conclusion ... it's a question of choice ! With the notes I arbitrarily put, we can say that esoteric is not a bad choice, but Hruit's is a little ahead (in my opinion).

The question is: do you want to max crit chance on cold / elec / positive or gain 1 point to evocation spell DC (2 points for aoe based on CHA) ? It's up to you.

[tipav]

I have added 2 images for enhancements and epic destiny.

Yesterday, it was a raid day. Below, you have the score card of Fotp in reaper 1 (my character is named Maneor).

Daars, our guild master, has an impressive dps output, but he was on tanking on one of the dragons.

[Grailhawk]

So have you run in Primal Avatar? Do the caster levels there compete at all with what DI adds?

[tipav]

So have you run in Primal Avatar? Do the caster levels there compete at all with what DI adds?

It's a really good question.

Atm, I did not try primal, but I plan to do it. But in the goal to do nuke damages, I think draconic incarnation is better. But I will try.

[Gilga1]

* you lose +10% Fire, Cold, Lightning, Positive Spell Crit Chance => it hurts a lot ! => -5

Actually esoteric provides an hidden +10% crit chance to all spell schools. And Order’s Garb offers +15% vs Clouded Dreams +10%. So esoteric set wins.
The real issue is MRR capped at 70.

[tipav]

Actually esoteric provides an hidden +10% crit chance to all spell schools. And Order’s Garb offers +15% vs Clouded Dreams +10%. So esoteric set wins.
The real issue is MRR capped at 70.

Hum, very nice informations. I have 162 MRR with Hruit's, so I prefer to keep it. Question of choice.

I have updated the initial post with a picture of all spell power values.

[Scortius]

Would Legendary Wild Frost and Sphere of Waves get you any further ? That implies you have extra schisms lying around, and the items overlap a bit, but it'd takes your c+22 insightful Cold Spellpower up +22 compared to your to your trinket. The overlaps might make it overall worse.


The build looks cool and fun, I've been thinking how to work a sphere into that kinda gearset, and haven't come up with a one-best-answer yet.

[tipav]

Would Legendary Wild Frost and Sphere of Waves get you any further ? That implies you have extra schisms lying around, and the items overlap a bit, but it'd takes your c+22 insightful Cold Spellpower up +22 compared to your to your trinket. The overlaps might make it overall worse.

The build looks cool and fun, I've been thinking how to work a sphere into that kinda gearset, and haven't come up with a one-best-answer yet.

Hi Scortius. Yes, the build is really really fun to play. I take a lot pleasure to play it.

Sphere of waves adds nothing to the gearset. What Reflection adds, ie the 20% cold spell crit, 50 cold spell power AND 5 caster levels for cold spells, you will find it only on this item (4 caster levels for cold spells if you count pendant of the azure sea).

So, let's talk about the gear setup:

1) Must have pieces "without discussion" (concerning the set, Hruit's > Esoteric in my opinion):

a) Hruit's set: armor, necklace, gloves
b) Belt: Legendary Thrummingspark Cord gives you 202 enchancement bonus to cold spell power, impossible to let it behind !
c) Bracers: Band of Diani ir'Wynarn gives you 22 WIS, quality spell focus mastery, quality spell power, best piece for WIS and best minor artifact for this build
d) Reflection: for weapons, this one is, in my opinion, an obvious choice, I have explained why before; 20% cold spell crit chance, 50 cold spell power, AND 5 more cater levels on cold spell, I don't think it's possible to let it behind, because the main goal of the build is to do nuke damages
e) The Legendary Shattered Onyx: it's the only which gives +2 profane spell focus mastery; it's also possible to put +10 insightful on WIS or CON, and the insightful +10% dodge is perfect, because the maximum dodge for the build is 10%, and +8 insightful resistance is nice too; a perfect item so, the 4 bonuses are good

So, we have necklace, armor, bracers, belt, a ring, gloves and weapon (2 handed) which are obvious choices for the build (in my opinion), so 8/16 pieces.

2) Now, it's a harder construction to do.

About the LGS items, we want to have:

a) 35% cold spell critical multiplier for nuke damages => tier 1/tier 2/tier 3 on the same object
b) spell points and dominion bonus for spell points => tier 1 spell points/tier 2 spell points/tier 3 positive spell critical multiplier is the good choice

What is fine is that the 2 LGS items will fill in the emtpy places.

So, we have now 10/16 pieces.

The beginning of the thinking here is to find an object with +4 insightful evocation or spell focus mastery bonus. The items which give that are "Attunement's Gaze • Clouded Dreams • Nightmother's Sceptre • The Legendary Mistfallen" for spell focus mastery or "Legendary Scarlet Scale Cloak • Legendary Silverthread Cloak • Legendary Slave Master's Staff" for evocation focus. Nightmother's Sceptre and The Legendary Mistfallen are weapon and orb, and Reflection being a no brain in my opinion, you have Attunement's Gaze or Clouded Dreams for insughtful spell focus mastery. We just started the nemesis project raid 3 or 4 weeks ago, so Attunement's Gaze is not available atm. So, clouded dreams is the only choice. After, all other items are chosen to fill in the empty bonuses. The Legendary Scarlet Scale Cloak could be a very good choice too. But clouded dreams adds 10% exceptionnal bonus to spell lore and 20% exceptionnal bonus to spell power, which is amazing.

I will think about a better gear setup with Attunement's Gaze, because I think it's probably a must have piece on the build. And I have begun to gather runes from this raid.

With the actual gear, the missing enhancements are the following:

* quality WIS
* evocation focus +9 (the gear gives +7 spell focus mastery)
* insightfull potency (not serious because the trinket gives insightful cold spell power, but it will be better to have insightful potency)

[tipav]

Previous post on gear updated.

[tipav]

Nemesis raid score card below, raid done today.

I will make a video to show the amazing damages of all the instant aoe cold spells (burst of glacial wrath, energy burst, white dragon breath dragonborn, white dragon breath draconic incarnation, tsunami, flyby attack, ice flowers), and from energy vortex.

[tipav]

A last one before videos, baba raid just finished.