Pale Master Has Never Been Better ~ Versatile and Fun

[Strimtom]

Good morning everyone!

Strimtom here back at it again with the smooth builds. Today we look at Pale Master. If you don't want to read, please watch this video and learn all about the cool stuff you can do with pale master now:



Palemaster has been updated, and as a result you can now effectively and comfortable remove all threats from before your eyes with this easy and intuitive character to play. I really enjoyed my palemaster playthrough that I did in once sitting, which you can find here.

TL;DW

• Palemaster feels stronger with better self healing.
• Undead are still annoying to deal with until you get necrotic blast at 12.
• Constructs are more annoying than ever.
• You don't really cast negative energy spells before level 11, so focus on fireball and ball lightning instead.
• Skeleton knight hits like a tonne of bricks, get him going and you can just follow him to victory.
• Race has basically no impact, with the only better race being gnome/deepgnome. P

Anywho, the build!

Wizard Palemaster
Wizard 20
True Neutral Halfling


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . 32pt. . .34pt . . 36pt. . .Tome. . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . ----. . .---- . . --------
Strength. . . . .8. . . .10 . . . 10. . . .10 . . . +6 . . . 4: INT
Dexterity . . . 10. . . .10 . . . 10. . . .10 . . . +6 . . . 8: INT
Constitution. . 16. . . .16 . . . 16. . . .18 . . . +6 . . .12: INT
Intelligence. . 18. . . .18 . . . 18. . . .18 . . . +6 . . .16: INT
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . .10 . . . 10. . . . 8 . . . +6 . . .20: INT
Charisma. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . 10. . . . 8 . . . +6 . . .24: INT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28: INT

Skills
. . . . . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Concent . 4. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Spellcr . 4. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 23
Heal. . . 2. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. . .11
Search. . 2. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. . .11
Balance . 2. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. . .11
Haggle. . . .½ .½ .1 .1 .1 .1 .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ .½ . . 11
UMD . . . 2. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. ½. . .11
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .24. 7. 7. 8. 8. 8. 8. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 7. 2
Max . . .24. 7. 7. 8. 8. 8. 8. 9. 9. 9. 9 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11


Feats

.1. . . . : Maximize Spell
.1 Wizard : Quicken Spell
.3. . . . : Completionist OR Toughness
.5 Wizard : Mental Toughness
.6. . . . : Extend Spell
.9. . . . : Insightful Reflexes
10 Wizard : Spell Focus: Necromancy
12. . . . : Spell Penetration
15. . . . : Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy OR Past Life: Wizard
15 Wizard : Improved Mental Toughness
18. . . . : Spell Focus: Enchantment
20 Wizard : Heighten Spell
21 Epic . : Arcane Insight
24 Epic . : Master of: the Dead
26 Destiny: Toughness
27 Epic . : Epic Damage Reduction
28 Destiny: Toughness
29 Destiny: Arcane Pulse
30 Epic . : Epic Mental Toughness
30 Legend : Scion of: Shadowfell OR Feywild

Spells


Enhancements


Epic Destiny and Twists


Item Set For End Game

[Montegue]

Question - what do you specialize in when you take Magister? Necro or Enchant?

I've been finding that Thunder bolt (the big level 9 lightning spell) is on the same Cooldown as Rend the Soul. At the end of the day, I think Thunder is just better (if you have the Arcsteel set) when it comes to single target damage, since the DoT doesn't seem to do as much overall damage and it casts at exactly the same rate as the lightning spell.

I notice in your build you don't rock the Silverthread belt for Enhanced void/void lore. What's your thinking there?

*updated for posting pre-coffee.

[Djjinni]

I've been finding that Thunder bolt (the big level 9 lightning spell) is on the same Cooldown as Rend the Soul.

Just a quick mention here, this has been identified as a bug and I presume will be fixed "soon".

[Montegue]

Just a quick mention here, this has been identified as a bug and I presume will be fixed "soon".

Cool. It will be a much stronger spell to add to a DPS rotation then.

[Lonnbeimnech]

RE: all level 8 spells are bad

incendiary cloud causes blindness, which can autokill those eyeballs in house j rage chain. a lot of people will use sleetstorm for the same reason, but that's annoying to people in the party that dont have fom

[Emerge2012]

RE: all level 8 spells are bad

incendiary cloud causes blindness, which can autokill those eyeballs in house j rage chain. a lot of people will use sleetstorm for the same reason, but that's annoying to people in the party that dont have fom

This.

Would also like to point out that Slarden's PM framework, which is nearly perfect, walks all over the build posted in this thread. PM is stupid OP.

[Merfyn]

This.

Would also like to point out that Slarden's PM framework, which is nearly perfect, walks all over the build posted in this thread. PM is stupid OP.

Sorry, could you cite this 'framework'? I didn't find it in a forum search.

I'm trying to rescue a bunch of old WarForged wizard toons I have across servers, & the PM changes seem very beneficial to getting them across the level 20 finish line.

[Montegue]

Sorry, could you cite this 'framework'? I didn't find it in a forum search.

I'm trying to rescue a bunch of old WarForged wizard toons I have across servers, & the PM changes seem very beneficial to getting them across the level 20 finish line.

This.

I couldn't find his build anywhere.

[Emerge2012]

Sorry, could you cite this 'framework'? I didn't find it in a forum search.

I'm trying to rescue a bunch of old WarForged wizard toons I have across servers, & the PM changes seem very beneficial to getting them across the level 20 finish line.

This.

I couldn't find his build anywhere.

https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/506902-Template-for-a-U43-ARCANE-warrior

I think about the only changes I really made for my build was dumping Overwhelming Crit for Arcane Insight and dumping Khopesh Prof for Master of the Dead.

Otherwise the build is nearly flawless for what it does. At cap my PM has a standing necro dc of 120 and all others at 109, outside of reaper with no buffs/boosts. The melee ability isn't earthshattering but with a 4 piece Darkhallow set it not only does about the same damage as the DoTs other casters have to throw but it heals you for a ridiculous amount on almost every hit also. And I mean to the point where when I melee between the 2 on hit procs and the auras running the stream of green on my screen is almost blinding. This is just extra bonus to add on top of being the best DC platform in the entire game.

My character has +8 tomes and heroic comletionist but no racial completionist, so very much achievable for anyone. Once you get a good build (Slarden's) going and learn to play it well you'll find that the new PM is incredibly OP. Not kinda sorta OP, or on the verge of it, but flat out OP OP.

[Merfyn]

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]https://www.ddo.com/forums/showthread.php/506902-Template-for-a-U43-ARCANE-warrior

I think about the only changes I really made for my build was dumping Overwhelming Crit for Arcane Insight and dumping Khopesh Prof for Master of the Dead.

Thanks; I'll have to check this out.

[BigBadGinge]

What are the core abilities on the pale master (3 icons that are the same) please.

[mr420247]

Tested Master of the Dead doesn't do anything at cap these days

better off with extend if you care about your Auras heals are exactly the same w wo on r10

138 necro 136 pks + depending on what your willing to sacrifice

Level 9 spells usually rend the soul and acid well well is amazing for high reflex mobs and not half bad aoe dmg epic

Eg Deleras catacombs archers and ghouls with 100+ evasion nukes em when everyhing else misses

[PurpleSerpent]

Great build! Couple of queries though:

* Which 3 of the Pale Master Shroud enhancements at the bottom did you take?
* I don't have Ravenloft, so what would you recommend to replace the Sceptre and Storm in a Bottle?

[PrinceOfAsphodel]

Great build! Couple of queries though:

* Which 3 of the Pale Master Shroud enhancements at the bottom did you take?
* I don't have Ravenloft, so what would you recommend to replace the Sceptre and Storm in a Bottle?

Can't speak for Strimtom but I know all Pale Masters take the +2 Necro DC core. After that, it's the (+15 MRR, +2 Saves) and the (+25 HP, +5 PRR) for extra survivability, though I've seen good players take +2 Enchant DCs over the 25 HP one. The last 3 are probably interchangeable but always take Necro DCs.

Not having Ravenloft is unfortunate. Nightmother's is really important because of the Insightful Spell Focus that you can't get elsewhere. Everything else that gives this is from either raids, Ravenloft or Feywild. I assume you also don't have Fables of Feywild? If for some reason you do, then there is no problem. The Prince's Scepter is a strict upgrade to Nightmother's. If you don't own either expansion, you'll probably have to live with lower DCs at cap until you get one, unfortunately. And to be honest, I don't actually agree with Strimtom's use of Storm in a bottle. Most competitive Pale Master mains use the Legendary Deep Promise Onyx as their trinket.

[Logicman69]

I rerolled one of my older characters into this build. It has been a blast to play and now I GET why people play casters. Running in, casting mass hold, and then blasting away with Necrotic Blast. Its like a darkside Meteor Swarm

Like Strimton said, the only downside is constructs. At that point... run

[Varr]

Can't speak for Strimtom but I know all Pale Masters take the +2 Necro DC core. After that, it's the (+15 MRR, +2 Saves) and the (+25 HP, +5 PRR) for extra survivability, though I've seen good players take +2 Enchant DCs over the 25 HP one. The last 3 are probably interchangeable but always take Necro DCs.

Not having Ravenloft is unfortunate. Nightmother's is really important because of the Insightful Spell Focus that you can't get elsewhere. Everything else that gives this is from either raids, Ravenloft or Feywild. I assume you also don't have Fables of Feywild? If for some reason you do, then there is no problem. The Prince's Scepter is a strict upgrade to Nightmother's. If you don't own either expansion, you'll probably have to live with lower DCs at cap until you get one, unfortunately. And to be honest, I don't actually agree with Strimtom's use of Storm in a bottle. Most competitive Pale Master mains use the Legendary Deep Promise Onyx as their trinket.

I always take 15% ele absorb/no light extra damage, +2 Necro, +2 Enchant personally

I stay with Nighmothers over Prince's as allows for the orange slot for Meridian Augment instead of red. Costs you two spell pen, one for my set up.

For certain on the Deep Promies Onyx Trinket.

[PrinceOfAsphodel]

I always take 15% ele absorb/no light extra damage, +2 Necro, +2 Enchant personally

I stay with Nighmothers over Prince's as allows for the orange slot for Meridian Augment instead of red. Costs you two spell pen, one for my set up.

For certain on the Deep Promies Onyx Trinket.

Ooh, great point about the orange augment slot. I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't even thought about that. My bad. It is not a "strict" upgrade then. Why do you take the Electric Absorption? For stacking absorption in KT and Riding the Storm out?

[Alrik_Fassbauer]

Me, I will never ever ever play Pale Masters because I don't play undead ones. Period. That said, from my personal opinion-viewpoint, the Pakle Master has become too good. When I play DDO, then *at least* a third of all player characters look like Pale Masters to me.

I'm sure that you don't care for in-game world lore, but when I would come to Stormreach and see it ruled by undead ones, then I'd flee with the next ship regardless.

Pale Masters have become so good that everybody plays them - and I begin to wonder why are all other classes so bad that nobody plays them ? Cynically put.

[Varr]

Ooh, great point about the orange augment slot. I'm embarrassed to admit I hadn't even thought about that. My bad. It is not a "strict" upgrade then. Why do you take the Electric Absorption? For stacking absorption in KT and Riding the Storm out?

Its for the light, as I normally play a Vamp. We fear the light!! So it is either Cold or Ele, lean Ele..............but would take this even if the Cold/Ele absorb were not part of it.

[Vordax]

Me, I will never ever ever play Pale Masters because I don't play undead ones. Period. That said, from my personal opinion-viewpoint, the Pakle Master has become too good. When I play DDO, then *at least* a third of all player characters look like Pale Masters to me.

I'm sure that you don't care for in-game world lore, but when I would come to Stormreach and see it ruled by undead ones, then I'd flee with the next ship regardless.

Lookup Aerenal and the undying court, undead that can be good, part of the Eberron lore.

Pale Masters have become so good that everybody plays them - and I begin to wonder why are all other classes so bad that nobody plays them ? Cynically put.

Pale master are decent but I wouldn't rate them anywhere near best.

From this chart it appears that only 9-10% play wizards, nowhere near "everybody" assuming all of these 9% are pale masters.