Updated first life Pale Trapper

[Noctis57]

so I was having trouble finding a up to date pale trapper build, though I'm sure most are still viable in some way. Sooo I came up with this with some help from the community and any further suggestions are welcome.
I used the Drow because of personal preference but any race will work, humans are a good choice because of the extra feat at lvl 1 I would suggest Toughness, and for Enhancements- human versatility skill or spell power boost, and human adaptability intelligence. Let me know what you think.



Character name: First life Drow Pale Trapper 2020
Classes: 18 Wizard, 10 Epic, 2 Rogue
Race: Drow· · · · · · · · ·Alignment: Neutral

· · ·Start Tome Final---Human-HP-or- +to heal and +will save
Str:· · 10· · 0 · ·12 · · ·10---10
Dex:· · 10· · 0 · ·10 · · ·8---8
Con:· · 14· · 0 · ·18 · · ·16---14
Int:· · 20· · 0 · ·39 · · ·18---18
Wis:· · ·8· · 0 · · 8 · · ·8---12
Cha:· · 10· · 0 · ·10 · · ·8---8
DR:
Immunities: Sleep, Magic Missiles

Class and Feat Selection
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Level Class · · · · · ·Feats
1 · · Rogue(1)· · · · ·Standard: Insightful Reflexes
2 · · Wizard(1) · · · ·Metamagic: Empower Spell
3 · · Wizard(2) · · · ·Standard: Maximize Spell
4 · · Wizard(3) · · · ·Intelligence: +1 Level up
5 · · Wizard(4) · · · ·
6 · · Wizard(5) · · · ·Standard: Extend Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Metamagic: Heighten Spell
7 · · Wizard(6) · · · ·
8 · · Wizard(7) · · · ·Intelligence: +1 Level up
9 · · Rogue(2)· · · · ·Standard: Spell Focus: Enchantment
10· · Wizard(8) · · · ·
11· · Wizard(9) · · · ·
12· · Wizard(10)· · · ·Standard: Spell Penetration
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Metamagic: Spell Focus: Necromancy
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Intelligence: +1 Level up
13· · Wizard(11)· · · ·
14· · Wizard(12)· · · ·
15· · Wizard(13)· · · ·Standard: Greater Spell Focus: Necromancy
16· · Wizard(14)· · · ·Intelligence: +1 Level up
17· · Wizard(15)· · · ·Metamagic: Quicken Spell
18· · Wizard(16)· · · ·Standard: Greater Spell Penetration
19· · Wizard(17)· · · ·
20· · Wizard(18)· · · ·Intelligence: +1 Level up
21· · Epic(1) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Spell Penetration
22· · Epic(2) · · · · ·
23· · Epic(3) · · · · ·
24· · Epic(4) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Embolden Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Intelligence: +1 Level up
25· · Epic(5) · · · · ·
26· · Epic(6) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Epic Spell Power: Negative
27· · Epic(7) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Spell Focus: Necromancy
28· · Epic(8) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Hellball
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Intelligence: +1 Level up
29· · Epic(9) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Arcane Pulse
30· · Epic(10)· · · · ·Epic Feat: Master of the Dead
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Legendary: Scion of the Shadowfell

Skills
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Skill Points· · ·52 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·7· 7 ·8 14 ·8· 8 ·8· 8 ·8· 8 ·9· 9 ·9· 9 ·9
Skill Name· · · ·01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20· Total Buffed
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Balance · · · · · 4 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 4.0 · 19.0
Bluff · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 10.0
Concentration · · 2 ·3· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 37.0
Diplomacy · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 10.0
Disable Device· · 4 · · · ·1· · ·1· · ·1· 5 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 47.0
Haggle· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 10.0
Heal· · · · · · · 2 · · 1 · · 1 · · 1 · · · · · · · · · · · · ·½· ½ ·½· ½ · · · 7.0 · 21.0
Hide· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 10.0
Intimidate· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 10.0
Jump· · · · · · · 4 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 4.0 · 20.0
Listen· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 11.0
Move Silently · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 0.0 · 10.0
Open Lock · · · · 4 · · · · · · · · ½ · · 1 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 5.5 · 15.5
Perform · · · · · 2 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 2.0 · 12.0
Repair· · · · · · 4 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 4.0 · 28.0
Search· · · · · · 4 · · · ·1· · ·1· · ·1· 5 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 54.0
Spell Craft · · · 2 ·2· 2 · · 2 · · 1 ·1· · ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·2· ·22.0 · 51.0
Spot· · · · · · · 4 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· 1 ·1· ·23.0 · 39.0
Swim· · · · · · · 3 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 3.0 · 14.0
Tumble· · · · · · 1 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 1.0 · 11.0
Use Magic Device· 4 · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 4.0 · 19.0
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Available Points· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0· 0 ·0
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Enhancements: 80 APs
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Drow - Points spent: 3
1 Core ·(1) Spell Resistance I
2 Core ·(2) Ability I: +1 Intelligence
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Arch-Mage - Points spent: 40
1 Core ·(1) Specialization I: Necromancy I: Chill Touch
2 Tier1 (2) Spell Critical: Elemental and Force I
3 Tier1 (2) Energy of the Scholar
4 Tier2 (2) Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Empower
5 Tier2 (2) Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Empower
6 Tier2 (2) Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Empower
7 Core ·(1) Specialization II: Necromancy II: Command Undead
8 Core ·(1) Specialization III: Necromancy III: Halt Undead
9 Tier3 (2) Intelligence I
10 Tier2 (2) Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Maximize
11 Tier2 (2) Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Maximize
12 Tier2 (2) Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Maximize
13 Tier4 (2) School Mastery: Primary Spell Focus: Necromancy
14 Tier4 (2) Intelligence II
15 Tier4 (2) Efficient Heighten
16 Tier4 (2) Efficient Heighten
17 Core ·(1) Specialization IV: Necromancy IV: Enervation
18 Tier3 (2) Spell Penetration
19 Tier3 (2) Spell Penetration
20 Tier2 (2) Spell Critical: Elemental and Force II
21 Tier3 (2) Spell Critical: Elemental and Force III
22 Tier4 (2) Spell Critical: Elemental and Force IV
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Pale Master - Points spent: 37
1 Core ·(1) Dark Reaping
2 Tier1 (2) Deathless Vigor
3 Tier1 (2) Deathless Vigor
4 Core ·(1) Pale Shroud: Shroud of the Lich
5 Tier1 (1) Negative Energy Conduit
6 Tier1 (1) Negative Energy Conduit
7 Tier1 (2) Deathless Vigor
8 Tier1 (2) Spell Critical: Negative Energy I
9 Core ·(1) Undead Augmentation I: Deathly Resistance
10 Tier3 (2) Ability I: +1 Intelligence
11 Tier2 (2) Spell Critical: Negative Energy II
12 Tier3 (2) Spell Critical: Negative Energy III
13 Tier1 (1) Negative Energy Conduit
14 Tier4 (2) Ability II: +1 Intelligence
15 Core ·(1) Undead Augmentation II: +2 Necromancy DC
16 Tier4 (2) Spell Critical: Negative Energy IV
17 Tier2 (2) Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Quicken
18 Tier2 (2) Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Quicken
19 Tier2 (2) Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Quicken
20 Tier4 (1) Unholy Avatar
21 Tier5 (2) Ascendant Shroud
22 Tier5 (2) Necromantic Focus
23 Core ·(1) Undead Augmentation III: Undead Chill or Deadly Power
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Active Destiny Tree
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Magister - Points spent: 24
1 Core ·(0) Arcane study I
2 Tier1 (1) Unearthly Reactions
3 Tier1 (1) Unearthly Reactions
4 Tier1 (2) Ability I: +1 Intelligence
5 Core ·(0) Arcane study II
6 Tier2 (1) Spell School Specialist: Spell School Specialist: Necromancy
7 Tier2 (1) Spell School Specialist: Spell School Specialist: Necromancy
8 Tier2 (1) Spell School Specialist: Spell School Specialist: Necromancy
9 Core ·(0) Arcane study III
10 Tier2 (2) Ability II: +1 Intelligence
11 Tier3 (2) Ability III: +1 Intelligence
12 Tier3 (1) Piercing Spellcraft
13 Core ·(0) Arcane study IV
14 Tier3 (1) Piercing Spellcraft
15 Tier4 (2) Ability IV: +1 Intelligence
16 Tier3 (1) Spell School Augmentation: Spell School Augmentation: Necromancy
17 Core ·(0) Arcane study V
18 Tier3 (1) Spell School Augmentation: Spell School Augmentation: Necromancy
19 Tier4 (1) Spell School Familiarity: Spell School Familiarity: Necromancy
20 Tier5 (2) Ability V: +1 Intelligence
21 Core ·(0) Arcane Spellsurge
22 Tier4 (1) Spell School Familiarity: Spell School Familiarity: Necromancy
23 Tier5 (1) Master of Spell School: Master of Spell School: Necromancy
24 Tier5 (1) Master of Spell School: Master of Spell School: Necromancy
25 Tier3 (1) Spell School Augmentation: Spell School Augmentation: Necromancy
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Twists of fate - 12 of 25 Fate points spent.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Twist 1 - Tier 4: Draconic Incarnation: Energy Burst: Energy Burst: Acid
Twist 2 - Tier 1: Exalted Angel: Endless faith
Twist 3 - Tier 0: Twist slot empty
Twist 4 - Tier 0: Twist slot empty






Leveling Guide

1. (Bank 4 AP)

2. AM0 Chill Touch; AM1 Energy of the Scholar I; AM1 Spell Critical; PM0 Dark Reaping; (Bank 2 AP)

3. AM2 Efficient Empower I, II, III

4. PM1 Deathless Vigor I, II Or if you don't need then HP for some reason (Necrotic touch I, maybe II for spell options or Skeleton Knight as a lever pull never more then 1 in knight rest in vigor)

5. PM0 Shroud of the Lich; AM0 Command Undead; PM1 Negative Energy Conduit I, II

6. PM1 Deathless Vigor I,II Or III; PM1 Spell Critical

7. PM0 Deathly Resistance; AM0 Halt Undead; AM3 Intelligence

8. PM3 Intelligence; (Bank 2 AP)

9. AM2 Efficient Maximize I, II, III

10. AM4 School Mastery: Necromancy; PM2 Spell Critical

11. AM4 Intelligence; PM3 Spell Critical

12. PM1 Negative Energy Conduit III; PM4 Intelligence; Drow0 Spell resistance or Hum0 Skills Boost

13. AM4 Efficient Heighten I, II

14. PM0 +2 Necromancy DC; AM0 Enervation; PM4 Spell Critical

15. AM3 Spell Penetration I, II

16. AM2 Spell Critical; (Bank 2 AP)

17. PM2 Efficient Quicken I, II, III

18.PM5 Necromantic Focus; PM5 Ascendant Shroud

19.AM3 Spell Critical; AM4 Spell Critical

20.PM0 Undead Chill or Deathly Power; Drow0 Intelligence or Hum0 Intelligence

Empower and Maximize on SLA's are your bread and butter lower levels, spell list will vary based on situation but Mage Armor, Burning Hands, Niac's Cold Ray, and Nightshield are all good options to start. make sure to grab Master's Touch and Disrupt Undead if you want to fill your spellbook. when you start slotting spells make sure you have at least 1 good ray, decent crowd control, AC Buff, DC Buff, Touch spell (most likely chill touch SLA can cover), Death Aura (for heal), Negative Burst (burst heal), Finger of Death and Mass Hold will be your goal at higher levels. Fire spells like Scorch, Fire Wall, ect. will help immensely against constructs later on.

Let me how how you like the build.

Credit to EllisDee37 for a lot of the build.

[C-Dog]

I'm not sure that 3 AP for +1 Int (from Drow racial tree) is a good return on investment. I'd think that, after slogging to Tier 5 in PM, you'd want to grab some more of that top-tier goodness. Dark Discorporation is a great (un-)life saver for any Warlock - I'd think the same would be true for a PM. Necrotic Blast would be yet another fully-metamagicked SLA in your repetoire. (And there is an undeniable lulz factor in raising an ally as a zombie, tho' ymmv on that. )

[Noctis57]

I'm not sure that 3 AP for +1 Int (from Drow racial tree) is a good return on investment. I'd think that, after slogging to Tier 5 in PM, you'd want to grab some more of that top-tier goodness. Dark Discorporation is a great (un-)life saver for any Warlock - I'd think the same would be true for a PM. Necrotic Blast would be yet another fully-metamagicked SLA in your repetoire. (And there is an undeniable lulz factor in raising an ally as a zombie, tho' ymmv on that. )

You do also get the +2 spell resistance on top of the +1 to intelligence but I don't have personal experience with Dark Discorporation but I assume it's like an emergency teleport? And you are probably correct about Necrotic Blast as well. With all three you have a touch, ray, and short aoe for 3AP not a bad trade off at all. And if you have a free racial time that's still a +2 spell resistance from drow or the skill boost from human.

[Seph1roth5]

Dark discorporation is awesome. The reactive one is super helpful. When you drop below 50% hp, it gives you 25% incorporeal, halves damage, and most importantly, TELLS YOU YOU'RE IN TROUBLE lol.

I play my PM somewhat kamikaze unless I'm in reaper 3-4, and the bats lets me know it's time to retreat. It only triggers once/min but it's still saved my ass tons of times.

The castable one is good too I suppose, but I'd rather have it as an oh **** auto-spell.

[kanordog]

You do also get the +2% spell resistance on top of the +1 to intelligence but I don't have personal experience with Dark Discorporation but I assume it's like an emergency teleport? And you are probably correct about Necrotic Blast as well. With all three you have a touch, ray, and short aoe for 3AP not a bad trade off at all. And if you have a free racial time that's still a +2% spell resistance from drow or the skill boost from human.

Spell resistance is not a percentage. It is not a stacking elemental resistance. https://ddowiki.com/page/Spell_Resistance

[Noctis57]

Spell resistance is not a percentage. It is not a stacking elemental resistance. https://ddowiki.com/page/Spell_Resistance

Sorry you are correct I'm not sure what made me put 2% and honestly unless you got to 100 SR your better off with the +2. I will edit it.

[C-Dog]

... and honestly unless you got to 100 SR you're better off with the +2.

???

100 SR? You're definitely confused on the mechanic here.

SR works (very roughly) like a defensive DC against a spell, a "first" ST (before the actual one), if you will, based on d20 + Caster Level + mods. If the spell caster roll beats the SR, it goes through (and then any normal Saving Throw kicks in, if approp). So, the value for a "no fail" SR starts at 20+ and grows as the NPC casters grow. I'd have to guess that 100 SR is absurd overklll even to end Epics (tho' admittedly I've never looked into the specific values at that point).

o Rough example: In Harbor 2's, on Elite, the Kobold Shamans are CL 5. Let's say they have no extra Pen bonus (don't know, they might have a little, but let's say "0" for this discussion). Their penetration roll would be 5 + d20, so you'd need a SR of 7 to get them to fail on a "2". (And, sorry, dunno if SR auto-fails on a 1. Maybe if(!) the target has SR > Pen, but really no idea.)

Drow start w/ SR 6. +2 is 8, so, vs. those CR 5 casters (and assuming they have no Pen boost!), you're going to stop any spell that is stopped by SR 3/20 of the time. Congratulations - you don't need to test your Will ST on those. Adding an SR item (or additional Enhancements) will help that. Higher CR enemy casters will hurt it. CR 8 casters (Elite QL 4 trash, and QL 3 boss types) definitely make it meaningless if not boosted above that starting value of "8".

So, a +2 SR, while not literally "worthless" to start (for a Drow!), is only a marginally "better than nothing" boost to start out with, and will quickly become less and less useful as NPC Caster Level (and so spell penetration) grows in value. (Read: meaningless all too soon.)

o https://ddowiki.com/page/Spell_penetration

Bottom line - It's been argued elsewhere that the effort needed to keep SR at useful levels, both in AP spent and in gear, is (arguably) not worth the effort, especially if your build has a solid Will ST.


(@ new(er) players - It's important to emphasize that SR only works on "non-damaging" spells - basically on spells like Curses and Crowd Control, roughly speaking anything that would fall into the "Will" ST category (even if that particular spell doesn't allow a ST). So it's useless against Magic Missiles and Lightning Bolts and the like.)

[Noctis57]

???

100 SR? You're definitely confused on the mechanic here.

SR works (very roughly) like a defensive DC against a spell, a "first" ST (before the actual one), if you will, based on d20 + Caster Level + mods. If the spell caster roll beats the SR, it goes through (and then any normal Saving Throw kicks in, if approp). So, the value for a "no fail" SR starts at 20+ and grows as the NPC casters grow. I'd have to guess that 100 SR is absurd overklll even to end Epics (tho' admittedly I've never looked into the specific values at that point).

o Rough example: In Harbor 2's, on Elite, the Kobold Shamans are CL 5. Let's say they have no extra Pen bonus (don't know, they might have a little, but let's say "0" for this discussion). Their penetration roll would be 5 + d20, so you'd need a SR of 7 to get them to fail on a "2". (And, sorry, dunno if SR auto-fails on a 1. Maybe if(!) the target has SR > Pen, but really no idea.)

Drow start w/ SR 6. +2 is 8, so, vs. those CR 5 casters (and assuming they have no Pen boost!), you're going to stop any spell that is stopped by SR 3/20 of the time. Congratulations - you don't need to test your Will ST on those. Adding an SR item (or additional Enhancements) will help that. Higher CR enemy casters will hurt it. CR 8 casters (Elite QL 4 trash, and QL 3 boss types) definitely make it meaningless if not boosted above that starting value of "8".

So, a +2 SR, while not literally "worthless" to start (for a Drow!), is only a marginally "better than nothing" boost to start out with, and will quickly become less and less useful as NPC Caster Level (and so spell penetration) grows in value. (Read: meaningless all too soon.)

o https://ddowiki.com/page/Spell_penetration

Bottom line - It's been argued elsewhere that the effort needed to keep SR at useful levels, both in AP spent and in gear, is (arguably) not worth the effort, especially if your build has a solid Will ST.


(@ new(er) players - It's important to emphasize that SR only works on "non-damaging" spells - basically on spells like Curses and Crowd Control, roughly speaking anything that would fall into the "Will" ST category (even if that particular spell doesn't allow a ST). So it's useless against Magic Missiles and Lightning Bolts and the like.)

I know 100 SR is absurd lol I was just trying to say In order for the non existent +2% SR to get you +2 SR you could need 100 SR. (100x.002=2) was simply making fun of myself for messing that up. And yes I can see how the diminishing return could not be worth it.

[AshtonEsson]

Merci pour l'info. Je n'ai pas joué depuis un moment, content qu'il y ait une mise ?* jour

[MichelleOtter]

An interesting analysis of the hero. That's pretty useful information I'll keep in mind

[C-Dog]

Over 2 years ago, and I had largely forgotten this.

However, I would suggest new(er) players take this build with a grain of salt, for reasons such as...

... humans are a good choice because of the extra feat at lvl 1 I would suggest Toughness...

There are few builds that cannot find a better Feat than "Toughness", especially at Level 1 - move Empower up before anything else, and then other Metamagic Feats fill in asap behind that.

There are other problems with this build; it will "work", but it's far from a good "update". Just sayin'. ;)