DC Caster Gear U50 (no sands items yet)

[Archfae]

Since gear is a mess right now, I figured I'd list the gear list I'm tinkering with. Subject to changes with sands of course and epic destiny pass. And I'm looking for advice if there's a way to improve it. I really wish I didn't feel compelled to have two saltmarsh required items, as I've been avoiding buying the "mini expansion".

Helmet: Leg Elder's Cap
Goggles: Leg Magewright's Spectacles - illusion dc +6, insight illusion dc +3, spell pen +9, set bonus (+3/+3 wis/dc)
Necklace: Legendary Winter Court Necklace - profane dc +2, profane hp, set bonus
Cloak: Leg Magewright's Cloak - enchant dc +6, insight enchant dc +3, wizardry, set bonus (+3/+3 wis/dc)
Gloves: GloryBorne Gloves, devotion, radiance, and sacred +2 dc
Bracers: Bands +14 wisdom, +2 quality dc boost, quality potency
Belt: Legendary Black Satin waste - +3 quality wis
Boots: Legendary Deep Snow Boots - +6 insight cons, +3 quality cons, fom, fortitude saves, set bonus
Trinket: Gem of Many Facet with Helm Set Bonus w/ +6 insight wisdom crafted, healing lore, magical sheltering
Ring 1: Elemental Ring of Lightning - magnetism, lightning lore, +5 spell focus universal
Ring 2: Clouded Dreams - Exceptional Spell Lore, Exceptional Spell power, +3 insight spell focus universal
Armor: Legendary Snowscale - physical sheltering +33, hamp competence +53, fort, parrying, set bonus
Weapon: Dusk the Light Descends - +6 evocation spell focus, radiance, radiance lore, brazen brilliance
Offhand: Alchemy Shield - glaciation, glaciation lore, +2 wisdom, improved cold augmentation

Constitution slots into an augment (I'm not going to fuss over 30 hp).

Can swap out Belt potentially if you are at even number without it - losing 1 dc for a single item isn't the end of the world and insight devotion from healer belt or extra hp would help immensely. Or for soloing maybe even a lgs belt for cold crit damage.

Stretch goal would be to get the set bonus augments for universal artifact spell power boost. But getting the runes for that would be a stretch for me with my other characters needing them as well.

[kpak01]

Most of the choices are forced, so it's not surprising your gearset is nearly identical to what I posted this in another thread a week or two ago:

Helmet: Reaper stat. Only source for +2 Reaper stat bonus.
Offhand: Alchemical. Only source for +2 Alchemical Wisdom.
Gloves: +2 Sacred. Gloryborne. Only (remaining) source for +2 Sacred DC. (Other is a staff, can't use with Alchemical.)
Bracers: +14 Wis & + 2 Quality. Band of Diani ir'Wynarn (Artifact). Only (remaining) source for +2 Quality DC. (Other is Gloves, conflicts with Gloryborne.)
Goggles & Cloak: Magewright set. Only (remaining) source for +3 Artifact DC & +3 Artifact stat. (Other sets conflict with Bracers or Gloves [Sharn sets], or just use way too many useless gear slots [6-piece Autumn] or too many augment slots [6 augments for Wis & DC].)
Rings: +5 DC & +3 Insightful. Bound Elemental Ring of Lightning & Clouded Dreams. Only (remaining) sources for +5 DC and +3 Insightful DC. (Rest conflict with gear above.)
Necklace: +2 Profane DC. Winter Court Necklace or Alchemist's Pendant. Wow, two choices...but both are on Necklace. (Rest conflict with gear above.)
Trinket: +6 Insightful Wisdom. Blood of Blossoms or Freewill.
Weapon: +6 Evocation. Dusk the Light Descends or Lightning Coil. Only choices that give you more DC.


Still need +3 Quality Wis, available on Belt or Boots. Fill those slots and Armor, sprinkle in all the appropriate augments, and call it a day.

So, hat is your Reaper stat hat if you have one.

For individual schools, +6 to Illusion, Enchantment, and Evocation are included in above. You can get another school crafted on your Alchemical. That's more useful for a DC caster than Cold Augmentation. You can swap in the Augmentation item if you're swapping roles to primarily nuking instead of DC casting.

[slarden]

Hi,

This is very close to what I've come up with for optimal dc casting gear.

The black satin waist (or waste) + elemental ring of lightning seem like the weak links to me. you can craft +5 spell focus mastery on the suffix of your trinket unless that air proc is critical for your build. Healing Lore and Sheltering can go on slavers and the sheltering can be an augment (defense 32) so you don't need those on cannith crafted trinket. There are many ways to fit in slightly lower air spellpower and crit % depending on how much dps in your rotation is air.

The air lore and spellpower can be replaced easy enough.

You then have many options
1) complete winter 4-piece winter for more hp
2) complete 2-piece autumn for the 25 artifact universal spellpower.
3) Slavers item with +3 quality wisdom - either ring or belt, but winter set direbear belt with insightful sheltering 17 is quite nice.

Afaik there is no way to get a reaper ability bonus on the legendary elder's cap, but with all the other bonuses it's unlikely that will be impactful. The elder set bonus gives you enough other things that it's worth it. If you really want the DC use a reaper ability helmet for mobs and swap the elder's cap on for bosses.

[Michele]

My update 50 build in the druid forum has this equipment to reach 129 evocation DC, no raid items needed, so you can equip any of your toons easily.

It uses 7 pieces of Autumn set for 3 artifact wisdom, 3 artifact dc, 25 artifact spell power, 6% artifact spell critical chance, 15% spell critical damage, 2 pieces of winter set for +30 prr, maxed impulse and glaciation equipment+insightful+quality spell power with fusible sceptre of impulse + alchemical shield + bottled rainstorm trinket + band of diani ir'wynarn:

- Armor ml 30: cladding of dead leaves with eminence of autumn, exceptional universal spell lore +5%, exceptional universal spell power +15, physical sheltering +33, parrying +6, mythic bonus to prr/mrr +2 (green slot: resistance save +10)

- Belt ml 28: legendary chains with fortification +142% prefix, healing lore +21% suffix, spellsight +20 extra, quality wisdom +3 bonus, reaper bonus to spell power +3 (yellow slot: evocation)

- Boots ml 29: legendary windriders with eminence of autumn, speed +30%, dodge +13%, freedom of movement, mythic bonus to prr/mrr +1 (green slot: illusion)

- Bracers ml 29: band of diani ir'wynarn with wisdom +14, quality spell focus mastery +2, quality potency +26 (green slot: festive wisdom +2) (yellow slot: necromancy) (blue slot: globe of true imperial blood)

- Cloak ml 29: legendary cloak of autumn with eminence of autumn, insightful constitution +6, lesser displacement, acid absorption +34% (green slot: constitution +12)

- Gloves ml 29: gloryborne gloves with eminence of autumn, sacred spell focus mastery +2, positive/light/alignment spell power +142, quality resistance +2, mythic bonus to spell power +1 (green slot: transmutation)

- Goggles ml 29: evocation prefix +6, insightful evocation +3 suffix, insightful wisdom +6 extra (yellow slot: wizardry +261) (colorless slot: diamond of the magi)

- Helm ml 29: legendary crown of snow with eminence of winter, spell focus mastery +4, insightful spell focus mastery +2, reaper ability boost +2 (green slot: essence of the epic litany of the dead)

- Necklace ml 29: legendary winter court necklace with eminence of winter, profane spell focus +2, profane lifeforce +44, mythic bonus to prr/mrr +1 (green slot: greater heroism)

- Ring left ml 29: legendary ring of fall’s decay with eminence of autumn, corrosion/nullification +142, acid/void lore +21%, mythic bonus to universal spell power +3 (green slot: sapphire of defense +28)

- Ring right ml 29: legendary duskbone ring with eminence of autumn, ghostly, profane lifeforce +44, reaper bonus to prr +3 (green slot: the master’s gift)

- Trinket ml 29: bottled rainstorm with eminence of autumn, insightful bonus to cold and electric spell power +74, quality bonus to cold and electric spell power +36, fire resistance +52, quenched (blue slot: false life +48) (green slot: vitality +20)

- Weapon primary ml 29: legendary fusible sceptre of impulse with impulse +142, insightful impulse +71, kinetic lore +21%, evocation focus +5 (red slot: insightful intelligence +5)

- Weapon secondary ml 29: legendary alchemical large shield with glaciation +148, ice lore +22%, alchemical wisdom +2, improved cold augmentation (red slot: dexterity +12) (purple slot: good luck +3)

[Marcb81]

There are a lot of good build ideas here. Not sure what the right answer is, though likely depends upon the situation. Lately, I have been wondering about a build that runs in Water ele for high reaper questing and focuses on DCs and heals with the option to switch to fire for extra dps say on boss fights, raids, or when soloing. My thought is as follows:

2p Winter Set: Wintercourt (profane SFM), Deepsnow Boots (iCon, qCon)
Flamecleansed Fury Set: Blessed Vestments, Hallowed Castigators, and Hallowed Trail (Note this set gives heal amp and fortification for defense and unless things have changed the artifact positive and fire spell power and crit chance stack with universal from Autumn Set making this a unique stacking bonus)
2p Autumn: Bottled rainstorm Trinket, Gloryborne gloves (sacred DC)
Helm: Achemical Crown with iWis 6
Goggles: Attunement's Gaze SFM/ Can be switched with LGS fire crit goggles for boss if don't need SFM for FI color spray
Belt: Black Satin Waist: +2 qSFM, spell pen, +3 qWis
Ring1: Clouded Dreams
Ring2: Black Pearl: 14 Wis Minor Artifact from Saltmarsh with Cold spell power and crit chance
Main: Fusible Combustible Scepter (DC filigrees)
Off-Hand: Alchemical large shield with Impulse, crit, and alch Wis +2

For DPS can swap helm and necklace for Epic elder's set (iWis 5 augment on elder's cap if losing crown), off-hand ash procced on body of sun, LGS fire crit goggles, and even main sentient swap for extra dps filigrees.

Biggest fears with this idea is losing some DCs when swapping to dps set and then having enemies save for half-damage, thereby negating the purpose of a dps swap. Similarly afraid that losing mantle of the icy soul would result in dps loss from enemies saving. Would prob run this as shifter with FI 24, SH 41, and Shifter 11 for as much Wis/DC as possible. Benefits are better heals with extra artifact bonuses to positive and fire since can run in summer. Also has fire, cold, impulse, radiance/alignment, and positive spell power and crit with some lightning from bottled rainstorm, covering heals, fire, cold/force, and word of balance.

This build also needs sheltering and main Con augment, plus litany, iSpell points, defense, festive, topaz of greater spell focus etc.

Has anyone ever tried fire? I've played cold druid before and liked it a lot, but that was before the nerf to Reflection of Wave and FI existed. If this seems feasible it would be my main character.

Marc

[Michele]

Legendary Black Satin Waist has only +1 quality spell focus mastery, and not +2 as you wrote: that's why I don't use flamecleansed set, because you need quality +2 from bracers artifact.

also you are missing quality spell power items and insightfull impulse spell power.

There are a lot of good build ideas here. Not sure what the right answer is, though likely depends upon the situation. Lately, I have been wondering about a build that runs in Water ele for high reaper questing and focuses on DCs and heals with the option to switch to fire for extra dps say on boss fights, raids, or when soloing. My thought is as follows:

2p Winter Set: Wintercourt (profane SFM), Deepsnow Boots (iCon, qCon)
Flamecleansed Fury Set: Blessed Vestments, Hallowed Castigators, and Hallowed Trail (Note this set gives heal amp and fortification for defense and unless things have changed the artifact positive and fire spell power and crit chance stack with universal from Autumn Set making this a unique stacking bonus)
2p Autumn: Bottled rainstorm Trinket, Gloryborne gloves (sacred DC)
Helm: Achemical Crown with iWis 6
Goggles: Attunement's Gaze SFM/ Can be switched with LGS fire crit goggles for boss if don't need SFM for FI color spray
Belt: Black Satin Waist: +2 qSFM, spell pen, +3 qWis
Ring1: Clouded Dreams
Ring2: Black Pearl: 14 Wis Minor Artifact from Saltmarsh with Cold spell power and crit chance
Main: Fusible Combustible Scepter (DC filigrees)
Off-Hand: Alchemical large shield with Impulse, crit, and alch Wis +2

For DPS can swap helm and necklace for Epic elder's set (iWis 5 augment on elder's cap if losing crown), off-hand ash procced on body of sun, LGS fire crit goggles, and even main sentient swap for extra dps filigrees.

Biggest fears with this idea is losing some DCs when swapping to dps set and then having enemies save for half-damage, thereby negating the purpose of a dps swap. Similarly afraid that losing mantle of the icy soul would result in dps loss from enemies saving. Would prob run this as shifter with FI 24, SH 41, and Shifter 11 for as much Wis/DC as possible. Benefits are better heals with extra artifact bonuses to positive and fire since can run in summer. Also has fire, cold, impulse, radiance/alignment, and positive spell power and crit with some lightning from bottled rainstorm, covering heals, fire, cold/force, and word of balance.

This build also needs sheltering and main Con augment, plus litany, iSpell points, defense, festive, topaz of greater spell focus etc.

Has anyone ever tried fire? I've played cold druid before and liked it a lot, but that was before the nerf to Reflection of Wave and FI existed. If this seems feasible it would be my main character.

Marc

[Marcb81]

Legendary Black Satin Waist has only +1 quality spell focus mastery, and not +2 as you wrote: that's why I don't use flamecleansed set, because you need quality +2 from bracers artifact.

also you are missing quality spell power items and insightfull impulse spell power.

Thank you for the feedback! When I first checked black satin waist after u50 got released, the item was still showing +2 qSFM, so I had no idea it was wrong. I think your gearset makes a lot of sense. I may have to stick with mine though, since I don't have the crafting level to make the Cannith goggles in your gearset yet.

I wanted to also ask about Evo DCs in R8-10. Have you played much high level reaper with this character (by the way really enjoyed the R6 solo vids)? How do the Evo DCs for reflex hold up in Saltmarch, Sharn, Feywild at R8-10? Any thoughts on this build for u51? Will likely lose some DCs since you can't twist in Wis or Precise Evo. Will likely get something like 12 DC from EDs but this is about even with Magister currently.

Sincerely,
Marc

[Michele]

Thank you for the feedback! When I first checked black satin waist after u50 got released, the item was still showing +2 qSFM, so I had no idea it was wrong. I think your gearset makes a lot of sense. I may have to stick with mine though, since I don't have the crafting level to make the Cannith goggles in your gearset yet.

I wanted to also ask about Evo DCs in R8-10. Have you played much high level reaper with this character (by the way really enjoyed the R6 solo vids)? How do the Evo DCs for reflex hold up in Saltmarch, Sharn, Feywild at R8-10? Any thoughts on this build for u51? Will likely lose some DCs since you can't twist in Wis or Precise Evo. Will likely get something like 12 DC from EDs but this is about even with Magister currently.

Sincerely,
Marc

I play R4 solo and R10 in group.
In feywild R10 mobs can save spells that have less than 130 DC.
My friend mage with 127 necromancy DC says that high fortitude mobs in feywild quests R6 can save his instant kill spells.

I really suggest you to raise your crafting skills because it's a must for leveling from 1 to 30.

For example at level 10 I craft wisdom and insightful wisdom on goggles, while at level 15 and 20 I craft them on cloak.

[Marcb81]

I play R4 solo and R10 in group.
In feywild R10 mobs can save spells that have less than 130 DC.
My friend mage with 127 necromancy DC says that high fortitude mobs in feywild quests R6 can save his instant kill spells.

I really suggest you to raise your crafting skills because it's a must for leveling from 1 to 30.

For example at level 10 I craft wisdom and insightful wisdom on goggles, while at level 15 and 20 I craft them on cloak.

I will certainly work on crafting skills. I spent most of my time at end game, where cannith crafting has been less useful, but everything has changed now. Thanks for all the advice. I really appreciate it.

[kpak01]

There are a lot of good build ideas here. Not sure what the right answer is, though likely depends upon the situation.

One thing to consider is whether you are trying to be the sort of DC caster who's going to use all the tools available to them (as Druids have Conjuration, Enchantment, Necromancy and Transmutation [and technically, even Abjuration, lol] in addition to the obvious Evocation), or just an Evocation one-trick-wonder. If you are interested in multiple schools, you probably want that +5 Spell Focus Mastery and +3 Insightful Spell Focus Mastery.

Has anyone ever tried fire? I've played cold druid before and liked it a lot, but that was before the nerf to Reflection of Wave and FI existed. If this seems feasible it would be my main character.

It might play out OK for nuking, but the big trade-off is losing the -4 save de-buff. That makes it strictly inferior for DC casting.

[Ultinoob]

[...]

Has anyone ever tried fire?[...]

Marc

I have. I am not the best player and fire does not do so well on high reaper. Atleast not when i am playing it. I can solo most quests on R1 and R4 in party.

Here is my gear layout:
Belt: Slave lords lightning lore with quality spellcraft
Boots: Legendary Sunken Slippers – quality wisdom
Bracers: Legendary Hallowed Castigators – devotion, healing lore
Cloak: Legendary Hallowed Trail radiance, evo focus 9, qual spell pen 3
Gloves: Gilded Gloves of Sanctity – minor artifact, quality spell focus +2, wisdom 14
Goggles: Legendary Dusk Lenses / or cc with spell pen. / con goggles from sharn
Helm: Elder’s cap
Necklace: Legendary Pendant of the Azure Sky
Ring 1: Clouded Dreams – ins spell focus mastery
Ring 2: The Legendary Shattered Onyx ins wisdom 10, profane spell focus mastery 2
Trinket: Gem of many facets CC with spell focus mastery and kinetic lore with ins spellcraft.
Armor: Legendary Blessed Vestments
Main hand: Staff of the Summer Solstice - sacred spell focus

The way i see it this gear looses +2 alchemical wisdom over the allready proposed and is way more offensive. I die sometimes. You will probably be a better at healing. But is way more squishy.

Here is almost the same gear where you loose 10% discount on spells and 2 fire crit chance but gain +2 wisdom:

Belt: Slave lords lightning lore with quality spellcraft
Boots: Legendary Sunken Slippers – quality wisdom
Bracers: Legendary Hallowed Castigators – devotion, healing lore
Cloak: Legendary Hallowed Trail radiance, evo focus 9, qual spell pen 3
Gloves: Gilded Gloves of Sanctity – minor artifact, quality spell focus +2, wisdom 14
Goggles: Legendary Dusk Lenses / or cc with spell pen. / con goggles
Helm: Legendary Crown of Leaves - for +2 wisdom, even better with reaper stats.
Necklace: Elder's knowledge
Ring 1: Clouded Dreams – ins spell focus mastery
Ring 2: The Legendary Shattered Onyx ins wisdom 10, profane spell focus mastery 2
Trinket: Gem of many facets CC with spell focus mastery and kinetic lore with ins spellcraft.
Armor: Legendary Blessed Vestments
Main hand: Staff of the Summer Solstice - sacred spell focus

augments with con if not using goggles. all spell power missing comes from rubies (force and lightning)
I am currently using all slas except creeping cold. Use firestorm and flamestrike for aoe damage and slas for single target. Be in primal avatar for +5 caster levels to word of balance, call lightning, produce flame and sunbeam. take master of the wilds.
This is sort of a druid nuker and it is not that good. Just so you know, but it can be done.

Right now i try to play as a nuker and forget to cc. i have 101 evo dc, 65 fire crit chance and 70 crit multiplier to light and fire and 50 to all other. I did not focus much on dc so a lot can be gained there.

If you try it out let me know what you think.

[Marcb81]

Legendary Black Satin Waist has only +1 quality spell focus mastery, and not +2 as you wrote: that's why I don't use flamecleansed set, because you need quality +2 from bracers artifact.

also you are missing quality spell power items and insightfull impulse spell power.

It might not be (probably isn't) any better, but I recently realized that with the new Legendary Helm of the Mroranon (+14 Wis on an item which is not a minor artifact) and Brightgaze a +2 qSFM minor artifact, it is finally possibly to keep the Flamecleansed fury set and still get full Wis and SFM. For example:

2p Winter Set: Deepsnow Boots (iCon, qCon), Direbear Belt (AC bonuses and PRR set bonus; not great)
Flamecleansed Fury Set: Blessed Vestments, Hallowed Castigators, and Hallowed Trail
2p Autumn: Bottled rainstorm Trinket, Gloryborne gloves (sacred DC)
Helm: Leg Helm of the Mroranon (14 Wis, 21 Intim)
Goggles: Brightgaze (14 Cha, Radiant Glory, qSFM 2)
Necklace: SL with Wizardry, Impulse Lore, SFM 4, qWis 3
Ring1: Clouded Dreams (Exc. spell power and crit chance)
Ring2: Shattered Onyx (iWis 6 and pSFM 2)
Main: Fusible Impulse Scepter (DC filigrees)
Off-Hand: Alchemical large shield with Evo 6 (requires T1 fire, likely devotion) and alch Wis +2

The above setup is missing a main source of glaciation spell power, but an augment gets pretty close. An interesting add-on is a pretty decent Intim score given +21 from Helm, 14 Cha from minor Artifact, and Intim as a class skill and this set-up gets iSheltering in addition to Winter PRR set and probably better heals (Devotion and healing lore with artifact bonus to positive spells). Still probably not enough to tank, but could possibly tank PUG raids with gear swaps. Also, not sure if Radiant Glory proc from goggles with Radiance from Hallowed Trail ends up adding enough damage to mean anything. Depends on how much it procs with Earthquake and spells that tic or DoT. If you were willing to give up Winter PRR bonus since you have iSheltering, you could fit in a third Autumn piece for extra crit bonus.

-Update: Missed iImpulse on prior version and radiant glory is terrible and not worth pursuing.

[Ultinoob]

So i tried to optimise for dc and damage for a fire druid and this is what i came up with. I am pretty sure this is close to the optimal. However it has almost no defense at all.

Belt: lgs fire crit multiplier
Boots: Legendary Sunken Slippers – quality wisdom
Bracers: Legendary Hallowed Castigators – devotion, healing lore
Cloak: Legendary Hallowed Trail radiance, evo focus 9, qual spell pen 3
Gloves: Gloryborne Gloves – autumn, sacred spell focus +2
Goggles: Brightgaze – minor artifact, quality spell focus +2
Helm: Legendary Crown of Leaves - autumn
Necklace: elders
Ring 1: Clouded Dreams – ins spell focus mastery
Ring 2: The Legendary Shattered Onyx ins wisdom 10, profane spell focus mastery 2
Trinket: Gem of many facets: Elders cc wisdom, spell focus mastery, ins spell power force
Armor: Legendary Blessed Vestments
Main hand: Wild flame
Off hand: Alchemical shield with alchemical wisdom and force crit and spell power

You loose 1 wisdom from not having a minor artifact with 14 wisdom but gain 2 from crown of leaves. also the crit chance. you gain 6% from flamecleansed fury and 6% from elders and 5% from clouded dreams. You do however loose 2% from not having pendant of azure sky, but could change elders necklace to helm and have it here. You then loose 2 wisdom and 25 spell power from autumn set so not sure it is worth it. You get universal spell power artifact from autumn and fire spell power artifact from flamecleansed fury and exceptional from clouded dreams and quality from sunken slippers.