Filigrees. Sets, or multiple +1 Ints?

[Peter_Principle]

Filigree sets vs. just a bevy of +1 Int filigrees. Which is better for a wizard to put in their sentient weapon and their minor artifact?

With all the sparks, you can have, what, 10+3 slots? So that could be +13 stacking mainstat, which bumps your spell points, all DCs and Spellcraft skill.

Or you can go for Beholder, Grave, etc. and get many other extra things.

Which is the better choice?

[PrinceOfAsphodel]

Filigree sets vs. just a bevy of +1 Int filigrees. Which is better for a wizard to put in their sentient weapon and their minor artifact?

With all the sparks, you can have, what, 10+3 slots? So that could be +13 stacking mainstat, which bumps your spell points, all DCs and Spellcraft skill.

Or you can go for Beholder, Grave, etc. and get many other extra things.

Which is the better choice?

For wizard specifically, I think 4-piece Eye of the Beholder is a no brainer. Part of the reason is it's not mutually exclusive with stacking a bunch of Int filigrees. You can use a rare +2 Int filigree, and a common +1 Int filigree, in both your artifact, and your weapon, meaning you get 6 intelligence and the +2 set DCs from just 4 filigrees. I also like to add a +1 Int and a +20 Negative Hamp Inevitable Grave duo for the 4-piece set of that as well.

The real question now becomes whether you go for a 4-piece Otto's afterward, or just stack a bunch of intelligence filigrees. While this answer is not as clear as the Eye of the Beholder one, I think Otto's still wins out. Here's why. If you use 4 slots for an assortment of +1 intelligence filigrees, you end up with +2 DCs. If you use those same 4 lots for an Otto's set, you still get +2 to DCs from the set bonus, but you also get everything those filigrees give on their own, be it intelligence, spell power, PRR, MRR, or Con. Not to mention the 200 spell points you get from an earlier set bonus. You can even guarantee a 3rd DC if you use Otto's Intelligence in both your artifact and your weapon; however, I don't recommend this, since it's better to use your third artifact slot for a second Zarigan's/Voltaic +2 Int rare filigree.

So my optimal set up without using a Perfected Artifact ends up looking like this:

Artifact: Eye of the Beholder/Inevitable Grave +2 Int
Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment/Voltaic Experiment +2 Int
Eye of the Beholder +1 Int

Weapon: ((Eye of the Beholder/Inevitable Grave +2 Int))
((Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment/Voltaic Experiment +2 Int))
((Eye of the Beholder +1 Int))
((Inevitable Grave +1 Int))
((Inevitable Grave +20 Negative Heal Amp))
((Otto's Irrevocable Power +1 Int))
((Otto's Irrevocable Power +6 Spellpower))
((Otto's Irrevocable Power +PRR))
((Otto's Irrevocable Power +MRR))

[magaiti]

Beholder 4 pieces (with 2 copies of raid fili and 2 copies of int fili): +2 DCs, +6 int
2 copies of the other raid +2 int fili: 4 int
this fills 3 of your artifact filis (as you have to put copies of same fili into different sentient items)
Otto 4 pieces (with 2 copies of int fili if your artifact can hold 4 (saltmarsh stuff)): +2 DCs, +1-2 Int
fill rest with random +1 int filis

[Tilomere]

Maybe replace Otto's with cooldown reduction 10%?

[magaiti]

Maybe replace Otto's with cooldown reduction 10%?

AFAIU current max is 14 filigree (4 perfected artifact, 10 weapon with 3 sparks)
so:
4 pieces otto
4 pieces beholder (2 of them raid +2 int)
2 other raid +2 int
4 dragonsoul (cooldown reduction)

[slarden]

You can easily beat int filigree with set bonuses. This is what I use on my wizard:

Weapon
Eye of the Beholder / Inevitable Grave: +2 Intelligence, +8 Universal Spellpower (Rare)
Eye of the Beholder: + 1 Intelligence, +2 MRR (Rare)
Eye of the Beholder: +6 Universal Spellower, +4 Universal Spellpower (Rare)
Otto's Irrevocable Power: Intelligence +1, MRR +2 (Rare)
Otto's Irrevocable Power: +6 Universal Spellower, +4 Universal Spellpower (Rare)
Otto's Irrevocable Power: PRR + 2, MRR +2 (Rare)
Otto's Irrevocable Power: +6 Spellpower, +4 Spellpower (Rare)
Inevitable Grave: +1 Intelligence, +2 MRR (Rare)
Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment / Voltaic Experiement: +2 Intelligence, +4 MRR (Rare)
Zarigans +1 Intelligence

Artifact Accessory
Eye of the Beholder / Inevitable Grave: +2 Intelligence, +8 Universal Spellpower (Rare)
Inevitable Grave: +1 Intelligence, +2 MRR (Rare)
Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment / Voltaic Experiment: +2 Intelligence, +4 MRR (Rare)

Lunar magic is another good option if you are trying to balance DC and spellpower, but it requires giving up 200 spell points.

It's true that each 4 int give you +2 universal DC but you only gain +4 int by going all int and lose +2 universal dc from ottos + 2 universal dc from eye, +2 necro dc from grave, +1 transumutation/conjuration dc from zargians and a bunch of other benefits.

I don't use a perfected artifact because I haven't found anything that beats out zarash'ak ward. Although adding another +1 zarigan int to minor artifact does boost necro and enchant DC one while providing another int, so maybe something from sands will be compelling. Giving up Zarash'ak ward is tough because the +2 quality spell focus mastery DC bonus is only available on artifacts. Swapping it for a perfect artifact means losing 2 DC unless you also swap in a +1 quality spell focus mastery item. If there is a perfect artifact quality spell focus mastery +2 that changes things quite a bit.

[PrinceOfAsphodel]

AFAIU current max is 14 filigree (4 perfected artifact, 10 weapon with 3 sparks)
so:
4 pieces otto
4 pieces beholder (2 of them raid +2 int)
2 other raid +2 int
4 dragonsoul (cooldown reduction)

If you don't mind losing 2 non-necro DCs, it's easier to go

4 piece grave
4 piece eye
2 raid
4 dragonsoul

Because 2 of the Inevitable Grave and 2 of the Eye of the Beholder filigrees are the same, meaning you have 2 extra slots for the other two raid rare filigrees. Just another option.