I need some theorycrafting help: Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight

[Certon]

The new, improved chains have got me thinking a great deal about how much area damage I could squeeze out of the chain attack(s) and I fell upon the idea of a 20 EK Shadar-Kai.

What I was thinking:

Wizard or Sorc, this part's the same:
Max spellsword dice and die size.
max acid spell power, to raise that acid spellsword damage as high as it can go
Scion of the Plane of Earth (both for 20 PRR and more acid damage per attack)
Draconic incarnation primary ED for more acid spellpower, acid breath, and acid DoTs

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My questions:

What are the best heroic, epic, and legendary light weapons to use while leveling?
Shield or dual wield?
what secondary ED's will help survivability and/or damage the most?
Wizard: Should I go Pale Master level drain Lich form (also Death Aura self-heals) or use a dagger and go Vistani Knife Fighter?
Sorcerer: Earth Savant, Vistani, or a little of both?

do I get the top tier shadar-kai chain attack as well?

If you have any questions I haven't thought of, please let me know.

[unbongwah]

Shield or dual wield?

Neither: you'll probably want SWF to take advantage of the higher damage modifier; max of 2x with PSWF+Offhand Versatility and empty offhand. Alternatively equip an orb and trade 0.25x INT damage bonus for "your Vorpal strikes cause you to gain Versatile Empowerment. (Your spells automatically crit for the next 5 seconds. Cooldown: 20 seconds)"

Wizard: Should I go Pale Master level drain Lich form (also Death Aura self-heals) or use a dagger and go Vistani Knife Fighter?

Remember than SDK chain attacks require a light melee weapon, not just a 1H weapon. So your best options are probably dagger w/VKF or kukri. [Or maybe short sword?] Though I kinda like the idea of using sickles with Sword to Plowshares for the closest thing to a kusarigama.

[droid327]

Nightforge Stilleto -> Drow Shortsword -> something at cap idk

Definitely go PM for healing and immunities. You only need 6 points in PM minimum. Depends how much RAP you have to put towards Chains of course...but if you're bare bones 80 AP then you're pretty much committed to 20 SDK 41 EK 7 PM 12 Harper, and then you can use whatever Light weapons match your Imp Crit feat.

SWF + Orb with Offhand Vers, for snapshotting Auras with 100% crit

Shadowdancer for Evasion if you're pure Wiz, unless you have >~120 MRR at cap, in which case go Med Armor instead.

Though I kinda like the idea of using sickles with Sword to Plowshares for the closest thing to a kusarigama.

Wouldnt that be kamas with SDK chains then?

[Certon]

Neither: you'll probably want SWF to take advantage of the higher damage modifier; max of 2x with PSWF+Offhand Versatility and empty offhand. Alternatively equip an orb and trade 0.25x INT damage bonus for "your Vorpal strikes cause you to gain Versatile Empowerment. (Your spells automatically crit for the next 5 seconds. Cooldown: 20 seconds)"

Remember than SDK chain attacks require a light melee weapon, not just a 1H weapon. So your best options are probably dagger w/VKF or kukri. [Or maybe short sword?] Though I kinda like the idea of using sickles with Sword to Plowshares for the closest thing to a kusarigama.

Sickles + StP sounds good.

Orb might be a good choice: something I could use to raise my acid spell power without using a ring.

[Certon]

Nightforge Stilleto -> Drow Shortsword -> something at cap idk

Definitely go PM for healing and immunities. You only need 6 points in PM minimum. Depends how much RAP you have to put towards Chains of course...but if you're bare bones 80 AP then you're pretty much committed to 20 SDK 41 EK 7 PM 12 Harper, and then you can use whatever Light weapons match your Imp Crit feat.

SWF + Orb with Offhand Vers, for snapshotting Auras with 100% crit

Shadowdancer for Evasion if you're pure Wiz, unless you have >~120 MRR at cap, in which case go Med Armor instead.

Orb seems to be a popular idea. Will definitely have to look into it.

[unbongwah]

Wouldnt that be kamas with SDK chains then?

Yeah technically but that's an extra feat for what's already a questionable idea so ¯\_(?)_/¯

Though I suppose you can always splash monk for free kama proficiency plus stances (Master Fire for +1 crit multiplier on 19-20).

[drunkbarbarian]

I am running a Shadar-Kai 18wiz/1ftr/1rogue EK, PM, and chains. Swf with and orb is the way to go, although feat progression with bab is an issue. For clarities sake, I am one of those morons who is strictly a melee player. So I built the toon str based, with int and con secondary. I get better use of Tensors and rage that way.

Gearing is easy because of pansophic circlet, and an orb, then I just use all my melee gear. (except for 1 or two pieces like winter court necklace and spell power summer ring)

For weapons, daggers, kukris and shortswords are your friends. I took improved crit piercing for leveling, epic envenomed blade works wonders at 20 with chains. You can also get some good use from Celestia. At endgame I use labrythine edge and the sphere of waves, but timeblade is a good option also.

The only offensive spells i use are lingering aoe spells. (acid rain, arcane tempest, etc)

You would def get better utility out of int based, but instead of doing both pretty ok, I just focused on the melee side of things.

My ap split is 18 racial, 42 EK, 4 fighter (haste boost), the rest is in PM.

The toon is good to solo r4, but does struggle a little with red names.
ED, are Fatesinger, Draconic, Shadowdancer. Main is FS, 13pts Draconic for spellsword dice, SD for sneak and cores.

At level 30 spellpower is only about 620ish for 3 elements and 600neg, melee power is 249 out of reaper. The build is a lot of fun to play, 2 chains attacks, eldritch tempest, eldritch strike, and cleave from FS. Decent self healing and defenses.

Good Luck

[Ulfo]

For weapons, daggers, kukris and shortswords are your friends. I took improved crit piercing for leveling, epic envenomed blade works wonders at 20 with chains. You can also get some good use from Celestia. At endgame I use labrythine edge and the sphere of waves, but timeblade is a good option also.

You may wanna try also ML7 ToEE martial weapon for double AoE proc, next ML12 GS, and ML20 Alchemical weapon for same reason and nice alchemical stat bonuses too, next - ML26 ToEE and/or LGS.

[Certon]

*SNIP*
At level 30 spellpower is only about 620ish for 3 elements and 600neg, melee power is 249 out of reaper. The build is a lot of fun to play, 2 chains attacks, eldritch tempest, eldritch strike, and cleave from FS. Decent self healing and defenses.
*SNIP*

PLEASE tell me how you have 620 in 3 elements 600 neg and a 249 melee power!!!!! I WANT TO KNOW THIS. I BEG OF YOU!!

[Certon]

I went pure wizard by buying a LR +1 heart.
Both chains and chain boosting racial enhancements.
Full EK tree. Int to-hit and the 15PRR in the skeleton tree. its 9AP to get it but seeing as PRR is hard to come by as a pure mage, I'm going for it.
The rest into Pale Master--neg amp, vampire form, level drain ability

Level 25 currently, so...

Fire Draconic Incarnation for Mantle and Mantle DOT
Magus of the Eclipse for Cold Zone
Unyielding Sentinel for some HP and extra fortification. Still 50% shy of 300%

375 cold spell power for now, even though I need to get acid higher for when I take Scion of the Plane of Earth because most of the time I want to sit in acid elemental sword.

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Now I have to figure out gear. That's gonna be tough.