Looking for MAX DC Pale Master build

[Avatar29]

***Note , I do realize I posted earlier suggestions for a post U53 PM gear set, but this post is a little more detailed trying to put together an entire build, not just what equipment to farm for ***


Hey folks!


looking for max DC pale master necro/enchant build with max intelligence ( I understand that in order to have MAX DCS you have to lower max possible intelligence, or rather opt for a DC option sometimes, in lieu of another point of INT).

the max filigrees I have is 13 slots (don't have access to the isle of the dread)

currently using:
4 piece autumn set
3 piece winter set
shattered onyx
black caplet
dread keeper set
nightmother sceptre
stygian wrath orb


-i do have the gloryborne gloves and the hallowed orb, just don't have them equipped

-have the GOMF but slotted for my archer build, not a caster.

-can craft a Necro/INS necro trinket if I have to swap out let's say the nightmother sceptre

- also have the pendant of bottled moonlight (don't have it equipped, but I thought it might be nice to find room for it to get the extra 3 max caster levels to my necro spells)


- I also want this build to have a secondary goal of max possible negative spell power (after achieving my primary goal and maxing out DCS and INT)

- a third goal would be to craft a LGS piece of equipment to get that extra 35% spell crit to my negative spells, but i'm not sure this would be possible without sacrificing DC's .(if i could get 120ish DCS to my necro an maybe 115ish to my enchantment, I would definitely want to include the LGS item.)

and lastly, getting over 60% neg healing amp would be great, but like the LGS, it might not be possible with my previous priorities , (like I have a 3 piece set of filigrees that gives me 60 Neg heal amp alone!)

that being said, i'm sure those filigrees would have to be swapped out to get 2 or 3 more points of INT or DC's, but then i'm looking to make up NEG healing amp elsewhere.
speaking of which, the wiki states that it has been confirmed that crafted neg healing amp items is a COMPETENCE bonus. This is not true! any normal/crafted items with neg healing amp on it is PROFANE! I have tested this by using 3 items - a crafted neg heal amp item, another item i forgot it's name, and the Heart of the Prince which the description says it gives a competence bonus to healing, but in fact it is profane... out of the 3 items, two were profane and the other was competence that didn't stack.

Sounds like i'm asking a lot, but i'm really not.
I know I can't have it all, but i'm willing to have the 'best in class' I can possibly get going from highest priority to lowest priority

Necro DC's
Enchantment DC's
Intelligence
Neg spell power
Neg healing amp
Neg spell crit damage multiplier


thank you all for reading this post, and any tips are appreciated!

[Anniyon]

Hi, I'm currently using the following set up (note I solo r4 - r6 and group up to r10):

Helm: Faedark Faerielights (Sapphire of Heavy fort)
Neck: Legendary Amber Pendant
Trinket: Legendary Deep Promise Onyx (Sapphire of negative amp 57), can be swapped to Cursed Mirror for +3 insight spell pen and +2 quality spell pen if needed
Goggles: Legendary Magewright's Spectacles (Topaz of Greater Illusion)
Cloak: Legendary Magewright's Cloak (Topaz of Greater Enchantment, Sapphire of Resistance 10)
Chest: Legendary Robe of Autumn Winds (Diamond of Vitality 20, Topaz of Greater Conjuration) this will most likely be changed, Order's Garb for fort and exceptional crit and spellpower?
Bracers: Dino Bone Artifact with 35% negative and 2 sacred dc (Festive Int, Globe of true blood, Draconic Soul Gem)
Belt: Legendary Black Satin Waist (Festive Con)
Boots: Legendary Deep Snow Boots (Diamond of Con 14)
Gloves: Legendary Deadringers (Topaz of Necromantic Power)
Ring 1: Legendary Celestial Sapphire Ring (Topaz of Conjured Power)
Ring 2: Legendary Ring of Fall's Decay (Topaz of Greater Necromancy)

This gives masterful magewright and 5 piece autumn set bonus which is redundant. You could swap neck to winter neck and helm to crown of snow which would get you 3 piece winter set bonus and 3 piece autumn with masterful magwright as well. I run autumn 4 piece simply because I like big sp bars. Winter/autumn/magewright is probably better.

I don't have any LGS so idk if you can craft similar crit on bracers, if you can then you can replace dino if you don't have them and drop 2 sacred dc. Also note that with the dino bracers you could slot in 15 in instead of 20% crit damage for 1 more dc. I have insightful int on my goggles and orb at the moment.

Int is 108 in reaper with pots (note i do not have racial completion or class completion).
Hp in reaper is 2200ish
SP in reaper is 6300ish
Prr is 101
MRR is 65 (low due to robe use, could swap to light armor because filigrees have 10% ASF reduction built in)


Current relevant spellpowers in reaper are: Negative 817 (1043 meta'd), Acid 773 (998 meta'd), Poison 790 (1015 meta'd), Force 734 (959 meta'd)
Spell crit 75% negative, 50% poison, 15% others
Negative healing amp: 230 (could be 260 if gear swapped to winter bonus)


Weapon 1: The Legendary Queen's Scepter
Offhand: Legendary Stygian Wrath, sometimes swapped with Epic Rod of Mythant for force spell power and crit for ruin and arcane tempest

Filigree sets are 4 beholder, 4 otto, 4 inevitable grave and 1 random int to round out my int. These were chosen for 14 int, 4 to all spell dcs, an additional 2 to necro dcs for a total of 6 to necro. I was considering dropping 4 piece grave to get 4 piece Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment for +1 to all dcs instead of 2 necro.

Currently working on getting Legendary Curse Necromancer set items to try that out. Also working on crafting dino bone weapon swaps and maybe a staff. Could swap helm to crown of snow and neck to Legendary Pendant of the Sky for insight negative with swap to Legendary Pendant of the Earth for insight force and corrosion.

I'm running draconic t5 with ruin intensified because I solo alot and it helps with despair reapers and other dangerous things immune to instant kills. I also run primal avatar for carrion swarm and shard storm for more damage and survivability since poison scales with negative spellpower/crit as well. Acid is also covered by my ring so I also utilize acid well on top of those for things like bosses and champs immune to death effects. My third destiny is magus for extra SP +3 illusion dcs and +3 fear dcs because I use 3 phantasmal killer spells and color spray.

Spell dcs in reaper with yugo and remnant pots running are: Necro 120, Enchantment 114, Illusion 123, Conjuration 108 (mainly for trap the soul and the occasional web), Evocation 107.
These area all increase by 9 when reaper dc clicky and arcane insight are used. I find these dc's are usually enough for most content.

I was also considering running Shadowdancer t5 for weird or Magus t5 for time stop and negative energy comet and swapping ruin/greater ruin for different feats.

Currently my feats are: Maximize, Empower, Quicken, Heighten, Extend, Enlarge, Spell Focus Necromancy, Greater Spell Focus Necromancy, Spell Focus Illusion, Greater Spell Focus Illusion, Insightful Reflexes, Arcane Initiate.

Epic Feats: Arcane Insight, Epic Spell Power Negative, Embolden Spell, Crush Weakness (may swap this to epic spellpower acid or force), Ruin, Arcane Pulse, Greater Ruin.

Legendary Feat is Scion of Shadowfell. Level 31 feat is Legendary Toughness.

If t5 draconic is dropped I may swap ruin for epic spell focus illusion or necromancy, not sure what I would swap greater ruin for maybe master of the dead? Level 31 feat could then be changed to spell specialty enchantment for 3 more enchantment dcs.

I would love to hear any of your suggestions and your current set up as well. Hope this helps some with brainstorming!

[Avatar29]

Hi, I'm currently using the following set up:

Helm: Faedark Faerielights (Sapphire of Heavy fort)
Neck: Legendary Amber Pendant
Trinket: Legendary Deep Promise Onyx (Sapphire of negative amp 57), can be swapped to Cursed Mirror for +3 insight spell pen and +2 quality spell pen if needed
Goggles: Legendary Magewright's Spectacles (Topaz of Greater Illusion)
Cloak: Legendary Magewright's Cloak (Topaz of Greater Enchantment, Sapphire of Resistance 10)
Chest: Legendary Robe of Autumn Winds (Diamond of Vitality 20, Topaz of Greater Conjuration) this will most likely be changed, Order's Garb for fort and exceptional crit and spellpower?
Bracers: Dino Bone Artifact with 35% negative and 2 sacred dc (Festive Int, Globe of true blood, Draconic Soul Gem)
Belt: Legendary Black Satin Waist (Festive Con)
Boots: Legendary Deep Snow Boots (Diamond of Con 14)
Gloves: Legendary Deadringers (Topaz of Necromantic Power)
Ring 1: Legendary Celestial Sapphire Ring (Topaz of Conjured Power)
Ring 2: Legendary Ring of Fall's Decay (Topaz of Greater Necromancy)

Weapon 1: The Legendary Queen's Scepter
Offhand: Legendary Stygian Wrath, sometimes swapped with Epic Rod of Mythant for force spell power and crit for ruin and arcane tempest

Filigree sets are 4 beholder, 4 otto, 4 inevitable grave and 1 random int to round out my int. These were chosen for 14 int, 4 to all spell dcs, an additional 2 to necro dcs for a total of 6 to necro. I was considering dropping 4 piece grave to get 4 piece Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment for +1 to all dcs instead of 2 necro.

Currently working on getting Legendary Curse Necromancer set items to try that out. Also working on crafting dino bone weapon swaps and maybe a staff. Could swap helm to crown of snow and neck to Legendary Pendant of the Sky for insight negative with swap to Legendary Pendant of the Earth for insight force and corrosion.

I'm running draconic t5 with ruin intensified because I solo alot and it helps with despair reapers and other dangerous things immune to instant kills. I also run primal avatar for carrion swarm and shard storm for more damage and survivability since poison scales with negative spellpower/crit as well. Acid is also covered by my ring so I also utilize acid well on top of those for things like bosses and champs immune to death effects. My third destiny is magus for extra SP +3 illusion dcs and +3 fear dcs because I use 3 phantasmal killer spells and color spray.

Spell dcs in reaper with yugo and remnant pots running are: Necro 120, Enchantment 114, Illusion 123, Conjuration 108 (mainly for trap the soul and the occasional web), Evocation 107.
These area all increase by 9 when reaper dc clicky and arcane insight are used. I find these dc's are usually enough for most content.

I was also considering running Shadowdancer t5 for weird or Magus t5 for time stop and negative energy comet and swapping ruin/greater ruin for different feats.

Currently my feats are: Maximize, Empower, Quicken, Heighten, Extend, Enlarge, Spell Focus Necromancy, Greater Spell Focus Necromancy, Spell Focus Illusion, Greater Spell Focus Illusion, Insightful Reflexes, Arcane Initiate.

Epic Feats: Arcane Insight, Epic Spell Power Negative, Embolden Spell, Crush Weakness (may swap this to epic spellpower acid or force), Ruin, Arcane Pulse, Greater Ruin.

Legendary Feat is Scion of Shadowfell. Level 31 feat is Legendary Toughness.

If t5 draconic is dropped I may swap ruin for epic spell focus illusion or necromancy, not sure what I would swap greater ruin for maybe master of the dead? Level 31 feat could then be changed to spell specialty enchantment for 3 more enchantment dcs.

I would love to hear any of your suggestions and your current set up as well. Hope this helps some with brainstorming!

Thanks for the detailed build!

sounds awesome to me!

For my build, I would have to forgo the magewright set. I don't have the base items, and I don't have the upgrades neither.. Unfortunately upgrading epics to legs. require star fragments, which would involve me running Saltmarsh (which I don't like).

I like my Legendary Dreadkeeper set... One of the best set bonuses in the game for Pale Masters.. It would be hard to give that up!

Master of the Dead has been broken since it's inception. doesn't make a difference to your DA or GTA, only makes a difference to your NEB.. which is very evident!

I need to work on getting better filigrees, maybe even some of the raid ones.

but overall, a SOLID build!


anyone else like to chime in?

[Anniyon]

I agree dreadkeeper bonuses are really good, especially the extra 40 PRR. The Curse Necromancer can cover the neg spell crit and spellpower and also gives 30 neg hamp.

Also updated the original post with some spellpowers and such.

[Avatar29]

I agree dreadkeeper bonuses are really good, especially the extra 40 PRR. The Curse Necromancer can cover the neg spell crit and spellpower and also gives 30 neg hamp.

Also updated the original post with some spellpowers and such.

Yes but the Dreadkeeper also gives +3 Artifact to intelligence, +3 Artifact to Spell DC's, AND the robe gives an additional 5% universal spell crit chance...

so if you can get the +3 art bonus to intelligence and DC's somewhere else, i'd say it would make sense to opt for the Curse Necromancer set and free up a slot, the 5% universal spell lore from the robes makes a combined 11% to negative spell crit chance which is huge as well!

[Anniyon]

Yes but the Dreadkeeper also gives +3 Artifact to intelligence, +3 Artifact to Spell DC's, AND the robe gives an additional 5% universal spell crit chance...

so if you can get the +3 art bonus to intelligence and DC's somewhere else, i'd say it would make sense to opt for the Curse Necromancer set and free up a slot, the 5% universal spell lore from the robes makes a combined 11% to negative spell crit chance which is huge as well!

True, I currently get artifact int from magewright and dcs from that as well then I get exceptional spell power and spell crit from my autumn robe. Can also get it from esoteric robe or autumn light armor. Honestly the only thing I don't like about dreadkeeper is the gloves. They're really good gloves but I use deadringers for autumn bonus and profane spell dc's.

Another option could be to use 7 piece autumn. Armor, helm, neck, cloak, ring, gloves, and then Trinket or bracers or second ring.

[Avatar29]

Filigree sets are 4 beholder, 4 otto, 4 inevitable grave and 1 random int to round out my int. These were chosen for 14 int, 4 to all spell dcs, an additional 2 to necro dcs for a total of 6 to necro. I was considering dropping 4 piece grave to get 4 piece Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment for +1 to all dcs instead of 2 necro.

Hey, one more thing:

Can you explain to me how using those 13 filigrees gets you 14 intelligence?

I have 4 otto, 4 beholder, and 3 inevitable grave filigrees and if I throw them all in my gear, I get like 3 extra intelligence, 1 more random filigree to round to 4..

Where are you getting the extra +10 INT?

[Fisto_Mk_I]

Hey, one more thing:

Can you explain to me how using those 13 filigrees gets you 14 intelligence?

I have 4 otto, 4 beholder, and 3 inevitable grave filigrees and if I throw them all in my gear, I get like 3 extra intelligence, 1 more random filigree to round to 4..

Where are you getting the extra +10 INT?

2 x Eye of the Beholder/Inevitable Grave: +2 Intelligence (Rare: +8 Universal Spell Power)
2 x Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment/Voltaic Experiment: +2 Intelligence (Rare: +4 Magical Resistance Rating)
2 x Eye of the Beholder
1 x Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment
1 x Inevitable Grave
1 x Otto's Irrevocable Power
-------------------------------------
13 from 9 slot. One more random +1 Int.

[Anniyon]

Hey, one more thing:

Can you explain to me how using those 13 filigrees gets you 14 intelligence?

I have 4 otto, 4 beholder, and 3 inevitable grave filigrees and if I throw them all in my gear, I get like 3 extra intelligence, 1 more random filigree to round to 4..

Where are you getting the extra +10 INT?

First it's important to note you can have the same filigree equipped if you have one in your artifact and one in your sentient weapon. For example I have otto's int in both my dino bracers and sentient weapon. As for the total int here is the breakdown

Bracers have 4 filigrees: +2 int raid Eye of the beholder/inevitable grave, +2 int raid Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment/Voltaic Experiment (note the raid filigrees are a 2 in 1) Otto's rare +1 Int , Beholder rare +1 int. The raid dual filigrees are considered different then the normal eye of the beholder.

Weapon has 9 (I am missing memory spark currently): +2 int raid Eye of the beholder/inevitable grave, +2 int raid Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment/Voltaic Experiment, Otto's rare +1 Int, Beholder +1 int, Otto Rare +1 con, Otto rare mrr, Inevitable grave +1 int, Inevitable grave neg healing amp, Twilights cloak rare +1 int.

So it adds up to: 2+2+2+2+1+1+1+1+1+1=14

[Avatar29]

First it's important to note you can have the same filigree equipped if you have one in your artifact and one in your sentient weapon. For example I have otto's int in both my dino bracers and sentient weapon. As for the total int here is the breakdown

Bracers have 4 filigrees: +2 int raid Eye of the beholder/inevitable grave, +2 int raid Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment/Voltaic Experiment (note the raid filigrees are a 2 in 1) Otto's rare +1 Int , Beholder rare +1 int. The raid dual filigrees are considered different then the normal eye of the beholder.

Weapon has 9 (I am missing memory spark currently): +2 int raid Eye of the beholder/inevitable grave, +2 int raid Zarigan's Arcane Enlightenment/Voltaic Experiment, Otto's rare +1 Int, Beholder +1 int, Otto Rare +1 con, Otto rare mrr, Inevitable grave +1 int, Inevitable grave neg healing amp, Twilights cloak rare +1 int.

So it adds up to: 2+2+2+2+1+1+1+1+1+1=14

sorry, i'm dumb!

15 + years of playing this game and still haven;t quite figured out filigrees!


I somehow had it in my head that you couldn't use the same ones - even if in a different gear slot.

i'm guessing those raid filigrees are bound to char/acc right?

[Anniyon]

sorry, i'm dumb!

15 + years of playing this game and still haven;t quite figured out filigrees!


I somehow had it in my head that you couldn't use the same ones - even if in a different gear slot.

i'm guessing those raid filigrees are bound to char/acc right?

They are not bound and can be traded or sold on the auction house.

I may do some testing on soloing r6's without draconic and ruin/greater ruin. Will replace ruin with epic spell focus illusion or necro and greater ruin with intensify, then replace legendary toughness at 31 with spell specialty enchant or conjuration for 3 more dc. Will try Magus t5 for free intensify, time stop and negative energy comet and replace draconic with shadowdancer for evasion. Will also try shadowdancer t5 for weird and use its strike for uncapped dodge on trash while insta killing.

This has kind of turned into me talking to myself and chronicling things to myself but it has sparked discussion between us and has made me think more about gear.