Eldritch Knight Enhancements

[Nibor]

For those who prefer a text form to the enhancement tree UI:

Core:

lvl 1: Eldritch Strike: 10SP, 15s cooldown. Melee Cleave Attack: Sheathe your weapon in eldritch energies, striking foes in front of you for +1[W] damage. If this attack hits, your weapon also releases a blast of magical energy, dealing an additional 0 to 2 Force Damage per character level to all nearby foes. This additional Force damage is affected by your Force Spell Power.

Passive: Every point spend in the Eldritch Knight tree grants you +0.5 Universal Spell Power.
+1% doublestrike

lvl 3: Spellsword (select Acid/Flame/Frost/Shock)
Activation: 5 SP, cooldown not listed
Toggle: Charge your equipped weapon with magical (element), causing them to deal an addtional 1d6 (element) damage on hit. This damage increases to 2d4 at Wizard Level 6, 3d4 at Wizard Level 12, and 4d4 at Wizard Level 18.
Up to once every 6 seconds while a spellsword toggle is active, an attack you make that hits an enemy will cost you a spell point.

while active, your Eldritch Stroke deals an additional 0 to 2 (element) damage per character level. This additional damage is affected by your (element) spellpower.
Passive: -5% ASF from equipped armor and shields, +10 Force spellpower

lvl 6: Spellsword II - identical to above, select a different element. Note that you are already class level 6, so you start at 2d4. Only 1 of these elemental stances can be active at a time.

Passive: 1% doublestrike, +10 Force spellpower

lvl 12: Spellsword III - identical to above, select a different element. They are all 3d4 damage now.

Passive: -5% ASF, +10 Force spellpower

lvl 18: Spellsword IV - identical to above, select the final element. They are all 4d4 damage.

Passive: 1% doublestrike, +10 Force spellpower

lvl 20: Eldritch Blade: Your Eldritch Strike now grants you a Power Charge. When you have 10 Power Charges, they are removed, and you gain Eldritch Power.
Eldritch Power: +10% melee damage, +25 Universal spellpower

Passive: +2 Int, +10 Force spellpower

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Tier 1


Improved Mage Armor: (3 tiers): Activation (8/6/4SP, Metas Extend, Quicken): You gain Mage Armor as a SLA. In addition, while you are under the effect of the Mage Armor spell, you gain a +3/6/10% increase to your total Armor Class.

Toughness (3 Tiers): +5/+10/+15 HP

Item Defense (3 Tiers): You have a 25/50/75% chance to negate potential item wear.

Battlemage (3 Tiers): +1/2/3 Concentration, Intimidate, and Spellcraft

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Tier 2

Improved Shield (3 tiers, requires Improved Mage Armor): Activation 8/6/4SP, Metas Extend, Quicken - You gain the Shield spell as a SLA. In addition, while you are under the effect of the Shield spell, you gain +3/6/10 PRR.

Shield Training (2AP): You gain proficiency with all shileds except Tower Shields, and your ASF from shields is reduced by 5%.

Light Armor Proficiency (2AP): You gain proficiency in Light Armor, and your total ASF from equipped armor is reduced by 5%.

Martial Training (2AP): You gain 2% doublestrike and proficiency with all martial weapons.

Wand and Scroll Mastery (3 tiers): +25/50/75% effectiveness of your wands, scrolls, and other items that cast spells, and +1/2/3 to the save DCs of your offensive wands.

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Tier 3

Arcane Barrier (3 tiers): When your HP drop below 50% of maximum, you are immediately protected by an Arcane Barrier that reduces all incoming damage by 25% for the next 10/15/20 seconds. This effect may only trigger once every 150/120/90 seconds.

Elemental Resistance (3 tiers): +2/4/6 resistance to acid, cold, electric, fire, and sonic.

Critical Accuracy (3 tiers): +1 to attack rolls to confirm critical hits

Ability increase (2AP): +1 Str, Dex, or Int

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Tier 4

Shield Striking (3 tiers): On hit: +5/10/15% chance to proc an immediate shield Bash with equipped shield

Medium Armor Proficiency (2AP, requires Light Armor Proficiency): You gain proficiency in Medium Armor, and your total ASF from armor is reduced by an additional 5%

Critical Damage (3 tiers, requires Critical Accuracy): +1/2/3 damage on critical hits

Ability increase (2AP): +1 Str, Dex, or Int

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Tier 5

Tenser's Transformation: (requires Arcane Barrier) Activation 25SP Toggle: Gain the benefits and penalties of Tenser's Transformation

Eldritch Shield (2AP): Every 6 seconds while you have a shield equipped, you gain Temp HP equal to the enhancement bonus of your equipped shield.

Still Spell (3 tiers): Your ASF from equipped armor and shields is reduced by 5/10/15%

Doublestrike (3 tiers): +1/2/3% doublestrike

Eldritch Tempest (3 tiers, 2AP): Activation: 50SP, cooldown 1 minute. Activate: Perform a spinning melee attack, dealing +2[W] to all nearby enemies and knocking them prone for 1 second.
If any foes are struck by Eldritch Tempest, your weapon also releases an explosion of magical force, dealing an additional 1d6 Force damage per character level to all nearby enemies. This additional force damage is affected by your spell power.

[Vellrad]

Finally I will be able to play something like a runesmith.

Its wizard, sorc or both?

[rimble]

Weird...

This:

Improved Mage Armor: (3 tiers): Activation (8/6/4SP, Metas Extend, Quicken): You gain Mage Armor as a SLA. In addition, while you are under the effect of the Mage Armor spell, you gain a +3/6/10% increase to your total Armor Class.

Then these:

Light Armor Proficiency (2AP): You gain proficiency in Light Armor, and your total ASF from equipped armor is reduced by 5%.
Medium Armor Proficiency (2AP, requires Light Armor Proficiency): You gain proficiency in Medium Armor, and your total ASF from armor is reduced by an additional 5%

And this:

Improved Shield (3 tiers, requires Improved Mage Armor): Activation 8/6/4SP, Metas Extend, Quicken - You gain the Shield spell as a SLA. In addition, while you are under the effect of the Shield spell, you gain +3/6/10 PRR.

Then these:

Shield Training (2AP): You gain proficiency with all shileds except Tower Shields, and your ASF from shields is reduced by 5%.
Shield Striking (3 tiers): On hit: +5/10/15% chance to proc an immediate shield Bash with equipped shield
Eldritch Shield (2AP): Every 6 seconds while you have a shield equipped, you gain Temp HP equal to the enhancement bonus of your equipped shield.

Improved Mage Armor and Shield is nice for the Pajama wearers (of course, always...)

But then...do I end up using Medium Armor and a Shield...and then still cast Mage Armor and Shield, even though their AC won't help, that'll trigger their +10% AC and +10 PRR...?

I'm also confused on the Wiz/Sorc angle here...don't see Sorc mentioned, don't see Cha mentioned...

[dlsidhe]

But then...do I end up using Medium Armor and a Shield...and then still cast Mage Armor and Shield, even though their AC won't help, that'll trigger their +10% AC and +10 PRR...?

I'm thinking...yes. I'm also thinking that I'm one LR+2 from making Nae's third life way more interesting than a battlebard.

I'm also confused on the Wiz/Sorc angle here...don't see Sorc mentioned, don't see Cha mentioned...

This, as well. Where's the Sorc benefit? More SP, and that's it?

[Wizza]

This, as well. Where's the Sorc benefit? More SP, and that's it?

Sorc tree is in general discussion. Their ability is STR/DEX/CHA and not Int.

[Memnir]

[Clatterfist]

That's pretty awesome! I love Eldritch Knights.

As far as any issues go, I agree with Rimble's points. I also think some accuracy would be in order, given that traditional EKs get full Base Attack Bonus on their EK levels and can be multiclassed fighters as well (also, they can get True Strike as a spell), whereas this EK is at its most "EK-like" when taking twenty levels of a caster class. Ok, Tenser's sorts it out, but it also blocks your spellcasting and isn't available until mid levels... it'd be nice to make up for some of that poor base BaB earlier on and to be able to better combine spellcasting and close combat fighting together rather than having to toggle between the two.

Still, I'm very happy to see this added and excited to see how it develops.

[cru212]

...battlebard...

now that you mention it. would my bard want this tree as well? hmm...

[dlsidhe]

Sorc tree is in general discussion. Their ability is STR/DEX/CHA and not Int.

Thanks. I'm impressed they differentiated that much given that the Warpriest trees are carbon copies.

Yeah, I'm thinking my current battlebard build would work much better with wizard than bard, if only for free magic missiles, less MADness, and better spells (and less horribadbroken trees). I'll give it a llamatest to check, though.

[kierg10]

Not half bad, but drop the AC boosts put more damage enhancements and this would be an excellent tree for melee sorcs (which I kinda wanna try :P )

[sephiroth1084]

I foresee many 6 wizard or 6 sorcerer splashes on melee builds in the future. I wonder whether spending 40 AP in this tree on a melee for more than 40% double-strike is worth more than what you're losing in the trees from combat classes.

What's the highest possible double-strike that can be attained in the game now? Something like 80% when using a shield? I think dual-wielding comes close when not considering off-hand attacks.

6 wizard/6 monk/8 fighter?

[rimble]

I foresee many 6 wizard or 6 sorcerer splashes on melee builds in the future. I wonder whether spending 40 AP in this tree on a melee for more than 40% double-strike is worth more than what you're losing in the trees from combat classes.

I think you're probably misreading it like I initially did...I don't think it's +1% Doublestrike per point spent...that's just a +1% Doublestrike innate on the first core ability, and the 0.5 USP is the per point spent bonus.

[ArcaneArcher52689]

Not half bad, but drop the AC boosts put more damage enhancements and this would be an excellent tree for melee sorcs (which I kinda wanna try :P )

This.

the tree seems very defensive, and I while I can kind of imagine a wizard playing that way, the sorcerer would just run in swinging a great sword shouting "LEEROY" at the top of his lungs.

Can we please get a few things like this, maybe a line leading up to the t5:

freezing strike[5sp]: make a melee attack that deals +1[w] and 2d10 cold damage. Enemies struck by this attack must make a fortitude save or be frozen, DC= 10 +int/cha+ evocation DC increases

Static strike [5sp]: make a melee attack that deals an extra 1[w] damage and slows the enemy, reducing movement speed by 20% and attack speed by 10% if they fail a reflex save, DC=10+int/cha+evo dc. On vorpal, all near by enemies are affected by the slow

Flame strike[5sp] make a melee attack that deals 2d6 fire damage. On vorpal, your blade explodes, dealing 5d6 damage to all nearby enemies. The vorpal effect is affected by spell power.

Acid blade[5sp] make a melee attack that deals an extra 1[w] and 2d6 acid damage. Applies the improved sunder effect if you have the feat.




As it is, i'm already see some interesting build choices...

12/6/2 wizard/monk/fighter
12/6/2 favored soul/sorcerer/fighter(maybe monk for evasion), combining this, warpriest, and aov...
29 in AoV
36 in warpriest
14 in Eldrich night



Also, it may seem off, but i think you also need to add spell crit, 1% to each core.

[dlsidhe]

This.

the tree seems very defensive, and I while I can kind of imagine a wizard playing that way, the sorcerer would just run in swinging a great sword shouting "LEEROY" at the top of his lungs.

Can we please get a few things like this, maybe a line leading up to the t5:

freezing strike[5sp]: make a melee attack that deals +1[w] and 2d10 cold damage. Enemies struck by this attack must make a fortitude save or be frozen, DC= 10 +int/cha+ evocation DC increases

Static strike [5sp]: make a melee attack that deals an extra 1[w] damage and slows the enemy, reducing movement speed by 20% and attack speed by 10% if they fail a reflex save, DC=10+int/cha+evo dc. On vorpal, all near by enemies are affected by the slow

Flame strike[5sp] make a melee attack that deals 2d6 fire damage. On vorpal, your blade explodes, dealing 5d6 damage to all nearby enemies. The vorpal effect is affected by spell power.

Acid blade[5sp] make a melee attack that deals an extra 1[w] and 2d6 acid damage. Applies the improved sunder effect if you have the feat.




As it is, i'm already see some interesting build choices...

12/6/2 wizard/monk/fighter
12/6/2 favored soul/sorcerer/fighter(maybe monk for evasion), combining this, warpriest, and aov...
29 in AoV
36 in warpriest
14 in Eldrich night



Also, it may seem off, but i think you also need to add spell crit, 1% to each core.

I like the ideas.

I'm eyeing a 17/3 wiz/ranger - see how much Pale Master I can fit in for survivability.

[Charononus]

Seems like it will be worth taking up to

Improved Shield (3 tiers, requires Improved Mage Armor): Activation 8/6/4SP, Metas Extend, Quicken - You gain the Shield spell as a SLA. In addition, while you are under the effect of the Shield spell, you gain +3/6/10 PRR.

Then no real point in the tree imo.

[Wizza]

Seems like it will be worth taking up to

Improved Shield (3 tiers, requires Improved Mage Armor): Activation 8/6/4SP, Metas Extend, Quicken - You gain the Shield spell as a SLA. In addition, while you are under the effect of the Shield spell, you gain +3/6/10 PRR.

Then no real point in the tree imo.

They need to make the Spellswords toggles all active at once or yeah, I won't bother even trying this tree on live. Also, I don't like a few of these enhancements.

Would like more enhancements like Eldritch Tempest.

[FranOhmsford]

For those who prefer a text form to the enhancement tree UI:

Core:

lvl 1: Eldritch Strike: 10SP, 15s cooldown. Melee Cleave Attack: Sheathe your weapon in eldritch energies, striking foes in front of you for +1[W] damage. If this attack hits, your weapon also releases a blast of magical energy, dealing an additional 0 to 2 Force Damage per character level to all nearby foes. This additional Force damage is affected by your Force Spell Power.

Passive: Every point spend in the Eldritch Knight tree grants you +0.5 Universal Spell Power.
+1% doublestrike

Per CHARACTER LEVEL?

Are you sure?

Greatsword/Axe 1 Wizard/19 Fighter/Barb/Pally anyone?

[oradafu]

I foresee many 6 wizard or 6 sorcerer splashes on melee builds in the future. I wonder whether spending 40 AP in this tree on a melee for more than 40% double-strike is worth more than what you're losing in the trees from combat classes.

What's the highest possible double-strike that can be attained in the game now? Something like 80% when using a shield? I think dual-wielding comes close when not considering off-hand attacks.

6 wizard/6 monk/8 fighter?

Uh, what exactly will be lost on a paladin that splashes 6 levels of Sorc? The capstones for paladin aren't that good and doesn't include DR breaking anymore. The general damage is better in the Eldritch Knight tree than the Paladin trees. The KOTC/HOTD merger doesn't include the "specialized" damage that can be found in the ranger tree, so the specialized damage is for a subset of mobs. Plus splashing 2 levels of Monk gains Evasion while loses the poor version of Zeal that was nerfed years ago because it "causes lag", although the increased melee speed damage is found in most other melee trees now and even in generic loot.

Yes, I foresee many Paladins converting to Paladin/Sorc or Paladin/Sorc/Monk builds.

[voodoogroves]

Uh, what exactly will be lost on a paladin that splashes 6 levels of Sorc? The capstones for paladin aren't that good and doesn't include DR breaking anymore. The general damage is better in the Eldritch Knight tree than the Paladin trees. The KOTC/HOTD merger doesn't include the "specialized" damage that can be found in the ranger tree, so the specialized damage is for a subset of mobs. Plus splashing 2 levels of Monk gains Evasion while loses the poor version of Zeal that was nerfed years ago because it "causes lag", although the increased melee speed damage is found in most other melee trees now and even in generic loot.

Yes, I foresee many Paladins converting to Paladin/Sorc or Paladin/Sorc/Monk builds.

I think 12, as that gets recon and tenders. Also, could see some pm ek folks, esp with all that prr on a lich.

[Grailhawk]

Hate to say it as much as I like the concept this just cant work Wizards and Sorcerers don't have enough BAB to take the TWF or THF feats and have to wait till 15+ for Improved Critical.

If you want a Wizard or Sorcerer to play like a melee they need to be able to pick on one of TWF or THF feat lines. Even with Heavy multi-classing 12 Wizard/ 8 Fighter it will be hard to fit the feet you need in at the right levels. This thing could do it but its still only max BAB of 14.

I would suggest adding one of the TWF, THF or a choice of feat lines virtually to the core enh (1,6,12 or 3,12,18). Virtually meaning you don't actually get the feat so If you're a 3 Eldritch Knight 8 Kensei you would still need to take the real feat to pick up the next one in the line.

Or lower remove BAB requirement on the THF and TWF feats and replace them with character level requirements.