Wizard: Eldritch Knight seems too good

[DBZ]

Tr to a sorc or alchemist

Or the new op dragon lord

 

[droid327]

Well I tried an Evoker Arch Mage this epic life.
....it sucks.
Big time.

The Epic Strike is ok. (not part of AM)
The Arcane Blast is ok.
Nothing else.

I imagine you can come up with a combo tree build t get some bonus to your spell DCs. But that' about it.

So... what options do I have with a Wizard.
Be undead.
Be melee.
Be both.

Be a Feydark Illusionist and focus on CC/IK is also an option

 

[Cheeps]

I'm gonna build an horc quarterstaff PM/EK next life...

Then I'll complain that any builds that do more DPS than me should get nerfed.

 

[_fully_carroted_]

EK is really the epitome of a hybrid build.

It's not busted though, just very well balanced as a hybrid tree.

I have put about 1/3 of my DDO playtime as a pure wizard in lich or vampire form, swinging a great sword. It's my favourite by far, and only recently has the paladin started to catch up.

It's not the best use of the EK tree (which scales better for swf, I think), but i love it SO MUCH. The gear and PL requirements to pull your own weight in mid-reaper content is very high with this build, and for the same investment you could show up well in R8 or R10 on a different build... so don't expect a hybrid build to perform like a dedicated build.

But if you want to feel like a death knight, you can grab a sword and some spells, then murder your way through R1 just as you can with any other mid-powered setup.

 

[Arsont]

I have put about 1/3 of my DDO playtime as a pure wizard in lich or vampire form, swinging a great sword. It's my favourite by far, and only recently has the paladin started to catch up.

It's not the best use of the EK tree (which scales better for swf, I think), but i love it SO MUCH. The gear and PL requirements to pull your own weight in mid-reaper content is very high with this build, and for the same investment you could show up well in R8 or R10 on a different build... so don't expect a hybrid build to perform like a dedicated build.

But if you want to feel like a death knight, you can grab a sword and some spells, then murder your way through R1 just as you can with any other mid-powered setup.

It really is fun. I have a couple toons that I had run as pure casters. Perfectly serviceable, but I just have so much more fun when I play them as hybrids. Even on my main, which has all the pastlives needed for a caster, I always end up back at a hybrid melee/caster build.

Sure, blowing up all the mobs after you train the whole dungeon is cool and all, but there's nothing quite like just smacking something in the face with a sharp stick.

That's part of why EK is so good at being a hybrid build; You really don't have to sacrifice a lot (especially in heroics) to be just an enhancement swap away from a pure caster dc/nuker.

 

[Br4d]

I have put about 1/3 of my DDO playtime as a pure wizard in lich or vampire form, swinging a great sword. It's my favourite by far, and only recently has the paladin started to catch up.

It's not the best use of the EK tree (which scales better for swf, I think), but i love it SO MUCH. The gear and PL requirements to pull your own weight in mid-reaper content is very high with this build, and for the same investment you could show up well in R8 or R10 on a different build... so don't expect a hybrid build to perform like a dedicated build.

But if you want to feel like a death knight, you can grab a sword and some spells, then murder your way through R1 just as you can with any other mid-powered setup.

100%.

I've got about the same percentage of time in EK/PM over a decade, most of it in the last 5 years.

If you want to solo and play Darth Vader at R1 EK/PM/HA is as close as you will get.

At cap you just dominate in Legendary R1 except in a few instances that create too much environmental trouble to live through easily.

 

[LurkingVeteran]

I'm not sure what makes it substantially worse than other melee builds at cap? It seems they should still be fairly close if you build an EK primarily for melee? It's when you want to good DC and nuking that you have to sacrifice a lot of stuff. I guess your aura would be a bit dinky without investment in negative + crit, which will cost you some melee stats.

 

[JustHavingFunBro]

If you enjoy that try a melee artificer. Incredible heals, better melee damage, better defenses, multiple trips, great AOE DPS. And they will never be nerfed because Macrotechnic is payable content. Heck, might even get buffed for more sales.

 

[PraetorPlato]

I'm not sure what makes it substantially worse than other melee builds at cap? It seems they should still be fairly close if you build an EK primarily for melee? It's when you want to good DC and nuking that you have to sacrifice a lot of stuff. I guess your aura would be a bit dinky without investment in negative + crit, which will cost you some melee stats.

The only thing that makes it bad is imbue threat issues (raid only) and high skull caster damage nerf.

 

[PraetorPlato]

If you enjoy that try a melee artificer. Incredible heals, better melee damage, better defenses, multiple trips, great AOE DPS. And they will never be nerfed because Macrotechnic is payable content. Heck, might even get buffed for more sales.

I don't think melee arti can get anywhere close to EK dps—EK has more imbue die, more spellpower, and more options on weapons. Pre-nerfs, EK dps was very, very, very good (except for the imbue threat issue).

 

[JustHavingFunBro]

I don't think melee arti can get anywhere close to EK dps—EK has more imbue die, more spellpower, and more options on weapons. Pre-nerfs, EK dps was very, very, very good (except for the imbue threat issue).

Hey, if you like it better, by all means do your thing. Imo, artificer has better top-end results. I am not bashing your favorite class or game. Just giving an alternative that he might enjoy. Lots of time to try lots of things in DDO.

 

[PraetorPlato]

Hey, if you like it better, by all means do your thing. Imo, artificer has better top-end results. I am not bashing your favorite class or game. Just giving an alternative that he might enjoy. Lots of time to try lots of things in DDO.

yeah, just curious about what numbers you're seeing on arti that get it better than EK dps wise.

 

[Br4d]

I'm not sure what makes it substantially worse than other melee builds at cap? It seems they should still be fairly close if you build an EK primarily for melee? It's when you want to good DC and nuking that you have to sacrifice a lot of stuff. I guess your aura would be a bit dinky without investment in negative + crit, which will cost you some melee stats.

1.5K health makes a difference and most of my melees at cap have 3.5K health vs the 2K for the EK/PM/HA.

 

[RobShow]

The truth is that no wizard caster build soles R8+ due to lack of DPS.

Have an excellent player who play with EK + Shifter + Rage. It outsoles Reaper, but although it's Wiz 20 the build is totally geared towards the melee, full STR + CON.

Look at the groups that do RAID in High REAPER, I've never seen WIZARD, only SORCERER and the like.

All the games that have Wizard I play as Wizard, but here, for solo play at a high level Wizard is weak.

 

[droid327]

Look at the groups that do RAID in High REAPER, I've never seen WIZARD, only SORCERER and the like.

All the games that have Wizard I play as Wizard, but here, for solo play at a high level Wizard is weak.

To be fair, high tier wizard builds are DC casters, and they're good...it's just that DC casting doesn't work in raiding where bosses are immune.

 

[RobShow]

To be fair, high tier wizard builds are DC casters, and they're good...it's just that DC casting doesn't work in raiding where bosses are immune.

It's not just in RAID that there are immune enemies.

They directed the game to solo where almost everyone does everything.

Forgot to add effective damage to the wizard.

It's not just in RAID that there are immune enemies.

They directed the game to solo where almost everyone does everything.

Forgot to add effective damage to the wizard.

The Wizard's problem isn't DC, it's DAMAGE!

 

[droid327]

It's not just in RAID that there are immune enemies.

They directed the game to solo where almost everyone does everything.

Forgot to add effective damage to the wizard.

It's not just in RAID that there are immune enemies.

They directed the game to solo where almost everyone does everything.

Forgot to add effective damage to the wizard.

The Wizard's problem isn't DC, it's DAMAGE!

I'm a full time soloist, but I recognize that its fine to have some builds that are only practical in a group. Healbots, CC, IKs are weak soloers but shine when playing with others. DC Wiz doesnt necessarily need to also be able to nuke just as well as a Sorc or Alch or Ice Druid in R10 to justify Wizard as a class.

I do think AM needs a complete overhaul to make it more of a damage-friendly tree for Wiz, but that's not a fatal flaw. I dont think even a nuking Wiz needs to play just like a Sorc either.

 

[RobShow]

I'm a full time soloist, but I recognize that its fine to have some builds that are only practical in a group. Healbots, CC, IKs are weak soloers but shine when playing with others. DC Wiz doesnt necessarily need to also be able to nuke just as well as a Sorc or Alch or Ice Druid in R10 to justify Wizard as a class.

I do think AM needs a complete overhaul to make it more of a damage-friendly tree for Wiz, but that's not a fatal flaw. I dont think even a nuking Wiz needs to play just like a Sorc either.

It's not about being the same as the Sorcerer, it's about being useful.

To play solo on high Reaper, the Wizard's damage is useless.

Now notice one thing. A Sorc on high Reaper, in addition to damage, also CCs.

Wizard is my favorite class and the only one I play, but the truth and the fact is: To play solo on high Reaper Wizards is very weak due to lack of damage.

 

[droid327]

It's not about being the same as the Sorcerer, it's about being useful.

To play solo on high Reaper, the Wizard's damage is useless.

Now notice one thing. A Sorc on high Reaper, in addition to damage, also CCs.

Wizard is my favorite class and the only one I play, but the truth and the fact is: To play solo on high Reaper Wizards is very weak due to lack of damage.

Then play a Sorc, because that's the class that does what you want in this game

Its like complaining Paladin doesnt have the same healing ability that Favored Soul does. Its not the role that class fills. We dont need multiple classes doing the exact same thing the exact same way...

 

[Teh_Troll]

100%.

I've got about the same percentage of time in EK/PM over a decade, most of it in the last 5 years.

If you want to solo and play Darth Vader at R1 EK/PM/HA is as close as you will get.

At cap you just dominate in Legendary R1 except in a few instances that create too much environmental trouble to live through easily.

ANYTHING can dominate R1.