Cold Warlock Question

Eleazzar

Well-known member
So, I love cold....Period. Real life and in DDO. However I have been hesitant to run a cold warlock due to a few fears that I hope I can get some clarification on.

I am going to use Dragonborn for this if that matters.

What immunity issues am I going to encounter?

Can a Cold Warlock strip immunities somehow? Gear? Spell? Enhancement?

Anything else I should be concerned about?
 

Sarlona Raiding

Well-known member
There is a long list of creatures immune to cold, it may be the most common immunity in the game: https://ddowiki.com/page/Immunity_to_Cold

As far as I know there is no way to bypass cold immunity for a pure warlock. You can bypass some cold resistance with draconic, but in reality most people just take that for the spell power boost. Fortunately there are few things that are healed from cold, and you can just turn off your pact for those few encounters.

Since many of the enemies immune to cold are undead, I slotted undeath to death to help out with Carceri. I favored force over alignment damage so my tentacles worked well on enemies immune to cold. Same with Arcane tempest which I took instead of Wail (unless you are primarily grouping for R10s then Trap the Soul is likely more important).

A few things you will really like about cold
1) absolute zero is arguably the best warlock ability in the game as it works on orange named enemies.
2) Magus is a very nice tree along with draconic. Both tier 5s are very compelling and I took both tier 4s when I was playing carceri. Overall I found draconic slightly better for the boosted ruin/greater ruin, but time stop doesn't suck.
3) You have higher single-target damage compared to other pacts including a boosted arcane pulse from magus and boosted niac's from draconic.

I wouldn't let the cold immunity hold you back. It's a solid build. Soloing some boss fights are significantly longer due to cold immunity, but the positives outweigh the negatives for sure.
 
Last edited:

Eleazzar

Well-known member
There is a long list of creatures immune to cold, it may be the most common immunity in the game: https://ddowiki.com/page/Immunity_to_Cold

As far as I know there is no way to bypass cold immunity for a pure warlock. You can bypass some cold resistance with draconic, but in reality most people just take that for the spell power boost. Fortunately there are few things that are healed from cold, and you can just turn off your pact for those few encounters.

Since many of the enemies immune to cold are undead, I slotted undeath to death to help out with Carceri. I favored force over alignment damage so my tentacles worked well on enemies immune to cold. Same with Arcane tempest which I took instead of Wail (unless you are primarily grouping for R10s then Trap the Soul is likely more important).

A few things you will really like about cold
1) absolute zero is arguably the best warlock ability in the game as it works on orange named enemies.
2) Magus is a very nice tree along with draconic. Both tier 5s are very compelling and I took both tier 4s when I was playing carceri. Overall I found draconic slightly better for the boosted ruin/greater ruin, but time stop doesn't suck.
3) You have higher single-target damage compared to other pacts including a boosted arcane pulse from magus and boosted niac's from draconic.

I wouldn't let the cold immunity hold you back. It's a solid build. Soloing some boss fights are significantly longer due to cold immunity, but the positives outweigh the negatives for sure.
Thank you for this. Would Spell Pen feats help with the resistances or is that a waste?

This is what i have so far...


Character name: Warlock
Classes: 20 Warlock, 10 Epic, 2 Legendary
Race: Dragonborn· · · · · ·Alignment: Neutral

· · ·Start Tome Final · · ·Incorp:· · ·0% · · ·Displacement:· · 0%
Str:· · 10· · 8 · ·20 · · ·HP:· · · · 749 · · ·AC:· · 48
Dex:· · ·6· · 8 · ·16 · · ·PRR: · · · ·31
Con:· · 18· · 8 · ·30 · · ·MRR: · · 64/50 · · ·+Healing Amp:· · 25
Int:· · 12· · 8 · ·23 · · ·Dodge: · ·1/25 · · ·-Healing Amp:· · ·0
Wis:· · ·8· · 8 · ·20 · · ·Fort:· · · 15% · · ·Repair Amp:· · · ·0
Cha:· · 20· · 8 · ·40 · · ·SR:· · · · · 0 · · ·BAB: · · · · · · 20
DR:
Immunities:

Class and Feat Selection (Consolidated)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Level Class · · · · · ·Feats
1 · · Warlock(1)· · · ·Standard: Quicken Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Dragonborn Racial: Draconic Ancestry: White
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Pact: Warlock: Pact: The Carceri Storm
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Attack
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Defensive Fighting
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Dismiss Charm
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Heroic Durability
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Light Armor Proficiency
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Magical Training
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Club
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Dagger
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Dart
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Heavy Crossbow
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Heavy Mace
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Light Crossbow
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Light Mace
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Morningstar
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Quarterstaff
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Sickle
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Throwing Dagger
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Simple Weapon Proficiency: Unarmed
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Sneak
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Sunder
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Trip
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Deceive Item
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Eldritch Blast Focused

2 · · Warlock(2)· · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage

3 · · Warlock(3)· · · ·Standard: Maximize Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Completionist

4 · · Warlock(4)· · · ·Warlock Save Bonus: Bulwark of the Storm
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Eldritch Blast Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage

5 · · Warlock(5)· · · ·Warlock Pact Spell: Pact Magic: Gust of Wind
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Improved Heroic Durability

6 · · Warlock(6)· · · ·Standard: Empower Spell
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Warlock Pact Ability: Warlock: Frozen Footsteps
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage

7 · · Warlock(7)· · · ·
8 · · Warlock(8)· · · ·Warlock Save Bonus: Bulwark of the Storm
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Eldritch Blast Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage

9 · · Warlock(9)· · · ·Standard: Spell Focus: Evocation
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Warlock Pact Spell: Pact Magic: Creeping Cold

10· · Warlock(10) · · ·Warlock Resistance: Carceri Resistance
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Improved Heroic Durability
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage

11· · Warlock(11) · · ·
12· · Warlock(12) · · ·Standard: Greater Spell Focus: Evocation
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Warlock Save Bonus: Bulwark of the Storm
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Eldritch Blast Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Paragon's Aegis

13· · Warlock(13) · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Deceive Item

14· · Warlock(14) · · ·Warlock Pact Spell: Pact Magic: Ice Storm
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Paragon's Aegis

15· · Warlock(15) · · ·Standard: Force of Personality
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Warlock Pact Ability: Warlock: Absolute Zero
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Improved Heroic Durability

16· · Warlock(16) · · ·Warlock Save Bonus: Bulwark of the Storm
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Eldritch Blast Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Paragon's Aegis

17· · Warlock(17) · · ·Warlock Pact Spell: Pact Magic: Niac's Biting Cold

18· · Warlock(18) · · ·Standard: Spell Penetration
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Paragon's Aegis

19· · Warlock(19) · · ·Warlock Pact Spell: Pact Magic: Greater Creeping Cold

20· · Warlock(20) · · ·Warlock Save Bonus: Bulwark of the Storm
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Eldritch Blast Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Pact Damage
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Warlock: Paragon's Aegis

21· · Epic(1) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Eldritch Blast
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills

22· · Epic(2) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Epic Spell Power: Cold
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Knowledge
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Saves
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills

23· · Epic(3) · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills

24· · Epic(4) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Burst of Glacial Wrath
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Knowledge
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Saves
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills

25· · Epic(5) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Epic Pact Dice
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills

26· · Epic(6) · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Knowledge
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Saves
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills

27· · Epic(7) · · · · ·Epic Feat: Epic Spell Focus: Evocation
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills

28· · Epic(8) · · · · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Deific Warding
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Knowledge
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Saves
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Fate Point

29· · Epic(9) · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Fate Point

30· · Epic(10)· · · · ·Epic Feat: Greater Spell Penetration
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Legendary: Scion of the Plane of Water
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Knowledge
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Power
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Saves
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Epic Skills
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Fate Point

31· · Legendary(1)· · ·Epic Destiny Feat: Crush Weakness
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Legendary Power

32· · Legendary(2)· · ·Charisma: +1 Level up
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Legendary Knowledge
· · · · · · · · · · · ·Automatic: Legendary Power


 

Sarlona Raiding

Well-known member
Thank you for this. Would Spell Pen feats help with the resistances or is that a waste?
It looks solid. Feats are very dependent on what you are building for. My primary activities are soloing, group R10s and casual raiding. For this I really found the following feats ideal:

21) Epic Eldritch Blast
24) Burst of Glacial Wrath
27) Ruin
30) Greater Ruin

Spell penetration doesn't help with elemental resistances at all. I don't take spell pen or spell focus feats. Spell penetration only helps against enemies with spell resistance like drow and outsiders which is a small percentage of encounters. I lean more on spells that aren't subject to spell resistance against drow/outsiders such as web, absolute zero, burst of glacial wrath and greater color spray. My personal preference is to solve spell pen issues with the 11 ap spend to get greater color spray combined with burst of glacial wrath. This cc combo works on a high percentage of mobs and isn't subject to spell resistance.

The ability to inflict high damage on enemies with ruin/greater ruin is very helpful to me soloing or in R10s. Alot of times there are just so many reapers/threats on R10 I need help out on fear reapers before they wipe the party or take down a despair reaper to get rid of the save boosts. This also significantly speeds up boss fights when soloing. I like arcane pulse for the same reason especially with carceri because of the synergies with magus and the arcane pulse boost in tier 4, although the argument to instead take a destiny feat that boosts spellpower, crits instead is also very strong.

Crush weakness is really good with time stop. Against typical mobs I don't find it as helpful because helpless mobs aren't a threat and go down fast with or without crush weakness. My personal preference is to take a feat that boosts spellpower/crits instead of crush weakness to boost my damage against things that are more threatening, although if I spec for Time Stop I would definitely take crush weakness.

I prefer to be picky about what enemies I use spells on vs, trying to boost DCs with feats. Finger of Death goes against a fort save. Absolute Zero, Devour the Soul and Trap the Soul go against will save. Greater Color Spray and Mass Hold go against a will save. Burst of Glacial Wrath goes against a fort save and tentacles is a strength check that seems to completely ignore the impact of despair reapers. Even without any spell focus feats I find my spells landing fine in R10s as long as my spell/enemy selection is correct.

This is what has worked well for me, but ultimately you have to go with what works with what you run and your playstyle.

Good luck! Your build is shaping up very nicely.
 
Last edited:

Ying

5000+ hours played
Did SSG ever adjust Arcane Pulse and other dots so they tick immediately rather than 2 seconds later?

And do the same dots from multiple casters stack now? For the longest time, they did not and would overwrite each other.
 
Last edited:

Eleazzar

Well-known member
It looks solid. Feats are very dependent on what you are building for. My primary activities are soloing, group R10s and casual raiding. For this I really found the following feats ideal:

21) Epic Eldritch Blast
24) Burst of Glacial Wrath
27) Ruin
30) Greater Ruin

Spell penetration doesn't help with elemental resistances at all. I don't take spell pen or spell focus feats. Spell penetration only helps against enemies with spell resistance like drow and outsiders which is a small percentage of encounters. I lean more on spells that aren't subject to spell resistance against drow/outsiders such as web, absolute zero, burst of glacial wrath and greater color spray. My personal preference is to solve spell pen issues with the 11 ap spend to get greater color spray combined with burst of glacial wrath. This cc combo works on a high percentage of mobs and isn't subject to spell resistance.

The ability to inflict high damage on enemies with ruin/greater ruin is very helpful to me soloing or in R10s. Alot of times there are just so many reapers/threats on R10 I need help out on fear reapers before they wipe the party or take down a despair reaper to get rid of the save boosts. This also significantly speeds up boss fights when soloing. I like arcane pulse for the same reason especially with carceri because of the synergies with magus and the arcane pulse boost in tier 4, although the argument to instead take a destiny feat that boosts spellpower, crits instead is also very strong.

Crush weakness is really good with time stop. Against typical mobs I don't find it as helpful because helpless mobs aren't a threat and go down fast with or without crush weakness. My personal preference is to take a feat that boosts spellpower/crits instead of crush weakness to boost my damage against things that are more threatening, although if I spec for Time Stop I would definitely take crush weakness.

I prefer to be picky about what enemies I use spells on vs, trying to boost DCs with feats. Finger of Death goes against a fort save. Absolute Zero, Devour the Soul and Trap the Soul go against will save. Greater Color Spray and Mass Hold go against a will save. Burst of Glacial Wrath goes against a fort save and tentacles is a strength check that seems to completely ignore the impact of despair reapers. Even without any spell focus feats I find my spells landing fine in R10s as long as my spell/enemy selection is correct.

This is what has worked well for me, but ultimately you have to go with what works with what you run and your playstyle.

Good luck! Your build is shaping up very nicely.
Thank you for your feedback. This was a great writeup. TY.
 

Sarlona Raiding

Well-known member
Did SSG ever adjust Arcane Pulse and other dots so they tick immediately rather than 2 seconds later?

And do the same dots from multiple casters stack now? For the longest time, they did not and would overwrite each other.
At least for me the first dot ticks immediately with arcane pulse. However in combat there can be some display lag where damage #s show up long after they landed. I am still seeing damage #s after the enemy is dead.
 
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