Eldricht Knight Advice

[unbongwah]

Can an EK do well with a swords twf build? If that's not possible thinking maybe bastard sword swf.

Is bastard sword better for AOE?

You can use whichever weapon style you want, they all have their pros & cons.

2H Weapons (THF): Better for AoE damage (both Strikethrough and the EK Cleaves), requires STR 15/17 for THF chain (i.e., 15 to start, 17 to add the next two feats).
Dual-wielding (TWF): Better for single-target DPS (especially when you stack Imbue dice and/or sneak attacks), requires DEX 15/17 for TWF chain.
SWF: splits the difference between the first two, no stat pre-reqs (just 7 ranks of Balance), can equip orb offhand for caster bonuses, but extra "feat tax" for Offhand Versatility.
S&B: lowest DPS but highest protection.

Does it's level depend in your DH level?

Yes.

Ie if I only take 1 DH level it will forever remain level 1 making it a waste of enhancements...?

Yes.

 

[EagleJoust]

Ty @unbongwah !!

 

[Grunndi]

My EK experience is maybe a bit skewed since I tend to stay at cap for a while so don’t really care if leveling takes a little longer (and don’t pay attention too much to how things go while leveling).

But my damage was 85-90% from the imbues and primal mantle, so things like crit profile and melee power didn’t really matter. Just max your DS, spell power, to-hit, and imbue dice. Then try to get as many attacks per second as possible.

I went TWF with daggers to hit that 100% offhand easily. But if you want more pack clearing power I’d think SWF with Bastard sword would get you better attack speed than THF and still be able to strikethrough for clearing packs.

 

[unbongwah]

S&B F2P Eldritch Knight build

Here's a SWF dwarf using dwarven axes with Dark Hunter splash for trap skills. Requires Harper Agent tree.

Kundarak SWF EKnight
18/1/1 Wizard/Fighter/Dark Hunter
True Neutral OR Chaotic Neutral Dwarf


Level Order

1. Dark Hunter . . 6. Wizard. . . . .11. Wizard. . . . .16. Wizard
2. Wizard . . . . .7. Wizard . . . . 12. Wizard . . . . 17. Wizard
3. Wizard . . . . .8. Wizard . . . . 13. Wizard . . . . 18. Wizard
4. Wizard . . . . .9. Wizard . . . . 14. Wizard . . . . 19. Wizard
5. Wizard . . . . 10. Wizard . . . . 15. Wizard . . . . 20. Fighter


Stats
. . . . . . . .28pt . . 32pt. . .Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . ----. . .--------
Strength. . . . .8. . . . 8 . . . 4: INT
Dexterity . . . 14. . . .14 . . . 8: INT
Constitution. . 16. . . .18 . . .12: INT
Intelligence. . 18. . . .18 . . .16: INT
Wisdom. . . . . .8. . . . 8 . . .20: INT
Charisma. . . . .6. . . . 6 . . .24: INT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28: INT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32: INT

Skills
. . . . . D .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .W .F
. . . . . 1 .2 .3 .4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
Spellcr . 2 .2 . . 2. . .2 . . 3. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1 .23
Disable . 4 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1. 23
Search. . 4 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1 .1. 23
Heal. . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 . . 1. 1. 1. 1. 1½ 1½ 1½ 1½ 1 .16
Balance . 2 . . 1. . .1 . . 1. . .1 . . 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Open Lo . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Spot. . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Jump. . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Swim. . . 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Concent . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Tumble. . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
. . . . .------------------------------------------------------------
. . . . .40 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6 .6 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7 .7 .8 .8 .8 .8 .8


Feats

.1. . . . : Single Weapon Fighting
.1 DarkH. : Favored Enemy: Aberration
.2 Wizard : Quicken Spell
.3. . . . : Precision
.6. . . . : Insightful Reflexes
.6 Wizard : Spell Focus: Evocation
.9. . . . : Greater Spell Focus: Evocation OR Knight's Training
11 Wizard : Maximize Spell
12. . . . : Improved Single Weapon Fighting
15. . . . : Improved Critical: Slashing
16 Wizard : Heighten Spell OR Empower Spell
18. . . . : Offhand Versatility
20 Fighter: Greater Single Weapon Fighting
21 Epic . : Overwhelming Critical
22 Destiny: Perfect Single Weapon Fighting
24 Epic . : Burst of Glacial Wrath
25 Destiny: Crush Weakness OR Hellball
27 Epic . : Embolden Spell OR Intensify Spell
28 Destiny: Arcane Warrior
30 Epic . : Epic Spell Focus: Evocation
30 Legend : Scion of: Shadowfell
31 Destiny: Two Handed Specialty OR Spell Specialty: Necromancy


Enhancements (Spent: 80 +1r +0u / Max: 80 +1r +0u AP)

Eldritch Knight (Wizard) (40 AP)

• Eldritch Strike, Spellsword, Imbue the Blade, Subtle Force, Subtle Force II
  1. Improved Mage Armor III, Arcane Siphon III
  2. Improved Shield III, Mystic Wards III, Spell Power Boost III
  3. Arcane Barrier, Synergetic Magic
  4. Knight's Transformation, Offhand Defenses: Orb Saves III, Force's Point
  5. Improved Knight's Transformation, Knight's Arcanum: Knight's Striker, Force's Edge, Eldritch Tempest III

Pale Master (22 AP)

• Dark Reaping, Pale Shroud: Shroud of the Vampire, Undead Augmentation: Inflict Weariness, Undead Augmentation II: Ghost in the Wind
  1. Negative Energy Conduit III, Spell Critical
  2. Cloak of Night I, Spell Critical, Efficient Metamagic: Efficient Maximize III
  3. Negative Energy Adept III
  4. Unholy Avatar

Harper Agent (12 AP)

• Agent of Good I, Ability Score: Intelligence
  1. Harper Enchantment, Strategic Combat
  2. Know the Angles III
  3. Strategic Combat II

Kensei (4 AP)

• Kensei Focus: Axes
  1. Action Boost: Haste Boost III

Dwarf (3 AP)

• Dwarven Toughness
  1. Dwarven Weapon Training: Axe Training

Dwarven axes and bastard swords benefit from both SWF and THF feats while single-wielded; however you can't take both feat chains while leveling. So this build takes SWF while leveling (+attack speed & damage modifier), then THF Specialty at level 31 for the extra +120% Strikethrough. Equip an orb in the offhand for caster bonuses, including +1 Imbue die from Offhand Versatility.

 

[EagleJoust]

SWF I suppose to give you more time to find str tomes to get THF later in game?

 

[EagleJoust]

Any good guides on how the rotation works? Is healing simply from melee attacks through vampire form?

 

[unbongwah]

SWF I suppose to give you more time to find str tomes to get THF later in game?

The level 31 combat Specialty feats have no stat pre-reqs, only that you have the Greater feat from a different combat style. IMO it was probably a band-aid to address complaints about how unbalanced melee DPS is at endgame between the different styles; so they added a way to gain a secondary combat style. But it benefits builds like this using hand-and-a-half weapons.

Any good guides on how the rotation works? Is healing simply from melee attacks through vampire form?

You get some self-healing from vampire form, you also use Death Aura spells and Negative Energy Burst (NEB). The upside to Death Auras being (A) you can cast both simultaneously and (B) they're passive DoTs similar to cleric's Radiant Aura, so you can keep fighting while they tick away and only use NEB when you need a big burst of unhealing. You can also buy potions of Inflict Serious Wounds from some vendors.

 

[Archest]

I did Elven eldritch knight with sword and board using the keen sense from the elven tree to assist in finding secret doors and traps.
one of my favorite builds, long sword it holds up for a time when mobbed but played as a defensive retreat as damage is limited because is split between melee and spell power. ranged rays and castor AOE/CC with a defensive AC boost from the shield when melee range.
takes a few hits to kill where as a full melee character would be 2 strikes and on the the next guy. he takes 4 or 5 or more but lives to tale a tale.

 

[Jhozam]

Hi all,

here my STR oriented build to EK
Eldritch Knight STR build

I hope you like it

J.

 

[EagleJoust]

So I ended up running 2WF EK dark hunter for level 1, wizard for the rest until level 20 where I will take fighter. Vampire shroud. I'm level 7 and having a blast. Great solo build for now. I went with an int build so will have to buy harper... but have taken it yet.