Favored Weapons, Divine Crusader and other animals

[Frantik]

Hey,

my question concerns the description (ddowiki) from Divine Crusader T5 Bring Down Wrath ...

Your shield (or orb) is now considered a Favored Weapon for the purposes of your Divine Crusader Destiny Mantle, and now Doublestrikes as if it were an offhand weapon (i.e. 50% of your mainhand.)

"for the puposes of your Divine Crusader Destiny Mantle"; i see what it says, i can read limits into that, but does anyone know if Bring Down Wrath allows your shield to be compatible with, say, Dark Apostate's T1 evil imbue? This would be counter intuitive with regard to the description but stranger things happen.

Thanks!

 

[The Blonde]

Just wanted to say I'm a huge fan of the thread's title.

 

[waxinglyrical]

Just wanted to say I'm a huge fan of the thread's title.

It has a certain "Gerald Durrell" vibe.

 

[Skulz]

Are you asking if the bash will proc other imbues and effects? yes it does

 

[Bjond]

"for the puposes of your Divine Crusader Destiny Mantle"; i see what it says, i can read limits into that, but does anyone know if Bring Down Wrath allows your shield to be compatible with, say, Dark Apostate's T1 evil imbue? This would be counter intuitive with regard to the description but stranger things happen.

'Dunno about that specific imbue, but shield bashes will sneak attack and apply imbues and apply Law of the Divine. A swash with high bash chance can reach an effective attack rate of 370/m, which surpasses TWF.

You'll need a STR build if you want a bashing swash: bucklers are STR hit/dam.

 

[Frantik]

Are you asking if the bash will proc other imbues and effects? yes it does

thanks, that is what i was alluding to, and should have been more explicit (but not with the animals present)

 

[Frantik]

'Dunno about that specific imbue, but shield bashes will sneak attack and apply imbues and apply Law of the Divine. A swash with high bash chance can reach an effective attack rate of 370/m, which surpasses TWF.

You'll need a STR build if you want a bashing swash: bucklers are STR hit/dam.

Good catch, but i was thinking along the lines of a caster tank-healer-cc, Chaosmancer 17 DA 3 Sorc (other versions possible, FvS and Paladin etc), using a lesser Heart of Wood, changing from Wild Mage to traditional Sorc and grabbing CHA to hit and damage for tier 3 in EK tree (applies to both weapons and shields). This is an on-going project i've been thinking about recently. Am thinking more shield mastery route and farming a Myth Drannor shield with Legendary Conditioning (large shield version, Ettercap Incursion, +15% Legendary health). Divine Crusader Epic Strike and Mantle. Secondary Fotw Epic Strike?

Dark Apostate for imbue and Domain (protection here) with War Priest as main tree and Falconry as secondary.
Combos I'm currently working over in my tiny brain:
- 17 DA 3 Sorc
- 18 sorc 1 DA 1 Fighter (or swapping Fig for Barb for extra speed)
- 16 Pal 3 Sorc 1 Fighter
- 16 FvS 3 Sorc 1 DA (either War Soul or Vanguard as main tree)
- 14 Cleric 6 Sorc (CHA-based standard Cleric version using EK, FI, WP and RS trees)
- 20 Paladin (or similar)

and since your comment, a Bard/DA/Sorc variant 16/1/3 for a more fun and far less tanky choice

It's a lot of variants and needs much more thought on utility and gear.

 

[tsotate]

changing from Wild Mage to traditional Sorc and grabbing CHA to hit and damage for tier 3 in EK tree (applies to both weapons and shields).

EK only gives charisma to hit, not to damage.

 

[Frantik]

EK only gives charisma to hit, not to damage.

my bad, but CHA to hit is the key... Feydark Illusionist and a CHA trance would be the way to go.

 

[Frantik]

and following tsotate's inspiring comment, dropping Chaosmancer (fire immunity strip) and going PDK 16 Pal 3 Sorc 1 Fighter maybe just the ticket. Extra DCs from PDK as well as CHA to damage, T3 Sorc EK for CHA to hit with both shields and weapons (as long as this overwrites the PDK CHA to hit ability; another question doh) and Vanguard as main could be nice. Enough in KotC for imbue, the trance, the xtra favored weapons plus +3 sunder DCs.

 

[Bjond]

Vanguard as main could be nice. Enough in KotC for imbue, the trance, the xtra favored weapons plus +3 sunder DCs.

Vanguard can work, but in general it wants all 6 of it's cores to to be decent and a fair chunk of kensei.

 

[unbongwah]

T3 Sorc EK for CHA to hit with both shields and weapons

Unless they fixed it and no one updated the wiki, sorcerer Eldritch Accuracy requires 4 levels of sorcerer, even though it's only a tier-3 enhancement.

 

[Frantik]

Unless they fixed it and no one updated the wiki, sorcerer Eldritch Accuracy requires 4 levels of sorcerer, even though it's only a tier-3 enhancement.

Eye on the ball, unbongwah
I had totally missed that critical point, thanks.

 

[unbongwah]

It's not like paladin 16 gives you much, though, so PDK paladin 15 sorcerer 4 fighter 1 would be fine.

 

[unbongwah]

I made a PDK test toon (fighter 1 / sorcerer 4 / paladin 10) to confirm that (A) you still need sorcerer 4 for Eldritch Accuracy, (B) that Eldritch Accuracy applies to shields, and (C) that you could have Cormyrian Knight Training as well and it wouldn't conflict (i.e., CHA to hit & damage were WAI).

 

[unbongwah]

There's actually a decent number of survivability / tanking perks to Eldritch Knight: +10% Exceptional AC, +10 PRR & MRR (which would stack w/+10 PRR & MRR from Feydark Illusionist's You've Got My Back), Arcane Barrier auto-proc, and Shield Striking for +15% bash proc chance plus some temp HPs. Also Eldritch Cleave for an extra AoE and you have the option of using Spellsword imbue which applies to shield bashes.

Wouldn't be my first choice of secondary tanking trees, but if you've already committed to taking Eldritch Accuracy for shield bashes, there are worse uses for 14-23 APs.

EDIT: for posterity, the build I used to test.

PDK EK paladin
10/4/1 Paladin/Sorcerer/Fighter
Lawful Good Purple Dragon Knight


Level Order

1. Fighter . . . . 6. Paladin . . . .11. Paladin
2. Sorcerer. . . . 7. Paladin . . . .12. Sorcerer
3. Paladin. . . . .8. Paladin. . . . 13. Paladin
4. Sorcerer. . . . 9. Paladin . . . .14. Paladin
5. Paladin. . . . 10. Sorcerer. . . .15. Paladin


Stats
. . . . . . . .32pt . . Level Up
. . . . . . . .---- . . --------
Strength. . . . .8. . . .4: CHA
Dexterity . . . 14. . . .8: CHA
Constitution. . 16. . . 12: CHA
Intelligence. . .8
Wisdom. . . . . .8
Charisma. . . . 18

Skills
. . . . . F .S. P. S .P .P .P .P .P .S. P. S .P .P .P
. . . . . 1 .2. 3. 4 .5 .6 .7 .8 .9 10 11 12 13 14 15
. . . . .---------------------------------------------
Intim . . 4 . . 2. . .2 . . 2. . .2 . . 2. . .2 . . 2. 18
UMD . . . 1 .1. . .1. . .1 . . 1. . .1. . .1. . .1 . . .8
Tumble. . 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
. . . . .---------------------------------------------
. . . . . 8 .2. 2. 2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2 .2. 2. 2 .2 .2 .2


Feats

.1. . . . : Shield Mastery
.1 PDK. . : Dodge
.1 Fighter: Mobility
.3. . . . : Precision OR Improved Shield Bash
.6. . . . : Whirlwind Attack OR Spring Attack
.9. . . . : Improved Shield Mastery
12. . . . : Improved Critical: Slashing
15. . . . : Greater Shield Mastery

.3 Deity. : Follower of: Helm
.9 Deity. : Deity Ability: Ever Watchful\

 

[Bjond]

There's actually a decent number of survivability / tanking perks to Eldritch Knight: +10% Exceptional AC, +10 PRR & MRR (which would stack w/+10 PRR & MRR from Feydark Illusionist's You've Got My Back), Arcane Barrier auto-proc, and Shield Striking for +15% bash proc chance plus some temp HPs.

EK is pretty nice. It's got DPS options alongside the tanky with T5's CM+1, MP+20, & Tempest, too. I ran an INT based undead 3 Swash 15 EK (wiz) build waaaay back during the RL era. It's really tanky; would solo tank Mounds on R1 Baba in full dps gear.

Dhampir brings a new option, too: 3 Swash 8 EK with T5 EK will net CHA hit/dam and H.Axe gets 15x4 profile via the CM+1 in T5 EK. Run as undead and you have L/DA + Boon + Bite + Attacks for healing.

 

[Frantik]

It's not like paladin 16 gives you much, though, so PDK paladin 15 sorcerer 4 fighter 1 would be fine.

you are correct, i wrote 16 pally from memory as i thought that was the level where they got 2 level 4 spells, but it's level 15.