Spellsingers: what Epic Strikes and Mantles do you use?

[Sithali]

Genuinely curious on Epic Strikes or Mantles to use as a Spellsinger. Mantles look pretty bad/average in Fatesinger/Exalter Angel/Primal Avatar trees.

For Epic Strikes, Primal Avatar has felt pretty bad (Storm Catcher and Thunder Snow), Strike a Chord and Echoes feels much nicer to use, but the CD is a bit long.

 

[QuantumFX]

IMO, it depends on what kind of spellsinger you are. I do Primal Avatar / Strike a Chord on my Stormsinger, and I know a guy who does E.A. because he's doing the Bard healer thing.

The reason I like Primal Avatar for the mantle isn't just the damage proc: Evergreen allows you to turn on Max/Emp/Quicken/Intensify, skip metamagic reducers, and forget about mana management. Shared Mantle works amazingly well for allowing my Oozy minions to tank stuff for me. And, specifically for a stormsinger, I have 3 different proc timers for my main 3 elements.

Also, just for clarification, you feel that Echoes of Discord has a slow cooldown, yes? (Because, that is accurate! ) I don't think there's an Epic Strike cooldown faster than Strike a Chord. Strike a Chord stands out when you pick up Master the Acoustics.

Some other options you might want to look at:

• While I'm not a fan of Machrotechnic's epic strike for a caster bard, I do like Thunder Hammer as a bonus SLA. Also, you can pair Blast Shields from Machrotechnic with Natural Evasion from PA.
• Blue Draconic Incarnation would probably be pretty great on a Chaosmancer (The Iconic race) based Bard, since you have access to Lightning stripping. Also, it's an excellent 3rd tree on a Stormsinger for the Scales of the Dragon and Elemental Blood abilities.

 

[Sithali]

IMO, it depends on what kind of spellsinger you are. I do Primal Avatar / Strike a Chord on my Stormsinger, and I know a guy who does E.A. because he's doing the Bard healer thing.

The reason I like Primal Avatar for the mantle isn't just the damage proc: Evergreen allows you to turn on Max/Emp/Quicken/Intensify, skip metamagic reducers, and forget about mana management. Shared Mantle works amazingly well for allowing my Oozy minions to tank stuff for me. And, specifically for a spellsinger, I have 3 different proc timers for my main 3 elements.

Also, just for clarification, you feel that Echoes of Discord has a slow cooldown, yes? (Because, that is accurate! ) I don't think there's an Epic Strike cooldown faster than Strike a Chord. Strike a Chord stands out when you pick up Master the Acoustics.

Some other options you might want to look at:

• While I'm not a fan of Machrotechnic's epic strike for a caster bard, I do like Thunder Hammer as a bonus SLA. Also, you can pair Blast Shields from Machrotechnic with Natural Evasion from PA.
• Blue Draconic Incarnation would probably be pretty great on a Chaosmancer (The Iconic race) based Bard, since you have access to Lightning stripping. Also, it's an excellent 3rd tree on a Stormsinger for the Scales of the Dragon and Elemental Blood abilities.

Thank you very much for your insights. I just picked up what you suggested: Fatesinger Epic Strike and Primal Avatar Mantle with Evergreen.
I may try the Draconic Incarnation and Machrotechnic later on.

Can you explain that part about Shared Mantle boosting your Oozy minions? Which minions are you talking about? Thanks again for the help!

 

[QuantumFX]

Can you explain that part about Shared Mantle boosting your Oozy minions? Which minions are you talking about? Thanks again for the help!

I have an Attuned Bone weapon with an Aspect of Tar augment. It randomly summons oozes which can then proc the mantle when they attack stuff. Since the proc is based off my spell power they'll hit for 6K per proc. I also have threat reduction from Fatesinger and an Epic Quiver of Alacrity which keeps mobs attack them rather than me.

EDIT: Hey, I found it!

https://forums.ddo.com/index.php?threads/storm-summoner-build-for-soloing-on-high-reapers.1525/

 

[Silverhilt]

I use Fatesinger/Divine Crusader and Primal Avatar. Epic strike is the Consecrated Ground which I take for the 10% dmg and heals and I took t4 so it stuns for cc. Primal Mantle for Cocoon procs (I dont care about dmg)

 

[FVSHasBeenEvenMoreGutted]

fatesinger strike is the highest dps ability i think in the game? definitely of the epic strikes/abilities so definitely use it. as for mantle, fatesinger mantle doesn't crit so it is useless. primal mantle will only proc the sonic damage for spell singer (stormsinger obviously has cold/electric spells, but thunder snow can proc the cold/electric on regular bard as well as horn of thunder). sonic mantles aren't in a great spot due to fatesinger being useless, but PA infinite spell points is pretty goated

 

[Frantik]

fatesinger strike is the highest dps ability i think in the game? definitely of the epic strikes/abilities so definitely use it. as for mantle, fatesinger mantle doesn't crit so it is useless. primal mantle will only proc the sonic damage for spell singer (stormsinger obviously has cold/electric spells, but thunder snow can proc the cold/electric on regular bard as well as horn of thunder). sonic mantles aren't in a great spot due to fatesinger being useless, but PA infinite spell points is pretty goated

Tier 3 Master of Acoustics DOUBLES the sonic damage from the epic strike.

 

[Lotoc]

fatesinger strike is the highest dps ability i think in the game? definitely of the epic strikes/abilities so definitely use it. as for mantle, fatesinger mantle doesn't crit so it is useless. primal mantle will only proc the sonic damage for spell singer (stormsinger obviously has cold/electric spells, but thunder snow can proc the cold/electric on regular bard as well as horn of thunder). sonic mantles aren't in a great spot due to fatesinger being useless, but PA infinite spell points is pretty goated

basic spellsinger can trigger the lightning part of sky mantle with Horn of Thunder at least, you could also theoretically pick up Burst of Glacial Wrath for the cold proc but cold spellpower on a spellsinger just for BoGW and mantle is probably not worth it.

 

[kmoustakas]

I use the fatesinger spell strikes because they are great. Especially echoes of discord with infinite range aoe stun and heal at level 32. It's awesome for leveling as well because at 23 they get DOUBLE damage. I did try the macrotechnic sonic strike but why get close to an enemy when I can oneshot them from outside drawing range.

For mantle, I use the primal mantle of sky. Fatesinger mantle is great... for a melee paladin. I go 23 points up the tree to grab the core 4 and evasion as well. In addition, the damage oozes (from tar) or puppies from whistle/legendary whistle or dino does add up. Is it ideal? No. But the fatesinger mantle never hits because I'm not a melee bard. I used to use angelic mantle (and wings) but that got murdered.

 

[Frantik]

Just started a Chaosmancer pure Bard on Cormyr, planning to take T5 in Magus with T4 in Fatesinger and the epic strike and echo AoE. I will miss Evergreen and the Primal Attack SLA but really wanted to try cold Bard. I will put 7 EDP into PA for +2 CHA.

I did think about using the Magus epic strike which with T5 buff deals 1d12+16 per level against most mobs. It also has a lovely freeze proc if DCs high enough. But with CD of 6 secs, compared to Strike the Chord's 2 secs, and Fatesinger's T3 double damage, i'm opting for the 2d6+6 sonic shot every 2 secs.

 

[Palumtra]

Primal Avatar(Sky) Mantle + Evergreen gives you a very good spell point economy, some extra stats (Spirit Boon) and better DCs for Enchantment spells. It can also give you Evasion.
Epic Strike and T5 from Fatesinger
For 3rd Destiny pick what you like, I like Fury of the Wild for Primal Scream and some extra incap range/hp but Exalted Angel or Divine Crusader can work too, I mainly play buff Bard so I like to provide as much stats I can for the party.

 

[Striga]

My bard is picking up some obscure past lives, but I do remember one recentish life in which I went with the Fatesinger mantle. It's less damage than other mantles, but it's AoE, and you get some temporary HP in the process. I like temporary HP. With Sustaining Song and Warchanter temporary HP ticking, it makes leveling 20-30 preeetty smooth. I have no opinion about at-cap performance.

 

[kmoustakas]

With the changes to fatesinger, the epic strike getting doubled at L23 and with the short cooldown is automatic. Don't sell the echoes' healing short either (at core4).