Staff vs Orb/Shield for Wizard ?

[lppmor]

When leveling my Wizard I always go either with Orb or Shield.

Orb is great for pairing with Single Weapon Fighting and have a fast attack speed in Heroic levels.
Shield is amazing for mitigation, specially since I don't have evasion.

I actually never tried Staves because they seem pointless outside of Draconic Incarnation's Conduit ability.

So, what you guys think about staves? Is there any really good staff for leveling (lets say, from lvl 10-30) which is so good that bypass the benefits of Orb/Shield?

EDIT: For example, I found Echo of Wave has the unique effect to freeze enemies. But is the proc chance good enough in this case?

 

[Lazuli]

From what you say about SWF it is for an EK, right? In that case, staff will only be useful if it is your weapon of choice for combat.

If you're talking about a caster, then you simply have to see if a staff is more profitable for you than a scepter + orb or shield. There are a couple of heroic caster staves that are very worthwhile: slaver master's staff (lv 8) or Sharn's staves like firestorm (lv 15). But you may be interested in other combinations.

Honestly, everything works in heroic. Pick up whatever gives you the best combinations of spellpowers and/or DC, and you're done.

 

[Lazuli]

Imo the freezing does not have a good proc chance, but it's not useless either.

Only that a normal caster should have no problem CCing with spells.

 

[Pano]

Wizard EK here.
I usually play with Bastards for their SWF THF feats combo (it stacks). So If you want to stay at endgame, it is good to take THF line while leveling and any THF weapon (or bastard + orb) that you have available. At lvl 31 take SWF specialization to get +30% attack speed. Alternatively for better endgame performance, you can switch it and take SWF while leveling and THF specialization at 31 (the dmg profit is marginal).
For leveling I am using SoS and eSoS when I take THF lien first. When I take SWF first I am using scimitars to lvl 15 (thats when I have 15 str to take Bastard proficiency) and then I use wave of despair to 20, then bastard of the drow weapon master up to 26, and then Epic Spinal tab to 31 and then Dino Bastard as endgame weapon.
If you want good staves: Elemental bloom and epic elemental bloom are really good. Sireth from CitW is AMAZING. Staff of Shadow is boring but still best DPS endgame staff

 

[Bjond]

When leveling my Wizard I always go either with Orb or Shield.

It's not a DDO Wizard unless it's wearing plate and shield. To Lich or not to Lich, that is the question.

 

[Sarlona Raiding]

If you are going melee swf with orb is ideal. For casting - a shield is a solid off-hand item for defenses as it doesn't really negatively impact casting dps and you can get some decent stats on it. The dps hit is significant for melee.

Quarterstaff is a solid leveling melee weapon, but it really drops off at end game.

Quarterstaff has a niche use at end game for a max DC caster.

 

[Br4d]

It's not a DDO Wizard unless it's wearing plate and shield. To Lich or not to Lich, that is the question.

For me the question is always whether to go heavy armor or skip it for something more effective while leveling. The 3 feats required to get heavy armor on my melee Wizards is always a trade-off for other things. Typically it is either Light, Medium, Heavy or Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, (Whirlwind Attack).

The first is better at cap and the second is better until cap.

 

[droid327]

For me the question is always whether to go heavy armor or skip it for something more effective while leveling. The 3 feats required to get heavy armor on my melee Wizards is always a trade-off for other things. Typically it is either Light, Medium, Heavy or Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, (Whirlwind Attack).

The first is better at cap and the second is better until cap.

Wait what?

Melee wizard = EK, which means you get Medium armor prof in the tree

Medium > Heavy for all except Fighter, since you still get uncapped MRR but get higher MDB=Dodge cap

 

[Soulcial]

My EK was 18/2 wiz/monk for pure attack speed. It was full completionist so it managed to get functional DCs (around 120 illusion, 115 enchant) and did great damage pre imbue nerf. Still decent after. I quit playing it after the double nerf, because the reaper 8-10 spell damage nerf already affected EKs greatly and the imbue nerf put the nail in the coffin.
Anyway, the damage is going to be higher in twf than any other option. SWF is good but TWF is better, more procs = more damage. Not sure why twf hasn't been brought up in this discussion.

 

[Br4d]

Wait what?

Melee wizard = EK, which means you get Medium armor prof in the tree

Medium > Heavy for all except Fighter, since you still get uncapped MRR but get higher MDB=Dodge cap

There are certain heavy armors unnamed that give benefits you can't find on any other piece.

 

[Lazuli]

The problem with heavy armor for a wizard is that it is very expensive. First you have to get the proficiency: that is 3 feats or a multiclass splash.

But then comes the arcane spell failure. Reducing the arcane spell failure of heavy armor is very expensive. Medium armor is more realistic for an Ek, as the EK tree itself gives you not only the proficiency, but removes the arcane spell failure. For an EK wizard, medium armor is definitely better in relation to resources invested-profit obtained.

 

[lppmor]

I usually play my Wizard with Light armor instead of Medium, because I can boost my dodge.
I understand Medium armor gives more AC and PRR, but it can easily cap you dodge, right?

Why exactly Medium is better than Light for EK? Is AC/PPR better than dodge in general?

 

[AbyssalMage]

Why exactly Medium is better than Light for EK? Is AC/PPR better than dodge in general?

MRR is higher which is the point (IMO) in wearing heavier armor. Depending on how you play it is reducing the incoming spell/force damage to survive higher reaper content. Or at least live long enough for someone to spot you a heal. The higher PRR doesn't hurt it just isn't the primary reason.

 

[Lazuli]

I usually play my Wizard with Light armor instead of Medium, because I can boost my dodge.
I understand Medium armor gives more AC and PRR, but it can easily cap you dodge, right?

Why exactly Medium is better than Light for EK? Is AC/PPR better than dodge in general?

Light is also a very valid option, especially if you get evasion (for example from primal or shadowdancer ED)

Force damage is not affected by MRR, if I'm not mistaken. For that, the only thing left is spell absorption items (if it comes from a spell source).

 

[Br4d]

The problem with heavy armor for a wizard is that it is very expensive. First you have to get the proficiency: that is 3 feats or a multiclass splash.

But then comes the arcane spell failure. Reducing the arcane spell failure of heavy armor is very expensive. Medium armor is more realistic for an Ek, as the EK tree itself gives you not only the proficiency, but removes the arcane spell failure. For an EK wizard, medium armor is definitely better in relation to resources invested-profit obtained.

Arcane spell failure is not an issue with the EK enhancements. I wind up with a 96% success rate. However I play Elves of some sort most of the time and it's 100% with them.

 

[DBZ]

Force absorb orb

 

[droid327]

Why exactly Medium is better than Light for EK? Is AC/PPR better than dodge in general?

Light armor caps your MRR at 100. Medium and Heavy allow unlimited MRR.

In Heroic, 100 MRR is plenty. In Epic/Legendary, you start to notice the squishiness more.

Thats why Light is usually paired with Evasion (which provides an alternative form of defense against most damaging spells), and non-Evasion uses Medium (trading some Dodge for greatly increased MRR).

Light is also a very valid option, especially if you get evasion (for example from primal or shadowdancer ED)

Force damage is not affected by MRR, if I'm not mistaken. For that, the only thing left is spell absorption items (if it comes from a spell source).

Nightshield of course if the Force damage is from Magic Missiles (which would completely devour your spell absorption)

Arti's Ablative Armor also absorbs Force, and with the MT boost it can ablate over 500 damage

 

[Lazuli]

Nightshield of course if the Force damage is from Magic Missiles (which would completely devour your spell absorption)

Arti's Ablative Armor also absorbs Force, and with the MT boost it can ablate over 500 damage

yes, of course. And the force absorption items that DBZ mentioned, and there are probably some other items that I don't remember right now.

I didn't intend to make a complete list of items that absorb force damage, just to point out that MRR doesn't help against that.

 

[Br4d]

For an EK you get the Improved Shield SLA early in the tree which blocks several types of arcane missiles including magic missiles which are the ones you face most often.

 

[Mindos]

that DBZ mentioned

Is this list DBZ in the thread? I'm scrolling up looking for this post lol All I see is force absorbs force.