U68 Preview 1: Wild Mage Sorcerer Archetype

[ChaoticDrivel]

I love the idea of some more Chaos in DDO

Early impression is that Cores 1, 2, 5, & 6 are a bit boring(the opposite of what Wild Magic should be!)

Channel Entropy would be more exciting if it was instead: several strikes of lower damage, that hit self/enemies and applies a random buff/debuff of significance.

 

[Lotoc]

Just gonna say it: Channel Entropy Core 6 SLA is too strong.
Firstly it is has the specs of a 9th tier AOE spell that deals 380 to 480 damage. As comparison a FVS gets a lvl 3 single target SLA that deals 140 to 240 damage as capstone ability. That hardly seems appropriate.
Secondly, even as a normal spell, it is easily the best damage spell out there. It is allignment damage, which no enemy resists against except golems (or non-sentient constructs). Secondly, it is vs Will, which is by far the worst save mobs have. They can't evade and will basically always fail their save and get full damage, even on badly geared characters.

Compare it to the savant capstones and the "No enemy resists" is totally irrelevant.
Also the archetype is very lacking on higher end spells to actually use in the chaos damage type and gearing for chaos damage is an absolute chore due to being locked to a specific outdated item from sharn.

 

[woq]

Just gonna say it: Channel Entropy Core 6 SLA is too strong.
Firstly it is has the specs of a 9th tier AOE spell that deals 380 to 480 damage. As comparison a FVS gets a lvl 3 single target SLA that deals 140 to 240 damage as capstone ability. That hardly seems appropriate.
Secondly, even as a normal spell, it is easily the best damage spell out there. It is allignment damage, which no enemy resists against except golems (or non-sentient constructs). Also, it is vs Will, which is by far the worst save mobs have. They can't evade and will basically always fail their save and get full damage, even on badly geared characters.

That core is carrying this tree alongside the debuffs and chest buffing

 

[Dulkhan]

With no testing so far, My only recommendation for the tree, is to add the colour of the queen effects or some of them to the good and neutral effects of sorc wild magic.

 

[Zaszgul]

A Good or Very Good Surge idea: Achronoclast: The cooldown of the spell you just cast is instantly reset.

(alternatively, as a strictly Very Good Surge: the cooldowns of ALL your spells are reset)

 

[SteelStar]

A Good or Very Good Surge idea: Achronoclast: The cooldown of the spell you just cast is instantly reset.

(alternatively, as a strictly Very Good Surge: the cooldowns of ALL your spells are reset)

Just on a technical level, I find this funny because "The cooldown of the spell you just cast is instantly reset" is really, really difficult for us to build and "the cooldowns of ALL your spells are reset" might crash the server without substantial additional tech - As much as I like both ideas

 

[mikarddo]

Without the past live bonus being known I do not yet know if I will play a Wild Mage or not - but as far as I can tell the tree holds very little of interest compared to playing a regular sorc. In particular I do not see a Wild Mage having a role at cap.

 

[Lazuli]

I've never been a fan of classes whose core operation is random, so I don't foresee using this beyond getting past life.

But even if I were a fan of random effects, this looks terribly underpowered. There's no synergy with sorcerer spells, the drawbacks are too annoying, and I foresee the good results being useless at times when you really need them. Because the bosses and the thousands of mobs with deathblock are not going to die, that is evident, and you need to resurrect when it is really necessary, not randomly.

At a time when spellcasters are agonizingly behind other classes, introducing an archetype that is more flavor than utility doesn't seem like a good idea.

 

[Lominal]

Chaos hammer isnt an option on the 4th level spells as a wild mage sorcerer (just a bug)

 

[Zaszgul]

Just on a technical level, I find this funny because "The cooldown of the spell you just cast is instantly reset" is really, really difficult for us to build and "the cooldowns of ALL your spells are reset" might crash the server without substantial additional tech - As much as I like both ideas

Something less drastic then!

Maybe a ~3 second buff that grants "reduce spell cooldowns by 50%"? Can't be as strong if it's gonna work on your next cast.

 

[SteelStar]

Chaos hammer isnt an option on the 4th level spells as a wild mage sorcerer (just a bug)

Thank you, that'll be fixed for next preview.

 

[Edrein]

Design Goals

• Create an archetype that fits with the Wild Magic theme of Myth Drannor
• Strong multiclass support with Warlock, Bard, FvS, Chaos Domain Cleric, and sub-support for Alc and Art

Changes vs. Base Sorcerer:

• Eldritch Knight Tree is replaced with Wild Mage tree

Wild Mage Tree

• Tier 1
  • SLA: Chaos Bolt: Fires a small orb of Chaos at a target, doing 1d6+2 Chaos Damage per caster level (max 10d6+20 at caster level 10).
    • (This is based on the <Element> Bolt spells, and you can assume it works identically.)
• Tier 4
  • Unpredictable Consequences: Your Chaos Bolt, Chaos Sphere, and Channel Entropy spells and SLAs now add additional damage, debuff, or crowd control effects when cast. If the target saves for half damage on Chaos Sphere, the additional effects are negated.
  • Multiselector:
    • Unstable Sorcery: While wearing no armor, you gain 2% Spell Critical Damage.
    • Mixed Magics: Your Wild Mage levels count for calculating Caster Levels in other spellcasting classes you have at least 1 level in.

First, I love the look and design of this. Perhaps not the most strong archetype/playstyle at first blush but I want to play with it.

My immediate concern is; you say there's strong multiclass support for Warlock, Bard, FvS, Chaos Cleric, and some bits for Alch and Art. I can tell you right now that's questionable. Particularly for any sort of gish playstyle. Which I feel like both the wild magic and tree could actually play into for some fun chaos.

I'll be the first one to say it since everyone else has ignored it. You're removing one of 'two' classes trees from Sorcerer for this Archetype. Every archetype uses three enhancement trees, usually 2 from the base class and the swapped in third. I get Savant is the odd spot for you all, but Sorcerer still doesn't have a third dedicated enhancement. So let's keep EK here for those wanting to make wild magic gishes please? Or at the very least give them access to a third caster tree that'd make sense here and benefit the playstyle for a caster? Perhaps Divine Disciple with its new improved design?

Which brings me to the tree itself:

1. Chaos Bolt: Please don't make it a reuse of the bolt spells. It's always awful when a core tree SLA can't get used against certain mobs. I'm looking at you Liches. Other than that I've got no complaint about the actual SLAs here.
2. Unpredictable Consequences: Please expand this to all 'chaotic' spells available in game to really boost its appeal and synergy into epics and beyond. I'm talking about: Chaos Hammer, Prismatic Ray, Prismatic Spray, Prismatic Strike, Fey Lights, and Hellball.
3. Mixed Magics: I like this conceptually. But can this possibly be expanded upon in both the cores and other tiers? I'd love if it was technically feasible for this to boost multiclassing as far as access to enhancement trees from the other class or count toward core class caster levels for the sake of expanding your spellbook. You'll never be as powerful as a pure caster of either tree, but it'd be neat to see a design that fully embraces where 3.5e Prestiges really did with hybrid styles like Palemaster.
4. If you're willing to let Wild Magic Gishes be a thing; then adding an imbue would be great. Not massive damage one; honestly I'd prefer it to be more like 1d3 chaos damage, but each additional imbue die adds to the chance you apply a random effect or proc a wild magic effect on your next attack.

 

[Sarlona Raiding]

At first glance I think Wild Mage T5, Savant Capstone will be a thing.

 

[Lotoc]

• Tides of Chaos III: +2/4/6% Chaos Spell Crit Chance.

This could probably stand to be 1/2/3% Spell crit chance and an additional 1/2/3% crit chance with Chaos if an intent is to fill out with some non chaos spells at higher levels.

 

[Coffey]

Will there be chaos spell power augments and items?

 

[Lotoc]

Will there be chaos spell power augments and items?

every single radiant item is already.

 

[Coffey]

Ah ok forgot the dual usage.

 

[Zaszgul]

Good Surge idea:
Unraveling Anatomy: debuff the target (maybe in an aoe?) to take multiple vulnerability stacks or -PRR & -MRR. Additionally, the target is guaranteed to fail its saving throw against Disintegrate for the duration.

Combo Ability!

 

[mikarddo]

At first glance I think Wild Mage T5, Savant Capstone will be a thing.

I am curious. Why do you see that as better than T5 EK (deflect arrows 2s, +15% hp etc) and Savant Capstone?

Maybe I am overlooking something but EK seems to be a much stronger tree for cap play than Wild Mage.

 

[mikarddo]

I'll be the first one to say it since everyone else has ignored it. You're removing one of 'two' classes trees from Sorcerer for this Archetype. Every archetype uses three enhancement trees, usually 2 from the base class and the swapped in third. I get Savant is the odd spot for you all, but Sorcerer still doesn't have a third dedicated enhancement. So let's keep EK here for those wanting to make wild magic gishes please?

I will second this. As Sorc only really have 2 trees - please add Wild Mage but not remove EK so there are infact 3 trees. That would be most helpful.