What is better enhancement for Wizard?
- Thread starter Bossman
- Start date
How do you find that many good Shadowdancer points to get to Weird ?
Bliv
Well-known member
- Cores (4 points)
- Stealthy (3 points) you do get a very high reflex save with insightful reflexes, you get evasion with Shadowdancer.
- Cover of Darkness (3 points)
- Well of Darkness (3 points)
- Technician (3 points) for the +1 sneak dice
- Dance in the Dark (3 points)
- Nightmare Lance (2 points)
- Lithe (3 points)
- Shadowcaster (2 points)
- Spell Focus (3 points)
- Paranoia (2 points) adds dps to your epic strike, based of sneak dice (I put enough points in Palemaster to use wraith form for the +1 dice and +2 enchantment DC from core)
- Improved Paranoia (1 point)
That's 32 points, all relevant.
- Stealthy (3 points) you do get a very high reflex save with insightful reflexes, you get evasion with Shadowdancer.
- Cover of Darkness (3 points)
- Well of Darkness (3 points)
- Technician (3 points) for the +1 sneak dice
- Dance in the Dark (3 points)
- Nightmare Lance (2 points)
- Lithe (3 points)
- Shadowcaster (2 points)
- Spell Focus (3 points)
- Paranoia (2 points) adds dps to your epic strike, based of sneak dice (I put enough points in Palemaster to use wraith form for the +1 dice and +2 enchantment DC from core)
- Improved Paranoia (1 point)
That's 32 points, all relevant.
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Bliv
Well-known member
Forgot to mention that once you hit Nightmare Lance with Paranoia, you deal added dmg for 10 seconds, based off your sneak dice, on all your spells.
That's how you burst dps on that build.
Coupled with Shiradi stance, it does decent dmg.
Magic Missile becomes pretty decent all of a sudden, as every missile has a chance to proc Stay Strong, on top of Paranoia.
You're looking to cast anything that has missiles or projectiles (like meteor swarm).
That's how you burst dps on that build.
Coupled with Shiradi stance, it does decent dmg.
Magic Missile becomes pretty decent all of a sudden, as every missile has a chance to proc Stay Strong, on top of Paranoia.
You're looking to cast anything that has missiles or projectiles (like meteor swarm).
Im much more an Acid Well fan as my go to but this sure does sound fun.
Ever thought of posting the build in the Wizard class thread ?
Bliv
Well-known member
I've never bothered posting builds. But I might do it for this one, as it's the one I've put the most time to min/max.
I'll see. Most of the important stuff is now in this thread. Except for the feats and gear.
My main is set up as a DCish/dps sorc at the moment. (Btw Amplin, from Den of Vipers, is completely insane.)
Maybe when I go back to my wizard build.
I'll see. Most of the important stuff is now in this thread. Except for the feats and gear.
My main is set up as a DCish/dps sorc at the moment. (Btw Amplin, from Den of Vipers, is completely insane.)
Maybe when I go back to my wizard build.
Sarlona Raiding
Well-known member
Max DC is feydark illusionist with all the past lifes, max DC from reaper trees, the right curses, reaper bonuses, etc. It's a total PITA to max out DC with all the RNG in the current game.
I used to play a DC caster when it took longer to beat down trash mobs, but that was long ago. Currently I would only build a DC caster for a specific niche role or static group. DC casters are high investment builds with very situational value.
Is it worth it? That's your call, but all too often I've seen DC casters lead the kill count while being the least useful person in the party. So it's important to be useful in ways other than just instakilling mobs that would evaporate instantly anyhow without a DC caster.
There are some good tips about dps in this thread. I would not dump DPS on any caster build even though it's subpar and the reaper DPS caster penalty in R9-10 is too much. There are so many - maybe even too many places in this game where DPS is the most important thing.
I used to play a DC caster when it took longer to beat down trash mobs, but that was long ago. Currently I would only build a DC caster for a specific niche role or static group. DC casters are high investment builds with very situational value.
Is it worth it? That's your call, but all too often I've seen DC casters lead the kill count while being the least useful person in the party. So it's important to be useful in ways other than just instakilling mobs that would evaporate instantly anyhow without a DC caster.
There are some good tips about dps in this thread. I would not dump DPS on any caster build even though it's subpar and the reaper DPS caster penalty in R9-10 is too much. There are so many - maybe even too many places in this game where DPS is the most important thing.
Bliv
Well-known member
11 points in PM. I'm just going for wraith form and beacon of enchantment. The other points are to get basic self heals.
Gear setup is Vecna set (Legendary Keeper's Coffin) + Myth Drannor fillers (MD ring as artifact) + Dino quarterstaff.
Deep Gnome is optimal, but this could work with other races.
One thing I intend to implement next time I run the build is to swap to Amplin when I need to dps. Lightning Lash is sick.
Synalon
Choose another soldier
For DC casting, Pale Master is much easier to work. The advice you have received in the rest of the thread is good, but it describes an unconventional way to build a DC Wizard. Pale Master gets more DCs overall in the tree; you can get +2 necro and +2 enchantment in the cores, along with the other DC boosts you list. PM also provides (a lot) more defence. And as you note, getting the PM capstone with Archmage T5s is difficult on action points - ignoring Archmage gets you really everything you want from PM and Deep Gnome, along with any other tree you want to dip into.
I would advise going PM for anyone trying Wiz DC casting unless they're very experienced with the class. You'll be dipping into PM at least somewhat anyway, whereas Archmage can be basically ignored.
Sarlona Raiding
Well-known member
If someone is going T5/capstone in one tree and tier 4 in the other:
Palemaster: You get 4 int (2 universal DC) from the capstone and 1 necro DC from tier 5
Feydark Illusionists: You get 2 int (1 universal DC) and 2 illusion DC from the capstone and 3 illusion DC from tier 5
So if you just care about necro Palemaster nets you +2 necro dc and + 1 enchantment DC vs. Feydark Illusionist. Feydark Illusionist nets +4 illusion DC which some prefer due to the double save and the other benefits in feydark illusionist.
For survivability alot of pms go PM + eldritch knight esp for soloing. It's probably the most common build I see which might be what you mean by conventional.
Nothing is wrong with any of these choices. Which is better depends on many factors and the truth is all variations are subpar compared to the full spectrum of builds - unless you are building for a very specific niche or static group.
Bliv
Well-known member
Besides what Sarlona already mentioned, you are forgetting three things:
- Deep Gnome gives you +3 illusion DC.
- Deep Gnome iconic past lives give you another +3.
- T4 Archmage gives you +1 (you could also get that as a necromancer, but almost no one goes that route. It makes more sense as an illusionist for the extra PK SLA).
That's a net +7, on top of the +4 Sarlona pointed out.
Illusion DC > Necro DC, by a mile.
I'll give you one thing - this is an unconventional way to build a wizard. Anyone learning the class would have a much easier time with PM.
Svirfneblin
Well-known member
You definately want that deep gnome PK and greater color spray so lean into Pale Master.
Deep Gnome Iconic cosmetics are cool too!
Deep Gnome Iconic cosmetics are cool too!
A lot to digest here. I am leaning towards 41 in PM, 17 in deep gnome racial. That leaves 22 for either archmage or feydark illusionist.
Main reason for archmage is to get extra PK sla. Will also pick up +1 int, +3 spell pen, and spell critical line, and also +22 spell power, and additional spell points.
Feydark illusionist tree gets me +3 intelligence, +3 spell pen, and spell points and +3 saving throws.
Most likely archmage will win out for the extra pk. Maybe re-spec to experiment.
Thank you for all the input!
Main reason for archmage is to get extra PK sla. Will also pick up +1 int, +3 spell pen, and spell critical line, and also +22 spell power, and additional spell points.
Feydark illusionist tree gets me +3 intelligence, +3 spell pen, and spell points and +3 saving throws.
Most likely archmage will win out for the extra pk. Maybe re-spec to experiment.
Thank you for all the input!
Bjond
Well-known member
Well, T5 PM has a fun AE that always does damage. AM's T5 will be evaded A LOT for zero damage unless you stick mass-hold first or have crazy high evocation.
I did this with my PM Gnome (extra PK from AM). Turned out I really didn't need 3xPK, barely used the extra, and ended up swapping it out in a subsequent build.
Regular mobs these days all seem to have Deathblock, so I wonder if stacking your hotbar with individual insta-kill spells is the right way to go as well.
Mindos
CHAOTIC EVIL
Can you go through the game casting globe of invulnerability and removing it from them? (I don't even know, or if that's the right spell, etc)