Holy Nuker Rebuild
Rogue3, Paladin2, Sorceror35

Playable 1-40 PvP or PvM

Human, LG

Perhaps the Exalted Sorceror stops the discussion on caster builds. Perhaps it doesn't. Anyway, my first build (and my original OC build 1st time through) was the original holy nuker Click Here

This is a significantly better build, imho.

Stats:

STR 14
DEX 12
CON 14
INT 14
WIS 8
CHA 15 to 26

1) ROGUE Luck of Heroes, Blind Fight
2) PAL 1
3) SOR 1 WF (Longsword)
4) SOR 2 (CHA 16)
5) SOR 3
6) SOR 4 Extend Spell
7) SOR 5
8 )SOR 6 (CHA 17)
9) SOR 7 Still Spell
10)SOR 8
11)SOR 9
12)SOR 10 Empower Spell (CHA 18)
13)SOR 11
14) SOR 12
15) SOR 13 Spell Penetration
16) SOR 14 (CHA 19)
17)ROG 2
18)SOR 15 Maximize Spell
19)SOR 16
20) SOR 17 (CHA 20)
21)SOR 18 EWF
22)SOR 19
23)SOR 20
24)SOR 21 Auto Still Spell I (CHA 21)
25)SOR 22
26)SOR 23 Auto Still Spell II
27)SOR 24 Auto Still Spell III
28)SOR 25(CHA 22)
29)SOR 26 Epic Spell: Mage Armor
30)SOR 27 Epic Prowess
31)SOR 28
32)SOR 29 Epic Spell: Epic Warding (CHA 23)
33)SOR 30 GRT CHA II (CHA 24)
34)SOR 31
35)SOR 32 Epic Spell: Greater Ruin
36)SOR 33 Epic Skill Focus: Discipline (CHA 25)
37)ROG 3
38)PAL 2
39)SOR 34 Armor Skin
40)SOR 35 Greater Spell Penetration (CHA 26)

Base AC 25 (10 + 8 plate + 3 shield + 2 ArmorSkin + 2 dex)

AB 26 (20 BA + 2 STR + 3 EWF + 1 Prowess)

Saves:
Fort 29 (38 v. spells);
Ref: 28 (37 v. spells);
Will: 28 (37 v. spells)

Skills (241):
Concentration 25 (Sorceror and Paladin levels)
Discipline 41 (Paladin levels)
Spellcraft 43 (Sorceror levels)
Tumble 40 (Rogue levels)
Listen 40 (Rogue levels)
Open Locks: 1 (Rogue levels)
Disable Traps: 1 (Rogue levels)
Set Traps: 1 (Rogue levels)
UMD: 11 (Rogue levels) (adjust this to your PW. This assumes a +12 max on ability (so +6 on ability bonus; in that event, UMD would be 25))
Heal: 38 (all classes)


The three rogue levels help it level, get evasion, more skill points (particularly at origination), skill sets, and save you an AB. Oh, and the third one lets you retain your dexterity bonus when flat-footed (uncanny dodge).

The two paladin levels help your AB, add your charisma to your saves (divine grace), give you the paladin immunities, let you use holy avenger, and let you max out discipline, which is good for not getting knocked down and holding on to your sword.

The 35 sorceror levels could be higher, obviously, but with spell penetration and greater spell penetration, you should do okay against all but the highest level SR monks and clerics.

Anyway, it's a platform for a caster build. You could take away a pre-epic rogue level without lowering your AB. Would hurt the levelability (new word!) and skills but might lead to a more effective build. Build to taste, in other words. If it were me, he'd carry a big sword lol.

Cheers, and good hunting.
_________________
We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender - Winston Churchill

Edited By griphook on 12/02/05 20:23

A few things come to mind that you might benefit from and refine on a little.

First... the rogue at first level for skillpoints is a good idea, but sorcerers have an "ECL adjustment" at low levels that makes them gain exp faster than other characters. So if you hold off on multiclassing before level 6 (when the ECL adjustment fades away) you will gain more xp per kill early on.

Second... with 32 or more caster levels you don't need penetration. You can Disjunction an SR-buffed cleric, while you can't ever land spells on an SR monk anyway, even with 40 caster levels and epic penetration. Sorcerers are relatively feat-starved and you'll probably benefit more from freeing up these feats unless your server environment has different SR rules.

You also have greater ruin, which ignores SR, to use in those situations anyway

I think your cha is too low though, in the end, to use anything but no-save spells. If it's a PvP build that's not an issue because you'd be using them anyway. In a PvE build it might hurt. I would try to shoot for 30 if not 32 or 34 charisma in the final build as a PvE sorcerer.

Why take weapon focus and epic weapon focus? You'll only hit things on a 20 anyway and your real damage comes from your spells. Likewise Blind Fight.
_________________
Experience is the mother of good judgement; bad judgement is the father of experience.
Quote: Posted 11/07/05 21:46:07 (GMT) -- Xylophone

A few things come to mind that you might benefit from and refine on a little.

First... the rogue at first level for skillpoints is a good idea, but sorcerers have an "ECL adjustment" at low levels that makes them gain exp faster than other characters. So if you hold off on multiclassing before level 6 (when the ECL adjustment fades away) you will gain more xp per kill early on.


One, wow, I did not know that. Seems . . . cheesy.

I can't give up on the skill differential, though. Love the skills.

Quote: Second... with 32 or more caster levels you don't need penetration. You can Disjunction an SR-buffed cleric, while you can't ever land spells on an SR monk anyway, even with 40 caster levels and epic penetration. Sorcerers are relatively feat-starved and you'll probably benefit more from freeing up these feats unless your server environment has different SR rules.

You also have greater ruin, which ignores SR, to use in those situations anyway

Hmm, you are probably right, which would free up a few feats in a pretty feat-starved build. Thanks Xylo!

Quote: I think your cha is too low though, in the end, to use anything but no-save spells. If it's a PvP build that's not an issue because you'd be using them anyway. In a PvE build it might hurt. I would try to shoot for 30 if not 32 or 34 charisma in the final build as a PvE sorcerer.

Yes, I do use only non-save spells OR (how is this for a concept) spells that run counter to the strength of the enemy (like will-based saves against fortitude strong enemies - ho ho! -- shadow spells are will based, can be very effective).


Quote: Why take weapon focus and epic weapon focus? You'll only hit things on a 20 anyway and your real damage comes from your spells. Likewise Blind Fight.

Because I am a sucker for the melee. Seriously, WF will help the playability early but becomes useless late. Not taking EWF would permit a greater charisma or two.

I really appreciate the insight.

Cheers. Its sweet, really. But I am no good with caster builds. One thing to note, you say in your build that the PAL and ROG levels pre-epic is there to also help your AB.They don't. You need either 3 ROG or 2 PAL pre epic to get any BAB raise.
Quote: Posted 11/08/05 00:01:48 (GMT) -- Grimnir77

Its sweet, really. But I am no good with caster builds. One thing to note, you say in your build that the PAL and ROG levels pre-epic is there to also help your AB.They don't. You need either 3 ROG or 2 PAL pre epic to get any BAB raise.

gah, you are right. i initially built it with more rogue and pally levels but pared them down to up the DC of the nuker's spells. Then the next logical thing to do is lose the rogue level. You would be giving up only 6 skill points (from heal, if you are me) and uncanny dodge. And some playability early. That AC from tumble would come in handy, and some UMD at that point would also be useful.