I looked through the entire directory of epic builds, and saw no characters that attempted to mesh the Sorceror class with Shadowdancer. I know the obvious reason is that in epic builds you typically max one or two attributes, and Charisma doesn't mesh well with Int. If you try to do that, you're forced to go Sorc/Wiz/SD or maybe Sorc/Pal/SD.
Trouble is, I'm playing on an uber server where you have to have 6 levels in a class to use its gear, and I picked up some great sorc as well as SD gear. So I need at least six levels of SD *plus* 6 of sorc, meaning to make a really good sorc with HIPS, I'd have to have pretty much only Sorc/SD and give up a third class, which would waste my high intel, or have a mediocre sorc/wiz combo and a decent SD.
Beyond the fact that I'm trying to figure out how to build a Sorc/SD so I can use all my great gear together, I think it's an interesting problem, since I saw NO builds that tried to combine these two in a substantial way. I'd like to pose it as a sort of 'chess problem' for you master Epic Character Builders...of course I'll be working on my own solution, too with the Halls of Advanced Training Module recommended by cdaulepp.
Imagine a sorceror blinking in and out while blasting everything in sight!
Okay since nobody seems to be responding to my query, I'll just post this here and use it for a development log. Planning to go Sorc/SD/? from the beginning, and knowing I needed to go in multiples of four generally, I started out as a sorc. It just so happens right now on my server you get your first 15 levels from the beginning, so character creation was free up to level 15. I took the first 8 levels in sorc, bumping CHA each time, putting all my skill points in Concentration and Spellcraft. Then at level nine, I was going to go SD immediately, but realized I couldn't get enough points into the required skills so I thought, well maybe a level of rogue, then SD.
But I noticed as I was scrolling through the list of classes that a) Palemaster had opened up and b) two of its class skills are hide and move silently. That was great news, since I only needed 5 points in tumble to go SD. So then I thought, whoa, what about a sorc/PM/SD? really spooky. I took my level in Pale Master, then five more in SD.
Let me tell you, with the spells and feats I chose, already at level 15 this guy is really fun to play. I buff, lob a bunch of Ice Storms/Neg Blasts, then just as the Drow start wailing on me, I blink out. It's great! I plan on taking a total of 7 levels of SD, 10 levels of PM for crit immunity, leaving me with 23 levels of sorc left over! That means 9 arcane spell levels, and includes max/extend/still spells for variety, also ensuring I can wear a variety of armor. Creepy palemaster powers and HIPS, as well as access to Imp Invis, means I'm a versatile, powerful sorc that can really hang in there in PVP.
I'm going to level him up to 40 and tweak it in Halls of Advanced Training, and let you know how it shakes out. Too bad nobody's reading this thread...I have a feeling this could be a really fun epic build.
10 levels of shadowdancer will give you slippery mind, defensive roll and improved evasion.
Be careful of the path of diluting the sorcerer levels too much as this will affect your chance of having your spells cut through the defenses of your opponents.
Still it sounds an interesting and fun build. Some kind of ghost build
Syrath
Glad you noticed that...I was thinking about calling it "The Ghost Who Walks," which is what the natives called that character The Phantom. This is definitely a creepy build. Thanks for the advice about SD 10...I was going to do that, but decided instead to go Palemaster 10 for the crit immune. I expect to get hit a few times, but with that and my damage reduction spells/items, I should still be able to lob a few world-enders at the opponents before I blink out of sight again. My goal for this build is a down and dirty combat sorc that can take as well as he gives. If wizards are Swiss Army knives, sorcerors are surgical scalpels. My goal is 10 PM, 7 SD, with levels 6 at 20 and 7 at 40 to max Tumble. The rest will be sorc, and I think a level 23 sorc is still pretty deadly, especially when he comes out of nowhere before opponents have a chance to buff. I also plan to use feats like Spell Pen., Greater Spell Pen., and Spell focus: Necro to bump up the chances of a surgical strike with things like Vampiric Touch.
More later... --Jalendu
Edited By Jalendu on 09/23/04 20:35
Okay Syrath, you were right. 10 SD turns out to work well with my final build, which I'm going to post soon. With my leveling strategy, you get HIPS early, then round out your sorc levels in the mid-20's, leaving the back half on the slow climb up to crit immunity. Alternating PM and SD turns out to work well for this build, as it eliminates the XP penalty and adds a ton of class feats that complement the flavor and spellcasting capabilities of the total build. While the end result may not be the most spectacular arcane build possible, it is still quite nightmarish!
Look on the Epic Character Builds forum soon for... The Poltergeist!