Post by Yomi on Dec 18, 2007 0:48:58 GMT
This is my version of Miles' Pyramid Scheme build. He and some others did it first, I'm just making a new version with some of the latest changes incorporated.
The advantages of the build are great defense through high AC (130 pre-demi with just self-buffs, could go to 140+ with double demi), 80% conceal, epic dodge via the Epic Mage Armor spell, high level premonition / energy buffer / elemental shield / etc., 3 epics (Starfire, Epic Wall, Contingency), and lots of attacks. The main downsides vs. a flurry build is having to buff up, fewer hit points, and quite a bit lower AB. You'll want breach/mord protection if you're getting hit by it regularly. One neat thing about this is that while you are primarily an archer, you can do a number of mage-type duties. I have done both Dis and Nessus with this character as the only "mage", supplying level 9 Bigby's for Raks, long lasting Black Blades, Time Stop, and Epic Wall as needed.
Race: Elf Erinyes
STR: 8
DEX: 14 -> 16 (Elf) -> 22 (Erinyes)
CON: 16 -> 14 (Elf) -> 16 (Erinyes)
WIS: 12 -> 16 (Erinyes)
INT: 16
CHA: 8 -> 6 (Erinyes)
All stat points into DEX.
Level progression: 17 Wizard, 3 AA, 19 Wizard, 1 Monk.
Note: Be careful if you move feats around, since the wizard's bonus feats are very limited. You won't get to cast level 7+ spells until your 20s but there is really nothing to do about it given the feat choices.
Pre-Epic Feats:
1: Strong Soul
3: Toughness
5: Extend Spell (bonus feat)
6: Blind Fight
9: Spell Focus: Illusion
10: Spell Focus Transmutation (bonus feat)
12: Greater Spell Focus: Illusion
15: Great Fortitude, Greater Spell Focus: Transmutation (bonus feat)
18: Improved Critical: Longbow
Epic Feats:
21: Armor Skin
23: Great Int 1 (INT=17) (bonus feat)
24: Great Dex 1
26: Great Int 2 (INT=18) (bonus feat)
27: Great Dex 2
29: Great Int 3 (INT=19) (bonus feat)
30: Great Dex 3
32: Great Int 4 (INT=20) (bonus feat)
33: Great Dex 4
35: Epic Spell Focus: Transmutation (bonus feat)
36: Great Dex 5
38: Epic Spell Focus: Illusion (bonus feat)
39: Great Dex 6
Stats at 40: STR 8, DEX 38, CON 16, WIS 16, INT 20, CHA 6.
Read the Divination book for Contingency as well as enabling Legendary Divination in LL's which will increase your premonition by +1 soak as well as enable Moment of Prescience when it's implemented.
Legendary Feats:
42: Legendary Illusion
45: LWF Longbow
48: Legendary Spell Focus: Divination
51: Epic Mage Armor
54: Legendary Hardened Soul
57: Epic Prowess
60: Epic Skill Focus: Listen
Stats at 60: STR 8, DEX 48, CON 16, WIS 16, INT 20, CHA 6.
AB: 92,87,82,92,87,82,77,72 (8 attacks a round, add +1 AB with song; rapid shot gives 9 attacks a round at -2 to all)
Saves: 60 Fort, 68 Reflex, 61 Will
HP: 736, tensers can push to over 1000 temporarily.
AC: 130 using UR and Illithid gear
Conceal: 80% with EV (includes +5% from Legendary Illusion)
Epic Dodge via the Epic Mage Armor spell
Premonition: +15 soak 46 max 2800 (+15 because of Legendary Div)
Energy Buffer: 56/- max 2600
Skill Points:
Some variations:
Spells: You'll want to get an autocaster since Contingency uses it. I cast almost all spells Extended since it helps push all the mid-level buffs up one slot while making them last longer. Before level 55 you'll find you never have quite enough spell slots but once you get the Prescient's Guard bracers it gets a lot easier.
9: 3 ePremonition, rest situational -- eMind Blank, Meteors, Black Blade, TS, Bigbys all are possible.
8: 4 eSpell Mantle, 3 eShadow Shield, rest Greater Sanc
7: 3 eEV, 5 eTensers, rest whatever
6: 3 eEB, rest eAcid Sheath
5: all eElemental Shield
4: 3x eClairaudience, 1 Acid Breath (to put a hole in your wall), eGMW, and eKeen.
3: 3 eDeath Armor, rest eFW
2: 4 eExp Retreat, 3 Ghostly Visage
1: 3 Endure Elements, 4 Mage Armor
Your spell choices and distributions may vary, these were just examples. You can give away GMW, Keen, and FW as needed though your GMW's won't be very good. I strongly recommend the Hak which lets you cast any spell extended.
For equipment, the DB/Phleg bows are a must. I use the Prescient's Guard bracer (level 55 and illithid tag) and a UR wizard belt. For the rest I don't have good suggestions -- I happen to be using the Unicorn UR robes, Crown of Empire, Ectoplasmic Weave, Boots of the Bastion, and Ygrette's amulet, but those are really not great choices. Fist Wraps, Sune Shroud, Silvermoon Robes, Iridescent Silks, Shroud of Earth Mother are all nice for later.
20Dec07 Edit: Changed skill section to show maximizing Parry, put Clairaudience into spells, notes on variations.
15Jan08 Edit: Noted bonus feats as well as redid skills especially showing Spellcraft is a requirement for EMA.
21Feb08 Edit: Modified skills to take into account the new Elf Able Learner ability. Adjusted last two feats.
8Jun08 Edit: Modified skills for Able Learner change. Dropped Craft Armor since fewer points can now get 2 AC via Tumble.
The advantages of the build are great defense through high AC (130 pre-demi with just self-buffs, could go to 140+ with double demi), 80% conceal, epic dodge via the Epic Mage Armor spell, high level premonition / energy buffer / elemental shield / etc., 3 epics (Starfire, Epic Wall, Contingency), and lots of attacks. The main downsides vs. a flurry build is having to buff up, fewer hit points, and quite a bit lower AB. You'll want breach/mord protection if you're getting hit by it regularly. One neat thing about this is that while you are primarily an archer, you can do a number of mage-type duties. I have done both Dis and Nessus with this character as the only "mage", supplying level 9 Bigby's for Raks, long lasting Black Blades, Time Stop, and Epic Wall as needed.
Level 60, no artifact, no demigod, self-buffs only. This version is a bit older than the build described. More dex but mising some features. | The build shown, with single demi, no artifact, using Asmo cloak, self-buffs plus girding plus bardsong. |
Race: Elf Erinyes
STR: 8
DEX: 14 -> 16 (Elf) -> 22 (Erinyes)
CON: 16 -> 14 (Elf) -> 16 (Erinyes)
WIS: 12 -> 16 (Erinyes)
INT: 16
CHA: 8 -> 6 (Erinyes)
All stat points into DEX.
Level progression: 17 Wizard, 3 AA, 19 Wizard, 1 Monk.
Note: Be careful if you move feats around, since the wizard's bonus feats are very limited. You won't get to cast level 7+ spells until your 20s but there is really nothing to do about it given the feat choices.
Pre-Epic Feats:
1: Strong Soul
3: Toughness
5: Extend Spell (bonus feat)
6: Blind Fight
9: Spell Focus: Illusion
10: Spell Focus Transmutation (bonus feat)
12: Greater Spell Focus: Illusion
15: Great Fortitude, Greater Spell Focus: Transmutation (bonus feat)
18: Improved Critical: Longbow
Epic Feats:
21: Armor Skin
23: Great Int 1 (INT=17) (bonus feat)
24: Great Dex 1
26: Great Int 2 (INT=18) (bonus feat)
27: Great Dex 2
29: Great Int 3 (INT=19) (bonus feat)
30: Great Dex 3
32: Great Int 4 (INT=20) (bonus feat)
33: Great Dex 4
35: Epic Spell Focus: Transmutation (bonus feat)
36: Great Dex 5
38: Epic Spell Focus: Illusion (bonus feat)
39: Great Dex 6
Stats at 40: STR 8, DEX 38, CON 16, WIS 16, INT 20, CHA 6.
Read the Divination book for Contingency as well as enabling Legendary Divination in LL's which will increase your premonition by +1 soak as well as enable Moment of Prescience when it's implemented.
Legendary Feats:
42: Legendary Illusion
45: LWF Longbow
48: Legendary Spell Focus: Divination
51: Epic Mage Armor
54: Legendary Hardened Soul
57: Epic Prowess
60: Epic Skill Focus: Listen
Stats at 60: STR 8, DEX 48, CON 16, WIS 16, INT 20, CHA 6.
AB: 92,87,82,92,87,82,77,72 (8 attacks a round, add +1 AB with song; rapid shot gives 9 attacks a round at -2 to all)
Saves: 60 Fort, 68 Reflex, 61 Will
HP: 736, tensers can push to over 1000 temporarily.
AC: 130 using UR and Illithid gear
Conceal: 80% with EV (includes +5% from Legendary Illusion)
Epic Dodge via the Epic Mage Armor spell
Premonition: +15 soak 46 max 2800 (+15 because of Legendary Div)
Energy Buffer: 56/- max 2600
Skill Points:
- 26 Spellcraft
- 63 Concentration
- 43 Discipline (at monk level)
- 43 Parry (at monk level)
- 60 Tumble (43 at monk level, 17 more in LLs)
- 47 Listen (43 at monk level, 4 more in LLs)
- 61 Craft Weapon (in LLs)
Some variations:
- You could drop CON to 14 and boost base DEX to 16 for +1AC and +1AB. Hit points are not exactly stellar and I really wanted the extra to cover kickback in places like pyramid. With enough gear that may not be a concern. It's definitely an option worth consideration (I've debated it many times).
- I chose to emphasize Listen. This came mostly at the expense of Craft Armor. I believe the AC is already high enough and cutting through conceal will help you do more damage against difficult opponents.
- It's quite possible to sacrifice Blind Fight and Great INT 4. If you wanted a different feat in LL's you can move Epic Mage Armor to level 32 in place of Great INT 4. This will probably muck around with skill points, so be warned.
- Combining the last two, an option would be to move Epic Mage Armor to level 32, drop ESF Listen, and take Great Dex 7/8 in LLs. This will raise your AC and AB by one, but drop Listen by 10 as well as having a couple fewer spells and missing some skill points.
Spells: You'll want to get an autocaster since Contingency uses it. I cast almost all spells Extended since it helps push all the mid-level buffs up one slot while making them last longer. Before level 55 you'll find you never have quite enough spell slots but once you get the Prescient's Guard bracers it gets a lot easier.
9: 3 ePremonition, rest situational -- eMind Blank, Meteors, Black Blade, TS, Bigbys all are possible.
8: 4 eSpell Mantle, 3 eShadow Shield, rest Greater Sanc
7: 3 eEV, 5 eTensers, rest whatever
6: 3 eEB, rest eAcid Sheath
5: all eElemental Shield
4: 3x eClairaudience, 1 Acid Breath (to put a hole in your wall), eGMW, and eKeen.
3: 3 eDeath Armor, rest eFW
2: 4 eExp Retreat, 3 Ghostly Visage
1: 3 Endure Elements, 4 Mage Armor
Your spell choices and distributions may vary, these were just examples. You can give away GMW, Keen, and FW as needed though your GMW's won't be very good. I strongly recommend the Hak which lets you cast any spell extended.
For equipment, the DB/Phleg bows are a must. I use the Prescient's Guard bracer (level 55 and illithid tag) and a UR wizard belt. For the rest I don't have good suggestions -- I happen to be using the Unicorn UR robes, Crown of Empire, Ectoplasmic Weave, Boots of the Bastion, and Ygrette's amulet, but those are really not great choices. Fist Wraps, Sune Shroud, Silvermoon Robes, Iridescent Silks, Shroud of Earth Mother are all nice for later.
20Dec07 Edit: Changed skill section to show maximizing Parry, put Clairaudience into spells, notes on variations.
15Jan08 Edit: Noted bonus feats as well as redid skills especially showing Spellcraft is a requirement for EMA.
21Feb08 Edit: Modified skills to take into account the new Elf Able Learner ability. Adjusted last two feats.
8Jun08 Edit: Modified skills for Able Learner change. Dropped Craft Armor since fewer points can now get 2 AC via Tumble.