Post by tyranlthixis on Jun 11, 2007 23:19:03 GMT
I developed this build having gone through the 9 hells with my demigod druid Kaelea (fallen angel, 38 druid/1 paladin/1 monk). With the introduction of BUR races with +6 wisdom and improvements to spells such as nature's balance and crumble I was inspired to rebuild. I also saw the value in having a druid with UMD capability since scrolls are an easy and effective way to get access to spells such as mords, greater sanctuary, stone to flesh, clairity, mind blank, and black blade of disaster. Greater Sanctuary alone will greaty improve your druid's survival in the hells since you can heal your party members on the front lines in sanctuary and not get directly attacked. I chose bard as a means to acquire this skill. The other way to get UMD would be to use rogue instead of monk. The problem with getting UMD with one or two rogue levels is you lose the ability to gain monk AC using light armor. With a large shield and tiamat gear my level 60 driud is sporting 138 AC without girding. So, this is a major loss.
Also, in testing Kaelea with the two spells mentioned earlier I found her DC unsatisfactory. For example, nature's balance breaks sanctuary and requires you to be in close proximity to often extremely dangerous targets. Failure to beat a dangerous monster's save + roll and having to cast and recast the same spell in front of them is a great way to get killed and to burn precious spell slot power. With all the new damage spells available running at a lower DC will seriously cut into your damage output.
I would like to look at the issue of saves before I post the build itself. Druid saves on their own are terrible. You will need to use 2 feats (one pre epic and one legendary) to bring your saves out of the gutter and into the realm of a playable character. You may choose 2 paths: Legendary Luck or Legendary Reflex.
At level 60,
with luck of heroes and legendary luck your saves will be
Fort 63, Reflex 54(58 with epic reflexes), Will 81
with lightning reflexes and legendary reflexes your saves will be
Fort 59(63 with epic fort), Reflex 58, Will 77
The biggest worry for a lower reflex save is petrification during Arachill webbing(mainly Stygia and Cania). There is a hellset armor that can help you will this problem. You can also animal emp Arachills and remove them as a threat that way. A Fort save of 61 will make sure you only fail on 1's on almost every layer of the 9 hells.....a 57 with penalities will have you failing only on low rolls. The choice is yours.
At level 60 with 52 base wisdom (66 total wisdom) = (52 + wisdom artifact) + legendary transmutation + 12 wisdom item..........
Nature's balance D/C will be 59, and can drop SR generally 26 to 31
Crumble D/C will be 52
Build progression
19 Druid/1 Monk/19 Druid/1 Bard
Starting Race: Rilminai
Starting Stats
Strength 8
Dexterity 12
Constitution 14(18)
Wisdom 18 (24)
Intelligence 12
Charisma 8
Stat Selection while leveling : All Wisdom
Pre-epic feats
(spell penetration, spell focus conjuration, greater spell focus conjuration free with race)
Luck of Heroes or Lightning Reflexes
Greater Spell penetration
Silent Spell
Empower spell
Spell Focus Transmutation
Greater Spell Focus Transmutation
Spell Focus Evocation
Greater Spell Focus Evocation
Epic Feats
Epic Spell Penetration
Epic Spell Focus Evocation
Epic Spell Focus Conjuration
Epic Spell Focus Transmutation
Great Wisdom 1 - 7
Epic Spell Focus Abjuration (acquired through book), I recommend using this book as your free choice even though natures balance's does the same job. There are times when you need to drop a monster's SR from a distance/behind a wall and/or cannot afford the time to be rolling against a monster's will save for success. Feel free to disagree. IMO you put yourself and your party at risk in the hells if you do not have this epic. However, if you are determined to choose something else the Necro Focus book would be my second choice.
Legendary Feats
Legendary Spell Penetration
Legendary Spell Focus Transmutation
Legendary Spell Focus Conjuration or Evocation
Greater Ruin
Legendary Luck or Legendary Reflexes
Great Wisdom 8
Feat of Choice (I did Epic Save Feat in my lowest save)
Skills (remember to bank enough skill points to maximize Discipline, Tumble, and UMD at level 40 (60 total points))
Concentration
Discipline
Tumble
UMD
Lore
Spellcraft
Animal Empathy (you will not have enough skill points to maximize this skill at level 40 so I suggest getting as much as you can afford at level 39...leaving enough points for the other skills you will need.....and working on it in legendary levels. Remember Riliminai gives you Epic skill focus Animal Empathy so you have some leeway with this skill.
Build Pro's
Full Monk Wisdom AC in Light armor
High AC
Evasion
Reliable Version's of the Crumble and Nature's Balance spells
Use of scrolls and other items via UMD
Decent Spell penetration
Decent Buff spells
Build Con's
Not as many Epics as other lower wisdom builds
Less than perfect saves
Tyran
Also, in testing Kaelea with the two spells mentioned earlier I found her DC unsatisfactory. For example, nature's balance breaks sanctuary and requires you to be in close proximity to often extremely dangerous targets. Failure to beat a dangerous monster's save + roll and having to cast and recast the same spell in front of them is a great way to get killed and to burn precious spell slot power. With all the new damage spells available running at a lower DC will seriously cut into your damage output.
I would like to look at the issue of saves before I post the build itself. Druid saves on their own are terrible. You will need to use 2 feats (one pre epic and one legendary) to bring your saves out of the gutter and into the realm of a playable character. You may choose 2 paths: Legendary Luck or Legendary Reflex.
At level 60,
with luck of heroes and legendary luck your saves will be
Fort 63, Reflex 54(58 with epic reflexes), Will 81
with lightning reflexes and legendary reflexes your saves will be
Fort 59(63 with epic fort), Reflex 58, Will 77
The biggest worry for a lower reflex save is petrification during Arachill webbing(mainly Stygia and Cania). There is a hellset armor that can help you will this problem. You can also animal emp Arachills and remove them as a threat that way. A Fort save of 61 will make sure you only fail on 1's on almost every layer of the 9 hells.....a 57 with penalities will have you failing only on low rolls. The choice is yours.
At level 60 with 52 base wisdom (66 total wisdom) = (52 + wisdom artifact) + legendary transmutation + 12 wisdom item..........
Nature's balance D/C will be 59, and can drop SR generally 26 to 31
Crumble D/C will be 52
Build progression
19 Druid/1 Monk/19 Druid/1 Bard
Starting Race: Rilminai
Starting Stats
Strength 8
Dexterity 12
Constitution 14(18)
Wisdom 18 (24)
Intelligence 12
Charisma 8
Stat Selection while leveling : All Wisdom
Pre-epic feats
(spell penetration, spell focus conjuration, greater spell focus conjuration free with race)
Luck of Heroes or Lightning Reflexes
Greater Spell penetration
Silent Spell
Empower spell
Spell Focus Transmutation
Greater Spell Focus Transmutation
Spell Focus Evocation
Greater Spell Focus Evocation
Epic Feats
Epic Spell Penetration
Epic Spell Focus Evocation
Epic Spell Focus Conjuration
Epic Spell Focus Transmutation
Great Wisdom 1 - 7
Epic Spell Focus Abjuration (acquired through book), I recommend using this book as your free choice even though natures balance's does the same job. There are times when you need to drop a monster's SR from a distance/behind a wall and/or cannot afford the time to be rolling against a monster's will save for success. Feel free to disagree. IMO you put yourself and your party at risk in the hells if you do not have this epic. However, if you are determined to choose something else the Necro Focus book would be my second choice.
Legendary Feats
Legendary Spell Penetration
Legendary Spell Focus Transmutation
Legendary Spell Focus Conjuration or Evocation
Greater Ruin
Legendary Luck or Legendary Reflexes
Great Wisdom 8
Feat of Choice (I did Epic Save Feat in my lowest save)
Skills (remember to bank enough skill points to maximize Discipline, Tumble, and UMD at level 40 (60 total points))
Concentration
Discipline
Tumble
UMD
Lore
Spellcraft
Animal Empathy (you will not have enough skill points to maximize this skill at level 40 so I suggest getting as much as you can afford at level 39...leaving enough points for the other skills you will need.....and working on it in legendary levels. Remember Riliminai gives you Epic skill focus Animal Empathy so you have some leeway with this skill.
Build Pro's
Full Monk Wisdom AC in Light armor
High AC
Evasion
Reliable Version's of the Crumble and Nature's Balance spells
Use of scrolls and other items via UMD
Decent Spell penetration
Decent Buff spells
Build Con's
Not as many Epics as other lower wisdom builds
Less than perfect saves
Tyran