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6 months ago ::
Nov 26, 2012 - 12:14PM
#1
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Date Joined:
Nov 24, 2012
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So I'd like some opinions on my character to see if there is anything I can improve on. We are playing without background or theme bonuses, however we do get some leeway with starting ability scores. For my items the only one I wasn't looking to optimize is my armor, I enjoy the flavor of Robe of Useful Items too much to swap it out until there is something a lot better at a higher level (leaning towards Robe of Eyes probably). I have no idea what will be obtainable item-wise by level 11 so I went with fairly cheap stuff for now based on what seemed like it would give the best benefits, if there is something better for a given slot let me know.
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Damien Firesurge, level 11
Tiefling, Sorcerer (Elementalist), Speaker of Xaos
Elemental Specialty Option: Fire Elementalist
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 11, CON 23, DEX 14, INT 16, WIS 7, CHA 23
STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 10, CON 18, DEX 13, INT 15, WIS 6, CHA 18 (housefuled)
AC: 25 Fort: 25 Ref: 22 Will: 27
HP: 85 Surges: 12 Surge Value: 22
TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +13, Bluff +18, Diplomacy +16, Endurance +16
UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +7, Athletics +5, Dungeoneering +3, Heal +3, History +8, Insight +3, Intimidate +11, Nature +3, Perception +3, Religion +8, Stealth +9, Streetwise +11, Thievery +7
POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Tiefling Racial Power: Infernal Wrath
Sorcerer Attack: Elemental Bolt
Sorcerer Attack: Ignition
Sorcerer Attack: Elemental Escalation (Fire)
Sorcerer Attack 1: Burning Spray
Endurance Utility 2: Endure Pain
Sorcerer Utility 2: Deep Shroud
Endurance Utility 10: Enter the Crucible
Speaker of Xaos Attack 11: Elemental Durance
FEATS
Level 1: Hellfire Blood
Level 2: Staff Expertise
Level 4: Superior Implement Training (Accurate staff)
Level 6: Improved Defenses
Level 8: Dual Implement Spellcaster
Level 10: Unarmored Agility
Level 11: Fiery Blood
ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit
Climber's Kit
Trail Rations
Bottle of Wine
Bracers of the Perfect Shot (heroic tier) x1
Hellfire Accurate staff +2 x1
Defensive Accurate staff +1 x1
Burning Gauntlets (heroic tier) x1
Boots of the Fencing Master x1
Lucky Charm +1 x1
Belt of Vigor (heroic tier) x1
Eagle Eye Goggles (heroic tier) x1
Robe of Useful Items Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing) +2 x1
====== End ======
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6 months ago ::
Nov 26, 2012 - 1:10PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Jun 12, 2012
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1) I'm not sure I'd go with Burning Spray. Maybe Ensorcelled Blade if you find yourself making occasional opportunity attacks, though there isn't really a great option there.
2) Endure Pain and Deep Shroud probably aren't the best options there. You've got more powerful defensive options, and in some cases they're Encounter powers. Dragonflame Mantle has some utility, and Sudden Scales, even without the Soul option, is pretty strong at level 6. Also, for whichever one is actually your level 6 utility power, see my note below on places to go in paragon.
3) Enter the Crucible is also not the best power, but again, that's up to you.
4) Feats look pretty good overall. You may want to consider Superior Will instead of Improved Defenses, however. See my note below on places to go in paragon.
5) Speaker of Xaos works as a paragon path. For alternatives, consider Essence Mage if you admixture something on, or Academy Master if you can convince your DM that the powers work.
6) It scales more slowly, but you could always go with an Accurate Staff of Ruin in your main hand and ditch the Bracers of the Perfect Shot. That might reduce your Elemental Bolt damage slightly, but it would boost Ignition and give you item economy.
In terms of where to go from here: You absolutely, without a doubt, need some way to deal with fire resistance/immunity. Gloves of Piercing will help for lower resistances, but you need something more. Arcane Admixture (cold) lets you tack on a permafrost package, if you want, but you need some way of dealing with that problem.
Other places to go in Paragon:
Secrets of Belial to swap out your E6 for Eagle's Splendor (druid E6). Use that as your first action of the first encounter of the day.
Dispater's Iron Discipline, especially with Superior Will. The plain bonuses don't stack, but between the two of them, they make it very hard to hit you with will/status effects.
In late Paragon, you may want to look into ways to make that ongoing damage from Elemental Escalation nastier (things like Icy Clutch of Stygia, or the fire equivalent which I'm blanking on right now).
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6 months ago ::
Nov 26, 2012 - 1:42PM
#3
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Date Joined:
Apr 14, 2008
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1) I'm not sure I'd go with Burning Spray. Maybe Ensorcelled Blade if you find yourself making occasional opportunity attacks, though there isn't really a great option there.
2) Endure Pain and Deep Shroud probably aren't the best options there. You've got more powerful defensive options, and in some cases they're Encounter powers. Dragonflame Mantle has some utility, and Sudden Scales, even without the Soul option, is pretty strong at level 6. Also, for whichever one is actually your level 6 utility power, see my note below on places to go in paragon.
3) Enter the Crucible is also not the best power, but again, that's up to you.
4) Feats look pretty good overall. You may want to consider Superior Will instead of Improved Defenses, however. See my note below on places to go in paragon.
5) Speaker of Xaos works as a paragon path. For alternatives, consider Essence Mage if you admixture something on, or Academy Master if you can convince your DM that the powers work.
6) It scales more slowly, but you could always go with an Accurate Staff of Ruin in your main hand and ditch the Bracers of the Perfect Shot. That might reduce your Elemental Bolt damage slightly, but it would boost Ignition and give you item economy.
In terms of where to go from here: You absolutely, without a doubt, need some way to deal with fire resistance/immunity. Gloves of Piercing will help for lower resistances, but you need something more. Arcane Admixture (cold) lets you tack on a permafrost package, if you want, but you need some way of dealing with that problem.
Other places to go in Paragon:
Secrets of Belial to swap out your E6 for Eagle's Splendor (druid E6). Use that as your first action of the first encounter of the day.
Dispater's Iron Discipline, especially with Superior Will. The plain bonuses don't stack, but between the two of them, they make it very hard to hit you with will/status effects.
In late Paragon, you may want to look into ways to make that ongoing damage from Elemental Escalation nastier (things like Icy Clutch of Stygia, or the fire equivalent which I'm blanking on right now).
That would be Hellfire Master
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6 months ago ::
Nov 26, 2012 - 4:50PM
#4
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Date Joined:
Nov 24, 2012
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Hmm ok, I changed my level 2 utility to Dragonflame Mantle, level 6 to Sudden Scales, and level 10 to Maiden's Waking. As far as Burning Spray goes, part of my RP component is I'm sticking to nothing but fire for my attacks, so even though I agree that its lackluster I'm pretty much locked in there. As it stands the only time I'd ever see myself using it is if we are fighting a group of enemies with high fort and low reflex, otherwise Ignition is better all around.
The next feat I pick up in paragon will likely be Hellfire of Mephistopheles, and for sure by level 17 I'll have Hellfire Master. Arcane Admixture + Arcane Fire seem like a must have as well, sucks that it takes two feats to gain a bit of fire vulnerablity though. Dispater's Iron Discipline + Superior Will seems like a bit of overkill to me... and sacrificing Improved Defenses means my 2 lowest defenses dip even lower. I'll pretty much be dealing damage from max range though so perhaps it isn't as crucial for fortitude and reflex to be as high.
I'm not entirely sold on Staff of Ruin, but if I did go with that option would Defensive staff still be a top choice for offhand or should I hang onto Hellfire staff or go with another option entirely? Also, a couple other utilities I was eying was Grit and Spittle at lvl 2 and Grim Isolation at level 6. Either of those valid choices?
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6 months ago ::
Nov 26, 2012 - 4:58PM
#5
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Date Joined:
Nov 24, 2012
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They really need an equivalent to Wizard's Wrath and Burn Everything for elementalists 
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6 months ago ::
Nov 26, 2012 - 8:18PM
#6
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Incendiary Dagger training.
Mark of Storm -> Lyrandar Wind-Rider for the excellent PP to add more damage to your bolts, admix Thunder onto it.
Our Fire Elementalist went with:
2. Good Timing
6. Sudden Scales
10. Sorcerous Pulse
After level 17, Sorcerous Pulse might be retrained to Storm of Energy to boost the ongoing damage from bolts.
With no Themes, Secrets of Belial for Eagle's Splendor is a strong contender for an always-on power bonus to hit.
This is CharOp. We not only assume block-of-tofu monsters, but also block-of-tofu DMs.
One reach cheese'd threatening reach Spiked Chain shuts down any non-teleporting quarterback.
You're already refluffing, what not refluff to something that doesn't suck?
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6 months ago ::
Nov 27, 2012 - 6:53AM
#7
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Date Joined:
Aug 31, 2009
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They really need an equivalent to Wizard's Wrath and Burn Everything for elementalists
Well you have the INT and no MC, so you can just MC Wizard to gain access to those feats. Might not be ideal, but it's your best bet.
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6 months ago ::
Nov 27, 2012 - 7:25AM
#8
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Date Joined:
Jun 17, 2010
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You do realize that Burn Everything runs off the int mod for its resistance piercing, yes? 16 Int qualifies for MC Wizard, but does very little to actually use Burn Everything for burning anything.
What Elementalists need is the baseline Sorcerer's resistance piercing feature.
D&D Next = D&D: Quantum Edition
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6 months ago ::
Nov 27, 2012 - 7:49AM
#9
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Date Joined:
Aug 31, 2009
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Huh. I always thought it started out at 5+int in heroic, but apparently that's the paragon value.
If you're truly interested in optimizing this character, you really should ease up on your self-imposed fire powers only restriction. There's no reason your Ensorcelled Blade can't glow with fire or something as you use it - if a problem is based on fluff, you can generally fix it with fluff. Mechanics are much less flexible. At any rate, you need something to use when you come up against resistant enemies.
Admixture is the probably the best solution, but may be even harder for you to swallow RP-wise. I suppose you could also beg your DM for a hosuerule.
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6 months ago ::
Nov 27, 2012 - 8:44AM
#10
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- Senior Volunteer Community Lead
Date Joined:
Aug 19, 2007
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Ignition sidesteps fire resistance.
And yeah, admixture or some other form of fluffy bunny damage to the rescue. Fire and thunder for an "explosive" bolt works well. Fire and acid for a fire that eats away at your enemies. Etc.
Keith Richmond
Living Forgotten Realms Epic Writing Director
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