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DC Positive Builds for Ice Wind Dale
onodrain
Member Posts: 334 Arc User
I am starting this thread for people to post the builds they use for IWD. There are lots of complaining threads, I want this thread to be positive. This is not a critique my build thread. This is a "If you have a great build that you use with good results in Ice Wind Dale, then post it" thread. Please use this format and if you want to critique the builds, don't. This is a post your build that works in IWD thread. Thanks!
Gear Score: 12.8
Gear: High Prophet Set, Lesser Soulforged, Lesser Frost, Ion Stone of Allure, Priest's Artifact
Paragon path: Divine Oracle
Feats: I use Kaelac's template for Divine Oracle, but I add Greater Divine Power for the 4th divinity pip.
Class Feature Solo: Terrifying Insight, Foresight
Class Feature Group: Holy Fervor, Foresight
At Will Solo: Brand of the Sun (BotS), Astral Seal (ASeal)
At Will Group: Sacred Flame (SF), Astral Seal (ASeal)
Encounter Solo: Astral Shield (AS), Forgemaster's Flame (FF), Chains of Blazing Light/Sunburst (SB)
Encounter Group: Astral Shield (AS), Forgemaster's Flame (FF), Sunburst (SB)
Dailies Solo: Hallowed Ground (HG), Flame Strike (FS)
Dailies Group: Hallowed Ground (HG), Flame Strike (FS)
Notes for spec: I have played healers in most of the major MMO's since EQ. I like to heal effectively. My mindset is that constant healing, even things that seem trivial, add up to enough healing to keep you alive. Most of the encounter abilities I use (with the exception of chains) do double duty as DPS/buff and Healing.
I use Brand of the Sun while soloing because it does the most single click damage for our at wills. After I cast on the mobs, then I use Astral Seal as my at will nuke. I try to place Astral Seal on all my mobs. Though the healing is small, it does add up.
While soloing I start with BotS on mobs, use FF on the larger mobs (add divinity if I need the heal), keep AS on the ground to mitigate my damage taking (add divinity as needed for healing), and AE with either SB or Chains. I can effectively tank many mobs by alternating between FF and AS using divinity. Cast dAS, when the cooldown is about 7 seconds, then cast dFF. Rinse and repeat. This provides you with healing all the time. You still need to avoid some of the AE damage, so you do need to keep moving around.
I use Flame Strike as a big nuke for clustered groups. Hallowed Ground if I want the buffs/healing it provides.
This was effective for everything but Biggrin's Tomb. When I had this setup in Biggrin's, the necromamcers would each summon 3 zombies, which would overwhelm me. I changed out the encounters to use AE damage and the necros did not summon a single zombie. So I would recommend if you are soloing Biggrins, to slot AE damage to avoid zombie apocalypse.
I found my setup to be good for Ice Wind Dale because it does not just benefit me, it also does great with groups when you do the spontaneous heroic encounters. I am a lover of Forgemaster's Flame. While it does OK damage, the real benefit is that it is a mob based AE heal. So when you have a mob ping ponging or you have the chicken little ranger/wizard who runs around like a pansy with the mob beating on them, you cast Divine Forgemaster's Flame on the mob and it keeps them alive.
Here is Kaelac's Guide:
http://laggygamerz.com/forum/index.php?/topic/17-kaelac’s-guide-to-devoted-clerics-in-neverwinter/
Gear Score: 12.8
Gear: High Prophet Set, Lesser Soulforged, Lesser Frost, Ion Stone of Allure, Priest's Artifact
Paragon path: Divine Oracle
Feats: I use Kaelac's template for Divine Oracle, but I add Greater Divine Power for the 4th divinity pip.
Class Feature Solo: Terrifying Insight, Foresight
Class Feature Group: Holy Fervor, Foresight
At Will Solo: Brand of the Sun (BotS), Astral Seal (ASeal)
At Will Group: Sacred Flame (SF), Astral Seal (ASeal)
Encounter Solo: Astral Shield (AS), Forgemaster's Flame (FF), Chains of Blazing Light/Sunburst (SB)
Encounter Group: Astral Shield (AS), Forgemaster's Flame (FF), Sunburst (SB)
Dailies Solo: Hallowed Ground (HG), Flame Strike (FS)
Dailies Group: Hallowed Ground (HG), Flame Strike (FS)
Notes for spec: I have played healers in most of the major MMO's since EQ. I like to heal effectively. My mindset is that constant healing, even things that seem trivial, add up to enough healing to keep you alive. Most of the encounter abilities I use (with the exception of chains) do double duty as DPS/buff and Healing.
I use Brand of the Sun while soloing because it does the most single click damage for our at wills. After I cast on the mobs, then I use Astral Seal as my at will nuke. I try to place Astral Seal on all my mobs. Though the healing is small, it does add up.
While soloing I start with BotS on mobs, use FF on the larger mobs (add divinity if I need the heal), keep AS on the ground to mitigate my damage taking (add divinity as needed for healing), and AE with either SB or Chains. I can effectively tank many mobs by alternating between FF and AS using divinity. Cast dAS, when the cooldown is about 7 seconds, then cast dFF. Rinse and repeat. This provides you with healing all the time. You still need to avoid some of the AE damage, so you do need to keep moving around.
I use Flame Strike as a big nuke for clustered groups. Hallowed Ground if I want the buffs/healing it provides.
This was effective for everything but Biggrin's Tomb. When I had this setup in Biggrin's, the necromamcers would each summon 3 zombies, which would overwhelm me. I changed out the encounters to use AE damage and the necros did not summon a single zombie. So I would recommend if you are soloing Biggrins, to slot AE damage to avoid zombie apocalypse.
I found my setup to be good for Ice Wind Dale because it does not just benefit me, it also does great with groups when you do the spontaneous heroic encounters. I am a lover of Forgemaster's Flame. While it does OK damage, the real benefit is that it is a mob based AE heal. So when you have a mob ping ponging or you have the chicken little ranger/wizard who runs around like a pansy with the mob beating on them, you cast Divine Forgemaster's Flame on the mob and it keeps them alive.
Here is Kaelac's Guide:
http://laggygamerz.com/forum/index.php?/topic/17-kaelac’s-guide-to-devoted-clerics-in-neverwinter/
Post edited by onodrain on
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Comments
If Im forced not to be negative =P.. then I would make a positive suggestion.. you have no need of astral seal while solo, hit them with BoTs then follow up with sacred flame.. if a rare occurrence of a known single mob is out there, Break the Spirit is even useful, along with Bots and FF.. you can burn down a mob quickly.. but its not very often you get that luxury.
Solo encounters
SF, BotS
Chains, DG, DL
HG, FS
Foresight, Terrifying Insight
Group play normal
SF, AS
Chains, DG, ASh
HG, DA
Foresight, Holy Fervour
Full-on heals (I do have to change on the fly if I want to hop in on a bigger heroic)
SF, AS
Sunburst, FF, ASh
HG, DA
Foresight, Holy Fervour
You can see I don't bother about healing myself when soloing. If Mizi gets a bit beat up, she drinks a potion. But what she mostly does is kill things fast enough that they don't have time to beat her up. It's kind of fun being the cleric obliterating mobs. Not as fast as a proper DPS class, but I still find it preferable to the protracted fights I see other DCs doing while standing in their blue circles.
Biggrin's Tomb, the final boss fight is annoying enough that I prefer to do it paired up with one of my husband's characters. And really, most of the annoyance soloing it comes from being the lone focus of all the criss-crossing prone-cones from the wolves, which applies to every character I've done it with but my GWF.
Neverwinter Census 2017
All posts pending disapproval by Cecilia
Solo at-wills: Lance, BotS
Encounters: Daunting, Searing, Chains
Class Features: Healer's Lore (DoDL), Terrifying Insight
Dailies: Flame Strike, Hallowed Ground
Artifact: DC artifact
Like beckylunatic's, the goal of this setup is to simply finish fights quickly. I can afford to waste gold on pots (I actually generate surplus gold, regardless - IWD mobs drop plenty of cash/pots) but time is an extremely valuable commodity in Neverwinter. I use the Profound PvP set to solo because the increased divinity gain allows me to spam divine Daunting. If you're not using the PvP set I'd recommend swapping DL for DG/SB.
I usually start fights by tagging non-squishy mobs with BotS, spamming Lance as necessary. Once they gather around me I use Chains. Then I reposition, moving to the right/left depending on mob placement, and use Divine Searing Light. On a good cast divine SL will either clear the field or leave only the non-squishy types.
SB/DG/DL->at-wills are finishers, I usually save FS for emergencies. HG is for long fights, like Biggrin.
I save my dodges when I can. Most mobs have a standard attack pattern (eg. "normal" attack -> red attack -> "normal" attack ->red attack) so if you're expecting a mob to use a powerful attack just use Punishing Light to move out of the way. I will use my dodge to get to a favorable divine Searing Light cast position if necessary - getting it right is that important.
In a way this setup can be considered a high risk-high gain setup, though with the DC artifact you can afford to mess up castings occasionally. Note that this setup becomes more effective the more mobs you're fighting. I never had a problem with Biggrin.
Btw, I'd swap Foresight for something else unless you have it feated or unless you are constantly fighting mobs at very low HP, which means the 6% mitigation is doing its job.
Holy Fervor is not a power I'd use for solo PvE mostly because solo PvE fights are meant to be shorter. If fights are taking too long then I'd consider it, but note that Holy Fervor only works if you actually attack often. I wouldn't use it if I had to work with two non-attack type encounter powers.
Different loadout for HE, just the standard powers.
15K righteous AC
lesser soulforge and plaguefire, miracle healer set - due to advice of ppl in the forum I changed my profound set, almost no different in PVP survival (its like damage reduction, deflect and tenacity doesn't work any more...)
http://nwcalc.com/dc?b=pa4:27sink:13zrxv,13l3314:120000:1uu000:1ku0y0&h=0&p=anc
at will: AS and sacred flame
encounters: break the spirit, forgemaster flame and exaltation (by some reason even with divine exaltation I find it hard to proc rising hope and linked spirit)
daily : flame strike and guardian of faith
class feature: anointed armor and anointed holy symbol
simple tactic:
know the area, the NPC's can help.
think of your escape plan (how to reach the fire place if horde of AB delzons are heading your way)
if you see too many opponents, don't go in.
start with at will, some opponents waist the dodge on that
forge master usually without divinity (mainly to slow)
keep my divinity for break the spirit
USE PUNISHING LIGHT (again thanks to the forum ppl advise)
in domination I manage to do 4 times double kill in ~10 matches with punishing light, in open area ice wind its the highest damage I got and I think it might bug the opponent, if I go with attack encounters its also best healing I have combined with astral seal
facing CW you need to keep one dodge for his ice knife, for the rest I dodge any encounter I manage
mainly try to stay alive, slow, walk to your NPC, and keep them busy
many times help might come (its not such a big place and if ppl see long fight they usually join in)
still not sure about encounter that will proc my feats
My main cleric is using full High Prophet set with lesser negation and lesser vorpal enchants. My weapon is the Royal Priest's Symbol. With purple Waters of Ela'zahd, purple Eye of Lathander and blue Sigil of the Devoted.
Passives: Divine Fortune, Foresight
Dailies: Flamestrike , Hallowed Ground
Encounters: sunburst, divine glow, daunting light
at-wills: sacred flame, astral seal
For Heroic Encounters I switch out sunburst for astral shield. And I only PVE, not going anywhere near to PVP with any of my 7 characters.
15k Faithful DO. HP set, CN set, GTerror, L Soul, Epic Lantern and Waters, Blue DC artifact.
At-Wills: Lance of Faith & Brand of the Sun
Encounters: Divine Glow, Daunting Light, Sunburst
Dailies: Flamestrike, Hammer of Fate
Class Features: Healer's Lore (feated with Mark of Mending) and Foresight (also feated)
Keep mobs tagged with Brand. Hit groups if possible with DG+DL using divinity as necessary to ramp up damage with former and speed up/widen AOE for latter. Sunburst is for building divinity, finishing off weak mobs and in emergencies throwing them away from me. It also gives a slight heal out of combat.
I built my cleric to be fairly tanky, 38% DR and 26k HP. She's got a fair amount of regen and two augments. The radiance stone is fitted out to give extra Armor Pen and Life Steal for soloing. IWD isn't the faceroll that the previous two mods were with this setup (and power level) but as long as I dodge the big hits and stay mobile I do fairly well. Biggrins got me the first week, at least my SF procced fighting the zombie wave before the boss wakes up. I've been running it with guildmates since then, though more for convenience as if I have to solo it again, I'll know better what to expect.
I have feated Foresight, so I guess I could be more specific that my DC is a hybrid, mostly Righteous, but also some Faithful.
Neverwinter Census 2017
All posts pending disapproval by Cecilia
Since starting this thread, I have changed my loadout. Kaelac had shared a lot of information on another thread, including his current PvE loadout. He also discusses it in his DC guide.
Here is my current spec. I have found it to be much faster in killing. You do have to drink potions, but you kill things so faster to my other build.
Gear Score: 13.2
Gear: High Prophet Set, Lesser Soulforged, Lesser Frost, Ion Stone of Allure, Priest's Artifact
Paragon path: Divine Oracle
Feats: I use Kaelac's template for Divine Oracle, but I add Greater Divine Power for the 4th divinity pip.
Class Feature Solo: Terrifying Insight, Foresight
Class Feature Group: Holy Fervor, Foresight
At Will Solo: Sacred Flame (SF), Brand of the Sun (BotS)
At Will Group: Sacred Flame (SF), Astral Seal (ASeal)
Encounter Solo: Divine Glow (DG), Daunting Light (DL), Sunburst (SB)
Encounter Group: Astral Shield (AS), Divine Glow (DG), Sunburst (SB)/Forgemaster's Flame (FF)
Dailies Solo: Hallowed Ground (HG), Flame Strike (FS)
Dailies Group: Hallowed Ground (HG), Flame Strike (FS)
Notes for spec: For soloing, I start with BotS on the ranged mobs, as my frost proc stunning them does not slow down the attack. I run to the ranged mobs so the melee mobs come there for AoE damage. Then use DG for debuff and damage, and Divine DL when I have a larger group too spread out to benefit from normal DL. Sunburst is next. Then hit with FS if needed. I use my artifact to gain back AP quickly. I use Divinity Divine Glow when I need extra punch.
Here's what I use:
Gear Score: 15.4k
Set: Miracle Healer
Companion: Angel of Protection (x3 Lesser Bonding Runestone)
Artifact: Devouted Cleric's Artifact
Paragon: Anoited Champion
Feats: http://nwcalc.com/dc?b=cn4:13ydj4:13ydj4,13l3314:110000:1uuu0u:150u00&h=0&p=anc (Note: I am waiting to see ZEN on Exchange so I can switch Ancient Warding to Etherial boon - Righteous Section)
Class Features
Solo: Anoited Armor + Holy Fervor
Group: Anoited Holy Symbol + Divine Fortune (when I manage to respec, Divine Fortune will be replace by Holy Fervor)
At-wills:
Solo & Group: Blessing of Battle and Astral Seal
Encounters:
Solo: Divine Glow, Chains of Blazing Light, Dauting Light
Group: Sun Burst, Astral Shield and Healing Word
Dailies:
Solo: Flame Strike + Hallowed ground
Ground: Hallowed Ground + Depends of the fight (can be DA/FS/AA)
Notes:
While doing quests, I pull them from like 20 yards, usually a red zone appears, I dodge. They reach me, I use Divine "Divine Glow", then I use Chains of Blazing Light (non divine), and then I use Dauting Light on all of them.
Most of the time, I always have 10 seconds of "God mode" - 10 seconds of 50% reduction of all damage taken, Angel's buffs
I don't use Healing Spells, because my Angel heals me each 2 seconds for 6% of my total HP - right now it is 1,65k HP + My Miracle Set Heals me for 5% each time I use an encounter, it is around 1,5k-1,6k (don't remember) HP heals.
Another Healing Sourc, is my Devouted Cleric artifact, when I activate it, all my encounters heal me for X (I don't remember, but it is a decent heal combined with the rest).
I don't do OpenWorldPvP as solo, only in groups.
Have fun everyone