Jump to content

Area of Effect Tanking High Elf Build


High Elf Tank!  

15 members have voted

  1. 1. Can a High Elf Tank Successfully?

    • No. Are you crazy?
      4
    • Yes. With this build its possible, you just have to know what you're doing.
      11
  2. 2. Can this build be improved for better tanking capabilities?

    • Yeah. (then email me with suggestions)
      2
    • No, its great the way it is. Good job.
      13


Recommended Posts

High Elf Spec --- Area of Effect-Tanking Mage!

 

*--------------------------------------------------*

 

SUMMARY: This class build is mainly focusing on Area of Effect damage to gain the aggro of mobs. Physical attacks will not be a particular strong point in this spec. Although, I did throw in Magic Coup as a type of melee attack for players who are looking for a little bit of that play style. I hope that all who try this build find it successful, I have only created it and not yet tried it. May your travels in Ancaria be full of destruction and loot. :4rofl:

 

*--------------------------------------------------*

 

COMBAT ARTS: These are my suggestions for the collection of Combat Arts and are most likely influenced by my play-style. As you can see there are only 9 Combat Arts including 2 Buffs w/ button suggestions and modification suggestions. Being that there are 11 free slots (subtracting the slot of sword/shield), you may feel free to pick up two more Combat Arts of your liking, but personally, I feel that these 9 are enough. The modifications I chose are based mainly on the play-style mentioned above, that Area of Effect damage is used to clear mobs. Spells that are not Area of Effect are used to improve tanking. Also, I do not suggest you get every single modification I suggest; I am merely suggesting the best mods for a tank. For example: Cascading Shroud has terrible modifications (imo) and therefore I would most likely spend one mod point at most toward this Combat Art.

 

Arrant Pyromancer

 

Blazing TempestRT + Y

Modifications: Bronze = Scorch (more initial damage) / Silver = Conflagration (more DoT damage) /

Gold = Ambition (increased critical chance)

 

Incendiary ShowerRT + X

Modifications: Bronze = Magma Rain (50% fire damage increase) / Silver = Smoking Rock (50% physical damage increase) Gold = Devastation (increased critical chance)

 

((STRATEGY HINT: Use with Shadow Step or simply cast the spell onto yourself when enemies are surrounding you because this spell has a tendency to miss moving targets.))

 

Mystic Stormite

 

Glacial ThornsRT + A

Modifications: Bronze = Frost (increased damage of individual thorns) / Silver = Devastation (increased critical chance) / Gold = Fusillade (increased number of thorns being thrown; base amount = 50 thorns)

 

Raging NimbusRT + B

Modifications: Bronze = Hurricane (increases lightning frequency) / Silver = Roar (reduces attack values of affected opponents) / Gold = Cyclone (increases duration of spell by 50%)

 

Cascading ShroudB

Modifications: Bronze = Mist (reduces physical damage even further) / Silver = Intangible (both suck, this is the best choice for a tank though) / Gold = Steam (reduces the vulnerability to fire effects)

 

Crystal SkinLT + B

Modifications: Bronze = Glacial Mirror (chance to reflect detrimental magical effects) / Silver = Focalize (increases the spell intensity of all 3 aspects and their combat arts) / Gold = Frosty Breeze (increases ice damage even further)

 

Delphic Arcania

 

Magic CoupX

Modifications: Bronze = Target Focus (decreases enemy’s chance to evade/parry) / Silver = Life Leech (stolen hit point count is not based on damage) / Gold = Stray Damage (chance to hit adjacent enemies)

 

Shadow StepY

Modifications: Bronze = Phase shift (decreases cool-down time) / Silver = Sanctuary (approx. 4 sec. invulnerability after teleport) / Gold = Mend (heals the caster during teleport)

 

Grand InvigorationLT + X

Modifications: Bronze = Mystic Stormite Expertise (regen. time of mystic stormite aspect is reduced significantly) / Silver = Life Energy (increases hit point regen. rate even further) / Gold = Resilience (reduces the impact and duration of incoming detrimental effects)

 

*--------------------------------------------------*

 

SKILLS: The following are my 10 skill choices listed by category, not priority. The order that you choose the skills is completely up to you. At the end of the list of skills I will put down my recommended order of skill choices. And again, these are my suggestions based on a TANKING High Elf.

 

General Skills:

Concentration – Improves regeneration for all Combat Arts, and allows the use of up to three simultaneous buffs when mastered. Simply for the ability to use 2 buffs simultaneously. (Crystal Skin/Grand Invigoration; +armor/+hit point regen.)

 

Class Skills:

Arrant Pyromancer Lore / Arrant Pyromancer Focus - Increases damage, critical chance, and cast speed for this aspect. Personal choice based on play style. Although 5 points are required in a skill of the same type to unlock Focus.

Mystic Stormite Lore / Mystic Stormite Focus – Increases damage, critical chance, and cast speed for this aspect. Personal choice based on play style. Although 5 points are required in a skill of the same type to unlock Focus.

Delphic Arcania Lore / Delphic Arcania Focus – Increases damage, critical chance, and cast speed for this aspect. Personal choice based on play style. Although 5 points are required in a skill of the same type to unlock Focus.

 

Offensive Skills:

Sword Weapons – Increases attack speed, chance to hit, and max item level usable without penalties when wielding a sword. Hafted Weapons isn’t available as a choice for High Elves. Leaving swords as the only other choice for a one-handed weapon to compliment a shield.

Speed Lore – Increases attack and defense, and run speed. I chose this over Tactics Lore because Tactics focuses on damage, where as with Speed Lore there is a defense bonus which makes for a better tank.

 

Defensive Skills:

Armor Lore – Improves resists, increases maximum item level without penalties, and decreases regeneration penalty from armors. Better armor makes for a better tank.

Constitution - Increases health and health regeneration. More health means more survival.

Shield Lore - Grants the ability to use higher-level shields without penalties and increases their Defense Value. Strong shield, strong tank.

 

General Skills:

Enhanced Perception - Increases chance of "seeing" invisible monsters and "magical hiding places." Personally, I feel that all characters no matter their spec should have this skill. Especially since it can be improved with relics.

 

My Opinion of the Order in Which Skills Should Be Chosen:

[skill Choice 1; Level 2]Concentration,

[skill Choice 2; Level 3]Armor Lore,

[skill Choice 3; Level 5]Mystical Stormite Lore,

[skill Choice 4; Level 8]Delphic Arcania,

[skill Choice 5; Level 12]Constitution,

[skill Choice 6; Level 18]Shield Lore,

[skill Choice 7; Level 25]Sword Lore,

[skill Choice 8; Level 35]Speed Lore,

[skill Choice 9; Level 50]Arrant Pyromaner Lore,

[skill Choice 10; Level 65]Enhanced Preception.

Edited by steeleraine
Link to comment

Welcome to the forum Steele, good luck

 

One observation, with no Focus Skills you will have terribly high regen times on all your Combat Arts. concentration and grand invigoration are great but with out the focus it will be tough.

Link to comment

The weapon skill is just to unlock speed lore?

Because with arcane focus and the builtin hit chance of magic coup which climbs with higher levels you wouldn't need a weapon lore for hitting.

 

I would prefer at least one fully worked out aspect with lore and focus.

 

If you like fire:

don't take weapon lore and speed lore and do all three aspect foci, fire lore and ancient magic. Modify the Combat Art's not in fire aspect for best defense.

 

If you like ice:

don't take weapon lore and speed lore and do all three aspect foci, storm lore and ancient magic. Modify meteors for best stunning, consider taking both fire buffs in late game.

 

If you like arcane:

don't take weapon lore and speed lore and do all three aspect foci, arcane lore and ancient magic. You could play with exploding shadow steps and chain-cobalt strikes and recharge them with exploding magic coup (you play console and regeneration per hit should be working). Modify both skins (fire skin because of its reflect for melee end game, crystal skin early in game and casters). Do modify non arcane Combat Art's for best defense. You can modify all 5 arcane Combat Art's and 3 of each other aspect.

Fire: the 2 buffs and meteors , storm: skin, nimbus and shroud.

 

If you like melee:

take storm lore away, add arcane focus and change fire lore to fire focus. In fire modify meteors for best stunning effect and the 2 buffs. Consider taking a knife and to use reg per hit. Knife wins from dexteriry damage wise. Dexterity also gives a base defense which is boosted by 2 of your skills: speed and shield lore. Look for knives which have scalable modifiers in either armour piercing or enemy chance to evade -x%.

 

If you really want to play the character as you posted it: probably you have to take Reg per Hit to counter the long regeneration times.

 

I would prefer the arcane approach with its 3 Area of Effect Combat Art's. Read Schot's bolting terror, perhaps the shield maiden from myself and use them as a skeleton for your idea.

Link to comment
  • 2 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...
Please Sign In or Sign Up