Massive Area of Effect Dryad in the AddOn

[chattius 2,522]

I always considered this character as cheating, even it started as a challenge. The challenge was to play a character with just 2 defensive skills and each of the remaining 8 skills had to support a single damage doing combat art, be it damage, hit chance or regeneration time. The class lottery gave me the dryad.

 

Planing the defense:

Armour lore is right for the dryad. I think in a 2 defensive skills only build shield lore is the better option than combat reflexes. So shield lore will unlock armour.

 

The attack skill:

Darting Assault with a staff. So staff lore, tactic lore and hunter focus.

 

Boosting the damage:

Acute mind for more intelligence, so nature lore and focus.

 

Boosting the hit chance:

alchemy

 

Adding DoT (bargaining was not allowed after the character started already and I was doing alchemy to unlock bargaining)

damage lore

 

The playstyle:

Modify Darting Assault for rotate. It will attack the first enemy with a staff bash, but then all other enemies in shooting range of the staff are hit the same moment. It doesn't matter if they are behind walls, hills,... Because they are away from the dryad, damage lore has time to kick in. At Bosses a full detheya is worn for x% life leech. Even Darting Assault is hitting everything in shooting range, there seem to be no shots. All enemies are hit while the dryads rotates, no projectiles, just mana/life leech lines.

[essjayehm 58]

I always considered this character as cheating, even it started as a challenge. The challenge was to play a character with just 2 defensive skills and each of the remaining 8 skills had to support a single damage doing combat art, be it damage, hit chance or regeneration time. The class lottery gave me the dryad.

 

Have you taken this into Niob yet? If so, what level, and how was the Guardian fight at end of Platinum?

 

Double Insight mod for Acute Mind?

 

One final question - Is this the new "norm" for cheaty-builds in Ice and Blood? Or is there another character who can use the staff lore bug better?

Edited April 5, 2010 by essjayehm

[locolagarto 15]

I love the dryad. I may like to try this one. Did I count right? 9 skills so far?

[chattius 2,522]

Concentration was 10th, for hit 2 buffs = hit chance and critical. Somehow forgot to mention it.

 

Other classes:

Inquisitor does only a 180 degree turn, no intelligence boost but similiar range.

 

Boss fights:

Damage at bosses; detheya with x% life leech

 

Protection:

melee: shield with block, skin to reflect, x% defense (skin but nor modified for it), evade from dust devil

spells: dustdevil, and willpower from mind

 

x% life leech attacks, hitpoints won't help because they are from max hitpoints. So the goal is to have heal potions which do full and not only 75% heals(Alchemy) to heal before the next x% life leech hits.

[locolagarto 15]

Concentration was 10th, for hit 2 buffs = hit chance and critical. Somehow forgot to mention it.

 

Other classes:

Inquisitor does only a 180 degree turn, no intelligence boost but similiar range.

 

Boss fights:

Damage at bosses; detheya with x% life leech

 

Protection:

melee: shield with block, skin to reflect, x% defense (skin but nor modified for it), evade from dust devil

spells: dustdevil, and willpower from mind

 

x% life leech attacks, hitpoints won't help because they are from max hitpoints. So the goal is to have heal potions which do full and not only 75% heals(Alchemy) to heal before the next x% life leech hits.

 

OMG that was fun. I had a level 65 template with no points or skills spent on SP with a tricked Balance.txt. I was able to just select all 10 skills randomly. put points into hunter focus, magic staff and tactics. and attributes in int. the ran out in silver to smack a kobald. holly hannah I saw about 20 XP numbers flash up the screen. I didn't see that many dead bodies until I started running again. and I was tripping over dead kobalds for 3 screens. I love this. and the ranged attack gives LL and RpH. soooo coool!

 

I think I found my next Closed Net build! Now I have to sequence the skills properly so I can survive from level 8 or so.

 

Very fun Chatius!

[essjayehm 58]

OMG that was fun. I had a level 65 template with no points or skills spent on SP with a tricked Balance.txt. I was able to just select all 10 skills randomly. put points into hunter focus, magic staff and tactics. and attributes in int. the ran out in silver to smack a kobald. holly hannah I saw about 20 XP numbers flash up the screen. I didn't see that many dead bodies until I started running again. and I was tripping over dead kobalds for 3 screens. I love this. and the ranged attack gives LL and RpH. soooo coool!

 

I think I found my next Closed Net build! Now I have to sequence the skills properly so I can survive from level 8 or so.

 

Very fun Chatius!

 

 

 

'nuff said.

[locolagarto 15]

OMG that was fun. I had a level 65 template with no points or skills spent on SP with a tricked Balance.txt. I was able to just select all 10 skills randomly. put points into hunter focus, magic staff and tactics. and attributes in int. the ran out in silver to smack a kobald. holly hannah I saw about 20 XP numbers flash up the screen. I didn't see that many dead bodies until I started running again. and I was tripping over dead kobalds for 3 screens. I love this. and the ranged attack gives LL and RpH. soooo coool!

 

I think I found my next Closed Net build! Now I have to sequence the skills properly so I can survive from level 8 or so.

 

Very fun Chatius!

 

 

 

'nuff said.

 

Aww! you don't like it? why not. its basically the same build as a blowpipe huntress, but with Staff lore and shield lore instead. And its not limited to 4-6 shots at a time like the blowpipe is.

[Schot 407]

Oh wow. Now this is insane. That danged Dryad I tell yah, lol. Looks like an excellent build for Bargainers looking to climb up the levels real fast.

[gogoblender 3,068]

Concentration was 10th, for hit 2 buffs = hit chance and critical. Somehow forgot to mention it.

 

Other classes:

Inquisitor does only a 180 degree turn, no intelligence boost but similiar range.

 

Boss fights:

Damage at bosses; detheya with x% life leech

 

Protection:

melee: shield with block, skin to reflect, x% defense (skin but nor modified for it), evade from dust devil

spells: dustdevil, and willpower from mind

 

x% life leech attacks, hitpoints won't help because they are from max hitpoints. So the goal is to have heal potions which do full and not only 75% heals(Alchemy) to heal before the next x% life leech hits.

 

OMG that was fun. I had a level 65 template with no points or skills spent on SP with a tricked Balance.txt. I was able to just select all 10 skills randomly. put points into hunter focus, magic staff and tactics. and attributes in int. the ran out in silver to smack a kobald. holly hannah I saw about 20 XP numbers flash up the screen. I didn't see that many dead bodies until I started running again. and I was tripping over dead kobalds for 3 screens. I love this. and the ranged attack gives LL and RpH. soooo coool!

 

I think I found my next Closed Net build! Now I have to sequence the skills properly so I can survive from level 8 or so.

 

Very fun Chatius!

 

 

C O O L

 

I wanna see, I wanna see

 

 

I wanna play I wanna play

 

Any pix?

 

omgod...this sounds like a smart bomb

 

 

wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

 

gogo

[Furian67 14]

Gogo.... Stay away from the crack (this build). This is insane. Your going to Love it. Will be great for a Bargainer. I boosted a toon to 20, threw some gear on that I had laying around. Couple of open slots I put attack speed RPH and +xxLL. Near around 50% Dblow. Nothing special in the way of gear. Gotta work my way up for that Detheya set. Just a few hours later I'm 15 levels up and its not slowing down, I could really do better on damage, can't spam Acute Mind yet. I'll work on the one hit kill damage with the full Detheya's set.

[Dragon Brother 619]

I second the picture request.

[locolagarto 15]

I second the picture request.

 

 

HA! I just leveled from 1 with no gear or anything but some cash and Runes. I just hit 12 after 2 hours. its a little slow out of the gate, but the last 3 levels went by really fast, Sonme gear with sockets and some decent niob damage and this this is gonna rock! I'll take a video once I get here rolling nicely. another 6-15 levels ant this thing is gonna take off like a rocket!

[chattius 2,522]

I wrote about this already in this thread: Staff lore in the AddOn

 

I wanted to know if it is a exploit/bug or not. Normally I would have mailed it to ascaron before putting it as a 'guide/character idea'. GSF and ISF didn't want to have 'exploits' posted in their forum. But I doubt that there will be a fix so I decided to post it. I hope that the player community agrees on some rules on this: if they want such characters on their servers or not.

 

Inquisitor:

The Inqui has same, but no acute mind and only 180 degree cone. I would try a variation of Milka's Vollstrecker (excuter) from the GSF. He is using Clustering Maelstrom (but no ancient magic/ astute lore) to bundle and pre damage groups and then use a the range of a polearm while mounted. The Ruthless Mutilation will hit the collected group. Staff lore could probably used the same way and will even hit more enemies. Milka's redesigned character has alchemy and bargaining on his inquisitor too.

 

Seraphim:

The seraphim does single animated hits, not hitting every target at once. But if no close target is around anymore the hits will target far far away enemies. Perhaps use Pelting Strikes and gather groups and pre damage them with Radiant Pillar.

 

 

 

The reason I consider it as a bug: ranged shots are limited to 3 per unmodified combat art for ranged weapons. My oldest was speed leveling such a character as a bargainer at youth camp. The opinion there was that it is much like a Temple Guardian who can do wide area attacks every 7.5 seconds.

 

Alchemy helps to unlock longer duration on potions so you can have mentors lasting for minutes, freeing some sockets for damage.

 

Full detheya is for x% life leech versus bosses. Doubt that it will add much to reach one hits. Without detheya you can use life leech shurikens and boost the hit chance and attack speed with trophies.

 

I still think that alchemy is a very good skill to unlock bargaining for a dryad on the PC.

Old thread about alchemy builds

 

Hope you have some fun experimenting with staff lore characters.

Edited April 6, 2010 by chattius

[Vivicloud01 0]

Will this work on consoles? Sounds like a fun build I mite try out later on for fun.

[chattius 2,522]

Staff lore to allow a staff to shoot was introduced with the AddOn for the PC. I do not know for consoles.

 

I think that the Darting Assault/staff lore needs discussion. In my eyes not mentioning it is a mistake. I have only ideas for staff lore in the other classes which have multitarget weapon combat arts. The seraphim might not cause much lag because of her single animations. The Inqui with a maelstrom and the weapon hitting 'only' 180 degree, ... hmmm

I think that an Inquisitor could be optimized for staff lore playing and would probably be close to the dryad. It has a damage boosting buff, the soul catching buff modified for weakening damage could reduce constitution=hitpoints on the mobs you gather. The maelstrom may bring enemies into deathblow range, ...

 

Not every dryad with a staff is using Darting Assault. Most caster dryads have a staff to enlarge combat art radius, reduce regeneration time and such. So I would think: In dubio pro reo.

 

Pictures:

I played it at firefighters some months ago with damage lore. My daughter played it as a shopper at youth club. So probably no pictures before weekend, and then I will have to upload them at work. 4800 baud at home will take too long. So if anyone else will do them, would be nice.

 

Guide:

I will not do a guide. I have not that much time to play and I prefer to test out stuff. So if it is wanted to write a guilde/play experience, feel free to do it. I finished platinum at level 84. My daughter is niob around level 130 now I think with her shopper.

Specially the 100% heal potions when you start to play in niob help a lot, thanks to alchemy.

 

What is not tested yet:

Is alchemy shortening this nasty heal potion delay. Or is it just a feeling that it is so. 100% heal potions make you only quaff one and not 2 if you 'see red'. So less delay because of not spamming heal potions that much?

Edited April 6, 2010 by chattius

[essjayehm 58]

Will this work on consoles? Sounds like a fun build I mite try out later on for fun.

 

Sorry, Cloud. No staff lore for dryads on console.

 

Staff lore does not enable staff shooting on console.

 

Two strikes and we're out. 8(

 

We still got VD / exploit to use, though 8)

[gogoblender 3,068]

We still got VD / exploit to use, though 8)

 

 

I never got to use it!

 

 

Not fair!

 

 

 

It got nerfed before I had a chance to try and run it. I'm glad though at least console users get to have a lot of fun with it. I keep seeing posts about VD and peeps seem so happy with the mechanics and just the effect

 

 

 

 

gogo

[Vivicloud01 0]

Ok thanks for the reply back.

 

Awe I'm sorry you didnt get a chance to run in circles gogo.

[essjayehm 58]

We still got VD / exploit to use, though 8)

 

 

I never got to use it!

 

 

Not fair!

 

 

 

It got nerfed before I had a chance to try and run it. I'm glad though at least console users get to have a lot of fun with it. I keep seeing posts about VD and peeps seem so happy with the mechanics and just the effect

 

 

 

 

gogo

 

Mucho happy with the effect... yes! Many levels in no time, thankyouverymuch.

 

Don't cry, Gogo, you got Staff Lore+Darting Assault to play with

 

NO FAIR

 

 

 

 

 

'nuff said.

 

Aww! you don't like it? why not. its basically the same build as a blowpipe huntress, but with Staff lore and shield lore instead. And its not limited to 4-6 shots at a time like the blowpipe is.

 

Oh, nonnononononono.... me likey... WAY TOO MUCH!11111!1oneoneONE!

 

Sooo jealous of this

[gogoblender 3,068]

Well, I'll wait till the guys get the build going. As a piece of utility, this will really help us push account to level 200 as a bargainer.

 

From there, with that last bargainer in place (and hoping this build can help us do it quickly) We can then really start having fun with all the zero utility builds in mind since we started this game.

 

I'm very curious about pure magic builds, horse builds and doing lots of stuff with alchemy.

 

Here's to hoping this new Darting Assault/ Staves build can get the job done quickly.

 

 

gogo

[kriv 14]

I think I am starting one of these tonight!

[chattius 2,522]

I was wondering how I would do the character if it would be me who had to play a bargainer to 200.

 

I am quite sure for 9 skills.

 

tactics

shield

staff

armour

hunter focus

nature focus

nature lore

alchemy, late because its last in a bargainer chain for me

bargainer

 

These are 9 skills.

 

Do we need concentration if we can bargain for regeneration per hit and CtH items?

 

Should concentration be replaced by damage lore or constitution?

 

This build may be one of the few builds which could use damage lore. Hitting a lot of beasts far away, so damage lore would kill them, before they are coming close. I would probably take damage lore, I never really used this skill, and it would be a good character to test it out. My staff dryad is just 84 and had not mastery damage lore yet.

 

Acute mind will probably give enough intelligence, so all attributes in vitality to compensate for having no constitution? At least I did it like this on my character.

[Furian67 14]

I was wondering how I would do the character if it would be me who had to play a bargainer to 200.

 

I am quite sure for 9 skills.

 

tactics

shield

staff

armour

hunter focus

nature focus

nature lore

alchemy, late because its last in a bargainer chain for me

bargainer

 

These are 9 skills.

 

Do we need concentration if we can bargain for regeneration per hit and CtH items?

 

Should concentration be replaced by damage lore or constitution?

 

This build may be one of the few builds which could use damage lore. Hitting a lot of beasts far away, so damage lore would kill them, before they are coming close. I would probably take damage lore, I never really used this skill, and it would be a good character to test it out. My staff dryad is just 84 and had not mastery damage lore yet.

 

Acute mind will probably give enough intelligence, so all attributes in vitality to compensate for having no constitution? At least I did it like this on my character.

 

So far this is the way I'm building mine. With concentration, Alchemy and bargaining are the last two skills. This will be a high level bargainer so there was no need to pick the skill as yet. I'll see if I can get some statistics for you from the added buffs, SP and AB and how I modded them.

[larvi 0]

How important is nature lore to this build. does it provide a significant boost to acute mind or is it needed for something else?

[FrostElfGuard 9]

We still got VD / exploit to use, though 8)

 

 

I never got to use it!

Not fair!

It got nerfed before I had a chance to try and run it. I'm glad though at least console users get to have a lot of fun with it. I keep seeing posts about VD and peeps seem so happy with the mechanics and just the effect

 

gogo

 

Um. Couldn't you save your current characters, deactivate your Sacred2, uninstall Sacred2, and re-install Sacred2, bringing it up to a patch level just before they patched out VD exploit? You could only play SP for the few days it would take you to enjoy rocketing up through the levels... and yes, leveling would be slower without other players... but it is the VD exploit so maybe that would still be fast enough?

 

I was tempted to do something similar with Sacred1 and the Dark Elf. Level 1 booga-booga! (I forget the name) {thank you wiki) Cobra stunned everything in the game. Then they built level comparisons into spells to limit spells effects based on caster level, Combat Art level and target level (and hidden Spell Resistance--which I'm sure is there for because of Dragons).

 

 

---

 

Back on topic...

 

Staff Lore 'bug'. Hmmm. I wonder if it is a bug. Adding shooting attacks doesn't sound like a bug. Combining it with a Combat Art... well. Maybe they should have put a range check into the staff shot. On second thought, if it crashes the servers... it's bad bad bad. So. I guess I convinced myself that this is a no-no for online play.

 

Cheers!

Edited April 7, 2010 by FrostElfGuard