Question about Shadow Warrior

[yoursoul 0]

Is it feasable to play the SW as a summoner, I kind of liked the necromancer from diablo, so how does the SW summoner work? Do you just summon and sit back or do you summon and then cast spells from afar, etc?

 

Thanks

 

Also, if this is true does anyone know a good astral lord build?

 

Thanks again

Edited January 2, 2009 by gogoblender

[Knuckles 904]

I'm working on a pure Astral build now,

Using Skeletal Fortification and Nether Allegience for attacking and have Shadow Veil as a buff. So far so good. I might at some point get Reflective Emanation and take last mod that allows me to cast on skellies also but for right now I don't need it.

 

With Shadow Veil keeping me invisible and skellies holding aggro, Skeletal Fortification + skellies are killing everything rather quickly. I'm only at level 30 right now so don't know how it will work in Gold and higher level servers yet. Still working out the kinks in the build right now.

Edited January 1, 2009 by Knuckles

[Schot 407]

Sounds like a fun build Knuckles. (You lazy bugger! ) Would be cool to see him in action. So like... You just hop into a tree somewhere's and delegate huh. ^^

[Knuckles 904]

When you say 'In action'.......Well he basically just runs to a spot, lets the skeletons catch up, tosses a Skeletal Fortification and then just sits back and enjoys the show. He is somewhat boring but I really made him so I could explore without having to kill everything. Also might do campaign/side quests with him. Being invisible makes quests go sooo much quicker

[gogoblender 3,068]

When you say 'In action'.......Well he basically just runs to a spot, lets the skeletons catch up, tosses a Skeletal Fortification and then just sits back and enjoys the show. He is somewhat boring but I really made him so I could explore without having to kill everything. Also might do campaign/side quests with him. Being invisible makes quests go sooo much quicker

 

 

Must...make...your...build

 

Knuckles I'm so jealous man... I want an invulno build too!

 

 

gogo

[Knuckles 904]

Best part is I can go AFK anywhere

[claudius 104]

I am having trouble with the Nether Allegiance buff. I upgraded it to 4 skeletons. Usually I have only one skeleton with me. The other 3 are lost in time and space. About 50% of the time the skeleton that is there doesn't attack it just stands there. It rarely agros anyone and if it does sometimes it just stands there while getting beaten down.

 

Sometimes more skeletons appear with the same behavior...I will say that about 50% chance to attack. So sometimes it works.

But I wouldn't build around Nether Allegiance. Just consider it gravy if you are not using the other other buffs in the SW. Or concentration. Thats my builds philosophy. I am taking Tactics to open up mods on Death Warrior AND Malevolent Champion. Astral Lord to open up concentration and taking that to 75.

 

Then I am going to use the Astral Lord skills and sometimes the buffs (modified) from DW and MC. I'll also use the spells with such long cooldowns that the slower recharge when not having the foci doesn't matter so much.

 

I'm playing hardcore single player...(this build would probably be too boring to MP with anyone LOL)

 

1 Constitution 1 (then more points later)

2 Tactics Lore 9 to mod - arousing command and reflective emmanation then more to modify Grim Relilience and Guidons.

3 Armor Lore 5 to unlock more possibilities and reduce recharges then more later

4 Astral Lord Focus 9 to mod Nether Allegiance. Then more to unlock perma shadow veils when have spare points keep at level and mod everyting.

5 Sword Lore Keep at level for something to do when things are cooling down.....Allows you to keep DPS and have harder hitting (longer cooldwon) Spectral Hand

6 Concentration Keep at level because your going to use 3 buffs eventually and the regeneration bonus will help to use DW and MC attacks if needed

7 Blacksmithing - I'm intending to be autonomous from other characters and this will help offense/defense

 

The rest are open depending what I need and how I want to play.....and whether it seems I need more defensive or offensive skills.

[FrostElfGuard 9]

If the Nether Allegiance skellies are anything like the Vampiress's Animate Dead from Sacred1, they will only attack as support for targets that the SW attacks first.

 

This gets away from a player (or a bot) just sitting there while the game does all the targeting and attacking decisions.

 

However, I found with the Vampiress in S1, if you click to attack, then click somewhere else (for movement to a spot near where your character is standing), the associated undead creatures still attack the last target. So, there is some work to do, but not as much as a melee character would have.

 

Try it! ...and... Please report back.

[Knuckles 904]

The skeletons from NA will attack anything within range whether or not you're attacking or even if invisible. I've actually stopped using NA as when the skeletons draw aggro any Area of Effect or reflect skill/CA from enemy also damages me. Instead I'm using SV buffed with SF only. It's a little slow right now but I never get hurt (SV at level 25=100% invisibility when casting spells) and the monsters never go hostile. So no attacks, no monster healing, no nothing. (mutants will heal if in energy pool)

 

The NA skellies seem to go 'brain-dead' quite often. recasting the buff fixes that temporarily. Seems more frequent when I'm entering/exiting caves.

 

Since I'm always invisible it's allowing me to concentrate on Blacksmithing and EP. Once I get EP over 75 I plan on doing some treasure hunts so if you find a cave with lots of chests/barrels/pots and if near a portal even better, let me know plz. I'm hoping with max EP and socketing all the MF I can, I should be able to make some nice runs and the best thing, I won't level so I can use this SW to supply my other toons (which are mostly SW )

[FrostElfGuard 9]

Thanks for the report Knuckles!

 

Hmm. Sounds like you can only use NA in SP. Simulating your own online party.

 

If the skellies are idle too long... that sounds like something to report to Ascaron for patching!

Edited January 30, 2009 by FrostElfGuard

[Dobri 55]

I have to say that the build works really well. The skellies are indeed somewhat tardy and slow, but as soon as you get the hold of it, it works like a charm. You need to wait for them and just point an enemy without attacking it. You don't really need to click it and then click somewhere on the ground.

 

Then just drop a skeletal tower and with spectral hand the mobs tend to die quite quickly.

 

Since the only thing to be aware is the Area of Effect attacks of the npc's I think it's time to get enhanced perception and dish out the XP per kill again

 

However, I seem to have a debate with myself here. I'm wondering which will be better - Riding or Blacksmithing? I'd really appreciate some suggestions here.

 

I'd have to add, that I'll be using Dual wield (I'm thinking of playing him much like the inquisitor, with 2 staves, 2 + all skill and 2 combat weapons), which will slightly reduce the defensive capabilities of the SW. I decided on dual wield, since you will either have to take sword/hafted + shield, or staves lore. I believe the idea is to stay veiled all the time, so strong-hitting weapons won't be that much needed.

Edited January 30, 2009 by Dobri

[claudius 104]

My problem with the skellies seemed to vanish after reading these posts. Very mysterious.. I still would downplay the extra skellie upgrades because there always seem to be 1-2 that don't join a small battle. But huge battles usually they all eventually show up... It is pretty fun to see them haha!

[Knuckles 904]

If using Shadow Veil as a buff remember that any normal attack (LMB) will cause you to become instantly visible. So regen on melee Combat Arts like Frenzied Rage or Demonic Blow would have to be very low. Also Combat Arts like Scything Sweep become less effective because the enemies won't react to your presence or attacks and thus will not group nicely. One solution is to debuff, run around and gather enemies then wait till they mob you. Re-buff and then use a combo of say FR, SS and DB (maybe have SV in combo as first CA). You need to attack quickly because as soon as you rebuff they will start wandering away.

Edited January 30, 2009 by Knuckles

[Dragonsblade71uk 0]

I have been looking into making an astral based SW, using the skellies. I have always played pet classes in RPG's, and loved them.

Regards to the SV CA and making it permanent, is that a good idea due it being knocked off if seen, or attacking?

Or when permanent is this reduced to nothing, and can be perm invisible?

Also can the skellies die and what happens if they do? do they come back, or do you have to recast buff?

I was also looking at duel wield, and getting duel stave's, as I have seen 1h stave's. So with this in mind is pumping INT in this build preferable?

(increase astral skills damage and also increase damage of stave's?)

would tac lore be useful?

SO for a build I might go :

1 Tac lore

2 BS

3 EP

4 Concentration

5 AL Lore (Mods and increase damage for the spells)

6 Duel wield

7 Armour Lore (for regen times and some defense if I have to)

8 MC Focus

9 AL Focus

10 Open at moment maybe riding/alchemy, or ancient magic if it would help

 

This ofc depends on how good SV is and how good the skellies are.

[Knuckles 904]

I have been looking into making an astral based SW, using the skellies. I have always played pet classes in RPG's, and loved them.

Regards to the SV CA and making it permanent, is that a good idea due it being knocked off if seen, or attacking?

Or when permanent is this reduced to nothing, and can be perm invisible?

 

There really is no downside to making SV permanent as long as you have an open buff slot for it. It has no cooldown so even if you de-buff you can immediately recast. SV at level 25 provides 100% invisibility for CA attacks. If you attack with LMB you'll be instantly visible

 

Also can the skellies die and what happens if they do? do they come back, or do you have to recast buff?

The skeletons can die (usually happens with bosses for me) but they will resurrect after a short time and even while dead will keep drawing aggro. They make a great 'meat shield' if nothing else

 

I was also looking at duel wield, and getting duel stave's, as I have seen 1h stave's. So with this in mind is pumping INT in this build preferable?

(increase astral skills damage and also increase damage of stave's?)

 

Yes only if you will not use Spectral Hand..it's a melee based CA so Str and not Int increases damage

 

would tac lore be useful?

SO for a build I might go :

1 Tac lore

2 BS

3 EP

4 Concentration

5 AL Lore (Mods and increase damage for the spells)

6 Duel wield

7 Armour Lore (for regen times and some defense if I have to)

8 MC Focus

9 AL Focus

10 Open at moment maybe riding/alchemy, or ancient magic if it would help

 

This ofc depends on how good SV is and how good the skellies are.

 

Tactics Lore only works on Spectral Hand in the Astral Aspect. If not using this CA I wouldn't pick this skill. I would also select both AL and AF before Conc, or EP. MC is great if you're going to get Reflective Animation. Last mod allows you to buff skellies. Also consider using Skeletal Fortification, works nice with skellies and SV as a buff and also uses Int. Riding can be nice if you put enough points in it. It will provide a regen bonus if enough points are assigned

Edited February 3, 2009 by Knuckles