Death Knight

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a shrouded figure
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Death Knight

Post by a shrouded figure » Wed Jun 02, 2021 8:00 pm

Fresh off the presses- the Death Knight
Orog
4 Hex / 10 Cav 16 PM
Two Hand (Strength): 48 AB / 58 AC
Epic Spell Focus: Necromancy
Epic Spell: Mummy Dust
Epic Spell: Dragon Knight (Dracolich)
Epic Spell: Epic Mage Armor
Huge Saves
One GSF of your choice
489 HP

21 Str (5 points + 2 great strength to 28)
6 dex
10 con
6 wis
13 int
18 Cha (first two points take this to 20)


I built mine as:

Hex 3
Pm 4
Hex 1
Cav 6
Pm 4
Cav 2
Pm 8
Cav 2


Ends with:
489HP
Two Hand: 48 AB, 58 AC (Orog Greatsword)
One Hand: 46 AB, 63 AC (Cav weapon, also gets +3 unmounted charge)

Epic Spell Focus Necromancy
Mummy Dust
Dragon Knight (Dracolich)
Epic Mage Armor
One GSF of your choice (trans or abj suggested)
Big Saves
Immune to Fear, Sneaks, Crits
31 DC Death Touch

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Maladus
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Re: Death Knight

Post by Maladus » Wed Jun 02, 2021 9:09 pm

I built a variation of this but instead of Cav I used Knight and I did it on a Drow.

Good Character
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Re: Death Knight

Post by Good Character » Wed Jun 02, 2021 9:29 pm

Is this AC with haste?
Last edited by Good Character on Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.

a shrouded figure
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Re: Death Knight

Post by a shrouded figure » Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:54 pm

Yep that’s with haste and a skleen (hence the only 5 AC from shield). I took Imp expertise on mine and clicking up to 70+ AC is pretty nice considering you still have ridiculous pressure when mounted charging people with a bastard sword and your summons. Obviously WoF is always a real threat but you get two dread clicks (mummy dust and PM greater undead) as well as a click of triple lords with ESF, and of course your pocket dragon so you should easily be able to keep the pressure on with critters.


**and I’d argue that 53 AC on a two hand str isn’t shabby either if you don’t like to include haste.

a shrouded figure
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Re: Death Knight

Post by a shrouded figure » Wed Jun 02, 2021 11:02 pm

Maladus wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 9:09 pm
I built a variation of this but instead of Cav I used Knight and I did it on a Drow.
Ah- I would probably say that Knight is pretty different, but I could see the appeal. Personally I’m not a fan of the Knight class- you end up feat starved and really just relying on your summons- in which case I’d tell you to make a shaman, cleric, favored soul, healer, black guard.. or really anything that does summons better than a PM lol.

Good Character
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Re: Death Knight

Post by Good Character » Wed Jun 02, 2021 11:46 pm

Haha, literally as I just edited my post!

I played around with the build concept. Definitely see the merit to going Cav for the Fear immunity alone, but with the access to the summons I followed in Maladus' set-up with Knight.

I went Templar Armor instead of , so losing an AC off that. Though, still get 56 AC. I will likely consider the Orog armor once I've done figuring out the gearing to see if the extra +1 stat from Templar Armor vs. Orog Battle Armor is worth it. This is with the shield build (which might be too much AC in-exchange for a lack of AB).

Does EMA work with Mage Armor, though? I swore they patched that out. I know with Spellsword mage armor replaces EMA. If not, 57 AC.

Did you take Spell Focus: Necromancy for one of your pre-epic feats? I decided to because it gave me access to GSF: Necromancy for my level 13 PM bonus feat. Leads to a stupid 31 Undead Graft and 37 Death Touch (assuming you maxed out your CHA, which I don't see why). You will be one-shotting the majority of the server with ease.

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Maladus
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Re: Death Knight

Post by Maladus » Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:02 am

Good Character wrote:
Wed Jun 02, 2021 11:46 pm
Haha, literally as I just edited my post!

I played around with the build concept. Definitely see the merit to going Cav for the Fear immunity alone, but with the access to the summons I followed in Maladus' set-up with Knight.

I went Templar Armor instead of , so losing an AC off that. Though, still get 56 AC. I will likely consider the Orog armor once I've done figuring out the gearing to see if the extra +1 stat from Templar Armor vs. Orog Battle Armor is worth it. This is with the shield build (which might be too much AC in-exchange for a lack of AB).

Does EMA work with Mage Armor, though? I swore they patched that out. I know with Spellsword mage armor replaces EMA. If not, 57 AC.

Did you take Spell Focus: Necromancy for one of your pre-epic feats? I decided to because it gave me access to GSF: Necromancy for my level 13 PM bonus feat. Leads to a stupid 31 Undead Graft and 37 Death Touch (assuming you maxed out your CHA, which I don't see why). You will be one-shotting the majority of the server with ease.
You get ESF: Necro for free at level 10 if you have GSF: Necro

a shrouded figure
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Re: Death Knight

Post by a shrouded figure » Thu Jun 03, 2021 1:23 am

I’m wearing accursed chains for the +2 charisma, DI’s, and +1 AC over plate (+7 armor vs +5 from EMA)

Yah pre epics I’m taking toughness, BF, sf:n, GSF:n, sf:?, imp crit, E&IE, mounted combat, and weapon focus

You could grab IKD or Imp Disarm in lieu of something easily.

I also like Cavalier for netting me Bastard Sword proficiency without needing to spend a feat on exotic weapon. Can use a heavy flail for Bullrush Charges on mount or a bastard sword for stun+bleed, and then there’s always the old Orog great sword for just smashing faces

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Re: Death Knight

Post by Good Character » Thu Jun 03, 2021 1:34 pm

Drew up a spreadsheet for the Knight path. It is a WIP. Change between the sheets to view the 1-hand, 2-hand, and the no-epic-PM-feats-yet-access-to-IE-and-Imp Crit-and-more-skillpoints build.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

So, Rallying Cry does not work with Necromancy summons it seems. Ironically, Oath of Wrath does, though. Rallying Cry will work with your Dracolich, however.

Given that knowledge I would still advocate for the Knight given the +3 damage on Rallying Cry, another effective 2 AB and 3 damage with Oath of Wrath, and Final Stand. The build's issue is the total lack of skillpoints. I think the Knight build might alleviate this some by pumping INT up by removing from STR without really crushing your AB.
Last edited by Good Character on Thu Jun 03, 2021 6:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Maladus
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Re: Death Knight

Post by Maladus » Thu Jun 03, 2021 5:23 pm

You have a few typos in that spreadsheet, and as you have it right now you actually have 4 Hex/17 PM/9 PDK. You also have EWF: 2 hand but the other feats are for 1 hand. But you basically did the same thing I did with my Drow.

In my opinion, going for the Orog with the PDK build isn't as great because you lose the bonus feats from Cav. You end up having to make a choice, most likely between Imp. Critical or Imp. Expertise which means you pick Imp. Expertise so you can use the Orog Bastard Sword.

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Re: Death Knight

Post by Good Character » Thu Jun 03, 2021 6:31 pm

Maladus wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 5:23 pm
You have a few typos in that spreadsheet, and as you have it right now you actually have 4 Hex/17 PM/9 PDK. You also have EWF: 2 hand but the other feats are for 1 hand. But you basically did the same thing I did with my Drow.

In my opinion, going for the Orog with the PDK build isn't as great because you lose the bonus feats from Cav. You end up having to make a choice, most likely between Imp. Critical or Imp. Expertise which means you pick Imp. Expertise so you can use the Orog Bastard Sword.
Oh, the spreadsheet is being worked with at the moment. I keep jumping between 1hand and 2hand and whether or not to take a certain amount of levels of stuff. I'll edit my post to make that clearer.

Sadly, yeah. Two huge feats for a build like this. I'm considering an alternate build. 4 Hex/16 PM/10 Knight, except lower CHA to supplement my INT and CON. It means freeing up a feat by removing SF: Necro but of course losing those huge epic PM feats.

The upside to the Cavalier build is the necessary movement speed bump in high level play. Being Spirited Charge is an instant where as Haste isn't definitely bumps Cav up significantly in its attractive.

What starting stats did you go with your Drow?

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Maladus
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Re: Death Knight

Post by Maladus » Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:07 pm

STR - 16 (+2 Gift)
DEX - 10
CON - 12
WIS - 8
INT - 14
CHA - 18

CON is a tad low and DEX can't get any lower than that, so not ideal but it's not bad either. Starting Strength means I gotta take a Great Strength in Epic Feats.

a shrouded figure
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Re: Death Knight

Post by a shrouded figure » Sun Jun 06, 2021 2:22 pm

Maladus wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:07 pm
STR - 16 (+2 Gift)
DEX - 10
CON - 12
WIS - 8
INT - 14
CHA - 18

CON is a tad low and DEX can't get any lower than that, so not ideal but it's not bad either. Starting Strength means I gotta take a Great Strength in Epic Feats.
I was just playing around with the stats and I would tend to agree with your point distribution.

It probably makes more sense to go (for my Orog)

20
6
12
6
14
18

Three great Strengths

Gives you a little more Hp and some skills but you’ll lose 1 ab

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