Blood Mage multiclass options

[Yosharian]

So I got a Blood Mage build, this is what I got so far (was considering using Fassina hence the unique culture), this is just posted as a reference since it's mostly stuff from the old build that was an Evoker:

Quote

 

Race: Human (+1 MIG, +1 RES)
Culture: Vailian Republic (+1 INT)

Ability Scores:
MIG: 15 -> 15
CON: 07 -> 10
DEX: 15 -> 18
PER: 18 -> 18
INT: 19 -> 19
RES: 04 -> 05
Skills:
Active: ?
Passive: ?
Endgame Equipment:
Grimoire: Ninagauth's Teachings (unique spells)
Ranged: Dragon's Dowry (Fire damage on self) [Volatile Runelock, Blazing Fury]
Armor: Fleshmender (HP regeneration) [Boiled Leather, Poacher's Tackle]
Belt: Girdle of Eoten Constitution (+3 CON)
Feet: Boots of the Stone (Resistance to MIG afflictions, +1 DEX, +1 RES)
Gloves: Firethrower's Gloves (+2 DEX, +1 Arcana, +1 Evocation PL)
Head: Acina's Tricorn (+5 Ranged ACC)
Neck: Amulet of Greater Health (+25 HP)
Ring1: Ring of Focused Flame (+10 ACC with Fire keyword)
Ring2: Ring of the Marksman (+1 PEN, +4 ACC with Ranged weapons)
Shoulders: Rekvu's Scorched Cloak (Fire damage heals while injured)
Note: apply the Frostbite or Serious Burn injury using Frost or Fire spells on self.

Afflictions/Inspirations:
Might: Resistance (Boots of the Stone)
Constitution: n/a
Dexterity: n/a
Perception: n/a
Intellect: n/a
Resolve: n/a

Abilities:
L01 [PL1] Fleet Feet
L02 Spirit Shield
L03 [PL2] Infuse With Vital Essence,
L04 Mirrored Image
L05 [PL3] Combat Focus, Llengrath's Displaced Image
L06 Two-Handed Style
L07 [PL4] Flame Shield, Secrets of Rime
L08 Scion of Flame
L09 [PL5] Farcasting, Ryngrim's Enervating Terror
L10 Llengrath's Safeguard
L11 [PL6] Chain Lightning, Heart of the Storm
L12 Arcane Reflection
L13 [PL7] Tayn's Chaotic Orb, Spell Shaping?
L14
L15
L16 [PL8] Wall of Many Colors,
L17
L18 Spell Resistance
L19 [PL9] Minoletta's Missile Salvo, Prestige
L20 Tough

Important Spells:
Level 1: Fleet Feet, Spirit Shield, Slicken*
Level 2: Miasma of Dull-Mindedness, Mirrored Image, Infuse With Vital Essence, Curse of Blackened Sight*
Level 3: Llengrath's Displaced Image, Ninagauth's Death Ray*, Fireball*
Level 4: Minoletta's Concussive Missiles, Ninagauth's Shadowflame*
Level 5: Ryngrim's Enervating Terror, Llengrath's Safeguard
Level 6: Chain Lightning, Arcane Reflection
Level 7: Citzal's Martial Power, Ninagauth's Killing Bolt*
Level 8: Wall of Many Colors, Wilting Wind*
Level 9: Minoletta's Missile Salvo, Meteor Shower*

 

So as you can see, it's a primary caster that fires nasty ranged physical damage when it's not casting spells, I'm trying to have my cake and eat it basically.

My issue is that since I moved from Evoker to Blood Mage there's a lot of empty levels since the Empower talents are useless.  So, I considered multiclassing.  I want something to complement the ranged attacker style of the build without moving away too hard from the caster style.  Things I was considering:

1) Barbarian, probably Fury Shaper: I read this and was inspired (thanks Boeroer):

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You can try to multiclass with a Berserker or Furyshaper:

Frenzy (faster casts, more dmg - if Berseker due to Tenacious: +2 PEN)
Bloodlust (you will kill a lot and often benefit from even faster casts)
Frenzy Ward: even faster casts (stacks)
Blood Thirst (this is the bomb - no recovery after kills with spells...)
Spirit Frenzy (Stagger foes with all spell dmg)
Savage Defiance (emergency heal)
Brute Force (pick the lower defense automatically which is great)
Fear Ward: great for not getting attacked in melee while casting
You will lose Power Levels (2) and the high level spells - but you can spam spells like crazy at a certain level. It makes for a more interesting experience during the mid game but I think it's lower endgame power due to the lack of those very impactful PL8/9 spells. However - Blood Thirst + spells like Delayed Fireball (with the support of Magran's Favor + Sun & Moon + Gloves + Ring) just make me laugh. I also like to stand in my own fireballs with the Fractured Casque + Scorched Cloak + an injury. Look really Warlockish and heals my buttocks while I'm nuke-spamming the heck out of everything around me.

 

Not interested in Berserker, but Fury Shaper looks interesting.  My issues with this are that I'm not sure how it will interact with a firearms user since they don't have 'recovery' per se, I'm wondering if that recovery reset will get wasted a lot of the time, also does Frenzy / Frenzy Totem even affect reload times?

2) Ranger, probably Arcane Archer or Gunhawk: initially I looked at Ranger for obvious reasons, Gunner talent and other good stuff. However I'm wondering if this is gonna complement the spellcasting that much, really.

3) Don't multiclass at all and just keep it single class cos the gains aren't worth it?

4) Chanter or Monk?  Dunno.

PS: I'm not interested in any of the other classes

Thanks for reading

Edited September 17, 2020 by Yosharian

[Raven Darkholme]

Hm as far as i remember from Scordeo's recovery also applies to reload time, no recovery = no reload.

Blood Mage multiclass can be really good in a solo play (even tho I would not recommend Arcane Archer), but in a party I honestly would keep it single class.

The main reason to multiclass a blood mage would be better sustain, but in a party you should have enough sustain as single class.

You still get healing from corrosive Siphon and later Concelhauts Draining Missiles.

You can boost the PL scaling BM regen by quite a bit if you really want to, but you also have the option to use bdd potions with wall of draining (should not be needed if you have a priest in party).

The PL 8 and 9 spells are just too powerful and even solo a single class bm is a serious consideration.

[Yosharian]

30 minutes ago, Raven Darkholme said:

Hm as far as i remember from Scordeo's recovery also applies to reload time, no recovery = no reload.

Blood Mage multiclass can be really good in a solo play (even tho I would not recommend Arcane Archer), but in a party I honestly would keep it single class.

The main reason to multiclass a blood mage would be better sustain, but in a party you should have enough sustain as single class.

You still get healing from corrosive Siphon and later Concelhauts Draining Missiles.

You can boost the PL scaling BM regen by quite a bit if you really want to, but you also have the option to use bdd potions with wall of draining (should not be needed if you have a priest in party).

The PL 8 and 9 spells are just too powerful and even solo a single class bm is a serious consideration.

Yeah this was my worry, that I'd be losing much from multiclassing and not gaining all that much, however perhaps multiclassing e.g. Fury Shaper is weaker overall, but more interesting?  I'm only playing on Veteran, so having the ultimate build is not necessarily the endgame here.

Also "You can boost the PL scaling BM regen by quite a bit if you really want to" can you elaborate on that

Edited September 17, 2020 by Yosharian

[Raven Darkholme]

Hm I never tried Fury Shaper but in my opinion a single class Fury Shaper is much better, because the PL8 Ward is just insane.

Maybe the multiclass is more interesting as you say, but since the mage already gets a lot of spells and can be played in a very diverse way I kind of doubt it.

(Not everyone is gonna use the same spell every encounter or at least you don't have to)

I worded the line about the regen weirdly.

What I meant is that the blood mage passive regen is already scaling with PL, so other sources of increased healing can make it very powerful, Dawnstars Blessing, items with increased healing, Mercy and Kindness from the chanter etc

[Boeroer]

Frenzy and Bloodlust (and Frenzy Ward) do speedup the reload of weapons. However, Blood Thirst does NOT set reload to 0. This only works with recovery weapons. And other stuff that has recovery (like spells).

I know you said you're not interested in other classes - but I think Bloodmage/Paladin is a very good, well-rounded package. With Blightheart you'll get a +10% corrosive lash for your spells which stacks with Eternal Devotion (its lash also works with spells!) so the spell damage is good. And then Lay on Hands and Exalted Endurance are just great for a Bloodmage because of the self dmg of Blood Sacrifice. A Bloodmage/Bleak Walker can get +2 PEN on Flames of Devotion (Scion of Flame, Spirit of Decay) and the abilities also work with his fire/corrode spells obviously. And FoD gets corrosive/burn lash on the shot which is nice. This corrosive/burn lash on the spells lines up with that which is kind of cool. 

 

 

Edited September 17, 2020 by Boeroer

[Yosharian]

4 minutes ago, Boeroer said:

Frenzy and Bloodlust (and Frenzy Ward) do speedup the reload of weapons. However, Blood Thirst does NOT set reload to 0. This only works with recovery weapons. And other stuff that has recovery (like spells)

 

 

So overall is Fury Shaper a good option here or should I stick with single class BM?

[Yosharian]

Oh and one other question, Fury Shaper gets a penalty when the totem is destroyed, does this also occur when the totem's duration is up?

[Boeroer]

I wouldn't pick Fury Shaper if I wanted to use a gun. I would stick to SC Bloodmage then.

With a weapon like Watershaper's Focus I would pick Fury Shaper I guess. 

[Yosharian]

I see.  What about Ranger?

[Yosharian]

27 minutes ago, Raven Darkholme said:

Hm I never tried Fury Shaper but in my opinion a single class Fury Shaper is much better, because the PL8 Ward is just insane.

Maybe the multiclass is more interesting as you say, but since the mage already gets a lot of spells and can be played in a very diverse way I kind of doubt it.

(Not everyone is gonna use the same spell every encounter or at least you don't have to)

I worded the line about the regen weirdly.

What I meant is that the blood mage passive regen is already scaling with PL, so other sources of increased healing can make it very powerful, Dawnstars Blessing, items with increased healing, Mercy and Kindness from the chanter etc

what's dawnstar's blessing?

[Boeroer]

The blessing you can get when picking up Xoti. It does "+50% healing done" and +2 Religion and lasts until the next rest. 

[Raven Darkholme]

7 minutes ago, Yosharian said:

I see.  What about Ranger?

Ranger is a good mc for blood mage but I would not go Arcane Archer, either go classic ranger or sharp shooter.

Still less "good" than a single class but the pet and some of the ranger passives synergize very well with mages.

[Boeroer]

6 minutes ago, Yosharian said:

I see.  What about Ranger?

I'm not a superfan of ranged Bloodmage/Ranger. Not much which I consider interesting, powerful or fun. 

I very much like a melee Bloodmage/Stalker with a Morning Star - but I guess you are not looking for that.

[Yosharian]

3 minutes ago, Raven Darkholme said:

sRanger is a good mc for blood mage but I would not go Arcane Archer, either go classic ranger or sharp shooter.

Still less "good" than a single class but the pet and some of the ranger passives synergize very well with mages.

Why don't you like AA?

 

I was thinking of using Maia for this build so Gunhawk is an option

 

ALso if you could elaborate on those passives I'd be very grateful

Edited September 17, 2020 by Yosharian

[Yosharian]

L01 [PL1] 
L02 Resilient Companion
L03 Vicious Companion
L04 [PL2] Gunner, Two-Handed Style (Wizard)
L05 Marksman
L06 Protective Companion
L07 [PL3] 
L08 Merciless Companion
L09 Predator's Sense
L10 [PL4] 
L11 
L12 Stalker's Link
L13 [PL5] 
L14 Practiced Healer
L15 Driving Flight
L16 [PL6] 
L17 Survival of the Fittest
L18 
L19 [PL7] 
L20 

 

This is what i came up with for passives, no idea which Ranger actives would be useful really

[Raven Darkholme]

1 hour ago, Yosharian said:

Why don't you like AA?

 

I was thinking of using Maia for this build so Gunhawk is an option

 

ALso if you could elaborate on those passives I'd be very grateful

AA is either very buggy or if the way imbues work is intended just plain bad.

Neither power level nor other buffs that affect your ranged attacks also affect your imbued spells, so they do not scale at all. (as far as I know, never picked AA due to multiple trusted sources telling me this, pretty sure @Boeroer also confirmed this)

As for passives everything that increases your accuracy and also marked prey as an active will highly benefit your spells, pretty sure you already listed all of them in your last post.

[Boeroer]

AA's Imbue spells only have a PEN issue. The rest is fine afair. I see no buggyness in the latest version (besides with multiprojectiles: the frost one triggers imbue effects and the following just get ignored).

When using an AA I wouldn't use the damaging ones so much but instead focus on Binding Web and Pull of Eora. Both are awesome when used with the AA's bonus ACC and also with Driving Flight (and possibly an auto-jump from the weapon). Mostly because with every jump the spell triggers and up to three parallel Webs with one shot + three parallel Pulls with the next - with highest ACC - are insane CC options and can pull a dozen enemies so tightly together that there's no air between them basically.

A really nice ability of the Ranger in combination with a Wizard is Takedown Combo. +100% dmg from a spell is something one should consider. Bloodmages can regain spells so it's not that crucial to make the most out of the casts you have - but still. 

 

[Yosharian]

I'm using the Community Patch so AA scaling isn't really an issue?

so what's the verdict on Ranger, yea or nay?

[dgray62]

I was considering hiring a warlock (berserker/blood mage) companion with Rekvu's scorched cloak as a companion to my MC, who would be built using thelee's Firedancer build. The idea is the warlock could run into the empowered storm of holy fires (with a serious burn to reduce fire AR ) and be healed while surrounded by foes.  I like your build idea, Yosharian, but I wonder if the cloak is somewhat wasted on a ranged build. It seems like you instead want it on a melee caster who can jump into the midst of the fray and cast fireballs, walls of fire combusting wounds (if confused) oneself while surrounded by foes. But perhaps I'm missing something.

[Yosharian]

18 minutes ago, dgray62 said:

I was considering hiring a warlock (berserker/blood mage) companion with Rekvu's scorched cloak as a companion to my MC, who would be built using thelee's Firedancer build. The idea is the warlock could run into the empowered storm of holy fires (with a serious burn to reduce fire AR ) and be healed while surrounded by foes.  I like your build idea, Yosharian, but I wonder if the cloak is somewhat wasted on a ranged build. It seems like you instead want it on a melee caster who can jump into the midst of the fray and cast fireballs, walls of fire combusting wounds (if confused) oneself while surrounded by foes. But perhaps I'm missing something.

I mean you say that but upgraded Dragon's Dowry deals 15 fire damage on a 15% chance per attack, it's not insignificant, also there are not many other good cloaks available for the build

Trolls Stitched heals 5hp per 12 seconds, DD will deal more than that back to my guy in fire damage right?

Edited September 17, 2020 by Yosharian

[Raven Darkholme]

1 hour ago, Yosharian said:

I mean you say that but upgraded Dragon's Dowry deals 15 fire damage on a 15% chance per attack, it's not insignificant, also there are not many other good cloaks available for the build

Trolls Stitched heals 5hp per 12 seconds, DD will deal more than that back to my guy in fire damage right?

A 15% chance on a gun build is pretty low tbh amd in most cases trolls stitched will heal you for more on avg, that being said Rekvu's prevents the damage from happening in the first place, while you might get unlucky and have a lot of procs in a short time.

Also ofc since you are a bloodmage you could have scordeo's in 2nd weapon slot, proc it first and then prolong it with wall of drainhing weapon switch and use dd.

(that does sound ver counterintuitive for a range dchar tho :P)

[Haplok]

Don't really see the point of ranged martial attacks as a backup option on a Bloodmage, who can regenerate his resources. Can't imagine a scenario where firing a gun with minor bonuses only would be preferable to casting a spell. Well, maybe once per combat, before you need to reload (more with Black Jacket weapon switching maybe).

 

Pure Bloodmage probably best overall.

For a damage oriented nuker, an Assassin multiclass works well (although needs to be careful in real time).

[Boeroer]

With Blightheart it can be pretty good to fire some shots here and there. Especially once you have Wall of Draining.

I don't see the appeal of Dragon's Dowry on a SC Bloodmage. With Ranger/Bloodmage that may be different. 

Edited September 18, 2020 by Boeroer

[Raven Darkholme]

Well op said heisn't looking for the best power creep but something fun and different that's still viable, at least that's how I understood it.

[Yosharian]

I'm coming back a little late to this, but the physical attacks this character puts out are so effective that it's kinda putting the rest of its arsenal to shame.  And the bear is super useful as a resummonable tank.

I'm kind of leaning towards abandoning the Bloodmage aspect altogether which is ironic considering I started out trying to complement a caster build, but oh well.

Looking at either pure ranger now or something else.  Boeroer your Bleak Walker idea is actually really interesting now.

Question though: does Sworn Enemy stack with Marked Prey?  Edit: it does, sweet..

Edited September 20, 2020 by Yosharian