[CLASS BUILD] The Sorcerer's Apprentice (twisted sneaky dps scroll user)

[Boeroer]

"That old sorcerer has vanished 

And for once has gone away! 

Spirits called by him, now banished, 

My commands shall soon obey. 

Every step and saying 

That he used, I know, 

And with sprites obeying 

My arts I will show."

From "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1797),

translation by Edwin Zeydel (1955) 

 

 

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The Sorcerer's Apprentice

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Difficulty: PotD v. 3.02

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Class: Rogue

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Race: Wood Elf

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Background: Old Vailia - Merchant

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Stats:

 

MIG: 18 

CON: 03

DEX: 19 

PER: 16

INT: 19

RES: 03

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Skills: Stealth 1, Athl. 3, Lore 8, Mech. 12, Surv. 4  

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Talents (a=auto, r=recommended, !=important)

Weapon Focus Noble ®

Runner's Wounding Shot

Marksman

Dangerous Implement

Penetrating Shot (!)

Deep Pockets ®

Vicious Fighting

Prestidigitator's Missiles

 

Abilities

Blinding Strike

Crippling Strike

Deathblows(!)

Deep Wounds ®

Dirty Fighting

Distant Advantage (a)

Escape ®

Sap

Second Whind (a)

Sneak Attack (a)

Withering Strike

 

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Items (*=additional echantments by me; !=important, r=recommended):

 

Weapon set 1: Engwithan Sceptre (*Exceptional, *Corrosive Lash, *Durgan Refined) or Pretty Pretty's Rib or Rod of Pale Shades or Puitente med Principi

Weapon Set 2: Acuan Giamas (!)

 

Boots: Boots of Speed or Viettros Formal Footwear (put only 7 points into Lore then!) 

 

Head: The Witch's Hat or Footpad's Hood

 

Armor: Raiment of Wael's Eyes or Rundl's Finery (or any other robe) 

 

Neck: Glanfathan Adraswen or Cloak of Minor Missiles

 

Belt: Girdle of Maegfolc Might

 

Rings: Ring of Overseeing, Ring of Thorns

 

Hands: Gauntlets of Swift Action or Ryona's Vembraces

 

Quick slots: Scrolls, e.g.: Binding Web, Paralyze, Missile Barrage, Concussive Missiles, Bounding Missiles, Crackling Bolt, Rolling Flame, Maelstrom 

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Hi again!

 

This build is all about scrolls. You know I normally only use scrolls in tough encounters but even then I most of the time forget using them because... I really don't know why. Might be the feeling that I waste something when I use scrolls, maybe it's because it's not part of my "every encounter routine" - who knows. So I decided to make a build which main purpose is to use scrolls - very effectively.

 

Most scrolls have a huge range and are best cast from a distance - so a glass cannon wannabe-wizard should be an appropriate build for using scrolls.

 

Knowing that a rogue has amazing ACC and also some abilities that cause afflictions (like some spells do), I figured this would be a good class to use scrolls. And if you don't want to waste scrolls for easy encountes, a rogue can always dish out lots of single target damage via sneak attack.

Also, there are some nice implements in the game that are either speedy or cause afflictions on crit - which is also a nice synergy with the rogue's afflictions, his high ACC and his hit-to-crit conversions.

And on top of Sneak Attack (and later Deathblows) we can also use Dangerous Implement. This is quite nice in the early game because you do +75% damage if the target suffers from any affliction that qualifies for sneak attacks. And since we want to stay in the back row the self damaging part is not that much of a problem. 

 

But most important: scrolls and spells work with Deathblows! Not with Sneak Attack though (what?) - but with Deathblows. Since some scrolls have huge amounts of base damage (look at Crackling Bolt for example), Deathblows with those spells result in absurdly high numbers - especially if you also crit with them. Crackling Bolt easily surpasses 50 damage per "normal" hit. Most of the time my Crackling Bolts do more than 100 to 130 damage per foe. And remember that Crackling Bolt has a great range and also bounces. If you manage to line up some enemies (Boots of Speed are nice for this) and CC them, then one or two of those bolts should be enough to end the encounter. But also Rolling Flame and other damage focused scrolls do the trick.

Another thing about spells that hit in a "line" like Crackling Bolt and Rolling Flame: they work with Penetrating Shot. Pen. Shot will give you 5 DR bypass with those spells without slowing down your casting. It only slows down your ranged attacks (aka implement shots).

 

Other scrolls you should consider: Missiles. Those also work with Pen. Shot and Deathblows - and also with Deep Wounds! Here you can switch from devastating single target damage (Missile Barrage, Minor Mssiles, Prestidigitator's Missiles) to AoE-Deep-Wounds-damage (Concussive Missiles, Bounding Missiles). Deathblows with Missile Barrage is a death sentence! 9 Missiles with 8 DR bypass (11 if you use Ryona's Vembraces) will hit for 13.5 damage with +10 ACC. This means most of those missiles will crit, causing ~34 damage each. Against foes with 8 (or 11) DR this can mean 306 damage. Usually it's a bit lower because not every missile crits and some foes have more DR, but usually you'll cause over 200 damage (and also interrupt a lot). Concussive Missiles can also hit hard and apply Deep Wounds in an AoE. Bounding Missiles are great for two or three enemies that stand near to each other.

 

Other good scrolls are Binding Web and Tanglefoot. Those are two easy ways to trigger deathblows in a big AoE. Because of your high ACC and the scrolls' ACC bonus, you will hit/crit a lot. COmbines with your high INT, the durations are great.

 

Instead of using scrolls all the time you could also collect every spell binding item you can find. I wanted you use scrolls with this guy, so I didn't focus on that.

 

Another good thing: You can still make this rogue your mechanics guy. He only needs 6 Lore to use most of the powerful damage scrolls. Give him 8 (or 7 if you plan to put on the formal footwear) to also be able to cast Maelstrom (very high base damage = absurdly high Deathblow damage). I only gave him 4 Survival for the +10 ACC bonus. That was enough for me.

 

What I really wanted to do with this guy is to get that morning star that steals spells: Acuan Giamas. Once you have this and meet some casters it gets really funny: wait until your buddies engaged, run to a caster in the back row, hit him with sap or another affliction that prevents him from killing you, and hit him until you steal spells. Then immediately retreat with Escape (you could also use Shadow Step or Shadowing Beyond for this but I didn't feel the need. Escape just works fine).

Be sure not to kill the caster you stole spells from - then all the stolen spells will vanish!

Now you have a long timespan in which you can chain-cast the stolen spells without losing any resources. Those are "free" spells for the given timespan. Ogre Druids for example can give you Calling the World's Maw. I think I don't have to tell you how powerful this spell is if you can just cast it over and over again with very high ACC... aaand Deep Wounds... aaand Deathblows!

This setup is very powerful - but since you get this Morning Star very, very late I didn't evolve the whole build around it. It just puts the icing on the cake.

 

Now you could say: "But scrolls are always powerful - a fighter can also be a good scroll user!" - and you would be right. This is just a build which whole purpose is to use scrolls a lot and brings some nice synergies.

The good thing is that this guy also (like most other builds) works without scrolls. Like a plain old ranged rogue.

However - using this build I litrally forced myself into using scrolls. Before that I also used them from time to time - but at the end of the game I had tons of money, parts and plants and gems and a sh!tload of scrolls in my stash that I didn't use. I never visisted my stronghold's Curio Shop. With this "rogueish" wizard I fully unlocked the potential of scrolls. It resulted in an easy playthrough.

 

Oh, and don't forget the traps! He also can do that. A petrifying trap (means damage*2) plus Deathblows plus Missile Barrage is... total overkill!

Good when you have to deal with those nasty WM-bounties.

 

Ok, thanks for reading and have fun!

Edited April 16, 2017 by Boeroer

[MaxQuest]

Hehe, from the title and character appearance was thinking it's a wizard build. But hey, that's a better spellcaster than the wizard himself (if taking the fact that scrolls are consumables aside, that is).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Btw, this archivist build can make great use of: Necklace of Fireballs, The Flames of Fair Rhîan and Bittercut. Also deathblows might work with Cloudpiercer's proc too

Edited April 25, 2016 by MaxQuest

[Blunderboss]

Finally !

 

Very interesting build as usual , i was thinking about similar build just using Blunderbusses with QS combined with all the possible Missile scrolls , kinda strange and disappointing that SA does not work with scrolls but Death Blows does . will have to rush level 11 i guess , what about Backstab ? does it work with scrolls ?

Edited April 25, 2016 by Blunderboss

[Stasis_Sword]

Awesome build. This is something I've been thinking about for awhile, and I'm currently trying a slightly different variation on.

 

Two questions:

1). Any advice on stockpiling ingredients for scrolls?

2). Anyone have a list of fun spellholding items anywhere?

[Boeroer]

Hi guys!

 

I also wanted to write a short backstory but totally forgot about that. Maybe I can add this this afternoon - if my kids let me.

 

@MaxQuest: Nice pic - fits perfectly well!

 

@Blunderbuss: Unfortunately I couldn't get Backstab to work with scrolls. Not even woith Feign Death or Cape of the Master Mystic. Also didn't work with Prestidigitator's Missiles - which is really fast. It also doesn't work if you use a special attack like Crippling Strike and so on. Only worked for me with standard implement attacks.

 

@Statis_Sword: 1.: Not really. You just have to look up the ingredients for the scrolls you like best and then collect/buy/spawn them. The Curio Shop finally did something useful for me! And also the midnight guy in Ondra's Gift suddenly makes sense.

2.: I don't have one, but if you use the wiki and check all the unique items you get a good overview.

 

@all: Right! You can of course build a great caster rogue with all those spell binding/holding/striking items. Especially if you also go into melee. Swaddling Sheet and White Crest, the Azurro mid shield and Bittercut... there are lots of items that grant you spells (that also work with Deep Wounds). Also the mind control items like Ring of Changing Heart, Munacra Arret and so on are really powerful on a rogue because of his high ACC and his hit-to-crit conversion. And then the Morning Star makes even more sense because you won't die instantly in melee once a foe targets you. But since Blunderboss is playing such a rogue at the moment and also wants to post his build I tried to completely switch to scrolls and leave most of those items aside. This way I was more independent from items and could totally focus on scrolls (and traps/mechanics).

[Stasis_Sword]

@Statis_Sword: 1.: Not really. You just have to look up the ingredients for the scrolls you like best and then collect/buy/spawn them. The Curio Shop finally did something useful for me! And also the midnight guy in Ondra's Gift suddenly makes sense.

2.: I don't have one, but if you use the wiki and check all the unique items you get a good overview.

 

1). I wasn't sure if there were any fancy tricks to get them to respawn or show up more frequently. Good point about the midnight vendor.

[indika_tates]

Nice build Boeroer. I had ever the same problem. When I got scrolls I ever reserved it for tough battles. But at the end of the game I noticed that I never used all of that powerful scrolls that I had. This build has a lot of potential. If scrolls works with deatblows this guy is the ultimate mob eraser. A single scroll of fan of flames can create a hole on the ground with this char. And this is a rogue that can make use of the new perks so well, specially shadowstep.

 

On top of this, this build without using scrolls just with Sure-handed and a durganized scepter for trash encounters still do lots of damage. I think I will give it a try, it can be a very interesting gameplay. Late game there are a lot of items with spells/rest and with careful planning this guy can spam per rest more spells than a vancian caster :D

Edited April 25, 2016 by indika_tates

[DreamWayfarer]

Nice build as always. Although I'd say "Research Thief" would be a much more fitting name, all things considered.

[KDubya]

Maybe use "The Plagiarizer"  as he uses what others have written and passes it off as his own.

[Boeroer]

Those are all very viable names.

 

"The Sorcerer's Apprentice" is just the title of a famous german poem, written by Goethe. In this poem the apprentice tries out the magic of his master (who went out for a short time) and it all goes south because the apprentice knows the words to start the magic but doesn't know how to stop it. I had to learn it when I was in school and although I can't remember the words anymore I remember that I liked it.

I thought it is quite fitting for this guy. I just couldn't find any poem where a rogue stole scrolls and used them with more proficiency than the author, hehe.

[L4wlight]

Oh yes, I had to lern it too. This one and "The Erlking".

 

Anyway, nice build. In a party without a Blast Wizard you could even give the Golden Gaze to the Sorcerer's Apprentice and switch to the "main" weapon of choice after Expose Vulnerabilities procced (great synergy with all the "missile" like scrolls), at least until you get your hands on Acuan Giamas.

Edited April 25, 2016 by L4wlight

[chickenhed]

Awesome build. I'm curious though; since scrolls work with deathblows but not with sneak attacks, does that imply it's a bug? I mean it could work either way, really. A bug that it should work with both abilities. Or a bug that it should not work with either ability.

 

Either way, do we know if this is working as intended?

[Boeroer]

No, sadly not. I have no idea if this is working as intended. If this gets "fixed" in a way that Deathblows doesn't work anymore this build can pack it's things and go. Then fighter or monks would be better scroll users. They would be more sturdy while having the same ACC and damage output. Especially since Turning Wheel works with all the melee spells like Jolting Touch.

Edited April 26, 2016 by Boeroer

[Blunderboss]

Dont they dare to kill another build of yours :/ , still waiting for Retaliate to be fixed for cipher . I actually hope for SA to work with scrolls next patch this would be nice buff for rogues 

Edited April 26, 2016 by Blunderboss

[Boeroer]

That would be really nice. Then He would not need any other buff or polishing. That would be powerful enough. I even would appreciate a talent or ability like "Arcane Trickster" or something like that which would unlock Sneak Attack and Deathblows for spells (and maybe even Backstab).

[Lleorq]

Awesome build, I just tested it against Archdruid Rehstin with a 10 M, 5 C, 19 D, 16 P, 10 I, 18 R gunslinger rogue. Missile Barrage did 169 dmg (deathblows, deep wounds) while he had 7.0 DR and my test rogue -6.0 with penetrating shot. One shot with lead spitter finished him.

 

My next MC is definitely a magic-enhanced gunslinger rogue. I really like the aspiring apprentice rp. 

[DreamWayfarer]

I really like the aspiring apprentice rp.

More like lazy student who is actually quite intelligent, but cheats on his tests because it is such a chore to remember all the formulae.

[wiarygodny]

Vicious Aim seems to work with scrolls.

[Boeroer]

Ouh nice. Good find. With targeted spells only (missiles and so on) or also with AoE spells like Fireball?

[MaxQuest]

 

Either way, do we know if this is working as intended?

No, sadly not. I have no idea if this is working as intended.

 

It's indeed unclear. But judging by tooltip, deathblows talent is likely to be overlooked:

- because it either could be consistent with SA

- or it should read simply "self: +100% damage"; because adding "+100% ranged" is redundant.

Or... hmm, have anyone checked the final damage coefficient with deathblows when using ranged weapons, for the matter of stacking?

 

 

 

 

 

I'm inclined to think that every talent that has "self: +x% damage" without mentioning ranged/melee part should work with all scrolls.

Need to check the exact wording on Scaen Baby Sneak Attack and Two-Handed Style.

Edited April 27, 2016 by MaxQuest

[Boeroer]

I guess it was not intended at first. But it adds something nice to the rogue - so I hope they leave it like it is. Or - as I said - I wouldn't mind a tlant that unlocks deathblows and/or Sneak Attack for spells and scrolls.

[SaruNi]

Vicious Aim seems to work with scrolls.

 

Any idea if Stunning Shots does? Still requires enemies to be engaged with your pet, but if it works with AoE spells that could be interesting. 

 

The idea of a Barbarian variation on the SA using Brute Force (scroll nuke spellcasters who have low fortitude?), Greater Frenzy, the yells, Dragon Leap, and that spell-stealing morning star with Carnage amuses me (too bad Carnage no longer works with touch spells apparently).... 

Edited February 15, 2017 by SaruNi

[Boeroer]

Acuan Giamas'ses spell stealing works with carnage. It's fun. The best part is that Blood Thirst and Bloodlust also get triggered by kills via spells. They both stack with Frenzy. If you manage to steal Calling the World's Maw from an ogre Druid and start to cast it with no recovery the game breaks.

Edited February 15, 2017 by Boeroer

[SaruNi]

Acuan Giamas'ses spell stealing works with carnage. It's fun. The best part is that Blood Thirst and Bloodlust also get triggered by kills via spells. They both stack with Frenzy. If you manage to steal Calling the World's Maw from an ogre Druid and start to cast it with no recovery the game breaks.

 

Wow... Blood Thirst is much interesting than I thought (and I didn't realize that, despite being WMII content, it's available as early as level 7)... so presumably it works with scrolls and items too. So if there's a mob of weak enemies around a few strong enemies, AoE damage could be positioned to kill at least one weak enemy while purposefully missing others to kill with subsequent casts/attacks in order to maintain 0 recovery time between casts while damaging the stronger enemies with each cast (I'd guess retaliation and DoT effects count towards Blood Thirst too)....

Edited February 16, 2017 by SaruNi

[Boeroer]

Retaliation works, but DoT effects don't. At least the last time I tried.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Boeroer