Low CL HiPS question

[Rudolph]

There are some relevant forum discussions on this, but I'd like to post my fundamental question separately for clarity's sake. I was wondering what experienced players think of the viability of HiPS and Stealth in combination with 9th lvl but low-CL Arcane magic (i.e. 21-23 CL).

I know one way of using low CL magic is offensively for debuffs and with equipment as reliable backup. However, I am wondering about whether builds that actually rely on their magical buffs to work can still be viable thanks to good use of HiPS. With careful manoeuvring and attacking casters first, would it be possible to avoid most dispels in most areas? Or is this a hopeless endeavour and any low-CL-spell-reliant build doomed in the Epics?

[chad878262]

It's doable, but being over reliant on buffs can get you in trouble. What type of HiPS caster are you thinking of? As an archer type you canget away with it mostly thanks to distance/ ability to run away. However, if going melee getting hit with greater dispel can strip you of a good portion of your wards.

Consider your DC will be 11+23=34 so a greater dispel strips anny ward where the opposing caster rolls 14 or higher. You still off course can then HiPS or cast a quickened invisibility and escape, but may be stuck waiting for the rest timer. Yes you cando it, but takes some patience.

[Tsidkenu]

As with anything about playing a caster (esp. a HIPS one), these matters are all about timing. If you've just attacked/cast from stealth and are waiting for the 6 sec HIPS cooldown to reset, of course you're going to get dispelled a lot.

However, it is possible to time your HIPS (assuming it isn't on cooldown) so not only do you not get dispelled, but the opposing caster actually wastes their spell-slot as well. Takes plenty of practice and observation of caster mobs around you to get to that point, though.

[Maverick 40]

I am less skeptical than Chad. It won't be easy leveling but you can go in a couple different directions. By adding classes with Swift Tracker Feat, like Ranger, or Wilderness Stalker, you can easily avoid casters, work around them, or cut them down before they cast.

If you drop the HiPs but go lower CL, you can do Wizard 5 Swashbuckler 5 EK 10 BS 10, max INT and take Combat Insight, Rapier Focus and you should (with Epic Gear) have 45 AC before spells, good but not great damage, good critical range, good but not great AB (before Tenser's). I would add Combat Exp, Imp Combat Exp Feats and if you get your spells removed, just bump your AC up to 51 and recast. You can do it with Sorceror too, but you lose some of the flavor feats for the added bonus of having a surplus of spells. You can max your concentration, cast Greater Sanctuary and reapply spells too.

It is definitely doable, you just have to be strategic.

[Rudolph]

Thanks guys. This is already quite helpful, though if there are more tips, please keep em coming. I am encouraged enough to try out one of those low CL gishes despite the high cost of the Stealth equipment and learn that timing thing (rather than clicking wildly around). I was thinking of a ranged Assassin combo which cannot, alas, afford Swift Tracking (I thought of that as well - too bad it's not on an item). Unless dispelled, the build will have very good Stealth and decent AB and AC without needing short-term buffs - but it only has 21 CL.